On Thursday, we had a free day for touring. Our guide met us in the lobby at 9am. Since we had been told the day before at the orphanage that when Jemma wakes up at night she gets a bottle, we knew at the 3am wake up and cry time to give her a bottle, so everyone slept much better - until 8am!!! We tossed some clothes on and went down to the buffet for breakfast. We all had our usual: Mommy: fried rice and egg, watermelon, bacon, smiley face potatoes with ketchup, a mini croissant, and orange juice; Daddy: fried rice and egg, smiley face potatoes, a donut, grapefruit juice, french toast, and fruit; Jemma: plain congee, watermelon, french toast.
After breakfast, I met our guide in the lobby and told her I had a headache and needed to get some coffee. Phil went up to the room to get our stuff and go to the bathroom and I went to starbucks to get coffees. Then we left for the tours.
The first place was the Cloud Brocade museum. This was the place I really wanted to see as Nanjing is where silk cloths are woven and famous. It was really quite amazing to see how the cloth was woven. Giant looms were set up and there are two people working them. The person at the top is controlling the pattern by releasing one string at a time that lifts and lowers certain strings below. The other person is sitting at the front of the loom at the bottom and running the shuttle through the threads (in some of the silks he was using lots of colors in different places to make the picture). I loved seeing the working looms. Unfortunately we were rushed through the place by our guide so Phil told me to take pictures of the stuff I wanted to read and that way I could read it later. Phil also told our guide that this is what we wanted to see in Nanjing so if we missed the city gate altogether, we'd be okay with that. (He's such a good husband!) After we swiftly walked through the museum, we made it to the area were you could purchase stuff made by hand. Phil and I each purchased a special piece. Then we surprisingly still had plenty of time to go to the city gate. (HAhahaha!)
We drove to the city gate and walked in to see a beautiful courtyard. After walking through the big giant gate, we saw to the right that there was archery. Phil posed in front of the weaponry and we commented on how cool the archery area was - kind of like a mini golf or batting cage concept only archery. The we walked through another gate and our guide pointed out all the tunnels - or arched rooms in the wall - she said that each one held 100 soldiers and that there were 21 of them. We went up on top of the city wall and took pictures and then as we were walking down, Phil said to Nancy, "Nancy, if there is enough time and not a big line, would it be possible for us to do the archery?" And she nodded and said yes. I am not sure what shocked me more, Phil asking or Nancy saying yes, but I was as tickled as could be!
I got to go first and oh. my. word. it was one of the coolest if not the coolest tourist-y thing I have ever done! (Followed by hang gliding in the Outer Banks, I think.) I mean, we shot bow and arrow IN China AT the city wall!!! The teacher gave us the lesson. In Chinese. So... ok. I have shot a bow and arrow twice before maybe three times so I am glad it wasn't my first time. I LOVED IT!!! First arrow hit the target! I think the instructor's jaw hit the floor - LOL! Can I say I loved it again? Most of my arrows hit the target and man, was it a nice release of pent up craziness from the day before!!!
Phil was next. I'm not sure if he's going to blog about the day or not, but I know he had a blast, too! By this time, more people had gathered to watch the two of us shoot. I think they enjoyed the show. Phil and I joked that I could be the assassin or the sniper and he could be the defender if there was a large rush of enemy. I could hit the first guide and then he'd hit the guys that were ducking. LOL! It was fun!!!
After that, we went back to our hotel. Phil went out for lunch while I stayed back and put Jemma down for a nap. While he was gone, he saw a few shops that he wanted to take me back to because one had a hot air balloon bag that he knew would be the diaper bag I'd want to buy. So, after Jemma's nap, we headed back to the shops and I not only got the diaper bag, but we found another thing on my list - a magic cloth set with the brush! (You use it for practicing Chinese Calligraphy.)
We ate at Asijen Ramen and got Sizzling Beef and rice and a plate of Asijen fried rice. Phil also ordered us kumquat lemonade. We went back to the hotel and worked on packing for a little bit and then shut off the lights so Jemma could go to sleep. I got really sleepy with the lights off so we decided to finish packing in the morning.
Some of the watermelon was this yellow kind:
The pattern and design information is in the knots:
Some of the thread is made out of peacock feathers. (I asked if any of the brocade in the gift shop had it and the woman shook her head no and said it was Very expensive. Bummer - cuz that would have been cool!)
The City Gate
Some students asked to interview Phil for one of their classes at the University. They basically asked how much he knew about Nanjing and the City Gate. Since we'd been at the gate for all of 5 minutes, he said not much but we were learning. :)
All of our arrows - well, the ones that hit the paper at least.
We gave Jemma a pretty little soft pink bunny that we bought her months ago.
Jemma loved playing ball with Daddy - He'd shoot it into her bed from the other side of the room and she'd LAUGH AND LAUGH!!!
We purchased the pictures taken by the archery place but 10 rmb - totally worth the $1.50! Hahaha!
Jemma likes to fall asleep with a bottle. So far that is the only way we really know how to put her to bed.
Phil couldn't figure out why all of these escalators have watch your head signs on the outside of them... Why would your head be there???
Our hotel from the mall
Jemma's diaper bag
Clearly Jemi has no concept of restaurant etiquette... this her second time at a restaurant and both times she climbed up onto the table to crawl across and sit by Phil.
She put the toy on Phil's arm and Phil was showing me as I was taking a picture. So now, when I take pictures of Jemma, she holds out her arm - LOL
Jemma learned to sign "More"!!!! And she makes THE cutest sound when she does it - MOE???
No comments:
Post a Comment