Hello, everyone!! This is Keegan here, time for our first blog post!! We've done a lot in the last two days, so it's gonna be a long one!
After a very long time in the air, trying not to sleep too much so we could adjust to the time zone difference, we finally arrived in China late at night on May 6th, and the time since then has been both incredibly busy, incredibly exhausting, and just plain incredible.
After breakfast at our hotel on our first morning, we were quickly off to our first two major destinations in Beijing: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Just stepping into Tiananmen Square itself was interesting just to think about. It is a place that has such a history, especially in the Western world and how we think about China, with the Student Movement and the famous tank scene (which our tour guide informed us has never been shown in China, for obvious reasons, and is part of the reason why websites like Youtube and Facebook are prohibited in China), to the more recent memories of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, during which a large monitor was put into place to show the scenery of various regions across China to the millions of visitors from all over the world. Looking around at the various statues and scenery, the strong theme of National Pride was evident throughout. The Chinese National Museum, the Painting of Chairman Mao, hanging in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City, and the statues of workers and soldiers. Perhaps my favorite sight at Tiananmen Square was the flagpole in front of the Forbidden City, with the Chinese National Flag, and a soldier standing guard over it at all times, somewhat like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C. My preference for this scene is partly because of my personal fondness for flags, but it was also interesting, seeing something similar, and yet completely different, from something that I had seen in the United States.
After a very long time in the air, trying not to sleep too much so we could adjust to the time zone difference, we finally arrived in China late at night on May 6th, and the time since then has been both incredibly busy, incredibly exhausting, and just plain incredible.
After breakfast at our hotel on our first morning, we were quickly off to our first two major destinations in Beijing: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Just stepping into Tiananmen Square itself was interesting just to think about. It is a place that has such a history, especially in the Western world and how we think about China, with the Student Movement and the famous tank scene (which our tour guide informed us has never been shown in China, for obvious reasons, and is part of the reason why websites like Youtube and Facebook are prohibited in China), to the more recent memories of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, during which a large monitor was put into place to show the scenery of various regions across China to the millions of visitors from all over the world. Looking around at the various statues and scenery, the strong theme of National Pride was evident throughout. The Chinese National Museum, the Painting of Chairman Mao, hanging in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City, and the statues of workers and soldiers. Perhaps my favorite sight at Tiananmen Square was the flagpole in front of the Forbidden City, with the Chinese National Flag, and a soldier standing guard over it at all times, somewhat like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C. My preference for this scene is partly because of my personal fondness for flags, but it was also interesting, seeing something similar, and yet completely different, from something that I had seen in the United States.
Once we had taken our walk around Tiananmen Square, and after a few of our group members had returned from their temporary status as tourist attractions of their own for Chinese tourists who had never seen foreigners in person, our tour guide took us into the Imperial Forbidden City, now officially known as the Palace Museum. The walk through the Forbidden City was like a first-hand history lesson on the life of an Emperor, from the Ming Dynasty, when the Capital of China returned to Beijing and the Forbidden City was built, right up to the days of the last emperor of China, Puyi. As we walked through the City, looking at the countless artifacts and treasures of China's Imperial past, I couldn't help but imagine how the place must have looked when it was truly a Forbidden City, meant only for the Emperor and those who he chose as his servants, concubines or advisers. One reason for this is another discovery that I made in the Forbidden City: There are a LOT of people in Beijing. Of course, that is something that almost everyone knows, but as the huge crowds entering the city travel through it, from one wall to the next, the borders getting smaller and smaller and the people more tightly packed together, you can begin to get an idea of not only how many people there are in the city of Beijing, but how many people travel to this once-forbidden place every day of the year. Regardless of how many people were present, however, the Forbidden City is a sight well worth seeing. It is a tremendous part of history, and it is so frequently traveled today for very good reason.
After this and a brief break, we had a brief Chinese lesson with our tour guide, and then tasted several teas at a tea shop in Beijing, and went on a fairly hectic bicycle tour around Beijing. I can't speak for the rest of the group, but for me, at least, going from not riding my own bike in a couple of years, to biking in and out of traffic in Beijing, was certainly an interesting, if frantic, experience. One of the more interesting, if minor, things that we saw on the bicycle tour was a small, man-made island on the side of the road, that housed at least a few dozen ducks. As our guide explained it to us, one man decided one day to build the little island and attract ducks, which he fed and took care of. The project was eventually adopted by the government, and today hundreds of ducks and geese spend time or live there. After all this, and a very nice dinner, we came back to our hotel, and nearly everyone in the group, as far as I am aware, was asleep within a few minutes of arriving at our rooms.
The second day of our trip opened with a trip to a factory for making enamel art, such as vases, plates and various decorative animals. Watching the process was intriguing, and really gave an idea of just the level of detail and intricacy it takes for people to make these fine crafts. Afterwards, we were taken into a shop with a large selection of works like the ones we had seen being made, with prices ranging from reasonably cheap, to incredibly expensive. All of the works, however, were very beautiful, very ornate and well-made.
The second day of our trip opened with a trip to a factory for making enamel art, such as vases, plates and various decorative animals. Watching the process was intriguing, and really gave an idea of just the level of detail and intricacy it takes for people to make these fine crafts. Afterwards, we were taken into a shop with a large selection of works like the ones we had seen being made, with prices ranging from reasonably cheap, to incredibly expensive. All of the works, however, were very beautiful, very ornate and well-made.
The second day of our stay in Beijing so far also gave us what was certainly the part of the trip I have most looked forward to, and so far the part that I have enjoyed the most: Our trip along the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. While walking that much, going up and down steps was tiring, the Great Wall is something that I have wanted to see for as long as I can remember. After a cable car up to the wall itself, we all walked along the Mutianyu section of the great wall (one of the sections that was rebuilt and maintained in the 1980's) from watchtower #14, to watchtower #6. In all honesty, it's hard to describe how it felt going along the wall, I just tried to soak in the experience. It was incredible, looking over the wall, both for its view and in remembering what the wall was once used for, as a barrier on the edge of a recurring warzone.
Once we had finished our slow hike up and down the many steps of the wall, we went back down the hill in an interesting way that I hadn't expected prior to the course: toboggan slide. It was a fun and relaxing way to put an end to a long but intensely satisfying walk, and certainly far better than the idea of walking down the mountain without the help of even the stone walkways of the wall to help, or even another cable car, for that matter.
Once we had finished our slow hike up and down the many steps of the wall, we went back down the hill in an interesting way that I hadn't expected prior to the course: toboggan slide. It was a fun and relaxing way to put an end to a long but intensely satisfying walk, and certainly far better than the idea of walking down the mountain without the help of even the stone walkways of the wall to help, or even another cable car, for that matter.
In addition to the factory and the Great Wall, on our second day here, we went to see an Acrobatics show at the Chaoyang Theater. While photography was not allowed (presumably to avoid distracting the people flying through the air and doing handstands) it was an incredible show, and the finale of motorcyclists driving around a steel ball was fantastic. They all wore lighted costumes, to better show their movement, and kept coming in, one after another, until their were eight riders driving through one steel orb, without the slightest hint of an accident, perfectly coordinated. It was certainly a show worth seeing
Of course, up to this point in the update I have talked very little about food. Food is important to talk about, since it's one of the focuses of our course here in China this term, but with so much else having gone on, all for one update, I couldn't find the place to talk about each individual restaurant. Hopefully, future updates will be more frequent and I will talk about individual restaurants in greater detail, but for this time, I will just go over some of the big foods for me, personally, over the last two days.
Firstly, the breakfasts at the hotel, have been very good. The dumplings and various bread rolls are my personal favorite parts, but the corn porridge and the many things that you can dip in it are also quite good. Also, it may be silly, but the fruit juices that they have had at the hotel for breakfast have been phenomenal, and I have gone back to the line for another glass or two every morning. They may or may not be very Chinese, but they are certainly very good.
One of my favorite dishes from the restaurants was a side dish that was cucumber, seasoned in a garlic sauce of some kind. It was crunchy, with just the right amount of flavor, and despite being quite fond of the rest of the food that we ordered at the restaurant it was served at (a kebab restaurant), it was my favorite dish there. I also tried Peking duck, and it was very good, but I found that the sauce that goes with it was a little overpowering for me.
My favorite restaurant, however, was one that we went to for lunch after the Great Wall. It had a fantastic setup and atmosphere, built almost like a garden, and just about everything that we ordered was perfect. From little, bite-sized shrimp, to the sweet and sour chicken, everything was delicious. My favorite dish, by far, was the sweet and sour chicken. I am glad that it is not something that I order from Chinese restaurants in the United States, because if it was, I am afraid I probably would never be satisfied with what I got again.
Of course, up to this point in the update I have talked very little about food. Food is important to talk about, since it's one of the focuses of our course here in China this term, but with so much else having gone on, all for one update, I couldn't find the place to talk about each individual restaurant. Hopefully, future updates will be more frequent and I will talk about individual restaurants in greater detail, but for this time, I will just go over some of the big foods for me, personally, over the last two days.
Firstly, the breakfasts at the hotel, have been very good. The dumplings and various bread rolls are my personal favorite parts, but the corn porridge and the many things that you can dip in it are also quite good. Also, it may be silly, but the fruit juices that they have had at the hotel for breakfast have been phenomenal, and I have gone back to the line for another glass or two every morning. They may or may not be very Chinese, but they are certainly very good.
One of my favorite dishes from the restaurants was a side dish that was cucumber, seasoned in a garlic sauce of some kind. It was crunchy, with just the right amount of flavor, and despite being quite fond of the rest of the food that we ordered at the restaurant it was served at (a kebab restaurant), it was my favorite dish there. I also tried Peking duck, and it was very good, but I found that the sauce that goes with it was a little overpowering for me.
My favorite restaurant, however, was one that we went to for lunch after the Great Wall. It had a fantastic setup and atmosphere, built almost like a garden, and just about everything that we ordered was perfect. From little, bite-sized shrimp, to the sweet and sour chicken, everything was delicious. My favorite dish, by far, was the sweet and sour chicken. I am glad that it is not something that I order from Chinese restaurants in the United States, because if it was, I am afraid I probably would never be satisfied with what I got again.
That should just about wrap up this first blog post! Moving forward, we've got one more full day in Beijing, and then some morning downtime before we head off to our next destination: Chengdu.