The next big trips, and the last big trip

It's been a long time coming, but here are some more of the pics and stories from China.  

The haze, the only thing stopping me from moving there right now.  Well, that, the language barrier, the food, the government, and the internet poker

 thing... 

This is the view from our hotel in Beijing e

very morning.

This is the temple of heaven.  It was beautiful and so full of life on a sunday.  I got the sense that this was the place to be for fun and games with family and friends.  There were groups playing badminton, and kicking around a Hack-y-sac like shuttlecock thingy.  It was definitely a cultural experience.  I would say its akin to hippies throwing frisby in the park.

Shanghai, where all sorts of fun can be had.  This is in the top 5 skylines in the world for obvious reasons.  The Pearl of the Orient is a gawdy, ugly, and ultimately quintessential piece of Shanghai's soul.  This view is from the top of the Hyatt hotel where we went to high tea twice, and enjoyed a few sugary cocktails atop their roof bar.  I highly recommend it.

We meet our second guide Joyce at the (jo ji go) airport.  Instantly in love :)

She more or less made our experience during the two day stint in xiao jighao (sp?)

She had a story for every plant my mom asked about and introduced me to Chincobarley wine (not for the avg. drinker...think apple cider mixed with orange juice and rum).  I met up with

 her in Beijing on the last day of our China trip...but that's a different story for a different blog.  Maybe I'll devote a whole entry to her eventually.  She earned it.

Here are some photos from our time with Joyce and Coco touring western China.

mom littering...and enlightened monks