To a certain someone on the other side of the Pacific...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

A little Q&A, perhaps?

In case there's something you want to know in particular about my time here that I've failed to cover in any blogs, anyone is more than free to ask a question via blog comment, e-mail or Facebook, and I'll be more than obliging to post both your question and my answer right here on the blog for everyone to see. 

So if you're wondering about what classes I'm talking, what kind of food I eat, etc, don't hesitate to ask, I'll be happy to answer!

Just a thought....

To everyone back home - no matter what obstacles you may run into, never lose heart, for no matter what happens today, there's always tomorrow. 

And you can definitely trust me on that,  because it's always already tomorrow where I am. 

Interesting Signs

When I first came here to Beijing, I was extremely surprised to find just how many signs have English translations on them, not just in the city but all across China for the sake of non-native tourists. Unfortunately, considering just how vastly different English and mandarin are, sometimes the translations are….well, less than perfect. And some signs can still be quite odd-looking even if they don't have anything written on them.

If you think the following pictures of various signs are odd, then you should take a look at my homework for my language class. Trust me, it's not any easier doing the opposite and translating from English to Mandarin. 

From the bathroom at the hotel we stayed at in Dunhuang.

This was in my hallway at our hotel in Jiayuguan. My theory is that this is where they keep the the monster that punishes hotel-goers who have left their rooms too messy. 

Dial the first number for help. Dial the second number for Satan.

This was hanging on the walls at the fortress in Jiayuguan. And don't even think about tapping on those walls either, bucko!

This hung over the "toilet" on the train from Jiayuguan to Xian....and by toilet, I mean hole.

According to this sign from a mall in Xian, there's apparently a lot of cattle-herders in the area.

This hung on the door of the "bathroom" on the train, but I think it's unnecessary. After all, how can you find enough space to occupy those tiny bathrooms after someone's stabled their horse in there? 

This was found in the Great Mosque in Xian, and I will reward you a hefty sum if you can tell me what the heck they're talking about here. 

This was in the gardens surrounding the Small Goose Pagoda in Xian, as was the sign seen below. 

I don't exactly know what's going on here, but it feels like this sign is telling me that there's a smuggling operation going on here. 

Seriously, what did those green leaves ever do to you, you black-hearted monster?

My favorite one of all, found in every city - NO TRUMPETING!

Sept. 20 - Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City

I've read about it over and over and over, and have seen it in just about every TV show or movie I've watched about China, but I've never actually set foot there at that most famous of landmarks. That is, until Saturday, when TBC took all those who wanted to come to go see the one and only Forbidden City, located in front of scenic Tienanmen Square.

These two gates are all that remain of Beijing's Old City Walls, which were even greater than Xian's until they were torn down during the cultural revolution. 

The Monument to the People's Heroes. 

Mao Zedong's Mausoleum, where the embalmed Chairman's body lies. I didn't see it that day, but I plan to visit it at some point before I leave. 

Here behind the monument you can see the Great Hall of the People, used by the National People's Congress.

The National Museum of China. 

The national flag is flown in the square, and is promptly raised at sunrise and likewise lowered when the sun sets. 

Here you see the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest of the halls and where the Ming emperors held court, and which the Qing (last dynasty of China) used for mainly ceremonial purposes.







Here you see the throne of the emperor.... and by "the" throne, I mean one of the several. There was an ornate throne in every hall that we entered.  

Dragons and phoenixes, both symbols of the emperor and imperial power, were a recurring theme found everywhere. 

Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in the exquisite Imperial Gardens. 

The moat surrounding the massive palace.

That there is the north gate, through which we exited. However, what you've seen so far through my pictures is hardly all there is to see in the sprawling Forbidden City, for besides the main buildings shown above, there were more alleyways, small courtyards, and various buildings than I could even count, literally just about everywhere. 

Every time I thought I reached a dead end, I would suddenly find another passage that would allow me to delve even deeper into the enormous imperial complex.

While what I saw was absolutely beautiful, I feel that the three or fours hours there only gave me a taste of the Forbidden City. Chances are, I'll return some other day.... and then another day after that.... and then I'll come back another time after that as well. 

I'll be honest; I think that you could spend a whole week here wandering around this marvelous wonder, and you there would still be plenty for you to explore by the time your seven days were up.