China Spring 2016-Part 3

China Day 2 Afternoon: No Chinese government organized tour is complete without visits to handicraft factories. Our first visit was to a Cloisonné Factory and store where you can spend a lot of money. Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects, in recent centuries using vitreous enamel, and in older periods also inlays of cut gemstones, glass, and other materials. It was very beautiful, but we didn't need more stuff so we only bought a Christmas tree ornament in the shape of an egg. After this stop we visited the Ming Dynasty Tombs, a collection of mausoleums built by the emperors of the Ming dynasty of China housing the tombs of 13 Emperors beginning, in 1420. The first tomb was built after the construction of the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City. Another China tour requirement is a meal featuring Peking duck (too fatty for all of us). Here are a few pictures to go with these comments.

We noticed that the artists seemed to work only when groups of tourists
came through the factory. If one hung around long enough, or came through
again after a meal, the workers were either on break or not in the workshop anymore.

A typical lazy Susan loaded with dishes of food. We were always
seated with the same 8 people. Luckily, we all got along very, very well. 

It was another bus trip to the area of the Ming Dynasty Tombs.

As usual, we started with Geoff giving us "the lay of the land" and then
he left us on our own to wander and explore the extensive grounds.

Those pillars were made from single tree trunks chosen for their uniformity of size
and brought from far away. It boggles the mind to think of the engineering and
architectural skills used to build huge complexes like these back in the 1400-1600s.

The symbol of royalty embroidered in cloth.

Looking towards one tomb from the porch of another.

Chinese Mockingbirds

We went by bus again to reach the restaurant for our Peking Duck dinner.

Marv got many, many pictures of the huge variety of vehicles people use.

The Chef carving our ducks.

The waitress showed us how to roll pieces of the duck in the tissue paper thin
pancakes seen on the plate between the platters of duck slices.

This was our Table group for the entire trip. The problem with doing this blog so long after the trip
is that none of the four of us remember the other four names. Between Marv and Peggy is a couple from
Canada. He is a retired family doctor and I think she was a nurse before they had children. The couple
between Peggy and Heidi was from Utah and were real estate moguls. The man's name was Jan and he was
originally from The Netherlands but his family came to the States during WWII. Next to Heidi is, of course, Kris.