Fragrant Hills (cause I promised)

you have to admit thats really cool

The weekend before I left for my trip to Guizhou and Sichuan, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and spend most of the weekend outside.

Friday after school, a few friends and I decided to go to Tiananmen Square to see the flag lowered. The guards have a whole ceremony that they go through every day at sundown and sunup, and since the sunrise ceremony is really early, we decided to go to the sundown ceremony. We got to Tiananmen a little early, so we ended up waiting for a long time. The whole ceremony takes a really long time to get started, so we waited even longer. The guards spent a long time preparing to take the flag down so by the time they actually lowered the flag, we were ready to go. While we were waiting, I talked to a few Chinese people who were also waiting. They were really surprised I actually spoke Chinese, like many Chinese people. I ended up having a nice conversation with them about Beijing. It was good to know my Chinese level is good enough to carry on a conversation. Very reassuring.

The next day, I got up early and went with a friend to the Fragrant Hills, a park in the hills (surprise) about an hour's bus ride outside of Beijing. We had heard that the flowers were supposed to be the best on that weekend, so we went early to avoid most of the crowds. Well, it almost worked, but not so much. We arrived at 8:30 and the park was already crowded by American standards. Unfortunately, that means it was practically empty by Chinese standards. By the time we left at 12, the park was as packed as Cedar Point on a busy day during the summer. Way too many people.

We spent most of our time just wandering around taking pictures of flowers and people. The flowers were just blooming. The park was covered with colorful flowers and blooming trees, a great recipe for many many pictures. We brought a picnic for lunch and were eating beside a man made lake when we noticed a two Chinese people taking pictures near us. One of the guys was coming closer and closer to us, and we just waved him over and posed. That was fine until he came back with 10 of his friends. Without hesitation, they threw their arms around us and took pictures. We did really know what to do other than smile and wait until they left. When they finally left, we couldn't help but burst out laughing. Only in China.

So, thats it for my last weekend in Beijing before my trip. enjoy the pictures!

Track Meet and Tiananmen Square

One of my teachers savoring our victory.

we aren't conceited at all.

This is Kyle and a girl whose name I forget from Korea. Kyle is 6'6 and she is about 4'9.

This is Chinese jump rope.

Me and Puge, a girl I met from Mongolia.

My 4 X 200 teammates.

A guard and the cleaning crew at Tiananmen at sundown when the flag is being lowered.

The Olympic mascots at Tiananmen.

A statue of Confucius at the Confucius temple.

As you can probably already tell, today I participated in a track meet. Every year at all schools across Beijing, there is a track meet and the different classes within the grades compete. The SYA students at our school participated in the 11th grade category. I ran the 2 x 400, the 100, and did shot put. The 2 x 400 did well, we got 2nd. I earned our team some points in shot put, which was good, but the 100 didn't go so well. I was also going to participate in the jump rope, but the last time I tried, I twisted my ankle pretty bad, so I've sworn off jump rope for awhile. The Chinese jump ropers are pretty good and have been doing it forever, so we got anilihated, but thats ok, we had fun. Over all, SYA came in 2nd in the 11th grade, which is apparently a feat unprecendeted, so our teachers were pretty happy, as you can see. While at the track meet, I met some kids from a boarding school also associated with our school. Many of them were Korean, but a few were Mongolian, which was so cool. We talked with them for awhile, its not like we didn't have the time. We had to be at school at 7 and didn't leave until 5, it was a pretty long day.

Yesterday, we went on a class trip to the Lama Temple and the Confucius Temple. The Lama temple I had already been to, but it was cool to go again. The Confucius temple is smaller, but much much older. All the trees were twisted and old. It was really pretty. Then my friend and I made our way to Tiananmen Square because neither of us had been yet and it seems like a place you just need to go if you are in Beijing. We got to see the guards taking the flag down at sunset and Tiananmen Square at night, which is so pretty. However, the cartoonish Olympic mascots added a different feel to Tiananmen Square. Most of the tourists were more interested in them than anything else. After visiting the square, we wandered down some alleys and say a little of Beijing's shadier side, but it was so cool. A lot of tea shops and places selling fruit. We only saw a little bit, but it went on forever. We could have spent hours there, but we thought that we should be home because we have to be at school tomorrow.

Tomorrow I am leaving for Si Chuan for vacation with my family. Next week is a national holiday here, almost like the 4th of July, but everyone gets a week off from work or school. I am pretty excited, its supposed to be really pretty there.
sorry all the pictures are out of order, but I can't figure out how to move them without downloading them again, and I am just too lazy.
Stephanie