Another First

The whole family bundled up and attended the Tianjin Golden Lions' basketball game tonight. It was our first China Basketball Association (CBA - China's version of the NBA) game. We went with our friends Ai Xia and Cory Cheng. Thanks, Cory, for the free tickets. Yay for guanxi!

The Golden Lions played Guangdong. We were expecting Guangdong to kill them, but they held their own and were actually in the lead when we had to leave after third quarter.

Besides the game, the highlights of the night were...

THE GOLDEN LION MASCOTS!

Besides terrifying Anna, the golden lions stole our older children and carried them up and down the court. Probably wouldn't have gotten that kind of attention at an NBA game!

(Didn't realize until I saw this picture that I was dressed like a bag lady....)

THE TIANJIN CHEERLEADERS!

Wow. This was a spectacle.

To set the scene, you have to keep in mind that the ping pong stadium (where the game was held) was frigid. I wore my coat and hat the whole time. Out come the cheerleaders wearing ... Santa-style bikinis? Oh, and don't forget the thigh-high black knee socks. The best thing was that they would do their little dance and then run off to the side and put their coats back on.

I think these girls need to look into getting winter uniforms.