Tuesday, May 29, 2007

China (3) The Great Wall

When: April 24, 2007
Where: The Great Wall, Ba Da Ling
Words: Scaling the Walls

To enter the Great Wall at Ba Da Ling, you must pass the vendors. I'm not exactly sure what they were selling (except hats—lots of hats), but each stand looked almost identical to its neighbors.




Then, suddenly:


Overpowering even the blaring classical music, Hollywood lighting, and gigantic Olympics billboard mounted on the pristine hillside like a cursive wart—the Great Wall is majestic.








The pathway walls are designed for peeking through, with strategic cutouts framing elegant slices of nature.












If you're looking for the ideal icebreaker in a foreign country, try bringing a friend with a mohawk. You'll have more random conversations than you ever imagined.




Another tip: Befriend an excellent translator. This garbage can apparently warns visitors not to talk on cell phones in inclement weather.

"don't call in thunder storm day"

There are many delights available as you walk along the wall. Want to get a snapshot of yourself in full warrior regalia while carving your name on a camel? You're in luck.


I promise I'm not going for sultry here. This is what happens to girls with long hair and no sunglasses when it's windy.

© Stacey Duff


These elderly men with fantastic faces were just kind of hanging out. You know, on the Great Wall.


Even a short hike along the wall is a surefire aerobic workout. Check the steepness:








Given the angles involved, I trust you'll forgive us for taking the cable car back down to the bottom.




Feeling a little shaky after the cable car ride, I came across this here camel.


And I discovered that you really can find California beef noodles just about anywhere. Whew.

China (2) The Forbidden City

When: April 23, 2007
Where: The Forbidden City, Beijing
Words: Scaling the Walls

Entering the Forbidden City

Beijing is generally an exercise in scale, but I should mention that Mao looks much bigger when you're standing right below him.


Please don't forget to Love our Beijing.


The Outer Courtyard








The Hall of Central Harmony






Treading in the footsteps of warriors and emperors may be intimidating, but it's the door knockers that'll get you.


Chinese signs are almost as funny as Japanese signs, and equally earnest.


These guards appeared out of nowhere, lined up in snappy formation, and proceeded to do—not much. We all took pictures and watched for a while until we realized nothing would happen.


The Hall of Clocks and Watches

Each of these little fellows has a job: The swell on the left counts hours, the dandy in the middle counts minutes, and the gent on the right counts seconds.




Wandering the Alleys




The Imperial Garden


Here's when I officially ran out of black-and-white film, but it might take a second to notice.




The Inner Courtyard










This is the battering ram you have to use to exit the Forbidden City . . .


. . . if you declined to pay extra for the special jewelry exhibit. Thank goodness I'm a sweet talker.