Last Day in Qingdao

   I know, i'm still 3 days behind. But I have to share these pics b/c I just find this activity so funny. I think I mentioned  in my first Qingdao post about all the women dressed up at the beach, remember? They were getting pictures taken, well on Sunday morning before having to head to the airport I walked the beach with my new friends and we saw this everywhere:

I forgot that I could zoom closer with my camera but if you notice
down the street (which was near the beach) there is a couple dressed
up and getting their photo taken

    I asked one of my coworkers on Monday about this phenomenon. It is the "thing" to do awhile before your wedding day. You and your fiance get pictures taken with 5 or 6 changes, once the pictures are ready they get displayed in the homes of each family so visitors can look at the soon-to-be-married couple. What I am unsure about is if these pictures get displayed on the wedding day. I heard both, yes they get displayed and no  only pictures from childhood get displayed at the wedding. Can anyone chime in here?

The beach is littered with couples. Brett and Addy, Megan and Kevin you guys
totally missed out on this.

Yes, she is holding a white plastic violin. I think I forgot that props
are a necessity. I saw violins, life preservers, baskets of flowers,
balloons and pinwheels (the balloons and pinwheels were being held
by the same bride). It seems the cheesier the better.

We were the creepy white foreigners taking pictures of everyone on the beach! 

 Changing the subject now...

This was my breakfast, a plain smoked sweet potato
right out of the smoker. I could have used some butter
and salt but it was still delicious. You actaully see these
smokers everywhere, even in Shanghai. Mine only cost
6rmb ($0.94USD, cheap breakfast).

   Then it was back to Shanghai were I caught a taxi back to my apartment. I ended up in a taxi of a newbie, he was younger then me, seemed like he hadn't been driving long (very timid), didn't know the streets of Shanghai and forgot to start the meter until I pointed it out to him. It was a hilariously long ride home! He'll have to learn to be more aggressive if he's going make it here as a taxi driver.