Forbiddeb City, Silk Factory and Pearl Market

Today was another day of sight seeing. It is our second day with the group. The girls are starting to bond with each other. Very few of them sat with their parents on the bus. Most wanted to sit with their new friends. Patrick, of course, never sat with us. He started hanging out with the other teenagers from day one.

We started today with a tour of the Forbidden City. It was much more crowded this time, than it has been in the past. The side benefit to that is there are many more people for the beggars and peddlers to bother, so we are not inundated like in years past.




After the Forbidden City we toured one of the many "Silk Factories". This is basically a small working silk manufacturing facility for tourists. They teach you how the silk cloth and silk comforters are made before moving you on to the shop where you can purchase these items. We did buy a couple of silk comforters for the girls.

Here is Emily helping to make a silk comforter. They are stretching the silk stuffing.




Next week had a traditional Peking Duck Dinner. We get it at lunch time however. The tour guides discovered that at dinner many kids kept falling asleep. I really enjoy this meal. My Mom was very funny. The last item was the duck soup. This is a soup made with cabbage and the duck carcass. Mom grabbed the serving spoon and her bowl. Took a big scoop and got the carcass. Bloop, she dropped the serving spoon, set down her empty bowl and passed the soup on.



Finally, we visited the Pearl Market. This is wear they sell all of the knock-off items. Nike, Northface, Puma, Ralph lauren, etc. It is very interesting to me. The people try so hard to sell you anything. They litterally come out of their little stalls and grab at you. Then, once you do decide to buy something, the haggling starts.

Patrick wanted a pair of Rayban Sunglasses (fake, of course). We knew that some had purchased a pair earlier for 80 RMB, but she wouldn't go down below 100 RMB with Patrick. Finally, I gave him 80 RMB and left. He said that this was all he had. She said, no you have more money. So he emptied his pockets, showing the 80 RMB and a package of gum. So, she sold the raybans for 80 RMB and one stick of gum.


As an added treat, Dr. Susan came by to visit with us. This is the Chinese Lady that helped us in China with both of our adoptions. It was so good to see her and we got to meet her husband and daughter also. We walked from our hotel down the street a ways to a restaurant. Our daughter held hands with Dr. Susan's daughter the whole way. I was very sweet.