Lots of great walking today. It was great to get to get to spend a lot of time with our boots on the ground exploring the streets and the sights.
The sight of Tiananmen Square filled like a sea made of umbrellas was impressive! This day we honed our bartering skills and found many of our best finds to remember the trip by.
The pharmacy's ascetics were as impressive to Domo and I as the science. The Chinese pharmacist who taught us about the basics of TCM had the best english accent I have ever heard from a non-British born.
The Forbidden City was filled with history and excited sightseers, Chinese and foreign alike. The original bricks and paint was accented with refurbished materials that showed how it looked back when it was first built.
The Hu Tong village was a step back in time, yet there was no question that it was a current and active community. Just another example of China's ever-present contradictions and contrasting cultural divides and convergence.
The Summer palace was a testament to Beijing's determination to enjoy a water retreat, amidst the fact that they a "waterless" city. This did not stop their building a system to transport water for personal and civic enjoyment.
The Pearl Factory provided an up-close look at the extraction of pearls as well as the desire to sell them...
