DAY 3, 10-14-2016 - Tiannamen Square, Forbidden City, Rickshaw ride, Houtong family meal

DAY 3 - OCT 14TH - TIENANMEN SQUARE, FORBIDDEN CITY, RICKSHAW RIDE, HOUTONG FAMILY MEAL.

Hotel:  Sunworld Dynasty Hotel
Beds:  Very comfortable
Food:  Pretty good.
WiFi:  Is in the rooms.

The Sunworld Dynasty Hotel is pretty nice.  The breakfast is served in this open interior courtyard.

We started the day having a nice breakfast buffet, before starting our first day of touring in Beijing. On today's docket is... Tienamen Square, Forbidden City, Rickshaw ride, Houtong village and Lunch with a local family.

After our breakfast, we met George in the Lobby and found out that another family was joining us for our Beijing touring.  This was a great relief to us.   Having another family along, just makes things more enjoyable and good conversation.    Their names were Alison and JD from North Carolina.

We began our day at Tiananmen Square.  Since Grammy and I had been here back in 2012, we had a couple of expectations of what we would see.   What we didn’t anticipate was the degree of SMOG.   It is absolutely Horrible.   In 2012, as soon as we got off the bus and started walking, we could see Chairman Mao’s picture in the distance.   This time, we could barely see what was a two-block distance from us.   It was very disheartening.   We were hoping the SMOG would clear up later in the day… but no such luck.   It seems to be a constant in Beijing now.   We still had a good time and learned a few new things, but all our photos look fuzzy due to the SMOG.

Walking towards Tienanmen Square, you can see how dense the fog has become.
Also, notice the long line of visitors on the Left to see Chairman Mao's Tomb!

We had to be this close and on the stairs to get a decent picture of
Chairman Mao this time

B'Elanna standing before the garden's.
In 2012, they were Vibrant.  Now you can see the dense
smog around them.

In addition to the fog, this time we have B’Elanna with us.   She wasn’t overly impressed with Tiananmen Square, there were TONS of people and not much entertainment for a 6-year-old.    Our guide, George, fell absolutely in LOVE with B’Elanna.  She had him and JD wrapped around her little fingers during the short bus ride from the hotel to Tiananmen square.   They were constantly carrying her and playing with her, when tired and boring old Mom wouldn’t.

B'Elanna and George...

... and then he carried her through the Square and about half
of the Forbidden City.

BElanna and her guys....
George and JD (in white hat)

We got her back for a couple of photos....

From Tiananmen Square, you walk through a tunnel (unless your B’Elanna and then George carries you!!) to the Forbidden City.

and then, my little monkey, was carried through the tunnel to
the Forbidden City!!!

The Forbidden City was just as impressive as I remember, for both it's history, it's architecture and it's amazing preservation.   Some of the architecture was repainted back in 2007… and it still looks AMAZING!!   Back in June, when Grammy came on the Heritage Tour, her knees were paining her so much, she wasn’t’ able to do ANY walking around the Forbidden City.   Today, she made it ALL the way through, climbing stairs and seeing all the sights.  Throughout the day, the crowds were pretty congested and DJ would "get a free massage" (aka push through the crowds) to get different pictures for us.  We kept track of his tall self by following his white baseball hat, he became known as "The man in the white hat"

The crowded entrance into the Forbidden City

George with our Group (B'Elanna, Alison, Grammy and DJ)

Some of the amazing architecture!

Beautifully restored and repainted!

Family photo with George and the Giant Lions at
Forbidden City.  Look at the architecture and beautiful colors

The court yard.  Picture is fuzzy due to the Smog!!

B'Elanna with her other new guy.... DJ!

This is where DJ went crowd surfing
(aka got a free massage) to get us pictures

This is the image that is impressed into the banister
outside the Throne rooms.

This is one of the Throne room pictures DJ braved the crowds
to take for us.

Beautiful Dragon Garden towards the end of our tour in
the Forbidden City

After the Forbidden City, we hoped back on the bus and went to the Rickshaw rides and lunch at a Hutong Family house.   The ride was fun and B’Elanna laughed the entire time at being “on a bike-car” without a seatbelt or helmet.  We made it through the ride with a lot of break squeals, honking horns and dodging cars/people.   It was nail biting at times.   HAHAHAHA.   The lunch at the Hutong Family house was Delicious.  B’Elanna wowed Grammy and I by eating and liking most of the food she was given.    After lunch, we took the Rickshaw’s back to our starting point.   This time B’Elanna INSISTED she wanted to ride with George.  I can’t believe I said this… but I said “OK” and they were Off.   We lost sight of their Rickshaw a few times, but we had no worries since she was with George.

Rickshaw Selfie!!!

Interesting photo of new with old building - during Rickshaw ride

Tons of power conduits all together - during Rickshaw ride

First Welcome to Beijing sign I've seen!  At the entrance
to the Hutong Village!!

Our lunch.  These appetizers were really sweet.  The food
was OMG Delicious!!!

The fish tank in the Hutong house/restraunt

B'Elanna catching a ride after our lunch!
She is getting completely spoiled by George and
DJ!!   Grammy has impressed herself by being
able to keep up today!!

Another picture taken during the Rickshaw ride

and another Father/Daughter scooter ride!

Cool statues to be seen during ride!

I hang my head in Mommy shame for letting my child go off with a virtual stranger who feels like a member of the family.   And I cheer with Mommy joy that B’Elanna is turning into an independent little girl.   When mine and Grammy’s Rickshaw arrived, she came running over to us all Happy and Smiling and SO excited that she got to ride with George… it was worth the Mommy shame.   :D  :D  :D

B'Elanna going off with George on the Rickshaw!!

By this time in the day, we were EXHAUSTED!!  We headed back to the room and made plans for both families to get together with George for dinner at 6pm.    Well…. We got back to the room and CRASHED!   We didn’t wake up until George called to see if we were coming to dinner.   We begged off, woke up enough to do B'Elanna's nightly procedure (which she slept through!!)  and went back to sleep for a few hours!!  

CRASHED out during her procedure!