Well we have been very busy since leaving Louyang.
The sleeper car was an experience we will all remember. We had the best accommodations (in fact there are 108 berths on this sleeper train and we had 96 of them, so we had all accommodations) and few Chinese are able to either purchase or afford this type of travel. Every thing we do requires us to remember this.
Upon arriving in Beijing we had breakfast and then off to the Temple of Heaven. This was beautiful and very interesting. Many elderly Chinese who are retired gather at this temple to exercise, play music, socialize, enjoy life. It is a great slice of Chinese life to see, along with this gorgeous temple.
We then went to a silk factory. I believe most of us had no idea how silk fabric is made. Incredible and amazing is the only way to describe how they take the fine silk threads from a silk worm and spool it, weave it on a loom or open and stretch it onto a form, and create various soft and beautiful items. Impressive!
After lunch we broke into 2 groups, those that wanted to visit a shopping market, and those that wanted to go back to our hotel and shower and rest abit.
We met up again at a restaurant for dinner. The stories from the Marketplace were so fun and many enjoyed their time there. It was an adventure, at least from the stories! It apparently wasn't just the purchasing, but the whole show of what was the Marketplace that made it such a fun time for those that went.
After Dinner we went to the Chinese acrobat show. Everyone was astounded by this show. We were told later that the people in this show start training at 6 to 7 and must step down from performing at 22. They can then be directors, teachers, or show workers in various capacities. If a show like this visits the U.S. and you have a chance to see it, GO! Words can not describe this performance.
It is now Thursday morning and we will visit the Forbidden City today. From that location we will go to the airport for our flight home. We leave at 4:20 p.m. on United flight 850. We are expected to arrive at 4:17 p.m. in O'Hare, so we will arrive earlier than we leave. Good trick, eh? I'm sure we will all be tired, but we will never forget the cities, the sites, the shows, the friends we have met here in China. It has been all we thought it would be and so much more!!!
One more blog to go- detailing our final leg and arrival home.... Sue
The sleeper car was an experience we will all remember. We had the best accommodations (in fact there are 108 berths on this sleeper train and we had 96 of them, so we had all accommodations) and few Chinese are able to either purchase or afford this type of travel. Every thing we do requires us to remember this.
Upon arriving in Beijing we had breakfast and then off to the Temple of Heaven. This was beautiful and very interesting. Many elderly Chinese who are retired gather at this temple to exercise, play music, socialize, enjoy life. It is a great slice of Chinese life to see, along with this gorgeous temple.
We then went to a silk factory. I believe most of us had no idea how silk fabric is made. Incredible and amazing is the only way to describe how they take the fine silk threads from a silk worm and spool it, weave it on a loom or open and stretch it onto a form, and create various soft and beautiful items. Impressive!
After lunch we broke into 2 groups, those that wanted to visit a shopping market, and those that wanted to go back to our hotel and shower and rest abit.
We met up again at a restaurant for dinner. The stories from the Marketplace were so fun and many enjoyed their time there. It was an adventure, at least from the stories! It apparently wasn't just the purchasing, but the whole show of what was the Marketplace that made it such a fun time for those that went.
After Dinner we went to the Chinese acrobat show. Everyone was astounded by this show. We were told later that the people in this show start training at 6 to 7 and must step down from performing at 22. They can then be directors, teachers, or show workers in various capacities. If a show like this visits the U.S. and you have a chance to see it, GO! Words can not describe this performance.
It is now Thursday morning and we will visit the Forbidden City today. From that location we will go to the airport for our flight home. We leave at 4:20 p.m. on United flight 850. We are expected to arrive at 4:17 p.m. in O'Hare, so we will arrive earlier than we leave. Good trick, eh? I'm sure we will all be tired, but we will never forget the cities, the sites, the shows, the friends we have met here in China. It has been all we thought it would be and so much more!!!
One more blog to go- detailing our final leg and arrival home.... Sue
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