China Update!

Hi Everyone!

I am yet again sorry we haven’t blogged in a while. We’ve been very busy with the end of the school year and finals; packing up our things; planning for our end of the year trip; and applying for jobs in the US. Also, Google has been kicked out of mainland China and into Hong Kong. That means they are blocking any websites with English on them and Google is impossible to use. They rerouted all of their traffic into one server in Beijing so they can monitor everything and they’ve really been targeting schools. It’s a chore to even check my email at all. We’ve been pretty frustrated with it but we’ll be home soon with no internet restrictions! I can’t believe we only have two weeks left in China! We’ve got some updates for you as well…

A few weeks ago we celebrated our first Easter in China. It’s not the same as being home but I think we did an okay job of creating a homey holiday event. We got up at a decent time for a potluck Easter breakfast that included my good friend Iain’s famous French toast casserole, homemade bloody mary’s, and white wine sangria (did I mention that Iain gave up drinking for Lent? Hence the various alcoholic beverages at brunch…). We also decorated Easter eggs the night before and hid them the next morning for the only kid in our dorms; a 6 year old Japanese boy named Yuhong. He is adorable and we always try to plan something for him during our western events or holidays. (He even went trick-or-treating in the dorms during Halloween!) It was a lot of fun. That evening Thomas and I made homemade veggie pizza, had a bottle of wine, and watched a movie. There wasn’t a big ham dinner with potatoes and the family head count was small but it was a very nice Easter overall.

Besides being busy and getting ready to head home, Thomas and I stopped by the botanical gardens last weekend and took some really cool pictures. We spend a few hours roaming around the green house taking pictures of the exotic plants and enjoying the lack of crowds. Apparently the botanical gardens don’t attract huge groups of people in Nanjing, one of its many appealing features. We’ve got some great pictures though!

This past weekend I decided it was time I through a little roof party. We were originally going to have this party last weekend but the weather was cold and rainy. But we had perfect weather on Saturday: 86 degrees and sunny! This party was themed: A Party for America… also known as a pre-4th of July/“We Got Him!” (as in Bin Laden) party for nostalgic Americans and their foreign friends. My friend Kris painted a big American flag and I flew my little tiny American flag that you see sticking out of flower pots during the 4th of July. We had a grill going all night long and everyone brought burgers, hot dogs, and chicken wings. I even picked up a bunch of apple pies at one of our favorite western restaurants in town for everyone; it was a huge hit! We only played classic America rock (including such bands as CCR and Crosby, Stills, and Nash) and there was also a fireworks display as well as a fire spinning show put on by, yet again, my good friend Iain. When the fireworks started we all broke out in song simultaneously singing “God Bless America!” It was a great party! Over 35 people showed up. The guards on campus were not very happy about 35+ foreigners grilling on the roof but all it took was a few slices of apple pie and a couple of burgers to change their minds. Success!

Now we only have a 1 week left of school until we head off on our final trip around China! We are leaving school a week early and traveling with our friend DW (Dennis Williams) to Xian, Beijing, Hong Kong, and finally Shanghai. We fly home June 23rd out of Nanjing. We land in Chicago Friday the 24th and are spending the weekend visiting my wonderful family in the area (Thanks Aunt Sal!) Then on Sunday Thomas and I are heading down to Indiana to visit some of his relatives (although we are missing two of his brothers who are both currently preoccupied with their military responsibilities…). We head back to Hudson for the Twins game and my parents big 4th of July party the next weekend. We are so excited to get home and see everyone! I keep telling DW that he is the harbinger of America for us!! Haha… We love and miss everyone! Take care and we will be home soon! And keep reading because we have more blogging to do about final days in Nanjing and our last trip around China. We also have pictures to add! If China will let us… :/

Suzhou Pictures

Hi Everyone!

Here are the pictures we took this weekend at Suzhou. There are a little under 300 pictures total. I'm not sure if we were just trigger happy with our new camera or if Suzhou is just that beautiful of a city... you can be the judge! Enjoy!

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Beautiful Suzhou

Thomas and I don’t take weekend trips too often but Suzhou was definitely worth the time and energy. Suzhou is about 30 minutes outside of Shanghai and is considered the Venice of China due to its canal system. The center of the city, where you can find all of the artsy attractions, contains rows of low rise buildings that are painted white with black tile roofing. The government doesn’t allow skyscrapers to be built there in an attempt to preserve the historical charm of the city (good call China!) but around the city center you can see several tall buildings and skyscrapers dotting the skyline.

We got into Suzhou early Saturday morning. The taxi driver pointed us in the wrong direction so we proceeded to wander for about an hour before we found the hostel. Our hostel was located on the historical Pingjiang road, a little pedestrian street where you can find amazing Chinese architecture in the southern style, wonderful tea houses, and fantastic little shops that house homemade, handcrafted tea pots, artwork, and jewelry. Once we checked into our hostel we realized our camera broke. It was only a matter of time before our camera gave out on us (we were using a paper clip to take pictures with it) so we decided to just commit and get a new camera. We quickly stopped over at a PC Mall and purchase a little camera for the rest of the week (and the rest of our time here in China). After running around all morning we decided to take a lunch break and try a restaurant that was recommended to us and close to the hostel. The restaurant is called Pin Von Teahouse and it was by far our favorite place to eat in Suzhou. This particular teahouse has been operating for 130 years. It was probably one of the best meals we’ve had in China yet.

After our lunch at Pin Von Teahouse we rented bikes from our hostel and headed down the street to visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden. This garden was very beautiful and extremely busy! It was built in the 16th century and was covered in early spring flowers. A huge part of Chinese gardens is their rock formation and placements. Hopefully you will see that in the pictures. Afterwards we headed to see a pagoda tower called Beisi Ta. This particular pagoda was built during the Song Dynasty, so around the 10th century. It took us ages to climb to the top but we got some great pictures of the surrounding city.

That evening we went shopping around Pingjiang road, ate dinner at another tea house, and had a few drinks before we turned in early. The next morning we ate a quick breakfast before we grabbed our bikes and headed off to visit the Pan Men scenic area. This was a much less crowded site and it had equally beautiful gardens. Pan Men also contains China’s only water and land gate: very exciting stuff!

Our final stop was at the famous Tiger Hill Park. This park is the burial site of the founder of Suzhou and contains the “Leaning Tower of Suzhou.” The whole park consists of intricately woven pathways that lead to various outlooks and buildings. We even took a boat ride along the canal that circles the park. Towards the north entrance Thomas and I stumbled upon a little tea farm where you could watch workers picking tea. There was also a little café where you could order a cup of tea that was freshly picked and dried just days ago. It was fantastic!

Our train left for Nanjing around 6:45 and we left the city tired but happy. It was such an amazing trip and a nice change of scenery. Suzhou was the perfect place to celebrate our 3 year anniversary.

KL Pictures

Hi Everyone!

Here are the rest of our pictures from Malaysia. Sorry these are so late! Next weekend Thomas and I are planning on visiting Suzhou for a short trip to celebrate our three year anniversary. We will be posting a new blog with pictures afterwords, so stay logged in!

KL Pictures:

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KL Bird Park:

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PS We love and miss you all! We fly home on June 24th and are looking forward to seeing everyone when we get back... clear your calendars, we are coming home!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Here it is, the long awaited blog for Malaysia. We ultimately decided the most economic way to get from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia would be to take an over night bus. We started off in a small passenger van to Surat Thani, one of the few bordering towns on the Thai side of the border. We were told a VIP passenger bus would pick us up about an hour and a half after getting to the drop off point in Surat Thani. About two hours later another passenger van picked us up and literally drove us about two blocks over and dropped us off at another tourist office. There we were told the VIP bus would depart in about two hours. Eventually it showed up and we were on our way. The border crossing went pretty smoothly and after about six or seven (unnecessary) pit stops we arrived in Kuala Lumpur around 5AM, almost 24 hours after starting the trip.

Fortunately our hostel was within walking distance and we found it with relative ease. They were serving continental breakfast by the time we got there so we grabbed a bite and hit the hay for awhile.

Later that afternoon we mingled with several other hostel guests and meandered around a bit to get our bearings straight. We took it relatively easy that first day and just walked around a weekend market and sampled a wide variety of food and snacks. As we were walking around one guy selling watches told me he could sell me a Rolex for a "boom-shaka-laka price". I was curious to know how low a "boom-shaka-laka price" was but had to resist showing any interest.

The next day we went to the the KL Bird Park. Supposedly it's largest bird atrium in southeast Asia. There were several species of birds free to fly amongst the park visitors. As well as many others caged in smaller atriums. Of all the tropical birds on display the Hornbill and Cassowary were particularly interesting. In addition to the scheduled feedings visitors could buy a handful of sunflower seeds and a small cup of some sugary drink (maybe coconut juice?) to feed the birds. We ended our visit to the bird park with a quick bite to eat in the amazon cafe.





Later that evening we went with a large group of friends we made at the hostel to a sky bar that had a great view of the iconic Petronas Towers. Although the drinks were priced fairly steep the view was definitely worth it. We stuck around long enough to have a drink and some appetizers as well as take in the view.

The next day we made an excursion to Batu caves, one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India. Just a couple of weeks earlier the path leading up to the caves would have been swarming with people celebrating the festival of Thaipusam. Although the caves were still relatively crowded a clan of macaque monkeys almost outnumbered the visitors. The monkeys seemed to coexist relatively peacefully (so long as not provoked) with the visitors of the cave and made ample use of discarded food and drinks. Cans of Coca Cola and half eaten fries seemed to be their preferred food source. I personally didn't think the caves were particularly fascinating but it was still worth a visit.

On our last night in KL we went with a group of hostel pals to an area of open air sidewalk restaurants, most of which were buffet style. I couldn't tell you exactly what all the dishes were that we tried but for the most part everything was pretty good. While at the restaurant we met a lady that worked for the KL government tourism agency. She was nice enough to take everyone on a short walking tour around the area, sharing some history and random facts along the way. The late evening turned into the early morning hours chit chatting with our friends back at the hostel before we hopped a cab to the airport. Our month long trip to southeast Asia had come to an end and it was time to head back to Nanjing.

Nanjing in the New York Times

Hi Everyone!

Nanjing is making it in the big leagues these days. An article in the New York Times was just published about Nanjing's rising youth and art scene. Check it out:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/travel/20nextstop-nanjing.html?scp=1&sq=Nanjing&st=cse

The article even mentions our favorite western restaurant/bar called Ellen's. How exciting! Enjoy!

Koh Phi Phi Island Pictures

Hi All!

Here are the pictures for Koh Phi Phi... enjoy! The last post we will be making is about our final stop in Malaysia. Thomas will be posting that information soon, so stayed tuned!

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Camping on Maya Bay: I love Phi Phi Leh!

While Thomas and I were staying on the island of Phuket, we accidentally didn’t book a hostel or guesthouse for one particular evening. We had no where to stay and it was currently Thailand’s high tourist season. A friend we met at our hostel suggested that we hop a boat to Koh Phi Phi (another island near by) and sign up for this camping trip she had recently gone on. On a whim we decided to go for it and we bought a ferry ticket the night before were left.

Our ferry took off early the next morning and we got into Koh Phi Phi around 10am. Koh Phi Phi consists of two islands: Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Phi Phi Don, although beautiful, has been somewhat spoiled by tourism. It was really busy and the beaches weren’t super clean. But the islands unique beauty was definitely apparent. The other island, Phi Phi Leh, was declared a national park and tourists are only allowed to go on day trips to visit. Except, that is, if you are willing to camp out on the beach for a night.

Our friend had given us directions to a restaurant named lemongrass where we could sign up for the camping trip on Phi Phi Leh. We signed up that morning and our tour left later that afternoon around 4pm. There was a total of 11 tourists on this trip (including ourselves) and a handful of colorful, young locals who where our trip leaders. The guys who run this camping tour were hilarious. They had really bizarre nicknames like Chocolate and Nemo and were always joking with us. We hopped onto this big boat and headed over to Phi Phi Leh where we did some snorkeling directly off the boat in some bay areas. It was a bit scary considering there were sharks around the island!

Then we headed to the main bay area on the island where we were going to be camping out. This is the same beach where the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, was filmed. It was utterly stunning and almost entirely unspoiled by human hands. Right as we arrived all of the other tourists were packing up and leaving the island. Our tour guides were encouraging us to kick everyone off the beach because it was now “our beach.” Within 45 minutes the beach was entirely emptied of tourists besides us! The bay we were camping at was called Maya Bay and is encircled by these huge, looming karsts that are vertical cliffs on either side. The bay itself is super calm and crystal clear. It was like heaven on earth.

Eventually it started to get dark and Chocolate and Nemo set out mats for us to sit on and lit citronella candles made out of beers cans. They opened up a special bar just for us in one of the bungalows and cooked us a traditional Thai meal. It was delicious! The guys then put on a spinning fire show for us (which Thomas got some great pictures of) and we had a late night grill out with some BBQ chicken. After that one of the guys broke out his guitar and put on a little concert. Before we knew it, it was 2am! We then grabbed a mat and a sleeping bag and headed out to the beach to sleep. The stars were utterly amazing. In Nanjing we are lucky if we get to see even 3 stars in one evening due to the pollution. But on Phi Phi Leh not one star was hidden behind anything but the karsts. It was amazing.

The next morning we woke up early and had breakfast together as a group, took some group photos, and headed back to Phi Phi Don. We said goodbye to our new friends and got some contact information as well. We were sad to leave “our” island but we will never forget the experience we had camping out on Phi Phi Leh. People often say the closer you get to pure, unspoiled nature the more likely you are to see God. I believe we certainly saw a piece of God on this island and he definitely made an impression.

Phuket Picttures

Hi Everyone,

Here are those Phuket pictures for you guys. Enjoy!

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Phuket Island, Thailand

After several tiring days of exploring the temples at Angkor Wat, Thomas and I were ready for some much needed beach time. We stopped into Bangkok for a night and then hopped a bus down to the Island of Phuket. I know what you are thinking, but it is pronounced with a silent h people! Think Puket, with no h! We made the same mistake…

Phuket is absolutely beautiful. The white sandy beaches are paired with rolling, rocky mountain sides that contain some breathtaking lookout points. Our first stop was at a little resort called Seaside Cottages. We stayed two nights in this tiny beach bungalow that looked right out at the sea with a HUGE mosquito net. It was adorable and entirely secluded. You had to walk down the beach 2 plus miles to find any kind of civilization. It was breathtaking and so relaxing. The beach was ours. We enjoyed traditional Thai food at the resorts restaurant and explored the almost empty beaches in the area. We loved it and wish we could have stayed longer.

Our next stop was in the Kata beach area which was pretty busy but not as busy as other beaches near by. We rented a motorbike several times and road long the coast to find quieter beaches and secluded areas. It was a tropical paradise. Most days we got up late and headed out to the beach until sundown. I mostly laid on the beach and read my book. Thomas discovered a new found love of snorkeling. He spent most of his beach time avoiding sharp rocks and hunting for fish. After dinner we would wander back to the beach to check out the stars. At night you could find guys selling paper lanterns that you could light and send up into the air. We saw as many as 20 in the air at once floating out and over the sea. It was so beautiful!

On our second to last day there we decided to take a 45km mountain biking tour along the west coast of Thailand. It was amazing. AND we got to ride super nice trek mountain bikes that we would only dream of owning one day. The bike tour took us out of Phuket and along the west coast of mainland Thailand. The nice thing about this tour is that they only allow a small group to go on every tour and it’s not touristy at all. There were six of us total, including our guide. We went through small towns and villages, and through a bunch of rubber plantations. We stopped midday for a traditional Thai lunch. Then we visited a turtle sanctuary and finished at a national park with a small hike out to a waterfall. It was a really beautiful ride and some much needed exercise after laying around on beaches for the past couple of days.

By the time we jumped on a bus to head to Malaysia, I was not ready to leave! It was definitely an awesome chapter to add onto our trip. Hopefully someday we will be able to go back!

Cambodia Pictures

Hey all,

Sorry for the delay in getting these posted. Here they finally are...

Angkor Wat (and surrounding temples)

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Siem Reap, Cambodia

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Les Sens D' Angkor

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Silk Farm

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Butterfly Atrium

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Siem Reap, Cambodia

The border crossing into Cambodia was relatively smooth compared to some stories we had read. Fortunately for us we did our research and were aware of what to look out for (nothing dangerous, just scams in general).

We arrived at Rosy Guesthouse just before sunset. Despite being exhausted from a full day of travel from Bangkok we decided to meander around town for awhile. We eventually came across “Pub Street”, which had all varieties of restaurants with most dishes starting around $2.

The next day we did a short self guided walking tour of the city. Afterwards we hired a Tuk Tuk for the day. Our first stop was to a local Silk Farm. I think I speak for both of us when I say I didn’t realize how complicated the process was. Beginning with the type of leaves the caterpillars eat all the way to the weaving on the loom each step can alter the feel, color, and quality of the final piece.

After perusing the silk farm for a couple hours we hopped back into the Tuk Tuk and made a quick stop at Sentuers d’ Angkor, a small company that specializes in handmade soaps, spices, and candles from local ingredients. We then headed over to the entrance to Angkor Wat to get our three day passes. Going after 5PM got us into the park for a few hours at sunset before the pass went into effect.

The next morning we got up and biked to the temples. We arrived at about 4:45AM. We were the very first ones there and had the rare opportunity to see the deserted temple under the light of a full moon. We were just in time check out the inside of the temple and get the best spot of the picturesque and most popular photo point of Angkor Wat before hundreds of people swamped the area. It was awesome! For the better part of the next three days we alternated between biking and hiring Tuk Tuks to go between each ruin site. Each temple was amazing in regard to its own history but Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Tah Prom were particularly stunning. It’s difficult to describe in words how each looked. The best thing to do would be to look at the pictures and see for yourself.

The last day we stopped by a butterfly atrium, watched a documentary about the Khmer Rouge, and grabbed dinner. For dinner we had Cambodian style BBQ. It consisted of a cylindrical shaped dish on top of a plate of coals with soup, vegetables, and an assortment of croc, snake, and frog meat that you cooked over the coals. The next day we hitched a bus back to Bangkok for another adventure.

Eating Bugs and People Watching in Bangkok

Hello Everyone!

We made it back to China safe and sound… I never thought I would ever consider China a home away from home. Go figure! Now it’s time to get to work blogging about our adventures. Our first stop after Harbin was Bangkok, Thailand.

I fell in love with Bangkok the minute we drove into town. The city just buzzes with energy and color. We got in around 4am in the morning, tired but excited! Our hostel was located right off of Khaoson Rd which is the main backpacker’s street where you can find rows of places to shop, eat, and drink. The party was still raging on Khaosan Rd (as it usually does until breakfast starts) but we decided to head to bed and get some much needed sleep.

Our days in Bangkok followed a similar pattern most of the time. We would sleep in until 9-10, have a late brunch, go sight seeing, shopping, or get a traditional Thai massage, grab a late dinner, and finally spend the evening people watching around Khaosan Rd. Bangkok is WONDERFUL for people watching. The most interesting people go there! Most of the time Thomas and I would grab a beer from 7eleven and just sit on the curb for hours just watching people walk on by. You know, being creepy.

We got around town mostly by walking, water taxis (which were my favorite), and tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are basically motor bikes with a little trailer attached for people to sit in. They are so much fun but you’ve got to be careful that the drivers don’t ripe you off! Bangkok is famous for these little taxis.

One of our favorite things about Bangkok is the food; it’s AMAZING! Pad Thai’s and curry’s and fresh fruit smoothies everywhere! Our favorite place was this little shack that had tables and stools that you sat on out on the street. They have this pancake with fresh fruit (dragon fruit, pineapple, water melon, mango, papaya, and bananas) with honey drizzled on top! Oh, so good! We ate there most of the time because it was so delicious and the price was right!

We went to several temples and wats within the city limits. The temples in Thailand are definitely different from the temples in China. Thailand’s temples are an odd mix of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs that are heavily influenced by India. We had to cover up our legs and shoulders as well as take off our shoes at most temples. Also, the Thai’s believe that the feet are the lowest part of the body so you had to try and not point your feet directly at the Buddha or at Vishnu (the main Hindu god). They also believe that the head is the highest and most important part of the body. We had to try and avoid touching other people’s heads, especially children’s, which is easy to do sometimes. We visited the Grand Palace, the Wat Arun (Wat just means a type of temple), and Thailand’s biggest reclining Buddha. We even got to sit in on an evening prayer service. Again, this sect of Buddhism is entirely different from China, so it was really cool to see.

The shopping in Thailand was amazing! There are so many neat treasures to buy, Thomas had to control my spending! And we had to be careful because we were only traveling with carry-on backpacks. On Sunday Thomas and I trekked up north to the weekend market. It was HUGE and it had everything that you could ever imagine. This market has an art gallery section, a home furniture section, and even a pet section! We spend most of the afternoon getting lost in the narrow streets of this market and designing our hypothetical future home.

We had plenty of interesting things to do at night as well. Thomas was delighted to find a bug cart pilled high with all different kinds of bugs that were seasoned and fried. We bought two of everything. Thomas even ate an entire scorpion! It was gross… we’ve got pictures!

A few of my girlfriends and I decided to check out a cabaret show one night as well. Thailand is known for its “middle sex” population, also known as “lady boys.” Essentially it was a drag show but with really really beautiful men! It was so entertaining, although we all walked away feeling a bit self-conscious about putting a bathing suit. Most of those men looked better than we did!

One of the last nights there we stayed up late at a bar that was broadcasting the Bears game live. Most of the bars and restaurants on Khaoson Rd spill out into the street so you can enjoy the beautiful weather. This bar was no different. The game was broadcasted outdoors on the side of a building. And there were at least three Bears fans there so I had some company! Oh, and we won! Go Bears!

On our last afternoon in Bangkok (and on Thomas’ 26th birthday) we decided to go see a movie. Bangkok is known for its awesome theaters and cheap movie prices. And we were not disappointed. This movie theater was absolutely amazing! And it was so inexpensive! We even got pop, popcorn, and Thomas bought a birthday beer. The most interesting thing about this experience was when everyone stood up for Thailand’s national anthem before the movie started. It was so bizarre!

I was so sad to leave Bangkok; I enjoyed that bustling city so much! But, Thomas and I had other adventures waiting for us and new places to explore. Our next stop was Cambodia. Here are the pictures from our trip to Bangkok:

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We will write again soon about the next stop on our trip! Hope everyone is doing well. We miss and love you all!

Soaking up the Sun

Hi Everyone!

We are so sorry we haven't updated the blog sooner... apparently developing a tan on the beach is hard work that takes up much of our time at the moment!

We are currently on an island in Thailand called Phuket. We have been having such an amazing time. I am most definitely in love with this place. One of our favorite things here is the food! We love the local Thai food. And they have fruit shakes EVERYWHERE, which is my favorite.

Before Phuket we stayed in Bangkok. Bangkok is amazingly busy and has a fantastic night life. Most of the time Thomas and I would just sit on the street corner with a beer from 7eleven and just people watch the whole night. It was such a cool city to see. I also splurged on a Thai massage most days of the week; I can't help myself!

After Bangkok we went to Siem Reap, Cambodia. This is probably one of my favorite places in the entire world. We spent most of our time touring the ancient Angkor Wat temples, climbing and hiking around 9th/10th century towers. It was so amazing. Think Indiana Jones temples in the jungle covered with monkeys. I'm not kidding here. Next to the temples, the people are definitely one of the best things about Cambodia. They don't call it the smiling country for nothing!

Now we are exploring the tropical islands in southern Thailand and enjoying some down time. Next weekend we head to Malaysia and then back home to China! We promise to add more information about our travels asap as well as pictures... We love and miss you all! Hope all is well back home!

Harbin Pictures

Here you go everyone! Enjoy! And remember, some of the tiger pictures are a bit graphic... we will be adding more pictures to this album throughout the next month or so from our friends cameras and memory sticks. We will keep you posted!

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Hello Harbin

Ni Hao! I hope that everyone has been doing well back in America. We’ve got some great updates and pictures for you all…

I don’t even know where to begin to describe our trip to Harbin. Let’s just say it exceeded our expectations beyond belief. Harbin is so far north that it is practically on the boarder of Russia, which explains all of the fantastic Russian architecture. The entire city is an odd mix of Russian and Chinese culture. It didn’t feel like we were even in China at all! The entire weekend was around zero degrees Fahrenheit and even fell into the negatives late at night. And there was so much snow! It was the white Christmas we never got in Nanjing. But we were prepared for the weather. We all bought boots, long underwear, snow pants, and even hand and foot warmers that we placed inside our gloves and boots. But it was definitely cold! It was actually very similar to a bad winter in Wisconsin, so I felt right at home!

We stayed in a hostel that used to be a Jewish synagogue. It was absolutely beautiful and had three café’s/restaurants attached to it. How convenient! Those are the first pictures in our slideshow.

We got into Harbin early Thursday night and immediately ventured out to explore the city. We walked up and down the main drag the first night, looking at the Russian architecture and the fantastic ice sculptures that were all lit up. We stopped at a bar called USA Bucks that looks extremely interesting. This bar had really bizarre American antiques and paraphernalia covering every inch of the walls. And there were really odd pictures of the same Chinese guy in different military outfits with different women and in different places. The owner/manager of the bar was the guy in all the pictures and, luckily for us, he happened to be working that evening. He was wearing a cowboy hat and leather chaps, and proceeded to parade around the bar entertaining everyone. Apparently this guy loves America and he was hilarious. We started to talk with him briefly and I kept having this feeling that I had seen this place or this guy before… then it hit me. I saw him on the Anthony Bourdain show No Reservations on the Travel Channel last year! I was completely star struck! It was so cool to meet him! Here is the link to watch the video of him with Anthony Bourdain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrVec7p29nU&feature=&p=14F10043E4266F80&index=0&playnext=1

On Friday we headed out to find St. Sophia, a Russian Orthodox Church in the center of the city. It was really beautiful and so bizarre to see right next to neon Chinese lights. We then went to the river to check out the tubing, ice slides, sleigh rides, and other winter activities. We had a blast, although I think everyone’s butts were fairly sore by the end of the afternoon. Our next stop was an ice sculpture park in the center of the city near St. Sophia’s. It was not the main ice attraction in the city but it was a great place to start. That evening we went to a 5-star hotel to check out their ice bar. The entire bar was made out of ice! It was really cool but very cold and expensive.

(WARNING: The next paragraph might be too graphic for animal lovers or vegetarians. Sorry but it was too cool to pass up!)

Saturday was definitely the highlight of the trip. We spent the afternoon at the Siberian Tiger Park and it might be the coolest place in the world! The first part of the tour was on a bus that took us all through the park. The tigers actually came right up to the windows of the bus! I’ve never been so close to such a large, wild animal. The second part of the tour was a caged walkway where you could buy meat and live chickens to feed the tigers. You could even buy a whole cow but it was extremely expensive. We probably spend a few hundred yuan on raw meat just to feed the tigers and we even pitched in to buy a whole chicken. Thomas was in charge of managing the chicken. The longer he held onto it the more attached he got. He felt a bit bad sending it down to the tigers but it was really cool to see. Two tigers jumped up and instantly tore the chicken in half. It was over within seconds. It was like watching the discovery channel in real life! We have some really great close up pictures. But, you’ve been warned! Some of the pictures are pretty graphic!

The rest of the afternoon we spend at Harbin’s famous International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival! It was like Disney world made out of HUGE ice buildings and sculptures. We got there right before the sunset so we have pictures of the ice structures during the day as well as at night when they were all lit up. It was so cool to see. We all felt like little kids in a candy shop. It also had some pretty elaborate ice slides. By the time we left we were definitely cold and tired!

By Sunday we were iced out. We mustered up enough energy to head out for some traditional Harbin food. We tried Haws or Hawthorn fruit that are stacked on a skewer and covered in a sweet sauce. It was really good but very sugary and sweet. We also tired some Harbin smoked sausages. They were absolutely delicious! And of course we tried the famous Harbin beer, brewed right there in town. It is bar far the best Chinese beer available.

We got home late Sunday evening tired and happy. It was an awesome trip, but we are definitely ready for some sunny weather. There is more traveling, blogging, and pictures to come in the next month! Hopefully we can update you all while we are in Southeast Asia. We will do our best and write again soon!

Zai Jian!

It's Vacation Time!!!

Hello Everyone!

We hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday season so far! We wish we were home to celebrate with everyone... Christmas and New Years was good here in China. Low-key but good.

We leave for our January trip this coming Thursday morning and we are so excited! Here is our travel itinerary thus far:

-Harbin, Chain
-Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, Cambodia
-Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand
-Kuala Lumpor, Malaysia

We will probably be celebrating Thomas 26th birthday somewhere in Thailand (4 years until 30- he's getting old!) We will be back briefly after Harbin to blog about our cold, snow filled adventures before he head down south for some fun in the sun. We will try to keep everyone updated but we might be MIA for a little while. We are definitely looking forward to a nice long vacation and plenty of blogging when we get back.

We love and miss you all! Stay tuned!