Let's Recap...

Hurry up and Wait…

 

So we arrived in Beijing on Friday, February 27^th, and we have not stopped until this 7-10 hour bus ride to Fuxin. That’s right, there is a 3 hour window of time there. Why you ask? Well, there is no telling just what could happen in a bus trip up north. Let’s recap the past few days shall we?

Day 1

After pleading with the man in customs that I am in actuality the woman in my passport photo from ten years ago, we all caravan to the bus. We then drive for 2 hours to our hotel. In spite of our numerous hints that we are exhausted and would like to rest for a bit, we are wisked off to ‘lunch.’ Lunch is comprised of a texture wonderland for the senses. Imagine jello that is probably a week or so old, so kind of dense. Then make that jello a nice cloudy gray, and throw some smoky, chili sauce, and you have our first course! Honestly, once you get over the texture it wasn’t so bad. Course two: apples, oranges, and Korean pears tossed in mayonnaise. Why not? Course Three: The same smoky, chili sauce with noodles. This would have been a delight if one were able to bite through the noodles. That’s right, as you take a chopstick full you put them in your mouth and begin to chew. As I realized that they were not actually going anywhere, I began to swallow and one long, connected noodle just slides down my throat. My gag reflex was in full affect, but I made it through with a smile anyone would believe. Course Four: Corn and Apples, with a drizzle of mayo. How did mayo even get here? This course was a huge hit after Course Three. Course Five: Molded sweet rice with bean paste, and candied fruit. A feast for the eyes! And with a large glass of Green Tea to wash it down!

So the food ends and we rush off to the Temple of Heaven to find it has closed.  So we walk to the hotel and then are told that it is time to eat dinner…yes, you are correct in thinking, ‘Didn’t they just eat lunch?’

We are served a HUGE meal of Peking Duck…sooo delicious, and a million other lovely treats, with a million toasts to our teaching experience. We have now been properly stuffed to rise in the morning to see Tianeman Square (which gov’t leaders still deny that the protests happened). During this visit I asked our sweet friend and guide from Fuxin if she like Chaiman Mao, and she emphatically said, ‘Yes, of course!’ I decided not to ask any further questions as I was surrounded by heavily armed men guarding Mao’s Tomb, and would rather not lose my life just yet J We then went to the Forbidden City and learned that all of the Emporer’s buildings symbolize, Harmony, Peace, Luck, and Longevity. Really, if you have to guess the importance of any piece  of Chinese history, guess any of those four and you are set! Jason, our guide, was very well informed and told us ALL of the Forbidden City’s history! Did I mention that it is like 4 degrees? So, then we hurry to the bus to grab lunch which we are told is about an hour away and very close to our next excursion…The Olympic Stadium, the Bird’s Nest! We then learn that (after 2 hours of driving) we are lost and all the roads have been re-routed since the Olympics.  I then proceed to eat my right arm off and lay back in exhaustion. Wake me when we are there. We finally arrive at the Bird’s Nest. It it amazing! The architecture is meticulous and awe inspiring. We all head in and see the enormity of this stadium. They are playing clips of the opening ceremony on the Jumbo Trons. It is hilarious! My friend Megan and I decide to sit and watch for a while, and as we do 7 different groups of people ask for pictures with us. Ah, it’s good to be a celebrity for a minute J

Dr. Tea

Skipped dinner

Why do showers not have a drain?

 

Day 2: The Great Wall and Ming’s Tombs

I am going to let the pictures tell this story! It was amazing!

Mcdonald’s

dumplings

Day 3: Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven and the Mall

noodles