It’s funny to me that, as we get set to come over to China, everyone we told had pretty much the same reaction.  China?   Why?  And, you, working together, had me also wondering why China??   I was pretty well terrified when we got on the plane.  Then we got here and it was dark and raining and then I spent much of the night awake and I just couldn’t help but wonder why the heck I always dragged myself of on these crazy trips.

So it’s always good to be reminded.  China – at least Beijing – is incredible!  Yep – it’s crowded here: 20 million people in Beijing and the traffic is horrific but the city is such a beautiful mix of communist buildings, the Forbidden Palace grounds, gridlock, mopeds and bikes, tiny stores and men playing chess and some other game I can’t identify on crowded sidewalks.  There’s dozens and dozens of people in various outdoor parks, doing outdoor group dancing, ballroom dancing, Zumba.  Each park we drove through had groups dancing. 

This (above) is a typical street corner.  We drove by this on the bus – and we were in the midst of an hourlong traffic jam- but it’s a different world on foot or on a bike and you can escape the large boulevards in a moment and find little streets like this branching off everywhere.

But you’re probably not looking for such pedestrian photos so on to the sightseeing. We started the day at the Forbidden City, which was where the emperor lived, starting 600 years ago.  This place took 1,000,000 people to build it over a period of 20 years.  It sits right next to Tiananmen Square, where the student uprising took place in…1989, I think??

This below is T. Square (too lazy to spell it again).  It’s not as crowded as I was thinking it would be but it’s kind of a non-thrill compared to the buildings around it. The uprising started on the road just at the back of the picture – it’s the road that divides T. Square from the Forbidden City right behind it. It reminded me of Taksim Square in Istanbul.  Our guide says he used to go there to ride his bike and hangout as a kid but that the government doesn’t allow it anymore – it’s closed starting at about 7pm and there are hundreds of security cameras mounted everywhere.  Some light posts have 4 and even 5 cameras on them.

From T. Square, you enter the Forbidden City under Chairman Mao’s portrait.The Forbidden City goes on forever.  Here’s a few shots from in there.  The first one is a traditional garden area that I loved.  The second one is one of many charming alleyway that meander off the main walking area. The third one is stepping through some ceremonial doors into the final interior courtyard.From the Forbidden City, we went for a lunch stop with the group.  It was at this point that I pulled our guide, Hao, aside and mentioned my corn allergy and vegetarian habits and he said no problem, walked into the restaurant and had it all fixed!  Plates of vegetables, no corn starch used, came out for me, no meat to be seen. One of broccoli and one of mushrooms (!!) and something else that book club would love but I avoid. It was so easy – after all my failures dining on my own and so I was only slightly less excited when, at dinner tonight, I was served the very same plate of broccoli, but at an entirely different restaurant.  Could tomorrow’s lunch offer a similar treat?? Is it just one plate of broccoli that’s following me around Beijing?

We headed over to the Summer Palace next – a respite from the chaos of the city, only 10 miles out and requiring a full hour to drive it in the traffic – if it were me, I’d stick with the Forbidden City.  But still, here it is, with a 200 year old man made lake in front of it.

Here’s a bride and groom we came across right outside the Forbidden City today.  Chinese brides always wear red.   This one, under her traditional dress, had on aqua blue running shoes.

That’s it for now.  Bedtime here.  All is great over here. Our traveling group is really fun and it’s a nice small group of 18.  I remain an incompetent travelers in a few key areas.  I can plan a trip and execute a trip but I still cannot remember to NOT throw the toilet paper in the toilet bowl.  I am sure I ruined a lot of plumbing this way in Costa Rica and then I continued on with my work in Turkey so it’s nice to add an Asian country to my list.  It’s also impressive to know that I can walk into the stall, remind myself to use the garbage can, use the toilet and, in that 30 seconds, forget to use the garbage can that sits right in front of me.  In addition, I cannot figure out how to put the little headphone things for the “Whisper” box microphone thingie our guide uses into my ear.  I was assisted with this at least 6 times today as I “forgot” it was in my ear and yanked it loose time and time again.  The exchange rate mystifies me since it’s something like 100 RMB to 15 US, which seems simple as I type this but definitely is not when you add 90 degree weather, a person speaking to me quickly in Chinese and a selection of snack foods that may or may not contain corn.

TTYT:)