Foreign Facination

Spotty technology has been a little frustrating, but I am grateful to be able to eventually get on the blog.  Check out Deanna's blog to see how we got beat up by Chinese women last night at www.deannadeals.blogspot.com.

We started our tour at the Forbidden City.  Our tour guide's name was Biyoung.  Everything about the Forbidden City is ornate.  The gardens are beautiful.  With 9999 rooms we were warned not to get lost from the group or we might never be found.  I bought a little emperor's hat for Andrew and I can't wait to take a picture of him.

So we were on a field trip.  The best thing about this field trip is that I am not in charge.  Our tour guide and his photographer kept counting heads and making sure we took potty breaks.  They get us where we need to be when we need to be there.  It is great to be a kid again.

One man in our group is an African American who runs an after school program for troubled youth in LA.  We noticed that he and his mom were being sought out by random Chinese families for photographs.  He was unsure why he was so popular, then I pointed out to him that he was the only Black man in the Forbidden City.  He was pretty good natured about it and thought that Beijing would be a great place for a black man to go who suffered from self esteem issues.  His mother failed to share his good humor.  This didn't stop mothers from placing their children in front of her and getting pictures anyway.

At Tieneman Square, Deanna and I decided to turn the tables.  We found two outrageously dressed teen aged boys and took our picture with them.  Everyone else in our group thought this was a great idea, so they got pictures too.  I bet those boys had quite the tale to tell tonight in their blogs.

We went to Dr. Tea for a tea ceremony.  Our tour guide arranged for several herbal teas to be served.  My favorite was a fruit tea.  I never realized that certain teas have medicinal powers.

We next went to the Olympic Park and were given some free time.  This is where Deanna and I were walking around looking at the sights when we noticed a woman walking with us who wanted to take our picture, so we stopped and posed.  She then indicated through gestures that she wanted to take it one step further and get a picture of us with her husband.  When we each put an arm around his shoulder, her teenaged daughter doubled over in a fit of laughter.  I am SURPRISED that Chinese teens are embarrassed about their parents too.

Dinner was Peking Duck with many side dishes.  I am grateful that we brought some salt packages from the LA airport.  My biggest complaint about the food is that I can't get a cold drink.  All of our beverages are served at room temperature with no ice.  I am dying for a big gulp.  I bet if 7-11 came to China they would be life changing.  If the street vendors would carry coolers full of cold icy drinks I don't think I would even stop to barter.  I would pay whatever outrageous price they initially offered.  China, are you listening?