Day Three

It's the 3rd day and I have not mentioned our hotel. Our room is a perfect size, the bed is very firm. It looks like and feels like box springs. We only get three English channels, HBO, Cinamax and BBC. Actually it has been nice not to have the TV on at all. The bathroom is much like bathrooms in hotels in the states. The lights in the room only work when you have your door key in a slot just inside of the door. Breakfast was delicious today as well. Still no flat iron. :(

Today we went to the Great Wall of China. It was built in 1475 – 221 BC. It is almost 4,000 miles long. We took the short and hard trip, approximately 1 mile up and back, which is the badaling section. Also the most frequented section of the wall. There are two sides to choose from, long and easy or short and hard. With a stone floor and steps, the elevation grew as we climbed the wall. The interesting thing about the steps is that they were not the same height, every step was different. It was extremely windy and very cold too. While we were at the wall, Jake had his picture taken twice by Chinese families. I guess the love Americans.

We also we to a factory where Cloisten or Cloistors are made. We are not really sure which it is but, the make the pots from copper. They glue on the design with copper wire which create the pattern and then fill each section with liquid porcelain. Then the pots are fired/baker and refilled with liquid porcelain. Fired/baked again, sanded with stone and polished with charcoal to make it shine. The last phase of this process is to all gold through electro plating.

We had another Chinese meal. Everything was pretty good. Jake did not eat a thing, the second day in a row. After lunch we had the opportunity to shop for a pot. We did buy a small pot and it is beautiful.

Back to the bus, we then headed to “old” Beijing. Where the streets are narrow. We rode in a rickshaw, a three wheeled bicycle with a rickshaw basket. This was Jake's favorite thing today. He giggled the entire trip. We also toured someones home. It was a small 3 room home. They had two live grasshoppers, straw crickets and 9 fish as pets. Freaky!

We did not miss dinner tonight. Scott had a tenderloin, Jake had spaghetti and I had pizza. Off to another nights sleep. We hope to sleep until 5am.

We have met 4 or the 5 families going to our province. Tomorrow we have our orientation meeting and tour of the Tian An Men Square and Temple of Heaven. Should be a busy day.