First Lili and I took the train to south station, we almost missed the train but luckily we hopped on, we had planned to leave extra early but didn't leave until a little after 9. We got to South Station and got literally the last two spots of the FunWey Bus (which for the record did not have live chickens despite what I might have been told). We ran to the gate just before the left running right past our SVP who had been watching for us (she was taking another bus at the same time in the next gate) she must have blinked as we ran by because she didn't see us. Anyhow the Fun bus seemed to be the napping bus - but that was fine with us since we worked until after 10:30 on Thrusday.
We arrived in Mahattan to be greeted by three of Lili's friends Dani, Ming & Sue & Fannie. They took us to lunch at some place with "yummy noodles" where they ordered just about 1/2 the menu and we only ate a 1/10 of it but I did taste the eel. I was hesitant the thought of the nasty thing made me disgusted but it wasn't so bad. Anyhow after that we all pilled into Dani's car and took a drive to his house. At Dani's I we were greeted by PauPau (which I think is chinese for grandma) but I'm not sure - she's Dani's mother in law she speaks NO english but she was very excited to meet me and kept bringing me things she was super cute. We toured Dani's house which he has been remodeling and played some pool and had a few drinks and chatted then we went out to supper. It was about this time that I started to feel slightly lost in translation. I literally know 5 chinese words and ice cream, sugar and brother are not really that common of phrases. But regardless everyone was super nice at dinner and the waiter and I had a few chuckles I don't think he sees many white midwest women in a rooms full of chinese people. We were served a 12 course meal of which the first 4 courses were various seafood dishes I don't eat much seafood particularly those things that come in shells so the waiter made a joke that he could bring me penguin, goose, or duck. And Lili told him chicken - he chuckled and said they were out. But shortly there after he brought me my own plate of chicken which he told everyone in chinese wall all mine. Yes I even ate the penguin in course 6 however I might have passed on it however Lili had stepped out when they brought it and I thought it was some kind of other bird. For the record "Happy Feet" tastes like goose or duck and it's not really bad at all aside from that they leave the heads on. Anyhow the meal continued until I thought people were going to pop from eating and then the Karaoke began. I did not take a turn as it was in all chinese characters. However others did. After that we hopped into a cab back to mahattan to check into our hotel in times square. We slept in on Saturday although we had good intentions of getting up early for breakfast with Lili's friends. Instead we enjoyed Dim Sum Brunch with some other friends. This time I was slightly less lost in translation although not entirely. Then we went shopping in chinatown and off to visit fannie and her family. It's amazing to me how many different things were being sold on the street. Did you know you could buy a brick of tofu on the street corner? On the way back to the subway we stopped in for bubble tea and then we climbed down these steps into this chinese music club where we listened to a chinese band playing. It was really super cool. They played instruments I'd never seen and they were very fascinated by my presence there as well they all wanted to know how I came to be in their music club (of course they were asking in chinese so I didn't know what they wanted). But they all were smiling and shaking my hands.
We wandered for a while and ended up back into times square we went shopping more although I bought nothing really. But we did stop in and see all the "touristy" stores. Then we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and we went to dinner and saw Billy Elliot. Billy was very good the show is funnier than the movie. And who doesn't love singing and dancing! After the show we thought about going out but went back to the hotel instead. The next day we did some more wandering before Dim Sum in Chinatown and our bus trip back to Boston. (sorry to condense the end of the adventure notes but I'm getting sleepy and I could go on forever).. But never fear a few pics to accompany it lthough for the record my pics were horrible from the weekend all weekend long I seemed to have my camera set to some weird funky setting that I swear I didn't change to from auto.
Dani, Ming, Lili and Sue (or maybe that's fannie)
All over New York I kept seeing Babies in bags! It cracked me up especially since they say don't let your child play with a plastic bag.
Mom this one is for you! While I was there I ran into Superman who was busy saving the world.
More from Time's Square
42nd street train station
The Brooklyn Bridge from Dani's Car.
Me tasting some kind of traditional chinese treat. (I didn't care much for this).
Times Square (this is what happens when someone else gets your camera).
There were these random balloon carries in mahattan.
This seems so New York to me.
Me and Bubble Tea.
Times Square during the day.
The M&M store - people in the store thought I was crazy using my phone "tripod"
Fannie's daughter. Don't you love the leopard?
This is the treat i'm eating abow.
The man who was toting his ladder about on the train. I couldn't resist taking this one.
Octopus Anyone?
Sugar Cane sold on the street not far from the tofu.
Some of Lili's friends - I think this is Sam and I can't remember her name.
2 comments:
More fun times in the life and adventures of KatieJ! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. You are very fortunate to see what we white midwesters will never get to see! What treasured memories!
Awesome adventure!
Marilyn
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