Walk In A Chinese Park

The last full day of our Chinese visit started out with breakfast at Elements and then a walk in the park.  Actually there is a business park behind the restaurant with a big pond, black swans and beautiful landscaping.  We enjoyed walking around while the kids ran around, exploring and attempting to feed the swans.

Next we walked a couple of blocks away to the Specialized Store.  It was fun for Taylor to see some customers with their bikes from a recent bank promotion that he worked very hard on.  The red bikes were made special for the promotion.

The kids love riding the display bikes around the store.  Steve and Britton  got to try out the "Fat Boy" bike.

June is really good at the pouting face thing when she doesn't get her way.

It is rather disgusting to see the garbage pile up on a really nice street in Shanghai.  Chinese don't seem to mind.

Jen & Taylor sitting in their living room with the bookshelves behind them.

A lot of the bamboo scaffolding is being replaced but here is one more example of the bamboo.

We had some last minute shopping to do so they took us to the area near the famous old Chinese Tea House near downtown center of old Shanghai.

There is the tea house in the background.

Here is a fried octopus on a stick.  Chinese love fried things on a stick.

Then we drove through the French section of Shanghai.  There is definitely a European flavor to it.  I think this photo made it because it was a big machine.

Jen likes the picture Steve hung over the bed in their master bedroom.

Jen reads a lot to the kids.  They really love it.

Will all dressed up on Easter morning.  We just had time to attend sacrament meeting on Easter morning before heading to the airport.  We spent Easter morning in Shanghai and Easter afternoon in Utah.  Of course, we had almost 24 hours of traveling in between with some delicious clam chowder in Seattle. We arrived just in time to hear a couple of conference talks.  Yahoo!

The night we first arrived in Shanghai, Taylor was dropped off at the airport to meet us by a co-worker.  That is because we arrived early so he went to plan B which included a ride on the high speed train.

Easter morning photos of the kids.  You will see Steve sitting in the chair in front of the window.

We loved this opportunity to visit with June, Will, Jen and Taylor in China.  We also loved seeing new sights and having Britton join us for this exciting experience.  He was adventurous and well-behaved.  It was a special memory for us!

More of China

 After our visit to Beijing, we were determined to show Britton the "real" China where the workers lived as we have mostly seen the ex-patriot life-style which is pretty much upscale and very nice.
We took him to a district near where Taylor and Jen used to live in Pushi.  I call it the "maze" because once we enter one of the narrow streets where the workers live and shop, without Jen's help, I wouldn't know which way to turn to get back out.

 Here is one the "wet markets" as they are called.  Britton's appetite was waning at this point.

 This corner shop was a used appliance store.  There are some small refrigerators, stoves and washing machines.

 It was a tight fit for this miniature garbage truck to get through these narrow streets.  The smell made us gag.

 Workers were building this brick building.  The workmanship was very poor and we couldn't see any re-bar or anything to give much support to this structure.  We felt like a big storm would topple it over.  It was amazing.

 At the very edge of this maze area, there is a fruit stand that Jen likes.  We bought some fruit which she soaks and washes very thoroughly.

 After that we were off to the more upscale "artsy market."  This is frequented by many tourists and we qualified.

 Here we are in an art shop looking for just the right photos to take home as souvenirs of our China experience.  We bought one of the great wall.  Britton got one of the Shanghai Bund night lights.

 June saw one of these frozen treats and she was determined to have one.  Britton liked the idea too.

 Shanghai's buildings are so unique and interesting.  We enjoy seeing the latest skyscrapers each time we visit.  Of course this Pearl building is a signature piece in the Shanghai skyline.

 Jen & Taylor's new open, Western style kitchen.

 Their new living room with an entire wall of bookcases.

 Their patio overlooks a little pond of water where people can take small paddle boats.  We've never seen anyone actually on the water, but we look down at the fish, mostly coy.

 Jen and Steve collaborated in hanging up mirrors and pictures on various walls throughout the house.  Steve always likes to help if he can.

 Here's one to he pictures he hung above Jen's desk.

Will and June ride their scooters a lot. Here they are in the parking garage of their apartment.  We took them to parks and shopping malls too.

 After Will got home from school, we went to the science and technology museum in Shanghai.  There were about a million kids there, but fortunately their school field trips were ending and they were getting ready to leave.  I think that Will, June and Britton really enjoyed it.  It was a very nice facility but there was a lot of building and it was quite showy, but it lacked substance to us.

 Looking down at an exhibit of various stuffed animals. It was a very nice exhibit.

 These little gas mask boxes were scattered throughout the facility.  It was a token effort since there was not even 100th of the masks needed if something should really happen.  Ha!

 Britton tried out this exhibit which allowed him to shoot and bow and arrow.  Will wasn't big enough so he could only watch.

 We stopped by the "knock off" market next door to buy some gifts for Britton's family and friends.  Here we are at Jen's favorite jewelry dealer.

 That evening Taylor took us to a Korean BBQ restaurant where they cooked part of the food at the table.  We had never had this experience before.  Once again, Taylor does an excellent job at ordering foods that will please everyone.  It was fun to wrap the freshly cooked meat and mushrooms in lettuce to eat.

 Afterwards, Taylor took us for ice cream, yogurt, etc. at a Cold Stone.

Britton is watching one of the movies we picked up.

 Saturday morning, we went to one of Taylor's favorite breakfast haunts while Jen was working out.  That is pretty much how it went during our visit.  Jen works off about 5000 calories preparing for her triathlons.  We eat about 5000 calories.  She is working out and we are eating.

 The kids ordered Chinese chicken and rice.  We ordered a more traditional breakfast meal.  You can see the syrup on the table.  I think Taylor likes a dish called the Elvis which is peanut butter, banana French toast.