R. Doug Wicker — Author

Our guide throughout our China adventure, in both Beijing and Shanghai, was a charming chap who went by the name of Jim Mao.  As you may have guessed by now “Jim” is a chosen name used for the convenience of China Spree’s English-speaking clientele.  We would eventually realize that everyone in China Spree with whom we met had adopted an Anglicized name for us.  “Jim” is actually Mao Gui Chen.

Jim had an almost impossible task that he handled with aplomb, charm, grace, and most of all a vast amount of patience — he had to herd 48 mostly American and very independently minded tourists through a maze of tight scheduling over vast distances and numerous sights.  Jim would later tell me that this was the largest group he has ever had to handle.  Our herd was greater than his usual number by a factor of three!

He picked us up from Traders Hotel very early on an extremely chilly morning.  There would be much to see this day, and daylight was burning.  So, we hurried aboard the large bus and headed our of the business district post haste.

After heading out of the business district we climbed out of the bus and into the bitter, Arctic/Atlanta-like air.  The exposed skin of our faces stung from the extreme cold, and our breaths were visible like jets of steam arising from a hot Yellowstone geyser in January.

After about ten minutes on foot we arrived at Tiananmen Square.  Tiananmen Square is the forth largest city square in the entire world, easily capable of handling over a million people according to guide Jim.  It was also the site of the infamous 1989 uprising.

At the north end of the square is a very familiar sight — the Tiananmen Gate of Heavenly Peace that separates the square from the Forbidden City (which we’ll tour here next week).

Passing through the gate on the way to the Forbidden City you’ll note a familiar face looking down upon those who pass.

The Forbidden City really requires its own series of blogs, so I’ll skip over that for now and finish up with something we did a bit later — a rickshaw ride to a luncheon we enjoyed that day.

As some of you may be aware, Ursula and I just returned from a chilling visit to China.  You got a preview of this series in my photo-rich Special Preview Blog from February 15.  We departed El Paso on February 6, changing to an Air China Boeing 777-300ER after a few hours spent in Los Angeles International Airport.  We then winged across the Pacific Ocean and the International Date Line, landing early in the morning on February 8.  How cold was it upon arrival?  Saying the something is hellishly cold is a bit of an oxymoron, so let’s just say it was colder than Atlanta during the winter of ’13-’14.  The sky was cloudy, snow fell, and the temperature hovered just above 0° (-17­° Celsius).

We were picked up at the airport by a representative of the tour company we were using — China Spree.  Expect to read a lot more on this wonderful company throughout the series, but for now suffice it to say that this is one of the best yet most affordable tour companies you will find anywhere.  We were driven to Traders Hotel, a Shangri-la property in the heart of the business district and attached to the China World Mall at the China World Trade Center.

Because of the inclement weather Ursula and I decided to explore the underground mall.  What we discovered was a wonderland of very high-end stores selling luxury brand goods such as Gucci, Coach, Cartier, and many others.

Also inside the mall were myriad eating establishments ranging in price from moderate to extravagant.

There was even an indoor ice-skating rink.

But even if you weren’t into shopping or eating, the mall contains much to see and photograph.

By the time we had traversed the mall and its numerous wings the sky had cleared, temperatures had soared to the home freezer range, and we decided to step out for our first foray into Beijing.  What surprised us were the modern skyscrapers and canyons of glass.

Impressively tall and magnificently designed buildings greeted us at every turn.

 

If you’re into photographing reflections then the Beijing business district is certainly calling out to you.

Our first day was a huge success, and our final sight of this modern city before turning in for the night were the lights still shining from the Lunar New Year celebration.