Happy New Year (and today's history lesson)!

In the north end of my county is a town called Bainbridge Island. It is a real island, connected to the mainland by a beautiful old bridge, and a ferry leaves the other side for a 30 minute ride to Seattle. It is the wealthiest part of our county, being a bedroom community for Seattle, and the people value the glamour, natural beauty, and seclusion. Many famous people have homes there, but you'll never find them because they're just one of the crowd. Brad and Jennifer (when it was still Brad and Jennifer) once house-shopped there.

But the COOLEST part of this place is not what is there currently, but the history. During the World Wars it was a strategic area for American forces protecting Seattle, a major port city, and the Navy bases in the area. There are still old WWII bunkers built into the hillsides. Some folks say they are haunted, but I couldn't resist exploring anyway (in broad daylight with a flashlight!). There is Fort Worden, a former military training post, where "code breakers" were trained - and some of the earlier Japanese messages before Pearl Harbor passed through.

There is a rich Native American history in this area as well, with the grave of Chief Seattle being just outside the city limits, as well as a gathering place where the leaders of the local tribes used to come together and discuss the future and well-being of their people.

Bainbridge Island is also home to a significant Asian Population. There was a large influx of Japanese and Chinese immigrants prior to the World Wars. Did you see "Snow Falling on Cedars?" That was based and partially filmed there, documenting a dark period in the island's history, when Japanese-Americans were shipped away to be interned in protection camps during WWII.

All this history leads me to what is happening this weekend . . . a Chinese New Year celebration! You can read about it here. It's one of the biggest around. I'm not able to attend this year, but I'm already planning for next year! I'm thinking that I may possibly be accompanied by a particular family member who is intrigued by Chinese culture even more than me, so we will make an event of it, for sure!