We've spent the past few days going to the typical Beijing tourist attractions such as Tian'an men Square (the site of an enormous massacre of student's protesting for human rights in 1989, killing as many as 20,000 students, though reported by the Chinese government as 30), the Forbidden City (the imperial city built in 1406 where only royalty and unix (hired guards who's gentials were removed to prevent the royal line from being tainted) were allowed, the Summer Palace (built on a huge lake and filled with many acres of park-like gardens, much like Central Park, where the emperor's family spent their summers) , the Lama Temple (complete with a huge Buddha as tall three story building and a stop along of many long Buddhist pilgramages) and the new Olympic Park. Everything is really old (like thousands of years) and filled with loud pushy Chinese tour groups. There is definitey a big difference in manners and what's socially acceptable between the Western and Eastern cultures!

The water here is far from safe... not even the locals can drink it. We have to drink only bottled water. We haven't been sick yet... knock on wood. So far we've been eating well with the Taylor's but things will change soon. Once we have to think about money and are eating mostly street food I'm sure there will plikely be consequences.

We're planning on leaving for Shanghai tomorrow night by train, spending a few days there and then heading to Hangzou, a town where Beth has a friend who teaches English. We're going on a little expidition with her and a friend of hers down the Yellow River for a few days. She's been living in China for a few years and knows how things work so it should be nice.

Tonight we're going to "Snack Street," a street where we can apparently find delicacies such as sheep testicles, chicken feet and other such foods. I've decided to be open minded so we'll see what happens. I'll bring my camera for sure!

I haven't had a chance to upload any photos yet but there will be some coming in the near future.