Nothing much happening today....

     ....apart from a long session of shredding old papers as we try, yet again, to get the family room sorted out.  Took an early break for lunch and went to the "Umbrella Man" who was limping about and having general staffing problems.  He looked tired and worn out, but quietly told Darsh that he has sold the business and is going to India for a long holiday.  Now we need to find somewhere else that makes chapattis as good as his.

One day a couple of weeks ago Charlotte took us to the park to see the cherry blossoms, it was after a particularly windy night and the only blossoms were on the floor, but we amused ourselves wandering round spotting the comically translated signs that were everywhere...

     We had a giggle at this one, it makes it sound as though that patch of grass is viscous (is that spelt right?)

     On the way into the park there were all the usual refreshment stalls and one was selling Darsh's favourite-sugar cane juice.  Of course he had to have some, but being China, it was not going to be straightforward.   
    The man and wife were so excited to have foreign customers, they insisted we all sat down behind the stall in a circle for a "chat".  He proudly selected his best sugar cane ever and squashed it in the machine....
 

    Look at him, you can see he was grinning from ear to ear.   His wife wanted to know all about us...mama/papa/daughter?....were we on holiday?....were was I from?...where was Darsh from?.   They were so delighted to understand that Charlotte was living and working in Shanghai.   Very shyly they could manage the odd few English words and were incredibly proud that we could understand them.

       After about half an hour we carried on into the park with them waving and calling after us.  Darsh told them he would call back, and see them later.

     On the way out at the end of our day, Darsh did go back for another drink and was pleased that he did, they were both eagerly waiting for him, keen to see their new friend and to squeeze him another glass of juice at the end of their day.  They taught him how to say "sugar-cane juice" in Chinese and he came back to us chanting it under his breathe as he tried to remember it.