Day Trip

Today we went on a day trip with some friends to celebrate a couple who is returning to the States after more than 20 years here. We went to a "farmhouse"- a renovated, old-style home near a section of the Wall and had "gourmet noodles". I was not sure what gourmet noodles were, but they were very yummy hand-made noodles with various meat, vegetables and toppings you mixed together. We rode a bus to get there, ate outside and were able to hike around the area before leaving.

Austin came along and enjoyed playing in the farmhouse courtyard, riding in the backpack carrier while hiking and did well despite getting no sleep. He did fall asleep on the bus at 4:15 on the way home for 30 minutes, but that was it. He also enjoyed playing with several of the aiyis and shushus ("aunts and uncles"- other adults that came along). We are tired out now after a day away and headed to bed soon.

Here is a picture of lunch taken right before diving in. We could watch the cooks actually making the noodles- taking long pieces of dough and stretching them as far as their arms go apart and banging them on a table and doing it again until they are long and thin.

Austin found lots of flowers, grass and big rocks in the courtyard of the restaurant. He also copied some of the big kids in playing with a trashcan top. Thank goodness for instant hand sanitizer!