Brazil - Again (January-February 2013)

On January 20, 2013 we returned to San Paulo for George's work. Ruth brought her last box of slides to digitalize and had plenty of work to keep her busy. On February 7 Chauncey flew to San Paulo for a week. We toured San Paulo, ate Brazilian food that Chauncey remembers from his mission, went to a football (soccer) match, rented a car and drove to Rio de Janeiro for a couple of days. 

Ibirapuera Park, San Paulo

Chauncey:  I think I'll just jump right on up this tree.

Chauncey: OK, I'll just climb right up this tree. 

Chauncey:  OK, so maybe a friendly boost up into this tree. 

Chauncey:  Success!

Copacabana Beach

We came prepared to swim, but the beach 
and  water were too crowed for comfort, 

and besides the water seemed brown.

Cristo Redentor on Corcovado Mountain (Christ the Redeemer)

We enjoyed eating lunch on top the mountain.
The views were fantastic. 
Topographically, Rio is amazing.

Sugar Loaf Mountain

We are in a cable car on our way up Sugar Loaf

Ipanema Beach

Ipanema Beach was beautiful, but alas,
 we were  not prepared to swim.

Botanical Garden

This is our 'Happy Endings' dessert. Chauncey flies
back to Raleigh in the morning. It was a fun week. 

George and Jessica spend a week in Hong Kong

Baby George is engaged to be married in March. We wanted to meet Jessica so we invited her to come with George to visit us in Hong Kong during Christmas vacation. Daddy was in site-seeing mode. We went some place fun everyday.

We visited Big Buddha on Lantau Island.

Disneyland was on Jessica's to do list and since

 it is a magical place we were all delighted to go. 

Hong Kong Temple in  Kowloon Tong, Kowloon.

Hong Kong is a beautiful, vibrant, exciting city.

Waffles for breakfast. 

Hong Kong Island has many beautiful hikes.

George and Jessica shopping for souvenirs. 

Noah's Ark Theme Park.
 A full-sized Ark built to Biblical specification. 

Christmas 2012

We arrived back home in Hong Kong on December 20.  We put up our tree and enjoyed a quiet Christmas in Hong Kong.  The Andersen Family invited us to join with them on Christmas Eve. Everyone shared a talent with the group and then we read the Christmas Story. On Christmas day we went to a LDS Chapel in the New Territories and listen to a choir that Jill Andersen is a  member of, sing song in celebration of Jesus's birth. Then we kept with family tradition and went to the movies. This year we saw "Le Miserables". 

Our apartment with Christmas tree.

Our table at the Andersen's Christmas Eve dinner.

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Sao Paulo

A few short weeks after we moved into our apartment in Parkview we found out that George needed to return to Sao Paulo. This time he would be gone for 6 or more weeks so it seemed good for Ruth to go with him. Currently George is working with Mergers and Acquisitions and Lenovo is in the process of acquiring a Brazilian company.  On November 3 we flew to Sao Paulo. George worked daily in an office near the hotel. Ruth worked daily in the hotel room, converting 15+ year of slides to digital photos. We ate lunch together everyday. On weekends we'd walk in parks, visit sites, and go to church. In retrospect the time went quickly. 

The ward we chose to attend was wonderful, the spirit was strong, the spoken word was in Portuguese which was fine for Sacrament meeting, but for Sunday School and Priesthood/Relief Society we go outside and sit on a bench facing the Temple and study our lessons together. 

The Sao Paulo Temple

 Ibirapuera Park

There were 2-3 parks in the general area of our hotel, but Ibirapuera Park was our favorite. They had the most amazing trees.

We also took time to sit and enjoy nature. Sometimes we took our I-pad and read conference talks. We still trying to lesson to the entire October Conference. 

George has fond memories of drinking coconut milk in Puerto Rico when serving his mission. George made certain the Ruth had the importunity to secure for herself a fond memory of coconut milk--never mind that Ruth doesn't enjoy juice of any kind.

 

This tree has something vine-like growing on its bark. They looked like trees with green feathers everywhere.

  

This tree has an amazing root-like support.  Branches seem to grow down to the ground to brace up the branches the grew upwards towards the sky.

In the weeks before Christmas, Ibirapuera Park had a nightly fountain light show about Christmas.  They featured both Portugues and English Christmas songs about the Nativity and Santa Claus. At the end of the fountain show the trees lit up making a wonderful Christmas Wonderland to walk through.

Feliz Natal!
Merry Christmas!

Old Friend Visit, New Friends Are Made

Samily Kwok  visits from Beijing. Patrick, Nicole, 

and Eli now live in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong.

Jill Thomson Anderson and Ruth Wilde West knew each other in Provo. We lived in the same Stake and went to Provo High School. Jill has lived in Hong Kong for 20 some years. 

Enjoying (?) truly fresh seafood.

Victory Branch Beach Party

Our Apartment in Hong Kong

Our apartment is small but comfortable and cozy. We live in the middle of Tai Tam Park and it is marvelous. There is a wonderful spirit in Hong Kong, both in the city part and the country part of the Island. It is safe and the people are friendly and helpful. 

This is the front entryway.

MuShu made the journey from Beijing and 

he has the responsibility of scaring all mice away. 

Our dinning room. George is 'way' happy.
He loves round tables. 

The view from our window down into the courtyard. There is a swimming pool, a waterfall and plenty of tables and lounges chairs to relax in and enjoy the day. 

Parkview apartments. 

 Tai Tam Family Walk Trail

There are many walking trail in Tai Tam Park. You can hike for hours and hours. 

For Ruth's daily walk she chose this trail which takes about an hour.

"I Think the World is Beautiful as Lovely as Can Be"
My heart rejoices in the beauty I see in the world around me.