Literature and Art

Located right next to each other on the outskirts of the old city are
the Institute of Literature and the National Museum of Fine Arts. Kind
of a no-brainer that we would start there.

The Institute (sometimes called a university or center, though it's
really none of the above) is/was a place for Confucian learning. Laid
out like a park with a succesion of courtyards leading to the main
building, it features Chinese astrological topiary, amazing
architecture and sculpture, ceremonial bells, dozens of ten-foot-high
stones inscribed with Confucius' teachings, and a gift shop (of
course) before one reaches the main building. Photo of that above.
I've got lots more photos, but you'll have to wait.

On a side note, it's a little odd shooting with "the blogging camera"
and "the real camera," but we'll make it work.

The museum was also fascinating, covering everything from art and
artifacts dating back 2000 years to works from the colonial period and
the American war.

Then we took a taxi across town. It cost $2.70 with tip. Dinner--
massive quantites of food and drinks--came to about $35. And that's
the high end. Looking for a cheap vacation? Come here.