Day 11: Luang Prabang

The next morning, I signed on for a longboat tour to some caves on the Mekong River. One of the great things about these tours is that you never know who you'll end up touring with. In this case, it was two lovely British girls and a couple from San Francisco.

One of the Brits had her right hand bound in the most unusual contraption. She told the story of tripping at night while carrying a glass of water and cutting her hand. She had been in Vietnam at the time and was flown to Singapore for emergency surgery. The amazing thing was that she described the entire affair with such nonchalance. Ah....to be young and carefree....

Day 10: Luang Prabang

The hill in the middle of town is known as Phu Si and at the top is the temple That Chomsi. In the hot mid-day sun, it was only me and a couple of monks.

In most of Southeast Asia, monks are reverred and meant to be left alone so you might imagine my surprise when one of the monks approached and addressed me in extremely good English.

His name was Cao and a novice in one of the local temples. I was expecting Novice Cao to pose the typical questions of someone practicing their English: "What is your name? Where are you from? Do you like Laos? " Rather, he took one look at my iPod and asked, "What kind of music do you like?" followed by "Can I listen?" Which is how I got this awesome photo of a novice monk in Laos listening to my iPod! KILLER! Do you think I can sell my story to Apple?

Day 10: Luang Prabang

Lush, green, hot, steamy, stunning, beautiful....the adjectives just kept on coming. I couldn't get enough of the place.

I have had the great fortune to travel to many places but Laos in general and Luang Prabang in particular had a magical quality to it. I was just drinking it in.

Day 10: Luang Prabang

In the heat of the day, I climbed up the hill at the center of town. I was sweatin' my butt off at this point! However, the views were gorgeous and the hillside was dotted with a variety of interesting Buddha statues.

Here's one of my attempts at an "artsy" shot. You be the judge....

Day10: Luang Prabang

Half-way through my walking tour, I stopped for some refreshments at one of the suggested restaurants in The Lonely Planet : Tamarind. If you're ever in Luang Prabang and in the neighborhood, you should definitely check it out!

While the food was fantastic, what made the experience truly special was the detailed explanation of the ingredients the server provided and directions on how the food should be eaten. I was blown away by my server's patience and thoroughness. I can't tell you how often I've sat down to a foreign meal and thought, "Now what do I do?"

Pictured is the BeerLao snack plate. Sadly, I don't remember what all this stuff is. However, I can tell you that most of it was pretty crunchy and that all of it was absolutely delicious!

Day 10: Luang Prabang

While in the Wat Xieng Thong complex, I wandered into one one of the temples that was packed full of artifacts. In this photo, I captured an assortment of buddha statues. But there were lots of things: altars, carriages, urns, other stuff.....

What struck me is that I wanted to present the appropriate level of reverence but I wasn't sure how. This level of uncomfortableness or tension can sometimes lead to learning or so I hope. In any case, I love the opportunity of being out of my element and being faced by something I don't quite understand. It's a chance to grow.

Day 10: Luang Prabang

After a short trek along the river, I arrived at Wat Xieng Thong (a Buddhist temple). In a town teeming with temples, Wat Xieng Thong is the oldest, most spectacular and most revered. Established in 1560, Wat Xieng Thong was one of only two temples in the Luang Prabang spared from a city-wide sacking in 1887. In other words, the temple complex is old, impressive and absolutely beautiful!

Day 10: Luang Prabang

After leaving the market, I headed over to the river. The river in this case is, once again, the mighty Mekong. However, there are two rivers that meet in Luang Prabang: the Mekong and the Khan. As you walk through town, you invariable catch a peak of one or the other. It kind of gives you the sense of being on an island.

Day 10: Luang Prabang

The next stop on my walking tour was the morning market. The market was jam packed with various fruits, vegetables and meat products. The "meat products" got a little interesting. From left to right, I believe we have a hoof, a tail, another hoof, some ears and a snout.

I don't mean to be sensationalist with these types of photos (i.e. the ducks from Shanghai). I just find them interesting. For example, what do you do with an ear? Make a soup? If so, is it good? In any case, we have bologna. Ever checked what's in that stuff?!?

Day 10: Luang Prabang

On my first full morning, I took the walking tour outlined by The Lonely Planet. One of the first major stops was the Royal Palace Museum. Unlike the national museum in Vientiane, the palace museum was extremely well-kept and absolutely beautiful. One of my favorite things in the palace museum was a series of drawings that told a mythological saga involving a wayward prince, a white elephant, kidnapping, crazy spirits, and lots of drama. You'll be happy to know that the story ended somewhat happily.

Day 9: Luang Prabang

Once in Luang Prabang, I wandered around a bit looking for the hotel. I eventually found the Ammata Guesthouse which was absolutely beautiful - simple yet elegant. Laos grows a lot of teak and the guesthouse was rife with it - absolutely gorgeous floors and woodwork. My room was on the second floor and opened onto a shared balcony.

While Vientiane was laid-back and Vang Vien was party central, Luang Prabang was a charmer. The center of town was quite compact thus easily walkable and full of small shops, boutique hotels, restaurants, cafes and, at night, an open-air market. I was lovin' it!

Day 9: Vang Vien to Luang Prabang

My time in Vang Vien was fantastic but it was time to move on. The bus ride to Luang Prabang took around six hours and every minute of it was amazing. Once again, I was blown away by the beauty of Laos. Dramatic mountain after dramatic mountain met us at every twist and turn of the road. Unfortunately, I only had one opportunity for a photo. We made a pit stop along the side of the road. Interestingly, everyone just went into the bushes and did their thing. Huh.....that was a first....

OHIO connection #2: I sat amongst a group of British ladies on the bus. While chit-chatting with my seat mate, I mentioned that I was from Ohio. The British girl in front of us turned and said, "My parents are from Ohio." "Really?!? Where?" "Kent" "I grew up about 20 miles from Kent...." Her last name was Moore and, while I did know some Moores growing up, I don't believe they were related. It's a small world after all....

Day 8: Vang Vien

Given that I was a little lost on the way back from my bike trip/caving excursion, I was concerned whether or not I'd be able to make it for what I had planned for the second half of my day: inner-tubing. Even though I was off my planned course, I eventually made it back to the main road and then found my way to town.

Once I'd had lunch, I headed to off for tubing. I signed up, paid my fee and jumped into the back of tiny little pick-up truck with about six others.

OHIO connection #1: As the pick-up headed up the river, I heard someone say, "So, what's the time difference to Ohio?" Huh!?! I turned to the guy he was talking to and asked, "Are you from Ohio?" "Yes." "Where?" "Columbus." "Which part?" "Westerville." Turns out Caleb went to Westerville South, had recently graduated from University of Toledo and was traveling for about six months. Not only was he from Ohio but his dad works at Nationwide. I thought I had Caleb's last name correct but no... If anyone recognizes him, let me know.

I hooked up with Caleb and his Swedish travel partners Maria and Jasper for the trip down the river. And, what a trip it was! Once we hit the river, it was like springbreak in Florida. There were bars built all along the river. Each bar had it's own D.J. with the bass a boomin'. BUT, the real draw were the huge swings - each about twenty feet high. You'd swing out - WAY out - and then let go plunging into the river. It was a HUGE rush! I LOVED it!

The tubing trip couldn't have been more fun. Once back, Caleb, Jasper, Maria and I headed to one of the Friends "happy" restaurants for dinner. While we didn't end up ordering anything "happy," we did watch about five episodes of Friends. What a GREAT show! Somehow, I'd forgotten...

I didn't take my camera on the tubing trip (lots of water....) but did get a picture of Caleb, Jasper and Maria at dinner.

Day 8: Vang Vien

While the rain eventually let up, the spectacular views did not. Again, I had to remind myself to enjoy the ride rather than stopping every few yards to take photos. My favorite picture from the rest of the bike trip is the kids on the bikes among the cows. Because, who couldn't love kids on bikes with cows!?!

As I made my way back to town, I got a little off track. It was one of those moments when I thought, I am half-way round the world, don't know quite where I'm at and don't speak the language.....AND I'm by myself. I could have always turned around and gone back the way I came but it's much more interesting to head into the unknown..... Of course, as you know, I made it back alive.

Day 8: Vang Vien

Once out of the cave, the rain began to fall pretty steadily. Luckily, it was warm and the rain kind of added to the atmosphere of adventure. However, as the rain continued to come down, the dirt road turned to mud and I started to get covered in it. Still, you know, it's like off-roading, right? This is fun, right?

THAT's when I came upon THE most adorable kids. I assume they were siblings on the way home from some sort of errand. Although, it's difficult to see, the girl on the right-hand side had a basket on her back full of what looked to be herbs. The huge shirt the little boy was wearing made him that much more cute though I'm sure he was just trying to stay dry. As usual, there was not a parent anywhere in sight.

Day 8: Vang Vien

The path in the first picture led to Tam Khanh Kham Cave and what could have been my death. Seriously! After paying admission, all I had left was a 50,000 kip note (about $7) and hiring a guide cost 10,000. Unfortunately, the prepubescent boys at the entrance did not have change so they sent me to the cave on my own and apparently to my death. Seriously! This was not a cave with a wide opening and soaring ceiling but it was more of a spelunking-style of cave. I started to enter using the extremely weak flashlight I had bought but the only thing I could make out was a spider about the size of my hand on the wall above my head. Time to turn back! I headed back and persuaded one of the reluctant young men to accompany me. Thank God I did! At one point, we crawled through a hole which was barely a foot and a half in diameter. At another, there was a ten-foot stretch of cave that was barely two feet high from floor to ceiling. The reward? To say that I did it and survived AND I got a picture of the "big Buddha statue" inside! Also, one of my roommates is an avid caver and I was hoping he'd at least give me props for giving it a try. Nah! He barely batted an eye when I told him. Oh well.......it was A LOT of fun and quite an adventure!

Day 8: Vang Vien

I continued my ride down the pitted road through the open fields and the views were absolutely gorgeous. At first, I was stopping every few hundred yards or so to take photos. I finally convinced myself that I'd taken enough pictures and that I should just settle in and enjoy the ride uninterrupted.

Laos is clearly a very fertile country. But, crops come as a result of a lot of backbreaking work. I don't recall seeing a single piece of machinery being used in the fields. It seemed that everything was being done by hand.

The Laos farmers practice what's called slash and burn farming. In the second photo, you can see a group clearing the brush and trees using machetes and then they'll burn the debris in order to clear the land. Quite a painstaking, labor-intensive process AND, unfortunately, it's not very "green."

Day 8: Vang Vien

Day eight was probably the most exciting and action-packed day of my trip. I had two objectives: first, rent a bike and ride across the river to go caving and, second, go tubing down the river. Bike riding/caving was to be my morning activity with tubing in the afternoon. While I was able to fit in both, things didn't go quite as I imagined. But, that's the beauty of a trip like this, it's usually FULL of surprises!

As soon as I'd rented a bike, the first drops of rain began to fall. I took the toll bridge across the river (it may have been 25 cents to cross) and headed off into the karsts. Once off the main road, all pavement disappeared and I was happy that I'd gotten a trail-style bike.

The view was absolutely GORgeous! After the view, the thing that struck me most was the level of activity on the road. Even though it was quite rural, there were plenty of people on the road either on foot, bicycle or scooter. Folks were on the move!

Day 8: Vang Vien

The hotel I stayed at in Vang Vien was called The Elephant Crossing and, as the British would say, it was lovely! I woke up my first morning, pulled back the curtains and took in the most incredible view. The rock formations across the river are referred to as karsts. This was a new term for me.

The first photo was taken from the back of my room while the second is from my balcony. Like I said, it was absolutely LOVEly!

Day 7: Vang Vien

While strolling down the main street, I ran into these two little cuties. As you can see, they were totally into having their picture taken. Although...is she giving me the hand?!?

Interesting thing about kids in Laos, they appeared to be totally unsupervised. Even kids this small could be seen wandering around without an adult anywhere in sight. Now, I'm sure that there was a parent somewhere nearby but this is a far cry from here at home where I've actually seen kids on leashes.

Day 7: Vang Vien

Prepare to enter the "Happy" Zone.....

Laos in general and Vang Vien in particular is keen to draw in the backpacker crowd. This group consists of twenty-something Euros, Aussies, Kiwis and Americans with the occasional Korean or Japanese who are traveling the globe for months on end looking for endless adventure and experience. Think of it as an extended spring break with a bunch of cultural experience thrown in with the partying.

One major attraction Vang Vien offers is the "happy" meal. In various restaurants along the main street, you can order your "happy" shake, pancake, etc. laced with hash, meth, marijuana and other assorted drugs. Needless to say, pretty CRAY-zee!

But, if that weren't crazy enough, let's get surreal. In most of these bars, they were playing endless reruns of the sitcom Friends. Yes, THAT Friends. If you zoom in on the TVs at the front of the restaurant, you can make out Joey sitting on the couch in Central Perk maybe some time around Season 4. My guidebook had warned me of this but I don't think I was prepared for the reality of it. Forget the Happy Zone. I was feeling like I'd entered the Twilight Zone!

I did eventually sit down to enjoy Friends but never got "happy."

Day 7: Vang Vien

I walked across one of the foot bridges over to the island and, though I'm not exactly sure, I believe I wandered into Smile Bar. Given that it was me and maybe two other people, it was clear that things wouldn't start happening till much later.

The bar was completely open-air and consisted of a series of huts clustered around a central fire pit. Although it's not clear in the photo, each hut had hammocks which allowed for some MAjor hanging out (pun intended).

Sadly, this was my one and only trip to the island bars and what I'm sure was a happening scene. I had the opportunity to go the following night but I pulled out my I'm-not-so-young-anymore-and-need-my-rest card. I probably missed a pretty interesting time....

Day 7: Vang Vien

After a brief rest, I left the hotel to do a little exploring. While quite compact, Vang Vien was packed with backpacker activities. It appeared to be a veritable playground for twenty-somethings traveling the world looking for a good time. It was becoming clear to me that Vang Vien was Southeast Asia party central.

The two foot bridges in the picture led out to an island that was home to a multitude of bars. The sign above the bridge on the right is welcoming you to Lucky Bar while the one of the left is inviting you to Smile Bar. The people of Vang Vien clearly wanted nothing else than for you to be happy (more on that later). Personally, I was feeling pretty good!

Day 7: Vang Vien

After wandering around for a bit, I eventually found my hotel The Elephant Crossing which was absolutely lovely. The hotel was on the river and across the river the view was stunning!

Once I was settled into my room, I went down to the deck on the water that served as a restaurant/bar. I ordered a nice, cool beverage and just soaked everything in. Several inner-tubers came floating down the river as I relaxed. And I thought, THAT is something I DEFinitely need to do!

Day 7: Vientiane to Vang Vien

Travel from Vientiane to Vang Vien was fairly uneventful.......once I got started. I arrived at the bus station and was approached by a man who asked where I was going. I said Vang Vien and he offered to take me to a "VIP bus." Luckily, I had read that the VIP bus was the preferred way to travel or I would have blown him off and bought a ticket on the local bus which would have taken MUCH longer. Once I agreed, he promptly put me on the back of a tuck-tuck and dropped me at a travel agent who set me up with a VIP ticket.

The bus was full of backpackers from Europe. Australia, and New Zealand and there was a Japanese guy I talked to who was traveling for months with only a back-pack the size most people carry their books in. Amazing!

When, I got off the bus in Vang Vien, I was struck by a blazing heat along with an amazing level of humidity. I went the wrong direction while looking for my hotel and when I turned to go back the above scene greeted me. I thought, "Oh my God. This is it! I've stumbled upon Shangri La!"

The palm trees, the river, the foot bridges, the mountains in the background and the HEAT created a magical atmosphere. I knew I had arrived somewhere particularly special.

Day 7: Vientiane

When talking about the Morning Market, I mentioned that it reminded me that I was in the Third World. However, I may have over-romanticized things a bit when I said that the disorganization and eclecticism of the market was preferable to the strip malls, parking lots and order of home.

The reality of the Third World struck much harder when I entered the Lao National Museum. This is THE national museum and it was absolutely decrepit. Pealing paint, bare floor boards and exhibits that were absolutely amateurish.

There are moments during my travels when I'm completely humbled to realize that I did nothing to deserve where I was born in space and time. It's embarrassing that I should breeze through as a privileged tourist while locals are left in their daily struggle to survive. I pray to God that I can help in some small way. Needless to say, it's a challenging and difficult prayer.

Day 6: Vientiane

Don't they refer to the Mekong as the mighty Mekong River? Well, if they don't, they should. The bed of the river is absolutely immense. Although you can't see it in the photo, there were spaces amongst the brush the size of soccer fields where groups were playing. They looked like mere dots from where I was standing.

Stretched along the banks of the river were outdoor restaurant after outdoor restaurant. And, although I had just eaten, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit down and enjoy another cold BeerLao while soaking up the atmosphere. I can't imagine a more appropriate way to have finished up my first day in Laos.

Day 6: Vientiane

Jazzercize alive and well in Laos?!?

After finishing dinner, I took a stroll further down the riverfront. I heard a booming bass and thought, "Oh no! A pirated CD shop advertising their wares by pumping the latest trash-pop tune into the street!"

Imagine my surprise when I approached an outdoor stage where five lycra-clad ladies were leading a large group in an outdoor version of Body Pump. OK, I really have NO idea what Body Pump is but, if it's as energetic as this was, it's a killer work-out.

Seriously, this was a jaw-dropping moment for me. I couldn't stop smiling. It was just so dang bizarre!

Day 6: Vientiane

Every trip has a few defining moments and this was one of them. If you recall, I'd just barely escaped from China earlier in the day. When I finally got to Laos, I took a tuck-tuck from the airport to my hotel, visited a couple of national monuments and then walked a few miles into town for dinner. I was completely bushed.

I found a restaurant next to the Mekong River and it was absolutely tranquil. Everything and everyone was totally chill and I sat back in my chair with a full-body sigh and thought, "I am half-way round the world sitting next to the Mekong River having dinner! Amazing! How is this possible?!?"

Next stop on my walk to dinner was the Talat Sao which, I believe, translates to The Morning Market. I did not actually venture into the market but walked around back to the bus station to check on what time the bus would be leaving the next day for Vang Vieng.

Up to this point, Laos was feeling pretty modern and well-kept. The market reminded me that I was definitely in the third world. However, I don't necessarily mean this in a bad way. We have long since gotten rid of anything this eclectic and disorganized and replaced it with strip malls and parking lots and order.

Day 6: Vientiane

For a fee (50 cents maybe), you could climb to the top of the Patuxai. It was absolutely sweltering. About half-way up, there was an open, yet stuffy room jammed with tourists trinkets. It was a little shabby and depressing......BUT, at the top of the arch there was a wonderful breeze and the most amazing view of the city AND I got what is one of my favorite pictures of trip.

I'd like to think they designed it this way but I bet it happens to be a bit of chance. Check out how the wrought-iron Buddha sculpture almost perfectly matches the design of the street and park below. LOVE it!

Day 6: Vientiane

After visiting Pha That Luang, I decided to walk into town to get something to eat. About halfway between my guest house and the center of the city was the Patuxai which is the Laos equivalent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. However, unlike it's French equivalent, the Patuxai has four arches (one on each side) rather than two.

Fun fact: The Patuxai was built in the 1960s with US-purchased cement that was supposed to have been used for the construction of a new airport. Therefore, it's sometimes called "the vertical runway."

Day 6: Vientiane

As I was leaving Pha That Luang, a group of boys came up and started playing a game that seemed like a cross between hacky sack and soccer. Given that this is a major national monument, it was interesting that there was no security to shoo them away. They just wandered into the courtyard and started playing. Nice.

Unfortunately, I don't have much information about the guy perched on the top of the pedestal in front of the monument. I looked for some sort of placard for an explanation but found nothing. I can tell you that he was wearing a pointy hat (like a witch) and had a sword laying across his knees.

Day 6: Vientiane, Laos

A short walk from my guest house was the nation monument Pha That Luang. As I walked to the monument, it was raining and I was totally bummed 'cause I thought there was no way that I'd get a decent photo in the down pour. However, the rain stopped, the clouds began to clear and, as you and see, it was absolutely BEAUtiful!

I took pictures of PhaThat Luang from every possible angle and, while I'm not sure if this is the best picture, it's pretty dang good! The monument was absolutely stunning!

Day 6: Shanghai to Laos

Ahhhh....finally....Laos. Leaving China felt more like escape from China. After a long trying travel day full of twists, turns and unwelcome surprises (ask me about it sometime), I FINally arrived in Laos.

You know you're not in China anymore when you arrive in the airport and you're greeted by calmness and tranquility rather than chaos. Don't get me wrong, I love a little chaos and I am definitely energized by the throngs of people in China but Laos was a very nice change at this point in the trip.

After leaving customs (where there was no line), I walked out into the main terminal and it was almost dead quiet - just a few workers lounging here and there. After consulting my guide book and a fellow traveler waiting on a departing flight, I decided to leave the airport on foot and find a cheaper ride out on the main road. I eventually hired a tuck-tuck driver for about $4 to take me to my guest house.

Tuck-tucks are one of the main modes of public transportation in Laos. Tuck-tucks are basically a motorcycle with a covered cargo bed built onto the back and they are a WAY cool mode of transportation.

Day 5: Shanghai

What's a trip to China without a good meat-hanging-in-the-open-air photo? This is actually your good-bye to China shot. The next pic o' the day will be from Laos and, if you've liked China, you're gonna LOVE Laos!

Anyone for duck?

Day 5: Shanghai

During World War II, Shanghai was one of the few places in the world accessible to individuals without travel documents. As a result, many European Jews fleeing Nazi occupation came to Shanghai. Following the end of the war, most (if not all) of the refugees left Shanghai for the newly establish state of Israel or other locations such as the U.S.

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum (pictured below) has been established in a former residence which also served as the synagogue for the refugee community. There is a small exhibit which includes a video installation and a time-line of the brief history of the Shanghai Jewish community.

Day 5: Shanghai

I wish, I wish, I wish I could have gotten a better picture of central Shanghai. Two problems: smog almost continually and a cityscape so large that it's very difficult to find a vantage point from which you can even begin to capture everything.

I'm standing on the side of the river referred to as The Bund. It's lined with older, European-style buildings that have mostly been stored. Several contain very chic and mod roof-top restaurants which are fantastic places for dinner or a drink. Looking across the river is Pudong which has been developed into a world-class financial district. To the right (outside of the picture), is being built what will be the tallest building in the world (I think?) until it's surpassed by one being constructed in the Middle East. Overall, an extremely impressive place. Now, if they could just do something about the smog....

Day 5: Shanghai

In the center of the old city is a extremely touristy area that is still well worth a visit. All the buildings are done in a traditional Chinese style, there is a very cool garden and, in the middle of the pond, is tea house (the building in the foreground on the left) that is accessible via a zig-zagging bridge. Also, there is a great shop for buying inexpensive jewelry especially pearls.

Most importantly (just kidding...kind of), if you look closely in the center of the photo, the shop in the middle is a Starbucks Coffee. You may have heard of it?

Day 4: Shanghai

The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall contains a small-scale model of central Shanghai that is continually being updated. Although the photo isn't great , I think you can get a feel for how massive Shanghai is. Keep in mind that this is JUST central Shanghai. Outside the center of the city, high-rise residential complexes stretch on for miles. It's really something to see.

Editorial Note: A couple of you responded to yesterday's pic letting me know that it was an Adidas ad and that "Impossible Is Nothing' is the Adidas slogan. Also, the women pictured in the photo are the Chinese women's Olympic volleyball team. Thank you Kathryn and Brandon for the info.

Day 4: Shanghai

"Impossible is Nothing" - the tagline on this ad (lower right-hand corner) captures the current Chinese ethos. Having emerged from the shadows of a devastating Cultural Revolution with a booming economy and ready to take the World stage with the 2008 Summer Olympics, China is feeling pretty good.

This billboard is part of a series that is surrounding a huge construction site where yet another gleaming shopping complex is going up. Formerly, this site was a huge open market offering any number of fake brandname knock-offs. Having gotten rid of the market, the government can point to how they are fighting Intellectual Property Infringements. Too bad. The market was a lot of fun....

Day 3: Suzhou

No joke, the name of this garden/park, as listed on my ticket, is National Tourist Attraction of Grade AAAA. Of course, there are Chinese characters on the ticket as well but I'm stuck with relying on the English.

The place was definitely Grade AAAA. There were moats with boats, portions of the original city wall and, big bonus, a really cool pagoda! Other than being really cool, the other thing that stands out about the pagoda is that is was really dusty inside. It was as if a huge dust storm had blown through and left a fine layer of the stuff all over the interior. Not surprising since most of urban/suburban China seems to be one big construction zone.

While I did not get pictures of the dusty interior, I did get some of the exterior and a view from the top level. Lovely!

TRUE STORY: While approaching the National Tourist Attraction of Grade AAAA, we noticed groups of people on the street with their hats off and heads bowed. Suddenly, an air siren started sounding and all the cars on the street began laying on their horns. Turns out, all of China was observing a "moment of silence" for the victims of the earthquake that occurred two weeks prior. The sirens and horns continued to blare the entire time. A moment of silence Chinese style?

Day 3: Suzhou

For Kathryn and me, this was our first trip to Suzhou, However, Kathryn's friend Tracy's husband is from Suzhou so she knows the city well. About the second garden we visited, Tracy kept saying, "Guys always like this garden." But she said it in a way that made it seem like guys didn't know what they are talking about, which....well....you know......

Then we get there and my response, "Guys like this garden because it's CO-OL!" The garden was full of rocks that formed a sort of catacomb with paths and tunnels to crawl through. YES! AND, you were supposed to look at the rocks and figure out which animal they were in the shape of. Kind of like lying on your back on a summer afternoon looking up at the clouds. AWE-some!