The Yankees Are Coming…..

….and they are riding in on a washed up amusement park ride:

I received some pretty interesting looks from old Chinese men casually walking in the park and listening to the joyous laughter of children until….SCREECH…why is a big American riding that hideous thing??  You would have thought I was leading a charge of invaders.  As you can see, this is one of Maddy's favorite parts of China.  Odds are favorable that I ride this again tomorrow.

Today was a day of 'amusement' for most everyone on the trip.  Our official duties in Zhengzhou are finished. We are sitting around waiting for a passport for our little man.  Should be here tomorrow and then we leave for Guangzhou on Saturday.  This morning we took the optional tour to a local aquarium.  Maddy does not like aquariums. We just found this out. I got in a nice workout carrying her in one arm and her stroller in the other up and down 3 flights of steps.  You are probably thinking there was some large and scary fish there….nope.  The small waterfall at the entrance just did her in.  Falling water. Terrified grasping at me as if the devil himself is playing tug-of-war on the other end.  Her baby brother?  He was rather unfazed.  Did not seem to care much one way or the other.  All the poor girl wanted to see was a few penguins, and we did find a few at the end so it was all [kinda] worth it.

Naps followed and then a brief sojourn to the park.  Nothing exciting to report.

One fun fact for the day:

Our guide was explaining high school in China. Her daughter is in school and trying to get into an American university.  She is in school from 7a -1130a. She then has 1.5 hours for lunch, which is waiting for her because she also needs to take a nap. She goes back to school from 1-5p and then again from 6-930p. 

They go to school 6 days per week and the parents were just informed that they will be having 3.5h Sunday afternoon sessions to make up for recent holidays.  I told her to just get her daughter into school over here and it will be a comparatively easy road.  They are renting an apartment next to her school because that is the only way they will see her - if she comes home for lunch.  The students are asked to memorize 200 new English words PER DAY.  Nuts.

Falling asleep at the wheel here, so that is all for now.  Will try and get some pictures tomorrow. Another free day and packing for the next leg of trip. Flight Saturday AM.

c