Week 53 - I'm famous, for fifteen minutes anyway...

I entered an Instagram photo competition through Time Out Shanghai, to capture the essence of Shanghai.  I entered a couple of pictures, but one which was selected as a finalist was the last sunrise of 2012, from my bedroom window over Pudong.  We went to a glamorous cocktail party at Char Bar at the Indigo Hotel, on the Bund to see who the winner would be.  

I didn't think it would be me, but it was.

This was my winning picture... The judges said: 

This photographer exploits the limitations of their phone's camera to great effect.  The sun is dropping through the sky like a blow torch - Sam Gaskin, artinfo

Week 52 - Shanghai Museum

This is looking down from the top floor into the atrium at the Shanghai Museum in Peoples Park.  The building is shaped like a big cooking pot and has 4 floors of Chinese Art, including sculpture, painting, calligraphy and jade.  There are also collections of coins, furniture, tribal clothing and jewellery.

Week 51 - Great Wall of China

Here's my family on the Great Wall of China.  

On a beautiful day with a blue sky.

And no crowds.

Aren't we lucky???

Week 50 - Harbin

Mike and I went away for our first childfree weekend, and it coincided with our seventh wedding anniversary.  Mum and Dad were in town to look after the kidlets, so we braved temperatures of -25 degrees Celsius (yes, below zero) to visit Harbin in the top north east corner of China, not very far from Russia.

Every January there is a snow and ice sculpture festival, and this was the opening night at the Ice Sculptures.  Everything was built of ice, and illuminated with fluorescent lights.  There were a number of parks around Harbin each of which had ice or snow sculptures.  It was a real adventure, and we had a wonderful time!!

Week 49 - New Year's Eve Glamour

We were on our way to welcome in 2013 at M on the Bund, in the Glamour Bar.  We were unable to drive very far down Zhongshan Lu, and so were dropped off to walk a couple of blocks.

The mood was vibrant and happy, and the old buildings were all lit up, and crowds of people lined the promenade along the river... it was packed... we welcomed the new year in style with good friends, canapés and champagne.

And of course fireworks along the river.

Happy new year!!!

Week 48 - Family Reunion

Last Christmas when we were celebrating in Melbourne, Jie Jie announced at Christmas dinner that she wanted the next Christmas to be at her house, and invited, with a heavy expectation, Mum and Dad to be there too.  We are so lucky this year, because not only do we have Mum and Dad, but we also have my younger sister and her new husband visiting.  All arrived two days before Christmas, and here we are out at Pudong International Airport to collect Grandma and Bob.  As soon as we saw them come through the sliding doors the kids were sprinting down towards them for their first grandparent hugs after 8 months.  I don't know who had the biggest grin!!!

Week 47 - It's beginning to feel a lot like...

Christmas... 

Over the last 5 Christmases, Shanghai decorators are finally getting it right and putting up the decorations in early December.  In our first year here, they literally put the decorations up on Christmas Eve and took them down as they changed over for Chinese New Year.  This year, it is nice that our local shopping centre has their decorations up now... this is a display on the floor, and the sign says 'No trampling or stampeding'.

Merry Christmas!!