Monday, December 31, 2007

Sanur, Bali, Friday through Monday

We hardly strayed from the hotel these days, on our beach vacation. Sanur is a tourist town, and we didn't mind avoiding the traps in town. Especially because most of the restaurants advertised Italian, British or even Mexican food. We sought out Indonesian food at the warungs along the beach - grilled fish, satays, currys, and always fried bananas with honey, ice-cream or black pudding and coconut milk for dessert.

Being our relaxing beach vacation, I didn't journal at all. But the schedule was simple.

Breakfast,



Beach,



Swimming pool,



Picnic,



Nap,



Dinner,



Bedtime.



Each day passed peacefully and relatively uneventfully. The Balinese people are wonderfully friendly, and we enjoyed many conversations with taxi drivers and restaurant staff. The most eventful part of the weekend was our run-in with a rhinoceros beetle.



We left the grounds of the resort for every meal, both to avoid the 20% hotel service charge and to get away from the poor food served at our hotel. A brick path along the beach made this both simple and pleasant each evening. This particular evening, the girls woke early from their naps and we enjoyed a long walk to a small warung away from most of the hotels. The tables sat on the sand, and a German family had brought along beach toys to keep their children amused. They were happy to share. A split log next to a plywood table formed a bar looking out at the ocean, and Dave and I enjoyed a Bintang while they girls played.


We moved to our table once our food arrived. The sun had set and a few bare bulbs hung over the tables. L-- noticed a large bug lying on his back next to the table. He was kicking his legs slowly, and rather amusing to watch. Every so often, we'd peek at him and he kept us all interested.

Until he rolled over. L-- and I both watched as he began to crawl around.

And then he lit off into the air.

Now, this bug was large and black with a hard shell. And by large, I mean hands down the largest insect I have ever seen. Apparently these are some of the largest beetles in the world. We had no idea this was a rhinoceros beetle or that once it gets stressed, it makes a loud hissing sound. But we did learn that he was a horrible flyer, moving slowly, loudly and bumping into things as if blind.

Right above L--.

She screamed, terrified, and did her best to disappear inside of me.

I'll admit, this bug was pretty scary. I covered her and appreciated the excuse to hide my face against her neck. The waitress was as nervous as we were, and sent a guy from the kitchen to bat it down. I didn't see this, but Dave tells me that the guy whacked at the bug and sent it straight down... onto L--'s chair! Imagine the scene if I hadn't already brought her onto my lap!

The young man picked it up, showed it to us and said No problem. No problem. And then walked away with it. L-- wouldn't go near a bug for the rest of the day.


We stayed at the Hotel Mercure Resort Sanur with mixed reviews. We both took advantage of the spa, and its prices and massages were both wonderful. The facilities were lovely, full of gardens and sharp bungalows. The swimming pools were pristine and the beach was gorgeous. But the service was horrible. The shuttle into town left us behind every time. The hot water only ran occasionally. The staff made clear their annoyance when I complained. And 3 of the 4 of us left sick.

We flew out of Bali on New Year's Eve, and with a connection in Singapore we welcomed 2008 with both girls awake watching cartoons at Changi Airport. Both flights were relatively uneventful, and extremely empty. The girls slept, although Dave and I did not. We enjoyed both Singapore and Bali, although I'll admit that my favorite part of the trip was just being a family, together all of the time, for over a week. I miss that already.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Ubud, Bali, Thursday

I'm not much of a travel writer. I can describe my emotions, my itinerary, my children's reactions to their ever changing surroundings. But when faced with incredible natural beauty, I'm left speechless.

After sleeping another night of hour after hour of pounding rain, we awoke feeling cynical about our odds of enjoying our last day in Ubud.

It poured on us the whole walk to town, this time through the monkey forest. I must admit, I was glad for the excuse to hurry through. I definitely prefer my wild animals behind a barrier.

Once at the Ubud market, we bought a large umbrella, which seems to have stopped the rain. We toured the market, shopped and photographed as the rain trickled to a stop and then headed to a path out of town. On the way, we passed a wonderful store called Threads of Life. A certified fair trade retailer, this store is dedicated to supporting and retaining some of the traditional crafts of Indonesia. The least expensive item cost around USD$100, which we decided we couldn't afford. Looking back, I wish we had bought the textile - it was by far the most beautiful piece we saw all week.

Out of the store, and back to our walk. At this point we shared the path with cars and motorbikes, and the sites were primarily tour stalls selling Whitewater Rafting, Downhill Biking and Experience the real Bali! But the path became narrower, the stands became handicraft shops and then homestays, and then bamboo trees, piling up the hills and closing in the trail. We crossed a bridge with children fishing. The trail became dark and hilly as the thick trees met overhead.

Up a hill and around the bend, and the scenery changed dramatically. We were surrounded by rice patties, each in their own pool with small rivers of irrigation tumbling along their edges. Ducks held congress and people wielded machetes as they stood in the mud up to their thighs.

Our trail became a narrow mud path, so slippery in parts that I had to take off my shoes, leading to a paranoid fear of leeches and a minor attack by red ants. Those problems partly becuse I refused to look down with any frequency. The scenery was simply too breathtaking. Coconut palm trees lined our path on either side and framed our pictures of these peaceful green fields of pools. We turned around when we reached a forest, eager to retrace our steps and get a second dose of the scenery.

As we carried 2 large umbrellas, the weather remained perfect the entire time, and is still partly cloudy with a lovely breeze and mild tropical temps. Partly cloudy added to the walk and the swimming pool later, as it made the day and our surroundings feel cheerful and bright without scorching us with its equatorial strength.

We found Ubud overly touristed, dirty and overun with cars and motorbikes. But that walk was enchanting, and reason enough to return.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Ubud, Bali, Wednesday

The open-air shower sounded like the perfect touch in the flyer. Very tropical. Very relaxing. Very sexy.


But upon arrival during a 3-day long tropical storm, it just amounted to a big hole in the bathroom ceiling. Wet toilet seat. Slippery floor. Nowhere dry to hang a towel. It became less sexy, and more of a drag.


But by this evening, the rain had let up long enough to give the girls a bath, and I joined them. And I'm sold again. Feeling the cool breeze in the warm bath, and facing a wet garden in a dim room was quite relaxing. Even with 2 babies splashing next to me.

We hired a car and driver today. Bali is a beautiful island with fantastic scenery throughout, so we took in a few hours of it. The fog was such that the mountain sightings were few and the lake looked more drab then spectacular. But the terraced rice paddies well made up for any disappointments. Too beautiful to describe and too majestic to photograph, sometimes we just stood and stared to take it all in.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Ubud, Bali, Tuesday

Christmas in the tropics.


We woke slowly to the sound of rain pounding on the roof of our bungalow. We arrived at the hotel in the middle of the night, so the four of us bunked together in the large bedroom. So we all woke up together, listening to the rain. The seasoned homeowner in me first thought Oh no! What is being ruined by this rain? But a quick scan of the room showed me that this breezey bedroom was completely sealed from the water and the sound of the raindrops hammering the roof returned from menacing to peaceful.


The rain still hadn't let up by breakfast, but by the time we'd finished our late meal it had diminished to a drip - no more than what fell from the trees. So we walked into town.


The path to Ubud took us through the Sacred Monkey Forest, chock full of monkeys with no containment whatsoever. Not even a fence around the sanctuary. We took a side route, thereby avoiding the tourists feeding crowds of monkeys to create photo ops, and enjoyed watching them from a comfortable 100 meters away.


The town of Ubud left us uninspired. Hundreds of shops selling much of the same - wood carvings, batik dresses, bright minimalist modern oil paintings. They lined a street filled with taxi hawkers and noisy motorbikes. We left the main road in search of a power converter for our camera and enjoyed a more residential Balinese road, with more mangy dogs and skinny chickens in the road than motorbikes or tourists.


We found a fantastic lunch at a small shop specializing in local cuisine and populated mainly by Balinese people, and filled our bellies with coconut chicken, corn fritters, jack fruit, and a curry so hot that L-- burned herself.


Just as she announced I like spicy chicken, she rubbed her eyes.


A little irritation.


So she rubbed again.


Within moments, she was screaming and one of the staff raced her to the sink and splashed water in her face.


She recounted the adventure for days.


Just as naptime began, so too the downpours. They didn't let up all night, which led to a particularly intimate Christmas dinner. A restaurant down the road from our hotel offered a Christmas buffet with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and loads of Asian favorites. Each item on the buffet tasted wonderful, but the setting took the cake. We sat outiside on a raised landing, our table low so we could sit cross-legged and the girls could reach or wander. The sloped, thatched roof above our table kept the rain a few feet away. A staff member stood by under our roof, probably there to clear our plates and hand us umbrellas but much more appreciated for holding S-- through most of the meal. In Asia, we are teaching our children not to fear strangers - what a rude shock that change will be when we return to the states!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Somewhere above the Indian Ocean, Monday evening

Garuda Airlines wins points in many categories. They provided toys and baby food for the kids, spare diapers and wipes, and were well stocked on snacks and apple juice. Their hospitality beat the competition. So we wondered, why is this considered a budget airline?

It seems that the skimping is on the planes and the pilots.


The flight to Singapore was bad enough. We boarded, sat for an hour, and disembarked due to undisclosed technical difficulties. We arrived 3 hours late, learning that Shanghai's airport is inconceivably devoid of food but well equipped with a toddler playground near gate 17.


The flight to Bali left 1-1/2 hours late - just after the plane arrived. We didn't mind. We spent the time easily among the multiple playgrounds, cafes and restaurants, gardens and free internet access spread through Changi Airport - clearly a point of pride for Singapore, and rightfully so, especially compared to Shanghai Pudong International. Changi was more decorated for Christmas than anywhere else we'd been in Asia. Santa walked through, certainly refueling the reindeer to begin his own evening of international flight. A long hall strewn with gardlands and Christmas lights prompted L-- to yell Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! to all of the passers-by on the travelator. Although from this 2-year-old's mouth, it sounded more like Maaaay Kit-mit! Maaaaay Kit-mit!


Once on, the flight was smooth. No trouble, and I could have sworn I saw Santa and his reindeer fly past the window soon after we took off. Nearing the end, captains announced expected turbulence as we began our descent. Rain shot past the windows. The airplane shook. We saw the lights of the runway go right past our windows.

And the airplane began to climb.

I prefer not to know exactly why they chose to abort, but I fear one line of a stressful conversation was simply I can't do it!


We circled for a while, then landed at another airport about 20 minutes away. Most folks disembarked, but at midnight on Christmas Eve our girls had finally fallen asleep so we welcomed Christmas on the plane. It was 3:30 in the morning before we reached our hotel.

Singapore, Monday

I didn't journal on Monday, but the activities of the day are worthy of mention.

We spent the morning at the Singapore Botanical Gardens, where we toured their amazing orchid garden and I must say, I took some photographs that may just rival the good Reverand Doctor - I look forward to sharing them with him. We walked a boardwalk through the native flora and fauna, but whereas that is prairie grasses where I'm from, here it was full-fledged tropical forest. Tall and beautiful. The city has no charge for the gardens, and we enjoyed noticing that they had received funding from the Shaw Foundation linked to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The gardens were full of families out for a walk with their kids on bikes and roller blades, pulling leashed dogs behind them. L-- took it at her own pace and enjoyed all of the sites. S-- watched everything from the comforts of her father's back.

Next we taxied to another hawker center. This time the Newton Street hawker center, just down the road from Orchard Road, Singapore's most famous road, much akin to Chicago's Magnificent Mile of shopping. In the Singapore nanny state, street vendors require the same level of regulation as any other restaurant and are gathered together in hawker centers. Singapore street food is known to be its best and its cheapest, so we sought out hawker centers for most of our meals.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Singapore, Sunday

I expected Disney World.

Everything I'd heard about Singapore espoused how clean, how safe, how simple to maneuver. My first impressions didn't quite meet Disney's standards - our flight landed 3 hours late, the airline misplaced our stroller, and the lines at immigration stood still. Well, that last bit does sound like the Magic Kingdom, doesn't it?

Available suites in Singapore started at $450 USD, so we chose to go the budget route. The Robertson Quay Hotel had a double room at a quarter the price, so I booked it. How bad could it be? Our double room turned out to be 2 twin beds. We set up 1 travel cot between the two, and the other at the foot of the beds. If we had someone in a sleeping bag by the door, zero floor space would have remained. And that sleeper would not have been able to roll over. But the small room provided plenty of nooks for luggage, and was clean and quiet. This is really all we need.

In a great location, we walked down the river toward the Colonial District. We coated the girls in bug spray and never saw a mosquito. I imagine the Singapore Police don't allow them in. But the equatorial sun blazed, and we had forgotten the sun screen. We soaked up the sun on our walk, but then headed indoors to save our skin. The Asian Civilizations Museum proved the perfect diversion. With brightly textured exhibits safely behind glass, and very few other patrons, both girls explored and gave Dave and I the chance to bone up on our Southeast Asian history and enjoy the sparkling and colorful textiles and native garb, intricate shadow puppets, and other such well displayed exhibits. Extra points to the museum for scattering kids rooms throughout with topical puzzles, dress-up gear and storybooks which enabled us to lengthen our stay considerably.

Upon completion, we explored the Colonial District a bit more. Singapore grew and rose beyond regional prominence under the British Empire and what could just as well be labeled Little England remains the governmental and touristed heart of town, with The Raffles Hotel at its center. The hotel - lavishly decorated for Christmas, which we appreciated - was the peak of class, where the doorman doesn't make you feel bad when he won't allow you in the lobby. The surrounding shopping arcade gave us a taste of the hotel's style and a nice sampling of the Christmas spirit.

Lunch at a rather small and sterile hawker center a block away. The city had begun to feel like Disney World. Every surface sparkling clean, every food vendor regulated, the only litter I saw flew to the floor immediately underneath my childrens' chairs. The sidewalks are smooth, every busy street has an underpass for pedestrians and getting around with children feels both safe and comfortable. Its a bit like a visit to a new shopping mall in the states - engineered to maximize your experience.

And engineered to the hilt - Singapore is the ultimate nanny state, with $1,000 fines for riding your bike on underpasses and smoking barred from all public places. The government removed pollution from the river, which included removing the coolies and transport boats and displacing loads of folks who made their living on the water. The riverfront was revitalized, which meant removing any shacks or urban poor who may have frequented there. Of course its pleasant, but it also feels unreal - nobody actually lives in Disney World, and there are plenty of dressing rooms and break rooms behind the scenes.

An evening in Little India took us behind the scenes. Apparently members of the large Indian community fill the low-income positions in Singapore and life there felt less regulated. Dinner in the hawker center certainly felt less sterile. Loud conversations and bright lights filled the open air food court. Many tables held groups of men just enjoying hot Indian tea or a beer together. The attached market was just as lively, with piles of red, brown and golden spices, mounds of brightly colored fruit and row upon row of butchers slamming their knives through bones to create the cuts they would sell. The place was teeming and the crowds spilled into the streets, where men stood in clumps lost in discussion, crowding on the sidewalks and into the streets such that most cars just chose to go around. Shops and restaurants were all open and brightly lit, inviting people to their produce, floral temple offerings, electronics and vegetarian food. But it seemed that, like the teens at the mall on a Saturday night, most of the men filling the streets - and they were all men - were more interested in talk than in the brightly showcased goods. As we walked, it became clear that the crowds had spilled into the market and not the other way around, as this business spread for many blocks. We were charmed.

It was Dave's turn to share bedtime with the girls, and I got to spend the evening out of the room. I did some quick grocery shopping - where I coveted the many Western products available, and the labels written in English - and ended an entirely successful day with a Singapore Sling at the hotel's riverfront bar. We managed to keep the girls well fed, well slept and well amused the entire day. Maybe we're getting this figured out!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Daily Details

I tried to pay all of our November bills. Successful on some counts, a failure on others, I thought some of you may be interested in the amounts:

Water - 47.80 RMB $6.50

DSL - 196.50 RMB $26

Electricity - 434.20 RMB $58

Gas - 0 RMB $0

Home phone with long distance - 91.80 RMB $12.25

In other news, I've belatedly posted my journal from our trip to Bangkok. It's backdated, so begin reading on Friday, December 7th and read through Sunday, December 16th.

Oh, and within 2 days of my losing my cell phone, Dave left his Blackberry in the taxi. At least Uncle H-- has to eat that one!

We leave early tomorrow morning for Singapore and Bali, to return on January 1st. We are bringing neither computer nor Blackberry. I am so looking forward to these 11 days of pure family travel time.

Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

A Whole Month? Fantastic!

I was talking to Lucy this morning. Her parents are flying in tonight for Christmas.

Lynne: How long will they stay?

Lucy: About a month. My brother and sister will be here for a week, as well, starting Sunday.

Lynne: Wow - a whole month. That's fantastic! How nice for you!

And then it occurred to me. I would never have this conversation in the states. Were someone to tell me they had family coming for a month, I would lower my voice to a sympathetic register and slowly say, Wow - a whole month. I'm sorry. How will you manage?

I firmly believe that everyone who chooses this lifestyle is by nature an outgoing person. Making friends is easy enough, and we can be quite content with people we've only known for a few hours, days or months. But there's nothing like spending time with someone who's known you for years. It's like eating a healthy diet, but never getting ice-cream. You can live a happy life without ice-cream, but a bit of you is craving it daily.

I speak from experience on the ice-cream, by the way. Half a tub of Dryer's costs $10.

My conversation with Lucy, and with another mom this morning, confirmed to me what I have learned repeatedly in the past. I am an inherently social person. I can be happy in most any situation, if I have people to talk to. Today is no more or less frustrating than the rest of the week, but I feel so much happier because I've had those two conversations this morning.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Not Holding My Breath

Just as everyone in Shanghai has left their wallet in a taxi, so have they lost their phone. Now I can join the ranks.

In China, you purchase your phone at full price. You then purchase your phone number and your minutes. From that point on, your phone and your phone number belong to you and you just pay for your minutes. If you buy a cheap phone and don't lose it, its a good deal. I bought an expensive phone, and lost it after about 3 months. That's $200 for the phone plus maybe $50 for minutes over the last 3 months - around $80 a month for my cell phone plan so far.

That makes me feel better - I was paying $75 a month for a phone I used much less regularly in the states.

Dave and I celebrated our anniversary this evening, with babysitters, shopping, dinner and dessert. In the cab coming home, I reached for my phone to tell the girls we were on our way. My phone was gone. The last time I used it was calling Dave from the first cab, at the beginning of the evening. I've no way to track down that cab, or to find the phone.

When I got home, I told our babysitters that I'd lost my phone. They told stories about how they had each lost 3 phones, and their parents had lost a few as well. That made me feel better, too.

We called the phone, and it said it was powered off. That means that someone took out the SIM card and will plug a new phone number into the phone. Picking up your phone in a cab makes for a really good monthly rate.

And while cab drivers always return wallets, they never return phones.

Next time, I'll buy a cheaper phone.

And back up my phone book.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

A Rainy Finish

We woke the girls too early this morning, although they were both incredibly smiley for 6:30 in the morning. Bangkok traffic was minimal and we rode watching the early morning sun turn the river a reddish shade of gold, and the city slowly wake up. We snacked at the airport, burned off steam, and entered the last stretch of our journey. The 5 hour plane ride. Since the flight wasn't full, they allowed us a seat for S-- and having a pack of 4 seats made the flight much more pleasant. Both girls made friends with everyone around them, enjoyed their lunches and their tours of the cabin. L-- stretched out and fell asleep for nearly an hour, and S-- fell apart completely. She spent most of the last hour screaming and thrashing in our arms. Overtired, she wanted to either stretch out and sleep or crawl on the floor and climb on strangers. We made neither option available to her, and she had enough of us. Upon arrival, we carried too many bags and stood in too many lines for any of our tastes. We walked out the doors past customs, and China barraged us. Throngs of people pushed to watch as everyone came out the doors. Other passengers pushed each other, once knocking someone over. We pushed our way to the street, only to find the wait for a taxi looked to be over an hour, in the rain.

By the grace of God, an attendant of some sort pushed us to the front of the line and piled us into a handicapped taxi. With piles of luggage and two sleepy children, it felt entirely appropriate to be considered disabled and we accepted quite willingly. The girls took turns screaming until they both fell asleep the last 20 minutes of the rainy ride home. Dinner was delivered, baths were taken, little bodies wrapped in warm jammies, and Dave and I sat down to catch our breath.

The girls clearly feel at home here. They both kept themselves happily amused rediscovering their toys and reading their books throughout the evening. They fell right to sleep in their own beds. Dave and I spoke at length this past week about feeling trapped and unhappy where we live, so seeing the girls feel so at home provided comfort and warmth.

It was 9:30 and raining, we had no groceries, and the store closed at 10:00. I threw back on my shoes, jogged to the store, and was ushered out at the strike of the hour. I had all I needed, and was happy to let them finish their work and prepare to go home.

I walked home in the rain. Warm from my run, the cool air and cold drops felt good. Overwhelmed from my travels and my life, just being alone on a cool evening cleared my head. I watched the cars go by, and marveled that I had never seen so few people on the streets of Shanghai. I walked past the Jin Mao Tower and the World Financial Center, and felt as though I were walking through a suspense movie as the fog encircled the tops of both buildings. I thought about making the most of things. I waited patiently for the pedestrian light, and stepped out as it flashed green. A taxi swerved to avoid me, and the bus and a string behind didn't even notice. My light was green. So was theirs. What is wrong with this city?

Tips for Travel with Young Children

Stay near the action
If your hotel is right in the middle of things, a stop to rest won't mean the end of your day. Avoid hotels where you must taxi to reach the majority of your destinations.


Stay somewhere pleasant and entertaining
Dealing with naptimes and children's bedtimes may force you to wile away hours at your hotel; plus, sometimes kids need a breather and a day at the pool or walking the grounds is well spent.


Don't sacrifice naptime
You may be able to move it, scrunch it, or bring it along; but you must plan for it or you will regret skipping it.


Pack the necessities
Diapers, wipes, formula, butt paste. Even if the book says they're easily available; you may not want to spend the time seeking them out.


Always carry snacks and water
Two things will certainly derail a young child: hunger and lack of sleep. Carry things like crackers and oranges, and at least you avoid the one.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Bangkok, Sunday

Although the Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa is a pleasant place to while away hours and days with your family, it is also a place to be conscious of your budget or travel without a budget. We paid more to launder our clothes than we did to purchase them originally... in the states. Each meal cost more than its value in America, but was the only walkable option outside the likes of McDonalds and KFC in front of the hotel. Babysitting cost per child per hour, although the Kid's Club is free if your children are over 3. The Mini Bar robs you, as any Mini Bar does. Feeling a bit trapped in my hotel room, I was more decadent than usual and felt rather fleeced by the end of the trip.

Bangkok, Saturday

Our week in Bangkok draws to a close with a good day. After a week on my own with 2 young kids in Bangkok, Dave joined us today and it felt smooth and interesting.

We hopped the Tourist Express to the Northernmost stop - we began with a water taxi to the Southern stop. The ride from South to North took us from expensive resort-style hotels, glamorous brand-name shopping, Western meals with inflated prices, and Fodor's and Insight Guides; to the land of Lonely Planet, markets, street vendors selling unrecognizable food, signs for cheap internet access and used book stalls. This is more our style of travel. Less Prada handbags. More dredlocks and sarongs.

I am struck that either place, we were surrounded by Western tourists. It seems that Bangkok, even more than Shanghai, is an international city where tourists pay to see what they want to see. At the Marriott, they pay to see Thai dancing and kick boxing but also hospitality, climate, gardens and shopping. In the Lonely Planet section, its pedestrian streets and street vendors, tuk-tuks and food markets. Notably, there's tooth whitening, face waxing and Botox in both. It seems that Thai people either live in relative poverty, or much like us. That's hardly worth visiting.

Bangkok seems like a wonderful place to spend a few days relaxing and shopping, whatever your budget - a modern, international city - and then a good jumping off point for rural Thailand.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Bangkok, Thursday and Friday

By this time, things had gotten pretty dicey. We didn't see Dave for more than a few minutes Monday through Wednesday. The lack of true human interaction had gotten to me by Thursday, and we struggled a bit. I'd stopped journaling, and my patience wore thin. But we did manage to taxi out through Bangkok's legendary traffic.

After the standard readying, the girls and I jumped a cab to the Dusit Zoo. We lounged in the back, as Bangkok's taxis are much comfier than Shanghai's. The taxis in Bangkok were all Corollas, and Shanghais are VW Santanas. They just sound nicer, don't they? As we lounged, the driver hit the gas and L-- flew right off the seat and flat onto the floor. This shook her up a bit, with the positive result of getting her to sit still for the next few minutes. The moment she wiggled again, she flew right onto the floor once more. The two-fer made her a lover of the seat belt, so we rode in relative safety for the first time in months.

There seems to be some debate over zoos, whether they are depressing or so nice that the guests never see the animals. I'm afraid I'm no judge either way, but it probably says something that in this zoo we were able to see loads of animals. We passed monkeys, ponies, lions and tigers, deer and pands, zebras and giraffes. L-- enjoyed all of them, and still talks about the animals a week later. The taxi ride back went by a different route, and only took 20 minutes. Bangkok traffic.


In the evening, I got another taxi ride. Dave had the evening off and told me to go out on my own. So with the girls in bed, I braved the traffic once more and headed to Suan Lum Night Market.

In many ways, Bangkok seemed like any other modern city. But in one way, Bangkok stood out from all other cities. The shopping was incredible. The Chatuchak Market on Saturday, and now the Suan Lum Night Market this evening. Beautiful silks, pashminas, boutiques and more for sale at outrageous prices. This one stayed open until after midnight, which was loads of fun. Walking through the warm night air, seeing each stall lit up with strings of bright colored lights, watching people stop for dinner, the market had a completely different air about it.

Friday, the girls and I stayed at the hotel and relaxed. Dave's seminar ended by 4:00 and we were able to begin our weekend as a family. Dinner, ice-cream and the swimming pool completed our day.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Bangkok, Wednesday evening

By way of explanation, Dave began his week of meetings on Monday morning. The girls and I spent every other day in relaxation at the hotel - so Monday, Wednesday and Friday we lounged, ate, swam and played.

This afternoon, S-- took a 2 hour nap, and then ate 2 oranges while L-- took a 2 hour nap. Still throwing incomprehensible fits, she was certainly more pleasant. And boy was I right on the laundry - just over USD100 plus 15% VA. I'm not sure I paid that much originally for the clothes in the states!

Bangkok, Wednesday afternoon

Lesson learned today:

It's cheaper to buy new clothes in Bangkok than to have the old ones laundered at the Marriott.

This morning she cried at waking, for about an hour. She cried during most of breakfast, because she saw a bottle. She did not cry at all in the Kid's Club. She cried through most of lunch because there was too much medicine is one of her bites. She cried until naptime, tired.
Now she's been crying for about 10 minutes because I won't give her the pen I'm using. Inconsolable. Undistractable. And I hate that I can turn on her so quickly and feel an entire lack of sympathy, a coldness toward her when she launches into these long fits. Because as soon as pleasant S-- returns, I want to play and snuggle and talk. But a few minutes of a fit, all I can do is walk away.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bangkok, Tuesday

Lessons learned today:

1. Don't mess with naptime

2. Beware the peppers in your Thai curry

In honor of S--'s 1st birthday, I decided we must venture out. Boat - Skytrain - Mall to the aquarium in the basement. At full price for myself and half price for L-- (being over 80 cm tall), the price was pretty steep. But it provided a good place to while away an hour or so. L-- set the pace, deciding which tanks to cruise by and which fish to study. I decided that when I am an architect specializing in public spaces, I will design museums with two tracks to keep the schools of children separate from the rest of us. A tank showed a school of fish moving together as with one motion, much like the swarms of children piling past us. Still, the larger tanks kept everyone occupied and the aquarium had a toddler area blissfully free of school uniforms.

Proud of myself for managing to feed the three of us in the mall food court - a shopping cart for both stroller and high chairs, and unidentified food - I ignored the clock and shopped for treats. Bears for the girls - after all, it was S--'s birthday. And novels for me - I read an impressive amount when keeping toddler hours. It was after 3:00 when we arrived back at the room, but my real downfall was that I had allowed S-- to sleep on the boat. Although it would have been mighty hard to prevent. Crying in the backpack, she threw her head back to howl and fell dead asleep. Head thrown back and mouth wide open. By the time I stepped off the boat, her whole body was limp and she was in a heavy sleep. Those sound 20 minutes prevented both her and her sister from napping the rest of the afternoon.

Dinner at the onsite restaurant, I shot for affordability. The girls shared macaroni and cheese, and I ordered Thai vegetable curry. Mighty tasty, but one bight of a red pepper and my mouth burned for the next hour.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Bangkok, Monday

I feel a bit like the life I want is just beyond my reach. As if by caring for my children, I'm relegated to living like a child - eating dinner when I'm told, napping every afternoon, and going to bed while the band still plays outside. A day of rest did not yield much sleep and the girls still spent much of the day fussing and bickering. Sitting in a darkened room listening to the music waft up from the riverside terrace below, its hard not to be resentful of Dave as he's off checking in with his office and catching up with his co-workers.

Still, in such a comfortable resort, its hard to complain. The grounds have plenty of paths far long enough for a 2-year-old's legs. Staff often stop to amuse us, playing drums and cutting flowers for the girls. The children's room is bright, clean and full of amusing toys.

Rather ironically, our lunch at McDonald's may have been the best part of our day. We sat near the play area, as this is where they placed the high chairs. A troop of Thai children between 3 and 5 years old set up camp next to us, eating ice cream cones and teasing each other. L-- finished her Chicken McNuggets quickly as they coaxed her into the playground with them and I watched my normally shy little girl disappear out of her shell and into the bright tubing of the playground.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Bangkok, Sunday

Our children can be remarkably well-behaved and able to amuse themselves if we keep them well-rested and well -ed. We all fell short in our missions today. With coughs lying in each of our throats, we kept each other awake for hours last night, so both girls started the day at a deficit. Although we kept them in fresh bananas and oranges through the morning, naptime came late and pushed back dinner.

That said, we guided ourselves through two of Bangkok's must-sees today, all seen via the river. The hotel water taxi ferried us to the Central Pier where we bought unlimited rides on the Chao Phraya Tourist Express Boat for 100 baht (about $3 USD). It turns out one ride only cost 15 baht - lesson learned. The river took us to the heart of Bangkok, really the heart of Thailand. The Royal Palace was built as a showpiece for the nation and along with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha shows beautifuly. No buildings were open, which gave the girls ample time to walk around outside and enjoy themselves.


The National Royal Palace

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Next we walked next door to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Both of these temples require appropriate dress - although it seemed they only enforced the no shoes rule. Still, we all got a kick out of walking in a public place in our stocking feed. The paintings on the walls kept both girls entertained and Lilly loved the plink plink of coins falling into rows of small tin pails as offerings. Although the world-renowned school for Thai massage lets their students practice on tourists outside the temple, we sadly decided that the girls couldn't wait the 30-minutes, so we grabbed lunch and headed back for a late nap and some time by the pool.

The Reclining Buddha

"plink, plink"

The hotel fronts a shopping center with a wide variety of goods and cheaper eats, so we grabbed a Thai meal and headed straight to bed. A run to the Lotus/Tesco/Esso down the street yielded diapers and wipes, setting us up for the week to come.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Bangkok, Saturday

To make up fo the late night, we allowed ourselves to sleep until we almost missed breakfast. The buffet, included in the price of our upgraded room, included many international favorites from pancakes and fresh fruit to fried rice and pickled vegetables. Dave ate Asian, but the girls and I filled up on watermelon and sweet breads. With high chairs for the kids and shaded tables facing the river, it made a lovely start to our day. After lunch we took the hotel's water taxi down the river. Even though it clearly serves as a garbage-filled city thoroughfare, a ride along the river was pleasant and the smell of our freshly applied bug spray covered any scent of the garbage floating by. The boat dropped us at the Skytrain - childfriendly except for the sporadic escalators. We took it all the way to the end, to the Chatuchak Weekend Market.


The market is stall upon stall selling anything you can think of. Apparently this market runs to over 35 acres and is the largest outdoor market in the world. In the midst of it, its hard to tell that its outdoors, although in the middle of the hot season I'm sure that the crowds seething through the small aisles and into the matchbox shops, one on top of another, would feel the hottest place in town and one would no doubt remember they're outside.


We spent longer than intended in the pet section, watching piles of puppies, mice, kitties and a woman with nearly immobile chipmunks placed along her arms and legs. Her sign read NO PHOTOS, or I certainly would show you. We saw candlesticks, clothes, kitchen tools and more in the hours we spent wandering up and down, and yet we barely scratched the surface. Food stands abound, selling loads of freshly cooked morsels, if you can get past the lack of refrigeration before your chicken hits the grill. Noisy, busy and brightly colored, the market kept our girls interested for hours, and was certainly the most fun Dave has ever had while shopping.


We tried skipping naps entirely, and ended up with a cranky bunch by 4:00 so we spent the evening exploring the hotel. With multiple restaurants, a beautiful pool with kiddy corner, a children's club and a spa, the girls and I could keep ourselves happily amused here while Dave spends his week in meetings. We certainly whiled away an easy evening.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Bangkok, Friday

We left the airport to a blast of thick, tropical air. Warm and humid at 10:00 at night. The Bangkok heat in December turned out to be quite comfortable. Temperatures hovered in the mid- to upper-80s with relatively high humidity. Wearing shorts and T-shirts, and dipping in the pool to cool off helped us not to notice the warmth. Rather, we felt bizarre hearing Christmas music and thinking about the time of year. How could it be this warm in December?

At the airport, Dave made the rookie mistake of hiring a car without a meter, and once piled into the car the price rose by a few hundred baht. We haggled the entire way to the hotel, and left a very frustrated driver with the originally agreed upon price. But once here, we knew we had arrived. This week we travel on Uncle H--'s dime, and in Bangkok he does not disappoint. The Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa immediately made a good impression. As Dave checked us in, I and two very sleepy little girls lounged on the couches dotting the check-in lounge. Smiling staff brought us chilled fruit juice and kept the girls smiling. We chose to upgrade to a suite, in the hopes that the extra space would be family friendly, and we're glad we did. With no walls to separate sleepers, the suite at least buys us a luxurious amount of space (plus a free mini-bar and a huge bathub). We set up the girls' travel beds - some of the best baby gear we have ever bought - and each of us fell asleep as our heads hit the mound of soft pillows.

I Hate It Here

I've said it out loud. I hate it here.

The dryer broke down, full of sopping wet socks and t-shirts.

The faucet stopped working. It will only blast scalding hot water.

The bathrooms both hold a funky smell - strong, funky, and not from our bodies.

Dave worked all night last night and is bordering on being late today.

And then there was yesterday. And this whole prior week, where all 4 of us have been sick for over 1 week each.

We fired our ayi before she even started because she kept upping her price.

I can't do it anymore. I hate it here.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Homecoming

The flights for the following itinerary have been confirmed, not any change, non refund. We are coming home!

Jan 31 - Fly from Shanghai to Chicago
Feb 5 - Drive from Chicago to St. Louis
Feb. 12 - Fly from St. Louis to London, England (the girls will stay in St. Louis)
Feb. 17 - Fly from London to St. Louis
Feb. 21 - Drive from St. Louis to Chicago
Feb. 26 - Fly from Chicago
Feb. 27 - to Shanghai

With the Bad-China-Day I'm having, I wish it were sooner... and for much longer.

Leaving tomorrow for Bangkok for a week.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

1st Birthday

We celebrated S--'s birthday today. The big ONE YEAR. Somehow, this little ball of snuggles has managed to keep the symptoms of collic for a full year - quite impressive, really. And a fact for which I intend to receive pats of sympathy from other mothers for years to come.


But despite the random outbursts of screaming and inconsolability, S-- has also grown into a delightful and unique individual. Her hair short, dark and straight frames her face as a boy, and her darker colors best complement her complexion so often the poor girl is taken for a boy. She seems not to mind a bit. In fact, S-- has a grin for any person she sees. In a full elevator, she can have every adult talking to her. Walking down a busy street, she sometimes manages to turn every head. In the land of black hair and dark skin, her light skin and thin hair draw attraction everywhere she goes. The same is true of her sister, with blue eyes and blonde hair. But while her sister withdraws from every stranger's touch, S-- revels in it. She will talk to anyone, as long as they will talk to her.


She delights in sharing what makes her smile - from placing a Cheerio in your mouth, to gasping as she places a leaf on your lap. She will eat anything, from spicy Indian food to steamed peas.


She is a difficult child, prone to temper tantrums and long crying spells. But she is also a strong child, learning to comfort herself and able to catch herself when she falls. She loves being in the company of others, and she revels in her newfound ability to explore the world around her.

She is most at home in the water. She can spend hours at the pool, and endless time in the bathtub. She doesn't flinch if a bucket of water is dumped on her head. And whereas on dry land, she tumbles all over, in the water she may slip, but her face never touches the water.

Her smile is infectious. Her body is so snuggly. And when she is not driving me mad, she is an amazing little girl.

The cake tasted good, even though it took 20 minutes longer to cook because the oven wouldn't maintain a constant temperature. The frosting tasted good, even though it hardened too fast and we had to eat it like candy on the side. The ice-cream tasted good, even though they had no vanilla. Opening the presents was fun, even though there was no family to share.

Despite the negatives, all of the positives were true. We shared a lovely birthday party with our friends. We ate tasty cake and ice-cream and opened many fun presents. We had a lovely evening. And we are all exhausted.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Drinking Tea

I've been knocked out sick since Thursday afternoon. This has led to some comic scenes in our house. Ones where our kitchen and dining room resemble movie sets, with every dish sullied and paper plates strewn about, every surface covered with some sort of food and empty milk cartons lying sideways on the counter.

My main symptom is a sore throat. The cure for this sore throat is hot drinks. Luckily, I reside in China, the home of tea.

Hot tea can be bought anywhere, and comes in three basic styles:
green tea - where the leaves are the least processed, and still look much like leaves
oolong tea - somewhere in the middle, although I don't understand the process
red tea - black tea, in the West; where the leaves are the most processed, and look more like herbs

You can order any of these three teas at a tea house, and you will be served. It is akin to ordering a glass of white wine at a restaurant. The wait staff will simply choose which variey for you. And the varieties are very, very many. I've found a few I like and can remember, although none that I don't like. Dave is the same.

Tea is served differently in China. There is no steeping, and the leaves are not kept separate. Leaves are placed in the bottom of a teapot. Hot water is poured on top. You immediately pour your first cup of hot tea. The wait staff generally refill the hot water in the teapot quickly. If you reach the bottom of your teapot, the dregs will be leaves. Sometimes you will see people with leaves in their teeth, and know they've just finished a thermos of tea.

This is the other notable thing about tea in China. It is drunk everywhere. Every taxi driver keeps a thermos of tea just under his right elbow, and drinks from it while he drives. Street vendors will have a glass jar sitting at their feet, full of hot water with leaves floating at the top. Ceremony is not the important part - just the tea.

Most teas have different powers, much like medicine. Some are for sour stomachs, some are for fertility, some are for old age. I'm quite confident there exists a tea for any conceivable ailment.

Traditionally, the Chinese do not order drinks with their meals. They drink tea or they drink soup, which is always a broth of some sort - never cream based. As fruit juices become popular, this is less true. Often you'll see a table at a restaurant with everyone drinking from tall, frothy, bright pink watermelon juices. They taste fantastic.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Becoming a bit more Chinese

We took a foray into China this weekend.

Yes, we live in China. But its easy to forget, if we keep to the right places. Our compound is quite international, and most of the staff speak English. I shop at the import grocery store, where they stock plenty of cheese and cookies.

Across the street from the main entrance to our compound is an alley. Step through the gate, and you step into China. You don't hear English, and you rarely see it written. They're not selling muffins or pizza, although they are selling DVDs. We walked along past markets and food stalls, ordered various tidbits for lunch and chatted with a few locals.

2 orders steamed dumplings: 6 RMB
1 order fried rice: 5 RMB
2 bottles water: 5 RMB

This meal fed a family of 4. Granted, 2 of the four have pretty little bellies. Still, when you're in the real China, its amazing how far your money goes. 16 RMB is just around USD$2.

And I've got to brag a bit. I ordered the fried rice entirely in Chinese. I'll admit, I did a lot of saying I'd like that, but I also asked her a question and understand everything she said to me. I guess I learned something in my language class.

Devil keeps us from Church

I don't have a very good understanding of good and evil, and I certainly don't have a formed opinion on how active the devil is in the world. But I do know that we had a really hard time making it to church on Sunday morning.

We gave up on the two Protestant English-language churches in Shanghai because they both hold services during naptime.

We tried small groups, but bringing the girls made it difficult to participate.

Then we were connected to this "Sunday School," which is not a state-sanctioned church. The government allows it because a large business owner asked to establish it. Rather than lose his business, they allowed him to establish a "Bible Study" near his office. But don't call it a church.

The first week, we hopped in a taxi and called our connection for directions. Our connection had turned off his phone. We went out for brunch instead.

The second week, we contacted someone else for directions. She emailed them. We couldn't print them until Monday.

The third week, the store delivered our Christmas Tree between 10:00 and noon on Sunday morning. When you don't speak the language, you have very little room for negotiation on things such as these.

This week, S-- was up for over an hour in the middle of the night. I was feeling sick. L-- slept late, usually a sign that she's coming down with something, too.

But we forged ahead, and made it. The building was rather small, and the sanctuary was full. There was a baby room in the back with about 4 other 2-year-olds very close to L--'s age. The parents were friendly, and the service was piped into the room over a loud speaker. The preaching was a bit conservative for my tastes - but I figure its not fair to judge a preacher on his interpretation of the verse telling women to submit to their husbands.

We really enjoyed it, and plan to return. The drawback is that it starts at 10:00am and its a 45 minute taxi ride away. Our girls usually sleep until 9:00, so that makes it a rough morning. But worth it, we hope.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Promotion

Only a few short months into his career in China, and already Dave is running everything.

I'm not kidding.

The person who ran Dave's department for all of China resigned a few weeks ago, and Dave was named as her replacement. Quite an honor, really, to jump to the top of the office hierarchy within a few weeks. And Dave seems quite happy, enjoying his responsibilities and determining much of his own focus.

The downside is that Dave feels more pressure to work long hours and do his very best. This pressure now comes from within him, which makes him happier. But it still keeps him away from home long hours. We're becoming a family that does not eat dinner together every night, which makes us both sad.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Taking Candy from Strangers

I'm getting into a van with two strange men.

I texted to Dave.

But why worry him, I thought. I cancelled the text message.

This as I rode in a van with two strange men.

Folks with vans seem to have IKEA figured out. They do their shopping, and then offer someone a ride home. They charge roughly double what a taxi would charge, but you have to take it because you can't get a taxi. First, you're probably so heavy laden that you wouldn't fit in a taxi alongside your purchases. Second, IKEA's parking lot is so arranged that you can't take your shopping cart away from the front door. If you can't carry your purchase a long block to the street, you can't get a taxi.

All of this is a boon for the friend-with-a-truck.

This is the week of IKEA for me, and I've ridden with these friends twice. Last night, his friend had bunk beds. They sat in the front of the van singing and laughing the whole way home - about a 40 minute drive. Tonight, the friend had a chair, shelves and a large empty box. And they expected me to sit in the front seat with them. There were only bucket seats. I walked away, so they set up the back seat and broke down their empty box.

Last night, I thought I was negotiating with a taxi driver. Tonight, I knew better.
Last night, the driver and his friend were both very helpful, picking up my furniture, gathering my tax receipt and pushing my carts. Tonight, no such luck.
Last night, they had a seat prepared for me in the car. Tonight, I had to fight for it.

Still, I made it home both times, safe and sound. And I suppose I ought not complain about the price, either. I paid about $10 for a 40 minute ride at 10:00 at night, plus delivery of my plates, pillows and comforters.

The Hiring Process, part 3

It's a hit, and we're holding on 1st.

Ayi Jen came over on Monday evening while I fixed dinner for the girls. She played with S--, who loved her. She interacted with L--, who did not run away screaming. These are both good signs. As I finished dinner, she kept both girls happy and occupied. As the girls were occupied, she pick up the living room.

I hired her on the spot.

She starts December 17th.

I suppose its still possible that she'll turn out to be a dud, so we won't call it a homerun yet. We'll be running the bases for a few weeks making sure that she's a good fit. But I feel really good about her. I like her, and she kept herself very busy the whole time she was here. She speaks very little English, and the Chinese she speaks fluently is not the Chinese that I'm learning. But she reads well, and the internet is full of translation vehicles.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The Wallet Code

Everyone taxis in Shanghai.

They're plentiful at any hour, quick, direct, and affordable. A ride on the Metro costs less, but also brings you mighty close to many strangers and cheats you of the view that matches your travel. Taxiing lets you ride in relative comfort, getting to know the city and its twists and turns as you go. Without children, a taxi is the preferred way to get around town.

And everyone has left their wallet in a taxi, at least once.

Many people have amazing stories. One woman was dropped at a school for a meeting. She didn't even realize her wallet was gone, and went straight inside and to her conference room. The cab driver returned with her wallet, peeked into the windows, and found his way into the room where she sat.

We took a family outing via taxi on Saturday night. These are always fraught with difficulty, and this evening was no different. Both girls were screaming, rolling all over the seats, falling out the doors and altogether ready to be rid of the taxi by the time we reached our destination. We quickly fell out the doors, paid the driver and ran into the house where we met our church group for a potluck dinner.

Within 5 minutes, Dave ran past me saying We've got a problem. Then he disappeared for about 20 minutes.

I've advised him never to do this again, as my imagination went wild with these 4 words.

As you've all imagined, Dave set his wallet on top of the taxi to pay the driver. He never removed it. He walked up and down the roads outside the home, and then enlisted the help of our host to walk the roads again. Coming up short, they sat down to dinner. We discussed the implications of losing his driver's license and how much money was in the wallet.

The doorbell rang.

The taxi driver found the wallet and had driven back to return it. He asked no reward. Only pilfered the cash inside the wallet before ringing the bell.

Apparently, this is the code. Taxi drivers always do their very best to return anything of value left in their car. Just don't expect any spending money upon your receipt.

Our Home

The weekend saw us all over town.

On Saturday, we rode up the Oriental Pearl Tower for amazing views of the city. As we are able to see the Pearl Tower from our windows, likewise we were able to see our home from the windows of the Pearl Tower. The Pearl Tower is L--'s favorite landmark, and she was amazed at being inside of it. She talks about riding the elevator in the Pearl Tower every day now. And it was well worth the price tag - especially on a clear day, as Saturday was. Add it to your To Do List when you visit.

On Sunday, we bought a Christmas tree (delivered straight to our house), attended a Christmas Fair for stockings, stocking stuffers and grilled burgers - the weather was in the high 70s. During naptime, we popped in the festive music and decorated our new home.

Our camera accompanied us on this festive weekend, allowing you a better idea of where we live.




This photo is taken with the front door and the kitchen door at my back. To the left, between the Living Room and the Dining Room, a hallway leads to the bedrooms. The balcony behind the tree faces the Pearl Tower. Its a nice size and well furnished and we feel quite at home within our walls.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

A Shanghai Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving treated me to two feasts, and Dave as well. We each went out to Chinese food, Dave with his co-workers and I with my language class. We feasted on Cantonese food with various dumplings, pork, mixed vegetables and fish dishes. The food tasted wonderful and I enjoyed the company. I learned a few new words during the class, but mainly got to know my classmates and teacher.

This evening we had reservations at a diner - the quintessential American restaurant. Dave arrived home late, so we arrived at the restaurant late accompanied by two hungry and rather grumpy girls. They served a sub-par turkey dinner which we ate quickly to avoid babies losing patience. We learned that S-- likes beets and pumpkin pie. We were reminded that L-- can eat an entire piece of chocolate cake no matter how full she may otherwise be.

I went into it rather excited about celebrating Thanksgiving in a new way. And although I enjoyed my Chinese meal this noon, the supper felt like any other rushed dinner out where the girls were overhungry and the food was average. It only served to remind me that Thanksgiving is less about the food and more about the company. We miss you all today.

As we go to bed tonight, you'll be rising to cook your feasts. Happy Thanksgiving!

L--'s post

+6+++++++++
6
5410..3


000
3
3
0
000000000001120200202.0202023213223
2
3323jnnhx xslXkzZKLLLLLL


.
..3//
/
/

Turn It Off

Turn it off.

She had only been napping for half an hour. We usually get at least one-and-a-half hours of solid sleep in the afternoon, if not two. She must be talking in her sleep - its way too early for her to wake up.

Turn it off.

Her groggy voice sounded again. There was definitely a problem.

I went into her room.

Turn it off,

she said again. Turn what off? I asked.

Bang, bang.

Shanghai may be the world's largest construction site. We've heard that the majority of Caterpillar's cranes stand in Shanghai, and I believe it. We can see four out our window. Some times crews work 24-hours a day. I've read that a new Chinese law imposes timing limits, and that construction should cease from 10:00pm until 6:00am. This law rarely seems enforced.

They're pretty constantly working on the road outside our building. No one seems to know what they're doing. They're a large hole in the road - large, like double the size of an average American backyard. A crane raises and lowers large pieces of metal and machinery through the hole. They could be building a new metro line or a tunnel, but no one knows of plans for either.

The workers run welders, drop large pipes and blow whistles relentlessly. I feel new sympathy for the houses surrounding our high school marching band's practice field.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

The Hiring Process, part 2

Strike 1 - I was disappointed in the ayi I met on Friday.

Ball 1 - The friend-of-a-friend ayi is not available right now.

At bat - My language teacher's ayi.

Ayi Jen will come over on Monday evening and spend a few hours with our girls. She works 2 mornings a week for my language teacher, and full-time for a Norwegian-British family with 3 children. They return to Europe at the end of the month, and Ayi Jen needs a new family.

Amusingly, I had convinced myself to quit my language class this afternoon. I don't study enough. I can't pronounce or differentiate the tones. I never remember the vocabulary. And if that weren't enough, the teacher is pretty crummy. She's drilled how to say "I'd like a glass of red wine," and "I'd like a bottle of beer," into me but only once discussed how to count to ten. It felt like a complete waste of time, and I felt like a total failure. I was done.

Until the phone rang, and my teacher wanted to introduce me to her ayi. How can I quit her class when she may provide me with a fabulous helper?

So I'm sticking. And I'm conducting interview #2 with ayi #3 on Monday evening.

Monday, November 19, 2007

english

I've got to share the good news:

I just found the language button on the blogger administrative page - I can now tell exactly what I'm doing! You now have the right to expect changes to more than the content.

Gosh, I'm really figuring this China thing out, aren't I?

A Good China Weekend

I’m a short story reader. Not just short stories. I like essays, stories, travel writing, anything that can be published in a magazine. I mean, a good novel certainly has its place. But if I can finish it in under half an hour, its even better. And if writing can deliver its punch in under two minutes, I’m loving it.

I read a piece on A Prairie Home Companion’s website about attending a friend’s funeral. Long before she died, the friend had left a phone message for herself – a bit of a pep talk. They played it at the funeral. All of this is good stuff for a story, but the pep talk really punched me in the gut. Her talk ended with,

"When you think about it, life is not all that bad. You've just got to get a routine going, and when things pop up, take a deep breath, maybe two, and you'll be okay. That's all."

Life here is getting much easier as I’m getting a routine going. But I need to work on those deep breaths. Because she was right, wasn’t she? That is all.

Take a few deep breaths. Turn on some good music. Watch your kids smile.

Everything really will be okay.

A Real Date

Dave and I enjoyed an evening without children for the first time since we came to Shanghai. The babysitters arrived just after L—and S—finished their dinner, and enjoyed a fun few hours of playtime and movie watching while Dave and I hit the town.

Still newcomers, we headed toward the tourist haunts. We first jumped a cab to the old city. Across the river, but otherwise quite near to our home, the cab ride only took 10 minutes. On a misty November evening, this tourist attraction was rather quiet. The old city itself is a large area where the buildings look traditionally Chinese and markets and corner food stalls abound. But at the center of the old town, encircling a traditional Chinese garden (Yu Garden) is the Temple of the City God. During the cultural revolution, this temple became a market and has remained a beautiful tourist attraction. The eaves of this classical architecture were strung with white lights, making the entire place resemble the Kansas City Plaza at Christmas and lending a festive air to the dreary evening. Streets surround this portion of town, but within the temple you walk along alleys and through open-air buildings and markets. The shops cater to tourists, selling uniquely Chinese items at above-market prices and were lovely for window shopping. The undisputed home of Shanghai’s best steamed buns lies smack in the center of the bazaar, and we indulged. We agree – these are by far the best buns we’ve had anywhere. Our promise - all visitors will be taken at least once!

On to dinner, we headed toward a restaurant to dine on the ubiquitous hairy crab. Grown in the rivers surrounding Shanghai, these fresh water crabs are the local food in Shanghai, and raved about on most food websites. Most hotels host “hairy crab extravaganzas,” featuring unlimited seafood and crab. Restaurants tout having the best, the freshest, the largest hairy crabs in the city. So I find it amazing that we were unable to get any for dinner. Upon a recommendation, we went to a restaurant where we were the only Westerners. We felt quite proud of ourselves, until we were unable to understand our waitress and why she told us we could not have the crab we pointed to. And we never received the crab she pointed to. So we ate a lovely meal of crab fried rice and crab wrapped shrimp, and since we were both a bit afraid of tearing apart these little crustaceans for our meal, we’re going to count that as our hairy crab experience and be done with it.

The rest of the evening we spent walking in the damp autumn air, snuggled in our coats, watching the lights and the streams people. We explored a bookstore, toured a small museum, and ended up on the sidewalk outside a coffee house where we finished our evening with steaming mugs of vanilla flavored steamed milk.

The Happy Hosts

Our family played host to Dave’s coworkers this weekend for a chili dinner. Initially meant to be an American-style BBQ at the community grills, we could not effectively communicate with our management to book a grill and picnic table. So we moved inside. A better choice anyway, as the sky drizzled and the wind blew most of the day. We fixed a big pot of chili, a hot pan of homemade corn bread, and a box of brownies.

Guests arrived right on time – 11:30am. About 15 of Dave’s coworkers came, their arms loaded down with presents. They brought clothes for the girls, snacks and beer for our house, and steamed buns to add to the meal. The steamed buns were the perfect complement to hot chili, but I’ll admit that the rest of the snacks remain unopened.

They also brought two bags of ice-cream. Asian ice-cream comes in single-serve containers, and in un-American flavors like green tea (rather bland) and peanut (yum!).

Everyone seemed to enjoy the chili, and raved over the brownies. The cornbread went almost entirely untouched. So now we have plans for treating the office with batches of homemade cookies, fudge and brownies occasionally.

In retrospect, we realized that the meal we fixed was distinctly un-Asian. In a Chinese restaurant, food comes out as soon as it leaves the burner. Everyone eats family style – most tables have a large lazy susan in the center to enhance sharing. A host orders more dishes than people, and you take a few bights of everything on the table. As American hosts, we made one large pot of stew and provided a few small things on the side. People ate small servings of chili, and kept nibbling on everything else – as is their custom. Next time we’ll add more to our feast.

But we all enjoyed a lovely afternoon. S—loved the attention, Dave enjoyed spending time with his coworkers in a setting outside the office, and I asked and answered questions in a pleasant conversation. The more I settle into a routine, the less I run into local Chinese people, so these conversations were a real treat.

Sunday night we played host again, this time to Sheila and her family. Our agent has also become our neighbor and friend, and her three daughters have become L—‘s favorite people in Shanghai (2 of the 3 are the aforementioned babysitters). They came over for tacos, and we all enjoyed some lively conversation and playing with toys.

We went to bed thoroughly exhausted after all of the cooking, cleaning and entertaining. And feeling a bit more like we fit-in in our new home.

Friday, November 16, 2007

The Hiring Process, Part 1

Ayi Jenny came over this afternoon during naptime. I told her our family's needs and expectations while the girls slept. She smiled and nodded at everything I said - a possible indication that she understood very little. I was less concerned about her answers to my questions, and more interested in watching her interact with the girls.

L-- woke up first. L-- has a strong shy side, especially when tired. She watched Ayi Jenny, but would not leave my side or speak a word. Ayi Jenny didn't mind.

S-- did not rise on her own, so we all went in to wake her up. Upon seeing the sleeping S--, Ayi Jenny gasped with delight. I love babies! S-- woke up quickly, and studied Ayi Jenny intensely for quite some time. Ayi Jenny gave her the space she needed to warm up, and quickly S-- was climbing into her lap and showing her toys. Ayi Jenny played with her, spoke to her, caught her when she fell, identified the need for a new diaper, and showed clear excitement about working with her.

She only spoke to L-- when spoken to, if then. This may be alright. L-- prefers making friends on her terms, rather than someone else's. But I fear that this scenario will push L-- into being a mama's girl and take S-- out of my arms. Of course, I'm not hiring a caretaker - I'm hiring someone to clean and do my laundry. How much does her interaction with the girls matter?

I think we'll see if there are any other interested candidates. If you know anyone with expat experience who understands some English and wants full-time work, we pay 2,500 RMB per month (about $325). That's the top of the payscale, folks!

The Choice of Help

I’ve gotten over my guilt and I’ve made my decision. We’re hiring an ayi. Our first candidate will be here in just under an hour. She will help me 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I am entirely comfortable with this decision.

And with the decision made, I wonder how I ever tortured over it? When I was at home, I managed a house and two children without crying for help, I thought to myself. Why can’t I do that here, I tortured?

The answers to that question are simple:

1: Day to day life in China is more labor-intensive than in America. Going to the grocery store includes a 20 minute walk on either side. One load of laundry can take nearly all day. Veggies must be sterilized before ingested. Dishes must be washed by hand after every meal. With this schedule, we rarely have time to spend at the playground.

2: At home, I had help. My mother lived nearby. My friends swapped babysitting. I had my own car, with a backseat for storage.

3: America is a child-friendly country. The Chinese love children, but their cities are not built for them. With each of their thousands of families having only one child, there is no infrastructure for double strollers. Furthermore, Chinese custom leaves the retired grandparents to care for a child until they are 18 months or so and old enough to go to school full-time. Children are rarely taken along on everyday errands. Taxis do not have seat belts, let alone car seats. Grocery stores have stairs and no elevators. Sidewalks have high curbs but no ramps. The ADA would shut nearly every business down.

4: And let's be honest - I cried plenty because I couldn't manage a house, a yard, and 2 babies.

But enough of this documenting that a mother in a foreign country needs help. It is beside the point – the real question is, when did the choice to be my child’s primary caretaker become the choice to spend all of my waking (and sleeping) hours cooking for her, cleaning up after her and folding her laundry? The disdain for working mothers is more understandable, although no more justified. But why do American mothers feel they must choose between raising their children and caring for themselves? Of course I realize that few mothers in America have the choice of help. Fair enough - neither did I. But what of this guilt once I did have the option?

I’m now keen on the ayi movement. Shame its not an option for most middle-class women in the states. But as I have the choice, I will hire help. I will spend my time on pursuits inside and outside of my home. I will focus my energies on enjoying my children rather than cleaning up after them. And I probably will have a hard time returning to the states and my ayi-less life.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Cohabitation

Dave has never had his own room. One of 5 children, with both an older and a younger brother, Dave went from sleeping in the boys' room at home, to the dorms in college, straight to the marital bed. He's never had a space purely his own, and he thinks it made him who he is today. Laid back, generous and able to sleep through anything.

As the only girl, I always had my own room. I've always been able to close the door and keep my brothers out. I never had to listen to anyone snoring, or deal with lights going on and off while I slept. And Dave thinks it made me who I am today. Snotty, stubborn, and a very bad roommate.

And so our girls share a room.

I've given in, but I'll admit I'm not on board. I'm just waiting for the grand experiment to fail.

We're still in the trial stages. But so far, S-- has stopped sleeping through the night and they've both skipped more naps than I care to contemplate.

We have a 3-bedroom apartment, so they could have their own rooms. But we highly value keeping a guest room (hint, hint). Plus, their room looks mighty cute with their two little cribs in their opposite corners.

So sometimes poor S-- camps out in the guest room.

I'm still doubtful that this is a good idea.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Homesick

I feel myself struggling with homesickness more now than ever. This surprises me - finally I have a home, and am surrounded by my things. I can cook in my own pots and pans; I can snuggle up with my own blankets; I have piles of my own books and music. I feel at home in my apartment.

And maybe that's what makes it tough. This doesn't feel like vacation anymore. This is life, and its not going to change back to the way it was.

We put together S--'s crib last week. Neither Dave nor I are particularly handy. My Dad had helped me take it apart. As Dave and I tried to remember how to reassemble it, we had plenty of fits and starts. At one point we got the entire frame put together, only to realize that we'd screwed all of the pieces on inside out. We had to take it apart and start all over. And I thought, this wouldn't happen if my Dad were here. Which is unfair, really, because my Dad can be pretty spacy. I mean, we made plenty of silly mistakes when we took it apart in the states. But with my dad, it wouldn't be so hard. If I messed up, he'd help me. If I got frustrated, he'd calmly and quietly show me that it wasn't worth the upset. And I'd get to enjoy doing something with my dad. When Dave and I made mistakes, I wasn't laughing. And there wasn't anyone there to tell me it was no big deal, and to just laugh and keep going. And I knew that he wouldn't be there for any of it - not for a long time.

My folks go by Nana and Papa to the girls. Nana and Papa read some of the girls' favorite stories onto cassetes and sent them along with us. L-- and I listened to the tape for the first time a week ago. At first, she was amazed and spent more time watching the tape player than looking at the pictures. How did Nana and Papa get in there? But then, as most things in her 2-year-old life, she just accepted it as fact and settled in to listen to the stories. And I settled in, too. It's been a very long time since I've had my parents read me a bedtime story, but their style is the same. Listening to their storytelling voices made me feel like a kid again, snuggled up with Teddy in the crook of my arm and my blue blanket tucked up to my neck. Watching the pictures instead of following along with the words. And when the tape ended, L-- and I both said Nana and Papa read stories again!

I must have expected things to get easier once we settled in. I must have expected life in a residential area to be simpler than life in a business district.

But its not. Its still life in China. I'm still buying all of my groceries at the import grocery store. It took me days to work up the courage to buy plants from the vendor on the street, or DVDs from the hawker. I went to Carrefour today - much like Wal-Mart, this is a low-price superstore selling everything a Chinese home could need. People pushed me. I had to push other people. I confused the words for left (zuo) and right (you). The instructions on the laundry detergent were all in Chinese. The fish were still swimming, the chickens still had their feet and the pigs still had their eyes. I wanted to cry. I ate a Snickers bar just to make me feel like an American.

I keep reminding myself of the concentric circles I wrote about previously - my world will get larger day by day. Soon, I'm sure I'll find I have plenty within walking distance. But right now everyday things feel so difficult, and simple things feel so overwhelming.

Friday, November 09, 2007

A Whole Chicken

Something you may not know about me:

I am afraid of dead things.

When I pass a dead bird lying on the sidewalk, I scream.

When I see goldfish floating at the top of the aquarium, I shudder and walk quickly by.

When I'm served cod with the eyes bulging and the scales perfectly intact, I feel queasy.

And I certainly can't break a chicken's legs.

Today, the folks who deliver our fresh organic veggies also brought us a chicken. We asked that he be delivered in the Western style - no head, feet or inner organs. It should be easy from there, right?

I checked The Joy of Cooking. What, exactly, does one do with a whole chicken? The Rombauer women went into great detail about how to choose a chicken, the difference between a broiler and a roaster, and how to prepare the various types and sizes. Unfortunately, my chicken didn't come with a label and I've never been skilled at eyeballing poundage. The only thing I could tell for certain was that my little bird had little hairs sprouting out from his little skin. And this was the one thing The Joy of Cooking warned me against.

I tried.

I really did try.

I told myself its just chicken, and I've held chicken before.

I told myself they're just little hairs, and they'll just come right out. All chickens probably have little hairs, I told myself.

To avoid the hairs, I tried to skin the chicken . Just typing that made me cringe. This went alright around the breasts, but as I had to maneuver the wings and get around toward the poor little guy's rear end, I lost my nerve. The chicken, all of his hairs, and his skin covered little rear ended up in the garbage - which went immediately to the hallway dumpster.

I'm lucky my local grocer sells chicken breast for cheap. Cheap because who would want to eat the easy part? The neck and the feet come at a premium - now that's hard work. Oh my gosh.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

A Taxi Riders' World

L--, S-- and I hopped a taxi to Thumb Plaza this morning to meet a group of moms. Thumb Plaza fits into the new American wave of malls, shops stacked two stories high and circling a large outdoor courtyard. We lunched at Moon River Diner, where the back of the t-shirts proudly exclaim "no chopsticks necessary," and the high chairs just keep on coming. Also located at Thumb Plaza were lovely coffee shops, restaurants and bakeries as well as household, grocery and many other useful stores. A short walk away we found a small book shop stocked with both American and Chinese language children's books and a large supply of Crayola crayons and paints. Each book was priced so low, I felt the urge to leave quickly before they realized how vastly I underpaid. We bought 2 board books and 4 picture books - Curious George, Kevin Henkes and the like - for 95 RMB, or about USD$12.

Neither of these are within walking or Metro distance.

The more I explore, the larger my walkable world becomes. But still, with the choice of playgrounds and green grass within easy walking distance it becomes inevitable that the stores and restaurants are a bit of a hike. I don't feel that we need a car full-time, and hiring on a daily basis is hit-or-miss by availability. Plus, hiring a car for the day costs around $50 while two taxi rides costs under $6. Economics ought not drive decisions regarding my children's safety, but maybe they can place a close second?

This is not something I want to give in on. But my world feels so small right now, which seems a shame in such a large and vibrant city.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

To ayi or not to ayi

For those of you unacquainted with Chinese expatriate lingo, an ayi is basically a housekeeper. I spoke with a woman this morning whose ayi works from 10am - 8pm Monday through Saturday, and she pays her 2,000 RMB per month. That's about $250, or about $1 an hour. Ayis always clean, and often cook, pay the bills, do the shopping and/or look after the children. Families with both parents working outside the home often hire one ayi for each child, and then another 1-2 ayis just to keep the house. This is so common that I have not yet met, or even heard about, any expat in Shanghai who does not have an ayi.

Many people also hire a driver. It is quite difficult to obtain a driver's license in Shanghai, let alone to manage driving. A friend has a new mini-van with driver at her disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 11,000 RMB per month. That's nearly $1,500. Much pricier than an ayi, although many companies will foot the bill for expats. Uncle H-- does not.

All this to explain that having a staff in China is quite common.

And not something I'm particularly interested in.

I have said before that I intend to hire both. I have probably also mentioned that I feel no need to hire either. I waver on a regular basis. I think I've decided to try living without a driver, but hiring one for the day as necessary. That cost is closer to $50 a day, a manageable expense if we only use him 3-6 times a month.

But the ayi leaves me torn. And I'm starting to question, why am I so opposed to hiring one?

The simple fact is that everyone hires an ayi. This is no matter of peer pressure. It's more a matter of having no reason not to. If you can easily afford to have someone handle all of your daily chores and grunt work, why wouldn't you?

Just to be troublesome, I came up with a good answer.

We're trying to live simply. Beyond that, we're trying to save money while still availing ourselves of all opportunities to travel. Bali and Bangkok will not come cheap, and maybe we'd prefer trips like this to a clean home.

But then, there's last night.

Dave came home on time - right around 6:30.

The girls woke up on time, if not a bit late - right around 5:30.

Within this hour, I hoped to fix dinner so we could all sit down as soon as Dave came in the door.

Both children spent most of their time either climbing on me, or attempting to climb on the hot oven. The time they weren't monkeying around near burning hot objects, they spent pushing, pinching and bighting each other. Trying to attend to a gas stove and a bit child at the same time is nearly impossible.

And I thought, how am I supposed to do this?

I could hire an ayi.

Or I could get by like many mothers of young children do - by getting by. But is there any sense in making my life this difficult? And furthermore, most mothers of young children and few means live within an extended family setting, where they still have help caring for the children. Is that a fair statement? So maybe one of the curses of money is that it makes it so simple to distance ourselves from needing our families and communities.

I'll let you know what I decide.

Carefully worded thoughts piling up in my head

I fear I have been away too long.


Following the old adage of if you've nothing good to say..., I was saying nothing at all.


Not to imply that I am miserable, by any means. But it has been a difficult week.


By the end of the day on Saturday, we had most of the boxes unpacked. Within a few days, we had all of our furniture constructed. And I love our new home - within our walls, I feel entirely comfortable and at home. This is a blessing I do not take lightly.


But we moved outside of the center of town. Whereas before, we were living within a 5 minute walk of Dave's office, loads of great restaurants - both Western and Chinese, the grocery store, the book shop, and plenty of interesting places to walk.


We've traded those things for a complex with lawns for playing, playgrounds for climbing and fountains for splashing. These things I appreciate, and will provide my girls' with a fuller life. But the grocery store is now a 20 minute walk. And the bookstore is now a 35 minute walk. And meeting Dave at a restaurant for dinner means that we eat at 7:00 - way too late for our little ones. We're still in a downtown area, but across the river from the center of town. It's not the suburbs by a long shot - like American suburbs, there we would rely upon a car to go anywhere, and Dave's commute would be well over 1 hour each way. Here it is 30-45 minutes, unless he gets lost.

Here, I expected to meet many other mothers in my situation. We'd quickly become friends, and our children would enjoy each other's company while we were able to chat calmly behind them.

So far, every trip to the playground has netted zero other English speakers. My Chinese doesn't get much more complex than I would like a glad of red wine, so those intimate relationships on the playground have yet to develop.

The no-friends nowhere-to-go combo left me feeling pretty isolated. What's more, Dave had to work all day Sunday. All day meaning he left home around 7am and returned home around 11pm. I learned to appreciate cable tv that day... which only made me feel more isolated.

That was the low point.

Since then, we've reaffirmed that this is where we want to live and I've connected to some moms within walking distance. I've heard about good restaurants close by, and I have some leads on some interesting shopping. It's not Puxi, but it may not be bad, either.

Friday, November 02, 2007

A Wild Week

I'm afraid this week won't get the narrative it so rightly deserves. After a short visit to Xiamen with Uncle H--, we shoved our portion of the hotel into bags and moved into our new apartment. We've spent the last few days buying and assembling furniture (still not nearly done), slowly unpacking bags and boxes, eating out a lot, exploring our new neighborhood bit by bit, and trying to plan our holiday in Bali - apparently most of the country is already booked over Christmas.

Xiamen
As far as testing our girls' ability to jump onto a plane Saturday morning, enjoy a bit of foreign land, and jump back on a return flight Sunday evening - we failed miserably. The girls were troopers, and Dave's child-loving young co-workers helped considerably. We hardly saw S-- the entire weekend, as people fought to hold her. But waking early one day, going to bed late the next, and needing to skip naps both days is just not something two babies can physically manage. In the future, our short trips will be roadtrips, and we'll save the flights for extended weekends.

Xiamen itself is rather nondescript and not worth much time. Upon arrival, our crew of about 23 people (L-- and S-- were joined by only one other child) climbed aboard a tour bus and were shuttled about town for the rest of the weekend.


First stop was a 1,300 year old Buddhist temple climbing the wooded hills of this oceanfront town.


The main pagodas rest on level ground, and were filled with smoking red sticks of incense and people bowing quickly to the many golden idols.


Past these first few buildings, the rest of the complex consisted of small pagodas and caves along stairways and paths winding their way up the hill. They went up much further than our 2-year-old's legs could climb, but the farther away from the McDonalds eating masses bowing to the golden Buddhas on the ground, the more serene and beautiful each temple felt.

The tour progressed to various Chinese banquets, an island with Colonial architecture, a boat ride and the university campus. Each was lovely, but rather unremarkable and probably not worth the tired infants we forced through the trip. But for the opportunity to get to know Dave's co-workers in a new setting and be introduced to plenty of Chinese food in an informal banquet style, the trip was well worth it. And since L-- and S-- were surrounded by so many friends in Dave's coworkers, they may have even agreed.

Our New Home
We now have a permanent address and no more housekeeping. But don't worry about that - we're on the prowl for an ayi to cook, clean and shop for us. My understanding is that a part-time ayi will cost us around $50 a month - and never scrubbing the toilet, mopping the floor or doing my own laundry is well worth the cost, I've decided. Still, we're currently dealing with mess ourselves. Our shipment was delivered as a mass of boxes, and our things came from the hotel in suitcases and bags. But the furnished apartment came with beds, couches and televisions but only a shopping allowance for shelves, dressers and other storage. So we made an immediate run to IKEA and handed over a ridiculous amount of cash for a desk, two dressers, a set of shelves, a file cabinet, 1 rug, 1 set of sheets, 1 blanket and various other household needs. We're living amongst piles of toys, blankets of books and overflowing suitcases until we finish assembling IKEA's DIY furniture. The goal is to be finished and unpacked by the end of the weekend. With no other plans - except to make a nice pot of chili - I think we can do it.

A few photos of our old home. This is Hong Kong Plaza, our hotel (serviced apartment), viewed from the park across the street:



And this is People's Square and the Shanghai Museum, the view out of our former Living Room window:


Booking in Bali
Rather than spend a sad Christmas alone in our highrise apartment, we're shipping ourselves to Bali for a tropical holiday. After two nights and one day in Singapore, we'll spend seven nights in Bali. We arranged the flights without realizing just how booked these two countries would be at this time. Singapore, land of the outrageously priced hotels, was looking like it might cost around $450 a night until we stumbled upon the Robertson Quay Hotel, where we're booked for 2 nights and a late check-out to cover naptime - all for under $300, total. On to Bali, where we were becoming quite concerned that we'd be stuck paying thousands of dollars to stay at Club Med rather than our preference, the more affordable boutique hotels in smaller communities. After a lot of searching and talking to people, we've booked the first four nights in Ubud and are working on the last 3 nights on the beach. It seems we won't spend Christmas homeless, although we will be spending midnight on New Year's Eve with our children at the Singapore airport - our connecting flight won't leave for Shanghai until 2:00 in the morning!

With all of these plans made, and you all caught up, we can put all of our energy into the weekend's task of making this place feel like home.