Abi standing in front of one of the dragons guarding the gate to Tian'anMen Square. There are two dragons...one male and one female. Abi is standing in front of the male dragon.....we know this because his paw is holding a ball...this means power. The female dragon has a little baby dragon under her paw which symbioses future generations... We learned that every little detail in the Chinese culture has symbolic meaning....including Feng Shui design in the construction of the city.
Tucker and Kim in front of the gate at Tian'anMen Square.
Abi getting a medical exam from one of the doctors at the old pharmacy. This pharmacy was responsible for the royal family....none of the common people could be treated here. The recipes for the herbal treatments date back.....well....lets just say forever!!!!
Count down to the OlympicsClocks like this are placed all over the city....you can really feel the excitement of the 2008 games that will be held in Beijing.
This is a structure that is being built in Tian'anMen Square for the National Holiday in October. The dark vertical figures are workmen. They are passing pieces of the structure piece by piece from the bottom to the top.
Whaz sup??
The gang in the Forbidden City. The forbidden city is huge!!! Why is it forbidden you ask??? It only for the Royal family....only very high ranking officials were allowed into the city.
Our lunch restaurant
Anny (our guide) ordering lunch
Lunch time....we ate cold noodles. The noodles were in a bowl and we added fresh vegetables and "soy bean jelly stuff " to the noodles to add flavor. This was not our favorite meal but it was a fun cultural experience.
This is the lake at The Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was built by a greedy, selfish, evil women. She lived a life of glutton while the rest of her county was starving. The Chinese people are ashamed to say her name so we are now calling her...... She-who-shall-not-be named (taken from Harry Potter). She stole money and cheated everyone and anyone she could. Her son, who was very young was the emperor and she controlled the power from "behind the curtain". When her son died at age 18, she appointed another very young emperor (age 3) so she continued to have all power. This emperor was said to be sympathetic to the common people and so She-who-shall-not-be-named but him in the Royal jail. This was kept a secret from the country. The young emperor waited and waited for her to die so he could help the people....but...he died mysteriously a few hours before S-w-s-n-b-named. It is said that she arranged for him to be poisoned before died. China has such interesting history!!!
Crazy Kids!!!
We drove by the Olympic Village....it is still under construction
This is a structure that is being built in Tian'anMen Square for the National Holiday in October. The dark vertical figures are workmen. They are passing pieces of the structure piece by piece from the bottom to the top.
Whaz sup??
The gang in the Forbidden City. The forbidden city is huge!!! Why is it forbidden you ask??? It only for the Royal family....only very high ranking officials were allowed into the city.
Our lunch restaurant
Anny (our guide) ordering lunch
Lunch time....we ate cold noodles. The noodles were in a bowl and we added fresh vegetables and "soy bean jelly stuff " to the noodles to add flavor. This was not our favorite meal but it was a fun cultural experience.
This is the lake at The Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was built by a greedy, selfish, evil women. She lived a life of glutton while the rest of her county was starving. The Chinese people are ashamed to say her name so we are now calling her...... She-who-shall-not-be named (taken from Harry Potter). She stole money and cheated everyone and anyone she could. Her son, who was very young was the emperor and she controlled the power from "behind the curtain". When her son died at age 18, she appointed another very young emperor (age 3) so she continued to have all power. This emperor was said to be sympathetic to the common people and so She-who-shall-not-be-named but him in the Royal jail. This was kept a secret from the country. The young emperor waited and waited for her to die so he could help the people....but...he died mysteriously a few hours before S-w-s-n-b-named. It is said that she arranged for him to be poisoned before died. China has such interesting history!!!
Crazy Kids!!!
We drove by the Olympic Village....it is still under construction The large squarish building in the background is
"The Cube" where all the swimming events will be held.
This is "The Birds Nest"....built for the opening ceremonies
Housing for the athletes
"The Cube" where all the swimming events will be held.
This is "The Birds Nest"....built for the opening ceremonies
Housing for the athletes 
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