Our first day of our BOCOG tour started out wet - figuratively and literally. It rained this morning as we left Renmin for the Beijing Drainage Group Qinghe Water Reclamation Plant. China's main concern is that with the enormous influx of people in an already booming city, there won't be enough clean water. The plant we visited has devoted an entire area to processing water for the Olympic Games. The plant, the biggest of its kind, uses complex UF membrane filtration to clean the water and can process 80,000 meters cubed per day. 60,000 of that is devoted to the games. Most of the water is used to replenish lakes on the Olympic Green. Additional water recycled at the plant is used to serve the northern part of the city.
After lunch, we took an hour drive XiangTang - what they're dubbing "New Olympics, New Village". Upon arrival we were inundated with signs saying "Enjoy life Enjoy being in paradise Be there at Xiangtang". I would compare this to an enclosed community in the States. Our tour guide told us this is were wealthy villagers lived and is serving as an experiment for future residents. We stopped by a row of connected houses. Each house began with a courtyard that led off to different rooms - kitchen, bedrooms, living room.
Residents of these new homes (built in 2002) sold their land to the government and the government put these people in the new homes. Everything was very clean and we could tell this was very nice living.
Our final area we visited included a Tai Chi demonstration where we were encouraged to join, a calligraphy class and a look at the local nursing home. One woman in the home was 102 years old! She cleaned her room especially for us.
Our friend Lauren posing with one of the nursing home residents.
In the evening, we went to a famous restaurant in Beijing known for its Peking Duck. We were all famished and ate so much. Everything was so wonderful. The thing that I have noticed is that there is always so much food left over. They bring out huge dishes (many of them!) and we are left wasting so much. There is no "take out" and I'm sure the food is thrown away. The duck was great. Take a look at the video to see clips of our day and the traditional way to eat Peking Duck!
Ted
2 comments:
I love the tai chi! The water treatment plant is actually pretty interesting when you think about what a huge undertaking this is for the most populated country on earth. And- good for you for trying new foods, maybe you'll eat mushrooms and tomatoes when you come home!
Glad you are enjoying the food Ted. And we are enjoying your travel log.
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