A new LCD

That's Lowest Common Denominator.  I know I can't help myself, being Peurile again....

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.

Well, the A & B Team.  Come on, who doesn't need these guys at some time of another ?  We all remember that Seinfeld episode right ?   Fusili Jerry ?  Who's with me ?

Don't all speak at once ................

Ah, the Bund at night ...........

Back in town on the 15th of March for some meetings. I booked dinner at number 5 on the Bund as a treat for myself.

http://www.m-restaurantgroup.com/mbund/home.html

I got there early and they were closed for a pre-dinner function so I went across the road to number 3 to see what I could see. This guy snagged The Good Spot.  Obviously knows someone around here. The Bund is the street at the end of this photo, that runs along the river front.  So I had a look at the directory in the foyer of number 3, and there's a bar at the top floor. Hmmmm... why didn't I think of this before ?

So, up I go and grab a beer ..........

A beautiful late winter's evening on the river, looking over to the "new" side of Shanghai, with the moon coming up ..... . 

I never get tired of this view. Moon emerging from behind the new Shanghai tower in the background and some crazy animated advertising on the building in front. I had to look at it for a few minutes to make sure it wasn't a game simulation, it looked for all the world like one of those manic vertical scrolling phone games.

The Shanghai Pearl tower, once the jewel of the Pudong (new) side, it gets dwarfed from some angles these days. 

Fantastic views for the price of a drink.  They have a restaurant inside as well, which I will have to try out later. Most of the locals (Chinese) got off on the lower floors which were as far as I could tell were a buffet style joint that the Chinese just flock to.  Get 'em in cheap,and rotate 'em through. On the top floor it was oh so much more civilised of course, more my speed.

Standard (for the Bund) flood-lit flag and bell tower 

The moon continues it's stately march into the sky.

Hello Jade Rabbit !!!

That's my table, RIGHT there ... 

And when I got back to my room that night, a little gift from the staff at the Jing'an Swissotel. Not the largest chain in the world but this place continues to impress .....  Gee thanks folks !

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Gone again

Just the lumps of spall dust and a few weirdly shaped clumps of ice now.

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The mysterious Yeti

Late snow, swept away gently by our man with the broom. Revealing .... what exactly ?

Nothing but an interesting effect I'm sure but one I have not seen before. 

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Ice patterns

Took these on the morning of the last day of February.  Down-pipes trying to break free.

Late snow landing on the partly thawed ice, which froze again. 

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The big thaw

So it's the 26th of Feb and the snow is petty much gone now.   The guy who shovels the snow is now sweeping the left over dirt and concrete spall into the gutters of the road here at the factory.

On the northern side of the larger structures the ice remains. 

And in the places where the water doesn't actually drain away. 

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Ice man

Taken 22nd Feb, the snow is all gone now but the ice that remains is deadly.  On other years it hangs around  until late March in big clumps shoveled off the roads where it re-freezes and gets dirtier all the time.

Which is why I am so glad I found these at an Ecco pop-up store in Shanghai last December. I thought they only made purses and wallets, a fine Italian brand.  When I took a close look at these boots I had to have them. On special of course ....

They were the largest pair they had left, Euro 42 which just fit. I was worried that they would be too small.  I wore them for a half a day, then again two days later, and they were broken in. Absolutely brilliant and (living in Australia) possibly the last pair of boots I will ever need to buy. 

Check out the soles ! Sure beats skating around in leather soled dress / office shoes 

As I had in past years, skating around town after dark getting dinner. 

Walking back to the villa from the front gate after dinner, about 7:30 PM

Don't know why the photos came out so yellow, the lights are a regular white type. 

All quiet on the northern front. 

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There and back again, an Adam's tale.

Back in Australia for a while, I didn't get to have any time off as it turned out.  Spent most of the time at the factory, where old man Kanga who guards the front gate hadn't moved much. Here he is again ignoring those of us who try to disturb his rest.

I was driving near the factory on the weekend, went down over the border for a look around saw this great volcanic outcrop on the way back.  First from the NSW side,

then from the Queensland side  near Rathdowney about a half hour later. I just missed the part where the rock actually threw a shadow through the cloud while I was fussing with the zoom ......

Then a few days later, back in Sydney airport again ...

THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE WORLD TODAY, PEOPLE !!!

and the morning after that, back in Changchun, south China waiting to taxi out for the flight back to Liaoyuan 

Visibility about 150-200 metres. The Chinese government decided last year that due to the smog all pilots flying in China will need to be instrument rated for zero visibility takeoffs and landings. 

Errr ...  wasn't that a thing everywhere else for, like, the last 50 years ?

And that night, back in Liaoyuan and good old Chinese ingenuity !

Best .. use .. of .. gym .. mat ......ever !!!

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Adam the Intrepid.

Flags flying.

Heading back to Australia for a catch up with the folks in the office and maybe a day or two off if time allows.

Carrying the One GELITA spirit forward.

Young David Ge and "The Christmas Man" ( looking a bit snow blind)

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