Margaret and Omar - another year older, another year wiser

It's been 1 week since I turned 36. On my birthday I thought about Bob, whose memorial service I attended the day before. Whenever somebody had a birthday, Bob would ask them, "Are you having more mature thoughts?" Well, indeed I was having more mature thoughts, but only for one day. Now I'm back to wondering, "How did this happen? When did I become 'mid-thirtysomething?'...yuck!"

My birthday was great. It was preceded on Friday with a delicious Italian dinner out with Wenmei. For my birthday on Sunday, my parents came into town. If you know me, you know that I'm a Zagat's Guide junkie. I love to try new restaurants and my birthday is typically a time when I like to try something extra special. In choosing a restaurant this year, I broke from tradition and chose a culinary experience that was hokey instead of elegant. I think because I was emotionally drained from Bob's memorial service and tired from work and packing (did I mention that I moved to a new house?), this year I just wanted to relax and have some fun. So, I went with Keith, mom and dad to the Crab Cracker. There's nothing that equals this quintessential Seattle experience of puttin' on a bib and smashing crab legs with a wooden mallet! On that day, happiness came with a sheet of butcher block paper that the waitress laid on our table, followed by pots of steamed clams, muscles, shrimp, corn, potatoes those yummy crab legs. With a couple of cold beers to wash it all down, it was the perfect way to spend the day.

Two days later, Omar celebrated his birthday. He's not quite as "mature" as I am, but next year we'll welcome him into the "Over 30 Club". I'm sure Omar is very excited to learn the secret handshake!

Essential China

It's been more than a week since my return home from China and I thought it was time I share a few of my thoughts. I'm still feeling the effects of jet-lag , but I've had some time to sort through my photos. I'm also a sucker for the Olympics and the TV coverage has provided plenty of opportunity to reminisce (Oh look, Bird's Nest Stadium...I was there! And the Temple of Heaven...I was there, too!).

China in July is, in a word, HOT. In two words, hot and humid. The conditions were punishing and they took they took a toll on my group with a few fellow travelers succumbing to heat exhaustion. Despite the heat and humidity we toured hard through many of the most well-known sights of mainland China and Hong Kong. China is a country of contrasts, modern marvels and ancient technologies; evidence of life unchanged in centuries next to some of the most advanced engineering on the planet.

China is also big. With a population of more than 1.3 Billion people, China has 100 cities with populations over 1 million that you and I have never heard of. It's also a vast country (4th largest in the world). Surprisingly, China has very little countryside in comparrison to North America, at least in the eastern third of the country where most of China's people reside. Every bit of land is used with rice paddies or crops growing in every nook and cranny.

I could go on with my impressions of China, but further topics such as state-run media, westernization in a communist country, overnight trains and squat toilets, deserve their own post. As a simple tourist, I was in China to experience the history, culture, sights, sounds and tastes of China. Here's my top 10 experiences in China:

10. Traveling 431 km/hour on the maglev train in Shanghai

9. Food, glorious food! Sichuan, Cantonese, hot pot, dim sum, Peking duck

8. The giant Leshan Buddha (pictured)

7. Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square

6. Shopping in Yangshou

5. Terra Cotta Warriors

4. Hiking on The Great Wall (pictured)

3. Drinks at the Hyatt Hotel on the 87th floor of the Jinmao Tower in Shanghai

2. Victoria Peak in Hong Kong (pictured)

1. Bike riding through the countryside along the Li River and views of the karst mountains from the top of Moon Hill (pictured)

Ni hao!

After 21 glorious days in China, I have returned home. We traveled far and saw lots (and almost melted in the heat). I promise to write more and add some photos in the upcoming days when I'm not so jet-lagged.

Here's a brief itinerary:
Beijing
Shanghai
Xian
Chengdu
Cruise on the Yangtze
Three gorges dam
Yangshou and the Li River
Hong Kong

Overall, a spectacular (if tiring) tour!

And thanks to the Blue Angles for the wonderful "welcome-home" air show right above our house upon our return. What a show!!!