Breakfast cook, making omelets using chop sticks.


Breakfast faire at our hotel


Tiananmen Square


Tiananmen Square


Tiananmen Square people's monument


Tiananmen Square monument


Tiananmen Square monument


Tiananmen Square tower of war heroes.


Forbidden City entrance as seen from Tiananmen Square




ornate ceiling in Forbidden City


Forbidden City


Figures that indicate status of the building


Figures that indicate status of the building


Figures that indicate status of the building and those who live in it.
No building can have more figures than the Emperor's as seen in this picture.




Emperor's throne in Forbidden City


"The Universe" in Emperor's residence area of Forbidden City


Female "entrance guard" lioness
She's holding down a cub with her left foot  and sits to the left of the entrance


Male "entrance guard" lion
He's holding down a ball with his right foot and sits to the right of the entrance


Our tour guide "Jessica"


Urn in Emperor's residence area of Forbidden City




Building status figures at entrance to toilets




Summer Palace


Summer Palace


Summer Palace


Summer Palace


Cloisonné' Factory


Cloisonné' factory


Cloisonné'  polishing


Jade Factory carving


Jade factory sales room


Jade factory


Jade factory


Great Wall at Badaling


Great Wall at Badaling


Great Wall at Badaling


Attendant at Great Wall at Badaling



Great Wall at Badaling


Souvenir vendors at the Great Wall at Badaling


Village of Badaling near Great Wall of China





Groundskeepers near Silk Burners ( prayers are written on silk, then burned)


Empress and Emperor "wannabees"




Silk Burner.

Emperor's tea pot


Empress headdress






Side dumping cart along Sacred Way


Side dumping cart along Sacred Way


Animals along the Sacred Way at Ming Tombs


Sacred Way


Sacred Way


Cloud Tower along the Sacred Way


Giant Turtle  at end of the Sacred Way


Pearl factory tour


Drilling beading holes in pearls


Cloisonné globe


Evening traffic


Evening traffic


Prayer Palace


Hutong bicycle "rickshaws"


Shops near the Hutong of Beijing


Riding to the Hutong by bicycle "rickshaw"


Drum Tower tour guide


Street butcher ( note the hatchet ) near the Hutong of Beijing


One of the 40+ McDonalds in Beijing


The Hutong ( slums) of Beijing


Bell Tower ( picture taken from Drum Tower)


Drum in the Drum Tower


Coal briquettes for Hutong homes.


Sink in Hutong home... no "trap" so the odor was very bad !


Cook stove in Hutong home.


Making Peking Duck


Acrobat


Acrobat