Living Simply – Page 11 – HurricaneMaine

Mt. Danxia

I took a trip with Pacha Mama over the weekend. They always find great hiking trips. This trip was to a geopark in the province that is made of red sandstone. With erosion over the centuries, it has created a variety of landforms.

Mount Danxia is about 1 hour high speed train to Shaoguan and another hour or so drive from Guangzhou. That drive takes you to a very different place in China. It is one of the two UNESCO heritage sites in Guangdong province. The draw of this place for the Chinese is the two rock formations that resemble male and female anatomy.

Mount Danxia was beautiful with s variety of trails all with amazing views. There were narrow paths along steep cliffs.

After traveling there and eating a yummy lunch we took a boat ride through the park.

The hike was pretty spectacular with steep, wet stairs. This was to be a sunset hike but impending rain changed our plans.

This is the rocks we need to climb. A series of steep stairs wind around and up this. Our destination is the pagoda at the top.

This rock resembles a male organ. Yangyuanshi is known as the male stone.

Morgana and I. The whole thing is pretty ridiculous, right?

If you look closely you can see the pathway we had to climb.

After making our way up the stairs along the cliff, we were now at the top.

The next morning were supposed to have a sunrise hike but they had closed the opening of the park until 8 due to rain. It didn’t rain though.

I found this guy at the entrance to the cable cars which we used to get to the top and then go down the other side. We were originally to climb the mountain but lost time when that hike was cancelled.

Grotto temple built during the Ming Dynasty. It was abandoned when China became PRC.

A few more stairs again to the pavilion at the top.

Then we had to go back down the stairs that were very narrow and steep.

Biechuan Temple

Walking back towards the entrance.

Xianglonghu lake means flying dragon. It refers to the shadows of the lake when flying overhead as it resembles a dragon. Here we saw children feeding the fish.

The female rock is called Yinyuanshi.

We stayed at a quaint little hotel in the base of the park. Our was a great weekend with people from all over the world.

When a bus driver of teachers and staff may have been exposed…. and other updates

The new rules and policies for Covid-19 have become routine now. Students and teachers have settled in. Now that the high school and middle school have it under control, grades 4-5 started at the elementary school last week and the lower grades start this week. Preschool and kindergarten have not started.

We received an email about a situation over the weekend. Here is what we were told:

No cause for alarm.
Note: We all live far from school and are bussed. There are 4 bus routes.
On one route, the teachers and staff were left off on Thursday afternoon.
The driver then took non school people to the airport.
One of the people tested positive after they made it to their home city.
The bus driver was tested and is negative.
All facility and staff were tested and are negative.
Everyone wore their mask.
The CDC and education authority have cleared the employees and allowed us to continue with physical school.

What does that mean?

It means that asymptomatic cases are still a problem everywhere. Since elementary students are going back, I saw more people on the street in what I would consider close to normal activity.
Now since everyone is mingling, those asymptomatic people will spread it to others. But if you don’t want an epidemic….
Protocols, rules, and guidelines are the only way you can operate.
Every time we get on the bus, we have a checklist for our name and our temp is taken.
Wherever we are going whether it be school or airport or a store, our temperature is taken (and our name is recorded).
On our arrival at school this morning, there was police presence in the street checking for compliance (distancing, masks…). I did not take a direct picture as that can get you in trouble anywhere you travel. Also, there were more medical personnel on hand when we went through the temperature scanners, most likely from the CDC.

From an upstairs window. Because of construction I did not have a good line of sight. In forgot about going up to the field…

Before I found out about this I was invited to a hike, a dinner and a brunch this last weekend. There are still many people not going out in the city. Our faculty do not all go out together right now.

I am also grateful my school gave us a little mixer on Friday afternoon before we boarded the buses. Not being in a public school means they can have wine, beer, and snacks for us. We all sorely needed that interaction and it was a great way to start the weekend.

5 rams park (Yuexiu park)

Claire and I were up for some city hiking. I ran half way there and then made the rest of the way to the entrance. That part of the entrance was closed. We are used to many entrances being blocked in parks and malls, etc. to temperature scan and control the amount of people. We went to this entrance so that we can take the skybridge which is an elevated 8 km walk way that goes above ground from here to Baiyun mountain. Unfortunately it was closed due to impending bad weather.

I moved this cute little frog off the path before it was run over by a bike or messed with by kids.

From here we decided to do walk to Baiyun but on the street. Definitely not as scenic and it is a part of the city I am not very familiar with. Once at Baiyun we were to tired to hike the mountain. I snapped some pictures.

From here I walked part of the way back to where Claire lived to walk through a garden park I had not been to yet. Jufang garden park was very pretty and on the other side of it I took a Didi home as it was another 11km from here.

This park is in between two different districts within the city.

That night I dined at Mercato with a couple people I know and more teachers from other schools I had not met before. It was great to hear what their schools are doing. I’m lucky as no one at my school had lost jobs, been asked to go to school on Saturdays, or had our year extended. It was excellent food, but I was so hungry I forgot to take pictures. I did take a picture of the view from the terrace though.

The next day I met Claire and Morgana at 13 factories for brunch. (Again too hungry I forgot to take a picture).

13FACTORIES takes its name from the area of the same name in the old part of Guangzhou. This area is where the first foreign trade was allowed during the Qing dynasty, and much like America, a unique place where people from all over the world came to interact. Today, 13FACTORIES aims to create a place in the spirit of the original, a gathering of international friends combined with the sharing of delicious food and drink in a comfortable, casual atmosphere.

But we decided to splurge and we went elsewhere for cinnamon rolls after we had talked for a few hours.

It was great to have different interactions over the weekend.

One day of quarantine…I think my test is negative…

So government quarantine for Covid-19 is tolerable. I am at the Long Hui hotel in tianhe. To get here I was greeted at my apartment by a person in full containment gear. I’m glad I had an opportunity to pack things in advance. So what did I pack?

Only about 4 days of clothes. They can all be washed in the sink it shower and I’m really getting multiple days out of them as I don’t get dirty
Two pairs of workout clothes with foam roller and exercise bands
A caftan I bought in Egypt. I seriously understand why my mom longer in them all those years
Pajamas
Travel underwear. My quick drying ones I travel with.
My bag of travel essentials, toothpaste, etc. I always keep that packed
Extra lotion. Most hotels in Asia don’t supply it.
Detergent to wash
A fan as the AC is not turned on. It would spread the virus if someone has it
A mug and instant coffee. It is not supplied at all. I always grab extras from hotels just in case.
Computer, SD card with workouts
All chargers
My diary. I’m behind on writing things down. Not that life is exciting. I don’t even know what day it is.
My asthma inhaler. My nightguard.
A container of leftover food as I was sure I would miss the dinner they served (I was right).
All the raw veggies and fruit I had left in my frig. (Spinach, 2 zucchini, tomato, 2 cucumber, 3 plums, 1 Asian pear)
Yam chips and protein muffins I had just made.
A knife

Others have been in government quarantine when they arrived in the airport so I had already heard some of the recommendations of what to pack.

The worst part was the walk from the apartment to the ambulance. I’m not sure what the guy was saying but it wasn’t the standard coming through greeting. Once they saw him and me and whatever he said, people would look terrified with some running to get out of the way. Because the ambulance could not park outside my complex, we walked further than we should have and I felt like crying by the time I was in the ambulance.

We drove lights and air horn but not complete sirens. Once there they checked your information, checked to be sure they knew the countries you had visited and how long you had been back, took my temperature and gave me a room card. I then went to the front desk where they made copies of the passport and double checked info and room. From there I went to the room myself.

This is an older hotel but nicer than most old chinese hotels. It is larger.

The rooms have a chair outside that they put water and food on. There is a waste basket for my trash and another for medical waste. There are video cameras in the halls, etc.

The room is a bit stuffy. I have allergies and there is an old musty smell but not too bad. I opened the windows anyway. If there are mosquitoes I’ll have someone bring me an electronic zapper.

I knew the wifi was slow but I was having trouble with everything. I was frustrated and talking to Ryan on WeChat when he suggested using my US sim card. Since I use Google fi I only pay for the first 6 GB and the rest is free. That is about $80 but worth it. It is so fast and I can use my phone as a hotspot. Not only can I work on the free PD with the state of PA for certification but can also watch Netflix as a reward!

As I arrived after dinner I was sure I would not get tested until the next day.

That next morning I think they forgot about me as it was a new crew. I messaged a person who reached out to me when they knew I would be arriving. He is a friend of one of my friends and had been here a few days already. He was able to contact the office here and they brought me breakfast. Steamed buns are the best! One of them had a nut filling that was amazing.

I was tested after breakfast and temp checks are at 10 am and 4 pm. I will not be given the results of the test unless it is positive and they take me to the hospital for 20 days instead.

I was finally given the WeChat group info so if we need anything we can message and get a response. My school is in continuing contact with me as well as many friends and I’m grateful. I’m glad to talk to family often.

Though they don’t do requests for meals, one of the office admin had been calling them often about me and told them I require vegetarian. They have done this for me so I don’t complain about anything about the meals.

Lunch of shredded potatoes and carrots with Chinese broccoli underneath and rice.

Egg drop soup, tofu with mushrooms and Chinese broccoli with rice.

Congi (rice porridge) with a hard boiled egg, donut, and steamed bun.

I’ve had 4 meals and they have been pretty decent and normal Chinese fare. In the second wechat group just among foreigners here they order from international restaurants. It is possible because the contact I mentioned above is the owner of one of them. I was going to order if they could not get me vegetarian but now many restaurants are being forced to close. Not because of anything specific but more anti-international sentiment. Many Chinese places are packed routinely so hopefully they are closing some of those down too.

Regardless, some people are really asking too much. Having things delivered that are non-essential. I really feel they will stop delivering everything if people don’t start thinking. They will only deliver at two times a day. Some people were ordering bottles of wine. A waiver is to be signed for being able to drink and there was quite a tirade of messages. I know it is tough to be in here but I just think differently than most people. Not that I’m right but just think differently. There are many things we don’t need and life does not have to be that complicated.

I can live on the food I’m given. I could have lived without my phone being a hotspot. I had books I could read on my computer, etc. I was prepared for no internet if need be. I am grateful I have the ability to take this extra time and work on PD when I don’t have the pull and demands of being at school. I finished a 10 hour class the first day!

So a day and a half has gone by and they have not dragged me off to the hospital…. So the result must be negative!!!! That is great news.

If I’m here until the 26th (that is what is on my paperwork) and that last test can’t be used to go back to school (all teachers and students just be tested), then I won’t start school with the others on the 27th as it will take time to go get the testing and get the results back.

While I was writing this my friend brought me the bug zapper which is good since I am getting bit. The fan would be good but would just blow around hot air. We were able to wave and yell to each other with thumbs up. He just wants a beer for payment. Most definitely!!!

My friend Bill who came all this way to bring me a zapper and use apps to translate. What a good guy!

On irresponsibility and fear… And quarantine again…

While I was traveling at the start of the covid-19 mess, I was well aware of a few things.

It might be better to stay in one place and hunker down
I still wanted to see the part of the world I was in so I thought of what I needed to do to stay away from people
Since the rest of the world wasn’t concerned, I played it safe and planned to move closer to China to re-enter when it was safe. I kept waiting for a full travel ban world wide but it didn’t happen.
When you know more you do better. I had thought through a lot but not everything. We needed to learn more about the virus to determine the precautions to take. I didn’t wear a mask at the beginning and forgot about all the little things you touch and especially your face. The more I thought, the more actions I took.
I tried not to take long flights.
At times I felt I was irresponsible but also knew I could take measures to protect myself and others.
Then I was in quarantine. Being in my apartment was great.
I was appalled by the lack of care and concern in most countries as I was traveling. I was glad not to go back to the US. There was total lack of concern at the top.

Since then I’ve thought about discrimination of Chinese when I was in Australia in February. I also heard it was going on elsewhere. Fear makes people do stupid things. I made sure to visit Chinese restaurants and also talk to those I met when I was traveling.

Now that more cases are coming in from overseas, international people are subjected to discrimination here in China. There is a smaller number of cases in the international community than there are in Chinese students returning from overseas. However we are now refused service in restaurants and other establishments. We have had people step out of their way to get further away from us. And though this is unsettling I do understand their fear. And it is not everyone. I have had Chinese nationals stop to talk to me and let me pet their dogs! I’ve been pretty good at not going many places. I don’t want people to be uneasy, restaurants to not be patronized because I was there, etc. And the discrimination is not as bad as those who are African American or South African are experiencing.

I’ve eaten at a total of 4 places since leaving quarantine. The last one was an international restaurant on Monday. The day after I went there, it was learned that there was a potential positive Covid-19 person who had been there a few days before I went. They contacted everyone that has been there since. The original person tested negative (if rumours are correct). However, a server tested positive.

What does that mean? I’m now going to government quarantine. I have no choice. Right now I’m waiting in my apartment to get picked up. It is concerning because I could have been exposed. I’m a little worried as I haven’t been tested yet but will know in a day or two.

If the original person they were tracking was not positive then where did the server get it? She is Chinese. And therein lies what I don’t know. International people have been tested like crazy but we don’t know how Chinese nationals are handled. I would hope it is equal. The server has been quarantined and I would hope everyone else is as well.

So the lesson is:

When other countries go back to normal, unless you have a way to track people, test them, and isolate them, you will have continual outbreaks. And isolating them does not mean telling them to go home and social distance unless you put a video monitor or alarm on their door, etc.

The restaurant I went to takes your temp, has you write down your contact info, your temp, etc. From there, the CDC now has ways of going backwards to find people. All restaurants here are required to do the same. If I test positive, there will be more inquiries into other places I have been and who I have been in contact with.

I had originally planned a much more informative post but my mind is racing a bit at the moment. I’m thinking of what else I need to pack in my bag to take with me. I will update when I can, when I have information, and especially reliable wifi.

On a lighter mood, some pictures I took of my cats and walking around Guangzhou in my free time.

Maria Island, Tasmania

I had wanted to do this tour but it was not available the days I was in Hobart. As I would be traveling to Coles Bay up the East coast of Tasmania I did not realize it was directly on the way. I met a new friend Beth on the Bruny Island tour and we decided to roam the island together. I had a car and an accommodation but much further than the island. We set out early to be on the first ferry.

You can camp in the islands or just visit. There are no cars on the island.

You know the day will be great when you see a wombat right away… And Cape Barron geese.

Painted Cliffs

We made our way down the trail to Painted Cliffs. Since it was already low tide it was the perfect time. In high tide it is inaccessible. These variations are caused by ground water moving through the sandstone and leaving behind iron oxides which stain the rocks.

Mussels, other mollusks, and a brown algae called Neptune’s necklace.

The purple blobs are sea anemones. During low tide, the retract their spines.

Darlington

The little area that had outbuildings about the history.

Reservoir circuit

On the way to the reservoir we saw many wildlife.

A wallaby resting to the right of the tree.

Bishop and Clerk trail

This trail climbed towards a slope and had the most spectacular views.

Fossil Cliffs

When there were inland seas, many organisms like mollusks were abundant. The fossils are evident in the rocks. Those was when Australia’s broke away from Pangaea as a land mass known as Gondwana.

More wildlife

The 12 apostles which were buildings now in ruins. The wombats love it here.

At the port waiting for the ferry to go to the bed and breakfast I am staying in Swansea.

Wagner’s cottages in Swansea is beautiful. We picked up a scallop pie for dinner.

This is by far one of my favourite trips.

Moreton Island

I booked a tour for a different island that offered stand up paddle boarding and snorkeling. The past day had seen intermittent showers and was hoping it would be the same that day. There have been a lot of rain of late which allowed for a lot of online work to be completed.

Tangalooma resort

Taken from the stand up paddle board. Right in front of the beach are shipwrecks that we are able to snorkel around.

Kookaburra. I missed the show feeding them.

I paddle boarded for a while then went snorkeling.

As I drifted along I was taking more video and during this next clip realized I was being pulled along by a strong current.

I actually needed one of the people on jet skis to tow me out. That’s why they are there and after taking me to the beach they went back to get two more. Not many people were snorkeling after that.

No matter, it started pouring and did not let up. I instead took the boat back two hours early and diff more work.

There is a lot to see in Brisbane but the weather is not cooperating. Byron bay is supposedly fantastic!

History walk Guangzhou

It was great that Harlan Chambers was able to visit me here in Guangzhou. He is working on his doctoral dissertation in Shanghai. He was excited to see museums and eat all the food in Guangzhou. Once he arrived he fell in love with this city. It really is a great place to live.

When we had time we toured the area as I still had classes and this is the last week before Chinese New year holiday.

I had not yet visited many of the museums here and only a few in Dongshankou. He did his research! It was nice to see areas of the city I had not explored and especially try new restaurants. Harlan is fluent in Mandarin and made it so much easier though I am happy that I am able to figure out some of what is being said with some of the vocabulary I already know.

The Martyrs Memorial Park commemorates the death of the Chinese communist party against the Kuomintang in the Guangzhou uprising.

Chinese and Korean people and Chinese and Soviet people blood Pagodas.

There was much singing in the park and I love when you can see the love people have for their country and their history.

After touring we realized we were close to Beijing Lu and I thought he would want to see the old temple, Jade Buddha, and eat at the restaurant in the temple. It was tough to only make a few choices to eat and not order too much food.

The Jade Buddha from the balcony in the temple.

Guangdong history museum was very enlightening as I had only a small knowledge of Chinese history. I now know a little more but will really have to start at the beginning to put it together as there is such a long and complicated history here.

Peasant Movement Institute was a school with a united front to assist peasant and worker movements. It brought together the nationalists and communists along with an alliance with Russia in the 1920’s. Many of the former students were killed in the 1927 failed uprising and are memorialized in Martyrs Park. Sun Yat Sen, Peng Pai, and Mao Zedong were key in this movement.

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. This place was fabulous with an octagonal roof. There was history of Sun Yat Sen and his influence throughout the works when he worked with other revolutionaries and fled or asylum.

All the building specifications had to be exact to be able to achieve the roofline and make a sound building. In the center is a large theater. Sun Yat Sen was devoted to education and helping common people for their future. This is a lasting legacy to his work as the theater is used for that purpose.

Walking behind the memorial Hall are monuments. Lots of stairs to get to the top where the memorial monument to his life is found.

This memorial is a part of the Yuexiu park which is massive and the largest park here in Guangzhou. We only covered 1/3 of it but it is spectacular and a park I had yet to see. I will come back to look more closely.

The 5 rams sculpture is based on a legend of 5 immortals riding on rams into the then barren land of Guangzhou 2000 years ago carrying sheaves of rice. Once leaving the rice behind, Guangzhou became prosperous.

This is the old Guangzhou city wall which is an ancient relic here in the park. I love seeing how these trees will find ways to send roots into the ground. Nature is fantastic.

As it is now a couple weeks to chinese new year, the decorations are now going up. This year is the year of the rat. Displays are impressive everywhere you go.

In Huacheng Square, the pedestrian street I like to run is also creating displays.

The Canton Tower at dusk.

On the way back home we went through Taikoo Hui. It is a very upscale mall and of course we stopped for fabulous ice cream. In the valet area we saw this car. It must be expensive and rate a as everyone was taking pictures of it.

THE bookstore in Tianhe. 6 floors of books and other items and you can find people reading in the aisles…. You will not see this in America.

There is some odd looking good that taste fabulous. This is matcha, black rice, and blueberry cheese.

A Tom and Jerry exhibition in the One Link mall in Tianhe.

At school we had another lion dance celebration which is fabulous. This is long but showed the athleticism, culture, and acrobatics.

Of course he didn’t fall. It is part of the act.

More great acrobatics.

Happy Chinese New Year.

Alexandria, Christmas day

We hired a driver to go to Alexandria. We almost cancelled the trip because of the rain that was forecast. Here there is no drainage on the roads and dangerous flooding has been known to happen. There was rain and some areas that had standing water. It definitely took longer to get there.

At a rest stop I’m always on the lookout to try something different. I found paprika Pringles and basil seed drink. The Pringles are fantastic and the drink much tastes like a chia seed drink but the taste of basil seed.

We started at the Catecombs of Kom El Shuqafa. You can see Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture as some statues are Egyptian in style with Roman clothes and hair. The circular staircase was used to transport deceased bodies down the middle and leads down into the tombs. They were constructed in 200 AD. It was discovered in 1900 when a donkey accidentally fell into the access shaft.

Inside the vault are carvings that served as protectors of the dead.

Tombs. Originally this was designed for a single family but it was said that horse remains were also found here.

Inside a Tigran tomb. There is a front room, back room, and open court that is found inside the tomb. This was unearthed elsewhere in Alexandria and reconstructed here.

Stone with carvings of the burial process.

Next was the library at Alexandria. On the way I noticed there are still Radio Shack’s around!

The library in Alexandria is one of the largest collection of all media in the world. They had many artifacts on display and interactive exhibits throughout.

Downstairs is an antiquities museum.

Egyptian god of the moon which is a blending of a baboon and an Ibis.

The torso of Hercules. There is incredible detail in the muscles.

Ancient sundial for tracking time by placing it facing the South to catch the sun’s rays. This is from 2000 BC.

The heads of the Canopic jars that held the internal organs. Imsety had a human head and carried and protected the liver. Qebehsenuf had a falcon’s head and carried and protected the intestines. Hapy had the head of a baboon and carried and protected the lungs. Duamatef had the head of a jackal and carried and protected the stomach.

This Mosaic is from the original library. It shows exceptional detail including the expression on the dog.

They also had art displays throughout the basement leading to an exhibit is Anwar Sadat.

Next we went to the citadel. There is a Greek restaurant called White and Blue that is a block away. You choose your own fish to be butterflied and grilled. It was delicious. We chose bluefish from the Mediterranean and a red fish from the Red Sea. It is not cheap but worth it.

Tahini, tzaziki, baba ganoush, seafood chowder.

We ate on the balcony overlooking the Mediterranean.

The outside of the citadel which has a lighthouse. Unfortunately it closed for the day right before I got there. Go early if you want to see it on your travels.

The start of year 2

I intended to write a blog post before now but the days have been running together. Things are still new: I moved to a new apartment so learning new places and being more adventurous and year two of biology is just as new as the first year as it is a two year program. I also am in an apartment where things are not done for you, so a little learning curve there. This includes getting my own police registration before I can get my work visa renewed.

But many things are easier this year. I worked hard at the end of last year to get materials ready for the start of this year and that has really helped. Much of the learning of Chinese culture makes each successive year easier as well.

I’ve spent days walking in different directions to explore my new neighborhood. Nearby there are three universities and their campuses are beautiful. This is at the Agricultural University.

This is in the park at the China Normal University.

I’ve been paying more attention to places to eat and buildings now that I know hidden gems are in these massive buildings and not really noticeable from the outside.

On a walk I always look at names of businesses too as they can be quite funny. This pizza place had my brothers name on it. I have yet to encounter a Chinese man taking that English name. And, there are also not many pizzas places here.

After living in Western PA, I’ve seen all manner of holding parts on cars, but I’m thinking the use of duct tape here may be for decoration?

I have also been walking along hidden paths in my building that connect adjacent buildings together. This little kitty is guarding antiques. Not sure what this space is for but other spaces have a nail salon, Indian grocery store, etc.

I still run with the Nike run club on Tuesday nights and I am much closer to it and get home a little earlier as a result. I also ran with a few members of the cross country team before school started (and the other coach) one morning before it became too hot. This picture is facing the river.

This picture is facing away from the river and the direction towards my apartment.

I have been going out to dinner to try new places. Some of the events are with Internations to promote meeting people from other cultures.

On the first day of school. My new assistant principal on the left, IB coordinator and curriculum director on the right.

I created a breakout box for my classes for the first day. This class had to get through 5 boxes with locks to get the vaccine to save us from the zombie apocalypse (and to get the carb treats for energy.) Fun!

I’ve gone running to various parks and get lost in other areas of the city. That is easy to do here.

Many intersections start to look alike but every once in awhile I recognize a place I’ve been and know where to go.

After seeing the pedestrian bridge I saw the Russian restaurant and knew I was on my road. Still a distance away but glad to know where I was at since I was running and getting tired…

After being gone for several weeks it was good to see construction projects that had been around for some time near completion. Here is under a bridge on the way home from the river. It is a great place to hang out now. They have sculptures of musicians and play music underneath. It looks as if a small stage is being constructed too.

I also upgraded my bike to a trek a friend was selling. On the way there to get the bike I saw my old friend the statue policeman. It is so funny.

At a local Japanese restaursnt.. I love the different groups that have great ideas for dinner. We had fun after school one day. There is always a different School bus to take for a different area and we all travel it together.

I joined a 30 day challenge as I have between deficient working and, weights, and squats. We meet for a killer workout at a gym then rewarded ourselves with good tasting food.

Last weekend’s Internations event was on the 65th floor of the Park Hyatt. Great food including sesame ice cream and a gorgeous view.

I met some people I had seen before and some new friends!! Sara is from Finland and teaches Chinese classes here. The other two are from the British school. Kim, the lady in the blue, gave me a fabulous company to take dive classes in Bali. I’m considering that for the holidays.

Where I used to live is in the smallest building in front.

And it is always great when you find all the resources you need in your new neighborhood. Finding a vet that is owned by the same company as the last one was great. They have the computer records for my cats and they are in walking distance!

Looking forward to more exploration!!!! Miss everyone back home and hope the last part of your year treats you well.

Views while Running

Coming back from a hamstring injury I worked at increasing total mileage and looked forward to running every place I went. A real motivation was the 300 km in 8 weeks challenge I out to my cross country team.

I started in Philly. I really do love that city. I posted pics earlier in another post.

I learned to get around Pittsburgh running between Ryan and Rebecca’s house.