Monday, August 26, 2013

China

 The first city we visited was Beijing-above is the view from our hotel
Below is inside our hotel
 We took the kids to a park near our hotel after dinner



 Returning to the hotel after some time outside
 First morning with our tour group-at the Summer Palace, the summer home of the Emperor and his family










 It was a beautiful place.  We really enjoyed the lake and the ride on the dragon boat!
 Having lunch

 Our tour guide told us that we were coming up on the American Embassy and then pointed out this McDonald's!

 Riding a rickshaw in an old neighborhood with streets WAY too small for our tour bus to fit in

 Tienanmen's Square


 The Forbidden City-where the Emperor and his family lived during the rest of the year-we all thought the Summer Palace was prettier.


 The Temple of Heaven below

 Our first night's dinner-Scott was just a little tired!  Though we didn't have the excuse of jetlag since Beijing is the same time zone as Manila.
 This was our peking duck dinner!  It was very good-tasted like chicken.  The chef sliced it and the waitress showed us how to pu the meat on little pancakes and roll them up.  Ryan particularly enjoyed them.
 The duck platter reminded me of eating turkey from a turkey shaped platter at Thanksgiving!
 Below are pictures from a jade factory and store that we visited.




 The animals at the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs



 The Great Wall-it was amazing!  We rode up to the top in these gondola cars and were disappointed that it was so misty the day we were there for picture taking but we were cooler!









 Below is one of my favorite pictures-the boys loved playing arching standing at the openings to defend the wall and Greg caught them peeking out one of the openings.