the neighborhood square

It seems most every community here has some sort of open gathering area.  Usually it's a planned public space, a big open patch of concrete, a large paved gap between high rises.  There are several smaller areas in our complex, but for our neighborhood the hot spot is definitely at "the 广场".  

The 广场 (roughly translates as plaza, or square) is right next to the school gates, surrounded by some of the older complexes that were here long before ours was built.

And all weekend long Julianna's been begging to go up there at night.  I don't blame her.  It's a holiday weekend and that public square is hopping with activity even on normal nights!  People dancing, music blaring, in line skaters, venders with all sorts of food and trinkets and glow in the dark doo-dads spread on tarps lining the edge of the square.  She knows her classmates are up there, and she knew this was the perfect weekend to go :)  

So after dinner they were off - Matt and the three older kiddos.  [I stayed home and read books with the little guys til bedtime.  Some things are best experienced without your favorite 2 and 3 year olds along for the ride!  Plus I knew it would be a late bedtime!]

It's not much to look at, but this concrete square is the heartbeat of a neighborhood.  {and yes, they recently added a fancy mega-flat screen... i have no idea who 'they' is, or who would even fund such a thing, but they do turn it on occasionally}

Once the sun went down, the place lit up.  Isaac is not faking excitement in this picture.  When he got home the enthusiasm was still leaking out of his pores.  He stood (not sat!) next to me on the couch telling me all his stories!

Bounce houses, arcade games.... it's a small town carnival.  And it happens over and over and over again throughout the city.  I bet most everyone in town lives walking distance from this kind of a park (though my neighborhood pride thinks ours might be one of the best! ha!)

Our big three are hooked.  Pretty fun stuff, if noisy-sweaty-crowded-gaudy entertainment is your kind of thing.  

Any guesses where I stand on the issue?  

ha.  i'm just glad they can go and have fun!  [with Matt]