China 2006 09 10

Well the first week was done and we all survived....some alittle batterd and bruised but all alive an kicking. Many of us ate over at the Chinese Restaurant....oh, I think they may be almost all Chinese restaurants!!!!

We also let our hair down a little at the room called the Canadian club. We listened to some music and had a few beers tring to come down after the first week. It was good.

Well, I guess it was too good ...I missed my morning run. Oh well 5:30 comes too early anyway. Had some breakfast...yogurt and Sugar Pops...I think I'm done after another 2 feeds. Geez

Bob and I decided to go into Beijing in the afternoon and go to Tianamen Square. I wanted to go by bus and Bob wanted to go by taxi. I won because I wanted to know how to get back and forth...and a little more cheaply. Also wanted to NOT GET LOST this time. Don and Eve came in with us. We missed our drop off but were able to get back.

Ate brunch the rest of the Canadians at Pauls. I had a Club Sandwich..equivalent cost to Canada.

The pm, we headed over...This week ..I promise pictures but I am working hard on lessons and correcting. Was avery large square...all of chaplin could be held in it. Interestingly, it was the 30th anniversary of the death of Mao and there were 1000's of people streaming through the museum..the were backed up for about 750 metres....4 across. And that hardly scratched the surface of the square. They are getting ready for National Day..Oct 1 and are constructing all sorts of stuff for placards, banners and advertising..speeches etc Four museums and the Summer Palace and we did not go into the palace. Bob has some awesome pictures and I will see if he can send me some for me to put in here. One interesting phots...Bob said that some of the indentations that I noticed on the cement blocks were not just indentations but perhaps bullet "divots". If you read about the history of some protests on the square you might realize why. We took the subway there and back. I think I could have walked...this is the start of the marathon so I think I will be testing that out before.

Picked up some groceries at the Friendship Store. Heck..splurged and bought some steak..2 Big Turk bars ....whole milk...cooking oil...orange juice. Stopped by the market after being dropped off....I chose the right bus this time and made the exchange and everything...bought 12 eggs, a cantelope, bananas, and some Chinese form of Bagels

Got up early and did my run...90 minutes...45 into Tongzhou and 45 back. It was chilly this am and I almost thought I should be wearing my running jacket. By the time I got back it was ok.

Spent the rest of the day at the centre trying to prepare for tomorrow. Was listening to musci about 45% of the time. They give some outlines of what to do...but you know me,I have to put some personal touches...Herman cartoons, music...hey Jay, I even used Keith Urban...Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me as part of a Health theme topic...go figure...mental health..

John Regier, the fellow who I stayed with in Moncton, has moved back to Ontario and he phoned me on Skype and we chatted for about 45 minutes. He had some interesting experiences at the house he stayed in after Dales...husband was a pimp....wife ran the brothel...last straw....was the guy bought himself a gun....John figured it was time for a change of scenery...and you guys thought I had an exciting life. He's still wting his books and we promised to keep in touch. With the Skype it is quite easy.

I am still at the centre and it is 8:00 but I am just listening to music and doing this. Two Chinese students just came in and brought a flower and a package of throat lozenges and said it was thanks for Teacher Week or day I am not sure.

SWEEEEET

Some images from the weekend...traffic in Beijing just seems to be ongoing. Saw another fender bender and it didn't seem to impress the lady who was run into...night comes early...apparently there was a wife beating outside the compound and several people just stood around....this is a middle class area...we live in a walled compound inside a walled compound. There is security for that...the market is for all the rest and I am sure that this is not the real poor.....there is garbage and plastic bags strewn along the open roadways and the smells can sometimes be overwhelming.......in the market area someone always cleans up and there seems to be always someone with the 3 wheeled bikes cleaing up....hundreds of old people always out walking...strolling bike riding...got the thumbs up from a couple of people while I was out for my run....sky has been blue for severals days.....contruction or destruction almost continual...there seems to be no day of rest so to speak...just keep on working....will stand at a corner and shoot a whole "roll" of film just to show the different aspects of life here and the constant change and flow....saw one fellow who I think, his job was to clean out the manhole and its contents....can you imagine...he used a long scoop to lift the stuff out and put it in a bucket...just ran by him...didn't stay long enough to find out what was done....firecrackers in the afternoon announced the arrival of a newly married couple to what looked like a reception in our restaurant area....lots of dogs here....I think a show of some sort of wealth....

This week may get a webcam so that you guys can see how much weight I am losing. Had a good chat with Mark and Tammy. Saw Jax and Jada too. Hey, maybe I can watch football by pinting the webcam on the TV and I will dial up and watch. It will work for Friday and Saturday games but not for Sunday as I will be teaching when they are playing.

Zai Jian from China