Visit from Abroad

The last time my parents came to visit, the weather was horribly cold and we'd only been in China for a few months. Thankfully, they were able to return when not only the weather was cooperative, but we actually had a bit of a clue as to what was going on around us.

I'd tried to plan some local day trips to places I thought they'd enjoy, while the girls were away on their respective class trips and at school.

First stop was to the tailor's. Dad wanted a new suit and Mom wanted a winter coat. I joined in the fun and got fitted for a red jacket for the holidays. It's hard to walk into the shop and not come out with something. After three more trips before my parents left, we had a suit, two pair of pants, two jackets and a coat between us.

Another tourist stop is Sheng Tang Street along the narrow canals. Souvenirs abound in the little shops amidst the ancient architecure-styled homes. We went early in the day and there were hardly any other folks (tourists) around. There were, however, plenty of scooters that came barrelling down the narrow street. We got beeped at a few times. I tried to talk them into trying some stinky tofu, but since I've never tried it and really have no desire to do so, I didn't push the issue. Instead, we went to Singa Plaza and had a nice semi-authentic chinese lunch at Hot Chic.

With all three girls away, Larry and I wanted to take my parents to a Korean BBQ. We're big fans and thought Mom and Dad would like it as well. Wrong! As you can see by the photo, they were not impressed. Ok, duly noted.

I also took them to MuDu, another scenic little town along the ancient canals. This is where I stock up on nuts. Almonds, walnuts, macademia, pecans...you name it. Dad and I planned on making granola since the gigantic batch he'd made and brought over was disappearing at an alarmingly fast rate. Again, we appeared to be the only tourists except for one group with matching ball caps. The hustle and bustle of the locals filled the streets with plenty of activity and people-watching.
We managed to go somewhere new almost every day. Whether it was to Pearl City to buy some baubles or just to the neighborhood center to pick up some fresh veggies and fruit, I was determined to keep them on the go.

I also made sure we were home most evenings by 5pm. Happy hour took place with a focused diligence not often seen in my household. When the girls arrived home, they were more concerned about what was being served as an appetizer that evening rather than what their homework was. They were lucky. The weeks before and after the holiday break were pretty light in that department.
All in all, Suzhou hopefully kept them entertained. I did make them walk an awful bit, but those little jaunts were nothing campared to what I put them through when we went to Beijing.

More to come...