Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

I'm getting a few complaints about my prose.....maybe a little wordy. So here are some pictures of the local scenery and people. First, my Tai Chi friends. These are older Chinese participating in this exercise and mind cleansing activity every day outside my room. My first uploaded movie.Let me know how it turns out. It seems there is no option to format where it goes on the page for movies though. The internet connection is not letting me upload a movie. I'll try again some other time.

I traveled to Zhujiajiao, Shanghai's water city, nicknamed the Venice of China, Friday with Yiming, my administrative hostess. It was about an hour and half car ride. We had a driver from the university drive and then wait there for the 2-4 hours we toured around. Walking down the narrow streets there were stands selling food, art, knick-knacks, and then just people living. Very interesting. Pictures are of the boatride, me of course, and my hostess, Yiming. She works for the international program office. Speaks very good English and has coordinated my trip from start to finish. Always worried I am not eating good or spending too much time preparing lessons. One last picture of the water city is of "Free the Fish Bridge." Walking across the bridge ladies were selling small goldfish in bags, so that you could free the fish of course into the water. Looking at the water, I think the fish were better off in the bags. 36 bridges in all in this little city.

To conclude the water city tour, we find me standing in front of a Buddist Temple. This is a tree where people have hung red ribbons. Each has a wish written on it, e.g., good life, live well, happy life, etc. The two major religions are Buddist and Taoist. I think I can tell the difference between the two types of temples.....good skill to have I understand.

Next is my walk to the bus stop each morning. Takes about 10 minutes from my room. I watch the sun rise...always red (polluted skies unfortunately). And last of all a walk crossing the street about a block outside the gate from the school. I've always wanted to live in a gated community (guard and everything). Lots of traffic, bicycles, pedestrians, motorbikes, and more. I think I have already said that most folks in the road regard the definition of a red light as something that means stop if you can't avoid oncoming traffic.