Wednesday - Feb. 28th

Today we went to the zoo in Chongqing. We saw the pandas and the tigers, and Colleen got scolded by an old woman for not wearing a sweater. We had heard of the women scolding parents for not dressing the baby warm enough, but this was interesting for Mom to be scolded for not wearing warm enough clothes!

We also went to the Art Museum. We received a lesson in Chinese art and learned a little about the "eye of the dragon." This is the mark of the artist and his/her teacher that is placed within the landscape.

While on the bus ride, Michael, our tour guide and translator,talked a little about the Chinese culture changing from a socialist to a capitalist system. It was interesting to hear that when the government started charging for health insurance and higher education, that the people were actually happy. He explained that it was because they now receive better medical care and a better education.

We also heard some jokes from Michael regarding the Panda's.
First, why do Panda's sleep so much?
Because they are trying to get rid of the dark circles around their eyes... ha ha ha

Second, a Panda walks into a bar. He asks the bartender for a sandwich. When the bartender brings out the sandwich, the Panda eats it, then pulls out a gun and shoots it into the air. The bartender asks the Panda why he did that, and the Panda said "because I am a Panda silly" and tells the bartender to look it up in the encyclopedia. He then proceeds to leave the bar. So the bartender looks it up and finds out that the Panda is a native of China and eats shoots and leaves... ha ha ha

When we got back to the hotel, we tried to relax and take a nap. Sarae had other plans, however, and she decided she would rather be up. So, we ordered room service and stayed in.