Wow. I am not quite sure where to begin, or how I'll be able to share all of the photos and stories of our trip to China (without taking you right on through to 2013) but I'm going to do my best.
This trip was special to me in so many ways. Living far away from my parents and brother can be tough, and exploring a new-to-me country with them made for some unforgettable memories. First up on our journey: Shanghai. 
We arrived on a Friday evening (after leaving Charlotte on a Thursday morning - that's a lot of travel time + 12 hour time difference!) and had a full day on Saturday to take care of all sightseeing. That morning, we walked through some crowded streets near the Old City, and ended up at the Yu Garden.
This was different than any Western-style garden I've ever seen. Filled with beautiful and intricate pavilions, ponds and waterfalls, dragon walls, rockeries, and a pair of lions guarding almost every doorway, this garden was so unique and lovely to me. After spending the following 8 days in China I found that this style is found in other places, but seeing it first in the Yu Garden really caught my attention.
One of our favorite things to look for throughout the garden (and ultimately throughout the whole trip) were the Chinese guardian lions. Always found in pairs (one on each side of a doorway or entrance), the male lion has his paw on the world and the female lion is holding a lion cub. Our amazing guide Patricia (pictured with one of the lions) told us about them and they truly are everywhere!
That's it for now, I'll be posting a lot more about our trip in the next couple weeks! Thanks for being here, and P.S. Happy Fall :)