Incredible

       The boys have been wanting to ride the double decker bus since we got here.  So today we rode the bus and even got the front seats in top level!  Not being able to see the driver or the nose of the vehicle below us, it felt like we were on an amusement ride.  After arriving at Qianmen I convinced the boys to go across the street to the Center City shopping mall.  It was a market, mostly beauty supplies like hair, nails, salon attire taking up at least 1/2 of the space.  There was a toy aisle and the kids got another car.  Most of it is so cheap they won’t let you bargain any less.  I did get 2 pairs of shoes.  The boys said I have a problem, too many shoes.  I reminded them the large suitcase filled with their shoes.  They said they didn’t buy it, Nainai did, so it doesn’t count.
       We walked a side street to get into Qianmen where they had display cases outside filled with clay people each a foot high.  I asked my mother-in-law later what they were, she said everyone used to have one of those figures in their old house.  So I guess they took them after they tore the houses down and put them up for display?  I don’t know.
         We walked down the food street to the east this time and found meat on a stick 3 for 10 yuan, further down 4 for 10 yuan.  You can guess we ate a lot of meat on the stick that day.  We did not find any cheaper haw.  We also got some small fried potatoes tossed in a spicy sauce.  Very good.  We walked down to the tower  taking more pictures.  I filled my phone with pictures, so now I have to use the other phone.  I told the boys we could eat here for dinner and see the lights.  Then we called home to tell them our plans.  No.  Come home I make wonton.  Make being frozen, heat it for you.  Not wanting to leave we dragged our feet and went to a few clothing stores.  Found my shirt from 5 years ago that I love, but I didn’t like the color, so I didn’t buy another.
        We walked down a Hutong street on the way back to the subway station passing guys washing down thin brick face.  I can’t tell if it was taken off of somewhere and they are cleaning to reuse.
             The next day is raining, the whole last week says it’s going to storm or rain 5 out of 7 days.  The boys ask Yeye to take them to a movie.  He buys us tickets calls a taxi and sends us on our way.  We arrive 10 min late, but see Incredibles in 3-D.  After we go to Burger King for a snack.  Most of it is the same as McDonalds.  They have a tuna fish spread on a burger.  I’ll pass.  I try the spicy whopper Jr.  All they did was swap ketchup for a prickly ash bbq like sauce.  Good thing I can figure out which busses will get us home.