Dec 26, 2006

Shengdan Kuaile

Xinnian Kuaile


It's that time of the year again. Time to bring our family and friends up to date on our travels. And how we have traveled!

After Dad had died, Eva expressed a wish to see China where we had lived. I checked on the internet for tours of China. Finally we found one that allowed us to add cities not on the normal itinerary. We added Qingdao where I had my eleventh birthday.

So, on to China we went. Beijing (the capital city), Xian (the city of the terra cotta warriors), Guilin (down the Li River), Shanghai, and Qingdao. Beijing is everything that is said about it. Preparing for the Olympics, there was new building and repainting going on everywhere. Xian is not to be missed. The Li River is the free mountains of Chinese art, not some myths painted by artists high on something. Shanghai is huge, not to be seen in two days, like we tried.

Qingdao is as I remembered it. Many beautiful houses and buildings. We found the house that we had lived in. The Grandson of the original owner was still living in an apartment in it. With the help of our tour guide and we had a long conversation. More at the end.

We have top of the line rooms everywhere and good food, sometimes too much of it.

Next I went to Illinois to straighten up my Grandfather's farm and to see a grand niece get married. Had a good time!

Then in the fall, we went to Germany for a month. We rented an apartment in Eva's hometown. We used this to as a base to travel around Germany and surrounding countries. I have still not processed all the pictures. It is a good thing I went to digital camera!

Now we are resting up and waiting for the next trip.

Our new Chinese friends the grandson and his wife, Li Chuangang and Sun Qing, want to visit us next March. Because they do not speak English, we have been busy learning Chinese. Two classes down already and maybe enough time for one more. My brain is getting too old.

The Chinese spelling above is Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. From us to all of you!!!

Charles and Eva