Lovin' the Bund

Since Thursday was a holiday, most Chinese got off Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. (It was the Mid-Autumn Festival.) This weirdly meant that our bank was open on Sunday. Since we had to set up a few different accounts each, we split a cab with our friends to Lujiazui (Loo-jah-zway) right near the Bund. 

The banking was relatively painless for once, and we left to meet more people at the Shanghai World Fincancial Center for lunch. (That's the one that looks like the bottle opener.) I didn't get a picture of the whole elevator map, but I did want to show you that you are "her."

If you come to Shanghai, you will be taken to Din Tai Fung. Shanghai is known for their soup dumplings: little packages filled with meat and broth. Things of beauty. This place is one of the more famous restaurants. Picture nine of us at a normal round table for 6, 11 steamers of dumplings, and side dishes to spare.  What a feast!

Afterwards, we went to the top to take pictures of the view, but we were literally in the clouds. Nothing to see!

Like so:

You can't even see the bottle opener in the clouds.  Also in the smudge of my picture.  

Really, I'm fascinated by this city. I haven't gotten over the view, that's for sure. 

I'm feeling really good about this transition so far. I'm picking up words here and there. We're finding interesting things to do on the weekends. And weekdays even!  Who knew that was even an option??  We haven't gotten totally lost or had any completely mortifying experiences.  We've been definitely having an adventure, so that's a successful life choice I think.  

I miss parts of my "old" normal.  I miss friends and family, of course. I miss playing in the orchestra. I miss going to my exercise class. I miss running down the hall to gab with coworkers.  I miss having a chocolate drawer at school!  I miss Mexican food. Oh, el Taco de Mexico....

But! 

I'm loving how much free time I have to explore my world. I'm loving all the "problem solving opportunities" I have on a consistent basis: how do I order food at the restaurant when there aren't pictures in the menu?? I'm excited to be meeting all of these different cultures and having kids excited about that folk dance from Sweden simply because they just moved from Sweden a few months ago. 

I'm feeling my world expand out of the bubble it had been in, and I'm excited to see everything.

Let's just hope the feeling lasts when the weather turns cold and dreary!