Day 3 Afternoon – Hot Pot, Lama Temple, and Beijing Acrobats

They say if you live long enough that you “become” your mother (or father, as it may be). Well – I’ve skipped a generation and have embodied my Grandma: I have taken a picture of a table of food.

When Rina asked if I was interested in going to a “hot pot” restaurant for lunch, I assumed this was like our local fondue. Boy, did I underestimate the experience! They bring out this huge copper chimney heated by real charcoal that keeps a bowl of boiling water piping hot to cook your meat, veggies, etc. We had a table full of pork, bean sprouts, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and bok choy to cook… I love a “working dinner” and this was it! It was such fun, I just had to take a picture. The first includes Rina and our driver, Mr. Fong. The second is just the table of food. Opal has to be smiling down from Heaven. (Dad’s smiling, too, if he knows I’ve eaten cooked cabbage.) Oh - and check the window decal -- notice anyone? (hint: Olympic babies)










After lunch, we walked off some of our lethargy at the Lama Temple – a Buddhist temple that was converted from a former Emperor’s grounds. The temple was gorgeous, with dozens of devout Buddhists lighting the three incense sticks required to pay respect to Buddha. This temple contains Beijing’s largest statue of Buddha, but you can’t take a picture of it. One of the more interesting shots, I thought, was one of a modern skyscraper rising in the background between two of the centuries-old rooflines of the temple and outbuildings. And that’s Beijing – successfully mixing the old and the new.












You won’t get pictures of two of the more interesting afternoon activities: my Chinese foot massage followed by a visit to a large Chinese supermarket. My foot massage was out of this world. I’m certain I have bruises over most of my arms and legs… but it was worth it. The man performing my massage told my guide that I was wealthy, based on the condition of my feet. I laughed and confessed that I had a pedicure the night before I left Nashville. :-)

So total relaxation (via the foot – and [bonus!] arm – massage) was followed by a totally stressful run to the local supermarket. Wow! What complete chaos. What pandemonium. People pushing and shoving. Others stalling the process by stopping their carts in the middle of rush-hour for no apparent reason. Phwewwww! And the weatherman wasn’t even forecasting snow! (Grins and giggles to all us Nashville folk.) But I got what I went for. I kept expecting the Mad Hatter to round the corner, but I escaped this Wonderland unscathed with my procured spices safely in hand.

Last treat for the day was my visit to a show of the Beijing Acrobats (who recently toured the U.S., including Nashville). How impressive. I won’t even try to describe – and the pictures don’t do it justice…