Dad in BJ 2

While my Dad was in Beijing with me we went to check out a new site in town. An old section of wall remained in the city and from the road you could see old astronomical devices displayed on top.

We went up for a closer look.

There were lots of cool devices that were used to measure the sky.

It was interesting seeing all the old mathematical tools.

There were also some cool dragon statues.

Below the wall was a garden with sundials and other objects.

This thing tells you what day of the year it is based on where the sun causes the rod's shadow to fall on the base.

This guy is an ancient Chinese astronomer. Behind him you can see the stuff on the wall.

This rock has carved on it the pattern of the sun and earths relationship and is used to calculate seasons and weather.

It was cool because I could actually read what some of the Chinese characters said.

The Chinese are famous for their sundials.

I am not sure what this thing did but the dragons sculpted around it were awesome.

Now this is a claw!

The dragons were very detailed.

Hey look- I'm atlas but I am holding up the stars instead!

Even Dad held hands with the dragons.

It was a pretty big sculpture.

There was a small museum area that had some explanations and history for the devices. This sign explains the four animal signs that the Chinese use to represent the four directions.

Later we went to the Forbidden City.

It is massive and the pollution was pretty bad but we still had a good time seeing where the emperors used to live.

Because of the Olympics lots of buildings had their paint touched up and looked great with all the red and gold detailing.

The architecture was amazing.

Here is Dad in front of one of the huge red doors.

I love all the doors.

There are even bridges inside the palace and rivers and moats that run through it.

Don't let the photos fool you- we weren't the only people there that day.

Outside on the street we saw this sign and still have no idea what it is suppose to be saying.

We also visited the Summer Palace while we were in Beijing. This is looking up the hill towards a Buddhist temple in the palace grounds.

This is looking down the long corridor that stretches around one side of the lake.

Above is the Marble Boat- it was a promenade one of the Emperor Dowagers built to have parties on.

The bottom part is made from stone but the top two levels are wood painted to look like marble.

More of the Long Corridor.

The Corridor is a nice place to sit and relax for a while.

We took this dragon boat across the lake.

View from the boat.

Oh yeah- I could be a mean dragon!

Every where you turn there are different painted gate ways.

The whole place is intricately painted. Similar to the Forbidden City.

The place would not be complete with out a little bamboo!

Of course I took Dad down to the Olympic square to see the infamous bird's nest and water cube.

We couldn't get very close because security was still tight even after the games.

Here is Dad in front of what is known around town as the dragon building.

We were able to get a little closer to the Water Cube than to the Bird's Nest.

Us and the Chinese were out getting our picture taken.

The pollution was pretty bad, but this shows the whole length of the dragon building.

The dragon had huge screens on it that showed the olympics.

We were there just long enough to see them turn on the lights to the Bird's Nest.

I like it when it glows red at night.

Here you can see both the Water Cube and the Bird's Nest behind Dad.

We had a really great time in Beijing.

Dad in BJ

Dad and I spent a week together in Beijing before I returned to the States.

On one of those days we went to the park.

Not just any park but the Temple of Heaven. There was a group of women twirling ribbon near the front gate.

One of the prettiest activities that happens at the park.

Not only are there treats for your eyes but also your ears. These guys are playing a classical Chinese instrument called the Er Hu.

The Chinese love exercising and including in that is dancing. This guy is working his castanets.

Also in the park are flower arrangements with Olympic sports on them. This is me diving...

... and here is Dad weight lifting!

After fun in the park we looked around the historic temple buildings.

Olympic volunteers are everywhere even after the games are over to continue helping with the massive in flux of tourists.

The big red doors are still one of my favorite things.

Temple of Heaven is still my favorite place and I think Dad liked it a lot too.

Because the Olympics had just happened and because the Paraolympics were on their way, we just happened to stumble upon flags of all the participating countries! They were just sitting behind a building so we asked a guard if he would take our picture with them.

First Dad and I unfurled the American flag and then I held up the Canadian flag!

Around the temple of good harvest people were preparing a stage for receiving the paraolympic torch.

It was a great time to be there. We got to see the usual beautiful architecture and some new things too.

Here I am kissing a dragon.

Dad is hanging out with the dragons too.

If you look close, Dad is standing in the middle.

Father daughter door picture.

Another one of my favorite places is here at Hou Hai where there are lots of cool shops down the narrow alley ways.

That is where Dad and I road a rickshaw around.

Peek-A-Boo!

Dad couldn't come all that way and not see the Great Wall.

It was a lot of climbing and wasn't the clearest day, but it was fun.

I think it was Dad's favorite thing to see in China.

We had the privilege of being virtually alone up there. Not too much of a crowd that day.

Here is dad beside the wall on the mountain.

We climbed up and down the wall towers.

You could get some good views from up top.

The classic shot of Dad and the Wall.

Pretending to climb over.

Inside a tower.

Dad looking up out a sky light in one of the towers.

We had a lot of fun touring the wall, even if it was my 5th time!

Continuing our tour of Beijing, we find this communist statue...

... in front of Chairman Mao's Mausoleum. Mao (the leader of China's Culture Revolution and face of Communism) is preserved and on display inside. His mausoleum sits in the middle of Tian'anmen Square.

At the south end of the square is Qian Men- Front Gate.

An old piece of wall with the gate still in tact is there.

Front Gate is on one side of the square and the Forbidden City is on the other side.

Because of the Games there were huge flower sculptures all over the square with Olympic figures.

Here is Dad and I in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City which is also called Tian'anmen Gate. That means Gate of Heavenly Peace. That is Mao's face hanging on the front.

Around the corner you can find a large shopping district.

This rickshaw wasn't as fast as the one that road us around Hou Hai!

In the shopping district you will find several Olympic stores. This one is the largest. This picture was taken the day after the closing ceremonies. Man it was crowded!

Outside the store I found a few people to trade pins with. Yep, my little red head in a sea of black!

An alley way off to the side takes you from the modern back to the traditional and you can find all kinds of strange food to eat. Behind Dad are silk worms, liver, strange meats, scorpions, seahorse, etc. But we stuck with my favorite and just ate grapes coated in sugar on a stick. We aren't that adventurous!