BEIJING: Imperial Garden and Bei Hai

 

 The Imperial Gardens had an incredible view of the Forbidden City. That place is massive! You can't even see all of it from here. 

 

I'm wearing Sibby. Can you see her? This counts as proof she was in Beijing, right?

 

We kept the boys going with constant snacking. They loved those chinese rice crackers.

 

The pagodas and gardens at this place were incredible. 

The boys were more interested in the hills in between. They made some friends, threw some sticks. We couldn't get them down.

We walked from here to Bei Hai park. Also an imperial place. No commoners allowed. But this was was built by the Mongol, Kublai Khan when he was in charge of China.

 

There's an awesome white Dagoba on top of the hill. Its Tibetan style to honor a Dalai Lama who visited here. The day we went was a holiday, Tombsweeping Day,  so it was SUPER crowded. We didn't stay long.

 

But we enjoyed watching the water calligraphers, the street performers, the boats out on the lake. And who could forget the band performing old Chinese songs in their army uniforms waving pink scarves and dancing berets. I know Dave won't.