总统府 Presidential Palace

Went and had another fancy lunch today. But luckily, it was with family, so we took everything we couldn't eat with us. Made us look a little cheap, but it was for the good of the environment, the poor etc etc. I have always wondered, do they really just throw away food that we haven't eaten? It's such a waste! But I really don't want to think about the things that one may do with restaurant leftovers. I suppose it is one of these things that only the ones inside know. This is very likely to be the last one. Thank god. We are going to the Yellow Mountain (Huang Shan) on Monday to lose weight lol. I'll be glad of the exercise opportunity.

Anyway, on to the title of this post. We went to this place that was a Qing dynasty summer house, then, when the Tai Ping Army (first peasant revolution) suceeded, it became the palace of the new king. Unfortunately, the non-imperial force was not strong in this one, and he wanted to become emperor, add some in-fighting amongst the lower levels, as well as some usurpting I think (not good on history sorry) failed after 11 years. And the old Emperors moved in again. Then, through many revolutions and random fighting, Sun Yat-sen (孙中山) suceeded in freeing us from the imperial past, then the rest is history. He died, Japs invaded further, Communists and Kuomingdang slight infighting and KMT and CCP both needs to fight the Japs, Japs left, civil war, Taiwan (KMT) and Mainland(CCP). Until the new warming of relations today. Ah, such is history.

Anyway, we saw all of the buildings that they lived and worked in, some relics, some old pictures, their revolutionary struggles, the little gardens with the little lake and the fish. Really nice.

Outside, there was a line of stalls selling various traditional craft works. We spent quite a lot of time and money there. All really worth it. Firstly, I bought a little bottle with a little picture and my name written in it. So cool.

Then, dad noticed a stall with minature carving (微雕). Bought one with a famous ancient poem carved onto it.

Also, there was paper cutting (剪纸), had a look at that.

Then, we were caught by some wood carvings. After a long and arduous negotiation, choosing etc, we bought some. A chicken, some mythical animal that looks like a lion but noone has figured it out yet, my cousin a really pretty mountain sheep (because she is a sheep), cicada and a lobster. Ok, you really have to see it. Pretty, only NZ $6 ea. I'm taking the random mythical creature with me. I wanted a Qi Ling (麒麟) like the one on the Nanjing logo, or the statue on the roundabout near the city entrance. But they only had this really ugly one. It's ok, I can go to 夫子庙 (Confucious Temple) to find some. Plus, the random mythical creature can protect me.

Next, we went to "1912" named after the year that Sun Yat-Sen moved in by liberating the country from the imperialism. Anyway, it is a entertainment place, bars, KTV, wedding photos, restaurants, tea-houses etc. Oh, yes, because we were there kinda early, 7.30 or so, there were all these places that were doing morale work on their staff. Dancing outside the wedding photo place, and something that looked a lot like a military gathering outside somewhere called A8 Music Bar. About getting customers. Extract: "I'm not saying that you guys performed badly at getting customers, all I'm saying is that it is essential that you realise how important it is for the club.....do you understand？ YES, SIR". Ha ha. Life is hard.

All in all, fun day in Nanjing.