Nathan's Insights

Wednesday 16 August 2006
Highlights: Tienanmen Square, The Forbidden City

Today was a chance to visit Tienanmen Square & The Forbidden City (home of the Chinese Emperors for 700 years).   The first thing I noticed today was the smog which only added to the heat and humidity.   Sometimes it was different to see more than 100 metres!

Obviously Tienanmen Square holds some fascination for Westerners after 1989 and the government’s problems with students.   Our tour leader made and interesting point about how hard it is to rule 1.4 billion people and that in China the group (or country) comes first always, not the individual.   It would be very hard to run a western style system in China due to it’s size (and remembering Western countries do things that aren’t great like detaining people without arrest i.e. USA).

The line to see Chairman Mao was incredibly long and people stood very quietly to get a chance (this is not like China anywhere else).   Mao’s face hangs off the Forbidden City (the place he declared the People’s Republic of China in 1949) and looks down Tienanmen Square.

There is however a McDonalds very close by and people selling Mao watches.   It’s probably better to call China a mixed economy slightly more to the left without being a democracy (however people appeared to be happy and have nice things). The Forbidden City is actually that a city it is so huge.   As it is not a communist icon they have allowed a Starbucks inside (but not with the normal signs).

The structures are amazing, and to exhibits insightful of just how long China history actually is.   The Emperor’s ‘harem’ was especially beautiful. Later in the day we headed out for an overnight train to Xi’an.   Just getting on the train is an experience, almost a free for all of pushing and pulling.   We got on well enough and I sat down on my ‘hard’ train sleeper bed for the long 14 hour overnight trip ahead to Xi’an.

Tuesday 15 August 2006
Highlights: Hiking the Great Wall of China, Beijing Acrobats, eating a Peking Duck

The China Adventure begins.   Starting at 6 am in the morning we set out for a 2.5 hour drive to the Great Wall (Jinshanling Section), which does not usually have many tourists (it’s far out and fairly hard to walk).   It’s worth noting that the temperature was over 35c today and very humid (more so than Hong Kong).

As soon as we arrived it was obvious we had all been blessed with a clear day (it’s the trade off with the hot weather I was glad to make).   The hike would take over 4.5 hours (we stopped for lunch and occasionally to catch our breath).   For half of the trip we had locals who followed us during to sell items like postcards or frozen water (they did sell some of this item at a very good mark up!).

What can I say about the Great Wall, it is breathtaking and not just before of the heat and hard hiking.   You would have to go very far to find something as magnificent as this, the man-made structure stretching as far as the eye can see set in just a stunning environment.   It was almost a spiritual experience with the sweating and hard work to get out to the remote parts.   Easily up there with the Grand Canyon in the USA.

The trip back felt like it was taking forever (we were all very sweaty), a quick break and shower and we were off to see the Beijing Acrobats.   This group is mainly kids between the ages of 6-14 and they are extremely skilled.   For 1.5 hours I watched these children perform complex routines, amazing stuff.

We ended the night with a visit to a Chinese Restaurant.   I should say eventually as the taxi driver dropped my cab at the wrong address, likely we worked out how to work to the restaurant (it took about 35 minutes, which was hard given the early hike).   At the restaurant Brett ordered some local food (chop sticks only) and the Beijing special, Peking Duck.   The meal and the night were a great experience, I can say I ate at a high class restaurant and had Peking Duck!!