This was an amazing day!! We began our morning tours at the Tienanmen Square. The whole area is a vision to behold. On one side of the square, a grandiose mausoleum houses the preserved remains of Mao, the first communist dictator. We arrived early in the morning and already there was a massive line waiting to go into the great hall to see the body. Then at the other end of the square is the infamous building with the massive picture of Mao.
You didn't dare mention the incident at Tienanmen Square, but I could still just imagine that fateful day, envisioning the tanks and the protesters. Soldiers could be found everywhere constantly patrolling the very sacred square. As we passed through the first gate, the Forbidden City loomed ahead of us and I was completely enthralled by its beauty and grace. Each stone, each door, each statue has a sacred meaning and was placed in that specific spot for certain meaning. We walked the expanse of the Forbidden City, making our way deeper and deeper, into more and more sacred sections of the city. I was very overwhelmed by the symbolism of the Forbidden City. An emporer, being so selfish, to take all that land, resources and beauty for just himself. It is no wonder the people of China saw communism as their only way out. Their government was a constant reminder that they were not equal nor would they ever be considered equal to their leaders.
After the tour of the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square, we ate lunch at local favorite. I must say that I am truly starting to miss American cuisine. What I wouldn't give for a nice, juicy steak or a cheeseburger. However, rice was served with this lunch and I was very appreciative to eat that instead of more noodles. After lunch, we were given time to do some shopping in the oldest shopping area of the city. I find myself feeling very guilty about the bartering system when I shop in these areas of poverty. I know the people in these shops are doing everything they can to support their family. I tend to offer a low price, but not much lower than what they asked for because what they are asking for is already a great deal in American standards and with what I consider very little money, could feed their family for days or even weeks.
We then visited the Lama Temple, home of the world's largest Buddha statue. A part of me felt odd walking into a temple and staring at people participating in their daily prayers, but at the same time, I did not come to stare at an oddity, I came to learn more about Buddhism and take this knowledge back to my students for my world religions class. The Buddhist religion is such a beautiful religion and this temple was a definite symbol of its beauty. Out of respect for the temple, I only took pictures on the outside of the temple and never took any pictures of the actual Buddha statues.
We spent some time shopping in the Pearl Market and again, I was very concerned about the bartering system. This quickly changed in the market though due to the aggressive nature of the shopkeepers. I do not believe I am exaggerating to call it a very cut throat business. Being an American, I instantly stand out and it is assumed that I have tons of money to spend. By their standards, I do have tons of money to spend, but only because I have been saving up for this trip, not because I am wealthy by any means. Many times, the shop keepers would grab my arms to get my attention. I even had a moment where I was physically frightened when two shopkeepers would not let me out of their store, physically blocking my exit and cornering me in their shop. I left the market feeling exhausted and very agitated. I did make some purchases and did not feel one bit of guilt for talking them down from their outrageous prices. I even felt a sense of pride when I was able to make a good deal and barter for much less than what they asked for. There are parts of me that are very relieved I can go back to the states and while, yes, I pay much more for an item than I would have at the market, I would make that purchase not feeling harassed or having to get angry to make my purchase.
We ended our busy day with the famous Peking Duck, a very delicious meal, however I could not eat it the traditional way. It requires eating cucumber, onion and using duck sauce, all of which are on the don't east list. The duck itself was very moist and delicious. After dinner, we attended the world famous Chinese opera. This was truly an experience. Chinese opera must be an acquired taste, that of which I have not acquired yet. I was awed by the beautiful costumes and stylized make-up, but could not quite understand the performance. The language barrier and the difficulty translating the Chinese language to English also made it very difficult to appreciate.
