Beijing-Monday

Our last full day in Beijing.  In the morning we went to Tiananamen Square and in the afternoon, the Temple of Heaven.  To me these both things that everyone should see.  On the right we have the "old pioneers" in front of the statue of Mao and on the left, the temple of Heaven.  In the background of the Tiananamen Square picture is Mao's Mausoleum, which was not open.  I would have to have gotten both a glimpse of the crowd, or the lack there of, to see the "Great Helmsman" as well as to see the old man himself.

The Great Wall-Sunday

Well, as you can see, it was not the best day to visit the Great Wall (or the Great Wall of Fog,) but it was still impressive.  

The trip over

After a VERY long trip across from LAX, we are now in Seoul.  We have a 3 hour layover and then off to Beijing.  The Seoul airport is modern and very nice.  The people are great and fortunately for Sharon and I, most of them speak English.  More when we land in China.

What great stuff!  These are just some of the gifts from the surprise shower at the Reading.  The dragon makes noise and his ears light up.  The turtle shines the stars o the ceiling of his room in 3 different colors. And of course, the Lincoln Logs.  I don't know about the rest of you but these bring some really great childhood memories.

This was a gift from my table.  Perhaps we will wear them at the reading next year.  

Sorry, no picture this time but I did want to give you a sense of the schedule.  We fly into Beijing on the 27th-28 (one of those long over-night flights.)  We are in Beijing for two days, one for the Great Wall and one for orientation.  I can't help wonder about that word in this context.  We then fly out to Xining in Qinghai Province in northwest China.  We pick Up James on the 1st and then fly to Guangzhou.  Then it is five days in Guangzhou dealing with the US government and then on the 9th of July we head home!!  We should be back in the US on the 10th.