Betty and I did not stay in Locke for very long. It was an interesting place but really not much left to see. Our next stop was the Jelly Belly Factory. Before I talk about the Jelly Belly tour, I'd like to record some of the special experience that was new to me: We drove through central valley to get to Locke and then Jelly Belly Factory. Central Valley in CA is known for having heavy "Tule Fog" that settles close to the ground. It was no exception on that day, the tule fog was thick and heavy; driving was somewhat dangerous. Around Locke area, Betty pointed out to me that we were driving on the leeve on the Sacramento Delta that help to block flooding. However, during heavy rain, the area still could be flooded. Now, the Jelly Belly Factory. It was a place full of fun and sweet smell, I enjoyed it thoroughly. We watched the entire process of how the Jelly beans were made from start to finish; at each stage we were given samples of the partially finished jelly beans for tasting. Then at the end, we were given a bag of Jelly Belly to take home. The best part of the tour: it's free. I highly recommend that you take this tour when you get a chance to go to California.

I went to the US to stay with my son and his family for a month again. Baby Melissa is happy and healthy, what a joy to watch a baby grow.

Betty and I went on an interesting trip. One of the stops is Locke, CA, a place where the Chinese settled in the old days. Chinese parents consider education the most important thing in their children's lives; needless to say the first thing they built was a school.

All the buildings there are very old and not in good shape. Locke is designated as a historical site but it is definitely not a tourist spot. There are very few Chinese actually live there anymore.

It is definitely a town of memory but not much to look forward to in the future..