Mom & Mrs. Schreck visit!

My mom and Mrs. Schreck finally made it to Shanghai last Thursday, and we have been on the go since they got here!  Wiped out, but excited to have finally made it we treated them to dinner at one of our favorites, The Blue Frog.  We got started early friday after dropping Lily off at school.  Our first stop, Shanghai's iconic, Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai History Museum.  After we finished the tower and surprisingly large museum we headed across the street for lunch at Southern Beauty and enjoyed a wonderful Sichuan lunch while taking in the Huangpu river.  With rain forecasted for Saturday we decided to absorb some culture and visit the Shanghai Museum.  Having had our fill of culture we headed home to drop the kids off with Lucas and indulge in some retail therapy!  Both mom and Mrs. Schreck had a grand time bargaining for the best price and spending their "Monopoly money".

With clear sunny skies on Sunday, we decided to enjoy a day in Puxi, starting with Nanjing Pedestrian Street.  Filled with shops and restaurants, this street is a must see, and I don't think mom or Mrs. Schreck were disappointed.  We even took a short detour down a few side streets and got to watch a man make noodles for the days lunch. We made our way up the Nanjing Street to the Bund.  Known for its beautiful, and eclectic architecture, we took our time strolling along the river walk and even peeked inside the Peace Hotel to check out its marble lobby.   Not wanting to get lost on our way to the Yu Yuan Garden and Market, like we did when mom and dad visited, we had our driver drop us off instead of walking it.  With the kids complaining of empty bellies we made a pit stop at McD's for some Happy Meals before heading to the famous Nanxiang Steamed Buns for xiao long bao.  Reenergized, we headed off for the walled gardens, which Lucas and I had never had the pleasure of seeing.  It certainly lived up to its hype.  With tons of ponds, rock gardens, and traditional Chinese buildings throughout it was peaceful and you could almost forget you are in the middle of a city of 23 million people.
Monday we got to enjoy Lucas's company since he had an afternoon plane to catch to Tokyo and wasn't planning on going to the office that morning.  We started the day at the Jing'an Buddhist Temple which was originally built in 247AD!  We switched gears and left the peace and tranquility of the temple behind, and headed to trendy Xintiandi.  Originally a neighborhood filled with the Chinese version of brownstones, it had been neglected and was restored and turned into a busy and popular spot for shopping and grabbing a tasty meal.  It was after our tasty meal that we headed to the small museum  which brings you back in time to see what life was like in old Xintiandi for a typical family.   Unfortunately, we had to head home after so Lucas could make his flight, the kids were wiped out from all the walking too.  However, it was not the end of our day!  Mom, Mrs. Schreck and I enjoyed an amazing dinner at The Peninsula Hotel where we had not only a fabulous dinner, but and equally fabulous view of the Bund and downtown Pudong all lit up for the night.  Thank you mom, and Mrs. Schreck for the wonderful dinner!

With time flying by and more rain forecasted, we decided to press our luck and see the remains of Shanghai's old city wall.  Unfortunately most of it was torn down for construction but a small 50 meter section remains.  It was a nice piece of history that until today I was not even aware of.  With Mrs. Schreck love of small out of the way streets we wondered a bit and came across a plant and pet market where you could by crickets for competing.  The Chinese LOVE to gamble and will gamble on almost anything, even crickets.  We also found a local produce market which was filled with meats and veggies for sale.  Not surprisingly there was no poultry around.  After calling my driver we headed back to the Bund to check out a local shoe maker, and although we were a bit disappointed by the shoes, they did have beautiful silk purses, which Mrs. Schreck bought for me as a totally unnecessary thank you.  With a bit of time, we decided to poke our heads into the one of the banks along the Bund to see the amazing marble foyer and breathtaking ceilings.  We grabbed lunch on Nanjing Street and headed home for Charlie's nap.  Tomorrow we head to Tongli a local water town!  

To eat or not to eat...

With the recent cases of H7N9, or bird flu in the news it makes me stop and wonder just how safe the chicken I buy really is.  Although, it is considered safe to eat chicken so long as it is properly cooked according to WHO and the CDC.  Now, with the thousands of pigs found in the Huangpu River, pork is coming into question.  As an American, I am used to being able to count on both local, and national news to keep me informed on food safety.  In China however, it is very different.  The government does their best to cover up or play down any negative news  While I find that to be a huge disservice most Chinese will just shrug their shoulders and just go on about their day, considering it just a part of life.

After talking with both my Ayi and Eric, I've decided to continue to buy chicken from Carrefour, a large French chain in Shanghai, and for the time to pass on the pork.

On a lighter note, my little girl lost her first tooth!  She told us about her loose tooth a couple of weeks ago and has been diligently working it loose.  This weekend she could wiggle it so much that it would actually lay horizontal.  With a bit of coaxing I managed to convince her that letting me pull it out would not only hurt, but was a good idea.  So, with a tissue and a little tug, her first tooth came out.  She was super excited to put it under her pillow so the tooth fairy could come and take it.  Unfortunately, her tooth pillow won't get here until the end of the week so we made due with a tissue.  But, when the tooth fairy went to remove the tissue the tooth fell out, which made for a tense moment until the errant tooth was found.  Can't have a visit from the tooth fairy and leave the tooth! For her first tooth she got 20RMB, or about $3.  We explained that her first tooth was special so she got a bit more than usual and that her other teeth would only get her 10RMB.

Vietnam

Vietnam is an amazing country that is filled with a difficult and violent past, but is a big part of what makes their culture so rich.  I think my favorite part of our trip was a cruise on the Mekong.  The highlight of which was a trip through the Can Tho floating market where locals buy most of their produce and even a meal if they want.  We met a Norwegian family with kids the same age as our two and for the cruise they had playmates which was great.  We also got a guided tour through a local village where we got to see the local flora and fauna and even sample some at a local cafe run out of a woman's home.

Back in Ho Chi Minh City we got a whirlwind tour of Notre Dame Cathedral, a reminder of the French occupation, the War Remnants Museum, where we got a skewed version of the facts of the Vietnam War, a local market where we picked up some souvenirs, learned about traditional Vietnamese medicine, and saw the Reunification Palace, which was the equivalent of the White House when it was in use.  Whew!  Plus it was unseasonably hot and muggy which left everyone a bit tired and crabby.  We did manage to fit in some much needed pool time to cool down.

After saying goodbye to the heat of Ho Chi Minh City we took a short 45 min flight to Nha Trang, a beach town on the cost of Vietnam.  We had an amazing view of the water from our hotel and a nice breeze, something that was missing in HCMC.  We spent a day out on the water going from one stop to the next by boat.  Our first stop was the aquarium, which the kids loved, especially feeding the turtles. Then it was on to a local beach where we took a short glass bottom boat ride so we could see the coral reef before taking a dip in the crystal clear waters.  We had such a good time swimming and were sorry to leave but lunch was calling.  Back on our boat we took a 45 min cruise to a resort for a very tasty and absurdly huge lunch over looking the water.  Hot sticky and tired we headed back to the hotel for a shower and nap. We ended our day with a nice dinner at a local restaurant and a stroll through the town's night market, which is a great place to work on your negotiation skills and shop for souvenirs.  The kids and I came home with traditional Vietnamese hats and Lucas picked up a Vietnamese unicorn, a mythical beast made up of many animals.

From Nha Trang we headed up into the mountains to Dalat.  The three and half hour drive was amazing.  The views were breathtaking and with all the pines, if I ignored all the motorbikes, it was almost like driving through the White Mountains in NH.  The best thing about Dalat though was the comfortable temperatures and low humidity.  The resort we stayed at didn't even have AC, and with a ceiling fan running our room was quiet comfy.  In our tour through Dalat we saw a beautiful cathedral, although most of the Vietnamese practice Confucianism, the French influence has left behind a healthy Catholic population.  We also saw the local train station, Charlie's favorite part of the trip hands down, and a Chinese pagoda.  We also learned how they make rice paper and rice noodles, something that can only be done during the dry seasons since it takes about 3 weeks for the rice paper to dry in the sun.  We ended our day with a late lunch and then some fun in the pool.  From Dalat we took a 30 min flight back to HCMC and spent the rest of our day relaxing at the hotel before our 7:45 am flight to Shanghai the next morning.  It was an amazing week and I think despite the heat and a few meltdowns, we all had a good time.   The only souvenir I wish we could take back is Charlie's ear infection.  Poor guy never complained, but after taking him to the doctor Monday morning she confirmed that he had a pretty bad ear infection.  I can only guess its from all the time we spent in the water in Vietnam.  Ear plugs next time!

Happy Easter

Friday Lily's school had their annual Easter Party.  The kids had decorated eggs and made Easter baskets and played games all of which ended in the big egg hunt!  The kids had so much fun running around the playground searching for eggs.  They brought them all back to the teachers and then sat and waited for their share of the booty.  Lily came home with a basket of candy, eggs, and other goodies.

We celebrated Easter a day early since tomorrow we will be in Vietnam!  Last night we had a family favorite of tuna casserole for dinner with our special bunny plates, and this morning it was bunny shaped pancakes!  The Easter bunny was an obliging kind of guy and hid our eggs a day early.  The kids found them in record time.  I think next year the Easter bunny is going to have to try harder!  Happy Easter to everyone!  My next blog will be all about our trip to Vietnam!

Shopping & Date night!

This week a friend took me to a couple of very cool furniture store not too far from my apartment.  Both were in huge warehouse style buildings that were filled with all kinds of unique pieces.  It was not cheap, but when compared to the cost of similar pieces in the States it's more than a fair price.  There was a great mix of both Western and Asian styles.  I've been hoping to pick up a few things for our house that are distinctly Chinese but wasn't sure where to go until now.  I look forward to going back to pick up a few smaller pieces for the apartment and to the day when I can buy some larger pieces to bring back with us to the States.

After the furniture shops we headed over to what my friend calls the lamp lady.  The shop was on a very narrow street in the middle of a traditional and very poor Chinese neighborhood.  I honestly didn't know what to expect, looking at it from the outside, but Hanna assured me that it was worth the trip.  Inside, the shop is a big open space filled with all kinds of unique lamps, including one resembling the SWFC, or bottle opener building.  Not only does the lamp lady make her own lamps, she will also turn anything you bring to her into a lamp.   While the lamps were amazing I hesitate to buy one knowing in a few years I'll have to have it rewired if I want to use it back in the States.  To assuage my inner child I did buy three wire and cloth lamps that are meant to hold candles and can either be hung from the ceiling or sit on a table.  I may still go back for a special lamp to bring home though.  Even with the cost of rewiring it, it would still cost a whole lot less than buying something similar in the States.  I almost feel obligated to buy one... :-)

With Lucas traveling so much this month we were thrilled when he came home two days early from Jakarta.  Even better, we got to have a date night, and try out a new restaurant called The Brew, which makes its own beers.  Lucas tried the beer paddle which comes with six samples of their beers, while I decided to go with the IPA.  We shared a very yummy sausage platter and nachos and didn't even touch the Indian butter chicken.  Since The Brew is in the Kerry Parkside mall we walked our dinner and beers off and even found some new Chinglish at the grocery store.  We ended the night with a fabulous relaxing couples massage.  With Lucas traveling so much this month it was a perfect was to reconnect!  Lucky for us Lucas will be back from Hong Kong Wednesday night and then Saturday we all head to Vietnam for a family vacation, can't wait!

Just the three of us.

Lucas left this Saturday morning for the first of his three leg business trip.  This week he is in Germany, he'll be home early Sunday morning, but leave again late that night for Singapore. To help get our minds off missing daddy I kept us busy this weekend.  Saturday we met friends at Big Bamboo for a late lunch.  The kids had a blast playing on the outdoor playground and drinking milkshakes.  They were too busy to actually eat.  I will say that one of the great things about China being so child-centric is that many of the restaurants have playgrounds for the kids, which is great when trying to keep active kids entertained while waiting for lunch or dinner.  We wrapped up the day with several rounds of the Elefun game and their left over lunch for dinner.  Sunday my Ayi came over for a few hours to help out.  She took the kids out to play for a couple of hours in the morning to give me a break, which was great.  That afternoon I took the kids to the pool at the gym.  Charlie was thrilled to learn that he can touch the bottom of the pool and stay above water if he's on his tippy toes.  We ended the weekend with a pancake dinner!

The other exciting bit of news this week is the new bakery that opened up by us.  There are several chains in Shanghai, I've heard of this one but haven't tried them yet.  Just the temptation I need when I'm trying to be good about my exercise and eating!

Here's hoping that I have a quiet week with the kids...

Shanghai Anniversary

March 1st marks one year in Shanghai.  It's hard to believe that a year has already gone by and that we have just one year left!  We spent most of last week getting over our jet lag.  It was hardest on Charlie who was getting up three times a night, but by the weekend everyone seemed to be back on Shanghai time.
Friday we picked Lucas up from work, Lily snuck in a quick nap, before we headed to the AP Market to pick out material for a new suit and work shirts for Lucas.  We grabbed some yummy Italian at Daisy's  before calling it a night.

Saturday we ran some errands at Carefour.  The kids got a special treat from Dunkin Donuts before we headed upstairs for some groceries and checked out the fresh seafood, including some clams that were bigger than my hand!
Sunday was warm and sunny, perfect for a day at Century Park.  We met up with a few friends and let the kids loose on their scooters and with a ball.  They had a blast running around and before we knew it, it was time for lunch.  We headed over to our first temporary apartment, a short walk from the park, and grabbed lunch at BBQ Chicken Cafe.  Super yummy chicken cooked in olive oil and served with even yummier dipping sauces.
For dinner I apparently made the mistake of suggesting dinner at the Blue Frog.  First Lily spilled her milk all over the floor and then Charlie got sick all over himself and the floor!  Looks like he takes after his mommy and has a sensitive gag reflex when is comes to textures.  

That's it for our weekend.... oh wait, Charlie fed the fish!  Guess he really takes after his mommy, since for years I've been regaled with the story of how I fed my Dad's fish.  Let's hope he doesn't try to fit the crayons down the shower drain!
Oh ya, and I've got a cold!  Here's hoping that I'm better by next week since Lucas will be leaving for two and half weeks for business.