March 16

3-16: We did eat at the California Pizza Kitchen and other than the fact that we were drinking Tsing Tao beers surrounded by Chinese people we could have imagined ourselves at home! Well, there was also a card on the table advertising their special for high tea - not sure pizza places in the US do tea! Then yesterday we went on another tour. First we went to a Taoist Temple - never seen so much incense burned in one place - the whole courtyard was so smoky! Ginnie had enough sense to stay down below but even there the smoke was amazing. Our guide said that on Chinese New Year when the place is FULL everyone wears trench coats to protect themselves from the smoke and embers from the incense. It was a fascinating place and our guide seemed very knowledgeable. Then we went to the Flower Market which had been substituted for the Bird Market! It was beautiful - block of flower shops - very colorful. Amazing variety. After the Flower Market we went to the Jade Market. Seemed kind of like a flea market - lots of stalls with people selling jade -and assorted other things. Our guide told us that the jade was not always jade and to be very careful - not to buy any one piece that cost more than $20 US! According to the Chinese Zodiac, Ginnie was born in the Year of the Dragon (1940) and I was born in the Year of the Dog (1946) - Mike (1972) is the Year of the Rat and Jenny (1975) is the Year of the Rabbit. There are 12 sings so they repeat every 12 years - see if you can figure yours out even though we haven’t given you enough clues. We did buy some “jade” talismans for our years. On to Bangkok.  Pictures aren't working - some may have made it but not all - will try again later.  Sorry.