Mountain Summer Resort

---

Hello everyone!

Here we are in Chengde. Anyway, from the title you might have thought we were staying at a Resort! haha. If only that were the case... We went and saw where the Emperors of the Qing dynastry went for their summer holidays. Posh place. It took about 100 years in the 1700's to build all the buildings and the gardens. It was pretty. Lots of good Feng Shui.

We baked today (as we have everyday). Kwesi's shirt changes colour to a slightly darker blue. Good thing he doesn't smell when he sweats! We walked a long way today. Yes, I dragged my butt... Kwesi was the drill sargent.

I think Kwesi is in at least 200 family photos by now. It's a non-stop line-up to have your photo taken with him. It can be fun at times and not so much fun at others... I wonder if they know he is human and not a tourist attraction... The staring is non-stop. Kwesi has ALMOST caused at least TWO accidents! One cyclist almost went off the road into oncoming traffic. At least we had a good laugh at that. ;-)

We are in a gaming internet cafe. No USB. So, it's not yet been possible to upload any photos. Hopefully we will eventually find a place where the hardware isn't so locked down. Kwesi has taken some great shots of the sights we have seen so we will do our best!

Tomorrow we are excited to do a 10km hike on the Great Wall. Yep, it's gonna be HOT! Kwesi has already worked on preparing the hydration salts. I am not looking forward to that but it will probably keep me alive.

Two days ago we were at the Eastern Qing tombs. Very impressive area. We stayed in a small town called Qing Dong Ling. It must have taken a huge amount of imagination to build and coordinate all of the buildings and scruptures in the area. Very cool place. There are endless "roads" of three. The centre "road" always being slightly larger for the Emperor. Marble everywhere. We have no idea where it came from.

It was in Qing Dong Ling that the Orange Truck finally caught up with us! It took Dave (other whitie guide) two days at the Mongolian border to get into China. It was pretty funny because we all loaded up yesterday morning for the first time and then, low and behold, the truck never made it out of the parking area!! So, we all got off the truck and went wandering around. ;-) Dave and Claire (whitie guide) had to crank open the truck and fiddle with something. Good thing they know every part of the truck! Oh, and, the truck's name is Caprice. Caprice is a very "experienced" traveller....

We'll talk to you soon! Off to eat some fantastic food (we hope, one never knows...) Kwesi's "moo's" sometimes produce good results, sometimes not...

Meghan and Kwesi

---

Comments

[Amy]

no, it's different from Chengdu.

[Evelyn]

Hey
Hey now at least Kwesi knows what it's like to be an Asian/white person in Ghana. I made babies cry in Ghana! :)

[Sean Murray]

Waiting for those pictures
Cant wait to see the pictures. I am having trouble living vicariously through you guys without the pictures. You didnt have to save up so much money, you could have just charged to have a picture with kwesi along the way. Talk about self employed.

[Wayne]

Kwesi the model
I am looking forward to seeing the pictures Kwesi. I would also like to see a picture of you being in a picture. I can tell the folks here you are an asian pop star. I can start a whole rumour with that...just released a single...on your first tour. lol. Enjoy the Great Wall.

[suzies]

Have a nice trip!
Hey there Meghan, thanks for adding me to this blog, always nice to "hear" traveling stories. I am sorry for your husband, but I remember going through the same thing in Japan (Tall blond girl, quite the sore thumb). I hope he is taking it on the bright side, kinda feel like a movie star :) Hope you will have a blast, be well. Suzie

[bernie k]

I'm jealous already!!
Hi Meghan and Kwesi: You describing China in your first part of trip makes me envious already, wish I could see and experience what you are. Not surprised, but hope you don't get tired of Kwesi being a photo-tourist attraction. (Couldn't have picked a more handsome guy, anyway!!!) Jane and I just got from Yukon and would have wanted some of the heat of China, it was an unusually cold July for them but the sites were first rate, particularly the tundra Mountains of Tombstone Park 75 km up the Dempster Highway and the Salmon spawning viewing at Stewart/Hyder off the Portalnad Sound below Alaska panhandle. Anyway, thanks for adding me to your blog, and I do wish you both a great trip, hoping CAPRICE knows the road better than her(?) efforts to get out the parking lot!! Bernie