Back in the USA with Flight Delays

Well, I'm not home yet, but I am in the USA.

As the plane was approaching Atlanta we were informed that there are storms preventing us to land. We are rerouted to Memphis, so that we can get enough fuel to fly in a holding pattern over Atlanta while the weather moves out.

Here's the timeline -
4:30pm, landed in Memphis for fuel
6:00pm, left Memphis
7:00 to 8:00pm maintained a holding pattern over Atlanta (the weather did not move on)
9:15pm Arrived back in Memphis. Memphis Airport was not well prepared for our international flight.
11:30pm Arrived Marriott Courtyard (Should have been close to home about now)

I planning to leave the hotel a 4:30am in the morning, to get on the 6:00am standby list. The 6:00am flight goes directly to Minneapolis, which arrives at 8:00am. If I cannot get on the 6am, then I will have to take the 8:21am, which connects through Atlanta and arrives in Minneapolis at 2:45pm.

Needless to say, I'm hopeful to get on the early flight!

Leaving China

This will be my last entry. I'm currently at Pudong airport waiting to board at 3:00pm local time on April 10th.

The Maglev train went direct to the airport from Shanghai at 187 MPH.

I rode the subway to the Maglev train.

"The Factory" Shanghai with "Too Many Chefs"

This past Tuesday I attended an event with "Too Many Chefs", which was the grand opening for a new restaurnt called "The Factory" in downton Shanghai.

Dan Segal (standing) & Eric Brown (sitting)

Soy-braised pork belly, ginger-daikon salad, and black vinegar 'pudding'
By Dan Segal – M1NT restaurant


Yuzu marinated beef tenderloin sashimi wrapped enoki mushrooms with edamame mash and warm Sake. By Eric Brown, Pinnacle Peak steak house

Assorted bite size sweets like cheesecake topped with osmanthus sauce, cappuchino cups and loads of tasty dessert wines

By Brian Tan – House of Flour & James Fricker – Mon Reve Desserts

Train to Beijing from Tianjing

We rode this bullet train to Beijing from Tianjin. The train ride took 30 min. at 126 mph.

The ride was smooth as glass.

Security check point at the Beijing train station.

Inside the the Tianjin train station.

Outside the Tianjin train station.

Waiting for their train to leave from Tianjin.

Outside the Tianjin train station.

Tianjin China

Today I traveled to Tianjin for some meetings. Tomorrow I'll go to Beijing for another meeting and then head back to Shanghai.


The following photos are from travels in Tianjin -

There is plenty of money in China. I see more high end cars here than in then back in the USA.

This 3-wheel vehicle is hauling some sort of hay or grass.

There are 10 to 12 buildings being constructed all at the same time. Each building has it's own construction crane.


This is the 2008 Olympic soccer stadium

This truck was hauling several tons of steel wire. Notice the missing pins and broken welds. It was kind of unnerving to travel along side this truck in stop & go traffic.

Expat Housing in Shanghai

Examples of housing for Expats in Shanghai

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Housing for middle management runs $1,500 to $2,000 USD per month

Housing for upper management runs $2,000 to $2,500 USD per month

Housing for corporate presidents will run $6,000 to $8,000 USD per month.

Shanghai Video Stores

Here in China there are video stores on every corner. You can buy the newest movies that are currently in theaters or recently been released to DVD for about $3.00 USD each. My advice is to not bring these back to the USA, something about copyrights?

Golfing in Shanghai

Today was a national Chinese holiday "Tomb Sweeping Day", kind of like our Memorial Day, so we went golfing at Shanghai Hongqiao Golf Club. This was a nice 9 hole 2,168 yard course and the weather was perfect, upper 60's & partly sunny.

Golfing with Matt, Rich & Paul.

The courses golf caddy's.

Hanging out in Shanghai

Today I watched the NCAA final 4 games at Bubba's http://www.bubbas.com.cn/pages/home.asp

After watching the games we went "Go-Karting" http://www.kartingchina.com/main.htm

This was a really great time. The small Go-Karts speed along at 30 MPH or so.

Shopping in Shanghai

This is Best Buy's first overseas store and it's largest with five levels.

Street scene near downtown Shanghai

Back to Shanghai

I'm now in Shanghai until April 8th, staying at the "Grand Mercure Hongqiao Shanghai" http://www.grandmercure-hongqiao-shanghai.com/

This hotel room has a kitchenette - Cook top, fridge, mini bar, sink, microwave, washer, iron & ironing board. This hotel is close to downtown and is 700 RMB ($102 USD) per night, which includes full international breakfast buffet.

Schezuan Chinese Dinner

Tonight in Suzhou we had Szechuan style Chinese food, which is "Hot & Spicy"!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szechuan_cuisine

Lunch in Suzhou

Small restaurant/cafe in Suzhou

What should we have and what is she writing?

Some of these dishes were hot and spicy.
Spicy Soup with fresh Tomatoes ~ Spicy Fish ~ Chicken with Hazelnuts ~ Noodles with Pork~ Pork Dumplings ~ Spicy Peppers ~Vegetables ~ Tofu Wrap with Beef ~ Spicy Pork with Tofu

Apartment in Suzhou

Here's a 600 to 750 sq ft two bedroom apartment with balcony in Suzhou. Something like this fully furnished with all appliances, furniture, etc. goes for $120,000 to $140,000. This apartment is owned by a college educated married couple. One spouse teaches junior high music and the other holds a mid-level management job in manufacturing.

Chinese Garden in Suzhou

This afternoon I visited one of the four most famous gardens in China, which is called "The Humble Administrator's Garden". http://www.szzzy.cn/

April Fools Day

Today is April 1st in China and could not help but try and pull off an April Fools joke on my daughter. The conversation took place with instant messaging.

I knew that school was let out at noon on the 31st because of a snow storm.
I sent her a text stating that I noticed that school was let out early. She said that it was heavy wet snow. I asked if she went outside to make a snowman? Here reply was "LOL", "No". I then proceeded with "I hear that school is canceled for tomorrow" (April 1st). She replied back with something like "what, really?". I couldn't help but to go deeper and ask if she planned to do laundry & etc., seeing she was going to be home. Her reply of course, was "No". I suggested that maybe her sister would take her movie. She figured that probably would not happen, just because her sister would have better things to do, like hang out with the boyfriend? I decided it was time to reply back with April Fools! All she could say was OMG, OMG, "I knew it!", OMG, OMG!

Round trip airfare to China - $850
April Fools Day in China - Priceless!

View from Hotel room

Here's a 6:30am view from my hotel room at the Grand Metro in Suzhou