December 2017

I left off mid-trip on my last blog, so let me finish that trip.

Vietnam..  As I was looking at my photos - I struggled to find some that were not boring work / factories.

So here is a fun one:

And another of a good luck symbol - yes dead fish wrapped in yarn.

As I was touring factories, I was trying out our new toy - Hero 6 GoPro.  I needed to test it out before the holidays.  As you can see below I had some issues.

On one of the car rides through Ho Chi Minh on our way back to the hotel I tried out a time-lapse again to show the motorbikes.

And then on Sunday it was off to Shanghai with my stalker still in tow a few rows behind me.

Shanghai team time which means more food.

On Wednesday I put my stalker in a taxi - it was a week before I would see him in person again.

Team time in Shanghai meant some fun time with team from both US and Asia.

The view from the Bund is always beautiful at night.

The Bund is a popular spot for wedding photos.  These brides were brave - it was cold out there (5C / 40F)

As I look though my photos, I keep find intersting ones like this.  At least this one is telling customers in multiple languages what not to do - the ones I find funny are the pictures of this with only instructions in English.  (Are the English speakers the issue???)

On my last day in Shanghai I ventured to Starbuck's newest store - Reserve Roastery.  I was there at 10:30am on a Friday (opened on Tuesday) and only had to wait 20 minutes to enter.  Definitely not like any other Starbucks I have been to - coffee was a step above.

Then on Friday afternoon it was a high speed train to Shaoxing for the next 5+ days.

Saturday's photos of interest were the rest room signs in a factory office

Another interesting part of this area in China is there is are a lot of Korean restaurants, and the people we work with know where the best Korean restaurant is.  Yes - we ate lunch and dinner here, but had very different meals.

Sunday was a day off in Shaoxing.  So what do you do - get a massage and check out the local area.

Here is the towel from the best (and cheapest) foot massage I have had in awhile.  Granted I could not have done it alone.  They spoke no English.  It was so good that we went back on Tuesday after factory visits.

After an amazing foot massage, it was time to find some food.   The place that was  recommended was closed, so we kept walking and found this cute cafe.

On the way home we decided to check out Target's competition.  Part of the store felt American and other parts not at all.  I only photographed the not at all part (dried fish and fowl hanging around)

The only other interesting part of the trip was a high speed train to Ningbo and back to Shaoxing.  We only got up to 294 kph (183 mph).

It was then back to Hong Kong for my only weekend there in December.  

Started off mailing some surprise Christmas cards to family in the US that I picked up in Vietnam.

Last breakfast of 2017 at our favorite coffee shop.

Some photos from the apartment.  Beautiful sunset on the shortest day of the year (not as drastic as MN) and Christmas lights in the harbor.

Saturday morning took me to the grocery store for ingredients for the most expensive Christmas cookies I have ever made.  They were totally worth it - everyone enjoyed them.

That lead to the final work trip of 2017 - to India.  Stayed at the Imperial for a night before heading to Chandigarh.  Again more beautiful Christmas decorations (6th country of Christmas decorations this season - 2 more to come).

The trip to Chandigarh was on my smallest plane - a ATR 72-500 propeller plane.  You enter from the rear, and the luggage was stored between the cockpit and passengers.

Here is the amazing Indian food we ate.

I flew north, but took a train back south to catch flight home to HK.  It was 4+ hours on the train versus 40 minutes on the plane.  Here are some train photos - and the food was not too bad.

Back to HK for less than 48 hours before vacation/holiday time.  I had just enough time to prep the toes.

I will end the December 2017 blog and work on a separate blog for "Christmas 2017 / New Years 2018" in Sri Lanka.  Coming Soon - elephants.

November 2017

November was a month of travel (as I write this on Dec 10th I am still not home from the last trip in this month's blog).

I started with a brief 3 day trip to Shanghai.  See views of the city from my hotel room.

Then a day trip to Shaoxing from Shanghai (which is where I am writing this from).  Lots of fabric and a high speed train.

 And a few Christmas decorations:

Took off the next Sunday for Seoul.  In Seoul you must enjoy the food.  I had Korean BBQ with 3 other HK expats who were also arriving in Seoul on the same day.  The sheep sign was cute, but they were closed so we found another place close by.

Next night dinner was more BBQ with the local team.

On my walk home to the hotel saw my 1st fully lit Christmas tree of the season (Nov 6th).  It is interesting not having the Thanksgiving buffer before Christmas.

Next stop on Tuesday was Shanghai (wait was I not just here on Friday - yes, but I hit 2 countries between).  Highlight of my night in Shanghai - again food - Din Tai Fung and a welcome sweet at the Four Season's for using their Web Check-in.  Totally doing that again.

Wednesday night was off for 1 night and day in Taipei.  Wish it was longer but made the most.  Another Christmas tree, but this one was purple. 

Traditional beef noodle soup at the airport as we were leaving for HK.  Plane to HK was also interesting - I had a mirror....

Friday was work in HK and then spent a relaxing birthday weekend at home.  Top left photo is dessert from my birthday dinner.  Top right photo is 1 of 2 wooden garden stools we got this weekend that are working as great side tables and stools.  Bottom left is my google home page and bottom right is my birthday lattes from breakfast.

Monday I joined my US colleagues as we continued to Shenzhen.  I rode 1st Class on the MTR (not a big deal), but when I checked into the Shangri-La they were out of king size beds and upgraded me to a suite (that's a big deal).  I had a full living area with dining table, 3 sofas & a desk, king bed, huge master bath and a powder room.  

Next stop was to be New Delhi but due to air quality issues we cancelled that so I was back to HK.

And the Christmas decorations were in full swing when I got back.  These 3 photos are from a plaza next to the office.

I spent what was to be my last full week in Hong Kong for 2017 in the HK office.  It happened to also fall on the week of US Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving dinner at the Anderson's consisted of India take out from one of our favorite places - Spice along with some beer a dear friend brought us.  I topped the night off baking a Cranberry Pie (which we ate for breakfast on Black Friday).

Black Friday in the office was Recognition Day.  The office went to a park for a BBQ and some fun and games.  Yes - I did set a marshmallow on fire.

Next week started another long trip.  It was a landmark event.  It's the first time Patrick and I have travelled together for business (that we could remember).   Below is our flight on Thai Airlines from HK to Seoul.  

I always have my phone close by for any photo opportunities.  The one below is a shadow of our plane on the clouds as we ascended out of HK.

Seoul was a fast 1 night stop - then we were off to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for 4 days.  Patrick's expression before we took off tells it all.  It was a 5 1/2 flight with children who used plane as their own playground. 

Last Christmas tree of the month was the one outside our office building in HCMC.

Warning - December 2017 blog will also be delayed.  We are traveling for the Christmas holiday.  With all the traveling and general craziness, holiday cards will not be sent from the Andersons for 2017 - sorry - maybe in 2018.

September / October 2017

September got away from us.... so you get September and October together :)

I started September in Hong Kong, but I was only here for a week.  A few highlights - We had our 1st Tesla Model S Uber.  Actually, it was the 1st Tesla I have ever been in in.  I don't know that I could drive one - that dash is too distracting.

Next highlight of the week - we found a dentist - no cavities :)

Said good-bye (for now) to an amazing colleague who was repatriating to the US.

And... most importantly ;0, I found the best Mexican restaurant in HK.

I learned a new trick, and I start playing with the time lapse feature on my iPhone.  My next goal is figuring out how to edit them - so here are the first raw files.

#1 - Watching the weather out our apartment window.

#2 - Looking out the window and watching the shadow of the clouds on the water.  Watching the ferry turn around was pretty cool.

More to come!

And then, the travel started.  Below is a screenshot of the work travel app.  What is missing is a trip to Shanghai between Taipei and MN (it was the same week as MN - so they considered it the same trip)

Some pictures of Vietnam.  I spent Tuesday night at the rooftop bar of the Carnivalle Hotel watching the sunset.

Here is a time lapse of the street.

In my continued quest for good beer (and a friend coming to visit) I found a local brewery.  It was only one block from the office.  I had some beer and dinner - of course, I bought some beer to take home with me.  I will be going back here in my next trip to HCMC.  

A shot of a local lunch before heading back to HK

Our friend Steph was waiting for me when I got home.  We had an awesome weekend in HK with her.  Looking forward to our Christmas adventure coming up in Sri Lanka.

The next week was in Taiwan.  Started and ended in Taipei with a high speed train trip south and back north to see textile mills.  Skipping the work pictures and only posting the fun pictures.

A few of Taipei from my hotel room, taxi ride in from the airport and the street.

Best sign of the year - at the train station on my way back to the airport.  Interesting translations.

I made it back to Hong Kong in time to celebrate our 17th Wedding Anniversary.  We did a staycation at the Peninsula Hotel.  It was our first time in this hotel and actually 1st time Patrick and I stayed together in a hotel in Hong Kong.  Experience was amazing - totally recommend to anyone (yes - they upgraded us).

Diner was at Qi Nine Dragon - I highly recommend this restaurant.  The food and service were amazing.  The picture in the upper right was a spicy snow crab - WOW!

For breakfast the next morning - my latte.

And a few photos of us.  The highlight of the night was when we were leaving the hotel.  I was carrying the bouquet of flowers Patrick got me (long story, but they found me at the hotel).  In elevator, an older gentleman asked us if we just got married - so sweet - we told him we did 17 years ago.  He told us the best is yet to come.

And got home long enough to pack a suitcase again for a few days in Shanghai.  Flight delayed - not too bad, but I was looking out the window and thought - this would be a cool time lapse.

Highlight in Shanghai was a vegetarian lunch at a restaurant called Gwen's

Back to HK for about 36 hours before heading to the US for "home leave" which included work.  If my suitcase on top looks empty - it was - but it came back full.

Highlight of my time in Minneapolis - a new 'do'.  It  took 5 hours, but it was totally worth it.

After a week of work it was family time.  First was a long weekend in California with my sister and her family.  Then to PA where Patrick joined me for a few days with the folks.  Then we had a 5+ hour drive to Rochester, NY for Patrick's cousin's wedding.  I realized I was lax in taking pictures, with the exception of the niece, nephew and California.

Then, we were back home to Hong Kong - these bags are full, but not over the weight limits.

I took this random picture out the apartment window, and it was not until I as working on the blog that I realized the cranes are gone.

So to finish off October, we spent the last Saturday with friends in Sai Kung and celebrated  Halloween.  I made Rattle Snake Eggs (sausage, jalapeños and cream cheese in a crescent roll) for the 1st time in Asia.  They were also the most expensive ones I have ever made, but they were very popular.

Here is the candy stash from our trick-or-treaters.

November is looking crazy for travel again, but I will be looking for cool things to share.