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China Trip Summary
posted by David on December 4, 2003 at 10:00 PM

Here is a first summary of the trip Ruth and I took from the middle of October until Thanksgiving, 2003. We spent a week in California, three weeks in China, and finished with almost two weeks again in California. That allowed us to spend the holiday with Heather, Kim, Sarah and Zoni, along with Vel Reynolds (Kim’s Mother).

We decided to spend time on the West Coast before going on to China, in order to check on some retirement options. We first looked at El Sombroso Oaks, Los Gatos, CA; it was our second look, and we reviewed two sites. We learned that there would be little opportunity to do more to the units except decorate, though we also saw some units that had been decorated very well. From California we headed north to Oregon, and checked into Salem, Eugene, and Florence. We both liked the Florence area with its magnificent seacoast. However, it is also rather damp for significant portions of the year, meaning that Ruth would have difficulty living there. We decided that it would be an excellent area for a second home or retreat.

The trip to China was great. We visited eight cities in three weeks: Beijing, Dunhuang, Xi’an, Kunming, Chongqing, Wuhan, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. In addition, we took a cruise down the Yangzi River for three days, with a stop at the new Three Gorges Dam. Our tour leaders, Franklin and Jean Woo, were longtime denominational leaders in China/Presbyterian relations, and Franklin had experience as a professor for several years in Hong Kong. Thus, the trip became a real study seminar. We learned a bit about the churches, about other native religions, demographics, economics, ancient culture, and contemporary modernization. I took over 400 pictures, and will post many of them when I have a chance to review and enhance them.

Returning to California, we discovered that the Reynolds were becoming flu-bound, so Ruth and I joined in the fun—through the week one of the five of us was down for at least a day. After recovery, Ruth and I spent more time looking into retirement options. We returned to Louisville a lot more informed about some of our options, but not a lot closer to making decisions.

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Comments

Sounds like the trip was great. I hope we're able to go to China at some point. I can't wait for the pictures!

Thanks, David, for the interesting description of your "happenings" during the past couple months. I am once again impressed with how carefully you two reseach each adventure - whether it be finding a retirement spot or the trip to China. We await the pictures- and then seeing your face on occasion when you are in Richmond next month doing the Stewardship intensive at Bethany Seminary. Picking this up at the Marco Island Libary and will share the news with Keith upon my return to the condo.

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