Beijing, China

Our summer kicked off in June with a trip to Beijing, China. It was really a work trip for Derrald who was interviewing potential HKUST students for the accounting program but we tagged on a day or two either side to hit the sights and smells of the "Motherland".

This was my very first trip into China (excluding trips to Shenzhen, which is technically the Mainland and requires a border crossing, however, is practically an extension of HK. ie. Does. Not. Count.)

Despite the depressing weather and my continuing morning sickness, we had a wonderful time.

We scaled the Great Wall of China. And it was pretty, well... Great!

*we thought I looked SO pregnant by this point... but mostly it looks like I ate one too many dumplings.

Derrald was recognized in his true calling "leader of men" when our tour guide asked him to man the flag while she went and got tickets for our Ming Tomb visit.

Where we were subsequently herded like cattle around a bunch of smelly, underground rooms filled with empty box replicas... not the payoff. I have a bad attitude you say? I'll let you decide when you go there. Say hi to these people for us.

We explored the Forbidden City in the rain; 

We were just in time to see some sort of guard ceremony. Sadly, I was too slow on the camera to get the shots where they were facing us but look at those cute little bottoms. And the white gloves!

Then some of us had to eat... steaming corn from some man's styrofoam box? Um, alright. But no butter?!  Lame.

We did not, at any point, toot our horns, blow our trumpets or honk. And it was a good thing too because then we saw the sign below.

Then we stifled our inner protest to pass through the security checks to get onto Tiananmen Square. Our timing was off so we didn't get to see Mao, although Derrald has seen him before, and to tell you the truth, I find looking at waxy dead people kind of creepy. 

And then we ate MORE food. We LOVE the food in Beijing. Derrald ordered his favorite, Ma Po Tofu, at every place we went to (except the Peking Duck place) and I discovered my new favorite dish, the ever humble "Eggs & Tomatoes". 

Ma Po Tofu (center), Eggs & Tomatoes (bottom left), Green Beans & Chilies (top left), Dumplings (top right), Kung Pao Chicken (bottom right)

And from the ancient and traditional we moved to the ultra modern - The Olympic Park Beijing. This was a very impressive space and it was awesome wandering around all the massive structures built for the 2008 Olympic Games.

We enjoyed views of the Bird's Nest -

and the Water Cube.

I wish we'd had more time to go explore inside the buildings as I know they have been turned into venues for other exciting things like water parks and some have special tours, but for this day we satisfied ourselves with just getting to Olympic Green and trying out some more local cuisine!!

Anyone know what a "sheep whip" is?

We chose our delicacy... and the winner was "King Scorpion"!! Derrald started us off and made it look tasty. Okay, perhaps not "tasty" per say, but definitely, edible.

So I gave it a go. 

And I gave it a minute.

And I gave it a nope! 

But I can make it look tasty too!

Beijing, you were a treat. We'll be back (all three of us!).