Traveling with the top 5

I know, I know - chastising completely deserved. My pledge to write less and more often has become an afterthought, and I'll go ahead and apologize now, this post is about to be standard Jessica rambling. So for the faint of heart, and irritated of length, stop here; I have to fill the rest of you in on the last amazing week.
Angelyn, Trent, Finn, John, Megan and I hopped on a train 9 days ago for an October Holiday travel, 4 days in Beijing, 4 in Qingdao, 50+ hours of train rides total. After a potential international conflict with 32 many luggages and sword-wielding (okay, carrying) Hungarians on the train, we arrived in Beijing...China's capital city...in the middle of a national holiday...you get the picture. Craziness ensued, but nothing a little ill-gotten Papa John's couldn't fix. That night we hit up Tiananmen Square and basked in the 30 foot portrait of Mao himself. In other highlights: "I know pipes, my father owns a pipe factory", and "We will find her more handsome man, with many more money".
The next morning we went to Temple of Heaven, my favorite place in Beijing. While the others visited the sights I'd already seen, I spent the morning practicing my Tai Chi, playing Badpong with a grinny old man, being educated on the art of Chinese massage stones, and listening to the most ear-splittingly hilarious music. We met back up to do a little worshiping of our own at the temple, to a much bigger Man. Then we packed up our bags and began the journey up the wall...one that would not end until the next morning because we had a mission. Go BIG or go HOME, we were sleeping on the great wall! So we hiked up Mutianyu, a much less crowded section of the wall, for a few hours - until we were out of sight of as many people as possible - and set up our tents atop guardtower #19. Team Wussy made a handsome showing, we sang songs under the stars, heard some real life ghost stories, learned of our chances of being murdered, and slept on some 1,500 year old stones. Other highlights include an unfortunate chicken pancake choice, and an ill-timed visit from a mule for Angelyn.
In the morning, we woke up before dawn to a haze of Chinese fog and the beautiful solitude of being the only people for miles on the wall. We hiked down the wall to the luge, and then proceeded to luge down the great wall. I feel no need to embellish this with flowery words - its as amazing as it sounds. That night we met up with the Hills, a couple who used to live in Shiyan and have moved to Beijing, for some catch-up time at Peter's Tex-Mex to the complete joy of all the foreign taste buds (Mexican food is hard to come by, lest a Calvillo is feeling kind). It was great to see them, and we spent the rest of the evening wandering around looking for the Olympic Stadium - not meant to be, but who cares when you are wandering around the city for hours with your top five?
The next day we were leaving Beijing, so of course, a Starbucks trip was in order! Waking up with the sun turned out to not be necessary, as China apparently doesn't understand the concept of coffee being used for its caffeine properties, and XingBaKe doesn't open its doors until 9:30...this was followed by the accosting of a Chinese guard's comfort level...and another trip to Tiananmen to visit forMAOdehyde (Megan), Mao's preserved body! Sadly, and for the second time, we were told to go away because they were cleaning...ew...Trent continued in his efforts to secure PLA paraphernalia, but is still looking for someone to give him that belt. We finally made our way to the bus station, to be pleasantly surprised with a sleeper bus for the 13 hour trip to Qingdao. Zaijian Beijing, you redeemed yourself on so many levels...Beijing Photos
While the motto for Beijing was "Go Big or Go Home", Qingdao's was "Qingdao - No Plan". An old German colony on the ocean, this quaint Chinese town of a few million people is east meets west. The city is filled with German architecture, if it weren't for the Chinese street signs and blackhaired people chewing on sticks of squid, one could easily forget where they were. We arrived at 2 am to a hostel in an old church, with lavender-sprayed linens thanks to Mama Kat. The Breelands and the Xiangfan crew had already arrived, and after rousing the troops in the morning, we hit the beach! Now the ocean is generally were I find the fulfillment of my souls...but as you'll see from my photos...Chinese beach life is a little different. Imagine wall-to-wall people wading in the polluted mucky sand in their business suits and high heels, or nakedness, covered with umbrellas lest they get dark, and digging for craps amongst plastic bags and sunflower seed shells. Still the ocean, but not exactly my ocean. Still, we walked around the pier for a bit, then explored the island of little Qingdao. That night, the foreigners trekked across town to seek out Lennon Bar - a Beatles themed hole-in-the-wall bar that turned out to be hiding the most amazing cover band I think I have ever seen! As fun as that was, there was dancing on the agenda, so a few brave souls ended up at Feeling Club - being more or less, but definitely mostly more "felt" by a crowd of Chinese on a bouncy floor, listening to Weezer's Beverly Hill's while black and white Communist war movies played on the big screens behind the DJ. Only in China...
The next day was more "Qingdao-No Plan" fun. Trent, Finn and I spent the day wandering between the pier, starbucks, and grassy knolls - reading, ipod listening, chillaxin. The highlight was definitely when we were approached by the Chinese Mickey Mouse club, a group of adorable little kids from Wuhan who had traveled to Qingdao to practice their English with foreigners they met on the street. There was nearly a group kidnapping effort of "I'm MIKE". That night was more squid on a stick, and more Lennon bar.
Since we were at the beach, an early morning to catch the sunrise was required. We left the hostel around 4:30 am, and arrived at the coast just in time to watch the stars fade. It was peaceful and definitely soul-replenishing, despite the sad fact that we "orb" was not "actually" visualized. Dissatisfied with what Qingdao's beach had offered us, we hopped on a ferry later that morning to go to another beach per Lonely Planet's suggestion. Good suggestion. We found the real beach, miles of red, golden sand fewer people and cleaner water, and we spent the day swimming in the Yellow Sea (check) and sunbathing. It was perfect. As was the night spent watching Qingdao go to sleep from the roof of the hostel...I've been a lot of places in China, but no where has captured by heart like mellow, intriguing Qingdao. There is something in the comfort of just seeing a church from your window in China, of remembering that life can slow down for just a minute. Qingdao Photos
So we are home, more rested and with more pleasant memories than I have ever had from a China trip. This last week has been a testament to Abba, who blessed us at every turn with laid back, amiable travel companions and a system that aimed to please. I have so many incredible memories of moments with those close to my heart, and hilarious stories of sniffing strangers... slapping strangers...poking strangers...generally alienating strangers. As great as the trip was, of course there were the twinging moments of missing you. Mom, you would have loved Qingdao, I thought of you at every interesting architectural turn. Dude, boys, seriously...you should have HEARD this band - you would have loved it. Heather, I wanted to call you so badly from Beijing - if only you had been there with me, to pull away for a classic gab fest over a cup of coffee. But, back to Shiyan, back to the day-to-day. Thanks for the memories, you are all securely in my top five! ;o)