China Trip..... Stop # 1 - Beijing

Tianamen Square

Forbidden City

Temple of Heaven

Kung-Fu Tea Service

Peking Opera

The GREAT WALL!!!

We left Bangalore on Wednesday, March 24.  Flight was around midnight.

The day was hectic, Vim and I had work, the kids had an evening program at school (I will post the details and pictures of the program), and we had to leave for the airport straight from the school.  Needless to say, it took a lot of planning to get everythign in order, we ran out of the school as soon as the program was over and headed to the airport.  The whole way, I was thinking that we were insane to cut it so close.  Funny thing, we get to the airport and Milan's friend Sonia (yes, the Sonia) and her family did the same exact (insane) thing!!  They were on their way to Tokyo and Bangkok.

So, we landed in Beijing on Thursday afternoon...  completely exhausted.

Friday was DAY 1 of our touring:
We started off in Tianamen Square.  This is the largest 'city-square' in the world.  However, it did not seem to have the feel that I would have expected for a city square.  Essentially inside they had the building where you can see the body of Chairman Mao, they have a few towers, and states.  But no real bustle of of city square.  To the North of the Square was the Forbiden City which is palace during the Ming Dynasty.  Then we went to Temple of Heaven which was used by emperors in the Qing and Ming dynasties to pray to heaven.  Last stop for day one....  a Peking Opera.  It was a full day of adventure and we were out and about all day.

DAY 2:
Here we started off with a trip to the Ming Tombs.  Yes, just as the name suggests, the burial places of the Ming emperors....  Then it was off to the GREAT WALL!!!  It was amazing.....over 6000km long..... Built to keep the Mongolian Army out of China.  The Great Wall is considered a 'Wonder of the World'.  Day 2 ended with a trip to the knock off market.  Mira and Milan were introduced to the Converse High Top - knock offs....  by the time the trip was over, Milan got 3 pair and Mira got 4 pair....  I got a purse (come, one that was a given, right....).

DAY 3: 
Here we went to the Summer Palace and the Beijing Zoo to see the Pandas.  And then it was off to the airport to catch our flight to Xi'an.

Overall, Beijing was a nice city.  Looking back, a nice blend from the big city feel of Shanghai and the small town feel of Xi'an.  Seeing the Great Wall was the best part.  The weather was chilly....  it was a high of 50's and it was a little cold for us...  but we survived....  Our tour guides were Cindy and Catherine...  they were great.  It is really hard to get around in China without knowing Chinese.  English is not commonly spoken or understood.

Check out the pictures!!