Friday, we decided to go back to Shamian Island to do some souvenir shopping. We left the house about 11:30am and Jenny was able to take us there before she went to work. Also, she wanted to show us the nice hotel they used to stay at, and where we could use an ATM. We got some money and made our way to some shops. We saw way more this time than the last time we went to Shamian. There are many side streets with shops, but last time we had stayed in the middle garden area so we didn't see most of what Shamian had to offer. So this time, we went in almost every shop. I actually bought quite a lot of stuff! Jes bought a lot as well. We've become pros at the whole bargaining thing! We grabbed lunch at a place called Lucy's, which was recommended by Steve and Jenny, and Lonely Planet (I even highlighted it in my book before even getting to China since it was western and I was worried about eating!) The food was delicious and I even had a yummy strawberry milkshake. We finished lunch and found the Starbucks to get our daily hot chocolate. Then, we continued our shopping. We were determined to go back to the place Liz took us on our first tour where they sold the fake designer goods but we couldn't remember where it was. We left Shamian and went to Beijinglu to see if we would have any luck. We walked through some of the shops and remembered being there but it wasn't the handbags and stuff we were looking for. It was getting dark any way so we decided we should head home while we could still find the metro station and try again tomorrow to find the shops Liz took us to. The metro was crowded like usual during rush hour, but since the Asian Games are right around the corner it is even worse, and they have scanners and added security so it takes awhile to get through. We finally got home around 8pm and Steve ordered us another pizza from Pizza Hut. It is becoming a habit but it's so good and convenient since they deliver. We ate dinner and went to sleep.
The next morning we woke up and got ready to search for the shops again. Steve decided to take us and help out since he thought maybe he knew the area of town we were talking about. We hopped on the metro and tried a stop, which was not the place we were looking for but we stopped and got a snack at McDonalds and walked to another area that we thought looked more familiar. We searched a few more stores and decided to just call Liz and ask her where she took us instead of leading Steve on a wild goose chase. She said we were at the right metro stop but to try a different exit. So we went back in the metro and sure enough, took another exit and there we were, right in the shops we had remembered. We went off shopping and met Steve an hour later. We got a few things, but some stuff looked more fake than others. I bought a watch, so hopefully it's still working in a few days ha. I was also looking for a new suitcase to take to Australia with me since the one I brought to China was way too large and difficult to get around. I ended up not buying one and using one that Steve had at his work. So we left the shops and took the metro to Steve's work to get the suitcase. Steve's office is in a really nice, hip part of town and his office is spacious, bright, and has a great view. It looked like a really great place to get away and do some work. We got the bag and took the bus home. Once we were home, we started packing and finished up some laundry since we leave tomorrow for Australia. Once Jenny got home from work at 7, we went to a place down the road for dinner. The food was really good, especially the flaming fish that Jenny and Steve recommended. We finished up and went back home to pack and get ready for our flight. I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight since I'm so excited for adventures in amazing Australia!
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