Tania in China

Fri-Sat, Nov 24-25: Just Work

This is now the most intense part of the work schedule part of my trip. I will not really be doing anything but working over at least the next few days. I need to have the install up and running by Monday morning, so there is no time to rest.

I did get to talk to both my Mom and my brother Friday night, and my niece even got on the phone for a few minutes. She was babbling to me, and I asked her "Is that right?" and she told me "That's right." My brother says that her new word for the week is "delicious!", and she says it anything she puts anything in her mouth - even her medicine. I talked to Mom for almost an hour, and it helped with the homesickness a bit.

It looks like I am not going to make it to Xi'an this trip to see the Terra Cotta Warriors; things are just too busy over the next couple of weekends for me to fly anywhere. I think my last trip will be to Suzhou, which is about an hour closer to Nanjing than Shanghai on the same train line. It is known as the 'Venice of the Orient' since it is built on canals, and is famous for it's silk and arts and crafts. I have fallen in love with silk embroidery, and Suzhou is one of the big centers in China. They make embroidery pictures that you would swear are oil painting until you get right next to them - they are that detailed. I will probably take the train next Saturday morning, then come back sometime Sunday. It should let me pick up the last couple of Christmas presents I have to buy, and maybe even something a little extra for myself.

I am doing nothing else than work, eating, and watching DVDs. I had planned to do a bit more walking around, but haven't left work before dark in quite a while. Maybe once the install is all up and running.

posted by Tania @ 5:32 PM