Climbing the Walls

Well we aren't climbing the walls in Beijing but we did climb the Great Wall yesterday! Madeline and Meigan loved being on the Wall. There are watch towers every at regular intervals on the wall and Meigan kept insisting we go to just one more each time we would arrive at a new one. It doesn't sound like it would be that hard but there are hundreds of steps all at differing heights and there are also steep grades to walk up. I finally had to say no because I had serious doubts about being able to make it back to our starting point! Needless to say, I am so sore this morning but the girls are full of energy and none the worse for wear. After we went to the wall we headed to lunch and then toured a Cloisonne factory. The workers and our guide all commented on how quiet and good the girls were which was a shock to me as they can often be a bit rowdy - but the praise was fairly earned yesterday and I was very proud of them. After that we went on a rickshaw ride and were allowed to tour a Hutong - which are houses that are located down long alleyways and usually consist of about four or five families living around a courtyard area. Meigan thought this was the best part of the whole day and wanted to come back for another ride. Both girls have also been fascinated by all of the pet dogs and cats we have seen here. Who would have thought with all the new and grand sights here that this would be their focus! Today we are heading to Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. I will post later if I have the energy!