Friday, November 30, 2012

Zhoumo kuaile!

In exciting news, tomorrow morning Mike and I are traveling to Chengdu, i.e. the land of PANDAS. He's there for work, and in keeping my resolution, I'm tagging along.  

Chengdu is home to a renowned panda research facility and conservation education center. We plan on visiting the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding -- its official name -- early Sunday morning, when, we've read, pandas are most active. Cost of entry isn't terribly expensive (under $10), but for a couple hundred dollars more, you can hold a (baby) panda. I don't know about you, but to me, this is a no-brainer -- and worth every penny (and those pennies go to research, if you need to justify the cost). I can't wait. Of course, photos (lots of them) to come. 

I'm researching what else there is to do in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province in Southwest China. It's another big city, crowded with skyscrapers like Beijing and Shanghai, enjoying a thriving economy (Intel has a huge presence there with four factories totaling 600,000 square feet and two other buildings totaling 200,000 square feet). No doubt we'll try local dishes, known for their spice, and maybe Mike will agree to attend the Sichuan opera with me only because there's fire breathing involved. 
Source: Uploaded by user via Alexis on Pinterest

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Post-Thanks in Macau

Our 36 hours in Macau were fun! After traveling on full bellies (we scarfed down a plate of leftovers before heading to the airport on Saturday), we arrived at Hotel Lisboa, which was just as cheesy as reviews said it would be -- upon entering, you look up at gold and crystal chandeliers; you look down to the floor covered in gold and navy blue mosaics; and you walk up a dual staircase wrapped in Christmas decorations from the 70s that leads guests to the check-in counter. It was fantastic. A clean and comfortable room was just a bonus. 

That night, we made our way to Alfonso III, a restaurant  frequented by locals featuring local fare, a fusion of Asian and Portuguese flavors. The shrimp curry was yummy. We then made our way to the blackjack table where lady luck was on our side and we doubled our money (and by "we," I mean me, kind of; I was sitting at the table while Mike told me when to hit, when not to hit, when to double-down, and when to split. Sometimes I listened, sometimes I didn't.) 

The next day, we went on a whirlwind sightseeing tour (photos here), all before lunch. We ate at Robuchon au Dome (our splurge), but I must admit, we were a bit disappointed (call us food snobs, call us what you will). After delicious appetizers (one of which was foie with a soft boiled egg, pictured below), the entrees didn't stand up to the first act. We spent the rest of the day in a few different casinos where we saw Bond (out in Macau, but not in China; and not because of censorship, but because the government doesn't want it to compete with Chinese movies currently out in theaters); we shopped (no import tax!); and we played poker (and by "we," I mean Mike; I sat next to him quietly observing, giving him no advice whatsoever.)     
Ways in which Macau is similar to Vegas: 
  • Big, flashy casinos line the streets and light the night sky.  
  • There's a Venetian here too, fully equipped with canals and gondolas. 
  • You don't really need (or want) more than 48 hours there. 

Ways in which Macau is different:
  • Gambling is way serious. There's no cheering when you win, and dealers barely crack a smile.
  • It's smaller in scale -- not as many casinos, not as many shows, not as many famed restaurants.
  • A former Portuguese colony, the city has an interesting history and a true mix of cultures. (They say that Shanghai is the Paris of Asia; I don't really see it. But I do agree that Macau is a sort of Asian Lisbon.) 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Giving Thanks from China

Our Thanksgiving was a success! We hosted eight people, most of whom had never had a traditional Thanksgiving meal. After finding every ingredient on our list (at four different markets), we overcame the next challenge -- our small single oven -- by making the side dishes ahead of time and reheating them once the turkey was out and resting.

The Americans of the group shared the Thanksgiving story, and we went around the table sharing what we were thankful for. Just like back home! I deemed the holiday a success when each guest got seconds, requests were made for doggy bags, and leftovers were minimal. 

A Macau recap to be posted tomorrow.  

Friday, November 23, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey is in the oven, the sides are almost done, and we made our last grocery run this morning for more wine (can't run out of that). 

I hope you all enjoyed a fantastic meal with family and friends. I'll post photos of our Thanksgiving next week, because tomorrow, we're off to Macau! In the meantime, know that while you were watching football, we were watching this (jealous?): 


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving prep begins

Here's what's on the menu for Friday:
  • Deviled eggs (as an app) 
  • Turkey (of course) and its stuffing 
  • Green bean casserole
  • Crème fraîche mashed potatoes 
  • Spinach gratin
  • Cranberry sauce (of the canned variety) 
  • Apple crisp and brownies for dessert (very American, no?) 

I've gone to three different markets so far in search of our ingredients and all that's missing now is mayonnaise (for the deviled eggs), and frozen spinach and green beans, which could be a slight problem seeing as how they're two stars of the show. It's funny how turkey and canned cranberry sauce were the easy-to-find items (we ordered the turkey from a foreigner-friendly butcher and found the cranberry sauce at a foreigner-friendly grocery store). 

Tomorrow is Thursday and a work day here in China, so we're celebrating Friday night as you all wake up for Black Friday -- and after you've given thanks for what you already have ;). Grocery shopping and prepping to be continued.  

Monday, November 19, 2012

Back from Beijing

In addition to walking through Jingshan Park and taking advantage of hotel amenities, I visited the Summer Palace in northwest Beijing, about an hour subway ride from where we were staying. It reminded me of Central Park with its miles of green, its bodies of water, and its hidden treasures (here, pavilions, halls, and temples). I hadn't realized how much ground there was to cover, and really didn't leave myself much time to see the whole thing. I imagine I'll go back in the spring with visitors (you, perhaps?), and enjoy it even more when the weather is warm and the flowers are in bloom.
More photos from the trip here

We went back to Dadong for roast duck, and tried the Beijing staple at another restaurant, Duck de Chine. Both were fantastic, but Duck de Chine may have won out with its homemade hoisin sauce. Our other dinner was at Mike's go-to hot pot restaurant, where, yes, noodles were flung over heads.  

Friday, November 16, 2012

Zhoumo kuaile!

A quick post -- after the long journey back to Shanghai from Beijing -- to wish you a happy weekend. More on the trip to come next week.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Side Note

You haven't lived until you've gone on the Beijing subway at rush hour. I would have taken a picture, but I couldn't get to the phone in my pocket. Sardines? More like grains of sand in an hour glass, flipped each time the subway train comes to a stop (except here, flow is two-way instead of one-directional). I was being pushed and I was pushing back -- the only way to do it if you actually want to get off at your desired station. Here's a photo I found on the web, but it's truly something you have to experience.
Source: noiamnotaladyboy.blogspot.com via Alexis on Pinterest


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Joys of Hotel Living

I mentioned high-speed Internet and a fully-equipped gym, but there's also the glorious shower whose head hangs high and releases a copious amount of purified water (it's a thing of beauty when living with very low water pressure in Shanghai). And last but certainly not least on the list is the Toto toilet, who lifts its cover and warms its seat for you (among other services rendered). Where other toilets have a simple handle, Toto has this:    
I may or may not have pushed
every button. 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Walking Beijing

I did a lot of walking today, but I don't have much to show for it, having reached only one tourist destination -- Jingshan Park -- for a view of the Forbidden City and the city at large.
Better photos (from the "real" camera) to be uploaded
when I get back to Shanghai
The walk itself, however, was fascinating. You may know that Chinese officials are currently gathered in Beijing for the 18th Party Congress and the once-in-a decade transition of power. Policemen stand guard every 500 feet along the street that houses government buildings and hotels, all adorned with dozens of Chinese flags that today, waved violently in bone-chilling wind. The city is on lockdown.  

On my own for lunch and nowhere near a foreigner-friendly establishement, I settled on this:
No, that's not a tomato. I think it was a piece of meat, Spam-like in texture, but I wasn't willing to find out. The remainder of the sandwich -- a fried egg and lettuce -- was quite good, actually.

The rest of my day involved finding places to warm up (it's 30-some degrees here!): a huge bookstore (in what is aptly named the Beijing Books Building) with "Why and How the CPC Works in China" and the philosophies by Marx/Lenin/Engels/Stalin skillfully placed at the its entrance; and a Starbucks. 

Monday, November 12, 2012

We're in Beijing!

We spent most of today traveling by train from Shanghai to Beijing, and although the landscapes were beautiful (think: farms and fields and small villages), I slept most of the way thanks to our 5:00 a.m. wake-up call. 

And this evening, we went snowboarding. Didn't know there was snowboarding in Beijing? Me neither. But if there was any kind of snowboarding to be found in the city's vicinity, my husband would be the one to find it. The "mountain" was an indoor ski slope just outside the city; as you can imagine, expectations were low. Once inside what looked like two or three merged warehouses, we were pleasantly surprised to find two decent-sized bunny slopes, one slightly bigger than the other, with a jump and rails for Mike, and soft "snow" for me. This was certainly no Squaw, but it was a fun couple of hours that made up for missing opening day -- which Mike hasn't missed for the last 10 or so years.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Zhoumo kuaile!

It's cold and rainy here in Shanghai this weekend, and my guess is that a golf outing we had planned with friends will be replaced with a movie (Bourne seems to be the only decent English option; have you seen it?). And no, I don't golf, but I'm told I should learn and I'm game. My first lesson, however, will have to take place another day, it seems. 

On a more exciting note, Mike and I are off to Beijing on Monday. I’m accompanying him on a business trip, something I had told myself I’d do going forward, taking advantage of my current situation (that being unemployed). Although I wish our destination were a new city (I traveled to Beijing back in August), I’ll have more time to explore during this trip, and see the sites I missed last time, like the Summer Palace. 

But who am I kidding? I’m also going to take advantage of his hotel’s high-speed Internet and fancy gym with pool.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Bike Trip Video

Remember our ride to Chongming Island? A fellow cyclist (the talented Derryck Menere) created this awesome video of the trip. Keep an eye out for us! (I'm in the mint green with white polka dots shorts, sporting a pink shell half-way through; Mike has on a basketball jersey. And you know what our bikes look like.)


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Obama Re-elected

As planned, Robin and I spent most of today in a hotel ballroom turned red, white and blue with balloons, party hats and flower arrangements. Very patriotic indeed. We were glued to the large screens, watching the numbers change and yellow turn to red or blue on CNN's electoral map. The atmosphere was marked by cautious optimism on all sides. 

When Ohio turned, some applause broke out, but I got the sense that attendees wanted to be respectful of one another's desired outcome. Once CNN projected Obama's win, applause grew louder and you could feel the excitement in the room. At that point, most people chose to leave and get back to their day, but Robin and I closed out the party by staying for the speeches. And though I try to remain mum on politics (lessons learned), tonight I go to sleep a happy and proud American.  
"We remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America." President Barack Obama, November 6, 2012

Monday, November 5, 2012

Treasure Hunting

As planned, Mike and I ventured over to Pudong (across the river) on Saturday morning in search of the antique market we had read about on a fellow Shanghai cyclist's blog. Bike riding in Pudong was lovely: the streets were wide open and empty, rendering the bike lane nice, certainly, but unnecessary.

We rode alongside a number of buildings that had been erected for the 2010 World Expo -- something we had done before, but on the other side of the river (our side, Puxi). Representing different exhibiting countries, each building is unique in its size, shape, color, and design. But with the Expo long over, many of these buildings are now abandoned and lifeless. The scene was eerie at times, especially given it looked like this only a few years ago.  

Credit goes to Mike and his sense of direction; after veering off the empty roads and making a few turns onto more crowded streets, we reached our destination by turning right down a dirt path. Come to find out it wasn't so much a market as it was a large, one-story room.

It didn't look like much from the outside, but once you walked inside, the room quickly turned into a warehouse -- with stuff piled on top of stuff, and more stuff in every direction you'd turn. Narrow pathways led you to the back and to either side of the cold, dark warehouse that held years' worth of junk and treasures. I kept thinking of the field day reality TV characters (on shows like Spike's "Auction Hunters" or The Discovery Channel's "Dirty Money") would have at a place like this.  

We scoped it out and quickly decided to come back the next day with Bob. Treasures we found on this hunt: two bamboo ladders and an old watering jug made of cherry wood. The plan is to restore them (project!) and go huntin' again soon. 



Friday, November 2, 2012

Zhoumo kuaile!

Happy weekend, everyone! 

No big plans for this weekend (after last weekend’s excitement) other than keeping our cycling legs in shape by going on a long (but not that long) bike ride Saturday or Sunday morning -- perhaps to the Shanghai Pudong Antique Market where we’ll hunt for hidden treasures. I’ve been itching to make our apartment look more like us than a generic, oversized hotel room.

On another note, I received confirmation in the mail yesterday that I’m registered to vote from China, and I just faxed my ballot in from the Ritz-Carlton’s business center. How much does it cost to exercise one’s right to vote from China? Approximately $10.50. All in the name of democracy!

Along with most of you on Tuesday night, my lovely friend Robin and I will be catching the election results Wednesday morning at a party jointly hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Consulate General and the American Women’s Club of Shanghai. 
"OK" -- two letters that tell me
my vote is in.

P.S. Invitations have been sent and the turkey has been ordered for our first Thanksgiving in Shanghai! We’re having friends from my Chinese class over; three Germans, two Brazilians and one Russian will be joining four Americans for a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixins. More to come on the actual execution of this dinner, given our small kitchen, undersized oven, and hard-to-find ingredients. We're up for the challenge!