Blessings in China: Day 5 - Chen Ancestral Hall

On Thursday, 11/28 we met our group and guide in the lobby and headed out to the Chen Ancestral Hall, also know as Chen Clan Academy. This is a temple that was built by many families with the last name Chen and they use this as a place to send messages to their ancestors. It is a very beautiful place with lots of detail in the wood work. After a short history lesson from our guide, we were able to do a little shopping in the art museum. Once we left, our guide took us to a dumpling restaurant where we had a nice Thanksgiving lunch with our "China Family". This was an interesting meal, each dish is brought out one at a time and they would put it on the center of the table that spins around so everyone takes food from the same dish with your chopsticks. Our family and another family from our group sat at one big round table. It's different from what I am use to but it was like we were all just one big family. Our guide ordered the meal and then all families just pay the same amount, 120RBM for big families or 100 RBM for small families. We paid 100 RBM or $16.39 for all four of us to eat and drink. After lunch we went to the local Aeon which is like a walmart but it has five floors. It is very loud and crazy in this store. It's like a grocery store, then you go up escalators and each floor has something different like clothing, then housewares, etc. We finally found a sippy cup for EK because the one we brought was too messy but she won't drink from the one we bought. Anyway, it was different and fun. We have to walk to get everywhere unless we are with our guide and group for one of our appointments or tours. Definitely not convenient like we are use to but we have gotten use to it.