Beijing 2012 June 30th

Beijing 2012 
June 30^th

Here we are – in the capital city of Beijing.  It is presently almost 10 p.m. here, and I’ve got to turn in soon.  We are catching an early train to Zhengzhou in the morning.  Our eyes are red from the air pollution, and it leaves you with a slightly “yucky” feeling, but otherwise it was a very good day. 

 We met our guide Candy in the lobby early this morning.  She was very pleasant and spoke an impressive amount of English.  On the funny side - look at her T-Shirt in the picture with Anita. J   Humor aside, Candy was very informative and gave us a good tour of Tiananmen Square with a lot of historical background.  We then went into the Forbidden City.  It was very hot, and quite crowded.  We found it best to look at things from a distance because the people here are quite aggressive tourists and will literally push you to get past. 

After the Forbidden City, we travelled an hour by car to a restaurant near the Great Wall. Anita and I stuck to menu items that looked similar to what we find at home.  When we arrived at the Great Wall, our guide asked if we wanted to take the cable car, or go up by foot.  Anita, being the smart sister that she is, chose the cable car.  It is quite a ride up and the views are incredible.  When we returned, we had to walk through a gauntlet of merchants selling almost identical wares in makeshift booths.  Anita inquired about a stuffed panda bear, but when she seemed reluctant to pay the price the man asked, he kept trying to make a deal and would not let her past!  He physically blocked her way and no matter which way she stepped he stepped in front of her.  I reached around him and grabbed her wrist and pulled her through to safety.  We decided we were not interested in shopping anymore. 

The drive to and from the Great Wall is very interesting.  You see some buildings that are quite new, and others that are decrepit.  For some reason, frequently there are piles of rubble – bricks and stones- just laying about.  The traffic is very aggressive and I was happy to have a good driver!  Beijing is a place I would never want to drive.

This evening we finished our day with a show put on by Chinese acrobats.  The show lasted an hour and was comprised of several acts, one more amazing than the preceding.  These young people are extremely talented and very strong. 

I am quite tired and ready for bed. We will wake early tomorrow and head to Zhengzhou.  The next day, I FINALLY meet my new son, Evan!!    Stay tuned….