This, I know.
Yet somehow, despite a
concerted effort to stay well, I contracted a virus mere days before taking
off for Beijing. And found myself, instead of joyfully
preparing for my three days in the capital, dreading the wear and tear of travel that would no doubt compound my symptoms.
I longed to feel the rush of
travel-induced adrenaline at the thought of trekking
across the Great Wall or stepping foot in Tienanmen Square. But, honestly, my
virus-weary body simply shuddered at the amount of effort it was all going to
take.
Still, I couldn't bear the thought
of tossing away hundreds of dollars and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the weekend convalescing in bed.
So Friday afternoon, with bags packed, Ibuprofen at the ready and feeling
slightly better than I had been, I made my way north.
Now, I can count on one hand
the amount of times I have had a “smooth” trip when traveling. By smooth I
mean everything happens travel-wise that is supposed to. My flights departed on
time and arrived on time. My airport pick-up was waiting for me, sign in hand, at the arrivals gate. My room was ready and well-heated (and complete with considerate roomies). I have no doubt that a certain Someone was well aware of my current state and knew I was just one 2-hour delay away from a complete meltdown.
Prior to my trip, I had purchased a pack of face masks to combat the heavy pollution of Beijing, very much expecting scenes like this:
It was 8RMB poorly spent.
Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny. This (and the fact that most of my symptoms had beat a hasty retreat overnight) immediately brought out my wanderlust in full force. Braced with a cup of coffee and a ticking clock on my brief stay, I made my way to my first stop: Tienanmen Square.
Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny. This (and the fact that most of my symptoms had beat a hasty retreat overnight) immediately brought out my wanderlust in full force. Braced with a cup of coffee and a ticking clock on my brief stay, I made my way to my first stop: Tienanmen Square.
If you've followed this blog for any period of time, you'll know that I've traveled to my fair share of historical landmarks. So I can't say why Tienanmen Square had the effect on me that it did. Surely, the sheer size of it took me aback. But I just remember instantly feeling displaced the moment I set foot in the square. It was like somehow history had clawed its way from the past, knocking aside the unsuspecting present, to spread itself out before me.
Perhaps it was the fact that the Tienanmen Square massacre happened in 1989 and not 1889--a history that overlaps with my own short life. It's an event that was always in the last chapter or two of our high school World History book. You know the chapters I mean. When "the last decade" makes that jarring shift to "last year" and your superficial high school self is suddenly eclipsed by your own mortality.
Perhaps it was the uniformed officers spaced strategically throughout the square. Or the fact that the entire event has been so meticulously swept from the Chinese consciousness that, really, it could've been last month, couldn't it? That just weeks ago protesters were clamoring for a China much different from than the one I currently live in.
Whatever the case, Tienanmen Square marked me. Even as the day passed, I couldn't shake the sense of loss that made the air over the square hang just that much heavier.
This rather stark welcome to Beijing made the shift from Tienanmen Square to the Forbidden City that much more jolting. I passed through the Gate of Heavenly Peace and under Mao's imposing visage and leapt from 1989 to 1420. Suddenly, there I was in a piece of beautifully preserved ancient China. It was surreal in the sense that I felt like I was on a set of a film about ancient China and not in actuality walking through archways and strolling through gardens that had once been the home of emperors.
I foolishly did not take the name Forbidden City literally. After wandering for what seemed like hours, I was astonished to find I had only seen about a quarter of the grounds. Thankfully, much of the city is laid out in similar patterns with similar architecture, so although there was a fair amount that I did not see, I did feel as though I was able to get the full Forbidden City experience. (For those of you considering a trip here, give yourself a full day if you have your heart set on seeing everything.)
The evening was spent time-traveling yet again. This time to 2008 to experience Beijing's Olympic Park. Myself and Janina (a new friend from Xiamen) arrived just after sunset as the Water Cube, Bird's Nest, Ling Long Pagoda, and Observation Tower all began their glowing, technicolor transformations. I was instantly pleased that I had decided to come to the park at night instead of midday. The entire area was so much more spectacular when lit. And to make things even more memorable, we passed several groups of middle-aged and elderly men and women taking part in what seemed to be an entertaining blend of tai chi and dance aerobics (see video).
After a rather disappointing lunch of overly-oiled noodles earlier in the day, I was determined to do better for dinner. Using my hostel-provided map, Janina and I made our way to Wangfujing to experience some of Beijing's night market street food. The map stated that "closing time" for this area was 9pm. When we arrived shortly before that, I was expecting to see thinning crowds and lowering windows.
The map was wrong.
The night market was in full swing. Actually, once I saw the mass of bodies impossibly pressed into the narrow stretches of alleyway, part of me did wish for thinning crowds and lowered windows.
Entering a market, particularly a crowded one, is always a swift punch to the senses. Suddenly air and space are things to be fought for and it seems as though every sense is being more bombarded than the next.
...Oh man, is that stinky tofu or durian I'm smelling? Ah, nope, durian. Definitely, durian...Wait, what is that?! Are those live scorpions? On a skewer?? Wonder what it tastes like though...Really? Did you not just see me standing here? Yes. Yes, that arm is attached to a body...That looks delicious! Do you know what it is? I don't care, I'm totally coming back to get one....
And in this manner you weave your way through endless stalls. Stopping often, drooling frequently and buying little because obviously you can't buy this until you've seen everything else. There might be something even better at the next stall!
Sunday I devoted entirely to the Great Wall. I knew from speaking to other travelers that, thanks to the unceasing flow of traffic, it generally takes between 2-3 hours to get there and then a few more hours to enjoy the wall and then another 2-3 hours for the the return to Beijing. I decided to book a tour with my hostel, Leo Hostel. They promised a trip to a "secret," relatively tourist-free part of the wall, complete with original, un-renovated sections. It was money well spent.
Now for those of you who recall my climb up Pichincha, you'll remember that a large part of my hiking troubles were due to the weather. The drastic temperature drop at 15,000 feet above sea level and my lack of warm clothing resulted in a miserable final push up the volcano.
Lucky for me, Sunday also dawned sunny and crystal clear. Absolutely ideal weather for a trip to the Great Wall. However, as soon as our bus pulled into the parking lot 2 1/2 hours later, we unceremoniously tumbled out into an arctic blast of 35mph wind. My mind instantly flashed to images of me, wind-battered and numb, clinging for dear life to Pichincha's craggy peak. This could not be happening again. Janina, who had gone to the wall only the day before, had reported pleasant temperatures and little wind to speak of. Where on earth had this icy windstorm blown in from? I irritably threw on my extra knit sweater, pulled up my hood and made my way to the base of the wall, bemoaning my misfortune all the way.
As it happens with most tour groups, the sixteen of us all exchanged perfunctory greetings to give each other the once over. Then, with judgments cast, coalesced into smaller factions to complete the hike. I ended up in a group with three Australians--the only other people in the group who seemed to actually want to hike the wall and not just take the requisite picture and spend the rest of the time texting in the cafe.
The four of us ended up doing a six kilometer hike in total. Now, I know all of you adventurists out there are probably chuckling under your breath at the incredible brevity of our hike. In our defense, it consisted almost entirely of up hill trekking (up stairs!) and we were being continually buffeted by gale force winds. I'm talking, I-was-physically-blown-over-several-times-by-the-wind gale force winds. And to add to the madness, once we reached the final watchtower on the renovated part of the wall, we thought it'd be fun to scramble up the next mountainside where the wall had decayed to little more than a slash of crumbled stones.
All complaints aside, though, it was an absolutely beautiful experience. One that truly cannot come more highly recommended. My hostel had lived up to its word and we encountered few other people as we climbed--leaving us completely alone to enjoy the mountains rolling away from us in all directions and the wall snaking ever-steadily before us. Even after we had hiked to that final watchtower, the wall in all of its desolated splendor continued on until it collided with the horizon and then disappeared from view.
It was difficult trying to plan my final hours in Beijing after that experience. What tops the Great Wall? And what can you squeeze into 4 1/2 hours on a Monday morning before you have to take off for the airport? I nixed a trip to the Summer Palace seeing that it was too far to risk a trip there and back in time. The Temple of Heaven was close, as was Jingshan Park. One of my new Aussie friends, however, seemed unimpressed with the Temple of Heaven, so that left Jingshan Park with its reputed bird's eye view of Beijing and the Forbidden City.
Monday was decidedly colder than Saturday or Sunday and even with my sweater and sweatshirt, I found myself (again) wishing for more layers. My legs had also fully realized what I had done to them the day before and as I walked to the subway they began vigorously protesting. My ankles also joined in the fun. By the time I exited the subway I was wincing with each step. This was helped little by the fact that I didn't actually know how to get to Jingshan Park. I had a general idea that it was north of the Forbidden City and that was about it.
After wandering up and down the same sidewalk a couple times looking for some clue as to where the park might be, I finally ran into a nice older gentleman (he clearly pitied the disoriented, hobbling foreigner) who set me on the right path.
By the time I actually arrived at Jingshan Park, I was in pain and painfully behind schedule. Wasted legs, meet stairs to the pavilions. Stairs, meet legs. Silly me. Of course a bird's eye view at the top of a hill meant climbing.
Yet, as with the Great Wall, the hike was well worth every creak and twinge as I climbed. From the topmost pavilion, I had a complete 360 degree view of Beijing.
Seeing the Forbidden City from this vantage point I was once again struck by its immensity. It's shimmering golden rooftops seemed to stretch out for miles. I could easily see why the emperors had often frequented this place in their leisure time or to host their imperial goings-on. Jingshan is actually technically part of the Forbidden City as it was the soil excavated from the moats of the Imperial Palace that created the artificial hills on which the pavilions stand.
Sadly, my time in the park ended up being quite short as I still had to hoof it 2,000 meters back to the subway station, return to my hostel, grab my things, and catch the train to the airport.
Looking back on my brief stay in China's capital, (particularly my chaotic race around Beijing on Monday) I definitely wish that I'd had an extra day of exploration. I can't say when or if I'll ever return and I feel like in my haste to do as much as I could, I didn't have much time to do what I like best--wander. My hostel was located in a lovely little hutong and I wanted nothing more than to spend an afternoon strolling around its maze-like corridors.
For those of you considering your own trip to Beijing, I would highly recommend each of the attractions I went to, in addition to the Summer Palace (it was well reviewed by all of the other travelers I met). With its particular synergy of past and present, Beijing is the perfect place for a little time-traveling.
More pictures can be found here and if you'd like to see video clips of each of the places I visited (and live scorpions on skewers!), check out the video below.
Perhaps it was the fact that the Tienanmen Square massacre happened in 1989 and not 1889--a history that overlaps with my own short life. It's an event that was always in the last chapter or two of our high school World History book. You know the chapters I mean. When "the last decade" makes that jarring shift to "last year" and your superficial high school self is suddenly eclipsed by your own mortality.
Perhaps it was the uniformed officers spaced strategically throughout the square. Or the fact that the entire event has been so meticulously swept from the Chinese consciousness that, really, it could've been last month, couldn't it? That just weeks ago protesters were clamoring for a China much different from than the one I currently live in.
Whatever the case, Tienanmen Square marked me. Even as the day passed, I couldn't shake the sense of loss that made the air over the square hang just that much heavier.
This rather stark welcome to Beijing made the shift from Tienanmen Square to the Forbidden City that much more jolting. I passed through the Gate of Heavenly Peace and under Mao's imposing visage and leapt from 1989 to 1420. Suddenly, there I was in a piece of beautifully preserved ancient China. It was surreal in the sense that I felt like I was on a set of a film about ancient China and not in actuality walking through archways and strolling through gardens that had once been the home of emperors.
I foolishly did not take the name Forbidden City literally. After wandering for what seemed like hours, I was astonished to find I had only seen about a quarter of the grounds. Thankfully, much of the city is laid out in similar patterns with similar architecture, so although there was a fair amount that I did not see, I did feel as though I was able to get the full Forbidden City experience. (For those of you considering a trip here, give yourself a full day if you have your heart set on seeing everything.)
The evening was spent time-traveling yet again. This time to 2008 to experience Beijing's Olympic Park. Myself and Janina (a new friend from Xiamen) arrived just after sunset as the Water Cube, Bird's Nest, Ling Long Pagoda, and Observation Tower all began their glowing, technicolor transformations. I was instantly pleased that I had decided to come to the park at night instead of midday. The entire area was so much more spectacular when lit. And to make things even more memorable, we passed several groups of middle-aged and elderly men and women taking part in what seemed to be an entertaining blend of tai chi and dance aerobics (see video).
 |
| Water Cube (Any guesses as to when Beijing is hosting the next Olympics?) |
 |
| Ling Long Pagoda |
 |
| Observation Tower |
The map was wrong.
The night market was in full swing. Actually, once I saw the mass of bodies impossibly pressed into the narrow stretches of alleyway, part of me did wish for thinning crowds and lowered windows.
Entering a market, particularly a crowded one, is always a swift punch to the senses. Suddenly air and space are things to be fought for and it seems as though every sense is being more bombarded than the next.
...Oh man, is that stinky tofu or durian I'm smelling? Ah, nope, durian. Definitely, durian...Wait, what is that?! Are those live scorpions? On a skewer?? Wonder what it tastes like though...Really? Did you not just see me standing here? Yes. Yes, that arm is attached to a body...That looks delicious! Do you know what it is? I don't care, I'm totally coming back to get one....
And in this manner you weave your way through endless stalls. Stopping often, drooling frequently and buying little because obviously you can't buy this until you've seen everything else. There might be something even better at the next stall!
Sunday I devoted entirely to the Great Wall. I knew from speaking to other travelers that, thanks to the unceasing flow of traffic, it generally takes between 2-3 hours to get there and then a few more hours to enjoy the wall and then another 2-3 hours for the the return to Beijing. I decided to book a tour with my hostel, Leo Hostel. They promised a trip to a "secret," relatively tourist-free part of the wall, complete with original, un-renovated sections. It was money well spent.
Now for those of you who recall my climb up Pichincha, you'll remember that a large part of my hiking troubles were due to the weather. The drastic temperature drop at 15,000 feet above sea level and my lack of warm clothing resulted in a miserable final push up the volcano.
Lucky for me, Sunday also dawned sunny and crystal clear. Absolutely ideal weather for a trip to the Great Wall. However, as soon as our bus pulled into the parking lot 2 1/2 hours later, we unceremoniously tumbled out into an arctic blast of 35mph wind. My mind instantly flashed to images of me, wind-battered and numb, clinging for dear life to Pichincha's craggy peak. This could not be happening again. Janina, who had gone to the wall only the day before, had reported pleasant temperatures and little wind to speak of. Where on earth had this icy windstorm blown in from? I irritably threw on my extra knit sweater, pulled up my hood and made my way to the base of the wall, bemoaning my misfortune all the way.
As it happens with most tour groups, the sixteen of us all exchanged perfunctory greetings to give each other the once over. Then, with judgments cast, coalesced into smaller factions to complete the hike. I ended up in a group with three Australians--the only other people in the group who seemed to actually want to hike the wall and not just take the requisite picture and spend the rest of the time texting in the cafe.
The four of us ended up doing a six kilometer hike in total. Now, I know all of you adventurists out there are probably chuckling under your breath at the incredible brevity of our hike. In our defense, it consisted almost entirely of up hill trekking (up stairs!) and we were being continually buffeted by gale force winds. I'm talking, I-was-physically-blown-over-several-times-by-the-wind gale force winds. And to add to the madness, once we reached the final watchtower on the renovated part of the wall, we thought it'd be fun to scramble up the next mountainside where the wall had decayed to little more than a slash of crumbled stones.
All complaints aside, though, it was an absolutely beautiful experience. One that truly cannot come more highly recommended. My hostel had lived up to its word and we encountered few other people as we climbed--leaving us completely alone to enjoy the mountains rolling away from us in all directions and the wall snaking ever-steadily before us. Even after we had hiked to that final watchtower, the wall in all of its desolated splendor continued on until it collided with the horizon and then disappeared from view.
 |
| My fingers were quite thoroughly frozen by the end of our little trek |
It was difficult trying to plan my final hours in Beijing after that experience. What tops the Great Wall? And what can you squeeze into 4 1/2 hours on a Monday morning before you have to take off for the airport? I nixed a trip to the Summer Palace seeing that it was too far to risk a trip there and back in time. The Temple of Heaven was close, as was Jingshan Park. One of my new Aussie friends, however, seemed unimpressed with the Temple of Heaven, so that left Jingshan Park with its reputed bird's eye view of Beijing and the Forbidden City.
Monday was decidedly colder than Saturday or Sunday and even with my sweater and sweatshirt, I found myself (again) wishing for more layers. My legs had also fully realized what I had done to them the day before and as I walked to the subway they began vigorously protesting. My ankles also joined in the fun. By the time I exited the subway I was wincing with each step. This was helped little by the fact that I didn't actually know how to get to Jingshan Park. I had a general idea that it was north of the Forbidden City and that was about it.
After wandering up and down the same sidewalk a couple times looking for some clue as to where the park might be, I finally ran into a nice older gentleman (he clearly pitied the disoriented, hobbling foreigner) who set me on the right path.
By the time I actually arrived at Jingshan Park, I was in pain and painfully behind schedule. Wasted legs, meet stairs to the pavilions. Stairs, meet legs. Silly me. Of course a bird's eye view at the top of a hill meant climbing.
Yet, as with the Great Wall, the hike was well worth every creak and twinge as I climbed. From the topmost pavilion, I had a complete 360 degree view of Beijing.
Seeing the Forbidden City from this vantage point I was once again struck by its immensity. It's shimmering golden rooftops seemed to stretch out for miles. I could easily see why the emperors had often frequented this place in their leisure time or to host their imperial goings-on. Jingshan is actually technically part of the Forbidden City as it was the soil excavated from the moats of the Imperial Palace that created the artificial hills on which the pavilions stand.
 |
| Topmost pavilion at Jingshan Park |
Sadly, my time in the park ended up being quite short as I still had to hoof it 2,000 meters back to the subway station, return to my hostel, grab my things, and catch the train to the airport.
Looking back on my brief stay in China's capital, (particularly my chaotic race around Beijing on Monday) I definitely wish that I'd had an extra day of exploration. I can't say when or if I'll ever return and I feel like in my haste to do as much as I could, I didn't have much time to do what I like best--wander. My hostel was located in a lovely little hutong and I wanted nothing more than to spend an afternoon strolling around its maze-like corridors.
For those of you considering your own trip to Beijing, I would highly recommend each of the attractions I went to, in addition to the Summer Palace (it was well reviewed by all of the other travelers I met). With its particular synergy of past and present, Beijing is the perfect place for a little time-traveling.
More pictures can be found here and if you'd like to see video clips of each of the places I visited (and live scorpions on skewers!), check out the video below.
