TOURING BEIJING DAY 2: THE GREAT WALL

  We could write a lot about the Great Wall of China, but it could never do it justice...so here are some pictures...

 

 

Saturday evening we went to the market place. Chaos was the rule and they might just grab your arm if you looked at one item too long. They know the same thing is available down the row, so they want you to buy from them first.

During our overnight, your afternoon, the weirdest thing happened--I received a severe thunderstorm warning text from the radio station! I didn't sign up for an international plan for my phone while we were gone. That was around 4:15a here...not much sleeping after that.

One more day til GOTCHA DAY!

 

 

BEIJING DAY 1: A TRIP BACK TO TIANANMEN SQUARE

 Ni Hao from Roger and Holly!
  We just got back to the room from our first day of touring here in Beijing. We are staying in a different area, and since we are more adventurous on our second trip here we went out for dinner with another member of our adoption group.
  But first, after a big breakfast that included Dragon Fruit (Google it, I cannot explain it) we hopped on a bus for a relatively short ride to Tiananmen Square. It was a warm day--around 90 degrees, overcast and there was a good breeze blowing most of the tour.
  Our guide, George, started us at the north end and we walked through the sea of people trying to hawk everything from Confucius Books to little Chinese flags.

 

Then we went under the street to the Forbidden City to see where the emperors used to live.

 

After the Square, we took a traditional rickshaw tour to a Hutong, or old the part of Beijing. The streets were very narrow but cars tried to squeeze past anyway.

 

One of the families made us lunch. Meatballs, chicken legs, green beans and pea nuts coated with a red pepper (it was a little spicy). The meal was fantastic!

 

We then had a chance to go back to the room and get organized. In the evening we went back out to a restaurant in the area recommended to us by George, and he even helped us order. We had orange pork, black pepper beef and corn mixed with egg yolks and sprinkles (yep, like on a cupcake).

When dinner was over we went with another people in our group on a walk through a retail shopping area a block west of the hotel that reminded Roger a lot of Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

 

And nearby that was an open food market. It's had the feel of fair food, but I am pretty sure Beer and Jessup doesn't have this stuff--everything from squid to shrimp to snake to scorpions...all on a stick. Must have been 50 little stands side-by-side with this stuff.

 

On the way back to the hotel, we saw this mass line dancing thing going on. Dozens of people doing a very choreographed dance and people sitting around watching.

It was a really good day of touring, but very tiring. Tomorrow, we head to The Great Wall!

We made it!!!

We have finally made it! The flight was good...only a little turbulence, but otherwise fairly smooth ride.  We met our tour guide and he is very kind.  We are in the hotel now and are ready to crash. We head to Forbidden City and Tian'anmen square tomorrow.

Detroit airport

Our plane filling up!

Crazy picture for our girl!

Our first meal...

our 3rd meal...thought of Hannah here, because she calls these butterflies

Waiting....

So we have completed the first flight of seven. It was very uneventful, which is just perfectly fine with me. We are now sitting at the airport in Detroit waiting for our next flight to Beijing at 12:58 p.m. I have forgotten how interesting it is to sit at an airport and watch people. Oh how there are many kinds... :) God is preparing us for the constant Chinese language as we are sitting close by some families that are obviously headed to the same place we are.  I have to say that it is music to my ears.  We are both still in awe that God is sending us to China again to get our little boy. We weren't sure this would ever be possible and here we are. God is so good and we are so thankful for the opportunity to be blessed again through adoption!! We are so excited that all of you have chosen to join this crazy ride with us.  We are thrilled to get the ride started and we hope that we provide you with enough pictures that will give you a taste of the Chinese culture.

P.S. Groundhogs, if you are reading this, I hope you are having a great day!!! Miss you all!!!