Oh the hords!

Well, today we discovered just what happens when you take 18 little girls out into what can only be called a mass of humanity.

Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City were awash with people. We set out at 9:30, but didn't hit the square until well after 10, even though it's a 20 minute walk away. It takes the bus about half an hour to get through Bejing traffic and get anywhere near the Square.

From the second you step off the bus, you're approached by people selling hats, water, Rolexs, flags, little red books. And it isn't long until you join the throngs of people, Chinese and foreigners alike, who have come to step foot on one of China's most well known landmarks. Beijing is a popular tourist destination for Chinese tourists, including all the school kids on summer holidays. We saw dozens of school groups, many of whom stopped to peek in on the babies.

Tiananmen Square itself is indescribably huge. The pictures can't possibly give you a real impression of the scale of the place. Suffice it to say, I finally saw a portrait of Chairman Mao. Knowing the history of this country over the last 50 years, it was fascinating to see the pilgrammage to this place that so many Chinese make. Of particular interest was the huge queue of people streaming along to see Mao's mausoluem - where the Chairman himself lies in state - indefinitely- encased in a crystal coffin thanks to the wonders of modern preservation. Unfortunately, with the crowds, the heat and trying to steer strollers through the throngs, we didn't get enough of a chance to truely appreciate the magnitude (and message) of the place.

Interestingly, despite the surroundings, the babies still drew a lot of attention. Anytime we stopped with the stroller, you'd get a handful of people come up to play with the babies. It was almost hard to get moving again when Marui told us to "move out". It was particularly funny when Marui arranged to have a group picture taken in front of the famous Tiananmen facade. While we were being organized by the photographer, a group of Chinese tourist crowded around to take our picture (picture on the right). Guess we were quite the spectacle with the strollers all lined up in a row!

At the end of Tiananment Sqaure and underneath the massive portrait of Mao, is the entrance to the Forbidden City - the past home to the Emperors of China and their entourage, including Empresses and concubines. The name was taken from the fact that the common people were "forbidden" to enter the place, and it operated as its own little municipality within what was then known as Peking. However, following the communist revolution, the Forbidden City was opened to the masses, and today, is one of Beijing's biggest tourist attractions.

Once again, the scale of this place needs to be seen to be believed. Courtyard after courtyard, that seem to go on for miles and off-shoots of smaller courtyards that create a maze of courtyards. Walking through, it is easy to see why it's called a "city" rather than a palace. I'll post some of the more intersting pictures, but they don't really do justice to the scale and beauty of the place. Admittedly, we - once again - were in no position to truely appreciate the majesty and artistry of the place due to the crowds and our preoccupation with the babies in 30 degree heat. For anyone considering a trip to Beijing, I would highly recommend heading to the Forbidden City very early in the morning, to avoid the crowds (if that's at all possible).







Unfortunately, the bus was fairly late to pick us up and we all wound up waiting on an incredible busy sidewalk for 40 minutes with 18 hungry, thirsty and tired little girls. Probably fair to say that everyone was a bit of a wreck by the time we got back on that bus, and incredibly grateful for the air conditioning. As for Kiyomi, well, she just seemed to take it all in stride. It's amazing what that girl will put up with as long as she's out and about and has a cookie in her hand!

As we learn more and more about Kiyomi, we learn more and more about the perils and challenges of parenting. One of our finer moments was when we picked up the cookie that Kiyomi has dropped on a Beijing sidewalk, reasoning that she only seemed interested in putting a cookie in her mouth on her own the day before, so she won't possibly try it on a bumby sidewalk... Fifteen minutes later we looked down to see cookie crumbs on her fface, and palming a half eaten cookie. It's ok though, because that was totally eclipsed by today, when I was giggling and playing with her on the bus, and she tossed her head backwards... against the window ledge! Sure hope our kid survives us!

Tomorrow is a bit of a rest day. There are a couple of shopping excursions planned, but being a little shped-out, we're planning on taking it easy. It will be a relief not to have to be up, fed, ready, and on the bus by a certain time. I tell ya, you start to develop a bit of a love-hate relationship with that bus on trips such as these.

Tonight's parting shot is, shockingly, not of Kiyomi! This one is of Hope and her dad, Dave. Seems to just be one of those shots that are worth a thousand words. Good night from Beijing!