Tomorrow my mother is coming to stay with us for an entire month! Although seeing her newest grandbaby is a big attraction, she is quite an amazing woman to travel halfway across the world twice in one year.
Back in September my mom, Judy, flew home with Jameson and I to spend three weeks with us in Shanghai. During my mom’s visit, her youngest sister, Margaret and Margaret's daughter Vonnie joined us for two weeks. It had been a while since I last saw Margaret and Vonnie, but because I lived with Vonnie for one summer and worked at their resort in Roslyn, Washington, it was just like old times… sort of…. Instead of sheep crossing the roads, there were camels!
There was no way I would allow my family to fly all the way to China and not see Beijing. So, we spent a weekend seeing the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen’s Square, and (my favorite) The Summer Palace.
I visited Beijing with the Oregon State University Chamber Choir in March of 1997, so I had already seen many of the sites, but it was wonderful to share Beijing with my guests. All of my photos are packed away in my garage, so when we move home I’ll have to scan them and post photos of my previous trip.
Jameson fell asleep at the Summer Palace,
so we decided to play dress up
When I visited the Summer Palace 14 years ago,
the Marble Boat was still open
Since the Marble boat is now closed, we settled for a ride on the Dragon boat
Jameson still talks about the Dragon boat
and having a massive blowout on the boat didn't seem to phase him!
The forbidden City has not been forbidden since the
"Reform and Opening" three decades ago
Ironically, "Tiananmen" means
"The gate of heavenly peace" 天安門
Vonnie and I were proud of our moms for climbing the Ancient Great Wall of China
But, is the wall as old as "Ancient Aunt Judy"?
Vonnie (or as Jameson calls her "Funny")
Had to buy a Great Wall Diet Coke
My little Emperor needed to be carried up the Great Wall!
Mmmmmm...
I’m afraid Margaret thought the Peking Duck was Peking Yuck…
Back in September my mom, Judy, flew home with Jameson and I to spend three weeks with us in Shanghai. During my mom’s visit, her youngest sister, Margaret and Margaret's daughter Vonnie joined us for two weeks. It had been a while since I last saw Margaret and Vonnie, but because I lived with Vonnie for one summer and worked at their resort in Roslyn, Washington, it was just like old times… sort of…. Instead of sheep crossing the roads, there were camels!
There was no way I would allow my family to fly all the way to China and not see Beijing. So, we spent a weekend seeing the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen’s Square, and (my favorite) The Summer Palace.
I visited Beijing with the Oregon State University Chamber Choir in March of 1997, so I had already seen many of the sites, but it was wonderful to share Beijing with my guests. All of my photos are packed away in my garage, so when we move home I’ll have to scan them and post photos of my previous trip.
Jameson fell asleep at the Summer Palace,
so we decided to play dress up
When I visited the Summer Palace 14 years ago,
the Marble Boat was still open
Since the Marble boat is now closed, we settled for a ride on the Dragon boat
Jameson still talks about the Dragon boat
and having a massive blowout on the boat didn't seem to phase him!
The forbidden City has not been forbidden since the
"Reform and Opening" three decades ago
Ironically, "Tiananmen" means
"The gate of heavenly peace" 天安門
Vonnie and I were proud of our moms for climbing the Ancient Great Wall of China
But, is the wall as old as "Ancient Aunt Judy"?
Vonnie (or as Jameson calls her "Funny")
Had to buy a Great Wall Diet Coke
My little Emperor needed to be carried up the Great Wall!
Mmmmmm...
I’m afraid Margaret thought the Peking Duck was Peking Yuck…
Although most people don’t dream of visiting China and being here does not always feel like a vacation, I know that my mother, Margaret and Vonnie made some fabulous memories here. I never dreamed that I would move here let alone deliver my second child here, but in just a week from tomorrow (if not sooner) Giselle will be here! Stay tuned for lots of photos of our little empress!