A recurring theme - dogs, beach, friends......

This spring, work stress has led to a recurring theme of friends, dogs, beach.  Throw in a few mad children who go in the water no matter the temperature!  The stress just melts away!

Spring walk

It was gorgeous spring weekend and still full of a cold and cough so went to get some fresh air and a walk around the Botanic gardens as the tulips were out .

Junipers are Kiwis

On Monday 31 August the Junipers were finally made true Kiwis and received New Zealand Citizenship from the Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy.  A journey that started over 8 years ago when we first arrived in NZ at the end of June 2007.  They have all grown a little since then!

The gathered officials

On the stage saying the affirmation

Leaving the stage

Northern Rata - Citizenship gift

The Junipers with Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy

Shanghai Part 4

Here are some of the other bits, including the fresh snake I tried.....

Live snakes in a box

Skinning a snake alive, well very freshly LOTP!

yummy deep fried snake, plenty of bones

and me eating snake

fresh water crawfish

yummy vegatables

night market

cured goose neck, tongue, beak, brain...
you name it they cure it and eat it!

The Bund from the river cruise

More Bund

Top of the Bund

some funky art building!

just a small ship

Party boat!

Hot pot meal

Shanghai Part 3 - Feb 2015

My travel companion had family (mother, aunt and grandparents) who were in the Weihsien concentration camp during the second world war.  Weishsien was an American Presbyterian Compound during the war and is not part of a sprawling metropolis of Weifang, Shandong Peninsulas, a population of 5 million. We found a river side park with a memorial wall with names in English and a monument with names in Chinese.  Near by is a main building from the original camp, surrounded by a fast expanding hospital and staff accommodation.  Two further buildings exist in the hospital grounds and are now used as administration buildings.  Nearby in the number 2 middle school is two further buildings, one of which holds a small museum of pictures and the history of the camp.

The area and memorial and museum were not well known or easy to locate, but a strong dislike of the Japanese still exists in the region.

A good website for more information on Weihsien can be found here:

http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/index.htm

The homeward trip was via a very full bullet train, at the end of the New Year holiday.  this time of the year sees a mass movement of families throughout China.

CNR bullet train, travels at a speed of around 300 kmph.

The memorial wall of names

The pictorial of the wall

the right side of the pictorial with Eric Liddell in the centre.

the second pictorial wall plaque

more of the pictorial

park near the wall.

main Shadyside Hospital building remaining with plaques.

new pavilion

plaque outside the Shadyside hospital building.

Shadyside hospital building

rear of the Shadyside hospital building

rear side of the Shadyside hospital building

Memorial to Eric Liddell

Gateway to what was the Wall Street buildings in front
of the Shadyside hospital building.

converted Wall Street buildings with heating units.

Wall Street courtyard

modern peace bell

view of the river across to a very dilapidated rock wall

Main river - small island and bridge

remaining gate near the wall street buildings

Chinese monument

names in chinese

close up of memorial

old buildings that are now within the school campus

old buildings in the school campus.

memorial plaque in the school campus

plaque on the side of one of the buildings in school campus.

Second of the two buildings in the school campus.

In case anyone else wants to find the buildings,
 this is road the number 2 middle school is on.