The Forbidden City (I GOT IN!)
It was tough, but I did it. Although the city was opened to citizens a bit after the last emperor left in 1924, it seemed every bit as hard to get into. After getting off the subway, I headed toward the massive walls. However, before I got there I was first stopped by a man, whose name I never did get. We talked for a bit, and I always had a feeling he wanted money. The thing about China is that people of a different decent are a rarity. In America we take our diversity for granted. We have African Americans, Latinos, Italians, etc. But in China, in general, everyone was born here. So when people see a foreigner, especially one that is conversing in Chinese with another Chinese person, they come a running. Within a minute or so of talking to that man, I had 3 other people around me. The mother, Xian Xi, took the picture of me with Linda (in green) and Lucy. I talked to Linda the most--her English was pretty good--but we spoke mostly in Chinese. We traded phone numbers and made a plan to help each other with our languages. The next day she called me 8 times while I was working out. Pretty impressive. Anyways, once inside the walls I still wasn't over the massive moat. I next was snatched by two college students, who I mentioned in an earlier post. After spending an hour with them, and buying some artwork, I finally got in. The city, called "gugong" in Chinese--meaning "old palace", was overwhelming. It was built by an estimated 1 million people and was completed in 1420. The huge stones came from different provinces. It is said a well was dug every 50 meters so that water could be sprayed onto the road in the winter. The massive stones could then be slid along. After spending a few hours in there, and an ungodly amount on lunch, I looked for a way out. It seemed that the guards had blocked the main way out. I was pretty confused. So was a Chinese man next to me. So we spent about a half hour searching for an alternate exit, while my new friend talked to me in completely incomprehensible Chinese. It was like that scene in Happy Gilmore, where Happy is trying to learn Spanish: Happy: "Slow down"; (teacher says it again, same speed); Happy (sarcastically): "Oh now I get it". In the end I left satisfied with myself for sticking it out as long as I did with the sun beating down on me all day. Then I tried to ask a man where the subway was. It was unlike anything I've ever seen. He wouldn't look me in the eyes or even acknowledge me. He simply walked, almost ran, as fast as he could, looking like he thought I was about to pull a gun on him. Maybe he had a bad experience with a foreigner. I guess now I've had my first bad experience with a Chinese person. Been here a month, not too shabby.