Blogs from Madison, Wisconsin, United States, North America
We're leaving in a few days for our 5 week adventure to New Zealand and Australia. We will try to post some photos and stories throughout our journey to keep our family and friends updated. Thanks for reading! Love, Briana and Brian... read more
Back in the US: Final Thoughts
Published: January 6th 2012North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonSome say the grass is greener on the other side. Others say there’s no place like home. I’d say that two cultures are better than one. Of course that is more easily said now that I am home, sweet home, but I really do believe that something beautiful emerges when the best of many worlds are brought together. Coming to this realization is tough when you are 6500 miles from home (or about 10,500 kilometers to “do as the romans do”) but looking back I can now see that there are some things I will definitely miss about Chinese living and culture.But there are also things that I am thankful for here at home. Culture Shock #1: Traffic, Traffic Everywhere With a population of about 10 million people, Shanghai has as many people as New ... read more
Readers, How do I process traveling, now that the experience has come and gone? How do I put into words my day-to-day experiences? How do I convey my excitement, my boredom, my loneliness, my joy, my sadness, and my sublimity? How can I make the gossamer of my mental images into complete stories and experiences? Furthermore, now that I feel as an alien in my home country, how do I amalgamate the person that I was a year ago and the person that I have become? Five years ago, I learned to write. I could construct sentences before that time, but my words were disjointed and my ideas would not come together. Since that time, writing has become a passion, and a release. Through writing I am able to distill thoughts, find themes and give meaning. ... read more
First travel blog ever! Will be posting further entries in the future as I embark on my trip to Bible school in the UK and Austria in the coming year.... read more
Countdown to school
Published: September 11th 2011North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonBear workshop complete
Published: August 31st 2011North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonThe bear photo workshop was a total blast. There's no way words and photos can adequately describe my time at the sanctuary. I learned much about black bears and have a new appreciation for them. For 4 days we walked among the bears photographing them and learning about their behaviors. Some of the bears there are 20-30 years old, all the way down to cubs born earlier this year. The yearlings - around 2-3 years old were the most inquisitive. It was amazing to watch the mothers send their cubs up a tree when other bears came to close to them or something else startled them. The bears are preparing for hibernation so they were eating a lot. Yes they feed the bears at the sanctuary, but it's because Vince Shute fed them for three decades ... read more
What a fun two days I've had exploring Madison and Oshkosh, WI. The weather has been absolutely perfect. Thursday I started out at the Unitarian Church Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built in Madison. Then I drove around the University of Wisconsin campus and worked my way downtown to the Capital. Along the shore of Lake Monona is the Convention Center - Monona Terrace. Wright designed the building over several decades. His final design was in 1959. Fifty-six years later the City of Madison built the convention center based on his design. Changes had to be made, but were accomplished by Taliesin Architects. Friday I headed over to Oshkosh, WI. Driving along country roads I drove by a barn with a smiley face painted on a door. It called out my name and I turned around ... read more
Greetings from Badger Land
Published: August 18th 2011North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonHello from Madison. Yesterday was smooth sailing so I drove further than planned. In the summer I have a hard time stopping in the middle of the afternoon when I feel like diving further. I drove an extra 100 miles and was still settled in well before dark. That made for a short drive today which led to my 2nd bonus attraction of the trip. When I stopped at the WI welcome center, I learned Frank Lloyd Wright's home - Taliesin - is located just west of Madison. To top it off, they are celebrating Taliesin's centennial this year. So... I got set up at the campground and headed out for a tour. I was able to take in the Highlights Tour and got to see both the house and his Hillside Studio. It was nice ... read more
Wisconsin, our 18th? state
Published: August 7th 2011North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonCrossed the Mississippi for the last time this trip. Said goodbye to the big muddy and goodbye also, to the cornfields of Iowa! Rode now through the cornfields of Wisconsin. Stopped off in Plattville for lunch then pushed on to Madison, which is the state capitol of Wisconsin and a very beautiful city. Feels quite strange to be this close to Chicago, and to have clocked up over two and a half thousand miles! Celebrating this we managed to book in to, probably the poorest motel of the trip! The room reeked of smoke and just didn't feel that clean! Should have checked the rooms before we paid. Parked up the Harley and took a bus downtown where we saw the capitol building and took a walk by Mendota lake. Madison is on an isthmus and ... read more
Escape to the (not so) Wild West
Published: July 28th 2011North America » United States » Wisconsin » MadisonI am experiencing serious dairy withdrawal. I just returned to Beijing after three wonderful weeks spent in America's Dairyland (also known as Madison, Wisconsin). My pangs of longing for dill cheese curds, Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and skim milk cannot be satiated with the processed American singles and freezer-burned ice milk found on the shelves of Beijing's imported food stores. This is an affliction that can only be truly understood by those who have had the fortune of tasting the exquisite gastronomy of Wisconsin. Am I being too dramatic? I say nay . . . Per usual, my annual pilgrimage to the American midwest passed by in a flash. Relaxing Saturday mornings spent strolling languidly around the Capital square tasting fresh produce and cheeses at the farmers' market have been replaced with crowded grocery stores testing ... read more




























