Into every life a little smog must fall

We have a lot of catching up to do. We left Guilin very early for a flight to Beijing. I was placed in first class but that may sound better than it was. Not speaking the language here has given me a lot to think about. The flight attendant said something and then pulled off my shoes to put slippers on. Probably would have been a nice gesture had I understood the language or the custom but not comprehending either made for an odd exchange!

As we arrived in Beijing what we had heard about the pollution was no joke. A heavy pall was apparent as we touched down. As we headed in to the City (and this is a huge one… 20 million) you could barely make out anything above a few hundred feet. Danling our guide told us she had ordered us face masks for Beijing and Xian as the smog was settled in for at least a week. Apparently much longer than usual. 

Being a travel day we were getting the lay of the new land. Settling in to a new hotel and readying ourselves to meet our traveling companions for the next two weeks. We were meeting six other families, all with girls adopted from China that were also back to this country for the first time since their adoptions. Good company to be sure.

Not being ones to sit idle, we donned our face masks and set off for a sprawling shopping mall up the way a few blocks. We were to gather in a few hours to meet up with our tour companions but why not fill the time in between then! This mall covered a long city block and was six stories high. It still was the weekend so it was absolutely packed. There was a large grocery store in the basement level that we browsed around. It sold clothing and other things as well. No English was spoken here at all and it appeared that they did not see many foreign tourists. Things as simple as understanding how much you owe require a different kind of thinking. We did however find that the Oreo Blizzard at a Beijing Dairy Queen is not like the one in the US but tasty anyway! The ice cream flavors here are not quite up to the American palate unless you find poultry or red bean paste to your liking.

Walking with those face masks are not easy. Not only do they restrict your breathing but they fog up your glasses making very difficult to see. 

We awoke the next day to the news that the pollution had hit a high alert level. Schools were closed, they had banned cars with even numbered license plates from driving and grounded some flights. Here is a picture of Coco as we ascended this smoggy park near the City Center in Beijing. We were told that the mornings Tai Chi gatherers was cancelled due to smog. Yet the park writing had been done. Chinese elders paint these Chinese Characters on the stone with big brushes and water as a part of their daily spiritual ritual. This was beautiful to behold. We climbed up to a Buddhist Temple and saw a man doing his exercises and prayer there. Our guide spoke to him to determine that he was 91 years old. He was doing the “crow” check out that yoga pose… amazing!!!

A large tour group now in tow we headed to the Hutong Neighborhoods for a rickshaw tour and a handmade lunch in one of the local family’s homes. The girls would then learn the art of dumpling making. The Hutong is a series of forty-four narrow alleys that encompass a series of old homes, some converted to businesses. This is the only neighborhood of its kind to survive the cultural revolution in this area. Most of its original inhabitants worked directly for the Emperor and there was much ancient symbolism to be seen in the old doorways and private entrances. This is still considered a “good address” to have in Beijing although Hutong life is not as appealing to Chinese young adults. These homes and courtyards are either bought (very expensive) or passed down through family members where multiple generations are living together in a small space. Our guide pointed out that the elder in a Chinese family always got the best in the southern accommodation in the family home because it was warmer and had better light. I loved that little snippet! Our lunch was a delicious combination of some local dishes. Although I swear that the pollution leaves a plastic taste in your mouth. The dumplings were sweet and had squash in them. Beijing has similar weather to Michigan so they are eating what seasonal veggies we eat this time of year. Here you can see a picture of the girls in our group posing with the owner of this Hutong after lunch. Our families are from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Massachusetts and of course Michigan.

The group headed back by bus through the less crowded streets (folks had to stay home with their kids today which made for less traffic) and our family and the new “bestie” that Coco had made (Vivian and her delightful Mother Mary) decided to brave the Beijing subway system to visit the Temple of Heaven instead of tagging along with the remainder of the group to the shopping mall. A local guide got us on the railway but we were on our own after that. The subway was clean and smooth and really easy to navigate. Here is a picture of Coco and Vivian enjoying the city’s public transportation.

The Temple of Heaven was a beautiful city park and home to an amazing old temple that is in beautiful condition. The gardens and surrounding walkways are sure to be beautiful when not in winter season. The air was brisk and we were out for a nice active walk, seeing some amazing things and in good company.

Tomorrow finds us on a long day or touring. We are spending the whole day at the Great Wall and then coming back in to Beijing for the traditional Peking Duck Dinner. The girls although a little shy yesterday will be holed up in the back of the bus free from their parents to enjoy each others younger person company.  

Thank you to those of you that have e-mailed me bits of news. It is much appreciated. It is so strange to not be able to access my daily updates like the NY Times. Although being away from it all really is the point of this trip I am missing my own daily rituals of news reading, good coffee, doing wash in a washing machine and a little clean air.