A cool evening breeze lifts hanging branches of the willow trees that line the city channel. The stone banks of the water way are crowded this evening, but you can only hear the buzz of the cicadas as you pass uner the trees. For one of the first times since I got to China, I sit, relaxed on a stone bench and watch as people pass. I attempt a Level 4 sudoku puzzle while the elder Chinese, dog owners, and fruit vendors take their evening strolls. They often stop, emboldened by my smiles, and point to the book. With my chinese lessons though, I get as far as asking them if they spoke any English and telling them that I didn't speak any Putonghua (Mandarin). Thank goodness for Pimsleur's Mandarin Audio lessons - Unit 1!