A Photographic Journey...

The Trials and Tribulations of Riding ATV's Through beautiful Santorini...

2011-05-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

(Ooops!!! Somehow I posted the wrong sequence last time...)

Back to Santorini...

Ahhhh...the infamous Santorini ATV gang...

Uh oh!!! I didn't know "Ponch" moved to Santorini...

(Eric Estrada in CHiPs)

Nah!!! That's just Art!!!

Getting ready to go do a bit of ATV sightseeing...

But this ATV is not cooperating...

The guys are perplexed...the gals are bored...

and time is a wastin'!!!

We finally called the ATV place...they sent someone out and swapped ATV's...

Sooooo....we're off to the top of the hill....

Perhaps a more sensible way up to the top...

The view was incredible...

But boy was it windy!!!

Leaving Santorini...the Easy (?) Way...

2011-04-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Heading back to the ship we went past this cool building...

Not sure if it's a home or something else...no signs...just a cool building on the top of a hill!!!

Heading back down to the ship, we decided to utilize a different form of public transportation...

When you visit Santorini...I suggest riding the mules UP!!!

My mule rather liked to hug the side of the path...

Back on the ship...this is the view of Santorini...

And a cool seating area on the ship...

This became our favorite spot to decompress after a long day of excursions!!!

When asked what her favorite part of the trip was, our 13 year old travel companion said

"getting together at the end of the day with everybody!!!"

A little refreshment...and of course, cigars...

A little Greek music...

Great Service....

The perfect end to fun day!!!

Another Beach...Another Day of Pure Relaxation and Fun!!!

2011-04-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

We took off on our ATV's and headed for yet another fabulous beach...

Yep...that's black sand...

Another day of relaxing in the shade...

soaking up the beauty and indulging in some scrumptious calamari...

The obligatory souvenir towel...

Gosh...this constant state of relaxation is wearing her out!!!

What could be better than sitting on this gorgeous beach, having a beer and eating calamari with good friends and family???

The Big Decision....

2011-03-23T23:47:00.000-07:00

Well...most of us wimped out...

and took the Gondola...

But look at the views!!!

Of course...there were a couple of a die hards with us...

...who hiked their way up...

...and up, and up, and up!!!

But we all got there in time to explore a bit...

...on our way to get our ATV's!!!

Head 'em up...Move 'em out!!!

The Island that Blew it's Top Off!!!

2011-03-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Geologically, Santorini can be explained by saying it was once a volcanic cone that blew it's top off...

no...really...according to Wikepedia...that's how Santorini became what it is today!

The port for Santorini is actually located in a large lagoon, surrounded by high cliffs...

In order to get to the island, the ship docks out in the center of the lagoon and the passengers are taken to shore on ship tenders...

A bit crowded...a bit stuffy...glad it was a calm sea!!!

Passing by another tender, and an interesting ship in the harbor...

Landing at the dock...

Now...we have a decision to make...walk up the stairs to the top of the cliff or ride the gondola????

From Turkey, back to Greece...

2011-03-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

Rhodes, Greece

We found a charming little beach....

Which I think the guys thought was even more charming when we realized it truly was in the style of the European beach...

We found a spot under the grapevines...

With a couple of darling little pups...

...hungry for attention!

These rocks were a destination point for the swimmers of the group...

Maddie and Sean...ready to take the plunge!!!

Such a charming little spot to sit under the grapevines, sip a cold drink, and watch the people go by...

Looking out over the beach to the rock....

Heading out...searching for the next great beach!!!

Yay!!! Photo connections reconnected!!!

2011-02-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

It's a temporary fix, but I can finally post again!!! Sometimes, for whatever reason, the original photo file gets disconnected to the files in Lightroom...and for some reason, this time, I couldn't find the original files...I ended up importing the originals again from my memory card....and voila!!!

Unfortunately this also means I've got duplicates upon duplicates upon duplicates in Lightroom!!!

At any rate...continuing on in Ephesus, Turkey...

After the ruins, we went into a small museum of antiquity, not far from the ruins...

No...those aren't fruit hanging at her breast...

After all, she's a goddess of fertility!!!

A delightful patio off the patio at the restaurant of one of their five star hotels where we had the best lunch!!! Very authentic food...delightful lunch...fabulous vistas...I'd love to go back to stay whenever in Turkey again...

Our ship from the hotel gardens...

Wouldn't you just love to sit here in the afternoon, sipping a cup of tea...or better yet, a glass of crisp, pinot grigio or chardonnay???

Gorgeous views!!!

Then on to the tail end of our excursion...the turkish rug shop...

The demonstration began with this young lady showing the intricacies of weaving a turkish rug...

Ohhhhh, Ahhhh....just feel the silk on silk texture of this exquisite rug...

(glad I'd had a pedicure!)

The gentleman who spoke to us about the rugs explained the designs, the weave, the materials...all the while his helpers came out and flipped the rugs to place on the floor, one on top of the other until the stack was almost a foot deep...all sizes...large living room size to small entry hall size.

We saw many gorgeous rugs...

We were on this excursion with dear friends, who we know well...and...well, to make a long story short...we all were the last to leave...they bought two rugs and we bought one...

Little did we know, the reason they bid on two rugs was because he thought I really liked the smaller one (which I did) and so he was going to get the price down by buying two, and then he thought we'd buy the small one from him...the only problem was we didn't know the drill!!!

So while he was paying for his two, we were bidding on the one we bought!!!

It was a good (and expensive!) laugh and will be a great story anytime we look back on this trip...

(They love their rugs and are very happy with their purchase, as are we!!!)

A side street off the main market area near the ship's dock...

Leave it to the Chief and I to find an Irish pub in Turkey!!!

(we didn't go in though, as it was time to board...)

Thanks for joining us again!!!

I'm planning on posting again in about a week...if Lightroom and my computer continue to cooperate!!!

Next Stop...Ephesus, Turkey!!!

2010-12-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

We actually started in Kusadasi, Turkey, on the Aegean coast. Our tour destination was Ephesus, an ancient Greek city, turned Roman, turned Turkish...When Roman, it was one the next largest city to Rome. In the first Century BC, it had a population of approximately 250,000 and was the second largest city in the world.

It is surmised that the Book of John in the Bible was written here and is known to be the site of a large

gladiator graveyard.

When we got off the buses and entered the site, our first shopping opportunity was probably my favorite!!!

This is what I call honesty in advertising!!!

What is particularly amazing about this archeological find, is that it was completely buried at the base of a mountain until British engineer J.T.Wood began archeological excavations in the late 1800's.

The Curetes Street is one of the main streets in ancient Ephesus...we're walking on a street that was teeming with commerce and traffic around the first Century BC...yep, 2000 year old street...how many of our currently constructed highways will last that long???

The Hadrian Temple...

Check out the patterns in the walkway...

I think he likes his job!!!

Archaeological work in the Terrace Houses...

Very similar to our concept of condos...LARGE houses complete with indoor toilets, sewage lines, rudimentary heating and air conditioning systems, indoor pools...

AMAZING!!!

Much of the patterns in floors and walls have been restored...a fascinating process, but can't remember it well enough to describe...needless to say, it is absolutely incredible that they have been able to uncover these ruins in such incredible detail and good condition.

This is the Library...once able to house 12,000 scrolls and was the third largest library?

Also, if you look at the structure of the facade, you would believe that the library was two stories...in actuality, the interior was three stories!

Another interesting side story...the library was connected by underground tunnels to the brothel across the street...that way gentlemen could tell their wives that they were going to the library...go, then cross the street for a bit more active exploration...without lying!!!

The Gate of Mazeus and Mythridates...off to the side of the library.

The stadium...built in the Hellenistic Age...initially used for ceremonies and sports activities.

When it was under Roman control, the activities expanded to include gladiator and wild animal fights, as well as for the persecution of Christians.

And of course, they had to have the standard cheesy reenactment show!!!

*Some interesting facts about Ephesus:

*Slaves used to sit on the toilets for their owners to warm the seats...

*Just outside of Ephesus is where the Virgin Mary lived for her last years...

*Ephesus was the site of one of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation...

*The stadium in Ephesus could seat 24,000...

*Romans knew the true shape of the world as far back as the 1st Century AD...

*Ephesus was originally a seaport, but is now six miles from the sea...

* www.ephesusu.us/ephesus/did_you_know_ephesus.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus

Mykonos...continued...

2010-12-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't figured it out...I LOVED Mykonos!!!

The whitewashed buildings with the blue shutters and doors...

The rock houses...

Oh Yeah!!! The ATV's!!!

A cool Inn...

Wait?!!! How'd we get to Holland???

No...they're the Mykonos Windmills! Built in the 1600's by the Venetians to grind wheat...

White washed walls AND rock!!!

Those awesome ATV's!!!

Even though ours was a bit of a putt-putt...it was a BLAST!!!

Hmmmm...were any of these part of the Onasis fleet???

Our home away from home!

The view from the ship...

Reflections...

Checking out Sean's new iPad...

Hmmm...where shall we meet???

On our way to Ephesus, Turkey!

Mykonos...Paradise Beach

2010-11-29T22:04:00.000-08:00

Our next stop was Paradise Beach...

Hmmm...I think this means tops are optional...what do you think???

Do you have houses for your pigeons???

Entering the beach area...

The beach side cafe...

Ohhhh!!! Real Greek Moussaka!!!

A tasty gyros...

Oooops!!! How'd she get in here???

There are no prettier beaches than the Greek Islands!!!

Need a nap? Here's a nice little spot to relax in...

Ok...so you might ask...what does this old abandoned bus have to do with Paradise Beach other than advertising???

Absolutely nothing!!! This is especially for Bailey...mascot of the LA Kings Ice Hockey team!!!

Mykonos...what a great day!!!

2010-11-20T14:26:00.000-08:00

Our first stop in Mykonos was the ATV rental shop...

The Hubman and I managed to fit on one!!!

Hmmmm....trying to decide which beach to go to first....

Oh! Oh!!! Look at this really charming little hotel...I want to stay here when we come back!!! Just a short walk up the hill from that beautiful beach...

The requisite white buildings with blue doors...can't go to Greece and not take photos of this!!!

Sneakin' a peak!!!

The beach we settled on...

Art and Ricky showing off!!!

Beautiful beach, beautiful setting, beautiful people having fun, cooling off in the water...

Our intrepid vehicles of the day...

There's nothing more charming and relaxing than a little spot on the beach, with white tables and chairs and a palm frond covering...sitting and talking with good friends, eating a bite or two of the fabulous calamari, maybe drinking a beer or two...

Heaven!!!

Ancient Athens...

2010-11-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

When I realized one of our stops in the Mediterranean would be Athens, I immediately thought of the Acropolis. I had visions of photographs that would rival the pictures taken with Yanni or John Tesh back when New Age music was all the rage...you know, the kind where the sun's setting behind the Acropolis...

Well, I did manage a bit of back lighting...we got there early in the morning...which is a good thing, because the weather forecast was for hot, hot, hot...

But what's that lacy stuff behind those stately columns???

Apparently, the Acropolis has been undergoing restoration since 1975. The restoration project was designed to reverse damage from years of pollution, neglect, wars, and poorly done past restorations.

When I saw all the scaffolding, and yes, cranes...I thought of Wayne at Meandering in Lotus Land...

Wayne...this post is dedicated to you!!!

Looking out at the city of Athens, I was amazed at the high density of the urban sprawl...

I still managed to get a few shots without the scaffolding...

and some with cranes...

Leaving Sicily...next stop...Athens!!!

2010-10-28T00:58:00.000-07:00

Leaving Sicily...

And on the open sea...

On the Island of Sicily...the Charming Town of Taormina

2010-10-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Taormina is a charming town high on the hills of Sicily, between Mesina and Catania with views of Mt Etna on the southern side of town. Native Sicilians have inhabited the area since ancient times. In 832 BC Greeks also inhabited the Sicilian coast. In the late 1800's Taormina became a tourist destination, with it's first notable tourist being Johann Wolfgang Goethe. In the early 1900's the town became a destination for expatriots. Notables such as D.H.Lawrence, Truman Capote, Charles Webster Leadbeater, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Halldor Laxness spent time developing their talents here in Taormina.

Ok...leave it to the O'Watsons to find an Irish pub in a charming Sicilian town filled with antiquities...

The view of the bay from Taormina...

Paris? No...Taormina!!!

Still a hot spell in Europe...in the 90's with high humidity...tourists taking a moment to catch their breath in the shade...

Remember in the Godfather when Al Pacino goes to Sicily to "lay low" and finds and marries the gorgeous Sicilian girl who gets blown to smithereens before their wedding night??? That was all shot in Taormina...

Apparently, Taormina is still a favorite spot for weddings...

May she have a long and happy marriage...

First Port...Sicily!!!

2010-10-01T00:44:00.000-07:00

Starting our day at the Port of Messina, Sicily...

Then on to Mt. Etna...Heck yeah!!! I want to climb the largest active volcano in Europe!!!

(How come no one told me it's actually still active before we went up there???)

No smoke spewing...that's a good sign!!!

There are actually 4 distinct craters at the summit and over 300 vents along the flanks of the mountain.

There have actually been ash eruptions as recent as April and August of this year...of course, they assured us that they can tell when it's getting ready to erupt so it was perfectly safe....

Tell that to the folks preserved in ash at Pompeii!!!

WHEW!!! We made it off of Mt. Etna still alive and well, not even a little bit of ash...

On to the next stop in Sicily...Taormina...

All Aboard!!!

2010-09-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

The day following our adventure in Florence, we took off for Civitavecchia, the port nearest Rome.

We arrived early, prior to the time to board, which meant there were no lines!!!

We boarded in a manner of minutes and began exploring the ship...

We found one of our favorite meeting spots that first night!!!

Wandering through the streets of Florence...

2010-09-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

What can I say???? Florence is absolutely charming....

Where'd they all go???

2010-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting and fun sights in Florence is the Ponte Vecchio...the medieval bridge over the Arno River. What's unusual about this bridge is that along the length of the bridge there are shops and apartments. According to Wikepedia, the original shops along the bridge were butcher shops.

Jewelry shops, art dealers and souvenir vendors make up the shops on the bridge today.

Now...being the avid photographer that I am...and being the one who has to get the more unusual shot...I walked over to the edge of the river, just a few feet from the tour group.

Now...this was a nice shot, but really not my style...so I moved a little closer to the bridge...

Ok...so this was better, but still not quite right...so I moved a little closer....

Awwww...this is the one I wanted!!!

Ooops!!! Where'd the group go??? I walked to the bridge, crossed over and back, walked around the bridge entrance...oh well...it's a good thing the guide gave us a meeting spot and time...guess I'll have to meet them there...

Little did I know that the Hubman was getting a bit frantic...he was trying to stay with the group, while at the same time, trying to find me...

Fortunately for all, I found the Hubman and the group, and all was well again...

On to Florence...one of my favorite cities in the world...

2010-09-11T23:23:00.000-07:00

Our fist stop in Florence was the Piazzale Michelangelo for a panoramic view of the city...

And a preview of the magnificent statue of David, by Michaelangelo...

From the piazzale, we went down into the historic part of the city...

A little sidewalk Bistro...

A fabulous street light...

Musicians playing for the late afternoon lunch crowd...

And isn't he delightful??? He posed, but I didn't get a chance to chat with him...so I guess he doesn't qualify for Stranger #1!!!

Time Out to Remember...

2010-09-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

A contemplative moment to remember those that were lost in the tragedy of 9/11 2001.

The Vatican...

2010-08-31T17:09:00.000-07:00

If you ever go to Rome, a must-see is the Vatican. St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel to be exact. Our hotel, the Atlante Star, was within walking distance. As a matter of fact, we could see the Vatican from the dining room where we had our delightful breakfasts, and an elegant, delicious, (and expensive) dinner!!! All around the Vatican are "hawkers" trying to get you to buy one of their tours. When we found out that you bypassed the long lines trailing alongside the wall of the Vatican, we decided to spend the extra for a private group tour. We really lucked out...our tour guide was fabulous! Excellent English and an artist in her own right...she also was mindful of the heat and crowds when and where she grouped us so that she could give us her spiel.

We started out in the Vatican museum...

You have to keep your eyes peeled, look up, look down, look all around...because every inch of space is fascinating and oh, so beautiful...

The blue tile in the floor is done with Lapis Lazuli...very hard to come by in the days that this was built. It was considered royal...

On the way to the Sistene Chapel...but alas, no cameras allowed in the Chapel...no talking either...funny thing though, we were about the only ones who felt it appropriate to show respect for their rules...

This again is another example of my thinking that the closer to off season you travel to Rome the better. It was incredibly crowded in the museum and the Chapel...literally wall to wall people. Never the less, it should be on everyone's bucket list...it's a must!!!

The Ultimate in Roman Antiquities...the Coliseum...

2010-08-24T23:19:00.000-07:00

We opted for a guided tour through the Coliseum...got to pass the line and go straight in...a definite bang for our buck!!!

Our tour guide was great...but darned if I remember what the significance of this window was!!!

Just above the walkway, where you see the arches and sloping walls, is actually the gallery of seats where the vestal virgins sat and cheered on the gladiators of their choice...

(Now, that I do remember!!!)

Under the floor of the coliseum were halls and rooms where the animals were kept...

They would also stage ship battles in the floor of the Coliseum by flooding the main floor...

Gladiators, of course, were the main source of entertainment...with a thumbs up, thumbs down vote to decide if they're fighting to the death...

Touring Rome...

2010-08-22T23:44:00.000-07:00

We walked and periodically hopped on and off the "Hop on-Hop off" buses to tour Rome...

We saw beautiful little spots along the way...

And, well, what can I say??? Perhaps this is a new concept for serving the homeless...

New camera...creates new photographer nut!!!

(and wow!!! what a nice camera...Canon 5D)
Oops...I stand corrected...it's a Canon 7D!!!

A quiet little bistro on the side of the road...

The Spanish Steps...I think they're there...can you see them through the throngs of tourists???

And on to the Trevi Fountain...Belissimo!!!

And yep...throngs of people again!!! Most of them were turning around and pointing at me...it was so hot, I was spouting more fluids than the fountain!!!

Some of our cruiser friends toured Rome after the cruise and saw the fountain at night...all lit up and less people!!!

This guy wouldn't give up...he got exasperated because as the bus sat here at the pick up spot, try as he might, he couldn't get a sale...didn't matter if you already had a parasol, he still wanted you to buy his!!! No black velvet paintings or pottery piggy banks though...

This was fascinating...just outside of the Coliseum is the Palantine Hill...the centermost hill of the Seven Hills of Rome. Augustus actually declared this site the original town of Rome after fragments of Bronze Age pots and tools were found. The site was roped off, and the archaeological dig was begun...and here it is today...

Back on Track...and Ready to Post!!!

2010-08-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our first stop on our recent trip was to sunny Rome...and let me tell you...the sun was shining in overdrive!!! Supposedly it was around 33 degrees centigrade which would put it at 91 degrees Farenheit...I swear it was closer to 100, with about 90% humidity... But hey! We're in Rome!!!

Anyone for a swim???

Our first day we walked along the Fiume Tevere and around the Castel Sant' Angelo, both near our hotel, the Atlante Star.

Isn't she beautiful?

A little side spot that looked like a cool spot to sit and chat with the neighbors...

Probably the best mode of transportation in Rome...

Just for you Wayne!!! In England they put boots around the wheel of a car for parking too long...in Rome, they'll tow ya!!!

I think Luigi may qualify as my Stranger #1...he was our waiter in our favorite restaurant in Rome, the Varona. Very close to our hotel, we walked here our first night. We were hot, tired and hungry! Luigi took care of us..he brought out this, that and the other, all delectable! He told us that he's been a waiter for a long time, and that for awhile he was in the States, also working as a waiter. He was delightful and made our dinner that much more enjoyable!!!

I believe this is the Roman version of the Mary Kay car!!!

I think you need one Doryce!!!

It was so hot, even the cement lion was shvitzing...

The Miller family...our traveling companions, extraordinaire!!!

No News...No Photos...YET!!!

2010-08-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hi All!!!

Just a note to let you all know that I didn't drown in the Mediterranean seas nor did I crash on the highway to Mammoth...just a glitch in computer technology in the new place!!! I'll be posting early next week!!!

Thanks for checking in, and I hope you'll be back next week!!!

The Chieftess...aka...Kathy!!!

ps...my new complication!!! One sliced, stitched, and splinted finger!!!

I should be getting the new modem today or tomorrow and will begin posting asap!!!

Moving Days!!!

2010-07-10T23:12:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends Art and Linda (and traveling companions extraordinaire) helped us with our first load to the Mountain!!! We each drove a vehicle, stuffed to the proverbial gills. Once there, the unloading took place, relatively effortlessly...except...Art had some difficulty with the Hubman's shoes...

What?!!! The Wart Hog made it???

It's a long story, but suffice it to be said that the Hubman and I struck a deal...he could keep his precious wart hog front and center as long as I could keep my family artwork...I think he got the better part of the deal...

Self explanatory!!!

The Hubman getting used to the stairs and the altitude...take a deep breath...

First story boxes...

Second story foxes...

Linda doing her best Mata Hari impersonation...

Occasionally we carried stuff upstairs...

Lot's to put away...

Yep...that's our view!!!

Natalie and Greg came by to see us...Natalie offered to hold the flag until a proper holder was put in place...

(you can see Natalie in her Heritage Square costume in Petrea's Pasadena Daily Photo blog...)

Greg attempting to put the flag holder in place so Natalie can sit and relax on the awesome deck....

The Hubman getting used to the new digs...

Ohhhhh...Daisy....all those stairs...we're all going to be huffing and puffing!!!

Stay tuned...I'll be back...but it may be awhile...

South Pasadena Rotary heart Corazon...part 3

2010-06-30T00:14:00.001-07:00

Awww Geeeze, Kathy!!! Another picture???

Chiropractor extraordinaire...4 years Corazon veteran!!!

The family always fixes lunch...usually beans, rice and tortillas...this year, a special deep fried cheese and meat tasty treat and some awesome homemade salsa!!!

A well deserved siesta...first time at a Super Build and all tuckered out!!!

It's another good ol' fashion roof raising...

Tools of the trade...

Design consultation for the counter...

another Super Build first timer and already an expert tile setter!!!

Yep! I do believe this board's straight!!!

He should know...not only is he a contractor by trade, he's a 4 year veteran of the

Rotary Super Builds!!!

Mahalo!!!

Showing his appreciation for his first time building!!!

Family participation...

The roof brigade!!!

Big brother and little sis getting excited about their new loft!!!

Mom, Dad and little "who's it"

The whole family!!!

Builders extraordinaire...

So Pas Rotary, Blair High School Interact Club (Rotary sponsored leadership club), and Corazon volunteers...

If you're interested in more information or volunteering for a Corzon project click here.

South Pasadena Rotary heart Corazon...part 2

2010-06-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

Pretty much sums it up!!!

Of course, work or no, there's always room for high fashion!!!

Fashionista extraordinaire!!!!

One of the unusual aspects of this build was the involvement of the family...the kids and dad all participated in the building, painting, putting up walls...mom fixed lunch and helped with the tile setting for the kitchen shelf...

Our favorite little one was supervising...

and making sure there were plenty of lady bugs for the garden...

Isn't he the past president from 2008-2009???

A seasoned veteran...3 super builds!!!

Putting up walls isn't always a bad thing...

Experiement in red...

Note to self...find pink work gloves for next Super Build!!!

Sometimes you just have to stop for a minute and hold up a beam...

Contemplating the tailgate party in the motel's parking lot with an ice cold Tecate...

Are you sure this is where the window goes???

Ok...so this is the real designated SoPas Rotarian photographer...(sorry George...I've been horning in on your territory ever since I got the camera bug!!!)

Stay tuned for installment #3!!!

South Pasadena Rotary and Corazon...a Winning Combination!!!

2010-06-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

This was the Hubman's and my fourth trip to Tecate Mexico to build a house in a day with Rotary District 5300 and Corazon. Now, what's unusual about this trip you say??? This year, instead of just a few SoPasadenans joining the Rotary District to help build houses in one of their "Super Builds", the Hubman had the brilliant idea that the SoPas Rotary chapter ought to build one house on their own!!! It was a grand international project for our club, and a personal project for the Hubman, and a grand example of "be careful what you ask for"...he was selected to head up the project for the club. There were fundraisers to plan and volunteers to coerce...actually, it was easy getting people to volunteer...signing up on the website volunteer page was a whole other matter...

The Hubman looking official, at 6am in the morning...

Hmmm....another designated photographer??? I thought he was a contractor...

Uh-oh!!! More competition!!!

South Pas Rotary proud to announce their project in progress...

Now isn't she just the cutest??? The cat too??? This little lady captured the hearts and photo shots of all the Rotarians building her family's new home...oh...and the cat? I think her name was wet noodle 'cause she folded in just about every direction in that little girl's arms, and didn't mind it a bit!!!

Madame past City Manager of South Pasadena...

Big brother helping to paint his new home...

Kitty cat checking out the equipment...

Isn't she just the cutest???

According to our friend Carrie (my photographer's assistant on the trip and translator extraordinaire), the kitty being folded and held by our little sweetheart here, did not have a name, until the end of the day. The family named her Corazon!!!

Check back in a couple of days for the next installment of South Pasadena and Corazon!!!

Happy Father's Day Hubman!!!

2010-06-20T16:47:00.001-07:00

Thank you for making me a "mom" and a "grandma" all in the same day those many moons ago...and for all the days since!!!

There has been life outside of the Mammoth Saga!!!

2010-06-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well, amidst the packing and planning and yesterday's up and back trip to meet the owner of our new home...life still goes on!!! Awhile back, my night location class at Tri-Community went to Dana Point...

My mind had been a bit distracted, and while I had intended on stopping to buy a memory card on my way to Dana Point that night...well, little did I know that LaCanada Camera shop didn't carry the memory card that I needed, and once I got on the freeway, yep, I forgot to stop at Samy's....

I had 0 shots left on my memory card...

And I couldn't find anyplace open in Dana Point to get a new card either...

(Keep in mind, I usually carry extras, but I had just used up my last 4GB card, and couldn't find my 8GB card...yep...lost an 8GB CF memory card...)

I had 0 shots and had just driven 70 miles through 2 hours of rush hour traffic (an oxymoron if ever there was one)

Sooo, not to be defeated...I deleted the definite busts on the card...y'know, the ones that are completely whited out or blacked out....or so obviously badly focused or composed...

And ended up with 15 shots!!!

Ok...so there were a whole lot more bad shots, just not so obvious on my too small VGA screen...(my camera's old now...as digital cameras go...the screen's have gotten so much bigger!!!)

By the way...I found my 8GB memory card a few days later!!!

It's Official!!!

2010-06-04T13:05:00.001-07:00

Anonymous was correct!!! It's now official, we're moving to Mammoth Lakes!!! The Chief (aka, the Hubman) signed his contract to serve as the Police Chief of Mammoth Lakes, 21 sworn officers, and a year-round population of about 7000.

Altadena Hiker mentioned God's country in her poignant blog post about the aftermath of the station fire which was in the hills above us....

well...God's got a few more parcels of land in this beautiful world of ours...

And He/She's moving us to this little corner of the world!!!

Have I said "Thank You, God", for this intervention in our lives and providing us with this fabulous adventure???

Yep...that middle pic in my previous post definitely was part of a ski lift!

Yep!!! We signed a lease agreement on this gorgeous house this morning!!!

Walking distance to the new village, and the Auld Dubliner, our new favorite Irish pub!!!

And walking distance to this little General Store...

Yeah...it's gonna be cold during the winter...

But oooooohhhhh soooo BEAUTIFUL!!!

And isn't it nice of the General Store to put this sign up to welcome us with a Bud???

At some point in this transition, I plan to set up a city daily blog for Mammoth Lakes...I'll keep y'all posted!!!

The Mystery Tour....Where were we???

2010-06-02T09:15:00.001-07:00

Hmmmmm....Now just what gorgeous place did the Hubman and the Chieftess go visit this past Memorial Day weekend???

And why???

Blogging with Sadie!!!

2010-05-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

This morning while I was going through my usual morning blog routine, Miss Sadie joined me and was quite fascinated by the blogs...

(ok...I think it was the little pointer moving around the screen and the changing pictures...)

Sadie was especially mesmerized by Miss V's B'ham blog...I think she really liked the magnolia!!!

I didn't think I'd get these shots as my camera was in the other room...I got up, ran and got my camera, and she stayed!!!

She's back again...checking to make sure I put the right pics up!!!

Pasadena PIO's tour of city hall, part 2!!!

2010-05-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Going to a Pasadena City Council meeting??? You'll have to pass through one of these fabulous doors...

One of the most impressive aspects of the retrofit/renovation is the attention that was paid to the details through out the interior of city hall...

Floor's eye view of the gallery...

If you're attending a council meeting to speak or just paying attention to the going's on in the city, you'll be sitting here...

One of the fascinating stories Ann told was of the re-creation of the stenciling on the ceiling of the chamber. She told us that in researching the stenciling, they went all the way to Finland

and actually found the original stencils! (I'm pretty sure it was Finland...darn...I didn't write it down!!!)

How's this for hallway art!!!

Now, if you look closely at the crest above, you'll see a crown with a key directly below it. The founding fathers were from Indiana, and Pasadena was founded as an Indiana colony. Now how might these two facts be related, you might ask? The name Pasadena is a Chippewa word...now there are no, and never have been, any Chippewa Indians in the San Gabriel Valley...yep...they're from Indiana....Now there was great debate as to the meaning of Pasadena, did it mean Crown of the Valley or Key to the Valley? ("Ah ha" you say, now you're getting the picture!) The town fathers debated this in city council (it's in the minutes!!!), brought in linguists from Indiana, but still couldn't come up with a definitive answer....and so, they finally agreed to include both on the crest!!! Well done!!!

A day shot of one of my previous night shots, from a different angle!!!

Wouldn't you much rather get stuck in this charming elevator than any of those sleek metal ones in most all of the buildings of today!!!

Even the pipes look new and fresh!!!

After a delightful and informative tour, we bloggers gathered at the local blog eatery...California Pizza Kitchen...

Good food, fun people

A lovely afternoon!!! Thanks to Ann Erdman, Pasadena Public Information Officer!!!

Pasadena PIO's tour of city hall, in two parts!!!

2010-05-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

On May 8, the city of Pasadena's Public Information Officer, Ann Erdman, honored local bloggers by offering a tour of the recently renovated Pasadena City Hall. Ann was a fabulous tour guide and hostess! She told us about the history of the building...from the town fathers city council meeting debating the merits of the key or the crown as the appropriate symbol for the crest, the million plus dollars it cost in the 1920's to construct the building, and the most recent retrofit and renovations...

An impressive entrance!!!

Original light fixtures...

An often photographed walkway...parts of the city hall can be rented for special events, or to photograph a wedding party, or....

I think he was sticking his tongue out cause Virginia wasn't in the crowd...I think he wanted his pic taken by the Master!!!

Ann, doing her thing...and doing it so well!!!

The courtyard and back entrance of City Hall...

One of the most impressive aspects of the renovation was the attention to detail...

The stairway to heaven???

The illustrious mayors of the City of Pasadena...

V-Day!!! ...Southern California/Birmingham, Alabama style!!!

2010-05-11T19:34:00.001-07:00

In the end of April, Virginia of Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo fame came to Southern California to visit for a few days and had a whirlwind tour of some of the hottest spots in SoCal!!! We started at the Huntington Library where Virginia got to show us all up with her outstanding shots of the gardens,here, and our group, here and here...

Soooo, not to be out done by Ms. V, I got a couple of shots of Ms Laurie (Glimpses of South Pasadena Daily City Blog) and Raine, the recent birthday girl...

the group with the decent docent of Altadena Hiker fame, Karin Bugge...

and a quick capture of Petrea, of Pasadena Daily Photo fame...

hugs for Mama Laurie and kidlet Raine...

and our fine feathered friend by the pond at the Huntington...

on a quick walk to the tea room for high tea...

Petrea, Virginia and Judy, Virginia's hostess with the mostest!!!

Ms Tash of Palos Verdes Daily Photo had her camera to her eye as often as Ms V!!!

and did you really think anyone in this group would not have a camera???

Mr. Earl...basking in the delight of being in the company of all these crazy women!!!

On our way out of the gardens...Virginia had to get in just one more shot!!!

Then on to:

Dinner at Bistro de La Gare in So Pas

Lunch the next day at Villa Sorriso in Pasadena Norte...

A walk around Ambassador College grounds...

Kaldi's in South Pasadena...

And the bistro at Casa de Chieftess in Glendale...

Whew!!! I'm exhausted!!! For more photos...be sure and check in with each of this crazy crew on their fab blogs...

Happy Mom's Day!!!

2010-05-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

It's Mother's Day and I want to say I have the great good fortune of being blessed with an awesome Mom-in-law!!! It's been quite a few years since my own mom passed to the other side of life, but I lucked out when I married the Hubman...his mom is the best!!! At 89 she's goin' strong...even bought herself a great new little car...yep, a VW convertible..in red!!! Which she drives in style...even a bit of a Grace Kelly nuance thanks to Great Grandaughter Kieley's red shawl!!!

Happy Mom's Day Jackie!!!

Takin' a class in night photography...

2010-05-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I've been taking photography classes at Tri-Community Photography Center, an adult education program in the Covina Unified School District... It's really a cool program, and definitely geared to the adult who wants to learn (or play) in photography. For a single fee per term, you can take as many classes as you want, use the lab, and no attendance requirements as "we're all adults, and while we know that sequential learning may be best, we also have lives and can't always make it!" They take attendance, but not for grades...as there are no grades. If you complete a certain amount of hours, you earn a vocational certificate... The instructors are all professional photographers in their own right...and you can take classes in Photoshop, Lightroom, basic camera and photography, Portraiture, Lighting...you name it...they've probably got a class in it!!! These were taken for Eva's night photography class..my first location shoot for this class...others made it to the other previous night shoots..I told Eva the next time I saw her that I didn't think night photography was my thing...I got very frustrated with my monopod and settings...then I downloaded my photos...so tell me, what do you think???

The Castle Green in Pasadena, CA

A jazz bar and dinner house...Red, White and Bluezz

Pasadena City Hall...

From inside city hall...

The back side of City Hall...

All Saints Episcopal Church...across the street from Pasadena City Hall...

Another shot of City Hall...

An interesting doorway on the way back to my car...

Loved the lighting and the reflections in the glass...again, on the way back to the car...

Another shot of Red, White and Bluezz jazz club...

And a last shot of the Castle Green...

The South Pas Rotary is at it again!!!

2010-04-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well folks, the South Pasadena Rotary Club was at it again last Thursday night...it was their annual pet clinic! Dogs and their humans came in droves to get caught up on the dog's vaccinations for a reasonable fee. Veterinarian services were donated by Dr. Malcolm S. Jones (Steve), past So Pas Rotarian. Dr. Steve is currently practicing in Fallbrook, CA, www.alvaradovethospital.com.

The event was held in the fire department garage...don't worry So Pas residents, to create this opportunity for the K9 citizenry, the illustrious So Pas Fire Department was ever on alert, driving through the city...

The event was attended by many dogs and their humans...

Some dogs were quite pleased that this event was held especially for them...

And some dogs figured out that there was something going on in there that they might not like...

"A hug is great...but something's fishy here..."

"Yikes!!! Look at those needles!!!"

"Ouch!!!"

Daisy did her part...calming an anxious new friend...

"Hey!!! Who’s this guy...and what's he doing with all those needles???"

"Whew!!! Not so bad...Now what???"

"Huh? I thought I was going on a play date..."

Some got bored while waiting for their humans to finish all that paper work..."what's that about anyway? Can't a dog just be a dog???"

This senior canine had encountered this many times before and was not happy about it...

"It's over...and life is good again!!!"

(Don't you just love this ol' senior's wise face?)

"Mom...can we go now??? Huh? Can we? Please, can we???"

Some thought this was the K9 beauty pageant...

Some just wanted to get going..."there are things to do and people and canines to see out there!!!"

Some needed extra hugs...

"Hey mom! What's the hold up? Let's get out of here!!!"

"Aren't I just as cute as a button?"

Ok...so after the clinic, everybody was pretty hungry...

And thirsty...

Yummmm!!!

Thanks to all who made this annual pet clinic a success!!!

And thanks to all the canines who allow us to be graced by their presence in our lives...

It's a Retro Spring...

2010-04-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling a bit under the weather this past week and have not done any photography to speak of...sooooo...I was thinking of what I had in my archives that would make me smile and feel better...Here are some shots from a spring day a couple of years ago, at our fabulous Descanso Gardens...

Ahhhh...I'm feeling better already!!!

Hope y'all are well and enjoying the beginnings of Spring!!!

A Tale of the Easter Duckling...

2010-04-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in the land of the Hubman and the Chieftess, lived a sweet little duckling who wanted to be an Easter Bunny.

According to legend, the land of the Hubman and the Chieftess became a wondrous palace full of spring color and flowers....

and bunnies...

there were little bunnies...

and big bunnies...

boy and girl bunnies...

and bunny families...

There was even a pretty green glass bunny filled with wondrous treasures of dark chocolate...

The little Easter Duckling wanted so badly to be part of the spring and Easter family festivities that she finally ventured out into the vast wilderness of the Hubman and the Chieftess' backyard...

She asked Cleo if she could be part of the Easter family, and Cleo thought about it...

Then she asked Sadie...but she was afraid because she'd heard of how Sadie can turn into Osama bin Kat...

Maybe Daisy would help her become part of the Easter family...

Ouch!!!

Take it easy Daisy!!!

"All I want is to be part of the Easter family!"...said the little Easter Duckling...

Whew!!! The Chieftess rescued the little Easter Duckling and gave her a much needed bath...

After her bath, the Chieftess took the Easter Duckling back out to the wondrous backyard of the Hubman and the Chieftess. The Chieftess carefully set the Easter Duckling next to St. Francis who watches over all the animals in the wondrous backyard. St. Francis told the little Easter Duckling not to worry...as she was already part of the Easter family in the land of the Hubman and the Chieftess...

And so the Easter Duckling lived happily ever after in the land of

the Hubman and the Chieftess.

The End...

A bone to pick...

2010-04-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy...but do they really need all this plastic to get their products safely to market???

I have always hated those form fitting plastic packages...but lately it's really getting my goat...

About a year ago we remodeled our kitchen which completely stressed out our older sweet kitty Cleo...so our wonderful pet store owner, Tom, steered me to the Feliway "Comfort Zone" kitty pleasing pheromones to de-stress her...being the doting kitty parent I am...I bought the stuff...took it home...then spent about an hour trying to get the d*&#@ plastic off...when I finally got it off...it was nicely packaged in yet another cardboard box..Now, was that really necessary??? I don't think the pheromones could escape the little glass bottle that screws into the rather expensive little thingamajig that plugs into the wall socket...but who knows...

So yesterday, I went to Staples to get some real thumbtacks...ya know...the kind that comes with a flat top in several different prime colors? Sadie, aka Osama bin Kat, likes to pull out the push pins in my bulletin board so I wanted to find some old fashioned thumbtacks...the only thumbtacks they have any more are fancy ones with little flags or hand painted designs and costs about a hundred times more than the original boxes of hundreds of thumbtacks used to...but I digress...back to the plastic...yep, the thumbtacks were in the bubble shaped, fused plastic...took 30 minutes to get those dang things out!!! So then I got a new contraption

do-hickey that helps calibrate the colors of my monitor because my pics weren't coming out particularly colorful when printed, no matter what they looked like on screen...and that little do-hickey had 3 layers of plastic form packaging...yep...within another cardboard box....that did it...that put me over the top!!!

Whew!!! I feel better...rant over...back to building a kettle of steam trying to figure out the d*&*%$# color issues!!!

Backyard Adventures!!!

2010-03-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well....no faraway adventures for us for awhile...guess we'll just have to check out that wild country...the backyard!!! Sadie had to check out this planter thingamajig...

Cleo thought Sadie was just plain, droll....

So then Sadie had to check out the view from the trees...

Hey!!! Cleo!!! Let's play attack cat!!! (Sadie's nickname is Osama Bin Cat) (But don't feel sorry for Cleo...she's an instigator too!!!)

Daisy just sits back and watches...

She's happiest when we're all outside together...

Even those two goofy cats...

Life is good...

How about a short visit to Santa Cruz???

2010-03-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

On our way to the Hubman's conference in San Jose...we made a stop to visit friends who have moved to Santa Cruz...after all, it is the best surfing!!! So it was still a bit stormy when we got there, but the following day, it cleared up and we got to see a bit of what drew them to the beautiful coast of Santa Cruz...

There's nothing quite like the power of the ocean during and after a storm...

I believe this guy has a cousin living in South Pasadena...

(check out Laurie's blog of March 4...)

This guy must be a distant cousin...no family resemblance...

This guy can't quite understand why the cousins left Santa Cruz and moved to South Pasadena...

Got fish????

Unfortunately...later in the day while watching the news, I learned that pelicans in the area were having a hard time getting food...something to do with the storms...

Sooooo....the question of the day was..."What's the difference between a pier and a wharf????"

Ok...so this one has a story attached...tiki, placed on public property without a permit by local surfers (old guys...aka, the "usual suspects"...who you'd think would know better)...tiki stolen...community in an uproar...permit issued...new tiki proudly guarding the coast at Capitola (secure in the knowledge that he's protected by GPS) ...

(and...I believe...somehow...fair amounts of alcohol and cigars were involved...)

Clueless about the tiki...ain't love grand?!!!!

Our friend's tile on the Capitola Sea Wall of Tile, a community art project in 2008.

Santa Cruz is a delightful place...and a surfer's heaven on earth!!! If you happen to stop by...be sure and check out Zelda's in Capitola for an awesome breakfast...and Paradise Cafe, also in Capitola, for drinks and some fabulous Calamari...both spots on the ocean with an awesome view and great people!!! And don't forget to walk the length of the tiled sea wall to injoy the tiles and see the tiki!!!

Now it's time for the Central Coast...only it's raining...

2010-02-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

Every year for the past two years, my hubby has taught a class in Shell Beach on the Central Coast (oops...he just informed me that he would prefer the hubman...or the hubster...or the hubinator...I'm going to have to think on that one for awhile). Last year we made a mini vacation out of it, but this year we only stayed one night...I've come to love the area up there. Unfortunately, this year it was cold and rainy...I decided to brave it anyway and managed to miss the worst of it...by the time we got there, the rain had slowed to an occasional drizzle and the clouds were marvelous. I started out heading for Morro Bay and beyond...but managed to miss the turn off to Morro Bay and ended up on my way up the inland area towards Paso Robles. I decided to take the James Dean highway (46) from Paso to the coast in pursuit of clouds...

This tree was covered with lichen...

Someone's livin' the dream...on a vineyard in the Coastal Range!!!

(Kind of reminds me of *The Wizard of Oz*....don't cha think?)

Ohhhhh I found the clouds!!!

After chasing clouds while driving the 46 toward the coast, I then chased the remaining light on the beach at Cayucos...

Surfers braved the cold and turbulent water for some great surfing...

Ok...a little camera shake...but y'know...I kind of like it!!!

Loved the feeling of isolation in this one of Morro rock...

But then there's this one...

Which one do you all prefer???

The Piece de Resistance...skywatch cruise style!

2010-02-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

One of the most peaceful times of the day on a cruise ship is when the sun is setting...what could be more beautiful than to watch the sun sink into the ocean at the edge of the world???

And as the proverbial sun sets, so does our transatlantic trip...

Thank you for joining me on our journey across the Atlantic!

OK...Let's take a look around and see what there is to do ...

2010-01-29T10:55:00.001-08:00

Let's see...anyone tired of the ship's fabulous food??? We can always go to Johnny Rockets and get a burger and fries!!!

They even have a floor show!!!

How about some surfing or belly boarding???

Now, for some reason, we didn't realize that Madeira Island is just about the same latitude as Fort Lauderdale, our destination port. So we all prepared for a cold crossing...

It's a good thing we all brought bathing suits for the jacuzzi...and shorts to work out in!!! 'Cause it was warm and balmy the whole way across!!!

How's this for the location of the jacuzzi???

And here's the gym and the deck track...if you feel like working off some of that extraordinary cruise food and Johnny Rockets burgers...

Too bad we're all leaning towards the senior side of life...the kid's play area looked like fun!!!

There's also that bar up there on the top of the ship...I hear it's got spectacular views!!!

(of miles and miles of ocean!!!)

There's always the opportunity to pray to the gods of golf...

or scale the sides of the ship...

Oh! And did I mention that bar up by the pool and sun decks??? I hear they pour a pretty good Pina Colada!!!

And if anyone's feeling romantic...what could be better???

And just in case someone gets the idea that it would be fun to cliff dive over the edge of the ship...

I dunno....I think I'll just hang out in one of these deck chairs and contemplate life...

Next post...SKYWATCH on board the Independence of the Seas!!!

Leaving Funchal, we're now faced with what to do over the next six days...

2010-01-23T12:37:00.000-08:00

Good bye beautiful and fun Funchal...no more ports...ye gads!!! What the heck are we going to do now?? We can't eat and/or drink alllll day...or can we???

Hey!!! This is fun...the pilot just jumped back on the pilot's boat after overseeing the ship's embarkation!!!

OK...That was cool...now what???

Wow! Look at those clouds!!!

Let's just sit back and enjoy the view...while we still have it!!!

OK...it's getting dark and a bit chilly...isn't it time to start getting ready for drinks and dinner...where are we meeting??? The Mojito bar???

Fun is to Funchal as Madeira Island is to Portugal!!!

2010-01-15T00:19:00.001-08:00

It's early morning, and we're pulling into Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, about 300 miles off of the coast of Morocco. Madeira Island is just about as beautiful as an island can be. After about a week in the cold and damp from England to Spain, Madeira promised to be warm and balmy.

Our first stop on our excursion into Funchal was at the top of the second highest sea cliff in the world...the Cabo Girao overlooking the fishing village and bay of Camara del Lobos.

Being one of the primary spots to visit in Funchal, the local merchants were there in droves to sell their wares...

These little caps are part of the traditional costumes of Madeira...

The roads were extremely narrow on the quite steep hillsides of the island...it was unbelievable that two huge tourist buses could pass each other without scraping or one going over the edge!!!

Our next stop was the little fishing village of Camara del Lobos which is only about 5 km from Funchal.

Did you know that Winston Churchill was quite an accomplished painter? He did watercolors and particularly liked painting here in Camara del Lobos. On our first cruise, in the Baltic, we went to the art auction and found a painting that we really liked...turned out to be a signed lithograph by Winston Churchill!!! We got a great deal because we were on an Italian cruise ship and apparently the Italians don't get the concept of an auction, it's just not a part of their culture....the auctioneer finally gave up and just told everyone to see him later and offer him a price!!!

This little spot is the actual setting of the painting we bought...it's of several small boats in the water here in this little bay...

Next stop was by the port, at a winery. Madeira wine is fairly well known...it's a sweet wine, similar to port. Unfortunately, none of my pictures from the winery turned out....hmmm...no, it wasn't because I had too much wine...it was just a tad too sweet for me!!!

After the winery, we walked along the street near the port...

Doesn't this colorful sightseeing bus just make you want to hop on???

Another couple and my hubby and I decided to accept a very industrious cab driver's offer to drive us up (way up) to the Monte Toboggan rides...and it's a good thing we did because he got us there just as they were about to close...we were the last ones who got to ride the toboggan...

Ok...are you sitting down??? The toboggan ride is actually a two seater wicker sofa on wooden runners...two Madeirans who were dressed a bit like Venetian Gondoliers, stepped onto the runners on each side of the "toboggan" and pushed off...Down we slid on the streets of the Funchal hills with the tobogganeers on either side of us pushing, pulling, and "steering"...the "toboggans" can get up to 48 mph, though I don't think we ever got going quite that fast...What a kick!!! We laughed the whole way down!!!

If today's posting makes you want to visit Madeira...our most industrious cab driver, Tony, will pick you up from the airport and take you wherever you want to go!!!

Leaving Madeira, the clouds were beginning to find us....

Next port....Fort Lauderdale!!!

Wait...that's after 6 days at sea... YIKES!!! No land in sight for 6 whole days!!!

For more photos and information about Funchal...check out Paulo Camacho's blog

funchaldailyphoto.blogspot.com

Port: Vigo, Spain...Excursion: Valenca do Minho, Portugal

2010-01-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

Our third port was Vigo, Spain, from which we chose an excursion to Valenca do Minho, Portugal, a charming village on the northern border between Portugal and Spain, near the Atlantic coast. We went up to the old part of town known as the Fortaleza...remnants of a 17th Century fort. At the walls of the fortaleza there were many wonderful views of the surrounding areas and the old fort walls.

There's nothing better than sitting in an outdoor cafe drinking a cup of espresso and eating a delightful pastry...

The shops were charming...albeit a bit touristy...

From Valenca, we went back into Vigo and made our way up to Monte del Castro. According to our guide, this area was first settled by the Celts. The fort was built by Philip IV in the 1600's and is one of 3 forts protecting the city.

For those of us who get aggravated about graffiti and think that it's really just an "American thang"...think again...

In all honesty, when I traveled in Europe in 1979, I saw a significant amount of graffiti in the cities in Europe, especially in Zurich, Switzerland...

We almost made it back to the ship when, to my hubby's chagrin, I determined that there was still plenty of time to stroll along the waterfront and search out a quaint "hole in the wall" restaurant...We ended up in a small restaurant with lot's of Spaniards, and no tourists...it was late afternoon...we ordered Paella...it was by far, the best Paella I've ever had!!! And the bottle of wine...well, all I can say is that this lunch was definitely the highlight for me in this charming city of Vigo, Spain!!! Little did I know, this area is well known as the location of Spain's best shellfish!!!

Next Port...Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal. Be sure to check out Paulo Camacho's blog about Funchal at funchaldailyphoto.blogspot.com.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Winston Churchill

2009-12-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

The Normandie American Cemetery and Memorial...

Miles Glidden was the brother of a very dear friend of ours....my hubby went to Manila a few years ago and went to the American Cemetery where Miles is buried. He was able to take a picture of the actual grave marker after the attendant had darkened the name with sand so that it could be read. Here at the Normandie Memorial they had this computerized data base that showed the location of any soldier buried in any of the American Cemeteries throughout the world.

Omaha Beach...the code name for one of the landing sites of the Allied invasion of German occupied France, June 6, 1944...

The American Cemetery...

A powerfully moving experience...

The final resting place for 9,387 soldiers and personnel involved in D-Day and the ensuing operations which began the march to victory in the European stage of World War II....

Utah Beach...the code name for the westernmost flank of the Allied invasion...

I'm sure you have noticed the deep rolling pits in the ground...these pits are from the bombs that landed here during the invasion...

If you've seen Saving Private Ryan...imagine the invasion scene on this and Omaha beach...

St. Mere Eglise was the first town to be liberated.

The parachute and mannequin represent paratrooper John Steele who parachuted during the invasion and was caught on this church's steeple where he hung for over 2 hours. He was later captured and taken prisoner in a German camp, from which he eventually escaped. Some of you may remember the movie The Longest Day in which Red Buttons played the part of the paratrooper...

The paratroopers are commemorated in the beautiful window of this small and unassuming church...

Approximately 30 years ago I visited Dachau in Munich...I will never forget the impact of that experience. There were probably about 25 people total in the camp during the time that I was there, yet everyone walked alone while experiencing the horrific setting. It was a very sobering and painful experience. I say painful, because I could literally feel the pain emanating from the soil and walls of the camp. My experience at Omaha and Utah beaches was very different. While it was also very sobering, there was a tremendous sense of victory and gratitude for the sacrifice that each individual made for our country and for peace in our world.

Our next stop...Vigo Spain...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

May you all have a wonderful holiday season...

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Our stroll through Paris...

2009-12-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

Here we are in Virginia's beloved Paris!!! And of course, what better place to start than at the Eiffel Tower...

Gustave Eiffel's truly "world famous" structure was originally built for the 1889 World's Fair...Did you know that he originally submitted the plans to Barcelona for the 1888 World's Fair, but was rejected as it was so out of the ordinary??? Also, did you know that he only had a permit for it to stand for 20 years...ownership then transferred to the city of Paris...it was slated to be demolished, but was found to be too valuable as a means of supporting communication...(Wikepedia)

On to Notre Dame...

I preferred the beauty of the cathedral's interior...

Construction of the cathedral is thought to have begun in 1163 and completed some time in the 1240's...

Between 1210 and 1220 the 4th architect to work on the cathedral was responsible for the addition of this famed rose window (I couldn't find the name of the architect)

I find it fascinating that in these wondrous cathedrals with their myriads of tourists walking through, I still find a tremendous sense of peace and tranquility. I felt honored, and albeit, a bit voyeuristic taking photos while a service was going on...

Onward on our journey...we walk a bit along the Seine...

And on to the Louvre...

I certainly can't compare my shot to Virginia's magical shot of the Louvre and pyramid at night...

http://birminghamalabamadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009/08/au-revoir-paris.html

Now it appears that this next fellow was as perplexed as I as to why the Parisians felt the need to put this ferris wheel in the middle of the Champs Elysees...

Isn't Paris where outdoor dining started???

As it was getting dark, and we were nearing the meeting place for our return to the ship, we saw this lovely display of veggies...One of my fondest memories of my first trip to Paris many years ago...was shopping in these little corner markets for fresh fruit, cheese and pate...my basic traveling diet!!! I remember leaving California for Europe and thinking that I'd better eat a bunch of fresh fruit before I left as there wouldn't be good fruit in Europe...What was I thinking??? I remember eating an Anjou pear with the juice absolutely dripping down my arm...California fruit was never the same after that!!!

Next stop...Normandy!!!

Winchester Cathedral...

2009-12-14T22:53:00.000-08:00

On our second day in England, we visited the Winchester Cathedral, about 45 minutes outside of Southampton...The cathedral was magnificent!!!

The original Saxon church was built on this spot in 648 but was demolished which ultimately left room to build the "new" cathedral. The "new" cathedral was founded in 1079...

Winchester Cathedral is not only one of the largest cathedrals in England, it is also the only cathedral featured in a popular pop song..."Winchester Cathedral", a UK top ten hit and US number one song for the New Vaudeville Band in 1966...

(Try as I might...I just don't remember the New Vaudeville Band...I remember the song, but not the band...) (I'm sure we weren't the only American tourists trying to remember and sing snippets of the song )

In the early 1900's William Walker restored the water logged foundations of the cathedral which saved it from certain collapse...he was a diver and "dove" at least six feet beneath the structure to shore it up...

The nave of the cathedral was remodeled in the 14th century...

The sweetest little Christmas cherub lighting a prayer candle...

Of course, we had to take a walk around the charming village of Winchester...

And, did I mention...our last stop...the Wykeham Arms pub, of course!!!

No children allowed but dogs are welcome!!!

Next stop...Paris!!!

First Stop...Southampton, England!!!

2009-12-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Southampton is the port from which the Titanic embarked on it's fateful journey??? Made me a little nervous to know we were going to be sailing from the very same port....but I digress...our first stop on our journey was Southampton...it was both the home port for the Independence of the Seas and the home of our new, dear friends, Anthony and Ann. Anthony and Ann are close friends of a couple in the group we were traveling with. Anthony helped us with our travel arrangements from Heathrow to Southampton, got us a great rate at the local hotel, and was an absolutely warm and gracious host to our traveling troup!!! Anthony warned us before we got to England that the weather had turned and was quite cold and wet...good "pub weather"!!! Hence our first group stop...

I'll bet you thought that the Duke of Wellington was a person...

We spent our first wet and cold afternoon snug in this pub getting acquainted while enjoying a pint or two!!!

With the weather as wet and windy as it was, there was limited opportunity for photography...but I managed to catch a shot of this clock tower that was near our hotel...

Rainy and windy again...we happened on this fab pub...the Red Lion is the oldest pub in England...or so the barkeep told us...according to our friend Anthony...every city in England claims the oldest pub in England!!!

I took a quick break from the pub to catch the last light for some photos...Just down the street from the Red Lion was this bombed out church...Southampton was heavily bombed during WWII...

Back to the pub!!! The barkeep also told us that King James held court in this very room...with the highest ceilings of any pub in England....

Awww, c'mon Anthony...you mean King James held court in pubs in every city too????

Next stop...Winchester England...see you soon!!!

Rural America...in Los Angeles???

2009-11-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

OK...so I had to drive out to Santa Clarita to take some jeans back to the Boot Barn...they're one of the few stores that carry longs in my size jeans. On the way I decided to go have lunch at the Halfway House Cafe...a great burger and you name it joint near where some friends of ours live on the "Old Dirt Road"...honestly...that's the name of the road they live on. Well, I thought I turned in the wrong direction so I made a U turn and there was this cool horse boarding ranch on the side of the road. With camera in the car I thought...ooooh...I can take some pictures out here and show how rural it is, even in LA county...so I stopped to take some pics...

Unfortunately, I scared the owner of this beautiful horse because they'd had some people scouting the area with cameras in hand with ne're do well plans of horse theft etc....my apologies to the owner of Chief (yep...that's the horse's name...pretty cool coincidence, eh?) The owner of the Gentle Barn horse boarding was very gracious and offered me the opportunity of coming out sometime and taking some pics in her ranch...an opportunity I would love take her up on!

After confirming that my only intention was to take pics of rural America, while still in Los Angeles County...I took off and headed for the Halfway House Cafe...

You might just recognize this cafe as it has been in numerous movies and TV spots...it's a great location shot...and just about 30 minutes from LA...depending on the traffic...

Haven't had their Bar B Que but their burgers are great!!!

We're taking off again...goin' on a transatlantic repositioning cruise! We'll only be checking the internet occasionally until mid December...

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and I'll post again when I get back!!!