diff --git a/examples/echobot.py b/examples/echobot.py
index dc07df4a3..4834ca2e2 100644
--- a/examples/echobot.py
+++ b/examples/echobot.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def echo():
         if LAST_UPDATE_ID < update.update_id:
             # chat_id is required to reply any message
             chat_id = update.message.chat_id
-            message = update.message.text
+            message = update.message.text.encode('utf-8')
 
             if (message):
                 # Reply the message
diff --git a/telegram/bot.py b/telegram/bot.py
index 6aa6874a6..89c675822 100644
--- a/telegram/bot.py
+++ b/telegram/bot.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class Bot(TelegramObject):
             self.username = bot.username
 
             self.__auth = True
+
+            self.log.info('Starting bot %s' % self.name)
         except TelegramError:
             raise TelegramError({'message': 'Bad token'})
 
@@ -533,6 +535,12 @@ class Bot(TelegramObject):
         json_data = self._requestUrl(url, 'POST', data=data)
         data = self._parseAndCheckTelegram(json_data)
 
+        if data:
+            self.log.info(
+                'Getting updates: %s' % [u['update_id'] for u in data])
+        else:
+            self.log.info('No new updates found.')
+
         return [Update.de_json(x) for x in data]
 
     @log