Beijing—Heart for Friendship, China(北京—心系友谊)-儿歌荟萃-万维博客-万维读者网（电脑版）

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		Beijing—Heart for Friendship, China(北京—心系友谊)	2020-07-25 07:31:07

2018-08-25

Heart of Beijing0001.JPG

【Aiden in English】

Well, it's the final day. I can't say I'm glad to go home, but YouTube and Snapchat, and Instagram do have a large hole that food can't fill. In addition, I miss air conditioning and not being sweaty all day. I would say Philadelphia is a rather hot city temperature-wise, but the air feels crisp and refreshing, not a massive wet towel plastered to your skin. Speaking of which, a cool shower would feel great right now.

So back in Beijing for a 25-hour layover. That gives Mom and me almost a day to run around, and three meals to fill the last cravings. Unfortunately, the first ended up being filled on the plane, so really the quality could only go up from there.

The other two days previously spent in Beijing were accommodated by Air China, resulting in hotels an hour away from anything reasonably relevant. Tonight, we stayed at a friend’s house, my mom's good friend of course, and lived to smack dab in the middle of a few major attractions. Fifteen minutes walk one way lies the Qianmen (Front Gate) we visited on our second day. Fifteen minutes the other results in Tian-An-Men Square. Those fifteen minutes are without traffic and photos, so these walks generally double in length. Therefore, after thirty minutes of stuttering along, we passed through a security checkpoint, entering the most famous square in all of China, and perhaps even the entire world.

The most annoying part of coming to China every few years is sometimes, you forget places you've already been to. It's safe to say I've been to Tian-An-Men Square at least three times, but I can only slightly recall waiting in line on a heatwave week from three years ago. Today hopefully would refresh some memories without actually spending three hours wandering the Forbidden City, which it did. Instead of heading through the front entrance, we took the back square, holding Monument to the People's Heroes for the civil war, as well as crossing over the alabaster bridges. Now the Forbidden City walls are its own attraction, marking many postcards ever since tourism has been a thing.

First of all, the Forbidden City is massive. No doubt about it. Even for monarchy standards internationally, Chinese people really have the skill for building enormous structures stapled into their resumes. Its walls are intimidating; its terrace, looming; its archways, a Disney movie in the making. What might need some work on color schemes? Hazy sunlight brought out the dull red walls, yet contrasted with and emphasized the gold roofs and blue highlights, all very bright and eye-catching colors. It also clearly pointed out the renovation scaffolding all over the Gate of Heavenly Peace or Tian-An-Men, apparently for the upcoming National Day on October 1st.

And that was it. The last major attraction this year. Granted, China shouldn't be a tourist place to me, as it is somewhat of a second home. There is just much more to see at home than at any other place in the world. But I doubt I'll make this trip any time soon, and you don't just fly across the world on a year-to-year basis... unless you want to. The other 194 countries (I looked that up) all hold something to offer, something worth my time. However, China always holds a piece of my heart, and that alone is worth a return.

【红霞译文】

对，今天是最后一天，我倒没归心似箭，但既看不了优兔，又无法快照聊天，还钻不进照片墙，吃得再好也不觉得香。此外，我想死空调了，有它哪至于整天汗如雨下，费城固然夏季很热，但空气干燥清爽，毋需用大块湿毛巾擦拭全身，说到这里，真想马上冲把凉水澡痛快一番。

返回北京后继续逗留25个小时，这样我和妈妈几乎可以再逍遥一整天，也好好生撺掇最后三顿美餐。遗憾的是，第一顿交代给了飞机，所以真正够味的只能算下面两顿。

刚回国头两天住的酒店均由国航安排，前不巴村后不着店，上哪儿都要耗上个把钟头。今晚我们索性到朋友家落脚，当然是妈妈的好朋友，恰巧位于几个主要景点之间，距离上次抵京第二天逛的前门只需步行十五分钟，同样时间朝另外方向便走到天安门广场，这十五分钟不包括等红绿灯及停下来照相，一般情况下都得打出双倍时间。因此，经过卅分钟走走停停，我们通过安检进入全中国乃至全世界最著名的广场。

每隔数年回国有时挺伤脑筋，你会忘记曾经来过的地方，可以肯定地说，我亲临天安门广场不下三次，但至今只隐约记得三年前热浪来袭那周我排着长队，希望这次能长点记性，大可不必像上次参观故宫再豁出仨小时。这回我们没从正门入场，而选择背面的人民英雄纪念碑并直穿金水桥，现在连故宫城墙也备受推崇，自从开展旅游业以来，它被翻印成不少明信片。

故宫场面壮观已是不争的事实，即使按照国际上君主制标准，中国人确有实力建造独一无二的雄伟建筑：它的城池，威风凛凛；它的城楼，气势轩宇；它的御道，成就了迪斯尼蒙太奇创造业绩。色调上需要搭配什么？朦胧的阳光照射到暗红色墙壁上，与金色琉璃瓦和湛蓝色天空形成了鲜明对照，绚烂夺目的古城景色令人痴迷陶醉。天安门前到处设立脚手架，显然是为即将到来的十·一国庆节做准备。

全部行程到此结束，这是今年最后一个重要景点。当然，到中国来不只是为了旅游，毕竟它是我第二个家乡，这里的一草一木都比地球其它任何地方耐看得多，但恐怕我要再过阵子才会故地重游，你哪能每年满世界飞来飞去……除非乐意，世上另有194个国家（我查过）值得花时间去经历，然而中国永远在我心中，单凭这一点我就会回来。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2018: Beijing—Tong Ren Tang the Traditional Med, China(北京同仁堂)

2018: Beijing—Wangfujing the Prosperous St, China(北京王府井)

2014: GHCS Camp─Last Week(光华夏令营最后一周)

2012年蒙郡青少年野营日(2012 MontCo Youth Field Day)