Bob and Ann in Elder Hostel China Odyssey 2004

Tai Ji Lesson

We started the day with our first Tai Ji demonstration and lesson on the square opposite our hotel. Then we had a good breakfast including fried eggs. We had lectures on religion and philosophies of China to prepare us for the Longmen and the Tomb Museum.

Longman Grotto

The highlight of the day was the Longmen Grotto. Huge buddhas and their attendants are carved into the stone inside large caves overlooking the Yi River. These were monumental spiritual highs and we also got a nice 3K walk half of which was at our own pace.

Decending into the Cave Dwelling

We visited a cave-dwelling family. This was actually a 93 -year-old woman who was living in her underground cave. All five generations of her family were visiting her and playing majong during our visit. The rooms were very primitive, dug into the walls. She had electricity and water, but it looked uncomfortable to us. The advantage is coolness in the summer and warmness in the winter.

Performers

A music demonstration and lecture after dinner was amazing. Well-rehearsed Chinese music and English language by both teacher and students and the charmingly serious children were wonderful. We bought a CD of the lecture and performance for future reference. We also bought two sets of postcards to remember the Longmen Grotto Buddhas.

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