Travel: Beijing, from Bird's Nest to the Great Wall

After surviving the frigid Forbidden City, I was only too happy to be back in the car, out of the wind and chill, and my guide pointed us to some traditional Beijing (Peking) Duck (at my request). Bian Yi Fang is a traditional Peking restaurant, more than 140 years old, where the hostesses wear the beautiful qi pao, the traditional Chinese long dress, complemented with fur stoles to help keep out the chill. It was a perfect first meal for the holiday. And it gave me just enough energy to visit the Bird's Nest, the stunning Olympic Stadium. Beside it is the Water Cube, site of the aquarian events. These are both interesting architecturally (including this interesting hotel within walking distance of the two), but without being able to go inside, you don't spend too much time there. So, I was back to the hotel for my previously mentioned nap.




It was dark and cold outside when I awoke, but also still and quiet. Perfect for a stroll down Chang'an Avenue and a quick ride on the subway. It is a short ride between stops east and west of the Tian'anmen Gate, and I wanted to get a feel of the subway for the rest of my trip. When I emerged on the west entrance, I was greeted by the sight of the National Performing Arts Center, illuminated - chameleon-like - in colors changing from white to blue to purple. The walk back down the Avenue of Eternal Peace (more on that later) took me back by Tian'anmen Square, the Great Hall of the People, and the Imperial Palace, all alight for the holiday, with the dozens of red Chinese flags stiff in the night breeze. Quite a sight.






It was an early start the next morning - New Year's Eve - for a trip to the Great Wall. It was still frigid outside, but the trip up to Badaling was pleasant inside the heated car. It took a while to get out of the sprawling city. Beijing is circled by a series of "Ring Roads", indicating how much the city has grown in recent times. I was staying in the heart of the city, near the Imperial Palace, and we would travel past the Sixth Ring Road before we left Beijing proper (it is actually the fifth of the ring roads, and the farthest one out).

Once we were out of the city, we began climbing into the hills north of the capital, and soon we were to see the first ramparts of the Great Wall. As one of my guidebooks says, it is like a long serpent, seeking out the pinnacles of the hills as it winds over the countryside.



Badaling is one of the most accessible portions of the Wall, with a low-level entrance as well as a cable car that takes you towards one of the peaks of the nearby hills. We took the cable car up, through the freezing wind. The gap in the car's door did not quite keep out the wind, so we were fully acclimated to the outdoor temperature by the time we arrived. It was perhaps colder than the previous day, although at those temperatures, it really doesn't matter. Our early start had gotten us there before the crowds, so we had this entire section of the Wall nearly to ourselves. It was fantastic! From the exit of the cable car, it wasn't a far walk to the highest point, with a great vista. From there, we could walk back down the entrance at ground level, with a mixture of easy slopes and very steep stairways. Along the way, you pass through a number of towers and guard houses (the towers were placed two arrow shots from each other, so that enemies storming the Wall would always be in arrow shot range). As I was walking down, I had to think what kind of terrible assignment it would have been to have guard duty on the Great Wall during the dead of Winter. I thought I might never be warm again.




Of course, a Honey Orange Latte from Starbucks helped. I finally was able to feel my feet on the drive back into the city, and was warmed up by the time we were back to the hotel. I said goodbye to my driver and guide with a traditional New Year gift, hong bao, or little red packet. It had been a good start to my New Year's Eve.

Travel: Beijing, Winter and Spring

For Chinese New Year, I took my first visit to mainland China. Now, most Chinese will tell you that I have been to China several times, with my trips to Hong Kong and Macau, and even Taiwan. But, this trip to Beijing would be my first to the People’s Republic. And I loved it. So much so that I made another trip in May, to get a feel for the city without the bitter cold of January and visit some places I missed the first go-round. The following entries are the story of my visits to the Chinese capital, one in the dead of Winter, the other at the tail end of Spring.

Americans need a visa to get into the country. I of course waited until the last moment - the Tuesday before the Saturday I was to leave (still within the four-day period). I was impressed with the visa application process. I waited in line for five minutes at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore before everything was handled. They took my passport and application and told me to come back on Friday. On that day, I was dismayed to find a queue of 40 people. But, it took me all of seven minutes to get to the front, where I paid my S$190 (it is S$25 for Singaporeans - reciprocity for the US's high fees for Chinese nationals) and collected my passport with its shiny new multiple-entry visa. And a microchip telling the Chinese government of my whereabouts at all times, I am sure.

I arrived on the overnight flight (Beijing is about six hours from Singapore) and was greeted by freezing temperatures. It was about minus-5 C (in the 20s F), and the wind was ferocious. I had hired a guide and car, and the sight of someone holding a paper with my name on it (who wasn’t wearing a police uniform) was quite pleasing to this bleary-eyed traveler (I did not sleep on the flight). The trip into the city was shorter than expected; traffic was light, as it was Saturday and just two days before the start of the new year. Many had warned me that the city would be deserted – I was rather enjoying it.

A quick stop at my hotel (I love Asian hotels, because they let you check in at 8 in the morning), and we were off. I stayed at the Beijing Hotel, the landmark that was the only hotel where foreigners could stay for many years. It is luxurious in a Soviet sort of way - everything is big and clean and spartan - so I can see how it was the nicest hotel in the city during an earlier era. Regardless, it ended up being a perfect location for me. (I didn't quite have my wits about me when I arrived and only got a night shot later.)


While I was exhausted, I would have no problem staying awake outside, because of the extreme weather (the wind chill was minus-10, in the teens F). I brought my heavy coat, hat (that I thankfully bought in Santa Fe!), and new gloves and scarf. It wasn't enough. The wind reminded me of the Texas panhandle - just bitter. Our first stop was to be Tian'anmen Square, about a quarter-mile down Chang'an Boulevard from my hotel, but there was an official government/party function going on that day at the neighboring Hall of the People, and the square was closed. So, we headed across the street to the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, entering through the Tian'anmen Gate (which is a bit redundant, as men in Chinese means gate). This is where Chairman Mao announced the formation of the People's Republic of China on May 1, 1949, after the defeat of the nationalists and their flight to Taiwan. You can't miss the gate - it features a huge picture of Mao. Welcome to China.



Every step of the hundred metres to the gate was miserable. And I like cold weather. When we got inside the massive complex, it wasn’t any better. The palace is so huge that you never felt like there was any shelter. The grounds are massive, and the wind just howled. Even the exhibits inside the buildings of the Forbidden Palace offered little warmth. Which is too bad, because there is a lot of really cool things to see. As much as I wanted to soak it in, I lasted only an hour. We jumped back into the car and headed out for any early lunch.


We made it to only one more sight before I gave up. I had the driver take me back to the hotel, and I was in bed by 2pm. It may have been the best nap I have had in years, although I think it took a couple of hours for me to completely warm up. That’s okay, because I slept until well past 9pm. So much for my first day.



My return visit in May offered a completely different climatic experience. My familiarity with the city’s transportation system meant I could bypass the car and driver and take the airport train into the city. This is quite efficient, delivering you to Dongzhimen Station on the Beijing subway's Line 2 (five stops from my hotel) in just over 20 minutes. I took the same flight as in January, arriving just after sunrise. The train is uncrowded at this time, and it offers a pleasant, timely and cost-efficient way into the city (if you are prepared to then board a subway for the remainder of the journey).

My seatmate on the plane told me that Beijing had essentially skipped Spring, as the weather had transitioned from Winter cold to early-Summer warm rather quickly. This was apparent as soon as we walked onto the jetway – it was quite warm. I thought I might enjoy a little brisk weather (I am always for little escapes from the constant tropical climate of Singapore), but that was out the window. And I had not brought any shorts. It wasn’t too hot, however, to stop me from getting off the subway a stop early to walk the half-mile to the hotel, enjoying the hazy morning (the pollution absent in January’s crisp, windy days was back with a vengeance on that heavy Spring morning).

I had chosen another holiday to visit – May 1 is the start of the Golden Week holiday – and the infamous Beijing traffic was again non-existent. I stayed in the Raffles Beijing Hotel, which is connected to the Beijing Hotel of my previous stay. But, it's a Raffles, with a touch of modern class that the Beijing Hotel lacked. My “room” ended up being a sizeable suite with a killer king bed. So, remembering the experience of my previous visit, I thought it prudent to catch a bit of rest before heading out. It was only 8 in the morning, you know. Of course, the rest of my day wasn’t much more productive than my first day in January – I just found the relaxing too appealing. I would make it back to the Imperial Palace that day, enjoying the more temperate environment.

Chinese New Year 2009

Gentle Readers - it has been far too long since my last post. Much has happened, both professionally and personally. Nothing quite earth-shattering, but a few things that may be of interest to you, especially on the travel side. So, I will endeavor to get caught up to the present over the next few days. It may seem like a lot of reading, but I hope it will be somewhat interesting.

I will start with Chinese New Year. This, of course, occurred way back in January and February. But, some of the traditions and some of my experiences are still with me, and I would like to share.

The Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday on the Chinese calendar. It is a time to be with family, and to celebrate the coming of Spring (thus, its alternative name of the Spring Festival). Last year, I enjoyed Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. This year, it was to be Beijing (more on that in my next post). But, before – and after – my trip, it was time to celebrate with friends and colleagues.

CNY lasts 15 days, with a different, specific activity for each day. New Year’s Eve is a big day, and many families get together for a meal befitting the holidays. It is reminiscent of Thanksgiving, only with Chinese food. Dinners are often enjoyed in big restaurants, at the traditional setting of the round table. The night before I left for Beijing, a friend of mine invited me to join him and his family (wife, mother and father, and brother) for dinner. As we enjoyed our dinner, we were surrounded by sounds of “ganbei!”, a traditional toast that was a sign that other tables (often in private rooms) were imbibing to celebrate the new year. The meal included several delicious dishes, from steamed garoupa, crisp roasted chicken, fresh prawns, and a yummy lotus root.

The last day of the new year period is usually celebrated with a “lo hei” (low hay), a ceremony where participants mix a salad by tossing the ingredients from on high. The traditional ingredients are brought in individually, and then you mix them by together by taking them high into the air and dropping them back to the plate. As with most Chinese practices, this is filled with much symbolism (although I think the lo hei is a rather recent invention). I have included a list of sayings to accompany each ingredient (the yusheng is the actual dish).



I did this not only at the New Year’s Eve dinner, but also in two different ceremonies at work. It is a fun tradition, and if done right (and if the ingredients are of a good quality), the result is a delicious salad.

Singapore: Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple

Many of my Singaporean friends can’t believe that I actually like local coffee (it is different from Starbucks, but – frankly – not by much; it is still coffee). I guess it’s that they don’t see too many Westerners that adapt to the local lifestyle (and coffee is part of it). They would speechless if they found out I sometimes get on a bus and ride until I see a hawker centre that looks good and jump out for a bite to eat (it’s enough for many of them that I even ride buses). It would really floor them if they knew I actually took field trips to obscure local spots of interest.

Some friends of mine organize outings to interesting places every once in a while. I joined them a few weeks ago to visit Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple. The temple was originally built in Pasir Ris, in the northeast of the island, at a location where, as the story goes, several statues of different deities washed ashore years ago. The person that found them built a temple, predominantly a Chinese temple. But a Hindu statue was among those washed ashore, so a Hindu temple was worked in. A large percentage of the surrounding community was Muslim, so a mosque was built in, as well.

The original temple was a makeshift structure, really a series of what looked like shacks. But, rising rents required the move to a new location – just a couple of miles southeast down the road to Loyang, which is in a more remote area, closer to the airport.

So, we all started with lunch at the rebuilt Chinatown Food Centre, a massive structure one storey above the hustle and bustle of pre-lunar new year Chinatown. We then jumped on the train to go towards the northeast of the island, where we would take a bus the rest of the way to the temple.





Unlike its predecessor, the new temple was built with a bit of planning (and apparently money). It is fascinating. The Chinese Buddhist/Daoist section dominates, probably 60 percent of the total width. A sliver, maybe ten feet wide, was dedicated to the mosque. Less than double the width of that was the Hindu portion. Each stood side-by-side, and worshippers could be seen at all three, extending the Buddhist tradition of lighting incense to the Muslim and Hindu sections, as well.




It was the weekend before Chinese New Year, so the place was abuzz with preparations for the holiday. The Chinese section is familiar in its Buddhist/Daoist setup, with icons of gods, different places for offerings, reverent memorials for ancestors, the incredibly ornate carvings on the pillars, walls, and ceilings, and the ubiquitous incense smoke. Adding to the experience were the hundreds of worshipers, taking time out of a pleasant day to pay their respects in their own tradition (other than special occasions, Chinese worshipers do not have a set time to visit temples – they go when the impulse hits them). It is an interesting, if not well-known, little part of Singapore.




We ended the day with coffee and some local goodies at the hawker centre across the street. It was about as native a day a non-Singaporean could have. In fact, I was probably more Singaporean that day than most of my local friends.

Singapore: Chinese Garden

Another less hidden place of interest (I don't know if you call it a gem) in Singapore is the Chinese Garden. This replica of a Chinese garden (it contains a Japanese garden, as well; I don't really know the difference, but I think that Japanese gardens contain bonsai trees while Chinese gardens do not) is in the southwest of the island. I had wanted to visit and even got so far as the gates last year before I read the sign that said the garden would be closed for that weekend. So, I filed it in my "to do" list, and a year later was back on the MRT heading to, conveniently enough, Chinese Garden station. Off the train, through the turnstiles, and 300 metres down the path, you cross the bridge into the garden.



It really is a nice space. This is one of the places my local friends say, "Yes, I went there...when I was six!" But, it is worth a trip out on a nice day to enjoy the scenery. You have large, arched bridges that cross inlets from the sea, winding paths through forests and sculptures, old sun dials (and a more modern one - can you tell what time it was?), a garden with the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a well-populated turtle pond, and statues of historical Chinese figures, from philosophers such as Confucius to warriors like Yue Fei, on whose back his mother tattooed four Chinese characters meaning: "Serve the country loyally." There are also the twin pagodas on the water and the 7-storey pagoda at the entrance to the garden.








I liked the garden with the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Each year was represented with a stylized statue of two of the animals, with a plaque showing the particular years of the animal (I was born in 1968, the year of the Monkey), and the characteristics of people born during that year. The oxen (pictured here) were adorned with red ribbons, in anticipation of the new year celebrations that would take place nine days later to usher in the Year of the Ox.


I found one particularly neat feature. Singapore has built a "model" of the solar system, spread out over the island. The sun is located at the Singapore Science Center, and the nine planets are then placed in public spots in scale according to their distance from the sun. I found Venus in the Chinese garden, and Mercury is in the Japanese garden. Each of the planets occupies a space along its orbit somewhere in the city-state, with Pluto rounding out the solar system all the way to the east. I thought that was a nice touch.


It was a nice Saturday evening, so I decided to take the PCN back towards town. It was a longer walk than expected, but it led me to Bukit Batok Park, with its thick forest and quarry lake, stuck right in the middle of a residential and commercial area. Another hidden gem! Singapore is full of them.

Walking the Ridges

Singapore has a number of hidden gems, if you are willing to look for them. One is the Park Connector Network (PCN), a series of trails and elevated walkways that connects several kilometres of public spaces in various places across the island. I had seen parts of the PCN from the road several times, and I decided to pay a closer visit.

I started with the Southern Ridges, which wind through the southwestern section of the island, connecting Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Hort Park, Kent Ridge Park, and West Coast Park. The trailhead is at the base of Mount Faber Park, just across from the port (and Vivo City, the largest mall in Singapore). Mount Faber is also where you catch the cable car to Sentosa Island. The first climb up Mount Faber is the toughest part of the the trip! It was a steamy day, and I was sufficiently warmed up by the time I got to the top.

The PCN is actually a series of walkways, each with a distinct style. The Mount Faber section is a "mountain" trail, winding along the top of the hill and through woods until it opens onto the Henderson Waves. The Henderson Waves - Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge - is a towering walkway above Henderson Road that links Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. The Waves give way to a hilltop trail, which turns into series of traversing metal walkways taking hikers down the hill to the Alexandra Arch and into the Hort Park, a gardening-themed park. From there, you wind your way back up hills and into a treetop walk in Kent Ridge Park.




The Henderson Waves bridge is spectacular. The design is a unique wave form made up of seven undulating curved steel ribs that alternately rise over and under its deck (description and external photo courtesy of National Parks Singapore). The decking of the bridge is finished with a beautiful yellow balau wood, giving it a homey feel. The curved ribs form alcoves with built-in benches, giving hikers places to sit back and enjoy the views from 78 metres above sea level (and 36 above Henderson Road).




The hilltop trail on the far side of the Waves brings you to a beautiful multi-layered pavilion before taking you zig-zagging through the trees to the Alexandra Arch and the Hort Park. It had already been a long morning, so I quickly went through the Hort Park to the eastern part of Kent Ridge Park, home to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, a memorial for the 1,400 soldiers from the Malay Regiment who chose to fight to their death against 13,000 Japanese soldiers in February, 1942, during the fall of Singapore. This looks like an impressive memorial, but I did not stay, so it will be subject of a future blog.




I hear from my Singaporean friends that there is nothing to do in Singapore. I disagree. If you just take a little bit of initiative, you can find all kinds of interesting outings that can fill a half day and give you a better appreciation of the city-state.

The Long Journey Home

Thirty hours is a long time to travel, and I was not looking forward to the return trip to Singapore. I was happy to be heading back after a fantastic three weeks in the US, but even when I held on to the prospect of getting the upgrade (I didn’t), I was still less than excited for the trip. I am a big believer in the journey, as much as the destination, but I have done this trip enough to know it is something you just grit your teeth and get through.

So, I didn’t think much when my day started (a bit late) at 5.00 am in Dallas (7.00 pm in Singapore) on Saturday, January 3. The flight to Chicago is on United Express, with tiny seats only made worse by my neighbor’s inability to fit completely in her seat. But, the flight was over in less than two hours, and even the 25 degree weather I endured while walking across the outside bridge to the jetway (it was in the 50s in Dallas and the 80s in Singapore, so I had already packed my coat) was tolerable.

But, that’s when the trouble started. I wasn’t far enough up on the upgrade list and was relegated to the back of the plane (well, to Economy Plus, which does offer more legroom). Before we could taxi away from the gate, however, a passenger suffered an apparent heart event, as the flight attendant quickly grabbed the AED and ran to the back. Soon, Chicago paramedics were on board. Thankfully, the man retained consciousness and was able to communicate to his attendants as he was removed from the airplane. We were delayed from departing for more than an hour, but it was nice to know he was apparently okay and in good hands.

The flight from Chicago to Hong Kong goes almost directly over the North Pole and then down over Siberia, Mongolia, and China. It is discouraging when you look at the inflight map and see that you are already over Siberia but still have more than six hours to go! We finally touched down around 6.30 pm Hong Kong time (same as Singapore), so I had been up for nearly a day and traveling for about 22 hours. Little did I know that I was only halfway home.

The Singapore flight was delayed more than two hours, rescheduled for a 10.30 departure. So, I relaxed for several hours in the lounge, falling in and out of sleep (I have a hard time sleeping on planes). Finally, time to board. About 50 of us got on the plane before we were asked to disembark, as an engine test was required before we could take off. This apparently had occurred in San Francisco, the plane’s origination point. We all got off, and they ran the test, which took about ten minutes. Then everyone got on the plane, and we headed out. After a stop-and-go taxi of an hour, the captain came on the loudspeaker and told us we had to return to the gate, as the problem had not been solved. So, back to the gate! It took a while, as we had taxi’d to the apparent farthest point on the tarmac from our gate. Once we got back, the captain said that we would need to stay on the plane while the maintenance team identified the problem and fixed it. This would allow us to more quickly depart once the repairs were completed. But, after another couple of hours, the ground crew determined that the problem was more substantial than previously thought, and the flight was canceled. That meant everybody off, through Immigration, to baggage claim, through Customs and to the airport hotel. This at nearly 4.00 am! I will admit that the process was pretty efficient, once we walked the 15 minutes to Immigration (the shuttle train had not started running for the day). I was in my hotel room by 5.30 and asleep by 6.00 am. After six hours of rest, I was back to the departure gates, where United put me on a Cathay Pacific flight back to Singapore, departing at 2.20 pm. I would get back to Singapore about 6.00 pm and to my house at 7.00, 48 hours after I woke up in Dallas.

I was not looking forward to 30 hours of travel, as my original itinerary called for. Forty-eight was nearly a killer. It was nice to get horizontal for six hours, but I would rather avoid this type of experience again.