This week's mug is a special find in my not-so-local thrift store. My wife and I haunt the thrift stores both local and up to 45 min away, looking for bargains. When I spied this on the shelf just a few days ago, my eyes lit up!
The mug has a full wrap around design of black, emblazoned with two Chinese characters, which translate to "Forbidden Palace" or "Former Palace." The characters ae red on the black background. (I'll note here that the mug has seen better days. The magic thermochromatic ink has been rubbed or scratched off in two places; but this does not keep the ink from changing when the mug gets hot!)
When hot liquid is poured into the mug, the entire black background AND the red letters become clear showing a wide angle drawing of the Forbidden Palace. The Forbidden City is a palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City of Beijing.
Though the ink is a bit beaten up, the mug is in great shape and the color change is quick and full. I'm impressed as this is one of the very few mugs I have with a DUAL color change (black and red.)
DESIGN: 3 Sided
THERMOCHROMIC: 2 Color
TYPE: Retail (I expect this is a souvenir sold in areas around the Former Palace itself.)
