Our Time in Dallas

We had to fly to Dallas a week before our flight to China to begin Covid testing. We were supposed to quarantine, but we had to go out to get food and testing so we figured we could do a few other low interaction activities. Plus we ended up with a fairly dumpy hotel and we couldn't stand to be there too much.

Pioneer Plaza, downtown Dallas:

Dallas Zoo:

Dallas Cowboy Stadium:

We just drove by. There was a big basketball tournament going on there that everyone at our hotel was playing in.

The temple!!!

Tom and I had an endowment session and then we also had a baptism appointment. So wonderful. I cried when we drove away the last time.

We always got take out and then found a park to eat at since we didn't want to eat in our hotel room. My top search in Dallas was "parks near me". We got to watch a few pick up basketball games, ended up a park in a very ritzy neighborhood, along a river walk and many others. But I guess I only ended up with one picture of that interesting experience.

Online school down in the atrium:

My exercise track: We were on the 10th floor and I would take the stairs between each floor then around each floor. Down and back up was only about 4,000 steps. But it was more interesting than the treadmill! And since there was only one functioning treadmill in the exercise room this was my option many days.

Last stop in Dallas: a laundromat to do a week's worth of laundry. Don't let the chandeliers fool you...it was quite the joint!

The notice says "Please pick up dryer sheet's after each use or will charged a $1.00 for picking up." There wasn't anyone there to watch me drop any dryer sheets so I'm not sure who was going to charge me. Nor was there anyone to pay me for all of the dryer sheets I picked up for someone else!

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Bamboo Forest

There is a bamboo forest nearby. A few weeks ago we paid it a visit. It was about an hour drive and after we got off the freeway it was a meandering road through some cute villages. I started getting excited for some hiking and a lovely nature experience. I should have known better. This is China. If people will come, they will find a way to make some money. The bamboo forest was no different---it was a tourist trap. That didn't mean we didn't enjoy it. We did. It was a lot of fun. But our expectations were shot down yet again. (Pro tip, Darcee, drop all expectations, you're in China!) At the bamboo forest, you can see shops, get a hot dog at "Fatty Dogg WestCoast Hot Dog", (perhaps I should try it, my expectations may be happily surprised; but I highly doubt it) get measured 3 times, (in China, children's prices are determined by your height, not your age. When we came to China, both girls were under 150cm so they...

Underarm Odor Census Notice

I just got this text message from Changzhou City. I can't quite imagine what an inspection would entail. (And to "enjoy" an inspection!) In a country where you can't buy deodorant, what would the treatment be? I wish them well on their census efforts!

Food

Food has been one of the hardest aspects of our quarantine. Food is emotionally comforting, so we're missing out on that--especially the girls. We're not used to the smells. It is cafeteria type foods. Much of the time we don't know what it is. Always an adventure...not always a pleasant one! That said, incoming meals are the most exciting time of the day. Originally we were getting 4 meals a day. But the only thing the girls were eating from them was the rice and there is way too much rice in that container for one person. So we had it cut back to two. Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day. I already knew I didn't love Chinese breakfasts. Tom had told me that every breakfast he saw from watching quarantining videos had a boiled egg. I knew I could eat that if I had some salt and pepper. So I brought some. We're doing okay on the salt--supply wise. We're rationing on the pepper. I'm so tha...

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