Internet was down or blocked for most of the time near the end of our trip so here is my last update.  My wife and I and a colleague that travelled to China took in some sights on Thursday afternoon.  We travelled to the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven.  Along the way I spotted a billboard on the side of a high rise building.  Not normally a big deal but then the image on the billboard changed and I realized it wasn't a billboard but an LCD Flat panel monitor! The Summer Palace was where the Emperor stayed from April-October.  An intricate series of pathways and walks, along with wonderfully detailed architecture and colourful buildings.  This was also the spot where we saw them making pottery called 'cloisonne'.  Essentially it involves making a metal frame, usually copper and then painting it with various colours which is then fired and hardened like enamel.  The results are beautiful! Temple of Heaven covers over 270 hectares in the center of Beijing.  Many Buddhist style temples devoted to a variety of things that were culturally significant to the Chinese.  It was built in the early 1400's.  The Emperor is considered to be the Son of Heaven and visited the alter several times.