We saw so much in Beijing, that I decided to break down this part of our trip into different parts for my blog.  One of our first stops in Beijing was the Olympic Park.  Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.  We saw the cauldron where the Olympic flame burned during the summer games.  We also saw the five mascots for the games, each dressed in one of the colors of the Olympic rings.

The swimming and diving events were held in the Water Cube.  This is the place where Michael Phelps earned so many of his gold medals.  The Water Cube continues to host competitions and also includes a water park which is open to the public.

The other venue we visited was the Birds Nest where track and field events were held. The top of the structure is covered with a film that is waterproof, but allows sunlight in enabling grass to grow.   It continues to host competitions and can be used by the public for recreational activities. Both of these facilities were incredible and are still well-used by the Chinese people.

In contrast to this modern venue, we also visited the Great Wall.  Over the years, it has eroded and been rebuilt.  The latest construction took place during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644). This is what is commonly referred to as the Great Wall.  Its length is estimated to be almost 5,500 miles.  We saw two portions of the wall.  The first, on our way to the “tourist section,” was the Juyongguan Pass which we saw from our bus.  It was considered a vital mountain pass.  The “tourist section” is called the Badaling Section.   It was the first section of the Great Wall to be renovated.  Bada means “giving access in all directions,” which conveys its strategic importance.  We took a cable car up to the this portion of the wall and walked part of it, seeing great views.  Being from such a relatively young country as the United States, history takes on a whole new meaning!