Yesterday morning our tour began with the Summer Palace; vast, crowded, impressive. My favorite sight in the park was the Marble Boat , a beautiful pavilion on the shore of Kunming Lake.
What a gorgeous morning! We envied the sightseers cruising the lake in tour and paddle boats. At the end of the Long Corridor, Grace gave us the option of climbing Longevity Hill or staying put in the shade. Despite the earlier damage done to my quads from climbing the Wall, the Drum Tower, and Jingshan Hill, Carl and I decided to go up at least partway. The paths up the hill are pleasantly shaded and beautifully bordered by stretches of lush grass.
(One of our company commented that we haven’t seen anyone lying in the grass in any of the parks we’ve visited. Taboo? Too many bugs? Fear of toddler poo?*)
Alas, our time at the Palace was short, and it was off to lunch. Afterward, the Silk Market, where, if you want to shop, you are forced to run the gauntlet between rows of aggressive vendors ready to hack off your arm for the chance to sell you a tee shirt.
To steel ourselves for this experience, Carl and I first went to the grocery in the basement (where the clerks didn’t give a damn whether we bought anything or not) to get some supplies for the train trip to Shanghai. Then we dutifully traipsed through several floors of merchandise—there are 1700 vendors in this modern indoor market—and endured endless cries of “Hello lady, don’t you want to buy a jacket? Hello sir, don’t you want a watch today?” It was mayhem. Gratefully, we escaped to the 6th floor and had wine and coffee at the Western-style Patio Pizza, while waiting to return to the bus.
*Chinese toddlers are encouraged to evacuate bladder and bowel on public sidewalks and park lawns. It’s so much a part of Chinese potty-training practices that toddler clothing comes both crotchless and buttless. It’s a pretty disquieting sight for the hyper-hygienic among us.
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