The misty air gave us a solemn feeling as we walked over the Bridge of Turtles towards the majestic red gates. We were about to enter a secret world - the Forbidden Gardens.
It's too bad that my blog doesn't have sound effects. This is where you would play the sound of a screeching vinyl record bringing you back to reality.
Our day driving towards Houston was very Texan, not very majestic. We passed a buffalo ranch outside of Seguin, Frank's truck restaurant in Schulenberg, and miles and miles of farms and ranches. The approach to Katy was a bit more cosmopolitan as we drove past the Katy Mills shopping center.
The Mapquest directions told us to turn on Grand Ave., one of the last exits before entering the Houston suburbs. We passed some road construction and some cookie-cutter neighborhoods, barely missing the quick driveway for our destination.
I don't remember where I first heard of the Forbidden Gardens, but being the field-trip hunter that I am, it was always on my list. I won't be in China any time soon that I know of, so this is the closest we could get.
The timing worked very well. My 9-year-old was just studying ancient China in her history lessons, and the Beijing Olympics are nipping at our heels. I always try to make current events and school studies relevant and tangible for my children, so this accomplished both.
The sky threatened a deluge, and my guidebook warned us that the Forbidden Gardens would close at the first sign of rain. We hurried past that bridge of turtles, much to the disappointment of my kids, but I was determined at 1:10 to talk my way into the 1pm tour and do what we could to miss the rain.
Whew! They let us in, but reiterated that if it rained, the tour would end, and we would not be refunded.
We rushed past two bald lion-like sculptures and entered the area that I was most excited to see - the terracotta soldiers.
Discovered in 1974, the real terracotta soldiers in China are loosely called the "Eighth Wonder of the World", and the title would not be far off. 6000 life-sized soldiers, each different from one another, were sculpted to protect the emperor in the 3rd Century BC.
Here in Katy, all 6000 soldiers were recreated at a 1/3 scale. It seemed that as far as the eye could see, these soldiers graced and protected the Texas fields. It was a spectacular sight, and would have been worth the admission and the drive all by themselves.
But our guide had more in store for us. We left the soldiers and visited a room full of ancient Chineses weaponry, learning that it was considered cowardly to wear a helmet in battle.
Our walk took us next to yet another wonder - a complete recreation of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
In real life, the Forbidden City is a gated sanctuary that is over 17 miles long, and would take seven hours to walk end-to-end. This must be the most elaborate palace grounds ever built. We towered over the city, seeing it from our bird's-eye view and watched as soldiers guarded, unichs served, concubines groomed, and children studied.
The skies broke just as we entered the shelter of this covered replica, and the blowing rain all around us added to the serious ambiance of the place. Trapped by the storm, we spent more time than usual with these miniature residents. We got to hear in more depth the tales of the beautifully-named highlights in the city - the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and on and on. Wow! The ancient Chinese could be modern-day spindoctors.
The rain subsided just long enough for us to run across the courtyard into the room of Chinese architecture. We saw exhibits modeling the brilliance of the structures, but were most impressed with their version of a security system. They would put cages of crickets outside all four corners of their homes. The crickets would perpetually chirp. However, if someone approached, the crickets would get quiet, and the family would know that there was someone outside that part of the house. Fascinating!
Our final walk took us by a wedding carriage and to a table laid out with an emperor's feast. We discovered that it was an honor to eat the emperor's half-eaten leftoveres, and the men would eat just bear's feet for weeks hoping that it would make them more likely to produce sons.
The rain pounded us again, and the kindly staff pulled out their umbrellas and walked us back to the safety of our cars. We were again in modern Texas, a bit culture-shocked, a bit more educated, and a bit more grateful for living in 2008.
When we watch the summer Olympics, they will surely feature the Forbidden City in their festivities. We can't say we've been there, but we've been to the next best thing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Forbidden Gardens
23500 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493
281-347-8000
Visit the Forbidden Gardens Website!
