Activities – Page 2 – HurricaneMaine

Moliu mountain in Qingyuan and Ruyuan scenic spot

This is a May holiday here in China. Our school has the weekend plus Monday off even though the Chinese holiday lasts until the 5th. It means we return before the traffic is large! Due to some outbreaks of COVID in China, travel out of the province is discouraged. There are some beautiful scenery and hiking here in Guangdong still worthy of exploring. Yingde and Shaoguan is a beautiful area.

After a few hours driving early on Saturday, our small group arrived in Huanghua (“yellow flower”) to take a COVID test. We already had one to travel but needed another less than 24 hours to go to the scenic spot on the second day. We then continued to the mountain.

These mountains are called karst formations. The limestone wears away from underground water making the unique landforms. They are more prevalent in other areas. The connected mountains give a wavy landscape view and are called the wavy mountains. We hiked up and then down for 8 hours.

At the top, another hiking group was dancing while their drone was filming. They asked us to join. I took this picture from behind them after we joined in.

Also at the top you could buy water and tofu dessert with ginger. Yum.

The pony helps bring supplies up the mountain.

Heping village is at the base of the mountain where we ended the hike. The climb up was steep and the down muddy and with rocks but it was fun. Great to be out in nature and smell fresh air.

We then walked to a cave in the village. It was massive. The wall and outer house was built in the 1800’s to protect the cave as it houses ashes of ancestors in the barrels.

Inside the front part of the cave looking out.

The goats were foraging and followed us around. Actually they were finding the rest of their group!

The hotel in Huanghua was beautiful. It had a hot spring pool on the roof and as it was raining when we finished the hike and into the next morning, it was perfect.

Lunch was at a really great restaurant that smokes chicken and corn in concrete pits.

After checking out we headed to Ruyuan and the Xianmenqixia scenic spot. Along the drive there were many rural farms with many crops including corn and other veggies interspersed with rice paddies.

The scenic area was stairs going up to a temple and was peaceful (the rainy day helped).

It is a scenic spot so places to take selfies and a few kitschy things like fake flamingos and golden monkeys hanging from a tree across the river…

Next stop: the Guangdong great canyon in Shaoguan.

More Pittsburgh

With flights delayed, my time in the US was extended another 5 weeks. This caused a bit of anxiety as I have cats in China and am now teaching online synchronously. That means teaching at 7 pm EST and sometimes going until after 3 am. I have great people back in my school helping and often have a break where I can get a nap.

My beautiful cats being taken care of by students who live in my building in Guangzhou.

One of my classes. I asked them to come near the smart TV so we can take a selfie. I miss them so. Seeing them brings me great joy.

I was able to spend more time with Ryan and my brother Ken and sis (SIL). I am grateful for that. It has been some time since I have been back.

Hiking with Ryan on the Rachel Carson trail. Before that I stopped at the Spring Thaw race to say goodbye to my friend Michele. I wanted to run it but I was tired of the cold and I would not be able to do the hike if I had. The hills here are too intense and now at 57 I need to make choices.

The ice crystals are beautiful. We would do to admire them.

Ryan is an amazing cook.
Noodle soup with perfect 6 minute egg, bok choy, tofu, cabbage, and pickled jalapeno.

My brother and nephew Kevin came down to eat lunch with Ryan and I at my favorite place there Double wide grill on East Carson in Pittsburgh.

Sunni and I traveled to Pittsburgh to go to Phipps Conservatory. We were looking for the butterflies but we are a few months too early. The gardens here are beautiful. The following is a picture dump, but the orchards, bonsai garden, fern garden, and tropical garden are amazing. Smelling the foliage and seeing the great plants always makes me feel lighter. Spending that time with family is priceless.

Wisconsin bound

Note: I delayed this post until I could visit one more time due to the delay in return to China.

Because of work schedules and commitments, we scheduled the trip to see Becca when Ryan could also go on the 7th of January. Finally the day arrived to travel. The night before was a snowfall that actually stuck to the ground due to enough days of freezing temperatures.

View from Ryan’s apartment window in Pittsburgh.

The next day we headed to the airport early. I was glad that the priority lounges was open to get food and have a drink. Yes, it was the morning… It is 5 o’clock somewhere as they say…

At the connection in Chicago……

View of central Wisconsin from the airplane.

At Becca’s we ate some amazing cheese curds. Here they are battered and fried. Really delicious. Later she made a Moroccan dinner to celebrate my birthday. I miss the international dinners we used to make together for my birthday.

We went for a small hike at a sculpture park, shopped at some thrift stores, and drank coffee while waiting for a surprise Becca had for us.

The thrift store had a resident cat named Ivy who found people who obviously like kitties.

Sculpture Park

This sculpture symbolizes slow changes and allowing things to just happen.

This one symbolizes agony and the changes that takes place when you let it just happen and unfold.

Ryan, myself, Becca, and her boyfriend Ryan. It is -9C today and it’s the warmest it will be.

We stopped at a small convenience store. I like looking at the food in different areas.

Individual cheese and meat for sandwiches.

I love the cranberries are called red pearls.

The surprise was a brewery tour. Point brewery is the second oldest independent brewery in the states. The first is a brewery in PA. Their image is a person in an original photo that no one ever could identify. Maybe I could work as a tester inn a brewery. I do have a biology degree.

With Ryan’s dad (Becca’s boyfriend Ryan)

To get the vats in they let them with a crane from the ceiling.

Our tour guide recommended a restaurant in Stevens Point called Guu’s. It was fabulous. Fried cheese curds, mini Reubens, elote corn dip, fried green beans….

At night we went to granite peak ski resort. They had fireworks at night and the kids took turns skiing. I would cross country ski but not downhill.

I loved my new phone. Such good pictures!

It was brutally cold on Sunday. -18C and close to 0 in F. We went on a short hike which was beautiful walking in the winter scenery.

After returning I learned flights to China were cancelled to keep COVID cases down for the Olympics. I managed to fly back again to see Becca and her boyfriend Ryan. She assured me it would be warmer. Not really….. Plus a snowstorm delayed my landing for five hours. I’m glad I made it though!

We went to downtown Wausau. Cold but walked some places they had both been. On the way I saw three houses on the river for ice fishing.

Spring is close. Buds are just beginning.

We then went to the museum of dairy farming. It is a historical museum of the area. I love looking at old pictures and maps.

Here is what you do when you want to soak in the light in a Wisconsin winter!

So grateful that my Friday in the States allowed me time to visit one more time, even if briefly.

Georgia

I have wanted to see my friends Candy and David Shively the last time I was home but had not been home long enough. Now it has been three years since they docked in Hong Kong during their cruise. When my flight was cancelled the second time, I decided to go visit! They live in Peachtree City outside of Atlanta.

Warm Springs

I have watched the movie Warm Springs which details FDR and his life and look for a way to relieve his paralysis from polio he contracted as an adult. I loved the movie and how this shaped his view from the elitism of his circle to the actual lives of American people in rural areas. This shaped his policy when he became president.

His special cat that had hand controls since his legs were paralyzed.

Guest house. A few dignitaries did stay here when he was actually president.

Plaque of the death of FDR here at Warm Springs which occurred in his third term.

Afterwards we had lunch and a hike at Pine Mountain, FDR State Park.

Starr’s Mills

Another day we traveled to the Mill that was in the movie Sweet Home, Alabama. It was a beautiful place to be on a beautiful morning.

Senoia, where The Walking Dead is filmed

This was such a cute little town. We went to see where the series was filmed, shop some cute little stores, and eat fried deviled eggs for lunch. For the record, I have not watched the series.

It also seems that some part of this railroad section was used in Fried Green Tomatoes.

Grain bowl with chickpea fries and fried deviled eggs. They were yummy with the whites lightly fried then the deviled yolks are added.

Candy and I enjoying eating at a restaurant outside. At this point, eating inside during COVID is not very exciting and the beautiful weather helped.

Juliette, Georgia

Candy: we should go to Juliette.
Me: what’s in Juliette?
Candy: fried green tomatoes
Me: you mean the whistle stop cafe? Let’s go!
So we traveled to Juliette where the whistle stop cafe (which was originally a hardware store, I think?) was turned into a cafe for the movie Fried Green Tomatoes. When the movie was done, two residents bought it and maintained the cafe. The grilled catfish sandwich, fried green tomatoes, and fried okra was amazing.

We took the food and sat on the picnic table outside located to the back of the cafe and alongside the railroad track. Where we were was right next to the barbecue pit used in the movie to dispose of the body…

It was another beautiful day! We then browsed the cute little shops in this very small town. Everyone was so friendly with the most delightful southern drawl.

The Mill even though this was not used in the movie.

The waterfall is a short drive away and was used in the movie. The characters walked across the top.

I took advantage of the slightly warmer temperatures by running several days.

I also enjoyed watching birds at their bird feeder. I so miss having a feeder and watching birds and was pretty excited to see a Junco, Tufted Titmouse, and a Nuthatch among others. I had not seen them since I had a bird feeder at my home in PA.

We also took a golf cart ride around the subdivisions and the community. So many paths. I would like these for running and walking.

Before I knew it, the time was over and I was to head back to Pittsburgh. I will miss my friends, their hospitality, and the weather. They are a beautiful couple with an amazing community they live in.

Pittsburgh

(This post was to have been published a month ago, but multiple flight cancellations postponed that with no idea when my actual flight to China will actually be.)

It is good to actually see sky with only a few tall buildings around as Pittsburgh is a much smaller city than Guangzhou. I had envisioned that I would go to the theater, watch a movie with family, go to dinners but the COVID reality made me think twice. I am being overly cautious as the numbers of cases are much larger than this time in 2020. Even though the new omicron variant is milder, the predominant variant Delta is the concern. And most importantly, being exposed means that the antibodies would prevent me from going back to China. Sometimes it is just better to spend time with one another.

It was nice to take it easy and just hang out with family. I spent weekends with Ryan. It was refreshing to run around the riverfront. These pictures are from Herr’s island. The cute squirrel moved closer as I stood taking pictures of both him and the cardinal.

Ryan is a great cook. The breakfast scramble was delicious.

He makes great food no matter the ingredients.

I spent some time shopping. It is difficult to find my size shoe in China so finding running shoes and a good everyday shoe is a must. Also on my list are more running clothes and other pieces I find to take back. Lastly, I needed to get shelf stable food to take into quarantine. Packets of tuna fish, nuts, and oatmeal. Oh, and coffee.

We also walked, looked at possible other apartments for Ryan, and traveled together to Worthington to spend new years with my brother and sister-in-law, Ken and Sunni. I prepared to be ready to leave on January 21.

After learning that I needed to go to LA 7 days before flying to China for tests and health monitoring, I went to Pittsburgh a day earlier to spend more time with Ryan. First on the list was to make sure I had everything set for LA and then too repack for Wisconsin and to go back to GZ as I threw everything together at the last minute. The next morning I made sure I had the items for Wisconsin and reorganized the bags for Guangzhou. After coming back from WI, I prepared to leave for LA the next day….. Or so I thought….

The next day I found out that my flight is cancelled as well as the replacement flight and the next flight is now March 7th. Because of the Olympics in Beijing, almost all flights from the US were cancelled. It is nice to be with family but difficult to move around from place to place and live out of a suitcase. I made plans to split more time with family, start preparing online lessons, and run/hike to stay busy.

I took a long walk along trails by the river to meet Ryan when he was finished with work. It was a cold day but a really nice walk around the city.

Point state park is located where the rivers converge in Pittsburgh: the Allegheny, Monongahela, and the Ohio river.

I love the facade of this old building and hope they keep it’s look and character.

I have been in this restaurant many years ago.

More pictures from a run after much snow and very freezing temperatures.

I also walked to the Strip to buy Asian products to make dinner.

On weekends we went hiking….

And this was the first day of Chinese new year….

Who knows how long I may still be here….

Home for the holidays

As I was preparing to leave for the US, a number of celebrations were enjoyed with friends. Home is any place where you have family, friends, and a sense of belonging. Sometimes it is more than one place.

Dinner at a sauerkraut fish place with Jack. Of course I saw the menu and noticed pig brain.

Not having tried it before, we ordered it too. It really had no specific taste but was quite good.

I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner with friends and the food was delicious. Some favorites of the holidays and others a mixed bag of other international dishes

I am blessed to have so many beautiful people in my life.

My ugly Christmas sweater I made for the staff holiday party. LED lights make the fire glow

Friends at the school held a cookie exchange.

The school wide holiday Bazaar was also fun with great games for students and all things Christmas.

It is difficult to say goodbye to friends leaving the country you are in but we know it is not goodbye but until I see you again. My friend Trisha is going back to the UK.

And of course dragon boat which is my weekend hobby, exercise, and time with more friends.

This year I went out of my comfort zone and played the bass clarinet in a teacher ensemble for the students. I also performed a pantomime with other teachers for the whole school.

Before I knew it, it was time to leave for the US. I left lessons for when I am gone in January, made sure there was plenty of food for the kitties and people to take care of them, and planned my packing. A COVID test less than 24 hours old was required to get on the plane. At the airport, I ate in the China southern lounge.

After an uneventful flight to LA, the rest was a travel nightmare. Spirit airlines cancelled 8 flights and waited until boarding time to announce. Without a US sim card, I had no cell phone off of wifi. With the help of another kind person, I found a flight from John Wayne airport fire the next morning and she dropped me off at a hotel across from the airport.

I arrived 12 hours after I was originally to land in Pittsburgh where I went to my son Ryan’s apartment. He cooked a yummy falafel meal and it was great to finally be near him. Talking on the phone for three last 2.5 years was difficult.

The next morning I planned to renew my driver’s license, get a COVID vaccine, and walk around Pittsburgh to where Ryan works. It had been some time since I have been in a smaller city and could see beyond huge skyscrapers. It was an enjoyable walk through the different areas of Pittsburgh.

The hot metal bridge area in the Southside is where trains and barges brought coal to make steel. Along the river were many historical relics from that time.

For lunch I stopped at double wide grille. Here they have all kinds of food including vegan and vegetarian. It is located in an old gas station and the food is so good here.

Afterwards we drove to my brothers house in the country. I planned on staying here for the rest of the week before going back to Ryan’s. I drove to see my old friends at punxsutawney high school and just relax and watch movies. I also need time to get new credit cards and take care of the mail I received the last 2 years. On a run that week, it started to snow and the wind was brisk. A big weather change from Guangzhou.

I will also be traveling to Wisconsin to see Becca. I am sure it will be cold there.

Summer (it’s over….?)

I honestly forgot about this post that was lounging in my drafts. And summer continues until a few weeks ago when the weather started to turn cooler.

The summer was interesting. An increase in cases in Guangzhou meant more difficult travel. As I was taking 60 hours of leadership classes I stayed in the city for much of the summer. This summer I only traveled a little to Beijing and Inner Mongolia.

I took some breaks for nature areas in Guangzhou.

This summer was also the 100th anniversary of the communist party. It is interesting to note that the nationalist party that started to bring China to the modern age and ended the Dynasty and warlords period, was overthrew by the communists because there was no free speech. The nationalists would not accept any dissent. That is what is true of the communists today.

A new pedestrian bridge was built to cross the river.

Working internationally means people come and go frequently. Celebrations and going away parties…

Construction in the apartment upstairs meant finding another place to work. This time in a coffee house in my neighborhood.

Occasionally in feeding the homeless you get an opportunity to help furry friends.

And of course, DragonBoat….

Physical pursuits

I do like to stay active. If I keep moving maybe old age can’t catch up with me! Wishful thinking I know, but I am not as fast as I used to be and have changed some of what I do. But I like staying in shape.

Where our dragonboat group meets has stand up paddleboarding. That is something I miss from living in PA. I paid for a year membership and now go paddleboarding after every dragonboat practice that I can. A few of us go each time.

Tricia who was so brave to go even being afraid of water.

I also ran a half marathon for charity which was a fun circle around the river.

Jack and Justin, the other cross country coach at school, were part of our team Too fast, too hot. We named it after the cross country team who complained with those words every practice!

Dragonboat has been a great workout for my arms, shoulders, and abs. I even extended myself by learning to paddle with my non-dominant arm to learn more coordination. I am glad for the chance to improve a physical skill that I did not have much experience in. It is a great community of wonderful people. I usually show up to both trainings on the weekend.

We have been training for a 21km race but I will miss that. I will get back in shape for dragonboat once I come back from the US.

Kubuqi Desert

We drove from the grassland in inner Mongolia to the desert. It was the longest drive and at this point we are getting pretty tired of being on the road but everything is so far away.

Container rooms and yurt from drone photo.

Drone image of me on a 2 km run through desert.

This area is part of the greening of China initiative. See the paragraph at the end of this post.

We stayed in a container room. It was not our best accommodation but it was nice to walk right out on to the desert when I wanted without driving there. In the early morning I went out to get a sunrise shot but many clouds were in the horizon.

We set out to walk around when it was so quite warm.

Sunset pictures were taken from a viewing platform a half hour drive away and overlooking a very expensive 5 star accommodation.

There is a large solar panel farm on the desert. They are also greening the desert areas that have been overgrazed for centuries. From Time article:

Kubuqi, for one, boasts China’s largest single-stage solar farm, boasting 650,000 fixed and sun-tracking panels, which together channel 1,000 megawatts of electricity into the national grid — about half the power-generating capacity of the Hoover Dam. A team of 47 households are employed to maintain the panels. “Everyday each household can clean more than 3,000 panels using high pressure water jets,” says chief engineer Tian Junting. “And the run-off water feeds the crops that grow underneath.”

On our morning walk we saw a set up fur a desert themed wedding.

Xilamuren grassland

This is the nearest grassland to Hohhot and the earliest grassland to have been developed for tourists in Inner Mongolia. It is 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles) and at an altitude of 1,700 meters (5,600 feet).

This plateau grassland has a chain of hills around it. In the Mongolian language, Xilamuren means “yellow water”. Unfortunately, tourism and changing weather patterns is changing the grasslands. There are other grasslands but they are farther away.

This was a memorable part of our trip. We enjoyed a traditional welcome ceremony where we were handed a blue scarf and given a cup of baiju.

We stayed in another yurt, though we know it is not traditional.

We drank kumiss which is a fermented drink made from animal milk. This one was from camel milk. It was very delicious and smooth.

In Mongolia, there are the Three Games of Men: “Horse Racing”, “Wrestling” and “Archery”. We saw a show that gave the history of Mongolian people and demonstrated these three games. Mongolians are known for their horse riding capabilities and ability to shift sides and other tricks. They told the story of tribes and eventually being unified into one Mongol group.

This rider went off one side and went under the horse to go back up the other side.

These are actual Mongolian ethnic people.

Aobao (敖包)

The aobao is the Mongolian stone piles or heaps for worship. Local people always sacrifice food goods and alcohol to the gods at the Aobao to pray for good weather, harvest and fortune.

At night we celebrated at a feast. We wore Mongolian dress and were served some really great food while being entertained.

The main dish was roast lamb. They had three lambs brought out and carved to be served.

The winner of the wrestling competition.

We went horse riding to a herdsmen’s home through the grassland.