Our local and very nice grocery market

Has this on display along with the live frogs, fish and other assorted creepies for sale as food consumption I am still not loving all the food here, I do eat some of it. But if I am eating something I don't know I hope they don't tell me. The chicken is frozen and picked over by the masses. I can't do it. I buy the more expensive which has shrink wrap on it.

I can't believe I didn't take the camera

We heard there was ballroom dancing on the square by the Catholic Cathedral... So we hopped on a taxi and showed him the chinese characters for Catholic Cathedral. He nodded and off we wound through streets and backstreets. There appears a really beautifully structured cathedral. It is blackened from soot and pollution and quite obviously Catholic. A short walk away is the square and there are HUNDREDS of people line dancing. YES, actually AMerican music is playing and chinese people line dancing and others observing. So the O'Briens and the Cannon's joined in our own style of dancing to the music. Soon the observing crowd moved out of our way and allowed us a lot of free dance floor space. Of course we were a bit of a oddity, what's new we are an oddity no matter where we go with our fair skin. In addition, we saw a crocodile for sell in the market.. at least 4.5 feet long and laying on ice with a price next to it. Can't remember the price, I must take a camera to the grocery store, but I dont' want to be culturally offensive. Food here will "blow you away". Live frogs, fish, and assorted fishy type things. The chicken feet are not my favorite delicately but they are a hit here!!!!

We are pioneers.....

A bunch of us were out doing one of our favorite pastimes (shopping).... We happened upon one of our own, another couple teaching in China, also associated with BYU. They had just purchased a new area rug for $100 and were going to take it home to their apartment. We agreed we would meet up for lunch after our scheduled"foot massage". Judy asked them "what are you going to do with you new rug after this year, ship it home?" No came the reply without hesitation, "we are pioneers, we will leave it behind for the next couple so they have it a little nicer in our apartment. That's what pioneer's do!" Do I miss all of you ? YES!!!!! Do I miss out on some wonderful family events? YES!!! But I am serving with some of the most amazing and giving people who are teaching me lessons of love, service and they are helping my Heavenly Father teach me how to love even more and how to be my brother's keeper. I am learning by example! and I love China!

Angels amoung us.... conference talk in action

The other day walking home from class alongside my friend Judy. She whispers to me... "that girl is crying". I wasn't sure if culturally that was intrusive to look, approach, comfort, so I did nothing, but kept on walking. However, Judy wrapped her around around her and asked "why are you crying". I kept walking, thinking she would not understand English, but she did. When I finally allowed myself to be compassionate I learned that this 19 year old girl had was lonesome for her mother who had died the month previous. Yes, I know feel like a heel for being afraid of being compassionate. We walked, talked, hugged and shared our love until it was time to part. The girl by then had adopted two grandmotherly substitutes and dried her tears. Yes, love and compassion are international attributes... So when I tell you my heart is stretched I mean it literally. Yes we look different, yes we attract some attention, but we are treated very kindly and with respect. I have new respect and enlarging feelings for my Chinese brothers and sisters.

One picture is better than a 1,000 words

Not unusual on this Silk Road trip area to see this type of transportation. Rick and I are in a large city so we don't see donkey carts right in our city. Yes these are muslin men. I'm sure it's more a common sight in the rural areas. However, in the city there are plenty of wild transportation methods. A motorcyle trailer is a common means of transportation. This cute little button was moving around in his walker and since it was adjacent to the parking lot was tethered to the house by a rope. From our hotel room, to the left is a market place. The red wagon type thing... was full of raw meat and being transported to the market, no it wasn't saran wrapped or refrigerated. We are in China, what were you thinking.. The man was going through the garbage pulling out items to be reused or recyled. A late morning from the bus window.... I think in Turpan this is not uncommon to sleep on the roof top. Yeah we are still at it.... are you surprised? Trine made a common that she was glad we were proliferating the idea of "crazy American". I loved her comment. It's true we are constantly being watch, observed and creating impressions, a fellow teacher in our group gave a talk about this subject.

Packhili grove with the painted buddhas

This darling man with his snakeskin drum... Invited to me play his little guitar, I did.... snake skin and all. What a sweet weathered face.... He was delightful and of course a few RMB would be his reward... This is another buddist worship area. So many beautifully painted murals on the clay walls. Thankfully it is being preserved... Again photos are wisely prohibited....

Another Ancient site... By DONKEY CART

This was fun, a donkey cart ride to the ancient city fortress... This is so vast it is difficult to even try to show you the grandeur and the ingenuity of the ancient Chinese... and the pitiful like of the current donkey drivers..... This cute young man urged his donkey ever so fast so he could go back and earn another pittance by taking more tourist out to the sight... And it was a beautiful sight.... This ancient fortressed city was very secure with only one entrance it was like an ancient gated community.

Buddha caves on the SILK ROAD

This is an UNESCO site so it is protected from photographers like me who would have taken thousands of photos. It is so ancient I can't remember the dates but spanned several Chinese Dynasties.. Some of the buddha's were 3 stories tall and so gorgeous. I learned a few things about Buddha's.. The hands represent good luck or stability based on the position of the hands. The Buddha's are always male but have femine characteristics to represent the "nuturing and gentle side". The sitting one who has earned the passage and will become a Buddha on his death. A lying Buddha (dead) is a full fledged Buddha. A sitting Buddha is one who has achieved the "title" but instead of dying has chosen to remain and help all the rest to reach this wonderful state. In other words he is like a "fourth Nephite". The carve from the mountain and then plastered with mud and straw and painted it... OH MY

Sound Sand Mt. and Cresent Moon Lake

This is a beautiful sand dune and oasis.... We climbed a sand mountain to slide down on the intertube... It was a long hike up the hill and a long and fast ride down the slide.... Rick and I were the only ones to do this slide.... The people got a kick out of watching us crazy Americans.... In fact, I am getting used to be stared at and hardly notice any more....

Terra Cotta Warriors can you believe it?

I purchased a software program to help me load pic onto the blog.... I have spent more hours trying to figure it out than if I had loaded one picture at a time.... I am almost ready to give up.... If any of you know "Flickr" Please educate me on how to get it to work... Ok now that you all know I am computer challenged (great I picked it for my profession) then help me out.... in the meantime... Here are some teasers....

Silk Road sightseeing trip

This trip will be detailed backwards, since the Terra Cotta Soldiers were at the end of our trip and the first in this blog. This is the workshop where they make modern day soliders. They use the same clay as in ancient times, I don't know on the molds. However, they are a booming tourist trade. They are also fascinating and hand crafted still. The heads are molded separatly to allow for air flow. They are air dried for a period of time and then fired in giant kilns. Hand painted or left in it's natural color.