Potato or Tomato

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Yesterday was a fun day in Wiehai,

First, we went to Da Fu Yuan. I brought my carry on luggage with me because I knew that all the water bottles I wanted to buy would be too heavy to carry. Apparently, you have to check your stuff in at a counter on the downstairs level. Which I thought was going to be a hassle, but it turned out to be very convenient instead.

Once we got home, You Know Who was hungry. So we went to this little restaurant that the other expats like to go to and ordered beef and tomatoes, by D's request, might I add . Something got lost in the translation and we got beef and potatoes instead! The owner was nice enough to bring D a dish of tomatoes on the side which he promptly ate with out a fuss. We also ordered greens and garlic. We made sure to order "No salt," and "No MSG," which they denied using. The greens dish definitely had MSG in it. I think whatever they put on it to give it that sheen and make that mild white sauce contains MSG. Cornstarch maybe?

On the way back to the apartment, we passed this amazing bakery. Oh, the lovely, lovey cakes! My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

Finally, we went to the night market near the downtown area. There was mostly food there, but there were some artisans at work too, like a guy that makes delicate objects out of glass.

The front part is street food on a stick, Since neither D, nor I were hungry. we passed on the food on a stick stalls and headed to the back.

Well, we never actually make it to the back because it started to rain. We ducked into a DVD store and I picked up a few DVD's to help keep ourselves entertained when culture shock creeps in. So far so good, maybe I'll be spared...

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Photos

Playing Peek -a-Boo on the Bus
This kid was so cute and shy. I kept practicing saying, "Tai guai la" (It's too expensive) but it came out like, "Tai gua la," which means listen to your elders or something like that.

I Am Not A Number!
When you check in your stuff, they give you a tag with a number stamped on it. I was number 324.

It's The real Thing
Chugging my MSG laced Coke outside of Da FU Yuan.

Lovely Cakes, Part 1
Weihai bakery's rock!

This Cake is Shaped Like a House
Check this out. This cake looks like a little cottage. I wonder how long it took them to put it together?

A Local Weihai Artisan
This guy is a master at shaping glass into delicate objects. You can find him at the night market near downtown.

Food on a Stick Anyone?
At the night market there was a bunch of vendors selling food on a stick. They are located near the front of the market.

Cute Little Dog at the NIght Market
Just a shot of gratuitous canine cuteness.