Beijing Day Two

"There's a wall in China , and it's a thousand miles long" Actually, Paul Simon is wrong. The wall is three thousand miles long. The section we went to is just north of Beijing. We had to ride a cable car/ski lift to the base of the wall. The picture did not turn out well, but according to a sticker on its window, I rode in the cable car the President Clinton rode in in 1998. Apparently, the entire Great Wall snakes along the crest of mountains as the section does below. The mountains are a natural barrier to barbarians, and the wall simply helped to fortify this border. As you can see, it is beautiful fall and the short, scrubby trees are beginning to show color
I could not resist. I added a little more graffiti to the Great Wall. I gave a shout out to my children by scratching their names on the wall. If the Chinese government is reading this, do not worry. I used a small stone and it should wash away at the next hard rain.

This section of the wall has been rebuilt so that tourist can walk on it. The open part of the wall ends at the top of the steps below. A few members of our group made it to the top. Normally I would jump at the chance to hike up something. However, last night I suffered from a bout of Chiang Kai Shek's revenge, so I hiked to this point and snapped a picture.
It is amazing how different cultures are actually so alike. The town at the base of this section of the wall has turned itself into the "Gatlinburg of China." There was even a go-cart track a little further down the hill. Even further, there is a pottery factory outlet and plenty of resorts and pick your own fruit farms.
When we returned to Beijing, we visited the famous Temple of Heaven. It was an impressive structure built about the same time as The Forbidden City. It is also a series of gates and buildings. The structure below is where the emperor would offer sacrifices on Chinese New Year to ensure a good harvest.


In the park around the temple. There are several cedar and spruce trees that are several hundred years old. It was a very quiet and peaceful place. A great place to get away from the hot sun and the crowds.

Also, older Beijing residents love to come to this park to sing, play cards , and "jam" with their friends.

This evening, our group went to the Beijing opera. I, however, stayed behind at the hotel. My stomach still has not recovered from last night's mysterious illness. I am feeling better, but I need to rest. I saw some Chinese opera on TV, and I do not think I am missing anything spectacular. There were actors dressed in elaborate costumes and wearing too much make up as the screeched and wailed songs in a very high register.

Chuck Newell
Beijing
10/16/08

Beijing Day One

Our first day in China's capital began with a trip to Tiannemen Square. In the picture below, you can see The Hall of the People, China's government building, on the right, and beginning on the left, you can see the long line of people waiting to see the preserved body of Chairman Mao. We did not have the 3+ hours to wait and see. Most people in line looked to be retire people. They were the ones alive when Mao still ruled the country. He died in 1976 and I wonder if the younger generation even cares.
Just across the street is the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was built in the 1400's and was still the seat of power when the empire collapsed in the early 20th century. Watch the movie, The Last Emperor, to see what the last days of the empire was like. It was filmed on location at the Forbidden City and stars Peter O'Toole. A great film in my estimation. Now, it is Mao who looks over his people and not the son of heaven, i.e. the emperor.

We walked through gate after gate and saw spectacular courtyard after spectacular courtyard. It is an amazing place. The emperor was a virtual prisoner in his own palace. Most emperors never left the palace and ruled from afar. If you are going to have a prison, this is probably the way to go. It is good to be the king.
After lunch, we set out on the actual purpose of our trip, to visit Asian schools. Below is the ivy covered walls of Beijing High School No. 50. It is a foreign language school, and all their students study English because there is an English section on their college entrance exam. According to the principal, 90% of their students continue on to university. It was a quite impressive school. The teacher had 47 students in class and they were all quiet and attentive. The class we sat in on were practicing writing a newspaper article in English about humanitarian efforts for the earthquake victims in Sichuan Province. They even interviewed one of their teachers, whose wife is a nurse went to help the victims.

;
I leave you with words of wisdom found out the gardens of the Forbidden City:

I think it means, don't litter, but I don't think I'm supposed to pick the flowers either.

Chuck Newell
Beijing
10/15/08

Shanghai to Beijing

Before I leave Shanghai, let me show you where I ate breakfast every morning. This great spread featured western and Asian dishes, but it was the setting that made me feel like an imperialist. There is nothing like toast and jelly in a Victorian ballroom.


As we left Shanghai on a bus, we were reminded about the ever changing landscape of this enormous city. The older portions of the city, where the European colonial powers held sway, is either being renovated or torn down to make way for modern buildings. It is hard to find housing for 19 million people.


We rode in a bus for 2 hours to the south to reach Tongli, a thousand year old water town. In this part of China, many towns were built around canals in the marshy land of the Yangtze delta. To give the place an authentic feel, China's version of Grandpa Jones entertained us on his two string "violin banjo thing." However, please notice the white amplifier at his feet.



Below is one of the canals we traveled by boat. People still live and work on he houses on the canal banks.

Oddly enough, in the middle of this maze of houses and canals, there is a Catholic church. So far, this is the first one I have seen in China. Tomorrow we will be at Tiannamen Square, and there are a few large cathedrals near by. Your faithful blogger will try to find one for you.

And, what would a photo blog of China be without a picture of a rice paddy. So, here it is:


After a two hour flight from Shanghai, we landed at the Beijing airport. According to our guide, the Beijing airport terminal has bypassed The Pentagon as the world's largest building. Below is a wing of the new terminal that opened just in time for the 2008 Olympics.


Just outside our hotel in Beijing is the city's main shopping district. Some teachers, fed up with the oily and saucy Chinese we have feasted on the past three days, crossed the street for a taste of home:Some said they would like to go to KFC tomorrow, which is China's favorite fast food.

Tomorrow, we visit Tiannamen Square and The Forbidden City. Then, in the afternoon, we will visit some Chinese schools. Stay tuned!

Chuck Newell
Citizen of the World
Beijing, China
10/14/08

Shanghai Day 2

Day 2 began with a trip down the sidewalk to experience Shanghai rush hour first hand. Drivers and pedestrians take their life into their own hands. People weave in and of traffic and often ignore stop lights. To cross the street you have to step out into an empty spot in traffic and hope a driver does not want to be inconvenienced by hitting you. Notice the man on the scooter eyeing me with insidious intent.




I returned safely to my hotel to have a western style breakfast, though I still took some Chinese noodles in brown sauce off the buffet. Below is the Astor House, a Victorian era hotel that is still patronized by mostly westerners. Many famous people, like Charlie Chaplin and Ulysses Grant, have stayed here. Ask me when I get back, and I will show you pictures from the inside.


Our first stop was the Shanghai Urban Planning Center. It is a modern museum that showcases the wonders of Shanghai, China's largest and most progressive city. Most of the modern buildings you see in Shanghai were built in the last fifteen years. The Chinese are still tearing down the old and building the new here.


I do not think that high-fiving Hai Po, the mascot of the World Expo coming to Shanghai in 2010, before you enter a building is a local custom, but we Americans want to start this tradition.

The first thing inside the city planning museum is this sculpture of the Shanghia skyline. Richard, our very knowledgeable guide for the city, is standing next to it in the red shirt. I got the feeling that the Chinese want to emphasize that Shanghai is a great world city, like Paris, London, and New York. They certainly have convinced me.


Across the park from the city planning museum is the Shanghai Museum. It has four floors of fabulous Chinese art, sculpture, painting , etc.

Like this Tibetan Buddhist mask:


After the Shanghai Museum, we drove across town to the Jade Buddha Temple. It is famous for having the largest statue of a the Buddha carved in Jade. It is about ten feet tall and ways one ton. The Jade Buddha was taking visitors that day, but he does not like to have his picture taken. This picture is the statue of the Buddha from one of the outer rooms of the temple. It was odd at this stop of the tour because people were kneeling, praying, and burning incense as our guide talked and we snapped pictures. Is this disrespectful? I felt odd doing this, but in the cathedrals I toured in Europe tourists did the same thing as people lit candles and knelt to pray.



After our vegetarian lunch, which had many interesting uses for seaweed, at a restaurant attached to the temple itself, we drove to the Yu Gardens. They were built in the late Ming dynasty. Below is the picture of the 16th century tea house just outside the gardens. I did not get to go in, but don't worry. I spent too much on tea in a shop close by.


In the center of the garden, is the most famous garden stone in China. That rock in the middle has 72 holes, which is 8 x 9. Both of those numbers are considered lucky in China. What can I say? That holey stone rocks!


I am exhausted again. Obviously, my puns are getting worse. More Shanghai tomorrow and then a flight to Beijing
Chuck Newell
Shanghai

Saving...

10/13/08

Shanghai Day 1

After a grueling 15 hour flight from Atlanta to Shanghai, we rode the world’s only maglev train from Pudong airport to Shanghai proper.

It is the fastest train in the world, and reaches speeds of up to 430 kilometers per hour, or about 260 mph.

Our group was extremely jet lagged but still very excited to see one of the largest cities in the world. Our first stop was the Oriental Pearl TV tower, a landmark of the booming business district in Shanghai.

Shanghai is on a vast coastal plain and the tower offered spectacular views of this
sprawling city.

Everyone in China loves the Pearl TV tower, even our old friend from Japan.

At night, we ate dinner at the Sea Palace restaurant, a floating barge on the Huang Pu river.

And in China, when they give you fish to eat, they really give you fish to eat.

It was deep fried and covered with that gooey sweet and sour sauce you find in every Chinese restaurant in America.

We finally made it to our hotel, The Astor House, about 8:00 pm Sunday night. We were all very tired and jet lagged. We are scheduled for full day of touring on Monday, so stay tuned.

Chuck Newell, Shanghai, China

Early Monday morning, 8/14

Asia Trip Itinerary

Here is a copy of my itinerary. If you click on it, it should be large enough to read. Please bear with me, I am still trying to figure out my new scanner.

First Post, Back Home in Tennessee

My first official post will be for some of the educators I meet in Asia.

To begin with, my name is Chuck Newell and I am an English teacher at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Currently, I teach junior Advanced Placement English Language and Composition and senior Dual Enrollment English. In the first course, students take a very challenging curriculum that prepares them for an exam at the end of the school year. If they are successful on this exam they could earn college credit. The second course I teach is in conjunction with our local community college, Chattanooga State. These students are actually taking three college level courses their senior year in high school. As long as they maintain good grades, they will earn college credit that is accepted by most colleges in the United States.

Here are a few photos of my school, Notre Dame. We have just over 500 students and are the only Catholic high school in Chattanooga.


































Here is one of my junior classes:


















Here is one of my senior classes:


















From our school, we have a great view of Lookout Mountain, one of Chattanooga's famous landmarks:



















As for my personal life, I am married and have three children. We live in brick ranch house built in the 1960's. It is modest but sturdy. My youngest daughter, Zoe, is playing on the porch in the picture below:

















Here is my family, wife, Jen, oldest daughter Ellie, son Evan, and the before-mentioned Zoe: