The Climb... January 28th 2012

January 28th 2012

The day started out early, rise and shine at ohhhh...... 3:30. Gracyn woke up asking for snacks and saying she was starving. She was so out of it, as we were as well. By 9:30 am we were on the bus again with our Travel Group to the Great Wall. Wow it was cold. I think it was around 9 degrees that day. We were bundled up in the warmest clothes and still we were cold. Before we got to The Great Wall we made a stop at the Jade factory. It was awesome. We bought a few gifts for the girls and stamps with their names in Chinese characters. Something I hope they will always keep:).

Then The Great Wall. Wow let me tell you.... it was a bit intimidating for me and David, but not for Gracyn....That little Warrior climbed all the way to the top by HERSELF! It was not easy, the stone steps worn from centuries, with only a haphazard rail to hold onto. All she knew was at the top of what she could see looked like a castle....and what girl wouldn't climb to the top of anything to find themselves in a castle? We celebrated at the top, took a water break and her and I headed down while David took pictures. The most important picture of our stay was the one we took honoring Taylor. We took her "Pray 4 Tay" bracelet all the way from Charleston to honor her there. Taylor ~ Gracyn climbed that wall for you! When we got the best shot we could get we met at the bottom for Chinese Hot Chocolate....different.. and very expensive. It was around $9.00 US dollars for a small cup of it. Gracyn had an ice cream cone. That kid is crazy, but she deserved it after the climb of a lifetime.

We stopped for lunch where I ate nothing but cooked snow peas and rice again. Gracyn ate everything in sight. Then it was off to the Olympic stadium. David took pictures while I stayed in the bus with a sleepy princess warrior. Our final stop of the day was The Acrobat show. Gracyn slept through the entire show. Even with the noise and the applause from the audeince, she was a sleeping beauty. We had the camcorder though, so she could see what she missed. All I can say is AMAZING!!

We all were dead tired by the time we got back, so we didn't even eat dinner. Off to bed by 8:30pm after doing a mad pack of our luggage with a final weigh in of 44 lbs for each piece max. It was our last night in Beijing and it seemed like it was over in a Chinese skinny minute. We enjoyed our stay. Our Hotel The Crown Plaza was beautiful but we were ready to move on.

XOXO

The Lyon Family

The Jade Factory

Before the Climb

A look down.

A look up

After the Climb...Crazy Faces

Angry Eyes with Daddy.

An out of Focus "Pray 4 Tay." :(

A too Distant "Pray 4 Tay" :(.

Olympic Stadium

Crowne Plaza Beijing

The Castle