Monday in Beijing

It was a busy day today and the weather could not have been better for sightseeing. We were all up at about 4:30AM(local time) due to the jet lag. We had an early breakfast (6AM) and had time to kill until Lena met us at 10AM. So, we put on our touring clothes and went for a walk

around Beijing. Here we are in front of our hotel looking all bright and shiny and ready to go.
We decided to take a walk around the block and stop in at a store and pickup some snacks and water. Melody told us that right next store was Carrefours -she described it as a French Wal-Mart. We got PLENTY of stares and attention when we got out on the sidewalk...turns out, as we learned later in the day, it had a lot to do with the two little blond girls that were with us. They were quite a curiosity (as was I with my bright orange back pack, camera around my neck and nothing but a T-shirt when everyone else had on winter jackets). We went by what I believed to be the world's largest bowling pin, and went by a park to see a number of people exercising. They were doing Thai-Chi, dancing and using elliptical machines. The picture wasn't very close up, but if you look at the picture of the park you'll see the folks exercising (Linda wants me to go back tomorrow and take a better picture).

Our next stop was the "French Wal-Mart." It was quite a place, the girls were amazed at the grocery store and the "exotic" foods that were available. They were equally amazed by the very odd labels on what appeared to be very familiar foods. Once we scored our water and snacks, it was back to meet Lena and take a short 15 minute walk to Children's Hope International's Beijing Office and meet the gang.

The CHI office is in a relatively modern office building. Melody and Kevin have an apartment in the same building, so she has a very convenient, city living, setup. She took us up to her apartment...the coolest thing was that we heard this very loud cricket. After awhile it got kind of annoying, and Melody explained it was Kevin's pet "hopper." And with that she open the lid on a small wooden jar and the most enormous cricket popped out! Maggie took about 10 steps backwards. Melody explained that this is a common pet for a man, and when they are kept warm they chirp (incessantly as she explained, so she keeps putting him in the coldest part of the house. )

The offices are very nice, and Melody took us through an update of what is going on at CHI, introduced us to the staff and some of the very people (including Mrs. Wu) who PERSONALLY handled Maggie's paperwork back in 1995. Linda showed them the scrap book and they were all thrilled and thanked us for taking such good care of her. After that, Melody, her husband Kevin, Lena and us went to have a very special lunch across the street at the Duck Restaurant.

At the restaurant we had our own private room and a very special meal prepared. We had a sampling of lots of different Chinese food (here they just call it food). But the main course was what Beijing is FAMOUS for...Peking Duck! I had visions of the scene in "A Christmas Story" at the end when they have Christmas dinner in the little Chinese restaurant serenaded with carols sung by the waiters. We had the chef come in and carve the duck for us...it was delicious. I think the girls even enjoyed it. We found out Lena has quite a sense of humor. She asked us all how long we thought it takes to cook Peking Duck. Linda said 6 hours, the girls said 10 and even Melody chimed in...she said "oh no, only 2 hours". Well Lena corrected us all...she said "it takes 12 hours, 11 to catch it and one to cook it!" and then she busted out in that famous feminine Chinese giggle.

Now that lunch was over, it was time to climb aboard the private bus and head out for Tianeman Square and the Forbidden City. The "Peoples Congress" is going on, so it was a lot like being in Washington DC when a bunch of VIPs are in town. We could not go into the square and the police and military were thick. So, we were able to walk along side the square on our way to the entrance to the Forbidden City...you know, that big building with Chairmen Mao's painting on it that you have seen in books and on TV.

These are our pictures alongside of Tianamen Square and outside of the entrance to the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is immense!! It is 9km long and has at least half a dozen palaces and the emperor had over 9000 rooms in this quaint little joint. We also stopped in front of the National Museum that houses memorabilia from the history of China and the Cultural Revolution. In front was a count down clock to the 2008 Olympics...quite a big deal here right now.

A brief moment on the street across from the Forbidden City where we were not getting intense scrutiny from the natives. The gang is in front of the count down clock.

The Forbidden City is indescribable. It is absolutely huge and so ornate you could spend hours examining the details. It is weired to be standing in a place 400 years old that for most of that time very, very few human beings were allowed to be in or even near.

Lena did a wonderful job explaining about the palace, the history and tradition. Ashley is sitting on a threshold. We thought it was so high because of the water when it rains. Not so. Apparently the Chinese believe in evil spirits and that they are particularly short. So by making a high curb they have to jump over it to get into the house. They must of thought they were spry little dudes because these curbs were all over the place.

My favorite part was at the very back of the Forbidden City, the garden. It was where the concubines hung out until they were "needed." And it was also a private place for the emperor to collect his thoughts.

In the picture of the tall skinny rocks, it may be hard to see the sign, but it is my favorite. By the way, these are really man made sculptures...the sign says "Perilous Hills, Please Do Not Climb".

The tree that the girls are standing in front of is 500 years old. The Chinese believe it looks like two people with arms entwined about to drink a glass of wine. This was a Kodak picture spot for newlyweds.

And finally, to end the evening we went to see the Chinese acrobats. We started with a little ice cream snack and enjoyed the breath-taking 60 minute show. We met up with an old family friend from Davenport who is living and working in Beijing and had a nice dinner.

Tomorrow, we are off to the see the Great Wall...so we need to get some rest.