Easter Sunday

 On our way to church this morning Colette and I saw some young children playing in an empty lot.  The little one below is wearing traditional baby pants. Pants that have a large cut out in the bottom. Why do they do that you ask?  Easy toilet access.  Diapers are very expensive and cloth diapers are for night time only.  When you have to go you just take a squat.   The smaller babies that cannot walk are, at times, held over a garbage can while the little one pushes him/herself to victory!  Other times they are just held nearer to the sidewalk and a present is left for all to see.  (Just like a dog, in China they only sometimes clean up after their dog and I never see them cleaning up after the baby.)  One time - I kid you not - a shop keeper (could have been the owner) held her baby over the front step of the shop, left a present and then went inside.  When you entered the store was a nice baby pile just for you.  What are they thinking?   In the winter their bottoms are red and chapped and in every season the bottoms can be quite dirty looking.   You can see some wonderful baby butts (pictures taken by my friend Robyn W.) here: http://www.surpriseshanghai.blogspot.com/2010/11/shanghai-baby-butts.html

 This is the first time I have attended St. Francis Xavier Church and it was beautiful.  The inside had been redone for the World Expo 2010, with the governments help I am told.  This is unusual, the government's favorite religion is the Communist party but there are seven recognized religions in China. It is possible to worship without breaking the law in China.

 Here is Colette in her Sunday best! All my pictures seem to have a blue hue to them, I had the camera on the wrong setting.  Oh well.

 Inside the pretty church, everything was so shiny and golden!  Colette said I was like a bird, attracted to all the shiny things.

 Outside the weather was 70 degrees with a light breeze.  After a great service with a fantastic choir, I took myself  for a nice walk while Colette went off to a friends house.

 Happy Easter everyone!