Zai jian Shanghai

We returned to Shanghai to see what's new in contemporary art and architecture in China and eat, shop, walk, gawk. We met up with Phil and Janet and went to an ex-pat bar called Oscar's to listen to Mongolian Bluegrass - complete with throat singing. We stayed glued to the election returns via computer for most of the day on Wednesday (election night in USA) and wept huge tears of joy and relief and pride.
Tonight we say goodbye to a place that has surprised us, enchanted us and reminded us that our assumptions about people and otherness are usually wrong.
Stay tuned for the 1400 image slide show coming your way soon!!
Zai jian -
Mardis and Bobby

Xi'an! Capital of 13 dynasties, home to 3.4 million people, Louis Vuitton to Muslim Quarter market - its boggling. We arrived to find our hotel in a maze of Vegas-esque neon, noisy crowds and trinket sellers. So much for our ignorant and romanticized version of Xi'an as the Silk Road outpost with a few stray camels thrown in - this place is a huge, hustling contemporary city. We paid homage to the Terra Cotta Warriors, road bikes for 8 miles on top of the old city walls built in the Tang Dynasty, visited Temples of many persuasions and spent hours in the markets, eating shopping and looking atextraordinary faces from all over Asia. Tomorrow we fly to Shanghai to find an English speaking TV for the election returns.
Happy Birthday Romare!
Mardis and Bobby

Hi All fans of Lulu Sue and Mugshui
we are munching on dumplings and tea waiting in the Nanchang airport for a flight to Xi'an where the Tomb Soldiers have been waiting for us for a very long time. Parted company with the rest of our travelers and now we are truly loose in asia. Uh-oh.
It was hard to leave the Pottery Workshop folks and the many wonders of Jingdezhen - so here's the last shots of endless pots you'll have to endure for a while. however the chicken theme seems to be a constant.
We are well, happy and loving China.

Bobby T and Mardis N

Jingdezhen

Dear All
Here we are in Jingdezhen
This is one of the ways they wrap pots here to ship them all over the worldThis is SanBao where we are staying. its about 10 minutes out of town and we have adriver that takesus in a mini mini Van whenever we want to go home. Chickens and dogs abound and there are 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000Pots here of all qualities and conditions. We have had many teachers like Mr Wu pictured above showing us how to paint blue and white traditional designs. Vestiges of the Cultural Revolution still exist .
It is hard to get consistent internet so we have not posted as often as we would like.
Back to work ...glazing Monday.
Mardis and Bobby T

Shanghai Morning

Live eels
my mother's house near the pushkin statue
clothes to die for
dinner for 18 with spontaneous chinese opera singing
chicken heads
TALLEST building in the world
friendly warm people everywhere
got yelled at by a waitress
no words
to describe this
love, mardis and bobby
This blog stuff is kind of hard for us old gals!!!!!!

leaving in 12 hours

The long awaited trip begins with the arrival of Ms. LuluSu of Mizzoolou who is accompanying Ms Mugshui of Wazzui (sort of).  Oh well it sounded good . 

Bags are packed and very full, grades given, bills paid and we're off in a cloud of socks and glory.  too bad you're all not coming with us BUT - we will keep you posted and entertained as we venture into the Far East.

Stay tuned.

LuLuSu and MugShui