Baltic Crossing

On the ferry from Helsinki to Talinn. Yeah, that is a bear on the beer and reindeer meat in my hand.

Best gift ever

Why wouldn't you put a rabbit carcass on the front of the box?

Lake Como Bicycle

SWFC

Why wouldn't you build something 1.5x taller than this right next door?

Perfume Pagoda

When I took this photo I was all like "Dang this is the most unique thing and I happened to capture it just in the nick of time (pats own back)." Then at dinner the other guy in our boat had taken the exact same photo as me. Oh well.

Side note - at the time this guy (Chris, a German software writer) had been making a site that let you play virtual tag or something using gps and handhelds. Dude is either way rich or way bitter now that Four Square is boomin'.

Good Luck, Barge

Shanghai is at times referred to as "The Paris of the East" and if you live here long enough you might even start to believe that load of BS. Just flipping through some photos from our trip last year (on the fifth straight day of truly miserable weather here in "TPOTE") reminds me just how absurd that comparison is. Here we have a barge, attempting to enter the Seine that has run into some difficulties. However, to be on a barge attempting to enter the Seine, life really does not have that many difficulties - one would think.

15,200 Feet Above WenHai

At the base of Snow Dragon Mountian, Yunnan Province. Notice the herd of yaks on the right side.

Photo Finish

Only in China can you take over the horse track after the races for your own event.

Shanghai -> Shenzhen -> Beijing -> Shanghai

Did a round about tour of China's three leading cities this week. Some assorted highlights and lowlights:

Shenzhen:

-Factories, factories, factories, and guess what? More factories.

-Things are heating up on the Sigma front. I love working for myself.

-Saw my friends' new restaurant, Rapscallions. Really nice seeing the original SZ expat crew becoming involved in the city this way.

Beijing:

-In November 2009 I saw Pet Conspiracy in HK and quite literally freaked out at how good they were. Saw them last night and it sucked. More people on stage making videos than on stage playing music. Also, the loss of Helen Feng (former lead singer) is forcing back-up singers to try to be lead singers.

-Did some serious AS work also - again, I love working for myself.

-Ate roadside 串 for the first time in sooooo long. Ended up sitting at a table with some guys who work at the local gas station eating mutton and drinking 啤酒s.

-Told someone, "you are the kind of person who probably keeps a detailed blog but doesn't respond to emails for at least a week."

-Spent an hour and a half on Skype with a best friend back home from 3:30am - 5am China time. I can't believe he put up with us.

Shanghai:

-Good to be home: new antiques all in place, little Manny loving life, Lucy is leaning against me as I type, and I love my wife.

-Can't wait to go watch the NBA finals tomorrow morning. "We are all Texans."

-Going to hang out at Bike and Friends for a bit tonight.

Good times. Good times.