A great day for a wall.

Beijing 5/12/13

The morning was spent walking around Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the 3rd largest city square in the world and is in front of the gate to the Forbidden City - the gate being built in 1415. The square is supposed to hold a million people - wow. It was exciting to be in a politically historical location.

The Forbidden City is pretty large and you can tell it used to be quite impressive. The only men allowed to be in the city were the royal family men (emperor and son etc) and the eunuchs. There were 2,000 eunuchs at a time in the city. Another interesting fact is that the emperor's concubines were my allowed to leave the Forbidden City until their 'husband', the emperor, died.

The Great Wall is the result of unification of the separate 7 provinces by the 1st emperor of Qin Shi Huang between 220-206 BC. Some of these separate walls had been built as early as the 7th century BC. Little of that original unified wall still remains as the majority of the wall was reconstructed during the Mind Dynasty.  We took lots of pictures including some attempts at a group all in the air with the wall in the background etc. I think a few turned out ok. haha.

We returned to the hotel a couple hours later and followed one of the Japan GLPers (go Ben!) to a large market where we met his Beijing friend who showed us some favorite vendors in the market. Those vendors loved seeing all of us and definitely tried to haggle us into buying whatever they were selling ('genuine' Louis Voutton etc). A few gifts were bought.

Random groups took off for dinner and Beijing night life. I ate McDonalds (sooooo good) and relaxed at the luxury hotel we are in (yes please, I'd like my shower mat in a velvet bag. Some free treats? Don't mind if I do).

It was absolutely wonderful sunny weather today with a little breeze. Perfect for walking along a rather 'Great' Wall in China.

~Elizabeth Bauman

Teresa and I before entering the first court of the Forbidden City

Mary pushed me on the wall...