2 Days in Beijing

The tours have been really interesting. The first day we went to the Summer Palace, Tienanmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. It was a lot to do in one day! Our tour guide, Juli, would stop quite a bit to tell us the history of everything. I love Chinese history- China has such an old civilization, I feel like I can always learn something new!

At the Forbidden City a lot of people wanted to take pictures with me- it was really weird! Michael thought it was hilarious though! The tour guide was like "Your wife is really popular" haha! 

The second day we went to the Great Wall, and it was really really hot. Like 32 degrees (Celsius- lol we are trying to get used to using it!). About half way through I got really sick from the heat and started moving really slowly. I felt like I was going to pass out! Anyways, after the great wall we skipped the Ming Tombs. I felt really bad about having to skip out on the tombs, but I also didn't want to throw up in the car. After the hotel we went to the art district to look at some paintings and sculptures. We bought some hilarious postcards that we will be sending out to a special few.
The tour in Beijing is perfect!!! I really enjoy it, once I am off duty, I would come here again! Thanks to OnlineChinaTours, I really appreciate your efforts!

2 days in fantastic Beijing

How Fantastic! Beautiful weather, 85 degrees and the sky in Beijing was actually visible. Armed with camera and water, Andrew, Lisa and I split up from our group so we could cover more ground. I've read about how so many people comment on the walls steepness, but I wrote them off thinking they were just out of shape or inactive, but believe me some steps could be three regular steps. I had to maybe too good of a time on the wall for being a sweaty, smelly American. We made it to the highest point on our section of the wall in about an hour, but I think it could have taken more than two hours since we thought running up some parts would make for a good time. Being the hyperactive kids we are we scaled the wall by running many of the safer portions where either the slope wasn't as bad or the steps were in better condition. Good time and even better views!!!
The mountains in China are so different that any mountains I've ever seen. They go up, down, all around with out any sort of formation snaking through the hills. I am surprised how green the land is here too since it is so hot and humid all the time. I concluded our wall exercise by purchasing the essential Mao shirt proclaiming "Saved the People" on the front. Then we were off to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
A place like the Forbidden City is best enjoyed by picturing yourself in the 1400s when this massive place was built. Being that long ago, the scale to which it was built, and the fact that it was built for one person, makes the Forbidden City out of this world.
It's amazing how much food one can eat here and for how cheap this is accomplished. I am now such a fan of community dishes held at tables with spinning tops. The eel here has been by far my favorite dish as well as the most surprising. The food is so fresh and so delicious, you'd all love it! Our fish was brought to us in a net before it would be cooked to prove the freshness. Other notable dishes include eggplant, any kind of dumpling, and of course Peking duck is pretty decent. Chinese beer has been nothing to shake a stick at mostly because it tastes so watered down, but as always, cheap anything is good.
I wish I had more time to experience all that Beijing has to offer. It's been a fantastic two days here. Beijing was so exotic and so enjoyable. The Chinese people have been many times more kind that I expected them to be. Also I want to say thanks to you(Onlinechinatours) for giving us such a great itinerary. I must have been reading in the wrong places! So long Beijing see you again in two months.