Our last morning in Chicago we visited the Three Happiness Restaurant to experience traditional dim sum - students were very good about trying the different varieties of food served in small portions for sharing. From shrimp toast and BBQ pork to pot stickers and curried squid.
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| Outside the Three Happiness Restuarant |
Then for a tour of historic Chinatown where we learned not only of its history, but also about Chinese culture from our tour guide ZT.
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| At the Nine Dragon Gate learning the history and symbolism of dragons |
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| The view looking into the old section of Chinatown |
Many movies contain scenes shot in Chinatown, including Backdraft and Ferris Buehler's Day off - here we are in front of an alley used a movie set.
Our guide also gave students some background in the Buddhist traditions and philosophy.
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| Inside a Buddhist Temple |
Usually I only stick to things that I know best and tend not to branch too far out. On Thursday morning I went to China Town with the class for dim sum. At first I was hesitant to try new food from a different country. I told myself just to try it because, after all this was a cultural experience class. After following through with my decision I was very pleased in the different food choices my group picked for "brunch". During this experience I discovered a new part of myself that eventually would have to "step-up to the plate" sooner or later. From now on I am going to try all new things that are presented to me if I am able. After all, you may never get the same opportunity again. I am grateful for the experiences I had on this trip and hope others enjoy it in the future as well.
ReplyDeleteI found China Town so incredibly interesting. Our tour guide did an awesome job explaining the Chinese culture. My favorite part was visiting the Buddhist Temple. I never thoroughly understood the history behind Buddhism. After the tour, I found that I have a deep appreciation for the belief system that encompasses this culture. Buddhism is a very simple concept to understand which I found intriguing. The actual Buddha statues inside the temple were absolutely beautiful. I sincerely enjoyed China Town and wish we had more time to tour and learn about the culture. Next time I’m in Chicago, I will not hesitate to visit the town again.
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