Taipei 101

Dear Friends,

Off to Taiwan for our October break. First stop - Taipei 101.  Headed to the top to catch the views.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Blue Skies

Dear Friends,

Last weekend we were lucky enough to see the sun and blue sky. What a treat!

Love,
Heather and Brad

M&Ms

Dear Friends,

Good news! The M&M store has finally made it to China. Not sure how we made it this long without it!

Love,
Heather

Tourism Festival?

Dear Friends,

We keep seeing these all over town. Not sure what to make of the deer-like critter for the tourism festival.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Running Route

Dear Friends,

This is one of my favorite streets on my long route around town. It is especially wonderful early in the morning with no cars or bikes!

Love,
Heather

Fresh Poultry

Dear Friends,

While it may be difficult to see, this gentleman is butchering up a chicken on his portable butcher shop.  Just never know what you are going to see around here.

Love,
Heather

Literally

Dear Friends,

Just love running across these types of signs!

Love,
Heather

Thankful

Dear Friends,

This is one of many people I saw sleeping on the street on my Monday morning run this week. Reminds me how fortunate I am to have a comfy bed to sleep in every night.

Love,
Heather

Mid Autumn Festival- Moon Cakes

Dear Friends,

I have only witnessed lines like these trying to get concert tickets. However, today everyone was lined up to get Moon cakes to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival.  These were two different lines each about 3 blocks long and it was only 7:30 am.

Love,
Heather

Modern Fashion

Dear Friends,

I saw these in an upscale mall last week.  I have yet to see anyone out and about wearing one of these creations. Maybe Jane Jetson has one in her closet?

Love,
Heather

Menu

Dear Friends,

This choices on this menu were just too exciting for a vegetarian...should I order the guts or the pig feet skin?  YUM!

Love,
Heather

Aerobics

Dear Friends,

These gals are in the park every day, rain or shine doing their morning exercises. One day I will go join them!

Love,
Heather

Starbucks

Dear Friends,

Starbucks is just down the street from my campus. Luckily my new saddle bags can fit a cup of coffee in the back which makes it an easy stop on the bike before work!

Love,
Heather

Broom Making

Dear Friends,

The local street cleaners make their brooms by hand.  I watched these two hard at work Saturday morning while I was in line at the bank. She has the wire rigged up on the lamppost and was twisting it around the broom to tie it together.  Amazing to watch!

Love,
Heather

Dog Transport

Dear Friends,

Brad had to do some fancy camerawork in order to capture this "Shanghai Moment". FYI...this was just one of three dogs I saw on bikes this day in my travels around town.

Love,
Bradley and Heather

Barber

Dear Friends,

There was a line of three other men waiting for this barber in the local market.

Love,
Heather and Brad

Saturday Morning Street Market

Dear Friends,

I rode over to a friend's place to meet her for a run and had to manage my way through the local Saturday street market selling everything from purses to fresh seafood.

Love,
Heather

More Birds...

Dear Friends,

The local men love to take their birds out for a walk/sing in the park. There are similar scenes all over Shanghai in most of the local parks.

Love,
Heather and Brad

Recycling

Dear Friends,

China has their own recycling system.

Love,
Heather and Brad

Crayfish Shop

Dear Friends,

This was just one of numerous crayfish stalls along the streets.  Didn't stop to have any.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Chinese Fashion

Dear Friends,

This man had on a lovely floral combination.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Bird Cages

Dear Friends,

Even the locals were interested in these birdcages along the street.

Love,
Bradley and Heather

Veggie Chinese

Dear Friends,

We took the new teachers out for a local Chinese dinner. Doesn't look or taste anything like "American" Chinese - thankfully!

Love,
Heather

Skull Purse

Dear Friends,

Just don't understand the skull fascination.  Definitely don't need this purse.

Love,
Heather

Denim & Bling

Dear Friends,

The selection of denim hats with bling was so overwhelming that I just couldn't decide which one to get.

Love,
Heather

Chopsticks

Dear Friends,

We are definitely not lacking for choice of chopsticks here.

Love,
Heather and Brad

Chinese Furniture

Dear Friends,

Part of my job in admin is picking up new teachers from the airport and dropping them off at their new apartments. Our new male PE teacher loved his new pink living room furniture!

Love,
Heather

Korean BBQ

Dear Friends,

Saw this sign on one of the Korean BBQ places near our home. We have differing thoughts on our agreement with this statement.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Sunrise

Dear Friends,

There are some beautiful sunrises over Lake Huron. Caught this one on my last run of the summer!

Love,
Heather

AuSable

Dear Friends,

Had a beautiful day for our annual trip down the Ausable.

Love,
Heather and Brad

The Coffee Mill

Dear Friends,

Mom took a walk up to The Coffee Mill with me one morning. Our coffee shop now opens at 7:30 which is much more reasonable for those looking for our first cup of coffee.

Love,
Heather

Favorite Beach

Dear Friends,

We've seen a few beautiful beaches in our travels but this one on Lake Huron is still my favorite!

Love,
Heather

Morning Walk

Dear Friends,

I talked Dad into a morning walk with me and a little stop down by the river.

Love,
Heather

Peaceful

Dear Friends,

Love this view of the Au Sable River on my run each morning.

Love,
Heather

Canadian Culture

Dear Friends,

No trip to Canada is complete without a visit to the most talked about coffee shop.  Of course, we had to make a stop.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

St. Andrews

Dear Friends,

Love my run around St. Andrews, New Brunswick, even on a foggy morning.

Love,
Heather

Just Add Bacon

Dear Friends,

The bacon craze has reached Canada.

Love,
Brad and Heather

Bicycle Hazard

Dear Friends,

The road looked ok but was apparently very dangerous for cyclists.

Love,
Brad and Heather

Saint John

Dear Friends,

I have a favorite new running spot in Saint John. This lovely trail is just 2 km from Brad's parents.  I may be out there every day!

Love,
Heather

Canadian Tortilla Chips

Dear Friends,

Who knew?

Love,
Brad and Heather

NYC Subway

Dear Friends,

Loved the ease of the NYC subway.  This stop was just a few blocks from the dorm and took me all over town. Love NYC!

Love,
Heather

Manhattan

Dear Friends,

The sunset view of Manhattan was incredible!

Love,
Heather

Small World

Dear Friends,

Loved catching up with one of my former students and her family in NYC this summer.

Love,
Heather

Wine with a View

Dear Friends,

I was super lucky to have one of my best friends join me in NYC this summer. She toured around all day while I was in class and filled me in on all the city happenings each night.

Love,
Heather

Brooklyn Bridge

Dear Friends,

Made it back to the US just in time for the Teachers College Reading Institute. It was a busy week of learning but I did find time one evening to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Love,
Heather

Peking Duck

Dear Friends,

Pretty sure this is an advertisement that Peking Duck is being served inside.

Love,
Heather

Lion

Dear Friends,

I came across this colorful lion when wandering the streets of Beijing.

Love,
Heather

Goat Trail

 Dear Friends,

I didn't want you think that the entire Great Wall 1/2 marathon was run on the wall. There are a variety of running adventures all packed into this event. This goat trail was one of the more challenging!

Love,
Heather

Great Wall Marathon

Dear Friends,

After over a year of anticipating the Great Wall Half Marathon, I FINALLY made it!  As you can see I wasn't exactly running the whole time. Was stopped at a bottleneck so it seem like a good time for a photo. It was an amazing experience!

Love,
Heather