{Yu Yuan Gardens Bazaar}

Today Jeff and I wandered ( the best you can in a massive crowd) around the Yu Yuan Gardens Bazaar. It's a huge tourist spot for both foreigners and Chinese nationals during the spring festival, so the crowds were dense and pushy.
Jeff and I ran into an old gentleman that "showed us around" the area, as well as some lesser known shops of the area. While we weren't oblivious to his ulterior motives, we did enjoy his impromptu tour, explanations of traditions, history, and company while we sat through a tea ceremony ( a tea testing). We got a good look at an old tradtional teahouse/ opera house, and got a little bit of insight on the ancient ceremonies and tradition behind tea in china. All in all, a pleasant and very touristy day.

-Ashley

{Zhongshan Park}

This park is right next to our hotel. We took a walk in it the other day and were surprised to find how large it was. I'm constantly surprised at how they manage to fit in green space in such a densly populated and urban city.

{Fireworks}

{Xīn Nián Kuài Lè!}

Because of the timing of our move out here, I don't feel like we really got to celebrate the holidays like we normally do, and I didn't think much of it. Last night, however, was a definite celebration with build up over the past month that lead to one exciting beginning to a new and unpredictable new year.
Jeff and I spent the evening with friends and experienced one heck of a firework show. I simply don't have words to explain what it was like... sufficient to say that 4th of July fireworks with your buddies is NOTHING compared to how the Chinese do CNY. We took pictures, but I still don't think they do the even justice, we took videos, I'll work on figuring out how to upload to the blog.
It's the year of the dragon, which seems to be a big deal around here. Symbolically dragons are auspicious and revered, and plastered all over the place. The new year is followed by the spring festival, which is a sequence of different events, time off for Chinese nationals to spend with their families and travelling.

My training group is an awesome bunch. We spent the evening catching up after being separated for a couple of weeks. We went to take a group picture, and all of a sudden cameras appeared from nowhere. I'll post the actual group photo when I get it, apparently our camera was the only one who DIDN'T get a group picture....

Happy New Year!
-Ashley

{Finding Beauty on a Gloomy Day}

Today is cold, and wet, and gloomy. We decided to try out a Texas BBQ joint that was a rousing success. It's run by a Texan expat, and is some amazing food.

After Lunch, we wondered about and found a FREE art exhibit, and some out door art installations as well. It was a nice, cultured way to spend a gloomy afternoon... Jeff played games with the ipad and apparently took pictures.

Thanks Jeff.

Have a great weekend!
-Ashley

{Trip to the Post Office}

The building isn't the actual post office, but we walk past it all the time, and find it a neat building. The post office is a fun adventure. the stamps aren't self adhesive so you have to paste them on to the envelope with the bowl of paste at the top of the picture. I think , I HOPE everyone receives them safely, let me know if and when you get yours so I know how long it takes to get there!
-Ashley

{Jeff's "Artsy" Picture of the Day}

{Food Triumphs of the Week}

I give you: China's take on the banana split ( I think it's a dragon?), and the best lamb and mashed potatos I have EVER had... and that Jeff stole most of ( order remorse).

{Dragons}

{Christmas KTV ( Karaoke)}

Karaoke here is done in private rooms that you rent by the hour for a group of friends... which is kind of awesome, because instead of making a fool of yourself in front of an entire bar, you're just doing it in front of people you know. It's very high tech, and all in chinese, so I spent most of the night trying to figure out how to navigate the song selection, and little buttons that went with it.
Still, it was  a lot of fun, and I didn't have a voice for a week after...

{The Bund}

The Bund is a huge tourist spot on the river front in Shanghai. It's famous for the impressive architecture and nightlife. Jeff and Rob Landorf walked down there one night while they were out and snapped some pictures of the buildings.

{For Your Enjoyment}

Hello!
Things have gone quietly as of late, so we haven't had too much to blog about. We've been spending the last few days relaxing, hanging out and venturing out together when we feel like it. I've half way figured out the postal system, which I count as a personal victory, and those who handed me addresses before I left can expect a postcard soon.... ish.... depending on the reliability of the postal service, which is yet to be determined.

We had a friend from home visit us this past week, which was a welcome sight. Unfortunately I've had a wicked cold and have been pretty low energy as I try to recooperate.

Our visa woes are almost resolved, and we can pretty much travel anywhere now mainland, though we've decided to stay based in Shanghai until the end of the break. This will give us more time to look for a good apartment, enjoy the company of people we've befriended here, and will make things over all easier.
Because it's a slow news week, I thought I'd share a couple pictures over a few posts as I finish them for you to enjoy. Jeff snaps pictures here and there, but I haven't really had enough to string together a narrative.

Happy Year of the Dragon!
-Ashley

{Tie Shopping}

{Adventures in Chinese Medicine }

Today Jeff and I both got a taste of medical care in a foreign country. We both went for different reasons ( no worries, we're both fine), and it was quite an experience, to say the least. Disney provides us a brokerage service that acts as a go between for us to the hospitals and insurance companies, which is an awesome service when you're by yourself in an unfamiliar place. They make the appointments, they file all claims, and they go to the appointments with you and translate and bridge any language barriers with the doctors. We would have been lost without it.

Even with that help, it was still an anxiety ridden experience, and I'm grateful to be home and done with it. In fact, our first stop on the way home was to starbucks for a hot chocolate just so I could feel some normalcy for a few mintues after being poked and prodded by woman asking me a barage of questions in another language.

Jeff's having some problems with his back, and it turns out he has some damaged vertibrae that may be pinching some nerves. He got an x-ray which made it really obvious there were some problems and then as we headed to the MRI we quickly realized that he wasn't going to fit in any machine they'd have. We are currently stuck in a catch-22  because the doctor doesn't want to reccommend any treatment for him until he can get a better look at what's happening with his nerves, but there's no machine in China ( that's right, in the country, apparently this hospital had the most up-to-date one around) that He will fit in. Apparently there are no open mri's in China, so for now we can't do a whole lot with his back other than medication, heat and rest. Jeff is going to try out acupuncture to see if it does anything for him on Saturday, I'll let him report on how that works out.

On that note, I just want to say how proud I am of him. I don't know how well you know Jeff, but he's pretty self concious about his writing. He's written all his posts so far without nagging from me, and has been great about letting me edit them for your enjoyment. I'm grateful for his willingness to do this, because I feel like his outlook on our experiences is so much entertaining than mine, and that he's honestly who you really want to hear from the majority of the time. He's been great about trying new things, exploring new places, and pushing himself to grow in many aspects of his life. He's a great inspiration to me and I'm grateful to have him.

Until next time, hugs from far way.
-Ashley

{Hopes and Wishes - From the mind of Jeff}

Ashley and I went to church last Sunday. It takes an hour to get there, and meets over a BMW showroom. It was nice to meet new people and get to talk to them. Everyone was asking me what I was doing in china and when I told them that I was “being a loving and supportive husband”  they looked at me funny, and as one lady said “that’s different.”  She even let me know that there is a web site and a group of stay at home Dads who get together and hang out. I just want to make it to our city and start to meet people there. For now though I walk the city while Ashley is busy and find new things every day.

The hotel is just down the road from a large city park. The park walkway is paved with stone blocks, and every day or so I walk by and see people painting on the stones with a big brush.  I keep wandering what it was they were doing, as later in the day the writing is always gone, but never wanted to offend any one by just walking up to them and getting in their way so I just keep walking. But on Saturday, there was a big event going on. There was this group dancing and playing there drums.  And then as I walked into the park there was a lot of people watching this old man paint the stones.  It turns out its just water they write on the stones as signs of hope and love and peace, wishes for joy in their life and what they’re hoping for. It was cool, I asked this old man if I could take his photo and he said yes. This is only after standing there for about 4mins, then having the crowd see me and flip out; I don’t think they had ever seen someone as big as me. I must have taken 15-20 photos with people, if I say so I think after the first three people just thought I was a celeb, that’s why they wanted my photo.

A new group of teachers from Ashley’s program just got here this week and I got to help some of them out by taking them to stores to get things they needed, and show them around.  It feels good to be helpful now and then.

Stay tuned as the Chinese New Year is coming up, and I’m sure there will be photos and more posts to read. I will do my best to show you all what joys and Ashley and I get to experience together.
-Jeff

{Food Talk - From the mind of Jeff ( and ever so slight edits by Ashley)}

I want to take my turn to talk about the food here. The dumplings are out of this world, the noodles are great, the rice and … well everything is good. Ok, ok you got me, the American food here is not that good, but when you are having a “I need something from home” moment its ok and will do.

We ate at a place called the Spice Spirit, and let me tell you the name said it all… it certainly set my sprit on fire. Of course it didn’t help that I (ignored my wife) and ate a chili pepper that prevented me from eating all my meal. (In spite of my doing that) it was very good even with the heat.  The real draw back to living in a hotel is how much we can’t cook, so we have to eat out all the time. It does get old, but most places we eat are really cheap and a meal for the two of was run about 30-40 rmb.  When I don’t eat out I enjoy a cup-o-noodle from the local mart.  Let me tell you guys that in America we have been misled, the cup of noodles here blow the ones back home out of the water.

I am pleased to report that I have been trying new things. One night Ashley stopped and got some meat on a stick… it tasted like pork but let’s be real I have no clue what it was and he put some curry stuff on it. In the morning you can stop and get this egg bread thing, and flat bread that make one tasty breakfast.  The other night we were craving some ice cream and something from home, so we got some coldstone. They asked Ashley how long it would take us to get ice cream home, she told them 30-60 minutes and they packed it with dry ice… yes I played with it. Don’t judge.

- Jeff