Day 3 - Beijing Countryside

Sunday we drove out of Beijing proper and into the suburbs/countryside.  We stopped in a city called, Yanqing, for our picnic lunch from KFC.  Then we drove out to a resort park area whose name I do not know (we keep forgetting to ask our guide, Sunny).  They had a hotel inside the park and other shops.  There was also a large outdoor covered stage with small fountains built into the ground....

 

Since we drove north of Beijing the temperature dropped 10-15 degrees and it was quite windy...we even saw a wind storm, a few flurries and some hail!  We weren't exactly dressed for the weather.... 

 

In the park itself we rode up a series of elevators that were built inside a large dragon.  You entered through the dragon's mouth and then exited at the tail, at which point you are high up in the mountain.  From there we took a ride on a boat through the gorge.  The mountains rising on either side of us for several thousand feet.  The water was cold enough to still have ice flows several feet thick!

 

At one point we saw a man on a bicycle traveling on a wire carrying a man across in a chair hanging below him across the gorge from once side to the other.  After we got out we walked up to a temple where the girls got to ring a very large bell.  Also here was the opportunity to bungee jump - but we didn't see anyone doing this - too cold.

 

The girls got to sit in the wheel house of the boat coming and going so they did not have to endure the cold wind.  That made them happy!

 

Later we walked inside the mountain through a tacky tunnel - they were trying to show the culture of the area through dioramas...the kids loved.  Diane and I got a good laugh....at the end of the tunnel you can either walk down or ride down on "sleds".  We all chose the sleds.  The kids wanted to go again, so Sunny took them up to slide down again.

 

However, for the girls, the hit of the day was two small puppies who were living at the exit gate!
 

Joyce