Saturday Morning in China 7/29/06
Friday was a good day for us. We spent most of the day just hanging out and relaxing -- which we needed. It was good to have the afternoon on Thursday and all of Friday to not have to be anywhere. We hung out in our room, went for a couple of walks on the streets around the hotel, the boys swam in the pool while Julia and I napped, and we just enjoyed playing. That was needed time. For famlies that are waiting to travel -- when you look at your itinerary and it says "rest" or "bonding time" -- welcome it -- it is needed. I know that it is tempting to think that you are in China and you have to see it all. But that is for another time --this journey is about a child and we have decided we will see what we can as long as it works for her. We will do the mega travel trip when she is old enough to appreciate that.
Last night we went to the Chengdu Opera. I am going to let Jacob write about that ....
We headed down to the hotel lobby about 7:30 to meet our guide, Sandy. When we got down there, she was sitting in the front of the lobby waiting. "Come with me," she said excitedly, "your rides are waiting out front." "Rides?" I thought as we walked out. That must be a mistake -- she must not realize taht she is using the plural. As we stepped out onto the sidewalk there were two rickshaws with men beckoning us to climb in. "These wil take you to opera," Sandy explained. Mom and James (along with his permanent attachment) climbed in one, and Sandy and I climbed in the other. After about 5 minutes, we were on the sidewalk in front of a large theater.
Inside the theater, Sandy guided us to our seats. "Do you want me to stay and get you taxi after show, or are you OK?" "We're OK," we said. She left, and we sat down and got situated with the very busy two year old. It was about 25 mintes before the show, so we had some time to look around. The room was about as big as a high school auditorium. There were several lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and the walls were lined with drawings of opera masks. We were in the third row, and only a few seats off from center. Overall, it was a very nice atmosphere.
As we gazed around, a woman came up to Mom. suprisingly, she was neither Chinese nor French, but she was a blond-haired blue-eyed caucasian woman. "Hi," she said in English, "my name is Kathleen." My mom introduced herself as well as me, James, and Julia. it turns out she was there to adopt a 10-year old from Chengdu orphanage. She had just flown out a few days ago, and her daughter was sitting in the next row with her. They talked until the show started, and we ended up going with her the next day to the Brocade shop and the Chinese Gardens.
The show was great. Despite the loud, happy two year old making comments next to me it was very enjoyable. The acts included traditional chinese fight sequences, comedies, acrobats, musicians and many other acts as well. The best part for me was the musician playing what looked like a a string attached to a wooden rod and a brick, but sounded like a violin. James liked the fighting, and julia enjoyed a mask-changing magic act where they spewed fire. After the curtain closed, we were very glad that we decided to go.
I don't really remember a whole lot about what happened after we left the theater, but I know we got two rickshaws again. After we got off, the drivers decided that instead of the 5 yuan (60 cents) normally charged per rickshaw, they were going to charge us 20 yuan ($2.50) apiece, a large fare for the short ride to the hotel. After a bit of negotiating, we decided it was better to give it to them then have two angry rickshaw drivers and their buddies on our hands.
We went into the hotel and slept.
Last night we went to the Chengdu Opera. I am going to let Jacob write about that ....
We headed down to the hotel lobby about 7:30 to meet our guide, Sandy. When we got down there, she was sitting in the front of the lobby waiting. "Come with me," she said excitedly, "your rides are waiting out front." "Rides?" I thought as we walked out. That must be a mistake -- she must not realize taht she is using the plural. As we stepped out onto the sidewalk there were two rickshaws with men beckoning us to climb in. "These wil take you to opera," Sandy explained. Mom and James (along with his permanent attachment) climbed in one, and Sandy and I climbed in the other. After about 5 minutes, we were on the sidewalk in front of a large theater.
Inside the theater, Sandy guided us to our seats. "Do you want me to stay and get you taxi after show, or are you OK?" "We're OK," we said. She left, and we sat down and got situated with the very busy two year old. It was about 25 mintes before the show, so we had some time to look around. The room was about as big as a high school auditorium. There were several lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and the walls were lined with drawings of opera masks. We were in the third row, and only a few seats off from center. Overall, it was a very nice atmosphere.
As we gazed around, a woman came up to Mom. suprisingly, she was neither Chinese nor French, but she was a blond-haired blue-eyed caucasian woman. "Hi," she said in English, "my name is Kathleen." My mom introduced herself as well as me, James, and Julia. it turns out she was there to adopt a 10-year old from Chengdu orphanage. She had just flown out a few days ago, and her daughter was sitting in the next row with her. They talked until the show started, and we ended up going with her the next day to the Brocade shop and the Chinese Gardens.
The show was great. Despite the loud, happy two year old making comments next to me it was very enjoyable. The acts included traditional chinese fight sequences, comedies, acrobats, musicians and many other acts as well. The best part for me was the musician playing what looked like a a string attached to a wooden rod and a brick, but sounded like a violin. James liked the fighting, and julia enjoyed a mask-changing magic act where they spewed fire. After the curtain closed, we were very glad that we decided to go.
I don't really remember a whole lot about what happened after we left the theater, but I know we got two rickshaws again. After we got off, the drivers decided that instead of the 5 yuan (60 cents) normally charged per rickshaw, they were going to charge us 20 yuan ($2.50) apiece, a large fare for the short ride to the hotel. After a bit of negotiating, we decided it was better to give it to them then have two angry rickshaw drivers and their buddies on our hands.
We went into the hotel and slept.
posted by Jack's Journey at
3:27 PM
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