Saturday, December 5, 2009
TURBO TOURS, AND
A GRAND ADVENTURE!

When today began we had no plans for the morning after breakfast. The other family headed to Chongqing with us got in yesterday and headed out for a morning tour of Tian An Men Square. Since we have already seen it and Sophie has trouble going long distances on foot, we decided to sit it out until the Great Wall portion of the day. After the girls got up and dressed, Brandy took a shower. I sat in the chair in our hotel and watched the most unbelievable sunrise. Because of the haze of the smoke, I was able to stare directly at the sun and not have any problems with my eyes. Unreal, the entire sun got above the skyline and I could look right at it. It was a sight to behold, despite the smoke stack.

We had what we thought was going to be our last breakfast here at the Poly Plaza Hotel this morning. They have the most incredible mashed potatoes. I know it sounds strange for breakfast, and I’m pretty sure that it is a heart attack on a plate, but I couldn’t help but spoon it up. I thought it was my last chance. Turns out our guide Grace has convinced them to open for breakfast a bit early tomorrow just for us so we can eat before we leave for the airport. We will have to be down there around 6 in the morning. More mashed potatoes I think. Fessick LOVES mashed potatoes.

After breakfast, Brandy and the girls did some school work. It was pretty quiet so Fessick decided that he could grab a quick morning nap. The phone rang around 11:00 a.m. saying the driver would be here shortly to pick us up and head to the Great Wall. On the way north to the Great Wall we stopped at a Jade factory. We got a turbo speed tour and a lesson on how to spot fake Jade. Oh yea, that will come in handy in Kettle Falls, you know, with all the Jade shops there. I’ll bet a lot of people in Kettle Falls don’t even know what Jade is. Anyway the tour was interesting. We got a small snake and a small sheep for the Sophie and Opal’s birth years. Amalie already has a small horse. Since the animals are small they didn’t cost very much and I’m sure the girls will be thrilled when they get them at their first family day anniversary. There were some amazing works on display. There was a large carving of Buddha in the entry way. The price, a mere $680,000.00 RMBs. Just over a hundred grand in our money. I stood there looking at it thinking, “You know what kind of saw I could get for a hundred thousand dollars?” Suffice to say he didn’t come home with us.

Next we needed to eat. I believe that the guides and bus drivers get to eat free at the Friendship Stores if they bring a tour bus with them. So, we got another turbo tour. This time of the cloisonné factory. It’s a pretty cool place. We had actually been there last year and purchased a bunch of stuff. This time we didn’t have an agenda and managed not to spend much. We got some small bracelets for the girls. At the exit on either side of the door was a giant pair of vases nearly as tall as I am. For a measly $726,000.00 RMBs you could be the proud owner of the pair. Hmmmm…………………. That’s another tough one, I’ll have to pass again.

We piled back into the bus and headed for the Great Wall. I remembered from last year that it was all we could do to get to the second of the four towers on this part of the wall. Several people in the group boldly announced that they would reach the top at the fourth tower. Amalie’s eyes lit up and she said, “We go too. We go to the top!” After Brandy ran the girls to the bathroom at the bottom we were off. It became apparent very quickly the Sophie wasn’t going to be able to climb much. She is the sweetest little girl and I love her very much already. She gave it her best shot. For some reason her right leg is not very strong. Maybe just from being institutionalized for so long. Anyway, we got up the first few stairs and Robyn took a family picture of us. We decided that the best strategy was for Amalie and I to try and make the climb and for Brandy and Sophie to check out the shops at the bottom. Amalie and I zoomed off. Amalie was darting up the steep steps at an alarming pace. I had to get her to slow down because I was nervous she would slip and fall. One side of the steps was covered in ice. It was very cold. In no time at all we were at the second tower that we had climbed to last year. Onward!!!! We charged up to the third tower where there was an ominous warning sign. I felt the second part of the sign speaking directly to me. “I must be brain damaged” I thought. “Why am I doing this?” Then I turned and saw the smile on Amalie’s face and remembered why. Mush Daddy, Mush…………. Thanks to David Nielsen for teaching my daughter how to slave drive. We reached the fourth tower without any trouble. “Now”, I told Amalie “We are REAL men!” She smiled and nodded in agreement. “Boy, you are tough” I said. I really am surprised that she made it. “Yeah, I’m Stough” she said. She was so cute flexing her muscles that I didn’t bother telling her she had added an extra s.

A nice man came along and looked at us with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll take your picture” he said, “This is a special occasion”. He used our camera. The buildings that you see in the background are the parking lot where the tour bus was parked. Yes, we climbed all the way up there. We made it down even faster than we made it up and were back in the tour bus with 20 minutes to spare. Of course I’m biased, but I think for her age Amalie is very athletic and strong. Anyway she was very pleased with the whole thing, even if Fessick has rubber legs now.

On the way home we drove by the Olympic village. The Birds Nest and the Water Cube were where they just had the 2008 games in Beijing. They have also built a hotel, which is a series of 5 buildings that looks like a dragon. Grace told us that it is a 7 star hotel. I thought the scale only went to 5 stars. Shows you what I know. We were back to the room at about 6:30.