The Great Hall

Cc and I got to go to the Great Hall of the People last night for a Foreign Experts Reception celebrating the 60th anniversary of the PRC. When I first got the text from my boss inviting us to go I totally dismissed it. I had been pinged to do a bunch of random things that week (without pay) and figured this was another thing like that. When I told cc about it, she felt the same. But when we told our friends, they were like "You don't get invited to go the Great Hall and NOT go!!" They said it's where the Chinese government welcomes high officials. (President Nixon, too). I had already missed the deadline to tell my boss we would like to go, but she called me again anyway.

It was pretty fun, and definitely the real deal! We heard the vice-premier of China speak, who - if everything happens as it should - will be the next president of China. After he finished (in Chinese) I leaned over and asked my boss how she liked it and she said not at all, that it was 'too political.'

It was good spending time bonding with my boss. She's a little older than we are, and cc and she are starting to gel. During dinner she was surprised that I knew the name for Kungpao Chicken in Chinese (which, btw, sounds basically the same as it does in English). I didn't bother to tell her it's everywhere in the Bay Area. ;)

The one really funny thing of the night was that I wasn't supposed to take pictures. Apparently I didn't get the memo that cameras aren't allowed in the hall. But the security guards didn't take it away when I passed through the check station - and yet they took cc's knitting needles! ...? :) I was taking pictures in the first main hallway when my boss came over and told me to put it away quickly, that I would get into real trouble. I did what I was told, but soon saw some other westerners taking pics. My boss gave in and the next thing I knew the dean and vice dean of my school were asking to "take advantage of my 'mistake.'" I just got done emailing them their pictures. :) Several minutes into the vice-premier's speech cc tapped my leg and told me not to "push my luck." I then realized how awkward it must have been that my arm had been raised like a periscope as I was video-taping.

Now the goods...

This is the main entrance to the hall.

This is a famous Chinese painting of mountains. Mao wrote the characters in the upper left.