Yangshuo, China: Calligraphy, tai chi, and karate

Street hawker. Love that Chinese industry!

We took a calligraphy class.

Alice is our resident artiste extraordinaire. This is where her perfectionism became glaring to us when she broke down sobbing, unable to recover. It seemed like she felt a lot of pressure to keep up her reputation we'd reinforced by calling her an amazing artist, at every turn. Then, once she had to take a risk and make mistakes when learning some new art technique, like Chinese calligraphy, she got upset and gave up. Just a lesson for me to reinforce my child's mistake-making and effort rather than giving general praise, like "You're an amazing artist!"

A very upset artist

Our guide teaching Boom how to paint bamboo

Boom's name in calligraphy: B O O M

Ah, numchucks. Grif was absorbed by the calligraphy but numchucks are like candy to a 9-year-old boy

The hyper-touristed pedestrian shopping streets of Yangshuo.

It was actually noxious with competing loudspeakers fighting to make you buy at their store, rather than their neighbor's. This young woman spoke one hundred miles per hour and definitely won the competition. Click HERE to see her in action, she really cracks me up!

I was fascinated by her technique. Asians love microphones and she wielded one with power. Lady Gage can't compete.

Dinner outside in Yangshuo. Seafood delishishness!

We ordered many servings of this, with Griffin and Alice gaga for its spicy flavor. Alice sure expanded her palate this year in Asia!

The busy streets of Yangshuo

Yes, those are toads, for someone else's dinner, not ours!

Escargot anyone?

Yummy lotus root salad. I drool at remembering their crunch.

Alice was a chopstick-wielding pro by the end of our China trip. No forks provided. I fumbled with chopsticks much more than Alice did.

Alice and my Tai Chi lesson. Another moment where her perfectionism came to light. She sobbed while learning it and making repeated mistakes, which drove her crazy. But, she drove herself so hard to learn the tai chi routine, not letting me give her a break. Clinging to me, intensely, emotionally all the while. By the end, she got the whole routine, practicing it the rest of China, Nepal, France, and performing it on our return for our extended family in Long Island. She drives herself hard, this persistent perfectionist of mine! Click HERE for a video of us learning tai chi.

Sword fight among brothers. Boom looks like he's flying!

Big money is bet on this Chinese addiction - Mah Jong

Kung Fu POWER!

Grif was an avid Kung Fu student. Click HERE for a video of Griffy learning kung fu.

Boom put in a cameo appearance every so often

Grif Kung Fu karate kick!

So, that's how it's done!

Kung Fu master and student.

Our musical accompaniment in the Yangshuo park, as we practiced tai chi and karate. I love Chinese parks! Real life, not tourist life, unfolds there, especially as I ran through them and watched them exercise in the early morning. Click HERE to see this band practicing in the park. Also click HERE to see the kids hitting the local amusement park in the park.

Almost every park we hit would always be filled with Chinese playing music, practicing diligently

Water Show, on the Li River next to Yangshuo. We sat in stadium seating watching the Yangshuo Impression Night Light show, on the water with the gorgeous sculpted mountains in the background. Hundreds of performers populated the light show, as only the Chinese could orchestrate the masses in unison. Click HERE for the video of the water show.    June 22, 2011