AH it's working

Here are some notes from the last few days, i haven't been able to open the blog since sunday

sunday

recap -  i’m back on my bed now, trying to gather my thoughts which isn’t easy.  your head gets scrambled with schedules and pick up times and trying to rejig gigs at the last minute because things have changed.

LOVED - this sign on a fancy lingerie shop

AH  A MARTINI - they make a good one down in the dark
 and comfy Xian bar

it’s been a really busy and quite stressful weekend of work, but the good things are always the kids, the work they do and the people we’re working with,  all great.

the pollution is terrible and getting worse every day, it’s claustrophobic and where i would normally want to be opening windows everywhere, here it’s just not an option.

i’d like to write and reflect more, but i’m completely knackered – goodnight australia   

THE DROP -  our wonderful friend at the embassy amanda came to the rescue with hayfever medication - she called over to the bar in the evening with it 

TUESDAY MORNING 

it's getting smoggy again here after a bright blue clear day yesterday – yesterday ann and i visited an international school for three session. the Western Academy of Beijing  was incredible  - huge, fabulous modern buildings all modelled on traditional chinese style,  red walls, yellow walls, bright green, purple.  huge paintings all done by students, sculptures in the gardens, a huge gym, theatre, dance studio, recording studio, you name it they had it.  everyone there loved it, you could see both the primary and secondary students were happy and comfortable there and all the staff seemed to have stayed for years and years, not the norm in international schools  -  lots of pics below

i'm so tired though, it's not the right time for me to be doing a trip like this, i'm still way below par, but today is my last gig   YAY  and it's only 45 minutes so tomorrow is a free day and thursday we're being taken to the great wall.

the library in the junior school 

all the furniture in the school is traditional and beautiful

even the washbasins in the toilets were gorgeous

ann james

meets 

an old

friend

part of the school grounds, beautiful chinese gardens, a  lake, traditional covered gateways, it was an extraordinary environment - over 1500 students

the foyer to the senior school, students work on the walls

these amazing sculptures in the school grounds are done by professional sculptors working with senior students. what an opportunity - there are a large number of them, all really original ideas and beautiful things

LATER IN THE DAY . .

china pics

the powerlines are 

as amazing as ever 

-  not the complete shambles they used to be, which was also wonderful, but now all extra lines are neatly rolled up and tied up in big bunches - i love 'em

these wonderful beijing bikes are still around, all kinds of configurations added

the lovely entrance to a large restaurant in the hotel complex of shops

Drinks at the australian embassy on monday night - the embassy has organised australian writers week in conjunction with the bookworm bookshop.  heaps of international authors here but we have no time to attend any sessions, we're too tired in the evening to go out and battle the traffic to get there.