yangzhong zoo.

Welcome to the grocery store in China, where the "garts" are free, you can pet the animals, and drink banana milk for dayzzzz. One thing about China that is just the greatest is the fact that you can go just about anywhere, and find entertainment and excitement at any corner, for instance, the grocery store.

First stop is picking up your "gart". You gotta love English translations. They seem to spell it right everywhere else in the store, just couldn't settle on which spelling they like to make them all consistent.  It's fine with me though, I love a good smile every time I enter :)

I've come to refer to this wonderful place as the Zoo, rather than the grocery store, because you literally can find a dozen live animals, just ready to scoop up and bring home for dinner! Appetizing, I know. So yes, welcome to the Yangzhong Zoo. I know it seems uneventful, but if you are ever in China, one of the attractions you need to make sure not to miss is the grocery store. 

I love the advertizing too. You probably should just follow the labels though. If you look at the food before you purchase it, you'll probably return home empty handed due to the lack of attractiveness. Most of the "fresh vegetables" have seen better days. You'll be better off just heading next door to the millions of fruit stands that line every street.

So this is banana milk... and I love it. 

If I don't say this enough, then I just need to remind all of you again that I LOVE CHINA. Seriously, every day is a new adventure, every step is a mystery. I love the grocery store. I love all of the stares that I get to satisfy with a 你好 (Ni Hao). I love Banana Milk and dumplings and Vinegar and steamed buns. I love open-bike taxis home, an over the top, genuine cheezy smile from the guard at my gate as I walk into my sanctuary known as Yangzhong Foreign Language Primary School. I love the gardens I walk through on the way to my room, the 3 flickers it takes for the lights in my room to finally decide to turn on, and my ghetto dorm where I get to dream each night about the adventures waiting for me the next day. It's always a positive day here in Yangzhong.