Shanghai June 16-19 (Eric)

There's so much I would like to write about on our visit to Shanghai, but we are about to go get massages (I know... sucks to be us), but I'm trying to catch up as much as possible. I think I will bullet point a few highlights and then post some pictures.

• Our immigration experience was delightful (no sarcasm here). By the way, if you're going to take advantage of the 144 hour transit visa while visiting China, make sure you print your itinerary. 
• The taxi ride to our friend's building was terrifying. This is the only time I have ever been in a taxi where the driver clearly had no clue where he was going. On route, he was driving 10 mph calling several people to ask for what we assume were directions, then picked up another passenger to help navigate, and finally, came to a dead stop on the freeway while trying to find our destination. All of this managed to double the length of the ride. Luckily, he was apologetic and did not try to overcharge us. 
• Thanks to Kathleen and the other Concordia teachers for being such gracious hosts. 
• The food in Shanghai was amazing and an adventure at times. We did a night market food tour where I ate snake which was literally killed and cleaned before our eyes.  
• The night skyline from the Bund (riverbank) is a must see. 
• The temples are spectacular and a little crowded on incense days (the temples were filled with Buddhist worshippers). 
• If you can squeeze in a trip to a park, it is well worth it to see the plethora of activities that the locals participate in during the day. 
• Now pictures...

Southern Hong Kong - June 15 (Eric)

Going back in time a little over a week (seems longer given the experiences we have been having), we went to the southern parts of Hong Kong island with a visit to Repulse Bay, Stanley, and Aberdeen. This was an interesting experience when compared to Central Hong Kong, a lot less hustle and bustle. Of course, it still has a plethora of shopping options (no escaping from hell). My favorite had to be the H&M that took up half of a historic building. My favorite part of of the trip to this part of Hong Kong was the majestic views of the bays and smaller islands off the coast. To keep this short, I will finish with more pictures and captions. Enjoy!

The majestic views...

The H&M (in Stanley) and the view from the top floor...

Finishing our day with a trip to the Jumbo Floating Restaurant...

 

Greetings from Paradise (Eric)

I am writing this lounging in a deck chair on our balcony at The Surin Hotel in Phuket, so I don't think you will blame me if I keep this short, but I am going to try to catch up to the present while enjoying the amazing view and the sound of crashing waves.

I think I will start in the present because this place is spectacular. Jenny found an amazing hotel tucked away on a semi-private beach. Our room is a beach suite built into the jungle. The above view is what I am seeing from our balcony. It is surreal.

The hotel itself seems to pride itself on spoiling its guests with free dinners, massages, and other activities. I think I could get used to this. It will be hard to leave. Anyway, I am going to finish this post with a few more pictures, and then post about our other adventures to try to keep the blog current. Enjoy!

That's me going for a swim

The view

Greetings from paradise 

Our bathtub area (the whole suite is huge)