"Ancient Chinese Secret, Huh?" - Beijing
March 11 and12, 2024
Ancient Chinese Secret, huh? - Beijing
A smoggy start then The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, The
Forbidden City and a Rickshaw Rodeo
For the first time in our cruising history, Vialula and I did what is called an Overnight/Overland tour where we got off the boat with a group of folks and became land tourists. We spent the night in an extravagant hotel, the Regent, in Beijing, and ate great local foods at several restaurants, We toured a jade factory, and we saw so many unusual and wonderful things.
Our guide for these two days was named "Fred", and he was amazing. He had worked for National Geographic tours and Disney Adventure Tours in his time. His English was impeccable, and he revealed what ancient Chinese secrets he could (or was allowed).
Our hopes were somewhat tempered when we docked. While it was an overcast day, the smog that we hear so much about, was a very real thing. We didn’t know what was in store. Our trip started out with a 3 hour bus trip to get from the port city of Tianjin, thru Beijing and out to the Great Wall. So why so much smog? Tianjin, population over 8 million. Beijing, population almost 22 million. That’s why.
But something happened. We got to our place at the Great Wall and it is as clear a bell. The sun came out and turned the broken sky blue. We could see for miles. Thank you, God!! We were at the stretch of Wall called the Badaling Great Wall. It is the most complete section of the wall and the best place to to see this one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World." We had a great time there, roaming from tower to tower. Steps were uneven, steep and treacherous in places, but just look at the scene. It was spectacular. We were on the Great Wall.
Ok, a little history ...
It is the largest man-made project in the world.
It has an over-all length of over 12.400 miles
It took over 2,000 years to build.
It’s not so much a wall as it is a series of fortifications.
The eastern end is the sea, the Shanghai Pass, and the
western end is the Gobi Desert, Jiayu Pass.
Its purpose was not really to keep the Mongols out as much
as it was to keep their horses out. To
put them on the ground same as the Chinese who would then have height advantage. Speculation.
You cannot really see the Great Wall from space. Low earth orbit, yes. But not deep space.
It is estimated that over a million people were involved in
building the wall and about 40 to 50% of them died in their toil. 400,000 to 500,000 people. Unlike Jimmy Hoffa, they were not buried in
the wall.
It is just a thrill to be up on the Wall and look out over
the rugged mountainous far-reaching landscape and just wonder how in the world
it was done. It must be an "ancient Chinese secret!"
After our time on the Wall, we loaded up and went to dinner. We sit at large tables with large lazy susans. They start bringing food out and putting it on the round-a-bout. And they keep bringing dishes. And they keep bringing dishes. A menu on the table tells you what they bring but I would have no idea. I ate the things I recognized and the things that look good but sometimes I was wrong! For some reason the rice is about the last thing to come out. Then there is a big presentation when the chef brings out the Peking Duck. I didn’t know, it but to properly prepare a duck for table presentation requires 108 slices. No more, no less. This has been the tradition for many moons. Oddly enough, there is duck left over but it is discarded or something. 108 little slices of duck goes on the lazy susan along with hoisin sauce and little thin lotus buns. Like a very thin rice pancake. Throw it all together and eat it like a taco.
Fred had been waxing poetic about how good the donkey burgers of his youth were, and he sent out for some. Tasted a little like corned beef in a puff pastry. Oh well, when in Beijing ...
Breakfast the next morning is delicious and comes early at our fancy hotel, the Regent. We board the bus, bleary-eyed, but raring to go ...at 7:30! It was an incredible hotel; one of the nicest Vi and I have stayed in, complete with gorgeous views and beautiful fresh flowers everywhere. (and thankfully, no squatty potties!)
Tiananmen Square is only a couple of blocks away. Fred, our guide, grew up in a hutong neighborhood very near where we are going. He was about 9 years old when the student-led protests and demonstrations took place back in 1989. Everyone remembers the tank bearing down on the little man who wouldn’t move. Fred said that we know more about what happened in that protest than the average Chinese resident. It is known as the June Fourth Incident in China. The Chinese Government claims that 200 were killed including 36 students. Western sources put the numbers much higher. It isn’t really talked about. All I know is that Tiananmen Square is a very large area and leads you into the Forbidden City.
I don't know why they call it forbidden. They ain't going to keep LeRoy out!! (unless he doesn't have his passport!) When we were there it seemed like half of China was there too. It's more like welcome city! Back in the day of the dynastys' and imperial rule, the common man was not allowed in. The walled city is the ceremonial center of imperial power, and the compound is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. The structure was completed in 1420 and has housed 24 emperors, their families and their servants during the Ming and then the Xing dynasties all the way up to 1911. Remember the movie, The Last Emperor? It was about the life of China's last Emperor, Puyi, who lived here until 1924. Since then, the Forbidden City has been a museum. There is supposed to be 9,999.5 rooms in the city. How do you make half a room? There are 9 large yards or bays as you walk through the city. Each one looks like the other but each housed or was used for different purposes. The history and construction of the place is unbelievable. Take a ride back to school and look it up or click here (it's easier!)
Comments
Post a Comment