First Full Day !

Our day started at 4:15 and we were ready to go to Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City at 9am. It was really, really crowded and rainy for the first little bit. In all the pictures it looks hazy and it was hard to catch your breath. The smog was really heavy. It is still the same tonight not one speck of sun today.

In Tianamen Square there is a huge clock for the countdown to the Olympics. We also got our picture by the workers monument.


WE all walked over to the Forbidden City and was amazed at the amount of construction and renovations going on in preparation for the Olympics. They are really trying to clean up the city.



We spent a couple of hours going through the City. The kids were a bit warm and didn't pay too much attention but had fun. all the adults listened carefully to the guides every word. Then it was off for a great lunch including chicken and veggies, beef and veggies, rice, tomato and egg dishes and a birthday cake for one of the girls in the group.

When we got back to the hotel we took a 15 minute break and then got a cab and headed to the Silk Market. It is now in a huge building with people mobbing everyone and MacLean was quite shy and kept asking why they were calling me lady! We bought a few items and I had a beautiful pearl bracelet made for MacLean. we will head back there to see the shoes and purses another day. we got back to the hotel and it was about 4:30pm. We were so tired we both fell asleep and woke up 10 minutes before we were heading out to dinner.

We ate at a mongolian restaurant and there was soooooo much meat I couldn't believe it. Lots of raw pork (it was supposed to be cooked), mutten, chicken, rice, cabbage and egg drop soup. They also had cooked potato wedges coated with syrup and cereal. I know it sounds gross but it was good. We all were like zombies as we were so tired. Trying to stay up until 9pm. We went for a walk after dinner to a local mall and then back to the hotel. Enjoy the pictures from today.

Chat with you tomorrow. Thanks for checking in with us.
Shauna and MacLean xo