Sorry, this didn't posted the other day because it had too many attachments. These are the events of July 31.
We are thrilled and exhausted. A combination of jet lag and touring today from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Started at the Temple of Heaven, then to lunch where they were informed ahead of time to "bu fang weijing" (don't cook with MSG), then on a tour of the remaining hutong district in Beijing. Rode in a rickshaw, of course, and that guy had to work hard to haul us around. I said to Tom, "Isn't it amazing, to these people, this is regular life and to us it's "We're riding in a rickshaw in China!" Climbed 69 of the steepest steps (that is, until tomorrow when we do The Great Wall) to the top of the drum tower. More importantly, we all survived the climb down the steepest steps. After that we went into an ancient alley area nearby where we bought a seal for Maryn that has her American name and the characters of her Chinese name which she can use to stamp on paper. The guy cut the letters and characters into the stone while we watched. Too bad the first time around her put the n in Maryn sideways. Filed off the bottom of the seal and started over getting it right the second time. Our guides were there to tell him how to do it correctly. We finished the day at an acrobat show. I'm eager to get to the gym and limber up so I can try some of those stunts myself. Piece of cake.
Tomorrow we are going to The Great Wall, Forbidden City, and TianAnMen Square. Today we toured with one other couple. Tomorrow there will be 36 of us, including 6 children. Can you believe I'm writing of these places we are seeing? This is the trip of a lifetime. We are embracing it and loving every moment. It's unforgettable . . . and we're another step closer to meeting Maryn.
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