Wandering Browns

Unassuming entrance, but awesome inside! As far as things to do in Ningbo, I would classify Qing'An Assembly hall and maritime museum as a "hidden gem." When I was looking for things to do in Ningbo, this was not even on the list on the internet! I stumbled upon it on one of our exploration excursions, and returned later on in the week with camera in tow. Especially because my toddler loves boats, this was a wonderful morning outing for us. Plenty of interesting architecture and history for me, and plenty of cool boat models with moving parts for my boy!  Ticket booth is on the side of the building, pictured here The hall is situated along the banks of the Fengua river, and was a meeting place for business men and sailors before heading out to sea. It includes meeting rooms, a Queen of Heaven temple, and several stages for performances and offerings to Mazu, the Queen of Heaven. It was built in the mid-1880s, and was restored and turned into a maritime museum

After-zoo nap waiting for the taxi- with the entrance sign Zoo entrance Ningbo Youngor Zoo is situated 30 minutes outside of the city center near Dongqian Lake. We took a taxi out from our hotel (60 rmb) and then called the hotel to arrange a taxi back in the afternoon. I had to pay double for the taxi to head out to the zoo from the hotel and then back in the afternoon, but it was nice for peace of mind that we were not going to be stranded without a ride back into the city! That being said, there were several taxis that came to drop people off while we were waiting for our taxi, so I think it is possible to hail a taxi from the zoo depending on the time of day and luck. Elephants near the entrance  After spending about a month wandering around the city center, it was a wonderful break from the hustle and bustle to walk around this beautiful zoo! It was a hot, humid day, but there was plenty of shade that helped us stay cool. Entrance to the zoo cost around 150 rmb

For the three readers out there who are anxiously waiting for more posts, they are coming soon! Last Sunday, Landon sent my computer flying off of a couch and onto a hard, stone window sill. Unfortunately, the screen did not survive the impact. This computer was only a few months old- we had to replace the last one because Landon shattered the screen multiple times in various different ways- and unlike last time, there were shards of sharp glass falling out of the screen. So, we decided to have it repaired at the local electronics market, since Lenovo is a Chinese brand and we are, in fact, in China. I took it in last Monday, it was supposed to be done by Thursday, and now they are saying by tomorrow. Fingers crossed that they haven't stolen my life when I get it back! Also, beware of destructive toddlers. They are fairly destructive and cost lots of money. We have had some really great adventures since my last post, including the Ningbo Youngor Zoo, Qing 'An Assembly hall,

Tianyi Square- this looks creepily like an artist's rendering, but I promise I took it! Landon said, "Look, mom! A tabernacle!- for picture at right Tianyi Square is the main square surrounded by shops in downtown Ningbo. There are fountains, some interesting bronze sculptures of jazz musicians, and tons of retail stores. The Walmart-like supermarket called Tesco is there- we go there a lot! Right now, the roads from the river where our hotel is located to the square are all torn up with road construction, but it looks like it will be gorgeous when they are done- they will have rivers flowing along the road with trees and landscaping. Buddha A famous church? Landon acquired a balloon walking through the shops  I'm sure at night Tianyi is all lit up and very lovely, but we have not seen it at night yet. In the main area in the middle of the square, different pop-up shops are set up. One that we caught before the typhoon probably destroyed it was

Ningbo Grand Theater from across the river When we're out and about doing errands, I rarely take our good camera, so when I come upon something interesting I just take a snap with my phone. Here are some recent phone captures:  Ningbo Grand Theater is really quite grand! I unintentionally walked a really long way out of the way to make it to Sun Lake park. It was so worth it, though! One whole section of the park were little pagodas, boardwalk paths over lily ponds and streams, and lots of shady trees. Landon loves racing around the paths like Lightning McQueen, and digging in the dirt with his trucks. Next time, we will bring sand toys and swim suits for the swimming beach! Water lilies at Sun Lake Park Sun Lake Boardwalk path right before we spotted some frogs! I love water lilies! During our rainy week, I was desperate to find somewhere for Landon to let off steam. We ended up at an indoor play place in a nearby mall. I was impress