View Full Version : Just got back from Washington and Canada!
JoeReal
04-13-2009, 05:19 AM
Arrived around 1:00 am today, after driving from Vancouver and University of Washington at Seattle. Was hoping to visit Chong in Seattle, but I lost his contact info and had no time. Will post some pics of the excellent Cherry blossoms and the magnificent campus of UW.
My oldest son is now most inclined to study at UW from amongst the many universities he has applied and got accepted. And indeed, UW is one of the most beautiful campuses we have visited.
Most people I talked to at Vancouver and Washington are into organic and they are very receptive to AZ41. Will have to sell some AZ41 so that I can deduct the expense of the trip from my taxes, :)
Well, Washington has about 50,000 total acres planted to grapes, about 34,000 acres of it to known wine grape growers alone, so definitely, there is potential there for the business. If they used AZ41 first, before the people in Napa Valley does, then they would lay claim to marked improvement in the aroma of their wines by getting rid of nasty fungicides.
But aside from my "business" trip, here's some interesting info that I'd like to share:
Well, going into Canada at the border takes just 20 minutes. Going back into the US from Canada, is 2-hour wait time at the border. Really big hassle!
The trip was pleasant, as my son and the missus took turns at the wheel. No much trouble, people in other States are generally more well behaved than Californians when it comes to driving.
I'm still amazed at the eternal "Road Work" signs that practically occupy the entire length of I-5 in Oregon! You know, Traffic Fines are doubled in construction zones, so maybe, this is a ploy to balance their budget especially that the State of Oregon doesn't charge any sales tax. There's always extra-ordinary amount of Road Work sections at I-5 in Oregon since 1991, and still true to this very day. Tax dollars at work? At least, the roads are better in Oregon compared to that in California.
And to think we were whining at the increased sales tax in California, compliments of Arnold? Well, the sales tax at the college bookstore in Seattle is a whopping 10%! But then again, I'd rather pay 10% sales tax in Washington than pay State Income tax in California on top of an already exorbitant sales tax!
People from Oregon just show their ID's at Washington and avoid the local sales tax, something that is not allowed in California. And I know of some people from Canada driving all the way down to shop tax-free at Portland, and wear 5-layers of pants, jackets, shirts or dresses on their way back to avoid the tariff. Whatever happened to NAFTA?
Chironex
04-17-2009, 05:55 PM
Welcome back Joe.
conejov
04-17-2009, 06:33 PM
Welcome Back sir. Please do share some pictures of the Cherry blossoms
JoeReal
04-18-2009, 09:30 PM
Arrived Canada at around 10:00 PM
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3800/dsc0531l.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
We visited my Aunt and Uncle in Surrey, the first city from the Border. This is the view to the cul-de-sac going into their place at the left side. We visited them and dropped samples of AZ41. They're excited about it.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3404/dsc0545p.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
It's been raining cats and dogs in Canada
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8580/dsc0569fav.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
We had little time to visit places. Not shown are the mangoes, mangosteen, longans and apple guavas that we feasted on just before we head back to the US.
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6351/dsc0581z.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
The three flags of friendship
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1668/cflags.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Duty Free Shop near the border.
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7397/cdutyfree.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Oh man! The line is too long. It's gonna be an agonizing 2-hours wait!
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9274/cbordertraffic1.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Almost there but not moving anywhere!
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1135/cbordertraffic2.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
This guy can't take it anymore, so he hiked to the border!
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/351/chiker.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Meanwhile, my son got off and took this pictures of the coastline.
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9664/cbordersea1.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Maybe it's faster if we swam instead!
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3821/cbordersea2.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Finally, the USA welcomes us back!
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3918/cuswelcome.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
And we're not the only ones having the same ideas.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8910/cuswelcomeb.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7015/cuswelcomeg.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
JoeReal
04-18-2009, 11:01 PM
Actually, we also had an appointment in here, UW's visitor's center
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9230/uwlvcdsc0941.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
The skybridge to the campus.
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8748/uwwalkway.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Walkway on rooftops.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9454/uwrdsc0682.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
And here we are, George Washington Welcomes you to University of Washington Seattle
http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/2025/uwlgwdsc0683.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Donated by:
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6254/uwldsc0685.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Peaceful revolution
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/6312/uwldsc0668.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Oh yes, he dood it! This is my boy almost certain to to UW...
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/6878/uwlsculpture.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Some light to guide you, and that's the "thought" in the back ground!
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5772/uwldsc0781.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Drumhueller Fountain
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/7681/uwldsc0818.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
JoeReal
04-18-2009, 11:16 PM
The famous Red Square for public outcries and meetings, but not in China.
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/7293/uwmbredsquare.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
But just the same, with combat ready campus police to control the rowdy crowds in the Red Square!
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2103/uwpolice.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
JoeReal
04-18-2009, 11:26 PM
Some of the buildings in the UW campus:
Practically one of the biggest landmarks in case you get lost, but it does really nothing more than being a landmark!
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3963/uwmbdsc0691.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
There's a crocodile in the fountain, can you spot it?
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4249/uwmbdsc0803.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8067/uwmbdsc0888.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2631/uwmbdsc0882.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6092/uwmbdsc0880.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
One of the beautiful buildings. It is a library, the Suzallo Library. Inside it is a place that looks similar to the formal dining room at Hogwort's (Harry Potter movie).
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7632/uwmbzdsc0696.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
JoeReal
04-18-2009, 11:48 PM
Ahhh, the finale of our trip! The famous Cherry Blossoms in the Quad. Too bad the sun isn't shining, otherwise, the whole city would be on a picnic in the Quad.
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/20/uwcbdsc0703.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5701/uwcbdsc0705.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2212/uwcbdsc0707.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1699/uwcbdsc0711.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7826/uwcbdsc0715.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4827/uwcbdsc0717.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7861/uwcbdsc0755.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
These ornamental cherry trees have blossoms from the roots to the sky!
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/9564/uwcbdsc0874.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
JoeReal
04-19-2009, 12:04 AM
And yes, they have plum blossoms too. Just starting to open:
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6614/uwcbedsc0784.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Fragrant Jasmine flowers.
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2323/uwcbfdsc0788.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Beautiful Camelia
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7775/uwcbgdsc0872.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Even the lawn have very pretty tiny flowers.
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3631/uwcbidsc0913.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
And other pretty flowers.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6835/uwcbhdsc0917.jpg
By joereal (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/joereal) at 2009-04-18
Overall, University of Washington Seattle is one of the most beautiful campuses we've been to in the West Coast. The dorms have outstanding view of the waterways and the city. The only other campus that has fantastic view but not much beautiful buildings would be the Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
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