Family Visit!

When we first moved here, we didn’t think we would get many takers for visitors.  We had a quick visit from Chris’s Aunt and Uncle (Gail & Kevin) in May.  There was not nearly enough time to see and do what we wanted.  So when my in-laws decided to take the leap and make the trip, we were happy that they gave us enough time to really get a feel of our life here and even then, we didn’t get to do everything we wanted.  

While they were here, the kids had a really fun carnival at their school that I helping out with by chairing the Entertainment committee.  The kids loved showing Ann & Mike around their school and they were so proud to introduce them to many of their friends. 

There are a lot of “must sees” in Shanghai, but one of my favorite places to walk around is a place called Taikang Lu.  A small area in Puxi with a  charming cluster of art & fashion boutique shops and trendy cafes nestled in an old traditional Shanghainese  neighborhood.  While we weren’t adventrous enough to try some of the street food, we were able to find a few cold beers to pass the time while we people watched.  

It was the perfect place to see the delicate infrastructure of the Chinese electrical system.   Yes those are LIVE wires and you will often see them coupled as a clothing line with clothes hung out to dry.  

A very  good friend of mine, Charmaine is a FANTASTIC cook and has us over for a dumpling lesson.    Ann and I took our jobs very seriously, although we still aren’t sure what exactly goes inside the wrappers.   The wine was too much of a distraction… although I must admit, Ann had the technique down in no time.   

Yuyuan Gardens

One of our most favorite stomping grounds we found was Yu Gardens.  It is a pretty large tourist area surrounded by shops and gardens. 

It was here that we noticed a huge line for a particular street vendor.  Feeling daring, we decided it must be good for it to have such a long line.   This place only sold Nanxiang dumplings.   This entire tray was piled high and cost us 20 rmb (3 bucks).

Mike loved the history in of the Gardens and was also very happy to spot a Dairy Queen among all of the local chinese shops.  

This is what we know about this beautiful garden built in the center of Shanghai:  

Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It was finished in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) named Pan Yunduan. Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying, and this garden was specially built for Pan's parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.

In the 400 years of existence, Yuyuan Garden had undergone many changes. During the late Ming Dynasty, it became very dilapidated with the decline of Pan's family. In 1760, some rich merchants bought it and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. During the Opium War of the 19th century, it was severely damaged. The garden you see today is the result of a five year restoration project which began in 1956. It was open to the public in September, 1961

Ann and I did a tea tasting… There was a tea for everything for every possible ailment.  It is a shame though as the one I thought would benefit me most “liver detox” tasted much like an ash tray.   

t didn’t take long for the after math of the tea to kick in …  the Chinese toilets are a bit of a challenge.  I have found muscles I didn’t even know I had!  

Halloween!

Garrett’s favorite holiday… and so fitting that he requested to be a devil yet again this year.  We celebrated the holiday as we would in the states trick or treating.   The only difference is … no snickers or skittles here, the kids scored some wasabi flavored biscuits and that not only looked like cat food but tasted like it too!   These were slightly better then the dried kidney bites they received.  They day I start savory those treats is the day I need to be given the hook. 

We met Chris for lunch one day near his office.  There is a pedestrian street there that has several restaurants and little shops.  It is also near the Pearl Market… a must do spot for shopping.

We were sad to see them leave, but hope they got to take a piece of our adventure with them...  I am pretty sure eating Chinese food will take on new meaning....