My intention was to tweet from China. I did not know that Twitter was not allowed. So today I offer some short observations.
Today is our last day in Beijing. As Marilyn has written what a place of contrasts – modern to ancient.
Ancient: We climbed the Great Wall yesterday. I made it to the first tower. The steps were worn, uneven and full of history. With each step I tried to imagine who else had stepped here throughout the centuries…not years or decades…but centuries. The Wall was crowded. Politeness and encouragement framed the experience. Each time I paused, another climber would catch my eyes and urge me on. One Chinese woman patted my shoulder then gently pushed my back with a strong voiced encouragement that I heard as , “you can do this…it is worth it.”. It was. The climb was overwhelming physically, intellectually, and emotionally!
Modern: In the evening, we visited the equivalent of Times Square, Beijing style. Neon signs, Hermes, Tiffanys and other fancy, expensive stores I do not remember. Many people milled around with their bags of goods and cell phones texting. To get back to the hotel, We rode the subway around 9 pm. We were packed in so tightly, 7 of us literally pushed to get out of the subway car at our stop as the buzzer warned us the doors were closing. We, Nebraskans, looked frazzled by the lack of personal space and the need to push.
Another amazing day with much to remember .
