Beijing

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  Beijing, China
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

We have been on the go for the last 4 days with little time to write or figure out how to download pictures to this blog.
Undoubtedly Beijing in under major transformation in preparation of the 2008 Olympics.  To look underneath the air pollution, traffic jams and crowds, you would find a wide boulevards similar to Paris, skyscrapers unlike New York and poverty worse than any 3rd world country.  It is amazing to see modern sleek high rise dotting every corner of the skyline and next to it a slum housing project not fit for any American.  Beijing has moved away from traditional ancient culture in favor for Western traditions.  The empirical sites are now just for tourists.  Clearly Beijing demonstrates more capitalism than communist.
So what have we been doing??  From early morning to late at night, we are American tourists without the black socks and sandals.  
Sunday - Forbidden City, Tiam'man Square, Peking Duck dinner and Kugfu Show.  The FC took us 5 hours to walk through the main axis of the city.  After reading "Almost a Revolution", I had a better understanding of the city where this event occurred and the massive square than could hold 1 million people at one given time.  Chairman Mao is still honored today as the People's Leader.  His embalmed body can be viewed on certain days however it was closed the day we visited for renovations.  Darn, we missed his shriveled up old body. 
Monday- The GREAT wall!!  Incredible steep, incredible long and that day was incredibly hot....but I made it to the 2nd tower and Kyle made it to the 4th tower.  Because we are on a "government" tour, we are required to stop at many shops selling overpriced products that I normally wouldn't buy but find myself walking out with a shopping bag in hand. So far we have visited the Jade shop, Chinese herbal doctor and received a free foot massage with an invitation to purchase herbal foot teas to cure blood circulation.  Kyle said he is going to take my wallet away if I continue to fall for these Chinese gimmicks.  Ok, everything is SOOOO cheap here for instance I had a full body 1 hr. massage for $13 in my room, the next night a 45 min foot massage $13, taxi $5, a fake Gucci purse $10....In the evening we went out to the Em porers Summer Palace to enjoy a  ride on the Dragon Boats.  Like I said...tourists, but we are having so much fun.
Tuesday - We have another early start to the Temple of Heaven.  I think our group has had enough temples and palaces for the day. Next we go for ricksaw (bicycle) rides through the ancient hutongs.  We forgo the Lama Temple and head out to buy souvenirs.  Kyle and I both we having so much fun bargaining for more stuff we don't even need.  He said we make great tourists.  A final stop at the pharmacy where I purchase some herbal medicine for my back and Kyle is just shaking his head when I walk out with another full bag of products.
Tomorrow we leave for Shanghai.....it is hot and humid, but we are having the best time with each other, our tour friends and just getting to know the old Beijing. 
Love ya all.

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