Day 4 Beijing - Summer PalaceOct 16, 2009
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Hi All
There is an update to Day 3 just on the artists' names for those interested and the night market (food). Also John's coverage of the day which some of you will have had by email!
Well we are sitting at Beijing Fujichan (airport - spelling no doubt wrong) waiting for the plane to Shanghai. The movement of thousands of people through security checks is a sight to see, and pretty efficiently too. The woman in charge of queues not someone to cross!
Day four we visited the summer palace which was really a series of palaces scattered through a green wooded area around a delightful lake. Imagine walking around the edge of the lake, a covered walk way in fretted curlicued style around the edge,pagodas in the distance and the usual crowds laughing and enjoying their day. Here the crowds weren't so desperate as at the Forebidden City and you could get away to enjoy the feel of the place. Saw a little musical performance under an enormous pagoda. But the most striking thing about the place was that it felt as if the inhabitants had only left in the last 20 years or so. Beds still made and dusty, old turn of the century photos. That past that was so exotic, and in my mind so much part of a far-gone era, seemed at the summer palace very recent.
In the afternoon we visited the confucious temple and the imperial academy next door. Peaceful place to wander around. The display about the education system and exam system developed in China from very ancient times (I am struggling to remember but starting around the 600s and full scale around 1400s)was instructive. Very proud of this history of highly developed national education system which was merit based and the way it had influenced the west. Interesting to see the current cultural view of it too - lists its good and bad aspects. The display in the very rooms that the students used to be taught in. Cunfucious has recently come back into some favour and the temple had been renovated. Our 'friend' Linda says it is because it fits quite well with an authoritarian regime. There were steales (sp?) on which you could just make out the names of people who had past examinations all those centuries ago. There were books on display of the exams. Also elaborate explanations of the methods to prevent cheating.
In between these two events we went to an amazing restaurant and had Peking duck, saffron bean curd and an aromatic egg plant dish. Much debate on the web about what is the best duck in Beijing - but this one came out near the top in many estimations. Incredible experience, including all the drama of the carving and serving of it.
In the evening dumplings and a soup that arrived in a giant terracotta pot and was light and slightly milky with four different kinds of ribs and mushrooms.
Food here is to die for.
I'm a day behind so will now make a brief entry for day 5.
Love to you all
Hope you are all well. We miss our friends and family,
Warm wishes, Joan
