Beijing China, much like Shanghai blew us away. The size of the buildings and the extent of the roadway and railway infrastructure was beyond anything we could have imagined. The center of Beijing makes Shanghai look like a small town in Vermont. It was clear that China is an up-and-coming nation of nearly unmentionable potential. the real excitement and going to Beijing was feeling this potential. Seeing the Great Wall and the Forbidden City poor both exciting but, the thing that moved us was the city itself.

Beijing airport is new, beautiful, clean and modern.

Paulette, Loretta Donna and I went to an upscale New York Style restaurant frequented by wealthy Chinese. The place was run by a fellow from Wisconsin. Actually it was a nice change from the Chinese food.

The next morning we were off to the Great Wall. The traffic was terrible. Just like the Long Island Expressway. Here we were averaging about 10 mph for about 30 minutes.

Eventually the traffic thinned. The ride to the section of the wall we were going to visit was about an hour and a quarter drive from our hotel.

Donna had so many layers on she couldn't turn her head without turning her whole body.

Here is the "we were there "picture showing Donna and I with a section of the Great Wall behind us.

Her Donna shows off her red nose.

A view from outside on the undefended side which faced the interior of China.

There were several sections of the wall which were surprisingly steep.

Here are two school girls hamming it up for me.

These battlements are built only on the side which faced the enemy.

The road to the Wall was frequented by tunnels.

We went to a factory which manufactured ceramic/copper vases. in the picture above one of the artisans applies individual copper dividers to a copper base vase.

The space provided by these copper dividers are then filled with colored material and then fired in a kiln. Because different types of coloring required different temperatures in the kiln, this process is repeated many times before the finished product is polished. We bought a small one for the mantal.

Another Chinese lunch served in the factory.

It was clear from looking out of the window for the 1 1/2 hour drive to and from the great wall that the government had either rebuilt everything within view of the highway or had taken it down. They obviously have simpler emin A cafeent domain laws and few attorneys.

The entrance to the "Summer Palace".

Sculptures have great symbolic meanings to the Chinese.

The summer palace probably looks better in the summer.It is no doubt warmer.

The buildings in Beijing were of varied architecture but shared the characteristic of "bigness". The Chinese light their buildings at night. Some of the lighted buildings were spectacular.

More lighted buildings.

The bar at the China Club where we had drinks before dinner.

The grounds of the China Club which was about 400 years old and was originally the home of an Emperor's son.

One of the several courtyard entrances at the China Club.

Back at the hotel after dinner.

The next morning we set out for the Forbidden City.

The above pictures were taken in the "Forbidden City" which was occupied by 24 Emperors between 1604 through 1911.

Donna trying to warm up in the bus.

That is Tienanmen Square. The Chinese Government was electing a president the day we were there. They did this last 6 years ago. Most of the square was being used as a parking lot by Government officials.

Our guide in Beijing.

Paulette , Loretta, Donna and me at the Beijing airport en route to Hong Kong.