A Roaring Time

I find it strange that most banks have lions out the front, they are impressive looking and would certainly put off potential robbers, if they were real.

Not all banks have one as impressive as these, some are "just" stone, all are big though.

This bank sits on a corner and it used to be a round about but the traffic has become so busy that it is now controlled by traffic lights. There are two hotels on opposite corners and a park on the other corner.
Half way from our apartment to the big shopping centre which is 4.6 kms away, it has become a regular thing to walk past.
I havent been in to a bank since we have been here as we no longer have a bank account. Apparently one needs to be a resident for 2 months or more to be able to open an account. Back when we did have accounts, it would take so long with all the paperwork to be filled out that it was take a number and wait and there were banks of chairs.
Alipay and wechatpay have taken over from cash here, not much cash is used anymore.

Always a first

Today on our trek around, we are walking between 4 and 8 kms a day and ut was awful weather again but we put on coats and grabbed umbrellas and set off. It was very light misty rain and although it settled on our jackets we didnt see or feel the need to put up the umbrellas.

Walking along though we saw something that we have never seen in China before.
Drum roll please, a caravan!

Large as life it was and parked outside an apartment block which we saw being built a few years ago. The block has the usual drive way into it,  complete with electric gates and guards. The caravan was not attached to a car but there were cars either side of it.

Maybe caravans are coming to China for recreational use. People and students when we tell them about our caravan are amazed as they do not know about them.

Fog!

Oh boy we woke up to fog today, not often it js foggy here but today was the day. Many people were using umbrellas but it was only fog, althligh we did hab ve our umbrellas in the back pack just in case.

Buses were very busy as we are having a long weekend due to New Year.

We caught a bus with lots of kids and luggage and got off early to do a walk.

these photos were taken from almost the same spot at about noon. It did clear a little later ready fir us to walk the 5 kms home.fog

Temples

We visited here a few days ago. Nice walking paths and well sign posted.
A little further along was a sign to the toilets so we went there as well. Just outside the toilets in  a pavilion were a group having a sing song.  Warren stayed outside and enjoyed the music while I used the facilities. An interesting thing that I found in China is the mens toilets are on one side and womens on the other, nothing different there but the wash area is bewteen the two outside. It makes a lot of sense but I have never seen that anywhere else but here. These toilets had toilet paper and a hand blower to dry your hands.

Warren told that he had been asked to sing a song for them, he had declined!

An electric car?

This was outside on the footpath, it is new. We looked all around it and even in it. There was no price, I even grabbed a paper that was rolled up in the front and no price on that either. How am I or anyone supposed to budget with no price showing.

Unlike at home, there was no one rushing out to sell it to us. It is like an electric bike but with a body built around it. I wanted to know how much it was so I headed into the store. There was absolutely noone in sight, so I couldnt ask. Warren told I was nuts but I was confident I could ask and tell them that I was just looking.

There was room for the driver and a small seat at the back plenty of room for me. Warren seemed to think that it would have to be registered but we dont know. I am determined to find out though.  It does have three wheels like Mr beans the ones that he hates and runs off the road.

Rubbish Street

This was a street across from where we lived. Just about anything could be bought there cheaply. Lots of food vendors for lunch and dinner, many carts used to come just at meal times. It was a busy place and many students used to go there. There was a great market for fruit and vegetables at the end. Butchers with their meat at one end, ebikes and bicycles riding through the throng of customers trying to get the best price for their purchases.

It was also a short cut through to the bottom of the main streets.

Sadly like many places in China, it has been demolished both ends have been sealed off. We visited the new f @v market further along the street and we think that many of the vendors have moved in there. Although we did not see our friendly butcher who more often that not would be chopping up fresh meat with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Ahhh, those were the good old days.

Here is Rubbish street today, I dare say that new apartment blocks will soon raise from the depths. A subway/metro is being built within the city and it will be a quick trip to Hangzhou and even Shanghai so more housing being built is normal. I miss the quirky little street and wonder where the people who lived there have gone.

Merry Christmas

We went to our fav pizza place today for our Christmas lunch, it was less busy than last week thank goodness.
We ordered an Aussie steak, med rare and some nibbles beforehand. As it was cold we also got a milk tea with bits for Warren's and I got a hot cocoa. Cost was 198rmb just under $40. Steak was very nice.

We were told that Christmas was to be a non event here but I think some one forgot to tell the shops. There are Christmas trees and decorations galore, Christmas songs being played in shops and malls, not really the carols but songs like All I want for Christmas etc. Shop assistants wearing reindeer ears etc, even saw a bus yesterday painted in red and green stripes.sab

A window cat

Yesterday while out walking I saw an ornament cat and then it moved!
This cat had a jacket on and it was lying in the window soaking up whatever sun jt could get. I walked closer and it just turned over lazily no way was it giving up its cosy spot.

Dressed to impress

A local restaurant has hung these red lanterns at the front, it looks very festive.

On a street corner coming home the entrance to a housing complex has a blow up new entry. The colours are bright and the dragons wrapped around the poles look menacing.

Dumplings

We went to a birthday party last night and on a long table was the making for dumplings. Small round discs of pastry which one sheet was put in left hand, then dip fingers into water and swipe on one side. Take up chop sticks and get a small amount of mixture, think it was meat and beans mixed together, place on one side of pastry then fold over and make pleats.

When lots had been made, other dishes were placed on table which we ate then the hot dumplings arrived. They were alright but a little bland.

Great walking paths

As we are walking every day, it has become a challenge to chose a different route most days. This is one that we do frequent, its close to home a decent walk and one we can do after lunch and before work. We have travelled along it for three days this week, each time a little faster. Today's trek of 3,45 kms took 41 minutes at a cracking pace of 4.9ks per hour according to my sportstracker. It does help that there are few crossroads so we dont have to wait for traffic.

Two days ago the one road bridge that we walk by had orange tape around jt there was a big hole on either side of yhe bridge. Yesterday it was all filled in and today it was as though nothing had taken place at all.

The grey building on the right is one of the dorms of the school, our apartment is in the one behind it.

Hand and feet warmers

Rather cold in our neck of the woods and walking in the markets we spied these.

These two were given to us and we have bought a couple of others. Takes only a few minutes of being plugged in and then they heat the bed or can slip your hands in a pocket, Warren currently has his feet on one.

Holly bushes and others

Coming back from lunch yesterday and I realised that I was walking past a holly bush. Good to see at this time of the year.

No berries though.

Our resident gardener has been hard at work and even there doesnt seem to be as many gardeners at work here now he has managed to add another couple of new bush animals.

My students when sent out to find an animal told me that there were none. I explained where they could find some and off they went, they had no idea! Probably too busy looking their mobile phones.

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Ha! Found the old Fizz Pizza

Today being Sunday and wanting a long walk it was proposed that we would go by bus to the big shopping centre, have lunch then walk home. Due to Sunday also and likey to be busy we decided to wait until 12 before making a move.

No all prepations go to plan as there was a line up outside if Puzza Hut, not very big but the line is just inside the door coming in and every time someone walked in there they brought a blast if cold air with them and seeing it was 6 degrees today, we moved on.

We had seen a sign for Fizz Pizza and a 1 so we started looking and found ourselves outside and there is was over looking the canal.

They were busy but found a table for ys and proceeded to clean it off. Menu was much the same but now the orders and ticked onto the menu, we chose mushroom soup, a serve of chips, large pizza ans a hot cocoa. It was delicious!

Waiting, been served hot water.

Chips in a basket with tomato sauce on the side.

Pizza!

The menu and order which also the bill.

Mr Fix-it

Our new apartment has a king sized bed, it is great! So great in fact that are considering upgrading our queen sized bed for a king sized one once we get home.

This is a picture of our bed in China.
However it had developed a squeak over the weeks that we have been here. At first it wasnt too bad and only occassionly but it had been getting worse. Warren thought he knew the reason for it and as yesterday was sheet changing day, he took the bed apart. Well, not completely, just moved the mattress and the slats that the mattrss rests upon. Arr! I knew that he had discovered the problems and it was as he thought.

The bolts had not been tightened enough or they had become a little loose so Warren with his trusty screw driver, tightened them. Arrrh, we can now get into bed and even turn over and there is no noise!

Tonights dinner

Raining all day today. Worst thing about no cooking facilities is we have to go out to eat. I had been out for lunch but had ordered in the wrong order, I asked for coffee first and was directed to another counter that only did drinks. I decided then to jyst go with the coffee and i had a cup of spinach and egg soup when I got home.

Still raining but felt we needed to eat when jt was dinner time as I fast for breakfasts. We braved the elements and walked to the canteen.

This was dinner after we had eaten, the plate on the right had sweet and sour pork with cabbage and twice cooked pork had been on the other, bowls of rice are out of sight. I try to limit the rice that I eat. The white dishes are cooked to order and the place is still using the menu that I helped translate several years ago.

This was lunch a few days ago. I had eggplant and beans, front left and two chicken wings in soy sauce with sesame seeds on top. Warrens on the top of pic was egg and tomato with a fried egg and on the left was a type of mince with egg on top. He was having an eggie day. Dishes are served on different coloured plates and determines the prices. Some things are already on the plates and it is a matter of picking them up or others can be selected, usyally by pointing and the se4vers didh them up and the tray is then taken across to the cashier and ttotes it up. The green dishes are 6 y each with a bowl of rice being 1y, so my tray was 13y just under $3.

Newspapers

Currently in China and living on school campus. When we were here before, there was a small post office just inside the gates. I would buy my phone cards there and many newspapers. China daily was a paper wriiten in English and I would often use articles from them in class or to use as wrapping paper.

I wanted to do a pass the parcel activity with one of my classes and I couldnt find a newspaper! Shock horror. Small post office has closed down.

Last week when we ventured to the big Post Office down town only to find that it is half or quarter the size that it used to be, I thought I would buy a Chins Daily from there but no, they do not sell newspapers anymore.

I asked our "minder" yesterday and he said that all newspapers are now on line! Not sure if magazines are still available. I will go to the book store today, last time we went we could only buy maps in Chinese no English ones so I will try my luck at least I know how to say maps and newspapers so half the battle is done.

Shades of Autumn

Leaves are colouring and falling, making for a very pretty picture. Gardeners must hate it though as they are out with their brooms sweeping or scooping them up.

A Flaming Dessert

We were out for dinner on Saturday night, met with friends at a restaurant down town called the Glasshouse. This was a very nice place, the boys said it was a little pricy but not too bad. Cost us 210y around $20 each for a main course and dessert.

Meals were individual and Warren had a pizza, I had a sopy thing with noodles, minced pork and a few pork balls in it. Warren decided that he would have a dessert banana broulee and it sounded good so I said yes to one as well.

It was presented nicely on a wooden platter with a small glass of whiskey and a small cup of black coffee. After Warren's was delivered to him, mine was first, the server came back to me and upended the shot glass of whiskey on the banana dish and lit it.

Post Office and Perfume

Not usually put together but that was what we were shopping for today. Well, I had postcards to send and the perfume is an ongoing thing.
At home I usually have two or three different perfumes on the go at the same time and depending on my mood in the morning, depends on which one I use. I packed a small one to come not realising how low it was getting and of course it run out a few days ago. No problem, they used to be Avon stores here where i used to buy perfume and deodorant if and when I needed it. They are gone. No problem , I will go to Watsons the chemist, arrg plenty of face  creams skin whiteners etc etc. Nothing at supermarkets, even went into a couple of beauty places, nothing. I was destined to go perfume less!

We caught the no 30 bus, its the closest and less crowded, it did mean that we had further to walk once in the city but as we hadnt been for our normal walk about that was fine. The PO has shrunk its now only a third the size, and there were chairs at the counter. I found out why, people take so .long to do their stuff, if they have a parcel to send there is about four pieces of document to fill in and they do it there, regardless if who or how many are waiting.

Finally my turn, i had my postcards ready with Australia written in characters and a note ready to pay. I tell the girl that I have six for Australia, in my best Chinese, she looks at me and asks Hong Kong? What! Before I could respond the girl alongside of her tells her Australia she understood me!  Girl proceeded to count the post cards three times and even weighed each one! On a calculator she shows me how much, 4.5y each just under a dollar.

Walking along and just missed a home going bus but spied a store selling beanies and socks plus bottles and creams so we filled in some time, we had to wait for the next bus anyway, hummm some bottles look suspiciously like perfume bottles. Yes, they were, it was a Japanese store, new to me and i selected one, they were all 20y $4.

Warren was able to buy a speaker for his computer, the speakers for movie watching is not that good so the new speaker should improve things a bit.
A successful day, postcards posted, perfume bought and speakers which we didnt know we wanted/needed. A longish walk plus washing done and other housework done.

Carmellias

Not sure if that is the right spelling but the computer hasnt corre ted it so either it is right or it is thinking or something else.

Anyway I am talking about the flowers or bushes that have flowers.

I like the flowers and we had them at our wedding, not sure if that was my idea or someone elses but they were there and of course every time I see the flowers I am reminded of our wedding.

There are plenty of the bushes around the school and most are in bud and This is the first one to have flowers.

The bushes run along the roadsides of the apartment blocks. From our apartment we walk along a road which then opens out into a larger area, some car do park there or the road leads down to an under parking area. Then we can choose to go one of three roads, one goes alongside the canal between apartments and wall, this is not a solid more like bars, as can see the canal. Middles road goes between apartment blocks and is wider as cars can yse it to go to the parking, this is where the bushes line both sides of the road or the third road which takes us out and through to the kindergarten and then on to the south gate.

Looking forward to seeing more of the flowers develop in the next few weeks.o

A tea ceremony

Last Sunday we were dined and then taken to a resort where we had a tea ceremony.
As the floors were highly polished, it was shoes off and then down on our knees to get under the table which was a massive hulk of wood.

The cups were all laid out in a row then poured and handed around

This is us trying to look comfortable

A walk along the canals

I caught a bus and walked home along the canal. There is a footpath along side of the road and then there is another path that is lower and winds along the canal, always peaceful and far less crowded.

This gate was leading into a community and the road and bridge went across the canal.

I walked through the tunnel of this one.

Cold!!

We waved our friends goodbye this morning and it was very cold outside waiting for the bus, I checked the temperature and it was 7 degrees at 9.30 am.

I had a little bit of work to do so went across to school for a bit then Warren and I walked to the bus station, damn just missed one and it was a long ten minute wait for the next one. We were going to different places but wanted the same bus. When he pulled up and we got on, the driver checked with us where we wanted to go which was nice of him, our language skills were just enough to understand him.

I was going shopping to Au Chan and Warren was going to the new campus. I bought him a jacket and a vest and leg warmers. Then to KFC for lunch. The coffee cost more than the burger.

The time that I bought it 12.29, the girl circled the order number, 3214 and the number came up on a screen, I just had to tell her qif i was eating in or taking it away.  Lunwarmed me for awhile and then I got lazy and caught a cab home rather than walk to the bus. Taxi cost 13 rmb as opposed to .8rmb on the bus. All my other purchases were on sale so I didnt feel too bad about spending the money on a taxi.

Xin Chang

We were treated to a trip yesterday and what a trip it was. We got a sleep in as we were not being picked up until 9.30 am. It was only a small group of nine. Five foreigners three from the office/college and a photographer.

We were heading for Xin Chang, the home of the company or person who owns/started the college. It is also the home of a very large Budda and scenic place.

First we had lunch for a couple of hours, our big boss and his family joined us for lunch. It was a smorgasbord with lots and lots of tasty things to try. All very delicous, the main course was steak which we had ordered, it was a small piece of steak with egg and onion on a griddle plate, so tender, I usually do not eat steak but I went with the others and ordered it. So glad I did.
Food just kept coming out and several times we had said that we had had enough and then there was something else to try. It was a wonderful feast.
Then we went to the park and wandered around for a couple of hours.
Next was another scenic park that is a resort to teach calligraphy and meditation. We walked up a slight rise to see a house built on the side of the rock face and a second one that is being built, then we returned by this time it was getting dark and we had tea at a tea house. That was like a Japanese tea house, sitting on the floor at low tables. Every time we went inside we took our shoes off, bit harder to do when wearing boots with laces but we know that is the custom and so we follow suit.

After tea, we are then taken to the dining hall and shown how to make wraps with very fine crepes, noodles, vegetables and chicken. Normally it woukd be vegetarian but they cooked chicken for us. Again it was shoes off and sitting on the floor on round cushions. What I didnt notice until we were outside again was a rack for mobile phones. Dinner is a time to converse not use phones, none of us did anyway except for photos.
Home about 7.30, fully satified with food and sight seeing, a wonderful day.

Yum dinner

There is a couple of very nice little restaurants across from West Gate. When we were here at first there was only one gate in to svhool and it was the west gate. It is still used by the college kids bue for us it is the further gate away so we dont go very often.

Last night after working late at another school, I wanted something hot and the seafood noodle pot was it, I was willing to walk the two kms to get it. I measured it on my sports tracker the first time we went and from our apartment there and back was 4.2 kms.

Yum, so many mussles and three prawns some green vege and thick noodles in the bottom all for the price of 22rmb about $4.

While waiting for the meal, they serve a small bowl of hot fruit soup. I have had this meal twice I think and each time I have not been able to finish it.

Turkey dinner

For thankgiving, not that we celebrate it in Australia, we were invited to a turkey dinner with other foreigners. We were quite happy to oblige.

The restaurant was not far from here (where we are living) but we did not feel confident about getting there by taxi so we allowed an hour as we had to catch two buses.

It was a good night, eleven of us, very multi cultural Aussies, Canadians, Americans, Chinese and Jamacians. Turkey was prepared by a Chinese couple who had never cooked turkey before. It was served with corn, mashed potatoes, green beans and sweet potatoes followed by apple pie, definately yum.

At the end of the night, taxis were hard to come by so we walked, took about 40 minutes, nice night for a walk and we needed the exercise. Oh he also made two gravies, one was a cranberry gravy, oh dear I could have just eaten that, it was divine.
Cost was 80 rmb each or less than $10

Shower taps

We are living in a new apartment and the shower is different to home, not that tok different to be a hassle. warren usually had first shower and I stay in bed a little longer as the hot water while adequate is small and is probably suitable for one and a half showers so I wait until it is already to go again (thats my story anyway why i stay in bed longer).

Anyway he came into the bedroom the other morning and proceeded to tell me that I should just push the lever straight back to the wall. I said I do. He says no you must twist it when turning it off as it is cold when i use it. Ahh, says I, I have to adjust it for me as you must have it too hot.

For years I would always turn yhe water hotter than him at home now it seems the shoe is on the other foot.

Nanowrimo finished for the year

Another 50000 words written for the National Novel Writing Month,  actually 50053. The last ten thousand were a bit of a slogq but its done and dusted. A tough mknth really with getting the house organised, packing up, getting here, the travel, once here the socialising oh and a little bit of work thrown in. I did get behind and had to do 2k a day for the last seven days and i had run out of my original idea but things seem to come once I sit down to write.

Definately put to bed now, I may look at it again in January and start the correcting and editting phase only because we will still be here and I will have the time. I dont think I finished editting last years, oh well. This was my eighth jn a row and up until two weeks before I didnt think I was going to do jt as I had no clue on what to write, then an idea hit me like a sledge hammer and its done. Dont like my title though.

The old and the new

We went walking on Sunday it was a nice sunny day. We left the campus by the west gate and walked around to the north gate, passing the south gate on the way. A nice easy walk of about 5 kms. On our way round there wete new building along side of ols ones. This is the photo I took.

The old and the new

Sunday was a nice day cool but sunny and we set off for a walk. Now that I have a tracker on my phone its easier to see how far we have walked. It was a walk that I used to do a few years ago when we were here before.

Around the back streets, I noticed (very hard not to notice an eight story building) being built along the other older buildings. I daresay in a few more years the old buildings will be pushed over and built again.

Burger king and a school visit

Warren took me downtown today to burger king, this did not exist before and neither did the massive shopping centre where it is housed. The burger were big, I would say that my hand would have spanned across it so pretty big, small fries and a coke cost 50rmb or a bit over $10. It was a busy place although we were the only Westerners. While we were eating we counted eight delivery drivers came in to pick bags to deliver, we knew that they were delivery people as they were still wearing their bike helmet.

Leaving the burger king, we decided to see what was upstairs and we saw our friend coming across the floor. She just happened to be there during her lunch as she had been wanting to buy a new winters coat, had been to several stores since it had turned cold and today was her purchasing day. She took us up so we could give the final verdict. It was a very nice long grey coat which looked very good on her. After she bought it, she took us along to show us  her school. She had bought this school with a school friend and his school friend so three of them own it.

Its very nice with cute little rooms, they teach 4 to 14 year olds, English, Chinese, mayhs and science plus drawing and painting. It is an after hours and weekend school,  many parents use these type of schools for their children to improve their grades.

Haining

We borrowed a car yesterday and drove up there to Haining. We had been there before, taken on a bus trip by the school to visit a leather factory outlet. I bought my leather gloves there for a small fraction of what would normally be paid for leather.

There were two green dots caches that we could only get by going by car. Four of us went in a little kitty mobile, it is a small vw all prettied up with hello kitty stuff. Three westerners and one China friend who was interestted in learning about our hobby.

The first one took us to an anicent village, what a surprise, we had no idea that it was there.

There were a couple of school groups visiting and they were keen to chat with us and have their photo taken with them. Unfortunately we didnt find what we were looking for but it was a good day out none the less.