September 2nd our first full day in China

We finally got to be shortly after 2 AM.  We were back up around 6 and had breakfast by 7.  The breakfast buffet isn't to bad.  We joined our tour around 7:30, there was 3 other people besides us.  We first took a nice scenic route to a Jade Factory.  We watched a gentlement carve a "happiness" ball.  We then were brought in to the factory to "buy" things.  We just looked around and didn't by anything.  After that we took another beautiful ride through the country side to the Underground Palace of the Ming Tombs.  During the drive there, we went through a lot of little "towns", we saw a lot of farmers working the crops, they had beautiful crops. The houses were very close together in groups and there was always construction somewhere within the living areas or next to them by the streets.  We saw donkeys working too.  We were not allow to take pictures in the Underground Palace due to it being bad luck.  We saw the tombs of the emperors and emperoress and learned about them.  Monika got a little unsure of the surroundings a couple of times since we were underground.  Once we finished that, we took hour drive to the Mutianuyu portion of the Great Wall.  At the enterance of it, we got a wonderful and tasty lunch.  Jenny tried every dish and loved the fish one the best.  Katie tried most of them and Monika only a couple.  The girls got their own bottle of sprites with the meal, so they were happy campers.  We took a ski lift up the side of the wall, we were probably on it for 10 minutes and a couple of times I got a little nervous because Jenny said I feel like I am going to fall out, but we all made it up there safely.  Once up there, we admired the beautiful scenic.  It was sunny but not blue skies.  We decided to hike  up the end of one side (where you are allow to hike and then they got it barricade).  This hike was mostly upwards with some deep stairs.  The girls did awesome.  Jenny needed to carried the last 100 feet on the way back otherwise they all hiked it.  This was my second time here and I am still amazed the beauty of it.  We rewarded ourselves with a super slide down the side of the mountain.  This time I let Dave go first so that he wouldn't get stuck behind anyone slow.  When we got there, there was no one waiting to go, so we figure we were good.  Unfortnautely, after Dave started to cruise down it, he came up to a slow poke and had to stop a few time.  My sister and Monika went ahead of me and I caught up to them and told them to go faster, and she actually listen to me.  Once down to the bottom we treated the girls to ice cream and a "I climbed the great wall" t-shirt.  Dave also got one.  We brought postcards too.  We boarded the bus again, girls took a little nap, we stopped at the silk factory and was given a tour.  I wanted to buy one of those silk blankets.  My mom got one last time we came in 2005 and loves it. I didn't buy one, but my sister did.  I am very envious of her.  The girls thought it was pretty cool how they make it. On our way back from the silk factory we drove past the bird nest and the water cube.  Friday we are suppose to get a better look of those two.   We got back to our hotel long enough to run upstairs, grab a snack and head to the acrobat show.  Dave, Monika and I saw this in 2005.  Some of the things are the same and some were new.  We were all tired but managed to stay awake for the actual show which lasted just an hour.  We were back at our hotel by 9 and the kids and dave were in bed shortly after that. This trip to Beijing is a lot different then when we were here in 2005.  I am not sure if it is because we are in a different area or what.  The smell is the same and the air is thick like before.  The constant beeping of honks is still there.  The traffic doesn't seem as bad, in some areas we were slowed down but not bad.  Not seeing as many bikes/motorcyles this time either.  Also the cars are newer and more variety of them.  We even seen many slug bugs.  The heat today was just like what we have been having in MN, so that didn't bother us to terribly bad.  The food is fabulous as usual.  The first time my sister went to the bathroom, I forgot to tell her about the squating toilets and no toilet paper until after she was in there.  I took the 3 girls in one stall and had to show them all how to do it, they thought it was the most funniest thing until they realized it wasn't that easy and that you don't throw the toilet paper down the toilet.  They have master it as no one has peed on their clothes.  Dave had a nice experience at the Jade factory bathroom, as there is a attendent there that "helps".  He doesn't actually "help" go to the bathroom, but he there.  Dave wasn't to wild about that.  It is hard to believe that we are in our daughter's birth country.  I Love China, it is a beautiful country, I may not agree with all the communist belifs, but the people are wonderful.  I am still amazed on how they drive here.  They drive like maniacs but yet it all in the flow and everyone knows their place.  The bikers and walkers are not afraid of the cars.  They honk horns all the time to "tell them they are right there"  The vechiles "cut off" people all the time, yet it doesn't phase them at all.  Sometimes I have to close my eyes and pray that we will make it safe.  The girls are doing pretty good, they all have had moments of being silly and obnoxious and needing reminders to calm down, but other then that they are doing great and enjoying themselves as the adults are too.  I can't believe that in a couple of days we will be united with our daughter.  Thank you Lord, and Thank you Lord for this wonderfu experience.