Beijing Day 2

Today we we joined with another couple from our adoption group, Tim and Jodie. We started the day off with a buffet breakfast in the hotel. It was good stuff - a nice combination of western, European, and Chinese.

After we had our fill, we boarded the van for a trip to Tian Men Square. This is a huge square, covering over 160 acres! The square is pretty much dedicated to Mao. His HUGE picture is on the gate to the Forbidden city. Which is where we went next. Now I know that you all would liek to se some pictures of this portion of our adventures, but I left my camera in the van. I did get some video, but it will take me a little while to sort through all the excess footage.

For lunch, we went to a Hutong family home. Hutong is a place where there are some single dwelling homes that share a courtyard. This used to be the way of life in Beijing, but in the 70's the government forced people out of these homes. It wasn't until 2004 that this particular family was given back their home.

The husband of the family, who did not wish to be included in the picture is a Tibetan Herbalist, and his family is considered higher class, and this portion of Beijing is a fairly well-to-do neighborhood.

There were only 7 of us, and they brought out TONS of food. Way more that we could have possibly eaten. It was all quite delicious!

To get to this house, we rode on bicycles with a bench on the back. These are called rickshaws. It was interesting weaving in and out of traffic, with some close brushes with walls and vehicles. The rain made it even more interesting. Still, though it was quite fun! This is the view from the rickshaw as we were passing the canal.

After lunch we went to a tea house. This teahouse was government run, which just means that it is regulated by the government. There we were shown a traditional tea ceremony and were given samples of tea to try. Of course, this was followed by the opportunity to buy said tea and teapots to serve it with. Yes, we made our contribution to the People's Republic of China and purchased a lovely tea set and some tea. Hannah will get to have a nice tea party when she is old enough.

Tomorrow we are going to the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. More pictures to follow...however the more important thing is that tomorrow is the last day of sightseeing for Beijing, because the next day we fly to Chongqing where Hannah is!