I always meant to post these videos, but slow internet connections and editing always got in the way - so before we get even more caught up in our lives here in Atlanta, I thought that I'd post this set of videos from China, and then mostly leave it at that until I do some real editing and get streams of clips and photos ready for our house warming/China slide show party in July/August.

SO much to do, and just short of the time I would like to do it all in - the pace is just faster than I would like. Well, the pace plus it's just a list of things I don't want to really do however, it'll be much quicker when I just knock them out instead of talking about, procrastinating about how I don't want to do them. Mow the lawn. Spreadsheets for work. Stay awake and not take a real nap today to really combat the jet lag time difference (we stayed up 'til practically 4 am last night, although we are awake at 7am today.)

It's Sunday. I have work and we have breakfast to go to - just us, but that's all we need most of the time. Today's breakfast - Belly General Store. Well. They have bagels or something. We'll see. Until we get back. Here are some videos.

This first one is on the train we rode from Beijing to Guilin - 24 hours overnight. At some point, they stopped coming by with the drink cart so we went off in search for a bottle of water. We ended up going to the far end of the train. This is our walk back to our bunks and you can see the size of the space, the feet hanging off the beds, and just get a feel of how close the quarters are in there. We slept in the hard sleeper section which isn't exactly hard - but it's not soft. Open bunks three levels high. I think most travelers would recommend this level since you get your own space, but you're also close enough that you really must interact with the other people near you. So rather than riding the whole time without meeting anyone - it's an easy bet that you will.



This second one is when Leah and I met up with Amy - she's an artist from Baltimore, MD and she was there in China working with our other artist friend, Alonzo Davis at that artists commune area on the far fringes of Beijing. She had been 'on the reservation' for practically the entire time she had been in country (she was working) so it was nice to be able to take her out and show her around - I do feel bad that on her back, things went horribly wrong with the bus route (they didn't go back the way we came and had different stops) and I'm sure that it took HOURS longer for her to get back - I hope it wasn't too bad. We had a lot of fun hanging out with her, exploring a few areas that we ourselves hadn't been to yet.



The next two are just short clips, one of the Sichuan Opera (which is more like a variety show) and then one taken at a hot pot restaurant also in Sichuan. Sichuan food is pretty hot, as in Spicy. The stuff is good although I'm not sure I'd have it everyday. Still, it was a fun experience - much better than many hot pot restaurants where instead of cooking your food in flavored broths - you basically boil everything.





Now I need to get a full version of a video editor (hence the 'trial version' stamp at the top of that train car walk video) and then get to editing... of course, there's so much else to do.

*looks like it's going to rain most of today so thankfully, no lawn mowing will be going on (now I need to lower the shades so no one can see who lives in this house with the embarrassing overgrown lawn.)

Oh yeah - and one more. I know I know - but you have to realize that what we've posted here on our blog is only about 20% of all the stuff we actually filmed and photographed. There's SO MUCH more - and fortunate as it is, our lives have already started moving on, and there is little time to reflect on the past month in China.

This last one is just one of the nights we spent at the hostel community room in Beijing. The Red Lantern House. The manager plays several instruments, including the Violin and Guitar - this is the erhu - a traditional Chinese string instrument.



Okay. I'm done. For now. Ha. But don't worry, I have actual work to do today so you know that means I'm going to procrastinate and post other things on here.

Because the connection is insanely slow tonight:

Check us out.

 

Yesterday was awesome fun and great. But I think we're ready to leave Beijing for a while and then come back. So w're on a train for 24 hours and arriving in Guilin/Yangshuo rural areas where we will see 'the dragon's back' - those rice terraces. 

Obviously more at www.leahandmark.com - have a great day everyone.