Colours of Spring: Gucun Park

Last Saturday, we spent half a day at a park again. It was a sunny (but cool) day... a weather too perfect to be wasted staying or going anywhere indoor :) Springtime is the best time for park-hopping so this is what we will be doing for the next few coming weekends (subject to good weather, of course).

We went to the Shanghai Sakura Festival in Gucun Park. Although the festival is still ongoing, we somehow felt that the timing wasn't quite right. While the white sakuras were still botak with unblossomed buds, the pinks ones were like "past their optimum beauty" already... they had more green leaves than flowers! Anyway, it was still a beautiful sight although we felt that last year's was better, even in the gloomy and rainy weather. 

Our second visit to Gucun Park

Entrance tickets cost RMB20 (RM10+) for adults and RMB10 (RM5+) for children

The park was jam-packed with PEOPLE!!! The following day, mummy read in a local daily... "A record 265,000 people visited Gucun Park to view the cherry blossoms over the weekend, park officials said yesterday". And we were among that massive 200k odd crowd. Crazy!

Canopy of pink sakuras... if only they were all pink (minus the green leaves)

Last year, we saw only the white variety. This year, only the pink ones were in full bloom!

Pretty in pink

Pink variety 1 (钟花樱）

Pink variety 2 (迎春樱）

Pink variety 3 (寒绯樱)... the flowers are droopy and face downwards

White variety... only a few trees had flowers on them...

... the rest had more buds than flowers.

There were a number of pink magnolia trees too

Magnolia... equally pretty in pink

Purple flowers

Yellow flowers

A sign with funny English. Could it mean "please don't step on the grass and don't pluck the flowers?"

Afternoon snack... picnic in the woods. We had cheesecake and biscuits brought from home.

Climbing up a treehouse

We took a train ride at the amusement park

Tickets for this train ride cost more than the entrance fee to the park, at RMB20 (RM10+) each. No discount or free ride even for infants! 

Animals are Cleverer than Me!

One of my recent after-school chats with mummy...

Me: Mummy, do you know that animals are cleverer than me?

Mummy: Really?

Me: Yes... a baby elephant can stand up and walk as soon as it is born!

Mummy: Oh, cleverer in that sense. Yes.

Me: And a penguin can go out and catch fish on its own when it is only 2 years old!

Mummy: At 2 years old, a penguin is considered old already... but nevermind. So what could you do when you were 2 years old?

Me: Me? (without even pausing to think) Break things lor!

Mummy: LOL!!!!!!

That's very true indeed! I was quite a destructive little menace back then and here are some of the things that "died" in my hands...

My favourite target was spectacles. The specs that belonged to daddy, mummy, Ah Ma and Yeh Yeh all ended up with the same fate... the frames were either bent or broken beyond repair *mummy shakes head*

Broken

Disfigured

Torn

Heh heh heh... digging daddy's wallet was just one of the many naughty things that I enjoyed doing! 

Welcoming Spring: Magnificent Magnolias @ Xinzhuang Park

We have been enjoying lovely spring-like weather in the last few days. On Saturday, the mercury rose to a warm and sunny 20C! It was a good day to resume our favourite weekend activity - park-visiting. We went to Xinzhuang Park, which is about 20 minutes' walk from our home...

Main entrance of the park

It is a star-rated park... one of the better ones in the city.

This park is supposed to be famous for its (pink) plum blossoms but at the moment, only the magnolia trees are in full bloom!

Close-up of the white magnolia flowers

Magnolia trees in different shapes and sizes

The weather was absolutely perfect... sunny (but not hot at all!) with clear blue skies. 

These pagoda-roofed huts are all over the park. Many elderly folks were seen lepak-ing here, either playing traditional musical instruments or even dancing!

Ancient Chinese garden

A striking-pink dunno what blossom

Nice park... scenic, serene and shady

Spotted a group of people in ancient Chinese costume... probably part of a filming crew 

Bonsai garden (only one plant here, oops...)

Paddle boats for rent

Roar! :)

Happiness is...

... going for 下午茶 (afternoon tea) with mummy after school...

Afternoon tea and shopping. 

Just the two of us. 

Only on Fridays.

Only when I get all-correct for my weekly ting xie and spelling ;)

Worsened Myopia

I went for an eye check-up 2 weekends ago after complaining to mummy that I couldn't see the writing on the white-board in class. We went back to the same hospital where I had my last check-up done in April 2013. 

After a brief examination by an ophthalmologist, we were told that the power on both my eyes have increased tremendously from R1.75/L2.50 to R5.00/L6.00... in just 11 months! To confirm the accuracy of this prescription, I was put through the torment of eye dilation. I HATED this procedure because the eye drop caused very uncomfortable stinging sensation in my eyes and I had to do it like 5 times! 

After the eye dilation, my eyes were re-tested and the same result was obtained, confirming the accuracy of the earlier prescription. Now, how did my eyesight deteriorate so drastically? And over such a short period of time? Daddy and mummy were just as baffled as they were upset. Too much reading, maybe?

I was then referred to the in-house optometrist (the hospital had their own optical centre) and he too, expressed shock and concern over my drastic power increase. He suggested more outdoor activities and encouraged me to play sports like ping pong or badminton. Daddy immediately went to buy a ping pong set after that haha!

Last Saturday, we went back to the hospital to collect my new spectacles...

My new specs... Nice?

The new frame is quite similar to my old one... so I still look pretty much the same

Cartoon-themed (喜羊羊) frame that I picked on my own... I love it very much!

The very kind, friendly and helpful optometrist spent close to half an hour talking to daddy and mummy, giving them advice and tips on proper eye care. He also gave us 2 eye charts so that we could do a home-monitor regularly...

Our home looking like an eye clinic now 

My Bestie, Trisha

One of my best friends in school is Trisha. She was the very first girl who talked to me when I joined this school as a new pupil in Grade 1 last year. Everyday, I come home from school telling mummy Trisha Stories. Day in, day out, it has always been "Trisha this...", "Trisha that...". 

Last week, Trisha and her family moved back to their home country, India, so I have lost a good friend at school. News of her leaving Shanghai saddened me since January this year. I kept counting down the days left to play with her :( On Trisha's last day of school, we had a farewell party for her in class. I also wrote her a note and gave her a small gift...

Ooh, I have hopes of visiting India! 

Trisha and I during last year's Sports Day

Trisha and I were partners in a Science project

We now keep in touch through emails. I wrote her a short email a few days ago and was very thrilled to receive her reply! :)