Travel Tales

Young Chang

The Costa Mesa couple returned in March to the spot of their

honeymoon, but their trip to London, England was as much for politics as

it was for romance.

“I guess we are sort of a political family,” said Kellie Bieber, who

sells skin-care products online. “We wanted to travel initially just to

do it because of the economy... and we thought England was so wonderful

because they have supported us politically in the war on terrorism.”

Her husband, Jim Bieber, works in “persuasion voter contact mail,”

which means he does political mailing and consulting, so the couple is

accustomed to planning trips around election cycles.

“Generally we travel at odd times of the year,” Jim Bieber said.

“There is a luxury of not having to worry about crowds and the freedom to

do things spur of the moment.”

In London, where the couple had honeymooned six years ago, the Biebers

did everything from visit sights to watch a debate at Parliament during

their one-week stay.

“The issue was on banning fox hunting,” Jim Bieber said. “It was a

pretty easy issue to digest and follow, going back and forth, as opposed

to some bond issue.”

It was the couple’s first time at Parliament and what struck Jim

Bieber the most was that the interior of Parliament really was decorated

in a green scheme, as are our state and federal legislative houses.

“I had always heard that their color scheme matches ours,” he said. “I

was taken aback.”

Kellie Bieber’s favorite moment was visiting Stonehenge, the

mysterious formation of huge stones that archeologists long have studied

but been baffled by when trying to determine its origin and purpose.

“It was magnificent,” she said. “It was probably twice the height that

I thought it would be. Especially when you think those stones came from

hundreds of miles away and it predates Christ and predates everything.”

The couple also watched plays including “Humbleboy” and “Art.” The

Gielgud Theater, located in the heart of Soho, was one location they

visited.

When it came to music, sometimes they didn’t even have to pay.

“We were pleased and surprised at all the street musicians,” Kellie

Bieber said. “There were excellent musicians everywhere. Free music, free

entertainment.”

* Have you, or someone you know, gone on an interesting vacation

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