Coming Home.

I returned home to the US and made it through customs in Chicago just soon enough to run to my connecting flight back south.  Good thing I made it, because Brandon picked me up from the airport just to return to the airport 5 hours later for a weekend conference in DC. 

I think the kids were excited to see me, but maybe it was more because June had a great idea for building a dollhouse for her LaLaLoopsy dolls.  Luckily, a cardboard box did the job and kept everyone occupied for the afternoon. 

Christina's parents sent back outfits for each of the kids.  

The girls obviously love their dresses.

Henry's outfit is yellow- the color only the emperor can wear.

The next week was the elementary school's International Festival.  

I had to persuade Henry to wear his new duds for the Parade of Nations.  Henry said he was going to change as soon as it was over, but he ended up wearing it all afternoon.

Shanghai Maglev.

On our last day in China, Christina and I spent the morning tracking down a purse for Aunt Jenni (with great success!)

Our final adventure was taking the Maglev train to the airport.

I don't know who was more excited- me or James.

301 km/h!  That's 187 miles per hour!

Don't get too excited!

Shanghai City Tour.

The beautiful, clear weather of the previous day didn't last, so Christina arranged a tour so I wouldn't have to walk and take public transport.  

The first stop was the City God Temple.

It was very busy for New Year's.

Next, we walked through the Yu Garden Markets, still crowded during the day.

See, I was there.  It was cold!

Then we made it into the actual Yuyuan Gardens/

It was full of stone sculptures found around the country.

The clouds coming in over the river.

And the Bund.

We were going to go up in the Shanghai World Financial Center, but the view probably wouldn't have been great.

Finally, we visited the site of the 2010 World Expo, which is now the China Art Museum.

Inside, we saw some modern art, like this piece of Mao entertaining the peasants with stories.

Exploring Shanghai.

We visited Shanghai Circus World one morning.

My favorite part was the acrobats.

I think James liked the tigers, but maybe he liked the popcorn better.

Acrobats on horses!

Andy and James with the dogs.

After the show, James went home for a nap and I went out exploring.  I took the train and walked to Wen Maio, an ancient Confucian Temple

Like I said, Shanghai has grown up quickly.

Also exciting was the street outside the temple- where I bought the best friend chicken ever for about 80 cents.

I walked for a while and took an elevated walkway over a major road and under the elevated highway.

Next, the Shanghai Museum.

And People's Square.

Shanghai by night.

We arrived back in Shanghai to do some heavy touristing.  By now, Charlie was adjusted, so we were able to get out more.  

 Shanghai is spectacular to see at night, mostly because everything east of the river has been built in the past 20 years.  And no expense was spared.  The bright red tower is the Oriental Pearl TV tower and was the tallest structure in China at its construction.  The blue tower far away is the Shanghai World Financial Center- 2nd tallest building in the world at the time of its construction, now #5.  And you can see an unlit building on the right too- that's the Shanghai Tower, which will be the second tallest building in the world when complete.  I sure do love records.

And the new part of Shanghai isn't just that one spot, it goes on for a while.

 On our side of the river is the Bund- or the old part of Shaghai that was developed when Shanghai was the first city in China open for international trade in the mid-1800s.

It was unusually cold and windy so we headed to the ONLY place to shop in Shanghai- Nanjing Road- to buy Andy a hat.  

More awesome Year of the Horse displays, and some good places to get a drink and to indulge the Americans in some ice cream at Hagen Daz.

The next night we headed out again for something even more touristy.  We visited Yuyuan Gardens, which I later learned does actually contain a garden, but is now more widely known for the surrounding Tourist Markets.  That's actually what they are called.  And they were a goldmine for souvenirs to take home.

And during New Year's week, it's the best place to go to see light displays and people watch.

More horses.

Huge horses!

Enormous displays!

Tons of people!

We ducked into one restaurant so I could try something all of the travel shows suggested- soup dumplings.  It's a huge dumpling filled with molten pork fat that you drink with a straw.  That will keep you warm on a cold night!

Don't worry- there was also a McDonald's for the not so adventurous.  

(We did duck into the McD's for a fancy coffee drink at their dedicated coffee bar.)