Sunday and Lizard Tea !

Today we went shopping Ann, my pal from the Red Thread! She was the sweet lady that got me so many updates on Jackzhen! I was so excited about meeting her!!!! We started off our day with a LONG walk to the Jade and Pearl Markets! She has a few wholesale stores that she frequents and is able to get better prices on things.  The kids were all happy about a morning walk and we were off!!!  First stop on our shopping tour was a 4 story "mall" for Happy Lamb and Grey Wolf cartoons.  Jackzhen is always singing about the characters on the show and it only comes on at 5pm each day.  I told Jason that buying some of  DVD's would help distract little man on our long journey home! We found 2 different ones that had a combined 300 episodes on them, SCORE!!! We also bought a few other movies for the other kids because they are only 4 U.S dollars over here! We then headed to the pearl market where we went shopping for the girls and gifts for family and friends!!! We got some amazing deals and I got a beautiful double black pearl necklace,  oh boy was that FUN :) :) :)  It is moments like that I can see Jackzhen is a true Aldrich. We must have been in the pearl store for an hour and he sat there content just being with Daddy and Mason! After we filled our bags with some pearls we went to a few other stores along the way.  I told Ann I was in search of a Chinese star for my nephew, and her eyes got REALLY big as she suggested I buy him a compass!!! LOL - I am trying Grayson Cole!!!

We passed a few interesting vendors along the way.  The most interesting was the herbal markets, where they sell dried snakes, lizards, frogs, scorpions, all for herbal remedies.  She said that they use them in soups and teas, oh dear I can't imagine some chicken noodle lizard???  We also passed a section of market where they sell animals, this time they were alive and being sold for pets! Jackzhen was amazed by the cats.  I told him that the kitty says MEOW!!!! and he liked that.  He kept saying MU-YOW MU-YOW!!!

After the mall we stopped for something to drink because it is H-O-T out! It feels like Florida in June - I really can't believe how hot the days are because the evenings are enjoyable.... After our little break we went to a little temple.  It was nice to take in the culture and Buddhist belief for ten minutes.  Until now we have turned down any tours and chances to see any temples, but since it was a quick stop on the way I thought it would be good to take a glimpse.  We saw numerous Buddhas and giant statues and honestly I left feeling sick - It was a great conversation starter for us and the kids, but seeing with our own eyes the reality of a false religion was just about to much for my already emotional self....  I told Ann that seeing these things made me sad and she couldn't understand why.  I thought it was obvious, there is NO hope in burning incense, throwing money at statues, kneeling before an idol, where is the hope of tomorrow? Thankfully we were done with that little detour in about 15 minutes, but it will be a lifetime of memories and prayer filled moments for these people here! 

After about two and a half hours we were done shopping, Ann got us a taxi to avoid having to walk back to the hotel.  The drivers don't like to drive from the "mall" to the island because it is too short so the driver agreed to do it, but he charged us 10 yuan extra.  It didn't seem like much to us, the cost was 20 yuan, which equlas about 3.25$.  When I told Ann to tell the driver thank you, she looked at me and said - he is charging us 10 extra yuan, I WILL NOT say thank you!!!  I had a big laugh at that one, and the driver had no idea what was going on... hahaha When we got back to the hotel we went to the Deli Shop, a famous place to eat near the White Swan hotel, but just like the White Swan, it too was closed.... We then went to the hotel restaurant to eat lunch, what a strike out! I told Jason we have yet to sit down and eat a meal that I thoroughly enjoyed - ughhhhhhhhh losing weight in China is a plus, I guess - I just want a SALAD (washed in clean water) and a big plate of NACHOS!!!!

We walked around after lunch and ran into some new friends, have I mentioned how nice it is to do that while we are here??? We then headed back to the room for Jackzhen's nap - the kids don't love the time in the hotel room during nap time, however I think it is a good down time for each of us!

That is about it in a nutshell - Sunday is over and I am beat!!! Off to bed we go..............

Meeting Ann of the Red Thread....

 Lizard on a stick anyone?

 Here kitty kitty kitty

 I call this a "mall" because it is indoors but there is NO air conditioning... Our last guide Shi Shi said that we were spoiled to feel that way and maybe she is right, but mold does like to grow in conditions like this, so I think I would rather call us wise!

 The pearl lady stringing my new pearls - love them :)

 My 1980 buddy :)