Wiffle Ball and the Hot Pot Festival

First, I will tell you about the Hot Pot Festival. I don't know if it was an actual festival or not, but apparently they make a big to-do about grand openings here. Around the bottom floors of our complex buildings are various businesses, such as the coffee shop, a hair salon, a couple offices, restaurants, etc. Well, today a new Hot Pot restaurant opened up. Hot Pot is this kind of food here that the people enjoy that is very very spicy and hot. They dip different meats and vegetables into this very hot oil that cooks in the middle of the table. Anyhow, they had these women playing drums and cymbols dressed up in costumes and there were flowers and balloons everywhere, a whole big ceremony just for the first day of the restaurant being open! The women reminded me of a marching band...got me pumped up about football! I've included some photos of this occasion. Today was also one of the hottest days I've experienced here so far, or should I say humid. I played tennis with Emily this morning at a nearby park that is quite an experience all in itself. Let's just say there are mini replicas of various famous monuments around the world, including from the US the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore. In addition they have several rides there (I'd like to call it CQ Six Flags) none of which were being ridden at the time. We played a guys vs. girls-with-a-few-advantages wiffle ball game. Us girls kept it a tight game but in the end were beaten (barely). I have a good feeling a rematch is coming! We did have two homeruns on the girls side, so we can't be that bad! Anyhow, I'm tired out and ready for a nap.