First time in Xiamen

I am taking a little R and R from the hectic life of teaching four classes and having to be at work bright and early at 2 pm on a Monday afternoon, and working my tail off until I finish my only class on Thursday at 6 pm.  So after two months I think I should take a long holiday weekend and visit friends in Xiamen.  When I say I am going to Xiamen the people I talk to, Chinese people, say it is a beautiful city.  It sure looks that way.  It is farther south and reminds me more of Malaysia.  It is warm here but today the weather was nice with a good breeze.  Xian, I think will be hot and hotter.  I took the airport shuttle to the Xian airport.  That meant I had to take the regular bus to the tourist city center.  I thought the bus would have more western people on it but it was just me and two other people, probably from Europe.  I guess the tourists take the taxi.  Everyone on the bus was Chinese. The shuttle was 26 yuan; the whole trip of 46 kilometers cost about 4 dollars.  It will be hard to adjust to American prices in a few more weeks.  Tomorrow I will travel to Xiaoling's school and spend the day with her.  It will be good to see her again and to she how she does things in the classroom.  I hope I can learn something that I will be able to share with my students. 

I am not sure how many people that read this met Xiaoling when she was at ICC but this is her and her husband.  She is still the same person that she was years ago.  I think she is going to only get better as she gets older.  I need to get some rest and wake up early in the morning so I can go to Xiaoling's school.  She has a driver's license now.  I least I know that some one in Chinese uses a turn signal more than they use the horn.  The horn is for, "hey. buddy, yeah you in the crosswalk, get outa my way I am running the red light."
I am going to see if I can find out what Chinese kids sound like when the breathe helium and talk.  I was talking to Dr. Murphy about that and I think it may be interesting.  I am also going to the Xian Horticulture Expo at night and see it lit up at night.  I have seen this mentioned several times on the CCTV English station and think it will be worth the bus ride.