We awoke on Wednesday refreshed and ready to go! Our first stop was the breakfast buffet. They have a variety of both Chinese and Western breakfast foods. Everything from eggs to warm milk and meat filled buns.
After fueling up we hopped on our buses and headed to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The Square is the largest Square in the world able to hold one million people and it is truly a beautiful sight. The whole complex has a giant National Museum and the equivalent of Congress. There is so much history with the site and statues honoring founders of the Republic.
The Forbidden City is huge!! And only half is available for public view. The city was the home to China's emperors for hundreds of years, up until the early 20th century. Today the site has been beautifully renovated so that it looks like it is still in use by an emperor. The only downside is the ridiculous crowd of people constantly present.
After the Forbidden City we had a wonderful lunch and then went on to the Temple of Heaven. This site begins with a huge garden where locals come to play music, cards, and even crochet. As you walk along the pathway, a giant pagoda appears. This is the shrine where the emperor would pray for a good harvest. The whole complex is intricate and has several buildings for the ceremonies. I am trying to figure out how to upload pictures to my iPad, and when I do I will post some of the pictures.
After the sites we went to our concert hall and had a rehearsal. One of the crowning moments of the day was a small clinic with the famous Chinese conductor, Mrs. Li Meizhu. We worked with her on an arrangement of the Chinese folk song, A Lovely Rose. This was definitely one of the best experiences of this trip for me.
The concert went well and we all went to dinner and then a very deep sleep!
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