Day Next

For us another fantastic clear day with deep blue sky dawned here in Beijing. Off early to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Interestingly, our tour guide, Joy, must have some connection to the events of 1989 in Tiananmen when many were killed there in the protests that day. Joy is as open about anything Chinese as we could hope for. Whether it is the way government treated the citizens during Mao and later the Cultural Revolution or current political and economic philosophy. She will answer any question as deeply as we wish holding nothing back. About Tiananmen Square she has told us she WILL NOT talk about it. It is still too painful for her (21 years later). She was in Beijing at the time. We can only speculate but I get the feeling either someone very close to her lost their life that day or the crackdown after the riots in 1989 prevented her from going to Brown University.

At the Square is the tomb of Chairman Mao. It is not actually him since the embalming was poorly done back in 1976 and he degenerated rapidly so it is merely a wax replica now. The line in this half mile by half mile square to visit the “body” snaked throughout the square. I asked: It takes about 3 hours to get in. Fortunately Joy did not make us do that! Across the street, well actually under the street we walked to the Forbidden City. It is very Chinese looking. The huge complex seemed to take forever to get to the end. We passed through gate after gate to emerge on the other end where the bus was there to pick us up; so nice having a driver. After a lunch with Chinese pizza (that would be regular pizza made in China) as part of the meal we learned about the various teas of China and how to brew each one. Rather like sampling single malt whisky (but not as much fun).

[Postscript: A tale of Ann

The protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989 who were shot are not the only ones who have spilled blood on the square. Coming out of a pedestrian subway into the square Ann tripped and in a crowd of Chinese tourists and was propelled forward slamming head first onto the pavement of the square. She hit on the left temple area shattering her dark glasses causing a cut on her temple and, above her left eye, a deep bruise and swelling. The bridge of her nose was cut when the glasses broke. She wondered if her bionic knees could take the trauma.

In short she was fine (relatively) save the headache and bruises but as the days progressed she developed not one but two horrific black eyes.

Everyone in our tour group was so great to her. She did hit her head quite hard. There was a wheel chair on the bus someone went back to get; someone bought a popsicle to use as ice; bandages appeared, antiseptic wipes appeared from members of our group. There was a retired dentist, retired pediatrician, retired nurse and a veterinarian all taking care of her. She rode the wheelchair through the square and through the Forbidden City. All the men took turns pushing her so I could take pictures - they insisted. Another man, Eugene, took her camera and took pictures for her. The tour guide, Joy, procured ice for her in her room for several nights.

As the days progressed her black eyes became more impressive. First the left eye then both eyes were black hence the nickname one person gave her – “panda”.

Besides a headache there was no further damage. Even the fact she had the black eyes only bothered her when she looked in a mirror. The only person outside the group to comment on the black eyes was the immigration guard at LAX. He asked as we handed the passports if she had been out of the country having "work" done. Only in LA would two black eyes mean, as the first thought, plastic surgery!

So that is the Tale of Ann.]

I do feel that I have never felt safer traveling and walking the streets alone in any major city than the Chinese cities I have visited. I enjoy breaking from the group and wandering the streets within a city. As I walk I have my Redmond Ridge Golf cap on with an American flag on the front. I want everyone in China to know where I am from. The greeting like hello or Buenos Dias here in China is “Ni hao”. To be more formal, “Ni hao, ma”. As people pass me on the street I greet them with a big smile and “Ni hao”. Invariable the sour faces change. I get a huge grin (of really ugly teeth) and a “Ni hao” back at me. I love it. I am scared to use the more formal “Ni hao, ma” because the “ma” must be said with a rising tone. If the “ma” is said with a flat tone it means hello, horse.

The much anticipated flight to Xian into central China took off at 6:00 pm. Actually more like 6:40 as shuttling people to a full Airbus 330 one bus load at a time from the terminal gate took the extra minutes. It was like this was a new experience for them. This is a daily flight!

Tomorrow the Terra Cotta Warriors. I cannot wait.

Thought for the day: Each day brings a little excitement. We will tell about today’s excitement only when we get home.