tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1469534656159466322024-03-04T23:39:18.517-08:00Thinking Tree Thoughtsliving lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger112125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-25662918473438486982015-07-03T12:40:00.000-07:002015-07-03T13:37:32.225-07:00Loreto Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="border-width: 100%; direction: ltr;">
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Loreto,
a quiet Mexican town along the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez, where kayakers
skim above crystal clear waters and anglers fly a 1,000 miles to pursue the
abundance of fish; is no stranger to newcomers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than three hundred years ago she hosted the first mission on the peninsula and
became the capital city of the newly formed California, a fact hard to believe
in June when this little town siestas through the heat of its off season,
leaving the few tourists like us to wander through empty streets, empty shops
and empty beaches.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPm9TnihDQGeiafG_Z5LpWg7bmTRzO-4jonpd4Qw3OyTqjDiI5AT2tvTVjWNtsz-UfhgdR666mZbyYz8ZOx9PJu1XdOclZv13AlBsL_0iz85qkQmCLPZAbtt_l2MVioIhSI7HOu0UZfTc/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPm9TnihDQGeiafG_Z5LpWg7bmTRzO-4jonpd4Qw3OyTqjDiI5AT2tvTVjWNtsz-UfhgdR666mZbyYz8ZOx9PJu1XdOclZv13AlBsL_0iz85qkQmCLPZAbtt_l2MVioIhSI7HOu0UZfTc/s640/IMG_1083.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loreto, the first capital of both Baja and Alta California. This little plaza was once the political center that governed territory including our own Los Angeles, as far north as Monterey, California.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1vzHDQk0v8IS3svArfU5c-Fl1jxnuXRvCpqybpot16TqhY3QxFD8KaN61pI4c_u1Y4VLbDxDQe0sut3pBNL-V3h4xsf2lqLPDRdrEzF0MF9D4PnsAUJoDFnUOO2yOBSvx4ZpqzNPLNM/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1vzHDQk0v8IS3svArfU5c-Fl1jxnuXRvCpqybpot16TqhY3QxFD8KaN61pI4c_u1Y4VLbDxDQe0sut3pBNL-V3h4xsf2lqLPDRdrEzF0MF9D4PnsAUJoDFnUOO2yOBSvx4ZpqzNPLNM/s640/IMG_1010.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside of the Mision Nuestra Senora de Loreto which is a working church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHuENSuZp3C6ShF4knVV95SKrta_CXk4Wy_VugxkK8O201zGJtKXdkRFA8k_NSdpXQIKWD4d6YZBF1KA7pQm0l50-mR1R1vtpDgrjUizU470JDZjyyvNH9ksVXbhrJtfyRwCN8HLAepo/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHuENSuZp3C6ShF4knVV95SKrta_CXk4Wy_VugxkK8O201zGJtKXdkRFA8k_NSdpXQIKWD4d6YZBF1KA7pQm0l50-mR1R1vtpDgrjUizU470JDZjyyvNH9ksVXbhrJtfyRwCN8HLAepo/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As Kip so reverently pointed out, Jesus has many fans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdGLiGFI2t6c_Y1zYSykuPe9b-DBi6MRUZZl1kRUzTZ8qbpsL27PUAz6JiTwrbub8mevNbGawu46qtRJ1nEWGpf5DmhY7Z27c2ER7v3ssnfSdNHPJnnKs6_hF-y64xJhjD72-IkOll3I/s1600/IMG_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdGLiGFI2t6c_Y1zYSykuPe9b-DBi6MRUZZl1kRUzTZ8qbpsL27PUAz6JiTwrbub8mevNbGawu46qtRJ1nEWGpf5DmhY7Z27c2ER7v3ssnfSdNHPJnnKs6_hF-y64xJhjD72-IkOll3I/s640/IMG_1031.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking through the empty plaza and around shady, tree-line streets on an afternoon too hot for everyone else.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavxXmJpeK4sWYgynh41EmmdAEwwgbfFA206BsolBEBpQ_vW7NRafimgXfl_fiXXElHpe01uuVIFxfEzKqqcftOwnMSrTvG67Xl89g6D2HhfsrHwKgy31xk7QoRqI6NsINMU7Roj1BMiU/s1600/IMG_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavxXmJpeK4sWYgynh41EmmdAEwwgbfFA206BsolBEBpQ_vW7NRafimgXfl_fiXXElHpe01uuVIFxfEzKqqcftOwnMSrTvG67Xl89g6D2HhfsrHwKgy31xk7QoRqI6NsINMU7Roj1BMiU/s640/IMG_1052.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <span class="f">malecón on a Saturday afternoon, empty of tourists in the heat of the afternoon, but in the evening the street along the </span><span class="f"><span class="f">malecón</span> became busy with young Mexicans driving their cars and trucks up and down. It reminded me of kids "cruising"in the little town in West Virginia where Kip and I lived as a teenagers.<b><br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJsdAZVXZ1ugCi-gSzs6ADZKCJPLsLVcCVtZnR4JFIkPcTFDa-R82TVSv8UKuyBlYZDPKomlStA-UMmfPWX7MlfRnY8W7yqY5FF2qoDnFejxzU2PAsf9daTmu9dh-O60Y_ZZ2ac1XjCE/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJsdAZVXZ1ugCi-gSzs6ADZKCJPLsLVcCVtZnR4JFIkPcTFDa-R82TVSv8UKuyBlYZDPKomlStA-UMmfPWX7MlfRnY8W7yqY5FF2qoDnFejxzU2PAsf9daTmu9dh-O60Y_ZZ2ac1XjCE/s640/IMG_1061.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTO-1M_iV3yYjm0r3iYmpUqzsM2Ut3Iz3SrvELhU33kfXA4-srzvjlbyAYmyfPmWy54Q8Y89BLF6gBIkUgwXgxtD0oplpFccCBx7US90rPjZGV_ijCuOad4ae9lY6WdbIGlQX1vcUrEGg/s1600/IMG_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTO-1M_iV3yYjm0r3iYmpUqzsM2Ut3Iz3SrvELhU33kfXA4-srzvjlbyAYmyfPmWy54Q8Y89BLF6gBIkUgwXgxtD0oplpFccCBx7US90rPjZGV_ijCuOad4ae9lY6WdbIGlQX1vcUrEGg/s640/IMG_1070.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBrplR-DkMrHgpD7o1m71h2CutCpTFhPdtafyua4Wt_8TIxT1Pp919Rv1h58o5cCOT5_yGpiEcf2a_mJR28Vu138JmjFf44qIHXYY2HbgCHvKIC6NedqcbNML1elrQq9M4Wo3yDMCQQk/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBrplR-DkMrHgpD7o1m71h2CutCpTFhPdtafyua4Wt_8TIxT1Pp919Rv1h58o5cCOT5_yGpiEcf2a_mJR28Vu138JmjFf44qIHXYY2HbgCHvKIC6NedqcbNML1elrQq9M4Wo3yDMCQQk/s640/IMG_1080.JPG" width="528" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Table for two, waiting for you.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
The
night sky was anything but empty though. In the evening, after the kids had
gone to bed, Kip and I sat on the balcony, still warm from the day’s heat, and
stared at the mesmerizing night stars, moving slowly across the night sky,
interrupted only by the few upstart stars that shot across the velvet on their
way to oblivion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
We
stayed in Loreto for four days spending the first exploring the town, its
souvenir shops and cafes. Because we were driving our own car we also got lost
enough to drive around the rest of Loreto where the fisherman, waitresses, shop owners and
hotel maids live. Like every other part of Mexico there was the familiar mix of
built and unbuilt, paradise and poverty, and dogs -- always stray dogs
everywhere. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
The
second day we hired a local captain to take us to the national marine preserve
on the Island of Coronado. For less than the price of taking our family to a
day at Sea World we spent the morning surrounded by nature -- seals, fish, birds, the indigenous <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-footed_Booby/id" target="_blank">blue footed booby</a>,
even a majestic manta ray leaping above the water like a flying fish. Our boat
ride ended on a white sand beach where we spent a few hours swimming and snorkeling in the warm water where you could see not only your toes but the
fish that swam several feet below them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGy0cIFI3JIufjc-GiAM5MKoJEnTB_py6S2rFthhFCOY8vBiQzOVMp695E5-PdsaA0zKMu5KWtI60_a6TAht4AUH1xPb-LTP_K4lJs4SExG4ro5zATBBjX8W3awM9cdR1tWJnXAc-gEg/s1600/IMG_1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGy0cIFI3JIufjc-GiAM5MKoJEnTB_py6S2rFthhFCOY8vBiQzOVMp695E5-PdsaA0zKMu5KWtI60_a6TAht4AUH1xPb-LTP_K4lJs4SExG4ro5zATBBjX8W3awM9cdR1tWJnXAc-gEg/s640/IMG_1114.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He let our son drive.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqx_1hXElSJlR7C99YABwoYGfXbmjhjC-FceLhmmFc8vz_oMHalYtRjpZ4XVMtcUN7yViusSuPFIidTMr5UOE5CfrdkEoTc-H_X13Tzyxv210gpxBgKRiqN30VrTSZ3ncTtKuW-8VbEHo/s1600/IMG_1123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqx_1hXElSJlR7C99YABwoYGfXbmjhjC-FceLhmmFc8vz_oMHalYtRjpZ4XVMtcUN7yViusSuPFIidTMr5UOE5CfrdkEoTc-H_X13Tzyxv210gpxBgKRiqN30VrTSZ3ncTtKuW-8VbEHo/s640/IMG_1123.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxubJz-523fsGQiEgmvDKhj17g6T_dgBD0o6on2baTdcQRIURBsZvjwFrZ5uWvy_1oOVGmN3x1jX7t_HCWbc2jggKFrSnyFoaOZZHlBbztuLHy8oF5ba0yycqU_hgCdVPuCvpwGuddu8/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxubJz-523fsGQiEgmvDKhj17g6T_dgBD0o6on2baTdcQRIURBsZvjwFrZ5uWvy_1oOVGmN3x1jX7t_HCWbc2jggKFrSnyFoaOZZHlBbztuLHy8oF5ba0yycqU_hgCdVPuCvpwGuddu8/s640/IMG_1133.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi seals!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdJAYT89UUR68QRn_HKVQpXuuGWhbJx7QgMje9AJ0_BMlkpy94mHhooTH_we46J-u8kiCb7UpzHMOzziQLYrPUHQzb71Pj5fZr3fuVEWJPU-UOeuGGymzZYUo2kNlcusOjIUsTg6QzNU/s1600/IMG_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdJAYT89UUR68QRn_HKVQpXuuGWhbJx7QgMje9AJ0_BMlkpy94mHhooTH_we46J-u8kiCb7UpzHMOzziQLYrPUHQzb71Pj5fZr3fuVEWJPU-UOeuGGymzZYUo2kNlcusOjIUsTg6QzNU/s640/IMG_1142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuAqbKmoQVe8uMuYZ2hmO0iBQG82KDnROSV7X5Lf2vlcbL0jRV9or43yQkgLK44gUvZjDorUfU4a54Pv1WEA4Mx4Os-nbEl7F4qzMFgH7RadNULE06HUtn2TyDtM89AiudTy7A_jZ7fo/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuAqbKmoQVe8uMuYZ2hmO0iBQG82KDnROSV7X5Lf2vlcbL0jRV9or43yQkgLK44gUvZjDorUfU4a54Pv1WEA4Mx4Os-nbEl7F4qzMFgH7RadNULE06HUtn2TyDtM89AiudTy7A_jZ7fo/s640/IMG_1144.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boating around Coronado Island was like being immersed in a nature documentary, beauty everywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo4xqcnij9C0I5cmtYj2ubz9sFrbZJoxqt2x47W4ySJ6omLf5CCHVWi95uHKAAgZsL73Uyr0fA3jJO0psO9CrIf3U_Uq0vznXr1j53hjgdfKVXr2xaw5qaurL5aZdYzijWi_ixDAunrE/s1600/IMG_1145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo4xqcnij9C0I5cmtYj2ubz9sFrbZJoxqt2x47W4ySJ6omLf5CCHVWi95uHKAAgZsL73Uyr0fA3jJO0psO9CrIf3U_Uq0vznXr1j53hjgdfKVXr2xaw5qaurL5aZdYzijWi_ixDAunrE/s640/IMG_1145.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water so clear you can see fish through the water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-HofSS_Kp4plrU9N3pFRQqzKvRf89X-dlnPmCjzVqbf7TpdlQen5vHB4Wzdb7WtfDUZBH4cSG-tGu7giKOYKJwERe-htKhKmaoX-TvORB3n3L4l3Ym1To_rMv679_AT35uj1hc2F0Ow/s1600/IMG_1151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-HofSS_Kp4plrU9N3pFRQqzKvRf89X-dlnPmCjzVqbf7TpdlQen5vHB4Wzdb7WtfDUZBH4cSG-tGu7giKOYKJwERe-htKhKmaoX-TvORB3n3L4l3Ym1To_rMv679_AT35uj1hc2F0Ow/s640/IMG_1151.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving at the sandy side of the island.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wI9MAog6bi5uaQNDifdfJl84JGHIMeSLM3ccJesx_c9dEhyTpf-5YW1hWI4dkqXHZcUQ2TZK6PAwFJzOVEogOJGhT0GTgSunNc5ZIFaaDTDIjdFYbj-uRSA-lyLAXHraUus76iRtqes/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wI9MAog6bi5uaQNDifdfJl84JGHIMeSLM3ccJesx_c9dEhyTpf-5YW1hWI4dkqXHZcUQ2TZK6PAwFJzOVEogOJGhT0GTgSunNc5ZIFaaDTDIjdFYbj-uRSA-lyLAXHraUus76iRtqes/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical, here we are in paradise and I am consulting the guide book to see what we should see.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmR7oFhzQNyiQ6CnyccRmWbViZBGbhSwzfDfyfwMM83reclomfK_j59SYKEO9EzMJD1xAnNtFO-iigjihfw07mSXHed7S2tDK2bUOqFv2Yujm4TAPmbyagS7y4Nyx7-8UkJ1gQxAJTeQ/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmR7oFhzQNyiQ6CnyccRmWbViZBGbhSwzfDfyfwMM83reclomfK_j59SYKEO9EzMJD1xAnNtFO-iigjihfw07mSXHed7S2tDK2bUOqFv2Yujm4TAPmbyagS7y4Nyx7-8UkJ1gQxAJTeQ/s640/IMG_1158.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopeful guy waiting for a fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKAolkAqRFHhU4kOrJ4DH4p7F785ubS76-iRuBfg2HLWwO2DNMBMVeve_CaLWvCRxESQTBnHQ2HNRvB8TMTdEdO9VcL0eZhe90J5gmGxh-joj5Go6Pb7TJVJkgnAQcUN4-TPbqqJ0s94/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKAolkAqRFHhU4kOrJ4DH4p7F785ubS76-iRuBfg2HLWwO2DNMBMVeve_CaLWvCRxESQTBnHQ2HNRvB8TMTdEdO9VcL0eZhe90J5gmGxh-joj5Go6Pb7TJVJkgnAQcUN4-TPbqqJ0s94/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was Sunday afternoon and this Mexican family were enjoying the beach, the fishing and an afternoon together.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
While
we were in Loreto we stayed in a casita in the Loreto Bay area, a sprawling
community of freshly built vacation homes laid out like Italian villas in
Mexican colors, each home with its own private courtyard, the houses connected
by lanes adorned with perfectly manicured native plants. Like the rest of
Loreto, it was nearly empty, waiting its time between the snow bird season when
retirees from United States and Canada made their winter homes there, and the
height of fishing season in late summer.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7JONVkvxdmY7q8MwP_9pMOuIrhSG-OCPwWt9jlC7m7_ypIIGFEWrtVJs66xSJ1KH202eT37DgcySrSjVRtxs38coTfZ385-hFwxPk-hQhhHRIvANZHy97emeYFx_nrNy6MRYSaWYK98/s1600/IMG_1240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7JONVkvxdmY7q8MwP_9pMOuIrhSG-OCPwWt9jlC7m7_ypIIGFEWrtVJs66xSJ1KH202eT37DgcySrSjVRtxs38coTfZ385-hFwxPk-hQhhHRIvANZHy97emeYFx_nrNy6MRYSaWYK98/s640/IMG_1240.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the tower of our home for our Loreto stay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8nK8K0a9kucTaGdf9-USYPI6PdKVgKi_-g1SUoG9Upa0xT_huzB0oh0s081vwRQ9Jw2maqdOJLwm3htqr1SMstbJ3eZDb84DBwqWUJQOK1tePrEV-Ww20FTILaqYo1Wyo5D8T4-3f8E/s1600/IMG_1290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8nK8K0a9kucTaGdf9-USYPI6PdKVgKi_-g1SUoG9Upa0xT_huzB0oh0s081vwRQ9Jw2maqdOJLwm3htqr1SMstbJ3eZDb84DBwqWUJQOK1tePrEV-Ww20FTILaqYo1Wyo5D8T4-3f8E/s640/IMG_1290.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountains and native plants everywhere in the community around Loreto Bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw5g8ltOdcie3VD0irUKD1zO7yy8-QcIN5_egWxy7LtckfCy_f0sYUSMgt2E-AdAQQfHsh3SDMFDpJMpIGW-pB3Kgkl9nZDKBWmwQKbZQVgcEr4JOaezFwc8S5rXByqkdA3YGL7Ncwoo/s1600/IMG_1187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxw5g8ltOdcie3VD0irUKD1zO7yy8-QcIN5_egWxy7LtckfCy_f0sYUSMgt2E-AdAQQfHsh3SDMFDpJMpIGW-pB3Kgkl9nZDKBWmwQKbZQVgcEr4JOaezFwc8S5rXByqkdA3YGL7Ncwoo/s640/IMG_1187.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful color and Mexican mission style everywhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKHe25vDYJc_IFZreHiNv-MJfkZ4vswN84_Lksg9uEE4bgWf6rvKcltu7BFne1h59DrxNtL80YcSVzL4lSlK0bjabQpLkvBPyKp0kbFcduleGmt0e8gEhLDzbXBu7ZQPtzrCYiUeqh18/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKHe25vDYJc_IFZreHiNv-MJfkZ4vswN84_Lksg9uEE4bgWf6rvKcltu7BFne1h59DrxNtL80YcSVzL4lSlK0bjabQpLkvBPyKp0kbFcduleGmt0e8gEhLDzbXBu7ZQPtzrCYiUeqh18/s640/IMG_1188.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful walk through the community to the bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PIYkeoxeIWicdxyi0X_JqGgYMxXmPt1lbE2dAJJe3vL9-nFBPDPdRgiQe5nPay8dc-emX2zgod0K_qbI0hnxZyT5F-m-FMjklpWVdb3KnVRj-FTwWzCLhI60eMItK2CiwuHAS-2r85E/s1600/IMG_1193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PIYkeoxeIWicdxyi0X_JqGgYMxXmPt1lbE2dAJJe3vL9-nFBPDPdRgiQe5nPay8dc-emX2zgod0K_qbI0hnxZyT5F-m-FMjklpWVdb3KnVRj-FTwWzCLhI60eMItK2CiwuHAS-2r85E/s640/IMG_1193.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the beautiful waves of the Pacific Ocean, but tranquil shore of Loreto Bay on the Sea of Cortez</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbVvsW3Nk4QZLgCgmbIGpVeFWSnWOkLUXVOPes71EGbuI-v_1U-zYnQJnhX24bPeRbugBuqQO1SpAE7mB7bz-iqLLwdnp-HfhoQufgIPUct8iyH9RZa6ZXOb4-gVdMFcPUXreKJ6-GQ4/s1600/IMG_1196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbVvsW3Nk4QZLgCgmbIGpVeFWSnWOkLUXVOPes71EGbuI-v_1U-zYnQJnhX24bPeRbugBuqQO1SpAE7mB7bz-iqLLwdnp-HfhoQufgIPUct8iyH9RZa6ZXOb4-gVdMFcPUXreKJ6-GQ4/s640/IMG_1196.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is plenty of room under the hotel's palapas which are free for people staying in Loreto Bay to use.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8CU0vewjdng7C7j03Pf-G2pfZGUeZM8S-rhjFP-_fv0izKx09xY8VtG_9Ftf-KW3QizDkuLkU21theN6HRQD-HpkkfnsqROPvmD2s4Oi_2ZiKlPdhyphenhyphenOh_ljJdTL2uhngQlEW0CIv2pA/s1600/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8CU0vewjdng7C7j03Pf-G2pfZGUeZM8S-rhjFP-_fv0izKx09xY8VtG_9Ftf-KW3QizDkuLkU21theN6HRQD-HpkkfnsqROPvmD2s4Oi_2ZiKlPdhyphenhyphenOh_ljJdTL2uhngQlEW0CIv2pA/s640/IMG_1200.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking in the sunset after an afternoon of swimming.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They say Loreto is where the mountains come to play at the sea.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip getting into the peace of this place so far from work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
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<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
We
spent several hours enjoying the community swimming pool and the bay where we
rented kayaks and stand up paddle boards and explored the shallow bay with its
own giant rock peninsula where exotic fish hide behind corral rocks.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAtldywBypOhW8rgOTdCFQofVk4CG7c_4bYb3MdLAjeXtIy8Rat63cFf16rgWd2v0YSzjxsbDk0FCOt7nLFvGNsqJxFwxxDWhyphenhyphenTRgOzJhvQW20fQpprmhhaUDj7iG5CSG9p4JqN6EYJk/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAtldywBypOhW8rgOTdCFQofVk4CG7c_4bYb3MdLAjeXtIy8Rat63cFf16rgWd2v0YSzjxsbDk0FCOt7nLFvGNsqJxFwxxDWhyphenhyphenTRgOzJhvQW20fQpprmhhaUDj7iG5CSG9p4JqN6EYJk/s640/IMG_1253.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip and our son in a kayak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOByPNXJfeomPaqMbq1VgGKf_PPt26Ou-sZHtgG1pEArXFqCUZ8hlHFgzUd3F7LddfNXOXe-og02jYSF3WyJoIvr2UV196pXbDNxwLZNd4qOFx173ebaiYdpkYCK7cRaAqiiBYHmIcTdU/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOByPNXJfeomPaqMbq1VgGKf_PPt26Ou-sZHtgG1pEArXFqCUZ8hlHFgzUd3F7LddfNXOXe-og02jYSF3WyJoIvr2UV196pXbDNxwLZNd4qOFx173ebaiYdpkYCK7cRaAqiiBYHmIcTdU/s640/IMG_1257.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking around the rock. Around the rock we discovered some of the best snorkeling conditions we have ever experienced, beautiful fish, warm water and calm bay waters.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We
borrowed some snorkeling gear we found in our rental house and I had the most
pleasant snorkeling experience I have ever had. We saw puffer fish, sea
urchins, star fish, others that I don’t know the name of but remember seeing in
aquariums. Our son said he felt like he was swimming through Finding Nemo.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOoF8u_tIPVHxBpAn4lAsi7TbSJcX3fYJ7ijqZXNI80eL-ruaQG_XImrtJGeGQjnFWxx1p5ydnjwg4KjQhJO2J6Lu9zrT1qTpuLdqFXiU37sJEHTaOZArc5IbXyILzaK9sVkcGxw4Byo/s1600/IMG_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOoF8u_tIPVHxBpAn4lAsi7TbSJcX3fYJ7ijqZXNI80eL-ruaQG_XImrtJGeGQjnFWxx1p5ydnjwg4KjQhJO2J6Lu9zrT1qTpuLdqFXiU37sJEHTaOZArc5IbXyILzaK9sVkcGxw4Byo/s640/IMG_1292.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jCP79wDfwE2jOSJwZ43iwkYTBc_wkalQNYm3POY0mXDrJ-_gOqFJzZ9j84AiYEdGY0RTgJSmz1Ml7cy3cIcOuHlQC1ABwuKeS8FUU3as1tj2fX9CmureCUijAUtQ_sFBYhQge14z500/s1600/IMG_1262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jCP79wDfwE2jOSJwZ43iwkYTBc_wkalQNYm3POY0mXDrJ-_gOqFJzZ9j84AiYEdGY0RTgJSmz1Ml7cy3cIcOuHlQC1ABwuKeS8FUU3as1tj2fX9CmureCUijAUtQ_sFBYhQge14z500/s640/IMG_1262.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip picked up a beautiful shell for our daughter, and when he brought it back to the house we found it had a surprise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCSbYXr1c9sx_zAGir7acivpqtvAlnox6idV-J9MV5xgtqDnjPKjuwB2UByG6UHhWX3svPpq05wOsj9crDcevT_CG5pTTY9Op37HnnqTsyxyx2MhBM5EaSPUVjwRN7ExE2ZZ6broRaZM/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCSbYXr1c9sx_zAGir7acivpqtvAlnox6idV-J9MV5xgtqDnjPKjuwB2UByG6UHhWX3svPpq05wOsj9crDcevT_CG5pTTY9Op37HnnqTsyxyx2MhBM5EaSPUVjwRN7ExE2ZZ6broRaZM/s640/IMG_1271.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgUACFckEYGLwk3Xnx_Et-Kh-_6EM1BE0yxysOwCiZmNZzNNDA9vR95SXNy_FlIbhhQeZ5FTA3X0aKOJdF-qz-hI6gR-PV0OsGsCU_bViqO5tefPaVbBYMLsrCAjGG-5BC2b2z-PXr-c/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgUACFckEYGLwk3Xnx_Et-Kh-_6EM1BE0yxysOwCiZmNZzNNDA9vR95SXNy_FlIbhhQeZ5FTA3X0aKOJdF-qz-hI6gR-PV0OsGsCU_bViqO5tefPaVbBYMLsrCAjGG-5BC2b2z-PXr-c/s640/IMG_1265.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello hermit. We took him back to the bay.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
By
the end of the third day in Loreto we seriously considered canceling our hotel
in Cabo San Lucas and staying in our own private paradise for the rest of the
vacation time. To stay in Loreto would save us hours in the car and after our
long, somewhat frazzled drive from Ensenada to Loreto, and none of us were
anxious to get back in the car -- except for our son who reminded us that we
needed to find out what happened in the story we had been listening to in the
car.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Loreto locals, tourists and residents, offered vague warnings about Cabo
like “So you are headed to Cabo? Yeah, it’s really busy there.” While no one
said, “don’t go,” they clearly preferred their quiet peace half way up the Sea
of Cortez.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
We
hesitated, but my weather forecast phone app predicted several days of rain in
Loreto and sunny skies at the bottom of the peninsula, and Kip had a goal of
driving ALL the way down the Baja, so on the fourth morning we reluctantly
packed up and left our perfect little retreat for the famous tourist
destination we had heard so much about. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
We
were so glad we did.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7_qZOFbH98MBW5E3OCvExwTFr3zc5QWm66fY314aBK9hGvLwAKhpiZ-VxurdrcebtpmPvP48YRHSjcjqF29lLuzklNGOzcTVGHns_41kWNEgsh0xDWrTM5ZW2SWvPfSRsPJpJECjMfU/s1600/IMG_1294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7_qZOFbH98MBW5E3OCvExwTFr3zc5QWm66fY314aBK9hGvLwAKhpiZ-VxurdrcebtpmPvP48YRHSjcjqF29lLuzklNGOzcTVGHns_41kWNEgsh0xDWrTM5ZW2SWvPfSRsPJpJECjMfU/s640/IMG_1294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son and I went for one last snorkeling session early in the morning before we left for Cabo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 2</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>he second day of our road trip dawned in
Ensenada, a lovely Pacific facing city with a pleasant tourist area <span style="font-family: inherit;">of</span>
restaurants and shops. Kip had been to Ensenada once before when he and two
other guys sailed our little sail boat from Marina del Rey to Ensenada, unofficially
tagging along a caravan of sailors participating in the world famous Newport to
Ensenada race<span style="font-family: inherit;">, but this was my first time to Ensenada and at some point I<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> would like to spend more time<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in this charming little <span style="font-family: inherit;">seaside <span style="font-family: inherit;">city.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOD4R9fTOEg_Zinb4BBKUP_LJJCZPiZPxF8N_-XOjTBhL9UTHqrYhyphenhyphen11EbohfgMaJnAx8N3AMPwrFxaATK6kTajkTmQtdfEhP4LYX0zgxyDkY-csVD8PZVW5r_NH5Rb6CHvEM9QY0Ca4/s1600/IMG_0880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOD4R9fTOEg_Zinb4BBKUP_LJJCZPiZPxF8N_-XOjTBhL9UTHqrYhyphenhyphen11EbohfgMaJnAx8N3AMPwrFxaATK6kTajkTmQtdfEhP4LYX0zgxyDkY-csVD8PZVW5r_NH5Rb6CHvEM9QY0Ca4/s640/IMG_0880.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waking up early in Ensenada. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The kids were immediately fascinated with Ensenada, its
surprisingly modern areas as well as its dirt road, taco-stand areas; and our
daughter who has been looking at all kinds of post high school options even
mentioned she would be interested in learning more about a Bible college that
we had heard about in Ensenada. I’m not sure if she will follow up with that,
or even if it would be the best thing for her to pursue, but I was really happy
that our adventure was opening her heart to new ideas and opportunities. <span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my g</span>oals <span style="font-family: inherit;">for<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span>the trip was already accomplished.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After leaving the hotel we made our first stop at the
gleaming, enticing Starbucks. And <span style="font-family: inherit;">I was</span> immediately disappointed with some of
the worst coffee <span style="font-family: inherit;">I</span> have ever consumed. But it was a good experience in that it
helped us break from the “safe” and launch into the local fare.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we got on the road our</span> GPS immediately told us it would take 17 hours to get to our
destination, which scared us. I had known that we lost time by stopping in
Ensenada and not pressing on to our original destination, a dot on the map
mentioned in several Baja travel blogs I had been researching; but I had not
considered that it might take us until 2 a.m. to get to the house I had already
rented in Loreto Bay. And that is when I realized that we would have to either
get a hotel somewhere short of the original plan or press on and drive at
night. We had already decided we would not drive at night. Even while standing
in line at Starbucks we heard rumors that recent tropical storms may have
washed out parts of Highway 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One woman was telling me a story about <span style="font-family: inherit;">s<span style="font-family: inherit;">emi tr<span style="font-family: inherit;">ucks ferrying people across washed out areas (which never saw). </span></span>But a</span>ll the
blogs agreed that night driving in Mexico is dangerous, and I was already
feeling nervous about taking our family so far from our safety net<span style="font-family: inherit;">, s</span>o we
decided to do what we always do. We kept going and decided to decide later.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once outside of Ensenada the road changed from a modern,
well-kept, well-lit, interstate-style highway, to a two-lane road with a single
yellow line down the middle. All signs were in Spanish, no English
translation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the most part the
road was good enough, similar to what you would expect on a secondary road in rural areas of the US. It was windy in places where it went through the
mountains, but with the help of our GPS we could see when the curves were
coming and it was not too difficult to manage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOE216gxHwfu-uNiVMpyMJ0hNsfbPq82veUI9P5TzLwRbrmYGI90VVbVF4v3NiCknlY7s5_3wgscPFOMAc4W8O3Wz9XW1yDjg6Xog23fgTfaHOe0KWjAUOQuY7ZpWpMhr5jYhTmv-f8Xo/s1600/IMG_0886.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOE216gxHwfu-uNiVMpyMJ0hNsfbPq82veUI9P5TzLwRbrmYGI90VVbVF4v3NiCknlY7s5_3wgscPFOMAc4W8O3Wz9XW1yDjg6Xog23fgTfaHOe0KWjAUOQuY7ZpWpMhr5jYhTmv-f8Xo/s640/IMG_0886.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For about 1,000 miles I thought that meant don't trash your tires. It actually means "Do not litter." Thank you Goggle Translate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFFRqMLczceK0zhT-_JcquuLTo4MSk0KHGcxwIXgpeUO28meKPEpZOs3RECvGTQ-oHGBrXi6pUC3ukAqlk410qMO81C0VGt4_aQVJkXUXU4YLt6AhxKpFvLJBYVaMKngRO1-ccYo_pYE/s1600/IMG_0889.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFFRqMLczceK0zhT-_JcquuLTo4MSk0KHGcxwIXgpeUO28meKPEpZOs3RECvGTQ-oHGBrXi6pUC3ukAqlk410qMO81C0VGt4_aQVJkXUXU4YLt6AhxKpFvLJBYVaMKngRO1-ccYo_pYE/s640/IMG_0889.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another sign I saw a few dozen times and never bothered to translate until I got home. "If you drink, don't drive." Didn't need that sign either. You would have to be loco to drink and drive.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first four hours between Ensenada and El Rosario were a
progression from city to scenic mountains and new wine vineyards, to flat
agriculture plains and dusty towns with tire repair shops and taco stands. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone seem<span style="font-family: inherit;">ed</span> to largely ignore the speed limit signs which
were in kilometers per hour. At times it felt like a cross between the wild
west and the Autobahn. Semi trucks and buses generally progressed pretty slowly,
especially up and down curvy mountain roads, but there were a few drivers who felt
comfortable taking the road faster. I got passed by <span style="font-family: inherit;">a few</span> pickup
trucks when I was driving 7<span style="font-family: inherit;">5</span> mph in a 80 kph zone. But even with such a disparity
of speed, it seemed that drivers were respectful of each other. Slower traffic
often pulled to the side to give us room to pass.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Baja slower drivers have a <span style="font-family: inherit;">confusing</span> custom of putting their left turn signal on to let <span style="font-family: inherit;">motorists </span>behind them know that it is safe to pass them<span style="font-family: inherit;">, but</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always waited until I could actually see far
enough down the road<span style="font-family: inherit;">. A</span>fter a few hours of driving I became comfortable
with passing buses and trucks, something I probably would not have done in the
US<span style="font-family: inherit;">, but <span style="font-family: inherit;">I always r<span style="font-family: inherit;">equi<span style="font-family: inherit;">red a quick high <span style="font-family: inherit;">five from Kip because I need that kind of affirmation for being brave.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the little towns all the traffic slows to a crawl, mostly
because there are children and dogs running in and out of the street, and the
city has significant speed bumps, some of which are unpainted. Hitting one of
those “welcome” bumps at 30 mph is enough to bounce the kids in the back seat
to the ceiling. I only hit one or two before I learned where to look for them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing that disappointed us about the road <span style="font-family: inherit;">south of </span>Ensenada<span style="font-family: inherit;"> wa</span>s the fact that you c<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ould</span> not</span> see the Pacific Ocean from the
road. There <span style="font-family: inherit;">must be hund<span style="font-family: inherit;">reds</span></span> miles of untouched, undeveloped coastal land <span style="font-family: inherit;">hidden from Highway 1.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So when we got our first sneak peek at the ocean, we forgot
about needing to press on, and took an unmarked dirt road that looked like it
might lead to the ocean. We were not disappointed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6DHuf2Fh2KanOSeNWABahE4QaKPWtAhvAWpwUqfgkenlSc3X8m6QNieF-AZJ7AjSlOFIJ09ZPUTsr00dS4k1ZeVUlhcmNMyM-4Fauo1Y7ucjH6QJXKGDWtL8b_xGKjf4-MzDT5glPe8/s1600/IMG_0915.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6DHuf2Fh2KanOSeNWABahE4QaKPWtAhvAWpwUqfgkenlSc3X8m6QNieF-AZJ7AjSlOFIJ09ZPUTsr00dS4k1ZeVUlhcmNMyM-4Fauo1Y7ucjH6QJXKGDWtL8b_xGKjf4-MzDT5glPe8/s640/IMG_0915.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning from the road less traveled onto a road even lesser traveled.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5ooMer0V50w3ADxco5It85Z6XuecRJgDOrwVpbc1RSxZCIOSZs2w0LmoWXcaJWMFvT-V_pdZV2-cmRxInG7cL-UrODy2BjgVRR-sp-1ang1IwAJNk7Q2-NmLsERz9y2bKx_B_Pkyrnw/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5ooMer0V50w3ADxco5It85Z6XuecRJgDOrwVpbc1RSxZCIOSZs2w0LmoWXcaJWMFvT-V_pdZV2-cmRxInG7cL-UrODy2BjgVRR-sp-1ang1IwAJNk7Q2-NmLsERz9y2bKx_B_Pkyrnw/s640/IMG_0891.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beach to ourselves</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kppvDya9dmlOcgMYUrDlEq4559DCVfUL6p8GfiePWy1kHwlrye_L3B5eL3SlChSm55syjw_6sbX2-yrmdFapRQH7-8g162OlYS89SEQQzhDFh0ppSggTXxpP9u14-PGvDTKGJVNWQ2I/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kppvDya9dmlOcgMYUrDlEq4559DCVfUL6p8GfiePWy1kHwlrye_L3B5eL3SlChSm55syjw_6sbX2-yrmdFapRQH7-8g162OlYS89SEQQzhDFh0ppSggTXxpP9u14-PGvDTKGJVNWQ2I/s640/IMG_0895.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mNKOte5XY218cugBy8NYMnMhF1z0iFm6wKuWdBgBg0q_sHaNKci42vYRkOYO6F63cKuKDdS7J8k5_uyUfP2qM0OvgvkyixDj3O6gXHyTWGZ4o_ImIqG9r20SDyAdG9xI27NiAFtquTc/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mNKOte5XY218cugBy8NYMnMhF1z0iFm6wKuWdBgBg0q_sHaNKci42vYRkOYO6F63cKuKDdS7J8k5_uyUfP2qM0OvgvkyixDj3O6gXHyTWGZ4o_ImIqG9r20SDyAdG9xI27NiAFtquTc/s640/IMG_0893.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_0Z211pA0UyNA48r2xKNTMgoaV6vV2Vjyt_LwqIZuWIGyLFbyjS04AsItbw1L14sHqSEH7CBH5BgX7cga9b84FtW9Sr28e-fGvAegS28bQrOrs8jUYOMedr7Qv9ZVmF3FYWx3N08g5g/s1600/IMG_0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_0Z211pA0UyNA48r2xKNTMgoaV6vV2Vjyt_LwqIZuWIGyLFbyjS04AsItbw1L14sHqSEH7CBH5BgX7cga9b84FtW9Sr28e-fGvAegS28bQrOrs8jUYOMedr7Qv9ZVmF3FYWx3N08g5g/s640/IMG_0911.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wNUWP70wgOcpN1stLVxEZ_V6WXmuxV-HIu503Y4DFY0ny3Xg1M9OgRgmEyp_oRddHoDMm2kmzcmzsnTHBsGV3f1iw0JQBy-MAon0E6FI0ffLcxckx1tWW1P-pK55dNCQstPjuVQg3nU/s1600/IMG_0900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wNUWP70wgOcpN1stLVxEZ_V6WXmuxV-HIu503Y4DFY0ny3Xg1M9OgRgmEyp_oRddHoDMm2kmzcmzsnTHBsGV3f1iw0JQBy-MAon0E6FI0ffLcxckx1tWW1P-pK55dNCQstPjuVQg3nU/s640/IMG_0900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wMvieDIaVpHfFNxse-tHJllI8RZlPjYgB29Ew1m-I4V882yZWHr8Ni-OcFgSEnYFZ_BhncrLavvjlfG6w3BNe5xzdewm4BpikkkBCfKvzY2j5yV72QaAmvDyvy5d9ATQqsHcLqb7BtE/s1600/IMG_0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wMvieDIaVpHfFNxse-tHJllI8RZlPjYgB29Ew1m-I4V882yZWHr8Ni-OcFgSEnYFZ_BhncrLavvjlfG6w3BNe5xzdewm4BpikkkBCfKvzY2j5yV72QaAmvDyvy5d9ATQqsHcLqb7BtE/s640/IMG_0904.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice my son has a GoPro. I can't wait to see the movie he makes of our trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Back on the road we headed to El Rosario, home of the Baja
Cactus and a dirt biking race that Kip had heard about. We got the famous, crab
burritos that were amazing and too much, all at once, and filled up the car with
gas since it was over 200 miles until the next gas station.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This next stretch of road <span style="font-family: inherit;">crossed</span> a national reserve and was a
showcase of desert cacti, colorful rocks and unfortunate abandoned tires.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisalhCfckZUAXzYGciztufVd8vlWV6oECuc-7LKV97eXfWpGHrtgXcsycCpUBlsCc9k92cyjghSf7YrkozlfvcyQ3NyXcjV_SnOhFTv38v-btJowLaEY-eqwqqE53DmDfiD4k-EUDR1iU/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisalhCfckZUAXzYGciztufVd8vlWV6oECuc-7LKV97eXfWpGHrtgXcsycCpUBlsCc9k92cyjghSf7YrkozlfvcyQ3NyXcjV_SnOhFTv38v-btJowLaEY-eqwqqE53DmDfiD4k-EUDR1iU/s640/IMG_0940.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware of cows, in the desert? This is no joke as we learned later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9TKpSXZGRsnysvggBD3xirN5k3t1LJSzzxN1Rwy7FJMiV6ycIvZiOL_-0Oe-VudZm4OhiEbbzUGs0IUifzy-EVL_uXkf8MqKFCZZlm7PrSCMKmGiijIC7txC0H7Gp8o2gbAl5HxT_FE/s1600/IMG_0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9TKpSXZGRsnysvggBD3xirN5k3t1LJSzzxN1Rwy7FJMiV6ycIvZiOL_-0Oe-VudZm4OhiEbbzUGs0IUifzy-EVL_uXkf8MqKFCZZlm7PrSCMKmGiijIC7txC0H7Gp8o2gbAl5HxT_FE/s640/IMG_0956.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only gas station for over 200 miles as you pass through the <span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water running over the road near the Oasis town of San Ignacio</td></tr>
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The most <span style="font-family: inherit;">bazaar</span> moment of the afternoon was when we heard what sounded like someone throwing a bucket of water at our windshield. I looked up at the blue sky without a hint of rain and realized that we had just driven into a swarm of bees. I counted at least 30 on the windshield.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee swarm collision.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfed0JtYKbrVKkMstaHcowODoPFfPbZDoQiMI_jKvqKrEhgK655fjIzLbv9OKZN4QIyd1ZGFgQc5UR4RebcC13DxjBwGC44xMBv8d7FN7KKTN-Nac9Lme0m0McS-a_UZVYnctMrZLYVAQ/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfed0JtYKbrVKkMstaHcowODoPFfPbZDoQiMI_jKvqKrEhgK655fjIzLbv9OKZN4QIyd1ZGFgQc5UR4RebcC13DxjBwGC44xMBv8d7FN7KKTN-Nac9Lme0m0McS-a_UZVYnctMrZLYVAQ/s640/IMG_0973.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The speed limit is 40 kph or about 24 mph. Would you pass?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPpyiCLtKfxxp6xP8V0DvYEZndLPCwYzIG_EylkclTT1zSKiqpm0SMuAnX8QQLFFejGNRO6yzW3E0e8d0EyhkFnpAoK9JZMBiwqtGr0to91COwTvVRvoSSGI3HNklkcAdpHPNDnHqgBQ/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPpyiCLtKfxxp6xP8V0DvYEZndLPCwYzIG_EylkclTT1zSKiqpm0SMuAnX8QQLFFejGNRO6yzW3E0e8d0EyhkFnpAoK9JZMBiwqtGr0to91COwTvVRvoSSGI3HNklkcAdpHPNDnHqgBQ/s640/IMG_0975.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a scarecrow, but a friendly sign dressed in combat clothing to warn drivers to slow down for the mandatory military check points. I had read that some travelers are nervous about these check points, but once I got used to seeing young men holding machine guns, it was fine. They were all really nice to us.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">We pressed on through the
agricultural area near the town of Guerrero Negro and across El Vizcaíno desert, oasis
towns, an extinct volcano and a challengingly steep canyon the dropped us into spectacular
views of the Sea of Cortez bathed in sunset light. By my estimation we still
had a couple hours driving so we kept going. </span></span></h1>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntEKtaklbjJ0R856OJeBXUHBi1iN6FMQxVbqBArZrntHA8Pp3p0FRQNBdxSsl7hQTPkQVo07FYRRc4uh7tX9i6dYqsiOxGhuoOno6lK-SL8U9aurJnzJwJFK3hv9uzwBRu3JmZ1y5NBk/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntEKtaklbjJ0R856OJeBXUHBi1iN6FMQxVbqBArZrntHA8Pp3p0FRQNBdxSsl7hQTPkQVo07FYRRc4uh7tX9i6dYqsiOxGhuoOno6lK-SL8U9aurJnzJwJFK3hv9uzwBRu3JmZ1y5NBk/s640/IMG_0984.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've
heard this incline is similar to dropping into the Grand Canyon. They
call it the Inferno and it is right outside Santa Rosalía, above the Sea
of Cortez.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">We passed through the intriguing French influenced mining town of Santa Rosalía and played a fun game of "Is my English good enough to beg you to let my teenager use your bathroom?" in the very friendly little town Mulegé, but for the most part we were aware of the growing darkness and anxious to press on to our destination. </span></span></h1>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasCiUhJGfEDAUt0xyZx0sLB489CfGgQxajbuFHDnBPqLZ1dYxzhE1wIX7cVJ8OPxnVZf-7ywQxHf-f_e9eCb9uqBuw99wWYhBYQh7ybIsHAH1TDphEHcsm2EsVxCypLMgB2CB84h7SZU/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasCiUhJGfEDAUt0xyZx0sLB489CfGgQxajbuFHDnBPqLZ1dYxzhE1wIX7cVJ8OPxnVZf-7ywQxHf-f_e9eCb9uqBuw99wWYhBYQh7ybIsHAH1TDphEHcsm2EsVxCypLMgB2CB84h7SZU/s640/IMG_0987.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This
is the town dump, the first thing visitors see after they drop out of
the mountains, glimps the Sea of Cortez and head into the little town of
Santa Rosalía</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">Through the whole day of driving
the kids had not complained at all, not a word. We were all deeply engaged in
the audiobook <i>Peter and the Shadow Thieves</i>, the second book in the prequel of
Peter Pan by </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"><span class="kno-fb-ctx" data-ved="0CJABENpKKAEwEQ">Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"><span class="kno-fb-ctx" data-ved="0CJABENpKKAEwEQ"><span class="kno-fb-ctx" data-ved="0CJABENpKKAEwEQ"></span></span>, and so it came as a sobering shock when out of my peripheral vision
I saw an enormous brown cow nibbling grass inches from the road. </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">The cow was probably not
enormous, but regular cow size, but to pass one at 80 mph on an eerily empty road
in a foreign country was nerve-wracking for me. We slowed down, turned off the
audiobook and had a serious game of cow spotting. We also had a family prayer
time and only passed one more cow. </span></span></h1>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cow we passed in daylight didn't seem too scary, but we heard several people relate horror stories about drivers hitting livestock on the road. Turns out banditos are not the problem. It's the cows.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">So by the time we arrived in
Loreto Bay, a fairly new, mostly American and Canadian-owned community of upscale villas, we
were all fully awake despite the fact that it was near midnight. It was hot and
it took a while to find a security guard to let us into the villa we had
rented. But once we settled in and the kids went to bed, Kip and I sat on the
expansive balcony, amazed at our new home for the next few days, and watched
shooting stars.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-82708252516040696872015-06-22T15:22:00.005-07:002015-06-24T18:40:50.377-07:00Baja Family Road Trip Part 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How We Decided to Pack Up the SUV and Drive 2,000 Miles with the Kids</span></div>
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A few weeks ago, as the Kip’s busy work season began to slow
and his co-workers started talking about taking family vacations to all-inclusive
beach resorts, he began suggesting we do the same with our
family. Although we have taken the kids on a few extended family trips and at least one work related trip this past year, we have not gone on a vacation-only trip with just the four of us since we went to Hawaii in 2008. The kids are 13 and 16 now, and we are acutely aware that our foursome
family days are limited. This time next year our oldest will be a high school
graduate and our baby will be getting ready to start his freshman year in high
school.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_hAS8zqITe-Gsh0IWICM4Y9zlqTIhQwpv3n97o_VxETPlpy9YdJkyyll18zV5CCPRACLQl314NZ2YofwqyYARmmaC39x6R1o7D-bBEYtdiH_E9g1IeO4pvVqaugwoL9YzPhgkRi2jtw/s1600/IMG_6657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_hAS8zqITe-Gsh0IWICM4Y9zlqTIhQwpv3n97o_VxETPlpy9YdJkyyll18zV5CCPRACLQl314NZ2YofwqyYARmmaC39x6R1o7D-bBEYtdiH_E9g1IeO4pvVqaugwoL9YzPhgkRi2jtw/s640/IMG_6657.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawaii in September 2008</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHJ6GOzZ-tj3Dr54fX1hJSTEgyXv5O1LxOO1-EUjKHKZHFziCpBXyM86psf4bWQ96jeAhMP-Jc_vXhuuuOXI2g3pGJ3OKirZDg26E2ezxKCR00OCSPegdLifH9nBkarmP6XGgcdWMs3I/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHJ6GOzZ-tj3Dr54fX1hJSTEgyXv5O1LxOO1-EUjKHKZHFziCpBXyM86psf4bWQ96jeAhMP-Jc_vXhuuuOXI2g3pGJ3OKirZDg26E2ezxKCR00OCSPegdLifH9nBkarmP6XGgcdWMs3I/s640/IMG_1771.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They are almost all the same height now. Father's Day, June 21, 2015 in San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, Mexico</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But when we broached the topic of vacation with the kids we
got a lot of push back<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why are we always
planning trips? Why can’t we just stay at home? I’m going to miss my friend’s
birthday party. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The very thought of
staying at a beach resort seemed repulsive to them, totally boring to sit on
the beach and read books. Our 13-year-old was particularly concerned about
being away from friends for a week or two. Kip, on the other hand, dealing with
his first year at the most demanding job he has ever held, as well as an
hour-long, one-way daily commute to work and an extended season of aggressive international
work travel; seemed to be needing a stress-free vacation as an almost medical
necessity. He was longing for sun, sand and days of no work calls, no early
morning crisis e-mails, no after dinner dishes, no driving to work.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So we had a few family conversations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found myself, self-appointed family referee,
saying things like “Ok, now don’t tell me what you don’t like. Tell me what you
do like.” And I found that while Kip remembered our past anniversary trips to
all-inclusive resorts for their blissful moments of sipping margaritas under
beachside palapas with nothing to worry about, I also remembered sunburns and the environment
created by people gorging on all-inclusive
food and alcohol. My favorite vacation moments over the past few years have
mostly been from the international work trips that I tagged along on: discovering medieval castles in Germany, riding bikes up mountain roads in
Norway, early morning running through the streets of Istanbul, sailing a Hobie
Cat with Kip in Cancun, exploring Greek islands on a Vespa. But all of these moments were just Kip and me. This time we wanted to bring the kids.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I asked the kids what they have enjoyed the most on family trips
and some of their answers surprised me. My daughter, almost apologetically, said she
really enjoyed walking around gift shops and buying little souvenirs with our
family in Alaska. My son really enjoyed riding bikes through Central Park on a
recent trip to New York City. And of course, although he wanted to do <i>some</i>
shopping, he was not interested in “walking
aimlessly around.” And I remembered that the biking through Central Park was
more stressful than fun for my daughter who may have been overwhelmed by the
adventure of navigating crowded streets and figuring out how to maneuver a
different bike than the beach cruiser she uses at home.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We were at a vacation planning impasse.</div>
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Then Kip suggested we could <i>drive</i> to Cabo San Lucas, all the way, and suddenly that seemed like the perfect adventure. For years Kip has been
dreaming about taking a motorcycle there, but I have always been concerned
about road conditions, banditos, drug cartels, the fact that we don’t really speak Spanish.
But for some reason when we started talking about the adventure of taking the
kids on a road trip through the Baja peninsula with the goal of making it to a restful margarita-on-the-beach
resort destination, it seemed to be a win-win for both me and Kip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYZBo-AsBnFL59f0VlKXrDmrE6qm7SDIj8enZqbt0ttvmdZTtjVKGJLKwfT7md8cZRFR1yhH_MJGm8esQ7T4m-U93ps7YkZCQ2J4CFaYEGUiua2t4IesymuV5FbCijGbPVSQ2VN-Dc_Y/s1600/IMG_1278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYZBo-AsBnFL59f0VlKXrDmrE6qm7SDIj8enZqbt0ttvmdZTtjVKGJLKwfT7md8cZRFR1yhH_MJGm8esQ7T4m-U93ps7YkZCQ2J4CFaYEGUiua2t4IesymuV5FbCijGbPVSQ2VN-Dc_Y/s640/IMG_1278.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family adventure with a bonus margarita in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It took the kids a
few more days to get on board with the plan. But by the time we bought new
vacation bathing suits and downloaded fresh audiobooks and music playlists of
their choosing, we were all ready for the family road trip.</div>
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Day 1</span></h3>
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</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Characteristically, we started our Baja trip about 8 hours late, but we had been
ambitious to think we could head out of town with the first light of day
anyhow.<br />
<br />
Kip had just returned from a business trip the day before and I was
frantically trying to make sure that we had everything essential packed and
that the house was clean for friends and guests who would be staying here while
we were gone. Kip, of course, spent more time rigging up a new GPS, DVD, Bluetooth,
digital device thing and changing the car battery, than picking out his clothes.
But despite the delay the GPS was incredibly useful, and as always, Kip packed
all the right clothes anyway.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So with kids ready, house
ready, SUV ready, we headed out by late afternoon and immediately hit Los
Angeles rush hour traffic. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We tapped into both of the kids’ music playlists, only
stopped for ice cream once, and hit the Mexican border at Tijuana just after
dark, the one thing I had anxiously not wanted to do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We crossed the border and began looking for the tourists
office to get our required tourist
cards, and not only could not find it, but found ourselves circling the poorly
marked border crossing buildings and getting stuck into a lane going out of
Mexico and back into California. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It was a stressful, but once back in the US, we stopped,
took a deep breath and used our mobile phones to look up maps, motel listings
in Ensenada and allusive information on how to get to the supposedly 24-hour
tourist office. We also changed money, took one lasts trip to an American
potty, and went for a second try in finding the tourism office.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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This time when we crossed the border we pulled into a lane
for declaration, asked someone for help and after several misguidances, found the
office, spent $100 and got our “required” tourists visas that we actually never
used during our whole 2,000 mile, 12-day trip. No one asked to see them at the
multiple military and police check points, and we did not need them to re-enter
the United States. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With all our proper paperwork we headed out into Tijuana, a
border town whose notorious reputation intimidated me, around 10 p.m. and
realized we were already breaking our resolution to avoid after-dark driving in
Mexico. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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But not wanting to go back into San Diego, we loaded up the
GPS and headed south to Ensenada and I gradually realized we were going to be
just fine. The toll road from Tijuana to Ensenada is well-lit, well-traveled
and probably just as safe as driving through Los Angeles in the middle of the
night. We arrived in a charming, touristy area of Ensenada around 11 p.m. and found
a decent hotel that was perfect for a one-night, family stay. I set my alarm
for dawn and the next morning we got up and began our real Baja adventure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_6oRIaK5X0lehlUPjN6zTu0Tg1eKZokFyXHtSwbZhYXO5TjrED7-U8hihIgBU1GG_06GvJWlBi6M-yDQ26A5UbzRqfHIZjixfGErPHL7WAzU3zMp-ch_6GV32uO5S4qNRERBDOJEDf0/s1600/IMG_1596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_6oRIaK5X0lehlUPjN6zTu0Tg1eKZokFyXHtSwbZhYXO5TjrED7-U8hihIgBU1GG_06GvJWlBi6M-yDQ26A5UbzRqfHIZjixfGErPHL7WAzU3zMp-ch_6GV32uO5S4qNRERBDOJEDf0/s640/IMG_1596.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-64863359725032785342015-05-25T10:19:00.001-07:002015-05-25T11:21:29.322-07:00Gift of the Blog<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Blogging has been sporadic over the past four years, obviously, intermittent with writing about trips and apologizes for not writing. The apologies are all to myself because this blog has always been a gift to me primarily. I write because it helps me process, helps me remember, helps me live in an awareness of the amazing life we have.<br />
<br />
<br />
Recently Kip traveled to Tokyo. He got to work on Monday morning and his company decided it was imperative for him to go to Japan … immediately. He hopped a plane and was there the next morning. <br />
<br />
He has traveled a lot the past year and a half. He has been to Singapore, Australia, Turkey, Greece, Paris, Switzerland, New York City and China. He also spent a week in Detroit, but I didn’t envy that trip. It was January and below zero the whole time. Usually I have had a few weeks to prepare for him to be out of town, but this time the travel hit me a little off guard. It made me feel left behind in a way I had not in a long time. <br />
<br />
About a year and a half ago when Kip first started traveling regularly it was difficult for me and the kids. I missed him. Our preteen son talked daily about waiting for Dad to come home. We had to save all fun activities for when Dad could be with us. After the kids went to bed I would wake up in the middle of the night listening to sounds in the house, worrying about what needed to be fixed, wondering if Kip was ok. But over time I learned to roll over, go to sleep and deal with the problems one at a time. <br />
<br />
But this time when Kip left for Tokyo I found myself worrying again until I pulled up my <a href="http://thinkingtreethoughts.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html" target="_blank">old blog post about our trip to Tokyo </a>and read the whole thing. It was medicine to a weary soul. It brought it all back and I could remember where I had been and where he was at that moment. I texted him the link and went back to sleep.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU15KZ5OjRGOz3xpceaFFlo63IIplQvU7Czi3zwVZJflN7WcyRCHr7z0TJzQa95vArp1PblFZjztl0r1GXMKWETJ9chpqZ17Z__MoNvTeQw2GYZKiPsANWMMtSISHRUR9HXWcRplSu1tY/s1600/IMG_2299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU15KZ5OjRGOz3xpceaFFlo63IIplQvU7Czi3zwVZJflN7WcyRCHr7z0TJzQa95vArp1PblFZjztl0r1GXMKWETJ9chpqZ17Z__MoNvTeQw2GYZKiPsANWMMtSISHRUR9HXWcRplSu1tY/s320/IMG_2299.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
And then later I thought about what a powerful gift this blog has been to me and to him. I only blogged regularly for a short time, but those entries are like gold now.<br />
<br />
I still write quite a bit. I have dabbled with a couple of specialty blogs, worked on a screenplay about one of my favorite historical events and tried a few attempts at <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">Namo Wrimo</a> (National Novel Writing Month). But most of my writing these days is journal writing.<br />
<br />
Every morning when I get up, if I have time, I like to drink a cup of coffee on the balcony overlooking the canyon and the ocean beyond, and spend some time reading the Bible and praying. Prayers take on the form of written words and often I fill pages. <br />
<br />
Over the past few years I have filled several journals, mostly with stream of conscious style prayers. It's here that I have worked out the pain and triumph of living free and emotionally healthy. It's here where I have written the heart-blogs entries, the ones that will never make it to the outside world. It’s here amid the misspelled words and messy handwriting that I have gotten painfully honest and experienced healing. And occasionally, very rarely actually, I will read something I have written in my journal to Kip while he is still waking up, fuzzy haired, coffee in hand. <br />
<br />
This past weekend I read him something and he made me promise to share it on Facebook or a blog or something. I said I would and now I can't find it. I'm sure I will find it later, but in the meantime I decided I need to write and I need to blog on this blog. It's a gift I'll be glad I gave someday.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
I found that little bit of my journal. It's posted here on my little side project, my inspirational, journal-style blog <a href="http://likeshiningstars.com/" target="_blank">Like Shining Stars</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-13060431010529183582014-07-05T18:16:00.000-07:002014-07-05T18:20:31.911-07:00Incredible Istanbul<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF2Xi3-rJwGC4RpZNh4JwTzki1E0Rtr_z1HmnJeJZi5c4sfKIkGSAN4wkphQlbPgLSPMlDScv4wE9CZMXgbl1Ou1xKY5AoldyWPCHn3WhUBBiCwJTxp71uciBMVHZ6nSENcw0ySSblbk/s1600/IMG_8809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbF2Xi3-rJwGC4RpZNh4JwTzki1E0Rtr_z1HmnJeJZi5c4sfKIkGSAN4wkphQlbPgLSPMlDScv4wE9CZMXgbl1Ou1xKY5AoldyWPCHn3WhUBBiCwJTxp71uciBMVHZ6nSENcw0ySSblbk/s1600/IMG_8809.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I was standing in the entrance to the Hagia Sophia, a building
that was once a church, then a mosque and now a slightly neglected museum,
talking to an Australian tourist about traveling and writing, when I realized how much I
missed blogging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
I was explaining why I had stopped blogging, and I said something about writing being like picking up a pen and opening a vein,
bleeding into the world; when he said, “I like that.” And it was at that moment
that I remembered – I like that too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like writing life onto white pages and refreshing a dying
memories with words more specific than pictures. I didn’t just take tourist pictures.
I was there. I was alive in the moment. I walked the cobblestone streets. I
saw the mosque spires. I heard the haunting calls to prayer and felt the little
hands of gypsy children begging coins, asking for that last piece of leftover
baklava so vulnerably displayed in a clear plastic take-out tray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to remember, and for me, the only way
to capture those thoughts is to go back there and write it down. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
Istanbul is .... </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Istanbul is a colorful place of cultural contradictions. It is Europe and Asia, a
modern city teaming with people at every corner, an ancient city with the ruins of multiple great civilizations. It is a place where history happened centuries ago and where it is still happening. One weekend while Kip was working there he had to walk past overzealous police with machine guns and water
cannons squelching protestors’ demands before they erupted again in Taksim Square.<br />
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AL0Z4OxZa2FVnt0tWGpbTSQqRnsx8v1FVJsNyYe3d7eGkkeMNt00Wn_53YCxypObSToYJNJaaxs8XwxF6rX5u9_IJ0tH_vPxT7N39y-_X44DlYBsJjbpBKPGw9GU7PVZ7z769J1045Q/s1600/IMG_8814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AL0Z4OxZa2FVnt0tWGpbTSQqRnsx8v1FVJsNyYe3d7eGkkeMNt00Wn_53YCxypObSToYJNJaaxs8XwxF6rX5u9_IJ0tH_vPxT7N39y-_X44DlYBsJjbpBKPGw9GU7PVZ7z769J1045Q/s1600/IMG_8814.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip in Taksim Square </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is also the land of a thousand stray cats and the world's best baklava.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQd6VQ8bXW9ADn6qVsPq-BUj1CVFjuAtUYRbm8mdxArZUL9WUCb3DsHD6x5UANj4Fac5sPyefsKmfFJUJN6qMka2My8fU3wyZLsC_BgNiCUMX27PLpgVI3zAWE9mI3H2xup1oZGRA9xt0/s1600/IMG_8774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQd6VQ8bXW9ADn6qVsPq-BUj1CVFjuAtUYRbm8mdxArZUL9WUCb3DsHD6x5UANj4Fac5sPyefsKmfFJUJN6qMka2My8fU3wyZLsC_BgNiCUMX27PLpgVI3zAWE9mI3H2xup1oZGRA9xt0/s1600/IMG_8774.jpg" height="316" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stray cats are so plentiful even the ducks along the riverbank have figured out how to coexist.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
First Impressions of an Islamic Country </h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt that Istanbul was a very different place than any I
had ever been to when I got off the plane. It was humid. The sun
was glistening on rain-washed hillside neighborhoods protruded with mosque spires. A man was busy rolling out a carpet, facing Mecca, kneeling and
pressing his forehead to the ground. Praying silently. If anyone did that in the Los Angeles airport someone
would call a SWAT team. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And while Turkish people hold their religious identity in
varying degrees, it is still statistically the most homogenous religious place
I have ever visited. Like most Muslim countries, Turkey is more Islamic than
Alabama is Evangelical Christian, more Islamic than Utah is Mormon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be immersed in such a different religious
culture was interesting to me, in part because it felt so different, and in
part because there are similarities. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was initially unnerving to see
so many women in complete burkas, walking with their husbands, pushing baby
strollers, seeing the world from behind eye slits. But like the city of Istanbul itself,
there were also women who seemed to be straddling the Middle East and the West.
I saw more than one teenage girl, veiled beneath the modesty of her hijab,
peering into a handheld mirror, carefully layering on mascara and lip gloss. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it was the call to prayer that caught me off guard.
Unlike the cheery church bells that rang across empty Sunday streets in
Frankfurt, Germany; the daily calls sounded
heavy to me, sorrowful and longing, hauntingly beautiful, like an Adele song,
sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It <i>always</i> made me want to pray. So
much of the Psalms feel that way to me anyway, “How long, O God?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
Our Istanbul Adventure </h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xvItTsCLpfhsz02xIxuOVqHZj0Gr0nKz8QVMm7nccpNGFL9bfaXduStx_cytrBzmZEJnZVRr6zQNS709Ov20uqwqhFkZLgwj5him4iqBXRpQ-arkq9yXZ2ul5kM69UVGGyGRtarxtg4/s1600/IMG_8711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xvItTsCLpfhsz02xIxuOVqHZj0Gr0nKz8QVMm7nccpNGFL9bfaXduStx_cytrBzmZEJnZVRr6zQNS709Ov20uqwqhFkZLgwj5him4iqBXRpQ-arkq9yXZ2ul5kM69UVGGyGRtarxtg4/s1600/IMG_8711.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trolley running through Taksim square and the pedestrian zone shopping district</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eNaRDdGLeKRmidUyLTb-U7Yg4GFGNdizC_IJZ_f1cjhlpY1sHPtlEHeMsd-fQVLZfWi8sBjU95PPMtOLUWDbEd6D1Hgl9IcPbmCSvZbM0COhQjaDB_1nx-vw72kEX-P_eKf-39OEwqM/s1600/IMG_8716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eNaRDdGLeKRmidUyLTb-U7Yg4GFGNdizC_IJZ_f1cjhlpY1sHPtlEHeMsd-fQVLZfWi8sBjU95PPMtOLUWDbEd6D1Hgl9IcPbmCSvZbM0COhQjaDB_1nx-vw72kEX-P_eKf-39OEwqM/s1600/IMG_8716.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoppers walking past countless bakeries with amazing baklava</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSoiIBES4PjRisuXazztTjGUIf1FezEDpi1swPx3iJi0msq3zO43ga6Dw7IKG9BsY4nl09r-2qeP3Pkr8JXyC65tCy-E8NHlSHEfGO75jIqh6oorOLJRUQ39juW1btLj-IaR4lCw9KzA/s1600/IMG_8714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSoiIBES4PjRisuXazztTjGUIf1FezEDpi1swPx3iJi0msq3zO43ga6Dw7IKG9BsY4nl09r-2qeP3Pkr8JXyC65tCy-E8NHlSHEfGO75jIqh6oorOLJRUQ39juW1btLj-IaR4lCw9KzA/s1600/IMG_8714.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baklava and Turkish delight in a bakery window. Both ancient and modern buildings in the window reflection.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfzBBw-MdHcHjuDzQtPrTq7mHo0nxxvrZYbWkwoPG8AN6ZBxcxCGZVbIwhKFMDga9y31f-YJgJp01fxPYB7Fvm7whbkjMrPnAeMBbHNE-B-lQ-YeNT9jcby4JGI0nLPwoBcPiL0wmBLg/s1600/IMG_8719.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the street kids catching a free ride on the trolley. Gypsy children were everywhere begging for money.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When I arrived in Istanbul Kip was finishing up a week-long
conference. He was busy working and I was jet-lagged, so I made my way out of the hotel
cautiously, initially walking through the same western style shopping area we had wandered
the first night I arrived. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">But </span>I eventually
figured out how to get a metro pass and made my way to the Hagia Sophia and the
Grand Bazaar and wandered the neighborhoods in between. I did a lot of walking around and looking.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Hagia Sophia was amazing, if for no other reason, it is
incredibly old, about 1,500 years. The kids and I learned about the church years ago, listening to
<a href="http://peacehillpress.com/story-of-the-world/" target="_blank">Story of the World </a>a great children’s history series by <a href="http://susanwisebauer.com/blog/" target="_blank">Susan Wise Bauer</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was kind of the ultimate homeschooling
parent treat to actually walk through the place we had read and studied about.
I wished that the kids had been with me. Maybe next time.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPFFaPBurRQjWoBckyJugkjqtmVqLHYSrILt2vd7L9OmZbOtyuEJFf8l3_qpEcRpzQlJhTa112sV4A0bnf9kQ_9t9tmq5cpa_SfvRW3S165idlIWRjeaIVJ34gLtLd1FPaCBb8KANdvU/s1600/IMG_8739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPFFaPBurRQjWoBckyJugkjqtmVqLHYSrILt2vd7L9OmZbOtyuEJFf8l3_qpEcRpzQlJhTa112sV4A0bnf9kQ_9t9tmq5cpa_SfvRW3S165idlIWRjeaIVJ34gLtLd1FPaCBb8KANdvU/s1600/IMG_8739.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDnWkD_t7bwOGI7ilhhvyT5UusGG1kBY8Ofkl2UKQob9Ys9KTUfQDaU7ed72GbHb-VqckNtezt-9rWEGEj5t4198aGDmkp0JbGzxG03zIMa88PfyfNwIGJ7hd7Ln0iJz77J1Qh3BMG7Y/s1600/IMG_8734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDnWkD_t7bwOGI7ilhhvyT5UusGG1kBY8Ofkl2UKQob9Ys9KTUfQDaU7ed72GbHb-VqckNtezt-9rWEGEj5t4198aGDmkp0JbGzxG03zIMa88PfyfNwIGJ7hd7Ln0iJz77J1Qh3BMG7Y/s1600/IMG_8734.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Byzantine mosaics and huge Islamic calligraphic medallions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmW2wJoDun_18z6ow0WmscY1SkCOBkvP33QabzTUYOtZXjnU9s7iD1bqb43ZARbKQuf8axD-WHUZNPykGI21w8NNO0X0LKd_0T1qZyc6uzmusvdSm1aAvZXsyVTTDAaYwj53jiXLcXmWA/s1600/IMG_8732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmW2wJoDun_18z6ow0WmscY1SkCOBkvP33QabzTUYOtZXjnU9s7iD1bqb43ZARbKQuf8axD-WHUZNPykGI21w8NNO0X0LKd_0T1qZyc6uzmusvdSm1aAvZXsyVTTDAaYwj53jiXLcXmWA/s1600/IMG_8732.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the Apse Mosaic, a 9th century depiction of the Virgin Mary holding an infant Jesus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLbBm7Xe7a4Ysup9Cj8BV_SuulNeNnJdEdshhUVYO_tEWW-HLIhFI_vgdcP0zR_udyP5K5sWkUmADtqV3v6c9zqUbtcup2e97UsTqnSIXJsej1MVbH2zaLP_2Lhw6IYk_Gkg7LjH66Fk/s1600/IMG_8736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLbBm7Xe7a4Ysup9Cj8BV_SuulNeNnJdEdshhUVYO_tEWW-HLIhFI_vgdcP0zR_udyP5K5sWkUmADtqV3v6c9zqUbtcup2e97UsTqnSIXJsej1MVbH2zaLP_2Lhw6IYk_Gkg7LjH66Fk/s1600/IMG_8736.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The museum seems to be constantly undergoing renovation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkEPLv-1uaFKn_oP-tRcN64rmBVvTVQUpXVAZlxeHyqc0Lsy0ebezrs730stBTGJvGIbhHUhQ74j9QiXHUU2nUp5bc-5GM_by12ZKTIGj-RduV3jaM-7GcDOpPbWqMB6ErZJa_0Chp-Y/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkEPLv-1uaFKn_oP-tRcN64rmBVvTVQUpXVAZlxeHyqc0Lsy0ebezrs730stBTGJvGIbhHUhQ74j9QiXHUU2nUp5bc-5GM_by12ZKTIGj-RduV3jaM-7GcDOpPbWqMB6ErZJa_0Chp-Y/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosaics of Jesus from the Byzantium Empire look down on the Ottoman Turkish mirhab pointing the direction to Mecca. The grand marble minbar on the right is a giant pulpit also built by the Ottoman Turks.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyO34-RV6EiCvSBC14hfXD3TpDhgQBqAy2FK1y0B-fUAACA3TKc4oJCM7YiRAdeaVIUIckPBaDNaBuUq_dNQoCPJ8_hqaZDB4ab0bQu5H6vhfj-ov1JbxNE_N7xNuJOP5ufbPDVhjCpE/s1600/IMG_8824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyO34-RV6EiCvSBC14hfXD3TpDhgQBqAy2FK1y0B-fUAACA3TKc4oJCM7YiRAdeaVIUIckPBaDNaBuUq_dNQoCPJ8_hqaZDB4ab0bQu5H6vhfj-ov1JbxNE_N7xNuJOP5ufbPDVhjCpE/s1600/IMG_8824.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque sit opposite each other.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Grand Bazaar, as the name implies, was kind of a crazy place. I wandered into the 600-year old labyrinth of shopping booths alone on my first trip into the city. I found it a little too overwhelming to barter alone, so I brought Kip back the following day and we bought a few souvenirs -- the obligatory coffee cup and T-shirts for the kids. I also
indulged the pushy silver salesmen and negotiated a few earrings for myself and a little
necklace for our daughter. Like nearly every restaurant, shop and tour guide in
Istanbul, the salesmen in the Grand Bazaar were relentless.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“Hey, hey lady, buy this scarf. Look at this scarf. Hey lady, don't break my heart. Just look.”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They would say nearly anything to make you turn around and
look. The first day I stopped once; just long enough for a young Turkish man to seize the
opportunity and wrap a beautiful silk scarf around my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“Look, you see it. You like?”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He motioned for me to
take a step into his booth-shop, which looked like an apartment size walk-in closet.
Feeling tired of all the nagging, I stepped forward and SLAM. He shut a door
behind me revealing a full length mirror. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>“See for no charge extra I match your eyes. Very beautiful. I
give you for 200 Lira.”</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were other things I wanted to spend $100 on, so I
managed to smile and tell him I should take his card and come back with my
husband later. He opened the closet door, I escaped. I didn’t come back. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHreR-vSJOaN5q95UL0-C1AIJSo_2dnYfl07Rd8spa6I4NcBL2c4yY7IO1MjLRkyDKn7WIhWtM-RKpbtO6rfc9kFR2jrlOQ77uYbtc0PLiaosbop66UbTWxVmiaRf0tMJKY-GzZPX3Gk/s1600/IMG_8763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHreR-vSJOaN5q95UL0-C1AIJSo_2dnYfl07Rd8spa6I4NcBL2c4yY7IO1MjLRkyDKn7WIhWtM-RKpbtO6rfc9kFR2jrlOQ77uYbtc0PLiaosbop66UbTWxVmiaRf0tMJKY-GzZPX3Gk/s1600/IMG_8763.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many entrances to the Grand Bazaar, an indoor labyrinth of a marketplace dating back to the 15th century. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQFRnfn5ulYeWuVVV2LnDFvvl4IEB-M2rBs0WtNfXde1aig9PpXWr12e3jPa2UAWzsetYgHb33j0leiHB4tRxk2EgsH_3At8RIiW31gVnhH8y9JlEMR5uHj2nrAxq4xopYjworW25OCg/s1600/IMG_8765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQFRnfn5ulYeWuVVV2LnDFvvl4IEB-M2rBs0WtNfXde1aig9PpXWr12e3jPa2UAWzsetYgHb33j0leiHB4tRxk2EgsH_3At8RIiW31gVnhH8y9JlEMR5uHj2nrAxq4xopYjworW25OCg/s1600/IMG_8765.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need a tea set, pipe, magic lantern?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIyfr2f6P994PvxU9E1RSF6NYnpetHvgI3vwQ2ptCrTuZbj3m3_IhPrl7ELAkey6VIrQbLX1tJ8d8q8-XW_36VHd0IbdBFqScEmcE6AJlYobkj7H6csqvnUVrklXDnZ29LjFAQ8bxuQk/s1600/IMG_8766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIyfr2f6P994PvxU9E1RSF6NYnpetHvgI3vwQ2ptCrTuZbj3m3_IhPrl7ELAkey6VIrQbLX1tJ8d8q8-XW_36VHd0IbdBFqScEmcE6AJlYobkj7H6csqvnUVrklXDnZ29LjFAQ8bxuQk/s1600/IMG_8766.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silk scarves for sale in booths lining the archways</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8tlKtM81AgzeUC0ignXJZCgx8WCjgBAblxsIEN6cPhedTLNsoaIcW7S9yyzKS8bdDe7FKIFNSxUd3KeNiz6CB6sSvXw3JP9iERtDqcHKnJH6iQqmoDsir77biYKfUbQJ00-oA1BGiDw/s1600/IMG_8767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8tlKtM81AgzeUC0ignXJZCgx8WCjgBAblxsIEN6cPhedTLNsoaIcW7S9yyzKS8bdDe7FKIFNSxUd3KeNiz6CB6sSvXw3JP9iERtDqcHKnJH6iQqmoDsir77biYKfUbQJ00-oA1BGiDw/s1600/IMG_8767.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fountains for ceremonial washings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6iTZpGpH1gI5nB9zB5haoliU6y5Jyh0627JOYSww_QgefkMLz11GdXORp99jN2vJfuoxHTHtVctuK_y9DroZM37dTwim3Smueq-gS1WrkQ33A_Okkr4Skcmw_fgTYFCFFfEzQ3IXvIs/s1600/IMG_8768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6iTZpGpH1gI5nB9zB5haoliU6y5Jyh0627JOYSww_QgefkMLz11GdXORp99jN2vJfuoxHTHtVctuK_y9DroZM37dTwim3Smueq-gS1WrkQ33A_Okkr4Skcmw_fgTYFCFFfEzQ3IXvIs/s1600/IMG_8768.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More lamps and scarves... want to make a deal?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Kip went out alone he had several experiences with
hustlers, shoe shiners trying all kinds of scams to get his attention, guys
trying to get him to go out for a drink with him, all scams he had been warned about. When we were together it was mostly
just the restaurant hawkers and tourist oriented shops that berated us, but it
was enough that we were actually relieved to leave Istanbul and head to the
more laid-back Greek Islands.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRrRZuezRWPwmoDl6xJyYIrejjyNK4LtqHrAI029U2L_-zakWf2Ac8lxbuHfUgaBY13rcEvIEGTYIhF04DDOzysH9A5bdNb3eA9aUDwscyn4y9iPyRw4IQ7Tf2nYkQDyG-IwZrjX___Y/s1600/IMG_20140604_173457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRrRZuezRWPwmoDl6xJyYIrejjyNK4LtqHrAI029U2L_-zakWf2Ac8lxbuHfUgaBY13rcEvIEGTYIhF04DDOzysH9A5bdNb3eA9aUDwscyn4y9iPyRw4IQ7Tf2nYkQDyG-IwZrjX___Y/s1600/IMG_20140604_173457.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break from souvenier shopping at the Grand Bazaar for Turkish coffee and baklava</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKlwVNvyl8K9XJx8pqhdtoa0R_tRNeUnyNg-d3anOG-4A7f_dAJjZM5wG82rdis_-KqXi7tJwNHFryYRBRQK-rWPtwGrYr3O6O3KMaa0zEnf1XhOtGcjR_anZFVbVKwHP1HmVyTWMibA/s1600/IMG_8848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKlwVNvyl8K9XJx8pqhdtoa0R_tRNeUnyNg-d3anOG-4A7f_dAJjZM5wG82rdis_-KqXi7tJwNHFryYRBRQK-rWPtwGrYr3O6O3KMaa0zEnf1XhOtGcjR_anZFVbVKwHP1HmVyTWMibA/s1600/IMG_8848.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip enjoying a fish sandwich aboard the Bosphorus River cruise.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One evening, after going on a river cruise of the Bosporus
and buying too many overpriced souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar, we found the best
marketplace, the almost equally ancient Spice Bazaar. Kip tracked down the country’s
best Turkish coffee bean roaster and discovered a treasure trove of spice
stores. We walked away at the market’s closing with coffee, bags of olives,
dates, Turkish delight and an assortment of spices. I think it was the
highlight of Kip’s time in Turkey.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB4IqJcyWaTyRdszTdtrhs-sQU-Hl2xZ8psz_M9YA-c5vK9o3rpGwKVWnREZJRbiBUd6-WCOR0bJEJH7onaxn1a8asDlJ6MxlxhZy4l66Srb1tQ1pSP5mvNzwmW8JjpulBgaTM3JAcds/s1600/IMG_20140604_194647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCB4IqJcyWaTyRdszTdtrhs-sQU-Hl2xZ8psz_M9YA-c5vK9o3rpGwKVWnREZJRbiBUd6-WCOR0bJEJH7onaxn1a8asDlJ6MxlxhZy4l66Srb1tQ1pSP5mvNzwmW8JjpulBgaTM3JAcds/s1600/IMG_20140604_194647.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip is so happy to be at the Spice Bazaar that he makes the shop owners happy too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwjbKTu2m4fNnq_2jwsw3oIDeBLfOtOb19wTYqKTWA-xB394SdpOfyFE_Eb8OmnDVA5OQolWzU5FK57QhDfkD3XhmX70Hp3z73D8sRBlct7LG9bvz-bcdSeRIAAjW-hQt2q15eywjo0Y/s1600/IMG_20140604_195209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwjbKTu2m4fNnq_2jwsw3oIDeBLfOtOb19wTYqKTWA-xB394SdpOfyFE_Eb8OmnDVA5OQolWzU5FK57QhDfkD3XhmX70Hp3z73D8sRBlct7LG9bvz-bcdSeRIAAjW-hQt2q15eywjo0Y/s1600/IMG_20140604_195209.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip's own private Heaven of spices</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPBr7jLN8fh6N_yuU7WJu6U1TJlsgeL0zts_EZGQ0Pe-_TZQ_tXeJzJRadwxC0GQaB3NE3kI5MXA0-nNLh7DT1xbtJlvQvu_dUZgl2Gk6ACtByMjpVKTCG8Nuzuvp9nJ8p1LdmQEq6RQ/s1600/IMG_20140604_195220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPBr7jLN8fh6N_yuU7WJu6U1TJlsgeL0zts_EZGQ0Pe-_TZQ_tXeJzJRadwxC0GQaB3NE3kI5MXA0-nNLh7DT1xbtJlvQvu_dUZgl2Gk6ACtByMjpVKTCG8Nuzuvp9nJ8p1LdmQEq6RQ/s1600/IMG_20140604_195220.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And more spices</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FwY4TRl9zR5cM2QaXN_1m3YrkKa7qbe-7AU0POkwr9AbyZrMjN54QjlT7RkrTI4GoSfuOFTGBcDdM78eErQXrdhLjgLZY7EllH9LBoQEiNUe4lTFxMR4-9Yu8uEiVJb5-CJv7M7iHAY/s1600/IMG_20140604_193903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FwY4TRl9zR5cM2QaXN_1m3YrkKa7qbe-7AU0POkwr9AbyZrMjN54QjlT7RkrTI4GoSfuOFTGBcDdM78eErQXrdhLjgLZY7EllH9LBoQEiNUe4lTFxMR4-9Yu8uEiVJb5-CJv7M7iHAY/s1600/IMG_20140604_193903.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dates and other dried fruit by the kilo</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Zf5Hs2tRH3g9k58gMIGSxLLUxoUiZRz2mwYwLMPXkKsYKKSqfi8Pl70abAAFXXQV4NTzgXfe5fh18DqPCoJ1mMpHDcItoxnC07G3vzYTfu83Ry7L-1l8e3HvnsBAGquh5NaTGrxwpQ/s1600/IMG_20140604_193949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Zf5Hs2tRH3g9k58gMIGSxLLUxoUiZRz2mwYwLMPXkKsYKKSqfi8Pl70abAAFXXQV4NTzgXfe5fh18DqPCoJ1mMpHDcItoxnC07G3vzYTfu83Ry7L-1l8e3HvnsBAGquh5NaTGrxwpQ/s1600/IMG_20140604_193949.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spices, pickles and more spices. </td></tr>
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That night, with bags of souvenirs and spices and much less
Lira than we had started with, we settled for $5 fish and bread sandwiches with Turkish beer at a
restaurant literally under the bridge. The mosques were bathed in lights, reflecting
on the river. It was the kind of moment that I wanted to remember forever, just because.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyobvR-92oMnPmaDHvMWPmnafnJfmSkjA82hhyphenhyphenyaPGkjKr6EXIaIK7fiGvQqPfe2prBxtnO12aAcDxtuTtwykjH9eUIvi_FcsKtgk46qDK2lNne_-ssZ3bfSI64qj9pEZBAoKB3Jmne9A/s1600/IMG_20140604_204712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyobvR-92oMnPmaDHvMWPmnafnJfmSkjA82hhyphenhyphenyaPGkjKr6EXIaIK7fiGvQqPfe2prBxtnO12aAcDxtuTtwykjH9eUIvi_FcsKtgk46qDK2lNne_-ssZ3bfSI64qj9pEZBAoKB3Jmne9A/s1600/IMG_20140604_204712.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Had we not been heading to Greece for our anniversary celebration trip, I would have enjoyed spending several more day in Istanbul.<br />
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<h3>
More Pictures of our Istanbul Adventures</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQ4cuKozID6CyDq8Ca9zE64fZ0n7kSuQn85HnfAJR3v54ldNn2iY2A6mLyL2ZsGR0ePkekeEpjD5-VX3vaiDCyMhClXFIxaJYx3izFP1g-9SZm8iRlbkAXzLY032E-LQTwdGBoLxm4XY/s1600/P1000873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQ4cuKozID6CyDq8Ca9zE64fZ0n7kSuQn85HnfAJR3v54ldNn2iY2A6mLyL2ZsGR0ePkekeEpjD5-VX3vaiDCyMhClXFIxaJYx3izFP1g-9SZm8iRlbkAXzLY032E-LQTwdGBoLxm4XY/s1600/P1000873.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One night we stopped at this open-air bar where Turkish bands played a mix of Turkish and American top 40 songs. It was funny to hear these guys singing songs in English that we grew up with.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-357Km_ErAvBM_Qj0OzWVJ18e6MlfzjPWr4VOoe1m8VGIczT_Zd-50EV08u9aHHAZt5CbOCuZWpOY3EEmJ47DgLDMMB8hgp3_D-bAnifCQmXuDB-bJnMavD-lnB9PgWS9JH7i4mmMzk/s1600/IMG_8837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-357Km_ErAvBM_Qj0OzWVJ18e6MlfzjPWr4VOoe1m8VGIczT_Zd-50EV08u9aHHAZt5CbOCuZWpOY3EEmJ47DgLDMMB8hgp3_D-bAnifCQmXuDB-bJnMavD-lnB9PgWS9JH7i4mmMzk/s1600/IMG_8837.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Blue Mosque. They were having services when we visited, so never saw the inside.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmZ4ZYelS9KdC7Ihu735YzzJXa_RUVPcbmjcbWv7ba457vIW6I-5RRZ3k3xXhDlM36yHVnfUOXifivSaTHsz1EYpB0xhI0qJIHg5qA4UdvISgBkKYdMuL0TYS6lbac5PmR4fk8UQqtoU/s1600/P1000868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmZ4ZYelS9KdC7Ihu735YzzJXa_RUVPcbmjcbWv7ba457vIW6I-5RRZ3k3xXhDlM36yHVnfUOXifivSaTHsz1EYpB0xhI0qJIHg5qA4UdvISgBkKYdMuL0TYS6lbac5PmR4fk8UQqtoU/s1600/P1000868.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkish food was amazing. Kip's dinner of many little fish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnb6tCieWxNZ25_Pq_9dD67UA5Nn5-s7cvfIjFjdayxytnGDJDDUWtAyqlOLaAqqfrMx55IaCjfZkgh3WR5ewedb2AUK5AhFmA3Ngij9K102qnHzXiqpIXYTNH99HNVx_azUbLpwwhec/s1600/IMG_8816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnb6tCieWxNZ25_Pq_9dD67UA5Nn5-s7cvfIjFjdayxytnGDJDDUWtAyqlOLaAqqfrMx55IaCjfZkgh3WR5ewedb2AUK5AhFmA3Ngij9K102qnHzXiqpIXYTNH99HNVx_azUbLpwwhec/s1600/IMG_8816.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip loves funiculars. This one was unfortunately underground. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajsh4VjRJRZxRDO0YHBREq9BxAwF1qnAPoXY-JxUwmYLK0EoKBdPkkC35fVIKS7zXy0IkBpOhOKbIT8ykPB_zcbVLnDsy5JlF-B72QuYm4WLRUGr7-Jem4MNQ7Zngqhm9Ay79fhI3Qoc/s1600/IMG_8858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajsh4VjRJRZxRDO0YHBREq9BxAwF1qnAPoXY-JxUwmYLK0EoKBdPkkC35fVIKS7zXy0IkBpOhOKbIT8ykPB_zcbVLnDsy5JlF-B72QuYm4WLRUGr7-Jem4MNQ7Zngqhm9Ay79fhI3Qoc/s1600/IMG_8858.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the guy with the green suitcase was happy with his pictures too.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-80387323172432421982014-02-05T22:44:00.000-08:002014-02-05T22:44:49.152-08:00Not Lost in Germany<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZbqcAo5U8gEYap6PTTTzZPKtD9SxsdEarJuItoP6QR7PWzWPOhKY9sqydyOJW8_jnDvx0Om59KteMXthyphenhyphenVvlNsrD2p4vQRG2KayHZ-QbhBwfCgr2VdVuq-ySKDJqXkVZ7SvUlNj0rcE/s1600/IMG_7606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZbqcAo5U8gEYap6PTTTzZPKtD9SxsdEarJuItoP6QR7PWzWPOhKY9sqydyOJW8_jnDvx0Om59KteMXthyphenhyphenVvlNsrD2p4vQRG2KayHZ-QbhBwfCgr2VdVuq-ySKDJqXkVZ7SvUlNj0rcE/s1600/IMG_7606.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moon is a sliver of silver and a new day is dawning. </td></tr>
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I've thought about picking up where this blog left so many times. But like a suitcase dropped in the middle of the beach, it felt too heavy to pick up, to lug across the sands of time. The last year and a half have been difficult in ways that only a happy life can understand, but in a long term way, good, very good.<br />
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I've thought about blogging under the post title "Lost in Germany," because this nearly orphaned blog felt that way. But I know that even though I left the blog hanging in Germany, it was not that trip that made me feel lost. I am really not sure what triggered the displaced feeling.<br />
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It may have been a delayed reaction to feeling my world shift under my feet, to losing so many old friends in LA, to missing my old groups of church friends who helped encourage me through difficult times in the past. But it may also have been life speeding up, homeschooling a busy high schooler, immersing myself into new opportunities, experiences, time commitments. Driving kids everywhere. Driving myself half crazy. But I know that it was not just that either. In the past it was the new experiences that drove me to write.<br />
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The truth is that I have been writing over the past year. I filled two journals, just from sunrise conversations with God. Most of it would have been too raw and real to process here. But it felt safe, writing with the Friend who always listens and is not intimidated by the fluctuating drama of "life is Beautiful!" and "Oh God, help!"<br />
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Unlike friends who have been through real sorrows and loss, my crises were personal, seemingly trivial, wounds of long term disappointments and unrealized ideals. At some point I had to realize that I was angry and afraid, afraid of the future, afraid of having no future. Afraid that if I made myself vulnerable I would be misunderstood, or more frighteningly, perfectly understood for the shallow, selfish demi god that I aspire to be.<br />
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There is a huge breakthrough in being honest. Release. But it doesn't come easy. It comes with tears and I really hate to cry. But this past year I learned to cry and let things go, really let go of control and give to God. And then I learned to thank God.Gratitude has to be one of the most powerful human experiences. There is no way to overstate the power of giving thanks all the time, in every circumstance, for all things.<br />
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Once that process began I could get honest with myself and a few very close friends about real anxieties that were growing large. It was like painfully peeling away old Band-Aids to put a name to the dysfunction, but once I called it anxiety and began asking God for healing, deliverance and healing, I began to heal, really heal. <br />
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On the few occasions that I have looked back over this blog, I have been really blessed to see the good days God has given me. My kids are growing up, and I miss the simple days with them. But I could not be happier with the beautiful people that they are becoming. I'm thankful for the way I blogged through those "simpler" years and I think its time to start recording the journey again. There are new days ahead, everyday. Thank you, God.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-3186236807554886872012-10-03T07:27:00.000-07:002012-10-03T07:29:05.979-07:00Driving Fast to the Middle Ages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABgpGa9Ne_PadmB7xdfrfcWG48gt1fde3naWnGH6smbBjaFVWtJApScM5ev12VXhyEJkE5Fm4wwSeo4jOsVrIGh0-2M5qarY-denY0MW45B2IBFsaYneJloVqVrk3_yO4k0yhRx7KKwQ/s1600/IMG_1685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABgpGa9Ne_PadmB7xdfrfcWG48gt1fde3naWnGH6smbBjaFVWtJApScM5ev12VXhyEJkE5Fm4wwSeo4jOsVrIGh0-2M5qarY-denY0MW45B2IBFsaYneJloVqVrk3_yO4k0yhRx7KKwQ/s640/IMG_1685.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5b0Mo5ujt0LbW8lGJezMrQDF6RGcbUKSdiWY5NC9MslC9moI0KntddBmKTJg65egb5wWSNYjkj6z220PJy9kMwNkQQm6O9HPvlgk8aYnFfPEmdDIngtNWAekBz-vTlHYepORCeoOvE8/s1600/IMG_1661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5b0Mo5ujt0LbW8lGJezMrQDF6RGcbUKSdiWY5NC9MslC9moI0KntddBmKTJg65egb5wWSNYjkj6z220PJy9kMwNkQQm6O9HPvlgk8aYnFfPEmdDIngtNWAekBz-vTlHYepORCeoOvE8/s320/IMG_1661.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
Early Sunday morning we woke up to rain and did what you should do on a free Sunday when woken up by rain. We went back to sleep until a symphony of church bells rang through Frankfurt and made waking up glorious. <br />
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After realizing that Delta had still not delivered my lost luggage, we set out to find some more appropriate shoes for me. (We had left southern California in a heat wave and I had been wearing sandals on the plane.) We wandered around a cold and somewhat dreary Frankfurt for a little while until we realized that nearly all stores are closed for Sunday mornings, so I settled into wearing Kip’s shoes for a second day and we made plans to explore the area around Frankfurt.<br />
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Kip wanted to rent a car and try out the autobahn. I wanted to see the <a href="http://www.gutenberg-museum.de/" target="_blank">Gutenberg museum</a> and reveal in a little history and then drive up the Rhine Valley, so we rented a car at the train station near our hotel and headed off into the realm of international driving.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird_ZvTv_wm5XgI-dgvShIn-N_y0DQz6k5qoL8r5ttbpOdV09ieHoBANFGoMBRl8zulrSIU9PXFRjLENHVhaxntEUZ1ht6DTjlJ58n2IgeY3wqW_pI05WdYVjAyXJOiqAl3FH5ddn2J3o/s1600/IMG_1641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird_ZvTv_wm5XgI-dgvShIn-N_y0DQz6k5qoL8r5ttbpOdV09ieHoBANFGoMBRl8zulrSIU9PXFRjLENHVhaxntEUZ1ht6DTjlJ58n2IgeY3wqW_pI05WdYVjAyXJOiqAl3FH5ddn2J3o/s320/IMG_1641.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was not interested in challenging the autobahn. I had accidentally let my California driver’s license expire, so I had the perfect excuse. But driving on the autobahn was definitely on Kip’s bucket list and he was eager to experience driving without a speed limit. <br />
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Without a speed limit sports cars fly as fast as possible in the left lane while other drivers scramble to move over to the right lane. Traffic can stop on a dime. <br />
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Kip, of course, did a great job while I sat in the passenger seat pleading, “careful, careful, careful, please careful.” He was able to top 100 mph in our little economy sized, fuel-efficient car.<br />
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It could have been very difficult to navigate driving in another country with different rules and signs exclusively in German, but we rented a GPS with our car and it was amazing. I am so used to using Google Maps that I rarely use a GPS anymore, but in this environment it was extremely helpful. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.gutenberg-museum.de/" target="_blank">Gutenberg museum </a>was great. I have been to other museum exhibits on printing, but it was inspiring to actually see a Guttenberg Bible and realizing how it changed the world in so many ways.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday afternoon plaza filled with families walking around shopping. It seems to have been Fashion Sunday in Mainz. There were several little runway shows.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These girls are modeling dresses made entirely from newspaper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to look cool in Kip's shoes.</td></tr>
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After the museum we wandered around Mainz, enjoyed walking with the crowds of Germans out enjoying Sunday afternoon shopping and snacking. We tried the delicious döner, a popular Turkish/German sandwich that resembles a gyro in German bread instead of traditional flatbread. I understand that Turkish workers arrived in Germany after World War II and stayed, although never quite assimilating into traditional German culture. In a way the popularity of the döner is a validation of their growing subculture in a changing Germany. We Americans take multiculturalism for granted.<br />
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Who needs a museum; every food stand is a legacy to history and culture?<br />
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And going back further into history, food and how it shapes a culture, we headed out of town and into the Rhine Valley. We had spent a little too much time in Mainz, so we only had a few hours of light to see the epic Rhine Valley with it’s medieval villages and castles lining the Rhine River. In this notorious corner of Germany vineyards cascade down steep river banks, providing what seems to be the only other industry other than tourism.<br />
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When we realized we would be soon losing light we pulled over at <a href="http://www.bacharach.de/" target="_blank">Bacharach,</a> a town with 700-year-old half timbered houses and cobblestone streets. Once we walked through the old city gates it was like waking up in Disneyland’s Fantasy World. I am quite sure Walt Disney studied this area in designing his early films and theme park. He recreated it well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglta60PAJej46EGnpIprL0FQj7vc2G_WLMm0GqSqHdAky3kSLI5IDMS-CeeJy4hrhWeKKhLs9VT-vcsKeZ8B_dGO8reMcAa2C5Qvj_zPg-b1hcy1zyUd0FHlztU7uqFf7rNQ3ws7gdku4/s1600/IMG_1672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglta60PAJej46EGnpIprL0FQj7vc2G_WLMm0GqSqHdAky3kSLI5IDMS-CeeJy4hrhWeKKhLs9VT-vcsKeZ8B_dGO8reMcAa2C5Qvj_zPg-b1hcy1zyUd0FHlztU7uqFf7rNQ3ws7gdku4/s640/IMG_1672.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little town is famous for its wine festival celebrating their traditional Riesling variety. The name of the town literally means "Alter of Bacchus." </td></tr>
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We climbed the 14th century city tower that once stood as one of several ramparts around the city and followed a path where the wall once was. It was the first time of many times this week that I was glad for our Malibu hill training. It’s nice to be able to run up mountains for fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can climb through the tower and walk along the path that was once the old city walls.</td></tr>
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As it got dark we found Altes Haus, literally translated Old House, and tried some of the local Riesling wine, reibekuchen (potato pancakes) and something that was like country fried pork. It was pretty good, but characteristically heavy. I liked German food, but we often had to split meals and eat only twice a day because the cuisine was so rich. And then after walking more we found the local Italian gelato place and had their tourist specialty – Riesling ice cream. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XkJEmgzuy5XoO-REmscICux4-UEQSY5Y6QdNJ9bcjAOivwvAV9NU2zqosc-qmhxjftECP6PLCyNSxPRZtjUMLD5UQD5WqeIUyh9WJR3Mpagb7nNwfxzQ2a3KlkHrwyFOChz6XQ3rXog/s1600/IMG_1701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XkJEmgzuy5XoO-REmscICux4-UEQSY5Y6QdNJ9bcjAOivwvAV9NU2zqosc-qmhxjftECP6PLCyNSxPRZtjUMLD5UQD5WqeIUyh9WJR3Mpagb7nNwfxzQ2a3KlkHrwyFOChz6XQ3rXog/s640/IMG_1701.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The name Altes Haus is no joke. It was built in 1368! The food was pretty good too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are we in Disneyland?</td></tr>
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It was a wonderful day, and really just a small sample of a small, but famous area of Germany. I would have enjoyed spending a week riding bikes up the Rhine River and taking in the beauty. Maybe next time.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-12249623560378118822012-10-02T17:23:00.000-07:002012-10-02T17:24:21.357-07:00German Hospitality and the Wurst Way to Get a Hot Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer and brats at a Saturday volkfest in Frankfurt.</td></tr>
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Our European adventure began like all other modern transglobal expeditions – at the airport. With a six hour flight to New York followed by a nine hour red-eye to Frankfurt, Kip thought it would be cool to spend our four-hour layover running into the city to see the 911 Memorial. I was craving a NYC street hotdog, so I set aside my concerns and decided to go for it. It was a fun idea to race around train stations and the subway, but by the time we got to the 911 Memorial we discovered we need a timed ticket to go inside and it was already time to head back to the airport. We found our hot dog and barely made it back to Kennedy as the last passengers were boarding the plane. And maybe that is why my luggage went to Paris instead of Frankfurt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IWF3n7lSXIHmfzLCHEq3-OU-kHlVkAgWuHDe232eoT-nfBHHHw1G7TuSDGJlgoLKkE-pjS1AHEtEOPi_xVpG0O97cLOtGnF2yyR_B-zPbXv1jVSdOyltazaA71ybUHAmNFU0aHZ-o-Y/s1600/IMG_1605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IWF3n7lSXIHmfzLCHEq3-OU-kHlVkAgWuHDe232eoT-nfBHHHw1G7TuSDGJlgoLKkE-pjS1AHEtEOPi_xVpG0O97cLOtGnF2yyR_B-zPbXv1jVSdOyltazaA71ybUHAmNFU0aHZ-o-Y/s400/IMG_1605.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the quest for a NYC street hot dog. What were we thinking?</td></tr>
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So much for a hot dog,<br />
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I should have known we were headed to the very birthplace of sausaged meat. <br />
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When we got to Frankfurt Saturday morning we immediately checked into a chic cheap hotel with a recycled jeans theme and took a jet lag nap. We woke up hungry and disoriented and decided to take the advice of the German travel guide I picked up at the library before we left and we headed out to find the Saturday farmers market.<br />
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We walked a mile or so through Frankfurt and found the most delightful farmers’ market I have ever seen. Fall was in full swing and there were stands of local apples and squash and everything you would expect to see on a fall table. Frankfurt is famous for its Apfelwein, a cross between apple cider and weak beer, so several vendors were selling wine glasses of the yellow stuff. I tried to use a little German to order and was reminded that Germans count “one” on their thumbs so holding up an index finger and saying “I’d like one,” is likely to produce confused looks from the server and two glasses. With the help of a couple English speaking students we managed to get one glass to share. <br />
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The real treat at this mini Oktoberfest was a mobile restaurant serving up plates of sauerkraut, bratwursts, pork, fried potatoes and everything else characteristically German. Everything was heated over gigantic cast iron frying pans and handed to customers on real ceramic plates which they expected patrons to return for a one Euro deposit.<br />
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We got steaming plates of food and found a place at a crowded picnic table. Having read that it was acceptable etiquette to ask if you could join a table, we found a friendly couple and joined their conversation. They had lived in America, spoke perfect English and were delighted to include us. The husband who was a proud Bavarian told us all about that area of Germany. He was wearing the traditional Bavarian coat and had just come from Munich for the opening of Oktoberfest there. When we got ready to leave they invited us to join them later that evening for dinner with the rest of their family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired and jet lagged but happy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing food and stories with our new friends. The "grandmas" were the best. They laughed the entire meal. I have no idea what the jokes were about, but they seemed to be enjoying their beer too.</td></tr>
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We took our new friends up on their offer and had one of the richest cultural experiences a tourist can find. The crowded restaurant was a traditional eatery with long narrow tables each occupied by large groups sharing pitchers of Apfelwein and plates of savory meats, sauerkraut and pork. The couple and their adult children and their childrens’ friends filled the long table almost uncomfortably, but when we arrived they squeezed together and made room for us. They treated us like celebrities and wanted to hear all about our travels and our life in the US. They explained everything about the food, including the tip that most of them watered the Apfelwein with soda to make it more palatable, and then they insisted on treating us. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4zikFtTUit6RTF5JYl3KTrMUVBkV5XZ-BiO6YeWkpQhKdyfG2MNRDgxV2dnMQbQoV2C0G1YB1dOlSnY-zKMhyphenhyphen7bqM7R_tF2K_PwGv6Zs0jp2iZDAXFWY-Vd7v9j-CMvOrZrn9rqDUhY/s1600/IMG_1631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4zikFtTUit6RTF5JYl3KTrMUVBkV5XZ-BiO6YeWkpQhKdyfG2MNRDgxV2dnMQbQoV2C0G1YB1dOlSnY-zKMhyphenhyphen7bqM7R_tF2K_PwGv6Zs0jp2iZDAXFWY-Vd7v9j-CMvOrZrn9rqDUhY/s320/IMG_1631.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing a toast of peach liqueur with the German family at Adolf Wagner's.</td></tr>
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<br />
Kip and I have always valued hospitality and we try to be generous to friends and strangers, but we were both astonished at this German family’s eagerness to welcome us. It was the kind of kindness that has life power. Once you have experienced such hospitality you want to offer it to someone else. <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-61989239504915697022012-10-02T15:12:00.000-07:002012-10-02T15:20:03.159-07:00How Adventures Come to Be<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Great opportunities rarely come at opportune
times.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Some people are skilled at making plans and casting off into safe
waters. Our only talent seems to lie in holding hands and charging straight
into the unknown. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but most of time, when I am
with Kip at least, we seem to have the best adventures. It might be that we
work well together, but I think it is more than that, I think that God has
blessed us over and over again. He knows our hearts and He delights in giving
us adventure, beauty and opportunity to see His hand at work in the world. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOzf6H22DMqIXLEX8aSSB-AGZMi0vqyQocRXsSAhnIHgyBDSsFC6FuDFhAy6Xz7vhiNs9t9z8YNNW_n2AqtYoLEsTrSS7GownPcuj5Gl1azjwPciVIkbY83KUYMvJpBVxZieDpO-8Zhg/s1600/IMG_1098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOzf6H22DMqIXLEX8aSSB-AGZMi0vqyQocRXsSAhnIHgyBDSsFC6FuDFhAy6Xz7vhiNs9t9z8YNNW_n2AqtYoLEsTrSS7GownPcuj5Gl1azjwPciVIkbY83KUYMvJpBVxZieDpO-8Zhg/s640/IMG_1098.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather in Germany changes rapidly. This vibrant rainbow spanned the skies over a rural road at the beginning of our road trip.</td></tr>
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<h3 class="MsoNormal">
<b>A German Adventure</b></h3>
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I like to move. I love to run. I love to hike. I love a good
road trip. There is just something incredibly special about looking at a map
and finding yourself there, in real time, taking pictures to prove it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But I was not really prepared for this trip to Germany.
It came in late September, just after the kids had started a new school year. Micah
had just started a new homeschooling high school program, and I hated to take a
trip just as she was getting into the new routine. We had also just returned
from a two-week vacation with my family that included a six-day road trip to Seattle
and week-long cruise to Alaska.
It didn’t seem like the best time to go to Europe, but
Kip had a conference scheduled and enough sky miles for me to fly for free. My parents
said they were available to host the kids in Oklahoma.
So we decided to seize the opportunity.</div>
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<br /></div>
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To be honest, I half expected German food to be bland and the
people to be somewhat cold. When we traveled through Norway
we found people to be polite but distant, and I was expecting the same in Germany.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Almost as soon as we arrived we found Germans
to be some of the warmest people we have ever met in our travels. And the food
was great too. I had sauerkraut about a dozen times over the week we were there
and it was always different. The German Brotkultur (bread culture) is inspiring too. There was no shortage of delicious and diverse breads at every meal and I found myself looking forward to trying my hand at baking again.. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHqoevIPs26rekBcXkvD6ydZ5BEpCnpfTdCGQ6T4VnstfdAaeBUU71sh0aOghVFu0OAoOENPmVt2_Y7pj9fauzt-rlcyxbwlxHtXYrMI-bVH1ZQQmXPE2eKCI0yhMi-dyRgJ1-5_3DTw/s1600/IMG_1196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHqoevIPs26rekBcXkvD6ydZ5BEpCnpfTdCGQ6T4VnstfdAaeBUU71sh0aOghVFu0OAoOENPmVt2_Y7pj9fauzt-rlcyxbwlxHtXYrMI-bVH1ZQQmXPE2eKCI0yhMi-dyRgJ1-5_3DTw/s640/IMG_1196.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bakery in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=146953465615946632" name="top">Dinkelsbühl</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVphCNd5S4FrURTx5ppRRluAIarKfY7vTdw3vnVMsvmrcrr9ckbANZfNed0g-nbcppfQZB-qWce7ETrv732iSIfptL_YuiI2sZJ9OPlBa4gRoHg1MEwhv5otI7YYymshubQWnt59r4Swc/s1600/IMG_1103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVphCNd5S4FrURTx5ppRRluAIarKfY7vTdw3vnVMsvmrcrr9ckbANZfNed0g-nbcppfQZB-qWce7ETrv732iSIfptL_YuiI2sZJ9OPlBa4gRoHg1MEwhv5otI7YYymshubQWnt59r4Swc/s400/IMG_1103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip getting German with the bratwurst, sauerkraut and beer at an inn along the Romantische Straße.<br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We rode trains, stayed in unusual hotels, ate amazing local
food, met great people, rented a car and drove on the autobahn as well as on
cobblestone streets of medieval towns. We explored castles and vineyards and
museums and Gothic churches. Towards the end of the week we decided to scrap
our plans to go to Oktoberfest in Munich
and headed south on an unlikely road trip to Venice.
We made it to Venice around sunset
and spent the evening walking Venice
streets, eating pasta along a canal, watching the gondolas and feeling
completely amazed that we were there. It was an adventure of the best kind and
it is going to take several blog entries to tell half the stories.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0e7ySXMlOv8xMqy9ueSYnAT1GjpFxlsvwIRQ8un5Z6bjMCfT-3rxAr48Hgsrpbw_siV_nsiNvRYVDt32gTfs1RI2ywhwSsHGnXGbsv_rg8upl4cjyEIj51oGKN_DSKSKErC9GM1GPzI/s1600/IMG_1385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0e7ySXMlOv8xMqy9ueSYnAT1GjpFxlsvwIRQ8un5Z6bjMCfT-3rxAr48Hgsrpbw_siV_nsiNvRYVDt32gTfs1RI2ywhwSsHGnXGbsv_rg8upl4cjyEIj51oGKN_DSKSKErC9GM1GPzI/s640/IMG_1385.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of the road trip. Venice.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-29755517251817594542012-04-30T16:01:00.000-07:002012-04-30T16:03:47.042-07:00With My Head in the Clouds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p_aClYUVaxDNg6aN-lmogGPRRfXXVJxdRgMvsnkEGyEOPGgWsRZPpNbo3npRwqNxkrFSMDoIRpAG3P4gcQVrkB74Rs-Iho-xUvougAx16MfHWXIRez1-ChqbcL2mEuxo231XU42F0P0/s1600/Easter+and+some+091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p_aClYUVaxDNg6aN-lmogGPRRfXXVJxdRgMvsnkEGyEOPGgWsRZPpNbo3npRwqNxkrFSMDoIRpAG3P4gcQVrkB74Rs-Iho-xUvougAx16MfHWXIRez1-ChqbcL2mEuxo231XU42F0P0/s640/Easter+and+some+091.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
These are quiet, clouded-in, creative days interrupted only by driving down the mountain to take someone to church, to go to the library, to get something at the store. Today I am taking my son to a class, otherwise, we would stay here. The house is in a cloud. One kid is reading, another has been watching endless video demonstrations of science experiments. Now the video is off and he is building an electrical circuit with batteries and wires and light bulbs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDJy0Eu2Xag94zX9btml9OjcyKD4vKebXtFEzB9jM-XbyKEHTZ8OQH-LnSh_1JtFr3-IW1QTKC-7cMAnKL8rqdqcRqx2xkav2PMIHDcJn4itMevGCElu02NhcI2dlxHoT6eJQ2wSmPGY/s320/Easter+and+some+008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello sparrow, help yourself.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
These days offer the kind of solace that makes me want to create, to learn. I’ve been fascinated by birds lately. I picked up a nature guide from the newly remodeled Malibu Library last week and I have been pouring through it, trying to find our little feathered friends. So far I have identified a cute little house finch pair and a flock of California quail, several red-tailed hawks, as well as sparrows and blue jays. I suppose it is a simple interest, not one that will solve humanity’s problems, but it just makes me happy to see them and know what they are. They are beautiful.<br />
<br />
I’ve also been learning about gardening. I joined a <a href="http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/" target="_blank">CSA co-op</a>, so I have been getting fresh organic fruit and vegetables delivered to the door every other Friday morning. I’m not sure it is the best “deal” in the world, but I get some kind of simple pleasure out of discovering what is in the box and finding new recipes for new foods. I’ve discovered chard and leeks and rekindled my love of lentils and quinoa. Those don’t come in the box; they just seem to go so well with farm-fresh vegetables. I read an inspiring excerpt from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Run-Unlikely-Ultramarathon-Greatness/dp/0547569653/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335824112&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Scott Jurek’s</a> upcoming biography about his career in long-distance trail running and becoming a vegan. It was interesting, maybe even compelling, but I love cream in my coffee, butter on my toast, salmon of all kinds and an occasional sushi splurge. I think I could give up most other meats, although I might have to make an exception for my brother’s carnivorous <a href="http://flatirontruck.com/" target="_blank">food truck delights</a>. His dry-aged burgers from <a href="http://flatirontruck.com/" target="_blank">The Flatiron Truck</a> are about the best thing beef can ever hope to be.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFpiUF9v2Z-cth1DIzDPNEUj0cW52gIgtQZFxUqZVavl0Ni8SSKBvg89dg8zFrp_CA63kw1OmXe-p-mszqd2GrRvtrvlLLqchN0_MCgceFkxmAsoTx-C8duqPklbibZCqLa5Y7fult4Y/s1600/Easter+and+some+094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFpiUF9v2Z-cth1DIzDPNEUj0cW52gIgtQZFxUqZVavl0Ni8SSKBvg89dg8zFrp_CA63kw1OmXe-p-mszqd2GrRvtrvlLLqchN0_MCgceFkxmAsoTx-C8duqPklbibZCqLa5Y7fult4Y/s320/Easter+and+some+094.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brave little tomato plant.</td></tr>
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I also decided to be brave and try gardening again. I reclaimed part of the yard and pulled grass out of one small terraced section. I tilled the ground, added a little compost and planted some green pepper seeds. I don’t have much faith that little green spouts will actually rise from the earth. But I am going to at least give it a try. So far the tomato plant I bought the same day has been flourishing, so maybe the container garden will at least be successful. I’m hoping that the deer won’t venture up the back porch to the container garden area anyhow. If they do, I hope I am there with a camera.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_mJ6eTefhH6pwiYbrO_0BahLMwk1tpTWLaWUzJ2WfSSMz2LtYpARstd8lZYIxiVgRCPCAqmVsKlmmIyP36MIhhAJR_UeNDpjn1F7dj9xaHX0tTsE2or4DFyJd8rfZ7nsnlPIX56j69E/s1600/IMG_7990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_mJ6eTefhH6pwiYbrO_0BahLMwk1tpTWLaWUzJ2WfSSMz2LtYpARstd8lZYIxiVgRCPCAqmVsKlmmIyP36MIhhAJR_UeNDpjn1F7dj9xaHX0tTsE2or4DFyJd8rfZ7nsnlPIX56j69E/s400/IMG_7990.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
I have also been making bread, not with a mix or a bread maker, but from flour and water and yeast – all kneaded out on the kitchen counter. It started out as a “school” project with my 9-year-old son. But it was fun and rewarding and somehow cheaper than buying good bread in the store; so it has become my latest quest to create better bread. So far I have worked with what I have on hand, whole wheat and white flour, but yesterday I bought rye flour at the store and I plan to make a good rye bread later today. <br />
<br />
Now that I am recovered from the marathon I have been running up a private road behind our house. It’s an 800 foot incline through a private neighborhood that ascends to the very top of the mountain where there is a spectacularly rewarding 360 degree view of Point Dume to the north, the port of LA to the south, the entire Valley to the east and of course, Catalina Island and the ocean to the west. The view still amazes me. Even after dozens of treks to the top, I still feel amazed and privileged to be there and have gotten their by my own feet from my front door. I like the feeling of running for the pure pleasure of it. Training for a race has it’s purpose, but for now I am just enjoying running for running. Maybe that is the theme of this season, learning for learning sake, running for running, appreciating the gift of being present.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRzaSF19qdNFfm3EXfwJbthMpcs1dUsXzNBDjZglmRApGCtv8IVhMJpKctvOoKkKingVUjdzSNluAPBqdLOlTwcOhh0J1LxiUsiSqCuX1PsOixYRr2YrJyBa1nC8JbYY_WAFUYrh39to/s1600/Easter+and+some+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRzaSF19qdNFfm3EXfwJbthMpcs1dUsXzNBDjZglmRApGCtv8IVhMJpKctvOoKkKingVUjdzSNluAPBqdLOlTwcOhh0J1LxiUsiSqCuX1PsOixYRr2YrJyBa1nC8JbYY_WAFUYrh39to/s640/Easter+and+some+100.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not planted or planned, these iris beauties established themselves behind the trash cans. Just because ...</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-71084104144745698212012-04-05T19:54:00.001-07:002012-04-05T19:58:45.861-07:00House Under Feathers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying high at our house on the top of the world</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Life at the Malibu house has been a surreal experience in so many ways. Seven months ago we traded the whine of city buses pulling up to the bus stop in front of our apartment for the sounds of birds chirping. Sometimes it’s quiet enough to hear the swoosh-flap of a large raven or red-tailed hawk sweeping overhead. But today the world has been especially quiet. This morning I paused near our dinning room window and watched a red headed bird sing. I hear him all the time, but today I could actually see his throat vibrating and his tiny beak opening. A little lady bird joined him and they flew away. It’s that kind of place up here.<br />
<br />
When we first considered moving to this house, I was a little nervous about all the details. It would mean a long work commute for Kip, and the kids and I would have to re-evaluate all of our extra-curricular activities. I worried that we might have a difficult time finding a roommate to rent out the bottom half of the house. I started praying about it. I really wanted God to speak to my soul about whether or not we should move out here. Instead of a simple yes or no, I felt that still small voice ask, “What does <i>Piuma</i> mean?”<br />
<br />
Piuma is the name of our road. I didn’t know what it meant then, so I Googled it. It means “feather” as in plumage. That meant something to me. All summer, as we were going through the somewhat painful process of trying to sell our condo and prepare to leave life as we knew it behind, I was meditating on Psalm 91. I memorized it and had the kids do the same. <br />
<br />
The word <i>feather</i> immediately reminded me of the imagery of Psalm 91, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. … (v 4) He will cover you with his <i>feathers</i>, and under his wings you will find refuge.” The whole Psalm is a beautiful promise of God’s protection. When I realized that Piuma meant feather I had a strong sense that God was providing a place of refuge and rest for us, and that we would have the opportunity to offer that refuge to others. So far that is exactly what our experience at this house has been.<br />
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The last few weeks have been especially busy with friends visiting. First we had a family of camping refugees who called one Saturday night, just before a rainstorm to see if wanted company. Heavy clouds surrounded the house in a complete white-out and they ended up staying a couple days until the torrential rain ceased and road crews cleared the fallen boulders from the main road. We even made s’mores on the kitchen stove.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicjhuZHxawEpLm9JrqqVzGfU-E6tblkBuIeEeNpK6lLOXb4_96WwAjvAcxJpzDA2HaKECbwEBm_g-r94SgPSFCr-abrtr6jo1qc9eiBgb4iGY2mOwVHoIEjE45RD821NAWpeFlunxwYk/s1600/IMG_7935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicjhuZHxawEpLm9JrqqVzGfU-E6tblkBuIeEeNpK6lLOXb4_96WwAjvAcxJpzDA2HaKECbwEBm_g-r94SgPSFCr-abrtr6jo1qc9eiBgb4iGY2mOwVHoIEjE45RD821NAWpeFlunxwYk/s640/IMG_7935.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dear friend Heidi and our kids</td></tr>
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Then my Uncle Jim, Aunt Candy and their two daughters came for a night. They live in Idaho now, so my daughter was especially happy to see them again. She is almost the same age as their younger daughter, even though she is my first cousin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3krZgIDFhxvhH1AM4N66vi0CQxwCbOS1JXgIgnyOEO442_oSIp-0vcJ6zsdApzXs3J8ZiikpHCrGC62vqgxUh20kR_fXaBzgOOwwV8YtbWeOhKZ4lIuA-t0i0de6QYkvSI4zxy3paXo/s1600/IMG_7958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3krZgIDFhxvhH1AM4N66vi0CQxwCbOS1JXgIgnyOEO442_oSIp-0vcJ6zsdApzXs3J8ZiikpHCrGC62vqgxUh20kR_fXaBzgOOwwV8YtbWeOhKZ4lIuA-t0i0de6QYkvSI4zxy3paXo/s640/IMG_7958.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cousins</td></tr>
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<br />
My brother Tim, his wife Heather and their darling little baby also came out to see our Idaho family. Tim is an amazing chef. He made a bunch of spinach turn into some kind of amazing Asian fusion thing, and he even liked my grilled salmon, despite his earlier skepticism about marinating salmon. Tim runs his own <a href="http://flatirontruck.com/" target="_blank">food truck</a> in LA’s hotly competitive food truck industry and has come to make a name for himself in high quality steak from a truck.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpikuaBOO-oQvYIGVLOUv0Qsrdbz35LMz4xYQHEbb1IKdPMH8GAhfdq9Df51gveXFzrCGX07yqbhLCLSa5yI4fmoZL7e6xUBf5Q9KkwykUCmRoGhWOke7JrgfXt48s_oa2JHIplj9xSe4/s1600/IMG_7966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpikuaBOO-oQvYIGVLOUv0Qsrdbz35LMz4xYQHEbb1IKdPMH8GAhfdq9Df51gveXFzrCGX07yqbhLCLSa5yI4fmoZL7e6xUBf5Q9KkwykUCmRoGhWOke7JrgfXt48s_oa2JHIplj9xSe4/s400/IMG_7966.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking and cooing ... so talented. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XovzjhBsYNuRCA3-2Z0nU-_B8tnWsdpJUCn_4igOq91XZ3M2YksYz2B7hzGHiKLg6YnDwkoY70TbekN7hbwDttwBHwgDp8wmJeTPU946hw8j2YOMu6bomYDD49QtC-0LqQvX700-MCc/s1600/IMG_7974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XovzjhBsYNuRCA3-2Z0nU-_B8tnWsdpJUCn_4igOq91XZ3M2YksYz2B7hzGHiKLg6YnDwkoY70TbekN7hbwDttwBHwgDp8wmJeTPU946hw8j2YOMu6bomYDD49QtC-0LqQvX700-MCc/s640/IMG_7974.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip was worried I wouldn't give her back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX3B1uV2kAKk6wyfIQnkVBKBVUV-vgGY6SBs7HAhmae9KaJaVFDMoF2yeBJxrF0eQusqkgKqz_K3TrRBL3_3_BDhz2Yaj2q_eBhFOJah-FumsyQY-bqGk6njHjdPs4iSXXRSuICxa0_A/s1600/IMG_7975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeX3B1uV2kAKk6wyfIQnkVBKBVUV-vgGY6SBs7HAhmae9KaJaVFDMoF2yeBJxrF0eQusqkgKqz_K3TrRBL3_3_BDhz2Yaj2q_eBhFOJah-FumsyQY-bqGk6njHjdPs4iSXXRSuICxa0_A/s400/IMG_7975.JPG" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The youngest cousin of my generation holds the youngest cousin of my kid's generation. Aunt Candy offers a hand. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAthdzm22Sf1beBzPqXBlF1dY3o3qTMF2y1V4WeN7jVa7lyGZyTJMrlwP-GQOy3Sv-Ca_tL267RCM1t8YTPhxyGC-9Q_uJE-vkVCfPblbZCndXSqHg7dM0FCgGeWbHSo3jugOfvxurj7w/s1600/IMG_7976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAthdzm22Sf1beBzPqXBlF1dY3o3qTMF2y1V4WeN7jVa7lyGZyTJMrlwP-GQOy3Sv-Ca_tL267RCM1t8YTPhxyGC-9Q_uJE-vkVCfPblbZCndXSqHg7dM0FCgGeWbHSo3jugOfvxurj7w/s320/IMG_7976.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousin A with Cousin S</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIehpQqEaY7jRRf1TasnT304N5SI-ky5A9SvVYB1Qv_QlWeKn1bG4cEsM46YHlxMk-if2jNCsF0HjtlhsGhOmnPJC4m-pP3gbBl24OxU74ZTC4oxE6K48hSpwhSvXkFHwFB9c1L9UKkes/s1600/IMG_7977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIehpQqEaY7jRRf1TasnT304N5SI-ky5A9SvVYB1Qv_QlWeKn1bG4cEsM46YHlxMk-if2jNCsF0HjtlhsGhOmnPJC4m-pP3gbBl24OxU74ZTC4oxE6K48hSpwhSvXkFHwFB9c1L9UKkes/s320/IMG_7977.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading to a new friend</td></tr>
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<br />
Later that weekend our dear friends from our West Virginia college days came by with their two kids. Once again we were “clouded” in and didn’t mind the excuses to just relax and catch up on the years that have passed since we spent any time together. <br />
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This week I invited a group of homeschooling families that I know from Community Bible Studies up for an Easter brunch/play date. It was the first time most of them had been there, and after the shock of how long our windy mountain road drive is, I think they had a great time. I always like taking pictures of the kids playing together. I think it is funny how the uninitiated always worry that homeschooled kids are lonely, friendless and unsocialized. My experience has been that homeschooled children excel at co-operative play. I love to watch how quickly they work together as a multi-age group and come up with creative solutions. I wish ALL children got the luxury of playing more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFyJwo6y-AOW426NOGoZTJ5ouG_EIE1TeDt9KXBk2IzMTz0XlyqAeb2pN8_vWAI-mvjVo7SHmcwfThVfde_G4H25gCtcXgKuKc-vIOl-CUcYEt1F0dpNY0un7LmJ7fS12C69O0LOG64Y/s1600/IMG_7998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFyJwo6y-AOW426NOGoZTJ5ouG_EIE1TeDt9KXBk2IzMTz0XlyqAeb2pN8_vWAI-mvjVo7SHmcwfThVfde_G4H25gCtcXgKuKc-vIOl-CUcYEt1F0dpNY0un7LmJ7fS12C69O0LOG64Y/s320/IMG_7998.JPG" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They all love Hex bugs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhu6ONIBugeuYK1bOU3Wi7su4jHzvzglCCOrtwETJA7tJkMw_uWFtHUxTb79oWL9mTo-p3FmA_YANRus8l7nxQNv3QcgNcT_6JsXDJP0CoVLrIJqOlth339iJ8-kM454Rdju_e6QM8Tec/s1600/IMG_7995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhu6ONIBugeuYK1bOU3Wi7su4jHzvzglCCOrtwETJA7tJkMw_uWFtHUxTb79oWL9mTo-p3FmA_YANRus8l7nxQNv3QcgNcT_6JsXDJP0CoVLrIJqOlth339iJ8-kM454Rdju_e6QM8Tec/s400/IMG_7995.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random homeschooled teens and tweens. I say "random" because they like that word. There is nothing random about these guys.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZcJjiZHYHMLyRy5aFi-huwnDwu1BQYKnLxVeE3CtuHpLan9oMy_zE2zZjgmyyy1Lx_KfXqIB537qNpTmVrdwHHjfwjKAHGUGYH2M2KjQROEs094tPjLXUv-JAZbnWxuSZtArLkg-Z9Q/s1600/IMG_8011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZcJjiZHYHMLyRy5aFi-huwnDwu1BQYKnLxVeE3CtuHpLan9oMy_zE2zZjgmyyy1Lx_KfXqIB537qNpTmVrdwHHjfwjKAHGUGYH2M2KjQROEs094tPjLXUv-JAZbnWxuSZtArLkg-Z9Q/s320/IMG_8011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying high on the rope swing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSz344x2VwRezdFrqJZRDXEoZcIBdYKUkwdVQKH__XIOZod0EA5wSCLQpi9hNsgYaf1QY4QwOrlBoIwdmzMiuq566swExueeQOqdHzp2KWV3ZEUUnMZyaFXIsvkZFUtS5mXwkZnmsWLw/s1600/IMG_8028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSz344x2VwRezdFrqJZRDXEoZcIBdYKUkwdVQKH__XIOZod0EA5wSCLQpi9hNsgYaf1QY4QwOrlBoIwdmzMiuq566swExueeQOqdHzp2KWV3ZEUUnMZyaFXIsvkZFUtS5mXwkZnmsWLw/s1600/IMG_8028.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone is getting fancy on the rope swing. He was fine. No injuries today.</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_317637883"></span><span id="goog_317637884"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-69983807153346584772012-03-24T15:34:00.000-07:002012-03-24T15:34:16.777-07:00LA Marathon 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDUzEZax7sGattuZV3CIgryZb0EUAf7UW3-LfnH-h1zNl-2aBfcGZSnY5h2pmYbsRhBxfkTT2TJgJSp3eJecqHgBImUaI5fkAsi-kEAXPbA9vcv02yZ-IAp9WOSj0z7HernTatLQ6pWo/s1600/IMG_7927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDUzEZax7sGattuZV3CIgryZb0EUAf7UW3-LfnH-h1zNl-2aBfcGZSnY5h2pmYbsRhBxfkTT2TJgJSp3eJecqHgBImUaI5fkAsi-kEAXPbA9vcv02yZ-IAp9WOSj0z7HernTatLQ6pWo/s640/IMG_7927.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOixShqtjvS8zdRcNZoRDd2-pqH79yiHN3G0vX2soDVE3SDnkUamROZLVwCOOMvQsRQEhtnGAZ7XSGZPm0gSXUvvIeZQ85CsV3SOc_0NvPqL1o-0G60kIUkJQeemwg-3OFTN7VYkUMis/s1600/IMG_7904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>A marathon is a marathon and there is no other word for it. It is a 26.2 mile foot race. It’s tough. It’s humbling. It exhausts perfectly good athletes. And it is addictive.<br />
<br />
But I almost always have the same experience around mile 18 or so. After about three hours of running, I begin to think that it would be okay if I never ran another marathon. By mile 20 I am thinking about how there is nothing wrong with just running <i>half</i> marathons. You can get in great shape training for a half marathon. And after the race is over, you still feel like going out for breakfast. <br />
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And by the time I get home, hang up the well-admired medal and take a much needed shower, I’m still thinking contented thoughts about it being my last marathon. But then, something weird happens while I sleep. (I think it might just be that I sleep.) But in the morning a small spark of something has germinated in my mind and I actually start thinking about next time.<br />
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Then sometime during the day <i>after</i> I talk to a marathon friend, and there is that discussion about marathon times and how they could be improved, and how we feel pretty good, you know, considering. And then before you know it, I’m hooked.<br />
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This year I decided pretty early in the year that I wanted to run the LA Marathon again and that I wanted to be an official <a href="http://srla.org/" target="_blank">Students Run LA</a> mentor. I had run with an SRLA team in the past, but I had never committed to being an official mentor. This year I decided I wanted to be part of the team, help out with Saturday practices, run all the mid-season races. I wanted to see the kids go from start to finish in the training.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOixShqtjvS8zdRcNZoRDd2-pqH79yiHN3G0vX2soDVE3SDnkUamROZLVwCOOMvQsRQEhtnGAZ7XSGZPm0gSXUvvIeZQ85CsV3SOc_0NvPqL1o-0G60kIUkJQeemwg-3OFTN7VYkUMis/s1600/IMG_7904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOixShqtjvS8zdRcNZoRDd2-pqH79yiHN3G0vX2soDVE3SDnkUamROZLVwCOOMvQsRQEhtnGAZ7XSGZPm0gSXUvvIeZQ85CsV3SOc_0NvPqL1o-0G60kIUkJQeemwg-3OFTN7VYkUMis/s400/IMG_7904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shalom encouraging some of our SRLA team after our last Saturday morning training run before the marathon.</td></tr>
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</tbody></table>Of course, that goal became a little more complicated in September when we moved to Malibu, more than 20 miles from the South LA high school where my friends coach the SRLA team. But I still really wanted to be a part of the team, so every Saturday morning before dawn I drove my rattle-shaken minivan down our mountain, into the city to run with my kids. I know I only saw them a couple times a week, but I really developed an affection for each of them as I saw them go from running their first 5K to completing the marathon. They worked for it, each of them. And they made it. All of them. I’m so proud of them.<br />
<br />
Although the kids all ran at different paces, SRLA coach and my long-time friend Shalom and I ran close enough to the same pace that we could run side-by-side every Saturday morning. I grew to really appreciate that weekly appointment for long distance running and hours of catching up on our lives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQCAQVEjQ4aJ7tUd8gKJ6ALX48BDKxWsia4o-VZwg3rDEUy3bO0sT3eFXnA2nOPxMkJxWFI9DQb81bB6iHfwvCy3YpgtuhzsQBu4hLnYNmO9CEXomxm_3CNHHZBpfVilH4d_TkWoVjVg/s1600/DSC05512.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQCAQVEjQ4aJ7tUd8gKJ6ALX48BDKxWsia4o-VZwg3rDEUy3bO0sT3eFXnA2nOPxMkJxWFI9DQb81bB6iHfwvCy3YpgtuhzsQBu4hLnYNmO9CEXomxm_3CNHHZBpfVilH4d_TkWoVjVg/s400/DSC05512.JPG" width="400" /></a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shalom and I are in the middle of the road. I'm waving over that other runner who is wearing black sweat pants. Kip, my kids and Shalom's parents ran around LA, catching us four times along the route for pictures and encouragement.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We were hoping to set a PR and get in around 4:30. But marathons being what they are, we slowed down somewhere around mile 20 and I had to settle for 4:39. It was about three minutes longer than that first marathon I ran in 2009, and only five minutes shorter than my worst time in 2011 when we battled torrential downpours. <br />
<br />
But aside from the chip times, I really enjoyed most of this marathon. The weather was gorgeous, and I made a point of noticing everything we passed. I love LA. I love the mountains and the ocean and the diversity of our communities. I love the people. <br />
<br />
The race started at Dodger Stadium and went through Chinatown, downtown, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, and that was just the first few miles. We ran past familiar places in East Hollywood where Shalom and I have spent so much time working with <a href="http://www.kairoshollywood.com/" target="_blank">Kairos</a> and <a href="http://www.kairoshollywood.com/" target="_blank">Hope</a>. And then there was the touristy section of Hollywood and West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. By the time I got to Beverly Hills I was ready to listen to a little music and stop noticing everything, but I still enjoyed the now familiar mile 18 crowds cheering along the stretch through Century City and then the endless road through the Veterans.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Somewhere in the middle of the race I realized that my inner thigh, groin muscle was tense, hurting. By mile 23 it was really hurting and around mile 24 I started walk/running and I wondered if this would be the year I crawled to the finish line – the year I took 6 hours to finish. Just about the time I decided to give up, I heard a friend screaming my name. She jumped into the street, taking pictures. She was so excited, I couldn’t help but smile. And smile. And then I was running again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7GnMYIiEy-RROoc5v-8D4f6HMXaeoYv9XIchLQivNnJCZX7neNRihxGpaZPyS4H-EsHoAq2C320En1h-wdaOdRRVk12Xb7Hy1ZmanV3xhfe3AtNrbYEhqoi0usvCi3x8WuFApBThQSA/s1600/P1010842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7GnMYIiEy-RROoc5v-8D4f6HMXaeoYv9XIchLQivNnJCZX7neNRihxGpaZPyS4H-EsHoAq2C320En1h-wdaOdRRVk12Xb7Hy1ZmanV3xhfe3AtNrbYEhqoi0usvCi3x8WuFApBThQSA/s320/P1010842.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdecT8tDKwgbe1ORVjPE1lO0iP6Ys55UeBYWpxnE2pgMfLHpBt76GHsrO9Vm748xzrMitrNWUcp64W-BPIgz-mIT7pCrR_jkvwyzgllyBr5x8uG1FNFFRfMrs5MZkaXsy5CR_bpCI304/s1600/IMG_7931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div>Then I saw my family standing at the corner of San Vicente and Ocean, just a little over a mile from the finish. I decided to run it in. I don’t think I slowed down from that point. I just looked up at the finish and ran. If there was anyone I knew on the sidelines that last mile, I am sure I didn’t see them. I was locked on that inflatable “Finish line” bridge over Ocean Boulevard. I saw the clock. I heard the announcer. I think he was apologizing for making a joke when I was crossing. I knew I hadn’t made my time, and I was disappointed that I had lost Shalom somewhere around mile 20. But I made it. <br />
<br />
That is another funny thing about finishing a marathon. Sometimes I have felt elated. Other times, I have felt a let down. This time was somewhere in between. I think sure, I made it, but I could have done so much better. That is the nasty thing about comparison. It always robs you of the joy of just delighting in the present. A Chinese woman who I had passed back and forth several times over the course started talking to me as we walked through the finisher’s corridor. She must have had a limited command of English because she kept saying the same word over and over “Unbelievable! Unbelievable! It is unbelievable! I did it.” That made me smile too.<br />
<br />
I guess I need to embrace that word, “unbelievable.” It is amazing that I can run that far. And I am so thankful to be healthy. I am thankful to have a family that supports my running and friends that don’t roll their eyes and say “she is doing it again.” <br />
<br />
As for next year, I don’t know. I am going to enjoy this race one step at a time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVybIq05LR7ILraM1Hj2BYKagRLxvybwcdex7qSIvI39vWdxHkQe9LvdmvY2YDAMVRZ-MCHHS_3AQO7QoDQrj_nVcMzn9cmYnJawCXVupKnLblG-A622ksFiosecxBcqryT2hjzIX-GE0/s1600/P1010843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVybIq05LR7ILraM1Hj2BYKagRLxvybwcdex7qSIvI39vWdxHkQe9LvdmvY2YDAMVRZ-MCHHS_3AQO7QoDQrj_nVcMzn9cmYnJawCXVupKnLblG-A622ksFiosecxBcqryT2hjzIX-GE0/s320/P1010843.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's no glamor shot, but I am smiling after running 25 miles at this point.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdecT8tDKwgbe1ORVjPE1lO0iP6Ys55UeBYWpxnE2pgMfLHpBt76GHsrO9Vm748xzrMitrNWUcp64W-BPIgz-mIT7pCrR_jkvwyzgllyBr5x8uG1FNFFRfMrs5MZkaXsy5CR_bpCI304/s1600/IMG_7931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdecT8tDKwgbe1ORVjPE1lO0iP6Ys55UeBYWpxnE2pgMfLHpBt76GHsrO9Vm748xzrMitrNWUcp64W-BPIgz-mIT7pCrR_jkvwyzgllyBr5x8uG1FNFFRfMrs5MZkaXsy5CR_bpCI304/s320/IMG_7931.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-85188803932693692242012-03-20T22:08:00.001-07:002012-03-24T12:52:35.098-07:00Back on Blog<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_eZyoCGIZH-ifQCAE9_b3z4JHkeyBVhKmm1MAy4670N1E6rnAB5O1gILMReum4bTSqbH6RGGJf8AK1c1igTdlpKUyETgv0ptSNjQmC5yIqafWFrrE9r0nEwmTvDCwaI1vicW-PLRV_k/s1600/IMG_6573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_eZyoCGIZH-ifQCAE9_b3z4JHkeyBVhKmm1MAy4670N1E6rnAB5O1gILMReum4bTSqbH6RGGJf8AK1c1igTdlpKUyETgv0ptSNjQmC5yIqafWFrrE9r0nEwmTvDCwaI1vicW-PLRV_k/s400/IMG_6573.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I ran a marathon on Sunday. And there is something about running a marathon that makes me want to write. I think that it was running that inspired this blog three years ago. That was now five marathons ago. Wow. Time flies. My marathon time, however, seems to hover near to 3:40, but I'll get into that later.<br />
<br />
I left this blog hanging, not because I didn't have time to write. I wrote a really bad 50,000 word novel in November. I abandoned the blog because somewhere in the middle of selling our condo this summer, packing our life into little boxes and adjusting to a new place, I lost the narrative. I just wasn't sure where the story was going to go. It was easier to write fiction.<br />
<br />
The whole summer, literally from Mother's Day to Labor Day when we moved into the new house, was a time of uncertainty. I didn't know if we were making the right decision. I didn't know how it would all work out. In the end, it more than worked out well for us. And during the in between time I dug a little deeper into my faith and asked God to provide. He did. And I felt like I got to know him a little better. I know that is the purpose of all striving in life -- to find our way into conversation with God.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, I found it difficult to blog during the summer. And then it was hard to get back into it. The blog was hanging. And I wasn't sure where to pick it up.<br />
<br />
But Sunday I ran a marathon, and a marathon is worth a blog entry.<br />
<br />
So ... more to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-71255475639822667392011-07-08T12:25:00.000-07:002011-07-08T12:25:49.324-07:00The Hiding Place<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRMR344ENlA5h3S6Cg0kxzzkinHmRPLYeqUDgdSXu_Kwc9jbfjh9Lr2rJv86clCfYsfN-zMWGGbYKSpGUzfp7D0m9zrYGKGBZMW7s0qe93glSt76AtPNFJ6j5sEuTdjJTwksrgj5x-YKR/s1600/IMG_5990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRMR344ENlA5h3S6Cg0kxzzkinHmRPLYeqUDgdSXu_Kwc9jbfjh9Lr2rJv86clCfYsfN-zMWGGbYKSpGUzfp7D0m9zrYGKGBZMW7s0qe93glSt76AtPNFJ6j5sEuTdjJTwksrgj5x-YKR/s400/IMG_5990.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip and me in The Hiding Place</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I have both looked forward to and postponed writing about our 23 hour layover in Amsterdam. Like most of this trip, it was fun and challenging and deeply touching spiritually. I am almost afraid of slighting it by summarizing it in a few short paragraphs, but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to blog on it either.<br />
<br />
So even though it has been a month ago now, I’ll try.<br />
<br />
On the way back from Norway we stopped in Amsterdam. When we booked our tickets we could schedule anything from a 1 to 23 hour layover. Since we had never been to Amsterdam we picked the longest possible layover and decided to take in as much of the city as we could.<br />
<br />
We found a cheap little hotel, a block away from the central train station. To maximize time, we checked our bags through to Los Angeles and just took my backpack. I had basic personal items, a change of clothes and my camera. Perfect.<br />
<br />
After stopping by the hotel and dropping the backpacks, we got back on the train and headed out to Haarlem to visit <a href="http://www.corrietenboom.com/">the BeJe</a>, the museum of Corrie Ten Boom's home. I felt bad insisting that we leave Amsterdam as soon as we arrived, but it was the ONE thing I wanted to see in the Netherlands.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Corrie's Story</b></span><br />
<br />
Of all the real-life stories I heard growing up, nothing shaped my life as much as the story of Corrie Ten Boom, a middle-aged, never-married woman who chose to defy Nazi German occupation and hide Jewish people in her home.<br />
<br />
She was an unlikely leader in the Dutch underground, a deeply religious woman who lived a quite life at home with her elderly father and spinster sister. But in the time of crisis they did what they had always done, loved their neighbors and offered hospitality to God's chosen people, "the apple of God's eye," until the day the Gestapo raided the house, searching it down to the floorboards.<br />
<br />
Although the Nazi’s spent the entire day searching and interrogating the family, they never discovered the six refuges hiding in a special shelter behind Corrie’s bedroom wall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9ngLNUOKqptzGt-1eRCWGNLYxxPzo8hd5GXK-iOJj8JcXjRR4184Uv_zoj15f704gd8Aj-KLYTZGrOiUFqufBL6zLxiaSnyKovhaYErq390AbNAomKv81GRwQ4LEgQA6d2Tb7kZJlMU1/s1600/IMG_5989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9ngLNUOKqptzGt-1eRCWGNLYxxPzo8hd5GXK-iOJj8JcXjRR4184Uv_zoj15f704gd8Aj-KLYTZGrOiUFqufBL6zLxiaSnyKovhaYErq390AbNAomKv81GRwQ4LEgQA6d2Tb7kZJlMU1/s320/IMG_5989.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six people hid here for two and a half days while Nazis searched the home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
They did, however, find stolen ration cards. For this offense they arrested the entire family as well as several of their friends who were helping them. Corrie’s 84-year-old father died in prison and Corrie and her 59-year-old sister were sent to a harsh concentration camp in Germany. The work camp housed 50,000 political prisoners who built roads all day and were barely fed or clothed against the elements. Corrie’s sister died in the camp and Corrie only escaped after the guards mistakenly released her the day before they mass murdered all the middle-aged prisoners.<br />
<br />
Through the entire ordeal, Corrie and her sister had one message: love and forgiveness. They shared God’s love with fellow prisoners and made their bunker a haven from the Hell around them. They preached love, including love for the guards who were mistreating them. After the war Corrie opened her empty house to people who had been displaced and needed somewhere to recover. Her guests included Dutch people who had betrayed their countrymen and cooperated with the Germans. <br />
<br />
Then at 53 years old, Corrie began traveling the world, telling her story. She continued for the next 30 years during which time my parents heard her story.<br />
<br />
One of the stories that I heard growing up was about how, during a speaking engagement, Corrie met one of the notoriously cruel prison guards who had beaten her and her sister. The woman stretched out her hand and asked Corrie to forgive her. It was a real test for Corrie, but she chose in that moment to forgive the guard. As she embraced her, God filled Corrie with forgiveness and love toward the guard.<br />
<br />
There were several books written about Corrie including the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Place-John-Sherrill/dp/0800794052?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hiding Place</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0800794052" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, which I read for the first time last summer. Even though it was the first time I had actually read the book, I felt like I had grown up with the story because people in my church circles had always quoted Corrie. But I think more than anything, I was drawn to the book because it is one of the few stories of Hope in the Holocaust.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwhZuExR8dDCrXU3Ljz0XcPPMmCbhyphenhyphen5GbvYy96QamgSiMSIJbRQdlVHdyCAzlLVqNLcSXZROLEqrQ9zFhjmMEjIsoLxb4-Yeze3OEpaQzcCmCMJklDoHklFC6b0DJomrolJw0xK07ExfR/s1600/IMG_5970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwhZuExR8dDCrXU3Ljz0XcPPMmCbhyphenhyphen5GbvYy96QamgSiMSIJbRQdlVHdyCAzlLVqNLcSXZROLEqrQ9zFhjmMEjIsoLxb4-Yeze3OEpaQzcCmCMJklDoHklFC6b0DJomrolJw0xK07ExfR/s320/IMG_5970.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
And so when I realized our Norway travels would take us through Amsterdam, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to go to <a href="http://www.corrietenboom.com/history.htm">the BeJe</a> and see the actual hiding place.<br />
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<b>The BeJe</b><br />
<br />
Kip and I were the only people for the English speaking tour. We stood sheepishly in the alley outside the house and waited for someone to open the door. An elderly woman who had known Corrie personally greeted us in her own formal way. She took us into the parlor where she told us the story in her thick Dutch accent. <br />
<br />
She showed us family pictures and took us on a tour of the home. More than anything I realized that it wasn’t just a story about Corrie, but an entire family who gladly sacrificed everything to do what was right.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXqwsHv8xQX2r3QWC7u6qCesarznUG_6CeXCKclcjQPQ1DeVOdDZaD8osI3fjrhJ3BwnhMkS8Rp3Yt_hVpcx9hp2SVOtFqGZPPbZYiP_G0QnmPDjEBEV23O2QEm5-zVJocDdDB1YNyDYx/s1600/IMG_5974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXqwsHv8xQX2r3QWC7u6qCesarznUG_6CeXCKclcjQPQ1DeVOdDZaD8osI3fjrhJ3BwnhMkS8Rp3Yt_hVpcx9hp2SVOtFqGZPPbZYiP_G0QnmPDjEBEV23O2QEm5-zVJocDdDB1YNyDYx/s320/IMG_5974.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betsy, our tour guide, and me</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIHAH1t3QCLw7lw6z6tmjFqQ94R8w_wvxngeRsR7osL73UaEGiVxYVGy2GOMqjURNRk9FaYcKsD5Q2qdWO_QAbjuUCWlMBmo88Z-3pBok0KVy74fG3ve0tiw6uvOCsfFEznnc17j_wAab/s1600/IMG_5993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIHAH1t3QCLw7lw6z6tmjFqQ94R8w_wvxngeRsR7osL73UaEGiVxYVGy2GOMqjURNRk9FaYcKsD5Q2qdWO_QAbjuUCWlMBmo88Z-3pBok0KVy74fG3ve0tiw6uvOCsfFEznnc17j_wAab/s320/IMG_5993.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the place in the stairs where the ration cards were found. Betsy told us that had the Gustapo found the hidden Jews they would have carted them off to a death camp and the Ten Booms would have been shot on their front step for the neighborhood to witness the public execution.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuObbCBfkCMcRnakwtjsorDTrDsEB_WEbZf-BkUEntJNfoazPh5izXAKjv691eg9g3ASrIkeFfFY4d3wNFY8y7PbuMWJ0Ogniv9uJtkPrDF08Wqlk0H08SUzwmRbqg7wIg1j4q3sOW2EQO/s1600/IMG_6000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuObbCBfkCMcRnakwtjsorDTrDsEB_WEbZf-BkUEntJNfoazPh5izXAKjv691eg9g3ASrIkeFfFY4d3wNFY8y7PbuMWJ0Ogniv9uJtkPrDF08Wqlk0H08SUzwmRbqg7wIg1j4q3sOW2EQO/s400/IMG_6000.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-a3Q3jndlvOZgkfoLNwQBXESkOxlnS-uWypj4gRrLRjNETR13HXzUBiF8fMQqrM4WoRwHCg32tdQoFlpSkzKWH1dhq0WMbu6nSem9hwPVZgHFuk8i_Rf1NF32vSgwvdK_a45pkoyYMUB/s1600/IMG_6008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-a3Q3jndlvOZgkfoLNwQBXESkOxlnS-uWypj4gRrLRjNETR13HXzUBiF8fMQqrM4WoRwHCg32tdQoFlpSkzKWH1dhq0WMbu6nSem9hwPVZgHFuk8i_Rf1NF32vSgwvdK_a45pkoyYMUB/s320/IMG_6008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betsy is using Corrie Ten Boom's embroidery to tell me the infamous illustration Corrie used to show that life this side of Heaven is messy and seemingly chaotic, but God is weaving a beautiful tapestry that we cannot see.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I asked our guide how she knew Corrie, she said that she had known Corrie's family as a child. Her own father had died in a concentration camp. One of us commented how hard that must have been to lose her father, wouldn’t it have been easy to hate the Nazis? But she looked at me with her clear blue eyes and said, “There is really no other choice than to love.”<br />
<br />
It was Corrie’s message living on.<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-74891979803527504332011-07-05T14:40:00.000-07:002011-07-05T14:40:18.495-07:00On to Oslo<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULdympsZvmIR4v81147FUkPCC1IZEqyN78OxnHhf_Akm0dVwVgud6DVqdBy_FxyaACX8P-BNW9_TI7BCSME0cspkRnrmrbnssNn2qm-aoMLCox1YKonvJSb-yu58CfdlbSuBAmEGWTKMt/s1600/IMG_5846.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULdympsZvmIR4v81147FUkPCC1IZEqyN78OxnHhf_Akm0dVwVgud6DVqdBy_FxyaACX8P-BNW9_TI7BCSME0cspkRnrmrbnssNn2qm-aoMLCox1YKonvJSb-yu58CfdlbSuBAmEGWTKMt/s400/IMG_5846.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The train to Oslo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The day after the epic bike ride, we took the scenic </span></span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Flåm Railway, up to Myrdal. We could see the road we had biked the day before and were amazed that we had made it all the way up. It was a much quicker journey, and when we got to Myrdal we transferred to a more modern train to Oslo.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o3kU_hj2wkMp_wTAa19M3KZ_TBN9J43DHGLuXnO8YvLbLSMLizGgC6oXgP9cZzDE1xnIENsWP238x4f9PIuy_OFaLzKe3_CBv91DLnBoOc9CucEC75WF_ybmOqExmVzQSsZDv6p0BCE3/s1600/IMG_5855.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o3kU_hj2wkMp_wTAa19M3KZ_TBN9J43DHGLuXnO8YvLbLSMLizGgC6oXgP9cZzDE1xnIENsWP238x4f9PIuy_OFaLzKe3_CBv91DLnBoOc9CucEC75WF_ybmOqExmVzQSsZDv6p0BCE3/s400/IMG_5855.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip loves trains.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we arrived in Oslo, we were greeted by "John" a very friendly Romanian guy we had met in </span><span style="font-size: small;">Flåm. Even though he had only been in Oslo a couple days, he seemed to really enjoy showing us around town. I was amazed at his ability to communicate in English even though it was his third or fourth language. Europeans always amaze me with their language abilities. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3cuo-B8RiJqn1msMFUorKL9y8cxh-ipReXpiXQVNtliJh3LIMMfifl2RkekptYgOqTYSoRWJ9MwqlWkDLEyUCCFu9HNRph9jBcvTO1uDTJsUVCf64udIvuPiRTlN10Gpq4zgEAXs5io2/s1600/IMG_5948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3cuo-B8RiJqn1msMFUorKL9y8cxh-ipReXpiXQVNtliJh3LIMMfifl2RkekptYgOqTYSoRWJ9MwqlWkDLEyUCCFu9HNRph9jBcvTO1uDTJsUVCf64udIvuPiRTlN10Gpq4zgEAXs5io2/s320/IMG_5948.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John and Kip</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ju3V7vug4qfbLkyYoq_bMBLi1NI5jlD1saiGONO_fkfy-i8JXuU2pi3TnVrU7O5vXjtQFpTkV5gpWnOSOLzYvlId0HIabL-986ByowRmqT-uPOnqdUG8yp7LWIclY8lIDfkMtF9bT9oT/s1600/IMG_5895.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ju3V7vug4qfbLkyYoq_bMBLi1NI5jlD1saiGONO_fkfy-i8JXuU2pi3TnVrU7O5vXjtQFpTkV5gpWnOSOLzYvlId0HIabL-986ByowRmqT-uPOnqdUG8yp7LWIclY8lIDfkMtF9bT9oT/s400/IMG_5895.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the palace. The guards were stoic, but let us pose for pictures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">John took us to Vigelandsparken, a famous park with hundreds (ok maybe dozens) of statues by Gustav Vigeland. The statues seem to depict human relationships from birth to death. It was interesting.</div><h2 class="contentheading" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vigelandsparken</h2><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDOlg77xKQcQ4UeoDrN7eKyrFi3tcXLUHGrodbgDnAbn5SM5JM5-8u1Qtw_t0p_ihgRf_SaMrKGZS3oc_hWRB2cu-EPxMEYSjkNE9C_Bec0Jzxa2KqHTjJwDD4cZ0y8L1anubkhHmnELg/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDOlg77xKQcQ4UeoDrN7eKyrFi3tcXLUHGrodbgDnAbn5SM5JM5-8u1Qtw_t0p_ihgRf_SaMrKGZS3oc_hWRB2cu-EPxMEYSjkNE9C_Bec0Jzxa2KqHTjJwDD4cZ0y8L1anubkhHmnELg/s400/IMG_5905.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYO95Oso5IExCPXrrtG5vnCpBrpmU18M843kNWRhXfUI6dsdCa7IDXKOZj8p9i5LBNxLLzAZEqjjpTN9Ta8S_Bz1HrDDvGwvs4K9tVA4a7AQFD33tvKp_5fvOM7ScOBlExR4IazY_Uj04C/s1600/IMG_5907.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYO95Oso5IExCPXrrtG5vnCpBrpmU18M843kNWRhXfUI6dsdCa7IDXKOZj8p9i5LBNxLLzAZEqjjpTN9Ta8S_Bz1HrDDvGwvs4K9tVA4a7AQFD33tvKp_5fvOM7ScOBlExR4IazY_Uj04C/s400/IMG_5907.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaOWeTXSN10C6cebZlgZ6B2-FTkRT3Y0Rm1lYV3dGT4OqsDmZhozSphrUVvyCFFa8f_Qufe4adzQzKFfVM6w3KpI8wbneukRAdjJOWuKPkOeEbxNkanFgRL2MdF6SZokEWBQ4vXP9HVfc/s1600/IMG_5914.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaOWeTXSN10C6cebZlgZ6B2-FTkRT3Y0Rm1lYV3dGT4OqsDmZhozSphrUVvyCFFa8f_Qufe4adzQzKFfVM6w3KpI8wbneukRAdjJOWuKPkOeEbxNkanFgRL2MdF6SZokEWBQ4vXP9HVfc/s400/IMG_5914.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it super dad, or a man fighting off the responsibilities of parenthood?</td></tr>
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis82Xcz-yrJ4Z349ZlZhy98P0yJDqPDQn8Ca7Gk-kqxJsiKcDpsKzHifoNlkB-V_TmYAGbSGgcEdy81ndLipr06xt-CnagqYwAYfTFeCfdvGeb0JX4Zp97_qc7AiZ7TWojWnVVJHCQnaXC/s1600/IMG_5926.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis82Xcz-yrJ4Z349ZlZhy98P0yJDqPDQn8Ca7Gk-kqxJsiKcDpsKzHifoNlkB-V_TmYAGbSGgcEdy81ndLipr06xt-CnagqYwAYfTFeCfdvGeb0JX4Zp97_qc7AiZ7TWojWnVVJHCQnaXC/s400/IMG_5926.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After hours of walking around Oslo, Kip found some reasonably priced Indian food in the train station. He said it was the best meal in Norway. He is a man of spice.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMnGu4qMha-qUiBq1KqIQYFp5X3Xmdn0elrH6D8G44ztbna3CVOzwSAjxKfsnrHQZBp50LqyocDUUzhG0MBdu8g9OoTmzx1X00CEi4ufrpYFLzuYFNwN8x8-yp1tPE3OjUM9cYlT-ojvZ/s1600/IMG_5952.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMnGu4qMha-qUiBq1KqIQYFp5X3Xmdn0elrH6D8G44ztbna3CVOzwSAjxKfsnrHQZBp50LqyocDUUzhG0MBdu8g9OoTmzx1X00CEi4ufrpYFLzuYFNwN8x8-yp1tPE3OjUM9cYlT-ojvZ/s400/IMG_5952.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-48775904548455901212011-07-01T18:10:00.000-07:002011-07-01T18:10:13.799-07:00Biking in Norway: Part 2<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYURp8qS8VaCSnrPLY4CYpVrCoxAs48PE6oQLGMabqhQ2X60XfxFEFM12BYz6HtOZvwwDNLKzhZmsVu0nXbgllGOVZH5DFfUzqRCrQYOJpC1LMPBHRGQUWFEwP5Vh8VyZKAsb0I_Bhyphenhyphen0b/s1600/IMG_5592.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYURp8qS8VaCSnrPLY4CYpVrCoxAs48PE6oQLGMabqhQ2X60XfxFEFM12BYz6HtOZvwwDNLKzhZmsVu0nXbgllGOVZH5DFfUzqRCrQYOJpC1LMPBHRGQUWFEwP5Vh8VyZKAsb0I_Bhyphenhyphen0b/s400/IMG_5592.JPG" /></a> </div>The pictures speak for themselves. We just kept climbing up in elevation. It was turning out to be a very tough ride, but we were addicted to the scenery.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35ITqCSq1UwYClvmpvf537BB996oWL9-ixi6t1kDvnZzSCzCs7GXfvhLMJxOPgKnJksnGmsUrAv3mE9wWZZCezbAntZYIob6fDr5bGeJHiIL8ePKYsy9VHbsXg0u1xYnl9_88-PE13psU/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35ITqCSq1UwYClvmpvf537BB996oWL9-ixi6t1kDvnZzSCzCs7GXfvhLMJxOPgKnJksnGmsUrAv3mE9wWZZCezbAntZYIob6fDr5bGeJHiIL8ePKYsy9VHbsXg0u1xYnl9_88-PE13psU/s400/IMG_5593.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn_c-keLK-HXbRAYLu24WdAKn9-clr6StxQ4c6xAZrvsCF7ax0r7K3bgNyhFx4tKyJAwKClLqfKIbm-zup9iz8f8opgBDVZNwoyHeRIq8w3ZnU-2ozgjP0ngBEoxXpyIWd65Z2KzS1zGY/s1600/IMG_5596.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn_c-keLK-HXbRAYLu24WdAKn9-clr6StxQ4c6xAZrvsCF7ax0r7K3bgNyhFx4tKyJAwKClLqfKIbm-zup9iz8f8opgBDVZNwoyHeRIq8w3ZnU-2ozgjP0ngBEoxXpyIWd65Z2KzS1zGY/s400/IMG_5596.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3K4ClEM24G6XC_rD0vCpeQq0InH-j7YrR6bDeWqBVtdnmJzqbqVbbkC8QP1ahyphenhyphenoO5uavSRwnv6pLld5FYteCsbjy1SI7OqnCi8n2lIvDOi2Ucj632iQN9t7uPcYNjW7S07IBxMIrHu8r/s1600/IMG_5598.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3K4ClEM24G6XC_rD0vCpeQq0InH-j7YrR6bDeWqBVtdnmJzqbqVbbkC8QP1ahyphenhyphenoO5uavSRwnv6pLld5FYteCsbjy1SI7OqnCi8n2lIvDOi2Ucj632iQN9t7uPcYNjW7S07IBxMIrHu8r/s400/IMG_5598.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fxD31m8CPmqBNU-17ZUG_zhxdki_aa1n3zpm0clkJqrVOkxJLk19s-LwYV2OHEsTjUKvS0VNd7oIqRocyOFd_m7KPn4SKr8mt7lje4tDOxjB5u0A5KlzxWJe5n0qV36xcQ3FMEvUMv26/s1600/IMG_5601.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fxD31m8CPmqBNU-17ZUG_zhxdki_aa1n3zpm0clkJqrVOkxJLk19s-LwYV2OHEsTjUKvS0VNd7oIqRocyOFd_m7KPn4SKr8mt7lje4tDOxjB5u0A5KlzxWJe5n0qV36xcQ3FMEvUMv26/s400/IMG_5601.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is a real smile.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5Z1ZesKIIAXP7OpdyuXtMAiV5aANs4_FfZ4uRsnhyphenhyphenPYY_cJZ5nfNXzXngDm3vod_NcZy0K2WeGlUfGBTc8o_3FJMmWIWA81TD4oxCbRjtWG4PGGPFTBF9Gg_pnLi_j9w_qDFtKo-Q1rG/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5Z1ZesKIIAXP7OpdyuXtMAiV5aANs4_FfZ4uRsnhyphenhyphenPYY_cJZ5nfNXzXngDm3vod_NcZy0K2WeGlUfGBTc8o_3FJMmWIWA81TD4oxCbRjtWG4PGGPFTBF9Gg_pnLi_j9w_qDFtKo-Q1rG/s400/IMG_5602.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPNrSWobB6XIGOBnH9d_fbpHGQ7KW9akcKmGr3-HWjmmdokUzpzLFdogYEzAAqLBXPPR16dD4X6WykM-NZn-hwoPStid35sNTA84I5bmZJvr0rbP6ICmQaOYk5rZH6-VXgBVW2IS8NGjI/s1600/IMG_5603.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPNrSWobB6XIGOBnH9d_fbpHGQ7KW9akcKmGr3-HWjmmdokUzpzLFdogYEzAAqLBXPPR16dD4X6WykM-NZn-hwoPStid35sNTA84I5bmZJvr0rbP6ICmQaOYk5rZH6-VXgBVW2IS8NGjI/s400/IMG_5603.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEsq4jUkazwdWY50hVoLX_vPp0lBQ-9fhz2QoCT_8ppaSTavbO8ZdVMKgUjJs-bL93Zk3z71IdInwlxIf4gJQGJhhBNyaY1L0_0_jkPeSTGRjt24fm7K6KcqEujNYZ8LR56-08YyCmCNg/s1600/IMG_5612.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEsq4jUkazwdWY50hVoLX_vPp0lBQ-9fhz2QoCT_8ppaSTavbO8ZdVMKgUjJs-bL93Zk3z71IdInwlxIf4gJQGJhhBNyaY1L0_0_jkPeSTGRjt24fm7K6KcqEujNYZ8LR56-08YyCmCNg/s400/IMG_5612.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is water flowing through a mountain.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9Ex9mmFfxEnI-UNMzBOuULQYaCWtGTtNhsiYTXiZrHrYg0bylvisjf2wOgVmH1AdJpc3XJiukoMbNPFeGxQPF5Wa8ty6yBK2icWItcFZuQ4NJpTCfzn2M3YqDDWuTw5X8JVmKExZ0x5g/s1600/IMG_5613.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9Ex9mmFfxEnI-UNMzBOuULQYaCWtGTtNhsiYTXiZrHrYg0bylvisjf2wOgVmH1AdJpc3XJiukoMbNPFeGxQPF5Wa8ty6yBK2icWItcFZuQ4NJpTCfzn2M3YqDDWuTw5X8JVmKExZ0x5g/s400/IMG_5613.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And under a bridge..</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnTzh3G2ykqhfJZExpzLwSVZvvnVOgk5r_uN2eDc63rCfTddVKYUxAvzWETdl5XRKdjXCQ_r6_iHDXFAM4TXYdj2aebPDs_ncEkjHzm1Cs_tdrRkfAWd8wzgyEr913BKtaQ8w8MNoo8jo/s1600/IMG_5623.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnTzh3G2ykqhfJZExpzLwSVZvvnVOgk5r_uN2eDc63rCfTddVKYUxAvzWETdl5XRKdjXCQ_r6_iHDXFAM4TXYdj2aebPDs_ncEkjHzm1Cs_tdrRkfAWd8wzgyEr913BKtaQ8w8MNoo8jo/s400/IMG_5623.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a flock of goats, kept back from the world by a little gate with a polite sign in English "Please shut the gate after you go through." I love the implication that people will naturally be respectful and shut the gate. It's a glimpse of the New Earth.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gka9E1nJViUGDJYeEMxmxoR-4iXx_6nLxf9MfI80CIfSSCpuD1PmePSw2TO0SMuIdgEA0xuh7fVRvipjPao4j4q_Qu4gOj7JtQGdmBu0Bzv20qS0uj1JWuJBGWZidEbriYAQ_1FrgL6O/s1600/IMG_5628.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gka9E1nJViUGDJYeEMxmxoR-4iXx_6nLxf9MfI80CIfSSCpuD1PmePSw2TO0SMuIdgEA0xuh7fVRvipjPao4j4q_Qu4gOj7JtQGdmBu0Bzv20qS0uj1JWuJBGWZidEbriYAQ_1FrgL6O/s400/IMG_5628.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was a little nervous at first.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CFuSGLzz8wOJLituS5mIxCYRUiqtcaW6OeUwj2jRukd0-S36nQhEa2gK_GWvFgJkE0LFLqmhADypo0eL_Zo8yGZ4VLjq-CNitOxZq-4FidiFtcPy2o_8LYYNSgta8WWhxEB92sErXbpg/s1600/IMG_5635.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CFuSGLzz8wOJLituS5mIxCYRUiqtcaW6OeUwj2jRukd0-S36nQhEa2gK_GWvFgJkE0LFLqmhADypo0eL_Zo8yGZ4VLjq-CNitOxZq-4FidiFtcPy2o_8LYYNSgta8WWhxEB92sErXbpg/s400/IMG_5635.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4LXNyaJfTAe_EdUeL0higDa4NV0_iIGj21UELkCvEsM597xxZWGzJn1WWrSWzFVzfDCt09Rc32ARBj8V0BydTAFZsHEp3FYv9mkBjGFuXq2B8ANKPCifsXzdZpXvTwKQeNZcOg4QZPa3/s1600/IMG_5652.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4LXNyaJfTAe_EdUeL0higDa4NV0_iIGj21UELkCvEsM597xxZWGzJn1WWrSWzFVzfDCt09Rc32ARBj8V0BydTAFZsHEp3FYv9mkBjGFuXq2B8ANKPCifsXzdZpXvTwKQeNZcOg4QZPa3/s400/IMG_5652.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlQlqLekWgdaoWOVj22c6852z-pJZ6AJwJr1onUOmS_y1wSmBOIiOY-2iPZrx6LFlLhO76Jb7FFSNtiyfHUYENUSZqz1o6OA9BWANiMQw6GNiduUvtuFzj6da5RIZMbFKn-xCgbsl6kqf/s1600/IMG_5655.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlQlqLekWgdaoWOVj22c6852z-pJZ6AJwJr1onUOmS_y1wSmBOIiOY-2iPZrx6LFlLhO76Jb7FFSNtiyfHUYENUSZqz1o6OA9BWANiMQw6GNiduUvtuFzj6da5RIZMbFKn-xCgbsl6kqf/s400/IMG_5655.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took a little convincing these gentle animals that we really were going to shut the gate and not let them out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4YxWvKg2U1FVZ4zWvPQKOj6PxM6BZBjiirE_PdA4DH3kpBPagaShdwN_571fKXilLDaIZ-wwYALLng28CHEghKCb5LDxHKN2W7vyynGTnaWQQDEzQbDL4h6maeEvlQjgenLExmVAK2PG/s1600/IMG_5656.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4YxWvKg2U1FVZ4zWvPQKOj6PxM6BZBjiirE_PdA4DH3kpBPagaShdwN_571fKXilLDaIZ-wwYALLng28CHEghKCb5LDxHKN2W7vyynGTnaWQQDEzQbDL4h6maeEvlQjgenLExmVAK2PG/s400/IMG_5656.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZEkV2QC8Y-3NHMbcFXPeL_-KU38fIAabNtQ4Yawy1NzJjkZS241CO3bnIoSlwp2x3zEvx-yfnc7LBSVMs9omIt5ttwgy5tJv-WdrpL9o4tjYW5Eq81gGXrs7SizHMsDcj79CNgqAmPjt/s1600/IMG_5657.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZEkV2QC8Y-3NHMbcFXPeL_-KU38fIAabNtQ4Yawy1NzJjkZS241CO3bnIoSlwp2x3zEvx-yfnc7LBSVMs9omIt5ttwgy5tJv-WdrpL9o4tjYW5Eq81gGXrs7SizHMsDcj79CNgqAmPjt/s400/IMG_5657.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWe6ds2EeHbgZKLs_lxVFRGH37-Wjr0GDAu1N7CNpZb8_DhPCile5Otp4H9D1Ics9NHBIkdyJJlp1QzVq4Zj5C6ZqcfoK3paPz0HYzKzwo2SBNVQV4NAZrMs6ez0jxScOryHJ2acN8z6z/s1600/IMG_5659.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWe6ds2EeHbgZKLs_lxVFRGH37-Wjr0GDAu1N7CNpZb8_DhPCile5Otp4H9D1Ics9NHBIkdyJJlp1QzVq4Zj5C6ZqcfoK3paPz0HYzKzwo2SBNVQV4NAZrMs6ez0jxScOryHJ2acN8z6z/s400/IMG_5659.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see how high the road is climbing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3L4Be29-_-Vl-hYcYV-nTyNynErE6CFrRNKW2A7Df_0-e8CPPNUoF-KZhYVoe_aZ32N8QBKo9yQygcFsL-cmR7lFP8tGbMxxoaG63HIizW6bzN2b1F9ohmzwJz_X9NL70TTlykAvv7_Ko/s1600/IMG_5662.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3L4Be29-_-Vl-hYcYV-nTyNynErE6CFrRNKW2A7Df_0-e8CPPNUoF-KZhYVoe_aZ32N8QBKo9yQygcFsL-cmR7lFP8tGbMxxoaG63HIizW6bzN2b1F9ohmzwJz_X9NL70TTlykAvv7_Ko/s400/IMG_5662.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The train rumbles on up to Myrdal. We are less than half way there at this point.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-2168235922713876742011-07-01T17:50:00.000-07:002011-07-01T17:52:30.482-07:00Biking in Norway<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcJN3d5QQQJhc7o7FjpWhKewT7d7PlDhx83XTte8LbiktQr7b4WDV-vVTlZOmClO4EJ5CP8nFYeYPKhu6-0BEUxnQ9QFHVjVrKfL5MEipPHVR4Y4nY3xGC1vmekfUV32N93SeX8NG2QSO/s1600/IMG_5529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcJN3d5QQQJhc7o7FjpWhKewT7d7PlDhx83XTte8LbiktQr7b4WDV-vVTlZOmClO4EJ5CP8nFYeYPKhu6-0BEUxnQ9QFHVjVrKfL5MEipPHVR4Y4nY3xGC1vmekfUV32N93SeX8NG2QSO/s400/IMG_5529.JPG" /></a> </div>Every once in a while you see a movie that you had never seen a trailer for, one that your friends haven't told you the plot, one that doesn't fit the genre formulas; and it turns out to be the very best film you have ever seen, the kind of movie you can't wait to tell someone about.<br />
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Our bike ride from Flåm to Myrdal was just about like that. Kip called it one of the best days of his life. It started out with us deciding to rent bikes and go for a short ride to see 400 year old church. It was actually Sunday morning and that seemed like a nice thing to do. Kip had wanted to ride the Flåmbana railroad up to Myrdal and rent bikes back to Flåm. But we found out that the train ride would be $100 and we were planning to take it the next day on our way out of Flåm to Oslo, so we opted for just renting bikes and peddling around the area.<br />
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We through a couple of apples and a bottle of water in a backpack and headed out. It was storybook beautiful with idyllic farms with a few sod houses and contented flocks of sheep. <br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1H-aPUABjbb_jjQUIFJwk-5vNgWVuuCy2fCOEV6uhqFq_AqbmGR8g8TFT3gq_YeBu3l-cxoQMvurIFmFcCfLuGWu0f19I5qqasA-pQY6li4z_aR5Gw-sCOijZ64U5_1l7MnKMgrkegf6i/s1600/IMG_5532.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1H-aPUABjbb_jjQUIFJwk-5vNgWVuuCy2fCOEV6uhqFq_AqbmGR8g8TFT3gq_YeBu3l-cxoQMvurIFmFcCfLuGWu0f19I5qqasA-pQY6li4z_aR5Gw-sCOijZ64U5_1l7MnKMgrkegf6i/s400/IMG_5532.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkd5xiPRyXBmEfpUAUnFoaaa8qQc4ejxBVlGrjD5p2-Pxz6_wY-cxRq9v3N9WLgvDbv8KVVZu_yqCB46vTL-hxhUxR1Vjc10JMPzKDpVAg1eq8Bp8Ph6F9x99nUxklkO10SaMobdKQQ3e/s1600/IMG_5533.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkd5xiPRyXBmEfpUAUnFoaaa8qQc4ejxBVlGrjD5p2-Pxz6_wY-cxRq9v3N9WLgvDbv8KVVZu_yqCB46vTL-hxhUxR1Vjc10JMPzKDpVAg1eq8Bp8Ph6F9x99nUxklkO10SaMobdKQQ3e/s400/IMG_5533.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHSjN6P8lnbEiKcJQx7Va4lh0ykQh8qBM1NAfIKDou1K7FRpB3NeGXqVvqWZD2TCiSAaTwzW8-QFRkwE5KHDTT98oH_shxaZhifcfNKjulzeRPCzqTTB2GOxjQJK2jR9S8L-_vfcy2mMg/s1600/IMG_5534.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHSjN6P8lnbEiKcJQx7Va4lh0ykQh8qBM1NAfIKDou1K7FRpB3NeGXqVvqWZD2TCiSAaTwzW8-QFRkwE5KHDTT98oH_shxaZhifcfNKjulzeRPCzqTTB2GOxjQJK2jR9S8L-_vfcy2mMg/s400/IMG_5534.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
We found the church, took pictures and decided to go just a little further.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHT9cSpbfZ_VMNoQ6Z2kBqi38IGTZRZPE4tk35Bm2ECNOX2UXZVYCMIfTerFBIWSxflgAd86RACqqUai_gwTJKrLlVoaejaMK2ks0Gaq-Mods6V-T72wTnNeq0RJRuQv2UMEgoBNuXvlTJ/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHT9cSpbfZ_VMNoQ6Z2kBqi38IGTZRZPE4tk35Bm2ECNOX2UXZVYCMIfTerFBIWSxflgAd86RACqqUai_gwTJKrLlVoaejaMK2ks0Gaq-Mods6V-T72wTnNeq0RJRuQv2UMEgoBNuXvlTJ/s400/IMG_5535.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs79p0lF054cfrhLpBIbNOzt5JvRxZ-jc1_XkNe9yAY_sRdBDVO2OaKIcPi7EZPML76OyH9z_mY10pb4BXU8CEG800wpKVWWUnfq-gYwBiYqPHgsusX0syIvAfxe_ED_HbAchbXertyzM/s1600/IMG_5547.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs79p0lF054cfrhLpBIbNOzt5JvRxZ-jc1_XkNe9yAY_sRdBDVO2OaKIcPi7EZPML76OyH9z_mY10pb4BXU8CEG800wpKVWWUnfq-gYwBiYqPHgsusX0syIvAfxe_ED_HbAchbXertyzM/s400/IMG_5547.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The door was open, but no one was inside. Can you imagine how many weddings and Christmas Eve services there have been here since 1660?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0CHh6K5AitRzMy2bS1zSAhFJ5C66AArIPLvGpYSLFGhx6z4nAxE2fuYjjSzaIE07y7O5ZxwYP1l1RpWiVzyDGvkiSR4rOqlaE7J_NcP2PwrqBGmNiKBCLaY4C2Kpy1jpOWswsNl_Pire/s1600/IMG_5558.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0CHh6K5AitRzMy2bS1zSAhFJ5C66AArIPLvGpYSLFGhx6z4nAxE2fuYjjSzaIE07y7O5ZxwYP1l1RpWiVzyDGvkiSR4rOqlaE7J_NcP2PwrqBGmNiKBCLaY4C2Kpy1jpOWswsNl_Pire/s400/IMG_5558.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sod roof</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P6o6FjnxHfn43cXtxOXYcR4rpxWoCZQdCGcsaARwqeu_4y32iWuIoLUcO0cpmpNdNpEmn2bpiVbSh_jLENcW4X7PoWua6-jqxGUFPO7k_to6727GaP94z4z_x7N8SG7pH7JsX2n5zjr8/s1600/IMG_5560.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P6o6FjnxHfn43cXtxOXYcR4rpxWoCZQdCGcsaARwqeu_4y32iWuIoLUcO0cpmpNdNpEmn2bpiVbSh_jLENcW4X7PoWua6-jqxGUFPO7k_to6727GaP94z4z_x7N8SG7pH7JsX2n5zjr8/s400/IMG_5560.JPG" /></a> </div>We decided to go a little further. The road was getting steeper, but we could see waterfalls in the distance and it was only just noon.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuI_3nxMXzsd_g57ENuymrjr3svw_-gX81FbmmPSO9Q3KJyZIS20cdJhfva6MF3rU33yN26C0Sf2hF_UWpr7r-vkP0nsWD08jNGwVlyTdFjJpzNAKX9wkpQRheYFYAcyfWaDDSOJxeYVOv/s1600/IMG_5568.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuI_3nxMXzsd_g57ENuymrjr3svw_-gX81FbmmPSO9Q3KJyZIS20cdJhfva6MF3rU33yN26C0Sf2hF_UWpr7r-vkP0nsWD08jNGwVlyTdFjJpzNAKX9wkpQRheYFYAcyfWaDDSOJxeYVOv/s400/IMG_5568.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX6Gi-Mn5C1BU5IP4uV0mniP56uHKJxHwILpCYcoC7mrYsBNrXgMNlv8axQ_sHgV7ryTKjG1Bu9nFIHW4GGhpsU5Kv3CZWu3grsAaHUra7MC5Sy7179YXK9laB5OMsfWNilxg9HhYKnHk/s1600/IMG_5572.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX6Gi-Mn5C1BU5IP4uV0mniP56uHKJxHwILpCYcoC7mrYsBNrXgMNlv8axQ_sHgV7ryTKjG1Bu9nFIHW4GGhpsU5Kv3CZWu3grsAaHUra7MC5Sy7179YXK9laB5OMsfWNilxg9HhYKnHk/s400/IMG_5572.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ewe and her lambs going for a walk</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5suos_mZrbocI3x9K-7tOP-HkdewWS5exka6x18PcRHFdmTta3VLGnxmVR4ZQKLLNvn2J0ogpAK-yAf1Q56J_5aD11gnag13ySDD0iVWSpbtPqWXzvkcbfud1kX_caVDXiUASQ5DMym-4/s1600/IMG_5580.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5suos_mZrbocI3x9K-7tOP-HkdewWS5exka6x18PcRHFdmTta3VLGnxmVR4ZQKLLNvn2J0ogpAK-yAf1Q56J_5aD11gnag13ySDD0iVWSpbtPqWXzvkcbfud1kX_caVDXiUASQ5DMym-4/s400/IMG_5580.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That look on Kip's face means, wow, we just road bikes over a waterfall. Isn't this amazing?</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYrDIeb12D6q3MC5deMCOQZjptqBOk3GpzPciKguQhjkJzRJKtsctGGofKn86lnB6bLVo6yfk3KyQHC0e9tRJxiK5kvmig6OG_XC1UnGp3bP3OHTdsN27NjIVZG9Aq2n94qiYTzocNHOK/s1600/IMG_5581.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYrDIeb12D6q3MC5deMCOQZjptqBOk3GpzPciKguQhjkJzRJKtsctGGofKn86lnB6bLVo6yfk3KyQHC0e9tRJxiK5kvmig6OG_XC1UnGp3bP3OHTdsN27NjIVZG9Aq2n94qiYTzocNHOK/s400/IMG_5581.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylwMP6cTAZOSULa6pY6JOhf6mTR0NNmz-PYNY_9AsZMLXTSysRxugoxMWFxLnHUulD2EuV0Lh9xFufj7xBe9B1xVcWZJckw3AbjxHyM-2zSpBUQxpChU5eq4wttJxL5VBr-YNrOLP5Ju7/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylwMP6cTAZOSULa6pY6JOhf6mTR0NNmz-PYNY_9AsZMLXTSysRxugoxMWFxLnHUulD2EuV0Lh9xFufj7xBe9B1xVcWZJckw3AbjxHyM-2zSpBUQxpChU5eq4wttJxL5VBr-YNrOLP5Ju7/s400/IMG_5582.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMslQYV1hy0eeTYdRO8BgjggNrI7pxVwIE7rYgg11qvz6PNmPC5Q25Ye06DosmZSqmYRNWVm8CuJnHEgoT3JblbPAES4Pz0uWZ-0_fiCG3vwt0Z4KZHPLF6RWcEdxgeK0YzpmmwcOFJVq9/s1600/IMG_5583.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMslQYV1hy0eeTYdRO8BgjggNrI7pxVwIE7rYgg11qvz6PNmPC5Q25Ye06DosmZSqmYRNWVm8CuJnHEgoT3JblbPAES4Pz0uWZ-0_fiCG3vwt0Z4KZHPLF6RWcEdxgeK0YzpmmwcOFJVq9/s400/IMG_5583.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQjXUQ5w104niu83Gkwj_WOU9yJJLX91MC_YTM8WzfHA9HrkNI_Tv7y5uFj0MW9A2mKASLqSkW0ri8WjGqEZWYMk2z-Gvah0gv3x40x-OTnxCo6t8KaQ1uAdoAmRU0vjTkj8v-hcsQG3m/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQjXUQ5w104niu83Gkwj_WOU9yJJLX91MC_YTM8WzfHA9HrkNI_Tv7y5uFj0MW9A2mKASLqSkW0ri8WjGqEZWYMk2z-Gvah0gv3x40x-OTnxCo6t8KaQ1uAdoAmRU0vjTkj8v-hcsQG3m/s400/IMG_5584.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AhzjrSo6N8QBRF0ubQUS1e8MCn8mxs9uQIM-k-aIs4y9wozWg_pBI26EWkdw9pD7xWk5iB-t0fnl3kX4afEeHIv7IMPSHSPnhmZqptoOX_27HoY7DHCV4nsu83VPh1KCp2WTH8V85KmA/s1600/IMG_5586.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AhzjrSo6N8QBRF0ubQUS1e8MCn8mxs9uQIM-k-aIs4y9wozWg_pBI26EWkdw9pD7xWk5iB-t0fnl3kX4afEeHIv7IMPSHSPnhmZqptoOX_27HoY7DHCV4nsu83VPh1KCp2WTH8V85KmA/s400/IMG_5586.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwPKIq_KA49MHw3Pft_TWvNuPpZIP7b89wGt0jFqeJ901ljf8CHc2nZlxft1HuGdPXNbTosz7zqGVKrkP0mOdFGUHtcRGY6Ge_4qrxb85Pb_g5T_XAUGwcgEznnAbu45VYSenpToraOZj/s1600/IMG_5587.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwPKIq_KA49MHw3Pft_TWvNuPpZIP7b89wGt0jFqeJ901ljf8CHc2nZlxft1HuGdPXNbTosz7zqGVKrkP0mOdFGUHtcRGY6Ge_4qrxb85Pb_g5T_XAUGwcgEznnAbu45VYSenpToraOZj/s400/IMG_5587.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5HibroteqUuxJtxSuprRosuo3F1sQ3HRNfIeRwfcENCe1SdHXl38aAunCuNLAsJKYCCAGANsrU3Ww17bv0U2vHhpAAvX-kCUpjuLW0-lx1jttn-jD1qqwIjbqBMA3Zdrz__GwtfeZuok/s1600/IMG_5591.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5HibroteqUuxJtxSuprRosuo3F1sQ3HRNfIeRwfcENCe1SdHXl38aAunCuNLAsJKYCCAGANsrU3Ww17bv0U2vHhpAAvX-kCUpjuLW0-lx1jttn-jD1qqwIjbqBMA3Zdrz__GwtfeZuok/s400/IMG_5591.JPG" /></a> </div>By this time we were both hooked. Could we ride all the way to Myrdal? It was almost 3,000 feet in elevation from where we started. We decided to go a little further.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz9eH4QpjfXLPt1xOHsCj8JsNIwnZ9pXoYLPzEVs0Nc1tse0R4KlQAqyJrL28lMPZO_4cAhaQWo86ppepllqJyMvlUxW_IlBtFUgn3hUK5pCE7X8NinbA__6x1V-w8gLhItgFiGqhIP2Q/s1600/DSC05011.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz9eH4QpjfXLPt1xOHsCj8JsNIwnZ9pXoYLPzEVs0Nc1tse0R4KlQAqyJrL28lMPZO_4cAhaQWo86ppepllqJyMvlUxW_IlBtFUgn3hUK5pCE7X8NinbA__6x1V-w8gLhItgFiGqhIP2Q/s400/DSC05011.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-70422931863987926722011-07-01T11:57:00.000-07:002011-07-01T11:57:08.577-07:00Waterfall Chasing in Flåm<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA1lGrGFIfBD93pUbjTWGGTZGNiYWPZwRvPDqqcXrCkWapIF6WLX9LCZy2zoZO-bes288JNkNXVd0R0EmYFeLtsy5qRxdKQzNHZh5EhUln3hiO2nLKJcoK8JwzyhDonacB2qc0CuvMBNr/s1600/IMG_5431.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA1lGrGFIfBD93pUbjTWGGTZGNiYWPZwRvPDqqcXrCkWapIF6WLX9LCZy2zoZO-bes288JNkNXVd0R0EmYFeLtsy5qRxdKQzNHZh5EhUln3hiO2nLKJcoK8JwzyhDonacB2qc0CuvMBNr/s400/IMG_5431.JPG" /></a> </div>When we arrived in Flåm we headed for the Youth Hostel and took a "quick" 20 minute refresher nap that turned into another frustrating 2 or 3 hour half-night sleep. Even after nearly a week in Norway we were still holding a strange sleep pattern.<br />
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But the great thing about Norway in June though is that even if you waste half the afternoon sleeping, you still get another 5 or 6 hours of sunlight. So after surveying the hostel we took off on a walk/hike to see the surrounding area and get a closer look at the waterfall we could see from behind the hostel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlJy4a-VBbp-wL1fdoGVGRvjSSR-KEW7bTsTxFUSUaZ9GX-AH3-99uQYTgxKNlXltVr9Z4ilQE3Fq4IOcenktebrUf-Ahco-TMrut0RzkKDC6nEuLI4QdZIFfCmylgFODXPAv1AR4hbdL/s1600/IMG_5432.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlJy4a-VBbp-wL1fdoGVGRvjSSR-KEW7bTsTxFUSUaZ9GX-AH3-99uQYTgxKNlXltVr9Z4ilQE3Fq4IOcenktebrUf-Ahco-TMrut0RzkKDC6nEuLI4QdZIFfCmylgFODXPAv1AR4hbdL/s400/IMG_5432.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful, clean hostel building in an amazing location.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4GaasFbxtyptgtI28y9JznToChhoq_S-R1ISfu52Be-nwYvwfq7vz339Mxp7aU5NJW5UGQfWSm3n5uNX4ZaIivTq-VKV6KReb1KA73a7PI4aS2pLpUryhff96NobFa-NYTNzKIBDHuU8/s1600/IMG_5433.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4GaasFbxtyptgtI28y9JznToChhoq_S-R1ISfu52Be-nwYvwfq7vz339Mxp7aU5NJW5UGQfWSm3n5uNX4ZaIivTq-VKV6KReb1KA73a7PI4aS2pLpUryhff96NobFa-NYTNzKIBDHuU8/s400/IMG_5433.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49Ha8PacjuCg_TtYdwBMaVXYjHYnLNpKkfQOD_8mr-dDruTj2_u_k2WltWI9ZPcd1N5752elG0H72dDCn1tRmqa_AWTBVOyR0AHFA_RevhkakPtuZJsrNLVpeYeNdaGgqdjXhgEO0msqz/s1600/IMG_5443.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49Ha8PacjuCg_TtYdwBMaVXYjHYnLNpKkfQOD_8mr-dDruTj2_u_k2WltWI9ZPcd1N5752elG0H72dDCn1tRmqa_AWTBVOyR0AHFA_RevhkakPtuZJsrNLVpeYeNdaGgqdjXhgEO0msqz/s400/IMG_5443.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We could see the waterfall from the road. How close could we get?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJaWxhPqDnmNUVBAhycGs4hJba1c_CYvgPSkQpUGCGikkSF8dTcy91Y-Nm9kTRzrlFoK_Zd3ZjkpUr24GYz7lhhwNg-tbYNYpPjWfsydpfDxLmkgtgr7MHfRzUlPmyKJ4388R7g8iZUxt/s1600/IMG_5450.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJaWxhPqDnmNUVBAhycGs4hJba1c_CYvgPSkQpUGCGikkSF8dTcy91Y-Nm9kTRzrlFoK_Zd3ZjkpUr24GYz7lhhwNg-tbYNYpPjWfsydpfDxLmkgtgr7MHfRzUlPmyKJ4388R7g8iZUxt/s400/IMG_5450.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I were a sheep, I'd be happy here.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweCOWF0JTNMZ3PWsUccoJZC0sK6eKxaWbnG8fGbI6ibt-qUIwj0q4GBw5iOAfXv3V75D1lZb26OUq4KtfGth9sgdzJBL-K3tUekZyPbCh4M0ODqQvYKfUSeaH2QaqwqrYsTs_8Ij-BRJ-/s1600/IMG_5453.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweCOWF0JTNMZ3PWsUccoJZC0sK6eKxaWbnG8fGbI6ibt-qUIwj0q4GBw5iOAfXv3V75D1lZb26OUq4KtfGth9sgdzJBL-K3tUekZyPbCh4M0ODqQvYKfUSeaH2QaqwqrYsTs_8Ij-BRJ-/s400/IMG_5453.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidObIWjgNXeVTo1wJaLCcPekWtSlNztT0_4vznU6Rn1lLHG0i0S2o4pJmG3aJtY-7CgYtv5Bh5VioYcS_VbcpqwVpVXCFY0oh4vwg3bhZJQnTH9V9f00cuKkskYS-lKTjB96D3hy6E_mih/s1600/IMG_5454.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidObIWjgNXeVTo1wJaLCcPekWtSlNztT0_4vznU6Rn1lLHG0i0S2o4pJmG3aJtY-7CgYtv5Bh5VioYcS_VbcpqwVpVXCFY0oh4vwg3bhZJQnTH9V9f00cuKkskYS-lKTjB96D3hy6E_mih/s400/IMG_5454.JPG" /></a> </div>We walked along the road for awhile until we came to a little trail going up the hill. We later learned from our hostel host that it was a very old path used by farmers to get their sheep up to greener pastures in the summer months, just like in novels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEZdUIaL2by70hxIfhhMqpdoJ0JDHW_C6O-wjWaHb1I03XsT7EvsPDna-8H4Y_n3x709ws3CCv4ZIkKRHDy9fzYe59NlozDuEKDPlITM-phjMKC7aNGVUH34Is-bhRQgwxMtAHOG0e5f/s1600/IMG_5463.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCEZdUIaL2by70hxIfhhMqpdoJ0JDHW_C6O-wjWaHb1I03XsT7EvsPDna-8H4Y_n3x709ws3CCv4ZIkKRHDy9fzYe59NlozDuEKDPlITM-phjMKC7aNGVUH34Is-bhRQgwxMtAHOG0e5f/s400/IMG_5463.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little lamb has a big playground.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFQDr50ExJj_jl_IUQDKa20-gvtG6W7usMMCOgxgZWzlzLljXytJBiJhUjNUBLfi88zTDAXKPsK18lcckbhxIzGnPmudfgcqNxpflloSztiOw9ft-m4eR9ox2L61vkQ6BM4hPjyiM3Xiz/s1600/IMG_5467.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFQDr50ExJj_jl_IUQDKa20-gvtG6W7usMMCOgxgZWzlzLljXytJBiJhUjNUBLfi88zTDAXKPsK18lcckbhxIzGnPmudfgcqNxpflloSztiOw9ft-m4eR9ox2L61vkQ6BM4hPjyiM3Xiz/s400/IMG_5467.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The name of the waterfall</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGkY1Kv7TG6djXbGWrSFNAYZmshnro76B2j1sF86LtEC8MKmK9hvqS2vmOrgXlV2sKTeue3MJVFknKfCtqjrkm3uHavtNW3LpTcMpCdvgkbUeHTjqbzGEsxJit75-3lu7CWmHTyx9jnmq/s1600/IMG_5468.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGkY1Kv7TG6djXbGWrSFNAYZmshnro76B2j1sF86LtEC8MKmK9hvqS2vmOrgXlV2sKTeue3MJVFknKfCtqjrkm3uHavtNW3LpTcMpCdvgkbUeHTjqbzGEsxJit75-3lu7CWmHTyx9jnmq/s400/IMG_5468.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFqqBOmcW2TOdOikXq5WXF1jzZU9J1K4h0F05ODegZssT15fli0kQ5pUE4InGRKojaZoqT8DpT64OgKD99ax1rRf2M9Ndk5k5cW_4xWY4NFBt3R-KDEnrDPMJUXMpZzoAaU9mySRUtZOj/s1600/IMG_5469.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFqqBOmcW2TOdOikXq5WXF1jzZU9J1K4h0F05ODegZssT15fli0kQ5pUE4InGRKojaZoqT8DpT64OgKD99ax1rRf2M9Ndk5k5cW_4xWY4NFBt3R-KDEnrDPMJUXMpZzoAaU9mySRUtZOj/s400/IMG_5469.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FtA8fBILNcWBtMdDSJlIgwBaVErHtQg6Q6DY95IeIFggnPwsETIMtbpQEdxz2rpr4Eangt9I9MC1fKFGpB4qj-_rzjdFPq6a8N1XG0PstA_8Jqst-mC4-GEqVlarjEO0klM7yzNuG4pQ/s1600/IMG_5476.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FtA8fBILNcWBtMdDSJlIgwBaVErHtQg6Q6DY95IeIFggnPwsETIMtbpQEdxz2rpr4Eangt9I9MC1fKFGpB4qj-_rzjdFPq6a8N1XG0PstA_8Jqst-mC4-GEqVlarjEO0klM7yzNuG4pQ/s400/IMG_5476.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Flåm from the trail along the waterfall</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Cdel199fm0zVuB9k-A2RJfKb6QGDDvgK1vYy83-Ko5h31hvSohXk7XgIG9DwgAqkQu47bLaY9zX501R7XCHGkSOTMvmyZkgCa0JdftKtmpH7w0UtDtNdRBNbJ3ikTIxQEgmOzcTlv9vX/s1600/IMG_5479.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Cdel199fm0zVuB9k-A2RJfKb6QGDDvgK1vYy83-Ko5h31hvSohXk7XgIG9DwgAqkQu47bLaY9zX501R7XCHGkSOTMvmyZkgCa0JdftKtmpH7w0UtDtNdRBNbJ3ikTIxQEgmOzcTlv9vX/s400/IMG_5479.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5j7jKodWKRrfy7uoUmcUIiuGBE4jauanheGA5Y58rp5VWIu3TCmnWGkU4lcar0-Qx-j-9bgOFr111inZwsu7INq21UgbxOnWq-wUZr81xCcrIXDQSmdF6r6XVpra-rY4HdRflTifv7ql/s1600/IMG_5483.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5j7jKodWKRrfy7uoUmcUIiuGBE4jauanheGA5Y58rp5VWIu3TCmnWGkU4lcar0-Qx-j-9bgOFr111inZwsu7INq21UgbxOnWq-wUZr81xCcrIXDQSmdF6r6XVpra-rY4HdRflTifv7ql/s400/IMG_5483.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we were hiking we met this wonderful woman, the youth hostel host. She was 61 and apparently having knee replacement surgery next year. You would never be able to tell though. She was taking the mountain faster than us.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4KMNXGn6ELxAKW7Kq93mffOTCItBQkW9-xDQJvRwYQt4W_ly770avAn-c6ylSeg8boBv8iEAIcBMfnLs0o_PTzzNYzL2V4RhjsBwPRGA2f1SfzJBBIsZrV-xTzxcJaBVR-cnJkMLqmh_/s1600/IMG_5485.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4KMNXGn6ELxAKW7Kq93mffOTCItBQkW9-xDQJvRwYQt4W_ly770avAn-c6ylSeg8boBv8iEAIcBMfnLs0o_PTzzNYzL2V4RhjsBwPRGA2f1SfzJBBIsZrV-xTzxcJaBVR-cnJkMLqmh_/s400/IMG_5485.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGzfVWkigY_bMb6dQfzCyujZL_NZFGQZFi47Cjboyg8GADbVqsMlz126sW1AMawKx-Jga0ozwpz8YggS8saudYj2aHXtNGEkxOqy_YXuzV8g3ndh6kqFCA5RqP21UlqLVQE9HvXZDAFO7/s1600/IMG_5487.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGzfVWkigY_bMb6dQfzCyujZL_NZFGQZFi47Cjboyg8GADbVqsMlz126sW1AMawKx-Jga0ozwpz8YggS8saudYj2aHXtNGEkxOqy_YXuzV8g3ndh6kqFCA5RqP21UlqLVQE9HvXZDAFO7/s400/IMG_5487.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOrSaoMDjrjHDVkO1u0P96m4G_OKDmRIoc0Fi_RUawCNmltQdNdN0s1LZfmD0rsqRiX_40UASmihZUwveiDzaA_uLGdF8n4DkmgwrdkwXU5jEDsIckKkvuyuzx-PrwGZr1wcLYv-6jcHG/s1600/IMG_5488.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOrSaoMDjrjHDVkO1u0P96m4G_OKDmRIoc0Fi_RUawCNmltQdNdN0s1LZfmD0rsqRiX_40UASmihZUwveiDzaA_uLGdF8n4DkmgwrdkwXU5jEDsIckKkvuyuzx-PrwGZr1wcLYv-6jcHG/s400/IMG_5488.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flåm from even higher up the mountain </td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiJoYtJflr7x3xwUK5sEXKvYpjh7lpB1KHR8WhyphenhyphenzX4BdbVJM80vC1zBAo-JvpEfR7B7wv-dE9ZFgTaKcKaXTtXnnr60HHfQZBXZcJENG_OcaWCaYy_0dZqiohf-DlC4L210vMZAHsz_Lu/s1600/IMG_5493.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiJoYtJflr7x3xwUK5sEXKvYpjh7lpB1KHR8WhyphenhyphenzX4BdbVJM80vC1zBAo-JvpEfR7B7wv-dE9ZFgTaKcKaXTtXnnr60HHfQZBXZcJENG_OcaWCaYy_0dZqiohf-DlC4L210vMZAHsz_Lu/s400/IMG_5493.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPD40Daey-0yY2Zp_76JBGW1AUhxyNKjfIXM0DWZWJQeEMaeWMv0b9PFVvmEAj8i9wBGONfei5ITXa5ffn2T8HLRvG0r4qIxHfW9EHLbJKDydOn3j51vvvWnqGArMWVEKr3VtkT8Hq8m9r/s1600/IMG_5504.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPD40Daey-0yY2Zp_76JBGW1AUhxyNKjfIXM0DWZWJQeEMaeWMv0b9PFVvmEAj8i9wBGONfei5ITXa5ffn2T8HLRvG0r4qIxHfW9EHLbJKDydOn3j51vvvWnqGArMWVEKr3VtkT8Hq8m9r/s400/IMG_5504.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sheep watched us make our way out of the woods, through their pasture and on home. Storybook beautiful!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-23996313864048655592011-06-24T10:18:00.000-07:002011-06-24T10:48:23.222-07:00Norway: Up the Songnefjord<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5V2dKR2eDa2Mo4gmhouTgAgxRuEgHkJz72-SEZvQRHJNdDj6gW9QV3xRIJiDbXTGE7Mk64BL7WWDLHh0Q12JMHUV4rHZdJLbcS-4V3LeMcvdWgO_R-c4LfMoMUzFnrVoD4tp8D3mSov0/s1600/DSC04985.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT5V2dKR2eDa2Mo4gmhouTgAgxRuEgHkJz72-SEZvQRHJNdDj6gW9QV3xRIJiDbXTGE7Mk64BL7WWDLHh0Q12JMHUV4rHZdJLbcS-4V3LeMcvdWgO_R-c4LfMoMUzFnrVoD4tp8D3mSov0/s400/DSC04985.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was characteristically gray and cloudy when we left Bergen, but even in the greyness the landscape looked rugged and beautiful.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>After spending five days in Bergen we left for Flåm, a tiny village of about 400 people that serves as a crossroads for tourists traveling up the fjord by cruise ship or down the mountain by scenic train. Several companies shuttle people one way down the mountain and then through the fjord back to Bergen. We had heard that the average stay in Flåm is only a few minutes, but something about the little place intrigued us. So before we left LA we booked a hostel Flåm. But for some reason we waited until we got to Norway to decide how to get there. After too much contemplation at the crowded Bergen visitor's center, we chose to take a five hour ferry up the famous Songnefjord from Bergen to Flåm. And we were not disappointed.<br />
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When we left Bergen it was cold and overcast. In typical Kip-and-Theresa traveling style, we stopped at the fish market, just to see if we could get some last minute breakfast and ended up having to run as fast as we could, suitcases in tow, to catch the boat just as it was leaving.<br />
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On board we spent as much time on deck taking pictures as we could stand. It was extremely cold and windy, so I had to "borrow," the souvenir hat I had bought for our daughter. We ended up going into the cabin every few minutes to thaw out, and then back up top.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUVDtd5nQor58AzF-VBvhQ9s_nv5QH9kkdyRy0XypWssE7VUfCcOhdq7BIkM0-QKEYJZKi4JVCzIWTyou14JTVsJpQn96w639rqxVj8InDtoD-CiDkwuMxepdgVIaJOrrkJNkbSOswVc_/s1600/IMG_5303.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUVDtd5nQor58AzF-VBvhQ9s_nv5QH9kkdyRy0XypWssE7VUfCcOhdq7BIkM0-QKEYJZKi4JVCzIWTyou14JTVsJpQn96w639rqxVj8InDtoD-CiDkwuMxepdgVIaJOrrkJNkbSOswVc_/s400/IMG_5303.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we started out there were no mountains and waterfalls, but the shoreline was populated by picturesque red fishing cabins with docks -- a sanctuary of simple life for the weekend fisherman escaping the city.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBxdo_vvEznvqRHp2UZtPGJBs6c_C6gu6lYWORes87WXOfXUMOZ6FzSE2kK9TrDoCd_EFUoWnnBkIoswpvr0O8o2zbRxtRrIflJ-DYFV81a3U9h0YbJCgfupHtdcOU5spD0KMgJRiBIF4/s1600/IMG_5304.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBxdo_vvEznvqRHp2UZtPGJBs6c_C6gu6lYWORes87WXOfXUMOZ6FzSE2kK9TrDoCd_EFUoWnnBkIoswpvr0O8o2zbRxtRrIflJ-DYFV81a3U9h0YbJCgfupHtdcOU5spD0KMgJRiBIF4/s400/IMG_5304.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On board the Fjordtroll -- they have a thing for trolls here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwofsGExR8fKmHN4bKifB09LcrAP0kzqAZ_pYTXj3ecY41AOs5JO8kKd3XOPByx_ZffJFk2knOUOMcerp7C6p02NQgvGXGPE0tW_5hhJL5SdSmqwkra7sckz0Jz-QFPieDbV-rlqMRaP_6/s1600/IMG_5315.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwofsGExR8fKmHN4bKifB09LcrAP0kzqAZ_pYTXj3ecY41AOs5JO8kKd3XOPByx_ZffJFk2knOUOMcerp7C6p02NQgvGXGPE0tW_5hhJL5SdSmqwkra7sckz0Jz-QFPieDbV-rlqMRaP_6/s400/IMG_5315.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the sun breaks through the clouds it shines on a little mountainside church, evidence that this typically post-Christian country has a rich history of faith. And what once was can be again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV92YGv6V02VqWPzjqJbTvfMhPBv_XksiNpBqNCHJCB46usEXXRIr8593bM3Br20emmtyVFOtyM1sZFwmQ63oAdqrHpbzAfZ9Vakk8gCB9McjXKuXIM3UvmUnCmLe3KevhI3AKgKvI0ZXh/s1600/IMG_5321.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV92YGv6V02VqWPzjqJbTvfMhPBv_XksiNpBqNCHJCB46usEXXRIr8593bM3Br20emmtyVFOtyM1sZFwmQ63oAdqrHpbzAfZ9Vakk8gCB9McjXKuXIM3UvmUnCmLe3KevhI3AKgKvI0ZXh/s400/IMG_5321.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the mountains grow taller, further inland, the melting snow packs trickle down the mountainside into beautiful waterfalls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75bMZRSOqyNYDXg4Zs2jWIVdAp-OEzFM8KKlQKe6eNOc5DXfZcVFr9jt9YMWKC92PtGL0bPp_qTqidIz-WJ36P4ABMgFCmWrkmnuEWBR4o4seS3XKeZ3DC9HZoukBkXu9gJX8iJCeYSbq/s1600/IMG_5329.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75bMZRSOqyNYDXg4Zs2jWIVdAp-OEzFM8KKlQKe6eNOc5DXfZcVFr9jt9YMWKC92PtGL0bPp_qTqidIz-WJ36P4ABMgFCmWrkmnuEWBR4o4seS3XKeZ3DC9HZoukBkXu9gJX8iJCeYSbq/s400/IMG_5329.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun breaks and shines on the mountains and flag like a postcard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjTGWRDqF757JigbyWBcV8RrX44NGnR1LEP3CfuZcxVQ42wPin-a6zLnryGo1kBFS5JAgTNrwHTLFWY-7O0yessrFMfdmZVPwAukeXBOq3NgqKX9fLqh5B8Ilseiz7DGHpBl111aShA44/s1600/IMG_5340.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjTGWRDqF757JigbyWBcV8RrX44NGnR1LEP3CfuZcxVQ42wPin-a6zLnryGo1kBFS5JAgTNrwHTLFWY-7O0yessrFMfdmZVPwAukeXBOq3NgqKX9fLqh5B8Ilseiz7DGHpBl111aShA44/s400/IMG_5340.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were as happy as it looks. It's hard not to be happy when you are smiling, and it's hard not to smile when you are surprised by beauty.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41c7R5lLRtK38AtTICxss_AAPZpXFIu2HWVCRmS9-vyhzVp-wi1zWXf_ZAHEo_c5xuIO45bQQeGGD7YMISgMiOfRDcO8pwSNpuATj3GVX8BdE8ZQLw1nBEjSKADSZI8qL2RtBFi48hFxR/s1600/IMG_5342.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41c7R5lLRtK38AtTICxss_AAPZpXFIu2HWVCRmS9-vyhzVp-wi1zWXf_ZAHEo_c5xuIO45bQQeGGD7YMISgMiOfRDcO8pwSNpuATj3GVX8BdE8ZQLw1nBEjSKADSZI8qL2RtBFi48hFxR/s400/IMG_5342.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What would it be like to live here?</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLJhILop9S6C9dQFJemDxigRQnHSSfaWD0hg7bgKZ6TkJiSpAT68wqWXuhvcPLt7rGawhjDQOjrqISQdEL3nolV5AGqIcNTgzrcYcvdKEppJbVq1EaB2F8oU7FvtdOB-Q6idEzy9zwH5H/s1600/IMG_5350.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLJhILop9S6C9dQFJemDxigRQnHSSfaWD0hg7bgKZ6TkJiSpAT68wqWXuhvcPLt7rGawhjDQOjrqISQdEL3nolV5AGqIcNTgzrcYcvdKEppJbVq1EaB2F8oU7FvtdOB-Q6idEzy9zwH5H/s400/IMG_5350.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7tC48OrhraReCI-fqyHSOj5VHhyPCRi6xAsE7mCqRBMokHr4lX2e6r4qa0s-jonItHeb_ngmLABNYewoxPzFIh955UcPlJ_6hz5G8g-qLnM2yN-Y0jQifQ03Pb83Hob_v3o4DTHhM9Qe/s1600/DSC05000.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7tC48OrhraReCI-fqyHSOj5VHhyPCRi6xAsE7mCqRBMokHr4lX2e6r4qa0s-jonItHeb_ngmLABNYewoxPzFIh955UcPlJ_6hz5G8g-qLnM2yN-Y0jQifQ03Pb83Hob_v3o4DTHhM9Qe/s400/DSC05000.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up close for one of the first really good views of a mountain waterfall cascading into the fjord.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmf-mERguTWVZPnCymkJQSlocwNA2hKFmy1DvecxzYN8e-SFJupA0pBfxD6fpfOPP3WJqVzTABY6EcGwOkcBJh7eNG0o6ulkZRo_449KN_6yPIMgKOaWg1B9KS3uHGJtC7nyAa0I2HF7TT/s1600/DSC05001.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmf-mERguTWVZPnCymkJQSlocwNA2hKFmy1DvecxzYN8e-SFJupA0pBfxD6fpfOPP3WJqVzTABY6EcGwOkcBJh7eNG0o6ulkZRo_449KN_6yPIMgKOaWg1B9KS3uHGJtC7nyAa0I2HF7TT/s400/DSC05001.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduoMWNHf7hzIFKVbtYkpQWV-hn3rnlDuPp3Puz6tdXyR4SHTBnE71KMMkQOjdj4ZdaDPTgm2la5EWgcQ9i5TtMbH4-S2If7ArfW1yW_tVbsdOULjj4Lpjbs0qs7cSOonQl24cD3RMpuOh/s1600/IMG_5365.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduoMWNHf7hzIFKVbtYkpQWV-hn3rnlDuPp3Puz6tdXyR4SHTBnE71KMMkQOjdj4ZdaDPTgm2la5EWgcQ9i5TtMbH4-S2If7ArfW1yW_tVbsdOULjj4Lpjbs0qs7cSOonQl24cD3RMpuOh/s400/IMG_5365.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We passed by this little summer skiing town on the fjord.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw4hQS78uau9byZl1QOxdjq2oS1SJymT1G70spbyQ0AWJttxpf9PBYyz7_egRkRtdA_z-wHJSuExRM7vnS85oCpG4eKXtC2StM1FxHsFbF5XirNz2fQYacsmrsP0W3dsbWfqTcnR_gT4v/s1600/IMG_5366.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw4hQS78uau9byZl1QOxdjq2oS1SJymT1G70spbyQ0AWJttxpf9PBYyz7_egRkRtdA_z-wHJSuExRM7vnS85oCpG4eKXtC2StM1FxHsFbF5XirNz2fQYacsmrsP0W3dsbWfqTcnR_gT4v/s400/IMG_5366.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would enjoy staying at this hotel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>The rest of these pictures are more gorgeous photos of waterfalls and happy us. They don't need much explanation. When I talked to my mom on the phone (free -- thanks to Skype on Kip's I phone!) I told her it was the most physical beauty I had ever seen in one day. But that was before the bike ride from Flåm to Myrdal.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJIC3u6mdxQhKrK0c6dyQ0OELenq3m5qJ34xjyAhRUO8Q91w4Mb_yWjvb-HLAN0x-M_x3ptkBAuJEAED4himrA6SG5zicfJ2gaL4Uj7P759iY2_LO5PD4xRoaq-FG-wvcdSz4fiX6vIQl/s1600/IMG_5385.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJIC3u6mdxQhKrK0c6dyQ0OELenq3m5qJ34xjyAhRUO8Q91w4Mb_yWjvb-HLAN0x-M_x3ptkBAuJEAED4himrA6SG5zicfJ2gaL4Uj7P759iY2_LO5PD4xRoaq-FG-wvcdSz4fiX6vIQl/s400/IMG_5385.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo4an-jLqy2kPiNIwJnpQxftgaz4Uje-NpivP98JynUN2KAedRxcb5LmuskGLxunaMq6zCc3XujCNJon1DuQm9S-KUxyY4bpW-ysDO9p8jAaXAi-73BBuH09swiTKqJXrZK300UA2lAGL/s1600/IMG_5389.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo4an-jLqy2kPiNIwJnpQxftgaz4Uje-NpivP98JynUN2KAedRxcb5LmuskGLxunaMq6zCc3XujCNJon1DuQm9S-KUxyY4bpW-ysDO9p8jAaXAi-73BBuH09swiTKqJXrZK300UA2lAGL/s400/IMG_5389.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo_8I_D-bL6TeL96jzIUkRYmZ0NhCAdwTRBbwnO3NhZwWWR5YGGRxUhP_0zr0Cn15sOGSt7s_3rw5IY1O9iuxm4UJ3QLImy0E409xhDV_9YYf6N-SIxLBNS1OdK2vMuhPzkcks_HEkJOC/s1600/IMG_5401.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo_8I_D-bL6TeL96jzIUkRYmZ0NhCAdwTRBbwnO3NhZwWWR5YGGRxUhP_0zr0Cn15sOGSt7s_3rw5IY1O9iuxm4UJ3QLImy0E409xhDV_9YYf6N-SIxLBNS1OdK2vMuhPzkcks_HEkJOC/s400/IMG_5401.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysV837q4QB4YXZOCRDdT6jeJoBwPFzQqtKlHa_HL6UtZmNT5gPxKnxbf9IDBA9FH8tpf-iWyTJXXkFnZTbwE3IKOFAC1qkCJFz0YY3XaLz_dTUQsc73IeRbluzSVNYt0Z6dSIAw-p70QC/s1600/IMG_5408.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysV837q4QB4YXZOCRDdT6jeJoBwPFzQqtKlHa_HL6UtZmNT5gPxKnxbf9IDBA9FH8tpf-iWyTJXXkFnZTbwE3IKOFAC1qkCJFz0YY3XaLz_dTUQsc73IeRbluzSVNYt0Z6dSIAw-p70QC/s400/IMG_5408.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvUq6a05y_mAlzAAZBBXR6H3L_vNe4dg7PYqJQynMHeSS4uCiej_NndBZ7C3C6RFM9tDC8J7AXk1CNyHtiQiY_bojcZuCxHNHkhrkFcJG8ZTrMVhv-eotFTGk2B7OUo46JBO8lUtIInd_/s1600/IMG_5409.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvUq6a05y_mAlzAAZBBXR6H3L_vNe4dg7PYqJQynMHeSS4uCiej_NndBZ7C3C6RFM9tDC8J7AXk1CNyHtiQiY_bojcZuCxHNHkhrkFcJG8ZTrMVhv-eotFTGk2B7OUo46JBO8lUtIInd_/s400/IMG_5409.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzbtB8VfVL0KhXvqzx4OjpBgcgKwWZcgLfAc6Sb4gpS48PJVYX2hVHvZQPzZ7g414H-DdLP9fQru2lxx6ZWVT_jq6OvKN1LjCiykC1uGynePTWFC5jY5vWwP9R1LE5IqQGnKgwgNRSq-M/s1600/IMG_5410.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzbtB8VfVL0KhXvqzx4OjpBgcgKwWZcgLfAc6Sb4gpS48PJVYX2hVHvZQPzZ7g414H-DdLP9fQru2lxx6ZWVT_jq6OvKN1LjCiykC1uGynePTWFC5jY5vWwP9R1LE5IqQGnKgwgNRSq-M/s400/IMG_5410.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN93xIL_1IJHjkFaZeWnsrvTqZBcX8-6WFfYg_ctUjOZmy90p7bX5tOp5p15FEOH2v6tSu1I4KVTjcVoxonGGjpOPnWbVQojgco_68l2IF7mprSZpMHkzPXUZgMHCBNPSOj3oTSvQPF4M/s1600/IMG_5413.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN93xIL_1IJHjkFaZeWnsrvTqZBcX8-6WFfYg_ctUjOZmy90p7bX5tOp5p15FEOH2v6tSu1I4KVTjcVoxonGGjpOPnWbVQojgco_68l2IF7mprSZpMHkzPXUZgMHCBNPSOj3oTSvQPF4M/s400/IMG_5413.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-64097292220390807422011-06-22T19:12:00.000-07:002011-06-22T19:14:38.973-07:00Bergen: Running Mt . Floyen<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hTby6ZkzdPo4bgBJfQ8i4Yd7amERqLIzoRpautdgjPK7umC_K0GYSUFo1F926q-YrxulBV5CL2isuSQ9MmGpU65eBM9LavZ2QsylZubfC7O6tpd-PAWEwpjN2us85uJskUBIPq2WjvFu/s1600/DSC04844.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hTby6ZkzdPo4bgBJfQ8i4Yd7amERqLIzoRpautdgjPK7umC_K0GYSUFo1F926q-YrxulBV5CL2isuSQ9MmGpU65eBM9LavZ2QsylZubfC7O6tpd-PAWEwpjN2us85uJskUBIPq2WjvFu/s400/DSC04844.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning the run by climbing stairs, short cuts between the city's parallel, ascending neighborhood streets.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>I mentioned in an earlier post that after the first day of rain and gloom and Kip attending his conference, I decided I needed to get out. And up.<br />
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I grabbed my running shoes, the warmest running clothes I could find and headed out the door, through the maze of switchback streets, out of the town and into the park above Bergen.<br />
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It was exhausting and exhilarating. When I told Kip about it, he decided he needed to experience it too, so we ran the same route the next two days. The sun came up early, around 4 a.m., every morning, so it was no problem for us to be up and out long before Kip needed to be at his conference.<br />
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The first day that we ran I took the camera. I knew it would slow us down, but the sights were too amazing not to stop and enjoy. And for blogging sake, I am glad I did.<br />
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Bergen is surrounded by seven mountain peeks, and Floyen (about 1,000 elevation) rises straight up out of the city. A tram carts visitors up the mountain everyday for it’s famous view of the city, the fjords below and the infamous cruise ships coming into port. We road the tram on the only really clear day earlier in the week, but everyday we ran it was overcast by the time we got to the top.<br />
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On the way down the mountain we were drawn off road to admire the natural hanging gardens, the cascading water filtering down the mountain at every turn and the lush greenery everywhere.<br />
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It was cold and wet, but a great way to start the day. Every runner should have a mountain like that in her backyard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ_0tdiyhc3CumGzPkVearanOdDKUvmPeK2OPzrgf3ph0XSQd7WF1gIFMcrGMvDPcjmjhYz7kgiEfkHI_DzVoAWiWhV_JcZDyhC56nBnLhZ4zIgth92VhEt7_hxRuPOM31W5z9SrRWM94/s1600/DSC04852.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ_0tdiyhc3CumGzPkVearanOdDKUvmPeK2OPzrgf3ph0XSQd7WF1gIFMcrGMvDPcjmjhYz7kgiEfkHI_DzVoAWiWhV_JcZDyhC56nBnLhZ4zIgth92VhEt7_hxRuPOM31W5z9SrRWM94/s400/DSC04852.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first view, after just climbing a couple of streets above our guesthouse.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6I5rcYqPqlXiNEWi4QvrzidasmftcaxYMxuZ8WPTLavSmgXDDA1gf5i5dIP_mTgVpKwd5VrTxyuIF5OGN6W-Y1XkjGtxHpcUR2hZAB3zMaPjhkcc3ZlTGlpAmIqUya0HRewLAIrf76ay/s1600/DSC04855.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6I5rcYqPqlXiNEWi4QvrzidasmftcaxYMxuZ8WPTLavSmgXDDA1gf5i5dIP_mTgVpKwd5VrTxyuIF5OGN6W-Y1XkjGtxHpcUR2hZAB3zMaPjhkcc3ZlTGlpAmIqUya0HRewLAIrf76ay/s400/DSC04855.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The floyen funicular track -- it takes the mountain in five minutes. It took us more like a half an hour.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn37laKtn8kB6LqvnH8cn4Jc9-dBBhIGQKnp2R260pq2wQcCqKCNWZIE5QfmON_hX9N-9v5PcgUSg-3JyApTN3-jrgz12X3lzdF7rKCR8pe0Mxokqyfsd-aqbsHsTRmkK3Ol2rVGwWf6Td/s1600/DSC04857.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn37laKtn8kB6LqvnH8cn4Jc9-dBBhIGQKnp2R260pq2wQcCqKCNWZIE5QfmON_hX9N-9v5PcgUSg-3JyApTN3-jrgz12X3lzdF7rKCR8pe0Mxokqyfsd-aqbsHsTRmkK3Ol2rVGwWf6Td/s400/DSC04857.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water runoff cascading down the mountain. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRBYAJe108ovwF_Y1hIh9JqbjTXRlYB4jzmGGoYG9Af7Sv8UBtEqa2dM4VSn7F6fpa4TDrEXsX8QS9Qrc66zXFl_YW8s5OKAywgr-2gB43PL-KIaBXmIbCDjCqdeCE4gZqP8pnXS5ScPv/s1600/DSC04861.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRBYAJe108ovwF_Y1hIh9JqbjTXRlYB4jzmGGoYG9Af7Sv8UBtEqa2dM4VSn7F6fpa4TDrEXsX8QS9Qrc66zXFl_YW8s5OKAywgr-2gB43PL-KIaBXmIbCDjCqdeCE4gZqP8pnXS5ScPv/s400/DSC04861.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After we made it through the Bergen neighborhoods we ran up this steep road with switchbacks until we made it to the top.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XpIQieCvQyJBlN1J0FKJfv9KfV4MU2WDPYNKPiRnuJ6OsGUcL9npoB4vvzB0Le5DT43Y45sPBiXocc4LGec5ccWzrtL8z-Cg1XslbtGFPK0gZfOlnUU69nRuKIJp3sAWj0JpswNXw-NP/s1600/DSC04865.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XpIQieCvQyJBlN1J0FKJfv9KfV4MU2WDPYNKPiRnuJ6OsGUcL9npoB4vvzB0Le5DT43Y45sPBiXocc4LGec5ccWzrtL8z-Cg1XslbtGFPK0gZfOlnUU69nRuKIJp3sAWj0JpswNXw-NP/s400/DSC04865.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cloudy view from the top.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAgbf3Et55yhNpe2Vni_r_lHH0JLJPTlOyfQOLidX2UVpR6anSEw4FlvqBD8NUXkUEvfEeDdd090mR1DwBN0guebi_o-YKr8I2Rnd1c9n_RsqWlLJY-FJWeWrIiGuYybW3BaGPebIZrs5/s1600/DSC04868.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAgbf3Et55yhNpe2Vni_r_lHH0JLJPTlOyfQOLidX2UVpR6anSEw4FlvqBD8NUXkUEvfEeDdd090mR1DwBN0guebi_o-YKr8I2Rnd1c9n_RsqWlLJY-FJWeWrIiGuYybW3BaGPebIZrs5/s400/DSC04868.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm feeling like a champion, and look, I am still a little double jointed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45SbaC-chYC3oHgINC569zgzGABa3gxcytdavwrDSkOUQiom7Pl_WJJG8nndA9eHMymDpfulg7jgmTlXqZnq3CiGFmqZmAbv8KEZ956-ayVUjlOfMlrA4eDnrRpdiThIxSe8yX2L6OHvi/s1600/DSC04872.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45SbaC-chYC3oHgINC569zgzGABa3gxcytdavwrDSkOUQiom7Pl_WJJG8nndA9eHMymDpfulg7jgmTlXqZnq3CiGFmqZmAbv8KEZ956-ayVUjlOfMlrA4eDnrRpdiThIxSe8yX2L6OHvi/s400/DSC04872.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More spontaneous waterfalls, rain runoff really.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-a5ytFdZyjH9n17y5cu0_FIpWPGfQZQdb0gGEjFMXrgUkhAGwU3kNZjQOMOvtcGZ_rGMO8k_me_lmAF-4fMXME2CAZc8QpvfVXwkRQVd-I3xaf1vbIQMakfmX0xJH5naozT0FlvCmLTHy/s1600/DSC04878.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-a5ytFdZyjH9n17y5cu0_FIpWPGfQZQdb0gGEjFMXrgUkhAGwU3kNZjQOMOvtcGZ_rGMO8k_me_lmAF-4fMXME2CAZc8QpvfVXwkRQVd-I3xaf1vbIQMakfmX0xJH5naozT0FlvCmLTHy/s400/DSC04878.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going dangerously off path just because ....</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVyXpTCbSWskZncWTkl1pQQT9ndrMuFGuu_SqEwHpQVRWUS40FFXBj2NaGNMhrqn-S5EsK8Jh3dj6Ir0wzxnJWL0kcWpPy2DzQZm8ue9mw74EEGLBUsyATSe8QTiRI0k0s6bejqw98wtr/s1600/DSC04881.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVyXpTCbSWskZncWTkl1pQQT9ndrMuFGuu_SqEwHpQVRWUS40FFXBj2NaGNMhrqn-S5EsK8Jh3dj6Ir0wzxnJWL0kcWpPy2DzQZm8ue9mw74EEGLBUsyATSe8QTiRI0k0s6bejqw98wtr/s400/DSC04881.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8XBTUI-asajfUyY4OEo9-bEVEbhhqRo_vzhSPaKfRuaH58eQ9VLK5pQRzUMgXDZApX5dXZ7XWLSTrpEP16sUqecMA8FbGR5x5jLDv0Ue-hh8Bpo-YHvzK7oi1afTyXtVPQKKqFi4cZwh/s1600/DSC04882.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8XBTUI-asajfUyY4OEo9-bEVEbhhqRo_vzhSPaKfRuaH58eQ9VLK5pQRzUMgXDZApX5dXZ7XWLSTrpEP16sUqecMA8FbGR5x5jLDv0Ue-hh8Bpo-YHvzK7oi1afTyXtVPQKKqFi4cZwh/s400/DSC04882.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu4fhwZHaWc9DvGO90vlaENjxKZTP40NySllLxKaONA28Ey2eg19hSDh7O2K9oZ433CZ9072ssw_uUH8yGUHGBNOhWbGNFriokctce7ORVriBeuopJDNWoIDRdz7Zxf490wXeDiU3sMZj/s1600/DSC04892.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu4fhwZHaWc9DvGO90vlaENjxKZTP40NySllLxKaONA28Ey2eg19hSDh7O2K9oZ433CZ9072ssw_uUH8yGUHGBNOhWbGNFriokctce7ORVriBeuopJDNWoIDRdz7Zxf490wXeDiU3sMZj/s400/DSC04892.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of cool morning creatures to avoid on the road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlH-vY647Kt8UAOoa5PufpAeTsVX8Cp5oWgE7rMY8j-eni5jl_teca5lExLNmrya3cxFII35pC2HorL_n9VqtH8WAQSBFTSKV_UgN4_gH8-kMNgSgF47XHqEZdm-99c06XxUsah0vTJ85/s1600/DSC04907.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlH-vY647Kt8UAOoa5PufpAeTsVX8Cp5oWgE7rMY8j-eni5jl_teca5lExLNmrya3cxFII35pC2HorL_n9VqtH8WAQSBFTSKV_UgN4_gH8-kMNgSgF47XHqEZdm-99c06XxUsah0vTJ85/s400/DSC04907.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we descended into the Bergen neighborhoods again we saw the steep switchbacks. It's a mystery to me how people drive these. Of course most people seemed to walk to work.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlxAV11c4iNh443hRyRSXRyvA4jZxyeXF-6GApQ3fZXRiSiIcvdv3D4t5DMXeJs4HxMDO7UGZ7P9vnRV0SHQx6YRtTWrUFX0o1rwE5IhWJ9tpIPhsZbK4D8p8y17TjtEV3Ub4iZPFiu_n/s1600/DSC04912.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlxAV11c4iNh443hRyRSXRyvA4jZxyeXF-6GApQ3fZXRiSiIcvdv3D4t5DMXeJs4HxMDO7UGZ7P9vnRV0SHQx6YRtTWrUFX0o1rwE5IhWJ9tpIPhsZbK4D8p8y17TjtEV3Ub4iZPFiu_n/s400/DSC04912.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost "home" back to the guesthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-55612058449955591012011-06-21T12:43:00.000-07:002011-06-21T12:43:45.493-07:00Back in LA: Catching up on the Sweet Simplicities of SummerWe are back in LA, and there is still so much to blog about from our trips, but I'm hoping to catch up over the next few days.<br />
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I'm giving the kids a "real" break from school work, meaning I'm not asking them to do any classes, assignments, worksheets or lessons. But since most of our "school" is life learning anyhow, I'm assuming we will have a rich unschooling kind of summer.<br />
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So far our 9-year-old son has spent alot of time playing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-00009-97-Monopoly/dp/B00000IWCT?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Monopoly</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000IWCT" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> with his stuffed animals and with us. Last night we finished the first game ever. I remember playing Monopoly alot with my sister when I was about that age. The game would go on forever and never finish. I always thought that was a tragedy, but actually playing out an entire game last night made me realize a truth about Monopoly, and maybe Capitalism in general: it's just not fun to play it all the way out. The richer the rich get and the poorer the poor get, the less fun it is for everyone. Even the rich guy felt bad cleaning everyone out.<br />
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We had a nice little discussion about socialism and capitalism. Our daughter suggested we play "Socialism" instead, but we all decided that would get really boring, really fast. It made me think of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TaliCor-4101221-The-Ungame/dp/B000QX9Y9O?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ungame</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QX9Y9O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thinki040-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000QX9Y9O&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>. Is that still around? I guess so, since I just found an Amazon link. LOL. The cover looked different in the 70s and 80s when our family played it.<br />
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I'm planning to take the kids to the beach every week this summer with our homeschooling group. Our son may go to a Cub Scout day camp or a Vacation Bible School. And our daughter wants to go to camp with a friend's church youth group. But we really don't have alot planned for the next couple of months, and I am really kind of happy about that. <br />
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Simplicity is good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-57648022028853805582011-06-10T18:39:00.000-07:002011-06-10T18:42:42.445-07:00Bergen: When the Sun Shines<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Apparently the daily occurrence of rain in Bergen is a national joke. Kind of like, "Ha, of course it's sunny in California! What did you expect?" So to anyone considering a vacation in Norway, if your itinerary includes Bergen, buy a raincoat and some sweet rain boots.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The lowlight of our Bergen stay for me was slipping on slick slate and tumbling down half a flight of stairs. It was pretty much my own fault. I was trying to dress up a little for an expensive, formal dinner that Kip had to go to for the conference. I didn't want to wear my running shoes, so I wore the dangerous black high healed boots. They were bad enough on wet cobblestone streets, but completely stupid on the slick slate staircases. I fell pretty hard on my shins and knees, but fortunately survived with minor bruises and smudged mascara.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Moral of the story: invest in cute rain boots.</div>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH4lCzCLvTDLlzrvZ2Z2PCZve1DjpTXJPkdTf99ELL6ccP_IFQirORlSf7a3-ImS33XG6xmAMFA8_WERUrGhSLOkp1un2kWb8EzkmiZU28Bw3lBGPpgYwtts-Eog9lPv1hWChznowJgHy/s1600/DSC04839.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH4lCzCLvTDLlzrvZ2Z2PCZve1DjpTXJPkdTf99ELL6ccP_IFQirORlSf7a3-ImS33XG6xmAMFA8_WERUrGhSLOkp1un2kWb8EzkmiZU28Bw3lBGPpgYwtts-Eog9lPv1hWChznowJgHy/s320/DSC04839.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware!</td></tr>
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But it didn't rain the entire week. The last afternoon we were there the sun shone, summer dresses came out and Bergeners partied late into the summer evening. We went to Kafe Kippers, a restaurant recommended in our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Norway-Country-Travel/dp/1741793300?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">travel guide</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741793300" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and made irresistible by it's name. We enjoyed the long sunset with a crowd of mostly locals.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">I told Kip that Bergen seems like a bad high school relationship. When it pours with freezing rain, you kind of hate it. And then the sun comes out and it seems like the cutest little city on earth, and you forget about the rain.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOndXyVPPIUWIpCdBW9XBinV-TUmFfnF0YYDjgtdujNyZSfha0_g6TN9VJSlBlDPpssB1XFau7jSsATq-2umhyphenhyphen6ur75oT5C5mmQDoRYdVOdsi7vpAoXXFK7nAf0OXbvHneHzc1uKl_Z9P/s1600/DSC04933.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOndXyVPPIUWIpCdBW9XBinV-TUmFfnF0YYDjgtdujNyZSfha0_g6TN9VJSlBlDPpssB1XFau7jSsATq-2umhyphenhyphen6ur75oT5C5mmQDoRYdVOdsi7vpAoXXFK7nAf0OXbvHneHzc1uKl_Z9P/s400/DSC04933.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big, beautiful sailboat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpyRBnEJHBPBShGg_sDwwJX8RkXgr3INGaE4JTg6fgZwKGBnHpj31nbBiFeILTPDUPH0TNJVAy0nq_aTkZD8wItJV0qQdWfgHFoId92ZfCIWWs5_C6uXaNSvmZOamMZxmJGg9HHNa2gxa/s1600/DSC04934.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpyRBnEJHBPBShGg_sDwwJX8RkXgr3INGaE4JTg6fgZwKGBnHpj31nbBiFeILTPDUPH0TNJVAy0nq_aTkZD8wItJV0qQdWfgHFoId92ZfCIWWs5_C6uXaNSvmZOamMZxmJGg9HHNa2gxa/s320/DSC04934.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We missed the last sail of the day. It was our theme that afternoon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnE1Xd3jq3Du9B0WnA8aIjRWfgu6CSq-tkLg5GvpK8V0pVH-8L2FRYKQhJH1cD1tcDrNshDjybvz6uJSG9o3Tk8Z0YQc8yoevFrP7QhIioBrdNHaIJVCFHkpAC_3jwnCVlcgMXyjDSrnq-/s1600/DSC04941.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnE1Xd3jq3Du9B0WnA8aIjRWfgu6CSq-tkLg5GvpK8V0pVH-8L2FRYKQhJH1cD1tcDrNshDjybvz6uJSG9o3Tk8Z0YQc8yoevFrP7QhIioBrdNHaIJVCFHkpAC_3jwnCVlcgMXyjDSrnq-/s400/DSC04941.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosenkrantz Tower. 800 years old. Very cool for a homeschooling mom to see. But we missed the last tour of the day.</td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpfs0M35dRklgeTBWcY2pCUPRTEqbFVkY5NAGSbXQKbl6kYYEHCcahVd2c3XChxLhNz8PtA1iS39dqm-vZG09t2JfwiWR6iZ6cmCxCh3C-YbMpD0TzTaPCcQVHXAxL9uwgqWCqqhVzWKU/s1600/DSC04943.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpfs0M35dRklgeTBWcY2pCUPRTEqbFVkY5NAGSbXQKbl6kYYEHCcahVd2c3XChxLhNz8PtA1iS39dqm-vZG09t2JfwiWR6iZ6cmCxCh3C-YbMpD0TzTaPCcQVHXAxL9uwgqWCqqhVzWKU/s320/DSC04943.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzeX1LBKSjocRAMdW-CLQ6GcLP1NBkKgHFCjOv3UzxWqWXGqDdcE1KKj0o5MfnlbyWUBpPuz6hU7vXewWO45c1HtM-S7NHNmM-qxvycjvS-Y8O-MGraGWSjHdKfOiOYx3t3H0J1FENaEF/s1600/DSC04951.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzeX1LBKSjocRAMdW-CLQ6GcLP1NBkKgHFCjOv3UzxWqWXGqDdcE1KKj0o5MfnlbyWUBpPuz6hU7vXewWO45c1HtM-S7NHNmM-qxvycjvS-Y8O-MGraGWSjHdKfOiOYx3t3H0J1FENaEF/s400/DSC04951.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See me in the gate?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHohB8c3OkO3lA8KmSyASH8XBS07JZEkrp6NmewipdTE51G4M4Aqd0Ayzo64PXEI_w6zKbzEJYP16luuVsGsfeX5SYnacs-s5pNailgYMwhnp6ggyzDpJFmE4WEIz3chh8MtrQod5UDAg/s1600/DSC04956.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHohB8c3OkO3lA8KmSyASH8XBS07JZEkrp6NmewipdTE51G4M4Aqd0Ayzo64PXEI_w6zKbzEJYP16luuVsGsfeX5SYnacs-s5pNailgYMwhnp6ggyzDpJFmE4WEIz3chh8MtrQod5UDAg/s400/DSC04956.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryggen in it's postcard perfection. Glad we got to see it like this at least once during the week.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorK6SdKL1A06UPoNqzXkqFYYmMfR_SyxdeK77afqqvjHHxfNv7ciKKsMHvyC8IOIk1AtRbeN7qRCaea8Ni5ttPDY5zAg_KBhkjj3nSu12anWRDAwRLYgZlAot4Awqv4ymzKni_4RpIA5y/s1600/DSC04955.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorK6SdKL1A06UPoNqzXkqFYYmMfR_SyxdeK77afqqvjHHxfNv7ciKKsMHvyC8IOIk1AtRbeN7qRCaea8Ni5ttPDY5zAg_KBhkjj3nSu12anWRDAwRLYgZlAot4Awqv4ymzKni_4RpIA5y/s400/DSC04955.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the primary image of Bergen. Cool, but kind of touristy. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpE1LREE452IaruvQ6N_BQm49Mc7D26OsgHIwkHeeqYIKIyAaVw_EusSDUYjjsdIhFzACrvwkdSwvoUCf96vzn9qnSkPO-ZLJlcxbDcq-6DqAXpyc5sUO6kusFUao8KXy_eg4ByHX7xTdT/s1600/DSC04963.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpE1LREE452IaruvQ6N_BQm49Mc7D26OsgHIwkHeeqYIKIyAaVw_EusSDUYjjsdIhFzACrvwkdSwvoUCf96vzn9qnSkPO-ZLJlcxbDcq-6DqAXpyc5sUO6kusFUao8KXy_eg4ByHX7xTdT/s400/DSC04963.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy muscles. Food looks good too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvpCo2iYCLg41dBPx4dIIDTPLCTbqdsLphmsZLHjJ1Acwz5ByqNqJRGI1DCH8vXCW_JITSx2tNSXzfv8nG8x9NV81LiBF0diW3yEFPg8q5YwP_GnPa_WeTeic1ydLVlh73rKLZGY0os-P/s1600/DSC04965.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvpCo2iYCLg41dBPx4dIIDTPLCTbqdsLphmsZLHjJ1Acwz5ByqNqJRGI1DCH8vXCW_JITSx2tNSXzfv8nG8x9NV81LiBF0diW3yEFPg8q5YwP_GnPa_WeTeic1ydLVlh73rKLZGY0os-P/s400/DSC04965.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That late evening sun is strong! The sun deck and bar at Kafe Kippers was hopping at 10 p.m.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj1UcGEBHTNRjukL9zHYFaCvU3by-ZeJeCo0AC6tN1Q7emSf5tz24Oje1kDBN2-y6aYh-jRaHYXaYWla1cUXIze0YvNS3wiwY9xSCH-NK2_X2YVJh6tzoLSW4JG9ENwCSW_DL8DEvELH1/s1600/DSC04966.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj1UcGEBHTNRjukL9zHYFaCvU3by-ZeJeCo0AC6tN1Q7emSf5tz24Oje1kDBN2-y6aYh-jRaHYXaYWla1cUXIze0YvNS3wiwY9xSCH-NK2_X2YVJh6tzoLSW4JG9ENwCSW_DL8DEvELH1/s400/DSC04966.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just another interesting neighborhood around Bergen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF7HeN-J2bbw41sKBVa7Y3oSirXAeYZzvt_deDyzOEkLkWQ62z99vtEx3T10zb1XIooGjXjVTGY_0CHCEk8ssT4CRDBQfg-QzUTBPLJVqIs-HjvPmPissi2F5wSluCPD7hhF6T9p6RCKP/s1600/DSC04972.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF7HeN-J2bbw41sKBVa7Y3oSirXAeYZzvt_deDyzOEkLkWQ62z99vtEx3T10zb1XIooGjXjVTGY_0CHCEk8ssT4CRDBQfg-QzUTBPLJVqIs-HjvPmPissi2F5wSluCPD7hhF6T9p6RCKP/s400/DSC04972.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture while we were walking home, around midnight. People were still up, having dinner, enjoying the midsummer. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVwDinNNOAVTFItPjt8Y_c09VbxFOsbin3gPcA4jq2Yj97sioK0eq4Zs82PCvcprVQ7cEpuEvvbu1gtnogA65_sN0Mvn0E42VRE3D7QpunyaohfffzhO5SINsLP3N9Jg2Eu6TULIArHep/s1600/IMG_5188.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVwDinNNOAVTFItPjt8Y_c09VbxFOsbin3gPcA4jq2Yj97sioK0eq4Zs82PCvcprVQ7cEpuEvvbu1gtnogA65_sN0Mvn0E42VRE3D7QpunyaohfffzhO5SINsLP3N9Jg2Eu6TULIArHep/s400/IMG_5188.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip found yet another kitty to pet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvjHyA-LYMIzCaTR0-_ZPExKRnbcS0hn0myXcm4FhKCWa8v89FcY1WD8MnmQvXLfFqxUzrIlYf_graCnKlilLFLxPrDfR0_yiBDVr6dZPg6Z3ROtbzl1zLmLaqojf7PO2bKGY3ZBFif9W/s1600/IMG_5193.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvjHyA-LYMIzCaTR0-_ZPExKRnbcS0hn0myXcm4FhKCWa8v89FcY1WD8MnmQvXLfFqxUzrIlYf_graCnKlilLFLxPrDfR0_yiBDVr6dZPg6Z3ROtbzl1zLmLaqojf7PO2bKGY3ZBFif9W/s320/IMG_5193.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This might actually have been from our first walk on the first day. I love all the colors. We saw more shades of rhododendron than ever before. It is the state flower in West Virginia, but I have never seen more than a couple variations there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Mtw0RahaWUUUKAIHFdLwjbtjPBCCJkG10uHhznSXjakuGnbZuqJtxbYiIFzdnfCrGvu15XFln3RZeSkX62T_IkmURbQK-_Dd7NPxVtde05qKHM2rj5dpBgaIuni9bKnpMYqhsMddvSb/s1600/IMG_5191.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Mtw0RahaWUUUKAIHFdLwjbtjPBCCJkG10uHhznSXjakuGnbZuqJtxbYiIFzdnfCrGvu15XFln3RZeSkX62T_IkmURbQK-_Dd7NPxVtde05qKHM2rj5dpBgaIuni9bKnpMYqhsMddvSb/s320/IMG_5191.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple rhododendron</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-59111132046334581102011-06-10T13:54:00.000-07:002011-06-10T13:54:15.436-07:00Bergen: Rain, Rain, Go Away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KILS1an6BQn4vQrtmSVXeqQmpVtdKxO-ykdj0DKhLiT0u4vuUOIM6HcPhNMe3gv8x3laIlt8eFYlQjJTJbW0jvSM98ksRjKUoNjHu3VrBX5770XQ3rOdvvYarHAFYmZXgRFB4Q1mT8WY/s1600/DSC04917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KILS1an6BQn4vQrtmSVXeqQmpVtdKxO-ykdj0DKhLiT0u4vuUOIM6HcPhNMe3gv8x3laIlt8eFYlQjJTJbW0jvSM98ksRjKUoNjHu3VrBX5770XQ3rOdvvYarHAFYmZXgRFB4Q1mT8WY/s640/DSC04917.JPG" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The next few days are a blur of rainy and sleepy. We got up every day before 6 a.m., an unheard of state-side event for us. And we went to bed after midnight. Consequently I was hit with an overwhelming desire to nap every afternoon and I felt completely justified by the relentless cold drizzle.<br />
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I had only packed two pairs of jeans and two sweaters, so I was frustrated by my wardrobe, especially the fact that the only close-toed shoes I had were my running sneakers and some dangerous high heeled boots.<br />
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Frustration turned to rainy day blues and by the second morning when Kip left for his work conference I laced up and <i>ran up</i>, nearly 1,000 feet through Bergen neighborhoods to a Floyan mountain trail with steep switchbacks. <br />
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As I ran up in my running shorts, the only running pants I own, the weather changed into a cold, whipping wind. Once I got to the top I enjoyed the cloudy grey view of Bergen below and turned around. I ran back home faster than I have ever descended a hill, hit the shower and went back to my napping.<br />
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But to be fair there were some highlights those first few days.<br />
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The first day that Kip and I were there we explored the city and found the fish market. We sampled everything the fishermen were offering, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel. Everything was expensive, but Kip discovered that because the mackerel was in abundance and less interesting to tourist, it was also a relative bargain. We picked up several pieces for a fraction of what we paid at the restaurant the first night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDXafiXt0tr_BnCSU7CsRogmBlXYlaDJcBioz8OauSP5-W61-eN4RhTDl7douPRoQAy6tnZ753jBm78UbRUo5AHL7b1uiZiu4E3y_cS-AsqIbdZ5nomLIqFZV_Lb3Bp37PL_WvEqsfDhd/s1600/IMG_5201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDXafiXt0tr_BnCSU7CsRogmBlXYlaDJcBioz8OauSP5-W61-eN4RhTDl7douPRoQAy6tnZ753jBm78UbRUo5AHL7b1uiZiu4E3y_cS-AsqIbdZ5nomLIqFZV_Lb3Bp37PL_WvEqsfDhd/s400/IMG_5201.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip and the fish market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWfIAsRwjZTsWnA4EDeWQynsXeliytDao-sG_Eb-AKqB3PJiZBd3GeDqvH90aycrlF04T_LOomhoVbkEQ6V0hKEoMh1-xrjnMzwFtLgaK4PxhdOyVSM7NNs9PZeLd3NTWwT_SWc0667-q/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWfIAsRwjZTsWnA4EDeWQynsXeliytDao-sG_Eb-AKqB3PJiZBd3GeDqvH90aycrlF04T_LOomhoVbkEQ6V0hKEoMh1-xrjnMzwFtLgaK4PxhdOyVSM7NNs9PZeLd3NTWwT_SWc0667-q/s400/IMG_5205.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kipper" snacks, smoked mackerel, crackers and Norwegian cheese.... yummy budget food</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The sun also broke that first afternoon and we rode Bergen’s famous <a href="http://www.floibanen.com/">Floyan Funicular</a> up the mountain. The top of the mountain is covered in beautiful hiking trails, so we enjoyed exploring that too. It was our first real glimpse into how extraordinarily beautiful this country is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeEAk9S0cK7nEFXBaJF_WVgIk5wL8zabYARZQ73_oTHsKUsCG0KJSYE4W4nuWGwIbWinH1OL3a2Z1Do-Luukd8N2Ic22tKI93Cpmw7v6e82cmzBxb1AlFrjvcwO02_laPZ7CNmSOK3Xc2/s1600/DSC04768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeEAk9S0cK7nEFXBaJF_WVgIk5wL8zabYARZQ73_oTHsKUsCG0KJSYE4W4nuWGwIbWinH1OL3a2Z1Do-Luukd8N2Ic22tKI93Cpmw7v6e82cmzBxb1AlFrjvcwO02_laPZ7CNmSOK3Xc2/s400/DSC04768.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Floibanen up Mount Floyen is an interesting piece of engineering. This steep little railway uses the counter balance of two cars to pull it up 320 meters in a few minutes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRJmQQ-7QrVcerGf_vJhyphenhyphen6C3cspk31zToFUHwfhqlCg2BZTisSK504lmbVvC-J2W0HjixMW7lvdCM-MatOBkuaw5OaOuJKkQINzo46ros-gGD_uX3IBjPysc_YnDfFvnPJhbEqovtqeQX/s1600/DSC04771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRJmQQ-7QrVcerGf_vJhyphenhyphen6C3cspk31zToFUHwfhqlCg2BZTisSK504lmbVvC-J2W0HjixMW7lvdCM-MatOBkuaw5OaOuJKkQINzo46ros-gGD_uX3IBjPysc_YnDfFvnPJhbEqovtqeQX/s400/DSC04771.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip loves trains and trams and everything like it. I love watching him love them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbzI65Gee-LSz52TPREGqLz_DQAwkiIHkOXlishdDEUvo6DleJIBoyBeHTPNhIBNCWPU2fNSs_Lc7Me29KylJL2RaEaar1F24HixHrLX4aJf6l5NU2A34sFLSh0uC5PF7YJ5Asd3oVw7P/s1600/IMG_5206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbzI65Gee-LSz52TPREGqLz_DQAwkiIHkOXlishdDEUvo6DleJIBoyBeHTPNhIBNCWPU2fNSs_Lc7Me29KylJL2RaEaar1F24HixHrLX4aJf6l5NU2A34sFLSh0uC5PF7YJ5Asd3oVw7P/s400/IMG_5206.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Bergen and it's fjord from the top</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNXG16B9J2QSbSlEXNVRkHBfBKhL0PcbI7r0D2XUf-6Iyw_AaNK5eVGmSQmoarBYHA3KdMc-l2QABEBdF-eVjaA_7NPHdD0jzNic8cdRvU1ajZQih24hsjA7Ws8-MhfekIeBq5dMioJJo/s1600/IMG_5209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNXG16B9J2QSbSlEXNVRkHBfBKhL0PcbI7r0D2XUf-6Iyw_AaNK5eVGmSQmoarBYHA3KdMc-l2QABEBdF-eVjaA_7NPHdD0jzNic8cdRvU1ajZQih24hsjA7Ws8-MhfekIeBq5dMioJJo/s400/IMG_5209.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kip and the fjord below</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHlYe1oKNAWN9v1-UCEtnpIMNNfflvTqVI4Y081g-vOzIw0nUfkJyrvfna7eNZ-GtM-4vFNkf5hKeHyciPoPtFFO0qnIYQktukSjrBKugy5zUiGsk6peyrT2fT8UV7YtQxF5O7jqYJTra/s1600/IMG_5214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHlYe1oKNAWN9v1-UCEtnpIMNNfflvTqVI4Y081g-vOzIw0nUfkJyrvfna7eNZ-GtM-4vFNkf5hKeHyciPoPtFFO0qnIYQktukSjrBKugy5zUiGsk6peyrT2fT8UV7YtQxF5O7jqYJTra/s400/IMG_5214.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down on Bergen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvCX1fXOhV59mCjz3gOCqzhFSMF7CpbVDcP13Zpoh9RbdbNVIP1_T7dpnqG-6kiL48-3SNbEpcUao_gpj807gUZY9Sx3pD48hyH4iQrDnrrzF0rafCjMGIaJ52rxtlGw76ey0TvDfFuwc/s1600/IMG_5219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvCX1fXOhV59mCjz3gOCqzhFSMF7CpbVDcP13Zpoh9RbdbNVIP1_T7dpnqG-6kiL48-3SNbEpcUao_gpj807gUZY9Sx3pD48hyH4iQrDnrrzF0rafCjMGIaJ52rxtlGw76ey0TvDfFuwc/s400/IMG_5219.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's finally clear in Bergen, but it is cold. I was so glad I had brought my winter jacket. It was an afterthought that I stuffed it into my suitcase. I am so glad I did.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9AezW5aPj6zaPDKEk_K_5WP_rw8AxCo1Pro4P4-pfNhFiaxLy1G0TEMnHcTT_46rGWhSVZp9McU-BmA9-BqAa_uOnZQp3x50p_EybdMXPMCE4cH3iuHsNPImaGVMJWbKe_6za5MOHEI0/s1600/IMG_5222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9AezW5aPj6zaPDKEk_K_5WP_rw8AxCo1Pro4P4-pfNhFiaxLy1G0TEMnHcTT_46rGWhSVZp9McU-BmA9-BqAa_uOnZQp3x50p_EybdMXPMCE4cH3iuHsNPImaGVMJWbKe_6za5MOHEI0/s320/IMG_5222.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The top of Mount Floyen is the trail head for several mountain hikes. We took a couple easy ones, but we saw serious backpackers heading into the woods with camping gear. In Norway it is legal to camp almost anywhere you want, as long as you leave things the way you found them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyo9kUqBYxiWRAZiAbi5l1sGEFDhruoFV2UFN2SzIz_pQrOkXY8vl7VPTnpWKIkOGodgUz_aR1NJ0JzazpLO24UitK02QHBA9uN-c7THyXMUwDU326DKWALv8nLLnV4qKA9NsdIUlPofA/s1600/IMG_5223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyo9kUqBYxiWRAZiAbi5l1sGEFDhruoFV2UFN2SzIz_pQrOkXY8vl7VPTnpWKIkOGodgUz_aR1NJ0JzazpLO24UitK02QHBA9uN-c7THyXMUwDU326DKWALv8nLLnV4qKA9NsdIUlPofA/s400/IMG_5223.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinking from a $5 water bottle. I reused it all week. Norway has some tasty tap water. I think some of our bottled water here in the US is just Norwegian tap water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dm9uS3mae3BFovmVT-drp1hYlRsUjOi-h7M7l9z9_StBRK3uHFLODNcK5KajvSW7B_vhtpUhlLVz0e3F3xQiNTvG8s6hiewno4V-yDbFfXzgN91AEHbRh_ZnogprUR02X-rJ2I9aqHoz/s1600/IMG_5228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dm9uS3mae3BFovmVT-drp1hYlRsUjOi-h7M7l9z9_StBRK3uHFLODNcK5KajvSW7B_vhtpUhlLVz0e3F3xQiNTvG8s6hiewno4V-yDbFfXzgN91AEHbRh_ZnogprUR02X-rJ2I9aqHoz/s400/IMG_5228.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I had been praying Psalm 23: Lead me beside still waters. When I saw this mountain top lake I smiled. Still indeed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkLK4WXH4vaxENVKmCsJBHsHTyxTWKIYcHpcHiby5TV1Xfknke5xifSeIYTC9W5Rktq3_Cr1KyXMkq8iPtNt8hrzQ5nH0L3FTLcDufPAcptlaBt1v2r9xIXiYShjlPlGsz2MvQ3XHjqYh/s1600/IMG_5230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkLK4WXH4vaxENVKmCsJBHsHTyxTWKIYcHpcHiby5TV1Xfknke5xifSeIYTC9W5Rktq3_Cr1KyXMkq8iPtNt8hrzQ5nH0L3FTLcDufPAcptlaBt1v2r9xIXiYShjlPlGsz2MvQ3XHjqYh/s320/IMG_5230.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a ceder lined port-o-potty. It's beautiful and smells like a hamster cage.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmL4rMzAFqLAiaD5FKyO1IFbPbFXveRIBF-cmrnDg2G8Jpz-nVkk5lO0jk9lE6uHdGVT09IDth99xc2hILIO4SgasfPNVU5PGOtHGmgP0h-mF4NFNxlBKC8YH8g05LSM0rEpZqXzsA0C0/s1600/IMG_5234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmL4rMzAFqLAiaD5FKyO1IFbPbFXveRIBF-cmrnDg2G8Jpz-nVkk5lO0jk9lE6uHdGVT09IDth99xc2hILIO4SgasfPNVU5PGOtHGmgP0h-mF4NFNxlBKC8YH8g05LSM0rEpZqXzsA0C0/s400/IMG_5234.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCgC1d7NKnVy5DT-3uaCWRw6u3yajkL9DfNAoKazP07ZwVj_DmmWGm9yvrymQY6NvSq6Xr9QR6z8k06snjycVqn_zIEGtTymeNbBrKAe6rVC4lc1ap-r9Xhl0HrFGPTL3P9sBSyohin9Y/s1600/IMG_5235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCgC1d7NKnVy5DT-3uaCWRw6u3yajkL9DfNAoKazP07ZwVj_DmmWGm9yvrymQY6NvSq6Xr9QR6z8k06snjycVqn_zIEGtTymeNbBrKAe6rVC4lc1ap-r9Xhl0HrFGPTL3P9sBSyohin9Y/s320/IMG_5235.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzxOtJq7rH-L5xuXzQ7WammXWNdZIb63jQ_encYASmbtVZopgFN7Nw5DlbK3SjyA5bcv3uWZQFao1VVKhZsrHusHh_ZB3SWTut1WvWFC1Tk2wZzOFnHXhNR5jA-obOMaSzqGUWx7liOlx/s1600/IMG_5243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzxOtJq7rH-L5xuXzQ7WammXWNdZIb63jQ_encYASmbtVZopgFN7Nw5DlbK3SjyA5bcv3uWZQFao1VVKhZsrHusHh_ZB3SWTut1WvWFC1Tk2wZzOFnHXhNR5jA-obOMaSzqGUWx7liOlx/s320/IMG_5243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXvTIN5nznt7-_vSW8NyYPddapb-KvQAsEPBz7lUrlxnHBg4KufFflFvwpYejj3tQm1roGTyfdiPxE2hyphenhyphenO-EICZXGg7JsfuUZ2DOq_gvIL3BUwDa7Gku-ISmMSo1DUe3jGyEsYPqO41PT/s1600/IMG_5252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXvTIN5nznt7-_vSW8NyYPddapb-KvQAsEPBz7lUrlxnHBg4KufFflFvwpYejj3tQm1roGTyfdiPxE2hyphenhyphenO-EICZXGg7JsfuUZ2DOq_gvIL3BUwDa7Gku-ISmMSo1DUe3jGyEsYPqO41PT/s320/IMG_5252.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8bh811y9O0zPruAJgdJVkuGQ01mFtvXg8A-qJLggCwUwuELVjkwfNEzkX8C85FZdwnxJ6z7v0B8EXcQUOHPisFHiL-fiMghqpb3lF8pHYtwtOREm6fGKy7zGdN06EqAqbYpnxGREHNaf/s1600/IMG_5264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8bh811y9O0zPruAJgdJVkuGQ01mFtvXg8A-qJLggCwUwuELVjkwfNEzkX8C85FZdwnxJ6z7v0B8EXcQUOHPisFHiL-fiMghqpb3lF8pHYtwtOREm6fGKy7zGdN06EqAqbYpnxGREHNaf/s400/IMG_5264.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just like taking pictures of him. He looks like he belongs here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-80562713116486405882011-06-10T12:56:00.000-07:002011-06-10T12:56:43.704-07:00Bergen: Arrival<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYdO0sIIJhhyphenhyphene9hFzKp5VWHv5PZ53nrNIIUKh3sgiRjubSeMAJ0iCX5U_2ajZB7r-X887xHxfbMVyOg2qwNty1wyB5k15rNbNvj20ztbdyjbLEjAczYnAZ2IlnqS1nMssqhW12LDcPGTT/s1600/DSC04710.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYdO0sIIJhhyphenhyphene9hFzKp5VWHv5PZ53nrNIIUKh3sgiRjubSeMAJ0iCX5U_2ajZB7r-X887xHxfbMVyOg2qwNty1wyB5k15rNbNvj20ztbdyjbLEjAczYnAZ2IlnqS1nMssqhW12LDcPGTT/s400/DSC04710.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night dinner in a 303-year-old restaurant. Looking out into the pale blue twilight. It's nearly 11 p.m.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1PAavRfMr46e8buYb0stT4Fir5XhWjCrwdLtNWxc-zYjg0SHjU-3TMsGoJQGftfYO1s6L6W-VORSiWpGhv44B_tMaA8lQYLP8Ib0l8Kmc4jThEeqyqNiyx__LU6qt-8kFXotaNdNWfFo/s1600/DSC04829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> We arrived at our little guesthouse in Bergen, Norway exhausted; as would expected, after traveling nearly 20 hours and traversing 9 time zones. It was mid afternoon, cold and rainy and the only thing we could think about was sleeping, if just for a minute.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home-away-from home for five days in Bergen.</td></tr>
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We figured out the IKEA style Scandinavian bedding and collapsed. Like every other international trip, we intended to sleep a few minutes and woke up hours later. But this time, thanks to Norway’s long summer days, it was still light out.<br />
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We left the comfort of our new home and walked down wet cobblestone streets to find Bryggen, the 800-year-old, postcard perfect fishing village in the heart of Bergen. It was already late, nearly 11 p.m., but we found an amazing little restaurant with cobblestone floors and wooden walls and rafters. The server told us the dinning room was 303 years old. Our founding father's grandfathers could have eaten here.<br />
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When we saw the prices we ordered enough of the local tapas for one person and shared: pickled mackerel, smoked salmon, potato salad, fish soup. It was delicious and not nearly enough food, but a perfect taste of Norway. We made plans to find the nearest grocery store and stock up. We knew we wouldn’t be able to “eat out” every meal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDy0mh7j3iwZakjuDdr32PzckOPOit1gGu-8l4sMa-tXYYKfKIqh5q-ZJ-IYEtgsl6dafQKeDHWDTz9R7UhM2j_ggFkWJV8059yFjyhsJr5JekNlvlz2sDrS9a51fafOIwpMvvp_pbp2g/s1600/DSC04715.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDy0mh7j3iwZakjuDdr32PzckOPOit1gGu-8l4sMa-tXYYKfKIqh5q-ZJ-IYEtgsl6dafQKeDHWDTz9R7UhM2j_ggFkWJV8059yFjyhsJr5JekNlvlz2sDrS9a51fafOIwpMvvp_pbp2g/s400/DSC04715.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view from the bedroom window, down into the street. It's by now the middle of the "white night," Norwegian summer light.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-146953465615946632.post-5095823479028537962011-06-10T11:47:00.000-07:002011-06-10T14:06:35.523-07:00Norway and the Netherlands<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6draZtJI0JEwQbPOEIc02JJYJ7EJ6gWWOLzqCRY3WwdQg5V7A4BBBty7rEIEVJ9OgfNWIRwu_u1AmdwBuoNTKUFrlX-KH-vf0oKY0BYrKHB8m4E3h6aWEBiuCXsk53qKVJrDzH5L0Xfw7/s400/IMG_5219.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top of Floibanen Funicular with Bergen and the fjords below</td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have so many thoughts on our 12 days in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Norway-Country-Travel/dp/1741793300?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Norway <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thinki040-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1741793300&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741793300" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Amsterdam-Travel-Guide/dp/1741793122?ie=UTF8&tag=thinki040-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thinki040-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1741793122" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thinki040-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1741793122&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>. I am glad we took a ton of pictures because each part of the trip was different from the rest and I want to remember it all. This blog is my souvenir.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We explored Bergen, a small city/college town with modern aspirations and medieval cobble stone streets; Flam, the world's most picturesque rural country with it's abundance of physical beauty and purity; and Amsterdam, a busy city of trains and canals and bikes, it's notorious "coffeehouses" and red light district and surprisingly, also faithful people of prayer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This trip, more than other International trips Kip and I have taken together, was difficult and challenging and surprising and rewarding -- all at once. But at this moment, as I put together my thoughts on every detail of our journey, I am overwhelmingly thankful to have been able to go.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It seemed like a “bad” time to make a big trip, but so much of what we experienced and discovered seemed perfectly relevant to where we are. God knows what we need and delights in blessings us. I am so thankful.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0