Today was another wet, gray day but we still headed out to the Great Wall. We first made a stop at the Jade Market and then onto the Great Wall. We were getting close and there was fresh snow on the ground. All of the families got off of the bus and headed to the Wall. The entire walkway was covered with an ice/snow mix and we (OK me and dad) were sliding all over. We tried to go up but it was so slippery I was worried I would fall sprain an ankle or worse so we didn't get far but can say we were there. After the Great Wall we went to the Cloisonne Factory/Friendship Store. Lunch was pretty good. I liked the dumplings, fish, and chicken. The store there was great and it was so hard not to buy one of everything. The catch was whatever you buy we had to pack with on the flight to Guangzhou tomorrow. Finally, on the way back we drove past the Olympic Village and the Birds Nest (area for the track and field games). I wanted a photo but it didn't turn out from the bus. After we got back to the hotel, we tried to walk to two different temples but both were just closed. We ended up walking around the area and a guy was selling post card books on the street for $1. Dad actually started to buy 2 of the postcard sets when we joked that what he really wanted was a book on the Forbidden City. It was so funny that the guy then pulls the books out of his bag. Then he and dad tried to go back and forth bartering. It is official, we stink at bartering. All said he got 2 books and two postcard sets while the crowd of Chinese men around us just laughed.
Tomorrow we have an 11:00 flight to Guangzhou and Monday I get Malia!!! Oh my gosh, I am so excited. The group is laughing at how we all stare at the little kids we see.
I had sactually just said to someone that the weather lloked so damp that I wondered what the conditions were at the Wall - since it is north and more cold. KNowing how sttep it is, I was worried about it being too slippery... look at it this way, it gave you a gracious way to not have to climb without it being about it just being too darn hard!
ReplyDeleteStewart, Helen and I were just checking your blog to see what you've been up to so far. We're so excited for you - you're THERE! Malia in 2 days - hurray!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you. Thanks for keeping the blog updated so we can all share in your experience. This is actually the first day I've checked your blog but look forward to more updates/pictures.
ReplyDeleteJeff J