A little down today, my thoughts are plaguing me. Loud and clear they were for hours as we drove and drove and drove.
We set off to get to the ‘tomb and museum’ at 8:00am, once the driver had arrived – late as per usual. It was a two and a half hour drive, at the end of which we were dropped at the end of what looked like a dystopian home for giants. In the courtyard a cloud of doves and a sprinkling of pigeons flew and landed together, provoking a story from my Uncle about how the Chinese used to catch pigeons by hand in Trafalgar square and take them to their hotels to roast them. I’ve got to hand it to the Chinese if it’s true, they have certainly earned many of their stereotypes.
Once we passed through the turnstiles we landed at the beginning of what looked like a driveway for the giant’s 4×4 . We waddled slowly down, taking a break halfway, until we reached where the driveway ended. Where was the tomb, you ask? It certainly was not here. It appeared that we were in a large Buddhist temple. I was confused but not especially surprised. We went for lunch and then drove another giant ass looking driveway, the end of which was a tiny slab dedicated to the only empress of China. Christina suggested that I look at it as a metaphor for the process of becoming an emperor as a woman.
Janey has been watching a Chinese drama series and did so last night until 9/9:30pm. I wouldn’t mind it so much but I know that she understands just as much as I do, which is to say not at all. It is in mandarin. I will say though that her understanding of the plot is often so far from what I myself have managed to gather that I admire her creativity. I certainly wish that I could live in a world where daily life and happenings remain so implausible. As I type in front of the TV it appears that the man has been caught between two women, classic.
Also that reminds me, I meant the KING’S concubine. My mistake, although a story about a gay empress in China would be great.
Kirsten.
A little bit of a Hou 