Emma Cockerell

Hello blog! My name is Emma Cockerell, and on team Pop & Sicle (you’re correct in your assumption that we’re analyzing popsicle advertising!).

On our second full day in Beijing, we went to Juyongguan section of the Great Wall. The bus journey was a long one, so a group of us passed the time by playing Sushi Go. Others, weary from the early start, took the opportunity to nap.

At the base of the wall, we took some obligatory group photos, and began the ascent to the top of the wall (where top is the highest point that we had access to). Some, like Marissa and Noah, charged ahead and reached the top in an impressive 40 minutes. Others, me included, took a more leisurely pace. The trek was much more difficult than I had anticipated, and I’m sure many of us felt a similar swelling of pride when reaching the top. While the view was breathtaking, the surrounding mountains were cloaked in a thick smog, which surprised me given how far we were from central Beijing.

The class proudly unfurled the banner and held it up for a photo atop the Great Wall. Almost the entire class made it to the top!

Team Pop & Sicle poses for a photo atop the Great Wall.

After a thigh-burning return to the base and a short bus ride, we reached a cloisonné factory that doubled as a lunch spot for tourists. It was really fascinating to learn about how cloisonné vases are crafted, and I have so much admiration for the artists who spend hours painting layer over layer onto each vase. Lunch itself was the classic un-Chinese tourist fare, but filling nonetheless, and after waiting for the bus in scorching heat we arrived at the Ming tombs.

A cloisonne maker painstakingly paints a fresh layer onto this beautiful azure vase.

We walked through tranquil courtyards and various buildings to reach the mountain in which the Emperor Hu Di was buried, which featured a self-locking marble door leading to his tomb (which was not open to us to see, unfortunately). Later, we drove past groves of cherry trees to reach another part of the Ming tombs, in which a long walkway was flanked by marble statues of court officials, military people, and animals (including a cute elephant!).

A line of Ming statues stretches into the distance. This one specifically depicts a court official.

By the time we got back to the bus, we were all knackered and ready for naps, but still opted to visit the Olympic Village. Sarah and Jerry were extremely popular with the many Chinese tourists strolling around the plaza, and both took the attention like champs. With our brief 35 minutes, we were able to see the Bird’s Nest stadium and the water cube, which were impressive architectural marvels.

Connor poses with one of the five 2008 Beijing Olympics mascots, Ying Ying.

After Olympic Village, we went to Quan Ju De, a classic Beijing destination known for its Peking Duck (which we learned was traditionally made by blowing air between the skin and duck meat). After I made a toast to our tenacity, we dug into the meal. My table played “rose, bud, thorn”, where we recounted what we enjoyed about the day, what we were looking forward to, and what wasn’t so great. We enjoyed crispy duck meat wrapped in thin sleeves with cucumber and hoisin sauce. The meal was a great end to a great day!