Beijing has 5 ring roads, and at this writing there may be more. It can take 2 hours to get to the 5th ring road if there is a lot of traffic. When I first visited Beijing in 2010 when my big sister was studying at Beijing Normal High School, it would have taken half the time and bicycle lanes were much wider. Now the car is commanding city streets. Seeing the tiny trucks that are no bigger than a wheelbarrow and the mopeds and bicycles is just one of the things that I love about Beijing. That and eating freshly roasted chestnuts!
Audrey
Jack and Li are a talented husband and wife team and we have worked together to design and craft our jewelry. They are able to find the best sources for semi-precious stones.
Alison
Goddess and the Garden is inspired from the legends learned while our daughters traveled and studied in China over a two year period at Beijing Normal High School. Our jewelry is authentic, real stone from the Tibetan plateau, the mountains of Yunnan province and along the banks of the Yangtze River.
Leslie
Turquoise and wealth:
Turquoise is one of the world's earliest used gemstones and is equated with a peaceful home. The Tibetans wear turquoise and silver in combination for health, wealth and power. Ranked with jade and lapis, turquoise has been a popular gemstone for thousands of years. It is symbolic of great wisdom, friendship, good fortune and wealth. As a healing stone, turquoise neutralizes acidity, alleviates rheumatism, gout, stomach problems, viral infections, increases growth and muscular strength, alleviates pain and contains anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects.
Red Agate and good health:
Red Agate is one of the earliest carving stones to be found in archeological digs going back to the Bronze Age. It is also the oldest gemstone to be used in jewelry making and can be traced back to Babylonian times. Agate is a precious stone found in volcanic rock, and was said to ward off storms and is protective during travel. Agate is used today in cabochons and beads. The red agate is thought to bring good health, wealth, happiness and good energy. Deep red is highly prized for its clarity and as an engraving stone. Agate stones are symbolic of strength and were used to fabricate breastplates to protect warriors. Agate is...