Too Much Too Do To Wait For The SLOOOOW Internet

So I've attempted twice to write posts regarding my lack of posting but I keep getting interupted by new or different things to do. I finally figured out how to get pitures up on here so I hope you enjoy.
This first one is of Captial Normal's North Campus (where I live and go to class). It is a really classy looking place. Just the other day for some big event they lined the steps along the banisters with potted flowers because some big event was taking place. We aren't sure what the event was but all of us are greatful because the entrance looks even cooler now.

A lot has been going on since I wrote last. We made a trip to Beihaide which is on the Ocean. About 45 mins north of Beihaide is the place where the great wall meets the ocean. It was awesome to see and I wish I could go back. At one of the shops along the shore I found two georgeous paintings. I got a resonabledeal on them and they have definantly livened up my dorm room which was fairly bare white before.

The weekend trip was quite a bit of fun even though I was sick the first day. I did feel good enough by Sunday to take a dip in the ocean and now I can say that I have been swimming on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
Beihaide is for the Russians as Cancun is for Americans. It is also a place where a lot of the wealthy Chinese go to retire and vacation.
Although the weather doesn't look great in this picture it was actually very nice. In general here there is usually a nice layer of clouds (smog?) which occasionally the wind blows away.

Time seems to be flying by. All of the sudden October is approaching but it doesn't feel like I've been here that long.

Last night Christy, Heather and I went to go look for Yashow Market which Christy had been to before but didn't really know where it was. We took the bus and subway and got to the general place before we ot direction turned and ended up wandering around the back streets of an apartment complex. We finally found a busy street but there was a rod iron fence blocking us. We had no idea what to do until a Chinese man kindly showed us that section of fence where one of the rods was missing and we were supposed to squeeze through (a little bit more than 1 foot wide and about 4 feet tall). We then found a Finnish man who owns a Mediterean (sp?) resteraunt here in Beijing who showed us the way to the right direction. Despite our detour we had plenty of time to shop and even got bagels with cream cheese (oh sooooo good).


Here is a picture of all the girls in our group.
The yellow shirts are a part of a running joke in our group. From left to right: Aunt Jan, Julie, Me, Jessica, Christy, Heather and Monica is on top of the lioness.

So I still have lots to write about (including today's outing to the Temple of Heaven), but that will have to wait for another time.

I hope that this suffices for all the people who have been asking me for information (at least temporarily).