Family, and Friends, and Home

Classes finished and the world cup began, and before I could get too busy wondering what to do with all my new found free time- Dan Tuttle showed up for a week and we wondered what to do with all our free time together! We've decided to write a book on China. Updates pending. With Dan back to Chengdu, the relatives began to arrive in full force. I picked up Auntie in Shanghai, helped Cheryl buy a violin, then got Mom and Dad from the airport in time to board the slowest moving bus I could find back to Ningbo, where Mathguy was waiting to pick us up.

Ice Mountain!

In Ningbo, we ate Ice Mountains while Mathguy, Cheryl, and Jully entertained, and were entertained by, Mom, Dad and Auntie.

Saying Goodbye in Ningbo

After Mom energetically cleaned my apartment, and I got everything into suitcases and said sad goodbyes, the fam and I were off to tour China in 10 days.

Lighted cavern in Guilin

First stop - Guilin. The town looks a bit like Las Vegas with its tourist-catered lake walks and lighted bridges. The natural beauty of the caves and craggy mountains randomly poking up into the sky (which you've probably seen on any china silk scroll painting) are awesome, and now lighted with tourist-friendly pinks and greens and blues.

Floating Down the Li River

We floated down the Li river to Yangshuo, where the hippies reside... and the merchandise and food was characteristically batik-ed, tie-dyed, and burritoed, with Chinese flairs around the edges.

In the Rice Paddies

Rice!

Rice Wine Fermentation

Afterwards, we headed to a rice winery, pulling over on the way to get an up close and personal look at rice looks in the field.

From the Top

To enhance our point of view we wandered up a little mountain, getting a look at the hills around us, and befriending a few postcard sellers along the way.

Then, our guide, driver, and hired van (whoa) took us to the airport for our next stop - Xi'an. Chris, Cheryl and I had gone before, in the winter when life was colder. However, all the sights still remained - the terracotta warriors, the old city wall (with moat and drawbridge), the new skyscrapers, the coal smog... to add a new twist to an old town, we added wheels to the journey.

Riding out of the Smog

Mom and I got up early to ride bikes on the old city wall, while Dad and Auntie rode around in a golf cart. All was well until about half-way around when the golf-cart caught up to Mom and I, and the bikes and car decided to race. With the cyclists at full throttle, my bike decided it needed a break, and dumped me off the side with a knee-skinning crash that brought concerned parents running from all directions.

After the Fall

I even got to ride in a wheelchair for the next couple days... giving me a new perspective on squat toilets and handicap accessibility.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses

But What are They Holding?

Despite my seated perspective, the terracotta warriors still stood in their neat little rows... but the 300 times bigger mausoleum of the Emperor who commanded their building was new and exciting. It's still in the beginning stages of excavation, and an archaeologist gave us an excited briefing next to his dig site (where he's unearthed meticulously fastened clay armor - to the tune of 600 pieces per armor shirt... wow).

Then, before the ibuprofen could wear off, we were on to Beijing.

Forbidden City (Still Forbidden to Those Without Tickets...)

Great Wall with Great Parents

Our awesome guide Catherine talked us through the history of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City (which has 9,999 rooms). I also learned that the Emperors got to choose new concubines every 3 years (he sometimes had around 3,000 concubines) from girls in his kingdom aged 13-17 (in the hopes they'd be virgins). One year an Emperor's (I don't remember which Emperor...sorry) advisers suggested that he skip this tri-annual choosing (as he already had several thousand in the Forbidden City). I guess Emperors don't like to be told no, as he then had all of his advisers beaten in such fury that 3 of them died. Good thing I'm not an Emperor's advisor. There was also one female Empress - Lady Wu. I believe she also had a gazillion male concubines. We also visited the National Museum, which holds a 4000-year-old ornately decorated wine cooler. It's still amazing to me that 100-year-old buildings are meticulously roped off and preserved in the USA, while 2000BC pottery vases exist.

All too soon, we boarded our planes back to the US, leaving Catherine grateful she had never had a little sister like me... :) I arrived back in the foggy mountains of Anchorage at 3am on July 3rd, and began work that same morning. Awesome. Dustin Madden and I are teaching swing dance again with Theatre for Young People's summer academy, and I had forgotten how amazing it is to teach when the students are paying attention. AND, the swing club Dustin and I started last year has survived! I went to my first SWING(ers) meeting of the summer yesterday, with over 30 cool cats showing up to groove and flip and twirl. I couldn't be happier. To top it off, Dustin, me, and our new friend Albert, are off to the Forest Faire tomorrow to camp out for the weekend and enjoy our uniquely Alaskan hippies and outdoor music and baked goods... mmm... I'd missed cupcakes...