The Old Summer Place

Beijing is such a happening city. There is so much to see and do. I don't know how people only come here for a few days because it's not enough time! The history here is so rich and deep, and I wish I knew more about it.

Kendra wanted to go to the old Summer Palace so we trekked out there. I've never heard of it so I didn't know a thing about it until Kendra read up on it and gave me a mini history lesson. I won't bore you with too much detail, if you want to know more, go to Wikipedia. :) Basically, it was a palace where some of the emperors of China lived. During the 2nd Opium War, France and Britain came and destroyed it with the hopes of  teaching China a lesson. The place was so big, it took 3 days to burn. As a further blow to the Chinese, all the European influenced stone was better made than the Chinese, thus allowing it to outlast the destruction and that is what you see when you visit the ruins.

As we walked through the park, I just felt sadness and a sense of loss. In it's heyday, it must have been so beautiful. The ruins left over were all so detailed and carefully crafted. However, the park is also a giant garden and it's still wintery here. We hope to go back when the leaves have grown on the trees and the grass turns green. Right now, it just looks sort of drab.

We found some good touristy things to buy while there, too. I bought some Pleasant Goat playing cards and a little piggy bank. Okay, they are both totally pointless. Pleasant Goat and the Bad Bad Wolf is a Tom and Jerry sort of cartoon that kids love here in China. I watch it to help with my Chinese so I have this love for it. Also, I got my Chinese name made into a picture. It's pretty!

Piggy bank and playing cards=awesome

We felt like celebrities the whole time we were there because everyone was yelling hello to us and asking us where we are from. It's at times like this that my Chinese is truly put to the test. I get so discouraged when I've been studying for a year and I still can't really communicate with people much further than we're from America and we live in Beijing. If you speak another language, I just think you are amazing and I'm also jealous of you. It's so hard! There are so many words to know and grammar to understand. It's so overwhelming at times and I feel helpless some days. I'm grateful for the old driver that works at the orphanage for always trying to help me (even though his accent is so thick that I can't usually understand him).

After the old Summer Palace, we went to meet some friends from church for dinner at a pizza place. We were early so we just went and hung out in the McDonald's where it was warm. We met a couple of really unique people. After Kendra finished her drink, some homeless guy came up the stairs. He wondered around and found some half drunk coffee. He brought it over, and tapped it against Kendra's drink in a cheers sort of way and downed the coffee. Then he came back a little later with an orange juice and did the same thing, all the time talking to us in rapid Chinese. He left, only to return again and spout of something for a minute, turn around and leave again. We don't know what he said, but it was almost like he was updating us or something.Then the toothless guy sitting next to us talked to us about how he lives in Beijing, but he's from Hebei province. He doesn't actually work in the McDonald's, he just likes to help out, and other things I didn't understand.

Then on the metro going home, Kendra got serenaded by a drunk guy. I'm terrified of drunk people. I know, that must sound lame to you, but I have a reason. Maybe I'll tell you someday. Anyway, this time, it was just funny. He sang, "Hello! Nice to meet you" a couple times. Great stuff.