Day 5

The Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel again provided us a delicious breakfast of Chinese and American food, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, along with soup, meats, and breads:  sweetened rice cakes, firm and moist slices of dragon fruit, piles of chocolate filled croissants, and steaming stalks of delicious pea-green bok choy, for example. This was not a breakfast but rather a feast.  

At 9:30 a.m., Mr. Sargent announced our departure, and we followed our tour guide, a young Chinese woman carrying a stick with an attached toy dog do so we could spot her in a crowd, through the narrow, dusty, small-business lined and now-familiar street of our Hutong.  Our 21st century two-toned beige Toyota van would again take us back in history, this time to the vast complex called The Temple of Heaven.

Day 4 - China 2011

   Day 4 started early as we gathered at 8 o’clock in the hotel lobby to meet our guide for the day, Iko. A short woman with a big personality, she immediately drew all of us into the experience. Once inside the puffer fish bus, as dubbed by Grant, Iko gave us a history of the modern Beijing transportation system. There are 6 main roads that circle the city as well as many buses and the growing subway system. We discussed jobs, salaries, and other social and economic factors of living within the city. We found out that she started her own travel company, which was very difficult, and that she has two cats that live with her parents. As we drove closer to the amazingly beautiful mountain range with jagged peaks of magnificent size, the energy level in the bus slowly started to rise. After the hundredth time of craning our necks, we were rewarded with the first sight of the Great Wall of China. Everyone was giddy and in awe of the wall, even Mr. Gannon.

Day 3

  On our third day, we all woke up and went to breakfast, which was the same multitude of plates and trays loaded with Chinese food and some more recognizable American ones. We left the hotel at 9:30 to go to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world. On the way there we passed the giant silver egg-shaped dome of the National Performing Arts Center, a shiny new millennium building that contrasted sharply with the ancient imperial capital across the street. A police blockade prevented our crossing the street, which Ms. Smith was upset about so she decided to confront the police officer (actually, she just asked for directions). We ended up going underground to the other side of the road where we entered the large line to go in to the Forbidden City. Finally, when we emerged from the other side of a 12 lane road, we were awestruck at the size of the square, as well as the grandeur of the Great Hall of the People, where the National People's Congress is held every year and is now in session. We now had no problem seeing why the government was so worried about the 1989 protest movement and the sheer number of people it attracted.

Day 2 - China 2011

   We arrived at the Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel at 12:30 am Beijing time. Our journey into Beijing from the airport mixed jungle both of modern and ancient China. Even a tollbooth on a highway, for example, was set within a colorful temple. Neon lights and skyscrapers highlighted our ride in. We pulled off the main road and were dropped off at the entrance to an alley (which we later learned was called a Houtong). At first we all thought the driver was either confused as to what hotel we were staying at or we were about to be murdered in Beijing and never see the lights of the Castle again. Fortunately our hotel was located on the alley and it was a short 5-minute walk from the main road down the alley. The alleyway, which is about 8 feet wide, is lined with motorcycles, bikes, and small cars, leaving about 5 to 6 feet of room for pedestrians and all traffic to move through. Cars and bikes fly down the alleys seeming to glide inches away from pedestrians and oncoming traffic. Cars do not stop for pedestrians and it’s all up to chance that you make it across. Mrs. Sibley did have a near death experience on our way home from dinner. She had stopped to take a photo of the cardboard that people attach to the rims of their tires. People put this on so that the many dogs don’t pee on the rims. When Mrs. Sibley looked up, a motorcycle going at least 30 mph almost hit her but stopped within inches of her.

Day 1 - 2011 China

  Although missing Frances Fuqua, the Pace Academy Knights embarked on a journey across the world. 

   It’s been about seven hours and Pace Academy students- and faculty, including Mrs. Sibley’s sister - are still going strong. Eric, however has managed to trip one passenger, get reprimanded by a flight attendant because of limbs overflowing in the aisle while he was sleeping, and be kindly asked by the woman in front of him not to hit his screen to hard - it wakes her up. To add to Eric’s frazzling experiences with other flyers Mrs. Sibley had a terribly unfortunate accident of her own. First, however, I must give you background to her situation. You know those times when Ms. Smith tells you to read and take notes on articles she sends you, but really you skim the articles without taking a single note. Well, today I learned that Mrs. Sibley is NOT that kind of woman. In fact, she loves taking notes, and she loves her notes. And for those of you who are suspicious that Mrs. Sibley even took any notes at all, I can vouch that she did.  After taking part in what I thought were very interesting conversations with Mrs. Sibley, she left me bored and lonely only to bury herself in reading and note taking on ancient China, but come on, who wouldn’t want to take notes on ANCIENT CHINA?! 

Global Ed Leaves for China

Global Education students from Pace Academy leave for China on Wednesday, March 2. Follow their journey here.