Beijing China, May 17

This was our last day in China. It was the perfect ending to a great trip.

We started the day on a rickshaw ride through some older parts of Beijing (Hutong). It was fun and interesting to see the non-high rise side of the city.

Then we went to a Jade Factory. The Chinese love their jade. Jade has some interesting properties. It changes color over the years as you wear it next to your skin. Also they believe that if a jade piece is supposed to be yours, it will "speak" to you. I kept my ears plugged and only a tiny pair of white jade earrings was able to penetrate my hearing.

We finished the day on the Great Wall. That was the greatest thing we did on the whole trip for me. To actually see it in person changed my perspective of it. It is truly awesome. I loved hearing the history of the wall as we rode the bus to get there. We did have to get on another chair lift to get up there, but I survived, and it did mean that I didn't have to climb up that far on my own.

Not much text for today, but a lot of pictures.

May 17, the last day

• Hutong Rickshaw tour
• Jade Factory
• Great Wall
• Final dinner
• Hotel, and pack to go home

Thanks to Mom and Dad for a marvelous experience!

A small street with shops in Beijing. Ray and Diane

Walking the streets of Beijing

Mom and Dad

Orva and Paul

John and Audry

Ann and Charles

Ray and Diane

Our caravan of rickshaws

Charles, Ann, Diane, Ray, Dad, om, Orva, Paul, John, Audry (in the front row in black next to Mom is the gracious lady who let us visit her home.)

Diane. This ship is entirely carved of Jade. Luckily it didn't call my name!

Map of Mutianyu section of the Great Wall

Paul and Orva. Our final chairlift ride of the trip.

On the great wall. Dad, Mom, Charles, Ann, John, Audry, Ray, Diane, Orva, Paul

Audry and John

Mom and Dad

Dad

Dad and Mom

John, Audry, Mom, Ray, Charles, Orva, Paul

Top to bottom, John, Mom, Paul, Orva

This is amazing to see in person

Diane

Ray

Diane

Ray

Mom and Ray

Ann and Diane are down on that little "patio". There was a British young man and his father, and some girls from Guilin we visited with

Orva and Paul

Ray

Here's how we came down - on a slide. Although I was quite nervous at first and very slow, it proved more enjoyable than the chairlift by a long shot. This is Mom.

Charles and Ann

Dad

Mr. Wonderful with his coke.

Diane. This was a fabulous end to a fantastic trip.