Day 1: Tian'an men Square

We continued our walk across the street from the Great Hall of the People by walking in Tian'an men Square. On one side of the square is the Great Hall, while opposite the Hall on the square is the museum. It is now under renovation and will re-open in October. I was very disappointed because I wanted to see the treasures that were left behind on the Mainland when the PRC was born. I've seen the ones that left with Chiang Kai Shek when he came to Taiwan with his followers. They are housed in the National Palace Museum. The little white tents you see house the Red Army and Police who are everywhere. We also went through "airport" screenings before being allowed in the tourist attractions. There were huge crowds everywhere we went...week-ends being the worst, of course. Suzie said the crowds were unbearable during the May 1 holiday.

A third side is a huge hall that holds Mao's open casket. Masses of people were lined up to view the body, although Suzie said on holidays people fill the square waiting their turn. Suzie said Mao was a genius. All I could think about were the people who lost their lives through his genius leadership...I don't think she could read the bubble over my head.

The fourth side holds a huge flagpole where people line up before dawn to view the Red Army raise the flag every day. That side is also looking at the entrance to the Forbidden City.

The center holds a monument that memorializes all the Chinese people who fought for the revolution.

Again, the square is huge, and had just been the center for the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the PRC. I had tears in my eyes thinking of the people who had walked the square...including the students who protested, and the lone student who tried to stop the tanks. The Square is an amazing place.

Day 1: The Great Hall of the People on Tian'an men Square

We walked across the street to view the Great Hall of the People that houses the Peoples' Congress meetings (and I do mean across the middle of the street, in the middle of busy traffic...the norm in Beijing). This was also the center of the cultural revolution where people came to beg their important connections for help. One wing at the end is a banquet hall where Nixon, Kissinger, and others have been entertained...that wing is open only to the cadres. The masses are not allowed entrance. The Peoples' Congress had just been held before I got to the city. I am trying to give you the feeling of how majestic the building is, yet how closed off it is to all except the top party cadres. Please note the ubiquitous presence of the military. It certainly brought to mind all the newsreels and TV news programs in which I had seen and felt the building's presence.

Day 1 in Beijing: The National Theater

We rode the subway to the National Theater on Friday morning. The location was already full of tourists groups. The theater is shaped like an egg to signify new life and creation. It is covered with a thin "skin" and water circulates through it 24 hours a day. It was started in 2002, but construction stopped because it was such a controversial design. It was completed before the Olympics. I tried to get a ticket to a performance, but there were no English performances during my stay. "Carmen" was being presented on the opera stage, but I had just seen it in the theater at home.

We interrupt this report from Beijing to bring you an update from the Congo

Let's start with last Tuesday when C fell on the tennis court and broke her left wrist. She is now wearing a caste from thumb to elbow, and must keep it in a sling so it is above her heart until next Tuesday when she returns for a check-up. C was helping the Community Center with decorations for the fund raiser for African women: "Congo, A Walk on the Wild Side." She was in charge of decorating the area behind the performance/dance platform and the entrance to the Miami Room which held the market selling articles made by the women. She also designed the water fountain in the pool...had to forego the dry ice blocks. The blocks have left the island until next Halloween.

I came in from Neili on Wednesday night, as soon as the grading and meetings were done. Thursday we went to the American Club to "bag" and tie all the plants were could find in burlap. We had to make another trip to the fabric market to pick up another 15 yards of burlap and 50 yards of mosquito netting. We were allowed into the pool area on Friday at 2 PM to finish up. Di, Malaina, and I developed the entrance as best we could under C's guidance. You will see both before and after pictures. And it turned out quite nicely!

All tables were poolside, and a buffet was served. Entertainment include African drummers, fire dancers, and a terrific fashion show. Our table of 11 won the prize for the most "spirited" table...read loudest and most enthusiastic, but we had friends who were modeling. Our prizes were pins designed by Yoko Ono that said "give peace a chance" in so many different languages even the expats couldn't read them. C was supposed to model, but they gave it to a substitute after she broke her wrist...not very nice, I must admit. It was a very nice event, and I will be curious to see how much money was actually raised.

Today was market day, basketball day, Thai dinner and Middle School Spring Musical night. Ch was in charge of the microphones/sound...quite a complicated job with all kinds of excel spread sheets involved. "A Night in the Museum" had great costumes and super singers and dancers....brought back the old days in my "first life." I enjoyed sitting in the audience much more than directing! It was fun to watch all the "kids" I have gotten to know this spring. Home to Neili tomorrow as I will be holding student meetings Sunday and Monday. And I will get back to Beijing!

PS another TM...at the Thai restaurant tonight they brought us the white wine list. There were four different kinds listed. As Di asked for each one, none was available until we got to the 4th one, so, of course, that was the one we ordered. We had 4 families at the table, and we decided to order another bottle of wine. This time NONE of the bottles were available! They were totally out! Jack went down to the basement to the Japanese grocery store, and brought back a bottle of wine. This is also the same restaurant where C's gourmet lunch gathered after the woman who was supposed to entertain became ill. No one else was in the restaurant, but it took the waitress 30 minutes to polish the glasses and open the wine. The food is absolutely fabulous...the wine, not so much!

Arriving in Beijing

Friends, let's get this party started. I probably have a dozen different blogs to upload from this trip alone. It is going to take me days to add to my stories and pictures.

I arrived at the Taoyuan/Taipei Airport at 4:30 AM for a 6:30 flight. I was clutch all of my NT$ and looking for a money exchange kiosk. None were to be had until 6 AM, plane loading time. I asked a guard where to go, and he escorted me to the next building to a 24 hour stall. We woke the clerk who was none to happy...another TM. I exchanged NT for US. I exchanged US for RMB in the Hong Kong airport before taking off for the mainland. Now imagine coming back again and reversing the process. No wonder the banks are on their way to recovery!

The plane departed for the PRC almost 2 hours late...no explanation...another Asian moment. At least my driver was able to call ahead and find out we were going to be late.

Beijing was absolutely wonderful, and my guide, Suzie Cheng, was superb. The Kreilings had used her when they visited, and she was very personable and very knowledgeable. This update includes my arrival in the Beijing Capital International Airport. It is the biggest airport I have ever been in to date. Of course, it was all built for the Olympics. The blue gumby figure is the symbol for the Shanghai Expo. I will not be attending the Expo, but I am trying to talk the Kreilings into going next fall before it closes.

The city road system has five rings, and Suzie said they were going to add three more. The MRT system is excellent, and they are trying to get it built up through all 8 rings. It may finally end at the Great Wall.

I have included pictures of myguest house home in the Banqiao Hutong. The driver went in and out of the alley ways in the hutong trying to find the guest house. I could hardly squeeze myself through the lanes in which he drove. If you look at the picture of the front door, you MAY be able to see the name written in English ... but just barely.

The first pictures are of the "great room." Breakfast, computers, English TV, books ... everything in one room. I walked with my camera through the courtyard. The bird cage holds a mynah bird that sings like a nightingale, quacks like a duck, and greets everyone in both Chinese and English! He sleeps in the great room at night, and was always very excited when I would come in early to read mail and papers on the computers. Very entertaining and someone to talk to every morning!

The other pictures are of my room and bathroom ... simple, but perfectly fine for US $ 50 a night, including breakfast. They charged me US $ 7 for a glass of wine the first night I arrived. The next day I bought a bottle of "Dynasty, "Chinese red, for $ 7 that lasted me the rest of the week! They also charged an extra US $ 4 for a cup of coffee ... of course, I drank the tea. They were shocked to find out I didn't have any other charges when I checked out.

The front door was only one block from the MRT entrance ... lucky, indeed.