A few of my favorite things so far...

Although there have been a lot of challenges over the past week I thought I would post a few of my favorite things so far about China.

* We have been visiting the park up the street a lot. Every time we go there is someone cleaning the play area. They keep public areas so clean (if you can look past all the air pollution)!
* Everyone loves to say hi to Kay. There is a little old lady who sits right out front of our apartment door and peels what look like a green tangerine all day. She then strings the skins on a string and hangs it on the rail out front. She loves saying hi to Kay. I never see anyone buying them, but surely she must sell some for as many as she peels. The picture below shows her fruit stand. Notice in the background of the peel strands the McDonald delivery bike riding up the sidewalk. Also, our door guys always love to help open the door and then lift Kay to hit the elevator button. They are so helpful!
* Everyone shares tables. I love that if there is not an empty table you just join with someone else. How nice would it be if people did that back home?
* You have to know people. See the unmarked door in the picture below? That is the towel lady's shop. First you have to wait for someone to let you in the locked door, then you take the elevator to the first floor, knock on the mysterious unmarked door and wait for the towel lady to let you in! I never would have found it if it were not for the lady helping us find a flat! What a fun adventure. She gets new stuff all the time so now I have to find my way back.
* You never really know what you are going to get. I went to order a pizza for Kay and I last night. The lady taking my order explained it was buy one get one free. I tried to explain we could not eat two and I could not carry all that home. When I came back to pick up my pizza I got pizza and free egg rolls! Who knew?
* Kay continues to love taking her purse everywhere. Yesterday we had to stop in the middle of the sidewalk for her to get her "money" out. I looked down and she had unzipped her purse and pulled out some hand wipes. Everyone likes to stop and smile at Kay when she takes her purse. I have also lost count of how many people have asked her if her thumb tastes good.