Author: Jennifer
•8:39 PM
We went to the San Antonio Children's Symphony on Wednesday morning. The theme was Counting Steps: Math, Music and Dance. The performance was excellent. I think every
homeschool family should attend these. They're short, they're cultural, they're musical, they're educational, they're reasonably priced and they're fun! :-) They put on four concerts throughout the school year.
For more information, check here:
Or, if you want to take part in an organized homeschool group to attend the symphony, our group is called A Joyful Noise and it's headed up by Karen Hennessey. Post a comment is you'd like to get her contact information.
Afterwards, as we began to pass the
Quarry Market, we decided to stop and explore. The Alamo Quarry Market is a historical landmark. Before it became the cleverly designed shopping center that it is now, it was the Alamo Cement Plant that served San Antonio's needs for over 100 years. The original structure was maintained and several of the trains and tracks remain on display. Daniel got a kick out of this! (but he wouldn't participate in the picture)
The plant remained vacant for years. We called the place
cementville for as long as I can remember until they built the shopping center in 1998.
One of my favorite stores here is Whole Earth Provision Co. Yep, a nature store. They have some really cool stuff!
So, a little history and a little shopping can create a fun and educational trip!
Author: Jennifer
•10:25 PM
This was another side trip on the way back from Houston. There is a hidden treasure there that many don't know about. This place is call the
Forbidden Gardens. It's kind of small, but it's really cool. Read up on ancient China before you take a trip out. Expect to take a guided tour of the place. You'll learn so much!
There are interesting statues all around this place. Hurricane Ike left it's mark even here though. There was quite a bit of damage from the winds.
This is a replica of one of Emperor Qin's terracotta army chambers only discovered in 1974 by some farmers! These guys were created about 300 years before Christ for the purpose of protecting his tomb.
There were over 8000 soldiers baried. What a way to spend a lifetime! You can barely see a statue of the emperor at the end of this chamber.
These are the replica of the Forbidden City. This was built in another city a few hundred years after Emperor Qin existed to house the imperial family. There is so much detail involved in the design of this place and they way they lived. It's a fun place to study architecture and culture. Of course, I had to purchase a book to read more about it.
Now, if you look really close, near the green tree on the left side of the picture, you can see us standing there. Look close. Do you see us?
Okay, I'm sorry... I just had to do that for those who would actually look. I could hold that tree in my hand. Yes, it's a miniature replica of the city. But, all of this really is in China. As soon as I get a job there, would you like to come with me and help me with my kids? :-)
This is the imperial vacation home. What a lovely place.
And that's all for the pictures. There are a few more areas on the tour. One being the weapon room and another being the architecture room.
And, the final display is the Venice of China. Here's some info about that: http://www.micktravels.com/china/tongli.html It's very interesting. This was always the place where men would go to find their wives. All women here were beautiful and had those lovely cripled feet the Chinese loved so much. To this day, men still go to Little Venice or Tong Li to find a wife.
Happy Ancient China studies!!! Now, get to Katy!
The plant remained vacant for years. We called the place cementville for as long as I can remember until they built the shopping center in 1998. 
