Berrys in Beijing

Today we ate an early breakfast and left with a tour group of about 12 people at 745am. It had snowed and was COLD, but the tour happened anyway. We had on our layers, and we walked carefully in the snow. It was an enjoyable day, but I am glad to be back at the hotel to thaw out.

Our bus driver was a great driver...he had a horn and he knew how to use it. They seem to drive much more aggressively here than in Atlanta, but we arrived safely. Pedestrians do not have the right of way here...LOL they get horns blown at them. Right now as I type this, I am hearing a chorus of horns blowing.

Today we toured several places; Ming tombs, The Jade factory and we ate lunch there, then we went to The Great Wall, visited the Silk museum, and rode by the Birds Nest Olympic Stadium. Our first stop this morning was to the MING tombs. Our tour guide known as Andy said that he wanted to save the Great Wall for after lunch so that it would be a few degrees warmer.

 Ming Tombs...Yes it was snowing!

 Great wall

 Great Wall

 Where in the world is the  HENRY CO. TIMES? It is with us at the Great Wall. We will take another photo with this paper when we get Jolie.

 WE saw a lot of people using these brooms to sweep off the snow today.

 Antique silks

 Karl was one of the volunteers from our travel group to stretch the silk.

 View from our window

 Bikes! Even in the snow...

 Breakfast in Beijing...it was so cold when we passed these outdoor vendors.

 Cute little taxi

 The. Squatty. Potty! I've  heard about it, I have seen photos of it, but nothing prepares you for it until you are face to floor with it. There's a lot more to say about it, but I'll save that for another day.

Ming Tombs

At the Ming Tombs

 Our guide Andy with the Emperor in the background.

 Shek at the Jade museum. I think he liked this best. He took photos of all the jade carvings...He wanted his picture made with the eagle of course! WAR EAGLE!

 Jade fish bowl?

 Great Wall. 

 More Great Wall

 We rode the cable car up. It was very slippery on the walkways. The workers were busy shoveling and sweeping the snow away.

Me and the kiddos at the great wall

 Karl and me

 More Great Wall

 These workmen and women worked hard to sweep and shovel away all the snow to make the steps and pathways safer. I still walked like an old woman on the steps...I don't see how the workers cleared it with out falling themselves.

Another shot of Karl helping to spreading the silk out at the Silk museum

Karlie thawing out after a cold day touring Beijing.

The After photo of our first full day in China.