BTC Changsha

Overcast, polluted,

Hunan provincial museum, best in China. Each guide has said their museum is the best. The degree of provincial loyalty is evident in food as well.

The museum is built around what has started to be a pattern. A noble, in this case female, has a tomb that is excavated.. Han this time. Bronzes, lacquer ware, porcelain, fewer weapons. Good mummy.

One highlight is the construction of the planets rotating around the sun, from reconstruction of writings on silk found in the tombs. Galileo would have impressed to have seen this 2000 years earlier.

Exhibition of embroidery – I might have been the highlight. Several young ladies showed me the works and wanted me to see them all. I helped with some English.

Finally a lunch (and later a dinner) that has been hoped for. Hunan in a local restaurant. About half of the 10 dishes were hot the way the locals eat, a few milder and some fresh veggies without much heat. All agreed to come back here for dinner.

Unfortunately QB is sick and suffering. Nausea, stomach hurts and extreme fatigue. Woke up this morning with the symptoms and has remained in bed, unfed, all day.

Afternoon lecture on rice development from the VP of the rice development Institute. Then off by bus to visit fields. Except for the work involved I am prepared to grow rice. All of my knowledge is metric except for the unit called mu; I will be doing conversions.

Dinner, more of the same good food with frog(too boney and bland meat) pigs ears (mostly lost in the spicing with some thinking it was pork skins), dried smoky beef. (my favorite).

QB still sleeping and drifting after my return.