On our way...

We are just packing up and getting ready to leave for the Beijing Airport. Everyone feels great and is looking forward to sleeping on the 11 hour flight:) Hopefully David and I won't come down with whatever the kids got... We are sad to leave- there is so much we would like to see and do here in Beijing- though we have seen the top 5 or so attractions. Our favorite thing to do is just wander around the backstreets.
Thanks for thinking about us- won't be long till we'll be seeing you Canadians!!! Next post will be from Vancouver!

Boat Ride

We went for a walk to a nearby lake and rented a little battery powered boat. It was probably the best thing we did according to the kids- even better than the zoo. All three took turns driving the boat- it wasn't the fastest boat you've ever been in:)

Some important buildings in Beijing

Tiananmen Square - gate to the Forbidden City
Monument in front of Mao's Mausoleum
Monument to the People's Heroes
Zhengyangmen gate

Some Beijing Pictures

A typical Hutong.
Kids in our neighbourhood.
Everyone hangs their laundry out on the main streets as they usually don't have a yard.
They still have to put the flowers in this display. There are workers everywhere getting things ready for the Olympics- it is so clean and organized but the one thing they can't fix is the dirty air- it is soooo smoggy. They are hoping for rain everynight, tonight they got it... it's pouring rain which is funny cause David is out on a rented bike:) and it is pitch black... hope he finds his way back to the hostel:)
flowers to be put in the displays

Back in Tuva, part of Emma's homeschooling curr. was to read a little story about a chinese boy named little pear. His favorite treat was candied fruit on a stick so we were thrilled to see it here for sale and of course got it for all the kids. It was super yummy. just dried fruit with a softer candy shell.

Oh- and at the restaurant that we bought it at which was kind of like a food court but one restaurant- hard to explain but just trust me it was quite a cultural experience... anyway... A newsreporter stopped me while we were looking for a table and interviewed me for TV. Yikes! They asked me what kinds of food I was wanting to have there, how I heard about the place, etc. My answer to all the questions was "I don't know:)" I'm glad I don't have to watch the interview- though it would be cool to see me on TV talking in Chinese! They filmed us at the table too...

It is unbelievable how much attention we get- maybe after the olympics they will be over their fascination with foreigners. Today at the Zoo, Emma had a line up for people wanting to take their picture with Emma. Funny. We would be taking a picture of the Olympic Pandas and all the other cameras were pointing to us! This is definitely the place for people who want to be admired.

Around the hostel

We haven't really explored all the hostel yet- we've only been in two of the three parts. This morning before we went to the great wall we had breakfast in the main area instead of our area. I really like the main hall- it is almost tacky cause there is just so much stuff packed in there including things like fake flowers etc. but at the same time I think it could be my favorite room ever. Sorry the pictures aren't clear- still figuring out the camera or maybe it just can't do clear ones:) When we were eating and I was looking around, I noticed way up high above the dining room tables were our undies! Apparently they dry the laundry in the main hall:)

The Great Wall

We did it. Everyone was feeling good so we went to the Great Wall today. It was a pretty rainy day, there was even thunder and lightning which meant a pretty wild chair lift ride:) I thought the kids would be terrified- but turns out only I was nervous:) We went to a spot that isn't so touristy which was wonderful- as far as I know the wall looks the same and it is nice to walk on the wall without a ton of other people being there.

David and the boys on the chair lift in front of me. on the left you can see the optional slide down- but on wet days they don't recommend it so we didn't:)





If it had been a clear day this would have been a super view- looks like there would be endless mountains.

The train trip from Mongolia to China

Playing with Nady.

Way way way too hot.
Part of the Gobi Desert- most of the real deserty parts were during the night so no pics:(
Changing the wheels from Russian ones to Chinese style ones.

By far it was the most uncomfortable train ride we've had- but only because of the heat. The Trans-Siberian is known for being incredibly too hot at all times, in all seasons and very seldom is it possible to open a window. We were so glad to have a coupe with a window that opens but when you are crossing the Gobi desert it doesn't really help:) We had the window open all night as we slept and when we woke up our whole coupe was covered with dirt, our mouths were full of gritty sand and our hair was full of sand. Then we had to wait at the border for hours and hours while they changed the wheels on the train and checked our documents etc. We couldn't get off the train for some fresh air and because the train wasn't moving there was no breeze. It was awful. But we survived:)

We had to switch to a different train once we were a ways into China. We were really fortunate to meet a friendly young guy from Massachusetts. The kids loved Nady and he entertained them in the trainstation on our layover for 4.5 hours! Huddy doesn't warm up to strangers easily but he really liked Nady- maybe because they have the same kind of hat. He made newspaper footballs, played pretend sword-fighting, told them lots of stories and answered all their funny questions. Thanks Nady! He could also speak Chinese very well so he helped us many times and travelled right with us right till we got in the taxi in Beijing.


Being in the smaller train station when we switched trains was quite the experience. As soon as we put our bags down in the station we had hundreds of people standing around us just staring at us. We are used to that a bit but this time they even started touching us and stroking our hair and getting their picture taken with us. Funny. We felt like aliens or something. Nady warned us that that would happen but he even he was suprised at the attention we got. Because the kids were always hanging on Nady, the crowd always thought that they were his kids so he could clarify it all with his chinese. Here in Beijing people stare at us of course and the occasional person will come and touch us and want to hold our hands etc. but nothing like we experienced at the Jening? station!

First Chinese Food in China

The hostel has a great cafe/restaurant with all kinds of chinese foods. The best thing about this place is the staff- they are basically one Chinese family and though a few of them that you need to talk to (receptionist, waitress, housekeeper) speak great English, the others like the chef and gardener etc. don't speak English so we hear chinese all day and experience the real chinese culture even if we are stuck here at the hostel.

Yesterday we sat in the courtyard and had some really good Chinese food. One of the workers peddled in to the courtyard on his bike with his basket full of fresh mushrooms, so we had to order the chicken and mushrooms:) Sooo good. Our kids really picked up using chopsticks- Emma did really good, Josiah and me were OK:), David is a pro and well Huddy made a big mess but he got enough in his mouth. The jasmine tea was really good.

Unfortunately Huddy was sick again in the night- guess he shouldn't have had supper... David and I are still feeling fine though- hoping it is just a kid kind of sickness if those exist. We were hoping to go to see some sights today- maybe just one of us will go and then the other will stay "home" with Huddy.

Emma has been enjoying the fast free internet too- she loves playing games and looking at pictures etc. online. She is my daughter:)

Our Hostel in Beijing

The hostel is situated down a backlane- so fun finding it, weaving through the bicycles and fruit stands. Real authentic charm.
There are 3 areas of the hostel- we are in the East Wing which I think is the newest/least done up but it is sooo cute. There is a cool little courtyard with a duck waddling around, fountain and garden, pool table, restaurant, bar, internet cafe (though they have wireless so now I'm in the room) and everything is really nicely decorated and they are soooo organized. I didn't think it would be half as nice as it seemed it would be from their website cause it is soooo cheap but it really is that nice.
Emma with her McDonald's Olympic Fan and a Hash Brown. We haven't had McDonald's for over a year so it is a real treat!

We're in China!

I'll post some pics soon. We just got dropped off by the taxi at our hostel- it's wonderful! I'm sitting in the Chinese courtyard surrounded by red lanterns, fountains and Free Wireless Internet. I'm a happy girl:)
We had a great trip- well parts of it were awful:) but overall it was great. Only Emma and Jo were sick and josiah was better before we left Mongolia. Emma was sick on the way a couple of times but still was in good spirits- she's a great person to be with when she is sick. I think she is all better now.
David is just at the bank with Emma and the boys are chasing a duck around. Fun.
Anyway, I'm gonna check email. Just wanted to let you know we are here and having a great time. Sure is hot though. Wish this place had a swimming pool! Maybe I'll accidentally fall in the fountain:) Or take a shower I guess.

update: spoke too soon- Huddy is sick now... maybe we'll still be getting it. Hope it is quick if we do cause we don't want to be stuck at the hotel all 5 days- though it is a nice place to be:)

Leaving Ulaanbaatar

David was downtown Ulaanbaatar today and while he was down there he took these pics with his new camera. The first one is the communist party building that was burnt down during the recent riot (a week before we came). The second one is outside one of the government buildings.

Josiah is feeling better it seems, running around. But Emma is still using the loo a lot- not going to be fun for her on the train. Maybe it will be all over soon. We leave in the taxi in 1/2 hour so talk to you when we get to China! (on the 27th)