June 30, 2006

Today was quite full, tiring, fun, and exciting.

We all jumped on a bus and headed to the Great Wall. It was about an hour drive northeast of Beijing. We got in our groups, paid the 30 RMB (quai, $3.60) to get to the Wall, and climbed to the top of a rather long section. Pretty steep and hard, but definately worth it. There are hundreds of people trying to sell you souvenirs from stalls at several stopping points. The views and picture spots were amazing. Some rode a "coaster-tram" back down to the starting point after making their ascent. SOME hot shots went further than most and skipped the tram down. I wasn't one of them!

We then drove back into the city and stopped at the McDonald's across from Tian'anmen Square. The Square is where there was the student uprising and subsequent killing of many people. Remember that amazing video of the student standing in front of the advancing tank, blocking it's path. Well this is where it happened. The Square is the largest such place in the world. It is flanked by the Hall of the People (like a congress building), a huge museum, and the Forbidden City. In the middle is Mao TseDong's mausoleum. It wasn't open, Shane, Josh, and I hope to go back next week to see Mao. (PS, he's dead).

Then we split into our groups depending on what we wanted to do. Several hit the stores and some went to the Forbidden City. This is where the Chinese emperors spent their time. It is huge, full of hundreds of halls, gates, buildings, temples, gardens, and plazas. Much of it is currently undergoing renovatoin for the upcoming Olympics. It was cool to see the unrestored buildings and compare them to the restored ones. The detail is so beautful. The gardens at the north end were my favorite part.

After that we all met up at a restaurant nearby for a traditional Beijing (Peking) Duck meal. The duck is so tender and the skin so light, it melts in your mouth. You eat it by putting some thin sliced duck, sliced onions, and a soy-plum sauce on a small crepe-like wrap and eating! Mm, mm, good! Then back to the hotel for sleep time.

Tomorrow, Shane, Josh, and I will be moving to another hotel closer to the center of the city while the rest of the team does last minute shopping and preparing to leave China on the 8:00 PM flight out of Beijing.

The Three Musketeers (Shane, Josh, and I) will continue to post our adventures. Check back soon. AND we are REALLY hoping to post some pictures while here in Beijing since the hotels allow direct connections from computers. I really hope it works.

See you tomorrow.