25 Dec 2011: Merry Christmas from China!

 We bring you Christmas Greetings to all on this cold, sunny, polluted day here in Shenyang, China!

Rod & Sarah, dressed for a walk outside on Christmas Eve, here in Shenyang, China

This week has been cold...we've entered into the "3-9" period on the lunar calendar...3 sets of 9 days, each getting progressively colder..can't wait for that...it's -2F outside today...and this is just day 2 of the 1st set of 9 days!  Brrr!  You know it's cold when the city park just down the road has their ice fortress up...and it will be up until Spring!

The ice wall at the city park just down the street from our hotel here in Shenyang

We stayed here in China this year after last year's travel woes getting home and knowing that here in China the expat representation would be quite low, so it is working out OK.  We miss our family in the US and our friends all over the world, as always, but probably more this time of year.  Just know we are with you in spirit.
Yesterday, we had a nice day which started with a lunch with our driver and his family.  I'm assuming they are buddhist (as there is a buddah on the dash of our car), but they know that Christmas is a special day for us, so they wanted to invite us for a meal...and big it was (as usual...you think I'd learn this by now!).  I knew that they had bought a Santa suit for Rod, but didn't know what they wanted him to do with it...well, when we arrived, we found out...it was presented to him and it was obvious that they wanted him to wear it and get pictures taken with the little kids...so of course he obliged.  The suit was a classic Chinese size (that is to say XS..even if the package said XL!)...but Rod managed to get it on and sit down without the seat splitting and get some fun photo's with the little kids and even me! (neices and nephews of our driver).

SantaRod with a couple of the drivers neices on Christmas eve here in Shenyang, China

Santa Rod got me to sit on his lap...now how did that happen?!...always has been a sweet-talker!

Mr Sun, Sarah and Rod for Christmas eve lunch in Shenyang, China (that silk blouse and wool pants really creates alot of static cling!)

Rod with Mr Sun's grandson (he's about 3...very similar age to our grand daughter Olivia in KY)

 After this lunch, we had a very enjoyable afternoon at some friends of ours from work...some of the "Christmas orphans" had a nice afternoon together!

Hope you and your family have a great Christmas together and let us give thanks for all we have...for we have much for which to be grateful!

Rod & Sarah

5 Dec 2011: 2 weeks + 3 continents = jetlag

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