Students reviewing for tomorrow's Rock Exam

Give me your cell phone number again! We can text message during the exam!

Deep thoughts! Metamorphic rocks are on the table.
Most of the students are using their five senses to study for the test, one of the girls is using the osmosis method.

I have taught igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock classification and identification. Tomorrow we will have a lab practical where the students will have to identify samples and answer questions. These students are having a look at the sedimentary rocks.

North Lake Park and Bass Preserve

Beautiful black swans!The bass seem to be evolving towards a land dwelling species. As you can see they have developed rudimentary legs and lungs. Since they are already carnivorous I suspect that fisherman may be the target of this evolutionary adaptation.These kids were having a great time feeding the delicious bass. The chain keeps them at a safe distance so that they do not loose any fingers.

Wenshu Monastaey

Wenshu Monastery is the best-preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It is the home of the Buddhist Association of Sichuan Province and Chengdu City.

Initially built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Wenshu Monastery was once called Xinxiang Temple. In 1681, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Cidu, an accomplished Buddhist monk, came to the monastery. He built a simple hut between two trees and for several years lived an ascetic life there. Legend has it when Cidu was being cremated; the statue of Wenshu (Bodhisattva Manjusri in Sanskrit) appeared in the flames, staying for a long time. So people regarded Cidu as the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Thereafter, Xinxiang Temple became Wenshu Monastery.


This is a photo of one of the paintings on the wall it represents an important part of Buddhist culture.



I took this picture of the ceiling.





This is a picture from inside one of the main halls. I wish I could tell you more but I did not have a guide and there were no signs in English.

Ms. Xue Tao

Ms. Xue Tao

This is a picture from inside the pagoda, the gentleman is drinking tea and reading a book.



I love the bamboo! This is a lovely park beside the JinJing River in the south of Chengdu.


Xue Tao (758?-832) was born in Sichuan Province to Xue Yun, an official from Chang'an, and his wife Madam Fei. Xue Tao was composing poems by the age of eight. The child prodigy was also an excellent calligrapher and had extraordinary musical talent.

Qingcheng Mountain

I guess this is similar to a pig roast. You can see the head on the upper right; the rest of the pig is laid out for display.

This is a view of the mountain and the cable car. Michael (German teacher) and I took the car to the top and went hiking to a village and lake near the summit.

This is a lake near the summit that is only passable by ferryboat.

The Taoist Temple is located at the base of the mountain.


Qingcheng Mountain, originally called Old Man Mountain, is a famous as the founding place of Taoism. Located to the southwest of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, it covers an area of some 100 kilometers, the highest peak being 1600 meters above sea level. Surrounded by many peaks and densely covered by tall ancient trees, Qingcheng Mountain is known as the most secluded mountain in China. The main cultural relics include Jianfu Temple, Tianshi Cave and Shangqing Temple. It is one of the cradles of Chinese Taoism. Xhasng Daoling, the founder of Taoism, preached his doctrines here and left behind numerous stories and relics. Taoists regard the mountain as the "Fifth Dwelling of Immortals".

Chinese BBQ

Look at all the delicious choices on the skewers! There is tofu, beef, ox stomach, cucumber, chicken, tiny eggs, delicious bass, lotus root, onions, potato, mushroom, cauliflower, and a lot of stuff I can not identify. The plan is simple, you are given a tray and you make your selections, you then give the tray to the chef. In about ten minutes your food is returned barbequed to perfection. BUT there is an unexpected change! Just before you are given your selections they are all rolled in red pepper. Wow! The top of my head was sweating. I now have the words "no red pepper" written in Chinese to show the chef when I place my order.

My dinner consisted of two egg skewers, two chicken, two beef, and two cauliflowers. The food was excellent but hot, hot, hot.

Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet

The lady with Dell is our tour guide. We had the luxury of our own tour guide and private car for our stay in Lhasa. It was great because we could plan our own itinerary each day. This is the entrance to the temple.




This woman put down her prayer wheel and took a moment to wash her hands in the courtyard faucet.




This is a close-up of a painted beam.




This is a picture of the courtyard inside the wall but before you enter the temple. This is the oldest temple in Lhasa and the first one that the pilgrims visit. This temple has been in continous use for 1300 years. It is amazing to feel the polished beams inside and know that people have been chanting and praying here for so long. It gives you a real feeling of history and the mysterious past.

Typical Taxi Trip

Hi All!
Dell and I went to the female poet Xue Tao's shrine today. The shrine was lovely and featured historical notes, artifacts, gardens and pavilions. We of course had tea afterwards. Here is a glimpse of our taxi ride home. The green building in the last photo is where my apartment is. My apartment is the sixth window down from the top right.

Qingyang Taoist Temple Revisited

This is a picture of a strange creature with a mouse's ears, an ox's nose, a tiger's claw, a rabbit's mouth, a dragon's horns, a snake's tail, a horse's face, a goat's beard, a monkey's neck, a chicken's eyes, a dog's belly and a pig's thighs. The other strange object is Dell.

Above is my tea (I have no idea what is in the glass)

Above is Dell's Tea (I have no idea what is in the glass)


Below are a darling couple enjoying afternoon tea.

Panda Research Base

Pandas are just as cute in person as the stuffed animals!! They really do look cuddly and lovable. In the first picture, you can see them eating bamboo -- just sitting there chewing away. In the second and third pictures you see them as they lounge in their habitat. Aren't they adorable? We were able to go to the nursery, although we could not take pictures. The infants in the incubators really do look like stuffed animals -- they are so tiny. The infants in the nursery are twins, which the staff rotates with their mother. In the wild, she would only care for one and the other would die. Here, they are able to raise both babies -- isn't that sweet?

The Return of Dufu's Thatched Cottage

Here are some new photos of Dufu's thatched cottage and park. Dell and I spent the early afternoon at the park sipping tea then went on to the Songxiangiao Street antique market. Dell and I are off to the Panda research base this morning. Yesterday Dell helped me put up Halloween decorations in the classroom. I plan to talk to my students about the history and some of the excellent traditions associated with Halloween.

Potala Palace, Lhasa

We're back in Chengdu!
Here are some pictures from our adventure in Tibet. After 48 hours on the train it was great to get to the hotel. At one point the train was at 16,200 feet. We were given oxygen tubes that plugged into the wall as the train went above 13,000 feet. I used the oxygen for about eight hours, but Dell didn't use it at all. These pictures are of our first day in Lhasa at the Potala Palace. The Tibetians in the first picture stopped us and insisted on a group picture. We were more than happy to oblige. The third picture is looking down on Lhasa from on top of the Potala Palace. The last picture is of some monks climbing the steps to the palace. The inside was awe inspiring; seeing the architecture, furniture, and Buddha images gave us such a sense of history and mystery. Sorry, no pictures were allowed inside. We have 260 pictures of our trip which we'll be happy to share with you ........ later!!