September 3, 2024
Family Fun, Labor Day Weekend in OCNJ!
The weather turned out to be one of the best I remember for a Labor Day Weekend in a long time. Had great beach time with my brother Michael's family, pictured above. Especially enjoyed my time with the littlest members of the family. Catching them standing still or together was a challenge! Had lots of fun with Jack teaching him a new rhyme. The giggle melts my heart every time!
Also got to hear some Chris and Leah's wedding details and honeymoon plans, two weeks - a Safari in Kenya then a Beach Resort in Mauritius (Stacy from the ship spa gave me a must do list for them in Mauritius)! I even got to help with a craft DIY for the weekend !
After our Panda watching we went to Erling Park for some good city views. Green space in Chongqing is rare, it is truly a concrete jungle with a few planters and trees smattered in along the sidewalks.
The 21 Pandas at the Chongqing Zoo is t he largest grouping of them of anywhere we have traveled in China. We were all excited to see them and were up and on the road by 7am. They are super popular and morning is the supposedly the best time to see them active. It was another hot and steamy day, but less brutal than yesterday.
Chongqing known as the mountain city of China, has some very unique architecture. Space is used very carefully and they maximize every square foot or meter. High rises dominate the skyline and mixed use space is the norm - hotel, office, residential and retail spaces are all combined. Some even have trains that go right through them because it works best with the topography, see Liziba station below.