The GREAT WALL Sheraton Hotel is no where close to the Great Wall....

 This was a surprise to us! You know that WALL VIEW you thought you paid for...it was actually an "internet wall" blocking us from the blog...joke's on us!

Beijing, China : A very unique place!

This photo made me see just how badly I needed a hair cut while in China. So, I went down to the hotel spa, and asked if someone could cut my hair. I'm pretty sure the receptionist agreed...no idea if he was qualified for the job or not...but I nervously smiled and sat down in a chair he brought out from a back room. He used a spray bottle to wet my hair, which hasn't happened to me since I was three and got haircuts at the kid stylist in the kiddie firetruck or barbie car, and he proceeded to trim off about an inch of hair...straight across the bottom. (I had a drunk friend in college trim my hair the exact same way once...and this guy did a slightly better job....so I was happy! ;-)

Forbidden City.....no longer forbidden and filled with people.

Andreas stood on this bridge for about 5 min trying to capture a shot with no one walking in the background...this was the best one as there were hundreds of people walking around.

I waited for a family of 6 to each shoot individual photos of each other in front of this statue...and then shoot a group shot....Andreas' patience was wearing thin...and he let them know!

There was an English version...but the Chinese one looked cooler! It told us a little about the Forbidden City....however, one odd thing about China was that they were good at telling you what something was, but terrible about explaining the history or meaning behind it.

It was his turn!

My turn!!!

The City was massive and a lot of it we didn't have access to. The three main areas were pretty, but PACKED with people. Also, each room was very similar to each other....Massive Throne and nothing else....Andreas was not into snapping multiple pics of massive chairs in the middle of rooms.

 I got him to snap one! ;-)

We walked to the top of this hill and took some great pics of the city.

Forbidden City from the hill

Through Andreas' Eyes : he shot some amazing photos while in Beijing, and some of my favorites were of the communities and people.

But the first one was of ME. ;-) j/k, moving on....

Locals called this building the "Large Trousers". It's actually the new HQ of the Chinese state tv...it was massive...to me, it looked like part of a giant Transformer!

Unplanned growth in the Forbidden City

Inside the Watch and Clock gallery at the Forbidden City

Locals at a Hutong (a residential street)

Sleeping Basket!

Friends

 

 

Riding in front.

Riding in back.

Giving a friend a lift!

Busy Hutong

A mall in the center of town. I was craving pizza and hit up a Pizza Hut inside this mall

The many Night Markets in Beijing!

The night markets were one of the memories I will NEVER forget in Beijing. You can literally order anything on a stick. We will not soon forget the sights, smells and candid vendors of the Evening Markets.

The scary thing is that I no longer remember what was on the sticks to the right and left of the baby octopus.

A sea of "interesting" foods to....taste???

YES, Andreas was willing to sample a dumpling here and a chicken roll there....

No Roach or Grasshopper for either of us though!

Andreas was annoyed that I wouldn't try any of the foods he was buying. I finally took a bite of this chicken wrap, and then he started to make "throw up" faces just to worry me.  However, if you are thinking I chickened out and wouldn't try anything at the market...think again!

Strawberry on a stick.....yummy! It was laying right next to a grasshopper on a stick....so don't tell me I'm not adventurous!

Andreas, they are still alive!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY_fva7FM18

As it got darker in Beijing, the lights came on at the markets...beautiful!

Andreas wanted to buy 100 of these t-shirts, and sell them in Times Square!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLaR72qt93E


A few of our favorite pictures!

FREE HAMBURG to the first person to tell me what the heck this cart says! Spends buys the cake free to sip gruel...no idea was gruel is....don't think I want to sip it....

Ah-Ha...there is a weak link in every group...found the straggler!

Oh, happy day!

Skip, Skip, Skip to my loo.....Skipping to His Loo at the Forbidden City

Oh, he spotted me taking his picture

Mom - if you came to China with me...we could dress the exact same and walk around! My only request....can we wear blue or purple...pink just does not love me. ;-)

Now you're speaking my language!

Miss you Meg

My new Chinese hat!

That says Starbucks!

P.S. Starbucks is expensive in every country!

Ry...this Bud's for you!

Hehe...this picture makes me laugh! Andreas snapped it while walking around Beijing, because he thought the dog looked like him. I believe his exact words were 'If I were a dog, I think I would look like this!'