This is Tiger. Tiger was part of our family for a mere 3 days. Poor Tiger was left alone beside a hot concrete wall to fend for himself in this big ol' bad world. But....Tiger quickly found herself being scooped up into a blue bike basket and rolled away to a land of love and food and play. Tiger got real strong in 3 days, but alas, her new family was only a foster family because they couldn't take her back to Canada later on. So, with a bit of a tear in their eyes, the fosters bid adieu and good luck to Tiger as she moved to an even newer home, with a nice couple and a cat friend. Here's hoping for the best with you Tiger, show em what you can do!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
May Break Adventures
As some of you may have known we had a week long break at the beginning of May. During this week, my parents came up from Thailand, and the four of us spent the week in Beijing. We had a few days in TEDA with some highlights being a meal at the Korean BBQ, a day exploring Tanggu and some FANTASTIC mango chutney made by Christina!! Monday morning we hopped on the High-speed train to Beijing and at 325km/h top speed, we arrived in no time at all!! This is when the fun began. Me, Ben, being tight fisted with taxi fares, decided that we should take the subway to our hotel. It would only be two transfers and we didn't have that much luggage, only a large rolling suitcase and some smaller ones, but this is Beijing we're talking about. The subway in Beijing is ALWAYS packed. We made our first train, had some standing room, but as we began our walk to transfer to the next line, the density of people increased exponentially. Not only did we have to push ourselves into the train, but we had to assure that the luggage made it to. Picture Calvin sizing up the situation, six foot four frame and all and with one mighty burst and lunge, he and the suitcase plunged into a gasping and moaning sea of black heads. At one point on this train, trying to hold onto the luggage, Calvin began to shrink in size. Usually towering over short statured asians, Calvin's head level was getting progressively lower, until he had to drop a bag and right himself before he fell over!! It was at this point that I realized perhaps a second transfer, onto an even busier line, might be out of the question. We made the walk over to the next transfer point with the density of people increasing to levels unheard of for us 'personal space' loving Canadians. As the subway pulled up to the gate, the patriach of the Farnell family took one look at the packed sardine can we were supposed to squeeze our way into and with that our subway adventures were over. We proceeded, with my keen sense of direction, to walk the rest of our way to the hotel, arriving a bit tired and hungry.
We stayed at a very nice hotel quite close to the center of Beijing (Forbidden City Area). It was walking distance from all the major attractions and boasts a subway station quite close-by, which is extremely convenient when not transporting much luggage!!
Tuesday we shopped and had the privilege of seeing the matriach of the Farnell family actually have to take a break from the vendors at the market. Yes, the vendors were too much for Clair to handle, and at one point, she excused herself from the market and went and sat outside for a breather to regain her composure and shopping spirit. We have it on good authority, from someone with close to 30 years of experience with Clair, that he had never experienced shopping getting the best of her, concluding that May 2nd would go down in history as a day he never thought possible.
Wednesday we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the GREAT WALL OF CHINA. We had a few stops along the way, much like a 'cheap' tuk-tuk ride in Thailand conveniently buzzing to 5 surprise shopping opps, but upon arriving and stepping foot on the wall a deep sigh of completion was breathed... well up until we realized that we would NOT be unable to ride the 'tobaggan' (read luge) track down the side of the hill because it was too wet!!! Wet, too WET, it wasn't even raining for crying out loud, but it just gives Christina and I another reason to go back!!
Thursday we toured the Forbidden City. Clair reveled in the magnificent history entombed in the old Chinese style architecture, she clicked and snapped and blipped her way through the whole expanse. This City was the highlight of the trip for Calvin, being able to see a place steeped in so much history and significance, he was barely able to contain himself. The look on his face from the picture in front of one of the great halls sums it all up... if only you could have seen the look on his face as we exited the North end of the Forbidden City after three hours of walking amongst hoards of people, and stopping every 10 paces for yet another thrilling photo opportunity which simply could NOT be passed up!!!
Friday we had to head back to the airport so flights to Thailand could be caught, as well as a bus back to TEDA.
All in all it was a GREAT time, even if no one did eat a scorpion or seahorse on a stick for the exotic food market!!
Now we're back in TEDA, five weeks of teaching left, two weeks of exams, one set of report cards and then a 12+ hour flight back to CANADA!! We can't wait to see the ocean, the mountains and those of you who we get to see.
Transformers car. Seriously, you can't see it well in the picture, but whatever was loaded on top of this car's roof added an extra 4 feet.
A credit to Tara and Karin:)
Seahorses, starfish, scorpions, the whole lot.....and the scorpions were still alive and KICKIN!
Chinese "In and Out". This is not an uncommon sight at all in China. Adults dressed to the nines, like they are clubbing 24/7, squatting down with a little tyke as they pee, and giving them a feed at the same time, hey WHY NOT?! Yet, I still scrunch my nose and chuckle when I see it being done.
THIS is also something that is completely normal in China, protects from dust (supposedly), and sun (apparently) and bugs (evidently:)
We stayed at a very nice hotel quite close to the center of Beijing (Forbidden City Area). It was walking distance from all the major attractions and boasts a subway station quite close-by, which is extremely convenient when not transporting much luggage!!
Tuesday we shopped and had the privilege of seeing the matriach of the Farnell family actually have to take a break from the vendors at the market. Yes, the vendors were too much for Clair to handle, and at one point, she excused herself from the market and went and sat outside for a breather to regain her composure and shopping spirit. We have it on good authority, from someone with close to 30 years of experience with Clair, that he had never experienced shopping getting the best of her, concluding that May 2nd would go down in history as a day he never thought possible.
Wednesday we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the GREAT WALL OF CHINA. We had a few stops along the way, much like a 'cheap' tuk-tuk ride in Thailand conveniently buzzing to 5 surprise shopping opps, but upon arriving and stepping foot on the wall a deep sigh of completion was breathed... well up until we realized that we would NOT be unable to ride the 'tobaggan' (read luge) track down the side of the hill because it was too wet!!! Wet, too WET, it wasn't even raining for crying out loud, but it just gives Christina and I another reason to go back!!
Thursday we toured the Forbidden City. Clair reveled in the magnificent history entombed in the old Chinese style architecture, she clicked and snapped and blipped her way through the whole expanse. This City was the highlight of the trip for Calvin, being able to see a place steeped in so much history and significance, he was barely able to contain himself. The look on his face from the picture in front of one of the great halls sums it all up... if only you could have seen the look on his face as we exited the North end of the Forbidden City after three hours of walking amongst hoards of people, and stopping every 10 paces for yet another thrilling photo opportunity which simply could NOT be passed up!!!
Friday we had to head back to the airport so flights to Thailand could be caught, as well as a bus back to TEDA.
All in all it was a GREAT time, even if no one did eat a scorpion or seahorse on a stick for the exotic food market!!
Now we're back in TEDA, five weeks of teaching left, two weeks of exams, one set of report cards and then a 12+ hour flight back to CANADA!! We can't wait to see the ocean, the mountains and those of you who we get to see.
Transformers car. Seriously, you can't see it well in the picture, but whatever was loaded on top of this car's roof added an extra 4 feet.
A credit to Tara and Karin:)
Seahorses, starfish, scorpions, the whole lot.....and the scorpions were still alive and KICKIN!
Chinese "In and Out". This is not an uncommon sight at all in China. Adults dressed to the nines, like they are clubbing 24/7, squatting down with a little tyke as they pee, and giving them a feed at the same time, hey WHY NOT?! Yet, I still scrunch my nose and chuckle when I see it being done.
THIS is also something that is completely normal in China, protects from dust (supposedly), and sun (apparently) and bugs (evidently:)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
DOOOOOO-DOODLE-LOOOOO!!!!
Yes! 20 hours until Ben's parents get here. 2 days of classes till May break. Then 8 short weeks until the finish of school. But only 6 weeks left of classes. TADA!!! So exciting. Time flies. The air is heating up. Students are antsier than ever. And we're almost home free! Fantastic! May break comes just in time with promises of sweet hotels, yummy food and fantastic sights, including the Great Wall, Forbidden City, the Square, markets and many other places of interest. Keep you posted with more as we go. Peace!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Red Rocket
These are all over the place in Tianjin city, not so much here in TEDA since there are more large expensive cars and, contrastingly, bikes but today I saw this red rocket parked at the school as we were coming home from Easter brunch. Mao is sitting in a little golden globe on the dash next to a travel coffee mug. That's all you really need right? Mao, mocha, and a sweet three wheeler:)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Class Choas
Here is a chuckle of a video. Some of these students were coming to end of term so I taught them how to play PIT with some cards I got them to make. "Pit" is a game that mimics stock market trades, and normally it comes in a neatly, very expensive package of cards. I modified the game to help the students practice English vocabulary and remind them of different options of foods from the various food groups. It also emphasizes foods that we should have more of or less of depending on their point valuation. The video was their 3rd or 4th round when they were starting to get really into it. Nice group, a good laugh:)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
serenity
we escaped to a hotel for the weekend. it has been a great escape thus far.
the pool is amazing. the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi pampering that follow a good gym workout are sheer tranquility, priceless refreshment.
on another note, if ever traveling this side of the globe, be sure to check the distance scale on google maps when attempting to find restaurants within 'walking distance' from the hotel... OR just pack some powerbars, water and emergency rations for the unexpectedly extended trek. we got there, yes, Friday night was Italian cuisine, and we made it to our destination after some vigorous power-walking, but do you think I (Ben) learned my lesson, nope, deja-vu came over us once again this morning when trying to find a local breakfast place. tonight i will not be called out on watching a third strike. street address (check), geographical landmarks (check) small not-to-scale map (check) restaurant name in English (check) and in Chinese (check)... i hope this is all i'll need to knock this one out of the park.
in other related news, exam week just finished, the final term starts on Monday and we have a week long holiday first week in may. after this holiday its back to school for 6 more weeks, which brings us to June exams and our first year at Maple Leaf will be in the books. time flies when you're... well time just flies, even though in the moment it might only feel like a plod, hindsight speeds things up.
the pool is amazing. the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi pampering that follow a good gym workout are sheer tranquility, priceless refreshment.
on another note, if ever traveling this side of the globe, be sure to check the distance scale on google maps when attempting to find restaurants within 'walking distance' from the hotel... OR just pack some powerbars, water and emergency rations for the unexpectedly extended trek. we got there, yes, Friday night was Italian cuisine, and we made it to our destination after some vigorous power-walking, but do you think I (Ben) learned my lesson, nope, deja-vu came over us once again this morning when trying to find a local breakfast place. tonight i will not be called out on watching a third strike. street address (check), geographical landmarks (check) small not-to-scale map (check) restaurant name in English (check) and in Chinese (check)... i hope this is all i'll need to knock this one out of the park.
in other related news, exam week just finished, the final term starts on Monday and we have a week long holiday first week in may. after this holiday its back to school for 6 more weeks, which brings us to June exams and our first year at Maple Leaf will be in the books. time flies when you're... well time just flies, even though in the moment it might only feel like a plod, hindsight speeds things up.
Monday, April 4, 2011
back in the blogosphere
April has arrived and with it SPRING!! The blossoms are decorating the trees, the orange-clad public works workers are out in full force and watering the winter beaten grass, the spring/summer flowers are being plated and most importantly the blue skies have graced us with their presence. We have been enjoying some balmier temperatures, up to 20 degrees this past weekend, have said goodbye to our winter boots and thermal underwear and are counting down the days until we have a weekend getaway!
Recently we've been impressed at the amount of people packing the local park to fly kites, enjoy the greenspace and have family time. The usual sight is a set of grandparents, or two, with parents in tow, all fawning over one extremely over-dressed young toddler. The poor toddler has on enough layers to keep him safe from even the fiercest arctic winds and these layers make it cumbersome for him to even wander in the greenspace. When finally able to move, like a prisoner trying to inch along in shackles, the squirt can barely enjoy himself without being apprehended by over-zealous grandparents protecting him from any slight tumble.... what ever happened to teaching kids to wipe themselves off, brush off their hands and get up and carry-on?? This park scene is in complete contrast to the comings and goings in the local vegetable market, where five to seven ragamuffin children weave in and out of the foot-traffic like F-16's dogfighting with each other. When one of these young ones takes a tumble, the whole troupe gathers 'round to enjoy the sight of one of their own down for the count. Having realized what has happened, the floored youngster regains their footing and the chase resumes. Contrasts continue to be a daily encounter captivating our emotions and thoughts.
With the internet on the fritz, it has allowed for more time to be spent in literary works. Any suggestions or must-reads would be gladly accepted. Christina, though a lover of books, has found a new passion for needle work. As I sit and read, Christina is beside me, spotlight shining on the white grid as it awaits the squinting artist to stitch the next color of the masterpiece.
Recently we've been impressed at the amount of people packing the local park to fly kites, enjoy the greenspace and have family time. The usual sight is a set of grandparents, or two, with parents in tow, all fawning over one extremely over-dressed young toddler. The poor toddler has on enough layers to keep him safe from even the fiercest arctic winds and these layers make it cumbersome for him to even wander in the greenspace. When finally able to move, like a prisoner trying to inch along in shackles, the squirt can barely enjoy himself without being apprehended by over-zealous grandparents protecting him from any slight tumble.... what ever happened to teaching kids to wipe themselves off, brush off their hands and get up and carry-on?? This park scene is in complete contrast to the comings and goings in the local vegetable market, where five to seven ragamuffin children weave in and out of the foot-traffic like F-16's dogfighting with each other. When one of these young ones takes a tumble, the whole troupe gathers 'round to enjoy the sight of one of their own down for the count. Having realized what has happened, the floored youngster regains their footing and the chase resumes. Contrasts continue to be a daily encounter captivating our emotions and thoughts.
With the internet on the fritz, it has allowed for more time to be spent in literary works. Any suggestions or must-reads would be gladly accepted. Christina, though a lover of books, has found a new passion for needle work. As I sit and read, Christina is beside me, spotlight shining on the white grid as it awaits the squinting artist to stitch the next color of the masterpiece.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)