Ok, So......I left off at lunch time on Day One, November 27:
After we had lunch at a famous dumpling restaurant, Jacob perked up and was ready for the second half of our day. We took a rickshaw bicycle tour of a local Hutong. A hutong is a traditional style of living quarters and neighborhoods. Many of these old hutongs are very poverty stricken and not pleasant to look at. As a result, walls were built around these hutongs so that visitors of the Olympics would not see these eye sores. Our rickshaw tour was through one of the few well maintained hutongs. We were also invited to tour a local family's home and partake in tea.
After our rickshaw tour, we went to 'Dr. Tea's' Teahouse to sample teas and observe a tea ceremony. We were able to sample several Japanese teas, learn proper sipping techniques and gauge differing water temperatures. Jacob found that teahouses make wonderful napping sites.
At this point we were just down the street from the 'Bird's Nest' and the 'Water Cube'. These were the main venues for the Olympic Games this past summer. Unfortunately these sites are not open to the public until next summer, so were not able to get more in-depth tours. This hotel in the shape of an Olympic flame was the hotel that housed all the media for the Games.
For dinner we ate a family style meal (I'll post a separate post about the food we ate) and then headed to an Acrobatic show. Because of our long day, we assumed that Jacob would fall asleep once the lights went down for the show. Boy, were we wrong! Jacob LOVED the show. He watched every minute and never missed an opportunity to dance along to the music.
Well, that was pretty much it for our first day in Beijing. After the show, we all returned to our hotel and slept like babies.
See you 'tomorrow'!
Poor Jacob, he still looks so cold and tired!
Leaving the Dumpling Restaurant with full bellies.
Rickshaw time!
Alley-way behind the wall leading into a section of the Hutong.
Now we are in a tradition family's Hutong home. The "Lady" of the household is holding Jacob in the courtyard in the about pic.
This was just a little restaurant outside the Hutong.
Now it's Tea Time! We were able to sample several Chinese teas as well as learn traditional tea serving rituals. Jacob felt this was a perfect time to catch a quick nap.
Jason is holding a brick of tea outside the Dr. Tea's gift shop.
And, of course, there were Chinese ladies snapping pics of Jacob. He is such a worldwide celebrity. :)
Chinese lanterns decorating the overpass outside the Tea House.
Olympic Venue Time!
This is the "Olympic Flame" Hotel built to house members of the media during the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The "Bird's Nest", home to the Opening and Closing Ceremony's and the Track and Field events.
Here's the "Water Cube" where Michael Phelps swam his way into history. We were not able to go inside these venues as they will not be open to the public until 2009.
Dinner Time!
After dinner we attended an Chinese Acrobatic Show.
It was as advertised...."Novel, Beautiful, Odd, and Thrilling"
It's Show Time!
Now it's back to the hotel and a good nights sleep.
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