Temple of Heaven

May 2, Sunday, Beijing

Up early again: combination of adjusting to the 12-hour time change - and getting old (smile)... we're the youngest people in our tour group and we're being reminded that we're *not* unusual in *not* looking for "night life": we head to bed by 10PM so getting up at 6AM is no problem.

As we enjoy our extensive buffet breakfast in the hotel again (I'm getting to finally understand that there is NOTHING which is "not breakfast food" to *someone*: steak, squid, dumplings, congee, everything is fair game), I muse again that, so far, China doesn't really *feel* that "foreign". What I've seen of clothes and cars - and WalMart and KFC - doesn't look terribly different than the US. Of course, I don't have a Central Government telling me what my career will be - or rationing meat, but I also don't have a career *at all* right now. And even the "one child per family" rule which is VERY real - and which has now been in force for 40(?) years - is seeming like a difficult-but-necessary governing decision. American family sizes have been plummeting over the last few generations - as *we* move off the farms and realize that we don't need farm hands anymore - and that paying for college for 13 children - is *tough*. China has also altered the "one child" policy as it gets to 2nd - and 3rd-generation offspring of that policy: if a couple now forms and *both* people are "only" children, then the *couple* is allowed *2* children - to begin to move back to "replacement level" of births. At least 2 of our guides were "only" children - whose partners were also "only" children - so they were anticipating *2*-children families. Heck... *that* sounds much like mainstream America, too. Of course, to be fair, it was only 21 years ago that dissenters were *shot* in Tinanmen Square - and I don't recall that kind of thing in the US lately... though there are some who would argue with me on *that* point.

Down to the lobby and into the bus for the short trip to the "Temple of Heaven". On the way, I see a hatchback car with the hatchback wide open - with a videographer hanging out the back of the car, videotaping the long line of *RED* cars behind him. Uhhh... What? I ask Vivian, our local guide and she tells us that, yes, that's a wedding procession and it is traditional to rent a whole bunch of red (good luck) or black cars (NOT white) - to parade the wedding party around town before bringing them to the wedding. Apparently, the actual wedding affairs haven't blossomed to the level of American blow-outs, but the photography, dresses, and processions have - as the "single children" mature and the "Little Princesses" and "Little Emperors" are wed. Cool to see.

We arrive at the Temple of Heaven. A large "Central Park" with the Temple at the center, but which has become a meeting place for the people of Beijing. Particularly the retirees congregate here to dance, exercise, do Tai Chi, play Hacky-Sack and badmitton, sing, play cards and dominoes - and to *live*. It is *full* of activity and gentle, caring interaction. They don't sit home in front of the TV - rotting. OK... at least the ones we're seeing don't. And they bring their grandchildren. And they are VERY proud of their little grandchildren - very happy to have us make a fuss over the little cuties and take gobs of photos. The merging of East and West is quite clear: Disney Babies clothes at the Temple of Heaven.

We watch a large group of people ballroom-dancing and they invite our group to join them. The other couple from Florida (very active newly-wed octogenarians) and a couple of our other ladies - wind up dancing while we all cheer. We move a little further in toward the Temple and a group of people engage us in a kind of a Hacky-sack badminton (Kathy was pretty good at it!) , and a kind of combined Tai Chi with "balance a ball on a moving badminton racquet" (Linda showed talent) , and we are given the opportunity to *buy* corresponding equipment before we move on. I don't think that any of us tried the "sword Tai Chi" - .

And then we have a really wonderful experience. Vivian and Chen herd us onto a patio section and we slowly thread our way thru the crowd. Watching dominoes (where the men make every play dramatically and loudly) and traditional Chinese-instrument performances. Singing. Dancing. Literally "rubbing shoulders" with the Chinese. It takes awhile for us to traverse the 100 yards, but the point is not to "get where we were going" - but, rather, to *be* with the very-real, very open and sincere Chinese people. Just magical.

I always wind up as one of the last people to progress and I find myself rather behind, so as I make an effort to catch up to my group, I nudge my way between 2 people - and find myself literally face-to-face with a little boy. Maybe only a year old. In his mother's arms. We all just freeze - and *look* at each other. The little boy's face is full of wonder - his eyes dark, round, and huge. He reaches out and touches my arm - totally unafraid of this odd stranger. I say "Hello" gently, not realizing that my English probably means nothing to him - or his mother. But he responds: "Hello" and keeps looking at me. His mother prompts him to wave at me and I wave back. I wish that I had my camera ready - or that I wasn't already so far behind my group - so that I could savor this moment - but I have to move on, so I say "Bye Bye" and his mother smiles as he responds - in English - "Bye Bye" and smiles while still staring at me. Just... utterly magical.

I guess that this *is* the "Temple of Heaven".