Just a week in Chengdu!

Last week was a great week! We had lots of sunshine, which is always a treat here in Chengdu.

On Monday morning, I started walking with a group of new friends from here in the neighborhood. Six of us walked for over an hour around Luxehills. It was a good time to get to know my new neighbors better. Monday night was the Lantern Festival and the last night of the Chinese New Year celebration. There were fireworks in the neighborhood and one family launched their own sky lantern. A great time!
Fireworks!

Emelyn's family preparing to launch the sky lantern and . . . it's off!

On Tuesday with the sun shining and the temperature in the 70’s, I went shopping with a couple of friends to a walking street area (almost like an outdoor shopping mall) and we also had lunch. My quest was for a coffee grinder and I actually found it at the Japanese department store Ito Yokado. I also found a little something for Joe for Valentines. We had lunch at Swenson’s.

On Wednesday, I went to my friend, Emelyn’s, for a Dutch cooking demonstration/lunch. Emelyn is from the Netherlands and lives in my neighborhood. There were ten of us at the lunch and we also helped Emelyn prepare some traditional Dutch dishes. It was a lot of fun. The Chengdu International Women’s Club has these luncheons monthly and it’s a great opportunity to learn about what families in other parts of the world put on their tables.

On Thursday I met my new friends at a local Chinese restaurant for lunch and then it was off to get a 2-hour foot massage. It was soooooo relaxing!

Friday is Mahjong Friday at The Bookworm. Ladies meet to play and socialize. It was another beautiful sunny day so we were able to sit outside and play and talk. Joe also took the afternoon to take advantage of the beautiful sun and play some golf.

Saturday was Valentine’s Day! I made Joe a card and gave him a surprise gift – a radio controlled helicopter. He’s wanted to try them out so I got him a small one to learn on. I love watching him fly it around the living room! See video below. Saturday night we had dinner in a German restaurant and went for drinks at a local place that frequents westerners.

Sunday was church, lunch and a quite afternoon.

I also started and finished reading Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love this week. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. I have actually passed my book on to a friend and hope she will do the same.

I am now reading Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A sweet-sour memoir of eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop. It’s about Chengdu in the mid 90’s and is an interesting read to get an idea about how Chengdu was back then compared to how it is now. The ladies in Luxehills have started a book club and this is our first selection. There will be a literary festival here in Chengdu in March at The Bookworm and Ms. Dunlop is scheduled to be one of the visiting authors.

As I said, it was a great week.

Love to all!