Day # 3 

Beijing: Tienneman Square, Forbidden City, and travel day to Nanchang

The first thing we did on Day #3 (Saturday) was to head to Tienneman Square.  It was very busy as the other things due to their National Day.  However, it was neat because the Chinese citizens were excited and feeling extra patriotic.  They had beautiful flower decorations that aren't normally there to help celebrate.  

Our family with Effie, our guide.

Our camera was taking fine pictures - the cloudiness is due to the smog.  

All of us - Our family, Effie, and the Bujnoseks.  We had such fun spending time with them and had such a connection knowing we'd be getting babies the same day.  The boys and Aubrey got along great.

We went through a tunnel under the street to get to the other side to enter the Forbidden City.  It was highly, highly secured and the Chinese patrolmen were super serious.  I asked Effie if I could take a picture and she said, "Only take one when they don't know you're doing it".

Chairman Mao's picture.  It is always replaced with a new picture every Oct 1st and we were there on  the 5th.  We had not known this, but to enter Forbidden City you go through a tunnel under the famous portrait.

Walking under Chairman Mao's portrait that weighs 6 tons!

 Walking through a tunnel to enter the Forbidden City

Effie was fantastic and super knowledgable.  She taught us so much about Chinese culture and history.

 A very famous guardian lion.  They are always in pairs and the way you can tell the female from the male is the female has her paw on a baby and the male has his paw on the world.  This was the female.

These tablets were pretty and on all the buildings.  We couldn't read them of course, but our guide said they were just the name of the different buildings in the Forbidden City.

 Split pants!  They start potty training super, super early.  Ellie Kay wore split pants all the time before we got her.  She was dressed in two pair, so we have a couple as examples to show her later.

 Good shot of an outer courtyard of the Forbidden City.  The entire place is huge!

 A Chinese girl asked to have a pic with my guys.  :)

 Matt wore his backpack to the front on recommendation of our guide.  She said due to the crowd to be extra vigilant of pickpockets.

 Jason, Tanya, and Aubrey

Fighting the crowds to catch a glimpse of things such as the empress' bedroom was challenging.  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. :)

Throne

 Effie wanted a pic with her camera of her and the kids, so we snapped one too.  :)

 An outdoor "garden" at the Forbidden City where the emperor would come to relax.

A pavilion in the middle of the garden where the emperor could entertain

 A very common vehicle in China

 In the afternoon, we were dropped off early to the Beijing airport and had to wait HOURS for our delayed flight.  I think it was probably about 90 degrees in there and it felt super stuffy.  The Chinese however, were wearing jackets!  

 The kids were troopers to wait so long, but they were excited that we managed to find American treat - cokes and chocolate! 

 You can kind of get a glimpse of the large airport and the people, people, people.  This flight was our biggest challenge to check in for since this was the only one we did without a guide.  (Effie had another family coming into town she had to meet, so we were on our own).  We finally figured it out!