Our trip is definitely winding down. Our final days in Shanghai are memorable. Jim, Kimmie and I agree we could live here, IF we spoke the language. It a very modern city, and the Chinese culture is ever present.
A yummy bakery is close to our hotel with delectable treats. We wanted some ice cream, but it cost $7 US, and unanimously declined, as it contributed to global warming. How? It is Swiss ice cream, so the cost to keep it refrigerated and ship it here is enormous. We opted for outrageously yummy cookies, 10 for $1. A better and more globally conscious choice.
I have lost around 10 pounds on this trip. I don’t know why. The girls have lost about 2 pounds. May be it is the snacking I haven’t done (processed food) or the nature of so many vegetables with the meals. Walking a lot probably has something to do with it, as well as all the bargaining I have done.
Today it is 104 degrees. Very high humidity. Pollution is every present here- As we walked The Bund, (also called the Zhongshan Road, is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years) the waste and color in the river didn’t escape us. The Bund was the center of Shanghai's politics, economy and culture hundreds of years ago, consulates of most countries and many banks, businesses and newspaper offices were settled there, and that's why there are art-like buildings. Although they were not designed by the same person or built in the same period, the architectural pattern is similar. It was incredibly hot, as we walked The Bund even thought it was late morning, and we opted not to walk the entire length.
Last night we had the good fortune to meet Jeff, Amy’s fiancé. Jim was not feeling too well (he drank OJ at the hotel), and didn’t join us. Amy and Jeff took the girls and I to a Chinese Tex Mex restaurant. It was actually pretty good and reminded me how much I miss my favorite food. Amy was cute, snuggling next to Jeff. Jeff asked the girls lots of questions about their life, what their favorite food. We learned all about his work at Cox Communications and his plans for Amy to meet his family. Amy thinks she will get her VISA to the US sometime between January – March of next year. I invited them to be house guests when they come to Austin.
Our goodbyes weren’t goodbyes, but see you later, as we met a lifelong friend. She is a treasure.
This has been an incredible journey and I am so glad to have shared this with all of you. Thank you for your emails, chats, and Google Talks. We loved staying connected with all you, and have you been part of this with us. We are looking forward to getting home. We miss you and our pets. I wonder how Fritz will be when he sees me. I wonder if he thinks I will ever come home. Amy decided to get a dog today and we sold her on a poodle.
Next time you hear from me is when I either call you or see.
I love you all so much,
Karen
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy 4th of July
This is the calmest 4th we ever have spent.
Our day started late…sleep is wonderful.
The day is filled of mostly errands, a suitcase to pack our goods (we are allowed 2 suitcases each back to the states). Our bags were overweight at the Guilin airport and they charged us , so we definitely need that extra bag. Amy took us to the largest bookstore any of us has ever been- 7 floors- only 1 small section of “international books” . Kimmie resigned to 2 Agatha Christie mystery books.
My stomach is acting up…Ali and I stayed in, Jim and Kimmie to the movies. When Kimmie got back she felt a bit uneasy stomach. The common denominator may be the water. So I felt obligated to divulge the condition of the water here. Such a bummer, we have managed interior China with no problems and here we are in a metropolitan city, and we are getting stomach issues.
Early night for all of us. Each of us snuggles in bed with our books. The trip is definitely winding down.
As I write this the morning of July 5th, you guys are probably waiting for the sun to set and begin you fireworks. It reminds me how truly lucky we are living in American and how beautiful it is.
Our day started late…sleep is wonderful.
The day is filled of mostly errands, a suitcase to pack our goods (we are allowed 2 suitcases each back to the states). Our bags were overweight at the Guilin airport and they charged us , so we definitely need that extra bag. Amy took us to the largest bookstore any of us has ever been- 7 floors- only 1 small section of “international books” . Kimmie resigned to 2 Agatha Christie mystery books.
My stomach is acting up…Ali and I stayed in, Jim and Kimmie to the movies. When Kimmie got back she felt a bit uneasy stomach. The common denominator may be the water. So I felt obligated to divulge the condition of the water here. Such a bummer, we have managed interior China with no problems and here we are in a metropolitan city, and we are getting stomach issues.
Early night for all of us. Each of us snuggles in bed with our books. The trip is definitely winding down.
As I write this the morning of July 5th, you guys are probably waiting for the sun to set and begin you fireworks. It reminds me how truly lucky we are living in American and how beautiful it is.
July 3, 2008 Shanghai
We slept, relaxed, read, watched TV, and movies. Doing nothing and staying in our room never felt so good.
At 5:30pm we got a phone call… Margaret. We met the girls for dinner at the same tourist spot where it all started 2 weeks earlier, in Old Towne. We caught up on our stories. Marguerite had a wonderful bd on the Great Wall… BUT it was a cloudy day and couldn’t see a single thing. Their shopping at Hongquiao Market was everything they heard about and more. Marguerite said she thought she was a great shopper, but never in her life has she met someone that shops like Margaret. They went to the Olympic store and bought official souvenirs, visited the Forbidden City, and more shopping and site seeing.
Amy told us a new fact about her fiancé Jeff. He is American, born of a Korean mother and American father who grew up in Tyler Texas. Jeff is a graduate of computer science from UT. So when she showed up with her UT baseball cap and UT T shirt we gave her 2 weeks ago, he knew we were special guests. It was a very hard decision for Amy to accept his marriage proposal, as it will require her to move to Atlanta where Jeff’s company, Cox Communication is located. She is the only daughter and very close to her parents. Her desire is to find a job in Atlanta that will take advantage of her communication skills. I am confident she will succeed. We all became so happy to find out she will be closer as we have become very good friends in such very short time. She will have 2 wedding: traditional Chinese and one in the US.
After our dinner with M & M, Amy helped us get a cab to our hotel, while Margaret got her final shopping to find a tea pot. We had our first rude experience. As Amy climbed into a cab, some Germans slipped in the back seat. An argument began, as it took us over 15 minutes to flag a cab. The Germans refused to get out of the cab, Amy said: this is my country, get out! The German women said the F word to Jim, I opened the back door and asked them to be good tourist and get out… and Amy strongly continued to argue while Jim’s temperature began to rise. As I edged my way into the cab, they got out and said “Oh so you are going to be a good tourist and get in?” “Yes, thank you”, I replied. While verbal exchanges escalated between Jim and the Germans, Amy shoved Jim into the cab and off we went.
Jim and I agreed that Amy displayed great qualities during this exchange:
1. Firm but polite
2. Confident
3. Stood up for what she believed
4. Didn’t get push around
As Jim and I recounted the scenario in the cab to the girls and ourselves, we used Amy’s command of the situation as an excellent learning opportunity for the girls.
I have been hand washing our clothes throughout the trip, as laundry service is expensive in the hotels. Most of our clothes dry over night because they are so lightweight. I feel like the Chinese village women who we see doing laundry in the rivers and streams. The water here in Shanghai has not been as clean as the other cities. The light brown water is not a result of dirty clothes. I haven’t told my family this. If they read this blog, they’ll find out.
Ali and I had 2 internet conversations via Google Talk. One with Anna and Isaac, (we have set up 2 play dates next week) and the other with Tracey my niece. I love the internet.
At 5:30pm we got a phone call… Margaret. We met the girls for dinner at the same tourist spot where it all started 2 weeks earlier, in Old Towne. We caught up on our stories. Marguerite had a wonderful bd on the Great Wall… BUT it was a cloudy day and couldn’t see a single thing. Their shopping at Hongquiao Market was everything they heard about and more. Marguerite said she thought she was a great shopper, but never in her life has she met someone that shops like Margaret. They went to the Olympic store and bought official souvenirs, visited the Forbidden City, and more shopping and site seeing.
Amy told us a new fact about her fiancé Jeff. He is American, born of a Korean mother and American father who grew up in Tyler Texas. Jeff is a graduate of computer science from UT. So when she showed up with her UT baseball cap and UT T shirt we gave her 2 weeks ago, he knew we were special guests. It was a very hard decision for Amy to accept his marriage proposal, as it will require her to move to Atlanta where Jeff’s company, Cox Communication is located. She is the only daughter and very close to her parents. Her desire is to find a job in Atlanta that will take advantage of her communication skills. I am confident she will succeed. We all became so happy to find out she will be closer as we have become very good friends in such very short time. She will have 2 wedding: traditional Chinese and one in the US.
After our dinner with M & M, Amy helped us get a cab to our hotel, while Margaret got her final shopping to find a tea pot. We had our first rude experience. As Amy climbed into a cab, some Germans slipped in the back seat. An argument began, as it took us over 15 minutes to flag a cab. The Germans refused to get out of the cab, Amy said: this is my country, get out! The German women said the F word to Jim, I opened the back door and asked them to be good tourist and get out… and Amy strongly continued to argue while Jim’s temperature began to rise. As I edged my way into the cab, they got out and said “Oh so you are going to be a good tourist and get in?” “Yes, thank you”, I replied. While verbal exchanges escalated between Jim and the Germans, Amy shoved Jim into the cab and off we went.
Jim and I agreed that Amy displayed great qualities during this exchange:
1. Firm but polite
2. Confident
3. Stood up for what she believed
4. Didn’t get push around
As Jim and I recounted the scenario in the cab to the girls and ourselves, we used Amy’s command of the situation as an excellent learning opportunity for the girls.
I have been hand washing our clothes throughout the trip, as laundry service is expensive in the hotels. Most of our clothes dry over night because they are so lightweight. I feel like the Chinese village women who we see doing laundry in the rivers and streams. The water here in Shanghai has not been as clean as the other cities. The light brown water is not a result of dirty clothes. I haven’t told my family this. If they read this blog, they’ll find out.
Ali and I had 2 internet conversations via Google Talk. One with Anna and Isaac, (we have set up 2 play dates next week) and the other with Tracey my niece. I love the internet.
July 2, 2008 Guilin
Today is the boat ride on the Li River. There is. The boat has 2 levels, both with a/c. The top level is a deck at the front of the boat, the 2nd the back of the boat. The beauty of the landscape is difficult to put into words. When we first went on the top deck, Kimmie asked me if I didn’t know what country I was in and someone asked me to look at a picture of this scenery, what country would I pick. This stumped me. I have never seen any mountain formations like this. Completely erect mountains poking out of steep erect mountains. None of the mountains we saw had any gradual slope.
The 20 dollar Yuan bill photograph is the exact photo of the mountain formation we observed on the boat ride. Kimmie took a photo holding the bill in her hand with the background of the mountains.
The boat ride is 3 hours very relaxing. One completely forgets their worries. Although this is not a Wonder of the World I would vote that it should be.
We went on a short visit to the Elephant Trunk Hill also on the Li River, but in the center of the city. It really looks like an elephant drinking in the water. It is said that for every person there is someone in the world that looks exactly like you. This is true for the Elephant Trunk too. France holds the sister version of the Elephant Trunk. A picture is proudly displayed in the entrance of the park.
Our flight was early evening, but delayed 2 ½ hours. Since we got there 90 minutes early it was a very long wait on hard seats. The airport was noisy, kids running around loudly, screaming, laughing, playing tag. Pretty annoying. Even the girls thought so. It was difficult to escape the noise and as the acoustics lousy.
We got into Shanghai and Amy cheery greeting gave us energy. It was funny, but we all felt so good to be back in Shanghai. Amy whispered to me that she had a secret and I guessed, she and her boyfriend Jeff are engaged. I screamed with joy and she shyly hid behind me.
We got into our hotel and in bed by 2am. Tomorrow is a lazy day by design, no plans. M & M fly in the afternoon. I asked Amy to have them call me. Ali has a secret wish to see them before they leave on Friday back to the US.
The 20 dollar Yuan bill photograph is the exact photo of the mountain formation we observed on the boat ride. Kimmie took a photo holding the bill in her hand with the background of the mountains.
The boat ride is 3 hours very relaxing. One completely forgets their worries. Although this is not a Wonder of the World I would vote that it should be.
We went on a short visit to the Elephant Trunk Hill also on the Li River, but in the center of the city. It really looks like an elephant drinking in the water. It is said that for every person there is someone in the world that looks exactly like you. This is true for the Elephant Trunk too. France holds the sister version of the Elephant Trunk. A picture is proudly displayed in the entrance of the park.
Our flight was early evening, but delayed 2 ½ hours. Since we got there 90 minutes early it was a very long wait on hard seats. The airport was noisy, kids running around loudly, screaming, laughing, playing tag. Pretty annoying. Even the girls thought so. It was difficult to escape the noise and as the acoustics lousy.
We got into Shanghai and Amy cheery greeting gave us energy. It was funny, but we all felt so good to be back in Shanghai. Amy whispered to me that she had a secret and I guessed, she and her boyfriend Jeff are engaged. I screamed with joy and she shyly hid behind me.
We got into our hotel and in bed by 2am. Tomorrow is a lazy day by design, no plans. M & M fly in the afternoon. I asked Amy to have them call me. Ali has a secret wish to see them before they leave on Friday back to the US.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
July 1st Happy BD Marguerite
Angela is about 43 years old, has an 18 year old daughter applying to college, loves shopping and eating. Angela’s mother prays at the Buddha Temple daily especially to get her granddaughter in a good university. Out of all our guides she seems to have the hardest life, as her husband has a government job at a bank and doesn’t make good money. I don’t think she said this to get a good tip, I truly believe that she has a harder life. There are no tours booked after ours for her in Guilin, as the government is limiting VISA’s to tourists in August for Olympic security.
Guilin people have an unappetizing diet. Some delicacies include dog and horse meat (tastes like goat- now that really helps with determining the taste!), turtle, a local fish Osmathus’s which I tasted and isn’t good, duck soup, and ginko nuts which are good for memory.
More site seeing. The most interesting, a visit to the well preserved village of Jiangtou Village. We were able to go into 4 different homes. Kitchens stoves heated by coal, wood and if made enough money, kerosene. One home had housed 3 generations, another an 80 year old man married for 6o years. He told us the secret to his long marriage- he moved to Guilin after 10 years of marriage for 20 years to work, because no jobs in the village. My photos will show you the primitive nature of these home. The important issue though, is the people are very happy, as this is the only life they know. Most don’t ever leave the village.
The weather here is hot and humid. So humid that it is hard to breathe. We decided to go to a Silk Factory to keep the afternoon activities indoor. Guilin is famous for the crystal silk worm. Jim and I both a silk comforter, again helping the Chinese economy.
Angela said our visit wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Tea Research Institute, a government owned agency. Our Tea Master taught us the art of tea growing, processing and drinking. In order to become a Tea Master, 4 years of university education is required. We sampled 4 different types of tea:
1. Yellow
2. Oolong
3. Oasmosis
4. Compressed
5. Silver Nettle- we had to purchase this one, as it is very expensive- used to cure chronic diseases
There is one kind of tea called Dragon Well, most expensive. 20 grams sold for $20 million Yuan. The conversion rate is $6.80, you do the math.
The last part of the day was spent at a Chinese Herb Hospital. We dropped the girls off at the hotel so they could rest before dinner. Dr Huang.
Today M & M go to the Great Wall. What a way to spend a birthday!
My family is so tired. We have been on the go go go. Have decided to cut our time here in Guilin and go to Shanghai an extra day for some much needed R & R. We have done more in less time than any other vacation ever. Our brains are flooded with Chinese history. Will have 1 more day in Guilin and leave tomorrow night for Shanghai.
Guilin people have an unappetizing diet. Some delicacies include dog and horse meat (tastes like goat- now that really helps with determining the taste!), turtle, a local fish Osmathus’s which I tasted and isn’t good, duck soup, and ginko nuts which are good for memory.
More site seeing. The most interesting, a visit to the well preserved village of Jiangtou Village. We were able to go into 4 different homes. Kitchens stoves heated by coal, wood and if made enough money, kerosene. One home had housed 3 generations, another an 80 year old man married for 6o years. He told us the secret to his long marriage- he moved to Guilin after 10 years of marriage for 20 years to work, because no jobs in the village. My photos will show you the primitive nature of these home. The important issue though, is the people are very happy, as this is the only life they know. Most don’t ever leave the village.
The weather here is hot and humid. So humid that it is hard to breathe. We decided to go to a Silk Factory to keep the afternoon activities indoor. Guilin is famous for the crystal silk worm. Jim and I both a silk comforter, again helping the Chinese economy.
Angela said our visit wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Tea Research Institute, a government owned agency. Our Tea Master taught us the art of tea growing, processing and drinking. In order to become a Tea Master, 4 years of university education is required. We sampled 4 different types of tea:
1. Yellow
2. Oolong
3. Oasmosis
4. Compressed
5. Silver Nettle- we had to purchase this one, as it is very expensive- used to cure chronic diseases
There is one kind of tea called Dragon Well, most expensive. 20 grams sold for $20 million Yuan. The conversion rate is $6.80, you do the math.
The last part of the day was spent at a Chinese Herb Hospital. We dropped the girls off at the hotel so they could rest before dinner. Dr Huang.
Today M & M go to the Great Wall. What a way to spend a birthday!
My family is so tired. We have been on the go go go. Have decided to cut our time here in Guilin and go to Shanghai an extra day for some much needed R & R. We have done more in less time than any other vacation ever. Our brains are flooded with Chinese history. Will have 1 more day in Guilin and leave tomorrow night for Shanghai.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
June 30, 2008 travel day
M & M left the hotel for Beijing at 6:30 am, for an 8:30 flight. We got to sleep in and got picked up at 11:15 Guilin. As I checked through security, panic struck me. I left my computer in the hotel room. Michelle rang the hotel and to my luck, housekeeping found it (didn’t steal it). It will be transferred and waiting for me in Shanghai. This is why my blog is so behind.
Angela our guide here met in Guilin, and confirmed that my computer is being transferred. She took us to the hotel, accompanied us to dinner, at the Lucky restaurant. Jim had a massage ( a whopping $12 including tip) and went to bed.
Angela our guide here met in Guilin, and confirmed that my computer is being transferred. She took us to the hotel, accompanied us to dinner, at the Lucky restaurant. Jim had a massage ( a whopping $12 including tip) and went to bed.
June 28, 2008 Xian, Terra Cotta Warriors
Luxurious breakfast, never knew American breakfasts could taste so good. And this is from a non breakfast girl.
We visited the oldest Mosque in China, dating set up 740 AD during Tang Dynasty from the settlement of the Middle East due to the silk route. Active Hindu’s were inactive during Cultural Revolution... and s not allowed to worship. Over 10% of the population in Xian is Islamic. The Mosque is quite peaceful. Only men are allowed to worship there.
Of course there is a large shopping market. We did some power shopping as time didn’t allow leisurely shopping. Michelle got cursed by one of the shop owners as Jim negotiated for an Abacus. The shop owner saying Michelle sides with the tourists to get too low prices and not help the shop owners make a profit. Letting a tourist walk away from a deal is a exception. They would rather make the deal with little profit than not. So reluctantly the shop owner made the deal, cursing Michelle and Jim as they walked away with the purchase. Michelle says she is used to it.
We drove 90 minutes to a typical farmer’s village and visited a diary farm. This surprised me, because the Chinese typically do no consume milk, most are allergic. But here were a large herd by Chinese standards of 300 cows. Jim found his roots by feeding the calves corn.
At lunch, a mother a Chinese daughter (adopted) from Houston joined us. We ate a farmer’s lunch of fresh vegetables, dumpling soup, and a type of tortilla that you fill with meat and vegetables and my personal favorite, steam pumpkin with dates.
The area is extremely rural with unpaved roads. The farm house contrasted the cave house about 20 feet underground. pleasantly cool. An elderly woman lived there, as she dislikes the air conditioning and spends her summer in the cave house. There is no electricity, thus no refrig, lights, or toilets. The bed is a tall platform made of mud and stone, which converts to a table during meal time. This completely contrasted to a new home we visited, (the farmer’s son and new wife) 3 story house, and brand new costs about $35,000. By Chinese standards this is a luxury home, 3 levels, concrete floors, no a/c, but large. One floor completely empty, the bottom floor housed the bride and groom in one room, and parents in another. 2 new TV’s in the house, electricity, refrig, lights. According to our guide, this is the best home in the village. Jim asked Michelle if there are any arranged marriages any longer, and infactledy she said no, but when questioning the bride stated her marriage was arranged.
Without exception the people in this village have stained teeth- Dental care is expensive and not covered in any medical plan. Only medical is covered if you are employed by the government or large company. There is no concept for family coverage. Only the employee is covered and pays a type of co pay we are accustomed to. Michelle told us about a boy fell from the roof top and had a blood clot in his brain. The boy’s father, a poor farmer, drove the son to the hospital, the doctor refused treatment because the farmer did not have the money to pay for the surgery and the boy died. The mother from Houston we lunched with told us a similar story about a child in the hospital during her adoption trip to get her daughter. This is common practice. We all thought the communist party had socialized medicine. Contrary to ourbelieves, the medical system here is less available than in the US. Only the wealthy can afford medical care.
Michelle also explained the changes to be seen in the next few generations. A child urinating in the street is common practice. Men spitting in the street is common. The younger generation see this as bad manners and unhealthy practices. Not hard to disagree.
Jim and the girls decided to go to the international bookstore and Pizza Hut for dinner. Kimmie has read all of her books, and wanted something to read. Marguerite decided to finish her book and stay in the room and Margaret and I went back to the Mosque shopping marketing.
The traffic here is unbelievable. We almost got hit by a bus and a bike missed me by inches. Our hearts recovered after several minutes passed. Our Pizza Hut dinner never tasted so good. Even me, who eats everything, am getting tired of Chinese food. On the way back to the hotel, Margaret spotted an old woman in a cart that is like a taxi service.
All the girls decided to have a bon voyage party in the swimming pool. Our laughs and games became entertainment for the rest of the hotel guests at the pool. To top it off, yours truly wasn’t thinking and suggested to play Marco Polo, unanimously voted down.
Saying goodbye was hard. M & M has added spark to the trip.
We visited the oldest Mosque in China, dating set up 740 AD during Tang Dynasty from the settlement of the Middle East due to the silk route. Active Hindu’s were inactive during Cultural Revolution... and s not allowed to worship. Over 10% of the population in Xian is Islamic. The Mosque is quite peaceful. Only men are allowed to worship there.
Of course there is a large shopping market. We did some power shopping as time didn’t allow leisurely shopping. Michelle got cursed by one of the shop owners as Jim negotiated for an Abacus. The shop owner saying Michelle sides with the tourists to get too low prices and not help the shop owners make a profit. Letting a tourist walk away from a deal is a exception. They would rather make the deal with little profit than not. So reluctantly the shop owner made the deal, cursing Michelle and Jim as they walked away with the purchase. Michelle says she is used to it.
We drove 90 minutes to a typical farmer’s village and visited a diary farm. This surprised me, because the Chinese typically do no consume milk, most are allergic. But here were a large herd by Chinese standards of 300 cows. Jim found his roots by feeding the calves corn.
At lunch, a mother a Chinese daughter (adopted) from Houston joined us. We ate a farmer’s lunch of fresh vegetables, dumpling soup, and a type of tortilla that you fill with meat and vegetables and my personal favorite, steam pumpkin with dates.
The area is extremely rural with unpaved roads. The farm house contrasted the cave house about 20 feet underground. pleasantly cool. An elderly woman lived there, as she dislikes the air conditioning and spends her summer in the cave house. There is no electricity, thus no refrig, lights, or toilets. The bed is a tall platform made of mud and stone, which converts to a table during meal time. This completely contrasted to a new home we visited, (the farmer’s son and new wife) 3 story house, and brand new costs about $35,000. By Chinese standards this is a luxury home, 3 levels, concrete floors, no a/c, but large. One floor completely empty, the bottom floor housed the bride and groom in one room, and parents in another. 2 new TV’s in the house, electricity, refrig, lights. According to our guide, this is the best home in the village. Jim asked Michelle if there are any arranged marriages any longer, and infactledy she said no, but when questioning the bride stated her marriage was arranged.
Without exception the people in this village have stained teeth- Dental care is expensive and not covered in any medical plan. Only medical is covered if you are employed by the government or large company. There is no concept for family coverage. Only the employee is covered and pays a type of co pay we are accustomed to. Michelle told us about a boy fell from the roof top and had a blood clot in his brain. The boy’s father, a poor farmer, drove the son to the hospital, the doctor refused treatment because the farmer did not have the money to pay for the surgery and the boy died. The mother from Houston we lunched with told us a similar story about a child in the hospital during her adoption trip to get her daughter. This is common practice. We all thought the communist party had socialized medicine. Contrary to ourbelieves, the medical system here is less available than in the US. Only the wealthy can afford medical care.
Michelle also explained the changes to be seen in the next few generations. A child urinating in the street is common practice. Men spitting in the street is common. The younger generation see this as bad manners and unhealthy practices. Not hard to disagree.
Jim and the girls decided to go to the international bookstore and Pizza Hut for dinner. Kimmie has read all of her books, and wanted something to read. Marguerite decided to finish her book and stay in the room and Margaret and I went back to the Mosque shopping marketing.
The traffic here is unbelievable. We almost got hit by a bus and a bike missed me by inches. Our hearts recovered after several minutes passed. Our Pizza Hut dinner never tasted so good. Even me, who eats everything, am getting tired of Chinese food. On the way back to the hotel, Margaret spotted an old woman in a cart that is like a taxi service.
All the girls decided to have a bon voyage party in the swimming pool. Our laughs and games became entertainment for the rest of the hotel guests at the pool. To top it off, yours truly wasn’t thinking and suggested to play Marco Polo, unanimously voted down.
Saying goodbye was hard. M & M has added spark to the trip.
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