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Not content with 10 hours cycling this week, I joined Tina for a trip round Xi Ma Reservoir, ending up at the new College campus North of town. There's still a lot of work to be done but with a 1,000 strong building team they are optimistic that the bulk of it will be completed by the 1st of November. That's when the Grade 3 students come back from their teaching practice and move in to the new dormitories and classrooms.

As we were wandering around in the mud we met two friendly site supervisors who whisked us off to observe the European centre-piece, a 43 metre high clock tower. The battery hasn't been put in yet but it looks grand. I asked what strength of earthquake the buildings were build to withstand. Mr Duan [left] said, "Any". I was surprised and responded, "Really? Even magnitude 10?" "Yes, no problem" was his confident conclusion.

 
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On a recent cycle up tea mountain I met this chap, Mr Tang, who was selling handcrafted wooden items from a makeshift craft stall. We got chatting and promised to make a trip out to their wood yard one day. True to our promise we travelled to San Jia Cun, a small village on the outskirts of Simao that's slowly being gobbled up by tower blocks. After a tour of the woodwork studio, kilns and art studio we rummaged through the reject piles, returning with a few boxes and tea caddies. After hanging about the house these rainy days it was great to get out of town and have a small wander. Needless to say, San Jia Cun has changed a lot since we were last there. Half the older red brick houses have been replaced by white-tiled, concrete monstrosities double the size. I understand people want larger, newer houses, but why not build larger brick ones, and just stay off the ceramics? There's no accounting for taste I suppose.

 
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ELF with Marissa and Tina, about to tuck into some mi xian (rice noodles) and other delights at Ludao Restaurant.
Our recently graduated friend, Marissa, is about to embark on a new journey - she has enrolled for a two-year postgraduate certificate in education at a university in Kunming. Marissa has been involved with lots of LEAF family activities, and celebrated Spring Festival with us earlier this year. She has also tutored Freda during difficult homework periods and looked after Dougal and the fish when we've been on holiday. We've also shared many a meal with Marissa, including some 'Western style' home-cooking. We'll miss her, and wish her all the very best for her studies in Kunming.