China - Day 2.

Day 2 is Beijing, capital city of China.

First off is Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing, the largest "open urban square in the world."

As you may notice, it's awfully... gray... in Beijing.

The air pollution/quality is as bad as you've heard. After a day walking around Beijing, I had a headache, red eyes and a cough that hung out all week pretty much. How they're gonna have Olympic athletes here in August is beyond me. Even inside buildings, at night, there was a distinct visible haze.

[Mao is watching.]



The Forbidden City, the former imperial palace, is pretty architecturally fascinating. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.










After the Forbidden City we went to a local park in the area and saw some of the sights, including, de rigeur for China, a bunch of folks doing TaiChi.

And oddly, the spot/tree where an Emperor Chongzhen hung himself.

Which is worth noting, apparently.


This was a very cool bit of rock.


Sandy wanted a picture by the "love" tree.

Notice how our arms are interlocked, much like the branches of the tree.

The things I do for that woman.

Sigh...




After the park was lunch.

Then on to The Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall was really interesting, even if in just the "Can you believe I'm a kid from Jacksonville NC at the Great Wall of China?"

I mean, come on, how cool is that?


On the other hand... and I kid you not... it loses a little something when there are peddlers trying to sell you a "Rolex" when you're literally on the Great Wall.

More on peddlers, and salespeople, in China, later.

For now.... Great Wall of China!


I'm retarded, clearly.



Sandy, preparing to run up the Great Wall. Apparently, she may be also mildly retarded. We match!





Our guide and our driver took us down into an older part of Beijing, where we rode in a bicycle rickshaw and had a guide explain the significance of the doorway entrances and decorations.


...and then we got to see the inner courtyard/quadrangle of a traditional Chinese house.


Checking out how they weave and make silk.

THE. THINGS. I. DO. FOR. THAT. WOMAN.

Kitsch comes to communist China.

Comrade!

Bought it as a gift, but how could I not try it on, I ask you?


Yes, that tasted as bad as you might expect.

Surprising to me only, apparently, as I like both the red bean and the coffee.

Ah well.