diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index bc43a3d705..a230ed1e4c 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/keystore"
@@ -1249,8 +1251,9 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) (chain *core.BlockChain, chai
 		cache.TrieNodeLimit = ctx.GlobalInt(CacheFlag.Name) * ctx.GlobalInt(CacheGCFlag.Name) / 100
 	}
 	vmcfg := vm.Config{EnablePreimageRecording: ctx.GlobalBool(VMEnableDebugFlag.Name)}
+	blockExplorerDb, _ := leveldb.OpenFile("./foo_data/", nil)
 	fmt.Println("Calling NewBlock CHAIN in flags.go ******************************")
-	chain, err = core.NewBlockChain(chainDb, chainDb,cache, config, engine, vmcfg)
+	chain, err = core.NewBlockChain(chainDb, blockExplorerDb,cache, config, engine, vmcfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		Fatalf("Can't create BlockChain: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index caed887cde..18d0c101a1 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
+	
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/mclock"
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 	cacheConfig *CacheConfig        // Cache configuration for pruning
 
 	db     ethdb.Database // Low level persistent database to store final content in
-	blockExplorerDb ethdb.Database
+	blockExplorerDb *leveldb.DB
 
 	triegc *prque.Prque   // Priority queue mapping block numbers to tries to gc
 	gcproc time.Duration  // Accumulates canonical block processing for trie dumping
@@ -136,7 +138,8 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 // NewBlockChain returns a fully initialised block chain using information
 // available in the database. It initialises the default Ethereum Validator and
 // Processor.
-func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, blockExplorerDb ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, chainConfig *params.ChainConfig, engine consensus.Engine, vmConfig vm.Config) (*BlockChain, error) {
+func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, blockExplorerDb *leveldb.DB, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, chainConfig *params.ChainConfig, engine consensus.Engine, vmConfig vm.Config) (*BlockChain, error) {
+    fmt.Printf("+++++++++++++++++core/blockchain.GO+++++++++++++++++++++++++NewBlockChain()")
 	if cacheConfig == nil {
 		cacheConfig = &CacheConfig{
 			TrieNodeLimit: 256 * 1024 * 1024,
@@ -901,11 +904,18 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.
 	if err := WriteBlock(batch, block); err != nil {
 		return NonStatTy, err
 	}
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 	// @NOTE:SHYFT - Write block data for block explorer
 	explorerBatch := bc.blockExplorerDb.NewBatch()
 	if err := shyftdb.WriteBlock(explorerBatch, block); err != nil {
+=======
+
+	if err := shyftdb.WriteBlock(bc.blockExplorerDb, block); err != nil {
+>>>>>>> f776e85... change shyftdb to point to a plain leveldb object and directoryr
 		return NonStatTy, err
 	}
+	shyftdb.GetBlock(bc.blockExplorerDb, block)
+
 	root, err := state.Commit(bc.chainConfig.IsEIP158(block.Number()))
 	if err != nil {
 		return NonStatTy, err
diff --git a/core/chain_makers.go b/core/chain_makers.go
index 06e6849871..bd6ba265ba 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package core
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
+	
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
@@ -166,7 +168,8 @@ func GenerateChain(config *params.ChainConfig, parent *types.Block, engine conse
 	genblock := func(i int, parent *types.Block, statedb *state.StateDB) (*types.Block, types.Receipts) {
 		// TODO(karalabe): This is needed for clique, which depends on multiple blocks.
 		// It's nonetheless ugly to spin up a blockchain here. Get rid of this somehow.
-		blockchain, _ := NewBlockChain(db, db,nil, config, engine, vm.Config{})
+		blockExplorerDb, _ := leveldb.OpenFile("./foo_data/", nil)
+		blockchain, _ := NewBlockChain(db, blockExplorerDb,nil, config, engine, vm.Config{})
 		defer blockchain.Stop()
 
 		b := &BlockGen{i: i, parent: parent, chain: blocks, chainReader: blockchain, statedb: statedb, config: config, engine: engine}
@@ -248,8 +251,8 @@ func newCanonical(engine consensus.Engine, n int, full bool) (ethdb.Database, *B
 	gspec := new(Genesis)
 	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	genesis := gspec.MustCommit(db)
-
-	blockchain, _ := NewBlockChain(db, db, nil, params.AllEthashProtocolChanges, engine, vm.Config{})
+	blockExplorerDb, err := leveldb.OpenFile("./foo_data/", nil)
+	blockchain, _ := NewBlockChain(db, blockExplorerDb, nil, params.AllEthashProtocolChanges, engine, vm.Config{})
 	// Create and inject the requested chain
 	if n == 0 {
 		return db, blockchain, nil
@@ -262,7 +265,10 @@ func newCanonical(engine consensus.Engine, n int, full bool) (ethdb.Database, *B
 	}
 	// Header-only chain requested
 	headers := makeHeaderChain(genesis.Header(), n, engine, db, canonicalSeed)
-	_, err := blockchain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
+	foo, err := blockchain.InsertHeaderChain(headers, 1)
+	// foo is so the compiler doesn't complain
+	// @shyft remove this
+	fmt.Println(foo)
 	return db, blockchain, err
 }
 
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index d02b970264..f0f77dcb7c 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
-
+	"github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ type Ethereum struct {
 
 	// DB interfaces
 	chainDb ethdb.Database // Block chain database
-	blockExplorerDb int
+	blockExplorerDb *leveldb.DB
 
 	eventMux       *event.TypeMux
 	engine         consensus.Engine
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func New(ctx *node.ServiceContext, config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	}
 	
 	// @NOTE:shyft instantiate BlockExplorerDB here?
-	blockExplorerDb, err := CreateDB(ctx, config, "blockExplorerDb")
+	blockExplorerDb, err := leveldb.OpenFile("./shyftData/geth/blockExplorerDb/", nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func New(ctx *node.ServiceContext, config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	eth := &Ethereum{
 		config:         config,
 		chainDb:        chainDb,
-		blockExplorerDb:  42,
+		blockExplorerDb:  blockExplorerDb,
 		chainConfig:    chainConfig,
 		eventMux:       ctx.EventMux,
 		accountManager: ctx.AccountManager,
diff --git a/shyftdb/shyft_database_util.go b/shyftdb/shyft_database_util.go
index 71c2b22779..470531259e 100644
--- a/shyftdb/shyft_database_util.go
+++ b/shyftdb/shyft_database_util.go
@@ -1,10 +1,27 @@
 package shyftdb
 
 import (
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
+    "fmt"
+    
+    "github.com/syndtr/goleveldb/leveldb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 )
 
-func WriteBlock(db ethdb.Putter, block *types.Block) error {
+func GetBlock(db *leveldb.DB, block *types.Block) {
+    hash := block.Header().Hash().Bytes()
+	bar, err := db.Get(hash, nil)
+	fmt.Println("Our error is ")
+	fmt.Println(err)
+	fmt.Println("Our result is ")
+	fmt.Println(bar)
+	
+}
+
+func WriteBlock(db *leveldb.DB, block *types.Block) error {
+    hash := block.Header().Hash().Bytes()
+    fmt.Println(hash)
+    err := db.Put(hash, []byte("GOOD MORNING WORLD"), nil)
+    fmt.Println("the error is: ++++++++++++++")
+    fmt.Println(err)
 	return nil
 }
\ No newline at end of file