After catching 2 buses back to our apartment, we spent the morning catching up and hearing the travellers' stories from their few days in Shanghai. We were both proud to hear that they have already immersing themselves well and truly into the Chinese culture - it just means that we were going to have to work a little bit harder to show them different things in Jinan.
After lunch in our favourite local Muslim restaurant we sorted out train tickets for their onward trip to Qingdao, and then set off to show them Wei Weis and the Muslim area of Jinan. 
While the boys drunk beer and ate bbq meat, the girls had samosas and naan at the Pakistani restaurant "Jasmines" and went to Walmart! After seeing the disgusting state of the Wei Wei's toilet Brian (rightly) concluded it would be more hygienic to use the alleyways instead. At home the girls chatted and gossiped and waited for the boys to return home after their night out.
While the boys drunk beer and ate bbq meat, the girls had samosas and naan at the Pakistani restaurant "Jasmines" and went to Walmart! After seeing the disgusting state of the Wei Wei's toilet Brian (rightly) concluded it would be more hygienic to use the alleyways instead. At home the girls chatted and gossiped and waited for the boys to return home after their night out.On Thursday morning we had to go to class (and Mumbles and Pops sat in on Adam's class for a few minutes, just to see what it was like), and afterwards we headed into town for "Mission Optometrist". 
During this almost 4 hour mission all the visitors had their eyes tested, and picked out an assortment of prescription sunglasses and normal eye-glasses. In the end we purchased 7 pairs of glasses for about a 1/5th of the cost in NZ (including a pair for Mum Denton back in NZ).
During this almost 4 hour mission all the visitors had their eyes tested, and picked out an assortment of prescription sunglasses and normal eye-glasses. In the end we purchased 7 pairs of glasses for about a 1/5th of the cost in NZ (including a pair for Mum Denton back in NZ).After all that work, Adam and Liv led the way to their favourite restaurant in town for a yummy Chinese meal - I think all agreed the meal was delicious, though some of the visitors mentioned afterwards that they would never enter a restaurant "that looked like that" had we not taken them there! Aim accomplished!
We finished the evening off with a stroll through the night market, only to be cut short by the approaching thunderstorm!
Here's Adam the tour guide:
After another slow start on Friday morning, while the men looked around the huge Cyber Market, Liv took the girls to the old Catholic church. On the bus there we were the centre of attention as an old lady really wanted to know how old Mum and Trudy were!! Later, we made it into town for lunch and a look around some of the famous springs in Jinan and a wander through the mazes of alleyways that wind their way around the single storey old town. Adam even stripped off to his boxers and jumped in the local spring 'swimming pool' - typical Adam behaviour!! 
While walking around we came across a car on fire - the driver made it burst into flames when he decided to open the bonnet - a bit of excitement, especially for firefighter mumbles! 
We also strolled down the city river and checked out Black Tiger Springs where lots of locals come to get their fresh water. While Adam and Brian waited to take photos at the bottom, the other four of us climbed the war memorial for a (somewhat hazy) view over the city.
While walking around we came across a car on fire - the driver made it burst into flames when he decided to open the bonnet - a bit of excitement, especially for firefighter mumbles! We also strolled down the city river and checked out Black Tiger Springs where lots of locals come to get their fresh water. While Adam and Brian waited to take photos at the bottom, the other four of us climbed the war memorial for a (somewhat hazy) view over the city.Back at the apartment we all got our energy revived before heading down to another local favourite restaurant for a Hot Pot dinner. Here we chose our veges and meat to cook in the pot on the table - one half filled with super-spicy broth and the other half with a non-spicy but just as delicious broth. As usual the night was filled with chatter, laughter and the drinking of more than a few beers. The men are still marvelling at the size and price of the cheap local beers - in fact Adam is still marvelling at this and he's been here almost a year!!! This means that while the girls are off shopping or wandering, the boys can be found sitting in a restaurant drinking beer (yay - Adam finally has drinking companions!).
With the knowledge that Saturday was the last day we all had together we knew we had to make the most of it. Our first stop was Da Fo Tou Shan (Big Buddha Head Mountain) where Adam usually trains every week. We made our way to see the remains of the old Buddhist temple and the rock carvings that colourfully line the cliff face. Afterwards we all made the hike up the steep mountain to the "Buddha Head" and for a great big view of nothing - unfortunately the smog has been terrible over the last few days meaning the family had to look at our pictures to see what they should have been able to see! 
Pops also got to set some fireworks off - according to Adam this is an obligatory Chinese experience.
Pops also got to set some fireworks off - according to Adam this is an obligatory Chinese experience. Afterwards we went to a delicious vegetarian restaurant where even the meat-eaters enjoyed their yummy lunch - and even though slightly more expensive than the previous restaurants we have taken them to: still only cost us NZ$30 for the 6 of us! After coming from super-expensive NZ, the family love converting to NZ dollars to see how cheap everything is. We earn Chinese dollars, so the effect is somewhat lost on us. However having the family here meant that the adlibers were treated to meals out everyday (and the occasional taxi!) - spoilt like we were kids again! Excellent!!
After lunch we went to the Hero Mountain markets for a stroll around (and some purchases) before making it home just before the heavens opened up. Mumbles, Trudy, Brian, and Liv caught a taxi home, and Adam and Pops arrived half an hour later after jamming themselves into a bus. Because the rain was pelting down outside, the family's last night in Jinan was spent at our place, where Adam cooked his delicious satay pumpkin dish, which we ate while laughing at all the photos we had taken over the last few days. There sure are a lot of good memories that will last us a long time!!
On Sunday morning we picked up a few more of the glasses from the optometrist, before farewelling our family into a taxi. Not too bad, because we will see Mumbles and Pops in a couple of weeks time, after they have seen a bit more of China and we have finished work! Liv only shed a few tears at seeing her family leave ...
The adlibing tour guides.
Adlibing extras...
Throughout our time at Shandong University we noticed the students make no acknowledgement of the guards and cleaners and all the hard work they do around campus - we on the other hand have made a conscious effort to wave, greet, and smile at all the workers, and have therefore become 'friends' even though the extent of our conversations are extremely limited!! Here is a photo of Adam with our favourite guard who always salutes us with a great big smile!
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