Kunming

I am sitting here trying to figure out what was it about Kunming that made it so beautiful, it's hard to put into words.  Thinking about it critically, it wasn't the city itself.  While not the dusty dirtiness of northern Chinese cities, Kunming did not have any of it's own special charm.  In fact, I think I only took pictures of one temple, and a gate here and there.  But underneath a crystal clear blue sky even the shabbiness of the buildings seemed pretty.  And now that I'm thinking about it, that has to be what it was.  The blue blue sky, the green green grass, and the sparkles of the sun dancing off the lake (in the park near our hotel).  The weather was awesome.  Right on the edge of being hot, but never quite making it.  In the background there are mountains, and lots and lots of greenery.  In some ways it reminded me of Southern California.  I think coming from the land of the perpetual grey skies (Chengdu) it was shocking just to see blue skies.  Anyway, a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.  Some views of the lake, and also of the really Yum yum yummy Yunnan food.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE how much variety there is of Chinese food?  Just one district over from Sichuan and already you have a completely different food experience, instead of a mouth numbing intestine burning dining experience.  There is a sweet/sour burning that sets your mouth on fire, but does not burn in your intestines for days.  Also lots of fresh fruit and edible flowers.  What's not to love?

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

Chutney and baby booties

It's been awhile since I've done a what I'm cooking post.  Mainly because the farm subscription has been boring.  I understand it was winter, things don't really grow in the winter, but MAN did I ever get tired of greens.  However, two weeks ago I got a two handfuls of long green hot peppers (I looked it up and this was the best name I could find), which gave me pause.  In the past, hot peppers would not have been a problem, I would just chop them up and add them to everything.  But since Babes has been with us, I can't take the heat, and she can't either.  So what's a woman to do with the hot pepper bounty?  CHUTNEY!  I don't think I've ever had chutney before this winter when NY galpal and I went to do a cooking class at Camaje.  In the class we did a whole Indian menu, and most of it was pretty simple, and Chutney is SO good.  Which is what I ended up doing at home too.  It started off as "well let me make chutney with these hot peppers"  And then since it was vegetarian night I thought I would make Eggplant fritters with the eggplant in the fridge, but instead of making them Italian like the recipe called for I added a barrage of spices to turn them into Curried eggplant fritters.  Add some random stir fried veggies, and curried Indian chickpeas and you have this:

From Blogger Pictures

In other news, I have been knitting a flurry of baby related items.  For my new niece (Welcome to the world Niecey!), And for two little boys that are due to arrive in our community before the fall.  So just for the awww factor, here are a some baby booties for your viewing pleasure.  All were knit with local self striping yarn.  I love this stuff, except for the tendency for the stripes to not knit out the same.   From Blogger Pictures From Blogger Pictures

The classiest McDonalds I've ever seen

Last week I had to go downtown to get my camera lens fixed. I left right after I took Babes to school, but ended up getting there WAY before the Nikon store opened. After looking around, McDonald's seemed to be my best bet for a place to sit down and wait without going too far. When I walked in though, I thought for sure I had wandered into a restaraunt or something. This place did not look like any McDonald's I've ever seen. (It was though, and I had an egg mcmuffin to prove it).

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

I do NOT live in the US

I do NOT live in the US.  There I've said it.  Now if only I believed it. Part of the problem with being an expat (as opposed to immigrating) is the feeling of being neither here nor there.  I've lived in China now for over a year and I don't feel like I live here.  Point of fact, I don't really have a "home" (unless you count where my parents live).  DH constantly gets mad at me when I say I'm going "home" for Christmas, or when are we going "home" for a visit, etc., but I have to say I do not feel that China is home.  Yes, DH, Babes, and Honeydog are all here with me, all our crap is here, but it feels temporary.  I don't know how to explain it.  Maybe it's just the mental attitude, as an expat, everything is temporary.  I know that we are only going to be in China for two years, and then we'll go somewhere else.  I also live outside of the everyday life experiences that your average Chinese person would have.  I don't pay local bills, I don't really use local internet (I can use facebook and blogger through a proxy).  I don't think of myself as Chinese.  I'm not trying to raise my daughter to go through their educational system. 
But at the same time I don't live in the US.  Every month we spend away I get a little farther from that culture and what's going on now.  Some of it I'm very happy about.  For instance I am only vaguely aware that there have been some massive panic attacks over plastics.  But it is very weird to not have an idea of what's super hot, or what kind of music is on the radio right now, or even what TV show everyone is talking about.  I'm not following politics or even major news. 
So where does that leave me?  Or worse, where does that leave Babes?  Will she be one of those kids who claims to be American, but has only visited on holidays?  Where will she think of as home?  One of the many featureless apartments that we live in overseas with our Drexel heritage furniture (the brand of furniture that is furnished in USGovt housing worldwide)? 
I know she's getting more life experiences and a much broader perspective than she could have in the US.  And she will be getting a better education (in most cases), but still I wonder if this lifestyle will help or hurt her.  Would she be better off with more stability and less perspective?