Swords and fauna

Yesterday in front of the fitness center there was a guy with a sword! Just with his buddy, out in the courtyard, practicing classical Chinese swordfighting (like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but with less flying!). Have also had some interesting observations about the fauna here--Mom commented when we were in China last summer that there are no birds. This is still true, though little birds in little cages (think Mulan!) are quite common (there is actually a 'market' where they are sold in a nearby park) and our neighbors have a pigeon coop. Tasty! These are no messenger birds...Where the skies fill up though is at dusk, where it seems like little sparrows suddenly appear everywhere--but watching their movements more closely, you realise that they are bats! Everywhere. There are a lot of mosquitoes around, so I guess it makes perfect sense, but its actually caught me by surprise a few times.