The Summer Palace

Friday afternoon we visited the summer palace. This 716-acre expanse of pavilions, bridges, gardens, and walkways centered around a giant man-made lake was built in the 1700s as an imperial get-away. The walkway in which Monica is pictured above is reportedly the world's longest at over a mile. The structure includes 800 paintings, mostly of historical Chinese events and legends. With the lake and the walkway, it reminded me of a 1700s version of the Nike campus in Beaverton.

We enjoyed walking around the grounds, a short boat ride across the lake, and making lots of new friends who wanted to take pictures and practice their English.