Monday night – Tokyo

July 14, 2014 johncohn Leave a comment

My day began at 3:3am..the phone rang in my strange little hotel room. we’d been exiled there when ur fight to tokyo was canceled last night with no explaination. I clawed my way to conciousness ot understand from the message that our bus to the airport would be leaving at 4:30 AM.. at 4:30. the whole sleepy mass of us shuffled on to a bus for the 30 minute trek back to PDG

miraculously, the special flight they’d arranged for us went off without a hutch,, we were airp\borne by 6:30. landed by 10:00 and I was on a bus to the Tokyo City Airt Terminal by 10:20 .. I got there around 11 in time to met Jay and my friend Jana from the Czech republic.. I took them to my favorite bus station sushi place for a quick meal..

then it was off to the IBM Japan lab..

i gave a talk there. which went OK.

then had an absolutely wonderful roundtable with 16 women from the lab.. their questions and insights were very good.. it occurred to me how balanced the all were.. when asked about their hobbies.. most of them included their kids as one o their passions.. not sure how many guys would answer that way. interesting lesson to me.

enjoyed speakign wiht all of these talented folks. i particularly enjoyed the 4 undergraduate visitors we had there.

then it was off to dinner with firends Sanuki0sanKuse0san and Takasaka0san

it was a memorable meal.. with memorable conversations. such reat guys.. such great food.. such great sake and beer !.. i had to really pace myself on 3 hours of sleep..

now back at the hotel and really needing to sleep. My next meeting is at 7am !

i’m enjoying my trip and missing home, and my family

nite all nite sam

-me

Sunday night – please keep calmness

July 13, 2014 johncohn Leave a comment

Greetings from the Bates motel.. or something close. I’ve had an interestingly uninteresting day// I spent the whole day going appropriately 19 miles. Through a set of mistakes on the part of me, the hotel. the taxis and the airlines, .. ultimately around the cancellation of my flight to Tokyo, I find myself spending another night here in Shanghai.. I’m bummed too, because I was planning on visiting my friend Sebastian and his family in Tokyo..this evening.. oh well..

the goodish thing about it is that China East air is actually putting us all up in a hotel about 20 min from the airport.. and they fed us too !. There are about 50 of us that will seep here .. then catch an early morning flight to narita.. We’re still not sure exactly when that will be, which is a little weird .

The hotel is not bad at al1.. but they made us each pay an 120 RMB surcharge if we didn’t want to share a room with a stranger >.. they fed us.. though it was nearly all meat.. what I could eat (rice and veggies ) was quite good. it was fun hanging out with my co-strandees.. I met a guy named Michael from Australia.. but everyone else seems to be from here or from japan.. I spent some time exploring the hotel .. nice enough, the hotel seems empty except for stranded travelers..

found soem great examples of Chinglish.. but hey.. they do a million times better doing our language, right or wrong.. then we would do with theres !

carefully slippery.. that might that mean ?!?!

ok.. cant keep my eyes open again.. wish me lukc tomorrow

nite all. nite sam

-me

Saturday night – 16760 steps

July 12, 2014 johncohn Leave a comment

16760 steps.. thats what my fitbit tells me i did today.. or 7.69 miles around Shanghai.. which is funny.. because Kerrie’s fitbit tells him that he did two more miles than i did.. and we spent the entire day together.. exceptt hat I went for a run this morning and he did’t.. However far we actually walked.. Megh, Kerrie an I spent the ay waling around Shanghai in a mix of rain and steam.. it was close to 90 today with near 100 % humidity.. wow.. what a steam bath !

My run this morning was nice.. and hot.. call it Bikram running

i forgot yow ming is from here !\

the air was a steel grey all day.. not sure it was clouds or smog.. or a mix..

I met up with Kerrie around 1030 and we had breakfast here at the hotel.. i had a weird and nice mix of sushi. smoked fish and pickled tofu for breakfast.. it lasted me all day long !

then we headed out tot subway and headed for PuXi .

umbrellas were everywhere in anticipation of the rain..

we took the metro down to Nanjing street..

then headed north to the electronic district ..

it’s a crazy part of town.. little shops selling everything from ball bearings to vacuum tubes.. it’s unclear to me how some of these stores survive !

then ew headed back to Nanjing street to meet Megh,..

we met up with Megh and then walked down to old town and Yu Gardens..

several folks came up and tool my picture while there… like this guy.. kind of fun..

old town was busy and chaotic as usual..

i found my favorite cafeteria.. but didn’t eat there.. i wasn’t hungry until 8 this evening ! its a cool place.. you walk through this long line and point at stuff you have know idea whats inside, !

we saw this cool mobile puppet show..

and lots of cool architecture

my family was much on my mind today as I walked around here.. I rmember comign to this exact place as my first foreign trip a few months fter Sam died.. i remember standing right here

kerrie looking cool as always ..

after the hussle and bussle of yu gardens and old town, we needed soem queit, so we caught a cab over to the French Concession,, the leafy green and empty streets were really welcome..

we stopped in a crepe place ot have coffee, grab a byte and get out of the pouring rain..

by then it was nearly 7.. we walked back under the lit up overeheads the couple of miles to Peoples Square..

then we caught a train back to the hotel.. in the station i found this vending machine for cured pork.. how weird is that ? !?

what along and satisfying day !. thanks so much to megh for being our tour guide.. and thanks to Kerrie for changing hsi travel plans so we could all hang out !

really great visit here in Shanghai.. heading to japan tomorrow..

headign to bed right now..

nite all, nite sam

-me

Friday night – 茄子 !

July 11, 2014 johncohn Leave a comment

茄子 (pronounced qie2zi)which means eggplant ! That’s what folks say when you take a picture over here.. just like we say “cheese” i was in and I took lots of pictures today as part of a very interesting Regional Technical Leadership Event I’m attending here in Shanghai. I love the people here. they are very bright and very warm.. (speaking of warm , warm.. it’s still about 90 degrees here !)

here are a few pictures.. I have a bout 20 2 person selfies.. but I think I’ll only post these group shots..

The event lastd all day.. whcih gave me planty of time to get to know some of the folks here.. it was great..

this evening Keryie, Megh and I went out for a ride on the river and a queit dinner.. Really nice. the architecture a lighting alone the river are truly amazing.. I’ve been here (I think) about 7 times.. and the skyline keeps getting crazier !