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Nike run and a mall walk (you know I hate malls)…

At a K2Fit event (a local workout group I go to) I met a couple people who are members of the Nike run club. My friend Nicole and I were invited to it.

While we were at the K2Fit event, e had a little fun with the skeleton decoration:

Back to the Nike run. We ran 3.5 miles through a pedestrian area. What is fun here is that it is where lots of people go to spend time and is over a labyrinth of malls, restaurants, and parking areas. We ran through one section of a mall that goes underneath a 10 lane highway. I vowed to go back and look around some more. It started at the Nike store. Afterwards they provided bananas and water. It was fun. Only our friend spoke English. But it is not required to understand in order to run.

It was a fun run. There were 3 groups of runners from fast to slow and we had a pacer with a light to follow. In the picture above is my friend Nicole and Ryan, a Chinese national who speaks decent English.

That weekend I walked back from a spoets store I normally go to. I wanted to see if I could make it back now that I am learning about how the labyrinth of underground malls and walkways go.

I decided to go back and look more in the new area from the run. I popped into a few other malls too. Fit anyone who knows me, I HATE SHOPPING! But I wanted to figure out directing knowing that in these spaces you can also get the metro if you need to.

This is a list of some of the sites in one small section of one mall.

There are stairs to go up and over and also under really busy roads.

There are great green spaces in this area. Water, bridges, spaces for people to be… Amazing…

The one mall below the arena is the most fun. As you walk down, there is a big screen playing Tom and Jerry.

There was a train, corridors that looked like streets, games for kids to play, video games set up here and there, food vendors, and lots of fun.

From this vendor I big sparkling white peach jasmine tea.

The corridor looks like streets and the shops like buildings.

It was easy to get lost. I did. I have learned to pop up out the next exit and see where you are. Not many chi under the street but I’m figuring it out. Outside the arena there is a big place to gather where prime roller blade, fly kites, etc.

They definitely love their malls here and I can see where you can get just about everything. I also like the ability to move quickly underneath busy roads or by pass the metro.

Change of seasons

This last week I could not believe we were heading into November. Here is like like spring. The temps get down to 70 at night and the highs are still near 90 but the air is changing. It is a little cooler with the wind and it does chill you. This was the first time I needed a light jacket since I’ve been here.

The expat area held pumpkin carving for kids and the usual day of the dead for adults.

There are a few Halloween displays but not like the States. Truck or treat is held at the elementary school and a few apartment residences but needs to be coordinated as it is not seen event that is national.

At school it was spirit week.

Twin day with the other boo teacher. We will do anything to wear athletic clothes to school. I should have been a PE teacher.

Halloween costume dress up. I was the Iron chef. Even though it originated in Japan not everyone knows what that is. I had just told the cow that I know what to do with her.

Pajama day. Ultimately my favourite.

We also had school color day and beach day. At the end of the week was open mic night.

Students and faculty sign up in advance and only practice is to check equipment. It is not too formal but very nice. Here are my student council kids.

The athletic trainer actually and too. This song from a hawaiian singer is one of my favourite.

There were singing and musical acts. People are really talented but even those not as talented were eager to perform. Something I don’t usually see back at home. You actually do get better the more you perform.

It is also the season for Jack fruit. It looks like durian and has a smell when cutting like it but due not taste like durian. Knowing the difference from the outside is important. Durian has really bumpy skin. Both secrete a natural latex that virtually everyone is allergic too. If you handle it you must wear gloves.

Each section is taken out with the seed. I cooked the jack fruit and then boiled the seeds. The outer coveting of the seeds looks like plastic and can be peeled off. When mashed it tastes like taro which is a starchy potato like consistency.

The stewed jackfruit was sweet. Most canned Jack fruit is processed in bribe to remove sweetness. I added tomato paste and spices to make a barbecue. It was really good as barbecue sauce has sweetness too. Even for here, it is expensive though.

I really would not have thought about Halloween without spirit week or the channels I watch on TV. I purchased a cake box for 18 us a month. Most channels are foreign, the CNN channel is international which is great, and the US changsha are from San Francisco. Of course, now that halloween is over, there are Christmas commercials! At least I can turn it off and won’t know how soon it is coming.

Changzhou Island and Huangpu ancient port

Some of the faculty lives a couple miles away in another apartment building the school leases. I considered living there but chose my present building instead. One of the teachers living in the other area also bikes. We met and she took me to another island that she found near her. To get there we biked to a ferry that cost 3 rmb round trip (that’s less than 50 cents).

Chanzhou island is a mix of old and new. The people who live there actually exist on all they have without anything from the outside. Unfortunately a metro line is planning on going in and it will be developed for tourism though the plan is for green space. Since there is significant agriculture there I hope so.

Here are a few pictures of old ruins that we found.

There are old buildings and an old temple. Very narrow backstreets that are beautiful with the old buildings and old large doors.

On the island is an old cemetery. This cemetery is for foreigners from all countries who were traders. They date back to the 1700’s. I had no idea that trade from the US with China occurred back then.

On the way back we stopped at Huangpu ancient port.

It was pretty busy when we were there so difficult to bike. We walked around awhile, bought a few things, and then headed for lunch.

Dandelion tea I bought.

I bought what I thought were kumquat. Not sure that is what it is. Will figure it out. Look at the scale she uses to weigh the produce.

I bought the produce on the left. If not kumquat then it will be something new to try!

I will be going back to both places to explore more.

Helipad workout

I workout occasionally with a group called K2Fit. They actually come twice a week to my apartment building and we can buy a pack of classes and go whenever we want.

This Sunday they hosted an event at the crowne plaza hotel several metro stops away for a childhood cancer foundation. For 300 rmb (43.34 us), they held a workout on the roof on the helipad. I went with my friend Nicole and also met another teacher at the elementary school.

Before the workout. That is Baiyun mountain in the distance.

We started out with zumba warm up, some HIIT, squats, push-up drills, then abs. This picture was taken with a drone.

I am in the purple mat in the foreground.

Zumba

Following was a brunch. You could also purchase glasses of champagne that also went to charity. The views were fabulous, the mood contagious, and it was a lot of fun.

A great time. A little burnt, very tired, and ready for a nap when I got home.

Ocean Park

On one of the mountains in Hong Kong is ocean park. I was originally not excited about an amusement park but this one had animals and more importantly pandas! PANDAS! 🐼

Pandas are tightly controlled by the Chinese government as to where pandas can be found in the world.

There was an exceptional aquarium. Many of the species you can see everywhere but a few Asian species I haven’t seen.

I went on a water ride and one roller coaster. How’ve I didn’t more time looking at animals.

Red panda.

Pandas.

Otters

Monkeys.

Sturgeon.

Turtles.

Of course I had pictures taken with costumed characters.

To get to the different areas of the park you either take an underground tunnel ride or a cable car ride across.

And I ate Korean barbecued squid which tasted like jerky.

After ocean park the other coach and I went to Victoria Peak to see it at night. What did we learn? At night it will take forever to get the tram back down. When you get a taxi it is impossible to get a good rate as they week refuse to take you. If your want to get down fast then you agree to pay. But overall worth it and beautiful at night.

One other interesting thing I saw on one of the rides to the hotel and my long run the last morning was the Catholic cemetery tucked into the hills and near overpass.

A video of cool goldfish to end this post. Enjoy!

Hong Kong for APAC. Aka the end of cross country

I traveled with 13 students to Hong Kong for APAC (asian Pacific athletic conference). This is the last meet for the cross country season. Students are placed in home stay so they spend the nights with host families. Coach schedule is pretty exhausting but chaperoning not as difficult except to contact the home stay parents each night to talk to students. They spent the days with us.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and walked the course with other schools. It is a tough course with 1k being a tough uphill. The 1k down is on different surfaces and part pretty slippery. Here are a few shots while in the course of the views which are spectacular.

Hong Kong International school is beautiful and on a hill as everything is. They really optimise space here and the school and views are breathtaking.

The next day was the race. Of course it rained which made the course treacherous. Our kids are not the fastest but they are so supportive of each other and have definitely improved this season.

I will still run with kids twice a week with those that are interested.

After the race we went to ocean park fur the afternoon. Student’s then went back to homestay and coaches had the night free. The last day was a competition with can jam and corn hole games to build cooperation and team building. Then an awards ceremony before heading back to the train to go back to guangzhou. What a nice end to the season.

The book club

Not like the movie… But entertaining.

Despite the risk of being over scheduled, I joined the book club at school right away. I figured that I would always have an excuse to wait until another month and it would be better just to begin. As I spend most of my time in athletic pursuits, this would be good for me.

Two months in we have read Born A Crime by Trevor Noah and A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Though this second book was slow to start it really was an outstanding book. How a gentleman at the fall of the Romanov empire who is placed under house arrest in a fantastic hotel survives and expands his life helping those around him and is better because of it. Though I desired for a better ending that answered my questions, I was amazed at what different people took away from the book depending not only about world view but I think also what decade of life you are in.

There were so many parallels to any time there is a change in government especially when they are diametrically opposed (cough cough, the US). Generally throwing the baby out with the bath water and then realising that things are not going well later and back peddling a bit.

To commemorate this book, we met at Katusha, a Russian restaurant. Tatz, who is one of the elementary admin, is Russian and shared some interview podcasts with the author she found. Here is a picture of the group.

I really need to get better at taking selfies.

We had an incredible discussion about the book. There were so many things that people pulled out that it was such a rich discussion.

We all ordered shared some common dishes and then ordered one individually. It was a great dinner, beautiful restaurant, and even had a lounge singer (background in this pic).

Borscht. Made with red beets.

Herring salad. This is a layered salad that was really well balanced. I really liked this dish.

Piroshki. Stuffed with potatoes.

Potatoes with onions.

Pancake stuffed with salmon.

Very yummy. They also had other European foods. It is a busy restaurant. Many Russians eat here so must be good too.

Next book for the book club is Educated. My goal for next month is to not be reading at the last minute!

Random Vietnam 🇻🇳 images

As my last post about Vietnam, there are random videos and images I wanted to remember.

First is the craziness of the roads. There are more motorcycles and scooters than anything. There are rules of the road but most don’t follow them. But there is no road rage. It just is and people take it all in stride. You will never get across a street unless you have faith that everyone will just go around you. And, the speed they travel is slower so they have time to react.

I took this video at an intersection using time lapse so it isn’t that fast. The crazy is the no rules. There are no lights or signs here. People just go.

I did ride on one of the motorcycles to get to the start of my tour and I have to admit it was fun and I did not fear for my life.

I went out on search of the mosaic wall that runs along the Red River Delta. It is long and details history of Hanoi. Along the way I knew I was no longer in the old quarter which is more tourist (the old quarter is that portion of old Hanoi not destroyed during the Vietnam War). The food and vibe on the street was a little different and yes they serve dog. I passed this vendor and realized it and snapped this picture (look bottom center of the image) a little further away. I did not want to go back.

Here are a few images of the wall:

One of the best foods I had is called Cha Ca and right next to the Helios Legend Hotel. It is made from a mudfish and is cooked at your table with a large amount of greens, chili’s, peanuts, bean sprouts, Thai Basil, rice noodles, and a rice vinegar sauce. You mix small amounts of everything in your bowl. It was fantastic and a very busy restaurant.

I have so many more pictures and videos than I can share.

Hoa Lu and Tam coc

I booked another tour the day after I came back from the boat. If I were to do it again I would just add another day to the Halong Bay tour to bike in the countryside outside of Halong. This tour was great but the two hour ride there and 2 hour back made for a long day.

We visited the temples of the first Kings of Vietnam. Hoa Lu was the original first capital about 1000 AD. There were two temples for the first king and another not so elaborate one for the general that married the widowed queen. These are pictures from the temple of the King.

The flowers on these trees are beautiful.

We then went to a Vietnamese buffet which was very good. I met a couple from Australia and also a family from Israel. It was nice chatting with them discussing what we saw in Hanoi and life in different countries.

We then went on a boat tour. I rode in a boat with Tamir, a University student from Israel travelling with his parents. He was very pleasant to talk to.

After the buffet, we went on a bike ride through the village. It was fun on a really rickety old bike. We had time to bike anywhere we wanted until we needed to meet again.

After we left the village it was a long ride back but we stopped at a rest area that also had food, groceries, and souvenirs. Women were there doing embroidery. It was fascinating to see how deftly they worked.

It was a fun day but very long which meant a great night sleep after I found a great bowl of pho! I’m going to miss Vietnamese food. It is so far the best food I have had anywhere. I plan on going back.

Halong Bay Vietnam 🇻🇳

Note: if you ever come here, book with La Pinta cruise to Halong Bay. It is 5 star and unbelievable service.

A tour I booked before I left was to Halong Bay, which is along the coast. Three are 1969 karst islands there. The karst topography was created from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum over time. The drainage systems created sinkholes and caves as a result. The remaining rock is quartzite.

They picked us up from our hotel in the old quarter in Hanoi. The 3 hour bus ride was in a very comfortable coach bus (WiFi, charger port…).

At the harbor, we boarded a ferry to take us to the boat.

Our room was ready after we finished the elaborate lunch and we were given some time to talk around and settle. Balcony to sit and look at the scenery was incredible as week as the amenities of the room.

We met to take the ferry to an outfitter boat that had kayaks ready for us. We kayaked for about an hour around the karst islands and learned about the history of halong Bay and the lives of people there. There is one island where people live: cat bau island and also in floating fishing villages.

When we were done kayaking, we could swim. It was only 20 meters deep but I am not a strong swimmer. After the assurance of the crew and other passengers they would save me, I decided to brave even more and go to the top of the ferry and jump off into the water. For some people that is no big deal but I am also afraid of heights! I did it and loved it. The salt water made you very buoyant so it was not an effort to swim. Every time though I was nervous. I am so glad I bought a go pro the day before we left Hanoi. I jumped once with someone filming me and another time holding the go pro.

After we returned there was time for a shower and then a 6 course dinner.

But before dinner there was a cooking class on how to make a spring roll. I’ve been doing it wrong. You wet a towel and you massage the spring roll paper while on the towel, turning it over and massaging the other side. It does not get completely pliable. You fill it and roll starting at one end and tucking the sides in. And then it ends up perfect. Who knew?

Dinner. So much food. Afterwards we could go squid fishing. I actually caught one and it squirted water as I pulled it up but it got away. One more lives another day!

This squid was caught from a member of the crew.

The next morning we woke early to view areas of the bay as the sun was rising. Beautiful.

We ate breakfast and then it was time to board the ferry to one of the floating fishing villages. From there we boarded bamboo boats that were piloted by a villager through the caves under one of the karst islands. They are very skilled as they maneuver through the stalactites in the cave.

Here is a fast tour of the bamboo boat tour through the caves :

Afterwards we had another six course meal: stir fry veggies with rice crackers, fried squid, fish, sticky rice with stir fry cabbage/carrots and stir fry prawns, flan with mango.

We then checked out and boarded the ferry to go back to the harbour and board the bus. I had a fantastic time and hated to leave. If you ever go to vietnam you must do this tour. La pinta cruise was the best.