A little Sunday morning Tai Chi? Sounds good to me!

Friday night, my plan was to get pasta. I was craving pasta! So I went upstairs from Starbucks to an Italian restaurant, but it was 1) VERY expensive and 2) didn’t actually have anything I like. It was the very fancy Italian, not the pizza/pasta Italian. I was bummed because I wanted pasta so bad! I decided I would head back to the area of the hostel to try the restaurants across the street. I passed by a Parisian restaurant and a Turkish restaurant..neither sounded great. I then came to “The Power House”, I think it was called and decided it looked good (I saw pasta on the pictures!) However, when I walked in the place was dimly lit and I was literally the only person there. There wasn’t even music on or anything. Creepy! The man greeted me right away so I asked for a menu, then thanked him and walked out.

The Turkish restaurant had a picture of pasta too so I decided to try it and I was VERY impressed. I had a beautiful table and was brought bread with humus and butter (delicious). The pasta was AMAZING and a huge portion. The waiter even spoke some English which was helpful as well. It was great and I definitely will go back. I think they had a chicken dish and I did like kebabs when I tried them in Perugia, Italy. I know I know, I go to Beijing to eat at a Turkish restaurant! The thing is, I will try anything! But I really just don’t like a lot of things and after a while, a girl’s gotta eat a good meal! It was also nice to just sit down, relax and know I was going to enjoy the meal instead of wondering what I was eating and whether or not it would be exiting my body in an unpleasant fashion soon after (fingers CROSSED the Pepto-Bismol has done WONDERS and my tummy has been happy!)

I then went back to the hostel and was able to have TWO Skype dates with my aunt and Mom (Dad..you’re slacking..) It is so very nice to talk to people from home either through Skype or email so thank you all! I actually ended up staying up pretty late and decided I would sleep in on Saturday!

I woke up and had cereal and ran into Allie! I learned a little more..she is a senior at University of Minnesota and is doing photography for her magazine internship. She is also taking some online classes from her school. She has been here for about a month and a half and will be done in early December. She says she sometimes cooks for herself in the hostel or eats at a restaurant nearby. She also said she has done some touristy stuff and just explored! I think we are going to go to some murder mystery thing next Friday night (for Halloween!) at an English bookstore she really likes (I haven’t been to it yet)! So hopefully if that works out it will be fun!

After that I decided to explore Worker’s Stadium and Worker’s Gymnasium. Worker’s Stadium was first and it was sort of creepy. It seemed like there should have been stores all around the main floor but they all had signs “Coming soon!” I did find an Outback Steakhouse (which I actually don’t really like..) BUT I think it will be good if I am craving steak. I tried to sneak into the stadium (EVERYTHING was padlocked) but was quickly ushered out by people yelling at me in Chinese. I later found out it was because they were setting up for a concert! Wilber Pan! I looked him up and he seems like he does some pop and rap? Anyway he was actually born in the US!

Next was Worker’s Gymnasium and again I had a hard time even getting in! I finally did and everything was locked and it was like a ghost town as well, so I didn’t stay long! I did, however, find a bowling alley! It was HUGE (50 lanes I think) so hopefully when I see Allie again I will try and convince her to go sometime! I also found an “International” Food store..I was good I didn’t get anything, but it was fun to see all American brands! I feel like I walked a fair amount and was getting very tired!

I needed to buy more minutes for my cell phone, so I went to one of the kiosks and asked if she spoke English. I could tell she didn’t, so I dialed the number and handed her my phone so she could hear it say I didn’t have any money left. Then, an angel appeared (a women who knew a little English) and I was able to walk away with a number to call to add minutes! HOPEFULLY it will be in English or else I’ll have to find someone to help me!

I spent some of the evening trying to put together a list of everything I wanted to see and do. I think I might try and hire a guide for the big tourist stuff because it sounds like 1) it’s just crazy and a guide can help you find out what you really need to see and 2) you get HOUNDED by everyone (guide’s, vendors, etc.) if you go to these places by yourself (and more so if you are American, ding ding we have a winner!) Also, it is really tiring trying to navigate around everywhere by myself not knowing the language, so I think I would really just enjoy the sites more if I didn’t have to plan everything! Mom and Auntie Kathy, I COMPLETELY took for granted all the trips you planned for me and Scott when I just got to go along for the ride, so thank you!

I needed to find something to do on Sunday, so I decided to try and start crossing things off the “Things Julie can do by herself” list. I had read about the Temple of Heaven and how on Sunday mornings in particular, if you got there early enough, you could see all the local elderly people doing every form of light physical activity you can imagine. I definitely wanted to see this! I also read that you could do this without a guide and the Beijing Pearl Market was right next store which had, pearls, but also a lot of shopping and designer knockoffs! So I figured this sounded like a perfect way to spend my Sunday!

I set my alarm for 6:03am, ugh too early! I also could NOT fall asleep the night before (probably because I slept in on Saturday!) While I was not happy about the early wake up call, I was excited!

I found the BEST website that says about how long it takes to get from subway stop to subway stop, so I left around 6:40am for the 1/2 ride (it had 3 line changes so took a little bit longer), and got to the Temple of Heaven at about 7:30ish. I bought my admissions ticket (15RMB) and went in!

IT WAS HEAVEN! It was so cool! There were all these groups of elderly Chinese doing their workouts! I decided to look around a bit and while observing I learned that they bring a blanket to put all their bags on and each group brings a big (it looks like a karaoke machine) boom box to play their music (tape cassettes!) One group was using ski poles and I was so bummed because I had my ski poles out ready to be packed, but decided to ditch them at the last minute! Ugh! I decided I wanted to join a group! While there weren’t any non-Asians in the groups, it didn’t look like you had to pay and I figured if they kicked me out, oh well! I finally choose the group that didn’t have any props because I forgot to bring my ski poles, duster things, or swords, so I wouldn’t have been able to join the other groups. The group without props was also the biggest so I thought this was good so I could hide my identity in the back. Although that didn’t last long because the teacher pointed at me and said, “Hello!” Luckily only a few people turned around and nobody even seemed to care, or make fun of me! (Like the mean kids at school do!!!) We worked on legs, some balancing things and the man next to me tried to help me, I think my posture was bad! My legs were VERY tired and I knew I had a long day of walking, so I ventured on! I found (in a quieter part of the park) a group that was going more of Tai Chi and joined that group. They definitely had a routine they followed, or the tape told them what to do I wasn’t sure. But I was able to follow along. I knew it was time for me to go when they turned around so that I was no longer in the back, but in the front!

From there I bought another ticket (20RMB) and saw the Temple of Heaven! It was beautiful! The Temple of Heaven is the largest building for religious worship in China, which was originally used by the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of rich harvest. I found some American tourists (they were the ones with the MASSIVE name tags..that also included their bus number) to take my picture, although none of them are as good as my mom (Mom I missed you!)

I was on my way out when I spotted a man with a Red Sox hat! Oh Boston! I tried to take a picture of him but he kept moving and then I thought, I need a picture of me AND him! So I went up to him (he was with his wife and another couple) and asked if I could have my picture with him. He seemed a little confused/weirded out, but I explained I was from Portsmouth N.H. (which he responded, “Oh only an hour north!”) I think he said they were from Newton! After my Boston fix I left the park and found a little Café to get a pastry and a cappuccino (yes by 10:00am I was VERY tired!) On the way to the market I decided I really needed to use the restroom before this whole market experience. I saw a KFC so thought that was promising! Not so much..it was a bathroom, but with an eastern toilet. While I have had to use them before this was my first time in Asia. I got the job done without peeing on myself (at least I don’t think I did…)

I then was off to the market. I was SO nervous because I do not like bargaining. But then I got to thinking, why don’t I like it? It’s a little awkward and makes me uncomfortable..ok but why? Am I afraid they are going to judge me as being cheap? (wait a second..I AM!) I don’t want to spend a lot of money and I want to get the best deal. So after I thought about it I realized I was excited!

Now I knew when they saw me they were going to think JACKPOT. Young, blond, American. So I already knew I was going to get ripped off..the question was..how much! I got to thinking that even when I got ripped off, I was going to pay whatever I thought it was worth and whatever I was comfortable with, so who cares! All part of the game..and that’s what it was, a game!

My plan of attack was to first scour the premise. I mainly stuck to floors 1-3 (4 and 5 were just pearls). Now this was a time I wished NOBODY spoke English. I have NEVER had so many people talk to me..”Lady over here, Lady do you like this?” I was trying to be friendly and polite but it was exhausting. The handbag ladies were the WORST! They would literally grab on to your arms and pull you in. I managed to master the “arm fold” so that when they did grab (and yes, they continued to) I had enough force to escape! After my first look at the place I decided it was time to buy! Since I had read handbags were the hardest, I wanted to start easy. A Christmas ornament! I buy them everywhere I travel. Honestly at this point I forget what I paid for it! I had read you should start at 10% and not pay more than 50% so that’s what I did! I felt happy with the ornament and continued on. I went and got two dresses for the girls I babysit for..(the older one said that’s what she wanted and I figured I couldn’t get only ONE dress!) Now I knew I overpaid for (well EVERYTHING) but for the first dress especially when I was able to get the second one cheaper. The second dress was my first REAL bargain. We went back and forth and back and forth. Everyone offered me a “good deal” because I was American, a student, pretty, their first customer! I thought it was pretty cool that I was EVERYONE’s first customer..slow day I guess :P

So like I said, the dress was my first “this is a joke price, I have to feed my family, etc.” I did walk away a couple of times and then come back as she called me to lower the price. After the dress (and a couple more presents..) I decided I was ready for the bags! I had no idea what I wanted and was completely overwhelmed! I had read that a girl had gotten a bag for 40RMB, so that was my goal. I did the loop for about the 3rd time (and yes they notice) before I decided I wanted a purple bag (purple is my new color) So I figured the best way was to jump right in! After some purple bag searching at one stall I found the one I wanted, a Dolce and Gabbana. She said she normally charges 1,800 but because I was a student would charge me 1,500. I did my whole, “Oh that’s way too much” and then they hand you the calculator and ask what you will pay and I put 40. Basically that was WAY too low and we would go back and forth (I would try and see how much they would come down..) and then I would walk away, they would call me back, etc. I did this at a couple of stalls because they weren’t coming down enough and because once I realized they were coming down at all I wanted to see what the “going rate” for this bag was. It was hard because I had to figure out the conversions in my head, but I finally decided I wouldn’t pay more than 80 for a bag (which is $12). I then also found a Louis Vuitton bag I liked as well. So now I knew what I wanted! I went from stall to stall and since I knew what I wanted we would start going at it! Most of the time they would tell me I was crazy, too low, joking price, etc. So I would try the next one. I think they have you “talk” over the calculator so other people don’t know how much you bought it for. Finally I managed to get the purple bag for 75. Now that I had a bag everyone wanted to know how much I paid for it (I was still on the hunt for the Louis Vuitton bag) I told them 50, which they all laughed and still said I would not pay more than 80 for it. FINALLY a woman came down to 85, and I fought it once and then thought, what’s a US dollar! Hey Dad, can I borrow a dollar actually? So I got the second bag for 85 and after that was ready to hit the road!

I am not really sure how the whole system works because sometimes they would say “let me call my brother, my sister” to bring the bag I wanted over. And to be honest, I did feel a bit bad for the people working at the market (to a certain degree). They were in these tiny little stalls and had to be SO aggressive! Now unlike some Americans I ran into, I didn’t think I left with a good deal on anything, but I was happy with what I got and happy with the price I paid! All in all a good days work!

I was EXHAUSTED when I got on the subway! Normally I say shopping is hard work as a joke, but today, it WAS! It was SO hot in the building and I was tired and sweaty and tired of doing math in my head and bargaining with people! I could not wait to get back! And when I did I took a WELL needed shower!

I spent some more time making my list of what I want to see and do, as well as places to eat! Eating has become a chore for me. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE to eat and it has never been a chore. But it is tiring looking for places, looking for places that I would have a full meal, trying to convey what I want (since most people’s spoken English isn’t great). But I was good and dragged myself out to the “mall” across the street. It has a lot of name brand stores and I found a place to get a good burger! I don’t even really like hamburgers but this one hit the spot!

Hugs and kisses from the Temple of Heaven!