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30.10.11

Excitement

Last week we went on a little field trip with the Wirgaus (little might be an understatement.) We went to a place called Shantong Street to go on a boat tour through a canal. Exciting! Especially with the Wirgaus.

First of all we shopped... chicken feet keychains, glass goat bracelets and elaborate masks were such things bought that day.

We got on a small boat that had about 25 seats and back and front platforms, (quote from Beth after we were arguing over sitting next to the Wirgau girls "I'm going in the back, are you guys kidding me!!") Most of the time we were on the back or the front looking around and taking pictures and then we went sort of crazy. Crazy fun that is.
When another boat would pass we would try to get them to pump their fists, so us five girls and two boys were pumping theirs fists and yelling. We got a bunch of people excited.
Then we got to a place where we went under a bridge and there were people lining the whole entire bridge and more people on the side of it and someone on another boat asked us, "where are you from?" and we started yelling "America" and then I said "Long live the King!!!" (Yes I'm weird!) And everybody was kinda waving and we were all laughing and... yeah it was crazy.
Right when we got off the boat, three of the men that were watching us came running over and so then I got pictures with all of them (I was the one who said to all of them "Long live the King" :D.)
After all that hoopla, Lydia, Leah and us three girls were getting a bunch of pictures with random people along the way. :)

Then two girls and a guy started taking pictures with us. They loved my little sister Beth and one of the girls even kissed her. I think they have about a hundred pictures of all of us on theirs phones now. I got (okay I wanted) a picture with the guy and he put his arm around me and kinda squeezed me, so that's why I look the way I look. :D

This happens quite often with Foreigners here in China and I just wanted to try and explain what it is like.

I still don't think I can quite explain it all. Sometimes you just have to be there to understand what I'm talking about. I hope I gave you somewhat of an understanding though.

That night we ate at a dumpling place and continued to enjoy each others company. We found a Coco where we could get Pearl milk teas and shopped a little more. I found this really cute, yellow winter hat but I didn't buy it. :(

We were walking back to meet everybody when this guy with a monkey on a leash walked up. It was kind of a shock to see a monkey walk up (when the only place I've ever seen one is in the Zoo) and then it jumped on Leah. I got some pictures of it on her arm. We laughed a lot about that too.













Cameras everywhere!





Picture by my sister Rebecca @becca-jones.blogspot.com (Becca I'm so sorry I forgot to do that the first time.)
 The day was filled with laughter, friends, Chinese people, boats, pictures, lots of walking and senses being stimulated. Excitement might sum it up.

                                                                  I enjoyed it all throughly.
                                                                              Love, a

20.10.11

We are good at it


Friday afternoon we headed for the Wirgau's house. We do these Chinese cultural lessons with them, and afterward I was going to spend the night. 

We always have fun. 

The next day we decided to go to lunch at a little Chinese place in old town. We rode bikes through crazy, Suzhou and... had lunch :)

After lunch we went to meet our friend Bessie on Walking Street. We shopped around and bargained, trying to get the price WE wanted! Leah and I got these red rose rings... and even though we didn't get quite the price we wanted, they're beautiful. (If you want to see some pictures of us girls go to Leah's blog www.ilovesuzhou.blogspot.com)

Leah and I rode part way home by ourselves and it was lovely. We stopped at Coco and got pearl milk teas (see I mention them a lot) and rode back to their house. We ran up their stairs, grabbed our stuff and headed for the bus. We went to the back of the bus, sat down and drank our Cocos. We were so tired.

The day was so great and I just love the memories I've made and KEEP making! Were pretty good at making memories :)

I'm so happy.

My skin looks a little yellow and pale right here... :} ugh.
By Beth Jones


                                            
          I love you Leah and I missed you Lydia.
           And thank you Wirgaus.
            Love, a

17.10.11

101

I guess I didn't see what my last post's number was... because it was #100. Yay! So this post is #101 (hence the title.)

I had a lovely weekend, and my next post will be all about it. How was your weekend?

Here are two very bright, very photogenic lemons!


                                                                               Love you all.
                                                                                   Love, a

10.10.11

我仍然在这里的朋友

Don't worry too much... because I'm still here. Sometimes I feel as though I'm just not in the mood to post and sometimes I just put it off. I want to get better at just putting up small posts and maybe just a picture or two sometimes.


This is the name of our cross street 星湖街
Basically this is our street.
Beloved "Xing Hu Jie"

 I also haven't been taking many pictures and I need to! 

My special pearls. (I don't think I've told you yet, but I'm kind of into them right now!)


                                                     Tomorrow I think I will work on a little project!

     One more very important thing, I am changing my URL to www.azaleablue.blogspot.com in about 24 hours so make sure to go to that url next time you visit!
                             
                                      So here are some pictures. Rather random, but pictures none the less!

                                                                                  Love you. 
                                                                                   Love, a


p.s. I dare you to look up on google translate what my title means! If you don't figure it out, leave me a comment and I'll tell you :)

8.10.11

the Bund


This week has been a happy one. Wednesday evening was spent in Shanghai on the Bund with my wonderful family.

My Grandparents came to China and during their visit they came to Suzhou to spend time with us... After they'd been here for a couple of days we went back to Shanghai with them on the train. We headed straight for the Bund.




It was a holiday and there were (let me just say) so many people. We strolled up and down the crowded sidewalk as I snapped away.
I feel like I can't quite tell you how good of a time I had. My pictures can't show you how beautiful this place is and can't give you the "Shanghai" vibe.





My uncle had made reservations at "Lost Heaven", a fancy restaurant on the Bund (Woo Hoo!) and that was just perfect as well. As I sat at the long table in the the dimmed light with my Grandparents, Uncle and Aunt, five cousins, Dad, Mom and siblings I felt blessed.


Delicious food such as Green beans, Chicken, Broccoli, (all Chinese style) was piled onto the table.



My Grandma and big sister Rachael (now a Shanghai native :D)







My night came complete with pictures standing beside young Chinese men (not my doing, they ask.. don't worry!) I wore black boots and my new gray sweater. I feel so blessed to be able to do things like this. To be able to be near family and make such good memories with them. To be able to live in a city and visit Shanghai... even though this isn't the first time I've been on the Bund it is the first time I actually took pictures. 

                                                 It was a wonderful night and like I said, I am blessed.
                                                                                    Love, a


p.s. Want to know more about the Bund? Click here and here's a picture of The_Bund_of_Shanghai.jpg