Out and About

Well we did it. We got a babysitter and went out for a night in Qingdao. How's this for a shocker, the sitter had such a fun time with my three kids that she didn't want Me to pay her. Imagine that, plus we got home at 12:30am and they were all still up.

I think my Chinese gets much better in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol I consume. I was fluent by the time we got home. The cab driver didn't understand me, but it was because he spoke a different dialect then I. You do believe me don't you?

The next day we woke up and decided to hike up Mt. Fushan. I have a hard time referring to it as Mt Fushan as shan means mountain and it is thus quite redundant. Here I am with my three maps, plotting the path of least resistance to find the park and the trail. I commit it to memory and know the bus system by heart, so we head out.

This is Chris's actual first time walking the streets of Qingdao with family in tow, so he is wondering why everybody is running to windows and staring at us. Welcome to our world. Of course my navigating skills are continuously questioned. The family is about to give up, but we are coaxed onward by all the locals. Alas we reach a trail and began to follow it. We make it halfway up the mountain and I innocently ask Chris if he thinks we found the trail. Honestly, it wasn't a wise crack. I was expecting to see a temple and a gate before me. Chris's legs are tired and he thought I was being sarcastic (since he doubted my navigating skills) so we head back down without making it to the top. Now we have something to do! We stop at a market and get some fresh strawberries. It is not odd to me that fruit and vegetables are sold from the back of a pick up, what is odd is that they use a digital scale and weigh to the hundredths of a kilo!!!!

On the way down I stop at the fitness club to take a Bodyjam class. The schedule was changed and I ended up taking a Belly Dancing class. All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't know anybody!!!

Until next time....