Unearthing Ancient China in Xi'an

With only two weeks remaining of our stay in China, Jerel and I visited Xi'an, China's (first) ancient capital, and the nearby Terracotta Warriors (8th Wonder of the World?). On Saturday, we toured Xi'an itself, ambling around the well-preserved city wall. While the excursion provided ample exercise and fresh air, the sights were...underwhelming. The best word to describe the landscape is "grey" - block after block of dusty, grey concrete streets and buildings.

In contrast, the city's Muslim quarter, with its lively alleys was a welcome pocket of colour. Sporting traditional headgear and in some cases, long beards, the Muslim Chinese sell everything from live sheep, to animal pelts, to animal carcasses. More appealing (to me) were the many stalls offering interesting nuts, spices and pastries.

The highlight of the weekend was Sunday's visit to the Terracotta Warriors. Approximately 2200 years ago, China's 13-year-old emperor Qin envisioned a large army protecting his tomb. He is reported to have employed 700,000 men over more than 30 years to build this army of clay, complete with life-size soliders and accompanying horses, chariots, and weapons. The exhibit consisted of three excavated pits, containing hundreds to thousands of terracotta warrior figures, some well restored and many others still buried and broken, resembling poor humpty-dumpty.

The vast collection of unique, life-like warriors provided a vivid illustration of of the dozens of ethnic minorities united under the Chinese empire. The early advances of the Chinese civilization evident in the sculptures and weapons were clearly a source of pride for our enthusiastic local guide and our many fellow (Chinese) tourists.

For more photos of our weekend in Xi'an click here.

Jungle Trekking in Chiang Mai

Maria and I followed up our beach days with a short trip to Chiang Mai (northern Thailand), where, unlike Phuket, the locals outnumber the tourists. We signed up immediately for a ‘jungle trek’, which promised visits to several hill tribes, elephant riding, bamboo rafting, white water rafting, and more... all in a mere 2 days. Day one began with a few inevitable tourist stops (butterfly farm, orchid farm), ended with campfire games in a remote jungle village, and epic hiking in between. Our group included four pre-army Israelis, two spirited young ladies - Sylvia (Dutch) and Mariana (Mexican) - and an exceedingly spry tour guide. Not long into our hike, it became clear where the ‘hill tribes’ got their name – I don’t think there was a single flat stretch all afternoon! The four Israelis in our ‘platoon’ breezed up the hills with their huge packs while Maria, Sylvia, Mariana and I, struggled to keep up the pace. Our guide did indulge us in the odd break, including a stop for fresh papaya right off the tree- deeelicous!

We were all a tad disappointed upon reaching the ‘village’ at sunset. We had been hoping to dine and carouse with the long-neck tribe, but it seems we had bad timing as the long-necks had taken a day off on account of a new baby. Hmmm….Interestingly, the 'abandoned' camp accommodated our group quite nicely. For dinner, we were served an attempt at curry and pickled vegetables, along with an apology that there were no spices (not even salt)…it’s a good thing we were all starving! Maria and I shared a cabin with Sylvia and Mariana, complete with paper-thin ‘mattresses’, old, smelly blankets, and a few ant farms on the dirt floor. Needless to say, we were all relieved when a diligent rooster signaled the end of a long night.

Day two was considerably more fun for us non-masochists. After a 'short' (two hour) hike, we reached the elephant camp, where the rest of the afternoon’s activities were based. We quickly went through the checklist of tour highlights - elephant riding, visiting the long-necks (follow the road sign and look for scarf stalls!), bamboo rafting, white-water rafting, and bathing in a waterfall (a natural waterslide which I don’t recommend trying if you value the skin on your tailbone!). We wrapped up our adventure with a painfully long and bumpy ride in the back of a truck back to town. Now that it's over, we're glad we signed up!

On our last day in Chiang Mai, we finally visited a handful of Thailand’s countless wats (temples), where we mingled with the monks, then spent the afternoon spoiling ourselves at the spa. At long last, we headed back to Shanghai via Bangkok. We were short on time so didn't get to see the heart of the city, although we did have a memorable walk at the park where we fed fish and turtles with a kind family that shared their fish food (bread). Apparently we timed our trip well as the airport was closed amidst political protests just a few days after our return!

For more photos from Thailand click here.

Sand, Sun, Surf and Scuba in Phuket

Maria and I are both ocean buffs so Phuket was a great fit for a vacation for the two of us. Our four days were spent entirely at the beach or on a boat (with the exception of time spent on essential activities -sleeping, eating, and getting massages). Life's rough, I know!

Maria joined the growing scuba diving contingent of the family and completed her her certification in the warm waters of Phuket (apparently much more pleasant than Vancouver's freezing, murky waters). We spent our first diving day at scenic 'Bungalow Bay', and on the second, explored a coral reef, a passenger ferry wreck and 'Shark Point' (no luck, depending on how you look at it!).

A memorable episode from our beach days is our swim to a tiny rugged island that beckoned us from the beach. Upon reaching the island, we marveled at the many creepy crawly creatures inhabiting the rocks, then embarked on a mission to find fresh fruit, hoping for a papaya or mango. Alas, all we could find were coconuts, which, despite our best efforts, stubbornly refused to share their juices. We eventually gave up and swam back, arriving tired and hungry and just a touch sun-kissed (sorry, Mom!) but exhilerated from the adventure.

A Tour of "My Shanghai"

My sister Maria, the intrepid traveler, braved a few days in Shanghai en route to Thailand. Her visit prompted me to create a tour of 'my Shanghai', which mixes real Shanghai and refuge from it.

SIGHTSEEING
· The Bund Promenade - admire the dramatic skyline, witness countless vendors selling identical souvenirs, and have your photo taken covertly by Chinese tourists
· Yu Garden - marvel at the lineup for dumplings and the sheer density of tourists packed into this 'old Shanghai' area
· People's Park - enjoy the greenery and check out the weekend gathering of 'live' personals hosted by "helpful" parents
· Fuxing Park - watch tai-chi practicers of all ages, lively group card games, or a suprising show

SHOPPING

· Random alleys - get lost in the many lanes lined with tiny shops selling everything from plump pomelos to flopping fish, to chirping crickets; see residents sharing a street-side meal or hanging laundry out the window.
· Nanjing Dong Lu shopping street - soundtrack: "watch? bag?" (repeat)
· 'Copy mart' (Nanjing Xi Lu) - struggle to fend off aggressive vendors that literally drag you into their store, and test your bargaining skills
· South Bund Fabric Market - try your hand at designing your own clothing - suits, dresses, coats...you name it!
· DVDs - who can resist stocking up at 1 dollar apiece!

FOOD/DRINK
· 'Wet' Food Market - practice your Mandarin while buying super fresh (and cheap) produce.

· Wujiang Lu food street- spectate in awe or dare to sample the myriad mystery meat dumplings and kebabs

· Cloud Nine lounge - sip a drink and enjoy a rare moment of silence, while overlooking the madness from the 87th floor
· Wagas, Element Fresh, Otto's Restaurants- temporarily escape China in these oases of Western food (salads, pasta, cheese....yum!)

INDULGENCE
· Massage - treat yourself! The massage industry is thriving in Shanghai thanks to us indulgent expats ... be careful, this can be addictive! Jerel recommends the unusually quiet Dagu Lu.

Maria gave the tour thumbs up, but was more than ready for a few days at the beach by the end of the weekend. I realize now just how accustomed I've become to the incessant noise, relentless vendors, insane driving, and general chaos of this wild and crazy city!

For more photos of Maria's weekend in Shanghai click here.

Peeking at Beijing

It's silly, really. Our six months in Asia have included trips to Moscow, London, Barcelona, and the Philippines as well as to lesser know places in China like Hangzhou and Guilin….but somehow we have never made it to BEIJING! We finally ran out of excuses…




Chana decided to get a head start and *chose* to take the overnight train to Beijing on Thursday night. She is becoming a more robust traveler than I ever imagined! I had already seen the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square in 2001, so it worked out well for Chana to take in these formidable sights during her solo day.

Saturday was consumed by a terrific all-day adventure along the Great Wall. We trekked 10k from Jinshanling to Simatai atop the wall on a tortuous and hilly route. Remarkably, even at km 6 there were still vendors pushing the cold beer and T-shirts that they had sherpa-ed up there…I'm still not sure who decides to buy a T-shirt 6 km into a trek!

Over the course of the weekend we also saw the Temple of Heaven and Jing Shan Park. To my delight, in the central temple of Jiang Shan, we stumbled upon an 8 foot, monolithic sculpture of Chana's namesake, Vairochana. The worshippers of the giant Buddha seemed unphased by the mob of tourists or the incessant flashing of cameras...

Beijing’s many ornate, ancient buildings and wide, sprawling plazas stand in stark contrast to the skyscrapers of Shanghai. It is the stuff of Kungfu movies. Sunday evening, we both felt a bit reluctant to leave behind what seemed to be the "real China", and return so soon to our glass and cement metropolis.

For more photos from our trip to Beijing click here.

A Taste of Guanxi Province

Once again, last weekend's themes were escaping the city and exploring China. Two hours by plane south of Shanghai, in Guanxi province, lies Yangshuo, known for its scenic rivers and dramatic "karst" mountains. Our adventure began with a 90 minute hair-raising late-night taxi ride from Guilin airport to Yangshuo, along narrow, winding, dimly-lit roads.

We awoke to find ourselves ideally situated on the Yulong river, with front row seats to the procession of bamboo boats carrying pairs of (mostly Chinese) tourists perched on bamboo chairs under brightly coloured umbrellas. We spent our first afternoon cycling alongside the river, a popular passtime in Yangshuo. As we wound our way through the quiet villages, Jerel enjoyed cheering me on in my feeble attempt to overtake a little old lady in a pink blouse on a one-gear clunker...she was quick! The following afternoon we intended to take a short countryside stroll, but thanks to a wrong turn, ended up on a several hour trek in the hot sun on a deserted road with nary a vendor in site (imagine that!).

That night, we attended Yangshuo's must-see show: "Impressions of Liu Sanjie", created by renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou. The show is set literally ON the river, against a backdrop of mountains, and involves a cast of 600, and plenty of spectacular lights, music, singing and dancing. We had planned to wrap up our trip with a kayak outing, but something in our last dinner changed our plans for the worse...an inauspicious ending to an auspicious weekend.

For more photos of Yangshuo click here.

Hangzhou Getaway

After a solid month of urban living, Jerel and I were both feeling a strong desire to escape the relentless crowds, traffic, and lights of Shanghai. So, last weekend, we prescribed ourselves a getaway to the ancient city of Hangzhou, renowned for its natural beauty (and easily accessible by train). We stayed at a historical state guesthouse set on the famous West Lake, and featuring expansive, impeccable gardens as well as unique landmarks such as “the spot where Mao Zedong practiced English”. We found ourselves acutely aware and very appreciative of the fresh air and of the sounds and sights of nature – birds chirping, crickets singing, chipmunks scurrying…

We wiled away our time strolling around the lake, deliberately avoiding the bustling city that lurked a short distance away. One memorable episode from our stroll is our stop at a lakeside tea house where we enjoyed the local Longjing tea and some novel snacks. To our embarrassment, when the the bill arrived, we were a few dollars short. Eventually, after much ‘discussion’ with the non-English speaking staff, Jerel was sent off on one of their small, brakeless scooter to find the nearest ATM.

Westerners are even more of a rarity in Hangzhou than they are in Shanghai. Consequently, we noticed more than a few fellow lake-strollers inconspicuously snapping photos of us as we passed by, and once, when I was distracted, a young lady leapt at the chance to ask Jerel to pose with her for a photo!

For more photos from our visit to Hangzhou click here.

Settling into Shanghai

After a nomadic summer, Jerel and I have been enjoying staying put in Shanghai for the last few weeks. Labour Day weekend was especially fun, as we celebrated Jerel's birthday with a busy weekend including: a trip to the Grand Theatre where we were amazed by Swan Lake; an evening at Cloud 9, one of the highest restaurants in the city (87th floor!); and an extravagant champagne brunch at our hotel (which was more of a 'brunchinner" given how much we ate)! We also had an entertaining walk along the famous Nanjing Lu and invented a game - guess how many times you will be approached in the next block by someone trying to sell you something.

The following weekends, we continued to explore this seemingly endless city. We spent an afternoon strolling the tree-lined streets of the French Concession, checking out its many quaint boutiques and cafes. I'm pleased to report that I came away with two treasures: a remarkably hard-to-find cutlery organizer and cool lamp. This past weekend, we were both reaching concrete saturation so made up a walking tour of several local parks. Our favourite was Fuxing Park, where a few locals went to great lengths to fly kites that looked a lot like large birds -perhaps to make up for the lack of real birds!

This past Sunday (September 14) China celebrated the 'Mid-Autumn Festival' when, as the hotel staff told me "the greatest joy is to share mooncakes with your friends and family and look at the moon". Well, neither of us was too taken by mooncakes (typical flavours are 'lotusroot' and 'red bean', often with an egg yolk center), and the moon was rather hard to make out, and but it was still fun to share in the excitement around this holiday. The locals really get into their mooncakes - in fact, things can get a bit out of hand, with perpetual long lines at the best bakeries, and scalpers getting busted for selling mooncake coupons (see article in the Shanghai Daily: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=373210).

Boracay Beach Vacation

The third and final leg of my August extravaganza was a week in the Philippines with Jerel. We had been planning to visit Sanya, China's version of Hawaii, but the lure of scuba and our desire to communicate in English prompted us to reconsider at the 11th hour (almost literally!). The journey to Boracay island was eventful, involving a jet, a prop plane, a small boat and a 'tricycle' (like a Thai 'tuk-tuk').

Boracay is a popular Asian tourist destination, known for its gorgeous, fine, white sand (great for sandcastles!) and offering a wide menu of water and windsports. Boracay also has a great culture - we found the locals to be very warm, hospitable and generally relaxed, positive people, and appreciated their refraining from relentless tourist hounding.

One good example of Filipino hospitality is the help I received when we were stuck at the airport in Manila on standby for the next flight (long story). In typical Chana style, I had my heart set on a particular breakfast and the limited offerings in the waiting area (doughnuts and mysterious fried foods) just didn't cut it. A little birdie had told me that there was a Starbuck's past the security check in the boarding area, and I became determined to get there for some baked goods, despite my lack of boarding pass. After much discussion with various security staff, it was determined that a private escort to the staff cafeteria was the way to go. When we were thwarted at the cafeteria security check, the staff consulted again and I received a private escort through the boarding gate security. There was no Starbucks on the other side, but fortunately there was a cafe that served delicious croissants :)

Our typical day consisted of strolling down the beach to the scuba shop, then heading out on the boat for a morning dive with our fellow scuba regulars, taking a leisurely lunch back at the hotel poolside (stopping for a banana-peanut-vanilla smoothie at Jonah's on the way home), then spending the afternoon in some combination of scuba diving, walking along the beach, and poking around the many tourist shops with local goods. One day, Jerel and I tried our hand at kite-boarding, and quickly understood why it takes 2-3 days to move from kiting to kite-boarding. Unfortunately, lack of wind prevented Jerel from continuing beyond day one (while I wasn't so disappointed).

We spent our evenings pleasantly wiped out from the day, dining at one of the many beachside restaurants (where Jerel took advantage of the fresh seafood!) or in some cases eating at 'home' with the hotel rooftop to ourselves. We didn't venture into the many nightclubs besides to stick our noses in them and see that the very loud music appeared to be a failed attempt to attract customers (we were there at low season) though we did involuntarily 'enjoy' the music of nearby clubs from our hotel room.

I left the Philippines convinced that it is one of the best kept secrets in beach vacation destinations and I'd highly recommend it to anyone seeking a little fun in the sun and relaxation!

Barcelona Baby!

The next leg of my extended vacation was a four day trip to Barcelona with Sarah. The two of us have always made our own fun through endless conversations, and the fact that we were in Barcelona made this time together extra fabulous. We fully embraced the Spanish lifestyle, spending our short daytime hours soaking up the sun at the bustling beach, shopping, and admiring the city's unique architecture, and wiling away our late nights sipping sangria and savouring tapas at Plaza Real. Sarah can’t pass up a chance to get down, so we also checked out one of the local dance clubs and had a great time - despite some moments of feeling a little over the hill! The only damper was that Sarah fell victim to a wily professional thief and had her purse stolen.

English Immersion

I really hit my stride in August in my new role as a lady of leisure. I spent the first week or so of the month camping on Bronwyn & Trevor's couch in Cambridge, with occasional forays into London. This was my first time in Cambridge, and I was taken by its quaint cobblestone streets, grand stone buildings, idyllic greens, and meandering river. I spent my days exploring Cambridge (often on a 'critical' mission such as a hunt for Tarragon vinegar), binging on *English* magazines, and partaking in *English* group exercise classes (my favourite was a long-awaited kickboxing class with Bronwyn where we finally donned gloves together). I greatly enjoyed food, drinks, and conversation with B&T in the evenings, either at home or at one of Cambridge's many vibrant locales. I particularly relished our cider and chips picnic at Mill Pond - picture our wedding spot at Jericho beach and add a gaggle of Brits having a pint! The (not so hidden) geek in me also relished our late night jaunt to the flat where Darwin once lived, a mere few blocks from B&T's abode. Another highlight was an outing to London with Bronwyn where we treated ourselves to dinner and a show - the Jersey Boys (musical) - which I highly recommend.

I also spent a fun weekend in London with Jerel, his parents and sister (who were in town for a 10 year Pepperdine exchange reunion). We all enjoyed a scenic sunset cruise, passing under London Bridge, and an afternoon strolling the city (Hyde Park, Camden market) and cruising the canals. Our friend Peter who works with Jerel and is also doing the program abroad generously let us stay at his place in London, and gave us a taste of what our life could look like 3-6 months from now. We both came away excited about the possibility of being based there for Part 2 of our year abroad.

Top Ten Things I WON'T Miss About Moscow

1-5. Language Barrier – This issue was by far the biggest source of frustration and difficulty for me… so much so that I’ve given it the top 5 spots on my list. The issue for me was not so much that I couldn’t ask for what I wanted, but that I felt so isolated from my surroundings.
6. Prices – With the exception of groceries and street-snacks, it seemed that just about everything was ridiculously expensive. The cost of rent and hotels was off the charts, and dining out was similarly unpalatable – we started to see a $100 dinner bill as a steal rather than a splurge!
7. Traffic – Moscow’s relentless traffic illustrates well the drawback of a ring-radial street layout … particularly at the center ring, where we lived. I usually traveled on foot but Jerel was often stuck in traffic for ages, and our few excursions out of town or to the airport really made me really appreciate ‘normal’ traffic!
8. Smoking – Self-explanatory…
9. Our Apartment’s ‘Quirks’– It was overall a great apartment but certain aspects I’m glad to leave behind: the lack of hot water during the last 2 weeks; the nightly mosquito all-out-wars (no A/C); the daily construction racket across the street and across the hall.
10. Elusive “Essentials” – It wasn’t unusual for me to spend an entire afternoon scouring the city for a single item that I would normally be able to find with ease in any North American city. Some of my hard earned prizes were: a can opener, a cheese grater, an oven mitt, a hand blender, an iron, and a hairdryer. This item is only sortof a ‘con’ because these missions provided a great excuse to stroll the city for hours and gave me a small sense of satisfaction when I was ultimately victorious!

Top Ten Things I'll Miss About Moscow

1. Dr. Loder – There was no such thing as a regular gym in our neighborhood so I was “forced” to join a fancy health club. It ended up being a great investment, as my extended gym visits were always a highlight of my day, as well as a key source of my limited Russian vocabulary. I bravely attended a wide range of group exercise classes including: “Spinning” (Cycling), “Impact” (Kickboxing), “Hot Iron”, “Sculpt”, Dance Aerobics, Step, Aqua Aerobics, Yoga and Pilates. The instructors were kind enough to keep an extra eye on me to make sure I didn’t make too much of a fool of myself due to my inability to understand their instructions. After a few weeks of persistence, I felt wordlessly accepted by my fellow regulars; one of whom even invited me for lunch!
2. The Kremlin /Red Square – We lived only a few blocks away from this happening place, so it became a familiar sight. During the day, it was buzzing with locals and tourists alike, and at night it was quiet and majestic.
3. Eliseevsky Gastronome – As luck would have it, our neighborhood grocery store was also a gorgeous historical site, with palatial origins. I was a frequent customer at this 24 hour shop but never tired of its spectacular, opulent decor. This seems like a good place to make a confession: I’ve turned from a tomato-hater to a tomato-lover! I don’t think a day passed when I didn’t buy a box of cherry tomatoes…In my defense, Jerel and other experienced tomato eaters have told me that Russian tomatoes are among the best in the world, and far superior to what North America offers.
4. Shopping Stalls – I was also a regular customer at the portable stalls half a block from our apartment, and will miss the ultra-convenient access to a small selection of drinks, produce, dairy, and nuts. I will also miss the ubiquitous cheery UBETBl stalls (flowers) and the pastry stalls where I treated myself to “C-makom” (translation: with poppy seeds), as well as the wide range of underground stalls where I could always pick up nail polish or a pair of fishnet stockings in a pinch!
5. Coffee Bean – I became a regular at this spacious yet cozy café a block from our apartment. The staff’s English skills were variable, but this is one place where they consistently made an effort to communicate with non-Russians. I became addicted to Frappes, and at one point they were able to guess my order when I came in for my daily visit.
6. The Moscow Times – I enjoyed a leisurely read of this English paper almost daily during my visits to the Coffee Bean. The articles were an interesting mix of propaganda (“Medvedev Scores at G8”) and reality (“Medvedev Vows to Fight Corruption”). I became well acquainted with Russia’s oil and steel companies, as well as with the scary extent of Putin and Medvedev’s influence.
7. People Watching – Just when you’d think you’d seen the most outrageous outfit of the day, another would come along to take the cake. Miniskirts, daisy-dukes, sheer or midriff bearing shirts were the norm.. Unfortunately, I think I missed the ultimate prize winner – Jerel told me he saw a woman at Coffee Bean wearing an utterly sheer dress so that her lingerie was on display for all to see!
8. Cyrillic Signs – Even though I prefer to be surrounded by signs that I actually understand, the Cyrillic signs appealed to the detective in me as I loved the satisfaction of deciphering them. One funny moment was when we realized that the ubiquitous and diverse restaurant chain that we loved called ‘PECTOPAH’ was actually just a sign for “restauran(t)”.
9. The Seven Sisters – There’s something about these buildings… you could almost always see one or more of these imposing towers in the distance, reminding you of Stalin’s oppressive rule.
10. Random Acts of Kindness – The list isn’t very long but the typically stoic nature of Russians made these moments extra special. I already reported on the flowers incident. A more recent one was when a regular at my gym piped up in my defense to the instructor telling her that I spoke a little Russian when she seemed concerned that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the Dance Aerobics class that was about to begin!

Do Svidanya Mockba

Jerel and I checked out of Moscow and are now in Cambridge/London for the week. Our multi-purpose trip includes work training for Jerel, visiting friends (Bronwyn/Trevor and Sarah), and visiting the Davises.

I wasn’t quite prepared for how good it would feel to be back in English speaking territory. I’m finding that the smallest things are bringing me surprisingly great joy - exchanging a knowing look with a fellow passenger on the tube when your neighbor is clearly acting strangely, overhearing snippits of conversation on the street, ordering a at a café with ease, and asking (and receiving) directions...

I have to admit that I feel relieved to be done with Moscow, and feel some how like a survivor. I’m glad to have experienced the “riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”, and have plenty of fond memories of Moscow, but at the same time, it was exhausting to be such an outsider and to constantly struggle to communicate with everyone around me. Stay tuned for some musings on what I will and will not miss about Moscow.

More Moscow Marvels

Our Moscow weekend with Tyson was definitely one for the books. We experienced some of Moscow's finest marvels – inside the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral – as well as a few choose-your-own adventures.

The Kremlin was a powerful and fascinating place, with many evocative reminders of Russia’s rich history. A few of the Kremlin’s notable sites are: Ivan the Great Bell Tower, featuring the world’s largest bell (the ‘Tsar’s Bell’); the Tsar’s Cannon, a massive (40 ton!) ornate showpiece cast in 1586; the Patriarch's Palace, which provides a glimpse into the life of a XVII century Russian Orthodox Church leader; and several gold-domed cathedrals from the XV-XVI centuries.

My favourite part of the Kremlin was the Armoury, which houses not only armour, but also a remarkable collection of Tsarist riches and artifacts. As a former tomboy, I hate to admit it, but the highlights for me were the Cinderella-style carriages (and winter sleighs) and the extravagant garments including Catherine the Great’s coronation dress from 1745. Jerel and Tyson joked they must have altered the waist afterwards to make her look extra slim as no human’s waist could actually be that small! I also got a kick out of the collection of Faberge eggs and the display of crowns, many of which had fur lining!

The three of us also shared a venturesome trip to the suburbs of Moscow to take in a classical concert at the Arkhangelskoe Estate. On the metro leg of the journey, Tyson joined me in pulling a mischievous prank – sneaking to the next car of the train when Jerel fell asleep. You should have seen how quickly Jerel moved when he woke up at the next station and found two empty seats facing him! He was a great sport and forgave us quickly after we ushered a confused Jerel into our train just before the doors closed. It was pouring rain during the second leg of our journey, and we endured what felt like a never-ending gypsi taxi ride with a chatty man from Azerbaijan. He was very friendly but was disturbingly uninterested in watching the road while he drove, and was also very reluctant to wind up the windows despite the muddy tidal waves from passing cars that were literally drenching us…and to top it off, the seatbelts didn’t work. Tyson and I were both white-knuckled by the end of the ride but Jerel somehow managed to keep his cool (…something to do with years of LA driving?). Thank goodness we were headed directly to a classical concert… by the end of the 90 minutes of wonderful Baroque music, seated in a beautiful intimate room overlooking the estate grounds, we were all mellow and smiling again!

Tour de Moscow

We were recently joined in Moscow for a week by our friend Tyson who is working in Romania for the summer. It was truly surreal to be hanging out like old times – enjoying lingering meals and watching ‘Lost’ or ‘YouTube’– yet to look out the window and see a Russian flag against a midnight sunset!

Jerel was unfortunately very busy with his real-world obligations so I had the pleasure of touring Moscow with Tyson. The long summer days allowed us to take in many sights - both ‘old’ favourites and new territory. Highlights include:

• Red Square – This must-see site is much more vibrant and beautiful than I had expected; flanked on one side by the Kremlin’s magnificent towers, and home to the fairytalesque St. Basil’s Cathedral as well as Lenin’s Mausoleum (which I have yet to enter).
• GUM – Bordering Red Square, this site has evolved from an informal trading market in the XVth century to the grandest mall I’ve ever seen. Tyson and I took refuge here during one of the many recent thunderstorms.
  
• Novodevichy Convent – This UNESCO World Heritage site provides a glimpse into the life of a Tsar’s discarded wife! The convent is still active (after a long hiatus) and is a peaceful and picturesque place to visit, set on a pond and built in the Baroque style.
  
• Moscow State University – Although we didn’t make it inside the university itself (I was literally stiff-armed at the security check!), we enjoyed strolling the expansive grounds and admiring the majestic main building, which is the tallest of the ‘Seven Sisters’ – a collection of Gothic/Baroque style skyscrapers commissioned by Stalin that are sprinkled around the city).
  
• Tretyakov Art Gallery – This gallery houses the best collection of art from Russian artists and spans the XI –XX centuries. Despite my artistic ignorance I was able to appreciate the artistic evolution and get to know a few Russian masters.
  
• Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts – Tyson and I were blown away by this surprisingly quiet gallery which houses an astounding collection of IX-XX century European art (questionably acquired) and is especially rich in impressionist works including famous pieces by Cezanne, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso and more as well as sculptures from Rodin and others.
  

The list goes on thanks to an action-packed weekend but I’ll save that for another entry as I’m afraid I’ve lost most of my readers with this lengthy one!

Tyson is an avid photographer so feel free to check out his page for an impressive selection of Moscow photos (click here).

One Year Wedding Anniversary

Jerel and I marked our first wedding anniversary on July 1 (ahem, yes, 3 weeks ago!). We had both been hankering for time with mother nature, so we celebrated with a weekend getaway to small lake just outside Moscow (Bear Lake). We weren’t quite sure what to expect as the venue had no website but the prospect of a wooded lake setting within easy reach of Moscow lured us in despite the uncertainty.

In terms of setting and facilities, ‘The Club’ delivered what we had hoped for. We had a spacious room with a balcony, overlooking the forest and lake, where we enjoyed relaxing and rowing about. The lone restaurant was very pleasant, serving tasty food, and offering a scenic patio with comfortable couches. We were pleased to find the hotel and restaurant staff to be unusually eager to accommodate such inept Russian speakers.

When it came to atmosphere, on the other hand, it wasn’t quite what we had in mind…the constant techno music (even at breakfast!) was just a tad disruptive. On the upside, our fellow guests treated us to a glimpse of the fun side of Russians, typically well-hidden behind a serious facade. We greatly enjoyed watching as they laughed and danced the night away to songs like ‘The Ketchup Song’, aided by seemingly endless rounds of vodka shots.

Home-Away-From-Home-Away-From-Home

At long last, Jerel and I have moved into our Moscow apartment. We found a place that is very spacious, open and light with a hard-to-find minimalist style, and in an excellent location. We are just a few blocks from the Kremlin/Red Square and surrounded by cozy cafes, great restaurants, and cool shops. We also happen to be right next to a club for ladies' entertainment, but I swear this was not one of my selection criteria! It was wonderful to have a few home-cooked meals this weekend, even something as simple as cereal for breakfast was a treat! Check out Glinishchevsky Pereulok on google maps to see where our new home-away-from-home-away-from-home is situated.

Recent sight-seeing highlights include the ‘Sad Hermitage’, a great place for leisurely strolling and people-watching, and Moscow’s magnificent Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, where we happened upon an impressive communion ceremony. On the food front, this weekend we again sought out a taste of home and tracked down one of Moscow's few Mexican joints (Poncho Villa) where Jerel greatly enjoyed his first burrito since we left the states!

Moscow - Second Impressions

We've been in Moscow for nearly 3 weeks now, and already my opinion of Moscovites has evolved significantly. Lately, Jerel and I have both found them to rival the Shanghainese in their friendliness and helpfulness. My best illustrative anecdote comes from a recent episode at my local 'MacKafe'. I was busily working away on my laptop (enjoying tea and free internet) and agreed to share my booth with a random Russian woman. When she finished her meal, she asked me with concern "where is your smile?" and proceeded to give me "a very small present" consisting of a bouquet of wildflowers. I was so touched! I was actually very much in need of cheering up on that day as in typical Chana fashion I was tormenting myself over a difficult (for me) decision, regarding apartment choice. Apparently I don't have much of a poker face... This brings me to a random Moscow observation: fresh cut flowers are inordinately abundant - rivaling (but not quite) alcohol in their availability on the street. I have yet to figure out the flower market here but perhaps they are being snapped up by friendly Russians passing them out to those in need of cheering up!

This seems like a good chance to share a funny example of a foreigner blunder from my early days, involving my attempt to purchase a bottle of water at one of the many 'essentials' booths on the street. The typical setup is one where the vendor is inside the booth, behind a small window, and the beverage-filled fridge is just outside the booth. I proceeded to help myself to my beverage of choice, then bring it to the window to pay (normal, right?). I had a bit of an embarrassing struggle opening the fridge door, but thanks to all my cardio-kickboxing classes, I was eventually victorious. The vendor seemed a bit frazzled throughout the whole exchange but I couldn’t imagine why. A few days later it became clear…it turns out that the normal protocol is to pay first at the window, at which point the vendor presses a magic button that allows the customer to open the fridge door with ease, rather than wrestle it into submission as I had. Fortunately, I don't think I did any permanent damage!

Shanghai and Back...

After my last blog entry, Jerel and I returned briefly to Shanghai to obtain longer term Russian visas. While I could have done without the extra travel, our 6 days in Shanghai were well worth the trip; Jerel and I both found ourselves looking forward to the comforts of 'home' and came back refreshed and recharged. In Shanghai, we experienced a renewed appreciation for the friendliness, cheerfulness and helpfulness of the locals, and were quick to take advantage of the amazingly good deals in everything from clothing (Jerel doubled his suit collection) and restaurants, to luggage. We were also lucky to have the chance to visit with Pat Brown (friend/colleague/thesis-advisor); we introduced him to our 'hood' near People's Park, and to the adventure that is shopping in Shanghai, while he introduced us to some great spots in his area - the French Concession. Since returning to Moscow on June 17, Jerel continues to wrestle with the Russian pharmaceuticals market while I wrestle an equally formidable opponent - the Moscow short-term apartment market - so that we can have a kitchen and a tad more space than our overpriced hotel room for the next 5.5 weeks (who's counting). Jerel and I are both struggling to adjust to the stoic Moscovite way and thus have recently been drawn to unlikely American venues...we have embraced TGIF as a sanctuary of smiles and service, and have frequented MacDonalds (actually, MacKafe) more in the last week than in the last decade!

Moscow - First Impressions

In an unexpected turn of events, Jerel has been staffed in Moscow for the next two months. He shipped out last Sunday, and I followed on Thursday. Three days into our Moscow sojourn, I’m already overflowing with observations on the many differences between Moscow, Shanghai, and North America. I’ll probably make a fool of myself in listing these as they go to show how ignorant I was about Russia before coming here, but here goes anyways:

Land/cityscape
Naturally beautiful – I was shocked flying into Moscow to see how green it is. Driving from the airport through the suburbs, I was taken with the dense forests, green pastures, and wildflowers, complete with women in babushkas leading cows around. It reminded me a lot of ‘Beautiful British Columbia’ and made me feel at home. The city is also beautiful, but more for its impressive architecture, in everything from the subway stations to the Kremlin. Moscow is very clean and has plenty of trees and parks, as well as a river winding through it, all of which make it a great city to visit.

Prices
Ridiculously expensive – I had heard that Moscow was expensive but it’s still hard to wrap my head around the prices here. For example, we are staying in a Marriott/Sheraton level room and it cost six or seven hundred dollars a night. Starbuck’s lattes are about $8, and it’s not just a Starbuck’s premium. We were hit with a $200 bill tonight for a typical Thai dinner… a meal that would have been a quarter of the price at one of our local Bay Area joints. However, it’s not that everything is off the charts - essentials like a ticket on the metro, water at the corner store, or snacks on the street. are very affordable (ie $1). I think it’s that anything that could be considered a luxury is maxed out on price, since there are plenty of billionaires willing and able to shell out.

Drink
Alcohol abounds –I had heard that Russians have a fondness for Vodka but I couldn’t have imagined just how much drinking is a part of daily life here. On the first morning, when I stopped in the corner store to buy a bottle of water, the two customers in front of me were buying beer and vodka – and I suspect about to consume it. Later in the day, I saw many people including many well dressed men in suits drinking beer from the bottle on the streets. Vodka and beer are readily available at nearly every shop/stall, and there is no shortage of customers.

Food
Surprisingly veggie-friendly – I had been expecting a diet of borscht and cabbage but was once again very wrong. In fact, the food here suits my idiosyncratic food preferences rather well. The street stalls, supermarkets, and restaurants feature plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and they are also big on nuts, cheeses, olives, and chocolate. Today I tried one of the street pastries stuffed with poppy seeds and it was deeelicious! I have also been enjoying the abundance of black teas, in contrast to green-tea centric China.

Fashion
Looks matter – The women in Moscow are very made-up, with fancy hairdos and sexy ‘look at me’ outfits, often including fish-net stockings. At the hotel pool change room I learned that Russian women take lingerie very seriously – there were no cotton ‘grannies’ in sight! It’s hard to articulate the style here as it is extremely varied, but I certainly feel out of place in my blue jeans and plain white shirt (too boring and underdressed). Maybe I need to buy myself some bright pink lipstick and heels… Jerel is thinking that he needs some more suits given the local dress code so we just might need to visit his newfound tailor in Shanghai!

People
Huh? – My experience in many countries, including China, is that Western culture is often admired, and English speakers are welcomed and accommodated. So, it was a bit of a rude awakening to find that this is not the case in Russia. There are far fewer English speakers, English signs, and general catering to foreigners. Thus far, the most common response to my English queries has been a gesture of “I don’t understand”; end of conversation. Today we fought back and finally bought a Russian-English phrase book.

Might makes right – It seems that people here do not want to go out of their way to help you - even those in the service industry. What we figured out, however, is that if you are pushy enough, you can get your way. For example, we returned to our hotel room after using the gym and needed to quickly shower and get out the door for lunch. The maid was in the middle of cleaning our room and asked us to come back in 5 or 10 minutes, we asked instead if she could come back in 10 while we showered and left (all in miming). She was very resistant but we would not relent and eventually she left the room but seemed very annoyed with us for inconveniencing her.

Week 5 - Farewell Shanghai (for now)

I had a few Jerel-free days in Shanghai (he's in Moscow - more later...) but still had plenty of fun thanks to Lourdes and Julie. We enjoyed Shanghai's best dumplings at Din Tai Fung's (although apparently pork is better still than veggie!), checked out the view (and wine) at the aptly named 'Cloud 9', explored some trendy boutique shops, ventured to the 'fakes' market for some intense bargaining (not for the faint of heart), and indulged ourselves with drinks, sweets, and a free manicure at ladies' night (the tame kind) at Sugar. I also managed to secure a Visa to Russia so that I could join Jerel on his first project abroad.. stay tuned for 'Adventures in Moscow'!

Month One - Living it Up

We just had a celebratory weekend, marking both the end of our first month in Shanghai and the first weekend of my hiatus from gainful employment. Friday night we met up with a high school pal of Jerel's (thanks, Facebook!) and his girlfriend Sylvia and introduced them to one of our favourite night spots, Barbarosa. Jerel's co-worker Julie from Belgium, who is also on the global rotations program joined us too (and I suspect will be regularly featured on the blog - in fact, she and her friend Lourdes introduced us to "Slow Sundays"!).

Saturday, Jerel and I had a super-indulgent day including shiatsu massages at Dragonfly, dinner at "M on the Bund", a swanky restaurant with the best view in town, and drinks with a few of the new usual suspects at Glamour Bar.

I think the highlight of the weekend for Jerel was our trip to "Even Better Than Movie World" where we stocked up on DVDs including the 4th season of Lost (anyone want to bet how quickly Jerel burns through it?). We also had great success with our trip to the Fabric Market where Jerel picked up his first tailored shirts which turned out very well (see photos!) at a fraction of the cost we're used to.

Week 4 - A Second Look

I recently returned from a fun/hectic trip back to the States to help run Canary's Annual Early Detection Symposium. I was a great way to wrap up my two years with Canary. I also managed to squeeze in a little time with friends which was a real treat. I especially enjoyed hanging out with Esther and Bea (the junior Deans) who just get cuter every time I see them (see photo evidence)!

It's been neat to come "home" to Shanghai and see it again with fresh eyes. Somehow, many of the differences have struck me more the second time - the smells, sounds, street etiquette... are all taking me some time to readjust to. Here are few fun illustrative details from last night's dinner and today's trip to the local supermarket:

1: My chopstick skills need work! Evidence: Last night we had dinner at a fancy local Chinese restaurant. After we refused chopsticks at the start of the meal (and I subsequently spilled a bit on the table) a sweet Chinese girl showed up bearing a silver platter with two sets of forks and knives. She tried really hard (without speaking english) to get us to accept them but we refused. Actually, I cracked up and the quiet girl trying to help us also couldn't contain herself and busted out a laugh too!

2: Tastes are very different than North America (and Chana's in particular). Evidence: Flavours of Lay's potato chips: Red Wine Chicken, Fragrant Red Chili, Steak, Savoury Prawn, Italian Red Meat, French Chicken, Mango, Lychee. As you might have guessed, we have yet to try any of them yet.

3: They're watching you! Evidence: (this is hard to convey but I'll try). I was standing in the personal product aisle, seeking shampoo to help de-frizz my hair that has gone wild here, and was struggling to decipher whether the product I had my eye on was shampoo or conditioner. Thanks to my years of Guesstures experience, I eventually succeeded in figuring it out with help from one of the shop workers using a combination of props and miming. Pleased with myself, I put the product in my basket, only to realize moments later that I wasn't carrying enough cash for both groceries and shampoo. Now that I'm Suzie-Q-homemaker, I figured I should keep the dinner groceries and come back later for the shampoo. I slyly put the bottle back on the rack thinking that no one noticed. But... when I got to the checkout and went through shampoo-less, the lady who had been helping me came up as I was about to leave the store and started emphatically speaking Chinese to me and gesturing about washing her hair. I tried to explain (in English!) that I would come back later with more money. Soon the whole store was intervening and trying in vain to get me to understand Chinese. Eventually several staff went back to the shampoo rack, surveyed the contents, and after some discussion let me leave the store and seemed satisfied. I still don't get what happened!

Lastly, I have to share that I am quite pleased with my first attempt at Chinese egg-vegetable fried rice so if anyone wants a recipe, let me know!

Earthquake

As I'm sure you all know, on May 12, a deadly earthquake struck China's Sichuan province. Shanghai is several thousand kilometers away so there was no physical impact here. Of course, there was/is a huge emotional impact for so many people... everyone seem to be managing to carry on, but the latest stories of the quake are always on the news, and many donations boxes have cropped up around the city. The generosity has been amazing - for example, Jerel's company has already contributed over a million dollars through personal donations matched by the firm. The country had 3 days of mourning, May 19-21, which Jerel was here for but I was not. He said the most remarkable part was the 3 minutes where the city stopped - all cars pulled over and honked for 3 minutes, while everyone at home came to their window.
Here is a u-tube video of Shanghai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xb3n_XLZnI

Slow Sundays

It turns out that one of the big (expat) activities here is Sunday Brunch. We experienced our first multi-course, multi-hour brunch this weekend at Mediterraneo - one of numerous cool garden-setting restaurants in town. As with many restaurants in Shanghai, the menu was quite extensive, and Chana was able to find a very veggie super-green soup while Jerel rounded off his meal with a 3 part dessert platter.

After brunch, we strolled over to the Jade Buddha Temple where buddhas, incense and koi (goldfish) abounded. We also stumbled upon a buddhist restaurant where Chana gleefully stocked up on prepared gluten.