Jul 12.
My family is looking haggard after burning the midnight oil for the past few days getting prepared to leave for China. After a couple of hours sleep, we pile into the hired car for a two hour drive from Sacramento to San Francisco International Airport to catch an eleven a.m. flight to Beijing. Flight time is estimated to be ten hours, forty minutes. The contingent from Michigan has a much more trying schedule: Drive from Muskegon to Grand Rapids. Fly from there to Chicago. Change planes for a flight to Beijing with a stopover in Narita (Tokyo’s International airport), Japan.
Jul 13.
The California contingent has dinner at a restaurant nearby the hotel. A walk through the night market. The Michigan flight is on time and the Hughes’ arrive at the hotel about 11 p.m.
Jul 14.
Next day the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square. We end the day with a Peking Duck dinner at Dadong and birthday cake to celebrate Rick’s and Bruce’s birthdays.
Jul 15.
Our third day posts up morning visit to a park near the Temple of Heaven to see locals partaking in Sunday morning exercises, a visit to the Temple of Heaven, a quick walk through the Summer Palace, and then an Imperial cuisine dinner.
Springtime Blossoms at the Great Wall of China
Copywrite G. Samuel Oki