"T" in Tennessee!

Amazing Trip to China: May 5, 2012

We rose early!  It would be a great day of traveling to Datong and to visit the Yungang Grottoes (Buddha Caves) before continuing on to Hunyuan County!  I was SO excited.  Not only to re-visit these wonderful places but to be able to reconnect with my friend's parents (Hua's parents) and his two beautiful daughters, Amy and Audrey, who are living with their grandparents for now until things improve for Hua and his wife (my dear friend), Tracy, as she finishes law school.  I've traveled to Hunyuan County before but it was by night train....so to be able to go with friends by car was a special experience. :)

My great friend, Seven, traveled with us and was able to provide wonderful translation for us as we met up with folks who speak no English!  Here, she's in front of a statue at the Yungang Grottoes that required us to stop through many "fake" places in order to finally get up to the caves themselves.  I did NOT have this trouble in 2006 when I was at this same place....but in the interim they have constructed it to be much more of a tourist spot than it was and that.....well, very sad.  It requires a LOT of walking just to get to the site itself....while passing by many modern reconstructions of famous things....but honestly, they have no real meaning and it's easy to see it's just for "tourist" purposes!

ha ha ha  "Courtesy?"  At least they spelled it correctly!

Said Courtesy/Buddha Avenue. A total reconstruction but impressive nonetheless! :)

The lilac bushes were in full bloom and the smells were intoxicating! :)

Once we discovered we could take a "tram" to the front of the sites (for just 10 rmb)we were all on top of that! ha 

The tram dumped us out at the entrance to the Buddha Caves but also right in front of a couple of camels which one could pay money to ride and take photographs! :)  Those Chinese......they know how to make a buck! :)

Seven pets the camel!  As sad as it was to see these tethered camels being exploited for tourists....it was also a one-in-a-lifetime thing for Miles and Sofi (the youngest of the Griffith kids) to be able to ride on the back of a camel!

Sofi and Miles were so excited to be riding on the camel!

Finally.....after all the tourist theatrics....we arrive at the incredible Yungang Grottoes...the incredible Buddha Caves! More soon, folks.  T.

Amazing Trip to China: May 4, 2012

Before I traveled to Beijing...I bought some books to take with me. One was the first in the trilogy of "Fifty Shades."  I finished it very quickly and was just a little desperate to continue reading.  So...the day before we would be leaving for a great road trip to Datong...I set out solo to my favorite bookstores in Beijing to try and find the second book.  I took the subway to Wangfujing where I enjoyed walking down the very VERY touristy pedestrian (no cars allowed) street but a street full of goodness, nonetheless.  I was headed to the Foreign Bookstore!

Wangfujing!  Though it's a No. 1 tourist destination, it's still full of goodness.  Many of the department stores along this avenue are historic in being the very first of their kind.  I enjoyed my walk along this familiar street to me.  It was a bright and sunny day which means......umbrellas! :)

You almost NEVER see folks with umbrellas on bright and sunny days in America.  But in China....the sun shining brightly means you need to shield yourself (America could take a lesson! Just sayin') from the sun's harsh rays.

Here.....a double sharing! :)

This guy (in full Chinese warrior or whatever garb) was standing outside one of the most famous Beijing department stores.  I tried to take a photo of him but just before I was ready to snap the photo, he turned around and went back into the foyer of the store.  What did I do?  Well, I just followed him inside, stood behind him, and snapped this photo! ha  His make-up was amazing, no?

The bookstore I traveled to did not have the book I wanted! So I left Wangfujing and traveled to the Beijing Bookstore at Xidan which I knew has a GREAT foreign book section.  Before leaving Wangfujing....I snapped this pretty cool Nike storefront photo.  Though you can't tell it here....this was a moving display with the shoes traveling in and among themselves in the storefront.

Sadly, even after traveling by subway to Xidan, I did NOT find the book I was looking for (too new) and would have to wait until returning to the States to finish this trilogy (which I did, and LOVED it)!  But I had a great day traveling on the subway and visiting places of the past when I lived in Beijing.  For me...it was a wonderful day! :)  More soon!  T.

Amazing Trip to China: May 2 and 3, 2012

On Wednesday, May 2, Stacey and I, along with Kiah, her husband, Ramon, and Sofi, headed to Yashow for wonderful manicures and pedicures! :)  I got my nails done and though I tried hard....I could not prevent ruining several nails by not allowing them to dry fully. ha  I am not a "nails painted" kind of person so the fact that most of my fingernails looked good made me happy. :)

This is Yashow!  I've been there many times....A big bargain mart where you can get just about anything done and purchased.....including wonderful handmade to order clothing!

Next to Yashow.....many shops!

As you can see, it was a GORGEOUS day in Beijing with beautiful blue skies!

If you want to see lots of Westerners in Beijing....just hang out at the Stone Cold Creamery! ha  Click on the photo because except for that one Asian woman in purple...everyone is a Westerner! :)  It was a wonderful day with members of the Griffith family!  The next day, May 3, we went to an incredible bargain mart where all kinds of stationery, stickers, and tape could be bought (and bargained for...and bargain I did)!  I was in seventh heaven and bought LOTS of great lettersets and stickers and tapes......but unfortunately did not take any photos! :( After this wonderful buying spree with Kiah and Ramon, I walked to the subway station and headed out on Line 10 to meet up with my former boss, Cathy Zhang, to have lunch.

I connected up with Cathy Zhang (who is no longer working at EF where I used to work) and she treated me to a wonderful late lunch of Beijing roasted duck!!!!!  Oh my!  You have NO idea how happy I was to be eating some wonderful Beijing duck!  SO SO delicious!  I don't care where you have duck at a Chinese restaurant in the States......it's NOTHING like the REAL thing in Beijing! :) 

Though I've tried....I cannot describe this green vegetable....but I SO love it!

So....when I moved to Beijing I was the first foreign teacher to be hired to teach at the Kid's Schools of EF (English First).  Now....there are 7-8 (not sure how many) EF Kid's Schools in Beijing.....but BJ1 continues to be the most profitable. :)  BJ1 (Beijing Number One) has moved from the location where I worked to a location inside a new Mall just down the street from the old location.  The school is very expanded and every classroom has a smart board.....where students can merely walk up and write on the "board" with their fingers!  I had to try it for myself! :)

Yeah....that me taking a photo of my finger writing!

Though I'm not very happy with my "double chin" photo here....I wanted to post a photo with Cathy Zhang, my former boss.  She helped me tremendously while working at EF, especially while I was Assistant Director/Acting Director.  She helped me understand the differences in Chinese working culture and American working culture and how I needed to "let go" of my Western ideals and understand the Chinese way.  Cathy is a former boss/friend that I am happy to stay in touch with.  I learned a lot about the Chinese way of doing business because of her. :)  So after our wonderful Beijing duck lunch and tour of the new facilities at BJ1, I board Line 10 to return to Chaoyang District where I was staying with the Griffith family.  I boarded the subway at the terminus of Line 10.

It's a wonderful thing to board a Beijing subway at a terminus location because you are guaranteed a seat on the train.  But just 2 stops further....here's what it looked like:

People stand next to folks that they are thinking/hoping might soon be vacating their coveted spot sitting down! ha    More soon folks!  LL in C, T.