We have landed!

Today is Tuesday March 25th and we have been in Beijing since last night. It was a very long flight, very long. We left our house Sunday AM and got here Monday night.

Today we walked to the bank (to exchange money, quite a process), and there was a McDonalds next door. Sam was very excited and had breakfast there. We had planned to go to the Zoo, but realized we were really close to the Forbidden City , so we decided to walk to it. Then once we got in, we realized we were in a different park, but it had a temple on a hill and we could see the whole city and the Forbidden City was across the street. So we decided to go for lunch which was very yummy. They had a huge menu, but the last page had about 7 items on it for Americans written in English. As David was ordering for us, he pointed to someone’s table and asked for what they had and the waitress said no. The meal was great, we had two noodle dishes, sweet sour pork and some other things. It was less than $18. Everything is so cheep. By time we got back to the Forbidden City it was mid afternoon and we would not have enough time before they closed. So we went back to our original plan, took a taxi and went to the zoo. The taxi ride was incredible. David rode up front; Grammy, Grandpa and I were in back with Sam on Grammy's lap. There really are not any traffic rules in China. It was a little scary and about $3.00. At the zoo we really only saw the Pandas. They had 4 or 5 pandas and they were all so cute. There was a group from Ireland that had just adopted their babies last week and were finishing up their trip in China and heading home tomorrow. It was hard to see them since we are so close to getting Elizabeth . We did talk to one family, they were very nice. Then we wandered around a very busy part of town and took a taxi back to the Hoo Hoo. The place we are staying is called the Hutong Inn (we call it the Hoo Hoo), it is great and half way down a Hutong (alley type thing). We all took a nap and met back for dinner. The restaurant's menu was an inch think bound book. It did have pictures for everything and English names. Most was sketchy or scary, but we did find some that was ok. The best was Chairman Mao's favorite Braised Beef. The fried rice was good, the chicken dish was sketchy; it was the bad parts of the chicken and the bones.

Tomorrow is the Great Wall! Sorry there are no pictures. The internet connection is very week and slow. I am nervous I may not even get this out.

Here is what we have noticed in China . It is very clean, not the air, but the streets and shops and such, but. the smoke is horrible. Everyone smokes, everywhere. It is something we are not used to and not enjoying. My eyes are still burning from dinner. Everything is very cheap too. It is hard to get used to the different money, something says 350, but that is just $45. Also there are so many people on the street trying to sell you things or get you to take a rickshaw tour of the hutangs. It was getting pretty bad this afternoon they were everywhere and chasing us down. It is hard to sight see since I just want to be in Nanjing getting Elizabeth . It is an incredible city though, so many people, so much range between old and new.

I'll try to post again soon.