Pictures from Richard: China Trip Part 1
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OUR JOURNEY BEGINS. PATRICK AND I LEFT BELLEVUE AT 5 AM, NOW WE WAIT IN VANCOUVER
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OUR FLIGHT IS ON THE BOARD!
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OUR ROUTE FOLLOWED THE RED LINE -- SO WE NEVER HAD A FRIDAY NIGHT
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IT WAS A 10 HOUR FLIGHT
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BOOM -- FRIDAY BECOMES SATURDAY
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WELCOME TO THE BEIJING AIRPORT
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NOT AT THE GREAT WALL -- YET!
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THROUGH TRAFFIC AND A GORGEOUS TOLL GATE...
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...TO OUR FIRST MEAL, ALL OF WHICH WERE AT GIANT, FLASHY RESTAURANTS AND SERVED FAMILY-STYLE ON GIANT LAZY SUSANS
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SEE THE GOOD LUCK FROG IN THE FOREGROUND? THE DUMPLING MAKERS ARE IN THE BACK...
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...ON DISPLAY IN THEIR OWN GLASSED-OFF ROOM
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THEN IT WAS ON TO OUR FIRST LUXURIOUS HOTEL
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SETTLING IN... TURNED OUT WE WERE TOO FAR AWAY TO MAKE GOING OUT AT NIGHT PRACTICAL
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ALL OUR ROOMS CAME WITH A CONTROL PANEL FOR ALL THE LIGHTS AND TV
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NEXT MORNING: A STREET SALE OUTSIDE OUR HOTEL
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OFF TO TIANTAN PARK. HERE'S THE GATE BUILDING...
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...THE PROTECTIVE WIRE WAS ON EVERY HISTORIC BUILDING WE VISITED
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THIS IS TIANTAN, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (FINISHED IN 1420), MEETING PLACE OF EARTH AND HEAVEN...
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HERE I WAS TRYING FOR AN ARTSY SHOT WITH THE SUN
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THE COLORS AND DETAIL WERE IMPRESSIVE
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WE COULDN'T GO INSIDE THE TEMPLE, BUT IT WAS BEING KEPT CLEAN
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HERE'S THE TEMPLE PLAZA. NOTE THE WOMAN WITH THE SURGICAL MASK FOR THE POLLUTION
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ONE OF THE VARIOUS TEMPLES AND GATES AROUND THE MAIN TEMPLE
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HERE'S OUR WHOLE GROUP AT THE TIANTAN TEMPLE
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IN THE SURROUNDING PARK, PEOPLE PERMORMED TAI CHI, PLAYED BADMINTON AND DEMONSTRATED THIS FLAG THING
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OFF TO A JADE FACTORY. HERE'S A WORKER ON DISPLAY.
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IN THE SHOWROOM, I HAD A CUSTOM MADE JADE TIGER-HEAD STAMP MADE W/MY NAME IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE
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THERE WERE MANY TEMPTING, MORE EXPENSIVE THINGS ON SALE, WHICH I RESISTED, BUT I DID GET A SMALL JADE NECK MASSAGER
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ON THE ROAD. THE TREES PAINTED WHITE ARE LOW-TECH STREET LIGHTS/GUARDRAILS!
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AT THE MING TOMBS OUTSIDE BEIJING...
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...WHERE IN THIS BUILDING...
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...IN THIS HALL...
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...UNDER A COLORFUL CEILING...
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...AN EMPEROR SITS GUARD...
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...OVER THE TREASURES FOUND IN ONE OF 13 TOMBS.
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NO STRIDING! (ONE OF MANY AMUSING SIGNS ALONG THE TRIP)
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OUTSIDE, MORE LOVELY DETAILS
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ON TO A STATE-RUN "FRIENDSHIP STORE"...
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...HOUSING A CLOISONNE FACTORY
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THE WORK WAS PAINSTAKING
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HERE'S THE SHOWROOM. OUR TOUR'S MOTTO: CHOP-CHOP, SHOP-SHOP!
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LUNCH UPSTAIRS FEATURED SOME STRONG LIQUOR (112 PROOF!), ON THE HOUSE
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OUTSIDE, MORE EVIDENCE OF THE EXCITEMENT AROUND THE UPCOMING 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
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THEN IT WAS ON TO THE GREAT WALL!
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AS YOU SEE, IT WAS A LONG WAY UP...
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...BUT PATRICK WAS FORTIFIED.
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RIGHT -- WHAT THAT SAID
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AND SO WE SET OFF...
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...ON WELL-WORN STAIRS OF VARYING HEIGHTS
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...UP AND UP...
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A PAUSE TO REST FOR A LITTLE BIT
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PATRICK FOUND A TURRET TO EXPLORE ON THE WAY. THAT'S HIM WAVING
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HE TOOK SOME PICTURES OF US CLIMBING...
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FINALLY, AT THE TOP!
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WE MADE IT...
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WE WALKED A LITTLE BIT MORE, TO THAT STRUCTURE IN THE BACKGROUND, WHERE THE WALL...
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...CAME TO AN END
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GOOD ADVICE, YES?
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TIME TO RELAX AND SOAK IN THE VIEWS...
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...AND TAKE PICTURES
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SOON IT WAS TIME TO HEAD DOWN...
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...DOWN...
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...DOWN...
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...PAST THE LOCKS ON A CHAIN. FOR GOOD LUCK?
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ON THE OPPOSITE HILL, THE WALL CLIMBS THE HILL AND WINDS ALONG ITS SPINE
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AT THE END, SATISFIED.
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AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED
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HERE'S OUR WHOLE GROUP AT THE GREAT WALL
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MORE OLYMPIC EXCITEMENT AT THE WALL. HERE ARE THE 5 OMNIPRESENT MASCOTS.
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NEXT: A TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICAL INSTITUTE...
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WHERE MOST OF US GOT FOOT MASSAGES
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PATRICK ENJOYING HIS MASSAGE
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ODDLY ENOUGH, WE HAD A BUFFET DINNER DOWN THE HALL IN THIS GIANT ROOM...
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...WHERE WE WERE TREATED TO AN ACROBATICS SHOW
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SUCH AN ODD COMBO: MASSAGES AND A LAS VEGAS-STYLE DINNER SHOW!
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GOTTA HAVE PLATE SPINNERS
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NEXT MORNING: OUR BEIJING TOUR GUIDE, "TOM"...
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...TAKES US TO TIANANMEN SQUARE, THE LARGEST OPEN URBAN SQUARE IN THE WORLD
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HERE'S A PANORAMIC SHOT: GATE OF HEAVENLY PEACE (LEFT), MAO'S TOMB (RIGHT)
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SOME SOCIALIST-REALIST SCULPTURE NEAR MAO'S TOMB
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MAO'S TOMB BEING GUARDED
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THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE FUNCTIONS AS CHINA'S PARLIAMENT
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PATRICK WITH MAO'S LITTLE RED BOOK AND THE AUTHOR'S PORTRAIT BEHIND HIM
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WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND US IS ACTUALLY "TIANANMEN" WHICH IS "GATE OF HEAVENLY PEACE"
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IT IS THE GATE TO THE FORBIDDEN CITY FROM TIANANMEN SQUARE
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THIS WAS THE SPOT THAT FELT THE MOST "COMMUNIST" ON THE WHOLE TRIP
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ABOUT TO GO THROUGH THE GATE INTO THE FORBIDDEN CITY
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PAST THE GUARD...
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...AND THE UBIQUITOUS VENDORS, THOUGH I DID BUY A FEW THINGS FROM THEM...
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...INTO THE FORBIDDEN CITY
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THE INTERIOR PLAZA WAS VAST
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HERE IS A PANORAMA. MANY BUILDINGS WERE UNDERGOING PAINSTAKING RENOVATION FOR THE OLYMPICS
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WHAT FOLLOW ARE SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES AND DETAILS THAT APPEALED TO ME
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BRIDGES OVER A MOAT
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THE ROOFS ARE SHAPED SUCH THAT THEY RESEMBLE GOLDFISH TAILS, FOR GOOD LUCK
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THE COLORS AND PATTERNS WERE A COMMON MOTIF AT VARIOUS SITES WE VISITED
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BUT OTHERS WERE A SURPRISE
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A GREAT PET, I'M SURE
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WE PASSED THROUGH MANY GATES AND COURTYARDS AND LIVING QUARTERS
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AND COULD HAVE EXPLORED MUCH MORE
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NEAR THE FAR END WAS A LOVELY PARK
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INTO THE CITY...A DIFFERENT KIND OF BUILDING FOR THE AGES YOU'LL SEE LOTS OF: THE NEW "BIRD NEST" OLYMPIC STADIUM.
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NEXT STOP: A CHINESE PHARMACY...
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...WHERE PATRICK AND OTHERS GOT THEIR PULSES TAKEN AND HEALTH DIAGNOSED...
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...AND WE BOUGHT SOME MORE STUFF FROM STREET VENDORS. CAN YOU TELL WHAT WE GOT?
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OUR GUIDE ON THE TOUR OF THE HUTONG AREA: OLDER TRADITIONAL RESIDENCES, FEW OF WHICH REMAIN
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PAST THE UBIQUITOUS VENDORS...
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...AND INTO A RENOVATED HUTONG HOME...
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...WHERE WE HAD A DELICIOUS HOME-COOKED MEAL...
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...AND ASKED QUESTIONS OF OUR HOSTS, WHO DO THIS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK!
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THEN INTO A RICKSHAW (FROM REN-LI-CHE: MAN-POWER-VEHICLE)...
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...FOR A WILD RIDE THROUGH THE DISTRICT
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STOPPED TO SEE A TRADITIONAL BUILDING. THE NUMBER OF STEPS INDICATED SOCIAL STATUS.
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A GAME OF HACKEYSACK AFTER THE TOUR, WHILE OTHERS SCORED BARGAINS FROM VENDORS HIDING FROM THE POLICE B/W TOUR BUSES.
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NEXT STOP: THE SUMMER PALACE: PALACES AND GARDENS ON LARGE MAN-MADE KUNMING LAKE
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ANOTHER NICE PET
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HERE YOU CAN SEE KUNMING LAKE ON ANOTHER SMOGGY DAY
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IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO TAKE A BOAT OUT ON THE LAKE
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THIS IS A PANORAMA, LONGEVITY HILL IN THE BACKGROUND
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IT WAS QUITE A LOVELY SPOT. AS USUAL, NOT ENOUGH TIME THERE
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THE SUN BEHIND THE HAZE (SMOG?)
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IT WAS PRETTY DARN CROWDED
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A NEARBY UTILITY WORKER. CHECK OUT THE WAY THIS FELLOW CLIMBS THE POLE WITH HOOKS ON HIS FEET. YIKES!
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LATER, PATRICK AND I BROKE FROM THE GROUP FOR THE EVENING TO GO TO LAO-SHE TEAHOUSE...
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...WHICH CAME RECOMMENDED, AND WHICH HAS HOSTED MANY DIGNITARIES (A STATUE OF GEORGE BUSH SR IS IN THE LOBBY)...
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WE WERE SERVED A FEW SNACKS AND TEAS, AND WE CHATTED W/OUR TABLEMATES FROM SCOTLAND...
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...BEFORE THE ENTERTAINING SHOW...
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...WHICH FEATURED SYNCHRONIZED TEA POURERS (IN OLYMPIC COLORS)...
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...OPERA PERFORMERS AND CLASHING CYMBALS...
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...ACROBATS, BIRD WHISTLERS, TRADITIONAL SINGERS, MAGICIANS, COMICS, KUNG FU...
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...AND THIS COOL "FACE-CHANGER" WHOSE MASK CHANGED W/JUST A SHAKE OF HIS HEAD!
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NEXT DAY: EARLY FLIGHT TO SHANGHAI...