The guides are what make or break the tour. Here is Ann (they all take western names) at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on the first day of sightseeing. She was the best guide we had the entire trip. She carried the little green umbrella so we could find her. Her husband is a cardiologist in the military. She has been a guide for many years. Talked alot about the cultural revolution when the country's leadership urged people to destroy Chinese relics so the history would be destroyed as well. Schools were closed too. This meant that Ann didn't get a good education when she was younger so had to start at the university later. Great lady. I have her e-mail so we can keep in touch. She got a very large tip from our group, Bus RC-4. We were also known as the rowdy group because we drank more TsingTao beer than any other group on the tour. When you can't drink the water and the wine is awful (it's called Great Wall red wine) what else can one do.