Back from the store!

Well, today we ventured out on our first excursion as a family (Emily is out today). We went back to the department store...Laura and me and Anyssa makes 3...hand in hand. It's interesting to see the looks from the locals...especially the older folks. We asked Emily about what they think. She said that before the advent of the internet, there was a lot of uneasiness because no one fully understood what was happening and what foreigners were doing with Chinese children. But now, with the internet, they understand more so it is not as strange as it might seem. However, we still must be an unusual sight. I didn't mention earlier because we didn't have a computer, but twice along the way, locals have stopped us and wanted pictures taken with us. Evelyn said they think that Americans are like movie stars. A family of 5 at the Great Wall wanted a picture of each of them standing with me or Laura. Kind of strange but they seemed like fans finding movie stars. Yep...good for the ego :-)

Anyway, we went looking for some clothes for Anyssa because as it looks, we were pretty wrong about size guessing. We brought 5's and 6's but in reality, she could easily fit into some 4's and 5's. Not sure what her aversion is, but she would NOT put jeans on. No problem, pink sweats it is. We went to the store I mentioned earlier and found out that no...designer stuff is not exactly what we are looking for. It's so WEIRD...EVERY department has a buttload of workers. All of the fashion areas have girls dressed in the fashions they are selling to try and sell more. It was kind of eye-popping (and I couldn't help feeling like a dirty old man) but as we passed the juniors department, there were young girls dressed in knee high socks and Catholic-school type skirts and sweaters. Yowser! You really had to keep moving because if you stopped, you would IMMEDIATELY be approached by a salesperson.


The bottom level is a supermarket so we shopped for soda (for me), cookies and snacks for Anyssa and whatever else we could decipher. They have an abnormally large selection of dried, jerky-style...uh, things. You look at some of the stuff and have to wonder what is used to be when it was alive. As I mentioned, the meat department is a total health hazard. I'm not sure if they would let me take a picture, but if you saw it, you would turn into a vegetarian. The raw, open and exposed meat that anybody and his brother could touch (or sneeze on) is a little shocking. They also sell individual cans of beer. I bought a Tsingtao (Chinese favorite) but I've got to go back later and get one of the Chinese Budweiser cans. Kind of a novelty.

OK...here's this posts pictorial section. I think you need to see more mommy/daughter shots, so here are the girls playing with a sticker book and one of them both on the street. See you all later!!