In October 2010, I did a three week trek that started in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. Then I went over to Beijing, Macau and Hong Kong in China. It was an amazing trip, but also a difficult trip in some ways. I was reminded that when it comes to traveling, I don't like to be subservient to another person's whims especially if that person doesn't seem to know where he is going half the time. I went crazy Alpha in Asia, where I suppose as a woman traveling in Asia I should have been very Beta. But at 5'9", I tower over the Native Asian peoples as it is. So should they be surprised that my personality is also non-Native Asian as well?
When we arrived in Beijing, I knew it was time for me to take a few days to go solo - to see and do what I wanted, at my own pace and at my own direction. If I got lost it would be because I had lost my direction, not because I was relying on someone else. And guess what? I never got lost!
While socially my decision to go forward on my own, was probably not the most polite in terms of travel companionship; however I have to say I don't regret the decision. I finally felt free when I was in Beijing. And I'll take free and happy over courteous any day of the week.
One stop that I wanted to make that my travel companion had no interest in is the Beijing Zoo and the newer Beijing Aquarium. Surprisingly, people thought I was Russian! This amused me to no end! I am 1/2 Chinese, 1/2 Polish - so maybe the Polish part of me was throwing out some Eastern European curve balls! I have been to Russia (Novgorod, Velikiye Luki, Moscow and St. Petersburg) and trust me, no one there thought I was Russian!
The Beijing Zoo is a spectacular place. I felt so at peace walking along the beautiful landscaped pathways. I know many people would scoff at going to a foreign country and seeing their zoo instead of other sights, but come on - this is China! I needed to see some pandas! And the Chinese definitely know what the tourists came to see as there is an additional fee to see the panda exhibit at the zoo. It's worth it though.
The pandas were lovely. No different than pandas I have seen in the United States, but definitely significant in that I was standing in the panda homeland of China.
But what did surprise and delight me are the signs in the Panda area at the Beijing Zoo. This one in particular sounds like it could have been stolen from "Lily's Life Motto."
The Beijing Zoo is a must see!
When we arrived in Beijing, I knew it was time for me to take a few days to go solo - to see and do what I wanted, at my own pace and at my own direction. If I got lost it would be because I had lost my direction, not because I was relying on someone else. And guess what? I never got lost!
While socially my decision to go forward on my own, was probably not the most polite in terms of travel companionship; however I have to say I don't regret the decision. I finally felt free when I was in Beijing. And I'll take free and happy over courteous any day of the week.
One stop that I wanted to make that my travel companion had no interest in is the Beijing Zoo and the newer Beijing Aquarium. Surprisingly, people thought I was Russian! This amused me to no end! I am 1/2 Chinese, 1/2 Polish - so maybe the Polish part of me was throwing out some Eastern European curve balls! I have been to Russia (Novgorod, Velikiye Luki, Moscow and St. Petersburg) and trust me, no one there thought I was Russian!
The Beijing Zoo is a spectacular place. I felt so at peace walking along the beautiful landscaped pathways. I know many people would scoff at going to a foreign country and seeing their zoo instead of other sights, but come on - this is China! I needed to see some pandas! And the Chinese definitely know what the tourists came to see as there is an additional fee to see the panda exhibit at the zoo. It's worth it though.
The pandas were lovely. No different than pandas I have seen in the United States, but definitely significant in that I was standing in the panda homeland of China.
But what did surprise and delight me are the signs in the Panda area at the Beijing Zoo. This one in particular sounds like it could have been stolen from "Lily's Life Motto."
Now I think the sign means to say "Live a solitary, mysterious life." I've never thought of pandas as particularly mysterious, but I just love this sign (which by the way, the same sign was also posted in Chinese as well - this wasn't just a ploy to trick English-speaking tourists into thinking pandas are mysterious!!)
This sign had me laughing hysterically - visions of mysterious pandas lurking about! And the gobsmacking realization that I must be a panda because the majority of my life has been led in the manner depicted on the sign.
It's amazing that sometimes you have to go all the way to the other side of the world to find out who you really are inside.
I'm a panda! Who knew?
P.S. And just to make sure I don't tick off the people who found this blog post by Googling "Beijing Zoo" - here are some pictures of the zoo itself ...
The Beijing Zoo is a must see!
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