Shanghai, Day 3

After a few rousing games of ping pong with the boys...

...we were off to Zhou Zhuang, an ancient water village which is about 90 minutes outside of Shanghai. (That doesn't mean we got there in 90 minutes with all the traffic on Saturday!) If that name doesn't sound familiar--try this: This is where the last part of Mission Impossible Three was filmed when Tom Cruise runs down the little streets of ancient shops and houses with all the canals crisscrossing like Venice! It was absolutely the most interesting little village, and we had a fantastic day.

It began with about 15 Chinese men waiting for us to pay to get past the gate. We wondered why, and then discovered they wanted us to ride in bicycle carriages for a "great price"! However, at the end of the day, we all felt taken because they jacked up the price about 10 times what they said they were going to have us pay, and many times WE had to help them up the hills! Oh well, I guess for most of the day and for about $24 for each bicycle pedaler, that wasn't so bad. It's just that compared to everything else that involves labor, I think they saw a bunch of Americans coming and got really excited!

It was quite a distance into the city through little farming areas and a huge waterwheel. We toured one of the wealthiest men of China's home who lived centuries ago. It wasn't much by today's standards, but it was very interesting. We finally got to the city where the canals were and boarded a boat with a little woman who paddled the boat with one huge paddle. She kept wanting to sing to us. She actually had a pretty good voice and she sang ancient Chinese songs to us. Finally, as we were about at the end of the tour, we realized why she kept asking us in Chinese (thank goodness Alison could understand her) if we liked her singing. Alison had kept telling her we loved it. Then we finally realized that was the way she got her tip. We couldn't wait until the end of the boat trip, or her boss would probably have gotten it. So, of course, we obliged and paid her right then.

She let Parker steer the boat and he did a great job. However, when George tried it, he rocked the boat and the reason you don't see the little lady in his picture is because she nearly fell in the canal! She let out a little yell, but finally got things back in order. The water police was yelling something at us, she nearly lost her job over the incident, and another canoe almost hit us, but we didn't understand a thing and we all had a giant laugh over the whole incident.

Walking through the streets really felt like Venice, too. The streets were so narrow with little shops on both sides. You could see the ladies doing their embroidering, painting the inside of glass containers (inside and upside down sometimes. How do they do that?), women stringing pearls, men making items of wood, women pulling silk and spinning, and little restaurants everywhere! The smells were horrendous! I took a picture of their delicacy--we couldn't figure out what it was. Well, it was barbecued pigs' hooves! Thank goodness, we had made sandwiches and rented a little table by the river to have our own picnic. Alison wasn't sure we could trust the food there, so we opted for that. You should have seen the Chinese people talking about us and some even coming up to see what we were eating. I guess they had never seen a sandwich before!

One of the most touching incidents was when a little women came up to George to sell him some postcards. They were 10 whatevers which amounted to about $1.25. George gave her 20 and she started trying to get out her change. She was quite crippled over with only three teeth in her whole mouth. She was so sweet and friendly. When George told her to keep the change by nodding "no" when she tried to give him the money, you would have thought he gave her a hundred dollar bill. She just grabbed his hand and smiled and smiled. The pictures really are special for that occasion.

After a stop at the factory that makes suits to fit Parker in his new Sunday suit and get one made for Tyson, we got home.

Alison's housekeeper had the baby all bathed, fed, and ready for bed, plus our dinner was all made, the house was immaculate, and our laundry was all washed and folded on our beds. Can we all bring one home? These people are amazing! Such hardworkers and John and Alison probably pay her more than most do for all this--$300 a month for six days a week!

Well, that's another wrap-up. Hope all of you are doing well. Please e-mail us and let us know how everyone is. We miss all of you and wish you all could be here.

Shanghai, Day 2

Wow! What a busy day today. We had such a fascinating day--we had so many new experiences that I will try to relate in word and pictures. We started out by going to the Buddhist temple.

They must have been having some special ceremonies there because there were so many monks, beautiful flowers, lots of people, and all kinds of action.

They were giving free incense sticks, so everyone had a good time lighting them.

The monks were singing and playing small instruments inside one of the parts of the temple.

Each of the buildings had a Budda for a special reason--such as protection, for the dead, for fertility, etc.

All of the buildings have about a foot high threshhold which you are to cross over we found out. Alison stopped and just put her foot on one since there were quite a few people inside. She was motioned to not just put her foot there, but to cross over and go in. We don't quite know the significance, but we want to find out.

There was one place that a whole group of elderly Chinese people had beads that they were sitting there moving around in their hands--again, I don't quite know the significance. But it was all very interesting.


We then went to a silk factory. Dad was in his heyday as he talked to all the little Chinese girls that were boiling the silk worms and starting the process of unraveling the thread onto spools.

We then watched Dad as he helped the girls pull out the silk after they had dried it and make it into batting for quilts and comforters.

Finally, we went into the show room where they had so many beautiful items for sale, including all kinds of pajamas and clothing--all made of silk. They also had a fashion show with beautiful Chinese girls showing many of the things they made there.

We went to the children's factory outlet which again was a huge warehouse with lots of little cubicles where they sold tons of children's items. They didn't chase us around like they did the day before where they sold adult clothing. We travelled then--I do mean travelled--everything is like an hour apart in this huge city of 24 million people! There Dad had three suits and a sports coat made for about $80 American money apiece for the suits! All hand tailored and made in three days by little Chinese people who stay up all night sewing. They do this day in and day out. It is just amazing!


Finally, we attended the most fantastic, entertaining show I have seen in a long time. John and Alison treated us to the Shanghai Acrobatic show.

These people don't seem to have a bone in their bodies the way they can balance and bend.

Also, they had a huge iron ball, but instead of the regular one or two motorcyclists inside, they had eight! It was so dangerous and they were all so close together, I was almost sick when they got done! But they had no fear! We took pictures of some of them afterward.

Well, that is a wrap-up for the day. John's sister Carrie and her husband are also here. We are having a great time with them, too. You may see them in some of the pictures. They are from Salt Lake City. It is 11:15 at night, and we are all dead tired!

Shanghai, Day 1

Well, after an hour to Atlanta, then an hour and a half wait, then nearly 15 hours from Atlanta to Korea, and then a 4 and a half hour wait, and finally a 2 hour trip from Korea to Shanghai, and circling the Shanghai airport for nearly half an hour--we are finally here!You can see how tired George was while finding anything that looked remotely comfortable to curl up on.
Since we have been here, George has bonded with little Preston and Roscoe, the dog.

I think Mike has taken a liking to him, too. (Mike is the driver!) He had ice cream and a Diet Coke waiting for him when we got into the airport. Somebody must have put the bug in his ear about Dad's favorites!
Today, we went shopping at the markets where we were continually surrounded by so many Chinese we could hardly make it through. It is like a whole city block of little tiny shops inside a huge warehouse which was freezing. I don't see how those people can stay inside in that temperature all day long! We got every name brand in the world there--since everything is made in China anyway. You all would go crazy shopping here. It is like a dream come true if you can just learn the bartering method. George and I just stood in awe as Alison was bartering away in her excellent Chinese! One of the Chinese girls said, "She is very clever!" as Alison got everything far better than any of us could imagine. George said she could even put him to shame, and I thought he was the best!
Tonight, John and Alison took us to a restaurant in downtown Shanghai right on the river. The skyline of Shanghai with all the lighted boats going in front of us as we continually ate and ate, was amazing! It reminded me when we were on the Seine River in France for my birthday which all of you planned! Since we don't drink, you had to spend so much money to be in this special private room on the river, so we had to keep ordering food. Finally, we were asking for take-out boxes to bring home to John and Alison's housekeeper. We knew she would love it!
We are having a great time. But we truly said our prayers tonight, thanking Heavenly Father for our safety today. Seriously, the traffic and weaving in and out is going to actually finally make Dad's hair go gray! It is absolutely absurd the way they navigate here! We love you all!