Action shot- first game of the day we ended up losing to the team that won the entire tournament. I think I look really funny. It was an unusually sunny day as you can see by the shadows- we both got really sunburned inspite of the sunscreen.

The next morning, Saturday, James and I played in a 7 v 7 charity soccer tournament with the Marines here at post. We lost our first two games but didn't loose again the whole day. We played from 10am until 5 that night. It was a long day and we both came home with astro turf burns but we ended up with 3rd place out of 16 teams. Not bad for a group of people that had never played together. James spent some time in goal and seemed to like it- go figure.

Heidi was the only one who thought to take a picture in front of the field when it was over. It was a particularly nice/clear day in Chengdu. You can even see the buildings in the background.

The birthday party ended at 4pm, we left the house at 4:30, the US Women's World Cup soccer match against Sweeden started at 5. We got there about 10 minutes late..... and still managed to enjoy the game.

Zoe and her finished product.

They each made a glitter rainbow fish of their own.

The next day Zoe had a "Rainbow Fish" birthday party. All of the little girls rode the bus home after school and we had a great time. I am particularly proud of the cake.

This is Zoe's classroom. Mrs. Hoke is in front while they all sing Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Zoe!! I came and brought chocolate cup cakes to Zoe's class for snack on her birthday. Here are the girls in Zoe's class. Stephanie, Emily, Zoe, Juline, and Anna. They were the best chocolate cup cakes with chocolate frosting I think I have ever had.... and that is saying something.

Alvin, Michelle, James, Charlie, Ari, Eli
Check it out at: http://www.jazzatlincolncenter.org/TheRoad/index.html

Tuesday morning Joel left, Tuesday night Julie went to the women's world cup soccer game in the rain, and James and I went to the Jazz concert.

The four-piece band came from the Lincoln Center in New York. They had been traveling all over giving concerts and masters classes on Jazz. James and I got to go and help out- James watched the instruments while I went with them all to dinner. I even helped translate a little which helped me realize how lacking my Chinese really is. Sometimes even with language translation you still can't get things done in China.... but even inspite of the rain and the outdoor venue, the crowd loved it- old and young. Jazz is really new here and the government is leary of it, like people were of Rock N Roll in the 1950's. Really interesting.

The music was fantastic!!! Everyone of the musicians had been a previous band leader for this tour before- except for Eli, the pianists- he just teaches music. So this was an all star tour of all the best guys.

Close up of the baboons... they call them monkeys.

We came back to our hotel from the glacier to find baboons sitting on the wall of the hotel parking lot. People were feeding them of course. There was even a mother carrying her baby.

This was one of our favorite parts of the trip. We hiked up the trail, the dirt trail which is a very unusual thing in China since the Chinese come to tourist sites in black loafers and expect the trails to be stone steps, and didn't see anyone else for a whole hour. We followed the stream until the trail ended, ate some snacks and looked at the unique glacier melt alpine vegitation. I think we could have eaten the berries but best not to take the chance. It was so nice to have the extra adult help. It looks like I carried Teac the whole way but James and even Julie took a turn.

This could work as a family picture- glacier in the background, mountains, prayer flags- we just don't look very good.

On the other side of the gondola from the glacier is a trail that takes you to this Tibetan place of worship. From that point you can see the glacier and the sacred Gonga Mt. on a clear day. We did not have such a clear day. On the post you can see the Tibetan writing on the left and the Chinese characters on the right- not very similar. The white shawls draped across the rocks to the left symbolize peace and they have a custom of draping them across a guest's shoulders when they welcome them. I am not sure of the symbolism of having them on the wall. The colorful flags in the background have prayers written on them. The Tibetans believe that as the wind moves the flags the prayers are repeated and carried to the heavens. Thus prayer flags are usually only found in windy spots.

Zoe was just too exhausted to hike back up from the glacier. James back-packed her part of the way, and then the guys with the little bamboo chair took pity on him and gave her a ride (at no charge) up the rest of the way. She got off the chair smiling but when I insisted she let me take her picture with them, she broke down into tears.

I keep trying to take a picture that will work for a christmas card.... Teac just couldn't stay awake for this one.

Here is the clan in front of part of the glacier. We hiked down to touch it- the mountain behind them is much larger when you are right next to it than it was from the sky.

This is the glacier as we went over the top of it. It is a giant river of ice. We saw some people climbing down below, they had on red hats and looked like little specks of glitter.

Day 2 we went to the glacier. You have to take a gondola ride from the base, over the top of the glacier to the landing point. From there you are free to hike around the Gonga mountain. The most amazing part of the entire trip was how alone we were- so few other people to bother the kids or stand in line behind. It was fabulous.

Zoe in action- the building with the red lanterns in the back is the massage building- which we didn't take the time to do unfortunately.

Marlo in action.

This is the lowest pool; the coolest temperature wise and the most fun to play in. Teac insisted in going down the slide by himself backwards on his tummy- at least 10 times. They loved it!!

At this point Teac was so tired and ready for dinner and a nap. I put the towel over his head and he was thrilled since he knew it meant we were getting out of there.

Here is the crew, relaxing in style. Gotta love the mermaid on the rock. :)

To the left of the bridge are the hot spring pools. They start at the top of the hill where the water comes out of the mountain at close to 100 degrees F. They add cooler water and fill the pools down to the bottom until you get to the pool with the slide where it is closer to 85. Very relaxing.

This is the hotel we stayed at in Hi Lo Gou. It has thermal hot springs located in the Gonga Shan (mountain)- a holy Tibetan mountain area.

If any of you have never heard of Hot Pot dining, this is what it looks like. You sit around a boiling pot of broth/oil and put various food items in to cook. Meat, noodles, tofu, vegetables, mushrooms are usually what we have but the Chinese eat everything from intestines to chicken feet. It is called Hot Pot not just for obvious reasons, but also because it gets spicier the longer it boils- and that is especially true for the mushrooms that act like sponges. Yum!

Some little kids did a dance where they said goodbye to the pandas. Notice the map on the back wall....

Marlo, Heidi, and some of Marlo's classmates.

So Joel came and I planned to take him and Julie to see the pandas. Then the word was sent around the women's club list here that there was going to be a ceremony that same morning because they were sending 2 pandas to a zoo in Spain. They wanted a good foreigner presence there for the pictures so they invited all of the women's club to get in free, and anyone who signed up early enough- they would pay 200 RMB for travel expenses! So, we all got in free- Joel, Julie, Teac, and I AND they paid us. Marlo's class was even invited for the event so Marlo and Heidi were there as well.

Teac was absolutely fascinated by the red pandas. They look like a cross between a racoon and a fox. He thought they were the coolest thing. He was ready to jump the fence and get a closer look.

Cute, cuddly, pandas. If you get there early, they are really playful. I got lost while driving there and so they were all down for their morning naps when we saw them... even the ones in the trees.

Some friends took all of us crazy foreigners to a Karaoke club. You pay for a private room and then drink and sing like crazy. You can pay by the hour, or pay for all night- just $1 more.

We love visitors!! Joel was adopted right away.