CNY 2013 - Philippines

The best part about Chinese New Year is leaving China.  Recently a friend moved to Shanghai and was really excited to be there for CNY and asked us what the most exciting part was.  Jen and I looked at each other, smiled, and then tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't crush their hopes.  CNY in China is one of those things that you should experience once, just once.  Been there done that and now we look forward to leaving.  This year we found a deal with frequent flyer miles to go to the Philippines.  It's warm and looked like fun so we booked it.  

Here is Will enjoying his in-flight entertainment and getting ready for his meal.  We flew on a Korean airline so the service was very good and Will was milking it.  Jen took June to the bathroom and she came back to find Will with a glass of chocolate milk.  How'd he get it??  He just told the flight attendant that he'd like some chocolate milk and that he was hungry.  This is what happens when a three year old is a Silver Medallion frequent flyer, yes he does have his own Silver card.  

Here is June at TGI Friday's eagerly awaiting her milk shake.  If this girl could drink all of her calories she would.  You'll notice that her curly mullet is getting ready to have its own website.

Since we were going somewhere warm with hills I decided to bring my bike along for some training.  I got up early and rode 4 hours each morning.  This is a random river somewhere outside of Subic Bay which is somewhere outside of Manila.  We had just ridden through a former Vietnamese refugee camp from the Vietnam war times.  They would process the refugees here before sending them on to the US. Subic Bay was a former US military base town.

Nice little tan lines from the first day's bike ride.  I actually ended up buying white arm sleeves and wearing those on the next days to protect my arms.  

June starting a chocolate milk shake...

June getting more involved with the milk shake...

June trying to get every last drop of the milk shake...

A very satisfied little girl.

This is Rambo.  He is a 21 yr old Filipino triathlete.  He is on the Philippines National team and is quite the athlete.  I rode with him on one of the days I was there.  It was very painful.  His 110lbs compared to my 158lbs made a big difference when going uphill. I was able to stay with him the whole time but I think he might have just been being nice.

This was a really old church we saw on one of the bike rides in the middle of some mountain villages.  The Philippines is predominantly Catholic.  Although the Philippines is in Asia it often feels more like South America.  

June downing a mango smoothy.  Philippines is famous for their mangos.

Will on his first ever horse back ride.  Not too many horses in Shanghai.  He thought this was pretty cool.  Later When June went for a turn together with Jen she looked at me and said "Baba, help me!" with outstretched arms.  She quickly got off the horse while Jen went for a solo ride.  

June always has a mouth full...

Overall the trip has been pretty good.  At the beach we were able to see a baby turtle hatch and crawl out to the sea for its first swim.  It was tiny and it felt like we were on the Discovery Channel.  We saw monkeys on the side of the road.  It wasn't all mangos and chocolate shakes though.  There were a few casualties along the way.  Jen got in a fight at the mall, I got food poisoning, June got eaten alive by mosquitos one night and broke my iPad, Will had growing pains in his legs and feet one night and spent the midnight hours crying.  But as Jen and I just reminded ourselves.  It's 90 degrees here and 30 degrees in Shanghai so we'll take the good with the bad.  We were able to spend a few days together as a family and that's what matters.