Travel Journal
March 19, 2013
It was another early morning for Dan & Alaina. We must be too excited to stay asleep for very long! (Although 6-7 hours every night is much better than we did last time we came to China.) We gave our friend Elaine a break from being the tour guide this morning. Instead, her son Stephen led the way through the Beijing subway system. It was extremely crowded, and there were more than a few moments of anxiety for Alaina as we tried to keep our little group together (Anna joined us as well.) Dan was much more adventurous and viewed the whole thing as a great expedition.
It took about 45 minutes to reach Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We knew there would be a lot of walking, but were still surprised at the massiveness of it all. This is the city where 24 emperors from the Ming to the Qing Dynasties lived. The general population was not allowed, thus the name "Forbidden City." You can see more pictures and learn more about the history here.
The walking involved a lot of stairs (up and down past every building), but was otherwise pretty flat. It is about a mile and a half from the front gate to the rear of the city (and a mile and a half back.) This proved to be a bit more than Alaina's feet could handle, and she spent the afternoon lying down with her feet up. Still, it was an experience none of us would trade.
We had hoped to go to the Olympic Village this afternoon as well, but decided to just head back to the house. We braved another subway ride (not quite as crowded in the afternoon) and made it home for a more relaxed pace the rest of the day.
The weather yesterday was cool and comfortable. We shed layers as we hiked up and down the Wall. Today, it was downright cold. We broke out our hats and gloves, and even saw SNOW! It's expected to snow an inch tonight. Good thing we're going to Zhengzhou tomorrow where the temperature should be around 70.
This evening, we're running some laundry and packing everything up again. We have to be at the Beijing airport at 8:00 in the morning. A driver will be picking us up at 7:00.
Right now, Dan is off with Scott enjoying "Taco Tuesday" for the men at their church. Meanwhile, the womenfolk and kids are enjoying some authentic bubble tea, or jian ju nai cha.
Scott and Elaine, along with their family, have been delightful hosts. It was so much fun to do some catching up and getting to know each other better. It's hard to believe more than 20 years have gone by since we knew each other in high school, and almost 18 since I was at their wedding. The "insiders" view of this city was something no professional tour could have offered. And the home cooked meals were wonderful as well! We are so incredibly grateful for their hospitality, and hope that when they visit the States, they might be able to spend some time in Nebraska.
For now, it's time to finish up the laundry and tuck Dayna into bed. Tomorrow, Annie will be 19 months old, and we will set foot in her province for the first time.
Prayer Requests:
• strengthening of Alaina's feet and ankle
• preparation of Annie's heart for the changes that are about to come
• Dayna's readiness to be a big sister (this is a big change for her as well)
Praises:
Great friends and their hospitality
Our protection today while were were "on our own" in the big city
Tiananmen square
Gate to the Forbidden City
