We're still processing a 12-hour time-change jetlag, so we woke in Beijing at 5AM and decided that was "late enough" and got up to work on our Blog. Except that I couldnt' connect to Facebook and this site. There were comments that Google's blogspot and Facebook are *blocked* here in China. Weird since AOL and Gmail are fine. And it could just be a weak connection rather than something conscious.
It's May Day. Which is a 3-day Holiday here (like Labor Day in the US), so our guide at Odysseys Unlimited decided to re-arrange our tour schedule to accommodate the crowds of *Chinese* tourists likely to be at the spots we will visit. Very good of our guide, Chen, to think ahead that way.
Breakfast in the Hotel (Sofitel Wanda) - an amazing selection available at the buffet - including "Dragon Fruit": a white melon with black spots in it: tasty, but not really hugely different from honeydew in flavor.
We were very happy to see that our breakfast was included in the tour price - since the ultimate bill was 455 RMB - which is roughly $60. For breakfast for 2. Ouch. But this is "big city / fancy hotel" price - not necessarily an indication of "China" or "Beijing" price.
We still had time before our bus left, so we headed downstairs and just walked around the block and down the street and back. Very pleasant.
Kathy captured some of the beautiful flowers growing by the street.
Don't forget that you can click on any of the photos to see a bigger version of them.
As we walked down the street of Beijing, it almost seemed *too* "familiar": the clothing of all of the Chinese - making their way to their daily activities - looks just like ours - except they're more fashionable. They seem to avoid bright colors: everything seems to be white, black, or gray, but there are no "Chairman Mao" suits or "pajamas", but jeans, sneakers, suits, etc. When I think about it, it isn't surprising since *our* clothes are all made in China these days. In addition, the cars all look familiar: they are either American brands or look like the same cars we see at home. Most of the familiar brands are manufactured here, too: GM, Volkswagen, BMW, Ford... So while I want it to feel exotic, it feels like New York City - except that signs are in Mandarin and English. Lots of English - not that it would be easy to get around without knowing any Chinese.
We head downstairs to meet the rest of the people on our tour. 24 people in all - and we get an overall "China" briefing from our guide, Chen, then load into the bus for the ride out to the Great Wall. We're warned that the traffic is bad with "Labor Day Weekend" traffic, so it may take 90 minutes to get there, but our local Beijing guide, Vivian, trades off with Chen to frankly discuss any aspect of China and Chinese living that we care to pose - so we get a real exposure to "The Chinese" rather than just a traffic delay.
The 90-minute trip ultimately takes *3 hours* for us to get from Beijing out to the chosen section of the Great Wall, but that's OK. We pass "fishing ponds" along the way: tourist ponds heavily stocked with trout - so that city folk can come out and fish and catch their lunch/dinner. GOBS of families standing around pond after pond as we drive.
Lots of rural areas that make it clear that China has seen hard times - for a long time now - but that nobody is complaining. Chen matter-of-factly tells us that when he finished University - he had no exposure to tourism - but the Central Government assigned him to be a guide - so that's what he is. And he's very good at it. Later, he did also tell us that the influence of the Central Government has waned and he now can seek his own career. He's married and has a daughter - yet he will accompany us on our entire 20-day tour. He tells us that when he was a boy, that the government would allocate one pound of meat per person per *month*. But he is not complaining. That is just the way life is.
And then we arrive at the Great Wall.
*THE* Great Wall of China.
Coming up next.
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