Sunday, April 13, 2014

another week

The weeks go by so fast!  This one especially because we didn't have school on Monday.

The other day we went to Walmart to pick up some shampoo and conditioner because we were out.  We decided to go with the package that had shampoo and conditioner because it was the cheaper option.  Turns out it wasn't shampoo or conditioner.  You would think that we would have this whole buying shopping for essentials thing figured out because we have been living in China for a few months but we don't.  In China they like to sell two bottles of body wash in the same package.  One bottle was a pump and the other just a normal bottle.  So we were thinking that the pump bottle was the shampoo and the regular bottle was conditioner.  Nope.  So what is the score now?  China 552 and Kelsie 5, and those 5 points are generous.  In case you were wondering, we got the shampoo and conditioner thing figured out.  We went back to the store a few days later and after playing a few failed attempts of charades, and one successful one, we left the store with shampoo and conditioner.  Now, just imagine two American's in the supermarket pointing to a bottle of what we think is shampoo and pretending to wash our hair.  It was definitely a sight to be seen.  On the plus side, I don't think we will ever have to buy more body wash while we were here.

Friday Shelby and I set out to try to find Huaxi Park again.  This is the park that we tried to find last week but didn't ever end up finding it.  While we were riding our scooter this week I noticed a sign pointing in the direction of Huaxi so I thought I knew which direction we needed to get on the bus.  Wrong again but that shouldn't surprise you.  We had the Chinese characters on a piece of paper that we showed a man on the bus so he could help us get off at the right stop.  He kindly informed us that we needed to get off the bus and go the other direction.  So that is what we did and we eventually got to the park that we were looking for.  It was beautiful!  I am definitely going to miss all of these super awesome parks here in China.  We got off the bus and bought a few baked goods at the bakery on the corner so that we could have a little picnic.  We rented a tandem bike.  She asked for my ID and instead of giving her my divers license I gave her my student ID card that is pretty much useless to me anyway but she didn't need to know that.  Don't worry, we eventually returned the bike and I got my ID card back.  Riding around on the tandem bike was so much fun.  The park was around a river and it was beautiful.  I really need to come up with a better word to describe these parks we go to.  Breath taking?  Maybe that is a better one.  Words and pictures don't really do it justice.  Everyone just needs to drop everything you are doing and come experience China with me.  I really wish that were possible.  Okay, but this park though...

(The bakery had a doughnut!  I was in heaven.)











Saturday Emma and her family invited us to spend yet another day with them.  Aren't we lucky to have our own personal tour guides?  We got in the car not knowing what to expect for the day.  Typical.  Her husband took us to Ivy's house where we picked up Zach and Alice and, of course, some sushi.  Yes, I think it is safe to say that I like sushi now.  I know, surprising but when you have something practically being forced to you on a weekly bases you better learn to like it.  I would say that I have done pretty well with trying and enjoying new foods.  My family would be proud.  I was the child left at the dinner table crying hysterically because I couldn't even eat my meatballs.  There is one food that I don't think I will ever learn to like.  Tofu.  I hate it and I hate every time I have to pretend to like it.  I can't even stand the stinky tofu smell on the street.  I have had to eat tofu way too many times.  Anyways, back to the day...  After we met up with Emma and the kids we went to a Buddhist Temple to have some lunch.  It was fun to go to another temple.  We went to so many when we were in Beijing but I hadn't been to any in Guiyang yet.  After lunch we were informed that we were going to Huaxi Park.  Yes, the park that we went to the day before.  That didn't matter though, it was worth going back to.  It turns out that we were either at a different park that we thought on Friday or there is another section of the park that we had no idea about.  Either way, the place we were at was amazing but that is now to be expected.  We rode on a few little rides with Alice and Zach.  We rented a family bike and rode through the grass and up hill by choice.  I obviously wasn't in charge of the steering wheel because I would have stuck with the paved path.  We were also lucky enough to rent a pedal boat and float around the little lake.  It was beautiful and so relaxing.  After the park, we survived a traffic jam where we everyone was stuck and couldn't move for about 20 minutes.  We made it to our friend Ivy's brothers restaurant for some dinner.  We ate BBQ fish again.  It was delicious.  I think that BBQ fish is my favorite kind of fish.  A day spent with Emma and her family will never disappoint.  We are so lucky to have them as friends because they treat us so well.  













This plant pictured below was found in the bus.  Yeah, I don't know how it was growing there either...



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