Apologies and Salutations

We realize that it has been several months since we last posted on our blog. Over the holidays if you saw us, that was one of our promises. So here it is...

Updates since our last post:

We moved to a newer, more western apartment. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in our old apartment. Not to say that we didn't like staying there, because we did. Let's just say that the new apartment is more in line with what we would expect back in the States.

OLD NEW

Ahhh, yes, Thanksgiving dinner with the German and Danish couple. That was also an experieince in it's own. They are a family from Nadia's school and one day over a couple of pizzas, they were intrigued about our holiday and if it was really like what they see on TV. Well, our experiment worked. Suzanne located a bird (turkey being a rare commodity), Carston made good on the wine, Nadia and I made green bean cassarole (having to make our own Durkee's fried onions from scratch), and Betty & Ted (another American couple and teachers at Nadia's school) came through with the mashed potatoes and stuffing. Another Gernman/Chinese couple also joined us, and needless to say, it was a HIT!

Carston with the bird At the Sudhoff's dinner table

Next big event, our first Beijing (Peking) Duck experience. Obvioulsy we had heard much about it, and had never had it in the states, even though A Christmas Story is one of our favorite movies (Frah rah rah rah rah, rah-rah rah rah). It was also accompanied with traditional (bland) soup, tree ear (we think it is tree fungus), tofu veggie wraps (yummy), raw jelly fish pickled with
cabbage and red peppers, & several entire fish... on a stick. The way you eat the duck is to take a thin tortilla-like wrap, throw a sliver of onion, a sliver of cucumber, some "duck" sauce, & a few tasty slices of duck. Viola! You have yourself a duck taco!

Mmmmm psuedo onion rings NEMO!!!!! Can you find the duck?

Nadia went to Hong Kong on a school espianage trip, scoping out other international schools. She felt a little more at home with more westernized developments and restuarants. Ironically, Nadia tasted the deep fried goodness of Crispy Creme for the first time! Sometimes, you just need a donut. She was there long enough to determine that we need to go back and expore.

From the Star Ferry In the streets of Hong Kong

That's it for the most part. Zach is now more frequently at home these days. We still enjoy experiencing all the fine dinning that Beijing has to offer. Seriously, one of our favorite things to do on the weekend is explore the worldly cuisine available to us.

Take care, and remember, no parking of exploding cars here.