China girl

My wife's mom recounts occasionally her time as a teenager hiding in the hills with her mother and multitude of sisters when Mao came to power. She tells her stories without malice or emotion, but it was a life and death thing, they did lose everything, and she did eventually make it to North America (Costa Rica of all places). All of them made it out, including a guy from her village who made it to Trinidad, and who she eventually married back in that same village, before coming back to North America.


So after hiding, imagine seeing these same types face-to-face 60 years later in an almost make-believe (i.e. touristy) circumstance. What's she thinking? I got out and you didn't? But they all love China, you'll never take that away. Trivia question: the cops in Tiananmen stopped carrying guns awhile ago, and instead carry what? (Answer)

(more soon hopefully)

Nov 13:

An impromptu singer at Temple of Heaven:



Apartments near Olympic Village:



Added Feb 8:





Wall pics, added Aug 18, 2011