The Forbidden City (China)

I just returned from a weekend trip to Beijing, China. I will write more details in a few days after I've had some time to process the amazing time we had. The above picture is from the Forbidden City - February 27, 2010.

A link to my traveling partner's blog: Carolyn

Carolyn and I used SOHO Travel to arrange our Visas and flight. They were very helpful and it was worth the minimal service charge. We flew Business Class to Beijing and it was AMAZING. The China Eastern Airlines lounge at ICN was top-notch. We “mistakingly” poured Cognac instead of Champagne… life’s tough, right?

The headlines of the “China Daily: The National English Language Newspaper” were: “Whale kills trainer at Florida’s Seaworld” “Web revolutionizes ways of communication” “Amateur actors’ passion puts professionals to shame”  “Pressure on yuan rise ‘not justified’” and “Fewer Chinese children available for adoption in US”

We stayed with Carolyn's relatives in Beijing. They were our tour guides and taxi drivers... and they never complained! Very generous folks. The first day, we visited Tienanmen Square (metal detectors to get in) where we saw Mao's Mausoleum, and the Great Hall of the People. They are organized in a square and facing the  Mausoleum at the opposite end is the entrance into the Forbidden City (pictured). 

Saturday evening we enjoyed an amazing Peking duck dinner- multiple courses!

Pictures from day 1!!