My travel blog with pictures got a little too long, so I divided the two pages. This page is dedicated to some of my trip photo highlights for Ironman China 2009. I have separate pages for my written blog updates and race report. Enjoy the photos.

Photos from last days in Haikou and then visiting Paul and Lori in Shanghai


Street butcher in Haikou. Would this pass FDA inspection?



These are dried something-or-others. I think they are the little breeders from the movie "Aliens"



Turtles for sale on the street for turtle soup


These gyros look a little under cooked......is there lamb in it?

I liked this scene on the street of Haikou: a group playing a game of cards under a portrait of Putin.



Bamboo scafolding in Shanghai


Downtown Shanghai


Is the tower from Lord of the Rings? Where's the flaming eye at the top?


Paul and Will display their favorite ingredients as we make cookies.


Will shows me how to measure the brown sugar as I enjoy a coffee


Paul pushes the stroller though old town in Shanghai


A lunch of dumplings with the Carbonneau family



Paul, Jack, and I

Shanghai


Paul, Lori, and Will on our sightseeing day


Lori, Abby, and I in a nice historic park in Shanghai


Looking up at the building where we ate dinner at the top!!

Paul and I try to blend in....

Looking at downtown Shanghai from the restaurant at the top of the building on the Pudong side.

View of the Pearl Tower on the Pudong side of Shanghai


Dinner with Paul and Lori

Photos from street market in downtown Haikou:


Guess who's for dinner tonight..


Street meat




Lon asks for a free sample like at Whole Foods


Wilber!!!!!


I asked these guys if it was okay to photograph them plucking this duck.





Bag  o' catfish


Mmmm, pile o' guts


Street eels,  nuff said.


Somehow I don't think this would go over in the states....transformer 10ft off the ground...


Dancing in the streets.....litterally....or at least in the park next to the streets.


Who needs medical insurance when you can go see a street doctor?

China Travel Pics Days 4-6:


Typical road scene near the hotel


I love these 3-wheeled motorcycles with 2-stroke engines. I don't think they were used to seeing a bike pass them.



We stopped to ask this guy for directions,  but he didn't speak any english



Loved  this guy and his bathing buffalos. I'm hoping this isn't the swim course.


I'm not certain we're on the course any more??


Just remember your Soft Tips: Not in pond, rockery regional chase make boisterous noise



View of Haikou from the volcano park


Look in the crater at  the volcano park


Stephan:  AC/DC boxers and a cup of instant coffee...Highway to Hell


Breakfast: I ate more than 3 eggs. Also,  it's not your eyes,  that is a goofy coffee cup.

 

 Photos From Days 1-3:


Rasmus and I load up our backpacks with gallons and gallons of bottled water at the supermarket

50M swimming pool in our hotel. Good enough to do our warm-up swims before the race

View of our resort, the Crown Spa Resort Hainan


The private beach at the Crown Spa Resort Hainan


Another view of the hotel's beach. This is where I'll park myself the day after the race


Cultural experience 1: guy washing 7th story windows...zero protective gear


Another view of our hotel the Royal Spa Resort Hainan

I've never thought that a grey turkey has the most appealing look


Evening run: farmer working in a rice paddy


So, is "normal temperature" wetsuit legal?


Village that Stephan and I ran through a little off the beaten path


Village run picture #2 with Stephan


Village run picture #3 with Stephan


Village run picture #3 with Stephan


Stephan and I on bike ride


Guys washing building in Haikou


I'm staying away from mystery meats before the race, but a mystery bread I figured was okay


View of where the finish line will be in downtown Haikou


Stephan received the demonstration of a ginger medical rub for his leg. Is this a performance enhancing drug???


View of street in Haikou


Stephan, Dennis, and I head out on a bike ride

Street sceen in Haikou


Another street scene/market in Haikou


I wonder where I should park my scooter??


Pool tables on the street.


Intestine soup before the race, no thank you.


Lady selling sugar cane to suck on.


Stephan and I got "wooden bowl" meals for lunch. They were really good.


Public exercise area in the Peoples Park


Spin class anyone??


Soooo, how did you fall and crack your head 4 days before the race??


Biking in China, oncoming traffic on all sides of you.


Stephan demonstrates the leg press for us.


Painting the trees white


Boooo!


Yes, men swear, but so do women too!


This was a demonstration that blocked the road. I was so mad. Our taxi couldn't get to the hotel. I was carrying a backpack with 20 liters of water (that's about 50 lbs) plus other bags of groceries and had to walk about a mile to our hotel. Another cultural experience.


Shanty on the side of the bike course


Stephan contemplates how to handle the water buffalos on the bike. Hmm, what to do, what to do....


Yes, I think I'll get out of the way.





Stephan drafting off of basket lady on the bike. That's a 4 min penalty buddy.