Touring Beijing... Lessons learned!

We did it! We climbed the Great Wall! It was even harder than usual as their was ice on steps from the recent snow. I held on to the rails the whole way! On the way down.. I held on with two hands at times! It was so steep in some places. This picture is all crooked because we were alone and had no one at that point to take our picture so we propted the camera on a trash can! This was after the climb! We really went a long way! Had it not been for slipppery ice, we would have pushed on but I couldn't imagine slipping, falling, injuring ourselves and then not being 100% for LJ!
This is prior to the climb. The etching says something about one is not a hero until they have climbed the Great Wall. I guess we are heros now!

This was taken at the Palace Garden in the Forbidden City. It was beautiful!
This was us, as we approached the Forbidden City. This was our first stop of the day.

Now... for the humor found in the day... let's talk about the funny stuff! We've so enjoyed our day in Bejing! Just let me say our guide is wonderful! She has a bubbly personality!

1. Typical hats in China don't fit Geoff. Our agency gave us two baseball style hats to wear on the tour I suppose but ...


I can't tell you how this made me laugh!!! It reminds me of when Brennen was only 7 months old and Geoff put his hat at Carolyn and John's Super Bowl Party!

2. Don't pull out your cash wad in the crowd in front of the Forbidden City. I almost had a heart attack! First our guide left us for like 2 seconds to pay our way in and next thing we knew, there were pan-handlers everywhere surrounding us. I was especially moved by an old woman with a tear falling down her cheek. She had a Forbidden City book for sale. I thought it would be a good idea to have one... and then Geoff went to get some cash... out came the whole wad and then comes another book... and another... We ended up with all of these! (Bejing, Forbidden City, and Great Wall)

What we paid for all three was really not bad but it was the whole experience that was crazy! Next thing you know, we had people trying to sell us hats and all kind of crap and then there was an unfortunate man looking for money that had lost his hand. He really was pitiful but thankfully Sylvia rescued us and gave us the lesson of all lessons... ignore and keep walking. (I do this every time I go to the mall in Savannah... don't know what happened today!

3. Geoff is a celebrity in China. I left him long enough to go to the restroom and came back to him telling me... hurry back!!! People are making me pose for pictures with them! They probably were amazed at this tall guy. I told him maybe they thought he was Ben Affleck!

4. Squatty Potty's aren't so bad! I had to go at the Great Wall. I learned that all those rustic camping trips when I was younger paid off... It was fine! The hard part was un-squatting after just returning from climbing the Great Wall! My legs were jello!

5. We got a good laugh about our Chinese Zodiacs. I was born in the year of the Tiger and Geoff in the year of the Rabbit. Our guide laughed and said that this match meant that the woman was in charge and was usually the boss and controlled the money. The rest of the day, everytime it was time to buy something it was me she went to. At the Jade Factory, I picked out a necklace for LJ and Geoff picked out the family harmony ball.

6. Chinese slippers don't fit Geoff either! Poor guy... In China he may as well be a relative of Yao Ming!



7. In China, you don't always know what you are eating! Our lunch was delicious. Our guide had Geoff try the "business men's drink". It was a tiny glass so he figured what the heck... we're in China. Well... as cold as it is here, he said this could warm you right up! I only wish I had the look on his face when he drank it! Geoff's says he would not be a good business man in China.


And tonight we had Peking Duck with all kinds of other delicious dishes! Except this one...

I wish somone could tell me what I ate! It was NOT noodles...and it grew in my mouth with every chew. Yikes!

We have tons more pictures but we're just so tired... time to rest up for Lexi-J Day!