Back from China!

We're back!  The trip was absolutely amazing.  China is one of the most interesting places I've ever been (and not at all what I expected based on general expectations and a single trip to Hong Kong about a decade ago).  Light years ahead of the US in some ways, medieval in others.  The food was way better than I'd expected.  The sights were things I'll never forget.  More than anything, my biggest impression of the country was the size -- of the country itself, but even more, of the population.  The cities are huge.  We got back to Dallas, left the airport to go home, approaching the downtown heart of the city in a cab by night, and we both thought, oh, how cute, small town America.  Honestly, I think we could have been driving into Manhattan, and it would have seemed like a small town.  But there are just people everywhere.  Things feel crowded.  Not always in a bad way (sometimes in a bad way though). 

I promise many more posts soon about all different parts of the trip.  But for now, it's a major game of catch-up at work, and a major game of unpack-repack at home.  Over the summer, I tried hard to make the most of a few lazy weekends because I knew the last 4 months of 2012 would be like this -- go, go, go.  We landed very early this morning, and we fly to Milwaukee tonight for one of my brothers' weddings this weekend.  Yikes!  But it will be great to get to tell my family all about the trip and spend the time with them, though since I will be working remotely Thurs and Fri, it won't just be an extension of the vacation. 

Texas State Fair Beyond the Food

A few random other pictures from the rest of the fair...

Little baby chickens (or ji, as I will be saying right now in Chinese!):

Fried food awards for this year:

The cutest pig at the fair:

Little hungry piglets at the fair: 

A longhorn, I guess a Texas fair staple: 

At first I thought cow and calf, but actually a zebu (and calf, or whatever a baby zebu is called):

Another shot of the pig that was just so cute:

Past fried food awards, wish 2005 had photographed better: 

Boris, the big pig:

Information about Boris (a new pig every year is named Boris and displayed apparently):

A Texas VW:

And there you have it, the fair, beyond the food, in pictures.

If all goes according to plan, I'll be back from China this week and doing non-pre-written posts! 

A Difference Between my Husband and Me

Just an observation (writing now to share while we're on vacation in China; hopefully back to the US this week!).  I've noticed it multiple times, but notably at the State Fair recently.

When my husband and I confront a table like the one below, a group setting with strangers, a table with two seats available surrounded by people who likely know one other person at the table, but not everyone else, I will sit down and talk to my husband.  If someone asks me a question, I'll answer it, but I'm not going to engage in conversation with someone I don't know. 

My husband, on the other hand, will sit down and talk to me as well as to those strangers around us.  He sometimes interjects into other conversations, always answers questions directed to them, says things to the table in general, rather than just to me. 

I'm glad he's so friendly, approachable, social and out-going. It's just a funny difference that I've noticed. 

Texas State Fair

A picture-heavy post I'd been meaning to share since Sept. 29, the day hubby and I went to the Fair.  In the rain.

But the fair is the fair.  When it's a lovely day, there are all kinds of things to enjoy.  When it's a rainy day, food becomes the real standout. 

A few photos of what I enjoyed...

Setting this to post while I'm in China on vacation.  Bet that trip is going to lead to some VERY interesting food recap posts!! 

Nachos, with special Texas-shaped chips.  Do all states do this?  I don't think I've ever had nachos at the Wisconsin state fair, the only other state's that I attend somewhat frequently.

Alligator.  I didn't eat this, but hubby did.  He said it was delicious, likely due in large part to the sauce:

A butter sculpture.  Not really something I ate, but food-related (and see below for the butter I did eat):

My all-time favorite food at the Texas State Fair, the fried butter, garlic flavor.  To me, it tastes like the best piece of buttery toast you can imagine. Sooooo glad the fair is only once a year!

Another view of the Texas nachos, in front of a stranger who let me push them away from me to photograph on my crappy phone...

My baked potato.  I ate almost the whole thing and it was very good.

My first food of the day, non-Texas shaped nachos, just beans, cheese and jalapenos:

Very, very glad the fair is only once a year, and that I had 20 miles of running on the schedule for the day after we went!