Happy New Year's!!

Happy 2013 everyone!! Somehow all of us have made it through 2012 despite news of the world possibly ending and all that non-sense.  I've had such great experiences this past year and I can't wait to make new ones in 2013 :)

For New Year's, since most of my international friends cleared out of Beijing to go to more exciting places :P, a couple friends and I went to a club called Elements in Sanlitun.  Sadly, there is no big countdown anywhere in Beijing :(  (side note: I did some research and apparently they had a second annual countdown at the Summer Palace but it wasn't open to the public... like, what?  Having a celebration that normal citizens can't join doesn't make any sense to me... but oh well!)  My sister has never gone out to the clubs before so this was her first time.  I was excited for her to experience it!  Especially since I've enjoyed going out clubbing in China a lot.  In the end, it wasn't toooo much different of an experience than any other weekend in Sanlitun but they did count down into the new year at least haha.  And I'm glad that I got to spend it with friends and family as well :)

On New Year's Day, my sister and I went to have the most relaxing (yet, painful?) experience ever.  We went to a place called Tai Dian and got Thai style massages!  This massage place was soooo nice.  Good atmosphere and the massage people were super nice.  I've never gotten a massage before so this was definitely a good experience for the first one.  What I've realized about Thai massages is that they move you around a lot in slightly painful positions, but at the end of the massage your whole body feels so relaxed and loose.  My massage person told me I had a lot of tension in my neck, which is totally true.  He worked out all the knots, which was really painful actually, but it felt really good when I left.  

Inside our massage rooms

Then, Kristin and I were headed home and had a spontaneous decision... to go shopping lol.  Might as well while we're in China, right? :P  I brought her to the Beijing Zoo market which is a cheaper, grungier version of the Silk Market.  Prices are much lower there than the Silk Market, so much so that you don't even bargain down the price if you don't really want to.  But Kristin and I still did ;)  And in the end... I spent more than she did.  Whoops :P  I just can't resist when I see cute things! Good thing Kristin brought a completely empty suitcase with her when she came to Beijing haha.  Will definitely be putting that to good use.

Our Beijing market goods and the treats for ourselves after shopping ;)

And now Kristin and I are in Beijing visiting my Aunt and Uncle.  You guys... it is so cold here.  Highs are in the negatives and that isn't even taking into account windchill.  When I got back to my hotel last night, I literally couldn't move my toes.  I was worried I was going to lose them :P  But today, we're toughing it out again and heading out into the cold to see the snow and ice sculptures that Harbin is known for.  I've heard they're gorgeous, so I'm pretty excited.  I'll post pictures and stuff when I get back!