Saturday, June 27, 2009
Today was a visit to a Cloisonné Factory Great Wall, Peking Duck Dinner and Beijing Chaoyang Theater (Acrobatic Show).
Impression: Wow.
Anecdotes: Many.
Just getting to the Great Wall was an adventure. We drove through the city, out into the country, up into the mountains, past little villages, tethered donkeys, hives of bees. Finally got to a fork in the road and David wanted to go straight. Our guide, Arthur, was sure that we should go to the left. So we did, and ended up at the wrong entrance to the Wall. Well, we got a bathroom break out of that stop. The ladies all discovered that the women’s bathroom stalls had no doors. So we improvised doors, with our bodies. Nothing like teamwork.
Drove back down the road and took the right fork. Found the entrance to the Wall that David wanted, and got out of the bus. Crossed a bridge with firecrackers going off behind us, and climbed a STEEP hill up to the Wall, where we discovered….a ladder. The ladder seemed to be firmly placed, but it sat upon two slate rocks. We finally got all onto the wall, and took a congratulatory picture of ourselves.
Upon reaching the second guard tower, we met a sweet old lady who decided to extort us for two yuan to continue climbing “her wall.” We suspected at first glance that she was not in fact, 600 hundred years old and the builder of the wall. She stood at the entrance to the next section of the wall blocking our path. If we refused to pay or tried to take her picture she threatened to throw stones at us. One of our fearless leaders, David, decided that he was not going to be extorted by this wiley rascal and “pleasantly” told her in Mandarin Chinese that she was not getting his money and made his way onto the next section. The rest of us in the tower section then continued to enjoy ourselves on top of the guard tower without going any further. Brian W. whipped out his harmonica and played a melodious tune that was let’s just say was not the wiley rascal’s cup of tea. The game of wits was on. Brian W. was the first to attempt his witty banter with this sly fox. Deb S. then began to dance to the tune o’ the harmonica on the top of the guard tower telling the centogenarian that her dance was so beautiful that she should pay her two yuan to see this Michael Flatley impersonation. Jim then decided to tempt fate during this brief distraction by sneaking by the woman onto the wall, where hilarity then ensued. Once on the wall, Jim decided it was too steep and decided to come back, but first, he had to get past the “gate guard.” He pondered the idea of how to sneak back inside, and while contemplating the beating he was about to receive, he thought it would be cute to provide the rest of us with some entertainment by poking his head through the window in the wall and waving. The group responded by convulsing into fits of laughter that confused the wiley fox. This gem was captured on film. Please see the picture below. Jim, knowing the gig was up, then came back into the guard tower and surrendered his two yuan to this capitalistic entrepreneur. We celebrated with the wiley fox by giving hi fives all around.
Honestly and respectfully,
Brenda and Brian S.
Study Tour
