Hey guys at home, Rochelle and Joanna in the house! So, today we met two Buddhas at the Jade Factory. One was a statue and one was in our group! Afterwards, we climbed the Great Wall. Fortunately there were no fatal falls down the steps although we may have wanted to push some of the venders down the wall. They would mob you and follow you half way up the wall to try to sell you anything! I think we all spent wayyyyyy too much money on knockoffs, like Louis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci, Rolex, Fendi, etc.. Then we went to the Friendship Store, where they make copper vases and we ate lunch in a restaurant upstairs. After that we went on on Sacred Walk, seeing many relics from the 1400's that we weren't allowed to climb on for pictures. Then we were off to the hotel for a buffet dinner and freshening up for the splendid concert we performed in the Goldensail Concert Hall. Now is off to the sauna for some revitalization after the long climb today! Oh, and thank you so much for the sponsors for helping us get to climb the wall.

P.S. My family all says "Hi" to Patrick!!!

(A fun cultural note....  the slide of the little boy in the yellow outfit.  Notice the slit in the back of his pants.  Seems lots of toddlers go diaperless and the slits allow for quick stops for emergencies with little clean-up required....  We have seen several kids in this sort of outfit.)

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads back home!

Yeah, everyone is here safe and sound!  We started this morning at the hotel for breakfast.  At least there is something for everyone's taste.  Western breakfast items, fruits, cereals, omelets as well as Chinese and European items.  Seems this is the safest meal as some of the more traditional Chinese dishes go untouched as we eat lunch and dinner in the restaurants.  We enjoyed a buffet lunch in a Scheshuan restaurant and a very nice Peking Duck dinner.  

Our morning's main event was a rickshaw ride into the Hutong area of old Beijing.  We rode through narrow streets until we reached our destination... One group went to the home of a Chinese painting family.  The other group went to the home of a Chinese paper cutting artist.  We entered into a peaceful Quadrangle of small buildings that was the family compound for over 5 generations.  We were able to wander through and see the homes of these families and ask questions about family life in the Hutong.  Three generations live within the home we saw.  

Despite the hoards of people swarming throughout the crowded city, the inner courtyard provided a quiet and peaceful family setting.  We saw the workshop of the paper cutter and were able to purchase from his artistry after seeing how he did the traditional cuttings.  Many of his works take him several weeks to produce.  He uses a very sharp small blade and cuts his traditional, yet unique designs, working under a magnifying glass to carve the intricate details,  

Afterwards, we climbed the bell tower for a view of the entire downtown area.  Although it was rather smoggy, we were able to see the rooftops of the Hutongs and the larger buildings and newer high rises off in the distance.  In the lower level of the tower we enjoyed a traditional tea ceremony.

A highlight of the day was our visit to a public middle and high school.  First we were entertained by the orchestra students.  Then our group performed for them.  Afterwards, students from both groups exchanged gifts and chatted together.  They were slow to interact at first, but after a few minutes, they began to loosen up and enjoy carrying on simple conversations and exchanging addresses.  

The evening's entertainment included a show at the Red Theater.  We saw a martial arts and dance production of the history of Kung Fu.

Tomorrow its off early for the Great Wall and a full day of events...

We made it to China... Well, most of us did

It is Saturday. The main group arrived Friday afternoon and a handful of shadow tour folks came in late evening. We are still awaiting the group that got delayed due to mechanical troubles and will arrive this afternoon.

We had an interesting tour of Tianenmen Square and the Forbidden City. Our guides, Jessica and Dave speak excellent English and keep us well informed and on schedule.

We had fun dodging street vendors. We were warned not to buy from them, but they sure get in your face hawking their wares... Some of our students became instant celebrities and were requested over and over to pose with Chinese nationals for photos. Was it the blonde hair or the sunglasses that Rochelle and Joanna were wearing? They seemed to be most requested.
Dave told us that folks from small villages were likely seeing caucasians for the first time and that being asked to pose with them is a frequent occurrence.

Driving around this huge city, it is amazing to see the contrast between the newly constructed and the ancient with many stages in between. There are cranes everywhere. Signs everywhere hint at what is coming in 2008 as Beijing prepares to host the Olympic games.

Getting Down to the wire

Final rehearsal today,
Last Minute Packing!
Don't forget the little gift items for students at the schools you will visit.

Dear China Travelers and interested readers:

In less than four days, the MSYO China Tour begins as we fly into the sky and off to China. Beijng and Shanghai will never be the same! For those getting ready, I suggest getting some good rest these next few days, and double checking your packing list! For those that will be left here in the states, we hope to blog to this sight as many days as we can, sharing our adventures sightseeing and playing in the schools and for evening concerts. Sign in here often and see what we are up to, and how everyone is doing! Keep us in your best thoughts!

Erin Matteson,

China Tour Coordinator/MSYO Committee chairperson/General Manager

5 Days to Go!

It is Saturday, June 9, 2007. We are counting down the days till the China trip.

Final rehearsal is Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Stan State.