images of china

 Last week Chris and I returned from China.

It was amazing and I would go back in a heartbeat.  I wasn't prepared to love it as much as I did and enjoyed every minute.  Chris was working in Shanghai during the first few days of the trip while I was visiting the sites with a guide, then we flew to Bejing to spend the last three days together.  Hopefully I'll get around to a day-by-day posting of my favorite pictures (I took a TON), but for now I just had to share a few from my phone . . .

One of the many bronze lions guarding the halls in the Forbidden City

Shanghai financial district (Pudong) along the Huangpu river.  This was our view from the restaurant one evening (one of the perks that comes with accompanying Chris on business :).

Bejing - outside the Forbidden City north gate.  

The pollution added just the right touch to this pic ;).

One of the many "lake rock" formations within the Forbidden City

The Great Wall of China at Mutianyu.  UNBELIEVABLE!

This was our turn around spot on the great wall . . . it was breathtaking.

"Jade Buddah" Temple (working Buddhist temple) in Shanghai.

I loved the incense burners and watching the believers burn incense and pray.

Kumning Lake - Summer Palace, Bejing

Tai Chi Master practicing along the banks of the lake.  This was really fascinating to watch.

About the coolest wall I've ever seen (Shanghai) . . .  a mile of FLOWERS!

The Forbidden City - in front of one of the grand halls.  

We were quite the tourist attraction for all the Chinese coming to Bejing . . . 

really, it seemed we were the only westerners visiting the city that day and garnered quite a few stares.

Forbidden City "Hall of Supreme Harmony"

Yu Yuen Gardens, Shanghai.  I loved old Shanghai and these gardens which are remnants of a noble family's home and gardens during the Ming and Xing dynasties

Beautiful "wish" lanterns at the Jade Buddah Temple, Shanghai

Charting our course on the wall . . . 

yep, climb that hill, traverse across the ridge and up to the next mountain range!!

Hopefully more pictures and tales from our adventures coming soon (but don't hold your breath - this may be it or follow my "instagram" posts - I uploaded a bunch while we were on the trip: username = juliecantera).

yosemite

"Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, 

places to play in and pray in, where nature 

may heal and cheer and give strength 

to the body and soul alike . . ."

John Muir

 Giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove

 1800 yr. old "Grizzly Giant"

 Yosemite Valley - beautiful morning for a hike . . .

off we go . . . straight up from the valley floor 3.8 miles/3300 ft. elevation gain

on our way to to the top of these granite walls

 getting closer

LOVED these trees 

we made it- time to SIT!

 aahhh, yes - taking in the views while eating lunch!

Minor freak-out from Chris as I walked out on this rock . . .

 this is as close to the edge as Chris would venture

 The river right before it heads over the cliff

 Yosemite Point - unbelievable, majestic, breathtaking - best views in the park!

 heading back down - the sun reflecting on Half Dome

 El Capitan . . . next trip we'll hike to the top and watch the rock climbers summit!

I don't think I'll ever be able to aptly express how I feel about Yosemite.  Obviously, I haven't visited all the national parks our country has to offer, but out of the parks I have been to, Yosemite is and probably always will be my favorite.  There is a spirit here that touches my spirit and rejuvenates my soul.  The place seems to me a living, breathing entity, which, like a person is constantly changing as the day progresses from early dawn, to bright afternoon, to dusk, to blackest of night.  We were privileged this trip to not only hike to the top of the tallest waterfall in North America, but descend by a full moon (thank goodness just the last 1/3 mile) and then witness that moon rise over half dome from the meadow and light up the impressive, towering granite face of El Capitan.  I will NEVER forget the view of Yosemite valley that night from "tunnel view" as we were departing the park and heading back to our hotel . . .

and hope to return to see it again.

heading back

It's been six years since the older kids have been back east (and since I was a blonde ;-), and in a few days we're taking the whole crew.  We were looking at some pics from the last trip and can't believe how much Ryan (then 10) and Caroline (then 8) have grown and changed over the past few years - they were so little, and the same size to boot!

What we are looking forward to the most:

• Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square (especially the "Hershey Store"), FAO Schwartz, Museum of Natural History, MOMA, Rockefeller Plaza, American Girl Place, "Top of the Rock"
• Indian dinner and Ukrainian dessert in the East Village, breakfast bagels downtown, pizza in Soho, hot dog vendors, Serendipity frozen hot chocolate
• Knock-off purse shopping in Chinatown, browsing Tiffany's, wooden escalators in Macy's, the Apple store on 5th, Lincoln Center fountains, the Dakota and Strawberry fields, playbills!
• New England fall foliage, biking the historic Minuteman trail, Walden Pond, Louisa May Alcott home, Plymouth, Cape Cod, THE NO NAME, regatta on the Charles, the Freedom Trail, Italian in the North End, Cambridge, the Co-op, the Back Bay, Fenway.

some favorite pics from 2005 . . .

Times Square (on our way to see "Hairspray")

Rockefeller Plaza

Quintessential NYC

Caroline in heaven at the American Girl Place

The Lion King!

Central Park

heading out to Ellis Island via Statue of Liberty

walking the Brooklyn Bridge

gotta play on the FAO giant piano!

The Mayflower

chatting with the Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation

Lexington Green

 Louisa May Alcott home in Concord, MA

 The Old North Bridge

 celebrating Chris' 40th at the No Name in Boston

 gearing up for the Red Sox game . . .

 Fenway

 Ryan hoping to get his ball signed

  future Harvard students?

The Old State House - walking the Freedom Trail

Well, it's back to work to get the house in order and start packing . . . here's to our adventure and creating memories for the little girls who had to stay home last time :-).