Bamboo Forest

I stumbled upon some travel blogs the other night of some people who have been to Yixing, where Emma is.  (Here is another one.)  One of the main things they posted pictures of were the Bamboo Forest that is near there.  The thing that struck me is that the pictures and journal were from early October 2005, the same month that Emma was born.  It made me feel such a deep connection with her to be able to actually visualize what the weather may have been like that month and to see such a beautiful place that is near her.  I don't get to do it much, but I love to hike in the woods.  I think that if we do not get to visit her actual orphanage, that I am going to ask if we can spend a day in Yixing and possibly hike the Bamboo Forest. 

Have I talked about the Yixing teapots yet?  Yixing is famous for its teapots all over the world.  They are made from a special clay and they do not glaze them.  The idea is that you only brew one flavor in the same pot and it will retain the flavor to make a fabulous tea.  The Yixing tea pots are often small and whimsical.  It is a big thing to be a teapot master who crafts the teapots, and they must go through rigorous training.  The teapots are sold all over China, but you have to look for a marking of the artist on the bottom to ensure that it is genuine.  I very much want to visit some of the teapot galleries and attend a tea ceremony in Yixing.  Here is a link to a page of information about the teapots.  They are just fascinating to me. 

Comment posted by
at 5/28/2007 11:47:00 AM

Sounds awesome. Hiking in the bamboo forest would be really cool. I think I would really like a teapot(even though I don't drink tea!). It would be a constant reminder of where Emma is from. Eli is adorable. I loved the part about him crawling with toys in tow. Can't wait!!
Love, Mom