We have left Beijing and extended family behind and made our way to Kunming, Yunan province. Following good weather, we are still in the 60’s entering November. Yesterday was a modest stroll through the local zoo which was only a couple blocks from our apartment.
Today we made a trek to see China’s largest flower market on the outskirts of Kunming city. Endless rows of vendors across blocks and blocks of city area. The operations are 24×7 and an electronic trading center runs nearby.

It's been a long while since I've posted. This is mostly due to laziness, but a certain deliberate laziness at least. Our first month in Asia was spent in Beijing visiting with all of Lily's extended family and friends. There are a lot of them, they are all in Beijing and they all like to eat and drink. And while I left the camera in the bag for this portion of the trip, our time was not without a few excursions.

It’s impossible to properly describe the degree to which things revolve around food in China. Continuing from my last post, the following are pictures of just a few more of the dishes I’ve shared with family in Beijing over the last two weeks.

I thought it would be appropriate to make my first post from China about food. Here is a view of our first family lunch (six adults). Let's just say the Chinese know how to eat.

We toured the rose test garden in Portland today.  A tremendous variety of roses on display.

After sleeping in houses, hotels, tents, cabins, yurts and teepees, we arrive at our port of exit, Portland, Oregon.

We entered Idaho.  While at a rest stop on the highway, we were pleasantly surprised by a trucker who stopped to give his pet rabbit some grass time.  An enjoyable time for the kids as the bunny circled trees and chose to run to me to avoid the trucker (clearly playing a game).  We stopped in Pocatello and then spent the night camping at Bruneau Sand Dunes.

Slept in late this morning in our cozy cabin on Snake River.  Discovered that my sleeping bag holds four.  A hike around String Lake was fruitful with deer and elk crossing our paths.  Heidi hiked twice the distance as the rest of us, as she skipped most of the way.

After a stop in Rock Springs (we found an amazing deal at a hotel in Rock Springs – $65 for the night for two rooms, a kitchen, laundry facilities one door away, and a free full breakfast at the nearby diner), we drove to one of my favorite and familiar spots – Jackson, Wyoming.

Given my near zero sleep status, we decided to leave camp early and continue on through Rocky Mountain Park and found a nice hotel and much appreciated shower at Steamboat Springs.  In the morning we spent a couple hours at the natural sulfur hot springs.  Then, on to Dinosaur, Utah to see the quarry exhibit hall and camp at Green River.