Barging around WuXi, part iii

WuXi is basically an uninspiring industrial town/city with a population of approx 6-8 million.
The Jing Hang Yun River at night. As seen from the 21st. floor.
Relentlessly, barges ply their trade, when loaded who needs a: “Plimsoll line” just load it to the gunwales.
Riding high,  an empty barge motors up river, only to return… 
Family living quarters: common on all these family enterprises. 

Sunday in the Nan Chang district, part 1

Go fly a kite: Kids play in the open square: ………..

A pleasant man-made park just outside the Kempinski hotel. That will soon see a change.
Lady gardeners discuss the sate of world economics as they work side by side on common toil

WuXi Life; much the same around the world, part B

Zero degree weather .. the laundry still goes out to dry.
A couple of ladies make a fashion statement: …………….  
Approaching one of the fast disappearing “local areas” : ………….
A slow start to a busy day of haggling price and providing life's necessities:

Florida to Scotland, without leaving China.

Well not quite .. Dongguan is at 30C with relative humidity at 75% .. aka Florida. On Wed. am, I’m off to Wuxi, predicting a sizzling:  5C with rain … aka Scotland!

Dongguan is about 90 min drive north from HK, Wuxi, about 2 hr drive from Shanghai.

Blogging in China .. yes it’s a royal pain

The Golden Shield : 金盾工程;  jīndùn gōngchéng, aka The GREAT FIRE-WALL of China .. what to do?

A few folks have asked so here is my current approach:

I gave up on using “Proxy Servers” too quirky. I now use a Global Edge Card. This provides independence from local server / connectivity foibles.   Expense?  Yes, but worth it when you are on the road a lot.  Verizon wireless is my provider and so far no problems in China and Europe.

For the Geek squad:

Novatel, Merlin XU870 ExpressCard, GPRS/GSM Data, SMS

I use an external model as I switch from National (USA) to Global and find them more flexible than a built-in option.

Dive (SCUBA) ShenZhen???

Most airlines provide a newspaper(s) .. Shenzhen Air, domestic flights: “Sorry no English newspaper” Not to worry, pictures bestow polyglot powers.  A new dive resort to be established near ShenZhen (S. China near HK) to explore the 39 islands that dot the region. (local ShenZhen newspaper)
I’d be rather cautious before I ventured into the sea in this area .. shipping and pollution are my immediate concerns .. I’ll have to try and contact some local adventurists and get first hand info…

In China:.. Girl driver alert, first 5 days

Arrived HK , Thursday 25th. through immigration and customs by 6:00am. Arrived at the Dongguan Hyatt; Song Shan Lake about 7:30am .. virtually no /very light traffic  all the way from HK airport.  A lot of folks still not returned from CYN ..  also very hot and humid …..
A special note: our long time friend Julia has a China Drivers license. While this is No Big Deal in most counties .. Here it is a big deal.  So she is ready for her next visit to the USA
Julia behind the wheel this morning as she drove from the hotel to Chang Ping town for lunch .. Mr. Wong, the company driver (Julia’s coach), alongside.
Saturday morning, Paulo and I arrived at Mrs. Yang’s tea shop as some family and friends had just arrived.
Paulo keeps an eye on the newest tea drinker, 10 month old “Ting Ting”  …….    Too cute:   
Song Shan Lake: How about a solid Granite Table and Stool set for casual outside dining? 
I think its safe to say these appellations owe much to poetic license :
Further down the lake ,the last of the fishing fleet is moored in readiness:
The Lake (man-made reservoir) feeds the local faming area:
A typical 3 story, farm house of the Dongguan area, the outside is unfinished showing the brick structure

Three day weekend

Today, Monday, is a holiday .. I’m off to China next week, on the 23rd. So I put time in on the kitchens cabinets.
That’s the next batch of fames jointed (13) .. it will be a struggle to get much more done before the 23rd.

What’s a boy to do?

Weather outside is frightful, Wife's diving in the Philippines, there is only so much tea you can drink, busy at work, getting ready to head-off to China … 

I know !rebuild the kitchen .. Great idea .. 

Start with cabinet doors, drawers, demolish a couple of walls, rebuild the island ..
Got a little ahead of myself …  一步, 一步 利 .. one step by one step

First; cabinet carcasses are sound, layout is fine ..  new cabinet doors, that’s the ticket.  Here are the first 6 new doors .. 15 more + 16 drawer fronts to go.
I have revamped my workshop to focus on doors and drawer fronts … not sure how long this project will take once I hit the China trail in earnest after CYN.
It’s not the cabinet making per se .. it’s buying new toys .. 6 1/2” Jointer!

Robbie in the Philippines with Update

All is well, Robbie is now diving in the Philippines, near Manila.  That’s only about an inch from Hong Kong .. perchance we can convene later in February :)

Here is her first email out .. something tells me she is just a tad excited :)

I am here and all is well.  I even did the first dive which was a night dive, my first in the PI and My first night dive in 35 years!~!! HOW about that.  I am awesome LOL
Saw at least three types of nudibranch  and I found not one but two Lion fish then the guide Alexis found me a small one or two inch one.
I slept well and am enjoying my Jasmine tea overlooking the ocean with all of the group eating pre breakfast, toast and Papaya. 
Glad they helped me figure out how to get on the internet.
My love to you all

Day Two:

Hi to you all, I have had a great day, I am mainly worried that I have seen soo many creatures that they all seem to just run together. Not complaining, just very thankful for the camera.  What my brain can't remember the camera hopefully has captured.
We did two dives this morning starting out in the boat at 8 am and then two this afternoon and night starting out at 4 pm.  I just finished eating dinner, I was very hungry, now I am running out the battery on the camera and then will go to sleep.  I am very tired.  No skin bends so that is good.
I had three 80 min dives and a 67 or something, I did head into shallow water after the 40 min marker or so. 
We saw so many great things but a highlight was a frog fish, and then I saw a Whale shark and did get short video as proof only lol the quality is not great but I got it. 
Hope all is well for you and you are not drowning under toooo much rain.

Update (with some pictures)

Hi all, I have forced myself to take the evening off today, Thursday, 1-28-10.  I officially hit the wall last night and so the old brain said HEY YOU!!! You need a rest.
So the boats are just pulling out and here I am relaxing on the veranda over looking the ocean.

2010 up up and away….

As time and tide wait for no man, the 2009-2010 transition was a blur, business meetings on 12/31 and 1/1.  

On top of this Robbie and I both got hit with a tenacious flu bug (still hanging on). Relentless customer demands (a good thing ) and the fast approaching Chinese New Year have melted any thoughts of a traditional new year, with a focus on “cramming” in as much as possible before; 2/13 … CNY starts 2/14.

Robbie is getting ready for her diving sabbatical to the Philippines.

Blogging will have to take a back seat for a wee while. …..

Early morning Sun, long shadows

Xmas morning, the sun was an early riser, a beautiful start to an enjoyable holiday.

Two of the boys get silly before lunch: Cameron arrived just as we started to eat.
Andrew came by about 2:00 .. Heather in Hawaii joined via phone …

Old Friend .. recent find

Rummaging through kitchen cabinets in search of the tea travel buddy I brought home over a year ago …. for Robbie to take on the dive boats.

From the back corner this cup emerged.  A gift from a colleague at Printronix, in 1986, I had just returned from Singapore (the first of a 5+ year assignment) .. Long story short, I was talking about my trip with one of our software engineers, next day she brought in this cup-with built in strainer. It has remained unused all this time. So Xmas day will be its debut, thinking of friends around this small world of ours.

喝茶 hē chá Drink Tea

 

Days gone by, The British Raj

From the mid 1850’s to 1947 …  The time of the British Raj in India.  A great many words and expressions have found their way from Indian culture into the every day lexicon of modern Britain.  

What brought this about is one of the cups I have in my office:  Good old Camp Coffee,  A Truly unique product of Scotland.

 

I’ve had this small mug for over 40 yrs. How time fly's when your having fun,  the sole survivor of a set of four.

Ho Ho Ho

Thx to Manjit for the e-card.

New Record

A bike built for Nine .. Note: this is a Bike TAXIEvery day its not unusual to see Scooters and Motor Bikes put to Herculean tasks.  Nine is a first for me, not the strangest but a definite eye popper.

A bicycle loaded with more than its share:… Dongguan City– Da Lang town

Early present

Andrew came over Saturday afternoon bearing gifts.  He and his girlfriend had a new spaniel puppy .. (sound asleep)I got an enlightening gift :   Yixing teapot, A hand-carved tree with four depictions of the Buddha.  One hopes  this will promote meditation and enlightenment.

Just Tea .. more tea

More presents for Robbie.  A banner year for Robbie in terms of: Diving, Computing Horsepower and Tea.
I’m guessing this batch of goodies from Da Xia will round out this year (in tea terms)  Kevin, my US-China mule, returned with multiple pounds of Jasmine (Robbie’s favorite)
And this note from; Da Xia, thanking Robin and I for sending her a gift.