Back in the USA

We are back. We spent all our money. We were practically broke. It was time to come home. Thanks to those plastic cards, we managed.

Now the news brief:
1st the bad news: Our cat Tigger had a stroke while we were away. Fortunately he was at the vet. According to his doctor Tigger is not in pain. He is home and improving. However, he has lost some motor function and has difficulty eating. He has lost weight, cannot jump on couches anymore, gives me a sad look, and sleeps most of the time. I wonder if he is going through some depression like people do.

On the world stage, Iraq is still in turmoil and death lurks for all there. Israel is bombing Gaza and now Beirut. The story of David and Goliath continues. There was bomb blasts in Bombay killing innocent train riders. North Korea did some missile testing. Darfur is still in the news. Mexico had a close presidential election and facing a potential mass protest. There has been massive flooding in many places in the world including my birth place thousands of miles away.

Now the travel news: In Japan, we visited Mount Fuji in pouring rain, tried out a Samurai outfit at a museum, climbed the Tokyo Tower, watched those Gothic Lolitas at Harajuku (our daughter even bought a Gothic Lolita dress – a little bit of Japan as she bids adieu after one year), witnessed million neon signs at Shinjuku, took a cruise on Sumida river, visited Odaiba and Fuji TV tower, rode buses, sub-ways and bullet trains, visited Meiji Shrine, Iris garden, temple at Nikko, tasted Miso soup and Kirin Beer, had Japanese style dinner with the Masurs from Chicago, ordered food looking at plastic food displays, tried chop sticks unsuccessfully, and above all tried out high tech commode.

In and around Beijing, we visited Tian An Men Square (our guide Betty Bu instructed us not to discuss politics at the square), Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Ming Tomb and climbed the Great Wall through a veil of misty fog. We saw people at work in a silk factory, a Jade factory. We witnessed a tea ceremony and tasted different flavor. We saw a gigantic Olympic Village in the making. We heard about Banana boys & girls (who they say are yellow outside and white inside) and banana dance halls. We watched millions of people riding bicycles in the heat. We saw haze from automobile pollution in the city. Beijing, the Northern Capital is on the move hustling and bustling trying to proclaim its power and vitality to the world.