Beijing - Tianamen Square & The Great Wall

These 4 pictures create one long panoramic view.

Tomorrow we get to meet Maddie. We're both thankful for lots to do today and of course of climbing of more stairs. So...off we trapse with our group and our fearless and apparently tireless Veronica. "George...Kerry". Today we're off to see Tianamen Square (Gate of Heavenly Peace) (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/tianan.htm) & The Great Wall (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/)! Wow!! We also had the pleasure of touring a silk factory & a cloissonne factory before hiking the wall.

Tianamen Square was huge...one courtyard after another that ended in a huge garden and then out the back. At the beginning of the tour we noticed much construction...many closures due to repairs in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. Regretably this meant we could see the Tomb of Chairman Mao. There were many people there to pay there respects...mostly the older generation. You'll notice pictures with the "youngins" wearing today's fashions but people over the age of 55 wearing more traditional garb.

As we entered, all of the women had to go to the bathroom. The only bathrooms available were the squatty potty bathrooms. I'm a pro by now. A 9 from the Chinese judges. And there were many...sometimes no doors :) Women would start hiking up there skirts from 2 yards away and elbow to jockey into next for the bathroom. I have a bruise from Squatty Potty Wrestling.

Culturally it was interesting...American or not...you are expected to defer to your elders. During many exhibits sweet-looking grandmas who werer 3 feet tall would elbow me in my stomach to move back. I hadn't seen them to do so...so they'd give me a little reminder they were there and grin up with sweet smiles. No harm meant. I think I have a bruise from reminders as well.

At the Great Wall we all had a choice of left path easy or right path hard. I would have hated to have seen the hard one. All of the steps were very uneven with some just a few inches and others nearly 1 1/2 feet tall. The view was amazing. There is a program where you can have an inscription made on a lock and lock on a long chain on The Great Wall. Seems kind of sad to mar it that way...but apparently the proceeds go to upkeep.

Holy Cow...I'm going to be a Mom tomorrow!!!