Up for last grand buffet, at which I updated the blog. Luckily, only one big topic yesterday! Out into the hazy weather, which started spitting on us within the hour. Our only sightseeing today is the Temple of Heaven, our third UNESCO heritage site in two days. We are really racking up the points between this trip and our last to Norway!
The Temple of Heaven was built solely for prayers of the Emperor. Now, it is affectionately referred to as the “oxygen bar”, because there are just over 60,000 trees in the well-manicured parks on the grounds. The park is FILLED with seniors. In China, women retire at age 50 and men at 55 (finally, we get what we deserve!), and a common regime is to arrive at the park after breakfast. Then, according to one’s interest, there are tai chi classes (and you can see below that we had one), dancing (I did see Asian Cindy doing the local version of the electric slide),
structures for exercise, hacky sack being played with shuttlecocks, etc etc. Then home for lunch, and back in the afternoon for games: see groups playing chinese chess, cards, mah jong and even scrabble played with what look like large mah jong tiles. Knitting, crocheting, etc etc.
We are lucky enough to happen upon a group sing-along, complete with songbooks and live music. Daisy informs us they are singing radical songs from their revolutionary days.
A bit further, we happen upon another group of musicians with two singers under a protected structure.
We learn this is Chinese folk opera. Magical. Lance and I would stay entranced for an hour or more, but the group grows restless.
But back to the Emperor. During the winter solstice, he would arrive and walk from one gate to the Temple (one of only two times each year he actually had to walk) to pray for a bountiful harvest. Then again at the summer solstice for great rains. Beautiful grounds, but pics not too because of the haze.
After the Temple, itself there is the Echo Wall, and finally the 3- level spot for prayer during the winter solstice. 9-steps up to each level; the firsts representing hell, the second earth and the third, heaven. Here we are, hanging out in heaven:
A potty stop before getting on the bus…my usual view in the squatting section:
The tour complete, we head back to our van, and then to a great lunch before heading to the airport. Again with the private room. Again with the glass lazy susan. A few stand-out selections: a tower of spinach and toasted peanuts, like-you’ve-never-tasted sweet ‘n sour pork strips, and the standard benchmark of whether a restaurant around here knows what it’s doing, kung pao chicken:
Sated, I stand to commune at the altar of the goddess of mercy, then we have a bit of a ride out to the airport. Easy check-in, teach Daisy how to play cribbage, then on the plane to Xi’an. Check out the cool service they provide at the airport – you just walk on up with your thermos and fill up for your carry on tea supply:
Lance and I plug in to Talledega Nights (yes, i know), and have a lot of great laughs on the way. Wheels down, into a larger van, almost a bus, meet our local guide Jessica, and it’s an hour into town. I actually lay down to listen to our historical talk, as it sometimes takes 15 minutes to go only one block. By time we arrive in town, it’s almost 7 and I find myself once again seated at a round table with a large glass lazy susan. Dumpling house this time (local region specialty), and I check out the preparation at one of the stations:
our amuse bouche salads arrive (food arrives in these chinese restaurants within minutes of closing the menu – although Daisy does all the ordering….with me chiming in over her shoulder):
and then an incredible assortment of dumplings, including a few sweet ones:
For those of you I have dragged to dim sum, or who have dragged me, take comfort in the fact that only a couple were incredible. The remainder were no better than some we have shared.
After everyone has eaten their fill, we walk down the block to, and then through, a local muslim quarter open market. No different than the states in that it’s all about food and shopping. Interesting skewered squid and beef, as well as a plethora of nuts piled up and walnuts being stirred in what looks like a giant mixmaster with heat underneath. Then we come upon a couple of men pounding giant mallets into a dough that is filled with chopped nuts. It is then stretched out just so to be toasted and dried.
I purchase both the peanut and walnut variety to share with the group on the bus. Eyes start watering as a result of the smoky air – the product of so many high heat fires for all of the cooking going on.
Back in the bus and then checking into a swanky Hilton Hotel. I love luxury as much as the next princess, but really do prefer smaller, boutique hotels with more of the local culture reflected in the decor. But I will suffer through some how! Another big day tomorrow, so goodnight!