What a wonderful day we had today! Our hosts Scott and Hailing, the owners of Present China, have set up such a wonderful experience for the choir and are taking such good care of us.
Our second day in Beijing began with a feast. The students couldn’t believe their first look at the hotel’s breakfast buffet. It seemed to go on for miles, and at least expanded into several rooms, with an enormous selection of Chinese and American breakfast delicacies. Many
Great Wall on a very hot and hazy day.
of us were relieved to find that the hotel has good coffee – a necessary way to start the day!
After breakfast we piled into the coach for our concert and opportunity to climb the Great Wall of China. The Badaling Great Wall in Beijing is one of the best preserved areas of the wall and has become a national symbol of China and is classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Wall itself is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. During the bus ride, Scott shared all sorts of wonderful Chinese history with us – he really makes the tour interesting, always pointing out landmarks along the way, such as the Olympic Village site and “Bird’s Nest.” Such interesting architecture!
When we arrived at the Great Wall we were delighted to find that Scott and Hailing had arranged for a welcome arch over the staging area where we would be singing. Wow! There’s our name on a huge arch at the Great Wall of China! Beaver Nation truly IS everywhere!
The choir performance was well received by the crowd of mostly Chinese tourists. Many people took photos and videos and selfies in front of the choir, and the end of each song was met with enthusiastic applause.
Clarissa at the Great Wall. We do experience some “celebrity status” here in China. All day long, various singers were asked to stop and be in selfie photos with the local people. Female singers with blond hair seem to get the most attention and have been asked to take photos with both men and women.
The heat and humidity are high, as is the level of smog. It was a sunny day, but the air was not clear, even when we got away from the downtown Beijing area and out to the site of the Great Wall. The combination made the steep climb especially difficult for some, and singers stopped and turned around at different points, but there was a group that proudly made it all the way to the highest point. Those who turned around took advantage of this time to hit the tourist shops at the site, purchase cold sodas, exotic fruit ice cream bars and souvenirs.
After visiting the Great Wall we were treated to another Chinese meal for lunch at the largest Jade Museum in China. Following the delicious meal, we were given a short, funny and entertaining presentation (in English) about Chinese jade, the differing qualities, and the meaning of many of the symbols and statues you find carved in jade, and then we were given time to shop with a special discount that Scott had arranged for the students.
Jade Museum
Our afternoon was filled with walking the beautiful 700-acre Summer Palace. This was the garden of the imperial family during the late Qing Dynasty. It was built by the “Dragon Lady” of China, mother to the Little Emperor, for her own birthday celebration. It’s history is very controversial, yet now it is China’s largest and best-preserved royal garden. It’s a peaceful and beautiful place. Again, Scott gave us so much history about the garden, always adding engaging stories about cultural traditions, legends, and beliefs.
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- Summer Palace
Following our visit to the Summer Palace it was time for yet another wonderful Chinese dinner. This was the special dinner of Peking Duck, carved and served by a chef near our tables. Many of us found this particular dinner to be the best yet and couldn’t help but feel just a little bit of satisfaction at the idea of eating ducks! Go Beavs!
Peking Duck
