I'm not the most orderly person, well in my own unique way. I posted THE WALL 1st because it was the main reason I went to China. Then the factories altogether... to show you the beauty. Now I'd like to share a few of the moments I enjoyed the most. Then I'll continue with the rest of the trip.

This lake at the Summer Palace was frozen.... because it's NOT SUMMER! We had a fun tour group... so we ventured out onto the ice and started a game of ice ball. We copied this game, actually, off a group of older Chinese people who seemed to be having a BLAST! You kick the chunk of ice to someone else in the circle, trying not to fall on your ass. Those are the rules. The ice is coming to me in the 1st shot... it's either one of the times I MISSED the ball or hurt my foot. Don't remember which. Remember the pearl couple I told you about? Steph & Josh were my favorite among the many cool people I met on this trip!!!

Guess who these people are. More cool people I met on the trip! I will never do a tour group again, there's nothing fun about wake up calls at 4:15 am or being "cattle prodded" from place to place, or listening to people gripe because life just wouldn't be complete without complaining. However, unexpected circumstances occasionally lead you to good things. Like interesting conversations with interesting people. Don't know the 2 random Chinese guys in this shot, but the guy in the back is Denis (who took our picture 10 thousand times as we all shoved digital cameras in his hand) and the next 2 closest guys are Mike and Kelly (open jackets) who I sat in the back of the bus with for most of the trip (as the outcasted Americans). And the 2 in front (bald guy & girl) are Zachary and Emily. Also American, HEY we really ARE hated by Canadians! They were the only 2 die-hards who pulled off an all-nighter the last night of our trip. Everyone else squeezed in an hour of sleep. What good is that, really?

How do you stay awake all night? Beer of course. Nina and I ran a few blocks to a little Chinese restaurant and negotiated a case off them. I waved 100 yuan at the guy (approx $12.50 U.S.) and he seemed more than happy to let us walk away with his plastic crate. We got a few funny looks for being 2 white girls running down the streets of Beijing at 12:30 in the morning with all this beer.... but that and ice ball were 2 of my favorite moments! Laughing is good for your health.

This was our tour guide.

Jason was SO COOL!

15 of us got drunk in my room. Way to end a trip.