Exploring Beijing

We had great fun exploring Beijing the last few days. In our short time there, we...

• Walked around Tiananmen Square
• Explored the Forbidden City
• Met the nephew of the Last Emporer and had him sign a beautiful wall hanging
• Sat gridlocked in rush hour traffic
• Walked through the Hutongs
• Saw the Temple of Heaven
• Shopped at the Pearl Market, on Silk Street, and Yaxiu Market
• Got lost in the embassy district...stopped by a guard and told to show my passport
• Walked the Great Wall (Mutianyu section) on a very cloudy / foggy day...then went back on a sunny day to get some nice pictures!
• Rode in the same gondola at the Great Wall as President Clinton in 1998
• Took a tobaggon ride down from the Great Wall
• Went on a culinary market tour in the Hutongs
• Saw dancers and performers at Ritan park
• Walked around the Summer Palace
• Walked through some amazing parks (Ritan, Jingshan, Beihai)
• Watched the flying acrobatic show in the Chaoyang district
• Bought some tea on Tea Street

A few pictures (until I get a chance to upload slideshows)....

The shopkeeper in one of the stalls at Yaxiu market, my favorite market.

The flying acrobatic show in the Chaoyang District.

Beihai park

Aerial view of Forbidden City; taken from Jingshan park. This is the north gate entrance (south gate entrance is near Tianenmen Square).

Jingshan park

The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall

Shopping at the market in one of the Hutongs