Seafair 2007

This year Seafair was very fun because we were joined by some very special people. Joining us on our boat were our friends Kelly and Scott Bashinksi and Tammy Durretto. The weather couldn't have been more perfect with clear blue sky and a perfect 80 degrees.

We had a great time talking, picnicing, people watching, and enjoying the airshow. The clear day allowed the Blue Angels do their "high show".

Weekend in the San Juans

This weekend was spent in the San Juan Islands with our friends Tim and Kris. In addition to the general beauty of the islands, we were amazed with the presence of seals, giant jelly fish, porpoises, and sea birds.

Sarah & Hannah Visit

This was a special weekend with the visit of John's sister Sarah and her daughter Hannah from Medina, Ohio.

Our descriptions of Seattle's incredible July weather were abruptly drowned out by a wet and cold front that broke all records. But we had a fun weekend anyway, even squeezing in boating between showers.

Some highlights were the Pike Street Market, a ride on the Duck of Seattle, the Seattle Art Museum, Snalqualmie Falls, boating through the Ballard Locks, and a picnic on the on Puget Sound.

A Child's Right

For those of us who walk up to the faucet or fridge door for a cool clean glass of ice water as the whim strikes, we are in the minority worldwide. Clean drinking water is a dream, not a commodity, in much of the world today. An organization called A Child's Right (headquartered in Tacoma, Washington) is an organization dedicated to bringing vital water filtration systems to the areas of the world that need it the most. They recently completed a project that assisted thousands of children in the hardest hit areas of China. Please click here to visit their website to learn more about their cause, but also to view hundreds of pictures from their time in Child Welfare Institutes (orphanages) in China. If you've ever wanted to see the inside of an orphanage, here is your chance.

When it comes time to make your annual charitable contributions (or the next time you have a nice cold glass of water) consider this cause.

Three wonderful years

Pamela & John celebrate their 3rd anniversary today. We agreed that the last three years have flashed by. It's hard to believe it's been three years since we committed ourselves to each other on the beach in Fiji.

We celebrated a couple days early by going to the Seattle Symphany's wonderful performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major and Orff's Carmina Burana. It was a "Wow" performance--- just like our relationship.

And one day earlier we enjoyed time together on our boat on Lake Washington. We feel so blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of the country and our ability to have such a wonderfully boat that lets us enjoy it.

Barbara & Jolane Visit

Early July was a special time at the Block house. We were visited by Pamela’s Mom Barbara and Aunt Jolane. Barbara lives close to Tampa and Jolane lives near Minneapolis. Barbara and Jolane hadn’t seen each other for 25 years and so that had fun catching up and reliving memories.

Jolane had the opportunity to see the sites in Seattle for the first time.

We celebrated Barbara’s 59th birthday (okay it was really her 65th!) with friends Tim and Kris and good neighbors Sara and Howard.

July 4th we tied up boats with Tim and Kris and their daughter Kaitlyn on Lake Washington and enjoyed the perfect Northwest summer day.

Jolane, Pam, Barbara

Jolane at Pike Street Market

Barbara, Pam, Jolane in Lake Union

Barbara's 65th

July 4th, 2007

Kaitlyn & friend

Tim & Kris

Captain Barbara at the helm of "110%"

A weekend at Lake Chelan

This weekend we enjoyed a beautiful weekend at Lake Chelan. The drive required a 3 1/2 hour drive over the mountains pulling 9,000 lbs. of boat and trailer, but the drive was lovely and the destination was definitely worth it.

The lake is 55 miles long. We went about 35 miles which took us well beyond the areas of summer homes into the unspoiled wilderness.

Trooper and Misha were happy to be included in the weekend.

Some more Beijing pictures including our guide Vivian

Day Four

This was our shopping day. Although every day is a shopping day for tourists in Beijing! Everywhere you go you are approached by people trying to sell you everything from postcards to knockoff Rolex watches.

With the US dollar being equal to eight Chinese Yuan’s, there are lots of bargains. But the dickering can become tiresome and, with the exception of government-run stores, products are all knock-offs. “Buyer beware”, to say the least!

Some final observations:
1) Chinese food is better in the US.
2) There is some kind of magical force surrounding Chinese drivers and bicyclists. Otherwise there is absolutely no explanation for why they never run into and over each other.
3) Make sure the taxi driver turns on the meter.
4) Try not to go where the tour buses go.
5) Don’t drink the water.
6) If you’re female, beware of gropers.
7) Unless you’re in the hotel, assume that the toilet is a hole in the floor.
8) The three favorite places for Chinese to eat—McDonalds, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

9) Resist the allure of cheap watch knockoffs-- unless you don't want to keep track of the time.

10) Why did we see so few children?

Day Three

This was our first day on our own, and we were very anxious to see the “real” Beijing. That meant the hutong, or old neighborhoods. We chose a hutong just north of the Forbidden City. The area was full of rickshaws looking to provide tourists a ride through the neighborhood. Most were ridden by young men who were very aggressive in trying to get us aboard. We decided instead to explore on foot-- until we met “Captain Cao” that is.

Cao Yu Yue looked different as we passed him. Long white beard, traditional silk clothing, big dragon belt. But when he approached us for a ride, we turned him down like the many others who had approached us. Unlike the others, however, he pulled a shopping bag from his handlebars and showed us, one after another, articles about him in newspapers and magazines. “Is me” he would say each time he pointed at his own smiling face in the accompanying photo.

Before long we were squeezed into Captain Cao’s fancy rickshaw bouncing through the narrow streets; the Beijing that has barely changed in centuries. After an hour of showing us neighborhood sites he stopped in front of an entry gate that led to several old adjoining stone-walled homes. As he unlocked the gate, he proudly said “Is my home.”

For the next two hours we were the lunch guests of Cao and his wife. What better way to discover a bit of what life is really like in Beijing! During our lunch of noodles, cucumbers, and jasmine tea we were shown a DVD of a story done on Captain Cao on Beijing’s Channel 7. As he watched it (for probably the umpteenth time) he was as engrossed as if it was the first time.
After lunch Cao pulled out his photo album. As he turned each page and pointed at the photos, he would name the country of his lunch guests; “Canada, Germany, USA, Norway”

A few pictures and goodbyes later, we were back in the rickshaw and bouncing again through the streets. The Captain dropped us at an ancient bridge, and was off to pick up his next passengers. As we watched him peddle away, we knew we had gained more from those few hours than from all the shrines and palaces of the great dynasties.

Day Two

This was the day we’d most anticipated. It was the trip to the Great Wall. The van ride was the first time we’d left the city and were able to see the countryside. The rolling hills reminded us somewhat of Eastern Washington State. Our factory stops today were the jade factory and the painted ceramic vases factory.

Finally we saw portions of the Wall as it snaked across the rolling hills. Our stop was in a section reserved for huge numbers of tourists, but we didn’t let that lessen the awe we felt on the immensity and splendor and of this ancient structure.

Most of the tourists we saw in China were Chinese. We guessed maybe 10% of us were from other parts of the world. We received lots of stares. Two blonds, one quite tall in comparison to the average Chinese, were oddities. While we were on the Wall a Chinese family took turns having their picture taken with John.