Hutongs Beijing

 Here is the huge pizza we ate for Thanksgiving!  Yummy! Too cold and tired to go out for the Peking Duck like we planned.

 This is a Hutong in the middle of Beijing.  It has been in this family for many generations.  During the Communist Era it was taken by the government and many families were crowded into the tiny rooms including one family in a bathroom.  They had to go down the street to use the public toilets.  The family that originally owned it was relegated to the kitchen as their home.  It was a rough life and left some bitter memories.  Somehow now the family owns the entire place again.  The mother was a single mom and the daughter now owns it as the grandparents no longer living.  Very interesting lovely people and we thoroughly enjoyed staying in their home and visiting with them.  The house is many rooms and bathrooms all the way around two large court yards.  There is a common room at the middle for the kitchen.  The owners live upstairs and in back of everything.  Very interesting house I am so glad we stayed here right in the heart of Beijing!

Bird's Nest and Water Cube at the Olympic Village

 Too cold to open my eyes?

 The sun is right in our eyes!

 I think they will have some ski competition here soon for kids.

 Amazing feeling to be in the place where great athletes, who persevere through pain sweat and tears to be the best, come and compete!

I Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

 Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

You can feed these huge gold fish from baby bottles of something . . . .could not read it but it looked interesting!

 Philippians 3:14

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The Great Wall 4 Tobagan and Ski Lift

AAAh!  Hold still and hang on Jp that bar is more nothing than safety!

Great Wall 3

 The great wall was a tough climb for everyone but especially Tim as he hauled Jp!  I cannot imagine living up there and I definitely would hate to be one of the people who built it.  However, it is amazing.

 Did I mention we took a ski lift up and a toboggan down?  Jason pointing excitedly, "Look over there mommy!"  Me, "Jason how about you hold on very tight and don't point!"  I am scared to death of heights and the ski lift did not feel very safe especially for a wiggly 5 year old who could slide through the seat.  The toboggan was a lot of fun and I was surprised because I thought I would white knuckle that too!  It is much closer to the ground.