Well, it's over. Mammaw and Daddaw (a.k.a the in-laws) have come and gone. Sorry it's been so long since I've blogged. They were here for three weeks and according to them, it was their best vacation ever! I had a wonderful time showing them around Suzhou and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I was sick for over a week of their time here and I thought it was hilarious (and took it as a compliment) when they told me they were glad I was sick because I might have run them to death had I not been.
Jet lag was super easy for them; I was quite impressed with their ability to go to bed and stay asleep and keep themselves awake until bedtime. WE all have difficulty being 12 or 13 hours off.
The first day, they hit the ground running. We took a bus trip through the countryside to XiTang Water Town. They enjoyed getting to see the "real" China from the bus: the shacks, the people, the animals, the garbage, the fields...and then, when we arrived at the town, they enjoyed the town. A classic Chinese water town, full of culture AND tourists.
Everyday, I tried to plan something for them to see that they had never seen before. Whether it was just a walk along the lake or a visit to a famous landmark or a massage or shopping, I hope we fit in everything they wanted to do!
Ezra and I posing next to a root carving called "Mother and Son" in XiTang Water Town:
The town itself:
Tom Cruise has run down this sidewalk, MI3 was filmed here:
Locals eating at a restaurant. We were in a boat below them in the water.
Narrow alleyways:
Ezra came with us:
Mammaw and Daddaw posing on a bridge over the water:
Humble Administrator's Garden is the most famous, largest and most expensive garden in Suzhou:
Brad took them while I studied for my midterm:
Daddaw and Zuri have a special bond:
Sometimes, he would only let Daddaw feed him breakfast or Daddaw would have to sit there and watch him while ayi fed him:
We tried to get Mammaw loose lipped:
Daddaw took over as the driver of the stroller:
Playing with Zuri at soccer practice:
At the Silk Museum, Daddaw reenacted the ancient process of making silk softer:
Inside the North Pagoda:
Outside the North Pagoda:
ShanTangJie is a famous street in Suzhou that still looks like it did hundreds of years ago. Mammaw enjoyed the cage full of snakes an awful lot. We also explored the back winding alleys.
ShanTangJie canal. Suzhou is the "Venice of the East"
On the train up through the countryside to Beijing. It was about 11 hours long. We just rented a whole cabin and slept overnight but Mammaw and Daddaw were up several times during the night looking out the window:
Great Wall of China:
I fell down and bumped my head on the Great Wall of China:
"I thought the Great Wall of China was boring, I prefer modeling,":
Daddaw looking handsome:
I made a scene running around on the top of a tower on the Great Wall of China:
No one ever cooperates:
I jumped on the Great Wall of China:
I looked pretty on the Great Wall of China:
I threw a temper tantrum on the Great Wall of China:
Up and down:
Next in Beijing we visited the Summer Palace, where the empress used to spend the summer. I just love this scene, even with all the tourists...can it get more tranquil?:
Mammaw stopping to rest: (She was laughing, "I didn't know we were going to Goat Mountain.")
I think this needs the caption, "I'm comfortable on subways!" But I also would like to point out that this was Mammaw's first time to fly, ride a train and ride a subway! Welcome to the Jungle!
Bird's Nest, where the Opening Olympic Ceremonies were performed:
*roll eyes* He's SEVEN, almost EIGHT, do you REALLY need to pick him up?
They weren't even facing so that the Bird's Nest was behind them. I assure you, the boys were just as much an attraction as the site.
My cute boys in the bath that night:
So maybe I was a little overzealous on some days, but I think all in all it was a good trip. Thanks for getting the courage to come over, guys. You created a LOT of memories for us! I'm ready and willing to play tour guide for anyone else who wants to come up too!
