30 June | On the road to Wen Quan
We began an eight-hour journey to Wen Quan around 7:30 a.m., traveling in a greyhound-sized bus, accompanied by our media friends. I began to lose count as to how many were actually with us. They seemed to come and go as we went from one location to another. But it seemed that we had around 20 of them with us most of the time.
Minzhi’s parents, along with her older sister’s family came with us. They had not been back to their home in Dong Zhou Zhi for at least ten years, so this was an exciting trip for them as well.
As our journey began the sky was overhung with a gray mist, but the further we traveled from Shijiazhuang the bluer the sky became. We were traveling to a place the average tourist does not frequent, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Sections of the Great Wall were visible along one section of the road. It is an inspiring sight, even at a distance.
[column width=”47%” padding=”6%”]For lunch we stopped at a noodle shop. I asked for a bowl of noodle soup—and I got one! It was a GIANT bowl of soup, and only a third of it made its way into my stomach. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo—you’ll just have to take my word for it. The bowl was as big as three “normal” cereal bowls![/column]
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Around 5 p.m. the bus made a strange noise, and a few minutes later we were parked on the side of the road. Something to do with the water tank system in the bus needed attention.
We took advantage of the breakdown to get off the bus, walk around, and enjoy a very warm, but pleasant afternoon up close—on foot. We took some nice photos and got some good video clips. Before we knew it, the bus was ready to go again!
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About an hour later we arrived in the vicinity of Wen Quan. I’m not sure of the name of the town. One of Minzhi’s aunts, one of her mother’s sisters lives there. We stopped to visit with her and her family for a few minutes. It must have been a bit of a shock for them to have all of us follow them into their apartment taking video footage and photos—even if they had been warned in advance! They were very gracious and welcoming.
We were able to interview a few of the family members. Peter Chan said one of Minzhi’s cousins had some good stories he shared—memories of things Minzhi did as a child. She has always loved reading, and has been thoughtful and kind to her twin sister.
[column width=”47%” padding=”6%”]It was after 8 p.m. by the time we reached the hotel. Another welcome had been planned for Minzhi, and she was whisked off to greet a roomful of inebriated officials. Not what we had been expecting!
The hotel was beautiful—very nice rooms and bathrooms. The wall between the bathroom and the sleeping area was made of glass, which could be covered with a curtain—an interesting arrangement.[/column]
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We were tired and ready to eat, plan for the next day and get some sleep. Most of us had a quiet meal in the hotel’s dining facility, but several members of the production crew—Minzhi, David, and Peter, were summoned to a private dinner with the county mayor. It was quite a rowdy party, from what we heard! Thankfully, all of us were able to get to bed before midnight.