![\"IMG_2097\"](\"http:\/\/gordonandjudy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/IMG_2097.jpg\")
<\/a>The Pearl Market and the Toy Market<\/p><\/div>\n
We had a great visit, finding some fun toys for nieces and nephews (at least fun for us). It\u2019s crazy the things available for kids to play with these days. As with any Chinese market, some bargaining has to take place. I have to constantly run currency conversion numbers in my head so we don\u2019t pay too much. I used to worry about insulting vendors with low prices, but I\u2019ve decided it\u2019s part of the game between buyer and seller. When we head home, my mindset has shifted from gift selection and pricing, to \u201chow do we pack this stuff to get it home\u201d.<\/p>\n
Back home, it\u2019s time to get ready for the Xmas party. We meet the bus to the party at the UHN gate, along with 10 other BISS UHN residents. As we get close to the restaurant, the traffic is terrible, and the trip takes almost an hour. Our apartment is the last stop before the restaurant.<\/p>\n
The party is at a restaurant called \u201cMango\u201d, located in the Russian section of town. The chef is the husband of one of the BISS teachers. She\u2019s Ukranian, but I\u2019m not sure of the nationality of her husband. We never saw him. He was too busy cooking. The food was really good, with roast chicken, roast pig, grilled vegetables, so many other great foods.<\/p>\n
I was not aware there was such a vibrant \u201cRussian\u201d scene in Beijing. There\u2019s a huge section near this restaurant with stores and shops with Russian writing (instead of English) along with the Chinese writing. Apparently many of the Chinese workers in this part of town speak Russian. Later in the evening the restaurant begins to fill up with Eastern European patrons, and you can hear Russian spoken everywhere you turn. There were a few \u201cwater pipes\u201d in use at a couple of nearby tables. That\u2019s not a standard item seen at a \u201cTexas Roadhouse\u201d in DFW.<\/p>\n
After dinner, we\u2019re treated to a Cuban floor show with singers and dancers. There\u2019s lots of salsa, and eventually the BISS faculty begins to join in on the dancing. What a group!\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s another one of those nights that I find myself shaking my head at where we are and what we\u2019re doing. It\u2019s a blast!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We have a slow start to our Saturday, relaxing, and catching up on random computer jobs. We also take to time to make sure we have appropriate clothes for the BISS Christmas Party tonight. With our work finished and clothing … Continue reading