Following the Great(est) Wall, there was the obligatory stop at the cloisonné factory. We learned about how copper pots and plates are fused together and painted with beautiful colors, then sealed in gold leaf. The government store prices were tempting, but I dread the thought of hauling stuff around for 14 days – so we abstained.
After a quick rest (which meant a dip in the pool for Eliza and email-checking for me) we were off to dine on Peking duck. Now Eliza has a bit of a thing for ducks, which is bordering on an obsession. She cringed at the big ovens (which were reported to cook 1000 ducks per day – this is one of the oldest duck recipes in the city and the founder was the chef for the emperor (i.e., the last emperor). She claimed that the happy-looking duck standing outside of the restaurant…and here, next to Eliza – had ears, which made it a freak. The restaurant was very fancy and we were treated to a delicious dinner…and I am sorry to report that Eliza relished every bit of duck that passed her lips (except for the duck jelly, which looked kind of gross). Benjamin, one of the children in our group turned 11 today, so our lovely dinner ended with a magnificent birthday cake covered in fruit and whipped cream. It was lit with what looked like a torch, which then proceeded to unfold into a ring of lit birthday candles shaped as the petals of a flower, which also played the birthday song – they’d sell like hotcakes in the US, but I’ve never seen anything like it (which probably means they’re not allowed, for some reason).
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