A few weeks ago we visited Shanghai, China for the first time. Not only did we get to see the vibrant and crowded city that my brother and his girlfriend live in, but we also met up with my Mom and her partner Frank as they finished a two week tour of China.  As we often do when visiting a new place, we could not help but compare Shanghai with our home in Ulaanbaatar. In terms of amenities–public transportation, dining, convenience store snacks; etc–Shanghai comes out ahead. But, in terms of personal space, pace of life, and being able to use your credit card, Ulaanbaatar takes the win. While living in Mongolia, one can forget just how crowded some parts of the world truly are.

As for places to see, we highly recommend the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. The Bund is a fascinating mix of old and new. The acrobatic show put on by ERA is jaw dropping, and everything we ate from Japanese food to traditional English tea is delicious. The intense frenetic pace of the city makes it hard to call it a “relaxing” vacation destination, but there is so much to experience, it is definitely a place worth visiting.

David outside the school he works at near People's Square.

On our way to the Bund.

The old side of the river...

the new side...

...and the millions of people checking out the view with me.

Drivers in Shanghai make Mongolian drivers look positively well behaved. We had so much time to spare trying to cross the street that we could take a picture.

Fuxing Park. Shady peaceful parks are definitely something missing in Ulaanbaatar.

A road in the French Concession.

A much needed and delicious veggie bun stop.

A memorable family dinner.

The view from the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center.

David at work.

Nothing like high tea to rejuvenate a person.

David and Jessica at tea at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

At the end of February we had the opportunity to visit our friends Sarah and Anthony in tropical Myanmar, also called Burma. It was my first trip to South Asia, and it did not disappoint. Aside from getting to see our wonderful friends after a very long break, we got to visit a fascinating country that, not unlike Mongolia, is in the midst of a great transition. We spent a few days in Yangon checking out its parks, walking through an endless market, marveling at the grandness of Shwedagon Pagoda and the millions of bats flying over it in the evening, enjoying the moldy grandeur of the many remaining Colonial era buildings, and eating everything from dirt cheap Indian food to a fancy brunch at the “Governor’s Residence” complete with tiny, individual creme brûlées.

The second half of our trip was spent in true paradise on Ngapali beach, an hour flight west of Yangon. One day we went out snorkeling in a tiny little boat that barely seemed sea worthy. On our way back we stopped at an island and drank fresh juices out of coconuts.  We also got massages, swam, ate amazing fish on the beach as we watched the sunset and, in general, became as relaxed as jelly fish.

Sarah wrote a fabulous description of our trip here which is pretty much everything I wanted to write about, so I will just post a few additional photos below that we took. We both hope to make it back to magical Myanmar soon.

The streets were either wide and empty or like this one teeming with life and activity.

Shwedagon Pagoda was an interesting mix of religious worship and individuals selling plastic crap from China.

Outside the Pegu Club, a gentleman's club popular from the 1800's to the early 1900s.

Burmese written on a wall in the Pegu Club.

Why can't all my breakfasts be like this one?

Our hotel at Ngapali Beach. We felt it was our duty to give them business.

Two fisherman near our hotel bringing in the night's catch.

The women were in charge of spreading the fish on the beach to dry.

Brian contemplating all the life decisions that he had made to get where he was.

Off for a day in our yacht.

Last but not least me and my pig cake.