by Rayan Almony
Our third day started much earlier than most of us wanted as many of us woke up early due to the 12-hour time difference. After waking up we headed to breakfast at the Nostalgia Hotel, which included fruit, noodles, eggs, dumplings, and more. Then at 8:30 we got on the bus excited for what our first full day in China would bring.
We first went to Tiananmen Square where we learned about some of the major events that took place there such as the proclamation of the people’s Republic of China by Chairman Mao in 1949.
From Tiananmen Square we crossed the moat to enter the Forbidden City. There we learned about the expert craftsmanship required to build the Forbidden City as it was built entirely of wood with no nails or adhesives used.
After walking through the Forbidden City we got back on our bus to go on a tour of the Hutongs, which are narrow alleys, and lunch. Lunch included beef, pork, tofu, dumplings, and an assortment of vegetables. During lunch we were also introduced to an upcoming scavenger hunt, where we would be split into two groups and then have to complete different tasks.
After lunch we started our tour of the Hutongs where teams began strategizing for the scavenger hunt. As the scavenger hunt started teams set off eager to beat the other team. The tasks included things such as finding local candy, food, and restaurants, learning about local temples as well as taking pictures with certain things.
Once everyone finished the scavenger hunt, we got back on the bus to go to dinner. This was the highlight of the day for me as we got to enjoy Peking Duck, one of my favorite Chinese Foods. At dinner we also celebrated Sophia’s birthday with Cake and singing.
Once Dinner was over, we quickly got back on the bus where almost everyone fell asleep, exhausted from the day’s activities. After a 40-minute bus ride we arrived back at the hotel where we all went to our separate rooms to get ready for bed.
