An outing with Victoria (not my wife)

Last night we went out with Victoria to a local bookstore and then she showed us around a new area of Hangzhou that was just opened over the week long National Day holiday beginning on October 1st. It was crazy - we don't have the capability to put pictures on our computer at the moment, but when we do, we'll have to put some on...

We can put pictures on now:

Victoria recommended us to take my mother-in-law there when she comes for the new baby's birth in January. It's a little bit like space-age. The most prominent building is going to be the future headquarters of the government - not sure if it's provincial or city, or both. It has essentially four buildings built near to each other in a circular shape, connected only by the high-rise oval offices that completely make a ring around the entire complex...only like 30 stories high at least. The center of the complex is open, except the bottom five stories or so are also a large circular building space...There is also a theater that resembles the Opera House in Sydney nearby and an International Symposium Center (or something) that is essentially a huge globe - a golden globe, at least 30 stories high as well....we'll have to get pictures on later...Victoria mentioned that the area should be completely developed after three to five years. Now, large parts are unfinished and there are other large buildings nearby that are only a shell.

By the way, Victoria is a secretary for the Foreign Affairs Office and is one of our few friends we have in Hangzhou. She has been very helpful in helping us get our feet on the ground here and has gone out of her way to do so.