Beijing Day 1 – 16 June 2010

China’s Legendary Acrobatic Show
We had to board the coach by 4.30 pm to be able to catch the Acrobatic Show at 5.30 pm. On reaching the Centre, we were shown our seats. At the back, as seats in front would costs more. A cup of coffee in the foyer costs RMB 15. About RM 7.50. It’s the only refreshment outlet there. It’s a matter of Supply and Demand. When supply is short and demand is high ‘price increases’. We got caught there.

Still, the show was a commendable one. Its not like the stale style of the old where the acrobats appeared on stage in their attire, jump around, turn around and do impossible feats and that’s it. This time round the acrobats came out dressed in the traditional attire of the pasts or in newly designed modern attires and ‘jump around, turn around and do impossible feats’. The most interesting was when 4 motorcyclists went into the caged globe and rode their bikes and went round and round. And came out intact. Great feat.
After the show we went for dinner at one of the Muslim Restaurants.
Can’t even remember where.













We got home at about 10.00 pm for a well deserved rest. We were ready to face the next day. 

BEIJING DAY 1 - 16 JUNE 2010

Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City

Our next iterinary was a visit to the Forbidden City followed by the Tian’anmen Square. I have gone through the Forbidden City before, and thought would skip that. But as luck would have it, the visit was to the Tian’anmen Square first followed by a visit to the Forbidden City. Being contiguous to each other, it was a ‘one’ visit on foot. I thought walking through Forbidden City was long enough. This time it was a combination of the two. Phew. And what a walk that was.

I have to compliment the ladies for their perseverance in going through it. 

At our age it was very taxing. One who I thought was like the Dowager of Beijing had a mobile stool brought for her to rest when needed. An attempt to procure a wheelchair for her proved futile. She just had to There were many stops for rests. Our Presidente asked Jessica whether there was a short cut but was reminded to be careful by Billy Gooi as ‘ Chinese short cut can be very Long’. Even though tired and perspiring, it was quite fun with a lot of jokes. In between we could hear Jessica’s shrill ‘ Mayfrower, Mayfrower’ to gather her charges (us) around her. And she had this steel pole with some decorative item hanging from the top. A kind of ‘Colours’ during battles.

As I wrote in my earlier postings, ‘ The Forbidden City is another sight to behold. I can only describe it as walk, climb steps, see buildings, walk down steps, walk, walk up steps, see buldings and walk down steps. Continuously for about 1.5 kilometres. Tiring but interesting. The buildings as described by the Tour Guide are the Emperor’s Bedroom, the Emperor’s Office, the Emperor’s Court, the Queen’s Chamber, the Queen’s Court, the Concubines Buildings, the Childrens Rooms, the Library and the living quarters of the City’s residence. Even as I went through the motion of visiting the City, I also wonder at the management and structure of such a huge complex. And we are talking about a periods of a few hundred years duration’.

And we saw all these. A magnificent and intriguing complex.
After all these we were ready to get to our residence, refresh and prepare for the next iterinary.

Beijing Day 1 – 16 June 2010

Breakfast
We arrived Beijing as scheduled - 0630 hrs. It was already bright.

After going through immigrations and
customs we had to wait a while before being directed to our coach.
  Initially it looked like we would have problems with our luggage. There were too many of it – created by the golf bags. It was a temporary setback.
All solved when proper arrangements and organizations put paid to the worry we had.
Soon all 39 + 2 (Billy and Christine) and all the luggage left the Beijing International Airport for our next crave. Breakfast.
Breakfast was arranged at a Muslim Restaurant nearby and somewhere in Beijing. After traveling 6 hours and only a cabin meal during the flight, breakfast was something we looked forward to. It was a subdued lot that had our first taste of ‘China’s Chinese’ cuisine.  I can’t comment much on it but suffice to say that it filled our stomach for our next exposure of Beijing.

CLUB 12/68 ANNUAL REUNION IN BEIJING 16 - 20 JUNE 2010

The Departure
The many hours of meetings, planning for Club 12/68 Reunion in Beijing finally materialized when 37 of us assembled at the KLIA on the night of 15 June 2010. Billie Gooi and Christine has already left for Beijing the day before. We were to assemble by 2200 hrs. Our flight on Malaysia Airlines were due to depart on MH 370 by 0020 hrs of 16 June 2010.
On arrival at the KLIA there were already some of our members dragging their luggage with wives, children and friends in tow. It was a happy  moment for us, meetings friends that we have not seen for a long time. There were the necessary procedures of checking-in that need to be done. We were assisted by the very affable Aaron Lim of Mayflower. He was prepared with bag tags, yellow ribbons, immigration forms and a backpack for each one of us.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Marzuki Andong (Apai) came with a brother in law, ZainalKhairi. Hanim could not make it as she had to look after their cucu. Bakar came with Nani and their 2 sons. Khalid was with Midah, Khairul Hanafi and Ida. This time no cucus. Isa came with Mie, a sister in law, Juita  and a friend, Zun Khadijah. Rahman was with Rohaya and their son.The Presidente, Ismail came with Azizah.

There was an associate member who we sometimes referred as Squad 11A. It was Razaki Darus and
his wife Jariah. Anuar Basha Khan with Norsiah was as eager as ever.
We were given an itinerary. Through Aaron’s arrangements, checking-in was done quite smoothly and fairly fast. Soon we boarded the aircraft. We were on our way to Beijing.