tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102708792024-03-17T12:27:42.710-07:00Canyonwren TravelsOur Travels and Adventures TogetherCanyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.comBlogger1045125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-51316681348933994472024-03-17T12:27:00.000-07:002024-03-17T12:27:03.326-07:00Surprise!<p>The other day the gang at our compound were all settled in at the palapa. They were ready to play cards and I was still napping in the room. All of a sudden I hear a bunch of noise from above, so I got up and wandered up the metal staircase of death to see what was happening. </p><p>I got to the roof and out of nowhere pops Dan Breeden. I was surprised and still sort of sleepy so I stood there trying to figure out what the heck was happening. Dan had just surprised Linda and the Burches and that was the ruckus that woke me.</p><p>We have been inviting Dan to come down and visit us in Mexico for years. Now with the help of Beth, he made the trip, keeping it a complete secret from us.</p><p>What a fun surprise!</p><p>For the next week we get to spend some time with Dan, show him our little hideaway town, and let him enjoy the warm weather and relaxed lifestyle that is Melaque.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNCaAKdOw54zGLULeIc-YYeFUwtP6R6ZUGQU_rmQyc_UWdHD9mZdI6Ng75PGpg_Bpo6QE6w77_fDG_j5TlZ1ACz0tHm4GtbLIgHbSY6wnrOD3GVOShYOvze-6uxmvzCVA9p9jS7HWkmxBHLDMJZYdaluNqA_LGN-ibbtx6BSi19vWsTfP46x-Yg/s2769/20240313_174351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2523" data-original-width="2769" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNCaAKdOw54zGLULeIc-YYeFUwtP6R6ZUGQU_rmQyc_UWdHD9mZdI6Ng75PGpg_Bpo6QE6w77_fDG_j5TlZ1ACz0tHm4GtbLIgHbSY6wnrOD3GVOShYOvze-6uxmvzCVA9p9jS7HWkmxBHLDMJZYdaluNqA_LGN-ibbtx6BSi19vWsTfP46x-Yg/s320/20240313_174351.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinks at the pool bar, Laguna de Tule.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR5htuf3rssvg9WDjC5wFyszwaO5KzXA7LvtqV7sEbPDOGDeje-RYL-rXgZPXUtS_-U93kn2LXpgPoftdNd2NG0nsrIos6HCBaFXcTQ6d06o9pNF7NWzqP3Ecylh5SubgcafDVPfug6KKB4fmS9xd1hdKwfn-7G_8z1Vztwq12aBEfWYbJ1b3RA/s3359/20240313_172913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2150" data-original-width="3359" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR5htuf3rssvg9WDjC5wFyszwaO5KzXA7LvtqV7sEbPDOGDeje-RYL-rXgZPXUtS_-U93kn2LXpgPoftdNd2NG0nsrIos6HCBaFXcTQ6d06o9pNF7NWzqP3Ecylh5SubgcafDVPfug6KKB4fmS9xd1hdKwfn-7G_8z1Vztwq12aBEfWYbJ1b3RA/s320/20240313_172913.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kvL4duogUa6Qm3C6UcnX2dkRn2C3bvhfFreA5wVTcPA4NU-1jr2vsJ0L6gvYZSRbKXnmNdyo-XtrTxm9Oh0rVxBLxKMBKr6E8xpwsXaFfqJB0dR6DD_pme466VwOWmx4urNHi-wazuB95GKRorRpqCoxwl5jdCbe8wMpswr96VYiyW7RPSDBPQ/s2889/20240313_190122(0).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2889" data-original-width="2363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kvL4duogUa6Qm3C6UcnX2dkRn2C3bvhfFreA5wVTcPA4NU-1jr2vsJ0L6gvYZSRbKXnmNdyo-XtrTxm9Oh0rVxBLxKMBKr6E8xpwsXaFfqJB0dR6DD_pme466VwOWmx4urNHi-wazuB95GKRorRpqCoxwl5jdCbe8wMpswr96VYiyW7RPSDBPQ/s320/20240313_190122(0).jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street tacos on the way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTWUBzVYqOmBvEl9_ZPqibcMrDo3j2p49h-ZQzYoG5rTGNHcRprirPBpYUXKD75LSpESNi6wujgbBTbWCsNYLtq6vIfz8V2LRK0wAo1w8OmYgGlBWrXp6NZYAtgMtGmW2TYQpL79xBbW3PU_RYMT-YYP6Z4ognxzbxjDjWVcjzmqR2x4c4pCjMw/s3475/20240313_190650.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2697" data-original-width="3475" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTWUBzVYqOmBvEl9_ZPqibcMrDo3j2p49h-ZQzYoG5rTGNHcRprirPBpYUXKD75LSpESNi6wujgbBTbWCsNYLtq6vIfz8V2LRK0wAo1w8OmYgGlBWrXp6NZYAtgMtGmW2TYQpL79xBbW3PU_RYMT-YYP6Z4ognxzbxjDjWVcjzmqR2x4c4pCjMw/s320/20240313_190650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_0rWC84VNP3NMuVdJ6MxXZF7sHKyVtJwzL-jQJd1k22LHaZU5D59nvX-McgVHPQ43R6nW4wBR8-yKwSYBXKb4MYmPMHWqc9K94Pug5Y0xzgXAGHqtJQenBk7YSTJPl-ALmEJ1DTqMeyC9dhhJhcEMSdl_p45ZCWuwJHBis5ccI6kyWV55sQGPQ/s2962/20240315_095349%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="2962" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_0rWC84VNP3NMuVdJ6MxXZF7sHKyVtJwzL-jQJd1k22LHaZU5D59nvX-McgVHPQ43R6nW4wBR8-yKwSYBXKb4MYmPMHWqc9K94Pug5Y0xzgXAGHqtJQenBk7YSTJPl-ALmEJ1DTqMeyC9dhhJhcEMSdl_p45ZCWuwJHBis5ccI6kyWV55sQGPQ/s320/20240315_095349%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus ride selfie.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnHnYaW3gHeMSGVeVLwe7-LCzPwF6BZuIEBn6VnKMMZVEay4PGSf3oub3Z_Su2KSR16Zm6W6ToPqtPA_SUxTlKCuqw9e7SBI6JlPTkAxjg1-j5kyNolyKMsKAUO6ZwJB1DqV9MiXBKAhUwZ8NK9lhv5Y8cxVGBN2cI42wBTMTNJ6UL3Pi0E1xUQ/s4032/20240315_101350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnHnYaW3gHeMSGVeVLwe7-LCzPwF6BZuIEBn6VnKMMZVEay4PGSf3oub3Z_Su2KSR16Zm6W6ToPqtPA_SUxTlKCuqw9e7SBI6JlPTkAxjg1-j5kyNolyKMsKAUO6ZwJB1DqV9MiXBKAhUwZ8NK9lhv5Y8cxVGBN2cI42wBTMTNJ6UL3Pi0E1xUQ/s320/20240315_101350.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the beach in Barra de Navidad.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xYPsCPYFxiBJM4uWQQtWS8Y2Haf6G8WzWx2t8ct1YGdF8Bs2MVExFS4PKkyRL2HY828szHEz87eOZ26E4BX5lxC5OPHM2fp8gYeyN955fS2pyYrjTflb0EisTmXe7REg9e_37QS4RrM5wV0PlkpnxEqzjI5q-QIbuH5t2BbctDu-wnAbP_Utqw/s4000/20240315_104310.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xYPsCPYFxiBJM4uWQQtWS8Y2Haf6G8WzWx2t8ct1YGdF8Bs2MVExFS4PKkyRL2HY828szHEz87eOZ26E4BX5lxC5OPHM2fp8gYeyN955fS2pyYrjTflb0EisTmXe7REg9e_37QS4RrM5wV0PlkpnxEqzjI5q-QIbuH5t2BbctDu-wnAbP_Utqw/s320/20240315_104310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRfNDOOPzaDYJHdSbESvjkuPWCyqlofQ7RZwIVlbQv3_tzW9V2xpLn5WT8Wzo2PdgyPpQI4xPI5G3gkBgcG8owrcIXpzwA7OOas0A0CRWqo8H4bewv7q0PCDsa2JQQQDhL2i7VTd6C5zPfW0AKKhmHOishjoGcmOnrMuOHA70Szo4MOKkIQSMRw/s4000/20240315_110303.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRfNDOOPzaDYJHdSbESvjkuPWCyqlofQ7RZwIVlbQv3_tzW9V2xpLn5WT8Wzo2PdgyPpQI4xPI5G3gkBgcG8owrcIXpzwA7OOas0A0CRWqo8H4bewv7q0PCDsa2JQQQDhL2i7VTd6C5zPfW0AKKhmHOishjoGcmOnrMuOHA70Szo4MOKkIQSMRw/s320/20240315_110303.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat ride to Restaurant Mary's.</td></tr></tbody></table>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-42837506873744207692024-03-12T14:13:00.000-07:002024-03-12T14:13:48.209-07:00The 375<p>This season in Mexico is coming to an end for Linda and I. We have less that a week left in Melaque then we move on for a few days in La Ribera north of Cabo on the Baja peninsula. After that we will head home.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCj9-Hmhilb-0kelCUdCyw2zGytRssTUvYFwcScXJo33rKodEilG5HuAqL97jgMKCH2MQ8pbQtUUlzmXWXjPnLMoDgmp0px6SVrePnb7FElYnGyokxi2-ESwvMiSj5ectyTokpgKft4dFdrUPsMjAgO8Ku-PW6xVPefD0_L6eov9Z_bkYtwEEBg/s4032/20240312_103624.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCj9-Hmhilb-0kelCUdCyw2zGytRssTUvYFwcScXJo33rKodEilG5HuAqL97jgMKCH2MQ8pbQtUUlzmXWXjPnLMoDgmp0px6SVrePnb7FElYnGyokxi2-ESwvMiSj5ectyTokpgKft4dFdrUPsMjAgO8Ku-PW6xVPefD0_L6eov9Z_bkYtwEEBg/s320/20240312_103624.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We will look back on our stay this year with fond memories of living in our apartment. This winter residence came to be knowen as The 375 by those who resided within the walls behind the address numbers: 3 7 5. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RITcCvo58f3tR7do_uO9LP027XdBhnHCOJjVWbbLnrIh9uUDv-Viri4DUigfiUd9dYsIz2_3ZmvqRqMunY1GoLRh9Jb81Z3Uk3lS8HeN9F_6Oavc6AxMxLktbJhSdtCQdj8aJmrBqOatR3e7_ZoDpiCVDGxpYI1j7sLNNhxCPVxp8vAgJqDd0Q/s4187/IMG_0070~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3194" data-original-width="4187" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RITcCvo58f3tR7do_uO9LP027XdBhnHCOJjVWbbLnrIh9uUDv-Viri4DUigfiUd9dYsIz2_3ZmvqRqMunY1GoLRh9Jb81Z3Uk3lS8HeN9F_6Oavc6AxMxLktbJhSdtCQdj8aJmrBqOatR3e7_ZoDpiCVDGxpYI1j7sLNNhxCPVxp8vAgJqDd0Q/s320/IMG_0070~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill and Teri.</td></tr></tbody></table>The whole of The 375 was made up of six residents. To introduce you to our posse, we will start at the ground floor where Bill and Teri Burch resided in the appartment next to the pool, if we had one. Teri and Bill are from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and this was their first long stay for the winter months in Mexico. The Burches are retired elementary school teachers, which is how we came to know them. Linda taught at the same school as Teri where they became close friends. They have been visiting us in Melaque for several years. They stayed with us at Big Pink, the pink house on the beach, way back is the day. Bill and Teri will be returning to this area for a month next year, though staying in a different place.<p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oth7szc6jVCB5gUcZTxlGfii2aS807hgvUycu6FzjLK5T2abgnAHf0_HF6p6jwSMth_w6rignUuINVlvYG6SUkkhds7Z6u-O1BabFNkf5EJtc2w5lZ_Og3Ek50j78zL0R1_lfbqpMLzqn5tCN41U6lcX4YGBXBtRBIRLzWmfn8pE0KwF8TLjGg/s4608/IMG_0044~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oth7szc6jVCB5gUcZTxlGfii2aS807hgvUycu6FzjLK5T2abgnAHf0_HF6p6jwSMth_w6rignUuINVlvYG6SUkkhds7Z6u-O1BabFNkf5EJtc2w5lZ_Og3Ek50j78zL0R1_lfbqpMLzqn5tCN41U6lcX4YGBXBtRBIRLzWmfn8pE0KwF8TLjGg/s320/IMG_0044~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen and Curt.</td></tr></tbody></table>If you come through the black gate at The 375 and turn immediately right, you will find a set of stairs that lead you up to the second level. There you will find the apartment where the next 1/3 of The 375 stays. Curt Blumer and Stephen Bean have the apartment which would overlook the pool, if we had one. Stephen and Curt are from Vashon Island, Washington. Stephen worked at Amazon and Curt was a carpenter. They are both wonderful musicians who make up the heart of the local band, the Electro Lites. Curt is an amazing harmonica player and Stephen plays electric piano, mandolin, guitar, and spoons. He also does most of the vocals.<p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEogzjSB2h5wST9Qju7cZURzM64v46qq9JgfVWiOrg8UYWDkoHwL2us7UND1xTed8M0bn_NrGx7Rngu-T64is1iW8fGQyY8dXQnb39pPOBlKgZhjRFumSY1IBdcSlkVTf43rXhBwsaaLD9lXmN-0xGXbBiKHbfr-hSWzMtXr0rwXdR2cW6mky1iA/s4032/20240311_153522.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEogzjSB2h5wST9Qju7cZURzM64v46qq9JgfVWiOrg8UYWDkoHwL2us7UND1xTed8M0bn_NrGx7Rngu-T64is1iW8fGQyY8dXQnb39pPOBlKgZhjRFumSY1IBdcSlkVTf43rXhBwsaaLD9lXmN-0xGXbBiKHbfr-hSWzMtXr0rwXdR2cW6mky1iA/s320/20240311_153522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ocean view.</td></tr></tbody></table>The apartment closest to the beach, with no view of the beach, is where we resided. This apartment would also overlook the pool, if we had one. <p></p><p>The 375 has another space where we all spent many hours relaxing and talking. The rooftop palapas could be found at the top of a wrought iron spiral staircase. They would also have overlooked the pool, had there been one. They did provide a view of the ocean if you looked past the building behind us and between the many coconut palms.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaoafh4LjSlRry4_pe5fmmq_MqYCxDJg-UrgYB5-g4jNc-iKOam7YkO09gDK6sb9ZqYpYorTkxNQSTj6xlJaZPb_TrtO7nWXSXNuLCt7-vc4QLWTEEtpKbiGzcp0JcgDhjsbxA86u55KypxbhWo_0l46Vlxl022kyg-SVIoeshVDr0-F07SPNJg/s4032/20240311_153350.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaoafh4LjSlRry4_pe5fmmq_MqYCxDJg-UrgYB5-g4jNc-iKOam7YkO09gDK6sb9ZqYpYorTkxNQSTj6xlJaZPb_TrtO7nWXSXNuLCt7-vc4QLWTEEtpKbiGzcp0JcgDhjsbxA86u55KypxbhWo_0l46Vlxl022kyg-SVIoeshVDr0-F07SPNJg/w320-h240/20240311_153350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>To access this area, you must climb the hot metal spiral staircase to the sky. This climb and descent is a bit precarious and we always had to make sure we had one hand free to belay us safely up and down. We decided at the very beginning that it might be a good idea to have just one person at a time going up or down.<p></p><p>The 375 had other amenities. The laundry facilities were close to the front entrance and was equipt with the finest machinery for washing and rinsing our clothing.</p><p>Drying was accomplished via the clothesline we hung between the palm trees that would have shaded the pool, had there been one.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaCzvAeSue5kHBaV9bAjrtAajMx4nsaPTWePTu5mJdYYcuJ9u7MNIwOUcGGOmr2VS_VuQgeFmv5CM-i-s6FPNxBcBF3UUzYvs6gAIHiXez0HWA1JwFvYzJM_0fHOOGdT_LV7dV-B3RV_Z46Z0HqLLkIp-pZg6AOCr2_Nok8G17F4UmIl6PLLmVg/s4032/20240311_171842.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaCzvAeSue5kHBaV9bAjrtAajMx4nsaPTWePTu5mJdYYcuJ9u7MNIwOUcGGOmr2VS_VuQgeFmv5CM-i-s6FPNxBcBF3UUzYvs6gAIHiXez0HWA1JwFvYzJM_0fHOOGdT_LV7dV-B3RV_Z46Z0HqLLkIp-pZg6AOCr2_Nok8G17F4UmIl6PLLmVg/w240-h320/20240311_171842.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On belay?</td></tr></tbody></table>The final shared space is the palapa that we used for our pursuit of the arts. In this area Teri created her crafts, Bill wrote thought-provoking music, Linda read, Curt and Stephen enjoyed the shade, and we all puzzled. It was a wonderful gathering place which would have complemented the pool, had there been one.<p></p><p>That is The 375. The memories of this year will live with the crew that lived there for many years to come. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3YvMTJcwhhoZTM_ShncIQk47zToNImPjL-ZMV7p67UKGoB1QyeSmK1I4ZdPo6MCoObdDvems7HUI9KiTLLhjmmCW8ltwhJeAw58xwGa0ZkWK5WnHkRvvF2pFqv1AL7lklBLcWyi-ekeGXkOKhfvlmlmlpD2FAIECEL8wCJe3dZF67sh8oxv04g/s4032/20240116_115028%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3YvMTJcwhhoZTM_ShncIQk47zToNImPjL-ZMV7p67UKGoB1QyeSmK1I4ZdPo6MCoObdDvems7HUI9KiTLLhjmmCW8ltwhJeAw58xwGa0ZkWK5WnHkRvvF2pFqv1AL7lklBLcWyi-ekeGXkOKhfvlmlmlpD2FAIECEL8wCJe3dZF67sh8oxv04g/s320/20240116_115028%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our laundry facilities.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCeZGUzIEcFrgthK7uiBT7rVSgG_oxQP7agPQER0Iw2xoLLP8OhNQwI25PrdbKDU3KKnyuxX91HvHBd_IawZuSh68k18oio9PEZ-9yjMfwL3Kv9J_2JvWKc64I7_OiEp8WVwGGUVI5zeKnY_OMxwAw69ibkx0Apy4Sflx300O687IJoTLUt6iiQ/s4032/20240312_094216.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCeZGUzIEcFrgthK7uiBT7rVSgG_oxQP7agPQER0Iw2xoLLP8OhNQwI25PrdbKDU3KKnyuxX91HvHBd_IawZuSh68k18oio9PEZ-9yjMfwL3Kv9J_2JvWKc64I7_OiEp8WVwGGUVI5zeKnY_OMxwAw69ibkx0Apy4Sflx300O687IJoTLUt6iiQ/s320/20240312_094216.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The activity palapa.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GhdTdv-h4J3bvxxl3cd8e78qn0Ycg7PzwVLxPkt1I5JII3Fe8V7aT4-o3aaPy2R4TJGaATqQLB7IpXK6XKfMKJv1bUqV8qzFZcqNq6c0NBeSt_ChJb5HKz1DcP1VJDsk4LjSdJ_fQG31oennJH9sCU-jFW9HWK-wE55zRibNjtLRwbfTiSIPJw/s4032/20240312_094329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GhdTdv-h4J3bvxxl3cd8e78qn0Ycg7PzwVLxPkt1I5JII3Fe8V7aT4-o3aaPy2R4TJGaATqQLB7IpXK6XKfMKJv1bUqV8qzFZcqNq6c0NBeSt_ChJb5HKz1DcP1VJDsk4LjSdJ_fQG31oennJH9sCU-jFW9HWK-wE55zRibNjtLRwbfTiSIPJw/s320/20240312_094329.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-34570376222461619802024-02-14T12:02:00.000-08:002024-02-14T12:02:49.279-08:00Estamos Yendo a Casa - Día Seis<p>The morning of our departure day we enjoyed our final breakfast, tipped and said good bye to the kitchen staff, and climbed into our van for the last time. We flew Aeroméxico back to Mexico City and then from there to Manzanillo airport. There were no hitches on the return trip and we were dropped off at our casa's front gate. We were a bit tired, but all in all, very happy. The trip was amazing and we would highly recommend to others to explore the region. We'd love to thank Jill and Barry for making arrangements and getting this group together. Thanks, also, to our fellow travelers: Tom and Deborah, Kathy and Jeff, and Ruth and Tony. It was a pleasure spending the week with you and getting to know you all a little bit more.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpugA6QLvqDR3yLtHCCQywZLjYFzmy3Eh61E22XJtOjzkTgkvp1TbRrVR6IkgLLrUTeyPQTuGgbPa-XXgkjaKLAfPb29tMe-92bNeYQZBmlD3HMndz0V44zi-mupwZ1TB7nH9PskhU-TS7fdPQAuNfEwF6DTBtnMOhAFBzb-orycol0FfpwLTgQ/s4032/20240203_111522~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpugA6QLvqDR3yLtHCCQywZLjYFzmy3Eh61E22XJtOjzkTgkvp1TbRrVR6IkgLLrUTeyPQTuGgbPa-XXgkjaKLAfPb29tMe-92bNeYQZBmlD3HMndz0V44zi-mupwZ1TB7nH9PskhU-TS7fdPQAuNfEwF6DTBtnMOhAFBzb-orycol0FfpwLTgQ/s320/20240203_111522~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Saying goodbye to Oaxaca!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-59033584044886881332024-02-14T09:21:00.000-08:002024-02-14T09:21:28.850-08:00Cerámica y Talla de madera - Día Cinco<p>Our last day's tours started with a van ride to a family's workshop where <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barro_negro_pottery" target="_blank">Oaxaca’s famous black pottery</a> is created. This black pottery is found in only two places in the world - in Oaxaca and in New Mexico. Oaxaca is the location where Doña Rosa discovered the method of rubbing the unfired clay pots with a quartz crystal which then gives the black pottery a shiny finish. Barro negro pottery ("black clay") can be fired with the shiny finish or with a matte finish.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJmHyFcpdxCy5hERCI9n3crV1jwqoVrAh6_uzly91MKXzJDgEasOnk6gyXUp4fwVjUVGwoEIlWtugxmjJNZ6saWBuAW_SHeKcwZ7SWhY0cskj2Nf3Fe6G2RpNX8HDCkYoOU8ErqBVAVQe6ylIOs3soPl4yWXs7zG5cHOZMhUIUwygHvhwOklVZA/s4608/IMG_0188~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJmHyFcpdxCy5hERCI9n3crV1jwqoVrAh6_uzly91MKXzJDgEasOnk6gyXUp4fwVjUVGwoEIlWtugxmjJNZ6saWBuAW_SHeKcwZ7SWhY0cskj2Nf3Fe6G2RpNX8HDCkYoOU8ErqBVAVQe6ylIOs3soPl4yWXs7zG5cHOZMhUIUwygHvhwOklVZA/s320/IMG_0188~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It starts with a blob of clay.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Our potter was the grandson of Doña Rosa and he created an amazing pot from a clay blob to a pot ready to fire with step-by-step demonstrations. One interesting point is that the pot was spun on two plates placed bottom to bottom allowing the potter to turn the clay by hand. They do not use any kind of mechanical device to turn the pot (or for anything else), just their hands. The pot, when he finished was perfectly round! Wow!<p></p><p>After he spun the pot, he then used bamboo knives to cut an intricate design into the vessel. Once that was done he used a quartz crystal and rubbed the exterior of the pot, giving it the famous reflective sheen.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoZdSM-r2Dy-XnUoFNCtK_4-IMwXpFYPxeHYQXE3UN59WpyjokeXqvlul2cDrhz-7wikTgHVSP-AWWN1wqavVtECe1MRMAU5DUwFSkGJms_25IjHKZCsKZ24HuZcoyX_8FT9hACrVzJBPrKoUJlAysNKR0q5TAxRSR3iz0MaEiboZuoM4tnAMaQ/s4608/IMG_0199~3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoZdSM-r2Dy-XnUoFNCtK_4-IMwXpFYPxeHYQXE3UN59WpyjokeXqvlul2cDrhz-7wikTgHVSP-AWWN1wqavVtECe1MRMAU5DUwFSkGJms_25IjHKZCsKZ24HuZcoyX_8FT9hACrVzJBPrKoUJlAysNKR0q5TAxRSR3iz0MaEiboZuoM4tnAMaQ/s320/IMG_0199~3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The clay is form into a crude pot.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>The finished pot will then be fired in an underground furnace, hardening the clay. In this part of the process the temperature and humidity plays a large role. It takes an expert to create these special items.<p></p><p>The final part of the tour was when we were turned loose in the gallery to purchase way too many finished gifts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMKX309Y4T08zBFQqR7FoQI6dxlvOMyxMDh7RDA1zGotzVe1ZgL2_KM-1OHbG_TA982LiRZDnYxF1Ggtoi0Eu5UY1R_v53Cj5Lhbw06FXggYdzpHmTDpZx7NEmbU0NbJTalQ3lNZPGIBr5vLrG9Upmzps7QSu9AHcggZV_IqdOZynOM3kmwvjOg/s4608/IMG_0209~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMKX309Y4T08zBFQqR7FoQI6dxlvOMyxMDh7RDA1zGotzVe1ZgL2_KM-1OHbG_TA982LiRZDnYxF1Ggtoi0Eu5UY1R_v53Cj5Lhbw06FXggYdzpHmTDpZx7NEmbU0NbJTalQ3lNZPGIBr5vLrG9Upmzps7QSu9AHcggZV_IqdOZynOM3kmwvjOg/s320/IMG_0209~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The pot blob is placed on two plates.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktO_8NBuxndtxY6NfFgKogg21SfBKG8TQrciT73bNBtJB4B-ZDNE3G5PMH3SFzSiYWCQp3WpHD33oS7CD04qKUUgMTFEfw5hSCTrJkY36_Cu6zSPBc7_TBQyMUjH9ZMLYgiuTFiHQRleNP9eH3nJ1U6qN8gEQawIQGW4RvQIqMcKsrwQph_t79g/s4608/IMG_0217~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktO_8NBuxndtxY6NfFgKogg21SfBKG8TQrciT73bNBtJB4B-ZDNE3G5PMH3SFzSiYWCQp3WpHD33oS7CD04qKUUgMTFEfw5hSCTrJkY36_Cu6zSPBc7_TBQyMUjH9ZMLYgiuTFiHQRleNP9eH3nJ1U6qN8gEQawIQGW4RvQIqMcKsrwQph_t79g/s320/IMG_0217~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The pot is formed.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C5fgV9lcIAAEprNmF70XEjVnVT5yX9U61ztcxPtoMByKESPUMWAWbxPWVvffXfn6fplsR85Ce5ZPYb_zuudthDM7ZMqeqbZySt7pZnKInUowLbmrYaEl4wiucP7n__jzH36hHsvxNNKGaji9uwHARY62W1mEXuBYkfIaOAtc8COP4l_HQmhWzg/s4608/IMG_0225~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C5fgV9lcIAAEprNmF70XEjVnVT5yX9U61ztcxPtoMByKESPUMWAWbxPWVvffXfn6fplsR85Ce5ZPYb_zuudthDM7ZMqeqbZySt7pZnKInUowLbmrYaEl4wiucP7n__jzH36hHsvxNNKGaji9uwHARY62W1mEXuBYkfIaOAtc8COP4l_HQmhWzg/s320/IMG_0225~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The lip is then placed on the pot and formed.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlQvUPcarlBCd6aHYG7UcBkc7SWsWE10ESlyNB8j8oAHKLI_RGz3q0yRCcdd89-7TYJQzmJfd3Spg56K-Gc7j3578hOO2oaHY0pYZ8bXUkJxUmB_PG_9xeY7J0opKP43vmC5zbhq7s-mmfRmGIPH3Yss2Nojknq84GDcC2_yaAKwMavoxk7lNtA/s4608/IMG_0231~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlQvUPcarlBCd6aHYG7UcBkc7SWsWE10ESlyNB8j8oAHKLI_RGz3q0yRCcdd89-7TYJQzmJfd3Spg56K-Gc7j3578hOO2oaHY0pYZ8bXUkJxUmB_PG_9xeY7J0opKP43vmC5zbhq7s-mmfRmGIPH3Yss2Nojknq84GDcC2_yaAKwMavoxk7lNtA/s320/IMG_0231~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The pot is rubber with a crystal.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AIKUWRjrGVnwzqVLSfumfnrX-qu3LBpJEyfhNyZM4d6SyZf4jX0vMfPiaRwi4XKJXb4k0CNlUMsWdlF0IUwx_GL_t1FYXxBt4-ae4m-Lg9on73jt1pxtpH5R1U3RS_fzPb_afXBXrGRq29u5JcK951x_Yi1GHElYHuWhXAmxEFNNZILHrSGdaA/s3730/IMG_0233~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3226" data-original-width="3730" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AIKUWRjrGVnwzqVLSfumfnrX-qu3LBpJEyfhNyZM4d6SyZf4jX0vMfPiaRwi4XKJXb4k0CNlUMsWdlF0IUwx_GL_t1FYXxBt4-ae4m-Lg9on73jt1pxtpH5R1U3RS_fzPb_afXBXrGRq29u5JcK951x_Yi1GHElYHuWhXAmxEFNNZILHrSGdaA/s320/IMG_0233~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The design is then cut.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTRW8oB64znOeU41sYYGuFBmd8OAen9tduqXAIbqtiYR6DMgG3SL-T-WPHKcN3AnOtGnP2kQ9Z287epFnpPUKnbe61EHD5spmkNLj6ijGiLk2JVvnw6ChuIuSjI_6bbiTPT_R9Tf8lPFFOPpp8POa77-1-1EUZ4jrPCJY5SVJ7yvDTPhkyrs-xA/s4608/IMG_0235~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTRW8oB64znOeU41sYYGuFBmd8OAen9tduqXAIbqtiYR6DMgG3SL-T-WPHKcN3AnOtGnP2kQ9Z287epFnpPUKnbe61EHD5spmkNLj6ijGiLk2JVvnw6ChuIuSjI_6bbiTPT_R9Tf8lPFFOPpp8POa77-1-1EUZ4jrPCJY5SVJ7yvDTPhkyrs-xA/s320/IMG_0235~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoNea0nrYLHBL96Y7D6LjO8YmjfES4-cdiJ-R13jPQpQJNUWx3R0aeW5b6yozm9tF_NjhZsk6i9pUsDZeCH0KKst7GCU2xbFRmRKprnxuGc4dq356H4ClQ-UA8P0BNZW9s-PLIjZJ9PB_OS1HGgr-4G9gAEg2tyBAvgl4d4KoIvG-dqOplNfhGw/s4608/IMG_0241~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoNea0nrYLHBL96Y7D6LjO8YmjfES4-cdiJ-R13jPQpQJNUWx3R0aeW5b6yozm9tF_NjhZsk6i9pUsDZeCH0KKst7GCU2xbFRmRKprnxuGc4dq356H4ClQ-UA8P0BNZW9s-PLIjZJ9PB_OS1HGgr-4G9gAEg2tyBAvgl4d4KoIvG-dqOplNfhGw/s320/IMG_0241~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The finished pot ready for firing.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7lAEhQ0QNPmnOit5hi2ljyJ5uwKwY6Ji27TtKO_bAWeLca2EgB7G03Rqu7jAwaNux-xUvTUWfnbKN8lD8nx5cC5gEI6MGnGVCZ5KVJrU-AwPlb6WSTisDDXNTDfYmXCJBz4Bl2DY42uPxqLDYxh5yxWaA-yIbBUJtGuLHqnVayKoMOOW_6-sdg/s4032/20240202_094002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7lAEhQ0QNPmnOit5hi2ljyJ5uwKwY6Ji27TtKO_bAWeLca2EgB7G03Rqu7jAwaNux-xUvTUWfnbKN8lD8nx5cC5gEI6MGnGVCZ5KVJrU-AwPlb6WSTisDDXNTDfYmXCJBz4Bl2DY42uPxqLDYxh5yxWaA-yIbBUJtGuLHqnVayKoMOOW_6-sdg/s320/20240202_094002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SZTNFexHKyCEPyZyxhPRZa8cY3rahJAGipjcjfffDW7WvVoxFEQVhoZ40jkLAq70tXvrGR4u42yZxqn15R2KjDzjBJg-nUehi7WQunyDu-xoLzwvJL6OzmWYo1qj-c-lBPNCtVs8PrCwOjbCmKv6jGOe40MEIUZUgV3ZEEUAQNuN_BIQiD6q-A/s4608/IMG_0243~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SZTNFexHKyCEPyZyxhPRZa8cY3rahJAGipjcjfffDW7WvVoxFEQVhoZ40jkLAq70tXvrGR4u42yZxqn15R2KjDzjBJg-nUehi7WQunyDu-xoLzwvJL6OzmWYo1qj-c-lBPNCtVs8PrCwOjbCmKv6jGOe40MEIUZUgV3ZEEUAQNuN_BIQiD6q-A/s320/IMG_0243~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Underground furnace where the<br />clay creations are fired.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />There have been so many interesting stops and wonderful places to explore on this trip to the Mexican highlands. It is hard to pick a favorite. To me the most intriguing stop was in <a href="https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipio_de_San_Mart%C3%ADn_Tilcajete" target="_blank">San Martin Tilcajete where we got to see the famous Alebrijes</a> being created in a workshop where professional carvers and painters teach their techniques to young interns who have been accepted into this community.<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpbGhpWkGQpI8asDpvR4c-SXlPHKwCFYpb7igpkFb6_xn5U6JAaJpErbOjyC-rvLyFeK563hCogY6d2dGIvCkS52SSbAGFM9vLCRZAK2bSwS3Wv5xkmaSldxXqJStIKoIX9TkwDA54Ous1rdix7SkifEznYEsQV1YNdqhiHGQdoBqrrsNsCx_GQ/s4032/20240202_102701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpbGhpWkGQpI8asDpvR4c-SXlPHKwCFYpb7igpkFb6_xn5U6JAaJpErbOjyC-rvLyFeK563hCogY6d2dGIvCkS52SSbAGFM9vLCRZAK2bSwS3Wv5xkmaSldxXqJStIKoIX9TkwDA54Ous1rdix7SkifEznYEsQV1YNdqhiHGQdoBqrrsNsCx_GQ/s320/20240202_102701.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A welcoming Aelbrijes greets us as we arrive.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>At this workshop, we were able to see paintings, carvings, creative crafts and much more, all in the style of the Aelbrijes. The traditional Aelbrijes are wood carvings that combine two animal spirits, the Tona (the animal spirit when you are alive) and the Nahual (the animal spirit when you are dead). The artist carves these spirit forms into a very interesting and detailed carving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Linda's tona comes from her birth date and month, so her animal spirit is the Armadillo. The year she was born gives her a Nahual represented by a monkey. Her Aelbrijes would possibly be a wooden carving of a monkey's head with the body of an armadillo, or something like that. My tona is a mockingbird with a Nahaul of a deer. The artist who is commissioned to create the carving would chose how the tona and nahaul are combined through a process of meditation and spiritual enlightenment, along with the input of the individual.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQLlKnuA_WRQZg6BGM7Ib6Z8d-s3guUyb5Van3f1PR8izCtIfohfHryk0cPhX8UfaYO0oJDCdp3y51yvKMIwhqhM2vFkOtqEArQE-Q36nJjhXv8uRm2FljqeiB1HqoA2niuZ2rOYTzG2w0YGz8RnODEtMs1flgTcgyUAaa9-f9aIpldnvIP0Efw/s3572/IMG_0269~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2732" data-original-width="3572" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQLlKnuA_WRQZg6BGM7Ib6Z8d-s3guUyb5Van3f1PR8izCtIfohfHryk0cPhX8UfaYO0oJDCdp3y51yvKMIwhqhM2vFkOtqEArQE-Q36nJjhXv8uRm2FljqeiB1HqoA2niuZ2rOYTzG2w0YGz8RnODEtMs1flgTcgyUAaa9-f9aIpldnvIP0Efw/s320/IMG_0269~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Three carvers working on different pieces, each<br />in different stages of the process.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Once the carving is complete and the wood has been dried, filled, and sanded (this alone can take many months), the artist paints the design onto the wood. This design is very colorful and amazingly detailed. Artist strokes with two hair bristles are not uncommon. I was amazed how these artists can paint such delicate designs.</div><div><br /></div><div>The entire process can take many months or even years. The results are amazing and can be very expensive. We were told that the large rhinoceros in the photos below is nearly complete. It will be finalized and then flown to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and entered into a famous art competition.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWn-7haWftKQTeVUVkmHpaUfWNR41KushPKk45ZRpT1QNDi9p5cbU4Ts3BIo7x0WXifA_cy1pj2ap2nDgfh9aiQVA0SjaiDoDTw_txGfcpJ9N7KUZ9tOEyBnui41luOhu2eHFLDGc24oKYZsxvBFfYKSkCll_mUDV3qqdyMC8AQ9YGlzIorL6eg/s4305/IMG_0271~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3362" data-original-width="4305" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWn-7haWftKQTeVUVkmHpaUfWNR41KushPKk45ZRpT1QNDi9p5cbU4Ts3BIo7x0WXifA_cy1pj2ap2nDgfh9aiQVA0SjaiDoDTw_txGfcpJ9N7KUZ9tOEyBnui41luOhu2eHFLDGc24oKYZsxvBFfYKSkCll_mUDV3qqdyMC8AQ9YGlzIorL6eg/s320/IMG_0271~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T<span style="font-size: x-small;">he detailed drawn concept for the carving,<br />next to the crudely started piece.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBzfZr4mnO_u8yTUatnBr_NO7pOQBMR_rGxFW2B4XObIEZrGf0YhlaGR1CPxv1PzSS38RitC4rtmeaIjtpOjs7gCC13KcmgkbtCxA7KMiVK_QgUtNlxwi2oyKtWMPQZ5zr0eVOW9WieiUaTZlyMcjhR8ZFswqIehyphenhyphenZNgkh_bNK3JwPb3z_3Tr5w/s3516/IMG_0273~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="3516" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBzfZr4mnO_u8yTUatnBr_NO7pOQBMR_rGxFW2B4XObIEZrGf0YhlaGR1CPxv1PzSS38RitC4rtmeaIjtpOjs7gCC13KcmgkbtCxA7KMiVK_QgUtNlxwi2oyKtWMPQZ5zr0eVOW9WieiUaTZlyMcjhR8ZFswqIehyphenhyphenZNgkh_bNK3JwPb3z_3Tr5w/s320/IMG_0273~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The tonas and nahuals representing an entire <br />in the artist's drawing. </span> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI4E0yxUubDJKNPAQkPpPF0Ok7uLLLrHb6ov6l4HLO7YA54QVH58sNYE9xNqKI4_YBaadAVsRg_Oggb5gZ-P-t8J99vuKgSQw891zh7PUPkUKTTURm3Xv7bTlaIpfA4FcXV6qztOWdLe4GBsLmxmXP4iqBmWEjDv1WIEMI0hUh6q8__6jQ1SwCg/s3792/IMG_0282~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="3792" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNI4E0yxUubDJKNPAQkPpPF0Ok7uLLLrHb6ov6l4HLO7YA54QVH58sNYE9xNqKI4_YBaadAVsRg_Oggb5gZ-P-t8J99vuKgSQw891zh7PUPkUKTTURm3Xv7bTlaIpfA4FcXV6qztOWdLe4GBsLmxmXP4iqBmWEjDv1WIEMI0hUh6q8__6jQ1SwCg/s320/IMG_0282~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A partially painted tortoise.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO0qdzX5X3DLVQyd7WQjXaMaoH497elna4ArsLkF-wXWkJdkcTFs_q6NdJB-6EKieJmDE7umf9kKFiuAcmjvXyUDUF8lAJ7_gqNu4mSIFM7Jh9B8xk870YLyYil0eP0XPTW1EuzhjU0DSAuvcxVCIHJxak3wpWHyZ-MsNZ-mnlRpb4pR3f6FuLQ/s4608/IMG_0286~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO0qdzX5X3DLVQyd7WQjXaMaoH497elna4ArsLkF-wXWkJdkcTFs_q6NdJB-6EKieJmDE7umf9kKFiuAcmjvXyUDUF8lAJ7_gqNu4mSIFM7Jh9B8xk870YLyYil0eP0XPTW1EuzhjU0DSAuvcxVCIHJxak3wpWHyZ-MsNZ-mnlRpb4pR3f6FuLQ/s320/IMG_0286~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Details using very small brushes.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGJ362VP0uS3wicNrJkyNCUSUZ_O9d2Szr4CcEMlXZPzgCHs9SDzxJ1bk_BldctBI7dAADjo9cBz6dOHWIKqdw-_lzTPpJs-IZBb3uffL_gxurhyI5m5u2NItITmqxq3NV-5tuZtQPkOtHqeL92J8dWp0vvLj6v6PTC8-iAV4b_nPTEy3_qGY5w/s4061/IMG_0287~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="4061" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGJ362VP0uS3wicNrJkyNCUSUZ_O9d2Szr4CcEMlXZPzgCHs9SDzxJ1bk_BldctBI7dAADjo9cBz6dOHWIKqdw-_lzTPpJs-IZBb3uffL_gxurhyI5m5u2NItITmqxq3NV-5tuZtQPkOtHqeL92J8dWp0vvLj6v6PTC8-iAV4b_nPTEy3_qGY5w/s320/IMG_0287~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7TbG6fa7jLQfJIGZJZDx2Pk60h-khk2M_zd57B83I0A6lsnJJ1Q30q3gceQ8gCk4W-qEDHLm5IgxPpSuHkJ2y_97DhPWx7_SvxMUlAttiIaLYpKvoUVbB9u__ilMslGZDAtY6PnuFZIUERZ6nOizjeSbftZ4QjQjrLDaFauQAUZNNuwjg8MBYQ/s4608/IMG_0288.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7TbG6fa7jLQfJIGZJZDx2Pk60h-khk2M_zd57B83I0A6lsnJJ1Q30q3gceQ8gCk4W-qEDHLm5IgxPpSuHkJ2y_97DhPWx7_SvxMUlAttiIaLYpKvoUVbB9u__ilMslGZDAtY6PnuFZIUERZ6nOizjeSbftZ4QjQjrLDaFauQAUZNNuwjg8MBYQ/s320/IMG_0288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArENUriJWOwh3WwnQJj3FoiSgbaXroMG_2uiIvb0JYceC31mbTOP-R5aw3Q716EVStTOLlwWHzu_eXMKtWi6bRWeyVAjOLX0GN4Z0ti1a9d-NW9g0n4Eg3lwcvpiqAt21PnAKttuoxpshEOVUzOmMeEdtEamGZXIHnAjhabosGPgpZPvTPeidGA/s4608/IMG_0289~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArENUriJWOwh3WwnQJj3FoiSgbaXroMG_2uiIvb0JYceC31mbTOP-R5aw3Q716EVStTOLlwWHzu_eXMKtWi6bRWeyVAjOLX0GN4Z0ti1a9d-NW9g0n4Eg3lwcvpiqAt21PnAKttuoxpshEOVUzOmMeEdtEamGZXIHnAjhabosGPgpZPvTPeidGA/s320/IMG_0289~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Details on the back side of the full-sized rhinoceros. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZXuJIAvuhc95d7ggTwoy6r6tlDTrPZJkRkaejI-_fwuTpModSibq_i0_7fyla-hYPOWUi95fE-2nAbNCgCfv5tNA_8tW1HoPJvqXgHVSmasWNt0078ssifUJJ_It6cWAwCRvJH-Of8drdDSob4i1LLe9CYc2Mvuuu0WD-bjZnK4ZHvVou2n8WA/s4608/IMG_0291~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZXuJIAvuhc95d7ggTwoy6r6tlDTrPZJkRkaejI-_fwuTpModSibq_i0_7fyla-hYPOWUi95fE-2nAbNCgCfv5tNA_8tW1HoPJvqXgHVSmasWNt0078ssifUJJ_It6cWAwCRvJH-Of8drdDSob4i1LLe9CYc2Mvuuu0WD-bjZnK4ZHvVou2n8WA/s320/IMG_0291~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The photo above shows the impressive detail.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8kFg65Y3leEYbajVBdL8_wK594HhZhS8bDzf9PtL9AnKKgRhcO4YdfqM38D-GjomsvVEtx5Q9xIqcFBaKtBB9BSertaUbpPzKdQw_G7fkbwfdcn28MlfMaiB4KpBp5NapLwzjpC_upb5pVRxqRKqu_Si0Hq6BVhxDDOqjtzvnwtC7PKgSQ59CA/s4608/IMG_0294~3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8kFg65Y3leEYbajVBdL8_wK594HhZhS8bDzf9PtL9AnKKgRhcO4YdfqM38D-GjomsvVEtx5Q9xIqcFBaKtBB9BSertaUbpPzKdQw_G7fkbwfdcn28MlfMaiB4KpBp5NapLwzjpC_upb5pVRxqRKqu_Si0Hq6BVhxDDOqjtzvnwtC7PKgSQ59CA/s320/IMG_0294~3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Detail and color from the rhino's shoulder.</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL-0bddKcCBwptyzCX_if8C1fnuh7Z-qy8gbbnI-LaCHRILBoMSVGRUs4aU8s68FZo4VDe1tm9V_SromGbdUjx5HBc9kZB97ANnnubz0BFjmEmwHOn3v-_mi04rbFKx1qbPgsDLvpwllEBpn5g7dEp3uPHm1U1WhJwJxPh96jR2MMMw8ETXApyw/s4608/IMG_0296~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL-0bddKcCBwptyzCX_if8C1fnuh7Z-qy8gbbnI-LaCHRILBoMSVGRUs4aU8s68FZo4VDe1tm9V_SromGbdUjx5HBc9kZB97ANnnubz0BFjmEmwHOn3v-_mi04rbFKx1qbPgsDLvpwllEBpn5g7dEp3uPHm1U1WhJwJxPh96jR2MMMw8ETXApyw/s320/IMG_0296~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The rhino!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxCbk_ygWkT-7hzIg2at6QW79ZGRDJwALFU422X-bb4kqJ26SI-mEzmRK0TxCsB-vmI-Vtg5F7DFjMP6moVGM2i7dNdxNpLC61Lh4lye8opdmGshOCJK1MdcLhpul9b_WUD_Ye8RTHONuFHZU9PCOqz-ux_8MUJHqfypIljUCu8Uwbx_JH-mRzw/s4032/20240202_105658%20(2)~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxCbk_ygWkT-7hzIg2at6QW79ZGRDJwALFU422X-bb4kqJ26SI-mEzmRK0TxCsB-vmI-Vtg5F7DFjMP6moVGM2i7dNdxNpLC61Lh4lye8opdmGshOCJK1MdcLhpul9b_WUD_Ye8RTHONuFHZU9PCOqz-ux_8MUJHqfypIljUCu8Uwbx_JH-mRzw/s320/20240202_105658%20(2)~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-R0HGEwpA3jw7CO4Uhy5mGQsgIdNzOXocZ-CeOPE8fmexdoiWD5nuAX5wgx7tC-Vtp9KhHTuBft1QxGwMn7Co1wM5licROTSukqF8aEWq1OUl0e5K3fYgWJlkksePgG23GFEfr8b7gtZhCW0B67J54IgQa1yeARYkpj05Oc3kz8syyMweQq5wQ/s4608/IMG_0304.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-R0HGEwpA3jw7CO4Uhy5mGQsgIdNzOXocZ-CeOPE8fmexdoiWD5nuAX5wgx7tC-Vtp9KhHTuBft1QxGwMn7Co1wM5licROTSukqF8aEWq1OUl0e5K3fYgWJlkksePgG23GFEfr8b7gtZhCW0B67J54IgQa1yeARYkpj05Oc3kz8syyMweQq5wQ/s320/IMG_0304.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A smaller finished rhino ready for purchase.<br />This piece might sell for approx $6000.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgl-ukv2sX73nOJtltjER-JAlB_4lmxMZ3x_UpTbrHnOx9istFHxbHEP-ZmJtP2xFN7X7tLFnqjP9gyxjqw1WFy8BnKVEWE4sIllXs7JUMQpa4XJ1BwmEZDv6MzB4FiqX841IAukrP5VZNQOco9bN6gt7AdWrbIMwokDlWhxdJ7nM9WU4_GgyNQ/s4608/IMG_0317~3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgl-ukv2sX73nOJtltjER-JAlB_4lmxMZ3x_UpTbrHnOx9istFHxbHEP-ZmJtP2xFN7X7tLFnqjP9gyxjqw1WFy8BnKVEWE4sIllXs7JUMQpa4XJ1BwmEZDv6MzB4FiqX841IAukrP5VZNQOco9bN6gt7AdWrbIMwokDlWhxdJ7nM9WU4_GgyNQ/s320/IMG_0317~3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAuVVkdH5C4B_dpeQ10EQ7GmfzdoFlnPCxaTXa233-8xrC_r7L1rqUUdkfHfyAL4i358mIuv7zuBmMn5CEEJt8WoYyOlXvmqjufg3IwCbNtedcW4_78till1xeBhiAn1L25lgQExIdLgr2RHNIoXoN1G-SxGpQGxiYZ0ItIRpvPFaRMJ18VQiNQ/s3315/IMG_0319~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2811" data-original-width="3315" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAuVVkdH5C4B_dpeQ10EQ7GmfzdoFlnPCxaTXa233-8xrC_r7L1rqUUdkfHfyAL4i358mIuv7zuBmMn5CEEJt8WoYyOlXvmqjufg3IwCbNtedcW4_78till1xeBhiAn1L25lgQExIdLgr2RHNIoXoN1G-SxGpQGxiYZ0ItIRpvPFaRMJ18VQiNQ/s320/IMG_0319~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Barry has made a friend.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyFnN2KnEb6hY-kJ7d7V0-38mrflpEEfAKgjVNA_KkpwNEMJxhkEbfPKysZgrV-LHhS_ZoUXa7mhVfqnBQfBKSonkpo61zWRdlxxue-7LFlIE0hX0NI4AZCRLguItRE7A9KlmljvEdaSf1uzspHEOSFh2Fcg-Z-BATs5KzOrtUej7w18sayg2MA/s4608/IMG_0310.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyFnN2KnEb6hY-kJ7d7V0-38mrflpEEfAKgjVNA_KkpwNEMJxhkEbfPKysZgrV-LHhS_ZoUXa7mhVfqnBQfBKSonkpo61zWRdlxxue-7LFlIE0hX0NI4AZCRLguItRE7A9KlmljvEdaSf1uzspHEOSFh2Fcg-Z-BATs5KzOrtUej7w18sayg2MA/s320/IMG_0310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnY9_A6L-aGnaVvm8oMMMjjbwG2kvLNpNAXs5iRgV8rMqGsToM0lJ1zwx7fvLCgNaKns4CFcRwKsu7SPFphTuKWZ6zjNaHIlX55OC_N8d4tnQnGdC6tnCCx49jqZNEcEidULTaaM3mu8crehU1V0ngJk0-EKYL9hbfQFpN_2yRvOWouMHEXwtYA/s3878/20240202_115132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3878" data-original-width="2262" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnY9_A6L-aGnaVvm8oMMMjjbwG2kvLNpNAXs5iRgV8rMqGsToM0lJ1zwx7fvLCgNaKns4CFcRwKsu7SPFphTuKWZ6zjNaHIlX55OC_N8d4tnQnGdC6tnCCx49jqZNEcEidULTaaM3mu8crehU1V0ngJk0-EKYL9hbfQFpN_2yRvOWouMHEXwtYA/s320/20240202_115132.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMg4smeCeKLrKLl1XseuxlysmVrn1cpFiX-8kHtLsZEKP2SkhNnHKZticQN5LdBlFf8p6fCqZBgXD0c1D-GSKlkoilos6ptXN1FAMuglThn3jImE2VNXSmIzembFYIImgQq7qZH8TEnoFL49AAaUvbZXf3yMkocLRpnyn351zZY7Q84b2RawR1g/s4032/20240202_120140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMg4smeCeKLrKLl1XseuxlysmVrn1cpFiX-8kHtLsZEKP2SkhNnHKZticQN5LdBlFf8p6fCqZBgXD0c1D-GSKlkoilos6ptXN1FAMuglThn3jImE2VNXSmIzembFYIImgQq7qZH8TEnoFL49AAaUvbZXf3yMkocLRpnyn351zZY7Q84b2RawR1g/s320/20240202_120140.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Two tired puppies.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we visited the Alrbrijes ln San Martin Tilcajete we had a great lunch at a vivero that also serves delicious food. this was a grand ending to a very insightful day of exploration.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRXbK8SzM_tAvx5NBIiuGG4xCJ8tOXo8SrfmyKVhVdRgNqo90tgfvtS5gO0T4Y5hVfzNj1T9nqPgiMAu-uj54F2ry780mhypEAp4cHvQzdKnmCSncHG_5QrBeq1QfzD5G5I8k-WpD83qcWjQV0TSewSAg9HXiPAavipXvLbhIuVWVCc13OHXgWA/s4608/IMG_0334~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRXbK8SzM_tAvx5NBIiuGG4xCJ8tOXo8SrfmyKVhVdRgNqo90tgfvtS5gO0T4Y5hVfzNj1T9nqPgiMAu-uj54F2ry780mhypEAp4cHvQzdKnmCSncHG_5QrBeq1QfzD5G5I8k-WpD83qcWjQV0TSewSAg9HXiPAavipXvLbhIuVWVCc13OHXgWA/s320/IMG_0334~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-51117135205228317872024-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:002024-02-13T10:54:47.221-08:00 Ruinas Número Dos y Cascadas Petrificadas - Día Quatro<p>On our next-to-last exploration day, we first traveled to Mitla and explored some Zapotec ruins. The story of these ruins, like many historic ruins of the past, is a sad and disturbing one. The Zapotecs had a prospering lifestyle and lived the way they wanted. The Spanish arrived and changed all that. The Spanish took control and forced the Zapotec people to build the Church of San Pablo on the top of one of the Zapotec temples, a large pre-Hispanic platform. Everything in the area was destroyed. Yes, the Spanish conquered the indigenous people and then forced them to build a religous shrine on top of their sacred structure. </p><p>Once again we marveled at the craftmanship and detail used in the stone work the Zapotec created. It is said that some of the designs in the rock walls represented lightning while others represented water.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheaVR58DZeaJgi_FgkNMd9NUHScugck2cuCKz8rHjp-Buyamq4xNgP8MXBQ5WcmYFLYgfZnlSFHJwXH4IvvszeDry1qLxpJzf0i53UfgSBzA1o7mTzQ_VPh9xg8Acz1wKst6Wp3iUQYVuZi9_JoVR2NCTOjgGs1xIqCA_HusMf11CPU9g68wFUA/s4608/IMG_0395~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheaVR58DZeaJgi_FgkNMd9NUHScugck2cuCKz8rHjp-Buyamq4xNgP8MXBQ5WcmYFLYgfZnlSFHJwXH4IvvszeDry1qLxpJzf0i53UfgSBzA1o7mTzQ_VPh9xg8Acz1wKst6Wp3iUQYVuZi9_JoVR2NCTOjgGs1xIqCA_HusMf11CPU9g68wFUA/s320/IMG_0395~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtaRwkgTeeON_eH4occ88WyrFe0RW_opubnBiKxVali7-A9Z1Eb-0aUjfzvqyfcwiCby0aYN3MOpDk07AkC4eUig_LsCzF5tAbXyjMs2RqVdIYzbfXyamM-fOVKFze3XZW9Q_vdFwtcRueJE-eHyU15uryXVM_HcL_gjVaSzOvTBRW7qpQ-EbbQ/s4032/20240201_144730~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtaRwkgTeeON_eH4occ88WyrFe0RW_opubnBiKxVali7-A9Z1Eb-0aUjfzvqyfcwiCby0aYN3MOpDk07AkC4eUig_LsCzF5tAbXyjMs2RqVdIYzbfXyamM-fOVKFze3XZW9Q_vdFwtcRueJE-eHyU15uryXVM_HcL_gjVaSzOvTBRW7qpQ-EbbQ/s320/20240201_144730~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Impressive intricate stone work.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbUuj5HYmEHpsRsFS2_ZbmBW1BmJEROzNM7CBnHyKUAPJpvukAzQFGz8opD1D5crwaKk7tlwRaPJrQz4Vl_czfv4a8vIvQ4hUiGtbkP_xxvA2V5f9v-HY0RT1mCr8ftUCFldE9dbK9xPB0UfwGLOSXy8GF0d0UJeLDZbhzEh1YftncNj-Oqrd2w/s960/FB_IMG_1706828036606~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="960" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbUuj5HYmEHpsRsFS2_ZbmBW1BmJEROzNM7CBnHyKUAPJpvukAzQFGz8opD1D5crwaKk7tlwRaPJrQz4Vl_czfv4a8vIvQ4hUiGtbkP_xxvA2V5f9v-HY0RT1mCr8ftUCFldE9dbK9xPB0UfwGLOSXy8GF0d0UJeLDZbhzEh1YftncNj-Oqrd2w/s320/FB_IMG_1706828036606~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>After checking out the church and ruins we drove to <a href="https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierve_el_Agua" target="_blank">Hierve el Agua</a> where there are minerals in the water springs flowing from the mountain side. The springs are not hot springs, but because of the minerals they have created rock formations that look like boiling water flowing over the cliffside.</div><div><br /></div><div>We hiked this steep area finding beautiful views of the petrified falls. Some of the group went swimming in the various pools. It is said that the water in these pools makes your skin soft and healthy.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj15do4Cznp-z7v1AUM7SYbXPPNFF1Xu5kVvQmr5ldigNrAamnEGHFGOl2NVE7vj8g5p_10FdyoBHqO34_RERMhTNnIrHukka_SvC6PFhkRiPLfqBHAvP9OvJnKAWGoXIPYzuXi76lmTCJ9j7fGL_qldmsngolhjDTJ-aj1T2XAMcgI5fEA09Gg/s4032/20240201_115504~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj15do4Cznp-z7v1AUM7SYbXPPNFF1Xu5kVvQmr5ldigNrAamnEGHFGOl2NVE7vj8g5p_10FdyoBHqO34_RERMhTNnIrHukka_SvC6PFhkRiPLfqBHAvP9OvJnKAWGoXIPYzuXi76lmTCJ9j7fGL_qldmsngolhjDTJ-aj1T2XAMcgI5fEA09Gg/s320/20240201_115504~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfNkWZSCSV8BQsw_zyQo4viWUaD_Re6A96COuAXDpifGRgQKbvZsnpWh9jGtIX61EzwSsnVj_8YlgX8g0-IUXmZqcHSnQXP_r6Qg_u-xDjLySw-1BrTCQfcUOQlwiGnWUSn2Biuif2SPxixrTwcnnQGtMnzO7p3AatbRFPDZ5QhS4VcvghK1Hag/s4032/20240201_115604~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfNkWZSCSV8BQsw_zyQo4viWUaD_Re6A96COuAXDpifGRgQKbvZsnpWh9jGtIX61EzwSsnVj_8YlgX8g0-IUXmZqcHSnQXP_r6Qg_u-xDjLySw-1BrTCQfcUOQlwiGnWUSn2Biuif2SPxixrTwcnnQGtMnzO7p3AatbRFPDZ5QhS4VcvghK1Hag/s320/20240201_115604~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Agave growing on the mountainsides.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Na3DlDMJCb8tI7ooUry-_NLlw7qd0z3Qjaeawg8hs5pl6AS3zzni-LekOS-5z7agi0REzIcG6YdLsqibtJYXdppw-kp58YDK_tmZst3YSwdOSLREx2p8t8DpswOeJuxGeYY3HbEmxttdEhYiYwHgtO33RarEKup1mc9bOoemVy4qVFLrdgwp_g/s4032/20240201_101035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Na3DlDMJCb8tI7ooUry-_NLlw7qd0z3Qjaeawg8hs5pl6AS3zzni-LekOS-5z7agi0REzIcG6YdLsqibtJYXdppw-kp58YDK_tmZst3YSwdOSLREx2p8t8DpswOeJuxGeYY3HbEmxttdEhYiYwHgtO33RarEKup1mc9bOoemVy4qVFLrdgwp_g/s320/20240201_101035.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Water from above cascades<br />into an emerald pool below. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E9nesOyOM-alUFEOGj3kHB0h_y_Y8_FGCmkHPK-wpMFvAEYJg3Zljcy0JR1_tUe_XUKLxgzn149XsW45xv-HeNC6SricEx7Tn4Wsv0kHaxhmTEkZJQ8i1dPm0FyC0-VfpXjwOVyb6T8bHjBlya6q_0ZA8v5JujYxIHDj07X7q_TLe_tKGRwIBg/s4032/20240201_101553.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E9nesOyOM-alUFEOGj3kHB0h_y_Y8_FGCmkHPK-wpMFvAEYJg3Zljcy0JR1_tUe_XUKLxgzn149XsW45xv-HeNC6SricEx7Tn4Wsv0kHaxhmTEkZJQ8i1dPm0FyC0-VfpXjwOVyb6T8bHjBlya6q_0ZA8v5JujYxIHDj07X7q_TLe_tKGRwIBg/s320/20240201_101553.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The pools and the farmlands below.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXEteq9tQWqpa7nyXpn4dpLSl8dF-6Zuh-l49qZfEvsIfejjuO-Ic3QO17oQ4WDHq4i44PqwHjom3SZ5XK_yrl2JVFVNxF0Pk1ra_SNfFHDIvTMDEnydczwDU5o6MzAk1cczbHZ8y0OQI0YQ4AiG-z4TM594aXXh056EL-g4jv1INEmGR46Twtw/s4032/20240201_101609~3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXEteq9tQWqpa7nyXpn4dpLSl8dF-6Zuh-l49qZfEvsIfejjuO-Ic3QO17oQ4WDHq4i44PqwHjom3SZ5XK_yrl2JVFVNxF0Pk1ra_SNfFHDIvTMDEnydczwDU5o6MzAk1cczbHZ8y0OQI0YQ4AiG-z4TM594aXXh056EL-g4jv1INEmGR46Twtw/s320/20240201_101609~3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">View of the falls with the valley below.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_qL_HFnkeFjJEl3WYoiSORa8BsxPQWdBhR-sszoqh3j-5GyeW33LuCdnp3_xlKCeX6cqhXd37RnWDEsTgKZjzjJzYnDwwG-4Z4IKe9T0zBpun7w-_BhtO5UTDxBJ2QyBmTyXNJ3aBriI8rQ3_BH2T4e5p4YnGscyUloT82GFvW0Ob-6VvWSrfQ/s4032/20240201_102412~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_qL_HFnkeFjJEl3WYoiSORa8BsxPQWdBhR-sszoqh3j-5GyeW33LuCdnp3_xlKCeX6cqhXd37RnWDEsTgKZjzjJzYnDwwG-4Z4IKe9T0zBpun7w-_BhtO5UTDxBJ2QyBmTyXNJ3aBriI8rQ3_BH2T4e5p4YnGscyUloT82GFvW0Ob-6VvWSrfQ/s320/20240201_102412~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGE34_JgrSvIjhgf4U78A5-W9hb-FrjMtmdV49vS9EEjZE4fJOtxcRo05vgqisv_-OlT6CH8ujRAaxneKbA5_r8i8QR_mVDzuuCdDBoVLreuQNKF7C8TSP8HMprHzOQGKwreJ0RwET7yRjNQjettoQu4uPH4Q88Z6lapzorePzBilrY24u18wxg/s4032/20240201_103452~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGE34_JgrSvIjhgf4U78A5-W9hb-FrjMtmdV49vS9EEjZE4fJOtxcRo05vgqisv_-OlT6CH8ujRAaxneKbA5_r8i8QR_mVDzuuCdDBoVLreuQNKF7C8TSP8HMprHzOQGKwreJ0RwET7yRjNQjettoQu4uPH4Q88Z6lapzorePzBilrY24u18wxg/s320/20240201_103452~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6Xk2Z4YhWRn9H1LGF4NtYwk-eNEsyNpEWy5kfLZ_aKIc03r1vFvsI5SA_uG_kYkxP9_d-bniX4QBe0ETihe57QWm9xofY7RvmQ0KuZW8INx3tywDJZWFytLlG8gV0KVpoLsPAO7ztVgE0Vgq7OrBi4JlNKVlzK7NRng3KvLaRANQfJ9DPaRNcA/s4032/20240201_104510~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6Xk2Z4YhWRn9H1LGF4NtYwk-eNEsyNpEWy5kfLZ_aKIc03r1vFvsI5SA_uG_kYkxP9_d-bniX4QBe0ETihe57QWm9xofY7RvmQ0KuZW8INx3tywDJZWFytLlG8gV0KVpoLsPAO7ztVgE0Vgq7OrBi4JlNKVlzK7NRng3KvLaRANQfJ9DPaRNcA/s320/20240201_104510~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYk_siD2P745fE4pq6bgn_AZxnqXWC-fgJy3oOljI4mgSROvSti3cvL0Luu9-6ouGWj9-WOi8oDPGiucms2N9NBaVEYlPFf6PtID_7IULH2Q_9u6_WbySQw2m6WjGCQj_NKR1vxvtS6qWklVtQq9ZoEAbeO8u68n-BOobjA249k7l9jq5lVIiuA/s4032/20240201_105035%20(2)~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYk_siD2P745fE4pq6bgn_AZxnqXWC-fgJy3oOljI4mgSROvSti3cvL0Luu9-6ouGWj9-WOi8oDPGiucms2N9NBaVEYlPFf6PtID_7IULH2Q_9u6_WbySQw2m6WjGCQj_NKR1vxvtS6qWklVtQq9ZoEAbeO8u68n-BOobjA249k7l9jq5lVIiuA/s320/20240201_105035%20(2)~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The hike was steep, but I survived.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZ6MIDf_sYrV3Y5-Tt96f39vvALHfXlwzZF0XqRRZ_30s7BfERmUau5qGmyf0n6IzuZeQ_8y6pf2x9qoZzhRJvqoPuvQuGof0KwNtg7t2wyXgUzZcUSGqcv8fregqleXChtiRO52VsgR9uLGcYKoy0W9BPrmAgr4PpqO8BI5G9Yqj6DgwNe6b4Q/s4032/20240201_110317%20(2)~4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZ6MIDf_sYrV3Y5-Tt96f39vvALHfXlwzZF0XqRRZ_30s7BfERmUau5qGmyf0n6IzuZeQ_8y6pf2x9qoZzhRJvqoPuvQuGof0KwNtg7t2wyXgUzZcUSGqcv8fregqleXChtiRO52VsgR9uLGcYKoy0W9BPrmAgr4PpqO8BI5G9Yqj6DgwNe6b4Q/s320/20240201_110317%20(2)~4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nature's infinity pool at the springs.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M54Hg6f7TNB42qNxwbO_1HxocEIIZ2_Ekew7sOTsv5450Ug8ZW-AJdj_T4SkdsjZ4pMPo6gYiyYXMIOJFA9T4_IDJ3Xq0XZzBbb86IJIEEv1FKfJj0eP_i2X-HMvmNtTXK34yDq9D9zj_E-VR8yaj_YHjW_dGzCaQJILPzi6wQljybNVSa0gvQ/s4608/IMG_0026~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2M54Hg6f7TNB42qNxwbO_1HxocEIIZ2_Ekew7sOTsv5450Ug8ZW-AJdj_T4SkdsjZ4pMPo6gYiyYXMIOJFA9T4_IDJ3Xq0XZzBbb86IJIEEv1FKfJj0eP_i2X-HMvmNtTXK34yDq9D9zj_E-VR8yaj_YHjW_dGzCaQJILPzi6wQljybNVSa0gvQ/s320/IMG_0026~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Mynp47pBF5XlhFySmSs_KEB1j9OeWjCa9d2NH_6Sro_N2yflE-0oc1tbywgZe8DbgAesm6XLx-393OgTklGxJl_h5oMqKe9eQMaFVSRYjs5pmIwq-erOTD_waQ9zlPfytphioCwebgQ-O8kIAPeYMI2MBJeSbaalW2JSFZckY3w8LErQjyjxqg/s4608/IMG_0034~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Mynp47pBF5XlhFySmSs_KEB1j9OeWjCa9d2NH_6Sro_N2yflE-0oc1tbywgZe8DbgAesm6XLx-393OgTklGxJl_h5oMqKe9eQMaFVSRYjs5pmIwq-erOTD_waQ9zlPfytphioCwebgQ-O8kIAPeYMI2MBJeSbaalW2JSFZckY3w8LErQjyjxqg/s320/IMG_0034~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jwlbp5VRCltItR_FryLGpydxPTq9t-wHo09XJMElFMiJg16JW1QvLtSRH9G5suZd6FgXKo7sNrrgYhg5GtJJ7OutIizI7Gjq54-VKdL35Bpg4w_lbtMk4SBN0DQwAw5PfWHu3L4PjK4KcIotxg8GBLQN5FrkAHWSMyRyhBwW0u1GibcOCILf6w/s4608/IMG_0041~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jwlbp5VRCltItR_FryLGpydxPTq9t-wHo09XJMElFMiJg16JW1QvLtSRH9G5suZd6FgXKo7sNrrgYhg5GtJJ7OutIizI7Gjq54-VKdL35Bpg4w_lbtMk4SBN0DQwAw5PfWHu3L4PjK4KcIotxg8GBLQN5FrkAHWSMyRyhBwW0u1GibcOCILf6w/s320/IMG_0041~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkS0x9jGPUxpH_kg8j2ppEK7mjnhIOXSLACjbhv2p7BGVGJeH8M88XsZP-bKRLOhUYT6IRqiWk1d3jNAGMZrATzpRfoZrsB1Ftljq30I_PP-3SLDxuS9NS0BDdhUkAy5x4FjIKZelPrpYZRNtso1XFARvmOArDmbsub8bSypdH65tuAuY7jTYXJA/s3285/IMG_0006~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2747" data-original-width="3285" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkS0x9jGPUxpH_kg8j2ppEK7mjnhIOXSLACjbhv2p7BGVGJeH8M88XsZP-bKRLOhUYT6IRqiWk1d3jNAGMZrATzpRfoZrsB1Ftljq30I_PP-3SLDxuS9NS0BDdhUkAy5x4FjIKZelPrpYZRNtso1XFARvmOArDmbsub8bSypdH65tuAuY7jTYXJA/s320/IMG_0006~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The locals sell crafts, food and<br />cold drinks from these huts.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-25242243259905888132024-02-12T11:52:00.000-08:002024-02-12T16:03:59.425-08:00 Murales, Tejido de Alfombras, Un árbol Muy Grande - Día Tres<p>The morning of the third day I got up feeling a bit under the weather. Travel has never been good to me and sometimes being out of my normal routine catches up with me. We ate another tasty breakfast and met up with our friends and then loaded back into the van. </p><p>Our first stop was close to the hotel. It was an area in Oaxaca that has become famous for all of its artistically painted murals. On every block within this neighborhood are beautiful paintings. We walked and admired the workmanship on every wall.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrMwQvE0YSG0WCC79dXPR_m7gpVuUMLq8fyXNLc1HCd9vi9rFdRtGmpcFwxnVjupfNGkAohD-cT6QfgUwzvV2yXG2cspVk1Kcjw1i8YSXODGKymvrAer6BtKEjX4dEhbmlu6GtD4fTUVpJdsMY9fWQAWrJ12WXqDkq9_9RsT-fMDX_ANLN1gmfA/s4608/IMG_0364.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrMwQvE0YSG0WCC79dXPR_m7gpVuUMLq8fyXNLc1HCd9vi9rFdRtGmpcFwxnVjupfNGkAohD-cT6QfgUwzvV2yXG2cspVk1Kcjw1i8YSXODGKymvrAer6BtKEjX4dEhbmlu6GtD4fTUVpJdsMY9fWQAWrJ12WXqDkq9_9RsT-fMDX_ANLN1gmfA/s320/IMG_0364.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I took as many photos as I could and tried to capture the vision of each artist. The sun was a little bit of a problem casting harsh shadows on some of the walls. I did my best and we enjoyed the sights of this area. <p></p><p>Just before we loaded back into the van I had to concede to my not feeling well and Eladio drove me quickly back to the hotel.</p><p>Linda remained with the group and carried on the rest of the day. I went to our room and layed down.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa97ciPp8kOfEvdrqZzdnLMmv6ZckwupI2wE43L6mJGbhZeBs8Vc4N1W9v-PJFsndiAvTnCLt_F23NcnqB8tMS9DsJZPcj7hQqG1FKQN8vqMPnyyW3bv9ArQk9qXfI6xVov0jSwtUA1TPz6dlIVU8QV0sjWFMQ95LuB1Eupaa49uFQaL_-0SPEw/s4608/IMG_0365.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa97ciPp8kOfEvdrqZzdnLMmv6ZckwupI2wE43L6mJGbhZeBs8Vc4N1W9v-PJFsndiAvTnCLt_F23NcnqB8tMS9DsJZPcj7hQqG1FKQN8vqMPnyyW3bv9ArQk9qXfI6xVov0jSwtUA1TPz6dlIVU8QV0sjWFMQ95LuB1Eupaa49uFQaL_-0SPEw/s320/IMG_0365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNA0iVFX8y6uKiv-yj22PLeUjKP_VlS3ZBm782I7sA7jS5L0mvU3qO31DQDzNP4HYI0NV1-KwssnKbr1V8df6b2rmAhT5aUw0ze9pvOLclXIddcIJgsQZWWjIfUNANRB048Tg9mELXq9xFurqKbrCX1D4fJn8FeR234UNwHdAFkMpEZUGK-8THg/s4005/IMG_0372~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2657" data-original-width="4005" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNA0iVFX8y6uKiv-yj22PLeUjKP_VlS3ZBm782I7sA7jS5L0mvU3qO31DQDzNP4HYI0NV1-KwssnKbr1V8df6b2rmAhT5aUw0ze9pvOLclXIddcIJgsQZWWjIfUNANRB048Tg9mELXq9xFurqKbrCX1D4fJn8FeR234UNwHdAFkMpEZUGK-8THg/s320/IMG_0372~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0yyeVYqeprBpLn-O-Jj7eyYYU_sTqrxWzaPKTJ9791VUcNCFhhuWpFs23jvUmQNQ_rqDmOTyT6pmJAv_FWDu2LQ0Ir7DZiQZralSqLaBzuUzfW46fiOE1SBNqpVFPOrwjTYyAPg06TQPJBRULeK4i1cks9vZBHrbP02H2_aDgnUq7aMV7eJH6A/s4087/IMG_0379~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3031" data-original-width="4087" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0yyeVYqeprBpLn-O-Jj7eyYYU_sTqrxWzaPKTJ9791VUcNCFhhuWpFs23jvUmQNQ_rqDmOTyT6pmJAv_FWDu2LQ0Ir7DZiQZralSqLaBzuUzfW46fiOE1SBNqpVFPOrwjTYyAPg06TQPJBRULeK4i1cks9vZBHrbP02H2_aDgnUq7aMV7eJH6A/s320/IMG_0379~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOPS_MDEu4Yfq1m8rgs2tB2pojQxsM39lFgPlyC_MefUtmZZrV0s7l3jjQoBiXqI6Qcj1ubW7NyX3XZtmkba3mDGzkMz3-nX5ts7T-OeFB3Uz7-rGK103QILOTRhyh8Gqx19zQi9O7kQi4YBhmpLHM_ymxs9BwpE5i4Nl5ff7cRG5YT8HUcrTXA/s4608/IMG_0382~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOPS_MDEu4Yfq1m8rgs2tB2pojQxsM39lFgPlyC_MefUtmZZrV0s7l3jjQoBiXqI6Qcj1ubW7NyX3XZtmkba3mDGzkMz3-nX5ts7T-OeFB3Uz7-rGK103QILOTRhyh8Gqx19zQi9O7kQi4YBhmpLHM_ymxs9BwpE5i4Nl5ff7cRG5YT8HUcrTXA/s320/IMG_0382~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At about 11:30 am, I still felt bad so I decided that I should do something about my situation. This was all way out of my comfort zone, but I went down to the hotel front desk and inquired about a health clinic. They gave me directions, "Four blocks this way then two that!" Off I went. I found the building they directed me to and it turned out to be a hospital. I stood outside wondering if this was the right thing to do. Should I just try to hang in there the rest of the trip? We still had three days of Oaxaca ahead and I felt I needed to deal with things.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pFZmUKzII9hWJEWOKhx4sgl4JGGKr9VrCxF5k7dNyocGS71MFRt_pcuyYRPI4by0RemHj6lAl9N7MpLiCSqYNTlQs-vFPJgKrjng1xYfXT2hZO7tIJsMjRsRXmQngaUsSuIgbk3eGbHf130QkavP63usPkghvpCAzSeWGiCZ-6EhD6R2NdLiSg/s2953/IMG_0386~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="2953" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pFZmUKzII9hWJEWOKhx4sgl4JGGKr9VrCxF5k7dNyocGS71MFRt_pcuyYRPI4by0RemHj6lAl9N7MpLiCSqYNTlQs-vFPJgKrjng1xYfXT2hZO7tIJsMjRsRXmQngaUsSuIgbk3eGbHf130QkavP63usPkghvpCAzSeWGiCZ-6EhD6R2NdLiSg/s320/IMG_0386~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>In I wandered. I went to the front desk. With my translation app on my phone, I said I had a stomach problem. They motioned for me to sit and said, "Cinco minutos." In a short time, a doctor came out and led me back through the hospital to a room where I used my phone to communicate my symptoms. He did a quick check of my vitals and asked me a few questions about medication allergies. Then he layed me down on the bed and prodded and listened. He communicated that my lower area was filled with gas and then he wrote me a prescription. I thanked him, we shook hands, and then he led me back to the front desk. I payed my bill, 500 pesos, and the nurse explained where the pharmacy was located, "Two blocks this way, three blocks that."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKKO1nNc2o_PoljOJaKsTr3VG5_D9RMpdckQHhTXv82snLMWcspKaQJdNC4kQCiCF4amBrMo80hrXZu7uVhN6x6CNtBlI2Z1yBiGnoRsvnjSP-kr91_Madtq8m8yi7QvHnoTglDqz7je-PM-zA3JqIBDhqO9FqiS5hPPETbpxrw4Dldwav59BXg/s3967/20240131_082745.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2942" data-original-width="3967" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKKO1nNc2o_PoljOJaKsTr3VG5_D9RMpdckQHhTXv82snLMWcspKaQJdNC4kQCiCF4amBrMo80hrXZu7uVhN6x6CNtBlI2Z1yBiGnoRsvnjSP-kr91_Madtq8m8yi7QvHnoTglDqz7je-PM-zA3JqIBDhqO9FqiS5hPPETbpxrw4Dldwav59BXg/s320/20240131_082745.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Off I wandered. At the pharmacy they could only full half the prescription. I paid and they gave me more directions, "Two blocks this way, two blocks that way." I found the second pharmacy and filled the rest of the parscription. I walked out to the corner and noted I was a half block from our hotel. I laughed and hightailed it back to the room where I started the medication cycle. In the next 24 hours I felt 85% better and when the medication was complete I was back to normal. I was sad that I had to miss the rest of that one day of our adventure, but glad that my little adventure has shown me that I could make my way on my own if something were to happen like this again.</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4pTE5-EpR4vT3hcJRauIrJYM8erkE2gJnSshMbQV4nX-4bn2FV2QkVDcCYp4HbGvuCQnsRryoqMPPkqOKqsA6gm9zA1SBOLDmJV1IPYW8wMPEloPa1yzXV2rxEtDM6EWET8zpOAIbh8IGOPOrhMvuXxC_HNZ9JFMkZYiS-iZhF2iZklPrUSYoQ/s3991/20240131_082802.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2968" data-original-width="3991" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4pTE5-EpR4vT3hcJRauIrJYM8erkE2gJnSshMbQV4nX-4bn2FV2QkVDcCYp4HbGvuCQnsRryoqMPPkqOKqsA6gm9zA1SBOLDmJV1IPYW8wMPEloPa1yzXV2rxEtDM6EWET8zpOAIbh8IGOPOrhMvuXxC_HNZ9JFMkZYiS-iZhF2iZklPrUSYoQ/s320/20240131_082802.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0131DuTyM5baSbTuCoNg3RldYokiIwLzVFa2pJ3p61BtC-Znjs0GpV8GXnRbvVBD7eftpS41hnEqsGBkrsbXpKoPlVITCfZBoAsvXUyzM0L6wNuykN2udzZPLXKpRPtBvZvvX1dSlwBWevL8VxbnoUIWR5xb8596aVSRACBWk718kML0onuuuw/s4032/20240131_083224~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0131DuTyM5baSbTuCoNg3RldYokiIwLzVFa2pJ3p61BtC-Znjs0GpV8GXnRbvVBD7eftpS41hnEqsGBkrsbXpKoPlVITCfZBoAsvXUyzM0L6wNuykN2udzZPLXKpRPtBvZvvX1dSlwBWevL8VxbnoUIWR5xb8596aVSRACBWk718kML0onuuuw/s320/20240131_083224~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIA7jBfDfx6cXgCR1TVOb3hwP55RFvhgLCAJGD5Ff1toOe82G1LeBQb13E1nbRcnjcTszyGt-LCC8pShh3HtG4UPpGcG-4_MSprXiaaYcPuNMvYJ3oLGsB7USx27WW0jGJnlntiaimd5lDZVuUfmigLBQXJkcVfT80vHbL9MFkuySNF2zHpK9g/s960/FB_IMG_1706827925999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzIA7jBfDfx6cXgCR1TVOb3hwP55RFvhgLCAJGD5Ff1toOe82G1LeBQb13E1nbRcnjcTszyGt-LCC8pShh3HtG4UPpGcG-4_MSprXiaaYcPuNMvYJ3oLGsB7USx27WW0jGJnlntiaimd5lDZVuUfmigLBQXJkcVfT80vHbL9MFkuySNF2zHpK9g/s320/FB_IMG_1706827925999.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was sad to see that Dean needed to head back to the hotel. We decided I should continue with the group and not miss the day's activities.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the murals, we hit the highway and headed to Teotitlan del Valle where we drove through the maze-like streets and stopped at our next destination. Here, we met a lovely family. This area of Oaxaca is known for it's beautiful rugs and we were in for a treat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Pma-MHFQy02uC0XB_NiwiTGarmb6trJoXXhcmuzZWcFjFRCD-n-MRWZ71dQzo0tQX8fQsQmJPSRKhaAMA4_EwIEgszziEVCzJO_P3GM6aXZeqGJgT1VyuDDHuT3dcfsosRjzrlLg3DNBOMBXZ40q3Jz_tQ3Gllg_BJXbfzEEqd5sjo1Sd1x-g/s4032/20240131_102445~2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Pma-MHFQy02uC0XB_NiwiTGarmb6trJoXXhcmuzZWcFjFRCD-n-MRWZ71dQzo0tQX8fQsQmJPSRKhaAMA4_EwIEgszziEVCzJO_P3GM6aXZeqGJgT1VyuDDHuT3dcfsosRjzrlLg3DNBOMBXZ40q3Jz_tQ3Gllg_BJXbfzEEqd5sjo1Sd1x-g/s320/20240131_102445~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We were invited in and asked to sit in a semi-circle. In front of us were skeins of colored wool and baskets filled with the natural ingredients used to dye the wool. Mama came around to all of us and put a pinch of rust-colored powder in each of our palms. Then water was added and we mixed up those two to see what we got. Next came a pomagranate seed. We crushed that and our reddish/orangish color turned to different shades of purple and magenta. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After doing a bit of clean-up (though we all proudly carried our color on our palms for the rest of the day) Abuela showed us how to brush the wool to get a nice clump of soft fiber. She then took this wool to her spinning wheel and spun the wool into yarn. She made it look very easy, but it's not. This yarn is then dyed. They have to be very mindful of how much of a particular color of yarn they will need for their weaving because it's nearly impossible to try to match a color if you run out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iD_l0kREAVZD6E36riyNQK3yzW2JuDj0ypqE2mufNneCjifk4izu4lP0wNME_6qhcwj7VECHIKA-qI70YqF1tBs4WzYhvTA9rOMh1s2YfzTTRiIIw481z5H2rz-uUJ-CyAWGfVS5S9u0DNgLntaz-pgS0nJ6DY2kJpegeml_f0FYZuHfryl7Pg/s4032/20240131_104908~2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iD_l0kREAVZD6E36riyNQK3yzW2JuDj0ypqE2mufNneCjifk4izu4lP0wNME_6qhcwj7VECHIKA-qI70YqF1tBs4WzYhvTA9rOMh1s2YfzTTRiIIw481z5H2rz-uUJ-CyAWGfVS5S9u0DNgLntaz-pgS0nJ6DY2kJpegeml_f0FYZuHfryl7Pg/s320/20240131_104908~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Abuelo then asked us to follow him to his loom. He showed us how he weaves the different colored spindles to create their gorgeous tapestries. You can't tell in the picture, but he's not only having to count how many "stitches" he needs for each color he's using, he's also standing on two long pedals that move the main yarn up and down to make the actual weaving "easier". We were then given some time to ask questions and then look through the different items they had for sale. </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/AVvXsEgKN4IomtAOEz83swseB0BhCGhEg_vmaFjTNMyPCYhndoBxrL5c4uGIcL93sEs3BTKO0b38kKXqgg_NW2HI_1xvaBCU69Bf_NlGS2mivjPZ1O6W3LJQLm77MCsW-9zh6Eu2Q2syvYSL9NvYmzOnTP74nMgaBeQdyxWH7_yOkhmgPvNKKNw5Urm_Hw/s4032/20240131_110404.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKN4IomtAOEz83swseB0BhCGhEg_vmaFjTNMyPCYhndoBxrL5c4uGIcL93sEs3BTKO0b38kKXqgg_NW2HI_1xvaBCU69Bf_NlGS2mivjPZ1O6W3LJQLm77MCsW-9zh6Eu2Q2syvYSL9NvYmzOnTP74nMgaBeQdyxWH7_yOkhmgPvNKKNw5Urm_Hw/s320/20240131_110404.jpg" width="320" /></a>I knew I couldn't bring another rug home (we have many of them already and our luggage space was limited) so I wandered around until I spied handmade wool and leather purses. All of them were lined with a beautiful sapphire blue cloth. I found one I loved and bought it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thanked the family and asked if I could take some picures of them. It was such a great morning. I felt very lucky to be able to have seen how they take rough natural wool and go through all of those processes by hand in order to create incredibly beauiful masterpieces.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9D2cSjQ0TDlkgxIQW4NBqQIxWY56zZeUhQJLWP6eMlXP4y-e5Pr_8QGd6ZKGV86eUPbGAC9bolpsz-uO9_7ArqMu8TIWhhQ_Vz55b6CkJCCTtTtJsM6F3v-wNfCS16AlTK0PJ8Qv30d91_dbq_BdIhyoGtkmj532IaQcsPBuKtdwqPI6BB3ERw/s4032/20240131_100616~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9D2cSjQ0TDlkgxIQW4NBqQIxWY56zZeUhQJLWP6eMlXP4y-e5Pr_8QGd6ZKGV86eUPbGAC9bolpsz-uO9_7ArqMu8TIWhhQ_Vz55b6CkJCCTtTtJsM6F3v-wNfCS16AlTK0PJ8Qv30d91_dbq_BdIhyoGtkmj532IaQcsPBuKtdwqPI6BB3ERw/s320/20240131_100616~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A red powder with water creats the dye.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iUFJ9B7WJ62R1mWEdKci9nsJIOfqbb9GQiYS3yCjhW6-ZFwpJ_K49eVdUXvRghp1ZNZ3Zl2s5kTthoOsgTl0ozhkv39t3Yw-Wyq6ZP58A9_k5S0ZzAWJvslub429EbilpYDK3TPD5hSqI-BIb2oy2SE9jfgEiTmS_YyV8prd0i-OV2kq8M3asA/s4032/20240131_100718~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iUFJ9B7WJ62R1mWEdKci9nsJIOfqbb9GQiYS3yCjhW6-ZFwpJ_K49eVdUXvRghp1ZNZ3Zl2s5kTthoOsgTl0ozhkv39t3Yw-Wyq6ZP58A9_k5S0ZzAWJvslub429EbilpYDK3TPD5hSqI-BIb2oy2SE9jfgEiTmS_YyV8prd0i-OV2kq8M3asA/s320/20240131_100718~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Then a pomagranate seed is crushed and added.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZCW7iR_i6NtBZFkM9ZaRrIV2wP888FuMk08Cz4dt3BhKBgjEdLLJqmaHAsIKSsnoEKtCvLcllVXa4KdL_PWjCV_tqFH7lLAETmXTAh8qYYnN1SlIPAgtH6TU0efjDiJf9eHB0XCj5sDllxO0dDPH1ZBER7Si4kYly_xsNZE1umKYI5uNQs1mrw/s4032/20240131_110421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZCW7iR_i6NtBZFkM9ZaRrIV2wP888FuMk08Cz4dt3BhKBgjEdLLJqmaHAsIKSsnoEKtCvLcllVXa4KdL_PWjCV_tqFH7lLAETmXTAh8qYYnN1SlIPAgtH6TU0efjDiJf9eHB0XCj5sDllxO0dDPH1ZBER7Si4kYly_xsNZE1umKYI5uNQs1mrw/s320/20240131_110421.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBU5S72NAO5B43os42_G5toEtz0TvIelS-XR-WPmBZy05F5yI5dHDrA_ygzW8evNFRzWaBCcLjkAD7wta5Y3xHcCvqbQcPMVKRGP2gPgqgS32D92JtmEGzWkwQJPhmTjtMiAgwD_M9BukDCN5SKCU8irqXXgLcO-5azXC5RSkD4PQNkOpLlWNp6g/s960/FB_IMG_1706827826894~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBU5S72NAO5B43os42_G5toEtz0TvIelS-XR-WPmBZy05F5yI5dHDrA_ygzW8evNFRzWaBCcLjkAD7wta5Y3xHcCvqbQcPMVKRGP2gPgqgS32D92JtmEGzWkwQJPhmTjtMiAgwD_M9BukDCN5SKCU8irqXXgLcO-5azXC5RSkD4PQNkOpLlWNp6g/s320/FB_IMG_1706827826894~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZXGbtHAYKcKyFK51lp2D-qTa-g4IIGvEU6CGuLnsv984Oir5QEoRv-JdL2YYaLPaEWmpaKPmCupngpQyjq3QflCcuaC9Hbuzz5zkcJDEKMs1Ygrz0pca9ts_MjmFAjKfpHcCheMyJtQkYlYbi0BSmOOwjQCSFKP2NXUGWW54ydpczsiUNelP7Q/s960/FB_IMG_1706827844134~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZXGbtHAYKcKyFK51lp2D-qTa-g4IIGvEU6CGuLnsv984Oir5QEoRv-JdL2YYaLPaEWmpaKPmCupngpQyjq3QflCcuaC9Hbuzz5zkcJDEKMs1Ygrz0pca9ts_MjmFAjKfpHcCheMyJtQkYlYbi0BSmOOwjQCSFKP2NXUGWW54ydpczsiUNelP7Q/s320/FB_IMG_1706827844134~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our next part of our day took us to Tlacolula, famous for producing mezcal. This drink has grown more and more popular. It's at its best when it is produced using traditional methods. We were going to learn about its production. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2odhPVJ00b2OLxUbvvUl4HwSSVIKw5Ru-esbOHn5qoCAcShTiktYouVQZBtFgQwhZ04ays9rrSdkbmrYAxYi-C5WSeb_J9ARxqCgWHCEf33Oz_FQm3ukJrPEO0W06qtnJnRx0AobzP5y6_MgVOFUM5mc6DH01w9L41dhTt6xlFPmdYe3_Y56Fg/s960/FB_IMG_1706827910944.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2odhPVJ00b2OLxUbvvUl4HwSSVIKw5Ru-esbOHn5qoCAcShTiktYouVQZBtFgQwhZ04ays9rrSdkbmrYAxYi-C5WSeb_J9ARxqCgWHCEf33Oz_FQm3ukJrPEO0W06qtnJnRx0AobzP5y6_MgVOFUM5mc6DH01w9L41dhTt6xlFPmdYe3_Y56Fg/s320/FB_IMG_1706827910944.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We went to the Don Agave (actually Dona Agave manages this now) distillery in Tlacolula. Christian was our guide through the process. They are an artisanal mezcal producer. He is very proud of the ranch and the alcohol they produce. Mezcal is made from the agave plant just like tequila. The difference comes in the distilling. Don Agave raises their own agave for most of the types of mezcal they produce. Any other agave needed, they buy from the grower themselves. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKT0HpfWV6AZCZn2HLEvsIRwDIsOFy6IKCX-heEZiQrrZANlrQ3BKEjvkRFjPCy8cV4q26t7WVk-QP_PaxqsOnP8ZMvJ5_X_Bw8t7YEEWNAt2aRB3R_lBbqz4HoDl1T2SPid2hUJIDL6z-R_iNpuWMeYWbGWoNc-I8e1VeYgfJarZtMZm6fVvXQ/s4032/20240131_115135.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKT0HpfWV6AZCZn2HLEvsIRwDIsOFy6IKCX-heEZiQrrZANlrQ3BKEjvkRFjPCy8cV4q26t7WVk-QP_PaxqsOnP8ZMvJ5_X_Bw8t7YEEWNAt2aRB3R_lBbqz4HoDl1T2SPid2hUJIDL6z-R_iNpuWMeYWbGWoNc-I8e1VeYgfJarZtMZm6fVvXQ/s320/20240131_115135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>After harvesting the agave, they put the pinas (the agave plant's core after the leaves are cut off) in a large pit that's layered with burning mesquite, layers of protection so the pinas don't burn too much, and then covered with a special soil. They cook for 6 days. They're then uncovered and crushed using a horse that walks the large stone crusher around. The liquid gathered is then distilled in large vats several times in order to get the alcohol content down between 40% and 55%. Flavor can be added at that time (this might include fruit, scorpion, spices,or a worm). They complete this entire process only once a month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7sCcbfRUG-lVpTwUmNbl_ESlyubPkjShlDhyphenhyphenL7N8B2TWVLbp1qBAi4LZ-OIWBqYtRqVaHVfOLf_MyaF3_KghaprSG43FbhYjTzbt-9yrY_oS3ukyXbD14CO9cpJvsgJSfbtG7VpgMgQUotfeORtLkKtM00fzw2D4N9pR991eycyR_u8RitW1Yg/s896/FB_IMG_1706828046009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7sCcbfRUG-lVpTwUmNbl_ESlyubPkjShlDhyphenhyphenL7N8B2TWVLbp1qBAi4LZ-OIWBqYtRqVaHVfOLf_MyaF3_KghaprSG43FbhYjTzbt-9yrY_oS3ukyXbD14CO9cpJvsgJSfbtG7VpgMgQUotfeORtLkKtM00fzw2D4N9pR991eycyR_u8RitW1Yg/s320/FB_IMG_1706828046009.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fields and fields of large agave.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Learning all of this was fascination, but what about the taste? We gathered under a shady palapa and Christian brought out 9 or 10 different mezcals to try. Yes, I tried them all. I did have to ask that my tastes be a bit smaller after the first 4 or 5. I also refused to sing "The Impossible Dream" which I tend to do after a couple of shots and goading from the crowd. Dean would have been proud. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I enjoyed the experience and the taste. It has a very smokey flavor. My favorite was the one flavored with scorpion venom! I know, crazy, right?! They actually distill it with live scorpions. I probably won't switch from my favorite, tequila, but it was a fun time trying something new. After our tasting, we had an extremely delicious and much needed lunch at the ranch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLG7tG-mMESPv7PK0hzZhMbFmUFW_7lRDNymbqRSXlhaMboc1zSShazM9X7gl8OK6UizaRrMEizS8jX_dpwkck26g-uo2mtpLERlFrwuM7scGhQBFO25ApfGr5RIj8qvmuXE8Nlw1hfrgfLr_zZnYhm-3b_4ELfQIc7tru-eNVRM_AfGsAxoj8w/s4000/20240131_113642~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLG7tG-mMESPv7PK0hzZhMbFmUFW_7lRDNymbqRSXlhaMboc1zSShazM9X7gl8OK6UizaRrMEizS8jX_dpwkck26g-uo2mtpLERlFrwuM7scGhQBFO25ApfGr5RIj8qvmuXE8Nlw1hfrgfLr_zZnYhm-3b_4ELfQIc7tru-eNVRM_AfGsAxoj8w/s320/20240131_113642~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Empty burn pit ready for next smoking.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4PJ-FQT1avPLzqiR2vhCipulEUyamES18fmHRRCiqzy0at5fFiSj6Tlk2UdjSvDmiB9ZDo0kkLztaVmQZx_Gs_p624cfbryOMuEanzlc7TAyx_IOxg09hGcVuPrbw_xVyGkHnPXmbrEmSiK9AkTdxzStjunkUnwh-2og7nYHSDkd82UehMGI5g/s4032/20240201_124907.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4PJ-FQT1avPLzqiR2vhCipulEUyamES18fmHRRCiqzy0at5fFiSj6Tlk2UdjSvDmiB9ZDo0kkLztaVmQZx_Gs_p624cfbryOMuEanzlc7TAyx_IOxg09hGcVuPrbw_xVyGkHnPXmbrEmSiK9AkTdxzStjunkUnwh-2og7nYHSDkd82UehMGI5g/s320/20240201_124907.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Burn pit in action. Smoking in progress.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7wCvUXWpWjJ-Kp0LKZDh3Ei0ROc_mjh0F34LnMpqwoOR6moiGi_0kBliHZIcQTLVH6zRa0-kQkEHtTlpNNYuk3mXTX9PuvmV-jDn8rE-mK2v_3eY6LcXJEObPrTo9Cy0Hsm-UimLj2ljFxn0jYucd_EG8xyqG7cll4cwg9gFVN-iY1jnohANSA/s4000/20240131_113927~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7wCvUXWpWjJ-Kp0LKZDh3Ei0ROc_mjh0F34LnMpqwoOR6moiGi_0kBliHZIcQTLVH6zRa0-kQkEHtTlpNNYuk3mXTX9PuvmV-jDn8rE-mK2v_3eY6LcXJEObPrTo9Cy0Hsm-UimLj2ljFxn0jYucd_EG8xyqG7cll4cwg9gFVN-iY1jnohANSA/s320/20240131_113927~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">After firing the smoked agave is crushed.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPLKPm21kp5TxDnJ3x7wO06XB6PpuAvRpuCJzsfTgFOKwn9EZ86pMbPjwSQpyxFqvCQe8bXKO18gZ1n22ybcF8gAg2k0AoAHM-B1V9Ub9xFGUHnjGUNTBWhUlydnib8t504o0c1SCI_PS1WTDkbWFn5QZIZBvMgKICOJLSzSxl23e5n9zPhG7VA/s4032/20240131_114244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPLKPm21kp5TxDnJ3x7wO06XB6PpuAvRpuCJzsfTgFOKwn9EZ86pMbPjwSQpyxFqvCQe8bXKO18gZ1n22ybcF8gAg2k0AoAHM-B1V9Ub9xFGUHnjGUNTBWhUlydnib8t504o0c1SCI_PS1WTDkbWFn5QZIZBvMgKICOJLSzSxl23e5n9zPhG7VA/s320/20240131_114244.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The mezcal is distilled in numerous vats.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last stop of the day was in the little village of El Tule where Arbor del Tule (the tree of El Tule) grows. This is said to be the widest tree in girth in the world - bigger even than the Sequoias. It measures 164 ft in circumference. This tree dwarfs the town's church and is more than 2000 years old. The local Zapotecs like to joke that the Tule tree shares some of their characteristics: it is short (116 ft), stout (38 ft in diameter), and old (2000+ yrs). El Arbor has its very own fiesta and celebration every October. We were told that the Pan American highway, which runs north and south all the way through the Americas, was re-routed so as not to disturb El Arbor's roots. This tree is sacred to this town. It was quite a sight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnBoe4W96TMWXVOAUoLyX2OZ24q1s6qaDpllnKTMGMXqG0TrtElsYBAuUJe7nGH4WWGCJh4F3BjeWBKdusu3DqSuxgLrDykCeeOi2v1-Eknt6wX024T59G3iskTeaxic8GXBYQFzBdyGHwdo3kS9fkLGUPHDw26gehA8Za2nm-S_OOhsSR3QcCw/s4032/20240131_141915~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnBoe4W96TMWXVOAUoLyX2OZ24q1s6qaDpllnKTMGMXqG0TrtElsYBAuUJe7nGH4WWGCJh4F3BjeWBKdusu3DqSuxgLrDykCeeOi2v1-Eknt6wX024T59G3iskTeaxic8GXBYQFzBdyGHwdo3kS9fkLGUPHDw26gehA8Za2nm-S_OOhsSR3QcCw/s320/20240131_141915~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cqpQAYukj7D3GuxXmGR2OSiiZNP32E9P94BPrlPuWFP1h-WhhoaKYvIhv1F7bO0awWBNlvfsDibMiPebRESnA1-tVfUL6yu2tNhk6kqNaRqfwUdkS1qqFeZgAxlE309d7e-4_bLiw6VvKY_QXHzPvWleluuQUHbqAlm-VQeyo6a_5SK2fEa4Cw/s4032/20240131_142210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cqpQAYukj7D3GuxXmGR2OSiiZNP32E9P94BPrlPuWFP1h-WhhoaKYvIhv1F7bO0awWBNlvfsDibMiPebRESnA1-tVfUL6yu2tNhk6kqNaRqfwUdkS1qqFeZgAxlE309d7e-4_bLiw6VvKY_QXHzPvWleluuQUHbqAlm-VQeyo6a_5SK2fEa4Cw/s320/20240131_142210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxjm4hPLjlK72Bfenv4uS6bHt0sOZueRQAabdA4cXAj6lKpPvZsTE8bSLXEeNeoL6igpNNCQREMBaIRh19LzWS3h5mDFZn0J1cn5rqat-5ZNsW9Jem0Efq8vVPhaYgUYX6-igUnuB7RNVsyn6l2Ok04Sz4-pgRIBdQ0-_1fQ97_NgubFV3w-v4w/s4032/20240131_143211~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxjm4hPLjlK72Bfenv4uS6bHt0sOZueRQAabdA4cXAj6lKpPvZsTE8bSLXEeNeoL6igpNNCQREMBaIRh19LzWS3h5mDFZn0J1cn5rqat-5ZNsW9Jem0Efq8vVPhaYgUYX6-igUnuB7RNVsyn6l2Ok04Sz4-pgRIBdQ0-_1fQ97_NgubFV3w-v4w/s320/20240131_143211~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV0sLgjy4QiuORcRUxyMGk3j__8OMU_S5bgqzDwPHKRtkrcoWHM9cb_YJsTjm2nCDdMGLgj9lde0AoBWEi0nHmVvVWoZ5UX49ZU_PbCd-Zv7htz7dz_9tUC2IGnx1UCwHPcz7Asj8z6AAeUflVwYcz_Up0-BuU8p_Rd-MijuqJ5fLhtraEm0rfg/s4032/20240131_145326~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV0sLgjy4QiuORcRUxyMGk3j__8OMU_S5bgqzDwPHKRtkrcoWHM9cb_YJsTjm2nCDdMGLgj9lde0AoBWEi0nHmVvVWoZ5UX49ZU_PbCd-Zv7htz7dz_9tUC2IGnx1UCwHPcz7Asj8z6AAeUflVwYcz_Up0-BuU8p_Rd-MijuqJ5fLhtraEm0rfg/s320/20240131_145326~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR2uhZMIN0LoD99vVzmBxYrHlh7lud95Nl7M4XcKNEidQB-lOZCOsyMRZ-RLXhBCBWwThkP-rPD7DBfY5yJOkpv8Z4YpNVmVW_2TRqucD30aFmMmE_wQwo2aB7uzzrKg8gnDiHlBAR3-ifkCiZ7MKzMAObQSScxztXrLq3S0yNN1zt53aNkwVMg/s4138/IMG_0354~2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2759" data-original-width="4138" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR2uhZMIN0LoD99vVzmBxYrHlh7lud95Nl7M4XcKNEidQB-lOZCOsyMRZ-RLXhBCBWwThkP-rPD7DBfY5yJOkpv8Z4YpNVmVW_2TRqucD30aFmMmE_wQwo2aB7uzzrKg8gnDiHlBAR3-ifkCiZ7MKzMAObQSScxztXrLq3S0yNN1zt53aNkwVMg/s320/IMG_0354~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJSVBrIscOQfVGvvLTN8bRcRMoBuAXyECVB9gVS7EBp2Gk_o2HS7KkSbPd2qryjEigIfhZII10neIeOO4IU2sPczK55WwNRKeZZgUMoJcGLrvvjZhCmWajct9g3PaI8ksswNJ79MtsApixlydOO5FTvzqG9cdsfUEVH1-xNj2WqsPXjmHy4XvPQ/s3393/20240131_173315~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2952" data-original-width="3393" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJSVBrIscOQfVGvvLTN8bRcRMoBuAXyECVB9gVS7EBp2Gk_o2HS7KkSbPd2qryjEigIfhZII10neIeOO4IU2sPczK55WwNRKeZZgUMoJcGLrvvjZhCmWajct9g3PaI8ksswNJ79MtsApixlydOO5FTvzqG9cdsfUEVH1-xNj2WqsPXjmHy4XvPQ/s320/20240131_173315~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDqMuzrPguY-Vh6wOhtjCdn3jcrU3j6rCwmvrjehz1guXIeEzuU3GsqUY3vcq1xGAYDAC137W7bY2ghAWbfgCMCUlKy6z_Nv-JuZkzAWCo9c7OcOa8wQ_msYJRs_Ls09NSNoGz-E4k2xwqgrXlzSNA_QYr1qyzk8J7AXy2cjTG1OACGEAgrJDrQ/s4032/20240131_190952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIDqMuzrPguY-Vh6wOhtjCdn3jcrU3j6rCwmvrjehz1guXIeEzuU3GsqUY3vcq1xGAYDAC137W7bY2ghAWbfgCMCUlKy6z_Nv-JuZkzAWCo9c7OcOa8wQ_msYJRs_Ls09NSNoGz-E4k2xwqgrXlzSNA_QYr1qyzk8J7AXy2cjTG1OACGEAgrJDrQ/s320/20240131_190952.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-45816886629667807922024-02-09T16:42:00.000-08:002024-02-12T16:05:31.290-08:00El Mirador y Las Ruinas Número Uno - Día Dos<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlttsWZgp87z3TBnpp9e4-kIQTy44OkiHYj5p7ytNyHXmtFtMbpvvAgej9LGAj5D_9qj15rlf1v8zwIdxH3l41sAAXHIg21UpKvWpdR-NGG_38VRFOIwN5AkeFGWATbPWyQJeKyaUlsIpFkXMKnofZtzPdFJ1A368D4SGetS2yqYInvM5Amkz9Q/s3831/IMG_0073~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="3831" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlttsWZgp87z3TBnpp9e4-kIQTy44OkiHYj5p7ytNyHXmtFtMbpvvAgej9LGAj5D_9qj15rlf1v8zwIdxH3l41sAAXHIg21UpKvWpdR-NGG_38VRFOIwN5AkeFGWATbPWyQJeKyaUlsIpFkXMKnofZtzPdFJ1A368D4SGetS2yqYInvM5Amkz9Q/s320/IMG_0073~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My girl all ready to explore.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Our FFD (First Full Day), began with a great breakfast provided by the hotel kitchen staff. Each day the staff would make us eggs, any way you like them, a meat, and fresh fruit. Coffee and tea was provided along with bread snacks to get us fed and on our way for each adventure. The kitchen staff was so nice, we tipped them well and they really appreciated our gesture.<p></p><p>We started our day by loading into the van and Eladio snaked the rig through the traffic up to an overlook that give a panoramic view, the locales call this area El Mirador, a spot overlooking the valley where you can see all of the valley below.</p><p>Across from this lookout point you can see the many colors of the houses that clinging to the side of hills. The colors create a montage that shimmers as the heat rises from the valley. A monument to <a href="https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Ju%C3%A1rez" target="_blank">Benito Juárez</a> has been erected at this mirador. Rosario, our guide for the week, told us the story history of this man who is such a hero to so many in Mexico.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7WcdhUn0IQmq8WY6SFXSqNnWeJe-CC5kIHWOsnHJ3YkMK0c68KbIyNNHwHnmewtnKZuljCp7I5GbKx59SjA2JVXMQ3_WmdkDMkA5kaf9MkGLYPyKlrPLfN4lQQBZmNJW3CIzG1vjOkPFYC__r4cRO2nt4zm27Kw3CW7YffCkfvAxrwss3O8MIw/s4608/IMG_0078.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7WcdhUn0IQmq8WY6SFXSqNnWeJe-CC5kIHWOsnHJ3YkMK0c68KbIyNNHwHnmewtnKZuljCp7I5GbKx59SjA2JVXMQ3_WmdkDMkA5kaf9MkGLYPyKlrPLfN4lQQBZmNJW3CIzG1vjOkPFYC__r4cRO2nt4zm27Kw3CW7YffCkfvAxrwss3O8MIw/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Heading out on the FFD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEQEnP71IZtydn_zuqy_lcFvOmZwRq-8TLIYa6KzTarR7s6gxelui76GoHHGNJ8rdfvV-faelv7rCoSRIhz9SFAdU4GYnFyOLF3kxMcXKMhQZLXRzXEZv3_DW63a6OaT8dQ2LYe5F-0lMkqiSpe_3cduxi3vqDl-TYnK6jHLxt_nDY78sEHOcXw/s4608/IMG_0052~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEQEnP71IZtydn_zuqy_lcFvOmZwRq-8TLIYa6KzTarR7s6gxelui76GoHHGNJ8rdfvV-faelv7rCoSRIhz9SFAdU4GYnFyOLF3kxMcXKMhQZLXRzXEZv3_DW63a6OaT8dQ2LYe5F-0lMkqiSpe_3cduxi3vqDl-TYnK6jHLxt_nDY78sEHOcXw/s320/IMG_0052~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Early morning view from our room.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GzHcXc5xw7FivMalkUx5-aTGYXvahV-vHkz8An_m4HRnJ5SogwE6fzVrKP3nzTx4yFxY6O-25ojpMz79ZQkFv0pjPN8MUoUCZjVqKDwC_nJ0X4x1h9nFIS1fzZJdSBhyphenhyphendhyphenhyphena8s84v6GmYyT5i4Oaja_Pz2R9XPc-YplKmRd1wBBsT3X4gEnbHA/s4608/IMG_0080~2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GzHcXc5xw7FivMalkUx5-aTGYXvahV-vHkz8An_m4HRnJ5SogwE6fzVrKP3nzTx4yFxY6O-25ojpMz79ZQkFv0pjPN8MUoUCZjVqKDwC_nJ0X4x1h9nFIS1fzZJdSBhyphenhyphendhyphenhyphena8s84v6GmYyT5i4Oaja_Pz2R9XPc-YplKmRd1wBBsT3X4gEnbHA/s320/IMG_0080~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Houses across from the mirador.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD-4dQ5ylK5BsUROZnPxKEnaxQ2xecM9nV0sb2uoPsrkS_9VUbvFGCFr1X5Ds29f7OlRnZLAbMz8FumSj8XN_vyPmSZkniIoc3-snsWfGwslo30saGZfwJlKWMYAZi2AjKG5yfUq2SDVocnPtccHsGLHc2OWkoIDJvtX7aog9fY9cRiviaFwPgw/s4608/IMG_0104~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCD-4dQ5ylK5BsUROZnPxKEnaxQ2xecM9nV0sb2uoPsrkS_9VUbvFGCFr1X5Ds29f7OlRnZLAbMz8FumSj8XN_vyPmSZkniIoc3-snsWfGwslo30saGZfwJlKWMYAZi2AjKG5yfUq2SDVocnPtccHsGLHc2OWkoIDJvtX7aog9fY9cRiviaFwPgw/s320/IMG_0104~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9QByARRUTBusZhw_06n6_jZRmlnEb9X4O_SgPEFFf_4ZC3RBJ7HpldNmJJ_e4dTTZ3FyId4ScL02e1Hd_seidwOCLAS0r5cv-kJ5zSbIKGBAUQXEZImklkShdCPunCld-jAq3l4np-SPmo63IzfkgNknm13lDA72DhaH6HAY839hUyu6GcIn4w/s4608/IMG_0106~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9QByARRUTBusZhw_06n6_jZRmlnEb9X4O_SgPEFFf_4ZC3RBJ7HpldNmJJ_e4dTTZ3FyId4ScL02e1Hd_seidwOCLAS0r5cv-kJ5zSbIKGBAUQXEZImklkShdCPunCld-jAq3l4np-SPmo63IzfkgNknm13lDA72DhaH6HAY839hUyu6GcIn4w/s320/IMG_0106~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">We drove down and across the valley, up the hillsides and onto the top of one of the many mountains that surround this city. There we entered <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Alb%C3%A1n">Zona Arqueológica de Monte Albán</a> . These ruins was one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica. We were told that they have been dated back to 1000+ years before Christ. There we spent the afternoon exploring the ruins and marveling at how advanced this culture was. They had water pools with running fresh water and they played sports in their facilities. The ruins we explored had been excavated and exposed, but there were said to be miles of undiscovered ruins hidden below the mountain tops. </p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CY74h-LR3BEng3zQIWK1J8Lb3tnXjn7IhFOwpUOVAHx1V_v9QkXxHKm9dxInmNbs_P97PYY-93Q3i3ix7gKMFY-8D0etwrV-sptBOrAIIgtFWVgohms4_5ezksQRulYvtLKly-hlTsG3_vkAjM8JTurRG7TjwUTnFi-ysiCkYlGX0B2EhiKF-A/s4608/IMG_0111~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CY74h-LR3BEng3zQIWK1J8Lb3tnXjn7IhFOwpUOVAHx1V_v9QkXxHKm9dxInmNbs_P97PYY-93Q3i3ix7gKMFY-8D0etwrV-sptBOrAIIgtFWVgohms4_5ezksQRulYvtLKly-hlTsG3_vkAjM8JTurRG7TjwUTnFi-ysiCkYlGX0B2EhiKF-A/s320/IMG_0111~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvHPSi_70yIaPkHoAvaPprl3-5jSFmN_e0zowTAoj51SGetRBCBrXClfCs75ZOtvnk64CwEzZ_R_LN8uhjLRLoNO04ichqgr6ZOSfO12TcXSlnDtUOSnha7zgoy8K7FnJknv7HAUqd2SiOctEYwfO0iWqU61p4vQh1KnJKrdtK34GgYsP1wirqQ/s4608/IMG_0113~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvHPSi_70yIaPkHoAvaPprl3-5jSFmN_e0zowTAoj51SGetRBCBrXClfCs75ZOtvnk64CwEzZ_R_LN8uhjLRLoNO04ichqgr6ZOSfO12TcXSlnDtUOSnha7zgoy8K7FnJknv7HAUqd2SiOctEYwfO0iWqU61p4vQh1KnJKrdtK34GgYsP1wirqQ/s320/IMG_0113~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This map shows a overhead viiew of the <br />excavation site.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBE6mCy35xe3JhMQWc6tI3lVi2C6S82GzjKtGyT354ZHw1rd85SoWjfiJQm1fJu9XIUrDjiRElAl7iPR2fCxeVw6HTjoXe-fVndkaNcy1O0A8JoFJvvqdlQRCnTkBdY_xSfzy7qbZrYKH0gPmeIgSWNc-pPJ_J3LgptK9Ip4Jyd8HoncsbFLkgQ/s4608/IMG_0118.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBE6mCy35xe3JhMQWc6tI3lVi2C6S82GzjKtGyT354ZHw1rd85SoWjfiJQm1fJu9XIUrDjiRElAl7iPR2fCxeVw6HTjoXe-fVndkaNcy1O0A8JoFJvvqdlQRCnTkBdY_xSfzy7qbZrYKH0gPmeIgSWNc-pPJ_J3LgptK9Ip4Jyd8HoncsbFLkgQ/s320/IMG_0118.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rosario explains the history of<br />this archeological site.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_n02KZlZ255A7wsMbgWqKL0WQ46lDwKO7Xia8IsNm3wwMTkty1RWv-w79FILFkFONBHEYaP1iUXUR3wMrY0x3Fey9G08YFw941av1vjIIogw_BqVreEE2UQu9Oipr5KGxr9rKj8E1EvO5igs7nqmPklz4-uqtRfb2bZZ05JCcCvbIUrrJzRklQ/s4608/IMG_0134~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_n02KZlZ255A7wsMbgWqKL0WQ46lDwKO7Xia8IsNm3wwMTkty1RWv-w79FILFkFONBHEYaP1iUXUR3wMrY0x3Fey9G08YFw941av1vjIIogw_BqVreEE2UQu9Oipr5KGxr9rKj8E1EvO5igs7nqmPklz4-uqtRfb2bZZ05JCcCvbIUrrJzRklQ/s320/IMG_0134~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTaXHxmqrnF6sHxMSz5gxxC0mNP1QPrTiT0Rk2oRxeHHF1M1Dx6X66gqBULt7UGHxoVb21Q_v8pbzUuPGOA8KhMS8_34DsHzx6YK-P7-NG6oUmKC0QZpa2Dsz_7BXTHYMHOtmyNVwQe8kdZULjDmokeCa1DrzgdU-WcQYr5H50IM4NcF4-Ea73w/s4608/IMG_0141~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTaXHxmqrnF6sHxMSz5gxxC0mNP1QPrTiT0Rk2oRxeHHF1M1Dx6X66gqBULt7UGHxoVb21Q_v8pbzUuPGOA8KhMS8_34DsHzx6YK-P7-NG6oUmKC0QZpa2Dsz_7BXTHYMHOtmyNVwQe8kdZULjDmokeCa1DrzgdU-WcQYr5H50IM4NcF4-Ea73w/s320/IMG_0141~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1Ghyrp1DMOv0Pb8xOUVVZ1KZBTqDW9x4k6EKi1GKlQQHT1jbo8r782y_PWvu8nsINeeryfmyuAek6vS8OYUVdeQRYM8vP7PXlNAispH_uTIgkFt3MKeYcpNQRoIx2_yG1KmMSZc7xTspjD_xtHE8S-C66b3lKy5oVp3zODKfVUPJKMA6A8lVPg/s4608/IMG_0148~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1Ghyrp1DMOv0Pb8xOUVVZ1KZBTqDW9x4k6EKi1GKlQQHT1jbo8r782y_PWvu8nsINeeryfmyuAek6vS8OYUVdeQRYM8vP7PXlNAispH_uTIgkFt3MKeYcpNQRoIx2_yG1KmMSZc7xTspjD_xtHE8S-C66b3lKy5oVp3zODKfVUPJKMA6A8lVPg/s320/IMG_0148~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the background, to the left, you can see <br />El Mirador, if you know where to look.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWufqHaeWf4lbwufEx_OKGxhEuagmxiA9o1CoCTEOP3ZYmXoA3k6-rEZhsBIBMZIvGE0fXzrh74aUTM6kqERq_SJTa-2iEgLKRHXz8IcaFqigd5CyZEVqVBfYp5l-z1XdDtN52kRo-b_OEGKx9fIBO-BUs3HcwdEvPRol9u_D3TchQvkw2TdMmAQ/s4608/IMG_0190~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWufqHaeWf4lbwufEx_OKGxhEuagmxiA9o1CoCTEOP3ZYmXoA3k6-rEZhsBIBMZIvGE0fXzrh74aUTM6kqERq_SJTa-2iEgLKRHXz8IcaFqigd5CyZEVqVBfYp5l-z1XdDtN52kRo-b_OEGKx9fIBO-BUs3HcwdEvPRol9u_D3TchQvkw2TdMmAQ/s320/IMG_0190~2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhP1ZR3IVnU7r5XS17qvrXZkdiB1PnIE-ZMd2qamFs0zd1lMc3L4oPMzudWWIyo1sJymdGExiWsur5xqk67lPQuM128wwP9dlZi8yHm0KDMQPuAKjHh2leTGcz0rKUJGAFHJLcMt0rAAFtwrEIX8qX0hFHjHkeCCPHoOqWf1BMJV7rhYyE7NkVg/s4608/IMG_0195~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhP1ZR3IVnU7r5XS17qvrXZkdiB1PnIE-ZMd2qamFs0zd1lMc3L4oPMzudWWIyo1sJymdGExiWsur5xqk67lPQuM128wwP9dlZi8yHm0KDMQPuAKjHh2leTGcz0rKUJGAFHJLcMt0rAAFtwrEIX8qX0hFHjHkeCCPHoOqWf1BMJV7rhYyE7NkVg/s320/IMG_0195~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPIwy9Vw7cziRS-Gu7-ESNNOY3JMXm3TG8Xn-OSXiedLqo6JhWClDqvgnRNBMYMK00yeWqXSLePwosH0ubLC3hY8VHRjZOHfHPxFTBio0skcX2lvKzgh9ZXM1_Tl2mDeaO_qN7gYkEdzflUrX6Jx4ddglklC_e4iBnHkr_LWOvhGXhjop5dyjuw/s4608/IMG_0199~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPIwy9Vw7cziRS-Gu7-ESNNOY3JMXm3TG8Xn-OSXiedLqo6JhWClDqvgnRNBMYMK00yeWqXSLePwosH0ubLC3hY8VHRjZOHfHPxFTBio0skcX2lvKzgh9ZXM1_Tl2mDeaO_qN7gYkEdzflUrX6Jx4ddglklC_e4iBnHkr_LWOvhGXhjop5dyjuw/s320/IMG_0199~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg0IOwKifeVS2RE_1GealUN9qkv6HQJtJyOvmetGp9Oo2GbM8RFc9ss-XAR64U2mFuBB9rByruei0SieN30efBojlFf9TJjXcrWMtx_f9NEfwSa0UkJr9G1IdX3aBsHVmNm_e67wMAlPt0oEdfS4w38GUnFjYZjTPsToTArlH5uGhWzbOSRuVQQ/s4608/IMG_0226~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg0IOwKifeVS2RE_1GealUN9qkv6HQJtJyOvmetGp9Oo2GbM8RFc9ss-XAR64U2mFuBB9rByruei0SieN30efBojlFf9TJjXcrWMtx_f9NEfwSa0UkJr9G1IdX3aBsHVmNm_e67wMAlPt0oEdfS4w38GUnFjYZjTPsToTArlH5uGhWzbOSRuVQQ/s320/IMG_0226~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">View from the top of one of the pyramids.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzSN-ariPHjBhUoKVllip0o89AJ4VD3iub6RBhPBYb_V4W6va04wS9aAmpwUo16MXmZ90k4d3gNIpCMaEsVoHcGOy8dZYMz1t-t3JI8o-5rf1LULgztRFmTEa0RjE0DzWpG2IDgfm2V7Zvix9mTgqk39Nrt9LtD2RoGl4uk_gt0VwZRLHTaJSPg/s4608/IMG_0232~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzSN-ariPHjBhUoKVllip0o89AJ4VD3iub6RBhPBYb_V4W6va04wS9aAmpwUo16MXmZ90k4d3gNIpCMaEsVoHcGOy8dZYMz1t-t3JI8o-5rf1LULgztRFmTEa0RjE0DzWpG2IDgfm2V7Zvix9mTgqk39Nrt9LtD2RoGl4uk_gt0VwZRLHTaJSPg/s320/IMG_0232~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfaSKCLzNFXgAP6y8P_dO0DSOH_TPKPRFQ33jTbLz_msK3e6NYF3VtOixokDgvBmXLjomZO2iNO2k7TYiKZAfq_BiV6_b7fUGot5-abxp6VNmdTf5D3gZw2qDOYJkgpaEOgGa6zu2t9BXevskS8fT9QF_NYPrt59oAo4dHMnFp8IPTuV6rMneIA/s4608/IMG_0242~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfaSKCLzNFXgAP6y8P_dO0DSOH_TPKPRFQ33jTbLz_msK3e6NYF3VtOixokDgvBmXLjomZO2iNO2k7TYiKZAfq_BiV6_b7fUGot5-abxp6VNmdTf5D3gZw2qDOYJkgpaEOgGa6zu2t9BXevskS8fT9QF_NYPrt59oAo4dHMnFp8IPTuV6rMneIA/s320/IMG_0242~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8mEv6SXC-4fPkCst0q8L_Knq9G165u6vDUCtzWXJ8PhReh6FB_GLLjIG1PkirRo14doAGYLWkEnkffCIrvTewywF34a9IyUzmqeG7eMyGLAbyqg3ZE472Z48Wu9R7vu51y9uOMiv8aYFYhWr0sjiQh1E_VJ_-Kjjr41irZDFd9uMJVTtpsZuOw/s4608/IMG_0244~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8mEv6SXC-4fPkCst0q8L_Knq9G165u6vDUCtzWXJ8PhReh6FB_GLLjIG1PkirRo14doAGYLWkEnkffCIrvTewywF34a9IyUzmqeG7eMyGLAbyqg3ZE472Z48Wu9R7vu51y9uOMiv8aYFYhWr0sjiQh1E_VJ_-Kjjr41irZDFd9uMJVTtpsZuOw/s320/IMG_0244~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpVPkYpODv-yHZT_1vF7Znxv6ZuyVHc0mbCrycBYfJBfMWeVSkDijjpwM79me64D_FTxVgYqz_mcQkKiuviPBsAuJhgFboaJbg2v1KhCYsaUy3G10fsd6j86f-psQVCdGlsN2HMaOuzg1rudIZLjBfCCSqX0RRT5NGWmtBkCLzQObW2-ZMxB_xA/s4608/IMG_0250~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpVPkYpODv-yHZT_1vF7Znxv6ZuyVHc0mbCrycBYfJBfMWeVSkDijjpwM79me64D_FTxVgYqz_mcQkKiuviPBsAuJhgFboaJbg2v1KhCYsaUy3G10fsd6j86f-psQVCdGlsN2HMaOuzg1rudIZLjBfCCSqX0RRT5NGWmtBkCLzQObW2-ZMxB_xA/s320/IMG_0250~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The main sporting arena.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUcCMJy8NOVjtpBhwGgZjdiW8qZltPcY1giW8YtazRcJcEp0BD3GxGinKGxxbt8_WMb8m2Zh98YZVGwC87BYOHEWX1A7o3r8eZI7iZ8t_ykPxZtk7BCXHXaEIXmfhpOaG9vMBLalDrN4HeO7iuOQRO1bBIRnBzKOrdiJ1bR1ET2UqLj2szvDznQ/s4608/IMG_0277~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUcCMJy8NOVjtpBhwGgZjdiW8qZltPcY1giW8YtazRcJcEp0BD3GxGinKGxxbt8_WMb8m2Zh98YZVGwC87BYOHEWX1A7o3r8eZI7iZ8t_ykPxZtk7BCXHXaEIXmfhpOaG9vMBLalDrN4HeO7iuOQRO1bBIRnBzKOrdiJ1bR1ET2UqLj2szvDznQ/s320/IMG_0277~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfi-V-QB_fWfVC2k8-q4AXX31K7j9Mto7FiXg0ZfJzFAYdSLPngoKdt4uiQ2MTrXGr1d0rWrb02IYDw95jRzTphT4OZGxaNiiKEkMLGueM3U4so_QyE9x_cTKjQIKjLIHSCocWcEDCd2uCX7-Dun6yIRjhiFnmDOFf-s8W6uZqWpqSCjM_FDgsw/s4608/IMG_0280~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfi-V-QB_fWfVC2k8-q4AXX31K7j9Mto7FiXg0ZfJzFAYdSLPngoKdt4uiQ2MTrXGr1d0rWrb02IYDw95jRzTphT4OZGxaNiiKEkMLGueM3U4so_QyE9x_cTKjQIKjLIHSCocWcEDCd2uCX7-Dun6yIRjhiFnmDOFf-s8W6uZqWpqSCjM_FDgsw/s320/IMG_0280~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-4IQCSAI6db6TOjsTbxCcoh6ZhzliG51SOFfVlVjt-QPu0-WSf66mp9IXJwGofpPKmY0QszcQJhtKNrS2jP8uSPApVSsVxAVzMjGxbc_4uqJGIWT4nTGmPvmg4R7s-HwQhXxv4vg4tQ_SuUK1rTRjFqr1lCfCvUjd4e0f8UJjzKzNbZuun3MHA/s4608/IMG_0288~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-4IQCSAI6db6TOjsTbxCcoh6ZhzliG51SOFfVlVjt-QPu0-WSf66mp9IXJwGofpPKmY0QszcQJhtKNrS2jP8uSPApVSsVxAVzMjGxbc_4uqJGIWT4nTGmPvmg4R7s-HwQhXxv4vg4tQ_SuUK1rTRjFqr1lCfCvUjd4e0f8UJjzKzNbZuun3MHA/s320/IMG_0288~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgrOK_HxFhDi7VnBGkdgUPTdFLzmA91tPYj8hUP5kAOqwvKDEzzws3MDCJ_Dj9oCt9tnHb5_Qjr0MSxR-9jlypCC0zz1FlsDR9UxqxToI5Qh-1ABcbNbSdyVWYX0pzJu-fHBwqSIErS7BvTPxNtCT8nwcU51iT3eFvyTh41tr61BtJMV_ndNpvg/s4608/IMG_0294~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgrOK_HxFhDi7VnBGkdgUPTdFLzmA91tPYj8hUP5kAOqwvKDEzzws3MDCJ_Dj9oCt9tnHb5_Qjr0MSxR-9jlypCC0zz1FlsDR9UxqxToI5Qh-1ABcbNbSdyVWYX0pzJu-fHBwqSIErS7BvTPxNtCT8nwcU51iT3eFvyTh41tr61BtJMV_ndNpvg/s320/IMG_0294~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Huge rock slabs carved with pictographs </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE_BR6M_J72577XW_kkZclilZU9uUwct1EY3vZiC9q5uOT5YHuEFOtwkNaVeyFJNlgZ4FpgpcWw_r_ZmY6Vytp7hYfLfCrs19Rrvw5aqE_DzMqmz6h5s0jbKD2eU8BdH0TcQ2RnVJlRwyCoK9sLJnTyBDmgXggRHlBphJxByeak88D2qUmP6XOA/s4433/IMG_0299~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3358" data-original-width="4433" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE_BR6M_J72577XW_kkZclilZU9uUwct1EY3vZiC9q5uOT5YHuEFOtwkNaVeyFJNlgZ4FpgpcWw_r_ZmY6Vytp7hYfLfCrs19Rrvw5aqE_DzMqmz6h5s0jbKD2eU8BdH0TcQ2RnVJlRwyCoK9sLJnTyBDmgXggRHlBphJxByeak88D2qUmP6XOA/s320/IMG_0299~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyBZK0ydjyhx-ePNXBVexpzKUN__lKNbY-_z5Zx6iD2ZCXWB5fazsPnB17s3m1_V-mba9qrPtxplJJ12P3FOlqEijXRx7sUBicvUlbD74IfULialUdiVMezSx6hgTbKKt_eY2RZKxscfVnmBnyyFTGKhomFQ0TCTsMJt6La7MfSRWpYK36hgbnQ/s4608/IMG_0310~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyBZK0ydjyhx-ePNXBVexpzKUN__lKNbY-_z5Zx6iD2ZCXWB5fazsPnB17s3m1_V-mba9qrPtxplJJ12P3FOlqEijXRx7sUBicvUlbD74IfULialUdiVMezSx6hgTbKKt_eY2RZKxscfVnmBnyyFTGKhomFQ0TCTsMJt6La7MfSRWpYK36hgbnQ/s320/IMG_0310~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The sports arena from the other direction.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHKJ4kPOJO7hnRsowH2276pK3PNsEhaUuLJQJrLCVrQ6marGZzvoM07dZrTqXiBJltnjXsE1w8mnymlug5Do8Lc3JNdOhg4u_sR2KWzk3FxZJvPW49KuYjkSVb_hM49uX4wTZ_dlFp6oWlEfRsnuhjfh6TNLf-qVn_JMODrq2StntGQi4PT6oIw/s4608/IMG_0315~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHKJ4kPOJO7hnRsowH2276pK3PNsEhaUuLJQJrLCVrQ6marGZzvoM07dZrTqXiBJltnjXsE1w8mnymlug5Do8Lc3JNdOhg4u_sR2KWzk3FxZJvPW49KuYjkSVb_hM49uX4wTZ_dlFp6oWlEfRsnuhjfh6TNLf-qVn_JMODrq2StntGQi4PT6oIw/s320/IMG_0315~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">They called this a Mexico Cotton Tree.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6HUauOAvICzE_T3A_U3YSz1XGTKf9vg4C2cqSH3WIciw2MTdcvgkuSQb8UVYXla9itrPQmu4t7Ju7hdozm2i8gi-mseLmoUpaRLu7iZmB2RJk1nEd8bmGcySmXY07C05dF6G5PfFkIjZCp4iU4QRzYtXY_ngwF4DY8Sx0Rfv_xp55evWQ59V4Q/s4608/IMG_0317~2.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6HUauOAvICzE_T3A_U3YSz1XGTKf9vg4C2cqSH3WIciw2MTdcvgkuSQb8UVYXla9itrPQmu4t7Ju7hdozm2i8gi-mseLmoUpaRLu7iZmB2RJk1nEd8bmGcySmXY07C05dF6G5PfFkIjZCp4iU4QRzYtXY_ngwF4DY8Sx0Rfv_xp55evWQ59V4Q/s320/IMG_0317~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>In the video below, the building that we're standing in front of is named after the Quetzal, a bird. The Quetzal is said to have magical qualities. Supposedly, if you stand in front of that building and you clap, because of the acoustics, instead of hearing hands clapping, the acoustics make a sound that is said to sound like the Quetzal bird. What do you hear?</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WnuQQL51Ujs" width="320" youtube-src-id="WnuQQL51Ujs"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiUqv7UaK5MIxbA7z6VtdxVHuZMCXOvIczbyRk1MiUg6r0wVnZsRiRZ3Yq9G7AZd2iFnClHJB-MlZ0A24uO8nAhg3gSwmCwimjrl0Ywzd_kt3Ob4rdeg31Rwrn84sM24FaeXBuOlFEEA0nSXOkbv_4aj9a5LKYllhxd__5duhaW4mv7wZu6hXjg/s4608/IMG_0401~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkiUqv7UaK5MIxbA7z6VtdxVHuZMCXOvIczbyRk1MiUg6r0wVnZsRiRZ3Yq9G7AZd2iFnClHJB-MlZ0A24uO8nAhg3gSwmCwimjrl0Ywzd_kt3Ob4rdeg31Rwrn84sM24FaeXBuOlFEEA0nSXOkbv_4aj9a5LKYllhxd__5duhaW4mv7wZu6hXjg/s320/IMG_0401~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The evening performance.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-27746946163221335592024-02-07T08:21:00.000-08:002024-02-14T19:00:32.958-08:00Explorandor - Día Uno<p>Over the past five weeks we have gotten into our daily life patterns and have acclimatized to the temperatures. It is time to change things up a little and go out and see more of Mexico.</p><p>Linda got an email from our friends Jill and Barry. They had set up a trip with a small group of four couples to travel to and explore the area around Oaxaca City and invited us to join their party.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO49p9nX9W2RBHSdWAm0BnPi5kCI581VHP2Zamq-l2XYH39GEkXzjYdVqY2JEOLZrt-xH9tNRV3Gp-yvZZtv4a881nsKu3SesWh9W7FnfYMwzrGIavv1_qvLexFot_f2c2piVSPWvDlqgLriWxmDKcFwzpjxALklsZEP-61DkUkt5tUqzuHajLdQ/s4032/20240129_091444~2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO49p9nX9W2RBHSdWAm0BnPi5kCI581VHP2Zamq-l2XYH39GEkXzjYdVqY2JEOLZrt-xH9tNRV3Gp-yvZZtv4a881nsKu3SesWh9W7FnfYMwzrGIavv1_qvLexFot_f2c2piVSPWvDlqgLriWxmDKcFwzpjxALklsZEP-61DkUkt5tUqzuHajLdQ/s320/20240129_091444~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ruth hands out our boarding passes for the day.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oaxaca City is located inland and south in the lower part of Mexico. To get there we had to take a van to the Manzanillo airport and fly Aeromexico to Mexico City where we transferred to a plane that flew for two hours south into the high country landing at the Oaxaca International Airport. This journey started at 8:00 am and we landed in our new destination at about 4:00 pm. This included a three hour lay over in Mexico City.</p><p>This long first day started a bit bumpy. Our tour company picked us up at our casa and rendevoused at Jill and Barry's home to load into a van for the airport. Just as we arrived at the meeting point, a group of Villa Orbregon taxis pulled in and blocked our van. The taxi drivers were not going to let a van from the airport pick up passengers in their territory. This is not unusal. Taxis from the local towns around Manzanillo Airport can not pick up passengers at the airport proper, because the airport drivers won't allow them this option. There was much chatter and hand waving, but finally Ruth, the owner of Mex-Eco Tours, said it was not worth the delay and loaded us into three taxes.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfAMdy00quvYRe4069LFkVCvPbKwyQwm4hSZp01_p4L1rolVqgzYRhMxgE4Zcp0ZYAxpbFYr21fq4SuLo96n19X6dXYqkGWUp8oGnS4_EWeX7Kcy809nG9yNPWvUo_AOoYmq1D0stU2hOhnjaVTzet9lYbyL-ILv-24I-X7pTfKpnjBTshY3cOg/s4032/20240129_121408~2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfAMdy00quvYRe4069LFkVCvPbKwyQwm4hSZp01_p4L1rolVqgzYRhMxgE4Zcp0ZYAxpbFYr21fq4SuLo96n19X6dXYqkGWUp8oGnS4_EWeX7Kcy809nG9yNPWvUo_AOoYmq1D0stU2hOhnjaVTzet9lYbyL-ILv-24I-X7pTfKpnjBTshY3cOg/s320/20240129_121408~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Popocatepetl and Iztacciuatl<br />two volcanos from our plane.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>The rest of our travel was uneventful and our Aeromexico flight landed (after a pretty turbulent entry) at the Mexico City Airport where we connected with one of the guides, Noel, and another Mex-Eco tour group from Puerta Vallarta. Noel lead us on to our plane that took us to our final destination for the day Oaxaca City.<div><p></p><p>At this point we met our van driver, Eladio, and our daily tour guide, Rosario. </p><p>Our hotel, <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alameda_de_Le%C3%B3n_Oaxaca_Mexico.jpg" target="_blank">Hotel Marques del Valle</a>, in Oaxaca’s historic centre was a wonderful home base for our stay and exploration. It was located on the main jardin for the historic center of the city. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoeGtCpqyqNPwsgJ2a-DgCFs85JjU5wydcJPLgq8JL0hwCoTQfSPd1rR2nuk1eAEN446V79Vrwq4_Lhji8EXKGBC2NGW3nwFv7HlGf60HjB5kExev0WCkCcbsSUgX3epSbVGtNqN2q-vKQEBSG3EXCmXCVjXFw3nBcVoMzeiErb9ww81gu6OMEg/s4032/20240201_183510.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQoeGtCpqyqNPwsgJ2a-DgCFs85JjU5wydcJPLgq8JL0hwCoTQfSPd1rR2nuk1eAEN446V79Vrwq4_Lhji8EXKGBC2NGW3nwFv7HlGf60HjB5kExev0WCkCcbsSUgX3epSbVGtNqN2q-vKQEBSG3EXCmXCVjXFw3nBcVoMzeiErb9ww81gu6OMEg/s320/20240201_183510.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our hotel from the plaza.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAdlwsw_bTyAQiwsa3GUmMQqxfEO3JDduyFjZFjXr4X6AWp7KRSG6gvJu0qEeLCt7xrz_tL7rl-7RPk0zjCD2e51kcZoU6kGxMah8vYvMoLgiR4ue6ccK9kpWMIWK8sAdn0qdCOdGwgt-4-B4d4PVwc6I47R2wDdyBb7gYWzOKBgm0Vnh845tYw/s4608/IMG_0048.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAdlwsw_bTyAQiwsa3GUmMQqxfEO3JDduyFjZFjXr4X6AWp7KRSG6gvJu0qEeLCt7xrz_tL7rl-7RPk0zjCD2e51kcZoU6kGxMah8vYvMoLgiR4ue6ccK9kpWMIWK8sAdn0qdCOdGwgt-4-B4d4PVwc6I47R2wDdyBb7gYWzOKBgm0Vnh845tYw/s320/IMG_0048.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">She looks pretty good after a full day of travel.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD44BFcp3Ubna-xJqPqM-Tnv9x3PpBTfH0VdMitQxeVg6zUbsibcDjl85FwLALupFGhdvZnoUZG7DsyGzGkYEazS-JOpf7aeTgEkvn6BViUVgLqJhHDG2tSexHtchlcgp1QgjrkKH2AQJQVEza8sY6gUxMEWSClvAk4jBSq4q-oRYq35xZ84tAg/s320/IMG_0050.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cathedral of Oaxaca, north side of zocalo.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD44BFcp3Ubna-xJqPqM-Tnv9x3PpBTfH0VdMitQxeVg6zUbsibcDjl85FwLALupFGhdvZnoUZG7DsyGzGkYEazS-JOpf7aeTgEkvn6BViUVgLqJhHDG2tSexHtchlcgp1QgjrkKH2AQJQVEza8sY6gUxMEWSClvAk4jBSq4q-oRYq35xZ84tAg/s4608/IMG_0050.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYvGMtksTGXfBLQuAnI7k7maE3nftffBnvvt_S9vBPAsrjHBf3DPdLoA6jizB6TlpVvxXctqTqQnlGQ4J8rZN-lsl6lD-kh6IJ2tVrPLZHMTk2Y7yp-Drbyklmkqo1iGQ0hMNqAP-sX2vSYbhiuelxBk4zEpnvzc3v3KpWqFk7KioHADK_fPHsw/s4608/IMG_0051.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYvGMtksTGXfBLQuAnI7k7maE3nftffBnvvt_S9vBPAsrjHBf3DPdLoA6jizB6TlpVvxXctqTqQnlGQ4J8rZN-lsl6lD-kh6IJ2tVrPLZHMTk2Y7yp-Drbyklmkqo1iGQ0hMNqAP-sX2vSYbhiuelxBk4zEpnvzc3v3KpWqFk7KioHADK_fPHsw/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our hotel lobby at check-in.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKCykDiIo_uBELI6Pj6ELXg9aBQUba7aJo2vkB6ktJWQbwVirw7KuVSQlKKef7XFiKhz71RIeC3exzjLNdCnPitzA1lSnny9nwS40sIrDiK3lphPxMSa3vzgB63MRUtnrwb55brNJYJ7ePDMjGVCD-fe-ZPECawJSHG5kkGvY6_2Ujw_prg8h9g/s4608/IMG_0052~2.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKCykDiIo_uBELI6Pj6ELXg9aBQUba7aJo2vkB6ktJWQbwVirw7KuVSQlKKef7XFiKhz71RIeC3exzjLNdCnPitzA1lSnny9nwS40sIrDiK3lphPxMSa3vzgB63MRUtnrwb55brNJYJ7ePDMjGVCD-fe-ZPECawJSHG5kkGvY6_2Ujw_prg8h9g/s320/IMG_0052~2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another view of the Cathedral.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-41214862529554513942024-01-21T08:59:00.000-08:002024-01-21T08:59:06.456-08:00Coco Beach<p> If you can drive or take a taxi up to highway 200 and then follow it southeast you will come to an intersection just past El Aguacate. At that crossroads, you follow a paved road in the direction of the ocean and after crossing several washouts, the road turns and parallels the beach. This area is called Coco Beach and that is where we took a taxi so that we could meet some friends and enjoy lunch at Restaurant Palma Negra.</p><p>Linda and I shared a taxi with Grant and Jacquie. Barry drove adding Jill, Iris, David and Judy to the lunch-table group.</p><p>We explored the property and then enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a beautiful setting. Hope you enjoy the photos we captured while there.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDWQVLiqCJ2PIn6uGGDHTPwFfFRflzIR_Bppf4-UWFmRiGmf9gnSCt_mUr4BI_RN7u8wdWkMKEADTvCw4bZjxQnmKyIVqXqpiCurPJmuiCjjZ_j-FPZFRyzYf3zh4YwUEBCBtEA33l7cHPZcVvSVWAYo3v6-Qi6oj6VtbtwZn5RGatSkd66PhCg/s4032/20240117_121900~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDWQVLiqCJ2PIn6uGGDHTPwFfFRflzIR_Bppf4-UWFmRiGmf9gnSCt_mUr4BI_RN7u8wdWkMKEADTvCw4bZjxQnmKyIVqXqpiCurPJmuiCjjZ_j-FPZFRyzYf3zh4YwUEBCBtEA33l7cHPZcVvSVWAYo3v6-Qi6oj6VtbtwZn5RGatSkd66PhCg/s320/20240117_121900~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pool and fun area.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimC9Q2WAZ5XIwh5IhmEPoAmJ7xp4tm8QOcF5nXguuQMKVC_qo_sDTAvI7CHEuV64BN7GANtTxPJKWRKF_XKWzhjwkx_DpJdweF452P3qN182U4H0WUJLvBjXjcYMp1hyphenhyphenYnK9ehyphenhyphenWRJiGqmIjsnBuDwOXXjcYJhkXDn6I8FBY1LLhyPVeY7uPlP8Q/s4032/20240117_121958~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimC9Q2WAZ5XIwh5IhmEPoAmJ7xp4tm8QOcF5nXguuQMKVC_qo_sDTAvI7CHEuV64BN7GANtTxPJKWRKF_XKWzhjwkx_DpJdweF452P3qN182U4H0WUJLvBjXjcYMp1hyphenhyphenYnK9ehyphenhyphenWRJiGqmIjsnBuDwOXXjcYJhkXDn6I8FBY1LLhyPVeY7uPlP8Q/s320/20240117_121958~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future cabins for rentals.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJVxoNoWRb9VJXSzn6yRvwnfPtCJ2Hkqmoz9RRVXrM0XUf2AsVmk-TDS6Cfs5EE_trY9YybIdf6R56EKEu4PFB5AmMa_Pmhvs-2b9KI9cFdoBukdunfLG1coO7opQHvfW_uuBuUtlh97sm1EImCecjESq6Au8_NbcOG1beHwQqAn5_6QmX75q7w/s4032/20240117_122132~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJVxoNoWRb9VJXSzn6yRvwnfPtCJ2Hkqmoz9RRVXrM0XUf2AsVmk-TDS6Cfs5EE_trY9YybIdf6R56EKEu4PFB5AmMa_Pmhvs-2b9KI9cFdoBukdunfLG1coO7opQHvfW_uuBuUtlh97sm1EImCecjESq6Au8_NbcOG1beHwQqAn5_6QmX75q7w/s320/20240117_122132~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coco Beach, looking west.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm6V95I7gERmUhe71BIu44gzhltlZCe5Fq2QARUzVg1DPaaUCBEWHYD1cHkk4ZfvW1YRz26QgrY-kswkSjVjUEpHKe6zw0wt40FWIWlS8oQv2lmbtKEwDHQYY4PEWl1u0ZbK95Zd-BU17UU_qCSaiKzoyk1vGQdfYe3LthzQBBKj1LThCn2F3eg/s4032/20240117_122154~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm6V95I7gERmUhe71BIu44gzhltlZCe5Fq2QARUzVg1DPaaUCBEWHYD1cHkk4ZfvW1YRz26QgrY-kswkSjVjUEpHKe6zw0wt40FWIWlS8oQv2lmbtKEwDHQYY4PEWl1u0ZbK95Zd-BU17UU_qCSaiKzoyk1vGQdfYe3LthzQBBKj1LThCn2F3eg/s320/20240117_122154~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking east. No shade anywhere.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyN2ZrHGchQAd570jdXdFivDzONeOU9YR0RDj7fB6BoP-Mk4U0LzVqHU9cZwGp3fNSegPENYh9wxgUG20vLA4Zvv5ysxp8P3VosuOdQvwXUxxga6-13E8vc9ovs83aLGgEDa_ulC5pk6IudpCfTG-M9x3ouOKNp-Q_SM-imTWIyyjMcmy0fwGzHQ/s4032/20240117_122210~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyN2ZrHGchQAd570jdXdFivDzONeOU9YR0RDj7fB6BoP-Mk4U0LzVqHU9cZwGp3fNSegPENYh9wxgUG20vLA4Zvv5ysxp8P3VosuOdQvwXUxxga6-13E8vc9ovs83aLGgEDa_ulC5pk6IudpCfTG-M9x3ouOKNp-Q_SM-imTWIyyjMcmy0fwGzHQ/s320/20240117_122210~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgOnzm1gSJiqDreG8yMQJiB_mhbme8Fks3Dq6qgxsdpS_twkjpTNFhQk_pcwk-CoZ0RaI5D_HzJjRJrMu7JDTH7SRhTTxyWeEgBYCCrxjiFe3NDRGoTmKqyIABVR2dHGlQOTInfqsKsqhl6hd9ObkcFUPmimfIc_0BLqswExZ-3vKUtrUVBC5rw/s4032/20240117_122213~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgOnzm1gSJiqDreG8yMQJiB_mhbme8Fks3Dq6qgxsdpS_twkjpTNFhQk_pcwk-CoZ0RaI5D_HzJjRJrMu7JDTH7SRhTTxyWeEgBYCCrxjiFe3NDRGoTmKqyIABVR2dHGlQOTInfqsKsqhl6hd9ObkcFUPmimfIc_0BLqswExZ-3vKUtrUVBC5rw/s320/20240117_122213~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice beach, but very hot.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_-v9gZ2NgZ6s_BE7ucUoqipbCjKUXqbBEOkfTISJKUv5qoBJZ5mhGsqmiZlGIxmr79GFI4L54UyPanjiOu2Ebx1lV-t3ga9sZMHiOnkPth4nfZUSyKtlPOPismcnF3uWWzOtURSIsGNDVu6tNsqN534MZG9cL2UzoB8oXnK8nDOThoVIzvhuyg/s4032/20240117_122241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_-v9gZ2NgZ6s_BE7ucUoqipbCjKUXqbBEOkfTISJKUv5qoBJZ5mhGsqmiZlGIxmr79GFI4L54UyPanjiOu2Ebx1lV-t3ga9sZMHiOnkPth4nfZUSyKtlPOPismcnF3uWWzOtURSIsGNDVu6tNsqN534MZG9cL2UzoB8oXnK8nDOThoVIzvhuyg/s320/20240117_122241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBu3U9MjjgXtpQCumEQsYjl7vHxZpbyieLBxaSHfZDHfDLFt1wYB4WH1K9GqSZhX2r-b6rYTVLFLy4gDQRpuG9vvZeaIRKgb-5vq92Jkh75lSaGTX-k3xh4nAVHh5TIE0cf3fqudZyxq63ZR_41QO_b2LdxnIGw7AWZGvKQpjJrkH9k9DdyjbGA/s4032/20240117_122320~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBu3U9MjjgXtpQCumEQsYjl7vHxZpbyieLBxaSHfZDHfDLFt1wYB4WH1K9GqSZhX2r-b6rYTVLFLy4gDQRpuG9vvZeaIRKgb-5vq92Jkh75lSaGTX-k3xh4nAVHh5TIE0cf3fqudZyxq63ZR_41QO_b2LdxnIGw7AWZGvKQpjJrkH9k9DdyjbGA/s320/20240117_122320~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9l2Y9Y6oeSOSQK4OY63VOit6kLrYAjqyvMFeBFj1ZCImVarvcP5nhDa2UFLNEeS3Cs7KLKn0hMy0d4UeeBKO1J4bAjEbka0_GiO9uCDzPx1-SQZHGyccPlq0TdrBRiynB0FW9tS5R7gZzRUNEp_F8GeIEelg67IZEbo-o5-X75LtyMlEpINsCA/s4032/20240117_122321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9l2Y9Y6oeSOSQK4OY63VOit6kLrYAjqyvMFeBFj1ZCImVarvcP5nhDa2UFLNEeS3Cs7KLKn0hMy0d4UeeBKO1J4bAjEbka0_GiO9uCDzPx1-SQZHGyccPlq0TdrBRiynB0FW9tS5R7gZzRUNEp_F8GeIEelg67IZEbo-o5-X75LtyMlEpINsCA/s320/20240117_122321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiTOcaTdwautjXuMNP_dA6HMXXLEhy9tZUCXzphId8urvlZQdfQNfQxzznzjkJ8_qDmi3CSk7cTpNB51EBHQX-KjML4IWNRy7RL6k4iPEJ4Z8tB7sPCtcn8EzWJhtgX8MhEIxg983SQbfA-O9F97Tl4D4EKfN2xONlDmmuzfOdS1Bu8Ug-rTo6w/s4032/20240117_122425(0)~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiTOcaTdwautjXuMNP_dA6HMXXLEhy9tZUCXzphId8urvlZQdfQNfQxzznzjkJ8_qDmi3CSk7cTpNB51EBHQX-KjML4IWNRy7RL6k4iPEJ4Z8tB7sPCtcn8EzWJhtgX8MhEIxg983SQbfA-O9F97Tl4D4EKfN2xONlDmmuzfOdS1Bu8Ug-rTo6w/s320/20240117_122425(0)~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBapQTVI5hUOUIVoRdvhnjtfDlkGyPn15FG1kCqsMLnxg59bi7m3JtaqV3ySDz_uL9w2VA8ZpB7RzdUM_4Hx-9dhZFtZbvfyIJnLiPz6yfBpOknSP_HMTY-kH132VxHrrA9wZoRERDNISKP5UEY7Rac_-BwdgDL6LMBCXrdjx61dK1vmy1dWqiYg/s4032/20240117_122429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBapQTVI5hUOUIVoRdvhnjtfDlkGyPn15FG1kCqsMLnxg59bi7m3JtaqV3ySDz_uL9w2VA8ZpB7RzdUM_4Hx-9dhZFtZbvfyIJnLiPz6yfBpOknSP_HMTY-kH132VxHrrA9wZoRERDNISKP5UEY7Rac_-BwdgDL6LMBCXrdjx61dK1vmy1dWqiYg/s320/20240117_122429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-78104971872385286322024-01-21T07:29:00.000-08:002024-01-21T07:29:05.305-08:00The Days Go By<p>From what we hear, the weather conditions back home have dropped into the Artic freeze zone and life up there has come to a crawl. -17 degrees Fahrenheit has been recorded in Post Falls and neighboring cities have had far lower reports. This made me worry a bit and so I contacted my brother, Dale, and he was gracious enough to bundle up and go visit our house. This was Linda’s brother's week to visit her mom, but the storms and driving conditions postphoned his visit. </p><p>Dale drove out and checked everything and all was well. We are racking up the IOUs this winter, but it is so nice to have Dale and several other friends as a safety net at our little home.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthqu74KFRY-Jv7Rs92e2BJZPxqO8pGi6rCQz0GPpvbAUlbmbXQySEQPMo2gKH-ifFssgX7h4UnzxfmlDK7mKN1Ja0CXoaPxocr4j8NN4FqhqSCxye81FcVilZhku-SQ99oo-xhEr59WTIFVWKMrXl8w7dVVqC_notf99HsX8HlxEnQJeyw1jsdQ/s4032/20240116_115028~2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthqu74KFRY-Jv7Rs92e2BJZPxqO8pGi6rCQz0GPpvbAUlbmbXQySEQPMo2gKH-ifFssgX7h4UnzxfmlDK7mKN1Ja0CXoaPxocr4j8NN4FqhqSCxye81FcVilZhku-SQ99oo-xhEr59WTIFVWKMrXl8w7dVVqC_notf99HsX8HlxEnQJeyw1jsdQ/s320/20240116_115028~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>A week ago, Teri and Bill Burch arrived from Coeur d'Alene and they are settling into the third appartment at our compound. It has been fun talking and playing cards each afternoon. We also enjoy teaching them the tips and tricks needed to be comfortable for a long-term stay in Melaque. You know, where to buy food, how to get drinking water, where to shop, how to run the cute little washing machine that is used by the residents of out apartments. The list goes on. We kind of feel like Mr. Myiagi teaching Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid. Wipe on, wipe off, the top of the washing maching. Those kind of tips needed to survive.</p><p>Days go on and we are enjoying every moment. Linda started taking photos of things she sees on her walks each morning. We use them in her mom's weekly newsletter. I will be using them in this blog because I have been very lazy and haven't taken any photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-n_aW6g1Q-g-IfDuWbA1-GismwjRv6ld8cc0XBKm3UnYhB7j8IF9EEwGUyzBRYKIPSKEhzd1grCwzbEqYGTf72gvBZbfvUTPWq0vJFaixZdi6ftwMfkzDkVo3qz_qBIgadkzXMBDajxZq7PNQOiuEjh4cTkKLMRniVoh1tYmGEmFKh5xjmjbIA/s2996/20240113_073631.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="2996" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-n_aW6g1Q-g-IfDuWbA1-GismwjRv6ld8cc0XBKm3UnYhB7j8IF9EEwGUyzBRYKIPSKEhzd1grCwzbEqYGTf72gvBZbfvUTPWq0vJFaixZdi6ftwMfkzDkVo3qz_qBIgadkzXMBDajxZq7PNQOiuEjh4cTkKLMRniVoh1tYmGEmFKh5xjmjbIA/s320/20240113_073631.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I am a bit of a odd duck to live with. Linda is a saint and she can handle my many little things that make me who I am. One of our growing concerns in getting older is my noticable hearing loss. We have been talking about this and as soon as we get home, I will probably be going in to get tested. Until then we just have to try to speek louder and try not to laugh too much about what I am hearing. For example, Linda and I were climbing down from the rooftop palapa and she got on the metal stairs. Looking down, she said, "Look at it, it's shaking" referring to the stairway moving from her body being on it. What I heard was, "Look at the chicken" and so I stood there scanning the ground for a stray bird that had entered the compound without authorization. Once I figured out what Linda had said we laughed and continued our day. Another example happened at the pool during pool volleyball. Linda and I were sitting and talking. She touched her noise and asked me, "Do you see anything in my nose?" What I heard was, "We're going to Yves and Manon's!" This was a bit out of the blue and all I could think of was that Linda had talked to one of the volleyball players, Yves, and made arraingments to visit their apartment. Then I noticed Linda rubbing her nose and looking at me and relized just what she had really said. I could not stop laughing. Oh my, I am sure I will be reporting more of these incidents until we get the old ears checked.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U6Jpt2CIjlZH97HwA2_guwBeYoH-fFzT_zI5wkaneBwy_xkB0T6_KwDai3eGsBn0blNBu__1GEuKypxbb9dSpxMwG62dPJIIJatbS_y5T8iiI2J_fD5hgFcJyIrnyqkbWWQld-wJmzVFlEH92DykWJ1i1R5il3CY1_csM7h-JVuqNC8bRSRxYQ/s4032/20240114_075903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U6Jpt2CIjlZH97HwA2_guwBeYoH-fFzT_zI5wkaneBwy_xkB0T6_KwDai3eGsBn0blNBu__1GEuKypxbb9dSpxMwG62dPJIIJatbS_y5T8iiI2J_fD5hgFcJyIrnyqkbWWQld-wJmzVFlEH92DykWJ1i1R5il3CY1_csM7h-JVuqNC8bRSRxYQ/s320/20240114_075903.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0KsKr9CCE5WazwJYrPGZPj4ckwl9WMiNv3Hkxs7MiWmtiYpE2eR16AljqNulTt3t02ZrFFH1Z7jmoG_jJspV-zt75y5WSNla2xFPI8XigmlaHumkMDTB2XzQa3zPpRYbfW-EkIIfI7OvDZG3Ea_379GBNZB-7GhodTlDc1IvZKMeSteK1B5e8w/s4032/20240114_074800.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0KsKr9CCE5WazwJYrPGZPj4ckwl9WMiNv3Hkxs7MiWmtiYpE2eR16AljqNulTt3t02ZrFFH1Z7jmoG_jJspV-zt75y5WSNla2xFPI8XigmlaHumkMDTB2XzQa3zPpRYbfW-EkIIfI7OvDZG3Ea_379GBNZB-7GhodTlDc1IvZKMeSteK1B5e8w/s320/20240114_074800.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Linda loves this happy little shrimp!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6de_4G7nCgT7g98KYaw3L4PVsf6mp_YYlg5ktIGddxyFq13YosvdlnEHL0PK6NEUPqaIVnYGsIkztTedEq83_M7nNH6V4S0My7arY8O7i4BhTx0DIRTnmriFYgQAjAWnvba6rL6qfEph8rWk1sH5Y_SXITBrWNVlmN_m19TZ_2hpNsX9OSClVlg/s2996/20240113_073631.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZjnPSh-5N9vJjIstr4WR60Y_3Lp2dgyVboSKTo3Ns2rfPvu1qjSmHUqDqrYL905dN-oKhVupNohlkji4YPcT4IMuvSyKQJScVAUCdBUT-ksBPQa26FtlvEZaVu-Fbt0LZdi0-O7YRfY9Ns8Yrn9yNJblgoxFJe3YgIjfd3RuZvZJGNWFLCFF-Q/s4032/20240115_073014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZjnPSh-5N9vJjIstr4WR60Y_3Lp2dgyVboSKTo3Ns2rfPvu1qjSmHUqDqrYL905dN-oKhVupNohlkji4YPcT4IMuvSyKQJScVAUCdBUT-ksBPQa26FtlvEZaVu-Fbt0LZdi0-O7YRfY9Ns8Yrn9yNJblgoxFJe3YgIjfd3RuZvZJGNWFLCFF-Q/s320/20240115_073014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunrise over the laguna.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm34FjP0wg2vyDv8F5nymjsaBPDWfc3Zwma4Kgit52YK8uTI5T8WbAbQl9D-kSw1lQ8p7pA2Tc3SHr5Zy0TB3FZrHCgQeb4WyYUJYvbRGKnVLwnkxJQL_zoaWk05y2K6sVsa4RXtyq_uW_YPYPyO7FOP3DhSwUKC_86_NfRCGklorL25MRxmwPw/s4032/20240116_081812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPm34FjP0wg2vyDv8F5nymjsaBPDWfc3Zwma4Kgit52YK8uTI5T8WbAbQl9D-kSw1lQ8p7pA2Tc3SHr5Zy0TB3FZrHCgQeb4WyYUJYvbRGKnVLwnkxJQL_zoaWk05y2K6sVsa4RXtyq_uW_YPYPyO7FOP3DhSwUKC_86_NfRCGklorL25MRxmwPw/s320/20240116_081812.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The building continues!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vIqne3NuFDs-nfAg2myKCMVv7RkSYkn54ePpeFBiZrsbcbdSP8Ft5FaEc3BQ8NXHRmyX13C6SzYkYjoGe6OBYtiZAz8F5g9kxqdvTUfwEslyU50tSGFg5Q9L1BGerkrpVm7blDICtsFpnIqmL5MA2gfZ-wBOIYI26WXfIOOOzx1KbXInlOAQvw/s4032/20240116_081926.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vIqne3NuFDs-nfAg2myKCMVv7RkSYkn54ePpeFBiZrsbcbdSP8Ft5FaEc3BQ8NXHRmyX13C6SzYkYjoGe6OBYtiZAz8F5g9kxqdvTUfwEslyU50tSGFg5Q9L1BGerkrpVm7blDICtsFpnIqmL5MA2gfZ-wBOIYI26WXfIOOOzx1KbXInlOAQvw/s320/20240116_081926.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One bucket of concrete at a time.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-10087282680201095192024-01-12T20:38:00.000-08:002024-01-13T19:10:46.413-08:0014 Days From Home<h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">After We First Arrived</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Today marks two weeks from when we left Post Falls for our stay in the warmer climates of Mexico. We have settled in and have grown acclimatized. The weather started out very hot and humid for the first ten days or so, but yesterday there was a change and the area has cooled off to a comfortable temperature range. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our little casa is growing on us. The place will never be our favorite, but it will fill our needs for this stay. The lack of a swimming pool has been huge. We compensate by playing pool volleyball every day. Give us another week and maybe our hands and arms will stop being sore from the beating they take while playing.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The daily schedule includes Linda walking every morning followed by breakfast and a bit of house cleaning. We play volleyball at 11 AM and then return to have lunch. The afternoon usually includes a nap, cards, reading and relaxing. When it was hot we sat up under the rooftop palapa and tried to cool down. At about 5 PM we get some food by either going out or fixing something ourselves. After dinner, we take a walk and settle in to watch some Netflix.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The people we have met over the years who annually travel to Melaque are mostly back and hanging out in the warmth. We have had dinner with Grant and Jacque whom we have traveled with several times. We spent some great time hearing about their travels to Europe and elsewhere. Larry and Maggie, our trip leaders on our adventure driving down to Melaque, accompanied us to dinner on Christmas Eve. Another set of good friends, Jill and Barry, had us over to their place to play cards one afternoon. We have traveled in our campers together with them visiting Yellowstone and other places in the states. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLsLKgvGUuQ1EHegMIupJHEDcTn7LRwSJMvQ41E2u2ok6XKN4iUN7-5jA25sxYgdbRxcsDAU1ma6ph_j1dqNsxi7Xo6l5AkdVYLIJhhlFHNx8lU6zqWhKtRZq8gAgTXgEqPrbSnAHeerhmCytsn6nqY3um822GfKvqIGjfa3DMOmORSqmpSTHIA/s4032/1000006768%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLsLKgvGUuQ1EHegMIupJHEDcTn7LRwSJMvQ41E2u2ok6XKN4iUN7-5jA25sxYgdbRxcsDAU1ma6ph_j1dqNsxi7Xo6l5AkdVYLIJhhlFHNx8lU6zqWhKtRZq8gAgTXgEqPrbSnAHeerhmCytsn6nqY3um822GfKvqIGjfa3DMOmORSqmpSTHIA/s320/1000006768%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our ocean view from roof top.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5bltKjzUQUZkfK46H8iohHeFqcHQfgzJHuo_35NZ6WTe_Bb4XAtFrncgAr64Dz0y9qwmsakN86BvjIyJvwWr9mWSYvgMZ4XwaVcCPEU1O71ZX5gGBa1eV_Mwia-u5B6K3FlUGBxDNwANdL-yfCVZMdA0NaTw5dUHBzytnpw3CRulcWFrmouYkg/s4032/1000006790~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5bltKjzUQUZkfK46H8iohHeFqcHQfgzJHuo_35NZ6WTe_Bb4XAtFrncgAr64Dz0y9qwmsakN86BvjIyJvwWr9mWSYvgMZ4XwaVcCPEU1O71ZX5gGBa1eV_Mwia-u5B6K3FlUGBxDNwANdL-yfCVZMdA0NaTw5dUHBzytnpw3CRulcWFrmouYkg/s320/1000006790~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nacho, the local iguana.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyv4TefiJo-lGf8qdMv59oPvwDodKzQhK-LiATbaeqstE5vQncGzJbO4E8WS0uwpziWf5itfi5GaEh0XzgUDVztMbwIHYoESCjmNN_dsiP0BQu-2gp3WU3ysLNuVNfUpSw17NwfSlLzqpCbYD50MlfANTxfowJRWSpa2HjdBKq4PIy6LyyJespw/s4032/1000007397.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyv4TefiJo-lGf8qdMv59oPvwDodKzQhK-LiATbaeqstE5vQncGzJbO4E8WS0uwpziWf5itfi5GaEh0XzgUDVztMbwIHYoESCjmNN_dsiP0BQu-2gp3WU3ysLNuVNfUpSw17NwfSlLzqpCbYD50MlfANTxfowJRWSpa2HjdBKq4PIy6LyyJespw/s320/1000007397.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The new malecon near the free campground.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tZ9fOy9JFAAzJzlAzpfuBiPkHtMk-ksou76uDqDkQoCD-JLK22b7w8sxef8XtE5jVI073wunJlamd2t7BSh5oYtCbf3RMI3m7QEXZXuUEmSviU8pfDXMU48WeAptxd7m2ldJ7hxZBKJJ8TxsBjlneiJfIzx_aqYAMVbMSv9W-VkO5GnKLz0RDw/s4032/1000007401.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tZ9fOy9JFAAzJzlAzpfuBiPkHtMk-ksou76uDqDkQoCD-JLK22b7w8sxef8XtE5jVI073wunJlamd2t7BSh5oYtCbf3RMI3m7QEXZXuUEmSviU8pfDXMU48WeAptxd7m2ldJ7hxZBKJJ8TxsBjlneiJfIzx_aqYAMVbMSv9W-VkO5GnKLz0RDw/s320/1000007401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another malecon view.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Jkjn9eAQj-u5AzpVsUR8o-blm_iC4jBC2XkdP2SDrtyJvAVSiRkAy6iMQyjT_olWprBO09_1xuTe3pYIHWnfQr93cd6ZK5C5kOv4t7NbhmASH8Kk1oCxgkPEISCmQLnDb9DKFuTg8fslqlWValqJRvwoATtgAWdiFikB9VYruFdBrrl5e5wisg/s4032/1000007410.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Jkjn9eAQj-u5AzpVsUR8o-blm_iC4jBC2XkdP2SDrtyJvAVSiRkAy6iMQyjT_olWprBO09_1xuTe3pYIHWnfQr93cd6ZK5C5kOv4t7NbhmASH8Kk1oCxgkPEISCmQLnDb9DKFuTg8fslqlWValqJRvwoATtgAWdiFikB9VYruFdBrrl5e5wisg/s320/1000007410.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The disco is gone!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazjXb7cVVFFViCwLAnkOiZdNF7Hd_NwmcyZNM7s71TqVRP-4BpZQVFnmvELnTN05Y1YaX20bhs10t3rN0g7daqDWY3plwp3hvPpH8sgiolcj2XJeUrUzkV59WUuhM_qh_tubtQ4acwe7RnQnxzoWro11Efv83E0iWpqB_udK5LrhZjch9rkY7iw/s4032/1000007414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazjXb7cVVFFViCwLAnkOiZdNF7Hd_NwmcyZNM7s71TqVRP-4BpZQVFnmvELnTN05Y1YaX20bhs10t3rN0g7daqDWY3plwp3hvPpH8sgiolcj2XJeUrUzkV59WUuhM_qh_tubtQ4acwe7RnQnxzoWro11Efv83E0iWpqB_udK5LrhZjch9rkY7iw/s320/1000007414.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Downtown road construction.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv5KmttiiwwVNDb1PAMAWBhz983joycToTcWGYgHzSdAYD4yYRDnc2Abcj3c-NA9bQOD8-bPNM_arb-BEnAff2g3aUFLvclpKX7tSwjNQio1StR8XSGXSx5By6zcfME9QusnOjVKj5a9MNZaSLwV4O0DeHYmB_6leAashbKMBV_97ydRm6vGhdw/s4032/1000007417~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv5KmttiiwwVNDb1PAMAWBhz983joycToTcWGYgHzSdAYD4yYRDnc2Abcj3c-NA9bQOD8-bPNM_arb-BEnAff2g3aUFLvclpKX7tSwjNQio1StR8XSGXSx5By6zcfME9QusnOjVKj5a9MNZaSLwV4O0DeHYmB_6leAashbKMBV_97ydRm6vGhdw/s320/1000007417~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Almost complete!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Several Weeks Later</span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is nothing significant about today's date, January 12th. We have been in Mexico 32 days now and have established a daily rhythm. We wake, walk, eat, play pool volleyball, shop, read, rinse and repeat. Some days we add some spice to the day by shopping for supplies, playing cards or going out for meals, but most of the time we sway to the beat of our Melaque music.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The daily patterns of life are what have caused me to not post as regularly as I have in the past. This time down, even the photo opportunities have been very ordinary. Another small reason for the lack of enthusiasm for posting is the rather large mistake I made by not bringing my laptop down from home when we traveled. I weighed the weight factor of carrying the laptop with the ease of packing our tablet and decided not carry the computer. Little did I realize that typing on the tablet keyboard would be such a change for me. The tablet's operating system is also different, so I have been struggling with photo imports and their placement into the blog, and this has caused me some angst. I now think I have everything smoothed out on the writing and publishing side of the blog, but now the internet at our casa has been down for the past three days. Mexico has stepped in and I will have to travel to another part of town to upload the content to the blog site. Hang in there my friends, we will “endeavor to persevere” and get this blog caught up to speed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yesterday, 30 gringos enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the Red Lobster, then loaded into a city bus and had a dusty ride out to Antonio's banana plantation where we spent the day swimming and playing games in the shade of the mango trees.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The afternoon was filled with laughter, music and getting to know each other as more than “Volleyball Dean and Linda”.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Photos From Our Time Here</span></span></h4><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sGFgYtPHTLcfIajoYu2IMmW5yAObZIVBjsXbGKBGdqi7VQCRgKKYQYHjekrqiIY8A0T_A_V0YltTyOl7VHrCS8AgMNJoQmh_jxkq26mJ6OGTDy8h5W4btQT6YOAWlmJ6RIsVKGfWyAtTNWaIISmd-5P6VhiD5Qua4asfWbqqnWdznIIKDFArSg/s4032/20231228_080732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2sGFgYtPHTLcfIajoYu2IMmW5yAObZIVBjsXbGKBGdqi7VQCRgKKYQYHjekrqiIY8A0T_A_V0YltTyOl7VHrCS8AgMNJoQmh_jxkq26mJ6OGTDy8h5W4btQT6YOAWlmJ6RIsVKGfWyAtTNWaIISmd-5P6VhiD5Qua4asfWbqqnWdznIIKDFArSg/s320/20231228_080732.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Early morning sun.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx4gsHYg6JlgLP2_Dg9aXGugmwtXIDd2ZRquNaE_GFZDPl5AGmhewDrPDOKUUH67QnxSsH5v3mIZ1iV-PeC5kyFfgYus8ANHb8n9WdvSRCIgmg_ESsUtp8-c0nZAQ1iC1Mg70irVm4KN53abEy_ZQfqRSw7TDUlhcx7L63G6T0VHHJ0_yWbzAEQ/s4000/20240102_082704.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOx4gsHYg6JlgLP2_Dg9aXGugmwtXIDd2ZRquNaE_GFZDPl5AGmhewDrPDOKUUH67QnxSsH5v3mIZ1iV-PeC5kyFfgYus8ANHb8n9WdvSRCIgmg_ESsUtp8-c0nZAQ1iC1Mg70irVm4KN53abEy_ZQfqRSw7TDUlhcx7L63G6T0VHHJ0_yWbzAEQ/s320/20240102_082704.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The art in the plaza. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8wfnF94EqlNIemP-Ux5JrtgUeKK_eOXWrPh1wDH71AmUcoe68Egu-26qf_87l4lIUVcb3DzvGeaO6FS_PCoEWdcZx1kC1NIalySMYDKCeytYKVqSB55wbk4nc5IwMhGq40Vd96F7C3PthDmjvP2vHjgB5YfSfC0ZLm8BEATzw-_y8gPhHuUmMw/s4032/20240103_074719.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8wfnF94EqlNIemP-Ux5JrtgUeKK_eOXWrPh1wDH71AmUcoe68Egu-26qf_87l4lIUVcb3DzvGeaO6FS_PCoEWdcZx1kC1NIalySMYDKCeytYKVqSB55wbk4nc5IwMhGq40Vd96F7C3PthDmjvP2vHjgB5YfSfC0ZLm8BEATzw-_y8gPhHuUmMw/s320/20240103_074719.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunrise on the beach.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4dmMUz0sCLb5gViGVHpq8Up6FGr2iC-RCl1u9r24I7_bOCPYwZkgS-vtkPtdc0kCs-0mqjgXVK8qpi8RnBFtzns6JzxJWiKBy90zVvhLqu9Gh0LatcY3Fn5tSF4_KuBMSA73bN3bUOEPwe32bkZXhHsbtSHsml9-Ts9fP34Sr2plEseXZpN7wg/s4032/20240107_183036.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4dmMUz0sCLb5gViGVHpq8Up6FGr2iC-RCl1u9r24I7_bOCPYwZkgS-vtkPtdc0kCs-0mqjgXVK8qpi8RnBFtzns6JzxJWiKBy90zVvhLqu9Gh0LatcY3Fn5tSF4_KuBMSA73bN3bUOEPwe32bkZXhHsbtSHsml9-Ts9fP34Sr2plEseXZpN7wg/s320/20240107_183036.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunsets are always beautiful.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtmda2c0kDltTC45xsmHEOr6v4_2u9zE8Di3tIzRmvWkv91xHgPLqdLiv8-KGXAZDOJxpVVr34hSiUX-HUNvtGoAPsI6oegq0Rr3CfS0YrHmM-V-16TK26kHp6-UxW61m4o3TTaN4VnqkjCvLoTmcWTaV-NtvHsnvDNpqoZdzzz06FUi254qi_w/s4032/20240107_183423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtmda2c0kDltTC45xsmHEOr6v4_2u9zE8Di3tIzRmvWkv91xHgPLqdLiv8-KGXAZDOJxpVVr34hSiUX-HUNvtGoAPsI6oegq0Rr3CfS0YrHmM-V-16TK26kHp6-UxW61m4o3TTaN4VnqkjCvLoTmcWTaV-NtvHsnvDNpqoZdzzz06FUi254qi_w/s320/20240107_183423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKgQi6mFfN1ud_wlle2W11wVIypTYK6HSsEpm02cRSJgY9iI4yFqNVwi5tTUJDKKR_C98J4oBw74xZxufzkzzaZBiytcrS0pvT25_YWpKIFsgGS58Ry-QEv5cWCmS6eUqUySGySVINYsjAj6JyyRfjLBc9KV3VLn4hQSXtsZP2hTtWzVWEVtb5g/s4032/20240108_071859.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKgQi6mFfN1ud_wlle2W11wVIypTYK6HSsEpm02cRSJgY9iI4yFqNVwi5tTUJDKKR_C98J4oBw74xZxufzkzzaZBiytcrS0pvT25_YWpKIFsgGS58Ry-QEv5cWCmS6eUqUySGySVINYsjAj6JyyRfjLBc9KV3VLn4hQSXtsZP2hTtWzVWEVtb5g/s320/20240108_071859.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dirty white rabbit.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmih-JMCzoswjnFpji-4MYfEUM_tei0rL6uWmhJdI4IFB-w6esXVsiVuxu9YJ77wVcVMHusL_bVQtM_7h6yBD-cKWRpCkry5oW-FOQUPxPpQTc1f-Obyfhr8nxS36IxBCq7VNHYlhZ_2XY6aL5CfBOpasZJ3PVQYq-bBYmzgEU8LIusWGfthoVQ/s3528/20240108_080759~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2650" data-original-width="3528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmih-JMCzoswjnFpji-4MYfEUM_tei0rL6uWmhJdI4IFB-w6esXVsiVuxu9YJ77wVcVMHusL_bVQtM_7h6yBD-cKWRpCkry5oW-FOQUPxPpQTc1f-Obyfhr8nxS36IxBCq7VNHYlhZ_2XY6aL5CfBOpasZJ3PVQYq-bBYmzgEU8LIusWGfthoVQ/s320/20240108_080759~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">He didn't like his photo taken.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyYK96IMcpftwpcFEY3_VmFsR1okhdmgmMwmGDIanjHJIBf5OwKKRzSqSHtmCgnPVauQm8SzyGej3jggBKOYzGHI5PjUe5oHs-vseGt3OMAMrXPzvhWVud6TMWB4e1KH55GdBUEOV8R9bx_jpnLVwSd7BGJaYCnTcFN6uohyphenhyphen_s3jZoJdvj6JaTg/s3692/20240108_121601.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2870" data-original-width="3692" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyYK96IMcpftwpcFEY3_VmFsR1okhdmgmMwmGDIanjHJIBf5OwKKRzSqSHtmCgnPVauQm8SzyGej3jggBKOYzGHI5PjUe5oHs-vseGt3OMAMrXPzvhWVud6TMWB4e1KH55GdBUEOV8R9bx_jpnLVwSd7BGJaYCnTcFN6uohyphenhyphen_s3jZoJdvj6JaTg/s320/20240108_121601.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Return of Nacho.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7C5SxzsyhilWLfm_vsItb7lYXN3EkljWCJONlBkgxpyWTnEkXbfXXy6hyUYOVlORMqmCeR3yVijtYgys9FHHkjcw8yJfIM7KPKv6WM-6QYq7KUlYUDvXAGcgcF-sXAYbAa7rerT4wgSwg6Pl0bINb1iVP18tsj_p22I-OFugDIAYxzMUGxTupw/s3722/20240108_121618.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2720" data-original-width="3722" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7C5SxzsyhilWLfm_vsItb7lYXN3EkljWCJONlBkgxpyWTnEkXbfXXy6hyUYOVlORMqmCeR3yVijtYgys9FHHkjcw8yJfIM7KPKv6WM-6QYq7KUlYUDvXAGcgcF-sXAYbAa7rerT4wgSwg6Pl0bINb1iVP18tsj_p22I-OFugDIAYxzMUGxTupw/s320/20240108_121618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWp5vbyrq8XqEadaurWtVEbAhq1qiAbSrTLFIz9pvustN3x0A33rL0iKPDheiCr6GCOtRtSUlVrk_qKUd0OR8A7Hf-cT-7Egp-K8x8neCtY4HP0IQpGGewaV6Jbp47P7AbU7ozZjfHTpL40DuFQ9saCRAojs9Zt1THC-_qtP24B9Bje9WPQQBAA/s4608/IMG_0011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWp5vbyrq8XqEadaurWtVEbAhq1qiAbSrTLFIz9pvustN3x0A33rL0iKPDheiCr6GCOtRtSUlVrk_qKUd0OR8A7Hf-cT-7Egp-K8x8neCtY4HP0IQpGGewaV6Jbp47P7AbU7ozZjfHTpL40DuFQ9saCRAojs9Zt1THC-_qtP24B9Bje9WPQQBAA/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">New years eve fireworks.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ySawY0vGhp2H1J9I3vMynFB8Aefgefr35sND3LP5lOaXKxkuUvUgMKxECokqMUKFfBga4NWGbDhVrjHjYQKcQaVs8lYuzEBh6AH1v5h7xnXV8F-WluyVHwaFDrolcSArFGoBroe-caXwiPMwDZNTB_GOsgDaZoaO8qd6qwclqZOrYrR9r7xQg/s4608/IMG_0012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1ySawY0vGhp2H1J9I3vMynFB8Aefgefr35sND3LP5lOaXKxkuUvUgMKxECokqMUKFfBga4NWGbDhVrjHjYQKcQaVs8lYuzEBh6AH1v5h7xnXV8F-WluyVHwaFDrolcSArFGoBroe-caXwiPMwDZNTB_GOsgDaZoaO8qd6qwclqZOrYrR9r7xQg/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XEl0_D7-5W-muq43dieJCBxomEM_DF0dLT6OGwR-7a-3aJf44C8Wy_XamRO0VanPDJ-H_XoVV5MQWIhmfRCwSFJcR-K9cA34Ev3zhvE6cJeV1c-POvh0fuqSQAuadmZ8jCEBLCmCLpYFI430QAsSkjLLdci_1pGjivZb6gqfTmOHlS6AcI9dpg/s4608/IMG_0014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XEl0_D7-5W-muq43dieJCBxomEM_DF0dLT6OGwR-7a-3aJf44C8Wy_XamRO0VanPDJ-H_XoVV5MQWIhmfRCwSFJcR-K9cA34Ev3zhvE6cJeV1c-POvh0fuqSQAuadmZ8jCEBLCmCLpYFI430QAsSkjLLdci_1pGjivZb6gqfTmOHlS6AcI9dpg/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXaSZ3cC3ycjFFudWjQff29kWljFpgEoySM_-dztDE32VzRhGYz0rq0hBDk4i_OeNat51C2MvWDeDZ0Xv-PiQltGcRtqXFs-xREdQPacAj3fPhaDvu0_hrpDK9xPPqXu-B0oKxOaxePsvHanOQf6jSUjufMQGnCS1mUWQCIoEbK2dN9X17FFSRw/s4608/IMG_0017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXaSZ3cC3ycjFFudWjQff29kWljFpgEoySM_-dztDE32VzRhGYz0rq0hBDk4i_OeNat51C2MvWDeDZ0Xv-PiQltGcRtqXFs-xREdQPacAj3fPhaDvu0_hrpDK9xPPqXu-B0oKxOaxePsvHanOQf6jSUjufMQGnCS1mUWQCIoEbK2dN9X17FFSRw/s320/IMG_0017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeg1NT5RnyGgR1diUZmGE0ZadhgWdm3HmIVNJgYq1Sl2w8gPtFBDpu7M5dvtC-VwgUqcGhWCmjBaJWuLp-rdfM3Ir-nDJWl_XMVpKYzPWSBhkvK75fzRLG0y6ztGE5Tzd76JPyBme6Z9PyF9oLxfQOgtaE-6y9zLn6BpL9W86HYHkwdpCMSR_Rw/s4096/IMG_0020.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeg1NT5RnyGgR1diUZmGE0ZadhgWdm3HmIVNJgYq1Sl2w8gPtFBDpu7M5dvtC-VwgUqcGhWCmjBaJWuLp-rdfM3Ir-nDJWl_XMVpKYzPWSBhkvK75fzRLG0y6ztGE5Tzd76JPyBme6Z9PyF9oLxfQOgtaE-6y9zLn6BpL9W86HYHkwdpCMSR_Rw/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">On the banana plantation bus.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZCuxL3L7fz9jWlC0hy5El3FzShjv5HDyhNdNKCtsiMbWwkI_MQTQ6gtJj1mrQ9nyTc6m4oUL7i0VkfdRhAP4Rg-vHD3juT1IGtRtRPXt1n0q6PJrhB8TTKy79XHwRD3K7ftWcvA8D1CEbwitzpr0IGNsO3_aAwTHyzHLKaPrGaintdkxqto6Gw/s4096/IMG_0022.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZCuxL3L7fz9jWlC0hy5El3FzShjv5HDyhNdNKCtsiMbWwkI_MQTQ6gtJj1mrQ9nyTc6m4oUL7i0VkfdRhAP4Rg-vHD3juT1IGtRtRPXt1n0q6PJrhB8TTKy79XHwRD3K7ftWcvA8D1CEbwitzpr0IGNsO3_aAwTHyzHLKaPrGaintdkxqto6Gw/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiTubFHa-iooBB5Q_3LgE6apo6s_4VO19TQgG7nc2-N_iZ6-vYUQucEkANqzKKhQKBOcS8JeIqzRdvwJ4a6uUyJInhQjnC3G2E8c3AG07wZageVNlbkdV0WqQHcpEk0fMPk1laC0av-kmaDgEkA6xRuqKo37dTjkKtLGVuubkrXsNwlaH1ky1-Q/s4096/IMG_0027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiTubFHa-iooBB5Q_3LgE6apo6s_4VO19TQgG7nc2-N_iZ6-vYUQucEkANqzKKhQKBOcS8JeIqzRdvwJ4a6uUyJInhQjnC3G2E8c3AG07wZageVNlbkdV0WqQHcpEk0fMPk1laC0av-kmaDgEkA6xRuqKo37dTjkKtLGVuubkrXsNwlaH1ky1-Q/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQfrmUBphrt1hBMsVkvsRrPZCzt1mlalQsy92y-0T0eTNsUFb9-8lErGuJMc01zuF3OC1MifABMxlp9lL91P_w3brONHvzUM8iLBddfcm8JMCwoB4-V5RB8eqFIX2CSk43NgF8hgAAszEtE5Z_9qgBV_-TtvCYFfyagCTiyec76yKXGwPNQ7uqg/s4096/IMG_0035.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQfrmUBphrt1hBMsVkvsRrPZCzt1mlalQsy92y-0T0eTNsUFb9-8lErGuJMc01zuF3OC1MifABMxlp9lL91P_w3brONHvzUM8iLBddfcm8JMCwoB4-V5RB8eqFIX2CSk43NgF8hgAAszEtE5Z_9qgBV_-TtvCYFfyagCTiyec76yKXGwPNQ7uqg/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A toad in the water.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV7EhfDyp-GGzND1Hx2aHrv1AEu99QP9N_TBh_gLEzDwh3AoIjqeP6UEQOeNOKowqTE6hHy0rzS-dXeMWoU-ervXGSxc60npCYk76htOLZALmcglF7tqH1QRfg3dlFw5VwYXkJuXaXXYNG_P5-AJVTlA2pUHCzx7lRSO0PEY7WbCxU_aAbDvVnA/s4096/IMG_0038.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV7EhfDyp-GGzND1Hx2aHrv1AEu99QP9N_TBh_gLEzDwh3AoIjqeP6UEQOeNOKowqTE6hHy0rzS-dXeMWoU-ervXGSxc60npCYk76htOLZALmcglF7tqH1QRfg3dlFw5VwYXkJuXaXXYNG_P5-AJVTlA2pUHCzx7lRSO0PEY7WbCxU_aAbDvVnA/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk68FIjDrpx_BxlW8Pa3VJqe4f_DvusO5hQrngMVT6EPpH7nAwoCinMR8fe7OLkaPW97orqt-Tg2Y59zsTFyVxEwe21UtqLUt4FGSt5YdApzaf1f1gqQOlifRaJS_XVii7UgvC9_JZVfySxoBsZtY7izUS_IejrlL75Aw8aOcqMx6HW4GIGi2Aw/s4096/IMG_0041.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk68FIjDrpx_BxlW8Pa3VJqe4f_DvusO5hQrngMVT6EPpH7nAwoCinMR8fe7OLkaPW97orqt-Tg2Y59zsTFyVxEwe21UtqLUt4FGSt5YdApzaf1f1gqQOlifRaJS_XVii7UgvC9_JZVfySxoBsZtY7izUS_IejrlL75Aw8aOcqMx6HW4GIGi2Aw/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My three walking companions.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfBPfTWoF78xw1kcg_veRpAiCSe0nXprKTHJsukruWVdV5tONv0WJCB3gGW0oDAAQ7yujZrSN0RUjJMZFTVSCtFn0qU52D89X7dcYFvtZJRcdsoyH4jH0EwYnG505hHckJi-ClR3kRLoRYlFScV0rJKCZslGxEJnRiPBKQNahIcAkzxgFFeWQ4g/s3839/IMG_0042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="3839" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfBPfTWoF78xw1kcg_veRpAiCSe0nXprKTHJsukruWVdV5tONv0WJCB3gGW0oDAAQ7yujZrSN0RUjJMZFTVSCtFn0qU52D89X7dcYFvtZJRcdsoyH4jH0EwYnG505hHckJi-ClR3kRLoRYlFScV0rJKCZslGxEJnRiPBKQNahIcAkzxgFFeWQ4g/s320/IMG_0042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-12331283233944831562023-12-18T11:23:00.000-08:002023-12-18T11:23:41.454-08:00Back On The RoadOur next adventure begins. We are again spending the winter in Mexico. Barbara arrived at the house at seven, and we loaded our 6 bags into her car. The drive to Spokane was clear with normal traffic for that time in the morning. It is so nice to have someone that we can count on to pick us up and take us to the airport. Barbara is such a dear friend. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKsHnSUrMq9reQ3RX6Rmr1ByWmWCRZ7eb8zimJRQ81U7Y-xkzOgz9odolldWAROhHbBDBMor1kBvVq1uKFrEt6EaDL1e5Mt9hnSsQlU3A6tbsJUAfTMW9nK5XazXE-_Fo60eLpHuE35BHUMF1UmieX-nzuZExylqrF1CT9gOsdgHCcgqxVzQGLQ/s4032/1000007298~2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKsHnSUrMq9reQ3RX6Rmr1ByWmWCRZ7eb8zimJRQ81U7Y-xkzOgz9odolldWAROhHbBDBMor1kBvVq1uKFrEt6EaDL1e5Mt9hnSsQlU3A6tbsJUAfTMW9nK5XazXE-_Fo60eLpHuE35BHUMF1UmieX-nzuZExylqrF1CT9gOsdgHCcgqxVzQGLQ/s320/1000007298~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>At the airport, we had no problem with checking our luggage and getting our boarding passes until we hit the TSA line. There we found out that our pre-check was not listed on our boarding pass. We went through the entire "shoes off" procedure and entered the waiting area. I then left all my carry-on gear with Linda and went back out through TSA and talked with the check-in folks at the Alaska desk. They were very nice and we worked together to get the TSAPre authorization to show up on the printed ticket. It turned out to be that there are two numbers on the TSA card and one works to trigger the printing of the needed info and one does not. I know, very weird. We changed the numbers and printed new boarding passes and the TSAPre check authorization appeared. We were all set for the rest of our trip, hopefully. <br /><br />Our first flights took us to Seattle and then on to Los Angeles. Things were fairly smooth on our flight to Seattle. We maneuvered through the airport smoothly and arrived at our gate in plenty of time. We were delayed boarding and then sat at the gate for an hour. The plane was packed and all went well once we took off for this second leg of our journey.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wDtfubm-KLDZ24psY-0HCv_TX3s-Uo1N4wyYZcVWAM-jm5BixWq9Jbid78_SqB4QaBNEqvbCIIWvlOzFBoLuHTqOw9xrkRSbxVpnJxelwCiBve2dpuaMIut6yu2PgHuFCaDiDD3HqaWR-kHFG2owDrRS0GNUvd6tCbVookxDw7twPtqGiIMobA/s4032/1000006695~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wDtfubm-KLDZ24psY-0HCv_TX3s-Uo1N4wyYZcVWAM-jm5BixWq9Jbid78_SqB4QaBNEqvbCIIWvlOzFBoLuHTqOw9xrkRSbxVpnJxelwCiBve2dpuaMIut6yu2PgHuFCaDiDD3HqaWR-kHFG2owDrRS0GNUvd6tCbVookxDw7twPtqGiIMobA/s320/1000006695~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div>We arrived at LAX and caught a shuttle to the hotel. We stayed at a new hotel to us, the Westin Hotel. It was very nice, and comparing it to the hotel we usually stay at, much newer and better maintained. We were within walking distance from a Denney's, so we went retro Americano and had our dinner there.<div><br />We both were awake early due to crashing after our elegant dinner. Once we were packed we caught the shuttle to the air terminal and quickly checked our three pieces of baggage.<br /><br /><div>We walked up to the TSA Precheck man and Linda presented her passport and boarding pass and he smiles and said "Ok, mam, proceed." Then I stepped up and presented my documents and he looked at the boarding pass and the computer screen. His eyes went back and forth between the two, and finally looked at me and said, "Sir, you do not have the TSAPre designation on our screen so you will have to go through the normal TSA screening process." I didn't know what to say. I presented my Global Entry card, but he said that the TSA Pre designation was entered by the airlines and until the button on the screen says TSAPre and not standard, I would have to use the other entry method.</div><div><br />I looked at the long line across the room and chatted with the TSA person and he said I could go to the Alaska desk and they could possibly fix the situation. Off I went to Alaska.<br />I explained the situation to the lady at the desk and she checked everything. She said all was entered into the system and then printed me a new boarding passwith the TSA Pre designation on it.<br /><br /></div><div>Off I headed back to the TSA Pre line. This time I was greeted by a young lady who entered my info and said, like the knights in Monty Pythlon's Holy Grail would say, "None shall pass!" I was flummoxed and explained the situation again. She took a card out of her pocket and swiped it in the computer explaining that it was an update card for their system and then she looked at the screen and then at me and said, "None Shall pass!"<br />Into the regular checkpoint I went (clack, clack, clack, [sound of coconuts]) lining up with the non-TSA peasants. The line was much smaller at this time so all went very quickly. The only thing I forgot was to remove my shoes, like the other peasants were faithfully doing.<br /><br /></div><div>I popped out of the line into the terminal and spotted Linda, put on my shoes, gathered myself and we were off to gate 68A, as noted on our boarding passes.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DfSKitvLfPAYWx5GCyAFC12PdpKmIoICpYcEBWEZ1Ebl1pvTJZR9cQ3C4a8CyMpOdrlAI7xAPkl3ctU4qvWNIePrrxj7oYIlzicBfR8TnPgPvAGFod3wIWE_zu4fGoFNaFaqeTDAyVXd8CnFJ1ctTzrbJpkAgTfNv6PZN6E2u4MbDIZERHh4jg/s2944/1000007303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DfSKitvLfPAYWx5GCyAFC12PdpKmIoICpYcEBWEZ1Ebl1pvTJZR9cQ3C4a8CyMpOdrlAI7xAPkl3ctU4qvWNIePrrxj7oYIlzicBfR8TnPgPvAGFod3wIWE_zu4fGoFNaFaqeTDAyVXd8CnFJ1ctTzrbJpkAgTfNv6PZN6E2u4MbDIZERHh4jg/s320/1000007303.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div>All was well in the area around 68A. We nested and watched people come and go. At one point I went for a walk and spotted a guy leaning against the wall out of traffic. He was much taller than me and looked amazingly like Conan O'Brien. On the way back I spotted the gentleman again and he was still leaning in the spot where I first saw him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back at 68A, we noted that the board had changed and our flight was now departing at gate 62. As we walked over to gate 62, I pointed out the redheaded gentleman I had spotted and this time he was surrounded by several people taking selfies with him. It was Conan! (Note that I am on a first-name basis with him now.) We didn't stop for a photo. We didn't want to bother him more than the folks already were.</div><div><br />We boarded the plane for the final leg of our trip and all went very smoothly from there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PO4xryHR2ryv03k3fyvD-l-kOq709ovhOxv_ctDF44xg2KZuUm4erkKyM3r7K7wqT-Q87AOUuhFAABpbtidKv0zMSHo4suSUCYLiaCSQ2oT7lnOLlVZMrqcevNjA15EK6m4OowKM1PMOFyNbRgShvaMJu3AzexqT0SCLEEPCeQMiJQwiYgVOig/s4032/1000006712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PO4xryHR2ryv03k3fyvD-l-kOq709ovhOxv_ctDF44xg2KZuUm4erkKyM3r7K7wqT-Q87AOUuhFAABpbtidKv0zMSHo4suSUCYLiaCSQ2oT7lnOLlVZMrqcevNjA15EK6m4OowKM1PMOFyNbRgShvaMJu3AzexqT0SCLEEPCeQMiJQwiYgVOig/w200-h150/1000006712.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGN7ExtHXWjjzQ0dPcJJvW5hJK492cwpvt6yvmaHfmQjsUDozDezK7hzziQSlv_1En9v6SWr6Fzl-GwPZxesjdsFa6UA9B5pTl8R66kJZL6j6mHxi9nAfZl1KljlmvZflsQ5nGhRTUtOc3kiphG31I5tf631wVHSbzOXgXYJ6Q0Yk-JcibNHJ1Q/s4032/1000006717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGN7ExtHXWjjzQ0dPcJJvW5hJK492cwpvt6yvmaHfmQjsUDozDezK7hzziQSlv_1En9v6SWr6Fzl-GwPZxesjdsFa6UA9B5pTl8R66kJZL6j6mHxi9nAfZl1KljlmvZflsQ5nGhRTUtOc3kiphG31I5tf631wVHSbzOXgXYJ6Q0Yk-JcibNHJ1Q/w200-h150/1000006717.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div>Landing at the Manzanillo airport things changed. It air was hot and very humid. The people around us were as pushy as ever, but it didn't matter. We were here and that was all that counted.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBRhmUqte6x09vEHsP31q3mVB7yeHxknuugF58VBAM1FGLW8ZCTQu9qyxaoSIIZtnRZ519eU1arI5U3kIlvzc5AVVEq6BW4fuj_QfXpgYEdYoQyEuEo5CHsTa6rNCS9GmuYU8PFr6SKFg4SuP3H-k_kNEETo_PxtduhhomfkNJq9cIn3Yv3VvmA/s2514/1000007330~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2514" data-original-width="2148" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBRhmUqte6x09vEHsP31q3mVB7yeHxknuugF58VBAM1FGLW8ZCTQu9qyxaoSIIZtnRZ519eU1arI5U3kIlvzc5AVVEq6BW4fuj_QfXpgYEdYoQyEuEo5CHsTa6rNCS9GmuYU8PFr6SKFg4SuP3H-k_kNEETo_PxtduhhomfkNJq9cIn3Yv3VvmA/s320/1000007330~2.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><div>Our taxi took us right to our door and we were greeted by our new neighbors Kurt and Stephen. They welcomed us and led us to our apartment. We chatted and got the lay of the land and then we were on our own to unpack and create a little home for our stay.</div><div><br />The apartment is three years old and has about everything you need to get started with your life down south, but not enough to be our "noemal". As you can see in the photos, everything is definitely of Mexican design. Concrete is the main building resource and they pour the entire layout. Kitchen cabinets are created in cement and roughed out with dark wood.</div><div><br /></div><div>This apartment has the traditional design where the cabinets have no toe insets, so you are forced to bend over to do anything in the sink and on the cabinet surface. Very uncomfortable if you are preparing a dinner or cleaning up after yourself. We have had this design in most places we have stayed in Mexico. Those insets are something we really appreciate when we get home to the US.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPVQmyxWj3iyrEyoVZgSnKdoG-gMwHF20qeTj1X6qxuPNPDrFqpf8hVjCltvlBhOR2BqP4SxCasST6rZRmf_ErLbqCltFMTi2JxMRV72ae57delgRxsoPpgfPskNcTGoP0pZck7xhv3_g2r7pqNBB14WFqqI5jZ95GunUk5trRCfBLkf609fB8Q/s3264/20231218_072149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPVQmyxWj3iyrEyoVZgSnKdoG-gMwHF20qeTj1X6qxuPNPDrFqpf8hVjCltvlBhOR2BqP4SxCasST6rZRmf_ErLbqCltFMTi2JxMRV72ae57delgRxsoPpgfPskNcTGoP0pZck7xhv3_g2r7pqNBB14WFqqI5jZ95GunUk5trRCfBLkf609fB8Q/w200-h150/20231218_072149.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAO-4ahkPtsvwOE1uj1iq_0cIs4p94blqoGRGmp9lat-fwvRDk8pdctei_RuHhIIHZiELKX_vqNgUgsUmrDBqlK4-OOn7GMHZsIf2frNKQOo0Y7pMzgmUbxorbLjtOmG2XdBIEqtA3zbNfs14IqSy1o6ePAkm-zIbKOtbfMLfKCRGLU10J3-UIw/s2943/20231218_072227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2443" data-original-width="2943" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAO-4ahkPtsvwOE1uj1iq_0cIs4p94blqoGRGmp9lat-fwvRDk8pdctei_RuHhIIHZiELKX_vqNgUgsUmrDBqlK4-OOn7GMHZsIf2frNKQOo0Y7pMzgmUbxorbLjtOmG2XdBIEqtA3zbNfs14IqSy1o6ePAkm-zIbKOtbfMLfKCRGLU10J3-UIw/w200-h166/20231218_072227.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EQ0cJ-qI1jdt2E9ib7rTD9J7cR7srV06tjbkN1URvrHa7knkrEayPEzamVO2UyhlScM01xX7fUvSZGXUIwae28P4MbFneJFldmg2cR6X5UsLvVlYiYU5AiyXMU-WjsUoSW780tthkt3qRt4sbEdn3lPus9_rCQ-OTgowrHBapBZuh6SzfodsJA/s2831/20231218_072320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2374" data-original-width="2831" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EQ0cJ-qI1jdt2E9ib7rTD9J7cR7srV06tjbkN1URvrHa7knkrEayPEzamVO2UyhlScM01xX7fUvSZGXUIwae28P4MbFneJFldmg2cR6X5UsLvVlYiYU5AiyXMU-WjsUoSW780tthkt3qRt4sbEdn3lPus9_rCQ-OTgowrHBapBZuh6SzfodsJA/w200-h168/20231218_072320.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XE4kpz94hz4w80_fEUBbjPY5MC3zJR-ZrEWtFQf2qw9MaGSFE7lOhYOGpCzo71Fk30FUzMlj6EfK7aJ4MM8NO8Uv7I5afcTOo3OhofGglkBylMFYz1-Hn4u4d4JmoJL6g9vTg2mRZxN_ODf4dLcZOspiFG1OW8n0cj8-PUEt-DMQsz8jRo0BTg/s3084/20231218_072306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3084" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XE4kpz94hz4w80_fEUBbjPY5MC3zJR-ZrEWtFQf2qw9MaGSFE7lOhYOGpCzo71Fk30FUzMlj6EfK7aJ4MM8NO8Uv7I5afcTOo3OhofGglkBylMFYz1-Hn4u4d4JmoJL6g9vTg2mRZxN_ODf4dLcZOspiFG1OW8n0cj8-PUEt-DMQsz8jRo0BTg/w200-h159/20231218_072306.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div>Lights, what can I say? There are more lights in each of the three rooms and none of the light switches turn on a combination of bulbs that make the room comfortable. For example, in the kitchen/living room, there are eight lights in total in a room that is 16' X 18'. Four are inset in the ceiling, one is on the room fan, and the other three are on a decorative fixture near the kitchen sink. Two inset lights turn on when you flip one of the switches. The other two turn on with the decorative lights. I have not figured out where the switch is for the ceiling fan light. None of the combinations of lights give off a comfortable room light. When they are on you feel like you are in a warehouse. I think the ceiling fan light would be the best, but I am working on finding how to turn it on. (Upon edit, I found the ceiling fan light switch!) The lighting is about the same in the bedrooms but without the decorative lights.</div><div><br />Let's talk about our door. The front door opens inward into our casa. The door itself is rounded at the top and the looks like a regular door from there. It connects to the frame on the right and when it opens the rounded portion swings in and bumps up against the concrete archway above the door letting the door open about 82 degrees wide. Crazy, but so Mexican. We are getting used to stepping left as you enter the casa.<br />Ah, Mexico!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UPGaSh-XyCPzqJAC-QG-OojQfJabYqUlXqvjriSq4YkjHpQORIy8FxqjbXFlkqIb_ILm_9Z-3M-_wvTfC8GVwTrJeDHetaoQLlU9CXw8a8fURFAAdr_fNGdZbT-a-KlkrYSIgKbyDAxBTgRbXz2s3gDRmLav3q1_AGhJ-FOhemI8Gm0WWCksBg/s4032/1000007312~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UPGaSh-XyCPzqJAC-QG-OojQfJabYqUlXqvjriSq4YkjHpQORIy8FxqjbXFlkqIb_ILm_9Z-3M-_wvTfC8GVwTrJeDHetaoQLlU9CXw8a8fURFAAdr_fNGdZbT-a-KlkrYSIgKbyDAxBTgRbXz2s3gDRmLav3q1_AGhJ-FOhemI8Gm0WWCksBg/s320/1000007312~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>We are in the process of settling in. This includes buying groceries and also some of the items that make the apartment comfortable. The weather is very hot (95 degrees) and extremely humid. We went from 30 degrees with little humidity to this climate and we are feeling it. You can't complain, though. That is why we do these trips.</div><div><br />A note about this blog. I wanted to get rid of some of the weight I always carried as we traveled south. So I decided to leave the laptop computer at home and do everything on our tablet. I did some experimenting, added a small adapter for transferring files, and said, "Good to go!"</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOhR1a-ht5xxjRqMWex8ktF42vT5Lihph7EY8zIfTzYu05LGvaqHPDw4bM3K98U7fwMJudsI-VXtINBo2PtrtT_wD-I5VHZ1Ft-hnWicE40wWk6d1uR5eVaFEHEiNGav57BvgFkALnifDVEAh2Gx-UnKZzcg2pURmNd7wJd32vT67YEsZIls-YQ/s2944/1000007334~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOhR1a-ht5xxjRqMWex8ktF42vT5Lihph7EY8zIfTzYu05LGvaqHPDw4bM3K98U7fwMJudsI-VXtINBo2PtrtT_wD-I5VHZ1Ft-hnWicE40wWk6d1uR5eVaFEHEiNGav57BvgFkALnifDVEAh2Gx-UnKZzcg2pURmNd7wJd32vT67YEsZIls-YQ/s320/1000007334~2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div>Well, I have found that the tablet works, but it is quite a different beast. They are very different and the tablet doesn't work like our friend, the laptop. So I am learning how to publish in the tablet world and apologize if the layout, content, and photos are different from the past. :-) (That's a smiley face because I don't know how to use emojis.) 😁 (Hey I found them!)<br /><br /></div></div><div>I will try to keep this blog updated the best I can. I don't want to bother you with daily rants, but will post photos content of interest when I can. </div></div></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-8444306654801606322023-10-14T09:25:00.001-07:002023-10-14T09:25:42.823-07:00A Little Get-Away<p>Linda's back is feeling much better. She is working hard to get the muscles rehabbed and back to normal. As a result, I had a couple days with nothing planned so I took a little trip down to Pine Bar on the Lower Salmon to fish for steelhead. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK551_gLHULkdwivnmmRu3vhbQdPMEUHdhJySiPmvT_v8BN5rHDAsU2sbG5DUgjTwPbUdvQUCv_R4lR9DndTkn4RJMxcv2FLZ1SKbjXeu0EWpopNTcV4_BSXrsX2CXI4NucidP0umb4A9REarMK5bh2hRqKxmokqXR76QaPEP9mW7JTmEWjVftUQ/s3781/20231008_145614.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2703" data-original-width="3781" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK551_gLHULkdwivnmmRu3vhbQdPMEUHdhJySiPmvT_v8BN5rHDAsU2sbG5DUgjTwPbUdvQUCv_R4lR9DndTkn4RJMxcv2FLZ1SKbjXeu0EWpopNTcV4_BSXrsX2CXI4NucidP0umb4A9REarMK5bh2hRqKxmokqXR76QaPEP9mW7JTmEWjVftUQ/s320/20231008_145614.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On Sunday I loaded a bunch of food (way too much!) into the camper and drove south. Traffic was normal and the weather was great! <div><br /></div><div>Linda and I kept in contact most of the time as I traveled. At stops and restroom breaks I would call or text to keep her posted on my progress.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I reached the river I checked out the spot that I figured would give me a good campsite and allow easy access to the river for fishing. The spot I was thinking about was already taken so I moved on down to the campground at the end of Pine Bar Road. There I found several rigs camped, so I backtracked a bit and went to a campsite I have used several times before and set up for my getaway.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MYSCVZdEQuCiWScfrRRP-8TFqe2C2O9V5LK3P3RM-vvC0Nhy65MuxTe7Ll4YC9umIJumo3HiQpuMujY1IOhzwD8AhOEH5MUZPX2GPRTuVGWmSDgYm7AtEd1OZk6lRWXTHPJFFijLpLDi5S2CkL9qZe8zNxXb-kXiOD-osvhWDVdGz15f3SYqUg/s4032/20231009_152831.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MYSCVZdEQuCiWScfrRRP-8TFqe2C2O9V5LK3P3RM-vvC0Nhy65MuxTe7Ll4YC9umIJumo3HiQpuMujY1IOhzwD8AhOEH5MUZPX2GPRTuVGWmSDgYm7AtEd1OZk6lRWXTHPJFFijLpLDi5S2CkL9qZe8zNxXb-kXiOD-osvhWDVdGz15f3SYqUg/s320/20231009_152831.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The site I chose is nice and flat, and is located next to the river, but has one annoying problem. Goat Thistle! This stuff is everywhere and you have to be very careful how you get it off your skin and clothes. If you touch it with your bare hands it will prick you and leave a sliver in your skin that is very annoying. I learned to deal with the Goat Heads by using a stick or the blade of my knife to flick the thistles off onto the ground. This works fine, but you have to be very aware and not touch the heads. Once I remembered about those pesky heads, I could deal with them by avoiding the plants by staying in the gravel around the campsite.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqUkD04wmKOPhHqvSzpFRHGNr6SiO5R7nR72TEY_qrVdaq5GoSDpLXdpWZZ-o6IQvI67OXAYljsBhoUKba7R8Ldf32Vca7yUA-JWyFBZrjyc4i3EyS0so0Nfhf-N_fZyvGmyfg1UL6RM_M6KGrKOsdMo17O2u29ugGIOuxQASLAIrkzcqUhqCNw/s1871/20231009_153344.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1871" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqUkD04wmKOPhHqvSzpFRHGNr6SiO5R7nR72TEY_qrVdaq5GoSDpLXdpWZZ-o6IQvI67OXAYljsBhoUKba7R8Ldf32Vca7yUA-JWyFBZrjyc4i3EyS0so0Nfhf-N_fZyvGmyfg1UL6RM_M6KGrKOsdMo17O2u29ugGIOuxQASLAIrkzcqUhqCNw/s320/20231009_153344.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As the day, continued I would text Linda my progress and what I was doing, even though I knew that the texts would not go through. While I was sitting in front of the camper, I heard a familiar little beep and looked at my phone to see that the last two texts had gone through. I had found one strange location at my river campsite where I could send and receive texts back and forth. It was spotty at best, but it worked if you had patience. The location was at the front of the truck on my coffee cup five inches above the ground. Really, that was the only place I found that the phone would send and receive texts.<p></p><p>The weather was fantastic, blue skies, lower 90s. I fished on Monday morning, and as I did, Mike Wassmuth motored over from his anchor across the river and we talked for a while. He is such a dedicated steelheader that he can leave his place in Cottonwood, drive to the river and launch his boat, and then be fishing by sun-up. I was just warming my camper up and he was all set up and fishing.</p><p></p>Mike had to leave at about 10 AM and so I fished on until it got too hot to sit in my spot, even with my umbrella. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybbB-SL2q4p3E_QG42aBgiICGsvXYRmhEpZdGr5YTzSz_cIE_hxnaGzNhx5jsZ7RxZl0Vt1wnFkYeXQmxTZv-n56_5DxJmeu9Hk2_w0F1olBFhdeU9vBjj_wTRNH1zViYTRAy4AU7ITcN0SFwrdQjC0CtykqonOrFRlIgjl4V7GUAvw53zmcUPw/s2944/20231009_155142.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="2944" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybbB-SL2q4p3E_QG42aBgiICGsvXYRmhEpZdGr5YTzSz_cIE_hxnaGzNhx5jsZ7RxZl0Vt1wnFkYeXQmxTZv-n56_5DxJmeu9Hk2_w0F1olBFhdeU9vBjj_wTRNH1zViYTRAy4AU7ITcN0SFwrdQjC0CtykqonOrFRlIgjl4V7GUAvw53zmcUPw/s320/20231009_155142.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I took some time to sit in the shade and used the binoculars to scan the hillsides. When it started to cool I took a walk and filled my water jugs. As I walked by the campground entrance I spotted a rattlesnake as it slithered off into the tall weeds. It was a young critter, about three and a half feet long. It didn't want anything to do with me and I was OK with that.<p></p><p>I walked quite a bit that evening and enjoyed the solitude. </p><p>The next morning I packed up and returned home. The weather called for rain and I was lucky to miss most of the showers on the way home. The rain started at about Tensed and was off and on the rest of the way home. I made it home and parked the camper. I really like my little getaways, but missed Linda a bunch when I was gone. </p></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-86716938679277138502023-10-11T12:42:00.000-07:002023-10-11T12:42:15.864-07:00Catching Up<p>On September 22nd, Linda and I jumped in the rig and headed to Ft. Benton to enjoy a visit with Dan Breeden at his casa in Montana. This started as a group gathering of our Wednesday night group, but as the week got closer, many of our friends had things come up and could not attend. </p><p>When we left we were looking forward to visiting Danbo and some friends from southern Idaho, the Lisks. </p><p>We made our way over the pass into Montana, the sun was out and we had a beautiful drive. After Missoula, we headed north and found a camp spot at Russel Gates Memorial Campground It was a beautiful little spot next to the Blackfoot River. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqhTqLUVAPTTyP0wqI1rmo762yTm_2z4DSg3-AipI60jQrHTFIVC-iztpm2DHbIsrz6OqeNplS0AsM3YaV9sZ9Vn2IKMWzGGxbyAHGpnotRbkJjvqeFiBInEixFUr9QeicYT6k1x_ZEcY_FVtT7x6lMVj18EzJTISHqBJhjBkusI6sN4yLbZMcA/s4032/20230922_171205.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqhTqLUVAPTTyP0wqI1rmo762yTm_2z4DSg3-AipI60jQrHTFIVC-iztpm2DHbIsrz6OqeNplS0AsM3YaV9sZ9Vn2IKMWzGGxbyAHGpnotRbkJjvqeFiBInEixFUr9QeicYT6k1x_ZEcY_FVtT7x6lMVj18EzJTISHqBJhjBkusI6sN4yLbZMcA/s320/20230922_171205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>All was well until 3 AM when Linda woke up with back spasms. She had tweaked her back about four days before we left. She lifted her mom's walker into the KIA wrong and felt a bit of a pull, but thought nothing of the injury. <p></p><p>When the spasms hit she could hardly move without extreme pain. I could only watch as she tried to get into a position that didn't hurt. After about 20 minutes, we agreed that we could not go on because she could not move and we had to see if we could get her into the doctor. I filled up on coffee and Linda filled up on muscle relaxers to try and make the drive home bearable.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSXcYefLlmgHLX7V0HVTSVL76Oh0jdxDpOHA0ihmCRZtu44UszDmVuJDkUw0AuF5u6llPxsVOZjs6lvmoIhmNOw5o8TSwkhqJrK4tsqwunWP8UuQMSmVC-rYAKWtNaNbJ_RlqvwgYXC_AVkc0QRbNXhU4F2iz9Z7WWcrM66U4r-w9aW0mQdmhJA/s4032/20230922_171324.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSXcYefLlmgHLX7V0HVTSVL76Oh0jdxDpOHA0ihmCRZtu44UszDmVuJDkUw0AuF5u6llPxsVOZjs6lvmoIhmNOw5o8TSwkhqJrK4tsqwunWP8UuQMSmVC-rYAKWtNaNbJ_RlqvwgYXC_AVkc0QRbNXhU4F2iz9Z7WWcrM66U4r-w9aW0mQdmhJA/s320/20230922_171324.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>At 4 AM we were on the road back to Post Falls. We contacted Danbo and let him know we were very sorry that we had to back out of the visit. Both Linda and I really wanted to see what he has accomplished on the remodel of his place, but we will have to visit him at a later date.<p></p><p>Back at home, Linda visited the Dr. and he referred her to a PT. After a couple visits, they were sure that the pain was muscular and not from the spinal area. They said it would heal and that she could get back to normal with PT, stretching, and a lot of time. Linda's not known for her patience with this kind of thing, but this scared her. That prognosis was good news, but it was a bummer nonetheless! </p><p>Linda is on the mend and is taking the exercise program prescribed very seriously. We need her healthy for the winter travels. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorGIUWOOxD5jvi33fg6CsloCnJNqsi16Ppin_KnzU8pF71pbPEU_m3HNwDlKoo-c8vxWM_5dtX82YL2g8Jx6kgEQF54KzY6SUnMtPLlOUkJEu_TqjSurVMNYbeXF1bRJZYBaFnbjoD3m5fbq7zvKqyN8q5cHkw2AUdS8Vi-l3DBc1Im-SEVEBXA/s4032/20230923_072302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorGIUWOOxD5jvi33fg6CsloCnJNqsi16Ppin_KnzU8pF71pbPEU_m3HNwDlKoo-c8vxWM_5dtX82YL2g8Jx6kgEQF54KzY6SUnMtPLlOUkJEu_TqjSurVMNYbeXF1bRJZYBaFnbjoD3m5fbq7zvKqyN8q5cHkw2AUdS8Vi-l3DBc1Im-SEVEBXA/s320/20230923_072302.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of fog on the drive home.</td></tr></tbody></table>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-67950082054860935632023-09-02T12:19:00.003-07:002023-09-04T09:35:36.729-07:00Double Header, In A Way<div class="separator"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEgDt__soO3t7WC-5J7Hs19g4A4y1zY5cAyo_ubvHflIPCwe1jdLhS6qyYiUgH4XlfHjdCs0iPSPTcObARUDZgHnCqIT4G9uKKd3ceMeTMNvRUXaJFxOn9ofirDXWSePT5Wcce6g-VOs4NE579I_hNntKbziG6CGnMAnGOBzd1JPYINkmFqanwA/s640/20230824_115531.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEgDt__soO3t7WC-5J7Hs19g4A4y1zY5cAyo_ubvHflIPCwe1jdLhS6qyYiUgH4XlfHjdCs0iPSPTcObARUDZgHnCqIT4G9uKKd3ceMeTMNvRUXaJFxOn9ofirDXWSePT5Wcce6g-VOs4NE579I_hNntKbziG6CGnMAnGOBzd1JPYINkmFqanwA/s320/20230824_115531.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Linda visiting her Dad at Tahoma.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Linda and I packed up the Kia and left Post Falls at 6:30 AM. Linda drove to Ellensburg, and then I took over and piloted the final miles down the pass, southwest to Tahoma National Cemetery. This was our first chance since his service to visit the resting place of Linda's father and his brother Uncle Jake. The cemetery is so beautiful and well-maintained. We found the site and paid our respects. Linda had some time with her Dad and then we used our memory of the area to find Uncle Jake's gravesite. It was a good visit and one that we needed to make.</div><p>After Tahoma, we drove north through Renton and Bellevue using the 405 to the 5 into Everett where we found our spot at the Hampton Inn Seattle/Everett. Linda and I settled in as the Andersons made their way north to meet us.</p><p>Once everyone arrived and got settled in we all loaded into the Kia (including Lucy, Julia's friend who lives a bit north of Everett), picked up some Taco Time food, and made our way to Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, WA. We watched people and enjoyed our dinner as the sun set.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZr41U5tOxF0yn81GOQzz1sVNldSyrrf2Ggq2vZFODZ3EluWzf2JnbGFOMIoELDRiegmsOb2dBO7jGTUIqh96XDsY1BFSZES_10ng7TAtmWsvns8Gmo_JsT7Kq5VsEf-l2t6xJOYcGZOMuPYe4Nn76f0EHp9GT6EJO1FKyLcd4rlLXeJsIcB7Wjw/s640/20230824_120708.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZr41U5tOxF0yn81GOQzz1sVNldSyrrf2Ggq2vZFODZ3EluWzf2JnbGFOMIoELDRiegmsOb2dBO7jGTUIqh96XDsY1BFSZES_10ng7TAtmWsvns8Gmo_JsT7Kq5VsEf-l2t6xJOYcGZOMuPYe4Nn76f0EHp9GT6EJO1FKyLcd4rlLXeJsIcB7Wjw/s320/20230824_120708.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Uncle Jake.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>The next morning, we had breakfast provided by the hotel and went for a walk around the area with Rayelle and Mike. Linda and Rayelle discovered a Goodwill thrift store and headed there after our walk. Later that afternoon after Lucy got back to the hotel from work, we drove to Northgate Mall at the Northgate Station. We parked our car and purchased tickets on the #1 train into Seattle.<p></p><p>The train was packed with Seattle Mariners fans and we all went with the flow making our way to T-Mobile Park. This was the first part of our doubleheader. The Mariners were playing the Royals and were in contention for first place in their division.</p><p>We found our way to our seats and they were great! Just as we got settled, the game started and the first batter came to the plate. J. P. Crawford stood at home plate and smacked a home run! What a start!</p><p>The game was a bit of a battle with Seattle getting the lead and then the Royals coming back, but in the end, the Mariners won the game. It was also fireworks night at the park, so we stayed put and watched a wonderful fireworks display. We had a blast! (Excuse the pun.)</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2GinQTv6jj4oFY0tUyK-RuXuDcg_lhV7RRJ1Dz6yCglMvEvN2rcl057w0zy0fE8Au10cVva9Z7HSO-QalPDBz6EEMwJ3tPpoBk6kHdC0v8deZn0x6W9MPHbYWIq0GlmvjG--94bppJUKB9uOhAuVGw1Ya-93X9tcbtucgHCgexW9p54P9GK3wg/s640/20230824_194521.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2GinQTv6jj4oFY0tUyK-RuXuDcg_lhV7RRJ1Dz6yCglMvEvN2rcl057w0zy0fE8Au10cVva9Z7HSO-QalPDBz6EEMwJ3tPpoBk6kHdC0v8deZn0x6W9MPHbYWIq0GlmvjG--94bppJUKB9uOhAuVGw1Ya-93X9tcbtucgHCgexW9p54P9GK3wg/s320/20230824_194521.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo WA.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Afterward, we all gathered together and walked with swarms of baseball fans back to the #1 Train. Mike and I were amazed at how well the light rail system worked. They can move thousands of people to the interior of the city and out with very little stopping and waiting. We moved consistently towards our hotel and were back to our room at 1:30 AM.<p></p><p>The next day was super nice and everyone was looking forward to the second part of our doubleheader, the big concert! The ladies, Julia, Lucy, Rayelle, and Linda had tickets to the Ed Sheeran concert at Lumen Field. Mike and I were going to stay home and relax.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgkGrc9Xlm_tmYWUClkCvee2djb9xCAEaa8TG753k-QQJoQuIrwGBmHSvqLhRXG1Y99-SMPBlFlkViHqMmZEZjMn6eVRhwMAFQf9YxQSHz5cIavmdL5L0zTkAuLQWK7jcr8iHYBIisPWV2kpwjUO7QFlZ02a77im_0qDOikOURwV0a6RjDUXFtw/s640/20230825_123351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgkGrc9Xlm_tmYWUClkCvee2djb9xCAEaa8TG753k-QQJoQuIrwGBmHSvqLhRXG1Y99-SMPBlFlkViHqMmZEZjMn6eVRhwMAFQf9YxQSHz5cIavmdL5L0zTkAuLQWK7jcr8iHYBIisPWV2kpwjUO7QFlZ02a77im_0qDOikOURwV0a6RjDUXFtw/s320/20230825_123351.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wall art in Everett, WA.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Our relaxation became a bit of a joke when someone suggested that we could spend the time that the ladies were watching Ed sing, at the strip clubs of Seattle. Linda even paid Mike for our Mariners tickets using 100 one-dollar bills. She handed him the pile and said "Make it rain, Mike!"<p></p><p>We loaded up again and drove to Northgate Mall at the Northgate Station. We got our tickets again and rode the #1 Train into Westlake Center and walked down to Pike Street. There we took in the crowd. We watched the Fish Tossers by the big Pig. We did some shopping and then had lunch at The Athenian Restaurant and Bar overlooking the water from Pike Place Market. Once that was done we did some more shopping. The ladies went to the concert and Mike and I went back to Everett where we ate dinner and returned to our rooms. No strip clubs for us! </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84kuLz8uLiHKDPH02nqZsq-CONF_LNnU05WIJiOslWdynXpS-2oTGKvdx9y5jQZym-N_aPhwbMtHiCNuQeGxFg2txHvQUGBCaQZhilxbeZw0rqiCg2GkQXWG1tNiGCADFhb9yvuZjN4qyl1lLUNq8ck1xgMqaM4VpgPbTrYkx79bT5Smk-4XhLg/s640/20230825_190212.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84kuLz8uLiHKDPH02nqZsq-CONF_LNnU05WIJiOslWdynXpS-2oTGKvdx9y5jQZym-N_aPhwbMtHiCNuQeGxFg2txHvQUGBCaQZhilxbeZw0rqiCg2GkQXWG1tNiGCADFhb9yvuZjN4qyl1lLUNq8ck1xgMqaM4VpgPbTrYkx79bT5Smk-4XhLg/s320/20230825_190212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Walking into T-Mobile Park for the<br />Mariners vs. Royals game.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Linda had a great time at the concert. There were 77,000 fans in attendance and it was very crowded. They were part of a record-breaking crowd at Lumen Field. The light rail did its job and got everyone home. I was asleep when Linda returned. She told me all about the concert the next morning: Ed Sheeran was amazing, Ben Haggerty (otherwise known as Macklemore and a native of Seattle) made a surprise visit and sang a couple of songs, and the crowd was LOUD and lots of fun.<p></p><p>We got up early on Sunday morning, had a great breakfast, and were on our way. We had a wonderful weekend filled with laughing and exploring. The drive home was uneventful, but our weekend doubleheader was a blast!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WDFs4gMnKXI705xoE2A4CgV4zorsgIlbFyYcuD8Ydp9UEgTorGDPzZhVdhXL8eOCIYZlrwyzufY3bPG7nKfmLM9fUTCbqewNYbXHB8U_aQs_Ien4Fwt_1vjYkd335ahXtVVA29DLkciucD7Gt8tB4u3P6s1XCH938lb070MJZ6LnrQVho8VtjA/s640/20230825_191603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WDFs4gMnKXI705xoE2A4CgV4zorsgIlbFyYcuD8Ydp9UEgTorGDPzZhVdhXL8eOCIYZlrwyzufY3bPG7nKfmLM9fUTCbqewNYbXHB8U_aQs_Ien4Fwt_1vjYkd335ahXtVVA29DLkciucD7Gt8tB4u3P6s1XCH938lb070MJZ6LnrQVho8VtjA/s320/20230825_191603.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Baseball selfie.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_mHCPCrIjTufQltodw4NzK21C32J7j6B2BpY76V2OP_Tu-XnyHGE1Db0vib6qeS6bqyzUVqHL4E6THQLZy8uVjjFa_i5oYDah7Y7T-v0_kymlm7mGmoTpepdCLRE7V1whfvXbl34BclX7PecQl0RV7NYBJ9EJfobZVEGmWG9x5w7LBpEu1yfjw/s640/IMG_0548.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_mHCPCrIjTufQltodw4NzK21C32J7j6B2BpY76V2OP_Tu-XnyHGE1Db0vib6qeS6bqyzUVqHL4E6THQLZy8uVjjFa_i5oYDah7Y7T-v0_kymlm7mGmoTpepdCLRE7V1whfvXbl34BclX7PecQl0RV7NYBJ9EJfobZVEGmWG9x5w7LBpEu1yfjw/s320/IMG_0548.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Julia, Lucy, Rayelle, Mike,<br />Linda and guess who?</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7AF7IWlGWNi48Ym2J_3ef9_PM2MEcxWOs1hOV-TUp8_6kWSPXM8KWBrw-22NpCSg2s4pVgGSEVzgIubjVWQnTClpDWv97VZ21sYnozVINq8eOmA5_cmIRlU4Xu34d0muIiGpm_gecuhniVXqv7d5y4nf7-MjUq4tZT8-NchKBh6TTtyvz1Ocrw/s640/Resized_1000001806_260072304341246.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7AF7IWlGWNi48Ym2J_3ef9_PM2MEcxWOs1hOV-TUp8_6kWSPXM8KWBrw-22NpCSg2s4pVgGSEVzgIubjVWQnTClpDWv97VZ21sYnozVINq8eOmA5_cmIRlU4Xu34d0muIiGpm_gecuhniVXqv7d5y4nf7-MjUq4tZT8-NchKBh6TTtyvz1Ocrw/s320/Resized_1000001806_260072304341246.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The troop just after the fireworks,<br />We are heading home.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQ8ZY_-aKTifdBZMN27orlEK193ennO_U19DoUnful9S7SI0wPRhMryuA3Rftp524gJk-srp2h6vw0R52P_3SN4cgBLxjRf5HDDd5qeJar6h0GCKV6iMD4jIgZ-x5FDpM27W_HPx8zMhCBtisWxgi1NPmkWiLPFQY1xhZYDYSTVKstST32N4OZQ/s640/Resized_1000001784_221380248127845.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQ8ZY_-aKTifdBZMN27orlEK193ennO_U19DoUnful9S7SI0wPRhMryuA3Rftp524gJk-srp2h6vw0R52P_3SN4cgBLxjRf5HDDd5qeJar6h0GCKV6iMD4jIgZ-x5FDpM27W_HPx8zMhCBtisWxgi1NPmkWiLPFQY1xhZYDYSTVKstST32N4OZQ/s320/Resized_1000001784_221380248127845.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One hundred $1's. Make it rain!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gGLpDgcSJH7xIcYPxL-q-Wk2RuVMKrM7-385cmoSyO5qAd5Zur8OLUQY3j2HUV68mcfjxbvl0acXMNqpmB9MK0Vk-FJI8zmtEIkRP207TaFbmSlXw7qC8PslxdAWqejO1hduLBpYVXfYlfm7vgyK3VHCQ5hpCJnllCVbJ_O2-qoWKsS9skrLwA/s640/Resized_1000001835_285042819799232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="640" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gGLpDgcSJH7xIcYPxL-q-Wk2RuVMKrM7-385cmoSyO5qAd5Zur8OLUQY3j2HUV68mcfjxbvl0acXMNqpmB9MK0Vk-FJI8zmtEIkRP207TaFbmSlXw7qC8PslxdAWqejO1hduLBpYVXfYlfm7vgyK3VHCQ5hpCJnllCVbJ_O2-qoWKsS9skrLwA/s320/Resized_1000001835_285042819799232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhsGM8QJ6yrrAQgG6smt4ApWXyh7hYPV0mhcY7G7f6ckqizGhkImBgJhf7zLYvbPvCfZDoOtNutGnmxjLuIoRJTLGNaNMgkoF7GkMgPCEl14D_LFF_Qcdf6IPIecgsEynIyq-lOGbpPy8DC81PukXJuur73d2MphmrJ6vwMA4vGRPMHQMQvXK3A/s640/20230826_141226.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhsGM8QJ6yrrAQgG6smt4ApWXyh7hYPV0mhcY7G7f6ckqizGhkImBgJhf7zLYvbPvCfZDoOtNutGnmxjLuIoRJTLGNaNMgkoF7GkMgPCEl14D_LFF_Qcdf6IPIecgsEynIyq-lOGbpPy8DC81PukXJuur73d2MphmrJ6vwMA4vGRPMHQMQvXK3A/s320/20230826_141226.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-bakmniG1YjEggILmH74ixmpI3SgEeBE9w1ubm2HiyzEPCEiAufrcFftuQUZqpfo14m3a4k2oBJx1-M_ciD0SAfUmo-jpTFNQM7JmZbx5aQoZTvshtXy7YT82rrnNrPowW3El0Ylc8AeqWILrC-gWKV25FXlbVSRviHof3SeKBQZ9nMUJ3TuXg/s640/20230826_141228.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-bakmniG1YjEggILmH74ixmpI3SgEeBE9w1ubm2HiyzEPCEiAufrcFftuQUZqpfo14m3a4k2oBJx1-M_ciD0SAfUmo-jpTFNQM7JmZbx5aQoZTvshtXy7YT82rrnNrPowW3El0Ylc8AeqWILrC-gWKV25FXlbVSRviHof3SeKBQZ9nMUJ3TuXg/s320/20230826_141228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHv8LLFMXghVuJox9p1NCusM3bED7QzEGb5OR9cyFEyUiU-g1S_AMx3nPjz5UJy7FqoDdGRAxtEo5eNkvjLnTkV6MOee4ljYQOUGj3MEEC0BKjszmHTQLjVj2NYu0Pxoxm5Z5ZFBFRQppqQ4C041K9a5YC5KOtvP_1KlA1EI1OHRNWR3qqmnIfiw/s640/20230826_144111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHv8LLFMXghVuJox9p1NCusM3bED7QzEGb5OR9cyFEyUiU-g1S_AMx3nPjz5UJy7FqoDdGRAxtEo5eNkvjLnTkV6MOee4ljYQOUGj3MEEC0BKjszmHTQLjVj2NYu0Pxoxm5Z5ZFBFRQppqQ4C041K9a5YC5KOtvP_1KlA1EI1OHRNWR3qqmnIfiw/s320/20230826_144111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPwLAy6DYZ0VEofXw9aCuuXeardvo_VffNsdWwCIlUVgjESARvJe72QoSuK-DeRNJLf9d0OEkFy4h-Oh6bHTKlAmlwEyqCH3-riCUJIxs_l46BLOiaRhWS0AZsgGY--HNopjdomt0luTEfLEMiPui4Wvy4SNpIxp0EdXSLBqD4jWL3Ty7Gxr28Q/s640/20230826_170254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPwLAy6DYZ0VEofXw9aCuuXeardvo_VffNsdWwCIlUVgjESARvJe72QoSuK-DeRNJLf9d0OEkFy4h-Oh6bHTKlAmlwEyqCH3-riCUJIxs_l46BLOiaRhWS0AZsgGY--HNopjdomt0luTEfLEMiPui4Wvy4SNpIxp0EdXSLBqD4jWL3Ty7Gxr28Q/s320/20230826_170254.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XHcPr24G7uIF5Uy79--uRFTTuP0KCzD95t8BinlWv3fdnAZsnH8xuChhBGje4gcJR_1w1VAh6KeFe4LmRewFvbY8Oq_axDrHEJosy1pyo0bouI7EAf7R8PUN9uMVj29vgwe9QftsjZHU7RDXcZH8v5xhV_rivesolLIYelgdlrbHVU_Cpu6RbA/s640/20230826_181702.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XHcPr24G7uIF5Uy79--uRFTTuP0KCzD95t8BinlWv3fdnAZsnH8xuChhBGje4gcJR_1w1VAh6KeFe4LmRewFvbY8Oq_axDrHEJosy1pyo0bouI7EAf7R8PUN9uMVj29vgwe9QftsjZHU7RDXcZH8v5xhV_rivesolLIYelgdlrbHVU_Cpu6RbA/s320/20230826_181702.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Concert stage during the opening act.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zAxBwJ5rZHC9HtZA-O8VkZ2OfyLa8m8xI4-gg7lbBdBjeeNVUt4ni-x5egQrJZaMEDwdcXIrPLL4--memY62n2LI-SDVkdlTcXs25aVXUq8G2X-fvxFZ34bdyPL9Qjurj09TURkei3GgBOQuFwPvjZELU6mt56Ul-8nq7Wzb1WifB1Y6m3RtiA/s640/20230826_200102.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zAxBwJ5rZHC9HtZA-O8VkZ2OfyLa8m8xI4-gg7lbBdBjeeNVUt4ni-x5egQrJZaMEDwdcXIrPLL4--memY62n2LI-SDVkdlTcXs25aVXUq8G2X-fvxFZ34bdyPL9Qjurj09TURkei3GgBOQuFwPvjZELU6mt56Ul-8nq7Wzb1WifB1Y6m3RtiA/s320/20230826_200102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ARaASOXbLd9Ffl4KO06vD1a8ChPeMetBL_aowf3eICJYYF1loiwehX2Y8wD_pdaCGEYgEgFDiUwFV5dWytvgSb8tYMhEgYabjkCoTqP0_iN3Fuyc6UEZgG1xnX9BQ2R_2Hj4ELJSjZBj5VcGYwXd5Sncaxax4S63YlH4q5RDTQVCRmSE-gVaQ/s640/20230826_201716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39ARaASOXbLd9Ffl4KO06vD1a8ChPeMetBL_aowf3eICJYYF1loiwehX2Y8wD_pdaCGEYgEgFDiUwFV5dWytvgSb8tYMhEgYabjkCoTqP0_iN3Fuyc6UEZgG1xnX9BQ2R_2Hj4ELJSjZBj5VcGYwXd5Sncaxax4S63YlH4q5RDTQVCRmSE-gVaQ/s320/20230826_201716.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOF1fwNtEPP32y5ol6t99s4BqJlVDmaB3HvPH-AM9Yinh53wbIJUD-O7CbTySW_kPVQLR83zvzRV_XXZhwdURKydtNPNcYOcQ-wobRbDTvPp1pGnelD0_VoegQsB4xeXY7j6Ngiyo903qCcMorAV-pzHMF07__-t0cLLR2S1CoaBNIXYwcL-lLA/s640/20230826_221053.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOF1fwNtEPP32y5ol6t99s4BqJlVDmaB3HvPH-AM9Yinh53wbIJUD-O7CbTySW_kPVQLR83zvzRV_XXZhwdURKydtNPNcYOcQ-wobRbDTvPp1pGnelD0_VoegQsB4xeXY7j6Ngiyo903qCcMorAV-pzHMF07__-t0cLLR2S1CoaBNIXYwcL-lLA/s320/20230826_221053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-50929978387224619122023-08-19T15:34:00.000-07:002023-08-19T15:34:00.576-07:00Beaver Creek, Hot Again<p>Linda and I just returned from another camping adventure up at Priest Lake. We shared a camp spot with Rayelle, Mike, and Julia Anderson at Beaver Creek Campground on the lake's Northwest side.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjHLmiAWYAL4qPKWEcumBEUFOFKI5s35j62bafvS0RXjI1jG7rfPMudKu_E9I859d-wkIDnNz1hTLyY2BImY8EmegQU5D-Gdt5cVv05Nt1zeblDIE-Ag-m-JxCTFWlG6P5b2WWpD7uIcMYUffvQQo63d-Eusfm5LEoS8G3oOfB5myRNfOaqrSag/s640/20230812_162729.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjHLmiAWYAL4qPKWEcumBEUFOFKI5s35j62bafvS0RXjI1jG7rfPMudKu_E9I859d-wkIDnNz1hTLyY2BImY8EmegQU5D-Gdt5cVv05Nt1zeblDIE-Ag-m-JxCTFWlG6P5b2WWpD7uIcMYUffvQQo63d-Eusfm5LEoS8G3oOfB5myRNfOaqrSag/s320/20230812_162729.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We met the Andersons up at Spirit Lake, followed each other to our spot, and were set up and at the water by 4:00 PM. We had a great spot reserved in a campsite where there was shade most all day and not too many people around us. It was busy (we were camping over a weekend which is something we normally don't do), but most folks followed the campground rules and were very nice.<div><br /></div><div>This trip was relatively peaceful, though there was one camp group that kept their dog locked in a cage all day and he was not happy about that. The dog kept howling. He was very sad and lonesome, but the owners were boating all day. After the first night, they moved their campsite to a spot a distance away and we couldn't hear the poor dog for the rest of our stay. We felt so badly for him.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAtKkCMW_pnvH-CxLwlZHEXmmrHkaTF3hvCRh-dHAEA9LYrmfz3aUqaBbljZXAdJPWLZlUg7ZkzU-2OVrD-p8f1fqRJepfLmcMgsA1ZVBJXtCtcOfZh8jV-H38f4AejAahpzEVroKilRv7tdaYE1XFBtoOWmxqqHZdrqt2-AP5agIvJqJ3tK_Uw/s640/20230814_101822.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAtKkCMW_pnvH-CxLwlZHEXmmrHkaTF3hvCRh-dHAEA9LYrmfz3aUqaBbljZXAdJPWLZlUg7ZkzU-2OVrD-p8f1fqRJepfLmcMgsA1ZVBJXtCtcOfZh8jV-H38f4AejAahpzEVroKilRv7tdaYE1XFBtoOWmxqqHZdrqt2-AP5agIvJqJ3tK_Uw/s320/20230814_101822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our time at the campground was spent laying in the shade and playing in the water, playing cards and reading. We had great dinners each night and Mike made his usual big breakfast on our second day there. During the evening we played Skip-Bo and enjoyed talking and laughing.</p><p>Sunday, I took a walk down the Lakeshore Trail to Teacher Bay while everyone else was down at the beach. It was hot and I was ready to swim when I got back to camp. </p><p>Before we called it an evening, Linda and I went for an evening swim. There was no one down at the beach at that time so cooling off was wonderful.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJihzxvAIXGT1OJ0-nCcaGTQEnBlIju1btHhxRMCUeJNHi_CiwNS_4jJw6KNtLrxAQ3gpWzd6ITZ0oOpS39gziVWGukr5QygpWdqLE7gQkj6KdasDlaJRXbriwO3nSeK2kFHaXVyiie2Muq27yOaNZnBlDm_-qXJvWbfX7NG1dUdzeot3Z7tZ0Q/s640/20230814_101826.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJihzxvAIXGT1OJ0-nCcaGTQEnBlIju1btHhxRMCUeJNHi_CiwNS_4jJw6KNtLrxAQ3gpWzd6ITZ0oOpS39gziVWGukr5QygpWdqLE7gQkj6KdasDlaJRXbriwO3nSeK2kFHaXVyiie2Muq27yOaNZnBlDm_-qXJvWbfX7NG1dUdzeot3Z7tZ0Q/s320/20230814_101826.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On Monday afternoon the Andersons had to pack up and go home. Rayelle had an all-faculty NIC meeting she could not miss. We were sad to see them go.<p></p><p>Monday night was quiet. There was no breeze to speak of, so again we went swimming before bed. </p><p>Tuesday morning we packed up and drove home. The trip was short but fun. Now we are hunkered down. It's over 100 degrees outside and it looks like it is staying hot for the next four or five days. Thank goodness for the air conditioner we put in last summer.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzNg_9sljW1sSnh96njfz3i2yrvA9fOO6w0d2DK8zLw1kQSsYOjAqyVqkiDeIDmNR31X-bBLu_0arQ7g138WFIaEXDfUCSjkIrtPTp26D5IawjsYaVGD_LRTvSQaWnlGKFnmouO1EH50C9rdm1dszTbAHEg-FSpqzKaL-cw3dxi6zTUJ0qLQVjg/s640/Resized_1000001702_6771912620347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzNg_9sljW1sSnh96njfz3i2yrvA9fOO6w0d2DK8zLw1kQSsYOjAqyVqkiDeIDmNR31X-bBLu_0arQ7g138WFIaEXDfUCSjkIrtPTp26D5IawjsYaVGD_LRTvSQaWnlGKFnmouO1EH50C9rdm1dszTbAHEg-FSpqzKaL-cw3dxi6zTUJ0qLQVjg/s320/Resized_1000001702_6771912620347.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Bomb!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXzGI6ioKcSO7wQGSbAuHfHd4qC5OV5VIlAU8o5RfGXzaPSJYdLmtJci34YrEgdbdyLvxjo6jq1nScowkqGnmf7oEiVnm7JViHs2fNjLdzftm5mpTnj13uJlRUwpoLCQfHT45envl5M1YAbrCnN49MbTfLS9f6kargGjfd6aMRr0PUvc3nRCxSw/s640/20230813_191731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXzGI6ioKcSO7wQGSbAuHfHd4qC5OV5VIlAU8o5RfGXzaPSJYdLmtJci34YrEgdbdyLvxjo6jq1nScowkqGnmf7oEiVnm7JViHs2fNjLdzftm5mpTnj13uJlRUwpoLCQfHT45envl5M1YAbrCnN49MbTfLS9f6kargGjfd6aMRr0PUvc3nRCxSw/s320/20230813_191731.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old chimney left from beach cabin.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLb3dQiFH7wF83_LAynKDoKtoaxaf3i9QZ58L2w2NHa9X7-4pe4ibQc5OtrQweCCWMW9yslcKIB2m_BoN-y6x6TSIWEvRe49mAIZiYXFwAZqshX9K8g7HMOI1QY-xa68sKW0EwBM6StknTbuKIp3fH7pzGz_fnwwgnNVBi5ZRqlQT-zleqd2SGA/s640/Resized_1000001753_6712193986621.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLb3dQiFH7wF83_LAynKDoKtoaxaf3i9QZ58L2w2NHa9X7-4pe4ibQc5OtrQweCCWMW9yslcKIB2m_BoN-y6x6TSIWEvRe49mAIZiYXFwAZqshX9K8g7HMOI1QY-xa68sKW0EwBM6StknTbuKIp3fH7pzGz_fnwwgnNVBi5ZRqlQT-zleqd2SGA/s320/Resized_1000001753_6712193986621.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great camping team!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwo4RPSW_l7e6CQ5O07zJsXTyB1w4iRichyjkYNZR2vd8g-3xCAWOkG7YcSxJOJMgpjBtxlMMhlcEbGDwsRnBJyWHckEZQCeiUW5KuQhH5Iyy0P7KsPNSfJNPbCMy9l3ZyZIekXdUwWxqShgeitiZsOB9VR7y9YlowQt03644RVKdKidc6nd2jhQ/s640/20230814_083443.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwo4RPSW_l7e6CQ5O07zJsXTyB1w4iRichyjkYNZR2vd8g-3xCAWOkG7YcSxJOJMgpjBtxlMMhlcEbGDwsRnBJyWHckEZQCeiUW5KuQhH5Iyy0P7KsPNSfJNPbCMy9l3ZyZIekXdUwWxqShgeitiZsOB9VR7y9YlowQt03644RVKdKidc6nd2jhQ/s320/20230814_083443.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening calm on Priest Lake.</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-88197074607619732392023-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:002023-08-06T09:53:10.537-07:00Urban Adventure<p>After waiting in anticipation, Saturday night finally arrived. Our friends Mike, Rayelle, and Julia Anderson were taking us to the Festival at Sandpoint to see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_(band)" target="_blank">Train</a> with the opening act, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Than_Ezra" target="_blank">Better Than Ezra</a>.</p><p>Our group consisted of the Andersons, the Bennetts, Lexi (Julia's friend), and Ron and Sharon (Rayell's Brother and sister-in-law.) This was our first time attending a concert at the Festival.</p><p>We drove up to Sandpoint at about 2:30 PM and wound around the streets of southeast Sandpoint finding a spot to park. As we wandered, we passed a sailboat parked in front of a house, and low and behold, Jon Totten and Terry Brinton were standing there as we moved past. I waved and shouted hello. Within a couple of seconds, Jon texted me and said to stop by once we got parked.</p><p>Mike found a great parking spot and we then took our chairs and blankets over and claimed our spot in line. Julia and Lexi held our spot and the rest of us walked over to the house where we had spotted Totten. The house was directly across the street from the concert venue. Jon lives there in the summer.</p><p>We went inside and talked for about 45 minutes; Jon told stories and everyone laughed. He has experienced so much and is a great orator. The band did a sound check and we all looked at each other and said "Why did we buy tickets?" The sound was so good. This house would be a great place to listen to concerts.</p><p>After a while, we said our goodbyes and made our way back to our spot in line. Julia and Lexi did a great job. The Andersons ordered pizza that was delivered to Mike across the street from the park. Soon after enjoying our pizza, we were on the move to claim our next spot, in the concert venue. It was a big rush and we were a bit overwhelmed, but we got a good spot and had plenty of room to listen to the concert and watch a little of the action on stage.</p><p>Better Than Ezra came on stage at 7:30 PM and did a good job of warming up the crowd. We had listened to their hits the day before the concert and they turned out to be a good opening band. Their sound was a little distorted at times, but what opening band ever gets a perfect sound?</p><p>With the crowd warmed up, and Ezra off stage, we waited for Train to take over. At 9:00 PM Train appeared on stage and they were amazing. Linda and Rayelle headed to the stand-and-dance mosh pit area in front of the stage. They spent the whole concert there. Linda said she sang and danced like she was in her 20s</p><p>I have to say that the lead singer for Train, Pat Monahan, has an amazing voice. Very Impressive!</p><p>It was a great show and we enjoyed every song.</p><p>Thank you, Rayelle and Mike, for giving us our first Festival at Sandpoint experience.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRNk3BzCZLgzIpol4uTL71w-8xl6nA0Rw7yKnIuix1Ri_S3KzP8VWGIor2Qix8QOXv8_ZWFLR2pntzf52l6XC4UQVnjJHM7VN3WYNENJUi-ZMDSetNPh4FK8eXbtSJ_l5rX1qQ2uFiSSf5pXoDvEnqE54QUZ1zGj2BfnRz2_MFVF7w4Z92lhRyA/s640/20230729_170730.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRNk3BzCZLgzIpol4uTL71w-8xl6nA0Rw7yKnIuix1Ri_S3KzP8VWGIor2Qix8QOXv8_ZWFLR2pntzf52l6XC4UQVnjJHM7VN3WYNENJUi-ZMDSetNPh4FK8eXbtSJ_l5rX1qQ2uFiSSf5pXoDvEnqE54QUZ1zGj2BfnRz2_MFVF7w4Z92lhRyA/s320/20230729_170730.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the gates to open.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v4vmHIaNMq_4Upm8WOi9_u3X5bRV0llPXhr9tl1TbxkLNMp1UEwVNv_CADK1oMLasvQkz1pMZsewriVjHsFgrCMC_kPGIv5t1us0Czw_3raNVC1XePjzR6jnSTHGLb4kPF0yXNl-_FaxxgyMQLwnudao_5pRjOvJXGoNifRmau1FSZyaMQQGkw/s640/Resized_20230729_200531.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5v4vmHIaNMq_4Upm8WOi9_u3X5bRV0llPXhr9tl1TbxkLNMp1UEwVNv_CADK1oMLasvQkz1pMZsewriVjHsFgrCMC_kPGIv5t1us0Czw_3raNVC1XePjzR6jnSTHGLb4kPF0yXNl-_FaxxgyMQLwnudao_5pRjOvJXGoNifRmau1FSZyaMQQGkw/s320/Resized_20230729_200531.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little nest.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdYvVn1qKeevAJMJCwZiMFfdDbONdWe_3e3vYJw4z3T95Uh6cmTAZyS6Bp_zPvwaQo49q-_42PPgm4p2ZqZhQZWx1c73AWhEsUHdK5A3nAUDL1aAIEIC6aqw-479Bo47jzc_Z_ovMZuZ6inCYUXEi9ggRkxcttxkFVJLTjbSVd06u2oJbilB7xQ/s640/20230729_181426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdYvVn1qKeevAJMJCwZiMFfdDbONdWe_3e3vYJw4z3T95Uh6cmTAZyS6Bp_zPvwaQo49q-_42PPgm4p2ZqZhQZWx1c73AWhEsUHdK5A3nAUDL1aAIEIC6aqw-479Bo47jzc_Z_ovMZuZ6inCYUXEi9ggRkxcttxkFVJLTjbSVd06u2oJbilB7xQ/s320/20230729_181426.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A concert groupie.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pQRanoEFziuWV4-M1ANMWclOV0SnuACaLhmeZMZAjxo5IWdUYpKD_-x-__ZOcTNI7mKWivhDG87Qe-HYacb13YF2ThYibn4GNgw5opbQN8a_oQmsbl1bOMRwTHRlYs8i_HfNI3bX2ASn1Dn3WIuHrevxJjpFWngwOS0k4Kp9qfIBJ81AgrjGWg/s640/20230729_193748.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pQRanoEFziuWV4-M1ANMWclOV0SnuACaLhmeZMZAjxo5IWdUYpKD_-x-__ZOcTNI7mKWivhDG87Qe-HYacb13YF2ThYibn4GNgw5opbQN8a_oQmsbl1bOMRwTHRlYs8i_HfNI3bX2ASn1Dn3WIuHrevxJjpFWngwOS0k4Kp9qfIBJ81AgrjGWg/s320/20230729_193748.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better Than Ezra.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFxA00Cg8GDhijUQ4gDnmq7TJQ_YfmoSGhvPhi639lfWUW6thmMyuCQ9KJ1epVFsOo1OtpoAJQgnG7MSsyL4lzDe8KtyJt-AGFCrON2BWLCKu0GYYhLw0qLqGM96IRWcvGy2oOvR7pkxzOUyRfKb8M-usR4XDVt0Tc1OdHkpBZgKj1r5BKbvGWQ/s640/20230729_193844.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFxA00Cg8GDhijUQ4gDnmq7TJQ_YfmoSGhvPhi639lfWUW6thmMyuCQ9KJ1epVFsOo1OtpoAJQgnG7MSsyL4lzDe8KtyJt-AGFCrON2BWLCKu0GYYhLw0qLqGM96IRWcvGy2oOvR7pkxzOUyRfKb8M-usR4XDVt0Tc1OdHkpBZgKj1r5BKbvGWQ/s320/20230729_193844.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebuShm8mpnEfP2g5BE2Sv-skfIkqRGlQjHofU0-vECZWql8sB1F_K3SOnll2aHULAY4vjIdM0plwt5NVVwJckiDMLawi9FHAu78hsPsES8RENLHX4whYkede572FqM3hsfVkAqsoA2Z6LOiOAA2zc81CNHp9ZIATisTS8jvuNcOlxl3wmd9iSUA/s640/Resized_20230729_210345.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebuShm8mpnEfP2g5BE2Sv-skfIkqRGlQjHofU0-vECZWql8sB1F_K3SOnll2aHULAY4vjIdM0plwt5NVVwJckiDMLawi9FHAu78hsPsES8RENLHX4whYkede572FqM3hsfVkAqsoA2Z6LOiOAA2zc81CNHp9ZIATisTS8jvuNcOlxl3wmd9iSUA/s320/Resized_20230729_210345.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let the party begin!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxC5uGf4X41ri4m-bw2maDASPo4JoPcov7HP-m4FlvQwqSzKbKUlSMTteoYu77ZGb1O3F8ZrHM_vqNji-P09wPM7JEi2DwAmPzT-7EIk-ytbx9RJQv7l26lwERAPulUCWbfQR1HwnPcvuehWiSXsTFTeEAL0-XBh4gHZlojY5JrsaArw_0vp3gA/s593/IMG_0307(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="593" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxC5uGf4X41ri4m-bw2maDASPo4JoPcov7HP-m4FlvQwqSzKbKUlSMTteoYu77ZGb1O3F8ZrHM_vqNji-P09wPM7JEi2DwAmPzT-7EIk-ytbx9RJQv7l26lwERAPulUCWbfQR1HwnPcvuehWiSXsTFTeEAL0-XBh4gHZlojY5JrsaArw_0vp3gA/s320/IMG_0307(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Pat Monahan, lead singer for Train.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxGq8Aoz7p-ZJee_uqj_wNVoKeZ5xDbn-LKio5kSI3mZRkFnbUUiLQlDks402aLzGyjKuNNCBHc07Q58LMROitlMK1X6ICqKQMXGXMCfjrBOKUiZ1PZQUSuMDHpqTChiuK3ZEJ8xcGBtmhNzmZLYt7VVdRv55U20cya-_DrqDRb2VGcfP4HSjUg/s640/20230729_221748.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqxGq8Aoz7p-ZJee_uqj_wNVoKeZ5xDbn-LKio5kSI3mZRkFnbUUiLQlDks402aLzGyjKuNNCBHc07Q58LMROitlMK1X6ICqKQMXGXMCfjrBOKUiZ1PZQUSuMDHpqTChiuK3ZEJ8xcGBtmhNzmZLYt7VVdRv55U20cya-_DrqDRb2VGcfP4HSjUg/s320/20230729_221748.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Z1MCKkJKk7SLNOsgE3GlM8FpK9mjLkPUjUp9EQyDr4cAujUU7KuYHev3wEVWsTpvZEkD9HM89CW-BLQ81Bi78wzrp_ItUneozE_IE8IVlXIMTQqFhY-HJy5_mr5kWptlVU1mMV-sEq3v4z4yzyZWbrOBu9DS8PLDsU_el3H8XgEArGzd1c0cVw/s640/Resized_20230729_211149_76645665615561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="640" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Z1MCKkJKk7SLNOsgE3GlM8FpK9mjLkPUjUp9EQyDr4cAujUU7KuYHev3wEVWsTpvZEkD9HM89CW-BLQ81Bi78wzrp_ItUneozE_IE8IVlXIMTQqFhY-HJy5_mr5kWptlVU1mMV-sEq3v4z4yzyZWbrOBu9DS8PLDsU_el3H8XgEArGzd1c0cVw/s320/Resized_20230729_211149_76645665615561.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ub41oa6eOHXJIavtd2pmz-Li88e8Gsc7pYcgQx5X2qMUHXy1jwvRftqLpbaAPgVIcob5XvtWF5vQd_938lfkchP5y73rPsVl6J0zIhwkEmATmgIVY3G0RGrHeUjz3nxr6bHLh0f6GQ8K939JijI4HMmbooEjMnwZ6DrcNa5nXjRfzW2IZXrMJA/s640/20230729_221819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ub41oa6eOHXJIavtd2pmz-Li88e8Gsc7pYcgQx5X2qMUHXy1jwvRftqLpbaAPgVIcob5XvtWF5vQd_938lfkchP5y73rPsVl6J0zIhwkEmATmgIVY3G0RGrHeUjz3nxr6bHLh0f6GQ8K939JijI4HMmbooEjMnwZ6DrcNa5nXjRfzW2IZXrMJA/s320/20230729_221819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNxtkLmft1ITwv7v40lI5Yfwm17qUWGW4ajW4is74-m6-3-BErMtES3VgvGFNQ-RA8bYDpRZVMO5gqnf-QJf8s7Ou5Tr9yhHt2StseezJoKwLYEDln4PlnO0cVLm1uSKJPAbVMVnydav8oqFeUZJ8FQAQNv7-N3KX8u78SM-tmpkZXwh6pnleDg/s640/IMG_0316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNxtkLmft1ITwv7v40lI5Yfwm17qUWGW4ajW4is74-m6-3-BErMtES3VgvGFNQ-RA8bYDpRZVMO5gqnf-QJf8s7Ou5Tr9yhHt2StseezJoKwLYEDln4PlnO0cVLm1uSKJPAbVMVnydav8oqFeUZJ8FQAQNv7-N3KX8u78SM-tmpkZXwh6pnleDg/s320/IMG_0316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-14093996368097986152023-07-23T16:00:00.004-07:002023-07-23T16:00:39.138-07:00HOT @ Kit Price<p>It's midweek and we had our gear loaded into the camper and ready to roll! This would be the first time we have been up the Coeur d'Alene River in several years. We reserved two spots at Kit Price and would be meeting Rayelle and Mike Anderson for a quick three-night getaway. The only problem was that our area, like all across the US, was, and still is, under a heat wave of epic proportions. We arrived at our campsite and it was a blazing 96 degrees in the shade. I call that HOT.</p><p>We drove up the river road at a leisurely pace. Downriver from Shoshone Creek, we came around a corner and spotted two vehicles stopped in the road. Between the two cars was a yearling moose crossing the road. We stopped and watched as it climbed up the bank and then turned around and trotted back across the road into the brush by the river. Very cool!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga20XcNtmRacdffiu0Yp79V0fHmVP80t-wyCqNOlsW1t3qb3USoMMA4Blc-_z9MIlji75eIXq9sCiIngKi3XKjIwlsAsnUeWCEeoKCzFlCg8z6UpeEVa7Y6WkCO99kyoWr7RaiRDdjPtDIbIpnRdRmKo-h4Fzot6cOkVNotx9jbjKqI904F5XzIg/s640/20230719_180358.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga20XcNtmRacdffiu0Yp79V0fHmVP80t-wyCqNOlsW1t3qb3USoMMA4Blc-_z9MIlji75eIXq9sCiIngKi3XKjIwlsAsnUeWCEeoKCzFlCg8z6UpeEVa7Y6WkCO99kyoWr7RaiRDdjPtDIbIpnRdRmKo-h4Fzot6cOkVNotx9jbjKqI904F5XzIg/s320/20230719_180358.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Linda and I had reserved our spot for a day before the Andersons were to join us to enjoy some time together. Retirement makes that possible and we love to take advantage of every opportunity we can as "mid-weekers." <p></p><p>Our campsite was #17, a good one if you are looking for sunshine. There was no shade anywhere near our spot, We arrived, set up, and immediately hunkered down in the shade of the camper.</p><p>Most of the afternoon was spent reading and sleeping in the shade. At 5:00 PM the sun dropped lower in the sky and we began to notice a slight cool-off. I fixed a couple hot dogs and we had dinner. After we ate, we walked to the main river road and took a stroll downriver. The temperature continued to drop quickly and when we arrived back at the camper, the sun was down and it was very nice. The air had cooled and we sat and played cards until Linda had beaten me twice in Skip-Bo. Nothing I could do, she was on a roll and I got trounced!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqnvS5ye61O4M7MhmrVCCwnVhllPLopa2uZfXK1VBZ6eQMaQqw2u_d_YdgcGfY3XrfjSdmmkpOu3H27kH2U1qX5BQGqu6bYbesrw4HGnJ7fBXGGht4R9be4e1GbAgvxgVCx5iaFO9qPO_72L9ipwBK1z-QFo2XvtXa6GxLO0XSV-eY5zU1ZDCcw/s640/20230719_180342.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqnvS5ye61O4M7MhmrVCCwnVhllPLopa2uZfXK1VBZ6eQMaQqw2u_d_YdgcGfY3XrfjSdmmkpOu3H27kH2U1qX5BQGqu6bYbesrw4HGnJ7fBXGGht4R9be4e1GbAgvxgVCx5iaFO9qPO_72L9ipwBK1z-QFo2XvtXa6GxLO0XSV-eY5zU1ZDCcw/s320/20230719_180342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Darkness enveloped us and the air grew chilly. By the time we went to sleep, it was very comfortable. Midway through the night we both had to crawl under some extra covers. <p></p><p></p>The next morning, we got up and I fixed breakfast. Linda did her walk/run as I enjoyed the cool, quiet morning.<p></p><p>This relaxing temperature stayed with us until about 11:00 AM and then the thermometer made a giant climb into the 90s.</p><p>When the Andersons arrived it was full-on hot again. Mike backed into their camp spot and got set up. Their location had shade. A willow tree blocked the sun in the afternoon. This gave us the option to retreat out of the elements.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbw0kIHYUl2mMOyit4EQFfnk2LvxdDiK1sgjemVLl0Xxc_YMe1BSz780Rj2M4_DpmsjzA0aWgqma0xw38C1-y2kFOPqaCdpKqHlJlOTyU8YZc13Wf1btxF-BuTTXqXuwLxyec6H_WSw7CS8iq9fsfdMWxco_wn_g-y0-8axjBOERIo2OdGeyI5Ww/s640/20230719_182330.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbw0kIHYUl2mMOyit4EQFfnk2LvxdDiK1sgjemVLl0Xxc_YMe1BSz780Rj2M4_DpmsjzA0aWgqma0xw38C1-y2kFOPqaCdpKqHlJlOTyU8YZc13Wf1btxF-BuTTXqXuwLxyec6H_WSw7CS8iq9fsfdMWxco_wn_g-y0-8axjBOERIo2OdGeyI5Ww/s320/20230719_182330.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Once they got set up we sat around in the shade and talked. When the sun got lower we went back to our camper and heated a dinner of pulled pork sliders, fruit, and veggies. We ended with brownies that Rayelle had brought. After dinner, we walked around the campground and talked. The heat had taken its toll, we were beat, and by 9:00 PM we were all ready for bed.<p></p><p>The next morning we had a big breakfast that Mike threw together. We then packed everything up and went to sit in the shade, in the water. We spent the entire day staying cool while checking out the river residents. We caught crawdads, case caddis, and sculpins. I explained fish feeding needs and how that relates to fly fishing to Mike. He listened courteously as I jabbered on. Linda giggled and suggested I stop the lecture. It was a fun afternoon.</p><p>That evening Mike barbequed steaks and chicken for dinner and after the feast, we played cards.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnyB3uakjybabgQQQC3JZmTXYz2qynSyeLuiFiwgIuaqHOLuT7_2yaWbnTWsEBMbxfXLuRyd1p0RcP0yELFtMh103mNY_WSga4IDLJv9NpddhwJB5CDoCBHELzKCdn0IhzY30UzWfC3-0GXtjcvzN1_a2dq6ho7_cgcp1-QiNEJq1tlZWuc57Vw/s640/20230720_083653.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnyB3uakjybabgQQQC3JZmTXYz2qynSyeLuiFiwgIuaqHOLuT7_2yaWbnTWsEBMbxfXLuRyd1p0RcP0yELFtMh103mNY_WSga4IDLJv9NpddhwJB5CDoCBHELzKCdn0IhzY30UzWfC3-0GXtjcvzN1_a2dq6ho7_cgcp1-QiNEJq1tlZWuc57Vw/s320/20230720_083653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Things cooled off nicely and we all went to bed.<p></p><p>The next morning we packed up and drove down the river. As we went, we past flotillas of people on anything that floated drifting down the river. There were hundreds of people slowly moving down that cool ribbon of water.</p><p>We stopped at the Snake Pit Bar in Enaville. There we found a table and had a great lunch. Everything we ordered tasted wonderful and was almost way too much to eat. By the time we departed, the place was packed. We headed out into the heat, said our goodbyes, and headed home. What a great way to spend a few summer days - wonderful friends, a beautiful river, fun times.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZinAdcg_nQwBbwJdhkwws59uPn6w4fHfXRWlClyeNZ_rDaNcs_H2u7Xt_31VGBAFQjB7YVa3gy_HaREeexBZzojfIrKce7fnWGPeB1VL7Go-LBBt-3HsgxdlPJKarSHbX1NVzuRd6nS1KCzw71UJzFEcVlFVG0G8UC9-UeSe6KxN9lsIRsj5lw/s640/20230721_125150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZinAdcg_nQwBbwJdhkwws59uPn6w4fHfXRWlClyeNZ_rDaNcs_H2u7Xt_31VGBAFQjB7YVa3gy_HaREeexBZzojfIrKce7fnWGPeB1VL7Go-LBBt-3HsgxdlPJKarSHbX1NVzuRd6nS1KCzw71UJzFEcVlFVG0G8UC9-UeSe6KxN9lsIRsj5lw/s320/20230721_125150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI9oh6wro2K2XKvv4fVWYkaZYw1CizKd6bZFYMcHvOj0XYkAdg-9_U_h6LOidfEtqxl55pRjpAPtXw9UAHvEw1ussDXgKNrBallhxPYzhsryS0p9u2zcfvaWS4I3y7-R9H0GESsct9Ui2P1u_xpFYfNUkKNMwklmIhsaOIQZqpUSwodVqKgiDQQ/s640/20230721_134121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZI9oh6wro2K2XKvv4fVWYkaZYw1CizKd6bZFYMcHvOj0XYkAdg-9_U_h6LOidfEtqxl55pRjpAPtXw9UAHvEw1ussDXgKNrBallhxPYzhsryS0p9u2zcfvaWS4I3y7-R9H0GESsct9Ui2P1u_xpFYfNUkKNMwklmIhsaOIQZqpUSwodVqKgiDQQ/s320/20230721_134121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHWrYyZVXP5h6xIJHMIsUWOP3G_vocnIoqaa3S37ScY6JBvv2vGyk_J7k-_i0VFBd5niIf7DKdbDhB0hGlHw2yVGo-AZ2MgabNqzRV3qnaf5vB3E6gTRsG1otMxNIT9L6YoNBWntw6j9U4LVYBErOf5iBinOPY1Y1NdR19dZcuV1BFsiQbS0_Og/s640/20230721_135646.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHWrYyZVXP5h6xIJHMIsUWOP3G_vocnIoqaa3S37ScY6JBvv2vGyk_J7k-_i0VFBd5niIf7DKdbDhB0hGlHw2yVGo-AZ2MgabNqzRV3qnaf5vB3E6gTRsG1otMxNIT9L6YoNBWntw6j9U4LVYBErOf5iBinOPY1Y1NdR19dZcuV1BFsiQbS0_Og/s320/20230721_135646.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAzkIXp3Gr-cYJO41HnaXUV9XkgeEOMdLzD3bG9zx_NufdaaNCiEWdmy6L5qYj4DkB52L4YXl2CqWoJPkhPG4NnpvEHYOUwVkAWncFna_3uvuNaLnWzDs1O-nqG8KOmklNbJFZ3Yx1fedGcr96J1EWFvtn3dpKKjL5N_3pT9SfyQ2Mq5r39BiIw/s640/20230721_153957.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAzkIXp3Gr-cYJO41HnaXUV9XkgeEOMdLzD3bG9zx_NufdaaNCiEWdmy6L5qYj4DkB52L4YXl2CqWoJPkhPG4NnpvEHYOUwVkAWncFna_3uvuNaLnWzDs1O-nqG8KOmklNbJFZ3Yx1fedGcr96J1EWFvtn3dpKKjL5N_3pT9SfyQ2Mq5r39BiIw/s320/20230721_153957.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUfNS7dwKmGAurU9m63_Orm3Qzw_uP3XKfvPbYim1fZhjLnLY1g0wnXoXkNzkH-F3LvljtcVPYBnCpi_ds_AJjGzIwz8qfR2fbhZiAKE69OfpSPwhXu0jWGsrFU4Dod_Dbzu-jdRY7onV284MzDThCQpyT1vnObuI5HtPKV49VRzh9Cn_rjq0YA/s640/20230722_064040.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUfNS7dwKmGAurU9m63_Orm3Qzw_uP3XKfvPbYim1fZhjLnLY1g0wnXoXkNzkH-F3LvljtcVPYBnCpi_ds_AJjGzIwz8qfR2fbhZiAKE69OfpSPwhXu0jWGsrFU4Dod_Dbzu-jdRY7onV284MzDThCQpyT1vnObuI5HtPKV49VRzh9Cn_rjq0YA/s320/20230722_064040.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EQ1EkqQdrt3TCUZSV6q-Sb7uHRC2lsQEPh2LkAMvlFXIuKa09cXf44FXXUqZcGZZb5A6JWDf2HwBmeF2inDSGWoP20Xv5W8M1WMfBSkCiEkUZQcNiAOmP96mA35Jcho78bt6IIw2wsgzjMIciIoit6TWw4dEm0dKW-6_mdc6unw5KSHNQU4Ggg/s640/IMG_0079.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EQ1EkqQdrt3TCUZSV6q-Sb7uHRC2lsQEPh2LkAMvlFXIuKa09cXf44FXXUqZcGZZb5A6JWDf2HwBmeF2inDSGWoP20Xv5W8M1WMfBSkCiEkUZQcNiAOmP96mA35Jcho78bt6IIw2wsgzjMIciIoit6TWw4dEm0dKW-6_mdc6unw5KSHNQU4Ggg/s320/IMG_0079.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-59527544562367489722023-07-23T13:16:00.000-07:002023-07-23T13:16:03.480-07:00Life Changes<p>When I posted my last write-up about our Alaska cruise, I had forgotten that I had alluded to a "bitter-sweet change" in the week following our return from Oregon. In our last post, I failed to explain that statement and one of our good frie<span style="font-family: inherit;">nds called me on it. Jacque asked, "Dean! What was the "bittersweet" cliffhanger from your last post???" Here is the entire story.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPME1ONYP40skCvGaEtCewGbnyTqzdpILA8XGOBv0XJpQP95qpQN3XJD05sAxd1tggcHnOwfD0DiyZ3op5vvavBsII239nMkmHf76Gv0djPufR9vKphKKyofUcwV0RRzZ1fmVfMywDcWUzuomn72IqHPzUwW8ByySKeebaP1rlbnvMBvqmyaQgQ/s2304/100_1153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPME1ONYP40skCvGaEtCewGbnyTqzdpILA8XGOBv0XJpQP95qpQN3XJD05sAxd1tggcHnOwfD0DiyZ3op5vvavBsII239nMkmHf76Gv0djPufR9vKphKKyofUcwV0RRzZ1fmVfMywDcWUzuomn72IqHPzUwW8ByySKeebaP1rlbnvMBvqmyaQgQ/s320/100_1153.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Prior to leaving for Oregon, Linda and I sat down and had a heart-to-heart dealing with one of our favorite adventures, river running. If you look back at this diary of our adventures, you will find that we have taken many trips on whitewater. Prior to my creating this blog we ventured on rivers all over Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Idaho. Our weekends were filled with exciting runs down spectacular rivers. Our friend base was built around river running and we met and enjoyed a ton of amazing people. For a long time, it was a huge part of our life.<p></p><p>As time went by our family priorities changed and we discovered new ways to explore the world around us. Our river trips went from every weekend to a couple times a month, then to three times a year to once a summer. We were getting older with more responsibilities and new interests. </p><p>After our float down the Lower Salmon River in August of 2022, we talked about how our lives have changed and how few river trips we had taken in the past several years. The topic of my age and physical health was a large part of the conversation. We looked back at the past two river trips and evaluated how I had fared on the river and in camp. I admitted that it was getting harder to do all the tasks needed to get Linda and myself safely down the river and comfortable in camp. I had to ask myself one question. If we had an accident and I was thrown out of the boat, could I rescue myself and swim back to our boat and climb into it quickly. At this point, probably not. With two knee replacements and numerous other factors, it would definitely be a problem.</p><p>Linda admitted that she was slowing down a bit which made the adventures more of a challenge. When she returned home last August it took her a little longer to bounce back. Again, Linda was not the concern. I rowed the boat, so we needed to feel good about my abilities to keep us out of trouble and make good runs.</p><p>This was one of the hardest conversations we had ever had. After the past two adventures, we talked at length about how I felt, how long it took for me to recover, and should we try to keep rafting in the future.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2-8HOoWXKr90NvUomsDV-ur9HiwQnYTWngGlJ2nd8QARiup2osrNaFhSch-l3v9P9WGllEjcEAczLf2v4B0cUZqYqu_mGd9qQ7YEI0KopCfmZehTlAje6ueaDlBzAPlv-oB5Qxcn2btRFa4kmN4iR0my-nhKRf3BVr5O05CLT8OCT3_X1BYHBw/s1174/PhotoScan%20(14).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1174" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2-8HOoWXKr90NvUomsDV-ur9HiwQnYTWngGlJ2nd8QARiup2osrNaFhSch-l3v9P9WGllEjcEAczLf2v4B0cUZqYqu_mGd9qQ7YEI0KopCfmZehTlAje6ueaDlBzAPlv-oB5Qxcn2btRFa4kmN4iR0my-nhKRf3BVr5O05CLT8OCT3_X1BYHBw/s320/PhotoScan%20(14).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Another factor in all this was the fact that our boat, the purple cat, was growing old also. I purchased her in 1995 which makes her 28 years old. 28 years of rivers! The boat's record is really amazing. In all those white water descents, our boat has never flipped! I have only been thrown out of Old Purple once. It was on the upper stretch of the Lochsa River. My exit was my fault. I was hole hunting and stood up on the mesh floor to push into the hole. The river hit the floor and launched me 6 feet into the air and over the back of the boat. I shouldn't have been standing at that time.</p><p>Linda got tossed once on the Main Salmon River. We were floating along and I was doing my usual, paying attention to everything except the river. We came upon a smaller rapid called Pine Tree and I was gawking up at the tree and misjudged the run. It took us directly into a huge hole and the boat hit a partially buried rock and stopped, tossing Linda out of her seat. She was able to grab a dry bag and hold on with one hand like a bull rider. She pulled herself back onto the boat. Her grip on the dry bag ripped the handle on the bag, which shows how strong her hold was. I got a little earful once we were on our way again for not paying attention. That evening we had a great story to tell around the campfire.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hygPvNZOOIR7lj3mKrHY__jyd1fXOTIacIsnLB6dtpg-SdIaW_IPy00WlpWZy5riJlxgW4wZxQtoLfhFO5-w0ytGSvx9N1n4PWspqinQA9claMvCgX3i1GzAtuPKpjDWyReWtiF0JJzvVqBPti5BR0dS-8CLs8RgJAorslxxzTVBaBbKqisk2g/s2304/100_1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hygPvNZOOIR7lj3mKrHY__jyd1fXOTIacIsnLB6dtpg-SdIaW_IPy00WlpWZy5riJlxgW4wZxQtoLfhFO5-w0ytGSvx9N1n4PWspqinQA9claMvCgX3i1GzAtuPKpjDWyReWtiF0JJzvVqBPti5BR0dS-8CLs8RgJAorslxxzTVBaBbKqisk2g/s320/100_1145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The boat is such a stable performer, but she is getting old. When you look at the seams, the threads are breaking down leaving the seams held by the rubber welding alone. This should be good enough, but I worry every time the tubes are in the hot sun where they grow hard if not attended. Accessories that we have purchased or sewn, have deteriorated and needed to be replaced. We could still run rivers in our girl. She would probably last many more years, but we decided it was time to part ways.<p></p><p>Our river stories are endless. We regularly ran the Moyie River, the Clarkfork River's Alberton Gorge, the Lochsa River, the Clearwater River, the St. Joe River, and the Lower Salmon River. We were invited on many rivers trips on rivers calling for permits. This included rivers such as the Main Salmon River, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, the Snake River through Hell's Canyon, and even twice on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. </p><p>We ran the Grande Ronde River and the Rogue River in Oregon. The Spokane River, the Yakima River, the Tieton River, and the Wenatchee River were ones in Washington. All are wonderful rivers with scenic runs.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Rpy481iOqA3H1aZPdHX8E8eGQCiehc9oejpV6aY_JXMfFJSjw-eFsc8-GxRQ9VEGSLpy-gA7sC_zR5YQgPVqmEtuLv4D9kUQy4WMV3YM2UYtfpp7s1xE4yi_96TamYGSpqgkin-tgDUoGZLtm6JPqCw9HIC61VMRWcJAzGB4sRNy4QD8grNLxQ/s4000/IMG_2619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Rpy481iOqA3H1aZPdHX8E8eGQCiehc9oejpV6aY_JXMfFJSjw-eFsc8-GxRQ9VEGSLpy-gA7sC_zR5YQgPVqmEtuLv4D9kUQy4WMV3YM2UYtfpp7s1xE4yi_96TamYGSpqgkin-tgDUoGZLtm6JPqCw9HIC61VMRWcJAzGB4sRNy4QD8grNLxQ/s320/IMG_2619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The decision was hard but after we looked at all factors, we made the decision to sell the cat, trailer, and all our gear. Well, not all our gear. We kept everything we need to get on a river if we rented a boat and joined a trip. We just couldn't bring ourselves to get rid of it all.<p></p><p>I advertised the equipment on FaceBook Marketplace and had two folks interested. One guy was a bit goofy and didn't show up to look at the gear, and offered lower than we were willing to take. The other person, Ryan, was a young man from Ellensburg who had cash and would take everything we wanted to give him. He was very nice and during the boat pickup, he also bought my fly-fishing cat for the same price I had paid ten years ago. We were happy that our boat had found a home with someone who would take care of her and appreciated getting everything at our asking price.</p><p>Once we exchanged money and loaded the cat and trailer with old gear, Ryan pulled away. Both Linda and I stood there in silence, tears on our cheeks. We were saying our final goodbyes to a trusted friend. It was so hard to let her go. </p>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-21049879057690367372023-07-18T11:36:00.000-07:002023-07-18T11:36:15.071-07:00Alaska Cruising<p><i> Note: Due to the large number of photos, the photos will follow the trip sections. Hope it is not too confusing.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>At 5 AM we pulled the car out of the garage and met our next-door neighbors, Steve and Jodi, standing with their bags in the driveway. We filled up the back of the car and made sure the houses were locked. We were on our way. We were headed to Seattle to catch our Oceania cruise ship, Regatta. The drive was smooth with only one traffic slowdown along the way. We arrived with plenty of time to park the car, grab a shuttle, and embark on this ten-day Alaska adventure.<div><br />Getting checked in at the pier was very straightforward and within an hour we were on board where we met Don and Caroline, the final pair of our cruise group. We had a couple hours to explore the boat. We chose to spend most of our time out in the Seattle sun; a rarity we could not pass up.<p>Our ship cast off at 5:00 PM and we watched the skyline of Seattle disappear. The sun was low in the west, and everything was washed with the light of one of the year's longest days. We were cruising the inside passage on our way north to Alaska.</p><div dir="auto">After the air turned chilly, we headed inside, got settled in our rooms, and gathered in the dining room where we had our first meal. The food was very good. It would obviously take some experimentation to figure out the ins and outs of meals on the ship, but we had lots of time to work that out. With dinner behind us, we went for an evening stroll on deck 9 and then turned in for the night.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto">The next morning at breakfast our ship approached Cambell River on our port side. Linda and I have traveled to this small town at least three times. One of the visits was when we drove up to Port Hardy to fish with John and Loretta Sutherland. As we watched the town drift by we chatted about our other adventure which brought back memories of staying a night at an RV campground that overlooked the inside passage. Within an hour we actually spotted that campground on the port side. We were sure that it was the place we had stayed. I looked up the post in the <a href="https://canyonwren.blogspot.com/2006/08/oh-canada.html">Canyonwren Travels blog</a> and sure enough, it was the same campground. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto">The islands of the inland passage were amazing! We moved steadily along with an ever-changing horizon on all sides. We were able to spot several whale spouts and I caught a brief photo of one humping up to dive. We spent quite a bit of time looking for whales but they were few and far between on this trip. We were lucky to spot those that we did. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto">As we watch the boat move through the straits, we spotted some Dalls Porpoises playing in the wake around the ship. Linda was near some folks as they spotted the porpoise. One of them said with great confidence that they were viewing a pod of baby Orchas. The black and white colors of the Dalls do resemble Orchas, but they are very small compared to actual killer whales. Later on, the ship's naturalist explained the differences and set everyone straight on that issue.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We moved north and entered Seymour Narrows. This area is very narrow (hence the name) and the tidal currents are amazingly strong. Once through the tight narrows, we gathered for a fun game of Skip-Bo. We played on until we drew near an area that we were told was one of the best places to see whales and other sea life. Blackney Passage is another narrows where the ship has to move carefully through. The concentration of krill, a small sea crustacean and the main food of baleen whales, is very great. Because of the krill, whales gather to feed except for when we traveled through the passage. We spent time up on the rails, watching and hoping, but luck avoided us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Once past the areas of ocean life, we went to dinner at one of the specialty restaurants onboard called the Polo Grill. We had a wonderful meal, but in the end, it was obvious that we had to approach meals in a different manner. There was way too much food and everyone overate. By the end of our trip, everyone had come up with a way to eat without eating too much. It is a skill you have to work on every time you sit down to dine.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCM0t3NrHq0GtacVXKHcT3XaDYKqryXI6IpL-jUWHyGPKRArjoh-Ui3PvAdRwqVLndLTsQ98zonMMGytKmu6_IkiwWbmAV21vL7tPsPqlYA5187Z1uknAWWYVC7XdFhbwE9UPfbvfDbM2_l4pjGON3KlPAqFHj1uXnOgex1lCFy1hkH7VNryFvQ/s640/1V1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCM0t3NrHq0GtacVXKHcT3XaDYKqryXI6IpL-jUWHyGPKRArjoh-Ui3PvAdRwqVLndLTsQ98zonMMGytKmu6_IkiwWbmAV21vL7tPsPqlYA5187Z1uknAWWYVC7XdFhbwE9UPfbvfDbM2_l4pjGON3KlPAqFHj1uXnOgex1lCFy1hkH7VNryFvQ/s320/1V1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a beautiful view as we left Seattle.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4hGlXdfc0QGw3e_8eZp3XK_eJxgZo9v5cjHFlI9wfcyIAtbk_bTyoDPd6tS0mVjZ-NICW4ccVU3_MgjkpjOc2goZHS-5ZA3VDND_KUliOmWYGCPCnkV45q9agECERPKpWJu4q4DiAbZw2KLQs__CVgpphhf4I_gWBcDdRc6ChC_Flqzsn0t8cg/s640/1V2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4hGlXdfc0QGw3e_8eZp3XK_eJxgZo9v5cjHFlI9wfcyIAtbk_bTyoDPd6tS0mVjZ-NICW4ccVU3_MgjkpjOc2goZHS-5ZA3VDND_KUliOmWYGCPCnkV45q9agECERPKpWJu4q4DiAbZw2KLQs__CVgpphhf4I_gWBcDdRc6ChC_Flqzsn0t8cg/s320/1V2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLhG_O6Reg4Bd8PhMUl3PSemQMG5esiqZf-yWmOqTL2Pte-KCqulp2YvOryTGMR_vCp8tam8oQkBm6h59GuVSkiB4kAQa0plQmxCIBBV26f4l9wdVOc-QowGz1E6GY4FFSNgf2COheEbWaKSwV9nTO1yHTZ8M8eYODbBYoGR8z84KIJ0tTlsbrA/s640/1V3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLhG_O6Reg4Bd8PhMUl3PSemQMG5esiqZf-yWmOqTL2Pte-KCqulp2YvOryTGMR_vCp8tam8oQkBm6h59GuVSkiB4kAQa0plQmxCIBBV26f4l9wdVOc-QowGz1E6GY4FFSNgf2COheEbWaKSwV9nTO1yHTZ8M8eYODbBYoGR8z84KIJ0tTlsbrA/s320/1V3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBpxs033I7Hae_CoshTEJw1npP78debUbaVcluhprMdnWWCvSZL93H_ZQPquyAmFlH44lYB1XeYcai6Cjl5XoaC2QhJATPRqjzS4FVZFP2Rer-EhwS-INzWO4ThD3Yw2g9r9LSkQgiU17v7B_KTJwRbkSWw3a9aAjoU-Qpr7qDm3PiLqNYxRN3w/s640/1V4.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBpxs033I7Hae_CoshTEJw1npP78debUbaVcluhprMdnWWCvSZL93H_ZQPquyAmFlH44lYB1XeYcai6Cjl5XoaC2QhJATPRqjzS4FVZFP2Rer-EhwS-INzWO4ThD3Yw2g9r9LSkQgiU17v7B_KTJwRbkSWw3a9aAjoU-Qpr7qDm3PiLqNYxRN3w/s320/1V4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caroline and Linda enjoyed the views.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dk9h_J06N5AWvXawKynw5y2Dp8ussSPSmAkj_vy_UDyfPk9xmYLlMO0w28owQk9joGPc-vTNmzeH6EN3afCPg_oWY-om1Yb2W_0pPAmi3cegrsZBNkq_vLgWAYo6_Vd-JNQotxeVakc408sH9YRk2Eo3U9NIisIKRkd_5IECVj_rKyJawjstBQ/s640/1V5.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dk9h_J06N5AWvXawKynw5y2Dp8ussSPSmAkj_vy_UDyfPk9xmYLlMO0w28owQk9joGPc-vTNmzeH6EN3afCPg_oWY-om1Yb2W_0pPAmi3cegrsZBNkq_vLgWAYo6_Vd-JNQotxeVakc408sH9YRk2Eo3U9NIisIKRkd_5IECVj_rKyJawjstBQ/s320/1V5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda, Steve, and Jodie settled right in.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyz2_k1oLq0j1dKHuozXmx2k4-HzttQuF3T91UJexRYjUDkQGO-6TQ9MLYbcLFslNx_WKan6j11pruTZctao86FiyotVnCoAqttk36w2B8x2hUc01AcM0eSor2hM5UJAOfu2mFMuOYTe3Hzejl9T3GKXwtzmWySYdyEw6RjUauccWtfbb0THdQQ/s640/1V6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyz2_k1oLq0j1dKHuozXmx2k4-HzttQuF3T91UJexRYjUDkQGO-6TQ9MLYbcLFslNx_WKan6j11pruTZctao86FiyotVnCoAqttk36w2B8x2hUc01AcM0eSor2hM5UJAOfu2mFMuOYTe3Hzejl9T3GKXwtzmWySYdyEw6RjUauccWtfbb0THdQQ/s320/1V6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the sun deck area of the ship.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYBQAUQiY88RGMV4aC9LXbC3UViSdc8F5ih5hzGakn6a68aXLAR8aEKwdDySBURkm6QxAFGromL5JEWO8f8_c6F36_E2CorYwMPQi4XJIZfmkqDUnLRdaXjGBbLovOYgbdVOjZ4qXxLindo9IQNyh-QpOP23oyNCQdGfpdIu0g7wlXxPPMKa1PQ/s640/1V7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYBQAUQiY88RGMV4aC9LXbC3UViSdc8F5ih5hzGakn6a68aXLAR8aEKwdDySBURkm6QxAFGromL5JEWO8f8_c6F36_E2CorYwMPQi4XJIZfmkqDUnLRdaXjGBbLovOYgbdVOjZ4qXxLindo9IQNyh-QpOP23oyNCQdGfpdIu0g7wlXxPPMKa1PQ/s320/1V7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP9z9WGg525wfVTh-7TK1LSa6WMh9aIbUKfPkgrWtKh79e4veZXBc3pZ1cRLYNlOV-e6ZuYNTODHZlNfKlaNBmG8XwkjPvq-zGkUarFEvJATjtGlz11x0a284lytSn3Yh24Jt9dbNxFxb1NRxKNoYrJ7Ak_FJCj8AF7krxxNO294ZJXPWcjEBGQ/s640/1V8.1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP9z9WGg525wfVTh-7TK1LSa6WMh9aIbUKfPkgrWtKh79e4veZXBc3pZ1cRLYNlOV-e6ZuYNTODHZlNfKlaNBmG8XwkjPvq-zGkUarFEvJATjtGlz11x0a284lytSn3Yh24Jt9dbNxFxb1NRxKNoYrJ7Ak_FJCj8AF7krxxNO294ZJXPWcjEBGQ/s320/1V8.1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the inside passage of a campground<br />we stayed at in 2006.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTawRhvMJyfnjXChpG52S22rfSdSruesHXORFLd_Ecb1yeipqq2jGqKdHQSdeD7jjL3TH1ezieV2op_DCUXjJcrFswG4u7wuNrb61xFgg7ao-yyI_uBoM4y46OK2KRK3Tko9HrEFC1ADndBGyH390ey6QJ86ziJFJxfRuVdstydPCw2Vst2HB_xw/s2304/1V8.2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTawRhvMJyfnjXChpG52S22rfSdSruesHXORFLd_Ecb1yeipqq2jGqKdHQSdeD7jjL3TH1ezieV2op_DCUXjJcrFswG4u7wuNrb61xFgg7ao-yyI_uBoM4y46OK2KRK3Tko9HrEFC1ADndBGyH390ey6QJ86ziJFJxfRuVdstydPCw2Vst2HB_xw/s320/1V8.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken in 2006 of a ship in the passage.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uv_hDThR2krGBUeNm9A9TWGhnb7DJS8OKSSbHolcGE8PWbpcvG644vi1gjy3lGnK9dOhMPlLFqf7N5jt6o9jv-q1_REmjDPKM7hNXqJmjxBvG88vCYnPt_YKKOe-a-hvIY4pUuiappVICJ4o52ZxOZQJipElc7_R6o4TWm638rrWhm3R55BQVQ/s640/1V8.3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uv_hDThR2krGBUeNm9A9TWGhnb7DJS8OKSSbHolcGE8PWbpcvG644vi1gjy3lGnK9dOhMPlLFqf7N5jt6o9jv-q1_REmjDPKM7hNXqJmjxBvG88vCYnPt_YKKOe-a-hvIY4pUuiappVICJ4o52ZxOZQJipElc7_R6o4TWm638rrWhm3R55BQVQ/s320/1V8.3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, we had great weather through the passage.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsADCDSNhPTWrvHBDFpKW7YslJ0TEF7gFWdf7W8EQn7qykTko1P8OD12YzKInxLdc9gip9NzLjPv0fpC3CMDGOMw_Pbvpm63xSEoRqZHH0uAzQBtVxcKwIR8YHad4qNHdWfL9n1cmtq_f1hYLKl5mW30zow-GRflqdXG_1xx2TCQTh_1GxY2C8w/s640/1V8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsADCDSNhPTWrvHBDFpKW7YslJ0TEF7gFWdf7W8EQn7qykTko1P8OD12YzKInxLdc9gip9NzLjPv0fpC3CMDGOMw_Pbvpm63xSEoRqZHH0uAzQBtVxcKwIR8YHad4qNHdWfL9n1cmtq_f1hYLKl5mW30zow-GRflqdXG_1xx2TCQTh_1GxY2C8w/s320/1V8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66zt7IrA9sw2lSMkA2U8teGndOFCvpCaGbpXZqy7-WNFWkvN9slSSnZfH010PYYmlA6mccBXC9RqAZp8Y6D1KaS0MyOcEGkByuoPvSGtcxT7KiLu0mLIuE5AQIe8Q0ukWzHciqdmzYxM2CBMGRhqI70HhxWuYx_SWNBnXgR3a8uj-lWGxBJgDBQ/s640/1V9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66zt7IrA9sw2lSMkA2U8teGndOFCvpCaGbpXZqy7-WNFWkvN9slSSnZfH010PYYmlA6mccBXC9RqAZp8Y6D1KaS0MyOcEGkByuoPvSGtcxT7KiLu0mLIuE5AQIe8Q0ukWzHciqdmzYxM2CBMGRhqI70HhxWuYx_SWNBnXgR3a8uj-lWGxBJgDBQ/s320/1V9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H0tLSqdTAy235glYo5BE2wfpnbMci4FrJDqqK7GOOc_ZVOfzVDU4WkQyyBnPNZJrkByl7s05Swq8kOtbxKktghfxGfIPpsth3HopJuH7w73t57VQhykqL24y9dL_VbgEFQedpygwGRFfNVBO_L1v7BmsxCg7NFLL_v9S1yvtKNCKhQcTtx9ECg/s640/2IP1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H0tLSqdTAy235glYo5BE2wfpnbMci4FrJDqqK7GOOc_ZVOfzVDU4WkQyyBnPNZJrkByl7s05Swq8kOtbxKktghfxGfIPpsth3HopJuH7w73t57VQhykqL24y9dL_VbgEFQedpygwGRFfNVBO_L1v7BmsxCg7NFLL_v9S1yvtKNCKhQcTtx9ECg/s320/2IP1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1fn--tflLXD9X4DuX3QA3q4TP1YyUix2ojZuYaxaYykk_RZl7Bq6-Pp1BzvuaNplvWMpk8Vi4SPRb-Atr4DrC5zYCCMBN3_RXzy9kb9qvUzof_-p6nx_OTRlUQtkPQdq1U23AZaSSzmLsQyTwufWxg_8V3I7F87XsNMmM26QwcOZUxEuJDcElw/s640/2IP2.2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1fn--tflLXD9X4DuX3QA3q4TP1YyUix2ojZuYaxaYykk_RZl7Bq6-Pp1BzvuaNplvWMpk8Vi4SPRb-Atr4DrC5zYCCMBN3_RXzy9kb9qvUzof_-p6nx_OTRlUQtkPQdq1U23AZaSSzmLsQyTwufWxg_8V3I7F87XsNMmM26QwcOZUxEuJDcElw/s320/2IP2.2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don, enjoying the scenery going by.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4BwSMr61S6qraV77ADKeboyRJsLMzojCP6FVZ-K0BUElrZME38ghT8x-1TfnRbogrPTCOmgKuPDFOqeRm93shWQ0K_NBMxnuRyJtfvCma6ts-l2XN3mpojOwoI4SrPuAJoPQLQmNJoNjsl_tV1OphIlAKz9XdzH4cEjwv3Mms8smYdtZ8xwBMA/s640/2IP2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="640" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4BwSMr61S6qraV77ADKeboyRJsLMzojCP6FVZ-K0BUElrZME38ghT8x-1TfnRbogrPTCOmgKuPDFOqeRm93shWQ0K_NBMxnuRyJtfvCma6ts-l2XN3mpojOwoI4SrPuAJoPQLQmNJoNjsl_tV1OphIlAKz9XdzH4cEjwv3Mms8smYdtZ8xwBMA/s320/2IP2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76_Q3xcptuJC8oqAwpuWsfMdEPu7skgfCt-u2u-CJtEU28p8WZm6RJZAtttd_o_We3N4FnXvoWqVMl00XtROlmVlCQek65vugUjK6LN-J0Kz4tTzEQKdpjX9jbTNsksHSFUG6eTYVasw5JwbULvthh8tbYcTEn9A3BTirzdsvkOi9hUwA1Qrf9Q/s640/2IP3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76_Q3xcptuJC8oqAwpuWsfMdEPu7skgfCt-u2u-CJtEU28p8WZm6RJZAtttd_o_We3N4FnXvoWqVMl00XtROlmVlCQek65vugUjK6LN-J0Kz4tTzEQKdpjX9jbTNsksHSFUG6eTYVasw5JwbULvthh8tbYcTEn9A3BTirzdsvkOi9hUwA1Qrf9Q/s320/2IP3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalls porpoises, not baby killer whales.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjgYrA7OzOazL1e6MOm9SONTE9SWjvGltNSp5M25SFdNXvnnrsQ6yBC5RAtiOvG3RS6O3UGsfjuQGqMjRXz2vL9JHfhL5E81Yy-a74YaytJ5OQFenqn83oQmYRPp7sIzU-CZtUaaT9HFmSVeWM9v65iESehUv-AqazzEvAtxt57ul4oxyLuNP0w/s640/2IP4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjgYrA7OzOazL1e6MOm9SONTE9SWjvGltNSp5M25SFdNXvnnrsQ6yBC5RAtiOvG3RS6O3UGsfjuQGqMjRXz2vL9JHfhL5E81Yy-a74YaytJ5OQFenqn83oQmYRPp7sIzU-CZtUaaT9HFmSVeWM9v65iESehUv-AqazzEvAtxt57ul4oxyLuNP0w/s320/2IP4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18_p0hSEhFU5yStJoxXP29l1ej8U588APDX7oGLSGN8uvyQl1KcGDuG1VhKzZCSZTKiM5iFSf4rEHiYdhWxGyVzcJiUksKKgcSr0OpK528PD3mce27HIW3Sqw0pLQmBgXnZMC5aycx5HAB1_0-WKJzYt_dmf4biXKYuQvjzMNUPkwsdaNhd_7vQ/s640/2IP5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18_p0hSEhFU5yStJoxXP29l1ej8U588APDX7oGLSGN8uvyQl1KcGDuG1VhKzZCSZTKiM5iFSf4rEHiYdhWxGyVzcJiUksKKgcSr0OpK528PD3mce27HIW3Sqw0pLQmBgXnZMC5aycx5HAB1_0-WKJzYt_dmf4biXKYuQvjzMNUPkwsdaNhd_7vQ/s320/2IP5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iBaL7JP2FbH0_bu6_BuNuIXQ38lyWHgF7NwE9Bo2VbH9n6HaP-2b-uQy0SXobP8sDWjVtj8krRp5dyrE46cG8TASV5Q8AFIr6XopRIkQbhHE_5uo1L7GH4sVdFdlASN61BmhwxZ2WdF5a04pXpAgjLLtEH_evr5TeNW2GkJTvhO4HTLYe_UMCw/s640/2IP6.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iBaL7JP2FbH0_bu6_BuNuIXQ38lyWHgF7NwE9Bo2VbH9n6HaP-2b-uQy0SXobP8sDWjVtj8krRp5dyrE46cG8TASV5Q8AFIr6XopRIkQbhHE_5uo1L7GH4sVdFdlASN61BmhwxZ2WdF5a04pXpAgjLLtEH_evr5TeNW2GkJTvhO4HTLYe_UMCw/s320/2IP6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only whale photo I was able to take.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">On Sunday we dropped the hook in the waters of Ketchikan where we would then tender into the heart of the town. It was a nice day with no rain and we were given a shopping assignment by Caroline. Caroline asked if Linda and I could walk to Creek Street and go to the shop that sold the Ray Troll shirts, calendars, and other items. There she wanted us to pick up three calendars that she would use as gifts. </div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>When we disembarked from the tender we walked to a large outfitters store where I bought a new hat to keep the sun off my ears. We looked for souvenirs but did not find anything we liked besides the sun hat. Then we walked to the Soho Coho, the store where <a href="https://www.trollart.com/" target="_blank">Ray Troll</a> sells his artwork, and selected three calendars. While we shopped we noticed a quiet fellow behind the counter who was talking with a customer. The customer asked him if they could have a photo with him. We then knew that the man behind the counter was Ray Troll himself. We were surprised and a little shy about asking him for an autograph, so we shopped and bought our gifts. On the way out of the shop, we noticed some pottery that looked familiar. Sure enough, it turns out that it was created by a friend that we had met down in Melaque, <a href="https://www.cascadiadaily.com/news/2022/nov/02/ann-marie-decollibus-is-your-neighborhood-potter/" target="_blank">AnnMarie DeCollibus</a>. We thought that was so cool! </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWypeZU7UboGY4USBr-4t2w18dnjJFlrX4JekRM-avK74e62veU9WJxanmiP5EoxSX47NcZgWTheYqRg48-2sTPE7Cf_7gwwF1wl7xxHHiGHwNTTB5aquH57Oa8BZZCZxa5Oj_4YyfjGmanyRyA3A4qO_rmYSlq8wFSYUjxN1CWe8NFFdF6llajg/s640/3K1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWypeZU7UboGY4USBr-4t2w18dnjJFlrX4JekRM-avK74e62veU9WJxanmiP5EoxSX47NcZgWTheYqRg48-2sTPE7Cf_7gwwF1wl7xxHHiGHwNTTB5aquH57Oa8BZZCZxa5Oj_4YyfjGmanyRyA3A4qO_rmYSlq8wFSYUjxN1CWe8NFFdF6llajg/s320/3K1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near our dock in Ketchikan.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kDD_QIpZRQtThphQapnSavW5oJtRpyhLcUCC-07fLF3SEXIBYDRPU8X9GFebQ7mBxokARf8KtbV26UuEAk1nWcDbBnXoBfKrBOClPAMYYqBwN50JytAobUyV4Xck196jsXeSgp_2H0D0jwfxOSyniyXFpjHgLjsCfFf1t1TpNsWO2via0MUzog/s640/3K2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kDD_QIpZRQtThphQapnSavW5oJtRpyhLcUCC-07fLF3SEXIBYDRPU8X9GFebQ7mBxokARf8KtbV26UuEAk1nWcDbBnXoBfKrBOClPAMYYqBwN50JytAobUyV4Xck196jsXeSgp_2H0D0jwfxOSyniyXFpjHgLjsCfFf1t1TpNsWO2via0MUzog/s320/3K2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x8gAAmmCPdHP09OCwHB9-4iWqmefJksZV4m6cQX5S9RK8zt8fFNiJViP79Bh6fQBJW0SN1cC5prZ5SLhrK20kgaqUoB6rbFsz4PbG-B9YxGGOoI6tDEHEk2kfbZfQqUS042pizaYNDHIZnULYvKE5Hm1hX0rTAu2pLH9e-uwYFbmMXqH71pYXQ/s640/3K3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x8gAAmmCPdHP09OCwHB9-4iWqmefJksZV4m6cQX5S9RK8zt8fFNiJViP79Bh6fQBJW0SN1cC5prZ5SLhrK20kgaqUoB6rbFsz4PbG-B9YxGGOoI6tDEHEk2kfbZfQqUS042pizaYNDHIZnULYvKE5Hm1hX0rTAu2pLH9e-uwYFbmMXqH71pYXQ/s320/3K3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda liked the sign until she realized what she was seeing, <br />then she really liked it and thought it was hilarious.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZziGFMPG804eAY952JVFBQkx3zZihF7uw0-X_d3R5st0FT_8MLbt06aUMiPnSf8we4ax80_IHCUXBYbi_NHP7YQXVggad0w_UDy2iCcxJqpCHUPQHKsTuUZkqB31XT2Flv_Oi81oahLcsA499u_48a_-hiScSJyOMK8j1GJKI-Gyc5jHgXTEqw/s640/3K4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZziGFMPG804eAY952JVFBQkx3zZihF7uw0-X_d3R5st0FT_8MLbt06aUMiPnSf8we4ax80_IHCUXBYbi_NHP7YQXVggad0w_UDy2iCcxJqpCHUPQHKsTuUZkqB31XT2Flv_Oi81oahLcsA499u_48a_-hiScSJyOMK8j1GJKI-Gyc5jHgXTEqw/s320/3K4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA9oU80-5UrnGmXnS9ScXcl6XgWCeD5mKbQv9w_RyNjiGqzBsZFUebWJ6o4-GdRrbB5J08yMYBdl7J2L3LMH-7IkLX-J6huerlE_YdGxpqg2hrsdTlIw-oo6v5IyIeKDKtZ2TNj4PTDKLMbd-VnLOyE3gFqcwxhWcdg6WndrSWSTKQOM4Yg9xlg/s640/3K5.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA9oU80-5UrnGmXnS9ScXcl6XgWCeD5mKbQv9w_RyNjiGqzBsZFUebWJ6o4-GdRrbB5J08yMYBdl7J2L3LMH-7IkLX-J6huerlE_YdGxpqg2hrsdTlIw-oo6v5IyIeKDKtZ2TNj4PTDKLMbd-VnLOyE3gFqcwxhWcdg6WndrSWSTKQOM4Yg9xlg/s320/3K5.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the entrance to Creek Street.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2ObCvhDWwFQZySGBde5VeEvQ5wJ3_SFYX5ROIIC9YvD72bex4mGm6LbwkOz01plMrsXOD9kcqOWxilYT-6EzE9nJVsGuN1jmEvnuH0yfrjEkw6xytoKIC5rmvYVjcJsegH7W3Ruuu_SMrRFr-Q1vnSqkLLEXbhzX8rDNMAJi_HdZI5tMxN7lKQ/s640/3K6.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2ObCvhDWwFQZySGBde5VeEvQ5wJ3_SFYX5ROIIC9YvD72bex4mGm6LbwkOz01plMrsXOD9kcqOWxilYT-6EzE9nJVsGuN1jmEvnuH0yfrjEkw6xytoKIC5rmvYVjcJsegH7W3Ruuu_SMrRFr-Q1vnSqkLLEXbhzX8rDNMAJi_HdZI5tMxN7lKQ/s320/3K6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red light district of Ketchikan.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oLNxZ3OK5uhHnZmC2i7LAKr8frzvkxFkzyyF9reA-WqY5Hzn7Bw2gQbIOZ3a_7IxtRS1y2ptg1OnYCmYRtma65oY0qd0urkSNsUcfN_VfrZGfEYqAdTqyJhe66yMao2b-91Vf7kYhD4OsBefMVU1lAX1qY_vxUPM_7Gqok3lYmnJv_3fRRGnOA/s640/3K7.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oLNxZ3OK5uhHnZmC2i7LAKr8frzvkxFkzyyF9reA-WqY5Hzn7Bw2gQbIOZ3a_7IxtRS1y2ptg1OnYCmYRtma65oY0qd0urkSNsUcfN_VfrZGfEYqAdTqyJhe66yMao2b-91Vf7kYhD4OsBefMVU1lAX1qY_vxUPM_7Gqok3lYmnJv_3fRRGnOA/s320/3K7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AnneMarie's art; quite the find!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QX1CXHXH8i_-L0YT4KIf-aGoh8h9o8pkiUA_ZebvM31Os0DPaZJgr0E60GJarwLib3GvQ1L3AJwqGLw-ve905-guh9goNQAJHx8XHyNLTW02cBQqUoR9M6hs8RsyBAVh55sDqJCs48dmVrxm5PDqKtCZ-EiDO0juO8qTVKzxrWPsK4JjfZRtwA/s640/3K8.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_QX1CXHXH8i_-L0YT4KIf-aGoh8h9o8pkiUA_ZebvM31Os0DPaZJgr0E60GJarwLib3GvQ1L3AJwqGLw-ve905-guh9goNQAJHx8XHyNLTW02cBQqUoR9M6hs8RsyBAVh55sDqJCs48dmVrxm5PDqKtCZ-EiDO0juO8qTVKzxrWPsK4JjfZRtwA/s320/3K8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up Creek Street.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g3ihP3_KhEIGRHr3HBdGvXLbkQ4r6HD_tTlUfjG1yQGNvgUXKAF8bnhZn7eGCGkXYsHU1tqNUAHfeOfhS3nIjfOhEszSKjxMEio7q3wVp_7fjFADRPc67EbqgWMw4S_6D4qBr2m7xw4VoY2NvPz5a587d4zQ7bmH_O6ADIfZFceTXDPxUYGQZg/s640/3K9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4g3ihP3_KhEIGRHr3HBdGvXLbkQ4r6HD_tTlUfjG1yQGNvgUXKAF8bnhZn7eGCGkXYsHU1tqNUAHfeOfhS3nIjfOhEszSKjxMEio7q3wVp_7fjFADRPc67EbqgWMw4S_6D4qBr2m7xw4VoY2NvPz5a587d4zQ7bmH_O6ADIfZFceTXDPxUYGQZg/s320/3K9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43NZdNZtD0c5OfT1bgOUeWxBxXwpWzAUydwAkQLUvTa9uFm17L81UNquHFV9timmS_094dNB0wIlmhMLlxDoLRE7LNhHVFQ8dij9hfztpSDe042myYpT2bUpbCWnCWeHijlBd2YOPsXrTi4Nk8LaUyrUb4K0d0AbL9nhmgk61WN_pyOd6ml2bug/s640/3K10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43NZdNZtD0c5OfT1bgOUeWxBxXwpWzAUydwAkQLUvTa9uFm17L81UNquHFV9timmS_094dNB0wIlmhMLlxDoLRE7LNhHVFQ8dij9hfztpSDe042myYpT2bUpbCWnCWeHijlBd2YOPsXrTi4Nk8LaUyrUb4K0d0AbL9nhmgk61WN_pyOd6ml2bug/s320/3K10.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkyP6vFZtwTGmJvtOxjqjo5qZF7iupJQEeei6SmyaOVq99tukO0Ee2VNpWdUnBbWCdmQaC_iYJsqrea71pqdWBF6QHvNBP24lhUFqK57Wc4hMAXydxSRESZ0b2r1sW0RC9eqehwOeX_Bw7hxHjvklJ9HVoZPqGkrOxwyebXsEzpjn2qYolufj_g/s640/3K11.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkyP6vFZtwTGmJvtOxjqjo5qZF7iupJQEeei6SmyaOVq99tukO0Ee2VNpWdUnBbWCdmQaC_iYJsqrea71pqdWBF6QHvNBP24lhUFqK57Wc4hMAXydxSRESZ0b2r1sW0RC9eqehwOeX_Bw7hxHjvklJ9HVoZPqGkrOxwyebXsEzpjn2qYolufj_g/s320/3K11.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We toured the town and caught a tender back. That evening we ate dinner in the Grand Dining Room and then took a late evening tour of the upper decks to see if we could spot some whales. We were told by the ship's biologist that this area was full of whales and the odds were in our favor to spot some of those mammals. We spent about an hour and a half looking for signs of anything. The sun sets very late up north and we were able to see well till about 10:30 PM. We got chilled and never spotted anything, but it was fun trying.</div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div dir="auto">At <a href="https://icystraitpoint.com/" target="_blank">Icy Strait Point (Hoonah,) Alaska</a> we anchored in the bay. Linda and I took a tender into the port. This whole port had been established to provide livelihoods to the island residents, the vast majority of which were First Nation. Everything was centered around the cruise ships and is all very new.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We disembarked the tender and walked up to a very new gondola. There we stepped into a cable car and were transported straight up to the top of a nearby mountain. This gondola takes you to an area where you can ride the world's largest ZipRider, featuring 6 ziplines dropping 1330 feet. Linda and I did not sign up for the ZipRider but it looked really fun. Our gondola dropped us at the mountain top and we walked around for a bit. The view was obstructed by fog, but if the fog hadn't been there, we would have had a grand view at the overlook.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">We rode back down to the base and then hiked a nature trail over to the old cannery area where the shops, museum, and food were located. It's a very nice place to look around, but Linda and I avoided spending anything at this stop.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Back on board our ship, we went to dinner at Toscana Italian Dining Restaurant. The food was very good and made for a wonderful evening.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc_1UGeIVNtGazjlA879fvi64fkIgqyuDSNVL_01aUj3kntSSCCuDICuYdOMl1JjZ5ZmHwA6RuII0smv5_k44XFaYk9YnMz6zVpuzmKlgyqa8eUsucQ_REDuGq2RSMrsqULa2E7TBdFklh1nmHZjIo3Y-8N2Gxl6nDpwjlhNvW71JfYmwqrKsHg/s640/4H5.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRc_1UGeIVNtGazjlA879fvi64fkIgqyuDSNVL_01aUj3kntSSCCuDICuYdOMl1JjZ5ZmHwA6RuII0smv5_k44XFaYk9YnMz6zVpuzmKlgyqa8eUsucQ_REDuGq2RSMrsqULa2E7TBdFklh1nmHZjIo3Y-8N2Gxl6nDpwjlhNvW71JfYmwqrKsHg/s320/4H5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoonah gondola to the top and ziplines.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Qz-DzgS0wv-2HUTx7mSRtNxk2Bb6q3xWQpSM1gk7Rv4_tDE00guu5N6psa9XnKz8krFXfhvb57I-UHwPHtH3tD7pNFlkOaoD2YluUqmeBXHdDkZwuvo3yi9lBzKWvr1Iq-5xeBX0_t_XvcmP2F7xekqMCKUeT_nxjnlPoJhlc0Rcvqy0SXltQ/s640/4H1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Qz-DzgS0wv-2HUTx7mSRtNxk2Bb6q3xWQpSM1gk7Rv4_tDE00guu5N6psa9XnKz8krFXfhvb57I-UHwPHtH3tD7pNFlkOaoD2YluUqmeBXHdDkZwuvo3yi9lBzKWvr1Iq-5xeBX0_t_XvcmP2F7xekqMCKUeT_nxjnlPoJhlc0Rcvqy0SXltQ/s320/4H1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYn8x_5OPx1f7fxDKwIF4Fx0x1h1XlH08-6UfcwiCya4iF-Emzr_4NWlxSkkk5qgu8feJiH0SLHiY4Yh0DiyopzB-CnIOdBrHklJnUA9lht4wgmZ0-j6Tx249fiqTEVPC7eMmZ0z0AbwaTUAX7-jb0Kq7ZffSgHdvZweKud0aiZ5fKMXHeBPsrug/s640/4H2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYn8x_5OPx1f7fxDKwIF4Fx0x1h1XlH08-6UfcwiCya4iF-Emzr_4NWlxSkkk5qgu8feJiH0SLHiY4Yh0DiyopzB-CnIOdBrHklJnUA9lht4wgmZ0-j6Tx249fiqTEVPC7eMmZ0z0AbwaTUAX7-jb0Kq7ZffSgHdvZweKud0aiZ5fKMXHeBPsrug/s320/4H2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding up. Our ship was the smaller one.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ohj9AY9u4jX3BXJ725RO1UMII6wwFvvJzbw7r6I5XC5WCTyx16v3lWftX_MMFadFJMGPHhC976WKZxhIFM7rynS3W0lOo25GFZgv46FfLZcZYBGqCyus020IXhMELXSRXCEnkijrl249pHMcZct3WPOn-_VD6XcPg_1NxUzrV5b6Y8XEDoIEyQ/s640/4H3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ohj9AY9u4jX3BXJ725RO1UMII6wwFvvJzbw7r6I5XC5WCTyx16v3lWftX_MMFadFJMGPHhC976WKZxhIFM7rynS3W0lOo25GFZgv46FfLZcZYBGqCyus020IXhMELXSRXCEnkijrl249pHMcZct3WPOn-_VD6XcPg_1NxUzrV5b6Y8XEDoIEyQ/s320/4H3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jtoZt81RzsVbzAeE9NcquN6LxYN57erQikxZsm-yV2uYWRFgzdYnYXKYLxFgv8930PdpeFptvsncNn35HXt624hBQoqg4cdJ12VJJLGKenYap-s00k4Omz6j2nUzto6EX3BOlSzEC-nrTWMDxuq07RItvrzJX2xji9PbC2-AlI1oYNq9Av02aA/s640/4H6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jtoZt81RzsVbzAeE9NcquN6LxYN57erQikxZsm-yV2uYWRFgzdYnYXKYLxFgv8930PdpeFptvsncNn35HXt624hBQoqg4cdJ12VJJLGKenYap-s00k4Omz6j2nUzto6EX3BOlSzEC-nrTWMDxuq07RItvrzJX2xji9PbC2-AlI1oYNq9Av02aA/s320/4H6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvA3suM_-qHcUyJYPOPuCTjYm27g64bARtbpah5LpoLC9tJy8XaARLz0h3S_0RvL9EVC-7Iw8eD_ONxkUirjmkmH5pid1p6_USuPWCGKVgQpYOQXVkVmtVe3ZdmxmyLgLOlvOwmZ4SyWNLkqXxgsnYr7FA4uyt5458kwz7HlOFrjDaYGfIMV09Q/s640/4H7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvA3suM_-qHcUyJYPOPuCTjYm27g64bARtbpah5LpoLC9tJy8XaARLz0h3S_0RvL9EVC-7Iw8eD_ONxkUirjmkmH5pid1p6_USuPWCGKVgQpYOQXVkVmtVe3ZdmxmyLgLOlvOwmZ4SyWNLkqXxgsnYr7FA4uyt5458kwz7HlOFrjDaYGfIMV09Q/s320/4H7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The next morning everyone was atwitter. It was the day we sailed to visit the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubbard_Glacier" target="_blank">Hubbard Glacier</a>. The weather was slightly foggy as we approached Yakutat Bay. The captain came on the intercom and explained that we would sail into the bay and then weather permitting we would go as close as possible to the glacier. This all depended on the icebergs that had been calving off the face of the glacier and the local weather that the glacier itself creates. We glided into the bay and as we drew closer to the far end, the fog lifted! What a spectacular sight. There was one larger ship near the glacier, so we stopped and slowly rotated giving our ship a 360-degree view of the area. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Due to the iceberg flows near the glacier face, our captain explained that he felt it unsafe for our ship to get closer, so we remained at our original location as we viewed this amazing place.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">After a couple hours, we moved out of the bay and headed to our next port located in Sitka, AK. We would cruise all night and would be at the port for our morning tender ride to shore. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh163wdVoIRToMcT67Gdk3A3Fk8yUZPIavwKgzwI_4S8BHdlEMCHxZtb0QhXAPkYJuNn3bY4ADTQKNKbmoK1LMarCeOi-lE6lrM6TlaE7JG5hliHIcWC0XhXI3CS2jUIs_WRhbXI5TNSVbP7BBDaUj8NAPpvjwFQlN86t4R1qTSYz_b-Bp2pMiSaA/s640/5GH13.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh163wdVoIRToMcT67Gdk3A3Fk8yUZPIavwKgzwI_4S8BHdlEMCHxZtb0QhXAPkYJuNn3bY4ADTQKNKbmoK1LMarCeOi-lE6lrM6TlaE7JG5hliHIcWC0XhXI3CS2jUIs_WRhbXI5TNSVbP7BBDaUj8NAPpvjwFQlN86t4R1qTSYz_b-Bp2pMiSaA/s320/5GH13.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the bay to see Hubbard Glacier.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREmvE-dU9d5SDdhug6VLXTEFi2DhtshaUCoM024Q4bX2BCftFTNgAbFIS1q1KazSoeC248Z6ZLCUlHFrpEVw_oGDkJ3E0m6d1RqG6Ehy-I3hC0D2uw95HdnFl91BJIi3Zlip4FdtKiNViSyD1MBKQ0tsqD09JJjMKsuP6-okApgtbkpXl_qHV4A/s640/5HG3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREmvE-dU9d5SDdhug6VLXTEFi2DhtshaUCoM024Q4bX2BCftFTNgAbFIS1q1KazSoeC248Z6ZLCUlHFrpEVw_oGDkJ3E0m6d1RqG6Ehy-I3hC0D2uw95HdnFl91BJIi3Zlip4FdtKiNViSyD1MBKQ0tsqD09JJjMKsuP6-okApgtbkpXl_qHV4A/s320/5HG3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGHo14nzcGWXpVWpsqwnO21mxRdtem77rCc8PRalRUCBVxb3hGBAxhCXeaCxwkci88OeInlCHHyMMpqW36oVeioS8CU9V5LyJLV-3YdEUocT0OKr-22wO2xDjakiIx9arXzFpxIBBo51NyfGH3izINqP-0Fj7x20zZ99WqoiHnRWgM4HTBPaEqw/s640/5HG4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGHo14nzcGWXpVWpsqwnO21mxRdtem77rCc8PRalRUCBVxb3hGBAxhCXeaCxwkci88OeInlCHHyMMpqW36oVeioS8CU9V5LyJLV-3YdEUocT0OKr-22wO2xDjakiIx9arXzFpxIBBo51NyfGH3izINqP-0Fj7x20zZ99WqoiHnRWgM4HTBPaEqw/s320/5HG4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDglHGb_8uPgFNA8BZCg3Lh1sq8tu_cMOY9UsbzWuc3vJpsMuGpaHXUv88bhPqmoGzaWS63OldfPKinSdKOaepksx39quvY1givMEK-uGToRghBNHWCrV-dL_hxZOurETZxATtv_MfczZwnikGkHR9oiys3JMGEqV1ivAST1--UiLvetZFolSPA/s640/5HG5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDglHGb_8uPgFNA8BZCg3Lh1sq8tu_cMOY9UsbzWuc3vJpsMuGpaHXUv88bhPqmoGzaWS63OldfPKinSdKOaepksx39quvY1givMEK-uGToRghBNHWCrV-dL_hxZOurETZxATtv_MfczZwnikGkHR9oiys3JMGEqV1ivAST1--UiLvetZFolSPA/s320/5HG5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyABE05HKJXuTONjfSzQjVve1f_O_9OC_TA2j_mTSAPZUMJTpub9fggSVfurXKutucFqvjpGRiTZK8znRTt4pULEqjgsqBRhm1sfXl97hanDQEIZK-HIIYfZrwsdVG1cxZHFRHAXLWcQGgPD7TSyKRyZtaKdlaZSGAs3Vg5EN2xK07KovpS1qR_w/s640/5HG6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyABE05HKJXuTONjfSzQjVve1f_O_9OC_TA2j_mTSAPZUMJTpub9fggSVfurXKutucFqvjpGRiTZK8znRTt4pULEqjgsqBRhm1sfXl97hanDQEIZK-HIIYfZrwsdVG1cxZHFRHAXLWcQGgPD7TSyKRyZtaKdlaZSGAs3Vg5EN2xK07KovpS1qR_w/s320/5HG6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB_yiHmU6zf_Bdw0F4roRMNDIPPhZi74o-_y478zRXaq3bKOLZYy7NqZQCHWJSeBtQVv-Jd5mIQwKddutKQ3tZiJGC0legygtwAUTS_0Rjc2v5bN04QhC3e-_Stm5bz-BRGCj1PsY2jfZEvPZmiLiHdFyEiUJfcPdVaU49Iirx_ta8MSo5vpaEw/s640/5HG8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB_yiHmU6zf_Bdw0F4roRMNDIPPhZi74o-_y478zRXaq3bKOLZYy7NqZQCHWJSeBtQVv-Jd5mIQwKddutKQ3tZiJGC0legygtwAUTS_0Rjc2v5bN04QhC3e-_Stm5bz-BRGCj1PsY2jfZEvPZmiLiHdFyEiUJfcPdVaU49Iirx_ta8MSo5vpaEw/s320/5HG8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6mA2VIajuJQ2aQE4EJ7y7kpevW-tpt153kqxrUC1WrXd2mskOHO2Lg_WAokhG6mA6vFosRpT3hRV-3Yca0h5KHy2amRhwlj5d4QB9CEZgp_xtLgYcDof6xn6ZQT5JZM3ySnSvZ7Q5r2hLWe5T93KxJ7Ta_CKr4DZIcXLoO0lIXMc4BwuqGlTsg/s640/5HG9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6mA2VIajuJQ2aQE4EJ7y7kpevW-tpt153kqxrUC1WrXd2mskOHO2Lg_WAokhG6mA6vFosRpT3hRV-3Yca0h5KHy2amRhwlj5d4QB9CEZgp_xtLgYcDof6xn6ZQT5JZM3ySnSvZ7Q5r2hLWe5T93KxJ7Ta_CKr4DZIcXLoO0lIXMc4BwuqGlTsg/s320/5HG9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5-mTXXrHmFrgk0QIqwSpGYr1fulWRmV0QIjH_X153NHgnIZISP_GJoFFrHYWCEHppymsnr7JtKPtvtD_WLIDEJZIAKd6IsWd7qA0hdPzZwTjGaRr-IO6lwGAalnOQKjxXuYK4XSvqhOo9AxDc-4S059AlJk_HSanXABagGn79Zo7PnE_QVFnVQ/s640/5HG10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5-mTXXrHmFrgk0QIqwSpGYr1fulWRmV0QIjH_X153NHgnIZISP_GJoFFrHYWCEHppymsnr7JtKPtvtD_WLIDEJZIAKd6IsWd7qA0hdPzZwTjGaRr-IO6lwGAalnOQKjxXuYK4XSvqhOo9AxDc-4S059AlJk_HSanXABagGn79Zo7PnE_QVFnVQ/s320/5HG10.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1Kb75MFtHtErU2F4qY6TYaugB9oincY1bv6932xLOf1cb42t3KV4Arw57rSrYfpH3rKqhkdIndK2ssaDa6vtwc14YfAEUUVOpyLSyLx6J05cQqNrTGYhcvVRUVKgRTlUrvsmwi3ZcxGXaYv3ESWbj6yrzO9YCYhw3_CxS8DpJFe_Leo3-J6PsQ/s640/5HG12.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1Kb75MFtHtErU2F4qY6TYaugB9oincY1bv6932xLOf1cb42t3KV4Arw57rSrYfpH3rKqhkdIndK2ssaDa6vtwc14YfAEUUVOpyLSyLx6J05cQqNrTGYhcvVRUVKgRTlUrvsmwi3ZcxGXaYv3ESWbj6yrzO9YCYhw3_CxS8DpJFe_Leo3-J6PsQ/s320/5HG12.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0zRRr6OD9mQ28lEvmuIXWrzdm5VnLlWurO78uTiZDm8uwvwmj5LW1oCtEwLtRW93ldvO7HwqCQp2WVglsfZuwPKSIQw2S-jexewVQ6Um73pGA9-GiYCAfomcf1Jb_xQDwR_Oq78hnnl2omVWIpr9irw9Q-HcK2YVb1N68qzYiDwdllg3owz5Bg/s640/5HG14.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0zRRr6OD9mQ28lEvmuIXWrzdm5VnLlWurO78uTiZDm8uwvwmj5LW1oCtEwLtRW93ldvO7HwqCQp2WVglsfZuwPKSIQw2S-jexewVQ6Um73pGA9-GiYCAfomcf1Jb_xQDwR_Oq78hnnl2omVWIpr9irw9Q-HcK2YVb1N68qzYiDwdllg3owz5Bg/s320/5HG14.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, a bit carried away with photos here, but<br />can you blame me?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSW5HtvQvD7dekHGyFUrC8WHO0RLULtDuab6d-itoKmR9cLCi_rZc38IJB8Q1dNnhfvpOh8HDr5XlDXsnYMykH5k2BOAYYmNi7vy1x4yv8vgwsSO6D-NYkB_My4CABA8LU8DVaC61aRAVdfqce_RkL51NhkWhuxjKmWtUObhDwiNhA2HGrE1E7Cg/s640/5HG15.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSW5HtvQvD7dekHGyFUrC8WHO0RLULtDuab6d-itoKmR9cLCi_rZc38IJB8Q1dNnhfvpOh8HDr5XlDXsnYMykH5k2BOAYYmNi7vy1x4yv8vgwsSO6D-NYkB_My4CABA8LU8DVaC61aRAVdfqce_RkL51NhkWhuxjKmWtUObhDwiNhA2HGrE1E7Cg/s320/5HG15.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ0sNeh4G3hXDlE15COASf3pNJu-gZxisw3mRMPtUYz19dX0XVw0_HUurL0Lkpx9GAIcPib-eLBluLbmAz0_BvGdkgPXD6DA4YesTmh45CXdt804NFn7YBm2-paI2pOaObT-r51YF0QLe4lD6slZdTafDVpEz1bpkLXBXBvMvInDXGCznsOkNjg/s640/5HG16.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZ0sNeh4G3hXDlE15COASf3pNJu-gZxisw3mRMPtUYz19dX0XVw0_HUurL0Lkpx9GAIcPib-eLBluLbmAz0_BvGdkgPXD6DA4YesTmh45CXdt804NFn7YBm2-paI2pOaObT-r51YF0QLe4lD6slZdTafDVpEz1bpkLXBXBvMvInDXGCznsOkNjg/s320/5HG16.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplr6KhrtJobt0BS4APdoVpot5i5hpOwSHxRo3bAhRVBs-C8CfTpbQhXpecz5nk_60SzwfVhSHyXw2uzxfGtnl802dM-xeJF_EHgsahDIOfw8l8-0cxiB6Tslav8NJrMCKUEpYUIM_ITUPG4eHF5Tt5iblYn5smMmXyNybNm7bJkirRtSmwjubtw/s640/5HG18.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplr6KhrtJobt0BS4APdoVpot5i5hpOwSHxRo3bAhRVBs-C8CfTpbQhXpecz5nk_60SzwfVhSHyXw2uzxfGtnl802dM-xeJF_EHgsahDIOfw8l8-0cxiB6Tslav8NJrMCKUEpYUIM_ITUPG4eHF5Tt5iblYn5smMmXyNybNm7bJkirRtSmwjubtw/s320/5HG18.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguec5ebZuNfUxx6KMl9V60EQbRZ6ymI6fcEWdWvFUvSrLmNSKCAcMV3i1RSzmN7KFcHKTylXVAso1v1kvucuDO24fD0GcJJgu5rFYem5eUpBEoLNC7rMbnQrxoO8N3x9x2dmQCN0e0oxtd30ESOQ6ga0RHohDHHgbQdcJOCUOME0Lb6L1KagsV4g/s640/5HG19.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguec5ebZuNfUxx6KMl9V60EQbRZ6ymI6fcEWdWvFUvSrLmNSKCAcMV3i1RSzmN7KFcHKTylXVAso1v1kvucuDO24fD0GcJJgu5rFYem5eUpBEoLNC7rMbnQrxoO8N3x9x2dmQCN0e0oxtd30ESOQ6ga0RHohDHHgbQdcJOCUOME0Lb6L1KagsV4g/s320/5HG19.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kCp3JrYa-5XgyI5DBIWS4QD6Zd3TgfQGQMm0PQY-2xU4_TODmGfBL9EWCu2_s_udrN9iDhh1wztxoTXjgTlMl6mQQxGSKqywTHLYf1peWczdFBGuBUgVRcY-hKtXeuToaRHJE084KcMmwM9lTmAWq_BqyBwgwVrKKFAH_jUVFtFsb8K1YKR1Rg/s640/5HG20.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kCp3JrYa-5XgyI5DBIWS4QD6Zd3TgfQGQMm0PQY-2xU4_TODmGfBL9EWCu2_s_udrN9iDhh1wztxoTXjgTlMl6mQQxGSKqywTHLYf1peWczdFBGuBUgVRcY-hKtXeuToaRHJE084KcMmwM9lTmAWq_BqyBwgwVrKKFAH_jUVFtFsb8K1YKR1Rg/s320/5HG20.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enough already!</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">The next morning we woke up on the hook and caught our tender shuttle to shore, where we met our guides for a tour of the <a href="https://www.alaskaraptor.org/" target="_blank">Alaska Raptor Center</a> and a guided walk through a forest.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Our guide named Sam was from Florida and she had been working summers in Sitka with her family. She was quite knowledgeable about the area and we were able to learn quite a bit about totems and the local history. We really enjoyed the tour and the weather cooperated providing a short period of rain and low clouds. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRtYE2JTS_iCyrapXVZyPnvT4-1d9G0k1lnYBmBJ7gTtSbo53po0czlDXdvJOL0b4BwHjESLATQ3EBHm8C7OJMybw9zhVOddW1xemo186wCq7_dJIkxHj6of2SCQ17PLqRso2PRlQTTmF3wIzEI8H0XZar7q3Zp7zglIaG_0zFSluonfJ289LdQ/s640/6S1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRtYE2JTS_iCyrapXVZyPnvT4-1d9G0k1lnYBmBJ7gTtSbo53po0czlDXdvJOL0b4BwHjESLATQ3EBHm8C7OJMybw9zhVOddW1xemo186wCq7_dJIkxHj6of2SCQ17PLqRso2PRlQTTmF3wIzEI8H0XZar7q3Zp7zglIaG_0zFSluonfJ289LdQ/s320/6S1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the guests at the Alaska Raptor Center.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMfJPlbTZ62R-HD-HWor7sAAFttBUMcN_OiFVwuNUxtd1byGGie7iTsuHfb8otuoXySbRqOaMziMcjiKqeZzgkjZ9rHowbddeej7KmzshO6W2Clz9KwXO84N-RYn9ZL8Oh5W1JJk44damfEVRRbc1sINGkEgGAh86vnQE75HoxsNeJSNycamq2g/s640/6S2.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMfJPlbTZ62R-HD-HWor7sAAFttBUMcN_OiFVwuNUxtd1byGGie7iTsuHfb8otuoXySbRqOaMziMcjiKqeZzgkjZ9rHowbddeej7KmzshO6W2Clz9KwXO84N-RYn9ZL8Oh5W1JJk44damfEVRRbc1sINGkEgGAh86vnQE75HoxsNeJSNycamq2g/s320/6S2.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMrswMYF7AHC-11U7Xi474UpHNaKCFrZkQpbGHocSkLhJydxkJtFCEDDYlXXQqbb7ffI-RscO3sloDJou-TdDBsx5r11HNMso6g8k8FYfaot5XMTzYN7pO9ZF1b1DcHBRaJWjjsLEsF4_bur97KQzjZ5J4i18h0ku-EEZPa-TRYmRsgbgPmnMNw/s640/6S2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMrswMYF7AHC-11U7Xi474UpHNaKCFrZkQpbGHocSkLhJydxkJtFCEDDYlXXQqbb7ffI-RscO3sloDJou-TdDBsx5r11HNMso6g8k8FYfaot5XMTzYN7pO9ZF1b1DcHBRaJWjjsLEsF4_bur97KQzjZ5J4i18h0ku-EEZPa-TRYmRsgbgPmnMNw/s320/6S2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gniQZ_rEvYea9ixxRO4WFNtlpqGX2l9k3ayudavtZfiVQaJnG-vODS9HOcLHxBrQ2H7uh8euiZ3xxF43_txZbcEHQswvZFPfeosys20MFS7-2oCkiW92z-zS6dp64KGjrWCwXv2jnD29u-7dX3l0W9Q0LPs99Bdc53pAU9vbISCN96qIjJ5PcQ/s640/6S3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gniQZ_rEvYea9ixxRO4WFNtlpqGX2l9k3ayudavtZfiVQaJnG-vODS9HOcLHxBrQ2H7uh8euiZ3xxF43_txZbcEHQswvZFPfeosys20MFS7-2oCkiW92z-zS6dp64KGjrWCwXv2jnD29u-7dX3l0W9Q0LPs99Bdc53pAU9vbISCN96qIjJ5PcQ/s320/6S3.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We learned all about totems.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8CFuBUR36w-FoSY1naIcZ2hy8DdMnkMLmnlOhZbI7ImXyLGOhBA1XZ1HhXTBtoRXZc6s1TYlkx3RkRej8GU1UXXj4o7oVkcrfR4CQlcNbaIkCgXC3mnSZ8ku7nAO8EHWzgcgAGltKy7bb941h--Y3tb08LFXkflR5RfHhwD8TNXDaEsJrWTD6w/s640/6S5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8CFuBUR36w-FoSY1naIcZ2hy8DdMnkMLmnlOhZbI7ImXyLGOhBA1XZ1HhXTBtoRXZc6s1TYlkx3RkRej8GU1UXXj4o7oVkcrfR4CQlcNbaIkCgXC3mnSZ8ku7nAO8EHWzgcgAGltKy7bb941h--Y3tb08LFXkflR5RfHhwD8TNXDaEsJrWTD6w/s320/6S5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gNj7hQKAKRiUTqUwpzRi3rNaD4akhQyEu_D2yuSjv9kFChARLXW92JvZHOAHe4Vrlvw3xOtb-hCJM1RHe64y9brF26lz7UbeAu-xetYwz-ucVQczlpCwceJemmRwdLggcDbmcwHyTzyqZTuM02Yhv0zrACK0gU88OyKyh4-l80ed3m_7iPBV0A/s640/6S6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gNj7hQKAKRiUTqUwpzRi3rNaD4akhQyEu_D2yuSjv9kFChARLXW92JvZHOAHe4Vrlvw3xOtb-hCJM1RHe64y9brF26lz7UbeAu-xetYwz-ucVQczlpCwceJemmRwdLggcDbmcwHyTzyqZTuM02Yhv0zrACK0gU88OyKyh4-l80ed3m_7iPBV0A/s320/6S6.JPG" width="229" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVOKmnm6E8qg4TVFB05C1BBTL1PuPiL5QvNuaCjT3UrgXiDpagwJYsyCdca8Whi8bi_XTBk83lnoohaeM-rPGjUZe1FMAKX3KnIc_nDatKojuov_uOHf9fXjxW8PMn_S_sLyv131jdfp8bKqJptjaUOHhzPa2YyQp-ML84NXIpaTeW-06Ox1gBw/s640/6S7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVOKmnm6E8qg4TVFB05C1BBTL1PuPiL5QvNuaCjT3UrgXiDpagwJYsyCdca8Whi8bi_XTBk83lnoohaeM-rPGjUZe1FMAKX3KnIc_nDatKojuov_uOHf9fXjxW8PMn_S_sLyv131jdfp8bKqJptjaUOHhzPa2YyQp-ML84NXIpaTeW-06Ox1gBw/s320/6S7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU2Io-sv99SW0d6kBDEGyE-jwv8b5T626ixxd6H6mMC-PIXawIjEEMiMeDxs4LPJy0jicpJelDBkEm_U2_JBQMfwcvgzQ5ACTCio_Pk0nyef-u5rJN7M5Y_pOP2hnYLLRzvTIcNfjTeCy6t4uIzTu6Kt7UM2ROZTOiB4HGFxEWXHurGCmoSgv3w/s640/6S8.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="640" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU2Io-sv99SW0d6kBDEGyE-jwv8b5T626ixxd6H6mMC-PIXawIjEEMiMeDxs4LPJy0jicpJelDBkEm_U2_JBQMfwcvgzQ5ACTCio_Pk0nyef-u5rJN7M5Y_pOP2hnYLLRzvTIcNfjTeCy6t4uIzTu6Kt7UM2ROZTOiB4HGFxEWXHurGCmoSgv3w/s320/6S8.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russia owned Alaska at one point, <br />thus the Russian Orthodox Church.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TYROofnaczDpG0_Q2qp1Rz5GJgRobom4FKAHxzX3Bs5XhOSkcPzRYQqciOFC1UfzUJOg1-YooPmFvOZT6KWJ1lnGP33aOnZ6b79nO0pDofSA1XJHny9XA9RD8RoDeIsjcIPs02hJWM49cHZphNgVtWVfTLc7p2Jgvl5y8p-FUj2GyAYZU7eSTA/s640/6S9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TYROofnaczDpG0_Q2qp1Rz5GJgRobom4FKAHxzX3Bs5XhOSkcPzRYQqciOFC1UfzUJOg1-YooPmFvOZT6KWJ1lnGP33aOnZ6b79nO0pDofSA1XJHny9XA9RD8RoDeIsjcIPs02hJWM49cHZphNgVtWVfTLc7p2Jgvl5y8p-FUj2GyAYZU7eSTA/s320/6S9.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Thursday morning, June 29th, we were anchored in Juneau, AK. We left the ship and found the bus that we had arranged for a tour of the Mendenhall Glacier. On our first cruise to Alaska back in 2013, we also visited the glacier. We wanted to find out if we could see if the glacier was retreating due to global warming. Steve, Jodie, Linda, and I left our bus and hiked the trail out to Nugget Falls. We goofed around taking photos and then hiked back to the main glacier viewing area and took more pictures. Check out the two photos from our first trip and see if you can see that the glacier has retreated.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">In town, we did some shopping and visited the various sights of Juneau. We took a photo of the Red Dog Saloon. The last time we visited, we spent some time in the saloon but this time an exterior photo was all we had for our visit.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96d9pRF9Sg7bxD21lsuKxwFootV2kvhLCSNYMRUO16u8Yflg9wCht51EqiRLS1jhA88G0MnlgQ8CbPbee4z6mc-d4trgB9_cT5SgwhVWDd6qJUiLiBGE1-3j4mV-CAqXds4kO_6JBU5OTW02rGjx_HCTi2TL4cGxGzTFFDf3UPVyfuHQ2Ojq6dQ/s640/7MG3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96d9pRF9Sg7bxD21lsuKxwFootV2kvhLCSNYMRUO16u8Yflg9wCht51EqiRLS1jhA88G0MnlgQ8CbPbee4z6mc-d4trgB9_cT5SgwhVWDd6qJUiLiBGE1-3j4mV-CAqXds4kO_6JBU5OTW02rGjx_HCTi2TL4cGxGzTFFDf3UPVyfuHQ2Ojq6dQ/s320/7MG3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Mendenhall Glacier today.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWCF1yskHDtmzFdsouV5sl0pA8MrAer29dInGK8FCxbeqnXqBFK3gN0WNg19iZVOcHMmSqjh_2x5rngc8zKjWCnM2gX-80TGHTC6LZ1qqNsfY0l1gzng-u1855vG6PwhOXjiwC-hsrHzb91AmWPVFjx6PXKpspgGvxPDzOhp1LQ7Tb9YruCMPlQ/s1920/7MG1.1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWCF1yskHDtmzFdsouV5sl0pA8MrAer29dInGK8FCxbeqnXqBFK3gN0WNg19iZVOcHMmSqjh_2x5rngc8zKjWCnM2gX-80TGHTC6LZ1qqNsfY0l1gzng-u1855vG6PwhOXjiwC-hsrHzb91AmWPVFjx6PXKpspgGvxPDzOhp1LQ7Tb9YruCMPlQ/s320/7MG1.1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Mendenhall Glacier in 2013.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q7KYDa3laE15-_YnxcaP1IOlC56JxJPr0Nv8QK-p-mHm30rt7WsNFuCF7zfTWNZ90Vh6c5JBfvjDPgEcLT1hioOjDdF4Wbmo618c8XH4EIWSVczUVKsBjjC4I-IlPqzYRrHppC4QymaHuyVE2ny2M-hxvCuSBHwIT8CPRrZQWGESADfYtGGXxQ/s640/7MG2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q7KYDa3laE15-_YnxcaP1IOlC56JxJPr0Nv8QK-p-mHm30rt7WsNFuCF7zfTWNZ90Vh6c5JBfvjDPgEcLT1hioOjDdF4Wbmo618c8XH4EIWSVczUVKsBjjC4I-IlPqzYRrHppC4QymaHuyVE2ny2M-hxvCuSBHwIT8CPRrZQWGESADfYtGGXxQ/s320/7MG2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjiEZU4i1Qr2kAa6XvvrkUfO4q3KDmiBRjVFFUHUgMmOf3miXShInE7rWOWCX8-M8zWIoqUFuM14niK0xMY1WeQznIxWEZWZW1I6o9EkyEGjMu6PDzKjVh3khFSKpleHloP0RdE3XItA2SnHyvEycDH-gzzRtvecU9sxodSvsfHUM743a_z5C_Q/s640/7MG3.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjiEZU4i1Qr2kAa6XvvrkUfO4q3KDmiBRjVFFUHUgMmOf3miXShInE7rWOWCX8-M8zWIoqUFuM14niK0xMY1WeQznIxWEZWZW1I6o9EkyEGjMu6PDzKjVh3khFSKpleHloP0RdE3XItA2SnHyvEycDH-gzzRtvecU9sxodSvsfHUM743a_z5C_Q/s320/7MG3.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFFl8pjac40vAjJ2Xmrcm7zQz05xiHRsGQ3342_vtg_zi7vnDEbrdrSNlJBynmUbdMftqJnQEYikI1IoT4R5v9Ai19_cQ3bm8kpe5kCnu-FhP4y9z96VhK3pg10koNI4UtCKoB7nr7AnWqaK8Qm41dNVw5cYjhaMmRESe8gIsFAE6FfYqNXutaQ/s640/7MG4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFFl8pjac40vAjJ2Xmrcm7zQz05xiHRsGQ3342_vtg_zi7vnDEbrdrSNlJBynmUbdMftqJnQEYikI1IoT4R5v9Ai19_cQ3bm8kpe5kCnu-FhP4y9z96VhK3pg10koNI4UtCKoB7nr7AnWqaK8Qm41dNVw5cYjhaMmRESe8gIsFAE6FfYqNXutaQ/s320/7MG4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cfLYL4IuT-N8-4-0-nezJnD-dzjNpA1En4FCwj-klrvamTA9TbBbfwQ3OAw5qdyQNwEe-HjWYWzO7SP8Q8THm-QCYizc1nsfiu9feIFXuYjif22YKFxCXpD0PpcWatebMRBteJbPsZAiUtmzBsw3jMP3OlchyCW7_RaCmCKmaNO0wBY4CzSNA/s640/7MG5.1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="640" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cfLYL4IuT-N8-4-0-nezJnD-dzjNpA1En4FCwj-klrvamTA9TbBbfwQ3OAw5qdyQNwEe-HjWYWzO7SP8Q8THm-QCYizc1nsfiu9feIFXuYjif22YKFxCXpD0PpcWatebMRBteJbPsZAiUtmzBsw3jMP3OlchyCW7_RaCmCKmaNO0wBY4CzSNA/s320/7MG5.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQSdilEh-smOHghqKvY6rSrYaFBjZnQTb5VlXHfP9IcXbTYreUYI-E3f-y9y7aehHsg0-DAZKKZkzY5JIBP5CZJxhp2PHBgsnfxjliCqg5_wT5ndnR8YQOx50YKcpK0ORu3QCPl4TIvRfVOBdltXuaVF9jSEv0ouhRt4wanpz1uQLLhqX9Kba5w/s1920/7MG5.2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQSdilEh-smOHghqKvY6rSrYaFBjZnQTb5VlXHfP9IcXbTYreUYI-E3f-y9y7aehHsg0-DAZKKZkzY5JIBP5CZJxhp2PHBgsnfxjliCqg5_wT5ndnR8YQOx50YKcpK0ORu3QCPl4TIvRfVOBdltXuaVF9jSEv0ouhRt4wanpz1uQLLhqX9Kba5w/s320/7MG5.2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then... Global warning?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzg6zkvjQvNc-5YKgr5a0XgCaOGPEYdNFbbVmNpFo-OTQy510EgLM5fEiRyPtuRS9W9Qm6fr7VaBgUGRAX2Y8m0XGAfB9SGuoU3J7xgR3CYX0AF8UA47Gcw9HtpKAFgqUf8PqNa19e25WC0JHt69YGlpfFzW_c7OOwrPNl1KLT5pUocd_JfJlAQ/s640/7MG5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzg6zkvjQvNc-5YKgr5a0XgCaOGPEYdNFbbVmNpFo-OTQy510EgLM5fEiRyPtuRS9W9Qm6fr7VaBgUGRAX2Y8m0XGAfB9SGuoU3J7xgR3CYX0AF8UA47Gcw9HtpKAFgqUf8PqNa19e25WC0JHt69YGlpfFzW_c7OOwrPNl1KLT5pUocd_JfJlAQ/s320/7MG5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-6cTjnyUSom-uCmUfybJay8Rud1-ijimvLAN7DDFSD2-2ZEifv6O2SDVv6Z-blLtu14cgi4QcRkVj68n5Yzjq6O_Hwu_UqEKpmoe8GY5dM71F-Trr-Cv0Vnx077yDG_VxGJXyRCOu_u-3Q454HZLYD3cHZqROQE8jYj5FXXTcIa56QSmS-cpDw/s640/7MG6.1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-6cTjnyUSom-uCmUfybJay8Rud1-ijimvLAN7DDFSD2-2ZEifv6O2SDVv6Z-blLtu14cgi4QcRkVj68n5Yzjq6O_Hwu_UqEKpmoe8GY5dM71F-Trr-Cv0Vnx077yDG_VxGJXyRCOu_u-3Q454HZLYD3cHZqROQE8jYj5FXXTcIa56QSmS-cpDw/s320/7MG6.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twins!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EjzEw90gH2LPkvePRBcLAxhlJAA2Wxx5WXe7a-BxFJbDsTxIPFwkZClXoAJjhMJCotKOKcseU5I6RVe8ULDIFxmDu5IUH3DawL9A30lyBkIpVzW6YEC5fLlOy3iGtBm59wT5YzNuQRDPPqXLUxNiPlYuHRoTFtxhYGOTWPeOdqfvipQXTw0RbQ/s640/7MG6.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EjzEw90gH2LPkvePRBcLAxhlJAA2Wxx5WXe7a-BxFJbDsTxIPFwkZClXoAJjhMJCotKOKcseU5I6RVe8ULDIFxmDu5IUH3DawL9A30lyBkIpVzW6YEC5fLlOy3iGtBm59wT5YzNuQRDPPqXLUxNiPlYuHRoTFtxhYGOTWPeOdqfvipQXTw0RbQ/s320/7MG6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Red Dog Saloon is a very popular place.</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Back on board the ship we had lunch and then watched Juneau fade into the distance. Our next stop was the small town of Wrangell.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">When we woke in the morning we were docked at Wrangell. Our group gathered on the pier and we walked along the bay to an area where petroglyphs could be found among the rocks. They have provided beach access for wheelchairs, so Don and Caroline were able to go with us. The petroglyphs are on the beach among the rocks. You can wander around to inspect them. The site is a sacred site for the First Nation people so the government is trying to keep everything as natural as possible. This means that the ocean tides have been scrubbing the rocks and someday the glyphs will be hard to see. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">From this point, our group split up and went in several directions. Linda and Jodie hiked inclines and stairs up to the top of Mt. Dewey. It was quite the hike, over 1000 steps. They said it was definitely worth it. The view of the whole town and surrounding area was beautiful.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Steve and I went looking for Dan Roope's fly shop somewhere in town. Dan Roope is a Coeur d'Alene native who moved to Wrangell many years ago. I thought a stop at the shop might be nice, but we decided that his shop was probably in his home and we didn't want to hike too deep into the city's neighborhoods to make an appearance.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Don and Caroline did a bit of shopping and returned to the ship.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Everyone boarded the ship and it headed out to cruise the Outside Passage around Vancouver Island. This passage is always anticipated because the ship travels in the open ocean and many times the seas are a bit rough. We were lucky, however, and the movement on the ship didn't wasn't enough to bother anyone too much.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8jp36NjQ5BFwC-jDH4OuZYOHyDlUu0MUmE8Acym7lAR2ZNeECK4FFe1EaHnDLC5Qe9vGOTPIxpd1Ja6tU2O4tki6ZVTFjQ5RHGr-jUUWMXXc4V0o6JOB0hg8DS17gfhKLABQhP7r8FKCFzVFhEHU-grRjpqxllvVtzYPV-9NSLcygKtJLgWCqg/s640/8BW.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8jp36NjQ5BFwC-jDH4OuZYOHyDlUu0MUmE8Acym7lAR2ZNeECK4FFe1EaHnDLC5Qe9vGOTPIxpd1Ja6tU2O4tki6ZVTFjQ5RHGr-jUUWMXXc4V0o6JOB0hg8DS17gfhKLABQhP7r8FKCFzVFhEHU-grRjpqxllvVtzYPV-9NSLcygKtJLgWCqg/s320/8BW.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TihMws2kWXrJ7Yb91c_XZjURZRR6fhsNbnd3JFrsVTQx-oExz78ejWPQczM6s5oQ6wxe6uF6En6Z1R32jSbyRL7-qjgaOPwh8eKLOnalPEURSFpTYKvuGbc_FNUdlsfdIS1WZRua6MoR2wnaUdcTbNFBI3ReTtcaSF_T1W7lT6bODWdlgZgl_Q/s640/8W1.1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="640" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TihMws2kWXrJ7Yb91c_XZjURZRR6fhsNbnd3JFrsVTQx-oExz78ejWPQczM6s5oQ6wxe6uF6En6Z1R32jSbyRL7-qjgaOPwh8eKLOnalPEURSFpTYKvuGbc_FNUdlsfdIS1WZRua6MoR2wnaUdcTbNFBI3ReTtcaSF_T1W7lT6bODWdlgZgl_Q/s320/8W1.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrangell panorama.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQap9JMSYdfcJKiWswU6WDf8pPSvCZLumpoFmrTwRsrSvLDBVk7yv9GKnMZOLCVm7AreA9qxpyaxeI9VKflGSZCuIqdWni7j61AWi3p6E0HOpYHMSVdCc8hPNaFmRFHO1g1S880OiXu_hbE0xIaZa30v8ud3j0zfLrQ17XRbl231ez1WFPYO9g4g/s640/8W1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQap9JMSYdfcJKiWswU6WDf8pPSvCZLumpoFmrTwRsrSvLDBVk7yv9GKnMZOLCVm7AreA9qxpyaxeI9VKflGSZCuIqdWni7j61AWi3p6E0HOpYHMSVdCc8hPNaFmRFHO1g1S880OiXu_hbE0xIaZa30v8ud3j0zfLrQ17XRbl231ez1WFPYO9g4g/s320/8W1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIsZPaswbjmOUUJfzGpw6r8ILu3ni82QEjzWw_Fg1RvEqb7NDQlmfn4QUAwWnDxG4EPsHjoB9K5rvmR_7Km3u0DCFa15d6TOqZC0tLYFAjUGlvEAXJ4EhXq9EpPvMsoHTU-vlXKWyuUFPMKgmbqAwCHVIz8xARQqNOJm2MxJPInMS5CD85aX1eg/s640/8W2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIsZPaswbjmOUUJfzGpw6r8ILu3ni82QEjzWw_Fg1RvEqb7NDQlmfn4QUAwWnDxG4EPsHjoB9K5rvmR_7Km3u0DCFa15d6TOqZC0tLYFAjUGlvEAXJ4EhXq9EpPvMsoHTU-vlXKWyuUFPMKgmbqAwCHVIz8xARQqNOJm2MxJPInMS5CD85aX1eg/s320/8W2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to the future. The phone book<br /> was from 1995.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtgrNLdWxVUIE2I5lF-w3pN0dSuwVu22ePHCUqzI1p2fiDeRBslnTn0lAtgDj4qDTcfMPih0AGJKqjm1aqb71ZXg7QkUFXPUtSdkCXqg0mz-LIQPMUcIbGp4NG-uhzJq685y_qvvRRqUHAb34Dm_LHd4yggBjmxGOnnVM1p_ajqMQTiL8EwVGoA/s640/8W3.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtgrNLdWxVUIE2I5lF-w3pN0dSuwVu22ePHCUqzI1p2fiDeRBslnTn0lAtgDj4qDTcfMPih0AGJKqjm1aqb71ZXg7QkUFXPUtSdkCXqg0mz-LIQPMUcIbGp4NG-uhzJq685y_qvvRRqUHAb34Dm_LHd4yggBjmxGOnnVM1p_ajqMQTiL8EwVGoA/s320/8W3.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda4Lnyf8yAYy2dBdXI8vZzj3IphAJxTbzIh9CloJy3XKZ9jgC5V99e2gn8MAJlYZ_gTN4Fifh7hnItYfTpTDjYEPs6W_29DN19DC84Ol1lMRIdeSJ3DjYY_tZ7AYK6PiurIad7nzO3_d--pQ6Rmc1sIlfa8q8iT6xiePeTrGToaEWzgQ9hD15wQ/s640/8W3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhda4Lnyf8yAYy2dBdXI8vZzj3IphAJxTbzIh9CloJy3XKZ9jgC5V99e2gn8MAJlYZ_gTN4Fifh7hnItYfTpTDjYEPs6W_29DN19DC84Ol1lMRIdeSJ3DjYY_tZ7AYK6PiurIad7nzO3_d--pQ6Rmc1sIlfa8q8iT6xiePeTrGToaEWzgQ9hD15wQ/s320/8W3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-O9EGIHZlo-90mGLGHH-DIDUFwi0NHJzmMfU6XcaxxJCOk0nEbjFtXeSm278tWUldy5tD99aONED1O9gd7HyS3qqo0T4k7YjjsVOo4GIYUtS7TDQ32C-428CT5DXBNReldSR1CucZvtDWKCXeau6V6QSsZ2STU03VIzSGCITa2KYENzrkQ2N7A/s640/8W4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-O9EGIHZlo-90mGLGHH-DIDUFwi0NHJzmMfU6XcaxxJCOk0nEbjFtXeSm278tWUldy5tD99aONED1O9gd7HyS3qqo0T4k7YjjsVOo4GIYUtS7TDQ32C-428CT5DXBNReldSR1CucZvtDWKCXeau6V6QSsZ2STU03VIzSGCITa2KYENzrkQ2N7A/s320/8W4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrBdww_vCcj1yitT-v0u3gru7T_7vq_5mbg3w2N3V154z65XkzgNBNOSL-gR4if9IUOuXfmEXNfuSnWeN1X445l2xQJjx0A5NnS1NHO_dnkqPSx5BzP_cq5WBd2FWB910LIGgwJpkhBrKz24mRhNjcJNnfOKcBht5JbwUyc_AiCHh2Mr8nH2mIg/s640/S1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrBdww_vCcj1yitT-v0u3gru7T_7vq_5mbg3w2N3V154z65XkzgNBNOSL-gR4if9IUOuXfmEXNfuSnWeN1X445l2xQJjx0A5NnS1NHO_dnkqPSx5BzP_cq5WBd2FWB910LIGgwJpkhBrKz24mRhNjcJNnfOKcBht5JbwUyc_AiCHh2Mr8nH2mIg/s320/S1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Our final port was located at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on Vancouver Island. The ship was moored at the pier next to a huge Carnival Cruise ship that held 4500 passengers. We exited our ship as quickly as possible so that we could be on our next tour before the thousands of passengers exited their boat. Our tour was to the famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butchart_Gardens" target="_blank">Butchart Gardens</a>. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">This stop was one of the tours that Linda was super excited to see. Our bus took us right to the gate and our entire group entered and explored the beautiful gardens. Even with all the people, the gardens were spectacular. So much color and variety. It definitely lived up to all the hype. When we had explored the sights, we got back on the bus and shuttled back to our ship.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It was early enough that Linda, Jodie, and I were able to take a walk out on the breakwater near our ship. When we returned we cleaned up and everyone met for our final group dinner before we disembarked our ship early in the morning.</div><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div><div class="adL" dir="auto">That evening after dinner everyone said their goodbyes and returned to their cabins. Baggage needed to be packed and placed in the hallways before 10 PM, so that the crew could get them organized and transported to the area where we disembarked.</div><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="adL" dir="auto">The next morning we woke up, showered, and enjoyed our final room service. We met Steve and Jodie and we exited our ship together gathering up all our luggage as we went. </div><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="adL" dir="auto">Our shuttle took us to our car and we packed it full for the final leg of our journey. Traffic was a bit crowded in Seattle, but once we got out of the business areas, it was smooth going. Linda and I took turns driving and we had a relatively uneventful trip back home. </div><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="adL" dir="auto">We decided to embark on this adventure for several reasons. Exploring Alaska still calls to me. We haven't been able to put a trip of our own together yet. This was a way to get a quick bite of some of the places we've wanted to see to put them on the list for a longer visit next time. Most importantly, this was a time to spend with good friends and leave some cares and responsibilities for a while. We enjoyed this exploration and time spent with people we love.</div></div><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl5n0V7kLAOzix_kX_fTcrTtSPMMWSYXkMWjAe8uBdg8GxUZE9fmcV6E8QAXH0Rq52jxRG3d0OU6YIRuMQiVYRoWvBb7m_5-dAC3Y882Hpz7Gtu2qbrdvxq2lPmPFds2Op54hxnrvQCxHl4zAfKhnEKbs9CrZ7LrPaHftUUWyIzJlfkBo0Hj3Lw/s640/V1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl5n0V7kLAOzix_kX_fTcrTtSPMMWSYXkMWjAe8uBdg8GxUZE9fmcV6E8QAXH0Rq52jxRG3d0OU6YIRuMQiVYRoWvBb7m_5-dAC3Y882Hpz7Gtu2qbrdvxq2lPmPFds2Op54hxnrvQCxHl4zAfKhnEKbs9CrZ7LrPaHftUUWyIzJlfkBo0Hj3Lw/s320/V1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB703t_eDwjivdJ22CcJhIZBifwFl2fKF9fnw0Om8Xt2UWoi0b4LGBLjmVCuLN8WpH0VCC1rqeSlYEfHjlQ2r0Qru-WqFFJ3KMUkIZu_e-u6f8xV77T-UV1Rc8KtlTWBWXnhirggh7w6TIN8zCMq222LBqPByEvW5FsZrHD2mhnHShJ8WcnMPOvw/s640/V2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MJtdrLdy9mwkCzNHN8YefsjUNq788976KFywmGx7jnqsQjpIkMYLaaH7t6g3-zvlwsScWCMoGRINis-kDThRwcIr1P1nPfxHXGic9O8zdh6RJ3kmzmWNsS6zVkSd9tnwgDxgdiEZkavpr_VauH0gFRAOByHQ3oQ73nC83V4ii7C89Es4yctdcw/s640/V10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MJtdrLdy9mwkCzNHN8YefsjUNq788976KFywmGx7jnqsQjpIkMYLaaH7t6g3-zvlwsScWCMoGRINis-kDThRwcIr1P1nPfxHXGic9O8zdh6RJ3kmzmWNsS6zVkSd9tnwgDxgdiEZkavpr_VauH0gFRAOByHQ3oQ73nC83V4ii7C89Es4yctdcw/s320/V10.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCqnG9ENMD12hxffNEXe6I9nyMdMmFc9h38J8S7PV5bT3QnY4PuPwflSKPVpUF6180OVISBLMMjJSCkGlhnhhGqhBZnG5-kh9BBViVSs8UdApLwAeJ7gDMwHEMJQNwqWKATP59rA3AGRk5WSbuyPrxvBX6eFftqCNFnz5UhPyuBh7r6EEqjE7tA/s640/V11.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCqnG9ENMD12hxffNEXe6I9nyMdMmFc9h38J8S7PV5bT3QnY4PuPwflSKPVpUF6180OVISBLMMjJSCkGlhnhhGqhBZnG5-kh9BBViVSs8UdApLwAeJ7gDMwHEMJQNwqWKATP59rA3AGRk5WSbuyPrxvBX6eFftqCNFnz5UhPyuBh7r6EEqjE7tA/s320/V11.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="adL" dir="auto"><br /></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-57969469641958089022023-06-17T10:08:00.000-07:002023-06-17T10:08:39.497-07:00Oregon Here We Come!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmXQVy_6ezNOAcsaA-UA6IxDm8y9xxD1XU8hMtGFKvhww84l8r9kup9yFhvFV8-UtOyWBeBXh7zjDnKQ3f0lqwBgSCgdutagnTHTqX-A4qsaxYszsAEc8H5KvAkEk_Xk7p7dCoZF0buAXeeP2TDF-SGvUzD3h2O6-OyJtHPcyDnWJH_LQ_Rg/s2741/IMG_20003.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1963" data-original-width="2741" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmXQVy_6ezNOAcsaA-UA6IxDm8y9xxD1XU8hMtGFKvhww84l8r9kup9yFhvFV8-UtOyWBeBXh7zjDnKQ3f0lqwBgSCgdutagnTHTqX-A4qsaxYszsAEc8H5KvAkEk_Xk7p7dCoZF0buAXeeP2TDF-SGvUzD3h2O6-OyJtHPcyDnWJH_LQ_Rg/s320/IMG_20003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After our last camping adventure at Heyburn State Park, Linda and I reprovisioned the camper. I got everything geared up to travel southwest to Oregon where we would visit Linda's sister and her family. Linda had planned for us to stay in Eugene for three nights visiting the family, then drive to the coast and meet up with our friends Caroline and Don Samuelson. <p></p><p></p>Putting everything in order, we left Post Falls and drove to Arlington on the first day. The only interruption along the way was an hour-long shopping stop at the Kennewick REI. Neither of us bought anything, but it was a fun break from driving. <div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpJaxqfOx15hqcMBP0ErZBtPdPlTwROWy2k7Y7ys24gcIot6gGzKuZ9DK4bp-R5_7cHNmtH6HvH2ZxTdB56pKvmtpioUZfBpxr19xK7lb5RddF-Csly_PDIVrahNkvQFBVVpTZr7YCYKuZIljwwBW4bdDZ3WRBy7PTOzvH5rLusMZfdiG65E/s4608/IMG_0023.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpJaxqfOx15hqcMBP0ErZBtPdPlTwROWy2k7Y7ys24gcIot6gGzKuZ9DK4bp-R5_7cHNmtH6HvH2ZxTdB56pKvmtpioUZfBpxr19xK7lb5RddF-Csly_PDIVrahNkvQFBVVpTZr7YCYKuZIljwwBW4bdDZ3WRBy7PTOzvH5rLusMZfdiG65E/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hydrofoil kiteboarder having fun in the wind.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p>We drove on and spent the night at our $10 boondock spot at the Port of Arlington. We had a great dinner and watched several wind boarders and a couple of kiteboarders working the wind and waves. The wind had been blowing hard all day and when we neared the Port, I was ready to stop for the day. Wind makes for tense driving, but great sailing. We enjoyed watching the boarders perform.<div><p></p><p></p>The next morning we were up and on the road by 9 AM. I drove and Linda navigated. We followed Highway 84 west to Portland where we merged onto I-5 south. The drive was uneventful and we arrived in Eugene at around 2 PM. We parked the camper in the driveway and got our chairs out and started relaxing. Throughout the afternoon the Sollingers returned home from their various commitments and we greeted each with a hug as they arrived.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp_-aA3qg2E9H1uGzJ2SpcAxOFdYlr8re-Uu8xjsYY-W504UYyjDG0l97av0N1BshAL0KLQqmI9zaeZtpNDtI8ssCz0W56kSmDU4m3hjP3IDFvYY4rNPAu5oCI4R08gXYreuQQ8qJLtWwyU1K-Fd7TjIPShbF29pthMg71j6q2O7IxE1I6SE/s4608/IMG_20015.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp_-aA3qg2E9H1uGzJ2SpcAxOFdYlr8re-Uu8xjsYY-W504UYyjDG0l97av0N1BshAL0KLQqmI9zaeZtpNDtI8ssCz0W56kSmDU4m3hjP3IDFvYY4rNPAu5oCI4R08gXYreuQQ8qJLtWwyU1K-Fd7TjIPShbF29pthMg71j6q2O7IxE1I6SE/s320/IMG_20015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Hood was spectacular</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><p></p><p>Our 3-night visit with the Solenger family was very fun and filled with food, conversation, and exploration. On Friday, we drove to several parks in the Eugene area and even spent part of the day looking for license plates in the city and around the U of O. </p><p></p>Our travels took us up a hill to Hendrick's Park where we took a wrong turn and ran right into <a href="https://www.portlandtrack.com/pres-rock" target="_blank">Pre's Rock</a>. This is a monument memorializing the rock where Steve Prefontaine, a famous Oregon runner, crashed his sports car and died. <br /><p></p><p>That evening we ate like kings and played Skip-Bo. It was fun catching up, but mostly it was fun teasing Diane!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>On Saturday we spent the day at the Wildlife Safari located in Winston, OR. Trip Advisor says, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3v51ZmX4K1UbY87EWfBsEFUJLaPbOmDFrTkwy7NpHHljiDLYPs75G9o46koHm_b-jyIekn4j6g3uWv6LndY8xu3RqxnaX0LjhA5iOG2ddYdgkvfk9r3u_xTfMgLcAqsOxZ2LJG97iG8-uZxylxFajVMLYBxkF7eft2j2KgcQyI46lZlVfcNo/s640/20230602_141334.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3v51ZmX4K1UbY87EWfBsEFUJLaPbOmDFrTkwy7NpHHljiDLYPs75G9o46koHm_b-jyIekn4j6g3uWv6LndY8xu3RqxnaX0LjhA5iOG2ddYdgkvfk9r3u_xTfMgLcAqsOxZ2LJG97iG8-uZxylxFajVMLYBxkF7eft2j2KgcQyI46lZlVfcNo/s320/20230602_141334.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to Steve Prefontaine</td></tr></tbody></table>Wildlife Safari is a non-profit AZA-accredited zoological park dedicated to conservation, education, and research since its inception in 1972. Wildlife Safari is a fun-filled family destination where you can view over 500 animals in their natural habitat roaming freely much as they do in the wild! Visitors to the park drive through a 4.5-mile trek to see animals from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. This unique setting offers many opportunities to get up close and personal with animals large and small."</span></span><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAenTqsJ6FeFDjfHLpmgo7WeoM-iLgad0I7Q3hgq0IBkHb7k7U8qgO9d91QOq54gOqeTghjJdg2tqbC_8uHQLP6G7g0EoJESQdBnK2nKnYEhK6nOKSUrwyoneA5bOvYit9UPSCj_YaeMxIWhLXmI4zU6rYq6OhrmaOdBeOWrWAWlcw6fo6ld0/s4608/IMG_0055.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAenTqsJ6FeFDjfHLpmgo7WeoM-iLgad0I7Q3hgq0IBkHb7k7U8qgO9d91QOq54gOqeTghjJdg2tqbC_8uHQLP6G7g0EoJESQdBnK2nKnYEhK6nOKSUrwyoneA5bOvYit9UPSCj_YaeMxIWhLXmI4zU6rYq6OhrmaOdBeOWrWAWlcw6fo6ld0/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">We drove the loop through the park and then walked the area around the petting zoo. Linda tried to hide one of the baby goats in her handbag, but we caught her, and she had to give it back. I don't know how she thought she could hide that little critter. You could not see it, but its bleats could be heard a mile away.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">That night, the last night in Eugene, we celebrated Kenyon's 21st birthday. Specialty pizza was ordered and picked up and we had a feast before our final Skip-Bo game. We said our goodbyes and went to bed. It was back on the road in the morning heading to the coast.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7K5Sq0cjZkXPIwHZnfsqsRd4pEPzNkHwBNceyPknh5vEmYJfwidcSkbOQh7KwxUPjXScPliWWhZdPuW4AFibp0QrUlKzTDLt6Wjl-lcQHlfHIy1hKgTnrOwEXSYxty60wDThsa5LT-Ieb7RBMy8h8HBKgnz28OgUzN8A_UFn-10HtnCw65Q/s4608/IMG_0059.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7K5Sq0cjZkXPIwHZnfsqsRd4pEPzNkHwBNceyPknh5vEmYJfwidcSkbOQh7KwxUPjXScPliWWhZdPuW4AFibp0QrUlKzTDLt6Wjl-lcQHlfHIy1hKgTnrOwEXSYxty60wDThsa5LT-Ieb7RBMy8h8HBKgnz28OgUzN8A_UFn-10HtnCw65Q/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The drive to the coast was uneventful. We checked into our campsite at Jessie Honeyman State Park where we were greeted by Don and Caroline. It was good to see them and we all sat around and chatted.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I</span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">t was windy,</span></span><span style="color: #333333; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> but later on, Caroline and I took advantage of the Oregon Free Fishing Day and tossed some power bait into Lilly Lake. We fished for a bit and talked to a few folks about the lake. Lilly Lake is stocked with hatchery fish so everyone fishes with garlic-scented power baits. The fish feed on them because they are most like the fish food they have been given at the hatchery. They tend to be on a schedule and will bite better just before sunset. With all this info, we still could not catch anything, so we blamed it on the wind and quit.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxotdkG5VVbGyje7io5EbDNFZNsW5YGzde1COcTTEvJcESfzuoWQ_bQJSlrybCECtvHOYbBRpzGEud67rpONOKQUHJA-HOqXHiISUU2sun3DEFnjV01KLsKk3MKhi9C5DoFOWQDHAL2Qp7aSq5bvVJen5FbciQkojBvV-BVRgGVuHjoCM_RT0/s4608/IMG_0062.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxotdkG5VVbGyje7io5EbDNFZNsW5YGzde1COcTTEvJcESfzuoWQ_bQJSlrybCECtvHOYbBRpzGEud67rpONOKQUHJA-HOqXHiISUU2sun3DEFnjV01KLsKk3MKhi9C5DoFOWQDHAL2Qp7aSq5bvVJen5FbciQkojBvV-BVRgGVuHjoCM_RT0/s320/IMG_0062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dinner time rolled around and Caroline prepared a wonderful hot dinner of clam chowder, crab and cheese sandwiches, and fruit salad. The wind was blowing hard and it was too cool to sit outside, so we ate in our little houses separately. We slept well with the wind cooling our camper making it very comfortable. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Monday </span></span>all four of us took a walk over to <span style="text-align: center;">Woahink Lake, where we explored the shore and took photos. The park has an excellent trail system that is paved so Don had no trouble riding his recumbent trike with us as we walked.</span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: black; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: black; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;">We stayed two nights at Honeyman State Park and then both rigs were packed up and we moved north to South Beach State Park for our final two nights.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: black; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: collapse;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixm2Um6FxHAJ9SoWALF_jRW_DgT0-c8RfEbvc8NQUNGSG2D5fPW-vFP26IxvQ0FoS-HtJ2sLPcm3Fqig7cHYkq2U5FzpQOdk76-UW-wzrY8frY6GWKBy_VBJse4O7PmHO2RJe8APiU3A4WyPjIgY4V8fe1RMB9WvMFvLAi5YB9EWxdzqQ1ZOA/s4032/120230603_103905.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixm2Um6FxHAJ9SoWALF_jRW_DgT0-c8RfEbvc8NQUNGSG2D5fPW-vFP26IxvQ0FoS-HtJ2sLPcm3Fqig7cHYkq2U5FzpQOdk76-UW-wzrY8frY6GWKBy_VBJse4O7PmHO2RJe8APiU3A4WyPjIgY4V8fe1RMB9WvMFvLAi5YB9EWxdzqQ1ZOA/s320/120230603_103905.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can make your own caption here.</td></tr></tbody></table>When we were on the road to South Beach, Linda and I took the opportunity to drive about 20 miles farther north to Lincoln City and we did some shopping at the Outlet Mall which is located on the south end of the city. </span>We both found some great deals while we were there. It turned out to be a great extension of our little vacation.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><span style="text-align: left;">We arrived at our campsite in the late afternoon, got set up, ready to enjoy our dinner,</span></span></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6Fbh-luHJ7x14m2SVX2wxZZ4CDCvOLhOMHczAuQ9CYX4SCi1Frtg5x3IjwU7QBHCQBC3uh9B9d6tzPr030w9kdzxN1dtZHkJOFrFThs11fmKXChnpO5Bc7T9xxUpn6HGkAfocm8_bof77QI0yPg6eVZf_UTeNUUrl_P8Y-8qZNzP93rFGU0/s3024/20230606_184039.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6Fbh-luHJ7x14m2SVX2wxZZ4CDCvOLhOMHczAuQ9CYX4SCi1Frtg5x3IjwU7QBHCQBC3uh9B9d6tzPr030w9kdzxN1dtZHkJOFrFThs11fmKXChnpO5Bc7T9xxUpn6HGkAfocm8_bof77QI0yPg6eVZf_UTeNUUrl_P8Y-8qZNzP93rFGU0/s320/20230606_184039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I walked across the campground loop road to have snacks with Caroline and Don. As we sat there talking, I looked over at our camper and noticed something hanging down under the front of the truck. I took a closer look and found that our brand-new steering rod assembly ($1200.00) had come apart. The shock portion of the system had disconnected from the rest of the unit and was just hanging there. A large nut was missing. There was no way to tell if this had been detached for our entire trip, or if it had come apart recently. </p><p></p>We took a few photos of the problem and called Les Schwab in Newport right before they closed for the day. They said that if it wasn't dragging, bring it in and they would check it out. The next morning we packed up and drove into town. It took them about 20 minutes to replace the nut. Nothing had been damaged during the time things were detached. We were very lucky and old Les was able to make the repair at no additional cost.<p></p><p></p><p>We drove back to the campground and set up for the second time. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p>During our stay, we walked the paved trails out to the beach and enjoyed short walks in the sea breeze. The beach is one of Linda's happy places and she can walk and search for shells for hours. I love to watch her explore. Her smile is always amazing.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAtdLk3RCsfq1o7bKhoY1jPoTPC3I-Kd7UPC4u8ENdR1vrakn_xb8_yXiLvRkHRh833VFDJR8AmEQ28yU5nbfgXmeywv7gvMhCRu0A97vqPE9lzgqal2sTmJOn_vU52PbGssgDr3jzQwuflCzJnz1yPzqRx8j91bukCqeI7dPay_zUAw5_DM/s4032/120230604_153324.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAtdLk3RCsfq1o7bKhoY1jPoTPC3I-Kd7UPC4u8ENdR1vrakn_xb8_yXiLvRkHRh833VFDJR8AmEQ28yU5nbfgXmeywv7gvMhCRu0A97vqPE9lzgqal2sTmJOn_vU52PbGssgDr3jzQwuflCzJnz1yPzqRx8j91bukCqeI7dPay_zUAw5_DM/s320/120230604_153324.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing Lilly Lake in the wind!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div></div><div><p></p><p>After two nights at South Beach, it was time to split up and both groups head home. It is always so fun to see Caroline and Don. We said our goodbyes and reminded each of us that we will be traveling together again at the end of June. We can't wait for that next adventure!</p><p>The next morning we drove through Newport, found Highway 20, and headed east. We intersected I-5 and drove north. When we neared the Portland area we exited I-5 and took 205 around the jam of traffic in Portland. We intersected I-84 and followed it up the Gorge and back to our spot at the Port of Arlington. We had dinner, played Skip-Bo, and went to bed. Our final night on the road had the perfect backdrop. Cool winds, train whistles, and the sounds of the waves on the shore of the Columbia River. Brings tears to your eyes, doesn't it?</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQnLOefAH4NV4whMKZEaIys00Nar_dstYEuG_Qe14PfHkczLcvJXdAuE2YJ7SKkSkCISCkqeXtR4cFmqEp_gsrLY78LC3UY1sf3aQmYizTyHQQ_dsrpUbEUxcvIlDzQO9PgozzCF4bUiFX7DtFwib3fCWhUzNLI2mKWj_eICRE9CFCkiloTs/s4032/20230607_110823.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQnLOefAH4NV4whMKZEaIys00Nar_dstYEuG_Qe14PfHkczLcvJXdAuE2YJ7SKkSkCISCkqeXtR4cFmqEp_gsrLY78LC3UY1sf3aQmYizTyHQQ_dsrpUbEUxcvIlDzQO9PgozzCF4bUiFX7DtFwib3fCWhUzNLI2mKWj_eICRE9CFCkiloTs/s320/20230607_110823.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siuslaw Bridge entering Florence.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p>We retraced our route down, with the exception of the REI stop. Our big white box was back in its parking spot by 1:00 PM and we were unpacked by 2:30 PM. It was good to be home. Little did we know that the next week would bring a huge bittersweet change into our lives. I will explain all that later.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HZ8U_OEGSsT_hlGjXsJAuE8xO2__OdZ6x3b9rfeIuPafM1sW0cHxIlaj8Q42FikNpJCCkNyOJ-6au41x3fMbS3NRgRLAoFvkaNO6DTwarDDLt5b53pnqMtsKSZ7DlA-LCIwlt0N6e4MmCdku1w5oTOHQ5f0AJ5XFVqKgr8aXhJjSvjubIGg/s3024/20230606_171100.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HZ8U_OEGSsT_hlGjXsJAuE8xO2__OdZ6x3b9rfeIuPafM1sW0cHxIlaj8Q42FikNpJCCkNyOJ-6au41x3fMbS3NRgRLAoFvkaNO6DTwarDDLt5b53pnqMtsKSZ7DlA-LCIwlt0N6e4MmCdku1w5oTOHQ5f0AJ5XFVqKgr8aXhJjSvjubIGg/s320/20230606_171100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No nut! That's not right!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WkVful2b9F9Zcmeelqn29lzm1xOMfeQcV0nH-8lthQ_LvvgeHa8B0IJ8OALkQLEi0bMj4ARTD0CexnbI05_p7ralXv6JCHtzMYNCLKYncBzmwqwUc1Lud0cYS7I9pStKxo6SvFzIRp-zXsDEwGv184luPaPLf_ZqErE4Z8Q62BdSaY5z9Jk/s4032/120230607_070330.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WkVful2b9F9Zcmeelqn29lzm1xOMfeQcV0nH-8lthQ_LvvgeHa8B0IJ8OALkQLEi0bMj4ARTD0CexnbI05_p7ralXv6JCHtzMYNCLKYncBzmwqwUc1Lud0cYS7I9pStKxo6SvFzIRp-zXsDEwGv184luPaPLf_ZqErE4Z8Q62BdSaY5z9Jk/s320/120230607_070330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two beach eagles and a dead fish.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Photos from the Wildlife Safari:</b></span><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPvkYNLrBIZqcq3Qjt7LFz6qegbTC8E-4ffZcfuLBinfaQPpzTf0jGQJmTxAyvbz6V1QmDEp5D7ItRGID8aovHSUh73_x6ZKR5qLJKXtp6gzwywfNIoX50hfp45h75Z1HVm2gNhcAb5gV8CVe4d0dMV5ohwWKNHbUSR0wgT8o_-9geeJSGDM/s3076/IMG_0085.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2204" data-original-width="3076" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPvkYNLrBIZqcq3Qjt7LFz6qegbTC8E-4ffZcfuLBinfaQPpzTf0jGQJmTxAyvbz6V1QmDEp5D7ItRGID8aovHSUh73_x6ZKR5qLJKXtp6gzwywfNIoX50hfp45h75Z1HVm2gNhcAb5gV8CVe4d0dMV5ohwWKNHbUSR0wgT8o_-9geeJSGDM/s320/IMG_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Can I see your park pass, please?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkBLFiITz8t9fh0QN9p2P5KyhDyzEXphW1tO53xfPpaw5YYJtDZNhh5FMHQl4KHA0jy0ylLQ7yeQ0VCRhSZzmT5uJGD82YQFVL_Wcn8zPm6OSE3x5A7ENcTliIyUmYqfRsKY3FSx7BWNvDnDtmPPxIE-YZ-OKlyPiMPW3jaQyxhkPdn4onA/s4608/IMG_0102.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkBLFiITz8t9fh0QN9p2P5KyhDyzEXphW1tO53xfPpaw5YYJtDZNhh5FMHQl4KHA0jy0ylLQ7yeQ0VCRhSZzmT5uJGD82YQFVL_Wcn8zPm6OSE3x5A7ENcTliIyUmYqfRsKY3FSx7BWNvDnDtmPPxIE-YZ-OKlyPiMPW3jaQyxhkPdn4onA/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD5cnsNyhh3mPpOZH5IGUmKrd9gk-Bg7u0o_LqWdpfb0uxgyAnw09UCDDY0OeanmjLaRcvR1WqSi-1lFlhMbDkjK4FYBOrIRLZIERvQsJujnF4AUsTxS2IKPHL1e1Qy93ohUcWHiqv0E7kSEmPaY6oj_oIRkFOMIVfS5g6uD-as23J-W-WC0/s2821/IMG_0125.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="2014" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD5cnsNyhh3mPpOZH5IGUmKrd9gk-Bg7u0o_LqWdpfb0uxgyAnw09UCDDY0OeanmjLaRcvR1WqSi-1lFlhMbDkjK4FYBOrIRLZIERvQsJujnF4AUsTxS2IKPHL1e1Qy93ohUcWHiqv0E7kSEmPaY6oj_oIRkFOMIVfS5g6uD-as23J-W-WC0/s320/IMG_0125.JPG" width="228" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DCVLorJP5jw_Hsdq5V32XRHZUU6wAYh1M0timaeNHBxIsdiZftVPWNmDK8kfCd76lCJ_a-tximBeNHZkgNkK9y4pO6v_4BmRTqpTk4k3ITvB4QyA-y6HQe3ozQJcET_2VwaBoPhkDhIxEscLEUOHxdbmf2lO3PxOeNw3inBDTVGlC_RN94k/s4608/IMG_0134.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DCVLorJP5jw_Hsdq5V32XRHZUU6wAYh1M0timaeNHBxIsdiZftVPWNmDK8kfCd76lCJ_a-tximBeNHZkgNkK9y4pO6v_4BmRTqpTk4k3ITvB4QyA-y6HQe3ozQJcET_2VwaBoPhkDhIxEscLEUOHxdbmf2lO3PxOeNw3inBDTVGlC_RN94k/s320/IMG_0134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is way tired.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqbk45WBoDwnI6L3uivLtUc2GmHEls-4olmKGyUdcnGZaxsqkh5SDv4HZ_UhpXVcCB6jklI60m_eop-FrtnIbiBrmJdco75tlfBCRHr_CYvpPJKM0M6y-l2hsHmSFZPJ4i7gPrk_FytpYO6SawfZDvQ4fy0ouB9fkdPkwge_3ROOTOzCNwQs/s4608/IMG_0142.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqbk45WBoDwnI6L3uivLtUc2GmHEls-4olmKGyUdcnGZaxsqkh5SDv4HZ_UhpXVcCB6jklI60m_eop-FrtnIbiBrmJdco75tlfBCRHr_CYvpPJKM0M6y-l2hsHmSFZPJ4i7gPrk_FytpYO6SawfZDvQ4fy0ouB9fkdPkwge_3ROOTOzCNwQs/s320/IMG_0142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpE41Knwsds0f3si_usQXHf5inBUnpOLGn6qGmDdauYYiZ0VhOZesLepQMcbTiiww8CR1X-oj-Puhv0BkRBz3KDcZup5qCVoGGBUYFzRgj54pgfOqsdoxtI1l3xvfxCzKnHorqzomRUQxfgOHAPzlR4k9LMRl_0UK_9NM46dudZmc85fcLjMc/s4608/IMG_0153.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpE41Knwsds0f3si_usQXHf5inBUnpOLGn6qGmDdauYYiZ0VhOZesLepQMcbTiiww8CR1X-oj-Puhv0BkRBz3KDcZup5qCVoGGBUYFzRgj54pgfOqsdoxtI1l3xvfxCzKnHorqzomRUQxfgOHAPzlR4k9LMRl_0UK_9NM46dudZmc85fcLjMc/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this little guy would fit in my bag nicely!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT0QPxwxt9bRjSYaxtyqmcV0R4Pa6lMsYLFi7FDmrW32VHYo7ErwJNCJQasKvSLqxLv0rTQ4_PVUcpeNAz2AAe8MM3oRPOZcdRCxdIwMHTl3erXMaG_2PV0fbmlthfiH8Qe497s2p0QOStZ9M_D83ZfdSksRXhZ6wFcAAWAiKjjw-Kl4lrIg/s4608/IMG_0180.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhT0QPxwxt9bRjSYaxtyqmcV0R4Pa6lMsYLFi7FDmrW32VHYo7ErwJNCJQasKvSLqxLv0rTQ4_PVUcpeNAz2AAe8MM3oRPOZcdRCxdIwMHTl3erXMaG_2PV0fbmlthfiH8Qe497s2p0QOStZ9M_D83ZfdSksRXhZ6wFcAAWAiKjjw-Kl4lrIg/s320/IMG_0180.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnCIrJbvO_YYDW8FFLuVPKwseiTELofS2U3KjMZxO24_SQH9G_cwWVZqNeV1g93oH7IhRgs0yQorDfzLXMVimoFcK4o62iNqVs9Jmq2v5o4xLfGnHzzr7EA-vjhGlr71x0PZ9cppCwNcll8wWSmF0DTEPQrfN2__qtYCLWWSEl05WnQGQ7fs/s4608/IMG_0185.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnCIrJbvO_YYDW8FFLuVPKwseiTELofS2U3KjMZxO24_SQH9G_cwWVZqNeV1g93oH7IhRgs0yQorDfzLXMVimoFcK4o62iNqVs9Jmq2v5o4xLfGnHzzr7EA-vjhGlr71x0PZ9cppCwNcll8wWSmF0DTEPQrfN2__qtYCLWWSEl05WnQGQ7fs/s320/IMG_0185.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Wolf pretending to be dead. <br />Yes, it is sleeping.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-54141321051849323482023-05-28T12:33:00.000-07:002023-05-28T12:33:23.845-07:00Before the Crowds<p>2010, thirteen years ago, was the last time we went camping at Heyburn State Park. We spent the last few days camping with our neighbors, Steve and Jodi, at a very nice, but mosquito-ridden, camp spot. It was our first time out in the truck camper since last fall and we totally enjoyed the getaway.</p><p>To catch you up on our lives since we last posted, we returned home from Mexico and landed directly into a world of appointments, repairs, and general organizing our lives at home. </p><p>The biggest concern was that before winterizing our camper, we found that we had a leak somewhere in the roof. We were late in the season, so we wrapped up the nose of the RV after drying things out and covered it for winter leaving it until spring when we could reconnect with Chris, our RV guy. </p><p>When we returned, Chris and I started the leak elimination process. First Chris resealed all the seam areas on the roof of the camper ($1700). After a good rain, we found that it was still leaking so we moved on. </p><p>I took the rig over to Chris's shop and while I was inside, Chris forced water into every seam using a water hose and air hose at the same time. From inside, I spotted a large leak coming in at the TV antenna. I removed the antenna (we never use it) and Chris patched up the mess we found under the roof plate. ($500) </p><p>Linda and I knew that it was going to cost us to get the leak repaired. We decided that paying three thousand dollars for the fix was much better than paying $40000.00 for a replacement RV. </p><p>We waited a few days for rain. When it came, we found we still had a leak somewhere.</p><p>Chris suggested we replace the gasket under the air conditioner and also replace and reseal the exterior marker lights. Under the AC, Chris found a mess. The gasket was leaking and cracked. We replaced and resealed this area. Then Chris checked out the marker lights and found that five out of six were leaking. We replaced the lights with LED lights and sealed them. ($300.00) We crossed our fingers.</p><p>At this time, we have had several rainstorms with no leaks! You will never know how heartbroken I was to repair, and then discover more leaks, each time during this process. But we believe it is finally over and we have a 15-year-old camper with completely new roof seals that should last at least ten years. (Check out the photos of the repair work at the bottom of the blog post.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKunaz_kEm1fSdqoBEyyg1ULJpbmnfbk45ug-fJfgyujia-Om7Rs_QGNnjOR7QScmsQy9ritKgjBuWCWKqtCF4dQcAvd7bQQIpxmYiyPyzEoTHbfFVqjEep_my-NixUMH4pCE9DdQhj0aAZ6C6jgSJtxUkk5RFFw_mbW9IkoKV_2beToP-jc/s4032/20230523_071640.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKunaz_kEm1fSdqoBEyyg1ULJpbmnfbk45ug-fJfgyujia-Om7Rs_QGNnjOR7QScmsQy9ritKgjBuWCWKqtCF4dQcAvd7bQQIpxmYiyPyzEoTHbfFVqjEep_my-NixUMH4pCE9DdQhj0aAZ6C6jgSJtxUkk5RFFw_mbW9IkoKV_2beToP-jc/s320/20230523_071640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Back to Heyburn State Park. Our campsite was close to Steve and Jodi's site. I set up our bug tent and that is where we sat when we were resting or chatting. The mosquitos could not get to us in the tent which made the area very comfortable. <p></p><p>The four of us have e-bikes, so we would go for a ride each day. During our stay in Heyburn, we rode to Harrison and back twice where we enjoyed lunch in the sun. The days were warm and sunny and each time we rode we encountered deer, turtles, and waterfowl of all types.</p><p>The campground was not crowded, but as the week went on the spaces around us filled for the big Memorial Day weekend. We were glad we were not staying and could avoid the crowds.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK1YRMQtjRkpuw0CtDjU9b8GHdbQY5Ax_13rKOXQJNkU3L8tpns6OBl8sEVVDiw7IN_WAvZUuyx-klj4PBW_MaRiWY_DRzGHoJNn0XgV4cDsH8Bf1Kw3VjxtNgLWt8z-7MEnVCv6F1u4M1DiBhravaDiwSUuovGdxBCHagSL_SlvH3BNv2_w/s2712/20230523_072512.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="2712" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNK1YRMQtjRkpuw0CtDjU9b8GHdbQY5Ax_13rKOXQJNkU3L8tpns6OBl8sEVVDiw7IN_WAvZUuyx-klj4PBW_MaRiWY_DRzGHoJNn0XgV4cDsH8Bf1Kw3VjxtNgLWt8z-7MEnVCv6F1u4M1DiBhravaDiwSUuovGdxBCHagSL_SlvH3BNv2_w/s320/20230523_072512.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American White Pelicans. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNlB_fEosWjV0XeVAAO6FIJ9QUU-iJ8Iphk3YYz6yE8JVS-UcyRjDVU1d6uKr00speFBxI7gQX_S4E6xcQfA9aQ-adfHltYiLX0o_JVL3VkvCm7DPybkfuFGdK9bbZbS-VFO4NWa-2bzzDbrau4hh9BxCBXhyM2_RUY2p99AF4Yd1KawqquY/s3648/20230523_125053.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNlB_fEosWjV0XeVAAO6FIJ9QUU-iJ8Iphk3YYz6yE8JVS-UcyRjDVU1d6uKr00speFBxI7gQX_S4E6xcQfA9aQ-adfHltYiLX0o_JVL3VkvCm7DPybkfuFGdK9bbZbS-VFO4NWa-2bzzDbrau4hh9BxCBXhyM2_RUY2p99AF4Yd1KawqquY/s320/20230523_125053.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ebikers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudD4BPllWIToq6jli74-PnwzgXIOOibRX1KGrUq22CgysQPO5SJT1xRenVi9wFEGNWk850Lk8AwRUNIA9QujRiDkoEx6WRaSV4n28dVEwP5twgkZp2CHR9Mt2EX2Uc_Hz1gkBJwAc-TbFIBzleo7t9OuRCioPvbyjT_5dhH1nrhz7Wopq034/s4032/20230523_131035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudD4BPllWIToq6jli74-PnwzgXIOOibRX1KGrUq22CgysQPO5SJT1xRenVi9wFEGNWk850Lk8AwRUNIA9QujRiDkoEx6WRaSV4n28dVEwP5twgkZp2CHR9Mt2EX2Uc_Hz1gkBJwAc-TbFIBzleo7t9OuRCioPvbyjT_5dhH1nrhz7Wopq034/s320/20230523_131035.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bale of turtles.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkvyI531pR_IFEMaPD4lfPsGXHHTHCcGgcHySAHIaM0nnucSUkQVlSWDATeQ5vbQhqDXv-pkEr9iT-FihyyzK3tcHHLkLu8dGPrCEQXuFM8rJHZL76aqJT5NTrvekozvSCTtpfB1AkVldZ1MjquNkr_Fao_q1BkXyS6xrrCfFg6ZUooGFZ4s/s4032/20230523_131624.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkvyI531pR_IFEMaPD4lfPsGXHHTHCcGgcHySAHIaM0nnucSUkQVlSWDATeQ5vbQhqDXv-pkEr9iT-FihyyzK3tcHHLkLu8dGPrCEQXuFM8rJHZL76aqJT5NTrvekozvSCTtpfB1AkVldZ1MjquNkr_Fao_q1BkXyS6xrrCfFg6ZUooGFZ4s/s320/20230523_131624.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find the Heron?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK13jjBiP4jDt5e4OIMqLRw7Q_Fur_ha_fUjw5gwgdLHcbKvvS0TaBnpxZ73pJodzsXqgf4dyQ7m4eAHaWlCVmVjaAXd7bdUlK9TNINeOBeFTKfMxh7hSrNONm3VtNqlVEyrneFrKJBx2s3GrjkFDvBmg6wOnvAq8HldpWcpN73NL-7qQds0/s4032/20230525_072627%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK13jjBiP4jDt5e4OIMqLRw7Q_Fur_ha_fUjw5gwgdLHcbKvvS0TaBnpxZ73pJodzsXqgf4dyQ7m4eAHaWlCVmVjaAXd7bdUlK9TNINeOBeFTKfMxh7hSrNONm3VtNqlVEyrneFrKJBx2s3GrjkFDvBmg6wOnvAq8HldpWcpN73NL-7qQds0/s320/20230525_072627%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More American White Pelicans.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ol65lNhLXY2bZXWNm_OGTap99aj0M_VcKlvonfF5z_Vt0zwrMEXgVvoagFEPevv_BJn3ceKtc4OHtc-dj2ALHlPj7S7uQnoMwp0C2Ncc954GgKRYxoggXnCHiODFIHTN1buZQ_aLHVzTV-t-Vkw_pD11Fae-MRco93WOEquUpz4O_wdxWdc/s4032/20230525_104957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ol65lNhLXY2bZXWNm_OGTap99aj0M_VcKlvonfF5z_Vt0zwrMEXgVvoagFEPevv_BJn3ceKtc4OHtc-dj2ALHlPj7S7uQnoMwp0C2Ncc954GgKRYxoggXnCHiODFIHTN1buZQ_aLHVzTV-t-Vkw_pD11Fae-MRco93WOEquUpz4O_wdxWdc/s320/20230525_104957.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glass smooth Lake Chatcolet.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0BJk55JZw_ZLjQdSyxXmmiLzFuq0lZMYtOI-Nefp52VfErIzXyxvHEUt24Q-cywdSwiXc5sG0a2fJFcFLE12rgGzFPjImL27EtY3bKEZLPUHUoledY8x63Us-htB4vkIappgyOafbe3VZUaY4TGl1ZbDQYLJoLb6Gq0fezPU7HNWsTFVzlc/s3087/20230525_130225.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2211" data-original-width="3087" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0BJk55JZw_ZLjQdSyxXmmiLzFuq0lZMYtOI-Nefp52VfErIzXyxvHEUt24Q-cywdSwiXc5sG0a2fJFcFLE12rgGzFPjImL27EtY3bKEZLPUHUoledY8x63Us-htB4vkIappgyOafbe3VZUaY4TGl1ZbDQYLJoLb6Gq0fezPU7HNWsTFVzlc/s320/20230525_130225.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We watched this Heron catch a small fish!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDV3l-nNiglJhO8Mkn9nDLvQpp74eemZ7syhwIkj78YfeetRO8Ni_eXSrZz7E2R1w8j6-DpfRQMueRizDYMD_hIek7oOAXBit416KofK7oPCU4ef5_vaP9wvyfhI90j4RleLWyzWnS6hCw5pG-UModlmSehO0di4fz_02OAKEuVReltfSUuGw/s4032/20230525_144543.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDV3l-nNiglJhO8Mkn9nDLvQpp74eemZ7syhwIkj78YfeetRO8Ni_eXSrZz7E2R1w8j6-DpfRQMueRizDYMD_hIek7oOAXBit416KofK7oPCU4ef5_vaP9wvyfhI90j4RleLWyzWnS6hCw5pG-UModlmSehO0di4fz_02OAKEuVReltfSUuGw/s320/20230525_144543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping warm by the firepit.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="color: #444444; font-size: medium;"><b>Camper repair Project:</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This photo is of the area under the TV antenna. Notice the very poor sealing that the factory did during this installation. You will notice that there are four holes drilled into the roof located in the middle of the left edge of the installation. These are prospector holes drilled to locate the coaxial wire in the roof. No sealant was used to make this area waterproof. Chris and I removed the antenna and repaired all the holes and sealed the entire area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2lRoPG5PKFPpserFKTP7-OW8z9JKb3jyXL5Yv1Amj3xb6TXDU83Zgk9NfQe5wpd1JZDZ--o-HVs1ERlKLE0B6mBNS6wlvKnlSuxcGkDkfweEvK2fvaEfPyDVZIb7B7fmHWfyKtW81ytK6fSzDtynETp4E4oP1WHWxXbxMdB4QSavrsYVnF4/s4032/20230411_135319.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE2lRoPG5PKFPpserFKTP7-OW8z9JKb3jyXL5Yv1Amj3xb6TXDU83Zgk9NfQe5wpd1JZDZ--o-HVs1ERlKLE0B6mBNS6wlvKnlSuxcGkDkfweEvK2fvaEfPyDVZIb7B7fmHWfyKtW81ytK6fSzDtynETp4E4oP1WHWxXbxMdB4QSavrsYVnF4/s320/20230411_135319.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The AC unit needed to be resealed and a new gasket had to be ordered. Once everything was replaced and sealed there were no leaks from this location.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIuHU0oDmW4pMeXmUPrCiBshhu0SGeICdhqNwwLZ3VyqwdjGVcLVy1H6QB9z2NGz6AlMhprwdEOqhkYW8vTMiaTZkOYmVRE2CIf2bU1S8-yvGSt2fJNOsQuI8ysZth4TKNtgzJL_90UraIiaWdM7F2_JqJsCmLweAmpxK1mTJd2H_2JkBYEA/s1280/IMG_5337.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIuHU0oDmW4pMeXmUPrCiBshhu0SGeICdhqNwwLZ3VyqwdjGVcLVy1H6QB9z2NGz6AlMhprwdEOqhkYW8vTMiaTZkOYmVRE2CIf2bU1S8-yvGSt2fJNOsQuI8ysZth4TKNtgzJL_90UraIiaWdM7F2_JqJsCmLweAmpxK1mTJd2H_2JkBYEA/s320/IMG_5337.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The marker lights were the old models that allowed water to penetrate into the holes behind the light fixtures. Each one was leaking, so we replaced them all with new LED lights that have fewer water penetration spots, and then we puttied and sealed each light so that no water could get into the holes in the walls.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvFycVk2nryyq88NcvamcQUBH2QL5MGcQQ66Gsz4K1MyYoxhy1roUXNkPAdrG4DI3tCk4ErQSH7nmnRLIYAF9-BdYnUFlU2fNfL-op1R9Yvjw-hAlRWYSrr3NuBjD061m9NArlKmobXfYh8a2gv2NqD9DISiLtB2-e0i2gnhjYHJQU9Qirb8/s3000/IMG_5344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvFycVk2nryyq88NcvamcQUBH2QL5MGcQQ66Gsz4K1MyYoxhy1roUXNkPAdrG4DI3tCk4ErQSH7nmnRLIYAF9-BdYnUFlU2fNfL-op1R9Yvjw-hAlRWYSrr3NuBjD061m9NArlKmobXfYh8a2gv2NqD9DISiLtB2-e0i2gnhjYHJQU9Qirb8/s320/IMG_5344.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The new lights are ready to be sealed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4MnAJciACde_ravqybuHYhtOAYwCxTCY0kCyMuUG84n_gAVY55PPR5AsHrsVS517TkRPkZPed9ph5q7HRZzhz0pr_tpNTM94rYTpnTXMWoepq_hXDM7kvMsrezEfGV5rJzVSani6uQRV-0QlnWqyaWVZLJDnYtR4XUKt-KzGNshTpCnHg_Y/s4032/20230506_105921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4MnAJciACde_ravqybuHYhtOAYwCxTCY0kCyMuUG84n_gAVY55PPR5AsHrsVS517TkRPkZPed9ph5q7HRZzhz0pr_tpNTM94rYTpnTXMWoepq_hXDM7kvMsrezEfGV5rJzVSani6uQRV-0QlnWqyaWVZLJDnYtR4XUKt-KzGNshTpCnHg_Y/s320/20230506_105921.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-20973312001462921232023-03-30T09:23:00.000-07:002023-03-30T09:23:39.446-07:00All Packed<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST1-pZrr8eIXjWV9lQfbYYb1n1V5VlPTOyaIbZuhImxYj6B608keNa3qyIUdYOFHCdR7fw8kxxufAwEVe2W_dfmndy0LB3itwCNNz810OI60dO7lC5zqx1cDFIKWSlVV3C92ipj4BNJNBf3Bn5TH_hcSCEanirn5es5r_bp__xo7MNHsP3RE/s640/20230318_101947.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST1-pZrr8eIXjWV9lQfbYYb1n1V5VlPTOyaIbZuhImxYj6B608keNa3qyIUdYOFHCdR7fw8kxxufAwEVe2W_dfmndy0LB3itwCNNz810OI60dO7lC5zqx1cDFIKWSlVV3C92ipj4BNJNBf3Bn5TH_hcSCEanirn5es5r_bp__xo7MNHsP3RE/s320/20230318_101947.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Linda and Beth on the last visit to Barra.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Over the last few weeks of our stay in Melaque, we have said goodbye to many of our friends and even connected with some new folks. Our housemate, Beth, spent her last week gathering souvenirs, visiting her favorite eateries, and saying adios to Melaque. We have grown close and it is sad to see her leave. We took a final trip to Barra, had breakfast at Bananas, and then the next day walked Beth to the bus station so she could catch her transport north to Puerta Vallarta, where she would fly out and on to her home in Florida.</p><p></p>Once Beth was off on her adventure home, our casa was very quiet. Each day we had numerous things to do to get ready to fly out. We took time to get together with our good friends; playing cards with Berry and Jill, and having dinners with Grant and Jacquie or AnneMarie and Mack. It has been so fun to reconnect with these wonderful friends after our three-year hiatus.<p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YBLSkXeENpNBvarDshr_lq2yvP0uGWJJQSxCtYRL1uIWbeGy5iMzLSAJAhY8KU17rM_lnHTYK6LFfI1wlNXp9uo0w9R1Ar1sz1E3SOdwrSWbBn2624CXjask0nRNwtFE3c4RNr1RmTX8QGyPmyqwLHwRTObN2PSegw6f01qLdULNAHMd6fM/s640/20230318_114606.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YBLSkXeENpNBvarDshr_lq2yvP0uGWJJQSxCtYRL1uIWbeGy5iMzLSAJAhY8KU17rM_lnHTYK6LFfI1wlNXp9uo0w9R1Ar1sz1E3SOdwrSWbBn2624CXjask0nRNwtFE3c4RNr1RmTX8QGyPmyqwLHwRTObN2PSegw6f01qLdULNAHMd6fM/w200-h150/20230318_114606.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Breakfast at Bananas.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>We were able to spend some time with new friends that we met for the first time down south also.</p><p></p>Funny, Ethan and Pam are from Coeur d'Alene, but we had to travel south to get to know them. Linda has known Pam for many years but in a professional way. It was really fun for us to share our lives and discover many commonalities. It's a crazy world.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0y1P1P0XIx47G3Q7rcJniRQ69-CLjDw3NEO69djIp9lDtJTe9bZ--iV12YD9r5uIfWyd6hi7B5LrugTn5KTnqiOFxY8BUbhjgYa7VIGXfZVNQ8RKaW4qoPjEzkdyxhLJnxWk5vPTw1v_OA1g3yRmNdegv_JA7IUBFM28apXsbfjF7WHq-3U/s640/20230319_101938.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0y1P1P0XIx47G3Q7rcJniRQ69-CLjDw3NEO69djIp9lDtJTe9bZ--iV12YD9r5uIfWyd6hi7B5LrugTn5KTnqiOFxY8BUbhjgYa7VIGXfZVNQ8RKaW4qoPjEzkdyxhLJnxWk5vPTw1v_OA1g3yRmNdegv_JA7IUBFM28apXsbfjF7WHq-3U/w200-h150/20230319_101938.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Catching the Plus Bus.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The next time we will be posting will be from somewhere up north. We have a couple adventures planned, but not in the near future. There is much to do once we are home. We are hoping the seasons have changed and are looking forward to sitting in comfortable chairs.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZEXPJYlnopA-8eBV703pEsYk-n8ebfrt0JBYMNufhNndHDV9Ob9ieaZ-IA29GXw2ITmadT_xnjZGJRfO7308EW34WNYLOxJjYGjYU3-LpRQ38-C3uKKeJHx2NaXMYcMLBFVFse7YSGDHG5NogEpx8I6IVZAQrczvtcu38YkqXIq33a5dusM/s640/20230319_104709.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZEXPJYlnopA-8eBV703pEsYk-n8ebfrt0JBYMNufhNndHDV9Ob9ieaZ-IA29GXw2ITmadT_xnjZGJRfO7308EW34WNYLOxJjYGjYU3-LpRQ38-C3uKKeJHx2NaXMYcMLBFVFse7YSGDHG5NogEpx8I6IVZAQrczvtcu38YkqXIq33a5dusM/s320/20230319_104709.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A vendor doing penance?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhitJq0T0s1D1dn5mnj0FHDyZ_Hiql553kuHCB1PmE0ZeGAlESTUA-02Aaj1KSAQFAQbs7jM2DneopaWZMqajOe_hshYvuZZiaJxifX4SCO3gCb3K-Av8EAucFysrrNOaEzi7HVbbWu9-5q8x1-nKN_x9T5ukiI1nKc_5pps3GT3Rtn2UedJs/s640/20230329_105529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhitJq0T0s1D1dn5mnj0FHDyZ_Hiql553kuHCB1PmE0ZeGAlESTUA-02Aaj1KSAQFAQbs7jM2DneopaWZMqajOe_hshYvuZZiaJxifX4SCO3gCb3K-Av8EAucFysrrNOaEzi7HVbbWu9-5q8x1-nKN_x9T5ukiI1nKc_5pps3GT3Rtn2UedJs/s320/20230329_105529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pam and Ethan</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFG9evX8jlk9aynmT7QaY622dmnsb7TyucwIebdSbLfNkcY1ODgrbdOFPiVfK4LGrjFNSvkND2_U5YZuSQDta8diErLuEvm_WMXkKwpyKlwCzgZuQKD7gtu4moZSX190YcYcsq45ITs_rn_Bmv6SXyql6T4l6DXre38JQiDa8NUzXLckm5WJY/s640/20230329_132420.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFG9evX8jlk9aynmT7QaY622dmnsb7TyucwIebdSbLfNkcY1ODgrbdOFPiVfK4LGrjFNSvkND2_U5YZuSQDta8diErLuEvm_WMXkKwpyKlwCzgZuQKD7gtu4moZSX190YcYcsq45ITs_rn_Bmv6SXyql6T4l6DXre38JQiDa8NUzXLckm5WJY/s320/20230329_132420.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmSAbed9HHVSYj9v6wFw4Isyzq0zXI7tGaacH0HARiiqITqz81vG2-t1LLYZlhf8B3kdl6rnOlRCL5gwX5-yEKIFBvZxY5G0SS7e5MOXDd7jzUyrvDoLL_8KNh3Qmf1DazDLa2Jc4brZuccAhFENtNzkkstzVkdzmJx3WTiHU4WD340tr5PQ/s640/20230328_190009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmSAbed9HHVSYj9v6wFw4Isyzq0zXI7tGaacH0HARiiqITqz81vG2-t1LLYZlhf8B3kdl6rnOlRCL5gwX5-yEKIFBvZxY5G0SS7e5MOXDd7jzUyrvDoLL_8KNh3Qmf1DazDLa2Jc4brZuccAhFENtNzkkstzVkdzmJx3WTiHU4WD340tr5PQ/s320/20230328_190009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-71711190346080565332023-03-22T11:28:00.002-07:002023-03-22T11:57:51.216-07:00Before We Go<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Castillo Ends, Rodeo Begins</span></span></h3><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We bounced along with the crowd. More people than I've ever witnessed in the Jardin. When our wave of humanity merged with the flow circling the plaza, we slowed to a crawl, like syrup flowing onto hotcakes. Passing food stands, you could identify the numerous smells. Sweet aromas mixed with smokey meat, popcorn, and of course churros. We moved inch by inch until we caught an eddy behind a baby stroller. The pause allowed me to glimpse ahead. A smile came to my lips. There is an advantage to standing over 6' 2", in a world of locals, all standing around 5' 7". Our next surge would pull us to the churro man, a place that would, </span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">on a normal night, </span><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">allow us to survey the Jardin, grab a deep-fried goody stick, and relax. Tonight this would not be happening. The crowd was too big, too many people. </span></p><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Byc6vba_nNylDPwbW5z1iuNrWsUVPFQof0fOqoeckziYGRxgNkoMsn_RrRzqpD5Icyelx94iO6xE8smKOOoJtg7NRDB4BZt5ugx5aWjfw6MhVsasxOZV7w10DOxif8IoS1XAN_DmkPjvtuphoVeIiljAsWuDkxhETUb_c9PYR-9sjgOqGc/s640/20230317_215915.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Byc6vba_nNylDPwbW5z1iuNrWsUVPFQof0fOqoeckziYGRxgNkoMsn_RrRzqpD5Icyelx94iO6xE8smKOOoJtg7NRDB4BZt5ugx5aWjfw6MhVsasxOZV7w10DOxif8IoS1XAN_DmkPjvtuphoVeIiljAsWuDkxhETUb_c9PYR-9sjgOqGc/w400-h300/20230317_215915.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We split from the human current and crossed at the intersection. Before us was a new obstacle, horses and riders! We entered a new world with new music, a slower-paced current, and the smells of horses. It was an intriguing combination. We moved to an empty spot by a hat vendor. Before us stood 25 to 30 horses and riders. All gathered, facing west. We watched as each rider worked their mount obediently into position. The horses were focused and calm. Farther along the street, a seven-piece brass band blared classical mariachi music as loud as they could play. The sounds were deafening. The horses remained calm, almost relaxed.</span><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The cowboys, one at a time, prompted their amazing companions into the center of the street, literally inches from the blaring instruments. Then they danced. The horses lifted their hooves, clanging their horseshoes on the cobblestone street. One after another, sometimes three at a time paraded up and back, in front of the throngs of onlookers.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Linda, Beth, and I stood in amazement at how casually the horses entered the fray and performed. Big horses to small ponies promenaded the area, beautifully groomed in ornate tack. Riders in their finest; they all danced.</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We watched for almost an hour. The crowds were growing larger. We had witnessed enough of the madness so, we walked home. It would be a loud night. We had no desire to be caught up in the fireworks frenzy. Been there, done that.</span></div><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/seJYO7JrjfY" title="YouTube video player" width="510"></iframe></div>
<div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Before The Rodeo</h2><div>Years ago we had a blog post that explained all about the days leading up to the <a href="https://canyonwren.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-hard-to-explain.html" target="_blank">St. Patrick celebration in San Patricio</a>. St. Patrick is the patron saint of this town, and the celebration brings both locals and tourists into this area for a nine-day celebration. We have attended the celebration enough that we know better, and avoid the crowds by staying home. This year we went to the event so that Beth could see just what we mean when we say, "It's hard to explain!" Below are some photos and a video that shows some of the excitement that happens every night during this celebration.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxYFJ7yc8nKizAuPddMsxXM_nn9Bp6iJOAB_vdTmq33F1Ltv3r9tBsOMzQeGFjAl8cfLERfAxWZOQIeVnaZuTfvnngyBv5yFHAwTy6EOdY89Br71L-n-g1t_GypQ_xSbLwYfqa0KwhxOHWeLO8_pOR6vWNs7zPy1EpCmm6HJgnl3l99CMoMc/s640/20230314_185238.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="640" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxYFJ7yc8nKizAuPddMsxXM_nn9Bp6iJOAB_vdTmq33F1Ltv3r9tBsOMzQeGFjAl8cfLERfAxWZOQIeVnaZuTfvnngyBv5yFHAwTy6EOdY89Br71L-n-g1t_GypQ_xSbLwYfqa0KwhxOHWeLO8_pOR6vWNs7zPy1EpCmm6HJgnl3l99CMoMc/s320/20230314_185238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcs9sF8BkDEW0e_H-oPtyAcwEB974p0rh8ilMAijy1cvIG7RQVp6d0V7duhXnUb7tV6oKl920qOmuKGkcolZzikGJn4SrkXztnReE9R_I_eWDIoCLNTRN2kCFybgn_5KAnZDyuaISDc0o05niElcn1ed4uN25cB9xK_PjV36QJHW80ILQBWY/s640/20230314_185243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcs9sF8BkDEW0e_H-oPtyAcwEB974p0rh8ilMAijy1cvIG7RQVp6d0V7duhXnUb7tV6oKl920qOmuKGkcolZzikGJn4SrkXztnReE9R_I_eWDIoCLNTRN2kCFybgn_5KAnZDyuaISDc0o05niElcn1ed4uN25cB9xK_PjV36QJHW80ILQBWY/s320/20230314_185243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rj8W48UIUa102Jfil_jzlY2rd2c8G_gP57OliGVahJft29v7B81GPG8NRuYAZcrJyHAwgqYzEH-UzQCy4ct5FHXl3TIZEQRsL39U2RDXszwJB3z1IKQj7MfG2QUen6BEJjcOn2BwVxI9D6xBn6yvwBoQiqZsE-mTN3Vp-BlCMPdApFTnUfE/s640/20230315_192915.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rj8W48UIUa102Jfil_jzlY2rd2c8G_gP57OliGVahJft29v7B81GPG8NRuYAZcrJyHAwgqYzEH-UzQCy4ct5FHXl3TIZEQRsL39U2RDXszwJB3z1IKQj7MfG2QUen6BEJjcOn2BwVxI9D6xBn6yvwBoQiqZsE-mTN3Vp-BlCMPdApFTnUfE/s320/20230315_192915.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVaQfJY8aPIg7isZm0SLM63N0RS1ufVWTEigiwuIyPawHwsMqML8Tr0Q9tY3DdxCL5yUD00vsnXSGLwe6IN3UBkDr4Pqor_lXmP02NtFeDGmLfY8JnsN81_trDDt875CbQNIrPhzxapJUFtTZlA3zyFGZJgBc3umpSxen-5gSKX4YOLijSo/s640/20230315_193000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVaQfJY8aPIg7isZm0SLM63N0RS1ufVWTEigiwuIyPawHwsMqML8Tr0Q9tY3DdxCL5yUD00vsnXSGLwe6IN3UBkDr4Pqor_lXmP02NtFeDGmLfY8JnsN81_trDDt875CbQNIrPhzxapJUFtTZlA3zyFGZJgBc3umpSxen-5gSKX4YOLijSo/s320/20230315_193000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x6z4-Be6TiiUdCBsN4zH6K5kuUJJNdA4X28dFN6tMaiwbMV8OUEZlMSI9vwdyDtGEA3c3NCkvDHsUN_3BXMwRGrtw5t15syfxNk5Gs7c-R0Lp6tWTqESNHO1R53X8JyL7zF1d8WP5n3HyqdBWTrrb-P-nHH8BqYE44inCjGKStAaFzWfWQA/s640/20230315_193144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x6z4-Be6TiiUdCBsN4zH6K5kuUJJNdA4X28dFN6tMaiwbMV8OUEZlMSI9vwdyDtGEA3c3NCkvDHsUN_3BXMwRGrtw5t15syfxNk5Gs7c-R0Lp6tWTqESNHO1R53X8JyL7zF1d8WP5n3HyqdBWTrrb-P-nHH8BqYE44inCjGKStAaFzWfWQA/s320/20230315_193144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q59x_Am7_G4" title="YouTube video player" width="510"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNJvuz4WGv8-eV39nbfzA59ox1mvzIp_tWNw0C6zgAjigL0cXhmyAWntCkEZXmCHdPsS_gegwuBcG4wHItBbjJixwr8o4Zk93EyiDvehRSYAHk78eGduh-Ah7PgOemRe1dipf5oURqSk-hv4cuvZn2v4yVNgZ80QTtzjxwu2e2xlQm-p0yPc/s640/IMG_8280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="303" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNJvuz4WGv8-eV39nbfzA59ox1mvzIp_tWNw0C6zgAjigL0cXhmyAWntCkEZXmCHdPsS_gegwuBcG4wHItBbjJixwr8o4Zk93EyiDvehRSYAHk78eGduh-Ah7PgOemRe1dipf5oURqSk-hv4cuvZn2v4yVNgZ80QTtzjxwu2e2xlQm-p0yPc/w304-h640/IMG_8280.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Photo by <br />Claudette Daigle<br />I stole it from her FB page.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10270879.post-40464387162780898222023-03-04T13:01:00.004-08:002023-03-22T11:58:49.282-07:00Walking<p> I posted this on Facebook a while back, it represented Mexico beach life and life in general for the local vendors. Vendor life must be very hard. You try to sell items and most beachgoers don't even give you a "no gracias"! You are lucky to even get a hand gesture expressing "no". </p><p>The music in the background is from a three-piece band accompanied by two very drunk vacationers. It was a classic moment. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="325" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ua0ChTF9Vko" width="391" youtube-src-id="ua0ChTF9Vko"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Canyonwrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09126369339906875035noreply@blogger.com0