First up today was a visit to Parker Filtration. Parker entered the China marketplace in 1982, thus becoming one of the first joint venture companies in China.

After a crazy experience navigating the Shanghai subway system with the expert help of Dr. Tukel, we arrived at the famous shopping street, Nanjing Road. We strolled on the Bund and watched the river traffic go by. The night lighting on the boats and buildings dazzled us!

Today we are leaving Beijing and travelling to Shanghai via a high speed train. The distance between Beijing and Shanghai is 664.85 miles. This train began operation June 30, 2211. The train's average speed is 186 miles per hour. Arriving at the sleek high speed railway station proved to be an awesome experience. The waiting/ticketing area was really like a shopping mall with shops carrying glitzy high end brands.

Playing with the innovative toys was certainly the highlight of our visit to the China company Lenovo. Lenovo was founded by several Chinese engineers. At its inception the company's name was Legend. In 1995 the company acquired the personal computer (Think Pad) division of IBM. In 2005 the company adopted the name Lenovo. Their R & D is producing some avant-garde tech products. Gaming on the large table-top flat screen demanded quick response skills!

A misty rain greeted us this morning as we headed out to explore the Forbidden City, the site of the palace home of the Emperor from the 15th to 20th century. The palace and surrounding grounds were off limits to ordinary people when it was a functioning residence. Now renovated to much of its original grandeur, The City, once forbidden, now welcomes all people to enjoy its beauty.