Luoyang Day 1

For our third vacation, we decided to go to both Luoyang and Xi'an because we didn't think either city would have enough to do for 4 days.  The trip turned out to be a lot of fun although it was very tiring sleeping on trains 3 out of 5 nights we were gone. Sorry I got a little bit carried away with posting so many pictures but I figured someone would enjoy seeing them all.  

Our hotel room. We were stoked, we actually had towels (but no toilet paper)!

The bridge at the Longman Caves

Stupid lighting

This is what was suppose to be in the background of the picture from above

Happy Buddha

Group shot in a cave

Little caves with little Buddhas

Beheaded Buddha. We heard 2 stories about why there were a bunch of buddhas without heads.  The first was from a tour guide that was leading around a chinese tourist group.  The lady said it was the Americans who had done it (which I am pretty sure is untrue).  We heard from someone else that Mao was the one who did it (which I think is more likely).

Yay, we love group pictures with random Chinese people

More pictures of the caves

The most famous of the Buddhas.  If memory serves me correctly, his ears are 2m long.

Caves from a distance, pretty sweet.

Tuck-ins

A few times a week, we visit and hang out with the kids before they go to bed.  It's been a lot of fun and the kids are so sweet! They show us their books, toys and their stash of food (which they even share with us sometimes). I have brought my ipod a couple of times and have let them listen to it which they love, they totally recognized the song Thriller.

Tara

David and Joshua

Charlie, Pace and Braxton

Pace is so cute!

Cole is one of my favorites even though he sometimes hides from me in the bathroom during class

James- another favorite of mine as well as fellow bathroom hider

Jesse

Charlie and Jesse

James and Braxton

Skinny Spenser

Nathan and some boy I don't know

Tate- he is brilliant!!! His favorite subject is math.  During class one day in which we were discussing space, he told me in almost perfect English that the moon was smaller than the earth but bigger than China.

Dan- He is by far my favorite although he has now taken to sitting in class and doing absolutely nothing. oh well, at least he's cute.

Hefei Temple Market

A couple of weeks ago, we journeyed to the Temple Market in Hefei.  It was a fun excursion and nice to get off the school grounds although the weather did not cooperate and it rained the whole time we were there.  The market consisted of an area that had a ton of little shops selling everything imaginable.  I enjoyed the food area best because they were selling some crazy stuff.

The temple- hence the name

Pea ice cream, good but I prefer the corn

Veggies

Pig snouts....

I'm not even sure what this was but I am assuming the worse because these were right next to the pig snouts- intestines???

at least they're fresh....

All I will say, this wasn't a pet shop

yum!

Gigantic vegetable!

in the tune from The Simpson's-fish heads, fish heads...

Refrigeration is so last season

Dedicated to Lags

These are some sweet translations I have seen and have given me a good laugh.  Enjoy!

Lord Bao's Park

On the rubbish bin

Shanghai Metro tunnel

This is by far the best sign I have seen in China.  We saw this at the entrance of the Shanghai Art Museum.  The rest of the sentence states that if you only have minor symptoms, you can go in with the supervision of a guardian. Hilarious!

Yummy!

I would disagree with this...

Near the Entrance of the Purple Mountains in Nanjing

The picture is great

Another favorite

????

At an entrance to a park in Nanjing

again ??????

Nanjing Metro