So after making it back on the night train in Xi'an we quickly got ready for bed (i.e. baby wipe bath, no shower) and fell asleep during our 12 hour train ride. When we arrived back at the train station, we found a taxi to take us to our hotel (i.e. someone that was making money on the side and could speak enough English to con us out of our money, took us back to our hotel). We were actually really surprise at how much people spoke English. We would point to our train tickets for directions and in response were told "down the stairs to the right". The vendors as well, they learned quickly all the right words in English and got very excited when they knew what you were staying back to them. "Hello" was a popular favorite.
Our friend Elizabeth hooked us up with a driver to the Great Wall. We rushed back to the hotel (i.e. had to call the hotel once more to give the "taxi driver" directions, again, only hotel no one has heard of in the middle of Beijing), took quick showers, met the driver, and quickly got breakfast at... any guesses? Then headed on our 1.5 hour drive to the wall, Muytainyu. We really got a taste of Beijing driving and traffic, no thank you! I definitely couldn't drive there.
The Wall was amazing, and really high up in the mountains. We took a cable car up to the mountain and tobogganed with sleds on the way down. It was really great weather to walk on the wall, we took our touristy pictures, people watched, and messed with the vendors until it was time to go meet Elizabeth for a late lunch back in Beijing.
Elizabeth took us to this great little hole in the wall Western Muslim/Chinese food place. We had dishes like fried bread, stuffed jalapenos, and meat on a stick. It was literally some of the best food we have eaten in Asia. The highlight of the trip for Dirk was, Elizabeth and her roommate picked us up on their motor bikes. Dirk loved riding through the streets of Beijing (i.e. speeding through the streets without following any rules, I was scared to death!). He thought the motor bikes were awesome, oh great, here come the motorcycle pleads again...
We went back to Elizabeth's place had a couple drinks then took the subway to the Forbidden City and the Tiananmen square. Got to love Asian cities, public transport is so amazing! The Forbidden City was closed when we got there but we got our touristy pictures once more, took a couple with some country folk, and headed back(on the subway) to pass out at the hotel. Our flight was at 7:45AM the next morning... whirl wind I tell you!!!
The Dunlap's on the Great Wall
We were messing with some vendor, talking to him about Singapore, he took our picture.
Muytianyu was the part of the wall we did- an hour and half outside of Beijing
We rode the cable car up to the wall.
And Tobogganed down on sleds with brakes!
It was really fun this way! The toboggan went really fast, fast enough for people to roll over and the little guards to yell in horrible English DANGER! It was amusing, trust me!
You know, the tourist pics.
It was great weather while we were in Beijing the whole time, sunny with blue skies.
Dirk taking a moment with the height of the wall, looking down the mountain.
Went on forever and ever, and what a quad, calf, and glut workout!
I needed a rest, so we stopped and people watched, I liked these shoes!
This girl had a really interesting outfit on, I didn't get the picture of the girl that wore 3 inch heels to walk the Great Wall?
Outside of the Forbidden City
Our new friends from the country side who never see Caucasian people.
After this they asked Dirk if they could take a picture of me with just the man... I wonder what that is going to be used for?? Maybe they are going to lie to all their neighbors and tell them I am Paris Hilton or something??
They were really sweet and appreciative. Their children were the ones taking the pictures and speaking English.
The Tiananmen Square
Mau
Signature Asian pose!
We were trying to make the lowering of the flag but missed it. It is apparently full on military flag lowering business and a sight to see.
Flew Dragon Air for the first time- still received a meal and alcohol included in the ticket.
Not going to want to go back the the cheap U.S.A. way of flying.
Hong Kong Airport is so awesome! I love all the mountains and ocean!
It was overcast and raining that day.
Lasting impressions of China:
"Riding motor bikes through the crowded streets"- Dirk
"The amazingly crowded train station and how people used transportation"
"How many times I was told I was beautiful, people would even come up to Dirk and ask him if they could take pictures with me?"-Christina
"How much English they actually spoke and how easy it was to travel around"
"The overall hygiene of the people & restrooms- it is no wonder diseases pass through these countries killing so many"- Christina
Sidenote: At the pagoda in Xi'an I noticed this young boy, old enough to kick a soccer ball around. I noticed his pants had a slit in the back side from the top of the waist line to the crotch. I thought to myself, I wish I could buy him a new pair of pants. Then I saw another boy wearing the same thing while his parents where holding him in the train station. PEOPLE!! THEY DON"T USE DIAPERS! Is this gross? or just a new technique in potty training?? I will post a picture next time.
China in a nut shell!
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