Amazing Day

Well today was one of the funnest days I've had in my life! It was just unbelievable. We began by riding a rickshaw through a very beautiful Hutong area. It surrounded a lake and was really the most picturesque place I have ever been too, and I've been to many lovely places. We were taken to a darling kindergarten with 200 children. The building belonged to the royal family and used to be the princess school. The children were so friendly and I loved the way the teachers had everything set up. Part of the school was Montessori based. The children's artwork was so colorful and happy. Children were running up to us and yelling hello and then hiding. They were blowing me kisses from their classroom. I can't wait until we get to Guangzhou so that I can try to get the pictures up for you all.
We also visited a family home in the Hutong and had jasmine tea. The man was an artist painting the inside of bottles that we just loved and of course bought.
We went to the gorgeous summer palace and learned all about the "Dragon Lady" dowager empress. We rode on a dragon boat around the lake and bought Abbey minority dolls in ethnic costumes. I will never forget all the beautiful things we saw.
The lunch we had was the best food I have ever eaten. We went to a noodle house and had noodles, fried rice, peanut chicken, beef with onions, broccoli, pears and beer. It was the most delicious flavors! There were huge crickets singing so loudly and giant goldfish. I just can't say how yummy it was.
We went to the silk factory and bought embroidered pictures. I got the farmer folk art kind with children picking cherries from a tree and another washing clothes in the river. Gene got dragons and goldfish. We will always treasure them. They take you through the whole process with the silkworms and cocoons, it's just amazing.
We then went to the Temple of Heaven. The gold in the buildings was highlighted as the sun was setting and it was so pretty.
We had the best guides in Beijing today, Tom at the Hutong and Belinda all day and we are begging them to come to California to visit. We loved them!
I can't believe that we almost didn't come a day early to see all this. It was so nice to have a private tour. Delight Travel set this all up for me. If you are a waiting family you have to come to Beijing one day early!!!!!!!!