Waiting for Hari

Beijing Touring - day 2

I lost the post for Saturday after I pressed publish, so this is my second attempt to write down something about this day.
I am awake again after a few hours after going to sleep, and tonight, I can hear some very loud music which I assume is coming from a club in the hotel. The music is muffled, possibly Chinese rock, at least nothing that I recognize.
We toured a tiny piece of Beijing today. We road in a comfortable small bus, like many, many groups of tourists, to the Forbidden City and Tienemen Square. Both the City and Square were built in the 1400s and both are kept up and guarded as cultural landmarks for the people. Our guide, Catherine, emphasized to us before we arrived that these places were reserved for the imperial family and very high ranking officials in ancient times, but now belong to the people. And the people were taking advantage of their birth right today. Any foreigners were far outnumbered by Chinese visiting these landmarks.

Our group of 9 Caucasian families was one group of dozens groups of Chinese out to enjoy their heritage, listen to tour guides, take hundreds of pictures, and fall prey to the street sellers with their stamps, flags, kites, and little red Mao books. The square is huge - at some point the largest in the world, far bigger than the front plaza at the Vatican, but the purpose was the same. To gather, to make speeches, to perform and watch ceremonies, to see and be seen. We know these images from news and from movies, but the size remains surprising.

There is construction and restoration everywhere and at the tourist sights it is no different. The City is getting a face lift. Catherine insists that the government regularly sets aside money and man power to keep these important cultural landmark in good condition, but there is an intensity about the present refurbishment that is aimed at the 2008 Olympics. Very important building are covered in scaffolding and green plastic or mesh during the summer which appears to be an important tourist season in this city for in-country tourists.

The Chinese stare at us, and we go from stealing unobserved glances at them to full out staring right back at them. People touring their national heritage are fascinated with the young blond boy and very tall shaved-headed man who are both part of our group. These two were asked many, many times to have their pictures taken with children, family, and elders. We are all obliging when asked and those asking are happy with their unexpected attraction. Our tall man was asked by a family with an elderly short grandmother to pose with the woman. After the picture was taken, the son of the old woman physically joked about the sizes of the two. We all understood.

Language and communication. Language is impossible. Like Vietnam, there is no way to decipher the characters. We recognize nothing, we understand nothing. But Catherine wrote down the name of a restaurant for our lunch and we proceeded to try to find it. We held the name up to police officers and shop keepers who pointed the way for us, we got lost and rounded a block without needing to, and we stood in front of the restaurant trying to match what Catherine had written with the sign. I am sure we are too funny, and I hope that our ignorance does not offend.

This time the menu, which looked like a very thick children’s book, had pictures of dishes and descriptions in Chinese. It was easy to find the broccoli and tiny sweet onions, but many of the dishes, especially meat dishes were not recognizable to us from the pictures. In our in-country packet we received a menu-like page which listed typical dishes in Chinese and English. Luckily, I had taken this and we pointed to the translation for shredded pork with ginger, rice, tea, and beer. Success! And the food was very good. So far, the Chinese who did not immigrate to America can compete with their American counterparts. Some of the tastes are a bit different, but we are enjoying it.

After lunch and a quick lay down, we went to the Acrobatic Show. Very kitschy, very touristy, but lots of fun. Yes, 15 girls ride a single bicycle (ShaDiamon we thought of you!), 6 men somersault and handspring though tiny hoops, young girls bend and twist in some ways that is almost unimaginable in light of bones and bending body parts which usually bend in one direction, and people balance on top of each other in ever more dangerous combinations. Again, this was entertained designed for the imperial court, and it is not hard to imagine troupes of acrobats vying for the attention and favor of an Emperor, his ladies, and children with ever more exciting and dangerous displays. We are the beneficiaries.

Interestingly, these are people of talent for bending and balance, not actors or performers in a dramatic sense. They are well choreographed, but fluid and beautiful movement lacks passion. Of course, the concentration and discipline and team work are astounding. The old director in me wanted to see what could be created with the acrobatic talent and a passion for acting or dramatic dance.

The exception to this lack of dramatic talent was three huge doggies, each of which is made up of two men. The dog’s faces are lion dogs – not too different from our Latkah – Pekes with noses. I could have watched them all nght! They pranced and paraded like our Latkah, shook themselves, scratched themselves. Rolled over like dogs, but did tumbling tricks that Latkah would have great difficulty with. The children laughed hard and we applauded over and over for them.

Children. They are everywhere. Dressed and held, pampered and care for. And I, at least stare at them in particular. Which one moves like Julia? Did she look like this as a baby? Or that when she first learned to walk? Did she fall asleep like that one on her foster mother’s shoulder?

A word about our group. We are beginning the bonding process. I cannot detach myself sufficiently to see whether we radiate a common aura, but I imagine that we do. Some will become parents for the first time, some are adding to their families. All of them are excited and a bit tense and scared. It is very nice to have a group to bounce off of. We vibrate on the same scale. We have an understood harmony. They all are excited for us as well and look forward to our five year old. They worry for us and we for them. This journey is not an easy one, and I am amazed at those who are traveling outside the USA for the first time to become parents. For us, this journey is an incredible treat and Beijing continues to feel like another city to attach to, but for a first time traveler, who possibly has never even been to NYC, I wonder how it makes sense to them. No matter, they are here for their daughters and they are soaking up Chinese culture and place like sponges. I am proud to be part of this group.

posted by Suz @ 9:44 AM