Thanksgiving...Giving Thanks

So its time for our annual thanksgiving post. We as a family have a great deal to be thankful for, now i can only speak for me (Chris) but here goes...I am thankful that I have two courageous and patient women in my life, our adventure has been difficult at times, but we have always made the best of it.
   I am thankful for our health, It has been a long road of recovery for me and with the support of family and friends I'm doing pretty good. Rox has a plan for her physical wellness and we will support her every step of the way.
 I am thankful for Brenna, she is a great kid...smart, kind, funny, and she has finally found some comfort here in Penang, she has good friends and is doing well in school.She is the light and the love of our lives and she is the best of us both, Love you Brenna!
I am thankful for my wife Roxanne. She is the bravest woman I know, I don't know what I would do without her. She works hard and often does not have the time or the energy to devote to much, however our time together is valuable and important to us all so we make the most of it when we have it. We have had some really good times this year! Rox, you are the love of my life!
I am thankful for family. i am very lucky to have a mom and dad that raised me right, gave me wings and taught me to fly. They have never held me back, always supported my decisions, even though they may not have agreed with them. They have allowed me to live my life, for that I am eternally grateful.
I am thankful for my friends, they are a diverse group and without them I don't know what i would do. They are all people I am honored to know, I hope that when we return to the states we continue to communicate and "god willing and the creek don't rise" they can come to the states for a big race!For those friends in the states, see you when I get there!
I am thankful that we have the capacity to give back and help when we can, my heart still aches for those friends and family that still today are impacted by hurricane Sandy. I truly hope this Thanksgiving finds you and your family safe and secure.
Finally I am thankful for this opportunity to experience a new culture. To see things and visit places that we have only dreamed of, we are truly blessed.
Well gang I could go on and on...I wont though there are still many things i am thankful for, but this is the main stuff, the big stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Year 5 Residential!

So one of the cool things about Brenna's school here in Penang is that they take each class from Year 3 (2nd grade in US terms) and up on a "residential" or overnight trip to start teaching the kids independence and inspire a love of learning through travel and new experiences.  Year 3's go for 1 night; Year 4's go for 2 days and Year 5's go for 3 nights, with each year's destination just a little farther from home.  Year 6's actually take a 5 night trip to Sarawak, which involves a 2.5 hour flight to the island of Borneo.  It's quite an experience for the kids and something not done in the American school system, so also new for us US parents.

Brenna's trip this year involved a bus ride to the Cameron Highlands, with a stop on the way in Ipoh for some caving at the Gua Tempurung Caves.  The caves are spectacular, with stalactites and stalagmites everywhere.  The walk required wading through the underground river as there has been a lot of rain recently and then some crawling through small openings to get to the larger chambers.  The kids (and the parent volunteers) LOVED it!  Wet clothes, helmets and head lamps were transported back to school by the parent volunteers while the kids went on to Tanah Rata.  I could tell from how wet her clothes were that she had a great time there.  Here's a photo of the caves...

In the Cameron Highlands, the kids visited a weather station and learned about the climate (it's cooler in the mountains of the Highlands), saw the weather instruments and learned how the weather station sends information to all the news outlets.  They visited the Boh tea plantation and saw how the tea is made, after which they were treated to a tea tasting!  They also visited the Rose Center where they completed an "Amazing Race" activity with some tricky clues.  They went on a hill trek, picked fresh strawberries and shopped in the local market for ingredients for a cooking challenge...Brenna's favorite event.  Her group created the "fruit overflow" with oranges, limes, strawberries, a "weird purple apple thing", honey and a lollipop.  Sounds delicious, but they were outdone by the "plate of heaven" created by another group.  In the evenings they went swimming and did some sketching and drawing.  So while Brenna had been to the Highlands with us in the spring, it was a great trip and Brenna loved staying in a hotel room with her friends.

We were thrilled to get her back on Friday afternoon tired, but in one piece (although she did manage to slice her finger with a knife during the cooking challenge), with most of her stuff (had to make a trip to the school on Saturday to retrieve her bag which had been left behind at pickup) and with lots of good memories!

Tea plantations of Cameron Highlands

Angkor Temples

Sorry it's been nearly 2 months since we updated - it's been a busy couple of months!  Chris has been traveling around Penang, KL and Singapore for a number of races - see his running blog (AFloridianrunnerinpenang.blogspot.com) for details.  Brenna has been busy at school and Rox has, of course, been busy with work, making 3 trips to Singapore in 5 weeks for various meetings and trying to set the strategy for the next wave of shared services activity for Jabil.  The third week of October found us ready for a real vacation and we were psyched up.  This one's been on the list since before we left Florida - visiting the Angkor temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia!

The Angkor temples were built by various Khmer kings from the 9th century through the 13th century.  The most famous (and most intact) temple is Angkor Wat, but there are at least a dozen other major temples and countless smaller structures in the area.  Construction of Angkor Wat was begun in the late 11th century by Jayavarman VI and completed nearly 100 years later by Suryavarman II.  This temple complex covers nearly 200 hectares (nearly 500 acres for us Americans).  Here's a "classic" view of Angkor Wat as reflected in the moat surrounding it.

The temple is full of galleries, some of which are lined with fantastic bas reliefs depicting scenes from Hindu theology such as the "churning of the sea of milk" when the gods and demons tugged back and forth on a giant serpent (naga) to churn the seas in search of the elixir of the cosmos (the milk).  This theme was repeated everywhere, with giant naga balustrades lining the entrances and causeways to most of the larger temples.    Other bas reliefs featured battle scenes and processions of kings and soldiers...amazing work considering how old it all is.

Angkor Wat served as a Buddhist temple and was maintained by monks over the years.  The temple was also protected from major damage during the wars of the late 20th century, including the conflict between the brutal Khmer Rouges regime, Vietnamese and the nationalist forces in the 1980's.  Our guide informed us that both sides respected the temples, so most were spared major damage (though some small-arms damage was done).  Some of the outer temples were used as bases for generals or officials, so were well cared for in that regard as well.

Bas relief of "apsaras" or celestial dancers at Angkor Wat

We could go on for hours about the temples - just amazing to think they were built so long ago, with such sophistication and skill.  Here are some photos from Ta Prohm, a smaller temple (but still quite sizable) built during the 12th and 13th centuries by Jayavarman VII and dedicated to his mother.  It has been left in a "semi-natural" state as an example of what the temples looked like when they were "rediscovered" (at least by the western world) in the 1960's.

Ta Prohm (used in Tomb Raider movie, starring Angelina Jolie)

 

Another monstrous silk cotton tree at Ta Prohm



Just before lunch was the fantastic Bayon, a massive complex of "face towers" again built by Jayavarman VII as his capital city.  Jayavarman VII was the first Buddhist ruler, still honoring the Hindu trinity of Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma, but emphasizing and honoring the teaching of the Buddha.  It is rumored that the faces on the towers were modeled after his own.

 

 

The next morning we visited Banteay Srei - a drive of about 35 minutes from the main entrance, taking us through some traditional Cambodian villages.  It was very interesting to see how the people still live - stilt houses, made of wood and often corrugated metal roof or thatched roofs.  One interesting observation was a number of small tables out front of homes with recylced soda bottles containing a clear yellow liquid for sale....it turned out to be petrol (gas).  Another interesting tidbit was that many homes had large advertisements for Angkor beer on their walls.  I thought it was a way of covering holes or windows, but our guide told us, no, they get paid to allow the beer distributors to put them there since so many tourists pass this way.  Imagine paying your bills this way...

Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei was built in the second half of the 10th century, so was much earlier than Angkor Wat or the Bayon.  It was smaller in scale, with most of the buildings set very close together.  Red sandstone was used throughout and the level of detail was astounding.  Some think this temple was a "showpiece" for artisans to demonstrate their skill.  We couldn't disagree...below is just one of the many lintels with intricate carving.

 

 

 

On the way back from Banteay Srei, we stopped at Pre Rup, another mid 10th century temple that is a popular site for watching the sun set.  We did not enter this temple, but were content to capture some photos from just outside, with a local woman and her oxen in the foreground.

 

 

Next stop was Banteay Kdei, another city built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.  It was similar in style to Ta Prohm, but smaller.  There were several watercolor artists working inside this temple -we bought two for $20.  We were also followed by adorable little children selling all sorts of trinkets to "go to school".  One tenacious girl followed us halfway around the outside as we circled back to the entrance until she finally persuaded Brenna and I to buy 3 bracelets for $2...after her sale, she said "thank you" and bolted back to the exit to pick up the next customer.  She couldn't have been more than 7 (said she was 11)...This is one of my favorite shots - a Buddhist nun in front of the highly decorated Buddha statue.

 

 

 

It rained heavily that evening, so the next morning was cooler and a little cloudy.  We headed over to Preah Khan, another project of Jayavarman VII, dedicated to his father in the late 12th century.  This temple was quite large and served as a "university" of sorts for Buddhist teachings.  The temple held some outstanding carvings and more giant trees.

 

Preah Khan

 

We also encountered more adorable children at this temple....so sweet!  Chris wanted to bring one home.

 

 

Our final day of temple hopping took us to one of the less popular and more recently "restored" temples - Beng Melea.  This temple was begun by the same ruler who constructed Angkor Wat (Suryavarman II) and some think it was a bit of a testing ground for the larger temple.  Until recently, this temple was still covered by vines and trees, requiring visitors to clamber/ climb up fallen stones to get inside.  Fortunately, wooden stairways and walkways have been constructed now.  This temple was full of fantastic galleries and windows with their lathe-turned stone pillars, surounded by fantastic roots.  It was quiet and much less crowded.  Here are just two of many photos of this site.

 

 

 

Our afternoon found us returning to the Roluos group of temples, which were built in the 9th century and served as the capital city prior to the construction of Angkor Wat.  Our guide grew up in this area and considers the Bakong his "neighborhood" temple.  Again we were amazed at the level of artistry and skill on even older temples than those we had seen before.



East entrance to Bakong

 



Elephant statues and stormy sky at Bakong

 

This post could go on much longer, but has gone on long enough.  If you'd like to see more of the photos, just email us and we'll send you a slide show.  Promise it won't contain all 1500+ we took.  We also can't say enough about this trip.  Our guide (Sopheat) and our driver (Barang, which ironically means "foreigner" in Khmer) made this such a pleasure.  They were patient and helpful, sharing not only the history of the temples, but also insight into the more recent tragedies of the country.  And although they did take us to "tourist" spots and shops where we are sure they get a commission, we never felt pressured - it was always at our option.  We were happy to spend some $ on things that would help these people earn a living - there are precious few options for them.  It was an experience we will not forget and we will probably blog more on different aspects.  Until next time...



A cat named Waja!!

So we arrived back in Penang from Australia and got right back to our routine, Rox off to work, Brenna back to school, and me back to my clients and training. On the first day back to school as Brenna and i walked through the entrance-way and visitor parking area of our condo, we heard a cat mewling...most likely a kitten, but it sounded awful. It sounded lonely, hungry and like it might be hurt...Brenna was beside herself. After I got Brenna on the bus i decided that I would see if it was in fact a kitten...There had been a car parked in one of the visitor spots for sometime and it sounded as though the mewling was coming from under it. Peering under the car. i saw a small skinny, dingy kitten, who quickly escaped my view, up into the engine compartment. I also saw that someone had posted a note on the car that looked rather faded, that they needed to be careful moving the car as there was a cat under it. Roxanne and I decided to see if mommy cat would come back before we would try and coax the little one out...Brenna again decided that was not a good idea, but agreed in principle. 3 days later, no mommy and still mewling...on our walk to the bus that morning Brenna was not going to be told no..."Daddy you have to rescue that kitten, he is so sad and he is going to die..." how can you say no to that...(well I know some of you might be able to, i could not). so that afternoon, i grabbed some tuna from the pantry and put a small amount on a piece of cardboard, and decided to see If I could get the kitten to come out, then maybe I could grab it...Getting it to come out and eat was no problem, grabbing it was another story. Although i tried, little kitten was not having it. Now I think Rox had taken the day as an at home work day, or she had a therapy appointment, either way she happened to be home before Brenna was. I asked to her to give me a hand, i would coax it out with food and she would throw a towel over it, that was the plan. We executed it perfectly and Roxanne had a small bundle in a towel and the Proton Waja, was cat free (The next day the car was gone so obviously the owner did not want to move it and possibly hurt the cat.) So upstairs we brought the small, dirty furry....

 

We decided it would be best to keep it in one of the shower stalls in an unused bathroom, that way it could use newspaper and clean up would be easy. We decided that we would contact the local shelters and see what we could do. Most of them although kind and concerned, expressed that they were overcrowded, and that it might be best for us to foster the kitten and then see if they could not help us to place it in a good home. So that was the plan...Initially. So "kitten" was given a bath, and taken to the Vet as soon  as we could get him there, and although dirty, dehydrated and hungry, he was generally in good health, the vet gave us some de-worming medication as a precaution and preventative, and we would be back in a month to start a series of vaccinations. "Kitten" stayed in his shower stall till we could find litter and litter boxes, and see if it would use them...Kitten took right to the boxes and after about 3 weeks we began to let it venture out in small stages, this is a big place and it was a very small kitten. Despite letting it venture beyond its shower stall during they day we would put it back there at night, after a while though, the shower stall was no longer necessary and "Kitten" had free run of the house. Kitten, who's name has now been changed to "Waja" which Brenna did not like at all. We thought about many names, but he was found under a Proton Waja, and Waja means strength (steel)in Bahasa Malay, and this little guy (we also now know its a male, after his last Vet visit) is very strong to have survived on his own for so long. He has doubled in size since we found him, so he is thriving here. He sleeps on Roxanne's pillow, or under the covers. He loves to play with everyone's feet, including our housekeeper Mrs. Devi... he will spend hours running around the house, and is quite a climber. He also LOVES to chase Brennas hamster, when we put him in his exercise ball. So Waja has become part of the family, we have no idea what to do with him when we go back to the states for 3 weeks over Christmas holiday, but we will figure something out. We have all become way too attached to him to give him up. He will be a living reminder of the experience we have had here in Penang...wonky tail and all!!

 

 

 

July Australia Holiday & 1/2 Marathon



Sydney Opera House.

So I was looking for a long distance race to go to and local friends had suggested that I try the Gold Coast Marathon, in Australia...so I started to look into that, and in doing so I found another smaller race in the Hunter Valley area of New South Wales. Anyway, really long story short, the flights were inexpensive, so we all decided to go.  It has been a dream of both Roxanne and mine to visit Australia and although I think for both of us it's more the Outback that is appealing, we weren't going to argue with a few days in Sydney and Newcastle instead. So excited and looking forward to some cooler weather (July is fall/winter in Australia, so MUCH cooler than Penang), we began our journey. After a 7 hour flight from Singapore, we touched down in Sydney, picked up a Holden Commodore (GM's Australian brand) and headed off to Newcastle.  The trip took about three hours and although we found it difficult to find the hotel initially, after some brilliant navigating and finally realizing every town and village in Australia has a "King Street", we arrived.  After a late lunch we set out for a walk around Newcastle Beach.  Newcastle, like Sydney, is right on the coast and thanks to a stiff breeze, the waves were up and it was really cool to see "big" waves (still nothing compared to the Gold Coast).

Newcastle Beach

you can almost hear the BOOM!

 

The next day we headed out to Hunter Valley Gardens, to pick up my race kit, check out the venue and do some further exploring. This is one of the wine regions of Australia, and the gardens themselves are supposed to be quite beautiful. We expected that during this time of year though it might be a bit less colorful than normal, but we were not disappointed.

 

Brenna, bundled up and rosy cheeked!

Moon gate garden, Hunter Valley Gardens,  NSW

 

Race starting Area

 

It was still a really beautiful walk in the crisp, cool air.  It was chilly, mid 50's, with a pretty good breeze. We had a good time wandering and my excitement for the run was building (you can read more about the run at http://www.afloridianrunnerinpenang.blogspot.com). We also took some time to venture into a couple of wineries and picked up a bottle of Shiraz and a cheese platter for some late night snacking.  On the drive out, we had seen road signs warning us of kangaroos, but we had yet to really see any.  However, as dusk approached we spotted a few out in the fields grazing with the horses. That was really cool- kangaroos are zoo animals for us and to see them in the wild like that was really just awesome, a highlight for sure!

 

Kangaroos!!

Gorgeous sunset

 

So after a 45 minute drive back to Newcastle and an early dinner we settled down for an early morning start, as the next day was race day! I was so happy to have Rox and Brenna there with me, but it was COLD...I would say mid 40's when we arrived, and it was lightly raining.  As the sun came up it warmed a bit, but the overcast skies for most of the race kept it cool.  I did not mind that one bit and the finish line was emotional for both Roxanne and I as this race marked the one year anniversary of my accident. I ran the race and ran it really well.   As proud as I was for my accomplishment, I think Roxanne was even more so!!

 

 

So with most of the day left and a clearing sky, we headed back to Newcastle.  Roxanne wanted to shoot more photos down by the beach and I needed to eat.  We had found a great restaurant, called "Elements", that made great coffee and organic "good for you" food, so after a quick shower for me and some brunch, we went a-wandering again.  The rain did us in eventually, but Rox got some great shots as Brenna and I napped in the car...We also had a chance to go into downtown Newcastle and although it was a Sunday and not much was open, it was still nice to see some of the older buildings and steep streets.  It reminded us of the downtown areas in Maine...

Rox can find a lighthouse anywhere!

Rainbow

The 1920's Newcastle Beach Ocean Baths...the Blue car is ours.

Rules!!

Rox drove up this street twice...just for fun!



It would have been nice to know more of the history of these old buildings.



The next morning after a quick breakfast we were off to Sydney. Other than the zoo and the Opera House we really had no plans. The first challenge was even getting to the hotel and the "discussion" between Roxanne and I about our difficulty locating said hotel made it even more evident that we would not do well at all on the TV show "The Amazing Race." Once we did find the hotel, we got our bearings and headed down to Darling Harbour (yes, "harbor" is spelled with a "u" in Australia and all UK-influenced countries).  As usual, we were starving by the time we set out and ended up stopping in the Hard Rock Cafe for an American style burger....expensive, but tasted like home!

 

After lunch, we headed over to the aquarium in Darling Harbour where we saw loads of beautiful fish and sea creatures.  It was a relaxing way to spend a rainy afternoon/ evening.  On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in a (touristy) shopping mall since Brenna's primary objective, even more than the zoo, was to find Moshi Monster stuff she cannot find in Penang.  We spied a magazine/ book shop and darted in....it was HEAVEN for Brenna Boo!!  Moshi school supplies, the latest magazines and tattoo packs - she was so excited we thought she would burst!  Mission accomplished (or appetite whetted...certainly not sated!).

 

The next day we woke to more rain, but decided it was our best chance to visit the Taronga Zoo, so off we went to the harbour to catch a ferry.  Although we arrived soggy, the rain kept the crowds away and the animals active!  We absolutely loved the zoo...so many animals within good view and in natural habitats.  We quickly fell in love with the koalas and spent quite a while watching their every move.  Rox counted up her photos of the koalas and realized she shot over 100 of these little guys alone (~400 total for the day)!  We also enjoyed the kangaroos, echidnas, (sleeping) Tasmanian devils and other great animals native to Australia.   The only native animal we didn't see was a platypus (sleeping)...

 

Brenna got to pet a wallaby!

 

Us with "Lincoln"



 

As the day went on, the weather cleared and we were treated to beautiful views of the Sydney Harbour from the zoo.  The following day was clear and bright - perfect for viewing the Opera House and a tour of the Harbour via ferry.  So after a quick breakfast, we headed down to Circular Quay to view the iconic Sydney Opera House.  It's just as lovely as it looks on TV!

 

 

Then it was on to the adjacent Royal Botanical Gardens for lunch.  The Gardens were beautiful and worth spending more time than we had...maybe on another visit....but after hours of walking, Rox was done and needed to get off her feet (or hip).   So we hopped the ferry and opted to take the long way back to Darling Harbour, which allowed us to see the rest of the sights and learn a little history from the on-board guide.  Timing was perfect as we were also treated to an amazing sunset...

 

 

 

What a fitting end to a fantastic trip...the next morning we were up early to return the rental car and make wings back to Penang.... we thoroughly enjoyed our trip and hope to visit "Oz" again soon... as Brenna said, it was "like home, but with an accent."