Hey all, Yes, it's official. Along with Xmas coffee blend, lights and garland, the stores are rife with an array of gifts, and we say, bring it on! Why be a grinch or a Scrooge, we ask, when you can be Chevy Chase? Besides, even in an economic downturn, making the annual shopping effort helps hold up one's end in a flagging economy -- and it helps build Xmas spirit! And getting Xmasey in Shanghai, we're rediscovering, is no mean feat! So along with a charity fund drive for migrant children, to encourage a festive mood we'd started to elbow our way through the stores with the best of them, that is until a little mishap put a hold on that...as you can see, the yang continues to haunt us! Along with battling a flu and ... read more

Hey all, Well, autumm is well and truly underway, and we have acclimatized ourselves to life back in Shanghai. Rounds of fireworks at midnight last night barely shook us, as we realized they heralded the ongoing Autumn festival, which culminates this week with the end of a ten-day holiday break. We've even almost finished our annual complimentary boxes of mooncakes from management. Even though Roel disdains all mooncakes, save for the million-year-old egg ones I'm finding them a nice fix for a sugar-attack -- and then some. The minced coconut is positively yummy, but just like fruitcake, one bite's enough sugar until, well, Xmas! And we've been slowly working our way through the must-do list bequeathed by our summer visitors... Carly and Craig. Getting up at 5:30 to be at Fuxing Park before 6:30 a.m. was ... read more

Hi Everybody, Here I am at Starbucks in Toronto, and after ruminating on my experience in China, I must confess that the number one highlight of the entire year was the time spent with Craig and Carly. In fact, Roel came to realize that Craig defined the very essence of manhood. In short, we feel as if we have awoken for the first time. Thank you Carly and Craig, just for being you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey readers! Have Aimsey and Roelie's lack of adventures in boring old Toronto gotten you down? Have you found that you haven't anything to get you out of bed but blue skies, a cool breeze, and clean water straight from the tap? Well sound the trumpet, here come Carly and Craig to the rescue! In this blog entry we promise sex, drugs ... read more

Hey all, Well, after a momentously quick decision to come to China for six weeks....and one very long flight...Carly and Craig arrived, and were immediately sucked into Shanghai¡'s orbit. Which on their particular arrival date was a coincidence of our first serious heat wave, accompanied by increased gasoline prices, which in turn resulted in people rushing to the pumps and horrendous traffic jams - even by Shanghai's standard! And so their adventure began... On our part, after hearing the fantastic news that Carly and Craig were coming and would be staying in our apartment while we're gone - giving us 10 days together before we ourselves fly back for the summer -- we gave them instructions gleaned from first Chris, and then Carrie's visits: Upon landing at Pudong, come through the only arrival gate there is, ... read more

Au Revoir Shanghai, It may seem strange to begin a wrap-up of our year in Shanghai with a pic of the Great Wall, but as a site we’d heard about all our lives, it certainly lives up to its name! Even if the trek to see it and climb its formidable height is so daunting that the Chinese themselves say: bu dao chang cheng fei hao han (You’re not a man until you arrive at the Great Wall) well…we feel it was well worth the trouble. The Great Wall is also emblematic for us….according to legend, it entwines the mountains like a dragon’s tail, going up and then coming doowwnnnnnnn. Well, so too has our year seemed at times like a ride on the dragon’s tail through the day-to-day - and sometimes even moment to moment ... read more