On Our Own!

After 5 days of tour guides, on Thursday we decided to give it a go on our own in the afternoon. We hit the streets of Beijing!!! We walked (and walked and walked). Haven't gone to Snack Street yet (for you Beijing veterans) - NOT looking forward to seeing scorpions-on-a-stick. Have a new respect for Bill, since both our guides have  been quite emphatic about not eating there - ha!

Walked down Pedestrian (or Walking) Street - like Times Square at night, as Doug said. Found a Roasted Duck place to eat. One of our guides' recommendations. So yeah, now we've had the famous Peking Duck! Very yummy but very greasy. Found a Chinese Arts and Crafts mall - SO FUN! I love to shop, so this was a blast. Found a few treasures!

We walked the entire length of the street, coming out on the opposite end, a few more blocks and there was Tiananmen Square!! We walked all the way around the perimeter, people-watching and taking pictures of each building on each side. The south end is the mausoleum for Chairman Mao. It was closed because it was late in the day. One of the funnest things we did, at Jenna's idea, was take a "Where's Waldo" picture. Doug and the girls went into the crowd and I took a picture. You have to find them in the crowd!  We were brave and even split up for the picture.

We feel very safe here. The people here are truly gentle-spirited. They just want peace, and they literally yield their place rather than get upset or demand their way. I'm humbled. The children are so happy here - I have only seen 1 mother use harshness with her child, and it was a beggar woman sending her child to beg from us. Heart-breaking.

All for now - gotta go get ready - today is our hike on the Great Wall!! After an exquisite breakfast, we meet our guide at 8am!!
C

I'll add to Carolyn's post.

Forgive me for enjoying it - but breakfast here was both western and Asian, and so having an omlet and a crepe (not like home, better than I would make at home) was really fun.

And we spent the AM at the Summer Palace - a guided tour.  Our guide, Louis, was very friendly, informative and fun.  The palace is really a collection of palaces, courtyards, a man made lake and hill (it took a million years for a million men to move the dirt from the lake to the hill, well, not really, but you get the idea - everything here is on a grand scale, including this.)  We climbed the hill a bit where there was a pavillion with people singing and playing instruments and dancing.  They invited the girls into the the dance.   We crossed the lake on a dragon boat as well.

On the way back we had the guide drive us through part of the Olympic park - by the "Bird's nest". 
D