Note to Self.....

1) check to see that the @!!! camera battery is fully charged and the @!#$%##@@back up battery still in the package works before setting out on the days very important tourist attractions.!!!!!!!!!

2) Young students who smile and start talking to you as you are walking down the street may be the young artists they claim to be and may in fact be exhibiting their artwork at a space right down the street, or, maybe not...

3) All of the little packs of tissues handed out as part of advertising on the streets of Tokyo come in very handy when you visit one of "those" bathrooms here in Beijing.

Yes, I admit it. I said many bad words (at the encouragement of Jed) as right at the beginning of our walk through the forbidden city the battery as my camera died and the backup battery was dead as well. I bought a disposable camera to fill in, so the picture of us having coffee at the Starbuck's in the Forbidden City will not be posted here. I did manage to take these though:

Forbidden City - the most incredible sight - I could have spent a whole day just wondering around the stone streets and beautiful buildings

Lots of construction in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

Then after dropping the boys off at the hotel and recharging the batteries, I made my way to the Lama Temple:

There are different halls, all housing different Buddhas. The Yongyoudain hall held the most meaning for me as it holds three different Buddhas - the Buddha of past, present and future. I stood there a long time reflecting on how my life has changed in such a short time and how it is about to again even more so. The tile work is so beautiful...a very peaceful place in a very hectic city.

On my ride back, I got a glimpse of Beijing traffic as it was rush hour. It is a total free-for-all between the cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians. There are traffic lights, but they seem more a suggestion than a rule.

stay tuned......