Author: Adventure For Two

I am from Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada and I'm back from traveling with my husband on an expat assignment to foreign lands. 2011-2012 we were in Shenyang, China. Spring 2012- Spring 2013 we were in Resende,RJ Brazil then back to Shenyang, China in July 2013 until the end of July 2014. Expat life WAS amazing! Adventure abounds no matter where we travel to. We really enjoyed the amazing opportunity to live and experience culture and tradition in these places. BUT now we are finished and adjusting to life in our small town in Canada. Our days of travel and adventure are not over.

Fish & Chips with Family

Yesterday was my beautiful parents Anniversary. They celebrated 55 years marriage December 16th.Wow! That’s a milestone. I thought my 30 years was a milestone. I called Dad yesterday to see what they were doing. Not much he said, just staying cozy inside having hot dogs for lunch!! Haha, that made me chuckle. My parents have always enjoyed the simple things…TOGETHER!

Here is a pic on their special day 55 years ago…

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And today with my Abby girl 🙂

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Family is the BEST!

Speaking of family. Today Dad’s family, his sisters and brother ( who recently celebrated his 80th) got together at a local restaurant for lunch and we were invited. Of course we went. I always love an excuse to see them! Some of his brothers and sisters ( he’s from a very large family) and of course my grandparents have passed, so I treasure these special moments and opportunities. You just don’t know how many more you’ll get to all be together.

We had a lot of fun and laughs and catching up. I even had fun taking selfies with my Auntie who doesn’t have a clue about social media. I love her. I love them. Christmas time provides wonderful opportunities for family fun.

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screen-shot-2016-12-17-at-7-32-42-pm screen-shot-2016-12-17-at-8-04-55-pm I hope you’re enjoying your Saturday. Today it’s a snowy one again on the east coast. Lots and lots of snow, and for some reason the plows aren’t going and thankfully we are cozy inside! Snowy BUT oh so pretty!

Bundle Up…Baby it’s CoLd outside!!!

Yesterday it snowed again. Everything is so beautiful!

Brr!!!!!! Today we are in the deep freeze!

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This morning is freezing and windy so the windchill makes it -29 (-20F)

It’s so cold to get out and off to work this morning. Thinking of my sweetie and our kids who are off to work super early before it has chance to warm up a bit ( not that it will today)

Yesterday I finished my baking and went to bed extra early. Today I need to make some lists! Menu and food list for grocery shopping and Gift list to be able to finish my Christmas shopping ( hopefully tonight) And maybe I will do a little bit of wrapping.

I’m getting things crossed off one by one. It’s busy BUT I LOVE it! I LOVE this time of year!!

Tonight David & I went to the city to pick up a few things. It was FrEeZiNg!!!!!! But that didn’t stop me from insisting we stop at Historic Properties on the Halifax Waterfront. It is just so beautiful, so romantic at Christmas. We took a few pics…until both our phones froze and shut off. NOW THAT’S COLD!!!

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The tastes of Christmas…our favourites

I’m still waking up VERY early in the morning.

It’s so quiet and peaceful and no one around except for the two or three deer that are walking down the street. Yes, I live in town but it doesn’t stop these creatures from coming out of the woods and going for a little stroll down the street when everyone should be sleeping.

A good fix for jet leg tiredness during the day is keeping busy. So this week, yesterday and today ( finishing up) I am making some Christmas goodies. Not too many this year but some of our favourites…

Peppermint patties

Peanut Butter Balls

White Chocolate Candy Cane Bark

Gumdrop Nougat

Cranberry/Orange Bars

Lemon Loaf

Whipped Shortbreads

Cracker Candy

There are a few more things I’ll do like our Christmas Eve Yule Log, Cranberry Steamed Pudding and maybe a cheese cake or two , and some brownies. But that’s something for next week.

Yum! Everything looks so delicious and my home smells wonderful…like Christmas!

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December Moon

Ahh…last night there was a beautiful December full moon! Here is a picture that Terry Conrad took and our local weather broadcaster shared of the full moon over Lunenburg, Nova Scotia last night. I love it!

A crisp cool moon reflecting on clean white snow and shining over the harbour.

On a little side note. Do you know what I noticed about Facebook while I was in China?

Take a look…

In China

And here in Canada

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Notice the difference?

I thought it was pretty cool!!!

Have a good night!

TWO days!

I NEED 2 days this year to get my Christmas baking done!!

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Even though I decided before I went to China that I would bake less this year, and only make a few of our absolute favourites and nothing too fancy that is too stressful…I NEED 2 days, when otherwise I could do it all in one.

I’m just too tired! The jet leg on this end coming back is so brutal. I ALWAYS find it harder!!!

Stay tuned tomorrow I should be able to finish up and post some pics. But right now I need to lay my head down for a quick rest before I continue today’s goodies.

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Twelve Days until Christmas!

I’m home! We got in late last night( rather 3am this morning) and this week I KNOW I will be dealing with a bit of jet leg… yep, I’m heading to bed right after I post this at 7:30pm.

BUT with only 12 days til Christmas…

I’ve gotta get busy! Baking, wrapping , last errands…and there are a couple of events to attend this week.

But today it was relax and rest up a bit, open mail, and shop for groceries and baking ingredients.

Tomorrow, yes tomorrow I’ll get at it!

Top of the World!

It’s up and over …most of the time.

The trip from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada to Shenyang, Laioning in China and return is a long one. It usually is about 29 hours from start to finish one way with wait times and long airport lays in Beijing and if there is weather like today’s flights, it’s even longer!!

Today is the return flight. I was up at 4 am Monday December 12 China time ( 4 am seems to be “my” wake time in China) It was that way when we lived there and last year when I visited, and same this year. I’m up and ready…and sad to be going…

We left the hotel at 8:30, arrived at Shenyang Taoxian Airport at 9:30.

Our flight was supposed to leave at 11:15 am but snow and ice conditions in Shenyang meant de icing before we could take off. It was almost 12 before we left and arrived in Beijing at Beijing Capital Airport at 1:30 ish.

Beijing is always a long lay on this trip anyway but when we landed we found out our flight was delayed because of snow in Toronto. An even longer lay over! So we wandered around browsing the shops, enjoyed the quaint spots to have a coffee, had a bowl of wonton soup and a Portuguese egg tart and coffee and had a massage. I opted for a 30 minute foot massage followed by a 15 minute shoulders and neck massage. I curled up under a cozy blanket and had a little nap , it was wonderful!! The guys had a body massage and while they enjoyed it, I don’t think they napped like I did.

Our flight revised time for take off was 19:50 Beijing time but it was 20:50 before we got away. A long 12 hour flight! I learn to pace the time by enjoying the hot meal, watching a movie and sleeping, getting up and down a bit and stretching. This time was great! David and I tried a new strategy seeing it was a Monday flight. We booked a window and an aisle with an empty seat in the middle. It worked this time!!! No body filled the seat and we had more space to stretch and take turns curling up on the seats. This was the best!!! It wasn’t a full flight either so it was a bit quieter.

Mid flight there is a snack of noodles, sandwich and cookies. I used to enjoy the noodles because the hot broth feels great when your throat is so dry. These last few times though I don’t get the noodles because of the salt content. I just carry my thermos bottle filled with hot water. Yep, I’m like the Chinese people. I love my hot water. It really works for so many things.

The flight pattern is generally “up and over “the Arctic and down in to Canada. I remember only one trip we flew over Europe and Russia. It made me nervous that trip because we never did that flight plan before, but I guess occasionally that flight plan is taken depending on air current.

About an hour and a half before landing breakfast is served. Who wants eggs on an airplane? Sorry, not me so I choose the Chinese congee which is like rice porridge with mushrooms. The fresh congee you get in a Chinese home or restaurant is so much better than this, but I prefer it over the eggs and little white sausage.

Then every thing happens quickly. Breakfast cleaned up, paperwork for customs and arrival passed out and needs to be filled out, a quick trip to the WC to wash up and apply a clean face and it’s time to land. The BRUTAL flight is over.

The short flight from Toronto to Halifax is usually a piece of cake, especially if you arrive in time or there’s no weather . Today is Monday December 12th still ( from the future…China time back to Canada time) we arrived at 19:50 lol and were delayed getting to the gate. With only about 20 minutes to make our flight we fast tracked through customs and security running fast all the way!!! Thankfully we had some pretty great Airport Security people.

We arrived at the gate sweaty and out of breath just in time to board. The flight to Halifax was smooth. So happy and thankful to be in Halifax after all the delays, I had to give this bear a quick hug!

The drive home was brutal. The 103 was a mess of ice and snow and very very slippery. Thankfully the guys weren’t driving and we had a chauffeur.

We’re HOME after a VERY long day and My clean fresh bed looks so inviting …Now sleep!!!!

No one likes goodbyes

It’s time! Time to say goodbye to my much loved China.

I can’t express how I feel about this every time. Each time we leave it gets harder. It takes me weeks to come around when we get home. It’s almost as if I am in withdrawal. Hopefully this year will be a little different since it’s Christmas in a couple weeks and I’ll have lots to do to prepare…no time to think!

Last night, our driver and his daughter came to say goodbye.

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And today at the airport my dearest friend came to see us off. He works for China Civil Aviation Authority and has security clearance. So he came right to our gate to see us on our plane.Goodbyes are never easy.

So for now it’s not goodbye…it’s like my driver and friend ALWAYS say…

see you later!

And now we fly!

Time Flies!

Time Flies! It is a saying my Chinese friends like to use. Our time sure has gone quickly. Today is the last full day in Shenyang. Sadly, tomorrow morning we are flying home!

BUT…today is Sunday. What to do?

Well…we ended up shopping. LOTS and LOTS of shopping!

We stopped at the bank for some money, very important because China is a CASH society more so than a card society. Especially when you’re a foreigner. They don’t want foreign plastic.

WE jumped in a cab and went off to Wuai market. On the way we stopped at the Catholic Church to show Ron the amazing architecture. Shenyang’s large, Gothic style city cathedral stands out quite clearly from the surrounding buildings. Generally the cathedral serves as a backdrop for photos, but on Sundays the area is teeming with people and dancing in the square. The church offers at least four Masses in Chinese each Sunday beginning at 7am.

Then on to Wuai. I didn’t get a lot of pics here. I was busy picking out a couple “Chinese fashions” ( no, not the hats)It’s so hard not to buy these cute outfits and for this reason among others is why I only brought carry on luggage and not a suitcase. We looked at clothes, handbags, watches, Chinese decor items…and bought a few things.

Then off to San Hao Street. This is the electronics street. The guys had a couple small items on their list and I wanted to get the screen on my iPhone replaced. I thought my screen was cracked in a few places but thankfully it turns out it was just the protective screen. I got one of the really good protective screens put on last year when I was here. I didn’t realize they would crack like this . So for 15rmb ($2.85) I got a new cover.

Street food was the way I dealt with my bit of hunger today. A street wrap and sweet potato. The guys opted for McDonalds.

David wanted to show Ron the tool market. Every guys dream under one roof. Whatever you can imagine. We asked the price of a HUGE vice at one stall. 800rmb. That’s $150. Only a $150. You would pay that for a small one at home.

We finished up the shopping back near the hotel in the underground fashion mall at Taiyuan Jie. This place is the absolute coolest for shopping with 2 levels all underground going for miles under the city. And again the coolest unimaginable thing happened. I was walking along and heard “Anna”. I turned around and there was my friend Wanda’s driver, Long. Oh Long! I can’t believe it’s you! I am so happy to see you. I spent many days with Wanda and her driver Long shopping. We would always check with Long before purchasing items, whether or not it was a good deal. Long has terrific fashion sense.

It has been a very full, very busy wonderful week. David was here for networking meetings and so we didn’t get a lot of time together but we both knew that going in to it. Tonight we had dinner together just the two of us. We took the subway to Mix C. I was there earlier in the week by myself and had been wanting to get back at night. WE had a wonderful dinner with jiaozi of course and then took a few pictures outside in the beautiful lights of the city. Ahh…Shenyang! You have my heart. I will miss you. ❤

Then it was back to the hotel and try to stuff my weekly purchases in the carryon that was already full when I came. BUT I did it!

Now…sleep! Goodnight Shenyang

What are the chances?

Shenyang is a city of 8 million. 8 million people!!!! That is always so hard for me to fathom in my “small town on the east coast of Canada” mind.

But I LOVE it! I love the busy-ness, and adventure of this city. As we were landing a week ago, I said to my husband it feels like we are coming home. He shakes his head and thinks I am crazy. But somehow, in this HUGE city I can function, I know how to live here. I will truly miss it when we leave tomorrow.

So, in a city of 8 million, what are the chances that you will accidentally bump in to one of your sweetest and dearest little Chinese friends. My friend Xaioxu is the same age 24 as my youngest son. When I lived here I got to know her and her family. Her parents speak very little English. Xaioxu and I would get together so she could practice her English. We enjoyed dinners together and I even spent a Saturday afternoon playing badminton with her parents. Great and wonderful memories.

Xaioxu and I stay in touch with an app called WeChat. We message and send pics back and forth. That is actually how I stay in touch with all my Chinese friends. Xaioxu knew I was coming to China, she didn’t know I was actually coming to Shenyang. I don’t always tell my Chinese friends a lot before I travel here because it is just so hard to see everyone.

So…here’s what happened. I was in the mall close to the hotel going to find a restaurant for dinner with David and the networking team. I was ready to go up an escalator and I heard “Anna”, “Anna is that you?” I turned around in utter surprise because ” who is calling my name here?” and there with extreme excitement was my sweet little xaioxu. WoW!!!!! I was so excited and she was too!

She wasn’t even in the part of town where she lives and imagine meeting her? Lots of hugs and smiles and a very quick catch up, with a few pics, she told me to have a wonderful few days in Shenyang and that we would chat soon.