From Spring Break: February 8th to the 21st
FuKang Firework Stand—the big stuff is under cover around the back.
Beijing: Trip to Temple of Heaven
I got to go to Beijing with my friend Peter. The family stayed back and I basically learned how to get to the east train station and take the Intercity Railway to Bejing. We took the bullet train and arrived in Beijing in about 25 minutes. Typically a 2 hour drive by car or van, the bullet train reached a speed of about 326 kph (a little over 200 mph) and the train was smooth as can be and just a great experience. It has the feel of being on an airplane…there are even female attendants who walk up and down the train checking on things and there bottled water is included in the 58 yuan ticket (about $8). We got off at the South Station and then took the connecting subway to the Temple Fair. This fair was held at the Temple of the Earth, which was constructed around the early 1500s. It is Buddhist in design and the people there in the inner courtyard were bringing their incense sticks and saying their prayers while bowing before each of the 11 gods that were represented. The entrance to the Temple of the Earth is adorned with red lanterns and everywhere you go you see the red lanterns hanging from the branches of the trees over the walkways. The walkways are lined with vendors selling fun things like bracelets, stuffed dolls, masks, goofy wigs, toys—you name it, a lot like a flea market carnival atmosphere. There was even a freak show of some entertainers who put snakes up their nose and whatnot. At least that was what was advertised on the curtains that were put up to block the show from public site. For my east coast friends, it was sort of like Atlantic city without the boardwalk and ocean. To say that the crowd was thick would be an understatement.
New Acoustic Guitar
Anyway, after trapsing around and checking things out we ended up at Wangfujing where I ended up buying a new acoustic guitar at my favorite Chinese music store—I can't write the name because I don’t have the character translation—so I call it The Music store.
Patrick and Pastor Li and Pastor Li
Peter and I met up with Patrick Li at the subway stop near the embassy row off of line one. Pastor Li, Patrick and his mom were there and they greeted us with Chunjie gifts for both of us. That was on Thursday, the fifth day of Chunjie, which is a special day of additional fireworks celebration which was pretty cool going home at night thoughout Beijing with all of these tremendous fireworks displays. What you would need a permit for in the States is being ignited in somebody’s parking lot out on the street or wherever they can get it level. Pastor Li drove us to the South Station and we took the bullet train home.
A quick shot of “Ancient Culture Street” which is a modern
reconstruction of what a typical Tianjin
market street may feel like. Kind of like Epcot, touristy, but fun.
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