Off to Beijing

Tuesday, May 25, 2010--Qufu to Beijing   Our bus for Beijing wasn't departing until 11:20, so we had time to get up slowly and get to the station. We walked (1 hour) to get there and still got there about 50 minutes early. However, that was exercise we needed, since we would be sitting for 7+ hours on the bus.   What a disappointment when the bus arrived. Before this, our transportation has not been bad. This bus, however, was VERY bad. We had to sit in the next-to-the-last row. The seat backs were broken so that they were permanantly reclined. Also, the broken seats, along with the bad suspension, meant that every bump we hit sent our seats and seatbacks bucking. The bottom of the overhead storage compartment (with the a/c vents and lights) across the aisle from us was taped in place. A short distance down the highway when we hit a rough spot, the same portion of the overhead unit fell into the lap of a woman in the row in front of us and sent her into a fit of yelling at the driver and trying to figure out what to do with the wiring that was hanging down in front of her face! Fortunately, we were on expressways most of the way, so the trip was not as bouncy, meaning not as uncomfortable, as it could have been. At first, we had been worried that we both might be sick from all the bucking going on. That bus cannot be long for the road. We were so happy to arrive in Beijing without it falling apart.   The bus arrived at a station on the west side of town. Fortunately, I could figure out where it was on the map even though the station itself was not marked on it. We were near the Beijing West Train Station, so we went there to make one more effort to see if we could get a refund for the train tickets we had bought and could not use. The train still had not departed for the trip to Beijing, so we thought it might be worth the effort to try. However, they said the refund could be obtained only from the departure station. Therefore, we gave up for good and saved the tickets as souvenirs.   We are staying at the Oriental Peace Hotel in the Wangfujing area of Beijing. It's the same hotel where I stayed two years ago when I was here. From the West Train Station, it was easy to walk to the metro line and take the subway straight to here. And I remembered exactly how to get to the hotel even though it is on a small alley and has no western letters showing its name. Then we had a pleasant surprise. Although we had reserved the room through a website we have been using, the desk gave us the room at a cheaper price.   It was 21:00 by the time we were settled in the room, and we were hungry. We just went to a small place across the alley to eat. They had some cold vegetables. We picked out two kinds--one that was green and a bit rubbery and another that was either strips of melon or cucumber that had been pickled. We also got a large bowl of egg drop soup which we flavored with a vinegar-flavored soy sauce and thoroughly enjoyed.   Wednesday, May 26, 2010--Beijing   With the sun shining brightly, we decided to spend the day going to the Forbidden City. We stopped near the hotel to have a quick snack breakfast of an egg pancake wrapped around bean sprouts and seasoned with a spicy sauce.   We walked to the Forbidden City, since it is only one metro stop away. There were huge crowds. But the place is so big that it still was not bad. After the first couple of courtyards that are a gauntlet due to people trying to sell goods or services, we got our tickets and were within the area where we could enjoy the architecture and exhibits. We spent a total of 6 hours touring it. I had been there two years ago and had seen the major buildings, but I had lost all my photos because of my camera later being stolen. We took photos and followed the crowds to each major building. We also explored many side areas including the Treasury which I had missed on my previous visit. It's a fascinating place with large courtyards and massive-size buildings. The roofs are ornate with tiles, carvings, and multiple layers. And, of course, the main entrance has the famous and large portait of Mao overhead.   When we left the Forbidden City, we were exhausted, but there were two other places I wanted to explore before heading back to the room. First, was Tiananman Square which is directly across the street from the Forbidden City. It's not a square that impresses me, but it is so famous that it needs to be seen. Since the demonstrations a few years ago, it is constantly monitored by the military. We even had to go through security to enter the square. Once inside, there is not much to it. There are no trees, no benches, etc. There are just people milling around in a huge paved area and occasionally just sitting down on the pavement. There is a new addition since I was here two years ago--a long electronic screen showing films of various scenes in China.   We headed further south from the square, past the large gates at the end of it into an urban renewal project which was still underconstruction when I was here before. Previously, it was a local area with homes and neighborhood shops and restaurants. My guidebook identified it as a wonderful area for finding small, inexpensive restaurants. But the government clearned out a wide swath through the neighborhood and built a totally new shopping district in old-style architecture. They took away the streetcar that used to be there, but left the tracks through the area. The closest thing I can compare it to now is La Cantera Mall in San Antonio which is an open air mall full of the typical international shops. Fortunately, however, just behind the western side of the mall street is still a street lined with local shops and restaurants. We walked back through it and found it far more interesting to see. And there are still many nice, small restaurants in that area.   Being so tired, we stopped at a supermarket on the way back to the hotel and bought some food to bring to the room. Then we stayed inside the rest of the night.   Thursday, May 27, 2010--Beijing   Knowing that the crowds can be almost impossible on the weekends, we decided to go visit the Great Wall of China today. We followed the easy route which is the one I had followed two years ago. We took the metro to a local bus stop and caught the 919 bus to the Badaling viewing site.   The weather was cloudy and as we left the hotel, there was an occasional feel of a sprinkle. We bought a very garlicy pastry at the metro entrance. Travel went well with every connection working fine. When we got to Badaling, we could still feel an occasional sprinkle, but there was no rain.   We took the route to the left when we climbed the wall. Most tourists go to the right, and that area is just too crowded. To the left is much less crowded because it is much more steep! For us, however, it was just good exercise. We climbed and climbed, stopping to catch our breath and to take photos. Even this route was more crowded that it was when I was here before. I had thought maybe the cloudy day with the threat of rain would keep the number of visitors down, but that didn't seem to be the case. As we hiked, we even passed an official delegation from India who were been escorted by soldiers, since this is the part of the wall where government leaders are traditionally taken. Wes and I joked that Hilliary and Timothy (Geithner?) were probably at the same spot earlier this week when they were here for negotiations.   We hiked as far as we were allowed to go. Then we turned around and returned. We passed a German man who was playing polkas on his accordion. It was so nice. We guessed that he may have a goal of trying to take his accordion and play it at many significant places in the world--the top of the Empire State Building, at the Grand Canyon, at the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, etc. Whatever his reasoning, it was a pleasure for all of us who were listening. On the way back down the wall, the rain began as a light drizzle. We walked a way on the other part of the wall, but the rain and the crowds made us decide it wasn't worth the effort. Instead, we toured the Wall Museum which had some interesting exhibits about its construction, the state of various parts after all these years, photos of famous visitors, etc.   There was a crowd waiting for the bus in the light rain when we got to the bus stop. When the bus came, there was no queue at all. It was all-for-oneself as people pushed and shoved. Wes got on ahead of me and got a seat. I had to start the trip standing. Then something happened to me for the first time in my life, I think. There were two young Indonesian men on the bus who had been on our bus going up there. One of them got out of his seat and insisted that I take it. I presume he did this because of thinking that I am elderly and should be given a seat. Of course, I probably went up the Wall as fast or faster than anyone else with no problems. But he insisted, so I took the seat. Fortunately, some people left the bus after about 15 minutes and he got a seat again.   Only one of the two Indonesians could speak English, but he and I visited for quite a while on the way back to town on the bus. He has been to Houston, because he used to work for a multi-national company dealing with biomass which has major offices in Houston. Now he and his friend both work for an Indonesian company that mines gold. I teased him about not wearing any gold jewelry and asked why the company didn't give gold rings as bonuses! He asked me about Turkey, because it is a place he wants to visit on a future vacation.   The outing took all day. Since it was still drizzling and already 16:30 when we got back to our neighborhood, we decided to explore the next-door Oriental Plaza Mall. We checked out the food courts to see what we might want to eat there, then we walked up and down the mall seeing what shops were inside. The only one we entered was the Sony shop. They had a 3-D TV set up, so we took a seat, put on the glasses, and watched a beautiful film of the sea with colorful fish. Soon, some Middle Easterners gathered behind us, and I figured they were likely to be possible buyers. Therefore, we left so they could check out the TV for themselves.   We are staying inside today. Wes is reading the guidebooks to see what he wants to do for the next two days which are his last ones here before returning home to Corpus Christi.