Friday, June 8, 2018

China - Day 3 (Hutong & Summer Palace)

We have two days of touring scheduled for Beijing, and we have been making the most of it! Today we visited the Temple of Heaven, the pearl market, a Hutong (meandering communities within the city made of 800 year old homes where people still live today), had lunch with a sweet family in the Hutong, toured the Summer Palace, took a dragon boat ride, and make a quick photo stop of the olympic village. Our feet our sore and we're just amazed at all we were able to see today.

I had told Canaan before our trip to expect to be stopped for photos by some of the Chinese people, and this is exactly what is happening. Our boy is a little celebrity here and has been stopped by multiple people for a photo with him. Today at the Temple of Heaven we watched as a school load of children were touring the area - and one of the teachers asked if we might permit Canaan to be the centerpiece of a photo they were taking of their students. Our sweet little introvert looked a bit pained in some of the photos, lol!  Teachers took his hands so that he would hold the hands of a couple of the students, and the students took time afterwards to practice their english with us. It was pretty much completely adorable and completely overwhelming all at once.

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Checking out the Temple of Heaven with our tour guide Jeremy.

It just kept going and going, even more so than the Forbidden City.

The Temple of Heaven is made out of wood! Amazing!

Our famous kid!

And then they asked Mom and Dad to jump in the picture.

More of the Temple of Heaven

A pedicab tour of a Hutong.

I could have spent all day wandering these streets taking photos! So much beauty!

The wedding photo of the sweet couple who shared a meal with us in their home today.

Whatever these were, they were incredible.

Gifts to us from the family. 

Hot tea on a steamy day... we are definitely in China! 

The courtyard area of the family's home in the Hutong.

Our sweet and hilarious host (who thought I was BJ's daughter, and have him two thumbs up when she learned I was his wife. Ha ha!!) - the one from the wedding photo.

This bird was learning to say "nihao". :)

Canaan at the Summer Palace.

So much beauty to take in at the Summer Palace!

This temple of the emperor at the Summer Palace was built upon an enormous man-made hill.

A tucked away side room at the Summer Palace. 

Sorry this is out of order - another image of the Temple of Heaven.

Canaan and I on the pedicab ride.

Dragon boat ride at the Summer Palace.


Just three days until we meet our Ivy girl!

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