Sloane in Shanghai

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Mom Part 2

On Saturday night we had a welcome dinner to Shanghai for my mom with my friend!! There were a total of 19! We went to one of our favorite places Sichuan Citizen! We made sure everyone had several of their famous Basil Drops! They are so delicious, and have sugar on the rim of the glasses! After several different dishes, and drinks we headed off to a local roof top bar for a night cap!

Ashley (roommate), Mom, and Me!

Mom and I

The whole gang at roof top party after dinner!

The girls enjoying Basil Drops!

On Sunday we took the train up to Beijing! It was a nice day so it was fun to see China's country side, we also brought wine and cheese to make the time fly by!! My friend Jenny, and her two cousins Mallory, and Danielle came to Beijing with us. The first night in Beijing we took the visitors to hot pot! Hot pot is Chinese found. There are several varieties of stew in a simmering metal pot of stock in the middle of the table. The pot is kept simmering will you add sliced meats, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, and noodles to cook. It is so delicious!

Jenny, Mallory, Mom, and Danielle

Hot pot broth, the red one is spicy!

They have great dipping sauce, the hard part is getting everything out with your chopsticks

Here is the pork! We also got tons of fresh veggies to cook as well!

Mom's visit to China part one

Hello!!!!

It was so exciting to have my first visitor while living in China!!! I was really missing home, and my mom came at the right time! My mom, and spring arrived on the same day. The first night we rushed all over the city on foot, cab, and the metro to meet my co-workers for dinner! We ate at a favorite Chinese restaurant of my co-workers. Chinese food is so different here than America. For one thing there are no fortune cookies or egg rolls. My mom also had to eat her whole meal with chop sticks, I had forgotten how difficult it is the first few hundred meals. :) Just kidding but now I am a pro since I eat at least one meal a day with chopsticks.

The second morning we went for a run, and headed out to People's square! We went to the park to watch the Chinese match making. Every weekend parents bring their child's bio to the park in hopes of finding them a match! The bios tell salary, height, age, and some even include a photo. We also some people training with swords while in the park.

Match making stats

Happy hour on the rooftop of Fat Olive!!!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Last Day in Hong Kong

On Monday we explored the city before we headed back to Shanghai. We went to a local restaurant for a traditional breakfast of spicy noodles and wonton soup.

These really freaked me out! Why would anyone what to buy this thing! We also saw shark fins, but a man was giving us the evil eye so I couldn't get a picture. :)

Hong Kong is super hilly!!!

Hong Kong Part 2

The game was fun but with the great weather on Sunday we skipped the Rugby and head to the beach!! We headed to Shek O beach for the day! It we took cab outside the city and into the beautiful surroundings of the country!

When we arrived we found Corona for 17 Hong Kong dollars which is about 2 US dollars!!! Foreign Imported beer is usually around 10 US Dollars or more. So we were excited, it is the little stuff that gets you! We enjoyed a drink on the beach.

Jenny, Sara, and Gez

As we moved down the beach we saw a large group of people dancing, playing instruments and throwing colored chalk in the air. We approached ask what they were celebrating Holi, which is the spring festival celebrated by Hindus as a festival of colors. Holi Celebrates the beginning of spring. Saying hello to the new colors and life that spring brings, and farewell to winter. Religious purpose is to remember past events in Hindu mythology. During the holiday they have bon fires, throw colored powder at each other, and have a wild celebration!!! We were lucky to join so we danced and threw colored powder!

Jenny and I during the Holi Festival

The women's turn to dance!

Jenny, Sara, and I

Then we spent the rest of the day exploring the beach area and had some amazing Tai food for dinner in a open air restaurant!

Hong Kong!!

Another amazing adventure!!! My friends and I traveled to Hong Kong for long weekend to attend the Sevens and do some sight seeing!! I flew in Friday, and met my friends Sara, Jenny, and Kristina!!!

On Saturday we woke up at the crack of down to get ready for a fun filled day of Rugby!! On Saturday we watched 28 games of Rugby while the crowed cheered dressed in costumes!

We drank Pimms (a gin based drink containing a secret mixture of herbs and liqueurs) and ate meat pies for lunch!

We cheered for USA, Hong Kong, Scotland, England, and New Zealand to name a few!!! At have time each country had there team walk the field with their families. Then the Beach Boys rocked the stadium with a half time concert!!!