Popcorn

The good news is that we have found an apartment. It's quite lovely and fits us perfectly. Our family and friends who come and visit will enjoy a nice private place to stay--(we encourage all to come and visit!) It's close to Taylor's work, downtown, shopping, and entertainment.

With that out of the way, we were able to take a couple of days to enjoy China. We visited a tourist town close by called YuYuan. We took lots of pictures of ancient Chinese architecture, and visited a nearby park. This being a tourist site because of the awesome buildings and temples, there were many small souvenir shops with people trying to get you to buy their little souvenirs. You can find those same souvenirs anywhere in Shanghai: Terra-cotta warrior replicas, small chess sets, chinese chops (a little stamp with your name on it), sets of chinese chopsticks, decorated tea cups, jewelry, etc.)

We took a day tour of the water village Zhouzhuang. Our tour guide was able to show us this small secret of a town an hour and a half from Shanghai. As we toured this small fishing town that is nearly 1000 years old, we were able to learn about ancient Chinese housing, customs, and culture. This small town has waterways instead of roadways, and is lined with houses, beautiful arched bridges, canals, and narrow streets. It used to be a fishing village until the 1400's when it became a trade route, and today, people still live there in those same 1000 year old houses!
We were able to board a small fishing boat and travel through the town. We were also able to have lunch in one of the small restaurants overlooking the waterway. Our lunch consisted of: a green vegetable, scrambled eggs with small little white fishes (I avoided the fish), pigs feet (one bite was enough), and oysters (bearable), over rice. Yum.

Close to Shanghai we toured the silk factory and they were able to take us through the process of how we get silk today, and Tay and I were able to help some worker ladies pull a small amount of silk into the size of a queen bed (I felt like Libby touring through places like this in her new town).

We also toured a small Confucious temple that is two minutes walk from where we will be living.

And today we attended church at one of the three branches they have here in Shanghai. This will be our ward, so it was nice to be able to meet the people (all foreigners of course due to government regulations stating we can't have church with the local people) and I was comforted to know what I already know: that the church is constant wherever you go in the world. Their big focus in Relief Society was 72 hr. kits and emergency preparedness along with the same lesson they are having in the U.S. It's comforting to know that the Church is the same worldwide. We were warmly welcomed and even found some instant friends who will be living 5 minutes walk away from us.

A funny story:

The other night we bought a bag of sweet microwave popcorn which I had been craving. Our hotel doesn't have a microwave so we took it to a small convenience store that had one and thankfully Taylor speaks Chinese and was able to communicate. And this is the conversation they had: (He had to replay this for me after the conversation since I don't speak Chinese of course).

Taylor: handing him the popcorn. Could you pop this in your microwave?
Old man: What is this? accompanied by a very strange look
Taylor: It's popcorn.
Old man: What do you want me to do with this?
Taylor: Put it in the microwave for 3 min.
Old man: Why?
Taylor: Uh...to pop it.

So the old man and old woman puts it in the microwave with looks of intrigue, worry, and curiosity.
After the timer rings, he pulls it out and it hasn't popped even halfway and he says, "Ha. Here you go." I'm telling Taylor to tell him to quickly put it back in the microwave and hurry and pop it, it can't stay out too long or it won't work! And the old man won't let us because he doesn't understand, and to make the story short: I didn't get my popcorn:((

Thankfully we'll have a microwave in our apartment!

CHINA

As our plane lands down in a land so far away Taylor smiles his broad grin and the first thing he says is, "I told you I'd take you to China." Followed by, "We're back!" Although it's my first, I'm guessing he means I am back in Asia, and he is back again to a place he has come to love.

From the airport to the hotel the driving nearly drove me sick and I couldn't look out the window much at the dark evening air, promising myself I'd see more tomorrow when I could stand grounded on my own two feet. The driving did not bother Tay.

Our hotel is one of the nicest, and we got upgraded to a suite. I kept thinking to myself, "Tay's company must like him."

A close walk away is the most famous street in Shanghai that they show in all the Shanghai pictures, Nanjing Lu, and all you can see as you emerge from the underground walkway is a sea of black hair bobbing, lit by thousands of flashing streaking lights. I rememberd that Shanghai has been aptly dubbed, "The City of Lights" as the huge plasma TV's displayed models, and news, and I kept thinking, "When do these people sleep?"

Walking around the mall we needed a bathroom. As I walked in, it smelled deeply of urine and I was reminded of the squatters in Taiwan and I said a quick plea of desperation, "Please don't be a squatter." I just wanted a clean reprieve. My plea was in vain.

The things I'm learning:

The city is very diverse; rich and poor alike. Pointing out this broad difference, Taylor points to the rich businessmen, and then two feet away, the man in his underwear pushing a wheelchair, and the old men on their 800 year old bicycles and rickshaws carrying loads of wood, garbage, and I even saw one full of plastic chopsticks.

Crossing the street is a major feat. Imagine lots of people crossing, while taxis are turning onto the street from the left, from the right, honking loudly and pressing forward into the crowd until there is a break for them to pass. I'd go so far as to say it's dangerous. Bikes, scooters, cars whizzing by with the people inching their way into the road, proceeding when they can, and stopping when they can't, until they're across. "Who gets the right of way?" I ask Tay. "It's like the game frogger" he says, "only you don't get 3 lives. Only one. So be careful."

And if you think walking on the sidewalk is any more safe than walking on the road, better think twice. I've nearly been hit by large construction trucks and electric powered bikes alike! On the sidewalk! They'll honk from behind and scare the soul out of you.

And you can get really cheap foot massages. We did one last night, and they spent an hour massaging our legs and feet and it felt really good. I think my mom would like this.

Half Marathon Fun

Top of Utah: 23-August-2008: 1:27:59

When I am in good running shape I feel like me.
I feel strong,
true,
comfortable, and
complete.

Oftentimes when I run I learn something new about myself.

Tonight I learned that even though we can't change our past,
we can change the future.

And if we could go back in time to change our past, altering one small decision or one very large perspective, it wouldn't do any good because we'd still be the person we were back then, becoming the person we are now.

We can gain wisdom from experiences we have had, and constantly mold our future into what we ultimately desire.

Family Reunion Fun

This is a rare occasion having all of the Price siblings together in one room at one time. True to form they all sat around a table when they got a chance and told family stories, and each one tried to be funnier than the last. I don't know if they tried, but it sure got funnier. This is the night before the reunion. Kristen got tickets for us all to go see "Indiana Bones" at the Desert Star Theatre. Thanks Kristen, it was a blast!

I love this guy!

Taylor and our sweet, little niece Jessica at the Price family reunion. We were able to feed the horse grass and he fed right from our open hands. I think this was a first for Jessica. She thought it was pretty cool.

My Lucky Day

Look at that great rainbow taken the night before my race.
This must mean LUCK!

I found my pot of gold (Taylor) at the end of this rainbow:)

Thanks Taylor and Mom for being my #1 supporters. Despite the unorganized beginning of the half marathon, I was able to wedge my way to the front to get a somewhat legitimate time as I crossed the finish (what sort of big race doesn't do chip timing??? --must be Utah County), and earned my second fastest time in the four half-marathons I have done! Probably because I ran this race a lot smarter than my last two. Thanks Taylor for coaching me and giving me lots of great advice. I've got that 1:23 in me dying to come out. I know it!

cherry pickin'

While at my sisters the other day, just on the brink of rain, Ambree and I decided to bike 3 meters across the street and pick the cherries the cherry picking machines missed. (I was assured they were "free game"). So she got on her bike and I got on her little scooter and we biked across the street. She found some on her level and picked them. By the time I got out my camera I had to have her re-enact the first cherry pick. This is the face she gave me:

And by this time the rain was falling hard and we were darting from tree to tree, taking cover when we got a chance. As we were running she asked, "Auntie, why does it rain?" And I answered:

"When Heavenly Father is so happy he sends us rain."

I think she likes the rain just as much as I do.

Endless cherry orchards.

Bailey and Brielle-- with bears, blankies, and binkies.

Faces

The beautiful faces of my nieces... I took these priceless pics while playing in the park at a family get together.













If you can't tell by Brielle's laughing smile, my dad was making these girls laugh pretty hard.

Little Lexi lou showing off her big, blue, curious eyes; and Ambree showing off her sky blue smiling eyes. These girls make me happy.