Ah...warm weather and good company! Brian & Sandi provided the backbone for a splendid time in the Yucatan and Belize. I again have this clarity: the benefits of sunshine are best understood when leaving and returning to 45 degree rainy weather!
We flew into Cancun, headed to Playa del Carmen for the night and then onto a tiny town: Xcalak. The guide book's description of "rickety wooden houses, beached fishing launches and lazy gliding pelicans which make this tiny town plopped in the middle of nowhere a perfect escape" proved accurate. Nothing seemed to be going on, but fishing from the end of the dock and a daily soccer game. 
Several words to the wise: If you overcook a whole fish in too moist a pan, the eyeballs will turn into firm white marbles. Additionally, what may look like the perfect job in the Carribean (reading a book alone in a hammock while guarding a rope fence on the edge of Laguna Baccalar which appears to have nothing to guard against) actually appears quite dull. 
Good food: octopus, fresh tortillas and minimart iced coffee! How do you like the slogan "Everything is beautiful in it's own way, like starry summer nights and the Cafe Pub."
This is the view from the water of Hotel Paraiso in Laguna Baccalar. Good swim across, though Nessie's sister freaked me out in the middle :)
On to Belize! Belize (formerly British Honduras) is the only South American country with an official language of English. Kreol, Garinagu and Metizo are the largest ethnicities...not just another Spanish colony, rather a product of tumultuous Caribbean history. Again paying attention in World History could have paid off, as my expectations were that Belize was just another Mexico. Not so!
Most of our time was spent in Dangriga...very small town. Fellowship there was very sweet and both the children and the adults were endearing. Also...had the best banana cake of my life here...8 bananas in one cake...imagine the moisture! Very good days! Another time, visiting the Great Blue Hole could be nice, but wouldn't choose it over what we enjoyed! 
On our way North after gladly maxing out the seating capacity on our rental minivan, we stopped for a day/night in Tulum. The tourist-ridden ruins preside over a ruggest coastline and are quite beautiful....but still just ruins! A sweet Swiss couple joined us here on our treck futher North to Puerto Morelos. One of my more giddy moments here were when we were trying to figure out how the eggs were cooked on a half-Spanish half-English menu. It seems that eventually everyone gets to the stage of whatever-they-think-I-ordered-they-will-bring-me-and-I-will-eat-it...smile!
Simple living! Happy days! Wandered by this hammock shop without noticing the baby in it...daycare...complete with a mosquito coil....smile! And how's this for a refined version of Les Schwab?! Excellent service! As for the boats on the grass, Hurricane Ida was expected to come close...missed...whew!
And now for a highlight...diving! An open water scuba certification later and I have the bug!
The instructor who liked the sound of his own voice, the pool time, the time bonding with the scuba book learning about buoyancy, thermoclines, etc., the conquering of innate low-level fear, the good company, the cenote, the seemingly clutzy intrusion into the underworld...all of it...glorious!
These last two pictures are from an evening excursion to Playa del Carmen. Nice place...but really our no-post-office town of Puerto Morelos served us quite well! How to wrap this up...hmmm....suffice it to say that at times I didn't know if I really wanted to come home...smile!
A craving for Key Lime Pie sent me googling on "Best Key Lime Pie Recipe". I landed on one from Emeril Lagasse (you can see the full recipe here).
I opted to use the small pre-made graham cracker crusts and made only half the recipe. This made it quick...but oh so delicious. To create this culinary masterpiece ;) put the mixture of 1 14-ounce can condensed milk, 1/2 cup lime juice and one egg in the crusts and bake for 15 minutes at 375. Chill. Somehow put mixture of 1/2 cup sour cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar on chilled mini-pies and grate on some lime zest and voila!!
The Hartford Marathon! Or half marathon, that is. Terrible time...had nothing to do with the great course! Nice chance to see Cousin Janna though!
A day in Boston on the front end gave us a chance to be tourists and walk the Freedom Trail. Here's a tedious job I wouldn't want...restoring the brick in the Quincy Market!
Before heading back to Boston for Sunday, we took a detour and spent a night in Cape Cod. Didn't quite feel like the Kennedy-quality-holiday-locale that I expected. Did try the full-bellied fried clams though....smile! And for the record...I'm not sure that New England in the fall has anything on Stevens Pass in the fall!
Aren't they adorable? And good tour guides for the Harvard campus!
Anyway, good trip, good company (but we missed you Angela!) and another medal down!
The Octoberfest Half Marathon in Leavenworth again! These pictures amused me...seemingly overconcerned about the iPod, rather than the pace :)
After Dave & Angela's wedding, I spent a few good mellow days with Sarah...
It's fall! And Sauvee Island is cute! And Sarah, we miss you!
Congratulations!! I love the looks on their faces in the first picture...
Twas a beautiful day!
We took this picture right before Steve helped us cut down the trellis....the end of an era!! And a war...smile...
Oh dear...is my waist at Grandma's shoulders?
First for the entertainment: brother Sharad! Oh and the team :)
And next for the cheerleaders! Rah! Rah! Or whatever you're supposed to say...smile! By the way....I have a very cool family, including two very cool cousins! Am I gushing? Perhaps. 
For one evening's entertainment, we went and watched/helped bring up a hot air balloon. The event was the Quincy Valley Balloon & Wine Festival which features a night glow, where all the pilots and teams inflate their balloons...spooky beautiful. Aunt Beth's/Uncle Ray's connections gave us a chance to witness first hand the effort....and the glory!
All to culminate in the obvious conclusion that Ephrata is the center of the universe...smile!
Bard with the Thornton's...will I ever tire of this annual outing? Don't think so!
Shari, Jan, Deepa and I made the treck this year...go women! A good day.
There's getting to be enough people in my dear family that getting a picture when all of us are looking at the camera and no silly faces is nearly impossible!
New Orleans may be another place where one goes to prove or disprove what they know of it...rather than to experience it in an unbiased fashion. For me, it seemed synonymous with Mardi Gras beads, steam wheelers on the Mississippi, porches, alligators, above-ground cemetaries, plantations, tragic news reporting and a plethora of less-than-healthy food. And in fact, that was what we found...with a lot more friendly people, fleur de lis and history than expected.
The first time we strolled the French Market, Becca and I were revolted at the alligator heads and hands being sold. "Are they real?" "Why....of course!" We were told later that the alligators sold were raised on farms where only 15% are released into the wild. The remainder are sold for various uses. Becca's Turkish-language skills made her a friend buying a hat. Now a video of him dancing with his yellow-coined scarf would be you-tube-able!
Martha and Joshua took us to the acquarium which experienced heavy losses of fish during Katrina. This picture of the jelly fish turned out well. Becca was particularly amused by "Gulf of Mexico Sponsored By" sign!
Richard and Charlene took us to several plantations (Nottaway and Oak Alley pictured here). Ah the splendor! Seeing them in their day would have actually been interesting. Sadly documentation or discussion of the slaves living was missing from our tours. I'd enjoy a propoganda-less knowledge of such. We did witness several curious things relics though: voodoo kit, diaries of capable women running the plantations while their husbands and sons were off fighting the Civil War, loan documentation naming certain slaves as collateral, vampire kit, opium jar with darts, etc. And what of the futile task of keeping all the silver from tarnishing in Louisiana's humidity?
Alligators! Would you believe they're interested in hot dogs and marshmallows? We were told that Louisiana is losing the equivalent of 1 football field of wetlands per hour, so we're certain to hear more about these creatures! Another cause.
And then for the wars. Calvin took us to the New Orleans battlefield of the War of 1812. Trying to imagine 2,000 British dying here because news of the peace treaty had not reached the front lines seemed tragic. And then the WWII Museum. Fascinating. Yes. Perhaps we'll see rationing again one of these days?
Food. Oh my. A gastronomic paradise? Perhaps a list is in order: muffuletta sandwich, jambalaya with rabbit meat and andouille, biscuits, grits, chilly-topped omelette, seafood gumbo, po'boys, collard greens, crawfish, corn bread, red beans and rice, oysters on the halfshell, e'toufee, pecan pie, snow cones (nectar is by consensus the best flavor), bread pudding, beignets, chicory coffee...fried catfish, fried oysters, fried chicken, fried alligator bits, fried shrimp....no wonder the statistics on diabetes and heart disease are astounding!
Whether or not there is bias in the rebuilding progress or news reports of such, this is clear...there's a ways to go. Even if Brad Pitt's houses are going up in the 9th ward and many are returning, empty lots grace all affected neighborhoods. The sobering effect of people sharing their stories is only matched by viewing FEMA graffiti and remains of people's lives. And then to see people rebuilding? Proof that people are both resilient and risk-takers.
Good trip! And a great friend to travel with!
"...There is something
Deep and pulling leaving everything behind
Something about having everthing
You think you'll ever need
Sitting in the seat next to you
And I watch
Another white dash
Another white dash..."
Tempting...smile! Alas, responsible living calls.
This is always curious to me...feeding each other cake...perhaps not the most becoming picture (but one of the few in my camera...smile!), but you can tell they're an attractive couple!
Beautiful day!Congratulations!
Kari, Becca and myself enjoyed a hike and solitary camp on Snow Lake for a few days. Alpine wilderness. Good fellowship. Funny food. Numerous switchbacks. Good times.
Envisioned as a perfect way to commemorate Grandma's 90th birthday, we decided on an Alaskan cruise. Sure it's commercialized, only allows for limited self-discovery and is geared toward the more mature amongst us...yet, I am glad to have had the time together with her!
The life-jacket drill was amusing! Perhaps you've seen it...yet everyone on the boat jamming in elevators trying to figure out where to go and how to put on this bright orange ill-fitting strappy accessory WAS fodder for simple entertainment! In regard to other entertainment...random sightings of humpback whales, killer whales, sea lions, seals, and sea otters, not to mention a variety of sea birds exceeded any roster of frivolous activities onboard. Alas, no puffins!
So it might not be fair to post this photo, as I too had just woken up. However, sleep is well within the expectated response to a 2:00 p.m. post-big-lunch Glaciology 101 lecture by a monotone professor! Or how about an art auction? Couldn't believe the prices. Yikes! Not ashamed to be a value shopper.
At Juneau, Val provided good adventures: Mendenhall Glacier, community gardens, delicious cobbler and frittatta on their sailboat (to which Grandma was amenable to delivery), convention grounds tour, and Auke Bay kayak rental.
Oh but then there was Skagway! A dogsledding camp and sled ride made me briefly consider the benefits of moving to the middle-of-nowhere with 50 dogs and training. Other women have! Mike King, a Yukon Quest musher, gave a good overview of the sport...1,000 miles of good luck to him next year! White Pass Railway was classic, yet exposed the base motivation of humankind. The efforts and sacrifice of miners just to get to the gold....that (for most) wasn't there when they got there...all based on hope (and rumor). I suppose the sacrifices wouldn't have been as great if thieving opportunists hadn't preyed on their gullibility. Have times really changed...amused smile!
Ketchikan...very cute...but doesn't something seem wrong with this? Here's the joke we were told: "What is 12 stories tall and keeps Ketchikan in the shade all summer?" Than answer is the picture to the left.
Glacier Bay! Incidentally, it is also the fastest documented glacial retreat in our time. Loud cracks followed by calving is actually a "must-see"! I know that term is over-used on all sorts of travel advertising, yet I say this seriously....type this seriously...
The finale was Victoria....Butchart Gardens and a city tour. Gardens atop an exhausted rock quarry. Great idea. Anyway, good week....though perhaps a hunting/fishing trip in the interior would deserve the description of "the last frontier"...or maybe that's Antarctica now? Next time!
One life. Kind of sobering. Happy birthday, dear lady!
Rome...how jarring!
Night walk....classic.
Sistine...finally.
Cinque Terra!
Best food in Italy...hands down.
Three American women in an Irish car in Italy in the rain navigating to an from an outdoor opera...a hoot!
Riva!
Venice! What to say....other than it being a grand finale to a grand trip.
One of the destinations that has always near the top of my list has been Greece. I wanted to stroll the streets, take in the sights, linger in the cafes, walk in the vineyards, swim in the oceans and otherwise enjoy the classical setting. It is beautiful! And easy to travel in! Now if there were a way to own a bed and breakfast here.....
Athens....where to start...touching the aging rock of the Parthenon...watching the Acropolis light up at sunset from the top of Mt. Likavitos...standing on Mars Hill thinking about Paul...having Greek Salad on a rooftop on Cape Sounion at dusk...watching folk dances then strolling back to the hotel through masses of people out late at night for their own stroll...oh my...not just another big city.
Were it not for the enticement of Santorini and other islands on the way, I may have stayed longer.
Ah....the oft-photographed calendar-perfect Santorini! Only better in person. 
Samaria Gorge...11 mile hike ending on the seashore...
- Texting while driving (top-o-the-list)
- Checking my email at traffic lights
- Passing entire classes in college because of studying while driving
- Dipping, cutting, etc. awkward food while steering with my knee
With cause to be a better driver,
A repentant Seattle girl
I think I could live here! Fairly expensive and seemingly regimented, but still! Riding the world's largest giant observation wheel was very touristy, but awesome. Not sure about the fish therapy on every other corner though...smile!
On to Malaysia! After a whirlwind excursion around Kuala Lampur (checking out Kapur trees - tree crowns follow contours but never touch, the central market and Bery'ls Chocolate Kingdom), I headed toward Khota Bahru on the Jungle Train. By the way, the benefits of packing light are noted when one walks by hundreds of carts loaded high with luggage and airport employees lounging and smoking leisurely....smile! On arrival in Khota Bahru, the extremist Islamic influence was evident...head scarves accompanied by men gawking...evidently, I stood out a bit. Anyway, fairly strict environment...for example, there are separate checkout counters in the supermarket for men and women. Curious. 
But! If you are ever looking for modest apparel and women who are very helpful and seemingly know a bit about modesty, come here! I've never found longer skirts or women more giddy about a customer exiting the fitting room with the 10th item they've tried on. 
There seemed to be two choices for food late in the evening...dried fish from a mobile stand or McDonalds. McDonalds offered delivery via scooter, catering, 24-hour service and WiFi! And yes, the fish tasted as bad as it smelled. Waiting 2 hours for the mini-bus to fill only lengthened the drumroll to one of the best diving spots in SE Asia...the Perhentians.
It is a crazy world when in one hour, one can be whisked out of filth and a lack of safety to a clear watered paradise? More water time (complete with an accidentally terrible 1/2 hour sunburn), scuba diving, hiking, mosquito-fighting, snorkeling, beach barbecuing (no I didn't have the shark-fin soup, but yes I did listen to the rants regarding eating all of the oceans predators) and pensive relaxation. Swimming with a turtle, scrunching a plastic bottle under water to make small sharks circle and enjoying more real juice not-from-concentrate were the notable pleasures. Yet, loneliness from solitary travel began to take hold! On to the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo...
These are only pictures of scenes in Khota Kinabalu. The most marvelous thing was the feeling of family and being met at the airport. Roslyn made my day...my days! Generosity from people that I don't know, but who love, blows me away...consistently. Our common bond is invaluable. These people living on the water use said water for both sewage and a fishing pond. Ug. Morning swims at the unpopulated beach were a highlight though! A different beach, that is :)
One of the reasons I came to KK was to climb Mt. Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in SE Asia (13,435 ft)....though our friends were assuredly the highlight. After searching KK for a travel agent to get lodging on the mountain and being directed from here to there to there and finally locating one at 5:30 pm the day before I wanted to climb, it seemed meant to be. Mt. Kinabalu took 2 days to climb with a hired guide. Splitting it between 3 people (with none of the ailments noted on the sign) looking for a guide at the same time was prudent...though my lack of a career in the Singapore military made me the odd one out :) Rising at 2 a.m. to summit and going out into the dark pounding rain and grabbing onto ropes attached to slippery wet boulders is only gratifying if you don't stop short of the summit...alas. It's not about the destination, right? The porters were curious to me. Everything on the mountain gets hauled up and down by these mountains (even your own backpack if you are willing to pay a menial fee...cheating). Some of their loads were impressive, but makes one feel slight guilt eating a beautiful meal at the lodge.
Anyway, made it back for Wednesday night in KK and enjoyed quite a variety of fruit (even the durian with it's unique odor) that the brothers brought on their 8-hour trek west. Roslyn and Kim Yau came along for my deal of a parasail ride. I suppose the sail says it all :) But alas, on to Singapore...
