So we had a holiday the second week of this month (November). It was so nice to have a vacation. The reason for this "unexpected" vacation was because the APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) Conference was held here in Beijing. So all the world leaders from around the globe were here in Beijing. So Beijing had to make it perfect air conditions and traffic conditions. LOL. So everyday was "beautiful" by China standards (once you live here you define beautiful weather as weather that allows you to see and breathe ok, it's not perfect but it will do). So Tanith and I took this time to begin The Adventures of Allie and Tanith.

The start of some AMAZING adventures!

So on our first day of vacation we went shopping at yuan yi and then headed to Wudaokuo. We had so much fun not setting an alarm to wake up and just waking up whenever we wanted. I was so glad to not have a schedule it was very relaxing.

Nanlouguxiang

On our Saturday we went to Nanlouguxiang. This is the hutongs off of Line 8, the subway line by our apartments! It was so much fun. There were so many people!!! When people back home think of China being crowded I am pretty sure this is what they think of and expect. But just so you know it is not like this everywhere! So we went here to look for some stationery to write letters home, because wouldn't it be awesome if the letters that I sent home were on really pretty Chinese stationery? :) But I guess any paper I get here could be called Chinese paper, heck I am pretty sure all paper is Chinese because they invented paper-making (I only know this because it was on a quiz I had to take in my class). Anyways, in Nanlouguxiang we tried this horrible fried thing, I still have no idea what it was but it looked like an onion ring but there was no onion inside. Then we bought pretty flower headband things and wore them the whole day :). We also stopped in the shops that lined the hutongs. All in all it was a great day!

Nanlouguxiang, Beijing.

SO SO SO MANY PEOPLE!

On Sunday I went to church and then out to eat with some awesome people. We went to this place called Bite A Pita. There were 15 of us total and one of my friends was good friends with the manager so they moved people around so that they could put some tables together so we could all sit together. I was shocked! That would never happen in America. He serious moved other customers to other tables so that we could have the bigger table. TIC (This is China). Then after dinner I went with Gift and Polina and Tim to see my first movie in China! We saw the new Ninja Turtles movie in 3D. It was awesome! And yes it was in English and there were Chinese subtitles.

On Monday, Tanith and I went to a park by the Lama Temple with some of the Chinese girls from school. It was a lot of fun. It was the only day during vacation that I had to set an alarm to get up to do something touristy. LOL. I was adamant about not setting an alarm. I wanted to rest and just wake up when I felt like it. But Monday was great. The park was beautiful. The leaves were a pretty yellow and the sky was a perfect blue, it was all very picturesque. We saw some Chinese doing a really pretty fan dance, and I wish I had gotten a video because a picture just doesn't capture the beauty. It is so cool to walk around the parks here in Beijing because you can see the community they have with each other. People just go to hang out. I just don't think I can describe the type of atmosphere there is at the parks. But it is so much fun and the Chinese are very nice. :)

Ava, Panda, Tanith, and I

Tuesday was our last day of vacation. Tuesday was a lazy day! I stayed inside pretty much all day just lounging around watching movies. You need to have one of these days every once in a while! I had to prepare myself to go back to work LOL because sadly it had to come to an end, the vacation not the adventures! But 6 days was just not long enough!