It's about time...

This month of vacation has been spectacular. I cannot even believe how much we have seen and done and how much I need to catch you up on. So here is the beginning of it.

Our friends Shelly and Chad were here from Hawaii for a good week before we all took off for China. They also had a flight to Shanghai on the 6th of August. Their flight was earlier in the day and our flight was later in the evening. We arrived to the airport with just enough time to check in and make it through security without any problems. After sitting at the gate for an extended period of time we learned that our flight has been canceled due to a typhoon. And so we end up spending the night in the airport waiting to see when we'll be able to get a flight, which turns out to be at about 4 the next day.

Finally we arrive in Shanghai and take the subway all the way across town to Diva's house which is a bit in the country, as she describes it. We are welcomed by a full house, a set table and several glasses of wine. It was perfect and relaxing.

Shanghai is an absolutely amazing city. It is very international and seems to be experiencing a sort of boom right now with new buildings going up and more and more people visiting and living there. The buildings were one of my favorite things about Shanghai. They are so, so tall and so modern and trendy. They all have to stand apart from each other, and it shows. They are covered in different colored lights that go in all kinds of patterns and even large screens that stretch the entire length of the building. It's beautiful. The population is also something to note. We were definitely taken aback by how many Westerners roamed the streets and how much English we heard.

At the same time, China seemed a bit grittier and more raw than what we're used to in Japan. The first time we stepped onto the subway we noticed how much people were pushing their way on to get any available seat. We noticed couples holding hands, which I realized is a rare site in Japan. The language itself was a huge difference as well. People speaking Chinese are so loud and angry sounding. It's all a bit more abrasive than the polite Japanese culture we've already become accustomed to.

On top of all that we did and saw so much while we were there. We went to Yuyuan, the old town where the pedestrian streets are lined with all kinds of shops and people haggling for the best prices. It was here that we had what most consider the best dumplings in the world, and I can now confirm this. The streets were lined with people waiting their turn to order the crab stuffed goodies. One portion of the street we had to walk by holding our hands to our noses hoping to escape the retched stench. We quickly learned that what we smelled was fermented, stinky tofu that people eat and love.
After stuffing ourselves with dumplings we took a ferry across the river and met up with everyone for some drinks and pretzels at a German pub where we could sit outside and enjoy to night scape of the city.

We went to the Jing'an Temple which is located in the middle of the city and sits between some very large skyscrapers creating a very interesting, yet typical in Shanghai, contrast. We didn't actually go into the temple but wondered around this part of town looking for food.

Shanghai was also a good place to splurge on things since everything was so incredibly cheap and bargain-able. One evening all six of us, Diva, Robby, Shelly, Chad, Rob and I, got foot massages while watching Mulan, which was purchased across the street for about $1. One evening Diva and I went to a spa and soaked in various different bathes following a full body scrub. Purely amazing.

There was so much that we did that I can't even keep it all straight at the moment. Also, this past Friday night as Rob, Evan and I were walking in the park I was bit by a centipede, or so we think. On Saturday when I woke up I was swollen from the mid-calf down and decided it best to go to the Dr. As he was looking at it it continued to get worse and so he told us to go to the hospital where they gave me an IV drip and antibiotics. As of today I'm doing a bit better but still can't put any weight on it. And now I am trying to prepare for going back to school on Thursday...

Osaka with S&C

We have some more visitors!! Our friends Shelly and Chad are here until the 11th of August, which means they'll be coming to China with us! We've been keeping nice and busy. We've mostly been cruising around Hirakata and Osaka with them. One of their main objectives in traveling is eating the best food, and that we have been. 

We had an amazing, very Japanese lunch on Saturday afternoon in Umeda. 

This was the best tofu I have ever had, eaten with a spoon!

We took them on the Ferris wheel at Hep 5 in Umeda. Here is a view from the top. This city is outrageous.

Beautiful husband with Shelly and Chad in Shinsaibashi, the main shopping area of Osaka. This place is lined with the craziest stores and the hippest people you've ever seen.

And finally we get a picture of the two of us!!

Just another beautiful store.

An entire store devoted to Kit-Kats. They come in every flavor you can imagine. So far my fav. is Green Tea.

And this, my friends, is Namba Hips. The most beautiful building ever. And yes, that would be a pink climbing wall down the center that moves up and down and the pink part changes colors. I'm telling you, this city is out of control, and I love it.

The sign for Namba Hips. We've seen a few like this around town, covered in plants and thought they were amazing. 

Around Hirakata

A few weekends ago we took our bikes out for a spin around town. Our goal was to get to the mountains (we're missing them hard) We managed to find them, but by the time we were there we were too tired and sticky to walk up much of the trail we found. So we slowly made our way back home, always on a different path. Here's a peak at what we saw along the way.

Hirakata Mountains

So very green.

Spider friend we had to walk under, she was huge.

Houses on top of houses. 

And rice paddies right next door.

A closer look at the cute houses that line the narrow streets.