sorry for the interuption

my internet card finally ran out after a week (i paid 10 yuan-cheap). So where was i- the drum tower. The srum show was so neat. They played three sets each with a different meaning. The first was about sailing through a storm, the second about the grinding of a tigers teeth and the third- i will get back to you. It was just very energizing- drums can just do that to a person. On the second floor of the tower was all of the traditional furniture used in the houses of the emperors. I have never seen such beauty and detail. Such heavy wood and marble i wish that i could have some of that. Mom you have rubbed you antique hunting off on me! It was just so beautiful. Our friend Davis (his english name) took some pictures for me so when i get them i will get them to you.
After the drum tower we travelled through a narrower street with lots of rich looking stores on the way to the bell tower. It was the exact same idea. Except upstairs in this one were family lineages and histories. Very neat. It was an extremely long day yesterday. I slept for about 10 hours so i think i might finally be adjusted to China time (which is 14 hours ahead).
Okay on to todays events. It was raining here this morning so it was a nice break from the ordinary- i actually put make up on and left my hair down. Usually it has been between 30 and 35, and very humid you could cut it with a knife. And they tell us that June is going to be even hotter. I am sure looking forward to that- not really;) Okay back to business. We had coffee at King Coffee which is like a starbuck really. Then we travelled to the east gate of the Ancient city wall and walked to the south gate, it was about a 3km walk. The wall is about 12 meters across and about 18m high. It was destroyed in the Tang dynasty and rebuilt in the ming dynasty which is about 6th century AD. There is still part of the moat that surrounds the city also. On one side of the wall is prosperity and the other not so much. I had a hard time deciding what to feel. I took some good pictures of all of the weapons that were used to protect the wall and kill anyone who tried to climb up.
We then took a walk across the street to Confucian's temple and the forest of the scirptures. The garden was filled with stele of all of Confucians writings. It was really big and old. The garden was really pretty. I saw a pomegranet tree, its blossoms are so pretty and quite fragrant. It was neat to see history set in stone. All of the writings were carved into stone. They often make replicas by rubbing charcoal over a piece of paper attached tot he stone. I made a copy with my pencil, i was lucky another girl got busted and got called an American- we had a little giggle about that.
We had a lunch nearby- we had some of the best ribs ever. I do not know how i will beable to duplicate this at home. Before heading home we walked down antique alley i'll call it. The street was filled with merchants and shops. I wasn't into searching today but we will head down there again i am sure.
At lunch we were waiting for our food and this little boy was playing on the street with his friend; he needed to pee so he pulls down his pants and whips it out and proceeds to pee on the street. It was so funny. The babies here do not wear diapers or underwear until they are potty trained. All of there pant have holes in the inseam. So it looks as though the crotch has been cut out. The parents then squat with the children to teach them how to pee- very interesting. It was very strange at first, but imagine how much waste they are saving by not having diapers. Since we are on the topic of toliets they do not have any here. We are in a hotel so we have toliets, but in all of the schools and resturants they have squat holes. They also do not have soap or tissue for wiping your hands or anything else. So carring tissues is madatory. That has been somewhat of an adjustment- if i was to squat it has always been outside by the side of the road or camping- which i prefer over these really smelly facilities.
Well on that fragrant note i will get to my homework and keep you posted. Thanks for posting comments but everything is in chinese so please send me an email and that will insure that it is in english. It is very difficult navigating windows when you can not read a thing.
Love you very much, miss you.
Mandy