China Journal 5/25/06

1. The day's tickets
2. Nathan's favorite breakfast
3. Xiao Jing nibbles and shares
4. A wall and a staircase going nowhere @
Summer Palace
5. Groundskeeper @ Summer Palace. They
resent photographers.
6. Michael and Nathan near the lake where the
marble boat is seen (out of this view).

Shopped for breakfast at a bakery. Nathan loves it here. It is amazing. Very like the West but so meticulously clean and pastries perfectly adorned in Chinese styles. This bakery and such pastries have a long history in China. This surprised me. I tried to take a picture of a case of wonderful cakes for sale but was promptly denied permission. I said, "Ohhh". All the customers said, "Ooooh", in rebuke to the rebuker.
After breakfast Xiao Jing went to Aunt's and we 3 took the bus toward the summer palace.It was a long ride-3 buses required and weather is damp and cool so scents of sweat and the smell of the metal trash spit cans that hang inside the bus were pretty strong. I was glad I had had breakfast.
When we finally arrived we went the wrong way thinking we were headed toward the gate but it did give us a glimpse of the locals' way of life, poor people everywhere, ancient bicycles, trash and cardboard being salvaged by men who will recycle or sell it.
I finished my second roll of film at the Summer Palace. Only took a few pics. An amazing place. We'd entered the wrong gate so were unable to see the marble boat that the empress dowager commissioned in response to the eunuchs' request for a navy and for ships for defense.
I must find the dvd of the movie "The Last Emperor" and note the first scene which shows a hand plucking the black pearl from the dead empress dowager's mouth thus ensuring that her spirit would not rest peacefully but would wander the earth forever. She was so hated by the Chinese.
Dinner tonight at the The Tea and Vegetable an exclusive restaurant with a Buddhist theme.
A private room had been reserved by Xiao Jing's cousin and her friend, publisher and editor of "Environmental Report" a newspaper with circulation of 150,000 which was awarded a prize by the United Nations this year. The friend is a journalist who as a child was taught Buddahism by her father and as a young journalist sought out environmental issues to pursue and publicize. The woman is now fifty and looks 35 or so. She dresses in youthful, celebrate the earth jewelry and attire. Both women are delightful. The food even pleased Nathan who dreaded a meal without meat. We are all exhausted from the days' bus trips and tours. He was ravenous. No time to grab a snack between changing clothes and leaving for a cab and Aunt Mu Nai's compound. I was cranky too and dreaded leaving the hotel room again.
The room is papered in grasscloth with very expensive Daoist tapestry along the far wall. Michael loved explaining its pictures to Nathan and me while our hosts (whose names I can not remember) ordered the food. Michael has such an extensive knowledge of Asian history. I had no idea.
The tea was exquisite. Table setting were spare with a saffron colored napkin under each plate. I remember a seaweed encased wrap-five of them lined upright in an oblong basket and mine placed next to me in its own wooden basket.
Dinner closed with the usual plate of fruits simply cleaned. Sliced grape tomatoes were included since they are considered fruit here (as they should be).
After dinner we walked a bit and were brought to an area with many, many clubs, shops, street vendors, restaurants where the nouveau rich can spend money.
Finally we left for home....Again a dreaded evening became a delight!