Chongming Island Wetland 3rd Grade Field Trip

For Yan Yuan's (Mark) 3rd Grade field trip from Concordia they went to a bird sanctuary, or at least a stop over point for birds migrating between Russia and Southeast Asia/Australia, at least somewhere hot.  They were just resting here.

The bus ride to the island was fun.  EJ, Cole and I talked a lot about Minecraft.  When we got to the wetlands we started out walking on this path with this purple cabbage stuff (Kale) around the outside of the walkway.  Then we crossed the bridge to place where we were going to have lunch a little later.  We went to the bathroom and then we went outside and had a few group pictures.  Then we went on this pathway, I saw a few birds.  There was a lot of tall grass around the pathway - it looked kinda like wheat.  Then after the big walk we came to this place where there was a lot of stuffed birds, dead fish, skeletons in one spot.  Mostly fish skeletons.  

Look out tower

After that we went on this big hike around the park and we saw a few interesting things.  Well we really didn't see that much since we were too busy talking.  After the walk we went back to the buses and rode about 10 minutes to a different part of the park.  Then we rode on a boat and saw a lot of wheat-type plants.  Then we got off the boat and walked to where we were going to have lunch and ate lunch.  Then we got on the bus right after lunch and went home.

Purple Cabbage - tons of this

Cole, EJ and Daniel getting on the boat

Not sure what I'm thinking here

The boat hadn't left yet

The whole boat - full of windows

Chinese flag off the back.

Cool landscape

Stuff alligator in this mini-room with a lot of other
stuffed birds

More friends

Funny picture

Cool bird

Shanghai Superbowl XLVIII @ the Kerry

There is a 13 hour time difference between EST and China time.  We woke the family up early during the Chinese New Year break to go to the Superbowl at the Kerry Parkside center.  This is an executive, full-service residence with many Western restaurants, shopping, a brewery and a bunch of other memories of home.  They also sponsor a Superbowl party with a massive screen, breakfast buffet and all you can drink beer and mamosas.  

Kickoff was at 7:25 am. We arrived at 7:25 but the hallway before the banquet hall was empty so we thought we were early.  So we gave our tickets, got our table assignment and walked into a hall full of Americans ready for the game, 350 of them.  We were right on time and expecting to see a descent game...  

Ice sculpture and all!

Wall size TV with the game streamed over the internet
NFL gamepass.

We ended up knowing many people from the boys football
and other friends from school.  We sat at our assigned table
for about 5 minutes.

We wore our blue garb since we didn't have any Seattle Seahawks shirts.

For a football game the people sat much more behaved than
you would expect.  

Face painting for Dagny.

Football games in the open parts of the hall.  The kids had a
blast, especially since the game wasn't very exciting.

There was a jugs machine throwing passes.

This is another GE family, the Doerrs - 4 kids.

It was a blowout! 

Els walking across the front.

A very dark Tom Brady mannequin.  

The winning quartback from Seattle!

The end of the Payton era!

But one fan remaining...  

Shanghai Insect Museum

The first day of Chinese New Year was a lazy day after a night of fun.  So we decided with a group of friends to go to the Shanghai Insect Museum just behind the Oriental Pearl Tower in Liugaizui.  It turned out to be much more than just insects...

But first we ate lunch at TGI Fridays behind the Superbrand mall.  Yes, you heard it right, Friday's is in Shanghai (and if you look carefully behind the kids, there is a Hooters).  Not quite the same shapely girls in Hooters but the same outfits and wings.  

3 families with 8 total kids - we received many looks.

Insect museum was behind the Pearl Tower.

 I heard it was a bad translation of Chinese to say that this was only an insect museum.  But for about $10 for adults it was worth a couple hours of time.

Here is the entrance to the insect museum.

Ok, so the insect museum had a bit more things
than insects.  This was a cute little monkey.

There were a bunch of snakes and other reptiles.

These were cool stick bugs covering this plant.

Monster-sized frog.

A savannah monitor lizard.

Long-necked turtle.

You could also catch fish in this pond.  It was $2.50 for a bucket
and a net.  Whatever you can catch you can keep. 

There was an area of butterflies in frames and on the walls.

These were neon blue butterflies.