3 Generations of Iowans in China

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I'm posting this entry about 1 month too late. I have no excuse except laziness. Sorry everybody!

Grandma and Dad came to visit me in China! It was so wonderful. We spent the first day in Hong Kong and rode the new cable car to the Big Buddha. The cable car ride takes 25 minutes and during the entire journey we enjoyed spectacular views of Lantau Island. (The cable cars were shut down a couple of weeks ago after a big storm with high winds blew a car off the cable in the middle of the night.)

We then traveled to Shenzhen so that they could see where I've been living and working for the past three years. Shenzhen doesn't have much in the way of cultural and historical sights, but we amused ourselves by going to the top of the DiWang building (the tallest building in Shenzhen) and seeing the whole city spread out below us. We also spent the afternoon at China Folk Culture Villages, a theme park which highlights the different minority groups in China. It was interesting. While we were there, a very old Chinese woman came up and asked to take a picture with Grandma. It was so cool - Eastern Grandma meets Western Grandma. (During the entire trip, Chinese people were constantly asking me how old Grandma was and telling me how cool it was that she came all the way to China.)

The bulk of their visit was spent in Beijing. You can't come to China and miss Beijing! We took a driving tour of the new Olympic stadiums and visited the Lama Temple, Forbidden City, Ancient Observatory, Military museum, and the Great Wall. We also ate a lot of great food. You can't come to China and miss the food!

We returned to Shenzhen and spent the day with my Chinese friends Judy and Steven. Dad was able to play golf with Steven and we all enjoyed an incredible meal with more food than you could imagine six people might eat.

All in all it was a fabulous time! Grandma and Dad only got lost once (the first day in Beijing when they decide to explore the Hutongs, winding old alleyways, alone) and I was able to put them on the plane back to America completely exhausted and happy. Enjoy the pictures! There are a lot of them, so make sure to go to the 2nd and 3rd pages.

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Photos

Cable Cars
The cable car up to the Big Buddha in Hong Kong.

3 Generations at the Big Buddha
In Hong Kong

3 Generations at the Big Buddha
At the bottom, before climbing all the steps.

At the top of the Big Buddha
Dad and Grandma

DiWang Building
The tallest building in Shenzhen and the 8th tallest building (not tower) in the world, according to factmonster.com

View from the top
Looking down from the observation deck in the DiWang Building

Grandma and Dad
At China Folk Culture Villages in Shenzhen

Can you spot the tourists?
We went to the Folk Culture Villages at the same time as this kindergarten group. We kept running into them all afternoon. I think they were more interested in us than in the shows.

Glow-in-the-dark Jade
I don't remember the real name of this rock, but it looks like jade and glows in the dark. It's naturally occuring, but this one is made of several pieces put together.

All of us at the Beijing Olympic Stadium
Dad, Sen, me, and Grandma in front of the new Beijing Olympic Stadium.

Beijing Olympic Stadium
Its nickname is The Birdsnest.

Beijing Olympic Swimming Complex
Nickname: The Bubble

Beijing Olympic Media Center
I don't know if it has a nickname or not.

Sen
Most of the photos on this blog come from Dad or Sen. This is Sen as he looks 80% of the time.

Lunch
Dad and Grandma enjoying the experience of real Chinese spring rolls.

Dad and Grandma at Lama Temple
In Beijing

A World Record Buddha
Grandma and Dad at the Lama Temple in front of the building housing the World's Tallest Indoor Standing Buddha carved out of a single piece of sandlewood. We weren't allowed to take pictures of the Buddha itself.