Digging All the Way To China...er America?

Just a quick picture of what's happening outside of Thunders apartment! Not sure what they are doing, but I'm pretty sure there are no "Confined Spaces" permits involved! It is really causing problems for us! We stood outside last night for over 20 minutes trying to catch a cab! They can't get through as some people take this as a new parking lot! Oh well, that's Beijing!

Not Just Another Taxi Driver In Beijing

I have to go back a bit to explain this story. Back in May/June, Thunder was coming out of work to hail a cab, just like every day. A driver came up to him and asked in good English if we needed a ride. So began the saga of Mr. Ma. Since that day Mr. Ma has been our number one driver! He takes me to the airport, picks me up and has done the same for Dude and Matt. He is the driver that took us to the Great Wall and any special events we may need a driver. He has arranged for his friend Lee Dong to pick David up every morning at the apartment to get him to work. (She lives closer than Mr. Ma)

I noticed on my first ride with him that he had a list of all of the States quarters. Some had check marks but most didn't. So I made a note of this and brought him all of the ones he was misssing. He was so grateful, because we also brought him a five dollar bill "with color" and a two dollar bill! As he told me one day, "For many year, paper money in America, just one color?"

Well for some time now he's been wanting to take us out for dinner, saying "I pay". So last night we finally got the chance to go. He took us to an authentic Hot Pot out in the country. Oh my, such good food and he trully seemed to enjoy himself and learning more English. He has also helped David and me with the Chinese language! We gave him a stocking with candy from "America" and all of the stray coins we have amassed from the states, Malayasia, Europe, Japan and whatever else we had on hand. You see, his daughter had just gotten her first "Pickey bank" which we explained was really a "Piggy Bank".

We asked him on the ride home how many taxis there are in Beijing? His reply, "Over 70,000". I think with odds like that Thunder should hit the casinos when he gets back home, because he really did hit the jackpot in finding Mr. Ma, we will miss him!

Dinner On New Year's Day

Our friend over at Pure Florida asked "whatchu cookin" for New Years day? So I already told you what we cooked New Years eve. Sorry no photos we were just so anxious to dig in, we didn't even think about photos! The next day, we made BBQ Chicken (ji rou, pronounced gee-row) potato salad (tu dou cai, pronounced two-doe, sigh) and black eyed peas (dou zi, pronounced doe-suh) We did have some help with the KC Masterpiece I smugggled in along with tequilla and various other sundries that sustain Thunder over here. (Can you say 'Mule'?) Thunder has this most awesome oven. Of course I don't know how to work it, but it turns out some great food. So enjoy our picture and maybe you can kinda even taste what we had for our New Years dinner.

Happy New Year From Beijing!

Welcoming in 2009 here in Beijing with Champagne with HUGE strawberries, prime rib, greens and black eyed peas! Keeping up with our tradition! I know this is 13-14 hours ahead of most of you but we wanted to wish you all Happy New Year!

More Scenes from Harbin

Yesterday we went to the Jeans Market here and were able to find a few pair of jeans for Lightnin at unbelievably low prices! This was an entire underground, and I really mean under the ground, market. You went down this labyrinth steps from the street that felt like you were going to end up in someones basement, or a dungeon, and then it opened up to this huge shopping area!


Today we went down to the river, which of course is frozen solid, and took a gondola ride across to get a better view.



Here's one of the sculptures that are along the walk between all the shops near our hotel. I couldn't believe it when we saw the Manikin Piz.

No I'm not standing in St. Petersburg Square, but it certainly felt that way!


It's been a fun frozen trip and we head back to Beijing tomorrow, it should feel warmer there!

Pictures from Harbin aka Frozen Tundra

Again not much to say but lots of photos!
We're as close to the north pole as I ever hope to be too! It's been dropping down to about -65F actual temperature each night, warming up to maybe 12F during the day. I wouldn't have thought so, but you can feel the difference. We had a fine Christmas dinner of fish, spinach, vegetable soup, and pepper beef at "Large Marge's". We decided to go back there because it's good and conveniently located!
Now here's some photos of the winter scenery from Christmas night, enjoy!





Talk about your Chilly Willy!
Who's cold?
Cheers to a Christmas to remember!

*Lightnin's footnote:
Last year Minnesartica this year Siberia? If we don't go to Florida next Christmas just put us in a padded room! We ain't doin' cold again!

First Pictures From Harbin, China Brrrrrrr!

Not a lot to say but wanted to share the first few photos from Harbin. Last night it -65 degrees here! We just set our drinks between the first set of windows to keep "chilled". You can see in the first picture where Thunder opened the inside window in order to scrape the outside window to see out!



The next pictures are from our bunch today. The ginger bread house and windmill are made of real gingerbread. (Aaron found this out by touching the windmill and promptly having some of the pieces fall off and break!)






For those of you familiar with the thermostat problems I had in the states, I had another issue last night! I thought I was seeing the temp drop right before my very eyes....the sign went 24, 23, 22.....then I realized it was how many seconds until the light changed! Oh well, just another Tami Jean moment here in the frozen tundra!

Heading North for Christmas

Sorry, no pictures today just a short note!
It's a balmy 30F here in Beijing, after a bone chilling 9F on Sunday, but we're heading for Harbin, China tomorrow where it is currently only 12F (that hat doesn't look so silly now does it!). Harbin is close to Siberia and I don't know how my friends talked me into it, but that's where we're heading for Christmas! I might even get to help Santa pack his sleigh! ;-)

I should have some wonderful photos of the frozen tundra later this week, or weekend!

Sheng dan jie kuai le! (Merry Christmas!)

Trip to New York for a Graduation

This past weekend we made the trip from Beijing to New York to see our oldest Son Matt graduate from the Masters program at Christies (you know the famous auction house). Well it was definitely an event that we couldn't miss!
I'll keep the text brief because we wanted to share a few pictures, and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words!

Here's the proud graduate the night before the ceremony standing in front of Christies

Graduation! You can see the delight and relief as he accepts the "sheep skin"

The proud parents (I know, I look like a priest, but it's actually a traditional Mandarin style Tux; what are you doing looking at me anyway check out that dress!)

The proud parents with the new graduate

The whole cast of supporters












So what do you do to fill the time while waiting for the ceremony? Well site see off course!
The Letterman Show was right around the corner from our hotel and this was taken from the balcony of the bar on the pent house level

Matt and I in the subway

A cool looking cathedral we passed while taking a cab ride

After the ceremony we returned to the hotel to find out it was Salsa Night, and this young lady was more than happy to try to teach "the priest" how to dance
The bartenders did their part to keep us entertained too

From here Lightnin headed back to Cincy and I boarded a plane back to "The Jing". I think I spent as much time in the air as I did on the ground, but I wouldn't have missed it in the world!

Congratulations Matt!

Kind Thoughts and Prayers are Appreciated

This is not a good week!
Just last night we were informed that my brother has suffered a head injury from a fall this past Sunday (US time) and is currently in ICU. He has been unresponsive for about the past 24 hours and they don't yet know the full extent of his injuries or the true cause of his dormant state!

Those of you that have known me for some time know that he and I do not exactly get along and that there has been some tension/friction between he and my wife and youngest son for quite some time. Well this is one of those times where you put those things aside.

On top of this I was also informed that one of my aunts and one of my cousins were also admitted to the hospital. My aunt for treatment of a heart attack, from which she appears to be recovering, and my cousin from lung disease with which he has suffered for years and full recovery is not exactly optimistic!

This is one of the frustrating things about having a foreign assignment. You cannot simply drop everything and hop in the car or on a jet and be there very quickly. With the new security measures the days of showing up to the airport and getting on a plane, without advanced ticket purchase is next to impossible! Don't get me wrong, I'd be in favor of even higher security if it truly helps make travel safer, but in times like this it can be a real pain!

So if you could take a few minutes of your time to think about these individuals and send any kind thoughts and/or prayers their way it would be very much appreciated!

Grocery Shopping in Beijing, It's a Good Deal

Today is Saturday and we had a mission!!! I bought a pair of boots three weeks ago and every time I've worn them I come home with another button missing! So, let's go back to Ya Show where we bought them (for next to nothing) and see how this complaint works out for us! Success!!! The sales girl right away recognized us and said, "Oh your son from New York, buy shoe here, these ones" (and yes she said "shoe" not shoes!)and pointed to the exact pair that Matt had bought over a month ago! Then she looks at my boots and said "I get repaired you come back tomorrow at 3 o'clock and pick up!"

Now David wants a Chinese hat to keep his head warm, OMG! For those of you familiar with his Canadian tuk, this is worse! Big, furry and had a big Chinese red star on the front!



So that much of our shopping done we head to Luga's for margaritas and guacomole. They prepare this fresh right at your table. Well Thunder had talked about lost in translation often, well it happened again! We ordered a pitcher of margaritas and instead got two peach margaritas. Aparrently pitcher and peach sound the same here! Oh well, they were good!

Now off to the markets for the groceries! Here is what we bought:
Kleenex 3 pack (yes real Kleenex, but no Puffs)
edamame, two bunches of asparagus, 3 onions, 2 potatoes, 5 packages of chicken wings, a nice steak, a half pound each of ground pork and beef, mayo, hot pickles, tobasco sauce, real lemon juice, 12 limes, 3 lemons! We always go to the same lady at the market and she always throws in extras goodies for us. Today we scored parsley, cilantro, garlic, green onions and ginger! Our total bill for all the above was $52.35 US dollars! It was a very good deal!

Saying Good Bye!

This week my old manager (well ok, I mean as in my previous manager because as you can see she's a bit younger than I am!) left Beijing to head back to the US. Her assignment here ended and her new one begins in another week or so.

I'll miss her because she was not only a good manager, but she was also my first friend here in Beijing. We shared many things in common and seemed to compliment each other well in those areas where we were different!

I think the thing that bothers me most right now is that it reminds me that my leaving date is quickly approaching and soon it will be me that has to say good bye to my friends here, and to the city itself. Well it's not time yet so I'm going to make the best of it!

Joia - I'll drink one for you, but since Toper closed it just won't seem adequate! Good luck and I'll see you again when I'm stateside!

Thanksgiving Dinner in Beijing

Tonight we celebrated Thanksgiving with some of our other expatriated friends. It was a real feast with everyone chipping in with at least one dish that reminded them of home, and or a bottle of their favorite wine(or beer). ;-)
If you read Lightnin's post from the other day then you know what we brought with us!

The preperation


The spread


The people




It was a fun evening full of fun conversation, good people, good food and drink! It wasn't home, but it was as good as you can get without being there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you who read this blog from time to time!

We hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Much love,
Thunder and Lightnin


PS we'll be celegrating about 13 hours before most of you will!
Na na na na, Na na! ;-)