Pooks Canyon

In Barcelona children go to school from 9:30 to 5:00. At first I thought this was just Axel's school but one look at the 9:15 metro and sidewalks tells me that this is the schedule for most schools: the young people in Barcelona have backpacks on and are going places. The schoolchild, in his native habitat, reticent for Mom to be taking photos. Lunch at Axel's school is from 12:00-2:00, where they have a multi-course meal with dining etiquette and decorum strictly enforced. It brings to mind that time in Belgium when a 10 year-old Leah attempted to eat a french fry with her hand and had said hand lightly smacked (though I can report that, despite strict treatment, she did like those lunches).  Let's just say Axel is dining with a knife and fork at lunchtime these days. After the leisurely meal Axel can choose to participate in a variety of activities.  Afterall, they do have 2 whole hours. Yoga, Drums, Violin, Cinematography, Coding/Robotics/Drones are all on tap...

Did you know that the King's Landing footage in Game of Thrones is shot in Dubrovnik, Croatia?  I did not until Leah visited there last week.  Here she is, having seized control of the Iron Throne. The happy travelers. Leah sent me lots of pictures of her out and about.   Love, love, love!  Keep 'em coming Leah! They kayaked around the island of Lokrum, which served as the scene location for Qarth in season 2 of Game of Thrones.  Leah wrote, "there were all these ruins and an old monastery (not still in operation). And it's said that monks at that monastery cursed Napoleon." She also said, "there were all these wild peacocks but they were not afraid of people at all and just wandered around and would come right up to you." She continued, "and there were babies!  Like, baby peacocks."  Can you see the two babies above? She also reported that the island is now a wildlife reserve and people are not allowed on ...

It is 10:30 pm in California and that means it is 8:30 am in Corfu.  Leah, Pepper, and Michael will be leaving Greece today, on their way to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Earlier this week they took The Kalypso Star on a trip around part of the island.  The Trojan/Dolphin logo, along with the blue and white motif seems exceptionally Greek.  The boat has a glass bottom and they were able to look down to see fish as well as look out at the old fortress.  The old fortress has its roots in the Byzantine era with earliest structures dating back to 6th century AD. Here is Leah joining the fray of a maritime statue in front of the New Fortress, new fortifications having been put in by the Venetians starting in the relatively recent 1500s AD. They also rented a paddleboat and took these pictures looking back at the island. The cliffs of Corfu and the clear waters. Corfu from a distance. Requisite cat picture.  Leah reports that this cat came a...

Grecian cat enjoying a cushion. When I travel I always love to take pictures of the cats .  Yeah, I know, it is probably not good news that kitties are running amok all over the world... but they are just so cute.  When Jon and I were married in Puerto Vallarta I remember visiting a restaurant on what I will forever call Cat Island (its real name is Isla Cuale).  Jon offered a piece of fish to this very charming kitty and, by the time the waiter returned, we were surrounded by about 15 cats.  The waiter gave us an exasperated look.   On the good news front, last year we returned to Cat Island and found a vet clinic had been established.  On that very day they were spaying/neutering kitties en masse.  While the tables of groggy post-surgical cats in the open air was very strange, the progress for the kitties of the Rio Cuale was heartening.  But, I am off-subject. I did not come here to write about Cat Island. I came here to write...

Jon in our back patio hammock. Dinner cats Meow Is the food ready yet? Donde esta la cena? Kitteh Are we getting sick of this yet? Dos mas. Yeah there were people in Buena Vista.  Here's Axel under the last full moon of winter (this was from early March). And there was a resort doggie named Federicka.  Fede for short.  On our first day she followed us out the gate to the playa, rolled in the sand, then went for a 20 minute swim.  You would think such an active dog wouldn't be so fat but then you see all the french fries she gets and realize why.

El Truinfo is a historic mining town halfway between La Paz and the East Cape of Baja.  Starting in 1850, the mine ran all the way through the late 1890s. The old church. Those colors though. Old archway. Front view. So many goats Traffic jam El Triunfo style. Jon met us there on his bike.  After changing out of his kit, he was thirsty. One of two smelting towers.  I think this one was called Ramona but don't quote me on that. Doggies! I wanted to take this one home. A local showed us where one of the mines were.  A bit of a hike but worth it.  Cool air flowed out of it on a hot day. 1888 Bar el Minelero is just, wow. They grind and case all their own sausage. A week later I was driving through again- the goats are a regular occurence.