Catching up....photos added

Our flight was uneventful.  We did have to go back to the gate after we had already taxied to the runway. United folks had left a whole container of luggage at the boarding area. We arrived in Beijing around 4:20pm on March 21st.  Met our guide David and waited for the other family to land from Canada. Went to the hotel, dropped off our luggage and met the other family from Indiana. We then went to dinner and enjoyed our first meal together.

1st full day in Beijing.... Friday, March 22nd.
     Breakfast buffet at the Oriental Bay Hotel is delicious. Olivia loved the noodles, corn on the cob, fried potatoes and bacon. Terry enjoyed eating baked beans and dumplings. I stuck to my usual eggs, bacon and fruit. Then we were off to take a tour of old Beijing via pedi-cab, Tienanmen square and the Forbidden City.  Olivia had her first experience with the "squat pot" and even had to take a picture. We had lunch with our group at a noodle restaurant (right up Liv's alley). Then we saw the Beijing acrobat show. 

Painting inside bottle

Drum Tower

Tienanmen Square

Forbidden City

Dinner with the group and our guide David

2nd day in Beijing....Sat.March 23rd.
     After breakfast we headed to the Great Wall of China. Olivia had every intention of pitching her softball  but got a case of cold feet because so many people were there today.  Liv and Terry climbed the entire section and I had to stop halfway due to my knees screaming at me!  It was OK though because I was able to have a couple of "photo shoots" with the locals and a couple of Iranian's.  Everyone in  our group was being asked to take pictures with the Chinese people. We must be famous and don't know it! We also visited the jade factory and the cloisonne factory. Had 2 more great meals and we are now winding down for the evening.  

About the part of the wall we walked

Group Photo

The Bird's Nest

Pineapple on a stick