Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City (LATE POST)

Well, it is our last day in China. We feel as if we have been in a different universe, far away from life's drama and pressures, and, if not for the excitement over seeing Jack and Annie again, we would gladly remain here. We are so grateful for this opportunity to dedicate all of our time and attention to Ben. We have gotten to know him so well and we are sure that this will make his transition at home go much more smoothly.

Even though it is our last day, we decided that since we haven't stopped moving the entire time we have been in China that we shouldn't stop now! Our guide had planned for us to visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City today but secretly she thought that we would back out because we are too tired. NO WAY! We loaded Ben in the backpack (which he absolutely loves now!) and headed to the most famous real estate in Beijing.

Tianammen Square is so much bigger than I imagined it to be. It is absolutely huge and packed with people, most of whom are Chinese tourists from other parts of the country. There are all kinds of people selling trinkets and souvenirs (illegally but the guards standing everywhere seem content to let it happen). We bought Jack a kite that he is really going to like although we had to be sneaky about it. For me, as a child who began to have a greater understanding of the world in the late 80's and early 90's, it was impossible to stand there in the square and not imagine it packed with protesting students. I saw the exact spot that is so famous where that guy was standing in front of the tank and I took a few moments just to think to myself about all the lives that were lost or destroyed that day. The square certainly is grand but it left me with mixed emotions.




At the north side of the square sits the gate to the Emperor's Palace (aka the Forbidden City). Jay has been looking forward to visiting the Forbidden City ever since he was a child watching the moving "The Last Emperor." He was almost childlike with excitement and it was funny watching him take about a billion pictures! The Forbidden City was so fabulously grand that it is hard to describe. It is just stunningly beautiful from top to bottom and HUGE. It just keeps going, courtyard after courtyard, throne room after throne room, meeting area after meeting area. Every surface is covered with stunning carvings and stonework and there is a man made river that runs through the middle. It is actually so overwhelmingly beautiful that after a while your brain stops processing information and you just kind of walk around in a daze. To come to China and not visit the Forbidden City would be a GIANT mistake! Ben was so enthralled with the splendor of it all that he fell asleep in the backpack for about 2 hours :)




It took us pretty much all day to tour and then our guide Amber dropped us off at the airport. On the way to the airport she showed us the CCAA building (China Center for Adoption Affairs). For those of you in the adoption world, you will understand the awe and dread I felt when I looked at it! Amber gave us a little souvenir for Ben and then she surprised us with a special present- a copy of the newspaper from the day we got Ben. We thought that was so thoughtful of her! She was a fabulous guide and we enjoyed spending time with her. She was the first guide that we had who understood all of Jay's jokes! Anyway, when we checked in the airport the United Guy surprised us with passes to the business class lounge. That was such a treat! We have found the Chinese, for the most part, to be so gracious to us when they see that we are adopting a child with special needs. This was something that we were not expecting and it has made us feel welcome and cared for. There were some people who rudely fought to "have a look" and one old woman who grabbed my arm so hard it left a bruise but otherwise people have been very nice to us and they have made our trip quite pleasant.

I can't believe that in a few short(?) hours we will be home and Ben will be an American citizen! It makes me tear up just thinking about it (or maybe I am tearing up thinking about a 14 hour flight!!!). Wish us luck!