hockin' and rockin'

We came to Leshan with some Israeli folks we met but missed the bus they were on yesterday and caught one 20 minutes after them hoping to hook up with them once we got here but, alas, we have lost them I fear, forever. Too bad, they were nice. At any rate, we like our little enclave in the neighborhood. After internet cafe yesterday, we walked over to the little music shop on our street and Ivan jammed out with the local dudes who were pretty good on the bass and drums and they were duly impressed with the shredding. So, now we have a band, or at the very least, musical friends for life. An audience lined the street to hear Ivan play with the boys and it was all good fun - he even got an encore! It was also very advantageous as today they helped us get to our bus and tonight they have invited us to their home for dinner. Our first Chinese invitation, we are excited to see what's for dinner.

Today we visited THE BIGGEST BUDDHA IN THE WORLD, no kidding, it was 77 metres high and we had climb down a very scary staircase to get to it but the Chinese folks were very gracious and all wanted their pictures taken with us, evidently, we are more popular than Buddha in Leshan.

As for the title of this blog, well the rockin' part has been addressed but I think it's only honest to say that I have taken as late to spitting on the streets along with the locals. I can't help it. I'm clogged up so bad from the pollution that I can't breathe half the time and as gross as it is, it does do the trick. Don't tell anybody. Healthwise, I'm 0 for 3, I am clogged up (nasally, that is), I stubbed my toe so hard I felt it in my cranium and my knee is buggered but I'm still movin' and groovin' Ivan of course, is impenetrable. Buddy just hocked beside me - ya gotta love China.