Today we visited historic Tian'anmen Square in the center of Beijing, the largest square in the world. We had a personal guide who spoke English and was very informative. The square is amazing - imagining the 1989 incident where the students were killed by tanks in protest for a jailed comrade was historic. The entrance to the Forbiden City (which we visit tomorrow) has the mural of Chairman Mao hanging that is re-painted every year for he is considered the greatest leader of the common people. There is also the Chinese National Museum, The Great Hall of the People as well as Mao's mausoleum; unfortunately, it was closed on Mondays! At the center of the square is the Monument to the People's Heroes. Since it is winter, there were not that many people there but it was still incredible.
The guide asked us if we wanted to see a Chinese hospital while we had some extra time. It ended up being a TCM - traditional Chinese medicine clinic - and this might have been one of the highlights of the trip. We thought we were just going for a short tour. Suddenly a doctor came in and explained for 10 minutes about the concept of herbal healing and medicines and asked us if we would like a health analysis by a doctor. The deal is an older doctor "with grey hair are the wisest". So we said why not? The studies in the university to be an herbal doctor is 8 years to begin with and then experience is next. That's why the older doctors are the wisest. Of course, then in walks a doctor who was maybe in his 60's. He took Meg's wrists and, by feeling her pulse, looking at her tongue and eyes, could tell her blood circulation was poor, she gets tired easily and doesn't sleep well. As he spoke in Chinese, a nurse sat next to him interpreting the analysis. Meg was amazed. Of course, I was next! He took my wrists, looked into my eyes and my tongue and determined that I had high blood pressure, high chloresterol and sometimes sore joints. We kept the prescription recommendations he made - remember this was a herbal hospital/pharmacy (the oldest in China - 330 years old). When we asked the prices he recommended, it added up to over $400 for a month's supply (and you could re-order by e-mail). As we got up to leave, he gave us the final analysis. He told Meg she should work out more and take herbs to help increase her circulation. Then he nodded towards me and just shook his head. It was a classic moment and Meg could not stop laughing. My interepretation was I had one month to live so enjoy my trip to Beijing and if I didn't take his advice I could kiss my life goodbye. It seemed like a great scam, but who knows. We can always go back before we leave and load up on the herbs.
Next stop was a Hutong - it happened to be the same one where we ate at the Hutong Pizza. Remember, a Hutong is a house set up in a courtyard that was built in Beijing over 500 years ago. There are Hutongs all over Beijing. It is also a word for the neighborhood/alleys of housing. No one knows how many Hutongs there are. Some are as narrow as only one person could walk. We were taken on a rickshaw ride thru the alleys and visited an actual house with its owner family who had been there for 80 years. We saw the kitchen, the coal bricks used for heating and cooking and the sleeping rooms. We were then taken to The Bell Tower and Drum Tower overlooking the Hutong neighborhood and then to another tower where we were given a demonstration of drinking tea. Tonight we visited the Beijing Opera at the Laoshe Tea House although it was not a typical opera. It was more single acts including a singing opera, two men doing bird calls, a musician, Kung Fu acrobats and a guy who balanced bowls on his head. It was very entertaining and a real treat.
The guide asked us if we wanted to see a Chinese hospital while we had some extra time. It ended up being a TCM - traditional Chinese medicine clinic - and this might have been one of the highlights of the trip. We thought we were just going for a short tour. Suddenly a doctor came in and explained for 10 minutes about the concept of herbal healing and medicines and asked us if we would like a health analysis by a doctor. The deal is an older doctor "with grey hair are the wisest". So we said why not? The studies in the university to be an herbal doctor is 8 years to begin with and then experience is next. That's why the older doctors are the wisest. Of course, then in walks a doctor who was maybe in his 60's. He took Meg's wrists and, by feeling her pulse, looking at her tongue and eyes, could tell her blood circulation was poor, she gets tired easily and doesn't sleep well. As he spoke in Chinese, a nurse sat next to him interpreting the analysis. Meg was amazed. Of course, I was next! He took my wrists, looked into my eyes and my tongue and determined that I had high blood pressure, high chloresterol and sometimes sore joints. We kept the prescription recommendations he made - remember this was a herbal hospital/pharmacy (the oldest in China - 330 years old). When we asked the prices he recommended, it added up to over $400 for a month's supply (and you could re-order by e-mail). As we got up to leave, he gave us the final analysis. He told Meg she should work out more and take herbs to help increase her circulation. Then he nodded towards me and just shook his head. It was a classic moment and Meg could not stop laughing. My interepretation was I had one month to live so enjoy my trip to Beijing and if I didn't take his advice I could kiss my life goodbye. It seemed like a great scam, but who knows. We can always go back before we leave and load up on the herbs.
Next stop was a Hutong - it happened to be the same one where we ate at the Hutong Pizza. Remember, a Hutong is a house set up in a courtyard that was built in Beijing over 500 years ago. There are Hutongs all over Beijing. It is also a word for the neighborhood/alleys of housing. No one knows how many Hutongs there are. Some are as narrow as only one person could walk. We were taken on a rickshaw ride thru the alleys and visited an actual house with its owner family who had been there for 80 years. We saw the kitchen, the coal bricks used for heating and cooking and the sleeping rooms. We were then taken to The Bell Tower and Drum Tower overlooking the Hutong neighborhood and then to another tower where we were given a demonstration of drinking tea. Tonight we visited the Beijing Opera at the Laoshe Tea House although it was not a typical opera. It was more single acts including a singing opera, two men doing bird calls, a musician, Kung Fu acrobats and a guy who balanced bowls on his head. It was very entertaining and a real treat.
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