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february 3:
Tiananmen Square
Built by Chairman Mao in the mid-20th
Century to celebrate "the New China," this is
the largest public square in the world and
can hold over one million people. We tried to
rent it for our Superbowl party but just
couldn't get anyone to bite. Chairman Mao's
picture hangs over the gate to the Forbidden
City in the background. His mausoleum is
just in front of us.
Built by Chairman Mao in the mid-20th
Century to celebrate "the New China," this is
the largest public square in the world and
can hold over one million people. We tried to
rent it for our Superbowl party but just
couldn't get anyone to bite. Chairman Mao's
picture hangs over the gate to the Forbidden
City in the background. His mausoleum is
just in front of us.
Marisa Mei-Lian Freeman
Pearls Galore
This oyster held 26 pearls. Pearls are given a piece of oyster membrane to begin the
pearl forming process. Then they are left 4+ years to form the pearl. Did you know that
golden pearls come only from the South China Sea and the color of pearl depends on
which mineral is absorbed when the oyster is making the pearl (white - calcium, pink -
copper, lavender and black - iron)? The price difference based on quality is staggering.
Natalie got the opportunity to be the group's "model" at the pearl factory and
demonstrate the various colored pearl strands. The "modelling job" also won our family
the right to be hounded by the best sales lady in the place. Mom and Alexandra (and the
checkbook or was it the credit card?) had fun today.
This oyster held 26 pearls. Pearls are given a piece of oyster membrane to begin the
pearl forming process. Then they are left 4+ years to form the pearl. Did you know that
golden pearls come only from the South China Sea and the color of pearl depends on
which mineral is absorbed when the oyster is making the pearl (white - calcium, pink -
copper, lavender and black - iron)? The price difference based on quality is staggering.
Natalie got the opportunity to be the group's "model" at the pearl factory and
demonstrate the various colored pearl strands. The "modelling job" also won our family
the right to be hounded by the best sales lady in the place. Mom and Alexandra (and the
checkbook or was it the credit card?) had fun today.
A Tree?
There are no trees in the Forbidden City but
instead any growing there are in the Imperial
Garden. A tree has the ability to grow taller
than the palace buildings; nothing must be
higher than the emperor. Also, Emperors
believed their enemies might hide behind
the trees and jump out to kill them. How'd
you like to live with that every day?
There are no trees in the Forbidden City but
instead any growing there are in the Imperial
Garden. A tree has the ability to grow taller
than the palace buildings; nothing must be
higher than the emperor. Also, Emperors
believed their enemies might hide behind
the trees and jump out to kill them. How'd
you like to live with that every day?
Summer Palace
This is a half mile long walkway in the Summer Palace (retreat place
for the emperors). Stories are painted on the posts and ceiling
throughout. Amazing! This place is beautiful even in the winter. It
sits on the Kunming Lake and there are mountains in the distance -
our photos don't do it justice.
Trivia: the Empress who resided here was in the habit of eating three
152 course meals a day. She liked to have the bowl of fruit on her
table changed every hour - not to eat, but for the fragrance it put off.
This is a half mile long walkway in the Summer Palace (retreat place
for the emperors). Stories are painted on the posts and ceiling
throughout. Amazing! This place is beautiful even in the winter. It
sits on the Kunming Lake and there are mountains in the distance -
our photos don't do it justice.
Trivia: the Empress who resided here was in the habit of eating three
152 course meals a day. She liked to have the bowl of fruit on her
table changed every hour - not to eat, but for the fragrance it put off.
Tired and Full
A picture after our Beijing (Peking) Duck
dinner. All of our food has been fantastic;
however, we've not yet been introduced to the
raw snake. Fish heads were served at this
meal, and they were pretty easy to pass up.
A picture after our Beijing (Peking) Duck
dinner. All of our food has been fantastic;
however, we've not yet been introduced to the
raw snake. Fish heads were served at this
meal, and they were pretty easy to pass up.
Split Pants
Sorry - couldn't resist this one. I wasn't going to get a picture of the squatty potty
so I settled for the next best thing. I stalked this girl for a good few minutes
before chasing her down for the picture. I'm frankly surprised I'm not in prison.
For those of you who don't know about split pants, they are the Chinese answer
to potty training. Unlike this girl, most don't wear diapers with them; the child
simply squats when the need arises and takes care of business. The Chinese
people bundle their babies a lot for warmth, but it doesn't seem to bother them
to have a gaping hole in their britches.
Sorry - couldn't resist this one. I wasn't going to get a picture of the squatty potty
so I settled for the next best thing. I stalked this girl for a good few minutes
before chasing her down for the picture. I'm frankly surprised I'm not in prison.
For those of you who don't know about split pants, they are the Chinese answer
to potty training. Unlike this girl, most don't wear diapers with them; the child
simply squats when the need arises and takes care of business. The Chinese
people bundle their babies a lot for warmth, but it doesn't seem to bother them
to have a gaping hole in their britches.
The Silk Factory
The ladies are making a silk comforter here. Ask Doug
just how strong you need to be to stretch the silk.
Pretty amazing stuff - silkworms spin the silk in a
cocoon around themselves. Cocoons are then boiled
and the silk pulled off - one long strand. It takes 8 silk
strands to make a silk thread and about 70 cocoons to
make one men's tie.
The ladies are making a silk comforter here. Ask Doug
just how strong you need to be to stretch the silk.
Pretty amazing stuff - silkworms spin the silk in a
cocoon around themselves. Cocoons are then boiled
and the silk pulled off - one long strand. It takes 8 silk
strands to make a silk thread and about 70 cocoons to
make one men's tie.
Beijing 2008
. . . is everywhere. They are very excited
about hosting the Olympics next year and you
can see it in all the building projects going
on around town. We even got to see their
Olympic Stadium under construction.
. . . is everywhere. They are very excited
about hosting the Olympics next year and you
can see it in all the building projects going
on around town. We even got to see their
Olympic Stadium under construction.
Video of the Day for Feb 3rd
Turn up your speakers and enjoy!
Turn up your speakers and enjoy!
We were told today would be a full day to help us get over the jet lag. They were right. We left the hotel at 8:30 in the morning and
returned about 8:30 at night. We visited factories for two of the three main products for which China is best known - silk, and pearls; we
will go to the jade factory tomorrow. We also went to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), and the Summer Palace
- all are amazing in architecture and have a rich history. The Chinese people are very proud of their past and just like any other
country have had some very successful rulers (Chairman Mao) and suffered through some very unpopular ones (The Dragon Lady).
In Tiananmen Square we had the opportunity - okay LOTS of opportunities - to buy a Chairman Mao watch and a Beijing 2008
Olympics hat. We passed on the watch, but Nathaniel is now the proud owner of a new hat - only $1.
The thing that stands out in my mind about the Forbidden City, besides the fact that it is HUGE, is that living under the rule of an
emperor must have been amazingly difficult. The excessive living is incredible - the palace complex has 8,704 rooms, all with a specific
purpose (like the emperor's birthday room and the room designed solely for the emperor to rest as he goes between two other rooms).
There are ramps as well as stairs throughout the palace because the emperor didn't want to exert himself by using the stairs - not that
he walked much; he was typically carried in a sedan chair. One section of the palace was built with gold (overlay, I think) bricks. Each
brick builder was required to sign his name to every brick he made. This was not to honor the craftsman, but so that if there was ever a
quality problem with the brick, its maker could be found and killed.
Our meals today have been traditional Chinese meals. They are served family style with countless options served on a large
lazy-susan in the center of the table. The tricky parts are that our meal plates are barely bigger than a saucer and some of the serving
dishes don't have serving utensils. It is okay at the beginning of the meal when we all have clean chopsticks, but getting seconds is a
challenge. It is funny getting to know the other families at our table while we germ-o-phobe Americans ponder how to get more food
without offending our new friends. For those of you wondering, we have forks available, too.
Tomorrow we will visit a Christian church in China only open to holders of foreign passports - no Chinese nationals. After that we'll hit
the jade factory and the Great Wall. Weather so far has been fantastic - sunny and 45 degrees Fahrenheit today.
God's been good to us. The folks we've met and gotten to know are solid folks and we're just thankful to be a part of a group all
coming from the same heart - to follow God's lead in providing a good home to a child who needs a family.
returned about 8:30 at night. We visited factories for two of the three main products for which China is best known - silk, and pearls; we
will go to the jade factory tomorrow. We also went to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), and the Summer Palace
- all are amazing in architecture and have a rich history. The Chinese people are very proud of their past and just like any other
country have had some very successful rulers (Chairman Mao) and suffered through some very unpopular ones (The Dragon Lady).
In Tiananmen Square we had the opportunity - okay LOTS of opportunities - to buy a Chairman Mao watch and a Beijing 2008
Olympics hat. We passed on the watch, but Nathaniel is now the proud owner of a new hat - only $1.
The thing that stands out in my mind about the Forbidden City, besides the fact that it is HUGE, is that living under the rule of an
emperor must have been amazingly difficult. The excessive living is incredible - the palace complex has 8,704 rooms, all with a specific
purpose (like the emperor's birthday room and the room designed solely for the emperor to rest as he goes between two other rooms).
There are ramps as well as stairs throughout the palace because the emperor didn't want to exert himself by using the stairs - not that
he walked much; he was typically carried in a sedan chair. One section of the palace was built with gold (overlay, I think) bricks. Each
brick builder was required to sign his name to every brick he made. This was not to honor the craftsman, but so that if there was ever a
quality problem with the brick, its maker could be found and killed.
Our meals today have been traditional Chinese meals. They are served family style with countless options served on a large
lazy-susan in the center of the table. The tricky parts are that our meal plates are barely bigger than a saucer and some of the serving
dishes don't have serving utensils. It is okay at the beginning of the meal when we all have clean chopsticks, but getting seconds is a
challenge. It is funny getting to know the other families at our table while we germ-o-phobe Americans ponder how to get more food
without offending our new friends. For those of you wondering, we have forks available, too.
Tomorrow we will visit a Christian church in China only open to holders of foreign passports - no Chinese nationals. After that we'll hit
the jade factory and the Great Wall. Weather so far has been fantastic - sunny and 45 degrees Fahrenheit today.
God's been good to us. The folks we've met and gotten to know are solid folks and we're just thankful to be a part of a group all
coming from the same heart - to follow God's lead in providing a good home to a child who needs a family.
