I know you all think I am taking the easy way out just reposting from last year... and part of me is. You got me! However, I have really enjoyed reliving last year. Plus, I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest with these kids and school. Who said school was easier than homeschooling? Plus, there has been major drama with Jackson. I'll get to it really soon... I promise! I have several good things to write about!
And, one thing about this post... this was one of my favorite days in China. And, I can't believe I forgot to write about this last year, so I am going to tell you now.
We were walking around this run down zoo in Nanning, Guanxi last year. It was so hot that even Emme was sweating. It was miserable outside. To be honest, we just wanted to hit the hotel room. But, as were ending our day at the zoo, we came up to an area where they were getting ready to have a dolphin show. We all agreed we should watch it. As we are getting closer, we could hear music playing. Paul and I stopped dead in our tracks and we looked at each other... knowing we were thinking the same thing. Then, Paul looked at our cute little guide Cindy and said, "Cindy? Are they singing 'I Hate Myself for Loving You!' in Chinese. She smiled real big and said, "Yeah, yeah. I Hate Myself for Loving you!" I thought we were going to die... it was so funny. Can you imagine hearing a Chinese Joan Jett singing IN CHINESE:
I hate myself for loving you
Can't break free from the the things that you do
I wanna walk but I run back to you thats why
I hate myself for loving you
Seriously... doesn't that look like a person with a costume on?? 
That picture revealed way more than we cared to see. 
Who knew this could really happen? I just thought it was in books and on cartoons 
The act that about gave me a heart attack. 
What? I don't even know what's going on here. 
Elaine Benice??? 
Sorry I was late posting today. I was trying to get more pictures for those saying, "More, more, more!" ALso, thanks a million for the comments and all the emails. I think I would die without them!
Things about Emme I forgot to mention.... She hates, hates, hates getting her clothes changed, her diaper changed and getting a bath. Sometimes she gets so mad and holds her breath for so long before lets out wail, that... I am pretty sure she is going to pass out one of these times. She does not in any way act like a child that is 1 year old. She is very low maintenance. She doesn't try to go anywhere. She doesn't put anything to her mouth. No question is she slow growth and development! Poor thing!
Today
Well, today we skipped the ol' breakfast buffet and had pb&j for breakfast. Never tasted so good!
Then, we met our guide in the lobby at 9:30 am so we could go to the zoo. We rented a stroller at our hotel first. It's $1 a day. Emme is so small that it's hard to hold her. Plus, she starts to break your back after awhile.
We met our friends from Texas, Mary and Vince and their guide David, at the zoo. David cracks me up! He is exactly like Franc (pronounced Fronk) from Father of the Bride. I'll have to post his picture tomorrow. I think you'll laugh just looking at him. Not because his physical looks look funny but because I think you can tell he is a funny guy just by looking at him!
So, the zoo in Nanning. Wow! This zoo is nothing like zoos in the US. And, I don't mean to sound like the Nanning zoo has one up on us- cuz... they don't! It is beautiful as far as the landscape goes. It's very green, big beautiful palm trees, lots of flowers, etc... But, the rest of the zoo looks very run down.
Before I tell you about our experience there, you should know that the heat today was oppressive.
We were all drenched in sweat. Emme was getting a heat rash. So, I was in no mood to take pictures. The first performance started and I was waiting for that Candid Camera Crew to pop out. I thought, "These people can't be serious." It was the cheesiest thing I had ever seen. There were Russian performers and this lady was trying to dance all fancy, kinda like the gymnasts do, only without all the flipping. And, she kept moving her hands to make us think we should look at something only there was nothing to look at. Once she almost fell. The performance area was a ring and the red stuff the were dancing on was like a sheet. So, it'd get all bunched up in areas. Poor lady. She was all dressed up, dancing this horrible dance and about broke her neck for an audience of maybe 50. Then, they had cats running along these stilt looking things. Stilts with small plates on the top. It started low and would get high and then get low again and the cat would run along the length and then back again. Then, she takes this other poor cat and he starts walking down these parallel bars (like the male gymnasts) with his arms. CATS!! Common household cats.... AT THE ZOO!! Aren't we supposed to see things elephants standing on a beach ball or men sticking their heads in the mouths of lions. We are watching cats. One more time.... cats.
So, then I look over and see what I think is a person in a bear costume. Again, I thought how ridiculous... as if that's going to be funny. So, the bear comes walking- like a human- over to the ring. It was then that I realized- THAT'S A REAL BEAR! It was no question a male bear and because it was a real bear trying to walk like a human, he looked like a fairy. Fairy bear. The bear did some pretty impressive tricks (see pictures). Then, the monkeys came out to join him and they all started riding bikes. Real bikes! Not bikes with training wheels. We were dying laughing- a bear and 3 monkeys riding bikes.
The final act was the 3 Chinese men running on those wheels. I about had to take a nerve pill when it was over. At the end of their performance, two of the guys were running on the outside of the wheels with black bags over their heads. Then, they took the bags off and one guy stayed on. He kept jumping when the wheel would get to the top and EVERY time he looked like he was going to fall. I hated it!
So, you can tell we had a very entertaining morning! Really, it may not be the USA but it is great memories!
We arrived at 10 and left by noon. There were not many animals and it was too hot.
We came back and ate lunch in the hotel room. Noodles in a cup- just add hot water. We have a hot pot.
We stayed in the hotel again all afternoon. It's too hot and crowded. I feel like Beijing and Nanning make NYC look like the country. Plus Emme took a really long nap.
We met our friends for dinner tonight- KFC.... ummm boy. The highlight was getting a strawberry sundae for Emme. She could not get enough. Then we were walking around the city with Mary and Vince and the KFC did not agree with my system. We had to get a cab and get back to the hotel. (I know... too much info.)
Stay tuned for more exciting time in Nanning!:-)
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