DRE* and I have finally firmed up our *big* trip for this year and are heading to China for 21 days, departing September 2nd and returning on September 22nd. It is the China in Depth tour offered by Odysseys Unlimited. We have travelled with Odysseys before on our Vietnam and Cambodia trip, and the quality of their tours is exceptional.

Here are the details:

Distinctive and comprehensive, this small group journey reveals the essence of present-day China, with an appreciative look at the past. From the classic sites of Beijing and Xian to vibrant Shanghai; the natural beauty of Guilin and the Yangtze to the sophistication of Hong Kong, we encounter a traditional nation on a course towards the future.

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1-2: Depart U.S. for Beijing, China

Day 3: Arrive Beijing We reach Beijing late morn­ing then have the afternoon to relax before this evening’s briefing on the journey ahead and dinner together at the hotel. D

Day 4: Beijing We begin our discovery of this 2,000­-year-old city at vast Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, seat of imperial power from 1368-1911. Tonight we enjoy a traditional Peking Duck dinner. B,D

Day 5: Beijing/Great Wall This morning we tour the splendid Temple of Heaven complex where Chinese royalty once worshipped; this afternoon we visit a section of the 4,000-mile Great Wall. B,L

Day 6: Beijing Our day begins with a small group highlight, as we ride rickshaws through Beijing’s ancient back roads and alleys (hutongs) to glimpse the traditional communal lifestyle that is ages old (and fast disappearing). We also visit with a local family in their home here. This afternoon we call on the Summer Palace, the former royal retreat now a lovely park. B,L

Day 7: Beijing/Xian We fly this morning to Xian, where we dine in a local restaurant for a special dumpling lunch. This afternoon we tour the im­­pressive ancient city walls and moat, followed by a tour of the Shanxi Provincial Museum, housing an acclaim­ed collection of historic and cultural artifacts. Tonight we attend a Tang Dynasty show and dinner. B,L,D

Day 8: Xian This morning we visit Wild Goose Pagoda, one of China’s best preserved Buddhist temples. Then we tour one of the world’s greatest arch­aeo­logical finds: the army of 7,000-plus life-sized Terra Cotta Warriors that had lain buried and for­gotten for more than two millenia until rediscovered accidentally by local farmers in 1974. We also visit the site’s museum, where we see a brief film about this amazing find. B,L,D

Day 9: Xian/Shanghai This morning we venture into the countryside to visit a typical farming village. After lunch at a local restaurant we fly to Shanghai, China’s largest city and economic engine. Dinner tonight is on our own in this most cosmopolitan of Chinese cities. B,L

Day 10: Shanghai Our day begins amidst the scenic pools and walkways of 16th-century Yu Yuan Garden, one of the few remaining vestiges of old Shanghai. Our next stop is the Bund, the broad riverside embankment that ranks as Shanghai’s most popular attraction. After lunch we visit the Children’s Palace where adolescents learn traditional arts. Tonight we dine at a local restaurant then attend a lively acrobatic show. B,L,D

Day 11: Shanghai This morning we tour the ­ac­­claimed Shanghai Museum of ancient Chinese art and artifacts, known especially for its bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy. Our afternoon is at leisure; we dine tonight at the hotel. B,D

Day 12: Shanghai/Yichang/Yangtze Cruising We fly this afternoon to Yichang, where we have dinner in a local restaurant before boarding our Victoria Cruises river ship. After dinner we set sail up the Yangtze. B,D

Day 13: Yangtze Cruising – Three Gorges Dam Site/Xiling Gorge Prized for its haunting natural beauty, the 3,600-mile Yangtze is one of the world’s busiest and longest rivers. We tour the site of the immense Three Gorges Dam project this morning; this after­noon we transit the locks of 42-mile Xiling Gorge, with swift rapids and churning whirlpools. B,L,D

Day 14: Yangtze Cruising – Small Three Gorges/Wu Gorge/Qutang Gorge Scenes from ancient Chinese scroll paintings come to life this morning as we dock in Wushan, board a small sampan, and cruise along the Daning River or Shennong Stream to the stunning Small Three Gorges. We return to the ship for lunch; this after­noon we cruise tranquil Wu Gorge, considered the most beau­ti­ful of the Three Gorges, and grand Qutang Gorge. B,L,D

Day 15: Yangtze Cruising – Fengdu or Wanxian/Qutang Gorge Depending on water levels, today we visit either the “ghost city” of Fengdu, or the longtime trading town of Wanxian. B,L,D

Day 16: Chongqing/Guilin We disembark this morning in Chongqing, where we visit the beloved pandas at the local zoo. This afternoon we fly to Guilin, known for its ethereal landscapes and cultural riches. After checking in at the hotel, we take an informal walk with our tour director. B,L

Day 17: Guilin Scenes from ancient Chinese paintings come alive as we enjoy a half-day cruise on the scenic Li River, floating through breathtaking mountain passes, languid waters overhung with bamboo fronds, and fairy tale hills. B,L,D

Day 18: Guilin/Daxu/Hong Kong Today we visit two popular sights outside Guilin: the ancient Li River town of Daxu, with stone-paved streets, historic buildings, and a Ming Dynasty bridge; and Reed Flute Cave, whose stalactites and stalagmites offer a fascinating glimpse of the natural world. After dinner together tonight we fly to Hong Kong. B,L,D

Day 19: Hong Kong Our tour of this city that uniquely blends East and West begins with a tram ride up Victoria Peak, for truly spectacular views of Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. Then we take a sampan ride in Aberdeen Bay, where traditional fishermen live; visit the popular beach at Repulse Bay; and tour famed Stanley Market. After a special dim sum lunch, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Dinner tonight is on our own in this most sophisticated city. B,L

Day 20: Hong Kong Today is at leisure to discover Hong Kong as we wish: perhaps riding the historic Star Ferry on Hong Kong harbor; shopping Nathan Roads “Golden Mile;” or visiting the exotic Bird Market. Tonight we toast our adven­ture together at a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 21: Depart for U.S. We depart for the U.S. this morning, arriving on the West Coast then connecting with our flights home. B

We recently completed our trip to Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands on Mountain Travel Sobek. I've shared our favorite pics with friends via email, but figured I should go ahead and post them here.

DRE*'s Favorites
My Favorites

I'll try to get the full set up as quick as I can, which includes some great underwater pics.

We just booked our big trip for 2008, and the winning destination is the Galapagos Islands.

Originally we had been leaning very heavily towards safari in Kenya, but then the locals started cutting off heads with machetes, so we switched to plan b.

Our tour operator is Mountain Travel Sobek and here is our itinerary.

Most of the trip will be by yacht, more specifically the Sagitta .

Of course we'll post tons of pics when we get back.

We got back from our 3 week jaunt to Vietnam/Cambodia last Monday morning and are still working on putting our pics together. In the meantime, here are a couple of my favorites to tide you over.

DRE* and I have finally firmed up our *big* trip for this year and are heading to Vietnam and Cambodia for 20 days.

Here are the details:

In a land of breathtaking natural beauty, abiding tradition, and profoundly hospitable people, rewards abound for the thoughtful traveler. And in our flexible and congenial small group we encounter rewards aplenty on this comprehensive journey featuring all the highlights plus the beautiful, remote Mekong Delta, where we spend two days.

Days 1-2: Depart U.S. for Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 3: Arrive Hanoi We arrive in the Vietnamese capital mid-morning, then transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 4: Hanoi This morning we take a walking tour of Ba Dinh Square, a popular complex of cultural and historic sites, including the marble and granite mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace, and thousand-year-old One Pillar Pagoda. Following lunch on our own we embark on an orientation tour of this French-accented city with broad tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture. We pass Hoan Kiem Lake and the marvelous Temple of Literature (c. 1070). Later we walk the narrow streets of the diverse Ancient Quarter. Tonight we gather at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner and traditional Water Puppet performance.

Day 5: Hanoi/Ha Long Bay Early this morning we depart on a full-day excursion to Ha Long Bay, a breathtaking waterway sprinkled with 3,000 islands and islets, and surrounded by a fairytale landscape of limestone cliffs, secret grottoes, and hidden caves. Our tour includes a boat ride and seafood lunch.

Day 6: Hanoi/Hue We fly today to the ancient imperial capital of Hue, whose ruins evoke its past grandeur as home to emperors and mandarins. Upon arrival we visit the Imperial Citadel, housing the Forbidden Purple City where the emperors lived with their families. We also visit the Central Market where locals buy produce, fish, and sundry items. Tonight’s dinner is an outdoor buffet accompanied by traditional music.

Day 7: Hue This morning we cruise along Hue’s Perfume River to peaceful Thien Mu Pagoda, a Buddhist monastery that counts among the city’s most important monuments. We also visit the palatial Tomb of Minh Mang, with its pavilions and courtyards modeled after the Ming Tombs of China. This afternoon we visit the tombs of Tu Doc, with its own lake and lovely grounds; and colorful Khai Dinh.

Day 8: Hue/Da Nang/Hoi An We encounter the spectacular scenery of Cloudy Pass on this morning’s journey south to Da Nang. Here we tour the famed Cham Museum celebrating the Cham peoples’ Hindu legacy with a fine collection of sculpture and artifacts dating from the 7th to 15th centuries. After checking in at our hotel overlooking China Beach, we head for nearby Hoi An, where a succession of Dutch, Chinese, Portuguese, and Japanese traders helped to build an architecturally diverse and colorful village where many ancient traditions still hold sway. Because no cars are allowed in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the streets belong to pedestrians and cyclists.

Day 9: Da Nang/Hoa Chau This morning we travel to the small settlement of Hoa Chau nestled amidst seemingly endless rice paddies in rural Da Nang to witness the daily life of a local farming community. This is the Vietnam of legend and film; where rice paddies occupy every spare patch of ground, water buffaloes plow the fields, and villagers ride to market with produce piled high on their bicycles. Our afternoon is at leisure.

Day 10: Da Nang/Mekong Delta/Can Tho After flying to Saigon this morning, we travel by coach south to the Mekong River town of Cai Be. Here we board a motorized sampan for an introduction to river life, including a close-up look at the floating market where farmers display their goods from bamboo poles suspended over their boats. We cruise along the upper reaches of the Mekong, exploring the maze of tributaries and inlets that lead to tiny settlements and villages. After lunch at a local farm we continue cruising to the beautiful island of Vinh Long. From here we travel by coach and ferry to the river port of Can Tho.

Day 11: Can Tho/Mekong Delta We rise early for today’s journey by boat to the bustling floating market at Cai Rang on the Mekong’s lower reaches. After this scenic excursion we visit the excellent Mekong Museum. This afternoon is free for independent exploration.

Day 12: Mekong Delta/Saigon This morning we travel by coach to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City is used interchangeably). Dinner tonight is at the popular Mandarin restaurant.

Day 13: Saigon A morning tour includes the former Presidential Palace, which served as the South Vietnamese government’s wartime headquarters. Now called Reunification Palace, it was here that the first Communist tanks rolled into Saigon on April 30, 1975; it remains preserved as a museum almost exactly as it was on that day. We also tour the History Museum with its excellent display on the indigenous people of Vietnam.

Day 14: Saigon This morning we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the infamous underground network from which North Vietnamese forces operated in wartime. We have the opportunity to explore these ingenious mazes below ground, or to view excavated areas from above. This afternoon is at leisure.

Day 15: Saigon Today is free to explore as we wish; the city is noted for its Asian-influenced French character, spirited street life, cosmopolitan cuisine, and unforgettable people. Tonight we gather for a farewell dinner.

Day 16 - 78: Angkor Wat - A special opportunity to discover the amazing temples and statuary from the Angkorian Empire.

Day 19-20: Return to U.S.

DRE* and I just got back from cruising around Hawaii for 10 days, so I thought I'd put up some initial pics. We have a ton of pics, so it will take me a few days to do some more detailed entries and get all of them up. Stay tuned.

I was in Las Vegas last week attending the 2006 Adobe MAX developer conference. This was the first conference since Adobe purchase Macromedia last year, and you could really tell a difference in how things felt. The old Allaire/Macromedia playfulness is just gone, replaced by a much more stiff corporate feeling from Adobe. I don't consider that to be a good thing. The products were as exciting as ever, featuring much more interoperability between the different tools they offer. Every year MAX is a rejuvenator for my programming creative juices, and this year was no different. Looking forward to trying out the new tools and new techniques to crank out some very cool applications this year.

I talked a group of ACFUG (Atlanta ColdFusion Users Group) members into dinner out at Mesa Grill while attending the Adobe MAX conference in Las Vegas last week. Bobby Flay is one of my favorite chefs from the Food Network, as I'm crazy about Mexican and Southwestern cuisines. We had actually watched a program on FN about the construction of Mesa Grill, so that made me want to go there even more. The food definitely delivered, and the company was even better.

DRE* and I have been wanting to checkout Chattanooga, Tennessee, for awhile so we spent a long weekend there last week. Chattanooga is about an hour and a half northwest of Atlanta, which is quite convenient. We'd heard that their aquarium was pretty good, and it definitely didn't disappoint. It lacks the scale (and 4 whale sharks) of the Georgia Aquarium, but I think I liked theirs better.

We spent a day checking out Rock City and Ruby Falls. I highly recommend Rock City, but Ruby Falls isn't that high on my list of places to return to. Too claustrophobic for too long, with little payoff.

I wouldn't say that it is a food & wine destination, but it was relaxing anyway.

The pictures can be found here.

DRE* and I have been on a couple of trips lately and we wanted to share the pics with you.

DRE* was on a project at Microsoft for a bit, so I was able to head up to Seattle and spend the weekend with her. During the weekend we headed up to the Boeing plant and were able to see the production facilities and museum. You're not allowed to bring in cameras to the production line, so we have pics from the museum of flight. We also took a tour on which we visited a pair of wineries, Snoqualmie Falls and a chocolate factory.

Memorial Day weekend we headed up to Asheville, North Carolina and stayed at the Grove Park Inn. On Saturday, I played golf and DRE* headed up to Tennessee to go whitewater rafting. With my motion sickness, golf is a much safer activity for me. On Sunday, we headed over to the Biltmore Estate for a tour. The Biltmore Estate is supposed to be America's largest home and would remind you of castles/estates that you'd see in Europe.

When I made Silver Medallion status on Delta for the first time this year, I was pretty stoked about the idea of getting upgrades to first class. It didn't take long for me to find out that Silvers almost never get upgrades, because there are usually many more people waitlisted that have Gold or Platinum. I was starting to get discouraged by witnessing "the March of the Medallions" both ways on every trip. San Francisco is the worst, with nearly half the plane being filled with dudes who have more status than you standing in the way of an upgrade.

Don't get me wrong, the early boarding and better seats you get for having any status is quite nice. You can guarantee that you'll have a spot for your carry-on, which is dicey at best for people who board in later zones on full flights. You almost always see someone doing the dejected bag drag back to the door for a pink-tag planeside check. As a Medallion, you never have to deal with that.

Well my waning hope for upgrades took a wonderful turn this week. I ended up getting upgraded on both legs of my Kansas City trip. Boy did I take advantage. "Why yes, I'll have as many vodka-tonices as you can serve me";) Long-time travellers will tell you that the benefits of first class have declined over the years, but it is still way better than sitting in coach. As a person over 6 feet tall, the wider seats and more leg-room is priceless. On my return trip from KC I was able to witness the March of the Medallions that didn't make the upgrade, and to be honest it was satisfying. It was finally my turn. If I don't get another upgrade the rest of the year, I'll still have Kansas City...

Dean Saxe put up his travel map from Frapper and it inspired me to put up mine. These are all of the places I've been in the last couple of years. This minimap only shows the stuff in the Western Hemisphere.

DRE* and I recently spent a weekend in Napa Valley trying to eat & drink our weight in wine and lovely food. Here are the pics.

Here are the other details:

Where we stayed (Allegria room)

Napa Old World Inn

Wineries we visited (in order of preference)

Cakebread Cellars
Cosentino
Del Dotto
Schramsberg
Darioush
Goosecross Cellars

Where we stocked up on food to sop up the wine

Oakville Grocery

Dinners out (in order of preference)

Pilar
Julia's Kitchen
Domaine Chandon

DRE* and I spent the weekend before Thanksgiving in New York City. We stayed at the Marriott Marquis at Times Square (pictured below). This was my first visit to NYC and I was overwhelmed with the scale and crowds of people. Amazing place to visit, but not sure that I'm cut out for living there. I'll have to stick with the Dirty South;)

Friday night we went to dinner at Le Rivage (French joint if you didn't figure it out from the name), prior to seeing The Lion King on Broadway. I've been to plays before but there is no comparison to Broadway. I never saw the cartoon version of The Lion King, but the stage version was unbelieveable. Great costumes (my fave was the cheetah - MEOW!), songs and dancing. We were in the second row and you could see every bead of sweat on the actors. Very cool.

Saturday night we hung out with Kevin and Shannon, having dinner at Artisinal. Artisinal is known for its cheese and definitely did not disappoint. We shared a 100 cheese fondue accompanied by bread, meat and veggies for skewering. Then we closed with a hand selected cheese plate from mild to wild.

DRE* and I recently spent a week in the "Great Northwest" visiting Vancouver, the San Juan Islands and Seattle. We had a great trip and contrary to popular belief it only rained one day. Here are the pics.

DRE* and I spent the weekend in Montreal a few weeks ago. As usual, we put together our pictures to share. They can be found here. They say that Montreal is the most romantic city in North America and we'd be hard pressed to disagree. The city is basically half French and have English so you get the best of both worlds (without the smelly rude people). Check out our pics and feel free to leave a comment or two.

DRE* and I recently attended the wedding of her long-time friend in Las Vegas. The pics can be found here.

Just returned from spending the week in Dallas for a Java Performance Engineering Bootcamp. It was a grueling 5 days of load testing and code optimization techniques. It wasn't all work though, as I was able to visit friends and family while there. My close friend, and former colleague, Ed came up for a night on Wednesday and we had dinner out at the Magic Time Machine. Thursday, I was treated to some steaks on the grill (Texas style Ribeye's) at my uncle Dale's place. He and his wife Joyce put out quite a spread for me, and we were joined by her son and his best friend.

Ed and I with a cardboard friend at the Magic Time Machine.

DRE* and I recently visited Arizona for several days, narrowly escaping the path of hurricane Frances. We stayed at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale. It was supposedly rainy season, but the weather was perfect (very hot). Around the Scottsdale area we hit the golf course twice, spent a day at the spa, lounged by the pool, and went horseback riding. We drove up to Sedona for lunch and a Pink Jeep 4X4 tour which was totally awesome. Sedona is beautiful and as great as our pictures are, they can't do the area justice. It is a place that you have to see for yourself. You can visit our pictures here.

Just returned from spending an awesome weekend in San Antonio. Played golf two days with the boys and went swimming at Lake Medina. Bill and I had dinner with Ed & Mary at Rudy's BBQ, then out for some Mexican with Ed, Mary and Josh at Rosarios. Made a point to get my fill of Mexican food, and ate more than a few breakfast tacos. I always have a great time in SA and I definitely need to get back more often.

At the Northern Hills with Taylor, Shawn and Bill	Dinner at Rosarios with Josh, Bill, Ed and Mary
Rudy's BBQ in Leon Springs	Some of the best BBQ in Texas
Lake Medina

We've finally completed the long-awaited page of the pics from our trip to Costa Rica in mid-May. We thoroughly enjoyed the natural beauty, array of wildlife and friendly people. Our activities included: canopy tour, horseback riding and hiking to a waterfall, lounging in hot springs, receiving hot stone massages, seeing an active volcano, taking a river safari, playing golf, and visiting a national park full of animals. The whole trip was very relaxing, but as usual, too short. Check out the pics here. Make sure to post your comments.

DRE* and I spent the weekend in Pensacola with the gang (J.B. & Mona, Jim & Michelle). The weather, water and company were awesome. Friday night, the city had a parade downtown with a theme similar to Mardi Gras (sans titties). As you can see from the pics, we were total bead whores. We hung out with J & M's friend Mike, who was a very generous host and a laid-back dude. The other locals were much less 'beach' and much more 'Deliverance'. We saw Confederate flag bikinis (on those who should have been completely covered), few full sets of teeth, a near race riot and a whole lotta twang. So, needless to say, the people watching was fruitful;P

    

     

DRE* and I spent winter break this year in Nassau with JB & Mona. The weather could have been better, but the company couldn't have been. Check out the pics here. We're off to Costa Rica in a few weeks, so stay tuned for the pics.

If you haven't checked out my travel pages, click the "My Travel Page" link. Feel free to post your comments.