tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11237114975347604582024-02-20T02:28:58.830-07:00Habjan HappeningsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10074881533041108063noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-20752953483056525622014-07-25T13:15:00.000-06:002014-07-25T13:15:22.510-06:00A Bite of Rothenburg and Sample of Vienna<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PaLBmD6mkAU/U9AwMOySg1I/AAAAAAAAFCY/2ggLn_Q7qUg/s1600-h/_IGP92782.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9278" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MA2P-b1qyKs/U9AwNsiX4CI/AAAAAAAAFCg/vwX8ec1a4xM/_IGP9278_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9278" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Dla3kbqMY-4FmbHG96MsMfGZvFh2HvZonlSn92PLr20bSg88Fwj3mrq23RktDrr7szwTgl6q70_UYAzhDyATbVa08XrFfHe_6UTON-RhHsda8W0mjsF0KGDj0i-LJE8wY07EoByFWhs/s1600-h/_IGP92384.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9238" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCAlVIDogGjZYUtx02ntnbZTFeNAg2_086aOSzEY-l6gr2FuN9SFa9wdUlNGXi3VzaLXi9jjLXKNp98LsgsXGMeqhe22Du8JgKv3dYkiPzFgkrthTDgFoOqLVR3ol6O9Y_JM_pgcUYRg/?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9238" width="400" /></a>The next stop on our journey was to the romantic walled medieval town of Rothenburg, located in the beautiful Bavaria region of Germany. This quaint little town is best know for its shops filled with beautifully handmade Christmas ornaments and their highly popular, but extremely overrated “snowballs.” You can walk the ramparts, explore the shops, listen to a street minstrel, sip some fresh pressed cider, munch on a handful of roasted chestnuts or stop in to one of the many small restaurants to eat a delicious homemade meal of local fair paired with some wine from the hillside vineyards. The best part was that the cool autumn breeze was rustling the fallen leaves down the cobblestone streets, almost sweeping you back in time with them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X3kj6mpyRm4/U9AwPr2AJJI/AAAAAAAAFC0/Er98nGLMW0o/s1600-h/_IGP93092.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9309" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r8hhouQfyXc/U9AwQOZ5B6I/AAAAAAAAFDA/VbGQzTDpbNY/_IGP9309_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9309" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The snowballs are Rothenburg's pastry specialty.They are everywhere and although they make look good they are almost nearly inedible. It’s basically just a big ball of fried, over-worked pie dough pieces masked in different toppings and fillings. But seeing as we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into at the time we had to try one. I got the traditional cinnamon and sugar while Matt branched out with a chocolate covered one filled with a pistachio filling. I got through about half before it got the best of me. Matt tried his best to help finish mine. The best part of the snowball experience was eating it in the town square with some freshly pressed apple cider to wash it down, while watching the tourists and vendors bustle about.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-635PQPJTDFI/U9AwQ2czMpI/AAAAAAAAFDI/KrBQE0Sncd8/s1600-h/IMGP92402.jpg"><img alt="IMGP9240" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N3SAWzbq1O4/U9AwRvPPkWI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/EoinOhCuPLg/IMGP9240_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMGP9240" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PaqXVZLu0tY/U9AwSHUaCAI/AAAAAAAAFDY/dCIpcvPa05I/s1600-h/_IGP92616.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9261" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrMBjt7sGXZk4sIZ6D2qvcEp5FUbg6VPMKWt2Kxh3Z4ppcqpKMlxdhqJ9zHABHOBaytOPAEWhyHhEFw_YR_YVK2Xpg5pkQqFNfEYpe4EFAO-dTBPC8t6yyMj896TN5ARNJT6OAqqUBHo/?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9261" width="400" /></a><br />
We spent most of our time in Rothenburg just wandering about exploring and taking pictures the small beautiful details of the city.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view down one the main streets of town</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a5DzcyOmRSQ/U9AwTdUrxVI/AAAAAAAAFDo/xCDGO22VoNI/s1600-h/_IGP92422.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9242" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MGjSSsDEyGw/U9AwUA5Z26I/AAAAAAAAFDw/qIivmsuqFLI/_IGP9242_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9242" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TV6lONEoPK4/U9AwU2ktztI/AAAAAAAAFD4/AStAx75Z8Hw/s1600-h/_IGP92412.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9241" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NTfHZaPWD0U/U9AwVnOdMSI/AAAAAAAAFD8/GAVXFDH7ZZQ/_IGP9241_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9241" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The chestnut roaster made to look like a steam engine</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jFZwe1Vy-4U/U9AwWAVyfoI/AAAAAAAAFEI/N0-gyUmcn7I/s1600-h/_IGP92222.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9222" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UJTwpXdfFHk/U9AwW5zfLfI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/PT4KVM7i1wA/_IGP9222_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9222" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some artisan truffles and candies</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EXiXVbd6hVw/U9AwXzX4owI/AAAAAAAAFEY/_Cmr3mcrJY0/s1600-h/_IGP92812.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9281" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9UzjlEtk2m0/U9AwYfGBbdI/AAAAAAAAFEg/Yo2LC6HiRrM/_IGP9281_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9281" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We walked though the park and just enjoyed the colors, the beautiful day, and the crisp fall air</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA28VcvIDE_mkghnT1ZrZXHBROvRvPlmoww0BoHlveLYb_w8arFl2qYbA6hwilxVmRU_vaRJ0yzYnHYGlY4WCb6Ruvk1tNrZ5e_c-mfcMLwWNsBpMl_gey2jnRcMhD4xMDYajkeXxFK1Q/s1600-h/_IGP92324.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9232" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iPLh-g4NfzY/U9AwZrI2OZI/AAAAAAAAFEw/4WXS0AVCaY0/_IGP9232_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9232" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We were both a bit nervous when we walked into our cute little room and at first only saw one twin bed…<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-syooPbZgdP8/U9AwarbA6uI/AAAAAAAAFE4/oAaloYAVSKI/s1600-h/_IGP92367.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9236" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Gof-ONlS_1Y/U9AwbWhrRlI/AAAAAAAAFE8/NPNXosgXonU/_IGP9236_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9236" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We then noticed…well there are two beds… on the the opposite sides of the room from each other. Not what I would call the best couples room but it was cute and comfortable and we both slept well away from each other.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yQwOXeJHoM0/U9Awb-RsuhI/AAAAAAAAFFI/cRBp_ATDPMk/s1600-h/_IGP93302.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9330" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2pu869jW-uU/U9Awchnp5OI/AAAAAAAAFFQ/SQyTDvikmlk/_IGP9330_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9330" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lvxhRkrbuRA/U9AwdVP5ADI/AAAAAAAAFFY/6ICHaAX0tWY/s1600-h/_IGP93342.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9334" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eSLpmrIAD6Y/U9AweOmUo_I/AAAAAAAAFFg/SWZnnopbs1o/_IGP9334_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9334" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We then went on a walking tour of the ramparts</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--iILaBv263M/U9AwfCQkVBI/AAAAAAAAFFo/RI1jbd0BdRc/s1600-h/_IGP93372.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9337" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Zt6tX9CASiA/U9AwfgcWfTI/AAAAAAAAFFs/bNiKfuzkFBc/_IGP9337_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9337" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from the city walls</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--7B_0qfR7To/U9AwgLXrbDI/AAAAAAAAFF4/7WqgyKtg6I4/s1600-h/_IGP93403.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9340" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e-EKQeZk0xM/U9AwhH8ZWhI/AAAAAAAAFGA/j22ZMFqLb3w/_IGP9340_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9340" width="400" /></a>Our time spent exploring Rothenburg was great. It is a fun little town with lots of history and charm but after having been to San Malo and Carcassonne it just didn’t have as much of the magic of the walled cities we’d been to previously. Now maybe we were just getting a bit worn out at this point of the trip too. All in all it made for a great way just to relax a bit and build up some more energy for the adventures still to come.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IQNi0TgKTg4/U9AyCzbwmkI/AAAAAAAAFGM/n4FdMAFzlS0/s1600-h/_IGP93392.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9339" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bN2KyB08fx4/U9AyDuHkV2I/AAAAAAAAFGQ/MaCwypxsrf0/_IGP9339_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9339" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong><u>VIENNA</u></strong><br />
<img align="left" alt="_IGP9470" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCMMjIbFwe5OUCrfaSrNzboDxwMoL5bmPiBbAGdAqIlTuzAfyzsfuxY2gVPhDZiYjeMf67_o0FHhShM4-U-R22ssORX07JE9vgPG2Kp0LiJKBlJG5K0swmfseoIPgt6TUT4Ij-SCE67Q/?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9470" width="400" />Our visit to Vienna was as brief as our time in Rothenburg. It really was more of just a sampling of the city and was really just a stop over on our way to Slovenia but we made the most with the time we had and saw as much as we could. We didn’t have much time for the museums or the concert halls which is what Vienna is probably best known for. I’ll have to go back to Austria some day as I don’t think with the short time we were there that I truly got to really experience the best things the country has to offer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a9DceuNA7D8/U9AyE0Ar06I/AAAAAAAAFGk/fmUw4hHkM74/s1600-h/_IGP93532.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9353" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dDh1ahbkn8Y/U9AyFoUE7gI/AAAAAAAAFGs/M99Aq_0gwMc/_IGP9353_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9353" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside St. Steven’s Church</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9uQ0Sb7l64E/U9AyGPNhqJI/AAAAAAAAFG0/1YsNjfi73Tc/s1600-h/_IGP93902.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9390" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aQPalA-ife8/U9AyG6sg1dI/AAAAAAAAFG8/tDc7GPZlfF4/_IGP9390_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9390" width="640" /></a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-n3xUsbRfjbg/U9AyHtTdFYI/AAAAAAAAFHA/B3w2vc9dXqA/s1600-h/_IGP94552.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9455" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXCe4fiQiWmjUwFOW9BZH8j7KgA26p5DuTSk3CB4Wnf6oSR5dOeSsoAHOgJIwsWWDPPalON2ic24qVO8aYHJHYQeypF__Ym3PBfFBXCLfeVJeWhAjuiahVAILi6TJrghbVSGbylhKnl0/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9455" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQhPrF1nGKymBZgduGEOm3KPsPS73WeglNQ8FYz0w0zqPLxEvm33yu86JgmdPoS9RKmvMuSTBD0fSxfcYKelgaVdOD1JARrU0mRlBWAxmqPVRrwYV4VcyaAJF7Nhyphenhyphen_HtC_37tReoeqEw/s1600-h/_IGP95042.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9504" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZe7jNLRYr1hr27mVyy0j3Kp14NG3j6D6_TowK78ZkLvCCgxuGIUe9OUHYEmGPDb1r9hLSVgPQv9gKSzbGFATH5uwrKis5KWs36IIOSqiA6WrCX9aqd8fAQE0WpKzp2tbLQAIrA7Y6rmI/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9504" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eHafpcOB568/U9AyJ6JvLFI/AAAAAAAAFHg/Buj8l1k4cN4/s1600-h/_IGP95035.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9503" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX7jwx0ui7BiaqPyeqszOrtpG0tjDKR6n1iAdYl6xU_HHdOtcCM9KXGpmeozbTfyqR6Kud5CCa6ya4JphyYyUyqQIilImEo_Nyo3h-06x765zkdJtKSxHb58oj3QWXC2T98_iBQe3THk/?imgmax=800" height="596" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9503" width="400" /></a> <br />
<br />
<br />
On our walk to the Palace we ran into Gonzaga Street!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Jx7x37YWZ60/U9AyLXbo1yI/AAAAAAAAFH0/jytCt6r4Cw0/s1600-h/_IGP95052.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9505" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tFkYc_-7QUI/U9AyMKOzkVI/AAAAAAAAFH8/XUx8K9vjK-8/_IGP9505_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9505" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-22Z8J3fdluI/U9AyMpjevkI/AAAAAAAAFIE/LRHn0uqDW2s/s1600-h/_IGP95172.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9517" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LQxEaAMiM4Q/U9AyNeak3PI/AAAAAAAAFII/jhi6sEGXaCg/_IGP9517_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9517" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Palace gardens</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5t-3ff7MMCnoUS98rxMm1HtilLFGVnDXjwE10zRLy5f03lgtmkT_B7VzPxZMYEZ4Z5R7bjtybegkyAS6ZYhuO7hnv8DSQEGOi1cR5mFKtI44DtzpY-ScskazXVCk8FHV2S9aKJRU2frU/s1600-h/_IGP94663.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9466" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jVtZO-TF5f8/U9AyOptmKUI/AAAAAAAAFIY/WtxgAAJPNb0/_IGP9466_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9466" width="400" /></a>My favorite moment in this city was spent wandering through the rose garden. Even when we are hustling and bustling on trains, crisscrossing from one country to the next, worrying about reservations, time tables, and seat numbers, I will still always take the time to stop… and smell… the beautiful Austrian roses!Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Rothenburg, Germany49.3801834 10.18673880000005749.2974584 10.025377300000057 49.4629084 10.348100300000057tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-23671078039492586562014-07-24T11:14:00.000-06:002014-07-25T13:17:45.024-06:00More Castles & More Beer in Munich<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRu5mFAEx6E2hyphenhyphenmF2FtvZ8WcczS2HeBw6rvd4xOZduh3Ypq6aggsbVt6XGfpxxd2Oqigu73jTLZgHNm04zc2c-Tlw8uuEy6B-K0FQ4eMSWm7MIPDUtij81J_C8hdTivzyNeSNcDiZbV1g/s1600-h/_IGP87395.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8739" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SOH0yOeL0Wk/U9ACDnI5UGI/AAAAAAAAE5o/GHigQ1v5KSA/_IGP8739_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8739" width="400" /></a>The next leg of our journey led us to Munich, Germany. Here we lived it up the German way and made sure to stuff ourselves whenever possible with plenty of beer, brats and homemade hot-out-of-the-oven bretzels. Of course, we also made sure to toss in a few castles, some river surfers, a Glokenspiel, and of course a trip to an iconic beer hall complete with music and, it goes without saying, more beer!<br />
<br />
One thing we learned the hard way is when traveling trough Germany with a EuroRail pass is always have the pass cover with your pass. To give you a little back story, when the three month railpass arrived before we left, Matt and I both expecting some kind of plastic card or in the least something laminated. I mean for the price we paid and for the sheer fact that we were going to be shoving it in our money pouch for three months straight you’d think it would be, I don’t know, a bit durable. This was not the case. When it arrived we were both shocked to see that it was just a basic flimsy paper ticket with this equally flimsy paper cover/log. It says right on the ticket that that it is invalid without the paper cover but unfortunately we accidently left ours with our friend in Paris by mistake. Since they mail it to you ahead of time it isn’t easy to get a replacement. So she was going to mail it back to us once we returned to the US. The incentive for doing this is that once you’re done and mail it back, the EuroRail company will send you some kind of swag. The main purpose of this cover really is so that the company can track where travelers are going and what train services they are using. So, we made sure to track all our train trips in our journal if we were ever to run into any problems with a ticket agent.<br />
<br />
It had all been gong fine and dandy until we got to Germany. The strict German train conductor stereotype didn’t falter with this one. Even after calmly trying to explain our circumstance of our missing cover and showing him our temporary itinerary log in our journal, he still wasn’t having any of that. In fact, he was convinced we purposefully threw it in the trash just for fun. It got borderline scary when at one point he was even threatening to charge us a 100€ fine each, plus the full cost of the current train tickets, then kick us off the train at the next stop, detain us and if he had it his way I was fully sure he’d deport us too. After quite a bit of sweet talking and explaining, we were finally able to convince him into letting us slide by just this one time, if and only if, we promised that at the next train station we immediately went to the EuroRail folks and obtained a replacement cover (We didn’t. Ha!). Word to the wise – when traveling on German trains with a EuroRail pass, always carry your passcover and try not to piss off the ticket agents because a kind smile and the “I’m a stupid American” routine won’t convince them into bending the rules. I think we just got lucky!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<strong><u>NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE</u></strong> <br />
<strong><u><br /></u></strong>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyIFGVPQ63IYDmhAAxoR_zlsfbXleAQ6SRNmxyFN4kM-INX8l8nt_suvD6Q3swLQ7yrm_ct3OWdri5_Nf9Upxz51pmDxLSK6lyai_j-EBu-m0GcFKIjxJkzg8NhRQSn6X3t8D-MvPGPs/s1600-h/_IGP87774.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8777" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b4LIUdBmMm4/U9ACFVRTqpI/AAAAAAAAE54/-Ar1797LoY4/_IGP8777_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8777" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4ofOnaraPX4/U9ACF78tbNI/AAAAAAAAE58/fA2clxCJa48/s1600-h/_IGP87565.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8756" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QiPtaF6sl8Y/U9ACGRarxSI/AAAAAAAAE6I/meEZJhG0Yik/_IGP8756_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8756" width="318" /></a>Our first outing in Munich was to go see the Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle is best know for the fact that its fairytale look inspired Walt Disney himself in designing Sleeping Beauty’s castle in his Magic Kingdom.<br />
What made our visit even more magical was that all of the fall leaves had just turned, creating a colorful, almost painted backdrop to this picturesque castle.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYxd1pBNYQyBIkQnDIOyQkxpZHTzXPQIosXaDt8htNNWr0Gq62bXqvt_TMwbEwXiJecGDplnw186TENDS1-GcWmxJwx-KJKX7fNkgjy0tFdcf1ghaq5uxPdlRVxltZ_7A1uMu1r__sl8/s1600-h/_IGP87414.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8741" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z5gzN3DAxrw/U9ACHvTGp0I/AAAAAAAAE6U/BhTyQ0ouNT4/_IGP8741_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8741" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view of the surrounding countryside from the castle walls</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kIOFbNWVA3g/U9ACIfctTbI/AAAAAAAAE6g/cYqYOIro_Yc/s1600-h/_IGP87754.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8775" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UNOMkhzGRfY/U9ACI-8yhiI/AAAAAAAAE6o/Jxp6IK9ZgmI/_IGP8775_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8775" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i533_A__Aug/U9ACJwddEwI/AAAAAAAAE6w/_ER8ODvJwzc/s1600-h/_IGP87889.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8788" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEMUr0rgeNRQu7NrXdfrt_Cn0Q7FD9D9o33cEhYCsSYMmc0lnlQvZJR-kq1n4NZNw7IvJ09-bybEx3SfZseRLLDKhqC-7Sj-kpQ9swuT93NIsbncgP_t0jF37qDp0zQ7-Cjhtjz6RkP0/?imgmax=800" height="603" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8788" width="400" /></a>Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and who was also known as the fairytale king. His love for Richard Wagner’s operas, stories, and characters were Ludwig’s main inspiration for the castle and many of the rooms inside. In fact, Neuschwanstein translates to “New Swan Knight” in homage to the Swan Knight of one of Wagner’s operas.<br />
<br />
My favorite, and probably the oddest room in the castle, was the cave room. There is a hallway that Ludwig made look like an actual cave complete with cave formations, cave lighting and decorative bats. I told Matt I wanted a cave room in our future house… he didn’t seem all too excited about that. <br />
<br />
On our hike down from the castle we came across a little old man doing miniature color pencil drawings of the castle on leaves. I was kind of shocked that everyone seemed to be walking past him as his art seemed quite good. I’m a sucker for local street artists and will usually stop to appreciate what they have to offer. I’ll walk right by someone just standing there with a sign waiting for a handout but It is my personal belief that if someone is willing to offer up a bit of their talent, I’m willing to shell out bit of cash. Hey, you never know you could be walking past an <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/video/2013/oct/14/banksy-central-park-new-york-video" target="_blank">original Bansky</a>.<br />
<br />
So, I started looking through his work and one of his paintings buried at the bottom of a giant pile caught my eye. I asked the man how much and he told me 5€. That seemed like a bargain for an original piece of hand drawn art so I handed him my choice and told him I’d take it. He then hesitated once he saw the one I picked. He kindly took it from my hand and looked at it. I could tell it was one of his favorites. He took a moment, looked at me, I smiled at him, he smiled back at me and then he did something I didn’t expect. He took one last long look at the drawing and then kissed it goodbye before he sealed it in an envelope and handed it back to me. He then told me he knew it had a good home and that he was ok with saying goodbye. It’s people and moments like these that make the world beautiful! I now have a little piece of that artist’s love to treasure for the rest of my life.<br />
<br />
After selling us the drawing he also gave us some insider instructions on a more romantic hike down from the castle. We, of course, took him up on his advice.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BiFDgBpTjd0/U9ACLH4fV_I/AAAAAAAAE7A/RQ6Fu75fW7U/s1600-h/_IGP88644.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8864" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-34TjTvtkAKY/U9ACL2nFMxI/AAAAAAAAE7I/_dnC2uBh5IU/_IGP8864_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8864" width="310" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewWsBzC16IckdPyxrbPAXy3ffL79c_NREomYRqwIMajtdO7MgszSYJidxZ7Ucu66EfcKEr8Gt-29dEZHuKTACX3lo2Z0Dr-L6iMe4OPNseiq0FGOccOCPvLwxHtqG18SQEq1KeIBnsDs/s1600-h/_IGP88624.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8862" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5Wc2l4iUx6aEQ1zoVzLm3TIY7ETt7KdcOk3lKgK9z8XZyAQevH0F4panlovmRZQveI0Un3V94Qy4lBJH8074Mwt8IqE1jhGzaB9Ptqeq63NTavRuVXBIuELr8F5GTbgjWfyVTBY44QU/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8862" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We ran into a few historical re-enactors taking pictures which only added to the romance</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Tll_VpuUJoU/U9ACNXyO7VI/AAAAAAAAE7c/gCnz3AHey54/s1600-h/_IGP89265.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8926" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NvXr1RnJlc8/U9ACN5zucnI/AAAAAAAAE7o/ATcAL3uAXCw/_IGP8926_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8926" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-knWmHoazCWc/U9ACOqLu_TI/AAAAAAAAE7s/adhLnyQORNA/s1600-h/_IGP88994.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8899" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADCnnZdj8OH7jH4pllq4AKuTlYz3Gv1P9ctiChrrAYY_7YugN5xbWQDVAuNnzzzmTyBQP5rGd5ckATrxTIN5KNoiZIYy5gJnJwQOTNTtSO_QvSqn7kh35g_K1jMqLiNZCkcRoG55_9E8/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8899" width="310" /></a> <br />
On the hike we came across a small beach alongside the river that was cluttered with little rock cairns. I’m not sure why they were there but it is my guess that someone started it one day and tourists have just been following suit. I left my mark and added one of my own as Matt took pictures.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QVXegjGmz3I/U9ACQDk7rGI/AAAAAAAAE8A/Rb6lfSJeuG8/s1600-h/_IGP89604.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8960" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsWd1MGQz-QzAnMjReV3N_0pjnsbZfoaUxjpibLJgbW8bJ1maewWFgrfXTanLb8WcctfSBImcJS_EfNX2_7-OUNcFaOjhaxctmWIpQkS93azCSyKEOtGmky7O67OiG-_J2tSiKFewWZA/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8960" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A real log flume! Castles and log flumes… where have I seen this before?</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Vevm-QP4rgw/U9ACRSFW5qI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/6qfBntlMw_A/s1600-h/_IGP89884.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8988" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--v2jBozhmrk/U9ACSMnD1rI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/iBM4K0ljgeI/_IGP8988_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8988" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Say what?</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IIQ5gXks6hA/U9ACSs2LErI/AAAAAAAAE8g/KGs3M8q4SLY/s1600-h/_IGP90334.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9033" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OkrZ0q9I3Ck/U9ACTWv_wXI/AAAAAAAAE8k/YigosXNEBfQ/_IGP9033_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9033" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-04g3zizl6_U/U9ACTy_1e-I/AAAAAAAAE8w/fw8IbvKPIXM/s1600-h/IMG_20131021_190215_2246.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131021_190215_224" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxN2C5uj020tg-c74DEQQ1oIHPyNyNR6F3AeearPZ-PF5i3lPL6sa73nCZsvcEgfqCSTFSlodrasi-nn-0mNiaL_F51PXYRBTHssG9CEMbfhejpPjzn4w2XsrFeHoA0C-LLTka1i8qk8/?imgmax=800" height="533" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131021_190215_224" width="400" /></a><br />
We finished the day on a high note with some fine German Beer and Bavarian food! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><u>MUNICH</u></strong><br />
<br />
The next day we spent the day exploring the sights and sounds of Munich.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MHX2uLrzeHs/U9ACVLcBgAI/AAAAAAAAE88/waJ73xyIiUg/s1600-h/_IGP90471.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9047" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkyqUS1VZmpNexaOpn1Vy24BSIHcER_Fbv94-yKhSdKBFpbtF9atc-ib5qzczzL5TuRttpMWlwZwg4d9p6Wlr67e5-cnwvbLgC-WKCoNj0B41PqpYtFTdoodmgFvj_ncnT2kT7NsT4Rw/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9047" width="310" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi577FJuxKiXvTtH0VLU9P2mzZcvxMzaMs64QPPSSaVJb9FMAv8g9KVbX2sLBnTaMzHe8A1DDH8KdKECXbvUH2JnKXwX5DcZ0wvLKki63I-GOsDdeMlQTqw1xB6LQPjC7EDECr9if4pMdU/s1600-h/_IGP90541.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9054" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrd1hjlzSVG2NcbcA5YlTE0LgIzNiwOWVor_Ew5E5Li7DoORV1Z8udY_8Y8PU8Nf916GaKscltyDA_5BwB2S0U-uUAYEA7uDoQyed3_MANpTX8iur5mCh3gAwPBv2NjFPXm25Rjsooes/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9054" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
We made sure to be down at the city center to watch the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathaus-Glockenspiel" target="_blank">Rathaus-Glockenspiel</a> at 11:00 and then just wandered around to see what we could find.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BniKxkdlNzA/U9ACYey2lHI/AAAAAAAAE9g/GCIfEw-7HuE/s1600-h/_IGP90575.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9057" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O5XOOx-eTxE/U9ACYx5Te-I/AAAAAAAAE9o/LJT_gI8lhJA/_IGP9057_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9057" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A fun fish sculpture on a fountain in the city center that both Matt and I really liked</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dYLQWpnGNog/U9ACZpEtOjI/AAAAAAAAE9s/JUUBhQXP02E/s1600-h/_IGP90394.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9039" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EZ2i22O9gSQ/U9ACaBojcQI/AAAAAAAAE94/g81ddbDkX3M/_IGP9039_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9039" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Take note of the Exklusiv Mango. I’ll take one of those with a bit of extra klasse too</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohdTXsabFtqaEkbb9136jykYXpK1L0N_7p1L_uFc22xWdqWixWqT6wSqgSlzNg-D7X5Ii-Vnye9GoZdbhhfVSNH9yxWvQKBIcEgWEgGXuW7v2WRxky6VJ0Bhq8IwTEhZ2knvcND923rE/s1600-h/IMG_20131023_164510_5194.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131023_164510_519" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hBxJ-1F2zhQ/U9ACbVfs4zI/AAAAAAAAE-I/OT-JGBIcOEc/IMG_20131023_164510_519_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131023_164510_519" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A knitted bike… you don’t see one of those everyday</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VC7iJsCJ73g/U9ACcVVUrTI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/CJLz4F6cDq4/s1600-h/_IGP90434.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9043" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-43g0TQ4PtxA/U9ACdEgWvqI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/5SaUraOm_Zo/_IGP9043_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9043" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not exactly sure why I thought this was a good idea but it seemed like a fun thing to do at the time. When in Munch… put your head in the mouth of the giant fish sculpture. Yeah… that seems logical… I guess</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
We were told by our hotel host to make sure to go see the surfers. At first I thought I was hearing them wrong… surfing… in Munich. But it turns out that the river surfing scene is rather big here. I didn’t really know what to expect but it was quite entertaining to watch and they were really talented. We watched them for about an hour.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xh1ommZkVX4/U9ACdvFln-I/AAAAAAAAE-c/aoTk2RgzscI/s1600-h/_IGP90985.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9098" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bPfJhctQzb0/U9ACeEEf6pI/AAAAAAAAE-k/XH4mZY4lUTA/_IGP9098_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9098" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8nmSK0pJ4ZM/U9ACe42XJTI/AAAAAAAAE-w/mpn6U_PM8yA/s1600-h/_IGP91014.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9101" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yehSPBPf_iQ/U9ACfbLMGqI/AAAAAAAAE-0/kKXw2y9QwgU/_IGP9101_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9101" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ur6vkQgn3K4/U9ACgKVNbSI/AAAAAAAAE-8/-FHXMQzD1y4/s1600-h/_IGP91174.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9117" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FBrFE_9B5kg/U9ACgutUWBI/AAAAAAAAE_I/N_uRDlsmrv4/_IGP9117_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9117" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShbQfFqf769RZzMLOqfQ39iAGp5HLIYjKg1IlAbvhvz5ggdpD5uspiMMOucUDby15Vn_bMAG4pFsknniNv97WkYR-71jf8QzGfxoFtV27LsOuwM4VCic-WBh8zH0dhLQikAKd3C_uxCU/s1600-h/_IGP91165.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9116" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2lQS6PUL2-s/U9ACh0agMjI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/TQkD657iED8/_IGP9116_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9116" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7As7NFrsUog/U9ACiTbBexI/AAAAAAAAE_c/AnBRP8Wacs0/s1600-h/_IGP91285.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9128" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TyS5WMiTM0A/U9ACjCUReYI/AAAAAAAAE_o/2cBs7Jl0SfU/_IGP9128_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="604" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9128" width="400" /></a>Before we left for the trip, my dad gave me a Heisenberg sticker that he had picked up on our trip home from the ABQ. You Breaking Bad fans will understand. He thought it would be fun to put just a touch of ABQ pop culture somewhere in Europe. I thought about where to put him throughout most of our trip… on a hostel wall in Scotland, in an Amsterdam cafe, behind a park bench in Paris but none of these places seemed right. It wasn’t until I was talking to a few German travelers and fellow Breaking Bad fans in Greece when they said he belonged in Munich. Of course put Heisenberg in the home of the original Heisenberg. So when we came across the surfers I only thought this was the most fitting of spots. Say my name… B****!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7CTcm-QkS3xSHTUaelpGy-SZB2SsceLJWWW7tgnKbgG23mH_jZxn-ec_eWn0JMuf1fOiQ5RJHV01A1WJYTu1UvJ-6Fawopj8ZJsNJCRpWZWVjKjK1IrQMEOUJwTYxHLxALJt9N_Vz_0/s1600-h/_IGP91784.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9178" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsx07uqS-6PFhxoyqWmiaCHteHN_lUZ2D3voKbopE7iCWFhlNp6__qAL6e3HnbGpHZfhdoPAanRAC3lbBrwFbmzUJiOh-iGMIxb_Wvh8RxIBBxLTn-5Jta-EMTKPBuQnnxAqUyj_vudoM/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9178" width="310" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGP7UTl-5FV5VrIKtvH06knfRVvmTPGmBdYYuQ5G151a85pBujMEI2ixClWRFlZWcVBXwK-okmayK9Y7ZjbxmQ6N_Gsxy6k5JflJ0FDvv-9sAxjw464Vr3eDppQ0K9iD8ka0u-sdJ3jY/s1600-h/_IGP92074.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9207" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcZR2scwL8_MSJlZtuUEJsk48uN5-Ii3kH9Ccgn7DiMlGzmcqzFQ88gm0tJ3jViePyv496WgZ6gRvOcbcZt8IOy2fy4Lv1r5bK1ixm3cWshKEP607WbltbeD561XWxjtwm7k6j9J3Hlw/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9207" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We took time to enjoy the falling leaves in the park too</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3d9P5-498ukKc5de7c_4L7nl1XGjda3au_aG8An4ymX-fmWbIpl5bPnIAjLBUsQ-VypVoCbBqMAXziaGIAIdEXsWAFQDp7qZ1HWz3ZgwpEMx9c4qQC_DwJ0cwBPV7XHDjwx7a8GvmEo/s1600-h/_IGP92086.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9208" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIwc4noq6tcjdPYpr_qMPIOj7R8pAT0nVw8edGlRnSxc9fVduzU7s62li6nRzSQFR3aN317hgouAZVrmXRzRvXkjJHzQKcSdfEF3R6LV0a-iY9nsu8CkyHAVGbU7vENuL8IbX1qr1CbI/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9208" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A fun piano trailer we found outside of the opera house</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
One of my must do’s in Germany was to get one of those giant beer steins and of course it only seemed fitting to do that at the famous Hofbrauhouse!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-836TZVmsuNM/U9ACnxP46yI/AAAAAAAAFAc/46mJb0z-13g/s1600-h/_IGP92094.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9209" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uST5Wcb7baU/U9ACoaU95zI/AAAAAAAAFAo/rpVL0E3pshw/_IGP9209_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9209" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r2gZkNfd5_8/U9ACoxFOmvI/AAAAAAAAFAs/reIuuumxxr8/s1600-h/_IGP92144.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9214" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JTJN4wZmem8/U9ACpuRbJqI/AAAAAAAAFA4/qBuHjZOIK8k/_IGP9214_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9214" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6FDVLgCLaKM/U9ACqSkrLzI/AAAAAAAAFBA/TBzIL5bSpno/s1600-h/_IGP92114.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9211" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7wzOi4k6MnM/U9ACq-H6yAI/AAAAAAAAFBE/6S1UIsh5w6s/_IGP9211_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9211" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Hofbrauhaus is one of Munich's oldest beer halls</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OfK7rJm9m7Q/U9ACrv9Q0KI/AAAAAAAAFBQ/6U86d_xVdBU/s1600-h/_IGP92134.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9213" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-L8q8OopyuFo/U9ACsTSCtJI/AAAAAAAAFBY/AMQtfjJdlXI/_IGP9213_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9213" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We even got to take in some traditional Bavarian music</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gj6MESTPRzo/U9ACs5BjRpI/AAAAAAAAFBg/d2_IgaFzgWI/s1600-h/_IGP92174.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9217" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cRNGoVHOnOk/U9ACtkNU3WI/AAAAAAAAFBo/qu59KMNugi0/_IGP9217_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9217" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GMmkJc29TgY/U9ACuZFQp0I/AAAAAAAAFBw/Lqeiu1Cw4JE/s1600-h/_IGP92184.jpg"><img alt="_IGP9218" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y5mDgwXA8Ig/U9ACvFHgexI/AAAAAAAAFB4/WHsSTpPiIqs/_IGP9218_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP9218" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">For dinner I had the half roast chicken with hot potato salad and Matt had the suckling pig with dumplings. Of course it wasn’t complete without bretzels and strudel for dessert. And beer… of course!</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
The place was absolutely packed so we shared a table with a few Russians. Word to the wise, do not get into a drinking competition with a Russian. I was only half way through my liter, and feeling it, when they were already ordering their third round. I honestly don’t know how they were still functioning. They were some nice folks and even shared with us some of their pistachios and dried fish they brought in with them to complement their liquid diet.<br />
<br />
About that time I thought it would be a good idea to take a video. Mind you, anyone who knows me knows I’m quite a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, so do not judge my state of mind at this point. Or my camera skills for that matter! But, no matter what, as Matt, the Russians, and the rest of the Hofbrauhaus were my witnesses, I was going to finish that stein!<br />
<br />
<object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/hh5G7JQU6uU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/hh5G7JQU6uU?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LivEB-ciPyk/U9ACv5GdGPI/AAAAAAAAFCA/1mmmoZyhYPU/s1600-h/_IGP92195.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP9219" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeeq_tIudHR-h8DoaH3lZU5vHF4MYmEnsPGKjQiuzkGqhRh6uhc0oDQlwm3nQ6WyOxdxcqJBb9GPnwf7SkS3jF8tQLagdGt_hCWtjiWlbmE6G4glu0P77VLjT5yMiWJTkvTl-bFIs5_M/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP9219" width="318" /></a><br />
And here’s the proof! Matt let me buy that stein. I dubbed it the trophy stein and lugged it around with me in my suitcase for the rest of the trip. I am very proud of it!<br />
<br />
Thanks Munich for all the fun times even though I did have quite the headache the next morning.Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Munich, Germany48.1351253 11.58198059999995247.965637799999996 11.259257099999951 48.3046128 11.904704099999952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-19907024714214367232014-07-23T12:18:00.000-06:002014-07-25T13:17:22.053-06:00POW…Gimmelwald!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AewgAc5YGj0" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
The next stop on our journey was the small alpine town of Gimmelwald. I didn’t really know where we were going or what the town had to offer but Matt insisted that with how much Rick Steves’s raved about it, it was going to be worth the trek to stay there. It took us four trains, a bus, and a cable car ride to get there but the moment you step out of that gondola, take a deep breath of that mountain air, hear the gentle chiming of the echoing cow bells and get a glimpse of the jaw dropping view…POW…you are surrounded with true pristine picturesque beauty and know instantly it was worth the trip!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-yog9NJna68dpuQJj3oDOGlSJGEscV_-qnAX7-mNm1WASgUnnFZfOn0_sXMXEVgaiMT2YuaDXO9YHJ6FD64FYhLhzqj3mr7V0JFbEM7gibKyo8gXCcucaE5NVpJFqOx7r_Jv5GK8HNQ/s1600-h/_IGP79622.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7962" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uJDawS0I9pg/U87VPVKxOaI/AAAAAAAAEr4/-0_CfFsg4sY/_IGP7962_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7962" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-smwm1mg1T1E/U87VP3U0WWI/AAAAAAAAEsA/HZ-Y80XROcU/s1600-h/_IGP79932.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7993" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UjLBjFh3GNc/U87VQWxCrrI/AAAAAAAAEsM/ayP-SyUEAGc/_IGP7993_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7993" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ayM0S2CjX98/U87VRP71kyI/AAAAAAAAEsU/F5V25e-OJsk/s1600-h/_IGP83955.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8395" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5i6KFEkUhUY/U87VRnFY9QI/AAAAAAAAEsY/hOd6f0YEZpA/_IGP8395_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8395" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-waB5H_Bh7Fk/U87VSGndf1I/AAAAAAAAEsg/4BOY7gdN_UU/s1600-h/_IGP79813.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7981" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ayt8FauQMfU/U87VShKdKuI/AAAAAAAAEss/TO4By0y16eI/_IGP7981_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7981" width="318" /></a>Not far from Interlocken and just a cable car ride from Mürren, Gimmelwald is perched high atop the edge of the cliffs surrounded by the breathtaking Swiss alps. Unlike Mürren though, Gimmelwald has been fairly untouched by tourism. It was saved from becoming a ski resort when someone back in the day got the bright idea to have it declared an avalanche zone. Since then no new buildings or structures have been built and because of this it has a feeling of a town locked in time. The people who live there stay there year-round farming grass, raising cows and making cheese.There are no busy roads, no noisy cars, no high-rise expensive hotels, not even a grocery store and the only way to get there is by foot or cable car.<br />
When we first arrived we checked into our hostel and asked them where we could find something small for lunch. They gave us a map of the town and directed us to a place down the street that sold locally made meat and cheese. That sounded great so we took off to explore the little town.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BkwDPW3YsCM/U87VTDatQ2I/AAAAAAAAEsw/3d7NI76TDc4/s1600-h/_IGP84061.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8406" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LKEl7TIiGwA/U87VTyZUhUI/AAAAAAAAEs8/93m6gk-7cOk/_IGP8406_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8406" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TkcLG0b2Kig/U87VURoOy1I/AAAAAAAAEtE/0GbISN1tVks/s1600-h/_IGP84071.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8407" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Qc20hm_4FA2zPM-oxsMS74cYA2EkD-6KMHow5jekkfDUL-IUV5KqIuEJmiQtMlcTtQVK6j4Ddkwa0T6wvonw-4O07b3GJK1HkXF08m1ex1aUuATUwYXaT9qOOCNLHncPUbBlYjoKfbI/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8407" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MtL0Ci0LmU8/U87VVv1jbAI/AAAAAAAAEtU/wanhuqmeNSE/s1600-h/_IGP79614.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7961" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaSC3384GM2Pg1aFSBeVmW5IoXDEiLmpq8go9pHSqrSDQpLOhoASz6TPYW8atdnkJKRNY7bGiEjJoHnyAEogP8km64litHvcUdw5d5lpkKC6h5auO6EzF4PsUWqjWtZR7nJOE0F30Zfk/?imgmax=800" height="616" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7961" width="408" /></a> <br />
What I thought was going to be a small shop or store turned out to be a small fridge in someone’s shed with a box of change inside. It was stocked with fresh milk, eggs, locally made hard alpine cheese, and dried meat sausages. Now keep in mind these are the only items you can purchase in this town minus the food served at the Mountain Hostel Restaurant (oh…and the candied sugar almonds sold by a man a couple of houses down). Although not what I was expecting, It proved to be one of the best and most beautiful lunches of the the trip. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aYP7XLofrpvloQMUaXGRX3WMd5qWhchKKHAXpaVSPp7tJtXWt9zRA86JFEppWEbdOm61dnB9UxLPdOFuVjClMH5xXFe4dp8n7mBVdrG_3Kl8Cn8twvUbYabwNj3hpke6XpYXSmFb9bs/s1600-h/_IGP83933.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8393" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7fAyHyJSAfA/U87VX8Hw6GI/AAAAAAAAEts/M51W57nfvH8/_IGP8393_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8393" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the best things about Gimmelwald is that all of the cows wear bells. The bells range in all shapes and sizes and they all make different sounds. The chimes of the different bells echo off the distant hills almost giving the town a constant but subtle soundtrack. I asked the man who owned the Mountain Hostel one night why they put the bells on their cows, me thinking it might be a way to track them or scare off predators but he just said, “Nice Swiss tradition!”</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D4PeFAHZeeI/U87VYgq-xNI/AAAAAAAAEt0/rqFSKdpdHDU/s1600-h/_IGP80008.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8000" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP4eZ8cHTayL23ksSiV6mvWmeed_R9AkJDlCDsmuZcJ25nSI3gDDssH1mFeVHF1ENkQnmvvwzaGS7Ux6mxBcyYr5aTcmG88jvfXHMH7lvF99_0CXKeL7QwBkGuxoAwccuabN3b6zzlpU/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8000" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJ7d-SrcOpayFfJ-wTopXZOccTcjn6bgwbzOTIWU1Q5mP-i_b2g4hp01dwBeyYg1HaOKv0QBAR2BUbEarpwuq1yS-qB8KdnEhizrdwX8v1SjztsydceZEzEq2wg8-SzylyBbTNV_f0fY/s1600-h/_IGP80304.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8030" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JDSzOsQDG0Gj2R2ypPNAxsx0oUrzO64mp1lcBoM6FCMf2tkIOBa0eZnFWlSDTxHvPb-N8QUdnn8K6N9mP1a_UCHtyr9JS2OuETXmCH0sQbi9P-EXv6wA-3sn4xUOJpTVhqNQtmeHYEc/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8030" width="318" /></a>There are only a few seasonal B&B’s, two restaurants, a small honesty shop, and the Mountain Hostel. Since we were there in the off season, only the hostel and the restaurant in the hostel were open when we were there. But fewer travelers made it worth it.<br />
That night we stayed out as long as we could, watching the sunset and taking in the view as much as we could until it got to cold. We then went inside and warmed up with a hot homemade pizza and Heidi's Hot Chocolate complete with a touch of peppermint schnapps. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-O5ExJkKHXyQ/U87VbOHB6CI/AAAAAAAAEuU/rDdScndvSwo/s1600-h/_IGP84224.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8422" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LKI4Vw-BjvQ/U87VbxuswsI/AAAAAAAAEuY/yfKpu0wcyk4/_IGP8422_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8422" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was painted on the wall of the Mountain Hostel. Note the four places….Portland, OR! What! No Way!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-df-VK4X9uQU/U87VcUH8s1I/AAAAAAAAEuk/bIfeQXo2IQ8/s1600-h/_IGP81802.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8180" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEuxJSf7M0kFgd7IdyjD6kjv0TSSCskEKjq73AICPKrpdVbW_zVsbSImmcqA5bjL4xc8LQPobk9HyEGURG4zSSDXeru7x-R2K9ePTfDlAKsOEE2m1F7aI2F2Li-RYH9Gs7MFTGsZ0zwA/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="_IGP8180" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--P7qTGRlmmE/U87VdqOwutI/AAAAAAAAEuw/ThX3PSxQ1t4/s1600-h/_IGP81632.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8163" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lVQPArpFb3o/U87VeLkvtLI/AAAAAAAAEu8/ZyeIOeONMsw/_IGP8163_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8163" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
The next morning we rode the Schilthorn cable car. It is the longest areal cable car in the world! And for all you James Bond fans out there (like Matt and myself) it was where they filmed in <em>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</em> (1969) with George Lasenby. The cable car even played the James Bond theme song when the doors closed. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oCZY_5Av4tM/U87Ve1vFTFI/AAAAAAAAEvE/i0pLTVEr7ZY/s1600-h/_IGP81525.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8152" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk3zBMLttryfT6tuXF4r6FJac99vqGvfnTbOynH2r71ByKSguD9uZEjxDhd3K3wLEluxISeQLz4pPKqTj_5dgg-HdLOAnxOEgc69xSEnPO-gHzEVGHGQH5SGW1SgdAQ9_Gy796_6_fRs/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8152" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
A top the <a href="http://schilthorn.ch/en/Angebot/Schilthorn/1_VIEW%3Cbr%3EPiz_Gloria_2970_m_._9744_ft" target="_blank">Schiltorn</a> cable car is the Piz Gloria rotating restaurant made famous in the movie for being Blofeld’s secret research facility. The panoramic views are jaw-dropping with over 200 peaks and countless lakes and glaciers. We got there early in the morning so there were few visitors on the observation deck and even though it was icy and cold we took our chances and basically had some of Switzerland's most beautiful views all to ourselves. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oIRtCleWKB8/U87VgOJ-c9I/AAAAAAAAEvU/SoGUG5wcQXs/s1600-h/_IGP80632.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8063" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EHqheSfXhbk/U87Vg8sDU7I/AAAAAAAAEvc/9i79BvPLK_c/_IGP8063_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8063" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YoWcuy52_gQ/U87VhR7glsI/AAAAAAAAEvk/QGkwAkW2F98/s1600-h/_IGP81112.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8111" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6upCACLFfqpx9aHwyAS-Dwyxlue9aNZmVEODC2N0g5ga0OQPBZEjwXRjDX_CiZSY9XTwCgE2SXEF5ihGyqvsdIq8lf1n3EjrACJXYhkcIISC7pmb30g_dctTBbjxPWUUve6zccYdbroI/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8111" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0TxZw7YsxaI/U87VinwRN4I/AAAAAAAAEvw/ndTiZjbcvA8/s1600-h/_IGP81095.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8109" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypYsxS5UikPCvA12epnqD_UxJhyphenhyphenhW1UwNegTEjQv5PaC-0TqHw_iNpe_PVFmF9pMwn2kBDEl1RJezYaDe6hKklH2_T74rOv8enEGH5d7JSb_h0deD51JvBCpgPQFt3JUDHueIsj71_rE/?imgmax=800" height="568" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8109" width="439" /></a><br />
Once folks started arriving, we decided to visit the newly opened<em> <a href="http://schilthorn.ch/en/Angebot/Schilthorn/1_VIEW%3Cbr%3EPiz_Gloria_2970_m_._9744_ft/Bond_World_007" target="_blank">Bond World 007</a></em> interactive museum. I really wasn’t expecting much from this and was honestly expecting it to be rather cheesy. But to our surprise it was really well done and we had a blast!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1jlZWDJjGAo/U87Vjj_VUEI/AAAAAAAAEwE/60wM3tdcz3Q/s1600-h/_IGP80662.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8066" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oA_fKoIwZ7o/U87Vk6zRgpI/AAAAAAAAEwM/vWPLVpu8VdE/_IGP8066_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8066" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--kgZrFFdOjo/U87VlodjbyI/AAAAAAAAEwQ/FKgHT_hDTdI/s1600-h/_IGP80732.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8073" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8yl5Et8lg30/U87VmAcI0XI/AAAAAAAAEwc/lIPPaD-xjfU/_IGP8073_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8073" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I got a chance to be a Bond Girl (well…kind of) and Matt got to talk to “M” on the famous red phone</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nFD6eEZcAfE/U87Vm9cj0XI/AAAAAAAAEwk/byVPQsQya7o/s1600-h/_IGP80842.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8084" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HbXNadLozHU/U87Vnqse--I/AAAAAAAAEwo/b6Ep3iXbYKY/_IGP8084_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8084" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt taking flight in the helicopter simulator</span></div>
<br />
One of the best things in the museum was this photo kiosk that let you put your face in classic screen shots from the movie. We laughed so hard! My favorite is the last one…00Matto!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DgqDPYaMtPU/U87VoIaduLI/AAAAAAAAEw0/BCyxmhWjad4/s1600-h/_IGP80932.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8093" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ni4zdehQLWI/U87VotorDHI/AAAAAAAAEw8/JDAR1aHy7xs/_IGP8093_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8093" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XAuAJ_AgMWA/U87Vpb-FO4I/AAAAAAAAExE/F5lhZy_8suA/s1600-h/_IGP80982.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8098" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWL0eQ0yryTJJ9UtP3-62CVY6ghlTkrmhVkTSW9CQDAYbwS9FTLNBx6EGQvb1hJr3LcHuBePHvreafXuveTcnqq1I7Y-dPVqWl0xCAgBFdN3Ha2WGIrWymvMEgxzML8gi6ghsWbjnGNM/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8098" width="310" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N-IXNnbPuag/U87Vq6k5s2I/AAAAAAAAExU/JLrAWctyQx8/s1600-h/_IGP80942.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8094" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HCSKbUMwJuo/U87VrrqjeMI/AAAAAAAAExY/BSrcFqRGjq0/_IGP8094_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8094" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sf7HaamV8EY/U87VsEVfJNI/AAAAAAAAExk/vIAklaiDGTo/s1600-h/_IGP81022.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8102" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXXGSgjo3agrTsWY3AH3kF_8jMxlFEx_BRW_pZdxY1JyB0fo8kGfTB6btjN1uP54N_3gQdiFL3vxME7Tvq2AArR6Vp2oEARd9Tas_QAvzpEPY_2cU1Tkn5KtlgVIIN-9YO9OvICAju6o/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8102" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mdvHy5biu6c/U87VtSNy-CI/AAAAAAAAEx0/-6jM1NnFuhM/s1600-h/_IGP81064.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8106" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJYoeOxuACznI0Quet0LxssAjlV72dTTu6EoiDy5jHVdgcrIAu8GjtwvjQN35Uf8brx9fqNAGECIbjooFbHntUAgb4Kbx_UWcFL2hUKDi3qEAhLVVryk0pDbWBBuVKmVHAqi8MreVZF8/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP8106" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Chasing down Blofeld in the bobsled simulator</span></div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<div align="left">
Although it’s not my favorite movies of the Bond franchise, if you haven’t seen <em>On Her Majesty's Secret Service </em>and you are in need of a mindless 60’s corny action movie some night, pop it in. It would defiantly make these photos much funnier. </div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<img align="left" alt="_IGP8181" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxY-I0Rl-Kwxw7taLQJEMh9uNwjTSoj7y8pckURDQi0cMRf2gQ2PSYk8SNtu1xxec81Yy4Zo85MShzGHxCxvKNn3ez3c_hwPM0f-CnJwo5DJIelThq5IgDbf-A4QMQgs59dkUOpKPQFk/?imgmax=800" height="638" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8181" width="423" />After way too long in the museum we tried to have lunch at the Piz Gloria restaurant but it was packed and looked a bit out of our budget so we headed back down the mountain to see what we could find in Mürren. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking down Main street in the village of Mürren</span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We ended up at a cute little Swiss restaurant overlooking the valley where we had lunch.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HtK-LmcU_E4/U87VvduEFNI/AAAAAAAAEyM/aN1sP8kpgmY/s1600-h/_IGP82182.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8218" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNm7yQRXNeCfp93JKE7MQUUOpnUFuqleYDXuqaE2lqw-Iio0VFhicOCzaPoNtgufa7ITFSbY656U3H9u4Ja29Oq-46eZtShAsi5b-fgAfsTqnuxqdk6XDLkTGAh52uhoKgE5vR64sI-g/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8218" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9OD4YsA9u8U/U87Vw7KFMSI/AAAAAAAAEyc/23zi6oldMe0/s1600-h/_IGP82202.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8220" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6-5E05Eq48yizGXO5Z308XtFPJ9JgkwBDZjTcfEHyRPpau4UCqO5YMIY-qDib1KEdfZDiJ8F53jZObi0qwuekt0kkoHwVvcxBU3HVO2Wl1EwSCLOoGhQT3yWwfOffi7q1m5KWTifOlc/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8220" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the view and a Dunkel</span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H70ElXosa7k/U87VyMvqs6I/AAAAAAAAEys/Bf8XNliiTw8/s1600-h/_IGP82222.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8222" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CAlFn6FFo3m0AKX6xK1c5OWxOScys3XXtSmTvdM_NTH_9_YBBl7d9moUFXIEFstle8tCiBwo7pU5UXL_5FDY-AP-yDwyxzIsHj7Aoc4ZzALK1W2kfIJ3cGAPMQTdO8o1wKruONAGxUE/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8222" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-89ibG5Rzh-s/U87VzTugGBI/AAAAAAAAEy4/Ua2keiDEvMg/s1600-h/_IGP82232.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8223" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63CeuxQs5J7XWXblG3OrgOUSCCKWuKpSbKD1ZkU69khrKyaPf7886MM5oKgbYQQja174Cfkw0KcxFRos5QttkCvlIEstWcu031bf9VMxE-fBG5MUXod0jY5bEb-Ii7-bScpRjmEE7Sgw/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8223" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I had spatzel and Matt had what I call breakfast…a bed of hash browns, eggs, and bacon</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gwGDIor-90w/U87V0hpaUsI/AAAAAAAAEzM/GLQvzkSY0p8/s1600-h/_IGP82404.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8240" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wYD6pGIxd1Y/U87V1Yn4iuI/AAAAAAAAEzU/X7b7pSy_wnE/_IGP8240_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="652" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8240" width="432" /></a><br />
If we hadn’t have been on such a tight budget at this point in our trip or known to budget it in before we left we would have defiantly gone parasailing in Gimmelwald. I’ve always thought it would be fun but seeing them do it here moved it right up to the top of the bucket list. There could not be a more beautiful place to fly like a bird. If anything, it gives me a reason to come back soon.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5n2FX1G-qKc/U87V1xjS0tI/AAAAAAAAEzY/0gdsB2BdBQQ/s1600-h/_IGP82422.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8242" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tS-PBq1ubN8/U87V2Ss2bmI/AAAAAAAAEzk/mZSdsNVZ_9w/_IGP8242_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8242" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AnbXcXoUaJs/U87V3EqjA8I/AAAAAAAAEzs/TDMz8_4HKS4/s1600-h/_IGP83363.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8336" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeyMGAnw5yxgmqlvl59jDfNG5rg_31iHcgW8v8uj0LEVUKyFlUgj-Zwj-aQxujAFZaJtIF9KHssM3d5f569iDW7-Lo9n_RmaJYtuPWNJYVUSi5LQuUcPzyR3IIiN24K60S8hEb1DxcEIM/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8336" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9ljuCwkXQRc/U87V4Yv2ulI/AAAAAAAAEz8/mVWLMhoisUw/s1600-h/_IGP82835.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8283" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GssjHx_Dl58/U87V41T5XCI/AAAAAAAAE0E/C4uoUJZDnZc/_IGP8283_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8283" width="310" /></a> <br />
<br />
To finish the day we hiked back to Gimmelwald from Mürren. Of course we made sure to pick up a few bars of Toblerone from the Co-op to munch on on the way back. We also hiked the Sprutzweg trail where we walked behind the waterfall, talked to a few of the local cows, and grabbed some more meat and cheese from the honesty fridge to take back to the hostel with us for later. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0lo5V2Ew7ps/U87V5iLj7BI/AAAAAAAAE0M/BXyAib1kSSU/s1600-h/_IGP82902.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8290" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RNaYGc8c4f4/U87V6ERmLBI/AAAAAAAAE0U/-AjXo2ny_rg/_IGP8290_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8290" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jAuMB05F2UY/U87V6wUQOvI/AAAAAAAAE0c/iOKob-QRXa0/s1600-h/_IGP83665.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8366" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChzetOVkYvuEi6Zo0MIFiJm4mrkNKfeeZu9F1Regu4F0zUjEJ0puwnOQcl5eUXcWfQjkPvFzpr-t5Aa7fgpeJjlgT-LeZ07hKKRMiLvM2uFmsQFlq9gF-oFIY11diY_H7-1M4JjxGsy4/?imgmax=800" height="674" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8366" width="447" /></a><br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view from our hike of the tiny town of Gimmelwald perched atop the cliffside</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="_IGP8454" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QnWKFlJlSu0/U87V8WwURQI/AAAAAAAAE0s/Jhgp6w0ym1I/_IGP8454_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8454" width="640" /><br />
<br />
The following day we took the cable car, a bus, a train, and another cable car to Mannlichen for another day of hiking and beautiful views.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Es-ZZUv4P2c/U87V9OCkGqI/AAAAAAAAE00/_9iqyy7I2JM/s1600-h/_IGP85082.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8508" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vYAGRJ2nhhM/U87V92eqokI/AAAAAAAAE04/FaiRkfiGYgk/_IGP8508_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8508" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view from our train car. It is said that this valley was Tolkien's inspiration for Rivendell</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlH43T3IkJujsXPdnVam_eak7WARsbLaWCT7GT2uss9_1NHtzpD5q4Ep-nBX8iHUTBzZM4rtgZ-63BLchxYHXfr9SUEAZ4p2PKwCNfZDkOW2Qi6JpQlMN-KQwXWej3ZW16Ax8y6FBjLxo/s1600-h/_IGP84593.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8459" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ReIukN76Rk8/U87V-3IUG5I/AAAAAAAAE1M/Scw-J5gzdTQ/_IGP8459_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8459" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EC61sSMAIuc/U87V_sp10EI/AAAAAAAAE1Q/M5lkuAh-30Y/s1600-h/_IGP84612.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8461" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4r8TUwLCoxwcBWyGDeIHeMziE2cBUHgIYTjjW0KYrt3Ie_KhOhf76MzEjj5YXR34W4fFcfvAxZWlr7IFb1678iyFtJVwefmsYAnA9-Sc1ORfQNZnPcTUVwwNcI0IH4OPoeGf9ZUzy9ac/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8461" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
If you haven’t already noticed, there are quite a few mountains in Switzerland. Thus when hiking you are usually either going up or down. We thought we’d make it a little easier on ourselves and just hike down the <a href="http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/destinations/kleine-scheidegg/hiking-trails/hiking-trail-no-33" target="_blank">Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg</a> trail around the back of the mountain back down to Wengen. This seemed like a great idea until about an hour into it. After going down for so long you start to notice muscles hurting that you didn’t know you even had. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tT72CzgMKXg/U87WA3t9T6I/AAAAAAAAE1k/MzBRvvlp_TA/s1600-h/_IGP84802.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8480" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z7siDBBg-l8/U87WBaANGaI/AAAAAAAAE1s/nTosRtyq55Y/_IGP8480_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiJ-3lUMcYaR7aTdP1X-nXQFFMgDcm2br0uOp8WA2E2vkbjpiOBdR58qLBXZpjXPvTLn8R9ji86LZY3Ew8LKnoLuQfvHqqNRn2coVGFj3gmtGeZ89quy-Ef53riiiO_IMo33CgJMHaw8/s1600-h/_IGP84962.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8496" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JSOU7GWJTtY/U87WCmMqxVI/AAAAAAAAE14/I1DkzlMYFRc/_IGP8496_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8496" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our view for lunch</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tfy9GR22YC0/U87WDJBetKI/AAAAAAAAE2A/A5xB3eKdMdQ/s1600-h/_IGP85292.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8529" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CnEl7Sf-EOk/U87WDxZAPNI/AAAAAAAAE2M/lTjmlygwxcA/_IGP8529_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8529" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view of Grindelwald</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4m-GTyLiUkc/U87WEQ1lAyI/AAAAAAAAE2U/_82OyHgnYaU/s1600-h/_IGP85382.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8538" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xpXRnxn24KE/U87WFIFjjbI/AAAAAAAAE2Y/2cLiE9Lr4c8/_IGP8538_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8538" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our lunch companion</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sCYwpwxz7jk63za7e0ofbGMbIpGImqJq99r1G7078CWf7Pt7iDp7VuiGQ86lgT1Hd1etonYgaMJyUuMZdYB5qeOkChVfeR3b8itnCISpBULkRjSrV6xjqRH-OknsuhP3-CPHkCzATa8/s1600-h/_IGP85484.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP8548" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F_QaloK5UCw/U87WGYmmecI/AAAAAAAAE2s/rlpyXd8xzKQ/_IGP8548_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="619" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8548" width="410" /></a> <br />
This diagram shows the most common ways to mountain climb to the top of the <a href="http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/places-to-visit/jungfraujoch-top-of-europe/experiences/" target="_blank">Jungfraujoch</a>, the highest railway station in Europe. No thank you!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ti-YSBg_W4g/U87WHAtA3eI/AAAAAAAAE20/TPU1cQQJKG4/s1600-h/_IGP85522.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8552" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-00X-FO1fnNs/U87WHp747VI/AAAAAAAAE28/NMEI3ELuoZg/_IGP8552_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8552" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The the station at Kleine Scheidegg and the train to the top of the </span><a href="http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/places-to-visit/jungfraujoch-top-of-europe/experiences/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jungfraujoch</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. We opted out of this train trip as it was the </span><a href="http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/travel-information/tickets-rates/interlaken-ost/fares-for-individual-travellers/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">most expensive</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and a bit out of our budget.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Zm1Vn9g1hi0/U87WIaCQpgI/AAAAAAAAE3E/eJHzlUEcHQg/s1600-h/_IGP85692.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8569" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzKnT0WWc61xlgZdFNNqGk1h6aC-oXgdwf1Bu6YnGT3B5zHHjyJLuDOPPfE-7SAHVJJeaHQtTYm5KPQ90e3PR4lQvsOvfqzZRVT8nCT7F7VViSUMZ_6J0EwtzKRoyhhn-6MkQsGq3PVs/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8569" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Just stopping to take in the view</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD17hQFIdu2kCUEdwoG-S5r1HWSQEE7fp0H6f-tsYF6AV3G4x5-41_TIzGp31VMOC-aQlJVzMvp9g2X_6P1CkVKC5Y_1Z8LXXJg-SM79Ay3Lb3dkfQl4X4MVRwR4LJ5LoU6zdvnjnfrOc/s1600-h/_IGP85902.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8590" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d7GoI4n4-G0/U87WKl4kIoI/AAAAAAAAE3c/GmnEJkPhoXo/_IGP8590_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8590" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The town of Wegen</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7nxzlDPHfUk/U87WLVY99MI/AAAAAAAAE3k/xdrPh5FvaY0/s1600-h/_IGP85982.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8598" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tQCiRKsNzDI/U87WMPsLRSI/AAAAAAAAE3o/cr0OmN0wrU8/_IGP8598_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8598" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We then decided for the sake of our calves we’d take the train the rest of the way from Wegen back to Gimmelwald. We finished the night with a delicious homemade pizza and great conversation with some fellow hostellers from Los Angeles. <br />
<br />
<img align="left" alt="_IGP8632" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9XmQlcwbkKc/U87WMq_AdgI/AAAAAAAAE3w/DQYRXSrE3io/_IGP8632_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP8632" width="310" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiblEl251zYuUJpDZr4Dx1es9Vg-1QNQtC5CdpQt02fHXtbFlNBDfGwLqcYPHc1rVZVGsNKXFxjtbsAqsSZcA7-77K8EDwD6FOeVre8KqJX8Y5taqQdIOGJiCEFhj-FYv_41bu-QO8a8o/s1600-h/_IGP86432.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8643" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMr7LuX9iJBfK3POVnyuDRv9HRw-8AH49gDG_5HByDYajY3aToxpt_OctFu9b0-kgqlIoAjHD9FDLKt0BazuuVOd4lcwqrlvToqWCCSQJPTeMWzoRLwnLkmAv3hzK8-T8ABkp5sPUbzE/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8643" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
The next day we woke up pretty sore so we took it easy and hiked the small Talweg trail around Gimmelwald. We saw some more waterfalls, an old water powered sawmill, and talked to a few more cows along the way. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qr1CDjcSg14/U87WO7d6unI/AAAAAAAAE4M/UD5i7S1OR44/s1600-h/_IGP86572.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8657" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDypKvR9PwuUaFi4nKRqIeubj4MHpeBZYv7NgXScXnD2PG9NuUUgNkKKVPl14urOkChwjXiJBbTft6qOE4tdLTZxGyBC0Y6e_z3rRZclVTSnfv74OUft-OllENFTaGHYjiVKm3FNFkuI/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8657" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-naceYLhJhOg/U87WQNjrlDI/AAAAAAAAE4c/IOHSkLZupxo/s1600-h/_IGP86622.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8662" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-imBu3WYREs8/U87WQ9_92SI/AAAAAAAAE4k/lu-42aqx9wQ/_IGP8662_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8662" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rgwf00WFSnI/U87WR3CjdbI/AAAAAAAAE4s/EUtRoLPRvts/s1600-h/_IGP86812.jpg"><img alt="_IGP8681" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5-Z4w-j4a4E/U87WSs8alsI/AAAAAAAAE40/XolbaJERhl0/_IGP8681_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP8681" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
We chatted with our new LA friends, ate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette" target="_blank">Raclette</a> for dinner, and planned for the next part of our journey. It was a pretty mellow way to spend our last day in Gimmelwald but it seemed like that was what we were supposed to do. As the clouds rolled in and covered the mountains and the spectacular views, it was as if Switzerland was saying goodbye and wishing us well on the rest of our adventure. I couldn’t have hoped for a more pleasant stay!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwslSKXWefg4-iv_kf30Z2BTvPrnoUc4Eeq4agXYWAvnxc1ka4Kq9Ns7yuhmICfeLQ_uQkx6z_KDhk4FUv33OBKgxlsNVNcjiljwcs7oGXm1Yb5koYhQTgqaPB8kBlJJfyQJNmKpiqNk/s1600-h/IMG_20131020_182754_1902.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131020_182754_190" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVRGtKJlMmMfF17i3kA8BRxtGikJk2tQCH-wXL5xUwEPM3JEtaJ02ITsqCFWXIoNMSe7zPJMBV_KJw9CLDm4eAiLb7KlPdQFY4ErgWopsVsgdqPZ74FL1QSh5UIcwJLtVGbpHxZpZ2x8/?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131020_182754_190" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3pyNLxETq44/U87WU-63oFI/AAAAAAAAE5I/sRRQfi6CV5E/s1600-h/IMG_20131020_182537_0132.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131020_182537_013" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eQiNNc7hD-A/U87WVhPrT9I/AAAAAAAAE5U/c3CvFMgIxS4/IMG_20131020_182537_013_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131020_182537_013" width="310" /></a>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Gimmelwald, Switzerland46.546111 7.89222199999994721.024076500000003 -33.416372000000052 72.0681455 49.200815999999946tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-43681801290823146092014-02-21T16:03:00.003-07:002014-07-25T13:17:11.114-06:00First a View, then Fondue!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50AUTohwQ9ew_S3yRFBiIOgznJxpTTEgHjK6WXlk8bU2xsH2MRyVkpKTRpfzAwYRHskJSvL6tPoLXjjkPwkEUujeV4tfg11oWrTNiTiwCvVG1JGQSF3irYsbAodtXi6mQ4CeTeL0OSTY/s1600/_IGP7914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50AUTohwQ9ew_S3yRFBiIOgznJxpTTEgHjK6WXlk8bU2xsH2MRyVkpKTRpfzAwYRHskJSvL6tPoLXjjkPwkEUujeV4tfg11oWrTNiTiwCvVG1JGQSF3irYsbAodtXi6mQ4CeTeL0OSTY/s1600/_IGP7914.JPG" height="420" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoB9P4sHd_vK-Rq9PcY1VNqLn26EPm7WSNIC5wlNRgF7xLJDuTmEghdBg0xDtNvorAXuPQdfoI-RWvk6EcImoK_UwH9ByJopq8JLvHn_BGImS3UGTAaSvmYoMEBXP2Kp57VxRcUw-msY/s1600-h/IMG_20131015_135223_5186.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131015_135223_518" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFj4_mSYOiQKDst5B34Br-pJWBq5vyARL2zWgFTMXJeTH15sa7yMDHZQbvXKAYEklQP88X58Omb85-Pc1_cnrv4VWGRYofCwsuWsPf79st2HFDc2gR58QStubrNjgtUKDhKPQK2rZN8VU/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131015_135223_518" width="360" /></a><br />
I’ve always had a love for the Matterhorn ever since I was seven years old.<br />
<br />
I can remember it as if it were yesterday. It was my very first trip to Disneyland, and we showed up right before the gates opened for the magical morning.<em> </em>I can remember the music echoing over the loud speakers, the big Mickey Mouse flower garden, the whistle of the train, and as I walked around the bend I saw it… the Matterhorn. I grabbed my dad’s hand and ran. I ran as fast as I could, with dad staggering behind me, right down Main Street, past the shops with windows full of candied apples and sweets, past all my favorite characters dolling out hugs, even past the vendors with mouse hats and Mickey shaped balloons. At that moment nothing else mattered. <br />
<br />
I’m not really sure what sparked me to make a mad dash for that mountain but I did. And at that moment, when I stood there and looked up at that magical mountain, never in my wildest dreams, did my seven year old self even think that I’d be standing at the base looking up at the real one twenty years later. And let me tell you… it’s just as magical!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-drn7T2KFtrc/UwfYh6wvgzI/AAAAAAAAD4M/lL4IrDM0Q0Q/s1600-h/IMG_20131015_132653_0126.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131015_132653_012" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GVmOCkIkHAg/UwfYirnDsQI/AAAAAAAAD4U/LHWPaBAQhx0/IMG_20131015_132653_012_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131015_132653_012" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the scenic train ride from Visp to Zermatt</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWItkI-uH_sHzKSUsWNWSZX0tWQpTncuYHBMqLlJj9APQCXjVqU51LFIXxuyEad_PGHAWF94VHbnqq2eCsIZm0mQ_ODgGI2s7KYaqsG5sNQVqGajqpyirWrIH2s9nCvCNTIwIbU4yjUSs/s1600-h/_IGP793910.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7939" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GkCcNCAtcjg/UwfYjbjutMI/AAAAAAAAD4k/2yXbZjyzGSo/_IGP7939_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7939" width="318" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: The view from the Hostel Matterhorn where we stayed</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Upon seeing the Matterhorn in real life I now understand why Disney featured it as a centerpiece to his park. It is beyond beautiful. I never really understood how someone could fall in love with a mountain until now. It has a kind of hypnotic vibe that radiates from it. As it juts from the hillsides around it and slices the skyline with its raw jagged lines it screams for your attention while dominating anything and everything around it. Once you get a good look at it, there is no looking away.<br />
<br />
Apparently, the fall can be ether the best time or the worst time to visit Zermatt – the cute little mountain town where you can see the Matterhorn. Being the offseason, and right between both summer and winter, many of the shops, restaurants, and hotels are closed. But the bonus is that there are many fewer people to fight with. The danger of the offseason is that it can be crystal clear with a photo perfect view of a rocky, but snow dusted mountain or it can be completely socked in where you’re wondering if there is even a mountain at all. Fortunately, we lucked out with absolutely marvelous weather.<br />
<br />
This wasn’t the case at first though. When we arrived we were a bit disappointed by the fact that the clouds just didn’t want to clear. You could see the mountain but it wasn’t that perfect shot Matt was hoping for. This didn’t stop us though. The next morning we took a chance, got up bright and early, bundled up in every piece of clothing we could layer and hurried down to the train station despite the weather predictions of clouds, to catch the first cogwheel train to the <a href="http://www.zermatt.ch/en/page.cfm/experience/peaks/gornergrat" target="_blank"><u>Gornergrat Observatory</u></a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJbvrWsF2p09W0H5XJ97qFgIGQhAd7Er2S-T7GVhz1G6tsifXe03wyDJFuOOOfvgHZ7PBhYsfZijkUmuxtijwg-FiE5IjvrM-p0Cxf78tEgydOnEQVb8KiUxgRhE1rIOuN8r3mLHfS1E/s1600-h/_IGP76454.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7645" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqGeCfr1Gr4ssuPdww6Xk754mL04jvUGeoyCPKOAGsofXfJDg3JmumdkCLleg7so4r9qMMZc5iF_PlnDZcRW8WxA1SruQSnFKZpJfv2xSfYG7wfaAKu2dK3-0ZEd149j1FjoWfU0JocE/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7645" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">On board the Gornergratbahn up to the Gornergrat Observatory</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<img alt="_IGP7797" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0lhHauhldAdRrBnNAmE1auwBGEGP84EIrCKhRRqYNznm5Vg-Ra5rvrO9Vz9Yl6YD0kTbK50bjJTys249o-KMywvorHttKSTXWUYMxX1F7XuX4uEU9OSo3y1HghhzvLhFrpPRBrMe1Q8/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7797" width="310" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggp08KgcxjT0jrrS0S4WRuIL6K7iKFy6Llnywwgl738wfyDQrg9o6i7n6uNIs_xdDRyNMh6NVx0U1Q8QfjJyJ6mrm42iQlKlAB3ObpsuxbXDDs0y7-VFzZTANoJE7if_-2kh2m7d9ndwg/s1600-h/_IGP78964.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7896" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-s1FFfWZCTNY/UwfYmgu6DxI/AAAAAAAAD5M/FrscFAT4hyg/_IGP7896_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7896" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Gornergratban is the second highest railway in Europe and because of the steep grade of the tracks it has to have a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway#Switzerland" target="_blank"><u><span style="font-size: x-small;">cog and wheel drive</span></u></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> to help it up the mountain</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dVD2XUJD1kw/UwfYnKxNDsI/AAAAAAAAD5U/iUksZgRu0VM/s1600-h/_IGP75226.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7522" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBA935UCXk4OwVpSm61fQ6bRLekmqhf2jO6hAjyufeekprv_pKKBl_CrdFvIoCgb-cj4OGN06dGMW4sPSkASohhTBeja3EsgQBhyQOxwr5O-Us23J1Eeg25gLQfu23F3uy8NmTwIPfo8U/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7522" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-a-s_vB8YlVQ/UwfYoWG1QYI/AAAAAAAAD5k/XGUliCBLltU/s1600-h/_IGP75606.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7560" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-K47_SbUIYxs/UwfYoziM3XI/AAAAAAAAD5o/_aS5d4McXcM/_IGP7560_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7560" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
We stopped off at a local bakery to get a tasty breakfast bun to eat on the way up. Once the train started and I got a glimpse of the view both Matt and I shoved our buns back in the bag and pretty much forgot about them until lunch. <br />
<br />
Since we were the only ones in the car, taking into account the time and the weather, we took the opportunity to open the windows on both sides of the car, even though it was freezing, and run from one side of the train to the next depending on which side had the best view.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hoCQkk1k3I4/UwfYpmQr5LI/AAAAAAAAD50/J2cAN0uWA_I/s1600-h/_IGP75904.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7590" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hFaEXT3Jri5qOspxPxq-js4UYTr08J0jq5Fkf3parybGREc9OjpSszEuIBQHHH5uPVpkVz71gnl8EGtYmZsAMi6T0XGxmGyQOxW20ovT_T6jSwyyHammvC2P1Wli3vbt1thzZBOtHp4/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7590" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I never thought it was possible to take so many pictures of the same Mountain and not get board. As the clouds started to clear I kept telling Matt to take another…. a few minutes later… it looks even better now take another. Needless to say he filled his memory cards that day</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PWRnEteUSOI/UwfYrG5WO0I/AAAAAAAAD6E/Y06VylNfmdI/s1600-h/_IGP78055.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7805" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q9xzQf_sPWo/UwfYr-ytyOI/AAAAAAAAD6M/vWRmwC36oz0/_IGP7805_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7805" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sLtR5ZyWh_s/UwfYsVzujLI/AAAAAAAAD6U/_ZGcvdlME4g/s1600-h/_IGP78164.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7816" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UGufVLpoXKi9reDK80dOIl33FEweFw0YnglVq535gvhIij1UTsRhJyBxb-0_VdReEgBINEROpINtugboFqPthHDCmp17SuzwjO_9BtaJmQKaThDKkCdYPpkyQohD5MdDDV9ORAGmxeQ/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7816" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Note how steep of a grade the train is driving on</span></div>
<br />
When we arrived we were two of only a few people that got off the train and boy were we happy that we took the chance on coming up early. The light at sunrise was stunning and as it kissed the snowy peaks it truly made them glow. And even though it was windy, the wind blew the few still lingering clouds away making for perfect pictures. We found out later that this was some of the best weather they had all season and it only lasted the couple days we were in Switzerland. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hqw88k4uoNA/UwfYt6y0AkI/AAAAAAAAD6k/9MFx37BpgMk/s1600-h/_IGP76304.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7630" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg0iPbhR0_wxlH2Rdm10LyCNuQZrjqfx7YnpoJI5w9oq93JWSeJ_k2w6byw2Scflj9OrB0qr4lP8Puf0Mz_zo3NSanLNsy13jfDAEhWfDLA20iUwoZX6YPzYWB9U7LTpphbMyAb7Eek0/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7630" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the many breathtaking views on the way up to the observatory</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VLpHRn9Vv7k/UwfYvWeRllI/AAAAAAAAD60/jjWzjanZ55E/s1600-h/_IGP77784.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7778" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-afXR4sni9fE/UwfYv-8F7_I/AAAAAAAAD68/BwjY3unjEwg/_IGP7778_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7778" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view of the observatory. If you look close you can see me on the path in my white coat</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AYOGJMJwtaVw7P_xtEZUTt_YaMIqQWaXblIL4vBoMhQBjoKcxu8zBokrGVC-mJF9vNZm16e8c6hxEOkQ2NG_C3JRE3HZpYY48T1vVb7CQaMSXOaVh-v0ewP6-Oh0IUsB7Waf8sUzYdM/s1600-h/_IGP76544.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7654" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0QoQG4wP52wDG1dryKKLjHv-RPfiOMWMs_DFt4zB5JjWaRGaxIXxWjKTh6mVOFpgi6IIRc6C12nh1L9OV3QGTMHmp7_rA81T4HY2v5GBwm_QPCDeOhIv3PhYhs6I5eHh3f7Xzk_pQyU/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7654" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">How perfect! A Saint Bernard with a barrel! Little did we know that this dog was there for paid for tourist photos and we weren’t supposed to take pictures of him. Matt snapped this one before the we were told not to. Oh well!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MnylZ9PBpIY/UwfYxg-HzYI/AAAAAAAAD7U/AQ3O46jVy_w/s1600-h/_IGP77205.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7720" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-l7uXf9DpEQM/UwfYyE3JFpI/AAAAAAAAD7c/51MwuZPGbPo/_IGP7720_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7720" width="310" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbzbXfNTdB63XJA36fVtSDCwR6A_uNCpuSKxA6wJCV3V7k9sWqCGwVXeDJ9Er7E6oY8_zoMYkxLkrxyz3vSmbCFeg4wKvu8axOmzJj9TFnx2ZbwHLxE3cLsVRJa0PCIi_GtbzpomrtaI/s1600-h/_IGP77494.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7749" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eW49wwAQ_Bk/UwfYzT1erJI/AAAAAAAAD7s/g8yCToVlYhc/_IGP7749_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7749" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I saw a Japanese lady do this and just couldn’t</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> resist myself</span></div>
<br />
We stayed up there taking pictures and enjoying the view for almost 2 hours. After a while though the cold got the best of us and we decided to warm up inside with a hot drink and finish our forgotten breakfast buns. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NblNx7dhhBI/UwfY0O2TuUI/AAAAAAAAD70/ESi4oVuuxHY/s1600-h/_IGP77314.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7731" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Up2llrB6vmg/UwfY0pjvJCI/AAAAAAAAD78/x-QYQQzYols/_IGP7731_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7731" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Matterhorn at its finest!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_HmjOgzPbE4/UwfY1ZR9EKI/AAAAAAAAD8A/C8CVvXhwHc8/s1600-h/_IGP77555.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7755" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ooFcU5qdqQ/UwfY1w9dDRI/AAAAAAAAD8I/e57FY7Kc3-U/_IGP7755_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7755" width="318" /></a><br />
Now I’ve had hot chocolate before but nothing like this. This was the real deal. Not that packaged powdered Swiss Miss stuff they pass off as hot chocolate. This place even had preheated mugs so that your chocolate didn’t cool down. It was beyond amazing and that’s not because we were both freezing!<br />
<br />
After the chocolate we went back out, took a few more pictures and played in the snow. I even threw a Swiss snowball at Matt even though he kept saying, “The Swiss are always neutral!”<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dUUZfjDAv8A/UwfY2VayGNI/AAAAAAAAD8U/LHXLyrL8lCU/s1600-h/_IGP76504.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7650" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SSUKXgDPmGg/UwfY3qw3igI/AAAAAAAAD8Y/9u-gxBgg2zA/_IGP7650_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7650" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">What a way to spend the day!</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
Back in the town of Zermatt another famous thing to take note of is the graveyard. The graveyard is filled with those hypnotized by the allure and beauty of this mesmerizing monster of a mountain and ultimately died trying to reach the peak (or on the way back down in some cases). It puts into perspective that mother nature is not kind and that we are not immortal. Although it is beautiful it is a deadly mountain that requires respect.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zbl5xDgMadE/UwfY4cVVgbI/AAAAAAAAD8k/a10dk60Qqt8/s1600-h/_IGP79174.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7917" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDeNHIXygNylMPG7BnC_KwqA8zj-OGNqWK9bdD0bQdp1WsxdzaEq16ihb5SL1e87tdusjNQFqKDxI97uOy3mRI3N6Y9hhXJSuugfAgb_w55aW4o0DmvbWRBIYB0Whr5S0FCQhIzpLDB4/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7917" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-khogJfLWKEM/UwfY5jVhATI/AAAAAAAAD8w/4PBOnbxBVmQ/s1600-h/_IGP79184.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7918" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHhlzuG797arsELcdLEWWwTG871XLBgkL3BrLjOjIfrNqXx-bLe3UdPwAh3NhySv0uQiqOjS305Ry_dgyyTuzeW0Ygw8y30R6WyyykFNakPgHPFhXh3Vh3I2PHguraMtU_6Fnz1zHRlPE/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7918" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfIA0ft1dVJ0rYCBKg3Sc1jFOVf7gg05D0tFuyL1TzrRatAiuOrFJsv2kFZXbgtZK0-l5x_uedmlozyTWdb1qE9dZh7CqxjABvCGlyT3tTQNDZWwKTktsml-ia4KIuhqeeoqevxdb22o/s1600-h/_IGP79274.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7927" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cz5jTebwcb4/UwfY7t2HSFI/AAAAAAAAD9M/ha0zqBLL12I/_IGP7927_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7927" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FZw14r3ut4s/UwfY8OqFS7I/AAAAAAAAD9U/HSVK362_h7Q/s1600-h/_IGP79314.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7931" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qqWsa7k_7pc/UwfY8lK4ZuI/AAAAAAAAD9c/S9RXVuFlssI/_IGP7931_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7931" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
Next to the cemetery there is also a mountaineering museum with all kinds of history and artifacts related to the Matterhorn. One of the most famous things is a <a href="http://www.zermatt.ch/en/page.cfm/experience/culture/matterhorn_museum" target="_blank"><u>broken rope</u></a> that was used in the first ascent that ended in tragedy when the four climbers fell to their death. Although interesting and a true monument to mountaineering history we chose a happy fondue dinner instead of seeing the broken rope of death.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3k85rPwqkmc/UwfY9DXSucI/AAAAAAAAD9k/Pn_W4D199U4/s1600-h/_IGP79334.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7933" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-REE_jK-zYhM/UwfY95Zo4FI/AAAAAAAAD9s/mk6PuGAQDkQ/_IGP7933_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7933" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">To get the full Swiss experience we splurged and got fondue and beer for dinner with strudel and cream sauce for dessert. Matt said it was an <em>Act of God</em> I didn’t get any of it on me!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-yD3Cg98IgKfJJDDLQ7BMufvWM0XcOh3c9NVumiIU293GaeJdS8TzIj2mkNIqIMWYmHDE9dAGJbK8FraC7Ty0EUk4VkbfWpJbObxxjZFg_ebTjeWYgoNSx72yUOFKRVTSzr24S46-hM/s1600/_IGP7936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-yD3Cg98IgKfJJDDLQ7BMufvWM0XcOh3c9NVumiIU293GaeJdS8TzIj2mkNIqIMWYmHDE9dAGJbK8FraC7Ty0EUk4VkbfWpJbObxxjZFg_ebTjeWYgoNSx72yUOFKRVTSzr24S46-hM/s1600/_IGP7936.JPG" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I would highly recommend visiting Zermatt to anyone thinking about visiting Switzerland! Just keep in mind that it is expensive. And even though the the Gorhergratban tickets are close to a hundred bucks a pop and fondue for two is close to sixty, it is worth every penny! So just save up and plan on spending more than your budget can really bear. It is above and beyond one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I have been hypnotized by this mountain and I will be returning one day! Hopefully it doesn’t take another 20 years this time!<br />
<br />Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com1Zermatt, Switzerland46.0210726 7.747937200000023945.843604099999993 7.4238407000000244 46.1985411 8.0720337000000235tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-49339057625741752782014-02-18T18:28:00.000-07:002014-02-21T16:05:02.325-07:00Off to the Castle of Carcassonne<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lDLsfjtHmBU/UwQGeUgwysI/AAAAAAAAD0M/cO6-YR5K_OQ/s1600-h/_IGP72964.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7296" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbfNrraW8ipWZ_OGZu2aEzOQ5Vp-rQdEsXlENc2-YkPRjQYYaCdAQiHNl7nWZ4MHFtM2QOR-yufAdxj9TYikLJ3cO4QoNpGG06ChuZwdNrO6w2Rx2XmUY_PswxovDZJiT9HXHNjIMJWM/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7296" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The next stop on our journey was the walled medieval city of Carcassonne.<br />
<br />
The first glimpse of the city is magical. It’s almost as if it was ripped from the pages of a storybook the way it sits perfectly lit painted into the skyline atop the hillside. <br />
The moment you walk over the drawbridge and through the main entrance of the massive city walls It feels like you’ve just stepped back in time to the lands of kings and queens, dragons and fair maidens and knights in shining armor. As we walked through the city, I was halfway expecting little wooden horse-drawn carts and wagons to come rattling up the weathered cobblestone roads behind me. <br />
<br />
The whole time I was there I just wanted to swing open the shutters of our little window, look out over the little square and bust out singing…<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx1MmY1Bb50" target="_blank">“Bonjour…bonjour…bonjour…bonjour…bonjour…<br />There goes the baker with his tray like always…the same old bread and rolls to sell….”</a> <br />
<br />
Actually, near the end of our trip, I couldn’t resist anymore and just did it. The folks down in the restaurant across the square all gave me kind of odd looks but I didn’t care. It was true Disney-esque kind of moment and for a bit I felt just like a princess in a castle!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o3cvhb9tP5E/UwQGgHngxSI/AAAAAAAAD0c/nEeyY9_-ksQ/s1600-h/_IGP71604.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7160" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cB_jvf-EVi60Q9-rC8PcCvJXx1u8EoYbaZEKOXoGkyOneaHwAYGDlpif5HvF4FCk1mOGi-Urdabg871V3WGsJXbkksF6VYiKkTsljCjdoiiITZTta4n4Xp7RZZ5EbIXGCudWcOvZfHc/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7160" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A fun painted tunnel we walked through to get from the train station to the seaside in Cerbère</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
On our way to Carcassonne we stopped off in the little seaside town of Cerbère where we had lunch on the beach and fed a few more pigeons.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8tJiGjYpzRs/UwQGheUzfBI/AAAAAAAAD0s/1rPcjRxCoxg/s1600-h/_IGP73465.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7346" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E1ryEtrRCTc/UwQGiLJYH7I/AAAAAAAAD00/CODhrzIhFwk/_IGP7346_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 17px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7346" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GJP9WswXvXY/UwQGi-G3PvI/AAAAAAAAD08/fNMtsScLqvM/s1600-h/_IGP74824.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7482" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y9buq8L-RKs/UwQGjNYHHVI/AAAAAAAAD1E/uA5CebNb9RQ/_IGP7482_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7482" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
The city of Carcassonne is so quaint but there isn’t a lack of fun things to do. You can walk the ramparts and look at the beautiful views of the city, explore the castle and the museums, sit down and have a meal at one of the many restaurants or grab a hot crepe and walk through the gardens. Or if shopping is your thing there are quite a few little boutiques and shops filled with unique artisans goods, fine wines, delicious foods, and fun sweet treats that are all locally made. Another one of the highlights of the city is the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse where you can marvel over the architecture or the breathtaking stained glass windows, and if you are really lucky, hear the beautiful melodies of the pipe organ or the harmonies of a four part choir.<br />
<br />
<img alt="_IGP7284" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hNLa2ZYF7bQ/UwQGjy-z5sI/AAAAAAAAD1M/xuKmcCCR-g4/_IGP7284_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7284" width="310" /><img alt="_IGP7345" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-94JHUHTkuvM/UwQGkej6hfI/AAAAAAAAD1U/uIxrv0aJtXM/_IGP7345_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7345" width="310" /><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: Matt with his delicious breakfast crepe filled with Nutella, banana, and Chantilly cream. We thought she was going to slice the banana but she just wrapped the whole thing up inside. Note that’s why it’s so big</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Right: Taking in some of the beautiful views while walking the ramparts</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SStJsVjbkps/UwQGlFEFTyI/AAAAAAAAD1c/ZPdgY7xHxFo/s1600-h/_IGP73794.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7379" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ri6O5u8k7Qo/UwQGl4ja7xI/AAAAAAAAD1k/GT1sdpOtCkM/_IGP7379_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7379" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the fun candy at the candy store… peas and bacon of course. We made sure to sample some of the cookies, chocolates, candied fruit, and nougat as well. The nougat was my favorite</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd0yL3zBIjullt_r7S1ZlmwbtKgS3bjfvN15ORepwfYHDimBcF9IxEnzreTMSqDOWMOl-NmXiHhouOEl2YrAaFdGm5_tAsLrl9lPxgNkVxuBfQq_bfBkqPVkFVlFhQ28b6gp_IS3OvI8/s1600-h/_IGP74214.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7421" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Irfp3abKOQg/UwQGm4pewTI/AAAAAAAAD1w/Nsoh-2rwDbY/_IGP7421_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7421" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lighting a candle in the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse for my Aunt Kathie</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-K4BGxEvIYMdq3ypXWPE8KNGK0KldsJZ_zKYbCOPkd2ahdYz2rwsF0yXvg7lG4YhX8p_3Yo9wH6oy5WyADbeE22bGjUYwh0Fn6wbQEmufhmejdFO0hYIt5Gi3F66BEzRiXPyY_kTisdc/s1600-h/_IGP71914.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7191" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kLdAS-E_ezE/UwQGn509KpI/AAAAAAAAD2A/Hih_uoD3nQg/_IGP7191_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7191" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The lights of the castle walls at night</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6biRLte2Pjc/UwQGomwTRHI/AAAAAAAAD2M/GcNB6-bPbIY/s1600-h/_IGP72064.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7206" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z6D5sf8ozC4/UwQGpET81mI/AAAAAAAAD2U/UGnO_MR0KTA/_IGP7206_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7206" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Nn98Tm5dWZs/UwQGpzSlYpI/AAAAAAAAD2c/ScpffaOJDL0/s1600-h/IMG_20131012_195911_1666.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131012_195911_166" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vffl1n49gbc/UwQGqVeuEHI/AAAAAAAAD2k/kBuqLUoZ-1o/IMG_20131012_195911_166_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="420" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131012_195911_166" width="315" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67HMhwUlogAHgxpbgaxrrDDauWJ_Rkxy0Si37pp4PkQowFHGr0HmJx7hjzyADPCQTfp9mTlXCMPLz1_iGZILYA44YjHyA_gi6TCd80n0bTkcok_y88zy5mqfqRfA4Xuc52ZnzjeYSqqY/s1600-h/IMG_20131012_195922_6154.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131012_195922_615" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1jU9OWSOELKmUUHktbLRZelhlnn_FxFC6Ispz25hJ37kRpR4EuSPSQAcZ0_CkBFX7QR0yrjgd0GKzYFLDZfJaCtSczgU60daAYrc2ZV_gr6W9GMMUyqFysoIHnHM4Hrgkv46wGQU0bo/?imgmax=800" height="232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131012_195922_615" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
We were told by the folks we stayed with in Paris that the dish we had to try in Carcassonne was cassolette. It is basically a slow cooked bean dish with almost every type of meat you could think of buried in it. It was kind of fun to see what I would pull out next. I was glad I was hungry because it was delicious and extremely hearty… boy howdy! I wasn’t hungry for breakfast the next morning… in fact I might have skipped lunch as well. A great meal to really get the feel of what it was like to eat like a King!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6E25EB1pbS4/UwQGsXIFI7I/AAAAAAAAD28/QhN9k5OPp2s/s1600-h/_IGP74854.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7485" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SA9v-LxaNnw/UwQGs02rrgI/AAAAAAAAD3E/vX30ZL2vKpg/_IGP7485_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7485" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view of the city at sunrise</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
As we made our way to the train station to head off to Switzerland we took just a bit to stop and really appreciate such a unique city skyline. Now off to a different kind of skyline….the monolithic monster that is the Matterhorn!<br />
<br />
On a train bigger than this…<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nVtZ6unI4IY/UwQGthwpIQI/AAAAAAAAD3M/FC6AP6DRBW8/s1600-h/_IGP7489%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7489" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Fr5XK3B_R0k/UwQGuS7f7gI/AAAAAAAAD3U/w8kPbgaMZr8/_IGP7489_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7489" width="640" /></a>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Carcassonne, France43.212161 2.353662999999983243.119072 2.1916144999999831 43.30525 2.5157114999999832tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-30865351031839126502014-02-17T11:54:00.001-07:002014-02-18T18:28:56.437-07:00¡Bienvenidos a Barcelona!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fdbvHqXAPkI/UwJX3LkRuuI/AAAAAAAADts/N8Or3u_eO8U/s1600-h/_IGP70672.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7067" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6e8pt9vVnXC-pHDo86ChCRFwy1EDyZJ91F-RC55gYq_rleyAR6OjaQgpG_FpWI_Y6pcOskIhtyOMekDNFXBZdIKQj_oB2vpyvHHBCAs-wCx6NsWMzkcnYoq1BNK50llXZj3s7eRno7Gs/?imgmax=800" height="603" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7067" width="400" /></a>From the very first Spanish class I walked into, my goal was always to travel to Spain. Why Spain? To be honest, I really have no idea. I mean there are lots of other countries that speak Spanish and why I had this ingrained fascination with going to Spain specifically never had a defined origin. I hadn’t studied much of the history or culture other than what tiny fragments or bits were in the margins of my grammar books or from movies in class. All the years I’ve studied the subject, it was kind of an unspoken rule that if you studied Spanish then you went to Spain. Studying abroad was the mark of true commitment to a language and for Spanish, Spain was where you were supposed to go.<br />
<br />
I did my best, studied hard, and did go to Costa Rica in high school but things changed and other things got priority and Spain came and went. So, when I found out that there was a study abroad program in Granada at Gonzaga I thought that it was meant to be – I would have a second chance. Again, priorities changed and I did go to Africa but once again Spain came and went. <br />
<br />
When we started planning our big trip and naming off countries to visit one of the first things out of my mouth was, “I want to go to Spain.” Matt’s response of was, “Why? What is there you want to see?” My response, of course was, “I don’t know but I want to speak Spanish. Because I’m supposed to.” And he said OK. <br />
<br />
So, we made seeing just a bit of Spain a priority so that I could cross <a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#50 off my Bucket List </a>and Speak Spanish in Spain! We had heard that Barcelona was a pretty neat city but didn’t really have any plans of where we were going to go or what we were going to see. But, some of the best adventures are found when you lose your map, delete your schedule, or make up your plans as you go. I did know that I was going to be able to speak Spanish and that’s all that really mattered to me! Everything else was a bonus!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KqleccL9ku0/UwJX39wtZuI/AAAAAAAADt0/_oWiJxZ2_F0/s1600-h/IMG_20131008_115752_7038.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131008_115752_703" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S6UNK6NqoEw/UwJX4f32gSI/AAAAAAAADt8/lq1KI8vwq5E/IMG_20131008_115752_703_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131008_115752_703" width="310" /></a>When we boarded the train from Monte Carlo to Barcelona we met a rather odd train passenger. We’re not sure how long this pigeon was on the train but from the looks of the car it had been a while. The doors were automatic so he must have flown in and got stuck. We watched a few other passengers walk in look at him with both surprise and disgust and then just leave for a different car. As you can see, the train car was empty except for us and Trainy (that’s what we named him). So, we did our duty as we thought it, and helped him get out (plus we didn’t really want to travel with him anyways). It took a while and a few window slams but we ultimately let him loose. It looked like he was pretty happy and excited as he didn’t hesitate once he realized he could spread his wings and take off without glass in his way. All I could think of as he flew away was him yelling, “FREEDOM” Braveheart style as he vanished in the distance.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CNAtshQ41LM/UwJX48o9P-I/AAAAAAAADuI/OP00d71Z4cY/s1600-h/_IGP68664.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6866" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J13TEYXxyUE/UwJX5W399sI/AAAAAAAADuQ/THDlwjFnTBQ/_IGP6866_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6866" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking down La Rambla – one of the major streets of Barcelona</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<img align="left" alt="_IGP6871" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NffM7gUL08k/UwJX5royJcI/AAAAAAAADuU/WNjfYoRN_r8/_IGP6871_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6871" width="318" /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YZt_XQ19PS4/UwJX6o7KXVI/AAAAAAAADuc/ntkL5J9_04w/s1600-h/_IGP68614.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6861" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9W2b3Ik6OfA/UwJX7EC3VYI/AAAAAAAADus/X1o4jPINl5E/_IGP6861_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6861" width="310" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Top: Apparently if you rub the turtle it is supposed to be good luck. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I didn’t hesitate. I mean who doesn’t need a little luck.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: The statue says Barcino – Latin for Barcelona</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
We didn’t really know what to do at first so we took advantage of a free walking tour that was being advertised by our hostel. Seeing that neither Matt nor I knew much of the history or stories of the city we thought it might be fun since we wouldn’t really be missing out on anything. Often we’re usually anti tour people as we don’t really like being told where to go or how long you have to be there. Plus there is this feeling of being herded like cattle or roaming like a pack of zombies that just doesn’t settle with me. But this was a really fun way to learn more about the hidden details of the city plus it gave us ideas where to come back the next day. Some of the places we went to included The Gothic Quarter, The Barcelona Cathedral, the Jewish District, the Born, and the square with all the government buildings.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VyvFGdTQ6i0/UwJX79CTgLI/AAAAAAAADuw/SNsvREXc3xk/s1600-h/_IGP68765.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6876" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KSHJqG_oYqA/UwJX8GthjQI/AAAAAAAADu4/rukP1_bAbxc/_IGP6876_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6876" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XKqzLwMySTc/UwJX8_7BdaI/AAAAAAAADu8/sQZfYPeMQZw/s1600-h/_IGP68774.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6877" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RRKPv2cbflM/UwJX9M3j3II/AAAAAAAADvI/4nlniSk6SnI/_IGP6877_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6877" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the streets and back allies we explored on our walking tour</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tmpvUYpDmcA/UwJX9tS3NCI/AAAAAAAADvU/ImhmCE-nYsc/s1600-h/_IGP69715.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6971" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NVzSkIXhc3I/UwJX-U7cxlI/AAAAAAAADvc/Bj8qLkPGRWE/_IGP6971_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6971" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JOlMdMbEgUg/UwJX-35JY2I/AAAAAAAADvk/T0ycFNS8ysw/s1600-h/_IGP69654.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6965" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7mqddLIJRNI/UwJX_WpHOLI/AAAAAAAADvo/wyTkQR-SH2g/_IGP6965_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6965" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Cascada at the Parc de la Ciutadella</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
In a park at the end of the tour is a great big fountain with an archway and waterfall. It is kind of Barcelona’s version of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. The beautiful big park is right near the heart of the city. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LMZQ4D8J3WA/UwJX__MIYSI/AAAAAAAADvw/_Jvb0v1pbVk/s1600-h/_IGP69895.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6989" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5t0gGuKV83qrC1sZGcvNzwxyb_OLaIsfK2r00yO_mACSHZWQiUQH7agGCpxfGR2zeqxp9ioT017uo0fUJnDdLPWPprMaA48ZAh8U_yXbYH1giiojDekxEnfTMSoePEwakYVQfI6mQ_E/?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6989" width="310" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdmljOYUR5KpdaRf2BAqSBzAasR7g3KFE9WDgeaCRuvv3FhZLnYQq9ywwAlzKNeT6UGnO1Ci71jVYbDGV8W2cwVMeyP3KVL18VFjSejw9MLTUZPUQrlz11yAKteilRLeJH1myo46isYc/s1600-h/_IGP69824.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6982" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-710mSUfAMcc/UwJYBewQzxI/AAAAAAAADwE/jdoRe3RqKfU/_IGP6982_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6982" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Top: Statue of St. George and the Dragon – Patron Saint of Barcelona (George, not the dragon)</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: Some fun art we saw on our street tour</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
One of my favorite thing was all the street art. Once all the businesses close at the end of the day they would pull big metal doors over there door fronts and they were always painted. Usually it would have a theme that was closely related to the store. It made it feel like you were walking around in a whole new part of town. It was so much better than all the graffiti and tagging that we’ve seen all over.<br />
<br />
We also made sure to visit the Museu Picasso which was great but didn’t hold a candle to the Van Gough Museum in Amsterdam.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XHyO9N_9rl8/UwJYCFB8H8I/AAAAAAAADwQ/-xMd_ori-9g/s1600-h/_IGP69804.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6980" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--ejnVDRrQiY/UwJYCgSN1VI/AAAAAAAADwc/F9TwUC1DmFM/_IGP6980_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6980" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I liked the one top center…didn’t have the guts to go through with a tattoo though</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: small;">After our tour we decided to walk down La Rambla where we stumbled into a really amazing market. All the different varieties of fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, spices and all their colors made this one of my favorite places in the city. Markets are one of the places I look forward to seeing when I visit a new place. There is so much to learn from a culture about the smells and flavors of their food.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fGEQZ2cof4U/UwJYDNrMiQI/AAAAAAAADwk/2VilTFgW6ww/s1600-h/_IGP70195.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7019" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZsKJrZ44bkhemFNN_Iu98iuC8lbPw-uB0akoLaBiow9g1u6-d_QlnvLsTij8SrUzX9Dq0iFrsaBJXFNfXj65ESvdlluPgUahT7yEELqvtjQ9VthEfxJ6v4V9v7nDgWVYWx5qiY2Ee3w/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7019" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div align="left">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DVdXaH3xQmc/UwJYEC_BlkI/AAAAAAAADws/QRaVVDHlIak/s1600-h/_IGP70204.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7020" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-N2E_bJBWgks/UwJYEU7RmoI/AAAAAAAADw0/IWtKRwpTY8Y/_IGP7020_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7020" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IVFIRspsRMc/UwJYEwRNBgI/AAAAAAAADxE/EnWRCjPFXtA/s1600-h/_IGP70254.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7025" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CCOU88r4rMM/UwJYGRWwF5I/AAAAAAAADxM/NrRoOBpcIKU/_IGP7025_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7025" width="310" /></a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xDwTIqtDf0U/UwJYGznTIPI/AAAAAAAADxU/8bS-Q0up3cc/s1600-h/_IGP70374.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7037" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e2wnCoTaVzE/UwJYHl7csWI/AAAAAAAADxY/_f2Eu4qeyG4/_IGP7037_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7037" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d7UOJMEtJFM/UwJYHzmdwqI/AAAAAAAADxk/edr5tTUoAA0/s1600-h/_IGP70364.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7036" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2_PEBG3-AKo/UwJYIdk4SzI/AAAAAAAADxo/FkTpVYfy8Ew/_IGP7036_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7036" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k0YLlTfBiWc/UwJYI1p9VdI/AAAAAAAADx0/xBUW--pPPYo/s1600-h/_IGP70314.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7031" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36UaaPUPCINEjnqOCOLSrOK6Y9Dru6BXlSrtA5_wvKqZ1wBu2IergNjeHoeRzpM7oF3L-qa6fphK8EV4c9Cbl1XRlnxkIbC125j2HyZ9skc_dA073a0GQHwLy_e73qhf0wDF7wZXBcQk/?imgmax=800" height="205" id="img_9e19b642-85b9-42fa-b9a2-e2f2776285d1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7031" width="310" /></a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4am0bP2rTMU/UwJYJ2kIZPI/AAAAAAAADyA/Yr3MWvgx9AI/s1600-h/_IGP70394.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7039" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvQa8JJyYCS8Aiqd3W1JPwynE5uMrQyLY9mEPCTVTtWA4EA58JIBoig2bceVUvs5pGenxexVXhEYZqOPETZZj7hDv44v1UiEb0d_E84qjUVpgQRCrSm8z6AHvvbT3bws8nAx6OEPdFdk/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7039" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes, those are rabbits. And if you look close you can see the cute little picture of the bunny so you know what it looked like before it was skinned. I apologize for all you PETA people or bunny lovers but they are quite tasty</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uk0WvnUKHgw/UwJYKughjCI/AAAAAAAADyU/UjvlpaDdcJA/s1600-h/_IGP70444.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7044" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ObxU1y1RdDk/UwJYLdLSWGI/AAAAAAAADyc/VRaTHtVe9VQ/_IGP7044_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7044" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HaOrv956zxk/UwJYL6VlRiI/AAAAAAAADyg/u0kFiMyosWc/s1600-h/_IGP70484.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7048" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u4QyuQIn630/UwJYMWTbaxI/AAAAAAAADys/i3reY0UM9rc/_IGP7048_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7048" width="310" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the fun architecture in the city and Gaudi's Casa Bastillo</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ccG-2Ep9WY/UwJYM1ny-5I/AAAAAAAADyw/pTto0afBvA4/s1600-h/_IGP70654.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7065" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-s1Py4BGRpOI/UwJYNKDiAII/AAAAAAAADy8/LgBRAvDDEls/_IGP7065_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7065" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The continued construction of La Sagrada Familia - Gaudi’s monolithic cathedral</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GdcSkjNTIKs/UwJYNgXg_pI/AAAAAAAADzA/Tj7gJi2zxBk/s1600-h/_IGP70715.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP7071" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-viJDzuRZdz0/UwJYOBGJV0I/AAAAAAAADzM/7IogU06wALo/_IGP7071_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP7071" width="310" /></a>I had my initial thoughts about Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia before we came. I had seen it in pictures and travel books and knew that it was one of the highlights of the city but that was all I really knew about it.<br />
When we first walked up to it I initially thought it was an eyesore. I’m not going to lie… I thought it was really quite ugly. But, I was going to give it a fighting chance. They always say you can’t judge a book by it’s cover – maybe you can’t judge a church from it’s exterior. This hadn’t been the case so far but I thought what the heck.<br />
<br />
To be honest, it makes so much more sense once you walk inside. All that Gaudi was trying to do with the architecture just comes together the moment you enter. <br />
<br />
And although it maybe a little odd and untraditional, which I think is what jaded me initially, it has this organic nature. It’s really quite spectacular once you really take the time to take it in, appreciate it, and understand what he was doing. <br />
<br />
It pays homage to all the beauty that we find in nature. It highlights, focuses on, and puts on an extremely large scale to all the subtle or seldom noticed intricacies of the geometry that we find in our world.<br />
<br />
I’d love to return to see it when it is finished.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dRGY2YjEugw/UwJYOomn6JI/AAAAAAAADzU/C9_BKw3QqDQ/s1600-h/_IGP70796.jpg"><img alt="_IGP7079" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8RUBuUyFgeBEdHawsyKPXV6O5Plm8_83z_1zIfwVECpSXdCDXR1F0ESGHCjomyGIlkejrtPEB3Z73D_M9cbPup9rhMVSxDVQLoPCW_G1U7Q2NsTgPQUDhyiFmbCk5MXi_ndcLRXYXc8/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP7079" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The sunlight through windows splash color on all the white marble pillars. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">It is breathtaking! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">W<span style="font-size: x-small;">hen all the windows are finished, that place will radiate with color.</span> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Absolutely beautiful!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">I did speak Spanish as much as I could and ordered all our food, including tapas for dinner one night and paella for another night. I learned that sparkling mineral water is <em>agua con gas</em> not <em>agua con bubullas</em> (with bubbles) but the waiter gave me credit for trying. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHsHaQBc6Ftqyl5s3f3gCsGqj5oJGB5CYd6GjcnC3HqJ1xV2JACsEprZGHuS_gveG8s0WOpbpwLPW7YaHduUsW4eeR75rXeOu1S3RatWAb0ZV3xVBr1h5n5muylK5_mIDzTKVN5cRvQg/s1600-h/IMG_20131010_162812_7314.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131010_162812_731" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NBoGXdFwku4/UwJYQRSGl3I/AAAAAAAADzs/tZedj822vbM/IMG_20131010_162812_731_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131010_162812_731" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OAotJU69eC8/UwJYQ9UZd0I/AAAAAAAADzw/ZVVsRYAUafg/s1600-h/IMG_20131010_163953_2924.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131010_163953_292" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspLogkLjV_yI74I2nxcNAtKqvRruUrf-c5ARI9eoWZqfC1r3wW4zk9N0O044T9a5MLqVSTnZ4nD0AY9roripXAu8sZa3KLMhcy1uluPYvRgIB65QWOfHe2tL1hvhN3q4xdf-HP5bCvMk/?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131010_163953_292" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our 10 euro beer and paella on La Rambla. Word to the wise don’t order beer when it’s not on the menu with a price… It will be expensive.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Overall, our time in Barcelona was a great experience but it was really just a taste. We didn’t really spend enough time to really see Spain and I’d love to see more of the country in the future. The only downside was, it being in Europe, everyone spoke English. You really didn’t have to try if you didn’t want to.<br />
<br />
I’m happy that I finally made it to Spain, however my experience living and being immersed in the countryside of Costa Rica with the people in their community and in their element is the way to learn. It was great to be where you couldn’t resort to English when you got scared That’s where I really spoke Spanish.<br />
<br />
If I learned anything from my trip to Barcelona that I’ll keep with me, it was that going to Spain didn’t validate my Spanish education and that I didn’t have to go to Spain to really learn to speak. <br />
<br />Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Barcelona, Spain41.3850639 2.173403499999949441.1934464 1.8493069999999494 41.5766814 2.4974999999999494tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-74400860209116071552014-02-13T17:54:00.000-07:002014-02-17T11:58:26.910-07:00Seabrooke…I miss you already!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XMKnaB5DE_Hl3EBY198CE25Aa0GIyGZX48gdCGVQI7amM12haO7VbCV0jdbv80uWk9gSIlQrT57TZ_A7V05_woT4g5XBwQL2uS_N05RjzRl1Z9X5BVIr-5ia0CGJ_u6Hq8izrVMYXJA/s1600-h/Seabrooke24.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-2" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WSfxoa9IK3g/Uv1lYkLiiOI/AAAAAAAADo8/WBLYwbzv1Wc/Seabrooke2_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-2" width="618" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6TVqeFJd4p4/Uv1lZ52uL9I/AAAAAAAADpE/TkMo6bHxIjk/s1600-h/Seabrooke48.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Seabrooke-4" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MvO7iEmIb7E/Uv1lcMkp7wI/AAAAAAAADpM/bXz7Txkp-A0/Seabrooke4_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-4" width="377" /></a><br />
<br />
Dear Seabrooke,<br />
<br />
I am absolutely at a loss for words and completely heartbroken by the tragic news that you are no longer here. <br />
<br />
It’s been so long since I’ve seen you but I miss you just as much as if these photos were taken yesterday. You have always been one of my closest and most dear friends. <br />
<br />
You radiated kindness and joy with a single smile and your zest for life made every childish game or endeavor a new and exciting adventure. Your sense of humor and laughter could bring light to even the worst days and your unwavering faith and love of God was always an inspiration to me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzcHWvswAJW15AogMyIIpoaQoJhGQVpy_wUgV8WFAuRnemCE8xZmWWp6pJKhIylo6z1cT4b6_bABKh_AUudeWTji-B2oqoP1kT-esAbKOUe7zgHb6IZxgKkGcwwPA96apKkGd8JkpU9w/s1600-h/Seabrooke217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="Seabrooke-21" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7S-kt2m1AvgPuulydYaDmBkxnCgT-hWtWNFhMqYNDknGrs3A1Ub8LI6SapBqmIbhxfn5HbBAzHIdZR_UhFP50YBKJcZb1oPKemQA1n2UVfy5u3bDKZrXIrcX6TKeFsusFlKyK4WhyphenhyphenlA/?imgmax=800" height="573" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 7px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-21" width="377" /></a></div>
I will forever cherish all the fun times we had building Barbie cities, getting dirty and making mud, going to campfire camp, painting and doing art projects, passing the Game Boy back and forth trying to beat <em>Mario 6 Golden Coins</em>, going to Oaks Park for Halloween, having dinner parties, sleep-over's and celebrating birthdays.<br />
<br />
I know life is so short, each day is precious and friends come and go but I never imagined I would lose you so soon or that it would be this hard. I will never understand why God decided it was time for you to go and even as I write this and tears drip down my face my only peace is knowing that you are now with Him in the kingdom of Heaven.<br />
<br />
My thoughts and prayers go out to your Mom, Dad, siblings, and family. I hope that with time they will be healed.<br />
<br />
May your beautiful spirit live on in the hearts of everyone who loved you because I know it will live in mine.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xdVZHLs2vIk/Uv1ljCIic0I/AAAAAAAADpk/BFx0fZTgJnQ/s1600-h/Seabrooke5%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OzZHwDEcB_Q/Uv1lkeGdZxI/AAAAAAAADps/eY6L3lDpWQA/Seabrooke_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="217" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke" width="293" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ymYOkEFkFlk/Uv1llZqdGZI/AAAAAAAADp0/ge74sKKhRR8/s1600-h/Seabrooke135.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-13" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIm9KPsJbh2p2IS8CIM1F0GhKMNz4iFz11hevMgVswVa6iphfoJV3eET1Cz7tCiQ6XdutoDU0aURLGmuZkgHFC5tLEJAP4uul1r-4KX-M8teIKHWSIp20JUg7ssMck3lD6rbiuZ1rMJ0/?imgmax=800" height="217" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-13" width="338" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lRStgXrAHVE/Uv1lpNJZJcI/AAAAAAAADqA/CFadESpieG0/s1600-h/Seabrooke54.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-5" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NyZrahQoYTM/Uv1lq2hGgiI/AAAAAAAADqM/nH_aCepp6Qw/Seabrooke5_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="447" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-5" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-q-zMgXjhj88/Uv1lrxAEsOI/AAAAAAAADqU/0nx_E17axLA/s1600-h/Seabrooke86.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-8" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ALxDY9mxkWs/Uv1lsxhsIOI/AAAAAAAADqY/K8YAi3AFeY8/Seabrooke8_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="434" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-8" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CJOACXX8Bhs/Uv1lt86cUhI/AAAAAAAADqk/W8jObvFXmOg/s1600-h/Seabrooke105.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-10" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h-zAqK_8DZg/Uv1lvBvE9dI/AAAAAAAADqs/vVizH7O0ECo/Seabrooke10_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="455" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-10" width="305" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4TYkCHYEkec/Uv1lwAUBlCI/AAAAAAAADq0/QpmyRXZzIHo/s1600-h/Seabrooke124.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-12" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ACHuMQP1kSg/Uv1lxHE1-pI/AAAAAAAADq8/94Z58p0afyo/Seabrooke12_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="454" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-12" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6oa5Ghp_sfA/Uv1lzPOj8uI/AAAAAAAADrE/QpyN0xaF_ao/s1600-h/Seabrooke96.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-9" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DZHW3XTPJ3A/Uv1l0ND6_tI/AAAAAAAADrM/ppGH5m35_I0/Seabrooke9_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="437" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-9" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VHq63U889Hs/Uv1l1Ot8P8I/AAAAAAAADrU/0p_HA3eq5D4/s1600-h/Seabrooke64.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-6" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RIBCGtZQW0U/Uv1l3HrgVJI/AAAAAAAADrc/qPUj5Hjaj0I/Seabrooke6_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="417" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-6" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Jqida4ymiG4/Uv1l392KYLI/AAAAAAAADrk/5FR40s8boH8/s1600-h/Seabrooke206.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-20" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LQeBP5xxSeo/Uv1l5KN1e8I/AAAAAAAADrs/P61SQ9C0itI/Seabrooke20_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="505" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-20" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XXp_TKhC_mY/Uv1l5-kjflI/AAAAAAAADrw/fTH6SqIyXCs/s1600-h/Seabrooke144.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-14" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GiknE1FQMEE/Uv1l62xtNqI/AAAAAAAADr8/sTfgMGUmnGk/Seabrooke14_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="452" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-14" width="305" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzHiig4bwcum-pFXx7eNz4kxUrJZFWq7TyXCBSn75GtSNDpmZ6bZmpjrHxDFu6iL5Ii_9F1YoM6c6E0YNYjC2eQowp-U-0BPDy00lPuaoD4CS3-T-OPqPP7MGS9z3KZf0logiTLCaEvM/s1600-h/Seabrooke155.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-15" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IHPNEz_BhzQ/Uv1l8zbp4BI/AAAAAAAADsM/Fsewh7QvXos/Seabrooke15_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="452" style="display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-15" width="305" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aDyprTWxeac/Uv1l-HYPR8I/AAAAAAAADsU/PhmK4i5SLwA/s1600-h/Seabrooke194.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-19" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EPTNn3sHHL8/Uv1l_rHQMlI/AAAAAAAADsc/TpW8FWA4H7k/Seabrooke19_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="425" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-19" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mdg5O_VsNGI/Uv1mBEEtrwI/AAAAAAAADsk/dTrMaNEdUbY/s1600-h/Seabrooke184.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-18" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-siyAKDlyG8s/Uv1mDoUxB7I/AAAAAAAADss/s0AuMr9FLX4/Seabrooke18_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="420" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-18" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CMc0tvzIIZA/Uv1mEo0xiNI/AAAAAAAADsw/BgJU6eg9Vek/s1600-h/Seabrooke178.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-17" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o2KVoRmIplY/Uv1mFiYTqsI/AAAAAAAADs8/th77lPj-dCw/Seabrooke17_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="832" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="Seabrooke-17" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sQV5BQohqIvdkpXBXk8MV4eqsE6Azg5DL3h3VcRUgWmvG8oDuXHPaAhD4Flk8y-H6vdZo52NDPr3YYv40frTCZZuUgeQHZl1CvEVfT_uJfzWw-NT8Xw07_b3DUNgxf_Ed3Fsbjhq_Jw/s1600-h/Seabrooke164.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-16" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDWEYnnXnbU_mUdaNz_sY_ZSsEB-9mHFfuX-yiQVYzW-WFZkQAhgi3YZCROq0AVBeg5kn_6trBOGzBp398QTHB8gvfMJoeldhKL9pZ0AWIYe4RQMlkG8o5_EJPCIsYN4mcqfuERu27Zg/?imgmax=800" height="440" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-16" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hvymgYRbPkI/Uv1mIkKS3uI/AAAAAAAADtU/zZdqIy41uLA/s1600-h/Seabrooke34.jpg"><img alt="Seabrooke-3" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5BZqdRM88B4/Uv1mKqH8WsI/AAAAAAAADtY/cqOdqbnXDGA/Seabrooke3_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="425" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="Seabrooke-3" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Good-bye my dear Seabeast. May you soar forever with the angels in heaven!<br />
I will love you and miss you for the rest of my life, my friend!<br />
<br />
XOXOXOXO<br />
Jessica<br />
<br />Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com4Milwaukie, OR, USA45.4462305 -122.639260645.4014265 -122.7202846 45.4910345 -122.5582366tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-370228329422786712014-02-12T12:31:00.000-07:002014-02-17T11:57:33.924-07:00Living Large in Monte Carlo<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-73FMtRNZzG8/UvvKkNBTOxI/AAAAAAAADl8/QPiyYrDPcsY/s1600-h/_IGP67665.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6766" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkd6DeIgOCX00uW8QU4ca5ZK8Z4DlHvOTLCXco6FW24ok1RdpRCeIvRuagVCaPUUFIHFNuPv9A2EtRub_xdozNwP7nUfCjYHbh0C17y37bLlMszan5SJ9pyMzb0dCZCld27XsLXP29PY/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6766" width="318" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4W2w_d9xFHg/UvvKlNQzn1I/AAAAAAAADmI/4FBCwLJnAaE/s1600-h/_IGP68194.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6819" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4mgXJWLQ04c/UvvKloChdGI/AAAAAAAADmQ/3pY1SHzhHwc/_IGP6819_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6819" width="310" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Top: Race car statue along the Grand Prix Circuit</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: The red and white stripes of the Grand Prix</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
On our way to Barcelona we took the opportunity to stop off for the night in Monte Carlo. It was kind of fun to walk the walk of the rich and famous if only for a moment. I could not believe the wealth in this town. The grandeur of the shops, the yachts, the cars and casino were out of this world. I could not even fathom what life would be like to have wealth like that. Don’t get me wrong, a few extra bills in the bank would be nice but I’m rich with experiences and love, and to be honest, I’m happiest with that kind of wealth.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xzd0nAL3Dlc/UvvKmJWmS5I/AAAAAAAADmc/-P7B6al2YOA/s1600-h/_IGP68204.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6820" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1aVnWGVowfo/UvvKmjXWnfI/AAAAAAAADmg/VN-RHpSdJgg/_IGP6820_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6820" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the main streets in Monte Carlo and part of the Grand Prix racing circuit</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q7ZEGjYqC9c/UvvKnLFfsXI/AAAAAAAADmo/ip0tjDUa7QM/s1600-h/IMG_20131008_094229_9807.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131008_094229_980" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8L84BRzMH1I/UvvKnWBvwyI/AAAAAAAADm0/ni9XC6qHNFc/IMG_20131008_094229_980_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="420" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131008_094229_980" width="315" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EL8g8gmenAA/UvvKoPOUHsI/AAAAAAAADm4/tdELekb0e8I/s1600-h/_IGP67504.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6750" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2V39AopjteM/UvvKoV-QttI/AAAAAAAADnE/3PJ1qkxvzmI/_IGP6750_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6750" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
We stopped in a bakery for breakfast and fell in love with all the little artisan tarts. The trays was full when we walked in but before Matt could take a picture the guy in front of us bought most of them. I made Matt step in and take a picture before they were all gone. I didn’t dare ask how much they were. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-k8VnjAXeOB0/UvvKpNU1qnI/AAAAAAAADnM/arDpezV3odU/s1600-h/_IGP67544.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6754" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oEqprmbfq3s/UvvKptqivPI/AAAAAAAADnQ/Cn5sg-Xs-_o/_IGP6754_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6754" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view of the city from the marina</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EkXTdi-XfHw/UvvKqIl-lAI/AAAAAAAADnc/-67n-x8Kfvo/s1600-h/_IGP67626.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6762" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ei9dV90zvm0/UvvKqtLH9lI/AAAAAAAADng/gCxhmr9Y_Is/_IGP6762_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="476" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6762" width="315" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-x6EA4-gqW8U/UvvKrD29p6I/AAAAAAAADno/ogAEaSm_tz8/s1600-h/_IGP67704.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6770" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jZTXD9QaIjQ/UvvKrfRzkPI/AAAAAAAADns/9wylnusZEFE/_IGP6770_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6770" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
Walking through the marina was probably one of my most favorite parts. I’ve never seen yachts so big in all my life. Some were beyond what I would call yachts and would be better classified as cruise ships!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HI4wfXDIwnU/UvvKr8fFBeI/AAAAAAAADn4/jJPHx-GUCWU/s1600-h/_IGP67804.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6780" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghH5Ejkdkrs2JuJlFd2TqXCOCynvKzObefPP3d5gyqRTnf1LM9Bqw8tpqX9skFbnareZhbgg2Wpsh0kUds_nlNisrsb_dkRXAco6H2Z-YkEPFMj8ZQr54qNQ-SlATQz9yKG2DezAA_IME/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6780" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A fancy car at a fancy car store inside one of the hotels we walked through</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GUG01HkCb-I/UvvKs4_hD0I/AAAAAAAADoM/_-6rYXpnYDQ/s1600-h/_IGP68044.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6804" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2ZLrJhE4xTk/UvvKtjA5OMI/AAAAAAAADoU/XRwW7rj_Y9M/_IGP6804_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6804" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The entrance to the Monte Carlo Casino. We couldn’t take pictures inside but it was beautiful!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> It was like we walked right into a Bond movie!</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-992GGqwEDrA/UvvKuHumjII/AAAAAAAADoY/u02HMGY3fcQ/s1600-h/_IGP67934.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6793" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OoD_eQ2JV6U/UvvKuXAWsKI/AAAAAAAADoc/7zRiKTFsLcc/_IGP6793_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6793" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The skyline of Monte Carlo</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
It would have been fun to stay a bit longer but it would have blown our whole budget in a matter of days and there is far more we wanted to see on our adventure. Even though our stay was quick we made the most of our time (or the most we could afford) in Monte Carlo!<br />
<br />
Now off to “habla español” in España!Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Monte Carlo, Monaco43.7397222 7.4272221999999643.728188200000005 7.40696619999996 43.7512562 7.44747819999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-64363958494773398082014-02-10T16:53:00.001-07:002014-02-12T12:33:10.200-07:00Bellissima Italia Part 3/3 – Sitting Atop the Terrace!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-p5RzGp3Q3wE/UvlkcFQS8ZI/AAAAAAAADhE/zLWU8NbUIXc/s1600-h/_IGP63804.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6380" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7aBnnqSLVa1fKL4MXAykdlZBf66RuUI4XmmupEiSzYbk4pg3_5oOv0rAE8zHSiPOVhCXkU5zZMewVB-MqoEoAGAWSROYxf82-KUq5w0ChLMNIeuKP7V0YLPZEoIJbJ6I6Ced1Z_L8Pk/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6380" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
With a nonstop trip like this you have to set aside some time to just relax. It’s fun to see as much as you can but when you are going full tilt it’s often difficult to really take in the character of a place and enjoy the small nuances and quirks of the culture. So, before we left we looked at a few locations and picked out a fun or somewhat different B&B that would add to the flair of the locale. The Cinque Terre seemed like the perfect place to stop and take just a bit more time to enjoy the view, sip some wine and watch the waves pass by. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<strong><em><u>Pisa</u></em></strong><br />
On our way to The Cinque Terre we made a quick stop off in Pisa. To be honest our main reason for visiting the city wasn’t for the food or the culture but to take one of those dorky touristy perspective pictures with The Leaning Tower. Here are our favorites!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5rNQnZQl7fk/UvlkdH5He2I/AAAAAAAADhQ/UxG8tJ0joKU/s1600-h/_IGP63182.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6318" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yjGZVzKHHkE/UvlkdraZ-ZI/AAAAAAAADhc/hH8OYMRCCxU/_IGP6318_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6318" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xyGrDNEGqwM/UvlkeW0c9OI/AAAAAAAADhg/YTttg1E7Nmc/s1600-h/_IGP63482.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6348" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hd-w7fgvERM/Uvlke-sCrzI/AAAAAAAADho/U6Etdu1pVIQ/_IGP6348_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6348" width="310" /></a> <br />
<strong><em><u><br /></u></em></strong>
<strong><em><u>Vernazza </u></em></strong><br />
The Cinque Terre or "The Five Lands" are five small secluded towns off the rugged coast of the Italian Riviera. Connected only via trails, trains and boats, they are inaccessible by car and therefore have an old world feel that has been untouched by modern day developments. Known for their local wine from the surrounding hillsides, fresh homemade pesto and spectacular seafood, it isn’t a challenge to find something tasty to eat. All five towns are connected via hiking trails which makes them popular destinations for active outdoorsy folks who would like to trek from one to the next. Matt and I had the best intention of doing some hiking while we were there but we both came down with a bad head cold so we decided it would be best just spend our time resting in Vernazza – which in the end made for a quite relaxing and romantic weekend.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fBy8BIcTZXM/UvlkfYsLCSI/AAAAAAAADhw/cH9go-DnLdo/s1600-h/_IGP65774.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6577" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YSM3u3MKbvo/UvlkflYaKMI/AAAAAAAADh4/3HvvDGXaOqg/_IGP6577_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6577" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from our private terrace balcony</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
When we stepped out on our private balcony we were surrounded by the pastel painted terraced homes cut into the rugged shoreline sandwiched by the beautiful blue of the Ligurian Sea on one side and the almost vertical vineyards behind. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-h7sqBPjLgwI/UvlkgBjdTtI/AAAAAAAADiA/ISQtQbHm22k/s1600-h/_IGP64002.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6400" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R3EIXJk_hR8/UvlkgoCRmZI/AAAAAAAADiE/Yy0XHrWuS6A/_IGP6400_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6400" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The city of Vernazza from the hiking trail</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mRxRYkFjc6s/Uvlkg5_7n0I/AAAAAAAADiQ/tnddIxw56Ho/s1600-h/_IGP64252.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6425" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0L80I8RJYAw/UvlkhoRXSAI/AAAAAAAADic/S40Mf6AO-9U/_IGP6425_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" id="img_e70339c0-553b-4a9f-be64-dcce7524044d" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6425" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The tiny Vernazza train station</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--_B5EgBeQ3g/UvlkiWbIGsI/AAAAAAAADik/XB4GgiAddhE/s1600-h/_IGP64262.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6426" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bKylufLzoMs/Uvlki3YJDzI/AAAAAAAADis/K9H8AMvIAls/_IGP6426_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6426" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_fr-ZpYXTA8/Uvlkjf70MfI/AAAAAAAADi0/-m_wJjJxXHE/s1600-h/_IGP67252.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6725" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-99cHl5DI8hc/Uvlkj3tmk-I/AAAAAAAADi8/pS8Zlsv8wHQ/_IGP6725_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6725" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: Walking up the steep stone steps from downtown to our B&B</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Right: A view of the Main Street through Vernazza</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Word to the wise… if you plan on visiting Vernazza or any of the towns of the Cinque Terre pack light. We were warned that there were going to be stairs (it’s Europe of course there are stairs) but we didn’t really plan for all the stairs we encountered. If we would have had anything bigger than our two carry-on size bags we would have had to leave our luggage at the bottom of the two tiny spiral staircases it took to get to our room. I saw people getting off the train with multiple giant bags. Hopefully they had rooms down on the street level because there would be no way they would be able to get them up to where we stayed. Although bags with wheels have their advantages in some places backpacks are definitely best here!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ae0ipf6uwqc/UvlkkpDIIeI/AAAAAAAADjE/ovdutxxneuw/s1600-h/_IGP64382.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6438" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_AcZQXod-w4/UvlklHiXkjI/AAAAAAAADjI/2A2SZmeLR9s/_IGP6438_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6438" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jWRa7eDE6l8/Uvlklo3GFlI/AAAAAAAADjQ/mjrbkwZVdNI/s1600-h/_IGP64323.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6432" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xkx407O7P_w/UvlkmHrHELI/AAAAAAAADjc/7mMsuupwFSM/_IGP6432_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6432" width="318" /></a><br />
<br />
You could walk down through town and sit in the harbor all day listening to the calls of the sea birds along with the melodies of the church bells while smelling the salty sea air mixed with the tasty aroma of fresh out-of-the-oven olive foccacia. Even though we didn’t end up doing much but eating and resting it was definitely time well spent!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some pizza crust fish decorating the outside of one of the local pizzerias</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ijkCho4O5Xk/UvlkmqmHWbI/AAAAAAAADjg/JJh30QeY190/s1600-h/_IGP65613.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6561" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PUCnGKGyZqY/Uvlkm2AG-aI/AAAAAAAADjs/CdRP0311k6I/_IGP6561_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6561" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Had some more gelato… this one was a special Vernazza berry flavor. Mmmmm… my favorite so far!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGST7_IVp4hKUQ3Ep1S8NWFzCLRQ19DSOyNLXPfGxKeYBfDzkaf7tsi9aWCx38r7P5X4cd29u610cCkMouzggJcN_Fzvx2y5gTFYH0BRErGFBM13cRjk2zpciIwsvKvZo_Ka-Q-AbU4Wg/s1600-h/_IGP65135.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6513" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ckfuEkMhNa0/Uvlkn_Ar88I/AAAAAAAADj4/BZzFz2dicto/_IGP6513_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6513" width="318" /></a><br />
<br />
One of the best lunch items in town was a little Focacceria that made fresh hot focaccia pizza with local pesto and mozzarella. It was best eaten down on the waterfront while watching the local fishing boats.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ksKOUnFRN-Q/Uvlkod1orzI/AAAAAAAADkA/LZAwRFmY9ow/s1600-h/_IGP67222.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6722" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-phiqiHQWBWE/Uvlko8Q39hI/AAAAAAAADkI/JDIKNPuYUEU/_IGP6722_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6722" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A cave that went under the spit from town to the small rocky beach on the other side. There was a big sign that said you weren’t supposed to go there but we watched a whole bunch of locals do it so we decided it couldn’t be that bad. Our fallback plan If someone asked was always, “Mi dispiace, ma non parlo Italiano.”</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s-555t2TI94/UvlkpIS9x0I/AAAAAAAADkU/hiCFm7ofaos/s1600-h/_IGP66872.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6687" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_0CqK-Oio8U/Uvlkp-S2DfI/AAAAAAAADkY/6IeSAU6s-8k/_IGP6687_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6687" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from the rocky beach. It was just covered in beautiful beach glass</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVTqfrA51PQrt-PsyXO5YTxo-5Vi9XsTa1d-0_mKtpRrFh4poO-JrP_FH9K8YexNjig0Uh5DGi5xDijy2tQTCi05nWnBCJwwGZ9f2okx0pKcU5BsyJSPCEWLMQKoF_74NDCmL9CpVJ8A/s1600-h/_IGP66992.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6699" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SWrUPzCbrYw/Uvlkqu1dKPI/AAAAAAAADks/Ea84O0nvXmk/_IGP6699_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6699" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeling the Italian sand between our toes!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--8LWxkG3LuM/UvlkrZDUJVI/AAAAAAAADkw/YMbtoTVhI0c/s1600-h/IMG_20131006_142433_0024.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131006_142433_002" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sOwlD1FB2Vw/UvlkrtSIdOI/AAAAAAAADk4/CH5-rwWcZ6U/IMG_20131006_142433_002_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="427" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131006_142433_002" width="320" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QCr8WI5Q9zo/UvlksH__SrI/AAAAAAAADlE/rvIXcdGU1EI/s1600-h/IMG_20131006_135534_9522.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131006_135534_952" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44DdFzbb0ysV4vtTNMPwVwPIxkiis0Up3S0HsfmFB2lLcZiTvijFsno2sup2KLazCY24LuAzdHFpAN31EiWQJzTPQHGwEhRjC2hIwE-Hy776WhhugjoYnuV4oF55Dljds8PY1-hc8Ogs/?imgmax=800" height="232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131006_135534_952" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Left: The first course of pesto pasta</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Right: The view from our table</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Throughout the trip we tried to be thrifty when it came to meals but sometimes it’s required to spurge. This was defiantly one of those times. When we arrived, we scouted out all the restaurants, their views and their menus and picked the one that looked the best for our full scale Italian feast. We settled on the <a href="http://http//www.ristorantebelforte.it/" target="_blank">Restorante Belforte</a> and made reservations for their best terrace table. Although pricey it was worth every penny! <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU_GOKsJsv4bwXrA97L4uFaPRoQ5km7tjbiAzuiB34E5sO6kp7uTW0DxsqsLcxW5YeULbjGpKv5uK306p16quF-4ke_7W_yE5INbKJrxoBw6bcpnpGfHqTBKcns99fdU3syU1TrOHlP4/s1600-h/IMG_20131006_143838_3962.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131006_143838_396" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-st_UjQlIJwI/Uvlkt45bPXI/AAAAAAAADlc/x6wmoMLMcTs/IMG_20131006_143838_396_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20131006_143838_396" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The main course… Vernazza Seafood Stew. Neither </span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt nor I are big fans of all the crazy seafood that is so popular there but we didn’t want to leave without trying it. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">This dish converted us both! Absolutely mouthwatering!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RHeBB5a7VaM/UvlkuYrKmqI/AAAAAAAADlk/Ms25Ki4B54I/s1600-h/_IGP65472.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6547" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iCg7vGH5VcY/Uvlkuwa93vI/AAAAAAAADlo/njU8HxrOZyc/_IGP6547_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6547" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I would recommend this town to anyone visiting Italy… one of my favorite places by far!<br />
Now off to live the life of the rich and famous… watch out Monte Carlo here come the Habjans!Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Vernazza La Spezia, Italy44.1349211 9.684993500000018744.1320566 9.6799295000000178 44.1377856 9.69005750000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-33595052276825665602014-02-03T18:13:00.000-07:002014-02-10T16:55:57.709-07:00Bellissima Italia Part 2/3 – Gliding in Gondolas!<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pkRhGWrpqGg/UvA7X4bqooI/AAAAAAAADaM/jNfOoU8TZyQ/s1600-h/_IGP61584.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6158" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OzyxL4xOe4o/UvA7YuaiQPI/AAAAAAAADaU/RPtLOGvLKbs/_IGP6158_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6158" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Venice… it’s the city of beauty, romance, and love but for me it was more about experiencing the place with my love. For me, my true <em>love</em> of Venice came from listening to the gentle sounds of the water lapping against the small wooden boats moored to the weathered doorsteps of the colorful homes lining the canals. Or from the romantic melodies of a strumming guitar or serenading minstrel gliding in a gondola below one of the many bridges that crisscross over the circling waterways. It came from getting lost in the labyrinth of ever-winding allies and walkways that spiral through the city. Or maybe from seeing the gigantic ships and swaying sails that steadily steam through the Grand Canal as you bounce thought their wakes via water taxi. Its from savoring the flavors of a glass of vino rosso paired with a perfectly prepared prosciutto pasta and finishing it with a scoop of vanilla bean gelato topped with a shot of only the finest Italian espresso. It’s oogling at the storefront windows decorated with glittering glass sculptures and fine designer fashions. Or even from the yellows, reds, and pinks of the setting sun reflecting off the ripples, painting and shadowing the architectural beauty of the ever-aging buildings. For me, the beauty, romance, and love lives within and bleeds from the city itself.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">We only spent two days in Venice but we made the very most we could of our brief time there. And what better way to experience Venice than to stay in our own private sailboat.</span> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S1-cwUsqp48/UvA7ZZXj39I/AAAAAAAADac/IGpvtVeuViM/s1600-h/_IGP60404.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6040" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2R6_VwR-kiY/UvA7aIpiENI/AAAAAAAADak/NI734se5C3I/_IGP6040_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6040" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Gargantuan…the sailboat B&B we stayed at while in Venice</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pKeKOalm4QU/UvA7anB859I/AAAAAAAADas/-AHTxktXwDU/s1600-h/_IGP60395.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6039" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TD5HxamNE7g/UvA7bCfxAhI/AAAAAAAADa0/X2t662NeMLE/_IGP6039_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6039" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HCG3C7iwb3U/UvA7brFqO0I/AAAAAAAADa8/-Rj0LQYvs30/s1600-h/_IGP60384.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6038" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gYZEdIo6gpg/UvA7cL7RB8I/AAAAAAAADbA/RrKMKXwTtuo/_IGP6038_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="208" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6038" width="314" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A look inside our cute little sailboat suite</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Matt found our fun and funky Venice accommodations with AirB&B. It was cozy and different and definitely added the right kind of flair we were looking for to our stay. Our host made sure we were well equipped with snacks, maps, and even a cell phone in case we needed a way to get back to the secluded private marina island where our yacht was moored (this proved to be quite handy later on). It was great for the time we were there but I would have a hard time living aboard such a vessel permanently. I guess the life at sea just wouldn’t be for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-V69dRRtgS0g/UvA7czwRavI/AAAAAAAADbM/pgQ_ZmCpddc/s1600-h/_IGP60416.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6041" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6S-VBv6xP0g/UvA7dXc6wII/AAAAAAAADbU/vcsvVBYZyCk/_IGP6041_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6041" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Watching the boats pass by on the canal as we wait for the water bus</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: small;">We arrived in Venice late and hungry the first day so our first order of business was to find a close place to get an affordable yet tasty meal. We really didn’t want to take the 45 minute water bus ride to the heart of the city, seeing that it was getting late in the afternoon, food would be pricey, restaurants would be busy, and we knew we would be spending the whole day there tomorrow so we didn’t think we would be missing much. Our host suggested that we just hop the water bus and get off at the closest stop which was right across the canal. He assured us we would find something over there. He also made sure to tell us that the last bus to return to the marina was at 9 so we would have plenty of time since it was only 5:30. We took the cell phone just in case. Once we got off the bus, finding food proved to be more of a challenge than we had hoped for. We walked around the small and almost desolate village for a while and found a small roadside market with vegetables, a pharmacy, a pub with pizza and a odd unmanned store with a bunch of vending machines… none of which fulfilled the local yokel restaurant flair we were hoping for. </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GXUgRq9Iwhg/UvA7dxoi97I/AAAAAAAADbc/WCk4VCxWWRQ/s1600-h/IMG_20130930_183145_2005.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130930_183145_200" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-19ArH045VzU/UvA7ekL0YFI/AAAAAAAADbk/molgU638n3U/IMG_20130930_183145_200_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130930_183145_200" width="360" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was one of the oddest vending machines Matt and I had ever seen (and that is saying a lot seeing that Matt spent time in Japan where almost everything comes out of a vending machine). It looks just like you typical vending machine at first until you get a better look at what’s inside. Oh yeah…it had your average soda, water, juices, snacks and such but it also had a cell phone, kids DVD’s, a couple of different pre-packaged sandwiches, and of course condoms. Whoever stocked this machine either is trying to appeal to a large market or has one crazy idea of what is needed for a good evening! (again… not the evening we were hoping for!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
So, as a last resort we thought we’d ask the folks in the pharmacy if they knew of any other places then the pub pizza which was starting to look like our only option. They told us that there was one right down the street and pointed at it, looking at us like we were crazy to have missed it. And we did, of course, walk right past it as it looked nothing like a restaurant. It was more like someone's front door. So, out of options, we went down and peeked our heads in to see a completely empty but quaint little family style Italian pastaria. I was a little nervous about the place by the fact that it was so desolate but at this point it was our best option. After about 10 minutes or so of charades with the owner and her mother, who she pulled from the back kitchen to try to help bridge the language gap, we finally realized that they didn’t open till 7 but if we came back we could eat then. <br />
<br />
I’m not sure what it is with Italians and eating late but you better not want to eat any time between say two and seven because there is absolutely nothing open. Word to the wise…make sure to pack a Cliff Bar or three in your pack if you are an every couple hours eater like myself. <br />
<br />
So, we made the best of the say hour or so we had to kill by admiring the sunset and watching the cruise ships pass by. Little did we know how lucky we were that we showed up when we did because apparently the little restaurant was a by reservation only kind of place and it was completely full by the time the night was in full swing. <br />
<br />
We lucked out. This little place was perfect. It was like we stepped into a little Italian grandma’s kitchen. It was home cooking at it’s finest and it was exactly what Matt and I were looking for. I had a crab spaghetti and Matt had Mama’s homemade meat lasagna finished off with “My Mother’s Tart.” It was one of the best meals yet and to top it all off Matt ordered a delicious local red wine to go with it. Now, a glass each would have been sufficient but since wine is cheaper than water in Italy Matt went all out and thought, “why not” and ordered a liter. Now, as most of you know I’m not much of a drinker and tend to get tipsy quite a bit sooner than most so you could only imagine how much fun I was after a half a liter. Let’s just say running was a whole lot more thrilling than normal. In fact Matt got a little nervous and constantly had to try to slow me down as he thought a couple times I was going to run right off the pier.<br />
<br />
And to add just a little more drama to the night, our host was wrong about the last water bus. It was at 8:15 and we just missed it by seconds as we watched it pull away right when when stumbled out of the restaurant. Matt started to worry not knowing what to do next but me in my drunken state remembered exactly where to pick up the taxi. Now, I’m terrible with directions normally but add a little alcohol and I’m an instant GPS. In the end we got back to our yacht safe and sound with a story to tell. At least it was a still night on the water and not too rocky on the boat. Then again it probably wouldn’t have even mattered to me.<br />
<br />
The next morning we had breakfast on the boat and then set off to explore the city.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgInb-7lFR639OHbWPL6OvHvhAwClgh4sVK-VNV2gw8mCiWEURITH_o6GKAhl5qby7VXAcg-nUp6B3I2X35iuuTjXleo9n2uuNUuWNeIH2ngDmLwY-pRSem8l5gD49Kr1Tz0sRQKzog0/s1600-h/_IGP61964.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6196" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2cNTj-S_q3E/UvA7fqcP56I/AAAAAAAADb0/65OasQURLMw/_IGP6196_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6196" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Taking in the the salty air aboard the water bus on our way to the city</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NfGFrPMOCJvFnxHyPK8QsLVQdcu88lliv66f1HeUNS2VwvPJ2P5voKlfmTMm0fZOlt-Lv6Lh_1Z_i46xItbZbGjfiMn_Id3HXhyphenhyphenGot4PPBbBsFjezdJXBj6-TQa8YC55xqaw0ytabro/s1600-h/_IGP60954.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6095" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CIG0ylvNRdKtSpl6P9pM-Em6pnijtG8UaOrUClCtmOvYAKBLosJ8HSnhENCcIr9zFpgDeoB1BA02Luwff0aqB3VVFbjRwERVGmJtCPzUDzNiCoMN_suIp8AcIxU7HdOj6DNRLR5hv6k/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6095" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view of St. Mark’s Square looking out over the the canal. </span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We could not have asked for a more beautiful day or for better weather</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVrTiLiseT0K3QvEWZULGakJ_Sv5MBf_QQBcwE2jDty9qfWBBvV7kI7J4f-NHSyA9EVQ87IKlkKloOpSQsNX0wIymw6NgBdn766KQkJDcK9g3rpeqZ3NFdkU1Hju0WcFD7Ixk2Pg5nPU/s1600-h/_IGP60595.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6059" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Twk57OgJgt4/UvA7iJenq6I/AAAAAAAADcU/CRUnTCwnJ98/_IGP6059_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6059" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DG5cfQDtmvc/UvA7i0-a8YI/AAAAAAAADcc/q483rNsBvDw/s1600-h/_IGP60494.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6049" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTu1TviIu6RsKYZDRMJUXJCUxu_oCZbccQhuRSNbL9ZPbE9odbGGkaKxFehz-SB8jd97gK-m5ATc3l80FJAq8V3RWpSlXGfSftIvFqzrcvkAAkbWdVtRMnzDCrPH2WVZ3qpQBkN9RI2tI/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6049" width="310" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Matt made a few new friends in St. Mark’s Square<em>. </em>I’m pretty sure the pigeons liked the food more than being held but Matt just couldn’t help himself. I mean how often do you get to hold a pigeon! I chose to photograph this epic experience rather than take part… in the end I still believe I made the best chose. And yes, he did wash his hands immediately afterward. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dJXfUSwuDP8/UvA7j0E_jgI/AAAAAAAADcs/Y7QJ3y2vxFw/s1600-h/_IGP60784.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6078" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jadsOMB9ffo/UvA7koB1WaI/AAAAAAAADc0/xFEx3SIOH7s/_IGP6078_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6078" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking over the balcony of St. Mark’s Basilica over the bustling square</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTiRxgd42wvHtpGYylkG8vLBUBuH5utNLl6y6_-1V-dw2LaDx20VZ33mkSBzWrDzYohUicEuHCh6_bQWodzaXsIamV0BppmA0r8IifkYyGWFdp21disNVWEvML9xhpNbDnQDcfvsJ49c/s1600-h/IMG_20131001_151259_4176.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131001_151259_417" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xH88eI56-k8/UvA7l84M9fI/AAAAAAAADdE/0CtlV0V_NqU/IMG_20131001_151259_417_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="427" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131001_151259_417" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkB7aLkxDJGUGprS3gqM4ClyxEfF7Pj6_TrqXziV5AO9WATGOG0nRGKSM68h0ddoP-VkSexhvqkfihA1K76KsmWt_cmhk9RkHEyKhI7sqX14L_ZIpYZl7VnparPbbNnwNafpiq9J_N4E/s1600-h/_IGP61224.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6122" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9ZEX--PPRVY/UvA7ni6aZYI/AAAAAAAADdU/lnG4SnSu3-Q/_IGP6122_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6122" width="310" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">For lunch we had prosciutto pasta at a Prosciutteria. It was excellent! I never knew how many delicious dishes that you could make using prosciutto!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">We walked around a bit after lunch, did some shopping and got lost in the labyrinth that is the city. Once we found our way out we decided it was time to </span><span style="font-size: small;">cross <a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#49 off my bucket list</a> and went on a romantic gondola cruse.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uTvaunhLiUU/UvA7oNavTkI/AAAAAAAADdc/or2cQve_x-s/s1600-h/_IGP61214.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6121" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFhDw5IRV4Y-FnuOWmuMRzyReI26QASCgtuGwp296YfmczDKY5kv-8_og1tehha5yTJFeZI2v-Inggz98XVba1B2b0oWx_0iAcjY8PE-pRhyphenhyphenV_HrHAe2cT5SxEss0Q8-I3Lfp0e-NqyY/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6121" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking out over the canal where we boarded our gondola</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tMUffCwm_vc/UvA7psvCXzI/AAAAAAAADds/SQhzv_qQZZg/s1600-h/_IGP61464.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6146" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6Mhqc5jhzP0/UvA7qINBtOI/AAAAAAAADd0/j5LKpdlw5fc/_IGP6146_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6146" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A breathtaking view from over the bow of our boat. </span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We even were able to listen to some music as a boat behind us was filled with musicians, </span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which only added to the atmosphere</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7Ps4-cyWKCE/UvA7q8NDPDI/AAAAAAAADd8/rdDoKYnmQWI/s1600-h/_IGP61484.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6148" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4JCzKDdIxU5HY-7dz9ZY8LSRqnuEGqa07IoqlFpvKGM3bPo8k0-kcNWTUk7nQCs_SAQLwK5RknCP2I1v-nU6vcyUMOUgDv85wjLalKWOrcDq9tJkvJBvvQyqcQqtuSjmNOIrKM2bnCk/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6148" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Us and our gondolier Jovani. We made sure to make every moment count while gliding in our gondola!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Even though Venice is an expensive city to visit and sometimes very smelly it is definitely one that shouldn’t be skipped!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: small;">Florence</span></u></em></strong><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Udb4GXGgmrE/UvA7sB-eqxI/AAAAAAAADeM/VokTa1a8E6M/s1600-h/IMG_20130930_143553_2862.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130930_143553_286" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0z087CdoFoU/UvA7sxGmm0I/AAAAAAAADeU/OinE7pXYPN8/IMG_20130930_143553_286_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130930_143553_286" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt enjoying a laid back trip on the train to Florence</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">The next day we headed off to Florence. To be truthfully honest we really went to Florence just for gelato and David. I know everyone I’ve talked to raves about it but for me it wasn’t anything too special. Don’t get me wrong it is nice city but it just didn’t have that romantic iconic charm of other Italian towns. It was clean, safe, and comfortable, making it a perfect town for study abroad programs or tourists but with so many other spectacular places to see in Italy it didn’t stand out for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3ZXMpPdG6NA/UvA7tjA8PoI/AAAAAAAADec/Z6KNzISRZlc/s1600-h/_IGP62123.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6212" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMH2qr-0AywrmmG1C1z5wNqaSJ4_XqeaTnb2YFj9quvcdF8HdYr_gIJkBE9mMDh2UvafUGKhzjzYp6HmhZ3TOq9lCBDDsvf9w3ntrtdctzjQzazxBVlBRMhC5PXLpyAVL_3uVK6yZyJDQ/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6212" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The breathtaking elaborate facade of the Ilduomo di Firenze…</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nhsx0bhCpu0/UvA7u_RGbbI/AAAAAAAADes/ecQLov95gZU/s1600-h/_IGP62263.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6226" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SozYqVES9BdjPi1sSEWHm03Wg1RqSXwjb-hP4MYATn8XvDkAu9WlgmfSkTuRrWZgCp21538GuWYeExViA83S2MPiLiil9EetrgcVsOsdd7qilkxsxdeigTr3nY9rccagqtoXBmmz2Hs/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6226" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">…in contrast with it’s rather simple but still elegant interior</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cOgAIY3uAUI/UvA7vxxnscI/AAAAAAAADe8/nPWPLvRdaMo/s1600-h/_IGP62483.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6248" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0J_rpcMpNdg/UvA7wvUV56I/AAAAAAAADfE/enZ1pC_ZwzY/_IGP6248_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6248" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ifcr4Iz9csc/UvA7xG53GXI/AAAAAAAADfM/r5p6znhEEu0/s1600-h/_IGP62539.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6253" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qBIe778Yb8Y/UvA7xv98RKI/AAAAAAAADfU/UJAtW1hEc2Q/_IGP6253_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6253" width="310" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We made sure to light a candle for the Catholic Grandmas: LaVon and Molly</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">We then headed off to the Academy of Fine Arts to see Michelangelo's David. A word of advice to those planning on visiting in the future…make sure to get reservations. We didn’t really know when we were going to be available to arrive so we didn’t. Even near the end of the season we still waited about two hours. Now, two hours may seem like an insane amount of time to wait to see a statue…and yes, I thought that too. To be honest I really didn’t know what all the hype was about to begin with. I mean, I know that Michelangelo's work is fantastic but a whole building dedicated to one statue seemed a little overkill. To be honest I thought it was going to be a lot like most of the other carvings we had seen… another famous carving of another naked man. We had seen lots of them so far. And I just didn’t understand what could make this one so special. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Once you see it you know. The pictures just do not do it justice. For one, it is gigantic! I was thinking it was going to be just your standard size human sculpture. No… it is like two stories high and the detail and precision of the carving is spectacular. I now know why it took so long to get into the place… once people get in they don’t leave. You could just stand there and stare at it for hours. </span><span style="font-size: small;">I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how someone could create such perfection on such a massive scale. It was truly jaw-dropping. Every minute that we waited was worth it. It is a masterpiece in every definition of the word.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">After seeing David we headed off to do some shopping at the street markets.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dP7n0pdKMyQ/UvA7yVjcvnI/AAAAAAAADfc/4tkrHruw7Iw/s1600-h/_IGP62622.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6262" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XSp-FaKA3V8/UvA7zNMIfBI/AAAAAAAADfk/QJYWWnWvOwU/_IGP6262_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6262" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There was definitely plenty of pizza to sample and smell as we strolled through the open markets</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rYUcVHknaFE/UvA7zncX5iI/AAAAAAAADfs/ejXAhq-9dZE/s1600-h/_IGP62782.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6278" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZLuOnv-IEMw/UvA70e-i4DI/AAAAAAAADf0/UKcgpcpqT2Y/_IGP6278_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6278" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We made sure to eat our body weight in Florence’s specialty, gelato. And even though my pants may be a bit snugger after the fact I do not regret a single bite!</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPAjhU1tR7io6Kit29sVbYSVzbpDACabyjYiICWnXQZIeV9AIwM5jZFONxdPzrlxz7yg9VeA53kSPyFqUcWPRx-mM7mtmThXJHWwmTFrOIGXoQww-3JPTobVkqm4QWJHmksVD9ozDi6E/s1600-h/IMG_20131002_183907_4421.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20131002_183907_442" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8bY6_UvSlBA/UvA717UvzSI/AAAAAAAADgE/f0h4bQghewM/IMG_20131002_183907_442_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131002_183907_442" width="360" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">One of the fun things that we did stumble upon was this fun little wine store. What made this store so different was that it wasn’t just lined with bottles. Instead there were big barrels and casks sitting around with tubes draped all along the walls. All the wines were on a tap system and you could buy them in whatever quantity you wanted and then the lady just corks them on the spot. I was shocked at how cheap it was too. You could get a whole bottle of the simple house table wine (mind you it is better than most at home) for around $1.50 a bottle. We stepped it up a notch and got a bottle of nice local white and a bottle of Chianti for abound $5.00 total.</span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HPqtP39475eJEK1lSnjuYjxTOSPXwAeiDwJuJL-mMV8iFX8RgrtUkslMJhR6bXmD3kbP4sSsWziN9QxR6tjMOm3uT3d7ar0fK2hCzLEv4mSvkRo864YsDzy-3tGlB6WN129YCpI_e80/s1600-h/IMG_20131002_192331_0923.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20131002_192331_092" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZH1vgPFObQ00qetPqM6bRliMASr3NcujVx96F8boAkLz4ONooAy4H1KRmntzwkigTlxfxA3iZPMclsvBVSujTOPnZEHcKlzO32WO404phKeKsLUokfEaZWAGtmAV6qJWLIAQdXNpX_Tg/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20131002_192331_092" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt ordered a calzone one night. It was literally a pizza folded in half…as you can see it didn’t even fit on the plate! That night we only ordered half a liter of wine. It was the smarter choice.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-18sSn-6RIpQ/UvA73o89kOI/AAAAAAAADgc/zPPTN9X9gi8/s1600-h/_IGP62814.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP6281" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ykhIdaniNao/UvA74VEN8xI/AAAAAAAADgk/FWKxNs9zYQI/_IGP6281_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 12px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6281" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-x7qAeQrMxbI/UvA7475Fa9I/AAAAAAAADgs/tjWAH06zfO4/s1600-h/_IGP62802.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6280" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QUzsK1rSNOs/UvA75X8p3DI/AAAAAAAADg0/ILCLlW2xhFc/_IGP6280_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP6280" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the the spectacular gelato we sampled. Mine was tiramisu and chocolate biscotti and Matt had tiramisu and pistachio</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Even though we were only there for a few days we made sure to get our fill of Florence (or better said get full in Florence)!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now off for a few days of R&R along the Italian Riviera in Vernazza!</span>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Venice, Italy45.4408474 12.31551509999997145.3960389 12.234491099999971 45.485655900000005 12.39653909999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-41349871506032733232014-01-28T17:36:00.000-07:002014-02-03T18:14:38.472-07:00Bellissima Italia Part 1/3 - When in Rome! (a bit late)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTReYmhmsMNV4JU1XQpbI7fvWtjFpYks5rpgmJCKmnRCUGfITJ-cMTvDZquvXeVwmgj6e5uqd43Kz5KZsEDcxRSx8JnlLB567_vvKwI1viYMb8mWQlmByVPxW67rWPuM1ojAdRklpGdo/s1600-h/_IGP57144.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5714" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-r-a2D0GzDaA/UuhEnaKjfjI/AAAAAAAADSQ/zYfpLfgbfm0/_IGP5714_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5714" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It’s been a whirlwind couple of months. As most of you know we made it back safe and sound to the States just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday and we haven’t really stopped since. The posts for our trip got a bit backlogged, put on hold, and needless to say I’ve gotten farther behind then I ever hoped to. My intention was to post these real-time but as you find out when you travel, often times what you plan or intend to do just doesn’t happen. But, I know a lot of you are still patiently waiting to hear and see how we finished off the last few months of our adventure so I am going to continue to post our photos and reflections as if we were still living it up with our suitcases in tow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next leg of our journey takes us to Italy. One of the many benefits of our EURail pass was that it included an overnight Superfast Ferry trip from Greece to Italy and of course we made sure to take advantage of that. I’ve been on ferries before but they were nothing like this. This was more like a mini cruse ship. My initial thought was that it was going to be open air, cold hard benches on a big open deck where everyone fought for a square of space and your only option for food was what you could salvage out of the vending machine. Now I’m not going to say this wasn’t the case for some which you’ll see later but in general it was much more luxurious than I ever imagined. I never really ever thought to associate the term ferry with luxury and comfort but this trip defiantly broadened my definition. This particular ferry came compete with private rooms, multiple restaurants and lounges, a shopping area, casino, a pool and even a disco!</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k7YEXj_3zH0/UuhEn3H7KRI/AAAAAAAADSY/iihVyFFqGtQ/s1600-h/_IGP54607.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5460" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukHcJEiDrwgLVkoKPxal6KQrW5JRCZTlcqtheudyKvgn5GIXNbKAKkT1ANiRZ1bPaaOOnG4YHmECFIv28ah40-OJhEEBY1Rr8XiLKavKM2kEFyR_T2Y2TOhl6tNNLj9E25i7xUu-CZAs/?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5460" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HRwbA40CHsE/UuhEpOomkDI/AAAAAAAADSs/ybPD9hI2fog/s1600-h/_IGP54568.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5456" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AaP8DRKKrq4/UuhEpuEZAgI/AAAAAAAADS0/zNTsPcxIAvU/_IGP5456_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP5456" width="310" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the beautiful view of Adriatic Sea from the deck.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Aboard the ferry there are different accommodations depending on how much you are willing to shell out for comfort and privacy. Our EURail pass got us a reclining airplane seat in a big room with about 30 other people for free but we paid a bit extra for a bunk in the dormitories, which of course made all the difference in getting any kind of sleep. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The super saver way to travel was to just find a nice hard bench or piece of deck or hallway to lay out your bed roll and camp out for the duration of the trip. We spent lots of time stepping over folks camped out or sunbathing, mostly groups of high school or college kids, when trying to walk around on deck.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kZnaDUPFaS0/UuhEqecwkJI/AAAAAAAADS8/9N_U5Uz9vEk/s1600-h/_IGP54487.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5448" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-udzSYnP1hD8/UuhEq38wrCI/AAAAAAAADTA/UdM63CrUwDo/_IGP5448_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="207" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5448" width="314" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5tDHUNWjQkhZzjmwJJSeoppxgFmbyaSfwi1XObodDquDsaXVMGXdaejhn_wfzEyHTWxiB1Nsd41Ok6CG8_euh4TjYqXS6HeEhK3o8lGpBINLKfXfn8caWXQaoeevlWY7e-6TQEy0YZg/s1600-h/_IGP54547.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5454" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8JEgJjWV2gt190erqfUIzG9y1xT62VKqTRndog8jTSojrMOhNtYv-JIntYzpDog8f0Gc-01JytgKscMPrrpVzQXr3ICSjXhCsychXLXNt0Y332HTFiRqmLL04KFSoPz8QK4bmzno1rg/?imgmax=800" height="207" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5454" width="314" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the skilled and not so skilled ferry deck squatters</span> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We spent the next whole day aboard the ferry. We ate our first Italian meal and I learned real quick the meaning of<em> Bolognese or Napoli </em>along with Italian impatience when I took a bit too long choosing the sauce for my pasta. We watched movies and enjoyed a nice relaxing day watching the sea go by. We arrived late in the day in Ancona and took a long and rather nauseating train trip to Rome.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<strong><em><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rome</span></u></em></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9zINKJiAa9Mj9M79HSe3jVzPJnlyCtIiK1qHsqMbNTr2QsC-AnuuriDeybEER46_GP_ZcCwXyyW0Spdoc6XF2wjSXHdU-w9s5fvl4xnfNxxZlLfp7X4ODc1yBsLL-rpEWGYt0GGUQdM/s1600-h/IMG_20130930_110226_1328.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130930_110226_132" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xuVRHHD8c98/UuhEtCXXAyI/AAAAAAAADTk/kRqEu1b8_zc/IMG_20130930_110226_132_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" height="400" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130930_110226_132" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Upon our late arrival in Rome we boarded the metro and rode it all the way out to our hotel (that I did in fact choose) at the very end of the line. Once we finally checked into our room, we were greeted by our Roman mascots. I present to you, as I named them, Maximums and Thaddeus our Roman Polar Bears. Now don’t get me wrong. I loved Maximums and Thaddeus and while they added a kind of quirky flair that just couldn’t be beat, I can think of a hundred, no maybe a thousand, other things that I think I would hang in a room in Rome before a poster of a couple of polar bears. Hey, at least we had our own private bathroom and with that kind of luxury I didn’t really mind the bears (they kind of bothered Matt though)!</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day one in Rome was spent exploring The Vatican. On the list of things to see: The Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_p4cETflQzA/UuhEtnm-P4I/AAAAAAAADTs/KZeOUacxtJg/s1600-h/_IGP54735.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5473" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ADchWncifKQ/UuhEuRTrv1I/AAAAAAAADT0/L5_lI1tEcpY/_IGP5473_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5473" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OQWWr1Ve_zg/UuhEu234-JI/AAAAAAAADT8/bzZEHppFkS0/s1600-h/IMG_20130927_133654_66611.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130927_133654_666" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-tQBPF9D8xrI3Qn-DkBy8a01fMBKXTbF-TVMINHOxduXYqUEhggz42hSW602bpxPEdmUT8qnPWwjEOVbsZbltHfyhyKvoq-ibpnCav8RDSU9o0ZbwIyBXfFzBDnnKH5uMGuiWlfHjI8/?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130927_133654_666" width="310" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A few of the fun things we saw in The Vatican Museum: An exhibit of all the different pope mobiles (yes, that is my best impression of me with a pope hat) and a Vatican flag that has been to the moon.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After a long and winding maze through the whole Vatican Museum we finally made it to the Sistine Chapel. It took us forever to get there. You’d see a one sign and you’d think it’s just around the corner. You’d walk through more museum, up more stairs ,along a few more narrow corridors and then you’d run into another sign…just this way….you’ve almost made it. I mean it kind of felt like one of those old roadside attractions where after about a hundred signs you had to stop to see the crazy thing you’ve been slapped in the face with for the last 100 miles. And don’t get me wrong, the chapel is spectacular and breathtaking but I think it was more peaceful and serene at times on the the Italian metro than in there. When I think chapel, I think of a small, quiet place for reflection and prayer. This was not the case. There were so many people jam-packed into that room they had crowd control personnel pushing and shoving people through like cattle on megaphones screaming “silence” and “no photos” in about 10 different languages. At that point it became less of a sacred place of prayer and more of a room with another fancy painted ceiling. A ceiling, none-the-less that you could spend all day staring up at and still not fully take it all in. I went in thinking that the Adam and God painting was it. I thought it took up the whole ceiling…boy was I wrong. In fact, I had to look for it. I had no idea that it was just part of the whole smorgasbord of biblical scenes. I would have liked to have stayed there a bit longer but the people pushers finally weeded us out along with the rest of the herd.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KTdv3ea7HRA/UuhEwEpBWbI/AAAAAAAADUM/smNoReD5DhU/s1600-h/_IGP55545.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5554" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dx91nhq4ojU/UuhEwx6_YTI/AAAAAAAADUU/8v1BnkMWreI/_IGP5554_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5554" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eptk8i8eO4M/UuhExVOTyjI/AAAAAAAADUc/CVzbWfwq7zs/s1600-h/_IGP55587.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5558" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JhuzCkSaD0A/UuhEyLRKxQI/AAAAAAAADUk/FfDtzSNpViU/_IGP5558_thumb10.jpg?imgmax=800" height="410" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5558" width="310" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next stop was St. Peters Basilica. The grandeur of this church is unlike anything I’d seen before. The art that adorned every inch was jaw dropping. You could spend a lifetime in that church and still not see or appreciate the artistry and absolute beauty within its walls. I wasn’t even bothered by the people or the tour groups as there was no problem finding something to look at even if most were just walking by.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Of course we made sure to weasel our way to the front of the crowded barrier to get a glimpse of the Pieta. Even with all the hype it still doesn’t disappoint in person. There is something about it that just pulls you into it. It is almost as if you can feel an emotion it portrays that seeps from from the stone it’s carved from. I’ve never seen a carving that looks so human. It is a masterpiece unlike any other.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzYuPSBL17UJ75RwQO9BVO6BGrzKH5tLYXYEmr-jcg0jq9h794cdKjqFtr0HJmQCvGn_befcegHi3tRbefhmR11JTtMcFosD0iwYYhiAkzbifwEgQ_BByHQf9mRLHp6nMgKWG5ptwdBc/s1600-h/_IGP55107.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5510" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u1QPmg9pwjA/UuhEzu9-X3I/AAAAAAAADU0/BYTVmT9YlLE/_IGP5510_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="468" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5510" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5-I3enmB6-8/UuhE0EBChBI/AAAAAAAADU8/3JLLypj9yYU/s1600-h/_IGP55054.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5505" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T2rp3OlbW0I/UuhE0k6H6CI/AAAAAAAADVA/sG3T2ChPXAs/_IGP5505_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5505" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My favorite part of St. Peter’s were all the stone mosaics. If you didn’t take the time to really look at them you’d blow right past it thinking, “Oh…that’s a nice painting.” Which I did for about the first half of our tour. But it makes it all that much more spectacular when you stop to notice that that wall size scene isn’t just paint but micro sized pieces of stone all laid out with perfect precision to create just the right shadows or expressions. I had to go back to the beginning and look at them all over again with a completely new perspective. I’ve always loved mosaics and tile work but this was beyond I ever imaged humanly possible. I couldn’t even fathom the time and diligence it took create all of them. And the best part was that being made out of stone they still held the brilliance and colors as if the artist had just finished laying it. Time had not faded their impact on me!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VKUZ2MNHrNk/UuhE1DPJ9ZI/AAAAAAAADVM/AyggU6Es9Xw/s1600-h/_IGP55189.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5518" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-q2wwwH9tQF8/UuhE16mWDxI/AAAAAAAADVU/ieGn2fN5YYc/_IGP5518_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5518" width="318" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjN0P8HpCSR7iLX6uOQ4234wgTUvIjso6OJIE4-Vxd97L1L5_SmvCCLH6zvhHBybohzKiO3SHPJ80ZDzjsOVL0KwLq-9VVQtGc80JuTYjKMCRHKIo3vKyohLz0K7DP29VMzkw9Ck_fygI/s1600-h/_IGP55244.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5524" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RRUVg-fYuaA/UuhE3KefUbI/AAAAAAAADVg/Tf16ANOv2Mc/_IGP5524_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5524" width="310" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Climbing up to the top of the dome in St. Peters was a bit disorienting at times but boy was the view worth it</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The only thing that was disappointing to me about St. Peter’s was the music at mass. I guess growing up Catholic at Gonzaga I’ve been spoiled with really good music. I’ve learned that this isn’t the case most everywhere. But you’d think that at the Vatican, the head of the church, the most Catholic of Catholic places musicians would be lining up to sing or play. Apparently this is not the case either. Go ahead….call me a music snob but it was terrible. I was hoping for the rafters to echo with angelic tones like those in Mont St Michel…but that didn’t happen. All I can say is that if they are setting the standard for Catholics everywhere as far a music goes…they could do to step up their game just a bit. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wKoTxcSS2r8/UuhE3xBdEJI/AAAAAAAADVs/z531b6mJCVs/s1600-h/_IGP55374.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5537" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vX1RSxMZlZ8/UuhE4erJkaI/AAAAAAAADV0/ZPk3MWiPAPU/_IGP5537_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5537" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Looking out over St. Peter’s Square.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizabygefJkUMK8NJEJWBpcU89V7-tTNBonldty8-u_2Z4L80dbuebPwHSeStE_NYJttiOZR3911PbddsmxSW0KEweDw31UsYZVeMwOpiiJtL5MDQ1tRHY6rt03mkdlOp_4b4LAQQ5W1Ro/s1600-h/_IGP55975.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5597" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yR6teF27wBY/UuhE5n8IGWI/AAAAAAAADWA/RDx-JynY9cM/_IGP5597_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5597" width="318" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s what you call a suit! Matt made sure to take note of the spiffy duds of the Swiss Guard standing watch at the Vatican exit.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Day two in Rome was spent exploring the Roman Forum, visiting the Colosseum, tossing coins in the Trevi Fountain and browsing art in the Piazza Navona.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Overall, I really was impressed by Rome. I came in with low expectations. I thought it was just going to be another big, busy, dirty city like Paris or London overrun by traffic with little character or charm. This was not the case at all. Much like my experience in Greece, this city lives it’s history. And yes, it is touristy and busy but charm and historical culture hasn’t been paved over or forgotten. It continues to live and grow together with the modernization of today. No matter where you look, you can find a glimpse of a whole society of stories lived once upon a time long, long ago. The whole city truly is an open air museum at its finest!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And people may say the Italians are rude…I say they have passion and heart! They may be loud and opinionated but when it comes down to it they make the best food. And that’s all that really matters!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6oVNsceeDS1J9jYUK8bSD8Azi9wEPI8ov5pX9f8Y3HtBLNFFbXI8pqog-TsYewWRdCFqOycRt2Nanc56hbQHqE6UovMPHm_DG7tcnVm-0RGT1Er8Kj-ujy8dZaxuLMJgz-z0PMYnDPc/s1600-h/_IGP56025.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5602" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HExKzGWh3G0/UuhE62OvIRI/AAAAAAAADWU/RzCHhRG-sL0/_IGP5602_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5602" width="318" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxX91H6IzenKSex4gYA6p3EDnRnPoxy3ZAoBuKA62CpHRN0x6ULG0Y-5e80qq6mtQgYYHnpg8yqb04IXDTOy7nEIY-cD3QwV4uqg3J4_eoWdh4NVxgfUrtSY5UI43z5CLcm0PC4z3g3Y/s1600-h/_IGP56974.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5697" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypqUPBl3pQ1-AU5hAua-Yqm6sZd_mNGVVHG6W2pw-83QJuV3t_s4GE4VCg49wWclJyIlIsu-88qDKsIqlXtgzf5_avZgKHa-Edqlgy_go3xMtnu1_UkSuH9q2bw7oX2bVHUYyounVtYs/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5697" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K2yxxU5xWi0/UuhE8igJY7I/AAAAAAAADWs/DgyoKlhy_10/s1600-h/_IGP56704.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5670" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oq2g4W59c7M/UuhE9AVjzYI/AAAAAAAADW0/czHoHoEXuf4/_IGP5670_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5670" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some of the sites from the Roman Forum.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OyRlgVYOwW8/UuhE93dEskI/AAAAAAAADW8/pC1joTVtFJE/s1600-h/_IGP57184.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5718" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7oqhwImwX5ccvoAsuSPRYuD3_Al3cF6dT8hrmnT-QMgNAjlq8mpg320MBcnsCeJ1DFGBWOticBQ73QT9O1mCX4z1oAtJaSaYam9DC8X_8QPizLjyXiLMj6R1urGwHdHk_Kl1fwvzhrO8/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5718" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Getting a glimpse of the substructure inside the Colosseum.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6NBkCf3OWoI/UuhE_a6MrII/AAAAAAAADXI/PeqEQdngT0A/s1600-h/_IGP57575.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5757" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8_v4t7hCToo/UuhE_3mllhI/AAAAAAAADXU/wxhk50RQpBg/_IGP5757_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5757" width="318" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ABlwW1wXiVo/UuhFAnBllPI/AAAAAAAADXc/WOka34c8B-Q/s1600-h/_IGP57714.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5771" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nKnRv9FTqYU/UuhFBOR9_JI/AAAAAAAADXg/1kBKYIBMNC8/_IGP5771_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5771" width="310" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We made our way to Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin and make a wish. Apparently you are supposed to throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder with your back to the fountain to ensure a return trip to Rome. I later found out that throwing “One coin means you'll return to Rome; two, you'll return <i>and</i> fall in love; three, you'll return, find love, and marry.” Since we already have the love and marry part taken care of the fact that we only threw one coin worked out for us. Hopefully the shoulder you throw it over doesn’t play that big of a role as I’d love to go back someday.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LcL8PvNRv9g/UuhFB8y-hOI/AAAAAAAADXs/N1MbIbPyaJI/s1600-h/_IGP58144.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5814" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-94L0Cagf5Rg/UuhFCQe613I/AAAAAAAADX0/3oI6wfHuKds/_IGP5814_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5814" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The bustling art market at the Piazza Navona.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<img align="left" alt="_IGP5779" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5Ge-RRDLk7c/UuhFDCfigxI/AAAAAAAADX4/15fs3eWGNEE/_IGP5779_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5779" width="318" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Of all the big cities we’ve been to so far I’d have to say that Rome is definitely up towards the top. It has no shortage of spectacular sites, history, and stories, it’s easily walkable, with fantastic food, and passionate people. What more could you ask for? </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hanging out at the little wooden toy shop trying not to have fun….(saying that, I think my nose just grew a bit)!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pompeii</span></u></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next day we hopped a train to visit the preserved city of Pompeii. I didn’t quite know what to expect with Pompeii. I knew it was buried one day by a volcanic explosion but that was about it. Everyone had talked it up so I went in with open mind but deep down I kind of thought it was just going to be more ruins… I wrong again. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-q24wl9irK-U/UuhFD6SrM3I/AAAAAAAADYE/PJig1AP56EQ/s1600-h/_IGP59334.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5933" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HBuBilmYdR0/UuhFEjE8KYI/AAAAAAAADYM/z6c78geUSdU/_IGP5933_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5933" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This whole site was completely unbelievable. It’s like you literally stepped back in time. The streets, buildings, paintings, tile floors are all still there. When you see the artifacts in a museum you kind of get an idea of what life was like back then but here you get to walk in their footsteps down the same streets. You can see the wall paintings where they were originally meant to be viewed standing in the same spot where these people used to look at them hundreds of years ago. It really put all the things we had been seeing throughout the museums into a community of real people. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVIWJbL8fSOF35XTga7hwNbquAssEhSJhbEmLxHNWEZIz3f6K13BnGiKnhNJlmbsD7iT1215ZpQXQ8jIoMoSQeO79lVH_CnjzOOjPokunEq5fqWS0kipik_UbQJgs6sYtiPFqRolYdeU/s1600-h/_IGP59404.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5940" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_uwB1IUoX8W4p5skEPuP-ZPBePo00Lie70Vs3dTs0M8cLARfFsTNU_FzE6i8xO7-yPHjQ3qGmWkXsoCW4tcgh0j1PhZVL3yDT773zLvKrIIu1-5aypNvS64skPQwbIZGtzXtgV2vTKI/?imgmax=800" height="208" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5940" width="314" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W92pZGJELrU/UuhFGv-AWLI/AAAAAAAADYk/fR3ISAzvrFE/s1600-h/_IGP59614.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5961" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGijZuviUYGQleAErffcRjQczw0lC63fn_fSuBko-CDO_gxQDJ1Vw6iXv68JB5ESryuUMXq0cFlb-Kfid9I1ZIgB7fkfc39Nbsb2oQ5FPRqfAH8BxSp5BSmdSyuwJlz1AD8LpTvowdXo4/?imgmax=800" height="208" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5961" width="314" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When the ash cloud hit the city it preserved everything… even the people. You could see their expressions, their body language, even their clothes. I was fascinated by the fact that you could even see the detailing of their sandals. They just stopped… frozen in time at that very moment.</span> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JL1Hy5BmLM4/UuhFHy51_MI/AAAAAAAADY0/VLInDv9yS9k/s1600-h/_IGP58904.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5890" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OPKG-u7TJLQ/UuhFIWJKejI/AAAAAAAADY8/fAsKSfUdv7M/_IGP5890_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5890" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Even the food vendors street was the same as a tiled bar bistro. I could use a counter like this in my house.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bfez16wRP_s/UuhFJNVgE8I/AAAAAAAADZE/CgixDrbjUQc/s1600-h/_IGP59114.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5911" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5Z5gX6SKybU/UuhFJspunMI/AAAAAAAADZM/Eqvp9E7x9IY/_IGP5911_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5911" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Just a glimpse of the magnificently preserved wall paintings.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ikog3Vt3YF0/UuhFKd4H78I/AAAAAAAADZU/XGeXLtrttGg/s1600-h/_IGP60084.jpg"><img alt="_IGP6008" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_ZTVizE-B0o/UuhFK7NibYI/AAAAAAAADZc/7VGq9OkQssA/_IGP6008_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="208" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP6008" width="314" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4rfrI8mbdXKBWRQhSvPT9mrU_F3aeXAxNcKia7rjy3WPOVoRKVTkf9Vr2ABSvyN8E8lk2B1Hi6gADmxd6RIqjDEyhubY18RR1ChGTSU64jQG6bzGS3gTxGNupGPd0fMLGe9uvPEJO9Q/s1600-h/_IGP59994.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5999" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x0VR3qgsSrI/UuhFMGRRAMI/AAAAAAAADZs/uG1zqimrRec/_IGP5999_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="208" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5999" width="314" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you get a chance to visit Italy and you like history Pompeii is a must!</span> </div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-er3dtNzALGA/UuhFM56pn8I/AAAAAAAADZ0/kXq6ocmiFjU/s1600-h/_IGP59574.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5957" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97tyiqRWLG6Tn0UHqwED3iI8Q1paElu0d4HH8HSN7-FKeUfC9imtGgyDEmhxAUPLdk1TXjFW1rJ28B4tyTjGYUj7HXbEHW8NKSIakCvlwI2tbs-FhDjBsEVbKvnmaIO_POGzpmuU1zSM/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5957" width="640" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Spending a day in Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Keep following along as our next stop takes us gliding gondolas through the canals of Venice.</span>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Rome, Italy41.8929163 12.48251989999994341.512734800000004 11.834326399999943 42.2730978 13.130713399999943tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-58917290487172857622013-10-27T13:32:00.000-06:002014-01-28T17:37:19.494-07:00Opa! Getting Away in Greece!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkarDXbY_Cf9odR5erPbUz2ckOPYB_IthQjOY5U9ywRKPC6YfsoNoGenvBYFg3swkyoG5RK35t80SJk1aCWW6DtMVBPe4vmTNuGNZ4SWMO2USatli7CAJztac5GHYW4hALrsMt6RpMXYo/s1600-h/_IGP54149.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5414" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BFfu01be-HY/Um1mapRgY-I/AAAAAAAACtE/nyIzOUncuII/_IGP5414_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5414" width="395" /></a>We finally made it to Greece! And after all we went though to get there we were pretty excited to say the least.<br />
<br />
I’ve always dreamed of going to Greece. Ever since I was very little I’ve had this romanticized image of what Greece would be. It had been drilled into me over the years though textbook pictures and endless history classes. But to be honest it was completely different than I had imagined it to be. <br />
<br />
I came to realize that my expectations of what Greece as a whole would feel like came mostly from images and movies that highlight the scenery of the Greek Isles. I thought it was all white cliff-side houses with bright blue roofs where daily fish venders ride donkeys up the steep and narrow streets. I soon realized that this may have been the case if we had visited Santorini, but not Athens. Unfortunately, the Isles didn’t make the itinerary this time around but it gives us a reason to return. I still want to see those blue roofs.<br />
<br />
When you say Athens you think history. The Parthenon, the vases, the sculptures all come flooding to mind, and yes, these are all still a very key element of the culture, but there is so much more. With all the economic hardship lately that Greece has been battling through, I was beginning to fear that this city might just be buried in the overshadowing allure of its past. But all you have to do is strike up a conversation with a local vendor, take one bite of the food, and inevitably take part in the never-ending night life for proof that this city is still very much alive.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLSUv3gw9LkBFudZaqMM4G_YVsQRle62yxm8sZW1EGKFy1snMB9dd5oeN_a2sAjPautcumfG2XlXa-5H1rKN8EAdrRytLdNqYBsj1Jg4wlXJzHwOmxOgTAd6xGtyMDzfr6tVWIK0DMFk/s1600-h/_IGP53087.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5308" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d4VR8bjvNCI/Um1mb-yyc_I/AAAAAAAACtQ/2AyeJ982Q_U/_IGP5308_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5308" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The stunning view of the Acropolis and downtown Athens from our hotel patio.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14I8r9YXfU64AdJpggdp5b_sUpEhGyrASHa1-4LCddMjry18Yc9gC57JEp1FWfqgwCFFWhIrBD1ByXgc3w6dXvdCg2lS8liVYy8uejw1eH906cEssmjdQdFap3WSYvv5TJhgIxY8hnck/s1600-h/_IGP53117.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5311" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XYJcX1IzgA4/Um1mdJLwSUI/AAAAAAAACtk/2Ah-ke8gl8I/_IGP5311_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5311" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the local vendors selling a variety of useful and not-so-useful goods on the street below. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
There was a whole multi-street flea market just across from where we were staying. There was always something to peruse no matter what time of the day it was. There were vendors lining the street until the wee hours of the morning. When one vendor closed, another would set up shop.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZFxsXNJcr2RCXTCyQOhoYv_ck5DSG_HlgKlZvDa9DpxCmlyqIv7RHZkipIRo3pSMJ4ZrDrvpvHhW6HBflwN35PgeYy6-RODjJyOLA3eTLPBjHAMp3tTvnZ2qKCuUUSo4FKA_nX9pynk/s1600-h/_IGP53148.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5314" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EJutoL3sGvc/Um1mfSy43TI/AAAAAAAACtw/jBNW9Do9W6U/_IGP5314_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5314" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ksphhNcz1Io/Um1mf4hRz0I/AAAAAAAACt4/j3QrmdyDUO4/s1600-h/_IGP53128.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5312" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g4h1o8WcxRs/Um1mgQeN5eI/AAAAAAAACuA/HmNmg-hd8MU/_IGP5312_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" height="230" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5312" width="310" /></a> <br />
Once we arrived, one of the first things we did was head to the city center to do a little bit of shopping. And since it was such a nice<strong> hot</strong> day (which of course we were not used to) we took the opportunity to treat ourselves to some delicious Frozen Greek Yogurt – mine had sour cherries with caramel almonds and Matt’s had candied pistachios with caramel almonds. YUM! It was so good we came back the next day and rewarded ourselves again!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HrAjmnendUI/Um1mg1hugsI/AAAAAAAACuI/s7hMOhI37pM/s1600-h/_IGP531515.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5315" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LMbxa7aDw8E/Um1mhlAbZzI/AAAAAAAACuU/cgwu5PRlqnU/_IGP5315_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5315" width="318" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-n--fcbeNu2Y/Um1miBcjfPI/AAAAAAAACuc/MxTU--auht4/s1600-h/_IGP531611.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5316" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxHzan7132fKg4WVMpoUQksPr7g_EfJmPUZWHlWxrD2RNNIAm9L_4AOzdvlMcHzRcMxo7QdEsvSL1pxfbSJd3i1JoXXFwB-yHzoYV1RbA6tMV8QQKIu9XtQIppceEY25nCijxdIFeZIA/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5316" width="310" /></a> <br />
As we strolled around the city we came across multiple heath spas and places where the trendy thing was fish pedicures. Now, even after all the walking we have been doing, and the fact that I was in dire need of a pedicure, I just couldn’t get into this. The idea of some animal feasting on bits of my skin while swimming though my toes just didn’t seem right. Thank you fish but I think I’d rather do my own pedicure! <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">These ladies were so excited about it they even let us take their picture and pictures of their feet. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Nur7DmxO1lI/Um1mjEbaKyI/AAAAAAAACus/dyWbJltYxqY/s1600-h/_IGP53207.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5320" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iSvAq_cT-pQ/Um1mjjIbLbI/AAAAAAAACuw/WZxYy6CsvZ4/_IGP5320_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5320" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The view of the lit up Acropolis from the roof-top bar of our hotel.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
We had the full intention of starting early for a full day of sightseeing the next day but that just isn’t the Greek way. We ending up staying up way too late sharing ouzo shots on the roof-top bar, sharing stories with a group of fellow travelers, and listing to the local music from the restaurant on the street below. We had perfect clear weather, a great view, and fun new friends to share this moment with. What could have been better! To tell you the truth I don’t really recall what we talked about for so long, after all the ouzo and all, but we didn’t make it to bed until about 2 am. Oh well...that’s how they do it in Greece!<br />
<br />
The next day we made sure to see as many of the open air museums, ruins, and historical sites as we could pack in, or that our feet could handle. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aRDZD3e83Pw/Um1mkBcM6qI/AAAAAAAACu8/3-p3jq1R8m8/s1600-h/_IGP53338.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5333" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ge4P6ttfpw0/Um1mki1jLyI/AAAAAAAACvA/lxhlS8YZQg0/_IGP5333_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5333" width="318" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W9-MtzZ00mg/Um1mlElUXXI/AAAAAAAACvI/PGTX4Rfy6YY/s1600-h/_IGP53537.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5353" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5K8RfM4tO74/Um1ml2hqWPI/AAAAAAAACvQ/m_6cCEnFwEY/_IGP5353_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5353" width="310" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-z2aang84A9I/Um1mmaYNV0I/AAAAAAAACvc/UOQdS9WU8QE/s1600-h/_IGP53627.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5362" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGSjF-5mZqtY3p7lK9_4Xf5ynd3Z1vbqfK-rLVLO5mkXbkRQPWfYZ4_6mrfDZN9fhgPjlmVDRnWHkH5xaEwwVQh8k7-zdHcfrhr3NTU4ttjwsAX6KxZqN8B9kcULA6SQ2PqxYD9rSSWI/?imgmax=800" height="205" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5362" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the sites atop the Acropolis.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ldz1J8IyeQI/Um1mnSCap6I/AAAAAAAACvs/IJ_Gwp0KeVc/s1600-h/_IGP54324.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5432" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4wa2tIul7IIlRX8VPKIn0uaEsWW_HxieD9EnSo-XqP9qBbyYzyuH1NNUVW5kzolanxLtdTXLar9YpesJcDR_lh_WkmtMmS5Avhm45_lIC-rqWcSpnThN7Z2Li83KtdJtGdAesgqpu7o/?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5432" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And this is Athena!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Or at least what is left of her…her bust. Danielle this is for you!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RoqyVpafmGk/Um1mo4OZFhI/AAAAAAAACv8/mJyjVExHj4o/s1600-h/_IGP537110.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5371" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TZwZDHSdXGk/Um1mpvkocVI/AAAAAAAACwE/BF159qGrkF4/_IGP5371_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="424" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5371" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Capturing a snapshot of our own history in front of the Parthenon. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
After so much travel, we wanted to take the time to appreciate one of the things Greece is best known for – their Beaches. So we headed off to Voula Beach for some much need R&R.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHN9XEPVuvkSCyXii53efCyr8cy4x-SK-M_m2UhNR3HLniWRURFqma027SMjUX1b10W5zQzfPUvzJrGy0mMSEDQJEBxL9RzNXKI8UebtTIPr0WCLPfkr1fMgF6ZOWjr7fu1uF6WaIUD8/s1600-h/IMG_20130922_115806_7948.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130922_115806_794" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FGhq60P8QOk/Um1mrYsC28I/AAAAAAAACwU/NWACeo8TEn8/IMG_20130922_115806_794_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" height="435" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130922_115806_794" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This sleepy pup found a nice comfy stair and he didn’t even move a muscle when I scooted in for the photo. This is a perfect example of the dogs that I talked about earlier that you will just randomly find sleeping around the city. This one even had a collar.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5n6odWoJWss/Um1msB83_QI/AAAAAAAACwc/5NcLzw4V8Ls/s1600-h/IMG_20130925_114355_2304.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130925_114355_230" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KbJ3DM-YUEI/Um1msrgcRPI/AAAAAAAACwk/lJWCUjYf5YE/IMG_20130925_114355_230_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130925_114355_230" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Bread with feta sandwich….and if you look closely it comes with a little bit of Oregon. Mmmm…the tastes of home! Must be popular too as there is only one left. I mean, who doesn’t like a little Oregon on their sandwich?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxnfScsOo_EFemsGYGFWBjkxWSXTs0yhRLsZYD-DLT8w81RWVbdGNn-kwuvHjwd9Ti2Zvi5Xr4LI1Nl9yQl1DsoNWPr4aDp7zq-4CEzhUgDlMuknaTIOwUibUaCM2qrvvYS7yb-6Xdug/s1600-h/IMG_20130924_185137_2278.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130924_185137_227" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCs_UJpHh3gzI2K5-YionFWm5MOswqrIHVDqa_gevpjnz_rj-cdbXveYY2yp9hLD_qgEGGXo-UfmUU57MGw3qBzNcixsddRljS6mpoCsJbSz6bNXPulhh3B7PW-8fcLnq0zfWza8f_F4U/?imgmax=800" height="427" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130924_185137_227" width="320" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QUiU4lKhQGs/Um1mukCP8jI/AAAAAAAACw4/_vxADHs7B3M/s1600-h/IMG_20130922_143137_4284.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130922_143137_428" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SZHhFMQxJI4/Um1muwLUuVI/AAAAAAAACxE/qc_ptoEV16w/IMG_20130922_143137_428_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130922_143137_428" width="310" /></a><br />
One of my main goals in Greece was to find the perfect Greek Gyro. This proved to be a bit more of a challenge than I had initially anticipated. They make them all fancy in the states when really it’s more of a fast food option. Like burgers, the come with fries, but they just shove the fries inside the pita. <br />
<br />
My ultimate favorite gyro location was a little place we found near the beach with a happy pig mascot called <em>Pita Time</em>. The best part was that you could get two pitas with drinks for 6 Euros, take them across the street and then eat them on the beach. I mean it doesn’t really get much better than that!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6dOeaXc-flGq1ZHWijhCK6Nw4wHKxOYd0ryDfSthTc7B7dEY3zwAsiIvdkEzJZR0m5Sdo-6NWEyaukSEXr-DKVLwQR9Ov0GIDTz7pEGH8h3HcMauR_8j_acU_3b1PK8fhVy2aaLwx-AU/s1600-h/IMG_20130924_120935_0734.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130924_120935_073" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PVtbeK9zXJM/Um1mwnmmEHI/AAAAAAAACxU/fFrHP0B4CTQ/IMG_20130924_120935_073_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130924_120935_073" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was Salty. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The salt and pepper, peg-leg, pirate pigeon friend Matt found while eating lunch one afternoon.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4OJv2Wj2CIU/Um1mxZj2lXI/AAAAAAAACxc/kMVgn5_-nKo/s1600-h/IMG_20130922_155736_50510.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130922_155736_505" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aobJxT1fWm4/Um1mxzUsQUI/AAAAAAAACxk/_9rzEqup_90/IMG_20130922_155736_505_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130922_155736_505" width="360" /></a><br />
Another one of my goals in Greece was to find the best baklava. I don’t recall what the name of this particular place was but they were in the back making it when we ordered and you could tell they had been doing it a while and knew exactly what they were doing. Their speciality was to make the baklava with almonds instead of walnuts and serve it with a bit of traditional Greek ice cream. Let your mouth water because this was by far the best baklava I have ever eaten!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mmmmmmm…..Baklava!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C_GtMa6Nv9U/Um1myU1Hf1I/AAAAAAAACxs/Y6YVQmro1UI/s1600-h/P92326109.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P9232610" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NUE7GN_o510/Um1mzNIF9HI/AAAAAAAACxw/HElbrkNchqw/P9232610_thumb13.jpg?imgmax=800" height="351" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="P9232610" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Jgrpb_OJTxU/Um1mzzWDVSI/AAAAAAAACx8/sxSbcNYVouI/s1600-h/P92325978.jpg"><img alt="P9232597" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIDnSUewtRDBHp3UK8nxk3ej0oTGJZkw1oaj9OjNWtDO8FcDj39-yYtgpo2R3QeELHy1WMm9l7vB50sKyTdcIjjl5VSzYWYlXJYVQbs9QUBe7EfaAM0DNAthM7GLN_c0UFBaZV0jX4F4/?imgmax=800" height="239" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9232597" width="320" /></a><br />
We spent the next three days swimming, basking in the sun, and listening to audio books on the beautiful beaches of Greece without a care in the world. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-v_0L_4wGUWo/Um1m07OqqkI/AAAAAAAACyI/B8dvkCb-K00/s1600-h/P92326115.jpg"><img alt="P9232611" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xFnNfTIrf1Y/Um1m1T6iRFI/AAAAAAAACyQ/yaMNmdWg8RQ/P9232611_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="471" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9232611" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A couple of chairs, an umbrella, some sandwiches with a bucket of beer on the beach = The perfect lunch zone.</span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xNQBZ4AX5eY/Um1m12EiFxI/AAAAAAAACyc/AmJunkHvkKY/s1600-h/P92326154.jpg"><img alt="P9232615" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-byD_OM2HrIU/Um1m2hVqZrI/AAAAAAAACyk/GWIHJoKNn0k/P9232615_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9232615" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was Blackie. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt’s other pigeon friend. Matt was able to feed Blackie by hand and he was the only one Matt would feed on the beach. Needless to say he got a little possessive of Matt and puffed up whenever any other pigeon tried to come around. Matt and Blackie bonded a bit!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-A_wg82kVIVU/Um1m3BmkMVI/AAAAAAAACyo/cQjBSToIA0E/s1600-h/P924262326.jpg"><img align="left" alt="P9242623" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4R6iSBMmW4Q/Um1m3s2MB8I/AAAAAAAACyw/d0Cal1mrZRY/P9242623_thumb24.jpg?imgmax=800" height="413" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="P9242623" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iyKO-5MlOa0/Um1m4aZ3eAI/AAAAAAAACy8/dcZUzAXx2k8/s1600-h/P92426495.jpg"><img alt="P9242649" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4nGPqSlr1uM/Um1m4xQHGlI/AAAAAAAACzE/uZBJT20g6MI/P9242649_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="239" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9242649" width="320" /></a><br />
Greece was great and was exactly what we needed to recoup from the Great Train Trip. It was more than I ever expected and probably one of my most favorite places that we’ve been to so far. We will be definitely be coming back some day!<br />
<br />
Now time to rev up for a whirlwind couple of weeks through Italy! Off to board the Ferry…Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Athens, Greece37.9837155 23.72930969999993137.883061500000004 23.56726119999993 38.0843695 23.891358199999932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-53122000732300876642013-10-25T15:00:00.000-06:002013-10-27T13:37:05.277-06:00The Great Train Trip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg293-bbpb2uPq08pktBiLRmge4XMpGc7ELSraQhyGzlw_FKabSiNZdkyOPkHt6yzz7A47wJrj7EyZeUk7T8h5d-Z0zvGa2t4l45478O-t_sVZ9X6elCGdalC9PDTg5NIOjQOKx59W5-sM/s1600-h/_IGP530610.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5306" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nL-H98M8PHs/UmrXzLoCFZI/AAAAAAAACos/4OhOjPuF2r0/_IGP5306_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5306" width="640" /></a><br />
For the next leg of our journey we took advantage of our EURail pass and took a series of overnight trains through Eastern Europe. Our end goal was eventually to get to Greece and we thought that this would be an easy way to see a little of Eastern Europe and not have to pay for accommodations at night since we would be traveling via train. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<img align="left" alt="IMG_20130915_110047_647" border="0" height="413" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HFKNUqq4HuE/UmrXz80l_YI/AAAAAAAACow/VxPs8Tp7-Gg/IMG_20130915_110047_647_thumb14.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130915_110047_647" width="310" />Our initial thought was that we would sleep on the trains and then arrive in the next city rested and ready to spend the days exploring. This proved to be a little bit more challenging than we had planned for. <br />
<br />
Our itinerary included stops in Budapest in Hungry, Bucharest in Romania, and Sofia in Bulgaria. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Had to make a stop at the Bank-O-Matt for funds for the trip…I need one of these at home! (Oh…wait…I have one!)</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
After a long day of sightseeing in Prague and in order to avoid the growing cold and rain we headed off to the train station to kill time until our train arrived. Unfortunately, our train didn’t leave until midnight. So, we got a coffee and a muffin to help keep us awake for the long wait. In order to pass the time we entertained ourselves by watching the excitement that was “Floor Buffer.” <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Iw-5T7Azz_0/UmrX0Q3RXkI/AAAAAAAACo8/2_jD2e9GY58/s1600-h/IMG_20130915_223010_71410.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130915_223010_714" border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIpYTck3W16erjlB_-FV3PGbJYJhTtrZWMjzEfWfCWGzEtm-qRlbOraFPkGcbCoWIy0oGU7moaxhDXQ-KrKSNnxuOHQDa3rIOMLOrYb8UDYizwnsVuMM_gRruDVgje9xbzZLjw-ogANI/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130915_223010_714" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Watch “Floor Buffer” in action! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/q8czJ2hwZRc" width="420"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the people sleeping on the floor…this should have been us at this point. It must have been very late, I must have been extremely bored or just really jacked on coffee because Floor Buffer was super exciting at the time!</span></div>
<br />
<strong><em><u>Budapest</u></em></strong><br />
The train from Prague to Budapest wasn’t so bad. We had places in a 2nd class Couchette (which was one of the little cubbies with the sliding door but instead of bench seats it has 3 bunks on each side with a ladder that can be placed in the middle). You are given a pillow and a sheet which proved to be plenty as our car was pretty warm - not nearly as sweltering as the last one but still rather warm. We shared our car with an Asian guy and a sweet and patient old lady who had obviously done this a few times before and who showed us everything we needed to know. It wasn’t the Hilton of train accommodations, but a place to lay down nonetheless and get a decent night sleep.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Nt1jNRBasYE/UmrX1mn--hI/AAAAAAAACpM/A4T0fW3NNG8/s1600-h/_IGP52865.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5286" border="0" height="468" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HxLX0jqIh_o/UmrX2UVVuII/AAAAAAAACpU/O7pdBG20UJg/_IGP5286_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5286" width="310" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Lu291ZQz_FZmdfziKZggHud6Km5bmpi2MFQMLIlUNwfYg-KL0wopBW694W2qSRieBJGTzA3ZahwyBLeph3Won100EtXsMbk_koVei2wDr06oUTpDG5VoVlzSixqZ0Ffgl8yrLdL7RiU/s1600-h/_IGP52714.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5271" border="0" height="212" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sISIGWBH3SA/UmrX3h8ejwI/AAAAAAAACpg/hNo6VzEWLWQ/_IGP5271_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5271" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
We arrived safe and sound in Budapest at around 10 am with enough rest to explore some of the city sites.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the ambiance of the Budapest Train Station.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
We ended up doing some shopping, walking along the river, and seeing the Market Square.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WV2R5DjIKbY/UmrX4G6h6GI/AAAAAAAACps/r0BG1pMAYKw/s1600-h/_IGP52214.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5221" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GyVeZFtDyQ4/UmrX49KrSVI/AAAAAAAACp0/knNw2WoG3xE/_IGP5221_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5221" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside the Market Square building.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ah9LtdiQE8s/UmrX5bPPBNI/AAAAAAAACp8/qFjNImlw6jU/s1600-h/_IGP526018.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5260" border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-odH4QxZrE0wqFGKkYNEsRdyKqHnwlEVNUR3azy452TFytwJsejzQBMUfeMq8zIH6eKR_yE8rEAfDQk4KOSJQpe5vgMzwveZctejLXTxYgJKBb-W3HU5Tgg-nSC2xcCm_UWDTlMAnM-c/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5260" width="316" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJ3Ij0jrFSt7yo_L56oC9T36T6XdZ3XjQSLP9UEFhiHCqpPvKMmhN285haHy1KrQCARaCfRPn4OaqPScETTz9YTypqjpUxX9flHnX2HcbUFiCSHoFmCjNsiPzlI-Rfiz1p900UX32DrU/s1600-h/_IGP526214.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5262" border="0" height="210" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VFifKRMKqd4/UmrX7LotzUI/AAAAAAAACqQ/wLiyodZvDPs/_IGP5262_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5262" width="316" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the fun food stalls inside the Market Square. The cookies were so happy!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqDDDmnzVHCyXuZz_k2TC2w7J0GA1Bo2khf5a4FXSlNcoLeNe73F-01jdGmFvkKJauGJ4rPfJmtJUY_1gvb7EUco4RUdkneNI0cbQSFSd9q66djhAxsd0CwrEhweAeiq_AsjdLvkzmE4/s1600-h/_IGP52924.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5292" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-un9l6oU-VRc/UmrX8IIIieI/AAAAAAAACqk/wb15tMfeLwE/_IGP5292_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5292" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Waiting for our train at the Budapest Train Station.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
After a full day of walking through Budapest we headed off to the train station to rest our feet and wait again for our midnight departure. Unlike Prague we didn’t have the enthralling entertainment that was “Floor Buffer” but we did run into a nice lady from San Francisco named Bobbie who ended up being all the entertainment we needed for the evening. We got to talking and found out that she was finishing out her week vacation by catching a 10 pm overnight train and heading off to Krakow. We talked for a while learned a little about her Jewish heritage and what it meant for her to pilgrimage to Auschwitz.<br />
<br />
It got to be close to the time she was supposed to leave and she was having difficulty reading the departures board so Matt stepped in to help. Everything seemed fine until Matt realized her train wasn’t on the board and the time on her ticket didn’t read 10 pm but 20:00. She had misread the 24 hour time and her train departure was actually at 8 pm. The real teeth-grinding part of the whole thing was that she had been waiting in the train station for the last 3 hours. So, she was there and watched her train leave without her. We tried to talk her down and help her figure out plan B. So, we directed her to the nearest ticket office and watched her things as she ran off with hopes of catching something else. Options are pretty limited that late so we weren’t too optimistic (of course we didn’t let her know that).<br />
<br />
She ended up having to purchase a whole new ticket for the train leaving at 5 am the following morning. The train trip would take most of the day and included 3 train transfers when her overnight would have been direct, making her lose a whole day of her already planned out vacation. She seemed OK with it and was just going to wait it out in the station all night. We again had to break the bad news to her that the station would be closed from 12-3 am. Needless to say we had to talk her down again. We advised her that it might be best if she found a room seeing that the streets of Budapest at night seemed a touch seedy. We even told her that there was a Best Western that we had seen earlier that was not that far away. We tried to assure her that she’d be OK. She thanked us in the calmest tone she could muster and headed off. We are not sure what became of her but hopefully she made it alright.<br />
<br />
In the end she not only had to pay double for her ticket and for a hotel room but she lost a whole day of her already short 10 day vacation. Lesson learned: make sure to check and double check the 24 hour time on your train ticket! One small misread may cost you more than you really want to spend.<br />
<br />
After the debacle with Bobbie we were on high alert for our own train. It did arrive on time and we made sure to get on board as soon as we could. Being that this train was going to be the longest of the legs, we opted to pay a little extra to be bumped up to the 1st class accommodations. Mind you…the upgrade was only about 4 Euros per person so it really was a no-brainer. We got our own private little cabin where the seats folded down. It was warm, quiet, and private…we couldn’t have asked for more! The best part was that with first class breakfast is included. I say breakfast with a very loose definition of the word. The conductor handed Matt two packages of pretzels and some water, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “breakfast…???” like, “I know this really sucks but it’s what you get so eat it or not.” We happily took our pretzel breakfast, made out beds and headed off to sleep.<br />
<br />
All was fine and dandy until about 2 am when the customs folks came pounding on the door. Customs really isn’t something I’m usually uncomfortable about but when they wake you up from a dead sleep and demand your passport, that you have to half-awake quickly try to dig out of your money belt that you are semi-sleeping on, you get a little nervous. Then they stand there tapping their foot impatiently and looking at you with their stern, “I’m in a hurry and not going to wait for your slow American butt” Eastern European face. It makes you think that if you look at them wrong or even if they just wanted to they could deport you right then and there. It really doesn’t help when they take your passport, turn around and walk away with it. At that moment, all I’m thinking is, “oh my God, oh my God….Can he do that?” And when you are in the middle of nowhere on the border between Hungry and Romania the answer to that is “yes,” they can do whatever they want! After about five or so minutes of freaking out he eventually did bring it back, stamp it and forcefully hand it back to me. Then once you’ve almost got back to sleep, about 30 min later, they come back and do it again. Because, of course, the first time is leaving one country and the second time is entering the next. So you might as well have just stayed awake. Needless to say it took a while to get back to sleep after that but in the end we did make it to Romania in the morning!<br />
<br />
<img align="left" alt="_IGP5295" border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMw-c9ml512feRKJ474jAEcM6N5aYFuPZqALIETsF_hDhZRz0Y6h0clhcnrFpBIC9l8ehxaYOuUQhzvGCBAGwSLTkBlCTOswcwmqBSbYEXw1KruCnZtcne_zsaP-zlxtwUbNeBgvHxfeQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5295" width="310" /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--IFn6A5ZYDc/UmrX9Vt3W8I/AAAAAAAACq0/ELmGhWW9UXc/s1600-h/_IGP53024.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5302" border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAx8VBi3oaPYkpnBHgGJkSA4n4x4QA9LI9Il_gHTDwZ9A5Z2zwcDPJYuUFmVbXhECmXaFu7SGhUIw4d0VzWx2DmPcNR_Y0OQlKIqbUBvDRtIhK_AT4mhwJuOpkefb_WKGv8aPb_I5Gjo/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5302" width="317" /></a> <br />
We weren’t scheduled to arrive in Bucharest until around 5pm the next day, so we spent the day on the train relaxing and watching the beautiful Romanian scenery pass by. It may sound like a dull day but it was actually quite enjoyable. With so many days of hop-on hop-off train travel it was nice to just sit back and enjoy the ride. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside our cute little room.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FSsZoeeuQAk/UmrX-pt0SNI/AAAAAAAACrE/6bIPjcQe8BU/s1600-h/IMG_20130917_111918_8374.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130917_111918_837" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cPRAGsVZkBw/UmrX_uAkysI/AAAAAAAACrM/opvRAcRSUlE/IMG_20130917_111918_837_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130917_111918_837" width="640" /></a><br />
<strong><em><u><br /></u></em></strong>
<strong><em><u>Bucharest</u></em></strong><br />
We arrived late in Bucharest and it was already starting to get dark so we didn’t really have the chance to explore the city as we had hoped to. At this point in our trip I was hit with my first real slap of culture shock. It had been a long stretch of constant travel, odd or infrequent meals, and no showers. So, I was a little tired and a bit emotionally drained at this point. <br />
There are many things that I’ve missed from home throughout this trip so far, and I know it seems silly, but one of the things I miss most is my dog. It’s funny to me because I always thought those people who talked about their pets like people or children when they were traveling were crazy. I’ve had pets all my life and never really missed them when I went off to college or traveled before. I guess maybe it changes a bit when it’s your pet instead of the family pet. Plus with all the travel Matt was doing over the last year and being isolated in New Mexico, Ellie kind of became my back-up. She was who I turned to when I got tired or drained. So, at that moment I was suffering a little bit from snuggle withdrawals and wishing for her to be close. <br />
<br />
We walked outside the Bucharest train station to see if there was anything close by for dinner options and saw a dog sitting on the steps eating some bread. He looked perfectly happy not really bothering anyone. He was just laying there with his bread between his paws watching the people pass. I even mentioned to Matt how happy he looked nomming on his bread. Now to preface this there have been lots of dogs everywhere in Europe. People take them on the trains, they bring them into restaurants, they walk them through town without leashes, and even the stray ones seem to be kind of taken care of by the community. Most often they tend to belong to someone one way or another. I just assumed the dog belonged to the kind of shabby street lady that was sitting next to the door behind us. <br />
<br />
So, it seemed kind of odd when she kicked his bread away from him and shooed him away. The dog came toward us as and hid behind us using us as kind of a shelter. I even looked down at him and said, “sorry buddy but I don’t have anything for you.” He continued to linger and then out of nowhere she comes up and kicks him really hard to the point where he let out an ear piercing cry. Now I’m one of those people that has a zero tolerance for animal neglect and abuse (it still bothers me just thinking and writhing about it now). No animal, no person for that matter, deserves to be kicked like that. So I broke. At that moment there wasn’t anything I could do for him and no one else around the area even seemed to notice. I understand that different cultures approach animals differently but at that moment I really didn’t want to have anything to do with Bucharest.<br />
<br />
I read somewhere before we started traveling that when you travel for this long it is inevitable to feel sad and that the best thing to do is to just let yourself feel the sadness. in the end it puts the good things and what you love most about home into perspective and helps you to appreciate it more when you return. So, I did just that and embraced the sadness and let myself cry. Matt would say I went a bit overboard and it took me a while to settle down but it was what I needed to do mentally at the time. In the end it wasn’t the best place or the best evening and all we saw of Bucharest was the train station but we did make our 10 pm train to Sofia. At that point all I wanted to do was leave that place hoping for a better beginning in the next.<br />
<br />
I was a little nervous for this leg of the journey as we were unable to book a sleeping car, so we didn’t know what kind of seat we were going to have to suffer through this time around. It could have been worse. We found out we were in a room that could have seated 8 on 2 benches facing each other. Luckily it was just us and another couple so Matt and I had a whole bench to ourselves to snuggle up together and stretch out as much as we could. This would have been great if they just would have let us sleep. We were woken up by the scary passport people twice and then by the ticket agents three times. Why there was this need to verify our paperwork every hour I’m still not so sure of, but it didn’t make for the best night sleep. It did prove to be quite amusing at times though. <br />
<br />
My favorite moment was when we handed the Bulgarian ticket agent our EURail pass. It came to our attention at that moment that it might not be very common for those with a EURail pass to choose this route as he didn’t seem to know what to do with it. He looked at it for a bit, flipped through the pages, turned it over and then called his coworker over. She did the same. They even both stood there and looked at the little map on the back page with the colored in areas of the countries that are included. They pointed and talked and did this for about 10 minutes. Finally, they both must have come to the conclusion that they would accept it but then the problem arose of how to mark it. Even though we couldn’t understand what they were saying you could tell that the guy was like, “well, now what do I do with this? I’m supposed to mark it. I have to mark it.” The lady looked at him and just shrugged. So in the end he just flipped it over, scribbled something on the back and shoved it back at us. They were both a little confused. Hopefully we made it a little easier for the next crazy Americans with a EURail pass that decide to go off the grid and travel to Bulgaria.<br />
<br />
Once we reached the border between Romania and Bulgaria, the other couple in our room left so we both had our own bench all to ourselves (it’s amazing how your standards for accommodations lower when you travel). This would have been great but unlike the sauna train, this train was freezing! I think Matt and I both layered on as many clothes as we could and it was still cold. It would have been better just to stay snuggled up together but there was no room. It was a long and restless night in the icebox train but we did finally arrive in Sofia.<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Sofia</u></em></strong><br />
Sofia was a bit of a resting stop. Since there are no international trains to Greece we had to schedule a bus for the following day. The best part of this arrangement meant that we got to sleep in a real bed and take a nice hot and much anticipated shower. To our surprise the people we met in Sofia were welcoming, friendly, and some of the kindest that we’ve run into in Europe so far. Our hostel host even took the time to make sure we knew where all the sites were and told us all about the history of Sofia. He was so proud of his city and you could tell he was excited to share it. He made sure we knew how to work the shower, showed us how to use the keys and even showed us how to work the mini blinds (mind you these were just like any standard mini blinds with the rotating plastic handle you have everywhere…but it was still nice of him to show us). The next morning, he even went out of his way and drove us to the bus station to make sure we didn’t miss our bus. Of all the places on this train adventure I wish we could have explored more, or would go back to, it would be Sofia!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rIpl1ql48hU/UmrYAXzL3kI/AAAAAAAACrU/n7vgAb6yUU8/s1600-h/IMG_20130918_190949_0225.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130918_190949_022" border="0" height="413" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-482DkYSlUYc/UmrYA8JWhcI/AAAAAAAACrc/2fehEkGLHxk/IMG_20130918_190949_022_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130918_190949_022" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ti_4NuwZhfI/UmrYBw4im-I/AAAAAAAACrk/91AbKo5w40U/s1600-h/IMG_20130918_191103_4735.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130918_191103_473" border="0" height="310" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5TCb-Yrd3Pw/UmrYCcm_UEI/AAAAAAAACro/y0yGcp-odd8/IMG_20130918_191103_473_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130918_191103_473" width="326" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Trying out the local Bulgarian cuisine at the King Potato! </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Despite the name and goofy mascot it was actually quite delicious! We had a great meal with the help and suggestions of our kind and patient waitress!<br />
<br />
The next day we boarded our bus for our five hour ride to Thessaloniki, Greece. I was fully prepped for the school bus style bench seats, diesel exhaust, and wafting odorous bathroom but this bus was above and beyond what I could have ever imaged for a 35 euro bus ticket. The seats were comfortable and each one had it’s own private television with a selection of movies and music. We even got breakfast and lunch. There was an in-route attendant that would bring you drinks and such on a little cart throughout the trip. I’m not going to lie, this bus had better service than all US domestic flights. He even came by and personally made sure we were alright and knew what was happening when we went through passport control and that we didn’t have any questions. <br />
<br />
He just kept bringing things on the cart. It got to the point where we would both look at each other and wonder what he was bringing next. The best part was that before we even left Sofia he brought Matt a cup of water without him even asking. Matt must have looked thirsty or something because no one else on the bus was given water. We were a little confused but Matt happily accepted his “gift water.” If you are going to travel by bus do it from Bulgaria to Greece!<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u>Greece</u></em></strong><br />
We arrived in Thessaloniki late afternoon and spent the rest of the evening exploring the boardwalk and the sea. Oddly, it took forever for us to find a place to eat dinner. All we could find were cocktail-type bars serving coffee drinks. We found out later that in Greece dinner doesn’t really start until about 7. We did eventfully find a spot where we had gyros and, of course, a little ouzo! We even finished off the walk back to our hotel with a tasty bite of baklava from a corner bakery. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FyWvzKL5Txs/UmrYC_3YhRI/AAAAAAAACr0/6mcR8s_dWJQ/s1600-h/IMG_20130919_180008_8134.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130919_180008_813" border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7YSMzVyS7x7qCXPMTy4WMWvXjZ67efzIwez6VeJ3e7DSY40Bf7hzG2NRVts-EOcbkmMfJpp9_vGiy9Bp3YJ3egORV3e7Ga8JYh-eRTeVi3cZSytEq2N08G6PCN_fidKIsfODhu66coQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130919_180008_813" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hAgsJG3ZyKs/UmrYD-FMggI/AAAAAAAACsA/Ai51OmvnnO8/s1600-h/IMG_20130919_181848_4924.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130919_181848_492" border="0" height="232" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u9B0GpESVro/UmrYEYG7UiI/AAAAAAAACsI/RF1uTDUfwZo/IMG_20130919_181848_492_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130919_181848_492" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some of the views from our walk along the boardwalk in Thessaloniki</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The next day we boarded a quite colorful train for a five hour ride to Athens. The scenery on this trip was absolutely beautiful! We got to ride along the coast, saw fields full of cotton, and even went past Mount Olympus. We were even surprised to find out that we were given a complementary lunch. Mind you it was kind of like an airline meal but it was welcomed seeing that we were prepared for pretzels. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-v-tPZusKzs4/UmrYE7WgDJI/AAAAAAAACsU/MtCDeIFTF5k/s1600-h/IMG_20130920_093542_82917.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130920_093542_829" border="0" height="443" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9zCaAqzAOUU/UmrYFq21CDI/AAAAAAAACsc/5dv98pC6X_M/IMG_20130920_093542_829_thumb20.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130920_093542_829" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Tt_Q66t1i_8/UmrYGcEs99I/AAAAAAAACsk/OWh7bHQrkd0/s1600-h/IMG_20130920_093556_2067.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130920_093556_206" border="0" height="230" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vhLoN9EJWj8/UmrYG8uhnuI/AAAAAAAACso/Og_7z4gYrBI/IMG_20130920_093556_206_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130920_093556_206" width="307" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our colorful train to Athens!</span></div>
<br />
All in all, the train travel was a different and interesting experience but not one that I’d choose to repeat. We are both looking forward to the exciting things that await us in Athens!Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com8Thessaloniki, Greece40.6393495 22.94460639999999840.542409 22.782557899999997 40.736290000000004 23.1066549tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-9873870423729575472013-10-16T13:51:00.000-06:002013-10-25T15:00:40.874-06:00Riding Down the Rhine Valley & Perusing Prague<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljRYgT6XdMQGTl0fh_e4A4AtOL7w7RY-uiY23PM69bFef6fs_ZKdmF-Hy71dxwGMXLpuO6TijEGgKZU9NpvtjkWuTi2bgOE_pjc_A9g87YvBkH3pDTHgw8yn4gNBdlzscq_Z3n9Y3tRo/s1600-h/_IGP47648.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4764" border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvydmBXuIo8Ty68i_fn9jDm1gbrw8b2orNLoHYxOUXCJPyFs2S8P8DZ_3uRPaJUqqETtUzskHR1I5YdKlJ7-Bmy3rYYumng1X0eVWX7MavOqnAHc7D5o1qJqwzEqLh1RlrSRBjpTRfcMk/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4764" width="450" /></a>The next leg of our adventure took us to Koblenz, Germany. Here we took full advantage of one of the many perks of our EURail pass and spent a whole day riding the Köln-Düsseldorfer paddle steamer all the way up and down the Rhine River Valley. We spent the day admiring the quaint little riverside towns, the beautiful vineyard covered vistas, and the historical hilltop castles once belonging to the wealthy robber barons of the area. It was nice to be able to do some sightseeing from a different perspective.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mW2c-Igd8x8/Ul7mcgN82zI/AAAAAAAACd4/ShGTU_KxfR8/s1600-h/_IGP49291.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4929" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iEJGGkD2gEQ/Ul7mdXkmDxI/AAAAAAAACeA/Dc4RAW1EOTE/_IGP4929_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4929" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Köln-Düsseldorfer paddle steamer has been paddling the Rhine since 1913.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<img align="left" alt="_IGP4788" border="0" height="468" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-U_2YeFsXbdc/Ul7meDsoHvI/AAAAAAAACeI/pMmYnFVZRpo/_IGP4788_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4788" width="310" /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_gOssNzYJGc/Ul7meh93l-I/AAAAAAAACeM/eANAfq-vpYg/s1600-h/_IGP49095.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4909" border="0" height="212" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_2Wsnp37boc/Ul7mfAI4HBI/AAAAAAAACeU/xj3ol3sQbps/_IGP4909_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4909" width="320" /></a> <br />
<br />
We rode the paddle steamer from Koblenz up the river to Rudesheim and sat at the bow of the boat for the whole 6 hour ride. Even though it was a bit cold and misty it made for quite a pleasant trip since we were the only ones crazy enough or dressed well enough to outlast the elements. Near mid-day it warmed up quite a bit which proved to be quite the reward because the bow filled with people and we had the best seats on the boat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-i0CHX9XtmNo/Ul7mf-xl5wI/AAAAAAAACeg/i4xdSagr_Z4/s1600-h/_IGP48275.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4827" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JEU9D0nr080/Ul7mgjHl9TI/AAAAAAAACeo/O45CU_uH7Ds/_IGP4827_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4827" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the 18 castles that line the hilltops along the banks of the Rhine River. Back in the day these nobles and wealthy landowners would close off the river and extract tolls from passing cargo ships to line their own pockets, which is how they came to be known as robber barons.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8L2dMWBnB8AvImuZDv3UgaM02i4do7tn3kljw5k0YO697ezWgEZ9fEBw5V4G0HZ9K9ccmlk8ePcQOvfZucO7vWn5QG4-W6GbrYtv1vsX7Rj8g9lqqQqa9YUGFeQBAh3bUdX0nsIxcj3E/s1600-h/_IGP47364.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4736" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aRDkwm3GgHY/Ul7mhurInpI/AAAAAAAACe4/1C3rFxvhmJQ/_IGP4736_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4736" width="310" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-t4lsrL0EtN4/Ul7miaKfopI/AAAAAAAACfA/GtJ5qBtCZtU/s1600-h/_IGP47374.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4737" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BBm_MGwaZzY/Ul7miyftF0I/AAAAAAAACfI/WF_UaBWiUz0/_IGP4737_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4737" width="310" /></a><br />
On the way back to Koblenz we decided it was time to warm up a bit and enjoy the view from inside the boat. I was a little sad we didn’t get the chance to do one of the dinner cruses through the canals in Amsterdam so Matt surprised me and we had a lovely three course meal aboard the boat on way back. This turned out to be the right thing to do as it started pouring at about the point we got our food. We were glad we weren’t one of the many on the bow scrambling for a nice warm seat inside. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SStSFY5DvZc/Ul7mjc9VJaI/AAAAAAAACfQ/94M6ZRhpkro/s1600-h/IMG_20130911_194745_3387.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130911_194745_338" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEJZI-EgOodxFBLSgizcbmPZrjNANEV3pOTiA2p-FNOdA9xaAxSr-oZoBAoKI8aixXoWR56oPlmWIXMj22ptlQVT4u6RArA_noQp1SBkSCZhlPdEZBHTdC3iX06NdprZlwLBg6y3zQ00/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130911_194745_338" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Steering the ship though the rough waters of the Rhine. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">No need to worry, we made it back ok!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: small;">ELTZ CASTLE</span></u></em></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The next day we took a nice scenic hike though the town of Moselkern and up the hill to Eltz Castle.</span> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4H0OztNESDk/Ul7mlLJ4mtI/AAAAAAAACfg/qf72HubVBIk/s1600-h/_IGP49634.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4963" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-E7JKIux0pqI/Ul7ml7Y9MRI/AAAAAAAACfo/fIDEwqlz8mc/_IGP4963_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4963" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEnfjx0-xI_YgbU-aUK98yOoKFVOz2ox884yqG59m-gVb4C250gDlyJ6eEBdPwDTTbUsp5QtO-a2kJNN9o9FvgIlO-0EdF5y8xlzyFTi9pvqgdwhn7snxtMvSzr1upGbbjT8lVbtl2Bc/s1600-h/_IGP49547.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4954" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JaAe44x9v1s/Ul7mnSYfwfI/AAAAAAAACf4/deHXFsJQU8I/_IGP4954_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4954" width="318" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Bd27KocDOa0/Ul7moGcnq0I/AAAAAAAACgA/elZbRalsh18/s1600-h/_IGP49414.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4941" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xHbCl-M1aPM/Ul7moq-QCuI/AAAAAAAACgI/B6oEpcJ4-G4/_IGP4941_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4941" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The walk up to the entrance of Eltz Castle</span></div>
<br />
Eltz Castle is the only Medieval castle on the left bank of the Moselle River to never be destroyed. It also still belongs to the original family that started living there in the 12th century and has been passed down through 33 generations. It truly feels just like a castle from a story book!<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside the courtyard.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: small;">PRAGUE</span></u></em></strong><br />
That night we took the overnight train to Prague. Let me give you a bit of advice, if traveling by train do all that you can to get a place to lie down. The seats, although better than the bus, are not akin to a restful night’s sleep. Don’t get me wrong - they do recline about twice as much as your average airline seat and offer much more feet room, which is great. This would have been fine and dandy but the moment we entered that train car I knew we were in for a long night. It wasn’t just hot, it was sweltering - like second circle of hell sweltering! I have never been so miserably hot aboard a mode of public transportation in all my life as I was that night. I don’t know how anyone slept at all. Matt and I both stripped down to as little as we could, even including our socks and Matt is never comfortable without his socks! Then to top it all off we had to deal with the obnoxiously nosey and noisy children behind us who, I swear woke up just before the break of dawn and decided it was time for the rest of the train to join them. And one of them (Maxwell I believe his name was) just wouldn’t stop staring at me. I mean it was borderline creepy. Needless to say we were glad when we finally made it to Prague. And all in all besides the sauna-like temperatures and the incessant peering eyes of Maxwell it was better than the bus!<br />
<br />
We celebrated our arrival and survival with a nice Czech meal!<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DNlfGlYBniA/Ul7mpZwsuYI/AAAAAAAACgQ/o3kYL-DoTro/s1600-h/IMG_20130913_162603_3665.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130913_162603_366" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eUpkfq520RA/Ul7mp8ZPpiI/AAAAAAAACgY/iAm6W3ok-Mw/IMG_20130913_162603_366_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130913_162603_366" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It was time for a well deserved giant Czech beer after that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
When the waitress came to take our order we told her what we thought we wanted and she looks at us both, shakes her head and says, “oh no. You don’t want that.” We were both like, “alright… How about this?” Her response was something along the lines of, “not that either.” We both looked at each other and then at her and said, “what should we have?” We ended up with the Pork Knee and a Mix Grill Plate. It was absolutely delicious but not what either of us were planning on having. I’m not sure why they have a menu but we were glad the waitress didn’t let us make the wrong choices. <br />
<br />
<img alt="IMG_20130913_165734_261" border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqiHTdlHxXC1NXpcNdyhAciy5QZqWywMqP0jStfJ5VpsAyaGSaZJz60CQ9Mb0ID2yNq59PXGICRCRuqmDN9K8jYnu4ulXyv5mFkREFagy0j2k3W6kVR9RhxCCgxi8TRSsGjTHX6BouzU/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130913_165734_261" width="310" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG51mragnHZqKbrmo6kVuOEeVyyzBaMk6nhYV3Pu_OM5UOHQXzHQn_ckNgQ-rMunAUrC7YEO1VGp7OkqN8-ULTXh8mx108peW04ZFCLwmD8i1h7JEFiVCzfvxTsKwyTl3Pi4w6hQxbyl8/s1600-h/IMG_20130913_165741_1044.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130913_165741_104" border="0" height="232" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Gb9k7McrVxE/Ul7mr2bMEOI/AAAAAAAACgw/DZpSIwcfiuI/IMG_20130913_165741_104_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130913_165741_104" width="310" /></a> <br />
When Matt’s Knee came out I was pleasantly pleased to have the plate of meat that was pre-boned. I looked at him and asked, “how do you eat that?” His response, “with a knife!” (referring to the knife that had been shoved into it). Although it seemed intimidating and quite scary looking at first it proved to be the better of the two meals in the end. I made sure to do my bit of picking pieces from his plate when he wasn’t looking.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<strong><em><u><span style="font-size: small;">BONE CHURCH</span></u></em></strong><br />
The next day we decided last minute to take a beautiful scenic train trip through the countryside to see the bone church.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-a6Bb2hhVNwU/Ul7msp2nt1I/AAAAAAAACg4/vBmFn1rfSGk/s1600-h/_IGP49844.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4984" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K11MwoBBGyE/Ul7mtUu01hI/AAAAAAAAChA/cPyMJ6W3ANk/_IGP4984_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4984" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Watching the fields fly by on the way to the Bone Church.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3_ydbLQH8lB0XCggFzxXN-U4AfIpPmvAHpHavq8MhI_LTJhTGFBdS0PHy9-cjDTh1dTy15T8Dh8uTHD-ppFyoI-yoCNwnnmjOruWe-G5m4dRVttn6knrGRmm5dGx6m48NTfXG8ehWcI/s1600-h/_IGP49891.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4989" border="0" height="460" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aDXIvkKYphE/Ul7muZauBDI/AAAAAAAAChQ/jtjJmY_l7so/_IGP4989_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4989" width="305" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0sOvhY4ZS6M/Ul7mvCnuSXI/AAAAAAAAChY/cQ7CWkPGHmE/s1600-h/_IGP49904.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4990" border="0" height="199" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8A3RbLxKlv8/Ul7mvo_EDZI/AAAAAAAAChg/JiN1TXyHSZE/_IGP4990_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 20px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4990" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7xWNpLr0lGk/Ul7mwSOUNUI/AAAAAAAACho/55yNgpx9tzw/s1600-h/_IGP50084.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5008" border="0" height="199" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zGB3v-1lfeI/Ul7mxCsoHqI/AAAAAAAAChs/HfVhceFCx80/_IGP5008_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5008" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">Like the catacombs in Paris, this is a result of the plague, but instead of just throwing them all underground, here they tried to turn the ugliness of the plague into something beautiful.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Qm2jgQiUc00/Ul7mxsylL2I/AAAAAAAACh4/NiGBViudZwk/s1600-h/_IGP50114.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5011" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QbZLH9ZSQ5U/Ul7myXCzJSI/AAAAAAAACiA/82IHw56q5oc/_IGP5011_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5011" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In total there are some 40 thousand people worth of bones decorating this church.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<strong><em><u>PRAGUE CITY</u></em></strong><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ziJu-Uq1Z_w/Ul7mzIx-VwI/AAAAAAAACiI/OI_P6L_7-Zo/s1600-h/_IGP51597.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP5159" border="0" height="438" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eBMITav5niI/Ul7mz_Iw0TI/AAAAAAAACiQ/He29UUTM0_g/_IGP5159_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5159" width="290" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSstcwkbLWR7nC9k8EfaPKp0CbcRcEc6THmN36psZOR7gR9Kt00YEdVW5YTE6j76kmJuckw6pr7p1QeCThZHNcE_vDcZUyVsp1QkdxvzruWpn6Q9ZsgcMc_LcZJT-CvO7Ugr2wa1kMK4c/s1600-h/_IGP51937.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5193" border="0" height="216" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iD4ssg4F4tk/Ul7m1RuJeZI/AAAAAAAACig/A8St3SivKWU/_IGP5193_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5193" width="325" /></a><br />
The following day we explored many of the sites the city of Prague has to offer. We went to the Jewish Quarter, saw the town square and the astronomical clock, went to the top of the Klementinum along with the library and Mirror Chapel inside, we walked along Charles Bridge, listened to some street musicians and ate some more delicious local food. Of all the cities we’ve been to, so far Prague is near the top of my list of the ones I liked most! It’s a must-see for anyone traveling to the Czech Republic! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WW4PbC8oiTA/Ul7m2FNtR6I/AAAAAAAACio/oo0l6WF0z5o/s1600-h/_IGP50519.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5051" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-waCmNo1yjvg/Ul7m2wFO89I/AAAAAAAACiw/pNDCZvu3RC0/_IGP5051_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5051" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The gravestones in the Jewish Cemetery. </span></div>
When the Jews ran out of space they would just bury the dead on top of one another. Because of this it is very crowded, but there is a kind of closeness and sense of beauty in all of its clutter.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcB04Tuj2FC6ISgBAO45qlsG_Zj-SC4oHedBebUoF_swci_kS5F2kzStnv7sZjo1NDzN3g1jULAkKmlmbLMdkEvcuiNCAU1GwcKurrLxKQYUlxgX8yebeFtIglUfUeWUpjfE-5FjR21V0/s1600-h/_IGP51264.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5126" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lbv1gkpYg0abiZ1dxkOkVt8okMlTGn4ck0Zn_7DZtc0-QjMg_OWN_AmRFk_463Uh2vlcu5wzlrvYjyNbH-GdhsjG3Y8eokburd2FsGLCsV42Hq4r7yZTQERqo9OkSNPFhbOytRdAT_g/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5126" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Enjoying the view of the city from the top of the Astronomical Tower at the Klementinum. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SFdP4_JmcO8/Ul7m5B_Dt7I/AAAAAAAACjI/J07rdobJAQc/s1600-h/_IGP51295.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5129" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwBKGfwaQsr-j0cS7kPZSU9hctPpTO35X8uQSUB66fOl_HJ5ubdgXS5TETQuzV8L1cbY1wk17OWT58P0aT6vsn-FgbAbx8ioGB_GB8CqkReXqMJFlXYa0Ps4ADOXZAhpclUoULCeHX64/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP5129" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The breathtaking decoration inside the Mirror Chapel in the Klementinum.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TibRRzc5rTI/Ul7m6vHucqI/AAAAAAAACjY/dtJt9Bg7syY/s1600-h/_IGP50845.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5084" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rD5mA7kpfzQ/Ul7m7feCYkI/AAAAAAAACjg/yFwcGrnOqIM/_IGP5084_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5084" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And the absolutely stunning library and globe collection inside the Klementinum.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YJgp5_xRNHM/Ul7m7z-YMCI/AAAAAAAACjo/2EOu6Yumulk/s1600-h/_IGP51444.jpg"><img alt="_IGP5144" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XT9LdOp5qgw/Ul7m8sKzUlI/AAAAAAAACjw/HAUo8SA2y60/_IGP5144_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP5144" width="640" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We tried to avoid the rain whenever possible but we got caught in a squall when looking at the local art along the Charles Bridge. Too bad we didn’t have an umbrella like in all the pictures.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U6i4-PMb300/Ul7m9d0kDsI/AAAAAAAACj4/DVB7xL1s_cQ/s1600-h/IMG_20130915_133227_1229.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130915_133227_122" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kGkyS5Ke2wg/Ul7m-k-ZT5I/AAAAAAAACkA/U6sVV8S2OPI/IMG_20130915_133227_122_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130915_133227_122" width="360" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
We wrapped up our time in Prague with beers, brats, and what I called “rotating bread” (a sweet bread that they wrap around what looks like rolling pins and is cooked on a rotisserie over an open fire) in the town square! What could be better than good food at good prices to make the day!<br />
<br />
Now we head off to the train station to start our long train adventure to Greece! Keep reading to find out where we end up next!Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com2Koblenz, Germany50.360025 7.589907000000039350.197022 7.26581050000004 50.523028000000004 7.9140035000000388tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-58800482728071502232013-10-11T12:20:00.000-06:002014-01-29T14:59:53.024-07:00Chocolate in Bruges & Art in Amsterdam<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8FIGrbI2VSs/UlgVqlQwlZI/AAAAAAAACQU/MzxSreBPsXA/s1600-h/_IGP46902.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4690" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WYGkV-g-0Po/UlgVrT1bnBI/AAAAAAAACQc/zV3qfP9foRc/_IGP4690_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="398" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4690" width="406" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided it was time to slow down a bit so we headed off to Belgium and the Netherlands. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first stop was Bruges. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bruges was more than I expected. It was a quaint little town with an old Europe flair surrounded by canals and windmills. The people were friendly and welcoming. At one point on our walk around town we were looking at our map trying to figure out where to go next and a nice elderly man we could barely understand wandered up to help us. What started out as just directions turned into quite a long conversation about the meaning of love. I could only assume he seemed taken by us as a couple. And even though it was unexpected it kind of gave Bruges a sense of old school European romance that has been missing elsewhere. Our primary goal in Bruges was to consume as much fine Belgian chocolate, cheese, and beer as we could. We succeeded! Everything in Bruges tasted delicious! By the time we left for Amsterdam I had to loosen the belt just a bit but boy was it worth it!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0QrkmAXZliU/UlgzScKyRUI/AAAAAAAACYE/Xsu0t5T3quA/s1600-h/_IGP4695%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4695" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Na0RXo_T5G0/UlgzTJ-kNdI/AAAAAAAACYM/y4z2E4dc68E/_IGP4695_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="199" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4695" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XHPplqsbaW4/UlgzT0pQNmI/AAAAAAAACYU/Vn8zLptQr18/s1600-h/_IGP4648%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4648" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0QyyI_IIkbw/UlgzUshbGPI/AAAAAAAACYc/zyQCoWRi3GM/_IGP4648_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="199" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4648" width="300" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some of the local sites: including the windmills along the canals and the Market Square.</span> </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-dL8r0FRUmPHNFX4WDilFG2Gf1qfU-quImZpKTTcVMEqezzI8nV_0zv3ncoZHEsdseG5T8xQDSv2zcRg-bL6SkxA9Vr_i4q_GQfPmkD3CiPTXDYJCG0b8RyRNbnRmmCRjbNZ85bP2lA/s1600-h/IMG_20130904_122138_306%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130904_122138_306" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlKUTclUAZkaKirO3o45QoOO3GnCOgaSWxUuiD5-ufQyZIhXlt81uMbVH4i1SnqxGNRKrYI0U68f1_dkmzUzhyphenhyphennNe1A4L_awIwRigqsBQR4MYm6rg5YIn-jcbdxIEXZC0lZGrblJ-SGU/?imgmax=800" height="225" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130904_122138_306" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pNqBxi4EmVA/UlgzY5TWZLI/AAAAAAAACY0/ol37ZLk4gsk/s1600-h/IMG_20130904_122447_949%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130904_122447_949" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OuMCnh8WdCI/UlgzaKfwzuI/AAAAAAAACY8/vEBKY0QXENQ/IMG_20130904_122447_949_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="225" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130904_122447_949" width="300" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We stumbled upon a market one day in the city center. Their produce and meats were amazing!</span></div>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6OTLO6oM8Bo/UlgzawzydHI/AAAAAAAACZE/I2T8T8SRvJc/s1600-h/P9032581%25255B18%25255D.jpg"><img alt="P9032581" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CFISyngpHoo/Ulgzbsu0UhI/AAAAAAAACZM/TtVbfS9dmYI/P9032581_thumb%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9032581" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Most often our meals consisted of some local cheese and meats from the deli down the street, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">fresh bread and fruit, some pesto, and of course a fine Belgian beer. Picnics like this were best enjoyed while watching people in the town square.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the highlights of Bruges was crossing off <a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.com/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#53 on my bucket list</a> and taking a Belgian Chocolate Tour. We made sure to research some of the best little local shops to get a small sampling from each. Let me tell you…once you’ve gone Belgian you won’t ever go back!</span><br />
<img alt="IMG_20130904_120700_774 - Copy" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xdt_DF96Tmc/UlgV5qSjOAI/AAAAAAAACZc/PoCtVzmfTnM/IMG_20130904_120700_774Copy4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="112" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130904_120700_774 - Copy" width="150" /><img alt="IMG_20130904_120740_412" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRLqLqOcPVwRUwOsBnZwe7OxgxLfrnsX53RrF9uBJYGBS9b_T1e4RiqgetxOouARJXA9sXI-yixcKP5a9eOels61A0SbOif2KXPnnt2EcdhsguC8esRGGBr_edjNnAdz8GkPRodhm6KA/?imgmax=800" height="112" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130904_120740_412" width="150" /><img alt="IMG_20130904_123950_006" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-y4abFv6k0Go/UlgV_nZ9hYI/AAAAAAAACZs/gld-xWzXZrw/IMG_20130904_123950_00610.jpg?imgmax=800" height="112" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130904_123950_006" width="150" /><img alt="IMG_20130904_124938_819" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uD2G6jB4uZ0/UlgV9yz2tUI/AAAAAAAACZ0/NEyoEcbpFlA/IMG_20130904_124938_8193.jpg?imgmax=800" height="112" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130904_124938_819" width="150" /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The four shops we visited were: Neuhaus, The Chocolate Line, Verheecke Chocolates, and Dumon Chocolates</span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2a-w9fQ0-gQ/UlgWA5hQfLI/AAAAAAAACS0/H2CerU0zs_I/s1600-h/IMG_20130903_130251_9586.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130903_130251_958" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZqMRkyYEjoc/UlgWBiaIaUI/AAAAAAAACS8/29rMekd1xqU/IMG_20130903_130251_958_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" height="444" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130903_130251_958" width="333" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QxcSPnz4zc8/UlgWDFXFqNI/AAAAAAAACTE/hexW_LoE0ys/s1600-h/IMG_20130903_130343_7295.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130903_130343_729" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiN7azzdEOUcA0lx7NYFALjCWwPXiIT4S5NieWzygFjaE4r4yR1TE2jf-GUdC6MN31m4S2SGxLlEYk_RoOtQsvuq0iDj-xKWxU2Xt4TQOfRTSTJoXiQJpQsJZRUyHfaVKjzmBnDTvhE8c/?imgmax=800" height="223" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130903_130343_729" width="297" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For 5-6 Euros you could get about 100 grams of chocolate of your choice, which proved to be quite the perfect sample or dessert size for two. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of our favorite spots was Neuhaus! We went back there a couple of times.
</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0qKV45xDjL0/UlgWEoaiWNI/AAAAAAAACTU/kVGJL6Xh5uE/s1600-h/_IGP463710.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4637" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5EgAgUsgKSU/UlgWFO9768I/AAAAAAAACTc/-L2oH6NKbws/_IGP4637_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" height="336" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4637" width="223" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9TU4uFvNLbs/UlgWFwnuVJI/AAAAAAAACTk/rw9RZADvOeg/s1600-h/_IGP464010.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4640" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJSK7zauakxKv12xtMpJqsejVf0TYw8MBFJZ9cDi769yCNaBwuXn5iDQcf-k1zxJE7w8hQGWlrvRU5LjtJlz89p4tW9ZQxEldnrHYBrmmEL5jSkwwDbJEgn1YPSU1eQXsLo5IfDH0eqg/?imgmax=800" height="132" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4640" width="200" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-19bkWke1kVc/UlgWINny7WI/AAAAAAAACT0/H5msZESOugA/s1600-h/_IGP46384.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4638" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8_UQdwK-J8g/UlgWJAU3qXI/AAAAAAAACT8/zHV7kDl2qh0/_IGP4638_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="132" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4638" width="200" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZUw8TUKa6vs/UlgWKG1RmXI/AAAAAAAACUE/g7ev8OEjQa8/s1600-h/_IGP46394.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4639" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9RATMwzyHeOLTwwfyJegFRLHeWgv0BJEpEp8s1VYAllDlVbslwb1MqiDb3vnzug9bhNBfbAeetuTLEen9mbclYTce8GUguR1Nisd9bP8luix85ut6nhIBRjvgCs6ILhKYjhivaeqLcg/?imgmax=800" height="132" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4639" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vl7VxsP2n-I/UlgXgQKzIxI/AAAAAAAACUg/BqcAzZXYsQE/s1600-h/_IGP46414.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4641" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wzZ70eYGiHE/UlgXibhJg1I/AAAAAAAACUo/jlffQtn4M0A/_IGP4641_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="132" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4641" width="200" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some of the samples from Neuhaus! Absolutely decedent!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JBkUe9jOTLU/UlgXjZdtDeI/AAAAAAAACUw/2BHHIWQ7-q0/s1600-h/IMG_20130904_132050_7494.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130904_132050_749" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ts9GMPOUg4s/UlgXkKzBxqI/AAAAAAAACU4/r6JsHWnx-gM/IMG_20130904_132050_749_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130904_132050_749" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Our sample box from Dumon Chocolates. They were quite delicious as well! Probably our second favorite shop</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lWfWTpfRTnI/UlgXk0g7R8I/AAAAAAAACVA/xKb7nn6Db5o/s1600-h/_IGP47261.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4726" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ev9uFwOX3kU/UlgXlqhblRI/AAAAAAAACVI/zBQvS2BTt2A/_IGP4726_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4726" width="318" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only downside to Bruges were the bugs! We were literally being eaten alive by mosquitoes in our room at night. After the first night both Matt and I had no less than 20 bites each. So, the next day we shut the windows and door and went on a bug hunt to rid our room of the little blood sucking monsters. It was a massacre! I think the count was up to at least 15 squashed with the spatters on the wall to prove it before we decided we must have killed them all and headed off to bed. Boy were we wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />We woke up at about 3 am because neither of us could bear the buzzing around our ears and we proceeded to kill 10+ more. In the process we uncovered Goliath, the biggest spider both Matt and I have ever seen! And no, he was not the helpful kind of spider helping us to rid the room of mosquitoes. So the mission changed. Our only goal at that point was to get rid of Goliath. Of course we didn’t want him getting loose after a failed attempt with a shoe and running for cover in our luggage that was neatly placed nearby. So Matt carefully and strategically moved everything in the room from that side to the other. He was going to go down with the first attempt and that was final. In the end with my flip-flop in (Matt’s) hand we were victorious. Call us what you want…we both slept a little better that night knowing Goliath wasn’t sleeping with us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Goliath stayed the remainder of his days semi-squished under a plastic cup with a book on top. We left him there for the cleaning lady to take care of when we left the next day. We thought the hotel staff should appreciate him just as much a we did.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <br /><br /><em><strong><u>THE NETHERLANDS</u></strong></em><br />Next stop was Amsterdam. People rave about Amsterdam and although it does have a funky flare with the canals, the bicycles, the Red Light District, and the all too talked about “cafes,” it felt just a little mainstream to me. Besides all the canals and their acceptance with sex and marijuana it didn’t seem all that different from Portland. Don’t get me wrong, it is a fun city to visit but coming from a hipster town myself, it was just kind of another big busy city.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SnH6_DUJL_k/UlgXnfQGhkI/AAAAAAAACVQ/ftsVL11Ruvc/s1600-h/IMG_20130907_143408_96111.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130907_143408_961" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-acaRm8L1Jtw/UlgXobp_lPI/AAAAAAAACVY/CBqvL-2ARRQ/IMG_20130907_143408_961_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" height="232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130907_143408_961" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zUMmGCC9CCg/UlgXqJo7U4I/AAAAAAAACVg/qY7sKroAmUM/s1600-h/IMG_20130910_073806_64010.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130910_073806_640" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-C9BPj0AucmI/UlgXrMA7ucI/AAAAAAAACVo/mkDmcSfEgMU/IMG_20130910_073806_640_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" height="232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130910_073806_640" width="310" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We made sure to see some of Amsterdam’s most noticeable sites including: the tulip market, the Rijksmuseum, the diamond museum, the skinny bridge, and of course the Red Light District (I was humming<em> Roxanne</em> the whole time). <br /><br />It also just so happed that the place where we were staying at was right next to the street where all the high fashion designer shops were. Little did we know that <em>Vogue Magazine</em> was holding their "<em>Fashion’s Night Out 2013 Netherlands</em>” event there. Apparently <em>Vogue</em> sponsors these nights in all the big cities where everyone whose anyone in the fashion industry comes to rub elbows with those in the know. They shut down the major fashion street and all the shops stay open late with “sales,” they hand out free drinks and swag, and have elite invitation-only parties and runway shows. Of course it is open to anyone to walk around and see so I dragged Matt along to see what the world of high fashion was like. Let me tell you…I have never felt so out of place, under-dressed, and short in all my life. I felt like I stepped right into an episode of <em>Top Model Netherlands</em>. It was fun to see but definitely not the scene for either Matt nor myself so we quickly made our way back to our cozy little room to have as much of a nice quiet evening as we could with the fashion party going on out our backdoor.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-azDQAm7duMY/UlgXr2GgRDI/AAAAAAAACVw/mZOFsYCXZko/s1600-h/P90725887.jpg"><img alt="P9072588" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YAJmics_g8I/UlgXteK-tlI/AAAAAAAACV4/CyHRMPwiU6k/P9072588_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" height="480" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="P9072588" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Inside the Attic Church.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite sites was the Attic Church. After the reformation, Catholicism was banned and all the official churches had to be Protestant. So, Catholics of the time had to worship secretly. Because of this one man turned his and two others houses into a secret church. From the outside it looks just like any other house on the street but inside is a full multi-level chapel. People of the time would come and go through the back ally to Mass every Sunday and no one ever knew the difference. It was absolutely amazing!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUczcPhLaiH7bpB-priqqXBliUVQwSOGPLzPzdV2xHp21O1KeOIxrV1qYhUtRCWXAU8J54UgafvDyHlv8xACVR02q2XvdZQoeJY6N5PT8V0rNTX6WJCPPqwuCwb9Id6mcaiWBK2c6sXo/s1600-h/IMG_20130906_183631_5405.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130906_183631_540" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S9SOkIMNyWA/UlgXvduUe_I/AAAAAAAACWI/PEe3h3sSYoA/IMG_20130906_183631_540_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" height="399" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130906_183631_540" width="299" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UxwYFqp3y4o/UlgXxGLEkFI/AAAAAAAACWQ/DdwEYXa_ASM/s1600-h/IMG_20130906_190815_2874.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130906_190815_287" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-afUip9G0e6g/UlgXx8oJbBI/AAAAAAAACWY/47neysBLbxI/IMG_20130906_190815_287_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" height="243" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130906_190815_287" width="324" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another one of our favorite sites in Amsterdam was the Van Gough Museum. Because this museum was devoted to one artist and had almost a complete collection of his work you could see his growth and change and emerging style as a artist. No other museum I’ve ever been too has been able to show that so well. It is definitely a must-see if you make it to Amsterdam!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y3-eCWngiD4/UlgXywJ9ksI/AAAAAAAACWg/Fy0U6UYnnHo/s1600-h/IMG_20130907_135948_4646.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130907_135948_464" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzXytT8l9D7_KLd08u8GaYC0lSlKLOOHDsMJ0knR2Ts5lYln5uViXEfxyPJI8ljx4dsiEOOqs3vsx453YBtB9F0u9sw4gYfot3X9naBEO0DHtFej7ovXRkyEJ8bqUbZAQhJMq6uWyVzw/?imgmax=800" height="559" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130907_135948_464" width="420" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall Bruges and Amsterdam were both fun and funky places to visit! We enjoyed our time in both cities but it was time to move on. Off to to ride a river boat down the Rhine!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Amsterdam, The Netherlands52.3702157 4.895167899999933152.2142757 4.5710713999999335 52.526155700000004 5.2192643999999326tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-42082524406474454412013-10-02T15:18:00.000-06:002013-10-11T12:21:34.812-06:00Finally Putting On Our Sandals in Saint Malo!<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cEqLprOmWds/UkyBeLTQ4HI/AAAAAAAACMI/0Oz8h49HBt8/s1600-h/_IGP44764.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4476" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQc3_-tRTj7dEgEaHA3cQdaPW6Rb4rzH-w2piaI4PIQrqz0CiY9Z71nvGmOZXgWG3WSoG-7dxEp8Re0ISVI-CNQB_RT4VjM8LZQnR6-OKWdpQxy8nzG9ujnen59OoamySlRM-4mjX8Idg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4476" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">Walking along the city wall of Saint Malo with Fort National in the background.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">After Paris we headed off to spend a few days enjoying the beautiful beaches and exploring the walled city of Saint Malo. We had had enough of the city and were told that this is where some of the locals go for holiday in France. According to Kathy, it is a great place to spend all day just lying on the beach and turning yourself into toast. We thought, “great! We could use a little toasting after all the rain we’ve encountered so far!” It proved to be just what we could have hoped for!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">On our way to Saint Malo we took a short detour to Chartres to see the beautiful Chartres Cathedral. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXy7ojT8oSsVU-y2bW4LzKcm0OrAT0ePVzKYcVVDVK0jLRwx-dNsP9WylWRKnjcoZDzOWeRUtQYQkvlzvKkUQEzP7qmA5W8DuJ5ujwmfu9ihmFMx9ZlmhiyujRFy1ruzHOejJ7yO7t3c/s1600-h/_IGP43805.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4380" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MwxmOgbqYys/UkyBgECYYhI/AAAAAAAACMg/VwBHhIWvWFA/_IGP4380_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4380" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The alter of Chartres Cathedral</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzpwhwsrZmP_iW3uMpSl1NcVUXyLnFeFQWqSsyiCmqwHOh4X6NAAAwPhLgj6K_UevK7wBv6Kcky0bP0VByXge0UIb54GO-du7wAWjLI4YstahhA9fLStfRF4yZsh_dgW7Htu4I8929LM/s1600-h/_IGP43755.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4375" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yVu1OUx1xoQ/UkyBhE1-i8I/AAAAAAAACMs/XmKpRrhnKPw/_IGP4375_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4375" width="318" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLpaxRuF97_kID_8Akjek0No3Oz2EGQhB77V90R4iLGd1wWYGR11tMmurc16bFzgeK_-Fq-uue-arhOcyvV5ua7dEJGTGShpE1B5wmYQhAu_H_UonGdixHxJCUoe6sOjNJrE2VSF6sbtA/s1600-h/_IGP437613.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4376" border="0" height="206" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sqn0vSKI7bk/UkyBiAR5OII/AAAAAAAACM8/YOtdyPZR6U4/_IGP4376_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4376" width="310" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6M_ZpgwCPaM/UkyBhpo8ZBI/AAAAAAAACNE/Ge62b2JTg8o/s1600-h/_IGP43766.jpg"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">One of the things that Chartres Cathedral is know for is the stone labyrinth on the floor. Pilgrims come from all over to walk the labyrinth as a form of meditation and prayer. It is said to represent the journey of life and the life of Jesus from birth to death and ultimately his resurrection and ascension in to life ever after. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Blue Mary Window in Charters Cathedral.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Once we got to Saint Malo. We checked into our cute little hotel room and then decided to take a nice afternoon stroll down the beach which was only a quick 5 minute walk down the road. To be honest I really didn’t have high hopes for the French beaches. Being spoiled by the pristine Oregon beaches I’m usually a little let down when I’ve visited more populated tourist beaches like in Hawaii, California, Mexico, and Costa Rica. They tend to be dirty, littered with trash, and overrun with unfriendly people to the point where it is hard to even find a place to lay out your towel. Since we were sold on this being a tourist destination and having just left Paris, where everything was either tagged with graffiti or had the continual “Ode de Sewage,” I left with low expectations. Boy, was I wrong! This was one of the most wonderful beaches I have ever been to. The weather was just pleasant enough where you could swim or sunbathe and you didn’t get sweaty and overheated or chilled and frozen to the bone. The beaches were immaculately clean - I don’t think I saw a single piece of garbage. There was just enough wind to fly a kite, people played volleyball near the surf, sunbathers lined up against the tidal wall (some topless…remember this is Europe), families building sand castles, music playing on the boardwalk, and off in the distance you can see the picturesque view of the walled city Saint Malo!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Matt and I took off our sandals and walked all the way from one end of the beach to the other (which took us about an hour)!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuPtIpfy6MhulIyg4UXeHHQyr5Qji_ScG5QTRnrAtDEEnp5IT0URslU8LIorf-tf8mr37uMxmGF403RXRSkyFOZMwlMCRtiWdFhf7A3pES78KU7e99zI_Khwz4LjbtmSaWVLsrznpQSk/s1600-h/_IGP43925.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4392" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-afRg1Rzx3tk/UkyBj4kqMMI/AAAAAAAACNY/Xcwf4gGp0vU/_IGP4392_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4392" width="640" /></a> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Aview of the walled city of Saint Malo.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KzLmUS784c0/UkyBlYWOSyI/AAAAAAAACNw/udPJfQvxeBU/s1600-h/_IGP44517.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4451" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mcutNEAKTXwm40PpKqG1lve6yysUTOY0UYeWik85ccf-W-xGI5hVsepHA2eKxKWD3Opfdplo69-8lEvAdaN7Eml4vgxasvs2jLFaApQUFbXUqxAGNuyo_ES89i4sQtpG0_3hVf9dsis/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4451" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">From the beach when the tide is low, you can walk right up to Fort National.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FN9k37qmKrU/UkyBmQM1DmI/AAAAAAAACOA/53xh85kpHfY/s1600-h/_IGP44809.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4480" border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWjoibN_7vzOjiVX22F3j9cHuf0x1EF2Ap4kBxvLyl97BHMI5vgxJvO7JT8eyG6WpbYN_DjAAJwD3cshZAH67vGnKxxn0mwgXyVywIl1_XAxTIVEbmjVsQJ7IGWDRY2vGvHP8a3ueEbg/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 7px 0px;" title="_IGP4480" width="310" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5WHRCmIdQqI/UkyBnuwWsAI/AAAAAAAACOQ/l7yDxXEhErc/s1600-h/_IGP44045.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4404" border="0" height="210" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MTCOmfr0H7c/UkyBoM8lZ6I/AAAAAAAACOY/xuf_fvbzOtk/_IGP4404_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4404" width="318" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt at the entrance to Fort National.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Once we reached the end of the beach we had fun exploring both the fort and walking along the outer wall of the city. We found a cute little creperie along the wall where all the waiters were dressed as pirates. We couldn't pass that up! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking out of one of the turret.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3Dx79BToXPQ/UkyBosdKCXI/AAAAAAAACOg/ZBYgO5al6Qg/s1600-h/_IGP444810.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4448" border="0" height="424" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Kbhx0fEb0_U/UkyBpRZ8R1I/AAAAAAAACOo/ecAhccFXoZA/_IGP4448_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4448" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Having fun exploring the tide pools around Fort National.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u7rcJ6bWQ4A/UkyBqH2C9NI/AAAAAAAACOw/1D98LxqHIFM/s1600-h/IMG_20130830_205207_495Copy8.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130830_205207_495 - Copy" border="0" height="413" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qlsSXvm8KFk/UkyBqnA-wiI/AAAAAAAACO4/AcySiASRC-w/IMG_20130830_205207_495Copy_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130830_205207_495 - Copy" width="310" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The Normandy area is known for their buckwheat crepes and cider. The odd thing about the cider is that it is served in a ceramic pitcher with a ceramic tea cup. I know you’re thinking, “that’s not odd.” Well, the cider isn't the comforting warm apple cider you get at Christmas (that would make sense being in a tea cup) but the cold hard sparkling kind you normally get in a frosty pint glass. Needless to say I was a little thrown when I took my first sip. It was delicious though and after a cup or so what you’re drinking it out of doesn't matter in the least! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the delicious crepes I had with pears, almonds, and chocolate sauce.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-olLrSdCOjPY/UkyBrP37fyI/AAAAAAAACPA/dJGvXEybwKI/s1600-h/IMG_20130901_132908_06610.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130901_132908_066" border="0" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBEKy0bDyL723TlkrSsNwHqntvFBCaUlafQgaim4iv68Yup0AXhNEilNy7kXwdEPH01siNwZ0h-M-eA_QysFjLo062DUAUk0FcBzSNysRpJjTuXAvpj0XZZdPCZ7av0qYcykj4pB48B4/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130901_132908_066" width="310" /></a>The next day we spent the day inside the walls of Saint Malo. We went to the candy stores, did some shopping, and stopped to listen to some street musicians along the way. I also took on a battle with the biggest meringue cookie I had ever seen. In the end I was defeated as it ended up winning the fight since I could not finish it. We then spent the rest of the afternoon sunbathing on the beach (Note there are no pictures of this). Most of the sunbathers were indeed topless and it was interesting to see how it really wasn't that big of a deal for them. I think in many ways the American culture is still kind of grounded in its puritan roots. Of all things, nudity really isn't that big of a deal and after spending weeks in the art museums, surrounded with all the nude sculptures and paintings, it really didn't seem that out of the norm for me as well. The body is a beautiful form and I don’t think it should be necessary to cover all the time or be a crime if you want a nice tan. <br />
Also most of the men here wear Speedos instead of the typical trunks in the States, so when you are just lying on your back on the beach, often your ability to notice the differences between the sexes gets difficult when men and women wear such similar bottoms. After a while you kind of stop noticing. <br />
I know you are all wondering…and no I did not do it. The courage just wasn't there this time around.<br />
<br />
The next day we headed off to see the walled island city and abbey of Mont Saint Michael. <br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-APQGz6LyXdw/UkyBsbHPrQI/AAAAAAAACPQ/i82qvkYoGgI/s1600-h/_IGP46304.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4630" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuux4Z9G0HTteF9z0VzTGv8dKuuyOT4S0QppREdPuASKE1ThrkJdqrxq9arUoqbguiwfdW07xZsB3LaFD_rXxX7u5pBc15Wsdw1Es700dTkSzHM1XTRgPTfp3OC-GEyjo6b4rvMswyTE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4630" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A view of Mont Saint Michael. When the tide is high the island can be completely surrounded by water.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Once inside the walls of Mont Saint Michael it kind of feels like you have stepped back in time - like you are walking around one of those castle cities you see in the story books when you are a little kid. They let you explore the passageways around all the little shops and hotels. Matt and I even found a little hidden graveyard. And of course they let you tour the abbey. The highlight of the trip was that we just happened to reach the chapel right when they were setting up for noon mass. So we decided to stay. It was truly spiritual! It started with one of the young monks ringing the chapel bell by hand. There was a long rope that went to the top of the chapel right in the middle of where everyone sat. Once he was done he went to play the organ while the rest of the </span><span style="font-size: small;">monks and nuns, who knelt up front, sang in Latin in four-part harmony. It was some of the most angelic music I’ve ever heard. When they were singing I looked around and noticed that the chapel was pretty stark. There were no fancy windows, gilded crosses, outlandishly painted ceilings, or even fancy seats with kneelers. It was just them there, connecting with God. They didn’t need all that. To me that is what spirituality should really be about. Just a plain and simple connection with God. And even though the mass was in French and I didn’t understand a lick of it, I still felt moved. And for me, that’s what mass should do…allow you to connect spiritually with God. It may not have been for everyone but I found it to be one of the best ways to truly experience Mont Saint Michael.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<img align="left" alt="_IGP4524" border="0" height="453" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8KPTAUPBj7U/UkyBtaf-eJI/AAAAAAAACPg/RZ_NMqvALRA/_IGP4524_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;" title="_IGP4524" width="300" /><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dDDmqofh6xDs7E_Qme-82ut3yyHi-CSy1-TJjlozt_Da6J6U7EFja0UNCA44Pf32YcipkT7E4tfuO0yu0XEKe_V_DDPrVHvW7IHFmTK_Fy-U1XD7aP4INotqzNEq2EN2Q8zM_1FuvpM/s1600-h/_IGP44966.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="_IGP4496" border="0" height="453" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BqmWzp433I0/UkyButXjWeI/AAAAAAAACPw/4Bdmxb9f3WY/_IGP4496_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4496" width="300" /></a> <span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;">Exploring inside the walled city of Mont Saint Michael.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JmOWC7DW_ZQ/UkyBvFnjQvI/AAAAAAAACP4/El9gu7xFaUc/s1600-h/_IGP442114.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4421" border="0" height="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jIQyHoY3-GWUE_V9LdqwgQaPJlWsKFJ8f47Z7nQh5J4AexFxMMZi-h23VQKQRiVy5yUgnKwTNU2Oh5_a5bsLK7eeAIlKQcN0DYOppvFyot6yhW5bObIHkstAIjF7zqfnIbFCdwfwQf0/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4421" width="470" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All in all we had a blast in Saint Malo. It was the nice relaxing time we needed. I just wish we could have spent more time here!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now off to delve into the world of chocolate in Bruges! Watch out Belgium here we come!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com2St-Malo, France48.649337 -2.025673999999980948.4805715 -2.3497704999999809 48.8181025 -1.7015774999999809tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-60520051464885204872013-09-14T14:56:00.000-06:002013-10-02T15:20:50.751-06:00We say “Oui” in Paris!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T9MbCu_1q0s/UjSfDYY0m9I/AAAAAAAAB7M/N9aSbGTZ50A/s1600-h/_IGP365111.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP3651" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-J8snYYUonhE/UjSfEOMrDkI/AAAAAAAAB7U/hytseaVJukE/_IGP3651_thumb9.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP3651" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the beautiful Paris skyline form the top of the Arch de Triumph.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BOnxjjGlMZw/UjSfE9rP1gI/AAAAAAAAB7c/y6T-MBru6rE/s1600-h/IMG_20130829_231844_0111.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="IMG_20130829_231844_011" border="0" height="429" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6q_zfElXjIE/UjSfFWhHk4I/AAAAAAAAB7k/Ltp_VSDhOAU/IMG_20130829_231844_011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130829_231844_011" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tiny not so pleasant smelly elevator to Kathy's 7th floor<br />
apartment. We dubbed it "The Smelly Elly". I'll just say<br />
it...it smelt like urine but it beat walking up the stairs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Chunnel Tunnel did not collapse and we arrived in Paris safe and sound! We were greeted with open arms and a smile by Kathy, a long time family friend of Matt’s, who kindly hosted us in her quaint Paris apartment for the week that we were there. Her hospitality and in-depth French know-how were greatly appreciated. We spent most evenings drinking wine and eating home-cooked dinners with bantering conversation until the wee hours of the morning. We even became quite close to PT the cat as we spent those long conversations with a hairbrush in hand. Needless to say by the time we left we thought PT might just come with us when it was time to leave. I have to say that it was nice to spend the week with family (Yes Kathy, you are family now!).</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7TrygnPSUL1-FUqi-YVTp4ZUCcrDkJzRGwJV7rrjETuklRtQycO5svvJxCq2vYyiW7ivNssBle7eaVR_lGaYeZiXfQy6YUxRhqSex0vcKkhnbAK1zXShTn1c0fSOObWiv7PBwXssWvU/s1600-h/_IGP36368.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="_IGP3636" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5nfI5-71C-8/UjSfG3c7sBI/AAAAAAAAB70/tX7CkJw2zdA/_IGP3636_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP3636" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first day we spent seeing the sights. We walked down the Champs Elysees and climbed to the top of the Arch de Triumph. Next w</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e made our way to the Eiffel Tower. We took the 670 stairs from the base to the second level and then the elevator the rest of the way to the very top since there are no stairs to the top. (If there were…I’m pretty sure Matt would have made me walk those too!) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say I was done with stairs by the end of the day.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yNi1SC5tl8DyStEEz9nIa19FBp7iKZqFFnnt3-zz40zY2a-c6dcWxK5dTMcxcWFyGXLKL5-LEkluu79T-t4tP_BIyikiVKH3y3W8DnEC_SnTAHftNqBsJ0Le0FYBAT9ULd5MhI1DNzA/s1600/_IGP3655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1yNi1SC5tl8DyStEEz9nIa19FBp7iKZqFFnnt3-zz40zY2a-c6dcWxK5dTMcxcWFyGXLKL5-LEkluu79T-t4tP_BIyikiVKH3y3W8DnEC_SnTAHftNqBsJ0Le0FYBAT9ULd5MhI1DNzA/s640/_IGP3655.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the stairwell to the top of the Arch de Triumph.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIiNAZK2DNe4JYfYfXhiC7IphJwro7aGeuE-bql5yGKdsQ7G2ucXBMoJs1kmB793mcdSZ5Un21nFshyS4tBUBUxezbCOD1aTIp_Eoq124oM8NwEUWLgqJ16MzDx1GhtsEamXqIpMepGU/s1600-h/_IGP36978.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP3697" border="0" height="441" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4CeT25mwfeQ/UjSfJh0gpYI/AAAAAAAAB8U/rQGuagKUOuc/_IGP3697_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP3697" width="294" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mWoL0Evx6L0/UjSfKHGPMoI/AAAAAAAAB8c/xjewoRBt93Y/s1600-h/_IGP37954.jpg"><img alt="_IGP3795" border="0" height="210" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XKbUTkF_-sg/UjSfKwBPjAI/AAAAAAAAB8k/52LIibpDGSw/_IGP3795_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP3795" width="314" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wH2ggTe48FQ/UjSfLaE1ZcI/AAAAAAAAB8s/xywpvNzYarM/s1600-h/_IGP37879.jpg"><img alt="_IGP3787" border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jhqpXf2WW6x6wnDlhWmtDb57CsT9wnY2hcZjX_8cHUOxW6OgP5azNrmA4-NuMjr1_wBxOOan9hD5Onhkd_jYfxcZP4TxZ4PlbCjkwxw0J7KdWwEG4UE91C4rXyqcwFObr83ZdHXqjaE/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 10px 5px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP3787" width="314" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we hopped a train to see the exorbitant gilded Palace of Versailles.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoNUmKEELh1O1-ai9eK6Qe8eICys-fTxJfXrKbDAvj-Nv6oYzReJ1vnaXRe2ZJ121K3FYMAACUbvNuZN4VmpGfQDTG9zh2Jsh2SfvvidPtQ2Ihfw0qII6GinOgzvweZXnMItpbRMNDHs/s1600-h/_IGP38283.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="_IGP3828" border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSy6IxjkF6XFxcsbG1B3GkxE3HFoOS8q6IHIjzVUHbo_ataHwZdAyp8lyvgvpgCOtuzOOBE5TUgLaKh0C3rjA-K3qHBiq7-0hQ7iN9jW0KRrujHXts5d33GOO86MYkUkAmzRwfQo_Sy0/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP3828" width="644" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The entrance to the Palace of Versailles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXZP5F7bUXfGD5lZMQsLsl0XWXQbEvdQRmUEP4zpS6WeUSkmJtD230-RsfM54C3nxlcUdzwioQ5UdGOxhkCV6ugncj1kP0cG-iawuNBWi3FXKLANEzZKK8eC7Lokp0J6K6sVlz2R2ZhM/s1600/_IGP3827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXZP5F7bUXfGD5lZMQsLsl0XWXQbEvdQRmUEP4zpS6WeUSkmJtD230-RsfM54C3nxlcUdzwioQ5UdGOxhkCV6ugncj1kP0cG-iawuNBWi3FXKLANEzZKK8eC7Lokp0J6K6sVlz2R2ZhM/s400/_IGP3827.JPG" width="264" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is so much gold and lavish decorations in Versailles that at some point, when you walk into the next room you think...Oh more gold. I mean when everything is gilded in gold after a while you kind of start to become a little numb to the splendor of it. There was never the idea of a little goes a long way for Good Ol' Louie. I know now why the people got fed up and beheaded all the royalty. Although, it did make for quite the site to see!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The golden gate to Versailles. Everyone needs one of those in front of their home!</span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZRer1_GQlw68SVkgWfsytJhJBkNMi7_1JjxZnDrB4kfsVxG0aoD7MCM0WEa-7po9043FolmrR5zneGkSBRIYPhOlnqYdkFKXHNoRDBgB9sTLGjfjcj0MVSB4azhIDc2eelCGGp8aenY/s1600/_IGP3920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZRer1_GQlw68SVkgWfsytJhJBkNMi7_1JjxZnDrB4kfsVxG0aoD7MCM0WEa-7po9043FolmrR5zneGkSBRIYPhOlnqYdkFKXHNoRDBgB9sTLGjfjcj0MVSB4azhIDc2eelCGGp8aenY/s640/_IGP3920.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hall of Mirrors<br />
Note all the people...it was so busy at points I felt like we were<br />
being herded like cattle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Near the very edge of the enormous property line of the elaborate gardens is a cute, kind of out of place, little farm village. We were told by Kathy that this is where Marie Antoinette liked to dress up and play peasant-girl. I can only image King Louie thinking, “I don’t want that peasant place here…but if you must you can build it in the back.” And I mean way, way back…needless to say I don’t think she ever walked there.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zc014ljf8A0/UjSfQzEC1rI/AAAAAAAAB9s/pxcpCDKwcwg/s1600-h/_IGP40533.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="_IGP4053" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3bQR56ZeSBU/UjSfRqiEUWI/AAAAAAAAB90/ZP4f9JO0ib0/_IGP4053_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4053" width="644" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Playing peasant-girl in the peasant village.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iX_vU76QlM0/UjSfSGg6AGI/AAAAAAAAB98/9URBRYp9yOs/s1600-h/IMG_20130824_130821_0808.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130824_130821_080" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kPTtbWcDnbo/UjSfSk4rtjI/AAAAAAAAB-E/DynzOexT7NU/IMG_20130824_130821_080_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="IMG_20130824_130821_080" width="364" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the weekend we explored the Musee D’Orsay and saw all the spectacular impessionist art as well as the Musee de L’Orangerie to admire Monet’s monstrous waterlily paintings. We even had a very casual Friday night french picnic with Kathy and lots of other locals along the canal, complete with cheese, meat, bread, and wine of course.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13.333333015441895px; text-align: center;">View through the clock from inside Musee D'Orsay. You can see what we dubbed "The Paris Wheel"in the background.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: 13.333333015441895px; text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we headed off to see more sites. Notre Dame Cathedral was first on the list.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6aN0HnHhuoM/UjSfT-yitQI/AAAAAAAAB-M/So0TuaXQHgM/s1600-h/_IGP41498.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4149" border="0" height="247" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SFAHAtSOi88/UjSfUZ9ZZTI/AAAAAAAAB-U/kRjBf6woOg0/_IGP4149_thumb14.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4149" width="238" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tAmBjSM_qv4/UjSfUzZjE_I/AAAAAAAAB-c/dSzoXo4aoJg/s1600-h/_IGP40969.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4096" border="0" height="247" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IdAOJoEialc/UjSfVsZc8UI/AAAAAAAAB-k/uh0L1XG65vM/_IGP4096_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4096" width="370" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I lit a candle for Grandma Molly and Grandma LaVon. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We walked along the area around the Cathedral and made sure to try out some of the local goodies.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ad3xFD13zAU/UjSfWB6M1NI/AAAAAAAAB-s/msrqqABQCQ4/s1600-h/IMG_20130826_142628_9296.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130826_142628_929" border="0" height="404" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aVSxRTGfmws/UjSfW2QGmJI/AAAAAAAAB-0/4U6CIkVLsrA/IMG_20130826_142628_929_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130826_142628_929" width="304" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GeemXOxMyN0/UjSfXvlne4I/AAAAAAAAB-8/8qwmRdOgPVc/s1600-h/IMG_20130826_143930_6333.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130826_143930_633" border="0" height="234" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-b7b12bCF6eY/UjSfYm_NToI/AAAAAAAAB_E/eYq8lUYjT2o/IMG_20130826_143930_633_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130826_143930_633" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt enjoying some delicious macaroon cookies by the canal. They think very highly of their macaroons as they cost a fortune. But I have to say they were worth every mouth-watering bite. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I got a Nutella crepe. I love that Nutella is a </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">staple flavor here. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">I could get used to this just a little. </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then made our way to the Pere Lachaise Cemetary to admire the beauty and pay our respects to some famous dead people.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Z0OMSllRf_4/UjSfZLG98II/AAAAAAAAB_M/VOyrB1Zu6zM/s1600-h/_IGP4175%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4175" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pPIrSY-Pbt4/UjSfZ7t23mI/AAAAAAAAB_U/Omq64TmgPZU/_IGP4175_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4175" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down one of the many beautiful paths in the cemetery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OfVrRdhNfg8/UjSfagldqQI/AAAAAAAAB_c/2Sio8169N14/s1600-h/_IGP4168%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4168" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffjcL7wm3W0T-eIrzFgLA7F010cpUejkluGj8cGfIiIoEfY_cQWKBCcIrwZje9_5Bw2tSEAn0ojKCh8O5wVG9-hLRJ_8FsqlrXmDGA3LQH_eFYWHKKgcwSf1HCiEVF-0ubqvotLNX45E/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4168" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the people that were buried there included: Chopin, Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Poulenc, Fourier (for you math people out there) and Sarah Bernhardt. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LygWXRJQVEA/UjSfch14Y5I/AAAAAAAAB_s/vevYDYy29qg/s1600-h/_IGP4173%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4173" border="0" height="263" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-I3Dwo1EfaM0/UjSfdG_jQ-I/AAAAAAAAB_0/bzOtgrbLYGk/_IGP4173_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4173" width="395" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Morrison’s grave</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Chopin’s grave</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
That evening we picked up Kathy for dinner and spent a wonderful evening touring the area of Montmarte.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7NzUQFQwKpNp97uaVob1MNCil9P3Y7NfSp9sRrGtd2uGy-qDzNUWRu1j_jU8xq0g5xRSJVNG9o5vqTgKBdHF4RPC63opSgCdgsdNmRz5tYsRlzEx6op-3y3Umby9Y62ADko4SxtOuQg/s1600-h/_IGP42173.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4217" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ckX8rZAx3i4/UjSfemySxpI/AAAAAAAACAE/4bRWxnEHQUU/_IGP4217_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4217" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way we had to stop to see the iconic red windmill of the Moulin Rouge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RMUOUEjzdxU/UjSffMZJU8I/AAAAAAAACAM/K0W7XmpuD70/s1600-h/_IGP422113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4221" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5UYubTOed0s/UjSff68R-QI/AAAAAAAACAU/Tl28KToVz2I/_IGP4221_thumb11.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4221" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful view of the city form our bistro dinner table.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9v-L5D2_pKLu1vn54mWTKGKDE9zL_ryyNyN_HgUt4r8M-RMiHjSLxD7iTy1w37iPM4GpNX2MB7jO5DQ5JjsSBYPqlqkyQR_wOl__Axc85ftqcI6jiReB8F04c1E38Q_p8Pkl5QSGI0w/s1600-h/_IGP42253.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4225" border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSgMxKM9c8m6JmoYMTXbnHHBv453zaH25OTZfYchbhoVwBk_4G4hA1w6AAKfVnuEnpkVwg6OlHonUmDBChyL6U_EHBfkTT5w7amZWXD4kCBJQRfDSLNB0c56003R-jtWZjOfFvpLKA5M/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4225" width="314" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aZmsFrqWZrI/UjSfhQepTOI/AAAAAAAACAs/MHzIel_Abfg/s1600-h/_IGP42263.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4226" border="0" height="209" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5PSSaoIl3rg/UjSfiI5hbNI/AAAAAAAACA0/NBQ8UvtsoA0/_IGP4226_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4226" width="314" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We started our menu with an <em>Apéritif</em> of Champagne, à votre santé! (that’s cheers in French)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bpk3f7HNv1g/UjSfiwDJuMI/AAAAAAAACA8/f9fxpD4B8AA/s1600-h/_IGP42304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4230" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V60dKAr0luM/UjSfjiC8wkI/AAAAAAAACBE/kebxpC8m3ak/_IGP4230_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4230" width="322" /></a></div>
The one thing Matt and I really wanted to do was to enjoy an iconic or classic French meal at a fancy restaurant. That proved to be more challenging then we thought since most of the restaurants were more worldly then French. But Kathy pulled though and knew of the perfect place. It was exactly how I had pictured Paris - the little tables, the umbrellas, the dimly lit lamp posts, the tall skinny waiter bustling around in a long black apron pouring wine, the French ladies behind us with their cigarettes in one hand and espresso in the other, and of course the sounds of soft French melodies from the musicians down the street. Say what you want about modern Paris but this felt just like the movies. And to top it all off the food was spectacular!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kathy and Matt enjoying course #1: smoked salmon with a creamy dill sauce and toasted bread. Delicious!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ScwcesdEtNw/UjSfljvNqqI/AAAAAAAACBc/KQAKBg-nC5k/s1600-h/_IGP42317.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4231" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wlirfF_BO48/UjSfmbW7_TI/AAAAAAAACBk/Im5LsiAtn1E/_IGP4231_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4231" width="204" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gpwzgEJqK7hnFwfKeR0JcbVOC-uP8kVDDeif6Do7OILBLyrisVgSadHzJs0sgxkvEc8Y3Zqli0i-rPtu4Y5bg39DfRan9QV_c7eVdn02iyWCsFmD2Q9bHo4hdOzmv1ygDT-RZfv5Etc/s1600-h/_IGP42324.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4232" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TgO4I0ZDyjg/UjSfn-ZhZbI/AAAAAAAACB0/hnvoSad6uAo/_IGP4232_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4232" width="204" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-56tg3mXqB0E/UjSfoVu2-qI/AAAAAAAACB8/3fd9yzRlLgk/s1600-h/_IGP42334.jpg"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4233" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lmWiBJVyHTA/UjSfpIXPTkI/AAAAAAAACCE/cVyFl_ZHV7E/_IGP4233_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="_IGP4233" width="204" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">From left to right: Matt had a special French ravioli that was originally made exclusively for the King, I had risotto with shrimp and Kathy had chicken in some sort of tasty sauce with mashed sweet potatoes. We made sure everyone got to sample a little of each.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eRxV98CE2SA/UjSfpunV2tI/AAAAAAAACCM/9EJc3kQg_8s/s1600-h/_IGP42343.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4234" border="0" height="209" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FSnrhh4v_KM/UjSfqWMKqwI/AAAAAAAACCU/Fl70xo9shwI/_IGP4234_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4234" width="314" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2afFo8ZKoVc/UjSfq6Pta4I/AAAAAAAACCc/PToJjwqG_fU/s1600-h/_IGP42393.jpg"><img alt="_IGP4239" border="0" height="209" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bdzApwCwTSw/UjSfrgm6-jI/AAAAAAAACCk/75ww_MxnoI8/_IGP4239_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4239" width="314" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We then finished the meal with chocolate lava cake or creme brulee complete with espresso. All in all it was one amazing meal!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The following day we set off for the Paris Catacombs. Word to the wise, they only let 200 people in at a time. This being said we thought we’d show up earlier in the day to avoid any lines. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c66zWjQwtjc/UjSfsRnxY_I/AAAAAAAACCs/r2tbodmXhKw/s1600-h/_IGP42704.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="_IGP4270" border="0" height="484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5VX1Vwi0-pQ/UjSfs1XFRKI/AAAAAAAACC0/yc7h4OAPceA/_IGP4270_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4270" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the thousand of human skulls that decorate<br />
the walls in the catacombs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
They open at 10 and we showed up at 10:30. The line to get in wrapped around the block and had an estimated wait time of 2 and a half hours. We considered just going somewhere else and skipping it altogether but it was a beautiful day and we didn't have any other plans. Little did I know, I wish we would have.<br />
<br />
Matt said the wait was worth it…I would say otherwise. Don’t get me wrong I like cemeteries. There is a kind of mystery and peace wondering about the lives of those buried there. It’s peaceful and you're not underground with the dead! It was by far the creepiest place I have ever been! Matt laughed at how freaked out I was. I seriously ran out. No kidding! Ran out once I saw the stairs! (5 flights of stairs were the last of my worries at that point!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bgNsVN9c34g/UjSftattgOI/AAAAAAAACC8/Eh_qatiQaZQ/s1600-h/_IGP42467.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4246" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SOKTkOT9u34/UjSft_uSxLI/AAAAAAAACDE/Ba5h9XEsgYA/_IGP4246_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4246" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The walls were stacked with bones upon bones. It really put into perspective the number of lives lost during the plague.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m20anUklaps/UjSfum9NdKI/AAAAAAAACDM/IhYjQ1e-P1Q/s1600-h/IMG_20130827_142102_628%25255B1%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="IMG_20130827_142102_628" border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHK2v_dEOzTN1EqhTdXvwLw82l-cpAwYiLRU-XTosBMteQOTtDT2t1z7xzf2IT5EHKQuPAh0Ltih2PoOmt746y8bOttwJQ8XHuewBUZLEzqV7Np2YqnOONgGuLfDkvn7rOxgmWyik0Nvs/?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130827_142102_628" width="303" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Next we headed off to marvel at all the sculptures at the Rodin Museum and then headed back to cross off <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.cz/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#52 on my bucket list</a></span> and add our addition to the lover's lock bridge behind Notre Dame.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wondering what The Thinker is thinking about!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-agEhZjFVdU4/UjSfxGwEBXI/AAAAAAAACDs/DQIOLfJHXTY/s1600-h/_IGP4275.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4275" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kVnGH9AYpLg/UjSfyPdN1FI/AAAAAAAACD0/EVzdUG0Q5-U/_IGP4275_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="_IGP4275" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13.333333015441895px;">Our love lock on the bridge! Even after traveling together for over a month we still love each other.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-v1NnEYXNRjc/UjSfv4s6ImI/AAAAAAAACDc/pfrGvQWFUmE/s1600-h/_IGP42818.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="_IGP4281" border="0" height="209" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YTtQubpD8WQ/UjSfwqvYP-I/AAAAAAAACDk/7AOaEWLDW_Q/_IGP4281_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4281" width="314" /></a><br />
<span style="text-align: center;">Our love lock is the brass one with US American on it. </span>For those of you who don’t know about this, the tradition is that a couple writes their names on a padlock and lock it onto the bridge. They then throw the key into the Seine River together as a symbol of their undying love.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The next two day were spent crossing off <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.cz/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#56 from the Bucket List</a></span> and getting lost in the Louve.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yDSrKrkniKk/UjSfy0rHWiI/AAAAAAAACD8/_leOR8pzMCw/s1600-h/IMG_20130828_144941_8763.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="IMG_20130828_144941_876" border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROJF-NnClaDezs6gxVBqjbOggEw0h8cftJLuUCOT05WBn2eZo4ThjRlIkokugNLzAPTgkrUNVBuNru9Epa5afN2E0A9E4uqRk4Io-b3LorphU-ayKfSeSEiaUzk_toG99JZOVY-75jso/?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130828_144941_876" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had lunch one day on the balcony overlooking the glass pyramid.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpViqWaE00r5PWViV4bbNOcpjS8Byi26NRpMKz8x2qyoK_AfvTt6W_JtittQAKvKxB1DRBlETECi0sz6pHvjOpWv60w2KNk8xG_0rG7pKA76CQA8jBuThyphenhyphen2cRl3SB5ZMI6Hqv3dBwD3wI/s1600-h/IMG_20130829_113034_7316.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130829_113034_731" border="0" height="411" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-izWL5nhTmos/UjSf05ce8nI/AAAAAAAACEU/FvxYM_hz03U/IMG_20130829_113034_731_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130829_113034_731" width="309" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z1p1Vt_ZdEU/UjSf1T616EI/AAAAAAAACEc/nVm0vicYUx4/s1600-h/IMG_20130828_182958_0743.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130828_182958_074" border="0" height="412" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vPF5zM8a_Oo/UjSf150TWtI/AAAAAAAACEk/YxhG0_tbM2w/IMG_20130828_182958_074_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130828_182958_074" width="310" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt below the other pyramid and me with the Mona Lisa. I have to say I wasn't too impressed by her. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">With a museum filled with masterpieces I think she gets a little too much hype.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aZGqVWx92iY/UjSf2oxSiLI/AAAAAAAACEs/KT86WWVe3F0/s1600-h/IMG_20130829_114355_1953.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130829_114355_195" border="0" height="236" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LReifvvUOyE/UjSf3e4h2kI/AAAAAAAACE0/dHNdv3Lqmps/IMG_20130829_114355_195_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px;" title="IMG_20130829_114355_195" width="314" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJn2vsjA0ZTiLchDdzIm9ZOk8pMVgxuJPbhS9gpmIxuvyze_jD3P0yHoa6o3j-ahLqfW_DfDYbrywQLK6yW625zvXQGJ6fU1Cxo4nKXgxsv85SDRA1b_neF9FSiL2LhSwc0uycLaSVkTw/s1600-h/IMG_20130829_114554_9943.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20130829_114554_994" border="0" height="236" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OjdrY5H-syM/UjSf4uShOMI/AAAAAAAACFE/RMsvoyicxwk/IMG_20130829_114554_994_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="IMG_20130829_114554_994" width="314" /></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Matt found some ancient root masters and I found some mysterious stone faces in the less popular Mesopotamia wing. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
We then wrapped up our stay in Paris by returning to climb the beloved Eiffel Tower at night and watch the twinkling lights of the city skyline. (<span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.cz/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank">#51 on the Bucket List</a></span>)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7CEMtIDV34s/UjSf5QWVDwI/AAAAAAAACFM/da2G02net_s/s1600-h/_IGP43314.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="_IGP4331" border="0" height="428" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgxcQA5E5Eo/UjSf6Ipm7aI/AAAAAAAACFU/JDaKdzVx2Ss/_IGP4331_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="_IGP4331" width="644" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful city view from the top of the Eiffel Tower.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zTPizMwnLHg" width="420"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Au revoir Paris! Now off to the beaches of Saint Malo!</div>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com1Paris, France48.856614 2.352221900000017748.688561 2.0281254000000177 49.024667 2.6763184000000177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-86135141669432168382013-09-04T14:22:00.000-06:002013-09-14T14:56:50.615-06:00Making Our Way Through the UK!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifufCk8BJTP69e4So4FdGDC0uUXSaGwcZ-8RIXp8yn6XD1L6ZzCB_AXwQqbT1IRSoZJWg9pGrFDmq_9uHIteqAOe549AhxC_Gaqdiz_jS23FYiueUvd9yYRzMcJvs2YEQ-A1t7LLKd9fQ/s1600/P8072517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifufCk8BJTP69e4So4FdGDC0uUXSaGwcZ-8RIXp8yn6XD1L6ZzCB_AXwQqbT1IRSoZJWg9pGrFDmq_9uHIteqAOe549AhxC_Gaqdiz_jS23FYiueUvd9yYRzMcJvs2YEQ-A1t7LLKd9fQ/s640/P8072517.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking along the River Thames and admiring the Tower Bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next stop on our adventure was the United Kingdom! We packed in as many sights and museums as our feet could handle. Though we came back to London multiple times we took the opportunity to explore as much of the out-of-the-way sites as we could. It was nice to see a bit of the UK that wasn't bustling with cars, double-decker buses, and a constantly rising skyline. London has lots to offer but for us it just felt a little too similar to what we are used to and didn't have much of the charm of the old picturesque European city we both had hoped for.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7knehgej0qpwot7u-WPFeyu1xOxmW917785BAhdBzbGy-FWizXZR9xI5459fuwkEFP6LPQo5uR1axuYosaEJHt2Gjji-vhuLg9-1rUsj0x-9taGVKdeI3kpKZSsrUJCtpo35KfMDiM8/s1600/_IGP2996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7knehgej0qpwot7u-WPFeyu1xOxmW917785BAhdBzbGy-FWizXZR9xI5459fuwkEFP6LPQo5uR1axuYosaEJHt2Gjji-vhuLg9-1rUsj0x-9taGVKdeI3kpKZSsrUJCtpo35KfMDiM8/s400/_IGP2996.JPG" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkPFPpo63mhxkDz6aXRo0SUtq79562Y5GrpNAufd1TXwGKW-OFauNyiuZA6_90oyWZQ_EDxVmjG8lzMUUCBORVjDxcqB5dkFh90S9XSdr9tSMFhUFpE6TrV1d5DbJhyWSBQxt9yPYRl4/s1600/P8072512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkPFPpo63mhxkDz6aXRo0SUtq79562Y5GrpNAufd1TXwGKW-OFauNyiuZA6_90oyWZQ_EDxVmjG8lzMUUCBORVjDxcqB5dkFh90S9XSdr9tSMFhUFpE6TrV1d5DbJhyWSBQxt9yPYRl4/s400/P8072512.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Two iconic London sites: Big Ben and the classic red telephone booth.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS-759qnB_QUA38qWnSHyCsyzDg4rZztSmwM_AcyNj0Y1F4bfa5XbtBbCM8jNJ8SxfFth6mS4L02D96wN78qZ8aizD2mRADUGjzuBXCpF4mWNgWi9EdJTWAUkclNTbVd3QOkSg2-XGGA/s1600/P8072515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbS-759qnB_QUA38qWnSHyCsyzDg4rZztSmwM_AcyNj0Y1F4bfa5XbtBbCM8jNJ8SxfFth6mS4L02D96wN78qZ8aizD2mRADUGjzuBXCpF4mWNgWi9EdJTWAUkclNTbVd3QOkSg2-XGGA/s640/P8072515.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorites at the Tate Modern - Pete Mondrian's Composition C (No.III) with Red,Yellow and Blue. <br />
Best thing in the whole museum in my opinion!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAY84EHHzRzaSCEeww8kk08kMgwNKDdr12blr5ri44Ei3ZYbBYCD3iS5ROeTbYhK4KU9xhLW_mt-Mpy8q-NP9vJBWF9Q23czZBpiE2Muuc278M6MOybl_t4u3tPokHe01LIf2EcP-V2E/s1600/P8072545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAY84EHHzRzaSCEeww8kk08kMgwNKDdr12blr5ri44Ei3ZYbBYCD3iS5ROeTbYhK4KU9xhLW_mt-Mpy8q-NP9vJBWF9Q23czZBpiE2Muuc278M6MOybl_t4u3tPokHe01LIf2EcP-V2E/s400/P8072545.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTLYW47iEAWgrF3ghJ9WacFrGCO66Z9WF6sd6sScO1uje_SBvo6VHmEmlrKdEBFrPZiUAam7nSeNXJoHNbPba4J0GzMbRBPB-tO9aNuWKcyKCIrm_tX5oap_YOimXHLj8cMjWXvcJhQA/s1600/P8072559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTLYW47iEAWgrF3ghJ9WacFrGCO66Z9WF6sd6sScO1uje_SBvo6VHmEmlrKdEBFrPZiUAam7nSeNXJoHNbPba4J0GzMbRBPB-tO9aNuWKcyKCIrm_tX5oap_YOimXHLj8cMjWXvcJhQA/s400/P8072559.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Tower of London where we got to see the Crown Jewels, the Royal Guard and plenty of armor (including a big sword!)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwLdFZKzwGfL7gcVJpUbyMY5-bsJSr6upeaWA2A9wUI1pV1iayzvZDaR5ga9vTz07r3uETBpi9taFraciwsDM9cEC4n-N5gOu4z5WhqbIabrwGpDDpNwnWJgrff-9kiZ8Qu-mFx8_t0Q/s1600/IMG_20130809_113739_828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></a><u></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><u><strike><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrSJfASvy5_VuPm8nc2AmiidoqgtTVMBv0Q3zW70pg5SlnmTT7evuBS7PUA8IORCvKDn64DLsDSDHBELrXDX3ObJmxTXr5WVc3h8GNdc8PW0gkDPSk2FItmC7tYXYlCTEAxY2gb5-P_s/s400/IMG_20130809_120308_227.jpg" width="300" /></strike></u> <img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwLdFZKzwGfL7gcVJpUbyMY5-bsJSr6upeaWA2A9wUI1pV1iayzvZDaR5ga9vTz07r3uETBpi9taFraciwsDM9cEC4n-N5gOu4z5WhqbIabrwGpDDpNwnWJgrff-9kiZ8Qu-mFx8_t0Q/s400/IMG_20130809_113739_828.jpg" width="300" /> </u></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the amazing things from the British Museum. Other highlights included: The Rosetta Stone, Cleopatra (as in her actual mummy) and Bog Man. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matt underestimated the size of this one and we packed the whole thing in one day (future planners...one day is not enough!)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then took the next couple days and headed off to meet Matt's friend Tom, who Matt worked with in Japan, and his girlfriend Kate to visit their college stomping grounds of Oxford. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtopqeJgup7oAYxxYCwLY4jdD8F0IhTKyuDVeFzoK9qvK3xAXPjH5JC02rl1_t3_EKTKR28yNWC7B41fDpVR2Jplpyc4gzhp7ZShJogaSurmvL_vf5dVwnCtDJk1-MukNNQttqq7Q7kyc/s1600/IMG_20130810_100139_081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtopqeJgup7oAYxxYCwLY4jdD8F0IhTKyuDVeFzoK9qvK3xAXPjH5JC02rl1_t3_EKTKR28yNWC7B41fDpVR2Jplpyc4gzhp7ZShJogaSurmvL_vf5dVwnCtDJk1-MukNNQttqq7Q7kyc/s640/IMG_20130810_100139_081.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Oxford periodic cab...it only comes periodically!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfIh1bAWt4M2G4gFYUiuOuc6l5ybkI7AHnOaYeKd6nKs1W2isPKCRPiEsaIA9oSz-q1i9JgFsmE42Klb7mI2g5fvu2vzfKAt9zBSEeORSpQqQ29jXEJJSwshLVDsa1jDV3_YZm3AM10/s1600/_IGP3107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfIh1bAWt4M2G4gFYUiuOuc6l5ybkI7AHnOaYeKd6nKs1W2isPKCRPiEsaIA9oSz-q1i9JgFsmE42Klb7mI2g5fvu2vzfKAt9zBSEeORSpQqQ29jXEJJSwshLVDsa1jDV3_YZm3AM10/s640/_IGP3107.JPG" width="419" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom and Kate enjoying the flowers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We got a behind-the-scenes insider tour of the town and even got to go inside of both of the colleges they attended.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They showed us all the fun pubs, bookstores, and sites of the filming of Harry Potter too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the best places by far was the botanical garden. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ate a picnic lunch and watched the gondolas on the river. We were hoping for one of the tourists who didn't have a clue what they were doing to fall in...but unfortunately for us they all remained dry and standing within their boats. We followed that with a scoop of homemade Oxford ice cream.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmK_UjxM1CtODlRSolhJFQf4WwMg91WvHjJgxrWvO4XfCWo38W8DmQNjR64ScFpi8pmT-O6hQyNowyPxn-VmiHLpzx0UL9CLdYilbLa9DqzI8XmHjIEy5WMrs6Tv8U2CkDN6xtRkAAPdw/s1600/_IGP3111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmK_UjxM1CtODlRSolhJFQf4WwMg91WvHjJgxrWvO4XfCWo38W8DmQNjR64ScFpi8pmT-O6hQyNowyPxn-VmiHLpzx0UL9CLdYilbLa9DqzI8XmHjIEy5WMrs6Tv8U2CkDN6xtRkAAPdw/s640/_IGP3111.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For all you Philip Pullman fans, we also found Lyra's Bench. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozyC_VhTywgoBYFTz19eoK3Lqxdx87Zpj4W2ypxkhu15NznYGTZT2aXNZt7A304fGhIt57EB3OpuosmBF3r4wciHMVOzdWIIQp0A3Q6YBtBuyUAHmBlrfoxV1RgPhkpwO_iOQHlMIWjA/s1600/_IGP3152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozyC_VhTywgoBYFTz19eoK3Lqxdx87Zpj4W2ypxkhu15NznYGTZT2aXNZt7A304fGhIt57EB3OpuosmBF3r4wciHMVOzdWIIQp0A3Q6YBtBuyUAHmBlrfoxV1RgPhkpwO_iOQHlMIWjA/s640/_IGP3152.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom and Kate helped us to experience our first crumpet.<br />
Both Matt and I agree that it tasted very much like an English muffin (since that is really what it was) but don't say that to the English. We had a long heated conversation about the difference between a crumpet and an English muffin as they both wholeheartedly insisted that they are very different.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBOjxe-uY3g_FxAHIikhSvnwGaAZOQv9ieCsNzPMzYzEmMy97MgUQn71mfKnzTReOfzJoK_8A45c3BRS89Zc4lmJXS_ufGBreU_gJhfT1k2Hx19NbtLd-PH1JZxRFCGqo1ba-eZ9Oi7k/s1600/_IGP3181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBOjxe-uY3g_FxAHIikhSvnwGaAZOQv9ieCsNzPMzYzEmMy97MgUQn71mfKnzTReOfzJoK_8A45c3BRS89Zc4lmJXS_ufGBreU_gJhfT1k2Hx19NbtLd-PH1JZxRFCGqo1ba-eZ9Oi7k/s640/_IGP3181.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then all four of us headed off to explore the beautiful city of Bath.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAzRDBoXLEjuKzoLwneg0luohgCyTjO0lKzce3clsPMKlVR7r9S2c2MQLzFgmJcoPq56AAlkODg4B_rhyVieVIIA2pVjPCZSSARQFPKTrugW76UPufUutDC9kA3AgMuLBPmDWGLkLOAY/s1600/_IGP3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAzRDBoXLEjuKzoLwneg0luohgCyTjO0lKzce3clsPMKlVR7r9S2c2MQLzFgmJcoPq56AAlkODg4B_rhyVieVIIA2pVjPCZSSARQFPKTrugW76UPufUutDC9kA3AgMuLBPmDWGLkLOAY/s400/_IGP3247.JPG" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHU2REzT_qOpX3EcPkuMk2GzM6G7v45gL4cv_1x3wfCpRrBnI0lgaHFaOFszBKrk8XivkS-Jaq2ykwZ1c60538JlOhQZPZG5MY1qTM4S0JQD1LcxnKjVWNWlSFIQGm75QcKEj9VS3KwM/s1600/_IGP3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHU2REzT_qOpX3EcPkuMk2GzM6G7v45gL4cv_1x3wfCpRrBnI0lgaHFaOFszBKrk8XivkS-Jaq2ykwZ1c60538JlOhQZPZG5MY1qTM4S0JQD1LcxnKjVWNWlSFIQGm75QcKEj9VS3KwM/s400/_IGP3238.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Roman Baths</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It was neat to see the ancient Roman architecture and engineering in the middle of Britain.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then said goodbye to Tom and Kate and headed off to the British countryside to see Stonehenge and Salisbury.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6pd7hoOpKzRJxt0lmfBQzj1LdKdDzprM_EeqbhLQ4zld51x5KhNsnY0w_cvuLl_Rk_C0L-1jYzsLeHmT35MDRpLDYnKP88BJ5-ZLGV5rXyYOUJMMNhtR4b0rluPTynNFk2u_oCNbw_U/s1600/_IGP3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6pd7hoOpKzRJxt0lmfBQzj1LdKdDzprM_EeqbhLQ4zld51x5KhNsnY0w_cvuLl_Rk_C0L-1jYzsLeHmT35MDRpLDYnKP88BJ5-ZLGV5rXyYOUJMMNhtR4b0rluPTynNFk2u_oCNbw_U/s640/_IGP3311.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marveling at the ancient site that is Stonehenge. Everyone told us that it wouldn't be worth the trip out to it but in fact it was one of our favorite things we saw in the UK!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsciIkS4nZjE8J5ylQpTu8MdkEvuEiIjAdM_cMc0dzvqRqbVbmt-rzSqKZc4STxfNUXDKnqIGBtf7r0GV_gYAV2ojgNvSf9PjlCH4IQSr1mWbhM7rNxCndcMAT9MyKrWHnwDE2Gf60qO0/s1600/_IGP3391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsciIkS4nZjE8J5ylQpTu8MdkEvuEiIjAdM_cMc0dzvqRqbVbmt-rzSqKZc4STxfNUXDKnqIGBtf7r0GV_gYAV2ojgNvSf9PjlCH4IQSr1mWbhM7rNxCndcMAT9MyKrWHnwDE2Gf60qO0/s640/_IGP3391.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't make it up Salisbuy Hill but instead went to the breathtaking Salisbury Cathedral where we got to see the best preserved copy of the Magna Carta. I'll count that as crossing off <a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.be/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">#54 on the bucket list</span></a>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidP8Ml4R915HH_wyItm9PszAHAc2G_KZpWzWIlZB1tYstGygntSEs1Ok5B8okGb-2CwRZ4L6Ph3x8vWEsKgW4w7MVfeDpby9GKkcZMhUq9XVf8E93s-M9jwZNPGQkt0VsMx_bozVRWpHA/s1600/_IGP3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidP8Ml4R915HH_wyItm9PszAHAc2G_KZpWzWIlZB1tYstGygntSEs1Ok5B8okGb-2CwRZ4L6Ph3x8vWEsKgW4w7MVfeDpby9GKkcZMhUq9XVf8E93s-M9jwZNPGQkt0VsMx_bozVRWpHA/s640/_IGP3403.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The oldest still functioning clock in the world is inside the cathedral (this one is for you, Bill and Bob!)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We then headed off to stay with Philip, a coworker of Matt's, and his family at their lovely home in the small town of Penrith, nested in Britain's beautiful Lake District.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jjkrESLe09u4fWx0l1bqcV0qZhdXBLQu9VV5NXJkMTr6cBQph6ze0CcC2x3BSml-V7Nb03OmL3iq9MIntNFNsHNNHA_aY6LKNwucDI6DBJF2pW587_wHLFBXV6w-qhHYG-utzXQMi04/s1600/_IGP3488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jjkrESLe09u4fWx0l1bqcV0qZhdXBLQu9VV5NXJkMTr6cBQph6ze0CcC2x3BSml-V7Nb03OmL3iq9MIntNFNsHNNHA_aY6LKNwucDI6DBJF2pW587_wHLFBXV6w-qhHYG-utzXQMi04/s640/_IGP3488.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we first arrived in Penrith, Philip and his family took us on a senic tour of the area, stopped by Lowther Castle (above) and even made us a lovely home-cooked dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqaNoQiHi7ucT-eEElm9PZpNyxiY7ZYjRdVwpFMcdFDaA7lDbOFjLJeCDiV0ydyDBrP0td8jwXwvj4ZqJQj-tj1K_h5a9gTdWCaxZogplhS0mrLsgM6aj6tjEh5SCg-K8nicdfe3GBic/s1600/_IGP3513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqaNoQiHi7ucT-eEElm9PZpNyxiY7ZYjRdVwpFMcdFDaA7lDbOFjLJeCDiV0ydyDBrP0td8jwXwvj4ZqJQj-tj1K_h5a9gTdWCaxZogplhS0mrLsgM6aj6tjEh5SCg-K8nicdfe3GBic/s400/_IGP3513.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took the Ulls-Water Steamer boat, the Lady of the Lake <br />
built in 1877, across Ulls-Water Lake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philip and his family made sure to show us all the local tasty sites, including "The Toffee Shop" - approved by the Royal Family, the #4 ranked fish and chip shop in the UK, and we even hit the Lounge Bar where we had Mese and Sticky Toffee Pudding (which Philip wasn't allowed to have much to his disappointment).</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPAP_xqDToqPfeU_dNld97c7VfHO7eZMs5GHTvg8nMAGsBTxQ4IgIhpiPN0Zz_9kKlHB4Ijj6_DN0ahB27MRu61gLqo8vT8y6PDKc9EYa6netfv4mNy9Cw5cZ7OMlM-SPtc_HyQfe3nI/s1600/_IGP3546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPAP_xqDToqPfeU_dNld97c7VfHO7eZMs5GHTvg8nMAGsBTxQ4IgIhpiPN0Zz_9kKlHB4Ijj6_DN0ahB27MRu61gLqo8vT8y6PDKc9EYa6netfv4mNy9Cw5cZ7OMlM-SPtc_HyQfe3nI/s640/_IGP3546.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We climbed up 1100ft to the top of Hallien Fell overlooking Ulls-Water Lake. Beautiful! What a view! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogaN6Zdo8-qYCdCjNH6so-eXUHXgCp7LKl_sM5q17vHo0dKbf7NwXmw_-48FqdbBrODr-VwdHVHQggVuXa5AK88H0FQCA9rUby8FlG5_jsF_SILQQMuHJ9R743BkfbcAAoszCf7EIo2U/s1600/_IGP3630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogaN6Zdo8-qYCdCjNH6so-eXUHXgCp7LKl_sM5q17vHo0dKbf7NwXmw_-48FqdbBrODr-VwdHVHQggVuXa5AK88H0FQCA9rUby8FlG5_jsF_SILQQMuHJ9R743BkfbcAAoszCf7EIo2U/s640/_IGP3630.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we finished the hike with tea and sandwiches! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14T-8hg1wrGhhFjDbQWuPmNVTxc44-KL0g15Hmn_yktZ2PBvvEtpUPrN684IuY9aRsk-JkqcmovPzRyp3JIL8vZ2OAm9IDd_sqc_7RZipO6mFgaQhSk6l1H-8V-aGmPuW8iZfD095Qj4/s1600/IMG_20130815_135637_971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14T-8hg1wrGhhFjDbQWuPmNVTxc44-KL0g15Hmn_yktZ2PBvvEtpUPrN684IuY9aRsk-JkqcmovPzRyp3JIL8vZ2OAm9IDd_sqc_7RZipO6mFgaQhSk6l1H-8V-aGmPuW8iZfD095Qj4/s640/IMG_20130815_135637_971.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next day they took us to Keswick where I got to see a jellybean mosaic of the Beatles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOA3kVAQoU7NoJ93U-xiAFp7_9SEI_Zddq6-WYnrOmQNaWyusOAi4uw3HSvxDOL4Ynb_GqbOP3RlXRIUwYlhwwH4iPSxGoKbyhf3w3jIaaqbBdTdKcs-L7D9mZ5G8FL1GZt7vJ_zHyHrk/s1600/IMG_20130816_141218_747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOA3kVAQoU7NoJ93U-xiAFp7_9SEI_Zddq6-WYnrOmQNaWyusOAi4uw3HSvxDOL4Ynb_GqbOP3RlXRIUwYlhwwH4iPSxGoKbyhf3w3jIaaqbBdTdKcs-L7D9mZ5G8FL1GZt7vJ_zHyHrk/s400/IMG_20130816_141218_747.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made sure to eat a few Scott pies as well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then said goodbye to Philip and his family and headed off for a few days in Edinburgh. Little did I know how absolutely amazing Scotland would be. It is defiantly on my list of places I want to go back to and explore more. We did not spend nearly enough time there.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were also surprised to find that Edinburgh has a month long festival every August called the Fringe Festival where the city is overrun by street performers, comedians, theater and happenings all throughout the town at all hours of the day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We walked up and down the Royal Mile, saw the Edinburgh Castle (from the outside...I was a little burnt-out on museums at that point to go inside), saw some tweed shops, and even had a very spirited conversation with a feisty old Scott in an antique store. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At one point Matt and I stopped to watch a street clown and he even pulled me out of the audience to participate in his show. During the evening we saw some locally produced theater and even got to talk one-on-one with the actors. We even saw a magic show that night as well. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLSsl_9IQnIvsFvQftxfCQZJPak7jMErz59i45KG517KjA_A5K4oxGu3yjtUuadYEeqMrpqEoWw362xpWv6e1ODBAJGS9wW2MpIKZM_953_qqxoBysrY0e-X35ZsfI93xHyLqBD6Hr6o/s1600/IMG_20130816_192128_644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLSsl_9IQnIvsFvQftxfCQZJPak7jMErz59i45KG517KjA_A5K4oxGu3yjtUuadYEeqMrpqEoWw362xpWv6e1ODBAJGS9wW2MpIKZM_953_qqxoBysrY0e-X35ZsfI93xHyLqBD6Hr6o/s640/IMG_20130816_192128_644.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Strange and Young magic show finale.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqC2yudDlvA9gcCA1djFJ5baJ2VK4zZN5e6gvrxI4PeiKBO1Uch8vQ2eRmmwHYjF8EEc47dQ6hDbsffKP5TFRfFkxURu7OZ1kv8mfoL1LmItcKtEA0YL8qu-GpEa0LqxW1mwd0X3qvwA/s1600/IMG_20130817_112857_216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqC2yudDlvA9gcCA1djFJ5baJ2VK4zZN5e6gvrxI4PeiKBO1Uch8vQ2eRmmwHYjF8EEc47dQ6hDbsffKP5TFRfFkxURu7OZ1kv8mfoL1LmItcKtEA0YL8qu-GpEa0LqxW1mwd0X3qvwA/s640/IMG_20130817_112857_216.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making sure to appreciate to local music!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUUuU2cmuTTN4Nalby2p7zFVX9WOylT6byCxKCOZWrcjWAk_Qgb3BdBB6d2IGRTuoQjgp1ppq2Q3h5BH9bZagbSS77fiA3CtuioXKkBAeOWk2_Yp8TDHrh3J2_3_b-NKAbwqPf-_7YyM/s1600/IMG_20130817_104512_736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUUuU2cmuTTN4Nalby2p7zFVX9WOylT6byCxKCOZWrcjWAk_Qgb3BdBB6d2IGRTuoQjgp1ppq2Q3h5BH9bZagbSS77fiA3CtuioXKkBAeOWk2_Yp8TDHrh3J2_3_b-NKAbwqPf-_7YyM/s640/IMG_20130817_104512_736.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is for Brian.<br />
We even found Snoopy's long lost Scottish brother!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHdTsa_5nX6OdhioB8aXn1NU_RWE-z3OtwRI3oMw545uXUVVdiig-w_Wn8iGGdb2OuqgKpc_bW4kjgYVRNPikq3qUYJTJ42watMD6RwKLxjNPLmzC07ARPp4BN8K-MmLVEwSuRlEoKVg/s1600/IMG_20130818_110300_741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHdTsa_5nX6OdhioB8aXn1NU_RWE-z3OtwRI3oMw545uXUVVdiig-w_Wn8iGGdb2OuqgKpc_bW4kjgYVRNPikq3qUYJTJ42watMD6RwKLxjNPLmzC07ARPp4BN8K-MmLVEwSuRlEoKVg/s400/IMG_20130818_110300_741.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeping away on the porch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then took a dreadful overnight bus from Edinburgh back to London. At the time we booked it we though it would be a good cheap way to back to the city without missing out on a full day by being on the train. Needless to say that didn't work out! We didn't sleep a wink. So when we got to Alice and Anton's place, our next couchsurfing hosts, I was in great need of a nap. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to say I have never slept better in a yard chair with a snuggie mid-day in all my life! Best nap ever!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alice and Anton were great hosts and made the second half of our stay in London even better than the first! During the day Matt and I hit up some more of Britian's amazing museums including the National Gallery, the V&A, and the Natural History Museum. In the evening we enjoyed dinner at the Dove Pub, walks along</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the River Themes, and tried Pimm's with our hosts!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the best things we did was to see Shakespeare's <i>The Tempest</i> at the Globe Theater. It was by far the best play I have ever seen, and that is no lie! We had standing tickets and I never even noticed my feet hurting at all (It was a three hour play by the way). Standing in the Globe was the way Shakespeare's plays were made to be seen. It was spectacular!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQTOgTpzmP8G9c4zJajqH5HTDEoMZsgry0jSFgaNQxYzri-rZmD9gH3W3aLK5ayR_wRZob4yrhlpWXnyfcgFb0IzQ4VcqU3DzTev89X62bdaHsCIkRugWkQLrKFr6f2Px1ZIpiCQRilc/s1600/IMG_20130818_181511_940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQTOgTpzmP8G9c4zJajqH5HTDEoMZsgry0jSFgaNQxYzri-rZmD9gH3W3aLK5ayR_wRZob4yrhlpWXnyfcgFb0IzQ4VcqU3DzTev89X62bdaHsCIkRugWkQLrKFr6f2Px1ZIpiCQRilc/s640/IMG_20130818_181511_940.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing The Tempest at Shakespeare's Globe Theater.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI-_RwtV54l4A50DGyjl6Yu4u3cSeELoaSDu-as4LzZDhIvcspHZPV9mS6Q1jSomT-4NW7yFljtgjF0Y8JIK-bxrhwv1gAC17_odEAGQlvbLcSwl3ebIrO3ol7YXCfi6RV7aexZaR2Sg/s1600/_IGP3634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI-_RwtV54l4A50DGyjl6Yu4u3cSeELoaSDu-as4LzZDhIvcspHZPV9mS6Q1jSomT-4NW7yFljtgjF0Y8JIK-bxrhwv1gAC17_odEAGQlvbLcSwl3ebIrO3ol7YXCfi6RV7aexZaR2Sg/s640/_IGP3634.JPG" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading off to Hogwarts at Kings Cross Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then before we left London for good we made sure to stop by Kings Cross Station to get a glimpse of the ever so famous Platform 9 3/4. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for the fun times England...next stop Paris!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com3London, UK51.511213899999987 -0.1198243999999704151.195100899999986 -0.7652713999999704 51.827326899999989 0.52562260000002958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-53544494547107278042013-08-27T12:47:00.000-06:002013-09-04T14:24:53.949-06:00The Sheep Roam Freely in Dingle...<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Mcx-4jchjnk" width="420"></iframe>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the second half of our time in Ireland we decided to rent a car and see some of the beautiful countryside. We both were a bit nervous about the whole driving situation because not only do you drive on the other side of the road but you have to drive a manual with the opposite hand as well. Needless to say I left the driving up to Matt and happily played the role of navigator with a little help from "the lady" in the GPS. I did say a little prayer as well before we started. It gave me peace of mind... but it made Matt a little more worried. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though the streets are incredibly narrow, there are sheep and crazy bicyclists to veer around, and you have to drive at least 60 mph almost all the time... we survived and</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have to say we had fun too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJpF4cRIXD3lU1tiy6aytlE8bq_jOWez2WF_xtca7GtRfN7SkQJSoLqyquI1T5La1SBa92shM9DsrZU92NSccNKZoswLGbb7uhF6I8BZfjcpECKRO_txfVIC1o2NUnYAo9Id0fKi_7Ck/s1600/_IGP2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJpF4cRIXD3lU1tiy6aytlE8bq_jOWez2WF_xtca7GtRfN7SkQJSoLqyquI1T5La1SBa92shM9DsrZU92NSccNKZoswLGbb7uhF6I8BZfjcpECKRO_txfVIC1o2NUnYAo9Id0fKi_7Ck/s400/_IGP2091.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="263" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took the opportunity to stop and see the beautiful ruins of the Cathedral and castle grounds of the <a href="http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/rockofcashel/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Rock of Cashel</span></a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS0HCaUDPm8NDHBgmEduF0VdUAMqvp4R_RdngfKfTXi1ojl6Ah10UYhfOoHPHz62X2jdTqvVcUAG_y4vAqaVw-TSTZmJz1ba1tEC-dAZoNF4pbfUN94X-n2CO8Qs3cPJPcPhbRcYZ7MA/s1600/_IGP2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS0HCaUDPm8NDHBgmEduF0VdUAMqvp4R_RdngfKfTXi1ojl6Ah10UYhfOoHPHz62X2jdTqvVcUAG_y4vAqaVw-TSTZmJz1ba1tEC-dAZoNF4pbfUN94X-n2CO8Qs3cPJPcPhbRcYZ7MA/s320/_IGP2098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Cathedral of The Rock of Cashel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvmM7QNilcxdhjgxoM-jej23mZmot108ft-Iw-2_B5HHm6QZ_G1MoXTO5TSOfHbpA-XG83qm7aXZSwhDhTUIORUnpZO_SrwPw5ZAyYnzHL3PLR5FECyaaRUWSpKkrzQDkJJAtEF4HKsY/s1600/_IGP2106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvmM7QNilcxdhjgxoM-jej23mZmot108ft-Iw-2_B5HHm6QZ_G1MoXTO5TSOfHbpA-XG83qm7aXZSwhDhTUIORUnpZO_SrwPw5ZAyYnzHL3PLR5FECyaaRUWSpKkrzQDkJJAtEF4HKsY/s640/_IGP2106.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite part was the graveyard. I could only imagine all the the stories and history buried there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2R3PYB9GnedggKZh3NMHmKEge5QbK7Hh6EPJ5NZLSS3tGQvRFbMJ7uzPyAJpucGjnoaq9yem3_l6cja6mQCs32dtS2pePcoPncI8BAVS1aP3s3PHNPUpoCGfXOKzY4gxzGO8okkJ_6c/s1600/P8032399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2R3PYB9GnedggKZh3NMHmKEge5QbK7Hh6EPJ5NZLSS3tGQvRFbMJ7uzPyAJpucGjnoaq9yem3_l6cja6mQCs32dtS2pePcoPncI8BAVS1aP3s3PHNPUpoCGfXOKzY4gxzGO8okkJ_6c/s400/P8032399.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then headed on to the cute coastal village of Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We stayed at a B&B that we found on AirB&B that was an actual sheep farm. Located right outside of the town, it had the most beautiful views of the rolling hills and farmlands all around the area. Every morning we awoke to the smells of a homemade Full Irish Breakfast with scones and tea! Yum!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following that we donned our Welly's (rubber boots to those who don't know) and headed off to feed the friendly lambs behind their house. We also took the opportunity when we could to hike to the top of the hillside behind their farm. The views were breathtaking... of course when it wasn't raining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's Ireland...what did we expect!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliR8Yyh9fWDfHUPcyrETnOZDGRDyYZa8GJseUUKft0d1-FT1Kh1cXEcrcbeuKGXO658PpBBde9Zl_rP4f8J89bLQgWE4PAJoRX6oU0IpcILBPNlHh7_9fs7anjDcG5eYnekKvF0mbcLc/s1600/P8032406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliR8Yyh9fWDfHUPcyrETnOZDGRDyYZa8GJseUUKft0d1-FT1Kh1cXEcrcbeuKGXO658PpBBde9Zl_rP4f8J89bLQgWE4PAJoRX6oU0IpcILBPNlHh7_9fs7anjDcG5eYnekKvF0mbcLc/s640/P8032406.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lambs on the sheep farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwlmpfXm1BKE8ExoR2gYzGYAAcODMN3iiObI85cLxjTsqYv1HvutgIwG0B38yhRuKOzOqd-aY2sAR9MuqKrnMjZDEU9cE4UzVCorMWpoBQkdR6WASOjSlVXBS0neSCz17F-rPWqhf5oA/s1600/P8032379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwlmpfXm1BKE8ExoR2gYzGYAAcODMN3iiObI85cLxjTsqYv1HvutgIwG0B38yhRuKOzOqd-aY2sAR9MuqKrnMjZDEU9cE4UzVCorMWpoBQkdR6WASOjSlVXBS0neSCz17F-rPWqhf5oA/s640/P8032379.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A homemade Full Irish Breakfast each morning while we watched the lambs in the pasture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNb2tjOLaNd64AHoIn4p6QB2z8O4pqXCCzW4U_7H__SnRhlvJGVgG0waj3I5VLLpPQS-X8Ox1W2NoaOzd8EDD3745MSusNGG-ywChhgHwRd_vkRdFnh63O-6dvBPsFN_v3SbKTu4XdSw/s1600/P8032378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNb2tjOLaNd64AHoIn4p6QB2z8O4pqXCCzW4U_7H__SnRhlvJGVgG0waj3I5VLLpPQS-X8Ox1W2NoaOzd8EDD3745MSusNGG-ywChhgHwRd_vkRdFnh63O-6dvBPsFN_v3SbKTu4XdSw/s640/P8032378.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Course #1 tea, scones and yogurt with fruit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwF07MHgza5YqQ2jPVOhqZpmb9ghDWkgNWNTS6fjOm6aAfRdLi_JeXchSvJ7CiCWN6-y7RXQn5aPQ-iakAWfhwQaod8I2uXV0QxXIQqnoIHMX0ukeWfjiPdX-JNmouCSXJcWzjakWiTo/s1600/P8032382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwF07MHgza5YqQ2jPVOhqZpmb9ghDWkgNWNTS6fjOm6aAfRdLi_JeXchSvJ7CiCWN6-y7RXQn5aPQ-iakAWfhwQaod8I2uXV0QxXIQqnoIHMX0ukeWfjiPdX-JNmouCSXJcWzjakWiTo/s640/P8032382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Course #2 ham, sausage, eggs and potatoes. Mmmmm!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqbsGO1gc1oEOxylrkhqKnn4BIg1y6X8v20xSW02uXtozUazk-oz3yCVKhzJGtzMKLlRsw3lESN69g6OG8_MDicfBGojHYtZ9OuTuuo4BXNRLlfmVNWsUd-t57s8L50Ika309eACKAxI/s1600/P8032436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqbsGO1gc1oEOxylrkhqKnn4BIg1y6X8v20xSW02uXtozUazk-oz3yCVKhzJGtzMKLlRsw3lESN69g6OG8_MDicfBGojHYtZ9OuTuuo4BXNRLlfmVNWsUd-t57s8L50Ika309eACKAxI/s640/P8032436.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of an old sheep pen on the hill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJixx4aPFS-ohNbzrqTli_hy-qV8OukQi-IXrt7f956y8qVM7B4zXvJosSx1UxiUXmhvvdkRMayNNS4IhN9v-8zgsGjdXgqQ3rh-k5zvG0kfLPVvKsKHtm4R8ZZMDzd_BGcMQ9ssLzsp0/s1600/P8032421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJixx4aPFS-ohNbzrqTli_hy-qV8OukQi-IXrt7f956y8qVM7B4zXvJosSx1UxiUXmhvvdkRMayNNS4IhN9v-8zgsGjdXgqQ3rh-k5zvG0kfLPVvKsKHtm4R8ZZMDzd_BGcMQ9ssLzsp0/s640/P8032421.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful view from the top of the hill with Dingle Harbor in the distance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KY-0UQw0oi_qNOBfDY-m8_tA5jfbab4vEggHQhjKANf8lMqZFfEsTTHMQ5hqRcD7U022SGraH8_ESZcRrIFQKOCyu1eic4TjFpccrgvflju9qXcgrGkIUfdbuf5GxzzjSGGdLZR_Xdw/s1600/P8032442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_KY-0UQw0oi_qNOBfDY-m8_tA5jfbab4vEggHQhjKANf8lMqZFfEsTTHMQ5hqRcD7U022SGraH8_ESZcRrIFQKOCyu1eic4TjFpccrgvflju9qXcgrGkIUfdbuf5GxzzjSGGdLZR_Xdw/s640/P8032442.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spent the next few days exploring Dingle. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZohlo9U4LUraItvu_Az_kVsQQuJ2FOesQeadPsG461Gotx-NfozkWE55pSefLqDhFgyFy2fDZzmW66COLy7_oODuVQcE_kmhkf_z0swjLRvip7lJbiusS1BB8ERMHVSvtyrC2f8JV9vQ/s1600/IMG_20130803_143939_182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZohlo9U4LUraItvu_Az_kVsQQuJ2FOesQeadPsG461Gotx-NfozkWE55pSefLqDhFgyFy2fDZzmW66COLy7_oODuVQcE_kmhkf_z0swjLRvip7lJbiusS1BB8ERMHVSvtyrC2f8JV9vQ/s640/IMG_20130803_143939_182.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and a statue of Fungi the famous Dingle dolphin that has lived in the harbor for the past 30 years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZUzYv3_BQEhUzYxxZ6F1iWF2EkLl_drC6wxXpQq1LWpfX_FhaB3Iu77CaYa5ks9lBTv5hueZ3ozhyHFQfIuMDiXzKKeuXkYeNh8N5W-aPwi9pCZ3rTNQrl5E3Sq8ks-xmk4qpYyCmLA/s1600/IMG_20130803_152256_672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZUzYv3_BQEhUzYxxZ6F1iWF2EkLl_drC6wxXpQq1LWpfX_FhaB3Iu77CaYa5ks9lBTv5hueZ3ozhyHFQfIuMDiXzKKeuXkYeNh8N5W-aPwi9pCZ3rTNQrl5E3Sq8ks-xmk4qpYyCmLA/s640/IMG_20130803_152256_672.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Ireland Craic, pronounced "crack", means fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation - not drugs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took the opportunity to go on a sunset kayaking trip in Dingle bay to explore some sea caves and maybe see Fungi the dolphin. It was really nice the day we before when we booked our tour for the following evening. As our luck would have it...it was pouring down rain and windy the whole time. Even though that sounds miserable it was quite serene to be out in the harbor in a kayak with the rain. Although not the best case scenario It was an interesting and one-of-a-kind experience in itself. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2VIh2AhzzGEKf3mdiSvMAu8Cjyl8441k8byDHiJ3ZYF4Mnez5QNshPJT6A8rRhzJN8jakj-y7apD2YAUlN5nvSP-04Mgrae1MAxc8AiTS-JSM3RU6Dc5I43dm6KGQJ4OHNUq44j7CqE/s1600/P8032449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2VIh2AhzzGEKf3mdiSvMAu8Cjyl8441k8byDHiJ3ZYF4Mnez5QNshPJT6A8rRhzJN8jakj-y7apD2YAUlN5nvSP-04Mgrae1MAxc8AiTS-JSM3RU6Dc5I43dm6KGQJ4OHNUq44j7CqE/s640/P8032449.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wind made it a bit of a challenge to paddle across the harbor but we worked off the fish and chip dinner along with the pint of beer we ate earlier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSclO65KtaII13r4EWkAHjn_A5dhbhXBfrtCfBQ2e85BHrAkcHcGrdg-izsTWec1J1ouXhUN-Ym58gGsa6jTNxMSlSzqg3kMnqArcz81NCll8KezJbefGoc4pCOtu0LLo1SIlEwxgLvM/s1600/P8032470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSclO65KtaII13r4EWkAHjn_A5dhbhXBfrtCfBQ2e85BHrAkcHcGrdg-izsTWec1J1ouXhUN-Ym58gGsa6jTNxMSlSzqg3kMnqArcz81NCll8KezJbefGoc4pCOtu0LLo1SIlEwxgLvM/s640/P8032470.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water was a little rough and I was a bit freaked out when we left the harbor and ventured into the 6 foot swells. I kept a smile on my face though!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALCXJtZChFIPSpNTp22wRiZ2NO9iDc6f6V2W51dszXaJ9Q4xU8VxngdUKBLrM9Nnan4PtHL-uWDENYhgnkV4F353tpW07s8jrQzs2lzNhSZIxXuy8EvhpfgO2xi6YgrZ3IWwt3W4GeG0/s1600/P8032493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALCXJtZChFIPSpNTp22wRiZ2NO9iDc6f6V2W51dszXaJ9Q4xU8VxngdUKBLrM9Nnan4PtHL-uWDENYhgnkV4F353tpW07s8jrQzs2lzNhSZIxXuy8EvhpfgO2xi6YgrZ3IWwt3W4GeG0/s640/P8032493.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside one of the sea caves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5C_SM3YVfseufQu20nQDBbTFX8egGHFuwratkuNaXH5SEy8JLyu17tN9uM0B87KxL4TPxBjFPNeo3I6I6b1PtcrOTWJHw0d_Qzet6jEkn4Ag43D4HGSeCrebMIrKvhMSZOmx6kBbLj0/s1600/P8032499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5C_SM3YVfseufQu20nQDBbTFX8egGHFuwratkuNaXH5SEy8JLyu17tN9uM0B87KxL4TPxBjFPNeo3I6I6b1PtcrOTWJHw0d_Qzet6jEkn4Ag43D4HGSeCrebMIrKvhMSZOmx6kBbLj0/s640/P8032499.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from the harbor. Fungi didn't make an appearance this time around but we had fun just the same!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then said goodbye to our new friends at the sheep farm and headed off to tour the Dingle Peninsula.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6LU6udoHcMYuzUU7K1d_fr4fghDC1GZRh9SGwiRkP1Z7xw1fEHjeV_Ghk7hNH46rhuzqk7tzxfTjDw9uJTCzMAmgTrBqKeIfgvr1R6ZIuoeSMdax1suALI6TZAmc9M65X-CLdOV09rQ/s1600/_IGP2391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6LU6udoHcMYuzUU7K1d_fr4fghDC1GZRh9SGwiRkP1Z7xw1fEHjeV_Ghk7hNH46rhuzqk7tzxfTjDw9uJTCzMAmgTrBqKeIfgvr1R6ZIuoeSMdax1suALI6TZAmc9M65X-CLdOV09rQ/s640/_IGP2391.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilling out with Rebel the lamb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMkzm6NZ9aKUzy5pRNJc8WRD_AvMkZgVWryhshhRVDzCIXRXEwcBCzmY8Yx0LUHJU7qXY9UP-8SPg06I08U0riuhFx55DYN33EE4J_-yD7KQ_w_nCdjUZEVKRuX7p5bygnee7f_VodT8/s1600/_IGP2419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMkzm6NZ9aKUzy5pRNJc8WRD_AvMkZgVWryhshhRVDzCIXRXEwcBCzmY8Yx0LUHJU7qXY9UP-8SPg06I08U0riuhFx55DYN33EE4J_-yD7KQ_w_nCdjUZEVKRuX7p5bygnee7f_VodT8/s640/_IGP2419.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving along the Irish coastline. (See video at top)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFjXRwleYhEUTQJ7OUVun7EwAkeV-o2r-Aw-tSI0_hYNoRzaWuxtszs3_WM_CEt0PrtxoVW9kXBImY6NX8ty9o4r3kmqm5k-LF1nUpLDRMLocMBBHg6Qg4FWfFrB15hwsbWOiTWjZmAY/s1600/_IGP2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFjXRwleYhEUTQJ7OUVun7EwAkeV-o2r-Aw-tSI0_hYNoRzaWuxtszs3_WM_CEt0PrtxoVW9kXBImY6NX8ty9o4r3kmqm5k-LF1nUpLDRMLocMBBHg6Qg4FWfFrB15hwsbWOiTWjZmAY/s640/_IGP2555.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lady in our GPS, unbeknownst to us, took us via ferry. We just went with the flow and rode it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8WHd27Yr6xlMGXNiuV48jBhqE9UlYQMphKfXIvcx2UChO8SCBK0OTMyR2UaUgL162XJOQC-aHQOOA2xwyheXUgpb_JM0VjMQ6jGdQjvgnhFBhmWckgVMDfBGbMo5jyzCjPOUZivOxzA/s1600/_IGP2568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8WHd27Yr6xlMGXNiuV48jBhqE9UlYQMphKfXIvcx2UChO8SCBK0OTMyR2UaUgL162XJOQC-aHQOOA2xwyheXUgpb_JM0VjMQ6jGdQjvgnhFBhmWckgVMDfBGbMo5jyzCjPOUZivOxzA/s640/_IGP2568.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopped to see the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/" target="_blank">Cliffs of Moher</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then headed off to stay with a really wonderful family that we met through couchsurfing on their dairy farm in Croom, County Limmerick. They went out of their way to make us feel like we were part of the family. They took us to all the local historical sites, got a first-hand experience milking the cows and they even made us dinner and a Full Irish breakfast the next morning. I couldn't believe how lovely and welcoming this family was. True Irish hospitality above and beyond!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoPr1uq9Izt4hTJobYdmYW1OFQcgR4KveUwAfNN-ZT8MVwXhwOvdMlR3ocAX8uTZTpnCeYLER81SsDJaR-QQXj21rWVWL2nL50MsNJiYh8-ZweqUqf0U6Qxdu5jcUB-nJKc2yIdpqPMY/s1600/IMG_20130805_191338_916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoPr1uq9Izt4hTJobYdmYW1OFQcgR4KveUwAfNN-ZT8MVwXhwOvdMlR3ocAX8uTZTpnCeYLER81SsDJaR-QQXj21rWVWL2nL50MsNJiYh8-ZweqUqf0U6Qxdu5jcUB-nJKc2yIdpqPMY/s640/IMG_20130805_191338_916.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shane and Kevin taught us all about<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling" target="_blank">hurling</a></span>. Needless to say neither Matt or I were any good at all!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHDNnEoB8_nDU3dxY1B9EcNOQ4BDOP-2eE5r3O1zyC7nITmOqymHYEdXTug54srUAiizQ6_NmEWOqSgMlmOoyaAKbrUrNyoih3jJD8i2GNcGcUvp7z8gs6iuEupVtU8rz7FiiXCTtyCM/s1600/IMG_20130806_064150_289+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHDNnEoB8_nDU3dxY1B9EcNOQ4BDOP-2eE5r3O1zyC7nITmOqymHYEdXTug54srUAiizQ6_NmEWOqSgMlmOoyaAKbrUrNyoih3jJD8i2GNcGcUvp7z8gs6iuEupVtU8rz7FiiXCTtyCM/s640/IMG_20130806_064150_289+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got to meet the ladies of the farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdRuSINnY9CgP1kTb1K4g8lS-LoMu15f4V9jqwKzT_2X0IpJn8Ev4M4U3P9WTG_a8p656bsWz2L1vuNbIvo9YXgPkvWvRJF1g52h4GVa1PTnN9YCAjjISLMtfJ3o9QoOSwWCgEPU3u68/s1600/IMG_20130806_064422_514+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdRuSINnY9CgP1kTb1K4g8lS-LoMu15f4V9jqwKzT_2X0IpJn8Ev4M4U3P9WTG_a8p656bsWz2L1vuNbIvo9YXgPkvWvRJF1g52h4GVa1PTnN9YCAjjISLMtfJ3o9QoOSwWCgEPU3u68/s640/IMG_20130806_064422_514+-+Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We woke up at half 6 (6:30) in the morning to bring the cows home for milking! I was much more excited then Matt!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8akB6vHVdJZ1IrsHPuRZ95DSZxadnRgOMreT4AaU0cu6eFtdi_RtSnw6JKAn3yHmdRquYofP7S_V2GloztID4hszKJqzuZhDr44O4ve02MaMADyPBKIl0WVljWaWJhjnScRWuKyT30M/s1600/IMG_20130806_070435_802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8akB6vHVdJZ1IrsHPuRZ95DSZxadnRgOMreT4AaU0cu6eFtdi_RtSnw6JKAn3yHmdRquYofP7S_V2GloztID4hszKJqzuZhDr44O4ve02MaMADyPBKIl0WVljWaWJhjnScRWuKyT30M/s640/IMG_20130806_070435_802.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making new friends! Maybe it was the fact that we were giving them treats that made them happy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBD3qEvTAUhJMOJW-ZSEmjlqI1mBuvEWAZ8JZqnr9FFV8vVZGB7uNFIIziQyxi70Y-SdMse8q7UKz9EhqgHjjcTLQ2PRNGQrobG9cJ9V09Y1ATIrE4SP5uYfh1gB4FO1tuhrJ9VKEnc0/s1600/IMG_20130806_092636_304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBD3qEvTAUhJMOJW-ZSEmjlqI1mBuvEWAZ8JZqnr9FFV8vVZGB7uNFIIziQyxi70Y-SdMse8q7UKz9EhqgHjjcTLQ2PRNGQrobG9cJ9V09Y1ATIrE4SP5uYfh1gB4FO1tuhrJ9VKEnc0/s640/IMG_20130806_092636_304.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shane and Kevin's wonderful parents on their dairy farm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gU0UqF-TmV9wGcG5U-FA4vuUUP-1Fxy8NlKWRxKR9x7kjnWb7o_pAAjbsSwoKDFR9Jxm6oXW5v7wPlJN3DWW_TehSGUMH0X384z6P_E-sqH2mhJBiI3v-HNWzQNIw4DG0xEo-AyyLog/s1600/IMG_20130806_104541_487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gU0UqF-TmV9wGcG5U-FA4vuUUP-1Fxy8NlKWRxKR9x7kjnWb7o_pAAjbsSwoKDFR9Jxm6oXW5v7wPlJN3DWW_TehSGUMH0X384z6P_E-sqH2mhJBiI3v-HNWzQNIw4DG0xEo-AyyLog/s640/IMG_20130806_104541_487.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stopped by to see the breathtaking <a href="http://www.adaremanor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Adare Manor</span></a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR-_Ms2vu7mIdgtfPsiI_bDJeiHCHUnCv4ZIQHmHe4d6UbwjfJxfR7YbDdYmiblRi0ckh-JCbtSp8lZ1mdTXQISIqiKi8ICtV2d2ox0vIyPxgR3DPyWp6iuX7pMqvzVt_SERZvfFHWKw/s1600/IMG_20130806_130451_644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR-_Ms2vu7mIdgtfPsiI_bDJeiHCHUnCv4ZIQHmHe4d6UbwjfJxfR7YbDdYmiblRi0ckh-JCbtSp8lZ1mdTXQISIqiKi8ICtV2d2ox0vIyPxgR3DPyWp6iuX7pMqvzVt_SERZvfFHWKw/s400/IMG_20130806_130451_644.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt on the tower top of <a href="http://www.shannonheritage.com/BunrattyCastleAndFolkPark/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bunratty Castle</span></a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All and all Ireland did not disappoint. It is a spectacular country with some of the most welcoming and kind-hearted people. I would recommend a trip to West Ireland to anyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now off to London...</span>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com2Dingle, Co. Kerry, Ireland52.1387608 -10.27053599999999330.5383618 -51.754910999999993 73.7391598 31.213839000000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-78143529817212731962013-08-19T11:41:00.000-06:002013-08-27T12:48:15.132-06:00Welcome to Europe! First Stop...Dublin, Ireland!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzXNM_twq0I0pgQTrBujz8plLdOFX9RStq8Rc2Ra4kdQzcVv_Z3N45rTK1fcvUuT5cAUBRVdzebokjkX7k4WeR3bWMNQUIUQnp-i0yeJdzHdrsRR2pezDNFj-pXpQm1m0e9z6BhBbnko/s1600/_IGP1947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzXNM_twq0I0pgQTrBujz8plLdOFX9RStq8Rc2Ra4kdQzcVv_Z3N45rTK1fcvUuT5cAUBRVdzebokjkX7k4WeR3bWMNQUIUQnp-i0yeJdzHdrsRR2pezDNFj-pXpQm1m0e9z6BhBbnko/s640/_IGP1947.JPG" width="417" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have done so much and yet it feels like we just arrived. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 3 weeks now in Europe we are in the heat of the big adventure!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's hard to explain what it's like for me to travel - to put into words the sights, sounds, and smells of a place or even the people and how they look and speak or how their mannerisms illustrate their ingrained history. For me, traveling in Europe is all about how it feels to pass through the same door or walk on the same stone floors that others have also walked on for hundreds of years. You can just feel the stories, the history, surrounding you. Even though sleeping on a bunk in a hostel or taking an all-night bus ride might not be the most glamorous travel </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">accommodations, it is all worth it when you step foot into the Trinity Library, or stare in wide-eyed wonder at the perfection within in the writing of the <a href="http://www.tcd.ie/Library/bookofkells/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Book of Kells</span></a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It puts even the small everyday things into perspective!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The internet availability has been sketchy and the way that Matt packs our schedule makes for little to no time to update you all on the things we've seen and done so far. It truly has </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">been an eye opening and amazing experience</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. I'll do my best to highlight and share with you my favorite parts as often as I can as we continue our journey!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>DUBLIN</b></u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After what seemed like an eternity in the airport and on t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he plane we finally made it to Dublin! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And of course being that there is a little Irish in me blood we went to the pub and crossed off </span><a href="http://habjanhappenings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/my-bucket-list-doing-my-best-to-live-big.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">#48 on my bucket list</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">! Mmmmmmmm!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvljBiTpXTwt6zai99596tfaJFfTC5oEeT3M3Lg2K9J3_et1NEaFxneIcvLOOB-Vhw0UPWcm4N1KGsq64eDM13zNdzAvSZYYdI1Hbi7SjKbuqkP2qwF8cuMpVbMW8yB4n6_L999ZlXo4/s1600/IMG_20130730_121428_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvljBiTpXTwt6zai99596tfaJFfTC5oEeT3M3Lg2K9J3_et1NEaFxneIcvLOOB-Vhw0UPWcm4N1KGsq64eDM13zNdzAvSZYYdI1Hbi7SjKbuqkP2qwF8cuMpVbMW8yB4n6_L999ZlXo4/s400/IMG_20130730_121428_015.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I now also know why it is so green in Ireland....It is always raining! I packed my raincoat with the thought that I'd need it later in the trip (like November) but it has been needed almost every day. But being Oregonians we know how to make the most of it even in the rain!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n8iUcHzPyvQkppDd-Rqd9Do2pjAifd8ItQWjEzS8aM6ZT_oNOR-5XKGRx_k61NvHGaAaQ0NMIifhCo-zJijDiwnMdCrIHqsrOpWoRttJ8cSlHRkJMXp77cBFPaaQ2ctC-RZDNjntS48/s320/_IGP1621.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Trinity Library<br />
Absolutely amazing literary collection! It felt like I walked right into the restricted section of the library at Hogwarts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvYEEDoxvJXf8gXEbVoZW5-4a7s_0yC0v-4Mz7hoJ5AFeUwBXg63GkYfE56U6GlAFQa4azXOdIZoDKS5mj0Jcjh21RnCQ7HuO9gRKVonxn5q6MYgs5Vcs8h0lFDSLnyIiZl5WJgOgEIo/s1600/_IGP1647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvYEEDoxvJXf8gXEbVoZW5-4a7s_0yC0v-4Mz7hoJ5AFeUwBXg63GkYfE56U6GlAFQa4azXOdIZoDKS5mj0Jcjh21RnCQ7HuO9gRKVonxn5q6MYgs5Vcs8h0lFDSLnyIiZl5WJgOgEIo/s640/_IGP1647.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example from the collection at the Trinity Library. <br />
The precision and perfection of the calligraphy along with all the detailed embellishments were breathtaking.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHb3XfVqS48kIxe_2pLtQF_X8ZBY3ZGXZRXhOAiJ53B8UPaGXZDtG4Dha2srNjaNJXPUhKQ3HV4ZN_MLUiESwFZLtm1G5DiJu3NHXKGGszjrTpTyTkS4QoJq8_Zc5b4h0O67eFrh7C_A/s1600/_IGP1689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHb3XfVqS48kIxe_2pLtQF_X8ZBY3ZGXZRXhOAiJ53B8UPaGXZDtG4Dha2srNjaNJXPUhKQ3HV4ZN_MLUiESwFZLtm1G5DiJu3NHXKGGszjrTpTyTkS4QoJq8_Zc5b4h0O67eFrh7C_A/s640/_IGP1689.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Patrick's Cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOW36oY_L3G2K3u007Q0gdqgLe_WVNCTW2VcmCLCVDwn7uNSSgZoHOPNhWn9hahlzr6asunNeweNSbZUH3pVp3wp-jMXzoQzxP3fi1HJeSZx-adKKmHvA7tzIpnKWQZ7dxZZxCH7gx0s/s1600/_IGP1736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOW36oY_L3G2K3u007Q0gdqgLe_WVNCTW2VcmCLCVDwn7uNSSgZoHOPNhWn9hahlzr6asunNeweNSbZUH3pVp3wp-jMXzoQzxP3fi1HJeSZx-adKKmHvA7tzIpnKWQZ7dxZZxCH7gx0s/s400/_IGP1736.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">We took a tour of Kilmainham Gaol. Not the nicest place in the world to be (as you can see to the left) but full of Irish History. It was here that the 1916 revolutionaries were held and then executed.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">I had no idea how recent Irish political history was.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCoOLbp5nqgbC5zxFqfmgowh6M4ywTV9MiaW_EU8i0hvMpA2fy-Ue1YpMKfToFMV0C56etBHptHI9suu8vUvmnUEydYwbcPCjdvdlKpbQNslqr5RmXdMh6Ypzdm9OsOMe-WcTNTww1AA/s1600/_IGP1745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCoOLbp5nqgbC5zxFqfmgowh6M4ywTV9MiaW_EU8i0hvMpA2fy-Ue1YpMKfToFMV0C56etBHptHI9suu8vUvmnUEydYwbcPCjdvdlKpbQNslqr5RmXdMh6Ypzdm9OsOMe-WcTNTww1AA/s320/_IGP1745.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Kilmainham Gaol<br />
What a site for political history! It helped to put the strife for independence and Irish freedom into perspective.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmGrvQ99ssF9rcZ4ZK5WcEE4fJoypDtJm_f1vJ8Z3ejzealoGEDYMLfxCBYnm1iF1srj_ZQRRaHr5H7yghNf4XSlOoyJiXtOrLeEtFbf3tSurl-UusBbhyfGEIP_HJSZ3HPmscarSi7w/s1600/_IGP1781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmGrvQ99ssF9rcZ4ZK5WcEE4fJoypDtJm_f1vJ8Z3ejzealoGEDYMLfxCBYnm1iF1srj_ZQRRaHr5H7yghNf4XSlOoyJiXtOrLeEtFbf3tSurl-UusBbhyfGEIP_HJSZ3HPmscarSi7w/s640/_IGP1781.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A whiskey making engine at the Old Jameson Distillery. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGLlUVfonmOi9EdLeKxhl31HyuXkX7M24ObUVWP00dHJxX3ILfNXYnEMmxgbavsBLVTKGe-QhIQFenlOoxVuDlMvmBI8nHZ-OpUC78JaShdD9JEujeaIN4eUv-T-VgE586qXgh2Kq1Qw/s1600/_IGP1786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGLlUVfonmOi9EdLeKxhl31HyuXkX7M24ObUVWP00dHJxX3ILfNXYnEMmxgbavsBLVTKGe-QhIQFenlOoxVuDlMvmBI8nHZ-OpUC78JaShdD9JEujeaIN4eUv-T-VgE586qXgh2Kq1Qw/s640/_IGP1786.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was chosen to participate in a whiskey tasting and am now a qualified Irish Whiskey Taster. <br />
Dad...you should be so proud!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpwnkfGFJMVbKr5aozIGZv3WG4F0fEjmDXSAlLUG5H8lFPVJJdIuRbN2HRqvuh5sv6koYeatWlG4uwb9hxcF9cnLNCiaoXSY-h869BuSGS0FrM8waQ6oa0-bqoRr64NaH9jhqDMBXWec/s1600/_IGP1787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpwnkfGFJMVbKr5aozIGZv3WG4F0fEjmDXSAlLUG5H8lFPVJJdIuRbN2HRqvuh5sv6koYeatWlG4uwb9hxcF9cnLNCiaoXSY-h869BuSGS0FrM8waQ6oa0-bqoRr64NaH9jhqDMBXWec/s400/_IGP1787.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the best meals in Dublin by far!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my most favorite meals was at Madigans Pub where I ordered the Fish and Chip Butty. When my sandwich arrived I looked at it and made the comment, "that looks good" and our waiter look straight at me and replied with all seriousness, "It's frickin' awesome!" A little taken back by his personal excitement of my meal I smiled and dug in. I ate every bite of that butty and would concur with him that It was indeed frickin' awesome!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">PADDYWAGON DAY TOUR</u></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyygu25cDqCiuzO231YuXj8O9chK5meHKfEsYrP0x1V4cebQc95Fb1usEi3n8-piwNsEWK8-DfqdMHh6sJPnvO9dm54pFCNmIVSnPvZsi2kz6K2guWAGakx7PqcdYo9MWcf-IjFcNVHhU/s1600/_IGP1874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyygu25cDqCiuzO231YuXj8O9chK5meHKfEsYrP0x1V4cebQc95Fb1usEi3n8-piwNsEWK8-DfqdMHh6sJPnvO9dm54pFCNmIVSnPvZsi2kz6K2guWAGakx7PqcdYo9MWcf-IjFcNVHhU/s400/_IGP1874.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took a day trip to visit the <a href="http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Carrick-a-Rede-Rope-Bridge-Antrim-Northern-Ireland-Ballintoy-Ballycastle-P2829" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge</span></a>, the <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Giant's Causeway</span></a>, Dunluce Castle and Belfast. What a great way to see some of the more remote sites of Ireland along with a witty guide to fill you in on all the stories and history along the way.</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaq1DeEiZa3prFc4-eMKwwFcMq1pwoamQlbSJAD0De6vO4GRDCGAmd9NdAjBgEbMkvVwgQ0KUUlHOoM8KLCTOLKfJO9Ba5vcqnnR6v8LrTImx7KA33IfdiMkj1XJ7gRq2M-_AtKPp_6g/s1600/_IGP1873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaq1DeEiZa3prFc4-eMKwwFcMq1pwoamQlbSJAD0De6vO4GRDCGAmd9NdAjBgEbMkvVwgQ0KUUlHOoM8KLCTOLKfJO9Ba5vcqnnR6v8LrTImx7KA33IfdiMkj1XJ7gRq2M-_AtKPp_6g/s320/_IGP1873.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next to the big green Paddywagon.<br />
It sure was happy to have<br />
us on board!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QpqMDBOiWOtRKEHRHg9xU7nTpJyAr_d8iPJm0VVn01MUPqZ5FiM91iswVeRS69Aak1pqxkRRku5HgmFIjOj3HsRw0YE7IHE8p9AVVdddvyaTuRc0jR70mAoa6iAzQR6o7TQLYD-oEog/s1600/_IGP1796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QpqMDBOiWOtRKEHRHg9xU7nTpJyAr_d8iPJm0VVn01MUPqZ5FiM91iswVeRS69Aak1pqxkRRku5HgmFIjOj3HsRw0YE7IHE8p9AVVdddvyaTuRc0jR70mAoa6iAzQR6o7TQLYD-oEog/s640/_IGP1796.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hike to the bridge was a bit wet but we didn't really mind. <br />
And as luck would have it... it did finally stop when we got there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yyUxze_LM0C5HfniF29lStF3y1pAxAk67lA0IWL9bWJ3mSuEmV9nMnChRDLJzqN-JLj0aU5eMh7XCkYfElfM0tw3212hsWwOI6brcxBCod6gjbMLZIQMI_kIMxTyaQ6uBrBo-pdCc3U/s1600/_IGP1799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yyUxze_LM0C5HfniF29lStF3y1pAxAk67lA0IWL9bWJ3mSuEmV9nMnChRDLJzqN-JLj0aU5eMh7XCkYfElfM0tw3212hsWwOI6brcxBCod6gjbMLZIQMI_kIMxTyaQ6uBrBo-pdCc3U/s640/_IGP1799.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carraick-a-Rede Rope Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfzXdRBarNAfioKN1DrZXtDOnCyMcpMo6ugqYn6yfwGeANl_Mf8TGLgbDWuQmPwIJUTfi0qhFSsvCYiCLJkdW8R0LuvDXiKD5LMFZPGF_QwQzUzbIaoeeNN1oHT799cY40y7Wh3Vs0RY/s1600/_IGP1842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfzXdRBarNAfioKN1DrZXtDOnCyMcpMo6ugqYn6yfwGeANl_Mf8TGLgbDWuQmPwIJUTfi0qhFSsvCYiCLJkdW8R0LuvDXiKD5LMFZPGF_QwQzUzbIaoeeNN1oHT799cY40y7Wh3Vs0RY/s640/_IGP1842.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view looking down from the bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1VWYNmVFnmgwJMJMT1qX6-stdmT2JkOEH9ha9s_EwBp3Z87c10QtaCxQWJZKc6FRIoAZjN-FxC8mumlU-WBzmh9zDuBhruX9_dEA0isRBFjFh7bmpEWvzQHjuHScScBmO6rvpv3u6hc/s1600/_IGP1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1VWYNmVFnmgwJMJMT1qX6-stdmT2JkOEH9ha9s_EwBp3Z87c10QtaCxQWJZKc6FRIoAZjN-FxC8mumlU-WBzmh9zDuBhruX9_dEA0isRBFjFh7bmpEWvzQHjuHScScBmO6rvpv3u6hc/s640/_IGP1816.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt taking in the beautiful Irish view.</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSHNwiK6VGYH_bmULVECdYyPWj5uOCceColmlKSWnMgsW3G8uZXqmZsC2g1OqvoQLrQU4deDDptdB7lVfTLoXDJYbWT4Oye4yh9EFGVKJcUbA3yF7Q4GtormLut1_8a-GddkBrcuABcw/s1600/_IGP1884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSHNwiK6VGYH_bmULVECdYyPWj5uOCceColmlKSWnMgsW3G8uZXqmZsC2g1OqvoQLrQU4deDDptdB7lVfTLoXDJYbWT4Oye4yh9EFGVKJcUbA3yF7Q4GtormLut1_8a-GddkBrcuABcw/s640/_IGP1884.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Giant's Causway<br />
Matt told me to make a hexagon with my hands. This is my best attempt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzXNM_twq0I0pgQTrBujz8plLdOFX9RStq8Rc2Ra4kdQzcVv_Z3N45rTK1fcvUuT5cAUBRVdzebokjkX7k4WeR3bWMNQUIUQnp-i0yeJdzHdrsRR2pezDNFj-pXpQm1m0e9z6BhBbnko/s1600/_IGP1947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIzMJcTvS_5Rfrp1F1bViYpkjKFsiPrWBBKalE5lKVV7-vmvBOFPNEd95-betcIrRj3TY3mKQEXgrPDf0T3vm3EE6dToO5yJUn4_1Ihcz6KZodZIoXNdtHJg3kbMSCNJUoN8wQYSwZx8/s1600/_IGP1913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIzMJcTvS_5Rfrp1F1bViYpkjKFsiPrWBBKalE5lKVV7-vmvBOFPNEd95-betcIrRj3TY3mKQEXgrPDf0T3vm3EE6dToO5yJUn4_1Ihcz6KZodZIoXNdtHJg3kbMSCNJUoN8wQYSwZx8/s640/_IGP1913.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUuZiPV1T6rEAK2QQWb9ptmAWp_hPKLAFqzTHPeqLFMf8p20M8Vq8UD14_smROO2nMPdUGQ2B0rEWxY8yueounr1n5HB7WQkfxHtLFaWneNCl6iQcvxK_Vl1jHqUSV7YjXIcZYVshrXI/s1600/_IGP1974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHUuZiPV1T6rEAK2QQWb9ptmAWp_hPKLAFqzTHPeqLFMf8p20M8Vq8UD14_smROO2nMPdUGQ2B0rEWxY8yueounr1n5HB7WQkfxHtLFaWneNCl6iQcvxK_Vl1jHqUSV7YjXIcZYVshrXI/s640/_IGP1974.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>THE NIGHT LIFE IN DUBLIN</u></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had to experience</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the famous Dublin nightlife. So we headed off one evening to find just the right pub to have a pint and listen to some fine live music with a bit of Irish dancing. We stopped by the iconic Temple Bar and notice that with a name like that over the door we could do no wrong but continued on in hopes of finding one with less of a crowd and more of a menu that didn't just have liquid nourishment.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYe5G4cwmTXkxWIDXMmnd1pztfdY34aqHRCsmUmxeNYr5GkieZFXtxAQznD9dtFMyoY0A6n32OhW9JWnHspuRHDX2mBhmgms45m4i-z2tg5OyTTCRW6DfQLCdqdvHn9a9MRUQQ0txJ3g/s1600/IMG_20130801_205932_773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYe5G4cwmTXkxWIDXMmnd1pztfdY34aqHRCsmUmxeNYr5GkieZFXtxAQznD9dtFMyoY0A6n32OhW9JWnHspuRHDX2mBhmgms45m4i-z2tg5OyTTCRW6DfQLCdqdvHn9a9MRUQQ0txJ3g/s320/IMG_20130801_205932_773.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSikGHe6E_fC5yvO62eg_fbFlK86IAHB96Ngw2wk1BVAU5sKZ90la4x8H7Y0Iav8Ppn1ofW_b0IVpYFDL10QMzmSUWhHYgrVtPwHI3z4E98cVI66kkUFRF-_QbzrGIY6pAKEekgwJgn7g/s1600/IMG_20130801_210006_830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSikGHe6E_fC5yvO62eg_fbFlK86IAHB96Ngw2wk1BVAU5sKZ90la4x8H7Y0Iav8Ppn1ofW_b0IVpYFDL10QMzmSUWhHYgrVtPwHI3z4E98cVI66kkUFRF-_QbzrGIY6pAKEekgwJgn7g/s320/IMG_20130801_210006_830.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The iconic Temple Bar at Temple Bar.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwU0N8LI46TMR_uIn2zSOn_lUPa6ScN7LMw9hA68kVZunJjbIyDGTbwz-ciuW-ZOd7LuHhhQbpbZbaeiqIbExmRej3vyarqyIaL124G_G9YR_hqLu9BAg_3qUeJdZtQr4SeRvi6xYoNM/s1600/IMG_20130801_211412_262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwU0N8LI46TMR_uIn2zSOn_lUPa6ScN7LMw9hA68kVZunJjbIyDGTbwz-ciuW-ZOd7LuHhhQbpbZbaeiqIbExmRej3vyarqyIaL124G_G9YR_hqLu9BAg_3qUeJdZtQr4SeRvi6xYoNM/s640/IMG_20130801_211412_262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEfW7JAwcpKbKyYyKkAxXp4ewqx7bI2hGed4XYMEHxmCsHz4eO847V02mtmGrKLMI1J6t7tbC_geNrlQWFbFCfMA9WEOY8qPQtDl6dLCDcTh0WUxgFqxG_TKPeshBKQXfqEgRj6iYqQ/s1600/IMG_20130801_212814_535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEfW7JAwcpKbKyYyKkAxXp4ewqx7bI2hGed4XYMEHxmCsHz4eO847V02mtmGrKLMI1J6t7tbC_geNrlQWFbFCfMA9WEOY8qPQtDl6dLCDcTh0WUxgFqxG_TKPeshBKQXfqEgRj6iYqQ/s400/IMG_20130801_212814_535.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We settled on Fitzsimons where we had a fine meal of Irish Stew, a pint of Irish red ale, and listened to some traditional Irish music and dancing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all...It was Grand!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep reading along for more on our adventures in Ireland as we rent a car anhead off to explore Dingle and the Irish countryside...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Dublin, Ireland53.3498053 -6.260309699999993453.0446728 -6.9085031999999931 53.6549378 -5.6121161999999938tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-33217115096609243282013-07-29T19:58:00.000-06:002013-07-29T19:58:56.021-06:00Let the Adventure Begin...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHBY3Wt2ZY1HsWRjRmRHrhYweVY9CwGrEww9v4Idw2Ko2Erzs7LSaZUGUouPXLd5K3zICTTWvoRJ8DVwyMeEAyPtwx4Gn_RD757fxfL64wkj7Y3oc7ob9oQ6ri6zhlZVdgXnOiqtKDWM/s1600/2013-07-29_05-08-07_624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHBY3Wt2ZY1HsWRjRmRHrhYweVY9CwGrEww9v4Idw2Ko2Erzs7LSaZUGUouPXLd5K3zICTTWvoRJ8DVwyMeEAyPtwx4Gn_RD757fxfL64wkj7Y3oc7ob9oQ6ri6zhlZVdgXnOiqtKDWM/s640/2013-07-29_05-08-07_624.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the Portland Airport for Dublin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The adventure started this morning bright and early at 4am. In 19 hours we will arrive in Dublin, Ireland! Let the fun begin....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Portland International Airport (PDX), 7000 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97218, USA45.589237399999988 -122.5938886000000145.54478739999999 -122.67456960000001 45.633687399999985 -122.51320760000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-39880682391944824322013-07-29T18:08:00.000-06:002013-08-04T14:47:13.010-06:00At Home with the Habjans! PART1<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/F76fbXHArlY" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This last week we spent some time with Matt's family in Lebanon, Oregon. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought life was good...but what I've learned over this last week is that it's even better when you're riding a tractor! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may have been raised in the city, love foreign cultures, and live to travel but I was born to be a country girl!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KFPHbau8yVTxM3IWI5TW9Pj2kZneHXnDWndtL8ZJTYgmHq1wrv9j1bQlbJ392wcAZOEYxn3GumsuRjigniRWnK8Y_9PJTndmUInPq2_QMP5l7sidfXki_ovC81T9bciffrnIWRN16ag/s1600/IMG_20130723_205633_297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KFPHbau8yVTxM3IWI5TW9Pj2kZneHXnDWndtL8ZJTYgmHq1wrv9j1bQlbJ392wcAZOEYxn3GumsuRjigniRWnK8Y_9PJTndmUInPq2_QMP5l7sidfXki_ovC81T9bciffrnIWRN16ag/s320/IMG_20130723_205633_297.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding apples to Lauson the goat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While riding out in the pasture I have come to the realization that there is something right about how the grass smells and the fields glisten.There is something special about how you will be riding along alone and the sun rays will warm you while the cool breeze makes it feel so comfortably natural. In the distance you can hear the sounds of the birds or sheep</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and it's like they are telling you from a distance this is where you are supposed to be. For me, being out in the Habjan pasture riding around on my father-in-law's tractor just took all of life's worries away. But I will get more into my new found love for tractors in Part 2 about our weekend at the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.antiquepowerland.com/html/steam-up.html" target="_blank">Antique Powerland Steam Up.</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The week was also full of hiking, rafting, cookouts, bocce ball, good food and a couple heated rounds of pinochle (100 Jacks all the way). Matt's folks really packed in the fun for us and made sure we made the most of our time with them.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnWt1k0MuuVa89qI4KGwRMXbvDWU31IVpl_ye2pC27sY4BUZKlpfdHGrzZce2mSID54x35FpYk4qjv0rFN7IXMG2WbyG3Dly2SNItNgxl99-UFbF5NNjTIlYsAlRnwWkR5qI9iXT1HzU/s1600/IMG_20130723_145147_686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnWt1k0MuuVa89qI4KGwRMXbvDWU31IVpl_ye2pC27sY4BUZKlpfdHGrzZce2mSID54x35FpYk4qjv0rFN7IXMG2WbyG3Dly2SNItNgxl99-UFbF5NNjTIlYsAlRnwWkR5qI9iXT1HzU/s640/IMG_20130723_145147_686.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking down the South Santiam River.<br />
Lebanon, Oregon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDh6-B9_GVUS5y14Yi738Zzn3z6cKF_8P0WoaRiCBOPU4nt8BXq_A3oQwBgRYEo3AitiREF0GSLQVP1zCUwr2KJryfzVaXtZPOgGqnz_ot30PJx1HAHzDXmxBRXdB7YrUT1nQzpfrrBgw/s1600/IMG_20130723_145243_476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDh6-B9_GVUS5y14Yi738Zzn3z6cKF_8P0WoaRiCBOPU4nt8BXq_A3oQwBgRYEo3AitiREF0GSLQVP1zCUwr2KJryfzVaXtZPOgGqnz_ot30PJx1HAHzDXmxBRXdB7YrUT1nQzpfrrBgw/s640/IMG_20130723_145243_476.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and his parents, Diane and Bill, floating along enjoying the sun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreyCOgidhRPqhIU7iYsc5icMLbjhI5f1nSiZs41dUkQYs-cRdceutDXdeR8o61mmFsAcWv7h400HlP8k9nZu5o_fwMj0J9ASPBevqZRcb6rojudKGJiUD6q-BKnxzBJIMV2XtVc83lOQ/s1600/IMG_20130723_185755_831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreyCOgidhRPqhIU7iYsc5icMLbjhI5f1nSiZs41dUkQYs-cRdceutDXdeR8o61mmFsAcWv7h400HlP8k9nZu5o_fwMj0J9ASPBevqZRcb6rojudKGJiUD6q-BKnxzBJIMV2XtVc83lOQ/s400/IMG_20130723_185755_831.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreyCOgidhRPqhIU7iYsc5icMLbjhI5f1nSiZs41dUkQYs-cRdceutDXdeR8o61mmFsAcWv7h400HlP8k9nZu5o_fwMj0J9ASPBevqZRcb6rojudKGJiUD6q-BKnxzBJIMV2XtVc83lOQ/s1600/IMG_20130723_185755_831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a day of rafting we met up with some good family fiends of the Habjans, Bob and Joan Wimmer, for barbecue and bocce ball in the park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Of course we played men against women. In the end it was a draw as both teams won a game but I think the women out won the men as our victory margin far exceeded theirs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a perfect way to wrap up a day spent on the river!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9EiWCzUqEHtI_pCTFk9x9Iam65dIyPGPUDaYAn09yxoChy-b68JGfWfx7Qn_qm904sW9mRMQ8KonH3jZzoZGUZ1gnbsqpgCs7jVOC0f98H5Yn9W0hcBCWfKxlMPCm_PatQ22JQg1ECs/s1600/IMG_20130723_184725_580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9EiWCzUqEHtI_pCTFk9x9Iam65dIyPGPUDaYAn09yxoChy-b68JGfWfx7Qn_qm904sW9mRMQ8KonH3jZzoZGUZ1gnbsqpgCs7jVOC0f98H5Yn9W0hcBCWfKxlMPCm_PatQ22JQg1ECs/s640/IMG_20130723_184725_580.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diane making her throw count.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmOlaIs25wNJBAuPXaAhQa2zGPNChYZOAE0TXsS7ry5tXxKB9YmWMvU3Y09bz0Du1eJq2deFl1vHcUY305GVxN_wDBIlUGFkmfJb3qQPov9m-7uX6LoU4IEbyakTvEz1Qc6w2HwtoZrU/s1600/20130723_190218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmOlaIs25wNJBAuPXaAhQa2zGPNChYZOAE0TXsS7ry5tXxKB9YmWMvU3Y09bz0Du1eJq2deFl1vHcUY305GVxN_wDBIlUGFkmfJb3qQPov9m-7uX6LoU4IEbyakTvEz1Qc6w2HwtoZrU/s640/20130723_190218.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The winning bocce team! The women beat the men 21 to 5!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupkjGvf8nmseuiMMTththEwCrsZe0HZS99F-L0SjUB-WjAakjgrh860izReOkWeianG_shGtmqQRpQqa_NwcmI3YVh9YDI7x-zvXHk5zbaH56osQO8WPyLmvjyqGDBsZQ-8ZPCI7W-eM/s1600/IMG_20130724_112611_692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupkjGvf8nmseuiMMTththEwCrsZe0HZS99F-L0SjUB-WjAakjgrh860izReOkWeianG_shGtmqQRpQqa_NwcmI3YVh9YDI7x-zvXHk5zbaH56osQO8WPyLmvjyqGDBsZQ-8ZPCI7W-eM/s400/IMG_20130724_112611_692.jpg" width="300" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgrB81A_uVeXJGH1JpcQf4eZ5bH2APQFl_g_HWn-HcTz-9gtG4t4QchVj5-iXhJQ_o8TgxMetEO3IhG3k3qxCZUSXcEZx6mbaGlta0Cry85rAUIxobImL1B4yPbhPxsxSzyUmxZp28hE/s400/IMG_20130724_174624_538.jpg" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also picked fresh blackberries from the back pasture which made for excellent</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blackberry waffles the next morning. I also made friends with Loogie the Llama, the newest addition to the Habjan pasture. I was the first person to be able to hand-feed him. Needless to say, he has quite the unlikable personality and reputation. I mean he doesn't get the name Loogie for the fun of it or so I hear! He didn't seem so bad to me.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later that week we had a pasture party and cooked hot dogs and s'mores over the fire. In the past, pasture parties were limited to colder and wetter times of the year. To be honest, when they asked me what I wanted to do and I suggested a pasture party, I didn't even think about the fact that sitting around a fire when it's 90+ degrees outside might not be the best idea but they went out of their way to make it happen for me. They made sure to have plenty of water around and prepped the ground so the grass was short and nice and soggy. They assure me that with this request I have started a new tradition of summer pasture parties.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoTa-KwRJduwsM3M3xFGBd2wEKgh8WdJb4uB5RUdofxP0uo0nDAPq75V8IqFfkCkQfh5NGdO-kYGPJ9jCb3bHDa8HwPjJGAdzW0bMELLHh2Vas6aPeUXwhYSAMd8S_cV4s3ai-JzjWRA/s1600/IMG_20130724_192005_960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoTa-KwRJduwsM3M3xFGBd2wEKgh8WdJb4uB5RUdofxP0uo0nDAPq75V8IqFfkCkQfh5NGdO-kYGPJ9jCb3bHDa8HwPjJGAdzW0bMELLHh2Vas6aPeUXwhYSAMd8S_cV4s3ai-JzjWRA/s640/IMG_20130724_192005_960.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt making good use of his hat at the pasture party.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5I62iaEEpakwz9rAHyptvpefSJuqQu1iDi078NOUvjXdoDcT_I_ddoFLrd7BBPh_XfgNhlowhnVl7QGTZt6W3wKlemMgDpu5ZYYRqYGNxqSXRehWqXp6ag0eVU1ruy4jrFFFW4kJaNA/s1600/20130724_193250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5I62iaEEpakwz9rAHyptvpefSJuqQu1iDi078NOUvjXdoDcT_I_ddoFLrd7BBPh_XfgNhlowhnVl7QGTZt6W3wKlemMgDpu5ZYYRqYGNxqSXRehWqXp6ag0eVU1ruy4jrFFFW4kJaNA/s640/20130724_193250.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the evening sun around the campfire.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGUHcSd1cIbjR7vxFX9UCJ8iJ3uR-m5Tm_Kj_cxPtgW-UjSDQX9vVtwMVCOzmqFqkocHDiRBBuQ6e4UT_5K0DZldgV0ZUcRptvj_1kb0tasE5mBNGWUhfcU4v0FpVmSXBCKufiDOFR7w/s1600/IMG_20130724_202254_690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGUHcSd1cIbjR7vxFX9UCJ8iJ3uR-m5Tm_Kj_cxPtgW-UjSDQX9vVtwMVCOzmqFqkocHDiRBBuQ6e4UT_5K0DZldgV0ZUcRptvj_1kb0tasE5mBNGWUhfcU4v0FpVmSXBCKufiDOFR7w/s640/IMG_20130724_202254_690.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasting <i>Better Cheddar</i> hot dogs over the fire. Nothing could be better!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLMIineKovpsp-h37j7cFWwWoaSzC8Bjzyd7Yg0SfA1d7TqnajRmCz1-_JAGP0ezK8tFhAPSImcVJM-sohnxnmXD4lUXFxoutiOY3e_1z3DE9esXFUp3XhLmklMED2Briohfa7e0JVx4/s1600/IMG_20130724_202839_375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z1UXX1ogN-a5qnZigD4CSozzi8lyAl-vTtPtmpLjcX8Nb6t_9375tLzeVlMVhw7mHd74JWwn_odiWBI3jE754Op-UV2lqrfr5cncMCIoIzG4zLTvirxAiDqnph5Q77h0byhFoU2lkCg/s1600/IMG_20130724_202324_781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z1UXX1ogN-a5qnZigD4CSozzi8lyAl-vTtPtmpLjcX8Nb6t_9375tLzeVlMVhw7mHd74JWwn_odiWBI3jE754Op-UV2lqrfr5cncMCIoIzG4zLTvirxAiDqnph5Q77h0byhFoU2lkCg/s400/IMG_20130724_202324_781.jpg" width="300" /></a><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLMIineKovpsp-h37j7cFWwWoaSzC8Bjzyd7Yg0SfA1d7TqnajRmCz1-_JAGP0ezK8tFhAPSImcVJM-sohnxnmXD4lUXFxoutiOY3e_1z3DE9esXFUp3XhLmklMED2Briohfa7e0JVx4/s400/IMG_20130724_202839_375.jpg" width="300" /> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3oVaQX27nntg44CI-yDYhOyYfPSJqb5G3G2SrhvM4HuLUMV8S94n8g94KWobo3VpKIVoQb4QpnCrNjHDGUEMIW6Oey9ilDIc1qCAf_f_-BtvyxJiKnrtLVqPojVXgZFvocao6sUc7aY/s1600/IMG_20130724_205019_341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3oVaQX27nntg44CI-yDYhOyYfPSJqb5G3G2SrhvM4HuLUMV8S94n8g94KWobo3VpKIVoQb4QpnCrNjHDGUEMIW6Oey9ilDIc1qCAf_f_-BtvyxJiKnrtLVqPojVXgZFvocao6sUc7aY/s640/IMG_20130724_205019_341.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we drove down near Florence, Oregon to hike a trail called <a href="http://web.oregon.com/hiking/sweet_creek_falls.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Sweet Creek Falls</span></a>.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzEL25qxsrgPy3HNIcmxj-TJH74XjTOXtHqiLn-Y3NmdzN8DXLzId35xVqq6xVkXLEQLm_nAs3quPNt7G7P1GitY79zr_aCymtTxCLRZLoYPVWShxTvOYBC7HMNshDEHkR98b6Xk_14Q/s1600/IMG_20130725_155233_336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzEL25qxsrgPy3HNIcmxj-TJH74XjTOXtHqiLn-Y3NmdzN8DXLzId35xVqq6xVkXLEQLm_nAs3quPNt7G7P1GitY79zr_aCymtTxCLRZLoYPVWShxTvOYBC7HMNshDEHkR98b6Xk_14Q/s640/IMG_20130725_155233_336.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingRo_bSa_svlB5BeE-BF1lUqK_rhSebnyKLQ3L9-4vw354QpiWignNebKglItEnTbF_B0D-Iw8C9BAWPoXgfEw7s4Q9eAH4AxsgF4_E0737-WjCydfVbF-dh2-zfCeAvBV3CR_QuQtpc/s1600/IMG_20130725_165643_801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingRo_bSa_svlB5BeE-BF1lUqK_rhSebnyKLQ3L9-4vw354QpiWignNebKglItEnTbF_B0D-Iw8C9BAWPoXgfEw7s4Q9eAH4AxsgF4_E0737-WjCydfVbF-dh2-zfCeAvBV3CR_QuQtpc/s640/IMG_20130725_165643_801.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and his new newt friend Newton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja0QGuYSvWW36JbZJRJcHVVgs5T7soHoIniecq5u25ehJZ4x5w9egaBGh__7KTNdv7HkSKO3q4SQNYW2Jl2lFyMKusS2jI1kSByMmq3DjAaKcDVbvbU78PaEQzJCkgjIOZHyQrILm7CE/s1600/P1050051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja0QGuYSvWW36JbZJRJcHVVgs5T7soHoIniecq5u25ehJZ4x5w9egaBGh__7KTNdv7HkSKO3q4SQNYW2Jl2lFyMKusS2jI1kSByMmq3DjAaKcDVbvbU78PaEQzJCkgjIOZHyQrILm7CE/s640/P1050051.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0AOPTC6xXOLDoMuLeEYQ-KY04ctPic6iJ6dHZ_UmvU4fz485Tg1uQTTtAGBOk8ZDC3NJ1HcOnsN12nO-PnDLQ-NPoxbyOcHFMJBwjdyLHklxA1jEpQ2FEBR9pyosmT7pBR1T9N-MH_w/s1600/P1050133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0AOPTC6xXOLDoMuLeEYQ-KY04ctPic6iJ6dHZ_UmvU4fz485Tg1uQTTtAGBOk8ZDC3NJ1HcOnsN12nO-PnDLQ-NPoxbyOcHFMJBwjdyLHklxA1jEpQ2FEBR9pyosmT7pBR1T9N-MH_w/s640/P1050133.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing wraps up a the day of hiking like sunset on the pier and ice cream.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QbLsz2Lbmhyphenhypheng4kZtZtG9kne2xtjfEVS0rZRzk0R4gvfs7rRJdVaF3RDrJOfd84aj5MalvBpW3L982fbsXhloLLK_4fsyZh_WKbrkpBxYDof3-pgM51KqyGsP3WY9lJforuAzHNe7TtQ/s1600/P1050139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7QbLsz2Lbmhyphenhypheng4kZtZtG9kne2xtjfEVS0rZRzk0R4gvfs7rRJdVaF3RDrJOfd84aj5MalvBpW3L982fbsXhloLLK_4fsyZh_WKbrkpBxYDof3-pgM51KqyGsP3WY9lJforuAzHNe7TtQ/s640/P1050139.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the sand dunes.<br />
Florence, Oregon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To Be Continued.....</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep following along with Habjan Happenings to hear all about our weekend at the Tractor Festival....</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Lebanon, OR 97355, USA44.536511900000008 -122.9070338999999944.445959400000007 -123.06839539999999 44.627064400000009 -122.74567239999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-62065021527728770072013-07-29T14:57:00.000-06:002013-08-04T14:46:25.983-06:00Fun Times With the Flanerys!<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yEU_K6RLZJg" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ellie kind of likes Portland and her new best Friend, James Brown....most of the time.</span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD7LdDk_cC7tyhrch9H_tBvlvohfLglfAzEe-rjHnllAgWmEou-l739Wd-ccCt-ugIjQD9dsrKFqGwBxao7vYhAgKFHR1fKNSEl2vAA2KNuvXwj0HburTT9GcTJsVukEUDiqApuCGxRI/s1600/IMG_20130716_213050_097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD7LdDk_cC7tyhrch9H_tBvlvohfLglfAzEe-rjHnllAgWmEou-l739Wd-ccCt-ugIjQD9dsrKFqGwBxao7vYhAgKFHR1fKNSEl2vAA2KNuvXwj0HburTT9GcTJsVukEUDiqApuCGxRI/s400/IMG_20130716_213050_097.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad enjoying a double cone of Fresh Strawberry and<br />
Blueberry Marzipan ice cream at <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.rubyjewel.net/" target="_blank">Ruby Jewel</a>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>It sure does feel good to be home!</b></i></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIheJHacGPGV8p-vWomZa90ymxBMN1yEaYhlsHkvjjddWTi8dfBPqwqxUK81w3W3n2_-NCR7vwZSufYu0KnK2X3tNcy_ZCtFq6ota8gWzT1r6dClR-8g6xL1EJu1IGwKF5lXPesMyVmE/s1600/IMG_20130717_084343_518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIheJHacGPGV8p-vWomZa90ymxBMN1yEaYhlsHkvjjddWTi8dfBPqwqxUK81w3W3n2_-NCR7vwZSufYu0KnK2X3tNcy_ZCtFq6ota8gWzT1r6dClR-8g6xL1EJu1IGwKF5lXPesMyVmE/s640/IMG_20130717_084343_518.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truckin' in Baby Loaf Bus at the<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="http://www.tillamook.com/cheesefactory/" target="_blank">Tillamook Cheese Factory</a></span>.<br />
Tillamook, OR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's amazing how green and small everything </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">feels when you've been living in a big open desert for the last 4 years. We are happy to be back where you can always be surrounded by real trees! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first week back in the Northwest we spent with my folks in Milwaukie, Oregon. It was an eventful week that included building a new chain link fence for my folks (to keep Ellie from escaping the backyard), unpacking all of our stuff out of the U-Haul and then repacking it into my basement bedroom, eating lots of homemade pulled pork sandwiches, enjoying a few scoops of ice cream at our favorite Portland ice cream place <a href="http://www.rubyjewel.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ruby Jewel</span></a>, riding rides at the Pacific Seafood Company Picnic at <a href="http://oakspark.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Oaks Amusement Park</span></a> (skating included) and, best of all, a day trip the Oregon Coast. It has been so long since both Matt or I have seen the ocean that it was a much needed and anticipated reward after two long event filled weeks. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6U-5nOr8IjiAWkzyMtdmF38QwkJZgsckohOrJhjPWw42GKN5qg81DnXwAl7YrcSQca-A5iET0N2FH4xqsmYsaAioWK7AsXDO4fnkZ-qAbgsBPzuCj0tXgL-0mgXu4gpXR9Xz-tXcqAQ/s1600/IMG_20130717_084757_688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6U-5nOr8IjiAWkzyMtdmF38QwkJZgsckohOrJhjPWw42GKN5qg81DnXwAl7YrcSQca-A5iET0N2FH4xqsmYsaAioWK7AsXDO4fnkZ-qAbgsBPzuCj0tXgL-0mgXu4gpXR9Xz-tXcqAQ/s640/IMG_20130717_084757_688.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom sure did make heads turn with her loud mooing, playing the part of the cow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6U-5nOr8IjiAWkzyMtdmF38QwkJZgsckohOrJhjPWw42GKN5qg81DnXwAl7YrcSQca-A5iET0N2FH4xqsmYsaAioWK7AsXDO4fnkZ-qAbgsBPzuCj0tXgL-0mgXu4gpXR9Xz-tXcqAQ/s1600/IMG_20130717_084757_688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRScXXhqbAF1Y8ZbyleKiuQn1f-PxZkYJX6QATJn6-PFpTaJb8OwjXyKkPl_ousDA-n0WwNe3UJA4oRFKjzTqfqGSjeDPLeOK9JUB96EFN-fpeTa8w_1E7Yv9qHG7tK0F-8UaJqmLoQEE/s1600/IMG_20130717_111726_414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRScXXhqbAF1Y8ZbyleKiuQn1f-PxZkYJX6QATJn6-PFpTaJb8OwjXyKkPl_ousDA-n0WwNe3UJA4oRFKjzTqfqGSjeDPLeOK9JUB96EFN-fpeTa8w_1E7Yv9qHG7tK0F-8UaJqmLoQEE/s400/IMG_20130717_111726_414.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and Ellie soaking up the salty sea air.<br />
Rockaway Beach, OR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZImk5_rF0u7A-qN6fapBhiMFxENxiVin-Gmqxr8bk0-7JxM9QSnQR3F3MbKFIXGSePyuYMW5eJCvoKmJMSpXGriKDWMtqcTGe_fdjGgIaECzZF2SuG9Q8VaJABSYIdmyJO2fzIMw5nHw/s1600/IMG_20130717_114645_027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZImk5_rF0u7A-qN6fapBhiMFxENxiVin-Gmqxr8bk0-7JxM9QSnQR3F3MbKFIXGSePyuYMW5eJCvoKmJMSpXGriKDWMtqcTGe_fdjGgIaECzZF2SuG9Q8VaJABSYIdmyJO2fzIMw5nHw/s640/IMG_20130717_114645_027.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellie didn't mind being buried...in fact she kind of liked it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was the first time Ellie had been to the beach. She really didn't want anything to do with the ocean but boy did she like digging in the sand. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took our time flying kites, playing </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frisbee, watching James Brown and Ellie fight over the basketball and enjoying the all-around perfect weather for being at the beach. Matt and I took a long walk down the Oceanside coastline and made sure to absorb as much of the ocean atmosphere as we could.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It feels good to be so close to the coast again. It was something I took for granted growing up. O</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nce you've lived in a landlocked state, it</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> puts it into perspective how truly fortunate we are as Oregonians to have such beautifully pristine beaches so close. From now on you can guarantee we will be taking a lot more trips to the coast!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bYcWfofh_vcIkjXQK2p6MUg19a3ygZ4ncfL6jDWZIrZ8hRQdM8xkGsMJX7TSFluGhR1zI9yrASPo_wZvR2AY9sr65hx7QQfcVGzDPhPlTXTUO4TLlY3rCkhXGR25_uMfbfQXtx-Q74w/s1600/IMG_20130717_125006_522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bYcWfofh_vcIkjXQK2p6MUg19a3ygZ4ncfL6jDWZIrZ8hRQdM8xkGsMJX7TSFluGhR1zI9yrASPo_wZvR2AY9sr65hx7QQfcVGzDPhPlTXTUO4TLlY3rCkhXGR25_uMfbfQXtx-Q74w/s400/IMG_20130717_125006_522.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8YjnXDeswu3Ppm0emXJCZ1CS07R_DNJ95DyhXwrHFSq1aDAjlyFBE79f1PJWK7cGcZi18ZbhsxfqcNyLczhfXmESuxmMWHx9YPr5vq6YYBxzQKDsVlSFv54bpKkg6KWDWfzNFOEaqTo/s1600/IMG_20130717_123507_423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8YjnXDeswu3Ppm0emXJCZ1CS07R_DNJ95DyhXwrHFSq1aDAjlyFBE79f1PJWK7cGcZi18ZbhsxfqcNyLczhfXmESuxmMWHx9YPr5vq6YYBxzQKDsVlSFv54bpKkg6KWDWfzNFOEaqTo/s400/IMG_20130717_123507_423.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyAj4vXMKAgK1VhlmygnMdMJuhZH4KCql-7CJ9qbkULwJ_DP_BP-Wxuurv_R_OoE0fBZ0sai6kG5mOPONsgMl6-UgZHjz0ynSnLu59t_xubzRhGEbQGEodls_l9fQFZoYlbh3Ct1qaL4/s1600/IMG_20130717_123501_107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyAj4vXMKAgK1VhlmygnMdMJuhZH4KCql-7CJ9qbkULwJ_DP_BP-Wxuurv_R_OoE0fBZ0sai6kG5mOPONsgMl6-UgZHjz0ynSnLu59t_xubzRhGEbQGEodls_l9fQFZoYlbh3Ct1qaL4/s640/IMG_20130717_123501_107.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt flying dad's big "Haul Your Butt Down the Beach" para-sail kite. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14rEqLYIMqhf0MaWoMGRDiQrT_Ki-6yQNZcGANxLd4aKXT9ZrYmIlrONk1_KfosLWcnNJu-VmwFeThgUA-EQCGweK3BYEWmL9FOVG_uGavKGI3VJuaHx73lBtE2btpKBR_QAH1NOKBUg/s1600/IMG_20130717_143900_240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14rEqLYIMqhf0MaWoMGRDiQrT_Ki-6yQNZcGANxLd4aKXT9ZrYmIlrONk1_KfosLWcnNJu-VmwFeThgUA-EQCGweK3BYEWmL9FOVG_uGavKGI3VJuaHx73lBtE2btpKBR_QAH1NOKBUg/s400/IMG_20130717_143900_240.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-9H59NnD0LEIilcYvqMBPlWk94K1ilwX6r-2ZUjuiA_DYNRTwUuzpUyp6x_aN-TxzTAYfisZ1umvHpE3cJCi25oLSaCGln6IbM2-apo4yCiV4B0fz491Bqt6o1GAfa2B94rMbZkg7O0/s1600/IMG_20130717_123323_898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-9H59NnD0LEIilcYvqMBPlWk94K1ilwX6r-2ZUjuiA_DYNRTwUuzpUyp6x_aN-TxzTAYfisZ1umvHpE3cJCi25oLSaCGln6IbM2-apo4yCiV4B0fz491Bqt6o1GAfa2B94rMbZkg7O0/s400/IMG_20130717_123323_898.jpg" width="300" /> </a></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And of course the trip would not be complete without a big bowl of clam chowder and some oyster stew at <a href="http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1513" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pacific Oyster</span></a>! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07hJBMSQoxU" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Yum</span></a>!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LgYMCz_X4PQ" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all it was a dogs day at the Beach for everyone. Now, we just have to keep Ellie from digging up my parents' new fence! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks Mom and Dad for a fun filled week!</span></div>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Rockaway Beach, OR 97136, USA45.613438 -123.9429114000000145.524601000000004 -124.10427290000001 45.702275 -123.78154990000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-18629870855303312042013-07-26T15:14:00.001-06:002013-07-29T15:00:27.513-06:00So Long New Mexico...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mNuwji7hoEp2lObLk__rFbHrrp54HkDhdrdGcd1-gG3WzIYWkw-76QArCZix4cKiT43-5x0IBBTelVT3HoZiBPzSjii4v1vJFB1NRPzgV0KqSAd4xzYQ5cxEfGPKcocGyTM-5VkwDuE/s1600/IMG_20130709_123451_444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mNuwji7hoEp2lObLk__rFbHrrp54HkDhdrdGcd1-gG3WzIYWkw-76QArCZix4cKiT43-5x0IBBTelVT3HoZiBPzSjii4v1vJFB1NRPzgV0KqSAd4xzYQ5cxEfGPKcocGyTM-5VkwDuE/s640/IMG_20130709_123451_444.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEBDTPgQ5D_taBLUt8HwnKRqrusMw9yAOhBiPNPTiwP4phwC6G-tszFXsB2Gvx4rtZ1r2kBp6Bg2ln21w-dE5vX9QVFew06j-xDRHm-Msy_i3ebRoT2us8PWY9Go1D-PgHm7gV7FU7N8/s1600/IMG_20130704_132028_645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEBDTPgQ5D_taBLUt8HwnKRqrusMw9yAOhBiPNPTiwP4phwC6G-tszFXsB2Gvx4rtZ1r2kBp6Bg2ln21w-dE5vX9QVFew06j-xDRHm-Msy_i3ebRoT2us8PWY9Go1D-PgHm7gV7FU7N8/s400/IMG_20130704_132028_645.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellie was a little nervous about the whole packing thing<br />
and all too happy when we took her out of the box.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>Making our way on our own Oregon Trail! </i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After quitting our jobs and a week of solid packing, we loaded up everything we own into one small U-Haul and 2 cars. Matt was a little worried about everything fitting but with his tetris packing skills we had little to no problem. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ride home on the other hand was another story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first day we thought we would take a different way home and drive by <a href="http://navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Monument Valley </span></a>since it would be something new to see for all of us. We read up on it via their web site, thought it would only add a few extra hours to our trip, and we'd be able to drive the loop around the monuments and then be on our way. <br />Once we got there we found out this so called loop wasn't the nice paved ones we're so used too. This was a serious off-road, 4-wheel drive needed, kind of trail. Ok...no big deal, we've got a Subaru we can do it. So, we transferred a few things from the Subaru to the U-Haul, packed the 2 of us, Dad, and the dog into my car and were on our way. About 100 feet down this dusty almost vertical road my dad said, "do you hear that grinding sound?" Lo and behold my back brakes are shot...I mean metal on metal shot. So, here we are out in the middle of nowhere, it's 100+ degrees outside and about 5 o'clock. Now what? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In our quick problem-solving manner we found out the nearest town was about 30 miles away where there was a Napa Auto Parts. So, we turn around and beeline it back to town to see if we can't get a fix before everything closes. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We make it to the parts store 5 minutes to 6. Luckily they have our part and are willing to help. They make a phone call and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thanks to 3 nice native guys and their backyard repair shop under a tent somewhere out in the Navajo Nation we were set up with a brand new set of rear brakes and were on our way. Needless to say someone was looking out for us!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since we didn't make it to Provo, UT until about 3 am because of the brake problem we decided we'd make the next day a short day and stop in Boise, ID. All went well. We found a hotel, went swimming and found a place to eat and of course have a nice cool beer. On our way back to the hotel from dinner my dad says, "do you feel that warble?" I should have know better but we all were too tired to care and headed to bed for the night. The next morning we come out to pack the car and my tire is flat. That same problem wheel is flat! And not only that, there is a huge chunk missing out of it all the way down to the metal bands. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So again in our quick problem-solving manner we found out that the closest <a href="http://www.lesschwab.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Les Schwab</span></a> was just across the street. They rushed a tech over to fill the tire and we made our way over there. We then find out that since my car is all wheel drive we can't just replace the one problem tire, we have to replace them all. So, I got a new set of tires and we were on on way again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eHWQMF2p_vyqET6Cx2bz0fWANmeXjtff6nrFjCgbHV90dkHPGHDw50VCZYw6Q7siaI3xl_wusw-VxYfx0sZx7668e2GQhdzU9ANiOCQNS0gHZpolVZmvkQjAi0hip9TMxK7LHLGr-Lc/s1600/2013-07-11_09-13-17_758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-eHWQMF2p_vyqET6Cx2bz0fWANmeXjtff6nrFjCgbHV90dkHPGHDw50VCZYw6Q7siaI3xl_wusw-VxYfx0sZx7668e2GQhdzU9ANiOCQNS0gHZpolVZmvkQjAi0hip9TMxK7LHLGr-Lc/s640/2013-07-11_09-13-17_758.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for new tires. Oh boy, what fun!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nevertheless, with a new set of brakes, a few long nights, and new set of tires we did eventually make it back safe and on schedule with a story to tell! And boy were we glad to be home!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBp_SiNntbtvMYst2T8zSmjWcXfjfI_fMugm1QtrMMQYBr1s3VdvTyk-flvqnMw_0UCJZEZdHkkgzHEhzShuU5mX1S39eNE6CwT3E_JasaJ1vTUOWmQHaKHe-amj1exNDzARXA8_kMgk/s1600/IMG_20130709_130524_314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBp_SiNntbtvMYst2T8zSmjWcXfjfI_fMugm1QtrMMQYBr1s3VdvTyk-flvqnMw_0UCJZEZdHkkgzHEhzShuU5mX1S39eNE6CwT3E_JasaJ1vTUOWmQHaKHe-amj1exNDzARXA8_kMgk/s640/IMG_20130709_130524_314.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad came to help drive the U-Haul and see the sights along the way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87fcqoBj6SBIy2r4PYRMv8yXlOqmwJfOVNxVUZWb5UKLxe8urc4yH0b1XawcM7rXr-chtFcIlnUkQUANsU9tKflakoSCVTa_qXHBA-aiwkdtpyPGv8FaCYRL0brJAHWntrU3eVcA4s8o/s1600/IMG_20130709_123513_736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87fcqoBj6SBIy2r4PYRMv8yXlOqmwJfOVNxVUZWb5UKLxe8urc4yH0b1XawcM7rXr-chtFcIlnUkQUANsU9tKflakoSCVTa_qXHBA-aiwkdtpyPGv8FaCYRL0brJAHWntrU3eVcA4s8o/s640/IMG_20130709_123513_736.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellie was still a little concerned when the car ride took 3 days.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCV0JCpBsv9aqOmwp9HpTs29-dMKXNjn-mQfS1Z9dnr0ElfXyfbbJvw2WhbXE1QWYllIrEdNIS292j0zAnUHfQFLfGqDX9WlzH99vCIZvvc8du3dNe4zt4BYydnLIi4wD7Wafe2GpbRSM/s1600/IMG_20130709_080413_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCV0JCpBsv9aqOmwp9HpTs29-dMKXNjn-mQfS1Z9dnr0ElfXyfbbJvw2WhbXE1QWYllIrEdNIS292j0zAnUHfQFLfGqDX9WlzH99vCIZvvc8du3dNe4zt4BYydnLIi4wD7Wafe2GpbRSM/s400/IMG_20130709_080413_051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks New Mexico for all the culture, fun food, friends and adventures over the last 5 years. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've said before, even though we will now officially be Oregonians again there will always be a bit of the Ol' Southwest in us for life!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Adios Tierra del Encanto!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Le echaremos de menos!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com0Lebanon, OR 97355, USA44.536511900000008 -122.9070338999999944.445959400000007 -123.06839539999999 44.627064400000009 -122.74567239999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1123711497534760458.post-41494557992693951502013-06-29T16:24:00.002-06:002013-07-26T15:14:39.984-06:00We Are Now Officially New Mexicans!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIiNqhu1mqy1zYCr6a1aU3xkR7PfbqCsCJkNpa312jOCN1txQuA-y4kANFCjvBMfnrCF7ZipvuXKQ9ulqgmT3f3PijXC0lJPN7iSqFH2p9tHB95wH3pKKpVYWWEltvhns7LpVyi9ElGo/s1600/_IGP1578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIiNqhu1mqy1zYCr6a1aU3xkR7PfbqCsCJkNpa312jOCN1txQuA-y4kANFCjvBMfnrCF7ZipvuXKQ9ulqgmT3f3PijXC0lJPN7iSqFH2p9tHB95wH3pKKpVYWWEltvhns7LpVyi9ElGo/s400/_IGP1578.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AzEG_wpvz5DIWYnyesu2Pbi1avq5hBP4I4eKRVheMheNQpJpDkiX1GnrdyFb9IKUtAFoOY4JZIKMtBteABkSycs1fP6q4spOx5sDQ-N3gcDi8J4w6gxClnO4iMhmF-osSfKr9RGnAXg/s1600/_IGP1592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AzEG_wpvz5DIWYnyesu2Pbi1avq5hBP4I4eKRVheMheNQpJpDkiX1GnrdyFb9IKUtAFoOY4JZIKMtBteABkSycs1fP6q4spOx5sDQ-N3gcDi8J4w6gxClnO4iMhmF-osSfKr9RGnAXg/s400/_IGP1592.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<u style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Our Custom Made O'Farrell Hats Arrived!</b></span></u></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last 4 years here in the good Ol' New Mexico we've made several trips to Santa Fe. One of the shops we always made sure to go into was </span><a href="http://www.ofarrellhatco.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">O'Farrell's Custom Hats</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The gentleman who runs the shop didn't think that we were really that interested in buying one of his hats at first. Then during one visit he finally came up to me and asked "how many times have you been in here to try on that hat?" I looked at him and said, "I think this is the 7th." He replied with, "OK. I think it's about time we measure your head for one of your own." And that was that. I was sold. I had to have one! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never thought that I would ever invest in a custom made pure beaver cowboy hat. In fact, when we first moved here someone told us that the Southwest would eventually rub off on us and if we ever did leave we'd leave wearing boots and a hat. I was like "No way!" b</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ut here I am with boots and a hat and I love it! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, all I need is to be riding on Wallace the Mule and I'll be set! Scott, the O'Farrell hat man, laughed at me when I told him about Wallace but he didn't doubt me when I told him to keep an eye out for a picture in the mail of me wearing his hat riding on a mule named Wallace some day!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQBr6KiwgxZXFIsJ2vaWL13WM8-OcBXkJ8nOhj41V0Y426_AleTTtvYuJwgnKd5eaRkZy16-bd6ZNjheZZJ-pu42fO-JmN9E8iF2H_SVJZtNy7wtm9icH4FbZVORknR4JB6__HFNYTNs/s1600/_IGP1581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioviCnwMGzBB2RPVD0mhZy9cn8KZj2PfAgKDKQom7sUPCb-_S1Yrs6hibw4GdUAXMwjhodnviIbiMYaJE8BbfUqU0uYrz9RA-q9ofyGcw8AAO8SkFsS8MpikIAnTJfyPCJiKZwSgqgMp4/s640/_IGP1587.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQBr6KiwgxZXFIsJ2vaWL13WM8-OcBXkJ8nOhj41V0Y426_AleTTtvYuJwgnKd5eaRkZy16-bd6ZNjheZZJ-pu42fO-JmN9E8iF2H_SVJZtNy7wtm9icH4FbZVORknR4JB6__HFNYTNs/s1600/_IGP1581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQBr6KiwgxZXFIsJ2vaWL13WM8-OcBXkJ8nOhj41V0Y426_AleTTtvYuJwgnKd5eaRkZy16-bd6ZNjheZZJ-pu42fO-JmN9E8iF2H_SVJZtNy7wtm9icH4FbZVORknR4JB6__HFNYTNs/s400/_IGP1581.jpg" width="262" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAofCR3fl8WLgHpzxrzoYJhqDVsZscxFiSVyogfS03ZMf_luL92ibEijqlt__rlgdTCn5tRvh9Xae31e5N0UAoQk7MrcIKgDSiatwI5DLcajGv0Ny7Rk9t5myYMZyLdKwVrVeZuy-yReY/s1600/P6292340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAofCR3fl8WLgHpzxrzoYJhqDVsZscxFiSVyogfS03ZMf_luL92ibEijqlt__rlgdTCn5tRvh9Xae31e5N0UAoQk7MrcIKgDSiatwI5DLcajGv0Ny7Rk9t5myYMZyLdKwVrVeZuy-yReY/s400/P6292340.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took the opportunity to wear our new hats today at the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://sassnet.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Single Action Shooters Society End Of Trail Wild West Jubilee</span></a>. </span>My favorite event was the Mounted Shooting. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahBFJhsglqkWSYiXu-y5TB5GMzJp8N7FqDKNoa-UJ_mlE-A7OUoSqgAjs_ru8l2hqlTq8e_y8veJm6aKi5t7_FjJywdZdw0Y74_WYLydWV27rctER_JgJwNoX1hilBZUWWYQekRBDamA/s1600/P6292337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahBFJhsglqkWSYiXu-y5TB5GMzJp8N7FqDKNoa-UJ_mlE-A7OUoSqgAjs_ru8l2hqlTq8e_y8veJm6aKi5t7_FjJywdZdw0Y74_WYLydWV27rctER_JgJwNoX1hilBZUWWYQekRBDamA/s640/P6292337.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YvEGunSFAHqje3wKKEstfCBR5vI-LNbPS4tCnfHdUSOAhnjxLC8fp53m8LVYRQrg5QROnQmrHMTXbZVGiqoTG03OU8gJXS4BCKxHYFpbr6tEQZVkZvIFDpHIdEVUKuRogzzJc_jq90w/s1600/P6292348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YvEGunSFAHqje3wKKEstfCBR5vI-LNbPS4tCnfHdUSOAhnjxLC8fp53m8LVYRQrg5QROnQmrHMTXbZVGiqoTG03OU8gJXS4BCKxHYFpbr6tEQZVkZvIFDpHIdEVUKuRogzzJc_jq90w/s640/P6292348.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was fun to experience o</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ne last Wild West outing before we head off to the good Ol' Northwest. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though we may be Oregonians at heart we will now always have a little Southwest in our blood!</span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Habjan Happeningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14444136625617206275noreply@blogger.com2Albuquerque, NM, USA35.110703 -106.6099909999999834.694899 -107.25543799999998 35.526507 -105.96454399999998