Beijing Tour

For our whirlwind tour of Beijing environs, we contracted with a local tour company,  whose rep had approached us on Wangfujing Street the night before.  We thought we were going to see the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs.  Turned out we saw a lot more!

I am not quite sure what this is, but I think it must be Chinese braille or a jade mural or really nice wall paper.  I am not sure which.

Factory guide, Craig, and Nina, our guide for the day

At the jade factory the artisans work on a piece for a few days and then for the sculpted spheres, the few who have the skill take the piece to a special workshop (often at their homes) where they actually change the spheres to a ball in a ball in a ball, thus keeping the process a closely guarded secret.

Each ball crafted with ornamentation on the surface.  They say that these balls, when placed properly in a room, create the feng shui or harmony in the space.

Official explanation of the "Eternal Family Ball," aka "Happiness Ball"

The markings on the stone slab are not graffiti, rather they indicate the beginning or entrance to a segment of the Great Wall of China.  We climbed a section which was in the clouds part of the time.  When not in the clouds the view was quite spectacular.

Beginning our ascent of Great Wall at Juyongguan (Juyong Pass)

After 3,198 (3,200 according to Craig) non ADA compliant stairs we walked away from the Great Wall.  The vertical rise was about a quarter of a mile and the horizontal run a mile. When you are in great shape like we are, it was a piece of cake (although my legs are still sore).

The segment of the Great Wall that we climbed was actually restored some time ago and is not entirely original.  You can see that the wall is on top of the mountain ridge and there are often cliffs on each side.  I can't figure how anyone could climb the cliffs never mind the Great Wall on top.  

You can see the writing on Craig's fan.  According to my extensive knowledge of Chinese, it says, "We are really having fun now!" or else "Anyone crazy enough to climb this wall deserves to have a Charlie Horse in each leg!"  (I am not sure which is correct because the second character is not entirely clear.)

We made it to the top of the Wall!

 This is what it is like to be in a cloud.

Craig consults with an artisan at the cloissone factory.

Nina and Craig map out our visit to one of the Ming Tombs.

The next stop on our required (unbeknowdst to us) tour itinerary was a silk factory.  The little white balls are actually silk work cocoons.  It is amazing to realize that the entire cocoon is from a single thread of silk.  By stirring the cocoon in water a little, the end of the thread comes loose and thereafter they just roll it up on a spool.  The process is actually quite simple--perhaps even I could do it.

 Sometimes there are two silk worms that have their cocoons woven together.  In that case the silk is pulled and stretched to make a batting for pillows or other stuffing.  Mary Lee is helping stretch out this double or "twin" cocoon.  The silk is surprisingly strong.

The Olympic Stadium from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing was called the Bird's Nest for obvious reasons. 

Although a beautiful stadium, it has not been used since.  It is just for show now.  I would have thought that they would use it for training or competitions or something, but not so.