Greetings all from Shenyang,
It's cold (+10F at 9:30am) and sunny outside as I type this and I just got back from a 2 week business trip first to France, then Brazil and back last night here to China...not sure what timezone my body is in! Exhausting, but very worthwhile for work.
While In France, I was able to see the big Christmas tree getting put up at Place de Jaude...wasn't there to see it decorated, but thought this was a fun sight!
Note, the images are not great quality as I just snapped them with my phone...but I'm sure you can still make it out! (how spoiled I've become with high quality point-and-shoot cameras today!)
 |
| A big Christmas tree on the back of a semi-trailer, getting ready to be put up in Clermont-Ferrand, France |
|
After a week at work in Clermont and another city in France, I spent the weekend in Paris (OK, yes, there are worse places to spend a weekend!). While there, I wanted to keep doing my daily exercise, so I went to the Champs Elyses and did my walking (now that was a nice walk!). Between the Arch de Triomphe and Place de Concorde they had a street-side Christmas market. Then I went to Galleries Lafayette, one of my favorite department stores in Paris..always pretty and especially so at Christmas! There are 2 big stores beside each other and they still do alot of window displays. Very festive to come up out of the Metro and see lots of people, shopping, window shopping etc. Below are a few pictures of my brief weekend in Paris..so nice!
 |
| Christmas market in Paris, along the Champs Elyses |
 |
| Christmas tree in the Gallaries Lafayette department store in Paris |
 |
| Christmas windows and walkway at Galleries LaFayette and Les Printemps department stores in Paris |
After Paris, I went to Brazil for a series of meetings. Michelin is building a new factory there that will startup about 18 months before the one I'm building so it was good to see some of their problems and how they are finding solutions. The temperatures were warm (mid 80'sF) and it rained some days, but otherwise, it was nice. (it's late spring there!) Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do any sight seeing...(aside from stopping at a roadside fruit stand and buying bananas!) That close to Rio des Janiero and didn't see it at all this time...maybe next time when I go back (probably June 2012)! I did manage to grab a few pictures on the taxi ride from Rio airport to Resende and of the hotel where I stayed.
 |
| Roadside fruit market somewhere between Rio and Resende, Brazil |
 |
| Sarah getting ready to eat a banana sideways! |
 |
| The hotel grounds view from my front window in Penedo, Brazil |
The little village of Penedo was started (?) by a bunch of people from Finland. ( I guess they got tired of a cold winter in Finland and went south...and stayed!) They built up a lot of architecture in the Finish style and this time of year, they dress up the little village in Christmas decor and several of the shops specialize in chocolate and lots of sweets...
 |
| The entry way to the Penedo, Brazil villages at Christmas |
 |
| Downtown at Christmas in Penedo, Brazil |
So, that's it for now...I'm readjusting to the Beijing time and trying to get my body clock reset with the clock on the wall!
Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts...we really do appreciate them!
Sarah & Rod
No comments:
Post a Comment