Our schedule ..

Actually My schedule in Beijing is very busy.  I am one of those people that just loves to take "wrong" street and then just discover what that street has to offer to me :) So far I know  LOT  what happens around my area- well only about 8 KM radius in every direction.  . I have discovered couple of Methadone rehab centers about 2 km from us( side streets), couple of interesting farmers markets,  bazaar places, supermarkets,  cool looking buildings, clubs, restaurants in every corner,   parks, fun bridges etc. It is  not that hard to walk around here. It is hard to cross the streets, or bargain in marketplaces. I usually write everything down on paper, and if they don't like my price, I usually walk  away. Few times they yell something in Chinese , which means that they probably agree with my price.. Good for them. :D

We haven't shopped for furniture yet. I need few  traditional pieces mixed in with our contemporary rental furniture. Antique stores are everywhere. Nick just does not like going to those places that much. He can't handle the smell, and crowded  places. Me on the other hand, AM WILLING to shred a   tear or 2 to get what I need lol..:D  

Life in general is interesting here.  We have  cleaning lady coming in twice a week ( 2 dollars an hour for cleaning), we havent hired Ayi jet, since  we have lot of trust issues, and we hate  firing them later if we don't like them. SO we are just using our building cleaning staff. I let them know when I want them up here, and they will and clean for an  our - 2 cleaning ladies total 30  yuan. Not bad. If we are going to hire Ayi- "AUnty"- who comes to our house around 8 an and leaves 5 pm , then we end up paying around 3000 yuan== 455 dollars per month. She would cook( if we want), clean, organize, iron, hang out with gabriel... She would do pretty much everything, so I can spend  more time in Facebook........ Maybe not... But we are thinking about getting one  later.
Also-- I REFUSE to drive here. NO WAY Jose,. Again-- I need a driver, since Nick is exhausted driving to work every day-- 14  km takes him about one hour  and then at night another our in traffic. So when he gets home he is grump  44 year old man, who will bitch about  how much life in china sucks-- BTW, our nightly ritual...
 So , most likely I will get a driver  later-- HE pretty much has to hang out in front of our building all time ( if we hire him   full time) or part time driver will come when I call him and say-- tomorrow I need to go to visit my friend. I need you for 4 hours etc...  :D

ANyway- I do lot of walking here, lot of eating, lot of beer drinking -- Local beer is GREAT :D.  I also do lot of head shaking -- YES or NO, started taking Mandarin lessons-- SOOO FUCKING HARD...    after first- one hour lesson my brains went  kabooom and I almost gave up. So today I decided I AM NOT GIVING UP-- So I did one  more hour without tutor..  Luckily my tutor speaks very good english, and her teaching method is  pretty good.

I think I stop for now-- We have very busy schedule ahead of us- On friday the 17th we are going to Tokyo for 3 days.   On first of Oktober  we are going to spend couple of days with my  husbands family, and from there we  are going to Hong Kong.  I wanted to travel- So Now I am finally getting what I  wanted, and I am not complaining at all:D Life is beautiful..

BTW-- Reginas  "11th" birthday is coming up on september 19th, and her one year passing anniversary  RIP My beautiful Princess Regina:)    YOu are constantly in our minds :D

Forever in our heart, forever in our mind.
xoxoxo

Beijing as it is...

Through my  eyes...

 Beijing in interesting place , and people here live their life their way. They drive the way they want, and if they want to cross street slowly , they will do it, and no HOnking will get them off the road.. Sometimes when  we were driving around people started crossing wrong time-- WHem they see cars approaching, they usually stop in the middle of the road, so car  driver can decide witch way to go. IF they start running, then car drivers get confused, and most likely pedestrian gets hit. You have no idea how many times we have been face to face with pedestrians who are crossing street on some add places. BUT within a week I am expert street crosser..   crossing 16 lane  street is no problem for me .. ha!!!   But there are times I just roll my eyes and go- What the FUCK am I doing  here, I thought this life was out of my comfort zone. I   actually enjoy this  anonymous life.  Nobody knows  me, I don't have to wave at mornings or smile at every person I see . I don't have to have small talks with cashiers in   grocery store.  i don't have to take out my trash every wednesday night  or  drive 50 miles to  have real fun...

But I do miss my cali friends Xochitl, Maire, kristel, Christel , Kadi,  Elvira  and so on..    <3<3<3 I miss going grocery store and get stuff I need and not worry about how much MSG there really is. I miss my favorite restaurants and bars , where I know drinks are good, and food is delicious.

But I would not TRADE this experience  I am having. My life  finally has some sort of spice and fire in it, and I am going to explore what Asia has to offer...

See you all. Let me know if you want to visit us :D OR let me know if YOu know any ESTONIANS in beijing area ;) i would not mind speaking some estonian once in a while :D

Beijing

Beijing is pretty amazing place.   Our Park Avenue apartment is next to Chaoyag park-which is about 288.7  hectares large.  So we really do get little bit of everything- crazy city life and perfect green park with its amenities  all in one. Our apartment is on 27th floor, with amazing views to  everywhere.  It is very loud. SUUUPER loud when windows are open, but  even more amazing is this that when windows are closed we hear almost no honking or screaming or yelling. And trust me -- CHINESE LOVE honking. Honk, honk, honk..  pedestrians are not loved here. There is green light to cross the street -- and I almost got ran over by cars, and someone even yelled at me something in chinese-- I just raised my middle finger  and was in no hurry to "run away"... But yes, crossing a street can be a challenge.. One step forward , 2 steps back, slower, faster,   etc.. 

I am not complaining. I just find it  amazing, that  the moment you sit in your car, it becomes  target for honkers.. To slow- they honk, too fast-- they honk-- stop sign red light--- THEY HOOOONK..   I have to get myself pair of earplugs....


OH, another fun thing happened-- today I was walking ( about 8 mile  walk to discover what is around me ).. PEOPLE on cell phones are FUNNY!! SO I was walking, and suddenly i hear YELLING behind me, I turn around and there was one older lady, sitting on his bike and talking to  someone  and YELLING .  She was loud, loud , loud..  I wanted to tell her that   I think whole beijing heard what she was talking about, because I was not the only one who turned its head and stared...

To be honest-- I really like it here. I do.     The most I enjoy is that the moment I get out, There are  100 directions to go to and discover hundreds of fun or weird or whatever things  to do.   

I am sitting on my balcony right now and I have   this amazing view to stare at... I wonder what hides behind those buildings mile or 2 away...  I am sure I will find a way to get there and discover    as much as I can  ..

Right now I just take it easy MY way, which means  walking about 10 -14 km per day  and taking photos of things I find interesting :D

My Address in Beijing.

Diana , Nick and Gabriel tan

6 South ChaoYang Park Road

Apartment 27H, Tower 1, Park Avenue

ChaoYang District, Beijing, 100026

CHINA