tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18958552878264223742024-02-18T18:11:18.039-08:00The Sustainability GapAdventures in PreservationAndreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-72928927703016242672007-10-30T18:28:00.000-07:002007-10-30T19:03:36.055-07:00What a birthdayWhen the alarm went off at 6:00 AM, Ted and I could barely roll out of bed. We have been on local time for a while now, waking up at 9:00 to leisurely stroll outside for some hutong breakfast and morning tea. While the early wake-up call wasn't the funnest thing to do on my 24th birthday, it was well worth it, as we were going to see the Great Wall.<br /><br />And we weren't just going to Badaling, where every tourist bus goes. At this section of the wall, much of it is reconstructed, and part of the tour is also being forced into shopping at silk and vase factories. Ted and I had decided early on that when it was time to visit the wall, we were going to go to a much more remote area so we would not have to deal with a constant sales pitch while trying to enjoy the experience.<br /><br />So there we were, on our way to the Jin Shan Lin section of the wall at 7:30 in the morning. While we were ripe with anticipation, we soon found that the drive was much longer than expected, and before we knew it, had been in the car for over four hours. While this wouldn't have been that bad if we were able to do our intended trip, which was a hike from the Jin Shan Lin section over to the Simatai section (a 10k hike), we soon found ourselves in the worst traffic jam I had ever witnessed.<br /><br />While we don't have any pictures to prove the chaos, the scene was one I don't want to remember. Just imagine, in an idyllic fall landscape in the outer reaches of Beijing, pasenger cars, tourist buses, semi-trucks, and huge trucks full of pigs, logs, cattle, grain, tractors, and whatever else you can think of creating four lanes of traffic on a two-lane country highway. We were stuck in this traffic for at least two and a half hours, as congestion got so bad in one area that we finally had to change our planned trip. With all of the time sitting in this traffic going absolutely nowhere, we didn't have enough time to complete the hike on time, so we took another half an hour to turn around and settle on going to Simatai, which would have been our hiking destination.<br /><br />But as soon as we arrived, we knew that sitting through all of the traffic and the long drive was well worth the wait. I have to say that this went from being one of the worst birthdays ever (sitting and breathing in truck fumes is not my idea of a good time) to one of the best. The views were stunning , and the day was beautiful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFBcZQ7Fbzotfbk6l5-XIGmc9nlH0eAJl0ziewP97vBXDaDSWUdk3Dsq3HGpoCHZRBmyt6MrYXqMpZxlcMBAY3yyGCKGaPLOfFbF-2-TvCqPjmZqqkxKxJLEJ4kdOFN9Um-Bp0ipC-zvv/s1600-h/DSC_0301.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFBcZQ7Fbzotfbk6l5-XIGmc9nlH0eAJl0ziewP97vBXDaDSWUdk3Dsq3HGpoCHZRBmyt6MrYXqMpZxlcMBAY3yyGCKGaPLOfFbF-2-TvCqPjmZqqkxKxJLEJ4kdOFN9Um-Bp0ipC-zvv/s320/DSC_0301.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127314334392869810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PWH71B5xeAlbd52yVtA4CnrFZXLSJM4kcp-PN9uCujIG9Hz7scVk4NGTGAkcp7I6uocmIaB8EBWblpvGQrCA16c5ASHkL3grnIpRSkVc-VjHtRq4_rl-2mdDjrXbFkzf_DWaYXsthaXp/s1600-h/DSC_0300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PWH71B5xeAlbd52yVtA4CnrFZXLSJM4kcp-PN9uCujIG9Hz7scVk4NGTGAkcp7I6uocmIaB8EBWblpvGQrCA16c5ASHkL3grnIpRSkVc-VjHtRq4_rl-2mdDjrXbFkzf_DWaYXsthaXp/s320/DSC_0300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127314098169668514" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo16KzMlFKeFGYpO943g1zA6ivWy0SeCE92J1pmmg7b7AAkAVZMAYskrOb4I261q6AytFQgcHF8412H5-rPWtFBMsUbBlYV3CtmffHuYWQtoUI0w3N3csxeN5pb_myUtoLbsuE40cvNGrz/s1600-h/DSC_0285.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo16KzMlFKeFGYpO943g1zA6ivWy0SeCE92J1pmmg7b7AAkAVZMAYskrOb4I261q6AytFQgcHF8412H5-rPWtFBMsUbBlYV3CtmffHuYWQtoUI0w3N3csxeN5pb_myUtoLbsuE40cvNGrz/s320/DSC_0285.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127313548413854610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nh40kOrIzaw_OSCSMneHdC6w_iu4D3cLWOcoH_1VntwVJq_knbBRW57ODX8pH2MmZrJCkyS5qIoWFnrPoTb54c3zCOTXnWcxQzzgII5y5FGNMigq0VLV_8eD0jWlym4BWISKAhCNszdp/s1600-h/DSC_0207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nh40kOrIzaw_OSCSMneHdC6w_iu4D3cLWOcoH_1VntwVJq_knbBRW57ODX8pH2MmZrJCkyS5qIoWFnrPoTb54c3zCOTXnWcxQzzgII5y5FGNMigq0VLV_8eD0jWlym4BWISKAhCNszdp/s320/DSC_0207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127312878398956418" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wmXFqXrtOcbhbBXGJ3GADRDuzojwP9aWwAaqMusHhIBgqGQudvWAN2BvHsxFREqdRARrBeT5H-VeMS7D9nOHdIQTUGWIroNjdD42ZXLEECCZYpT7dwwn818n4Q4VRVFTA0T88RxPmfwR/s1600-h/DSC_0180.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wmXFqXrtOcbhbBXGJ3GADRDuzojwP9aWwAaqMusHhIBgqGQudvWAN2BvHsxFREqdRARrBeT5H-VeMS7D9nOHdIQTUGWIroNjdD42ZXLEECCZYpT7dwwn818n4Q4VRVFTA0T88RxPmfwR/s320/DSC_0180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127312229858894706" border="0" /></a>This was truly a birthday experience I will never forget.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-86818577673221801312007-10-28T04:10:00.000-07:002007-10-28T05:14:55.750-07:00...And we're back!So you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while, but Ted and I have been busy dealing with this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8k76ol5x-SkwcJbJHOBAcxyE2vis2GiQWSrTPbFNtqZQdEsWySg_aqbiNmYn5AzVDFYWXNaV3t5bHFTaG2L0PcmHgJ9BCugkwG8qFagIIQcfCt3gcgBPXCtEGD4GtdcNHxfDIXFlc5Ls/s1600-h/DSC_0088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8k76ol5x-SkwcJbJHOBAcxyE2vis2GiQWSrTPbFNtqZQdEsWySg_aqbiNmYn5AzVDFYWXNaV3t5bHFTaG2L0PcmHgJ9BCugkwG8qFagIIQcfCt3gcgBPXCtEGD4GtdcNHxfDIXFlc5Ls/s320/DSC_0088.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126344908734554930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelWu5C2jFzS0xiLYKE9pmFNJvhARSrQHvDpTNsxaijzdn2Yq5PLa6e7QJomEJtjuF3uac0cRZkmkRtDdPU4g6NZhomPPaS50Yc8mA9oYCxib4hS5P7saZR8VRQYqk1Ozl8E4ToU8yDzCL/s1600-h/DSC_0149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelWu5C2jFzS0xiLYKE9pmFNJvhARSrQHvDpTNsxaijzdn2Yq5PLa6e7QJomEJtjuF3uac0cRZkmkRtDdPU4g6NZhomPPaS50Yc8mA9oYCxib4hS5P7saZR8VRQYqk1Ozl8E4ToU8yDzCL/s320/DSC_0149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126344358978741026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /> In short, pests.<br /><br />This weekend we were busy attending the 7th World Conference on Sport and the Environment, a meeting of the Sport and Environment Commission of the International Olympic Committee. While I am glad that we took the time to attend this conference, I went thinking that I would get t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TfYJ8XKptOCJksc8F_H2E3pHHixxQzc593_UQwNMS9dmkAKmN5U46_AzuW9dy7i_4P-JeNEP3VsisxvjiLQ5fiJeTeNIEdeAMqzKHmOVi-LsNllyhL0Vt4gKJUWrSSVPzv7qI4FCrDCh/s1600-h/DSC_0089.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TfYJ8XKptOCJksc8F_H2E3pHHixxQzc593_UQwNMS9dmkAKmN5U46_AzuW9dy7i_4P-JeNEP3VsisxvjiLQ5fiJeTeNIEdeAMqzKHmOVi-LsNllyhL0Vt4gKJUWrSSVPzv7qI4FCrDCh/s320/DSC_0089.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126347313916240706" border="0" /></a>o meet other sustainability researchers and experts to talk about the role of culture in sustainability. What I got was a bunch of cronies from national olympic committees (NOCs) and their paid sustainability hacks.<br /><br />This conference did start with an interesting site visit to the olympic "green", where the infamous Bird Nest and Watercube reside. I have to say, the stadium is quite impressive up close, but seems out of place surrounded by dirt, smog, and cranes. Ted and I got a good laugh out of the fact that this conference coincided with some of <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXEA85K1vE7d9qjwYYY0axdXu8P085y7X8RiV2NWl6I5pMKY5MSPbq-RyiIXCgZcFPIuDGwSUZpfau3UquGkSKRdOjgvAwHGThld1zxAzozxrBDpzYpCWhOGwR917Q43U_e8ii-1ykx-B/s1600-h/DSC_0129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXEA85K1vE7d9qjwYYY0axdXu8P085y7X8RiV2NWl6I5pMKY5MSPbq-RyiIXCgZcFPIuDGwSUZpfau3UquGkSKRdOjgvAwHGThld1zxAzozxrBDpzYpCWhOGwR917Q43U_e8ii-1ykx-B/s320/DSC_0129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126348684010808146" border="0" /></a>the worst air quality we had witnessed since arriving in Beijing a month ago. As you can see to the left from this view atop a hill in the Forest Park (just north of the Olympic Green), visibility was about a mile. If it was a clear day, we should have been able to see the construction site of the Bird Nest, but as it was, we could barely see the edge of the lake.<br /><br />This in no way stopped conference delegates and press from sticking to the positive message that Beijing had done nothing but champion air quality and the environment, and the big news after the event on CCTV was the decision by the IOC not to move any sporting events out of Beijing due to poor air quality. While I would have to agree the that Beijing has made a great number of improvements in order to host the games, I was greatly disappointed that they only addressed the green technologies they had used to reduce CO2 emissions. So dedicated to not speaking about any other topic, one BOCOG official, before giving a presentation on all of the positive sustainability measures they have taken, specifically noted that they would not be talking about urban development.<br /><br />At that moment, I knew that the site visit was the only valuable information I was going to glean from the conference, other than the knowledge that the IOC is so stuck on being carbon neutral that they have blinded themselves to other sustainability issues. For instance, at the site visit, one of the lead builders in charge of the construction for the National Indoor Stadium bragged that we were looking at the largest steel roof in the world. Ted and I were the only people to even bat an eye at this bit of information, which is quite disturbing considering that steel production facilities are such notorious polluters in China that they are shutting down production for three months during the games to help clear the air for outdoor competitions.<br /><br />Yes, all of these "experts" had no idea what the hell they were talking about, as they were office dwellers of national olympic committees, there to learn how they could best Beijing and other host cities to take the crown for the "Green Games". While Sydney was the first city to bid in earnest for a green Olympics, since then it has become chic to attempt to outdo the last city in green technology. But what this has created is situation where everyone focuses on the newest green technology, but has no intent to actually shrink their footprint, or leave a lasting environmental legacy for their community.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Ted and I couldn't even come back home and relax after infuriating sections on carbon offsets and the environmental vulnerability of Oceania (and they didn't even play the bjork song) because we had dirty, filthy bugs all over our hotel room. I had booked the place because it was only a few blocks away from the conference center and it cost less than $100.00 a night. Because we have been staying in hostels our entire time in China (and never had a bad experience), we thought we would be living in the lap of luxury, doling out about twice the amount we have been paying for hostels. No such luck. Here's a tip: never stay at Beijing Century Longdu International Apartments. We were killing bugs of various shapes and sizes <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAiZii3mt88j279lfcTnM9Xlcng9S54KG9ZeZcrvvLllbVlZmvC7TGmpQyJDfBnmd_gXBJYCivsTn5rdfMtN8Ch_tMFSypB6Twv6p1wT8OvZlImxPmnZGAQE8IO_Q0NxROGHAdLcfakW3/s1600-h/DSC_0246.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAiZii3mt88j279lfcTnM9Xlcng9S54KG9ZeZcrvvLllbVlZmvC7TGmpQyJDfBnmd_gXBJYCivsTn5rdfMtN8Ch_tMFSypB6Twv6p1wT8OvZlImxPmnZGAQE8IO_Q0NxROGHAdLcfakW3/s320/DSC_0246.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126357501578666850" border="0" /></a>every ten minutes or so upon our arrival. The shower was a nice choice of either freezing cold or scalding hot water, there was no internet, and the bed, while relatively comfortable, was louder than the deck of an old-timey sailing ship. So much for life in the high rise.<br /><br />But, things are looking up. For our last four nights here in Beijing we are staying back at Templeside, which has been our home away from home in China. It feels great being back in Old Beijing, as it seemed to welcome us back with a beautiful but brisk autumn day. Since we hadn't really had the opportunity to explore the white pagoda in Beihai park, we decided to climb up and take in the view of Beijing. The reward was absolutely gorgeous, as the sky was clear and blue and the views were amazing. Wouldn't you know, as soon as the environmentalists leave town, we had one of the most beautiful days we had seen in weeks.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-11223340393894077162007-10-24T08:48:00.000-07:002007-10-24T09:50:45.403-07:00Doin' it like the locals doTed and I would like to think that we have had a fairly authentic experience while in China. We've lived in the hutongs, had porridge and dumplings for breakfast in restaurants with four tables, and we ride the subway around town like nobody's business. But there were a few pieces missing to the puzzle that would really allow us to see and understand the local experience: taking in some of the nightlife in a trendy area, and eating American fast food.<br /><br />While we have always passed trendy little bars all around town, we never wanted to be <span style="font-style: italic;">those</span> laowais, traveling in China only to be caught indulging in creature comforts from back home. Why would we want to spend 20 Yuan on a small drink in a gaudy bar when we could get like five breakfasts for the same amount of money? But after a while, reality sets in. Not all of China lives in the hutong, and part of experiencing the local culture is also partaking in some of the trendier spots which are highly influenced by western night-life, but nonetheless have their place in this vibrant city.<br /><br />Bravely adventuring into a new world, we first met up with one of Ted's former co-workers who has been in China for two months as part of a U of O study abroad program. Bringing along a friend of his from the program, the four of us had a double date at a posh little Indian restaurant called the Raj, where Ted and I used a fork for the first time in a month. I never knew I could be so conflicted by proper placement and use of silverware, as I desperately wished I had my handy chopsticks in hand to munch down the yummy rice and curry.<br /><br />On the way to the restaurant Ted and I had spotted a little bar which advertised their drink special of the night: Mojitos. Lured in by the small courtyard and the fact that no one else was there, we put the hookah to use and talked politics over some delicious Mojitos, made with fresh mint picked from the courtyard. We then continued down a small hutong we had traversed earlier, having a drink at "The smallest bar in Beijing: 12 sq. meters", and drank at another cute place with loft seating decked out with pillows low tables - a perfect place to keep the conversation alive.<br /><br />With only a 20 yuan cab ride back to our hostel in Qianmen to finish off the night, I have to say that we had a great time and enjoyed every single one of the bars we visited. It is so easy to be overwhelmed in a place like Beijing where there is such a diverse daily reality, making it easy to go overboard on attempting to get a "real" experience. For us, getting this experience (up until recently) had been braving restaurants with no English menus and eating in the street with everyone else.<br /><br />But the reality is that many Beijingers love to indulge in a good drink here and there at a trendy spot, and live to eat at KFC, McDonalds, and <a href="http://www.berrysoup.net/Postcards/2/index_files/image001.jpg">Pizza Hut</a>. So when Ted and I were finished signing in for the IOC's Sport and the Environment conference (which starts tomorrow!), we decided to sit down for a nice date at the nearest Pizza Hut to try this local favorite.<br /><br />Now, Pizza Hut is not the same in China as it is in the US. In China, they are sit-down restaurants, and have a full menu. Not only did they have American-style pizza as well as more Asian themed pizzas with seafood (shrimp pizza, anyone?), but they also had espresso, spaghetti, fried meatballs, garlic bread, escargot, milkshakes, ice cream cake, and beer. No joke. Although the choices were abundant, Ted and I decided on the 12 inch Hawaiian, which went for 83 yuan ( little over 10 US dollars). I only wish I had a camera to capture this momentous event, if only to prove that yes, there was actually escargot on the menu.<br /><br />While the pizza was dull and the service wasn't the best we've had, the company was fantastic, and the absurdity of sitting down at a Pizza Hut for a nice, expensive meal was priceless.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-83289479009390607112007-10-22T05:37:00.000-07:002007-10-22T06:55:00.827-07:00Ah, to be back in BeijingEven though our train pulled in at a very early hour, Ted and I were both relieved to be back in the city where this trip all started for us.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, we had a great time in Qingdao and Shanghai, and I think seeing other areas in this huge country not only gave us the opportunity to get a small break from being in Beijing, but also made us appreciate some aspects of the city more than ever. For example, it became clear as soon as we stepped of the train in Qingdao how far Beijing had come in using English and pinyin to aid international travelers in exploring the city. In Shanghai, where we thought food would be everywhere, we were surprised not only by the lack of street food but also the lack of the good quality, middle-of-the-road dining establishments that offer big plates of tasty food at very reasonable prices. We had become dependent on these kinds of places to have a large midday meal that could sustain our daily walk-a-thons, and in Shanghai we found ourselves wandering for blocks looking for a place that had an English menu (or even pictures on the wall) which wasn't a Coldstone Creamery or Pizza Hut.<br /><br />So, weighted down with fashionable duds that we had picked up in Shanghai, we happily drug ourselves onto the subway this morning on our way to our new hostel in Qianmen. Ted and I had two reasons to be thankful: it was only a few short blocks away from the Qianmen subway station, and our room was shockingly ready when we arrived at 8:00 AM. So after a quick spot of tea and breakfast, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstdSX3sfegxRxSA_5Vna-P-Jzq1khSuwaYrTKjpHd2Bc5QlF0uJof3KGAQLupdqr8cxOvi7pzJtlnPe9GHhTTvzmhcbQNlE6fMxJtBBTtV4grC-vubpJDmqnL7T8B7arS1wTqVOZ5vUwC/s1600-h/DSC_0026.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstdSX3sfegxRxSA_5Vna-P-Jzq1khSuwaYrTKjpHd2Bc5QlF0uJof3KGAQLupdqr8cxOvi7pzJtlnPe9GHhTTvzmhcbQNlE6fMxJtBBTtV4grC-vubpJDmqnL7T8B7arS1wTqVOZ5vUwC/s320/DSC_0026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124144582352329538" border="0" /></a>armed with notepad and camera we got started on our quest to document the Qianmen area.<br /><br />As you can see from the picture at left, this was no easy feat. To begin with, I had to take this picture, which is facing due south on what is Qianmen Dajie, through a hole in the gate while no guards were looking. This is the main street which will run through the Qianmen street development, and everything to the left of that construction worker is a protected area under the Beijing conservation plan for its 25 historic areas. The gate I shot this through was due south of Qianmen Gate, which in on the axis which runs directly through Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Needless to say, after snapping a few shots through this little peep hole, I turned to snap a shot of Ted in front of the gate, turned back, and saw that an attentive guard from the other side had used his spidey sense to sniff out suspicious photographers. I don't think he saw me taking pictures, but he was definitely giving me a look as he peeked his head out to see what flim-flammery was afoot.<br /><br />From here, we walked around the entirety of the site, which runs south to Zhushikou Dajie, and is bordered by Qianmen Donglu on the east and Liangshidian hutong (which runs between Qianmen Dajie and Meishi Jie) on the west side. This west side is where Ted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTLe5oix4QWUKKSfvjAf6XcfatMsIpV8t1W27MJWk_99wsJahsZ6xkHLQa7CQpC2grvNFmVCu_NIjKUdgOJfBgU4jvMUj5GEWsNoBiBqWGe7NPSThnF1j_Ocdy1e8jca3zQSF3uuLqYLW/s1600-h/DSC_0113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTLe5oix4QWUKKSfvjAf6XcfatMsIpV8t1W27MJWk_99wsJahsZ6xkHLQa7CQpC2grvNFmVCu_NIjKUdgOJfBgU4jvMUj5GEWsNoBiBqWGe7NPSThnF1j_Ocdy1e8jca3zQSF3uuLqYLW/s320/DSC_0113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124151046278110034" border="0" /></a> snapped some great photos for me of the site over some simple barriers, showing me how it was done while climbing onto piles of bricks to get a better view. What is most telling in these photos is how exposed this side of<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eJzLCFuDOwkoEeyqjSGP9e-mZNvNSLWAK4zwCtrsmHiwzFfnWYG5gbeSo7oYPFEjoBxG1WbNOH8ScE10ph8r-mFNxELQNG2soGIIBP0HQtt4ZnvsIHtVfzDUOmrHfLbgcqoNGnf6-i8l/s1600-h/DSC_0062.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eJzLCFuDOwkoEeyqjSGP9e-mZNvNSLWAK4zwCtrsmHiwzFfnWYG5gbeSo7oYPFEjoBxG1WbNOH8ScE10ph8r-mFNxELQNG2soGIIBP0HQtt4ZnvsIHtVfzDUOmrHfLbgcqoNGnf6-i8l/s320/DSC_0062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124152437847513954" border="0" /></a> the site is, as it is not in the conservation area. As you can see in the picture to the left, the east and protected end of the site is entirely blocked from view from the street, complete with informational panels which detail the history of the Qianmen area back to the Qing dynasty. If there are any gates they are guarded, and at the first sight of laowais like Ted and I, they jump to attention and make sure we get nowhere near the door (we tried to walk into one gate, and immediately got thrown out, while locals came and went without trouble). We even spotted an extra security measure; one billboard like those blocking the exterior was located inside the construction site, blocking even more from peekers like Ted and I from really knowing what is going on behind those walls.<br /><br />While the experience was infuriating, it was not as maddening as going back to the hostel and finding out that SOHO, a Chinese development firm that was founded by a former Goldman Sachs broker (which will over double their profit this year and just floated a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/markets/2007/10/08/china-soho-realestate-markets-equity-cx_jc_1008markets04.html">$1.6 billion Hong Kong IPO</a>) is behind this development. Nothing crushes a girl's soul more than the thought that the center of her research is thoroughly protected by hordes of (Saudi) money and political dreams, but I'll just have to keep doing my best to find more information everyday as my time in Beijing will end sooner than I realize.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-7066877639250913912007-10-18T03:27:00.000-07:002007-10-18T04:17:59.137-07:00A "relaxing" day in the gardenSo Ted and I have been shopping our little hearts out in Shanghai, hence the lack of pictures and blog posts. We've been waking up fairly early, grabbing some Jiang Bing for breakfast (the Shanghai version has less onion and cilantro, but is crispier and just as yummy), and have been hitting the subway to whatever shopping mecca calls our name that particular day.<br /><br />But as the magic of retail therapy begins to wane and one mall begins to melt into another, one has to find something else to do in Shanghai. Today, we thought we would pay a visit to the most famous garden in Shanghai, Yu Yuan. It took us a while to drag ourselves out of bed, as all of the walking in Shanghai has begun to wear us down, and the day previous most of our calories had come from the best fried rice we had ever tasted, which was washed down with our first taste of Suntory Beer. While we swigged down four big bottles at dinner (don't worry Grandma, it's a lite beer), we still managed to keep dinner at 60 yuan, which was the best bargain for quality yet at a single meal service. Let's just say beef seared with hot red peppers, onions, cilantro and other greens, stir-fried lentils (Chinese green beans) and peppers, fried rice complete with smoked meat, hot peppers, and a ton of onions and soy sauce, and Suntory, a smooth lite blend of wheaty goodness. Even in all of our American gluttony, we still managed to be outdone by the young men across the room, who immediately struck up a conversation which started with "hey joe!" to the tune of "Hey Jude". They were drunk and very friendly as they kept cracking jokes about Yao Ming ("I believe I can fly"), President Bush, and placed bets as to whether we were from the UK or US. Now that's what I call a cross cultural exchange.<br /><br />Needless to say, the morning started a little like this blog post: slow. So when we finally and forcefully dragged ourselves to Yu Yuan gardens, we were overwhelmed by what we saw before us. No, it wasn't that sense of wonder that fills one upon taking in such a wonder as the Forbidden City, it was<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqCTCjGaC2Tr5CIDZwAPA-k_VCRlN5kHthMvB9yJRYDOTd6635q1r6ZcLOE7rp0o0amLU7GGNjveC8PypL_RkWaJmA6TvQxVJEpwg1mPO0UnGANbAZQoaShiq3pO66CDwlY_o6z9r4iIR/s1600-h/DSC_0011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqCTCjGaC2Tr5CIDZwAPA-k_VCRlN5kHthMvB9yJRYDOTd6635q1r6ZcLOE7rp0o0amLU7GGNjveC8PypL_RkWaJmA6TvQxVJEpwg1mPO0UnGANbAZQoaShiq3pO66CDwlY_o6z9r4iIR/s320/DSC_0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122628153954163506" border="0" /></a> the "Oh my God, why did we ever decide to do this, and today of all days?" sense of dread.<br /><br />It was that immediate acknowledgment that you have just stepped into the biggest and saddest tourist trap within a 100 mile radius. Complete with Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Haagen-Dazs, and a KFC, this Disneyland/fantasyland complete with authentic-looking architecture filled with crappy goods of all sorts, forcibly overwhelmed the senses in the worst way. I couldn't help but be reminded of the Qianmen area which Ted and I will be documenting once we return to Beijing, as authentic (and protected) historic neighborhoods have been demolished to make way for a reconstruction similar to the one you see here. Complete with a trolley-traversed pedestrian area and "authentic" reproductions of the architecture that stood on the site just a few years ago, I couldn't stop thinking about all of the poor people that have been forced out of their homes in Qianmen, and for this.<br /><br />But as horrifying of an experience as this was, it is also a good reminder that the work that I am doing on my thesis is worthwhile. While I can't do anything about the development that is already underway in Beijing, maybe I can do something about a similar situation in the future. The Yu Yuan gardens was first-hand proof that when few cultural relics remain from a certain time-period, they will more than likely be stripped of all of their authentic historic value in order to bolster their commercial value. While this sometimes comes in the form of total destruction so that some tower can be built in its place, this can also come in the form of romantic reconstruction purely for tourism purposes. This has happened here in Shanghai, and it continues at this very moment in Beijing.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-30773809987163200002007-10-15T04:08:00.000-07:002007-10-15T06:20:07.085-07:00An introduction to Shanghai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJD4vno5Kl_gaBMTi5MMgKPfgTFP4ydK9nALWodofhriQdI0Z5nIpJanLPTe9SL4PABTEFqvtp6h6ddxK6skA_RMi56axasyS4sbNSTkny0SxdZBMMyoKrLG6Hh6rZ-1W5NjHmKcvvgSx/s1600-h/DSC_0014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJD4vno5Kl_gaBMTi5MMgKPfgTFP4ydK9nALWodofhriQdI0Z5nIpJanLPTe9SL4PABTEFqvtp6h6ddxK6skA_RMi56axasyS4sbNSTkny0SxdZBMMyoKrLG6Hh6rZ-1W5NjHmKcvvgSx/s320/DSC_0014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121535883641248514" border="0" /></a>I was very excited to board the train to Shanghai on Saturday afternoon from Qingdao. While it was fun to be on the beach for a few days, Qingdao was just too sleepy for my taste. After being in the metropolis of Beijing, which already had a slow pace of its own, this off-season resort town didn't seam to offer much beyond the sea and the food it provides, the latter which this valley girl has never really embraced. Call me crazy, but my idea of a good meal does not involve picking the thing out while it is still squirming in a small plastic tub sitting out on the sidewalk, but to each his own, as demonstrated by Ted's exuberance in finally having his choice of creepy crawlies from the ocean deep to dine upon.<br /><br />While our taste in food shall eternally divide us, we did both enjoy the European architecture seen throughout the city, which are remnants from Qingdao's time as a German concession. I was disappointed that all the trains coming and going from this beach community had been diverted away from the old town through the Sifang station, as the original train station is a beautiful 100+ year old building which is being renovated in anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics sailing regatta to be held in Qingdao. Even through the rusty scaffolding and standard green construction screens blocked the work from view, its beauty still showed through, half timbers and all.<br /><br />After a pleasant 19 hour train ride (which gave me plenty of time to knit on my new hand-made needles from Beijing), Ted and I crawled out of our soft sleepers and onto the streets of Shanghai. To our great relief, our very cute hostel was only four <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqRpaFrpehSaaNOTfHcvCQENtI-fjPTyMpjIMMc98M28jfLoWbnsyHbD7eo26Nd_clz4Az5DkABOl4qg8K0UMxFMXqYem7NchuBwQUSWy03ZvxvWJaz7zhqsOnG4GBqrCa6-8azvOQLBL/s1600-h/DSC_0009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqRpaFrpehSaaNOTfHcvCQENtI-fjPTyMpjIMMc98M28jfLoWbnsyHbD7eo26Nd_clz4Az5DkABOl4qg8K0UMxFMXqYem7NchuBwQUSWy03ZvxvWJaz7zhqsOnG4GBqrCa6-8azvOQLBL/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121541321069845266" border="0" /></a>subway stops from the train station, so we dropped off of our bags and ran out to see more of the city. Because we hadn't really done much research into the best places to go, we both decided to head for the most popular spots for tourists: People's Square, Nanjing Road, and the Bund.<br /><br />This, needless to say, was overwhelming. Being a beautiful and mild Sunday afternoon, these areas were absolutely crawling with tourists. Ted and I, who had become accustomed to being some of the only laowais around, were taken aback by the sheer number of western tourists, as white people were everywhere. We quickly became judgmental and competitive, making fun of those sporting hiking boots, safari vests, backpacks, and Asain girls that looked like they were not enjoying being paid company.<br /><br />Yeah, Shanghai is just that kind of town. After leaving the very conservative Beijing where you see families and couples everywhere, Shanghai sports lots of singles, partial nudity in subway ads, and at least two cathouses within a two block radius of our hostel. If it means anything, the girls look largely bored, as they are usually dolled up with nowhere to go, resulting in the funny sight of scantily-clad women zoning out on a torn up couch watching TV in a small, nondescript office.<br /><br />But don't let this fool you; Shanghai is a great town. Even though we got taken to the cleaners today for a very mediocre lunch (the guy tried to charge us 40 yuan each for some Tsingtao beers when they cost 5 yuan at any corner store - we laughed at him and still offered to overpay at 20 when he looked at us pathetically), there seems to be something to do on every type of budget.<br /><br />And, of course, there is all of the shopping. This town has everything from Gucci to bargain basement deals, and they are usually on the same block. One could say that there is too much, but all of the selection just makes for a fun scavenger hunt, and gives you a great reason to explore all the different areas of the city.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21S4mrQl6ZnSOlIyJJJJhPpZbnX20NqDv7-p1iEYaA6mg8X6cGJ6gZ1ooSm55gbr7SoMem7PssuzlAIWvy8NUPujUZBF4AUN4Ht0gIUn2SiVnFWMNyvJ0OFNIjD0HqbNCSwd1sfPofWG/s1600-h/DSC_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO21S4mrQl6ZnSOlIyJJJJhPpZbnX20NqDv7-p1iEYaA6mg8X6cGJ6gZ1ooSm55gbr7SoMem7PssuzlAIWvy8NUPujUZBF4AUN4Ht0gIUn2SiVnFWMNyvJ0OFNIjD0HqbNCSwd1sfPofWG/s320/DSC_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121548725593463586" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, just like in Beijing, there are some great parks here in Shanghai. While they are not incredibly extensive or elaborate, they are relaxing in their simplicity and stillness in a city that is always moving forward. While we have only been here for two days, I can tell that we are going to have a great time in this town, and will hopefully return to Beijing a little better dressed than we came.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-7230070687955952082007-10-10T04:59:00.000-07:002007-10-10T05:40:16.843-07:00Saying goodbye (for now) to the hutong<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0qaQmPa30w5K-aweKHK0wqe2htyBAKQuJUZG5QUrlhQGEOz7pjigHlygrqDMn497T__JrLwtxU29lgqMbMjRavvWirH-pQX5KiCEnoheefDqsP4U-dxtt4LXbz2Piufd_Cb2_-CoQD3H/s1600-h/DSC_0009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0qaQmPa30w5K-aweKHK0wqe2htyBAKQuJUZG5QUrlhQGEOz7pjigHlygrqDMn497T__JrLwtxU29lgqMbMjRavvWirH-pQX5KiCEnoheefDqsP4U-dxtt4LXbz2Piufd_Cb2_-CoQD3H/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119678301155944258" border="0" /></a>We both knew the moment would have to come sometime, but Ted and I both left our hutong last night knowing we would miss our little corner of Beijing. This hutong has been a home away from home for us, as we went from the strange laowais who must be lost in the eyes of the neighbors, to the local patrons who couldn't live without their morning sweets and evening snacks.<br /><br />Living in the hutong, we got a first-hand experience of the state of development in Beijing's hutongs, and just like many things in Beijing, things may not always be what they seem. The scene to the right shows a house that we saw being torn down, brick by brick, with a pick ax. Everyday we would walk by and see a little more of the building had been knocked down and carried away, and we couldn't help but feel disappointed at the sight of this destruction.<br /><br />But as we explored deeper in the hutong, we also found this <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxJfEHU0QHZz8Vth6XrtTmGU05zyC94K7TYsjVmW59PCBFjUDMAxdWjJ1EdFc7aB61voDneJI6WMRrpggiDYhew7DEyqml2x9xp2lDcS0fu4pA3O_o2cKDhxyyhvnbSQJzVP4D3eYL6A3/s1600-h/DSC_0020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxJfEHU0QHZz8Vth6XrtTmGU05zyC94K7TYsjVmW59PCBFjUDMAxdWjJ1EdFc7aB61voDneJI6WMRrpggiDYhew7DEyqml2x9xp2lDcS0fu4pA3O_o2cKDhxyyhvnbSQJzVP4D3eYL6A3/s320/DSC_0020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119678644753327954" border="0" /></a>example of traditional craftsmanship being used to build new siheyuans where older ones had been torn down. While it is not pleasant seeing the historic fabric being torn down by two men at a time, it is still reassuring that in some areas of Beijing measures are being taken to ensure that new structures will be as authentic as possible, and will blend in with the existing landscape, which is a far cry from the disney-fication of the hutongs of Qianmen and Chongwen. These two men are working in a tandem to prepare beams, with the man in the foreground shaving the log, after which the other man uses an adz to square the log.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRFnK3x5Y0ZMIsd-agERf5Hk9hDk1Z3Eidcdv4tbMyMs_-lFq-BstBEjMC-y8phRsHRxZoU0hWmXOCN5ekejuADPJ5F3DWPLbMYGUrC5xJ5IkHKDPYG164kjeNuR8Mdui7AHxiLxx3ssI/s1600-h/DSC_0043.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRFnK3x5Y0ZMIsd-agERf5Hk9hDk1Z3Eidcdv4tbMyMs_-lFq-BstBEjMC-y8phRsHRxZoU0hWmXOCN5ekejuADPJ5F3DWPLbMYGUrC5xJ5IkHKDPYG164kjeNuR8Mdui7AHxiLxx3ssI/s320/DSC_0043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119677918903854898" border="0" /></a>Beyond the mounds of information that Ted and I were able to gather from our experience here, I think we will remember the people and the food the most. So used to our faces at all times of day asking for two thick slices of Tamarind bread, the woman working the sweets stand to the left gave us one of those tasty looking muffins as goodbye gift when we stopped by on our way to catch the overnight train. Even though we only speak about 10 words of Mandarin and she speaks no English, I could tell by her smile and kind gesture that she got a kick out of our frequenting her stand, and knew that we were thoroughly addicted to her bread.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbkNCzerdWyb74MoZo6HnC3-tkI12EF_ovfZiE7F74j2x4-2CwRkmXlSaKLfBmFqzSo8XNFwFpsdfEuVUtIpKHmKepy8zrpnxhgqktZl9bU6a16ilQaTsnUEmyDpVc1mGfAP2k7C20lzz/s1600-h/DSC_0041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbkNCzerdWyb74MoZo6HnC3-tkI12EF_ovfZiE7F74j2x4-2CwRkmXlSaKLfBmFqzSo8XNFwFpsdfEuVUtIpKHmKepy8zrpnxhgqktZl9bU6a16ilQaTsnUEmyDpVc1mGfAP2k7C20lzz/s320/DSC_0041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119677656910849826" border="0" /></a>Now that we are in Qingdao (which Ted is going to write all about), it has made me realize how unique the hutong experience is. Before I could only read about how people valued or devalued the hutong, but seeing it myself, I know I will miss the community there.<br /><br />But all is not lost: Ted and I loved the neighborhood so much that we are going to stay there again at the very end of our time in China, at which time we will be going on a tour of the great wall with the great staff at <a href="http://www.templeside.com/pic_lanlan.html">Templeside</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYD7Ydic9hUZabro-tJs9VRjawCk1i0vZgi-XOnmyYk49n3gNR0IhUl_K0b9SWpaXlQFyt9UmqLgsvGUV90vE_YJeUOs_WYPC18KtkmDdqGFW_HhrVjL-NHLbE9GzuJZT4t-zHpACTjvm/s1600-h/DSC_0011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYD7Ydic9hUZabro-tJs9VRjawCk1i0vZgi-XOnmyYk49n3gNR0IhUl_K0b9SWpaXlQFyt9UmqLgsvGUV90vE_YJeUOs_WYPC18KtkmDdqGFW_HhrVjL-NHLbE9GzuJZT4t-zHpACTjvm/s320/DSC_0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119677489407125266" border="0" /></a>For now though, we are bumming on the beaches of Qingdao, where fitness is a way of life, and the architecture is a strange mix of dilapidated European sophistication and Asian modernism. I can tell you already that while the beach is nice, I would kill for some of that Tamarind bread right now ...Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-84367080849862585682007-10-09T03:29:00.000-07:002007-10-09T03:37:14.344-07:00Just so you know ...Ted and I just wanted everyone to know that we will be out of touch for at least a day, as we are taking the night train to Qingdao in a few hours. We will be staying there for a few days (a few blocks away from the beach), where we will be sipping on Tsingtao straight from the source.<br /><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="链接" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span><br />After that, we will be making the 20 hour train ride to Shanghai, where we will be staying for about a week before returning to Beijing on the 20th. We'll make sure to update regularly, and post a few pictures from the beach and the shopping mecca of Shanghai.<br /><br />On a more serious note, Ted and I had a great meeting with the volunteers down at Friends of Old Beijing, which had been doing great grassroots advocacy for the preservation of the remaining hutongs in Beijing. If you have a second, you should <a href="http://www.bjchp.org/english/oldbeijing/index.asp">check out their website</a> so you can get an idea of the fantastic work and advocacy they have been doing in the Beijing community.<br /><br />But, I'll have to talk about that later. Ted and I have a soft sleeper calling our name ...Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-31902078116167031182007-10-07T06:06:00.000-07:002007-10-07T06:58:10.177-07:00"Lazy" Sunday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37Ojz3GzdT8b1uBAYIfqH4Tw_Yh4ifK-Y5PVWRyhhkhy5Q6WRsmMcvzfYDR3BN_mEizyWqOF4SSoIhdUeh_KBtevQ_mt7voMtQ9UhReG9c9lZcB_mpwYWwL5CNVgwTCf_AXrb2TAFgBoN/s1600-h/DSC_0008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37Ojz3GzdT8b1uBAYIfqH4Tw_Yh4ifK-Y5PVWRyhhkhy5Q6WRsmMcvzfYDR3BN_mEizyWqOF4SSoIhdUeh_KBtevQ_mt7voMtQ9UhReG9c9lZcB_mpwYWwL5CNVgwTCf_AXrb2TAFgBoN/s320/DSC_0008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118582302811416226" border="0" /></a><br />So Ted and I finally decided to take the subway for the first time yesterday. We had to get to a market all the way across town, and to be honest, my feet have been killing me. I can count three band-aids on them as of right now, and that is even after the restful day we had today. After our plans to see the national museum earlier this week were thwarted when we found out it was closed for repairs, we saw yesterday numerous posters throughout the subway for the capital museum. They were hosting a Greek exhibit on loan from the Louvre, which perked Ted and I's interest immediately.<br /><br />So when we had no other plans for our lazy Sunday, we decided to go check out this brand spankin' new museum, which was just completed last year. While the in-house collection was not that extensive, we really enjoyed the few pieces that were on display in the special Greek exhibit in the main hall.<br /><br />The collection was comprised of stone statuary and red and black Attic vases, but was hard to see because of the hordes of people pushing to get a look at the art, all snapping photographs. One man Ted and I saw took at least three pictures of every piece, and at least one of all of the information cards. Sheesh. But instead of me tiredly mumbling on about the exhibit, I thought I would share the few pictures I took:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivL4YtkpoMtjNm3k6fCceoTM4Z39v5iZiekASl46g-XX_-6YgCWyZUdtlapbyzwlCg1kxpcVS9xZdgtenXl18bn8VCiJq1PGBzp0Ml__-16uJYw-oBU3IpKTWya8WS5nIgJ4dpwVp9vigr/s1600-h/DSC_0014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivL4YtkpoMtjNm3k6fCceoTM4Z39v5iZiekASl46g-XX_-6YgCWyZUdtlapbyzwlCg1kxpcVS9xZdgtenXl18bn8VCiJq1PGBzp0Ml__-16uJYw-oBU3IpKTWya8WS5nIgJ4dpwVp9vigr/s320/DSC_0014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118585004345845458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK0Yo1Le49abBUibcUz6rvA1BqRRZfpjiq45VvXIc1bNK0EswRPUPYFz1lG_F2eG3RBhIfyU3TLfjy_NXx7AhkUd_FGQ7B9e-L5q1zwwZh0JZpTbV7AaWfV4dYZKw0pISV0LHro61xLVx/s1600-h/DSC_0011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK0Yo1Le49abBUibcUz6rvA1BqRRZfpjiq45VvXIc1bNK0EswRPUPYFz1lG_F2eG3RBhIfyU3TLfjy_NXx7AhkUd_FGQ7B9e-L5q1zwwZh0JZpTbV7AaWfV4dYZKw0pISV0LHro61xLVx/s320/DSC_0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118584570554148530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgzFyk5-loHiWoLZ5vvSsUSvRjKZt_H-bj03BewIZS2BSQN6vwk4A_oosYSas7l1huTlFjhr9cdWe5hLM8FaTcwEkttgFOnnR_y6bKR6DYjbMOXyISe3T00ONSn4SWMaHMhrhE9dXvWrs/s1600-h/DSC_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgzFyk5-loHiWoLZ5vvSsUSvRjKZt_H-bj03BewIZS2BSQN6vwk4A_oosYSas7l1huTlFjhr9cdWe5hLM8FaTcwEkttgFOnnR_y6bKR6DYjbMOXyISe3T00ONSn4SWMaHMhrhE9dXvWrs/s320/DSC_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118584750942774978" border="0" /></a><br />After a while of pushing through people to get a glimpse at some art, Ted and I had worked up a big appetite and found a little but boisterous place to grab some lunch close to the museum. Everything on the menu was either seafood or spicy food, so we decided to go for the latter. To our table came buckwheat noodles which were smothered in chili oil, and ground chicken floating in a sea of red peppers, ginger, and green onions. Needless to say, the Tsingtao was chugged to extinguish the fires in our mouths, and we left with noses running but pocketbooks barely dented. It makes my nose hurt just thinking about it!<br /><br />So we rolled ourselves down to the subway for the ride home, where we got to share some intimate moments with our fellow riders... all 100 thousand of them. At one point, I thought Ted and I were going to get separated, as I got pushed onto the 1 line by a sea of Beijingers, while Ted almost got left behind. Luckily he made it in the car with the last desperate push of riders to make the train, and we managed to get home intact.<br /><br />It was still fairly early in the afternoon, so I decided to let Ted live out his Beijing dream: take a paddle boat out onto Houhai lake. Note to potential paddlers: avoid the damn thing when the wind has been gusting all day. The boats are not necessarily what you would call "aerodynamic" so expect to paddle hard against the wind to get to your destination. Also, if you are above "typical Asian stature", this may not be the ride for you. About 5 minutes in, Ted had to ghetto rig a front seat so that he could paddle from the front, where there was enough leg room to prevent, and I quote, "my ass from cramping up something fierce". But again, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xkqw6gz-cvgJLSPp2OSN7-mYDgK1VQi69uGoNivgMYml9jhUv5GvRgq9r5FuLV1LA0cNiQGtn62m-AnTeC9bqOqvUUjNBr6U_v9KQtOVrJy0pBaCycLc2SJtdnl5Ij4t81Ucvkwt9RHn/s1600-h/DSC_0041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Xkqw6gz-cvgJLSPp2OSN7-mYDgK1VQi69uGoNivgMYml9jhUv5GvRgq9r5FuLV1LA0cNiQGtn62m-AnTeC9bqOqvUUjNBr6U_v9KQtOVrJy0pBaCycLc2SJtdnl5Ij4t81Ucvkwt9RHn/s320/DSC_0041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118588526219028194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3musd4MqQpLRB0V5dikuj52zGp_xp0skQbGeqGbA377SgN6_M_6QRwiWcJCq-IOHiLM_z90qp1idprrOUS_hWhD5ZDuAoWN88PsFqZRtpebmwEKhyphenhyphen8NuWSXv01hyphenhyphenPWPJ2u9aKkKZQi0wf/s1600-h/DSC_0049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3musd4MqQpLRB0V5dikuj52zGp_xp0skQbGeqGbA377SgN6_M_6QRwiWcJCq-IOHiLM_z90qp1idprrOUS_hWhD5ZDuAoWN88PsFqZRtpebmwEKhyphenhyphen8NuWSXv01hyphenhyphenPWPJ2u9aKkKZQi0wf/s320/DSC_0049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118589075974842098" border="0" /></a><br />Before I forget, I also have to mention the band that we listened to for quite some time before hopping onto the paddle boat. The great thing about Beijing is that there are people doing great things in public all the time. If you visit a park, there is usually something going on, and today at Houhai there was a classical Chinese band there that blew Ted and I away. The violin player (Chinese two string violin: I don't know the technical term) was amazing, and you could tell these old guys knew how to wail. They had drawn a huge crowd, and still had one hours later when Ted and I walked by the same pavilion after the boat ride.<br /><br />We ended the day with an indulgence that Ted and I have been craving: pizza. Since we were down on Houhai we decided to stop into one of the trendy bars (which was empty being Sunday night and all) to have a beer and some 'za (thanks Lee). The pizza was very mediocre, but it was the first melted cheese we had had in over a week. Yum. And you know, the place was pretty cute. We decided to sit at the big booth with high benches and a low table, where we had to take off our shoes and sit cross-legged on big over-stuffed cushions. This is a far cry from some of the places we have been frequenting since our arrival in Beijing, which usually feature chairs with removable seat covers and chopsticks which come in the same packet as a moist towelette. It almost made the overpriced pizza seem worth it.<br /><br />Since we only have a couple of days left in Beijing before we head to Qingdao and Shanghai, I thought I would leave you with a shot of the Drum Tower across Houhai at night:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQts0pn3ekyUYjcUD1CWqeFtfhDzHxUHc36EgT8j5g3Y-1EIFzxOrLHlMRs6H_t3yGBCAx3d0Ifn5wWXbMJQMd2U_7v-pqdu8qx2G0slhiwwWDz64mg9Wq0XWXBXu6IrR0bsgESgnWFiCK/s1600-h/DSC_0061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQts0pn3ekyUYjcUD1CWqeFtfhDzHxUHc36EgT8j5g3Y-1EIFzxOrLHlMRs6H_t3yGBCAx3d0Ifn5wWXbMJQMd2U_7v-pqdu8qx2G0slhiwwWDz64mg9Wq0XWXBXu6IrR0bsgESgnWFiCK/s320/DSC_0061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118592344444954370" border="0" /></a>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-59354530141291537862007-10-05T04:18:00.000-07:002007-10-05T04:57:45.590-07:00lolbeijing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfoD9QLHNszkGqomCCLQG9-VwOhXVtekjfUJ3ovmgiA6IYx3O71cI81and44ueYHxhaEiM3gecoeGxmToF1s4bo0HXFBjAhFOeFuH1GgqHM1tNskedjtdt_Y31f-ytJGQdWvQ0Aef-vX7/s1600-h/DSC_0071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfoD9QLHNszkGqomCCLQG9-VwOhXVtekjfUJ3ovmgiA6IYx3O71cI81and44ueYHxhaEiM3gecoeGxmToF1s4bo0HXFBjAhFOeFuH1GgqHM1tNskedjtdt_Y31f-ytJGQdWvQ0Aef-vX7/s320/DSC_0071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117816783956592130" border="0" /></a>Count da craens!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnHAHD7bG0ehWRbXN6kiTQoGkl3hSSimnlnkYuwShHwx0B0IrPn_TxLHcJuBj6cXW8iff-HeRaLbRXZt3q7lJEGxrC9xo37AHvih5aPtYiryNyyBflLrlPCGSUpv1G0kvt0uCxMCcUOWv/s1600-h/DSC_0041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnHAHD7bG0ehWRbXN6kiTQoGkl3hSSimnlnkYuwShHwx0B0IrPn_TxLHcJuBj6cXW8iff-HeRaLbRXZt3q7lJEGxrC9xo37AHvih5aPtYiryNyyBflLrlPCGSUpv1G0kvt0uCxMCcUOWv/s320/DSC_0041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117816521963587058" border="0" /></a>Dis Partee propagandeh brot to u by Nintendo Wii!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmFacmDO_yg70l1WMkOZuLJ1A0UCCFgmlNXIcYtjfG0ftvmJ69O0JED8htMdMQWVDtuqRPNneO3CVixri_ZtwS_h05p-cjLosyxf1tJNc1F03G7JSOMBpXTXNxAVqAZeC22x5ONEQ_kFp/s1600-h/DSC_0025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmFacmDO_yg70l1WMkOZuLJ1A0UCCFgmlNXIcYtjfG0ftvmJ69O0JED8htMdMQWVDtuqRPNneO3CVixri_ZtwS_h05p-cjLosyxf1tJNc1F03G7JSOMBpXTXNxAVqAZeC22x5ONEQ_kFp/s320/DSC_0025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117816139711497698" border="0" /></a>Um, which wey did the Revolushun go?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbRcpv2qMOfACoccX8vOdq2KZ-63Pa1PWs31L2fuUoraCUGimh9GUVI7F58OKpAzZDr72v9kuINdWMsHhEXgxSOgm8gliw1IKOpDHEglQlobjwttczYZ8XI9gw_kdjeHU3jkJRFePabWQ/s1600-h/DSC_0069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbRcpv2qMOfACoccX8vOdq2KZ-63Pa1PWs31L2fuUoraCUGimh9GUVI7F58OKpAzZDr72v9kuINdWMsHhEXgxSOgm8gliw1IKOpDHEglQlobjwttczYZ8XI9gw_kdjeHU3jkJRFePabWQ/s320/DSC_0069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117815882013459922" border="0" /></a>U takes us home naow? Pleez?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbfX6GEdU0opZGXR-7r27OeLgAugON-9l1AGdt5FH4FMn2P-DTo3wodC15ot_hyaZTdHt_Irw8SoCn-mRQQOziu7bUkz52iqwP0qu0J_0r51ZrwX5u2iItV3QgHPrNdPRHviHsJ-vgzAV/s1600-h/DSC_0040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbfX6GEdU0opZGXR-7r27OeLgAugON-9l1AGdt5FH4FMn2P-DTo3wodC15ot_hyaZTdHt_Irw8SoCn-mRQQOziu7bUkz52iqwP0qu0J_0r51ZrwX5u2iItV3QgHPrNdPRHviHsJ-vgzAV/s320/DSC_0040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117815650085225922" border="0" /></a>U doen yet? Iz embarassing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1B5ExpcVit2rkgIdVVgTgOEJLYu31Cps8xXoPI7bLE3xWcVwePDv27zfC91rKKFaVu-QxMEp6Jer62BbDVxtCs_b4NWXcUXB9xL6bRi0riKROzlCROqEPXa6n52LTFjC01wHTrE090p8u/s1600-h/DSC_0055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1B5ExpcVit2rkgIdVVgTgOEJLYu31Cps8xXoPI7bLE3xWcVwePDv27zfC91rKKFaVu-QxMEp6Jer62BbDVxtCs_b4NWXcUXB9xL6bRi0riKROzlCROqEPXa6n52LTFjC01wHTrE090p8u/s320/DSC_0055.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117815465401632178" border="0" /></a>Huuuugs!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaw4ySD78Q8DhBQNvcOQHLqi0-KEySGHpPPgftk6lLB1ahCj3KcEOBR6p6yJ3nu54x98CkeHOc4xj7kIsTiQ7kIqyDYtFeD6vKl-Ct6F3Yco5Nn1BDscErWnAp7rlnlcUysixZZPsUfW5p/s1600-h/DSC02326.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaw4ySD78Q8DhBQNvcOQHLqi0-KEySGHpPPgftk6lLB1ahCj3KcEOBR6p6yJ3nu54x98CkeHOc4xj7kIsTiQ7kIqyDYtFeD6vKl-Ct6F3Yco5Nn1BDscErWnAp7rlnlcUysixZZPsUfW5p/s320/DSC02326.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117815147574052258" border="0" /></a>Im in ur marckets maeking a mockery of UO outreech programz<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwugdWxWQbHhmCQeef7PsmjzHmztwNNSEejml81BBK_vr5J_rTaCfuznrAse67yM7vhgPYL87RPW-GyWzQ9XuyTt-1VQsyZb57AfSHAweddge0zyb7_DztyFM016XfL24UDWMJY_stc3ZK/s1600-h/DSC_0016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwugdWxWQbHhmCQeef7PsmjzHmztwNNSEejml81BBK_vr5J_rTaCfuznrAse67yM7vhgPYL87RPW-GyWzQ9XuyTt-1VQsyZb57AfSHAweddge0zyb7_DztyFM016XfL24UDWMJY_stc3ZK/s320/DSC_0016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117815010135098770" border="0" /></a>Sad hutong kitteh... iz sad.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLeXm0HcZRwejLBSLsunpeS-4rSNiwmgAtIp3I33uumTa8tYm9cHdRX5CAae1Hwsapd-OW2n0EAAii3rjk-JYX2L-4Zk53JswLpzsI4lOprjixun9qq1K5k5EtqyLiyzZ2VTBnwwSlKRB/s1600-h/DSC_0053.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLeXm0HcZRwejLBSLsunpeS-4rSNiwmgAtIp3I33uumTa8tYm9cHdRX5CAae1Hwsapd-OW2n0EAAii3rjk-JYX2L-4Zk53JswLpzsI4lOprjixun9qq1K5k5EtqyLiyzZ2VTBnwwSlKRB/s320/DSC_0053.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117814868401177986" border="0" /></a>O knee how! Pinyin Kitteh halps dumm laowai!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-75562610970370159922007-10-04T01:31:00.000-07:002007-10-04T02:23:11.203-07:00Qianmen, day twoIt seemed this morning that Ted and I had began to face the dreaded traveler's burn out. You know, that feeling that you've already seen a lot of things in a city, and its gotten to the point where you no longer wake up instantly with a destination in mind for the day. This morning we had that feeling, as we were clueless about what to do today as we shopped at our local corner store for some essentials and picked up some more delicious tamarind bread (which Ted described on his blog) for breakfast from the hutong.<br /><br />But while we sat and drank our morning cha (jasmine tea), we both agreed that we should head down to the Qianmen area again. No, we didn't want to go back for the expensive duck, but instead were intrigued by something we had seen the day before.<br /><br />It was this: a billboard for a new shopping mall, which is to be completed in a hutong style. While it was hard to tell through the gates what exactly had been there before as it had been entirely cleared out for <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiBLjpxgV9S-DX_-Ejqvj3SbXjwACLiz9XrfvU7mnl7diTq8IXrXoRaGhQxAYLFE9EyNfdtIAqxtnI5qLONb6OLTXk0hvLFanCQx0ADFOlXD2PMRG4v0tzEF8wYrjd4BiyfdOSLJRRyn-/s1600-h/DSC_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiBLjpxgV9S-DX_-Ejqvj3SbXjwACLiz9XrfvU7mnl7diTq8IXrXoRaGhQxAYLFE9EyNfdtIAqxtnI5qLONb6OLTXk0hvLFanCQx0ADFOlXD2PMRG4v0tzEF8wYrjd4BiyfdOSLJRRyn-/s320/DSC_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117406975357076786" border="0" /></a>construction, I had heard about sections of Qianmen (historic sections none the less) being torn down to make way for a pedestrian mall as part of an overall city improvement plan to ready Beijing for the Olympics, so we thought we would go down and take a look for ourselves what was happening at the site.<br /><br />What we saw was quite astounding. While this shopping mall was in no way a sporting venue for the games, it had Olympic logos, complete with Olympic mascots and the Paralympics logo pasted all over the walls which hide the construction site from view. They also showed a computer generated image of what the mall would look like, complete with a trolley system and a multi-cultural <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGRD8h8auAJFDUjZKbWQkahI4HGSHiKNiUch3mS-bN0sN3B-OpKA1a4fY_huwJSpGSrvc_hfzAAFzJDhW1yCfI1VpTrscD-_QtWJi8h6NVkVfnW3aLfVYeBcQRcwckZ3ZVATIMlerAVma/s1600-h/DSC_0004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGRD8h8auAJFDUjZKbWQkahI4HGSHiKNiUch3mS-bN0sN3B-OpKA1a4fY_huwJSpGSrvc_hfzAAFzJDhW1yCfI1VpTrscD-_QtWJi8h6NVkVfnW3aLfVYeBcQRcwckZ3ZVATIMlerAVma/s320/DSC_0004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117407297479624002" border="0" /></a>shoppers. A similar wall around the corner states "All brands coexist harmoniously: Ideal ancient streetscape for tourists".<br /><br />Uh-oh. I could see the biggest no-no known to preservations in the making. To a preservationist, tearing down a historic building is bad enough, but building fake disney-fied ones to replace them? Even worse. It is widely accepted internationally that preservation, no matter what the intention, should make it clear which buildings and building sections are originals, and which are new additions or structures. This way, no one is fooled into believing that something is a historic form when it is clearly a reproduction.<br /><br />But what is happening in Beijing is that the hutong, which was once a non-deserving form that was thrown to the wayside of economic growth, has now been targeted as a huge moneymaker for the city of <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNdRn3JvVTp-sHMvzBkHj3KEZTW_I8mxF5-NZJa-xQz6UHYrWlNRwZ5o4DLO4Btbs0BSVRDda01XFe3O1pC02mLn6SUEiUzQQBYyiRMkHIEF3dh93bYQwCsLUfRFVJ97hkSP22vsP6JAk/s1600-h/DSC_0025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNdRn3JvVTp-sHMvzBkHj3KEZTW_I8mxF5-NZJa-xQz6UHYrWlNRwZ5o4DLO4Btbs0BSVRDda01XFe3O1pC02mLn6SUEiUzQQBYyiRMkHIEF3dh93bYQwCsLUfRFVJ97hkSP22vsP6JAk/s320/DSC_0025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117407967494522194" border="0" /></a>Beijing. As more and more international-looking, forgettable skyscrapers fill the landscape of Beijing, any and all historic structures, including the hutong, are now bringing in loads of money acting as tourist destinations. International tourists, who can see big buildings anywhere (and whom I know didn't come for the pollution), come to Beijing for the historic value of this place. There is history everywhere, and as the government has recently realized, there is also valuable history in the vernacular form of the siheyuan and the winding hutongs that give a glimpse into imperial life hundreds of years ago.<br /><br />Now that this realization has occurred, it has almost been to the detriment of these areas, especially those in close proximity to larger cultural sites, as seen at Qianmen. And who knows what is in store for the bombed-out areas I showed you yesterday: they could be luxury apartments, luxury siheyuan (which, by the way, sell for over $1.3 million US), or could be a part of this retail development down the street. With all of these walls up blocking what is really going on at these sites, hidden by phrases such as "600 years of commerce" and Beijing 2008 logos, it is hard to tell at this time what the future holds for Qianmen.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L6vVCXObeKVB21G0bzmMS0J92QGCOPb0FLiy6F4oloRLDOHYCx0zKJ5Plz7_yVRoMp2_zCWTGnWH44FrhImFWM3VLTT8VI3Huu_8HGSSYAKV3-Y72ZLAp8YIqPBZ2vMCPvQFqSMmLK8x/s1600-h/DSC_0050.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L6vVCXObeKVB21G0bzmMS0J92QGCOPb0FLiy6F4oloRLDOHYCx0zKJ5Plz7_yVRoMp2_zCWTGnWH44FrhImFWM3VLTT8VI3Huu_8HGSSYAKV3-Y72ZLAp8YIqPBZ2vMCPvQFqSMmLK8x/s320/DSC_0050.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117408628919485794" border="0" /></a><br />But on a more pleasant note, Ted and I did get to see the Temple of Heaven, which was beautiful in the morning light. There were roses everywhere of all different varieties, and the park was full of beautiful green grass and perfectly planted trees. We followed this up with a nice, cheap lunch in the alley (eating like the locals do, and at the local price - 71 yuan), and made the long trip home, stumbling north through the Xidan shopping district and financial street. Tomorrow we rest in the park, if the weather permits - it started raining just now ...Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-88661223522848852522007-10-03T04:53:00.000-07:002007-10-03T05:58:46.672-07:00Qianmen and the quest for Peking duckAfter our depressing day at the zoo yesterday, Ted an I decided that we needed the ultimate pick-me-up: a traditional Peking duck meal. Ted, being the ultimate foodie, had already researched where to get the best duck in town, and declared we would head down to the Qianmen neighborhood in search of this culinary delight.<br /><br />On the way we couldn't help but stop by Tienanmen Square again, as there were only thousands of people there today in contrast with the millions on national day. But to tell you the truth, we were drawn to the area by catching a glimpse of <a href="http://www.nationalgrandtheater.com/english/index.htm">this</a> sight through a hutong:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQ1jhUCR0ym04qyhasd188ACsE5mkkO_slWNkRLKQkprW0fg7A1tflflFHL4iCPG_0HH5f5T7Xxq06-GYJF9TgcLsCwHBctVHoWWZHaHnQscRsF81fbnwRjx469gz9vANyy_p2coGoC9o/s1600-h/DSC_0006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQ1jhUCR0ym04qyhasd188ACsE5mkkO_slWNkRLKQkprW0fg7A1tflflFHL4iCPG_0HH5f5T7Xxq06-GYJF9TgcLsCwHBctVHoWWZHaHnQscRsF81fbnwRjx469gz9vANyy_p2coGoC9o/s320/DSC_0006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117079196337947826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE2tq_Y48WLUQyfwXZleFjz_P2wMNaYUWxW6JK_yex0MMRYfLZzmBk3F8zXGkvXtZnLjyGGbDmTilVNDYmFhcsFOEPD_1MGJF8bFYn7SUrCyI3LzWYSgeHad_goVCVIPrlMwFR2NnVHsP/s1600-h/DSC_0016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRE2tq_Y48WLUQyfwXZleFjz_P2wMNaYUWxW6JK_yex0MMRYfLZzmBk3F8zXGkvXtZnLjyGGbDmTilVNDYmFhcsFOEPD_1MGJF8bFYn7SUrCyI3LzWYSgeHad_goVCVIPrlMwFR2NnVHsP/s320/DSC_0016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117079771863565522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It was the new national theater which was just completed this year, and Ted and I couldn't help but be drawn to it like a fat kid to a twinkie. I have to say, it looked beautiful in the pollution filtered morning light, as Chinese tourists walked around its moat taking in the sight before moving on to the Great Hall of the People. Complete with Egyptian-inspired papyrus bundle capitals and red flags waving for national week, the building was quite impressive, and made a powerful impact upon the square.<br /><br />The square itself is also quite impressive, as it is surrounded by massive government buildings that were built to inspire. There are also monuments to laborers on the square which flank Chairman Mao's mausoleum, which was closed for the day. Too bad, considering I got all worked up to see the man after being offered the coolest item I've spotted in Beijing thus far: the Chairman Mao watch, complete with "solute to the people" action, as demonstrated on Ted's blog.<br /><br />After completing the tourist's loop of the monuments, we shuffled through the crowds to get to the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall. A magnet for laowai like ourselves, we joined other white tourists to see all of th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2IS1TynlxjLBEDqJxVM6nyC1x-CPTykrDqQPE9m7W-j5wfdUTWyZHbLkuxcq8XiE9PeLr7VnYno57opDiWxXBejD2HSmdQPJVr9Xk0dQE_jmYmOldM0N3m0KtN79woOWAjlDEhG73ezg/s1600-h/DSC_0111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2IS1TynlxjLBEDqJxVM6nyC1x-CPTykrDqQPE9m7W-j5wfdUTWyZHbLkuxcq8XiE9PeLr7VnYno57opDiWxXBejD2HSmdQPJVr9Xk0dQE_jmYmOldM0N3m0KtN79woOWAjlDEhG73ezg/s320/DSC_0111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117084255809422562" border="0" /></a>e wonderful plans that Beijing has for the future. Or we all just came to see the huge model of the city of Beijing. Whatever.<br /><br />Covering a whole floor, the model shows every little detail of metropolitan Beijing. But being the history nerd I am, I was immediately drawn to the preservation section of the planning hall, which went into detail about the evolution of preservation agendas implemented by the municipal government. It was very informative, so I took a picture of every single display they had, models of siheyuan and all (siheyuan are the traditional courtyard houses of the hutong).<br /><br />Being that I was inspired by the planning hall, Ted and I decided to swing through the Qianmen hutongs to get a glimpse of th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjFaosTQjPi9BVvK7YGIhEryoGT1hHaZ2muQ-elAVoBf2avZyonCxxIN3TIDpDtgPPcp9pj3SfK4L3P-8MrTwCQpZ7ch64FZFgauJJvHwPG1jYrELEPUozfQtObFyVL4ZnJufvRp0KfIC/s1600-h/DSC_0119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjFaosTQjPi9BVvK7YGIhEryoGT1hHaZ2muQ-elAVoBf2avZyonCxxIN3TIDpDtgPPcp9pj3SfK4L3P-8MrTwCQpZ7ch64FZFgauJJvHwPG1jYrELEPUozfQtObFyVL4ZnJufvRp0KfIC/s320/DSC_0119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117086424767907074" border="0" /></a>e neighborhoods that inspired my thesis topic, which was an eye opening experience. As you can see, it looked as if a bomb went off in these areas, as walls were missing, bricks were wearing away, and the streets hadn't even been paved, which is a luxury that most hutongs have been afforded over the years in Beijing. What was even more interesting is that we had entered from a back area that was not blocked off, but it was obviously a construction zone. It was hard to tell what kind of work they were doing, but by comparing it to work that had already been done on the main street to the west, they were preparing to build a wall in front of the homes to block them from view.<br /><br />Seeing this, and then immediately walking onto the main street where they had constructed new walls in attempt to hide the homes from view was a huge wake-up call. Ted and I had seen many new walls around the city and got small glimpses here and there of the crumbling buildings behind them, but we had not yet actually walked behind any of these walls to see the utter destruction that lay behind them. In our little hutong the hom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZKHNfOUAEt65pjnXZoCSnD9hlPrxykrlYy3WS19mWAFNzMnd5jyDUXasdvwHLAM6RyizMH6frKNMkbP06XoscGgp7ziHp_yuq-yAXxod2WcrGgldzBm-ON6LRsDqLauHG2Gglvx5NKPa/s1600-h/DSC_0124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZKHNfOUAEt65pjnXZoCSnD9hlPrxykrlYy3WS19mWAFNzMnd5jyDUXasdvwHLAM6RyizMH6frKNMkbP06XoscGgp7ziHp_yuq-yAXxod2WcrGgldzBm-ON6LRsDqLauHG2Gglvx5NKPa/s320/DSC_0124.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117088469172339986" border="0" /></a>es are fairly run down, and also stand behind new walls that hide the true state of the structures, but it comes nothing close to this. We found out today that our hutong is actually one of the protected areas under a new conservation plan in Beijing, which means that new buildings going up here are in the old style, and the ones that remain are kept in at least standing condition. Here, who knows what will happen to these structures, how long they have been ignored, and if people will continue to live here in the future. I do have to admit though that I laughed most of the way through the hutong, as the construction workers got a kick out of the laowai walking through that part of town, laughing at us and saying hello. Those Beijingers and their sense of humor ...<br /><br />After trekking down to Tienanmen and Qianmen, Ted and I had worked up an appetite, and decided upon a place in a still-standing and decent hutong a little west of the bomb site seen above to dine on duck. While we really got the laowai price (240 yuan! What?), we also got one superb meal that we will still be drooling about when we get home. I took a picture so we could share it all with you:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCMNqKnivhAZbwNp8xQ4VdurhRXY43w27JN-LazowpWB194mppVuLX454HYEKYygD-LBXm6zCPtOOhGI43vXphl_A5ro6yTLFSlpsHxEJazj637ex8CzBIjC28KjzPsDCx5tfuWhCNAm0/s1600-h/DSC_0130.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCMNqKnivhAZbwNp8xQ4VdurhRXY43w27JN-LazowpWB194mppVuLX454HYEKYygD-LBXm6zCPtOOhGI43vXphl_A5ro6yTLFSlpsHxEJazj637ex8CzBIjC28KjzPsDCx5tfuWhCNAm0/s320/DSC_0130.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117089963820959010" border="0" /></a><br />The one and only Peking duck, sliced table side, with plum sauce, pancakes, what we identified as slivered daikon radish, cucumber bites doused in vinegar dressing, duck soup made from the leftovers after slicing, and no meal would be complete without a glass (or six) of Tsingtao. Enjoy!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-13125815014490750942007-10-02T04:28:00.000-07:002007-10-02T05:07:36.387-07:00I know people use the phrase "concrete jungle", but come on ...You want to know what the saddest thing in Beijing is? Let me show you:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1uXWY3mcwDjlW25eh1RN6Bi3aZ3gX6qdKL1V6YChYPX1eA377Ud2-OlPvpe1F0YBSGWwMgN8jUkQDXb2C8XfXTxmFQuVOlMzXk_Y3MPAgSXemq_Fwa1pI6bOYp8VeHeIRVE8pyWRzU-m/s1600-h/DSC_0084.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1uXWY3mcwDjlW25eh1RN6Bi3aZ3gX6qdKL1V6YChYPX1eA377Ud2-OlPvpe1F0YBSGWwMgN8jUkQDXb2C8XfXTxmFQuVOlMzXk_Y3MPAgSXemq_Fwa1pI6bOYp8VeHeIRVE8pyWRzU-m/s320/DSC_0084.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116700384517407858" border="0" /></a><br />That's right, folks. Right in the midst of boundless pride associated with national week, Ted and I witnessed one sad excuse of a zoo today at the Beijing Zoo. While we had heard that the place was ghetto fabulous and the admission was only 20 yuan <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KrA8_F2835HOMrTEH9Eh-HOeJv3eufqSivFRwnS06GJlyYR0YXx-fNvk3uSvLpXuruGk4adK_M6dkzXtc4oAU0BxnXNjvdZB3fGKbP5qa7RIVTthFhUMNPnLbizzKSu1xb17lj2H6Frb/s1600-h/DSC_0039.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KrA8_F2835HOMrTEH9Eh-HOeJv3eufqSivFRwnS06GJlyYR0YXx-fNvk3uSvLpXuruGk4adK_M6dkzXtc4oAU0BxnXNjvdZB3fGKbP5qa7RIVTthFhUMNPnLbizzKSu1xb17lj2H6Frb/s320/DSC_0039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116702609310467218" border="0" /></a>(compared to the 100 yuan for the new aquarium), we still thought it would be worth the walk to see the pandas and such at the largest zoo in China.<br /><br />Well, I guess you get what you pay for. Not only did we get to see exotic animal species such as nutria and skunks, but we also got to see animals in exquisite cages which included such luxury items as fake plants and painted backgrounds. As Ted put it, you could just see the designer saying, "They're just stupid animals; they can<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UAboxNgUaoMtuzYFfbPqTjKxP2KZWnHJ4mAej2IswPUXaAG-j_ozusDtenAUTuwqM6_ojsUmfTbECjPo6tlmZ3K0Gd9ZDUl2yIHyGI_cEdJbM45XuYcnQbanXz_t48dvK3EJQVJHFScn/s1600-h/DSC_0093.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UAboxNgUaoMtuzYFfbPqTjKxP2KZWnHJ4mAej2IswPUXaAG-j_ozusDtenAUTuwqM6_ojsUmfTbECjPo6tlmZ3K0Gd9ZDUl2yIHyGI_cEdJbM45XuYcnQbanXz_t48dvK3EJQVJHFScn/s320/DSC_0093.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116702317252691074" border="0" /></a>'t tell the difference if it is real or painted on!" But the worst was probably a tie between the big cat house and the nocturnal animals. As you can see, the big cats all looked like they wanted to die: they were either curled up in a corner or pacing furiously, looking as if they wanted to tear the head off of every last one of the gawking zoo goers. The nocturnal animal house featured cracked windows which looked like they had been patched with spackle and animals that were traumatized by endless flash photography and screaming children. Don't worry though, there was a sign saying there was no smoking allowed.<br /><br />Other wonderful interactions witnessed at the zoo were children throwing trash and food into the open enclosures, a man throwing rocks at a sick wolf that was missing one ear, and a man tapping on the glass of the outer cage for polecats, which were all housed in cages ... inside the glass enclosure.<br /><br />Even as sad as those images are, the worst thing witnessed on the day was at the bear enclosure. Looking depressed and hungry, one bear began to paw at a cracker that a kid threw down into the mud and concrete enclosure. I kid you not, there was a construction zone directly behind t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVrotxTJvJQzF3AKfNFzUfUhJfNDoAI6mZMzOkSxDcILZ08T-_FhM3fzwuNxvySCkZb9tqjmRz6Chewm27vAlbhmVHoZLth9jZ54hFPnTgr_CnKJrm2WSFpVjdoG7FqNSfnYqgf2LtPUk/s1600-h/DSC_0072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVrotxTJvJQzF3AKfNFzUfUhJfNDoAI6mZMzOkSxDcILZ08T-_FhM3fzwuNxvySCkZb9tqjmRz6Chewm27vAlbhmVHoZLth9jZ54hFPnTgr_CnKJrm2WSFpVjdoG7FqNSfnYqgf2LtPUk/s320/DSC_0072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116706298687374498" border="0" /></a>he bears, concrete was everywhere, the only "natural" thing there was dirty looking water in the corner, the trees were even surrounded by concrete, and the bear sat there, trying to paw a cracker out of the mud.<br /><br />As sad as it was, Ted and I decided to go check out the main attraction before heading home, the giant panda house. While these enclosures had obviously had more time and effort put into their construction, the pandas were so put off my the chaos and flashbulbs surrounding them that they sat facing the back wall of their enclosures as to avoid the herd of pushing gawkers and small children, all being yelled at by some dude with a megaphone who was probably there to control the crowd.<br /><br />So what we thought was going to be a nice half day at the zoo turned out to be the downer of the week. After seeing such horrible enclosures and depressed animals, we couldn't help but take it home with us, as we haven't stopped a second to catch our breath from the time our plane landed this weekend. Needless to say, we spent the second half of the afternoon relaxing on the roof of the hostel, reading, emailing, and soaking in the sun of what was the most beautiful day so far of our stay in Beijing. Yes, we could even see the moon and some clouds, which was a first, as we usually can't even see the sun on an average day because the pollution is so bad.<br /><br />After some much needed relaxation and some store-bought soup with steamed buns from the hutong, I think we will be ready to hit the streets again tomorrow.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-13385613836194408092007-10-01T05:25:00.000-07:002007-10-01T05:29:33.658-07:00Update: we can finally see our blogs!... but who knows how long it will last. Ted and I have had a lot of fun navigating the blogger interface with everything in Chinese characters and all, and have finally figured out how to access our pages, and therefore comments, at the moment. But we have also noticed that we have not been able to access, up to this point, other .blogspot pages linked from google searches, so who knows how this development happened, or how long it will last.<br /><br />But we do love to read your comments, either in China or when we get home, so please drop us a line!Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-86607927623815573682007-10-01T03:03:00.000-07:002007-10-01T03:41:13.097-07:00It's National Day!What a day! Let's just set the mood with this picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZphIruwqeLqJyaKMVOuEsraaPg_JYSDIckb5xSiwveTHi74WXmXIGHSFU5T8TXzCMi76r5f4wD6EXPMziXm9DHf01ydpNOnZZKHFB0E1NPzDv6OSbHWamRUKP7KNDezwvyQO8dhR8nB8H/s1600-h/DSC_0116.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZphIruwqeLqJyaKMVOuEsraaPg_JYSDIckb5xSiwveTHi74WXmXIGHSFU5T8TXzCMi76r5f4wD6EXPMziXm9DHf01ydpNOnZZKHFB0E1NPzDv6OSbHWamRUKP7KNDezwvyQO8dhR8nB8H/s320/DSC_0116.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116307661297796146" border="0" /></a>But before we got all flag-waving and patriotic in Tienanmen Square, we started our day early at the Xi Dan shopping district, just west of the Forbidden City.<br /><br />Shopping in Beijing is a little tricky, because it is hard to know when you should haggle. While one mall in the district will have much more chic items that seem to be set in their price, other malls next door will sell lower quality goods to younger shoppers, and are much more flexible with their pricing policy. Even with this hurdle, Ted still managed to buy me a compact mirror with an elephant on it using his limited Mandarin. I would be lost and starving at this point without his knowledge of some key phrases, although I can count to ten now, ask how much something costs, and most importantly, know that I am a "laowai".<br /><br />"Laowai" means foreigner in Mandarin, and no, it's not of the "Head Games" and "Cold as Ice" variety. It is the "Oh my God, what planet do blonde people come from?" type of foreigner. With National Week beginning today, Chinese tourists from around the country have poured into the city to see the ancient monuments, but seem much more taken aback by my blonde hair and blue eyes. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9HidZrifL504d1UEkk6g09TpN25OOmvs2RE262TgKD7bk0-22SPEJ857jwI0nCEw6wV3rvr83c9sJw1OrTRsYDr5BfPHjWkxvDAf9CeuHPWINrk84QdPhUByNujVIsRLGKifiG8eoe7F/s1600-h/DSC_0088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9HidZrifL504d1UEkk6g09TpN25OOmvs2RE262TgKD7bk0-22SPEJ857jwI0nCEw6wV3rvr83c9sJw1OrTRsYDr5BfPHjWkxvDAf9CeuHPWINrk84QdPhUByNujVIsRLGKifiG8eoe7F/s320/DSC_0088.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116313167445869634" border="0" /></a>One family in Tienanmen Square insisted that I pose for a photo with their young, adorable daughter, both of us waving small Chinese flags. Even earlier in the Forbidden City, I thought I was in the way of a photo being taken by an elderly woman, when in fact she was taking a photo of me. Once I realized what she was after, Ted and I posed for a nice picture for her to show her family. I also saw her snap a more candid shot as Ted and I were walking away ... she just couldn't get herself enough "laowai" for one day.<br /><br />But as Ted pointed out to me, it is a point of pride to many people that young foreigners come all the way across the world to see their great culture. Walking around the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square with literally millions of Chinese people from around the country, we felt like we were sharing in their national pride and their celebration, rather than imposing on their special day. Many people, seeing that we were Americans, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YjhhAOKaEB75Acyw1t_wM057CF9BCMqGk0ysnvpnnGlhoaxeib1l0eoryFW3qJGBxW_xu_WoBzUYqHv1Ao8FW37Iv34ZuHYZVYR25u80y1gDNmvGcyt5RXXY8wrWPVWLkGbqFLiQAQ5k/s1600-h/DSC_0112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YjhhAOKaEB75Acyw1t_wM057CF9BCMqGk0ysnvpnnGlhoaxeib1l0eoryFW3qJGBxW_xu_WoBzUYqHv1Ao8FW37Iv34ZuHYZVYR25u80y1gDNmvGcyt5RXXY8wrWPVWLkGbqFLiQAQ5k/s320/DSC_0112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116313472388547666" border="0" /></a>would tell us "Hello", to which we would answer "Nihao," drawing huge smiles. My favorite thing to do was say "Nihao" to some of the cute kids on the street, who would be waving their flags, reveling in the celebration. While many were stunned by the big blonde walking by, their parents would smile and laugh, and tell them to say "Hello" back, clearly enjoying the exchange.<br /><br />Today really made me re-think some common perceptions that people back home have of China and the Chinese people in general. What has surprised me throughout our short time in Beijing thus far has been how warmly people have received us throughout the city. While we stick out like a sore thumb without trying, even the smallest efforts on our part to use Mandarin words and phrases here and there does wonders for eliminating the "laowai" stigma. Often Ted and I see <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUWd__bOwjKIiIj4ALr9BK2xhavKARcDLNdl0SqQjO4fpDVYYcotd4q6BNuwCV1ur8KO6YcZnwpbuk1rcKDBHuo7ibxKN6Mf4l69upu4_HO2cxXhTuU0yKMr2Lt5yts-h5Y7yNZ_z6k_O/s1600-h/DSC_0119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUWd__bOwjKIiIj4ALr9BK2xhavKARcDLNdl0SqQjO4fpDVYYcotd4q6BNuwCV1ur8KO6YcZnwpbuk1rcKDBHuo7ibxKN6Mf4l69upu4_HO2cxXhTuU0yKMr2Lt5yts-h5Y7yNZ_z6k_O/s320/DSC_0119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116315761606116450" border="0" /></a>other tourists from Germany, France, Australia, and the US, and even we try to avoid them as much as possible. They seem very set in their comfort zone, demanding that their Chinese hosts accomodate them as much as possible so that their vacation is as sanitized as possible. But one will find that when you are willing to meet Beijingers half way, it not only makes the interaction easier for everyone, but also seems to lighten the mood and make everyone involved smile and laugh. What's better than that?Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-75399030807357924542007-09-30T15:05:00.000-07:002007-09-30T15:29:37.497-07:00Filling in the gap ...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE2U713rUhZz9KXi2FJpllwlPqgoIqTUpCV0YQ-Kh8ir47iaC7OCpCrXpDg7c3r_WN9KfKSi54HiabQEMxdqCRIO0lJKCnqPZz0MTn6AU0tT6lzLdrWckJkurk5TYbWqXavuNjoUrtSp4/s1600-h/DSC_0138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE2U713rUhZz9KXi2FJpllwlPqgoIqTUpCV0YQ-Kh8ir47iaC7OCpCrXpDg7c3r_WN9KfKSi54HiabQEMxdqCRIO0lJKCnqPZz0MTn6AU0tT6lzLdrWckJkurk5TYbWqXavuNjoUrtSp4/s320/DSC_0138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116122608336880642" border="0" /></a><br />So far, I know I've only talked briefly about first impressions and posted some of our first photos, so I thought I would describe Beijing a little bit more for those of you stateside.<br /><br />Despite what people may think, Beijing is a very friendly, laid back town. People here, while enjoying ripping us off for 10 cents here and 5 cents there, seem to put up with us few anglo tourists with great patience and a necessary sense of humor.<br /><br />The people are also very social. While you will see individuals mulling down the streets to get here or there, most of the time people here are in groups, or with close friends or family members. It is not out of the ordinary to see a daughter or son escorting an elderly grandparent to go shopping or to go walking in the park, a young couple playing with their adorable little children, or best friends, no matter what sex, walking arm in arm or hand in hand.<br /><br />Games are also very popular, especially with the older gentlemen. Walk by open doorways at night in the hutongs, and you will see cards, dominoes, and go games which will draw crowds of onlookers to take in the action. These games are played everywhere, from the park to the street outside their shop.<br /><br />While Beijing is a fantastic city with a lot of things to see, walking around the city can be daunting at times because of the pollution and the sheer scale. City blocks are very big, and what looks to be a short distance on the map will take hours to trek. Yesterday alone Ted and I walked for about seven hours, but as always, Beijing by foot is the best way to experience the city. Why? Because it is only off of the main streets do you find the hutong, which are a world unto themselves in Beijing. I don't have any pictures yet to really show you what it is like, but let's just say that the noise from the streets fades far away as hordes of shoppers come to these back alleys for everyday goods. Need some used shoes, fresh vegetables, or delicious baozi? Everything can be found in these tiny little alleys, which are well-trafficked during the day, and off-the-hook crazy at night.<br /><br />Even though it is raining today, Ted and I are still going to brave the crowds to visit the Forbidden City on the National Day. And because we are taking in the local traditions, we are going to make a stop at one of the biggest shopping districts in Beijing, Xi Dan. Check out Ted's blog later to see some of the best products we could find.<br /><br />Bye for now!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkky8kzHo1LW8mMyH-zFmz6C2sDg5oFNgdMgy9_YigqeogA40ChQnTXYVz9kloePljZJJju6W8YuKMR1NjkeoxPlQvtMmWe2Xy49e6ONUB4Fjd2ZY2N6cLaqt__XwoJmXnXawXyl5vkn-/s1600-h/DSC_0136.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkky8kzHo1LW8mMyH-zFmz6C2sDg5oFNgdMgy9_YigqeogA40ChQnTXYVz9kloePljZJJju6W8YuKMR1NjkeoxPlQvtMmWe2Xy49e6ONUB4Fjd2ZY2N6cLaqt__XwoJmXnXawXyl5vkn-/s320/DSC_0136.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116127526074434594" border="0" /></a>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-43674978513368725942007-09-30T03:00:00.000-07:002007-09-30T03:25:48.097-07:00We finally got our luggage: here are the pictures to prove it ...We were up on our hotel's rooftop terrace when we found out the good news ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKBS5zF3WvghPAPM28sz9-bVRdDDceRSYHHmTXta62d7QHu9UUSlLK_RIGpUiHX48gQtvG7jHymJMExmEnpBUJz68h7vpvZq1M3XJKpzr4kjjQjKouLMEtLdslN2JG2dSKU2m1vJTMVy-/s1600-h/DSC_0042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKBS5zF3WvghPAPM28sz9-bVRdDDceRSYHHmTXta62d7QHu9UUSlLK_RIGpUiHX48gQtvG7jHymJMExmEnpBUJz68h7vpvZq1M3XJKpzr4kjjQjKouLMEtLdslN2JG2dSKU2m1vJTMVy-/s320/DSC_0042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115935742899766178" border="0" /></a>so we decided to hit the streets, where we came across the Drum Tower where Ted got friendly with the locals.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1lg9lIVlxKfst8mMyhJ52oYfRYEz7qvB8lqLZHsdqPXX_zi4TPoF_0SRnToPlUzi0Y22itrD9tDjqinafeEa6KDQYsCcD2rlL6LY1VmRDQDz0BVtLVR_YQZ0QRepKG63dv7MuJJXJB7w/s1600-h/DSC_0071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1lg9lIVlxKfst8mMyhJ52oYfRYEz7qvB8lqLZHsdqPXX_zi4TPoF_0SRnToPlUzi0Y22itrD9tDjqinafeEa6KDQYsCcD2rlL6LY1VmRDQDz0BVtLVR_YQZ0QRepKG63dv7MuJJXJB7w/s320/DSC_0071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115936593303290802" border="0" /></a><br />The view was amazing ... or at least it would have been if it weren't for the smog ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0FGxTTI0rrke5oP9Qn1D-Xb-liWjc_S746ASWzgbdVUrtBLqmkQI7Jcx9EHxiczUaeRcx6axlBLV3ZU9-35qLf_0IXaBDBm6kHKsEvByPPEnTlIhNghqKknkwBysXqY0p6Va6487Rr4b/s1600-h/DSC_0119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0FGxTTI0rrke5oP9Qn1D-Xb-liWjc_S746ASWzgbdVUrtBLqmkQI7Jcx9EHxiczUaeRcx6axlBLV3ZU9-35qLf_0IXaBDBm6kHKsEvByPPEnTlIhNghqKknkwBysXqY0p6Va6487Rr4b/s320/DSC_0119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115937611210539970" border="0" /></a>but we had a great time anyway. After that, we ended up wandering towards Houhai Lake, where we found China's answer to Tenacious D ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeQ4YNSM1FRuzik45IjjgtJn6zzfb3G3tATVotW0engWH5PGSLSL8RIhz_2H91LpXv1bBdhBefr0jSBjPwTu9avf5YJQqZFhsOE1V3wp2_TzuVvQJPV4Rn9yraM6xRT3mpS_RI2QbMHID/s1600-h/DSC_0148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeQ4YNSM1FRuzik45IjjgtJn6zzfb3G3tATVotW0engWH5PGSLSL8RIhz_2H91LpXv1bBdhBefr0jSBjPwTu9avf5YJQqZFhsOE1V3wp2_TzuVvQJPV4Rn9yraM6xRT3mpS_RI2QbMHID/s320/DSC_0148.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115938581873148882" border="0" /></a>which made us want to get some more exercise. Luckily, you can find these jazzercise palaces in little corners of Beijing ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXmD7ypqeC9xuhs4SX8X29_KRAvbEhp2gowYK8uxXyp2U8APDOh1j-lDqTOVxRBLkq7XN-UtmE0BrMLgX2_KzFcc4M-7fDJh3_QhkRg1-vUfblzZ-gH_Yw0FvuQC_NIJBkJOuqr-Ct9yT/s1600-h/DSC_0145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXmD7ypqeC9xuhs4SX8X29_KRAvbEhp2gowYK8uxXyp2U8APDOh1j-lDqTOVxRBLkq7XN-UtmE0BrMLgX2_KzFcc4M-7fDJh3_QhkRg1-vUfblzZ-gH_Yw0FvuQC_NIJBkJOuqr-Ct9yT/s320/DSC_0145.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115939312017589218" border="0" /></a>along with a starbucks next to the lake. How great is this place?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo3BhP1joWB0FpmJLlnIaYiCWSrEVvbrOGWGoNp1TBulP_9aaGL4c14PCN8vrPbD1i-oprMO09-S0XCUR3ewiYLyEHacskUaAXQ4ATnwujK2HGfokZ9UaJX0Uz3_iHF5UlcN0ilum1AAy/s1600-h/DSC_0154.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo3BhP1joWB0FpmJLlnIaYiCWSrEVvbrOGWGoNp1TBulP_9aaGL4c14PCN8vrPbD1i-oprMO09-S0XCUR3ewiYLyEHacskUaAXQ4ATnwujK2HGfokZ9UaJX0Uz3_iHF5UlcN0ilum1AAy/s320/DSC_0154.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115939831708632050" border="0" /></a>But tomorrow the fun really starts, as every one is getting ready for National Day. The flags are out and waving proudly, and there are even more men standing around on the street in ill-fitting uniforms than usual. We'll be going to Tienanmen to catch all of the patriotic action and get caught up in the national fervor.<br /><br />Also, if you want much more eloquent accounts of our travels, you can always go over to Ted's blog at http://www.flyingelephantexpress.blogspot.com. We can't read our blogs here in China (we haven't seen the great wall yet, but we've sure come across the great firewall), so you should. And as always, you can always email Ted or I if you want to keep in touch.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-50635664439022536602007-09-28T23:49:00.000-07:002007-09-29T00:23:41.450-07:00Could my feet be any dirtier?I couldn't have been in a worse mood when they told us that our tickets on the Air China flight did not exist.<br /><br />It had started with a canceled flight out of Eugene, then our e-tickets listed us coming back from Beijing but not going there, and on top of it all, before we could even make it to Beijing with our imaginary tickets, we had to stop over in that wonderful facility we all know and love, LAX. Because some of you may have eaten recently I won't go into the details, but let's just say that the public toilets in the hutongs of Old Beijing smell better, and that's saying a lot.<br /><br />While we finally got our seats and made the 1:40 AM flight, and even watched a touching story about an opera troupe who falls onto hard times before working their way back to the top while cruising over the pacific, little did we know that our whole two bags did not catch the same flight. Maybe they had imaginary e-tickets, too.<br /><br />So weary, tired, and sick with the worst head cold I've had in quite a few years, Ted and I decided to brave the streets of Beijing in clothes we have been wearing for I don't know how many days. Even though we stunk (and still do at this point, by the way) it didn't stop our first con from coming up to us right outside of the airport door asking if we wanted a taxi, only to attempt to lure us to the parking garage to his private car.<br /><br />But after hopping into a real cab, it was time to actually see what this whole China country was about. First impressions:<br /><br />1. Man, I miss the Oregon air. The smog is thick and you can taste the pollution, although it does do a heck of a job blocking the entire concrete jungle from view, which is nice when you are in the park.<br /><br />2. I think Ted needs a man purse. I have seen quite fashionable hordes of businessmen in khakis and polo shirts with very expensive leather purses, and to tell you the truth, they put my tacky cheap purse to shame.<br /><br />3. I love the park. Beihai Park is absolutely amazing. It has everything from roses, water lilies, and ancient architecture to knick knacks, cute old couples doing tai chi, and tango dancers. And weeping willows. Love it.<br /><br />4. Everyone thinks I'm hot. Ted likes to point out that every other man on the street stares at me, but I think he's just jealous that he's not getting all of the attention.<br /><br />5. Did I mention that the food was delicious? For 8 bucks (which was more than likely the jacked-up "laowai" price) Ted and I shared tea smoked duck, sichuan beef, and a Tsingtao, which hit the spot after walking around the park for hours.<br /><br />So for all of you in the fam who want to know, I'm doing fine, I'm staying safe, and yes, I'm having a great time. Despite the smog, some nasty smells here and there, and seeing a few hutongs being torn down just in our first day of travels, I've really enjoyed our time in Beijing so far. The people are very nice, the food is amazing, and what areas of the city are preserved are absolutely stunning.<br /><br />Because of the luggage situation Ted an I didn't have our cameras today, but I promise as soon as China Air delivers our bags, we'll be hitting the streets, snapping pictures, eating dumplings, and walking them off just as quickly as we shoved them into our mouths.<br /><br />And a note to Facebookers: apparently the Chinese government does not want us to access the site, so we may not be able to keep in touch that way. If you need to get a hold of Ted or I, just send us an old-fashioned email, OK?Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-9435872926058896332007-07-30T09:04:00.000-07:002007-07-30T09:14:07.358-07:00Finally back home ...Well, I ended up not being able to post before I left Australia, which was ok. My last day there consisted of buying a muffin for breakfast, catching the train, then riding on an airplane over the ocean for about 12 and a half hours, before catching another plane back to Portland.<br /><br />My time in Australia was fantastic, and it is still hard to believe today that I am back home, with absolutely nowhere to go. I feel like going and walking around the gardens or exploring other parts of the city before I have to tell myself that I am back in Eugene, and need to get back to work.<br /><br />To everyone in the family, I'm glad you enjoyed the blog, as I had a lot of fun writing for it each day. It was a great way for me to reflect on everything that I had done and seen on the day, and I'm happy to say that I'll be doing the same when Ted and I go to China in the fall as internet usage permits. We'll be there for a whole month, so keeping up on the blog will be the best way to have a peek into what we are up to on the other side of the world.<br /><br />As for the blog, I'm really going to scale it down, if not stop posting until China, as I know the few of you that do read this are bored by me in real life about constant talk of my thesis, and you don't need a second helping of it on the internet as well. But do come back starting at the end of September, as I'll be getting reading to head off to China for the time of my life with Ted in tow, and we should have a great adventure of which I want to share with you all, right here on the blog.<br /><br />And a big thanks to all the family members who sent me compliments ... I'm just glad I wasn't doing all of that typing for nothing! :)Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-5766673636310773122007-07-28T00:20:00.000-07:002007-07-28T01:36:31.372-07:00Day 7: Sydney<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklwTitG9NTUBh3qR4gg6MP13zyjhbmRwRRnGwGTLh1hpsPSJ59gneUGD6Kf6m-Yja_MXfPbNFSRBEArGz3BeSZkvmwNLw07SHy3-DemfUt5pAAXM0BLAM13umCP8IYTtrZGd7I4aASzNj/s1600-h/DSC_0004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklwTitG9NTUBh3qR4gg6MP13zyjhbmRwRRnGwGTLh1hpsPSJ59gneUGD6Kf6m-Yja_MXfPbNFSRBEArGz3BeSZkvmwNLw07SHy3-DemfUt5pAAXM0BLAM13umCP8IYTtrZGd7I4aASzNj/s320/DSC_0004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092147714861092898" border="0" /></a><br />Today was my last day in Sydney. It has been a great week, but I felt that I needed to go to the park one more time to get some work done, so I headed out early and caught the 8:10 train to Lindcombe so that I could see more of the armaments depot on the north end of the site.<br /><br />Once I arrived at the park it was much busier than usual, being the weekend and all. There were car clubs racing around the roads, bikers everywhere, and teenagers coming to use the sporting facilities with parents in tow. I'm glad I got to see the park in this way, as during the week it had been largely deserted except for the occasional couples on a stroll, a few bikers, and of course the workers from near-by office buildings mulling around the park.<br /><br />I don't know what it is, but I always seemed to get turned around in Australia. Maybe it is the whole below the equator thing, but I always feel like I am heading the right direction, and I will be going the exact opposite direction. This happened to me numerous times today, as I ended up in the suburb of Newington (which is south of the armaments depot), and when I was trying to find the ferry, I promptly walked myself all the way to the exact opposite tip of the park than were the ferry is located. That was loads of fun.<br /><br />But back to Newington, I finally found the armaments depot, and I had a lot of fun there. My camera ran out of batteries not that long after I got there, but I found the area fascinating, and was glad that I came on a Saturday, as it is only open on we<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3GREFkgtFuOdNDdciBcJt3ISZYwCGezF5P8fw-XcZrBMyC2Uh_2qL8N0A0sximvk9e4rFi72a1Gv_I9ZNgDQfZaBOUphKSVNNSXRTYCkiMzjYwlrBQTA9KURJrX60_foThp8RTf9kxas/s1600-h/DSC_0074.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3GREFkgtFuOdNDdciBcJt3ISZYwCGezF5P8fw-XcZrBMyC2Uh_2qL8N0A0sximvk9e4rFi72a1Gv_I9ZNgDQfZaBOUphKSVNNSXRTYCkiMzjYwlrBQTA9KURJrX60_foThp8RTf9kxas/s320/DSC_0074.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092151206669504562" border="0" /></a>ekends and holidays. There were a lot of people enjoying the area, which is fantastic considering it is right across the street from none other than the Silverwater Correctional Facility, with its four layers fencing and all. It was kind of crazy because there is fencing all around the depot, so you feel like you shouldn't be there until you can see the interpretive displays and street signs directing you around the area. It is even more confusing because some of the storage facilities would be roped off, but others you could approach and walk around, like the one you see to the left.<br /><br />Maybe one of the greatest things about the area was building 18, which looked very innocuous from the exterior. But upon the urging of one of the park rangers that just happened to be going by on his bike, I walked back to the building to find that it was an art gallery devoted to showing art that had been produced on site at the park. I guess that some of the old armory buildings are now used as art studios, and not only did they have art that had been produced on site, but it was also dedicated to telling the story of the transformation of this place from an industrial wasteland to a place of sport. It even outlined the more recent transition of the park from purely an international sporting facility into a community of athletes, artists, and adventure seekers.<br /><br />On the fringe of the depot, one of the buildings, adjacent to the cranes on the Parramatta river that were used to lift the arms out of the ships coming in from Sydney so they could be safely stored in one of the many bunkers on site, had been re-used as a cafe. There was beautiful river seating outside, which continued past the cafe, where bubbling fountains lined rows of long tables and benches that accompanied BBQ areas for public use. The tables were shaded by the same kind of camo netting that the army uses in the desert, which made the wood tables and benches seemingly disappear into the landscape. It was beautifully done, and sat along the river walk, a trail that traverses the northern edge of the site. All along the trail there are large benches for people to enjoy the view, which is incredible considering that just 20 years ago this place was a polluted wasteland where no one would have thought to come to enjoy their Saturday afternoon.<br /><br />As I thought it was important to experience as many transportation modes as I could in the park while there, I decided to take the rivercat back to Darling Harbour from the park. The ride was fairly laid back, except for the whining of a child who was overwhelmed by the experience. The first 20 minutes were fine, as he kept shouting, "Boout! Boout!" But then we came upon even more boats docked along the river, he went crazy as he couldn't wrap his head around all of the boats, and just starting crying, the poor kid. By the time I got off of the boat at Darling Harbour, he was beet red and looked like he had had a hard ride, poor little fella.<br /><br />While I was mulling a visit to the aquarium, I decided I had my fill of kids screaming for the day and decided to pass. I went shopping instead, picking up some books before I headed down to the Rocks to find the market I had stumbled upon on Sunday. I had been tempted by some wood beads there before, and decided that I should treat myself to one gift as a memento of my time in Sydney. While I could have called it good with the ugly ten dollar watch and the library card, I decided to splurge on what turned out being a long necklace made of coconut wood, which has a rich, dark color. The beads were beautiful, so I shelled out the last of my Australian cash, $25 for it. Knowing I was out of cash until I got my key deposit back tomorrow when I check out, I decided I was done buying anything for the day except for some food. I decided Italian sounded good, and I got some expensive but good Spaghetti and ate it on one of the benches overlooking the harbor.<br /><br />Getting on the train to go to Town Hall was kind over bittersweet. I realized once I hopped onto the train that that was the last time that I would be taking in the view at the harbor for quite a while. It was always a favorite of mine to grab some food from nearby and just relax, watching the ferries come in and out of the bay, see people crawling all over the opera house like ants on an abandoned picnic basket, and watch brave souls attempt to feed the birds without getting outright attacked.<br /><br />Because it was still so early, I decided walk the malls again downtown, which was fun. Not fun because I found stuff I liked or anything like that, but because I realized how great we have it in the US. Things that I could easily get for $50 in the US were going for $120, which quickly helped me realize why Sydneysiders are so serious about their clothes: that is the only way you could spend the money it takes to adequately dress yourself in the city. I would stroll into shop after shop and browse through $350 dresses and $120 shirts, and these weren't even in the top tier stores. My favorite high prices of the day were bras from the equivalent of a Victoria's Secret for $150, a cotton dress at Ralph Lauren for over $800, and a plain white dress with some beads on it for over $3,000 in a department store. No wonder the one department store I went into with a sale had lines out the door ...<br /><br />While my last day here was not that eventful, I have to say that I had a great time here in Sydney. Being a lone female traveler, the city was very friendly, as I never felt threatened or scared anywhere I traveled. And even though some of the cultural differences did begin to bother me by the end of the week, it was a great experience being outside of my very comfortable bubble back home, as I feel re-energized and ready to start working again on my thesis.<br /><br />I plan on doing one more blog post from Australia, so do check in tomorrow ...Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-28095311198805132492007-07-27T00:59:00.000-07:002007-07-27T03:03:25.078-07:00Day 6: SydneyAs my time here in Sydney is coming to an end, I had the realization yesterday that I needed to more work on my thesis, the whole reason I came here. So I got out of tourist mode, left my camera at home (sorry to those who enjoy the pictures), and decided to spend the day at the State Library of New South Whales.<br /><br />There's nothing more exciting than getting a new library card, nonetheless from a library half a world away. Now if I ever need a good research library, I know where to go. The library was really beautiful in a simple way, with a gorgeous reading room (that was closed for renovations), and glass walls looking out to underground courtyards and subterranean sections of the over 100 year old building. The staff was very helpful in getting my account started, and within 10 minutes of turning in my call slips I was diving into my first book of the day. While most of the information I gleaned today was information I already had, I did get to read a very important document, the Sydney Regional Environmental Plan No. 24 ( or the SREP 24 for those in the know), which outlines in great detail the measures to be taken when it comes to protection of heritage monuments at Homebush Bay. I read five other documents until my eyes started bugging out of my head, and called it a day when I noticed it was already almost 4:00.<br /><br />But when I stepped outside and noticed it was still fairly early, I decided to check out the contemporary art museum before I caught the train home, as the museum is about a block away from from the circular quay station. They were housing an exhibit by Latin American artists, so I thought it was worth checking out, especially after my ramblings on contemporary art just a few days ago.<br /><br />The first few levels of the museum were typical. They were the fixed installations, and they were all horrid, except for a video that actually got me to stay and watch for a few minutes. What drew me in was the fact that it kind of scared me, as it was a huge screen with choppy waves in the middle of the ocean, with haunting music in the background. For a while it was just the waves, but in anticipation in seeing what was coming, I stood in the back of the empty room too see what was next. A woman then appeared out of nowhere in the water, swimming through the waves in a simple white outfit. She would swim, and then look as if she was losing energy, and slip quietly underwater. The first time this happened, she looked peaceful for a while, then seemed to wake from her stupor to rise to the top of the water again and swim against the waves. But then she dips under the water for a second time where again she looks at peace, with a mysterious creature that swims behind her as she seems to fall deeper before the camera raises out of the water without her in sight.<br /><br />But the true stars of the show were in the Latin American exhibit. What is painfully obvious from the exhibit is that these artists have an identity problem, with the United Stated to blame. One installation simply stated that the United States is not the only country in "America", as South and Central America is largely forgotten. As a foreigner who always has to explain that "I'm from Oregon" and then after the pause add "In the States, north of California" to gain some kind of comprehension from the other person, I fully understand the strange feeling when your own identity relies on a common familiarity of a culture that is not your own. One of my favorite exhibits displaying this identity crisis was by <a href="http://www.nadinospina.com/">Nadin Ospina</a>. He masterfully creates figures and pottery that look as if they are pre-Columbian artifacts, but uses very noticeable figures (in these pieces he used Disney figures) as the object. For instance, he had a very native looking Micky Mouse with piercings and tribal tattoos, and one of my favorites was Minnie Mouse with a large Buddha belly. There was also what looked to be a relic bowl with Donald Duck heads for the feet. It was a fabulous installation, and I wish I could have seen more of his work.<br /><br />Another favorite was <a href="http://www.arte-mexico.com/betsa/index.htm">Betsabee Romero</a>. Her work centered around cars, with the first installation being photographs of abandoned cars that she had decorated on the streets of Mexico City. My personal favorite was a green bug which had been crazily decorated, and stood in front of street graffiti of a similar green bug on the wall behind it. While she had some other great photos from temporary installations, she also had tire treads that she had carved out with cool patterns and used as printmaking tools, with the proof on canvas. The patterns included roses, diamonds, and skulls, and it was great to see the quality of print that she could get from using the wheels as a print tool.<br /><br />I also wanted to mention the work of <a href="http://2006.biennial.com/content/Programme/ArtistDirectory/article_35_21.aspx">Priscilla Monge</a>, who had a series of boomerangs (how appropriate for Australia, right?) with messages such as "bastardo" and "pervertido", as well as other insults in Spanish. I loved the simple message with this simple installation: karma is a bitch, you had it coming, and you knew it all along. Love it.<br /><br />And finally, I think the best in show would have to go to <a href="http://www.vikmuniz.net/www/index.html">Vik Muniz</a>. At first glance, it looked like his work was well-treaded territory. But with a closer look, one could see the layers unfold in very unexpected ways. He uses very interesting mediums to recreate very familiar images: on his website you can see one of those images I saw today, which is a portrait of Sigmund Freud done in chocolate sauce. Another favorite was Marilyn Monroe shaped from diamonds. But the show stopper was none other than the very famous image of a defiant Che Guevara formed from black bean soup. I've never seen a piece like it before, and in a museum full of pieces where you briefly look and move along, the works of Vik Muniz, Priscilla Monge, Betsabee Romero, and Nadin Ospina were engaging examples of mixed media that made you laugh, but more importantly think about your everyday perception of things, whether that be abandoned cars and their inner potential, or how fun it would be to create iconic images with what is being served for dinner.<br /><br />After my diatribe on modern art a few days ago, I feel like there is some hope. I saw some very talented artists on display, which managed to challenge without making you feel that that was what they were going for. They also made you think, and look at the underlying message without being preachy or too edgy. Their work was creative, yet accessible, and obviously took talent to create. I just wish more Americans took a clue from these talents to the south, who are understated in the most fabulous of ways. I have to say, it was some of the most wonderful modern art I have seen in a very long time, and was a breath of fresh air from an emerging art scene that will no doubt be taking the world by storm.<br /><br />After being delightfully surprised at the museum, I found myself feeling like a local, riding the evening train home with my copy of MX in hand. The MX is the extremely fun gossip/political/sports/city rail bitching rag that is handed out to commuters during rush our, and like everything else in public areas in Sydney, free. I joyfully read the Hollywood gossip I don't care about as I was just so happy to have a productive day today, especially since tomorrow is my last day here. I know yesterday I was starting to let the city get to me, and some of its aspects still bore me, but like any situation, I just need to look on the brighter side of things. Sydney on the whole, while it is cookie cutter, has some great places to experience that make up for the drab people that populate it.<br /><br />But you know, that almost makes the experience even more fun. I love walking around on my own, doing my own thing in a town full of people doing the same thing, because it makes me feel like I'm just enjoying it more. Just because the locals are stiff, the food is overpriced and flavorless, and I can only get a good cup of coffee at one place in town doesn't take away the experiences I've had mountain biking in the Olympic Park, exploring the opera house, eating meals overlooking the ferries coming in and out of the harbor, and looking at every single piece of art possible in the museums around town. I've had a great time here, and I look forward to my last day out on the town.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-6641447301428057892007-07-26T01:15:00.000-07:002007-07-26T02:51:01.021-07:00Day 5: Sydney<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ5HNpvg7gL0sx0uz3YVoP1g3ONK5N9_KQLOepNLDVtN0JiXQW_wyavkk07n59NUtz4etPTz2VLKHLE26hZZgZWXjD9uugxDdfaDOSYeBCPEiWprdUh8ri1YbMofTJmLywTjwoiIoyYPK/s1600-h/DSC_0016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJ5HNpvg7gL0sx0uz3YVoP1g3ONK5N9_KQLOepNLDVtN0JiXQW_wyavkk07n59NUtz4etPTz2VLKHLE26hZZgZWXjD9uugxDdfaDOSYeBCPEiWprdUh8ri1YbMofTJmLywTjwoiIoyYPK/s400/DSC_0016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091419765149061026" border="0" /></a>The ferry system in Sydney is fairly comprehensive. Depending on how far out you are riding, you can get just about anywhere on the other side of the bay in a half hour or under. Today, although I have been in Sydney for close to a week, I had my first experience on the ferry as I spent the day at Taronga Zoo and Manly Beach.<br /><br />The ferry that runs to the zoo is much smaller than the large yellow and green ferries that run to places like Manly, but they offer faster service and ergonomic chairs, even on the front and back decks. From my very comfortable chair in the back of the boat, I had a great view of the harbor bathed in the winter morning light. Within minutes we had pulled out form Circular Quay and traversed pass the opera house, docking below the entrance to the zoo.<br /><br />What makes the Taronga Zoo so one of a kind is its elevation. Perched atop a <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSBcI4jXpmtPrnxAnZIWGZxwBlvKdw7b9vo2JcA9BhjQJkzOS4qlImiCgIqQ6twyDnbwu_FqPkOZESMmk5U-dsJg1fVgGuL4A928KJWL9z3wYS9938p0YUOaFIUydmHUKMey-UuCkrK3B/s1600-h/DSC_0048.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSBcI4jXpmtPrnxAnZIWGZxwBlvKdw7b9vo2JcA9BhjQJkzOS4qlImiCgIqQ6twyDnbwu_FqPkOZESMmk5U-dsJg1fVgGuL4A928KJWL9z3wYS9938p0YUOaFIUydmHUKMey-UuCkrK3B/s400/DSC_0048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091423067978911666" border="0" /></a>hill, it has some of the most spectacular views of downtown Sydney than you can get anywhere else in the city. True to the theme of my visit thus far, I decided to skip the bus and the gondola which take visitors up the hill to the entrance and hoof it. I quickly noticed that the sidewalk soon trailed off into a sandy, tropical feeling area, which I quickly found out to be a national park. Thank goodness it was well signed, because my short walk up the hill ended up being about an hour long hike up to the zoo. I got lost and turned around, but I kept following my intuition from what information the maps gave me, and eventually figured that if I walked far enough around the hill and came up to the zoo from the back side, there had to be a parking lot and entrance for cars since there was not one at the ferry side entrance.<br /><br />Sure enough I was able to find the front entrance, but I got a great walk in on<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTdRTR4IPGJM1wOhJ2xt8i6-sRU_4JDAlD47Cu44muk6O-4K_2N1ol295GikW-EbWSwRNojx6DwUT6QkExhydQaPLmGI7ebrGP-mfSE_N728hu1GCWyHyXLSfPzmV8sLyjMjW7ycCS2hf/s1600-h/DSC_0241.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTdRTR4IPGJM1wOhJ2xt8i6-sRU_4JDAlD47Cu44muk6O-4K_2N1ol295GikW-EbWSwRNojx6DwUT6QkExhydQaPLmGI7ebrGP-mfSE_N728hu1GCWyHyXLSfPzmV8sLyjMjW7ycCS2hf/s320/DSC_0241.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091431829712195570" border="0" /></a> the way. Again, I found myself in a similar situation as when I was wondering in the Mangroves yesterday; I was so close to the city and civilization, yet I felt so far away from it all. Besides some joggers and walkers that I shared the path with, it was just me and birds, trickling waterfalls, and little creatures rustling around in the brush below. The experience definitely wet my appetite for the zoo.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SV4TaHMQYLAusystGJvCJMJ3yR880XIL-AGYTI2Ola79vRMcrqRC0RyYnKqcIuVP4GgDjWpwpdQqFi8QZuiFRA9FtVLOQXfaBa0gR-lHnUTg008CHIVlvgLBsBQaw8XyUaSFpm2OK29e/s1600-h/DSC_0327.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SV4TaHMQYLAusystGJvCJMJ3yR880XIL-AGYTI2Ola79vRMcrqRC0RyYnKqcIuVP4GgDjWpwpdQqFi8QZuiFRA9FtVLOQXfaBa0gR-lHnUTg008CHIVlvgLBsBQaw8XyUaSFpm2OK29e/s320/DSC_0327.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091432924928856082" border="0" /></a><br />I have to admit, every day I have been in Sydney I have taken a progressively more and more pictures, and today was no exception. Needless to say I took so many pictures at the zoo that I thought I would let the photos do most of the talking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFwSb5zcbyIEIWPEHM9VkUw2HOqQFijOtCgzmnka69aPBxbwJhAt-ZwZJILCSZf0W5r4lVbbYqDSuL0LbkBgC3ab_21HF4SnsbA_fZCH7RpzdRbX-0inoT38i7l5SyurehcWbENuiDpWP/s1600-h/DSC_0165.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFwSb5zcbyIEIWPEHM9VkUw2HOqQFijOtCgzmnka69aPBxbwJhAt-ZwZJILCSZf0W5r4lVbbYqDSuL0LbkBgC3ab_21HF4SnsbA_fZCH7RpzdRbX-0inoT38i7l5SyurehcWbENuiDpWP/s320/DSC_0165.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091430880524423138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb3RJQORZepqd5BRLot7uHar3aO2Fs-oeePHdMjtGXC2vPrst7DoBqGLdr_ZvaId2xUbAjkTQM0KW9cRPjM_os1EuQU7i6x33T2x3u1Y7B7LAFtxjeypkVH7pENRUGbEpyvubOJEUECMl/s1600-h/DSC_0091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb3RJQORZepqd5BRLot7uHar3aO2Fs-oeePHdMjtGXC2vPrst7DoBqGLdr_ZvaId2xUbAjkTQM0KW9cRPjM_os1EuQU7i6x33T2x3u1Y7B7LAFtxjeypkVH7pENRUGbEpyvubOJEUECMl/s320/DSC_0091.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091428428098097090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlWbCFvHDi3rwsH5WqvIEwgiUBeFSSbgRU_RMKD0SPCrPf7kj96xWP2BTwqsmt0-YbDQtHu9KySa5tszGHg3BcktW6pBZtYWLJVBueOkSt00GDOw6uO8xDbi8nMjKGI5JZ3GQOJcoPJmU/s1600-h/DSC_0289.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlWbCFvHDi3rwsH5WqvIEwgiUBeFSSbgRU_RMKD0SPCrPf7kj96xWP2BTwqsmt0-YbDQtHu9KySa5tszGHg3BcktW6pBZtYWLJVBueOkSt00GDOw6uO8xDbi8nMjKGI5JZ3GQOJcoPJmU/s320/DSC_0289.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091432345108271106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After spending most of the afternoon at the zoo, I took the ferry back to Circular Quay and immediately caught the ferry to Manly. While it was nice to see the other side of the Pacific, I felt a little let down. The whole experience at Manly was very "canned", and the beach wasn't even that big. If anything the experience just solidified my dislike of Sydney fashion, and didn't do much else for me. I know I've already ragged on the business men and women on the trains, but at least they are up to date. All of the people my age I saw today looked like they never left the 80's. I came up with the theory today that possibly because as school children they wear uniforms, Sydneysiders as young adults just don't know how to dress themselves, and therefore follow the latest "trend", which for an American is about 2 0r 3 years old, and wasn't even that cool in the states. The standard is this: take any drab looking tunic, preferably something with a square neck and big buttons that looks like it was hand made in the 70's, and throw it over either skinny jeans or leggings. Throw on either boots or flats, and you are the average woman under 30 years old in the greater Sydney area. Even looking past everyone dressing exactly the same (yes, even the guys), the moms look all the same with their prams (strollers), all the suburbs look the same, and all the stores are the same. They sell the same clothes, the same food, and the same bad coffee.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I've had a great time here in Sydney, but I guess I miss the familiarity of the quirks of home as I grow tired of the quirks I see in people half way around the world.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-62767268699957848332007-07-25T03:04:00.000-07:002007-07-25T04:29:52.972-07:00Day Four: SydneyHow do my legs hurt. Even with all of the walking that I have been doing in Sydney, no one could have prepared me for the day I had today.<br /><br />It started, as usual, early, but not as early. I woke up at a very late 6:00, and was on the train by 7:30 heading out to the Olympic Park. Unlike the trains heading into the city, the trains going west are always fairly empty until the end of the work day, when all of the suburbanites are heading home from their jobs in the skyscrapers downtown. In a drastic change of clientele, I was now sharing the train with hordes of school children, all in very English uniforms, riding the train to school. I got to overhear all about Sophie's triumphant return from Paris, how she got to shop at an Abercrombie in London, and I even scoffed when she complained about her 13 hour plane ride from Paris to Singapore. Please. I just did 13 and a half on Sunday, and I'm about to do it again in a few days time. Kids these days.<br /><br />Once I reached the<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C3txen6jIJ9VaDYEULnSEo4-YWkHWQ2pGrY9V2B95Smhxk3ovotDlMB7xStqLx6YVlLRtyL76h7uhTZvJAejnmMxmhCjOIh5Pw7TbWXgeK8yETvygm4SHEXrRrNs8vOdcaFImvEEs9xB/s1600-h/DSC_0001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C3txen6jIJ9VaDYEULnSEo4-YWkHWQ2pGrY9V2B95Smhxk3ovotDlMB7xStqLx6YVlLRtyL76h7uhTZvJAejnmMxmhCjOIh5Pw7TbWXgeK8yETvygm4SHEXrRrNs8vOdcaFImvEEs9xB/s400/DSC_0001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091076507067797346" border="0" /></a> park I had a couple of hours before my second appointment with Craig, so I decided to check out the Brick Pit. It is the area where the state brickworks was located up until 1998, and was built about 77 years earlier. Once an area filled with buildings devoted to making millions of bricks that helped to build Sydney, this area was initially proposed to be infilled and a retail area built on top. This was all stopped when local authorities discovered that the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frogs have made a home for themselves in this former industrial area. Because of this realization, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority decided to set<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARXMSXkforqN1ENITvmEBnM80-erfrVUx7xIeaEaQXwnbRLaF1heGFod0sog8zEpuIlnAq1-aWlAWiq9IFP9ExmfB7sUhr0NEwEkzq1Uvw0igXsLC04Jo9G8JvglQdl6hnAG-LrXVbxzJ/s1600-h/DSC_0015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARXMSXkforqN1ENITvmEBnM80-erfrVUx7xIeaEaQXwnbRLaF1heGFod0sog8zEpuIlnAq1-aWlAWiq9IFP9ExmfB7sUhr0NEwEkzq1Uvw0igXsLC04Jo9G8JvglQdl6hnAG-LrXVbxzJ/s400/DSC_0015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091080716135747442" border="0" /></a> the land aside as a natural and cultural heritage conservation area, and erected what they call the Ring Walk so that visitors to the park can experience all the area has to offer.<br /><br />I was really surprised by the effect this place had on me. It was so quiet, except for the birds and the frogs that could be heard chirping and croaking in the distance. Not only was the Ring Walk a unique sight that seemed to be a perfect fit for the area, but it was also interpreted with a great amount of care. The same panels which create the outer edge of the walk in some sections have interpretive information on such topics as wildlife in the area, the geological history of the pit, the technology behind its storm water collection as part of a massive recycled water campaign at the park, and my personal favorite, the interpretation of the brickworks. While most of the buildings were removed after the works closed, six small buildings still remain but are brought to life by not only ambient sound that recreates the sounds of the works, but also by the oral histories of men who once long ago worked in the pit. The mastery of it all is that you can't even hear these sounds until you begin to approach that section of the ring. The sounds start softly, and I assumed some work was starting near by, until I spotted the speakers mounted above the interpretive panels. I sat in one of the few fold down seats along the ring and took it all in, complete with a few of the Olympic Park across the water.<br /><br />But as I looked down at my watch, I quickly realized that I had to get going over to the SOPA (Sydney Olympic Park Authority) building, which was all the way across from the aquatic center. I had a second appointment with Craig, who upon my arrival escorted me into a meeting room with a bright yellow door and a large clear 2 emblazoned into the frosted glass windows which formed the fourth wall of the room. He had a pile of planning documents for me, some as early as 1990, for me to read through.<br /><br />Craig has been an angel for me in my time here. Always the gentlemen, he would come in and check on me in between meetings, seeing if I needed more time reserved in the room, and even made me a cup of coffee when I was entering hour number three of frantic reading and writing. Four hours into the research session, he delivered on his promise to check out a bike for me, and introduced me to the man who would give m<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tZXbCgvKjp8Q_9tux8_XNzmXTyJTMvBDi-4ql5s-cAAPzbZMVR9tz0ugE6x-vxyiB_MEOR6fXcDqMrPOWtbm1PmkEuw2f5qt_PvjZ8SvMTJeaJQ0LQX2Wiuns_wps3FbpQA6wYc23z2B/s1600-h/DSC_0188.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tZXbCgvKjp8Q_9tux8_XNzmXTyJTMvBDi-4ql5s-cAAPzbZMVR9tz0ugE6x-vxyiB_MEOR6fXcDqMrPOWtbm1PmkEuw2f5qt_PvjZ8SvMTJeaJQ0LQX2Wiuns_wps3FbpQA6wYc23z2B/s400/DSC_0188.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091085290275917698" border="0" /></a>e the key to the shed out back. Almost an hour later when my eyes could no longer focus, I decided my time researching at SOPA had come to an end, and it was time to go out for a ride.<br /><br />On my official SOPA bike, complete with helmet and a bright yellow safety vest I immediately stuffed into my already heavy shoulder bag, I was off to find the Newington Armaments Depot. Although I did have a small map of the park, I went on to get thoroughly lost in the most amazing of ways in the mangroves that line the east end of the park. I rode the same trails over and over numerous times, getting lost, doing some off-roading on muddy trails with barely enough clearance for my bike, and coming across this boardwalk in the middle of it all. The park lands were so sprawling that I kept getting turned around on my way to the Depot, and what I thought would be a leisurely ride with over two hours until I needed to return the bike at 5:00, turned into a sprint to the finish as I didn't find the Depot until 4:30.<br /><br />But my adventures through the parklands were by far the most exhilarating experience I have had in Sydney. My legs burning, the winter sun at its highest point in the sky, my shoulder bag weighing hard against my chest, I felt more alive than I have in a long time. And you know, it really solidified my thoughts on the Olympic Park as a whole being able to experience it in that way.<br /><br />While before today I had seen the very sterile areas of the park t<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokKyblvT1J_z_FDXH3SM5Jk3y_BR0qkcthAvNsAxeN8nW3wmvnXMlgiRu-7H_6bsaw2oDkrbCwnsUz06S3wNU39mIoeuygPQ-_HeMbQGe0eGz_cZnrYX01M3-pxFWLWgQxDKEU2e8PRX_/s1600-h/DSC_0209.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokKyblvT1J_z_FDXH3SM5Jk3y_BR0qkcthAvNsAxeN8nW3wmvnXMlgiRu-7H_6bsaw2oDkrbCwnsUz06S3wNU39mIoeuygPQ-_HeMbQGe0eGz_cZnrYX01M3-pxFWLWgQxDKEU2e8PRX_/s400/DSC_0209.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091090491481313170" border="0" /></a>hat were filled with tourists and the sparse spattering of families and couples just enjoying the space, the real joy of the park is the heritage areas and the parklands. The acres of bike trails and natural space makes one feel like they are miles away from anything, as they connect heritage areas that are both informative and mysterious. Take the Armaments Depot for example. Thousands of bombs were stored here at one time, and as Craig whispered to me today, they still have a few there, which means that the area is restricted. What a strange feeling to be one minute in a well-interpreted heritage area like the brick pit, and the next, be in an equally important heritage area like the Depot which other than the track for the trolley which hauled the bombs from one area to another, can only be experienced through fencing and veiled sight lines.<br /><br />As the sun began to set early, I found myself having a hard time leaving. There was so much more I wanted to see, and even though my legs felt like jelly, I wanted to experience more of the park. But with such an early bed time these days, I knew it was best to get back home and relax so that I can have plenty of energy for the zoo and Manly Beach tomorrow. This whole one day at the park with one day off to sight see has done well by me, so I think I'm going to stick to it until I depart for San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.<br /><br />Sydney Olympic Park is a place of transition. It is easy to look at the large open spaces and get kind of depressed. It takes a while to get there compared to other destinations on the City Rail, and because it is so huge, it looks mostly deserted, most of the time. But what one has to remember is that this area will be the largest urban revitalization effort in Australia, and possibly the world. The New South Wales government had a swath of land that was not only polluted, but had the remnants of the largest abattoir in Australia, an armaments depot, a brick works, and even a prison, and knew that at some point and time, with its central location in the metropolitan area, it would be redeveloped. One of their proposals would have cleaned the slate clean and sold the land off parcel by parcel to private investors. Other proposals would have built a few sporting facilities, and would again sell remaining land off to developers. Instead, they chose to leave an environmental and heritage legacy for the greater Sydney area which will stand as a testament to the devotion of the Australian people to their heritage; built, natural, and in relation to sport. What a feat.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-45785526875882566992007-07-24T00:31:00.000-07:002007-07-24T02:32:38.933-07:00Day Three: SydneyMy day started at 4:00 this morning, as I have finally accepted defeat on adjusting to local time. But I actually don't mind waking up that early: I have plenty of time to plan my day, send off emails, and I avoid the evening rush hour on the train. It is that damn early sunset, as it isn't even 6:00 PM local time and it is already pitch black outside. My body can't believe that it is early in the day, or that it is winter, so I've been finding myself passing out at 7:00. Yep, I'm going wild in Sydney.<br /><br />I was going to go to the Olympic Park today, but then I decided that since I have an appointment to go back and do research tomorrow, that I would just make a day of it then, and spend today relaxing a bit. I decided to get some breakfast down by Circular Quay, so I walked down to the train station only to find that I had picked the worst time of day to catch a train. I had arrived during the 8:30 rush hour, as hordes of sharply dressed people packed the platform with me.<br /><br />I was actually quite happy that there was a crowd, as it meant that I had the opportunity to people watch. Bopping away to the Shins, I took notes on some scrap paper about the people around me; what I noticed was that everyone was dressed in boring but classy black clothing, and seemed to have no personality whatsoever. Oh, Sydneysiders - because they have it all figured out, they have no distinguishable characteristics.<br /><br />Once the first train came and went (there was literally no room as people were pressing up very uncomfortably against one another) most of the people on the platform had to pass up the sardine can and wait for the next train, which at least you could stand in without feeling like you were sharing an intimate moment with the person next to you. After most of the riders got off at Central and Town Hall, I actually got my own seat, and rode comfortably on to Circular Quay, where I found a nice little outdoor cafe to have some mediocre eggs with cheese and tomato with white toast and espresso. I thought the experience really summed up my food experience thus far in Sydney, although I admit I've only purchased four meals since my arrival. The food selection is very strange, very English, and for the most part, meh. I have yet to get any sushi or Thai, so I'll keep my mind open and make judgments later.<br /><br />I kind of lie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHkYrwprgXSf8EZyiyy_0V7aAdCHL0n8xbYAkCjrTIiFm4VU6kIVfLPVQ3fHZnZ2RSAgDOGZbpxcAEZ7_UU12pvauoGULLVwv9DLoQ3PSrBsE6Cow03d0lY7aYx5-LhyAs-KyjLTcNskf/s1600-h/DSC_0009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHkYrwprgXSf8EZyiyy_0V7aAdCHL0n8xbYAkCjrTIiFm4VU6kIVfLPVQ3fHZnZ2RSAgDOGZbpxcAEZ7_UU12pvauoGULLVwv9DLoQ3PSrBsE6Cow03d0lY7aYx5-LhyAs-KyjLTcNskf/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090673798049222450" border="0" /></a>d earlier, because it was at that moment eating my meh breakfast when I saw that across the street was the Royal Botanical Gardens. While I originally intended to take the ferry to the aquarium or the Olympic Park, the garden was taunting me with a beautiful sculpture, and I knew what I had to do. I paid for breakfast and quickly hopped across the street to see this incredible sight. It was a beautiful fountain, of which I kind of<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYek8dqxhJyehwMEvyuyWYCUJt3arcj_yKnlaXnX46eTyPKsG_4pYIDVWWJy_gHmZVYxZRpoyCZWPT8Qx3kpDk5-LtCx1-Z-0GRNwyB4HM7rz0xKMSGLju3slHHMytXEpOWwErgNPzWGJ/s1600-h/DSC_0006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYek8dqxhJyehwMEvyuyWYCUJt3arcj_yKnlaXnX46eTyPKsG_4pYIDVWWJy_gHmZVYxZRpoyCZWPT8Qx3kpDk5-LtCx1-Z-0GRNwyB4HM7rz0xKMSGLju3slHHMytXEpOWwErgNPzWGJ/s320/DSC_0006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090675193913593666" border="0" /></a> read what is was erected for, but I was too taken aback by the artistry and was letting my camera do my thinking for me. Seeing this work of art juxtaposed against the Sydney skyline was just an amazing sight, and I was instantly hooked into exploring the gardens for the day.<br /><br />I was very surprised at the amount of bats in the park. They were everywhere, making it hard for me to look up into some of the trees. Call me crazy, but I really didn't like looking up at those beady little black eyes, knowing that at any moment I could have a furry little animal dive-bombing for my head. But you know, between the bats, some little animal <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbONL50FjGxauyX35-leRoKb7eO8ZDl8XDu8MWYjjF3EDRUVGBJC532GpmFyIMG02vJcxXk6tI7X_Y_N47yHGfl8hTOYMvvMaO4bZbreOuqDHVLvw97MvIbLPf86-idg4i1ms3qZsc1W2/s1600-h/DSC_0152.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbONL50FjGxauyX35-leRoKb7eO8ZDl8XDu8MWYjjF3EDRUVGBJC532GpmFyIMG02vJcxXk6tI7X_Y_N47yHGfl8hTOYMvvMaO4bZbreOuqDHVLvw97MvIbLPf86-idg4i1ms3qZsc1W2/s400/DSC_0152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090679402981543762" border="0" /></a>trying to take a bite out of my knee when I was taking a picture, and all of the birds and ducks hanging out, I really felt like I was away from the city, which was great. The plants were also impressive, but my favorite section would have to be the succulent garden. While simple, the color was beautiful, and they were really some of the only flowering plants in the whole garden, besides a sparse flower here or there.<br /><br />After I wandered around the garden for a few hours, I decided to hop over to the art museum, which is right across the street. What a great choice. First, the art museums in Sydney are free. Yes, free. I was expecting to get the shake-down when I walked in the door, but I was surprised instead to see a bustling museum. There were people everywhere, from gray haired museum junkies, to young couples, and my favorite, a large group of school children dressed in matching blue sweat suits. I think it had to be one of the cutest things I have ever seen. They wandered around in groups of about 7 and got lessons about art from volunteers. What a fabulous place. There was even a group of older school kids who were getting a lecture about post-modernism on the upper level: it was such a stimulating place that I looked at every single exhibit housed under the roof.<br /><br />While there were a few notable classical paintings, the real gem was the Islamic art exhibition. While that one exhibit did cost a few bucks to get in, it was well worth the money, as it had to be one of the best collections I have ever seen. I saw everything from a mini Abassid caliphate Qur'an from the 10th century, the only known Qur'an to be dyed in Indigo, Iranian rugs and bowls, and a warrior's mask, to panels that had decorated the Ka'ba, amazing atsrolabes with sanskrit translations and Persian poetry inscribed on them, and emerald, ruby, and diamond encrusted daggers. There was lustreware, glassware, and silk tapestries. There were manuscripts from the Mongol Empire which depict such events as Buddha reaching enlightenment, Jonah being eaten by the whale, and Moses punishing those who worshiped the golden calf. There were tiles with Surrahs painted onto them with the same stencils used on the Dome of the Rock, elephant shaped incense burners, and gold saddles that were used in battle. It was breathtaking. At one point I stood in front of the panel that had hung on the Ka'ba and froze. This panel hung on one of the most sacred monuments in the world. Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, or possibly millions of people came during the Hajj just to touch and circle the Ka'ba from which this panel was hung.<br /><br />These kinds of exhibitions are why I am a museum rat. To sit there and look at a Qur'an that is over 1,000 years old, made from vellum and created by hand, is absolutely stunning. It forced me to contrast what I had seen within the Islamic exhibit to the modern art in other parts of the museum: while modern art is no doubt creative, all it seeks to do anymore is stun. It tries too hard to grab your attention, and is created by people who are no doubt creative visionaries, but visionaries with questionable talent. The artists of old were craftsmen who were true masters of their chosen medium, whether it be calligraphy, metal smithing, painting, or sculpting, who combined their talent with creativity to create beautiful objects that stop you in your tracks with their beauty. I can't help but feel that we have lost that long ago in the art world, and I hope that some talent emerges to take modern art out of its funk sooner than later.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895855287826422374.post-70326348256734452372007-07-23T02:11:00.000-07:002007-07-23T13:01:04.423-07:00Day Two: SydneyMy day started early today, as I am still having a bit of trouble adjusting to the time zone here in Sydney. It wouldn't be that bad of a problem if it weren't for the fact that it is pitch black by 6:00 in the evening, which is around 1:00 AM back home, although we are one day ahead here. This means that around the time I am used to going to bed around home, the sun is already starting to lower in the sky, making me think that it is the evening when in reality it will be 3:00 in the afternoon. Because of this I have gotten into the routine of waking up very early, and today I rolled out of bed around 6:00 AM local time. I decided to start off the day going downtown. I didn't have to be out to the Olympic Park until 3:00, so I thought it was an opportune time to check out the core of the city and grab some breakfast.<br /><br />Upon arriving at the local train station, I quickly realized that I was a fish out of water. While I thought I may be overdressed in my suit shorts, black tank top, and elephant sweater complete with chacos, it turns out I was over dressed for this "winter" morning. Virtually every other person at the station, minus a kid that was harassed by a man with a fleece, scarf, and sweatpants abo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YJ3fcfHoWm2XwH-lpcsDWn6Srz1f5LPKVVWSxsp-Gbvd6PbV1FeZUIsGRzJLUWJqdfU1fS-HDapqOH3BqIMvL68rVNY_yXOqQ1MYDH92Xx7ivXd-vMp9Uf_2uEpvzExzGKg1fCi_CGpf/s1600-h/DSC_0004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YJ3fcfHoWm2XwH-lpcsDWn6Srz1f5LPKVVWSxsp-Gbvd6PbV1FeZUIsGRzJLUWJqdfU1fS-HDapqOH3BqIMvL68rVNY_yXOqQ1MYDH92Xx7ivXd-vMp9Uf_2uEpvzExzGKg1fCi_CGpf/s320/DSC_0004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090322924990942946" border="0" /></a>ut wearing only a t-shirt in the cold, was dressed in their winter finery. Now the people of Sydney are pretty sharp dressers, but on this very comfortable morning they were bundled up as if they were expecting snow on what turned out to be over a 60 degree day. Realizing that if I didn't look like a crazy foreigner before that I sure must now, I boarded the cramped train to central station, where I decided to wander towards the tallest buildings I could see.<br /><br />What I found was the Town Hall. A beautiful English Gothic building amidst steel giants, I stopped to take a few pictures before I moved on to the underground mall directly below. I wanted to find a watch before I caught the train to the park so that I could make it on time to my appointment with Craig Bagely, who is the man in charge of sustainability issues there. Hours later, I found myself mulling over the possible purchase of a $500.00 watch with bamboo i<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIiwVloL6339CSAXU_O_kjnvImL8Zox7nan4ngMIggTFHyhWXNBh9XwfgCxa2My3PWZhDrfiAipYOkXn_mFMHvZ1zMF1fAZgz6yB6V98S4rJfU1O8dXizDnhzqLzmcAs0CXSGPH9lMvBP/s1600-h/DSC_0005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIiwVloL6339CSAXU_O_kjnvImL8Zox7nan4ngMIggTFHyhWXNBh9XwfgCxa2My3PWZhDrfiAipYOkXn_mFMHvZ1zMF1fAZgz6yB6V98S4rJfU1O8dXizDnhzqLzmcAs0CXSGPH9lMvBP/s320/DSC_0005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090468558742015730" border="0" /></a>nlay. It first made me chuckle because it reminded me of a woody wagon, but then it won me over with its charm. Thank god I walked away and remembered that I was looking at bikes for that same price back home and quickly found a Wollworths where I bought a hideous watch for $9.95 that keeps the time with the best of them.<br /><br />I couldn't believe the maze of malls in the city center ... first a Dior boutique, then a bargain-basement home ware store, then a tiny jewelery shop. Before you know it, you have already entered another mall, with almost similar stores of similar size. I did find one mall in a historic building (I know, I'm a nerd) where I stopped to eat my breakfast of fruit salad before any more pieces of it fell out in my bag. I'll probably make a tip back to do some shopping before I leave town ...<br /><br />After finding a watch, it was time to head out to the Olympic Park. The train ride was pretty anxiety ridden, as I had to ride the line all the way out to Lindcombe, which is at the boundary line of my train ticket, and then take the Olympic Sprint (which was the slowest train I've been on by far) over to the park. But upon reaching the platform I was sobered up by the site of a funeral at a church literally right across the street from the platform. I felt like I was intruding on a private moment, until I realized that there was a busy street that ran right in front of the church; I'm sure the few people waiting for the sprint were the least of funeral-goers worries at that moment.<br /><br />It took me getting off of the train <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344fPt0SZ2RMDm6PgxO1kQo-FwF0clNNNQSbHN7KHwa8TFfd_KO7oV0J98Y0tuZzGm7Vpxe3NWxWO8Q70dtAzpyiU-00XNuewyKyVv874-9yL9ms6aMEHXQ1eo1BlbeEJEKaHiTwZb5VA/s1600-h/DSC_0105.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh344fPt0SZ2RMDm6PgxO1kQo-FwF0clNNNQSbHN7KHwa8TFfd_KO7oV0J98Y0tuZzGm7Vpxe3NWxWO8Q70dtAzpyiU-00XNuewyKyVv874-9yL9ms6aMEHXQ1eo1BlbeEJEKaHiTwZb5VA/s320/DSC_0105.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090471247391543042" border="0" /></a>at the park to fully understand the scale of it all. Even though I had given myself over two hours to look around before my appointment with the Sustainability Manager of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, or SOPA, I only saw a small piece of the urban core. It was sprawling, with huge open spaces and public art everywhere. I was so taken with this area of the park that I really only scratched the surface of the parklands, and didn't even have the opportunity to see any of the heritage sites yet. What you see to the left is the old cauldron from the games. While it held a flame in 2000, it is now a water feature, which people are drawn to upon first entering the park. Upon further inspection, the cauldron sits in a plaza that has twisted lines reflecting that of the cauldron supports, which have all of the medal winners from the 2000 games inscribed on them. It seems like everywhere you look in the park, there is always something see, especially where you may least expect it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVREWdYaahxk6LQxU-A3SdSpDWWVy3dvxwUdcT5LleKocbEyIdM2JimBPkVdofnbwklDU412hvfiwhI1sk2bCtMlcSPDjbbwv3lYnepA-4SV9NSr8khmJUfgAgvuXKJOGLU2zXDT6QNCV/s1600-h/DSC_0127.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVREWdYaahxk6LQxU-A3SdSpDWWVy3dvxwUdcT5LleKocbEyIdM2JimBPkVdofnbwklDU412hvfiwhI1sk2bCtMlcSPDjbbwv3lYnepA-4SV9NSr8khmJUfgAgvuXKJOGLU2zXDT6QNCV/s320/DSC_0127.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090471951766179602" border="0" /></a>The mound you see, believe it or not, is a tribute of sorts to the past use of the site. This is where they store all of the powder which is a byproduct of the method used to get all of the dioxin out of the soil. The park, before it was transformed into a sporting facility, served as three major government agencies: there was the brickworks, the abattoir, and the armaments depot. Literally toms of waste were dumped into the soils here over the years, which had to be cleaned up before the games. But while many cities usually remove the chemicals and bury them somewhere else, in Sydney they used a new technology which sucks the dioxin out of the soil, neutralizes it, and then turns into a find powder, which was left in mounds throughout the site. As a part of their sustainability agenda, they did not want their <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Tu-HgnkXe6TtDEdeBENQ_c9jli6mUXNrvV3_hU-2u61bmEDlpQiC8PA2IzWcqdfZK2gRcY86XrMgrxg2NleTkxBlpoRxXdBFY6t2iHSU-M4g2J3NQd-P6Uz82Ka_YNtvgWJRH3OCMtX1/s1600-h/DSC_0148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Tu-HgnkXe6TtDEdeBENQ_c9jli6mUXNrvV3_hU-2u61bmEDlpQiC8PA2IzWcqdfZK2gRcY86XrMgrxg2NleTkxBlpoRxXdBFY6t2iHSU-M4g2J3NQd-P6Uz82Ka_YNtvgWJRH3OCMtX1/s320/DSC_0148.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090472900953952034" border="0" /></a>waste to be someone else's problem, and wanted to deal with the problem in-house.<br /><br />Planners at SOPA are very aware of the history of the site, and have as a part of their sustainability agenda included heritage conservation and education as priorities. As seen on the right, they know that before Australia was settled by Europeans a couple hundred years ago, that Aborigines passed through this site quite often, as it was a crossroads of sorts in between two important areas. Because of the somewhat tumultuous relationship between the white settlers and Aborigines historically seen in Australia, it was quite the step forward for the Games to give so much recognition to what Aboriginal culture has done to help form the present day site that is seen today.<br /><br />While there weren't too many people at the park on this Monday afternoon, it was still bustling with activity, as numerous tour buses were coming and going, children were playing in every fountain, and there were even an abundance of skateboarders as one of the pavilions has be transformed into a skatepark. I was also told that there was a BMX and Motocross area on site as well, as SOPA is looking to make a niche for itself in the extreme sports market. While there is a lot of unused space at the moment, this will be changing over the next 20 years as infill has already began in certain areas of the park. There are already about 3,000 residents here and 16,000 workers, and they are looking to triple those numbers in the next few years. They are looking to get some kind of sports-oriented education campus on site, are building a hospital that will specialize in orthopedics to fit in with the sports culture, and will be infilling many of the existing common areas with mixed use commercial and residential housing which will not compromise on floor space, but which will have a small footprint in the park overall.<br /><br />Of course, what I like about the park is the history here. Where you can't visually see the heritage precincts, there are hat tips and nods to what has happened at this place for the last 400 years.Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06423680033855698316noreply@blogger.com0