Last Two Days Playing in Beijing!

Hi Everyone!

I am now wedged into my United Airlines “Economy Class” seat (new name for back of the bus), and am heading home from Qianxi/Beijing, China! It was a long two weeks and we spent much of our time on buses traveling around from location to location. I am really looking forward to Internet access and the modern conveniences of home such as: no “squatty potties”; no “running water trough style potties”; no potties that don’t flush; no potties that back brown sludgy water in the bowl and lastly, my personal favorite, no potties with signs that say “Please only pee here or you will be punished.” No kidding! Clearly, the Operation Smile presence is needed in China as we screened over 200 patients and performed procedures on 191 in only four days. Under the leadership of Han Kai, our Chief Plastic Surgeon, we finished our work early and were able to pack up to prepare for our two days of rest and fun in Beijing. The bus and airplane rides from Qianxi to Guiyang and on to Beijing were uneventful (thank goodness!) The China National Acrobatic Troupe show (Peking Acrobats) was simply stunning, but the rush hour traffic and magical feats of our bus driver stole the show. The next day, we enjoyed a Western style breakfast, complete with soggy pancakes, corn flakes with half and half, something called “Alpine Mash” (yogurt with soggy shredded wheat biscuits in it?) and thankfully, no spicy eggplant. There is a story to that. Everyone in the group loved something called Qie ze (chee ay dzuh). Basically it is battered and cooked eggplant. Some was horribly spicy and others were marginally delicious. You just never knew what you were going to get – that was the fun of it! On Thursday, we boarded a tour bus with a lovely guide named Jenny. We first stopped at a pearl and jade market, where we learned about how they carve jade, the different types and how to tell good from poor quality. Then we went on to a Chinese Friendship Store (government run) to visit a cloisonne factory. We got to see how cloisonné vases are painstakingly made by hand. Although, not to my personal taste, I have a new found appreciation for the hours of hard work that go into making these works of art. I did buy a small pink cloisonné Christmas ornament with two pandas hugging on it for the girls. Next, we boarded our bus for the Great Wall of China. We climbed a moderately steep section of the wall and were asked about every three minutes to stop and have our pictures taken with someone. I even had a little kid climb on my back and give the peace sign for a picture! This was a work of architecture, blood, sweat and tragedy that is unreal and extremely difficult to explain. You know how sometimes you can go to a historical site and feel the ghosts of the people past? That was how I felt at the Wall. It was a clear, warm and lightly breezy day (perfect for climbing) and we could see for eternity in all directions. I have some marvelous photos! After the Wall, we had a few minutes of shopping time and I actually got to ride a dromedary camel! It only cost me $3.50 to sit between the two lumps of the furry, smelly beast and have my picture taken by my new friend Lauren. After my “ride” was over, the camel came up to me and I wanted to get a picture of his soft face and furry lips. It was a GREAT photo opportunity until the great beast’s tongue swept out and up under my camera right across my lips and nose. I was disgustingly French kissed by a camel!! Half a bottle of Germ-X and an entire pack of Listerine strips later, I was able to rid my face of foul smelling breath and was consoled by a team mate who tried to cheer me up by saying, “At least camels can’t lick their butts!” I am not so sure about that. This camel could really have used some Listerine too. We then drove on to enjoy a few hours at the Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square. The square is the largest in city square in the world and can hold over 1 million people. Its vastness was sobering. The Forbidden City was home to approximately 45 emperors during the Qing and Ming dynasties (I believe that is what we were told.) I do remember for a fact that the emperor had one wife and 3,000 concubines! Busy guy! Every night, a eunuch would come to the emperor with the names of the concubines so one could be chosen by the emperor to be his bedmate that evening. Concubines were aged 13 to 16. Older concubines were allowed to remain at the city for the rest of their lives, but no longer spent time in the company of the emperor. Each had their own room and there are over 9,000 rooms at the city! For safety, the emperor would sleep in a different room each night. It would take 27 years to sleep in each room! Concubines could move up in status (even to empress), by producing a son for the emperor. We got to see their rooms and I could just imagine them stepping delicately amongst the water and peony gardens in their tiny “golden lily” feet and silk slippers. Only girls from prominent families were chosen as concubines. Apparently, this was a great, but lonely honor for these women. We then shopped at the Silk Street Market, which completely wore me out. They were ruthless bargainers and it was really annoying. I am sure I got ripped off many times, so I tried not to make many purchases. Three hours later, we boarded a bus for a Peking duck (and more qie ze) dinner and then headed back to the hotel around 11:00PM! Long, but fabulous day! It was a great trip and I always learn something and see something unique and new every time I travel to the birth country of my little Lucy and Abbie. It is a truly spectacular country and it is exciting many more people with get to enjoy it’s splendor during the upcoming Olympic games, where they expect MILLIONS!! Thank you Operation Smile, for once more providing me with an incredible opportunity to help others have a smile on their face and joy in their hearts. - Always, Tracie