I'm on blogger in China. SUCK IT, COMMUNIST CHINA.
Right, now, where were we? Oh, yea. Way back in Europe.
Well, we've been there and back already. Let's just say, DON'T GO TO EUROPE IN WINTER. The snow's pretty and all, but it's really cold and I don't think it's worth the prettiness. And it doesn't snow in France or Spain or Italy. It just pissed rain. And whoever told me that there're hot guys in France, IT'S NOT TRUE.
On a slightly more positive note, it was great seeing all the famous buildings and monuments in person. Definitely worth paying that extra cash and waiting that extra hour to go on top of the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. On a slightly better day, the view would've been FUCKING AMAZING but when we went it was cold and windy and rainy with overcast, so it was just amazing.
I'll write more about Euro tour, but right now I'm in China and a lot of things have happened since leaving Europe.
Saw Chelsea for the first time in over 3 years. She's grown so much and her Chinese is probably better than mine :/ AAAAH SHE'S SO CUTE I WANNA CRY. Kinda spoiled, though. She's got a really strong will and is really cunning as well for a 5 year old. When we play paper scissors rock, at first, she'd be like "I'll do scissors, you do paper, ok?" but later on she'd be like "I"ll do paper, and you do scissors, ok?" BUT we'd still outsmart her with reverse-reversal psychology, so she'd get really sad and depressed and start playing with the iPad.
Got a lot to say about Chelsea, but I need to move along.
Seeing my family for the first time in 4 years was really moving. Especially my grandpa. I love him 'cause he's so funny and understanding and positive. But I saw him this time with a walking stick which made me cry 'cause I can tell he's getting weaker and is going to go some time soon. Had a nice lunch together. My cousin's grown quite a lot, and my other one's off to uni already. I don't know how many more cousins I've got. I've yet to meet some of them.
Went to Beijing 2 days after we arrived in China. We brought Chelsea along with use :D Visited TianAnMen, Forbidden City (where I dropped and broke Mum's camera), the place where all the Royal/High-up Military people used to live, Great Wall, TianAnMen Square, Bird's nest and Water Cube (defo worth paying to go inside Water Cute) this place where religious people back in the Ming and Qing Dynasty would use, and this famous university. The residential area is like a mini-town with no shopping stores. We walked on a frozen lake, and if there was time, I would've rented some skates and skated on REAL ICE. For duh first time.
Had dinner with Parent's friends. Chelsea has the cutest laugh and everyone was in love with her. Lion drank too much beer too fast and did the longest/loudest burp in the history of Mankind. He did the burp into a bowl as well, so the sound was amplified, and the most horrific sound came out. I was shit scared 'cause I thought he was gonna vomit.
Beijing is really, really, really, really cold. Like, REALLY cold. I was wearing 5 layers on top and 2 layers on the bottom, and it's no where near enough. Wear a beanie that actally works. Mine's loosely knitted, so it looks good, and does shit to keep warmth in.
Then we went to Nanjing. We were gonna go to the Himalayas but there weren't any train tickets left and Lion's uber phobic of airplanes, so we went to Nanjing instead. On our way there, we watched Jackie Chan's movie about the 1911 Chinese Revolution, and dad was like "we've visited that and that, and we're about visit that and that". The movie was better than expected (probably because it was directed by Jackie Chan).
In Nanjing, there was this wall, like, it was really massive. It was GREAT. Not as great as the Great Wall, but it was still a pretty great wall. The wall surrounded this really great Barack, but was apparently "closed" so only people "known by the staff" are allowed in.
We went for a walk around it, which was pretty fun 'cause we had Chelsea with us. The was a river on one side, and the wall on the other, and a whole load of trees. CHELSEA IS ADORABLE. I have the cutest/funniest video of her. I'll upload ASAP.
Next day we went to ZhongShan's office/bureau however you call it in English. And that night we went to this fancy resto where Dad had his own private room, and Mum had her own private room, with all their friends. Chels, Lion and I went with Dad. I fed Chelsea, once more.
On the last day we went to ZhongShan Memorial, and this empty park where Chelsea and Dad went on this Bumper boat in a lake. Got videos and photos. So, friggin, cute.
Then we came back to Wuxi. Mum, dad, Chels, Lion and I went to this fancy garden/restaurant in this garden/restaurant place in this park (it was really, really, fancy) for lunch with old friends. Lion caught up with some old mates. Since Mum stole Lion's sim card to contact her old friends, Lion stole mine to contact his old friends, so now I'm left with no sim card :( if I get lost, then I'm doomed. I can't speak chinese to save my life (literally).
In Nantong atm with Mum, uncle, aunt, annoying-as 10yo cousin, and maternal grandparents to celebrate Chinese New Year. The house is in the countryside, so shower's impossible. So far, I've been going with mum to her old friends' place, 'cause 1) I'm sticking with mum and 2) SHOWER!!!!
I think I've written enough for now. Longer posts, up ahead (you have bee warned).
