Kentucky State Fair

After seeing the commercial on TV about the discount for the State Fair and Kentucky Kingdom tickets, we bought the tickets for the event. Several people told me Saturday wasn’t a good day to go the fair, but we went anyways. It did rain quite a bit, but compared to the water sprays in the rides which got us completely soaked, the rain was nothing. The perks about going to the amusement park in the rain is that you don’t have to wait too long for the rides. We could actually take a few times without getting up in some of the rides. The tickets were totally worth it. The State Fair wasn’t really that impressive especially after you went to the Ohio State Fair which was bigger on so many levels. But the Kentucky Kingdom part was so much fun.

Moving

I have been working on the house moving for the past week. Last weekend was the hottest since the beginning of the summer. I got sunburnt pretty bad thanks to the weather. My facial skin came off partially. I have to say it was not pleasant. The truck I rented was the biggest vehicle that I have ever driven. I guess there is always a first time for everything. Moving made me walk at least 8 thousand steps everyday but I wish it was something more enjoyable instead of carrying things that haven't been cleaned for months. Oh, well, I am getting there.

Dujiangyan

Last time I visited Dujiangyan, the ancient water dam in the upstream of river systems of Chengdu, was 7 years go after the earthquake in the mountain range which did damage to the town near the water dam. As Dujiangyan is the World Cultural Heritage recognized by the UN, it’s one of the most visited tourist spots in Chengdu. Ken and I left early that morning with my mom and aunt to Dujiangyan. Along with numerous new built skyscrapers, an express train line was also built connecting Chengdu and Dujiangyan. We drove on the free way which is times better than before and faster. The ancient town itself had its renovation after the earthquake impact, and it’s better organized and designed. That was my first impression, and I am glad this area is getting better. It’s pretty much night and day difference. This time not only was I revisiting the dam, but I need to introduce it to Ken as well. So we did lots of walking in the water dam park, and spent most of the day there. After thousands of years, this dam is still a blessing to the city downstream, providing water and resources. It is surely the obligation of each and every generation to protect it, no matter what.

Back in Chengdu

I forgot how humid Chengdu and Shanghai are in May compared to Lexington. But I am very glad to come back after so many years. Chengdu, as a central city of the southwest region has developed so much that I cannot even recognize. The south district of the city is basically another Chengdu, called Tianfu District. Although lots of cities in China are doing the same thing to build new districts, Chengdu is doing quite well. Ken and I took the line 1 subway to the new district to explore on our own today. The Global Center reminds me of Las Vegas. Things are not cheap there, but there are still lots of people, even on the week days. I don’t know how people can afford it. On the way home on line 1, we stopped at Tianfu Square, which is the center of the city. That was actually my first time to be there since I don’t even remember when. The department stores above the subway station are quite neat. The scale of the Tianfu Square is smaller than Tiananmen Square, but it’s really breathtaking to have a huge flat area amongst the concrete forest. As we are planning to spend more time here, there will be more new things to be discovered.

Back in Shanghai

After about 24 hours flight, I finally arrived in Shanghai, the city that I used to know. Things changed so much after so many years, but my impression right now is it’s more crowded and more chaotic. Maybe that’s why there are so many restriction and bans here for easier management, but it doesn’t really solve all the problems. Scooters, pedestrians and bicycles still cross the streets whenever they want, and vehicles honk accordingly or do it whenever they want. Subway trains are more crowded with more rude people, yelling during their conversations. People shove and push to get on the trains with many of them on the phone. Lots of people are cold and services are indifferent and rude. Those are the reasons why I left here. But there are also reasons why I miss it. Restaurants are everywhere within walking distances with so many variaties. I don’t have to drive to get groceries since they are just downstairs. I am sure I can lose some weight this way since this type of lifestyle requies moving all the time.