2nd Day In Chengdu

We hit breakfast and then Echo picked us up at 8:00.  Todd asked what was on our agenda today. Echo said "You don't remember, you forgot again?"  We all started laughing.  Everything we asked he would ask if we forgot.  Yesterday he asked me if I knew something and I said no.  He said" Most people research for many months before traveling here".  We all just started answering yes when he asked if we knew.

We walked around the broad and narrow streets.  They were actually pretty interesting. We saw a neat door and Cameron said "Hey, nice knockers"...it was the door knocker.  It made everyone laugh though. Echo was telling us one of the houses they must have been rich because of the 3 symbols on the outside.  He said "their social status" but echo always said "social stater".  It made Kelly laugh every time he said it.

Going for a ride.

We were not sure what Griffin was doing with his hands.

Gaze into each others eyes.

We were on Broad Street.  Echo is pointing to Narrow Street.

Narrow Street.

Grace was so happy to see this sign.

Nice.

Nice knocker.

Griffin is being watched.

So cute. 

A house.

The day before Todd asked Echo what time everything would open on Broad and Narrow Streets.  Echo said if he picked us up at 8:00 everything would be open when we got there.  Well, we got there and there was hardly anything opened.  Todd asked why things weren't open.  Echo said "It is Saturday.  Everyone sleeps late on Saturdays".  Oh Echo.

This picture is to remind us of all the things that were closed.

This was down one of the alleys.

Buddha is watching you.

Strolling along the streets.

Whoever lives here is rich.  Echo said so.

Ronnebeck's in front of their dream home.

Out front of the rich peoples house.

These people forced the Ronnebeck's by grabbing them and posing.

Grace loved it.

Hmmm, what should we complain about?

This is the "rong club". 

Cool picture.

Griffin's new pet.

He's whispering in Grace's ear.

This is Cameron's kind of horse.

This says 'narrow' and 'broad'.

Still exploring.

Almost done with the streets.

Echo was on a mission to get back in the van but Todd wanted to walk down the street leading into the Broad Street to take pictures.  There were all kinds of cool things built into the walls.

Cameron didn't know I was taking his picture.  He was waiting for
a vitamin water Todd was buying.

Cool little vehicle.

That doesn't go around your neck Griffin.

Can we keep him?

Can I ride it?

This bike is cool.

Grace wants to go for a ride.

Changing face door.

Neat design.

Cameron tried talking to these kids but they were too involved with
an Ipad.

Back in the van.  I'm pretty sure Echo thinks I'm a little on the dumb side.  I looked at the itinerary and asked about a couple places on there.  He said "Huh, you don't remember?  We went there yesterday."  He went on to say the name is translated into --insert name--but real name is--insert name.  How in the world was I suppose to know the translation?  Then he said "And it was on the sign."  And I was suppose to remember that too after being at 6-7 different places?  My family got a good laugh at how he was explaining this to me.

We hit the Shu Brocade factory.  We learned how to make embroidery and everything we needed to know about silk.  During one part she had a pile of silk worm poop.  She said they put this poop in their pillow to help their skin.  Scott is going to give it a try.  They also put the poop in their tea to help their heart.  After the speech we ended up in the buying section.  This is when the ladies got pushy and annoying.  We even walked out to go to the bathroom and they followed us.  Then the lady looked at Todd and asked what his question was.  He said in his tough voice "How do we get out of here?"  The girl was taken back for a second but then tried to sell him something.  We finally just found a door and walked out.

All disappointed because we thought he said we were making bricks.

The kids were acting like they were interested.

This is one of the "getcha" stops of a tour.

Two people work this machine.  The guy up top has the most important
and hardest job.

She is explaining what the poop is for.  Gross.

Oh yes, I feel the difference.  Cameron might be bored.

We get to participate next.

Stretch that silk.

Looks like we made a spider web.

This guy liked watching us.

In the car we were talking about the funny things that just happened.  Scott said he should have told the lady "If you let me poop in your pillow and you take a full fledged nap with it I will buy a silk comforter." Too bad he didn't try it.

Next stop was a temple.  We were standing out front and Echo said we had to pay 60 rmb per person because this was not part of our tour.  We didn't care but why did he take us somewhere that wasn't included?  Into the temple.  Echo was going on and on about history but by now I had checked out.  It was all sounding like blah, blah, blah.

Funny things we see in traffic.

Going into the temple.

Nice reflection picture.

An Emperor.

Grace is not in the bowl.

This guy was frightening.

Group photo.

Walking back to the tomb.

Echo might have figured out we were on
information overload.

Looking at the tomb.  A big, grassy mound.

Yikes.

On our way out.

Made it out of the temple and into food street. We took some funny pictures of Scott using a rickshaw to pull the kids and then Cameron pulling Todd.

What a good dad.  The kids were tired of walking.

Kelly was grossed out Scott was wearing the guys hat.

Cameron had to pull Todd around.

We walked around looking at little shops and food shops.  Todd got a pineapple treat...rice and pineapple served hot in a pineapple.

Checking things out that were for sale.

Griffin got shocked by a pack of gum.  Ouch!

Can you find the Americans?

Treat time.

Cameron likes it so he took some.

Kelly wanted to try it.

We continued walking and ran into Dairy Queen.  Hallelujah.  Blizzards and chocolate shakes yes please.  At least we finally had an American treat. We are pretty sure Echo thought we were crazy for wanting that.

Having a good time just being together.

These guys were playing chess on the roof.

I wonder what we are doing next.

Thank goodness.

Enjoying a treat.

I'm not sure what I was telling Grace but I look goofy.

This was a 2-1-3 eating while walking formation.

We were all glad we weren't this guy.

Walking and chatting.

Another activity checked off.

Off to lunch.  We walked to the restaurant.  Todd had a LONG conversation with Echo and the waitress.  We had a set lunch.  Todd was trying to get them to understand we wouldn't eat parts of what they ordered.  He was trying to order things we might have a chance at eating.  Finally got it worked out.  Kung Pow Chicken, beef with noodles,  fish, lamb, rice, and watermelon.  Everyone except tried something.  The Wallace's ate but Cameron and I were pretty sick of Chinese food by that point so we didn't have all that much.

Worried again about what was going to be served.

Waiting to see what we get to eat.

Grace and Kelly were checking out the food on the tablet.

Scott checked it out too.

Not too bad.

Leaving the restaurant.

After lunch we stopped at McDonald's.  In the van waiting the boys were having fun waving to people as they walked by us.  A lot of people were doing double takes and staring at them. We got the food and the chowing down began.

Watermelon anyone?

These boys were being goofy.

Here comes the gang.

Back to the hotel.  We said our goodbyes to Echo and left Todd to deal with the feedback and payment part.  We went to the room to eat and watched Liar, Liar.

Ipod and nuggets...life is good.

Happy to be back at the hotel.

Cameron soaked his feet because he had blisters.  Griffin
had to supervise.

Comfy watching a movie.

Check Todd out.

After the movie the kids acted out and sang "Dumb Ways To Die".

In an elevator.

We went to bar street which was by our hotel.  We took pictures and found a bar to have a beer at.  After a hard time trying to order water Todd finally walked to WoWo, like a 7-11, to buy bottled water. I wanted a Coors Light.  We looked at the menu and they had a Cools Light and a Budweiner beer. We cracked up.  You have to love how the Chinese try to copy but can't. We ended up having a Carlsburg Chill.  It was gross.

Our hotel in the background.

The whole family.

Kelly deep in thought.

At the bar.

Back to the room to meet Steve, a friend of Todd's.  A drink then off to dinner.  The boys stayed in the room. We walked down the parking lot hill to a German Restaurant.  A song played and all of the wait staff busted out in a dance.  Pretty funny seeing Chinese dressed in German outfits dancing.
Dinner was pretty good.  I had a steak and it actually tasted yummy.  The company was good with lots of laughs.

Grace with the Alleman Pioneer Pandas.

We were all listening to Steve.

Scott and Kelly, Todd and I, with Steve.

The dance.

They looked like they did not have a clue.

Kelly's dinner.  It didn't come this way.  She created it.

Back to the room.  The Ronnebeck's said they didn't mind if we went and had a drink with Steve so we went to the bar in the lobby.  One beer and 3 songs from the New Zealand band and we were back in the room...9:45.  Off to bed.