Tuesday 28 June 2011

China and the Forbidden City - Townsville Grammar


Hey! So we haven't lost anybody (yet), passports momentarily lost then found, no serious lasting bouts of illness, and everybody is so excited to be somewhere new and exotic! Good food, less good food, bowing for dead communists (Chairman Mao Mausoleum), walking through prohibited places (Forbidden City), and praying for good harvests (Temple of Heaven).

The group has tried Tai Chi, flute playing, whip cracking and attempting to decipher 'English translations' of menus: do you want a serve of 'The Incense Burns the Cosmological Hoofs'? Language barriers are more like Great Walls with guard turrets every hundred metres but we have mastered the art of pointing and nodding (with the help of Mandarin Steve).
 
So far, everything is going well. We've enjoyed seeing the Mao Mausoleum, Forbidden City, Chinese Acrobatics show, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple and Hutongs. We have gone through our first tour guide (Denis the Menace) and have moved onto our second (Alan!). Hope you're all well,
Townsville Grammar team in China

3 comments:

  1. Hen hao! We wondered how you were all going. Tell Steve his birthday present was paying the $1000 excess on the car repairs! Happy Birthday and enjoy the trip. The Vanns.

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  2. Thanks for the feedback! Glad all is well. Hope Drew had a Happy Birthday. Look forward to seeing the photo's. Amanda & Blair

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  3. 快乐大家都很好,有乐趣。
    (translation for you to decipher)

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