Hi everyone!

I am settling in great here in Tangshan, China. A lot of things are new and different, but I have some great friends I have met to share in my adventures. My first weekend off Craig and I went to Nanhu (South Lake), but before that we got lost trying to find it! However, getting lost sometimes allows you to have the best adventures. We found this abandoned park built during the cold war next to a nuclear power plant called the "Workers" park. It was beautiful and unnerving at the same time. This huge lake and mountain, next to a nuclear reactor right in the middle of the city. Anyways, the mountain did make for a cool view of the city. We finally got on track and made it to the right park. Nanhu is very pretty and a great weekend spot.  Nanhu was built only a couple years ago as a ecological project to beautify the city. From what we gathered from the pictures and writing, it used to be an old coal mine and trash dump. However, now it is this spectacular park! We enjoyed some PBR (the only american bar I can find in China of course is the hipster beer) and ice cream. We started taking pictures of the main courtyard and people started taking pictures of us! We were like mini celebrities at the park, which was a fun feeling since I love attention.The lake is frozen for ice skating in the winter and I definitely plan to go!

Here are some pictures of Nanhu, and the "Workers" park. I will post about my school and neighborhood later this week and pictures of course!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g659916-d2220999-r117920469-Nanhu_Garden-Tangshan_Hebei.html