tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12278328303143055772024-02-07T02:43:02.708-08:00Follow ArielArielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-42745638186320247502010-04-23T05:52:00.000-07:002010-04-23T06:44:32.253-07:00pictures from my desktop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEogbYvJeI3Ig7rg5Os4eFh2FcrkOTZZ2rW8gPJR7lJR-JxOT47xl7EEHFU3HlOx51b6ZAEpVMl7KmGtJv1cs9d0c47PynQDa6m54sH22BeENyN0QWOxI66_ZTabjhueaugRaXEogXcR4/s1600/hildegard.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEogbYvJeI3Ig7rg5Os4eFh2FcrkOTZZ2rW8gPJR7lJR-JxOT47xl7EEHFU3HlOx51b6ZAEpVMl7KmGtJv1cs9d0c47PynQDa6m54sH22BeENyN0QWOxI66_ZTabjhueaugRaXEogXcR4/s400/hildegard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463326581951714578" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> If there is one thing the internet is good for, it's amazing images. I have a habit of saving any interesting pictures I come across from my internet whereabouts and save them in a folder that rotates them on my desktop. I've been at it for a few years now and here are some of my favorites with a brief explanation. Above is a medieval painting by a nun named Hildegard of Bingen who used to get visions from the Lord and record them. This is her impression of recieving those visions, so I presume those strange red things coming out of her eyes as the grace of God and she is hurriedly recording them .<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzwn9XTyYTpb3mezx8AzqAxHTnN-s_5I0nJx3AFuAk1e30l_ZyShqVCsYnV82klkAoZ-7EbfE3AetjutaiKxl-siAMDQ5sSBPtGl1_9HO13qppCh7s-5W3pNqVEkA3w3UUSdqDl46gl8/s1600/house+japanese+movie+2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzwn9XTyYTpb3mezx8AzqAxHTnN-s_5I0nJx3AFuAk1e30l_ZyShqVCsYnV82klkAoZ-7EbfE3AetjutaiKxl-siAMDQ5sSBPtGl1_9HO13qppCh7s-5W3pNqVEkA3w3UUSdqDl46gl8/s400/house+japanese+movie+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463317114675595298" border="0" /></a>This comes from a Japanese horror film from the 80's called "House"<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygB4O45rMHs_GEMRVhsKLFRKQx-eyo0PEZl0qLTYMz810GDJF5VJnjILNh4KZfUUshDuuwTdB4hvVaqFkh4nOh5Dz5g2MoxxK9idXeR3DrE269d6MFSkWhRa41UUg0w1olgcjVxbTmPw/s1600/sothea_center.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygB4O45rMHs_GEMRVhsKLFRKQx-eyo0PEZl0qLTYMz810GDJF5VJnjILNh4KZfUUshDuuwTdB4hvVaqFkh4nOh5Dz5g2MoxxK9idXeR3DrE269d6MFSkWhRa41UUg0w1olgcjVxbTmPw/s400/sothea_center.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463317114245459682" border="0" /></a>Meet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ros_Sereysothea">Ros Soroysothea</a>, she's a singer famous in Cambodia during the 1970's before the craziness from the Pol Pot era killed her and all the other musicians that made the rock scene there truly special and probably the best I know of<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW-2qYx_mqLQofVbARimYq9302TM9_WYGvDcXVDqAQOTkqoq4VvAnZwQoFYCBi30D2wFa8AEsCquw6PLjQ05nKFwW174FzuUx801ZbyT88iuNQyFfFWKFMccN8f-XTu8_urDm8bCJQyI/s1600/bianco+vestito.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW-2qYx_mqLQofVbARimYq9302TM9_WYGvDcXVDqAQOTkqoq4VvAnZwQoFYCBi30D2wFa8AEsCquw6PLjQ05nKFwW174FzuUx801ZbyT88iuNQyFfFWKFMccN8f-XTu8_urDm8bCJQyI/s400/bianco+vestito.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463317108775966274" border="0" /></a>A gorgeous poster for a film I've never seen<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xPs_BY8Dr1xAOlLtnKQxX6taGzUEr2_UOxS8SmbVJ4TbUDmRMD5ts_spgdeV38R-iY9AuDUryyF_T3_26P72G7omB2AOT_W7MWo_AGVhg4frVU2KxNQvXC_ntdpLZCpirUEQXUJeBdY/s1600/369326556_ab95fbf209_o.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xPs_BY8Dr1xAOlLtnKQxX6taGzUEr2_UOxS8SmbVJ4TbUDmRMD5ts_spgdeV38R-iY9AuDUryyF_T3_26P72G7omB2AOT_W7MWo_AGVhg4frVU2KxNQvXC_ntdpLZCpirUEQXUJeBdY/s400/369326556_ab95fbf209_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463317102320530082" border="0" /></a>A picture from the Russian Soviet future, in the early 80's.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygB4O45rMHs_GEMRVhsKLFRKQx-eyo0PEZl0qLTYMz810GDJF5VJnjILNh4KZfUUshDuuwTdB4hvVaqFkh4nOh5Dz5g2MoxxK9idXeR3DrE269d6MFSkWhRa41UUg0w1olgcjVxbTmPw/s1600/sothea_center.gif"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUI-FtnauXs-76UPo0d8Rd9zYMdjNl9vtDDWZ4kBP-DEvZuaFpBHbSTv33Jb2LYNBx8FY-B_4SHRZlMt9EE_dPxMC6UmmwPOXRzVq2tGMOxCfvDROHc5Uj9TyITldEEkOvZu99hejdV4/s1600/16.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUI-FtnauXs-76UPo0d8Rd9zYMdjNl9vtDDWZ4kBP-DEvZuaFpBHbSTv33Jb2LYNBx8FY-B_4SHRZlMt9EE_dPxMC6UmmwPOXRzVq2tGMOxCfvDROHc5Uj9TyITldEEkOvZu99hejdV4/s400/16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463317092737641458" border="0" /></a>I want a laser baby<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsTkUBycc8Xpk3-EU6URPjRAwKJQZ1VMgOVSGvKDY9C5FZDGan-VIjMQ4udBLyR83Hr7RozAvdpOMJh4kJVfH1yrZ6uVZGCJ8qRfQ39P_Uydi9Sm8g7M4JK3yPrqzxcZ0m4OQspWQGIU/s1600/SuperSister.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsTkUBycc8Xpk3-EU6URPjRAwKJQZ1VMgOVSGvKDY9C5FZDGan-VIjMQ4udBLyR83Hr7RozAvdpOMJh4kJVfH1yrZ6uVZGCJ8qRfQ39P_Uydi9Sm8g7M4JK3yPrqzxcZ0m4OQspWQGIU/s400/SuperSister.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463315647843978434" border="0" /></a>I found this picture while looking up information for a band named Supersister<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXtQlPvY3Ey-0ArwE5UgXmstksQnv4EZBB4bEqIqgZkniBAFCWY64Tt0m7B2-guNXDe5rvuKFyHqRC6fCyAL16IJQfvFOAzmIQ2H-3bryJRDYSO0qk15KMQvGFd4wlJG0Ur3L6Z2LnnQ/s1600/worst23.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXtQlPvY3Ey-0ArwE5UgXmstksQnv4EZBB4bEqIqgZkniBAFCWY64Tt0m7B2-guNXDe5rvuKFyHqRC6fCyAL16IJQfvFOAzmIQ2H-3bryJRDYSO0qk15KMQvGFd4wlJG0Ur3L6Z2LnnQ/s400/worst23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463315644503638450" border="0" /></a>Ross found this picture of a sad fat girl with a disappointing pony. I have a thing for cake pictures and especially like this one<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9afbGzy76TI0y6Y4rRdPVQrX_nzEzgc-CzfvIWT0UwWj-QwoAAn2l8of9dKmdyNmy4bA_mJeN9idMV9zywOTGQB0qH320zT1TsYLAe9ARki5Bp0IUbMzSwXQG1J1-fOmVHL-P5buJHc/s1600/heres-looking-at-your-kid.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 364px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9afbGzy76TI0y6Y4rRdPVQrX_nzEzgc-CzfvIWT0UwWj-QwoAAn2l8of9dKmdyNmy4bA_mJeN9idMV9zywOTGQB0qH320zT1TsYLAe9ARki5Bp0IUbMzSwXQG1J1-fOmVHL-P5buJHc/s400/heres-looking-at-your-kid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463315633753493762" border="0" /></a>This is courtesy of <a href="http://www.engrish.com/">Engrish.com</a> and comes from a manga comic<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtkwagXgSNBpYzMx4H1HaxX09icPa9gLs-vO2ZFhev1_AeDdekGw5ehQhzywrA583-TK9NNq2lZXcwoOIEg7J0uh7X8WwkoVsBVKKxYXbYxwlhclwFTOZNwyXJ6B-dS73RiU8gfT7Eho/s1600/BJ001535.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtkwagXgSNBpYzMx4H1HaxX09icPa9gLs-vO2ZFhev1_AeDdekGw5ehQhzywrA583-TK9NNq2lZXcwoOIEg7J0uh7X8WwkoVsBVKKxYXbYxwlhclwFTOZNwyXJ6B-dS73RiU8gfT7Eho/s400/BJ001535.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463315628241003858" border="0" /></a>A turn of the century Russian circus poster<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQS6Nvo3ICNjU245N8L8hsDYTH2fJsecdtO_Cc7ponYN-Gp9s1AiG421hK63cG1yeZTx_9kiC4ciRNyNwS5dlZci81AqPaWGBdyKyeTL43kg06tRxaebZMPjX_dr4L8_AyysGmlra-S4A/s1600/veronica.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQS6Nvo3ICNjU245N8L8hsDYTH2fJsecdtO_Cc7ponYN-Gp9s1AiG421hK63cG1yeZTx_9kiC4ciRNyNwS5dlZci81AqPaWGBdyKyeTL43kg06tRxaebZMPjX_dr4L8_AyysGmlra-S4A/s400/veronica.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463315619113520866" border="0" /></a>A still from a telenovela from the late 70's with Veronica Castro, one of the big haired, heavily made-up women from my childhood who still haunt me (in a good way) to this day. It says the name of the soap opera which translates as "rich people also cry"<br /><br /><br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-13608192842102901762010-03-20T21:31:00.000-07:002010-03-20T22:58:11.605-07:00The Eastern Peak Mountain Temple (东岳庙)<div style="text-align: center;">One snowy Sunday in January Ross, our close friend Chao (超) and I, all went to eat Cantonese dim sum at a new restaurant and to our surprise found a neat little temple right next door. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Dongyue_Temple">Here </a>is some history about the temple. In a nutshell, it is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daoism">Daoist</a> temple founded in 1319 and rebuilt several times through the centuries. In the 20th century it served several secular and governmental functions until a few years ago when it was declared a national treasure and restored.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQV3WZLS6iblVUfvDDbsHO3VkMUloOHNRS0oFxHq-2rHEu7htvKmoOiuuQFOpX_Yk-5anW3s8jOlscDeZiP0KNxyyaQ7UemGXXehFMFB-uvrEP_HceM8If-wZLPAkBzTaJgx5oGuy5Bs/s1600-h/IMG_0391.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQV3WZLS6iblVUfvDDbsHO3VkMUloOHNRS0oFxHq-2rHEu7htvKmoOiuuQFOpX_Yk-5anW3s8jOlscDeZiP0KNxyyaQ7UemGXXehFMFB-uvrEP_HceM8If-wZLPAkBzTaJgx5oGuy5Bs/s400/IMG_0391.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951997150514178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXqvVCJBesfaD92OXFQXhhqj_47uJpzn8UMO9xGMXQNN9Rp6i4w5tTXFs_EKN6Q9siAPL70Q4j77VRvzuNaM906xtJLdojnUY20O-VUW0HPe1HRns2vM_TqfGwVzxFWTMyLvNHymhEz4/s1600-h/IMG_0394.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXqvVCJBesfaD92OXFQXhhqj_47uJpzn8UMO9xGMXQNN9Rp6i4w5tTXFs_EKN6Q9siAPL70Q4j77VRvzuNaM906xtJLdojnUY20O-VUW0HPe1HRns2vM_TqfGwVzxFWTMyLvNHymhEz4/s400/IMG_0394.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951995897720258" border="0" /></a>Above, Chao is taking a picture though he looks like he's getting shot. Behind him are some stelae with all kinds of records inscribed in them. They look to Westerners like gravestones, but more often than not they record things deemed important or noteworthy... like test scores, decrees, new laws and notable visitors.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfvBokNISRykGgimEL1Y5euqV_S6UTggDiv7XpOrfJVSub7tvURV3RuBnvAEH0WanuCnPCdROUD-ESXXyTR9vXEUygqOlyW9g_2AD5um8QZ_ZzpScmdZuWBNJdo77fgmL9uhQUTQGdHg/s1600-h/IMG_0402.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfvBokNISRykGgimEL1Y5euqV_S6UTggDiv7XpOrfJVSub7tvURV3RuBnvAEH0WanuCnPCdROUD-ESXXyTR9vXEUygqOlyW9g_2AD5um8QZ_ZzpScmdZuWBNJdo77fgmL9uhQUTQGdHg/s400/IMG_0402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951985442752818" border="0" /></a>Ross slipped in the snow, it was really funny<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Below are plaster dioramas with people, mythological monsters , gods and spirits all intermingling; representing the 76 departments of the Daoist supernatural world. They are situated in 76 rooms surrounding the main courtyard. Among the different Departments are<br />"The Department of Individual Destiny", "The Department of Rewarding Good Conduct", "The Department of the Rain Gods", "The Department of Gods and Monsters", "The Department of Controlling Bullying and Cheating and Department of Suppressing Schemes", and my favorite "The Department of Urging" ... whatever that means.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIO42qL4tQ1IZbKp6L50U_GQATAm1vuI6L0zpx2VeYixOiUCs88qyZ7NUz734-3Z4id6CvjYmckqARNDbtUZKr8_g-VTxr7ALlB2yDYuawnSxBeMCOVTZwiC2nNDGgLbpqWkqd9lY0-0/s1600-h/IMG_0432.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIO42qL4tQ1IZbKp6L50U_GQATAm1vuI6L0zpx2VeYixOiUCs88qyZ7NUz734-3Z4id6CvjYmckqARNDbtUZKr8_g-VTxr7ALlB2yDYuawnSxBeMCOVTZwiC2nNDGgLbpqWkqd9lY0-0/s400/IMG_0432.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951242529023042" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DBz80AJMB8IVu_SnahHM-6S_PLJGKmW0h-LLuHPa0pipzAOKaOGCFBNYrHb8Ibq3EgkauMT81AvCi4G3yGHm_FDdhlmgWykWoo3rssmZ8Tom9AwX1VpW3D1MwxIjrFt-HEi6T3A4IN4/s1600-h/IMG_0416.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DBz80AJMB8IVu_SnahHM-6S_PLJGKmW0h-LLuHPa0pipzAOKaOGCFBNYrHb8Ibq3EgkauMT81AvCi4G3yGHm_FDdhlmgWykWoo3rssmZ8Tom9AwX1VpW3D1MwxIjrFt-HEi6T3A4IN4/s400/IMG_0416.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951234317790450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBwHb-oplg4Z7bkv4yc4eFrpoKNn8cyFHUgEmxHIkI8tDYx9sW19cCS7byLy0utO_u7dPNWdAdCH-1A-nUR6bQwv0kzPtJbIYFoxtRwi14aSFhja7Ab9TKoOkZIudqPd0XI_0f7biyIA/s1600-h/IMG_0411.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBwHb-oplg4Z7bkv4yc4eFrpoKNn8cyFHUgEmxHIkI8tDYx9sW19cCS7byLy0utO_u7dPNWdAdCH-1A-nUR6bQwv0kzPtJbIYFoxtRwi14aSFhja7Ab9TKoOkZIudqPd0XI_0f7biyIA/s400/IMG_0411.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951228473263202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t9MXsncauU-kj1ohvkoyNQYCAju_9-qmQJ4f4FpgqD5KIsezma2iQfiSvE5moX_sxeHbWLLbf-iRwqJe2X6zWdooWAaPvkLok6ARZWya6I3A_MoyxJYO7Oyh-NK_ASibSSdn4l21Qmg/s1600-h/IMG_0443.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_t9MXsncauU-kj1ohvkoyNQYCAju_9-qmQJ4f4FpgqD5KIsezma2iQfiSvE5moX_sxeHbWLLbf-iRwqJe2X6zWdooWAaPvkLok6ARZWya6I3A_MoyxJYO7Oyh-NK_ASibSSdn4l21Qmg/s400/IMG_0443.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951224113262514" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dUQYb1u7vn1MUtO3kaj-byphQ471Xs1QH4SXdXTM-2uIna8yc70mFjj3LXkbD0m_LQJ2aYjfxE8dMv5qRdiun6sOI1T0c_AqJbVWwIMjmbHjOfIvtAwdbXXuducLO5E4lreNKRCZZ5Y/s1600-h/IMG_0428.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dUQYb1u7vn1MUtO3kaj-byphQ471Xs1QH4SXdXTM-2uIna8yc70mFjj3LXkbD0m_LQJ2aYjfxE8dMv5qRdiun6sOI1T0c_AqJbVWwIMjmbHjOfIvtAwdbXXuducLO5E4lreNKRCZZ5Y/s400/IMG_0428.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450951220634957378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBj0dxXUmkEd-S78YV4T5ZEx5qi-Ii1EaHhNsU6LyE1qLggH9SpJ4D6eYPPmvQNYt8BpfCHoFGxNbQunHRPlP4AqkF4e-O_4zYs_7_dPK3V8Wmjxzd9kTT8RQH3FxnGPdZ0uzm6zQZ0Q/s1600-h/IMG_0419.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBj0dxXUmkEd-S78YV4T5ZEx5qi-Ii1EaHhNsU6LyE1qLggH9SpJ4D6eYPPmvQNYt8BpfCHoFGxNbQunHRPlP4AqkF4e-O_4zYs_7_dPK3V8Wmjxzd9kTT8RQH3FxnGPdZ0uzm6zQZ0Q/s400/IMG_0419.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950061407440034" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ_2ZtTs6KKyg-p_67eyiW_jz9nQSs8IpXox7060ELp-kjNAHd4O2xAEkcZfef8fNL56voyngV9Jk20XWXZTHlaMWOe2-cU4iWLpuVTJ7rB-LpQ1VKLoFSJOoQJLPN5_qgG3PiC7FdPo/s1600-h/IMG_0412.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ_2ZtTs6KKyg-p_67eyiW_jz9nQSs8IpXox7060ELp-kjNAHd4O2xAEkcZfef8fNL56voyngV9Jk20XWXZTHlaMWOe2-cU4iWLpuVTJ7rB-LpQ1VKLoFSJOoQJLPN5_qgG3PiC7FdPo/s400/IMG_0412.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950058480467970" border="0" /></a>the character in the palette above is read "ling", it means order<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlialn6EqTsP579c74ZW4B4pjrmAlX0bCZQCKsBSrDiR6JMeDIHp5AqlWChv3nl3sDSE0_x7a4K28GQr-lUxezY1qkEdb4c3wTba96nnbMqyRfOvzUUEmPXT_e-04gRCElYUJqKkmGcU/s1600-h/IMG_0427.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlialn6EqTsP579c74ZW4B4pjrmAlX0bCZQCKsBSrDiR6JMeDIHp5AqlWChv3nl3sDSE0_x7a4K28GQr-lUxezY1qkEdb4c3wTba96nnbMqyRfOvzUUEmPXT_e-04gRCElYUJqKkmGcU/s400/IMG_0427.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950051697341650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_jrhOH0HBsO2a8xtM9_QDf3HN5CY2OXCabncEecmGEhV_1jbMGXYfkl_fnmOHJm0sOEdqAzOBIrUFyUr8cak1sDnEpwntkraq2B1OmQm4GA8dG2hP-HqtGmXc4q80u96qqgOuX2t0oM/s1600-h/IMG_0444.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_jrhOH0HBsO2a8xtM9_QDf3HN5CY2OXCabncEecmGEhV_1jbMGXYfkl_fnmOHJm0sOEdqAzOBIrUFyUr8cak1sDnEpwntkraq2B1OmQm4GA8dG2hP-HqtGmXc4q80u96qqgOuX2t0oM/s400/IMG_0444.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950047276518946" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlRmxF3-TzYvGoCTSmS_m_tUdKknoa7OP_XNvj2xKJnag9E_VDDd8IkWFuumF7xJ86Xq5hGURPOvvwYxCqbNAPj615Bw6gWf8zGpFguO6GHGHWgo8HJs-Y65HL39ld9bVSHz50cqd5fA/s1600-h/IMG_0422.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlRmxF3-TzYvGoCTSmS_m_tUdKknoa7OP_XNvj2xKJnag9E_VDDd8IkWFuumF7xJ86Xq5hGURPOvvwYxCqbNAPj615Bw6gWf8zGpFguO6GHGHWgo8HJs-Y65HL39ld9bVSHz50cqd5fA/s400/IMG_0422.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450950046663068818" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-56542196641880020932010-03-17T01:41:00.001-07:002010-03-20T23:01:03.406-07:00Snow days<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNroDramh1mcUbNau5YYRlF316fdLhCwtXqdh1LQlMg_rB1pn7iYSp5vCi0nDzPcCSOc8xPPuRyU0NUFvLEkSd-MhunLxGIau4x5jDxwJFoIdGOTnMgvN5Vsk3IzgtN_L4aQEEcIjiWA/s1600-h/the+road.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNroDramh1mcUbNau5YYRlF316fdLhCwtXqdh1LQlMg_rB1pn7iYSp5vCi0nDzPcCSOc8xPPuRyU0NUFvLEkSd-MhunLxGIau4x5jDxwJFoIdGOTnMgvN5Vsk3IzgtN_L4aQEEcIjiWA/s400/the+road.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449522023424063362" border="0" /></a>This past winter was especially snowy. The pictures above and below are from the first snowfall on November 1st which was the earliest in decades and later announced as <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6481650/Chinese-government-makes-it-snow-in-Beijing-in-order-to-fight-drought.html">"artificially induced"</a> by the government.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Qv5pgfx4QAcWSCe3xfK8uoXqE34ifjKgDZs00M5dsyw6FUXmT9KQ1g4p6Gd0Y156XDDEmjcOEGTklW3JCBxx9rbTMxRM_igvZXJv02ncRl_Huw21g3kCPwPV-p8iLBwgC-htNSp11JA/s1600-h/bikes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Qv5pgfx4QAcWSCe3xfK8uoXqE34ifjKgDZs00M5dsyw6FUXmT9KQ1g4p6Gd0Y156XDDEmjcOEGTklW3JCBxx9rbTMxRM_igvZXJv02ncRl_Huw21g3kCPwPV-p8iLBwgC-htNSp11JA/s400/bikes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449522018435878962" border="0" /></a>The scene above is just downstairs from our apartment. Under all that snow lies Ross and my bikes as well as Silvia's old bike and some of our neighbors's.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI9feARzgQoLtUWsnLCYhAqWC3IsJTV48eIl0Neh3D2LOJvRy5JwWqgTKOz8USF1ykmdW9ZCN_cyvilZ01e-exGYFdzB36ExC5H6OjoLhAY1WWiRyYSVMabziKfSfJO4H2_llApfWT2U/s1600-h/red+curtain.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSI9feARzgQoLtUWsnLCYhAqWC3IsJTV48eIl0Neh3D2LOJvRy5JwWqgTKOz8USF1ykmdW9ZCN_cyvilZ01e-exGYFdzB36ExC5H6OjoLhAY1WWiRyYSVMabziKfSfJO4H2_llApfWT2U/s400/red+curtain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449522010385315970" border="0" /></a>A red curtain in a <a href="http://followariel.blogspot.com/2010/03/eastern-peak-mountain-temple.html">crazy temple</a> we visited on a different snowy day<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M1qlbpUmrN1rkiyZ14zS6y2FQjHpB-nJXujq5BFs09EquobuuJzUbzJLnbIpb64etb9NEtJgW7neRJoawv8xwByaLlB1mgicslQTQl0TlxAZKfI7elQ22m8eQ-1GmWO28-x20gpmgo4/s1600-h/chross.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M1qlbpUmrN1rkiyZ14zS6y2FQjHpB-nJXujq5BFs09EquobuuJzUbzJLnbIpb64etb9NEtJgW7neRJoawv8xwByaLlB1mgicslQTQl0TlxAZKfI7elQ22m8eQ-1GmWO28-x20gpmgo4/s400/chross.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449521491616927218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg6VdGhVESmTwRNhsJ_pctFA3ybqv9gaNRuAAd2Hkjau-FD1ensAPA7JsSmlxLt2XCiq_MNhI8JXDYgZpys9kc2E40AlvqGGE46zs3T_vqgBQQDPxsd19H-adZ0WQv4mo3UtJKuVct9g/s1600-h/san+lun+che.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg6VdGhVESmTwRNhsJ_pctFA3ybqv9gaNRuAAd2Hkjau-FD1ensAPA7JsSmlxLt2XCiq_MNhI8JXDYgZpys9kc2E40AlvqGGE46zs3T_vqgBQQDPxsd19H-adZ0WQv4mo3UtJKuVct9g/s400/san+lun+che.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449521479419631282" border="0" /></a>One of the three wheeled cars (三轮车) for quick, cheap transport in any of Beijing's neighborhoods<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNiiPv8rVaC6T9DVVzDu1NwSwdDUQmPBGxccL-zo_v596AXqz80GrVloT3mJfSfRj4ct62hfb5X_tteVCEmPZgnwG4PublPfK6IWP-Y986vjhvuQo5v0Fl9yir4ys7ArLHFAXqMcAcJc/s1600-h/bus+stop.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNiiPv8rVaC6T9DVVzDu1NwSwdDUQmPBGxccL-zo_v596AXqz80GrVloT3mJfSfRj4ct62hfb5X_tteVCEmPZgnwG4PublPfK6IWP-Y986vjhvuQo5v0Fl9yir4ys7ArLHFAXqMcAcJc/s400/bus+stop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449521476212839474" border="0" /></a>An example of the heavy condensation that happens inside of heated buildings and vehicles on cold, snowy days<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0HW2qEqLYQauCq2XyEA9Amr7q_Ao-3nZbm6Rxm9eBcs6WBb16zib8pqnfbVWA6T_x7pFvhfq1p7QcI03H46xoPlNJW3HarIcelxts6HDO8gCaIoXlflIKiok70UXHLPF6M-lfLdDX8Q/s1600-h/snowball.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0HW2qEqLYQauCq2XyEA9Amr7q_Ao-3nZbm6Rxm9eBcs6WBb16zib8pqnfbVWA6T_x7pFvhfq1p7QcI03H46xoPlNJW3HarIcelxts6HDO8gCaIoXlflIKiok70UXHLPF6M-lfLdDX8Q/s400/snowball.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449521463164435218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw7fCai8G6Il-Sq9yd98A8tRu78fzgHTwF6tQHVf-8rArfHyWBNkK-8tyzc6VAOzFFt4mFWszmjuTm3rwtzy98V8sKlkbL9COdMlMqeMdH0bOxcXAQ_oRYrMLGBUcgey9-A5rlYDA-RQ/s1600-h/ba+yi+hu.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw7fCai8G6Il-Sq9yd98A8tRu78fzgHTwF6tQHVf-8rArfHyWBNkK-8tyzc6VAOzFFt4mFWszmjuTm3rwtzy98V8sKlkbL9COdMlMqeMdH0bOxcXAQ_oRYrMLGBUcgey9-A5rlYDA-RQ/s400/ba+yi+hu.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449521452368245522" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-73387086954010928202010-03-11T00:01:00.000-08:002010-03-11T00:27:27.738-08:00I'm sorry.... so sorry....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bannersink.com/product_images/I%27m-sorry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 359px; height: 138px;" src="http://www.bannersink.com/product_images/I%27m-sorry.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It's been over a year since my last entry. I had just arrived home in Beijing after a friend-filled escape to Europe when I last posted. At that time, the Chinese government became increasingly hostile towards internet freedoms and expression; so around May, Blogspot, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and many other websites were suddenly not accessible. Proxys and other scramblers and unblockers were ok for a while but even they faltered and my blog became a small casualty of all the hullabaloo.<br /><br />A lot has happened since then. I said goodbye to quite a few really close friends, travelled to Inner Mongolia and other places within China, began working again, had little adventures around the 'Jing, went home to America for a few weeks, and now I find myself with a HUGE backlog of pictures and stories ready for posting.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> This is the weekend when things change. Ross and I just paid for a proxy, so I'm safe from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_china">internet censorship </a>for a year :)<br /><br />I'll be sure to get my €34 worth<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-51091366440104382882009-05-13T05:19:00.000-07:002009-05-13T05:59:08.594-07:00A wonderful reunion<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UPpt_VrLRwQ0eXBdlBsNEMjScjNjCGacKaRCwqcnPjRRxlyBLllD2cWxW2B-30QhZVGCGpFcCH1m10b4FF2lw9vQiCDtndc1scpEHjrOBa23xc8XSWK6kp2SMfE2EpuWkkvwglMxvEg/s1600-h/2796_73243669643_507769643_1554934_5255815_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UPpt_VrLRwQ0eXBdlBsNEMjScjNjCGacKaRCwqcnPjRRxlyBLllD2cWxW2B-30QhZVGCGpFcCH1m10b4FF2lw9vQiCDtndc1scpEHjrOBa23xc8XSWK6kp2SMfE2EpuWkkvwglMxvEg/s400/2796_73243669643_507769643_1554934_5255815_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335282968819245506" border="0" /></a>Armando, Jackie and I were all good friends in New World high School. We've all managed to keep in touch through the years, but haven't hung out together since those days. Just about 8 years later we managed to meet again and spend a great few days in the south of Germany.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4IEUu8JPapIuGTh35rj5-kUD4Cs7dsO3IbNplbYILimphURDp59P-svMg-z6_KPu8TMrpMfa5YbNsl9zwp1cVlYRZTUb_TcWGyOQG-csH-nuBUXT3I25EniTvCEpyJJj72aQhr0Tfa8/s1600-h/PICT0295.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4IEUu8JPapIuGTh35rj5-kUD4Cs7dsO3IbNplbYILimphURDp59P-svMg-z6_KPu8TMrpMfa5YbNsl9zwp1cVlYRZTUb_TcWGyOQG-csH-nuBUXT3I25EniTvCEpyJJj72aQhr0Tfa8/s400/PICT0295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335282968652489186" border="0" /></a>My brother/best friend and I in Munich, at Alexanderplatz<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMUZC6pF6sXY90A6M0cqoD_MGE4E1xJvldsTYridxpv0VjCaoKgaqAIqECICqJf5Q1nnm7Bq-GJ2NI2UqSsVNm2AuRzPDEs1KZ4cMI_mz8OGVrPmuZ4cGsBQ3quN7vcYV1SbCQztTLG8/s1600-h/PICT0305.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMUZC6pF6sXY90A6M0cqoD_MGE4E1xJvldsTYridxpv0VjCaoKgaqAIqECICqJf5Q1nnm7Bq-GJ2NI2UqSsVNm2AuRzPDEs1KZ4cMI_mz8OGVrPmuZ4cGsBQ3quN7vcYV1SbCQztTLG8/s400/PICT0305.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335282965331978082" border="0" /></a>above and below: a great afternoon wandering the many beautiful parks in Munich with two people very special to me<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesPn5bBJTIIBI2A9u8cCxZud7qp_zwzVUHR3zh56R3JeArXHwgpd5kAkrq09J0_6WDnLqZaTrJkGcrX5rZqxJTpQ_6p6tGAGc5vxIWDlP6bQnc58dzFMU8MaXjmUcbapBVXA-kEjlcUU/s1600-h/PICT0325.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesPn5bBJTIIBI2A9u8cCxZud7qp_zwzVUHR3zh56R3JeArXHwgpd5kAkrq09J0_6WDnLqZaTrJkGcrX5rZqxJTpQ_6p6tGAGc5vxIWDlP6bQnc58dzFMU8MaXjmUcbapBVXA-kEjlcUU/s400/PICT0325.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335282964411325986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqVRONwOO-1Nv1-T836y4Wd7xteKiA9k_qBTTe4S-7rtsSzMX-F19-OSoUrnfnmsn03SpXqKoHnEaUBYmUu2F2jCOmpc_T4YM62A5Oh4v8vevira8h18Kr1T5XPyU6RrRDJ4qjA9upUw/s1600-h/PICT0366.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqVRONwOO-1Nv1-T836y4Wd7xteKiA9k_qBTTe4S-7rtsSzMX-F19-OSoUrnfnmsn03SpXqKoHnEaUBYmUu2F2jCOmpc_T4YM62A5Oh4v8vevira8h18Kr1T5XPyU6RrRDJ4qjA9upUw/s400/PICT0366.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335282964328289682" border="0" /></a>Left to right; Armando, his great girlfriend Christine, Jackie and I enjoying coffee in the main square in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augsburg">Augsburg</a>, where Armando and Christine currently call home.<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-39158203105814741062009-05-13T04:52:00.000-07:002009-05-13T05:17:17.497-07:00Friends in Paris<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmYV2yRMUT5aHSP5MgZ6dcAgCj4iUjZ8FU72qTE00mjsqQM2khDA7CaCSlKU2o-CWeIOnR5r0SD9fMY8cIfyDA-PJIzTwQspES3W9srKDBgN_7QX7V8JznJiu-pJZxP5NnCGAv-HiNNc/s1600-h/n1241427158_440059_2594507.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmYV2yRMUT5aHSP5MgZ6dcAgCj4iUjZ8FU72qTE00mjsqQM2khDA7CaCSlKU2o-CWeIOnR5r0SD9fMY8cIfyDA-PJIzTwQspES3W9srKDBgN_7QX7V8JznJiu-pJZxP5NnCGAv-HiNNc/s400/n1241427158_440059_2594507.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335278361392374242" border="0" /></a>Myself with some of the Martha Graham dancers (left to right) James, Jackie and Lloyd along with the one rented bicycle we all had to share<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjU5jR2gzlm4D2EX79lQStPEz9rmqIio8aZKT5KteM6ryGQEloTh7Gzx1rbbdga0TSGMYwd4fHG-TL96Yskx2oasokkKkRdJi6e2mBHP7snVMC7Y6dtPvtmzB_Xsg2mv42ETXNebwf0U/s1600-h/n1241427158_440036_2934688.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjU5jR2gzlm4D2EX79lQStPEz9rmqIio8aZKT5KteM6ryGQEloTh7Gzx1rbbdga0TSGMYwd4fHG-TL96Yskx2oasokkKkRdJi6e2mBHP7snVMC7Y6dtPvtmzB_Xsg2mv42ETXNebwf0U/s400/n1241427158_440036_2934688.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335278355600940130" border="0" /></a>The guys<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxCV6tuIzELgrmYUCBeuz5EYlVAYQFu6uqVT_OqNyeY0x-1yni3Dg6MmJXOkyZVJ-j916fXJGshF53CMvL91HwODgOIgv__z7f8q3tndLTB2j3j_tAdPJ7jipEfR0fs3tDOoZBjT5ZB4/s1600-h/IMG_0718.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxCV6tuIzELgrmYUCBeuz5EYlVAYQFu6uqVT_OqNyeY0x-1yni3Dg6MmJXOkyZVJ-j916fXJGshF53CMvL91HwODgOIgv__z7f8q3tndLTB2j3j_tAdPJ7jipEfR0fs3tDOoZBjT5ZB4/s400/IMG_0718.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335278355611574818" border="0" /></a>James and I after a long, long, long day at the Louvre<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7V5hdLBjm4XWJIjGoNsCNYoDJjPWsG8zrpG1rcpQb9iGlZjdtbsMaU-uaqUia6knfIxWHmtc7cvIWfVgestATXf6JX8C65YrRA82sNg0L2eTzHXQMUhkI03Jptn1ih8DL5GlhImgMDw/s1600-h/PICT0067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7V5hdLBjm4XWJIjGoNsCNYoDJjPWsG8zrpG1rcpQb9iGlZjdtbsMaU-uaqUia6knfIxWHmtc7cvIWfVgestATXf6JX8C65YrRA82sNg0L2eTzHXQMUhkI03Jptn1ih8DL5GlhImgMDw/s400/PICT0067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335278350053161698" border="0" /></a>above and below: Jackie and I and beautiful, beautiful Paris<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZa6zTkevvz3gLjZ6Ajnk9bI3PzsqUf1_NDQrwWgj3-exb2-o1kJwUyJh0WqnW57OtIkv3ejKb0bu3biY4SfhyphenhyphenpPKW4xn-4JVQ6oYKto4_-z3U63i_y4VgoczTEIMvsnWCoI8L5tix7aQ/s1600-h/IMG_3876.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZa6zTkevvz3gLjZ6Ajnk9bI3PzsqUf1_NDQrwWgj3-exb2-o1kJwUyJh0WqnW57OtIkv3ejKb0bu3biY4SfhyphenhyphenpPKW4xn-4JVQ6oYKto4_-z3U63i_y4VgoczTEIMvsnWCoI8L5tix7aQ/s400/IMG_3876.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335278348242399058" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-14952925001373909202009-05-13T04:37:00.000-07:002009-05-13T04:51:33.458-07:00Parisian streets<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxcZXEqQ4tv6eAN4Q4pQbXUwqN_c8P2XcAglI7RvfJ1dxISO9dXCAiWWhGvl0AZq8y7Ugk016lnGAmaztHpsSx1shmBsjTUNyr0F0-PoUHE5vOvLLRZ591p_vvpLpAll1ODe_-ECO1BQ/s1600-h/PICT0053.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxcZXEqQ4tv6eAN4Q4pQbXUwqN_c8P2XcAglI7RvfJ1dxISO9dXCAiWWhGvl0AZq8y7Ugk016lnGAmaztHpsSx1shmBsjTUNyr0F0-PoUHE5vOvLLRZ591p_vvpLpAll1ODe_-ECO1BQ/s400/PICT0053.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335272371181924002" border="0" /></a>Walking around Paris is a wonder. There's so much city and detail to discover at every single corner . This all sounds tacky, but you really have to be there to understand fully.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PX5OsRZt0CRlYrzdKlM2-Plu3rPeli1dmhCrH_PMAB0Osu8OvdObU948a63lFgLO7ueOAw3N3pHT5Nh_dkGnGcxGF497G1651zaGcQ8gcvfzu5cBfN_GgLt1PhSFbT1hjKejpGsGyTM/s1600-h/PICT0092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PX5OsRZt0CRlYrzdKlM2-Plu3rPeli1dmhCrH_PMAB0Osu8OvdObU948a63lFgLO7ueOAw3N3pHT5Nh_dkGnGcxGF497G1651zaGcQ8gcvfzu5cBfN_GgLt1PhSFbT1hjKejpGsGyTM/s400/PICT0092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335272373800574674" border="0" /></a>That's the island where Notre Dame Cathedral and a million other famous things are located or nearby.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCv4oHMhyOUT9bhC4M3wr98926GruW9GXe7Ql9WtAdE490IqYRxdbKglRJlNxVO68_W2TaTiT3sSW_l4SSbvNfGDsE3__mIak5q189-BBpeNzygu5zefXxbaqRysP-zcFbraL7R0JeDQ/s1600-h/PICT0073.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCv4oHMhyOUT9bhC4M3wr98926GruW9GXe7Ql9WtAdE490IqYRxdbKglRJlNxVO68_W2TaTiT3sSW_l4SSbvNfGDsE3__mIak5q189-BBpeNzygu5zefXxbaqRysP-zcFbraL7R0JeDQ/s400/PICT0073.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335272373788572914" border="0" /></a>Jackie and I wandering near the theater she performed at before the show.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtgAMW_V1E-X5eSeXgc7n_JSpBy9uXFE5hQMYGNYSzqDac0WUWEibNlE1tyLK07QWhsTWp_scHzph6CtdJwvAasq-Ajg9S-2DdeTfzdgkCZp0x4-WJ6srEUbmLEG5xaITnZrfViGos9w/s1600-h/IMG_0450.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtgAMW_V1E-X5eSeXgc7n_JSpBy9uXFE5hQMYGNYSzqDac0WUWEibNlE1tyLK07QWhsTWp_scHzph6CtdJwvAasq-Ajg9S-2DdeTfzdgkCZp0x4-WJ6srEUbmLEG5xaITnZrfViGos9w/s400/IMG_0450.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335272366827222562" border="0" /></a>This is one of my favorite store window display in Paris, it's a an extermination supply store and taxidermist? I think... anyway, it made me laugh a whole lot.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcADFkbZAaqHJL1eHypiKKhkg9z3F7KAGlIC8qUGi-MNYL9p1iBA1i6XYmRupdx0BzYrrPe5G71u3OsRxoFIwlld-IxxJp7eqkAeeAbAVG0zXg5vS29UqUiFxwy11WpUXCD1WKSkYcYc/s1600-h/PICT0245.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcADFkbZAaqHJL1eHypiKKhkg9z3F7KAGlIC8qUGi-MNYL9p1iBA1i6XYmRupdx0BzYrrPe5G71u3OsRxoFIwlld-IxxJp7eqkAeeAbAVG0zXg5vS29UqUiFxwy11WpUXCD1WKSkYcYc/s400/PICT0245.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335272364578958098" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-14806078513291894572009-04-23T11:40:00.001-07:002009-04-23T11:53:37.653-07:00More of my favorite art, The Musee d'Orsay<div style="text-align: center;">The Musee d'Orsay has the best collection of major French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting anywhere in the world. It also has a few other great period pieces. A visit there was a nice and peaceful way to spend an afternoon, exactly what I feel Impressionism was made for.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBdPW7UcWXBtFV6Q9w_BlrupxahDhKAPptXDUlIs54BV3s5FFdmEJ4ED34yr5LKlw7w4nSnTVSkMlfsdZScGXU5Hm5vIRnxPGKSodmKGk8xUIEJr97usFPBnxrIK0Nw8mBeK91uVGfeQ/s1600-h/PICT0099.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBdPW7UcWXBtFV6Q9w_BlrupxahDhKAPptXDUlIs54BV3s5FFdmEJ4ED34yr5LKlw7w4nSnTVSkMlfsdZScGXU5Hm5vIRnxPGKSodmKGk8xUIEJr97usFPBnxrIK0Nw8mBeK91uVGfeQ/s400/PICT0099.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327958830565578194" border="0" /></a>I saw this Manet a few years ago at the Met in New York, still looks the same I reckon.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7XSZluDouDz2O7UZYG5675jhxkOG2hNZvEMVvh1TXEAcH2mvStZIchzSmKo9NgeCKBzrxcFSDBh4lZWAShfZDYpcUqzUQvZQRleRjoOoD3OAPSddiDWji6KI_Jr_dcMgHok9baJTqNM/s1600-h/PICT0119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7XSZluDouDz2O7UZYG5675jhxkOG2hNZvEMVvh1TXEAcH2mvStZIchzSmKo9NgeCKBzrxcFSDBh4lZWAShfZDYpcUqzUQvZQRleRjoOoD3OAPSddiDWji6KI_Jr_dcMgHok9baJTqNM/s400/PICT0119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327958824820149714" border="0" /></a>Above and below: The museum has a great collection of Art Nouveau furniture and decorations, this section was my personal favorite despite the plethora of famous Manets, Monets, Degas, Tolousse-Lautrecs, and other rediculously famous paintings.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9kO80w5xu2lgw7iDq2KbuPxx0cwXOz5sqG36dNWNx8YFc0ytfRebdkKNWpAFgRoyaL0yrqDN-ANNr8rMq7uo3cgVePUiYq4MX5B0hvCi-GqwnTh1aDPsdfkBMIiWdrLOPVa8IJBevI/s1600-h/PICT0129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9kO80w5xu2lgw7iDq2KbuPxx0cwXOz5sqG36dNWNx8YFc0ytfRebdkKNWpAFgRoyaL0yrqDN-ANNr8rMq7uo3cgVePUiYq4MX5B0hvCi-GqwnTh1aDPsdfkBMIiWdrLOPVa8IJBevI/s400/PICT0129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327958823638790178" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuL_4RYg3EbKKtNzfCpeLPE7gsCH1t6hClpHJjOakCSPBlJwOJcAQFcsrv6P8SVixWEhhvo_0LUw3yc1X5rKFzKN6aTd68MKvVRNjIVxmbXB3-5A8OBSe8BGlQFnW2G6Z4WKTlP29_bOk/s1600-h/PICT0136.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuL_4RYg3EbKKtNzfCpeLPE7gsCH1t6hClpHJjOakCSPBlJwOJcAQFcsrv6P8SVixWEhhvo_0LUw3yc1X5rKFzKN6aTd68MKvVRNjIVxmbXB3-5A8OBSe8BGlQFnW2G6Z4WKTlP29_bOk/s400/PICT0136.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327958819198109202" border="0" /></a>These are from a wall display I loved featuring the props from a famous shadow puppet theater from in Paris during the late 19th century. Other figures include soldiers, armies, bourgoise figures, farmers, animals and more.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa-A1AT9hBJ_le7kevlP8ktcMUFG4096ZoXfMCa6kZTfmNU_F6EGNa_0E3laTc2XaXpsKNuuEzhFSzCg2WgTjieWO7pEYuI114Am2lmIoE2JXPD2dJAugfmbZQXxmLii-B2jmtGWlHZo/s1600-h/PICT0165.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa-A1AT9hBJ_le7kevlP8ktcMUFG4096ZoXfMCa6kZTfmNU_F6EGNa_0E3laTc2XaXpsKNuuEzhFSzCg2WgTjieWO7pEYuI114Am2lmIoE2JXPD2dJAugfmbZQXxmLii-B2jmtGWlHZo/s400/PICT0165.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327958821294591186" border="0" /></a>A great painting I remember nothing about :(<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-76067024238184640212009-04-23T10:47:00.000-07:002009-04-23T10:59:41.241-07:00Chinese Tombs in Pere Lachaise Cemetery<div style="text-align: center;">Something I never expected to see in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery was a bunch of tombs for Chinese people and families. Some of them also Christians. Here are just some of the Chinese tombs I found.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6kj_2rZ6Z7wjz1QGE0fv8Ah6nka8VnJGkF1mpXDYDkvwca_P0hlB3w3kcXSwvdQJOq4BTQc3nJySqpH_2JRVYo9CRMAicnWeQxeADoR6aYygXIu_jNIatYGdKMZGwlEyMco6XN4Zjm0/s1600-h/PICT0180.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6kj_2rZ6Z7wjz1QGE0fv8Ah6nka8VnJGkF1mpXDYDkvwca_P0hlB3w3kcXSwvdQJOq4BTQc3nJySqpH_2JRVYo9CRMAicnWeQxeADoR6aYygXIu_jNIatYGdKMZGwlEyMco6XN4Zjm0/s400/PICT0180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327946033924052274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DSou-Rqkg_MDvTy1LAIqhm5LufE7OZ2htqD5cu2pm0zwoGpLJVmpprSCODX6b20ifFwMX2MdgklscoEKzOrrH9T5iBPeqZPa_gvXCREauGgrJ0XUflc8pD2go2DVkJG2XnKEPqzf7d8/s1600-h/PICT0189.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DSou-Rqkg_MDvTy1LAIqhm5LufE7OZ2htqD5cu2pm0zwoGpLJVmpprSCODX6b20ifFwMX2MdgklscoEKzOrrH9T5iBPeqZPa_gvXCREauGgrJ0XUflc8pD2go2DVkJG2XnKEPqzf7d8/s400/PICT0189.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327946029547200786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoj7bR2yt6wGzxeqdWsc-CWblp_crPRaHNfwY4vx9Q2Pd6X6A5O9ho0EXb-sY58lpwcCMmZ5_BrKxcplUNYYXQ0r4CHmiWmU46SRughTcnvIyn8pqz-ClU5o5Da5FvwYkbV92twpdldI/s1600-h/PICT0196.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoj7bR2yt6wGzxeqdWsc-CWblp_crPRaHNfwY4vx9Q2Pd6X6A5O9ho0EXb-sY58lpwcCMmZ5_BrKxcplUNYYXQ0r4CHmiWmU46SRughTcnvIyn8pqz-ClU5o5Da5FvwYkbV92twpdldI/s400/PICT0196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327946029348872738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KmfX5epAffm003BBv1ABf7PgOF2QhljL952ZsiZ1t1q_uiEg4pnlwE2Tb9P03ydBjNZP2j11e1qc2XWn7S__E4_dO8dQJXbdXSFxWzG3ogxxWTS0MZVGQMezeo-QKBVISzJyfEFvT4k/s1600-h/PICT0212.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KmfX5epAffm003BBv1ABf7PgOF2QhljL952ZsiZ1t1q_uiEg4pnlwE2Tb9P03ydBjNZP2j11e1qc2XWn7S__E4_dO8dQJXbdXSFxWzG3ogxxWTS0MZVGQMezeo-QKBVISzJyfEFvT4k/s400/PICT0212.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327946026902225170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NMFKkhzoYtuOnHmJY_JIQl4UkqXulCv33x0Q-dLxT2AUlXpWlaWPv6FrxPsC15YRRqRhzSKFKhYhIPnmVE2VoMTZ8Vhyphenhyphen_emi5mTqrHfjHM5Bvr7ilDtraxwZNjzYxpsBuAfifBtNJEQ/s1600-h/PICT0216.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NMFKkhzoYtuOnHmJY_JIQl4UkqXulCv33x0Q-dLxT2AUlXpWlaWPv6FrxPsC15YRRqRhzSKFKhYhIPnmVE2VoMTZ8Vhyphenhyphen_emi5mTqrHfjHM5Bvr7ilDtraxwZNjzYxpsBuAfifBtNJEQ/s400/PICT0216.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327946025462182786" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-89076023643362505112009-04-23T10:19:00.000-07:002009-04-23T10:47:00.710-07:00Cemetery Fun!<div style="text-align: center;">In doing research before I came to Paris, I came across a few websites about increasing tourism in Paris' cemeteries. Two particularly popular stops are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pere_Lachaise_Cemetery">Pere Lachaise Cemetery</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montparnasse_Cemetery">Montparnasse Cemetery</a>. I made my way to both on my last full day in Paris, in the cold and under light rain. Still, it was probably the best new thing I did on my trip. I saw the tombstones of people like Edith Piaf, Charles Baudelaire, Jim Morrison, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, Man Ray, Serge Gainsbourg, Susan Sontag, Rossini, Oscar Wilde... and a million rich and ornate family tombs some dating back hundreds of years.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaG_6tGYOeEyZb3snwq3VYVW4dm9Z3pBzhgcm7ZuIFpzQTEDlJBeer4uSFN4RE0Cm-cHL342nOXYGv_whyphenhyphen_yb5-iJfEVWGSMNozVD8ZS1n21dBI0CbmVMc080QTDEjdvzlP4XgSiGqRY/s1600-h/PICT0230.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaG_6tGYOeEyZb3snwq3VYVW4dm9Z3pBzhgcm7ZuIFpzQTEDlJBeer4uSFN4RE0Cm-cHL342nOXYGv_whyphenhyphen_yb5-iJfEVWGSMNozVD8ZS1n21dBI0CbmVMc080QTDEjdvzlP4XgSiGqRY/s400/PICT0230.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327939901380930594" border="0" /></a>Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvior<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLsdX5XN7LXqze_FtGGp_qt0JWCRwS8CvjojhCRT_LZjc3SFRkm9O50816iEnXtT5V5YZL_pyJqMW7OPOr1_PSAy-kKyKmaAr8fxXv6mQAHL26MSQe0U_Xh9D0n6Rro5aqi6EF7apPCw/s1600-h/PICT0217.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLsdX5XN7LXqze_FtGGp_qt0JWCRwS8CvjojhCRT_LZjc3SFRkm9O50816iEnXtT5V5YZL_pyJqMW7OPOr1_PSAy-kKyKmaAr8fxXv6mQAHL26MSQe0U_Xh9D0n6Rro5aqi6EF7apPCw/s400/PICT0217.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327939896745814066" border="0" /></a>A personal highlight, the tomb of Serge Gainsbourg<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdJv-JyldXaQmXiFpNObEgW50rJea-ZETTOSV_e-Ccm533EOaZC1qvaEWKwRzL2mM2oHGc9WRQB_jvYOIgstGDMQxADnmRwALQ7pZQI6w5H7Gl_XU3ixhzXdhyphenhyphenlgqVl-02SRtWnS00rA/s1600-h/PICT0208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdJv-JyldXaQmXiFpNObEgW50rJea-ZETTOSV_e-Ccm533EOaZC1qvaEWKwRzL2mM2oHGc9WRQB_jvYOIgstGDMQxADnmRwALQ7pZQI6w5H7Gl_XU3ixhzXdhyphenhyphenlgqVl-02SRtWnS00rA/s400/PICT0208.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327939892762493266" border="0" /></a>Edith Piaf<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mSYFuPAvSNmpz0gipqKRptFiYoonTRfpoVMZhwRD2fAdHbeUa5o60nBk8KiAHqlvDeBy21-lSaNPchWE4fz755BBVuAYyjB3zYUgx3dhdrgup4q1dXuxZzdDzkqXBqbbXKCe_fCCPSA/s1600-h/PICT0200.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mSYFuPAvSNmpz0gipqKRptFiYoonTRfpoVMZhwRD2fAdHbeUa5o60nBk8KiAHqlvDeBy21-lSaNPchWE4fz755BBVuAYyjB3zYUgx3dhdrgup4q1dXuxZzdDzkqXBqbbXKCe_fCCPSA/s400/PICT0200.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327939891939123026" border="0" /></a>Oscar Wilde's tomb, something really amazing and unlike anything else I've ever seen<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLw-vqj7Joim3GWaVKx60I27CiFxuUGPI7XVHGY25gKqmBTXLch9uOc4StG9lNX-bt8iuPdCLURAPPFcimJmXnAsg37Vls6iOYA21PpN2eJuBb7vK16SCnPgEWma70ybR9kv0CjhX-lQ/s1600-h/PICT0191.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLw-vqj7Joim3GWaVKx60I27CiFxuUGPI7XVHGY25gKqmBTXLch9uOc4StG9lNX-bt8iuPdCLURAPPFcimJmXnAsg37Vls6iOYA21PpN2eJuBb7vK16SCnPgEWma70ybR9kv0CjhX-lQ/s400/PICT0191.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327939888223768946" border="0" /></a>Pere Lachaise is the older cemetery and seems endless. It feels like miles and miles of tombstones and family plots fighting each other for space and attention. I highly recomend these excursions for a break from museums and other more formal and established tourist sites in Paris. All cemeteries provide a map with the names of noteable people buried there and an approximate location of their tomb.<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-21372002071283892072009-04-23T02:15:00.000-07:002009-04-23T02:42:45.138-07:00My favorite art in Paris, some of it anyway<div style="text-align: center;">I spent most of my time in Paris wandering (lost is the more accurate word) the halls of "the great museums". Here are some of my favorite pieces.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01i_rkHVmfkhPK3cImdCcGEsMQDnz-OJZwVOCobY26KZFBVvx43LuHgfkDI8_BdrAf6AFwP1HzDXrNSxZkMZOK_BT219Slf0ie-Hi7HWjyduH2aWHuDh7K7rmWHDHt-JNXEuCPTFH2n0/s1600-h/IMG_0421.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01i_rkHVmfkhPK3cImdCcGEsMQDnz-OJZwVOCobY26KZFBVvx43LuHgfkDI8_BdrAf6AFwP1HzDXrNSxZkMZOK_BT219Slf0ie-Hi7HWjyduH2aWHuDh7K7rmWHDHt-JNXEuCPTFH2n0/s400/IMG_0421.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814533598859618" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOtwItgA68gcKFQ-Ly4zLBm8AYrWhpv2LOw9VNTrYq-k9oeqnuAJVbcz97bIg7aByqE8u3eYcc0SpQMVRh7HM1ah0G2kKA2gXbQ-DfLPkiVlcdF3zQYJmcbpl1dxCwhRGq9Qu6O-eLyw/s1600-h/IMG_0439.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOtwItgA68gcKFQ-Ly4zLBm8AYrWhpv2LOw9VNTrYq-k9oeqnuAJVbcz97bIg7aByqE8u3eYcc0SpQMVRh7HM1ah0G2kKA2gXbQ-DfLPkiVlcdF3zQYJmcbpl1dxCwhRGq9Qu6O-eLyw/s400/IMG_0439.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814532724000578" border="0" /></a>Above: A great show at the <a href="http://www.centrepompidou.fr/Pompidou/Manifs.nsf/AllExpositions/92FF6D3A6A08C111C125743A00584358?OpenDocument&sessionM=2.2.1&L=2">Centre Pompidou</a> on Alexander Calder's Parisian years in the late 20's and early 30's, where he created a toy circus and started the wire scultptures and mobiles that would make him tremendously famous years later in America. This show was my favorite art thing I saw in Paris.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Below: Also at the Pompidou, a giant and complete retrospective on Kandinsky's paintings, prints and drawings.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdTtYOD45OGTSgb9GF7LNLVJGSZafz5OnRGu44jw-eGQFX2MQmv76uqdTkD5JchWKUjEb5dq3wV2QDpYnmugejpaCP7WjuqmvkY3n413xUbtUOaEpIOoz900-d1Cdkpd-47ohG-mx7Vw/s1600-h/IMG_0436.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdTtYOD45OGTSgb9GF7LNLVJGSZafz5OnRGu44jw-eGQFX2MQmv76uqdTkD5JchWKUjEb5dq3wV2QDpYnmugejpaCP7WjuqmvkY3n413xUbtUOaEpIOoz900-d1Cdkpd-47ohG-mx7Vw/s400/IMG_0436.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814534198991730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW064xKaBoq_8_UAB6REfQWiMZnFUindgHG4zPb23NWYIcLJEoh6cZ3TU8ZGLII0CaHfaoNO-2w5cbr9RzGYwVuKxTAZ7cE77JAyJIBHkP17QP9kXnzhSrGkx9IV2bSEMfvsXBnfmkQ1k/s1600-h/PICT0056.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW064xKaBoq_8_UAB6REfQWiMZnFUindgHG4zPb23NWYIcLJEoh6cZ3TU8ZGLII0CaHfaoNO-2w5cbr9RzGYwVuKxTAZ7cE77JAyJIBHkP17QP9kXnzhSrGkx9IV2bSEMfvsXBnfmkQ1k/s400/PICT0056.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814246724618818" border="0" /></a>Above and below: More important stuff (above), and things i really liked (below) from the Pompidou<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa0b2HXAcZu1HF_Jy1DGSJhcLT04UosrJF1DNNKwLHHtltM9OLcp7SVYBHLu5slX9_712R8OGpW3fItkGzlTv1AFKtCwdk2IumWGGqqHgfoWvwszz1iRJSXLcPANSTvoGYHgpmMMSP_Y/s1600-h/PICT0044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa0b2HXAcZu1HF_Jy1DGSJhcLT04UosrJF1DNNKwLHHtltM9OLcp7SVYBHLu5slX9_712R8OGpW3fItkGzlTv1AFKtCwdk2IumWGGqqHgfoWvwszz1iRJSXLcPANSTvoGYHgpmMMSP_Y/s400/PICT0044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814253423923874" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w_Iohdy2sAybWU7NPePXUDBZfeES9vmQfQ48AgACpUWU4bURKpnWjMUYFvM_znOsXPgVGIwvwri_ahLDVRamUwjupSB9jvdC7OiF0lzeEJmGZnxhVd6svam9J5yJZ-u-M97SNSgYb0Q/s1600-h/IMG_0657.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w_Iohdy2sAybWU7NPePXUDBZfeES9vmQfQ48AgACpUWU4bURKpnWjMUYFvM_znOsXPgVGIwvwri_ahLDVRamUwjupSB9jvdC7OiF0lzeEJmGZnxhVd6svam9J5yJZ-u-M97SNSgYb0Q/s400/IMG_0657.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814260923126754" border="0" /></a>Above is a Hawaiian funerary mask made of shells. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. It was at the Musée du Louvre.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCPQeE-NJW-esuQEf3K-d2BSzDheaXLEG9RUsCr7UsmAs9mjGGv5iHTS6J7_LdGcFr1oxlnoK7dh7eLUlXeHIIcDjOavb8BeLA-edOvm1xfW_TAx-M6Gb-zVmhUKgqY1yTnyzMAQfPgY/s1600-h/IMG_0681.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCPQeE-NJW-esuQEf3K-d2BSzDheaXLEG9RUsCr7UsmAs9mjGGv5iHTS6J7_LdGcFr1oxlnoK7dh7eLUlXeHIIcDjOavb8BeLA-edOvm1xfW_TAx-M6Gb-zVmhUKgqY1yTnyzMAQfPgY/s400/IMG_0681.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814256686948514" border="0" /></a><br />Above and below: Also at the Louvre, Egyptian and Mesopotamian art. Two of my favorite ancient cultures, it was quite amazing to make my way through the vast and well presented collections this museum has.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfPw8RTcpnKsGmYDVQWmNzjaz1rmw_JoI7iJLz2TAd8rpfSlXu4-gJQbcQKfL7mfoJ9sOQaYT_H9741lVQcE7p0SymFvCw-H09km5mh7_deOO7QmqptCDc7pdLDBuui344YBOBEBL9Hw/s1600-h/IMG_0708.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfPw8RTcpnKsGmYDVQWmNzjaz1rmw_JoI7iJLz2TAd8rpfSlXu4-gJQbcQKfL7mfoJ9sOQaYT_H9741lVQcE7p0SymFvCw-H09km5mh7_deOO7QmqptCDc7pdLDBuui344YBOBEBL9Hw/s400/IMG_0708.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327814257045802610" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-73517648135325718392009-03-11T07:06:00.001-07:002009-03-11T07:22:47.247-07:00Figure Drawing<div style="text-align: center;"> Silvia, Ross and I started hiring models to come to the apartment and host our own figure drawing sessions. We invite friends over for a few hours and turn the upstairs into an open studio of sorts. We've been at it for about 2 months now. These drawings are a few of my favorites from these sessions. The first four were all 5-20 minute poses, the last one is a 2 minute gesture.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2ae0YUbecGEBzpmTQfMyNtgGYdkjlvDwlQqIAupwTBPrRPdfkeM_lae8Ln4l6GFIKgCGr2lhfOvs36kurP3PTxYFQkox3S1j7RtFky_Wy-dARCUkeDEmCRPwHxnNYfx8iR4ut7BxQfI/s1600-h/IMG_3587.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2ae0YUbecGEBzpmTQfMyNtgGYdkjlvDwlQqIAupwTBPrRPdfkeM_lae8Ln4l6GFIKgCGr2lhfOvs36kurP3PTxYFQkox3S1j7RtFky_Wy-dARCUkeDEmCRPwHxnNYfx8iR4ut7BxQfI/s400/IMG_3587.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311933203745418274" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzvuZx8M-YikWyeQbHg-yzHJ1WvYbImn_ZnxYlqU1ZoE0ajzh8_rXG5P12yC6NybHTnVKzJEhYfeQTgwU9z17JmSwKv8fSjBSE6qA9wmsXHYRlEqiYhGjOKgdq_eoUst8Ctj1ET_ZjC8/s1600-h/IMG_3572.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzvuZx8M-YikWyeQbHg-yzHJ1WvYbImn_ZnxYlqU1ZoE0ajzh8_rXG5P12yC6NybHTnVKzJEhYfeQTgwU9z17JmSwKv8fSjBSE6qA9wmsXHYRlEqiYhGjOKgdq_eoUst8Ctj1ET_ZjC8/s400/IMG_3572.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311932131561430402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcxko2INFWR4eCI75wRnjvpV4ed9swbP7GwFbbGBeyfToT6ntQtzdR9eAyrI5GpWQEYLJhZazEOdF2X5jNX-7utDvEec7DR6ntCaxF4X7Da1UgCSf0i6mai9NEw1_Ucb2UceMBrUMlm0/s1600-h/IMG_3590.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcxko2INFWR4eCI75wRnjvpV4ed9swbP7GwFbbGBeyfToT6ntQtzdR9eAyrI5GpWQEYLJhZazEOdF2X5jNX-7utDvEec7DR6ntCaxF4X7Da1UgCSf0i6mai9NEw1_Ucb2UceMBrUMlm0/s400/IMG_3590.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311932130210784322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOcAGHNzdlt7qyI-hRATNkiqc85KxmnrvivQty_nSc4HzB6KFq2YMr-atoMK-PCSMTo0fvexgFm53bCNO9Ab8C_fabFZjYuUtNti2sLISRkCLJqf1z6jTRiFQ0orrMeaecWoyYW3_zcQ/s1600-h/IMG_3594.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOcAGHNzdlt7qyI-hRATNkiqc85KxmnrvivQty_nSc4HzB6KFq2YMr-atoMK-PCSMTo0fvexgFm53bCNO9Ab8C_fabFZjYuUtNti2sLISRkCLJqf1z6jTRiFQ0orrMeaecWoyYW3_zcQ/s400/IMG_3594.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311932127799411586" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRj57zDyAUcdPJ26esIiezM-tZvtx1yipGgzVkpUeLz1ued8fu374RG-Eo6FNUO9nHmrf5gwDUPgcAsdi0IpF8HSqV8Ca11PCUwoli2TmL6EzTvsrcItvj769S5fvQmdH7BvVFO_zyqro/s1600-h/IMG_3581.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRj57zDyAUcdPJ26esIiezM-tZvtx1yipGgzVkpUeLz1ued8fu374RG-Eo6FNUO9nHmrf5gwDUPgcAsdi0IpF8HSqV8Ca11PCUwoli2TmL6EzTvsrcItvj769S5fvQmdH7BvVFO_zyqro/s400/IMG_3581.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311932126950039010" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-57170691849289419442009-02-11T06:37:00.000-08:002009-02-11T06:53:27.120-08:00The Drum and Bell Towers<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWkqR0AIEw2L_nniPdJmCQrWDuh3IZv8mzOFBv0qpTfA8aEgbk7tq9obR6RXSULVkaDflVUJds4DIsomuzfwY5RCNSgVeWNGeAA2dilF3Ehz4ad9r4k6_bYkdUAQ-AFFmQq2L0RYFmqI/s1600-h/IMG_2984.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWkqR0AIEw2L_nniPdJmCQrWDuh3IZv8mzOFBv0qpTfA8aEgbk7tq9obR6RXSULVkaDflVUJds4DIsomuzfwY5RCNSgVeWNGeAA2dilF3Ehz4ad9r4k6_bYkdUAQ-AFFmQq2L0RYFmqI/s400/IMG_2984.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301549603628193218" border="0" /></a>All the ancient Chinese capitals have a Ceremonial Drum and Bell Tower near the town center. Both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_Tower_of_Xi%27an">Xi'an</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulou_and_Zhonglou_%28Beijing%29">Beijing's</a> are really impressive. Above is the Drum Tower, below is the Bell Tower, below is the Bell Tower.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45jNKIG4Oqw9D83JoN7CzESU-YSOps8wLzX03ljSQatHnz2BntWxXVC4rncAiZpFXl7azgc_jdZyNBf_t1GfUIEWVyzrUwkhJXXLI4XEp8czx6bmaFDkIuD2Er2Z6AcYLRVXYY-h71tI/s1600-h/IMG_3008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45jNKIG4Oqw9D83JoN7CzESU-YSOps8wLzX03ljSQatHnz2BntWxXVC4rncAiZpFXl7azgc_jdZyNBf_t1GfUIEWVyzrUwkhJXXLI4XEp8czx6bmaFDkIuD2Er2Z6AcYLRVXYY-h71tI/s400/IMG_3008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301549604204769970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyYGhg7lSs-7FqTnaq4j4dN9y7Oo1wPBdOZZMFl5bMOB6wWQrqajbcBBdAtDOTKdn3oKR1xYXAt0usZSesM80ho4th-bVhNHVlIOepRLrghW-ROZ-Mu2cCx_sJUTZiBJPuinOOh4COJY/s1600-h/IMG_3190.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyYGhg7lSs-7FqTnaq4j4dN9y7Oo1wPBdOZZMFl5bMOB6wWQrqajbcBBdAtDOTKdn3oKR1xYXAt0usZSesM80ho4th-bVhNHVlIOepRLrghW-ROZ-Mu2cCx_sJUTZiBJPuinOOh4COJY/s400/IMG_3190.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301549580004193634" border="0" /></a>The travelers. Silvia, Ross, Andy and I in front of the Drum Tower at night.<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-64846606209198054532009-02-11T06:24:00.001-08:002009-02-11T06:36:21.928-08:00The Spring Festival City Wall Spectacular!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dr4_RWKxeu9aIoK0c4VF_aX7U4sxL9pmZ94QcO6zjd0bAOKG25aKJEbbjOKR8L8mmfQWAt8FC6Kdp_tifCHPVtONcXoiIBUpruJSRFN3X2hYsNP4LN3g2dJFxU61F8h4C9GZfywMGUU/s1600-h/IMG_3317.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dr4_RWKxeu9aIoK0c4VF_aX7U4sxL9pmZ94QcO6zjd0bAOKG25aKJEbbjOKR8L8mmfQWAt8FC6Kdp_tifCHPVtONcXoiIBUpruJSRFN3X2hYsNP4LN3g2dJFxU61F8h4C9GZfywMGUU/s400/IMG_3317.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301546564483130226" border="0" /></a>These great, great things were on the Xi'an city wall during Spring Festival. They're a little craptacular and at night they light up! The colors are really intense, even in the desert-y grey of Xi'an's afternoon skies.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV6njxfB4Sr_FOq6c4_br-reHU8lRxbXk8EiioIDWDlgg6pAcGk_rk_vCzAamFx-zW9lB4uzC48THpoAJwg2cubwCEJLmpfkL1eEies6RLB8EKj4VF_e-IbqssqF1fYT43_LPZs_yp50/s1600-h/IMG_3313.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV6njxfB4Sr_FOq6c4_br-reHU8lRxbXk8EiioIDWDlgg6pAcGk_rk_vCzAamFx-zW9lB4uzC48THpoAJwg2cubwCEJLmpfkL1eEies6RLB8EKj4VF_e-IbqssqF1fYT43_LPZs_yp50/s400/IMG_3313.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301546562096054210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2p1HnW_Wd_Q-SbvS_Dh4YGJh1Uesze5sxoxX7mOcfefAx3pD3k5lW4OSX4QjgWLKw4n2sR_qjQWbtUqxWmILcrdMUb3uxQCongGlUvkpWmCjZpgrfBnxU3KGa_8aREpghaOwUkIHOfo/s1600-h/IMG_3306.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2p1HnW_Wd_Q-SbvS_Dh4YGJh1Uesze5sxoxX7mOcfefAx3pD3k5lW4OSX4QjgWLKw4n2sR_qjQWbtUqxWmILcrdMUb3uxQCongGlUvkpWmCjZpgrfBnxU3KGa_8aREpghaOwUkIHOfo/s400/IMG_3306.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301546562468254322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PqxGT0OhywjKffntvQmEED94dLz1KPQ4FtBa-ju9gjY9M8td_8cwPVrtZPKgDBCrN4r0-lq7vEwmvRxuddxpU_vgHstv5Rhd8ENcfQpP-VMXw0ctdS03bye9e-80jiJeLe0liXQcSok/s1600-h/IMG_3309.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PqxGT0OhywjKffntvQmEED94dLz1KPQ4FtBa-ju9gjY9M8td_8cwPVrtZPKgDBCrN4r0-lq7vEwmvRxuddxpU_vgHstv5Rhd8ENcfQpP-VMXw0ctdS03bye9e-80jiJeLe0liXQcSok/s400/IMG_3309.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301546559878447042" border="0" /></a>I don't really get this one.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42fV_gucEWMu106XPB3bKQAHOcinfv3gh0zvRKN_spFP1rc6r_jzdSG2xMKjsDTYyFxMrd-_YwYAEJHPodn7s92EppqEz-3VdAPsBQo1NKuSBZ_x8zZrn8ouR3fc8YmHXwsdP0JWTgPM/s1600-h/IMG_3320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42fV_gucEWMu106XPB3bKQAHOcinfv3gh0zvRKN_spFP1rc6r_jzdSG2xMKjsDTYyFxMrd-_YwYAEJHPodn7s92EppqEz-3VdAPsBQo1NKuSBZ_x8zZrn8ouR3fc8YmHXwsdP0JWTgPM/s400/IMG_3320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301546559944562546" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-63582738508366605072009-02-07T18:07:00.001-08:002009-02-07T18:57:23.338-08:00The Terracotta Army<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo23YkL8gMZ1U6bUkh1LnaJXhjiQB8-pa4ko61KZ9Uz9QiwDN6DMfWM1N-nR8xFdR6KwZw0JFQ-eDNJe08hvfbUe0ViPxO4OrZr5b3nOj8W1bzNOxj3XLj6P-j5ktgOEvlDMFnr-p2GI4/s1600-h/IMG_3093.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo23YkL8gMZ1U6bUkh1LnaJXhjiQB8-pa4ko61KZ9Uz9QiwDN6DMfWM1N-nR8xFdR6KwZw0JFQ-eDNJe08hvfbUe0ViPxO4OrZr5b3nOj8W1bzNOxj3XLj6P-j5ktgOEvlDMFnr-p2GI4/s400/IMG_3093.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300244075073573522" border="0" /></a>Xi'an's biggest tourist attraction is undoubtedly the Terracotta Warriors. This 3000 year old, completely lifesize ceramic army was only discovered about 30 years ago by a local farmer digging a well. Today the site is still an active archeaological site with thousands of broken and standing soldiers of all ranks, life-size horses, and a full array of ancient weapons spread over half a mile in 3 plots.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IYTpGKs7MUX85EgD-kAXrgU-TaxwMgHxJHyuGwPJ64ns4pab1_Ftw0OSkerMsp1oX38WG0gxzx5TU2UDel1WPnvo4WVSzx2JMes3OgQB8mYgD1jckpEks_MM4zHa2Di_3IS5C2TU2Eo/s1600-h/IMG_3092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IYTpGKs7MUX85EgD-kAXrgU-TaxwMgHxJHyuGwPJ64ns4pab1_Ftw0OSkerMsp1oX38WG0gxzx5TU2UDel1WPnvo4WVSzx2JMes3OgQB8mYgD1jckpEks_MM4zHa2Di_3IS5C2TU2Eo/s400/IMG_3092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300244074260961442" border="0" /></a>Some of the best restored figures are on display on site with real weapons found alongside the soldiers. There were thousands of actual spears, bows and arrows, swords and knives, and crossbows as well as fully equipped chariots.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviwX1Efi-zhNnUD5TKcGUWq7XKWTNloZUomGyNGA1u6qaes0N0qZq-N2DKMmZAwEzNi_bNd9KCrUuaczTaSvUETYZT9Snlk3CLcEs8wN5kCETwY6zwJs5mFlDyAyF0VVUzGy_wcgs9_U/s1600-h/IMG_3047.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviwX1Efi-zhNnUD5TKcGUWq7XKWTNloZUomGyNGA1u6qaes0N0qZq-N2DKMmZAwEzNi_bNd9KCrUuaczTaSvUETYZT9Snlk3CLcEs8wN5kCETwY6zwJs5mFlDyAyF0VVUzGy_wcgs9_U/s400/IMG_3047.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300244076359671426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSIhjHEMByd1wr7xKk0GJ9uhsio4h0pKM9a9RaMK8SdXtq0tqqjvqSJg4jhqI555pVBfCLHgGazF0LhjTyojwYbV5jtR6ezOcH-3L-U8I4v0GimcQK2KTG0bnsU12JzS54p1p-bb5VN4/s1600-h/IMG_3072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSIhjHEMByd1wr7xKk0GJ9uhsio4h0pKM9a9RaMK8SdXtq0tqqjvqSJg4jhqI555pVBfCLHgGazF0LhjTyojwYbV5jtR6ezOcH-3L-U8I4v0GimcQK2KTG0bnsU12JzS54p1p-bb5VN4/s400/IMG_3072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300244069940786562" border="0" /></a>The sheer number of warriors (over 8,000) is impressive enough, but what really shocked me is the amount of detail in each and every soldier and weapon. Every figure's face and hair is completely unique and retains traces of a once vividly colorful past. Their uniforms, armor, and vestments all have a surprising amount of detail and movement. All weapons are ready for use against any potential enemy, all armed and ready to protect the tomb of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang">Emperor Qin,</a> the first emperor of unified China.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMM_4n-VTecGF_5EgvdegVwJtU7dtd8Cl4EJ4VyD5ssm_opGwrL3qIGSHJ6gK5LAnMFNdzsjH8tDz7VWA0CtFX3iSaw7rAwZmfIOJPs75Q6nJyj7HTu4jRcCXSw2w8kMCi922us4LgYI/s1600-h/IMG_3059.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMM_4n-VTecGF_5EgvdegVwJtU7dtd8Cl4EJ4VyD5ssm_opGwrL3qIGSHJ6gK5LAnMFNdzsjH8tDz7VWA0CtFX3iSaw7rAwZmfIOJPs75Q6nJyj7HTu4jRcCXSw2w8kMCi922us4LgYI/s400/IMG_3059.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300244070807199554" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-34374031928702341892009-02-01T18:54:00.000-08:002009-02-01T19:49:42.269-08:00More Fireworks!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYXNLDRV9LcEIg26xZpB-piSQJfNbykZZaPAZrhcY8jpRmZaOuOlE3fNjrkEbSVsdL4VcRGWgFrmGSuAoDF_hYRa8LcsunkNlQrN-Kaad4xsbpKCFnw7UBCGI5h4wmP2E04eeMBDvLVQ/s1600-h/IMG_2444.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYXNLDRV9LcEIg26xZpB-piSQJfNbykZZaPAZrhcY8jpRmZaOuOlE3fNjrkEbSVsdL4VcRGWgFrmGSuAoDF_hYRa8LcsunkNlQrN-Kaad4xsbpKCFnw7UBCGI5h4wmP2E04eeMBDvLVQ/s400/IMG_2444.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298037625286900066" border="0" /></a>We received the new year nearby at our friend Emelie's house. She and her roommates live in the hutong; the old, disappearing Beijing neighborhoods. Her home has a rooftop balcony which allowed us a great view of the night's fireworks.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswI90252YIdZ8gTGBX9B1AtgTb5MLpWplo5-HcN4UFx3mY84YCSFC7Em4aqlj8MIkntENdAz5ijiOj1HFo6AiNW030Zl-iOrwz4Qt_8P0NkIQ51SGz6tZr5Fbo-nWOLmZbCOfVBiIJuQ/s1600-h/IMG_2533.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswI90252YIdZ8gTGBX9B1AtgTb5MLpWplo5-HcN4UFx3mY84YCSFC7Em4aqlj8MIkntENdAz5ijiOj1HFo6AiNW030Zl-iOrwz4Qt_8P0NkIQ51SGz6tZr5Fbo-nWOLmZbCOfVBiIJuQ/s400/IMG_2533.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298037625835282818" border="0" /></a>These are the rooftops and lanterns typical of the hutong (胡同)<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNp8dzT8F1XavwNwRluEECRxRx7YF29YHyZg7vuC4MitxZCpJvf4n6oFrVp8mMWoikhMxJQ800nvm-zAOdaVQ6GT_jVunT6RfuJELigQCQiutGem91wa2-qcED33DsM5pIDWdnoj7uzqQ/s1600-h/IMG_2629.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNp8dzT8F1XavwNwRluEECRxRx7YF29YHyZg7vuC4MitxZCpJvf4n6oFrVp8mMWoikhMxJQ800nvm-zAOdaVQ6GT_jVunT6RfuJELigQCQiutGem91wa2-qcED33DsM5pIDWdnoj7uzqQ/s400/IMG_2629.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298037634392777554" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE0wX8d9_fMQukzFNfZ1D8LpMRuf1Opg8iTfYzh1jO4mNxmvF_mUwDqRNiPpyGH8Vg4Kz-Xp-ITZIHkpY-MWp6VR_QECf61IWcTCzbCZEoGk8tHUwSHj3tWMFNbEO5LzNDVGfJo5sTTY/s1600-h/IMG_2649.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIE0wX8d9_fMQukzFNfZ1D8LpMRuf1Opg8iTfYzh1jO4mNxmvF_mUwDqRNiPpyGH8Vg4Kz-Xp-ITZIHkpY-MWp6VR_QECf61IWcTCzbCZEoGk8tHUwSHj3tWMFNbEO5LzNDVGfJo5sTTY/s400/IMG_2649.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298037639484024322" border="0" /></a>Ross</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcBlvp8SkcoVGI4fcj5ajvLzcZcXg85ebxBHdT74MXj4LCysiTAan0y9HI5776HxWUgWbNMj5eEn_8GULuhJPVUTHYU_6uJuv51Cxe_VcpO8SFzhF33JQxRa2LsLCB1t7gqP0LgC-U7Q/s1600-h/IMG_2759.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcBlvp8SkcoVGI4fcj5ajvLzcZcXg85ebxBHdT74MXj4LCysiTAan0y9HI5776HxWUgWbNMj5eEn_8GULuhJPVUTHYU_6uJuv51Cxe_VcpO8SFzhF33JQxRa2LsLCB1t7gqP0LgC-U7Q/s400/IMG_2759.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298037638878553634" border="0" /></a>Silvia<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-42736511624084947112009-02-01T05:19:00.000-08:002009-02-01T19:51:40.030-08:00Fireworks!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Festival">Chinese New Year</a>, called 春节 ( pronounced CHOO-en jiE, means Spring Festival) is in my opinion the best time of year in China. Chinese people go crazy with fireworks for days and days. Here are some pictures of the pre-midnight fireworks we saw from home.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC_Ld4N4asHFyuJGvW8_PbuJjHqEBY45smGnZCikCX_LJ1-nQzDe9pUsREuTjogFte10xjQ7SZqbuGwrs-W5YA6CIi9J_6Xo_RJbeUqGX7ZRUbzoJRcdxWR8QEdJT9nCmrrc7Dlf6Trs/s1600-h/IMG_2311.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC_Ld4N4asHFyuJGvW8_PbuJjHqEBY45smGnZCikCX_LJ1-nQzDe9pUsREuTjogFte10xjQ7SZqbuGwrs-W5YA6CIi9J_6Xo_RJbeUqGX7ZRUbzoJRcdxWR8QEdJT9nCmrrc7Dlf6Trs/s400/IMG_2311.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297820793074876498" border="0" /></a>from Silvia's room<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlf0Fc5T0djmRMyv_D0N5hBDkUWwZjyP53fw2WJ7gbvOcwGb4erzw4WKcAZbxl4dEf3gqhz3DsDGlaeaNitsSerApHy0RuL3fMkZuLUVLN4CMKliDmZ2PYjH5lPgoqaHRsyTrI6K9kOI/s1600-h/IMG_2359.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlf0Fc5T0djmRMyv_D0N5hBDkUWwZjyP53fw2WJ7gbvOcwGb4erzw4WKcAZbxl4dEf3gqhz3DsDGlaeaNitsSerApHy0RuL3fMkZuLUVLN4CMKliDmZ2PYjH5lPgoqaHRsyTrI6K9kOI/s400/IMG_2359.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297820788154264850" border="0" /></a>upstairs from the open balcony, a bunch of fireworks going off right inside our complex<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-83556725751548760502009-01-22T01:30:00.000-08:002009-01-22T02:03:44.875-08:00A Nice Taxi Ride<div style="text-align: center;">Beijing is a city with great public transportation. Subways and buses get you anywhere you need quickly, cheaply and reliably. However taxis are a whole lot more fun! They're the most expensive form of public transportation, but sometimes the views are well worth the price. Here are some pictures from a particularly nice taxi ride Ross and I took from a friend's house in the Guomao (国贸) area to our home in BeiXinQiao (北新桥).<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Yk2OmYAjtkZ4CzUWvv3XgwItiFvuTi_ftEL1uYUFPBhV7ZZTf3s5UaERxZre5OoKtMmgVAmcc0xNxIfyjAFee3QAYb4Q1AC7bpMDcxfbeQ7WiuncfHAD8MjDlE-r0OMorFG8O-bxbic/s1600-h/IMG_2058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Yk2OmYAjtkZ4CzUWvv3XgwItiFvuTi_ftEL1uYUFPBhV7ZZTf3s5UaERxZre5OoKtMmgVAmcc0xNxIfyjAFee3QAYb4Q1AC7bpMDcxfbeQ7WiuncfHAD8MjDlE-r0OMorFG8O-bxbic/s400/IMG_2058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294049346665277154" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhF3xcGdik5wB-3nsAsMiaNgBTkOAkAHpvVjO7lNi01fvDOAAgHHv3C5Y8U20xRToPqvX55GKQ5PGkHKmQ907tOBBybxp0QQLtNncTbouRvXaJC3VxENaruY59Ej5tevlcid29g01gPk/s1600-h/IMG_2050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhF3xcGdik5wB-3nsAsMiaNgBTkOAkAHpvVjO7lNi01fvDOAAgHHv3C5Y8U20xRToPqvX55GKQ5PGkHKmQ907tOBBybxp0QQLtNncTbouRvXaJC3VxENaruY59Ej5tevlcid29g01gPk/s400/IMG_2050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294049349830541666" border="0" /></a>This is GuoMao. One of the major commercial areas of Beijing, it's known for it's tall buildings, lights, shops and lots of other things every hyper-consumer and tourist needs.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqfdXG3_EewSAKvUVroo-mI_sk4ptAPqEFfGYM6uNJ33_DIg82o-ZCMoR53KNyuhwYn6kVoTgzU1wUCqZbFS6UFvXXBo6exEFJaJud7IzkR-bp04qk5ZRjj0lk9MAUvkfnEpKW51r7nc/s1600-h/IMG_2061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqfdXG3_EewSAKvUVroo-mI_sk4ptAPqEFfGYM6uNJ33_DIg82o-ZCMoR53KNyuhwYn6kVoTgzU1wUCqZbFS6UFvXXBo6exEFJaJud7IzkR-bp04qk5ZRjj0lk9MAUvkfnEpKW51r7nc/s400/IMG_2061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294049353912096930" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RjWAbwtOjyMFIL5Ja3A3ocIPIAcWh__QRKtlstcisq5-pZZoOJaIUpvLJMDQY8Sd1dm9Ml0mQRxjzJGg4iZlWJZG7BCJKp7U7sscihiwy2IUvliROQlQEFhp_x3hkkJY9O5zIUlcdLk/s1600-h/IMG_2066.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RjWAbwtOjyMFIL5Ja3A3ocIPIAcWh__QRKtlstcisq5-pZZoOJaIUpvLJMDQY8Sd1dm9Ml0mQRxjzJGg4iZlWJZG7BCJKp7U7sscihiwy2IUvliROQlQEFhp_x3hkkJY9O5zIUlcdLk/s400/IMG_2066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294049364469249490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuN0p7dLJaSNPPi1RjfxYMbt1YUthucb3W3PPx7Ise-6qHEo-Hi4FNPjXYXTQhzPh0hgyCJd8b436xPWkOqBZNp7sKX693VgYgi8bGLXgQdxITP9Mqd495VgwTcCY4LwMFoMQUy7n8_4/s1600-h/IMG_2074.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuN0p7dLJaSNPPi1RjfxYMbt1YUthucb3W3PPx7Ise-6qHEo-Hi4FNPjXYXTQhzPh0hgyCJd8b436xPWkOqBZNp7sKX693VgYgi8bGLXgQdxITP9Mqd495VgwTcCY4LwMFoMQUy7n8_4/s400/IMG_2074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294049366563888194" border="0" /></a>The three pictures above show the new CCTV (Chinese Central Television, the ONLY major source of tv in China) Tower. It's one of the buildings the Chinese use as a symbol of their prosperity, acheivement, and giant strides into modernity. It was completed in time for the Olympics along with the JinMao building (in the last picture, the tapered building on the right), the tallest building in Beijing.<br /><br /><br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-54558231704137131102009-01-19T08:50:00.000-08:002009-01-19T09:07:44.583-08:00Spring Festival!!!<div style="text-align: center;"> We have some time off coming up for Chinese New Years this weekend. New Year's Eve is on Sunday the 25th, and on the 26th we're all flying to<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xi%27an">Xi'an ( 西安, pronounced SHE-AN in a high tone)</a></span> . It's the ancient capital of China, and most famous for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Cotta_Warriors">Terracotta Army</a>. Our friend Ruby is originally from Xi'an, so she's going home for the holiday and we're all tagging along. SHe'll be showing us around, so we have a great tour guide with us. Will post photos as soon as I can...<br /><br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-90536896802731649592009-01-17T20:42:00.001-08:002009-01-17T21:55:10.694-08:00A garden in Winter<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSjVcSSa5NDXZskJl5M7oslviURfTyKgjzcZw0E9pwH1iGoq7nxuvuN2gl63VGg-UVDtoCsXaC5-QltetLnq3EiDlB7j6pKuPMH2eK6unjEtQnNsJFPD3KArIuiHMkQb7Ba3tphpW13g/s1600-h/IMG_2006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSjVcSSa5NDXZskJl5M7oslviURfTyKgjzcZw0E9pwH1iGoq7nxuvuN2gl63VGg-UVDtoCsXaC5-QltetLnq3EiDlB7j6pKuPMH2eK6unjEtQnNsJFPD3KArIuiHMkQb7Ba3tphpW13g/s400/IMG_2006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292491872770794146" border="0" /></a>I've claimed the downstairs balcony as my own and made it into the apartment's garden. Right next to the living room, it's quickly become the object of my affection during these increasingly cold and dry Winter months. With the exception of evergreens, the city is pretty much depleted of all green things. From high up, looking down at the city often resembles a sea of sharp brown tree branches. In just a few weeks the season's brown/grey colors will start to be replaced with with the colorful explosions from plum and cherry blossoms like the pink plant centered in the picture above. Their blooming coincides with Chinese New Year and seem to brighten up daytime the same way fireworks light up nighttime's skies.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9oHBrTjGWBaa4DmTezEtng8fq-BHAXy2qahpfJhV_vPD-lvPx8v2KlHoGcts3l4h_n-8O-Uqi-RC4ipq-QdMqfWPAyxVmFctFgcDWh_44RJsXVdRVPuhPB1S74MjksGjtGqP3yMQSBU/s1600-h/IMG_2013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9oHBrTjGWBaa4DmTezEtng8fq-BHAXy2qahpfJhV_vPD-lvPx8v2KlHoGcts3l4h_n-8O-Uqi-RC4ipq-QdMqfWPAyxVmFctFgcDWh_44RJsXVdRVPuhPB1S74MjksGjtGqP3yMQSBU/s400/IMG_2013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292491879948252418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfVLu0SOcLfSXtS-epOVQVbd7ePEEvq8FJYXhU8YULwH_O2jYmKxMBtDCSqgSE3d66Lw7STMUcb47yaM74fHAL1XqBvb4TWqaJzzvSbJU0Cqk7D9Lp39irJSDTwfTe1iHjB1xy6Rx6_8/s1600-h/IMG_1875.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfVLu0SOcLfSXtS-epOVQVbd7ePEEvq8FJYXhU8YULwH_O2jYmKxMBtDCSqgSE3d66Lw7STMUcb47yaM74fHAL1XqBvb4TWqaJzzvSbJU0Cqk7D9Lp39irJSDTwfTe1iHjB1xy6Rx6_8/s400/IMG_1875.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292491877913134754" border="0" /></a>The succulents<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwe8SafjMR4mE0vU3aIgElHindM2edKKAwbftwCphXwE3vEsvqLWkoN4zGGMvCtqpsdu8Ts8PGDIFPPCM2NntWtGfXm5vNik9CVZXLDK0JEWpl6oF4HGLI6e72Kh4GDEHE7qpRw46PS2Y/s1600-h/IMG_1915.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwe8SafjMR4mE0vU3aIgElHindM2edKKAwbftwCphXwE3vEsvqLWkoN4zGGMvCtqpsdu8Ts8PGDIFPPCM2NntWtGfXm5vNik9CVZXLDK0JEWpl6oF4HGLI6e72Kh4GDEHE7qpRw46PS2Y/s400/IMG_1915.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292491881881196354" border="0" /></a>I have mostly tropical plants because they remind me of home. My favorite is the one pictured above near the top left corner. It's a tropical vine of sorts with a kind of cup trap at the tip of each leaf it uses to catch bugs for nutrients.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MGpcnmpg9LKZajsOhWx-rL40xqZDHPLMCw9SE5MZji81z26rIWdr3UMEkjVVLPywYMvBJ_EDNUiWN9an2cG27XqAZKNOr0Azt7Gktc2iaQV7VVIcQ6IGiAghUFkzK4QGGQ6Za_Hwxto/s1600-h/IMG_1954.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MGpcnmpg9LKZajsOhWx-rL40xqZDHPLMCw9SE5MZji81z26rIWdr3UMEkjVVLPywYMvBJ_EDNUiWN9an2cG27XqAZKNOr0Azt7Gktc2iaQV7VVIcQ6IGiAghUFkzK4QGGQ6Za_Hwxto/s400/IMG_1954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292491887056364466" border="0" /></a>There are a ton of plants around the house, not just in the blacony. The plants in the foreground are inside the house, and there are also plants upstairs and in my bedroom.<br /> On the wall on the top left corner of the picture above is a sign that these days is a common sight all over China. It's a red and gold sign with the character 福 (read fu, in a rising tone as if you're asking a question) hung upside down in celebration of the Chinese New Year, it simply says good fortune. It's hung upside down to confuse evil spirits and generally keep them away. The one we have on our front door was a giveaway from KFC, with a giant 福 and tiny little KFC logos all over the background.<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-48143640825970899732009-01-10T05:01:00.000-08:002009-01-10T05:24:52.230-08:00Ice skating<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4zrT1CsVJeaCWuLBP33qTwWkQyr1q7wrdQtmTDbNrrZNf7fDVdQAgIguWKVlHEAeLekaC21-PhCDsIVVuZfoTD_ojB6GMmLnTpyEzWNKHUVLVZBCImPTQbWIVZ84UA27N2KqGkDpr1Y/s1600-h/IMG_1781.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4zrT1CsVJeaCWuLBP33qTwWkQyr1q7wrdQtmTDbNrrZNf7fDVdQAgIguWKVlHEAeLekaC21-PhCDsIVVuZfoTD_ojB6GMmLnTpyEzWNKHUVLVZBCImPTQbWIVZ84UA27N2KqGkDpr1Y/s400/IMG_1781.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289650120918279362" border="0" /></a>Being the proper Florida boy I am, I've only ice skated about twice in my life. Near my home in Beijing there is a huge ancient artificial lake that freezes over from December to February. Said lake is called Houhai (后海), and while just 15 years ago a typical neighborhood, today it's a big bar and restaurant center complete with ancient ceremonial towers...and in Winter ice skating. Silvia, some friends and I went the other afternoon, and I learned to ice skate!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE85W9jZbsKsSjMlEtBTD7D9AomOOSOn2Q7cOJabveIaFEhjLOsKk69Vop0ajqNc60YloOPAhss_opsH72OigBvxtqYaWlRDhuXKimrPHizRzsy4JsZv05ZLhxTKGX4gCbp8B7FiUDFk/s1600-h/IMG_1797.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE85W9jZbsKsSjMlEtBTD7D9AomOOSOn2Q7cOJabveIaFEhjLOsKk69Vop0ajqNc60YloOPAhss_opsH72OigBvxtqYaWlRDhuXKimrPHizRzsy4JsZv05ZLhxTKGX4gCbp8B7FiUDFk/s400/IMG_1797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289650459559808530" border="0" /></a>So while we skated, on this one opening in the ice some old Chinese people thought it would be perfect to jump in. I've only seen things like this on television, and now feeling how cold days like that one really are I remain more confused than ever on why Chinese people will only drink hot water all year long, then jump into a frozen lake in Winter for health purposes.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcdMzydj9iZbtr9IAfEesfsDr1DLhn5v_JdR7LTSejnNbC8Qo27isfn4N0kNC5atSIULSGwqk23NIKAK5ox70COIPetzUScy4oqr4Z8K2j-qIJeyLjWVU2uDWCp5jDiZOPeXcFZh6zzE/s1600-h/IMG_1777.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcdMzydj9iZbtr9IAfEesfsDr1DLhn5v_JdR7LTSejnNbC8Qo27isfn4N0kNC5atSIULSGwqk23NIKAK5ox70COIPetzUScy4oqr4Z8K2j-qIJeyLjWVU2uDWCp5jDiZOPeXcFZh6zzE/s400/IMG_1777.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289651336056919778" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-9187027752579489052008-12-28T01:49:00.000-08:002008-12-28T07:42:41.337-08:00Christmas Crafts<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF1JtptfWrYryU8qlgyHLx-nR5xcrpBolXQtl3ZIXoKcAH21kYDaVPkcG-o7Tf1FDZ4P00_78UQkUfhKbjjXq7_htDl4iAI4qne7AD2AeOpQKqTCk7Gx5g-txd9Pfu0O6EOPUw4FuW7w/s1600-h/IMG_1413.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTF1JtptfWrYryU8qlgyHLx-nR5xcrpBolXQtl3ZIXoKcAH21kYDaVPkcG-o7Tf1FDZ4P00_78UQkUfhKbjjXq7_htDl4iAI4qne7AD2AeOpQKqTCk7Gx5g-txd9Pfu0O6EOPUw4FuW7w/s400/IMG_1413.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284864911886636290" border="0" /></a>I taught a special Christmas class early Christmas week. All the kids loved it because they got to make ornaments and cut out snowflakes. Here are some of my favorite students and their artwork.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMM17H0hOXjHW0d6EtHo8n-N6sdPXS4JKOSfpy5FxDcPYWJ6y8TjuI0n5bWONVGXVzmn-alq9CdEOGvbnqbthV7zVJg59QNiJpIFri9dVRQOV-7QE1VI2l4ja363xs1dkQ67zBDeKUvg/s1600-h/IMG_1474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMM17H0hOXjHW0d6EtHo8n-N6sdPXS4JKOSfpy5FxDcPYWJ6y8TjuI0n5bWONVGXVzmn-alq9CdEOGvbnqbthV7zVJg59QNiJpIFri9dVRQOV-7QE1VI2l4ja363xs1dkQ67zBDeKUvg/s400/IMG_1474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284863554335322610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXYNuWEPH8Ir4Pc57Ej8Qhk211AS9EPQeubadO85ep-q_JPKtuebR507lBiW8wedxMaB6R6y4fLcJu6VjktgbpJSoVivqP1FG1pxx8Vg9z3CTd6MosXnmluQmiD2Dkf4fhSah0VbLKcU/s1600-h/IMG_1444.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXYNuWEPH8Ir4Pc57Ej8Qhk211AS9EPQeubadO85ep-q_JPKtuebR507lBiW8wedxMaB6R6y4fLcJu6VjktgbpJSoVivqP1FG1pxx8Vg9z3CTd6MosXnmluQmiD2Dkf4fhSah0VbLKcU/s400/IMG_1444.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284785665093153538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxKt-99hVr6uoVp2TmrGeBqQk_a-wcLaKr92K_G9ZKT9sQ73V4Wqm5_i3odlNL1-A2RHrNrzq0qsQtuUwpaQaai51djrdWbgs7G8FtotnSaVClaJJcGNQ0isVl35lvAzefwK2f9ZZynw/s1600-h/IMG_1439.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxKt-99hVr6uoVp2TmrGeBqQk_a-wcLaKr92K_G9ZKT9sQ73V4Wqm5_i3odlNL1-A2RHrNrzq0qsQtuUwpaQaai51djrdWbgs7G8FtotnSaVClaJJcGNQ0isVl35lvAzefwK2f9ZZynw/s400/IMG_1439.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284784904921412642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzue4tsZpmH3URCatoAAmZeAH1feRSmn_2ifzPHL4mp83e28xN9DmewK6wGU3YTJ_Gj9qKneOT9esGy1VO4cs03pTKt47qgYhF6M68oKLfzRLYdrvJDC5fNYEEwiPmwtyqo0479N62X4/s1600-h/IMG_1469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzue4tsZpmH3URCatoAAmZeAH1feRSmn_2ifzPHL4mp83e28xN9DmewK6wGU3YTJ_Gj9qKneOT9esGy1VO4cs03pTKt47qgYhF6M68oKLfzRLYdrvJDC5fNYEEwiPmwtyqo0479N62X4/s400/IMG_1469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284784184804530562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SJRzh_qjs46-sjWIdALcBZKdOcrXo1lc7xc71J58K3h5osVhrsFba-sbtnU-QEjQQq4j4cDPGrWqh2i7sfz3QIjSw2pAUbmFAUTf_YQ_J4RDY7KfcfyKeNtNKtGGciEPElK0oyv3g0Y/s1600-h/IMG_1446.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SJRzh_qjs46-sjWIdALcBZKdOcrXo1lc7xc71J58K3h5osVhrsFba-sbtnU-QEjQQq4j4cDPGrWqh2i7sfz3QIjSw2pAUbmFAUTf_YQ_J4RDY7KfcfyKeNtNKtGGciEPElK0oyv3g0Y/s400/IMG_1446.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284782057615784818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb3RG7hBf5rKE6UdV02KHQ31SjRvPuq2QOMTLzA0ExfpZlRcbQvYHZrJcM5xso9Y5OC7nKN5_dy54qs5PUYPunDdiOyXLIjLOQ-wXTkbs-tlcT-wdGCGXFrQuH6FvbJMXgWmaPCuDqvA/s1600-h/IMG_1453.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFb3RG7hBf5rKE6UdV02KHQ31SjRvPuq2QOMTLzA0ExfpZlRcbQvYHZrJcM5xso9Y5OC7nKN5_dy54qs5PUYPunDdiOyXLIjLOQ-wXTkbs-tlcT-wdGCGXFrQuH6FvbJMXgWmaPCuDqvA/s400/IMG_1453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284781110212088114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdaIyduYbjfOQjG2VZWIW_b63-tH-Jfj0lQZ6AptclBhiNUEGD91IvJZI07qecqWtnF0VIEPrGEI4IwCsbAMOMG3kL_Qsew1V0V_HsNXbSN97JqzH2oczpPTiByhdA5Ci0ViNu5IbwYuM/s1600-h/IMG_1477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdaIyduYbjfOQjG2VZWIW_b63-tH-Jfj0lQZ6AptclBhiNUEGD91IvJZI07qecqWtnF0VIEPrGEI4IwCsbAMOMG3kL_Qsew1V0V_HsNXbSN97JqzH2oczpPTiByhdA5Ci0ViNu5IbwYuM/s400/IMG_1477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284780247462638674" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-2939292297636336972008-12-08T05:08:00.000-08:002008-12-08T06:16:34.998-08:00A visitor<div style="text-align: center;"> A good friend of mine from high school, Jackie, came to Beijing last week. She's a dancer at the<br /><a href="http://marthagraham.org/company/index.php">Martha Graham Dance Company</a> and made it here on tour. I saw her perform last Friday night at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Centre_for_the_Performing_Arts_%28China%29">the Egg</a>, here next to Tian'anmen Square. It had been a really long time since we'd last seen each other, but everything was just like high school. In fact better, because we're both pretty damn happy where we find ourselves in our lives. We caught up and laughed a bunch, and I took her and her company friends out when they weren't performing.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDM5LjyloY0oZ_Mq3SifVOYJdin8MtKmNFrifGlBYb7hk1Xz90kTuDOWlA0IOsXJUEGoACXlMMMJzKGNdVohvNxeofIUiGE_8MJlqlVaIFFhekmaA86DiOAk6qDnEXd0F9C_wB7frgl4/s1600-h/IMG_1200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDM5LjyloY0oZ_Mq3SifVOYJdin8MtKmNFrifGlBYb7hk1Xz90kTuDOWlA0IOsXJUEGoACXlMMMJzKGNdVohvNxeofIUiGE_8MJlqlVaIFFhekmaA86DiOAk6qDnEXd0F9C_wB7frgl4/s400/IMG_1200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277407171387046002" border="0" /></a>My favorite breakfast place in Beijing, <a href="http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/cafes/has/caf-zarah/?most_viewed=1">Cafe Zarah</a>. We met up early one morning and had a fantastic breakfast. My coffee (on the left) is a café au lait served in a bowl, something Jackie found funny.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKXFQBEk10_Ssu-yFR_njh34dIHHGn0Uhyphenhyphen_cQPIuLcImy8aLpyjmf4x4wpaFJ1ynJr_cP3h0XeGIZXYDobHLxj26e9wNi9qDwOiLQEV-N1Ne39OgSTHwTlQ5IQDEtT26XPDyXQv9mFio/s1600-h/IMG_1232.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKXFQBEk10_Ssu-yFR_njh34dIHHGn0Uhyphenhyphen_cQPIuLcImy8aLpyjmf4x4wpaFJ1ynJr_cP3h0XeGIZXYDobHLxj26e9wNi9qDwOiLQEV-N1Ne39OgSTHwTlQ5IQDEtT26XPDyXQv9mFio/s400/IMG_1232.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277407164788819106" border="0" /></a>雍和宫 (YongHeGong) is a temple just half a kilometer north of my apartment. It's one of the most famous sites to see here in Beijing, and embarrassingly, I'd never been it. So Jackie and I went together. <br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkogC6V8qnSB73olv0EzD1j7SQDPcuDFzRXuej1xAuhiFWgObP1C68JbZTWJbDKMlYaDcwChWSqlSmmBptJOJTh9q1UDj-fAXLMyQ1FAcuGWdPfa6JWkqyppgZHyRexpUXsMa7LMkTI0/s1600-h/IMG_1241.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkogC6V8qnSB73olv0EzD1j7SQDPcuDFzRXuej1xAuhiFWgObP1C68JbZTWJbDKMlYaDcwChWSqlSmmBptJOJTh9q1UDj-fAXLMyQ1FAcuGWdPfa6JWkqyppgZHyRexpUXsMa7LMkTI0/s400/IMG_1241.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277407163902851874" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPC6BniCbeIUI1dHGl_4go_ikI8vikG6nfwXni_iLd_VNWAhGGQUYGBXxQlkAHtVyR1xttPdyS6ow6D-_XKLOiAjQFQlpPKfO1PbPBRIQ4HnflfWFXZofcL-QoQIJB1xhIjl-M-Mf1tc/s1600-h/IMG_1247.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPC6BniCbeIUI1dHGl_4go_ikI8vikG6nfwXni_iLd_VNWAhGGQUYGBXxQlkAHtVyR1xttPdyS6ow6D-_XKLOiAjQFQlpPKfO1PbPBRIQ4HnflfWFXZofcL-QoQIJB1xhIjl-M-Mf1tc/s400/IMG_1247.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277407158448840738" border="0" /></a>We had so much fun. I miss her so much already :(<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgZqOSP_AuyOrOX-LopoCqAdI4SaYk7y72RzKVZ6Fl1cYGUQ8nnzoDriNUuGEpSx5h79fSruhsZIGOH5Csmdydt9P4_L_T6AJWrd9bMavxYHgUqgbKRGoCYvTiwsUVHSwICasLo9xAFU/s1600-h/IMG_1276.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgZqOSP_AuyOrOX-LopoCqAdI4SaYk7y72RzKVZ6Fl1cYGUQ8nnzoDriNUuGEpSx5h79fSruhsZIGOH5Csmdydt9P4_L_T6AJWrd9bMavxYHgUqgbKRGoCYvTiwsUVHSwICasLo9xAFU/s400/IMG_1276.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277407155585188594" border="0" /></a> Her swank hotel in the financial hub of the city set up a n awesome gingerbread town with lights and all kinds of delicious looking stuff. The first sign of Christmas...<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-20538135573501811312008-12-07T08:01:00.001-08:002008-12-08T05:07:54.928-08:00Thanksgiving Weekend<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbObHoFMdxKP4Ujn179B5LE9M_QZYMJdLAGlgY_ttUhnB6pOH6hOK7_WeHWb81Rye0d8kvfC65No2WPpSir6UPxtyMUe1AluoQt_zcqhCP1xP6KRpTc9TBjbZ8xMCKpxlX8MZJLS6Yt9I/s1600-h/IMG_1087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbObHoFMdxKP4Ujn179B5LE9M_QZYMJdLAGlgY_ttUhnB6pOH6hOK7_WeHWb81Rye0d8kvfC65No2WPpSir6UPxtyMUe1AluoQt_zcqhCP1xP6KRpTc9TBjbZ8xMCKpxlX8MZJLS6Yt9I/s400/IMG_1087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277398291235473378" border="0" /></a>Early in the week, I made traditional Thanksgiving hand turkeys with my kids. I think they get it, but I'm not too sure. Thanksgiving's symbols are mostly alien to Chinese people so trying to tell them why they should care about pies and Pilgrims sometimes gets muddy.<br />FUN FACT: the Chinese word for turkey is 火鸡 [huǒjī] which is literally "fire chicken"<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h7csYi8IHzH17LbcgEBRIb0ioRoPehl-fWQC2BkzW_gQvDk4dr3aH0oU-gAftrsc-GIxHSraGbmz1y_jjn_b81P_M6jvuwgBr7uFhs0_gst5tWt1jvRSsQCvOY4SroPWV3Iil8uwsDs/s1600-h/IMG_1094.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h7csYi8IHzH17LbcgEBRIb0ioRoPehl-fWQC2BkzW_gQvDk4dr3aH0oU-gAftrsc-GIxHSraGbmz1y_jjn_b81P_M6jvuwgBr7uFhs0_gst5tWt1jvRSsQCvOY4SroPWV3Iil8uwsDs/s400/IMG_1094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277396704738656786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRTHkPjfAwtcfdi39EDfXEN6rZM9KQ-6bM5TgtEYsoMG_FXdkwdyMp46XBjrZgwgm0CD_VyrGUuvRG3z8z1n2QFENW2AU9OkOWJBWuRBoxWgiBfuRG7qQFEOmaIRwZD7xNzrZrLpxVRg/s1600-h/IMG_1141.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRTHkPjfAwtcfdi39EDfXEN6rZM9KQ-6bM5TgtEYsoMG_FXdkwdyMp46XBjrZgwgm0CD_VyrGUuvRG3z8z1n2QFENW2AU9OkOWJBWuRBoxWgiBfuRG7qQFEOmaIRwZD7xNzrZrLpxVRg/s400/IMG_1141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277395794077052738" border="0" /></a>Thanksgiving happened at our local Friday's. It was a fairly trashy choice I guess, but we enjoyed it. A bunch of appetizers and a bunch of long island iced teas helped make this Thanksgiving memorable. It was a dream come true of sorts to have a <span style="font-style: italic;">fancy </span>cheeseburger Thanksgiving dinner.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnbWyQd8vbMyZ4Zh4bV8SWZipCRzysEaywPSX4K2GA8wdxU9WpRJ2XJG0zy751Gz0dg1tbXNMKMreSAzTBKIRP7EXR-E1j7HhTLHfJ7bbNm8aGhPz4cB1nQ-oAHgAusBqi6dwPJZdbzU/s1600-h/IMG_1165.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnbWyQd8vbMyZ4Zh4bV8SWZipCRzysEaywPSX4K2GA8wdxU9WpRJ2XJG0zy751Gz0dg1tbXNMKMreSAzTBKIRP7EXR-E1j7HhTLHfJ7bbNm8aGhPz4cB1nQ-oAHgAusBqi6dwPJZdbzU/s400/IMG_1165.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277081449199676322" border="0" /></a><br />Friday morning we saw a sheep get killed just down the block. I think Ross noticed it first just outside my bedroom window. Some of our neighbors (I figure) brought the sheep into our complex, laid it onto the ground near a sewer drain, and slit away. I must tell you this is the first time I see anything like this by here. I must be lucky.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0-XqBt4cVLKapfsScpRlJIJytGFW0y7A-34ZvTOWJLeUpMha0nEWqOYnO-F4PURwApubc_ZwVL7YYneDhVFM0A1jl7tQlP5KqFh05mpCqCIKtD3TlHgaLkTRzEiFpozZy1uSqaWJ7qw/s1600-h/IMG_1171.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0-XqBt4cVLKapfsScpRlJIJytGFW0y7A-34ZvTOWJLeUpMha0nEWqOYnO-F4PURwApubc_ZwVL7YYneDhVFM0A1jl7tQlP5KqFh05mpCqCIKtD3TlHgaLkTRzEiFpozZy1uSqaWJ7qw/s400/IMG_1171.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277081443231689170" border="0" /></a>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227832830314305577.post-18904901265953295192008-11-18T21:10:00.000-08:002008-11-18T21:48:54.839-08:00downstairs balcony garden<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq1kF1YRo9bafldXo3BB-h6vNv5dbQl5C2qObRXlxHsEKMJTwY1hDURysxfTHguf_4zaJzhAlnOptbTDE89uQxtejAm4aalKN-vSTXN4YixvycsuqzcEg3s56zWcHcJqBrmYlA1aSA8o/s1600-h/IMG_0983.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq1kF1YRo9bafldXo3BB-h6vNv5dbQl5C2qObRXlxHsEKMJTwY1hDURysxfTHguf_4zaJzhAlnOptbTDE89uQxtejAm4aalKN-vSTXN4YixvycsuqzcEg3s56zWcHcJqBrmYlA1aSA8o/s400/IMG_0983.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270233748446099858" border="0" /></a><br />I made it a point when I first came back to China to buy a bunch of plants in anticipation of Winter. Beijing is a surprisingly green city, there are many public parks and tree lined streets. However, this looming Winter will quickly wipe out nearly all the green in the coming weeks. There are plants pretty much all over the house, but most are in the living room balcony.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7xYHUCqPlbTKA227g1LSxRZCv_KjVYfzAAosKHFhmTEhmi8_vFMPM_FMP-JS0L2QOaCF4zDVYun4vwiceXYMKV4GRiYChgbfzJRIYeXvFF82y1rxHx6uKBe_exKd0GfAKv-p_g7Zye8/s1600-h/IMG_1047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7xYHUCqPlbTKA227g1LSxRZCv_KjVYfzAAosKHFhmTEhmi8_vFMPM_FMP-JS0L2QOaCF4zDVYun4vwiceXYMKV4GRiYChgbfzJRIYeXvFF82y1rxHx6uKBe_exKd0GfAKv-p_g7Zye8/s400/IMG_1047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270233743484015490" border="0" /></a>above and below: the plant balcony with all kinds of tropical plants, cacti, and spice plants.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjuyok3DVvCxVjVaAIsblrrc5pYBAKtEkWcODJg2E4QR5wxKWOL1JKvSVYbyZNWxYhXk_QGxX_QeMyN6pWTY6T2wNmYFX0kjGYJNYAXHdC7TxNUYdVrfkx_rLnJ9lGRdL4S5OjPXiMQU/s1600-h/IMG_0974.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjuyok3DVvCxVjVaAIsblrrc5pYBAKtEkWcODJg2E4QR5wxKWOL1JKvSVYbyZNWxYhXk_QGxX_QeMyN6pWTY6T2wNmYFX0kjGYJNYAXHdC7TxNUYdVrfkx_rLnJ9lGRdL4S5OjPXiMQU/s400/IMG_0974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270233736618128402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAeWONCLNkju1hNI99wDPn6X63fTUbSJlnWG1SYjhJQswmdUpJBC7_qrpqAmo1ft4K3vu_s0q6rohbjgzLQm5mWFuaPAGNAGQvGlBeODzQX_XTS7iF0oCr3ihphMakt8UrsfLtGz9eJc/s1600-h/IMG_0970.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAeWONCLNkju1hNI99wDPn6X63fTUbSJlnWG1SYjhJQswmdUpJBC7_qrpqAmo1ft4K3vu_s0q6rohbjgzLQm5mWFuaPAGNAGQvGlBeODzQX_XTS7iF0oCr3ihphMakt8UrsfLtGz9eJc/s400/IMG_0970.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270233734376288162" border="0" /></a>just inside: a newly flowering jasmine just like one from a house I grew up in in Miami. It makes the whole apartment smell good and strangely like my early teenage years. The smaller plant is something called a money tree. It's some Feng Shui (风水) thing that's supposed to bring money. Hope it works!<br /></div>Arielísimohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10604630257271462401noreply@blogger.com2