Feb. 3, 2007 Beijing

Hello everyone...what a day. We started out by going to a jade market and after learning more than I will ever need to know about jade...we headed to the Great Wall. Wow. Never did I imagine that I would be walking on the Great Wall! It was extremely cold, yet still crowded. There were vendors everywhere...it almost felt like they had built the Great Wall right through the middle of a flea market. I am fairly certain that they do not understand the word "no".

After hiking for about an hour on the wall, we traveled to a market where they made Cloisonne, which is an enamelwear. It was fascinating to see how they made it, but too expensive to buy. Well, at least for this cheap American. We had a wonderful traditional Chinese meal for lunch and ate way too much. Then we drove to see the olympic stadium that is being built for the 2008 summer games...they better work fast because it surely does not seem possible that everything will be done in time. Next stop was Dr. Tea...I can honestly say that this was my first tea party...they are obsessed with tea here and this place was huge...if any of you are interested in the proper way to hold your tea cups...just give me a call and I can assist you...when my second oldest daughter Ashlie was in high school and was a cheerleader, I used to tell my friends that I knew way more about cheerleading than any man should! Well...now I can add tea parties to that list!

Following our tea party shindig we went to a theater and saw a Chinese Acrobat show...WOW!! We were really treated to a wonderful day learning a lot about China, its people and its customs. However the best part was dinner...we ate at SIZZLER....no, that is not a fancy chinese translation for some kind of fabulous resteraunt...it was the same as they are or were in the USA...just a regular old Sizzler. So we sat in downtown Beijing eating at a Sizzler and listening to country music play overhead...yes we were laughing too!

Our first full day in China is now over and we are heading to bed (actually Becky is already snoring). I can't wait for tomorrow, our last day here in Beijing, we have an exciting day planned...The Forbidden City, Tian'an Men Square and a silk factory...then off to Kunming to prepare for the next morning when we will get Kari!

I hope that I am not boring you with all of my blabbing...but you all know me...I talk too much.

Well...off to sleep now.

Gregg