China: Day 14: July 18, 2010 Sunday

Okay, the party is over….we had a day off, now it is back to the school for a Sunday am planning meeting. We are now needing to switch focus from dealing with Biomes and environmental issues and animals to career exploration this week.

Because this is all a newly developing curriculum, there are still some bugs to work out, so we spent a frustrating morning trying to understand and get things in order for the week.

Then, lunch an off to Splendid China and The China Cultural Village. This are is known as the amusement park center for all of China. (Kind of the Anaheim of China.)

This place had a combination of miniature

display off all of China’s riches buildings, temples and other structures (a quite SMALL Great Wall was featured. We figured that we couldn’t go to China and not get a chance to have our photo taken with the great Wall, even though it is very far away from where we are.

Then there were also villages, displays and houses representing the 56 ethnic minorities within China. This was Fascinating, although it would have been even better with a guide who could interpret what it is that we were seeing. AND it would have been better if it weren’t beastly hot. Sweat dripped down our shirts.

My roommate Jenny decided to take the opportunity of her training as an acrobat to pose on the shoulders of a copy of a terra cotta warrior. Really funny, and fun, especially sense the security guard didn’t come and kick us out of the park.

We got to see several dances and other shows, which were lovely. A highlight for me was the chance to try on an authentic Chinese costume. The one I chose was the one worn by the Emperor’s daughter, or Gege. It is basically a Chinese princess dress. I loved it, but it was so hot. Oh my, those princesses had to be tough!

At 5pm, the group met and saw a lovely show that focused on the amazing costumes from all of these ethnic groups. It gave you a much better sense of how huge China was. Some of the groups could have been Russian, some Middle Eastern or Roma/Gypsy people. All were amazing. The most interesting was a group of women who were all dancing with live peacocks on their hats. Yes, you read that right. White peacocks, full sized, were on their hats!

Now I may

have seen everything!

Did you have any idea that the Chinese have a version of salt water taffy? We saw it being pulled. (It tastes very much like what we get in the States....pretty sweet and chew.)

We came back and then had dinner on our own. We have a nice café that we like to hang out. This time I tried a club sandwich, just like home except it included a fried egg on it. You never know what the twist will be. While we waited for our dinner, a group was watching Chinese basketball, a very rough and tumble version. Some things the same as home, but also different!

Up late work on these blog entries. So much to say, but have to get ready for school in the morning.