Just What We Needed!

This past weekend we went to Beijing! We are so lucky to be close enough to visit on a weekend trip! I decided to fly with Rachel for only $50 more than a train, and arrive fourteen hours sooner, without having to sleep on a nasty smelling cot haha. We were on a flight with all businessmen, and I read the paper and felt like I was on a business trip too. I forgot I was in China. It was a drastic change from how we usually travel! Where were the lugee-hawking 50-year-old woman and the smelly squatters? Ha! Rachel and I were picked up from the airport by her tour guide and went to the Marriot! It was so nice to sleep in a warm, clean, soft bed and shower in a normal shower with no stench in the water. Haha. We slept- in late, had a continental buffet, worked- out (I got to swim some laps in the pool next to some serious Chinese swimmers and trainers), and then met up with our other halves, (Lauren and Lauren) who rode the train. Then we went to the Silk Market, and dropped a lot of Yuan. After about 6 hours of shopping, and buying Coach, Uggs, vans, MAC, True Religion, pearls, jade, North Face, scarves…etc. you would think we would’ve spent a lot. We came out spending about $100. We saw the Forbidden City, an enormous portrait of Mao, T’enamen square, the Olympic sites, had delicious Peking duck, ate my first salad at Hard Rock, walked through a park with retired people playing poker and doing Tai chi, dancing and singing, and saw a 60-foot Buddha. It was phenomenal! Peking duck is prepared so that all the fat is removed, and what is left is perfectly crisped skin and dark meat. Then you dip it in sugar and some soy sauce, add some finely chopped cucumbers and radishes, and thin crepes to wrap it all up. OH! And the tour guide said there are ten Coldstones in Beijing. Of course we had to go! Rach found one for us, and it was heavenly! It tasted exactly like I remembered it! We loved seeing The Bird’s Nest and the Water cube. There was a montage of clips from the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics and it was so inspirational! The Chinese were so exact, it looked almost as if there were thousands of robots. I don’t know how it was possible for them to be so on cue. I remember watching that ceremony and not thinking that I would ever visit the place where it was performed! I felt like conquering the world after being there, seeing the incredible architecture, and watching clips of the athletes’ sweat and tears!
The trip boosted my growing appreciation and respect of China. Realizing I only have about 3.5 weeks left, I am starting to cherish more moments and take more pictures! I can’t believe I will be leaving a place that was once SO incredibly foreign, smelly, strange, and now is a place I can feel so much love for, and have had some of my most fondest memories. I love taking the Holts around and seeing their reactions to something that used to be so weird and is for Americans. Pooping babies on the street? That's not normal? Haha! It is great having them here! We are having a blast making memories in China!