YSA Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is a time for family feasting. When we couldn't be with our children and grand children for this favorite holiday we invited the Young Single Adults (YSA's) from church to have turkey and all of the trimmings. The YSA's were from various parts of the World, China, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Hong Kong and the USA.

Isaac brought Cold Stone ice cream cake for our dessert. Yummy, cold and delicious.

The group minus Isaac who is taking the picture. After dinner we went Caroling to the Hoskin family who live across the way. Fun. Then we got stuck in the elevator. Even more fun.

YSA Great Wall Hike

George has wanted to hike in the mountains surrounding Beijing for a year. When the YSA's planed a hike along the great wall we signed up to go.

This sign warned us that this section of the wall had not been restored. I found it interesting that the sign says "....not open to the public". But the sign was right in front of the toll gate where you bought tickets to enter the area! We decided the sign was there to limit their liability. If we were to fall it would be our very own fault!

The climb up to the wall was difficult for Ruth, for everyone else it was a piece of cake. Good.

Once we reached the wall the climb began to be more interesting. The stairs were irregular in height and depth. In several places the stair had crumbled away leaving us to scramble up rubble.

Sometimes the depth of the stair was so narrow that you needed to hold on with your hands to prevent yourself from tumbling backwards.

Ruth rested as much as she wanted. It was a beautiful day and the scenery inspired contemplation.

Watch out for falling rocks.

A man walking with a load of wood upon his back.