June 2: Day One of Activities in China

Today was extremely busy and informative.

After breakfast in the hotel's restaurant named the Red Wall Cafe, the full group met. There are twelve of us on this ASA trip, plus the tour guide Wen Tong (Wendy). After introductions, Wendy provided an introductory lecture. It provided a very helpful grounding for the day's activities.



In terms of touring, the day was focused on Beijing.

We walked through Changpuhe Park, learning about Chinese gardening along the way. I have many ideas to take back to Mississippi. (Elle, you better get prepared! Our Delta backyard needs a face lift so that we can be at peace with the elements.)

Next on the list were the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square where we walked for a few hours. What a dynamic and long history. I think it is difficult for Americans to think about history across such large stretches of time. This is something we can learn from the Chinese.

We went for a pedicab ride in the old town Beijing-Houhai District and had lunch at a local family's home. Julia (her English name) - another guide - joined us for this visit. It was wonderful. We had great food, fellowship and learned about this historic community and people's everyday lives. There is nothing like good food to bring people together. It also put a face to the stories about how traditional culture is rapidly changing in the face of rapid development and globalization.

After lunch, we visited a primary school in the District. This provided an opportunity to meet and hear from the school master, a teacher and some students. From there, we went to the former Residence of Madam Sun Yat-Sun, an important woman in the history of China.

Following a pedicab ride back, we were off to the Temple of Heaven via a bus.

It had been a long day, and we had been good students. In addition to the tours and meetings, we also learned about Chinese history, culture and language from Wendy along the way.

We ended the evening with a traditional Peking duck dinner at Dadong Restaurant. It was fabulous. Along with the duck (not to mention duck feet), we had chicken and beef dishes. What a treat. So many flavors, so little time!