Christmas Eve/Day

The picture to the left is funny...but pretty hazy...actual haze around it but that is the fault mainly of the camera... there is a small triangle info sign out there that says WC...Water closet or bathroom..I guess you just walk out as far as you dare and do your thing.... Steve Kirsten and Mike..and the hang glider that we went on....notice the white parts..that is the snow and then in the distance and to the sides nothing.....



Well, another interesting experience.

Spent an evening trying to get my cell phone issue with Rogers cleared up...I actually think I made some progress...but we shall see.

Talked with my daughter for about an hour on Saturday night too. Every thing is fine there...they are getting ready to celebrate Christmas at home as a couple for the first time. They will have several people over for Christmas day.

Doug is working in Alberta for a while..... they have borrowed my car for the trip to Grand Prairie I think it is. Hope the old bugger will hang together for Doug...I need another 36 thousand kilometres on it so the trips should help.

Went to Nanshan for a day of skiing on Christmas eve. Set my alarm and then missed it. Steve had to come an wake me up....5 minutes later we were on our way. A trip into Beijing for breakfast and then a 1 1/2 hour trip to the ski hill..and that is what it is.....a big hill. Weird. You drive for the time and there is absolutely no snow anywhere and then poof you are at a hill that has snow on it.....man made. There is no snow all around ...just on the "mountain" and around the buildings involved with it...

The resort was good...we had skis and everything rented so it was a quick trip through all that and then onto the hill for a day of skiing...lots of neat stuff..their spelling sometimes something to be desired...skies instead of skis...makes for interesting reading...you really begin to appreciate what you have in Canada when you see the ski runs...but the snow was good albeit not natural and not powder...there was a lot of it....a good base, according to Steve. Lots of people in the afternoon as the day got on...but I am not sure if the lineups would be any longer in Canada or the US...the runs were shorter. They had a luge like toboggan run..I didn't go on and a hang gliding ride that I did go on but wasn't all that exciting.....Dinner was provided...people from all over the world..Brazil, Argentina, Nicaragua, Ireland, South Africa, Italy, France, Australia...

Skied until about 4:30 and then went to a Hot Pot restaurant for our Christmas eve dinner...our table started up a couple of Christmas carols and many other joined in....kind of neat..

Got on the bus and headed for home....our bus broke down...several of the people on ours were able to crowd on to the other one and many of us were asked to stay behind...actually many of us volunteered..we played cards...some drank beer (they were able to get some from a town close and brought it out to us)...had pee patrols while waiting for the return...

After about 1 1/2 hours, the bus returned. We sang carols and any other songs that we could remember the words to for the trip back in....some good memories...actually...unique to say the least... all for about $65.

Got home at about 11:30 and then spent an hour doing some emailing and chatting on Skype to Merle in Medicine Hat. She will be spending Christmas with her son. ...

Woke up Christmas morning....to no snow...in acountry that doesn't celebrate it but sells it. Had the last of my Sugar Pops as my morning present....

Will do some work this afternoon...try to get some marks assigned to the right people. Have to chat with Mark Chapman to see if we are going to get the train tickets to Shanghai today...that may take an hour or so....

Have a good holiday....Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you all. Hope to have some more postings soon.