Staycationing, Cheers to a great holiday.

Here is the Urban Dictionary definition:

Staycation:

A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environment have to offer.

       This past week I have been off school and exploring Shenzhen. I would have loved to have gone traveling, but I have not been paid since July, so that was out. Each day was a different adventure.

       After working on a Sunday, my first day off was a Wednesday. I went with my two friends to another amusement park. Now I was somewhat skeptical after my experience at OCT East. However, this particular one was themed around world masterpieces in sculpture and architecture. The art history nerd in me was thrilled. Just like the previous park, there were very few rides, but a lot to look at.

I was very impressed they included a Venus of Willendorf in their sculpture park. 

Yes. You are reading that correctly. Drunk cabin. When I walked in I was expecting a fun house. Instead I was in a slanted room and felt like I had too much vodka.

       There was one particular experience I thought was really funny. We went on the log flume ride. While in the queue we noticed everyone was being handed a poncho and a towel. I thought "Why the hell would I wear that...I'm going on this ride for the purpose of getting wet."We all three refused the poncho and got the strangest looks from the other park goers and ride attendants. 

    We also rode a camel in the Egypt pavillion. I think the woman was so thrilled to have foreigners riding the camel she charged us a fraction of the price. It is usually 60RMB each, but she charged us 50RMB for all three of us to ride. Once again, I am going to be online.

    On Thursday I went with some friends to a flea market/ shopping center. It was underneath the metro on the opposite side of the city. It was one of the most intense shopping experiences I have ever had. The Chinese are among the pushiest, but the best of sales people. Forget about browsing. I imagine if I spoke the language better I would have walked out with a lot more clothes. It was already setup like a proper flea market;there were lots of booths crammed into a small space. But imagine stuffing thousands of people into it. I didn't walk, I shuffled to get from one booth to the next.

   Friday my friends and I made our first attempt at getting a pedicure. It was not entirely a pedicure and much more of a foot peel. The tech came in with a medieval looking toolkit and asked us if it was okay. Uhm sure, whatever you need to do. At this point I was a little nervous. He took out what looked like a long exact o knife and started doing the foot peel. I have come to terms with the fact that if other people think this is safe or acceptable, then it probably is. You just have to roll with it.

   Saturday was a girls day. Much needed. We spent the day watching New Girl and snacking on questionably healthy food. It is always lovely to have a day in with friends.

 

   Sunday has always been my favorite day of the week. When I was living in my apartment it was always the day I went home to visit my family. If I didn't do that I was with friends doing something relaxing. Detoxing out the weekends shenanigans and easing my mind into the idea of working the next day. I spent the day hiking in a national park. It was full of temples, statues, and had beautiful scenery. The girls and I rented a paddle boat and went on the lake.

  I spend the following day hiking as well. I went back to the treacherous stair climbing place with some friends. We took a different path and it was not nearly as many stairs, but more inclines. It's a double edged sword for you leg muscles. I woke up today feeling many impending charlie-horses in my calves. But I am somehow motivating myself to try out a pilates class.

 

I am a D-list celebrity here. I don't think I'll get over people wanting their picture with me for being American. I would never ask someone visiting the states for a picture because they were foreign. Literally a foreign concept to me.