Heaven and crickets. A love story.

5/1/2014

Temple of Heaven is our first stop. The story behind the building of said temple is complicated and intriguing. An emperor, a sign from god in a dream about 7 stars, and a few untruths created it and it is 4-5 times larger than the forbidden city. What? Anyone who had been to the forbidden city probably hasn't see it all since it never ends. So the temple was crazy! Built in 1530.

Ok we just went up the hutong and it just became my favorite part of the trip. We had a visit with Mr. Liu, a cricket fighting master. He was in fact number one in China and had lots of well worn magazine articles about him to prove it. Look him up on google!

Who knew cricket fighting is so complex and money making since it is gambling. He had a scale (warriors must be if similar weight), a wedding house, caskets for dead ones (Mr. Liu makes crying motion)- crickets only live for 100 days, and the fighting arena. He was amazing and so animated you never knew what was going to happen next. Lots of Mr. Liu in the photos!

Then we had a rickshaw ride through the hutong and finally bought my dear father a Rolex.

Oh my god I think I may have to rethink my favorite place again. The Silk Market was hilarious. Oh my god. Auntie Deb was my mom negotiating a t-shirt purchase and it was so much fun. And everyone buying ray bans knock offs first for about $40, next $30 and mine $20. So much laughing my guts hurt.

The night ended with Peking duck in a private dining room of a restaurant. Lots of speeches and a few tears. Looks like other than our 445 am departure tomorrow the trip is over.

Just iPhone photos again tonight. But once home I will add photos from my camera. I have lots. I mean A LOT!

Thanks to everyone on the tour. It was one of the best trips I've been on (tear).