The World of Little Little Bird

上周六，去邮局寄快递。周一，在网上查了一下状态，把我吓了一跳。查询显示，Notice Left, July 23, 2006, 7:12 am。那可是星期天早上７点啊。然后显示，周一还会再试一次，要是还是没人收，就会保存５天，然后退回。靠，要是他们每天７点deliver的话，别说再 送一次，再送一年也没人收啊，哪个地方那么早上班。美国邮政的效率也忒高了吧。。。

I got up early and picked my luggage from Kelvin. Then we headed to the 99 ranch plaza in Milpitas. It was 10 am and too early for most of the restaurant. Finally, we found a little Shanghai restaurant and did our brunch. 10:40, we were on our way to SFO. As expected, there was a huge crowd. I spent 15 minutes to find a parking inside the garage. Then we waited one hour in the line for check in. Except for the waiting, everything else was smooth. After seeing my parents get into the security area, I drove back to San Jose airport and waited for my flight back to Austin. It was a dull three hours' waiting for my 5:30 flight. At around 5pm, after I grabbed a bite, my phone rang. It was my roommate. He had returned to Taiwan a month ago. In the phone, he told me that he would return at that night. Then I told him that I was out of town waiting in San Jose airport, blah, blah, blah. Dramatically, he said he was in San Jose airport too. The we exchanged our locations, I was at Gate A10, and he was at Gate A11, and we were to be on the same flight. Interesting... But later, the flight was delayed 90 minutes due to some water pumping issue. I finally got back home once again at midnight.

We left the best for the last day. We went to the Glacier Point. It is the best view in this Yosemite trip. From the top of the point, we can see the villages, the falls, the domes, literally everything. After the point, it was the long long drive back to San Jose. Got to Milpitas in the evening.

We returned to the park on the second day. This time, we went to the Mariposa Grove to see the giant sequoias, the largest trees on the planet. We hiked around 2 miles on the trail into the Grove. Then we drove along the Tioga Pass. Along the pass, the Tenaya Lake is most impressive. I can hardly think of any words to describe the beauty of the lake. Besides that, we also stopped at the Tuolumne Meadows, Lembort Dome, Yosemite Creek, and the White Wolf. On the way back, we re-visited the valley for the Sentinel Beach and the Swinging Bridge. It was a relaxed day as most of the time we spent was on the car. It took 2 hours driving on the 40 miles pass. The bad part is that there is no restaurant along the pass. I found dining legend at the White Wolf on the map, but they only offered dinner. Darn, good that we brought enough bread, water, cookies and snacks.

Four months flew by. Yosemite is the last stop that my parents visited before they returned to China. We left Austin early on Saturday the 15th and landed in San Jose around 10am. After leaving the luggages at Kelvin's new home (a very nice one), we headed for Yosemite. Hwy 120 is very challenging, left and right, up and down on 5000ft mountains. We can see the valley next to the road. Some part of the road doesn't even have fences. One Tsinghua doc was reported to have fallen down from the highway when driving last year. We were inside the park at around 3pm. Compared to the July 4th visit to Grand Canyon, there were much fewer people. We first went to the Yosemite Valley. We visited the largest monolith in the world, El Capitan, we hiked to the Bridalveil Falls, we hanged around the Yosemite Village, and hiked to the longest water fall in the North America, the Yosemite Falls. The falls are awesome, which are indeed 飞流直下三千尺. We stayed at the Best Western in Oakhurst. I was lucky that I had booked my hotel in Okahurst, which is a town 15 miles away from the south entrance. The road to the west entrance was blocked my the mudslide in June.

I dropped by Old Navy today. It is having an extra 50% off sale on clearance items today and tomorrow. Many stuffs are already deeply discounted as 75% off. I got two jackets for a total $5, which would cost me around $50 at original prices. What a bargain. So, run...

My Thank open a brand new store in China Town on Lamar. It is the first large asian store in Austin. The plaza is very much similar to the 99 Ranch plazas in bay area, a big supermarket with many other small shops around. The stuffs are fresh and the prices are comparable to Houston's level. It will definitely replace Hong Kong as my main grocery store in the future.

It finally ended. I was once a big fan of soccer. Ten years ago, I stayed up late for Italian League on Sundays, I got up at 3am for Euro Cups and I played soccer with my friends very often. Even 4 years ago, I watched China's world cup games with my friends at midnight. However, this time, I only watched 3 games. US vs. Italy, this is for the country that I live in. Netherlands vs. Portugual, this is for the team that I love. Italy vs. France, that is the final. 2 hours' running with the same group of athletes for one or two goals, that is no longer exciting to me. I feel like football more. Offensive team, defensive team, special team, coaching staffs, everyone is involved and every play is crucial. Also, the judging system in NFL is much superior than the soccer rules. Referees can review the plays through cameras to make sure plays are fair. That's why US people are so into their own "football" games.

这天依然晚起。show看的差不多了，那就得赌了。先趁早check out，把行李都扔在车上，回到casino开赌。老妈喜欢slot machine的热闹，老爸要看世界杯。于是就兵分两路。嘻嘻。有很多人赌球的。但是我搞不清楚具体赌法，似乎很复杂的样子。结果踢了90分钟，颗粒无 收。由于我们飞机是3点多，只得作罢。2点离开，还车，赶飞机。在飞机场，打了电话给Kelvin，被告知Italy加时连入两球。然后就是转机。直到 12点多，总算到了家。Independence Day假期结束了，重新回到正常生活。这次租的Hyundai Sonata真是不错。除了MPG偏低外，都挺好的，让我对韩国车的印象大为改观。还有就是回来后得知小金趁老夫出去玩放了7个"焰火"，搞的股票大跌，TNND。

第三天睡了个懒觉。然后去领了下午的show tickets。吃过brunch八肥，就排队去stratosphere塔顶109层的观光台。在塔顶，Vegas尽在眼前。那里还有thrill rides。100多层，把人吊在外面转来转去。还有就是坐在过山车上以45度连人带车往塔下冲，一直冲到塔外，才堪堪把车拉住，让人悬在半空。看得我都 心惊胆颤的。下了塔，去看订好的show，Viva，Las Vegas。一个多小时的show，贯穿了mm跳舞，gg魔术，和comedian讲美国笑话。我们坐在最前面的桌子，那个comedian见我老爸就是 不笑，很是郁闷，终于忍不住问他是否讲英语。mm跳舞的时候还往台下扔Tee，结果我眼明手快，凌空抢了一件，令我身后的一个mm唏嘘不已。看完 show，我总结了昨天的经验教训，开车出去。把车扔在了Bellagio，然后一路走来，先后看了Bellagio的Conservatory，fountain show，凯撒宫的Atlantis，和TI的pirates show。这次总算看到了。第一次来Vegas因为是圣诞节，没开放。前一天晚上，因为风，又取消了。还是很赞的。

第二天一早，我们再次前往Grand Canyon National Park，又在门口排了1mile的队。这次我们走的是desert view。由于天气好，view比前一天强了很多。一路上走走停停，把所有的view point都看了。等到我们看完，往Vegas开的时候，已经快中午了。GPS显示要下午５点到，也不知道为什么要这么长时间。反正开呗。还是那条６４号 路，还是65的限速，只是由于前一天的经历，我没敢再做带头阿哥，而是跟在了一辆SUV的后面，以７５的速度前进。而身后也跟着一辆跑车。开了没多久，我忽然发现对面开过来的一辆白色SUV似乎戴着帽子，虽然前面的SUV没有什么动静，我还是下意识地踩了一脚刹车。说时迟那时快，就在我和帽 子车擦肩而过的时候，帽子闪了。我的心就戈登一下。前面的SUV也减速到了６５，不过没停，继续前进。我也紧跟，后面跑车也跟着。我从后视镜看着警车。只 见它滴溜一下就打了个U-turn，然后加速奔我们而来。紧跟着，跑车pull over，警车pull over，我们又继续跟着SUV开了段，直到看不见闪了，才定下心来。剩下的６４号公路就在前面SUV的精确速度控制下，以６４的速度走完 的。一路无话，只是在Hoover Dam再次被堵了近２个小时。终于在７点左右到了Vegas.我们住在Stratosphere。在check in之后，就上街了。Vegas真是热，人也多，casino里面都有８成上座率。本来想吃八肥的，但是排队的实在太多。只能在Venetian里的一个 中餐馆吃了上海炒面，奇贵无比。我们先看了Mirage的volcano，然后就等着看TI的pirates show了。在TI前面等待看show的总有1,2千人。提前２０分钟到，还是被挤在很外面。等啊等，还有１0分钟的时候，大喇叭开始说，由于风大，可能 无法表演。大伙不管，任凭大喇叭每２分钟叫一次。好不容易又闷又热的等到１０点，大喇叭宣布正式cancel。人群一片哗然，不过老美确实很文明，都撤 了。回到旅馆，倒头睡了。

一大早赶到飞机场,就看到了无数人.然后转机的时候又看到无数人,都是拖家带口的.所有飞机都是full.这让我感到了美国人的旅游热情.11点到了Vegas,取了车,按计划直奔Grand Canyon.轻车熟路,再加上GPS的帮助,一路飞驰.在Hoover Dam被耽搁了半个小时.在Arizona境内,有一段I40限速75.记得上次来只有70.估计75是美国最高限速了吧.以90的速度开,到了64号公路,因为只有一条lane,开始被前面的慢车堵着.到了公园,等待进入National Park的车辆延伸到了1mile之外.终于在5:30pm进了公园.我们往village的方向边看边走.那里的trail比较好走.每个view point都是很多人.时间过的飞快,一晃就快7点了.我们决定离开,吃饭,住店.沿着64往回开.65的限速,我开了80多吧.我后面还紧跟着一辆车.突然,我发现马路对面停着辆车,好象丫车顶上还带着帽子.靠,马上一脚刹车下去,踩到了68.对方没有动静.就在我从它边上开过的时候,丫闪灯了.也不知道是不是闪我.我那叫慌啊,第一次被闪,马上pull over,我后面的车也跟着减速.但是cop就是停在马路对面闪啊闪,并不U-turn来找我.我后面的车马上就超过我跑了.我又犹豫了一会,对面还闪着呢,我心一横,也战战兢兢地走了.这下一路上都是65了.直到旅馆,check in的时候问了大叔,大叔说多数是警告我一下.哎,半条小命.

利用了这次Independence Day的假期去了趟Vegas和Grand Canyon.7/1一大早从Austin出发,7/4深夜回来.虽然一年多前去过,但是当时是圣诞节,错过了所有的show.只是这次见识了美国人的旅游热情,真是people mountain people sea.