Our second and final stop on our trip to Asia was Beijing, China. Ryan and I arrived on Thursday, October 15th and we were exhausted. We went to the hotel took it easy for an hour or so and then took the metro to Tienanmen Square.
As we strolled through Tienanmen Square I couldn't help but admire both the beauty and the history of the Square. I gazed across the street to the entrance of the Forbidden City and imagined what it was like 60 years ago when Mao stood atop the gate and announced "The People's Republic of China". The country has come a long way since then and I can't help but admire its (bumpy) progress.

Entrance to the Forbidden City. Also the gate that Mao stood atop.
This was the extent of our site seeing on Thursday as the jet lag and lack of sleep had caught up with us. I believe we stopped at McDonald's on the way home and had the best McDonald's burger I've ever tasted.
Friday we explored the Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven. I enjoyed taking in and experiencing the culture as we watched spiritual rituals at the Lama Temple and everything from choir practice to chess playing at the Temple of Heaven.

Lama Temple

Temple of Heaven
Saturday was my favorite day. Ryan hired a private driver for the day and we headed to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. I don't know how to put this experience into words besides to say it was absolutely breathtaking. It is the most amazing site I have ever seen. I'll let the pictures say the rest.

Riding the lift up to the Wall.



Alpine slide down the Wall.
After exploring the Great Wall for three hours or so we asked our driver to take us to the Olympic Park. We were able to see the Birds Nest and the Cube. The Chinese did a great job building and so far maintaining the park.
On Sunday we went to the Summer Palace. The site was packed with locals so we escaped on a boat and explored most of the park on the lake. It was fun to escape the crowds and take in grand size of the Palace.


Monday, our last day, we explored the Forbidden City. This was another one of my favorite places. Most of the buildings had been newly renovated and the vibrant paintings on them were amazing. After exploring the city we hiked a small hill at a park across the street and enjoyed seeing a view of the entire city. It's looked like a sea of yellow tile.

Forbidden City

Riding through a local Hutong (neighborhood)

View of The Forbidden City in the background.
Thank you Ryan for the most fabulous trip. I loved spending so much time with you and thoroughly enjoyed the amazing sites. I love you.