I guess I couldn't just sit still. After barely a year of life back in Melbourne, Florida, life's paces have taken me back to the Middle Kingdom for another assignment!
This time around, the destination is none other than Chengdu, China. It was but a few years ago that I had memorialized, on this very blog, my first trip back to the capital of Sichuan 13 years after my first fateful visit to China. Since then, Chengdu has become one of my most visited destinations, and now, my home away from home.
Of course, before the big move, we had to get our affairs in order. That meant getting the house ready to rent out once more.
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| We finally broke down and agreed to plant the required 12 shrubs per our HOA... after power washing everything |
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| We added a fresh coat of external paint - the first ever since the house's original coat... |
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| Some side attractions during our painting work - they killed an 8 foot gator in the pond behind the house... |
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| The fruits of our labor - bright new paint job and lawn! |
We also took the opportunity to get together with the family a few more times before leaving, and in the process got to meet the newest member of the extended family - Cousin Luke! Yes... my brother Ed's children are named Leia and Luke, for avoidance of doubt...
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| Slippin' and Slidin' at Ed's House on July 4 |
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| Balloon fight! |
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| Showing Aunt Melinda how to spell her name |
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| Chunky Baby Luke |
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| Playing Nintendo Switch at the Air BnB in the kids' first pilgrimage to Gainesville, FL! |
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| The French Fries at UF's Marston Science Library |
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| Melinda receives her White Coat! |
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| The Sacred Grounds at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium |
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| Go Gators! |
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| My first apartment from Freshman Year at UF |
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| The first apartment Cherry and I lived in together in Gainesville! |
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| Rare Whole Family Photo at Depot Park, Gainesville |
After taking the new job, things moved very quickly. Between not one, not two, but three major business trips, it seemed like no time had passed before the movers came and took everything... again:
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| Here we go again... |
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| Sometimes I can't believe how good this house has held up over the years! |
We moved into the Doubletree to the beach for the last few days before the move:
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| Trying to learn checkers |
Then we got on the plane - I managed to upgrade two of our seats to business class woot!
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| Living the high life... |
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| China Eastern Airlines' Toy Story themed A330 |
After a long day of flying, we checked into my favorite hotel in all the land - the St. Regis Chengdu:
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| Greeted with a smorgasbord of fruit and wonderful pastries |
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| The living room of the suite - someday the kids are going to have to learn that not everyone travels like this... |
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| The outdoor pool |
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| Doing laps in the indoor pool |
After settling in for a few days (and a few extremely long days at work; I had a pile of things waiting for me to do), we finally got a chance to explore the city a bit - what's your first week in Chengdu without Chengdu Hot Pot and a traditional Face Changing performance?
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| Not my favorite thing in the world, but you can't go to Chengdu without Hot Pot |
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| Acrobatic tea-pouring |
And so begins our next China Adventure!
