Fall break part 2

Ok, Fall Break was like 100 years ago, and I can hardly remember what we did the last few days of it. We went to Tiantan Park to see Temple of Heaven together with 10.000 other people, we tried desperately to make our children to eat Chinese food, we saw a woman staring at a tree in a park, we were approached over and over again by people inquiring how old are children are, we saw old men practice Kung Fu in the park, we visited a children’s playground with a tank merry-go-round (with shooting guns sound effects), we saw groups of people exercising with Tai Chi Balls (two rackets, one heavy ball – slow motion -tai chi- like movements) and feather balls (kicking the ball to each other) and one area of the park where I believe they tried to find suitable partners for their children and grandchildren. People were sitting around with pieces of paper and photographs showing the age, height and weight and I’m guessing more information as well. Very crowded area, I guess the match making business is still going strong in China. We even managed to squeeze in a few play dates for the kids and overall, it was a very nice, relaxing fall break. Even kitty felt more relaxed afterwards.

This week has been field trip week. On Monday all first graders went to two farms; an apple and pear orchard in the morning and a vegetable farm in the afternoon. All kids came armed with baskets and bags to the fruit orchard and since no instructions and directions were given, they picked away.

Then it was time to check out…..and oops, the farm forgot to tell us that they were only allowed to pick four apples each and what was left after the kids had gotten their pick the school and parents had to pay for. It was the most expensive fruit shopping ever. Such a rip-off but what to do?

The afternoon trip was much more organized and Amanda came home with a zucchini like pumpkin on steroids, a whole bag of carrots and so much ginger it will last us all winter. The pumpkin, some ginger and tangerines have been made into a soup that will be enjoyed at todays’ harvest feast.

The second graders went to the Great Wall on Tuesday. It was one of those rare perfect fall days when the sun is shining, the air is fresh, the leaves are every color of the rainbow almost and everyone is happy. We found a new way up to the wall through a garden with a waterfall and a cave. Heaven for the boys who pretended they were in a star wars game and ran all the way up to the wall. The energy! And stamina! I don’t get it; my boy hardly eats, doesn’t exercise much and still has the energy of an Olympic athlete. After some poem writing and lunch in one of the watch towers we headed down again and back to school.

Halloween weekend is coming up and hopefully moving day tomorrow! Can’t wait to move into our new, though almost empty, house. Finally some kind of normality.