May 7, 2009 - Ready to Go!

May 8, Part 2: Beijing The flight from Hong Kong to Beijing exceeded my expectations. ... Beijing airport is an impressive building staffed with – you guessed it – polite people even at customs. ... The name of the place is the Beijing Dongjiaominxiang Hotel, so we won't be asking people for directions unless we can point to it on a map. ...

Apr 13, 2009 - China Life Day - Hutong, Family, School

This was a spectacular day in Hutong, an area that preserves the "old" way of city life destroyed by the modernization of Beijing. ... The highlights were the rickshaw taxis that transported us for the day, the visits to The Bell Tower, an elementary school, a local family and a kitemaker, and simply strolling the streets and enjoying the area.This was a spectacular day in Hutong, an area that preserves the "old" way of city life destroyed by the modernization of Beijing. ... The highlights were the rickshaw taxis that transported us for the day, the visits to The Bell Tower, an elementary school, a local family and a kitemaker, and simply strolling the streets and enjoying the area....

Apr 12, 2009 - The Great Wall, Summer Palace

It was a cool but very overcast and hazy day today as you can see by the pictures. We wiill probbaly meet at the airport in Chengdu as she lands from Beijing just as we land from Xian. ... Tomorrow is China Life Day - we will visit Hutong, the old town of Beijing to see how people lived before Beijing modernized. ... We will have lunch in a Hutong home with a family.It was a cool but very overcast and hazy day today as you can see by the pictures. We wiill probbaly meet at the airport in Chengdu as she lands from Beijing just as we land from Xian. ... Tomorrow is China Life Day - we will visit Hutong, the old town of Beijing to see how people lived before Beijing modernized. ... We will have lunch in a Hutong home with a family....

Apr 11, 2009 - Tian'an Man Sq, Forbidden City. Temple of Heaven

How do I begin to describe this day? We began the day at Tian'an Men Square and were overwhelmed with the crowds of people visiting there. It was also Saturday which may have contributed to the feeling of everyone gathering from all over Beijing to enjoy the day! But I'm told it is similar to this every day. ... We returned to the Hotel and Marty and Lili headed over to see the Acrobatic Show while I stayed with Maxine who fell asleep.How do I begin to describe this day? We began the day at Tian'an Men Square and were overwhelmed with the crowds of people visiting there. It was also Saturday which may have contributed to the feeling of everyone gathering from all over Beijing to enjoy the day! But I'm told it is similar to this every day. ... We returned to the Hotel and Marty and Lili headed over to see the Acrobatic Show while I stayed with Maxine who fell asleep....

Apr 11, 2009 - China, what a welcome to Beijing!

So to recap, Marion and I caught three connecting flights: from Kathmandu to Lhasa, to Chengdu, to Beijing. ... We were supposed to have a taxi from our hostel pick us up, but when we arrived an hour and a half late in Beijing, no driver was present. ... We finally left the airport at 11:45PM and headed into Beijing. ... Trees and shrubbery are planted everywhere to try and combat the look of the "concrete" city that is Beijing. ... Our last full day in Beijing consisted of my favorite attraction, the Great Wall. ...

Apr 10, 2009 - Olympics & Shopping In Beijing

This part of Beijing was just a rice patty before the Olympics, and now, like most of Beijing, just full of high rises. ... In building the highway system through Beijing, and with the influx of cars and traffic, Beijing has lost a lot of its character. ... When Marty went looking for a park to do Tai Chi this morning, he was told the nearest location is 5 kilometers away! It is a good thing that we will be going to the Old City of Beijing later in the trip so the kids may experience a better sense of the character of Beijing. ... It is a stark contrast to the Beijing we visited just 10 years ago. ... Only in China! We made plans to attend a Shabbat Service tonight in Beijing. ...

Apr 9, 2009 - Arrival in Beijing

Everyone awoke (except Mom who didn't sleep) at 3am to leave the house at 4am for our 6am flight. The new Beijing airport is incredibly beautiful and enormous. ... United flies into Beijing Central International Airport (BCIA) which was built for the Olympics and is only 1 year old. ... It is spectacular.Everyone awoke (except Mom who didn't sleep) at 3am to leave the house at 4am for our 6am flight. The new Beijing airport is incredibly beautiful and enormous. ... United flies into Beijing Central International Airport (BCIA) which was built for the Olympics and is only 1 year old. ... It is spectacular....

Apr 8, 2009 - Leaving for China

Hi Everyone! We are almost ready to leave :) We are on a 6am flight to San Francisco this Wednesday that arrives 9:31am PST. Then we leave at 11:13am PST for Beijing and arrive 2:40pm Thursday afternoon (Thu. ... in Beijing for Thursday: 79!!!! ...

Mar 29, 2009 - Great Wall-revised!

Hi all! We spent our first day in Beijing more or less getting our bearings - wandered around and just tried to absorb the culture a bit. ... Day 2 brought an early morning and a tour to the Great Wall of China, at a location about 2 1/2 hour drive from the center of Beijing. ... After we left there and arrived back in Beijing, we walked to a night market for dinner. ...

Mar 27, 2009 - Beijing

And we're off!! After some minor questions about what have we gotten ourselves into.we have left Canada and arrived safely in Beijing. ... After a good night's sleep, we'll set out in the morning for our first day of sight seeing.And we're off!! After some minor questions about what have we gotten ourselves into.we have left Canada and arrived safely in Beijing. ... After a good night's sleep, we'll set out in the morning for our first day of sight seeing....

Mar 25, 2009 - Introduction and Summary of Trip to China

I feel so lucky to have been able to begin my travels as young as I did.I feel so lucky to have been able to begin my travels as young as I did....

Mar 18, 2009 - Beijing, China

Everybody was up early for breakfast and our tour.Everybody was up early for breakfast and our tour....