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On a Saturday, after perusing the "Medical Instrument Market", we wonder across this neat little area close to Jinan's downtown district. It's mostly filled with restaurants and food vendors so we settle in at a restaurant called "DaGuan Yuan" for dinner. Really good food, a nice atmosphere and drinks which are actually "cold" !! We were also interested by the choice of "uniform" for the service staff....think Austria...weiner schnitzel house.
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A look inside the corridor just past the main pagoda arch in the above picture.
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Lunch with "Fan" our main translator from the acupuncture department at the rbt restaurant (Real Brewed Tea Restaurant) located within a 10 minute walk from the hospital. They serve up pearl or bubble tea as well as a variety of other specialty teas and a pretty good food selection. For some fun, the restaurant has "swings" for your dinning pleasure !
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Hiking in the mountains south of our place. A five minute walk and we're heading into peaceful fresh paths through the trees. A nice break from the busy crowded streets and heavy air of the city.
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The path we followed on our hike.
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Buddhist grotto half way up the mountain south of our place.
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The "brothers" (Mitch and Rick) inside a cave among the buddhist grotto.
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View up Huan Shan Lu (Lu=road). The closest main street to our apartment. We're getting to know this street well as we eat and shop along here quite often. Every day, from about 5pm to 9pm, the street is packed with people and vendors setting up tables, blankets, trucks to sell their goods: fruit, nuts, various pets, socks, bike pumps, etc.
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More on Huan Shan Lu.
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This side street is just off of Huan Shan Lu (road) and leads to our apartments. Everyday we walk to the end of this street to catch our taxi or bus to the hospital and to access all the common stores along the main road (Huan Shan Lu).
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A common site along the streets or in parks: older men playing Chinese chess. Card games are also pretty popular.
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A vendor street near the hospital selling various items and food that seems quite busy and popular with the locals...though you'd never guess that looking at the condition of the area !
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Had a "hankering" for a little taste of home...Went to Pizza Hut for dinner one night ! But, must say, wasn't as good as all the great Chinese food we've been having ! Then got caught in the pouring rain on our way home !
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Mitch chillin' out and talking to a couple of young admirers while we wait for our fine dine experience to begin at Pizza Hut...So sweet !
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A popular food vendor and fruits and veggie market near our apartment that we enjoy buying from and eating at a few times a week (at least !) You can't beat the cheap prices when you can eat lunch for 3 yuan (50 cents !)
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This is a picture of "Round Egg Lady" at the food vendor market near our apartment. We love her eggy/doughy/crispy creation immensely and can always count on her for great food and a warm smile !
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Mitch and Rick stop in for a 50 minute Tuina Massage experience for only $4 Canadian ! Can't beat that !
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We discover that Jinan's city square is a bevy of activity in the evening with dancing, rollerskating, meditative dance and fountain shows. In this picture, many people just sit and relax and watch some big screen T.V. on a warm spring evening.
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Fantastic fountain show choreographed to music in Jinan's town square ! Quite neat !
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Locals doing dance in city square.
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Mitch braves the "chair" and gets his haircut in our neighborhood salon ! All in all, it turned out great !
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This is a picture of a hutong market we discover while out for a walk oneday...and we find sticky rice dipped in sugar at one of the vendor stands ! 2 for 1 yuan ! Very yummy...
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While looking for a Japanese restaurant, we walk along a pathway that follows the river...It turns out to be a nice tranquil area to wander...And leads us to one of Jinan's local attractions : Baihu Springs.
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An interesting scene....as we come across locals filling up their jugs with water from the springs.
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Mitch at the springs area.....getting friendly with the local tigers !
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In our neighborhood, art work done by local children grades 3-6, are framed and put on display for the public to enjoy...They are very talented kids and the art work is fantastic.
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Here we are enjoying BBQ at a nearby restaurant in our neighborhood. Great place to hang out on a nice night and enjoy some food and good company.
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It's Bon Jovi ! .....No....Its just Mitch trying on some new hair at the underground shopping mall !
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This is a picture taken at one of the local pubs called "The Banjo". A local band plays here EVERY night and we befriend a nice guy named "Dapong" who plays lead guitar in the band (sitting next to Mitch). Though he doesn't speak many words of English and we don't speak many words of Chinese, we manage to communicate and have some laughs with our new friend !
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The band !
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On a Friday night, while Mitch is out traveling in Xian, Rick and Debbie to decide to have "pizza and movie night" at the apartment....Except....The pizza isn't quite like home !
Case in point....the "veggie" pizza in Jinan includes....kidney beans, yellow corn and peas !
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There 'aint nothing like a Magnum ice cream bar !
During a "magnum shortage" in Jinan, Mitch "manifests" a freezer full of ice cream bars for us and surprises us the next day with the magnum ice cream delights !
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Here we are one last time in front of the buddha statue on Qian Fo Mountain. The three of us take one last special hike on our near by mountain to say goodbye.
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The 3 of us take a luge ride on Qian Fo Mountain ! It was a great ride....just like our adventure in China !
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During our last week in Jinan, we stop in one last time at our favorite buddha restaurant. Upon leaving the restaurant, our server offers us wooden prayer bracelets for free which we are grateful to be given and that become a special gift that we will share among the 3 of us as a reminder of our time together in Jinan !
Though it is time to say goodbye and we are all excited about returning to our lives in Calgary, we are sad to be leaving behind what became our home for so long.....We learned so much both in knowledge and about life and we will never forget our time here nor the friendship we share among us ! Thank you so much !