US trip - part III

Chris took the girls on a short trip to Vermont to visit his family.  The girls really, really enjoyed it.  The last time they visited, they were so young and not good swimmers.  This trip, they were able to kayak and go to a water park.  Emily and Katie both said they would love to visit again.  They especially loved staying at camp, and fishing with their cousin Grant.

ice cream & goat

Katie on the lake

catching a perch

Grant & Katie

Jay Peak water park

best day ever

kayaking

delicious!

girls w Aunt Robin

While Chris and the girls were in Vermont, I was able to spend a little extra time with a few friends and my family.  But looking at these pictures, I kinda wish I had gone too.  Spending time at camp is such an opposite experience as being in China.  Having a New England summer break with Gloria & Reggie is a real special treat.  So glad that Robin made it back from her busy schedule and the girls were able to see her as well.

US trip - part II

So much of what we missed from the US was the food.  We all made a list of things we wanted to eat while we were back home.  Some we got to, some we didn't. Sorry Pastrami - catch ya' next time.
     Yes, the girls were able to have Taco Bell, french fries and fried chicken at the mall and chili-cheese dogs.  I was able to satisfy my steak craving at Houston's.  We all had a great breakfast at Russell's and enjoyed several plates of bacon.  ahhh...bacon-ny.
     My last few days, I went to all the quintessential Pasadena places:
Parkway Grill for dinner.  Vromanns for books.  Europane for pastry and coffee.

perfect

biscuits, gravy & sausage

spicy & cheesy curly fries

best. chicken. ever.

craving satisfied

US trip - part I

Emily, Katie and I were able to go back to the US for a few weeks in July.  Chris joined us a week later.  The trip was busy, hectic and stressful.  It was also really, really, really great to be back even for a short while.  We all realized how much we missed our friends and family. 

LAX

drank my dinner on the plane - no excuses

The first week, we stayed with our parents (thanks Jichan, Grandma and Charlie!), and spent time running lots of errands and shopping.  Like many families on home leave, we also packed all the doctors' & dentists' appointments into a few days.  I almost cried with joy going into Target.

girls in tissue paper gowns, waiting for possible shots

Emily had her ears pierced while we were in the US.  We went to the mall, and she had it done along with her best and oldest friend Ima.  So lucky that the Nooch family moved back from NJ just a few weeks before.  Another reason to miss Pasadena.

ears pierced - check it out!

Carsland

best neighbors ever

The most asked question was "How is it living in China?".  I could spend so much time answering that question.  Living in China is an experience that changes constantly.  Life is so much easier in the US.  But China really is where the future is.  This country is growing so fast, and modernizing so fast.  It's really apparent that large chunks of the population are left behind.  But for those that can adapt, and modernize with the country, the sky really is the limit.  And of all the cities to live in, Shanghai is the most influential.
  But that being said, I never felt more at home than in our old neighborhood in Pasadena.  I am so lucky to have so many friends that made our family feel so welcome.  Grand Oaks Avenue is the perfect place to live & raise a family.  Hands down.

Seen in Suzhou - extras

Lingering Gardens and the Humble Administrators Garden have the best trash cans I've seen in China.

These signs were posted throughout the gardens.  Very subtle way to ask people to watch their behavior.  The subtitle language is probably an exact interpretation of the Chinese above.

 Rainbow Bridge in The Humble Administrators Garden.  Really beautiful from a distance, really crowded to walk through.  Maybe everyone who comes here feels they have to cross it.

Weekend in Suzhou - part II

We booked a half day tour today with an English speaking guide.  Her name was Yvonne, and she was very knowledgeable.
     The first stop was The Humble Administrators Garden, built in 1513.  Yvonne told us how it was originally created by a wealthy member of the feudal government.  He had become wealthy taking money & gifts, and was exposed by his peers.  He was banished back to Suzhou.  He spent the rest of his life in shame and reflection, but did create the garden.  The garden, like the Lingering Garden the day before, has a lake in the center, winding pathways, pagodas, bridges and impressive rocks.

old wisteria vine wrapped in bamboo

150 yr old rose tree w bamboo trellis

moon gate

Some of the seating areas have these reclined backs, this is called "Beauty's chair".  Called this because when wealthy women had their feet bound by silk bands, they would never be able to walk more than a few steps.  They could recline, and enjoy the pond here.  Crazy.

This is the most famous example of "borrowed scenery" - a concept of Chinese gardens.  The designers built-in this view of the North Temple Pagoda in Suzhou from the main house overlooking the pond.

The next stop on tour was a silk making factory.  Suzhou silk is very famous, and a point of pride for the people that live here.  We learned about silk worms and the cultivation of the cocoons.  Large bamboo trays had hundreds of silk worms and mulberry leaves.  Yvonne lifted up the netting under the leaves, and there was a lot of silkworm poo.  Yvonne said some people use the poo for inside their pillows.  Eeeww.
     In the factory, we saw how silkworm cocoons are boiled, and then the fine filaments are spun into thread on a huge machine.  Silk comforters and blankets were being made too, and we helped pull the batting for the inside of a comforter.  Really, really fun and educational.
     We went to the Suzhou Embroidery Museum but unfortunately, I was not able to take pictures there. I didn't think this would be very interesting, but I was wrong.  We watched a Master Embroiderer at work on a canvas that would take over a year.  The museum is full of work that is so intricate and delicate, but also beautiful.  The idea of embroidery at this level was really mind boggling.  All done by hand on silk.

 worms and mulberry leaves

pulling the silk batting for inside a comforter

bowl of dead silkworm pupa - yum

stretching boiled cocoons

The last stop was Shantang street.  This is a 7 mile long pedestrian walkway with ancient halls, bridges and homes. The front of the homes face the street, and the back of the homes face the canals.  Yvonne told us this was because merchants would bring goods and deliveries by boat up and down the canal.  We walked across a bridge that was built in AD 825.  We also went inside Starbucks.

 We had to get back to the hotel to catch our train back to Shanghai.  It was definitely worth visiting Suzhou.  I think the girls will remember it always.