Da jia hao (hello everyone)...on Monday I went to see the Great Wall with a woman who was the tourguide for my parents when they came to China.
The Wall was pretty amazing to finally see in person but was a little smaller than I expected (I guess it usually is with those things). It was windy and cold, and there were fewer tourists than usual (according to my guide). In some places the wall ascends the hill so steeply that the steps are nearly vertical. In other sections, peasant women chased after me trying to sell me shirts and shalls. I ended up getting a shirt reading I have climbed the Great Wall for 20 RMB, costing a little more than 3 dollars. I felt pretty good about this buy because the vendor started at 100 RMB.
After the great wall, we had some lunch in a jade factory serving food that up until now has been the closest eating experience to U.S. Chinese food, which is much different than Chinese food in China. They had kung pao chicken, dumplings, and rice. Most restaurants I've been to have menus filled with pictures of strange concoctions of all size and shapes..towers of sliced duck liver, exotic fish items. At the roast duck restaurant later that day, in addition to the duck, they served us the deep fried skin and bones of the duck after we finished the main meat. I tried it but found it unappetizing.
The Ming Tombs were our afternoon excursion. We saw the tomb of Yongle, the Ming emperor who seized power from his nephew and founded Beijing as we know it. Then we saw the sacred way, a path lined with stone animal and soldier sentries.
To cap off the day Brenda (my guide) took me to Bianyifang roast duck restaurant where we had a Peking duck sliced and diced table side and served on plates with duck head ornaments. The duck, eaten with hoisin plum sauce, scallions, cucumbers, and rice pancakes, remains my favorite Beijing dish so far.
Bye for now. And to state again, pictures will be coming soon. I move into my CNU Capital NormalUniversity dorm today and will hopefully be able to set up my computer on the internet.
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Good stuff, Andy--you've covered a lot of ground in just a few days--looking forward to seeing some of those 600 photos you've taken so far!
ReplyDeleteMe too. Although I feel bad for all those poor ducks, needlessly slaughtered and doused in hoisin sauce. Very sad about the Koolhas CCTV tower. I'm just glad you didn't set off the fatal fireworks. Odd, that a story like that--a story intertwining architecture, urbanism, cultural celebrations and the China's ongoing identity crisis over its modernization--would unfold only days after you arrive. Write it up!
ReplyDeleteANDY! If you want to go to another place for peking duck, try QuanJuDe in WangFuJing (shopping area). it's even better! (in my opinion)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're having a lot of fun (: I'm jealous...
Andy!!!!! Dude I'm so jealous of you- I just read your whole blog (well most of it- not so much the san fran airport or 3 weeks before you arrived there) but the real stuff! You better post those Great Wall pictures soon; is it really smaller than expected? Anyways stay safe and I'll be reading up on you
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