OMG what a day!!!!!! Never I repeat never go to the Forbidden City or Tiananmen Square the day before a National Holiday in China!! All we can say is it was an experience. There was for sure over a million people there. We felt like a herd of cows moving from one point to another. At times it was pretty scary but we all made out fine and just kept following the Panda Flag carried by our guide. We did not see much of the Forbidden City or Square as there were just to many people. It was also a hot day. We are laughing about it now....but boy was it ever a long day at the time. We were all just tired and wanted to get to the bus. We were there for 3 1/2 hours basically walking from South Gate to the North Gate. Again Mary Anne was a trooper and as you will see from the video and photos she put up with a quick bottle feed in the middle of the herd and a diaper change on the fly. I think we are ready for anything now. Wow I am actually speechless when I think about our day. We are so fortunate with the amount of SPACE we have in Canada!
Mary Anne did sleep through the worse of the pushing and shoving!...as we were entering the Forbidden City. Our guide went off to buy the tickets and was meeting us at the gate. Well when Iain and I reached the gate our guide (we found out later) was still behind us. They let Iain and I through with no ticket! Apparently this NEVER happens. The guards just looked at us and must have felt sorry for us and let us through. People were pushing on our backs to get in. Insane!
I did get shopping with some of the other Moms for baby clothes later this afternoon. Our guide told us about this great place. We then had a nice Sushi dinner with a few other families and then a few of us went for a massage. Daddy had some good one on one time with Mary Anne today!
You gotta do what you gotta do!
Mary Anne waved hello today!!!!!!!!!!! Our guide walked up to her and said "hello Mary Anne" and she waved back!! I was not the only one to witness it. :) So everyone was so excited and started saying "hello Mary Anne" and waving but I think she was a bit shocked by everyone saying Hello and did not wave for the camera. :)
Tomorrow is shopping at the Pearl Market and Dirt Market.
9 comments:
Never, ever show the bum shot to Mary Anne!! If she is anything like my girls she will be mortified.
She will be ready for some R & R soon.
Take care.
All I can say is that I am impressed!!!!!!!
Renee
Ok Iain - we are delighted by how well you have adapted to Fatherhood. It's good to see. We knew Christine would be a Super-Mom. You look like you are having a lot of fun.
We posted early as we are off to the pub at lunchtime - we'll raise a glass to all 3 of you!
Karolyn & Dena
xxx xxx
Thanks for reminding me... avoid this place like anything else should I be there on a National Holiday and make a later trip back there a few years down the track... take care
Yes, I remember being in Beijing for the national holiday about 4 years ago. tee hee
It was wild! It truly does give you an appreciation for our wide open spaces. I think I would lose my mind if I had to live that way all the time. Even in Guangzhou the people were very pushy. I remember a woman pushing me out of the way to get to the till first. I was ready for her though and pushed back.. ha! ha! I got to pay first. That's what a squirmy baby on your hip will do for you.
She sure does look like a trooper. I feel sorry for all of you though - it gets to be a lot doesn't it. I'm sure you're ready to come home and have some R n R now. Like I said, one of my favorite memories of Beijing was the day Brad and I ditched the group and stayed in our room all day watching movies and playing with Lily. She was calm and relaxed and so were we. It was fun.
Have fun at the Pearl market! What is the dirt market?
I am totally impressed by the diaper change-you do not look like first time parents-it all looks so natural on you!!
Love Lynanne
Looks like insanity! You'll be ready for anything now. the videos were so cute and again you're all just beaming! We love living vicariously through you and reliving those memories - although it was much chillier and nowhere near the packed conditions:)
Wow! I am exhausted reading this. You both are sure being thrown into parenthood and doing it fantastically. I don't think I could handle a day like that with my kids who are older. You amaze me. Can't believe you will be home in a few days...my kids are counting the days until Friday!
Marnie and Gang
Guys,
She is absolutely getting more and more gorgeous by the day! Love those smiles! It's amazing what love can do...
Marg
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