Beijing Day 2

Today was a beautiful day in Beijing- blue sky and warm. Jim had a great day exploring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace Gardens with our tour group. Elaine stayed in the hotel with some sort of 24 hour bug that has made its way through most all of the tour group. Jim walked and walked and walked some more to see all the sights.

One of the other tour folks who had been sick and her husband and I shared a cab to drive down to the Square and Forbidden City to see it from the outside. We also had a nice little tour of an older neighborhood without all the traffic congestion which is present everywhere you go around here. People, buses, cars, bikes and motor bikes weave in and out. They seem to play their own game of "chicken." We even say a Mom asnd small girl navagating a busy intersection with the girls on a bike featuring training wheels. Can you imagine trying to teach someone to ride a bike in that mess.

The evening was a wonderful Peking Duck Dinner and a performance of the Peking Opera and some local dances. Jim enjoyed it- especially since the opera part was brief. Elaine stayed home and slept.

Our Viking River Cruise experience has been great. Now a day of rest before the next part of the trip begins.