Saturday, March 27, 2010

Beijing Day 1: The Whirlwind Begins

Can't believe I'm in back in China. The flight was long but not bad and I'm enjoying getting to know the kids. They are in awe and amazed and it is fun to be able to share this experience with them. We arrived in Beijng yesterday and had to wait a white for another group to arrive before we headed to dinner. I think we enjoyed a nice meal but quite honestly was too tired to know. We are staying at the Dongfang Hotel. My room is quite small but clean and comfortable. I have the kids posting to another blog so find that is often my priority over my own. (http://cthstravels.blogspot.com)

Haven taken a sleeping pill last night I can hardly remember anything but I did sleep. Had a phone call at 3am when Keara's guitar teacher called to say her lesson had been canceled (life doesn't seem to stop even though I'm half-way around the world). It was actually a good thing since I didn't set my alarm clock correctly.

Started today with a nice breakfast buffet. I'm a little leery of eating and drinking only because I was so sick coming home years ago. Unsure how I got sick but am chicken anyway.

This city is quite large and I honestly don't know how anyone gets around. Denver traffic is a piece of cake compared to Beijing. No one can complain anymore. I quickly learned that this would not be a city I travel to without a guide. It is all just way too confusing.

Lots of walking today. Began our tour at the Summer Palace and Imperial Garden. It was lovely but I can imagine it being even more so during warmer weather. Lots of tourists and most of them of Asian decent so we are quite the attraction.

We went to a cultured pearl store and I learned quite a bit about pearls. I didn't buy any since I bought them last time I was in China (still a miracle considering how much I like to shop). Lunch was buffet style and then we went off to Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Amazing to be in such historic places. The Forbidden City is HUGE. I'm glad I didn't get lost.

My favorite part of the day was riding in the rickshaw through the hutongs. I'm not sure why I liked it so much but it was just very cool. Ate dinner in a hutong home and it was the best food ever. Much better than the restaurants as is typical I think of any country.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel and I decided to take the kids to a grocery store. Thankfully I didn't get lost. I was on a mission for cake and a special birthday candle for one of students. It was quite comical as I tried to get this done with the other chaperone. We got the cake but couldn't quite get the candle communicated. It did make for some great laughs but you had to be there.



Anyway, better get this posted as I'm starting to get sleepy.

As I see children everywhere I find myself missing the girls and Zeb and wishing they were here but it is also nice to know that I'll be back one day with them.

Love to all.

1 comment:

Sheryl said...

Christine,

I've been following both of your blogs. Hopefully, the tiredness will improve and it sounds like the students are really loving the adventure so far! It's so like you to go to the effort of finding a cake and candles for your student and I can picture the whole ordeal!

I think the girls are doing o.k. Today, Keara, Sam and I attempted the AG Grand Opening and it was WAY beyond crowded. At LEAST 1,000 people ahead of us in line and hours to go before we'd even get in! We had to abandon our mission. They were so disappointed but I promised we'd make another attempt in the coming days. Yikes!

Miss you. Have fun!

Sheryl