March 11th, 2024 Day 13 of 24, Tianjin, (Beijing) China

Hello from our next port in China. Due to a bit of delay in our departure last night, we had a bit of a delayed arrival this morning. There was some electrical issues with the gangway that prevented us from being able to get off, but they were rectified as quickly as possible and we were off. Today we embarked on an overland or overnight tour with cruise specialists. We headed out by bus to Beijing about 3 hours drive away. We made a stop along the way for lunch at an establishment that also specializes in Jade carving as well as jewelry. Not a bad set up for them. Many tour buses come here on their way to the Great Wall such as ourselves. Due to some unforeseen delays, we arrived at the Great Wall with a little more than an hour to enjoy the wonderfulness of this majestic sight. Megan and I hiked to the tallest watch tower near where we rode up the funicular. It was much steeper than it looked and I got credit for 30 flights of stairs climbed on my watch. We took several photos and then just took a few minutes to just be in the moment of where we were. We were thankful for this opportunity to be here in this place at this moment in time. I reflected on the history of those who had stood here before me from centuries gone by. I placed my hand on the wall and just listened. It was quite a moving experience and one I know I will never forget. As we stood up there soaking in all the majesty around us, our soulfulness was interrupted by a local asking to take a photo with us. Even at the top of the Great Wall of China the locals are in awe of the American tourists and want to take a photo with us. It made us laugh but we complied. On the hike back down from the tower, I had a water bottle and I rolled it down the wall to Megan who was standing below me. I can find fun in almost everything! Megan purchased an “I Climbed the Great Wall” t-shirt at the bottom before we headed back onto the bus. On our way to the restaurant our bus driver was so proud to take us through the Olympic Village in downtown Beijing. We saw the building where Michael Phelps broke his olympic records and the amazing coliseum the built called the “bird nest”. We saw the hotels where the Olympians stayed and where they called home while they were here. It was pretty exciting to see. Our next stop was a restaurant that is one of the oldest in Beijing that serves a traditional Peking Duck dinner. Each duck is cut into exactly 108 slices and the remain duck is used for other dishes and soup. There are no bones served, the meat is layered onto a dish that looks like a duck and the meat placed onto it resembling its feathers. My understanding is it is a long honored tradition. It is a sin how much food the served us. I felt so very glutenous leaving so very much food behind, but when we thought we could eat no more, they would bring more dishes. I felt guilty not trying them all but by the end I felt like we almost left more food on the table than we started with. It was easily enough food to feed 10 more people. After dinner we went to our hotel, the Regent in downtown Beijing. Along the way we got to see Tianamen Square and many of the tourist spots all in lights. We will visit them again tomorrow. By the time we arrived at the beautiful hotel we were tired and it was about 8:00pm. The lobby was breathtaking and I felt like royalty. Megan and I got settled into our room for the evening. She took a shower and I couldn’t resist the tub so I took a bubble bath. Our alarm is set for 6:00am as breakfast starts at 6:30 am and we have to be back on the bus by 7:30am. I could go on and on about all the history we learned today. About the ruling parties and the struggle for control of China throughout the centuries. About the Ming dynasty and the culture. May I encourage you to study about these places more deeply if you are touched by my experiences. May I encourage you to book your own adventures and travel and make your own memories whether they are near or far from home. O.K. let’s delve into all those photos so I can find the best ones to share with you. Until tomorrow.