Kung Fu show

At 6 we went downstairs to dinner. I wore my new jade earrings. The other Damours were waiting for us in the restaurant. We got food from the buffet and sat down to eat. At 6:30 Chris went upstairs to brush his teeth. I went back for a plate of fruit and also took an orange which I slipped quietly into my purse. I finished eating and used the restroom. Cecily walked in after I did, so I met the tour guide and told her Cecily was coming. We all boarded the bus. Tingting was our guide for the evening. The bus took us to a nearby auditorium. We were shown a row of reserved seats. So Marie, Cecily, Chris and I sat down to watch the show. Michele and Alfred stayed at the hotel.
There was a long narrow screen at the top of the stage which showed text that was in English or in Chinese. It was supposed to help us follow the story. But the verbal narration was in English. It was the story of a young boy whose mother leaves him at the monastery. He grows up to be a monk who can stand great pain, break boards with his head, and do acrobatics. Periodically a pretty young woman appears to tempt him and the way he dances with her, he is not resisting temptation. Nevertheless, he rises in monk status. Then there is a battle, and his side wins. His mother dies and there is a funeral (so I was told). The monk who trained him passes on the staff to him and dies. Then the title monk initiates a new boy.
Then all the performers came out and took a bow. I clapped and fanned myself. Then we trouped out of the auditorium and back to the sidewalk. Tingting called the bus to come get us and take us back to the hotel. It was after 9.
We went upstairs to our room. Marie and Cecily came over to say goodbye. They have to leave for the airport at 6:30am tomorrow. I went next door to say goodbye to Michele. Then I came back to my room to take some melatonin and magnesium, and write up the evening for my blog. I left my camera in the room, so I have no pictures of the kung fu show. So here is a random building in Beijing.