After leaving the comfort of the Taylor's nice ex-pat compound in Beijing we were on our own,speaking no Chinese in a country with people who speak only Chinese. We've discovered that for some reason, when Chinese people discover that you can't understand them, they seem to think that talking louder and repeating themselves will fix the problem. We have yet to figure out Chinese logic. Anyway, after leaving Beijing we flew to Shanghai and stayed a night at a wonderful hostel. By wonderful, I mean the helpful, polite people at the front desk, not the rude Asian girl coming into our room late, talking loudly to a guy in the doorway before snoring all night and then getting up and turning the light on so she could pack her bags while prancing around in high heels early in the morning. In Shanghai we went to the famous dumpling place featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and ate mediocre dumplings after standing in the only line we've yet to see in China (usually people just elbow their way to the front and don't seem to have a concept of standing in line). I also came within a few feet of being flattened by a large bus who apparently thought a red light meant he could turn right into the pedestrians path. The next day we took a train to Hangzhou to stay with Cammie (Beth's friend from college who teaches English at a university) and her best friend Jackie, also from the states. We all took a trip to Yellow Mountain, a spectacular place that looks like Chinese mountain artwork. It's one of the top 10 sights to see in China and I can see why! There wasn't much to do at night in our hotel besides watch bad Chinese karaoke and Beth leading a Chinese dance party. Everyone circled around her, clapping, acting like she was the best thing since white rice. Also entertaining was the approximately 55 year old Chinese woman sharing our room. She liked to dress and undress at least once every 10 minutes and was missing the top left half of her teeth. Although she knew we didn't speak Chinese she seemed to think if she continued trying we would suddenly understand her. She also found it nessecary to take phone calls (loudly) at 3 am and tap Cammie on the forehead to have a Chinese conversation. Back in Hangzhou I saw an Anerican doctor practicing Chinese medicine for my back problems and got acupuncture and cupping, a techinque that uses heated glass cups that suction to your skin to stimulate blood flow. The doctor was wonderful and spend more time with me than any doctor I've ever seen. For the following 24 hours I thought I was much worse and decided that Chinese medicine is FUS, but woke up the next morning nearly pain-free for the first time in months! I really think the Chinese are onto something and will be looking for a Chinese practitioner in the US when I return. From Hangzhou we flew to Hainan, an island off the southern coast. We've spent the last two days in Boao, a tiny fishing town. We're staying with a really friendly and happy lady named Elizabeth, a lady from Missouri who came to China to teach English for a year and ended up marrying a Chinese journalist five years ago. She started a bed and breakfast to stay connected with foreigners, as she is the only foreigner for many many miles. I guess she's a friend of the Taylor's and we're staying here for two nights as payment for Donna sending her 5 cans of Crisco! Apparently Elizabeth is a bit of a celebrity around here, frequently receiving surprise visits from reporters and travel agents. Tomorrow we're heading to Boa Ting, reportedly a tropical rainforest on the island. We'll also visit monkey island and see, most likely, monkeys.

I haven't had time to upload photos to this site but you can see them on photobucket: http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/vv128/CainAlford09/