Submitted by simonsc on Wed, 2007-03-21 17:40.
Today is our last day in Beijing - we fly to Xi'an this afternoon. It has been an incredible journey so far.
The day after the Forbidden City, we went shopping in an open air flea market. It was actually quite fun. Lots and lots of "stuff" and I really didn't buy much, but I had a great time walking around - people watching - checking out all the junk, "antiquities" (some of which were made the day before), artwork, some clothing, furniture (and no I didn't buy any although I was slightly tempted), haggling with the buyers on the few things I did buy and generally just enjoying myself. Then we went to an indoor shopping mall that was mainly clothes. It was not so fun. The vendors were way aggressive - like pulling on your sleeve as you walked by saying "my American sister - buy from me - you want tee shirt - you want socks - sister, sister, sister". Luckily I found a place on the top floor where they gave foot massages (and manicures, pedicures etc.) and I got an great 1/2 hour foot massage for the equivalent of about $3.00. Well wo rth it! And other folks bought stuff that they really liked so a good time was had by all.
That night we went to see an "acrobatics show". It was awesome! Along the lines of the a Cirque de'soleil show, although without all the special effects. But absolutely amazing acrobatics. The people were really talented. We took taxis home from there. Well that was an adventure! I was riding with Mark, Joan (his wife) and Ellen - all mature and fun, fun folks. We gave our driver the card that told him where our hotel was and off we went. Well apparently, the driver was confused by the map on the card and tried to take us to a park that is a little distance from our hotel. But it was in an area that none of us knew. So then the driver is looking for our hotel and not finding it of course. So, he is driving around and around and around - down little teeny alleys - down one road that dead ended into a construction zone (which was a typical street repair scene anywhere in the world - one man digging and about a dozen others standing around watching him....) and getting more and more frustrated. And of course, he doesn't speak any English and we don't know where we are so that is not helping. Finally he stops and asks another cab driver, but no luck. Then he starts asking people on the street, including an old woman on a bicycle with a big load of stuff on the cart on the back of her bicycle. Each time he gets back in the cab, he is muttering to himself under his breath. We were laughing so hard (we were all a little punchy and tired), I was crying. We felt bad because we didn't want to embarrass him, but it was just comical. Finally, we hit upon a brilliant idea. We showed him the itinerary that had our guide's phone number on it and he used his cell phone to call the guide. With that - he got back in the cab still muttering and drove us directly to the hostel with no problems.& amp; nbsp; By this time, even the driver was smiling. Anyway, it took us almost 40 minutes longer than it should have and of course, the meter was higher than it should have been, but he had no problem with us paying what it would have cost if he had brought us directly home so it was no problem.
Yesterday, I woke up at 4AM and couldn't sleep. Finally at 6AM, I got up to take a walk. Kayla (my adorable roommate) was awake too and asked if she could go with me. Of course, I said yes. We are staying in a fantastic area which has all alot of old traditional housing and is apparently being preserved since it was one of the few areas of Beijing left like this. We had a great 1 1/2 hour walk looking for coffee. Went all over the neighborhood watching the early morning scene - people swimming in this really cold looking, really filthy lake, people doing Tai Ji, people exercising on this outdoor exercise equipment (like stair step machines, rowing machine type apparatus and other fun looking stuff), people eating breakfast on the street from outdoor street vendors and going to the many public restrooms (apparently most of the old houses do not have bathrooms in them) with their washrag and toiletry items. But still no coffee. ; ; Finally Kayla remembered where there was a Starbucks, so we went up there. But it doesn't open until 10AM and then stays open until midnight. Seems strange to me, but that's the way it is. Anyway, as a last resort, we stopped in a McDonald's (just for coffee) and headed home. Had breakfast as a group and then we headed to the Great Wall.
Unfortunately, the weather was not really cooperative - very foggy, rather cold. So we did not get to see the wall snaking off into the distance like all the pictures. And there was compacted ice on many of the steps going up it so it was a bit treacherous walking. But many of us braved it anyway and Kayla, Tommy and I walked about an hour up in one direction before turning back around and making our way back to the bus. My legs are definitely feeling it this morning. And even without the view, it is an amazing structure.
On the way back, we stopped an an orphanage for lunch. Apparently our guide is affiliated with this place and there is a missionary American couple there too and of course, they were of soliciting money or help in some way, but it was very low key and not a hard sell at all and rather pleasant. The kids were at school so we didn't get to meet them, but the Chinese people who ran the place were really sweet.
Then we went downtown (mainly to kill some time before dinner) to an electronics shopping mall. I just walked the downtown streets with some other folks instead, but it was nice. Then to another delicious meal (all of the food has been awesome) and off to the Beijing Opera. An interesting experience, fabulous costumry and some good martial arts moves in the show, but not something I will feel a need to do again. Pam & Muki - it reminded me a little of the puppet show in Prague (although the performers were quite talented), but if it had been dark and I could have "slipped out" - I would have. But once again, the people who really wanted to see it - loved it so that was good.
When we got home, a few of us gals took another nice walk through the neighborhood and then off to bed. Today we are going to the Temple of Heaven to see the morning exercise and then to the airport his afternoon for our flight to Xi'an.
