Kristen: This morning we started off at Mao's Mausoleum. We waited in a 30 minute fast-moving line with all native Chinese people. Many of the people are from far villages in China who save up money for years to be able to travel to Beijing and pay respects to Mao. We were moved through the building like cattle, constantly goaded to not stop walking. Right when we entered the entry hall there is a giant statue of Mao which everyone puts flowers at. Everyone becomes completely silent (a rare sight in China). As we silently walked into the room with his body in a glass case, it was interesting to see the intense power he holds over all the people-similar to a God. We read in a couple of books that Mau wanted to be cremated but they decided to embalm him. Supposedly they created a wax version of his body just in case the embalmed one didn't look very good. I've only seen a couple cadavers, none embalmed, but walking by his body we both were like, that's definitely wax. He looked wayyy better than he ever did in real life even years before he died- like a china doll with a flag wrapped around his body. Though we decided not to break the news to the villagers.
David: We both were really excited when we left the mausoleum because the forbidden city gate with Mao's portrait no longer had the scaffolding and green tarp that was all over it only two days before. We had a little photo session and walked around tiananmen square with thousands of people. We were told to check out the top of the forbidden gate to get a great view of Tiananmen square. So after more lines and people we finally made our way up. Kristen's sidenote: They let their kids (under age 3 more or less) pee and poo everywhere. We see it a few times a day. Kids squatting over planters to go #2. Peeing on the stairs of a plaza. So unsanitary and gross. We easily solved the SARS epidemic, by being in Beijing for 2 hours. SARS is an airborne illness so maybe stop spitting up massive wads of saliva everywhere? Done. :) The view was definitely worthwile and we saw some old pictures of the gate and the forbidden city that was very interesting. They have a picture timeline that showed the major changes and in the last part was a TV with a video of the president driving the streets in front of a military parade. It was both eerie and intimidating to see thousands of troops, tanks and missles line the same area you are in.
After lunch we took the metro to the Ghost Market. This market is an antique market that is pretty far from where we have been traveling and is a great spot to get some souvenirs. However we quickly learned that the locals don't like to drop prices when bartering at this market and they always started at 500 yuan no matter the object. I found it somewhat exhausting and frustrating to have to barter for an old Mao clock that is worth only 40 yuan when they start at 500 yuan (65 US dollars). After about two hours and wandering hundreds of rows we picked up a few things and headed back.
For dinner we found a little restaurant near our hostel that we only found because a girl in our tour told us it was good and to look for the welcome sign. Inside was a room that looked like a family kitchen and we enjoyed some pork dumplings and spicy chicken. Grandma was sitting near us and loved smiling at us with big black teeth. Super cute! But we were really excited to enjoy our first good meal thus far.
With our tour we went to a famous Beijing opera play. We both were a little hesitant but decided to do it anyways. I hate to say it but I was pretty disappointed. It started out with some super high pitched singing, followed by people walking around the stage a lot and some dancing (twirling in circles). We both had trouble staying awake and didn't really enjoy the story or pace of it (Kristen only fell asleep three times). We found out after that pretty much everyone else thought the same. The most fun part was watching the men put their stage makeup on, which is about as fun as it sounds. Tomorrow we are going to the great wall. So excited!
Zai-Jian!
D and K
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