Although I have managed to get around just fine using hand gestures and taxi cards, I figured it was finally time to start some Mandarin lessons. I have now completed about twenty hours of lessons and have a basic understanding of the tones and language structure, can communicate to a taxi driver how to get to our apartment and (of course) I can shop .
I am finding that my basic Chinese is earning me some credit. The other day I announced 'Tai Re Le' in the playroom after an Ayi turned the heat up too high. She smiled and said 'Oh' and then turned the heat off. Getting home in a taxi is so much easier now that I can tell them that we live close to the Shangri-la (versus telling them to go to the Shangri-la and then pointing them in the right direction from there).
Hopefully these new language skills will continue to make my life in China easier and easier!!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
dubai
Our latest travel adventure landed us in Dubai. It was a business trip for Rich but Angela and I tagged along for some fun - a work-cation. I will post some photo's here, but if you want to see the entire set you can check them out on Facebook (unless of course you don't have a FB page - but I really think that Rich is the only one that is still holding out on Facebook).
We were a little nervous leading up to this trip because Angela was not such a great traveler on our last trip (to Seoul). She managed to redeem herself though and we really had a great time in Dubai.
When we arrived in Dubai, it was hot. I was excited about this after many cold and rainy days in Shanghai. It was also clean. And everybody spoke English. I guess I've grown accustomed to living in China so I rarely notice how gross this city can be and how much the language changes your everyday life. It was so nice to be able to get into a taxi and tell them where to go without needing the address written out. And to walk into a restaurant to find baby chairs readily available. Dubai does come with its own culture shock but I guess in comparison to China it didn't seem quite as difficult to adapt.
We stayed in a great hotel in Jumeirah Beach - right on "The Walk" which is an area filled with hotels, shopping and restaurants. The hotel had a great kiddie pool and the staff were so great at keeping Angela happy during the day. Our good friends Shannon & Darren moved to Dubai late last year and were so gracious to show us around the city.
Our big day out was Friday - since the work week is Sunday through Thursday in Dubai (Friday is a holy day and most offices are closed). We went to the top of the Burj Khalifa, had a fantastic brunch at the Westin hotel, and then relaxed at Shannon & Darren's apartment. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and has a viewing platform on the 126th floor. A few weeks after the building opened (earlier this year) there were stories in the news about visitors being stranded when the elevator malfunctioned. It has now been fixed and we were eager to get up there to see the view. As the elevator descended on our way back down, we felt it stop and most of us noticed that the screen showed "G" meaning we were on the ground level. Well, the doors didn't open and the elevator started moving again - it was obvious we were going back up to the top. We reached the 126th floor and the doors opened and then closed again. A minute later we were back on the ground level and this time the doors opened. Whew...
We headed back to Shanghai very early Saturday morning - most international flights leave Dubai in the middle of the night. Our flight left at 3am which was nice because Angela slept for the first half of the trip. We only had two nights of jet lag induced sleep trouble, which was pretty amazing considering it used to take a week or longer to get back on schedule (although that is comparing a four hour difference to the 12 hours from NY).
Angela LOVES the water!
Hanging out at brunch - for some reason she loves putting her feet up on the table.
We were a little nervous leading up to this trip because Angela was not such a great traveler on our last trip (to Seoul). She managed to redeem herself though and we really had a great time in Dubai.
When we arrived in Dubai, it was hot. I was excited about this after many cold and rainy days in Shanghai. It was also clean. And everybody spoke English. I guess I've grown accustomed to living in China so I rarely notice how gross this city can be and how much the language changes your everyday life. It was so nice to be able to get into a taxi and tell them where to go without needing the address written out. And to walk into a restaurant to find baby chairs readily available. Dubai does come with its own culture shock but I guess in comparison to China it didn't seem quite as difficult to adapt.
We stayed in a great hotel in Jumeirah Beach - right on "The Walk" which is an area filled with hotels, shopping and restaurants. The hotel had a great kiddie pool and the staff were so great at keeping Angela happy during the day. Our good friends Shannon & Darren moved to Dubai late last year and were so gracious to show us around the city.
Our big day out was Friday - since the work week is Sunday through Thursday in Dubai (Friday is a holy day and most offices are closed). We went to the top of the Burj Khalifa, had a fantastic brunch at the Westin hotel, and then relaxed at Shannon & Darren's apartment. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and has a viewing platform on the 126th floor. A few weeks after the building opened (earlier this year) there were stories in the news about visitors being stranded when the elevator malfunctioned. It has now been fixed and we were eager to get up there to see the view. As the elevator descended on our way back down, we felt it stop and most of us noticed that the screen showed "G" meaning we were on the ground level. Well, the doors didn't open and the elevator started moving again - it was obvious we were going back up to the top. We reached the 126th floor and the doors opened and then closed again. A minute later we were back on the ground level and this time the doors opened. Whew...
We headed back to Shanghai very early Saturday morning - most international flights leave Dubai in the middle of the night. Our flight left at 3am which was nice because Angela slept for the first half of the trip. We only had two nights of jet lag induced sleep trouble, which was pretty amazing considering it used to take a week or longer to get back on schedule (although that is comparing a four hour difference to the 12 hours from NY).
the view from our room
the view from our room (yes, camels!!)
Angela LOVES the water!
Hanging out at brunch - for some reason she loves putting her feet up on the table.
Family photo op at the top of the Burj Khalifa
Monday, April 19, 2010
Getting our exercise
Angela isn't yet walking on her own but is getting really good at moving around while holding our hands. Tonight, we realized she can run. I'm so afraid of her being able to do this on her own!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
sunny days
We finally had a weekend of nice weather - bright sunny skies and a nice breeze - so we spent lots of time outside exploring our neighborhood. Nana is here visiting from CT now so we're having lots of fun with her!
We also had our first pony tail!!
happy spring!
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Bund is open!
In preparation for the World Expo which opens in May, the entire city has been cleaned up and revitalized. Our streets have been paved, sidewalks cleaned, trash bins replaced and fresh flowers have been planted everywhere. At times it is entertaining to see just how much effort is being spent on making the city look nice.
One of the key projects that was to be completed in time for the Expo is the Bund. This is one of the top tourist stops in Shanghai and had been closed for over a year as they renovated the entire area. A few weeks ago on a gorgeous Sunny day, the Bund was opened up for visitors. We made our way over on the ferry to catch a glimpse of the new walkway. Although parts of it were still closed off it was obvious that they had done a pretty good job of refreshing the area. As usual, Angela got lots of attention and loved every minute of it.
I was feeding her a banana and these guys thought it was a riot - they cheered and laughed every time she took a bite.
One old building in view of the bund - I have a feeling this won't be standing much longer
Rich and I were out for dinner over the weekend and realized that many of the local apartment buildings now have facades and new lights. A friend of ours recently told us that one of his local Chinese friends received a letter from the government about the Expo. They have assigned 'wardens' for each of the local blocks that will help to enforce some rules that are meant to help enhance the image of Shanghai. These rules include not walking outside in pajamas, not spitting in the street and not hanging your laundry from the window. It will be interesting to see how much of this is actually followed. I don't mind seeing the laundry drying and people in their pajamas. The spitting, that I could definitely live without!!
One of the key projects that was to be completed in time for the Expo is the Bund. This is one of the top tourist stops in Shanghai and had been closed for over a year as they renovated the entire area. A few weeks ago on a gorgeous Sunny day, the Bund was opened up for visitors. We made our way over on the ferry to catch a glimpse of the new walkway. Although parts of it were still closed off it was obvious that they had done a pretty good job of refreshing the area. As usual, Angela got lots of attention and loved every minute of it.
I was feeding her a banana and these guys thought it was a riot - they cheered and laughed every time she took a bite.
One old building in view of the bund - I have a feeling this won't be standing much longerRich and I were out for dinner over the weekend and realized that many of the local apartment buildings now have facades and new lights. A friend of ours recently told us that one of his local Chinese friends received a letter from the government about the Expo. They have assigned 'wardens' for each of the local blocks that will help to enforce some rules that are meant to help enhance the image of Shanghai. These rules include not walking outside in pajamas, not spitting in the street and not hanging your laundry from the window. It will be interesting to see how much of this is actually followed. I don't mind seeing the laundry drying and people in their pajamas. The spitting, that I could definitely live without!!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
We've got SEOUL
We all have one more stamp in our passports - South Korea. This proved to be one of the more challenging trips we've taken, even though its only a 90 minute flight from Shanghai. Now that Angela is a bit more mobile, she really doesn't want to be stuck in the stroller when we are out. She also has a very hard time sleeping when she isn't in her own bed so we had some rough nights in the hotel room.
Rich worked the first three days that we were in Seoul so Angela and I were on our own to explore. Exploring a new city alone with a 1 year old proved to be too intimidating for me so we stuck close to the hotel. Fortunately, the hotel was connected to a massive shopping center so there was plenty of browsing to do. There was an aquarium in the shopping center which provided enough entertainment for an afternoon. Angela loved seeing all of the fish - and would point and get excited whenever she saw bright colored ones. She actually has the same reaction when she sees the fish in the tanks at our local supermarket.
On Saturday we did some real sightseeing since Rich was with us and this was our only day to explore the city. The day started with a trip to Dunkin' Donuts (there were a surprisingly large number of these in Seoul) followed by a visit to the Bongeunsa temple which was very close to our hotel. The temple was quite busy with people coming and going to pray but was also very open to visitors just looking to tour the grounds. The buildings were all incredibly carved and painted and there was a giant Buddha statue tucked away in one corner of the grounds. I took a video of one of the areas so that you can hear the music that was playing the entire time we walked around. When you watch the video below, be prepared for a special ending.
After the temple we headed to the central part of the city to do some more sightseeing. Of course, at this point the sky had turned black, the wind was howling and it was starting to rain, but we didn't let that deter us. We made our way to the National Museum by taxi and spent about an hour walking around the museum. From there we purchased tickets on a city tour bus that stopped at various landmarks around Seoul. We made it to the War Memorial which turned out to be a giant museum full of information about many wars (we were expecting it to be just the Korean War). We took some time to walk through the section about the Korean War and then made our way back onto our bus. At this point Angela decided to sleep so we chose to stay on the bus for about an hour as it moved through the city. It was getting late enough in the day that we probably could only fit in one or two more stops and we wanted to check out some of the markets that were towards the end of the bus tour. We got off at Insadong which is a very artsy market. We walked around here for a bit but by this time it was pretty cold so we ended up stopping for a quick snack and then decided it was time to head back to the hotel.
Rich worked the first three days that we were in Seoul so Angela and I were on our own to explore. Exploring a new city alone with a 1 year old proved to be too intimidating for me so we stuck close to the hotel. Fortunately, the hotel was connected to a massive shopping center so there was plenty of browsing to do. There was an aquarium in the shopping center which provided enough entertainment for an afternoon. Angela loved seeing all of the fish - and would point and get excited whenever she saw bright colored ones. She actually has the same reaction when she sees the fish in the tanks at our local supermarket.
On Saturday we did some real sightseeing since Rich was with us and this was our only day to explore the city. The day started with a trip to Dunkin' Donuts (there were a surprisingly large number of these in Seoul) followed by a visit to the Bongeunsa temple which was very close to our hotel. The temple was quite busy with people coming and going to pray but was also very open to visitors just looking to tour the grounds. The buildings were all incredibly carved and painted and there was a giant Buddha statue tucked away in one corner of the grounds. I took a video of one of the areas so that you can hear the music that was playing the entire time we walked around. When you watch the video below, be prepared for a special ending.
After the temple we headed to the central part of the city to do some more sightseeing. Of course, at this point the sky had turned black, the wind was howling and it was starting to rain, but we didn't let that deter us. We made our way to the National Museum by taxi and spent about an hour walking around the museum. From there we purchased tickets on a city tour bus that stopped at various landmarks around Seoul. We made it to the War Memorial which turned out to be a giant museum full of information about many wars (we were expecting it to be just the Korean War). We took some time to walk through the section about the Korean War and then made our way back onto our bus. At this point Angela decided to sleep so we chose to stay on the bus for about an hour as it moved through the city. It was getting late enough in the day that we probably could only fit in one or two more stops and we wanted to check out some of the markets that were towards the end of the bus tour. We got off at Insadong which is a very artsy market. We walked around here for a bit but by this time it was pretty cold so we ended up stopping for a quick snack and then decided it was time to head back to the hotel.
At the COEX Aquarium
Bongeunsa Temple
the little purple dot towards the bottom left is Ang & I - this statue was huge!
Courtyard full of lanterns
Meg & Ang exploring the Machu Pichu Exhibit at the National Museum
Checking out the grounds of the War Memorial
DUNKIN' DONUTS!!
and, it seems we cannot escape Haibao. This is the mascot for the 2010 World Expo which is being held in Shanghai this year. There are Haibao statues and pictures all over the place in China, and we even managed to find a few of them in Seoul!
the little purple dot towards the bottom left is Ang & I - this statue was huge!
Courtyard full of lanterns
Meg & Ang exploring the Machu Pichu Exhibit at the National MuseumChecking out the grounds of the War Memorial
DUNKIN' DONUTS!!
and, it seems we cannot escape Haibao. This is the mascot for the 2010 World Expo which is being held in Shanghai this year. There are Haibao statues and pictures all over the place in China, and we even managed to find a few of them in Seoul!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Angela is one!
It is hard to believe that Angela is already a year old.
To celebrate, we invited all of our Shanghai friends over for brunch the Sunday before her birthday. It was rainy and gross outside so a great day to stay inside. We were thrilled that we also had some family there to help celebrate - Aunt Chris and Erin were visiting from CT.
Her recent stats:
Weight - 20.15 lbs (30th percentile)
Height - 28 inches (25th percentile)
Head circumference - ?? (85th percentile)
I didn't write down the number for her head and now can't remember it. We saw a new pediatrician - its the same facility that we've used in the past but I decided to try the other doctor. I think we will stick with this one, I really liked her. She declared Angela a healthy one year old and was very happy to see that her weight has increased dramatically.
The only thing that concerned the doctor was that Angela hadn't been pulling herself up to her feet on her own. Well, one week later she is pulling up on everything she can get her little hands onto. She seems so proud of her new ability and has been enjoying being able to explore new areas of the house.
Angela is a pretty chatty and I think we've decided that her first word was da da. Whenever daddy walks into the room she points at him and yells da da. Unfortunately, she also refers to me as da da. She can say ma ma but seems to use it only when she really wants something (she will point at whatever it is that she wants and scream ma ma). She can claps her hands, blow kisses and wave bye bye (which is sometimes accompanied with her saying bye bye - although is comes out more as bah bah).
I have tons of photo's from her party and from the past couple of weeks but am having a really hard time uploading to blogger. Since I can easily (and quickly) upload to Picasa albums online, I am inserting a link to my album instead of putting pictures in this post. Sorry you will have to go there to view photos, but this way you will get to see many more of them!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/MegBozz/AngS1stBirthday?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDO_7Drgq3VpQE
To celebrate, we invited all of our Shanghai friends over for brunch the Sunday before her birthday. It was rainy and gross outside so a great day to stay inside. We were thrilled that we also had some family there to help celebrate - Aunt Chris and Erin were visiting from CT.
Her recent stats:
Weight - 20.15 lbs (30th percentile)
Height - 28 inches (25th percentile)
Head circumference - ?? (85th percentile)
I didn't write down the number for her head and now can't remember it. We saw a new pediatrician - its the same facility that we've used in the past but I decided to try the other doctor. I think we will stick with this one, I really liked her. She declared Angela a healthy one year old and was very happy to see that her weight has increased dramatically.
The only thing that concerned the doctor was that Angela hadn't been pulling herself up to her feet on her own. Well, one week later she is pulling up on everything she can get her little hands onto. She seems so proud of her new ability and has been enjoying being able to explore new areas of the house.
Angela is a pretty chatty and I think we've decided that her first word was da da. Whenever daddy walks into the room she points at him and yells da da. Unfortunately, she also refers to me as da da. She can say ma ma but seems to use it only when she really wants something (she will point at whatever it is that she wants and scream ma ma). She can claps her hands, blow kisses and wave bye bye (which is sometimes accompanied with her saying bye bye - although is comes out more as bah bah).
I have tons of photo's from her party and from the past couple of weeks but am having a really hard time uploading to blogger. Since I can easily (and quickly) upload to Picasa albums online, I am inserting a link to my album instead of putting pictures in this post. Sorry you will have to go there to view photos, but this way you will get to see many more of them!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/MegBozz/AngS1stBirthday?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDO_7Drgq3VpQE
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