Current Events

I have been very delinquent with this blog, and I do apologize. We have been SO on the go that I haven't had time to even look at a computer. This going to Olympic events isn't for sissies.

Today we went to the Great Wall and I thought Tom said we were going to the Great Mall of China. I was in for a shock when all I saw was mountains and trees and rocks and a glimmer
of a big wall through the clouds.



Guess what else I saw:






We had a nice day in spite of the rain, and while Tom and I have been here twice before, the others in our group were eager to climb the steep steps on the wall. That is, after they paid 45 yuan or $6.75 to get in the entrance. We also had to put bags through a security belt, so things have certainly changed since the days of the Ming Dynasty. Wouldn't these emperors be shocked to come back in time and find women yelling "Hello, buy my hats" and see the hotels and gift shops at the Wall's entrance? I think so.



We have gotten to see some wonderful events at the Olympic Green: three world records broken in track and field (the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash and the women's pole vault), some exciting water polo between rivals the U.S. and Australia (women) and yesterday we went to synchronized swimming.



The late Jim Hay, Tom's dear friend from New Zealand, always said that the people who need to be drug-tested are the ones who watch synchronized swimming. Well, there we were yesterday, watching 12 pairs of beautiful women do their routines and they were stunning. Russia won the gold medal, with Spain and Japan next, and the U.S. women fourth.



More from me later - now I will go to work on my photos, which can be viewed at: http://picasaweb.google.com/ecker.carol/ChinaSights and http://picasaweb.google.com/ecker.carol/THEFORBIDDENCITYBEIJING
AND http://picasaweb.google.com/ecker.carol/OUTANDABOUTINCHINA (LATEST)

When these open, go to the top and choose SLIDESHOW.




Carol