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Aug. 8th, 2006 07:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizzybennetYesterday we went to the Drum and Bell Tower. This building sits on a hill in the middle of Nanjing. All around it are modern buildings and bustling traffic. Yet here is a beautiful tree covered hill, topped with a magnificent ancient building. As we climbed the steps to the top level, I got that familiar shiver that I always experience when I'm in the presence of great history. Those steps were so worn, yet so strong. Imagine how many people, how many generations had climbed those steps. Also, one of the greatest emperors in all of Chinese history had visited the Bell tower and climbed those very steps. At the top, we got to see an inscription that he had made during his visit to the tower in the 1600's. Yes, that's before most of America had been founded. Yet here is this massive stone tribute to a great man, still standing in the midst of a modern and ever-changing city.
Of course, all the boys wanted to do was bang on the drums...which they did, quite loudly.
We got home just in time for lunch
We generally eat lunch as a group up at Andy's house. The group employs a cook and she prepares food for everyone. They've been very considerate in trying to prepare food that the kids will eat. Unfortunately for them, I have the pickiest kid in the universe (Zack!) Petey digs right in to whatever meat dish is available. Yesterday it was duck and he ate almost the whole dish himself. Josh discovered a dish of bean curd (tofu) that he liked quite a lot. Zack refused to even eat his rice. He sat there with a huge scowl on his face, making it quite clear to everyone how unhappy he was. It's embarrassing for Chris because these are all his co-workers and here we have Zack, the oldest kid in the group, unwilling to even taste anything. After lunch Chris gave him a firm talking to and told him that we won't make him eat anything he doesn't like, but he has to at least TRY new foods and have a good attitude about it. Zack did much better at dinner and ate some scrambled eggs (with tomato) and rice. It's amazing what the threat of taking away a GameBoy will do :)
After lunch we went on a scavenger hunt to find a new cord for our GameCube. When we plugged the one we have in, it sparked and smoked. That was Chris' doing, not mine, lol! We went to the street that was lined with video game stores, but not one of them sold GameCube cords. It turns out that GameCubes are no longer the fashion in China. They are considered out dated. One of the stores said they'd order one for us, so hopefully that will work out.
Next we went to the foreign language bookstore. I was hoping to find "To Kill a Mockingbird" (my Tucson bookclub's read for August, which I forgot to buy before I left home.) They didn't have it so I settled on "The Joy Luck Club" instead. I almost bought this book called "Beijing Girl" about the modern Chinese Teen's life. It caught my attention because on the back it said "This book has been banned in China". Um, yeah. However, it cost $130 and the Joy Luck Club was only $68, so it was an easy choice.
Let me take this moment to explain money conversion in China. One American dollar is equal to approximately eight Chinese dollars. So, the book actually cost around $8(which, btw, is still expensive for a book here. This was a treat.) Still, I experience sticker shock every time I see $5 for a coke, or $12 for eggs. I'm getting better at making the conversion in my head, but hopefully I'll get to the point where I won't feel the need to figure up the difference. We use to cash to pay for everything, whereas in the states we used our debit card to pay for everything. It's odd to have a wallet full of $100's (the most common bill is a 100).
Last night Chris and I downloaded and watched Monk. We could hardly stay awake to watch it, even though it was only 9 pm. We are still getting over jet lag. I thought we'd be over it within a week. I wonder how much longer it will take. It was nice to watch one of our old favorites though. We're so thankful for technology. Not only can we download our favorite shows (I can't wait for LOST to start!) but we can also talk to our parents on a regular basis for free (through Skype). Or, in the case of my mom, I used Skype to call her home line and it was only 25 cents for 20 minutes. Isn't that amazing?
The weather yesterday was intensely humid in the morning, but by afternoon the humidity was gone and it was almost cool outside. One of taxi drivers told us this day marks the change in weather and we can expect it to be this lovely from now on out. I hope so. It's perfect! Also, when we were at the playground yesterday there was a kid there that spoke very good English. He talked to Zack and Petey for a while and it really made Zack happy. He kept saying "Those kids were really nice!" Unfortunately most Chinese kids are a little scared of my kids. Perhaps this is the first American kid they've seen in person, I'm not sure. But if my kids try to play with them (on the see-saw, for example) the kids will run away. It was nice to meet a friendly kid for a change. I hope we can make some friends soon. I really need to learn Chinese. Yesterday my neighbor came out and tried to talk to me. Chris wasn't around, so I just stood there helpless not having a clue what she was saying. It's frustrating. Chris keeps trying to teach me, but I can't seem to retain anything. All I know is the word for "English" which I try to use to tell people that I only speak English. Today my goal is to learn how to say "I don't speak Chinese."
Well, I think that's long enough for now :) I have some pics of the Bell Tower I'll post in a few minutes.
Of course, all the boys wanted to do was bang on the drums...which they did, quite loudly.
We got home just in time for lunch
We generally eat lunch as a group up at Andy's house. The group employs a cook and she prepares food for everyone. They've been very considerate in trying to prepare food that the kids will eat. Unfortunately for them, I have the pickiest kid in the universe (Zack!) Petey digs right in to whatever meat dish is available. Yesterday it was duck and he ate almost the whole dish himself. Josh discovered a dish of bean curd (tofu) that he liked quite a lot. Zack refused to even eat his rice. He sat there with a huge scowl on his face, making it quite clear to everyone how unhappy he was. It's embarrassing for Chris because these are all his co-workers and here we have Zack, the oldest kid in the group, unwilling to even taste anything. After lunch Chris gave him a firm talking to and told him that we won't make him eat anything he doesn't like, but he has to at least TRY new foods and have a good attitude about it. Zack did much better at dinner and ate some scrambled eggs (with tomato) and rice. It's amazing what the threat of taking away a GameBoy will do :)
After lunch we went on a scavenger hunt to find a new cord for our GameCube. When we plugged the one we have in, it sparked and smoked. That was Chris' doing, not mine, lol! We went to the street that was lined with video game stores, but not one of them sold GameCube cords. It turns out that GameCubes are no longer the fashion in China. They are considered out dated. One of the stores said they'd order one for us, so hopefully that will work out.
Next we went to the foreign language bookstore. I was hoping to find "To Kill a Mockingbird" (my Tucson bookclub's read for August, which I forgot to buy before I left home.) They didn't have it so I settled on "The Joy Luck Club" instead. I almost bought this book called "Beijing Girl" about the modern Chinese Teen's life. It caught my attention because on the back it said "This book has been banned in China". Um, yeah. However, it cost $130 and the Joy Luck Club was only $68, so it was an easy choice.
Let me take this moment to explain money conversion in China. One American dollar is equal to approximately eight Chinese dollars. So, the book actually cost around $8(which, btw, is still expensive for a book here. This was a treat.) Still, I experience sticker shock every time I see $5 for a coke, or $12 for eggs. I'm getting better at making the conversion in my head, but hopefully I'll get to the point where I won't feel the need to figure up the difference. We use to cash to pay for everything, whereas in the states we used our debit card to pay for everything. It's odd to have a wallet full of $100's (the most common bill is a 100).
Last night Chris and I downloaded and watched Monk. We could hardly stay awake to watch it, even though it was only 9 pm. We are still getting over jet lag. I thought we'd be over it within a week. I wonder how much longer it will take. It was nice to watch one of our old favorites though. We're so thankful for technology. Not only can we download our favorite shows (I can't wait for LOST to start!) but we can also talk to our parents on a regular basis for free (through Skype). Or, in the case of my mom, I used Skype to call her home line and it was only 25 cents for 20 minutes. Isn't that amazing?
The weather yesterday was intensely humid in the morning, but by afternoon the humidity was gone and it was almost cool outside. One of taxi drivers told us this day marks the change in weather and we can expect it to be this lovely from now on out. I hope so. It's perfect! Also, when we were at the playground yesterday there was a kid there that spoke very good English. He talked to Zack and Petey for a while and it really made Zack happy. He kept saying "Those kids were really nice!" Unfortunately most Chinese kids are a little scared of my kids. Perhaps this is the first American kid they've seen in person, I'm not sure. But if my kids try to play with them (on the see-saw, for example) the kids will run away. It was nice to meet a friendly kid for a change. I hope we can make some friends soon. I really need to learn Chinese. Yesterday my neighbor came out and tried to talk to me. Chris wasn't around, so I just stood there helpless not having a clue what she was saying. It's frustrating. Chris keeps trying to teach me, but I can't seem to retain anything. All I know is the word for "English" which I try to use to tell people that I only speak English. Today my goal is to learn how to say "I don't speak Chinese."
Well, I think that's long enough for now :) I have some pics of the Bell Tower I'll post in a few minutes.