January 21-23, 2003

January 21-23, 2003

Afterwards my Far East business trip takes me to Singapore, an island nation off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Singapore is a world away from China, in every sense of the world. First Asia is huge and distances mind-boggling. The flight is over five hours and takes us over smoggy China and down the length of Vietnam. Secondly Singapore is paradise compared to China. It is green, warm, and comparatively uncrowded. I take advantage of the fact that I am early and sit by the pool for a few hours.

On the return flight to the US, I have a connection through Tokyo. Well, I can say I have to been to Japan now even if it was just at the airport. I get lucky and get upgraded to business class. This time my seatmate is a career government agent who currently works to promote study in the US to Mongolians. I can’t believe that is a real job!

January 25-26, 2003

January 25-26, 2003

We are escaping the cold of Chicago and flying to Cabo San Lucas for a week in the sun.  Cabo is on the southern tip of Baja California. After arrival at the airport we transfer fifteen miles east to the sister city of San Jose del Cabo and check-in at El Presidente on the beach. This resort is all-inclusive with several restaurants to choose from. We spend the afternoon soaking up the sun.

The next morning we take the shuttle bus west to check out the main tourist hub of Cabo San Lucas. We get talked into taking a time-share tour.  They give us breakfast and several gifts. We like the Huevos Mexicanos, an egg dish mixed with salsa. The hard sell was pretty soft and we enjoyed seeing the beachfront condo they were promoting. Besides a bottle of Tequila and a Mexican blanket, we get vouchers for a glass bottom boat tour and a pirate-ship cruise.  We take the boat tour while we are here. The boat motored out to see the famous rocks of Cabo. Cabo is Spanish for ‘cape’ and this rock arch is where the long peninsula jutting into the Pacific ends. We see lots of snorkelers and seals swimming in the area.

January 27-29, 2003

January 27-29, 2003

We spend the morning in Cabo at the pool, but we are surprised how cool it is, at least in the morning. It doesn’t warm up till the afternoon. Being this far south I expected Cabo to be hot like the Caribbean. I suppose it is more like Arizona and the desert environments. Without clouds and humidity, the heat radiates out at night and then has to rewarm during the day.

I want to go scuba diving in the area, as the Baja is famous for Pelagics, i.e. large sea creatures like Whale Sharks. The local dive shop though says the water at this time is very murky because of the mixing of cold pacific water with the warm gulf water. We decide to skip it until a future vacation farther up the Gulf of California. Instead we hit one of the golf courses along the rocky coast between the two Cabo cities.

On Tuesday evening, we shuttle to Cabo San Lucas to take our other condo freebie, the pirate cruise. It is relaxing cruise around the bay out to the Cabo Rocks. It is mostly an excuse to drink.

January 30, 2003

January 30, 2003

Getting bored with hanging at the beach, we check out the activities offered at a tourist stand outside the hotel. We sign up for an ATV tour to a deserted stretch of beach where we can ride four-wheelers up and down the dunes.  A very young Mexican teenager escorts us on the ride.  We have to use bandanas across our faces to keep the sand out. We find it unexciting. I think both of us are afraid that we will tip over if we go too fast.

January 31, 2003

January 31, 2003

Our week in Cabo is at an end so we make the most of it. Aimee is in love with the idea of riding a horse along the beach.  To satisfy her dream, we take a couple-hour guided ride along the beach in the morning. It is just us and the guide.

Cabo is famous for whale watching so in the afternoon we shuttle to Cabo San Lucas and take a whale watching tour.  Humpback and Gray whales migrate here in the winter.  I have always wanted to get up close and personal with the whales and we are not disappointed.  We see one breech totally out of the water.  It is very hard to take a picture though.  They dive deep searching for food for several minutes before surfacing again.  We have to guess in which direction the whales will appear.  By the time I get the camera pointed and focused all that is left is the tail descending into the deep for another food run.

While lying on the beach, everyday we have seen an ultra light airplane cruising the area.  Since this is our last day I get brave and negotiate a ride.  When I first graduated college, I really wanted an ultra-light but settled on grad school instead.  The ride is very cool but a little scary.  Good thing I never bought one for myself. The pilot has a wing-mounted camera so I can prove I actually did it, once.

The next morning we start the long flight back to Chicago losing two hours along the way.

May 17-18, 2003

May 17-18, 2003

We are headed to O’Hare airport tonight to begin our adventure into the English countryside. As we are waiting for the taxi, I lift Aimee’s suitcase and bulging backpack and give her a reminder of the need to pack light when traveling internationally. She ignores me.

Our overnight flight arrives in Heathrow bright and early in the morning. As I pull our backpacks from under the seat, I notice Aimee’s is wet. Uhoh! It looks like something has leaked from a metal box attached to the underside of the seat in front of us. Thinking it is some battery that has leaked acid, I complain to the stewardess. After deplaning I stop in the “loo” to rinse off whatever chemical dripped on it. On opening the carry-on I find one of the many (quart-size!) bottles of shampoo and conditioner Aimee packed burst soaking the backpack. I am glad it is not battery acid but I hand it back to Aimee with a stronger packing reminder. I hope she heard me this time!

After going thru customs, we stop at the rental agency to pickup our car. Somehow there is a mix-up on our reservation, and there are no automatics available. But they will have a manual “stick” shortly. It is bad enough getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road, it will be even harder with manual transmission where the gearshift is on the left. Our trip is not starting off so well. Remembering we are on vacation, we chill and have some English tea while we decompress. After getting the car we circle the airport a few times till I get used to English driving. We will survive.

From Heathrow our first stop is nearby Windsor Castle. It is the largest castle in England. Before entering we buy the British Heritage Pass. Since we are going to visit many historical sights I am expecting it to be a bargain despite the high expense. From the town of Windsor we walk up a steep hill into the castle. The Round Tower or keep dominates the interior. This central “motte and bailey” was originally built by William the Conqueror. Its strategic and scenic location along the Thames River made it a favorite of English kings and was greatly expanded through the years. It seems like things are happening here and most of the castle is blocked off. The queen must be home. The southeast side of the castle is all park and we just take a quick peak out the gate at it.

In 1215 King John was besieged here by a revolt of English Barons. They forced him to sign the Magna Carta. It called for the first limits on the king’s power and is considered an important milestone on the development of democracy. We drive the five miles to Runnymede where the document was signed. It is mostly just an open field but it surprisingly has a memorial to our JFK.

From Windsor we drive west to Salisbury and visit the Salisbury Cathedral in the middle of town. This 13th century Gothic cathedral has the tallest spire in England. Next-door in the Chapter House is displayed the best-preserved copy of the Magna Carta. Only four exist. Funny we didn’t see a one at Runnymede where it originated. We spend the night at the Rokeby B&B. We walk into town for typical English pub grub at the Market Inn.

May 19, 2003

May 19, 2003

Before leaving Salisbury, UK I convinced Aimee to let us stop at Old Sarum, a red dot I saw on the map just north of Salisbury. I am glad we did. Old Sarum (Old Salisbury) is a large double-ringed earthwork fortress atop a hill dating back to prehistoric times. It has been the site of a fortress for 5000 years. Even the Romans had a fort here. In medieval times, a stone castle was built atop the inner ring but the stone was torn down and reused to build new Salisbury in the valley below. Outside the inner fortress is the foundation of a medieval cathedral.

From Old Sarum we drive north to a more famous prehistoric site, Stonehenge. The history of this Bronze Age stone circle landmark is shrouded in mystery. Ancient circles are scattered throughout northern Europe. It probably had a religious or astronomical purpose. But what is known is the huge stones were quarried a long way off in Wales and painstakingly dragged here. We give ourselves the self-guided audio tour. This is truly a unique site.

We next backtrack to the west of Salisbury to see another castle marked on the map. Old Wardour Castle, down a country road in the middle of nowhere, is a very small baronial castle, more like a large fortified house, built in the 14th century. It is unique with six sides. One side was badly damaged during the English Civil War. We again pay for the self-guided audio walking tour.

Afterwards we continue on to the town of Bath. The city is named after a large Roman bath that was located here. Thinking it can’t be big, we make a quick run thru the ruins. They turn out to be huge. We will have to come back again tomorrow, so we spend the night in town at the Radnor B&B.

Knowing that the best food in Britain is not English, we eat a short walk away at a nice Thai restaurant called Mai Thai.

May 20, 2003

May 20, 2003

We start the day back at the Roman ruins of Bath, UK. 2000 years ago the Romans conquered England and built many towns. One was located here because of the presence of a hot spring. That meant the Romans could build one of their favorite luxuries, a hot bath, to make living in this cold damp northern climate tolerable. The ruins are in the middle of town, and the main feature is an overlook of a swimming pool about 20 feet below street level. It is steaming and slightly sulfurous smelling. This is just the biggest pool in a huge bath complex atop which the modern English city was built. We enter the reception hall, pick up the self-guided audio tour and descend stairs down to the excavations. These Roman Baths were only re-discovered in the late 1800’s.

We first see the sacred spring, the 150-gal/min 115oF flow that is the source of all the water. During cleanings, archeologists found thousands of artifacts that had been thrown in the spring as offerings to their gods. From the spring, the Romans ran the water in lead pipes to a variety of pools including the lead-lined Great Bath we saw on the way in. There is an east and west wing to the complex. Each side has some uniquely Roman saunas, heated by hot furnace exhaust that flowed below the floor and around the walls of the rooms. The Romans also liked cold plunge baths too. Invigorating for some, I suppose.

The museum has an exhibit on ordinary people and their concerns and issues at the time, assembled from the many artifacts found during excavation.  Surprisingly many of the same petty things we worry about today. I guess some things don’t change. The Roman legions deserted England in the 5th century when barbarians invaded Rome. The entirely indoor bath complex eventually collapsed, was built over, and forgotten.

We interrupt our Roman Bath visit by going topside to take one of the free, guided walking tours of the city. Aimee really enjoyed this museum break. Bath is a beautiful town with wonderful Georgian architecture and beautiful parks. The tour ends at the iconic Royal Crescent apartments. Apparently Bath has always been a playground for the rich and famous. We join the upper crust and have “cream tea” at Sally Lunn’s, a Bath landmark. It claims to be the oldest house in Bath. Cream Tea turns out to be tea with a scone, jam, and butter (cream).

During our visit to the Bath Abbey Cathedral next-door we notice they are having a concert tonight. We decide to go. After eating Italian at Trattoria de Salvo we walk to the church. The performance is mostly just chanting. Not really our cup of tea (no pun intended), but it is an interesting experience.

May 21, 2003

May 21, 2003

From Bath, UK we head west crossing the Bristol Channel and enter southern Wales. We stop in the capital of Cardiff. In the city center we park outside Cardiff Castle. This walled fortress has a Norman-era Keep in one corner. Later in the Victorian Era, the castle owner, rich from all the local coal mines, incorporated into one side of the outer wall a lavish Gothic Revival mansion. Unfortunately it rained the entire time we toured the site. I guess that is typical English weather.

From Cardiff we drive to nearby Caerphilly castle. This castle is much larger, older and in disrepair. It is built on an island surrounded by a large lake-size moat. The entrance is via a large drawbridge. This very formidable castle was built by an English lord to secure his southern Wales territory against attacks by rebellious natives, the Welsh Gaelic people. Caerphilly is the second largest castle after Windsor. The castle exterior has a display of medieval siege weapons on the grounds including my favorite, the Trebuchet.

From Caerphilly we backtrack east to the Bristol Channel and follow the west bank of the river Wye north. This river follows the southern border between Wales and England. About six miles north we stop at Tintern Abbey. Tintern is the ruins of a medieval monastery of the Cistercians, a sect of Benedictine monks that believed in austerity and hard labor. The abbey went into decay when Henry VIII cut ties with the Catholic Church and dissolved the monasteries. The ruins of the cathedral are eerie, like a stone skeleton, still complete but without roof or windows. It is beautiful, set in a picturesque forested river valley.

After walking the grounds of Tintern we find a country B&B a few miles north called Offa’s Mead. The owners of the guesthouse tell us that their home is often used by hikers walking Offa’s Dyke. We learn that Offa’s Dyke is an earthen wall that was built in the 8th century by Offa, an early Saxon king, to denote the boundary with his enemy, the Welsh. This struggle would endure for years until Edward 1 (the ruthless king in Braveheart) finally conquered Wales, built a string of subjugation castles the length of Wales and installed his son (who by deliberate design had been born in Wales) as Prince of Wales, a tradition that continues to today.

For dinner our hosts suggest we drive into nearby St. Briavels and eat at The George Inn. On the way, we see and walk around a small castle in the middle of town that is now a youth hostel.

May 22, 2003

May 22, 2003

Finished with our brief taste of Wales, we head north to explore some of the industrial north of England on the way to the old city of York. At home I just completed a fly-fishing class, so I brought my fly rod with us hoping for some practice. Unfortunately I discovered that there are few public streams in England and you have to “rent” your section of the stream to fish. All too difficult for the spontaneous tourist that I am. So I was delighted on the drive north when I spotted a sign for trout fishing in Monmouth called the Big Well Fishery. I had to try but was disappointed when I found myself casting into a very small pond artificially stocked with trout.

After a couple hours of mostly untangling my fly line, we continue driving north through the English countryside. Although we are not going far, it is amazing how long it takes to get anywhere. It would have been much faster to drive out of the way to connect with the handful of highways that cross England.

We eventually make our way to Ironbridge, just northwest of Birmingham. I thought this would be a quick stop to see some famous bridge and then we would be on to York. It turns out there is a ton of history here. There is indeed a famous bridge across the Severn River gorge, the first made of cast iron.  The bridge is more than that though; it is the symbol of this area as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Being an engineer we have to stick around. 

We start our tour of this World Heritage area at Blists Hill Victorian Town. This open-air museum is a recreated Victorian-era industrial town complete with costumed actors. It is built on the grounds of an old iron blast furnace. The British Empire, driven by the Industrial Revolution was at its zenith during the Victorian Age. The town is very cute.  

We eat dinner at the Malthouse Pub and spend the night at the Bridgeview B&B overlooking the gorge.

May 23, 2003

May 23, 2003

We continue our tour of the Iron Bridge, UK area today. The local museum trust has ten museums and Blists Hill was only the first.  We start today at the Museum of the Gorge where we learn the industrial history of the area. Because of the ready availability of coal, iron ore, and trees, this area had been a center of iron production by smelting iron ore with charcoal (pure carbon made from wood). The area was quickly denuded of trees to meet demand. In 1709, Abraham Darby perfected the use of coke (pure carbon made from coal) as a substitute for charcoal. This cleared the way for cheap plentiful cast iron that drove the Industrial Revolution.

We next tour the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron where we learn about iron production and see the remains of Darby’s iron smelting operation. In the gift shop we buy some trivets of cast iron to remember our visit.

Midday we visit the Iron Bridge and Tollhouse. It was completed in 1779. Being the first cast iron bridge, it is thick and meaty but elegant. Our ticket lets us walk across the bridge and see the building that collected crossing tolls. I guess politicians have always found a way into the pockets of their citizens.

Before leaving town Aimee convinces me to stop at the Coalport China Museum. It is on the site of an old fine bone china factory and is about the manufacture of decorative porcelain. Interestingly bone china really is made from animal bones mixed with clay.

Our vacation is nearing an end, so in the afternoon we turn around and head back south. The city of York will have to wait till our next visit. This time we take the highway thru Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare. He was born here in 1564. His Tudor-style house is still intact. Next-door is a Visitor Center that contains a history of his life and works. He was the most prolific bard ever. We can’t leave without attending one Shakespearean play. We get tickets for tonight’s performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. We eat dinner alfresco at the Opposition Restaurant and then stroll along the Avon River watching the swans. Afterwards we watch “Measure for Measure” reset in modern times. I have always wanted to be a bigger fan of Shakespeare, but I have such a struggle understanding the poetic lines. It is even harder when the actors have a British accent. We spend the night in town at the Woodstock B&B.

May 24, 2003

May 24, 2003

From Stratford-upon-Avon we drove to nearby Warwick Castle. Warwick is the Disneyland of English castles and we end up spending most of the day here. It is an old medieval castle along the Avon River that has been spiffed up. The ticket price is steep but worth it. We start our day by climbing the towers and walking atop the walls to get a good view of the castle and its terrain. We then tour the interior rooms that have exhibits on medieval armor, wax figures of lords and ladies dressed in finery, and a dungeon of torture. The grounds have tents displaying ancient arts and crafts but the highlight is a real jousting competition with knights in shining armor. It is very entertaining. 

We were planning to spend tonight in the Cotswolds and see this rustic bit of old England. Unfortunately this is a bank holiday weekend and we can’t find a room. So we drive towards London where we spend the night at The Bungalow B&B in Oxford. We eat dinner at the ivy-covered Trout Inn outdoors on a terrace overlooking a branch of the Thames River.

May 25, 2003

May 25, 2003

This morning we drove into the center of Oxford and parked near the University. Oxford is a conglomeration of 39 colleges. We wanted to walk-through Christ Church College, one of the most prestigious, but find it to be within a walled compound. They have tours, but on Sunday, they don’t start till the afternoon. We walk around the meadow or park that abuts it and watch lots of student sporting activities.

Getting frustrated with Oxford, we hop in the car and drive to nearby Blenheim Palace. Blenheim is the home of the Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. It is a remarkable place. Palace is no overstatement. This place rivals Versailles in size and opulence. It was a gift to John Churchill, the first Duke, as a gift from the British people for his leadership in defeating the French in 1704 at the Battle of Blenheim. What a gift!

We take a guided tour of this very plush palace. The interior has painted ceilings, tapestried walls, collections of portraits, fine furniture, and a small exhibit on the life of Winston and his American mother. We then walk the magnificent grounds and gardens. They are just as spectacular as the interior. Aimee loved the hedge maze. This World Heritage site is high on my must-see list for England.

We spend the night in a B&B in Maidenhead outside Heathrow.

May 26, 2003

May 26, 2003

In the morning we drive into Heathrow Airport, turn in our rental car, and head to the terminal. I wait in line with Aimee and see her off. I have to stay for business. She is not happy that I ask her to carry my flyrod back with her.

Tomorrow, Memorial Day, is also a bank holiday for Britain, so I have another day of playing tourist. I take the tube to Victoria station and stash my luggage at a bag check. I have several hours before I have to catch a train to Southampton. I spend most of the time at the British Museum. I have been here several times already but it is always a fascinating place for me. I describe it to Aimee as the place where the Brits stashed all the historic artifacts they plundered during their empire days; like the Rosetta Stone from Egypt, and the Elgin Marbles (Sculptures off the Acropolis pediment).

I have some time left and the British Library is not far away so that is my next stop. It has a Treasures gallery that like the Museum has more icons of history albeit mostly the paper versions. The artifacts include two Magna Carta copies, Gutenberg first bibles, Captain Cook’s Journal, Shakespeare plays, maps, and numerous famous early manuscripts. For the “younger” and hipper, there is also lots of Beatles memorabilia.

December 11, 2003

December 11, 2003

Today we left for a long weekend vacation to San Antonio, TX.  We are going for the nice weather, the sights, and to see if we would like it as a retirement spot.  At the airport we rent a car and drive to the La Quinta Hotel-Market Square.  We have a nice lunch at a Mexican restaurant across the street at El Mercado, a traditional Mexican market.

From there we walk east a mile past the San Antonio River to the Alamo.  This famous facade is smaller than you think and in the middle of downtown San Antonio.  The Alamo, originally the Spanish Mission San Antonio de Valero, was where in 1836 a band of Texans held out to the death for thirteen days against the Mexican army of Generalissimo Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana.  Even though the Alamo was overrun, the delay was long enough for Sam Houston to gather an army and ultimately defeat Santa Ana, establishing independence for the Republic of Texas.  We walk thru the mission, now a memorial to those who died, and then thru the museum housed in the mission’s barracks.  The museum retells the story of the battle and its heroes, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and Col. William Travis.

Afterwards, we walk back to the river and stroll along the bank.  The River Walk is the pride of San Antonio.  A sidewalk hugs both sides of this narrow horse-shoe-shaped canal off the San Antonio River.  It is below grade level downtown and is lined with restaurants, bars and hotels.  We stay for dinner and eat al fresco under the stars.  Since Christmas is approaching the river is trimmed with lights.  As we dine we watch riverboats cruise by with tourists.  At one point in the evening, the boats pass loaded with carolers serenading us.  Christmas has to be the best time to visit San Antonio.  After dinner we have a beer at Howl at the Moon watching two dueling comedic pianists.

December 12, 2003

December 12, 2003

Today we explored the local San Antonio area following the San Antonio River south.  Along the east bank is the King William Historic area.  This neighborhood near downtown was where prominent German merchants settled making it the most elegant of the late 1800’s.

South of San Antonio, along the river, is a chain of four Spanish missions forming the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. These missions along with the Alamo were established in the early 1700’s to convert the Indians to Christianity and indoctrinate them in Spanish culture. This was done to strengthen Spanish hold on the area in the light of how few Spanish soldiers or settlers lived here. We started in the north with Mission Concepcion and worked our way south to Mission Espada. The missions are in various states of renovation but have active Catholic parishes. Like the Alamo, they all have walled compounds to deter raids by nomadic Comanche Indians.

The Spanish did much to teach the locals European farming methods. The most interesting part for me is the remnant of an irrigation canal that still exists at one of the missions.  This aqueduct flows by water bridge over a natural stream. A great piece of engineering on the frontier!

We hit the River walk for dinner again.  Aimee is not feeling well so she just watches me eat dinner while sipping tea.

December 13, 2003

December 13, 2003

We drove to the north side of San Antonio to check out new house construction in the area.  When we tell them we are from Chicago and our price range, they tell us we want the Executive models.  You can definitely get a lot for your money here.

When we tire of this, we drive northwest of San Antonio toward the Texas Hill Country.  On our drive there it starts to pour but we continue on to the town of Fredericksburg.  German immigrants mostly settled the towns in this area.  We stroll down Main Street where all the turn of the century buildings are now quaint shops.  We eat lunch at a German restaurant.   Interestingly the Hill Country looks pretty flat to me.  Back in San Antonio we decide to spend the rainy afternoon at a local cinema.

December 14-15, 2003

December 14-15, 2003

From San Antonio we drove north to check out Austin.  There we take a short walk around the University of Texas campus.  Most prominent is the 300-foot Texas Tower, which gained infamy in 1966 when a sniper fired on the campus from its observation deck for 96 minutes.  We then walk thru the Texas Capitol Building and then to the Texas State History Museum.  It is interesting and recounts the history of Texas from a Spanish settlement to Republic to US state.  There was also a special exhibit on photography.

Before driving home we stop at some Austin open houses to get a comparison with San Antonio.  Austin is more expensive. The next morning we fly back home to Chicago.

January 21-28, 2004

January 21-28, 2004

We flew to Aruba for a week of sunshine away from the cold of Chicago. We land in the capitol, Oranjestad, and take a shuttle to the Holiday Inn Resort and Casino, located on Palm Beach.  It is a beautiful beach with lots of palm trees and sun cover. It is so nice we lay on the beach the whole week.  It is a very Americanized place, with lots of good restaurants within easy walking distance. Our favorite was a romantic dinner we ate on our own private balcony at the Argentinean steakhouse, Texas de Brazil.  One day late in the week we stroll down the beach to find a bunch people kite surfing. I had never seen it before.  It is very cool and we end up watching for quite a while.

February 26-29, 2004

February 26-29, 2004

This weekend I accompanied my male relatives on a fishing vacation to Mountain Home, AR. We spend the long weekend non-stop fishing for trout in the Norfork River, a tributary of the larger White River. We have been coming here so often we know where all the hiding spots are along this short five-mile river. Ideally we wade fish for Browns and Rainbows and the occasional Cutthroat and Brook. Our fishing is sometimes cut short when the dam unexpectedly releases water for power generation.

July 10-17, 2004

July 10-17, 2004

We went to the Florida Panhandle with my family again. We have been going down with them every other year. This time we returned to the Grayton Beach area east of Destin. The beach is beautiful, uncrowded, and filled with white talcum powder-like sand. We mostly sat at the beach, soaked up some rays and read a good novel. One day we drive into the nearby town of Seaside. It is a small, cute, and quirky idyllic town with central gazebo, brick paved streets and white picket fences. It is a planned community in the ‘New Urbanism’ style. It looks so much like the Disneyland version of a beach town that it was the perfect spot to film “The Truman Show”. In the movie Jim Carrey doesn’t know he is the main character on the set of a reality TV show. We like the town so much that we return that night for a performance of the play “Proof” at their small repertory theater. It was excellent and the lead actress outstanding.