Beijing

Today was absolutely jam packed! We started off with breakfast at the hotel, which was a buffet with both Chinese and western food. Although I couldn't really say which of the options was western! The kiwi fruit juice was the highlight for me. Then it was off to Tian'an Men Square. The traffic was unbelievable. There are an estimated 2 million cars on the road, with new ones being added each day. And although it looks there are no traffic laws at all, our tour guide assured us that there are 3 things that any Chinese driver must have: skill, patience and luck!

Our tour guide had plenty of time to talk to us about Beijing while we waited in traffic. One of the funnier things that she said was how important it was for our group to stay together and not get lost because to her we all look the same (with "big noses"!). It was an overcast and slightly rainy morning in Tian'an Men Square. We then made our way to the Forbidden City, which was completely amazing and huge. A person could easily spend 3 days exploring the over 8,000 rooms, but we had only this morning to check out the highlights. My favorite part was the Imperial Garden. I wish we could have spent more time there, as it was the most interesting to me. But I got some good information and pictures:

We also saw the Temple of Heaven which is one of the largest temple complexes in China. The emperor made all of his sacrifices here, at The Round Altar. Which, not surprisingly, is a tourist's favorite photo op. In addition to the incredible Temple, it is also a park where Chinese people practice tai ji quan ("Supreme Ultimate Fist"), which is a graceful form of kung fu, in the morning and afternoon. Many people were there relaxing, singing, playing music and various games.

We experienced a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. And then dinner at the restaurant where Peking Duck originated. They cut the duck into 108 pieces, no more no less. Numbers play a very big part in Chinese culture.

I've taken tons of photos and will be posting them soon hopefully! The entire website is in Chinese characters so I've got a bit of a learning curve. Tomorrow we are off to the Great Wall and then the Beijing Opera.