The Great Wall
Smarda and I are just concluding our first full day in China. Except for the weather being a little cloudy and windy, it is going well so far. Today began early as the tour company picked us up from our hotel at 7:40. Stop #1 on the tour was the Ming Tombs. Pretty interesting temple not to far from the Great Wall. It houses 12 or 13 emperors from the Ming dynasty. All of them have not been excavated as the Chinese have not determined how to preserve what they will find in the tombs. I think the one we saw today was for Jun dy or Judy or something like that. After climbing the 15 or so steps, you enter the tomb which has high ceilings supported by pillars of wood. Each pillar is a single tree trunk similar to mahogany in strength. Apparently the tree would need to live for 1000 years to grow to the necessary height. Inside their is also a giant statue of Ming. At the base of the statue people throw money for luck.
The Great Wall was pretty amazing. Over 4000 miles in length, the first section of the wall was completed around 250 BC. Like any good tourist destination, people are dropped off by the bus load. Upon entering, you can either go right and up a more gradual section of the wall or go left and attack a steeper part. Of course we went left. The top of the wall is as wide as a city sidewalk and often wider. The terrain varies between smooth inclines and steps. I have some good pictures of this and will try to post them soon. At some points you are walking almost completely vertical. Similar to other developing and 3rd world countries there really isn't any liability laws here. Which makes the hike on the wall that much more fun. Because you really could hurt yourself if you aren't careful.
The walk up to the wall and on the wall are vendors selling goods. As is the case anywhere in the world, vendors can speak enough of any language to make a sale. Once a vendor sees you coming (and you are not Asian), they yell "Helloooooo" emphasizing the o at the end. It is pretty comical. One of the big sellers this season is the "pee pee boy." It is exactly that. When water is poured in the little boy pees. So as I am walking the wall I will hear "Hellooooo, t-shirt 1 dollar, rolex 20 dollar. You like pee pee boy?" It just cracks me up. Good thing too because climbing the wall proved a little painful at certain points.
Another interesting thing that I learned in my limited time is that no matter what I say to the vendors on the great wall, at the tombs, on the street, they will continue to push the sale. I have repeatedly used the phrase Bu Yao which means I don't want. Instead of stopping them, they either pretend it was not said and continue to push for the sale or laugh that I said something in Chinese and then continue to push the sale. When Smarda says it they will stop. And if they don't she will scold them basically calling them crazy. And that gets them to stop. When she and I are walking next to each other, they ignore her and tag me as the mark and begin the pursuit.
Random incident of the trip so far...
We check into the hotel at 9pm last night. I decide we should take a little walk because we have been traveling for so long. As we waltz down the street past a McDonald's, KFC, 7-eleven, Baskin Robbins, and Sizzler (yep fast food chains appear to be a top US export) a street women walks up to us and begins speaking to Smarda in mandarin. The gist of what she is saying is that you look like a nice person will you buy my baby. Smarda refuses multiple times and the lady starts asking me. I have no idea what she is saying but I say Bu yao and she spits at the ground near my feet. Not sure if the interaction offended her or if it was me in particular.
I am still exhausted from the flight and 12 hour time difference. I will write more and hopefully get some pictures up soon.
The Great Wall was pretty amazing. Over 4000 miles in length, the first section of the wall was completed around 250 BC. Like any good tourist destination, people are dropped off by the bus load. Upon entering, you can either go right and up a more gradual section of the wall or go left and attack a steeper part. Of course we went left. The top of the wall is as wide as a city sidewalk and often wider. The terrain varies between smooth inclines and steps. I have some good pictures of this and will try to post them soon. At some points you are walking almost completely vertical. Similar to other developing and 3rd world countries there really isn't any liability laws here. Which makes the hike on the wall that much more fun. Because you really could hurt yourself if you aren't careful.
The walk up to the wall and on the wall are vendors selling goods. As is the case anywhere in the world, vendors can speak enough of any language to make a sale. Once a vendor sees you coming (and you are not Asian), they yell "Helloooooo" emphasizing the o at the end. It is pretty comical. One of the big sellers this season is the "pee pee boy." It is exactly that. When water is poured in the little boy pees. So as I am walking the wall I will hear "Hellooooo, t-shirt 1 dollar, rolex 20 dollar. You like pee pee boy?" It just cracks me up. Good thing too because climbing the wall proved a little painful at certain points.
Another interesting thing that I learned in my limited time is that no matter what I say to the vendors on the great wall, at the tombs, on the street, they will continue to push the sale. I have repeatedly used the phrase Bu Yao which means I don't want. Instead of stopping them, they either pretend it was not said and continue to push for the sale or laugh that I said something in Chinese and then continue to push the sale. When Smarda says it they will stop. And if they don't she will scold them basically calling them crazy. And that gets them to stop. When she and I are walking next to each other, they ignore her and tag me as the mark and begin the pursuit.
Random incident of the trip so far...
We check into the hotel at 9pm last night. I decide we should take a little walk because we have been traveling for so long. As we waltz down the street past a McDonald's, KFC, 7-eleven, Baskin Robbins, and Sizzler (yep fast food chains appear to be a top US export) a street women walks up to us and begins speaking to Smarda in mandarin. The gist of what she is saying is that you look like a nice person will you buy my baby. Smarda refuses multiple times and the lady starts asking me. I have no idea what she is saying but I say Bu yao and she spits at the ground near my feet. Not sure if the interaction offended her or if it was me in particular.
I am still exhausted from the flight and 12 hour time difference. I will write more and hopefully get some pictures up soon.
posted by Robert @ 8:47 AM
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