Jiuzhaigou China, Ping Pong Champ's, and Sydney

Trying to catch up from a few month's of pictures. Hope they don't disappoint, you are all spoiled from Sandy's awesome photos!

Went to Jiuzhaigou China for a work conference and it's definitely one of the most prettiest places in China. Located in the Sichuan Province next to Tibet and has some incredible natural reserves. The water has amazing shades of blue in the backdrop of beautiful mountains.

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I got to ride in the A380 on Singapore Air for a business trip to Sydney, awesome!! Sandy can definitely fit on the biz class seat, almost horizontally. When I put the bed down, I fit completely on my back!

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I also got a chance to check out the 2007 Volkswagen Pro Tour Grand Finals in Beijing this weekend and it was pretty cool to see the best in the world!

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Xian

From Picasa Album Xian

A bit behind on posting photos. Above are some photos from our trip to Xian to see the Terracotta Soldiers. I've never been handed so many people's telephone numbers telling me to call them if we had any trouble while we were there. So naturally Joe and I were a bit nervous when we got there. But managed to trek it to see the Terracotta Soldiers via public transportation and make it around the city with no problem. Just hold onto your handbags. Joe saw some people eyeing mine and a friend of ours caught a boys hand in her purse!

Didn't know this, but Xian used to be the capital of China before Beijing. There is a plethora of Chinese historical monuments you can visit outside of the city. The tomb of Qin Shi Huang (1st emperor of China who build Terracotta Army) is still unexcavated. Friends had told us that they are starting to excavate next year! That one is definitely one to watch for.

We only had a few hours to roam around the city, but I would definitely want to go back and spend more time in the Muslim Quarter. Renting a bike to ride around the city wall is good fun as well.
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On another note, Joe and I are headed back home on Wed for the holidays. Yippee!!

Another Birthday and Shanghai

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Since our last post, I turned 28 and that seems to have prompted more questions related to "when will you plan to have kids?". To which my mind responds - wah? I had an early birthday dinner celebration at Acorn House (London), with 10 of my close London pals and Mick Jagger. Well Mick was sitting just a few meters from our table :). The same night our friends Cheryl and Christoffer announced their engagement and pregnancy (yayee!). We found a random bar that was playing old school hip hop (I felt like I was back in college), and amazingly made it through to closing at 3am. Just enough time for me to get over my hang over and jet over to Beijing the next day. Boy is that 10 hour flight getting easier - thanks to Ambien.

Last week, Joe took me to Shanghai for 5 days (my first time). He had some meetings, but really we wanted to check out the city to see if we could potentially live there. In summary, it's 'nice' but a bit dull compared to Beijing. Being a bit more 'nice', it is more convenient because more people speak English in Shanghai. I keep joking with Joe that I'm starting to feel like a deaf/mute in Beijing. Can't really understand what people are saying and can't communicate - LOL. It's actually better when Joe and I are together. I can understand more than him, and he can speak more than me (he's been practicing).

The recommendation list is rather short, and for the first time actually includes some "stay away from" suggestions. Hope you enjoy the photos! We are heading to X'ian on Friday to see the Terracotta Soldiers live and in person, so more photos to come!

Joe & Sandy Shanghai Recommendations
** Accommodation **
- Mansion Hotel (French Concession), 82 Xinle Rd, (86-21) 5403-9888. A gorgeous boutique hotel for the same price as a room at Le Meridian.
** Food **
- Yang's Fried Dumplings, Wujiang Rd. Found this place in our TimeOut guide. 2 stalls clearly marked Yang's Fried Dumplings serves up a cousin of xiao lóng bāo, with thicker skin, fried bottom, and same soupy yumminess inside.
- Coffee Bean, Xin Tian Di. You all know this one, but it's hard to find outside of LA!

** Stay Away From **
- T8, Xin Tian Di. The place looks really classy and flaunts an open kitchen, but the food is bland and the drinks taste like water.
- Whampoa Club, 3 on the Bund. Fancy Chinese restaurant with a fancy address and nice view. But the place was filled with foreigners, and the 1 dish I liked made me feel ill after because it was too rich (their version of slow cooked pork).

Beijing Forbidden City & Gallery 798

Here is set 2 of photos from Beijing (if you are not sick of them yet)! I had to start working out this week from all the food I ate in Beijing. So yums! But also trying to be more healthy so my body can deal with the jetlag better. So strange, but I can sleep fine at night while in Beijing and when I came back to London. Just exchausted throughout the day.

Can't wait to go back on the 18th of November! Listening to Pimsleur Mandarine lessons on my iTunes right now, just to warm up. Joe is surprizingly good at speaking Mandarine after 1 month! Very proud of him. He can direct the taxi driver between home and work. I'm still nervous about getting into a taxi by myself. Maybe this next trip I'll be more self-sufficient :P.

Beijing Forbidden City & Gallery 798

Beijing and the Great Wall

My first time to Beijing! It's been amazing to be in the same city as my husband. The sites and oddities of China make it even more wonderful. Strangely, China seems more convenient and more like home than living in London. Joe contributes this to the desire of every brand in the world to want make money off the billion+ people that live in this country. For starters, they have Cheetos and Oreos readily available. I saw Papa Johns, Cold Stone just opened, and they even have Fauchon (gourmet food store from Paris)! People travel around mostly by car, but the difference is most people just take a taxi! I have gotten quite good at taking naps between destinations. They even celebrated Halloween quite elaborately here in the Google Beijing office yesterday. Joe dressed up as a ping pong player - LOL. People are still getting the hang of what dressing up for Halloween means in China, but they get an A for effort. Other Halloween Party photos here.

Joe and I hired a driver last weekend and spent a lot of time seeing/climbing the Great Wall. It's expanse is jaw dropping. If you ever get a chance to visit, I really like the section we visited -- Simatai, which is less touristy but a bit further than Badaling (very touristy). It's said to be the longest and toughest climbs, so bring food and wear the right shoes! We also did a bit of pampering and spent 1 evening at The Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski. Ever posh Yvonne suggested this as a destination, but also saw it in our Wallpaper Beijing guide. Lots of photos of the buildings in our album below. Visiting Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square this weekend, so more photos to come!

Was I in Shanghai or LA?

Just got back from Shanghai and I thought I was in Los Angeles. I went to work in a nice and clean building surrounded by a mall. Tons of shops everywhere! I walked by a number of stores that probably make $1/sq foot, not an attractive sales figure...Maybe the cheap labor costs even things out.

I stayed at a really nice hotel, Meridian Shanghai which was across the street to the Opera house and, surprise, more shops and bright lights.

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After going to another mall for dinner, I went w/ a coworker to get an English Tea Latte from Coffee Bean -- delicious! This was close to one of the biggest Chinese Fast Food chains -- the "REAL Kung Fu" - nice logo:

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After dinner, we hungout in a 3RD street Promenade like area - Xintiandi - tons of shops, foreigners, and bars! They had a neat photo exhibition going on this weekend.

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Of course I couldn't leave Shanghai without a pictures of all the particles I'm taking in these days. Pollution is unbelievable. I pulled out of the Beijing marathon today b/c I didn't want to take too many days off my life.

Shanghai air (might as well be pictures of Beijing, too -- That's not fog or rain):

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Finally, I wrapped up the weekend w/ Mexican food in Beijing at El Fogoncito. Not too impressive, but I guess that's what I'll have to live with for awhile. Got a great foot massage afterwards, cheap and they even cut your toe nails!

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Japan Centre has competition! Also - Silk Market and Tsinghua University

Hi All - Finished my first week in Peking (Beijing) and it's definitely getting busier! The weather is still really nice and I've been lucky enough to meet some good co-workers. I have to admit that the food has been great, but I miss home food thus, I gave in TWICE this week -- McDonalds and KFC! And, of course, I miss my wife the MOST!!! :)

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Also, one of the highlights has to be finding Ajisen Ramen 10 minutes walk away!! I think it's a chain, but it covers my Japanese food NEED! It's a great deal, too! I think there should be a Gyoza or Dumplings Index which shows the cost of living and 6 pan fried Gyoza's cost 18 RMB (about $2.50USD). My entire meal (Katsu over rice, Kiwi juice, and Pot stickers) = 52 RMB (about $7USD)...wow!

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I also went to the Silk Market, where the sales people KNOW how to sell! Great bargains, rule of thumb, just divide anything they offer by 8 to 10. I could get a great pair of replica Jordans for about $12USD. Want an LV bag (not exact, but really good)? -- $10 -$20USD! Check out the sellers 101 handbook. Good rules for any sales person.

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Finally, I checked out Tsinghua University, the 'MIT' of China. What a great campus!

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Ni Hao from China!

Hi Everyone - I arrived by plane and taxi and put my Chinese to work! I find that I pick up the language in every city I move to very well -- NY and London and now China! :) Here is a picture of me next to one of many of China's cars! So far it's been a pretty good few days, but definitely not the same w/out my wife!!



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I got a chance to do a little site seeing on Sunday and went to the Temple of Heaven (southern part of Beijing is China's largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings). It was pretty amazing and big. The building is about 600 years old and is mainly used as a park for retired people to sing, dance, practice Tai Chi, and hangout. I also ate Lamb (basically shwarma) at a Chinese Muslim Restaurant - According to a publication on mosques in China(1998 edition), there are now 32,749 mosques in the entire People's Republic of China, with 23,000 in the province of Xinjiang....wasn't bad.

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Here is a video of the impressive Tai Chi/Ping Pong in the Temple of Heaven Park -- Nice hand eye coordination!

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Here are some pic's of my place, too!

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