Hawaii - Oahu

PCS Transfer:
Shenyang -> Seoul -> Oahu -> Kauai -> Maui -> Phoenix -> Philadelphia

Departing Shenyang on such a high, I couldn't imagine anything better than the last 24 hours. But God has smiled down on me once again and proved that wrong. A trend that soon became the motto for my trip through Hawaii.

If you had twenty work days (or basically four weeks) of paid leave to do whatever you want with, what would you do? Armed with a set budget for flights and an open calendar, I thought pretty hard about that question when I was planning my PCS (permanent change of station) transfer. I cost constructed an itinerary that would have me stopping in Hawaii and Arizona for some adventures and sight-seeing.

Flying east from Shenyang, I figured I could stop in Oahu, Hawaii to visit my best friend and roommate from college, the Egyptian. A beautiful girl with an even more beautiful soul, she's been there for me through everything. After living together for four years, we have come to understand each other and balance out one another's quirks. Thankfully for me, she's currently stationed in Oahu with the Army as an ob/gyn doctor and was willing to have me come visit and stay with her. Super stoked, I made Hawaii my first destination.

I had never been to Hawaii before, so I really didn't know what to expect. In four days on Oahu, I saw the most breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, the most pristine white sand beaches, the lushest green mountain cliffs, and the clearest blue water I've ever seen in my life.
Aside from the beauty of Oahu, the atmosphere on this island has been my favorite. Known as "the gathering place," Oahu is home to Hawaii's capital Honolulu and the largest population out of the islands (although the big island of Hawaii is actually the largest in size). I visited downtown Honolulu, Waikiki, Hawaii Kai, and Kailua, on the windward coast where the Egyptian lives. Each with its own character, with Waikiki full of luxury shopping malls and fancy dining for the tourists, Hawaii Kai with its sprawling homes in the shadow of the Koko Head Crater, and Kailua, a hidden gem of a town with hands-down the best beach in all of Hawaii.

Knowing I had a limited amount of time on the island, I tried my best to pack as much as possible into my days. Here is my general itinerary and some photos to go along with it:
• Waikiki highrise sunset
• Kailua Beach sunrise and 7km run
• Breakfast at Cinnamon's
• Tailgating at Hawaii Stadium
• Dinner at Korean BBQ
• Boydo-In Japanese Temple
• Sand Island sunset
• Pali Lookout
• Mokapu'u Lighthouse hike
• Coffee Bean distributor
• Waikiki park and Honolulu sunset
• Pillboxes Trail hike
• Kailua Beach relaxing

Boydo-In Temple

Mokapu'u Lighthouse

Waikiki Beach

Pillboxes Hike panorama

Following all of this, I was able to steal the Egyptian away from work to go to Kauai and Maui for a bit of island hopping.

Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving seems like both yesterday and ages ago, but for good reason. Yesterday because the entire day was filled with such wonderful memories; ages ago because the last seven days have been out of this world. But more on that in the next post. Now, to reflect a bit. Thanksgiving was my last day in Shenyang. My first tour of two years, culminating in my favorite holiday with a handful of the people I love. I planned it that way, of course. ;)

When I was scheduling my departure in my TMTWO itinerary, I had the option of leaving 30 days +/- my original arrival date at post. Since I arrived in Shenyang on November 30, 2011, I could leave as early as 11/1 or as late as 12/30. Departure dates are a negotiation between the losing post (Shenyang) and the gaining post (Rome), but because I am not going directly to Rome and instead going to training, my departure was a bit more flexible. My official Italian training starts in February, and I was able to schedule in about a month of other training before that to fill up the month of January. But there was no way that I was going to stay at post an extra month and miss the holidays with my family. Plus, I had to fit in my congressionally-required 20 work days of home leave. So that backs us up a bit to late November. Since I was planning to make a few stops en route to Philadelphia, I was faced with the decision of spending Thanksgiving on the road in an airport or spending it at home in Shenyang with family. Naturally, I chose the latter option.

Having already packed out 99% of my stuff, I felt a bit incapacitated as the day approached. R & P had offered to host an intimate Thanksgiving meal with six of my closest colleagues/friends. But without my pots, pans, and baking ingredients, how was I supposed to contribute to this fabulous meal? Thankfully, everyone opened up their apartments and their hearts to me, allowing me to mix my leftover ingredients with their pantries' and assist with the menu planning. What would I do without these people?

True to form, R & P came up with a fabulous lavender-infused brine and rub for the turkey, and planned out a multi-course meal that absolutely was one of the best. Evenings like this are the essence of living in Shenyang. In a place where luxury is often hard to come by, we have to find our own ways of enjoying the good life. Simple ingredients are often unavailable, and intricate meals take a good deal of planning. I hoarded a can of cream of mushroom soup for 4 months in preparation for the green bean casserole I made for this meal, knowing when I saw it randomly in the supermarket in Beijing that I might not see it in Shenyang in the weeks to come. Can't find your trusty can of French's Fried Onions? Thanks to the internet, I made my own crunchy, pan-fried onions. Grocery store doesn't sell sweet potatoes? How about buying them from that guy on the corner down the street who roasts them from his own garden in the countryside… In Shenyang, you've gotta be creative. That's what I love about this place. I'm proud to have survived and live the sweet life with these people.

Around about noon, I walked over to the Crowne to start cooking with R & P. R greeted me with fresh-squeezed orange juice (because he's an OJ snob and loves pulp) and champagne, with which we toasted the BFF via Skype. Without her here, Shenyang Thanksgiving isn't fully complete. However, by videoconferencing her in, it felt a little better. I'll copy the full menu below, but my contributions were as follows: - green bean casserole with fried onions - rosemary roasted butternut squash with pine nuts - pumpkin spice frosted cupcakes

Thanks to everyone for letting me use their casserole pans, cookie sheets, cupcake tins, and pantry items; it was a great success because I had your help. Cooking my last meal in Shenyang with my best friends was a huge treat for me. Not only was I doing the thing I love best in the house (baking/cooking), but I was doing it with the people love and that made it super special.

Nomming our way through the afternoon, we team-efforted dinner to completion around 5:00pm and ate right on time. Everything, was absolutely delicious. Like I mentioned above that it takes a bit more preparation and planning to put on a great meal, the hard work makes it that much tastier. Whether its the recipes, the chefs, or that extra ingredient of hard work, the meal tasted divine. I had a moment of bliss as I sat there and looked around, the wasabi/pear-apple cranberry sauce dripping over my garlic mashed potatoes, listening to these wonderful people compliment and describe what they were eating in the most genuine of ways. Perfection!

After dinner, we had a dessert intermission with some hooting: guitars and ukeleles were brought out and the classics were sung. "Shenyang, Shenyang" and "Don't Stop Believing," the two local anthems. Although this time, there was a twist. Just as Ms. M had prepared a song for J upon his departure, she fashioned a song for me to that famous Journey song (lyrics below). Almost in tears, I couldn't imagine anything better, but of course that wasn't the end of it. P had one-upped herself in creating a departing scene with Photoshop to help commemorate my first tour and my time in Shenyang (picture below). Needless to say, I was floored. Perhaps the humor doesn't translate over the internet, but these two items mean more to me than words can describe. I'm so happy to have the opportunity to serve here, in this cold town, with these awesome people.

This year, I am thankful for so much. For my family, who is patiently waiting for my return home and with which I will get to spend the holidays. For my friends, old and new, who support me through this crazy life by being there for me in person and digitally. For my career, which has granted me endless opportunities to learn, travel, and explore this grand earth. And for my health, without which none of this is possible.

Cambodia: Siem Reap (Day 7)

Itinerary

• Run along the Siem Reap River
• Mani/pedi at Frangipani Spa
• Lunch at the Foreign Correspondents' Club
• Shopping at McDermott's Gallery
• Pool lounging + nap
• THREE HOUR MASSAGE
• Dinner
• Airport + red-eye flight

The engorged Siem Reap River after 5 consecutive days of rain

Mani-pedi at Frangipani Spa that started with an awesome foot massage

Lounge by the pool, with sun on the last day of the trip

My Love-Hate Relationship with China's Weather

9th Floor Deck

Today I write you from the luxury of a comfortable wicker chair on the ninth floor deck of my apartment building. The sky is the shade of blue you find in a children's book on primary colors. The clouds are few, but when they pop up in the sky, they are big and fluffy like cotton candy. The temperature is warm and yes, I'm sweating, but I am thoroughly enjoying the glisten on my skin because it means I just might be getting some color on my skin. It's August and I haven't worn my bathing suit at a pool once this summer, or dipped my toes into warm water at the beach. I'm envious of my friends back home who spent three day weekends at the shore, soaking in fresh sun with fresh, salty beach air and the screams on happy children. Here in Shenyang, the ambient noise I hear is cranes creaking, horns honking, and the soft rumble of hundreds of air conditioner units.

But you know what? I'm in a minor state of bliss right now because the planets have aligned and the weather conditions seem perfect. Well, relatively perfect. It is China after all.

The View From the Street: Fluffy White Cloud

When people hear about Shenyang, the cold weather is the most common characteristic that comes to mind. And that's about right, since six months out of the year, the weather falls into the "winter" category. But what about the other months? In my opinion, May and September are the best months in Shenyang. May brings spring and the blooming of flowers and trees, along with crisp breezes and warming temperatures. September is solidly autumn (my favorite season ever) and the leaves (where you can find them) change to yellows, oranges, and reds before falling off in the brisk wind. It's a season of sweaters and knits, scarves and boots. In these months, the air is also at its best, with the air quality generally low, give or take a few consecutive days of smog. If Shenyang only has weather like May through September, it wouldn't be such a bad place.

But the smog is unpredictable. Now that the consulate has its own air monitor, we know just how bad the air can be, at any given hour of the day. As much as we try to guess what tomorrow or the weekend will bring, the air quality index (AQI) can vary drastically from one hour to the next. Yesterday for example, the consulate management team sent out a morning warning that the AQI was high, about 350, and to limit outdoor activity. The written notice only confirmed what I hade earlier realized by myself, waking up with a sore throat and tight chest, and looking out on a haze-filled city landscape. But by 4:00, the skies were as clear and blue as they are today, and our air monitor read an AQI of 26. We sat outside for a CG meet-and-greet and then later a few of us had a drinks outside in the cool evening light.

Shenyang: High AQI vs. Low AQI

There is a very tangible reaction to the weather and air quality here in Shenyang. When the AQI is bad and the weather poor, I notice myself and others are more irritable, more likely to complain. Fewer people walk home, ride their bikes, stay outside. There are weeks when the pollution is consistently bad, and the tension rises to a point where people get together more to increase their spirits. It is very necessary to let off steam, as they say. But, when the AQI is low and the weather gorgeous, I can't help but smile and rejoice. Everyone seems happier and more easy-going. We joke that we are not in Shenyang at all, because this is such a rare occasion. It is such a refreshing feeling to sit outside today and enjoy the vitamin D and the soft breeze while reading a book. It happens so infrequently when the stars align that I feel the urge to make something of it. Every precious hour of blue sky day and clear air must be taken advantage of in some way.

And only now, when the sun has gone behind the skyscraper apartment building next to mine, do I feel like it is okay to go back inside to my apartment for a while. But I could put on my running shoes and go for a long run outside, couldn't I? Any chance to soak up more sun and more fresh air...

Burma Day 5: Yangon

I don't have a problem having a "me" day. Today's been that kind of day. I woke up in the mid-morning range, and meandered down to the Asian buffet breakfast that the hotel provides. I could get used to these Burmese fried noodles. Good thing they don't make them in Shenyang.

Poolside. The hardest decision I've made today is whether to turn over now or in 10 minutes. It's a hard life when that's your biggest worry. I mean, it could be worse, I suppose. I could find it more difficult to decide whether I want a margarita or a piña colada. But I'm pretty sure I want the margarita with my caprese salad and samosas. The pool waiters must think I'm a glutton because I ordered both of these dishes; I didn't expect to get 8 samosas though. In Shenyang, we only get 2 per order!!

Alas, eventually I must get up from my lounge position. I am meeting R & D at the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the city center at 5:00pm. This is my last tourist stop before my midnight departure back to Seoul and then Shenyang. We plan to meet at the east gate and then explore the complex together. From what I've heard, it's the biggest attraction in Yangon, so here's for saving the best for last!

-/-

While I was walking to the pagoda, I realized that there is a great deal of diversity in the Burmese population. Although the majority of the people here would call themselves Buddhist Burmese, I have met and seen many Muslims and Indians as well. There are churches and mosques, temples and pagodas everywhere. Freedom to practice and belong to whichever faith one believes in. It's refreshing, especially coming from China. And once again, the Shwe Dagon Pagoda is a living temple, with people coming to present their offerings at one of the many different shrines in the complex. Aside from the tourists, there are young families with children, old couples, Buddhist priests and students, all worshipping side-by-side in this holy place. 

So I definitely saved the most splendor for last! Shwe Dagon did not disappoint. As we walked up the interior steps to the elevated temple, I couldn't stop thinking how amazing the last 5 days have been. Certainly the most exciting trip I've ever been on in my entire life. The people, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, and even the smells have been one surprise after another. Who knew a country like this could hold so many adventures? Burma is a hidden gem and I encourage all of you to visit if you have the chance. I'm already planning my return trip.