Days 10 - 14

This was a week busy with my classes.  I've been learning a lot about Chinese Culture and history, doing a little shopping, and getting ready for the Dragon Boat Festival weekend.  The Dragon Boat Festival is a big celebration in China and a National Holiday.  All the big businesses and government are closed for the day.

Wednesday morning was free so I went to the Yu Garden area to do some shopping.  This was quite an experience, and you must be an expert in bargaining to get a fair price.  They always start out with a high price and negotiate down.  For example, I was looking at some bracelets and was told they were 50 yuan.  When I said 50 for the three of them she said "Oh no, 50 each"  Then I walked away and she yelled,  "OK, OK, 50 for the three of them." 

After I was finished shopping I went to lunch downtown near People's Square, at large shopping center called Raffles City.  Had lunch with a Chinese fellow Toastmaster, and discussed courting practices in China, as I have to make a presentation on this on Thursday, June 9th. In one of the pictures below you can see children walking in front of the shopping center.  They were there because it was Childrens Day.

Friday afternoon a group of us went to a neighborhood school where they were having a dumpling making contest.  They also invited us to try to make the dumplings.  Whenever we go someplace we seem to be the center of attention and everybody loves to take pictures of us, and of them with us.  Not sure why this is.  After the dumpling making we went outside and they they did a celebration for us, with all their costumes, etc.  They even got us to dance with them.

Back to my home work now!

Shopping Street in the Yu Garden District

Plaza in Yu Garden shopping district

One of the houses in Yu Gardens



Left Yu Gardens to meet friend for lunch and passed brokerage firm.  These were listings for the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and people could sit and watch, or go to a terminal to get information.



Was meeting friend here for lunch, at very large shopping center called Raffles City.  This large group of school children walked by.  It was Childrens Day in China.  Another day of celebration.  The Chinese have lots of celebration days.



In preparation for the Dragon Boat weekend, there was a dumpling making contest held at one of the local schools.  We were invited to this, and eveyone loved taking pictures of us.



This little girl was at the school dumpling making contest.  Most of the school children wear these red scarves to show their loyalty to the country and their national pride,



After the dumpling making, the adults there put on a show for us, with all their costumes.



More of their costumes and show



And they even got us to dance with them