Friday morning we head back to the girls’ school to see Brian read to Veronica’s class. The children are delighted to see Brian who they have nicknamed “turkey” and they love teasing him. We find it interesting that when entering the school grounds, we must first have our temperature taken at the guard house. It only takes a second as they use a device that is pointed behind our ear. The peculiar part is that the week before we entered the school grounds with knives in our bags for pumpkin carving but we’re allowed to go through since our temperature is normal; go figure. Another peculiar thing is that Holli sent Hanson her driver to Papa John’s to get ice for Veronica’s teacher, and that was after we went to Star Bucks to order a Christmas tree. Things sure work differently in China.
That afternoon we head off for greatly needed massages and a haircut; afterward, we head back to the fabric market without Holli. We feel as though we’re really getting to know our way around since Holli sent us off on our own. Of course, in the back of our mind we were also thinking maybe we drove her to the limit and it was her way of getting rid of us. We made it back though after honing our skill at “negotiating” again with the vendors. We’re getting pretty good at that.
In the evening we tackle Friday evening traffic and go to the long awaited trip to the Barbie Store which is 6 floors of everything Barbie; we’ve never seen anything like this. The girls pick out a few items and then we head to the restaurant which is amazing.
On Saturday we visit Yuyuan Garden which is located in the center of the Old City and is considered one of the finest Chinese gardens in the region. Work in the garden began in the mid 1500s and took almost 20 years to complete the original garden. It was like a maze going through it and many times we thought we were done only to realize we found another area we hadn’t seen before. It was all very beautiful. We meet up with Brian and Kendall afterward and do some shopping (and negotiating) in the market area around the garden. Marianne, Brian, Kendall and Veronica spend Saturday evening trick-or-treating and attending a few Halloween parties in a neighboring development.
We spend the day on Sunday packing, playing games, relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Our time together is coming to an end and we’re all beginning to feel anxious about parting company tomorrow morning. Monday morning comes and Marianne handles herself like a champ in front of the girls. Hanson drove us to the airport and we charge him with taking care of Holli, Brian and the girls until they come back to the US. He assures us that he will certainly do that; we know that he cares for this family and that is comforting.
Once again the long trip back where we spend our time reading, watching movies and trying in vain to sleep. It was good to see Cork and Steve at the airport in Harrisburg and when we see them we realize how much we’ve missed them.
It was an amazing trip, one that we will never forget. Like we said before, China is a country of dramatic contrasts. However, now we have a greater appreciation for the people who are kind and gentle (except if they’re trying to sell you something.)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday-Thursday, October 27 - 29
Tuesday was a day of relaxation after our trip to Beijing and Xian. We walked to the girls’ school to attend chapel where Kendall had a reading. Of course, she performed flawlessly. We spent the rest of the day reading, playing games and strolling around the lake.
The next day we head to Puxi for an antique market tour. It was similar to exploring antique shops in the US but of course the items are very different. Our guide tells us that since most artifacts were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution one needs to be very knowledgeable to identify a true antique. Many of the items are old but not necessarily antiques and we are told that many items are good ‘copies’ of antiques. Holli asks our guide about an especially interesting etched tile piece and becomes quite embarrassed when the explanation of what this is used for is given. (You’ll have to ask Holli for further details.)
Thursday morning is one of our favorite experiences. We visit Fuxing Park in Puxi where we find beautiful gardens and a delightful group of people. Some people arrive with their birds in little wooden cages that are hung on posts for everyone to enjoy. This area is frequented by retirees and mothers (or aiees) and young children who participate in the many activities taking place throughout the park. We also participate and are warmly accepted by the crowd. One group was playing maracas lead by a lively gentleman. Since we don’t have maracas with us we use “air maracas” and join the group. Next we stop to watch a group dancing what looks like ballroom style. To our surprise one Chinese gentleman asks Eileen to join him. Since he is a very good leader it doesn’t take long for her to be able to follow his lead. The next group of dancers we encounter are doing a lively line dance and again Eileen and Marianne can’t resist the urge to participate. One elderly woman must have thought that Holli and Roni looked rather stressed since she proceeded to give them a shoulder massage and then did a little dance with Holli. The woman was quite friendly and charming. The day was gorgeous and we had a delightful time watching people dance, play instruments, play cards, do tai chi and simply enjoy one another’s company. We leave Fuxing Park and head to the French Concession area to view the beautiful architecture and stop in some shops. We meet Brian for lunch at the Nepali Kitchen which was delicious.
I guess Holli has had enough of us because she charges us with planning and shopping for the evening meal. She sends us off to Carrefore which is the Chinese version of a Walmart Superstore. Her last instruction was that we can’t go to the International section. We’re also in search of brown sugar that Holli has yet to be able to find. At first we weren’t sure if we were in a grocery store or pet store but then we begin to see some more familiar rows of food that weren't alive and moving. We actually find the International section and contrary to Holli’s instruction we decide to pick up what we need to make tacos. We’re also able to find brown sugar, mainly due to the fact that the actual words “brown sugar” are on the package. It was a chance find but of course we don’t tell Holli that.
The next day we head to Puxi for an antique market tour. It was similar to exploring antique shops in the US but of course the items are very different. Our guide tells us that since most artifacts were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution one needs to be very knowledgeable to identify a true antique. Many of the items are old but not necessarily antiques and we are told that many items are good ‘copies’ of antiques. Holli asks our guide about an especially interesting etched tile piece and becomes quite embarrassed when the explanation of what this is used for is given. (You’ll have to ask Holli for further details.)
Thursday morning is one of our favorite experiences. We visit Fuxing Park in Puxi where we find beautiful gardens and a delightful group of people. Some people arrive with their birds in little wooden cages that are hung on posts for everyone to enjoy. This area is frequented by retirees and mothers (or aiees) and young children who participate in the many activities taking place throughout the park. We also participate and are warmly accepted by the crowd. One group was playing maracas lead by a lively gentleman. Since we don’t have maracas with us we use “air maracas” and join the group. Next we stop to watch a group dancing what looks like ballroom style. To our surprise one Chinese gentleman asks Eileen to join him. Since he is a very good leader it doesn’t take long for her to be able to follow his lead. The next group of dancers we encounter are doing a lively line dance and again Eileen and Marianne can’t resist the urge to participate. One elderly woman must have thought that Holli and Roni looked rather stressed since she proceeded to give them a shoulder massage and then did a little dance with Holli. The woman was quite friendly and charming. The day was gorgeous and we had a delightful time watching people dance, play instruments, play cards, do tai chi and simply enjoy one another’s company. We leave Fuxing Park and head to the French Concession area to view the beautiful architecture and stop in some shops. We meet Brian for lunch at the Nepali Kitchen which was delicious.
I guess Holli has had enough of us because she charges us with planning and shopping for the evening meal. She sends us off to Carrefore which is the Chinese version of a Walmart Superstore. Her last instruction was that we can’t go to the International section. We’re also in search of brown sugar that Holli has yet to be able to find. At first we weren’t sure if we were in a grocery store or pet store but then we begin to see some more familiar rows of food that weren't alive and moving. We actually find the International section and contrary to Holli’s instruction we decide to pick up what we need to make tacos. We’re also able to find brown sugar, mainly due to the fact that the actual words “brown sugar” are on the package. It was a chance find but of course we don’t tell Holli that.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday/Monday, October 25, 26
On Sunday morning, we had a good breakfast and headed to the airport for an early afternoon flight to Xian, home of the terra cotta soldiers. We arrived in Xian late in the afternoon and, after such a hectic schedule in Beijing, we decided to spend the rest of the day relaxing by the hotel pool. Kendall and Veronica went swimming and the adults enjoyed a few cocktails. We played cards and some ping pong and had a light dinner.
The next morning after a complimentary breakfast that was beyond our expectations (Veronica even got her bacon!), we met our driver and tour guide and set off for siteseeing. The tour guide, Helen (not her Chinese name), proved to be an excellent choice. Of course, credit goes to Holli, who insisted that we get a really good one. We stopped first for a tour of Xian's city wall which was constructed in 1420 and also saw the feng shui museum. We received a brief lesson on feng shui from one of the museum tour guides. We learned that Eileen's house is in perfect harmony with the feng shui principles, water in front and mountain behind it.
The next part of our journey took us to the workshops where the local people make the replicas of the terra cotta soldiers using the same methods employed by the artisans of Emperor Qin's reign. In a separate part of the workshop, we observed the handcrafting of the Chinese lacquer furniture. We watched the artisans as they applied the lacquer, created the designs, cut the jade and mother of pearl inlays and applied the final steps to finish the product. Thirty coats of lacquer are applied and polished after each coat dries. The final pieces were beautiful. We all walked away with a tremendous appreciation of the work and artistry involved in this process.
Next stop, the Museum of the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses with our very knowledgeable guide. We start our visit by meeting one of the three farmers, Mr. Yang, who discovered the clay warriors while digging for a well. We get an autographed book about the site and have our pictures taken with him. We took a shuttle to the museum which consists of four buildings, Pit No. 1, 2 and 3 and the separate museum that holds the small bronze chariots and horses found near the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin. While we had all seen pictures of the terra-cotta warriors, they cannot compare with seeing them in full battle formation. It is truly one of the great wonders of the world. Our tour guide provides us with a running history of the site as well as an explanation of the purpose each figure served in the battle formation. We moved from the largest pit, #1, to the two smaller ones. Each of these is explained in detail. You just can't get enough of it.
After our visit, we head for the airport and our return trip to Shanghai.
The next morning after a complimentary breakfast that was beyond our expectations (Veronica even got her bacon!), we met our driver and tour guide and set off for siteseeing. The tour guide, Helen (not her Chinese name), proved to be an excellent choice. Of course, credit goes to Holli, who insisted that we get a really good one. We stopped first for a tour of Xian's city wall which was constructed in 1420 and also saw the feng shui museum. We received a brief lesson on feng shui from one of the museum tour guides. We learned that Eileen's house is in perfect harmony with the feng shui principles, water in front and mountain behind it.
The next part of our journey took us to the workshops where the local people make the replicas of the terra cotta soldiers using the same methods employed by the artisans of Emperor Qin's reign. In a separate part of the workshop, we observed the handcrafting of the Chinese lacquer furniture. We watched the artisans as they applied the lacquer, created the designs, cut the jade and mother of pearl inlays and applied the final steps to finish the product. Thirty coats of lacquer are applied and polished after each coat dries. The final pieces were beautiful. We all walked away with a tremendous appreciation of the work and artistry involved in this process.
Next stop, the Museum of the Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses with our very knowledgeable guide. We start our visit by meeting one of the three farmers, Mr. Yang, who discovered the clay warriors while digging for a well. We get an autographed book about the site and have our pictures taken with him. We took a shuttle to the museum which consists of four buildings, Pit No. 1, 2 and 3 and the separate museum that holds the small bronze chariots and horses found near the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin. While we had all seen pictures of the terra-cotta warriors, they cannot compare with seeing them in full battle formation. It is truly one of the great wonders of the world. Our tour guide provides us with a running history of the site as well as an explanation of the purpose each figure served in the battle formation. We moved from the largest pit, #1, to the two smaller ones. Each of these is explained in detail. You just can't get enough of it.
After our visit, we head for the airport and our return trip to Shanghai.
Saturday, October 24
On Saturday morning, we walked down to the Forbidden City from our hotel. On the way, a Chinese gentleman suggested that we take a different route that would go through a garden on the East entrance. We took his advice and went through a beautiful garden with winding walkways, small bridges, charming pagodas and a small lake or pond that stretched the entire length of the garden. With that prelude, we got our tickets and entered the Forbidden City, home of Chinese emperors for centuries. We made our way through the Forbidden City and the crowds, stopping to read the various descriptions of the history involved, admire the beautiful grounds and buildings, take pictures and, of course, in the case of the girls, pose for pictures. The Chinese visitors to the Forbidden City were friendly and often wanted to have their picture taken with the girls. However, after a while it became necessary to limit the picture taking so we could finish our tour. The entire morning was spent in the Forbidden City.
From there, we went to a late lunch. Holli thought that we just couldn't leave Beijing without having Peking Duck and she was right. The hotel directed us to a nearby restaurant that was known for its Peking Duck. The food was fantastic. In fact, both girls had several helpings of the Peking Duck (okay, everyone sit down for this one - Kendall actually tasted duck brain). When we left the restaurant, it took a little while to hail two cabs for our trip to the Temple of Heaven. Our experience with the Beijing cab drivers was completely different from our experiences in Shanghai. Surly and uncooperative probably describe most of the Beijing cab drivers that we encountered.
Our time at the Temple of Heaven was limited. We had to make it back to the hotel to eat dinner and go to the Chinese Acrobat show. Brian had a plan to go right to the Temple and work our way back to the gate so that we got to see the most important sites first. Of course, none of us heard the plan and every time we stopped on the way to the Temple at the far end of the site, Brian would hurry us along. We were starting to suspect that we were in the Chevy Chase movie, Vacation. Stop, smile, take a picture and move on. Eventually, Brian patiently explained the plan and we fell into step. The plan worked and we were able to spend enough time at the Temple of Heaven to appreciate its beauty.
After working hard to get cabs, again, we made it to the hotel for happy hour and dinner. Next stop the Chinese Acrobats. Fortunately, the hotel staff hailed us our cabs and directed the cab drivers, which saved us the unpleasant experience of dealing with them.
The show was great. The girls really loved it. One of their favorites parts was the approximately fourteen people riding on a single bicycle in pyramid formation. It was impressive and was a good end to the evening. Of course, our next challenge was to get back to the hotel. The first cab driver said "No" and pulled away. The next time, Brian opened the door, showed him the address and as the driver was saying "No", he shoved Roni into the front seat and threw the kids and Nana in the back seat. He left the driver with no option but to take us to the hotel. He took the same tactic with the next cab and threw in another passenger going to the same hotel for good measure. We were so proud of him.
It was a long day filled with a great deal of siteseeing and new experiences for everyone.
From there, we went to a late lunch. Holli thought that we just couldn't leave Beijing without having Peking Duck and she was right. The hotel directed us to a nearby restaurant that was known for its Peking Duck. The food was fantastic. In fact, both girls had several helpings of the Peking Duck (okay, everyone sit down for this one - Kendall actually tasted duck brain). When we left the restaurant, it took a little while to hail two cabs for our trip to the Temple of Heaven. Our experience with the Beijing cab drivers was completely different from our experiences in Shanghai. Surly and uncooperative probably describe most of the Beijing cab drivers that we encountered.
Our time at the Temple of Heaven was limited. We had to make it back to the hotel to eat dinner and go to the Chinese Acrobat show. Brian had a plan to go right to the Temple and work our way back to the gate so that we got to see the most important sites first. Of course, none of us heard the plan and every time we stopped on the way to the Temple at the far end of the site, Brian would hurry us along. We were starting to suspect that we were in the Chevy Chase movie, Vacation. Stop, smile, take a picture and move on. Eventually, Brian patiently explained the plan and we fell into step. The plan worked and we were able to spend enough time at the Temple of Heaven to appreciate its beauty.
After working hard to get cabs, again, we made it to the hotel for happy hour and dinner. Next stop the Chinese Acrobats. Fortunately, the hotel staff hailed us our cabs and directed the cab drivers, which saved us the unpleasant experience of dealing with them.
The show was great. The girls really loved it. One of their favorites parts was the approximately fourteen people riding on a single bicycle in pyramid formation. It was impressive and was a good end to the evening. Of course, our next challenge was to get back to the hotel. The first cab driver said "No" and pulled away. The next time, Brian opened the door, showed him the address and as the driver was saying "No", he shoved Roni into the front seat and threw the kids and Nana in the back seat. He left the driver with no option but to take us to the hotel. He took the same tactic with the next cab and threw in another passenger going to the same hotel for good measure. We were so proud of him.
It was a long day filled with a great deal of siteseeing and new experiences for everyone.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday/Friday, October 22, 23
On Thursday we flew to Beijing. The flight went well and we went outside to get a taxi to get us to the hotel. That was the beginning of our Beijing adventures. As Brian and Holli were showing the driver the name and address of the hotel, the taxi driver stated that he could not see that well. The response from Holli was, "Our driver can't see well; ok, everybody in the van." Well, we made it and we settled into our hotel suite. That evening we walked the short distance from our hotel to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. At the Square, we watched the fountain displays and large screens that showed scenes from a recent celebration.
The next day we were off to the Great Wall with our Chinese tour guide, Peter. It's about an hour ride to the Great Wall and we stopped first for lunch at a local restaurant for some regional Chinese cuisine. It was outstanding. After lunch, we headed for the Badaling section of the Great Wall. In the interest of time and preserving energy so as to be able to actually climb/walk the Wall, we took a cable car up the mountain. The view was magnificent on the trip up but it could not compare with what we saw when we actually climbed onto the Great Wall. We climbed and walked up steep ridges for at least two miles along the top of the Wall. Every time you climbed a different part, you thought it just couldn't get any more beautiful or magnificent but you were wrong. It is beyond description, the history, the beauty of the surroundings, the architecture - all of it. Awe inspiring just doesn't describe it well enough.
Of course, it wasn't all about history. Along the way, local people were selling refreshments, including beer. It proved to be too much of a temptation to resist raising a toast on the Great Wall for a few of our members and we imbibed. Yes, it was worth it. However, no one had to be carried off the Wall. Instead, the very brave (?) opted to forgo the cable car ride back down the mountain and took the two mile toboggan ride. Two senior members of our entourage who shall remain nameless (initials EG and MS) had to be warned by the officials to slow down as they flew past the officials yelling "woo-hoo".
At last, thinking that our adventure was over, it was time to leave. We started the trek back to Beijing in our tour van. We almost made it. We got to Beijing and through a toll booth when a few of us noticed that the van wasn't quite making the appropriate noises. Of course, we were in the far left lane in rush hour traffic when the van just plain died. In true Chinese fashion, everyone just kept moving around us until finally one good samaritan stopped in his car that was about the size of a Smart Car. After repeated attempts to restart the van, it became obvious that we would not get going again. At that point, our good samaritan pulls something from out of his car which we assumed were jumper cables. Holli just laughed and said, "Oh no, they don't have jumper cables here. I know what this is; I've seen this before." To our utter amazement and entertainment, out comes the rope which he proceeded to tie to the front of the 12 passenger van. As we are laughing, he begins to tow us across five car lanes and two bike lanes of bumper to bumper traffic - up a hill.
Did we panic? Heck no. However, Holli was a bit stressed at the possibility of missing our free happy hour at the hotel and became our "clock watcher".
Crisis averted - right? No way. Now the problem of bathroom needs reared its ugly face. It was a foot race to the nearest hotel lobby restroom. The ending will remain a mystery to all of you.
Finally, a new van arrives, picks us up at the hotel lobby and we are off to our hotel. To the girls credit, they did not keep saying "when are we going to get there?"
Yes, we made it in time for happy hour.
The next day we were off to the Great Wall with our Chinese tour guide, Peter. It's about an hour ride to the Great Wall and we stopped first for lunch at a local restaurant for some regional Chinese cuisine. It was outstanding. After lunch, we headed for the Badaling section of the Great Wall. In the interest of time and preserving energy so as to be able to actually climb/walk the Wall, we took a cable car up the mountain. The view was magnificent on the trip up but it could not compare with what we saw when we actually climbed onto the Great Wall. We climbed and walked up steep ridges for at least two miles along the top of the Wall. Every time you climbed a different part, you thought it just couldn't get any more beautiful or magnificent but you were wrong. It is beyond description, the history, the beauty of the surroundings, the architecture - all of it. Awe inspiring just doesn't describe it well enough.
Of course, it wasn't all about history. Along the way, local people were selling refreshments, including beer. It proved to be too much of a temptation to resist raising a toast on the Great Wall for a few of our members and we imbibed. Yes, it was worth it. However, no one had to be carried off the Wall. Instead, the very brave (?) opted to forgo the cable car ride back down the mountain and took the two mile toboggan ride. Two senior members of our entourage who shall remain nameless (initials EG and MS) had to be warned by the officials to slow down as they flew past the officials yelling "woo-hoo".
At last, thinking that our adventure was over, it was time to leave. We started the trek back to Beijing in our tour van. We almost made it. We got to Beijing and through a toll booth when a few of us noticed that the van wasn't quite making the appropriate noises. Of course, we were in the far left lane in rush hour traffic when the van just plain died. In true Chinese fashion, everyone just kept moving around us until finally one good samaritan stopped in his car that was about the size of a Smart Car. After repeated attempts to restart the van, it became obvious that we would not get going again. At that point, our good samaritan pulls something from out of his car which we assumed were jumper cables. Holli just laughed and said, "Oh no, they don't have jumper cables here. I know what this is; I've seen this before." To our utter amazement and entertainment, out comes the rope which he proceeded to tie to the front of the 12 passenger van. As we are laughing, he begins to tow us across five car lanes and two bike lanes of bumper to bumper traffic - up a hill.
Did we panic? Heck no. However, Holli was a bit stressed at the possibility of missing our free happy hour at the hotel and became our "clock watcher".
Crisis averted - right? No way. Now the problem of bathroom needs reared its ugly face. It was a foot race to the nearest hotel lobby restroom. The ending will remain a mystery to all of you.
Finally, a new van arrives, picks us up at the hotel lobby and we are off to our hotel. To the girls credit, they did not keep saying "when are we going to get there?"
Yes, we made it in time for happy hour.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, October 21
Today we venture out to the fabric market. It is our second lesson in advanced retail negotiation. Holli gives us detailed instructions before we enter the market and serves as our mentor throughout the process. The three grasshoppers are ready now; we make several purchases at substantial reductions in price. Kendall and Veronica picked a Taiwanese restaurant for dinner. We find that in China dinners served in restaurants do not follow any specific order of service. Soup, appetizers, rice, main dishes, dinner plates and utensils come at various times throughout the meal.
Here are some rules of the road that we have learned:
Here are some rules of the road that we have learned:
- Traffic lines and lights are just suggestions. We've had taxi drivers that got tired of waiting for a light to change so just proceeded around the cars ahead and went through the light. Lines are painted on the road but no one seems to pay them any mind. What looks like 4 lanes of traffic to us actually holds 5 to 6 cars across, plus scooters and bikes.
- Horns never indicate anger or impatience. They are used to warn that you could be run into (for cars) or over (for bikes and people) if you don't stay out of the way.
- Cutting in is how you move from lane to lane which is how you navigate traffic. The proper way to cut into another lane is to get your fender in front of another car and then you're in.
- Green walk lights don't really mean that the pedestrian has the right of way. Cars and scooters have the right of way. The green walk light means proceed with caution and hurry; your life depends on it.
No one seems to get angry with the constant cutting in and what seems like chaos to us. Amazingly, with the above rules and the huge volume of vehicles we see very few accidents and very few battered and dented cars. There is no road rage.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 19
Well, it's Monday and the girls are back to school accompanied by Mom, Nana and Aunt Eileen. They brought cupcakes for Kendall's birthday celebration at school and pumpkins for carving for Veronica's class. Most of the morning was devoted to "assisting" with all of the actvity. Meanwhile, Aunt Roni spent a large part of her morning at a doctor's appointment that she was able to arrange earlier that morning. The doctor, staff, facilities and treatment rated an A+. Amazingly, the cost of the numerous prescriptions were about one third the cost of the doctor's visit. After the appointment, it was off to an excellent lunch at Julie's, a nice little deli/pizza restaurant.
The afternoon provided a real treat with a visit to the "Fake Market", which sells all kinds of copycat products. Here, we got our first lesson from an experienced bargainer. She may not have understood all that was being said but her "look" told them - go lower in price. The alternative method was to snatch the calculator and give them the "number" that would cut the deal. William Shatner couldn't hold a candle to our Holli as a "price negotiator"! Little did we know that we had just received a small glimpse of her incredible skills. The next move was to the Pearl Market and, once again, the master had us in awe.
The first experience in shopping was exhausting. Of course, part of that was due to the heat. The building was warm but so were the people. A lot of fun was had by all. A successful day for both sales people and shoppers.
That evening, the first homemade Chinese meal was prepared by the Aiee. It was definitely worth the wait.
The afternoon provided a real treat with a visit to the "Fake Market", which sells all kinds of copycat products. Here, we got our first lesson from an experienced bargainer. She may not have understood all that was being said but her "look" told them - go lower in price. The alternative method was to snatch the calculator and give them the "number" that would cut the deal. William Shatner couldn't hold a candle to our Holli as a "price negotiator"! Little did we know that we had just received a small glimpse of her incredible skills. The next move was to the Pearl Market and, once again, the master had us in awe.
The first experience in shopping was exhausting. Of course, part of that was due to the heat. The building was warm but so were the people. A lot of fun was had by all. A successful day for both sales people and shoppers.
That evening, the first homemade Chinese meal was prepared by the Aiee. It was definitely worth the wait.
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