30 DAY BLOG CHALLENGE - DAY 8 . . .

A place you've traveled to.

Well this one's easy!  China, of course!  We lived there for 1 year, in Shanghai, but we also visited Hong Kong, Beijing, and Xi'an while we were living there.  Of all the places we visited, Hong Kong was my favorite.  It's on an island, and the view is spectacular.  But the most "breathtaking" thing I think we saw were the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an.  And the Great Wall was awesome too.  How many people get to say they've seen all of those places?

 

The World Financial Center and The Jinmao Tower in Shanghai.  The World Financial Center is currently the tallest building in Shanghai, and the 2nd or 3rd tallest in the world.  We have been up both of them.  The view is spectacular.

This is a common sight around town.  You get used to it after awhile!

The view from The Bund.  In Shanghai.  By the Financial District.  We lived on one side of the water, Pudong.  The other, where the Bund is, is Puxi.  (pronounced pooshee).

This is the "birds nest" in Beijing.  It was seen a lot during the Olympics.

In order to get up to the Great Wall, you ride on a ski lift.  We went in the Fall. This was our view on the way up.  Talk about GORGEOUS!

Ryan and Jason were in front of Andrew, Sarah and I.  Don't they look thrilled?!

All of us standing on The Great Wall of China.  How cool is that?!

The Famous Great Wall.  

On the way back down you could either ride the ski lift or you could take this little go cart.  Ryan and the boys took the go cart on the way down, Sarah and I took the ski lift.

This is from the Harbor in Hong Kong.  The water was so beautiful.

This is Victoria Peak.  It's very high up and you stand there and watch the sunset on the harbor. Talk about an amazing view! 

 Sarah sure liked it up there!

The beautiful sunset.

 

This is the view after the sunset.  All of the buildings turn their lights on.

The pictures don't even do this place justice.  It's one of those things you have to see to believe.  It really takes your breath away when you walk in and you see THOUSANDS of these Terracotta Warriors lined up.  Absolutely amazing.  SO glad we went to see it.

Jason and Andrew

MORE PICTURES . . .

Another picture of the wall.

I can't explain it, but I just LOVE this picture.

I'm really not sure who he's posing for!!

I love this picture of Sarah and her Daddy!

This was taken from the ski lift.

Aren't they handsome?!

He's getting so big!

Nanny's Sunshine!

One of the many buildings.  They were actually used as lookouts when the wall was originally built.

My motley crew!

Another family shot.  We didn't have to pay for this one!

 Another part of the wall.  The view was absolutely amazing from up there.

 Now if only we could get everyone to look at the camera at the same time!

 We're getting closer.

 Guess this is the best we're going to get!

THE GREAT WALL . . .

We got up early on Saturday to take a trip to The Great Wall.  The view was breathtaking.  We got all of the kids a t-shirt that said I Climbed The Great Wall.  We had a tour guide for part of the trip.  We took a ski left up to the top.  From there, we got out and walk.  The worst part of the trip?  We lost Sarah's blankie somewhere up there.  I was really worried about how she would handle it, but she seems to be doing okay.  Every once in awhile she asks for it, but for the most part, she's okay with her Dora blankie.

Anyway, we went up the mountain, and then we walked the Great Wall.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  A little bit of history: 
The Great Wall of China is known as one of the Greatest Wonders of the World.  It stretches approximately 5500 miles from east to west China.  It was originally built for protection and actually consists of many different parts built during different time periods.  Some parts of it are over 2000 years old and some sections are in ruins or have disappeared.  The main part of The Great Wall that still exists now was built during the Ming Dynasty.  At it's highest point it is almost 1000 meters above sea level.

Here is a picture of the Wall.

Ryan and Jason on the ski lift on the way up the mountain.

Another picture.

This is the ride that Jason, Andrew and Ryan came down the mountain on.

Jason standing on part of the wall.

 

I usually try to be the one TAKING the picture.  Not sure how I didn't get away with it this time!

We found someone that offered to take a picture of all of us.  Of course then we had to buy some water from them!  But that's okay.  We needed it.

THE FORBIDDEN CITY . . .

Sorry I haven't written in so long.  Like I said before, there's just been a lot going on.  Anyway, enough of the pity party.

We arrived in Beijing late Thursday night.  We all hit the sack as soon as we got there.  The next morning we woke up and went to lunch at McDonald's.  (I told you it was late when we got in, by the time we got moving, it was too late for breakfast)!   Anyway, I'm happy to report that a Big Mac and Fries, even though I SOOO didn't need them, taste the same as at home!

Anyway, that day we went to the Forbidden City.  A little background:

The Forbidden City was the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.  It was the home of the Emperor and his household for almost five centuries.  It was also the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.  Built from 1406 to 1420 it consists of 980 buildings with 8707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 square meters.  (Wikipedia)

This is a picture of the Ryan and the kids before we went in.  Aren't they cute?!

Jason standing in front of one of the buildings. 

I like this sundial.  Don't know why.  Just thought it was pretty cool.

Look at all the detail on the buildings.  This picture doesn't even do it justice.  But the detail on the work that was done here is absolutely amazing!  

This is the view from the outside.

Here is the Emperor's Throne.

Ryan and the kids in front of a dragon/turtle.

Andrew in front of some of the buildings.

Andrew and Jason in front of a tree.  If you look right above them, it looks like there's a ghost in the tree.  It was pretty creepy actually!

We thought this statue was pretty cool.

Sarah Beth.

BEIJING . . .

The kids and I are leaving for Beijing tonight.  We're flying up to spend the weekend with Ryan.  Then we'll fly home on Sunday, and he has to fly somewhere else, and he'll be back on Monday.  I'm looking forward to going there.  We plan on seeing the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.  Our hotel is right by where they held the Olympics, so that will be cool to see as well.  I'll take lots of pictures and post them when we get back.  I hope you all have a great weekend.  I'll try to update you while we're gone, but if I can't you'll know it's because we're just too busy!