Mom Does Beijing! Day 7: Beijing from a Window

Beautiful and exciting, Beijing is like Manhattan - shimmering buildings all lit up in neon. We understand why Ca likes to come here. Great shopping at several markets and every day, more tasty food. And I mean delicious food, whether it was the Korean bibimbap or the Peking duck or the hot pot. Thank goodness we are walking all day or we would be rolling back home!

Down on the street, well --- that is a bit different. Quite the adventure! Haha, today David and I tried to get back by ourselves to the Silk Market (for the 3rd time) since we were certain we remembered the location. Here is where it is like being on Mars. Of course we were hopelessly out of whack, guiding ourselves by visual landmarks ... And ended up lost again!! Hmmmm, what to do? NO recognizable street names, no understandable "you are here" on the map, VERY rare to see someone who might speak English, taxi drivers that just shake their heads "no" after looking at your hotel business card, aaarrrgggh. We were determined to figure it out ourselves and not bug Ca to death... She had her own errands to do. God bless her, we would have gone crazy without her!!

Finally we made it home. And of course, Ca took us off to yet ANOTHER market. I can't explain how crazy it is. Masses of vendors soooooo hungry to sell you. It's frantic!! "Hey lady, you need a "______"? The vendors know EXACTLY how to express ALL they need to bargain away. And my gosh, greed has set in!!! How couldn't it with acres of stalls? Pearls, jade, coral, purses, watches, ceramics, oh my goodness. Bargained prices make me want to buy more, more, more. Beautiful pearls of every quality, size, color, it's like a shoppers dream. You could go ape!!! Jade for miles. A girl can create a masterpiece of threaded pearls in 30 minutes... Ask Ca, she did it!!

I love the history, love walking in the Forbidden city, thinking of the many Imperial dynasty movies we've seen. It IS just like that. Excellently maintained and glorious. Like Chinese Versailles! It is super frustrating on the language side, but so amusing that folk are impressed just because you are from America. On several occasions giggling teens or rural people would ask for pictures with us ... just like you are a movie star!

Ca says America is known as "the beautiful country." Hmmm, I miss home but am thrilled to have accomplished what I wanted... 1. After two years of PT and surgical aggravation, I stood on the Great Wall. I made it! 2. Shopped in pearl heaven 3. Ate, drank, and was merry with my great kid

Xie xie Ca, Wo ai ni.

What an amazing time and world view of somewhere completely wild for us! I will never forget it. It's a big world out there...so excited to see and share it w David and Ca.