Day 15 - Sunday, August 22, 1999

Mark A. Nadeau wrote 

All choirs and most chaperones are dressed in the official yellow T-shirts issued by the Festival.  This is the requested dress for the trip to the Great Wall.  The bus procession heads off for the Great Wall.  It is about an hour ride north of Beijing.  We pass open fields and many donkey and mule carts laden with people, materials or agricultural products.

The 20 buses with Police escort everywhere we went

We arrive at the Wall.  It is a GREAT WALL and most impressive.  The mountains are very jagged and very steep, rising perhaps as much as 4000 feet from the floor of the canyon where we join up with the wall.

As you might expect, the kids assault the wall.  They run at it.  They laugh at it.  They revel in it.  They are alive and loving it.  But, they did not call this the GREAT WALL for nothing.  The kids begin to string out.  The complaining starts.  The "how much farther?" question is asked - often.  But, as in the armies of Genghis Khan, our assault continues.  Eventually, all are on top.  And, being good Americans you know what we do - take a group photo!!!

The Great Wall

Our legs are like rubber.  We linger at the top feeling the breeze on top of the mountain.  We start down the hill.  Some run, some walk, some bearly move.  Along the way we run into another TV crew.  They interview and have on camera about 6 kids.

The bus convoy departs at 11:45 am for the Golden Palace Restaurant and lunch.  The buses carry a now ravenous army fresh from conquering the GREAT WALL.  The size and purpose become obvious.  This is a tourist trap with great food.  By now, all are pros at eating Chinese style.  And, the food is good.  It is a great opportunity to share stories of the wall and laugh and chat about the trip.

Then the shopping begins.  A captive audience, nowhere to go, and at least one hour before the buses depart.  Yellow shirts everywhere.

Shopping

Dr. Yip, Giang - Lee Loy, and Shirley Carter

The buses depart for the hotel.  A quick stop and grab the choir apparel for the performance that evening.  20 minutes later and off to the performance hall.  The concert lacks a little of the luster this evening.  Rubber legs dominate.  Voices are good, but performing out of obligation - not desire.  But, it is an early evening, and all are back at the hotel and in bed by 11 pm.

The different choirs at the first concert in Beijing

Russia

Canada

Beijing Choir

American Youth Choir

American Youth Choir

American Youth Choir

Denmark

Hong Kong

Day 16 - Monday, August 23, 1999

Mark A. Nadeau wrote 

On the Northwest border of Beijing lies a wonderful lake.  Around the lake various summer homes were built for the wealthy of the empire.  Likewise, linking the homes (small palaces) are a series of marble bridges . . . some in high and beautiful arches.  On the small mountain that is the center focus of the lake is the Summer Palace.  It rises pagoda style for perhaps 5 stories.  A beautiful presentation of blues and reds.  Summer gardens and lily ponds dot the landscape.  It must have been a truly beautiful place at one time.

Summer Palace

Summer Palace

American Youth Choir at the Summer Palace, Beijing

American Youth Choir at the Summer Palace

Texas Girls' Choir at the Summer Palace Rachel, Jennifer, Stephanie, Ruth, Joleen and Meghan

         The American Youth Choir at the Summer Palace Today?  Well today it is riddled with pushers of postcards, tea cups, fans, and little statuettes of lions (such as those that guard the Palace).  It is a place of tourists following the leader . . . small flag raised and simply making the effort to keep together.  The "street sellers" confront you the minute you exit the bus and harangue and follow throughout the grounds of the Palace.  The choir members are now getting the hang of trading and buying in China.  The fellow approaches - 10 yuan, he yells.  The kids say 2, he says 8, they say 2 again, he says 5, they say 2 again, and he groans and goes to 4.  A deal is made.  And so it goes.  Prices fluctuate all over the map as the choir members negotiate.

Our Guide 

When they get back on the bus, some groan at the exorbitant price they have paid.  Some are thrilled to find they have purchased below the average.

American Youth Choir in the first 2 of 20 buses with Police escort wherever we went

Finally, we ask.  What about the students 10 years ago.  The guides say they are aware of an "affair" some 10 years ago, but they really don't know much about it.  They believe it involved some misguided students.  That is it.

Tianamin Square   

We go up into the North Tower facing the square.  It is here that Mao and his party declared victory and the portrait of he and the other party dignitaries are in murals within and outside.

Mao   

We then walk across (via the underground tunnel) to the square.  It is a beautiful day, a nice breeze and many kites flying in the breeze.  The PLA guards are stationed all about.  Wang, our woman guide, explains that they are there to keep control and not let the street sellers disrupt the park.  Indeed, for perhaps the first time at a public place we are not confronted with street sellers.  She explains that the square is not a place where any demonstrations are permitted, that it is just a place for people in the park.

Tianimen Square   

A group picture seems appropriate.  No one from America thinks much of this . . . it is a pretty ordinary thing to do.  So, they gather all the choir members together, wearing their All American Choir T-shirts with the American Flag on the front.  What no one figures on is how interesting people find the choir from America.  And, quite literally, a huge crowd begins to form just to watch the photo session.  The guards begin to talk on their pac-sets to each other.  The crowd grows to more than a hundred in moments.  The choir members and the conductor are unaware of the soldiers milling about on the back side of the crowd.  So, the choir decides to sing a song for the crowd.  And, as you can imagine, we then have the gathering multiply.  People on the square are running over to see what is going on.  The soldiers are not pleased with this development.  They began to point and talk and move.  They bring down a van with soldiers in it.  Suddenly, it becomes apparent we are about to have an "incident".  Thankfully, the song ends, the crowd applauds, and the choir members are told to move out quickly . . . which they do.  A major international incident is avoided!!!!!

American Youth Choir at Tianimen Square

One of many statues honoring workers, soldiers, etc.   

We then stroll about the square.  The one thing that is sold on the square are the kites.  This is, of course, the one place on the planet you should fly a kite it you have the opportunity.  So, the choir members set about the process of negotiating the purchase of a kite.  There is Collin with an Eagle kite.  And Rachel with a butterfly kite.  Paul and his son, Chris, fly a kite together.  Father and son on Tianimen square flying a kite.  In its own way, it is an act in support of freedom, and it is a wonderful thing to see.  We encourage every choir member to take a turn at flying a kite.  Together.  It feels good.

Dinner  Monday night

Our Peking Duck!

Beijing Choir at performance Monday night

Japan

Taipai

Finland Choir

Festival Choir

The long bus convey leaves for the hotel following behind the police car with lights flashing.  The other drivers on the road mostly ignore the flashing lights.  But they seem to be so used to the crowds, the noise, the lights, that they just proceed on.

We arrive back at the hotel.  Tomorrow is the Forbidden City.