The second half of trip to Shanghai to visit the Sheehan's (my mom's cousins) proved to be just as great as the first!
On Saturday I slept in a bit again, the Kris and I did some site seeing in downtown Shanghai. Neither Kris or Micheal have a car. She said they live so close to the school they both work at and traffic and parking is so bad in the city, it is easier to just bike! So Kris hired a driver to take us around downtown for the day. He was supposed to be an English speaking driver, but turns out he didn't understand a single word Kris was saying when she was telling him where we wanted to go. So we had fun using her iphone translator.
Our first stop was Yuyuan Gardens.
The garden was built in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty named Pan Yunduan.Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying, and this garden was built for Pan's parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.In the middle there is a Lotus Pool with a zig-zag bridge running through. In the middle of the Lotus pool is the Mid-lake pavilion, which was converted into a very famous tea house. Kris and I went in and had some tea! We tried the lemon grass tea and mint tea which came with tofu squares and quail eggs.
After tea, we got back in the van and our driver took us to The Bund. The Bund is a walkway in the Huanpgu District. It runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong. The word "bund" means an embankment or an embanked quay. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai because the view and skyline are incredible. From the Bund you can see the famous Oriental Pearl Tower, a tv tower that was the tallest building in China until 2007.
From the Bund we went and had some lunch at a restaurant overlooking the city. We then stopped at the Pearl Market to do a little bit of souvenir shopping. After that it was time to relax again. Kris and I went to get an AMAZING foot massage back at the salon at their house, Dragonfly.
Later that night, they got a babysitter for the kids so Kris, Micheal, and I could go out to dinner. We went to an Italian restaurant downtown in a district called the French Concession. It was a great place, and we enjoyed a long dinner of Italian bread, wine, tomatoes with cheese, pasta, and chocolate cake. By the time we got home it was time for bead.
Sunday was another relaxing day of going to the gym, doing some more laundry, and hanging out with the Sheehan family. I discovered they have a love for Lady Gaga. The kids can't get enough of dancing around to her songs :) I had to leave for the airport around 1pm to catch my 3:30pm flight. So I spent most of my Halloween traveling, but I didn't mind.
It was so great to spend time with family. I feel blessed to be so close to my extended Botz family. The Sheehan's were so kind to open their home to me and take me in for the weekend. Even though I am literally halfway around the world from home, it is comforting to know I have family only two hours away willing to put their busy lives on hold so I can come visit. I also enjoyed talking with Kris and Micheal over my time there. Conversations can only go on for so long and get so deep at the cabin over the 4th of July with the large masses of people there and so many activities going on. It was nice to be able to sit down and talk for awhile with Kris and Micheal. i also never really get a chance to hang out with Benjamin and Molly over the 4th since I'm usually hanging out with cousins closer to my age. I enjoyed playing and talking with them as well.
Overall, my trip was perfect. A nice break from the busy, crowded life in Hong Kong with a nice chance to see some family and familiar faces in a place far from home.
Love, Kelsey
