(via the digital camcorder) and Stephanie (who remembered her camera!)
Just a word of explanation, The Escape Tree is a tree that reached the second floor of the emperor's concubine. In case he (or someone else) needed to leave in a hurry, the tree was there and ready! The changing of the guards was a bit of a let down. We saw 4 guards marching toward the 4 guards on duty and got out the cameras. They were looking VERY offical, marching in formation toward the standing guards. But once they reached their post, they just started talking and milling around the guards they were relieving. Not what I was expecting at all.
We left the Forbidden City by way of the "gate of heavenly peace" This is the large red building with Chairman Mao's picture on it. This gate is where the Chairman stood and declared Communism was the future for China. Ironically this is also directly across the street from Tianamen Square
Tianamen square was a very solemn place. I think everyone in our group (children excluded) took a minute to absorb what actually happened here years ago. There were guards everywhere we looked. This was the first of many times on this trip, I was glad to have been born in America.
We all boarded the tour bus and were on our way to visit the Silk Factory. We learned about silk worms, how the silk is taken off the pods, and the different uses for the different type of pods (single or double wormed). I will spare you the few silk factory pictures I took, as they aren't very interesting compared to the video I took. Our factory guide explained that the silk worm larva is edible and a favorite snack. She asked if anyone wanted to try one, and Sharjuan volunteered, closely followed by Stephanie! That is right, my daughter that doesn't eat anything strange, VOLUNTEERED to eat a silk worm! Check it out:
Of course the silk worm was just an appetizer before dinner. We stopped to do some shopping at a local flea market for an hour (not nearly long enough) then went to a dinner show. Dinner was the first of many round table, lazy susan meals. The table starts with rice, tea and soup, but quickly grows to so many foods, you can't remember which you liked and which you haven't even tried. At this meal we were entertained by Chinese dancers:
I don't remember how the conversation started, but somewhere along dinner, Lyle made the statement that the dancers were busy cooking rice between each dance. And Chris said, with a dreaminess in his voice, "I need to get a girl like that"!
After dinner, it was back to our hotel. We each went to our rooms, exhausted after a long day, but looking forward to doing it again the next day!
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