Touring Beijing--Friday, March 20, 2009

After around 12 hours of sleep, we got up, ate breakfast at the hotel, and met Lisa, our very friendly and patient guide, in the lobby. We proceeded to experience a wonderful day of exploring Beijing. We walked through Tiananmen Square and toured the Forbidden City. (Emmy was quite the celebrity. People kept noticing her pigtails, and three asked if they could take a picture of Emmy with their children!) We then visited a Hutung, a local community, via rickshaw. We even ate lunch at a Chinese family's home and met their pet grasshopper! From this traditional Chinese community, we went to Silk Road, a huge shopping center in which we can bargained with storekeepers for the best deal. (Yes, we did pick up a few souvenirs...) We concluded our day by watching an acrobat show and eating at one of the many Pizza Huts that we have seen here in Beijing. btw--it was one of the best pizzas that we've ever had! We're all grateful for the experience but still quite tired. Enjoy these pictures from our day! Three more days until we get Ellie... we can't wait!

Christie