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So we've been eating out a lot, alternating a lunch or dinner the past few days.  We had dinner at a all you can eat hot pot resturant, kids under 1 meter are free, other kids are 1/2 off.  Adults were ~$20.  That night the boys were being picky and didn't want to eat.  They drank some expensive juice that night.  The resturant reminded me of another era, rounded booths in velvet and lots of gold with gold wires running from floor to cealing lining the booth.
A few times we've road the bus, ~$.20 a ride.  Their buses stop at every stop, unlike the Japanese buses I remember having to push the line when you wanted off.  Most of the time we piled into 2 taxis, and my father-in-law's taxi will always arrive first, regaurdless if he left first.  For a luncheon with several family members we arrived before them all.  Normally we get private rooms, and this one was lavish!  Gold and yellow, flowers above and below the table size glass lazy susan.  The boys actually got to run around.  And my husband and in-laws didn't stop them.   I was so happy they got some time to move around.   We managed to get them to slow down once the others arrived.  We tried many new dishes:  bamboo shoots as is and a bamboo shoot soup( I think if it could be pickled and used just like artichoke hearts), cut fish that looks like a porcupine when fried, fried vegetable balls, mini letuce wraps reminded me of PF Changs.
For Valentine's day I brought boxes of candy, good thing too, their chocolate here doesn't really melt in your mouth.  This was the first time the boys got to go to the store, I let them finally get their candy.  Aidan wanted to stay home with daddy to play his game tablet.  I promised to bring him back candy.  They boys were mesmerized by the row of tanks of live fish as water splashed over the floor to the drain.  I showed them the bloody fish cleaning station(it doesn't seem I gave them any nightmares).  They also liked the cart escalator going between the 2 floor supermarket.   While there my mother-in-law bought me a lovely blue coat, possibly leathere with a furry collar.  I have way too many coats at home, but I can't resist them!  I know I'll end up going home with a few more!
Because we took our sweet time at the store, we got home super late and ended up eating dinner at 8pm!  Sorry boys, have another tang tang(candy).  There is a Pappa John's pizza a block away.  We got a pepperoni for the kids and their "Land and Sea" for us.  It had shrimp, peas, pinapple, ham and peperoni on it.  I've never had Pappa John's pizza back home, so I don't know if this is their normal sauce.  Sauce was way too sweat for me, but good crust.  I think I'll try the Pizza Hut here next time.
For Valentine's my husband booked a room at the hotel across the street.  Upon arrival fireworks started outside our window for our viewing pleasure(pure luck).  Luckily they don't smoke the night away(they smoke everywhere here), so the room wasn't that stinky.  No kleenex, only a small roll of toilet paper that we used up, no clocks, and a hard bed.  But at least it was a big bed and flat!
It was too cold for the kids to go out and play, so I decided to take them up the stairs one at a time.  Ethan went first.  We ran 2 flights and walked the rest from the 10th flor up to the roof on the 27th floor.  Then we walked back down to the 10th.  The next 2 both wanted to go at the same time, I'm so glad I didn't insist on them going seperate.  We walked up to the roof and rode the elevator back down!  Whew, water please!