OINK

Only IN China; I know China starts with a C not a K but if I had wrote ONIC would you have said oink? That’s what I thought. There are so many things that are commonplace in China that you would never see anywhere else, okay that you wouldn’t see in the States.

If I took the kids out during the winter and any flesh was showing, people would stop me and beratted me in Chinese. I’m sure if I had known what they were saying I would have been offended. Ignorance is bliss. (My Chinese motto.) The Chinese have an innate fear of cold that I don’t understand. Cancer is caused by cold, the flu is caused by cold, canker sores are caused by cold. The problem is, cold seeps into your body and chills your CHI. Not joking, this is the theory. Rich went to a Chinese doctor because his back hurts so much he can’t sleep. He came home with bruises the size of oranges all over his back. He said it is called cupping. A cup is placed on your back, a fire is lit and your cold CHI is sucked out. After ten treatments, you‘re healed! Rich is in so much pain it’s worth a try. I’ll keep you posted. Suppousedly you can buy ‘Do It Yourself’ kits and maim your friends and family in your own home. Maybe I’ll set up a clinic; I wonder how much liability coverage I’ll need?

Another ONIC. Men walking the street in nothing but boxers, rubbing their bellies. I thought summer in Austin was hot and sticky. It has nothing on Shanghai . The temperature doesn’t get as high but the humidity is unbelievable. I am always sticky and since the Chinese don’t seem to sweat, AC is a luxury, not a necessity. To keep cool men walk around with their shirts pulled up rubbing their bellies. I have asked why all the rubbing but know one seems to know.

When it is really hot you’ll have the privelage of seeing men walk around in nothing but their boxers. Typically, only old men do this but it’s not discriminatory. If the heat carries over into the night the men then pull out their bamboo mats and lie out on the sidewalks in their boxers. If you’re lucky they’ll put on a wife-beater. I’m glad this society hasn’t embraced the tighty-whitey, that could be awkward.

That’s how the men handle the heat. The women just wear nightgowns day and night. Which isn’t too bad, unless the material is transparent, yikes!

I know I’ve mentioned food before but I have a few new additions.

Yes, those are real ants.

Donkey meat.

Turtle soup, made in my own kitchen, but not by me.

Snails, Piper can’t get enough.

The rest of Beijing

A few more pics from our trip to Beijing.  You may have noticed we were two kids shy.  We left Mia and Piper with Rich's parents.  We didn't think the stroller could take the steps at the great wall.

Matt and Lily on the train to Beijing. 

When we told the kids we were taking the train, their initial reaction was, 'No'.  They imagined the train to be the same as the metro (subway).  To get them pumped, I showed them some pictures of sleeper cars and told them this is what we are riding in.  Little did I know that we were riding economy, hard sleeper class.  It did not look at all like the pictures and I'm sure if those pics had been scratch and sniff I would have realized the smell was off too.

Matt and Rich on train.

This picture typifies both personalities to a tee.  Matt too crazy (he is a nine year old boy after all).  Rich too serious (he is forty and Chinese, what else did I expect?).

The Olympic Village: Bird's Nest and The Cube.

There were these sculptures all through the Wang Fu Jing shopping center.  

Yuan Min Yuan is this cool park that used to be the Emperor's summer palace and garden.  It was enormous and exquisite but also the focus of many raids.  The final pillage was during the Second Opium War.  The compound was set on fire and never rebuilt.  The guide told us it was to serve as a reminder of foreign aggression and humiliation toward China.  Ouch! 

Matt and Lily loved it because it was one of the few places that didn't post 'No Climbing' signs.

This is Tiantan, translation: the temple of heaven. 

We had to be on the bus at 6:30 every morning, crazy, I know!  By afternoon, the kids were wiped out and would sleep while we drove from site to site.  On this particular day, Lily was awake while Matt slept.  We thought his appearance could us some improving so she took care of the lipstick while I covered the facial hair.  I thought he looked great!  All of the old ladies on the tour thought he was adorable. 

He has since gotten us back by drawing full beards on the girls at night.  Lily, who can dish it out but can't take it, screamed, cried and then wouldn't talk to anyone the rest of the day.  Mia, loved it and didn't want to wash it off.  Piper was clueless.   Nothing unexpected in any of those reactions.