BROKEN LINK
Link to team Farmer’s site from yesterday was wrong. Here it is.
MASS
We went to mass this morning at 7am. That was the second mass of the day. Sunday schedule at the cathedral is 615a, 7a, and 8a. We went to the state approved Catholic Church, which is a long complicated story. Please pray for the people in China (and every where in the world) who cannot freely express their faith (what ever that faith is) without government interference.
Packed house. Maybe 500 people. Only 10 white faces in the place. (Eleven if you count Jesus. He could not have been more white if they tried. I am not saying the need a Chinese looking Jesus, but the blond hair blued eyed one has to go).
Every part of the Mass that came from the congregation that was not “also with you” or “amen” was sung. Everything! It was so beautiful. Chinese is a tonal language, when song by a large group is just haunting.
As we walked out Joia said, “That is a great way to start today.” Amen to that.
THE WALL
On the way to great wall we made a stop at a jade factory. Learned how to tell good jade from bad, real from fake, how it is crafted, and I can’t afford it.
When then had 1 1/2 hours at the wall. It is amazing! (The is a very profound statement which I am sure is new to you. It is one of the man made wonders of the world and the best I can do is “amazing”.)
Built in the mountains, but hand. Unfathomable task. We hiked and climbed. Of the 38 of us only two people made it all the way to the top (Brad being one of them). I made it to the second to last tower and though, “I would like to live” and walked back down.
There is no way something like this would be open in the states. Poor hand rails and irregular steps. Death trap! But people just run up and down with a smile.
I was waiting to have my picture taken in front of a sign that says…well I have know idea what the sign says, but it looks cool and it is in the middle of the wall and I was asked to be in a picture. (“Look it is a big pasty white boy in a cowboy hat. I want him in my pacture.”) When this happened yesterday I put my cowboy hat on the little girl. After climbing for an hour, the hat was a little sweaty, so I spared her that horrer.
SOME OTHER FACTORY
We then went to some factory where they make enamel laced stuff. It looks cool. It was interesting to see the process. The tour dumped into the gift shop, which dumped in to the dinning room for a buffet quality meal.
I am grateful to be here. I am having a good time. The people wee are traveling with are awesome.
BUT I could do without the organized tour. Don’t know if I would have made the same choices for our time.
FUN SIGNS
The English translations are sometimes a little funny. Not that I could do better in Chinese.
BIG DAY
So we have played tourist for two days. Tomorrow we fly early (leave the hotel 545a), eat lunch go to the hotel and…
meet the babies. That is right in 18 hours 15 little girls will meet their new families.
Too cool!