Sunday . . .Forbidden City and Lunch with a Local Family

Day 2:  We started again this morning at 5:30 a.m.  No need to set alarms in this hotel room.  We were ready for our tour at 8:30 this morning.  I need to tell you about the breakfast.  The displays are so beautiful and fresh,  There was egg fried rice and lots of veggiess,  even noodles for breakfast.  This morning they had fried potatoes.  Now when I say fried potatoes I mean McDonald's looking hash browns.  We totally loaded up!  We were advised not to eat the fruit becasue they wash it in the water, but the doctor with us said anything with an outer layer will be fine. SO  . . . we had dragon fruit for the first time.  It tastes much like kiwi.  Delicious!

We toured the Forbidden City.  I have to say that we probably would have enjoyed it a little more if it wasn't so cold, but we made the most of it.  I couldn't help wondering what life would have been like for the emperor and the empress that can only stay in the city.  They did have a garden within the city that was divine.  I would have loved to see it in bloom.

Lunch with a local family was interesting!  The family had lived in this house for 3 generations,  150 years.  The neighborhood was 700 years old.  The streets were very narrow and felt like a maze.  The man was a Kung Fu teacher and his son is living in Houston and training other martial artist.  His wife made all of the food for our group and we sat in their living room.  Tight quarters but the most delicious Chinese food we have had yet on the trip.  We finished the Beijing tour with a bicycle ride through the HuJong town.  Then off to the airport!