Day One

I've finally recovered from my jet lag and am excited to share some pictures from my trip.  I'm bummed that I did not get to share with you when I was in China, but at least I still get to show you all of the amazing places I went!  My first day in Beijing was packed with excitement...

Dewey enjoying the lake at the Summer Palace.

Here I am at the Summer Palace.  It was beautiful!  My favorite building there was The Tower of Buddhist Incense, which you can see on Longevity Hill behind me.

The Tower of Buddhist Incense.

Next I went to the Temple of Heaven.  This is the largest building in the world built without nails that is still standing!  It was used during the Ming and Qing dynasties for ceremonies such as praying for a good harvest. 

Try to find Dewey to see just how big the Temple of Heaven is!

The Temple of Heaven

Next I wandered through the Forbidden City.  This grand complex served as the home of emperors and their households.  My favorite part of visiting the Forbidden City was learning about the security measures in place for the emperors.  For instance, the stone on the ground is about 15 layers thick to prevent people from digging in.  Also, the emperor had 300 bedrooms to choose from every night.  That way it was very difficult to find him!

After a long day of walking Dewey needed a ride at the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City.

Stay tuned for more.  This is only day one!