Recently, I went on a trip to China. It was certainly noteworthy. I experienced a lot of things both good and bad. The people were very nice and I tried a lot of great food including spicy Sichuan dishes and Muslim style lamb skewers. Unfortunately, the smog in Beijing was terrible. Indeed, it was so powerful that it was hard to breathe. The thickness of the smog even blocked the sun! Even so, I enjoyed visiting the Summer Palace because the strong winds there dispersed the smog and the palace grounds were sprawling with a lake, a temple, and the famous long hall. The long hall is special because Chinese artists adorned it with colorful murals all the way down its vast length. The China I saw has a lot of potential but faces a lot of problems. Places like the Summer Palace are inspiring and indicative of the best of Chinese culture. However, the terrible pollution, and the incessant news reports of poor water quality and tainted food, serve to underscore the predicaments facing Chinese society today.

The long hall

Summer Palace Temple