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Today started off really confusing. We got up early with the intention of walking through tiananmen square, then visiting the forbidden city. But police men were everywhere and they had roped off the walkway underpasses and crosswalks so we couldn't get to either attaction. We kept walking further and further, trying to navigate around the blocks, but we finally rage quit and decided to visit the summer palace instead. We trekked back to the metro station and attempted to get around like locals. It wasn't difficult, as we had a subway map and we only had one transfer, but we were the only cocasians on that car. I had 2 pictures stealthily taken of me and mom by two different people on the metro. It was really weird. We found the summer palace pretty quick after getting out of the underground. It was a huuge complex with lakes and pavilions. It was where the emperors retreated to in the summer. The entryway to the complex was on the front side of a hill, and there were some very beautiful buildings surrounding a small lake (which was mostly frozen over). We were wondering which one was the palace. We began to walk up the hill and came across a square with huge amounts of older Chinese ladies doing some sort of exercise dance and a smaller group playing hackie sack. It was pretty fun to watch. We then kept climbing up and up, and at the very top of the hill we could see down the other side of the hill. Thats when we saw what was most certainly the summer palace, as it blew every other building we had seen out of the water. It was massive and elevated, built many stories high and round in structure. It was fronted by smaller buildings and a massive lake. We looped around to walk along the lake front, then climbed up through the smaller buildings to the summer palace itself. The views were pretty great, with modern Beijing on the opposite side of the lake. We made our way back to the subway as at that point we had been walking for just under 3 hours. The sight was just so big. We hopped back on the subway to make our way over to tiananmen square and the forbidden city, which we were hoping were now accessible. Okay, I've got to go off about all the people that stare, point, and/or laugh at us. Me in particular. We were wondering if it is sometimes about my boots, as we haven't seen any like them here. But still. A young guy came up to me and asked if he could get a picture with me. Really?! Anyway, we got off the subway, and I decided I had to go to the bathroom. We found a public toilet, and it was a funny experience. One stall lacked a door, but that didn't stop people from using the squat toilet in that stall. Very publicly. Both what people would call '1' as well as '2'. Waiting for a stall with a door was slightly uncomfortable. Anyway, we found our destinations were now accessible so we walked through the giant fortified tiananmen square. It's famous as a sight where large amounts of students were massacred during a protest years ago. It leads into the entrance of the forbidden city. The forbidden city is the largest protected city from the Ming and Qing dynasty. It was were the emperors lived and where all the important stuff happened. A lot of the structures had burnt down and been rebuilt several times. It is massive! All the buildings were very beautiful though, and it was a good walk. We made our way back to our street, it had been a lot of walking today. Beijings a funny city. There is a massive police presence here. They are everywhere you turn! And the styles are strange by Vancouver standards. Lots of heels, platforms, and brightly colored boots. Some veery unique outfits too. We've noticed babies all have slits in the back of their pants, and no diapers underneath. It's really weird. The traffic is insanity. Victor had told us that because of all the cars on the road, if you want to buy a car, you have to put your name in a lottery and wait for it to be drawn and for the government to tell you you are allowed to buy this car. Also, each day of the week there is license plates that end in certain numbers that aren't allowed to be on the roads. So everyone ends up having one day a week they can't drive to try to reduce traffic. It's a crazy city. Such a mix of old and new.
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Donna Kry Hi Ali & Janet, No frozen lakes in Hawaii! It is hot and of course we hit the beach where Amelia did boogie boarding and watched lazy sleeping seals. We also saw a hula show. Amelia, the chef, makes breakfast daily! From the Cole-Kry clan
Cfen Ew never say rage quit...