First visit to China, Shanghai

Missed CSH meeting this year (first time since 1989) to go to Shanghai China and participate in a course on Vaccines and Tuberculosis sponsored by Pasteur Institute Shanghai.  First visit to China!  Very interesting!  Very modern city.  We took a boat ride on the river at night, where you can see the modern buildings.  These buildings also double as giants TV screens for advertising.

On my first day I went to the outskirts of Shanghai to visit Fudan University.  Very modern and well equipt labs!  They took me out for a wonderful dinner.  For the most part, Chinese food in China is similar to that in the US.  One big difference was the great variety of green vegetables.  The beer was also quite tasty!

My good friend Ron Veazy was also lecturing in the course.  We went together on a tour to Shoshu where we visited a wonderful garden.

We had a great lunch on Golden Rooster bay.  Afterwards we walked around part of the bay where there were a bunch of decorated boats which tour the bay at night.  Very colorful and unique.

We finished the day with a visit to the ancient town of Luzhi.  One of a number of areas which have many canals and is known as the Venice of the East.  The gondola ride was very unique and fun.

The reflection of this bridge in the canal forms an interesting circle.

We were parched after our tour and it was recommended that we have a Taiwan Ice.  Sounded refreshing.  Wasn't quite what we expected.  Shaved ice covered with a variety of sweet beans and other stuff.  But after it was mixed up it was actually very good.

We went to the acrobatic circus.  No photography allowed.  This is the curtain call.

Lots of interesting things at the markets. Here is a lovely assortment of chicken and duck feet, necks, duck tongues,  and other delicacies.

This was a water lilly at a garden in Zhujiajiao.  I really like this image!

We took a gondola ride in Zhujiajiao.  Its much bigger town than Luzhi.  The canals were much wider.

We visited a silk factory.  These are silkworms.  It was very interesting to see how they go from cocoons to cloth.

My nickname in Shanghai or a bar/restaurant?

Went to the Shanghai Museum.  Some of the relics on display were up to 8000 years old.  People have been in China for a long time.

This is graduate student Weiming.  He was my guide for Shanghai Museum.  It was a first virus for both of us.  We had a great visit.

Back in Bangkok

 It was finally time to set up the Hope Lab annex in Bangkok.  The microscope is looking good!

 Here is Wiriya, Somsak, and Casey with the scope.  Wiriya and Somsak will be doing the microscopy experiments at the Thai Red Cross in Bangkok.

 After work on the first day we took the Skytrain and water taxi to Wat Pho Buddist Temple

 Wat Arun, which is located across the river from Wat Pho.

 The famous reclining Buddah at Wat Pho.

 This was a beautiful shrine of Buddah at Wat Pho

 There were many statues and Chedis at Wat Pho.

 Storm over bangkok

 After my talk at AFRIMS about or vaccine research, we went out to dinner at Cabbages and Condoms.

 The food was amazing!  This was lunch at a small place near the Thai Red Cross.

 Here is the research team outside of the Thai Red Cross.

When we went out to dinner we stumbled upon Thai Boxing outside of the M.B.K. mall.  They were really punching and kicking each other.  Interesting to watch in the street.  It was a short, very productive trip.  So excited to get the vaccine research in Bangkok up and running.

My favorite thing about Narita Airport is the way you can get a beer.  Just take a frosty glass out of the refrigerator, put it in the slot, push the button, and be amazed.

Rancho Sante Fe Golf

It was the annual meeting of the Case Western Microbicide team.  As we have the past couple years we arrived early and got in a round of golf on my old favorite, the Rancho Sante Fe Executive course.  After a rather horrible start I had my best golf in a decade on the back nine.  It was a beautiful day and a bunch of fun.