Site-seeing Day

McDonald's - China style

Forbidden City

Tien'anmen Square


Jon trying out for the acrobat show - sadly he didn't make it.

Pinch us! We are still in disbelief that we are in China. Never in a million years would we have thought that we would be guided towards China one day.

Today, we started with a breakfast within the hotel which was nice; however, trying to remember what to eat and not to eat was quite difficult. Since the water has certain bacteria in it, we certainly cannot drink it or even eat any food that might have come in contact with it. We ate and so far so good with no desperate need to go use the facility. So tomorrow we will try it again.

After trying our luck with breakfast, we all climbed aboard a tour bus and went to Tian'enman Square and Forbidden City. Forbidden City was unbelievably enormous since it kept going and going and going. At one point in history it contained 9,999 rooms (lucky #9)but now it is about 7,000. "Enormous" doesn't even do the description justice.

After having quite a busy morning, we then headed back to the hotel and we both crashed since jet lag is still an issue. It was much needed.

In the evening, our guide Catherine took us to the Olympic Village to see the Water Cube and Bird's Nest which was amazing. We know that preparing the city like they did was no easy task. You should see some of the hotels around it - The Seven Star Hotel is where Former Pres. Bush stayed while he was viewing the events.

The highlight of the day was going to see an acrobat show. I'd have to say it wasn't far off from Cirque De Sole'. While there, I experienced a real squatty potty (not like the one at the airport which was very nice if you can call a squatty-potty nice). I won't go into too much detail so you can use your imagination.

Funny story, as we were leaving the Forbidden City, we were being surrounded by many vendors trying to sell trinkets to us. It was so hard to say "no" (we say "Booya" which means "No, I don't want it"). Most of the vendors were handicapped or young young children but our guide told us to keep walking and since Jon and I are "rule followers", we did just that. Among them was a little boy who looked like he was bent down looking at rocks, but at a closer look, we realized he was really having a bowel movement right there on the sidewalk! No picture for that one.

We are so looking forward to tomorrow- "The Great Wall" and the Summer Palace. Can't wait. Then on Sunday is the BIG day of finally getting TingTing (Julianne)!