North Florida Beach Living

China Trip Part 14 Good bye China for now

2011-11-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

Mary Beth and I had a great trip to China. It was certainly not what we expected and we have a different mindset about China past, present and future. I wish I was not too old to learn Mandaran Chinese. There are not enough years left for me to be even conversational. If you read this and have small children I would highly recommend starting them on learning to read/write Chinese. This a skill that will be in very high demand in the workplace of the future. If you speak Chinese fluantly you can name your price in the job market today.

I am always asked if I would ever go back to China. Putting finances aside, my answer would be most definitly. China is a remarkable place and I have seen only a small part of it. There are places that I missed on this trip that perhaps I will have the opportunity to see next time.

If you get a chance to visit China do it.

China Trip Part 13 Good Bye Beijing Hello Bullet Train

2011-11-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Beijing is a huge city. Those in Atlanta complain about the perimeter highway that circles the city and worry about the second parameter highway that is proposed. Beijing has 6 perimeter highways!!! Professional drivers know how to drive these roads and jump on and off each perimeter road to suit the traffic. I must say that I did not see any accidents on roads in Beijing. Drivers are very careful when they drive avoiding cell phones and other distractions. They are also motivated by the fact that if they get 12 traffic points they could lose their privilege to drive forever. It is also interesting to note that most cars on the highway are not older than 5 years. The used car business is tough in Beijing as most people want to buy a new car.

We decided on the last leg within China to take the Bullet Train back to Shanghai. A few months back there was a terrible accident on the Bullet Train that really stirred up the Chinese government. There was much talk about China pushing technology too quickly. Since the accident they have added safeguards which hopefully will prevent accidents in the future. The bullet train is sleek and roomy inside. We were able to get a good discount through our tour operator and traveled in First Class. There is also a higher class of service similar to transatlantic business class. The seats look like eggs. Our seats were big and ergonomically well designed. Big glass windows allowed us a great view. Just like the old Concorde airplane there is a speedometer at the front of the cabin I guess to impress you. Well, it impressed me as we were traveling at 275 miles per hour! There was no vibration at all and if you blinked you missed seeing a whole town. There was also a dining car at the end of the train that allowed us to grab a meal and take it to our seat. And there was also the inevitable "sqatty potty" in each car. Thank goodness there was also a western style bathroom. If you get a chance to take a Chinese Bullet Train do it, it is so much more enjoyable than flying,

We arrived in Shanghai 4 hours later and was happily met by our driver Mr. Joe. Yeh!!

China Trip Part 12 The Great Wall

2011-11-18T08:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know about any of you, but I have always been in awe of the Great Wall. We have all seen pictures of the Wall, but you cannot imagine what it is like unless you visit it. It is the only man made structure that can be seen from Space and it covers about 600 miles. There are many sections of the wall to visit but we chose the Mayang portion. The condition of the Wall varies along the length of it. In some places it has almost disappeared and in other it has been restored to it's original glory. Mayang is is a heavily forested area with large variations of mountain heights.

As you get to the wall there is the usual walk of shame through the many vendors hawking shirts, coffee cups etc. that say "I climbed the Great Wall". I don't know anybody that would buy something like that. Oops, I bought a T shirt. I did negotiate it down to 5 dollars with some postcards thrown in. I might add that the size I needed to fit me was 5X as the 6X was too big. Another learning moment, a 5x in China is a 2x in the US. You can do the math for smaller sizes.

You can either walk the trail to wall or take the lift. No question which way we went. The lift trip was awesome with views of the wall in both directions. The wall was built to follow the height of the mountains. When you walk along the wall you are either going up or down, hardly ever is there an level area. Some of the ups are steep ups and the same with the downs. We had fairly clear weather so we could see the wall through the wooded area for miles.

The wall was made completely by hand. No front end loaders, bulldozers etc. each stone carried, carved and stacked with a mortar made of rice paste and limestone. Many, many workers gave their lives for the wall. Life was not good and food and conditions were horrible. However, the Emperor had unlimited subjects to assign to this job and he made sure the work was done. You wonder where the Chinese work ethic came from I present this as Example A.

If you have a bucket list, the Great Wall should be on it. It is a true measurement of what can be done in spite of enormous challenges.

China Trip Part 11 Beijing (except the Great Wall)

2011-11-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

After our flight from Xian to Beijing we met our city tour conductor Alicia. Alicia sort of typifies the young generation in the cities. She is naturally well connected to different social media and is not unlike any woman coming out of college in the US.

There are three major stops that you have to make in Beijing. The Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananment Square. Our fist stop was Tiananment Square which is much more expansive than you think when looking at it on your TV. The size of this area is awesome and the painting of Mao still faces the square. As a side note, the picture of Mao is a real painted portrait. It is replaced by a freshly painted portrait every couple years. For someone my age, you remember the military parades with the tanks and missiles rolling by and Mao watching from the balcony. It sends a chill up my spine when I remember those sabre rattling times. Make no mistake, China is a military force that will have to be reckoned with in the future. Speaking of Mao, he is still on display at the square but we did not want to wait in line for a look at him. Allicia told us he is slowing shrinking and does not look so good these days.

The next stop on our trip was the Forbidden City. The home of the Emporers. This massive complex is a series of buildings that when originally used was not access able by the public. If I could add an audio of Allissa's information about the history of the Forbidden City, it would last for hours! It must have been quite a life inside this complex. Concubines and eunuchs all over the place. The Emperor usually had 30 or so concubines in his stable and he would pick from them whenever he wanted company. When chosen the concubine would bath and prepare her self. She would then be carried naked to the Emperor by a eunuch to make sure she was not concealing any weapons. Distrust and deception was running rampant during these days. I felt like I was living a Chinese version of Shogun.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Hutongs which is an old Chinese community. Streets and alleyways meander through this section and some of the homes have been in the same families for many generations. We stopped in and visited a family who have lived in the same house for many years. The house is small but very adequate for them. The husband teaches Karate and has a nice collection of swords on the wall next to the flat screen TV. The oldest Son is now teaching Karate in Houston. It is not that much different than a row house community in my old hometown.

We also had a chance to stop by a cloisonne factory. You will see a lot of cloisonne in the Chinese Emperor's palaces and the art is truly remarkable and detailed. For those not familiar with cloisonne here is a quick explanation. You start with a copper bowl, vase, plate, etc. An artist then cuts very thin pieces of copper and attaches it to the base object with glue and then solder in a design they have determined. Then the design is filled in with powdered glass and fired in a kiln. When all the color is added, the object is sanded and polished until you have a work of art. Sounds easy but it is not and each object requires hours of work. According to workers I spoke with, it is a dying art as young people do not want to follow the paths of their artisan parents. I bought a beautiful bowl that I marvel at every time I look at it.

Next Stop....The Great Wall

China Trip Part 10 Xian (Terra cotta soldiers)

2011-11-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

After our flight in coach to Xian we were met by Ruth who was a great tour conductor. Our fist day she showed us all over the city first walking on the city wall and then to many shrines and temples. We took a nice rickshaw ride on top of the city wall and enjoyed the great views this afforded us. Xian was once the capital of China and most people in Xian think it still should be, but the imperial dynasties had their own reasons to move the capital around.

Xian is a great city. It is a modern thriving city with the intensity of Shanghai and Beijing. Our tour conductor gave us our first English exchange of what differences are lifestyles are and essentially they want all the same things we want. It is more difficult for them mainly because of the size of the population and the restrictions that can bring. We visited a number of sites that were built for and by the Emperor and you can understand the supreme power he had. He obviously did keep people busy building and creating for him, but the value of human life was very little during that period. Ruth also had the key to great shopping. She introduced us to vendors that had knock off merchandise of quality equal to the original products. Mary Beth bought a new watch (a better brand than Rolex) at a 90pct discount. It is identical to the original that costs around 2150.00 and even has serial numbers. In China there are knock offs that vary in quality from 1-5. Number 1 is just a cheap imitation and 5 is of equal quality to the original. The trick is to find the right vendor.

Our second day in Xian we went to see the factory were the Terra Cotta Warriers were made and learned about the whole process. We could not pass up have our own little set of warriors which we purchased at the factory. Our onward journey took us to the site of the Emperors tomb and the Terra Cotta Warriers that he made to guard his afterlife. You can read all the books and watch all the video of this area but you will never get the thrill of seeing it in person. Only a fraction of this site has been excavated and that portion makes up three covered football fields. The Chinese archaeologists are waiting for better products and techniques for preserving these treasures from the elements such as oxidation before unearthing other areas including the Emperors tomb. They are also very concerned about booby traps when entering the tomb.

Picture a battalion of troops, each over 6 feet tall standing at attention in fired clay each holding either a spear or sword. Also add a line of archers kneeling down on the outside of this battalion. Although originally all of these statues where brightly painted, the years of oxidation has removed all of the paint leaving only a study in dark and light. Many of these soldiers were broken up by enemy troops that raided the area and they are be painstakingly put back together piece by piece.

The Terra Cotta Warriers site was one of the best kept secrets in China. It was accidentally uncovered by a farmer digging a well. We had the pleasure to meet this farmer and had him sign our book.

Our final stop before going back to the hotel was the Silk Factory. We got a tour of how the silk from the worms is separated and spun into thread and eventually into silk products. It fascinating how they stretch the silk many, many times like pulling taffy. At the factory they sell silk comforters in a number of thicknesses depending on the warmth you need. We purchased on at a good price and we have been using it since and silk really does keep you comfortable in a wide range of temperatures. Of course Mary Beth being "a woman of cloth" elected to make her own duvet from fabric she bought at the Fabric Market in Beijing.

If you ever go to China, do not miss Xian and the Terra Cotta Warriors. It is amazing sight that pictures cannot capture.

China Trip Part 9 Guilin and Yanghshou

2011-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

As the driver dropped us off at the Shanghai domestic airport (sort of what National (Reagan) Airport is to Washington) we realized that it wasn't Kansas anymore and we had to get tickets in an environment of non-english speakers. First, we tried the Kiosks to see if we could quickly print our boarding passes. Even with the assist of an agent, this did not work and we headed for one of the long ticket counter lines. After a long wait, we finally made to the counter. The agent acted like something was wrong and called for a supervisor. Finally we got our boarding passes and went through security to the gate. They were already boarding so we got on and lo and behold we were in First Class! I still do not know why.

The flight to Guilin on China Eastern was very good with a small meal served. The quality of the Chinese carriers are comparable to any US commercial airline. We were greeted by our tour conductor as we left the arrival hall and were on our way.

After checking into our hotel we got our free lunch in the hotel restaurant. It was a variety of chinese dishs which were all very good. Our chopstick dexterity is still sub par but improving. In the afternoon we went to Elephant Trunk Hill which was a park by the Li River. Nothing special but very relaxing. Following that we went to the Reed Flute Caves which were comparable to many caves visited in the US. The Guilin area is honeycombed with caves many which are discovered by hikers and rock climbers in the area.

The next day we boarded a sightseeing boat that takes you from Guilin to Yangshou. The weather was great and we spent most of the trip on the top deck looking down at the crystal clear water and watching water buffaloes roam by the side of the river. Small boats pulled up periodically to drop off fresh fish. The fishermen in many areas fish with birds. They usually have a number of Comerons which are good size birds that are tethered to the fisherman. They are outfitted with bands around their necks to allow them to swallow small fish but bigger fish they cannot swallow. So they bring the bigger fish to the fisherman. The landscape is mountainous and every turn is very beautiful. Lunch on the boat was buffet style and very good.

We arrived at Yangshou about 5 hours later and headed for our hotel. There was a open market in Yangshou where you could buy all kinds of food treats and merchandise. After recovering from the cruise we went to downtown Yangshou for dinner and to check out the market. Believe it or not we had a great dinner at a German restaurant. The markets are just full of great bargains if you looking for scarves or shoes or trinkets. If you want a Montblanc pen or a Rolex you can also get them here.

The next morning we packed up and our tour conductor picked us up for our trip to the airport for our flight to Xian. It was a interesting trip with stops for our driver who had "loose bowel" and the frequent stops to add water to the radiator that was leaking. I noticed that the driver carried his own toilet paper (another ancient Chinese secret, always carry some toilet paper) They did get us to the airport and we did get out on time.

China Trip Part 8 Shanghai

2011-10-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Arriving at Pudong Airport in Shanghai was a welcome scene after a 15hour Delta flight from Atlanta. Delta managed to make the flight as comfortable as possible, but this is difficult with my 6ft 4in frame. We were welcomed by our family with our 3 suitcases full of American foods not available or affordable in China.

Because we were staying with relatives the first couple days, we had time to adjust to Shanghai. We started with a shoulder/foot massage and a coffee at Starbucks. The next stop was the "fake market". The fake market is basically a place were designer items are sold at much lower prices. It is the place were Rolex, Montblanc, Apple, Gucci, Prada etc copies reside at unbelievable prices. The qualities of these items vary widely. The seasoned shopper usually knows were the best copies can be found. This could make the differnce between a Rolex that runs for 2 days or runs for many years.

Our next stop was the Pearl Market which is nearly a full department store floor with only pearls and pearl jewelry of every kind. You will likely find a set of pearls just for you; however, determining quality is difficult unless you are an expert.

The downtown in Shanghai is split by the river. On one side is the Bund which is an older section with classic buildings like the Peace Hotel. The other side of the river is the financial district with Pearl Tower and the tallest building, the Financial Tower. Shanghai to me was a combination of New York and Las Vegas. It seems the most progressive of the big cities in China and also the most glitzy. You will find many familiar names suchs as Starbucks, KFC, McDonalds and most high end designer stores. There is a lot of money in this city and lots of young entrepreners looking for places to spend their money.

The old Shanghai is disappearing. Government built high rise buildings are replacing the old neighborhoods. Because of the explosion of population in the cities housing has to go up rather than laterally due to limited space.

We stayed in a private, western style home while in Shanghai so I cannot comment on hotels; however, there is no shortage of accomodations. There is a river that splits the Pudong financial area and the Bund which represents the older Shanghai. You must visit the Bund which is a waterfront viewing area. It provides you with great views of the financial district with the Pearl Tower and the Financial Tower.

While at the Bund stop by the Peace Hotel which is one of Shanghai's most famous hotels. If you are a shopper the street leading to the Bund is a mix of designer shops and local shops. When I was there they were getting ready to open a huge new Apple Store.

There are some interesting shopping areas in Shanghai including the popular Yuyuan Gardens, the fake market and the fabric market. If you are looking for great souveniers and a good cup of tea the Yuyuan Gardens is the place to go. If you can avoid the weekend, o it, as it is a popular spot for locals and tourists on the weekends. The fake market allows you to find your designer labels on just about everything from crocs to rolexes at a fraction of the price. It is all Buyer beware, no refunds here. The fabric market is a great place to go if you want some custom made clothing. In many cases, they will make and deliver your custom order in 1-2 days. If you need a new cashmere winter coat, this is the place to go.

The financial center of Shanghai is in the Pudong area. You will find most multinational companies with offices here. In the middle of this area is one of the tallest building in the world, the Financial Tower. It looks like a bottle openner. To fully appreciate Shanghai I recommend you go up to the observatory on the 102 floor. The view is spectacular and the floor is transarent allowing you to look straight down. A trip at night allows you to see the Las Vegas side of Shanghai with it's electric billboards and lighting. Awesome!!

Shanghai has two airports one international and the other domestic. If you take the bullet train you will arrive Shanghai at the domestic airport.

China trip Part 7 Communicating in China

2011-10-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest misconceptions I had when I came to China was that English would be spoken all over China. This was based on my previous visit to Hong Kong and the general global standard of English in business.

Perhaps it was just my itinerary and contacts over the length of my trip; however, I found hardly any Chinese people that understood English. I make a distinction between "speaking English" and "understanding English". I had 3 tour conductors of which 2 could recite english information, but only 1 that actually understood our questions and answered them effectively.

The Chinese language is difficult to learn. They have 4000 characters in their alphabet verses 26 for us. The phonetics of the two language are also much different. I am convinced that you have to learn Chinese almost at birth if you intend to speak it like a local. I found that when I attempted to speak Chinese, some Chinese people would understand and some don't.

As a result of my affliction, I spent most of time communicating by pointing to phrases and negotiating prices by tapping numbers back and forth on a calculator.

Someday I hope somebody finally invents a box that you can speak into in English and have it translate to Chinese and visa versa.

China Trip Part 6 Driving and 2 Wheeling in China

2011-10-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

Tourists are not permitted to drive in China. This is a good thing. The traffic is very heavy in China. For instance, Atlanta has one circular road around the city and are thinking of adding another. Beijing currently has 5 circular roads. In certain cities the Chinese have imposed new rules for people thinking of buying a car. Most involve heavy taxes up to 60,000 and a wait of 5 years before you can buy a car.

Maybe you noticed that I described the traffic as "heavy" verses calling it "crazy". Chinese traffic is for the most part orderly. My observations are that there are two general rules. One, 4 wheeled vehicles always have the right of way. Two, whoever is in front can cut in front of the other. They do use their horns to enforce these two rules. Two things you will likely not see on Chinese roads are people on cell phones (or any other distraction) and people driving while intoxicated. People realize that they need their full facilities to survive and if you get caught DUI forget driving again.

China for the most part does not have any motorcycles or scooters over 149cc. This was very strange for me as I expected lots of motorcyles. The Chinese consider bigger bikes dangerous and any that you see were either grandfathered before the law was passed. You will see many scooters under 149cc. They generally have their own road that is shared with bicycles. Unfortunately, cars and scooter frequently meet resulting in many scooter injuries and deaths.

I only saw one Harley Davidson the whole time I was in China and it was in a small town close to the Great Wall.

China Trip Part 5 Toilets in China "the real story" and the "China Shake"

2011-10-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

Ok,so this may not be the most glamorous part of the China Trip post, but it is a subject that you should be aware of in an effort to manage your expectations.

The good new is, I have never seen a place where there are as many public bathrooms as there are in China, there are reasons for this. One reason is that some homes in China have no bathrooms. As a result, they use public bathrooms. I think another reason is to keep people from using alleys and improve public health. Whatever the case, we never had trouble finding a bathroom.

Chinese bathroom generally are different from ours. Instead of a regular toilet they use what are termed "squatty potties". These are toilets essentially built at floor level that require you to squat to do your business. These are not limited to China. I have used them in Europe, Japan, and other areas of the world. You will even find them on the high speed Bullet Train. Tip: The handicapped stall always has a regular toilet, so limp when you go in the bathroom.

There are other differences I found in China toilets. First,there is only one toilet paper dispenser as you walk into the bathroom and none in the stalls. You have to gauge your toilet paper usage prior to locking the door. A word of caution, keep toilet paper with you because many times bathrooms will be out of TP. Second, toilet paper should not be flushed. All signs ask you to put used toilet paper in the indicated baskets. (I know what you are thinking, and yes many bathrooms have a challenging bouquet).

What is the "China Shake"? As we traveled around China and used the restrooms we of course always washed our hands (if you don't loose bowels to you). We found about 50% of bathrooms had no paper towels and 48% had towel dispensers but no paper towels. I might say that most had the blowing air machines of which 70% were not effective and the other 30% did not work. As a result, when you came out of the bathroom you would shake your hand vigorously, thus the "China Shake". It is a good idea to raid the Starbucks napkin dispenser for future travel.

Now that know the score, you can stop worrying about bathrooms in China. YEH!!!

China Trip Part 4 What To Take

2011-10-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

The following list is what I believe you need to take when going to China. Women and people with special needs will like have to make some additions.
1. Clothing- Take as little as possible and forget about how you look. Nobody in China cares. The point is to be comfortable not stylish. If by chance you forget something, buy it or have it made.
2. Cameras, chargers and batteries. Most cameras, phones, ipods etc use 120-220 current. This means all you will need is an adapter plug not a converter.
3. Converter(s)- Only if you have some electrical device that is just 110volts.
4. Adapter plugs - You may need two as China Mainland and China Hong Kong do not use the same adapter. If you have been to the United Kingdom you used the Hong Kong plug, the other one is similar but with two of the prongs slanted outward.
5. Phone- Most US phones and Iphones cannot be used in China. If you need one buy a throwaway in China.
6 Baggage Locks - If you fly within China the airlines may not check your bag if it is not locked. Buy some TSA approved locks.
7. Alarm Clock - You may need an early wake up call and I would not depend on the Hotel wake up calls.
8. Sunglasses and extra glasses if you wear perscription.
9. Suncreen and Hats for sun protection.
10.A Secure Purse - Make sure ladies that you have a purse that zips close and can be worn around your neck, not just over your shoulder. Check out on the internet http://www.baggallini.com/ for a purse the flight attendants recommend.
11.Language dictionary - preferably one where you can point to the Chinese interpretation.
12.Binoculars - not necessary until you do not have them at "the Wall"
13.Cottonelle Wipes - take a bunch of the small packages. You will find many opportunies to use them or regret you don't have them.
14.Cold tablets,Halls throat lozenges,Afrin,Excedrin, Imodium D, bandaids,antiseptic cream, lip balm, eye drops. Your basic first aid kit.
15.Toothbrush, paste, shaving soap, and razor. Remember brush your teeth using bottled water!!! Did you notice I did not mention deodorant?
16.Individual coffee packs for your coffee hounds. You can get hot water everywhere but not coffee. Starbucks is in the big cities by the way.
17.A small bottle of laundry detergent to wash your clothes. No such thing as do it yourself washer/dryers in most hotels and you are rarely in hotels long enough to get laundry done except the expensive expedited type.

It is sometimes difficult finding items you are used to having in the US. And if you find them they are generally expensive. For instance, artificial sweeteners. The only place I saw these in China was the Starbucks in Beijing.

China Trip - Part 3 Passports and Visas

2011-10-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

What documentation do I need to go to China? I will speak only from the standpoint of a U.S. citizen. Any other parties should reference the Chinese Embassy website.

Generally you need a US Passport with at least 6 months if validity left and a Visa from the Chinese Embassy. If you are going to Hong Kong or planning to return to China you will need a multi-entry tourist visa. You might as well get one because it costs the same as a single entry. I live in Florida and recommend you use a visa service. Unless you can drop in on the Chinese Embassy it is the only game in town.

All the applications can be found either on the Chinese Embassy website or on a visa service website. Apply for your visa early, especially around the summer tourist season.

China Trip Part 2 Planning your trip to China

2011-10-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

China is very hard for people to get their hands around when they start thinking of visiting. There is a lot of information about China on the internet; however, it can be overwhelming and confusing. I see three avenues that people can generally take when planning a trip to China.

1. Book a complete tour with a national tour company. This to include air, transfers, hotels, tours, and meals. These inclusive tours are generally group tours that bus you from place to place. The good thing about these tours is that everything is taken care of and you just enjoy. You also can meet long term friends on your tour bus during your stay in China.

2. Book your air and ground separately. Maybe you have frequent flyer points you want to get rid of or perhaps you nailed a great promotional fare. If so, you have to shop for an in country tour company. After doing a lot of homework, I decided on China Odessey Tours. They will tailor an individual tour for singles, couples and families based on the dates you are traveling and the cities you want to visit. Their individual city tour conductors meet you at each city airport and take care of all of your needs until they leave you off to fly to your next destination. For me this is the best bang for the buck. Your own tour conductor showing you the sights at your own pace, plus the ability to modify your plans unlike the group tour.

3. Book your flight and hotels yourself and pick up guides when you get to each city. Unless you have been to China before, I would not recommend this method. It is a recipe for disaster. From a financial standpoint, the costs of booking all the elements of trip individually I believe would be more expensive with no recourse if you did not get what you expected.

By all means, have a plan before you start shopping for travel to China. Pick out where you want to go, what you want to see and when you want to travel. In country tour companies work to provide you with what you want and will also make additional recommendations.

China Trip - Part 1 Why I Went and Why You Should Go To China

2011-10-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Having just come back from a 3 week trip to China I decided to provide my experiences to everybody that is planning or has been to China. I am going to do this in a multi-part blog. I hope this both fuels and controls your expectations if you are thinking about a trip to China. This, by the way, does not include Hong Kong and Taiwan which are considered part of China family in the eyes of Mainline China, because I consider separate entities. (please..no comments on the status of these two wonderful areas)

As to my subject of this post, I went to China to spend some time with my fiance's Son's family who have been posted in Shanghai for 2 years with 3M. If you are going to go that far, which for us was about 18 hours by air, you really should tour around some. So we added a individual tour that covered Guilin, Xian and Beijing. All in all we spent about 3 weeks.

For those thinking about travelling to China, I can say it will change your thinking about China and will likely eliminate any stereotypes you have had in the past. You will experience locations like the Great Wall that can only appreciated by actually being there. Pictures and videos are good, but these pale in comparison with the actual sensory experience of being there.

In the following posts I am going go into the details of our experience. I do not think it will spoil the "Christmas Morning" experience of anticipation, but will manage your expectations.

For those that have been to China, please comment on my experiences both for my enjoyment and the readers of my blog.

Neptune Beach Home 1648 sq ft 3bd/2.5 Ba. $189,000

2011-04-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Mary Beth and I would like to offer you a contemporary 2 story home in a charming neighborhood- The Hamlet. Large windows create a bright glow over the downstairs areas. Mostly wood flooring, some tile and carpet in bedrooms. Beautiful stone counters in the galley kitchen. Great room has high ceilings projecting the openness of the house,. Screened room on back of house provides a great place for dining and relaxing overlooking the large back yard. Lots of storage or workspace in the large 2 car garage. Roof was replaced in 2002 and Heating/Air 2000.

Live the beaches life in this lovely Neptune Beach home. For more information contact either Mary Beth or me at www.TwoBeachNuts.com.

North Lake Asbury lot w/double boat house $292,000

2011-04-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

Lake Asbury is one the of lake jewels of North Florida. It is managed lovingly and strictly by the Lake Asbury Homeowners Association. As a result, the lake is one of the most sought after lakes to live on. It is private to it's homeowners which limits boat traffic.

Mary Beth and I are offering you one of the last available magnificent North Lake Asbury Lots. Located on a paved cul-de-sac with over 3/4 of an acre of gently sloping land to the lake. Road frontage starts at 170 ft and ends at 100 feet of bulkhead on the lake. Lakefront improvements already completed include lakefront bulkhead, double-sided boathouse w/electric lifts, jet ski ramp, and 2 cat walks. The lot has been cleared,enhanced,and graded ready for your new home. Some sod had be laid lakeside with irrigation provided by well with a Berkley Self-priming centrifigal pump.

Take this opportunity to build your own lakefront estate with easy access to shopping and the city of Jacksonville, FL.

For more pictures, survey and homeowners association documents please go to our website www.TwoBeachNuts.com.

Florida Surf Fishing

2011-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Mary Beth and I as REALTORS never have a day off; however, we do have play times in our schedule large enough to pack up the surf fishing rods, cooler and chairs for a couple of hours of pure bliss. I am talking about surf fishing where you cast your line into the waves hoping to catch Pompano, Redfish, Drum, Blues, Whiting and even flounder. While you wait, you sit comfortably in the warm sun and let your brain recharge. Do you have the picture?

I have been surf fishing most of my life and it suddenly dawned on me after taking numerous empty coolers home after fishing that maybe I do not know what I am doing. I accidentily came across information about a surf fishing class down the beach that covered everything from "soup to nuts" about surf fishing. Subjects such as tackle, line tying, bait, weather condtions, strucure etc. Mary Beth and I decided to give up our Saturday mornings to the surf fishing guru Captain Jeff. Yes, I was doing just about everything wrong when I went surf fishing and likely only caught fish because they felt sorry for me. We will soon be armed with the knowledge of Captain Jeff and plan to fill the freezer.

You can email Captain Jeff Rafter about future classes at (jjrafter@cfl.rr.com) Also, check out our local surf fishing website at (www.surfishingflorida.com) .

If you are reading this from the cold northern states which this year covers Georgia to Maine, you are probably cursing me for enjoying our moderate 66-72 degree weather here in Jacksonville Beach. Hey do not blame me! I keep telling you I have great homes down here under 200,000 in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, Fernandina Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine.

If you like to fish by yourself or want a great sport that you and your significant other can enjoy the rest of your life, surf fishing is terrific. Mary Beth and I will find you a home that has enough extra room to store your fishing tackle. Drop us a note at our website (www.TwoBeachNuts.com). If you see us on the beach fishing drop by and we will get you hooked. Hopefully only on surf fishing.

Low Price/Great Gifts - Food Baskets $15.00 and up! TwoBeachNuts Baskets

2010-06-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a economical gift that your customers, friends or family would love to receive? TwoBeachNuts Baskets are now available here on the First Coast in Jacksonville Beach providing economical food baskets. Whether you need 1 or 100, we get it done.

For only $20.00 ($15.00 for ten or more) you can have a great gift basket full of individually wrapped food items and 2 bottles of water with flavor packets attached.

What if I want a bigger basket of food to send? TwoBeachNuts Baskets is a custom food basket designer and will work with you to create something especially for you.

Contact:
TwoBeachNuts Baskets
904-655-5587 Ask for Mary Beth

Why would you want to pay more to the big box stores when you can get much better food basket products from TwoBeachNuts Baskets?

New Technology- I have Flip Video for my Buyers!!!

2010-06-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

There is a new compact video technology called Flip Video which you may have seen in stores recently. It is the size of a cell phone and all it does is take videos. If you are interested in this little wonder may I suggest looking at http://www.theflip.com/en-us/

How does this help my Buyers? This little video camera can take a video of a house as seen by me (with all it's positives and negatives) and be sent to my Buyer as quickly as I can insert the camera in my computer. This can heighten or lessen the Buyers expectations if they like the house. If it is what they are looking for, they should have a greater urgency to see the house and hopefully contract it before somebody else buys it out from under them.

I just hate it when a Buyer loses a house because they saw it too late!!!!

To all my Buyers: If you are on your yacht or are working 14 hour days and cannot see a house you like from the outside, call me so I can take a video and send it to you. I write contracts quickly also.

Those aren't oil droplets, they are seashells!

2010-06-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

There has been a low level concern about what the BP oil spill will do to the First Coast. First of all, we are all just sick about what has happened to the Gulf and the long term affects this will have on one of the most beautiful places in the world. We support our fellow west coast Floridians and our breatherin in the other Gulf States.

Although we do not know what the long term affect this spill will have on the First Coast here in north Florida, we are hoping it is minimal. We have seen our first 10 turtle nests of the season and the baby turtles will be hatching in about 45 days. The survival of these babies to maturity is already very small due to mother natures normal "survival of the fittest", but to add oil to this could be devestating.

Our beaches here are still fabulous and the water temperature is perfect. It has been reported that we may get some small tar balls here as the gulf stream passes us; however, these are dedicated communities that will do what is necessary to preserve our wonderful beachs and sealife.

We have had some tar balls before when ships illegally dumped oil in the ocean, so this is something we can handle.

Dancing in the Streets!!

2010-05-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Just another Chamber of Commerce weekend here on the First Coast. Weather is sunny with temperatures in the 80's. Ocean is about 76 degrees with a nice east to west breeze.

Today also happens to be the day Dancing in the Streets is happening in Atlantic Beach. A giant cocktail party with all your closest friends at the beach. Lots of food and drink booths, arts and crafts booths and bicycles all over the place. It is basically a high school reunion of everybody that went to Fletcher High School in the last 50 years. You get to meet people you have not seen (although frequently live within 2 miles of) for many years. We are all too busy to see our old friends during the year, but this event gives us one day to meet them all.

If you are not living at the beach, you are not living. Now is the time to move with lower prices and great mortgage rates.

Are you looking for alternatives to foreclosure?

2010-04-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Mary Beth and I see a lot of people today that are having financial trouble due to job loss, medical problems, transfers and other situations in today's economy. For many, foreclosure may be 3-4 months down the road. This is tragic and the stress transfers to us also because many times we were the ones that put them in their house.

A foreclosure is devistating event for many people not only because it ruins your credit for up to 10years, but also because it is a hit to your self esteem. Many people fall into foreclosure because they have a tendancy to ignore their situation and suddenly the foreclosure notice comes and they are asked to leave the property.

There are progams that may help you in the marketplace that Mary Beth and I can walk you through which may either help you stay in your house or walk away from your home with no appreciable damage to your credit.

Here are some two programs that you may want to consider:

Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative (HAFA): www.makinghomesaffordable.com
This is a continuation of the government HAMP program that was originally set up to help homeowners restructure their loans so they could stay in their homes. If that does not work, the HAFA is the next step. This will be a short sale and then deed in lieu.

For Military: Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP): www.usace.army.mil
This is a program directed at the military. It can provide assistance in many cases including transfers. We have helped customers with this program and it has been successful for our customers. A very important point for people in the military: Foreclosures can keep you from holding a security clearance. Do not risk your careers.

Mary Beth and I are here to help you, call us if you need us.

Isle of Eight Shrimp Festival is coming!!!!

2010-04-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Save these dates: 30Apr-02May (there is also a Pirate parade on 29Apr). These are the dates of what is commonly called the Fernandina Shrimp Festival. One of the largest festivals in Florida it celebrates the history of Fernandina and their shrimp boat fleet.

The activities are too numerous to mention so I will refer you to the festival websites: www.shrimpfestival.com . Lots of some of the best art and crafts in Florida line the streets along with antiques and collectibles.

Oh yes, I forgot, THE FOOD!!!! Seafood galore with crabs, fish, clams etc etc and of course shrimp.

If you want a great time come out to the festival, you will not regret it. And do not forget to bring your hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Leave the dog at home.

The Official Opening of the Beaches

2010-04-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

After a very cold winter in Florida we have finally come to the "official" opening of the Beaches. Lots of hoopla all weekend. As I write this, people are streaming down the major highways to the beach with their beach chairs, sunscreen and hopefully their money to bolster our economy.

The weather is marvelous with a high temperature of maybe low eighties and low humidity. The ocean is a bit cold, but kids have no conception of cold, so they go in no matter what the temperature is.

For those of us who actually live at the beach, we are likely outside riding our bikes and checking out those white skinned aliens that come from town that are looking for a golden tan. They will leave today with that lobster red burn and will aloe themselves down for the next couple days. We will also be assessing the winter kill of our plants and start thinking about what to replace them with.

Living at the Beach is a lifestyle that is so understated. The early morning walks on the beach, the casual lifestyle and the ocean breezes make it a perfect place to live. That plus excellent schools makes it a great place to raise a family.

If all this makes you wanted to move to the Beach call me or Mary Beth.

Thanks to all the hard working Blues Festival People

2010-04-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Billed as the largest free Blues Festivals, the Jacksonville Beach "Swinging the Blues" festival was this past weekend Apr 9-11. As usual the organizers including Georges Music put on a terrific show. The weather was perfect with temperatures in the mid-70's and no rain. My favorite act was Chubby Carrier who brought his Louisiana party to Jacksonville Beach. The city fathers and our local police should be congratulated on the job they did to make this festival enjoyable and safe to all that attended.

Jacksonville, Neptune and Atlantic Beach are one of the best kept secrets in Florida. We are the gateway to Florida and many times after visiting, people decide this is the best place to live. If you feel that way call the TwoBeachNuts so we can find you a home.

Cute Atlantic Beach Home

2010-04-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Meticulously maintained 3 bedroom 2 bath home on a lovely corner lot. Completely remodeled 3 years ago, this 1251 square foot house has a split plan layout with a vaulted ceiling through the core of the house. Other features include:

Stainless appliances

Custom tile breakfast bar

Whole house water filter

Two car garage

This house is conveniently located with easy access to the beach, Hanna Park, Mayport Naval Base and Atlantic Beach Town Center. Cute as a button! $189,900

Amazon Kindle Fever is spreading!!!

2010-03-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

If any of you have an Amazon Kindle electronic book reader disregard this blog because you already know what a fabulous machine this is. When the astronauts go on the Mars expedition is 6-8 years they will likely be taking their "Kindle" with them to fill the boring hours of the mission. They may have their space manuals on it.

I like to read, but I have not done much recreational reading except on long airline flights. I just am to busy to open the book, find where I was a pick up on my reading again. Enter the "Kindle". The "Kindle" is the equivalent of packing a produce box full of books in a 6x5 inch tablet no more than 1/2 inchs thick.

What else does it do? You can subscribe to most of the major newspapers and get them delivered through the air to your "Kindle" every day. You can subscribe to blogs and have them delivered daily.

The kindle allows you to change the font of text for those of us like me who is getting what they call "old eyes". It also saves the spot where you stopped reading automatically so you can pick up at the same place.

Anyway, if you like to read please take a look at Amazon.com and go to the "Kindle" section. I have only given you a small amount of the total things the "Kindle" can do. I am reading recreationally again and it feels great!

P.S. When you order a book on your Kindle from Amazon they send it over the airways to your personal Kindle in less than 60 seconds. The books are cheaper also because the publishers have not production costs.

More than just a Jar Opener "Chapter One"

2010-02-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you have received a jar opener from me and think is that all it is? No..No..No. This is the first of my series on the additional uses for this effective tool. Look at it as our answer to the Swiss Army Knife.

Here are 10 additional uses (more to come):

1. Put it on the console of your SUV for your cellphone so it does not slide off.
2. Great for holding hot and cold drinks
3. Helps open childproof bottles.
4. Place around needleso it pulls through easier while sewing.
5. Use to twist sprinkler devices and separate hoses.
6. Wrap around knife handles to avoid slipping.
7. Use for extra grip to help remove the oil filter of your car.
8. Use a jar opener and a sheet metal screw to plug a leak in a water line until a plumber can make a repair.
9. Great when shucking oysters.
10. Place a clove of garlic in the jar opener. Roll on counter. The skin comes right off (This really made this job easier for me!)

Don't have a jar opener yet? Please let me know so I can send you one. I have at least another 80 uses coming up in future blogs!

Need more space for Hobbies or Storage? Check this out.

2010-02-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

2855 Southside Blvd. Jacksonville, Fl 32216 Price: 183,900 (Reduced)

Those of you who are gearheads, sawdust sniffers, hobbyists, or just packrats, this is the home for you. On the spacious 90x186 ft lot there is a very nice 3bedroom/2.5 bath home with 2096 heated and cooled square ft. of living. The home has a nice split layout, great for families.

The separate garage is 1976 sq ft of free standing open space. The sellers claim they have had 9 cars in there at one time. If you like to work on cars or dreamed of having the ultimate woodworking workshop you cannot go wrong with this home.

If the sight of that garage gets your water running, call Frank at 904-534-7655 or Mary Beth at 655-5587 for more information or an appointment to see it.

Two wheeling in Northeast Florida

2010-02-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

Northeast Florida is a great place for two wheeling. This is a picture of Mary Beth and I next to my Suzuki Burgman 400. When we have spare time, we really enjoy exploring the First Coast from Fernandina to St Augustine. Naturally, our weather is very supportive of this all year round. I think our favorite routes are from the beaches to Fernandina via the Mayport Ferry and the ride down San Jose Blvd to Palatka that follows the St. Johns River.

Club Continental in Orange Park

2010-02-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

We went to a wedding in Orange Park yesterday at Club Continental. Club Continental (Mira Rio) was built in 1922 at a whopping price of 200,000 as the winter retirement home of Caleb Johnson the son of Palmolive Soap Company's founder. The original mansion now serves as a Dining and Tennis Club. Membership is around 800 and now has 7 tennis courts, 85 boat slips, 3 swimming pools and twenty-two overnight guest rooms.

Oh, by the way, it is also one of most sought after locations for weddings, parties and company functions. It is truly a marvelous place with views of the St. Johns river that take you back to the elegance of Old World Florida. If you have a very special event, it is the place to have it.

Attention all you people planning weddings. The band at the wedding was the ultimate musical group for this venue. Check them out at their website: misstessmusic.com

Here is the pitch: There are a number of very nice condos, patio homes and single detached homes directly around Club Continental that share the ambiance of the historical site. This area tucked in the ancient oaks on the St. Johns River is located very conveniently near the 295 and the Buckman Bridge providing excellent access to all parts of the city.

If home foreclosure sneaking up on you?

2010-02-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Foreclosure can sneak up on you very quickly. Some of the reasons why homeowners are losing their homes to foreclosure are as follows:

Loan products with increasing monthly payments (e.g. adjustable rate loans)
Loss of employment
Major Health Issues
Divorce
Relocation
Too much debt (e.g. credit card debt)

Foreclosure is a life event that can follow you for many years. Here is why you should avoid foreclosure:

You must disclose foreclosure on loan applications. Definitely affect your rates.
Credit scores lowered by 300+ points. The most devastating credit issue you can have for future credit availability.
It is the one credit report item that is almost impossible to have "repaired"
Your lender has the right to seek a deficiency judgement from you for the money they do not recuperate at a bank sale.
Employers run credit checks on prospective employees and foreclosure is one of the top items that will put a new hire in jeopardy.
Security clearances and government positions including military and law enforcement can be jeapordized by a foreclosure.

If you have a house in the Northeast Florida area that is going to be affected by the above circumstances, get in touch with us to find out your options. Do not wait until it is too late for us to help you.