A few days ago Yao was in Shanghai where he and his wife Ye Li were invited to attend a custom shoe fitting by famous Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo. At the fitting, Yao picked two pairs of shoes and a belt to be custom-made.

Click here for more photos from the shoe fitting.

Raymond reports in the forum that Airbus delivered China’s first Airbus A380 (China Southern Airlines ordered it), and Yao Ming was one of the very first guests to take the inaugural flight on Monday (the 17th) to Guangzhou from Beijing.

The plane arrived in Beijing on October 15th, had a trial flight to Shanghai Pudong on the 16th, and then had its inaugural flight from Beijing to Guangzhou on Monday the 17th .

Click here for more photos from the festivities and Yao boarding the flight and getting on the plane.

Yao Ming received the “Outstanding Contribution Award” at the 6th Annual China Top 10 Laureus Awards on Tuesday in China.

Click here for info on the other Chinese athletes who won awards, and photos from the event. Looking at the photos, it looks a lot like the ESPY Awards here in the U.S.

Raymond reports from China that Yao had some fun at the China Open in Beijing on Thursday. China Life is a sponsor of the event, and Yao is a spokesperson for the insurance company.

In the photo below, Yao poses with Chinese tennis player Zhang Ze, a wildcard player, and top-seed Jo-Wilfred Tsonga of France at the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Centre. Tsonga would go on to defeat Zhang Ze 6-4, 6-3.

Click here for more photos of Yao at the China Open.

After watching the match, Yao Ming proceeded to Court #1 to surprise eight couples who were getting married there because they fell in love through the sport of tennis. Yao presented the couples with life insurance packages from China Life as well as blessings and good wishes for them.

Click here for more photos and information about Yao’s appearance at the wedding.

Yao Ming has been in Australia the past few days for an invitational basketball tournament involving his Shanghai MAXXIS Sharks. The games are being played in a very unique location — an outdoor basketball court on Cable Beach in a town called Broome.

Yao said, “Even though I am retired I want to go there and shoot a couple of baskets, it would be a fantastic experience.”

On Saturday, Yao and his wife Ye Li were able to get out and do some shopping in Broome, and Yao bought his wife some pearls.

Click here for more photos of Yao and Ye Li shopping.

Later that evening, Yao’s Sharks were thrashed by the NBL Perth Wildcats 66-23, the same margin of defeat they had last year against Perth (more info on the game here).

In the Sharks’ previous game at the Cable Beach Invitational Tournament, they were able to scrap out a 45-41 win against the Indonesia National Team.