Beijing Welcome

Wednesday
We made it to Beijing and everyone made it outside of the airport. One of our travelers was sick several times on the plane and our fear was that she would have a temperature and we would all be quarantined for seven days. We were all a bit nervous when the team of “temperature takers” passed through our rows zapping each of us in the head to check our temps.

Again as we passed through security our temperatures were read, but, we are happy to be with each other on a bus instead of a plane. After registering at the hotel it felt great to walk after so much sitting. Tienanmen Square and the Wangfujing area of Beijing which looks much like Times Square.

Thursday AM.
I woke up at 3:30 to make a 4 AM walk to Tiananmen Square for the raising of the flag. The place was crowded with people holding children holding cameras. Many nationals come out for this while in Beijing. The Chinese people enjoy listening to Americans speak English and we are keeping score on who gets asked to have their picture taken most often.

After the flag ceremony we walked down Wangfujing Street. It looked quite different than it did the night before. I even caught a look at Yao Ming looking out over the city. Somehow I had missed him the night before.

At 8:30 we leave for The Great Wall! I pretty pumped for that.