http://www.flickr.com/photos/blois/
UPDATE
We are home safe ansd sound for the most part We will do some updating of the blog when things settle down
NEW STUFF
What's UP.....Chinese Heroes
Yesterday we all became Chinese Heroes when we walked on the Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World! If you are stationed on the Wall you are ready to defend China and therefore must be a Chinese Hero. A few of us, after taking a hundred thousand steps (so it seemed), reached the top of the Wall to look down upon the others cheering us on to victory from the shops near the mid-point. The view was breathtaking, looking out towards Mongolia and the various sections of the wall. The immensity of the wall is humbling.
The Legend of Kung fu
We spent an awesome evening watching the Shaolin Monks perform the Legend of Kung fu. The spectacular display of agility and strength left us sitting on the edge of our seat.
True Chinese Hero
Kung Fu show highlight
Summer Palace
We picked quite a special day to visit the Summer Palace. It was a special holiday, "Tomb Sweeping Day". With a rare national holiday, every family in Beijing took full advantage of the warm weather to join us on our stroll. It felt like Times Square on New Year's Eve. The solution? We got on a Dragon boat and sailed away. The magnolias were in bloom in honor of Empress Ci Xi who lived there.
The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven was built in during the Ming Dynasty. The first year it was finished, it burned to the ground. It was rebuilt and burned again during the Qing Dynasty. The three rings signify levels of heaven. Today the Temple is both a national monument and a recreational park. We were swept off our feet by hundreds of Chinese couples ballroom dancing on Sunday morning. Others were ribbon dancing, playing a racket game called Taichi, singing opera, playing ancient instruments, or just sitting and enjoying a friendly game of cards. Some of us could not resist joining in, as you can see.
Changchun #2 High School
Our first teaching visit in China was great fun. It was an eye-opening experience to walk into 70+ students filling every square inch of the classroom. The seventeen year olds were very receptive to our lessons and our presence. Our Chinese hosts welcomed us graciously. We were impressed with the level of English and knowledge they possessed. The students appreciated our bookmarks almost as much as we enjoyed the gifts we received from the students and school.
The U.S. Embassy
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment