tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53462800593959691842024-03-05T07:57:39.201-05:00Wanderlust: One Couple's Adventures with TravelSamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-49335744880457594052021-05-14T08:13:00.007-04:002021-05-14T08:20:15.057-04:00Moving to Valencia, Spain (During a Pandemic)<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> After our (everyone's) weird year, it feels pretty amazing to say that we managed to move to Spain before 2020 ended. Here's a bit more about </span><a href="http://www.twowhotravel.com/2020/04/the-journey-of-two-china-expats-through.html" style="font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">how our pandemic journey started</a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span><a href="http://www.twowhotravel.com/2020/09/grounded-nomads-nine-months-in-limbo.html" style="font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">what happened from there</a><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. When I last wrote, I was excited but filled with anxiety about the trip to Spain. Certainly, traveling in a pandemic, let alone moving countries, is nerve-racking. We had essentially been relegated to the house with brief trips outdoors for the previous eight or so months. <br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">So, it was truly surreal to be heading to the airport. Our entire lives (what was left after leaving most things behind in China) were packed into the max # of suitcases we were allowed and we were off to the next adventure!</span></h4><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWo2JszJ_JuhWbLTRN8kFtVNTOakbCS3T5C-aAKijVVAKY2TGW7vTxK6WWyvRX4IqQbxxTAtMgB42F-C2griTeIKpz2-NanNDbOUbAnVWOgel0SsTALho9jtSvC-hBptLx5wMHnqdTift/s2048/20200916_121818.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWo2JszJ_JuhWbLTRN8kFtVNTOakbCS3T5C-aAKijVVAKY2TGW7vTxK6WWyvRX4IqQbxxTAtMgB42F-C2griTeIKpz2-NanNDbOUbAnVWOgel0SsTALho9jtSvC-hBptLx5wMHnqdTift/s320/20200916_121818.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">The Actual Moving Process</h4><p>Fortunately, the trip itself went quite smoothly. We had chosen TAP, the Portuguese airline, from Dulles to Lisbon and directly on to Valencia. It is tough to know what's the smart decision in these crazy times and we'd heard plenty of complaints about TAP. But, we decided to take the risk, given the much preferable route and the fact that we could afford Business Class which we felt would expose us to fewer people. It also came with extra baggage, since we were moving all our belongings with us. Of course, since we left behind a good chunk of our belongings, this was quite doable. But, many airlines charged crazy fees if we wanted to just add one piece of luggage, so in the end, we could travel TAP's Business Class for a similar price and be much more comfortable.</p><p>TAP's staff at Dulles were friendly and helpful. We worried about strict baggage sizes and weights, and the logistics of travel during this time with the ever-changing rules. But, no need to worry. The airport was ghostly silent and we made our way to the Business lounge at Dulles and briefly took off our masks for a soda and snack. When you haven't been around other people in months, it is disarming to suddenly be in a travel situation, but this first leg sort of eased us into the experience. The flight itself was wonderful. Though we were feeling paranoid and getting used to flying with our N95 masks on, it actually felt somewhat exciting to be back into the world of travel, if by necessity.</p><p>We had a stop in Lisbon, which was really weird as the airport there was pretty packed. 100% mask usage, but not easy to stay distant. But, once we made it through immigration and security, we found a quiet spot to wait for our next flight. The small plane to Valencia was far from the luxurious feel of the overseas flight, but it was relatively quick.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Arriving in Valencia</h4><div>Easy, peasey! We showed our QR code/health form and collected our bags.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the time we came to Spain, Americans were only permitted if they had residence (ie our residency visa that we'd been granted). They were only requiring a health form, which we completed electronically and stored the QR code on our phones, while also printing one out to be safe. We put the wrong flight # (our flight to Portugal, not the final leg to Spain) but it turned out fine. They also have forms you can fill out on the spot if needed. Not too long after, they started requiring COVID tests within 72 hours of landing, but that was not the case when we arrived.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had the Cabify app from our time in Madrid in early 2020, but ended up just grabbing taxis (yes, taxis...too much stuff for one car and no minivan taxis around). They made their way efficiently to our new home.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were so lucky in our "apartment search". The guy we had rented from before showed us some photos online, and we pretty quickly realized that one was perfect for us. We rented it sight unseen (helps to have a trusted resource). He was there waiting for us and we quickly looked around, got contracts signed, and the initial rent transferred. All in all, a pretty painless process and we're home!</div><div><br /></div><div>Outdoor space was one of our top criteria, especially given the pandemic. Our new home has a terrace that is almost as large as the apartment itself. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3M5oSl92SAxIgQg0fp7fMlwOw8znNbUkRa_kb7DdpM56WNgLnduq-SRUWcaM3xY2WLpOJJD1Ltu_-JEScd_uqQQdPSS245JOrFOB_hBMttGrjIdGgWxaorxmkpEaHhAlwfWQjINNKTAK/s2048/20201025_070413.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3M5oSl92SAxIgQg0fp7fMlwOw8znNbUkRa_kb7DdpM56WNgLnduq-SRUWcaM3xY2WLpOJJD1Ltu_-JEScd_uqQQdPSS245JOrFOB_hBMttGrjIdGgWxaorxmkpEaHhAlwfWQjINNKTAK/s320/20201025_070413.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening view from our terrace</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIObAcH2npK5z-9VcWJwrmkrA3RiYTuw1wyJqULrMHXW6F8MVu6OV42V6GF1iqc_96dKiy9Tg0mkaIVImbHHIYV8DC7e1DpQZoqYMlfajE3VrCBEgrWFLb48cCT08nsZGYZ1vdiU0Gkuo6/s2048/20201031_082302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIObAcH2npK5z-9VcWJwrmkrA3RiYTuw1wyJqULrMHXW6F8MVu6OV42V6GF1iqc_96dKiy9Tg0mkaIVImbHHIYV8DC7e1DpQZoqYMlfajE3VrCBEgrWFLb48cCT08nsZGYZ1vdiU0Gkuo6/s320/20201031_082302.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our outdoor dining space, all dressed up for Halloween</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The place came furnished and fully equipped (has enough towels for twice as many people) so all we had to do was unpack our clothes. Over the first few weeks, we bought a few little items. A printer was top on the list and we filled the gaps with a few other kitchen items and such. The handy "bazaars" (also known as "Chinos", as they're all run by Chinese owners) are as good as ever for the array of little things you might need!<br /><br /><b>It's Been A Dream</b></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Valencia is as gorgeous as we remember it. The first evening, we sat outside at one of our favorite spots eating the most delicious clóchinas (local mejillones/mussels) feeling like we were in a dream. </span></h4><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjhCbp3OLqqeEta0lWPw62_W4gYsjomXeeEL14sHpc76Wt-0OZtgIk0Pzq4D6JP5ZsxN8e6AHMigi_a58YC75fCz8KVKXHpCRjj7eWCDJHNUdPguuDu1vy3ugx1V3lxImPsmMGz85fmOh/s2048/20201002_202140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjhCbp3OLqqeEta0lWPw62_W4gYsjomXeeEL14sHpc76Wt-0OZtgIk0Pzq4D6JP5ZsxN8e6AHMigi_a58YC75fCz8KVKXHpCRjj7eWCDJHNUdPguuDu1vy3ugx1V3lxImPsmMGz85fmOh/s320/20201002_202140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The day-to-day tasks of life and work go on, but to be able to walk around and see some of the most beautiful architecture just outside your door makes it all seem different. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe8i6KX-Inbj092YRKGZ3cUfwiMfgxGM_ArgzV7LK5Bb9j52dx7UrVQlgvWUSPJ_lRkB2H7dFtcJ2Ob1pE4Vn-DPviiZisfG-s53_caJzG26u7xgorTS8E1hTKiNZJAenVxzfMFokkU50/s2040/torres.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="2040" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe8i6KX-Inbj092YRKGZ3cUfwiMfgxGM_ArgzV7LK5Bb9j52dx7UrVQlgvWUSPJ_lRkB2H7dFtcJ2Ob1pE4Vn-DPviiZisfG-s53_caJzG26u7xgorTS8E1hTKiNZJAenVxzfMFokkU50/s320/torres.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I take almost daily walks in Turia Park and have explored many new neighborhoods, parks, and gardens.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDzuamlQNtBmDw-n3bk-CTRIVx4-hZDSumOi0Z1JEkh-vzjxDZB7a8WLPIMOdMgyE35HfrWkWEk2bX9cSrFJhEyaly-yvoqS6Pqfp_Suy7SkgppF_VUTEuwTr3EE3oIYUArOIA5zHbrwZ/s2048/20210513_113949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmEcTt1jC_HNJxXoTJMHhEGev6nHMI0ra1WQvtcf23tpYb74bm_X_WRXQDD5wDJ6sQvbnXjL2cfS8BOzPasWUV0VQ0dlkxtFYm3np0aYwVsaNk6n0oaO7mgNaECV4zrIEs8GodiJkjuJr/s320/sun+over+arch+and+trees+ciudad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxj-EutPIxuhU2aDYKEuS0NWZUwC7AzvE6dRsyBt_mtJYLgItcmYIWvAnWI5hzQYBACMORZcT7xefpFguEJkII7AlSyFvZo7PfGLnzkT72bbYmZkxTzLwXovZeV_nCv-sHa373ObdFLKF/s960/arts+and+sciences+in+sun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxj-EutPIxuhU2aDYKEuS0NWZUwC7AzvE6dRsyBt_mtJYLgItcmYIWvAnWI5hzQYBACMORZcT7xefpFguEJkII7AlSyFvZo7PfGLnzkT72bbYmZkxTzLwXovZeV_nCv-sHa373ObdFLKF/s320/arts+and+sciences+in+sun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnStJIGRZvt3CLTeZK2xqOHmCFEacm-_1_t8enrLt7yAkdh7lFKu57CmrU6tPvQj5RIu556Aes8kA3u2V9x20o31DIT2dsbdFoFZIX2nG3nXffuJqMnlOYypqQFhUbatf-Q7WGyurr7EaR/s960/bontanic+gardens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnStJIGRZvt3CLTeZK2xqOHmCFEacm-_1_t8enrLt7yAkdh7lFKu57CmrU6tPvQj5RIu556Aes8kA3u2V9x20o31DIT2dsbdFoFZIX2nG3nXffuJqMnlOYypqQFhUbatf-Q7WGyurr7EaR/s320/bontanic+gardens.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFifU-cmMSn-RhBP8hshGzdWLe_njpfC3cuVMlP0LRnYjy4MxRaOB2GIe0I1ZJsp2-ZWmA_THCzZkvfKC-vTAVJHao1Ku62EpWd6_alXEnJyvuIgd4oTT878GHRqGCjDAMApng0NGKFBf/s960/statue+on+bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFifU-cmMSn-RhBP8hshGzdWLe_njpfC3cuVMlP0LRnYjy4MxRaOB2GIe0I1ZJsp2-ZWmA_THCzZkvfKC-vTAVJHao1Ku62EpWd6_alXEnJyvuIgd4oTT878GHRqGCjDAMApng0NGKFBf/s320/statue+on+bridge.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We've had a couple afternoons at the beach for a long paella lunch. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0Ox9w79v9xYO6JvhcsLr_LKlvSx2RRDTYsbueP7LsHCVvsvmjb5_dNMZjleYXjmnQHhJ5tm6pdU7kp_1f44R-S55hS0da-4qF6xQf63kEwSlRtbmIZM3y6PZdeXbWlwiatXrfKK8A5vl/s2048/20201024_135857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0Ox9w79v9xYO6JvhcsLr_LKlvSx2RRDTYsbueP7LsHCVvsvmjb5_dNMZjleYXjmnQHhJ5tm6pdU7kp_1f44R-S55hS0da-4qF6xQf63kEwSlRtbmIZM3y6PZdeXbWlwiatXrfKK8A5vl/s320/20201024_135857.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifShOxJkb9GSfqAhTNS8jftLSBvpbEYmCtKpVjLMaSar3NdPTl6uPh-hlddk6Kmpf4k17GTAD5hBzxKGHSEXHtdTV2WTfvg0R_6S-wn87Ua_-GG7w0g6ho5-3BkublgnXn91V0i0vAcD1L/s2048/20201024_153146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifShOxJkb9GSfqAhTNS8jftLSBvpbEYmCtKpVjLMaSar3NdPTl6uPh-hlddk6Kmpf4k17GTAD5hBzxKGHSEXHtdTV2WTfvg0R_6S-wn87Ua_-GG7w0g6ho5-3BkublgnXn91V0i0vAcD1L/s320/20201024_153146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And, we even managed a trip down to Denia, our first home in Spain.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJGG2em73Q81cAm9i7i4mU8IthCcbzbyFlKie50oBLBskPyNevF5FcndUQGDF62tUKkDujo9JRgbcygkgkQp-O6y1bmjJS8PlsbR2wucjaRP46QK7sc65BtEOeUxTDpo3hdBcjnnHkEc6/s1440/mmexport1605555249194.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJGG2em73Q81cAm9i7i4mU8IthCcbzbyFlKie50oBLBskPyNevF5FcndUQGDF62tUKkDujo9JRgbcygkgkQp-O6y1bmjJS8PlsbR2wucjaRP46QK7sc65BtEOeUxTDpo3hdBcjnnHkEc6/s320/mmexport1605555249194.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A remake of a similar photo taken almost 10 years ago near Denia, when we first arrived in Spain</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>...With the Ups and Downs of COVID</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Of course, it's been a little different this time. When we first arrived, there were mild restrictions. Masks were required and everyone was compliant. But, you could still go to restaurants and shopping and other activities were mostly normal. Things weren't open late and occupancy was limited. We haven't eaten inside a restaurant since the start of the pandemic even if we can, so we got used to layering up to eat outside.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlThla8Z_ZS2iby90mgseBKXdGDxL1CPYT3cNby3i6tR5wQpe9dw_Tql6ekp3boHFOebJmIPTijoPPiOPu92GLDZTTlrkwcljy8ZALfg9pfFiVZmXxBNQkPeYYXw485xODiq17GCMFO_/s2048/20201024_154106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlThla8Z_ZS2iby90mgseBKXdGDxL1CPYT3cNby3i6tR5wQpe9dw_Tql6ekp3boHFOebJmIPTijoPPiOPu92GLDZTTlrkwcljy8ZALfg9pfFiVZmXxBNQkPeYYXw485xODiq17GCMFO_/s320/20201024_154106.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After Christmas, the COVID situation got pretty horrible. All restaurants shut down (except for take away and delivery), shops and non-essential services were very limited and the curfew was pulled back. Additionally, along with regional perimeter restrictions (not being able to leave the Communidad for other areas of Spain, except in very limited situations), we started having weekend perimeter restrictions in towns and cities (i.e. can't leave or enter the city of Valencia). </div><div><br /></div><div>Without being able to socialize in person, ducks and feral cats have been my main outside company. I have participated in virtual events and we even led a trivia quiz for the charity with which I've been volunteering.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2ISHBvHtYJaAM2ePl8Intm5VzeKHu0DPILcPa79wYI1l9xjlTGx0mFBbYS1Hq-N69I4Kse4VPWI3KiUF96eb8kawtOVc1AMSbfGYlhaeBhi0q8oGbAiU6pCO5fgcwuL6iWqy3jizupTA/s2048/20210504_113554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2ISHBvHtYJaAM2ePl8Intm5VzeKHu0DPILcPa79wYI1l9xjlTGx0mFBbYS1Hq-N69I4Kse4VPWI3KiUF96eb8kawtOVc1AMSbfGYlhaeBhi0q8oGbAiU6pCO5fgcwuL6iWqy3jizupTA/s320/20210504_113554.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8bylIVjKIErlIETbxkaCfp0cgECQU30ADzhk-YfVK_SRAodCOMYe9nv3uQ79Re5oINmY4w3U-_PTnWbkdNAYZe7spzle9yAgMAKGGnAHw9BN5V0nQplLuqATv_9GK00nXUSS1XHw97jw/s960/cat+on+bench.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8bylIVjKIErlIETbxkaCfp0cgECQU30ADzhk-YfVK_SRAodCOMYe9nv3uQ79Re5oINmY4w3U-_PTnWbkdNAYZe7spzle9yAgMAKGGnAHw9BN5V0nQplLuqATv_9GK00nXUSS1XHw97jw/s320/cat+on+bench.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Cautiously, things have started opening up. The national state of emergency expired, leaving all decisions in the hands of the Communidads. Valencia's curfew is now midnight and it seems European tourism, at least, is ramping up (based on the number of young Germans and French people I see around town on holiday). I think once things fully open up, we will be in for a bit of a shock. Valencia was a lively city when we lived here before (and we were right in the heart of El Carmen, one of the big nightlife spots) but apparently, prior to COVID, things were on a whole other level of crowds.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, vaccination is going quite slowly. We got through the various stages of bureacracy for our residency and are officially registered now with our SIP card, so our local health center can contact us when it's our turn to be vaccinated. They've just approved the J&J vaccine and have been doing mass vaccinations in the park. They've been saying we'd be vaccinated by July, so we're practicing patience with hope that things may speed up.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlJ6bySRiN50O_ELmyJKwqWfVqj53Qek1eH1Ltupj_ZTZIOpmTD9quMUfpDn38eYd3etyX0MJVQKO1VXS7l6ifR05Gau-ejjn9eUs8qNUkrSTxRxFjTUczcxteNNFehjA3WJ9ZxxKvxPr/s1440/no+teneomos+vacuna.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPlJ6bySRiN50O_ELmyJKwqWfVqj53Qek1eH1Ltupj_ZTZIOpmTD9quMUfpDn38eYd3etyX0MJVQKO1VXS7l6ifR05Gau-ejjn9eUs8qNUkrSTxRxFjTUczcxteNNFehjA3WJ9ZxxKvxPr/s320/no+teneomos+vacuna.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We don't have the vaccine but we have homemade vermouth"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAWQmpNeXnctVPwD1m5TwCXxQ6REnOr2x8muSefXgv7yZfABVJ-VMUPPe3v6IQua4kF_aY8SNU9PpfBAiVudRnOTqfMRKIORmwyN57vw-goux4DrdFVEpPNjPtFN3v7u26sBW_XKY0Xfj/s2048/20210425_101856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAWQmpNeXnctVPwD1m5TwCXxQ6REnOr2x8muSefXgv7yZfABVJ-VMUPPe3v6IQua4kF_aY8SNU9PpfBAiVudRnOTqfMRKIORmwyN57vw-goux4DrdFVEpPNjPtFN3v7u26sBW_XKY0Xfj/s320/20210425_101856.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Nowadays, the weather is really warming up so it's time to get out and enjoy some fresh air in Valencia bonita!</div><div><br /></div><div>I admit to becoming a little obsessed with taking photos of flowers and street art (note: I finally gave in and started an Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/twowhotravelsam/">https://www.instagram.com/twowhotravelsam/</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuqcnDip0SWtwuZnhRNdzSlW1tvnE8TuvnlS41HdF_H8Wut4AgpD-z5ExbrSmw24ZLIXvTlg1OSnohwNeIzENri_h2XxIGdvoupYiaVDyRiyJNIPgpwAX4DF2h9AoukLi_QNiu1PnJ3U8/s2048/20210511_114042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuqcnDip0SWtwuZnhRNdzSlW1tvnE8TuvnlS41HdF_H8Wut4AgpD-z5ExbrSmw24ZLIXvTlg1OSnohwNeIzENri_h2XxIGdvoupYiaVDyRiyJNIPgpwAX4DF2h9AoukLi_QNiu1PnJ3U8/s320/20210511_114042.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXffegxHeBoIIThg3tumrxwc9qEvvRb0OIE1ZrICjAOm_ZyH3P0lV9QFlMWc5baZWFzv4r0d5owZQoL1xB5vvbp5QTLcdMk16p5OtLnNM4ag000KIY-XTiIKqzCxD6G4pVTOzESKba57x/s960/street+art+common.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXffegxHeBoIIThg3tumrxwc9qEvvRb0OIE1ZrICjAOm_ZyH3P0lV9QFlMWc5baZWFzv4r0d5owZQoL1xB5vvbp5QTLcdMk16p5OtLnNM4ag000KIY-XTiIKqzCxD6G4pVTOzESKba57x/s320/street+art+common.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjtBAUwSViet3ycLm2YWqIqinOCD2iZnGR0hqs7zV4ajXDJtcHdf6EDkiGWSdcpND9AlF7-E9L_ay8ZKuRAFEM3_OAsv4lNudeo4pcB1q-pPKrsaKxTdajjQdVo4SUCKKyMCDrjuRNShX/s960/street+art+red.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjtBAUwSViet3ycLm2YWqIqinOCD2iZnGR0hqs7zV4ajXDJtcHdf6EDkiGWSdcpND9AlF7-E9L_ay8ZKuRAFEM3_OAsv4lNudeo4pcB1q-pPKrsaKxTdajjQdVo4SUCKKyMCDrjuRNShX/s320/street+art+red.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzpLroVBpS9_ir5wST-uRHjWeQwJX4rs_TKEwqYgRwQsLjx9oN3BT206SDetzkoQfQ7rxnvTCOq9hh_hv5y2gGlogEK8QK0zoIUlZinWcbLBuXXfkVV19wFJUFjB0Kyv5t1TqhDTgQMdr/s960/street+art+snorkel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzpLroVBpS9_ir5wST-uRHjWeQwJX4rs_TKEwqYgRwQsLjx9oN3BT206SDetzkoQfQ7rxnvTCOq9hh_hv5y2gGlogEK8QK0zoIUlZinWcbLBuXXfkVV19wFJUFjB0Kyv5t1TqhDTgQMdr/s320/street+art+snorkel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZvxNcZfgrcF2KzNesBC_xgbJI_zFZpdIl_-z25-6ab5MmzgEVR3HiGRRgxjSp0mEpBFjDCRo_S4PUVU_1X3RFrts0QBZM4huh6HTf7Uar4dMau-V9YlhZzzT6Hk1oxkLHchhrwgsjGJs/s960/street+art+womans+split+face.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZvxNcZfgrcF2KzNesBC_xgbJI_zFZpdIl_-z25-6ab5MmzgEVR3HiGRRgxjSp0mEpBFjDCRo_S4PUVU_1X3RFrts0QBZM4huh6HTf7Uar4dMau-V9YlhZzzT6Hk1oxkLHchhrwgsjGJs/s320/street+art+womans+split+face.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eEFXL1g7D-MBPBRV6FVGT45XyEg3UVTElq_0ayHZdPTtQmoh9WK9HQuz8sf2BcTzLcZo3a8lnc21yT-49bNp2ufGvqAq0sMiE2AnhiaWozWZwyPMc4x4FeR0rRpsBQ5aFzzf8nzht8B3/s960/street+art+girl+eye.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eEFXL1g7D-MBPBRV6FVGT45XyEg3UVTElq_0ayHZdPTtQmoh9WK9HQuz8sf2BcTzLcZo3a8lnc21yT-49bNp2ufGvqAq0sMiE2AnhiaWozWZwyPMc4x4FeR0rRpsBQ5aFzzf8nzht8B3/s320/street+art+girl+eye.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-59936049953466297602020-09-22T09:44:00.001-04:002020-09-25T07:49:50.722-04:00Grounded Nomads: Nine Months in Limbo and Our Next Adventure<p>I previously shared the most unexpected journey we've probably ever taken, <a href="http://www.twowhotravel.com/2020/04/the-journey-of-two-china-expats-through.html" target="_blank">the holiday that turned into months being stuck in limbo in the U.S</a>. I was also interviewed about our experiences on the podcast <a href="https://www.nomadtopia.com/gnshannonmartin/" target="_blank">Nomadtopia Radio for the Grounded Nomads series</a> (from which I've borrowed part of my title). Thanks to COVID-19, many of us, especially nomads, are in the same boat. As I shared at the end of that post and podcast, we were just taking it day by day. Since that time, we continued living the isolated existence we've all become too familiar with this year while trying to enjoy the moments. I feel fortunate to have work I enjoy to keep me busy (albeit sometimes a little too busy). Long walks and yoga helped me find balance. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4B_WyYlgSuAHsWjfjbdrBOTK_DypuYt8Nj-Crn7wWwrwt2jx2yvBe6-jdYh6S-DwFGAa6UBlhLvZnCzaiMeJjd7gTZ83jQw_gUYCoQ2X_Y704zwTVsvcgO0SvXqZRgL1OqijPIjM0reQ/s2048/20200523_113101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4B_WyYlgSuAHsWjfjbdrBOTK_DypuYt8Nj-Crn7wWwrwt2jx2yvBe6-jdYh6S-DwFGAa6UBlhLvZnCzaiMeJjd7gTZ83jQw_gUYCoQ2X_Y704zwTVsvcgO0SvXqZRgL1OqijPIjM0reQ/w290-h218/20200523_113101.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><p>We were especially fortunate to be able to spend some large chunks of time at my parents' beach house in the Outer Banks. It is the perfect place to self-isolate and you can't beat the view. We enjoyed seafood meals out on the screened porch, my walks included daily duck escapades, and we took the paddle boat out for a spin a time or two. Despite slathering on the sunscreen, I even managed to develop a slight tan for the first time in years. It was lovely. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuwkvfvMokf42qDXa3JVwoNuzBPEBmwfIQ-vbYN7H6aYTbVGXCGgYBqyY5SR8-o2Sknl_uP3nQgIkPy-gvnRPLCNUMudIfL2UQcQ6KsneHvc427j6EhtrdjiXBqWYEXrDq3-C2SNYABWa/s2048/20200821_065733.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuwkvfvMokf42qDXa3JVwoNuzBPEBmwfIQ-vbYN7H6aYTbVGXCGgYBqyY5SR8-o2Sknl_uP3nQgIkPy-gvnRPLCNUMudIfL2UQcQ6KsneHvc427j6EhtrdjiXBqWYEXrDq3-C2SNYABWa/s320/20200821_065733.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStvBjMYj_tUZiMq_5hkIpac08q4-uiP4JP4LDhsGqOBSR330gVP6uWI9uhQWqJy9hRuYIHgtlJ0p1xcTMLz5nPEM3PUgT05cB_aB2Dt85ZcfkElxc5IUUlY0BiSRANqJ1-b09ZSoI0UOx/s2048/20200823_081541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStvBjMYj_tUZiMq_5hkIpac08q4-uiP4JP4LDhsGqOBSR330gVP6uWI9uhQWqJy9hRuYIHgtlJ0p1xcTMLz5nPEM3PUgT05cB_aB2Dt85ZcfkElxc5IUUlY0BiSRANqJ1-b09ZSoI0UOx/s320/20200823_081541.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE0n2-jZnhPrcpImOy_TmU-TVa7Zdoyvw48QL9QX7ZED5zt1Fm4DNJ9H6L7WUFyFxfsnF3lKzM8qyE2t9nD8XWE3BvC4_XX9oULYaflINRx2SfGN4Mo7VtQM-9eSiBjfdJFNktcx-U_4k/s2048/20200831_081645.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE0n2-jZnhPrcpImOy_TmU-TVa7Zdoyvw48QL9QX7ZED5zt1Fm4DNJ9H6L7WUFyFxfsnF3lKzM8qyE2t9nD8XWE3BvC4_XX9oULYaflINRx2SfGN4Mo7VtQM-9eSiBjfdJFNktcx-U_4k/s320/20200831_081645.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>We alternated between NC and MD with my parents. As mentioned before, we can never fully express our gratitude to them. Having a home (or homes) while we were technically homeless relieved a lot of potential stress.</p><p>As the situation unfolded in the early months and we realized we would not be returning to China anytime soon, we started formulating a plan as best we could. Planning during the coronavirus pandemic means knowing that plan is likely to change. This situation has shown us all just how adaptable we can really be and just how uncertain life really is. We had been starting to plan a transition to a new home country (well, actually somewhere we lived years ago), Spain, over the past year. So, we first worked on getting our paperwork that had been left behind in China. Luckily, a friend helped us with that (and our belongings). But, of course, right as that arrived, thing shut down in the U.S. So, we patiently waited and kept an ear to the ground about the situation.</p><p>Sometime during the summer, we found out the consulates were reopening. We worried that due to the ban on Americans traveling to Europe, we couldn't proceed. But, it's always best to ask! And, the Spanish consulate explained that if we had residency, we could travel there. </p><p>However, most documents have a time limit and they advised we redo the expired ones, even though technically the shutdown time is supposed to be discounted. It's so easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed with this stuff, especially during a crisis when everything has an added level of difficulty. But, living overseas helps one develop perseverance and resourcefulness. We just broke down what needed to be done and began researching and tackling each task.</p><p>First was getting a new health certification (without having a primary care doctor). I emailed and called countless places. Finally, my Mom mentioned a couple places to me including Passport Health. Sure enough, they were able to help so we booked an appointment for when we would be returning to Maryland. Then there was the process of getting a new criminal records check for the time we'd been in the U.S. Slowly, but surely, we got everything into place. </p><p>The DC consulate was quite helpful and responded to our email questions throughout. They let us make an appointment when most paperwork was in place and just the last couple pieces were missing. So, we just had to wait for that date and gather the final pieces. </p><p>Meanwhile, we were making housing plans as we had some scheduling conflicts. So, we booked an Airbnb for a couple weeks and then another one for a couple nights around the date of our consulate appointment. These felt like mini holidays even though it was more just a temporary change in residence. Different scenery and some new places to get carryout!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Scenes from my walks in Frederick, MD and DC</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W7Clt3wOdsQx13FhyeVZJqsUF9bohttEsiJtu77q7bCwNdBedYNRw4f1mMaMbrNo8JQfeoDtU76vDZFMucNRCAWnitO27OCjx-2gztvc69ISx3704KDxxMj9Y6SR4HctKTXvklsahsVd/s2048/20200802_090033.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2W7Clt3wOdsQx13FhyeVZJqsUF9bohttEsiJtu77q7bCwNdBedYNRw4f1mMaMbrNo8JQfeoDtU76vDZFMucNRCAWnitO27OCjx-2gztvc69ISx3704KDxxMj9Y6SR4HctKTXvklsahsVd/s320/20200802_090033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W7Cs1yG1BcX8JT9YCNZcFfIJtfWtXmS0YDjLz6ih1YqFrjgvzkqWp-aRM8qm-F1hg7-ljrl0oapUmySK9pTTawx1QUrDKFo9Gx6nFbWx_SG2SHLN-ZFhZXeNOFqtCsY_AM5kn7kxpjIP/s2048/20200805_080442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W7Cs1yG1BcX8JT9YCNZcFfIJtfWtXmS0YDjLz6ih1YqFrjgvzkqWp-aRM8qm-F1hg7-ljrl0oapUmySK9pTTawx1QUrDKFo9Gx6nFbWx_SG2SHLN-ZFhZXeNOFqtCsY_AM5kn7kxpjIP/s320/20200805_080442.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt56zvQe6imIdjEkfq8FmCBq2I0AIn_wFu7eScoGYbIbl-e7G2M3IGJycoYGUI4yw_tl6ljT7yNwfJBhB7UP59KoS6W9V7uZgpOlSTaOOLc_Ggq3SA3nkPHKt0Woiss1NlslwDXr8i_Qz/s2048/20200806_082718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt56zvQe6imIdjEkfq8FmCBq2I0AIn_wFu7eScoGYbIbl-e7G2M3IGJycoYGUI4yw_tl6ljT7yNwfJBhB7UP59KoS6W9V7uZgpOlSTaOOLc_Ggq3SA3nkPHKt0Woiss1NlslwDXr8i_Qz/s320/20200806_082718.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaEnFo8za6Cz-EqnZZWRkL_SXGrArE1ZLDzfAMnA_Ys6GBkFjCv6NdEeaVvrfDFkSJ7QyiLrONYYXP89dvDUhnWe2Y80d47mTE4OJPScpwfLBVs2Q73AxgNntr5IRtTwV_Iy3oXpLsAiA/s2048/20200817_090026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaEnFo8za6Cz-EqnZZWRkL_SXGrArE1ZLDzfAMnA_Ys6GBkFjCv6NdEeaVvrfDFkSJ7QyiLrONYYXP89dvDUhnWe2Y80d47mTE4OJPScpwfLBVs2Q73AxgNntr5IRtTwV_Iy3oXpLsAiA/s320/20200817_090026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxRYeevm2Z0G6arGdogekYNzLqrOdGhaQIw6LS_ip8M2FA_4jzgPsKZWFexVtFx5sIdtEYpdjTnqYAovpzS6yDhLM1m0f2tD2AGOldsoFfa4m3_q3ERo_fLGylhnQJusfNLvR1ifB6chj/s2048/20200817_150354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxRYeevm2Z0G6arGdogekYNzLqrOdGhaQIw6LS_ip8M2FA_4jzgPsKZWFexVtFx5sIdtEYpdjTnqYAovpzS6yDhLM1m0f2tD2AGOldsoFfa4m3_q3ERo_fLGylhnQJusfNLvR1ifB6chj/s320/20200817_150354.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Our appointment went smoothly. As usual, I was second-guessing and stressing over nothing. We were done in 15 minutes. They told us we could expect to hear from them in about 3-4 weeks. I assumed it would be more like five. Just over two weeks later, I got a voicemail asking what date we wanted on our visas!</p><p>Since then, we have worked on securing an apartment, picking flights in a time when one never knows what will actually fly, and various other little tasks involved in the move (surprisingly, not too many). We had visits with both sets of parents and I recently got to see my grandfather outside at his ALF. We came back to Maryland to wrap up things and begin repacking our stuff to fit it all into three suitcases each.</p><p>So, if the flights actually leave and no other unforeseen issues come up, we will be moving onto the next chapter in our adventures at the beginning of October!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSICzGQzjmoJZzXpL89Xu1l16MK-pQzkmVKclnlLJyEfzcW-mHYqvsG-duwr_K_8RNSBA54NRpIutLZa7r5s2-oecwiFBoNeKLk8vsCvVG27kfUkBnUtMpKiW2FDGMkcUZyvF0fFwNF0yF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSICzGQzjmoJZzXpL89Xu1l16MK-pQzkmVKclnlLJyEfzcW-mHYqvsG-duwr_K_8RNSBA54NRpIutLZa7r5s2-oecwiFBoNeKLk8vsCvVG27kfUkBnUtMpKiW2FDGMkcUZyvF0fFwNF0yF/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-27339038296170373272020-04-26T11:01:00.000-04:002020-04-26T11:02:51.774-04:00The Journey of Two China Expats through the COVID-19 Crisis<h3>
China: The Origin Story</h3>
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While much of the world was just hearing vaguely about this "virus in China", the novel coronavirus was becoming a real concern for us as expats in China. We started hearing about it in early January from people in Wuhan, but it was still sort of a distant threat and even the word out of Wuhan then was that much of life was proceeding fairly normally. That quickly began to change. And, as a couple weeks passed, we started hearing about cases in Shanghai and getting nervous.<br />
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My husband and I had to go get a medical exam (for future visa planning) and I remember talking to our interpreter and the nurses about it. We all wore masks, but at that time there were just about 10-15 cases in Shanghai. I remember feeling especially nervous when we went to get our chest X-rays and a big group of workers came in for theirs while we waited. Most of our exam was in the "VIP" area of the hospital but the tests that required equipment were done in the main hospital. Those few days were when things really started changing.<br />
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We had a trip planned to Spain for the Chinese New Year holiday and everything was starting to shut down (as it kind of does in some ways at the holiday anyway). We wore masks, washed hands vigorously, went through temperature checks...and felt a mixture of nerves and relief when we got on the plane. We took a deep breath when we arrived in Spain, as if we had somehow "escaped the virus" (or probably more the feeling of escaping the coming "lockdowns"). Oh, hindsight...<br />
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<h3>
From Holiday to Who Knows?</h3>
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After about 10 days in Spain on a lovely holiday, I was due to fly to the US for another 10 days or so for two work conferences. Bryan was due to fly back to Shanghai. Somewhere along the way, I got a message from American Airlines that my flight back was canceled and they would not be going back to China until at least late April. This was the start of our truly unexpected journey.<br />
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I was constantly consuming virus updates from friends and groups in China. I truly enjoyed our holiday, but did often awake in the middle of the night with a high level of anxiety. Oddly, it never got bad in Shanghai. To this day, their numbers state there have only been a handful of deaths in the city of 25 million people. I don't know if all the #s are accurate (I don't think any country can really claim accurate numbers at this point, due to the rapid spread, lack of testing in many places, asymptomatic cases, etc.) but I do know that to this day I don't know anyone who even knows anyone who had the virus in China. Whereas I know numerous people in other countries, so there does seem to be something to the proportions.<br />
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Arriving in the US: Signs Things Were Likely to Get Worse</h4>
I proceeded with my CA trip and was shocked by how little screening the US was doing. They had banned non-citizens and foreign residents...but not, as is often claimed, banned flights from China or any other countries. When I arrived at LAX, I came in just as about 3 flights from China landed. The customs line was a mile long and I expected this was due to vigilant screening. What a surprise to walk through as usual, with no temperature checks or any overarching screening being done. The only difference was they were pulling more people from the China flight to the side for additional screening (but definitely not all or even most of them). They never asked me any questions about my travel history.<br />
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What to Do?</h4>
I spoke at one conference in San Jose, visited Apple headquarters, and then headed back to LA. There was vague talk about the virus and some unfortunate racism towards Asians and Chinatown businesses, but that was about it. I then had a few days to work from an amazing Airbnb in LA before heading to the next conference (and enjoyed a lot of delicious food in Ktown). I got a message from Airbnb saying I could cancel with a full refund due to the coronavirus situation, but that was really about it for the role the virus was playing then.<br />
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In the meantime, Bryan decided to extend his stay in Spain and we arranged a different (smaller, more affordable) Airbnb for him. He enjoyed some relaxing time there, though he was in the kind of limbo we have all now grown to know. At first, he was set to return to Shanghai a couple weeks later. We were in touch with people in Shanghai, some of whom said if you can avoid it, wait it out and don't come back (including our landlord). Various friends were struggling with these same decisions, scattered about, stuck in holiday destinations, some separated from family and pets and trying to decide on the right thing to do. After calls to different people at KLM, he was able to get a refund (well, none of these refunds have actually come through, but we've been promised they are "in process", now delayed by a couple months since the original promise) and booked a one-way flight to the east coast of the US where I would meet up with him.<br />
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We were lucky that my parents have an apartment in Maryland they don't use during the winter months, so we headed there. I am beyond grateful to them for being so generous with everything. They had to make changes to their car insurance and cable/internet plan and incur greater costs to accommodate us being there.<br />
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At first, life was proceeding in a somewhat normal fashion. I even took the train up to visit a friend who lives outside of Philly and surprise another friend in town for work.<br />
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Since I was staying in the US for now, I offered to attend a conference in Florida. One colleague opted out as he had a baby at home and the virus talk was getting more worrisome. We opted for a road trip to Florida, partly to save money and allow for a more leisurely trip and partly with the thought of avoiding airports (though perhaps hotels weren't much better). The conference proceeded, minus handshakes and with added hand sanitizer. That was probably one of the last in-person events for quite some time. We had numerous conference sponsorships lined up, and so far they've all been canceled through at least August. Within a week or so, Florida's cases started creeping up. But, we got the chance to see friends and family first.<br />
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After visiting my parents, we started making our way back to Maryland. I remember an increasing sense of anxiety about the virus and being exposed with bathroom breaks, hotels, and restaurant stops. But, I also look back fondly on those last days of traveling. And, we even got to stop and stay with a good friend along the way.<br />
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Lockdowns</h3>
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We pretty much arrived back to Maryland just in time. I remember going to the store, but then deciding to go out to dinner as we remarked it may be one of the last opportunities for a while. While I think a lot of people here envisioned these shutdowns being a couple weeks, we'd been to this rodeo before...or at least heard all about it, from our friends who'd been on "lockdown" in China. Things started shutting down and soon the Governor closed all but essential services. We settled in and started thinking about slightly longer-term decisions now that our journey had landed us here.<br />
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Tough Decisions</h3>
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Throughout this time, we had considered trying to get flights back to China. Early on, we thought it was not wise due to what seemed like a risky situation in China. Then, we became worried due to the quarantine process and restrictions there. They were being quite strict and arriving passengers had to do a 14-day quarantine after a pretty lengthy arrival process. You could do it in your apartment, but you were first taken to be tested and await results, and, if negative, you could go to your apartment if conditions were right (no roomates, etc. though families could be together). You had to stay 100% in your apartment during the 14 days, with daily temperature checks. Depending on the date and district, you may be locked in or have an alarm on the door, etc. And, if you tested positive or there were any concerns, you had to go to a facility directly (eventually, they removed the option of quarantining at home and everyone went to a facility which was really a hotel turned into a quarantining facility).</div>
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While a little inconvenience is well worth it for safety, it was tough to make that choice when we had options. And, then I committed to the conference and we were in the midst of the trip. And by the time we arrived back, it was feeling like a bad idea to expose one's self to travel. At so many points, we struggled to know the right thing to do.</div>
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All our belongings, minus the one suitcase we each had, were in China. And, of course, we had left thinking we were going away for a week or two. But, as time passed, we saw this was going to be a while...</div>
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So, we struggled with continuing to pay rent. And, our lease was almost up anyway. We didn't even really know how we would renew that not being there and didn't really want to pay to keep the place while we were stuck elsewhere indefinitely. So, we made the hard decision to give up our home and get some items packed and shipped to us.</div>
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Fortunately, one of the best things about our time in Shanghai has been the many connections and friends we've made. Shanghai (and China more generally) seems to always have a service to meet every need or a way to get things done, if you know how and who. So, through my many WeChat groups, I linked up with a service that helps people pack and ship (or store) belongings, even if you can't be there. Unlike the big moving companies, they would help even if you had few belongings to send. We had no furniture and had always planned to leave just with extra suitcases, the same way we arrived seven years prior.</div>
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Our ayi ("auntie", the word used for caretakers such as nannies and housekeepers in China) had our key, so she met our friend and the packers at the apartment. In the middle of the night our time, we did a video call with them to pick out what to pack. We foisted a number of things on our friend and ayi (I say foisted, but I think they got some pretty nice stuff, though we wish they'd let us do more for their time and efforts). It was surreal seeing our home of over five years and all our belongings through the screen, knowing this was goodbye. They methodically went through our closets, drawers, etc. with us. We had prepared a list beforehand (to be honest, I'd started doing this when awake in the middle of the night with anxiety as early as our Spain holiday). It was over amazingly fast. And, we had the belongings within a couple weeks.</div>
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We gave the key to another friend, who went and got a few more items and helped us do a final look around the place. He then "kuaidi'd" the key to our landlord (got it delivered). And, like that, it was done. For now. We hope it won't be our final goodbye to Shanghai. I really think we need a real goodbye to the place and people that gave us so much.<br />
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What Now? One Day at a Time</h3>
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We don't know what the future will hold. Of course, when do we ever? We have been lamenting over the use of the phrase "in these uncertain times" lately. It bothers both of us because everything is always uncertain and impermanent. But, I know we all like the illusion of control and this all feels especially unsettling. I'd still like to see commercials stop using that phrase, though.</div>
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After all this dwelling over different decision points, it is sort of a relief to really not be able to make any decisions for now. Our focus, as for so many, is just on staying healthy and doing our day-to-day tasks. We are enjoying a return to cooking and a less frenzied pace. After years with a tiny kitchen and eating out almost every night, this certainly is nice on the budget and the chef of the family loves having an oven and so many options. </div>
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We're fortunate that we can get outside. In this suburban setting, it is easy to do without being around other people. The local golf course closed, so I now have a whole new space for walks.</div>
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What we have learned throughout this journey is that you can't put exact timelines on it or know what will happen. You have to truly take things one day at a time. I am grateful for SO much. We are fortunate, we have a lot. And, as a friend mentioned to me, perhaps we were especially well-prepared for this as we have learned to be adaptable over the years. We have a lot of freedom and flexibility. I am especially grateful for all the wonderful people in our lives. </div>
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I am also so thankful that we embraced all the adventures we did. There were many times we hesitated...should we spend money on this trip, event or expensive dinner? I don't regret a single thing I choose to do, but I know, especially now, I would regret missed opportunities. This is one of my favorite quotes (commonly attributed to Mark Twain, though it appears this may be an internet myth). We will sail away again, but for now we are happy to have a safe harbor.<br />
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Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-65668803732601584662019-05-22T02:44:00.000-04:002019-05-22T05:36:29.581-04:00The Best Things About TaipeiMy personal blog writing continues to be embarrassingly sporadic. I tend to post about all our adventures on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shannonmartinsamie">Facebook</a> and get lazy from there. A professional hazard, I guess. Too busy creating content for work, but you won't hear me complaining as I love what I do. This is a long overdue post that came to mind as we took our second trip to Taipei, Taiwan at Christmas (2018). We had been to Taipei (and southern Taiwan) near the beginning of our stint in China and this was a welcome chance to see more. We did some of the major tourist sites the first time (Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the more popular night markets). This time, we focused on spending time in neighborhoods, parks, exploring more diverse street food (and food in general) and just soaking up the city.<br />
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We stayed in an Airbnb near many of the universities and in the heart of the Shida night market, so we had tons of back alleys with local food spots and shops just outside our door. And, it had a massive rooftop deck overlooking the city (covered, which is perfect for Taipei's rainy weather). I highly recommend a rental apartment over a hotel room in Taipei.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our deck</td></tr>
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Taipei is a special breath of fresh air (sometimes literally) when you live in mainland China, especially a big city like Shanghai. The culture will feel very familiar, but everything is a bit easier. Both times visiting, we had people pretty immediately stop and ask us if we needed help as soon as we stood around looking for something. And, each time it happened it was genuine and they helped put us on the right path. So, here are the top reasons I love Taipei and why I think Taipei (and Taiwan more broadly) should be on everyone's travel list.<br />
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Some of my favorite things about Taipei:<br /><br />1. It's easy to escape the urban environment of Taipei for a nature or small town break. </h3>
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I loved spending time walking around Da'an Forest Park. It was a quick walk from our apartment and I went there on a few occasions. It's a massive park with a lot of activity and many different areas.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird watching in Daan Park</td></tr>
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Additionally, my "must do in Taipei" list for this time included hiking up Elephant Hill at Sunset for a view of Taipei 101 and the city. It's a pretty serious uphill (stairs) climb but worth it for the views. You can easily access Elephant Hill from the subway, just a couple stops from Taipei 101. This whole area was so attractive, I'd suggest going a bit ahead of sunset and spending more time walking around.</div>
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We also spent a day visiting the National Palace Museum and then heading up to Tamsui. It's a fun, though very touristy, old fishing village. You simply take the metro about 40 minutes from the city center and everything's within walking distance.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Palace Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food, shopping, fun in Tamsui</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water views in Tamsui</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, with the rainy and foggy weather, I didn't think it was worth doing the other nature activity I'd planned to, the Maokong Gondola. However, this would be high on my list if I returned. Again, you can access it right from the subway and can also visit the Taipei Zoo. The ride itself looks stunning and then you can spend time exploring the tea plantations there.</div>
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Yangmingshan National Park is another natural attraction with easy access from the city. And, many people take day trips to Pinxi, Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark, and Shifen. You can do it on your own, or Viator and others offer packaged tours to hit the major spots.</div>
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If you want to go further afield, Sun Moon Lake would be an option. And, we absolutely loved our time in Hualien and Taroko Gorge (a few hour train ride from Taipei).<br />
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2. Food is one of Taipei's main attractions.</h3>
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Ranging from ubiquitous night markets and delicious street food to ultra-modern cuisine, with everything in between. You could spend days just exploring markets, and years hitting all the different street food vendors and small shops for different specialties. Street food is accessible and safe.</div>
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I have to admit one of my favorite things about Taipei is the Japanese influence in cuisine. If you aren't aware, the Japanese occupied Taiwan from 1895-1945. You can still see remnants of that time and Japanese influence in everything from architecture to food. Of course, Japanese cuisine has spread far and wide, especially in neighboring countries. But, Taipei is a Japanese food lover's paradise. We were lucky to get a reservation at Da Wan Yakiniku restaurant on this trip (you can reach them via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Da-Wan-Yakiniku-Dining-Restaurant-%E5%A4%A7%E8%85%95%E7%87%92%E8%82%89%E5%B0%88%E9%96%80%E5%BA%97-155053412986/">their Facebook page</a>, make sure to plan well in advance). They have very limited space as everyone is seated around the bar/cooking area with essentially your own chef and food consultant, who will guide you through a delicious meal. Meat eaters will savor the various cuts of wagyu beef, but everything from the seafood to the veggies was outstanding.<br />
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My other two favorite food activities on this trip were: Aquatic Addiction and Taipei Eats' Dadaocheng tour. Aquatic Addiction is a complex sitting next to the Taipei fish market. It includes several different restaurants and little sushi and wine bars, as well as a food shop. The fish was unbelievably fresh and it was a fun atmosphere. I'd suggest walking around and taking a look at the whole place and then trying to find a spot. It can be crowded, so you might have to wait, but you can often grab some quick sushi or a drink in the meantime.<br />
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Dadaocheng has interesting 19th-century architecture and a thriving food scene of local treats. We tried everything from fish ball soup (sooo much better than I expected--these fish balls were stuffed with pork! might sound gross, but I assure you it is not) to herbal tea and warm rice cakes and a refreshing icy dessert. Our guide was informative and fun, and we had so much food we were turning down tastes by the end.<br />
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3. You could spend days exploring all the alleyways.</h3>
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I'm a sucker for winding alleyways and just getting lost exploring. Our Airbnb location was perfect for this, in the heart of the Shida night market and surrounded by tiny streets full of shops, food, and cafes. Every neighborhood of Taipei seems to have atmospheric alleys with local flavor, hip cafes, tiny stores, hidden restaurants and bars.</div>
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4. Taipei is a book lovers paradise.</h3>
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Taipei is home to the 24-hour Eslite bookstore, perfect for browsing on a rainy day (or night). I noticed a lot of people reading (books, not just their phones!) throughout the city. Taipei's many cafes are perfect for wiling away the day reading over a cup of coffee. Check out this <a href="https://theculturetrip.com/asia/taiwan/articles/bookshops-in-taipei-every-bibliophile-should-visit/">list of Taipei's bookstores from Culture Trip</a> for more to explore.</div>
Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-43707575288424013002018-09-06T05:50:00.000-04:002018-09-06T05:52:28.483-04:00Six Years in Shanghai...Too Many Adventures to Count<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yep!</div>
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Sightseeing on our initial visit: Yu Gardens in August (boiling!)</div>
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The six years in Shanghai have flown by, full of new friends, goodbyes, travels, fun of all kinds, new jobs and exciting work, and the ups and downs of life in China. I'm so happy I documented my travels so well at the beginning and so disappointed I've stopped. But, on the other hand, I'd rather be soaking up all life has to offer than writing about it.</div>
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Recently, I was a guest on the Expat Rewind podcast. The host, Stephanie, is one of those new friends I've been lucky to meet in Shanghai. She attends the Podcast Brunch Club I run and we're also in book clubs and other groups together (there are so many more of these now than 6 years ago!). On her podcast, Stephanie asks people to read something they wrote online in their first year abroad and reflect back on it. I chose my post "<a href="http://www.twowhotravel.com/2012/11/the-ever-present-of-china.html">The Ever Present ____ of China</a>". You can hear my interview with Stephanie here:</div>
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<a href="https://expatrewind.podbean.com/e/ep-37-guest-shannon-part-1-of-2-two-who-travel-blog-2012/">Part 1</a></div>
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<a href="https://expatrewind.podbean.com/e/ep-39-guest-shannon-part-2-of-2-two-who-travel-blog-2012/">Part 2</a></div>
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This really got me looking back at the blog, thinking I should pick it back up, and generally reflecting on my adventures. I don't even know where to begin in covering everything I've experienced during this time. I've made great friends, visited almost every country in Asia, traveled around China's main tourist spots (and a few less visited), explored countless lanes in Shanghai, learned quite a bit about China and Shanghai, eaten at some of the most amazing restaurants in the world, and experienced all the ups and downs of daily life in Shanghai.</div>
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I always describe Shanghai as vibrant and dynamic. I can't pick two better words. </div>
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<b>Vibrant</b>...</div>
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There is never a lack of things to do, people to meet and places to explore. I've really seen those opportunities (for a foreigner, in particular) blossom in the past few years. Scroll through meetup.com and you can find city walks, hiking groups, art groups, book clubs and something for nearly any interest. Each weekend an art group I'm part of goes on outings to various galleries and museums, never running out of new places to see. There are countless travel groups if you want to take anything from a day trip to a nearby village to a sojourn to Tibet and Everest Base camp with others. </div>
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This international city with over 25 million people has a pulse all its own. I live at its very heart, not far from East Nanjing pedestrian street, a neon-lined shopping street that's always crowded except at about 4-5 AM. People's Square, my neighborhood, is the city center and was the racing grounds back in the day when foreigners sat at the nearby hotels/clubs watching the races with their tea and cocktails. You can still see the array of art deco architecture from that time, mixed in with busy streets and double-decker tourist buses. On weekends, you can barely walk through the park as its so packed with elderly people advertising their children at the "marriage market". And, old-school, lively Shanghai shopping takes place one street behind my home. Older people doing their daily shopping come out early to find tonight's dinner among the tubs of live seafood, small vegetable shops and butchers. Street food vendors offer starchy, oily goodies to get you going for the day.</div>
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Colors, sounds, and a solid mix of old and new abound. One street looks like the future, the other a step into a China past that is slowly disappearing. Within one street you see sleek hotels, office towers and luxury cars on display and the bicycle repairman who's camped out to repair the more traditional means of transport.</div>
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<b>Dynamic</b>...</div>
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Leaving for vacation means coming back to a changed city. You might find your favorite new restaurant has closed or perhaps the entire block of homes nearby is gone. You'll have 10-12 new restaurants to try, though, and plenty of new sites to see. Even long-held traditions and culture change at a pace you don't typically see elsewhere. Adoption of technology happens so fast, it skips over 3 or 4 iterations elsewhere. </div>
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Rules change too fast to keep up. You always have to assume they'll be different, ask lots of questions and persist. </div>
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The way the government can implement change astounds. We overlook a massive elevated highway and it used to be honking from dawn til midnight. I even said in my old blog post that this would never change. Never say never here. They started levying big fines for cars honking and made that problem disappear. Scooters, unfortunately, don't abide by those rules so it's still far from silent. Smoking is another impressive rule change. They had half-heartedly banned indoor smoking before, but then got serious about it. Importantly, they created significant fines for the businesses so they'd serve as enforcers rather than complicit rule breakers. Poof...the indoor smoking went up in smoke (for the most part). </div>
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Like so many things, this is an example of how China has shown me the subtle pros and cons of different ways. It's highly complex governing the world's largest population. I'm not condoning all of its behavior by any means, but living here does teach you not to judge so quickly. Or, with your own cultural lense, without taking the time to observe and learn.</div>
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I'm glad to be back to blogging, though I won't promise to keep it up. But, I'm hoping to do a couple more reflection posts before we leave. And, perhaps to document more of the trips which I've missed writing about here (there are tons of photos on Facebook!).</div>
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In the meantime, there are always more Shanghai adventures.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the "Hidden Library" recently in Shanghai, a Ming and Qing era home which has not been remodeled</td></tr>
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-65063723249901170162016-03-19T20:03:00.003-04:002016-03-19T20:03:49.350-04:00Five Resources That Make Shanghai Expat Life Easy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, there are many
challenges to life as an expat...especially for an expat in Shanghai, China.
Pollution, internet frustrations, trying to read those thousands of characters and
perfect your tones, and the overwhelming noise and traffic of 24+ million
people. But, really, let's be honest, we have it easy as Shanghai expats.
Incredibly easy in many ways. Some of this is just thanks to modern tech that
has generally made life easier as an expat or traveler, but there are many
unique (and ever-changing) conveniences in Shanghai that make up for the lack
of Google Maps and Translate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are my top five
Shanghai expat lifesavers (particularly geared to those of us with limited
Chinese skills):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WeChat:</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The
indispensable communications app that does so much more. First, you need
it to get or keep in touch with anyone here (calling or texting is so old-fashioned!). With the ubiquitous use of WeChat, I now end up
connecting with every Tom, Dick and Harry (or Xu, Apple and Dolphin)
because we can easily translate each other's messages and not deal with
messy attempts at phone calls. It's how I make my haircut appointments and
was the only way I could negotiate with my gym a couple months ago. Group
chats are used for planning every event (and laughing at all the
resulting pics). Everywhere you go there's a QR code to scan so you can keep updated on the latest happenings, receive discounts, login to wifi, make appointments and more.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WeChat Wallet:</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Ok, yes, more WeChat love. But, this one deserves a separate mention. It’s
(relatively) easy to set up (make sure you know the exact way your name is
written on your bank account, and that this phone # is listed on that
account). And, once you have it set up you won’t know how you lived
without it. Just a short list of things I did using WeChat wallet recently: received money from a student, topped up my mobile phone, bought dinner, paid for groceries and a Taobao order, bought event tickets and paid my electric bill. Just another way you can avoid leaving the house when Shanghai feels a bit overwhelming! And, just wait until you
receive some random hongbao money at Chinese New Year.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BonApp:</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Since this app arrived, I have been one happy camper (eater). It makes
searching for restaurants in English easy and has a great review
community. Besides reading reviews (local friends tell me they trust it more than the Chinese app, Dianping) you can check out the hours of the place, special deals, and the nearest metro stop
and location (on a great map, in English!!!). You can save a wishlist of places you want to check out to refer back to when you're stuck in that rut of going to your old favorite too often. Plus, they have Deals and
Meets so you can check out cool new places and special events. And, for many of the
restaurants you can make a reservation right from the app via Chope (I’ve
yet to try out Chope directly, but it works great via BonApp).</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sherpas:</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
The classic savior of all lazy Shanghai expats. Other English-language
food delivery sites have popped up, but this is still the best for service
and the huge array of restaurants. Tip: order during happy hour (2 pm-6 pm) for free delivery! Seriously, if you’re not a Shanghai expat you
probably don’t know the beauty of sitting home in your PJs, browsing
through hundreds of restaurants, picking anything you fancy and getting it
delivered free in about 45 minutes (and, you can also order booze and even
cigarettes…clearly this could bring down the world if it went worldwide). I was so lazy (or productive?) that I ordered a cup of coffee the other day. There are many other great specialty delivery services for wine, specific
foods, etc. that also make life in Shanghai great (shout out to Spread the Bagel!). Food from the Hood is the next one on
my radar.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kate and Kimi: </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, you can get your groceries delivered
in Shanghai (I can’t think of any category of item someone won’t bring to
your home here) and you have tons of options. There are bargains to be had
at the big stores (Carrefour, Yi Hou Dian), if you can navigate Chinese (even
if you don’t, a lot of people manage it with some help setting their
account up initially). But, as a Shanghai expat sometimes you need those
comforting tastes of home. Darn those cravings for that ridiculously
priced cereal or cheese! My #1 online grocery store is Kate and Kimi.
They have a good selection (and many items I can’t find elsewhere) but the
best is their BSK fresh selections and all the local "foodpreneurs" they
promote. I am in love with their salads and chopped veggie kits as well as
the meatballs and stews for quick dinners. Read my <a href="http://twowhotravel.blogspot.com/2016/03/kate-and-kimi-my-favorite-choice-for.html">more detailed post reviewing Kate and Kimi favorites</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, a bonus 6th: My newest favorite is Baopals, a
simple way to shop on Taobao and your gateway into a world of goods. Check out
</span><a href="http://twowhotravel.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-new-pal-for-china-expats-baopals.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more about Baopals and get a coupon to try it out here</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com24Shanghai, Shanghai, China31.230416 121.47370129.493447000000003 118.891914 32.967385 124.05548800000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-408837071591090152016-03-19T20:00:00.000-04:002016-03-19T20:04:28.621-04:00Kate and Kimi: My Favorite Choice for Groceries in ShanghiKate and Kimi online grocery store made my list of <a href="http://twowhotravel.blogspot.com/2016/03/five-resources-that-make-shanghai-expat.html">top five conveniences that make Shanghai expat life easier</a>. So, what has me raving about Kate and Kimi?<br />
<ul>
<li>Wide selection of products (imported, fresh/local, healthy and pre-made/easy dinners plus a huge selection of fruit, veggies, meat...)</li>
<li>Convenient delivery (multiple time slots and quick turnaround--I usually choose the early AM slot which cuts down on waiting around). What is better than groceries coming to you--for free*? *with minimum order</li>
<li>Easy payment options (WeChat Wallet--I love you!)</li>
<li>Good customer service: they've emailed me and credited the amount when something was out-of-stock and they respond quickly to questions or problems</li>
<li>Discounts and sales: they have a random sales page where you can pick up some bargains and they offer discounts for various groups (I'm a member of Shanghai Expatriate Association--SEA--and they offer an every day discount to group members)</li>
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But, the unique food options make Kate and Kimi my favorite Shanghai grocery store...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUybhMR2W611T58sdEs7rmC-COpfMP3mQGlVqWPdltFh5L4mwD_cAo3Z65xkycc2zZ4ies5kNsC5zOvzOFj0GyLSNe_JwwOUVqtkWOyo0HvLugc08OXQYKE0sx4JCKA7m4hJvm7dqd8Aj8/s1600/BSK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUybhMR2W611T58sdEs7rmC-COpfMP3mQGlVqWPdltFh5L4mwD_cAo3Z65xkycc2zZ4ies5kNsC5zOvzOFj0GyLSNe_JwwOUVqtkWOyo0HvLugc08OXQYKE0sx4JCKA7m4hJvm7dqd8Aj8/s200/BSK.JPG" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Sky Kitchen, Kate and Kimi's own kitchen providing handcrafted specialty foods</td></tr>
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<b>Blue Sky Kitchen</b></div>
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Salads and Glow Bowls: BSK offers an array of tasty salads and "glow bowls" which make perfect, healthy on-the-go lunches. My favorite is the Tuna Nicoise (with dill dressing) and I also love the Roots and Kale salad (yum...beets!). You can choose your homemade dressing to personalize it to your tastes. The glow bowls include loads of veggies, kale and quinoa. I've had the Buddha's Delight several times...it comes with a delicious cashew honey mustard and is loaded with healthy ingredients like carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds on the base of kale and quinoa.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicoise salad</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVH4D58468zPC8xXgyIJURkO41RCXMGUJj-F17rWR5EFS786ptggx6PspO_gFuNZ0h3gz8UV2oE_JUDhEunU7Pzsbax3yGBVW_2XkSigNHhFhq1UsBpDC3wCrm5ZLRzEuaOCCwW9_ExW1/s1600/IMG_20160316_144924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVH4D58468zPC8xXgyIJURkO41RCXMGUJj-F17rWR5EFS786ptggx6PspO_gFuNZ0h3gz8UV2oE_JUDhEunU7Pzsbax3yGBVW_2XkSigNHhFhq1UsBpDC3wCrm5ZLRzEuaOCCwW9_ExW1/s320/IMG_20160316_144924.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate n Kimi Happy Buddha Glow Bowl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26ue8mNGTGHEmkvwxOKjYw5eyIxDdk6kXE0sbPeVPWidiMHdOHa3NnS_pS3R4iyuAFhrPMTN_XEJ_48Njs5ImrekIDGmjendaf04XeDH07PWSoRYpHDAGUaERIsIM-NetFcmbcyKEYRlB/s1600/beet+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26ue8mNGTGHEmkvwxOKjYw5eyIxDdk6kXE0sbPeVPWidiMHdOHa3NnS_pS3R4iyuAFhrPMTN_XEJ_48Njs5ImrekIDGmjendaf04XeDH07PWSoRYpHDAGUaERIsIM-NetFcmbcyKEYRlB/s320/beet+salad.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots and Kale Salad</td></tr>
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Sliced and Diced Cheeses and Veggies: The prices are reasonable for the diced cheeses and it's easy to grab a few bites to go as a snack. Especially when you're cooking for 1-2, having someone else gather a variety of veggies and prepare them for you is not only convenient but is often cost-saving (and less wasteful). My favorite at Kate and Kimi is the stir fry kit! I cook it up with some ginger and add a little soy sauce and vinegar at the end and it makes at least two meals with rice.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir Fry Kit: mushrooms, edamame, peppers, cabbage, onion, snap peas</td></tr>
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Yogurt Pots and Homemade Applesauce: I tried the yogurt pot with blackberry chia jam and it might be my new favorite breakfast, but I also can't wait to try their overnight oats and homemade applesauces. What a great way to get a healthy start to your day!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJHm6MP6n3EdRnwT5_UOfLmFbXgdzBrEZCdm9n9WH7CzggEYvx8lkri_fHhyphenhyphenZeXdMdwDMW4EqXdN6lUemAzgzUeEGFQiE6Lw2MhTySGDpvaxrU8RN9MzJ8E1HhyqoE_jAU4mbNmBWOF6z/s1600/IMG_20160318_081212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJHm6MP6n3EdRnwT5_UOfLmFbXgdzBrEZCdm9n9WH7CzggEYvx8lkri_fHhyphenhyphenZeXdMdwDMW4EqXdN6lUemAzgzUeEGFQiE6Lw2MhTySGDpvaxrU8RN9MzJ8E1HhyqoE_jAU4mbNmBWOF6z/s320/IMG_20160318_081212.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Easy Meals and On-the-Go Solutions</b></div>
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Lizzie's Smoothies: I'm not a big smoothie drinker but we tasted a couple of these recently and I can really see how great they are for a nutritious solution on-the-run. The Basil Drop had a fresh, tart taste and the Pink Punk kept Mr. Twowhotravel fueled up for nearly half a day through several classes and the grueling Shanghai commute.</div>
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Easy Meals: Kate and Kimi carries delicious local flavors with homemade sauces, stews and meatballs. We love the Chicken Basquaise (just serve over rice) and chicken meatballs (serve over pasta or with some crusty bread). The Chicken Tagine may become a new favorite!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Basquaise over rice (Kate and Kimi can even deliver the wine!)</td></tr>
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International flavors/frozen meals: Kate and Kimi also carries a selection of frozen meals, including my husband's beloved Hot Pockets (which I had not previously seen at other Shanghai grocers).</div>
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Kate and Kimi also carries our favorite bagels from Spread the Bagel, which is an added convenience not having to place a separate order (though I wish they'd add the whole wheat bagels!).</div>
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In addition to all the specialty items, you can find your everyday items such as frozen beef, chicken, canned goods, pantry items, and a large selection of veggies and fruit. If you live in Shanghai, check out <a href="http://www.kateandkimi.com/">Kate and Kimi</a> for an ever-growing selection of great groceries, delivered to your door.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*I was given several items to taste test for this blog post, but all opinions and the decision to create this post were strictly my own and based on my honest reviews from personal experience.</span></div>
<b><br /></b>Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-67408248920781663042016-03-14T20:10:00.000-04:002016-03-14T20:10:09.012-04:00A New "Pal" for China Expats: BaopalsI'm working on an article on my top conveniences that make life easier as a Shanghai expat...these are the little things that I will definitely miss when I move away. Life as an expat is infinitely easier today with all the technological help, and no where is that more true than China/Shanghai. In the meantime, though, I wanted to share my latest find in convenience: Baopals.<br />
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Baopals' tagline is "Taobao for the rest of us". Yes, Taobao in English so you no longer have to awkwardly translate or ask a coworker for help. There's a little more to it than that...here's a description from their site: "W<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">e bring you all the products and shops from China’s Taobao and Tmall, the largest marketplace in the world. We’ve reorganized the products into baopals’ own departments, and added plenty of other tools to make it easier for you to find what you want. From there, simply choose your items, checkout with a variety of payment methods, and we’ll make sure your items get to you!"</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For those that don't know Taobao, it is a massive marketplace of products and has just about anything you could ever want. Many Shanghai expats I know use it, but it's tough to navigate if you don't read Chinese. Not only does Baopals make it more accessible but you have a contact who can help if any shipping or other issues arise. They take (and will be adding more) additional payment options as well.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ordered my first product recently...found just what I needed, saved about $10 over Amazon.cn and it was delivered to my local convenience store within 2 days (this is one of the handy shipping methods, so you can get the items at your convenience rather than coordinating home or work delivery...you receive a text and show the code at the store). We'd been searching for some odd light bulbs for our apartment and also got those for next to nothing in one day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're an expat in China, here's a little gift for you: a coupon for 10 RMB for baopals.com.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-30846061696838300142016-01-16T22:21:00.002-05:002016-01-16T22:21:45.668-05:00Sri Lanka's Southwest Coast: Galle and Unawatuna BeachWe spent the last few days of our trip to Sri Lanka relaxing on the southwest coast. We stayed at the wonderful Thaproban Beach House in Unawatuna and enjoyed visiting the town of Galle as well. After a lot of driving and seeing so much diversity over the past several days, it was wonderful to settle in to this little beach town for some true R and R.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thaproban Beach House and our lovely balcony room with a view to the ocean</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Thaproban's restaurant</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely beach and cove for water sports/swimming</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evenings on Unawatuna</td></tr>
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A great thing about Thaproban is that they have three resorts in Unawatuna and you can use the amenities at all of them. I loved staying right on the beach, but it was great to be able to go to their resort down the road for the pool (in an amazing oceanfront setting) and spa.<br />
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Unawatuna offers plenty of relaxation and fun. Yes, it might be considered a bit touristy (some say spoiled) and you will have to constantly say no to sales offers (everything from fruit to sunglasses and clothing) but we found it quite peaceful in the off season. There are plenty of little shops, restaurants and bars. You have to while away some time enjoying beachfront dining and cocktails...or water sports for the more active vacationers.<br />
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I also enjoyed walking down to Jungle Beach (just me, the monkeys and the Buddhist chanting along the way) and the Japanese Peace Pagoda. The other great feature of Unawatuna is the surrounding area, with lots of other lovely beaches and Galle nearby (as well as turtle sanctuaries, wildlife sites and tea plantations).<br />
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We had our driver take us in to Galle to spend the afternoon and evening there (about a 15 minute drive). Galle reflects the Dutch and Portuguese colonial era of Sri Lanka and is one of the best preserved examples of a Portuguese fortified city in Asia. It has lovely shops and restaurants and it's well worth spending some time walking along the city wall and enjoying the colonial architecture.<br />
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Strolling around the city wall as sunset nears, you will find plenty of other people enjoying the afternoon hours: tourists (even some from our adopted home wearing evening gowns...go figure!), local children playing sports, families enjoying a snack and even a few animals. Walk past the iconic lighthouse and continue around the wall, and stroll through the little streets to fully enjoy Galle.</div>
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There's a big cricket ground in Galle, but we happened upon an impromptu match in the middle of town. Then, we settled in at a nearby spot with a great view over the wall to watch sunset (and the buses full of others enjoying it too). It was a perfect way to spend my birthday...of course, capped off with a tasty meal. We enjoyed the art deco architecture and ambience (and food!) at Deco on 44.<br />
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-20549754515489323422015-10-18T01:17:00.001-04:002015-10-18T01:17:59.217-04:00Sri Lanka from the RoadSri Lanka is a relatively small, but amazingly diverse country. However, drive times can be quite long (and treacherous) due to small roads and traffic of all sorts (buses, trucks, tuk tuks, and loads of animals). The most popular options for traversing the country are public transportation (bus and train) and hiring a private driver. Either way, you'll be rewarded with many amazing glimpses of the country as you ride along.<br />
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First, there's the varied modes of transportation:<br />
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We started an animal count after our first day (most of which we couldn't capture quickly enough on camera). Stray dogs are ubiquitous in Sri Lanka and they show no fear of traffic, darting in front of the car regularly and lying in the middle of any road. We also saw a small crocodile crossing the road, cows everywhere (even in big city medians), horses, and a cobra (when walking on the road...fortunately, a nice man said "watch out for the cobra"!).</div>
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Of course, it was also enjoyable just watching daily life as we passed by. We saw many Sri Lankans along the road engaging in all types of activities, from old men and women working at fruit stands and other businesses to large groups of Muslims going to worship. Every day, we saw many groups of school kids and lots of people working and waiting on buses. You could see the mix of people that make up Sri Lanka...Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, urban and rural, young and old.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea Plantation Workers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fruit and veggie stands (or simple one woman operations) everywhere</td></tr>
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You could also see the diversity in the roadside architecture and religious sites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jAv0ldm5ngRTCzKC1QbD-38enjXkgbWi5vESlPI5ggtbFTJvGGvYYXaDydau79loQduQWvRqaZPGEQVLrTKws8BAI8e3hJxQR4cOdzZ8hIWIBABoXyy4vzL484Cg6dmxPbbGiKAW3wTB/s1600/nurawa+eliya+hatton+national+bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jAv0ldm5ngRTCzKC1QbD-38enjXkgbWi5vESlPI5ggtbFTJvGGvYYXaDydau79loQduQWvRqaZPGEQVLrTKws8BAI8e3hJxQR4cOdzZ8hIWIBABoXyy4vzL484Cg6dmxPbbGiKAW3wTB/s320/nurawa+eliya+hatton+national+bank.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurawa Eliya colonial architecture</td></tr>
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Most commonly businesses and living spaces lined the roadside, such as little grocery/all purpose stores and the ever-present fruit stand selling king coconuts (and many motorbike and tuk tuk repair places and auto parts stores galore).</div>
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Of course, the best part was the natural views. In covering just a small portion of this island, we saw an array of beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, tons of waterfalls, lakes, marsh land and lush forests. On our drive from Kandy to Ella, we slowly climbed the hills surrounded by tea plantations and watched the change from palm trees to massive pines. Making our way back down to the coast a couple days later, the views were no less dramatic and the cool air changed to humid, salt-filled sea mist as we returned to sea level.<br />
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Sri Lanka is definitely a place where the journey is as worthwhile as the destinations. You'll likely spend a lot of time in transport, but you'll have plenty of photos to memorialize the natural and cultural richness of this country.Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com1Sri Lanka7.8730539999999989 80.7717969999999923.8497164999999987 75.608223 11.8963915 85.935370999999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-12473753209602176552015-09-06T05:06:00.001-04:002015-09-06T05:06:26.343-04:00Cruising the MekongWe spent an enjoyable afternoon cruising along the Mekong in Luang Prabang in our own private boat. No complaints here!<br />
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We enjoyed the natural beauty and life taking place all along the river, and caught a few good snapshots along the journey. Our boat made a few stops along the way, where we hiked up the riverbanks to check out the local fabric industry and some peaceful temples.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMo-auDB06LuQZwky9LBwKtzZwGR-W3QJrl5BaNiN2STOIpHgUVkmta5zmxnBsw8A8OVu_B4dUookiB7QMMVnGdMxpBWw-_IhMbb_i3OYorymQURwIlPuKtccBQq6xv2B3dNnOpDF59OQ/s1600/IMG_3408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMo-auDB06LuQZwky9LBwKtzZwGR-W3QJrl5BaNiN2STOIpHgUVkmta5zmxnBsw8A8OVu_B4dUookiB7QMMVnGdMxpBWw-_IhMbb_i3OYorymQURwIlPuKtccBQq6xv2B3dNnOpDF59OQ/s320/IMG_3408.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the stairs to Wat Kokpab</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple, minus the tourists</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking back to our boat; monks watching the view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A monk and his dog</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys will be boys...playing in the mud</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud slide!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing fun</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction project</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas station</td></tr>
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And, then there is the beauty of just cruising along in your private boat with the most amazing light reflecting off the water. Sigh...<br />
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-33757218396514345382015-08-29T02:44:00.001-04:002015-08-29T02:44:33.195-04:00Magical Mornings in Luang PrabangLuang Prabang is a place that will motivate night owls to rise early. You'll have to rise before the sun if you want to catch the alms giving to the monks. Despite the throngs of tourists, I still think this is a ritual worth observing and got up two mornings for it. As <a href="http://www.visit-laos.com/luang-prabang/alms-giving-ceremony.htm">visit-laos.com</a> shares, "as the sunrises in Luang Prabang about 200 Buddhist monks depart from their various temples to gather their daily meal. The tradition of alms gathering dates back to the 14th century, yet still today locals awake early to prepare the food for the monks and wait quietly by the roadside to give their gifts." <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathering before the light and heat of the day</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alms giving begins with the early sunlight</td></tr>
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If you do go, don't get influenced by others' bad behavior. I was getting upset with the tourists sticking phones right up in the monks' faces, but I simply tried to stay unobtrusive while observing this tradition and channel some of the calm from the monks to let go of my feelings. As you can see above, a number of tourists/Buddhists from abroad did participate in giving alms or watched with great respect. Unfortunately, as you can see in the blurry picture below, others only cared about snapping the picture.</div>
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Since our hotel was just a short distance away, I had the chance both mornings to walk up the hill with some of the monks and observe locals waiting for them on the side streets. This was my favorite part...away from the vans dropping off loads of tourists.</div>
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After observing the alms giving, it's worth taking a stroll around Luang Prabang to watch the town wake up. The mist over the Mekong makes the mornings look completely different than other times of day...really magical.</div>
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The morning market gets going bright and early too. I'll never pass up a chance to stroll along in a market...might as well if you're up this early!<br />
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Besides the beautiful fruits and veggies, you can get a tasty treat to start off your day, but alas my abundant hotel breakfast was waiting (and with a view like this, it was worth getting back to!).<br />
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-5492464333721245702015-03-14T21:43:00.002-04:002015-03-14T21:43:14.222-04:00Luang Prabang Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's confession time! I write for a living, but I know I will not be able to adequately convey what is so special about Luang Prabang. The photos might help, but you really just need to visit in person.<br />
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From the moment of our airport pickup, we could sense the friendliness of the people here. The driver was excited to see B's Valencia football shirt and we'd find repeated evidence of the love of European football.<br />
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We arrived late, so we took in a drink and bite at our hotel's restaurant overlooking the Mekong. This is also the spot for the amazing complimentary hotel breakfast each morning, where we snapped the pictures below. Any day that starts out with this view cannot be a bad one. The landscape is dotted with the orange of monks' robes and people going about daily life along the Mekong. The real beauty is radiating from these people.<br />
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Despite a thriving (and growing) tourist scene, you see signs of locals' everyday life everywhere you look and can easily find peaceful moments and secret corners. The entire town is a protected Unesco World Heritage Site.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAkDB2klila2mg8mkIpbFO5ZA1GZjNfHA25ykF2x_2m9lQs4Cx3_OQBtF_ao5MbHt29spO-eML20SzzCrP-UfIy8rx_1zzvekLjMq9FCz8phxOeMDrX7VKagyTocLuvKH4XZz4srLMrN_/s1600/monks+garden+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAkDB2klila2mg8mkIpbFO5ZA1GZjNfHA25ykF2x_2m9lQs4Cx3_OQBtF_ao5MbHt29spO-eML20SzzCrP-UfIy8rx_1zzvekLjMq9FCz8phxOeMDrX7VKagyTocLuvKH4XZz4srLMrN_/s1600/monks+garden+work.jpg" height="182" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Across from our hotel, monks pause before starting their upkeep of the local land</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Genuine sun-dried rice cakes</td></tr>
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The town is lined with temples. You can see the importance of Buddhism to the people, but it also adds an intangible feeling to the place.</div>
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In the morning mist, the town takes on a whole different type of magic (stay tuned for the next post on the almsgiving and morning market). Things start out busy quite early and then quiet down as the heat builds (and big vans of tourists from the larger resorts outside of town leave for excursions).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Museum in the morning light<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the evening, the market lines the street and the restaurants and shops get busy again. The sellers offer a large array of handicrafts, especially the fabrics for which Laos is well known. The food market runs along a narrow alley, offering snacks as well as all-you-can pile on a plate buffets of Laotian food. </span></div>
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Stay tuned for more from Laos. We have too many pictures for just one post.<br />
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Oddly enough, we found ourselves drawing comparisons between Luang Prabang and Visby, Sweden (Denia, Spain a bit too). This may seem an unlikely comparison, but there is a certain light and magic that these places have in common despite being culturally and geographically worlds apart. You'll just have to visit to see what you think, because I just can't find the words to do it justice!<br />
<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-73187061109288038832015-02-28T22:11:00.000-05:002015-02-28T22:11:29.039-05:00Cruisin' on Halong BayHa Long Bay (literal translation in Vietnamese: descending dragon bay) is a Unesco World Heritage site and massively popular tourist destination. Some would say it is ruined because of this, and there is no doubt that the heavy boat traffic carrying tourists must be destroying the natural environment. However, it remains a beautiful site and the cruise can be a great part of a trip to Vietnam.<br />
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Our hotel arranged a cruise for us on the Paradise Luxury. Paradise is a large company with several ships of varying sizes and their own terminal area as well as a hotel at the port.<br />
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We were picked up (bright and too early!) from our hotel in Hanoi and taken via a small shuttle van to the port. It was comfortable, though the ride is a bit long and occasionally bumpy. The annoying part is the 45-minute stop along the way at a large shopping place (all the statues you could ever wish for!). It's necessary to have a bathroom break and you can grab a cup of coffee and stretch your legs, but I'd vote for 15 minutes extra sleep and a shorter stop. Fortunately, there was no pressure to buy, the coffee was tasty and the bathrooms were sparkling.<br />
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You arrive at port for a short wait in the lounge; the boarding process was truly efficient and the whole cruise is quite well-run. Being that you're on the ship less than 24 hours (for the one-night cruise), the time is maximized. Yet, I felt like it was still low-key and allowed us to relax.<br />
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I loved our deluxe room, with extra sitting space, large windows and its own deck. The deck was accessible from public parts of the ship, but we quickly angled our chairs to discourage wandering passengers (we saw several of the large tour group members climbing up on our neighbor's balcony and peering in the doors). We also had a nice tub and you could open up a little portal window to take in the view while soaking.<br />
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The cruise begins with a hearty lunch full of tasty Vietnamese specialties. Shortly following, is the first excursion opportunity to a cave. They give you fair warning of the 900+ steps, but it's a good way to work off that lunch. The cave had a very "Indiana Jones" feel (minus a lot of fellow tourists) and beautiful views of the cove below.<br />
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We skipped excursion #2, Titop Island, since the weather remained quite overcast (the most appealing activity there for me would have been climbing to the top for the view). You can also pay a little extra to kayak or simply relax on the beach there. We chose to relax with spa services instead and enjoy the views.<br />
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After some downtime, they start happy hour (drinks on board are extra, two-for-one during this period) which includes a cooking demo. I've made spring rolls before, so it was not especially enlightening, but it was fun to hang out with the group trying their hand at it while sipping a drink and enjoying the scenery.<br />
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Later, we enjoyed a nice dinner (with a surprise "hongbao" for lunar new year...the red envelopes traditional here and in China given out with cash gifts...a nice touch). We chose to settle in for the movie after dinner, which was <i>Indochina</i>, an old but quite apt film to show on a trip to Vietnam. The younger guests tried their hands at squid fishing, while others retired to their rooms or had a massage.<br />
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The morning starts bright and early with tai chi on the top deck and coffee, before the morning excursion. I didn't make it for tai chi, but was really glad I got up for the excursion on the row boats (you could also kayak). Hang Luon cove was beautiful in the morning light and we were treated to quite a show by the monkeys, swinging down the rock face on the vines (unfortunately, my camera phone wasn't up to the task of capturing them).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No motors here</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the cove</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monkeys (you can see them, right?)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perspective of the tiny entryway</td></tr>
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Lastly, it was back to the boat for breakfast and our final views before departing.<br />
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-34535079955971127722015-02-27T02:37:00.001-05:002015-02-27T02:51:58.857-05:00Celebrating Tet in Hanoi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent our Chinese New Year holidays of 2015 in Vietnam and Laos. Vietnam also celebrates the lunar new year, known as Tet, so this means some shops and sites are closed down (thus a sort of wacky schedule on our part, going from Hanoi to Halong Bay to Laos before returning to spend time in Hanoi). But, it also means it is a time of celebration and a chance to observe local holiday practices.<br />
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It was enjoyable strolling around the old town and lake, watching the crowds enjoying their New Year's eve out together.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Families and friends gathering by the lake for company and fireworks </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting together enjoying snacks and drinks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old buddies relaxing<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Altar to ancestors, with offerings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most stores had their own altars</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our neighborhood temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honoring the ancestors with burnt offerings (joss paper)</td></tr>
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We were invited back to the sister property of our hotel (Oriental Central), where we had eaten a quick dinner, to watch the fireworks with staff and some customers on their rooftop deck. They had chairs all set up and free snacks and beer...a nice welcome to town! It was a bit smoggy, but still festive.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An elaborate altar at someone's home, viewed from above (most homes also have a Tet tree and certain flowers, plants and fruit for luck, prosperity, etc.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year!</td></tr>
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Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-51419485604445620502015-01-19T21:14:00.000-05:002015-01-19T21:14:08.201-05:00Cambodian Cooking ClassOne our last day in Siem Reap, we scheduled a cooking class. This was a great (and tasty!) way to spend the day before our late flight home that night. The class was offered by Le Tigre de Papier, located right on the Pub Street. This place is a restaurant with a designated area on the 2nd floor set up for the cooking classes. What I really like about this cooking class is that you have many choices. We each got to choose our appetizer and main dish from a pretty extensive menu. The group then had to make a decision together on one dessert to make and share.<br />
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After making our choices, we set out with our guide to the local market. As we walked through the busy market, she stopped to show us various products and answer questions. We picked up some of the pre-mixed spice packets, campot pepper and more to take back with us in hopes of repeating some of the delicious dishes we had tasted.<br />
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After picking up some of our ingredients (because the cooking school is also a restaurant, that allows them to provide you the list of choices they do...we didn't need to shop for all the ingredients on our market stop as most were already being used in the restaurant) we went upstairs to the well-stocked kitchen to begin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef SAM</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diligent Chefs at Work</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful carrot "flowers" which I never mastered</td></tr>
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I chose to make some spring rolls for my appetizer and the famous Cambodian Amok for my main dish. Cambodian (Khmer) food shares many similarities with Thai or Vietnamese cuisine and makes use of a lot of fresh herbs. The curries tend to be a bit thinner and less strongly flavored and fish, rice and vegetables feature largely. Delicious kampot pepper is one of the more popular spices, but you also see a lot of tamarind, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime and tumeric used. The cuisines of nearby countries as well as India and France have a clear influence.<br />
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For the shrimp spring rolls, we learned how to cut/prep the ingredients, moisten the rice paper and carefully stuff the rolls. The meat (shrimp in my case, pork for B) was already prepared for us. Other class members made papaya or green mango salad (much like those you'd get in Thai cuisine, perhaps with a little less spice).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggies for the Spring Rolls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My shrimp spring rolls, B's with pork</td></tr>
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We choose a pumpkin custard for the class dessert and our teacher showed us the preparation. She had chosen a small pumpkin at the market, scooped out the center and prepared the custard mixture. It was then poured into the pumpkin, which was steamed.<br />
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The main dish of Amok is pretty simple in preparation. Amok was traditionally a fish dish, but can be made with various proteins. I chose fish and B chose shrimp, while another classmate chose chicken.<br />
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We mixed the amok spices by hand (tumeric, garlic, red chili, galangal, lemongrass, shallot, kaffir lime leaf), a good workout for the arm with the old mortar and pestle. You can buy the prepared spice mixture at the local market, as we did in order to make this again at home without having to search for all the components. This spice is combined with palm sugar, coconut milk and some shrimp paste to cook up with onions, before adding the protein.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amok cooking process</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amok, served in banana leaf</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch, coming together beautifully</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTjfnmS0CESlvgCkbILmf-hW-COc6Oh2WVeudSGwEPOpB9EgWJhT9TRD5x6yO1BhM1ydhvWA9xk0CrMjHMcqr8NjZTJyPzaksyTks-PZrfnXMQPnzJdt7cFReCjJV7_2O6TOdE1LS5s00/s1600/IMG_2514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTjfnmS0CESlvgCkbILmf-hW-COc6Oh2WVeudSGwEPOpB9EgWJhT9TRD5x6yO1BhM1ydhvWA9xk0CrMjHMcqr8NjZTJyPzaksyTks-PZrfnXMQPnzJdt7cFReCjJV7_2O6TOdE1LS5s00/s1600/IMG_2514.JPG" height="320" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum!</td></tr>
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<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-1226184689951263392015-01-18T01:15:00.000-05:002015-01-19T20:34:59.876-05:00Holiday in Cambodia: Spring Festival 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As we approach Chinese Spring Festival 2015, here's a very delayed post from last year.<br />
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It seems that recently everywhere we go in Asia, we like even more than the last place. Our recent trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia continues that trend. Having the week off work for Chinese Spring Festival (New Year) seemed the perfect time to visit. It was just after the peak season (December, January) and before it gets too hot (March onward).<br />
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Many people choose to combine Cambodia with Vietnam and/or Thailand, but we mainly wanted time to relax, enjoy the warm weather and not rush around. The first thing you notice in Siem Reap is how laid-back and relaxed it is. It very much feels like the Caribbean with its open air shops, restaurants and bars (with the addition of cheap massages and fish pedicures).<br />
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There's every variety of tuk tuk waiting to whisk you around town or to the temples. The small downtown is easy to get around and there's a high concentration of restaurants and bars, along with a lively central market.<br />
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Siem Reap has grown up for the tourist crowds, and it's a lively scene at night on the Pub Street and beyond. We especially had fun one night sitting on an upper balcony and watching the street vendors (and a few scammers) below as well as watching a large dance party that broke out on the street.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snakes and bugs...yum! This enterprising stand charges for tourists to take pictures, since many would do that rather than buy. However, with a zoom lens from above, it's no problem.</td></tr>
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We stayed at the lovely Diamond D-Angkor, a boutique hotel just a short walk from downtown. Not only was it a lovely spot, the service was the best we've ever experienced (for the price, especially) and it comes with access to a tuk tuk and driver for your stay, to take you to the temples and around town whenever needed.<br />
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Of course, the temples of Angkor Wat and beyond are the highlight of any trip to Siem Reap. Here are a few snapshots from our first outing to Angkor Wat. There's no way to cover all the great snapshots from the temples in this blog, so for those who want to view more check out our <a href="http://photos.twowhotravel.com/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=4408530" target="_blank">TwoWhoTravel photo site</a> (woefully neglected lately).</div>
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Ta Prohm was our next visit. This temple, made famous in Tomb Raider, is in the middle of the restoration process which lends it a special quality. You're probably familiar with the images of large trees growing up within the temple ruins. We spent lots of time climbing around and exploring this special site.<br />
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Another day, we paid a small extra fee to have our tuk tuk drive us out to Banteay Srei, which gave us great opportunities to see life in the countryside on the long ride out and back (including a very pink wedding celebration being prepared).<br />
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Banteay Srei is built out of red sandstone and is a smaller scale temple, with beautiful detailed carvings you can still see today (along with many bullet holes from the war years, as our guide pointed out to us). This temple was well worth seeing and though a tuk tuk ride is not the ultimate in comfort, the peaceful countryside and people living their lives along the way made for a scenic ride.<br />
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It's easy to see why this spot is popular with the royal family and Bangkok's vacationers.<br />
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We stayed at a perfect rental apartment, where we quickly got used to enjoying the amenities.<br />
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We took in some sights, including the gorgeous old train station and the hotel where The Killing Fields movie was filmed (yes, that was about Cambodia).<br />
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While enjoying afternoon tea at the hotel lounging by the beach, we witnessed a passing naval ceremony.<br />
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And, we made an (accidental) visit to the requisite giant Buddha (we thought we had pointed to the royal palace on the TukTuk driver's list of sites, but apparently we should have confirmed).<br />
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But, to be honest we spent most of the time enjoying the beach and tasting amazing Thai food, especially the bountiful seafood of HuaHin. The night market was a diner and shopper's paradise and the compact downtown of HuaHin was packed with great restaurants and fun nightlife. Being the off season, we experienced a tiny bit of rain but also had the joy of light crowds.<br />
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HuaHin would make a great stop on any trip to Thailand, especially if you want to take it easy and avoid the big tourist crowds. If you go, we know the ideal rental apartment. Our host even stocked us up with snacks and drinks and provided us with a traditional memento of our visit to Thailand. We've never stayed in a more well-stocked apartment and I could have spent many more days on our cozy porch or by the pool reading and relaxing.Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-30985352510583054392014-08-11T08:06:00.001-04:002014-08-11T08:06:36.668-04:00Seoul Snippets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Beyond the DMZ tour, our trip to Seoul was mostly filled with more lighthearted, fun activities. Our apartment location gave us great access to the Hongdae area around Hongjik University so we had tons of restaurants, bars, shops and people watching nearby. We started the trip off right with some Korean BBQ (and for me, some spicy kimchi and tteokbokki).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy Tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes)</td></tr>
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We were also lucky to be able to join some friends (Mr. Twowhotravel's former work colleagues) for an evening out. They showed us great hospitality with a more well-informed (read: tastier) version of Korean BBQ and a visit to a Korean Jamaican/Reggae bar owned by the friend's brother. It is always great to be able to talk to locals and see things through their eyes a bit.<br />
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We had also scheduled a Korean baseball game, which was definitely one of the highlights despite getting rained out. We debated just getting tickets ourselves, but in doing research on activities we'd spotted a great food tour company and decided to combine activities since they offered a food and baseball tour. We met up with Daniel Gray, owner of <a href="http://www.ongofood.com/taste-tour/food-tours-in-seoul/">O'ngo Food Tours</a>, at our metro station, for our private tour. Our first stop was an area not far from the stadium for some dinner. Since we'd had plenty of opportunities thus far for Korean BBQ, Daniel steered us to something different. The first option was potentially too spicy, so we landed on a great chicken soup spot. The broth is actually patented and there were pictures of news features on the soup throughout the restaurant. It's hard to describe except to say it was worth a patent. The co-owner showed us the process (including mixing up your dipping sauce, spice level up to you) and we dug in to the ultimate comfort food. Even better, they added my new favorite (non-spicy this time) tteokbokki to the broth at the end.<br />
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We waited out some rain (so we thought) in the restaurant and then headed to the game. Our host bought us some traditional game snacks outside the park: dried squid and beer plus sochu (the popular drink combo here...not my favorite thing, but it does seem to match well with the spicy, meaty food).<br />
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The game was so much fun, with each side enthusiastically cheering coordinated cheers for their players. Almost everyone wore team gear and each side's dancers also had all kinds of great routines (and new accessories for each).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our side's cheer "leader"</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, after only a few innings, the true deluge began. Our host assured us "they never cancel the game" but when the TVs inside were showing waterfalls in the seats and a lake on the field, we guessed this would be an exception. Our host consoled us with some Korean fried chicken (a trend that has hit Shanghai big time, apparently related to popular Korean TV shows). This particular specialty was topped with a massive pile of garlic. I think next time I need to ease in to all the delicious Korean food a bit more slowly. It was great fun talking to Daniel and learning about his business and personal path to what he is doing today.<br />
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The next day we made a visit to the Gyeongbokgung Palace.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the palace grounds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern city and ancient palace</td></tr>
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On the way back, we visited <a href="http://discoveringkorea.com/081028/seoul-bukchon-hanok-village/">Bukchon Hanok Village</a>, which is situated between the two major palaces. This is an area of preserved traditional homes. Like most rapidly progressing Asian cities, many of these had been torn down as people moved towards high-rise living. But, recent efforts have helped to preserve this area and make it a tourist destination as well. I'd love to spend more time wandering the narrow streets on a less rainy day some time. We ducked in from the rain for lunch at a great little place called Pan Steak.<br />
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Korea was a wonderful surprise. So far, this has been true of almost everywhere we have gone in Asia. We are constantly impressed by these great gems. Seoul also has wonderful nature surrounding it, with mountains and easy hiking access right on the metro. Another place I'd love more time to explore (or even settle down for a bit)!Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-6129213249935435452014-07-08T23:43:00.001-04:002014-07-08T23:43:59.926-04:00Korea DMZ and Joint Security Area TourSeoul is a short jaunt from Shanghai, so we packed up for a quick three-day weekend trip recently. We rented a <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3212995" target="_blank">GREAT Air BandB apartment</a> as a home base and had a number of fun and interesting activities lined up, along with a plan to just have a fun time exploring. We'll share more about all our fun (and delicious!) activities soon, but our first post is on a more serious note.<br />
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We had decided to get some important context while in Seoul by visiting the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). There are various tour options available, and we did an afternoon tour focusing on the Panmunjom area/JSA (Joint Security Area) with TourDMZ. We got a bit of background (and important guidance on behavior while in the DMZ) from our guide on the hour-long bus ride from Seoul before stopping for lunch. Our first official stop was Imjingak park and the Freedom Bridge. This area was set up for visitors to be able to access the DMZ fairly easily and pay their tributes, remember the war, etc. You can see the many ribbons on the fence and notes about peace and reunification.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of the DMZ. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone" target="_blank">DMZ Wikipedia page</a> gives a good overview of this area, history, etc.</td></tr>
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Next, we entered Camp Bonifas and the JSA. The JSA is used by South and North Korea for diplomatic engagements. It's the only portion of the DMZ where the two sides stand face-to-face, so it is a solemn and stark reminder of this ongoing conflict.<br />
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South Korean forces and United Nations Command run this area and we were given a briefing and provided with guest passes and asked to sign a declaration of the rules while visiting. The American presence is much lighter than in the past, with about 90% of the soldiers being South Korean, but we had an American soldier as escort throughout.</div>
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The soldier and our guide were very helpful in answering questions and explaining the area to us. There are two villages within the DMZ, one for South Koreans (they call it "Prosperity Village") and one for North Koreans (the South Koreans call it "Propaganda Village"). </div>
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We learned a lot about Prosperity Village as well as some of the incidents that have occurred within the DMZ/JSA. These include the "ax murder incident" in which several United Nations Command soldiers were cutting back a tree in order to have better clearance on their viewpoint and were attacked by several North Korean soldiers. Two UNC soldiers were murdered. In another incident, a Russian national tried to defect while on a N. Korean JSA tour. The area is run very tightly and the tours are cancelled during times of heightened security, but the stories are clear reminders that this remains an unstable region (the night after our tour, a S. Korean soldier shot and killed several of his colleagues, which obviously was not an issue between the two sides, but clearly had the whole area on high alert).</div>
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We were taken inside the conference buildings where the two sides have diplomatic talks. You can see the South Korean soldiers, who stand in a martial arts pose (and also stand with half their bodies behind the building to "make a smaller target" per our U.S. soldier guide). In this conference room, you are essentially stepping foot into N. Korea, though you don't get a passport stamp. We were permitted to take pictures and look around briefly. It is all completely surreal and pretty tense as they tell you both sides record and monitor everything in the building and you think about the discussions that have gone on here.</div>
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From outside, we were told more facts about the various building (being reminded once again not to point at anything or anyone). There is a "recreation" building for the North Koreans, which has no recreation equipment or much of anything (we were told this, clearly not something we could see on the tour). Apparently, on occasion, soldiers will be packed in to the room and apparently watch the other side and make provoking/rude gestures. Our group was watched carefully by the sole North Korean soldier standing guard on their side (according to our guide, there is always another soldier also watching from inside the building).</div>
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We toured around the area further on bus, with background on the area and incidents as well as better views of the two villages. We stopped to take pictures of what looks like nothing, but is the "bridge of no return" which was used for prisoner exchanges. It gets its name from the fact that prisoners were given the chance to remain captive or return home, but never be allowed to return.</div>
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As we rode back into modern, bustling Seoul, there was a lot to process. I am happy we did the tour, as I have tried to learn more about the war, ongoing conflict and North Korea since being in Asia. It is one of the most puzzling and disturbing things in today's world (though there's a lot of competition for that honor) and I think it gave some important context to our visit to Seoul.</div>
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For anyone interested, I'm also glad to recommend some books on North Korea and I'll try to put some up on our site's Amazon recommendations.</div>
Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-21477201429916017362014-05-11T04:08:00.003-04:002014-07-08T23:44:32.836-04:00The Capital City: A Visit to Beijing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After almost two years in China, we felt we had no choice but to make a trek to Beijing on the latest holiday weekend. It becomes pretty embarrassing to admit you haven't seen the Great Wall when it's one of the most known sites worldwide. So, off we trekked with millions of other holiday-goers (when we told people we were going to Beijing for the holiday, the reaction was uniformly horrified over what we'd experience with the crowds).<br />
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We chose to take the high-speed train, which takes just under five hours. Again, some people wondered why we wouldn't just fly (prices are actually about the same) but as we sat back and enjoyed the leisurely journey, we knew we'd made the right choice. No airport security or arriving an hour ahead, a chance to read and watch the world go by (no free meal, but then again, no airline food indigestion) and almost 100% on time. We had a bet going with a friend who was originally going to go along for the weekend, but was going to fly, about who would arrive quicker...I am sure we would have won.<br />
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Because this was a quick trip and anticipating the holiday crowds, we narrowed things down to the list of "must dos" and figured we could always come back another time to explore more. We stayed at a great hotel...the Park Plaza Wangfujing (highly recommended!) which was relatively affordable but a really comfortable place with loads of amenities. I had wanted to stay in one of the hutong inns with a little more personality, but the better ones were booked and to be honest, the comforts of this hotel ended up being quite nice. They did the "club level" thing so common in China, where you get happy hour (which typically includes enough food to make into dinner) and breakfast. Both were generous and even though this can discourage exploring local spots, it is a relief on a busy holiday.<br />
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Our first stop was for a roast duck dinner. Since we have branches of two of the more famous spots, Quanjude and Dadong, in Shanghai we opted for the third choice the hotel recommended, 1949 (if you don't get the reference, it's time to review your China history). It was probably a bit more posh than needed for a roast duck place, but it was a beautiful environment and the duck was tasty.<br />
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If you haven't experienced Beijing duck, the server brings the whole duck to the table and expertly carves it before your eyes.<br />
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Typically, you eat it in little pancakes with sliced cucumber and spring onions and a sweet sauce. Here they mixed in a peanut sauce, which was a nice twist. They also provided two small sesame buns to make a little "sandwich" out of the duck as a twist, along with the pancakes. When we've eaten at Quanjude in Shanghai (highly recommended!) one of our favorite parts is eating the crispy skin dipped in the small bowl of sugar, which we missed here. But, it was fun to try a slightly different style. 1949 had an extensive menu of specialties, but only being two of us with a whole duck to eat, we didn't have the capacity to try much this time.<br />
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The next day we were up bright and early for our full day tour. We hired a driver and guide to take us out to the wall and other major sites (the wall is quite a distance from Beijing). We choose to visit the Mutianyu section, slightly less crowded and touristy than the most visited Badaling section, but well-restored and easily accessible (and still with plenty of stuff to buy if you so choose).<br />
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This was the only time this weekend that the crowds really caused any pain, as traffic was horrible and the drive took almost 3 hours. Once we arrived, however, the wall was surprisingly uncrowded.<br />
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We chose to take the chair lift up the mountain and the toboggan ride down (there is also a cable car option, but who could resist the toboggan?). It was so nice to enjoy the breeze after being stuck in the car and what a view!<br />
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We had the most gorgeous sunny day for hiking...and the wall provides plenty of exercise as it winds along the mountains and you climb the stairs and cobblestone hills up and down.</div>
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Just be sure to follow the rules of the toboggan (meaning you are not "a drinker", "mother to be" or have a "mental disease" or "permanent disability have difficulty getting about, old, weak") and you're sure to have a great ride! Since we have not driven cars in a while, this was our chance to reveal our driving personalities again...one of us got told to slow down several times, while the other created a traffic jam.</div>
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After a respite for lunch (some delicious Beijing dumplings, noodles and more), we made our way to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. While our guide got our Forbidden City tickets, we made our way around the enormous Tiananmen Square for some pictures.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street between the Forbidden City and Tiananmen, Mao's portrait</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiananmen Square and Dr. Sun Yat Sen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mao's Mausoleum</td></tr>
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There's not a lot to see within the Forbidden City beyond the enormity of the whole thing, so visiting later in the day actually worked to our favor as we were the last group in and crowds had mostly dispersed. Our guide shared some of the history of the emperors, empresses, and many concubines, servants and staff who lived in this well-protected fortress. It brought me back to reading <i>Empress Orchid</i> by Anchee Min, which brought to life many facets of intrigue within the Forbidden City.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The many, many buildings and courtyards of Forbidden City stretching into the distance<br />
with the park and pagoda overlooking</td></tr>
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On our last day, we took some time to walk from our hotel towards Tiananmen and stroll inside some of the preserved hutongs (P.S. some highly recommended reading on this subject: <i>The Last Days of Old Beijing</i> by Michael Meyer). There's definitely a friendly rivalry between Beijing and Shanghai and a certain snobbery among residents of each toward the other. The comparison to Washington, D.C. versus NYC is quite apt. Shanghai is a cosmopolitan, fast paced atmosphere jam packed with skyscrapers while Beijing really feels like the capital city, with low-rise buildings spread out over a lot of space and a real sense of being the seat of government and much important history. We also got the sense of a much more enforced orderliness, where it seems like more of the tarnish and quirkiness breaks through in Shanghai (or maybe just in my neighborhood).</div>
Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-67569226445182224272014-02-09T04:28:00.000-05:002014-02-09T04:28:03.214-05:00Christmas in TaiwanTaiwan is definitely overlooked in terms of tourism and I'd highly recommend more people consider it, especially if already visiting or living in Asia. We spent some relaxing time there over the Christmas holidays and found a lot to like.<br />
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<b>Taipei</b><br />
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We had a lot of rainy (but significantly warmer than Shanghai) weather while there, so we took it a bit easy on this trip and left a lot to see in future visits. One of the great things about Taipei is how easily accessible nature is from the city, with hot springs and mountains within a MRT (subway) journey. When we come back, we will certainly take advantage of those opportunities. On this trip, we enjoyed:<br />
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<b>The markets</b>, including the famous night markets where you can get all types of street food and assorted junk or even play some games. We shopped in the jade market, a local produce market, and enjoyed a stroll through the flower market, filled with holiday poinsettias. We also popped in to the electronics mart for a new hard drive and the prices, variety and quality were nice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night market food (including the infamous snake restaurant) and shopping</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jade everything for sale</td></tr>
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<b>Strolling the streets, enjoying the coffee shops and shopping opportunities</b>, with nice little lanes to get lost in and a great coffee culture to get out of the rain and watch the world go by over a cup. There are plenty of big malls and department stores with good food courts too, which is easy for a cheap, convenient meal (somewhere I would avoid like the plaque in the U.S. but go to options in Asia). Because it was Christmas, there were festive decorations up everywhere and a special display by city hall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas lights display near Taipei 101</td></tr>
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<b>Great food</b>, which is one of the things Taiwan is known for, from street food and beef noodle shops to all kinds of international cuisine. The years of Japanese occupation have left behind plenty of authentic Japanese restaurants and we enjoyed tasty shabu shabu one night. Yongkang Lu is the place to go for a huge variety of restaurants and little dessert shops (plus the original Din Tai Fung). Try shaved ice with fruit or all kinds of good street snacks and Chinese food from all different provinces. We also had a gourmet dinner to celebrate a special birthday at the top of Taipei 101 (Diamond Tony's) and enjoyed "Taiwanese tapas" at China Pa, a great little 1920s style place with a live band and fun crowd.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A popular vendor on Yongkang Lu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting my ice cream "spring roll" at the night market (spring roll wrapper with peanut and pineapple ice cream plus shaved peanut brittle and cilantro). Tasty, but maybe no cilantro next time.</td></tr>
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<b>Sightseeing: </b>with all the things above to do, it is sort of nice that Taipei does not necessarily have a massive list of sites to see. We visited Chiang Kai Shek memorial hall and its exhibitions and we took in the view from Taipei 101 during our dinner rather than via the observation deck. The national museum has many of the treasures of old China that were taken when the KMT fled here. We visited Longhua Temple, which was a busy temple packed with locals. There are plenty of nice museums to keep you busy as well, though I think it's more fun to get out and explore the city.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CKS Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazingly still guards at the Chiang Kai Shek statue</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful grounds and surrounding architecture around CKS Hall</td></tr>
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<b>Hualien and Taroko National Park</b><br />
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We loved Taipei, but I think the highlight of the trip was our visit to Hualien and Taroko Gorge. We took the train over to Hualien, a quaint little beachside town. The next day we woke up for our full day tour of Taroko Gorge. These are pretty easy to arrange in town with English-speaking taxi drivers (or group tours) but we had prearranged ours via Round Taiwan. Our driver arrived and whisked us off for a day of enjoying nature's beauty and some great hikes. Taroko is a large swath of parkland along the pacific coast where dramatic geological landscapes have been formed by tectonic shifting. The "marble gorge" lives up to its name (a tribal word meaning magnificent and beautiful) and you could spend many days exploring the varied terrain.<br />
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Hualien istelf is a cute little town with some beautiful beaches nearby (our drive along the coast reminded me of Hawaii, but instead of million dollar homes and hotels, there was a large cemetery and a military base). Hualien had one of the most enjoyable night markets, where we tasted a local specialty. "coffin bread" (sort of like a french toast pocket sandwich with different filling options) and enjoyed some freshly grilled seafood and tasty beers at a little corner bar/restaurant.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaches of Hualien</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hualien at night</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Ae2F9kF36QnffdI30bHNinVgJ-p4ouAJDiiYOphmpp5wN3tkOJiTE33BzrpffqBXvvmt82H4PwJrXKmAg9KlUEtqh2Z7WcYO-aTr68J37qicK3f5_alzT_KvMP6nOquUyyXFRxU28VYF/s1600/night+market2.jpg" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hualien night market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy "coffin bread"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVXRa62Nrb5a9AiDDrzUBGs94tbtFMntkcV1xQw1TLi4pnBSJphM7Wikob1MjOt42YYNBzoTUOjn5oLAZfXQalw_x3tCZU9l48OWk70zlwUsGeqaREdwsaausT1tWKTg9BvVz64WEPC6f/s1600/seafood+bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVXRa62Nrb5a9AiDDrzUBGs94tbtFMntkcV1xQw1TLi4pnBSJphM7Wikob1MjOt42YYNBzoTUOjn5oLAZfXQalw_x3tCZU9l48OWk70zlwUsGeqaREdwsaausT1tWKTg9BvVz64WEPC6f/s1600/seafood+bar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer and freshly grilled seafood</td></tr>
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Taiwan is a beautiful country. In addition, it is well-organized and traveler-friendly. We met so many nice people and were often offered help (for example, when we stopped to look at our map one day). We were impressed by the level (and willingness) of English spoken. Taiwan has a great transportation system (plus it's a small island packed with diverse geography so you can see a lot in short distances) and it was clean, quiet, safe and generally left a wonderful impression. We hope to go back to explore more!<br />
<br />Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-82094963618561106942013-10-23T22:10:00.000-04:002013-10-23T22:10:15.621-04:00Inari Shrine in Kyoto, JapanInari is a popular deity in Japan, with various shrines and temples throughout the country (about 1/3 of all temples are supposedly dedicated to Inari). But, perhaps the most well known Inari shrine is the one outside of Kyoto...Fushimi Inari Shrine. The entrances to these shrines are marked by their red gates (torii) and kitsune (or fox) statues.<br />
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The fox is considered a messenger and the deity Inari is typically associated with the fox. Inari has been variously seen as a patron of blacksmiths, protector of warriors and fishermen, patron of actors and prostitutes and has been invoked for good luck and protection against fire. Most prominently, though, Inari is seen as the patron of business and merchants and manufacturers have worshipped Inari.<br />
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Each torii at Fushini Inari shrine is donated by a business due to this relationship with Inari as the patron of merchants and manufacturers. This theme is played out across almost every temple in Japan, with some item being available for a donation as a dedication or wish, for fortune or some specific reason (such as prosperity, protection against illness, luck with exams/schooling, etc.).<br />
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We made a small stop along the path viewing torii to check out the yakuta (summer/cotton kimonos) and our guide was kind enough to purchase this one as a birthday gift for me. She had been checking them out along the trip since I had expressed interest and we were both pleased by the quality and price of the ones for sale here. (If you're considering buying one and visiting Inari, I'd suggest checking them out...the vendor was within the temple grounds.)<br />
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You can see the popularity of the torii for businesses (each of these have the business name/information on it and they are available in various sizes related to the size of the donation).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of all the torii lining the mountain</td></tr>
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And, for those who can't afford a large torii, you can donate for some good business fortune anyway with these little miniature gates.<br />
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We also took part in the wishing stone ritual. Our guide explained that you stand in front of it and think of your wish/hope/dream. Then you lift the stone...if it is lighter than you thought, your hope will come true. If it feels heavy, it is not meant to be. I was able to lift it, but let's just say I'm not too confident about my wish.<br />
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Interesting little factoid from Wikipedia: "<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">In the approach to the shrine are a number of sweet shops selling </span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsujiura" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Tsujiura">tsujiura</a> senbei, </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">a form of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_cookie" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fortune cookie"><span style="color: black;">fortune cookies</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> dating at least to the 19th century, and which are believed by some to be the origin of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Chinese_cuisine" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="American Chinese cuisine"><span style="color: black;">Chinese-American</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;"> fortune cookie". If you'd like to read more on the continued mysterious origins of the fortune cookie (and other interesting information about Chinese food in America), I really enjoyed the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Cookie-Chronicles-Adventures-Chinese/dp/B003P2VDF6" target="_blank">The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer Lee</a>. I browsed along the streets but I hadn't read Wikipedia beforehand, so I didn't know that I should have been making a purchase!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.1875px;">Fushimi Inari shrine is just a short train ride from Kyoto, and the shrine can be reached in a five minute walk from the Inari train station (JR line). The little streets surrounding the shrine are worth a few minutes to browse and you can spend more or less time at the shrine depending on if you want to get some more vigorous hiking in or just get a feel for the unique mass of red gates.</span></span>Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-90813221737932121672013-10-11T22:46:00.000-04:002013-10-11T22:46:13.437-04:00Japan Food TourOur recent tour of Japan was food-focused, though we spent most hours walking off the food, visiting some great sites and soaking in the beauty of Japan. Japan really knows a thing or two when it comes to food, with great care and attention paid to flavors and the artistry of dishes. With small cooking spaces in homes, restaurant dining is a big part of daily life. There are apparently about 80,000 restaurants in Tokyo compared to 15,000 in New York. Service is another fascinating aspect of the dining process. Even the hole-in-the-wall establishment takes pride in welcoming you and seems to care deeply about what they are doing. Anyway...on to the food...<br />
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<b>Sukiyaki dinner (and Shabu Shabu)</b><br />
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Sukiyaki is meat (usually thinly sliced, high quality...in this case, melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu) and vegetables which are simmered at the table in a sweet, soy-based sauce (typically soy, mirin, sugar). It is usually served in/with a bowl of raw, beaten egg to dip/compliment the sweet sauce. We each tried it with the egg and then Bryan did the rest of his without. I decided to continue with the raw egg (this is one I doubt I'd try in China, or even the U.S.). It is absolutely sublime--the sweet sauce and rich egg with the delicious beef and vegetables. And, of course, everything was artistically prepared by our waitress/chef.<br />
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Our guide went with a slightly smaller meal of shabu shabu, which is essentially Japanese hot pot (meat and veggies self-cooked at a pot on the table).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shabu Shabu</td></tr>
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<b>Sushi Class</b><br />
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After a morning visit to Tsukiji fish market (a trip highlight), we attended a sushi class. This school does long courses to train fine sushi chefs, as well as these highlight courses for tourists/locals who want to learn some techniques. We first learned to fillet a small "Jack" fish...not as easy as they make it look. But, with some help from the teachers, we managed to come away with some reasonable pieces for our sushi and sashimi.<br />
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Next, we watched our teacher demonstrate making some vegetable rolls. You have to handle the nori (seaweed) and rice just right or you end up with a mess (mine was decent, but let's just say I could use some work).<br />
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And, our final lesson was on making nigiri as well as a small roll with some rice and roe in it (I had been eyeing the gorgeous fish roe in the market all morning so I was looking forward to eating that one). Again, you would think putting some fish on a piece of rice would be simple, but they just make it look that way.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our "proud" teacher</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product aka lunch (someone is clearly more cut out for this)</td></tr>
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After our efforts and cleanup, we got to enjoy the fruits of our labor along with some miso soup and tea. Since Bryan isn't big on the raw stuff, we enjoyed the ibi (shrimp--cooked) and miso soup and shared the rest with our guide. We filled him up with some department store yakitori later. The quality of the fish was superb and even though my efforts weren't so artistic, the results were tasty (I was reminded of the time I ate rubbery squid and nearly choked at a sushi restaurant in Florida when I tasted the fresh and silky squid here--the ingredients really have to be perfect for sushi).<br />
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<b>Noodles (Ramen, Soba and Udon)</b><br />
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People will tell you Japan is expensive, but there are many ways to save costs. Of course, you can eat high end sushi and Kobe beef, but you can get some of the most tasty and filling noodle meals, snacks and yakitori for fast-food meal prices.<br />
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We tucked in to a popular lunch spot for ramen in Tokyo. As with many ramen stores, there is a ticket machine where you pick your dish and extras (there are sometimes pictures, but the buttons are typically written, so this can be a tough one for non-Japanese speakers). This place had a line out the door and our guide explained they give up to two free extra servings of noodles plus rice with your ramen broth so students love this place (one bowl will completely fill you up, but can you imagine anything better for a hungry college guy than 3 bowls of ramen for about $7?). You wait for a space, sit at the counter and slurp up your noodles. There are different styles of ramen, some with a lighter broth, some more strong with soy (typical Tokyo style) and the rich pork broth that was served here (though our guide had a spicy, curry style). It was amazingly rich but I particularly enjoyed it with a bunch of the pickled ginger they had for accompaniment as it cut the richness a bit and added a spicy zing.<br />
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We went to a famous spot for soba noodles one evening in the Ginza district of Tokyo which has been around for hundreds of years. Soba are thin noodles made of buckwheat flour and can be served cold with dipping sauce or in a hot soup. Our guide suggested the hot soup as it's easier to eat, though we also tasted the cold noodles later at our kaiseki dinner (and we're not bad with chopsticks...we live in China!). Soba can have various percentages of buckwheat and thus varies in quality. This place obviously knew their stuff and we got the noodles with prawn tempura on top...perfection! I always though Udon was my favorite Japanese noodle, but I fell in love with the wheaty soba noodles. I think I have a new favorite!<br />
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We had a great udon lunch (no pictures) when we stopped quickly in Saga Arashiyama during sightseeing. In the Kyoto area, the broths tend to be lighter which was a bit different from what I was used to, but still tasty. I still love the thick, slightly chewy texture of udon. Who needs sandwiches when you can have lunches like these?<br />
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<b>Tonkatsu (and other fried goodies)</b><br />
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Tonkatsu is a deep fried pork cutlet, a treat which is immensely popular in Shanghai as we see tonkatsu restaurants all around. We went to a small restaurant in the ultra-modern Kyoto train station (complete with hotel, mall, and hundreds of restaurants including a "ramen amusement park", which is really just a bunch of ramen places in all styles). They serve the pork cutlet (you can choose pork fillet or loin) with big piles of shredded cabbage, rice (a nice mix with some millet wheat in it) and miso soup. They serve a vinegary dressing for the cabbage and it makes a perfect compliment for the fried pork. The tonkatsu is served with a special dipping sauce. I got one of their seasonal specialties which was a vegetable roll (various veggies rolled up and fried in the tonkatsu batter) along with some of the pork.<br />
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Not being a big pork fan, I thought I'd give it a try since it is so popular, and if nothing else I could eat the other items. Once again, not surprisingly, Japanese cooking won me over. The batter is light and crunchy, it is not oily and the meat is very tender. I was glad I had the veggie rolls and cabbage, though, as I still can only eat so much fried pork.<br />
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Japanese fried foods are all together pretty amazing, though. Many of us have tasted and grown to love tempura. It is popular all over Japan, whether on its own or served with noodles. You will quickly notice that in Japan, restaurants tend to specialize. They pick one thing (though often with many variations) and do it well. So, you go to the tonkatsu restaurant, the tempura place, the yakitori bar or the ramen shop.<br />
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Our other fried food outing was on our last evening when our guide treated us to kushi age (or kushikatsu) which is basically fried stuff on sticks. As with Spanish pinxtos, you save your sticks and they count those up to charge you. We had various meats, seafood (the prawn was a favorite) and vegetables. There were a few different sauces (a light ponzu, a thick soy-based sauce and a mustardy sauce--my favorite) and a bit of sea salt. For each item, they'd place it in the accompanying slot above so you knew the "recommended dip". Once again, the batter was light (panko) and nothing was oily. You were served a bowl of raw vegetables to compliment the fried items.<br />
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We also had a quick lunch of takoyaki (aka "octopus balls"), which are a ball-shaped snack made of batter, with bits of octopus inside. They were served up with a bit of thick, sweet sauce on them...the perfect snack!<br />
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<b>Kaiseki</b><br />
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Kaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese meal, a true fine dining experience showcasing the chef's talent and artistry. We went to a beautiful little restaurant, Sakura, in Kyoto (I came out to meet our guide and she was having a very animated phone call...turns out she had booked for the wrong night, but the chef was able to accommodate us as it was slow...good thing she called to confirm).<br />
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The menu was presented in beautiful calligraphy (they present a hand-written menu done each day with the freshest ingredients and chef's special techniques).<br />
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Even the sake was artfully presented. We then began our journey through several small courses, each almost too beautiful to eat but equally tasty.<br />
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We had various sashimi and vegetables, as well as a delicious kobe beef, which the chef prepares by wrapping in bamboo leaves (I think?) overnight. There was not one thing that didn't taste delicious, but it was even more impressive for the skill and care with which everything was prepared. The chef visited our table several times throughout the evening, sharing greetings, checking on us and telling us a little bit about the dishes. He had moved to this location in recent years, but his restaurant dates back to his father's time. We were personally escorted out with continued thanks from him, and our waiter walked us down the street to our next destination. The service culture in Japan is second to none!<br />
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<b>Tofu at the temple</b><br />
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In Kyoto, we tried one of the famous lunches near the temples. There are many restaurants specializing in tofu (apropos for the Buddhist lifestyle) and we visited a place with a serene setting just outside the the Nanzenji temple.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We sat on the mats with a view out to the gardens</td></tr>
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The meal is really many little vegetarian items, with a variety of vegetables, soup, rice...all quite beautifully prepared. The main item, the tofu, is cooked in a pot on the table. You use a little ladle to get each piece out and then dip it in a strong soy sauce (in which you can add ginger, seaweed and other spices). It was the most silken, perfect tofu I have ever tasted. Being tofu, of course, there is little flavor to it, but I loved it dipped in the sauce. And, it was a lot of tofu. We couldn't finish it and felt like we really needed to "walk off" our tofu lunch...something I never thought I'd say.<br />
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Our meat eater was not won over to tofu and both he and our guide agreed they don't really "get the point" of tofu unless you're vegetarian. But, if you're going to have tofu you might as well do it right and this meal and setting were a perfect zen experience.<br />
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On the flip side, there was...<br />
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<b>Kobe Beef</b><br />
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We stayed in Kobe, so clearly this was a must. And, yes it does live up to the hype.<br />
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It was done teppanyaki style (don't picture Benihana with knives flying and flaming onions). The chef started with toasting up garlic chips (to the left of the beef below) and skillfully prepared all of our items in front of us. I had lobster...clearly fresh as it was twitching away when placed on the grill (ok, a little disconcerting but who can say whether being boiled alive or chopped up is worse?). It was as tasty as it was fresh and they even took the pieces that are hard to get meat from and made me a soup.<br />
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The beef was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth silky. This was definitely the highlight for our meat eater!<br />
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<b>Okonomayaki</b><br />
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This dish is most known in Kansai/Osaka and the Hiroshima areas, though it is eaten throughout the country. It is a savory "pancake" with a variety of ingredients, typically cooked yourself or by the waiter on a grilling surface in front of you. I started to order the seafood version but changed my mind and went with the "cheese and potato" version. Our guide was pleased and said this was "the most popular" locally (I see why--yum!). The pancake is really more cabbage than anything else. The waitress brought a big bowl filled with cabbage, and egg (some flour was probably in there as well but a small proportion) which she expertly mixed and then turned over on to the grill. She had a real technique as the ingredients seemed massive (I'm imagining my pancake would have been more a scattered, smothered Waffle House hash brown if I cooked it).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking up</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The almost finished product (alongside fried noodles and an omelet for the rest of the table)</td></tr>
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As it cooks, it starts to form the more pancake-like consistency and eventually the waitress comes and (expertly, again) flips it and then checks in again to test it. When finally done, she plated it and doused it with sauce (one being a sweet sauce, like terriyaki but thicker/sweeter and some Japanese mayo). The waitress also brought by optional bonito flakes and I had her add some (bonito flakes are just fun to watch if nothing else!). I saw okonomayaki called "Osaka soul food" somewhere and that seems an apt description. It was completely addicting, though I refrained from eating it all as I felt like I would be weighted down for the rest of our touring day. It honestly was not quite as heavy as it sounds though, since the large portion was cabbage. There was just the right amount of egg/batter and they put just a small bit of cheese in it.<br />
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This tour certainly fulfilled all my food dreams of Japan. We spent a good 6 hours each day walking around between various sites, so we managed to work up the appetite to enjoy all these treats. It was especially nice having a guide to not only point us to great establishments (and handle reservations/details) but also to explain different aspects of the meals/specialties. You would think I would have had my fill of Japanese food for a while, but all I can say is that I am glad it is easy to find many Japanese specialties in Shanghai because my appetite was only stoked.Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5346280059395969184.post-12131124628661039922013-09-22T07:32:00.003-04:002013-09-23T05:10:46.763-04:00A Walk Around My Shanghai Neighborhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We really love our Shanghai neighborhood. It is not a common neighborhood for expats in Shanghai, though our complex seems to have a mix of nationalities. The location is central and so easily accessible from many of the best spots in Shanghai. Having metro lines 8 and 10 a few steps away and line 9 only a short distance further means we can connect quickly to many locations. We can also walk to Yuyuan Gardens, Xintiandi, the Former French Concession and People's Square pretty easily.<br />
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But, probably what we like best about our neighborhood is that it retains some old neighborhood characteristics, slowly disappearing in modern Shanghai. One block away we have one of the largest wet markets in town, where you can get any vegetable, meat or other edible (or someone's version of edible) product. The streets are often filled with caged chickens and buckets full of fish, frogs, and crabs along with the assorted vegetable sellers. I'm not daring enough to buy the meat hanging out over the sidewalk and I have yet to butcher a whole chicken, but it makes for a fun walk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ2EUCiPlQJfUJmPdeUlcE1cxZZjCGjJBwqeBMW78C23eXz8kB6hfg5l3sdfcIUOTKsfgaM86dHmJzcTsO0Tenwsv0ZI0er65_qYcAq4ZlPjCr9gpg4zeILxnTqX7BOEIUv9rzXjpMhym/s1600/2013-01-20+13.26.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ2EUCiPlQJfUJmPdeUlcE1cxZZjCGjJBwqeBMW78C23eXz8kB6hfg5l3sdfcIUOTKsfgaM86dHmJzcTsO0Tenwsv0ZI0er65_qYcAq4ZlPjCr9gpg4zeILxnTqX7BOEIUv9rzXjpMhym/s320/2013-01-20+13.26.06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Life is always thriving in these streets, with people going about their day shopping and managing chores. The neighborhood is kind of like a communal living room and I especially enjoy the times when people are out playing cards, lounging with their family or enjoying a meal on the sidewalk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwzCfFA-acKUYZWko0rkWe4eTavGs_sQijMNzypEhD1EvCjuLQWqagm4k-7CbDAqFSRONEduk_Q-6c9HzsG9Tc6RQqGxENPk7e4At04jDOZPsIzJ6RQt1IFzd_2ihSZJD1XJHdDiDWolI/s1600/2013-09-17+15.10.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwzCfFA-acKUYZWko0rkWe4eTavGs_sQijMNzypEhD1EvCjuLQWqagm4k-7CbDAqFSRONEduk_Q-6c9HzsG9Tc6RQqGxENPk7e4At04jDOZPsIzJ6RQt1IFzd_2ihSZJD1XJHdDiDWolI/s320/2013-09-17+15.10.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big card game in the local "park" (really more a square of grassy area)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS30C5R9GfNQdp-by42mWyLWSjaq51BtY9JnSvyGHciHg8w2iLIQbIbpFke8FeYVHvmqIslcWGnj9VKfAbkQ3tTo88slGuiD-6fnOPRiK_gqbTCWGE7oBh7ZSUltG6GPvY4HdbGXW3TPLa/s1600/2013-09-17+15.12.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS30C5R9GfNQdp-by42mWyLWSjaq51BtY9JnSvyGHciHg8w2iLIQbIbpFke8FeYVHvmqIslcWGnj9VKfAbkQ3tTo88slGuiD-6fnOPRiK_gqbTCWGE7oBh7ZSUltG6GPvY4HdbGXW3TPLa/s320/2013-09-17+15.12.56.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The normal rituals of life in the neighborhood (next time your kid complains about taking a bath, remind them the hair washing could be taking place on the street)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52XP6TTJSkpFaoZpPLe0BfG85WhJJXPQSdoh3_Oc_q_R2gsWn-hfKNTsH6uYVagWVEnCDctS8s6brwxZaO7D7RqbBNchVaxYEdWidB_XyB59b894vHboRU67XiddvtZ63t6E1WP7SFvlG/s1600/2013-09-17+15.11.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52XP6TTJSkpFaoZpPLe0BfG85WhJJXPQSdoh3_Oc_q_R2gsWn-hfKNTsH6uYVagWVEnCDctS8s6brwxZaO7D7RqbBNchVaxYEdWidB_XyB59b894vHboRU67XiddvtZ63t6E1WP7SFvlG/s320/2013-09-17+15.11.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sidewalks are used for everything from lounging to drying laundry and chilies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgrR1-_Ctiyk58CrfdiaXBQbf9VGJQMkuJFK02bURPgWid9xYvYKsc6VRG9Vb3yunPDIbeXNwrKbzwWyy38qbmfY9paKjKB6TV8WX5hLaqXTJxWX7tWmLK2hC_GKvCjtmo3cV4HOZqkwR/s1600/2013-09-17+15.10.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgrR1-_Ctiyk58CrfdiaXBQbf9VGJQMkuJFK02bURPgWid9xYvYKsc6VRG9Vb3yunPDIbeXNwrKbzwWyy38qbmfY9paKjKB6TV8WX5hLaqXTJxWX7tWmLK2hC_GKvCjtmo3cV4HOZqkwR/s320/2013-09-17+15.10.19.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always someone in from the countryside selling various fruit/veg. Watermelons are in season now, with vans full of them throughout the neighborhood (complete with portable scale).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFsH0S_V-03r5OwLiyooor6ooH32zN-W-Iyv9axgK7E7ayYK8Jie-7uwbi5LVtoquWGxvQSRJWPWHinrZdPLCI1TAT6ceB8rxj3RtDOkalXpv2obepPhRisDJfhoXdL3c1vB9P0xZXw_6/s1600/2013-09-17+15.10.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXFsH0S_V-03r5OwLiyooor6ooH32zN-W-Iyv9axgK7E7ayYK8Jie-7uwbi5LVtoquWGxvQSRJWPWHinrZdPLCI1TAT6ceB8rxj3RtDOkalXpv2obepPhRisDJfhoXdL3c1vB9P0xZXw_6/s320/2013-09-17+15.10.33.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the "junk cart" is always present, if you're in need of a hat, bag, scrubber, etc. Better than any $1 store.</td></tr>
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We also have a peaceful Buddhist temple about half a block away from home, which is destined to become my favorite retreat. I have been learning more about the concepts of Buddhism with a "beginner" book, <i>Buddhism for Busy People</i>...but it only takes a visit to this peaceful temple to inspire some zen feelings and a better outlook on life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4Op7rAWZvfqxgdo3DHLL2fSZIRR4a7zMC_o0xi3tU28Nt4Ev5dLViggxx78DG4GCvme17pzPdr_AlVORTA3mBoXLmAW8BySLOaY-O68FBP_k5GLt0OLcjY4FR1zHmk0CAeBfWzPnqhVc/s1600/2013-09-17+15.23.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4Op7rAWZvfqxgdo3DHLL2fSZIRR4a7zMC_o0xi3tU28Nt4Ev5dLViggxx78DG4GCvme17pzPdr_AlVORTA3mBoXLmAW8BySLOaY-O68FBP_k5GLt0OLcjY4FR1zHmk0CAeBfWzPnqhVc/s320/2013-09-17+15.23.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7RBYXpLOhjZO4udkNjR57r9Z5WKzEQvI777IQIJF-deDBL5MDTh1Q7ZMIimZ1D7Ni3vs9rX-qB7QIdYpZXQAYY2n3euXi3zTmhZNjqJEzjHt2N7FHz5opHXUJFdbi_X2EMfcGi_J6dgI/s1600/2013-09-17+15.22.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7RBYXpLOhjZO4udkNjR57r9Z5WKzEQvI777IQIJF-deDBL5MDTh1Q7ZMIimZ1D7Ni3vs9rX-qB7QIdYpZXQAYY2n3euXi3zTmhZNjqJEzjHt2N7FHz5opHXUJFdbi_X2EMfcGi_J6dgI/s320/2013-09-17+15.22.57.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL1IryLjxLSgt96J6PHubRAJxcru1rlfIM0YptPKEFNWItSTuvVNZnWqTVB-a5ubmoO9KvUp6IV-IPtRBKWT5O221JsBG3vxMrGqlzXKmjBbjqRQfBo8Rm6GnDRcGkStTrsWxav9rh7gq/s1600/2013-09-17+15.24.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlL1IryLjxLSgt96J6PHubRAJxcru1rlfIM0YptPKEFNWItSTuvVNZnWqTVB-a5ubmoO9KvUp6IV-IPtRBKWT5O221JsBG3vxMrGqlzXKmjBbjqRQfBo8Rm6GnDRcGkStTrsWxav9rh7gq/s320/2013-09-17+15.24.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And the tree lined streets can look like quite an oasis (and feel like one from the heat), but looks can be deceiving as the noise is almost constant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLjAJuke3XF2i09lofHMIER1Db9yGFK0t28_rKdCMBxGre0PFH-BJR5X2pbsDvZDk2Zo3zuWmufzBExxmeXrqHIrpwN4lBopLTfCG1Ft2FxdtxNN_mQhJyIldjvaK743dsC49SX6F-RuX/s1600/2013-09-15+11.54.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLjAJuke3XF2i09lofHMIER1Db9yGFK0t28_rKdCMBxGre0PFH-BJR5X2pbsDvZDk2Zo3zuWmufzBExxmeXrqHIrpwN4lBopLTfCG1Ft2FxdtxNN_mQhJyIldjvaK743dsC49SX6F-RuX/s320/2013-09-15+11.54.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, our remaining bit of old Shanghai is destined for the wrecking ball like much of the history that has already gone that way to make room for new, shiny high rises (yes, like the one we live in) and malls. It feels sad to us, but then we don't live the daily life of the people in the small lane houses. Living without modern conveniences like a private bathroom and air conditioning might make you feel different about the negative side of progress. On the other hand, I heard one of the authors of <i>Disappearing Shanghai </i>talk about his anecdotal findings of the negative effects on the older generations who are displaced by these moves. Imagine living your whole life in one place and having your entire daily routine and social structure changed, at a time when you probably need the support and closeness most. Often people are displaced in to massive suburban settlements, very isolated from the convenience and community they always knew.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituce2ygRht8T_rQPGvGF9WlQwNZMqK9sljshpWTBmL1rg6oMN4_PTga7laddRn2VbC6vt3j8HpxLLxJM31SOXZ5W9JVQF0eF0qG19Mm3QodzCwol4k_p-Adf3iRY7WwPDgHZe5ubbTGrZ/s1600/2013-09-15+11.57.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituce2ygRht8T_rQPGvGF9WlQwNZMqK9sljshpWTBmL1rg6oMN4_PTga7laddRn2VbC6vt3j8HpxLLxJM31SOXZ5W9JVQF0eF0qG19Mm3QodzCwol4k_p-Adf3iRY7WwPDgHZe5ubbTGrZ/s320/2013-09-15+11.57.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the neighborhood already going under the wrecking ball</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumWmyDf98bSj7Fp2-yIRkPsfMQ2Bp36JVruGL68LRDTR_kP6KeanA2h4NEVkOFfttr95l5rNpKNrYfmo6g6xfMWveQyW0lFlbSzuvSbyYmVJ-rg-g00Qlj2xvm4HOdmyFNQUrm67vvGun/s1600/2013-09-15+11.56.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumWmyDf98bSj7Fp2-yIRkPsfMQ2Bp36JVruGL68LRDTR_kP6KeanA2h4NEVkOFfttr95l5rNpKNrYfmo6g6xfMWveQyW0lFlbSzuvSbyYmVJ-rg-g00Qlj2xvm4HOdmyFNQUrm67vvGun/s320/2013-09-15+11.56.26.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several blocks are slowly being torn down, which gives the neighborhood an odd feel (and makes for some danger with wires hanging out and frequent sawing and sparks flying).<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If you're in Shanghai, we'll take you for our own little walking tour. The neighborhood is best experienced both in the daytime and in the evening when the food carts come out and things settle in to a more domestic, less harried existence. Just bring sturdy, preferable close toed shoes and a sense of adventure! The live chickens being killed and fish being gutted are all part of the experience, and children using the sidewalk as a potty are often in with the mix too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If you want to peruse our neighborhood virtually, check out <a href="https://app.onlinephotofiler.com/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=3426259&ci=42555" target="_blank">our photo site gallery, Shanghai</a>.</span></div>
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Samiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188112117296173075noreply@blogger.com0