It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

It has been sometime since we have blogged, so with our upcoming trip home for a visit, I figured it would be a good time to sum up the last 8 months. We have learned a lot about our new home, we now shop the wet market regularly for veggies fruit and fresh meat, rather than paying Cold Storage market prices ( and dealing with the low quality). We have experianced some of the local food, not as much as we would like, but Brenna often has a say in what we eat and she is far from a foodie, her experimentation with food goes as far as putting pepperoni on a pizza. We have had a chance to see some of this beautiful country, there is so much more to see though that we look forward to traveling more in the coming years. Our home has become just that, with Roxanne putting many of her personal touches on our place we are beginning to see this as "home". Brenna is doing very well in school, she was just selected to train for the FOBISSEA games, in Beijing next year. We are both very proud of Brenna for working hard at this and not quitting. If she makes it we will be traveling to China next year to watch brenna compete against other kids from international schools across Asia. Brenna also has many friends who are from many different backgrounds and cultures (she still misses her Florida friends though). Roxanne and I have made many good close friends that it will be difficult to say goodbye to when this assignment ends. We have both taken advantage of the quality medical care. My hip and wrist are healing very well, the wrist is fully healed but the hip has until February before I can do any running. Rox has had a procedure done to help her hip to feel bett and she has gotten some range of motion back. I have also been able to do some massage work on her which is helping also. So we have embraced Penang, and Penang has taken us in and embraced us as well. Could the last 8 months have been better, well I could have stayed on my bike and not crashed, but everything happens for a reason right? (no not really, thats just what people who do stupid things say as explanation for their stupidity...just call me stupid). So the Neilsons will fly back to Florida for the holidays, it's exciting to see family and friends again, but (and I can only speak for myself) I will be looking forward to returning to Penang, hungry for some curry mee, and a tea tarik, and a nice run. Today was another great day in Penang.

So its Thanksgiving day here in Penang...not a holiday that is celebrated here, so let me tell you Turkey, not an easy find. We did however find them at the Cold Storage grocery, however they were $30 US! That was a bit much for something that we would most likely burn or undercooked, Roxanne and I have yet to figure out the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion with the oven, and both of us have dried out some varying cuts of meat in that oven, I mean Sahara desert dry too. Turkey is a fickle bird, and even with the best of technology, intentions and know how, you can still screw it up. I have had some Sahara dry Turkey for past Thanksgiving dinners. So instead, I walked, yes WALKED, to the Pulau Tikus wet market and got two roast duck from  my duck lady, and some pork ribs. Now I have to talk about the pork ribs for a moment (Queue the deeply religious music)...AhHem....

these ribs are smoked and marinated in the most heavenly of sauces and then lovingly rubbed with spices and brown sugar...*sob*...so that with every bite there is a beautiful explosion of flavor...they are...*sob*...in a word...legend....wait for it...*sob*...dary...legendary!

The duck is really good too...I mean its roast duck, for Thanksgiving, in place of turkey, nuff' said.

So this will be the first Thanksgiving that I can remember when  I have been away from extended family (I'm sure some of them are quite happy the obnoxious old guy is not coming to dinner)...We will be together though and WE have much to be thankful for. I know that everyone gets into all the "Things I'm Thankful For" especially during the "ThanksChristmas" Holidays.(Oh come on, its funny).I mean health is a big one, and family is another, may be friendship....So I figure, I will list what I am thankful for...I'm sure you all are waiting with baited breath for this drivel huh...no no don't walk away, it will be good...i promise.

Things I am Thankful for

1) Im not dead...because I could be...
     I mean if you could see the place I crashed you would be patting me on the back right now and going "damn son you are lucky to be alive". The entire stretch of roadway I was riding on has guardrail, accept mind you, for where i crashed. its an opening in the guardrail about 6 foot wide and I hit it dead on, so I am told. Roxanne still feels I was aiming for it and she has a top 10 list like Letterman, with the reasons why I crashed...its pretty funny too. So we can laugh at it now that I am past the roughest part, but for a while there it was not funny.(it was still funny)...no it was not funny at all (hysterical).

2) Family....We were told experiences like this can tear people apart or bring them closer together...I think for us it has brought us closer in some ways and unchanged in others. Rox and I are unchanged, I think our love for one another has always been deep and abiding. With Brenna I think I am closer, i spend more time with her, and in doing so have gotten to know our little girl even more. she is really a wonderful, kind, annoying, intelligent, sarcastic, sweet child, who embodies so much of who Roxanne and I are as individuals its like looking in a mirror sometimes. Brenna has grown up allot in 8 months also and i think she will continue to grow. Roxanne and I have gotten closer in a way also because I think we understand each other better. At least i think I understand her a bit better, I have had to take on some things that before i never did and she always had to and i appreciate her more for that. My wife is a complex, intelligent, beautiful woman. I am thankful to have my two girls with me on this journey, cant think of any two people I would rather experience it with.

3)Friends....I have not always been a good friend...I know this....but the friends I have, we share one thing, no matter how long it has been since we last spoke I know that if they needed something I would be there and vice versa. The friends I have made here I already know I will miss dearly when it is time for us to depart Penang. During my accident and during my recovery they were always there. they are still there waiting for me to rejoin them as individuals or as a  group, running again. It has been a tough road for me, but it would have been far more difficult without my friends and my family. They have helped us in buying electronics, celebrated my birthday in style, have introduced me to food I would never have tried much less enjoyed, they have all been Friends in every sense of the word

4) Martin...from Penang Soccer Experience, Jo...OB's mom...Nina and Dan, and Michelle from Spiral Energy (and all the other Ex-Pats we have met). Without them, we would not have lasted the first month, and we would not have seen and experienced everything we have so far!

5) Duck...specifically Pulau Tikus market roast duck....Its awesome...do I need another reason to be thankful for it....

and finally 6) The Experience itself, never in my wildest dreams would I have had the chance to see New Zealand, run a marathon on the Great Wall in Beijing China, See Angkor Watt in Cambodia and experience the culture and people of Malaysia...we are so very lucky to have this opportunity and so far we have fully embraced our new home. We even bought a Christmas tree for the house! It has thus far been a great time and we still have so much left!!

Have a great Thanksgiving Everyone!

Neilson Family "Showcase"

Well Chris is finally mobile enough to make traveling possible, so we finally took our first proper vacation here in Malaysia.  We visited the gorgeous Tanjong Jara Resort in a small town called Dungun, just south of Kuala Terengganu on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia (not to be confused with East Malaysia, which is on the island of Borneo that is part Malaysian and part Indonesian - time to get out your maps folks!!).  As we soaked in the beachfront pool one afternoon, we observed that it was quite unbelievable that we were here, in a place we never imagined visiting.  We agreed that this was one of those trips you read about in a magazine or saw as a prize on the Price is Right.  So with a nod to Johnny Olson (okay, okay- I watched a lot of Price is Right when I was a kid and I remember Bob Barker and Johnny more than I recall Rod Ready and Drew Carey)...

"Neilson Family, your showcase begins with new swimsuits and snorkeling gear for the entire family" (see Barker's Beauty Brenna below)

"You and two guests will be escorted to an offshore marine sanctuary, where you will spend the day observing fabulous sea corals, hawksbill turtles, spotted rays, and schools of rainbow parrotfish, yellow boxfish and more before feasting on a lunch of grilled snapper, tiger prawns and fresh fruit on Tenggol Island, MALAYSIA!!"

"Your trip includes a 5-night stay at the fabulous Tanjong Jara Resort in Dungun, Malaysia.  Experience all that Malaysia has to offer at this 5-star resort and spa, including Chef Ann's culinary talents.  Choose your daily fare from the Nelayan "Western" style beachfront cafe or Di Atas Sungei  for your choice of Asian delights.  Relax poolside and watch the waves crash along a private beach. 

"Join local naturalists for an eco-river cruise to spot native fauna and flora such as monitor lizards, long-tailed macaques and exotic birds.  Stroll through a fishing village to sample "kampung life" and find local produce such as rambutan, jackfruit and more.  Experience the wonder of batik and take home your own colorful creation."

"Experience the local market and watch artisans and craftsmen as they go about their daily work.  Visit a batik factory, a songket weaver, boat builder and a brass foundry.  Spend copiously on handmade batik sarongs for your friends and family.  Stop for delicious nasi briyani (fragrant rice) and fried chicken with "soursop" to wash it all down...mmm...delicious.  Then relax your weary muscles with a visit to the world-class spa."

"Spend your afternoons relaxing in a beach hut, at the pool or snoozing on your front porch as the cooling monsoon rains fall.  Lose badly to your spouse and 8-year old daughter at Uno as you watch the sunlight fade.  Tanjong Jara Resort, Unmistakably Malay.  And this, Neilson Family, is your "Showcase".  Would you like to bid or pass?

We'll bid please....and it looks like we won!!  

"This is Bob Barker signing off.  Don't forget to help control the pet population; have your pet spayed or neutered!"

Happy Anniversary Rox!

11 years ago on a beautiful October 20th, in a place blessed by God himself,  I married my best friend...Oh god that's corny!! It is true though, i mean yes we could never go on "The Amazing Race" unless we really wanted to end up in divorce court. At the end of the day though we are best friends. Roxanne is also a saint, you have no idea, i mean you really don't, for a human being to have put up with me for 11 years...now that's saying something...I always wish that the Vatican would offer up an online application for sainthood...I would sign up my beautiful wife in a second!! All joking aside...tomorrow we will celebrate 11 years together, and it has been an up and down ride, but it has also been a great one...I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you Rox, you are the best, Happy Anniversary!!

Now go get a damn MRI on your hip before I drug you and take you my damn self!!!

Happy Anniversary, Love you!!

How time flies...

It's been some time since we have posted.  The last few weeks have been full of ordinary, day-to-day activities, so not much to write about.  But that in itself is something to write about!  September 30 passed our 6-month anniversary in Penang and we have certainly settled in.  Rox is busier than ever at work.  There was a "grand opening" ceremony a few weeks back to mark the official opening of the new Global Business Centre (yes, it is spelled the "UK" way) and she got to make the opening remarks and introduce the VIP guests.  Her boss was over for the week, along with another co-worker who is considering an assignment in Penang as well.  We went out for dinner every night and it was fun to have company!  Since then, things have remained busy and just last week, she was in Singapore for 3 days and made a 1-day trip to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.  We would definitely like to go there as a family to explore more of the sites.
Chris has been busy with rehab.  He goes to a therapist (the "physio" here) once a week for about 2 hours and they are pushing him harder than he can on his own.  He has also been cleared to do non-weight bearing exercise, so goes over to the gym next door to ride the stationary bike and do some light weight training for his abs.  He can also hobble up the stairs to the pool and can do some resistance exercises in the water.  On land, he still needs the crutches, so our walking range is still very limited.  Can't wait until he can walk again so we can resume our explorations in Penang!
Miss Brenna Boo is excited to announce that mommy found her a Webkinz plush while in Singapore, so she can spend even more time online with her virtual pets (we all miss our live pets).  She named her new tiger "Tarzan"...  she is doing well in school and is finally getting the hang of the new homework routine.  In two weeks, her class will be going for their annual "residential" or overnight trip to Ipoh.  Ipoh is a town about 2 hours from Penang and is famous for its dim sum and other hawker food.  The class will be visiting a resort with rooms up in the trees, so they will experience the Malaysian rain forest, visit a nearby mangrove swamp to learn about responsible harvesting of the mangroves for charcoal production, visit a local tribal house (Orang Asli) and visit some nearby caves.  Wish we could all go, but this will be a great adventure for our girl.  She is making friends and has attended a couple of birthday parties over the past few weekends.  Next Friday the school will hold a Halloween "disco" - can't wait to see what kind of costumes all the kids show up in as this is not traditional outside of the US and UK!
Well, that's about it for now!  Here is a photo of a lovely sunset we had a few nights ago... pink clouds with a rainbow:

Taiping Weekend

Last weekend found us ready to take our first drive over the Penang bridge to the "mainland" for a visit to Taiping, a small town about 1.5 hours from here known for its lovely lake gardens and a small zoo.  Chris had registered to run in the 21km Taiping Heritage Run taking place on Sunday and we had planned to make it a family trip.  So, even though he cannot run it, we decided to go anyway and support his fellow runners and explore the sites.
Taiping receives the most rainfall of any Malaysian town (there is actually a bookie in one of the hawker complexes that takes bets on the exact time rain will fall on a given day) and it did not disappoint!  Shortly after crossing the bridge, we hit heavy rain - just like home- and it drizzled pretty much the rest of the drive in.  We checked into the hotel and then met our friend Thuan for a late lunch - char koay teow, popiah (kind of like spring rolls, but not deep fried), chicken & rice, fried oysters and some teh tarik (hot tea sweetened with condensed milk....you really need to taste it to believe how good it is).  Chris can even eat with chopsticks left-handed now and Brenna is starting to pick things up.  That's the char koay on the banana leaf... not as good as the Penang char koay, but still good.



After lunch, we drove out to pick up the race packets and then around the lake gardens.  They were beautiful and it was really nice to see some open green spaces after the congestion of Penang.  We saw lots of brides and grooms in the gardens having their photos taken, families out for picnics and walks.  Everyone loves the gorgeous trees arching over the drive!

I loved this little pagoda with the crooked walk.  I read in a book once that the crooked bridge is designed to trap spirits or ghosts as they can only move in a straight line.  Not sure if that is true, but it's an interesting thought.



The morning of the race, we awoke to the sound of rain on the roof at about 4 AM (really miss that sound now that we are in a condo!).  It rained steadily until just before the race start at 6:15 AM, so was a long wet run for Thuan and the others.  It slowed to a drizzle and eventually stopped by the end of the race, allowing us to visit the zoo before it got too hot.  It was a really nice zoo with the exhibits well spaced and the animals all appeared well cared for.  We took a quick tour by tram first and then walked to a few areas.  Chris' range and stamina on the crutches are getting better, but he still can't wait to ditch them!


White-handed Gibbon

Malaysian Eagle Owl

These are just two of the different species we saw.  Will send more photos via Shutterfly to the usual suspects!  It was a nice trip and was great to get out and see some other parts of Malaysia. Can't wait to see more...

We'll need a bigger house...

One of the things my boss told me before moving here was that we could find beautiful, high quality furniture here for a fraction of the cost back home.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I have always loved furniture and decorating in general, so this was just another plus for Penang!  You will also know that our small house in St. Pete is already filled to the brim with furnishings we've (well, I've) accumulated, so even though we sold some things prior to moving, there's not much space to work with.  Well, that hasn't deterred me.... last week we finally got to visit a shop I had been wanting to get to during their annual clearance sale.  We got our delivery on Wednesday - so excited!  Here is our new console table (and the book case we ordered back in May):

You can see that I also overcame my fear of the concrete walls and hung up Brenna's baby photos.  This is in our living room with the doorway to the master bedroom to the right.  Here's a closer view of the console cabinet - the doors are covered with carved Chinese characters:

We also picked up an interesting lamp - the base is a salvaged ventilation tile from the old Penang shophouses.  You see them in some of the remaining structures and they are typically this glazed green color.  Couldn't pass that up...

And finally, we added this lovely piece... don't worry Mom N, we haven't become Buddhists, we just thought it was pretty and not something we could find back home!

We could have bought so much more, but thought we'd better pace ourselves!  There is still much to see and do here in Malaysia.  That was our excitement for last week.  More posts to come from our weekend in Taiping and the Mid-Autumn Festival.