Week 16 - Reverse Planking, Lujiazui

Being aware of the recent 'planking' phenomenon currently sweeping the world, and causing the untimely death of a few silly 'plankers' (or should they be called 'plonkers'?), it kind of made us laugh today when Didi lay down on the welcome mat (filthy, I know, but quite safe) of a restaurant in the Shanghai World Financial Centre.  I was actually too slow to snap him lying face down, but thought maybe he could start a new craze of lying down on your back.

Week 15 - Bike Riding in Pyjamas, Maoming Lu

This is one of those moments when you have to look twice.  At first glance, everything looks normal, then suddenly you realise that the grown man you are looking at is wearing his pyjamas... At about 2pm. Riding a bike. On a main street in Shanghai. While eating a baozi (pork bun). When everyone else is properly dressed - look at the nice leather shoes on the other cyclist!

Admittedly, when we first arrived here almost three years ago we were surprised to see adults roaming in PJs at all times of the day, and we have since learned that it is a way to show your wealth - rich enough to buy clothes just to sleep in!  It's way less common now... maybe more people can afford PJs.

Week 14 - Digger visits School, Jinqiao

It was a very exciting day, tying in with Jie Jie's Nursery class theme at the moment of transport, a Digger came from a nearby construction site for the children to explore, they climbed all over it, they crawled under it, they stood under the shovel and they watched it move.

Some of the cute comments:

"It was so noisy"

"When it reached up it looked just like a dinosaur"

"The digger lives at an extruction site"

Week 13 - Royal Wedding, Jinqiao

To celebrate the wedding of HRH Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton, Jie Jie's school here in Shanghai had a "street party" in the playground, and encouraged the children to dress up as Princes and Princesses for the day.  Jie Jie loves to wear her princess attire, so the build up was immense, and when the morning was here, she woke up, stretched out in bed and said "It's Prince and Princess Day today, I can wear my Princess Dress to school".

The class mums did an excellent job coordinating party food, setting up the tables and filling goody bags for the kids.  Jie Jie was so excited about it, she kept talking about the party all weekend - what fun and what a memory of the Royal Wedding!!!