I stepped on the a place thousands before me have trod on Saturday. I saw a view that has amazed the world, and I looked around in awe at what thousands of people can accomplish when they work together. The Great Wall of China is truly incredible. Our Essential Beijing Tour also included Tian'an Men Square (where I heard the voices of the massacred Chinese students) and the Forbidden City, as well as a silk market and jade store. ... read more

YEAH! After scouring Beijing, we finally found the Apple store (Salitun Lu, next to the Adidas store, in the new huge shopping mall). And I have a new battery, and I'm do glad that was the only problem with my computer. So, I'll be trying to catch up tonight (our last night), on our flight home, and once I'm back home, if needed. We fly out of here tomorrow morn and will be home at 4 pm on Sunday. It's going to feel good.... read more

We hopped aboard a scooter-powered cart to explore the Hutong district south of the Forbidden City in Beijing today. Our driver spoke in broken English and was hard to understand. But the view of the hutong was quite interesting. Powered up, we were able to see several of the 400-year-old neighborhoods. We began just southeast of Tian'an Men Square in an area where the government has erected new outer walls and repainted them. We continued through some abandoned and decrepit areas to an area that was thriving with life. Here men played checkers on the street, and children played with hula hoops. There were cars parked in the narrow streets. Many of the buildings in the last area we were in have been converted into hotels and hostels to give visitors a better idea of what ... read more

The wind is nearly out of my sails, and we're both ready to come home. Quite frankly, I'm tired of walking. I thought my shoes were great hiking shoes, but they don't last all day on the pavement. CANTONESE LUNCH We head across the street from the Park Plaza for lunch at the Sunshine Kitchen which boasts Cantonese food (a variety of Chinese). It's a place the professionals from the office building across the street frequent. The food is very good. Jesse has the best sweet and sour soup he's had yet in China. It's a little spicy for me (I can't seem to handle any spice these days), but quite delicious. I pick around the mushrooms. (Mushrooms are in everything here in China. Jesse thinks it because they're so easy to grow.) I have a ... read more

Our third hotel is in downtown Beijing, within walking distance of the famous shopping street, Wangfujing. We're also near the Forbidden City and Tian'en Men Square, although I prefer to take the subway. The subway system here is excellent -- seriously. Most of it is new, and they're still working on a few lines. The first line installed runs past the Forbidden City and links up to Wangfujing. I'm delighted that we have a subway station within 1/2 block -- Dengskikou. It's on the newest line (#5) and runs north to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. The only problem with the subway system is that the transfers aren't easy to make; you have to walk far to hit another line. There are few escalators and no elevators. I'm not sure how the handicapped would be ... read more