Beijing - Day 5 (Part 3)

The road to Gubei was long but Ms Cao (the Han Chinese with Manchurian status) kept us entertained. She told us how it was to grow up in a Communist era, the wants that were denied, the hopes that were dashed. While most in our group thought her stories were inappropriate I demurred. A visit to any destination is not complete if it did not include an understanding of its culture or its way of life.

She also told stories of the anomalies in her job. 

"In recent years, more of our people are traveling out of the country. There was this time I took a local group to Japan. One of the traveler is a naive rural woman traveling out of her country for the first time. In Japan, she picked up a packet of snacks from the supermarket. - "These biscuits are delicious, says she. Cat brand." - Cat Food!"

Ms Cao chortled.

"And there was this other time when a young woman was asked to present a passport sized photograph for the application of a passport. She had a nice picture taken of herself standing from head to toe with the appropriate background color. The picture was passport-sized, she argued and therefore suitable."

Ms Cao chuckled. Clearly she loved her job. Meanwhile, the scenery outside the van had transformed. We have reached our destination. Traces of the Simatai Great Wall could be seen along the distant hills.

Outline of the Simatai Great Wall along the distant hills.

GUBEI WATER TOWN is located below the SIMATAI GREAT WALL. The water town is essentially a theme park with hotels and recreational facilities. There was nothing ancient about this town.

These lions looked like the ones at the Marco Polo Bridge.