These darling boys were at the restaurant John took us to John one of my mature students took us to the Ancient Buddha temple and dinner. He asked what we wanted for dinner. I asked for Chicken. Yeah!!!! he wanted me to follow him outside and then told me to pick out dinner!!!! I just couldn't pick out my own live dinner so I hurried back to the restaurant table with the pot in the middle of the table. But not before I heard the cries of our dinner as it was bled. How do I know it was bled? Well, the fresh red blood is poured into the pot and after it congeals it is served up as a delicacy!!!!! No, I didn't eat the cooked blood, but I managed with little enthusiam my chicken. This was a beautiful ancient Buddha's temple grounds. John knew so much I asked if he was Buddist. He reminded me he was a military officer (duh). Rick then told me that it that means he has taken a communist oath and therefore can not belong to a religion. The cemetary was fascinating too. Now days you must be cremated within 24 hours of your death. Now enough land space unless you live in the village. We are blessed to have this wonderful experience and Rick still loves me, we latest love note says "All of you the totality" It's a good thing because I am the resident computer geek and I move from apartment to apartment fixing and teaching. This is Daming lake... we wanted to walk to it and we did but it was through a weird and winding path of deserted and in disrepair (understatement). But the lake was beautiful. That's all for now..... I hope someone reads these sometimes frustrating blogs. I know my dear brother does his only comment was "more pictures" Love you family!!!!! friends!!!!!!

This was a beautiful river cruise in Guilin, on our Southwest China tour. Fantastic scenery all along the trip. While in the city you must be cremated within 24 hours of death, in the villages, the people are allowed a burial. Hence the coffins are kept in the house until needed. My perceptions and impressions of China have been altered. I have read more, listened more and learned more by being here and I have to say, China has face some extreme challenges. This culture intrigues me... what an experience to live in another culture and expand my mind to what I view as normal. This was a bit unusual to walk down the street and have the patient next to the open front door. This was on the main street, and the equipment looked pretty modern, but not only do I not like Dentist in general, I wouldn't want to be on the sidewalk as I was worked on. You can even see the bike (barely) parked on the sidewalk next to the door of the office. Ok I am a pampered American. I admit it. This little motorized vehicle was just one of many such styles, it looked like something one of my nephews might create as a scout project. I wish this was more clear, but it was a beautifully pieced and embordired baby carrier. A little worn but simple in its usage and style However, the child looks a little big to still be carried and I understand sometimes this leaves the with bowed legs. Again, it's cultural norms that required different traditions.

The GREAT WALL is even more fun when you get to share it with family.... "I am a rock star in China" That's what the shirt says and I bought in a Wal-Mart in China

I am still pincing myself. This was an experience of a lifetime for me. I never never imagined I would walk the Great Wall and it was as cool as you can imagine.

You will notice all the pics or of us, I want you to know we really did walk the wall...

I have seen pictures, but the real thing is the real thing. Oh the adrenaline is still flowing when I write and talk and think about it. I am in China as a teacher..... With the man of my dreams.

14 January 2009, today we start the beginning of two weeks outside Jinan. Our fist destination will be Hong Kong and there after what we call the Southwest tour. We flew into Shenzhen, a small town of 12 million people. It is in mainland China just over the border from Hong Kong. While there we visited a theme park call "China Folk Culture Villages". It's modeled after the Polynesia center in Hawaii. Pictures of Ella-Rene riding a Mongolia horse, which was part of the show. Later we saw an extravaganza type show at the phoenix plaza.

15 January 2009, the bus ride took us threw two borders and into Hong Kong. Our accommodations were a beautiful view at the YMCA hotel. Just across the street were the Victoria Harbor and that night we watched the harbor light show. 16 January 2009, today was temple day. After a fun subway ride we arrived in an area still full of large buildings. Suddenly, Moroni poked his head into our view and there was the temple a block or so away. We were greeted at a public garden at the building entrance which is one of the requirements of the city. The temple though small is magnificent. The church does everything first rate. Spent the evening at the harbor shopping mall and had dinner in the area with all the teachers involved in the David M. Kennedy program throughout China. 17 January 2009 spent most of the day at the LDS area offices, which are on the other side of the harbor. We spent most of the morning presenting things we had learned as teachers in China. That evening we found Koloa Park, which is in the middle of Hong Kong. That evening we rode the ferry to the other side and went to Victoria peak by tram. The view was fantastic. Instead of riding the tram back, we walked down the mountain in the dark. 18 February 2009, today we went to one of the chapels in Hong Kong where we held a district conference. One of the persons we met was President Toronto, who mentioned Cliff Edmunds who is now in Beijing and working at the embassy there. Later that evening we boarded a bus and went back to Shenzhen, caught the plane to Gulin which is a city in history which is part of our next descriptive adventure.

Rick asked me to help his class celebrate Christmas. So, I volunteered to dress up like santa Oh my what was I thinking.. WEll, it was fun, silly and well probably unforgettable.

Santa came to China a couple of days early, so I gave him a newspaper and a soft drink until it was time to come and surprise my class.

All my student young and old enjoyed sitting on his knee.

Some asked him question about their future success on their test, some wanted to touch his beard and find out if it was real...

One of my students wrote:

Dear teacher,

Can you give me today's photos? I want to save them as a memory ,tonight we are very happy because this is the first time to see the father Christmas!Thank you for giving us so many happiness!~

your students

Richard has improved immensely on the computer. He can even type in a google search line and find files. But you still have to be precise. We had a "district tele-conference". I set up Skype to make the call before I left for class. I left a note "press the green button" and then enter the access code. I come home later and find out he was pressing the laptop screen. Literally pressing the green button on the screen instead of "clicking" on the green button with the mouse. Well, for you computer challenged people, you may not think it's funny. But for the rest of us, it's hilarious.

For those who have traveled, you must know that a golden arch sign is like manna from heaven. Something familiar, some recognizable. Something that seems like home. Some more sights of China. I was not behind the camera, in fact I wasn't witness to any of this, but it is typical of my daily sights. Wonderfully typical!!!!