Amber's Journal: Day 4

Today was a day for opulence...and for "Brad and Angelina" to really start showing up in some Chinese scrapbooks!  We visited the Forbidden City--we only had one day (hint Disney...how bout two?) and only got to see the exteriors.  This palace really is a city in itself--gardens, administration centers, and very upscale hutong-like neighborhoods.  Jennae even pointed out to us some of the areas from the movie The Last Emperor of China!

The artwork on EVERYTHING is opulent--I got a crick in my neck from staring at the ceilings which are uniformly decorated with stunning colors, carvings, and sculpture.

As we walked into Tiananmen square our whole tour began attracting Chinese shutterbugs... "Brad" and I emerged as the clear favorites--every time we paused it seemed like someone would smile at us and hold up their phone! I have to admit...temporary fame is extremely flattering, and pretty damn fun!

Two of my favorite things: The artificial mountain in the gardens where women used to send wishes towards families they'd never see again and where the Emperors enjoyed the view and the Nine Dragons Screen.  The nine dragons are amazing works of art, and who couldn't love the story of the tile being sneakily replaced? Management not always being "with it" in regards to their underling's failures isn't a 21rst century thing!

After the City, we refreshed ourselves with some Peking Duck at Ke Jia Cai, a famous and lavishly decorated restaurant.  This was my first experience with Peking Duck...where better to try it than here?  This restaurant was almost a tiny Forbidden City in itself--it had a couple small lavish courtyards and a huge open kitchen with flocks of ducks being transformed into delicious treats.