Adding Stamps » Weifang

Since I was contemplating driving…

Kayte — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:35:13 +0000

Just incase anyone was wondering alternative methods of travel to see me, here is Google’s suggestion. When I typed it in I figured it would come up with ERROR but trusty Google comes through as usual!

Personally my favorite parts are the ocean crossings. Although I don’t really understand the stopover in Hawaii. Also, how exactly do you fit your car in the Kayak, or the jet ski? Inventive though.

Driving directions to Weifang, Shandong, China 9,595 mi – about 36 days 20 hours Suggested routes

This route has tolls.- more info » This route includes a ferry.- more info »

756 N M St Tulare, CA 93274

1.	Head north on N M St toward E Merritt Ave	0.5 mi
2.	Turn left at the 1st cross street onto E Prosperity Ave	0.4 mi
3.	Take the 3rd right onto N J St	2.1 mi
4.	Take the ramp onto CA-99 N	207 mi
5.	Take the exit toward San Francisco/I-80 W/I-5 W/CA-99 W	1.2 mi
6.	Merge onto CA-99 N/US-50 W	1.3 mi
7.	Take the exit onto I-5 N toward Redding	743 mi
8.	Slight right at WA-599 N (signs for Tukwila/W Marginal Way)	2.1 mi
9.	Continue onto WA-99 N	3.1 mi
10.	Turn left to stay on WA-99 N	62 ft
11.	Merge onto WA-509 N/WA-99 N via the ramp to Seattle	0.7 mi
12.	Take the WA-99 N/E Marginal Way exit toward 1st Ave S	0.3 mi
13.	Slight left at WA-99 N/E Marginal Way S Continue to follow WA-99 N	7.5 mi
14.	Slight right at Bridge Way N	0.3 mi
15.	Turn right at Stone Way N	0.4 mi
16.	Slight left at N Northlake Way	0.2 mi
17.	Kayak across the Pacific Ocean	2,756 mi
18.	Continue straight	0.1 mi
19.	Turn left at Kuilima Dr	0.5 mi
20.	Take the 3rd right onto HI-83 W	12.4 mi
21.	Continue straight onto HI-99 S/Kamehameha Hwy	6.5 mi
22.	Slight left at HI-80 S/Kamehameha Hwy Continue to follow Kamehameha Hwy	2.1 mi
23.	Take the Interstate H2 S ramp to Honolulu	0.2 mi
24.	Merge onto I-H-2 S	7.9 mi
25.	Merge onto I-H-1 E	4.7 mi
26.	Take exit 13B toward Halawa Hts. Stadium	0.3 mi
27.	Merge onto I-H-201 E	4.1 mi
28.	Merge onto I-H-1 E	4.1 mi
29.	Take exit 23 for Punahou St toward Waikiki/Manoa	0.2 mi
30.	Turn right at Punahou St	0.1 mi
31.	Take the 1st right onto S Beretania St	0.1 mi
32.	Take the 1st left onto Kalakaua Ave	1.9 mi
33.	Kayak across the Pacific Ocean	3,879 mi
34.	Turn left toward 県道275号線	0.4 mi
35.	Turn left toward 県道275号線	358 ft
36.	Turn left toward 県道275号線	0.2 mi
37.	Turn right at 県道275号線	0.1 mi
38.	Turn left at 国道125号線	499 ft
39.	Turn right at 県道24号線	0.6 mi
40.	Turn left at 千束町（交差点） onto 国道354号線	2.0 mi
41.	Turn right at 中村陸橋下（交差点） to stay on 国道354号線	1.0 mi
42.	Take the ramp to 常磐自動車道 Toll road	0.3 mi
43.	Keep left at the fork, follow signs for 東京 and merge onto 常磐自動車道 Toll road	23.8 mi
44.	Take exit 三郷ＪＣＴ toward 首都高・銀座・湾岸線 Toll road	0.7 mi
45.	Merge onto 首都高速6号三郷線 Toll road	5.8 mi
46.	Take exit 小菅ＪＣＴ toward 湾岸線・銀座 Toll road	0.3 mi
47.	Merge onto 首都高速中央環状線 Toll road	0.4 mi
48.	Take exit 堀切ＪＣＴ on the right toward 銀座・箱崎 Toll road	0.3 mi
49.	Merge onto 首都高速6号向島線 Toll road	5.4 mi
50.	Take exit 江戸橋ＪＣＴ toward 神田橋・北池袋 Toll road	0.4 mi
51.	Merge onto 首都高速都心環状線 Toll road	3.8 mi
52.	Take exit 谷町ＪＣＴ on the right toward 東名・渋谷 Toll road	0.3 mi
53.	Merge onto 首都高速3号渋谷線 Toll road	6.9 mi
54.	Continue onto 東名高速道路 Toll road	189 mi
55.	Take exit 豊田ＪＣＴ toward 東海環状・伊勢湾岸道・豊田東出口・土岐ＪＣＴ・四日市・新名神 Toll road	0.3 mi
56.	Keep right at the fork, follow signs for 伊勢湾岸道・四日市・新名神 and merge onto 伊勢湾岸自動車道 Toll road	19.8 mi
57.	Take the ramp onto 伊勢湾岸自動車道 Toll road	12.1 mi
58.	Take exit 四日市ＪＣＴ toward 東名阪道・大阪・伊勢道 Toll road	0.6 mi
59.	Merge onto 東名阪自動車道 Toll road	13.8 mi
60.	Take exit 亀山ＪＣＴ toward 新名神・京都・大阪 Toll road	0.6 mi
61.	Merge onto 新名神高速道路 Toll road	30.9 mi
62.	Take exit 草津ＪＣＴ toward 草津ＰＡ・名神・京滋・京都・大阪 Toll road	0.2 mi
63.	Take exit 草津ＰＡ on the right toward 名神 Toll road	0.5 mi
64.	Merge onto 名神高速道路 Toll road	30.1 mi
65.	Take exit 吹田ＪＣＴ toward 中国道・山陽道・宝塚・岡山 Toll road	1.1 mi
66.	Merge onto 中国自動車道 Toll road	18.8 mi
67.	Take exit 神戸ＪＣＴ toward 山陽道・岡山・徳島 Toll road	0.9 mi
68.	Merge onto 山陽自動車道 Toll road	192 mi
69.	Take exit 廿日市ＪＣＴ toward 山陽道・岩国・北九州 Toll road	0.9 mi
70.	Merge onto 広島岩国道路 Toll road	7.3 mi
71.	Take the ramp onto 山陽自動車道 Toll road	59.2 mi
72.	Take exit 山口ＪＣＴ toward 中国道・下関・北九州 Toll road	0.8 mi
73.	Merge onto 中国自動車道 Toll road	39.9 mi
74.	Continue onto 関門橋 Toll road	5.9 mi
75.	Continue onto 九州自動車道 (signs for 九州道・福岡・熊本) Toll road	215 mi
76.	Take exit 高速鹿児島ＩＣ toward 鹿児島出口・南九州道・川内・伊集院 Toll road	0.2 mi
77.	Keep right at the fork, follow signs for 川内・伊集院・南九州道 and merge onto 国道3号線 Partial toll road	0.4 mi
78.	Take the ramp to 南九州道 Toll road	0.4 mi
79.	Merge onto 南九州西回り自動車道(市来~鹿児島西)/鹿児島道路 Toll road	12.7 mi
80.	Take the ramp to 国道3号線 Partial toll road	0.9 mi
81.	Turn left at 市来Ｉ．Ｃ入口（交差点） onto 国道3号線 (signs for 川内・串木野)	4.5 mi
82.	Turn left at 串木野駅（交差点） onto 県道38号線	1.0 mi
83.	Turn right	0.2 mi
84.	Turn left	0.1 mi
85.	Turn left	325 ft
86.	Take the 串木野~里~中甑~鹿島~長浜 ferry Toll road	40.3 mi
87.	Continue straight	66 ft
88.	Turn left toward 県道349号線	190 ft
89.	Turn right toward 県道349号線	187 ft
90.	Turn left at 県道349号線	7.0 mi
91.	Continue onto 県道350号線	1.3 mi
92.	Turn left	0.9 mi
93.	Jet ski across the Pacific Ocean	486 mi
94.	Continue straight onto 塘后支路	0.2 mi
95.	Turn right at 塘后路	0.3 mi
96.	Turn left at 双城路/雙城路	0.7 mi
97.	Turn right at 永清路	0.7 mi
98.	Turn left at 宝杨路/寶楊路	0.7 mi
99.	Sharp right to stay on 宝杨路/寶楊路	49 ft
100.	Turn left at 同济路/同濟路	0.8 mi
101.	Slight left to stay on 同济路/同濟路	0.2 mi
102.	Slight left at 富錦路/富锦路	0.3 mi
103.	Take the ramp on the left onto Ａ３０公路 Partial toll road	14.4 mi
104.	Take exit Ａ５ toward Ａ５公路 Toll road	0.2 mi
105.	Keep right at the fork to continue toward Ａ５公路 and merge onto Ａ５公路 Toll road	8.1 mi
106.	Continue onto 沿江高速 Toll road	20.4 mi
107.	Take exit 苏嘉杭高速/苏通大桥/南通-蘇嘉杭高速/蘇通大橋/南通 to merge onto 沿海高速 Toll road	283 mi
108.	At 同三高速公路苏鲁省界收费站/同三高速公路蘇魯省界收費站, continue onto 同三高速 Toll road	108 mi
109.	Take exit 济青高速-濟青高速 toward 济青高速/濟青高速 Toll road	492 ft
110.	Take exit 济南-濟南 on the left toward 济青高速/濟青高速 Toll road	0.4 mi
111.	Keep right at the fork to continue toward 济青高速/濟青高速 Toll road	0.3 mi
112.	Keep left at the fork to continue toward 济青高速/濟青高速 and merge onto 济青高速/濟青高速 Toll road	50.9 mi
113.	Take exit 潍坊东/Ｇ３０９/朱里-濰坊東/Ｇ３０９/朱里 toward 804省道 Partial toll road	0.5 mi
114.	Sharp right at 804省道	0.4 mi
115.	At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto 健康东街/健康東街	3.6 mi
116.	Take the ramp onto 金馬路/金马路	0.3 mi
117.	Turn left at 勝利東街/胜利东街	0.8 mi

Weifang, Shandong China

Unfortunetly this will only get you to the edge of town. So just give me a call about Roundabout and I’ll meet you. I’m sure you’ll be tired so I won’t plan anything for the day, you can just rest but hey no Jet Lag so we’ll start bright and early the next morning.

Well see you all soon, well 36days and 20 hours soon. Remember no potty breaks you need to make good time.

Well I’ve been runover

Kayte — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:29:48 +0000

Just when you think you’ve peaked at your Frogging* skills you get ran over. After 11 months 0 weeks and 6 days my luck was bound to run out soon. But did I really think I would be taken out a mere foot from the curb, no. Let me backtrack a little and discuss the dangers of being a pedestrian in China.

1. No where do you have the right away

2. No place is convenient for you to walk

3. No where does it say side walks are are the safest choice

4. And the golden rule ALWAYS check before stepping off a bus

I broke the golden rule and somehow in this unjust world I figured I would not suffer the consequences. Tip for your future safety, never play Chicken with a Chinese, you WILL lose. They play it everyday, all day. Their favorite is scooter vs. bus. Surprisingly the bus is not always the winner.

As a bus enters the bike lane all the bikes, scooters and the occasional taxi don’t try to get out of its way, oh no they just pull closer to the curb. Nor does the bus wait to load or unload passengers until these daring individuals progress past the bus, they just expect you to jump out between them. Really why not let the passengers join in all the fun of a good game of Chicken? So the assumption that the two foot gab between bus and curb is an unspoken safe zone for pedestrians is nothing short of laughable.

Today as I disembarked bus 50 during lunch I learned my lesson. As the bus pulled closer and closer to the curb I disembarked with confidence that nothing was or could squeeze into that unspoken safe zone, then HE hit me like a wall of taro. Somehow through the initial stun of being plowed down I managed to grab the door with my free arm and grip the curb with my toes. He caught my shoulders for balance, as he had been running and by the end of the ordeal was most definitely over me I think it was safe to say I was run over today.

But hey it could have been a lot worse. Um lets say that scooter I bearly manged to miss last week with a full basket of groceries. Or the sidewalk inccident outside of work just yesterday.

Just when you think you’ve finished another level that Bright Red Semi always gets you!

*Crossing the street in China is the ultimate game of Frogger. You must cross lane by lane and avoid oncoming traffic.

It’s not suppose to rain in the summer!

Kayte — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:05:39 +0000

For those of you who think I have half a brain in my head please don’t read any further I would love that lie to live on for as long as possible. As a child I had this notion that what ever the weather was in Tulare, that was the weather for the world. Yes I now realize how ridiculous that notion was but hey I’ve never claimed to be the sharpest crayon in the box. Nor did I ever stop to contemplate how the snow in the mountains worked when Tulare never saw snow.

Anyway I guess that misguided notion still lingers as I’m troubled by and rather annoyed with embracing my new climate. When I look outside and see clouds I scoff and insist that they will pass with no effect on my day. Oh little do I know about monsoon season! I’m coming to realize that the definition of monsoon means that 20 hours a day some form of precipitation WILL fall.

These forms vary from downpours to sheets of mist that envelope you making an umbrella pointless and cumbersome. I have often wondered while in flight what it would be like to stand within a cloud. Now I know the feeling and wish I’d never wondered. Weifang has been enveloped by one giant cloud. The humidity on a good day hangs around 74%. Other days you just pray it will rain so at least you will have the satisfaction of being soaked by a liquid other than your own sweat.

For all my gripping I must admit the vibrant foliage around town almost makes it bearable. For as much as I love a good dry heat the color brown does not register as appealing to me,thus Tulare in the summer has little appeal. So beautiful scenery or dry heat? The jury is still out on this one. So for all those enjoying the Tulare heat, pull out a lawn chair and sun tan for me for one hour. With this cloud coverage there is just no point here.

Summer is here and so are the parasols!

Kayte — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:16:58 +0000

Summer is here, therefore the oh so glorious, much sought after in the west, tanning rays of the sun. But to an impressionable young Chinese girl summer does not bring the hope of a splendid, hair hiding, leg lengthening tan but the never ending battle of Sun vs Parasol.

My students are always oh so horrified when they see me in shorts, cap sleeved shirts and sunglasses. I am most obviously missing the most essential summer accessory my Parasol! While I am trying desperately to get back my usual summer tan my students run from shade spot to shade spot precociously angling their parasols for the most shade coverage. Don’t get me started on the number of girls who where tights in this sweltering heat.

Beauty is relative to where you live. In America thin, tanned, well curved girls are the standards to which we strive while here in China it’s the anorex, white, flat as a board girls who get the attention. Humm how well do you think I’m fitting in.

I promise to add pictures of more Parasol sporting girls but for now the following will have to suffice.

While Katie, like myself, is trying to accomplish the western chore of a even natural glow Thomas has taken a more Chinese approach to his summer.

Oh Thomas...

At one time it was Katie’s yellow purse that I looked for in a crowd but now Thomas’s Purple Parasol, a good three feet above the rest, is so much easier to spot.

I’ll just call it a community activity

Kayte — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:52:20 +0000

The Qingdao Beer Company had a three week mini festival outside of Jusco this month. Kelly and I finaly went to check out the festivities, come to find out, on the last night. Now I know and boy am I looking forward to next year, I’ll be there everynight! The BBQ is amazing and cheap!

The entire area in front of Jusco was taken up by a massive stage and surrounding stalls.

Kelly tried her hand at darts!

The stage - the tables were packed

There were a variety of performances, from the alto clarinet to very very bad karaoke.

At one point the MC turned into a auctioner, the scrolls were beautiful.

Double Take…Yes that is the real name of the store.

Kayte — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:52:36 +0000

The first time I saw it I was horrified, now I giggle.

The store carries all your military gear, complete with US patches. Humm does anyone else find that a little odd? The mannequin in the window is dressed in camos with a USA patch, and a skeleton handkerchief around his face.

To be honest I’ve never ventured into the store, no real appeal. And I try to avoid anything to do with military here, that includes the uniform outlets.

New Comers – Bei Da Huang

Kayte — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:21:50 +0000

Bei Da Huang has become one of my favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, tonight it did not hold up to all the hype I’d dumped on it when showing it off to Katie and Thomas. They still enjoyed it and promised to return but I was disappointed in the usually fantastic meals.

One of the reasons I love it so much is the amazing picture menu! You don’t need to know a character to order your favorite food. I had originally planned the dinner so Wendy and Peter could meet Victoria but Wendy didn’t feel well at the last minute. I hadn’t backed out of the dinner knowing with out Wendy I could still order clearly. That seems to be the catch at trying to restaurants.

Pumpkin Fries dipped in sugar

This dish is the reason to live. Yes, Pumpkin fries dipped in sugar. The two best things to happen to food, a deep fryer and a sugar coating. This is the costomary results of the dish, delightful deliciousness.

Today however the oil was old and saturated with the previous dish FISH. Yes it was as horrible as it sounds.

Luckily Katie and Thomas knew no better and enjoyed the rest of the dishes immensely. I guess we will just have to return to remedy the bad experience.

Every Day Photos

Kayte — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:17:11 +0000

While I was home in February I would often find myself recounting various daily events that I’ve never blogged about as daily events seemed inconsequential and boring here. My father on the other hand was quite intrigued and asked for more pictures of daily life. So here are a few.

Not too many resturants can beat street food.

Street food is the new Take Out. I’ve been quite fortunate, knock on wood, my stomach has not revolted against the greasy and sometimes questionable street food I often partake of. I’ve decided I’m just building my immune system each time I try a new vendor.

Recycling is a living for some.

You can often find people rummaging through trash cans to find recyclable materials. Cardboard and plastic are the two most commonly collected items. The various modes of transportation are also quite inventive here. I’ve never seen so many peddled vehicles.

They start 'em young in the family business.

I was out one afternoon and came across someone hammering away. I just couldn’t help but take a picture when I realized it was a 3 year old kid.

Quick weather update from Weifang!

Kayte — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:45:58 +0000

IT’S SNOWING!

Snow is falling all around, on the house tops on the ground.

The heats been turned off in a gesture of good faith that the weather will warm yet it hasn’t. Thank heaven I bought that Contraband space heater. Better go dig it out and plug it in. On the bright side I only have one early class today so I can spend the rest of the day cuddled on the couch with hot chocolate! So today is looking bright after all!

Its official!

Kayte — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:51:00 +0000

Saturday morning Kelly and I set out to assess the damage. The road was blocked clear to the train station and no traffic is allowed in or out via Qingnian Road, or so we were told.

The only way out!

We set out and sure enough upon exiting the campus we noticed an empty street. (Just to be clear on school faces north two city blocks west of Qingnian Rd) We walked to the end of our road where it meets Qingnian, a blue construction fence had been put up overnight.

A narrow cut out allows pedestrians and cyclist through.

Upon exiting our street I was astounded at the sight beyond. With the speed of deconstruction I could hardly believe the finish date to be so far off. But I guess here in lies China’s personality, tear it all up, let it sit for a while then get back to it to finish it up.

Finding the gate to my street is a maze of sorts.

When we returned this afternoon the path back to our road had changed. Yes, we are walking through an active construction zone with only party decorations separating us from the more dangerous areas.

: Qingnian Road – When they rip up a rode they rip up a road!

The outer fence of the blockade was up and plastered with advertisements just as quickly. The closest bus stop is now a brisk 30 min walk.

When I saw the advertisements I knew I was doomed.

Only in China does heavy construction take place within a hop and skip of the walking path.