Changchun/Shenyang

September 13th, 2009


Well got up this morning and toured Jilin University Arts school. We walked through the pottery building and one of the teachers asked if any of us would like to make something, I jumped at the chance. I made a couple of bowls with the help of one of the teachers, I can't wait to get the bowls after they've been fired and painted.

There were some sculptures that were for sale and one stood out to me, it was a small ceramic cross. I immediately bought it and to my surprise the artist was there and I was able to thank him for it and tell him what the cross means to me.

From there we went to a German restaurant that served Brazilian BBQ with a buffet that had traditional Chinese food. So far the most surreal moment of the trip.

We then did a driving trip around the city of Changchun and saw Pu Yi's last palace when he was the puppet emperor for Japan during WWII. (Watch the movie “The Last Emperor” and you'll see what I'm talking about.)

We then took a bullet train to our next destination of Shenyang. When the train stopped we only had a short amount of time to get our luggage off before the doors automatically closed, but we made it!

Had a hour drive in a very small van to our hotel. Have a concert tomorrow, I wonder what that will bring?