Once Mom & Dad Stiens had arrived in China the school had prepareda welcoming ceremony.  This picture has the guests of honor and all the performers from the ceremony.  Julie and Ryan have learned that performing is not an optional activity in China ... see below

The star of the show was this 2nd grade version of Michael Jackson.

... and as I mentioned above.



Some of us "got" to perform more than others.



Mom Stiens and Julie put on a class for all the English teachers and the AV teachers and their cameras.  Julie and Ryan probably should have know this was going to happen but they weren't sure that many people could fit into one classroom.

After the ceremony we were taken to dinner with several of the Enlgish teachers.  This picture features Rose, who is an English teacher and the prinicipal's assistant. 

 On Wednesday, the four of us headed to the Summer Palace and got some of the best weather Julie & Ryan have seen in China.  Those Stiens parents sure do make it dramtic getting there but once they do they know how to bring the weather.

 Thursday morning we jumped on train to Shanghai and then caught a river cruise.

 

 On Friday, we headed to Qibao, an ancient rivertown that is now inside the Shanghai city proper.  This is a bell that appeared in the town after a flood and they now call it, "the Big Bell that Floated from Afar."  You can't make this stuff up.

Here is the rivertown!

 

The following morning we hopped on the hop-on/hop-off bus and made our way around Shanghai and then back around to the Yuyuan Garden and the temple to the city gods.  This pic was in a different garden on the way to the other garden.

 Dad couldn't pass up this photo-op:

This picture is from 'the' garden.

Then we headed up to the Ritz for dinner.

 It was a little difficult to get a good shot with as you can see ...

 

 Mom & Dad Stiens then had a few days on their own and this is from their visit to the Great Wall.

Next we were off to Xi'an and the Terra-Cota Warriors exhibit.

 On our way back to the hotel we grabbed a pick picture in front of the Xi'an city wall.

 

 

It's dinner time and someone is getting impatient so we'll be back with more ... gotta go.

 

-Ryan