Global Adventures

Welcome! (The Journey Begins!)

2019-08-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Notice: This is just an intro. Please scroll down for my latest blogs or visit the archives to the right. Thanks for visiting!!!

INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to my Blog! I hope you enjoy the pictures and that through this site you regularly think of all the people and places you see. Feel free to visit the different archives set up to the right. Many of these posts are designed to create virtual walks through the city as you think about what is going on. Some basic introductory walks can be found in the August '07 archive, for example and include "City Tours 1, 2, and 3", "The Apricot Farm Adventure I and II", "Kids of the City I and II", "Traffic Adventures", and more. These are great starting places, but most posts should offer ways to remember the city. Thank you for continually thinking of me, too. I hope my Father blesses you and that your visit here may be an uplifting respite as you traverse Life's Exciting Journey!

Here we go!...

(Cleared for takeoff...Carb. heat off, trim neutral, mixture rich, flaps up, radios and GPS/VORs set, all gages goooooood.......FULL THROTTLE!!!!)

I arrived overseas July 7, 30 hours after I said "bye" to my parents. These pictures were taken at the capital of my country overseas.

Note: Some posts have big black boxes in them. These are videos and you can click the play arrow at the bottom right to watch them. You can also enlarge most pictures by clicking on them.

Capital City 2, At the Wall

2008-08-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

I realized that I don't have any pictures in my camera of my parents from when they came in May. We did use their cameras more but I still feel bad that there are two pictures of me here but none of them. We had a blast, though, and after a couple days in the capital we went to my city for more adventures seeing new places, meeting friends, and trying new food. It was fun!

Capital City 1

2008-08-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

My parents came to visit in late May and we had some fun adventures. The first pictures listed here are at T. Square, in front of the Forbidden city (entrance seen in the first picture). I apologise for the blurry pictures. I was trying to take pictures over people's heads to get some images of the guards lowering the National Flag that evening. The last pictures are of the Summer palace. I also didn't get very many pictures there because it was so hot and crowded that day. These are good for pr. reminders, though, as we consider this country's past and present.

Summer Palace

A few more scenes from campus

2008-07-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

A few more campus pictures here (with the beautiful mountains nearby) plus pictures of some groups that won prizes in the school dance competition. Some
very cool costumes.

My first real winter

2008-07-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

In addition to this being my first full winter, locally it was one of the coldest winters they have had in a while, but I unually enjoyed it, besides the fact that 2 out of the school's 3 furnaces broke midwinter leaving my apartment colder than it should have been. Overall a great adventure, though, and you'll see pictures around campus, Christmas trees and a snowman at different restaurants, a music staff drawn into the snow, and some pictures of the Olympic areas under construction when I passed through last January.

The characters to the right are the Olympic mascots, and are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. If you take the first part of each name it says, "Beijing huanying Ni" (Beijing Welcomes You).

School Days 1

2008-04-13T05:23:00.001-07:00

These pictures show various clubs, classes, and sights from campus life. They were taken last fall. Please remember the students, teachers, administrators, and workers on campus, as well as all the people who will be influenced by them.

Roller-blade club.

Sword dance PE class and guys' high jump class.

School Club Open House

Students in one of my classes (in an older building). A couple classes clapped for me the first day I walked in (which happens sometimes for foreign teachers) and some of the students occasionally took a picture of me as I taught. They've gotten more used to me now I think. : )

School Days 2

2008-03-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

The first 3 videos were taken from my place and are of the Roller-blade club. A couple of my friends started the club, and one of them is seen showing off in the first 2 videos (I think that he is just about to fall when the second video ends). The last 3 are of some P.E. classes where they are doing a traditional sword "dance".

Happy Halloween

2007-10-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week I will talk to my classes about Halloween (or Fall Festival) traditions like trick-or-treating, etc. and Holidays in general. Kids don't usually go trick-or-treating here so I don't have any cool pictures to show you, but I hope this Calvin and Hobbes strip causes you to laugh as much as I have reading it through the years.

Hong Kong Trip

2007-09-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Picture below, left is looking out the window from TGI Friday's at a double decker bus and red taxi. Although the subways were very nice and usually not this crowded, the picture to the right, below, was taken during the after work rush hour.

The next 2 pictures were also taken from inside TGI Friday's. The guy on the billboard (orange shirt) is Jackie Chan, doing flips like usual (he's promoting a workout). His pictures are everywhere since he does so many movies there.

I tried to get some pictures from different angles and using different settings. These are all from Victoria's Peak, overlooking the Bay.

The trolley that takes you up to the peak is in the picture to the right.

Video below, building changing colors. Sorry it's not longer.

Night of the Burning Money

2007-09-29T04:48:00.000-07:00

On the night of August 27th a friend called and told me about all the people burning money on the streets. It is a tradition they do to honor their ancestors. I have to admit, my first thought was, "Well, if they are going to burn it anyway, maybe I can go scoop up some that blows away!" But then I was told that they usually buy fake money for this. So they still lose money, hoping that it will give them good luck in some way, although it is a vain attempt to grasp something that they really do not even understand. Please remember them, as we hope they see light.

First I went downtown to eat and I got these pictures. I only saw a few money burners in this area at this time, but this gives you some nice views of the city.

The purple and white lights on the bridges below (right) are messages that move and change.

The moon can be seen in the center of the picture to the right, below.

When I got back near my campus I saw more fires in a park, where I got these pictures.

In Memory of James Noel, Aggie Class of 1952

2007-08-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Note:Today's Post is a little different. It is all designed to be a memorial for my friend and (I believe) Brother, Jim Noel.
Jim Noel (white hat) passed away on December 31, 2006, age 76. He was my primary instructor and "flying buddy". This picture shows him doing two of his favorite things: being on the airfield and talking to people. "Blue Skies", Dr. Noel. I believe I'll see you again.

The next three pictures are of some of our "birds" during a flour bombing competition...

N6315M (15 "Mike") to the right, one of my favorite planes.

N93124 ("November Niner 3124") bombing to the left, and after a new paint job to the right. I also enjoyed this plane and many of my hours were flown in it.

Below: Open house on campus (nice short field landing!!!) in front of the basketball arena and across from Kyle Field, (to the right of the picture, whoop!) and new members checking out the planes at Easterwood Airport, Texas A&M. To the left of the members on the airfield is runway 16/34, which was the largest and most often used runway. All pictures courtesy of the "Flying Aggies" and Easterwood Airport.

City of Contrasts

2007-08-25T02:02:00.000-07:00

Above, Left: Traditional costumes and songs at a restaurant area.

Traffic Adventures

2007-08-24T10:17:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple pictures/videos of traffic in the city. The overpass to the right is the only one we have in our city since there are "only a few million people" living here. Still, crossing the street and riding a taxi/bus can be quite exciting. (also see the fireworks videos in "Birthday Fireworks in Asia?" for more traffic scenes). I hope these videos remind you to regularly think about the many people in our city (and me as I cross the street. Maybe I shouldn't mention that one of my friends here was hit by a bus last year, but she is fine :) ). Thanks!

The second picture to the right, although hard to see, shows hundreds of bicycles lined up in a little parking lot where you pay the attendants to watch it. This is a big shopping area, to the right of where the traffic videos are taking place.

Notice that not many people are using the nice expensive bridges (where I am standing). I understand why the cyclists cannot, though. Oh well, fun times.

Birthday Fireworks in Asia!!??

2007-08-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, to the right I'm holding a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and filled with chocolate pudding. What a day, spending time with friends, getting cool gifts/cards, with fun new B-day songs, eating pizza hut, chips & salsa and chocolate cake with chocolate icing and filled with chocolate pudding...priceless...

See videos below:
This was about a week before the party. At first I thought they were celebrating my B-day early but then I remembered the big anniversary they are celebrating here this month. There is no doubt in my mind where fireworks were invented. They seem to always have different kinds going off in random places.
I'm sorry that they are SIDEWAYS. Dumb mistake, I didn't think about not being able to flip a video. Well, it's interesting at least. Also notice the traffic. Pretty cool...

Day at the Museum

2007-08-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

A large monument was placed here (left) by the central gov. soon after my visit to commemorate a big anniversary.

Dinosaurs to the right really move. One dinosaur at the entrance moved and spoke in at least 3 languages!!! Impressive...

A friend explained these smiling statues for me. They are a minority group proudly moving to another land because the space program took theirs. Put another way, this is like doing a scene with the Cherokee singing and dancing during the "Trail of Tears". Having some Cherokee blood myself, we could only sadly laugh at the exhibit.

Kids of the City Part II

2007-08-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

The kids in the first 4 pictures are playing with their pet bunny. You may recognize the middle boy in the second picture as the one who started the trend of calling me "ge ge" (gugh gugh, or older brother. See Kids of the City Part I...hmmm, it just hit me that he had bunny ears in that picture...). People have sometimes asked me about the split bottom pants that babies/infants will sometimes wear(really cute). I actually have not seen a lot of those pants in this city (but I've seen some) and these kids are too old for them. I've found it a little difficult to take pictures of kids in general because they are so active here, bouncing all over the place getting their exercise. It's unusual for them to pose like these 3 are doing. More common reactions can be seen below with them playfully hiding from the camera (green curtain) or running around. They're all very precious, and I appreciate you remembering them.

Above: Rollerblades

Kids of the City Part I

2007-08-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

It is important to remember the kids, too. The block above is a video of a couple kids playing a game. Then I have some more pictures below. It's great seeing the kids here having good ol' fashioned fun, and playing less video games. I'll add some more pictures/videos in "Kids of the City Part II"

Bouncing ride at a park.

Above and right: My neighbors by my apartment. Behind them is an elementary school.

A couple more pictures from the legendary "Apricot Farm Adventure".

At my tutor's place. These young students often come over at the end of my lessons to practice their English. It is customary for them to call someone like me ShuShu (uncle) when they get to know them. The boy in the left picture (bunny ears) began calling me gege (gugh gugh, which means older brother) and now they are all calling me this! That's cool and I have gotten to meet some families through them!

The Apricot Farm Adventure Part II

2007-08-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

...Continued from part I. After we finished our snacks we continued back down the hill towards the two young boys' village. From there I found out that they wanted to take us to a nearby park that was even higher up, so we rode over there, checked in our bikes at the gate and began hiking up stairs and hills. The views were nice but you couldn't see much of the city because of the weather. (see more on the hills adventure at the bottom).
After we had another snack we descended and said "bye" to our young friends, who wanted to stay and swim in a nearby lake. It was at this point that one of my local pengyou (friends) asked if we could ride over and do one errand for his work before we began the long trek home. "Sure", I replied, wearily noticing that we were still going AWAY from our area. It wasn't until a little while later, away from the foothills that he pointed to our destination: a skyscraper that was perhaps an inch tall because of the distance, (going slightly uphill of course)! Well, I hung in there and we made it.
The other friend waited outside with me since they didn't allow foreigners into that building, and finally we began the long trek back home! With my bicycle gear options slightly limited (I had none) on my fancy bike my American legs finally gave out and I walked it back the last few blocks of the journey. But we made it and with our fruit, too! I hope to see more Fruit in the future. After we ate a meal (our journey ended up taking all day. It was past 5 or 6. We left around 8:30 that morning) I said "bye" and dragged my legs around the block to my apartment. Ahhh, what great exercise, and what an adventure! I'll have to tell you more about it someday. Please remember these friends, these places and all the people in this area.

Cow tied next to the house.

I think our small guides (hidden by my friends) are going down this alley to get permission to go to the park.

Some views after a series of stairs at the park.

In the peaceful hills we had another snack of fruit and some Asian version of Vienna sausage. After forcing the soft, thick meat down we shared some songs, as is their custom. I sang a children's song about how Yes, my Brother loves me, and had a good sharing time as we talked. My local friends asked if they could translate for the two young friends, so of course I said "Yes"!!! It was a fun time. It is amazing how we can talk to people in both the hills and the valleys. Once again, please remember all these people. I do hope to see some more Fruit! That day was quite an adventure!

The Apricot Farm Adventure, Part I

2007-08-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

The adventure began when a couple of my local friends asked if I wanted to visit an apricot farm just outside of town. So one Saturday morning they met me and we took off on our bikes (see my cool bike below). It was supposed to take 1-2 hours each way, but it became apparent that they didn't know exactly how to get there or how far it really was. They were able to get directions multiple times to the xing (apricots), and we gradually began going more and more uphill as we drew near the mountains outside our city. The beautiful countryside and hills contrasted the squalor of the villages, but it was good to ride through and think about the people there (please remember them).
Two young boys met us and acted as our guides/companions for much of the journey in this area, until we at last arrived at the farm and collected some different kinds of fruit. But the journey had only begun....

(My "new" old 1-speed bike. There are actually some very nice bikes in the city. I'm hoping its age and the fact that people are not supposed to sell used bikes here anymore will keep thieves from stealing it (there is a built in lock on the rear wheel, and I keep it in my building, plus I ask Father for help). I've come to appreciate the handy, stylish basket. People often let passengers ride side saddle on the small platform behind the seat. I have done this a few times on friends' bikes but it's not the most comfortable way to travel. (So far I've only tried to ride w/one teenager on the back of my bike and I almost crashed after 2 seconds.) It's better w/some of the newer bikes w/larger , padded seats.)

Shepherds in the field reminded me of some of my favorite stories...

View of our Mountains

Horses grazing far below (left picture).

Up, up we go, into the hills and through villages...

At last, with the help of two small boys we reach the apricot farm. Some other kids were there, too.

We saw several kinds of fruit, but that wasn't what the big journey was really about.

"Meiguoren!" ("American!")

"Lao wai!" (traditional term. Lit. "Old foreigner!")

1st snack with my friends and our little guides. We got to dig into the fruit! One of the kids started drinking a can of beer (provided by one of my local friends) The "Wai jiao" (foreign teacher) let them know quickly (in a subtle manner) that they should drink shui (water) instead. I was impressed with how quickly they all caught on. They drank bottled water the rest of the trip.

Some remarkable views. The flowers to the right were HUGE!

I thought that our journey was almost over, but there was much more to come. Stay tuned for "The Apricot Farm Adventure Part II"!

City Park

2007-08-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Funny cartoon character boats to the right...

City Walk 3

2007-08-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

Today's "tour" covers a couple Buddhist temples and the surrounding area. I learned that it's becoming a fad to visit temples, so more people are seen here than in the past few decades. Please keep all of this in your thoughts.
Note to parent's of small children: You may want to look through this before your kids do. Some images are a little creepy (see note on masks at bottom).

Comic relief, typical funny translation...

My image and the camera's flash are being reflected off the glass covering an ancient star chart. Food sacrifices are laid before it.

Anti-tall person stairway!

Monk watching as they "make more gods".

Traditional Costumes outside the temple.

The monks received the ideas for many of these images, including these masks, from visions. The images are almost always grotesque and portray suffering, torture, human sacrifice and death. Definitely not the "peaceful religion" that has been sold to the west. It is a sobering place...

City Walks 1 and 2

2007-08-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

This first city "tour" takes us through the Muslim section of the city. They make up the 3rd largest group here, although still a small minority compared to the largest ethnic group. Many buildings on these streets are designed to look like mosques, although most of them are just regular city buildings. I visited the oldest mosque one of my first days (just to look around).

For the second "tour" I wanted to show you the changing city. Many ancient homes and buildings are rapidly being demolished for new high rise apartments. Some of these pictures show the ruins of ancient homes, with the cranes in the background. Big business and the rush towards $ are quickly replacing old cultures and customs.

Notice the cranes in many of the pictures, and I end today's blog with some pictures of the modern business city.

Millions more people are expected to move into cities from the countryside within the next few years, which is one reason the country is in a huge building phase. That means that many more opportunities to talk to people. Please remember all these citizens who are moving or whose hearts crave $ and material possessions.

Origins of the Adventure

2007-08-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

The Journey began long ago, in far away places....

and over time my Father prepared me for the trip. This past year I was able to spend some peaceful days in the country thinking about and preparing for the big trip....

Then it was time to go, and walking out of the last airport, it seemed as if I had entered a new world...

...But really people are the same everywhere and the world is getting smaller all the time. Please keep them in your thoughts.