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Images copyright Michael A. Scott. Click to enlarge.
Beijing,
Day 1 | Tiashan | Ji'nan
| Qufu | The Great Wall
| Beijing return
Beijing
Return
We return to Beijing by a different road, and again
we pass mile after mile of brick villages with their dirt roads,
brick factories, corn drying on roofs, street sweepers with their
wide brooms, bus loads of people, lumbering overloaded trucks, advertising
billboards proclaiming high tech parks and new real estate.
We pass through Tianjin, another large city, and Mr. Han's hometown
and a special zone like Shanghai. We are held up at a bridge reconstruction.
Our driver, like many others, tries every trick to move ahead of
the pack. There is three lanes of traffic in the ditch! Everyone
has endless patience, no one gets road rage like we do here...but
no one is going to wait in traffic! |
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We stop off for lunch at a service centre near the town famous
for the world traveling acrobat team. Several truckers stare at
me, I guess westeners are a rare sight here! There are English signs
though, telling everyone to not watse food, take only what you will
eat.
All the highways are toll roads. Like everything else in China,
even the toll booths are massive structures. Everything is big in
this country, the scale is larger everywhere! |
The next day, after returning from the Great Wall, (see previous
page), we reach Tianamen Square. For me, this has been a goal; to
see this historic place with my own eyes. It is raining, and damp,
(again!), but I don't mind.
We start off in the south end of the square. Here is the South
Gate, a structure made in the 1100s. It is massive and impressive.
It was a gate in a walled city, now only the gate remains.
Tianamen Square, I read, is the largest public square in the world.
I have seen video of millions of people in the square. There is
less room today, with Mao's tomb built in the square, but the plaza
is huge. |
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Across from the gate, is Chairman Mao's tomb. A gigantic building,
it was closed the day we were there unfortunately. At each corner
are huge sculptures of the heroes of the People's Republic: the farmer,
the industrial worker and the soldier. You have to respect a culture
that values the common individual's contribution to society. |
To the east of the square is the Museum of the People's Republic.
I will need to ccome back here someday! |
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The square is covered in flowers, banners and structures
for the 54th anniverary of the People's Republic of China. Despite
the rainy day, there is a lot of people milling about. A crowd gathers
to watch the lowering of the flag at sundown.
Chairman Mao had proclaimed the People's Republic,
Oct. 1 1949, from the balcony at Tianamen Gate, just above where
his picture is mounted today. |
We walk under the wide boulevard and walk over
to the Tianamen Gate. Pretty ferocious lions protect the several
stone bridges that cross over to the gate. |
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It is getting dark , raining pretty steady and it looks like we
will run out of time to enter the Forbidden city beyond the Gate.
I am pulled by Wendy and Xing who are pretty anxious that I get out
of the way of the soldiers marching onto the plaza. The soldiers clear
us all beyond the plaza to get ready for the flag lowering ceremony.
I try to video tape but it is getting pretty dark. I stand across
from a soldier, face to face. He looks about 20 years old, and not
too happy to stand there in the rain. Finally, another group of soldiers
march across the street to Tianamen Square, and lower the flag as
thousands watch the ceremony. |
We walk down the west side of the Square, and hail a cab in front
of the Great Hall of the People. Wendy mentions that there is an
event here today. It turns out that the Irish Riverdance is here
in town to perform for the first time.
We finally get a cab, but get stuck in gridlock as we drive around
the Square and try to return to our van and driver. What a day...the
Great Wall and Tianamen Square...can it ever get better than this? |
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Before heading out to the airport, we spend the morning shopping.
We go to a famous alley way and get acosted by vendors of watches,
luggage and clothes. Many speak English, and take American money.
I try my hand at bargaining but will need more practice. I am
told never to pay more than half the original price quote.
Time to return home. I am dropped off at the airport, and must
say goodbye to my companions of the past 8 days. I have been pampered
by the most friendliest and helpful people I have ever met. I
have had a trip of a lifetime, and I already want to return here.
So much to see, so little time.
The past 8 days were absolutely spectacular. I am amazed by the
people, their history and their culture, their food and their
hospitality. The scenes I have seen with my own eyes flood back
in my dreams on the 10 hour flight back to Vancouver, and the
5 hour flight to Ottawa. I see two sunrises and two sunsets in
one day. I sleep for a week! I can't wait to return to the magic
of China.
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to Day 1 |
Pictures were taken by a 5MP Pentax Optio 550, and
were processed with ACDSee v. 3.1, and reduced to 1024X768 by Shortcut's
S-Spline v. 2.2 for the web. Thumbnails were created by S-Spline as
well. |
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