|
Tiananmen
Square, Beijing. Taken in the late afternoon, this photograph shows
the Monument to the Revolutionary Martyrs at the bottom, Changan
Avenue running from left to right in the middle of the photograph,
and the Gate of Heavenly Peace just beyond, with the Forbidden City
beyond that. We will begin our trip here, at epicenter of modern
China's history and politics.
|
 |
We begin
in the northern Chinese city of Beijing. Our hotel, the Capital Hotel,
is not only of high quality, but is located a short walk east of Tiananmen
Square. We will start our touring of Beijing slowly, resting and sleeping
away the remains of this first day. On our first full day in Beijing,
we will concentrate on places nearby. Hopefully, if it is open, we will
begin with a visit to Mao's Tomb, and then walk into the Forbidden City,
and touring other places in Beijing, including the rarely-visited Underground
City. Our required - and actually WONDERFUL - Peking duck dinner will
be this evening.
Wall Day
Our experience over the years has convinced us that the most rewarding
way to see the Great Wall is to walk out to what we call the "Wild
Wall" beyond the nattering crowds and souvenir sellers and out to
the sections that have not been repaired. (The more enterprising souvenir
sellers will follow us for a time.) To do this takes some hiking, so those
not willing or able to hike the several steep miles, can visit the more
repaired sections and even take a gondola ride to do it. In any case we
devote most of the day to the Wall, unlike most groups that just do a
hit and run stop. And, we skip completely the Ming Tombs, perhaps one
of the most disappointing sites in all of China. Since we will be getting
our tomb fix in Xi'an, we will drive by the Ming Tombs with a wave.
On the Wild
Wall, south of Badaling, June 2000. Lydon group members Johna Tolch,
Rosemary Christian, and our National Guide, Christine Gu. We hiked
over a mile beyond the end of the repaired wall and you will note
that there's no one visible on the wall in the distance. This was
the first time that our National Guide had been on the Wild Wall.
|
|
The
Earthquake Museum, Tangshan. We will visit this museum dedicated
to the devastating earthquake of July 28, 1976, as well as a number
of sites throughout the city. |
The third
day in Beijing will be devoted to a day trip to Tangshan. At 3:42 AM on
July 28, 1976, Tangshan was slammed with the most devastating earthquake
in modern history. Estimated at 7.8 on the Richter scale, over 240,000
people were killed and another 200,000 injured. For those of us who experienced
the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, this is a must-see city, not only
because its residents share that earthquake experience, but also because
of the way the citizens of Tangshan have dealt with the memory of the
event. Gary Griggs will have prepared us beforehand about this visit,
the anatomy of earthquakes and what we might have learned from this particular
event. We will visit the huge and sobering memorial in the downtown square
and then tour the Earthquake Museum. Then, we will visit several of the
sites where they have preserved some of the structures just as they fell.
The contrast between the way the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville
deal with the 1989 earthquake - earthquake? What earthquake? - and the
Chinese is striking.
Tiananmen Square,
June 2000. Group members are taking refuge from the hot sun beneath
their umbrellas. It is recommended that group members purchase silver
or reflective umbrellas to use both in the rain and the heat.
|
|
A map of Beijing
showing the number of McDonald's restaurants in the city. Some of
the largest McDonald's in the world are located in China where the
locals relax and make an evening of basking in the air-conditioning
and eating American food. |
|
