Can only imagine......

Hi Everyone,
I look forward to reading about your daily adventures. Since we go nowhere, I can only imagine the excitement of seeing everything. I visualize it as being so beautiful and I can also feel the heat in your words. Have fun on ( or at) the Great Wall. We will have to have a weekend at the lake to look at the pictures. Everything here in the USA is status quo. I look forward to your next adventure!!!!!! Uncle Jamie, Erin, Kathleen, and Bridgette all say "HI".
Love, Auntie Karen

Wednesday

We went to the Temple of Heaven, the Pearl Market, the Forbidden City and out for a Peking Duck dinner. We move rather quickly through each place. People are trying to sell you things everywhere you go and can be very persistent. Everything is very beautiful and very crowded. The Forbidden City is being renovated in preparation for the Olympics. Scaffolding surrounds many of the buildings. They take each tile off, number it and repaint it or repair it and the put it back like a puzzle. It is amazing that they can work out in that heat. Yesterday was 94 with a heat index of 106!
Peking Dinner was interesting, nothing too exotic but the plate that looked like a bowl full of worms definitely made us hesitate.
The girls are thrilled to get back to the pool for a late night swim.
Yesterday Emily threw her arms around me and said she is sooo happy to be back in China. (but she misses home and Sadie)
Thursday is the Great Wall. It has been very hazy and has rained several mornings. Thursday's prediction is for a sunny, hot day. Those of you that know John and Emily will be able to imagine how they feel in this heat.

Hi to all

Hi Everybody in China,
We Burns hope you all are having a wonderful time in CHINA!!!!!!! Still can't believe that you are there. It was muggy today here in Massachusetts but I am sure that is does not compare to what you are expereincing. Love to read about your adventures. Continue to have a blast!!!!!!!
Auntie Karen

We're Here!

The big stretch limo arrived at Debbie's at 6:15am. By the time the suitcases were in we were actually squished! We caused quite a commotion on Pearl St. as the traffic piled up behind us. We arrived in Beijing around 2pm Sunday after a 13-hour flight from DC. The girls were fantastic on the plane. The grown ups were more restless! We are having fun!! Joined our tour today and went to Temple of Heaven and Pearl Market. Forbidden City is this afternoon. We were on our own the last 2 days and went on our own adventures to a couple of parks. Took a scary taxi ride to and from one. Went paddle boating - lots of fun! Debbie and Emily were very happy that there were mashed potatoes for dinner last night, and Kiara was in heaven because there was lots of sushi for every meal. :) No takers on the pigeon soup. Most of us have mastered the squat toilets. The girls are so happy to be here. Emily keeps saying, "I can't believe I am finally in China."
Tony the tour guide has three little shadows. They are always one step behind trying tobe the one closest to Tony. He has given us a lesson in bargaining and how to tell fake money.
Peking Duck tonight and the Great Wall tomorrow. Should be quite an experience shopping there!!
More to come later. Love to all....

Hi Everyone,
hope you had a great trip, got some sleep & landed safely. Rest up the next couple of days & keep in touch. love to all the girls.
love
Auntie

Hope everything is fine!

We trust you all arrived safely and are resting up before the big adventure begins. Have the time of your lives! Thinking of you...
Love,
David & Terri

Have a great trip

Hello Everyone, sorry I didn't get to talk to you before you left...had
it on my calendar that you were leaving Tuesday. I'm sure it will be
an amazing adventure. Make sure you take a picture in front of the
Panda sculpture in Chendu and if you go back to Badaling, see
if you can find that baseball I threw off the top of the Great Wall
...labeled Brookline Tigers - 1998. Can't wait to see the pics and hear
the stories...Kiara's Jim