Everything is bigger in Beijing

Thanksgiving is certainly a different holiday in Korea. While everyone is spending this weekend back in Canada enjoying gravy, turkey, and an extra day off, we in Korea have celebrated thanksgiving a long time ago, by eating chewy and strange rice cake treats called "Song Pyun" (I think). Chusok is the name for Thanksgiving, and it lasts 5 days -- the weekend plus three days off. The Koreans themselves returned to their hometowns and bowed to their grandparents, or at least that's what I could gather from the assignment I gave them called "How I Spent Chusok." Colleen and I took the opportunity to visit our giant neighbour to the west, China.

We booked a travel package with an agency based out of Busan (Korea's 2nd biggest city, 45 minutes from us) to Beijing. It was a full tourist deal -- pay a lump sum and be treated to airfare, hotel, meals, and even a Chinese local tour guide who spoke English and told cheesy jokes. His name was Duncan, and he was the man. There's a lot to be said about 'roughing it' and backpacking through the real parts of a country, but time was limited for this trip and we had no regrets choosing this option. Beijing was huge. Halifax is big, Toronto is much bigger, but Beijing is freakishly large. Without a set itinerary and an old pro like Duncan, we would have spent our 4 days running around in circles. Big, smoggy circles.

Our trip started with an early morning bus ride to the Busan airport. Our boss, Mrs. An, graciously drove us to the bus terminal at 8:30am. I'm sure it was no big thing for her, as she regularly gets up at 5am to hike mountains, but we were very appreciative. She gave us $10 each too, just like grandma. I didn't tell her, but it bought me a lot of 40 cent Chinese beers. We soon arrived in Busan, met up with our friends Jake and Alison (see previous posts about them... yes, I realize Jake and I have the same name), and hoped aboard a Chinese Air vessel bound for Beijing. The first thing we noticed was the white people. For the first time in 3 months, we were part of a big white group, primarily made up of English teachers like us. The second thing I noticed was the hysterical Chinese newspaper they gave me on the plane. Reading their state-controlled press certainly informed me that I wasn't in Kansas anymore. The big protest controversy in Burma (which was headline news on CNN International) wasn't covered until the 5th or 6th page, and they never actually mentioned what the protests were actually about.

As soon as we landed, we were whisked on our tour bus (which would become our second home for the next 4 days) and introduced to tour guide Duncan (who would become our second father for the next 4 days). Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven. This was where the emperors of China would come to pray for good harvests and lucky lottery numbers. We hadn't previously heard of the Temple of Heaven, but we soon recognized it's famous Hall of Prayer, which is often used as a symbol for Beijing. The temple, situated on about three square kilometers of Beijing park land, was beautiful, and was an excellent appetizer for the grandeur we were to view on the rest of our trip. Back in the day, what the emperor wanted, the emperor got; the Temple of Heaven was on the smaller end of the imperial temples and palaces we were to visit. It was littered with guys selling everything from Beijing 2008 Olympic t-shirts to Rolex watches (of the $1.50 variety). Actually, I'm fairly certain these guys followed our bus around Beijing. Afterwards, we were treated to Beijing Duck (formerly known as Peking Duck). This famous meal, synonymous with the city, was brought out whole from the kitchen and then thinly sliced by the chef at our table.

The next day, after an early morning wake up call and delicious Western-style breakfast (a rare treat for ESL teachers in Korea... perhaps worth the entire price of the travel package), we were off to the Summer Palace. This place was absolutely stunning. Basically, the emperor wanted a place to hang out in the summer, with a lake, in Beijing. And a mountain too. So, they built a vast man-made lake, and used the excavated soil to build a small mountain. What the emperor wanted, the emperor got. It also featured the world's longest corridor. We're not sure the Asian obsession with corridors, but yeah, it certainly was long. Next, we were bound for the city centre, home of Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. This was another instance which reaffirmed that we weren't in Kansas anymore. Our tour guide Duncan described Tienanmen Square as the world's largest city square, home to many festivals and such... and... was where... "those students and the tanks and things happened." It certainly struck home when we came into view of the front gate of the Forbidden City, with the massive painting of Chairman Mao, that we were square in the middle of where a lot of wild shit had gone down. The square was packed, with tourists of all nationalities, and salesmen of all levels of dignity. One was so persistent that I eventually caved and bought a Mao wristwatch (which now, only works if I flick my finger against it). The Square was also well endowed with a vast Olympic display. The city is certainly pulling out all the stops for the games. We soon entered the Forbidden City, the place where the emperors of old would live. The place was inhabited by the Emperor, his 3,000 concubines, and government officials, all eunuchs. What the Emperor wanted, the Emperor got. The place was well guarded, too. The cobblestone paths upon which we walked were 15 layers deep, in case assassins got the balls to tunnel under the walls. The rest of the palace was an array of buildings and gardens, laid out much like a maze (which was why myself, Colleen, Alison, and Jake got separated from the group -- or lost -- for a period of time). Afterwards, we enjoyed Mongolian BBQ and made our way to a Chinese acrobat show, which was simultaneously the most amazing and horrifying thing I've ever seen (and I've been to a few live pro wrestling events).

The next morning, Duncan (who lovingly became known as "Dirty D," due to his bringing us to the most random convenience stores -- all owned by his "cousins" -- to "buy the beer and the pepsi") informed us that Chairman Mao once said that a man is not a hero until he climbs the Great Wall of China. That morning, we were to become heros. When we arrived at the Great Wall, I was struck with a real sense of an authentic "holy crap we're in China" feeling. We had visited Tokyo, which was fantastic but was well endowed with Western comforts. We live in Korea, but the shock has settled down and it's starting to feel like home. But the Great Wall slapped me in the face and made me wake up and smell the Chinese ginseng tea. We were to climb one of the Wonders of the World. 3,000 steps and one hour later, we made it to the top, and to our surprise, we ran into a couple of X-Rings. Even more surprising, was the fact that I had gone to elementary school with one of the X-Rings. Small world, no? We were sure to snap a few pictures for our friends at the Alumni Office. The coolest part of the Great Wall, aside from the magnificent view, was that is was sort of a converging point of world travelers. We heard more languages than we could count, including some Russian guys singing old army marching songs, to a Mexican Soccer team galloping up the Wall shouting "Arriba!" Colleen and I, being Colleen and I, ended up spending too much time at the top, and realized we were late for the bus. We soared down the Wall, shaving about 50 minutes off our climbing time, and dooming our thighs and calves for the next few days.

The next day was a 'free day,' ie - we were left on our own to tackle the giant, and we took in some shops, which meant some intense bargaining. There is no such thing as a sticker price in Beijing, and you have to usually talk the shop keepers down about 700% before you make your final deal. I'm pictured to the right with a woman who tried to sell me what she called a "C-U-B-A" bag, before I educated her on the country of Cuba. Our other stops included the Beijing Hard Rock Cafe, Tienanmen at night, and a cool lakeside restaurant/bar area. Beijing was mind-blowing. The architecture was huge and innovative. The people were fun and full of life. And the beer was dirt cheap... there's nothing wrong with a few drinks around Thanksgiving. We had an opportunity to drive past the Beijing National Stadium -- best known as "The Birds Nest" -- which was still under construction. The building was too immense to describe (largely built on the backs of Chinese guys getting paid next to nothing). They do everything big in Beijing; always have and always will. My one concern about the Olympics in particular is the terrible air quality. The sky was hazier than I've ever seen. At many points, you couldn't actually see the sun, more just a big bright yellow smudge of a circle. I sure wouldn't want to run a marathon in that stuff.

On the whole, the trip was absolutely magical. You truly felt a certain uniquely intangible sensation in Beijing, where its mystical history and culture is beginning to mash with western world foundations, but still holding strong. It satisfied our travel bug for a while now (or perhaps ignited it further).

Hope all is well back in the true north, strong and free!

-Jake

PS: Click the following links for our pictures!
Jake's Facebook album (1 of 2)
Jake's Facebook album (2 of 2)
Colleen's Picasa album (the big one)