In the morning we headed out to the Chengdu Panda Base, to see the animals which were the real reason we came to Chengdu! I’ve recapped that here, and recommend it wholeheartedly. We spent the entire morning there (morning is the best time to see them, since pandas are big sleepers). But there is a ton of interesting stuff to see and explore in Chengdu beside the pandas. Here are some fun places to wander about in the city.

Chengdu People’s Park. First, visit the city’s monstrously large park area in the center of town, complete with some pretty neat Bonsai and other ancient and landscaped trees. I do dream about one day not killing a bonsai. You can have tea at the teahouse, take a little boat on the lake, or just wander around. It was not busy when we were there and while there is a strange/flashy mini-amusement park for children, the rest of the park is beautiful and very tranquil.

There is also a place in this park where parents leave information, on a single piece of paper, about their single sons or daughters looking for a match! Like, “25 with a good job ready to settle down, call this number.” I only wish I could have read some Mandarin to really know what they all said. And, to see their older parents wandering around reading them was just fantastic. I’m not really sure how much of it is tradition (guessing not many matches are made…) considering how tech-savvy young Chinese are! But it’s a really interesting blast to/from the past.

Chunxi Road. The largest pedestrian area in Chengdu, Chunxi Road has everything. From luxury stores to typical chains, it is a monstrous expanse of shopping that is fun for wandering. The luxury market is insane in China. As is the market for fake luxury goods. And fake Apple stores. So many fake Apple stores in China. I guess imitation is the best form of flattery? #dontbuyfakegoods. Chunxi Road is a great place to walk and people watch, away from the traffic that does not stop for pedestrians. We were staying at the St. Regis Chengdu, and Chuxi road is just a few quick blocks away.

Jinli. Re-constructed to look like a traditional street in the Qing dynasty style, this street has tons of street food and little stores and is known as the “Ancient Pedestrian Street.” It is busy, but a lovely place to stroll and shop. And gawk. Particularly at the street food.  Some of it looked pretty appetizing, some of it….not so much. I asked our guide if Chinese people actually usually eat fried rabbit head and to little surprise she said, “well, some…but I’ve never tried it” with a giggle. I think some of the street food in China is for the shock, rather that to actually eat. We did try the fried rice balls, they were pretty tasty though I’m not huge fan of sweet sticky rice. Jinli also has a lot of restaurants.

Shockingly, since I am known for loving to shop for souvenirs when I travel, did not buy pretty much anything in China. It was close, I almost bought a huge silk embroidery of some carp…but I abstained. The only reason I bring this up is that Jinli was pretty much the only place that seemed to have items of relatively good quality (not plastic crap, of which there is plenty) that were also things that you would want in your home. So, if you are looking for something to take home particularly for gifts for others, Jinli (though probably overpriced for China) would be a great place to look.

You could definitely spend a full day exploring these places in Chengdu–it does take some time get from place to place. We had a car for the day with a driver and guide, which was nice since we had no idea where we were going and do not speak or read the language. Parts of Chengdu made it feel much smaller than it actually is. I wouldn’t hesitate to return to Chengdu (to see more pandas, obviously!).

The Temple of Heaven is one of the most common examples of ancient Chinese design and architecture. It was built in the 1400’s during the Ming Dynasty, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later, it was again enlarged by the Qing Dynasty. The Temple of Heaven Park–in pinyin–is Tiantan Park.  There is a small charge to get in to the temple complex (RMB 35 April-October, RMB 30 November-March). Public transportation is close by at the Tiantan Dongmen station, but we did have a car drop us off which was very convenient, especially given the heat and air quality.

The Temple of Heaven reflects Taoism, and the idea prevalent in ancient Chinese philosophy that heaven is round (the temple) and earth is square. It was used for sacrificial rituals and worship ceremonies: in particular, to the heavens for good harvests. If you are interested, I think this site has pretty useful information about the various structures and their uses.  The complex is not that large, but how long you spend here primarily depends on how interested you are in Chinese architecture, etc. For a normal visitor who wants to come in, look around, and snap some photos, I’d say 30-45 minutes is plenty.

Tiantan Park has become a hugely popular place for locals to gather, visit, play music, and play games. We saw a string quartet, to many elderly Chinese enjoying Mahjong. A few people were also playing chess, lots of cards, and some were working on handicrafts. A few were doing Tai Chi. It was a really fun place to get a taste of local culture and see how people spent some of their free time. They all looked like they were really enjoying themselves, and were quite animatedly involved in their Mahjong games! It seemed like a great community place to spend an afternoon (or for those that are retired, an entire day).

Also impressive are the 500-800 (some report even older) cypress trees that spring from the grounds of the Temple of Heaven Park. How old? Well, who really knows.  The Temple of Heaven is surely picturesque and a great stop in Beijing.

Red pandas, like the giant panda, are also endangered primarily due to habitat loss and poaching (red panda hats are also big in parts of China). They also eat a lot of bamboo. But that is where the similarities between the two end, despite the shared name. The red panda is actually in the genus Ailurus, and is the only living species in the Ailuridae family. At one point they were thought to be related to the raccoon, though more recent genetic analyses disproved this link.  Their distribution includes not only China, but also parts of India, Bhutan (remember the Red Panda beer?!), and maybe Myanmar. These areas all have temperate forests; the red pandas also prefer high altitudes.  But sightings in the wild are incredibly rare.

Red pandas are pretty solitary in nature, and while friendly to other species, they are not friendly to each other–at all. While the red pandas at the base had more than enough space to roam, they do congregate during feeding times and occasionally get into a pretty good tussle. It’s not unusual to see a missing ear like that first picture or a tail that has obviously been bitten by another red panda. Some of these red pandas were rescued from the wild with serious injuries (near the other panda bases), but all seemed at home and enjoying the comforts of at least twice daily feedings of squash, lots of bamboo, and plenty of room to roam. Plus medical attention when required. Additional research and limited breeding activities of the red panda also occur.

I loved the giant pandas, but those red pandas just get me every time. I had wished so badly that we had seen one in Bhutan, so was thrilled when I got to see some up close at the Chengdu Panda Base. They are such cute little creatures and are so fascinating.

In addition to red pandas, the panda base is an menagerie of other animals including peacocks and black swans (beautiful, no doubt, and imported at I think a large expense from Australia…). Peacocks, no matter how many times you see them, always hold some mystique no doubt. Those feathers.

While we didn’t eat at the Chengdu Panda Base, there is a large cafe if you want to stop for lunch. The base is a must see if you are in Chengdu, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and watch the pandas for another few hours. I also think that the Chinese have done pretty amazing research, contributing to the removal of the panda from the endangered species list this year. While there is much work to be done to protect both the giant panda and the red panda in the wild, much has been accomplished and learned about both species.

My mom and I also had the pleasure of going to China (spitting and all), and while the country didn’t win me over completely, it is a fascinating place. What did win me over were the amazing Terracotta Warriors and fuzzy little pandas.  Pretty awesome.

In 2016, I definitely slacked off on the blog, due to lots of work obligations and my new triathlon obsession (I finished 7 this year) which leads to lots of time on my bike, running, and in the pool. And not writing. Meh, we’ll see what 2017 brings. Well, it already brought a triathlon coach who I am super excited about working with, so there will be lots more of triathlons! Plus, a very exciting January trip to the Seychelles and Mauritius! I can’t think of a better way to start 2017.

So let’s get down to the obligatory stats for 2016, in descending order:

Miles Flown
27,083

Number of Nights Spent in Hotels/Lodges/Boats
33 (yikes, that seems like a lot)

Number of Flight Legs
27

Number of Missed Work Days
15

Number of Nights Dog Spent in Kennel
7

Airlines Flown
5 (China Eastern, United, JetBlue, American, Avianca)

Number of Days Pup Enjoyed with Dogsitter Extraordinaire
10

States Visited (> 2 Days)
8 (Virginia, New York, Arizona, Texas, Florida, California, Delaware, Wyoming)

Countries Visited
2 (Ecuador, China)

Number of Legs in Business Class
1

Number of Loyalty Statuses Held
3 (by year end: Marriott, Starwood, Hilton)

Number of Times I Traveled Without DH
5

Number of Flight Delays > 1hr
2 (in Phoenix and Houston, 12+ hours each)

Number of Free Hotel or Flight Upgrades
2 (Hotel)

Number of Barf Bags Used
Let’s not talk about that this year. Sea kayaking is like my own personal hell.

Number of Forced Bag Checks
0

Here’s to an exciting 2017! I’m going back (hopefully) to more routine posting after the holiday season is over. And let’s leave 2016 with some of my favorite memories (not favorite photos–choosing those is way too hard).

We spent a lot of time deciding where to see pandas in China. There are a few options, some much more off the beaten path than others. Ultimately, we decided to go to Chengdu because of two things: 1) it was easy to get to, and required minimal travel time, and 2) we were guaranteed to see lots of babies, since Chengdu is the major breeding center.

I had already been away from work for a week, so couldn’t add on another entire week visiting various panda centers, even though it would have been fun to do so. Seeing pandas in the wild in China is extremely controlled, for obvious reasons, and seeing the creatures in the wild is quite rare, even in known habitats. So the Chengdu panda base was a great compromise: convenience + baby pandas. If you are interested in pandas, pandas, pandas, Natural Habitat does have an interesting itinerary to some of the remote areas.

We were staying at the St. Regis in Chengdu, and prearranged a guide through them for the day. Yes, it was cheaper to do it online, but there was added comfort in knowing the St. Regis would book someone with good English skills and a good reputation. Interestingly, even at the St. Regis, not all staff spoke fluent English. Definitely just enough to get by, but we had a few conversations where one of their truly fluent staff needed to come over to explain directions, etc. Didn’t bother us, but something to keep in mind.

In any case, our guide in Chengdu was quite good, and we had access to the driver and guide for about 6 hours. The first, very large chunk of this time was obviously spent at the Chengdu Panda Base. Nope, you definitely don’t need a guide but in some ways it was nice to have one–she knew exactly where to go to see the babies, and that we needed to get there as soon as it opened so it wasn’t super crowded. You could definitely take a bus or a taxi to the panda base and explore on your own; there are also tons of taxis waiting at the exit to return you to the city as well.

Chengdu Panda Base Entrance

The Chengdu Panda Base, in addition to some of the other bases, do have a “hold a panda” option that requires prebooking and is very expensive–something like $150 or so. However, just the entrance fee to the Chengdu base is very reasonable at about $8.50. We were not at all interested in holding a panda. Sure, they are adorable, cute, and look terribly squeezable. But they are also wild animals, and will either be returned to the wild, loaned/rented to a zoo, or continue in the breeding program. I just can’t imagine being held by strangers does the pandas much good…

Tip: Go early, when the base opens. Pandas sleep a lot and it is best to catch them when they are eating in the morning.

Anyhow, it was pandas–and particularly baby pandas–galore. The museum exhibit in Chengdu was also quite good, providing lots of information on how difficult they are to breed, as well as more information on their evolutionary track and conservation efforts. We spent a long time gazing at the cute little baby pandas, all about 1.5-2 years old or so, if I remember correctly. They tumble around, climb trees, fall down–a lot–and are pretty damn adorable. The keepers give these baby pandas frequent baths, which is why their fur is so white. When you see pictures of the older pandas, their fur does get pretty yellow-ish over time.

So let’s get to the real reason you clicked on this post…to see panda pictures. And, if you are in Chengdu, go see the pandas. I’ll do another post on the other animals you can see at the Chengdu Panda Base, including the incredible little red pandas.

Our Guide in the Hutong

A Hutong is really just a collection of narrow streets/alleys. And they are super narrow, with few cars.  Most people get around on scooters or bikes. Cute, practical, and tiny neighborhood stores. In Beijing, particularly, the Hutongs are created by family houses with courtyards, known as siheyuan. These houses are mostly simple, but have a very decent amount of space in them, given the number of people that now live in Beijing. Most are passed down generation to generation. However, unsurprisingly, some are being remodeled and the Hutong neighborhoods have become luxury choices for ex-pats as well. It’s sort of the Beijing of yesterday; a peek into how many lived in Beijing before skyscrapers.  I really thought it was fascinating, and I can totally see the attraction–it is a very peaceful respite from the Beijing of terrible traffic.

The Chinese government has been destroying Hutong neighborhoods and displacing families for further development, which obviously is very controversial. The Atlantic had a great article almost 5 years ago on this issue (also noting that, at that time, there was probably a ban on discussing and reporting Hutong issues in the domestic news). It does appear like conservationists, Hutong families, and other NGOs have made some strides in protecting these historic neighborhoods, despite the fact that many have already been destroyed. In addition, many of the old homes are in need of significant upgrades, including improved sewage systems and better insulation for Beijing’s winters. Work has started to preserve the historical architecture while installing needed improvements.

Long & Narrow. I’d Get Lost.

In one of the Hutongs, we also were taken to a woman and her aunt that do a traditional art of painting inside these itsy bitsy tiny little snuff bottles. I’m not sure if this was government arranged, but they were happy to talk (through our guide who was our translator), never even offered to sell us anything, and just wanted us to learn/enjoy. Given that I am not artistically inclined in the least, I found these tiny little intricate drawings inside the bottles pretty impressive and fascinating. The painter had learned the trade from her aunt, who had learned it from her grandmother.

Intricate Snuff Bottles

Since the bottles are painted from the inside out, everything has to be done as a mirror. Considering I could never paint like this…even if it was paint by numbers…it’s so neat to see the very intricate designs, the pandas, the trees, etc. Considering I don’t use snuff, I wasn’t sure what I would do with one of them…other than have it collect dust as yet another knick knack. And I have a serious knick knack problem. Which I’m trying to fight. So no snuff bottles for me.

The Hutong was charming, and it would be fun to explore one on foot (with someone, beside me, who can actually navigate, because that just would not go well). It was an experience I didn’t really expect to enjoy as much as I did. And despite the very narrow, windy, confusing alleys, it was a pleasant change from the hustle, bustle and overwhelmingness of the rest of Beijing.

Bikes, Carts, and a Rarely Used Car

The site is broken up into different sections, with one pit that is pretty much fully restored, one pit that is partially restored, and a third pit that hasn’t had much restoration.  These are some of the largest pits, but there are over 600 pits in total with artifacts. Researchers also believe that there are in fact more pits they haven’t even yet uncovered adjacent to the existing site. There are thousands of warriors, each with unique details and expressions. They also have some display cases of warriors that were either unearthed with more details/paint or restored accordingly. I’m sure that part of the reason I like the Warriors so much is because of the horses. I’d bring a lifesize Terracotta Horse home (if I could afford to ship it and had a place to put it). Alas, I did not come home with a Terracotta Horse.

It was busy there, but not in a way that was too frustrating or annoying. With no disrespect intended, most visitors wanted to get their 3 photos and 2 selfies and be on their way. I’d guess many people were in and out of the site in an hour or so! By just waiting a few minutes here or there, it was easy to get the best views, great photos, and plenty of time to just stare (because, well, they are a wonder).

We had probably about 4 hours at the Warriors, and honestly, we probably would have stayed a bit longer and just wandered around the site as it is in the countryside and exceptionally pretty. However…while the Terracotta Warriors were a true highlight of the trip, we did have a guide in Xi’an, and she was by far the worst guide we had in China. Probably one of the worst we’ve ever encountered while traveling. She was unaccommodating, made us very uncomfortable by ordering us around and rushing us, didn’t speak English well/fluently by any stretch of the imagination (but had one speech down completely), and actually yelled at me because I asked her to clarify something she mentioned previously! While not overweight (or probably over 45), she had significant problems walking for 4 hours and was not pleased when we asked her to walk literally 200 yards out of her way. We literally could not wait to get rid of her. And honestly, if you are an English guide to the Terracotta Warriors, you need to speak English and be able to walk. That is your job.

She didn’t accompany us to the airport the next day, which we were happy about. But the guide that did take us was lovely–we learned more in a 45 min drive to the airport than we did the entire day prior. So it’s not that all guides in Xi’an are bad, we just drew a bad straw. It happens. The Warriors were still amazing, guide or no guide (and you could totally go guideless with a book there).

Xi’an, the city, is a weird, weird place. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen those “empty” cities in China that sometimes grace the news, but parts of it were like that–hundreds and hundreds of 30-40 story buildings that are either unfinished or finished and vacant. They’d make the background for a good horror movie (since its Halloween and all), but…other…than…that….

Xi’an is a major city in China (4.5 million people), and is considered the eastern end of the Silk Road. It has since turned into a manufacturing hub, with the pollution to show for it. One of the things that bothers me a lot about Xi’an was it’s lack of walkability–and really–I didn’t find a lot of China very friendly to walkers, Shanghai probably being the exception (and parts of Chengdu, too). Mainly because drivers are terrifying and won’t stop for pedestrians, ever, so it’s kind of like playing Chinese roulette every time you cross a street. Most of which are six lanes wide, with not enough “walk-time” to compound the problem.

We stayed at the Shangri-La in Xi’an, which I’d highly recommend. Yes, it’s huge, but it’s also gorgeous and has the most amazing 25m swimming pool! Plus, obviously the Terracotta replicas at the door sort of won me over. The food in the hotel was also decent (we went to the Chinese restaurant which always had lots of Chinese people in it, not tour groups). Rooms were clean, lobby was bright, and breakfast was tasty and voluminous (though incredibly hectic with said tour groups).

If you are interested in reading more about the Warriors–I think this site (Nat Geo) and this site (Field Museum) are the best quick reads. I would not hesitate to recommend a visit to the warriors to anyone that is interested (I know its not for everyone!). You can know as little or as much as you want about Chinese history and still enjoy the feat that is making all of the warriors, horses, and chariots in clay. Plus, the discovery story of the warriors is just one of those fun tales…a farmer was digging a well and hit, well, a Terracotta Warrior.

Of course, being China, there is often the “official” story and then the actual story. Or at least two sides of one story, with the truth probably somewhere in the middle. I guess all governments are like this to some extent or another–the official story, the people’s story, and then the truth. But in China, those stories seem a litttleee bit farther apart.

China’s sites are busy…busy…busy. But not so much with foreigners as with Chinese. It’s, in some ways, sort of heartening to see how many (though there are many) Chinese travel to see their capital and the sites. I’d be really interested to see various stats of how many residents in any given country have been to their capital city…would the United States be low? Somewhere in the middle? I’d be shocked if it was at the upper end.

First up, Tiananmen square. It is large. It is square (rectangular). I do not have anything particularly profound to say about said square, though I’m glad I went to see it.  There is a monument in the middle that is the “Monument to the People’s Heroes.” It is the site/epicenter for the famous protests in both 1976 and 1989. I was a bit too young to really understand or remember went down in 1989, though I do remember it being highly televised in the United States.

To the left is Mao’s mausoleum–we skipped that, there was a horrifically long line, and, well, it’s not like we had a large affinity for Mao to start with. There is quite the conspiracy that it isn’t even Mao, but wax or a body double…

Yet another weird thing about China…and their ornate flower displays…they don’t actually plant anything. In dirt. Nope, you heard that right–all of those flowers you see are individually in their tiny little pots you get when you go to the greenhouse and purchase flowers at the start of the year. For planting. In planters/pots/the ground. It is so bizarre to me and seems very wasteful–instead of watering and growing, they just put in new pots (like 2″ to 3″ pots of hundreds of thousands of flowers) when the old ones die. I guess that guarantees demand for flowers/greenhouses, no?

After Tiananmen Square, we walked over to the Forbidden City, which is right across the street. It’s easy to spot with its enormous Mao picture. Mao is everywhere in China. I mean everywhere. I get it, he is the namesake for Maoism, and a tremendous influence on China’s history and politics. But I gotta be honest–it all seemed a bit weird in 2016. Mao heavily influenced (from what I understand) political movements including the Khmer Rouge, Blank Panthers, among others. Lots of social revolution. Lots of….anyhow.

The Forbidden City was the residence of the imperial family for over 500 years, and was just as stunning, expansive, excessive, and impressive as one would expect for a place that was termed forbidden. It is huge, and truly fascinating. Definitely recommend a tour guide here, because there is so much to see and lots of details that are easy to miss.

This was carved out of a single piece of stone, purportedly the largest ever excavated and carved. It was stunning.

While the Forbidden City is very busy–you can generally carve out some space for yourself and avoid huge crowds. There are a few places, when you look inside buildings, that things get very, very chaotic. Watch your bags and stand your ground–you don’t get anywhere in China by being polite. Pushing is not above anyone (I learned that very quickly…even those older ladies aren’t afraid to shove you to the side, no, no they aren’t).

Beijing is definitely a fascinating city with so much old and so much new. We spent probably about 4-5 ish hours, and headed to Tiananmen Square in the morning when it was just a bit cooler. It also was the only day I think we saw blue sky in China–which made it a beautiful day to see these classic sites. Wear comfortable shoes and comfortable clothes.

As I’ve mentioned or alluded to, I found China to be…China. I’ve traveled a lot, but the sheer number of people in China, the language barrier, and cultural norms definitely make China a fascinating place, but not one I would consider “easy”. So I figured it might be helpful to list some things which helped us navigate the Great Wall experience and make it more enjoyable.

We went to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is closest to Beijing and one of the well-restored pieces of the Great Wall. There are different ways to get up to the Great Wall, including a cable car. You can always walk, too, if you are feeling up to it!

Don’t Be in a Hurry Getting There

Driving is really the only way to reach the Great Wall in China. I live in Washington DC, which is second only to Los Angeles in terms of crappy traffic in the United States. But traffic in Beijing is unbelievable. Just freaking unbelievable.  In 2011, it was estimated that there were 5 million cars on the road, which our guide thought was probably a very low estimate. Despite the insanely high cost of owning/registering a car, restrictions on when you can drive, and the fact that’s impossible to drive because traffic is awful–traffic is still just terrible. So leave early from Beijing, try to choose a weekday when Beijingers are likely to be working not driving to the country, but be patient. Our traffic was not bad after getting out of the city.

Wear Comfortable Shoes and Clothes

This seems obvious, but wow did we see all sorts of things at the Great Wall. Stilettos, prom-like dresses, crop tops, leather pants, etc. It was decently warm and humid when we were there (May), so choose something that wicks/doesn’t show sweat and is comfortable for long periods of walking and standing. Choose shoes that don’t rub…I think that’s the key, regardless of the type of shoes you prefer. Depending on much you want to walk, you might consider more athletic type clothing instead of jeans, etc.

I wore a GapFit V Neck Tee (my favorite casual tee), with my awesome Anatomie pants, and Cole Haan ZeroGrand Wing Oxford shoes. Super, super comfortable. Everything wicks sweat and is comfortable in warm weather.

Don’t Be Obsessed with Taking Selfies

I want to walk up and throw ever single selfie stick over the Great Wall. Selfie sticks should be considered weapons, and people who only visit places to take selfies should be thrown over the Great Wall too. Do I need to say more? Be considerate of other visitors.

Read Ahead/Go With a Guide

In general, I found that many informative signs and exhibits in China are not in English. So if you are really interested in a place, including the Great Wall, either do your homework and read ahead or go with a guide if you want further information. We had a guide, and she was great at explaining the basics. Usually I like to go home (or to the hotel) and then read up/remind myself later of the history of the site.

Don’t Have a Plan

The Great Wall should be a place to have fun and explore! You can literally walk for as far as the eye can see if you want. Or you can stand and look around and marvel at the amazing feat. Or you can walk from viewpoint to viewpoint in either direction. I think one of the best things about the Great Wall experience was not saying “I have to walk as far as possible” or “we only have 30 minutes”.  We had quite a few hours to explore, and it was great to feel no pressure. We literally looked in a direction and said “let’s walk that way until we feel like not walking anymore”. Some people feel like they have to say “I walked to X point on the Great Wall!”, but don’t consider the horrific air conditions or heat, etc. Enjoy your experience however makes it the most meaningful and interesting for you.

The Great Wall is definitely an amazing sight. I know there is lots of discussion about whether to go to a well-preserved section of the wall or one of the sections that remains more undisturbed/has eroded/been destroyed. I liked the preserved Mutianyu section, since you could truly see the wonder of such a feat. However, I can definitely see the appeal of an un-preserved section as well. It’s up to you and what you are interested in. If you are shorter on time, the Mutianyu section is really accessible from Beijing.

We just returned from 10 days in China. I still haven’t completely formulated all my thoughts on the experience. I’m thrilled to have seen some of the major sites, but man, China is weird. So much smog. So little sun. So much freaking spitting. So much traffic. So many people.

If you know me, you know that people spitting all the time and making spitting noises pretty much drives me mad. On the airplane, at the breakfast table, during dinner, in the mall. Curse words. So many of them.

Also, how did I not know that spitting was a *thing* in China before I went? Where did I miss that piece of information in the blogosphere? Google? You failed me, and you failed me before I went to a place where you are outlawed. Double fail.

Like travel so frequently does, going to China really provided me with a lot of perspective. I seem to talk about China a lot at work, well, because a lot diseases/new strains of bird flu originate in China (it’s true–not making this stuff up to denigrate China). A “little” city in China is not like a “little” city here. At all. There are millions of people. Millions of cars.

They haven’t done a census since 2000, I don’t think, but estimates put Beijing’s population at 21-22 million. People. Apparently Beijing is also trying to cap its population by 2020–at 23 million. I wish I had seen that before we went so I could have asked one of our guides about it, because while desperately needed, I’m curious as to how they will even propose to accomplish it.

I haven’t complained about DC traffic since I’ve returned, that’s for sure. Also, seeing blue sky at least 5 times a week is something I have much new appreciation for.

I actually didn’t think that there was that much actually useful information about traveling to China before we went, or at least information I thought gave me some idea of what to expect. So here are my highlights:

• Do not expect people to speak English, particularly if there is a problem that they need to help you solve. Repeat. Do not expect people to speak English–be excited when they do.
• Many signs in exhibits are only in Chinese. We had guides in each city and found them generally helpful (except one) and knowledgeable. Worth the money to avoid frustration getting around and figuring out where things were. Plus, it’s nice to occasionally know what a sign actually says.
• Spring for nice hotels. Five star hotels in China cost a fraction of what they do in the United States, and after a day in smog, grime, and millions of people, what’s nicer than a beautiful shower (that was probably the size of half my condo). Kidding. But it was huge.
• Are you a runner? Do NOT expect to run outside! Not only is it bad for you, you’ll be miserable. I opted for the treadmill and my lungs still burned. Again, new appreciation for clean air. See previous point–opting for luxury hotels with great gym and pool facilities was the best choice ever.
• Do not worry about wearing clothes that “fit in”. In major cities, you literally see everything. China is ENORMOUS, and people come from all over China to see sights like the Great Wall wearing everything under the sun (there were prom-type dresses to Gucci shoes and levis). Plus, I’m 5’8 and blond, it’s not like I’m going to “fit in”. Unless you are going out clubbing or have meetings in the fashion industry, wear things that are comfortable and practical.
• Yes, you can’t access Google, Facebook, Twitter. It’s easy to VPN over it; the free app Betternet was wonderful. Fast, efficient, and worked like a charm so I could read my email. Also amusing…most of the gym equipment had Twitter commercials as screensavers. Mixed messages galore in China.
• Even when you think you have a translation for something from Chinese, don’t hang our hat on it being right. My favorite of the trip? A rotini pasta dish with tomato sauce translated to “Italian Surface Screw”. Awesome.

So much more with panda pictures (I’m already squirming in cuteness) coming soon. Don’t worry, I’ll get back to the Galapagos as well. I’m really behind on photos at the moment. Sigh.