Hannah and Ben were both excited about having Duck. although it was not new to them, they had never ad the experience of seeing the ducks actually being cooked! We got a little tour of the duck ovens and taken to our table. it was a huge restaurant. We were on the 3rd floor and I would guess there were about 200 people in our room. We had a huge dinner with lots of dishes b
eing served before they even got to the duck. the ducks were carted out, carved and we enjoyed them completely. Although we had celebrated Ben's birthday at home before we left - he had gotten gifts from family, friends, had a little party with some of his guy friends and out for a big pizza dinner --it was his birthday and he was some place not at home. All day, he was hoping something would happen to celebrate a bit. By dinner, I think he had kind of forgotten it was still his birthday. Nancy knew it was his birthday and had arranged for a BIG surprise. After everyone had eaten, all of a sudden the lights went out in the room. We looked around and the chef and some waiters were pushing in a huge cart with this cake on it - The entire restaurant sang happy birthday. Nancy had arranged and had the cake delivered with a lotus flower that lit up and had candles and sang happy birthday - note the Lotus Travel on the cake - it was so beautiful and sweet. Amazingly, the Chinese make very nice cakes - they use whip cream instead of icing and very light cakes. Everyone enjoyed it and the cake easily served over 35 people! Ben actually got a little embarrassed - which is not like him - but he told us this morning that he had never had so many people sing happy birthday to him before. It was very sweet and Ben was very, very happy - which was what this was all about!
eing served before they even got to the duck. the ducks were carted out, carved and we enjoyed them completely. Although we had celebrated Ben's birthday at home before we left - he had gotten gifts from family, friends, had a little party with some of his guy friends and out for a big pizza dinner --it was his birthday and he was some place not at home. All day, he was hoping something would happen to celebrate a bit. By dinner, I think he had kind of forgotten it was still his birthday. Nancy knew it was his birthday and had arranged for a BIG surprise. After everyone had eaten, all of a sudden the lights went out in the room. We looked around and the chef and some waiters were pushing in a huge cart with this cake on it - The entire restaurant sang happy birthday. Nancy had arranged and had the cake delivered with a lotus flower that lit up and had candles and sang happy birthday - note the Lotus Travel on the cake - it was so beautiful and sweet. Amazingly, the Chinese make very nice cakes - they use whip cream instead of icing and very light cakes. Everyone enjoyed it and the cake easily served over 35 people! Ben actually got a little embarrassed - which is not like him - but he told us this morning that he had never had so many people sing happy birthday to him before. It was very sweet and Ben was very, very happy - which was what this was all about!
So it seems I am still a day behind. Today we did the Forbidden City and Olympic village. it was about 100 degrees today walking and considering how hot it was the kids were only at a medium mild level of whining. Tonight Hannah and I went to go see the Chinese Acrobat show while Ben and Herb did some guy stuff - which is shopping for socks for Hannah (it is cheaper to buy new socks than to send socks to the hotel laundry) and then they came back, did room service and played games :) Back to the heat -- the kids were exhausted from the heat, and we all drank about 10 bottles of water each. i think the adults were getting as tired and maybe as whiny as the kids -- especially those of us who had done this walk two times before. They (meaning the Chinese government) really have done quite a bit of clean up in the past 8 years renovating, painting the palaces in the Forbidden City.
I will try to post pictures and my thoughts on the terrible state of maintenance of the Olympic Village already - just 2 years after it being completed. If a country needed IREM and property management, this is the one. They build it, spend a fortune on these huge structures and let it deteriorate amazingly fast. I just can't understand it. It is very painful to walk around and see the potential of what it could look like if someone just spent time and energy planning out maintenance. G-d knows they have plenty of people who need work and could do this. OK, enough of the property management -- We leave tomorrow after we do the old Hutong (spelling?) neighborhoods, make kites, fly kites, eat more Chinese food and get on a sleeper train. Must go to sleep now.
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