Another Great Sign

 This was on the bar at the restaurant where we ate dinner our last night in Shanghai. It's pretty self-explanatory. 

Traffic Alerts In Shanghai

  The green and red diagram in the middle of the picture is the traffic alert system in Shanghai for major roadways. Green means traffic is moving along smoothly. Red means there is congestion. Pretty neat system. Shanghai is considered to be more modern than Beijing. The picture was taken from our bus. 

Nixon In China...They Still Like Him

 Some of you may remember the famous Nixon pose with his arms outstretched and his fingers on both hands forming the "V" for victory symbol. One day in Beijing some students noticed that we were Americans and they raised their hands just like Nixon and gave us the victory symbol. We were stunned. Our guide explained that people in China really like Nixon, because he opened up relations with China which started them on the road to where they are today. We were also told that they don't like George W. So it's can't be a Republican thing. I guess George hasn't done anything for them lately. Just a guess. 

A Rainbow Of Colors For Silk Thread

  Silk thread of all colors was displayed on the shelves in the work area at the carpet factory. I just liked the look of them. 

One Of The Rugs We Bought

  Those are my feet to the right in the picture. Shortly after they rolled the rug up for our purchase, I spilled part of a can of beer on the floor. Luckily I didn't hit any rugs. One of the sales staff had been sent out to get the beer because they were told that our bus really like beer. They wanted us to be happy while we shopped. I was. The bright white area on the bottom left side of the rug is the flash bouncing off the nap of the rug. 

Cleaning The River In Shanghai

 We rarely saw litter along any roadways whether we were in the cities or countryside. It's one way to employ lots of people. Give them a broom and let them sweep. In this photo the men on the boat are cleaning up the debris floating in the river in downtown Shanghai. 

Laboring Hard in China To Make Beautiful Things

  There were times during our trip that I was very uncomfortable watching the Chinese workers do their jobs. For example, the young woman at the bottom of this photo is weaving a silk rug in a government-owned factory in Shanghai. She works just outside the showroom where rugs are for sale. Judging by the number of rugs for sale, there are other factories elsewhere in the country in which young women just like this one work under similar or perhaps worse conditions. She is following the rug pattern just above where she is working. The numbers on the pattern denote the color of silk thread. The factory uses vegetable dyes so the rugs will last longer. This young woman will tie 625 knots per square inch on every inch of this carpet. The carpet is 4'x6'. It will take her 20 months to finish. The lighting was not good nor did she have a good place to sit. I saw the same thing in the silk factory earlier in the trip. I'll talk about that with those photos. We did buy two silk rugs for a total of $3,200. The young women who make these beautiful things probably don't get any part of that price. I do love the rugs which arrived today. 

Traffic and Cell Phones in Beijing

 This is one of my favorite traffic photos. Notice the guy on the left talking on his cell phone as well as the guy peddling the cart that is loaded down with cardboard for recycling. Imagine traffic where bike, car, truck and cart driver are on their cell phones. It gets pretty crazy. 

Freshwater Pearls

  You may have to click on the picture to make it large enough to see the pink pearls. The Chinese grow freshwater pearls in large oysters that are not edible. The oysters are opened, tiny bits of membrane from another oyster are placed around the inside of the shell and then the shells are tied closed and put back in freshwater. The longer the oyster is in the water the better and bigger the pearls. They get white, black and pink pearls this way. Once we saw the demonstration we were led into a large salesroom filled with all kinds of pearls. Just another opportunity to buy, buy, buy. We had to buy an extra suitcase to get all our stuff home. It was very cheap and broke as soon as we got to our house. 

Dogs in China

 I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this Golden Retriever in a Beijing alley. It was near where we had dinner with the family. He was a big golden and very well taken care of. You could tell he is groomed and brushed on a regular basis. Most of the dogs we saw were mutts, pekingese, or llasa apso. We did see one German Shepherd. Cats were few and far between. They probably do a better job of hiding. Yes, the Golden only understood Chinese. 

The Rolex Salesman

 We were surrounded by peddlers every time we got off the bus. Rolex and Mao watch peddlers abounded. Other items being sold included: paper parasols, postcards, chopsticks, purses of all styles and designers, silk scarves, maps of China (actually quite useful because it was in English). Everything was "besta quality". You always bargain. All transactions are in American dollars. That's what these folks want. I'm sure they report to some cigarette-smoking big boss who takes a healthy cut of what they make. The bargaining was lots of fun. Even when you walked away without buying, the peddler would chase after you offering a better price or more merchandise for the original price. The man on the right is Tom, our bus driver in Beijing. Even Tom bought a faux Rolex. He also kept us supplied in bottled water and TsingTao. The price was two for a dollar. That means two beers or two waters for $1. A lot of beer was consumed on our bus. Tom always had a case open for us. The bus driver in Shanghai, Mr. Whang, didn't quite get it. He bought a six-pack and charged $1 per beer. He bought Sapporo, which wasn't too bad. Naturally Tom got a bigger trip when we left him at the Beijing airport to fly to Shanghai. 

The Great Wall and a Touristy Photo

 I think this is the only picture of us standing in front of something famous and touristy. The Great Wall, however, is amazing. It's 4,000 miles long and was built more than 2,000 years ago by the first emperor of China, Chin. Once he had unified China's provinces into one country, he wanted to keep the Mongolian hordes out it. He thought the wall would do it. Supposedly you can see the Great Wall from the moon. At least that's what the astronauts reported. Much of the wall is crumbling, but this portion outside of Beijing has been rebuilt for the tourists. 

Starbucks In The Forbidden City

 Yes, the Chinese government allowed Starbucks to open a tiny store in the Forbidden City. There are 49 Starbucks in Beijing and 57 in Shanghai. A Starbucks was the first thing we saw when we came through immigration at Beijing Airport. KFC was right next door to it. For a minute I thought we hadn't left San Francisco yet. 

Chinese Signs...Pleasing To The Eye

My Favorite Terra Cotta Warrior Is On the Right

  The terra cotta warrior shown here is a replica of those found in western China. There were several at the Great Wall. I still like my warrior best. 

Uniforms For Workers In China

 This beautiful young woman was a hostess at our first dinner in Beijing on Friday night. What became clear to me after many more days is that everyone has a uniform. Even if you are sweeping the streets, you wear a uniform that includes a face mask to protect you from dust and dirt. Some are very elaborate such as this restaurant hostess and some are very plain. Whether we were in a jade, pearl or carpet factory, everyone had a uniform of some sort. The hotels were the same. It works for the Chinese. 

Transportation In China

 This is a pretty typical picture of the roads of China. There are cars, including BMW, Audi, Cadillac, Lexus, Toyota and Buick. Bicycle carts like this one and walking are still a major part of getting from one place to another. Traffic is crazy. Why more people aren't killed every day is a miracle. Sometimes there are more bikes (both motorized and pedal) on the street than cars. Riders seem to have no fear. They charged into the oncoming path of our huge bus all the time. We only saw two accidents the entire trip. Pretty amazing for all the time we spent on the road. 

Lunch With A Chinese Family In Beijing

 We traveled by rickshaw to a special section of Beijing where we had lunch with a Chinese family. The woman in the center of the photo is the mother. Her daughter is to the right. They were very proud of the fact that they have their own kitchen and bathroom. They made special dishes for me that didn't contain MSG. The food was delicious. The Chinese government chose them to host lunches for tourists. This is considered a great honor plus they make money from it. The husband is an artist. He produces delicate paintings on three sided bottles and sells them to lunch visitors. Here's a picture of the bottle Kerry bought. The bottle is three-sided. The painting is only on the circular core, but appears to be on all sides. It's really amazing. I don't know how he does it. 

 The guides are what make or break the tour. Here is Ann (they all take western names) at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on the first day of sightseeing. She was the best guide we had the entire trip. She carried the little green umbrella so we could find her. Her husband is a cardiologist in the military. She has been a guide for many years. Talked alot about the cultural revolution when the country's leadership urged people to destroy Chinese relics so the history would be destroyed as well. Schools were closed too. This meant that Ann didn't get a good education when she was younger so had to start at the university later. Great lady. I have her e-mail so we can keep in touch. She got a very large tip from our group, Bus RC-4. We were also known as the rowdy group because we drank more TsingTao beer than any other group on the tour. When you can't drink the water and the wine is awful (it's called Great Wall red wine) what else can one do. 

We Are Back From China; What A Great Trip

 
This little boy represents a very big social policy. Couples in the city are only permitted one child. If you live in rural China you can have two. Consequently you see few children in the parks. It's sad to be in a park and not hear the ring of children's laughter, but at the same time the children who are there are loved by the entire family. Our guide said they would be a spoiled generation. She has a 17 year old son who went to Australia for high school. Then he hopes to emigrate to the U.S. The restriction on children was necessary to to help grow the economy. The price for having one too many children...you lose your job. Pretty drastic in a country where many of the residents work for the government. Much more to come. The 16 hour time difference has gotten to me. Off to bed. 

We Are Off To China

Well, it's finally here. Tomorrow morning we leave for San Francisco Airport at 7 a.m. At 2 p.m. we will board China Air for Beijing. We leave at 2 p.m. on Thursday and arrive in Beijing on Friday at 5:30 p.m. The flight is only 12 hours. This is one of those mathematical things that I don't get. It's a mystery compounded by the International Date Line. I did get a new battery for my watch so I could keep track of time. On the day we return, we leave Beijing at 3 p.m. on Friday and arrive in San Francisco the same day at 10 a.m. This is the one time I can call myself a time traveler. Only I'm going backward not forward. I bought a small notebook to make notes and Kerry and I will take lots of pictures. So we are off on a grand adventure. See you soon.

My Grandmother's Garden

I was named for my grandmother, Kathleen. She was a wonderful woman who believed that meat was bad for you and that chocolate covered cherries were an important source of nutrients. She lived to be nearly 90 and it was osteoporosis that killed her, not bad cholesterol. She fell, cracked a vertebrae, got pneumonia and died. I loved her dearly and to this day I miss her.

When I sat on her lap, which was not large due to her girth, you could rest your head on her boobs and feel truly blessed by the comfort of them. She bore five children, only two lived to maturity. Some died at childbirth and one died in World War II. They called her Kit. She giggled when she had a bit of whiskey. And she went to confession every week just as a good Irish Catholic woman should.

She had a green thumb unrivaled by anyone in the family. There were four things I remember about her garden. One, the apple tree which provided fruit for her apple sauce and apple butter. The secret to her recipe was lots of sugar and cinnamon. Sugar could cure just about anything. Second were her lilac bushes. They covered two sides of the yard with their beautiful colors and fragrance. Third, lilly of the valley. They are tiny little white bells suspended from green stems that are so fragrant. And then there were the peonies. They are lush, colorful blooms that last for a long time. I can remember the exact spot that each of these filled in her garden. Although the peonies were in the front yard.

I planted two lilac bushes when we first moved to Lincoln. I killed one with the heat and barely save the other one. Peonies are out of the question here because it's just too hot in the summer. We've planted two apple trees so I can make my own apple sauce and butter.

But the most important find at my favorite nursery is Lilly of the Valley. I've never seen them before. They need shade to partial shade. I have just the spot so bought some. I planted 20 of them and hope they will spread. Even though my sense of smell is limited, I think I'll be able to smell these. Even if I can't I will have fulfilled a dream of re-creating part of Grandma Kit's garden. The photo is of the Lilly of the Valley.

Memories are so important.

Planning for China

Not too much going on these days. We've had lots of rain and then lots of sun. Kerry is busy doing his homework for his drawing and watercolor classes. While he's doing that I've been making lists of things we need to take to China. Everything on the list so far is drug related. The list starts out with "tylenol, pain patches and Immodium A-D". I have no idea if we will need these things but we will have them. Oh, and toilet paper. Apparently some bathrooms don't have it. It's hard for me to imagine what it will be like there. I've seen pictures, watched movies and listened to the news but I don't think any of that will prepare me for the real thing. People who have been there say the shopping is terrific. You always bargain. One fellow I talked to said he and his wife bought fake Rolex watches for $2.50/watch. The starting price was $20.
I'm bringing along my binoculars and a book on Birds of China. It would be great to add to my life list. Well, I'm off to shop for a new backpack and some more black stretch jeans. Gotta love the stretchiness.

I Feel Funny With This Thing Around My Neck

 
The dog is Katie, a border collie of exceptional talent; I don't know the young woman's name. Katie belongs to my friend Doug. I think Doug wishes he knew that young woman much, much better. Katie and the hairdresser got along very well. Katie stayed with us last fall while Doug went to Burning Man in Nevada. I love pictures of Katie so Doug always sends me lots. I just wanted to share. 

Super Bowl and Chocolate Martinis

This was our third Super Bowl party in Lincoln. That makes it a tradition. Kerry makes his special (the secret ingrediant is ketchup) chili and rice. I made cornbread. It's great on top of the chili plus we had lots of assorted foods. But the highlight is always the chocolate martinis. Usually our friend Einar brings them. This weekend, however, he had to go to Chico to have a "come to Jesus" meeting with his college-age son. So I was on my own. 5 cups of vodka, 6 cups of chocolate liquer, Hersheys chocolate syrup and some kahlua to make up for the lack of chocolate liquer. I made it at 9 a.m. It's really gross to measure out that much liquor that early in the day. I was still working on my coffee and banana.

So here are the photos. The group of three (Kerry, Katie and Mary) are artists who are showing with Kerry in a gallery at the college. The rest are friends and the food table. We have Tivo so I'm going to go back and watch the commercials. We did watch half time. I want biceps like Mick Jagger. The kids screaming in the pit could be his grandchildren. I hope I'm that fit at 65. I'll need another knew to be like that. Now Keith Richard is another thing. He looks like he died a while ago and was brought back for the Super Bowl. Who would have thought that the Rolling Stones would ever appear at a Super Bowl and in Detroit no less. Anyway, here are the photos.

On Golden Pond...Sorta

 
Here's Kerry out in his boat on the upper pond. He's fixing the pump that brings pond water to our irrigation system. It stopped working when a snail crawled into the orifice. Took us quite a while to figure this out. We tried all the high tech stuff first. When in doubt look for critters to plug up things.

It's nearly sunset. The green stuff on the top of the pond is parrot feather. Don't ever dump your aquarium into a moving stream. Parrot feather is that stuff that makes your aquarium look great, but it's almost impossible to get rid of once it's in a stream or pond. The upper pond gets most of it. The lower pond just gets cattails. Nice to look at, but they are pond killers. They can literally take over a pond and wipe it out. That's your pond lesson for the weekend. Tomorrow we have a Super Bowl Party. I'm making chocolate martinis. Yum. 

Outside My Office Window

 
This is a Gerbera Daisy. It's what I see when I look out my office window. They are hardy creatures that bloom all year. My bulbs are poking their heads out and the trees have fat little buds on them. Spring is not far away.