Who Needs A Castle? We have Rocks!

A Gatehouse greated us before entering the Ninomaru palace grounds

Dek found a new passion in Kyoto. Rocks. I mean really, who needs hundreds of years of history, palaces, gardens and temples. My boy had pebbles of every shape and size.

The rock switch first turned on when we stepped through the gates to Nijo Castle. Surrounded by a gravel path, the castle grounds were a rock lovers dream. Dek didn’t care that we were standing in front of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He didn’t care that castle construction began in 1603 and was completed by Shogun Iemitsu in 1626. He most definitely did not care that the castle grounds were made up of the Ninomaru Palace, Honmaru Palace and surrounding gardens. He just wanted rocks. Sometimes I wonder why we take him anywhere. Then I remember. Our travels are not only about him. It’s about us too.

Getting his first rock toss in

Being a rock haven, strollers were not exactly easy to use. Dek had to walk most of the way, which was just fine with him. Once we entered Ninomaru Palace an attendant tagged our stroller and kept it up front until we had finished our tour of the interior. Honestly I wish I had left it with her the entire day. Strollers and gravel don’t mix as we were later reminded at the Imperial Palace.

When we got our shoes off and tucked into the provided cubbies another attendant informed us that we had to carry Dek through the building. I can understand this. With so much history, you can’t risk a toddler taking out a 400-year-old screen.

Actually the original screens had been removed a while back. They are now housed in the 400^th Anniversary Gallery (also on the castle grounds.) You have to pay an extra fee to see the originals. The replicas were good enough for us.

Ninomaru palace and gardens

One of our favorite aspects of the palace was not the artwork you could see. It was the “nightingale” floor. When we walked along the floorboards, they squeaked and chirped almost like birds. This was to keep the bad guys out and gave the shogun advance warning of someone approaching. There were also false walls and secret doors for the shogun’s bodyguards to jump out of at the first sign of trouble. It must have been rather stressful being the high honcho of the Edo period in Japan.

When we finished our loop of the palace, Dek was thrilled to get his shoes back on. He immediately continued his exploration of the gravel path. Meanwhile, I checked out the Ninomaru Garden.

Taking a moment away from rock throwing to admire the Ninomaru garden

Originally designed by master gardener Kobori Enshu (at least that’s what the pamphlet said), the garden was a wonderland of rock, water and foliage. I couldn’t help but marvel at the effort involved in maintaining such an impressive landscape. I just wanted to spread a blanket out and take a nap. Even with loads of tourists wandering around, it was so peaceful. Sadly the garden was fenced off.

We moved to the second section of the castle that housed the Honmaru Palace. At first we weren’t going to go up. There were big stairs. It was hot. Dek was getting cranky. I was getting tired of asking him not to chuck rocks at people.

Hopefully invading armies were given pause by the six stones deep castle walls and gigantic moot

I did a little scouting mission. I hadn’t paid almost $15 for Mike and I to just see a garden and the inside of one palace. Of course we didn’t consult the pamphlet we had been given when we bought our tickets. That would have been way too sensible for us. It would have also told us that another palace and garden where up there.

We weren’t able to go into the Honmaru Palace, but we did climb up to a look out station. The view was incredible. The moot, castle walls, palace  and city of Kyoto stretched below us. It was hard to believe that people were living their daily lives right outside the walls. Did they take for granted that a castle was right next door to their home or office? I know I rarely appreciate the things in my own backyard (I’m working that.)

Exiting the palace grounds (not to be confused with the castle grounds), I found a small covered sitting area. I pulled out the picnic lunch I had packed. Dek kicked rocks as he munched away on his sushi. Mike and I got to enjoy a few quiet moments- a rare occurrence as Dek gets older. Come to think of it, I might just carry a bag of rocks from now on. Who needs toy cars? We’ve got gravel!

Escaping the heat by strolling through the castle grounds with umbrellas in tow

Nijo Garden Information:

• Cost: 600 yen for adults, free for kids under 2 (possibly under 5)
• Hours: 8:45am- 4pm (gates close at 5pm)
• Closed: Dec. 26-Jan. 4, and Tuesdays in January, July, August and December

For more beautiful shots of Nijo Castle, check out Wired2theWorld’s recent visit during Cherry Blossom season. 

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Milk Makes My World Go Round

The popular grocery store chain, Fresco, was open 24 hours a day, just blocks from our rental

This may seem strange, but I now know where milk is all over Kyoto. I know as many milk stops in Kyoto as I do bathrooms in Seattle from when I was pregnant. I also know what milk packaging looks like, even when it’s not that obvious.

When you are the mom of a toddler, milk can be an essential element in your day. Dek’s cup of milk is like Mike’s mug of coffee. They both need it to wake up.

For any overseas trip, I travel with a few juice box size cartons of Horizon Organic milk I bring from the states. No refrigeration necessary. This way we have something to hand Dek during night wakings caused by jet lag. I also find it handy on our first morning in a new city if we haven’t gotten to a market yet.

Once I hit the local grocery store, I grab a quart of whatever appears to be milk. Happily most packaging has pictures on it. Cows are my favorite clue. A graphic of white liquid in a glass is another good way to go. In Kyoto, I figured out that Meiji was the popular brand and available in most shops.

On more than one occasion FamilyMart saved me from a baby meltdown

I quickly fell in love with the pints of Meiji milk we could find at the FamilyMarts (local convenience store chain) around the city. Even better, the store clerks automatically gave me a straw for each personal size beverage I bought. This was perfect for when we were on the go. I could open the carton just enough to stick a straw in. For a little over a dollar, Dek got some cold milk in his belly. I got a few more minutes of peaceful wandering.

Was I worried about the milk I was giving Dek? No, not at all. Outside of Hong Kong, I haven’t found many milk cartons written in English. I have to guess. I have no idea what is organic and what isn’t. If I can figure out that the milk is pasteurized I am happy. Sometimes I don’t even know that. Sticking mainly to major cities though, I can assume the milk has been processed to some extent.

I do check the milk after I buy it. I like cereal as much as the next person (probably more), so I pour some on my cereal. It always tastes about the same. I don’t worry about whole and skim milk. Dek can last a few weeks on low-fat if that’s all we can get. So far we have had no incidences of bad milk. I continue to pray it stays that way.

I could stress over the quality of my son’s milk until I freak myself out, but then I would never leave the country. I could pack cases of milk cartons, but then I would not have room for clothes. I simply have to choose to believe that the locals know what they are doing. If milk is available, then someone else must be drinking it.

Where To Go Next Spring

I’ve been chatting with my parents about a possible trip with them next year. They have never been to Europe and would really like to go. My parents are not big fans of fish, so we need to go somewhere that meat is on the menu. We all like wine and anything with sugar involved in it. So far I have narrowed down our choices to Provence and Tuscany.

I have been to Provence, but never to Tuscany. My Italian is a bit better than my French. Both areas are great eating for me and offer loads of running around for Dek.

Where do you think we should go with two parents, two grandparents and a 2 1/2-year-old boy? Any alternative suggestions?

A Quicky At The Castle

Helpful students take a family picture of us in front of Osaka Castle

I don’t waste time. At least I try not to. Since having my son I have realized just how much I can, and can’t, get done in a day. This has affected our travel. Before having my son, I might not have packed up the night before so we could squeeze in one last sight before heading out of town. Is that really enough time to appreciate anything though? I would soon find out.

We were on our last day in Osaka. We had flown in on Saturday and were headed to Kyoto on Monday. We had to be out of our hotel by noon, but could not check in to our rental house until 4pm. The train to Kyoto would only take us about 2 hours.

I turned to Mike and told him we had 2 options. We could make our way to Kyoto, dump the bags and wander for 2 hours, or go to Osaka Castle for 1 hour. He pondered for about 3 seconds and then said, “Let’s go see a castle.” Off we went.

Children happily run around the fountain in the Osaka castle park

Dek securely strapped into his stroller, we power walked our way to the subway. Twenty minutes later we were roaming through the park grounds and headed to a bona fide Japanese castle. The first on our nine-day wander through Japan.

Mike was slightly giddy. He is fascinated with feudal Japan. If he could hang out with a samurai he might swoon with merriment. Seriously. Keep in mind that I have been blessed with a very laid back man who generally does not react to much. Verbal outburst of joy are rare. When they happen, I know I’ve picked a winner.

Dek, on the other hand, was unimpressed. He would be happy anywhere we let him get out and walk. It was slow going as he explored every blade of grass in the tiny forest we cut through to get to the castle. He wanted to see the crow across the lane that sounded like an ambulance on steroids, and wave his new stick. He couldn’t be bothered with a significant historical monument.

Not one to be rushed, Dek takes his time as we go to Osaka castle

I always say it is a good thing Dek has two parents. Mike is patient enough to let Dek wander aimlessly, while I make sure we actually get there at some point.

I was taking a few shots  when I started to notice a group of people coming our way. Not just a random group either. Hundreds of school children in uniforms. When I say hundreds, I do literally mean hundreds. They were headed up the hill to the very same quiet castle I was trying to get to. This got us moving.

One of many groups of school children that were out and about on Monday morning

It was our first taste of the school students that would haunt us the rest of our journey. The weather was gorgeous and the school year was winding down. It was time to get out of the classroom to see the country’s historical sights. Exactly what we were doing. On the exact same week. Joy. To this day I swear we happened on national school trip week, but I still can’t find anything official to back me on that.

We tried to get around the group of children, but really couldn’t, so we just joined in. They were excited to say “Hello” and “excuse me” as much as possible. They waved at Dek. Giggled when he giggled. Instead of distracting from our quick trip, it was enhanced by a load of happy fellow travelers. Crows and sticks were forgotten. There were people to say hello to!

A little music added to the ambience of a quick, yet satisfying trip

Once we got to the castle the school children dispersed to the snack and souvenir stands. It was only 600 Yen to enter the castle, but at this point we only had enough time to take a few pictures before heading back. Sadly, we skipped the collection of armor and views of the city from the 8^th floor.

Wooden construction lent to many rebuilds

The outside of the castle was worth the trip. The current castle was built in the 1930s. The original castle had been replaced many times over. Conquerors, fires and lightning strikes were a bit of a problem, especially for a castle made of wood.

Dek was getting tired, so I strapped him in the Ergo. A few bounces later, he was out. As we said farewell to Osaka castle, I couldn’t help but be glad we had made this quick side trip. Mike and I got a glimpse of Japanese history. We also had a taste of what the sights in Kyoto might be like with school children in tow.  Dek was able to explore nature in a different part of the world. No time was wasted.

It may not be the biggest playground, but it sure looked like fun

The only regret I do have is that we discovered this playground right by the subway entrance that we missed on the way in. It had this luge-like slide that a family of three was shooting down. If we ever get back to Osaka, I am heading straight there so I can get a turn. Dek may have to get in line behind me.

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Directions to Osaka Castle from Namba Station

• Take the Midosuji Line to Hommachi Station (230 Yen per person/ kids under 12 free)
• Leave through the Morinomiya Exit 1
• Walk by the water fountain and you will see signs for the castle.

Costs

• Castle entrance fee: 600 Yen (per person)
• Costs vary for surrounding gardens.

Hours

• 9am – 5pm.
• Hours may vary on holidays. Check before you leave.

A Stroll Down Dotombori

Giant fingers hold sushi over the crowded street of Dotombori

I thought I was hallucinating. Was that really a giant hand holding a piece of sushi? Mike saw it too, so I must not have been imagining it.

Our hotel had sent us up to Dotombori to find some dinner, which was street about a 10 minutes walk away. The receptionist said there was a variety of food for us to choose from. Boy was she right. There were loads of restaurants and street vendors offering meat, fish, crab in every shape and form you can imagine, noodles, rice and blowfish. Apparently it was also a side show of visual entertainment.

The street was a mecca of people on a Sunday night, but not as crowded as a Saturday probably is. Couples rode down the car-free street on bikes. Girlfriends gathered on a bench looking at photos on their phones. Waiters from restaurants were standing outside with flyers trying to lore people in. They never tried that hard with us. I’m going to guess it was because they assumed we didn’t speak Japanese, not because we had a baby in tow.

Alleyways with tiny restaurants and plastic food to tempt your appetite

As we strolled, we began to pick up on a few things I had not read about in our guidebook and Internet research.

• Unlike Europe, pictures on a restaurant menu do not mean it is a tourist trap with horrible food. Locals eat there and the pictures, or even plastic food displays in a lot of cases, are really helpful when you can’t read Japanese script.
• You can’t go wrong with okonomiyaki or octopus balls. Both can be found on the streets, are delicious and kid friendly. Dek gobbled down both, even though I wouldn’t touch the octopus. I draw the line at things with tentacles.
• There are convenience stores everywhere. This is very handy when your kid is screaming for milk. They also include a straw with your purchase for easy consumption.
• Japan does not waste any space. Side streets and alleys in the U.S. are often forgotten about. In Osaka, we wandered down many alleys that could not fit more than 2 or 3 people and were amazed by the number of restaurants and other businesses crammed into such a small space. They were impeccably kept and obviously frequented since they were still in business.

As our people watching wound down, Dek gave us the signal that it was time to head back to the hotel. We still had not had dinner, but that was OK. We grabbed a few snacks from a stand, a milk for Dek and munched as we wandered back to our little “home” in Osaka.

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Baby Jet Lag Blues

Sometimes sleeping just isn't that much fun

I’d like to rip my ears off, drown them in a stiff drink and sit alone on the beach. That’s what I am thinking as I am trying to get my son to sleep in Seattle after a 3 week trip in China and Japan.

Now traveling with my son is worth it in every way, and I will continue to do it, but this week sure has tested my resolve.

Bottoms Up

If you follow me on Twitter, then you know how hard the adjustment has been for Dek this week. We got back to the States on Sunday night (May 22nd) and have been ever so slowly creeping our way back to Pacific Coast time.

Oh, and did I mentioned that Mike and I both had to go back to work on Monday? I’m only in my office on Mondays and Wednesdays, so obviously there was some poor planning on my part, but every vacation day is precious. Why waste one on jet lag?

When we first got back, Dek was waking up from around 10pm to 4am. We allowed this the first couple of nights since he was still not sure when was day and when was night, and when exactly he should be sleeping. Mike and I took turns going out to the living room with him and watching a movie or playing with toys, and having some food.

Separation Anxiety In Full Effect

Dek also suffered from some separation anxiety while we were away and who can blame him. First he didn’t see his dad for two weeks. Then I threw a crazy babysitter at him for a few hours a day for a week while I was working. He was sleeping in a new room every few days, there was new food on the table at random times, and his usual sleep schedule had been thrown out the window. For a boy who thrives on a schedule, he managed remarkably well for the 3 weeks we were gone. I still can’t believe how awesome he behaved and all he put up with.

I guess I am paying for my good fortune now though. Naps have been easy. He goes down without a peep. He even goes to bed at his normal time without a peep (well, apparently not tonight). Then 10 or 11pm rolls around, which is exactly when we are trying to go to bed ourselves most nights, and he tries every trick in his book to get out of bed.

So what is he yelling? “Down,” his new favorite world and one he learned on our trip.  Now my boy who once would go to sleep without much of a fight, and definitely could not sleep if we were near him, won’t go to sleep unless we are physically sitting in the room. Except he isn’t actually going to sleep. As soon as we think he is firmly passed out, he will wake up as soon as we leave. This goes on and on.

Last night Mike finally got Dek back to sleep a little after midnight after lying on his floor for over an hour. We’ve been trying the Sleep Lady shuffle method this time since nothing else seems to be working.  Twenty minutes later, Dek was up. I gave up and finally brought him into bed with me. This had worked while we were away, so I was hopeful we could all finally get some sleep. Nope, he didn’t want to sleep with us either. So now what? Finally he started signing for milk. I gave him a quarter of a cup of milk and put him back down. Finally he went to sleep.

At 6:58am he was up and ready to go, or so he thought. He had to have a morning nap by 8:30am. He was a wreck.

Mishaps along the way

Granted, we have had some mishaps as we have tried to adjust Dek back to Pacific Time. Our first full day back (Monday), I had to go to work, so I had our old nanny come for the day. This was both good and bad. It was good, because she has a baby and this was a very nice distraction for Dek after the nanny had to wake him up around 9am. The bad part was that Dek’s separation anxiety was put to the test. Mommy had disappeared. Would she come back? We had to do the same thing on Wednesday when I went to the office. This schedule had not been upsetting before we left, but after having mom for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the past three and a half weeks, he wasn’t sure what to expect anymore.

My second mishap came on Tuesday. I had been up with Dek until 4am. In my exhausted brain, I never set myself an alarm. When I finally woke up to Dek yelling for me, I assumed it was 8 or 9am. It was 11:59am. Almost noon! This was a disaster. How was I supposed to get Dek back to a normal schedule if we were sleeping half the day away? We were both up till 2am that night, possibly longer. I’m starting to block out how little sleep I’ve gotten this week.

Our third mistake has been to not stick to a method of getting Dek to sleep and really sticking to it. Kids thrive on routine, schedules and knowing exactly what to expect. We have been so tired, Mike and I are just desperate to get him to sleep in any way possible so we can sleep too.

The Grandparents Come to Visit

My parents arrived on the Thursday after our return. Their visit had been planned for months. My last-minute trip to Asia was a bit of hiccup in our plans to wander with them. We would now be sticking closer to home so we could all try to catch up on our sleep. Normally a trip from my parents, or any family for that matter, would be enormously welcome. My mom normally gets up with Dek, so we can get some sleep on the weekends. It’s heaven. With Dek sleeping in late and up all hours of the night though, there was not much my parents could do except let us take a few naps during the day if we needed too. This conflicted with my desire to actually see my parents though and spend some quality time with them. I only see them 1-3 times a year.

So Now What Do We Do

I have one more week left of work and then I will be home with Dek full time. Hopefully I will have a little more sleep in me, and have the energy to tackle all of the bad sleep habits and other naughty behavior Dek picked up while we traveled in Asia. I spoiled him while away and certainly let him do stuff, like sleep in my bed and eat stuff with sugar in it, that he normally does not do at home, so I need to reverse some of the effects of that.

As far as sleep goes though, what am I doing wrong? How do I get this baby to sleep as well as he used to, or even as well as he did while we were away? Coming back from China has been so much harder than when we came back in December. Dek is six months older of course, and much more aware of his power over us. I think he is also hitting the “scared” stage. A nightlight has now been added to his room, which helped initially.

I have heard it can take up to three weeks to get over jet lag. Can I really wait that long? Not sure I have much of a choice. I’ll just keep reading the other mom blogs and sleep books to see if I find a bit of advice I haven’t tried yet. If you have some wisdom to share, I am all ears.

Follow-up coming: as soon as we are on a normal schedule I’ll post what we did and didn’t do. What I did wrong, and what seems to have worked and what didn’t. Either way, I do know that this will just take time.

Nerves vs. a First Time Solo Traveling Mom

I wrote this the night before I left on my trip to China and Japan at the end of April 2011. I never got the chance to post it, but I thought it was interesting to look back on what was going on in my head.

Every time I travel, I get a little flutter in my stomach. Domestic not so much. Usually when I’m traveling domestically we are going to visit family. It’s all very routine and there are rarely any surprises.

The flutter really hits a few days before an international trip though. It’s a little nerves plus a lot of excitement. What will we see, what will we do, how will we get from point A to point B? Yes, by now I should have this all figured out, but honestly, usually I don’t.

For this next particular trip, all of the planning came together in a matter of 5 days, as I found out I needed to fly to China for work a week before I needed to be there. I have not had a lot of time to get into the nuances of every step of the trip. I do know we have a flight, a hotel when we land, and how much the taxi will cost once we get there. I’ve been to Hong Kong before, so it’s a no brainer at this point, at least the first day of the trip.

Each time I travel with my son, I’ve had his father along with us though. Those extra two hands are really nice. Extra shoulders for carrying baggage, while I look at signs and consult paperwork, is also nice to have around, and an extra body wrangling our son is indispensable. So why am I taking on this trip alone? What could possibly possess me to want to go to the other side of the world with just my toddler and me?

Well, it’s a few things. First off, I don’t have much of a choice on this one. The trip was last minute, so there was no time to figure out childcare. More importantly,  I have always loved to travel. That’s no secret. I love the opportunities I have had to expose my son to the world as well.

I’m also always up for a challenge. If someone tells me I can’t handle it, I generally like to prove them wrong. True, I will not be skydiving anytime soon, but that is more of a choice, although it is becoming more appealing the older I get. Going to Hong Kong by myself may seem crazy, but remember, tons of Chinese moms and other moms from around the world take their children abroad to visit family every year. Dads aren’t always able to take off work to travel with them.

So here I go, off to tackle the world one 15-hour plane ride at a time. Part of me is terrified, don’t think I’m not, but most of me is unbelievably excited to see how this will turn out. Fingers crossed we come back with all our toes and a hint of sanity left in tact.

Lessons My Baby Has Learned While Traveling

I thought I would be the one learning as we went along on this solo parent adventure, but Dek has picked up a few travel tips (and tricks) as well.

1. It is good to be quiet while walking down hotel hallways – I’m not sure when Dek picked this up or how, but I must have shushed him one morning when we were going to breakfast. Now, every time we leave the hotel room, he puts his fingers to his lips and says “shush, shush.” There is usually a giggle thrown in there too.
2. Elevators go up and down – he probably doesn’t actually realize this, but he does know what button to push when I say “up” or “down” when we reach the elevator. And God forbid he doesn’t get to push that button. He also knows the button in the elevator that closes the doors.
3. 1-2-3 must mean something – I don’t think he actually understands this yet, but it’s never too early to reinforce that when mommy counts to three, something may happen right afterwards. He is realizing this about a quarter of the time.
4. Watermelon is the food of life – watermelon is about the only thing Dek will eat consistently in China. He knows what it is called now and what it looks like. Same goes for bananas
5. “Thank you” in Chinese – Dek doesn’t have a whole lot of English words yet, but by the time we left the printer, he was saying xie xie (pronounced “ssee-eh-ssee-eh”). I’ve been working on ninhao (hello), but he hasn’t picked that one up yet. Now it’s time to switch over to Japanese. Konnichiha!
6. Yogurt can be drunk out of a straw! – this was probably the most fun revelation for Dek. Chinese yogurt is much more watery than yogurt in the U.S. Tiny straws are provided even when you buy it in bulk in the grocery store. This was a fun and easy way to get some protein into Dek when we were on the go, or at all, on some days.
7. When you are in a moving vehicle, whether it be airplane, train, bus, boat or car, you must sit on mommy’s lap – sadly this is a lesson Dek had to learn more than once in a car. I will get flak for this, but you just can’t get a car seat strapped into a car out in China. We have tried. Several times in fact. Luckily most of our transportation has consisted of trains, buses, boats and planes. A lot of prayer has taken care of the rest and we are still safe.
8. If mommy has to skip your nap, it’s probably a good idea to put yourself to sleep after 9 hours – Dek doesn’t sleep in cars, he really doesn’t  fall asleep anywhere but bed normally when we are at home, and the Ergo when we are on the road. When we were headed back to Hong Kong, he was so exhausted he fell asleep in my arms. Phew! I had been worried about his lack of sleep all day. Now if only he would pass out in a stroller, we would be doing much better. It’s a little too hot to strap on the Ergo in Hong Kong.
9. It’s easier to manipulate mommy when we travel alone than when we are at home or with daddy– Dek has gotten away with a whole lot more while we have been on the road than he would ever get away with back home. Skipped naps, sleeping in my bed, eating something with sugar in it or that has been deep fried. All no-nos at home, but on the road, I need to bend the rules to make life work for us both.
10. There is still a lot to learn – we will take it one trip at a time.

Oh Look, It’s So Tiny (and other things I saw in Shenzhen)

All of Europe in one convenient location. You just have to go to China.

Ever heard of Shenzhen? It’s at the top of your list of places to visit on your grand tour of China isn’t it? Sure it is. Well Shenzhen is the first major city you reach after leaving Hong Kong. You must cross the Chinese border and have a visa to enter into mainland China, even if you are just popping over to shop for the day.

Sunrise over Shenzhen

Shenzhen was once a hilly fishing village and farm land up until about 30 years ago when the Chinese government decided they wanted to build special economic zone and take advantage of the international economic boom in Hong Kong. The government lured businesses away with various economic incentives and foreign investments poured in. This is why we were there, why many other business travelers make the journey and expats relocate. I once heard that there were over 1,000 printers in and around Shenzhen. That blows my mind. I use only two of these printers.

Shopping

There are a few sides to Shenzhen, at least as far as I saw. Manufacturing/Service industry, shopping and the OCT. I’ve already talked about the industry a little bit, so let’s get to the shopping. According to Suzy Gershman’s Born to Shop Hong Kong, Shanghai & Beijing, Shenzhen is a great place to go for the day or an overnight trip. Pack extra bags though because prices are cheaper than Hong Kong when it comes to designer goods, and although everyone will swear on paper that the Chinese government is cracking down on knock offs, you can find a plethora of them there as well. As one of my grad school professors put it “Shenzhen is Tijuana on steriods.” Sadly I did not get to see much of the shopping Shenzhen had to offer, nor would I be looking at designer goods anyway. I don’t care how you spin it, a $5000 coat at half price is still way to expensive for my pocketbook.

OCT

More green than you may ever see around the Taj Mahal

The OCT (Overseas Chinese Town) is like a magical wonderland of preplanned living. It is owned by the Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town Holding Company and incorporates lots of themed hotels, theme parks, shopping, high-rise apartment buildings,  manicured lawns and shrubbery, restaurants,  and yes, Starbucks.

Side Note: In my travels through three of the major cities of China, I could not spit without hitting a Starbucks. Really made us feel at home in fact. I’m not actually a fan of Starbucks, but it was nice to know you could get a mocha or latte in a pinch if needed, although the coffee in Hong Kong was excellent.

I had a colleague tell me about one theme park in particular in Shenzhen that she had stayed near on a business trip, and I just knew I would have to check it out. I love kitschy attractions. I used to beg my husband to stop at South of the Border on our drives from Savannah back to Philadelphia during school breaks. We usually didn’t stop, but I always tried. This park in Shenzhen sounded like it was right up my alley.

By the time we got to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, I only had about a half day of free time to spend with my boys and to see the sights. I wanted to check out all of that amazing shopping, but it would mean a subway ride downtown and figuring out exactly where we wanted to go. After Hong Kong, I just needed something easy that we could do for a few hours in between an afternoon nap and bedtime, and also where Dek could run around and stretch his legs.

The other Eiffel Tower

Enter Window of the World. A fabulous and very kitschy little theme park one subway stop (or very short cab ride we found out) that is filled with scale models of many of the worlds major sights and attractions. Except China. You have to go to Splendid China in order to see those wonders.

I could use a good giggle before I went on press, so we took a cab over. It took all of 5 minutes and the subway stop was right out front. Good grief. We were going to walk it but the hotel bellhop said it was much to far. At least the cab ride only cost about $2.

Window of the World

I was in no way disappointed by our destination. A miniature of Pei’s glass pyramid, which generally sits outside of the Louvre in Paris, was there to greet us before we enter the park. The Eiffel Tower, which was actually very large, but probably only a third of the actual size, was looming in the background just waiting for us to get pictures in front of. Who needs that trip to Paris with all its yummy crepes, croissants and historically significant sights and artwork. I have Shenzhen! By the way, are there palm trees in Paris?

Somewhere in India I believe

We started out in Southeast Asia. We saw miniature temples that made Dek look like a monster coming to attack the locals. We walked by the Imperial Palace of Japan (again, picture Dek as Godzilla trampling the town folk), which included a miniature emperor and his court. Dek ran by Taj Mahal (fell in front of it too) and we passed through the jungles of India to view even more holy sights. At least I think we were still in India at that point.

We took a stroll down the streets of Venice and watched a photo shoot taking place (very striking red dress on that model!) Dek and I tried to climb up Uluru (Australia’s red rock) while we waved at the Sydney Opera House. We took a brief pause in our tour so we could have a Trader Joe’s Fruit Crusher as bride and groom cruise down the lane in a golf cart with their photographer. Later we discovered they too were models from a photo shoot.

A little photo shoot in Venice

St. Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace in Venice

We rounded out this whirlwind adventure by gazing up at a German castle, took a bunny cracker pit stop to check out some girls posing in costumes for a souvenir photo, then sailed past the great pyramids of Giza, but bypassed the rest of Africa (someone was getting cranky) and ended our journey with the Colosseum of Rome. Not bad for a 3 hour wander across the globe, huh?

Tourist Trap? Nah, Just a Fun Afternoon Out

Fellow travelers pose for a souvenir photo

There were the usual shops and food vendors throughout the park that you see in many other tourist parks around the world. All over priced and begging you to come in and buy a spinning top or a Coca Cola. We saw some more novel activities as well, like people stuck in a clear, plastic bubble ball and walking around a pond. You don’t see that every day, but we opted not to do it this trip. Dek had to stop and pose for a few pictures with other tourists, and for the first and last time on our trip through China, I was asked to pose with another woman and her friend.

Although Shenzhen may not be at the top of your list, it really is worth a visit. It was the perfect start to our stay in the area and a wonderful little rest before I went to work. I think for our next trip, I’ll schedule at least an extra day of play time. I have to get to Splendid China after all. I mean really, why travel all over the country when they have been so kind as to stick it all in one place for us, and conveniently right across the street from our hotel. I never did get to see the Terra Cotta Warriors you know.

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A Little Zen in Kowloon Park

Quiet Moment in Kowloon Park, Hong Kong

Walking through Kowloon Park, I just couldn’t believe how peaceful it was. On our first morning in Hong Kong we were up early and in search of breakfast. We headed towards the park, which runs along Nathan Road. We walked by the Kowloon Mosque, took a stroll along the Sculpture walk and passed a hedge maze. Dek appreciated the ducks that were hanging out in the aviary, while we admired the many flamingos that were in residence.

Flamingos in the aviary

During our wander through the park, we only saw a handful of people. Mostly older gentlemen doing Tai Chi around the sculpture garden or one of the numerous fountains in the park. It was 8am on a Saturday. Where was everyone? Don’t get me wrong, after 24-hours of travel and a bad nights sleep I did not mind this peaceful oasis at all. I just wasn’t quiet sure what to do with it. Wasn’t Hong Kong notoriously flashy, loud and crowded? Did no one get up early on the weekend? Apparently not. Many shops didn’t open until at least 10am, but we finally noticed things picking up around noon.

Gazebo in Kowloon Park

On Sunday, we wandered back into Kowloon Park sometime in the afternoon. People were out in numbers. Members of a photography club were taking pictures of various models around the benches and art work. A Tai Chi class was taking place in one of the open spaces. Children were running around the maze or walking hand in hand with moms and dads while eating ice cream.

Past the maze and up a little hill there was a small gazebo in a pond (see above photo). This was my favorite spot. There were not a lot of people here and the light coming through the trees was so beautiful. Dek was able to run around, touch every leaf and bush in sight, lick a few rocks, and we could just sit back and watch our boy explore.

Behind the gazebo, a sword fighting class was taking place and to the right a drum and dance club was rehearsing. Dek played a game of peek-a-boo with one of the dancers while he checked out what they were doing. We looped back around and walked down the main thorough fare that cut through the park and saw families and couples meandering along, just enjoying their Sunday.

Playing Peek a Boo

It was truly amazing to see so many people coming out to be a part of the activities they love and really, just seeing normal people live their lives and enjoy the same things we do. I am so glad we cut through the park on our first day, while in search of some food and found this little oasis in the city. It made our trip all the more enjoyable.

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