We are in Beijing

We set off from Newark at 12:15pm on Thurday and arrived in Beijing at 2:15pm on Friday. The plan was full and coach was tight. Zac tried several times and many positions to get comfortable for a nap without success. We were served 3 meals and watched several movies. The best part of the plane ride was tracking our location and airspeed as well as the outside temp and how many hours were left. It was -88F over Greenland and we flew an average of 565 mile an hour, road speed. We had the most beautiful view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty immediately following take off. We flew up the east coast into Canada, over Greenland and the North Pole. We saw the most gorgeous white mountains over Russia and the Great Wall when we entered China.

We met our guide and several other families at the airport and hopped on a bus to the hotel. The Kunlon Hotel is just beautiful. Zac has said that he has never seen a more beautiful hotel and resturants. We went up to our room and waited for our luggage to be brought up. We couldn't figure out why the lights would not work. I told the hotel staff that our room didn't have electricity. He had to show me to put my room key in this electrical contraption and it turns on all the lights. When you leave your room, you take it out and the lights go off. Pretty neat, but I felt like an idiot.

We ventured out and did some walking, going on no sleep for over 24hrs. There was a mall with a food court, but Zac and I were not brave enough to try anything. Nobody spoke english. It has been pretty interesting trying to communicate. It is a good thing I talk with my hands so often. So we decided to eat in the hotel dining room. Zac was falling asleep at the table, so we quickly finished and headed up to the room. He was asleep by 7:30pm. I had a harder time getting to sleep. At 10:00 I took a tylenol pm, but it didn't help. At 5:00am, I watched the opening ceremonies of the winter olympics. We went down to breakfast at 6:30am. Now, if you know me well, you will know that I love to sleep and getting up at 8:00am is early for me. It is now 5:00pm and I am still not tired?!

We boarded the bus, at 8:45am and set off to the Lama Temple. It was beautiful. As we were going through the last temple their were about 50 Monks Chanting. Our guide said that she has been doing the tour for 6 years now and that was the first time she has ever seen that. Teri, I made your donation in the center of the monks and bowed and said a prayer for you. It was the most special part of the whole day. Extremely moving. We went on to the Summer Palace which is a 700 acre home to late emperors. We had lunch in the building that used to be the Peking Opera house for the emperor. It was family style and 8 courses. Wonderful! Then we went to the Temple of Heaven, which reminded Zac and I of Central Park. People shoulder to shoulder under the covered walkway singing, playing cards and chess, and ballroom dancing. Truly amazing.

We are currently in the hotel lounge having tea and waiting for the rest of the group to come down for dinner. This is the only place where we have found a wireless connection. Planning on going to the Hard rock Cafe for dinner and then early to bed. We are going to climb The Great Wall tomorrow morning.