From the Training Room...Update from Paul Giannotti

We spent today touring some of the most historical sites in China, beginning with Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, which can hold one million people. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 1989 protests. There will be a parade later this month.
After walking the length of the square - about 1000 meters, we entered through the first of many gates on our way to the Forbidden City which was the home of the Emperor. This was a city within a city, really with many buildings, bridges and pathways all dedicated to the Emperor. Historically the "average person" was not even allowed in the Forbidden City. Interestingly, there were no plants in here...all brick and concrete...to keep out the invaders and assassins.

After lunch, we visited the Temple of Heaven, where the Emperor would go to pray for a good harvest.

The afternoon included some great shopping experiences at a large market...just about anything could be had...for just about any price!

We concluded the evening with a trip to watch a Chinese professional soccer league match. The stadium was huge - at least 80,000; and the crowd was spirited. The home team came out on top, and it was quite a festive atmosphere.

We are looking forward to the match with Beijing Sport University today, who is regarded as one of the top 3 University teams in China, and will likely provide our toughest competition yet!