View from our friend's window- they live on the 14th floor of their apartment building. Can't you just feel the cold?
China is heated by coal. This coal plant is literally across the street from our apartment. The smoke is everywhere in winter.You can see a tall building in the background. It is currently under construction. The workers live behind the white fence in sub-standard dormitory type housing. For every skyscraper in China, there are hundreds of these poor migrant workers, trying to support their families.
Mandatory volunteerism. These are college students clearing the snow. Every school and university has an area that they are responsible for. In winter, you see students clearing the snow with brooms and shovels. The idea is to teach community spirit and responsibility.
Imagine college students doing this in America! Or school children! But here, it is totally normal.
Ice skating on Christmas Day. NorthEastern University (DongBei Daxue) floods their sports field in winter. They are then used for PE classes. You can skate there for about RMB 10 or a little over a dollar. It was pretty empty on Christmas because the students were clearing snow and ice.
That is Elisabeth on skates with the face mask.
Paul and I went out one night. We put on long john's, double socks, jeans, shirt, sweaters, ear muffs, face mask (for Sandy), hats, scarves and double gloves. Then we rode our bikes over for sea food hot pot.
We didn't actually know it was sea food hot pot until the sea creatures appeared in our hot pot. We also had sweet potato, lamb, and some other vegetables to cook. All for about $10.00.
One day, we went to see some friend's who live on the north side of the city. This involved about an hour an a half bus ride. We had to change buses and Elisabeth was hungry. She is eating Ji Dan Guan Bing or the Chinese equivalent of an Egg McMuffin. Street food is the best.
One last view of ice skating and hockey. Paul and I skated, too but no pictures are available of that!
Paul and I went out one night. We put on long john's, double socks, jeans, shirt, sweaters, ear muffs, face mask (for Sandy), hats, scarves and double gloves. Then we rode our bikes over for sea food hot pot.
We didn't actually know it was sea food hot pot until the sea creatures appeared in our hot pot. We also had sweet potato, lamb, and some other vegetables to cook. All for about $10.00.
One day, we went to see some friend's who live on the north side of the city. This involved about an hour an a half bus ride. We had to change buses and Elisabeth was hungry. She is eating Ji Dan Guan Bing or the Chinese equivalent of an Egg McMuffin. Street food is the best.
One last view of ice skating and hockey. Paul and I skated, too but no pictures are available of that!
4 comments:
I enjoy your blog. It is as close as I can come to being there with you. God's blessings and peace be yours in this new year. Sola Deo gloria.
That hot pot is amazing! Not what you get in a suburban Chinese restaurant here, for sure!
Hey Sandy I'm having fun reading your blog. Catching up on it today. They do similar things in Japan.I remember being shocked that the schoolkids cleaned their own school, and we're talking first graders up, toilets and all! But thought it was a great idea. Where Kenji grew up in northern Japan they flooded their fields for winter sports,and did speed skating for gym in the winter. Glad you're enjoying it so much, what a great adventure for your family!
that was Heather Kaneko Sandy, don't remember my passwords for Google...;)
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