Episode 3
Tian An Men Square 天安门
First stop of the day was...Tian An Men Square! It was already extremely humid in the morning and the heat gradually increased as thousands of people crowded the area to line up and see their historic hero, Chairman Mao. It was apparent how Chairman Mao was a symbolic and an important figure to China.
Forbidden City
(Gu gong) 故宫
Our second stop was the Forbidden City. The significance of the place was obvious. We were amazed at how many people there were on the grounds of the city. Being in the center of Beijing made the area even more populated. It took us roughly three straight hours to go through the palace. It seemed to go on forever. Our phones recorded that we walked about 9.5 miles that day.
The history of the place made the visit even more special. The Forbidden City was home to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The location housed government buildings as well as emperors’ homes from that time period. Overall, it was incredible to see our history textbooks come alive. The Forbidden City will always remain as the heart of Beijing.
Jing Shan Park 景山公园
Our third stop of the day was Jing Shan Park, which is located right behind the Forbidden City.
We climbed a few flights of stairs up to take a look at the whole view of the Forbidden City from above. Coming here, allowed us to really understand how massive the Forbidden City was, and it will probably be one of the most breathtaking views we have ever seen. Other than seeing the Forbidden City from up above, massive pollution in Beijing was becoming much apparent. We couldn't see anything beyond the Forbidden City as the smoggy air covered up Beijing.
Acrobat show The acrobat show was one of our favorite activities we have done so far. We were entertained from the start to the finish and our expectations were exceeded. It was amazing to see the gifts that people have in the entertainment industry. The show was also able to show some traditional Chinese performance. Performances and art such as the acrobatic show have been present in Chinese culture for a very long time. Getting to experience it in such an exciting way was really great. Our favorite part of the show was the aerial dancing. It was definitely stressful to watch because of the danger of the act, but this made it all the more exciting. The show kept our attention the entire time and the entire group really seemed to enjoy it. It was definitely a show to remember.
Foot massage
And last stop...the foot massage! After two whole incredible days of nonstop walking and exploring, many of us treated ourselves to a foot massage. Not only was getting a massage a first-time experience, but interacting with the locals closely was also a first. The language barrier that held between us and the workers was a great challenge, but it also gave a chance for us to test our skills. This experience really reminded us of how being able to communicate was an important aspect of understanding each other as individuals. We hope we continue to educate ourselves through interactions with the locals and enjoy an eye-opening experience in Beijing for the next week!
