Ryan's birthday and halloween eve

Hello all,

Hope everyone has made it through sandy ok. We have been thinking of you.

Ryan's birthday was yesterday.  Happy birthday sweet heart!!  I had been a little worried about making sure Ryan had a good  birthday but the other teachers and administrators helped make it a wonderful day.  Ryan and I don't really exchange presents which is good because I don't like shopping anymore here than I did in the USA. Actually I enjoy it less.  We usually go on trip for birthdays and Ryan said our trip to china and the Great Wall count. If I remember correctly, I usually buy him beer from World Market or trader joes for his birthday but beer is really heavy and I don't have a car and don't want to carry it.  I did make him a card with a list of the top 30 things I like about him.  I am on a bit of a list kick as it's a great way to pass the time on public transportation.  And we didn't a lot of that this weekend. 

During breakfast, we asked the administrators if they would tell the kitchen staff that we would be eating dinner off campus.  They became very worried about us.  They wanted to make sure we knew a safe place to eat.  Not sure where they think we have been eating on the weekends since school started but very nice of them to be concerned.

We tried to share some birthday cake flavored Oreos with the teachers.  I don't think they were as trilled with them as we are.  That's ok, more for us!!  That was Ryan's birthday cake because I have decided not to cook until July 2013.  (This was reinforced later when I tried to roast pumpkin seeds).

Then at lunch, they asked if we wanted to go out with the other English teachers and administrators that night for Ryan's birthday.  Of course we agreed.  Ryan said we wanted hot pot as that's impossible for us to order when we go out by ourselves.  Then a gentleman we met only once weeks ago stopped by the school to give Ryan a tea set and pumpkin.  We had mentioned that we wanted a pumpkin for Halloween and I guess he found out.  The tea set was for his birthday, we think.  The fellow doesn't speak much English so we just have to assume.

So off to dinner.  You eat the cake first.  This is a tradition I want to continue back in the USA.  Ryan had to cut and serve the cake.  First he tried with a teeny tiny plastic knife.  When that didn't work, he was given the biggest knife I have ever seen.  Then he served everyone.  Then got to eat it with chopsticks.  Ryan was also given a very nice tea thermos with the school symbol engraved in it.  Nicest thermos I have ever seen.  I might steal it.  Then time to eat.  As always there was plenty of food.  At this resturant, for a hot pot meal, each person is given a individual hot pot.  A boiling pot a broth, that you cook your meat and vegetables in.  There was lots of food including, lamb, pork, beef, lettuce, dark green leafy vegetables, been sprouts, mushrooms, white carrot like thing, sweet potato, and more things I can't remember or there is no English word for.

I think ryan had a good birthday, no need for me to worry.

Then halloween eve.  We have continued teaching halloween this week.  The kids seem to like us very much right before class starts and right after it ends.  There is lots of hellos and waves and smiles.  The little ones even hug me.  During class, it's lots of talking ans misbehaving.  I guess I'm doing ok if they still like me after class.   Ryan says its because I don't yell at them like the other teachers.

Today I have also decided I hate online shopping as much as shopping at the Chinese markets, and USA malls.  One of the teachers tried to help me but its just not easy.  Trying to navigate a Chinese website is difficult.  I'm just not a shopping person anyway.  I can't believe that given the fact that I'm a schwarzmann. My dad sure would enjoy bargaining at the markets.  Now that I have a scarf, I think I am set.  I will just wear what I brought since it's completely acceptable to wear the same things every week or for that matter the same thing everyday. If I can't get it at the local Wu Mart, I don't think I need it.  Other than make up.  I will somehow need to find that.

Time to carve the pumpkin.  Ryan carved the pumpkin.  He did a great job.  Hopefully we will get a picture tomorrow.  I tried to roast the pumpkin seeds.  It was unsuccessful.  Ryan said they smelled good but I could not get the hot plate to work and the microwave is just not the place for this. 

We bought Snickers today to give our friends and teachers tomorrow.  Other than dove chocolate, it's the most American candy we have seen.  Both Ryan and I have had to restrain ourselves from eating it tonight.  Self control is pretty difficult for the both of us.

Almost time for bed, goodnight all,

Julie

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. central perk

Always heard that 3rd times that charm. It's true today.  On our third attempt to find central perk, we got it.  We had some help this time.  It was hidden away on the 6th floor of a building that we walked right under on attempt #2.

Before the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. central perk stop, we had to get lunch.  We stopped for Thai food. I had pad Thai with shrimp. Awesome.  Ryan had beef with noodles. It was so spicy ryan had to stop eating before he had finished but he loved it.  He loved and hated it at the same time. 

Yeah I tried some and it was really good.  I didn't have the broth which was the spicy part. 

On the walk from lunch to Central Perk we saw Saint Julie's Wine Cellar.  Ok, maybe there was no "e" on Juli but I still think I am a Saint.

We made it.  Live from New York... I mean Beijing, Julie is at Central Perk on the set of F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Oh yeah, Ryan came too

Julie and Hugsy.  I hope I don't get in trouble with Joey.

Hello everyone.

My Mint Latte with a Friend's Brownie.  Yes, it did taste better because Friends was written in powder sugar.

I shouldn't try to take our picture. 

Thanks for the help, much better.  We are sitting at the side of the cafe by the window.

The famous orange couch.

Ok Ryan, I will take one picture of just you. 

ok, 2

Joey and Chandler's apartment is next door.  I'm not sure what the writing is on the wall though.  This is our friend that helped us find it.  She is a friend of one of the teacher's at our school. 

Yeah, that's where they make the brownies. 

Bye all.  Best time ever!  Just didn't know I needed to travel to the other side of the world to see the set of my favorite American TV show. 

We had a great weekend.  Can't wait until next weekend.
Hope everyone had a great one too.

Julie

The Great Wall

I mentioned early this week that I had become a big fan of a website call seat61.com.  It is full of great information on traveling by train, which is the popular thing to do in China.  My most immediate piece of useful information was that there is a train to the Great Wall at Badaling.  After reading the posting on it I was committed to going the coming weekend.  This was perfect.  It was going to be a piece of cake and I could check of climbing the Great Wall before I hit the big 30. 

I tend to be an optimist, which is a good thing but it does have some downsides.  Most presently that was displayed when my piece of cake train ride took place in a city of 25 million people.  First it took two hours to get to the train station.  I'm not sure why or how as it normally only takes an hour which is a very short amount of time when dealing with public transportation in the suburbs of Beijing.  Then the train that it supposed to run every half hour wasn't leaving for an hour an fifteen minutes and so we got to spend it with a few hundred new friends who had already lined up for the train and a can of lays and a coke zero (my diet mountain dew replacement of choice).

Now when you are getting on a train in China you'll see a track meet break out as soon as people are released onto the platform when there are not assigned seats.  We had no intention of joining this chaos so we grabbed a stand up table in the beverage car.  According to my memory of what I read we had a seventeen minute ride and we'd be at the Wall.  So we were bit behind my imagined schedule but we were going to be at the Wall soon, so it's all good.  An hour and forty minutes later the train comes to a stop at our station.  At one point we stopped at an empty station then went in reverse (I think down a different section of track) for about ten minutes to get to the station.

I'm going to be a much more patient person in the future.  That is also a good thing.  Public transportation can be a hassle and we spent about 2 or 3 hours at the Wall and at least double that getting there but it was all worth it.  An incredible place and I will be returning so I can see more of it.  We also got spend a few minutes with a group of about ten British ladies at the Great Wall  Bar which was hilarious.  The pictures tell the story much better than I can so I hope you enjoy them.

Have a great Sunday.
Ryan

Saturday in Badaling

In honor of our beautiful niece's first birthday (Happy belated Birthday Molly) Julie and I decided to seek out one of the wonders of the world.  Any good trip in China has to start out with some American fast food.

 

 After a 5 hour trip to get to the Great Wall, Subway was a great site.  Thanks Subway,  you hit the spot!

 It's steep.

 Very steep.

 It's a little windy!

 This picture doesn't do it justice.  Two-thirds the way up these steps you are going straight-up.

 Hey!

 It's so steep, you have to hold on on the way down.

 I need a break, boy, am I tired.

 Guess who was upset at someone for not being safe.

 I made it up. Whhee.

 Oh sorry, there was a shadow in that first picture.  Thanks for retaking it.

 I don't think this picture captures the beauty.  I was also so tired at the time, I don't think I really appreciated it when I was up there.  If you look in the center of the picture near the mountain range in the background you can see a dust storm that has kicked up.

On the way down. 

 The Chinese seem to be fans of taking pictures.  We have never had only picture taken when we ask a stranger to help us out.

 Ryan get down from there! Ok, I'm a little paranoid! Thanks for putting up with me. 

So I don't think you can tell how steep it is.  For those who know where my Grandmother and Granddaddy Pope lived, it's was like hiking up their hill, then finding some very steep uneven stairs, then hiking up their hill again. 

 It was nice to get a drink after our hike!

 Now, we must go up the other side. 

 A view from the wall.  I would say the top but we didn't make it to the top of this side as we were worried we would miss our train.

 That is near the top.  I think.

 If that's not the top it's got to be close.

 King of the World

 Take two.

 Watch tower.  You can see some of the leaves that have changed, mainly evergreens on these hills.  Also, the landscape is worth the trip itself.  This section of the Great Wall (like many) was built to fortify the pass of a valley as it narrowed into the mountains. 

 I just need one more shot of the watch tower.

 Julie's ready to go.  If only she knew a three hour (plus) pleasure cruise courtesy of the Beijing Metro Transportation system awaited her.  I have begun to believe the Chinese have been seeking inner peace for thousands of years in preparation to deal with frequent use of the public transportation system.

 I never got close enough to read what this statue was for but it looks like a Mongolian to me.  Full disclosure:  I've been wrong before.

Bye bye Great Wall.  Wonder if Julie will just send me by myself next time!

PS the commentator changed midway through can you guess where?