Friday, November 7, 2008
November 7, 2008
- This is my 7th day in China and I think my body is finally recovered from jet lag.
- This AM we visited the Yucai School in Beijing. This school is public, however, it is operated by the national dept. of education. It is considered one of the best, if not the best, school in China. It serves 4000 students grades 1-12.
- The campus of the Yucai School was beautiful; mostly 500 year old buildings, much more like a college campus than an elementary school. We started our visit with the usual large group meeting with the principal. Again this visit was thoroughly recorded by the press and witnessed by a number of officials from the Chinese Dept. of Education.
- We then toured the buildings and grounds, starting with the upper grades and dorms and working our way down. Most of the students sleep at the school. That is fairly common at the better public schools, since students come from quite a distance.
- The principal was very proud of the athletic accomplishments of their school. They are currently the national champions in baseball. Five of the Chinese Olympic team were graduates of their school, and the girl who won the all around gymnastics is also a student here. I wanted to see her school records to confirm her birth date, but I decided they would consider that disrespectful.
- The first class we visited only had twelve students, It was a high school class. I finally thought we were seeing US size classes, but it turns out this was a special class for Korean students. Such students are declared "international students" and are exempt from their national testing program. They do that in order to prevent these students from lowering their test scores, a luxary we aren't allowed on NECAP's!
- We then walked through the elementary building. The kids wore uniforms; the girls in red gym suits and the boys in blue. This informal style of uniform is common in China. As usual the classes were huge, 30-40 kids, and very well behaved. We did catch the kids in a ten minute AM break and then are allowed to walk into the halls, so we were surrounded by curious kids all of whom wanted to say "hello'. Westerners are a tr
ue curiousty to all of the Chinese. Many places they ask to take our picture! - We were invited into a 5th grade art class. The kids were making good luck charms, creating a complicated weaving that eventually is attached to a Christmas tree like ornament. Each student picked out a guest to give their ornament too. I took a picture of the little girl who gave me mine.
- We left this school around 11:30 and headed back to hotel to change into our tourist/climg the Great Wall clothes.
- Several of us ran across the street to the Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. We needed real food. It was finger licking good. We had to point at the pictures on the menu to place our order. We fed four of us for 116 RMB, which is about $17.
- We got back to the hotel just in time to make the bus which stopped at a restaurant for lunch...which actually wasn't bad...wouldn't you know it.
- We then proceeded to the Olympic venue to see the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, and the Gymnastics Hall.
- The Bird's Nest dominates the Olympic area and it's even more beautiful and massive than TV captures. The surface on the Water Cube is best described asa translucent film that changes color with the sky.
- There were thousands of tourists checking out the venue. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to go inside either facility. That really would have been special.
- Next to the athletic sites is a very tall, even by Beijing standards, hotel, the top of which is supposed to replicate the Olympic torch. On all of its four sides it has a huge video screen, four stories tall and three times as wide...and crystal clear.
- After 30 minutes of snapping shots of each other in front of the venues, we boarded the bus and headed toward the Great Wall, which is only 60 miles outside of the city.
- Although Beijing is very flat, the mountains are visible in the distance. It reminds me a little of Denver, although there's no snow on these peaks.
- I napped on the way, waking up just in time to catch our first glimpse of The Wall. Being there and seeing it was one of those experiences, like your first trip to Fenway Park, that you can't believe is happening. Truly a thrill.
- For whatever reason, our bus parked on the side of The Wall that is very steep. We were given 90 minutes to climb up as far as we could and most of us did. The part we climbed was narrower than most of the pictures I've seen...and very steep; just like climbing toward the summit of a 4000 ft. peak in the Presidentials!
- Although it was cold, I worked up quite a sweat on the way up. I'm sure my legs will be sore tomorrow.
- The sun was already setting below the peaks so the lighting wasn't great for pictures, but the scenery was breathtaking. The peaks are very steep, very ragged, and very gray. Not much vegetation. Again, it reminded me of Colorado or the Tetons, as opposed to the Whites.
- There are lots of souvenir stands at the bottom. I tried to haggle the price down on a jade lion, but the seller wouldn't budge, nor did I, so the item still sits on the shelf.
- Sweaty and sore, I welcome the bus ride back to Beijing, where we attended one more Banquet with many officials the National and Beijing departments of Education. There were lots of toasts, and of all our banquets, this had the best food....Peking Duck!
- We got back to the hotel around 9 PM.
- Tomorrow we visit the Forbidden City, and finally get to do some shopping!
