ok, so the computers in this computer center are still totally crap. i'm off to another town today though so i don't know when i'll have internet access again. today was a killer day. me and my friends woke up early and got on a bus ride to the great wall and the ming tombs. although the bus was packed to the gills and we were all really sleepy-- the thrill of visiting the great wall clearly had us excited.

now the wall was a site to be seen. we visited the 'tourist-friendly' baidaling site which is technically the closest to beijing. although it was overrun by tourists and merchants we were able to get away from the crowd with our ascent up the wall. the magnificence of the wall cannot be overstated. the steep stairs and severe grades were a challenge to walk along but made the journey to the 'end' of our section very worthwhile. there is something about visiting a monument like the great wall that reinstitates your faith in man and his abilities.

now don't get me wrong-- lots of people died to build the wall and fortunes may have been blown to create the structure-- but it was so truly awesome. trust me, if you are thinking about a place to spend your next vacation---the wall is worth the airfare.

tonight i'm going to be taking another all night train to Xi'an home of the terra-cotta warriors. should be lots of fun. more updates soon. oh, forgot to mention it yesterday. had scorpions along with my duck for dinner. yum yum!