Time with the Shau Family
Saturday December 30, 2006
















Kimberly and I with Shau Susu

















The three of us again including Susu's daughter Shau Hong Ying
















From left to right; Zhang Wei (Shau Hong Ying's husband), Shau Hong Ying, Kimberly, Josh and Shau Susu
















Shau Hong Ying, Mrs. Cai, Kimberly, Josh and Shau Susu.


At 5pm Mr. and Mrs. Cai picked us up and took us to see Shau Susu, Shau Hong Ying, Zhang Wei and Susu's grandson Zhang Han. Mr. Cai dropped off Kim, Mrs. Cai and myself, he had a meeting to attend.

We visited and relived many memories. Like the time I stole & ate the peanuts on the roof of the #11 Bi Shan Rd. house, the peanuts belonged to the guy living on the 3rd floor. So, much we talked about.

Shau Hong Ying told Kim how I would hide behind doors or under blankets or other places and scare her. I really enjoyed scaring people, and I still get a kick out of it, when I allow myself the indulgence. Hong Ying remembers how her mother adored me and I likewise was Ayi's shadow. We also talked about the Papaya trees that Ayi and I grew in the front yard. Every time I eat a papaya I think of mine and Ayi's miniature papaya plantation, orange fleshed papaya is the best. Mmmmmmmmm. :-)

So many memories, glad that I have them. :-)

Shau Hong Ying teaches piano lessons at her home during the day while her son Zhang Han is at school. She is an amazing woman, mother and wife.
Zhang Wei is a professional Chinese Ink Painter and Amazing husband and father.
Zhang Han is an amazing ten year old boy with the energy of TAZ from Loony Tunes, a huge beatific smile at all times and loves McDonald's more than his parents would like.

Xiamen Friday December 29, 2006

View North-East from our 23rd floor hotel room

View South-East from our hotel room

A family spending time together

One of the numerous dried fish stores.



Journal Entry for this day;

Caught a taxi to Wuxi Airport. Flew to Xiamen and caught taxi to the hotel. We are staying at the Yuejiayibao Hotel. We are on the 23rd floor, room 2307, NE corner. Beautiful view of the main mountain chain, will record Mt. names later.

It is quite warm outside. I am wearing long johns and I hope I do not cook in my own sweat.

I am excited to be back in Xiamen. I can understand why I enjoy lots of light, Xiamen is very tropically sunny.

We walked around the hotel neighborhood. Donated 10rmb to a local Buddhist temple, Kimberly took a photo of the Sister Monk. We stepped into a shop selling Iron Pyrite in matrix, also it was carved into animals and lucky symbols.

We than walked northwards and noticed people selling puppies. One gentleman was selling Chinese Chows, another was selling tiger-striped puppies, kind of looked like Tasmanian Devil pups, one with fur, the other pup was hairless but still had orange & black stripes on its skin.

We stopped for lunch and shared pork steak w/ seaweed, bakchoy, tofu and onion egg pancake, topped off with rice. We paid a whole whopping 10rmb for lunch.

On the way back to the hotel Kimberly took some photo's of partly demolished buildings, alleyway restaurants, spice shops and shadows.

We also visited a rather large aquarium & fish store, with everything from freshwater thru saltwater varieties. Most of the larger fish had been visually enhanced. Someone had injected ink beneath the scales, pigments ranging from fluorescent thru solids. Some fish even had tattooing of landscapes and lucky symbols, though they were of poor quality.

At 5:10pm Mr. Cai called and we discussed time schedules for the next 5 days. Afterwards Kimberly and I went on the hunt, in the mood for food!!! However; we purchased a map of Xiamen and sought out the nearest bookstore. Brains need to eat as well you know!! We spent 3 hours in the bookstore and purchased 4 books;
The Prompt Understanding of Measure Words
A New Dictionary of English Phrasal Verbs
Discover Gulangyu
An Intro to Geology - Chinese Textbook.
Than we at KFC and returned to the hotel.

This was our first day back to Xiamen, nothing grand, but we sure had allot of goofy fun together. :-)