day 8

Today we had to go back to the medical clinic and have the TB site checked, she passed.  Kathy our guide is so good, all these families come walking in and she just say hurry this way please and we are in and out before any of the other families have even figured out what line they are supposed to get it.
We then headed out to Bomain Gardens.  It was so beautiful.  It was originally built years ago but burned down.  It was rebuilt in 1995.  There are coy carp ponds and streams throughout the botanical garden.  The kids can buy an aquarium and fish net and anything they catch they can take home.  Brynlee wanted to catch some and add them to the fish pond here at the hotel.  I'm not sure the hotel would appreciate that so the answer was no. The museum was nice, we really enjoyed endless case filled with jade jewelery which was a thousand years old. Throughout the gardens are covered pathways which is a great relief to the sun and humidity. Kathy bought the girls a big bag of fish food and they loved feeding the fish.  Brynlee said today was her favorite day.  At the end there is a great big pool where you can go swimming.  Brooklin's face beamed she so wanted to swim, as we walked past she kept looking back at the pool  We had a great day.
On our drive to the hotel, 1 hour drive, we narrowly avoided being in a wreck.  It made me laugh because as our driver slamed on the brakes he and Kathy are yelling in Chinese at the top of their lungs.  It was too funny.  They were asking if we were ok and we were laughing so I'm sure they thought dumb Americans don't even know when to be scared.  
Back at the hotel we took Brooklin swimming, she truly loves swimming.  Brynlee has her kicking her feet and  moving her arms.  The hotel has a blow up kiddie pool and she loves splashing and kicking in there as well.  We got back to the room and showered and she promptly fell asleep.  I think we truly wore her out.
Paul and Brian went to the Great Wall today and they said they hiked for 2 1/2 hours, when they returned to the guide she said, "no one ever hikes that long" well she doesn't know Paul too well.  They are off the the Summer Palace then back here tonight.