Bridges and Eyewear

Happy National Day.

We are in the middle of a big holiday here in China. I don't know exactly what all of the hoopla is but here is the best summary I have to offer. National Day is comparable to our July 4th, Independence Day. Were we celebrate of freedom and well, independence. National Day is a celebration of the Communism. Bills coworkers opted to work the past Saturday and Sunday so that they could be off on all week. The actual holiday as appointed by the government is just Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There were some fireworks to celebrate but overall it has been a quiet week. Next year will be a bigger celebration. Every five years the state sponsors fireworks for National Day. Again, I cannot give you the reasoning behind this just repeating what I have been told.

Also, this week was the 50th Anniversary of the First Nanjing Bridge over the Yangtze River. This is a big source of pride to the Chinese. In 1950's, the bridge was originally designed by a group of Soviet engineers but they left China in a politically motivated huff. (I am quoting a book on that one.) Then a group of American engineers reviewed the plans and told the Chinese that it couldn't be built. This is a huge river and it is a dual bridge; cars on the upper level and train tracks on the lower. The Americans left and a group of loyal Chinese engineers decided that they were going to do it and they did. It took reorganizing the entire Chinese steel industry but they successfully open the bridge in 1968.

Yesterday was the true 50th anniversary. We were going to the northside of the river to go look at eye glasses. One of the members of our Expat family was wanting to purchase new glass and Robin, a coworker said that he know the place to get the best deal. Well, the traffic to cross the bridge was insane. I think the normal 30 minute trip took close to two hours. Everyone was going to the bridge. It is a nice bridge with some great patriotic statues. It isn't like London Bridge or San Fransisco Bridge, it just looked like a bridge. Anyway, we saw the bridge, drove over the bridge and got to the optical area.
Yes, we are talking deals. I wish there was a way to get glasses for all of you and send them. The styles are by the thousands. Any color, shape, ornamentation you want - they got it. I bought a new pair of glasses because I just couldn't pass up the deal. I got single vision, anti-glare, non scratch surface with frames for.....wait for it....wait for it......$11.00 US. What is that?

Tomorrow we are going to the Ming Ruins at the base of Purple Mountain. More to come.