China: Day 1 and 2

On the 25th of September we got up around 6 am and headed to the airport. We met Megan (who had arrived early in the morning from Indonesia) at the gate and took our 6 hour flight to Beijing. The flight was uneventful and both girls did well.

After arriving in Beijing we took a taxi to our hotel: Days Inn Forbidden City and settled in. Elyse shared a room with Megan and slept in a big girl bed for the first time (she only fell out 1x). Anastasia, Toby and I shared the other room. This is the first time we all slept in the same room together (A didn't like sleeping in our room in Singapore, even when she was just born).

The following day we walked to Tiananmen Square and then went on to the Temple of Heaven.

Tiananmen Square was not how I pictured it. For whatever reason I pictured in more enclosed and much bigger. It was still huge, but it was just different. Anyway, when we got to the square we made our way through the crowds (and Uncles selling Mao watches) and I found a place to nurse Anastasia. Elyse, Toby and Megan wandered around and made some friends.


I Knew I was in China when I saw the big portrait of Mao.

After I fed Anastasia we walked around the square looking for an exit (it was fenced in). As we were walking we saw the line to go in and see Mao's body. Although ti was a fast moving line, we decided to skip it and head to our next destination: The Temple of Heaven.

We had a map and it looked like we could walk straight there, but we encountered some closed streets. As a result we got a scenic tour of the area.

When we did get to our destination we went into the Temple Park and got to watch people dancing. They had music playing different types of songs and they paired up and danced. Some people were more serious than others.

After a snack of Ice Cream and a Frozen Soybean popsicle (I thought it was lime when I picked it out - Elyse still ate it) we got to the Temple of Heaven. From Wikapedia: The Temple of Heaven was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.

It was beautiful and very ornately decorated.

Megan and Elyse walking around the base.

By this time it was time to fed Anastasia again and then head back to the hotel. Meagan chose to walk back while we got a taxi (I think we got ripped off).

For dinner we went to a restaurant just down the road from our hotel. The menu was in Chinese with no pictures, so we handed it over to Megan (who know a bit of Chinese) and she ordered. She did a very good job :) It turned out that this place was known for its pancake/tortilla type wraps- no rice at this place. It was very good.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel. Unfortunately on the way home Elyse fell and cut her lip. Luckily no teeth were chipped and the bleeding stopped quickly. Although it ended with crying, overall it was a good and busy day. Tomorrow we would be heading to the Forbidden City.