The Bigs had their first school holiday last week, so we packed up the crew and fulfilled a years-old promise to the Eldest by heading off to China. For our first visit, we decided to take it easy and just explore Beijing.
I say "just," but after five days, I know that we have only barely scratched the surface of this city. Wait, wait, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Where was I? Oh, right, taking three kids to China!
Taxi, airport, queue, queue, queue, aaaaaairplaaaaaane, queue, queue, tram, queue, queue, taxi, hotel.
Phew! We made it!
We stopped by a local restaurant for dinner, then headed over to the Wanfujing Snack Street to see what that all the fuss is about. The scorpions on a stick were almost as intimidating as the crowds!
Unfortunately, that night, the Eldest came down with the bug that had recently laid the rest of us low, so the poor girl was stuck on the hotel couch for her first day in China. Mike and the Littles kept her company for a quiet morning, while I went out to explore.
I wandered through the neighborhood until I ran into the Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace. Built in 1420 for the emperors to pay their ancestors a proper worshipful respect, it's architecture closely mirrors the famous Forbidden City. But in 1950, Chairman Mao opened it to the public, and now the grounds are available for any number of uses.
One can meditate on the serenity of the lovely rock garden.
Or drill your soldiers in their precision marching - watch those foot angles!
Or take your turn with all the other bridal couples getting wedding photos (I counted 7 in the main courtyard alone!)
Or perhaps you'd like to enter the ancient temples to view an exhibition of modern German art works set next to the Peace Chimes, bells commissioned to celebrate the unity of China and the new millennium.
All in all, it was an amazing introduction to the interaction of Imperial and Modern China!
I then picked up the Littles for a walking tour of a Hutong neighborhood. These are the traditional neighborhoods of Beijing, that housed court officials and wealthy families before the revolution. Though many have been razed, the remaining hutongs are bustling neighborhoods filled with locals (and a few tourists, depending on the street). Leo, our tour guide, did a great job introducing us to their history and current-day experience while the Littles cavorted.
Leo then brought us to visit a famous cricket trainer, who invited us into his home, and showed us the tools of his trade (and fed my kids some much-appreciated bananas). This local character is clearly passionate about his crickets and other pets, and gleefully introduced us.
Look! I made a friend!
Before saying goodbye, Leo recommended a few restaurants and helped us order jianbing - Beijing's answer to the crepe. Yum!
I'm in the process of reading a biography called Wild Swans about 3 generations of women in China in the 20th century. It's hard to believe the transformation of the country & undoubtedly Beijing. Glad you & your children are seeing it 1st hand.
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