While in Beijing I also got to sneak away to a number of markets... the toy and stationary market, which was quite fun to shop for the boy's loot bag for their birthday. The flower market... got to check out all the stuff being produced for the world, including little gardening sets, seeds... The Hutong's which are old houses with small alleys now converted into unique shops. There were two I particularly liked, a shop that sold wraps and shawls, which i didn't buy any as my bag was already quite full by then and a shop that sold wood block prints, I am convinced my granddad's Door God ones will do well commercially, otherwise, guess what everyone will be getting for hannuka?!
China won the Men's Fencing gold and we were there to watch it. There was great atmosphere, with the home crowd (and us) shouting ZHONGGUO JIAYU!! with feet stamping and the wave. But it was quite a close fight so it was also quite nerve wrecking. The women's basketball finals were like that as well.
The "banquet" was held in an old refurbish Hutong, I really like these old buildings and what they have done architecturally to modernise them. The blue cover and ceramic holder is a yogurt drink.
We spent 2 days in Hong Kong after beijing and that was very nice too. We got to see alot of old friends, Bill (the speaker at our wedding) now lives there and I got to see a very pregnant Julie and Junko and Ed... the two calmest people I know until they had kids!!!
Big summer sale in HK but no time and no bag space. We tried to eat as much sushi as we could and a meal there would have bought us 7 high quality meals back here. Asia is still an expensive place!
I got to meet, I think, the printers for our limited edition print (they can print with digital printing but on rice paper and are working with several Chinese museums). They can also collaborate in designing the few books I have in mind to publish. So much to do!!!
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