The greatness of a country can be seen in the living conditions of the poor and the greatness of a person can be seen in ones relationships with poor people.

San Francisco, 9 - 11 May, 2011

Attended Google I-O 2011 in San Francisco.

See opening video.
Takes time to download 22.3 MB to Media Player

Princeton, BC, 20 - 22 May, 2011

We attended the rockhound rendezvous at Princeton, BC with many other rockhounds. We collected fossils in sandstone on one of the field trips.

5 - 14 July, 2011

Drove Robert Sun and daughter back to Vancouver.

Yayue at Shannon Falls north of Vancouver.

Robert Sun and I meet with Richard Lee, M.L.A., Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism, in his Burnaby, British Columbia, office Thursday afternoon, 14 July, 2011.

Kelowna, 18 July, 2011

Rainbow at sunset over Glenmore Valley from our front deck.

Kelowna, 25 July, 2011

Addressed city council regarding suggestion for friendship with Guilin, Guangxi, China.

Washington-Oregon rockhounding, 12 - 20 August, 2011

Lindea and I went looking for interesting rocks in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
We found some petrified wood near Mattawa, WA, and a few varieties of obsidian at Glass Butte, OR.

Flight Vancouver to Shanghai, 31 August - 1 September, 2011

Arrived in Shanghai from Canada for 1 night before flight to Jinan.

Jinan, Shandong & Linyi Jiangsu, 2 - 6 September, 2011

Attended Textile Expos in Jinan and Linyi arranged by OKDeal Club.
We were treated to a visit to a museum in Jinan.

Nanjing, 6 September -23 October , 2011

Spent my time in Nanjing renewing friendships, attending English corners and searching for food that I would like to eat.

I lived in the home of the mother-in-law of a good friend for a couple of weeks, then moved in with my son who teaches English in a primary school.

Bought an electric bicycle to facilitate travel around town.

Shaoxing, 24 & 25 October, 2011

Went as a guest to the 2011 China Keqiao International Textile Expo; another event arranged by the OKDeal Club.

Guilin, 6 - 8 November, 2011

Met with a government official of Guilin to suggest a friendship relationship with Kelowna as both cities have common interests and friendship between the East and the West promotes world unity.

Yangshuo, 9 - 12 November, 2011

Spent a few days in Yangshuo. The scenery and culture are attractive to me.

Shanghai, 26 - 28 November, 2011

Spent Sunday at English Corner in People's Park where I met some longtime friends.

Kelowna, 28 November, 2011

Returned from Shanghai via Vancouver to Kelowna by Air Canada.
Endured excessively prolonged and intrusive scrutiny at Vancouver airport security. It was apparent to me that the metal detection wand was making false positive indications and the operator knew it was malfunctioning, yet he prolonged the ordeal beyond reason and to the consternation of those waiting in line. He finally requested that I pass through the full body scanner. I patiently and silently complied with his demand. It confirmed what any reasoning person could have deduced considering what was observable and my history of crossing borders — I was free of any dangerous material.