GCDS Does China by the Numbers:
1,300,000,000 people (thank Buddha it's the low season)
16,506 - distance traveled, in miles, in a plane
11,000 - highest elevation reached, in feet
8,000 - number of terracotta warriors spotted (approx)
3,300 - steps climbed up the Great Wall (approx)
1,000 - money spent on tea for the McCloskey household (in Yuan)
500 - conservative estimate for one missing pair of sunglasses, in $US
225 - average weight of Tang Dynasty women, in pounds
217 - Bloon levels reached
123 - "cutes" heard at the panda reserve
50 - happy travelers
29 - provinces
23 - longest door to door journey, in hours
20 - lazy susan meals
12 - unforgettable days
10 - Mary's tour guide ranking (on a scale of 1-10)
9 - scorpions eaten
8 - sicknesses battled
7 - flights
6 - earliest morning departure time, Beijing standard time
5 - silkworms eaten
4 - tour guides (city & national)
3 - trips to KFC
2 - meals it took for the novelty of authentic Chinese food to wear off
1 - Oliver reprise in Tiananmen Square
Countless - Kung Pao Chicken consumed, Amanda Happy House requests, Paula negotiations (with vendors AND tour guides), Scrabble tiles played, Temple Run coins earned, and incredible memories.
Thank you Jack/Mr. Jepson, parents, students, Mary, Helen, Jheshe Nima, Blue Flag Jack, GCDS, Mao, and Buddha for the memories!
Pictures to follow.
Love,
The Lehns
Saturday, March 31, 2012
GCDS Does China - Day 10 - Chengdu
8:30 wake-up calls for a 10am departure for the day's fun felt quite luxurious this morning. Only one person meeting for the "group" run is indicative of how packed our days have been and how exhausted we are.
We had a couple of brief excursions today before the farewell banquet. Lunch at the Sichuan Cooking Institute was delicious, and although our guide failed to keep our attention, seeing ancient artifacts; learning about the flipping, sun burning, & dewing of the peppers; finding one of the restaurants we had enjoyed featured on their wall of fame; seeing Babe all grown up; and peering through the clear glass wall to see the cooks preparing our meal in the kitchen kept our interest. Not many 15 year olds (or "blog" authors) got excited for the embroidery workshop, but the craftsmanship on display blew us all away.
Our farewell dinner banquet was fit for an emperor with about 20 delicious dishes served in our private room. Our last Sichuan hurrah at this gourmet restaurant was overshadowed, however, by the night's entertainment. The outpouring of emotions during poems, songs, jeopardy, toasts, and thank yous summoned laughter and tears among our already nostalgic group. We have been promised the transcripts from all of our talented bards and are also thrilled that Rebecca has it all recorded. Since going to bed meant accepting the finality of this trip, everyone stayed up when we got back to the hotel. The parents treated everyone to Pizza Hut (21 delicious dishes!) as we relaxed and shared stories while Marty, Hanley, Eric, Lisa, and Rebecca tickled the ivory in the hotel lobby/bar to put the finishing touches on an amazing journey to the other side of the world.
Love,
All of us in China
P.S. We have one final trip recap email coming and then will be in touch about picture sharing. We miss you guys already!
We had a couple of brief excursions today before the farewell banquet. Lunch at the Sichuan Cooking Institute was delicious, and although our guide failed to keep our attention, seeing ancient artifacts; learning about the flipping, sun burning, & dewing of the peppers; finding one of the restaurants we had enjoyed featured on their wall of fame; seeing Babe all grown up; and peering through the clear glass wall to see the cooks preparing our meal in the kitchen kept our interest. Not many 15 year olds (or "blog" authors) got excited for the embroidery workshop, but the craftsmanship on display blew us all away.
Our farewell dinner banquet was fit for an emperor with about 20 delicious dishes served in our private room. Our last Sichuan hurrah at this gourmet restaurant was overshadowed, however, by the night's entertainment. The outpouring of emotions during poems, songs, jeopardy, toasts, and thank yous summoned laughter and tears among our already nostalgic group. We have been promised the transcripts from all of our talented bards and are also thrilled that Rebecca has it all recorded. Since going to bed meant accepting the finality of this trip, everyone stayed up when we got back to the hotel. The parents treated everyone to Pizza Hut (21 delicious dishes!) as we relaxed and shared stories while Marty, Hanley, Eric, Lisa, and Rebecca tickled the ivory in the hotel lobby/bar to put the finishing touches on an amazing journey to the other side of the world.
Love,
All of us in China
P.S. We have one final trip recap email coming and then will be in touch about picture sharing. We miss you guys already!
GCDS Does China - Day 9 - Chengdu
We rolled out of the hotel at 6:13am, just 13 minutes after our scheduled departure - a new group record! The ride to the Panda reserve and breeding grounds brought us well out of the city, on smaller and smaller winding roads to the top of a gorge plush with bamboo forests for a unique experience with these endangered animals. You earn your keep at the reserve: upon arrival, we spent some time cleaning up bamboo scraps, bamboo leaves, and bamboo poop; we shattered the thickest shoots, transported vats of water, and brought pandas some of their favorite snacks. We all knew these specialists eat bamboo leaves, shoots, and branches, but we were surprised to find they also enjoyed carrots and some "cakes" made of some combination of bamboo, honey, and soybean paste. The grounds have an enclosed pen that opens up to a simulated natural habitat for each panda. The chores allowed us to donate time to the preservation efforts while getting up close and personal with the Pandas. We saw young pandas & old pandas, baby pandas & toddler pandas, male pandas & female pandas, climbing pandas & rolling pandas, hungry pandas & sleepy pandas, laughing pandas & whining pandas, black & white pandas! Pandas!! Later, visitors had the opportunity to become donors, for which they would receive a panda photo-op or a few minutes of free play with one of the younger animals depending on the donation. Unforgettable.
Hot pot for dinner was an experience! We/they put everything but the kitchen sink into our boiling broth for our Chinese fondue dinner: Chinese hot dogs, Chinese meatballs, lotus root, rice noodles, wheat noodles, beef sukiyaki, chicken feet, chicken head, and a few UFO's (unidentified floating objects). A couple of 9th graders accidentally (or so they said) tasted their first rice wine. We cut them off as soon as everyone realized what they had been served.
A Chinese opera and fine arts display that we likened to a Chinese variety show capped off our second to last day. Some acts didn't translate too well (literally and figuratively), but others were awe inspiring. A couple of highlights were a Shadow Puppeteer who left you wondering if he only had two hands and the famous (in this neck of the woods) mask morphing men of whom we demanded an explanation for their slight of hand. Mary and Helen would only offer that it was magic, but reminded us that we could Google it (even in China).
One more day!!
Love,
All of us in China
Hot pot for dinner was an experience! We/they put everything but the kitchen sink into our boiling broth for our Chinese fondue dinner: Chinese hot dogs, Chinese meatballs, lotus root, rice noodles, wheat noodles, beef sukiyaki, chicken feet, chicken head, and a few UFO's (unidentified floating objects). A couple of 9th graders accidentally (or so they said) tasted their first rice wine. We cut them off as soon as everyone realized what they had been served.
A Chinese opera and fine arts display that we likened to a Chinese variety show capped off our second to last day. Some acts didn't translate too well (literally and figuratively), but others were awe inspiring. A couple of highlights were a Shadow Puppeteer who left you wondering if he only had two hands and the famous (in this neck of the woods) mask morphing men of whom we demanded an explanation for their slight of hand. Mary and Helen would only offer that it was magic, but reminded us that we could Google it (even in China).
One more day!!
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Bonus Entry #2
We have only partly been kidding about the rising GDP over here. In honor of all the treats coming back to the states, here are the most impulsive purchases (witness by your "blog" authors):
Honorable Mention: Industrial powered laser pointers
#5: The 72nd Longchamps bag
#4: "yak horn" back scratcher
#3: 3 ft Samurai sword(s)
#2: Panda vest(s)
#1: Personalized Jepson terracotta warrior (luckily nixed by Barbara at the penultimate moment)
Lots to look forward to in addition to your loved ones returning!
Love,
All of us in China
Honorable Mention: Industrial powered laser pointers
#5: The 72nd Longchamps bag
#4: "yak horn" back scratcher
#3: 3 ft Samurai sword(s)
#2: Panda vest(s)
#1: Personalized Jepson terracotta warrior (luckily nixed by Barbara at the penultimate moment)
Lots to look forward to in addition to your loved ones returning!
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 8 - Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu
More great views and the lure of Scrabble, needlepoint, email, "blogging," Fifa, Bloon, etc, etc. were welcomed distractions from the winding roads and near death passes in the left lane in our commercial busses. We reached the airport safely and survived a turbulent flight #5 en route back to Chengdu.
We were treated to an ancient custom upon our return to Chengdu: KFC with fries! This may as well have been filet and pinot judging by the unanimous celebration from kids and adults alike. We even heard a "food glorious food" chorus in the back of the bus.
More glorious than the fried chicken was our afternoon bike ride through expansive blooming yellow rapeseed plants that summoned thoughts of Oz. Obstacles like open manholes, dirt piles, swarms of bees, and oncoming traffic made the brief 3 mile ride very exciting! Some of the group was dropping like bees, falling behind the group to observe the bee keepers in action, taking a wrong turn off the red paved course, pausing for some Kodak moments, or even just manning the manhole, but we all convened at the end for our excursion to Old Chengdu Town.
The old town had great feng shui with Yellow Dragon Creek running down the quaint pedestrian way. We wandered the street lanes and saw the old water mill, herb shops, beautiful blooming flowers (iris and cherry blossoms), and the famous Sichuan hot chili peppers. Down off the Tibetan plateau, temperatures were in the 70s and boys bought waterbottle squirt guns to cool us all down with the spray - what a difference from the 40 degree weather we woke up to this morning!
Back on the bus and off to dinner, we suddenly heard chants of "Oh mani nemo yes a laida..." and looked up to see cars, rickshaws, trucks, and bikes dodging us as we barreled down a one way divided highway the wrong way!! We made it to dinner without even a ticket and enjoyed one of the best feasts of the trip with a spread of spicy Sichuan dishes.
It was easy to convince everyone that the early curfew was for their own benefit because we are all geared up for another highlight tomorrow: The Pandas!
Love,
All of us in China
We were treated to an ancient custom upon our return to Chengdu: KFC with fries! This may as well have been filet and pinot judging by the unanimous celebration from kids and adults alike. We even heard a "food glorious food" chorus in the back of the bus.
More glorious than the fried chicken was our afternoon bike ride through expansive blooming yellow rapeseed plants that summoned thoughts of Oz. Obstacles like open manholes, dirt piles, swarms of bees, and oncoming traffic made the brief 3 mile ride very exciting! Some of the group was dropping like bees, falling behind the group to observe the bee keepers in action, taking a wrong turn off the red paved course, pausing for some Kodak moments, or even just manning the manhole, but we all convened at the end for our excursion to Old Chengdu Town.
The old town had great feng shui with Yellow Dragon Creek running down the quaint pedestrian way. We wandered the street lanes and saw the old water mill, herb shops, beautiful blooming flowers (iris and cherry blossoms), and the famous Sichuan hot chili peppers. Down off the Tibetan plateau, temperatures were in the 70s and boys bought waterbottle squirt guns to cool us all down with the spray - what a difference from the 40 degree weather we woke up to this morning!
Back on the bus and off to dinner, we suddenly heard chants of "Oh mani nemo yes a laida..." and looked up to see cars, rickshaws, trucks, and bikes dodging us as we barreled down a one way divided highway the wrong way!! We made it to dinner without even a ticket and enjoyed one of the best feasts of the trip with a spread of spicy Sichuan dishes.
It was easy to convince everyone that the early curfew was for their own benefit because we are all geared up for another highlight tomorrow: The Pandas!
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Bonus Entry #1
We have certainly been adventurous with the Eastern cuisine as we immerse ourselves in Chinese culture; however, some longings from home understandably arise. Here are some special requests from our solo travellers (and allergists) for their welcome home meal:
Fruit loops with American milk (HG)
Grandma's Chicken and Pasta (MVP)
Pesto pasta and a smoothie (EK)
Frijoles! (GA)
Waffles (CG)
Chipotle (WA)
Garden Catering (HF)
Dominoes (SS, BF, DM)
Moe's Juicy Loosey Burger (RK)
Big Mac (JHD)
Steak (beef, not yak) (EG)
Pink Berry and Joey B's (HK)
Colony Pizza (CG)
White Rice with some soy sauce (JK!!)
Sorry if we have raised expectations by compiling this list!
Love,
All of us in China
Fruit loops with American milk (HG)
Grandma's Chicken and Pasta (MVP)
Pesto pasta and a smoothie (EK)
Frijoles! (GA)
Waffles (CG)
Chipotle (WA)
Garden Catering (HF)
Dominoes (SS, BF, DM)
Moe's Juicy Loosey Burger (RK)
Big Mac (JHD)
Steak (beef, not yak) (EG)
Pink Berry and Joey B's (HK)
Colony Pizza (CG)
White Rice with some soy sauce (JK!!)
Sorry if we have raised expectations by compiling this list!
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 7 - Jiuzhaigou
Like the great wall, Jiuzhaigou National Park did not disappoint. The many colorful lakes scattered about this pristine mountain setting made the blues of the Caribbean look like the Hudson. Waterfalls and snow capped mountains put the exclamation points on this natural treasure. To maximize our time in the 240 sq mile park we were bussed from site to site to see as many of the 114 extraordinarily turquiose lakes and countless vistas as possible, but we were still able to stretch our legs plenty and enjoy some beautiful trails.
We've been pushing hard to catch early flights, learn from our knowledgeable guides, and see much of what China has to offer, so were rewarded with a trip to a Tibetan massage parlor this afternoon. Though hesitant at first, most of the group endulged in the pampering. Laughs, shrieks, and relaxation filled the air as roomfulls of students, parents, and chaperones had their pressure points poked and prodded. A few candid reactions should give you a sense of the excitement:
"Ooowwwwwwwww!!!!!"
"Do you have girlfriend?"
"Mary, how do you say too high!"
"I think she just touched my private square."
"I just got spanked."
"We love Yak Yepason!!!"
After dinner we made a quick stop at a mini-mart to stock up on snacks before a traditional Tibetan performance. Some of us jumped at the opportunity to try yak jerky, Chinese candy, and rice cookies while others played it safe with Snickers, Oreos, and Sprite. The performance used modern dance, comical expressions, Stomp-esque prop usage, blaring music, the Brad Pitt of goats, and impressive choreography to tell the story of one woman's journey to enlightenment. We could see our breath as we empathetically felt for her as she froze to death on the final leg of her journey. This was our second favorite traditional Chinese performance, after the acrobat show.
Jiuzhaigou is about as close to Tibet as most travellers get at this time of year, near the anniversary of the recent turmoil. We were introduced to much Tibetan culture in Jiuzhaigou; the ubiquitous prayer flags and prayer wheels remind us that we are blessed to see this beautiful place.
Love,
All of us in China
We've been pushing hard to catch early flights, learn from our knowledgeable guides, and see much of what China has to offer, so were rewarded with a trip to a Tibetan massage parlor this afternoon. Though hesitant at first, most of the group endulged in the pampering. Laughs, shrieks, and relaxation filled the air as roomfulls of students, parents, and chaperones had their pressure points poked and prodded. A few candid reactions should give you a sense of the excitement:
"Ooowwwwwwwww!!!!!"
"Do you have girlfriend?"
"Mary, how do you say too high!"
"I think she just touched my private square."
"I just got spanked."
"We love Yak Yepason!!!"
After dinner we made a quick stop at a mini-mart to stock up on snacks before a traditional Tibetan performance. Some of us jumped at the opportunity to try yak jerky, Chinese candy, and rice cookies while others played it safe with Snickers, Oreos, and Sprite. The performance used modern dance, comical expressions, Stomp-esque prop usage, blaring music, the Brad Pitt of goats, and impressive choreography to tell the story of one woman's journey to enlightenment. We could see our breath as we empathetically felt for her as she froze to death on the final leg of her journey. This was our second favorite traditional Chinese performance, after the acrobat show.
Jiuzhaigou is about as close to Tibet as most travellers get at this time of year, near the anniversary of the recent turmoil. We were introduced to much Tibetan culture in Jiuzhaigou; the ubiquitous prayer flags and prayer wheels remind us that we are blessed to see this beautiful place.
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 6 - Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou
Our flight west to Chengdu was delayed last night, leaving us with about five hours between settling into our rooms and the dreaded wake up call; this led to an embarrassing moment on bus after little sleep: universal cheers to word of a Starbucks at the next hotel. Those of us that could stay awake on the subsequent morning flight to Jiuzhaigou got a breathtaking birdseye view of the Min Mountains (basically the foothills of the Himalayas). We landed at about 11,000 ft elevation. So high that water boils at 176 degrees F! The effects of the altitude hit some of us, but don't worry, moms, we bundled up, hydrated, required sun block application, and took it easy :)
We spent our first day in the Sichuan province acclimating to the altitude and exploring a couple of the local attractions. Our first stop was the lively town of Songpan. More city walls, bustling streets, vendors of all kinds (including yak meat and dog furs), and history colored our walkabout. The Sichuan region is home to about one million Tibetans who have moved one province east (half of the 6 million Tibetans in China live outside of Tibet after recent migration). A prominent monument in the center of town symbolizes bridged Tibetan-Chinese relations. Mary is still with us, but we also picked up a couple of local guides. In the back of the bus, we lured our local guide, Li Shan, into an interesting discussion about Tibetan politics. In short, he explained that they have a saying in China, "winner is king," to describe the public's willingness to follow who is in power. When pressed about the dissent led by the Dali Lama in Tibet, he would only offer, "It is complicated. I do not like talking about politics." Mary, however, believes the Hun influence is bringing great financial enhancements and improved infrastructure to Tibet and that the Western media gives a biased view.
Our other stop was to take a small hike up to the Tzaga Waterfall. It wasn't until we breathed the fresh, crisp air when we fully realized how polluted the city air has been. The waterfall was worth the stop, but we're holding out for more at the true attraction of the area...stay tuned!
Love,
All of us in China
We spent our first day in the Sichuan province acclimating to the altitude and exploring a couple of the local attractions. Our first stop was the lively town of Songpan. More city walls, bustling streets, vendors of all kinds (including yak meat and dog furs), and history colored our walkabout. The Sichuan region is home to about one million Tibetans who have moved one province east (half of the 6 million Tibetans in China live outside of Tibet after recent migration). A prominent monument in the center of town symbolizes bridged Tibetan-Chinese relations. Mary is still with us, but we also picked up a couple of local guides. In the back of the bus, we lured our local guide, Li Shan, into an interesting discussion about Tibetan politics. In short, he explained that they have a saying in China, "winner is king," to describe the public's willingness to follow who is in power. When pressed about the dissent led by the Dali Lama in Tibet, he would only offer, "It is complicated. I do not like talking about politics." Mary, however, believes the Hun influence is bringing great financial enhancements and improved infrastructure to Tibet and that the Western media gives a biased view.
Our other stop was to take a small hike up to the Tzaga Waterfall. It wasn't until we breathed the fresh, crisp air when we fully realized how polluted the city air has been. The waterfall was worth the stop, but we're holding out for more at the true attraction of the area...stay tuned!
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 5 - Xian to Chengdu
We're back online!! Thanks for your patience:
We got what we came for in Xian today: spectacular buried remains of egomaniacal emperors' tombs. The famous terracotta warriors and other relics surrounding Qin's and Han Jing's tomb aroused many parallels to the pyramids of Giza. The lengths to which these rulers went to ensure their protection in the afterlife are unbelievable. After hot soup (they were all out of boiled coke) at an official's lunch, we walked and walked exploring just a small portion of the vast system of underground protection Qin famously commisioned. As promised, each warrior had a unique profile; it is rumored that everyone can find their twin among the thousands, although we struggled to find some of our Aryan features and red hair. Further north, the 81 pits surrounding the mound containing Han's remains took 36 years to construct and fill. Han ruled for 37 years. Han's tomb revealed a great deal about daily life 2200 years ago; in addition to an army for protection, he was also sure to have clothed concubines, animals, food, tools, and devoted eunichs ready for his disposal in the afterlife. What more could you want?
Roles reversed at the Terra Cotta Warrior workshop. The boys reveled in the wide selection of swords and replica warriors as the girls wondered what was taking so long.
These updates are still missing a couple of key components of our adventures: pictures and the humorous take some of us share with each new experience. We promise pictures are still to come, but here's a taste of some of our entertaining dialogue:
"They found all this in the 70's? It makes me want to take a shovel to the world."
"Wo ai ni means I love you. But be careful, Wo hai ni means I will destroy you."
"This noodle soup is the size of China."
"The elevator capacity is 13 people...but that's Asians."
"I will never complain about going into a gas station bathroom again."
"I want a refund. That was a negative three star happy house."
"Mom, can I get the David Beckham terracotta warrior? It's only 14,800 Yuan."
"It's cool that no one understands what I'm saying. Like I can just ask this guy right here if he likes Arrested Development. Do you like Arrested Development?? Onyong!"
"Mei guo ren bu zhi dau." (Stupid Americans)
"I'm surprised Paula didn't buy a big terracotta warrior. They're gaw-jus."
"Love, all of us in China."
We got what we came for in Xian today: spectacular buried remains of egomaniacal emperors' tombs. The famous terracotta warriors and other relics surrounding Qin's and Han Jing's tomb aroused many parallels to the pyramids of Giza. The lengths to which these rulers went to ensure their protection in the afterlife are unbelievable. After hot soup (they were all out of boiled coke) at an official's lunch, we walked and walked exploring just a small portion of the vast system of underground protection Qin famously commisioned. As promised, each warrior had a unique profile; it is rumored that everyone can find their twin among the thousands, although we struggled to find some of our Aryan features and red hair. Further north, the 81 pits surrounding the mound containing Han's remains took 36 years to construct and fill. Han ruled for 37 years. Han's tomb revealed a great deal about daily life 2200 years ago; in addition to an army for protection, he was also sure to have clothed concubines, animals, food, tools, and devoted eunichs ready for his disposal in the afterlife. What more could you want?
Roles reversed at the Terra Cotta Warrior workshop. The boys reveled in the wide selection of swords and replica warriors as the girls wondered what was taking so long.
These updates are still missing a couple of key components of our adventures: pictures and the humorous take some of us share with each new experience. We promise pictures are still to come, but here's a taste of some of our entertaining dialogue:
"They found all this in the 70's? It makes me want to take a shovel to the world."
"Wo ai ni means I love you. But be careful, Wo hai ni means I will destroy you."
"This noodle soup is the size of China."
"The elevator capacity is 13 people...but that's Asians."
"I will never complain about going into a gas station bathroom again."
"I want a refund. That was a negative three star happy house."
"Mom, can I get the David Beckham terracotta warrior? It's only 14,800 Yuan."
"It's cool that no one understands what I'm saying. Like I can just ask this guy right here if he likes Arrested Development. Do you like Arrested Development?? Onyong!"
"Mei guo ren bu zhi dau." (Stupid Americans)
"I'm surprised Paula didn't buy a big terracotta warrior. They're gaw-jus."
"Love, all of us in China."
GCDS Does China - Day 4 - Xian
With Mary guiding us outside of Beijing, our bus rides have become a captivating part of the tour. She told us about her personal experiences growing up in Xian, her thouhts on the one child rule, Chinese Linsanity (!!!), how Chinese law mandates caring for your parents once they turn 50 (and the associated problems with an aging population), her experiences in school (where PDA's are a no-no, they have long school days followed by hours of homework, and teachers are respected more than parents!), the Spanish-like custom of midday naps, and the Chinese secrets of staying slim (#1 Eat an emperor's breakfast, an official's lunch, and a beggar's dinner. #2 Walk a lot, especially after eating. #3 Drink hot - never cold - fluids, including boiled coca-cola with ginger.)
Our tour of Xian began with a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which houses the ancient Buddhist scriptures that were brought back and translated from India. This site of the thousand armed Great Maternal Grace enlightens visitors to the zen of Buddha - finding inner peace and happiness by forgoing luxury in pursuit of nirvana. So obviously we followed our enlightenment with a trip to the Jade factory. We think the boys may have found some inner peace, as they sat on couches in boycot of the jade.
Later, at the Xian forbidden city wall, we were taken back in time with a welcoming ceremony. The impressive wall runs nine miles around the center of Xian (what was once the emperor's forbidden city). While atop the wall near the main gate, we saw the stark contrast between the ancient wall and the modern day skyline, giving us great context to the different worlds we're exploring.
In Southwest China, we are in wheat country. The buffet breakfast included a make your own noodle soup bar (and an omelette bar), and each of us was served a large noodle soup bowl for about the fifth course at lunch. Our dumpling (meaning "making friends") dinner came with a traditional Chinese performance. If the acrobat show was like the Ringling Bros, then this was like the opera. Some impressive dancing, costume design, and even a plot were not enough to help some sleepy travellers fight their heavy eyelids...until cake arrived for Gissele and Valerie's birthdays! The dumplings were spectacular in their variety - both in shape and filling. The favorites were the duck shaped duck, pig faced pork, and of course shroomp.
Mr. Jepson gave Mary a break on the way back to the hotel and ran one of his famous trivia sessions. We showed off our new knowledge like how Emperor Qin started the people's republic, that the Nile is the longest river in China, and that there are 4 provinces in China. We are seeing, learning, and experiencing more than our brains can absorb.
Love,
All of us in China
Our tour of Xian began with a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which houses the ancient Buddhist scriptures that were brought back and translated from India. This site of the thousand armed Great Maternal Grace enlightens visitors to the zen of Buddha - finding inner peace and happiness by forgoing luxury in pursuit of nirvana. So obviously we followed our enlightenment with a trip to the Jade factory. We think the boys may have found some inner peace, as they sat on couches in boycot of the jade.
Later, at the Xian forbidden city wall, we were taken back in time with a welcoming ceremony. The impressive wall runs nine miles around the center of Xian (what was once the emperor's forbidden city). While atop the wall near the main gate, we saw the stark contrast between the ancient wall and the modern day skyline, giving us great context to the different worlds we're exploring.
In Southwest China, we are in wheat country. The buffet breakfast included a make your own noodle soup bar (and an omelette bar), and each of us was served a large noodle soup bowl for about the fifth course at lunch. Our dumpling (meaning "making friends") dinner came with a traditional Chinese performance. If the acrobat show was like the Ringling Bros, then this was like the opera. Some impressive dancing, costume design, and even a plot were not enough to help some sleepy travellers fight their heavy eyelids...until cake arrived for Gissele and Valerie's birthdays! The dumplings were spectacular in their variety - both in shape and filling. The favorites were the duck shaped duck, pig faced pork, and of course shroomp.
Mr. Jepson gave Mary a break on the way back to the hotel and ran one of his famous trivia sessions. We showed off our new knowledge like how Emperor Qin started the people's republic, that the Nile is the longest river in China, and that there are 4 provinces in China. We are seeing, learning, and experiencing more than our brains can absorb.
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 3 - Beijing to Xian
We capped off our tour of Beijing this morning with a Hutong Rickshaw ride and a visit to the Summer Palace. The pedicab (rickshaw) drivers brought us through the narrow alleyways (hutong) of a residential neighborhood at impressive speeds, even the smallest driver who had the pleasure of carting around Will and Donovan. We snapped some great pictures (we will decide how to make these pictures public soon) and visited the home of a retired factory worker and her artist husband. After aiding in the continued meteoric rise of the Chinese GDP, we headed to the old summer home of the emperors. The Summer Palace was also a favorite destination for Cixi, the famously manipulative matriarch pulling the strings behind the scenes for three emperors. It was a dreamlike setting with a hazy fog blanketing the massive man-made lake, an ornate marble boat, arched bridges, and the expansive and intricately carved and painted corridors that led us through a garden full of old cedars, willows, and magnolias.
We had to say goodbye to our guide, Blue Flag Jack, when we got to the airport for our flight to Xian. Jack led us valiantly for three days, albeit with an agenda as he shared about the wonders of communism, their religious freedom, and improved relations with ethnic minorities. He put up with some of our American ignorance, trail of garbage, and inattention to schedules as he showed us the best of Beijing. Thanks, Blue Flag Jack!
Two flights down, and we were still fifty people, fifty passports, and forty-nine bags strong. Some Wang (like Smith over here) took the 50th bag, but Mary tracked him down and we successfully made the bag switch.
Love,
All of us in China
We had to say goodbye to our guide, Blue Flag Jack, when we got to the airport for our flight to Xian. Jack led us valiantly for three days, albeit with an agenda as he shared about the wonders of communism, their religious freedom, and improved relations with ethnic minorities. He put up with some of our American ignorance, trail of garbage, and inattention to schedules as he showed us the best of Beijing. Thanks, Blue Flag Jack!
Two flights down, and we were still fifty people, fifty passports, and forty-nine bags strong. Some Wang (like Smith over here) took the 50th bag, but Mary tracked him down and we successfully made the bag switch.
Love,
All of us in China
GCDS Does China - Day 2 - Beijing
In the spirit of Zagat's...
The long awaited trip to the Great Wall "did not disappoint" and "surpassed expectations." Most of the group refused the cable car ride and enjoyed the 1100 step climb up to the wall where we then climbed at least as many more. The Sumatai section, where we visited, is largely considered an "off the beaten track" section to visit. The 90 minute drive from Beijing and rigorous climbs keep the hoards away. We woke up with sore legs and declared "we don't need Equinox at home, we need a Great Wall!" We climbed to the farthest possible point (of our refurbished section, not all 4000 miles) and had "great views in all directions." DYK: "if the wall had been built as a three foot tall and wide structure with the same number of stones, it would circumnavigate the globe at the equator!" After the cable car ride down, many of us had our first venture into the intense world of bartering, learning such beginner mottos as "barter at the bottom," "be willing to walk away," "start at 10% of the initial offer," "don't show your want," and "don't claim you don't have enough money as you take a picture with your $1000 camera."
Our "cultural fill" for the day came at the Buddhist Lama Temple. We navigated through the complex of 5 worshiping dwellings, trying not to disturb the many worshipers, who "burn incense to carry their prayers up to heaven." The colorfully and intricately designed walls were fitting tributes to Buddha. The coup de gras was a 60 ft Buddha hand carved out of a single trunk of white sandle wood. It took three years to cart it from Nepal over rolling rocks and man-made ice roads.
The Chinese Acrobat Show was "a cross between Ripley's believe it or not, The Ringling Brothers, and some virtual land where Newton's laws don't exist." The names of the acts, such as "hoop jumping," "ball catching," "balance skill," and "bicycle skill" are comically simple relative to their jaw dropping displays. "Balance skill made Greenwich yoga look like a walk in the park!" Bicycle skill included a ten person human pyramid on top of one female cyclist. Hoop jumping is pretty accurately named, though "the acrobats made Donovan look like he has cement shoes" as they flew through ten foot high hoops. Ball catching featured a juggler...who juggled up to 9 balls at once...while doing his best Michael Flaherty impression. "Not bad."
Though exhausted after another wonderful day, many of us ventured to the open markets before bedtime. The food market delivered some of our favorites from home, including fried scorpion, skewered silkworm, crispy sea horse, juicy tarantula, and, of course, sheep penis. This variety was a welcomed change for a few travelers who had already declared that "the novelty of authentic chinese food has already worn off," "I wish I brought a second bag of beef jerky," and at this point, "I'd prefer sheep penis to more Kung-Pao chicken." Students, parents, and chaperones alike bravely sampled the local delicacies. The souvenir market, "Longchamps lunacy," "laser tag," and the Nike store rounded out a fun excursion and another memorable day.
Love,
All of us in China
P.S. We are being incredibly well fed and successully avoiding all allergies :)
P.P.S. If I just added you to this email chain, prior updates are below.
The long awaited trip to the Great Wall "did not disappoint" and "surpassed expectations." Most of the group refused the cable car ride and enjoyed the 1100 step climb up to the wall where we then climbed at least as many more. The Sumatai section, where we visited, is largely considered an "off the beaten track" section to visit. The 90 minute drive from Beijing and rigorous climbs keep the hoards away. We woke up with sore legs and declared "we don't need Equinox at home, we need a Great Wall!" We climbed to the farthest possible point (of our refurbished section, not all 4000 miles) and had "great views in all directions." DYK: "if the wall had been built as a three foot tall and wide structure with the same number of stones, it would circumnavigate the globe at the equator!" After the cable car ride down, many of us had our first venture into the intense world of bartering, learning such beginner mottos as "barter at the bottom," "be willing to walk away," "start at 10% of the initial offer," "don't show your want," and "don't claim you don't have enough money as you take a picture with your $1000 camera."
Our "cultural fill" for the day came at the Buddhist Lama Temple. We navigated through the complex of 5 worshiping dwellings, trying not to disturb the many worshipers, who "burn incense to carry their prayers up to heaven." The colorfully and intricately designed walls were fitting tributes to Buddha. The coup de gras was a 60 ft Buddha hand carved out of a single trunk of white sandle wood. It took three years to cart it from Nepal over rolling rocks and man-made ice roads.
The Chinese Acrobat Show was "a cross between Ripley's believe it or not, The Ringling Brothers, and some virtual land where Newton's laws don't exist." The names of the acts, such as "hoop jumping," "ball catching," "balance skill," and "bicycle skill" are comically simple relative to their jaw dropping displays. "Balance skill made Greenwich yoga look like a walk in the park!" Bicycle skill included a ten person human pyramid on top of one female cyclist. Hoop jumping is pretty accurately named, though "the acrobats made Donovan look like he has cement shoes" as they flew through ten foot high hoops. Ball catching featured a juggler...who juggled up to 9 balls at once...while doing his best Michael Flaherty impression. "Not bad."
Though exhausted after another wonderful day, many of us ventured to the open markets before bedtime. The food market delivered some of our favorites from home, including fried scorpion, skewered silkworm, crispy sea horse, juicy tarantula, and, of course, sheep penis. This variety was a welcomed change for a few travelers who had already declared that "the novelty of authentic chinese food has already worn off," "I wish I brought a second bag of beef jerky," and at this point, "I'd prefer sheep penis to more Kung-Pao chicken." Students, parents, and chaperones alike bravely sampled the local delicacies. The souvenir market, "Longchamps lunacy," "laser tag," and the Nike store rounded out a fun excursion and another memorable day.
Love,
All of us in China
P.S. We are being incredibly well fed and successully avoiding all allergies :)
P.P.S. If I just added you to this email chain, prior updates are below.
GCDS Does China - Day 1 - Beijing
Day 1 was filled with the famous sites in Beijing. At Tiannamen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven, we recognized some of the most famous buildings in the world. The beautifully crafted eaves of the classic Chinese architecture were on full display as we learned about some important history and political change. Seeing locals play cards in the Temple of Heaven was an authentic taste of Chinese culture.
We absorbed other culture at a silk factory and a tea house. Learning about silk extraction and production and the many medicinal qualities of different teas was interesting and convinced many of us of our need to bring some home. After the silk factory and tea ceremony, our guides thanked us for stimulating the Chinese Economy as they witnessed the GDP soar.
So, sites, culture, souvenirs...and of course food! We had both northern and southern cuisine today. At lunch, our Peking Duck feast featured whole carved duck, crunchy duck heads (sampled by a brave few), cactus, shrimp, whole flounder, delicious sauces, and a few spills. Dinner featured the sweeter southern Shanghainese food (excuse all spelling on these updates, please). In case this worldly variety worries you, our breakfast buffets have many familiar favorites and every meal offers mounds of sticky rice.
Despite all of these local wonders, we are the biggest tourist attraction in town - our pale skin, dark skin, blond hair, and red hair would be pasted all over facebook...if only they were allowed to use facebook.
Love,
All of us in China
We absorbed other culture at a silk factory and a tea house. Learning about silk extraction and production and the many medicinal qualities of different teas was interesting and convinced many of us of our need to bring some home. After the silk factory and tea ceremony, our guides thanked us for stimulating the Chinese Economy as they witnessed the GDP soar.
So, sites, culture, souvenirs...and of course food! We had both northern and southern cuisine today. At lunch, our Peking Duck feast featured whole carved duck, crunchy duck heads (sampled by a brave few), cactus, shrimp, whole flounder, delicious sauces, and a few spills. Dinner featured the sweeter southern Shanghainese food (excuse all spelling on these updates, please). In case this worldly variety worries you, our breakfast buffets have many familiar favorites and every meal offers mounds of sticky rice.
Despite all of these local wonders, we are the biggest tourist attraction in town - our pale skin, dark skin, blond hair, and red hair would be pasted all over facebook...if only they were allowed to use facebook.
Love,
All of us in China
Uneventful Day of Travel
Hello from Beijing! We arrived at the Beijing Hotel and have already had two nice meals. These pictures (link will be attached soon) should show that there is nothing much to report yet but for a long, safe journey. Our guides' names are Mary and Jack (they promise they are authentic locals) - the second picture is Mary telling us interesting tidbits on the bus about development for the 2008 Olympics, that Beijing means, literally, "northern capital", and that we should drink only bottled water. If this email update is taking you by surprise, it's because our blog plan was thwarted early. Despite every effort to blame Mr. Martinez for some tech issues, we have deduced that China's ban/limit on social media is impeding our access. Back to email updates after all. We're heading out now for the real first day of the trip - we promise more exciting updates soon.
The time change is easy to remember - just switch am/pm as we're 12 hours ahead (a couple students asked to send this reminder!!).
Love,
All of us in China.
The time change is easy to remember - just switch am/pm as we're 12 hours ahead (a couple students asked to send this reminder!!).
Love,
All of us in China.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Hello from China! Actually, we are writing this in CT and are likely still somewhere over the North Pole en route as you read this, but we're all very excited! Hopefully this blog will be an efficient way to get news to anyone interested in following the trip. We plan to post brief updates on where we are, share exciting adventures we've had, and hopefully upload pictures so you can join in the fun.
Stay tuned for our first update from Beijing!
Stay tuned for our first update from Beijing!
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