And we're back!
Nov. 5th, 2006 10:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizzybennetOk, we got back from our Shanghai trip this afternoon. Wow, what a long and hard week! We are all utterly exhausted. I think we tried to do way too much and didn't take nearly enough down time.
On Wednesday we went to the Shanghai aquarium. That was a great hit with the kids. This was mainly a "kid" vacation, btw. After lunch, we went to the insect and reptile museum. While the aquarium was beautiful and very well maintained, the insect museum was quite the opposite. For example, the praying mantis had a sign on his cage marking it as "special". We all crowded around to see it and what did we find? A dead praying mantis being eaten by ants! The whole place pretty much gave me the heebeegeebees, but the kids liked it. For the evening, we walked around the shopping district. The next day we hit the science museum and an arcade. The science museum was awesome, but unfortunately we arrived late in the afternoon and weren't able to see much of it. After the museum, we rode the subway back to the Super Grand Mall (so huge!) to meet up with our friends for dinner at a Thai restaurant. This restaurant was so happening! They had live music and the employees danced a lot. They had our kids join in and they just jumped right in and started dancing. It was so cool. We finally headed home after being out and constantly busy for over 12 hours. Well, wouldn't you know it, Connor puked all over me on the cab ride home. I felt so bad for him, like I had just pushed him way to hard and hadn't let him rest like a 2 year old needs to. The worst part of it was that I had only taken one bra on the trip and now it was soaked with throw-up juice. I was able to keep all the puke on me and Connor and not get any in the cab (Chinese taxi drivers are quite fanatical about keeping their taxis clean. We've had them yell at the kids numerous times about not stepping on the seats). Finally we got back to the hotel and Connor and I were able to get cleaned up.
We went the next day and bought me a new bra. I'll have to post a picture of this thing, it's so...unique. It's yellow, and has so much shape and support that it could stand up with no help from me at all. I was just glad that we could actually find a bra in my size here! Oh, also, I had to be measured for it, since I had no idea how Chinese bras are measured. The saleslady followed me into the dressing room and helped me try the bra on. That was weird. I'm sure she thought so too, since I had no bra on :) After we paid for it, I went back into the dressing room and put it on right away. I'm sure she wondered what in the world was going on, but I suppose that's the beauty of being foreigners. We don't need to explain ourselves because they expect us to be wacko's anyway.
After the bra problem was solved, we went back to the hotel to check out, but we still had a few hours to kill before our train left. We went to a near by park to wander around and just have some outside time. I love going the park in China. There are always so many interesting things to see. Women doing tai chi, men playing cards or Chinese Chess, couples cuddling on park benches, grandparents watching their cutie grandkids. This park was quite large and had so much going on. I was approached by an older gentlemen who turned out to speak excellent English. He was missing most of his teeth except his bottom two middle teeth, and I found it very hard not to stare at them while he spoke. He had a lot to say about the communist government, and none of it was good. He said that although China acts friendly to America, the truth of the matter is that China regards America as its number one enemy. When Chris introduced himself to the man, and asked the man what his name was, he said "I prefer not to give it, the communist are always looking to find me." I wanted to take a picture of him, but I figured with his level of paranoia, I'd better not. He spoke to us for quite a while which I really liked because I rarely get to have long conversations with Chinese people. One of my greatest pleasures in life is meeting and getting to know new people and I feel deprived of that here because I can't speak the language.
After we finished chatting with him, we found a corner of the park that had rides for kids. The whole family rode on bumper cars and that was great fun. Petey couldn't really figure out how to work his and he just spun in circles for most of the time. He loved it anyway.
We caught the afternoon train to Hangzhou. This is a city famous for it's beautiful lake. We stayed at the Holiday Inn. This is the first time we've stayed in an American hotel since we've been in China. Wow, what a difference. I'd forgotten. It was heavenly. The beds were way softer, the bathroom way cleaner and the breakfast was wonderful. The lake was quite beautiful and we went out on it in a row boat. Unfortunately our visit to Hangzhou was not very organized and we didn't see as much as we'd have liked to. Plus, by this time after 5 days of traveling the kids were just so very tired. They'd had it and were not interested in anything anymore. We spent the afternoon lounging in the hotel room. That evening we tried to go clothes shopping because all our clothes were dirty. I didn't pack enough because I thought we'd be home sooner than we were. Of course, I couldn't find anything to fit myself, but we did find outfits for all the boys and a shirt for Chris. I ended up washing my undies in the bathtub and wearing the same clothes two days in a row.
We rode the train for 5 hours today. As you can imagine we are so super glad to be home. And it really feels like home. As soon as we arrived in Nanjing, I realized that I considered it home. It was a bit of an oddly comforting feeling. As for pictures, we used the "real" camera, so I don't have any digitals to post. However, when I get the film developed I'll have CDs made so I can post pics then.
I'm reading "Dr. Zhivago" for my Russian class. Wow, Boris Pasternak is an amazingly talented writer. Mom, you have got to read this book. I'll bring it to you at Christmas. I will admit though, if I'd tried to read it without knowing anything about Russian history, I'd be lost in the sauce. Don't worry Mom, I'll fill you in on the details :)
On Wednesday we went to the Shanghai aquarium. That was a great hit with the kids. This was mainly a "kid" vacation, btw. After lunch, we went to the insect and reptile museum. While the aquarium was beautiful and very well maintained, the insect museum was quite the opposite. For example, the praying mantis had a sign on his cage marking it as "special". We all crowded around to see it and what did we find? A dead praying mantis being eaten by ants! The whole place pretty much gave me the heebeegeebees, but the kids liked it. For the evening, we walked around the shopping district. The next day we hit the science museum and an arcade. The science museum was awesome, but unfortunately we arrived late in the afternoon and weren't able to see much of it. After the museum, we rode the subway back to the Super Grand Mall (so huge!) to meet up with our friends for dinner at a Thai restaurant. This restaurant was so happening! They had live music and the employees danced a lot. They had our kids join in and they just jumped right in and started dancing. It was so cool. We finally headed home after being out and constantly busy for over 12 hours. Well, wouldn't you know it, Connor puked all over me on the cab ride home. I felt so bad for him, like I had just pushed him way to hard and hadn't let him rest like a 2 year old needs to. The worst part of it was that I had only taken one bra on the trip and now it was soaked with throw-up juice. I was able to keep all the puke on me and Connor and not get any in the cab (Chinese taxi drivers are quite fanatical about keeping their taxis clean. We've had them yell at the kids numerous times about not stepping on the seats). Finally we got back to the hotel and Connor and I were able to get cleaned up.
We went the next day and bought me a new bra. I'll have to post a picture of this thing, it's so...unique. It's yellow, and has so much shape and support that it could stand up with no help from me at all. I was just glad that we could actually find a bra in my size here! Oh, also, I had to be measured for it, since I had no idea how Chinese bras are measured. The saleslady followed me into the dressing room and helped me try the bra on. That was weird. I'm sure she thought so too, since I had no bra on :) After we paid for it, I went back into the dressing room and put it on right away. I'm sure she wondered what in the world was going on, but I suppose that's the beauty of being foreigners. We don't need to explain ourselves because they expect us to be wacko's anyway.
After the bra problem was solved, we went back to the hotel to check out, but we still had a few hours to kill before our train left. We went to a near by park to wander around and just have some outside time. I love going the park in China. There are always so many interesting things to see. Women doing tai chi, men playing cards or Chinese Chess, couples cuddling on park benches, grandparents watching their cutie grandkids. This park was quite large and had so much going on. I was approached by an older gentlemen who turned out to speak excellent English. He was missing most of his teeth except his bottom two middle teeth, and I found it very hard not to stare at them while he spoke. He had a lot to say about the communist government, and none of it was good. He said that although China acts friendly to America, the truth of the matter is that China regards America as its number one enemy. When Chris introduced himself to the man, and asked the man what his name was, he said "I prefer not to give it, the communist are always looking to find me." I wanted to take a picture of him, but I figured with his level of paranoia, I'd better not. He spoke to us for quite a while which I really liked because I rarely get to have long conversations with Chinese people. One of my greatest pleasures in life is meeting and getting to know new people and I feel deprived of that here because I can't speak the language.
After we finished chatting with him, we found a corner of the park that had rides for kids. The whole family rode on bumper cars and that was great fun. Petey couldn't really figure out how to work his and he just spun in circles for most of the time. He loved it anyway.
We caught the afternoon train to Hangzhou. This is a city famous for it's beautiful lake. We stayed at the Holiday Inn. This is the first time we've stayed in an American hotel since we've been in China. Wow, what a difference. I'd forgotten. It was heavenly. The beds were way softer, the bathroom way cleaner and the breakfast was wonderful. The lake was quite beautiful and we went out on it in a row boat. Unfortunately our visit to Hangzhou was not very organized and we didn't see as much as we'd have liked to. Plus, by this time after 5 days of traveling the kids were just so very tired. They'd had it and were not interested in anything anymore. We spent the afternoon lounging in the hotel room. That evening we tried to go clothes shopping because all our clothes were dirty. I didn't pack enough because I thought we'd be home sooner than we were. Of course, I couldn't find anything to fit myself, but we did find outfits for all the boys and a shirt for Chris. I ended up washing my undies in the bathtub and wearing the same clothes two days in a row.
We rode the train for 5 hours today. As you can imagine we are so super glad to be home. And it really feels like home. As soon as we arrived in Nanjing, I realized that I considered it home. It was a bit of an oddly comforting feeling. As for pictures, we used the "real" camera, so I don't have any digitals to post. However, when I get the film developed I'll have CDs made so I can post pics then.
I'm reading "Dr. Zhivago" for my Russian class. Wow, Boris Pasternak is an amazingly talented writer. Mom, you have got to read this book. I'll bring it to you at Christmas. I will admit though, if I'd tried to read it without knowing anything about Russian history, I'd be lost in the sauce. Don't worry Mom, I'll fill you in on the details :)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-11-05 03:25 pm (UTC)The bra thing - I am trying to find somewhere that I can get a professional fit and get the right bra. I'd pay a small fortune for exactly the right bra, but have not been successful in googling a decent place for fitting anywhere around here. I think I remember one being somewhere in Altamonte Springs. I have a project that I oversee near there, so maybe I can find the place. 'Til then, call me 'Flopsy.'
no subject
Date: 2006-11-05 11:15 pm (UTC)Good luck on your bra hunt, Flopsy :)
no subject
Date: 2006-11-06 04:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-06 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-06 04:03 pm (UTC)