We will have a stop during the tour

---

While in China we went on a number of tours to the great wall etc. I highly recommend them if only because it is a great chance to meet other travellers. As well as the main attractions you will also be brought to a few other "stops" as well, regardless of whether you want to go there or not.

In China these tend to be porcelin and pearl factories and the tea ceremoney. I am one of those sad people who enjoy seeing how things are produced so I dont mind. However, bear in mind that what you see being produced in the factory is not necessarily what you will see being sold in the factory shop.

The first place we went to produced porcelin. It was a tiny workshop with about 6 girls producing hand made items. However, the factory shop was the size of a warehouse and had thousands of items. We were told that there was a second bigger factory and that they produced a lot of the larger items etc. However, we subsequently saw a lot of identical items being sold from market stalls so beware.

The tea ceremoney is interesting, where they show you different types of tea and let you taste them, my favourite being Lotus and Rose tea. I have a suspicion that some of the health claims have been slightly adapted for western concerns. We were told that one type of tea was traditionally used for weight loss. I would have thought that the traditional Chinese concern was getting enough to eat. Another tea was supposadly good for getting rid of freckles. I think she was looking at me when she gave out this nugget of information, as I would probably have to drink several thousands cups of tea a day given my freckle count.

They actually sold a lot of tea but not on medicinal grounds. No, Pee Pee was the main driver of sales. Who is Pee Pee. He is the Chinese Manequin Pis, a small earthenware figure. allagely traditionally used to test water for correct temperature. If the temperature was correct he peed, get it. Buy some tea and you got a Pee Pee free. I wonder if they would sell so much tea if he was called Piss Piss.

---