Brief But Funny/Picturesque Day

We went back shopping today.... I was actually quite controlled so - yay me! :)  I had planned on getting a few pairs of shoes this weekend and I was a very good shopper and got the ones I wanted plus a few Christmas presents and then said "no" to the Burberry bag that was calling my name.  I have to have something to come back for right?!

The day flew by and we just basically shopped and were transported so - its a picture post....

Oh, I should add that Julie brought attention to the announcement that is playing when you get on the escalator at the train station at The Pearl Market.  Its an Asian woman speaking English and so she basically says something about being careful getting on and please hold the "hand rural"  At least thats what it sounds like - I know its supposed to be rail but - she didn't quite make it on that one!

Pictures follow....

Theres a "Mind the gap" in every language except American English?  Why don't they warn us on our trains?

In case Melissa is watching my posts.... this one is for you.... If you had an iPhone I would have gotten for you!

And this one - I couldn't pass it up!  I was waiting for Julie outside of the toy shop and a woman brought her baby out and put him over the grate and - potty training in action....  The whistle - the hole in the pants... Its all here and I was very happy she didn't just have him go on the sidewalk or the street!  But I caught the action shot I've always wanted!

And before we left the Pearl Market, we stopped at Starbucks (again - we decided to do a tall on the way into shopping and a tall on the way out - only we ended up grande-ing it after all the exhausting shopping!).  While I got coffees, I sent Julie over to grab seats at a community style table.  There were two men sitting on the other side and when I finally got the coffees and came over, they had started a conversation with Julie.  

Their story is they're from a provence in China - north or south, can't remember - but they had come to Beijing for 11 days because the son (in red) is in high school and is interviewing with several American private high schools to go to the states for a year for school.  He's 14!  Ah!  I can't imagine sending your child away for that long at that age.  

He spoke very good English and his dad was actually impressive as well - he understood pretty much everything we said, and he was halfway good at speaking but ended up just having his son translate on several things (like a Chinese eggplant recipe that he gave to Julie :).

They were telling us about only having one child and that they would be fined if they had any other children - so he was the only one.  They talked about different areas of China to go to and the dad's job.  We talked about Virginia and Chicago and Massachusetts.  They were really sweet.  The dad was just so cute - you could tell he was dressed up in his proverbial Sunday best and he was just SO proud of his son and you could tell he has such high hopes for him.  

As we sat there and talked, we finished out coffees and the dad whispered to the boy and they did some back and forth and then the son said that his father and he wanted to buy us a tea or a coffee.  Julie was like "no" - and they were insistent... And so we ended up letting us get something even though I think we were a little coffee-d out.  But how can you say no to such absolutely happy and kind faces!  You could tell they were just so happy to meet nice people in the "big city" - and on top of that to meet Americans who would speak English to them for such a long time.

I think they were one of the highlights of the day!

This evening was spent eating dinner at an Anderson friend's (I like them too though so I'll call them my friends as well :) house and then we went back for a movie - "Edge of Tomorrow" with Tom Cruise.  It was like "Groundhog Day", but no Bill Murray and the laughs were very short-lived.  It was sci-fi "Groundhog Day" and it was actually pretty good.  I think it might be because it had the same producer or director or something as "The Bourne" series and if you know me you know I love those movies.  

Would I watch this one again - probably.  Would I recommend it - probably.

And thats my day in a nutshell...

And a movie review for those of you who care....