With a long weekend, why not go the state right next door? That’s right, except this state was China, not Ohio. If I had to describe my four day visit to Beijing in a couple words I would say huge and colorful. The scale was unbelievable. Going too big clearly wasn’t a concern. The city is huge, the buildings are huge, there are huge numbers of people, and the aforementioned are all colorful. Vibrant, rich, active and whatever. -So much going on.

Here stand the guards during the morning flag raising ceremony. It was way too early. I believe is was 5:11AM.

The entire travel crew inside the Fordbidden City.

Salsa dancing in China? (Yeah, never thought I would do that)

Scorpion on a stick. They were actually squirming on the stick. For about five bucks the cooks fry these up for you to eat. And, of course, as tourists and boys, Evan, Herman, and I had to. I had one. Evan, the truely brave one, had three. I wonder if I knocked a couple years off my life for that experience. hmmmm…..

Jumping. It’s an addiction. I couldn’t help it, especially when tempted by the greatest wall of all.