Exploring the surroundings

On Saturday I went for a bike ride with a group of other teachers. Nobody really could speak English and I'm not quite sure where we biked, but after about 4 hours we stopped in this restaurant and before having lunch, the teachers played the very popular Mahjong game. Still no idea how it works...

Your typical after-meal Chinese table

On Sunday, I headed out to a reservoir/hill with another English teacher and her family and friends. It was beautiful- quiet, peaceful, and just what I needed.

Such a peaceful place... who knew that could exist in Hunan.

The hill the temple was on had 500 monks painted on rocks everywhere. Each one was numbered.

Look what he was hiding under his shirt!

CUTEST LITTLE BOY

Creepin'

ohhhhh hehehehe

Then we had tea with the monk who lived in the temple.

The portrait you see there in the background was possibly the most boss thing I've ever seen.

rural livin'

We then went to a famous tree in the area- a ginkgo tree over 1700 years old.

They say the branch looks like a dragons head... I see.. something else. 

Old traditional Chinese house

The tree - over 1700 years old

Your average Hunan lunch

Home sweet home

Someone doesn't like change...

They're always growing some food/making something outside of my apartment. So fresh. So cool. So beautiful.

Our staircase. 

A beautiful end to a good weekend.