What’s That? Wednesday: My First Ride on an EBike

It has been a busy, busy spring.  Between the three girls, sicknesses, school, GIrl Scouts, a trip back to the US and a few other committements, we’ve been busy!  We’ve also been getting ready for another summer in the US.  Part of the annual summer prep as an expat includes saying goodbye or “see you later” to friends.

Last week my friend Megan and I began making plans for one more girls day before I left town for the summer.  My only request was an EBike ride (the Thai food, Starbucks and pedicure were just cherries on the top) .  After three years in China, Jamie, LBean and EBean have already been on EBikes, but not me...until this week.

The first thing that popped into my head when I climbed onto the EBike was “Dumb and Dumber”, as in the movie from 1994-ish.  Two grown adults on a very small scooter.  Our ride also reminded me of a Blue Collar Comedy skit about a tiny airplane that was going so slow (approixmately the speed of smell) that the pilot waved a flock of geese around.  I might have felt that once or twice during our ride.  A few of the bigger Ebikes zipped by us, but I only heard one guy say “Oh!” as he looked at us.  All I can say is that I don’t think I have laughed that hard in a long time!  

Note the similarities?

Unlike this picture, I don't think we were going
fast enough for the background to appear blurry.

What made it even funnier was that Megan and I had matching bicycle helmets on.  We were the epitome of cool.  Actually, we were trying to be responsible moms who set good examples for their daugters, but being cool was a close second.

One of the greatest blessings of our time in China has been the friendships.  Thanks to Megan for adding one more memory to my China scrapbook.  I’ll be expecting another ride this fall!

Hello Hong Kong

In the fall we had started planning our 2014 Chinese New Year trip, but when the tornado happened and we lost our house, we couldn’t focus on both things.  We pushed pause on our original idea and instead planned something much simpler.  We chose to return to Hong Kong and spend time outside of Hong Kong Disneyland, which we visited on our first trip to Hong Kong.

We landed on a Tuesday afternoon and I didn’t want to waste a moment, so I made reservations on a replica Chinese Junk Ship.  We sailed around the harbor and took in the Hong Kong skyline and lights.  I loved it, but LBean was less-than-thrilled to be tossed around a boat with the wind whipping around us.  To say the least, it was not a highlight of the trip for her.

Hong Kong Skyline

Replica Junk Ship

Tad bit windy

Bright and fun!

The next morning we strolled through Hong Kong stopping at a bakery for breakfast and a children’s toy and clothing store I had discovered during my online research.  In the afternoon, we took the Star Ferry line across the harbor and had a proper English tea at a hotel.  It was fantastic and, for me, a highlight of our trip.  The McClintocks to get excited about tea!  We have tea parties at our house often, complete with tiny china tea-cups, sugar and biscuits and I think our girls enjoyed going to a real one.  Also, it was exciting for them to see adults having tea and using all the manners that we constantly talk about.  Each girl got their own set of fancy desserts and tea or hot chocolate.

On the Star Ferry

EBean deciding what sweet treat
to eat first!

ChinaBean enjoyed afternoon tea too!

That is a tower of pure goodness!

A bit of cream for ChinaBean's fresh scone.

The next day we took a double-decker city bus to visit the Stanley market area.  We enjoyed wandering through a part of the market and walking along the boardwalk.  After the girls had worn themselves out a bit at near-by playground, we had lunch at an Irish pub that overlooked the water.  Irish pub in Hong Kong, why not?!  We eat Mexican and Indian in Suzhou all the time.

Shopping for some fresh fruit for a snack.
ChinaBean was fast asleep in the Ergo carrier.

Snacking on the boardwalk.

Let's get Baba (daddy in Mandarin) in a photo too.

One of our views as we took the bus back to
the city center.

Jamie and I planned a surprise trip to Hong Kong Disneyland for the girls.  We had told them that going to Disney was not the focus of our trip (and it hadn’t been) and they had not once complained or begged about going to see the mouse.  We were happy to take ChinaBean to Disney for the first time and enjoy all the Disney magic as a family of five.  It was also our first time to get to Disney via a subway ride!

My three little peanuts could not be cuter-
but I am biased!

LBean pretending to have Tinkerbell in her hand.

When did this girl get so big?!

Dizzy in the tea cups.

A photo op with a Chinese "Army"
man from Toy Story?  Yes please.

Our last full day in Hong Kong we walked to a near-by theater to see a children’s play called The Gruffalow’s Child, based on a book of the same name.  It was an hour-long production and completely geared towards young children. It was part of a series of productions called KidsFest Hong Kong.  The girls enjoyed it even though parts of the play were still a little intense.  It reminded me of how much I miss theater, both musicals and plays.  We have ballet and some children’s shows in Suzhou, but most (and maybe all) are in Mandarin and there certainly isn’t the variety.  I started having crazy thoughts about how we could fly down to Hong Kong every so often to see a play…

Hmmm...

LBean, getting a new do.

ChinaBean wanted a "haircut" too.
The kind woman braided Amelia's hair for her.

That night (our last night) at dinner ChinaBean didn’t eat much and she kept saying “full”.  I had an idea of what she meant by that, but I pushed that thought out of my head.  Unfortunately, I was right, and later as we were getting read for bed she got sick, really sick.  (If you’ve been keeping track this now means the McClintocks have had a stomach bug in Indonesia, Thailand and now Hong Kong.)  We got her settled and we all headed to bed.  

In the middle of the night I heard the gagging sound again and I yelled to Jamie “We’ve got another puker!”  We had to flip on the light to see if it was LBean or EBean.  EBean had one the prize this time.  Morning came quickly (or maybe it was slowly, I don't know) and we packed up the best we could.  We stuffed extra clothes for the flight home in our carry-on bags and crossed our fingers that we would make it home safely.  Jamie took EBean and I had ChinaBean and we tried to conceal our vomiting children as much as we could on the plane (sorry fellow passengers).  I was praying that our sick kiddos wouldn’t set off the temperature detectors at the mainland China airport when we arrived.  We got lucky and made it through immigration and customs.  Jamie stopped for a moment to grab some drinks before we hopped in the van to drive home.  When he stepped out of the store he sniffed the air and said “Something smells out here.”  I looked up and said “I’m pretty sure it’s us honey.  We’re covered in vomit.”  He still swears that it wasn’t us, but I’m not so sure.

Home sweet home felt so good (and so did a very hot shower).

The McClintocks Take on Thailand (Bangkok)

Our first full day we went to visit the Grand Palace where the Kings of Siam (and then Thailand) lived until the 1920’s.  Our time in Thailand also happened to overlap with some of the major protests leading up to their next election.  We had not put “attend a political protest” on our to-do list, so before we left we asked the concierge if he thought it was safe to go.  He nonchalantly shrugged and said “I think today it is okay.”  You think?!  We prepped the girls that we were headed to the palace, but if we saw anything that made us nervous or uncomfortable, that we would turn around.  EBean said to keep our eyes on the trees and look for bad guys.  I have no idea where that thought came from.  

I am happy to say that the Grand Palace was a very safe place to visit that day.  The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is also on the palace grounds.  During our time in SE Asia I have seen my fair share of temples.  In fact, I have told Jamie that I am about “templed” out.  (Similar to trying to visit every cathedral in Europe.  You can only see so many before they all run together.)  However, I have to say that the Thai temples are just amazing.  The detail work and intricate decorations are stunning.  So far the Temple of the Emerald Buddha has been my favorite.  

Getting ready to go inside.

Men had to wear pants and ladies were
required to have their knees & arms covered.
Clothing was provided, if you did not come prepared.

So pretty!

I've never seen anything like it!

Every historical monument must include ice cream, right?!

LBean took a turn at being the photographer.

After touring the palace grounds we took a tuktuk ride to a the Museum of Siam.  The museum had several interactive portions, which really appealed to our three girls.  We enjoyed wandering through the exhibits and seeing what caught the girls' interest.

Is the road ready for these two?

Investigating.

Pretending to dig for artifacts.

In some "traditional" garb.
Colonial traditional.

Pretending to be on TV.

Do these ladies have their driving licenses?

Pretending to work at a food cart.

In the evening we hopped on the subway to find the Siam Niramit show.  The performance showcased many different songs, stories and traditional dress in different areas of Thailand.  Some parts were a bit scary and intense for our girls, but generally they enjoyed it.  At one point during the performance elephants were walked through the theater and at a different part, the front of the stage was turned into a river where boats floated by.  If we would have known, we should have gone earlier.  Outside the theater was a recreation of several different types of Thai houses, farming practices, weaving looms, etc.  It was really appealing to our girls, but we were rushed to get through it all.

Enthralled with the performers.

LBean receiving a traditional Thai greeting,
which included a string bracelet.

The rest of our trip took a turn for the ugly at this point.  LBean was the first to succumb to a stomach bug.  She spent her last day in the hotel munching on dry toast and watching television.  We cancelled our plans to visit a floating market and I wandered around the mall across the street with EBean.  Things were looking up until Saturday, the morning we flew back to Shanghai.  ChinaBean became ill at breakfast and was not well during our flight and drive home.  EBean didn’t get sick until we returned home, and well...I didn’t get sick until the following Tuesday.  Unfortunately stomach bugs and international flights have become our new norm.  With everyone not feeling well, it was a good time to return home and to our own beds.

In the end we were all smiling.  It was good to be home!