Xi'an and the Soft Sleeper fiasco

Whoever said three cities in 9 days was doable is insane...oh wait, that was me. LOL

Seriously, if I was a well seasoned traveler or was traveling with a group (including someone else to help with the responsibilities of getting us where we needed to be) it could be ok. But, I was NOT expecting the stress of handling all of this myself and have decided it was the stress of planning the trip that caused all of my sickness during the months preceding the trip.

How do I know this?  BECAUSE I GOT SICK ON THE TRIP TOO and didn't get sick again after we were back home.  When did I get sick? Oh, just the worst possible time...on the overnight train to Xi'an.  I thanked God for opening the doors that caused me to book a private room with a bathroom, although it was much more expensive.  I was so sick all night. I don't know what I would have done in a room with strangers and a bathroom down the hall.

The room was cool. The beds were hard as a rock, but I wish I could have enjoyed the experience more. There was no time for enjoyment.  I just wanted it to be over. TWELVE HOURS, with a bad stomach on a train is not what I would recommend to anyone.

But, here is the cool room  and the scene of the crime.....

Poor Abby was exhausted after just three very busy days and didn't get much sleep on the train with me being sick.  She sure was a trooper though!

We stayed in a beautiful hotel in Xi'an but missed a whole day of our planned itinerary.  I stayed in bed and Abby watched movies on HBO (only channel with English) and ate room service all day. I never heard a complaint.  LOL

Unfortunately, the part we missed included the Dumpling Banquet and the show.  We could have gone on Day 2 after we crammed in everything else, but I still wasn't feeling great and the thought of stuffing myself with Dumplings was not appealing at all and Abby wasn't hard to convince (she was overwhelmed and exhausted).

 Here are a few of the room service meals Abby enjoyed (to a total of $100 for the day! and all I got was some toast and a sprite)

 

Here is the part of the bathroom I wish I got to enjoy....

 

Here is the part of the bathroom, I actually got to "enjoy".....

 

On the second day in Xi'an, we went to the Shaanxi Museum and the Terracotta Warriors which made up for the whole horrible ordeal on day one.

As for the Terracotta Soldiers, there is nothing more I can say other than WOW.

 This last picture shows that although they have excavated thousands of soldiers, there are still thousands more to uncover....

 I recommend doing some online research about these if you don't know the story. It's simply amazing and unbelievable how old they are and why there are there.


I'm not much of a museum person, but the real reason we went to China was so Abby could learn about the culture.  There is no better way to learn about a people then to see their history and this is found in Museums.  She thoroughly enjoyed this part of the trip and it made me happy to give that to her.

 Yes, these are REAL gold pieces....

Before we headed back to the hotel, we went to the Dyan Pagoda (or Big Wild Goose Pagoda).

This was built to store ancient Buddhist manuscripts that were brought back to China from India via the Silk Road.

It is still used today.

If I have the chance to go back to China, I will definitely make sure I get back to Xi'an.  We missed so many things that we wanted to see (ancient wall, bell tower, Tang Dyansty show and Dumpling Banquet).

Last stop, Shanghai....

Shanghai.....my favorite city in the world!

I say it is my favorite city and that is comparing it to London, NYC and Chicago.  The energy was awesome. I couldn't get enough of it.

There isn't much history to find in Shanghai since the city is modern in comparison to the other cities we visited.  We did visit the Jade Buddha Temple though.

Outside of the temple was the most beautiful pond filled with Koi.

All of my complaints about touristy things in Beijing were out the door in Shanghai. I just had to go on the Tourist Tunnel.   It was this single train car that you stood up in that travels underneath the river from the old side of Shanghai to the new side.  The tunnel is lined with lights and they strobe so that it feels like you are in some sci-fi movie.  Tacky but fun.

One on the other side, we walked around and looked at the buildings. There isn't much to do over there, but we wanted to go over just to walk around.  Below is the TV tower.

 

On the old side of the river, some parts of the city seem to be stuck in a time warp.

Laundry day?

The homes must be small. This kitchen is outside. I can just imagine how expensive it is to live within the city, though.

The best part for me, though, was the way the city lit up at night.

 Even the elevated highway was lit underneath with neon lights.

 

 Even with all of the modern elements, we still found some beauty. This garden was so gorgeous.  One thing the Chinese get right, for sure, is their gardens.  sigh

Outside of these gardens is this tea house (Huxington Tea House).  It sits in the middle of a pond and the only way to get to it is on a zig-zag bridge which was built that way because the undead (zombies) can only walk in a straight line and they wanted to keep them out. No tea for you!

Once again, I have food pictures.  We had the most amazing meals in Shanghai.  

 Here are some shrimp dumplings that were so delicate and so tasty. Above is fried pork which was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.

Below are dry-fry string beans. Yep, they're smothered in pork, just how I love my string beans. LOL

 

Below is bread and butter which sounds normal, but this is China people. I don't do anything normal. I don't know why, but this was extra yummy too!

The best meal experience we had the whole trip was when we went to eat Xialongbao  (show long bow - short o on show and bow)

Xiaolongbao are dumplings that contain broth. You have to nibble them and drink the broth before eating or you will scald your mouth. They are very flavorful and I would love to find somewhere in the US where they make authentic ones.

The sauce they give you to dip stuff in is not soy sauce as most people think. It is some sort or vinegar and it is really good. I wish I knew what kind it was so I could buy some to use at home.

When walking to get lunch we happened upon this fully functional clear plastic car.  Isn't it cool?

This is our guide in Shanghai. She was so sweet and we felt so comfortable with her. It was so hard to say good bye. Hopefully we'll see each other again.

This is the view I had for most of our visit in Shanghai. In China, friends loop arms and walk together.  It's just the normal way to bond and spend time together.  Nice custom.

I have millions more pictures but can't post them all. I hope you enjoyed the update. Sorry it took so long to post.

Plain ole Mittens

I knit these during the freak October Blizzard that crippled the northeast.  We lost power and were without for NINE days.  Since there was nothing to do that required electricity, I knit every night through the ordeal and since it was dark early, I needed to knit something simple that I could do by candlelight.  I have a bunch of crappy Lion Brand yarn that I bought before I knew better and the kids couldn't find mittens to use while shoveling our way out.  So, I knit these as basic utility mittens for one of them.  I have some more yarn and plan to knit another pair for my other kids.

Did I forget to say that I'm going to China?

Yep. I get to knock off a BUNCH of the foods and fruits on my "Bucket List". And since China was never on my bucket list, going there is BONUS!

I'll be posting info here now that we are on the last 37 days of the countdown.

Now we get to prepare for the big day!

Yarn Crawl Sweater

I'm so lame, I didn't even take a picture of this complete sweater. LOL

My favorite part is the sleeves anyway. They are striped with two different Noro colors.  I used Noro Silk Garden in colors 276, and 311.

I called this Yarn Crawl Sweater because I found it while on the first North Shore Yarn Crawl (MA North Shore).  The owner of Yarns in the Farms yarn store designed the sweater and was wearing it the day of the Crawl.  

The sweater is knit so there is no back or front so you can wear it either way.  I used Dream in Color Classy for the body. One side is done in Ruby River and the other side is done in Happy Forest (which is my favorite color of all greens in the world).  I'll try to remember to take a picture and come back here to add it.

My Thrify Dining Room table

Who needs a new Dining Room table?  Just make yours more awesome like I did.  I bought broken Mexican tiles from a place in New Mexico. I paid as much for shipping as the tiles cost but I saved something from the landfill and have a unique table.  Even if someone else uses my idea, their table could never be exactly the same as mine.  It makes me happy! :)

Green and Orange Socks

I saw these socks on Ravelry and loved them so much I knit them with the same colors.  Green and Orange are my two favorite colors (along with the rest of the 64-pack Crayon Box!!)  The sock pattern is just a basic pattern and the orange stripes are added with crochet after they are finished.

Pusteblume Socks (Dandelion Socks)

I saw a pair of these socks on Ravelry. When I contacted the knitter to find out what pattern it was, she let me know it was her own design and would love to share it, however it was only written in German and she didn't know English well enough to translate it herself.

LIGHT BULB moment

I took German in High School and although I was fluent and didn't learn any knitting terms, I know the language enough to be able to translate it using an online translator.

I rewrote the pattern in my own style as I knit them and returned it to the designer. If you want to knit them, the English version can be found here.

Exciting News

I have been accepted into Knitpicks Independent Designer Program. The first two patterns they have chosen are Crop Circle socks and my peeps socks which have been renamed as Marshmallow Bunnies. They are ready to go up for sale. I am hoping they will be up there sometime next week and I will post here when it is official.

They are also interested in Boogie Wunderland Socks and Shamrock Shenanigan Socks. I'll be knitting them up in Knitpicks yarns and sending them in for final review as soon as I can get them knit.

Below are the pictures they took for their website and/or the catalog (if they choose to spotlight them) of the first two patterns.

Marshmallow Peeps Socks aka Peeps Socks

I finally finished the second sock for my Peeps Sock design.  These socks are so kitschy and are my pride and joy out of all of my designs.  It makes me so happy knowing they bring a smile to anyone who sees them.

My Bucket List - Things I want to do and places I want to go before I die

Things I want to do:

Drink Vodka in Russia

Drive on the Pacific Coast Highway in California (cliffs)

Experience Har ki Pouri in Haridwar (India)

Get an Ayurveda Massage

Go on an African Safari

Go to Carnival in Rio

Ride a Horse 
Ride a cowboy (or least take a picture with the Times Square Naked Cowboy)

Scuba Diving

Visit the Great Pyramids 

See the Hollywood Sign

Visit a Step Well (India)

Visit a Ghost Town and an old Mine in Silverton, Colorado

Places I want to go:

Alaska
Australia
Bali

Block Island

Cape Cod

Colorado

Coney Island

Fiji

Germany

Grand Canyon

Hawaii
Iceland

Italy (especially Rome and Venice)
Japan

Las Vegas

Martha's Vineyard

Montreal

Mount Rushmore and Wall Drug Store/Black Hills South Dakota

Oregon
Paris

Rio de Janiro 

San Antonio (The Alamo)
Miami
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio

San Diego
San Francisco 

Santa Monica Pier

Seattle

South Africa
Sri Lanka

Yellowstone Park /Old Faithful

The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota

Williamsburg, Virginia

Winchester Mystery House in San Jose

Zion National Park, Utah

Foods I want to try:

Breadfruit (Philippines)

Cherymoya (custard apple - South America)

Cocona (South America)

Duku (Asia)

Horned Melon

Jabuticaba (Brazil)

Jicama

Mammee Apple (Mamey Apple or Santo Domingo Apricot - South America)

Mangosteen

Platonia (Brazil)

Rambutan (Chinese sucker - Southeast Asia and Costa Rica)

Rutabaga

Safou (Africa)

Salmonberry

Sugar Apple (India)

Yucca

**************************************************

Things I Have Done :

Caribbean Cruise
Crawled under razor wire with live rounds flying a few inches above me

Driven a Humvee down a severely steep incline and through a lake

Driven my own snowmobile (I want to do this as an adult. Haven't since I was a kid)
Eat Indian Food in India

Fired an M16, M60, LAW, AT-4, Beretta, .38 revolver, Colt 45

Fishing with my Dad and Grandfather

Flown in a helicopter

Ice fishing

Ice Skating
Mud obstacle course (Rugged Maniac) 09/2012

Para-sailing

Rode a wave-runner
Rode a Camel  (India) 
Rode my bicycle from Springfield MA, to Boston
Rode my bicycle across the entire state of CT
Saw the Taj Mahal (India)

Saw the Terracotta Soldiers

Served in the Army
Skydiving

Smelting (tiny fish)

Snorkeling

Snow skiing

Thrown a live grenade

Walked on the Great Wall of China
Watched the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) dance in the nighttime sky

Water skiing
Zip Line 09/2012

Places I Have Been:

Anniston, AL

Atlanta Braves Stadium

Atlanta, GA (1992-1995)

Atlantic City

Bar Harbor, ME

Basketball Hall of Fame

Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai China (April 2011)
Bermuda (Nov 2014)

Cancun Mexico (July 2001)

Chattanooga, TN

Chicago (July 2010)
Dallas, Texas

Disney World

Fenway Park

Hartland, New Brunswick, Canada

IKEA (finally!)
India (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Pushkar) (Nov 2012)

London and Newcastle Upon Tyne, England (@2000)

Mt Katahdin (northern end of Appalachian Trail)

Mystic Seaport
New Orleans

Newport Mansions, RI

Niagara Falls (both sides) (Canada as a child and US 7/2010)

NYC 

Savannah, GA

Scotland (@2000)

Stone Mountain, GA

Washington D.C 

Foods I have eaten:

Asian pear (label also called it a Korean Pear) - (this was very good. Crisp and VERY juicy)

Blood orange (another nice citrus fruit)

Cactus pear (eh....it was ok, watery and bland)

Caviar

Dates

Escargot

Figs

Fried kool-aid

Fried pickles

Fried seaweed
Kulfi (Saffron and Pistachio Indian Ice Cream made with milk)

Kumquats (yummmmm)
Lime Pickles (India)

Lychee

Mango
Mango Pickles (India)

Papaya (bland - not a favorite)

Persimmon (pretty good)

Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)

Pomegranate

Real Chinese food

Rhubarb

Smelts

Sushi

Ugli fruit (nice citrus fruit)

I'll update this often. Please feel free to comment or give your suggestions. If you decide to do this, please link back to me and let me know!

Friends for a reason, friends for a season or friend for life?

An online friend just made me think of this poem so I thought I would share it. If I have ever called you friend, or still do, thank you for what you have given me along the way.

(dedicated to FOUR OF THE BEST FRIENDS I have ever had; Tammy and Mary Alice, because you are crazy enough to drive to Chicago with me with no plan in mind, just because I want to and Jenn and Lexi because you love me, despite my faults!!!!)

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

So, there, Jenn you BIG BABY! snort

Summer Cardigan

When i saw this in a Bergère de France ad in a knitting magazine, I HAD to knit it. It was hard to get the pattern and the yarn as well as very expensive. But I LOVE it.  It's so whimsical and anything that is orange is ok with me!