18 July 2009

The End Is Nigh






Hi All,

Finally I have access to this site after a long absence. I have posted some photos from the last couple of months to catch you all up. Elephant bathing in Nepal and trekking to see Everest, dress up on the North Korea border, a day in Ying Kou with my friend Angela and the M party! I am still in China for the moment, but leaving very soon. I seem to have been really busy with packing up and finalising things. I have been trying to get around and see the last little bits of Shenyang and spend time with friends who I may or may not cross paths with again. Work has been keeping me busy with summer classes on top of my usual schedule. The weather has been unusually humid and rainy, which is a little depressing when you come from such a sunny city as Perth. And speaking of my hometown, I will be back there in the last week of August for an extended visit. The tone of this post may be bordering on melancholy, but it's only because I have been reflecting on my time in China and I think it has somehow penetrated my heart. I will miss this place, the good, the bad and the ugly. To have stayed here for two and a half years is just incomprehensible to me, I have learned so much and experienced so many amazing things. Thanks go to all the new friends I have made and all my old friends who have supported me throughout this odyssey.
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22 March 2009

Post Birthday Rap


And so another year has past and I find myself again questioning where I am and where I'm going. What have I accomplished and what has been left undone? Overall I feel satisfied and can't wait to see what 2009 will hold for me. My birthday was celebrated with friends at a Western style restaurant bar in Shenyang (one of the best I have seen in China!). The picture you can see shows me sandwiched between Jake and Mike, two foreign teachers with the lovely Christie (a teaching assistant and Jake's girlfriend). I even kicked on with the group to KTV (karaoke, which is hugely popular here). I duetted on "I Got You Babe" with Jake, for once I believe it wasn't totally ear-shattering!
In the past couple of months I have been laying low, have not ventured too far a field. That should be rectified in the coming months with many trips and outings planned. I have also decided that I will return home to Australia for a short visit in September. After that am hopeful of finding another teaching gig in a new country.
I will keep you posted with all my latest as it comes to hand. In the mean time, check out the links below for more photos. Love and God bless!
Imperial Palace, Shenyang
Chinese New Year 09
Qipan Mountain, Shenyang
Antique's Market, Sheyang
Heavy Snow
Shenyang TV Tower
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10 January 2009

Shanhaiguan and Snow








Shanhaiguan is an out of the way kind of town, which famous for the section of Great Wall that meets the sea! It's a gem of a place, lots of the wall explore with the ocean and mountains as it's backdrop.


For more photos go to



We had some snow here recently, was hoping for a White Christmas but it arrived 2 days late! Ah well, better late than never. I get excited every time it snows, so pretty and the air is so much cleaner! Just a couple of happy snaps posted here of the experience.
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Pickles, Pinenuts and A Polar Bear











The cryptic title of this post refers to my purchases during my recent trip to Harbin (a plush toy polar bear I should add). This city is in the far north-east of China, and is close to Siberia. Every year at this time they host a snow and ice festival. It is freezing, around -25 degrees celcius but a really wonderful experience! I've posted a few photos here, but for an expanded look click on the links below for an expanded look. The architecture has lots of Russian influence and there were plenty of Russians still around town. I visited Sun Island which plays host to some very impressive snow sculptures. Zhaolin Park showcased the ice lanterns (ice sculptures illuminated with coloured lights) and the Siberian Tiger park has a very successful breeding program. I enjoyed the sights and some Russian cuisine during my three day visit. Harbin is a truly unique city!
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18 November 2008

The Residence and The Return






















The cryptic sounding title of this month's blog refers to my home in Shenyang and my trip back to Beijing. You can see by the pics that the apartment is very bright and colourful (the heritage left by the previous tennant). I am slowly re-arranging it and getting settled. I am very happy at home and at work currently, such a peace and feeling of contentment here. My apartment is only a 5 minute walk to work and only one flight up, the other residents are older folk, families and some students.





















The return trip toBeijing was a chance to do a spot of shopping and get a look around the Olympic sights. I had just over 24 hours there, it was a great little getaway. The train trip only takes 4 hours from here, and it's not too expensive. The interior shot is of Shenyang train station while the exterior shot of the train station is at Beijing. Cheers till next time!
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14 October 2008

Beijing Photos 2









Our four day trip was rounded out by taking a short but sweet look at the Birds Nest, pity it was so foggy. A trip to the Summer palace was interesting but way too crowded with tourists, I've never quite seen so many tour groups in one spot, just crazy! The sign tickled my fancy, never quite seen low season expressed this way! Our last night dinner was Beijing duck, the traditional way to eat it in China is to wrap a small piece of duck meat in a thin pancake with a little veg and sauce, delicious! We were all pretty worn out by the last night but had a few drinks to celebrate our time in Beijing and unwind. I am hoping to get back to Beijing in another couple of weeks and do things at a more leisurely pace, and go exploring on my own. Stay tuned for more updates coming soon. xo
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The Great Wall





















































What can you say about the Great Wall that has not already been said, I guess to sum up ... AWESOME! We had a limited amount of time on our visit, but it really is an incredible experience and well worth climbing. It is always exhilarating to come to these much beloved landmarks. I enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and touching the ancient stones , while running amuck with the rest of the crew from the school! The bears in these photos are an exhibit at the entrance to the Great Wall, they were a lovely surprise which just added to an absolutely awesome day!!
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Beijing Photos Part 1




















































The trip I took to Beijing was sponsored and provided by the school I am now working for. A group of about 35 of us took off for 4 days on a bus tour of this amazing city! I really love Beijing, so much to see and do, here you will find pictures of the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and some of the parks. The early morning photo with the guard was taken at the flag raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square and shows me with my colleague Sharon, a fellow Aussie teacher. As you can see there were some delicacies on offer and I had a nibble on a centipede, very crunchy with little taste!
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08 September 2008

Shenyang Structures














































Had a week off when I first arrived due to the school taking a short break during their summer program. It was a great opportunity to go exploring and get some photos of my new home town. The Mao statue is in the centre of the city and it is massive! The TV tower is very close to where I am staying as is the park with the ferris wheeel. I had trouble getting photos from the ferris wheel as there was mesh on the windows, but it kind of makes for an interesting shot. The statue I standing next to is one of the Qing emporers, there is a set of about 12 of them. The unusual building is in the CBD and is quite impressive. I am sure to have loads more photos to share as I have only scratched the surface of this marvellous city!
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