I’m back from the land of my ancestors, China! (This means that James, you can give me my bag o’ schtuff back. Sorry, you can’t keep it for your personal use. Unless you DID already use them, in which case, you can keep them.) There is so much to tell, that I don’t know where to begin. I guess I’ll do some preview photos and blog about current stuff since my return and then let the trip details come out anecdotally when the muse strikes.

I’m not back home yet, although I am back in the ‘States. My flight touched down at 5:25pm yesterday evening after being in the air 12 hours. Mr. W and I hailed a taxi to go back to my house, and when we were on the freeway, I received a call from my parents saying they were AT the airport waiting for us. I felt SOOOO bad. The taxi cost us $91 including tip, too. My parents are wonderful. Too wonderful. =) After my house, I drove us to my parents’ house, where we’d left Mr. W’s car when my parents dropped us off at the airport to go to China, we hung out with my parents, we gave them some souvenirs from China (expensive Emperor green tea and agate bracelet), and Mr. W and I up and drove to his parents’ house in Las Vegas, where I am now, to spend a few days with them for Mother’s Day. We figured we’d be jet-lagged anyway. We got here about 2:30am, and will be returning home on Saturday around noon to spend Mother’s Day weekend with my parents.

Here are some photo previews/evidence that I was indeed in China. (Rest mouse pointer over photos for captions.)

Day 1. This is on the tour bus shortly after arriving in Beijing. It’s a horrible photo of me, but in my defense, I wasn’t aware that I was being photographed. I’m not naturally pretty, ya know. Lidya and John (Mr. W’s friends who came with us on the trip) look really good, tho.

Day 2. The world-famous Tiennamen(sp?) Square. After the student protest incident with the tanks, I performed an interpretative dance routine about the issue at International Festival in high school, and never thought then I’d actually be standing there. Frowning.

Day 2. In the Imperial Palace, Beijing. I’m tugging on the giant door jamb that bars the ancient thousands-years-old doors closed.

Day 2. Outside a temple in Beijing. We were busy every day on this trip!

Day 2: Yes, I climbed the Great Wall. Twice. More on that later, if I remember. We also took a photo of a full moon at one of the Great Wall guard towers. How is that possible when it’s clearly daylight out, you ask? Well. More on that later, too. And if you’re lucky, I’ll post that photo.

Day 2: The 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing, China. These are the 5 mascot characters, “The Friendlies,” for the 2008 Olympic Games. Each character takes on a color of the 5 Olympic Rings, and the 5 names are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini, which are repeated sounds in typical Chinese cutsie fashion. Altogether, the phrase in Mandarin “Beijing huan ying ni” translates to “Beijing welcomes you.” I thought it was ingenious marketing. You have to collect ’em all for the phrase to make sense. These little characters’ paraphernalia were sold everywhere.

Last night in Shanghai, which is also the last night in China. Beautiful skyline. The building with the balls is the TV Tower.

Thanks for commenting on my blog when I was away. It was great to see when I got back. I was thinking it’d be so sad that I posted these time-bombed entries and then I come back and see that no one has read them or visited my blog when I was gone.