The Great Wall Plus Some

Okay, I'll admit it.  I am completely exhausted.  I don't think it is jetlag so much as I climbed this today.

Though I declined the invitation to go further after awhile, Oak and Huckleberry went on for a little bit longer.  

But before we went to the Great Wall of China we had breakfast and facetimed with the kids back home (where the first question they asked was "where is baby sister?" and the second statement was "we went to the MALL today!"  Then we went to a Cloisonne factory.  It was fascinating to see how it was made and there was some really beautiful things...none of which we purchased.

Then we went to the Great Wall of China.  Personally I was hoping for the section of the wall that has the sky lift and toboggan, but no this part required all leg power.  I am pretty sure it is different from the part I had visited before, so that was nice.  It really is an impressive wonder.  We chose to climb the "steeper but less popular side."  Since we made it back safe, I am glad we were able to avoid crowds.

Though the popular side didn't look all that more gentle!  But one man from our travel group did go up both for a ways and agreed with the description.

We were pretty hot and tired by the end, so we bought some drinks and Huckleberry picked out his postcards and we sat for a little bit with others waiting for the time to load the air conditioned bus.

Then we went to a Jade Store to have lunch.  The food was very good, the information about Jade was very interesting, and everything was very pretty.  Again no purchase.

Now at this point I was so ready to go back to the hotel, but we had one more stop to make.  It was nice to visit the home of the 2008 Olympics, but I think I would have been equally as happy creating this photo in Photoshop.

It might actually have turned out a better photograph that way...
Then we had one more 1/2 hour to get back to the hotel.  Some of these roads and buildings are starting to seem familiar.  

It is so very different from the Beijing I visited 15 years ago.  Maybe because the area is different or maybe because it has just changed that much.  

Our guide filled us in on a lot of Chinese history ancient and current as we traveled around in our bus today.  Often he started a phrase when talking about current culture with 10-15 years ago it was very different.  He has also taught us 6 Chinese words.  We get two more words tomorrow.

Finally we were back at the hotel.  It was only a little after 5 and we wanted dinner.  We checked out the Chinese restaurant in the hotel but decided to take the walk to the other restaurant we'd already been to (similar menu at half the prices...)   It turned out fine and great, but I was not sure we would be able to cross the street.  The street light was broken AND the local flea market was just ending so there were people, cars, buses, bikes, and even dogs everywhere.  On the way back it seemed empty in comparison.  

But we made it across eventually, had a tasty dinner of snow peas, stone pot chicken, steamed rice, and the dumplings we liked before.  Our tea was bitter fairly quickly, but we enjoyed trying out one more flavor.

Then we stopped at the grocery to get a few more cokes, some chips and cookies, and laundry soap and headed back to our room.  Oak and Huckleberry went swimming and I looked at my pictures from the day.  Now it is 9:00 p.m. and we are about to turn in.  Tomorrow we tour until 2:00 p.m. with our agency and if we can sustain any energy I'm still hoping to squeeze in the Summer Palace in the late afternoon.  But we'll see.  It is more important we feel rested and healthy when we meet our new daughter the day after tomorrow!!!!!!