Dragon’s maw
(Bird nesting in the Dragon’s mouth, Forbidden City: Beijing, China)
The detail of the wooden structures in the Forbidden City is mesmerising, but by the end of the Beijing trip, I was almost completely immune to their charms. If I am exposed to so much all at once, even if it is world class, my brain doesn’t seem to process it anymore. It’s just another spectacularly beautifully carved corridor featuring four hundred different garden scenes. That is what is so arresting about Beijing – there is such a wealth of unbelievably detailed work that (especially with mass production and modern technology) I can’t really comprehend how many hours, how much skill, work and research went into the creation of it. Now, in the lounge of our flat in Suzhou, I can finally appreciate what I saw as being irreplaceably special.
Even after all this time, nestled on the underneath of this roof, this pair of dragons playing with a pearl are still electric. This little white bird has overlooked the wondrous ceiling here, except to appreciate it as a perfect niche for a home. It is tending a nest in the mouth of the dragon on the left. You should be able to see the tiny, pale underneath of the bird, perched on one of the dragon’s long whiskers. I’m not sure I could wake up next to a face like that every morning.
In other news, I am just about back to good health again after my allergy to good, old fashioned hard work. It looks like it is all finished, save a couple of adjustments. I’m waiting for the thumbs up from my supervisor and then I can look forward to a free weekend. Now I can get down to packing up my life again.
– Today Rosie is packing in Suzhou, China –
waiting for a new story …. don´t wanna rush you or so, just ….