Thursday, April 10, 2014
Biyu writes:
Besides the amazing Great Wall, China has the marvelous City Wall of Xi'an. The wall was built during the Ming dynasty for protection from their enemies. The wall has four gates, the northern, southern, western, and eastern gate. The height of the wall is 39 feet; when the crew and I stand underneath, we were unable to see the heads of people walking on the wall.
It was a breath taking sight when we stood on top of the wall. The city of Xi'an was right before our eyes. We can see miles and miles away. Everywhere we look we can see the modern built houses that have a slight mix of Chinese tradition. We saw apartment buildings that reached really high in the sky. We can see the beautiful patterns of the roof tops, the amazing colors of art work on the beams of the houses, the blossoming trees, young scholars getting out of school, the city streets and parks. I couldn't put my camera down after seeing the beautiful view.
What made the trip even more exciting was riding bikes around the wall. Other bikers rode among us making this journey much more memorable. The amazing exercise and the beautiful weather made our experience peaceful and enjoyable. The sun was shinning, the wind was cool against our skin and there's nothing we can do but smile at the wonderful moment we all shared, together. After we finished riding our bikes around the wall, we were surprised to learn that it was 9 miles long! We completed it in about 1 hour. That just made our experience more amazing and we all felt accomplished afterwards. Riding our bikes around the City Wall of Xi'an with the dazzling city on our side bought us closer to one another. At that moment riding our bikes, we felt more than alive.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
From Ms. Bilodeau, Tuesday, April 8, 2014:
We left Beijing at 5:00 am this morning! Do you realize that means we woke up at 4:00 am!! Our three days in Beijing have gone by too quickly. Beijing is a huge city. It is impossible to see everything on such a short stay but we managed to see a lot. Every place of interest we visited has been built on a monumental scale with a great deal of thought to detail. It's mind boggling to think of what went on during the construction and design of the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City and the Hu Tang area. Well, Beijing 2014 is no different - wide avenues, well planned pedestrian ways, stunning architecture ... Most definitely a world class city. The girls enjoyed every moment, read their blogs to hear more!
We left Beijing at 5:00 am this morning! Do you realize that means we woke up at 4:00 am!! Our three days in Beijing have gone by too quickly. Beijing is a huge city. It is impossible to see everything on such a short stay but we managed to see a lot. Every place of interest we visited has been built on a monumental scale with a great deal of thought to detail. It's mind boggling to think of what went on during the construction and design of the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City and the Hu Tang area. Well, Beijing 2014 is no different - wide avenues, well planned pedestrian ways, stunning architecture ... Most definitely a world class city. The girls enjoyed every moment, read their blogs to hear more!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Don't Break Your Hip in Beijing
by Keily and Biyu
Admiring the beauty from the Qing dynasty, we explored Dowager Cixi's summer palace. As the wind blew through our hair and we set forth the detail that each part of the palace possessed. We then encountered and began hearing a group of Chinese chants. We thought to ourselves, what in the world could they possibly be singing and where is it all coming from? We followed the sound above a couple of stairs that allowed us to enjoy the beautiful areas of the palace. We found a group of elders with joy and passion for the words they sang. The passion of their voice filled our hearts with joy. The music stopped and our minds raced with many thoughts as the announcer called out, "Prepare for the dance." Welcoming elders filled the dance floor with smiles across their faces that made us want to join in on the fun. The sound of music filled our ears as they began to pull us into the dance floor with their warm hands. Before we knew it, we were swinging our bodies back and forth to the rhythm of the music. Happiness and smiles was all around us. Our bodies were moving to the music and our hearts were filled with joy. At the moment it felt like the world just stopped beneath our feet as we danced to the never-ending songs that let us laugh, question, laugh at ourselves, and also see an insight on what it is the older generation does.
by Keily and Biyu
At the Great Wall we climbed up all the way to the top of the portion, but it was not easy getting there. The steps were far apart and uneven. Every flight would make your heart beat fast and your lungs gasping for air. The wall had several buildings leading up to the last one, each separated by a great number of stairs. We used these buildings as motivation. We would set a goal to make it to a building; when we made it, it would make us want to climb higher so you could accomplish another stepping stone. By the time we were at the second to last building, we met our first goal. We decided to make it all the way to the top so we could truly feel accomplished. When we reaches the top everyone was so happy and fulfilled. It was so worth climbing all the way to the top so you can officially say you climed the Great Wall, and the view was priceless. You could see the mountains around you, and the people and buildings on the ground. You could also see the Great Wall below you. Climbing te Great Wall was a life time experice that I will never forget.
Michelle Esposito writes:
On a hot, sleepy, Beijing afternoon, we visited the city's Hutong area, as well as Mr. Liu, one of the thousands of residents living in the area. Taking rickshaws as our many source of transportation, we flew through narrow streets littered with children still dressed in school uniforms and playing with toys used beyond their tended lifespan, crowded and crammed marketplaces and conveniences stores teeming with pre-packaged sweets and fresh vegetables, and the community's inhabitants who were engaged in various activities such as playing chess, bickering and bargaining for goods, and even getting haircuts from a freelance barber.
The people of the Hutong were generally not wealthy, they lived in close quarters with multiple families to a courtyard, and did not possess indoor heating, washers or dryers, or expensive cars. However, while we dodged dingy electric scooters and stray dogs hunting for scraps of food to eat, it became evident to me that the people of the Hutong were by far richer than the modernized Beijing citizen. The Hutong had a rich history (the number of beams above one's door and steps leading up to the entrance of a home could reveal the status of the original owners), lively inhabitants who gathered around to gossip, play, and assemble for recreational purposes, and a devotion from its people to the area embodied in Mr. Liu.
At almost sixty years old, Mr. Liu was stronger and prouder than men a third of his age, and he regaled us about his martial arts schooling and his sons' experiences living in Canada and America. A Kung Fu teacher who had grown up in the Hutong all his life, he expressed his relief that his home was protected under a cultural preservation act, but also his fear that those who weren't would lose their homes to the government's plan to remake some of the Hutong into a cultural landmark. As he described the generations of his family that lived before him in the very same house (his being the fourth), it became clear to me that the people of the Hutong didn't need nor want fancy Beijing high-rise apartments to take pride in where they lived and who they were. Mr. Liu then modestly demonstrated his skills in tai chi and playing the erhu, and we were off again, careful not to step on the high threshold in his door from which we came (it's synonymous with stepping on the owner's hospitality).
All it takes is one rickshaw ride, one peek into the alleyways, corridors, and courtyards, one look into a market, convenience store, or restaurant to see the Hutong's people: lively, hospitable, friendly, and proud. It wasn't any large monument or tremendous landmark that made the trip to the Hutong so special, because its people were a landmark all its own; a people who have survived generations and deserve to thrive for many more, like a relic to be cherished.
On a hot, sleepy, Beijing afternoon, we visited the city's Hutong area, as well as Mr. Liu, one of the thousands of residents living in the area. Taking rickshaws as our many source of transportation, we flew through narrow streets littered with children still dressed in school uniforms and playing with toys used beyond their tended lifespan, crowded and crammed marketplaces and conveniences stores teeming with pre-packaged sweets and fresh vegetables, and the community's inhabitants who were engaged in various activities such as playing chess, bickering and bargaining for goods, and even getting haircuts from a freelance barber.
The people of the Hutong were generally not wealthy, they lived in close quarters with multiple families to a courtyard, and did not possess indoor heating, washers or dryers, or expensive cars. However, while we dodged dingy electric scooters and stray dogs hunting for scraps of food to eat, it became evident to me that the people of the Hutong were by far richer than the modernized Beijing citizen. The Hutong had a rich history (the number of beams above one's door and steps leading up to the entrance of a home could reveal the status of the original owners), lively inhabitants who gathered around to gossip, play, and assemble for recreational purposes, and a devotion from its people to the area embodied in Mr. Liu.
At almost sixty years old, Mr. Liu was stronger and prouder than men a third of his age, and he regaled us about his martial arts schooling and his sons' experiences living in Canada and America. A Kung Fu teacher who had grown up in the Hutong all his life, he expressed his relief that his home was protected under a cultural preservation act, but also his fear that those who weren't would lose their homes to the government's plan to remake some of the Hutong into a cultural landmark. As he described the generations of his family that lived before him in the very same house (his being the fourth), it became clear to me that the people of the Hutong didn't need nor want fancy Beijing high-rise apartments to take pride in where they lived and who they were. Mr. Liu then modestly demonstrated his skills in tai chi and playing the erhu, and we were off again, careful not to step on the high threshold in his door from which we came (it's synonymous with stepping on the owner's hospitality).
All it takes is one rickshaw ride, one peek into the alleyways, corridors, and courtyards, one look into a market, convenience store, or restaurant to see the Hutong's people: lively, hospitable, friendly, and proud. It wasn't any large monument or tremendous landmark that made the trip to the Hutong so special, because its people were a landmark all its own; a people who have survived generations and deserve to thrive for many more, like a relic to be cherished.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Bill McCarthy writes from China:
The trip has been wonderful so far. The kids are great -- delightful to be with, cheerful, great eaters, up for anything. And always on time!
The weather could not be better -- low 80's and sunny. Our guide David may be the best we've ever had. He really enjoys his work, shares his personal story with us, photos of wife, daughter, apartment, and car. He is very attentive and willing to work with us. Today he took us not to the usual tourist restaurant but to a local restaurant that served food head and shoulders above any I've eaten at with the tour. He said it wouldn't be magnificent looking, and it was just ordinary, but the food was outstanding!
Much as I'd like to complain about some little thing, I can't. This has been great! And how wonderful to be back here!
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