If that didn't make sense, we're referring to The Olympics, and even though they're over, there’s still much to see! 
First stop: The Forbidden City. Highlights included a lesson on Chinese Art by students selling their works, some temples and a statue that everyone took pictures of (including us), oh…and Justin’s purple ice cream. It all started to look the same, but it didn’t deter us from seeing the Summer Palace. We hiked around this gorgeous lake for hours; climbing on a super-high arch bridge, and meeting a woman who practiced her English with us. She didn’t know much, but we had to smile when she proclaimed “white box” after seeing us holding the whiteboard.
These two days of sightseeing prepared our legs well for hiking over 4 miles of the Great Wall of China.
We signed up with a small group that led us 3 hours north of Beijing to a secluded part of the wall. It was breathtaking seeing how towers snaked across peaks of land for miles. The “hiking” turned out to include vertical climbing where there were once steps, balancing bravely over a huge rickety bridge, and a finale of zip lining down through a valley with a boat waiting to take us on a short ride for lunch. What was even more impressive was watching a 75-year-old lady chase us down steep steps to sell us ice cold beer and water. We decided on the bottle of ice. No really, the thing wouldn’t melt. The next day we followed the crowds to the Temple of Heaven. We got a couple minute good look before herds of tourists flooded the place; most of which were in groups distinguished by matching bright-colored visors and t-shirts. We were then instructed that an important officer was coming to see the temple, so everybody had to file out immediately. We decided to head to a grassy area to play “Taichi Rouli Ball Racket”—the new game Justin bought off a local there. Before we knew it, people were standing around to watch and some took pictures. Ironically, those were the matching outfit tourists that we took pictures of earlier!
O
h that’s right, The Olympics! A trip to Beijing wouldn’t be complete without seeing the venues so publicized on TV just a month ago. First stop, The Birds Nest…well from across the highway anyways! Apparently after the birds are gone, the nest is closed. However, we were allowed into the parking lot of the Water Cube. Too bad there wasn’t a lady to bottle it up for us.
After a fun filled few days in Beijing we hopped on an overnight train to Shanghai. We shared a cozy double, triple-bunked cabin with 3 boisterous Irish travelers and one reluctant, non-English speaking local. The two tallest guys were on top…literally two feet from the ceiling. We thought it was funny, until this happened to us on the next overnight train!
Next up SHANGHAI!
