3 Years Later, Ciao Ciao Shanghai!

After wrapping up their dusty stint as Mongolian nomads, Tiffany and Zach eagerly returned to China for one last, relaxing visit to their favorite beach resort and to say farewell to the Motherland. The Hilton in Sanya has been one of their favorite get-a-ways during their time in China, and it was fitting that they celebrated their third anniversary there, as they had also celebrated their first anniversary there. It is a picturesque resort. The cool, aquamarine waters of the vast pool system that run throughout just beg you to jump in, and sweet scents of colorful, tropical flowers draw your eyes as well as tickle your nose as you walk around the grounds.

Zach cleaned up for the anniversary celebration with a long soak in the room's giant bathtub.

Then it was a romantic night of room service dining and duty-free pink champagne. Tiff and Zach came to grips with the astounding realization that 3 years had passed since getting married in Chicago that fateful day. And the evening was spent laughing and rehashing all the adventures of the 3 years since.

The time in Sanya passed quickly, as Tiff and Zach made sure to enjoy all of China's best offerings, like great massages, perfectly legal Cuban cigars, and a brand of drug-store ginger ale called Watson's that is hands-down the best ginger ale they ever drank.

After one last, long stroll down the pristine beach, satisfied and stuffed with non-Mongolian food, they headed up to Shanghai to say their final farewells:

Farewell Shanghai, with your towering, modern skyscrapers and your eager-to-be-pale Chinese toting sun umbrellas!

Farewell Shanghai, with your massive modern art constructions, laden with complex symbolism that no one understands but with which everyone is suitably impressed anyway!

Farewell Shanghai Centre co-workers and friends, who blessed Tiffany with their kindness and helpfulness, and kept her sane in the midst of working for a crazed management ruled by the idiosyncratic and the inane!

Ah, farewell Shanghai, for all of your practical nature and belief in air-dried laundry!
Farewell, Shanghai, and your odd sense of advertising pets with terrifying, Godzilla-like gerbil pictures!
Farewell, old home, Top of City (not "Top of THE City", mind you), where Tiff and Zach found comfort and solace and a place in China that they readily called "home"!
Farewell amusing English translations accompanied by equally amusing images!
And, finally, as they headed to the airport for the last time, farewell Credit Suisse van, who drove Zach all around Shanghai and completely spoiled him, and farewell Xiao Xu, the van's faithful driver, who eagerly arrived to escort them, not caring, or more likely not realizing, that Zach was no longer an employee!

Farewell Shanghai! Farewell China! Farewell!