Cellothug's Adventures in Cooking and Travel

New Year, New Direction

2011-12-27T09:58:00.004-07:00

Hi. Remember me? If you only read my blog, you'd think I perished somewhere in Austria over a year ago! I admit, keeping up with writing here, and posting pictures on Facebook seemed a bit redundant. Next year I hope to start uploading pictures and recipes from my cooking adventures to give the blog a new purpose and audience! Let me know what you think!
In the interest of keeping my personal life separate, you can view it at: http://cellothug-food.blogspot.com/http://cellothug-food.blogspot.com/

Overnight, to Austria

2010-09-07T20:13:00.005-06:00

The idea of overnight trains is so cool. You go to sleep speaking Italian, eating pasta, and wake up to German and schnitzel. We took an overnight train from Venice to Vienna, Austria. We also got really, really lucky and didn't have to share our compartment with anyone! Of course, the compartment was so small it was really hard to take pictures in (hence, the awkward pictures of Becca's legs...) but you get the idea...

Then there was Venice

2010-09-07T20:05:00.005-06:00

I am SOOOOOO behind on this blog! Anyway, Venice was just as pretty as they say. It was hot. There are no cars. (Poor delivery-people.) The food was delicious. Maps are totally useless. We walked 30,000 steps in about 5 or 6 hours. There are LOTS of pigeons there. And what is a Ferrari store doing on a carless island, anyway?

Florence (may contain nudity)

2010-06-21T22:54:00.000-06:00

Florence is another Italian must-see-if for no other reason than Michelangelo's David lives here. But actually, there are many other reasons, and it was a shame to leave. Pictured are...a HUGE church (4th biggest in the world), the Duomo, which gets its striped look from green, white, and pink marble, a replica of David (where he originally stood until he was moved into the museum, where, of course, no pictures may be taken), and a couple of pictures from the oldest bridge in Europe. And, of course, more delicious Italian food!! Also pictured: some essential Italy Vacation Reading (I must be the only person on earth who hadn't already read this...but now I have!

More Rome, honorable mention

2010-06-20T23:16:00.003-06:00

Here are a few more pictures from Rome that I didn't want to leave out. We have...

a typical street

That big dome thing (I think the biggest) that I can't remember the name of. That's what I get for updating my blog 3 weeks after the fact!

The best strawberries I have EVER eaten (not to mention the cutest)

Saint Peter's Basilica

Some Roman Sights

2010-06-19T14:30:00.003-06:00

On our first day in Rome, we did a lot of the "Rome Stuff," including seeing the Colosseum and Roman Forum. While the Colosseum is more famous and visited, I thought the Roman Forum (top) was even more beautiful. It just looked so....Rome. It made me want to read the Da Vinci Code all over again! We went lots of other places too, but I have to find where I wrote down their names first.

A few tips on Roman/Italian Dining: You will be brought a large basket of bread-and unless you send it away, be charged for it. Many Roman restaurants also charge a "cover fee" just for parking your rump in a chair. (If you find a not-so-touristy place where these things aren't charged, go back!) Anywhere you ask for water in all of Europe, you will be given bottled water, and charged accordingly. It is often literally cheaper to order a 1/2 liter of wine or beer than a soda or water.

Travel Tip #2

2010-06-16T09:05:00.004-06:00

When you have a 6-hour train layover, march into the nearest hostel like you own the place, and use their free wifi. :)

Hey, we supported them with our business last week! I might even buy a refreshing beverage from their cooler.

This is also a great way to get a spoon if you bought yogurt without thinking ahead about utensils.

Next stop: Italy!

2010-06-15T14:03:00.004-06:00

We made our arrival into the Italian town of Bari. Unfortunately the ferry and train aren't timed very well so we had a few hours to kill, but soon, we were on the train! Here, Becca gets productive, and the next picture is out the train window. On the train, we met some very helpful Canadian tourists who gave us the "lowdown" of what to see and do in Rome. Soon we arrive in Rome. Happily, the train station is also the subway station (these people are geniuses!) and our next host gave very precise directions. From the train, we take a subway, then walk a few blocks to our hotel. A nice view out our window, and we have our first, wonderful Italian meal in a cute little unnamed "mom & pop" place-full of Italians (always a good sign). Risotto and wine for me, and Rebecca had a pizza (she was disappointed to find that "Napoli" means "with anchovies"!). Other than the anchovies, it was the first of many delicious Italian meals!

The Ferry

2010-06-14T10:39:00.000-06:00

We had a 15.5 hour ferry ride from Patras, Greece to Bari, Italy. I was hoping it would be kind of like a cruise...but it really wasn't! It was kind of boring, but at least you can walk around, unlike in an airplane. Unfortunately, we are trying to save money for things more exciting than, well, sleeping....so sleep was a little hard to come by. One step up from sleeping on the deck, but below a cabin, is called "aircraft seats." You guessed it...kind of like being in an airplane-but with more leg-room. The plus was that it wasn't a full area so one could stretch out over many seats. The drawback is that is still pretty uncomfortable, plus they kept that room air-conditioned at about 55 degrees! We were at least treated to blankets and pillows by British Airways! Ah well, it got the job done!
My favorite part was sitting at the area on the left and watching the views of Greece and Greek Islands and bridges go by. Unfortunately, the sun set very shortly after we set sail, so I had to retreat inside!

It's All Greek to Me!

2010-06-14T09:45:00.004-06:00

One big relief about being in Greece was how much English was spoken! Most signs and menus and all subway stops were also in English. I have been places where I don't speak much of the language, but not even being able to read was a whole new level of feeling lost! And while I really HATE to be "that" tourist who expects the locals to speak MY language...I was really grateful to those locals! Of course, the Acropolis being one of the Seven Wonders of the World and all that helped...we were not the only out-of-towners! And apparently Rebecca and I don't look even a little bit Greek, so there was never much confusion about what language was to be used with us (that comes a bit later).

Oops, I skipped a post

2010-06-11T11:26:00.002-06:00

Oops! Checking back for comments I realized I had left my Greek island post hanging with some suspense (at least that was my intent)...and then skipped forward. The PLAN was to leave Athens the next day to catch the ferry. We packed up (always a dreaded task) and got out early, where our friendly desk clerk asked, "Where are you going?" We happily told him, we are taking the subway to the train station to take the train to catch the ferry! He told us that the public transit, including subways and buses, was on strike for the day (apparently this is a common occurance, and a lot of people knew about it ahead of time-but not us. Not understanding Greek was probably a contributing factor). So we thought, perhaps we could take a taxi to the train station-were the trains on strike too? He did not know. So we lugged our stuff to the ferry place. They said yes, the trains are on strike too-but only for the day. So we bought our ferry tickets for the FOLLOWING day, went BACK to the hotel, checked back in for the same room, and consulted our maps for more things to do in Athens.

Travel Rule #1: Don't make too many plans. Then you won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out.

Port of Patras

2010-06-07T15:38:00.003-06:00

When I buy my sailboat, this is where it will live.

This is where I will eat when I get sick of eating in the boat.

I have been in Greece for 5 days and have yet to eat a single meal indoors. :)

Island Livin'

2010-06-03T12:49:00.004-06:00

One of Rebecca's coworkers insisted we needed to visit an island while in Greece, and I am glad she did! We had a great day trip, taking the ferry about an hour to the island of Aegina. Boy do I love boats of all kinds! It was sunny and beautiful. Once we got to the island, we walked around the town, bought ice cream, went to the Aegina Ruins and Museum, and best of all, hit the beach! It was 80 degrees all day long (thanks, Auntie Laurie, for the travel alarm clock/thermometer!). It was sooo nice to relax, read, sunbathe, and swim in the warm, blue-green waters of the Aegean Sea for the day!

Mid-afternoon, the wind kicked up so we headed back towards town for lunch (Greek Salad, what else?) and bought our ferry tickets back. This time we were in a smaller, enclosed boat called a Blue Dolphin. The rocking put me right to sleep, but apparently certain other passengers were not lulled by it's motion like I was. Back to town on the metro, a quick gyro (YUM!) for dinner, and Becca and I packed up. We THOUGHT we would be leaving Greece the next day for Italy. Dum dum dum....to be continued.

ATHENS!

2010-06-01T14:09:00.005-06:00

So, to close the geographical gap from my last post, we took a 6pm overnight flight from Boston to London Heathrow airport. We landed at 5:30 a.m. London time, which was 11:30 p.m. Boston time (9:30 Denver). So, needless to say, neither of us were able to sleep a wink on the flight-which made our 6+ hour layover rather excruciating! Anyway, another flight to Athens and we were able to really begin our trip. A subway trip into Athens brought us to a nice, walkable neighborhood where we found our hotel! We ate and went to bed.

This morning we began our self-guided walking tour of Athens! Our first stop was to Hadrian's gate and then to some ruins right behind it, the Temple of Zeus. It is right in the middle of a very urban area, which is an interesting juxtaposition. One of the neatest things is that you can see the Acropolis above, which was our next stop!

Boston

2010-06-01T06:29:00.005-06:00

Before leaving for Europe, I visited Boston-as I had been promising Becca I'd do for the 2 1/2 years she's lived there! I visited Harvard Square, the Italian area of town, followed the red line (Freedom Trail) and went to a Red Sox game! It was a whirlwind 2 days but I really enjoyed the city-everything about it seems so distinctly....Boston-ish!

Bon Voyage!

2010-05-27T16:07:00.004-06:00

As I get ready to leave on my next adventure, here's a great quote I found:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain

Next Stop: IKEA!

2010-03-23T10:59:00.000-06:00

When I wasn't able to secure "away" game tickets in Goodyear, Arizona, I found an alternative, one that could take up nearly as much time as a full game: IKEA! We don't have any closer than Salt Lake City, so this is a pretty exciting adventure.

Did I really think I needed to write directions to this place?? It is right on the interstate, and well, large. Anywhere you are handed a map upon entry, and still manage to get lost is not a small place! I was disappointed and relieved that my car was pretty full and also, a Corolla. Otherwise, who knows what I would have come home with? I especially liked looking at the designer rooms, and how this black box thing was mounted on a wall as an instant bar-pretty snazzy! Especially with the lighting installed below it. I also liked some smaller kitchen shelving, which would have fit in my car, but knew I would never find my way back to them once I retrieved a cart-so it was just a day for browsing. We get our very own IKEA in Denver in summer, 2011-and it is already the talk of the town! Until then, I guess I'd just better start saving my money!

Road Trip!

2010-03-21T10:50:00.001-06:00

It's Spring Break! I have something to blog about! This is the 4th annual Rockies Spring Training/Tucson road trip. I was more than ready to scoot out of town for warmer climes, after a foot of snowfall the day before I left. So on Saturday, I scooted right to Moab, Utah, where my mom, Mark, and Chris had just completed a half marathon. We hung out, made dinner, soaked in the hot tub. The next day we had the BEST breakfast at the Jailhouse Cafe-the Swedish pancakes even passed mom's test. I did not take pictures of any of these things. I am out of practice with the blog thing.

The next day was another 350 miles to Flagstaff, AZ. I did take a LOT of pictures during this drive. Here are a few. For the full set, see my Facebook page.

Summer Catchup #2: Omaha Wedding!

2009-08-07T11:12:00.000-06:00

My last mini get-away over the summer was to....Omaha, Nebraska! My cousin John got married to Kari! Even better than all the "wedding stuff" was getting to catch up with family members I see too seldom. After a fun day of shopping with my aunt and cousin, we enjoyed the rehearsal dinner and Deb's Wedding Singer Debut. The next day was the wedding itself and reception. The slide show is just a few select photos from the whirlwind-and fun-weekend!

Summer Catchup #1: Camping

2009-07-30T11:03:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I'm 6 months behind on this blog. It's really more of a summer, traveling thing for me anyway! One of my weekend adventures over the summer was meeting friends Chris & Rene and camping near Marble, CO. We also visited some roadside hot springs! Since they live in Grand Junction, it was a perfect middle meeting spot, and a great weekend of camping, food, and general hanging
out.

Glendo, here we come!

2009-07-26T21:45:00.000-06:00

Our next little weekend adventure took us to Glendo, Wyoming, where Toni's aunt has a beautiful cabin! We spent 2 days playing in the water, waterskiing, eating, and drinking. An extra treat for Toni was seeing his cousin, who is home (for good!) from serving in Iraq. I met a whole new branch of his huge family. Another bonus was that although we brought all our camping stuff, the cabin had plenty of room for all to sleep indoors!

What the HAIL?

2009-07-25T18:11:00.000-06:00

I've heard that Colorado is the Hail Capital of the World. My totaled car agrees-but that was a storm several years ago. This one was strange because it came out of nowhere at about 10pm. My side of town wasn't hit nearly as bad as many of my friends to the north. Note that any pictures taken during the day are what was left of the hail after almost 20 hours of daylight! My porch and front of the house night of the storm:

Some of the damage the next day:

What things looked like on the north end of town, at my friend Dustin's house (Yes, that's the INSIDE of his screen door):

Back in Colorado...for a day or two!

2009-07-22T17:59:00.000-06:00

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In the weekends following my return to Colorado, I was in Lake McConaughy, NE; Glendo Reservoir, Wyoming; camping in CO, Omaha, NE, and Estes Park for a weekend. So here are a few pictures of the many weekend jaunts! First, Lake McConaughy, where I did not take many pictures, but had a great weekend camping with Toni's family. After hanging out on the main beach for most of the day, we took the 4runner four-wheeling to find a quieter spot. With such a loooong lake it wasn't too hard! Lucy had a great time tagging along and playin in the water!

The next day we drove out to some tiny town where Toni's family used to live and own a farm. It was really. really. hot!

Last Stop: Yaxha

2009-07-20T17:26:00.000-06:00

After touring Tikal, our guide offered us (the French-Canadian couple and I) another tour the following day for a lesser known/visited ruin called Yaxha (Yash-ah). So, once again, off we went! There were much fewer people and many, many ruins. And monkeys and a really big grasshopper. There were stairs to the top of some of the larger ruins, to test our fear of heights and stamina in the humidity! After an action packed day, I took the hour-flight back to Guatemala City, to fly home, sweet home, early the next morning.

Fancy Digs

2009-07-19T18:58:00.000-06:00

After a homestay and hostel, this was a pretty high-end place. Of course, since Tikal is world-renowned, it was also overpriced. But, there are only 3 hotels IN the park, so it was worth it. It is also the only place I stayed with a mosquito net (which was pretty fun!) but there didn't seem to be too many of the little buggers there.

Side note: it is a given that everything can be bargained for, but I didn't know it applied to hotels! I sent several emails to several places to make reservations. This place quoted one price, thinking there would be two of me, but when I replied that their SINGLE rate was too much, they emailed me with a counter-offer! Woohoo!

Wildlife of Tikal

2009-07-19T18:49:00.000-06:00

You haven't lived until you have heard howler monkeys.

Hearing howler monkeys in the daytime is eerie enough. Being awoken from a sound sleep at 3:00 a.m. is something different entirely.

That being said, here are some pics of the animals I was able to actually SEE in Tikal. Monkeys are not that easy to photograph.

I credit this little guy to my mosquito-free room.

Spider monkey.

According to my dad this is some kind of really special and rare turkey. Who knew?

Up to Tikal

2009-07-19T18:25:00.000-06:00

So after Semuc Champey, I took another 7ish hour van ride south...only to fly north again the next day! Instead of returning to Antigua, I got dropped off in Guatemala City and took a cab to a hostel with free airport shuttle service (yay!). The next morning I was off to the airport at something like 430am, for the hour long flight to Tikal. Perhaps because of its' proximity to Mexico, this is the only place I had to fill out a questionaire about swine flu.

Once again, it was a non-stop couple of days! I was picked up at the airport by a guide and taken to the hotel, where we soon set off on a tour of Tikal. We being a French-Canadian couple, myself, and our guide. The amazing thing about the park is how enormous it is. I logged 20,000 steps that day and STILL didn't see everything!

One of the great things about Guatemala (and all of Central & South America) is that you can pretty much do what you want, because they aren't worried about getting sued all the time. So, you can climb to the top of pyramids and around on many of the ruins. There just aren't many rules. This was kind of neat, because the view from the top of a pyramid is very different from the view at the bottom!

Goodbye, Antigua

2009-07-18T22:20:00.000-06:00

Antigua is overly touristy, beautiful, has great (if rainy) weather, and is completely unlike the rest of Guatemala. Here are some pictures.

Semuc Champey

2009-07-18T20:39:00.000-06:00

Very suddenly, I realized that my remaining days in Guatemala were limited, and there were still several things I wanted to see! In part, thanks to a fellow traveler from Germany, I found a travel joint in town to arrange a weekend tour of Semuc Champey-known as the most beautiful place in Guatemala!

The drive there was quite an adventure...about 7 hours of bumpy roads and TORRENTIAL rain. We finally arrived in a small village and our hostel for the night. The next day was wild! We went up to Semuc Champey on the back of a truck, which was pretty much like a moving party! Then we hiked up to the overlook and down to the pools, swam in the blissfully cool water, saw waterfall after waterfall as each pool cascaded into the next, went swimming in a cave, and tubing down a river! Unfortunately, the ride back into town was not nearly as fun as the ride up: the rain had started again, making the dirt road extremely muddy. Our truck got stuck several times. Never mind the fact that we jumped in straight from the river so most of us were only wearing swimsuits! It was an hour-long crowded ride, and I was so glad to get back!

After that night (HOT shower and sleep) we spent much of the next day back in the van on the way back to Guatemala City. We had a nice stop for lunch and a hike looking for the famed Quetzal (the bird, not the money!) with no luck. It was a busy weekend!

Schoolin'

2009-07-17T10:24:00.000-06:00

Originally, I was hoping to spend 3-4 weeks in intensive Spanish classes, but it just didn't work out that way (the sailing trip got in the way! Ha!). But I did spend one week going to classes.

The Spanish school:

They hosted activities every day-this was "happy hour!"

I actually beat my Spanish teacher at Scrabble (Pensable)-only due to the word "juez"-which means judge. Big points there!

At home in Antigua

2009-07-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

Okay, in my continuing effort to get caught up so I can actually update things that happened recently...I am OFF THE BOAT! Upon my return to Antigua (after yet another arduous 6 hour van trip) I hooked up with Miriam, a local who hosts students-but only if they've been referred by Romelia, who you will remember from several posts back.

After the last couple of weeks, it was SO nice to be able to unpack my bag and stay in one place for awhile! Here are some pics of my room, and the street it was on.

Skies

2009-07-15T13:55:00.000-06:00

Okay, at first glance one of these pictures does not belong. However, those beautiful skies led way to a rather violent storm. This caused Paul and Lisa to urgently refresh their beverages before retreating to their cabin under the deck!

Nighttime Diversions

2009-07-14T12:09:00.000-06:00

Who ever knew getting hermit crabs and racing them could be such fun? That is just what we did one night sailing. During the day, our captain and his two boys swam to a tiny island to round up contestants. To raise the stakes, he offered up a bottle of wine for the winner. After dinner and dessert, it was time for the hermit crab races! We were partnered up, and Birte and I named our tiny crab "Herbie"-like the Volkswagon. The first one to run off of the "table" won.

Unfortunately, while little Herbie was a speedy guy, he'd always stop at the edge of the table. He was just too smart to win this game.

Fortunately, the winners were generous with their prize, and we all got to share.

Catch of the Day

2009-07-13T13:45:00.000-06:00

Going right along with the food post, is a
"things that got caught" post. Lobsters, fish, lobsters, conch shells and meat, crabs...I am reluctant to eat seafood now that I'm back in Colorado, because there is just no way it can be as fresh!

Meet the "Sailors"

2009-07-12T19:29:00.005-06:00

I was rather eager to meet my fellow boating companions, as I would be stuck with them for 7 straight days-like it or not! It turned out to be a great group!!

First of all, there was the crew: Raul, Carlos, and Zaqueo. They were marvelous-friendly, talented, and eager to make us all happy.

Then there were Lisa and Paul, a couple from Canada. They were great fun! Birte (holding Lobster) was from Germany/then Denmark. Michael and Rich were traveling from California. Dan and Megan are both from the US (Cincinnati) but Dan has been living in Guatemala for the last 3 years installing water purifiers. Finally there was the captain, John, and his wife, Yesica, and their two boys, Sean and Jason. It was a great group-thank goodness!

Daily Diversions

2009-07-11T20:31:00.000-06:00

What does one do when on a boat for nearly 7 straight days? Lots of things!

When we stopped, we all went snorkeling in the clear water...if we got tired of swimming, there were paddleboards available, useful for exploring nearby islands!

There were plenty of Adult Beverages on board...and when you're on a boat, it's always happy hour!

Looking for our crew while they were out fishing for lobsters was a good activity (often good for hours of entertainment!)...

Playing chess kept kids and adults alike busy for hours!

Good Eatin'

2009-07-10T13:33:00.000-06:00

One of the best things about the trip was definitely the FOOD!! I was a little worried since I did not grow up eating a ton of seafood-for example, this trip was the second time I tried shrimp, and the first time I tried lobster! Well, my worries were unfounded, because our cook, and the crew that fished for us, was FANTASTIC. We ate well, and constantly! (Hey, all that swimming can make a girl hungry!). In between our huge meals, there would be trays of fruit, or in one case, fresh ceviche or crab legs to munch on.

DOLPHINS!!!!

2009-07-09T18:32:00.003-06:00

A big group of these guys (I would guess 15-20) raced alongside the boat and under the hammocks for several minutes. It was so cool!

Rio Dulce, Continued

2009-07-09T18:23:00.002-06:00

Up early enough to catch the sunrise.

Livingston was our last stop before heading out to open sea!

Rio Dulce River (Which is redundant, if translated)

2009-07-09T18:13:00.004-06:00

We spent our whole first afternoon/evening sailing up the Rio Dulce, towards the Caribbean. It was beautiful!

Cultural Exchanges

2009-07-08T15:32:00.000-06:00

This amazingly bright fruit tastes a bit like kiwi, but it doesn't just look pretty and taste good. It's functional. According to my host, the emptied out peel makes a dandy shot glass for tequila, or whatever it is you fancy.

Another new custom I learned about was from an Austrian couple. If you sprinkle cinnamon on an orange slice, and eat it before your shot (why before and not after? Because that's the way they did it.) I suppose it makes the shot more tasty, or at least, in the case of tequila, slightly less nasty? Hard to say if it actually worked, but it was a surprisingly nice combination.

Hey, it's all about the cultural exchange...

Setting Sail!

2009-07-08T12:22:00.004-06:00

For months, I had been looking forward to this sailing trip! A 4a.m. pickup and 6-hour bus ride later, and I found myself in the HOT town of Rio Dulce. It is right on the river of Rio Dulce, and a popular starting point for many boat trips. Here's a picture of the boat in the harbor, the little lancha we took out to get to it, and a few pictures from the boat, Las Sirenas (the mermaids) itself.

There will be many more pictures to come of this adventure! (There are ALWAYS more, and more recent, photos on Facebook!)

VOLCANO!

2009-07-06T16:31:00.006-06:00

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t
Amy and I had both decided that hiking the Pacaya Volcano was on our Must Do list. So, after the education delegation ended, and people started going their separate ways, we booked our tour. It was an hour and a half bus trip away. On the way up, we could see Volcan Agua, Volcan Acatenango, and the active Volcan Fuego. Our guide only spoke Spanish, but I was able to understand most of what he said. Once we got out of the trees it got tougher-and HOTTER. Carlos told us that there was lava flowing under the hardened lava we were walking on! The way we could feel the heat coming up through the ground was crazy. The rocks were sharp and really crumbly underfoot-sometimes they broke while we walked on them.

After a while of this, we finally saw what we had been promised: LAVA! Picture-taking and marshmallow-roasting (seriously) ensued! But did I mention it was HOT? We had to run up, pose, and run back as soon as the picture was taken! The creepiest thing was that when your back was to the lava, you could actually hear it moving, and chunks falling off, behind you! I have been trying to upload a video, but no luck thus far. It is definitely one of the neatest things I have ever seen.

Around Antigua

2009-07-04T19:08:00.004-06:00

Here's the thing about Antigua. It's really touristy. But, it's touristy because it's a nice, comfortable place to hang out. Lots of backpackers from all over the world, colonial architecture, and international cuisine choices. So, like a lot of places, it's touristy, but it's touristy for a reason. It also has little to nothing in common with the rest of Guatemala. With that disclaimer, here are some pictures from around town.

Into Antigua

2009-07-04T18:50:00.005-06:00

Another long van ride, and we arrived at our host's beautiful house in Antigua. She has set up a foundation to give bilingual Mayan youth scholarships, so they can return to their communities to teach. I am happy to have my room costs going to such a cause! We actually stayed in the library the first 3 nights (2 nights as a group, then I stayed on after for one night with Amy). It is a really neat room, but my favorite thing about the house is the garden. It was a really great place to stay, especially after being up in the highlands!

P.S. If you enlarge the garden picture, you will notice it is raining. That happens a lot. They don't call it the rainy season for nothing!

Chichicastenango

2009-07-03T18:12:00.003-06:00

Chichi, as it is known, is the biggest market in Central America. It is a little overwhelming, with little kids following you and tugging on your arms, and vendors in stalls and up and down the streets. You can find anything there if you are willing to look, and if you like haggling, you'll be in heaven! I sort of thought I'd be ready to get out of there well before our scheduled departure time, but thought of some things to look for and had a good time! Details about purchases will not be disclosed at this time. :)

Handicrafts of Chajul

2009-07-03T11:25:00.008-06:00

One of the projects the group in Chajul does, is find orphans-and there are many-and teach them a skill. The kids are taught to weave and embroider, thus giving them a chance at a livelihood and a future. The weavings often represent daily Mayan life and traditions, which also preserves the culture and passes it down to younger generations.

We were each allowed to buy one scarf or embroidery, but they were really looking for distribution outside of Guatemala, and someone with connections where these could continue to be sold. They are currently being sold by a woman in Norway, but her contract ends soon. I thought it was interesting that they were looking to sell them outside of the country, instead of a market such as Chichicastenango, but I'm sure the prices they fetch outside Guatemala are a lot more lucrative!

These pictures are turned the right way in my picture album. I have no idea why they are coming up sideways. Turn your head to the right, I guess!

Chajul, Guatemala

2009-07-03T11:06:00.004-06:00

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Another outing we had from Nebaj was to the neighboring village of Chajul, which was another hard-hit area during the civil war (noticing a pattern?). We met with a group promoting education, community organization, and women's rights in Chajul and outlying urban areas. After that we walked down to the church and she told us what it was like to live in Guatemala during the armed conflict. In all my traveling, her account was the most vivid and riveting.

For a long time, people remained in the town while the army moved in, and the violence escalated as people were "disappeared." One had to be very cautious and clever during this time. For example, the woman we talked to told us of a time strangers came to her home and urged her to join the guerillas in fighting the army. If she had gone with them, she would have been tortured and killed, because it was army men in disguise, looking for people who wanted to resist them. The church, below, was taken over by the army and used for torture--when the conflicts ended, bodies were found in it.

Eventually, the violence got so bad that people had to leave the village. The only place they could escape was into the jungle, where communities formed. The woman we talked to lived in the jungle...for 9 years. People starved to death, laundry could only be done when it was cloudy and helicopters wouldn't spot it from overhead, and the people formed "schools" to educate the kids growing up this way. It was pretty amaziing to hear about this way of life-and that this happened during my lifetime!

Even now, there is some conflict in Chajul, because there are neighbors that may have fought against each other (and indeed, killed each others' families) during the war.

On a lighter note, Chajul is also the place we went where we attracted the most attention. Acul, though smaller, has a few backpackers that go through on a loop through tiny villages, but I got the idea that white skin is not seen often (if ever!) in Chajul. Kids ran away from us, or followed us as we walked through the streets. When we were in our meeting, they watched through doorways, but ran off if anyone tried to talk to them. The people stared. I got used to being the only white ones around in Guatemala, but it was weird to be stared at with such curiousity, fear, and amusement!

Acul, Guatemala

2009-07-02T18:58:00.003-06:00

This post will only have pictures of our walk to this fascinating town, and none of the town or people themselves.

Here's Why.

Acul is a tiny village about a bumpy hour outside of Nebaj. The original village was destroyed by the army during the civil war, and then the locals were forced to rebuild it. It was the first "Model Village" in Guatemala-designed by the army to control people. The houses are tiny and uniform, with very small yards. Many Maya with different languages were forced to live there, and the village was designed so that people could not congregate or hold secret meetings. The people were placed deliberately so they would be with others who they could not communicate with. All the residents had to build, cook and work for the army in exchange for food rations. Many of the women were widows from the violence, and many residents were raped, tortured, and killed. For more information (and my source for some of this information) you can find Buried Secrets by Victoria Sanford.

The army controlled Acul from 1983-1996. The people here lived through a lot, and are understandably wary of strangers. A group of white foreigners walking through the town (cameras put away) was quite a sight, and they are probably still talking about it.

A note on the huge beautiful white house outside of Acul: It is owned by Italians and they make cheese there. It is NOT indicative of a high standard of living elsewhere in the area!

So, that was Acul. It was powerful and eerie to visit, and the more I read about it, the more often World War II and concentration camps come to my mind, though obviously not to the same horrific scale.

I have one more heavy post to write, and then I think I'll move on to volcanoes and beaches...

Haven

2009-06-25T16:57:00.003-06:00

El Descanso, in Nebaj, was built by the peace corps to give local people jobs. It quickly became our favorite hangout in Nebaj, in part because of some delicious food! It also had a great atmosphere-and even wireless internet!

Into the Highlands

2009-06-25T16:31:00.003-06:00

Getting to Nebaj, Guatemala, took about 5 hours of windy switchback mountain roads...but it is really a world away from the other places we have been. It was hit particularly hard during the 36-year long civil war. Although it has rebounded more quickly than some other areas we visited, it is a lot different from the urban and/or touristy areas we have been.

One thing that really sticks out about Nebaj is how traditional it is. The population is predominantly Ixil Mayans, who you will notice are quite absent from my photos. Although their clothing is beautiful, most Maya people don't like to be photographed. Also, when you travel in a group of 12, you don't want to be Those Tourists who all have cameras out all the time...so I'll see if I get some pictures from others in the group. We did get permission from some women in Chajul, so I'll post those soon! Anyway, not only do the women all wear traditional Mayan clothing, but it is all pretty much maroon skirts with light vertical stripes. Different regions have different colors and patterns that they wear.

People in Nebaj are also a lot more weary/leery of strangers. The people here have been through a lot and it shows in their response to outsiders. No one was rude to us, but we did have one misunderstanding at a meeting where speakers were very uncomfortable about giving their names to us, let alone talking to us. Instead of well marked and lit offices, like we have seen so far, we have had meetings in unmarked building basements and the like. It made me wonder if you could ever live here long enough to be accepted by the locals. There is a language school here, so there are some foreigners, but not many. Some people in our group really disliked Nebaj. Although I didn't dislike it, it is hard to become attached to a place where the locals are almost impossible to get to know, or even talk to, and regard any stranger with suspicion.

My Favorite Picture

2009-06-24T19:56:00.002-06:00

This is my favorite picture I've taken (out of hundreds so far) on this trip. It was through a window of a moving van, so maybe it can be cleaned up some. Zoom in, and then look to the center and right. I just love it.

Lamps

2009-06-24T15:45:00.004-06:00

We went to a cute little restaurant in Panajachel, with a big tree growing right up through the roof. But what I really LOVED there was the lamps! Since they try to sell you everything else in the streets of Panajachel, I was hoping the restaurant would sell me their light fixtures, but no such luck. I couldn't even find out where to get them. So, if you find something similar, my birthday is in less than 2 months...

Onward to Pana

2009-06-24T12:12:00.004-06:00

I was so happy to get OUT of Guatemala City! The next stop was the touristy, but scenic, town of Panajachel, which is right on the shore of Lake Atitlan. The weather on this long day of travel was really rainy, and several people's suitcases got wet, but mine was okay. First, we stopped at a scenic overlook where we could reportedly see the outline of a famous Mayan's face, volcanoes, and Lake Atitlan:

After more long and windy roads, we reached Pana, and found our hostel and roommates...guess who I picked?

That evening we went out to dinner with some teachers who work in a school specifically designed for kids who have to work for at least part of the day to support their families. The next morning many of us got up at 6am to go for a walk before a visit to the school (minus kids. Although all of Guatemala has less cases of swine flu than Colorado, they closed all the schools down 2 weeks early as a precaution). We also had another long van ride ahead of us so it was good to get some exercise! It was a cloudy, but not rainy, morning. Good for picture taking.

June 15-17: Meeting Extravaganza, and moving on

2009-06-23T19:10:00.005-06:00

I am not going to post about all of my meetings, because there were TOO MANY. Also because of the political situation here, I'm not even really going to sum them up,other than we went to UNICEF, and the Ministry of Education, the teacher's union, and several groups that promote education, especially bilingual education, while in town. And it was exhausting and I learned a lot. Mainly that the education system here is struggling, to put it rather mildly! Maybe I'll go into that later....

Meeting and Museum Madness!

2009-06-22T17:30:00.004-06:00

Our first day in Guatemala city was exhausting!!
Stop 1: Museo de Ferrocarril's exhibit, "Porque estamos como estamos," or Why We Are How We Are. It was a look at discrimination and inequality in Guatemala, and it was a great exhibit. Readers, you are about to get a brief lesson on the people of Guatemala. First of all, you have the indigenSous Mayan groups, which compose 50-60% of the population. There are 22 different groups, with completely different languages, as well as varying dress, culture, history, etc. Then there are the ladinos, or descendents of the Spanish when they invaded in the 1500s. Basically, the Mayan groups speak their own languages, yet are taught in schools in Spanish. So, that is one of the problems with the education system in Guatemala. Anyway that is a LONG post, and things are getting a bit busy at the moment-SO-I'll leave it at that, for now!

Guatemala City: day 1

2009-06-19T20:15:00.005-06:00

Okay. I got to the airport WAAAAY to early, met up with "the gang" and had uneventful flights through Houston and into Guatemala City. I even got a window seat and daydreamed about sailing while I looked at the green waters, and then over the green, mountainous regions. Our drivers picked us up (HOORAY for group travel! Well...at least in this instance! More on that later..)

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant with live mariachi/marimba music and ate lots of appetizers, before going to our darling hostel, Casa San Jose. I roomed with Amy, who was a great match and I'm sure will remain a good friend. After we got settled, we headed down for a walk/orientation of Guatemala City with one of our trip leaders, Jonas (with and H sound, not like Jonas brothers!).

Here are some things we saw or that I observed....

There are no other white people in Guatemala City!
There is an obvious distinction between the dress of "ladinos" or descended from the Spaniards, and indigenous/Mayan people.
Reminders of the armed conflict/civil war (which lasted for over 40 years) are everywhere. There are columns with the names of those who were killed or "disappeared" engraved into them. Lots of history, lots of tragedy.

So far my pictures aren't uploading but I'll keep working on it!

Guatemala!

2009-06-16T22:13:00.001-06:00

Okay, I am feeling kind of guilty that I gave all sorts of people my blog address and haven´t bothered to update! One issue is that I can´t get online with my laptop (yet) so uploading pictures is a pain. Oh yeah, and we´ve had 3-4 meetings a day with different organizations, nonprofits, and even the ministry of education today!

So, for being "on vacation" I am BUSY! So far it´s been very informative and interesting, though. I´ll have to add pictures when I can, but the internet system in Guatemala is...well...like most other things in Guatemala!

Just thought I´d let yáll know I´m alive and well. Hope I can get some more detailed posts with pictures up soon!

Summer Days, Part 2

2009-05-27T15:38:00.001-06:00

After my lovely breakfast (see below) I went for a hike that was about 4 miles long. Everything was so GREEN from all the recent rain! To see what this mountain usually looks like, click here. It was a lovely, if muddy, hike. One of my favorite things about this area (Green Mountain) is that you can see Downtown Denver to east, the snow-covered peaks to the west, and Red Rocks to the South Unfortunately, I did not see (and never have seen, in this area) a single paraglider landing. Darn!

Summer Days

2009-05-27T10:46:00.002-06:00

What else to do on a rainy day than update my blog? This one has been delayed, not just because of general busy-ness, but because I need to do a test-post. Toni got a new computer (a tiny eee netbook) and I need to make sure I can update the blog on it before I take it to Guatemala! Anyway, on to the posting!

Memorial Day here was EXTREMELY rainy. 3.4 inches between Saturday and the Monday night. So it was with great happiness that I woke up on Wednesday to SUNSHINE! First order of the day: a lazy breakfast at one of my favorite breakfast places, which is in Morrison, situated right on a creek and bike path. I had coffee, a tasty scramble thing, and read an entire newspaper (except sports and business) out in the sun. It's a beautiful thing.

Daydreamin' Days

2009-05-04T22:20:00.004-06:00

Let's face it. There comes a time in every school year when all you want to think about is getting OUT! Report cards, staff meetings, end-of-year testing, it's all for the birds!

I found a 7-day sailboat trip out of Guatemala to some islands of Belize that I can fit into my trip. That has given me PLENTY to daydream about these days!

More photos and info here.

First baseball game of the season!

2009-04-26T18:49:00.003-06:00

So life has been REALLY busy lately. If you know me, that's nothing new, but it just seems to be getting crazier and crazier! It's the time of year where there are evening performances and activities at school, and I had a Saturday class yesterday, on top of fencing and Spanish classes. AND the Rockies have been on the road for almost all season (and the two weekend days they played were miserable and rainy). So, despite less-than-ideal weather, I decided I NEEDED to get to the game today-and I'm glad I did! For the record, ideal weather requires sunscreen!

It was a fun game, especially with the Rox' record thus far. They won! By a lot! They were up 9-0 at one point, and ended up winning 10-4! 8 of the 9 players scored, and the other one got a 3 RBIs, so hopefully this is a good confidence booster.

How lazy am I? I am using pictures from different baseball games. Actually I also forgot my camera...and have as many baseball game pictures as I need! But they are actually about the right view for where I sat, and show the weather at the beginning and end of the game, so it's all good!

Next trip: Guatemala!

2009-04-12T17:43:00.004-06:00

My next trip is being planned! (Those of you who know me well won't be too surprised that I'm actually planning 3 international trips, but we'll stick with the soonest one here!)

I applied to and was accepted, to the Denver Justice and Peace Committee's Guatemala Education Delegation. This is basically a trip for educators, to see what is happening in Guatemala's education system, since the indigenous population was guaranteed a right to education in 1996. We are going to go to different schools in rural and urban areas of Guatemala and talk to the teachers and students, as well as learn more about Guatemala's history and the struggle they have had in educating their population in the midst of major conflicts. So, I am super excited about this!

That part of the trip is 10 days, and after that I am taking about 3 more weeks to travel, volunteer, and take Spanish classes. Guatemala has some of my favorite things, like several other locales I have visited in the last few years....volcanoes, ruins and fascinating history (Mayan this time, instead of Incan), lakes and oceans, and people who speak Spanish. :) Actually most of the indigenous populations speak their own languages, but Spanish is the common language they use. I haven't figured out all the details of where I'll be living/volunteering after the delegation ends, but I am looking forward to the trip! I leave on June 14...just over 2 months from today!

P.S. Photo stolen from Denver Justice & Peace Committee website. Until I get to take my own!

Saguaro National Park

2009-04-05T17:52:00.005-06:00

There are some funny-looking plants growing right outside of Tucson. On a non-game day I went on a hike (maybe just a walk, as there was no elevation gain required?) in Saguaro National Park. There were saguaros aplenty, along with plenty of other interesting cacti and flowers.

Spring Break-baseball time!

2009-04-05T17:25:00.006-06:00

Okay I am FINALLY updating! :)

I got to Tucson early Sunday, and decided that even though I hadn't bought tickets, I'd go to the Rockies game! I met up with Amy & her family and soaked in the AZ sunshine! After the game I did some shopping and met up with my friend Becca-who lives in Boston, of all places, but was in Tucson for her grandmother's 85th birthday! Crazy, huh? We went out with a bunch of her cousins that night, and hung out the next morning before she had to fly back to freezing temps.

I went to another baseball game on Monday, and Thursday. (The Rockies won 2 of the 3 games! Woo Rockies!) I'm posting all of those pics together, because they all pretty much look the same.

My car, as Toni advised, backed in to avoid this problem.

Todd Helton is actually playing this year. So far!

A common sight before games: the teams warming up, while fans line up hoping for autographs.

Living the good life.

Road Trip Day 1

2009-03-21T21:59:00.000-06:00

Not much to post for today. I drove. A lot. Almost 700 miles brought me to Deming, NM....which leaves only about 3 hours of driving tomorrow to get to Tucson! I saw green things growing today. It was very exciting!

Grand Junction: Sunday

2009-03-15T16:03:00.004-06:00

Unless you have lived in Colorado, you might not have expected us to be hiking in the next day's picture, after Saturday! But that is exactly what we did. The four of us drove to nearby Colorado National Monument for some hiking among the mesas and neat rock formations before hitting the road for home. Chris and Rene took good care of us and made sure we'd be coming back often to visit!

Grand Junction: Saturday

2009-03-12T18:12:00.004-06:00

One of my good friends recently moved to Grand Junction, and last weekend, Toni and I were able to go visit! We woke up Saturday to an unusual sight this winter: snow! Normally this would not be a happy way to start my day, but we had a warm breakfast and headed to the nearby ski area, happy we had brought our skis (despite weather in the 70's and cement-like snow the previous day). Powderhorn is a small ski area near Grand Junction, and we skied in about 8 inches of fresh powder all day. It is harder than it looks in the commercials! It alternated snowing and clear during the day. The strangest thing was watching an oncoming storm while we were eating lunch, as it came in across the mesas.

That night, after a necessary nap, we had an amazing Thai meal and checked out a local watering hole. I slept WELL that night!!

Mountaintop Matrimony

2009-02-27T17:54:00.004-07:00

Okay, I've been back from Mexico for over a month, time to come to terms with that!

A couple of weekends ago, Toni and I went to quite a unique wedding! It was held on the mountain at Loveland ski area-along with a few dozen other couples! It was also the most casually dressed we have been for a wedding (think: snow pants) and definitely COLD! Here are some pics.

The Mystery of Playa del Carmen

2009-01-30T20:32:00.004-07:00

Our room balcony faced a forested area, and every evening, a bunch of these critters came out to play. While sitting on the deck with my coffee and book, I watched many a tourist approach these furry animals, while trying to figure out what they are. Some of the guesses I heard were....raccoons, lemurs, cats, marmots, and marmosets. It wasn't until I got home that my suspicions were confirmed....they are called coatis. And if you give them bagels, they will stand up on 2 legs, then run off with the treasure to bring it to it's family (presumably). And no, I wasn't the one feeding the bagels, that was someone in a room below me!

Swanky Outside, Too!

2009-01-25T20:13:00.002-07:00

Here are some shots from outside. Although it was overcast our first day there, who could complain? It was still in the 70s! The next few days were warm to hot, but nothing a pina colada couldn't cure! The ocean was perfect for swimming and cooling off. I soaked up every moment of sun I could, knowing it would have to tide me over for a few more months of Colorado winter! (My first few days back in Colorado were gorgeous, but the high today was 20 degrees. Boo.)

i

Swanky Digs (inside)

2009-01-24T16:04:00.003-07:00

We stayed at the Sandos Resort, right on the Caribbean. It was beautiful, indoors and out. First, some pics of the swanky indoor areas.....

welcome

our (my and my brothers) room/suite

the in-room jacuzzi...where I spent some quality time the first night, when my brothers were out exploring

yep, Obama was all over tv down in Mexico too!

Yahoo for the Yucatan!

2009-01-22T21:06:00.003-07:00

The reason my last post was mysterious was that my mom told us we were going on a trip to Mexico, but wouldn't tell us where! It wasn't until we got to the airport that I found out our destination: Sandos Resort, Playa del Carmen, which is south of Cancun.

It. Was. Amazing!

January, it turns out, is an awesome time to spend on a beach of the Caribbean! After all, who wouldn't want to leave this:

For this:?

Coming Soon to a Blog Near You

2009-01-12T23:01:00.001-07:00

I will be leaving early Thursday morning for somewhere where it doesn't snow and I am bringing my bathing suit. That's about all I know....more to come soon!

Do You Do....the R word?

2009-01-07T09:40:00.003-07:00

Resolutions, that is!

Normally, I'm not a big resolution maker...or I make them but they are sort of vague and just in my head. This year I'm going for it though....

1. Go Green(er).

No water bottles (in the United States) I had to amend this, as if I travel abroad, which is a possibility, that is sometimes the ONLY way to get clean water. However, when I am in the U.S. I am resolving to cut down on waste and not buy bottled water, just using reusable bottles.
Fewer paper/plastic bags. I bought my cloth ones and I'm ready to use them! Now, I just have to remember to bring them to the store!

2. Stay on the exercise bandwagon

Fencing 2-3 times a week
Weights/walks/runs the majority of other days. But a day off here and there is okay, because everyone needs a break. I'm planning on limiting those "off days" to one a week.

3. Fence in one tournament (my first!) this year.

4. Continue learning Spanish-through Colorado Free University(which is not actually free, unfortunately!) and/or studying abroad.

Okay, now it's official!

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth...

2009-01-04T15:32:00.001-07:00

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth...I'm just not sure where my camera cord is. Someday soon, I will find it and update! Really!

Christmas Festivities

2008-12-29T09:29:00.002-07:00

I went up to my mom's house on Christmas Eve. We decorated the little tree while she was at work-see, before and after! We all opened one (okay, two!) presents that night, and did the rest the next morning.

Hot Spiced Cider

2008-12-22T18:28:00.002-07:00

Most of the country is freezing this week, so take a break and ENJOY!

Ingredients:
2 qt. container of apple cider
3 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves (whole)
a couple tablespoons orangeade mix/"Tang"
1/2 qt. water
a handful of red hot candies
Optional: a splash of "adult beverage"-spiced rum or whatever suits your fancy!
I also sometimes splash in some cranberry juice

Directions: Throw it all in the crockpot or on the stove until it's hot and enjoy! (Put in the adult beverage after cooking, not before!) Be sure to strain out those cloves, too.

I Am A Horrible Blogger!

2008-11-29T11:34:00.003-07:00

Why? You may ask. Because you haven't updated in over 3 weeks? No, that's not the worst of it! Because I spent Thanksgiving at my mom's with 10 other people and had a wonderful meal: 0 pictures. Hosted brunch for my brothers and a few friends the next morning: 0 pictures. Made my first quiche, which was not only tasty but quite pretty: 0 pictures!

Oh, well. There's always Christmas....

Oh, was there an election?

2008-11-06T22:01:00.005-07:00

I know, I know, you've been checking my blog expecting a post, and nothing. Well,

WOO-HOO!!!!

And, you know me, I had to be right in the middle of things to watch the results come in: (former Adams Mark) Sheraton hotel, downtown Denver, here I come!

And, what a night it was. Historic.I've never been so proud.

Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!! It's almost time!

2008-11-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

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Rally!

2008-10-26T19:51:00.005-06:00

Disclaimer: I did not take the above picture, but found it online on Obama's website. HOLY COW!

Today, one of Obama's biggest rallies of the year, with an estimated 100,000 people, took place in Denver. Finally, he picked a day I didn't have to work, and I headed down to Civic Center Park with friends Chris and Rene. We got in line at 9am and would all through Denver, getting through security around 10:30. We listened to all of Colorado's political bigwigs (Gov. Bill Ritter, Sen. Ken Salazar, and Congressman (soon to be Senator) Mark Udall).

Did I mention that there were a LOT of people in Denver today?
The people behind us go all the way up the steps of the capital.

These are the people in front of us.Above is the guest of honor himself, see if you can enlarge and see him! Below, Chris, Chris, Rene, and Meghan. Can you BELIEVE we found our friends in this mob? No cell phones used or anything!There was a lot of waiting before Obama himself spoke, but it was worth it! The best part was that we got to hear his entire speech (including things like education and the environment, that don't make the evening 1 minute news). It was also awesome to be part of such a huge group. Seriously, 100,000 people? That is 2 full Coors Fields!! It made the whole thing feel like a movement. 9 days until election day....now GO VOTE!!!

Finally, some pictures of the whole crowd, which I did not take, due to not owning a helicopter.

Uncanny.

2008-10-06T21:26:00.001-06:00

A Week in the Life of a Swing State

2008-10-02T18:45:00.002-06:00

Hello from Colorado. You, oh relatives in Illinios, may have heard this term, "Swing State." Of course you know what it means-it is a state that could vote either Democrat or Republican. But what is it like to LIVE in one?

1. I haven't seen a non-political commercial in MONTHS.

2. Here was Colorado's schedule just this week:
MONDAY: Barack Obama was here (Westminster? Arvada? One of the two) to speak.
TUESDAY: Michelle Obama spoke at a college campus in Boulder.
THURSDAY: McCain speaks to a "Women Only" group in Denver.
FRIDAY: McCain will speak in Pueblo, CO.
SATURDAY: Sarah Palin will speak in some undisclosed, but Colorado, location.

Yep, we're just living the dream, here. Now, I have a debate to watch!

So what's new? Not much.

2008-10-01T14:48:00.009-06:00

I know, I need a new post. Seriously, though, not only does work keep me pretty darn busy, it also stops me from doing neat things worth posting about, like going to other countries. I haven't taken a picture in months. And now it has gone and gotten me sick! Therefore, the latest can be boiled down to bullets:

Okay, I'm very excited about the election. At last check this morning, Colorado was light blue instead of red or purple! But there are a lot of writers out there much better at writing about politics than I am, so for today, I'll leave 'em to it.
That horrible back pain I was suffering from (though don't believe I mentioned on my blog) for about a month following my birthday? Completely gone. Thank goodness!
Fencing is great, but I missed Monday due to this cold. Grrr. The jury's still out about going tonight. My instructor thinks I'm almost ready to start fencing in tournaments....hmmm.
Fall is finally coming in Denver...it's a little chillier at night and the leaves are pretty. Bittersweet, since I *really* don't like winter, but at least I won't have allergies any more once the snow starts falling!
New job = fantastic. Way less stress than classroom teacher, and less take-home work too...but best of all, I'm crazy about all these little ESL guys! They don't speak English so they don't talk back! ;) No, kidding aside, it's neat to see how fast they learn...although Toni gives me a weird look when I say, "Guess what! So-and-so raised his hand to comment on a book today!!!!" Small victories. Only downsides thus far: being in so many classrooms a day undoubtedly contributed to catching this cold, and parent-teacher conferences are going to be a nightmare...I'm double and triple booked most of the evening times!
I'm doing some research about going to Guatemala next summer. From what I can tell, it's beautiful, cheap, and a great place to work on Spanish (which, with the new job, seems ever more important to get a better handle on). Oh yeah, and they have active volcanoes. You know me and active volcanoes. :)

WB2 News visits Denver Fencing Center (Golden)

2008-09-13T15:51:00.003-06:00

On a local Denver news channel, there's a news guy whose sole job is to go around and find interesting, and sometimes obscure, places of interest. Friday morning found him at my fencing center! We all showed up at 6 a.m. for the excitement (unfortunately he does not have an evening gig at the station). Here are some pics from the morning...I only was able to stay for the first 2 bits out of 5 or 6 before I went to work.

Oddly, Chris Parente, aforementioned anchor, showed up wearing a white shirt and gray sweater vest, so he totally blends in with all the fencers.

Is Palin Out Already???

2008-09-02T20:10:00.001-06:00

FINALLY a new post! Birthday!

2008-08-23T09:32:00.005-06:00

My friend Julia and I long ago decided that you get a "birthday week"-because one day just isn't enough! Last weekend I had a wonderful "birthday weekend" up in Estes Park. Toni joined me and we spent Saturday wandering through shops and eating! (It was too rainy to get terribly ambitious) I was just beside myself to find a sock store (only socks! nothing else!!) and Toni was a good sport as I exclaimed repeatedly about how amazing this place was. "Look! Socks with crabs on them!!" We also watched the Olympics and I tried some creative drinks from the Estes Park Microbrewery-among them, blueberry wheat beer and apricot mead! (Admittedly weird, but fun)

On Sunday, the skies cleared, sort of, and we went for a walk in Rocky Mountain National Park at the Alluvial Fan. (Which is what all the rocks and debris are called after they flood out of a canyon, it turns out). During brunch it started raining again. By the time we got back to the Denver area, it had cleared up again and we squeezed in a bike ride. It was a lovely weekend, and great to relax before all the craziness of the first week of school started!

Whirlwind Week(s)

2008-08-14T21:23:00.004-06:00

(This picture is the roof (ceiling?) inside the tea house. It was beautiful!)
If I had a bit more time, I could probably do at least 5 posts from the last week! I don't have the time. Here's the rundown!

Last weekend, Toni and I headed up to Sterling for the Logan County Fair. This entailed a parade (while the whole family ran amok with water guns!), a Karg-style feast, and then, of course, the actual fair. Wow, it was so small-town fair-ish! I don't think a thing there has changed in at least 50 years!
Monday I got together with friends Chris and Rene, and we went on Rene's first hike since her knee surgery at Mt. Galbraith. Getting home, Chris and I fixed my hot water heater, with some phone tech support from Toni! Then I went to fencing and realized my legs were *really* tired. That night, went up to my mom's to check in on things, and Chris and Rene joined me there too...they had just gotten back from 8 days in Mexico so I guess we missed each other. Perseod Meteor Showers viewed from the hot tub were very cool.
The next morning (Tuesday) we made a massive breakfast (my first pancakes without some sort of Bisquick mix!), then went down to Boulder Reservoir for an afternoon in the sun. Then, to the Boulder Tea House for dinner. What a cool place! (I almost went down to the car to get my camera, but my legs are TOAST....soon.) That night I visited Toni at his pool tournament.
Wednesday. I had to go to work. WORK?!? What is this?!??? Harrumph. Lots of boxes to unpack in my new little office area, which I'm sharing with the GT teacher. I'm getting excited about my new position and new principal. But still. I had to go to work. Today-more work. Lots of meetings. This is tiring me out. Last night I did manage fencing for 2 hours, but couldn't handle poker afterwards! I'm pooped! (I fell asleep after getting home today and woke up around 6:30, and had to figure out if I needed to get up and get ready for school!).

I do not anticipate doing any posting until next week...we're going out of town (Estes Park) for my birthday this weekend! Of course, this plan was made when it was 100 degrees in Denver and the mountains were nice and cool. Tomorrow's forecast? Let's just say it may go on record as "Coldest Birthday Ever!!"

Cloudy with scattered rain showers in the morning, and more widespread rain in the afternoon and evening. Snow will fall in the Front Range Mountains at and above the 10,500 foot level. There may be some snow in foothills communities like Evergreen and Estes Park but it will melt as it falls. Morning lows around Denver will be in the lower 50s, afternoon highs will be in the lower 60s. (9news)

Yipes! Time to bust out the cold-weather gear! I think our room has a fireplace. :)

Tasty!

2008-08-05T18:13:00.003-06:00

Maybe it's the end of our record-breaking 90's streak, but today I was in the mood for 1. a bike ride and 2. a stir fry-two things I rarely do! They were both successful endeavors! Seriously, I think I've had a wok for years (some sort of hand-me-down) and I've never used it! I even had something called "Wok Oil"-who knew?? I found a recipe online that I modified (because I was too lazy to go to the grocery store) and wallah! Dinner!

Oye!

2008-08-04T22:24:00.004-06:00

This was written by my friend, John Blanco. Link to your right. Too funny to keep to myself.

John McCain Definitely Senile

posted by John Blanco @ 9:45 AM

John McCain has had a lot of problems with "misremembering" during this campaign season. Many times, he's insisted he didn't say things that he did say. But, this one takes the cake:

On Friday, McCain attacked Obama's record on the environment during a campaign stop in the Florida Everglades.

"Sen. Obama has no record of being involved in this issue that I know of," he said. "I will stick by my record and my commitment of many years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

McCain seems to have forgotten the *cough* The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill .

Dear God.

Quiet week

2008-08-03T15:19:00.002-06:00

Devoted Readers,
I guess the rest of my summer has been so exciting, I just haven't had much to blog about since getting home. No new pictures. But boy my house is clean! I did have a poker night/party last weekend. Otherwise, I've just been taking it easy, other than a couple classes last week. Reading books, hanging out with Toni, and trying not to think about the inevitable return to school! As local readers will know, it has been HOT HOT HOT here lately, so unfortunately, I've been staying inside a lot too (when what I really should do is go to the mountains and get in a few hikes!). Rockies are out of town. I took July off from fencing, but will return tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have a bit more to report on next time-but for now, chilling out is good, too!

Just the Facts

2008-07-22T16:56:00.002-06:00

This ad has been getting a lot of air time here lately....Here are some facts.

According to-oh-John McCain- "Our dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long term about the future of the country. By 2030, America's demand for energy will rise by nearly 20 percent. Our jobs, our way of life, and our security depend on the next president beginning to solve this challenge." (Source: John McCain campaign Web site.) No. Obama didn't create high gas prices.
We are already drilling for oil in Alaska-1 million barrels a day. Just not in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In fact, 95% of Alaska's North Slope is open for drilling (Source: San Francisco Chronicle).
The ANWR was set aside in 1960 by the Eisenhower administration and was described as "one of the world's great wildlife areas. The great diversity of vegetation and topography in this compact area, together with its relatively undisturbed condition, led to its selection as ... one of our remaining wildlife and wilderness frontiers" (Source: ANWR website).
Drilling in the refuge would have a minimal impact on gas prices. According to Energy Information Association, "if Congress gave the go-ahead to pump oil from Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the crude could begin flowing by 2013 and reach a peak of 876,000 barrels a day by 2025...James Kendell, one of the authors of the study, said the refuge would add to domestic production, but “when you’re talking of a world oil market of over 75 million barrels a day, adding 900,000 barrels by 2025 is a drop in the bucket.”

2013? 2025? For these savings: "But the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an independent statistical agency within the Department of Energy, concluded that new oil from ANWR would lower the world price of oil by no more than $1.44 per barrel—and possibly have as little effect as 41 cents per barrel—and would have its largest impact nearly 20 years from now if Congress voted to open the refuge today...EIA said its projection is that ANWR oil production would amount to 0.4 percent to 1.2 percent of total world oil consumption in 2030." (Source)

Other resources:
~James's website, a good source for starting research.
~Ways to increase fuel efficiency
~Obama's energy plan

Victoria, BC, to home

2008-07-22T08:48:00.006-06:00

The original plan was this: get up early and take an early ferry over to Vancouver Island, drive around, see the sights, and possibly take a late ferry back to the Seattle area.

Ahh, the best laid plans. After first leaving my cell phone in the Vancouver hostel, necessitating a 15 mile trip back to get it, and then discovering a flat tire, which turned into buying 4 new tires (I really needed them anyway)...I was considerably delayed! So, while waiting for the ferry, I called a hostel in Victoria. They had beds available, so the plan was made to stay there.

When my ferry arrived, I detoured to see a small winery, where I ended up buying a bottle of rhubarb wine-because where else will I find that?! Then I checked into my hostel and walked around Victoria, stopping in Chinatown for a tasty meal. But, after my "Tired" post, I napped from about 7 to 10 before getting up to read, check email, and go back to sleep.

The next morning was another one of plans not working out! I woke up early (5 or 6), packed up again, which was pretty easy because I never really unpacked, and set aside some time to drive around outside Victoria and see the coast. The 9:30 ferry left for Port Angeles, west of Seattle and right near Olympic National Park-perfect! The guy at the hostel advised getting there at 8:30. After a scenic drive and walk, and breakfast, I was at the ferry terminal by 8:15.

By 10:00 the ferry still hadn't arrived.

At 10:30 I got the okay from the U.S. customs lady, and the ferry finally arrived.

At about 10:50 I found out that it was full, and another one wasn't scheduled to come until 3:30. Now what? I got my refund and drove to the terminal that goes to Vancouver, which leaves every hour. After waiting in line a bit longer, boarded that. I talked to a really nice woman from Nova Scotia, she was all about talking U.S. politics-all the Canadians love Obama! They're also very politically aware, since our elections impact them so much.

After that, it was all driving. The flaw in this plan was that I hit Seattle (after a long line at customs) right at rush hour!

At this point, I considered my options. I originally wanted to visit the coast and take my time getting back home. However, at this point, I was tired, my bank account was hurting (4 new tires and $6.80 a gallon gas will do that-yes, that's how much $1.50 a liter adds up to), and I didn't want to sleep in a bunk bed or tent! I was also feeling a little overloaded, and like going somewhere new was starting to be a chore-and that's no way to travel! Long story short, I decided it was time to go home. Thus started the marathon drive!

That night I drove through all of Washington and most of Oregon, stopping for a snooze at an Oregon rest area. The next morning, I drove through the rest of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and finally home! It was a loooong day of driving! Now, I am home, sweet, home, enjoying the luxuries of my own bed and bathroom, washing machine, coffee pot....ahhhhh!

Despite being tired toward the end, it was a wonderful trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed all that Canada has to offer-what a beautiful country, what kind citizens!

Here are some totals:
Miles driven: 3,960
States visited, US: 7
New states for me:1
Provinces visited, Canada: 2
National Parks: 1 in U.S., 2 in Canada

Off on the Ferry!

2008-07-22T08:40:00.003-06:00

After Vancouver, my car and I got on a ferry and headed toward Vancouver Island, and the city of Victoria.

More Canadian Rockies Pictures

2008-07-22T08:17:00.003-06:00

Remember that quirky problem I was having with the vertical pictures? Well, it's been resolved, so here are some more pictures from the Canadian Rockies!

Camping, wet camping

2008-07-21T09:38:00.001-06:00

In Jasper Park, Alberta (which borders on Banff NP), I may have mentioned some certain rain. Here are a few pics from that evening and morning.

Camping in the rain necessities: wine and fire starter....in that order. ;)

Tired.

2008-07-17T19:32:00.002-06:00

Okay, I still want to see Seattle and Crater Lake...but I think it's about time to go home! I'm tired! Driving, a flat tire today, living out of a suitcase or tent, more driving, getting lost, feeling guilty if I am "not seeing/doing enough"....can you tell I'm exhausted?!

Despite my flat tire and leaving my cell phone at the hostel in Vancouver (which I remembered 15 miles out), I did eventually make it to Victoria, Vancouver Island. Took a giant ferry over here with my car. It's beautiful and all...but is 6:30 p.m. too early to go to bed? =)

The Nicest People

2008-07-16T16:45:00.002-06:00

Vancouver has the nicest people I have ever met.

That's a pretty strong statement, and I've been known to do a little traveling! Here's my evidence:
1. They do not try to run you down when you cross the street. You could jump in front of a moving car here and they'd apologize for not stopping soon enough (not that I've tried). Honestly, though, you can stand on the side alk and look at the street, as though you're thinking you might like to cross it sometime, and people will stop.
2. Monica and I were taking photos of each other at Stanley Park and a woman said, "let me take one of you together. I bet you've got loads of pictures of each other, but not many of you both!
3. We were consulting our map, making sure we were walking the right direction to return the bike and roller blades, and a man stopped and asked us if he could help offer directions.

Usually you have to flag people down to get them to take a picture or directions, and here they are just dying to help! Wow!

Vancouver's Stanley Park

2008-07-16T16:33:00.004-06:00

This morning, much to my delight, my "dorm mate" Monica, who's from Columbia, asked if I'd like to go to Stanley Park with her! Since that was on my "to do" list, I immediately agreed, glad to have someone to hang out with. We took a bus down and then she had the brilliant idea of renting bikes (a bike for me, rollerblades for her) to explore the park, so we did that.

Vancouver is very proud of it's park-boasting that it's the size of Central Park, but with more attractions and the ocean. We agreed that it is a pretty nice place. And I'm really glad we rented wheels, because it was an 11km loop! Around the edge, there are ponds, boatyards, totem poles, an aquariam, a kids water park, and a big swimming pool-it is quite the place! On top of that it was a beautiful day and perfect weather, and it was so nice to get some exercise after so much time spent sitting in a car.

Unfortunately, Monica had to leave for a job she's starting with YMCA, but we had a great morning exploring Vancouver!