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July 22, 2012

Back in the USA!

26 Comments/ 2850/ 0

If you have seen my blog for the past almost 3 weeks you have noticed that I have been on vacation.  Yep—it was the vacation to beat all vacations.  An anniversary trip of grand proportions thanks to my wonderful and fabulous husband.   I had scheduled posts up through this week in anticipation of not being able to post while we were gone and I am glad that I did.  I will start posting some snappies and thoughts about our latest trip later on this week after all my scheduled posts have been done—that will give you something to look forward to!  🙂

Tea at the Fairmont Empress….lovely!

A few thoughts before I check out for the day—-which is pretty easy since I am severely jetlagged and feel like a baby who has her days and nights mixed up.

  1. I am glad to live in a country where I can access whatever I want to access on the web.  China blocks many things including most blogs (which explains why I was pretty quiet on comments both on my blog and yours the past week) and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

  2. Ours is a wonderful country —and our neighbors to the north in Canada are pretty darn wonderful too.

This is what greeted us as we took the boat into Victoria!!!!

  1. I am happy to have lived through several harrowing taxi rides in Shanghai—-nothing like dodging in and out of traffic including bikes, motorcycles, scooters, vendors with carts of food and bbq’s and pedestrians with wildly honking horns  from all around where there are obviously no rules .  Anything goes. 

  2.  It is great to have a very responsible teenager and her mom tend to the furbabies and the house while we are gone–makes for a great homecoming.

  3. People who travel have interesting stories and are willing to share freely with others which is a fabulous thing around a breakfast table at Bed and Breakfasts. There are also some really great folks who run B & B’s and they make those visits perfect–more on some of those memorable places later! 

  4. Bears are alive and well and living in neighborhoods in Squamish, British Columbia —-I saw this with my very own eyes! 

  5. Chinese babies are the cutest things ever—-if I could have I would have brought one home with me.

  6. There are no vampires or werewolves in Forks, Washington.  We ate lunch there and honestly folks—I don’t know what the big to do is all about.  

  7. Our trip included travel by car, plane, sea plane, train, subway, multiple taxis ,ferries,  horse and carriage, and by foot.  It was pretty amazing.

  8.  It is always good to come home to our own bed, our own house, our furbabies and yes….even to the mounds of laundry and cleaning that must be done.  There is no place like home.

  9.  And without a doubt–the universal language is TEA!!!!  

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anniversary anniversary trip Canada China Fairmont Empress grand proportions photography snappies taxi rides tea transportation travel USA vacation
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26 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Feeling Beachie - Hilary
    July 22, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    Welcome home!
    Sounds like you had an amazing trip!!! I am so happy for you. I bet Buddy & Holly went crazy when they finally saw you.. Please give them an extra big kiss from me…

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 12:58 pm

      Thanks, Hilary. You and Marc have been on my mind all week. Sending hugs.

      Reply
  2. Helen Brown
    July 22, 2012 at 01:44 pm

    I really enjoyed seeing the pictures and the stories of where you went and what you did. I know it was a wonderful trip for the two of you. Now you have to settle down in Iowa for a while. Can’t wait to hear more about your vacation.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 02:18 pm

      Back in Iowa for a week……:-)

      Reply
  3. poemsandponderings
    July 22, 2012 at 01:47 pm

    Welcome Back…Glad you had a great time and you are back home safely.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 03:35 pm

      Thanks, Jake! It is good to be home!!!

      Reply
  4. Virginia
    July 22, 2012 at 01:50 pm

    What a great trip – Happy Anniversary to two of my favorite people!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 02:19 pm

      Thanks, Virginia!!! We had such a great time!!!

      Reply
  5. pattisj
    July 22, 2012 at 02:29 pm

    Back for a week? That’s just enough time to catch up the laundry, and maybe the jetlag! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 03:36 pm

      Yep—that is what I am thinking!! And it is a full week, too, so I had better get off the computer and get to it!

      Reply
  6. CMSmith
    July 22, 2012 at 02:53 pm

    Oh my. What a fantastic adventure. I didn’t realize you went to China; must have missed that in the translation somewhere. Can’t wait to see more about your trip. Welcome home.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 03:37 pm

      That’s okay, Christine—it was one of those whirlwind trips and included A LOT! More posts coming later this week …hopefully…..:-) And I loved your buck and two fawns post—I didn’t comment because it wouldn’t let me but I did manage to see it . Lovely story!

      Reply
  7. Amy Prentice
    July 22, 2012 at 07:23 pm

    Welcome back Beth Ann and Chris! So glad you enjoyed your three week trip and a very Happy Anniversary to both of you. I love traveling but to be honest…when I have been overseas and come back to USA customs….I could have kissed the ground. We do not know how lucky we have it over here!!! I think everyone needs a taste of reality and take an overseas trip…..made me appreciate home and the good ol USA!!!! Love ya!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 10:36 pm

      Boy that is the truth!!! We really do have a good life here and it is always reinforced when i travel!

      Reply
  8. simplysandwich
    July 22, 2012 at 08:58 pm

    So glad you are home and had a wonderful trip! (I have been pretty quiet on blogs too because somehow Askimet blocked me from commenting on my faves! Now I am back! )

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 10:36 pm

      Glad you are back!!! Love reading your blog even if I don’t always comment!!!

      Reply
  9. RoryBore
    July 22, 2012 at 09:05 pm

    Welcome home! sounds like a fabulous trip….so wish we could have a spot of tea and you could tell me all about it! Bears…..yep. know all about it even though I live in Ontario. we had one visit our campfire one night.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 10:37 pm

      I would love to have tea with you!!! Lifting a cup of virtual tea to you my friend!

      Reply
  10. Kathryn McCullough
    July 22, 2012 at 09:20 pm

    Glad to hear you’ve made it home safely. Can’t wait to see more amazing photos, my friend. Missed you!
    Hugs,
    Kathy

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 22, 2012 at 10:38 pm

      Thanks, Kathy. Hope to catch up on my blogs tomorrow—-I could not pull any up in China and I could read some of them in email form but not the pics so I need to check out your stairs!!!!Bet they are awesome!

      Reply
  11. bocafrau
    July 23, 2012 at 12:02 am

    Wonderful pictures. I especially love the one of the bear. And thanks for that Twilight shot… it made my day!!! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 23, 2012 at 08:17 am

      I took that one just for you, Susi!!! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    July 23, 2012 at 09:26 am

    Welcome home! My niece spent some time in China recently, too. While she enjoyed the trip, she was also quite happy to return to the U.S. Give you a new appreciation for all we have as Americans living in a free country, doesn’t it?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 23, 2012 at 01:02 pm

      It definitely does give me a new appreciation. I think the thing that hit me most was how much we stood out–especially my husband—and how we felt being the minority and being stared at…..makes me think about how I react in the opposite situation.

      Reply
  13. Brenda
    July 24, 2012 at 02:16 pm

    welcome back…. sounds like we both had a fun filled three week adventure….

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      July 24, 2012 at 02:21 pm

      Yea, well YOURS sounded way more exciting!!! 🙂 Babies are the best!!!

      Reply

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