Five Guys and a Chickie: November 2018

My (Amber's) Mom planned to come visit for the whole month of October! Talk about excited!!! BUT what we didn't tell the boys, and ended up being a "last minute" thing, my (Amber) niece and nephew also came. The twist, the kids actually arrived a few days before Grandma did.

Lane and I went to pick them up from the airport while the boys were at school. Just enough time after school for them to clean their rooms when the "package" arrived.

We hit the ground running with our favorite pizza spot.

The next day we hiked the Great Wall.

Gorgeous wild flowers lined the roads where ever we went.

At the "trail head". Look closely at the mountain behind us and there it is, the Wall! First we get to hike up to it before hiking the wall.

A little deceiving as this picture makes it look like the wall is a flat long wall, nope! It is down and up and up and down. Photo beneath gives a clearer idea of the steepness of the path.

Chaoyang Park, near our apartment. Weather couldn't have been more beautiful for their stay and we took full advantage. To the right of the very tall building is a famous building due to its shape. It is the new CCTV building, some say it looks like a pair of pants.

Church Building. We have half a floor where we have our services. How grateful I am that we can gather to worship in China!

As church finishes around noon we had half a day to enjoy the sites and weather. Snacked on some fruit and veggies, jumped on our scooters and off to the Confucius Temple we went. Ok, ok we actually ate the snacks inside the temple complex sitting on some steps.

First University in Beijing. Using our thinkers.

The Lama Temple is just down the street so of course we headed over there next. The Buddha at the very back of the temple is a world record as it is the largest ever built from a single tree. Unfortunately we aren't allowed to take pictures to show you, but you can search it up and there are plenty out there. Just take it from me, it is BIG!

I like this covered walkway connecting the buildings, haven't seen this before in ancient Chinese buildings.

Prayer wheel, and proof that Lane does indeed say his prayers!

Garbage cans, pretty cool huh!

We asked someone to take our photo and we liked it. . .but

This is what we wanted, in front of the flower market. The lady taking the photo was in the middle of street causing a number of vehicles to honk at her. Bless her!

Monday morning we took the scooters and headed to the Bell and Drum Towers. This photo is taken from the top of the Bell Tower looking at the Drum Tower.

Posted on the wall is a story of how this bell was cast. After several failed attempts the Emperor finally gave a deadline. All would be beheaded if it was not completed in time. The daughter of the Master Craftsman, knowing the metal wasn't ready and wouldn't make the deadline, distracted everyone long enough to jump into the molten metal causing it to heat up enough to be cast in time.

The view from the top. You can actually see our church building from here.

An apparatus for telling time. The water drips from container to container and the stick rises showing the time.

Drum Tower

Best part is watching the drum show.

Long and steep, there was a disagreement of total count of stairs.

Feeling a tad hungry we headed to Yandai Xie Street for a smakeral and trinkets, as those are commonly bought together, right?

The kids were great to pose for me whenever I wanted a photo, which was often. Well. . . the visiting kids were great about it. . . .

That afternoon, Grandma came!!!!!

We hit the ground running with her and took her our for fish. Squirrel or Porcupine Fish.

Tuesday we headed to the Summer Palace.

Suzhou Street, a place made to look like a "local village" where the servants would dress up as merchants so that the Empress could come and shop with ease. Today you can pay extra to do down and shop in the same stores.