OK, get ready for a long post as this is a full week of activities!

In the past, we have always traveled on this week off. This year Concordia, Emmy’s school, doesn’t have the full week off AND it is beautiful weather in Shanghai at this time. So, we decided to stay home.

The holiday began on Thursday with a day of rain. We stayed inside all day catching up all life. Jim and I were busy planning our Christmas trip to Thailand/Cambodia/Laos. The girls were busy playing. A relaxing day at home is always a nice way to begin the Holiday. We had talked about going to YuYuan (Yu Gardens) to see the lantern display, but we were not willing to fight the people AND the umbrellas.

Friday we woke up to a beautiful fall day. We met the Jenkins (Jennifer, Sean & Sophie) at the ferry. The ferry is about 2 blocks from our house. We paid the ½ kwai ($.07) per person for the ferry ride. Of course, it is always interesting boarding a Chinese ferry. There is always the competition with the motorbikes and everyone has to race to be the first one on. We walked over to YuYuan to meet the Humes Family (Mary, John, Kelly & Erin).

It was only 11:10, but we headed straight to the famous dumpling place, as the line will go all the way down the stairs starting from the 3rd floor. Since we were such a big group, they offered us a private room, but we needed to spend 100rmb ($15) per person. Ok, but that would be 1, 100 rmb ($160) and our children will never eat that much. They agreed to 600rmb ($88) for a party of 11 with 5 adults and 6 kids. Needless to say, we had to order a bit more food and beer to meet our agreed upon rmb total. The dumplings were delicious!!

We left to fight the crowds to see the lanterns in the center of YuYuan. Not only is it National Holiday, it is also the 60-year celebration of China’s founding. After getting our photo, we did a little shopping, as you always have to do a little shopping at YuYuan. Sean wanted a RipStick. And the ladies wanted some lanterns like I had purchased earlier. I had been to YuYuan last week to pick up some beads for bracelet making at Girl Scouts. I purchased two BIG lanterns (3 1/2 foot diameter) for our house. Each lantern was 80rmb ($12). The have steel rods in them and cloth covering…what a deal. Of course, Jim wasn’t sure it was such a deal as he had to find a place to hang this very large lanterns. They had smaller ones, but I liked the gold decor on the big lanterns. OK, so I did pick up three more of the smaller ones for 25 rmb ($3) each.

Upon returning home, Sean came to our place so Emmy could give him lessons on RipSticking. Sophie and Elle played inside. Elle decided the best game would to fill water balloons and break them on the deck. Many giggles were coming from the deck.

On Saturday, Emmy decide should would like to go do pottery…. good idea. The family decision was lunch at the new Blue Frog in the WFC (the tallest building in Asia). We used to have very short walk to the WFC. But they have had the road closed for tunnel construction for more than a year. But now the road between our complex and the WFC is finished but closed to traffic. So, we just walked down the middle of the street. We sat on the deck of Blue Frog on the 2nd floor. After burgers, we grabbed a cab to Puxi.

It was a beautiful day so pottery making inside would not have been my first choice. However, when we arrived, we were the only ones at the place. Emmy got to work on the potter wheel for 45 minutes. Elle first made a pot by rolling clay. The, she got about 20 minutes on the wheel. The instructor helped her to make a pot. Ok, maybe a beautiful day is a good day to make potter. All this fun creativity cost 250rmb ($35).

We ended the night with a family dinner on the deck, taking advantage of the view before the Shanghai winter rolls in.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! is race day!!
Today’s adventure started with lunch at the Flying Fox. The story behind the Flying Fox is a way past due promise. A year ago, Elle wanted to go to the Flying Fox for lunch. The Flying Fox is located in Jinqiao. Last September (in 2008), we were having lunch with the Davidson family. They had been to the Flying Fox the day before, therefore, wanted to go somewhere else. So I promised Elle the next time we had lunch in Jinqaio, we would go there. The Flying Fox has a playground, which is fun for the kids. The food is mamahuhu (OK). Well, the next few times we planned for the Flying Fox, it was raining and then it was cold. Fast-forward a year later and one little girl was still reminding me I owed her the Flying Fox. The kids had a fun day playing, as it was another beautiful day in Shanghai.

After lunch, we went to the go-kart driving track. We have a saying whenever things are different, strange or funny in China: TIC…This is China. Only in China would they allow children to drive these karts. We went with the Humes and the Llopes. The three younger ones (Elle, Clare and Erin) didn’t drive. Erin was tall enough at 7, but chose not to drive. The little ones played with Mr. Nie at a nearby park.

For 50rmb ($7), you get 10 minutes of track tme. The first round the Dads went with the kids. It was crazy watching the kids driving. They were crashing into the sidewalls, the tire in the middle to form the tracks and about crashing into each other. On the first round around the track, I watched Danny flying through the middle of the grass area all the way across the track field. The next round, Mary and I drove with the kids. I watched Emmy cut me off and passed me on a tight curve…she was a wild woman behind the wheel…but it pretty good control with the second round. At one point on the straight way, Kelly came screaming by me…and surprise, she missed the turn and crashed into the wall. Yes, this is what happens when you give kids the wheel and the power of gas!! I guess it is a better than crashing the family car!!

Monday we decided to walk the LuPu Bridge. It is 300 steps to the top. I was told it was very safe even for Elle and it was. It cost 28rmb for kids and 38rmb for adults for a total of $20 for the family. It was not the clear day we wanted to get some photos. However, it gives you a different view of the City. The bridge is next to the Shanghai Expo area. We could see all the buildings in progress for the Expo opening in May 2010. The photo below is with the kids and EXPO man (Haibo) or Gumby as we call him!

After the bridge walk, we met the Humes at our favorite Mexican place for a long lunch sitting outside to enjoy the sunshine and pitchers of margaritas! Tuesday was a day at home. Kelly had spent the night last night so she was over playing all day. Another beautiful day for the kids to go out and rip stick, ride and play.

And, that is “How we spent our National Holiday in Shanghai”.

Emmy was back to school on Wednesday. Elle’s school continued with the holiday break the remainder of week. Jim and I were off to Hanoi on Tuesday night for a quick 3-day get-away with no kids to celebrate our 15-year anniversary and his 45th birthday. The benefit of having a live-in ayi is that she knows the routine of the house.

The only direct flight to Hanoi is a night flight. We left Shanghai at 10pm to arrive at 1am. It was an easy flight as the plane was empty. We were able to sleep across 3 seats. We were up by 9am to start our day. As we were sitting at the airport to leave, I got an email from my friend, Susan. She lives in Switzerland with her family which includes two daughters. It made me think about how different our adventures are in our lives living abroad with children. She is seeing the beautiful old buildings with cobble-stoned streets of Europe. We are dodging motorbikes on the streets of Hanoi. There is an art to crossing the street. You always stay together, walk between the bikes and never walk backwards. It is easier than dodging the cars in Shanghai. There are times in Shanghai when I am standing in the middle of the road wondering if my bum is sticking out too far!!

Our first day in Hanoi was Jim’s birthday, October 7. We enjoyed a day of art shopping and exploring the City. We had a long lunch watching the people of Hanoi from the terrace restaurant.

By mid-day, we had a drink break on the lake followed by Jim’s birthday dinner. He got to choose any place he wanted, as it was his day. All day I said, “he could do anything he wanted because it was his birthday” with a bit of sarcasm. We laughed, as it was a true statement for the first time in 9 years. With young children, it is never your day. Jim wanted to go to Highway 4 for his birthday dinner. We went to Highway 4 the last time we were in Hanoi with Jim’s parents. It is Chinese style floor seating on the top 3rd floor, two long tables on each side of the room in which you share with other guests. Once we received the menu, Mimi was sure we had chosen the wrong restaurant. Highway 4 has everything on the menu, you name anything that walks or crawls and it is on the menu…. dog, cricket, alligator, etc. However, it is one of the best local restaurants in Hanoi. We only eat the normal beef, chicken and pork. For Jim’s birthday meal, we ordered more food than two adults could possible eat, beers and cocktails. The total bill for the night was $30. I was giving Jim a bad time about his expensive birthday dinner!

We spent our time shopping, having long lunches and staying out past 7pm because we could. It was a nice celebration of our anniversary and Jim’s birthday.

Elle didn’t miss us at all. On Wednesday, Emmy went to school and Elle went to the Wild Animal Park with our driver, Mr. Nie and his family. Imelda “tagged” along as she reported. Mr. Nie adores Elle. He carries and spoils her all the time.

On Thursday, Emmy went to school and Elle went to another park with her classmate, Alex. There are no photos as Imelda forgot her camera in the car. She reported the girls had fun together at the park.

On Friday, Emmy went to school and Elle played at Alex’s house all day. On Friday night, both girls spent the night at the Humes. This was one of the first times Elle had spent the night. We stopped to get our girls on the way home from the airport on Saturday morning, but they missed us so much they didn’t want to come home…so they played at the Humes all day!! Great, Jim and I went home for a shower and a nap. The night flight had left Hanoi at 1:50am and arrived into Shanghai at 5:45am. The flight was full…no 3 seat bed on this trip.

We finally celebrated Jim’s birthday with the girls with the family chocolate cake.