Nanjing Day 2: Happier ending

After the somber museum trip, we made our way to Nanjing's shopping district to visit H& M. Yeah for retail therapy. Lisa and I got lost in Sephora. I was never into the fashion or makeup scene in Boulder. 1) I was lazy 2) I didn't have a great attitude of my self-image 3) I'm a chicken.
I got great tips from Lisa Choi....the sister from another mother....father. Well I guess I do look Korean enough.

While others strayed into the expat district for dinner, I really wanted to get a taste of the local food and in the mood for some local exploration. I'm in Nanjing aren't i? Lisa was happy to be apart of the adventure. We took the subway, which only has one line! VERY easy to navigate. and instead of tickets, the ticket machine spits out tokens.

Environmentally friendly!


Dinner was quite delectable, got a taste o Nanjing's famous salted suck,fresh stir fried asparagus and "lion's head" aka a GIANT MEATBALL>


Consider this a light dinner cuz our real intentions was the street food!
we dived into the tasty treats on the infamous Henan Road
1) Waffle ice cream sandwich with honey


2) Little octopus (made me slightly hesitant to try but he put PLENTY of spices on it)


3) Scorpions (I was about to pass on this one). then again they were the tiny ones. Both of us were reluctant to eat the bigger harder shelled crustaceans.


They even sold silkworms, centipedes, and TARANTULAS.Two Americans walked by, glanced at the treats with a horrified expression. "ARE THOSE REAL?!"
Susan: Yes they're real. Try it.
"NOOOO wayyy man."
Somehow I said, "hey man I don't even have balls and I'm gonna try the scorpion." They applauded. Finally I embarked on tasteless fried crunchy nothing. Don't worry it's caught on tape.

Nanjing Day 2: The Memorial

I got directions for the Nanking Memorial Memorial. Most of the girls wanted to take the taxi, but I really wanted to get a taste of the local Nanjing transportation. Plus I can be a cheap skate. Lisa was my local transportation buddy as others took the easy way out. (cough* taxi)
Lisa and I clung for our lives as the rickety bus hit every bump and pot hole. I forgot to mention we had street kebabs clutched in our hands.
For an odd reason I felt that I needed to pay respect those who perished.
The front of the museum has a black marble wall and white stones covering the area. The number is printed in bold, the word victim translated into several languages, but the death toll number is universal.

The graves were somber. To make it worse speakers broadcasting these bone chilling, melancholy soundtrack. Like a woman wailing, as if she's chanting everyone's screams and suffering. Lisa pointed out (made me aware) of how charged the museum's attitude was. I came to understand that the Chinese has put a lot of anger underlying the tone. The place bore resentment, hatred, anger, pain, suffering and scars. Hence the description of the massacre. "The Rape of Nanjing."



The names of who died.



Though the Japanese gov are reluctant to acknowledge of a genocide, many Japanese citizens have expressed solidarity and deepest regret for this tragedy. Many school children sent threads of paper cranes to the memorial. It's a start :-D ['Dre and Merrin]



Everyone began to grow weary as we saw the depressing poems, the graphic descriptions and the skeletons of the thousands that were slaughtered. it didn't help that more creepy music played in the background. "how could they get away with this?" "how did they not apologize?" My friends wondered.

By the end of our tour, the museum designed the conclusion on a hopeful note. When you leave the candlelit vigil you enter a giant garden of peace with Lady Justice or Liberty with a child in her arms about to send a white dove into the air.