Blue Skies in Beijing!

It's a miracle. We woke up this morning to beautiful blue skies on a brisk day here in Beijing. Yesterday it rained like mad and the dirt, grime and pollution poured out of the skies. The streets and cars were filthy...but today we can see the sky and it is wonderful.

May 7 - Beijing
We visited the Great Wall at Simatai, which is a very steep area of the wall about 3 hours outside of Beijing. We got there early and the crowd was not too big. The only disappointment was the thick haze in the air which made for mediocre pictures. We took a cable car half-way up and then hiked up a steep path to get to the number 8 watch tower. Then we wandered around the wall for about three hours snapping pictures and taking in the scenery. What an amazing sight to see the Wall snaking around the mountain tops. Our visit was somewhat dampened by the farmers that latched on to us as we hiked up and would not go away. They tried to sell us postcards and books and although I know they need to make a living their presence was an unwanted distraction.

May 8 - Beijing

In the morning we visited the Summer Palace of the Empress Cixi. It's a huge estate set on a lake outside of Beijing. There are tons of buildings and temples, including Cixi's very own theater where she would listen to opera. We were a little tired of temples so Matt, Dad and I rented a paddle boat and took in the buildings from the water. Mom and Uncle John toured the grounds.

In the afternoon we did more (!) shopping. We bought so much that we had to buy a huge wheeled duffle bag to send stuff home in. I just can't pass up these bargains! And there is just so much cool stuff that I won't find back home.

May 9-10 - Beijing

Our last two days in Beijing are lazy days. Yesterday we did a bunch of laundry, email and got massages. Matt got a haircut and it included a shampoo and massage and cost $4. What a steal! Today we are going to get out and enjoy the weather. Next time you hear from us we'll either be in Singapore or Hong Kong. Ciao!