Beijing - The Great Wall

 Here's Teresa's report on what they've been up to in Beijing. They are busy!

We have had a couple of busy days!  Our first full day in Beijing was spent between the Canadian Embassy and the SOS medical clinic.  We needed to complete the Canadian paperwork and drop everything off at the Embassy so that the baby visas would be ready by Tuesday. We left the hotel at 11:30 and the bus did not get back until 5:00.  A very long day at a clinic!  Nina actually had one of the first appointments and so after we were done we left Peter at the clinic so that he could follow up at the Embassy.  Nina’s weight is 8.25 kg, she is 72 cm long.  So length is great, weight is a little low.  All the paperwork is in so now we wait.

Yesterday was a big day...  a trip to the Great Wall!  Along the way we stopped at a government owned Jade factory.  If you buy jade here it is real, anywhere else you take your chances.  I have included a photo of a worker craving jade.  Peter wanted everyone to see the $350000 jade Budda, it was too heavy to get home so we did not buy it :)  

At the Great Wall Teresa and Nina stayed at the first tower while Peter and Mia set off for the top.  It was a beautiful day with no wind so we enjoyed exploring and enjoying the view.  Peter and Mia had a very steep hike up on very uneven steps.  They made it to the top!  You can see the pictures that Mia took from the top.  Teresa and Nina were waiting at the bottom with an “I climbed the Great Wall” medal for Mia and she had her picture taken.   

Our guide told us that Mao said anyone who climbed the Great Wall is a hero...so Mia and Peter now think they are heros. :) We had a well deserved lunch of Chinese food at the Friendshop Store (government run store).  On the way back we stopped at a spot where you can see the Olympic Bird’s Nest Stadium and the Water Cube.  It was quite smoggy as you can see so the photos were not that great.