May 14, 2010
Taxi! TAXI!
Today we lunched at McD's across the street from our hotel. We love Chinese food, but after a week away form home the girls were asking for something a bit more like home, and we were happy to oblige. Next we took our lives in our hands and walked down the street to find a taxi to take us to the Beijing Zoo. We walked a few blocks when finally we were successful and it was only a few minutes ride to the zoo. Good thing, since there are no seat belts on the Chinese Rollercoaster we call a taxi.
There were several very interesting animals, including a golden pheasant, monkeys and red pandas, which look like huge red raccoons more than pandas. After a while we finally came to the giant panda house. They were roly-poly fat and so funny to watch. One literally fell over on his back while eating and didn't bother to get back up, just laying there to strip leaves from the bamboo stalk he was eating from. While we were standing watching the pandas a little boy with his family came "squeaking by" in his split pants. Some of you don't know, but squeaky shoes are common in China and encourage babies to start walking, and I think also help parents keep up with their children. :o) Split pants are missing the crotch, which encourages potty training. You could hear the wheels turing in Abigail's head. Olivia didn't seem to notice at the time, except fromt he back. She laughed and pointed at his little backside as he went by.
After leaving the zoo we took the subway to Wanfanjing Street. (Thanks to David Haskin for the link so we would recognize it when we found it!) Now just a word about the subway...we don't DO subways where we come from. (Cindi, that feeling you get thinking about airplanes I get thinking about subways). I don't understand them. I don't like being rushed and crowded, bumped into, yada, yada, yada. I could feel my airway constrict as we purchased our ticket and then attempted to read our route in Chinese. I mean, it's bad enough to navigate the subway in Atlanta or San Francisco where ENGLISH is pretty much the norm, but in Beijing...nah. Thankfully there were some very nice and helpful people to directed us with the use of the note we had gotten from George, our CCAI guide before leaving the hotel. After a few transfers we found our street. But the street looked nothing like the link David had sent. That's when we met up with a couple form Pennsylvania on the street who were in Beijing for the marathon they had been training for for two years. They directed us on down the street and paydirt! Scorpions on a stick, anyone? All types of traditional foods were being prepared for the asking. After Dale's bout with TD the week before though, he was getting nauseous just at the smell and site, so we didn't linger long in the food section. Next came the hucksters, and they were vicious. There was no looking without being haggled. We didn't stay long as the rain came out of no where. That's where the real fun began.
As we were exiting the alley we came to a bronze display of children playing. One was of a little boy in split pants. Well don't you know, Abigail had to take the 360 tour. Yep, she walked all the way around him, the realization dawning on her face. Then she started laughing and said, "So that's how you can stand up to pee, Dad!" Yeah, it was a big moment. She was going to find out once we got Benjamin. Now she won't be as shocked. Olivia found all of this totally disgusting.
What we found totally disgusting was the fact that we were not able to hail a taxi once we were ready to return to our hotel. We walked for several miles in many circles until we couldn't find our way back to the subway station. Just when Dale and Abigail were about to throw themselves on the street and have a tantrum (did I mention that Olivia is the traveler I would choose in future?) I found a different subway station. Again with the assistance of kind strangers we found our way back to our hotel. We were totally, completely exhausted. Couldn't be more exhausted if we tried...but then, that was before we visited the Great Wall. Stay tuned.
Comments From Friends and Family:
*We love Wangfujing Street! David is so jealous that you got to see it without us. We all need to go together soon and sample some scorpion on a stick. I had the candied crab apples and they were some kinda good. So glad you are posting. We were going through withdrawal...
Posted by: Teresa on May 15, 2010 at 02:25 P.M.
*Croy Family!
This is the part of your trip my boys have been really waiting to hear about. They were disgusted by the crouchless pants but understood how that might be easier if you are potty training. Marcus wants to get on the next flight to China so he can visit the market with the scorpions on a stick. He thinks that is too cool!
Continue enjoying yourselves!
Pirke Family
Posted by: Dawn Pirke on May 19, 2010 at 05:33 A.M.
*Carmen, I am just now reading all your journal entries, in order I might add. Can't wait until I get to the entry where you get Benjamin. Of course, I should be working, but this is more fun :-) Steve, the girls, and I stayed in a hotel by Wanfanjing Street. We didn't dare sample anything, but yes, the scorpions on a stick did look yummy.
Posted by: Elisa Criden on May 27, 2010 at 09:17 A.M.
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