Purple Mountain Aquarium

[lizzybennet]

We did a lot of running around today. For the most part, the boys did really good. First, all the boys (Chris included) got haircuts. We tried to find a place that had been recommended to us, but just ended up going to some random place we stumbled upon. The guys were all very nice and seemed tickled to be cutting the kids' hair. There is a very hip type of young adult scene here in China. All these stylists had their hair uber styled in long sweeping bangs or moussed up spikes. They wear earings and acid washed jeans. Very hip :) and very nice. I accidentally knocked a pair of clippers off the counter and broke them (very embarressing). I had Chris talk to him and offer to pay for it, even insist to pay for it and the guy refused. Hair cuts for all 4 of them, plus a wash for Chris was only $6. Isn't that crazy?

Next we drove up to Purple Mountain to check out the aquarium. It was so fun! We took lots (I stress lots!) of pics which I will put behind the cut. The boys really enjoyed themselves.

Our last stop was Carrafell, which is a French grocery store. I liked it much better than WalMart. It's less crowded and has a greater variety of "foreign" products (such as healthy breakfast cereal.) Dinner tonight was cooked by Mariannette. She made spagetti and meatballs, which the kids also loved.





Here we are in the underwater tunnel. You can almost make out the huge sting ray that was swimming by my head as Chris snapped the photo.


This place was filled with exotic fish that I had never seen before. It was a really neat experience for me, even as a grown up, to see all these new animals.


I know this isn't a great pic of anyone, but look how huge that fish is!! There were several in the tank. They looked so ancient.


This is the actual LARGEST sting ray ever caught in China. Isn't it gi-normous!?


See that ice cream cone in Connors hand? This is our family favorite and I must admit that we all have about one a day. Yeah, I'm not losing weight in China unless I make a concious effort at it. As a matter of fact, I'd say I could easily gain weight here because there is sugar in everything. And no calorie listings...


You may have to look at this photo for a moment or two to figure out what's going on. Against the tank, you see a Chinese woman and child posing for a photo. Sitting on the woman's lap is Connor. Yes, she is posing for a picture with Connor. Chris is holding his hands up telling Connor to say "cheese", while the woman next to him snaps the photo.

And now for some random photos:


Available at your local WalMart seafood department: soft shell turtle. Used to make a special soup to treat illness.


Also at Walmart, Eels.


Of course, if your in the mood for bullfrog, Walmart carries that too.


Or, perhaps you don't want any seafood and would just prefer split pea bread, instead.


No? Then a nice refreshing Pea Popsicle?


Both Walmart and Carrafell are multi-storied. In order to get from one story to the next, we use these escalator ramps. They are magnetic, so the shopping cart locks into place while you ride up or down. I'm sure I don't need to point out that the boys LOVE these ramps.


Look as this library! Drool.....


I don't know why this car has roses all over it, but I thought it was pretty.


Can anyone guess why I snapped this photo? First one to guess wins the prize!

Comments

[texastea.livejournal.com]

Yea. What W. said. 'Splain, Lucy.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

It's not the license plate, it's the silver symbol above it. Am I mistaken or is that the Star Trek symbol?