It's our first full day in Beijing, Saturday, April 17. We didn't sleep too bad, I think we got up around 3:30 a.m., decided that was a little too early and went back to bed until about 6:00. Denise was feeling pretty punky, she woke up w/a headache (probably caffeine withdrawal). We met up w/some couples @the hotel's restaurant for a buffett breakfast, baked beans included!
At 8:30 all the families met in the lobby for our bus ride to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. LOTS of people! They are very particular about photographs and video taping certain individuals (military, police, etc) The weather started out quite brisk and overcast. It's hard to put into words the atmosphere here. While we are excited about being in China to adopt our son, as most of you know, we are not world travellers, nor is that our forte. We don't do well w/changes, we like order in our lives, and this is all the complete opposite! But we keep telling ourselves why we are here and the good Lord is following along with us!
Denise is a real trooper inspite of all that is going on! Montezuma's Revenge is in full effect but she still manages to walk along on our tour and chat w/the other families. The Forbidden City is really something else, all the history and architecture that is displayed is truly amazing. We pass through Tiananmen gate (pictured behind us), and walk along following our guide w/her blue flag. In a country this large, with so many people, it's the only way to stay on target. Many other tourist groups are present all flying varieties of flags. I will post several other pictures to convey just the mass of humanity that come to this place. I asked Sherry, our guide, if she knew approximately how many domestic visitors travel here. She wasn't sure, but she knew the total during peak season is around 250,000 per DAY!
There was one building where the emperor used to sit and hear the trials and tribulations of the people. It was open only on a few sides and there was actually nothing in it (furniture, decoration)anymore, but the people so believe in the history that it was almost a mosh pit to go up and see it. At one point, Denise and I were just laughing because you have this mass of people that you're being carried along with!
Unfortunately the day didn't end so well. After the Forbidden City tour, and two VERY brave visits to the local bathrooms, Denise was just spent. We asked one of our guides if we could go back to the hotel as she just wasn't doing well at all. I think it's a combination of nerves, jet lag, lack of nutrition, motion-sickness (all driving is herky-jerky which she doesn't do well with)! So he was nice enough to hail a taxi for us and told them where we were staying. The rest of the day she spent in bed :-(
She's taken some Pepto, keeping up on her liquids, and also a broad spectrum anti-viral. Here's hoping she's feeling better tomorrow. We're to go to a local church service and then to the Great Wall!
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