On our way to the Forbidden City ...

Sadye writes, "On our way to the Forbidden City,  we visit an ancient home and a silk factory.  We learn how the silk is made.

That's me after the Pizza Hut

In the rickshaw that's Mommy on the left and me on the right.

The visit to Mrs. Woo in the Houtong.

That's my sister with Mrs. Woo in her ancient home.

Pa writes, "We were given a lecture how the "old Beijing" was being taken over by apparent blocks. The homes of the Houtong (a district of ancient houses) were made of brick and were a series of rooms that were linked by outside passages. The idea that one could disappear into the warren was obvious. Much reconstruction of these brick homes was in progress. 

While in no way opulent by US standards, for me the wealth of these people was displayed by the many foreign cars cramming the tiny streets. As I understand it, foreign cars are paid for in cash and are accompanied by a 100% tariff. Thus the area reminded me of Georgetown. Little tiny cute houses that belie their zillion dollar price tag. 

We visited an area of "Old Bejing" and had tea in the home of 72 yo Mrs. Woo, a retired nurse and a descendent of the Manchu group, who had lived in Beijing all her life. She was dressed in multiple layers. 

The room where the photo was taken was where she had raised three children. It was a room of about 20x20 feet, My impression is that this room was one of several her family controlled. 

 On the walls were (European) Catholic symbols, the characters painted in brush of the Manchu, a peace symbol (Stars and Stripes), a 6" Eiffel Tower, the 1963 (approx) wedding photo (He in a black Mao Suit she in a yellow button down sweater, short hair, standard pose gazing out into the future, trunks (original) stacked three high that were a gift from the husband's family that contained money, silk cloth other wedding gifts, fluorescent overhead lights and electric wall heaters, a landline phone, a refrigerator.An electric water kettle. 

Tea was served in paper cups with reusable plastic holders. We might have similar arrangement with a glass and a metal holder when visiting Russian American home.  

She said she had travelled extensively in China but had not been abroad.   She gave zero information about what kind of history she had witnessed over her lifetime... I asked.  

That evening we had dinner with the parents and cousin of a woman Ma knows from Vanderbilt. The cousin translated the entirety. The cousin aged about 30, buys and sells electronic components, mostly by email. He had no idea what the digital Cloud is.  He owns a manufacturing business that makes emergency cell phone chargers for airports. Put in your money, recharge your phone by 30% in 15 min. We did not learn what occupation the wife has. 

Again we got zero information of what it was like to live in Beijing. All we got from them was the desire to offer wordless good will. We tried to offer same. We took a photo and emailed it back to Nashville where the daughter picked it up and called her parents. "

At the silk factory we see the cocoons ready to be processed.

First the cocoons are washed

The larvae are removed from the cocoons and used to make cosmetics.  They don't throw them away.

Stretching the double cocoon cast.  The fibers are very strong.

After drying the fibers are stretched more and more and used to make a quilt.