Today's adventures: into the Heart of Chinese History

I'd be lying if I said that history of the sites we saw today, with their deep, rich past motivated me most. Really, the aesthetics are what got me. Absolutely beautiful, intricately detailed, brightly colored buildings, halls, walls, ceilings, thrones, altars, etc. Almost impossible to describe. And, unfortunately, the photos don't do them justice due to the gray skies (however, we're SO grateful for the rain, as it made the trip more manageable than the heat of last Saturday when we went to the Summer Palace).   The Forbidden City, to me, seemed like a magnum version of Russian nesting dolls; keep going up and over the stairs and through the gates into yet another set of walls and courtyards and palaces; on and on they opened up one into another. We imagined the palaces and courtyards filled with people and wondered what they would have been doing thousands of years ago. Pretty cool to know that we're walking on the cobblestones that Ancient Chinese Emperors and their court did also walk.   We wandered around the streets of Beijing east of the Forbidden City (the girls will tell you I got them lost looking for the subway) and explored entrances to hutongs (little alleyways that wander back and back and back) and found one of the fancier shopping districts - Wangfoujin area.   The girls were looking for some familiar food. We had a beverage at Starbucks (for twice what we'd pay in the states) and dinner at .... wait for it.... not something you'd every expect from us.... yes, McDonald's. We laughed at the irony of it, when usually at home the girls crave "Chinese" food and avoid fast food like the plague. We know better now, though, to call it Chinerican food from now on. It was strangely satisfying. I, however, am craving a Caprese Salad. With basil from my balcony pots.   We stopped to get a few essentials at the market, which was where we found ALL the other people in Beijing who had formerly been at the Forbidden City and then on the subway. We discovered that crowded subways only mean you push to get in. Never experienced that in the London tube, have to say.   By the time we got home, though, we were all limping along like we had just run a marathon without any training. I was sagging at the knee on the subway and had some locals yield their seat to me. I tried to decline their generous offer, but they truly meant it. It was incredibly kind. Makes me smile to think about that "what comes around, goes around" or "paying it forward," as, in the past week, Olivia and I each voluntarily gave up our seats to some people who needed them more than we did. Interconnectedness can take the smallest things and make them be something significant.   Anyway, we were so tired when we got home, we thought we're done for the weekend. But now we're playing with the idea of visiting the Ming tombs tomorrow. We'll see...   And how are you doin'?