Well, our butts are black and blue and we can't feel our legs, but we have arrived in Beijing. We are one cell phone lighter (we are checking to see if the airline found it) but other than that we are doing well.
The trip was absolutely grueling. We had a two hour flight to D.C. and had virtually no layover before we boarded our 747 for the next 14 hours. We now know why they charge so much for business class and first class tickets - because they are worth every penny (at least on a flight like this). We both feel like we have now been through a full 24 hours worth of labor to deliver Madison to us, and like real labor, it will all be forgotten soon.
We have gotten checked into the hotel and our guide took us out to eat with another family that arrived at the same time we did. We ate real Chinese food at a real Chinese restaurant. Nothing too exotic yet - very yummy stuff. We didn't have forks though, so that was a little interesting.
We walked around downtown Beijing this evening soaking in the Chinese culture and loving it. We went to a local market (very big Wal-Mart type, but not Wal-Mart and two stories). We had to learn how to drive their shopping carts, because all four wheels swivel on them, unlike the one in our grocery stores that only have two wheels that swivel. We also got to experience being the minority and having lots of stares in our direction.
Tomorrow we will have a full day of touring. We are excited to see the Great Wall, The Forbidden City and TianAnMen Square.
If you want to send us an e-mail, please send it to thewinemillers@bellsouth.net. We will try to check that one as often as possible.
Sorry about no pictures. The connection is not very fast and it is taking too long to download.
God Bless,
Angie and Mike (in Beijing)
