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Last day in China. Games are over and the team is leaving with Gold. We had an 8pm flight out of Shanghai so after checking out of the hotel in Changshu we took the team bus into Shanghai and hit up the fakes market for all your shopping needs. Coach bags, Beats by Dre headphones and all sorts of other stuff. It was a quick stop but being the savvy veterans in our second trip to Shanghai, we got it all done.

12 hour flight home, lots of movies. Flight stayed interesting with a good amount of turbulence and a busted water pipe which lead to flooding from the bathroom into first class.

It's great to be back. I'm pretty sure that everyone did the same thing when they left the airport, Mexican food, shower and sleep.

It's been real China. Thumbs up to the freshest smells of California beaches and shrimp tacos. Next stop, London in July.

Photo 1: driving into Shanghai.
Photo 2: The super classy refreshingly not offensive smelling Intercontinental Hotel in Shanghai, I missed this place.
Photo 3: last sights of China, duty free airport shopping
Photo 4: shrimp tacos at Holé Molé with Pete and Monkey. The most incredible Mexican food experiences happen with good friends when you first get back to SoCal after being in China.

Golden

Well we got what we came for. The girls played a great game and we beat Australia 6-4. Great defensive game and it's a great thing for the team to end with a win. Golden.

Thumbs up! Thanks China. Be home tomorrow.

Photo 1: USA wins.
Photo 2: the girls with our translators/guides
Photo 3: instagold

10M and Jeremiah

Pretty eventful day. At morning practice I was waiting to be able to get up to the 10M platform to get some pics. Half way up I was offered a small bribe to go off the top platform and since I wanted to go off anyway, I seriously entertained it. Got to the top and by this time everyone was watching, including the Aussies. I pretended like I was walking down and just off the platform I put my phone, glasses and sandles down and then turned around and ran off. Man it took a long time to fall all the way down. Was fun though, totally worth it.

After the pool we went to the market and walked around. It was quite a sight.

We won our semifinal game against the Greeks. Finals vs Australia tomorrow.

Thumbs up for platforms and bull frogs.

Photo 1: the picture I was after from the 10M platform. Dan Klatt shooting it up. He's still got it.
Photo 2: how the Chinese pick up fish at the grocery store.
Photo 3: how they get to the grocery store.
Photo 4: my boy Jeremiah the bull frog. Sucker was the size of a softball. Not a pet store shot. Still at the grocery store....
Photo 5: an assortment of sights, colors, textures you'll find in your friendly neighborhood market.

Tater tots

Today was a good day. We won our quarter final game pretty easily. Dinner was decent but mostly because they had hash browns that were basically giant tater tots. Always a good thing.

After dinner we had a meeting where Jen put together a slide show of baby pictures of each of the girls and coaches and we had to guess who each one was. Was fun to see and a good quick change of pace from meals and polo.

Thumbs up for tater tots and baby pics.

Photo 1: soccer stadium just outside of the pool.
Photo 2: the volunteers lined up to get pictures with Adam and Dan. Straight up celebrity status.
Photo 3: Brenda and Jess in timeout after getting their 3 kick-outs vs Italy. Jess was just mad because she didn't get 4.
Photo 4: my baby pics. What a cute kid I was.