Who knew little bugs made something so beautiful? We toured a silk factory and got to see the process of the silk worms generating yards and yards of delicate little fibers.
Monday, September 29, 2008
National Day
We are lucky enough to be here during one of the most important Chinese holidays, National Day. It is officially October 1st, but the Chinese take a full week off to celebrate this day. (Even the banks are closed for a week!!!) On this day in 1959 Chairman Mao declared a unified China.
The Temple of Heaven was more alive than usual with music everywhere and people dancing and playing. You can tell they greatly enjoy this time and are proud of their country.
Eat that?
We've been perfectly delighted with our menus on this trip, even going so far as to comment that we must have very authentic Chinese food at home because so much tastes the same!
Enter the preserved eggs. We came across these little gems yesterday morning at breakfast.
At lunch yesterday, we were introduced to sheep's spine, a local delicacy where you don a plastic glove to literally break the spine in half and suck out the bone marrow. Oh and of course you can also enjoy the shards of flesh hanging off the bones. Yum.
Yesterday we took 3 pepto bismols.
Enter the preserved eggs. We came across these little gems yesterday morning at breakfast.
At lunch yesterday, we were introduced to sheep's spine, a local delicacy where you don a plastic glove to literally break the spine in half and suck out the bone marrow. Oh and of course you can also enjoy the shards of flesh hanging off the bones. Yum.
Yesterday we took 3 pepto bismols.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is where the Emporer would make offerings to the Jade Emporer where he is believed to have descended from. It was said that during this ceremony the Emporer's divine power would allow him to see, feel and hear things that mere mortals would not. Standing on top of these massive marble structures, it is easy to see how you would feel like you are in heaven. 
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Hutongs
The Hutongs are small communities of "middle class" Chinese. However, you can tell in these pictures middle class doesn't quite describe it. We were honored to meet Mr. Wong, who opens up his home to tourists where they can visit his traditional Chinese home and see how he lives. We rode to his home via rickshaw and could see the city streets of the oldest part of Beijing. Such a humbling experience.
Porcelain Factory
We toured a porcelain factory where we could see the historical changes in Chinese porcelain over time as well as the process. Check out the fish tea set!!
Pearl Market
We toured the Pearl Market here and saw how they extract fresh water pearls from Oysters. This picture is actually an oyster we picked out and they opened right in front of us! Of course, Vettie and I had to have some lovely jewelry from this place. (Matt has probably already seen the charge come through on the Visa. Sorry babe!! :)
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is where the royal families of China would come to spend their summers (as the name implies!) It was renovated around the 1700's and is now a big Chinese tourist attraction and more like a park. It was such a serene and peaceful place.
There were so many students there as well. They are thrilled to try out their English and like to yell "Hello!" and "Bye-Bye!" whenever they see Americans. Pretty cool!!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Ming Tombs
Today we saw the Ming tombs guarded by the Sacred Way of the Animals. It was surreal to be in an emporer's tomb 9 flights of stairs underground. The tomb was excavated in the late 1950's and is the only one of 13 Emporer's tombs that has been located.
Factory Tours
We had the amazing opportunity today to visit both a cloisonne factory and a jade factory. (And ya'll know how Yvette loves a tour!!) Amazing!
The cloisonne process is an ancient Chinese art where copper wire is formed and filled and fired 6 separate times to get the beautiful finished pieces.
Also, the jade factory showed us how to tell the difference between real and fake jade. (Real jade has a high pitch when you hit it with other jade or any metal.) We saw this horse carving that is made entirely out of one piece. Such talent and artistry in this country!
The cloisonne process is an ancient Chinese art where copper wire is formed and filled and fired 6 separate times to get the beautiful finished pieces.
Also, the jade factory showed us how to tell the difference between real and fake jade. (Real jade has a high pitch when you hit it with other jade or any metal.) We saw this horse carving that is made entirely out of one piece. Such talent and artistry in this country!
Great Wall!!
Dream number 11, check!!!
Mao Tse Tung once said that you are not a hero until you have climbed the Great Wall. We climbed all the way to the 4th tower, which felt pretty heroic!! These pictures are the only things that would do justice to th
is 
experience....
is 
experience....Friday, September 26, 2008
The Local Food
A quickie food post!!
In our wanderings last night, we came across a pastry shop right around the corner from where we are staying. Yvette and I thought we'd be extravagent, so we picked out two huge, luscious looking desserts from the walls of handmade goodies. Certainly, we can splurge a little $$ on dessert!
Imagine our suprise when we ring up these little treasures for 11 RMB. That's $1.61 US!!!
We also thought we'd include some pictures of breakfast this morning. Vettie commented that the Chinese must be awfully disappointed at our buffet breakfasts compared to their spreads and she'd take noodles over sausage any day!!
Lastly, I found these chips in our mini bar and this guy just looked so stinkin cool I couldn't help but take a pic. Who knew chips were this awesome?
In our wanderings last night, we came across a pastry shop right around the corner from where we are staying. Yvette and I thought we'd be extravagent, so we picked out two huge, luscious looking desserts from the walls of handmade goodies. Certainly, we can splurge a little $$ on dessert!
Imagine our suprise when we ring up these little treasures for 11 RMB. That's $1.61 US!!!
We also thought we'd include some pictures of breakfast this morning. Vettie commented that the Chinese must be awfully disappointed at our buffet breakfasts compared to their spreads and she'd take noodles over sausage any day!!
Lastly, I found these chips in our mini bar and this guy just looked so stinkin cool I couldn't help but take a pic. Who knew chips were this awesome?
Generations
This is my favorite picture we've taken so far.... This cute little grandma and her punkin. Notice the peace sign. This pic speaks for itself.
**** Bathroom?
A couple of mini posts now that we got the pictures working!!! PS, check out pics below that we added to our older posts.....
Back to Korea real quick where this brilliant collection of people have taken public restrooms to a whole new level!!! You can push this little red button on the side of the toilet and plastic wrap magically swoops around and changes to clean stuff. Freakin genious!! They have also added a little gadget called the ettiquite button. Not much explanation needed, but you push it and it gives you a good two minutes of flushing sounds. Yvette and I ran in and out of stalls pushing it for a about ten minutes much to the dismay of actual bathroom users. tee hee.
Contrast that with the very generously graded "four star" potty at Tien'amen. It had 6 holes on the ground and two actual toilets (no tp, of course... we have learned in all of China you bring your own to the public restrooms.) We both have concurred that Banner will never see China. :)
Back to Korea real quick where this brilliant collection of people have taken public restrooms to a whole new level!!! You can push this little red button on the side of the toilet and plastic wrap magically swoops around and changes to clean stuff. Freakin genious!! They have also added a little gadget called the ettiquite button. Not much explanation needed, but you push it and it gives you a good two minutes of flushing sounds. Yvette and I ran in and out of stalls pushing it for a about ten minutes much to the dismay of actual bathroom users. tee hee.
Contrast that with the very generously graded "four star" potty at Tien'amen. It had 6 holes on the ground and two actual toilets (no tp, of course... we have learned in all of China you bring your own to the public restrooms.) We both have concurred that Banner will never see China. :)
Tien Amen Square
Tien'amen square today!! It took us over 6 hours walking almost the entire time but we saw the square, the Forbidden City, the Palace Museum and Mao's tomb. We also happened to be there on a day when a descendent of the last Emporer was doing calligraphy. (A piece of it can be yours for who knows how many yuan.) Regardless, I was so geeked out over all of this history and amazing beauty. I don't know if Yvette was more entertained by the experience or my skipping around (littlerally) spouting off cheesy historical facts. (She has just interjected that she was in fact, more entertained by my dorkiness.)
A few fun tidbits... the lady who helped us yesterday from the spa happens to be the hotel manager's wife and they are here from the UK. She's this floaty intercontinental glam girl that we've decided reminds us of the lady who befriends Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun. We saw her at breakfast this morning (which by the way was noodles, eggrolls and dim sum.)
The pictures probably say more than we could about today. This place is so beautiful and there is so very much to learn. Our tour guide today, John, said he loves his job because he gets to show people his country and they learn from him and he learns from them. (He also said that his English is not very good and he wants to learn more expensive words.) :)
GREAT WALL TOMORROW!!!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Pedicures!
Day 1 not yet over and we already have another story to add!
There is a huge department store right outside of our hotel that Yvette and I wandered to. We've deduced we are staying in a non-touristy area, and absolutely no one speaks English here. We're wandering around the department store (HUGE!!! 6 floors, think Macey's in NYC minus the au bon pain) and we happen upon A BEAUTY PARLOR!!!
Of course we go running right in because the universal language of pedicures can be understood by all, right? After a few minutes of pathetically attempting to talk with these girls, we gave up and headed back to the hotel. As we were walking back, wishing that David (our tour guide) had provided us a beauty dictionary, we remembered that we made a little friend while blogging here earlier in the business center that spoke pretty good English. Aha!! We came in and asked her how to say a few key phrases.
She was so sweet and excited to help and wrote them down in Chinese and English for us. When she realized that we were going to take it to someone, she got out the "nice paper" with the hotel logo on it :) We thanked her and headed up to our room to change shoes. A few minutes later, we heard a little knock at the door. It was our friend Ivy, from the business center. She came up to tell us that she gave us the wrong word for pedicure and we "taught her a new word." She scribbled out what she wrote before, and proudly replaced it with the correct word for "pedicure" in Chinese. Lots of smiles and giggles all around and she seemed awfully excited to be helpful.
Back at the department store, we were still having trouble communicating with the beauticians and out pops the head of this lovely Australlian lady who lives here and speaks decent Mandarin. After all of this, she explains they don't do pedicures but we could get a massage for 100 yuan. (About $17 USD for all you comparison spa shoppers out there.) Faster than we could say Nee How, Vettie and I were all set up in our respective "parlors" and got all 24 hours of traveling kinks worked out.
Another glowing little moment was on the walk back to the hotel, a small group of school children spotted Yvette's tall blonde cute American self (and AS I PREDICTED!!) were infatuated. A tiny little girl started to look very excited and smiled proudly saying "Hello!!" so thrilled to try out her English on an American. She was adorable.
We have found the people here to be so warm and welcoming and willing to help us find our way. The language barrier is SIGNIFICANT but even across the world, a smile and a little laughing is understood by all. :)
Lots of love.
PS, Pictures still not working here so you'll have to stay tuned until we find an internet cafe. :)
There is a huge department store right outside of our hotel that Yvette and I wandered to. We've deduced we are staying in a non-touristy area, and absolutely no one speaks English here. We're wandering around the department store (HUGE!!! 6 floors, think Macey's in NYC minus the au bon pain) and we happen upon A BEAUTY PARLOR!!!
Of course we go running right in because the universal language of pedicures can be understood by all, right? After a few minutes of pathetically attempting to talk with these girls, we gave up and headed back to the hotel. As we were walking back, wishing that David (our tour guide) had provided us a beauty dictionary, we remembered that we made a little friend while blogging here earlier in the business center that spoke pretty good English. Aha!! We came in and asked her how to say a few key phrases.
She was so sweet and excited to help and wrote them down in Chinese and English for us. When she realized that we were going to take it to someone, she got out the "nice paper" with the hotel logo on it :) We thanked her and headed up to our room to change shoes. A few minutes later, we heard a little knock at the door. It was our friend Ivy, from the business center. She came up to tell us that she gave us the wrong word for pedicure and we "taught her a new word." She scribbled out what she wrote before, and proudly replaced it with the correct word for "pedicure" in Chinese. Lots of smiles and giggles all around and she seemed awfully excited to be helpful.
Back at the department store, we were still having trouble communicating with the beauticians and out pops the head of this lovely Australlian lady who lives here and speaks decent Mandarin. After all of this, she explains they don't do pedicures but we could get a massage for 100 yuan. (About $17 USD for all you comparison spa shoppers out there.) Faster than we could say Nee How, Vettie and I were all set up in our respective "parlors" and got all 24 hours of traveling kinks worked out.
Another glowing little moment was on the walk back to the hotel, a small group of school children spotted Yvette's tall blonde cute American self (and AS I PREDICTED!!) were infatuated. A tiny little girl started to look very excited and smiled proudly saying "Hello!!" so thrilled to try out her English on an American. She was adorable.
We have found the people here to be so warm and welcoming and willing to help us find our way. The language barrier is SIGNIFICANT but even across the world, a smile and a little laughing is understood by all. :)
Lots of love.
PS, Pictures still not working here so you'll have to stay tuned until we find an internet cafe. :)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Safe and Sound
WELL WE MADE IT!!! :)
We are here safe and sound in Beijing and we are typing this blog post on a computer that is only in Chinese so the only thing we can see in English is our little notes!!
The airport in Seoul was the highlight of today (since we haven't seen anything in Beijing yet!) The airport there is brand new, and a place we would both like to be burried. We arrived there about 3 am and since nothing was open, made good use of the indoor playground. The blessed Korean people also have signs posted before every moving walkway warning you to not get your stilletto stuck. (Did I rule this place in a previous life?)
A big ol' plug for Asiana air goes here -) THEY WERE AMAZING!! All the stewardesses bow to the passengers before the flight and they fed us about 85 times (ok, 2.) But we had steak and tatos and a huge yummy feast right when we got on the plane that they dubbed the "heavy snack." Vettie and I are snackers for life. Another Asiana highlight is that they are in suits and scarves as you board, and then change their outfits as the flight goes on. No kidding! When they are serving food they are in cute little skirts and beautifully embroidered aprons. Then they change to a little Chanel-esque sweater set, and then put back on their suits when you are getting off the plane. (Again, pretty sure I was Asian in another life.)
On our way to the hotel we did get to see some Olympic hot spots like the birds' nest and the cube. We asked our tour guide if there was any way he could put us in touch with Michael Phelps but the joke didn't translate all that well.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN REMEMBERED THE BEST PART!!!!! As we got to Beijing, we were trying to count up how many people are in our tour group. Grand total.... 5.... yep, 5. Me, Vettie a couple from Montana and Rex, and 80 something g-pa who left his wifey with a broken back at home to come see China by his onesie. Oh yes, pretty much a private tour of China for the next week. Our tour guides' income just got cut about a billion percent but it's easy to be a good tipper here, so I think we'll make up for it!!!
We think pictures may work tomorrow when their "American" computer is working. Uploading photos is a little tricky cause we don't speak Chinese yet. :)
So much love to all! xoxo
Jayme and Vettie
We are here safe and sound in Beijing and we are typing this blog post on a computer that is only in Chinese so the only thing we can see in English is our little notes!!
The airport in Seoul was the highlight of today (since we haven't seen anything in Beijing yet!) The airport there is brand new, and a place we would both like to be burried. We arrived there about 3 am and since nothing was open, made good use of the indoor playground. The blessed Korean people also have signs posted before every moving walkway warning you to not get your stilletto stuck. (Did I rule this place in a previous life?)
A big ol' plug for Asiana air goes here -) THEY WERE AMAZING!! All the stewardesses bow to the passengers before the flight and they fed us about 85 times (ok, 2.) But we had steak and tatos and a huge yummy feast right when we got on the plane that they dubbed the "heavy snack." Vettie and I are snackers for life. Another Asiana highlight is that they are in suits and scarves as you board, and then change their outfits as the flight goes on. No kidding! When they are serving food they are in cute little skirts and beautifully embroidered aprons. Then they change to a little Chanel-esque sweater set, and then put back on their suits when you are getting off the plane. (Again, pretty sure I was Asian in another life.)
On our way to the hotel we did get to see some Olympic hot spots like the birds' nest and the cube. We asked our tour guide if there was any way he could put us in touch with Michael Phelps but the joke didn't translate all that well.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN REMEMBERED THE BEST PART!!!!! As we got to Beijing, we were trying to count up how many people are in our tour group. Grand total.... 5.... yep, 5. Me, Vettie a couple from Montana and Rex, and 80 something g-pa who left his wifey with a broken back at home to come see China by his onesie. Oh yes, pretty much a private tour of China for the next week. Our tour guides' income just got cut about a billion percent but it's easy to be a good tipper here, so I think we'll make up for it!!!
We think pictures may work tomorrow when their "American" computer is working. Uploading photos is a little tricky cause we don't speak Chinese yet. :)
So much love to all! xoxo
Jayme and Vettie
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