China Journal 5/28/06

Nice clean train compartment. We shared it with a German girl. I slept little. Too curious about the countryside. Listened to Beethoven sonatas but remained wide awake. I'll be sorry tomorrow!
Arrived at Xian at 7:30am. Somewhat less crowded at this station. Many peddlars, some beggars. Food being sold at train side. Finally got a cab that agreed to take us to our hotel..The check-in clerk seemed exhausted. Probably working two jobs. Could hardly keep her eyes open. Maybe she worked all night?

Room at Drum and Bell Tower Hotel is spacious. No tissues here. Red tea. I walked to breakfast with Xiao Jing and Michael but

couldn't do too much..Got testy about our plan to find a laundromat. Really need clean clothes! Finally ran across a laundry that charges 50 yuan per item. Really didn't want to think about trusting everything to laundry. Seems too luxurious when we're so tuned into thinking cheap. We decided to try a few items only.
This is Muslim country. Michael and Xiao Jing left me to nap while they scope it out. They returned at 3 (4pm) and Michael was excited. He had found the perfect noodle shop. It was an outdoor stand. Ordered giouza with a garlic sauce and bowls of noodles that seemed a bit resistant to the bite. Xiao Jing concerned about the sanitation at this establishment.
This bazaar is packed with week-end tourists and citizens. Much jostling and much to see. Xiao Jing excited about all the desert foods, huge puffy chewy dates, persimmons, beans, dried fruits and terracotta soldier statues. We bought tee shirts with ancient calligraphy on the front. Too expensive Michael said later. Again he explained about how the vendors have a hate/love relationship with Americans. Will that worsen when China loses the spiritual core of its people to the Western decadent way of life? Old people at the new shiny malls stand and cluck as they watch the process beginning.
After dinner we wander through a mall that has three levels underground. So many brands offered of each article. A huge McDonalds here. Three huge rooms of people eating "decadent" foods I took pictures for Susan.
Out to the street to wander. Stumbled onto an old part of Xian- the education section, Xiao Jing notes from a statue. We look for someone to tell us about it. Michael notes a man hanging calligraphy scrolls along the side of an old building using clothes pins. He approaches the man and a conversation ensues. The man sells these scrolls. Michael is bowled over with their beauty and Xiao Jing concurs. The man recites their meaning. Michael again awe struck. The man explains his work. He is a teacher of art who has "retired" and makes his living doing this work. They offer 100 yuan (their own money) for the two hangings. The man says, "No, that isn't enough for two but I will give you the Mao one free." Michael practically kowtows to the teacher he is so pleased and moved. The panels are rolled but no box is big enough for them. He rushes about to nearby vendors but no boxes found. He gets his materials together to close up shop since it is now dark and invites us to his home to wait for him to get boxes. We follow him through a narrow ancient alley past a shop and turn right to climb a dark, narrow stairway. I had to convince myself that there was no danger of his leading us into a den of thieves. At the top we turn right again to what I thought was the end of the hallway but he moved some tall panels of drywall and leaning them to the side he motioned us to follow a bit further to a doorway on the left which he opened inviting us inside. The room was deep and narrow maybe 24'X12' wide. His bed along the far wall supported on blocks of wood; his tea, a small cooking pot and a hotplate to its right. There were two framed panels that showed his awards and his teaching certificates leaning against the wall. He has an award for calligraphy, a national honor. Why must teachers and creators of beauty be so poor!
When he returned he realized we were in darkness and reached to the far left corner to turn on the only light, a plain light bulb hanging from an electric cord which came from the ceiling there. He carefully inserted the scrolls into the boxes and secured them with raffia ties. He had brought a friend back with him whom he introduced. Business cards were exchanged. I asked if I could take his picture. I took two. I had to step back through the door to the rail of the walkway looking down to the street. He refused Michael's offer to go for food. We made our goodbyes and followed Xiao Jing down the treacherous stairs through the alley and to the street.
M, X & Calligrapher

China Journal 5/27/06

1. Approaching Yonghegong Temple
2. Visitors lighting joss sticks
3. Xiao Jing with lilies.
4. The priest and me.
5. The priest, Michael & Xiao Jing.
6. Xiao Jing and I. Note the ornate roof edges
7. Yet another massive statue.
8. Michael & Xiao Jing by an ancient tree.

Checked out of the Sunny Hotel at noon. Xiao Yu took us to a Buddhist temple. Here, Xiao Jing learned of the significance of a Buddha that she's been carrying for years never knowing which Buddha it was. She showed it to a Buddhist priest and was told its meaning. The priest said some prayers and then Xiao Jing placed it around Michael's neck to keep him safe during the year of the rat (his birth year) since he will be vulnerable that year-2008. Took pictures with them and with the Buddhist priest. The priest gave me permission. Finished the third roll of film at that temple.
Dinner that eve with Xiao Yu and her husband and with Xiao Mae. Chinese food is so good! Did well with the chop sticks.
Second experience with squatting to pee ...Thank heaven for the healthy knees!
Xiao Yu's husband drove us to the train station. Much jostling with crowd but finally to our train and we're off to Xian. We share a compartment with a girl from Germany. I'm writing and listening to Beethoven over my ipod. Too much tea for dinner and coffee this afternoon. It's now 12:50 and I'm wide awake. The stars very bright in China.(So far the weather's been cool to cold and some rain. When we left Beijing the rain had cleaned everything of its dirt and the trees now have clean healthy leaves.
At dinner Xiao Jing asked for chicken for me. A whole chicken had been fried crisp and then cut into small pieces. The head had been left on!! Xiao Jing has taken a picture!

China Journal 5/26/06

Nathan on the train heading for Shangdong Province.
Temple of Heavenly Peace entrance at Yonghegong Temple. There are three more entrances.
Maoist proclamation on an old wall near a new building on its right. These proclamations were common during the Cultural Revolution but now most have been removed.

The same building near a new building on its right.

Nathan left for home today to visit his grandfather and grandmother and his father, step mother and half sibling. He fears for his grandfather's health. We went to the Temple of Heavenly Peace before he left, Michael's favorite temple.

China Journal 5/25/06

1. The day's tickets
2. Nathan's favorite breakfast
3. Xiao Jing nibbles and shares
4. A wall and a staircase going nowhere @
Summer Palace
5. Groundskeeper @ Summer Palace. They
resent photographers.
6. Michael and Nathan near the lake where the
marble boat is seen (out of this view).

Shopped for breakfast at a bakery. Nathan loves it here. It is amazing. Very like the West but so meticulously clean and pastries perfectly adorned in Chinese styles. This bakery and such pastries have a long history in China. This surprised me. I tried to take a picture of a case of wonderful cakes for sale but was promptly denied permission. I said, "Ohhh". All the customers said, "Ooooh", in rebuke to the rebuker.
After breakfast Xiao Jing went to Aunt's and we 3 took the bus toward the summer palace.It was a long ride-3 buses required and weather is damp and cool so scents of sweat and the smell of the metal trash spit cans that hang inside the bus were pretty strong. I was glad I had had breakfast.
When we finally arrived we went the wrong way thinking we were headed toward the gate but it did give us a glimpse of the locals' way of life, poor people everywhere, ancient bicycles, trash and cardboard being salvaged by men who will recycle or sell it.
I finished my second roll of film at the Summer Palace. Only took a few pics. An amazing place. We'd entered the wrong gate so were unable to see the marble boat that the empress dowager commissioned in response to the eunuchs' request for a navy and for ships for defense.
I must find the dvd of the movie "The Last Emperor" and note the first scene which shows a hand plucking the black pearl from the dead empress dowager's mouth thus ensuring that her spirit would not rest peacefully but would wander the earth forever. She was so hated by the Chinese.
Dinner tonight at the The Tea and Vegetable an exclusive restaurant with a Buddhist theme.
A private room had been reserved by Xiao Jing's cousin and her friend, publisher and editor of "Environmental Report" a newspaper with circulation of 150,000 which was awarded a prize by the United Nations this year. The friend is a journalist who as a child was taught Buddahism by her father and as a young journalist sought out environmental issues to pursue and publicize. The woman is now fifty and looks 35 or so. She dresses in youthful, celebrate the earth jewelry and attire. Both women are delightful. The food even pleased Nathan who dreaded a meal without meat. We are all exhausted from the days' bus trips and tours. He was ravenous. No time to grab a snack between changing clothes and leaving for a cab and Aunt Mu Nai's compound. I was cranky too and dreaded leaving the hotel room again.
The room is papered in grasscloth with very expensive Daoist tapestry along the far wall. Michael loved explaining its pictures to Nathan and me while our hosts (whose names I can not remember) ordered the food. Michael has such an extensive knowledge of Asian history. I had no idea.
The tea was exquisite. Table setting were spare with a saffron colored napkin under each plate. I remember a seaweed encased wrap-five of them lined upright in an oblong basket and mine placed next to me in its own wooden basket.
Dinner closed with the usual plate of fruits simply cleaned. Sliced grape tomatoes were included since they are considered fruit here (as they should be).
After dinner we walked a bit and were brought to an area with many, many clubs, shops, street vendors, restaurants where the nouveau rich can spend money.
Finally we left for home....Again a dreaded evening became a delight!