Day 5

Today Pete and Diane had to work (bummer for them, did I mention we were on VACATION???) so Diane and I were on our own.  Diane had tried to use the washer to do our clothes and failed horibally.  These Chinese washers are tricky.  We scrambled to get one or two things clean and dry so I would have something to wear out today.  It was not pretty. So Mr. Lo took us to the Pearl Tower, well actually due to a translation malfunction we ended up in Pearl City but after a phone call and a little back-tracking we were at the Pearl Tower.  What a wonderfull place!  It's kind of like our space needle but with more levels.  One of the levels is probabally 800 feet above ground and the outside ring is floored with glass about five feet in.  It is really cool 'cause you can walk on it and see below and it's like you are walking on nothing.  They even have signs warning people who get wigged out with heights and stuff not to walk there. Then we met Diane for lunch at the Hyatt.  We dined 54 floors up with a great view of the city (although a bit hazy today).  She joined us after lunch to go to the top of her building to the 88th floor and look down.  There is a spot where you can look down the middle and see the people below.  You know, Chinese people are little to start with.  Add 88 floors....... Anyway, after that Diane and I went to to one of the financial buildings I have affectionatally named the "Bottle Opener" - you'll see why when you see the pics.  We went 110 floors up and got to look down through glass panels in the floor there too.  It seems the Chinese like the idea of no floor when you are really, really high up. Mr. Lo picked us up around 2:30 and we headed home.  Diane wanted me to call Audrey, Diane's assistant, to have her call Mr. Lo to come and pick us up but given my vast versitility in Mandarin I knew I could do it myself.  It may not have been pretty but he got where we were and found us. Then we headed home where Diane promptly headed to the pool and I hooked up with IEA and she gave me a Chinese cooking lesson.  We made dumplings, beef and fried rice.  She speaks no english and so our time was mostly hand signals but the food turned out wonderfull.  It was funny, she was very "let me show you" but when I asked her if I could cut something up for her (onions) and she saw how I handle a knife she was like "OH!"  Then we just kind of worked together and made what I thought was a great dinner.  Diane had to work late but finally got back and she was able to eat so all enjoyed the fruits of my labors. So it's late and my eyes are blurry.  Time for bed, another Temple tomorrowl.