Today I went shopping. OK, that's not all I did. I started off today by having one last breakfast with my friend Cindy before she headed back to the US - I will miss her! : ( I wasn't sure quite where to start today, but figured I would stay within walking distance of the hotel, and then possibly venture out further tomorrow. I first headed over to the National Museum, and got within about 50 feet of the front door when the guard told me it was closed. When I asked him what time it opened, he replied, "In three years." Got it. Cross that one off the list! I then headed across the square to the Chairman Mao memorial, which had a huge line in front. Not realizing that you had to check all bags in the checkroom across the street, I had to backtrack and let the woman behind the counter take my purse with my camera inside it (they checked to make sure you didn't have a camera) - fortunately I had my wallet and my cell phone in my pocket - they weren't taking either of those! (passport is in the hotel safe). So, I stood in line to see Mao with a long line of Chinese people, and two guys who sounded like they were from Scotland. It was really amazing how many Chinese people there were, and how few Westerners - for some reason, I was expecting mostly foreign tourists. But there were a lot of people with their children paying 3 yuan for a single yellow flower to lay at the feet of the statue of Mao located just inside the mausoleum. And after you see the statue... there is Mao. It really is an experience I'll never forget - just felt very out of place to be there.
I passed on all the kitchy Mao memorabilia they had on sale out the back door (I don't need a Mao paperweight or Mao thermos, or a Christmas ornament with all the Communist leaders inscribed on it), and decided to head over to the Beijing Police Museum. You may think it's odd that there's a museum dedicated to the history of the Public Security Bureau, but there is, and it's actually pretty good. I was able to practice reading a lot of crime-related characters, and it wasn't just crime stuff - they had sample Chinese residency permits, and there was a picture of the first 24 foreigners offered permanent residency status in China - in 1986. There was also a section on bicycle and driving regulations - apparently, China has a long history of driving regulations, though from my experience, I don't think any of those books were ever read before they showed up in the museum. I stopped in the gift store on my way out and bought some stickers with little cartoon Public Security officers on them - there's a cartoon border patrol officer, a cartoon motorcycle cop with a walkie-talkie, and even a cartoon riot control policeman complete with cartoon helmet, gun, and shield. He's actually pretty scary for a cartoon.
After the police museum, I walked back to the hotel along Wangfujing Avenue and decided to go SHOPPING. I desperately needed a new big suitcase for the trip up to Harbin - I arrived at the hotel with several shopping bags crammed full of stuff, and while that may cut it for a 20 minute cab ride across town, it's not going to work for the 12 hour train ride up to Harbin. So, I went to the luggage section of the department store and asked them for the biggest suitcase they had - and it was BIG. Kind of expensive, but I really wanted something that wasn't going to fall apart the first time I used it - there were tons and tons of faux Louis Vuitton suitcases at the Pearl Market, but I hate fake designer stuff, and plus, I'm a sucker for things with lots of pockets and various compartments, and this suitcase has LOTS of those. Of course, buying an enormous suitcase meant walking around the department store while dragging an enormous suitcase behind me - I'm not the most graceful person to begin with, but fortunately I didn't knock anything over, and the only person I hit in the shins was myself, so it was OK.
The suitcase was something I really, really needed, but after that was purchased, I realized that I was in a shopping mall in China by myself with no time limit, no one else to worry about, and a Visa card. I've suspected something about myself for a long time, but this afternoon's shopping trip proved it beyond all doubt. Some girls buy shoes. Some girls buy jewelry. With an unlimited budget and unlimited time, I buy electronic gadgets and outer layers. I don't know why, but I do. So, the net result of this shopping trip was one suitcase, one North Face insulated soft-shell jacket (it's water-resistant and windproof - and PURPLE!), and one portable DVD player that I can connect to the hotel television and play the Pride and Prejudice DVD I bought yesterday (Mr. Darcy speaking Chinese - yes!) I don't know - I thought that having the DVD player would allow me to watch more Chinese movies / TV shows, so it's actually a good investment - no I'm NOT just going to use it to watch the American Pie 5 DVD I've had for several weeks but have never had the time to watch - yet. In any case, I love my new jacket (and did I mention I bought a reversible down vest yesterday?) and I am seriously going to control myself with the outer layers tomorrow... but I think I'm going to go buy some more DVDs!
