Today is our last day in Beijing, so while the bus is loading up I have some time to take a few pictures of the street in front of the hotel. From the noise at night I know this is always a busy street and this morning the parade of bicycles, cars, and buses continues nonstop …
The first stop is a hutong – a neighborhood of traditional “courtyard” homes. We visit a hutong that overlooks a lake …
After seeing the Pandas at the Beijing Zoo, we have lunch at McDonald’s …
On the bus ride to the Temple of Heaven we pass the very distinctive headquarters building for China Central Television …
… and finally we arrive at the Temple of Heaven.
After dinner we head to the Beijing West Train Station and board the overnight Z19 train to Xi’an …
It’s not the Orient Express, but the train to Xi’an is an adventure.
Tomorrow we visit the Terracotta Warriors.
Day 3 begins with a tour of Beijing Banner Jadeware City, a workshop where artisans make jade carvings. Like all of these tours they end with shopping for the pieces you’ve been admiring for the past couple of hours. I dutifully make a purchase.
After the bus driver shoehorns our 50′ bus into a 49′ parking space we arrive at the Juyongguan section of The Great Wall. This is the “easy” side of the climb – which we did climb – and it was not easy …
Next we visit Cloisonne Enamel for lunch, another artisan tour, and more shopping. No purchases for me this time. I’m not sure how I would carry this home …
After visiting the Ming Tomb, Donna and Mickey walk the Sacred Way …
We end the day with the acrobatic show at the Beijing Theatre and then the Peking Duck Dinner at Beijing Bianyifang Roust Duck Group …
Tomorrow is our last day in Beijing.
After breakfast at the Beijing Kaiheng Century Hotel, Day 2 gets started with a bus ride to Tiananmen Square. It’s a holiday in China so the square is crowded with many tourist groups.
Outside the entrance to the Forbidden City …
And inside the Forbidden City …
We spend several hours walking from Tiananmen Square, through the Forbidden City, and then end up in the Imperial Garden.
After a bus ride and lunch (at a Beijing McDonald’s!) Day 2 continues with a tour of the Summer Palace and a boat ride on Kunmimg Lake.
It’s the first day of a 10 day adventure with traveling partners Mickey, Donna, and Dr. Craven’s group from Milford High. The rest of the group is flying from Boston, so I am flying solo on the way to China on United flight 897 from Dulles to Beijing …
… and, a first for me, taking the polar route.
After clearing customs we take a bus directly to The Bird’s Nest …
… and the Water Cube on the Olympic Green.
Over 24 hours after leaving Dulles we finally get to dinner at the Beijing Hongyunlou Restaurant.
Day 1 ends with an amazingly terrifying cab ride back to the airport to pick up Donna. Over the next several days we learn that in Beijing lane markings and traffic signals are merely suggestions. To get anywhere through the 24 hour a day rush hour that is Beijing traffic requires some very aggressive driving!