Today we toured one of my favorite places in China: the emperor's Summer Palace. Our guide Tim, who conducts tours here 2-3 times per week, said he even wanted to take photos today because we had one of the most beautiful days he has seen. Just look at those clear blue skies. The Summer Palace has exquisite architecture and paintings throughout its picturesque setting along a lake.
Later, we had lunch at a hotpot restaurant, which was hilarious because the three of us had no idea what to do. Bill called it "Chinese fondue." Basically, a server places a pot of water with spices on a heating unit and you add your own ingredients, such as mutton and vegetables. You are supposed to remove them after 30 seconds, but if you are less adept at chopsticks, the food will cook longer. Bill and I enjoyed it very much. Maddie enjoyed cooking more than eating today.
Then, we headed to the Olympic Village, where we saw the famous Bird's Nest and Water Cube from the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. We can only imagine the thrill the athletes experienced while watching the opening ceremony.
Our final stop was at a tea house where we sampled several types of tea, including jasmine, ginseng oolong, and fruit tea. The hostess showed us a unique device for testing water temperature: a "pee-pee boy." The tiny statue appears to urinate profusely when the water is the right temperature. Yes, Maddie is bringing one home.
We had a great day and Maddie has already fallen asleep in her clothes. Hopefully, we can all sleep past 3 a.m. tomorrow so our bodies can adjust to Beijing time.
Sounds like a wonderful first day, glad you all are enjoying your time and that you're feeling better!:)
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