Decorative painting closeups

There is a band of lacey filligree panels across the bottom of the arch spanning the street. In this picture the horizontal base is not yet painted, but if you see the Arch today, it being painted as beautifully as the other segments.

Phoenix, symbol of rebirth, fertility, the female.

The artisans painting the Arch must be finished by Friday, as they fly home to Beijing on Saturday. Next week, the last of the scaffolding will come down.

There is still a lot of prep work to do before the opening. There are the new-style Chinatown street lights, floodlights, uncrating the lions, etc.