Tianming Grand Changshu

... is not allowed people smoke regardless. If you are eating at any restaurant you will be surrounded by smokers. Here is what drives me crazy though. Starbucks is supposed to be non-smoking, but you will still have the odd smoker inside. The change room at my gym is supposed to be non-smoking, but many Chinese men seem to like to have a smoke in the change room after they workout. Come on, what's that about! The train is supposed to be ...

... in small rooms with many students, the pressure to do well is
enormous and yet these students greet me every morning with a cheerful hello,
they tell me they are fabulous with a smile on their face. They laugh,
joke and learn all the things our students learn in a second language.
They are amazing.


I will put my layers of clothes on again tomorrow with a smile on my face and greet my students with a warm "hello"

... my itinerary, which included Pingyao, one of the best examples of beautifully preserved ancient architecture in the country. Their response invariably was: "why would you go there?...it's so old!"

Good question. While us Canadians, accostomed to shiny objects, crave exposure to a past we've never had, the Chinese seem to prefer the modernity that reflects their recent success, opting instead for the glimmering cities of Shanghai or Hong Kong.

... The sites, sounds, and smells were a real eye opener. Children ran up to us to practice their English and have their picture taken. Other Chinese tourists and locals enjoyed waving to us and Denise and I bought Oreos, Lays potato chips, and a Dove chocolate bar for about $2.50 at the local market.

Joe had us climb up one of the old bridges to take pictures as the lights came on along the canal. When we got back to him, he had an ...

... br>
After checking in luggages we went to waiting room. I can't imagine what I will do without a guide because there were no English signs telling you the way the gates.I believe that you can't talk in English even with employee of train station because they didn't speak English! By the way, the boarding ticket from Shanghai to Suzhou costs 26 Yuan. The train is excellent, the seat is comfortable, and the AC is working fine. At the beginning, the employee ...

... Avec des innovations intéressantes par exemple les feux rouges indiquent le temps à attendre pour changer de couleur, vous savez donc le temps exact qu'il vous reste pour traverser le carrefour.Je me suis assis dans le parc d'un temple pour boire un thé, on me demandait un prix très élevé, j'ai négocié mais cela restait cher (2 euros) J'ai compris en partant que le prix était pour tout l'après midi entière (2litres) je suis parti après un quart d'heure n'ayant pas tout bu...

... eat dinner. Let me tell you, they spared nothing on our first dinner. I ate several things that i did not know what they were, and a few that i did know what they were but i cant beleive i ate them. for example, i ate a duck's tongue. it was cooked but man was the texture WEIRD. heres a picture of it: its the weird looking Y shaped thing. anyway, i hope everyone got a link to this, i hope to try and write in it every day.

... Polo Bakery next door and stocked up on impossibly-thin peanut cookies (which are now my favorite food in China). The next day we enjoyed a free day of exploring the city. Sean's priority was finding soup-filled dumplings/buns he devoured in NYC years ago. They are a specialty in Shanghai, so our guide gave us directions to a good place to enjoy these "xioa long baos". Sean did not disappoint - he ate 32 of these ...

... the Herculean amount of work that has already been accomplished. Finance, overcrowding, and skyscrapers are the keywords for Shanghai. It's like New York, except that it's Chinese in nature. And you know what that means.... no lines. It's just a free-for-all to try and get tickets for the subway. If someone cuts you in line, don't get mad, just cut back. It works. And it's kind of fun. We got here four days ago and have been wandering around ...

Hi everyone, Pictures I think I'm just post one picture for each log entry; I'll post more when I get home. Weather and Things Yesterday's was sunny and bright. It is overcast again today. We have been doing a lot of running around. Yesterday we went to Mimi's parent's other Condo. She is investigating renting it out. We were also to the "Bund" area. It is a lot different then when I was here in 1989 ...