The Wild Great Wall

1 July

Over the past weekend a small group from LTL went to the Xiangshuihu section of the Great Wall. It is not an overly long stretch, and most of it has not be refurbished, making it a less traveled to site. We were definitely the only non-Chinese people there; however, the inn keeper and his family are used to foreigners since LTL makes the journey out there about once every four to five weeks.

The drive out takes about two and a half hours by private car. Our driver was fantastic, and undeniably knew where he was going which is the trick since the back roads are not well marked or mapped out. The inn was clean, and well kept with unbeatable view of the mountains shrouded in mist. The food was fabulous, all local and made to order. The fish was the specialty of the inn, and kept fresh in the backyard.

 

   

From net to plate in 30 minutes flat, great work team!

Hiking took up all of Saturday afternoon, and left us exhausted. After having our bellies filled, there wasn't that much more to do but trundle off to sleep. The section we saw Saturday had been restored, but was still a tough hike - up and down - with steps the height of your knees, and steps that went up so high they disappeared into the mist. Yes, the mist. The weather was not super fabulous for our hike with humidity hanging damp around us, and the clouds so low they obscured much of the views. I was able to get a few decent shots though.

 

Yes, the step is up to my knee

Reduced to crawling up the big steps

Un-restored Great Wall

Group Photo

Restored section from a distance

Watchtower

Buddha with a waterfall background

Not so restored, it kind of ends over that hump

The next morning we set out for another section of the Great Wall. As you can see, not in the best of conditions. Quite a bit like the second piece we saw the day before, but unlike that section there were no new steps to help you you. I did not try and scale the thing since the weather sucked and the soil was damp. I am not be a good hiker, but I do know when I value my life more than a picture opportunity ... well most of the time.

Crumbling watchtower

Definitely missing a few bricks

Finally back to the hotel, and just in time for the rain to start spitting out of the sky. A great trip all the way around. I got to exercise, act like a fool, catch a fish, and see a remote section of the Great Wall. Yes, the weather sucked, but if the sun had been out, I would probably resemble a lobster right about now.

Google Album:

https://plus.google.com/photos/108488715129842232914/albums/5895460998046608257?authkey=CMq8_MjN84TMVQ

Peking Duck

June 27

Every three weeks LTL hosts a community dinner, open to all students. The dinner switches between Beijing Hot Pot and Beijing Duck. In the three weeks, almost four, I lived in Beijing I have yet to try Beijing Duck. Everything in its own time I supposed, but to me it really seemed to be something that you enjoyed with a large group of people, not by yourself or with just one other. Not to say that you couldn't eat it that way, but  --- now I am rambling and you just want to know about the duck.

It was very good, definitely not something one should eat everyday since it was quite oily (that is saying something considering Chinese food). The restaurant we went to served it up very tender and juicy with a good portion of skin and meat. Andreas, the boss man, informs me that some restaurants will just give you the skin with a dash of meat. I say to each his own, but being the carnivorous type the experience might be worse than the salmon burgers my Papa once brought home. You want/expect meat and when it is not there, the food tastes worse than it should.

Back to the duck.

The duck is wheeled to you, and carved up in front of you onto a platter. After which they ask if you want duck soup, which is your duck put into a pot with spices and vegetables. We declined the soup.

That is the end of that duck.

 So once the duck is nicely sliced onto a platter, you don't just grab it an chow down. The duck is presented with something like tortillas made from tofu; duck sauce; and veggies. If it is to your liking, you wind up making Chinese Duck Tacos. It is accepted that some people don't like tofu, and thus; one can eat just duck, but the tacos are definitely worth a try.

The presentation of the duck, and Andreas showing us how to make duck tacos.




And of course no outing of 20 something year old students is complete without some cultural education. Cue the entrance of the Mongolian King, a brand of bajiu. Bajiu literally means clear alcohol, and is the Chinese traditional wine. It really doesn't taste like anything but pure alcohol. It doesn't have any underlying flavors that I could taste like whiskey does. Then again I don't know what grade of bajiu we got, and I am not chomping at the bit to find out. If you are curious and want to know more go to wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baijiu

I think the pictures say it all.

 

Andreas was really just showing off

For all those who doubt, yes I did take my shot of cultural immersion as well as photograph others doing it.

Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple

23 June

A brief note to all those who believe that there is no sun in Beijing. My skin says otherwise! This little day adventure left me with an uneven farmers tan, and an even better defined Birkenstock tan. No pictures since I am not that into self humiliation.  My father's ever-so-helpful comment was, "How old are you again?" Speaking of, for all of my blog followers check this out:

http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2013/06/25/its-still-raining/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+joemcnally+%28Joe+McNally%27s+Blog%29

It is a photography blog my father follows, and the guy Joe McNally just recently did a shoot at the Summer Palace in the same conditions I was shooting in. Basically, it shows the difference between a professional and an amateur hobbyist.  On ward with the tale resulting in yet another ridiculous sun burn.

The Temple of Heaven was originally an enormous staging platform for the Emperor of the Middle Kingdom to preform rights for good harvest, atonement, and divine clearance (I think that was a bad translation, but you learn to live with these things - like the signs that say "Bump your head carefully" on low clearances). It is apparently a fantastic example of Ming architecture, but an even greater amusement park for numerologists, mystics, and necromancers? I really don't know how they get this stuff, but I want to blame Google translator. My interpretation is that the complex both the layout and the individual buildings were constructed with built in symbols to create a conduit between earth and heaven.

The park seems small, compared to the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace, and then you remember that no lived here. It was used solely for these sacrificial rites. This is about the time I start shaking my head at the sheer extravagance. Coolest things I saw: pictures taken from the complex of Japanese bombers during WWII; Beijingers using the park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) as a park and not limited tourist attraction; and the geometry/symmetry at the Round Alter. Biggest let downs: Echo Wall, with so many people there is no way to see if the things actually echos; and the Round Alter, not because it isn't massive or perfectly round, but because there is nothing at the top -- on the other hand, maybe I missed something.

The Gallery:

Map of Temple of Heaven

Beijingers

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Inside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Look at all that sunny blue sky, and now imagine my awesome farmer's tan

The green grass and purple heather moat around the Palace of Fasting, I guess the Emperor was not allowed to drink anything.

I love to watch these guys, they make it look effortless

The toddler/grocery hauler

The symmetry/lines/geometry at the Round Alter was mind boggling

Echo Wall complex, it is round and you are supposed to here your echoing shouts/whispers

 The Lama Temple is Beijing's foremost Buddhist Temple, and the best example of Lamaism or Tibetan Buddhism outside of the Roof of the World. However, what I failed to take into account is that is was once say 1723 AD (yes, I looked it up) the home of a prince that became emperor. Hence, all of the architecture is exactly the same as all the other temples/ palaces/ buildings from the time period. The difference is the written script, the statues, and of course the massive amounts of incense. We did not linger too long because of the incense, but my overall impression is that complex is welcoming and stunning. I would say serene but for the number of worshipers. Overall, a 30 minutes well spent whetting my appetite to see the Roof of the World.

Welcome Gate

Layout of Lama Temple

Fierce Guardian Lion

Worshipers

and all the incense

Tibetan Script

Scene from the Courtyard

Hall of Worship

Proof I was there

Proof I dragged Marianna with me

By this point we were both quite weary, and sun-drained so we set off to find the street of a thousand red lanterns. Naturally, we took a wrong turn and found bakeries instead. This would have been fine, except they didn't serve beer. Thankfully, we happened across this place just before we dropped from thirst.

The Beetle in the Box

Sinking into the heavenly soft couch

They served us up kettle corn, German sausage pizza, and cold beer with a side of smooth Latin tunes and an incomprehensible French movie. A Gold Star happenstance.



We did eventually find that street of a thousand red lanterns when looking for desert. There was no desert to be found just sea food, and before you assume we went back to one of the numerous bakeries we passed in our search for the street of a thousand red lanterns -- we popped into the two table ice cream shop next to the metro. Street of a thousand red lanterns just didn't want to work with us -- though it is pretty.

I bet this is fantastic at night

Green Lanterns? Vegetarian beacons?

Link to the Google photo album:
https://plus.google.com/photos/108488715129842232914/albums/5893762325424755777?authkey=CJ3RwY63qcfL1AE