Sorry for the lack of content this week.  It feels like quite a while since I’ve posted about anything but holidays (birthdays, anniversaries, dragon boat festivals, etc.) 

This week we welcomed our first visitors to Xining.  Two friends from Florida (Cape Coral) arrived on Saturday evening and have been treated (or mistreated?) to all the sights, sounds, and foods that Xining (and surrounding areas) have to offer.  We are there last stop before returning to the States.  They have already been in Zambia, Turkey, and Romania.   We’ve  had a lot of fun these past few days getting to know these guys better and sharing our tour guide lifestyle with them.

We have taken them to a Tibetan monastery (Ta ‘er Si) nearby and today we drove two hours south to the town of Hua Long–a predominantly Chinese Muslim prefecture.  We have had uncharacteristically wet (and overcast) weather since they arrived, but that’s OK–it settles some of the dust and allows the grass and trees to flourish (as seen here.)  I couldn’t believe how different the county of Hua Long looked today from the dry brown earth that I experienced just a few months ago.

It has been interesting to share our "every day" experience with friends from "the outside".  It has helped me feel as if I have actually learned a few things the past 11 months or so…but, alas, there is still so much more to learn.