Mum's visit pt.2

---

The bus ride to Xiamen was comfortable and passed without incident. Although a particular highlight was the lunch break when I managed to hold a conversation(-ish) with some of our fellow travellers in my pidgin Chinese. They were quite impressed that Mum and I were travelling to Xiamen and to find out that I worked there. They also tried to teach Mum how to use chopsticks properly with hilarious results. Mum insists that it was all the attention that put her off and that she's usually actually quite proficient with chopsticks. I'll leave you to make your own minds up ; )

We arrived in Xiamen at about 7ish that evening and after giving Mum the guided tour of my flat we went for dinner at one of my favourite Indian restaurants in town, the temple-of-doom-themed "Indiano John's" (get it?) and then called it a night.

The next day I took Mum to some of my regular haunts in Xiamen and just generally showing her around the city. The next couple of days we took in the usual tourist stuff - Gulang Island, the botanical gardens, the Buddist temple and the University. Unfortunately the temple was undergoing rennovations and building work, which spoilt some of the atmosphere but it was still a great few days and I think Mum was left with a positive impression of what has been my home for the last six months (has it really been that long already?).

Then on Wednesday morning we flew to Shanghai for the last leg of our trip together.

---

Photos

Gulang Yu
Monks on the beach

Gulang Yu
?