Shame, Shame

Well, it's been 11 days since my last post! And I'm in China, so I should have so much to talk about... and I do, I do! I barely even know where to begin.
I've actually been avoiding writing this post not only because I am tired, but also because I want to upload some pictures. HOWEVER, my camera is being a total Dueche Bag, so I can't get the pics to my computer. At least not yet.
Today I saw the great wall of china. It was so amazing. I wasn't terribly excited to go, but once I had climbed up to it (WAAAYYY up to it), I was really blown away by the whole thing. It was amazing that this wall could be built so long ago, and so magnificently.
We've had two interpreters with us the past two days, and they've been a godsend, as there really aren't many English speaking citizens in mainland China. What really amazes me is that most taxi drivers don't even speak English. One of the intepreters and I were talking on the way to the great wall and I was explaining that I had done some gardening while I was growing up, and he said that his father had always dreamed of owning land. It occurred to me how much we take advantage of this fact. Here, no one owns land, so even if you have it for 70+ years, when you die, it goes back to the government. Made me have the warm and fuzzies for the good ole' US of A.
Everything here is to be bargained for. So you go to the market to buy something, then the person running the market gives you a ridiculously high price, then you tell them a ridiculously low price, then you pretend to walk away, then you settle for a bit more then you offered. We had some merchants who almost cried because they were losing so much money on the stuff they were selling us. but they still took our money.
I didn't really buy all that much stuff, but it's such an experience. One of the things I did buy I got for 28, when they wanted 80. I probably payed too much, but I did ok.
Anyway, I have to get some shut eye, tomorrow I board a flight from Beijing to Shenzen (spelling?). Hopefully, this will kick start my journal again and the updates will come quicker then 11 freaking days. Maybe I'll have some pics for the next post, then I can show and tell!