Cherry Blossom Candy Leaf

Watermelon Tamales

2009-05-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is long overdue. I've been thinking about this post at least once a week since mid February when we went on a Guatemalan adventure. We had a four day weekend for President's Day, found a great deal on a flight and hotel, and headed out late Thursday night to Guatemala City. Our final destination was Antigua, a beautiful Spanish colonial city. This is a great place to learn Spanish because of it's many language schools that are reasonable in price or take a cooking class. Yoga studios are also opening up, so Antigua is a great place for a little retreat. Besides that, it is a place of tremendous beauty and history.

We took the red eye Thursday evening and arrived in a land of volcanoes very early on Friday.

We drove to our hotel in Antigua, unloaded our bags and napped before exploring the city.

We walked into the heart of Antigua, Parque Central. Ruins greeted us on every street along the way.

We spent the first day orienting ourselves with the city. Here we are in Parque Central where Jacaranda trees enclose the park.

Later in the afternoon, we went to a yoga class arranged by one of the 13 people that was on the trip.

We had dinner at Frida's which is quite famous for their delicious margaritas.

The following day, we had hoped to hike to Pacaya Volcano, but because we hadn't arranged it in advance, we got up really early to see if we could get a ride there. Luckily we found a group that was headed that way, and although we had to pay a little more, about $9 each, we tagged along and headed back toward Guatemala City. I knew that we would have to go up hill, but I had no idea that it was up hill the WHOLE WAY. I was about a month into my diet and exercise routine and not in the shape necessary. I was walking so slow, that the 6 year old on horseback kept saying, "Taxi, lady." I didn't want to be the lazy American so I refused. Everyone else in our group was European and totally fit. In fact, the 60 year old Italian even smoked on the way up and had no problems. All the walking they have to do in Europe really puts them at an advantage. I, on the other hand, was breathing hard, sweating and wanting to cry when our guide asked me to hurry.

"Taxi, lady!"

This was my quitting point.

Looking up toward Ben and the Euro hikers.

Ben looks like he is on the moon!

The Volcano!!!

While he checked out the lava up close, I enjoyed the horses.

When we returned, we continued our walk through Antigua.

We checked out one of Antigua's famous sites, the Arco de Santa Catalina. This is the only remaining structure from the Convent of St. Catherine which was founded in 1613 and had only 4 nuns at the time. With the number of nuns increasing, they were forced to expand across the street. Building the yellow arch in 1693 allowed the nuns to cross from the original building to its addition without being seen.

Walking below the arch, we were lead to the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de La Merced.

Later, Ben and I had a typical Guatemalan lunch on the second floor of an old colonial building.

After more exploring, we ended the evening at a restaurant with my friend Kari and her daughter Megan.

Ben ordered a large beer, but we had no idea what that meant.

Kari wanted to try some Gallo, so in my wonderful Spanish I asked the waiter to bring another box, so Kari could sample it. Megan informed me later that the word for cup is taza (and not caja = box). Ah, the joys of being a tourist in a Spanish speaking town.

Our last full day in Guatemala was an adventure as well. We took a van to the Guatemalan highlands to a town called Chichicastenango. Most days, it is a sleepy town. On Thursdays and Sundays, however, it hosts Central America's largest market. Row after row of stalls selling handmade items, food, animals, etc.,. cover every inch of walking space. It was unbelievable! Ben and I made our way through the maze and bought some beautiful things!

You could buy just about anything there.

Including plenty of dead things and living things. It was crazy!!!

As you weave through the stalls, you can eventually end up on the steps of the Iglesia de Santo Tomas that is busy with worshippers all day. The church itself dates back to 1540 and was built on a Mayan Temple. Mayan ceremonies are still practiced alongside Catholicism. It is an incredible sight to see.

Flowers can be purchased on the church steps.

A man waving incense which has darkened the once white steps.

We visited Hotel Santo Tomas which is built in the Spanish style around a central courtyard filled with colorful parrots.

The town's cemetery.
When we returned to Antigua after the long drive from Chichi, we met up with Kari and Megan once again to explore Antigua. We weren't sure where we were going and ended up at the Monasterio San Francisco. Guatemala is very proud of their own saint, Pedro de San Jose Betancur. Born in the Canary Islands in 1626, he came to Central America when he was 31. He became a very familiar sight on Antigua's streets, ringing a bell and collecting money for the poor and homeless. Unfortunately, he was unable to pass the necessary tests to be ordained as a priest. His many good works, however, led many to call him the "St. Francis of the Americas". He is often credited with originating the custom of posada, which is the procession seen throughout Latin America before Christmas in which people reenact Mary and Joseph's search for a room for the night. Pope John Paul II canonized Pedro in 2002 and his tomb at the monastery is a revered landmark. Many miracles are attributed to Pedro and the people of Guatemala believe that a prayer and tap on the casket will send you help.

I didn't ask San Pedro for help that day, only hoped to return to Guatemala again.

Early the following morning we headed back to the airport in Guatemala City and boarded the plane for a short flight home.

The Odd Couple

2009-01-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

This is so sweet. Be sure to have your kleenex handy.

Catching Up

2009-01-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

I have a hard time keeping up with this blog because uploading the pictures takes so long, and I am all about the photos. So here are the last few months in abbreviated form.

At the end of the summer, I took an art class in Santa Barbara. I've been taking the class each summer for the last few years, but this time, two of my friends joined me. The classroom is at the Cliff House which overlooks the ocean at the UCSB campus. It is an inspiring place to work and take breaks in between projects.

One day, we went on a field trip to the San Barbara Museum of Art. One of our teachers, Joni Chancer, taught us ways to look at and discuss art so that we can teach our students how to do the same. We had to pair up at the museum and follow the outline of given directions and questions to consider. Below are a few of the images that interested me.

This is a portrait made out of fingerprints. I made a few small pieces of art. We worked mostly in acrylic paints this year. I made the cards below (maybe you received one in the mail) using a stamp that I made from styrofoam. Then I drew in the designs using Sharpies. I had a good time with it. I also began my own version of a Mexican retablo. We used acrylics on a metal panel. Like the Mexican retablo artists do, we used our retablos to show gratitude for something. I had a hard time narrowing it down. We also painted an ocean landscape on a large canvas. This was really hard for me, but I did get the hang of it (although I still have not finished it).
Our friends Brian and Lacey got married on the beach in Malibu. They had a party at Lacey's mom's house to celebrate. Below is a picture of Ben and the boys and me in Eric's funny glasses.

Grandma's cousin, Flory, passed away. We have become close to her grand children, Lisa and David. They both spoke at her funeral. Flory was a strong and inspirational woman. Before the service, we visited Ben's grandparents' graves.

Every September for the last 12 years or so, Ben and I, along with his family have been driving up to Pismo Beach. It's been different now that Marilyn is gone, so this year may have been our last. Ben's mom loved it there and it really isn't the same anymore.

We went wine tasting one day. It is so beautiful driving through the vineyards.

Ben tries the wine every year and each year he says, "Beer is better."

Danny came with us. He enjoyed the grapes.

We built a small vegetable garden in our backyard. We have had several heads of lettuce, peas, tomatoes, green onions, and several herbs already. This is what it looked like after we put the seeds in the dirt. It looks much different now. I "sewed" together the metal cover to keep Bula and the birds out. We also discovered a bird and her nest.
Shortly after, the babies hatched.

Bula has had several play dates. He loves it when other dogs come over to the house to play. Here he is with his dad and two girlfriends, Rissa (the shitzu) and Sadie (the pug).

We also went to see the Kings exhibition game against the Avalanche in Vegas with my mom and sister. Keith and Danny came along and stayed in the free room that Gabby got. It was an exciting game with lots of fights and penalty minutes. We sat very close to the ice: I will have to post some fight footage later on.

At one of the intermissions, they had a deflatable Bailey come out on the ice. It's a costume that's filled with air.It was really funny looking and every time I think of it, I laugh.

Ben and I went to Olvera Street in search of the skirt I wore for Halloween.
The Catholics were out in full swing. There were many people in purple robes. Babies and kids were being picked up to kiss a wooden painting of Jesus. Maybe you can fill me in on what this ceremony was.

I started my new job at the district office. My friend Kari and I sit across from each other. We talk and laugh all day, sometimes we have cried, but mostly we eat cream puffs.

One day, we decided to go to Venice and we didn't have to do sub plans!

During the fires this year, we shared the district office with the firefighters who came from across the country. Because education is a profession full of women, we were very happy to have the men around. And in a profession full of men, the firefighters were happy to see us each day, too. Here they are sleeping in front of my car in the parking lot. All the women in my office still miss them.

Ben and I have been slowly doing things around the house. I painted the kitchen lime green and Ben painted the piece of wood that keeps our sliding door locked. I waited until he was vulnerable, to paint his hand and face. Bula helps when he can.

We also live about a mile from Moorpark college. They have their own zoo there and teach students to be animal trainers.

We have had an exciting few months.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T12:47:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Halloweiner!

2008-11-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

Ben and I had a great Halloween. We decorated the house for the first time which was new and exciting, I liked my costume, Bula was adorable, and we went to Knott's Scary Farm!

On Halloween night, Bula tried on several costumes. He was able to tolerate the one you see below. That may have been because his chihuahua boyfriend, Chico, also tried it on.

He was not happy with his pumpkin costume at all.

He was pissed.

He ended up welcoming kids in his fur alone, and he was so excited!

We also decorated the house for our first Halloween there. (Ben put on my bee costume from last year after this picture was taken.)

I dressed up as Frieda Kahlo which was fun. I was told twice that it was "too intellectual" of a costume and because most of my neighbors had no idea what I was, that might have been the truth. I got the opportunity to teach the local kids a little bit about the life of the artist - just what they wanted when they knocked on my door. I even drew on a unibrow and darkened my natural moustache (pretty, I know)!

The night after Halloween, Ben took me to Knott's Scary Farm. It was fun and terrifying. We went through several mazes where horrible creatures jumped out at us. After we went through our first maze, The Doll Factory, we came out to see two scary goblins looking down at us from a bridge. I thought, "They can't scare me. I can see them already." Just as the thought entered my mind, one of the beasts swung a medieval hatchet at me, stopping an inch from my face. In one of the mazes, there was a midget in a scary costume crawling on the floor. Monsters were hiding on shelves, under beds, and behind corners and curtains all over the park. I had a fat lip from screaming and jumping into Ben's shoulder. He kept asking me, "Oh my God, are you really scared?" And I was, but I liked it, too. There were really tall and really short men dressed up as scary clowns and a tall skeleton chased me around the park. I kept turning around to see him focusing on me and my fear, and when I couldn't run any more, I contemplated curling up in a fetal position on the ground. There were tons of creatures roaming around and when they'd get a free stretch of walkway, they would slide toward you on their knees which were protected by metal pads that sparked in the night. They reminded me of the scary guys on wheels in Return to Oz (I love that movie! Fairuza rules!) They also had 3-D mazes where you wore the glasses and everything was distorted and bright. People were dressed up as the wall paper in the mazes and it was truly scary seeing them just leaning against the wall, not knowing when or if they were going to make a move. The picture below was taken just before we entered the Las Vegas 3-D maze. The girl you see with me was yelling insults at people and just being a foul individual (I look pretty scary myself. Ignore me, but look at her!). She was funny! I can't wait to go back next year.

Election Day

2008-11-04T17:02:00.001-08:00

Somewhere along the boardwalk in Venice...

Here's my official ballot, cast today!

Once

2008-10-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

So I recently saw the move "Once" starring Glen Hansard of The Frames and Marketa Irglova, a traditionally trained Czech musician. The movie was written by the former bassist of The Frames. It was really good and the soundtrack is awesome. Now the two stars of the movie play together in a band called The Swell Season. Glen Hansard has an amazing voice. I recently found a live concert that they performed in Washington D.C. You can listen to it and download it. I like to put it on when I'm going to spend a lot of time in front of the computer (like when I wrote my prior post).

Riviera Maya Oh My!

2008-10-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have updated my blog and so much has happened in the last few months. I decided to begin with my trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico. In the middle of July, after checking the funds, my sister and I booked a last minute trip, and I am so glad we did. Mexico is beautiful and there is an endless amount of things to do. A week was definitely not enough time. We stayed at the Catalonia Royal Tulum Resort. Because there are so many hotels in the Cancun area, I had a difficult time deciding where to stay. Babs said that she wanted to have a relaxing vacation and didn't necessarily want to leave the hotel. So keeping that in mind, I wanted to stay somewhere with a perfect beach. After reading thousands of reviews in a few day period, I came across our hotel. The beach was absolutely heaven on earth.

The resort is large and in November of this year, will become an adult only hotel. There were many activities, including Spanish lessons, ballroom dancing lessons, beach volleyball, and various drinking games in the pool, along with horrible shows every night, but entertaining none-the-less. All the young people (that makes me sound old, but in comparison to me, they were young people) who ran all the activities in the day, performed in the shows at night. They had a Michael Jackson show which was a train wreck and I had to watch the whole thing. One night, they had traditional Mexican dancing and actually hired outside of the resort, so that show was really good.

Iguanas roamed the property, along with some strange rain forest insects and bugs. Beautiful paintings decorated the walls.

There were two buffets, three restaurants, three or four bars, a snack cart and smoothie hut on the beach. Below is a picture of the self-serve tequila bar. They had many bottles of tequila infused with various fruits and spices.

Babs and I enjoyed the hot tub. They had three of varying temperatures.

Here is a view of our moonlit beach.

One night I saw a giant sea turtle returning to the sea after spending many hours digging a hole for her eggs. She was scared back into the ocean by local children waiting to collect them before she could lay the eggs . Unfortunately, sea turtles are not protected in Riviera Maya unless they lay eggs on resort property. The locals wait for the turtles to lay their eggs. Then before the mother turtle can bury them, they kill the mother for food and take the eggs for soup. One family lived in tents on the stretch of beach. They didn't have much, but they did have an ATV that allowed them to patrol the beach waiting for the exhausted turtles to lay their eggs in the same spots on the beach that they have been returning to each year for decades. In Costa Rica, these endangered creatures are protected by the locals in many parts of the country. The Costa Ricans have become tour guides bringing visitors out to the beach with special flashlights to view the mother turtles laying their eggs. They are paid well and learn a lot about the sea turtles, passing this information onto amazed visitors. They no longer kill the turtle in places like Tortuguero because they can afford to buy, grow, and raise their own food sources. I spoke with the resort manager after the mother that I saw returning to the water was eventually slaughtered on the beach upon her return -she was no match for the men with clubs on an ATV. I also wrote a letter explaining that they can make it worth it for the poor locals to protect the sea turtles by making their viewing a money making operation. They can protect them by leading tourists to see them lay their eggs. Or they can pass regulations to make the eggs off limits so that the sea turtle population has a chance. When Ben and I witnessed the sea turtles laying eggs in Costa Rica, it was and still is one of the highlights of my life. I remember crying as this gigantic creature that is both powerful and helpless returned to the beach that it was born on after battling the large and dangerous surf for hours. I didn't photograph the turtle in Mexico going back in the water as the flash frightens them, but here is the nest she dug for hours. At that time, I also didn't understand the intentions of the family that was there with me.

On that sad note, I will attempt to cheer you up with other creatures that also did not survive our trip to Mexico. But don't worry, they are sustainable.

Now, even though we loved our beach, Babs and I did venture out. We went to Chichen Itza, ancient Mayan ruins and one of the seven wonders of the world. Built in 435 and the capital of the ancient Mayan empire, the main attraction of Chichen Itza is the Pyramid of Kukulcan pictured below.

Although this place is something to see, we were warned about the extreme weather here. When we got off the bus, we were happily surprised by the lush landscape and breeze that surrounded us. However, as we entered the archaeological site, we quickly realized that the breeze was a tease. The ruins are in an open field and there are very few trees to protect you from the heat. In minutes, that breeze became air that was still and at least 120 degrees, and 80% humidity enveloped us. This is a place where people vomit and faint from the heat, so if you venture out that way, bring lots of water, bring or buy a hat at the entrance and prepare yourself for the conditions.

This is Babs in front of the main pyramid. It's possible to take a picture of yourself with the appearance that you are holding it in the palm of your hand. And even though I wanted to take this typical tourist pic, it was too hot for me to do it. I kept having to search for spots of shade and trees. And people, if you know me, you know how much I love the summer and the heat, but this was unbearable.

The observatory at Chichen Itza. During the equinox, the structures along with the shadow and light create a giant serpent that can be seen from above the site.

There were many local people selling things within the ruins and on the outside, the best deals we found in Mexico, actually. And although we bought a few things, the weather discouraged me from spending too much time looking and squabbling over prices (I did do that a little bit, though). I bought a traditional Mexican dress that will be part of my Halloween costume this year, a hand painted giraffe and ceramic skull. I love all of these things.

Before we arrived at Chichen Itza, our bus driver took us to a cluster of overpriced shops. We did not buy anything there because my mom warned us about the place. She was there two months earlier. They did have some lovely traditional handicrafts. They had pretty gardens there, the weather was better and I got an idea of what I might want to buy elsewhere.

After we all made our way back to the bus from the Chichen Itza heat, sweaty and looking like we had all been to hell and back, we were taken for lunch, where local girls and boys performed for us. Catering to tourists and tempting patrons with cold cerveza, they danced with the refreshing goodness on their heads. The girl in the photo is wearing a nicer version of the dress I bought.

After our meal, we were taken to nearby cenote, an underground pool. The opening to this cavern was beginning to fall away, revealing the tree roots and tree above it. Eventually when the ceiling caves in completely, it will no longer be a "cenote", but I can't remember now what the word is. I have never seen a cenote before and this one did not disappoint. I climbed into the earth about 200 feet or so into a slippery hole that revealed an amazing sight. The water was cool and just what I needed after the Chichen Itza climate and bus ride.

Finally, we ended our trip in the town of Valladolid founded in 1543. We didn't spend a lot of time there, but I did have a chance to snap a few pictures. The one below is the San Gervasio Church. At this point of the trip, Babs became very upset because she had accidentally deleted all of her photos, which included her Chichen Itza pics. And now that you know about the heat there and the effort it must have taken to get good pictures, you might understand why she was so pissed. She even joked that we would have to take the tour again so she could get the pictures that were now lost. I say "joked" because the memory of the burning sun and pouring sweat was still fresh then and neither of us wanted to go back there. Although we both would agree that Chichen Itza should not be missed.

The following day, Babs relaxed on the beach with her book, while I explored. I walked far down and was by myself the entire time. The remains of resorts destroyed in a hurricane last year, iguanas, azure water(azure is a word I feel embarrassed about using because it sounds funny, but that is the color - for those who don't know, the zure part is pronounced like the word 'sure' with a "zh' sound instead.) and a dreamy coastline surrounded me. The few photos below are my journey in the order that they appeared.

Babs and I also visited the tourist town of Playa del Carmen. We checked out the beach and explored the shops and Babs got her hair braided. People don't realize how thick our hair is, so eventually Babs had 4 women working on her head and they were all saying, "So much hair," in Spanish. Two hours into the braiding and after the sun had set, I'm sure the one lady regretted the deal she and Babs made.

Many people stay in and visit Playa del Carmen and if you're looking for a party atmosphere and a variety of restauraunts, you would like it there.

I met a kid who worked at our resort, who rented a palapa in Playa del Carmen. He made $160 a month working at the resort. He was sweet and the only "man" who worked there that didn't offer to marry me or my sister in the first minute of our meeting. Despite the beauty of Playa del Carmen, people still want to come to America to live and work (hence the marriage proposals). In fact, Erik was planning on making the dangerous journey across the border later this year. He carried a "family tree" in his wallet. He didn't ask me to, but I would bring him food from the buffet during his 12 -16 hour shifts. He was 17 years old and was unable to attend school.

My sister and I took an eco-snorkeling tour that was the highlight of my trip to Mexico. It began in the river inlet that led to the ocean. The gases that came out of the rocks in the inlet made the water appear oily. Our guide said that the temperature adjustment from inside the earth to the water made that happen. We swam from the inlet all the way to the ocean. I saw a four foot long barracuda with teeth that were 2 inches long and protruding from its mouth. A little fish swam in my life vest the entire time we were in the inlet.

After that, we drove to a Mayan family's plot of land for another cenote snorkel. This one was a true cenote. We were asked not to wear sunscreen or mosquito repellant and to refrain from peeing in the water because it would destroy the balance in this unique undergound ecosystem. There are thousands of cenotes in Mexico - Amazing!

We had a delicious barbeque lunch cooked by the family who lived on this piece of land and then walked to our next destination: an open cenote. I cannon-balled off the edge where the ceiling of the cenote once was, went down the zip-line (Babs even tried this one!), snorkeled, lounged in an inner tube and on the deck, and enjoyed every minute of it. We met a couple of teachers from Chicago and exchanged stories.

Babs and I took a public van to the ruins at Tulum. The ancient Mayans really knew how to pick a spot. It was so beautiful there. Upon our arrival, we saw this...

The ruins of Tulum...

I swam in the huge waves below the site. It was exhilirating!

A dancer's mask.

Tropical storm Dolly rolled into town the day before we left. Babs was getting ready for dinner in our room (so no pictures exist) while I swam in the pouring rain, pummeled by the enormous surf. Everyone else fled the beach and watched from the shore so I had the water to myself.

Mexico is an amazing country. There are so many places to visit and things to see and do. I am definitely going back, but this time Ben has to come. I loved it there.

A Birthday Wish

2008-08-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Try to follow me here...

I have a friend named Kari.
She has a friend.
Her friend has a son.
The son's friend has a mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago. It has spread to her brain and spine, which has paralyzed her from the waist down.
The mother of the sick woman has a wish for her daughter:
The woman who is battling cancer will celebrate her birthday on September 17th. Her mom wants her to get as many birthday cards as possible.

If you have a moment, please send a card. Can you imagine how wonderful that would be to open up your mailbox on your birthday and instead of bills, cards come pouring out? Maybe you have a friend who would also like to send Sara Hirschy a card??? I am preparing mine as I write.

Send Cards to:

Sara Hirschy
991 Poplar Court
Simi Valley, CA 93065

Remember, her birthday is September 17th!

You are awesome!

Jamaica'n Me Crazy - Part II, Ben's Photos

2008-08-03T00:02:00.001-07:00

So here are a few of Ben's photos from our trip to Jamaica.

My sweet angel pup wanted to come along.

My mom and I after a snorkel from the catamaran.

Olga and I swimming by the caves. Check out Olga's yawn!

Me in the ocean.

Me lounging by the pool.

Samsara Resort

I Love this Story

2008-07-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

Jamaica'n Me Crazy!

2008-07-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

Near the end of June, Ben and I went to Jamaica for a week. Our mission: Tom and Amy's Wedding. We arrived on the afternoon of June 25 and had a day for ourselves before the wedding festivities began. On Friday, my cousin's family chartered a catamaran for a late afternoon cruise. Ben and I took a taxi to the resort where everyone else stayed to meet up for a short bus ride to where they would launch the catamaran. We met my dad in the lobby who wanted to sneak us into their resort, but we had already been caught. Amy and my cousin, Tom, came back from the beach just before the sunset cruise.

Here we are waiting to board. Below you will see a photo of me and my cousin and one of my best friends, Olga, who is also the sister of the groom and the maid of honor.

My mom and dad.

My cousin Tom and his wife-to-be, Amy.

Bobash and I on the cat. We snorkeled and were also dropped off to swim in caves. I took advantage of every opportunity to get in the warm water.

Later that night, Olga returned with us to our resort.

The following morning, we had to get up early to get Olga back for her maid of honor duties. She had an appointment to get her hair done, so we were on our way. Ben and I ate at their resort and swam in the ocean before getting ready in my parents' room.

Amy and Tom got married on the beach in beautiful Negril. It was a gorgeous day. The light was so pretty and dream-like that day.

Amy looked like a blue-eyed doll.

Olga was pretty in blue.

My parents.

Following the ceremony, we attended the reception.

They had a steel drum band.

Everyone had a great time. Congratulations to Amy and Bobash!

Here are some beautiful flowers of Jamaica.

The day after the wedding, we relaxed on the beach at our resort, Legends. Our room was one of four that was as close to the sand as you can get. I would wake up to a reggae band playing just beyond the balcony or waves lapping on the shore. The beach was beautiful, but the food was horrendous. I kept double checking my jaw to make sure that it wasn't broken and sewn shut since everything was served in liquid form. But I didn't starve. This is Ben by the pool. Check out the size of that palm.

The view one morning.

Facing the ocean and looking left.

Looking to the right.

Ben, without even a spot of sunburn.

Ben's head.

The fruit lady. Check out her machete.

The police patrolling the beach.

This is a photo called "High" for a couple reasons. In a pot shortage, he can smoke his shirt.

The following day, Ben and I visited the sister resort called Samsara. It's located on the cliffs of Negril and had a completely different vibe than our beach. There were many ladders that dropped into the open ocean. Ben and I snorkeled, relaxed, ate, drank, and were happy to be there.

Ben enjoying a beer and a burp.

His reaction to his burp getting caught on camera.

This is a picture of a friend we met, Michael. He pointed us in the direction of the craft market where Ben and I bought some small items to decorate our new house. I bought three ironwood carvings and had my hair braided. I was told that it would take the heavy wood carvings 300 years to deteriorate. There's no way I'll be able to verify that, so they could have told me 1,000 years if they wanted to. It was quite an experience being there. Everyone wants you to visit their shop, so we were advised to be firm, but went into a lot of people's stores anyway because we had a hard time saying no. Eventually though, the heat made it a lot easier to keep moving and head back to our beach.

Daps with a local artist and wood carver.

Ben and I also wanted to visit some of the waterfalls in Jamaica. When Ben was 12 and came to Jamaica with his family, he went to the Dunne River Falls which are probably the most famous waterfalls in Jamaica. We decided to figure out how to get to the less crowded Mayfield Falls which, because of their far off location in the Blue Mountains can be almost $200/person. So once again, we talked to Michael and he arranged for his friend Trevor to take us. At the beginning of the journey, Trevor wanted to stop at his dad's bar for a drink.

Trevor is in the red shirt and his dad is behind him. Just before this picture was taken, Trevor pulled out a marijuana bud that was a foot long. I recommended that he put it away since his father was right behind him, but he reminded me that it is a Jamaican tradition for a father to teach his son to smoke. He rolled a joint with a little tobacco for the ride to the Falls. He also brought a rum beverage. When it spilled all over Ben and the car, I knew he wouldn't be drinking it, so I felt more secure. He smoked joints like a cigarettes, and couldn't even drop one before we were stopped by the police who, to top things off, also thought we had drank a bottle of rum between the 3 of us. Outside of the car, they were speaking Patua, and I thought for sure Trevor might say the pot was ours and I was going to end up in a Jamaican prison. According to Trevor, we were stopped because of a sporting event that was taking place, oh, and that pesky joint. Trevor had to keep telling the officer that he didn't have any guns, and yes he was smoking marijuana, but he was being honest about it, and he was just trying to work by taking some tourists to the Falls. Because 1/3 of the country is unemployed, the officer let us go. The payoff probably helped, too. Crazy! I was so scared, and had no idea how the journey would end.

After a two hour drive on the worst roads I have ever been on (Potholes a foot deep, people! Now I knew why Michael was so fascinated with U.S. roadwork), we arrived at the Falls. We hiked down with Trevor who waited at the entrance of the Falls, while we continued the journey with our guide, who was the Jamaican Spiderman (I'll publish the video soon). It was so green and lush and beautiful, I thought it might be heaven. It was unreal.

We started at the bottom of the waterfalls and made our way up. Spiderman led us through the crisp water that was the blue-green color of icebergs. He would climb trees that were 30 - 40 feet tall and jump into the pools that were 5 feet deep and 5 feet wide in some spots (video, coming soon)! He carried my camera and glided over slippery rocks and all I could do was applaud when he would stop to guide my much more careful steps or to let us play in the water. Ben and I were completely amazed by him. He even showed me a place in the Falls where if I pushed myself far down enough in the water, I would reach a tunnel made in the rocks. He came down with me to show me and before I knew it, he grabbed me and launched me through it. I was swimming underneath the falls and ended up in the bubbling water on the other side. It was freakin' awesome. He took our pictures and made us pose and everything. I couldn't help laughing through the photos because in between flips and falls into the water, he was telling me where to put my hand or to gaze into Ben's eyes. It was funny. Just as we were rounding the last corner, I couldn't believe what I saw. There were hundreds of Jamaican kids on a field trip. The rush of the water was so loud that we couldn't hear them at all. As we passed them, we gave high fives and helped one another across the rocks. It was beautiful. By the time I got my camera from Spiderman who was carrying kids and leaping 8-10 rocks at a time, the students were leaving and the moment had passed. I don't think a photo would have been able to really show those minutes.

Jamaica exceeded my expectations. It was amazing. The sun was mild, and the water was so warm that when you stepped into the ocean, you might not even notice. Ben and I were sad to leave and hope to make it back to a Caribbean island again some day.

Our last day...

I hope to post Ben's photos in a future post.

Spring Break

2008-04-05T23:39:00.001-07:00

It has been a week since our amazing spring break camping trip. On the 22nd of March, Ben and I headed south to San Clemente State Beach for a few days of the best camping we have had in years, maybe the best ever. Our campsite was large and on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Normally we are surrounded by motor homes, and even though there were plenty of them, the sites were so spread out, that we didn't spend a second inhaling the fumes of generators running all day. The weather was perfection, 85 degrees, sunny, beautiful. Below you will find some pictures from our amazing trip to San Clemente.

Ben's step brother Mikey joined us for the first couple of nights. We bought him a tent for Christmas so he was excited to use it.

Joellen and Olga also came out. Ben bought me a wetsuit for Christmas and Keith got me a long board, so Jo Ellen tried to teach me how to surf. I didn't get up, but I did get on my knees. Jo Ellen thinks I'll be able to get up next time: She doesn't think I'm a hopeless case. My bout with pneumonia a couple of days before made me a coughing mess, but I had fun. I got my butt kicked by some pretty big waves, but I had a blast. The dolphins even joined us (you can see them in the picture of JoEllen and me in the water).

Ben hid in the shade and played with Bula.

Olga loved Bula and he loved her, too.

We enjoyed lovely sunsets and good laughs.

We had a delicious barbecue dinner every night. There's nothing like dinner off the grill when your camping.

Bula even enjoyed the lazy days and nights.

I can't wait to go back to San Clemente.

Our New House

2008-04-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

After seeing over 60 houses, we finally found the right one.

The master bedroom and bathroom.

The office.
The kitchen with Ben looking worried and Alan, the realtor.

The beautiful backyard.

Those are just a few pictures. We also have one living room (no den), another bedroom and another bathroom with a tub. I can't wait to live in my own house. I've never lived in a house before. Sometimes when I think about owning the walls, the windows, the land, I tear up. Ben and I are both excited and ready to be on our own again.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-25T22:39:00.000-08:00

May this tid-bit of Americana bring you joy!

The Great Pumpkin

2007-11-01T19:35:00.001-07:00

This is my sweet angel on Halloween. Although he hates wearing clothes, we couldn't help it.

Below, you will find the pumpkins Ben and I carved. Unfortunately, even with four bags of candy, we didn't get a single trick or treater.

My pumpkin

Ben's pumpkin

Earlier in the week, Ben and Bula found this zucchini growing in our complex.

In addition, for your puppy lovin' pleasure, my friend Megan got a new puppy as an early birthday gift. Below you will find, Sadie. She is absolutely adorable and sits like a person.

Coming soon... our trip to the Czech Republic. I am working on it, but because I took 1,000 pictures (not an exaggeration), it is a bit overwhelming.

Almost 6 Months

2007-10-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep. I'm thinking about you. There are moments that last maybe a second where I think you will come down the stairs or that it's you calling. And then I remember.

My Home: A Place Where Bobcats Come to Die

2007-08-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

A Bob-who? A what-cat? A bobcat at the front door?

This was my reaction when this morning Ben woke me up to tell me that there was a bobcat on our porch. I thought I might have been dreaming, but when he came in moments later with the blurry pictures to prove it, I knew it was real. Yes, this morning a bobcat came to die at my house.

Ben and I are both confused and sad about this recent event. In Fiji, we had a bat land on our stoop, and now a bobcat. By the time animal control arrived, the bobcat was dead. Apparently, according to grandma, they bagged him up and took him away. They say it was natural causes, but does he look like a full grown bobcat to you? All we know is that this cannot be a good sign. I could use a break from things dying on my porch, if you know what I mean?

The CZ, Baby! Part I

2007-08-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

We're in the middle of August and the anxiety and fear of the upcoming school year is beginning to turn in my stomach. But I have to say that if travel is my passion, then hi-ho hi-ho, it's off to work I go. We've been back for a week from our trip to the Czech Republic and we are quite busy. Ben returned to work the following day and I took an art and writing class at UCSB. The drive was long and exhausting, although I enjoyed the misty morning drives and raged as I sat in bumper to bumper traffic almost the whole way home.

So I am officially 30 now. We boarded a plane for the Czech Republic on my birthday, which I didn't really mind except that when we arrived in Prague, it was already the 22nd and I had no birthday what-so-ever. So I have decided that I will be 29 for another year, thank you very much. The flight was horrid as all 10 1/2 hour, non red eye flights must be. We had purchased our seats and should have been in the 3rd to last row of the airplane where there are only two seats in a row. However, when we found our seats as shown on our ticket, we were both shocked to see that we were in the middle section with no window view, no place for me to lean and sleep, no way out. Luckily, I hardly remember that now.

We arrived after noon on Sunday, the 22nd. My aunt and my cousin's husband were waiting for us. We loaded the car with our luggage and 100 lbs. of presents (not an exaggeration) and began the 2+ hour journey to Brno. We were going to go back to my aunt's place because we had been up for almost two days, but we decided to stop at their cottage to see my cousin and her 1 year old son, Vasik, pronounced Va-sheek (short for Vaclav, a very old fashioned Czech name. My mom said that it was like naming your kid Edna, or something. However, in my cousin Klarka's defense, she did not want her son to be the 12th Honza - Czech equivalent to John, I think- in his class). After a few hellos, we headed off to my aunt's apartment, where she made my favorite, fried cauliflower.

Sleeping in the living room on the couch, Ben and I passed out early and woke up several times during the night. But we were up fairly early to begin the Czech experience. We rode the chalina (cable car) with my aunt on her way to work in the city. We checked out Petrov Cathedral, featured on the 10 koruna. We went up to the tower to check out some amazing views of the city.

We had lunch downtown at a brewery called Pegas. I think it is one of the few breweries in the Czech Republic that brews hefeweizen. Delicious! Check out my fried cheese.

After lunch we made our way to Spilberk Castle. Founded in the early 1200s, many kings lived there before it was finally turned into a military fortress in the 1700s. Rebels from around Europe were imprisoned in its Prison of the Nations until the prison was closed in 1853. During World War II, the Nazis reopened the prison. The castle has many points of interests for visitors including a museum of prison life, the Brno city museum, a baroque pharmacy, and a lookout tower. Ben and I simply walked through the gardens, all the way up up up the hill, circled the castle, relaxed with a beverage and made our way back down. Later that evening, the Shakespeare Festival began and lasted for a week at Spilberk with famous Czech actors in the roles.

Still tired from the long flight, we returned to my Teta Jitka's house, probably had a few beers and went to sleep.

The following day, we walked around Brno. We tried for a second time to get into the Warhol exhibit at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, but were denied because they were only open Wednesday - Sunday. I showed Ben some of my favorite stores and bought a few things. I showed Ben where my mom grew up. I also told him some of the stories my mom told me about the Brno dragon and wheel.

The legend says that the Brno dragon terrorized the city's waterways. Actually, the dragon is an Amazon River crocodile donated by Archprince Matyas in 1608. The wheel was made by a man from Lednice (the same town where Alphonse Mucha was born). In 1636, he made a bet with a friend that he could chop down a tree, build a wheel from the lumber and roll it 50 km to Brno before dusk. He was successful and the wheel has been on display ever since. Unfortunately, someone started a rumor that the cartwright received diabolic assistance and because of this he died penniless when all of his business went elsewhere.

One More Day in Prague

2007-08-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

We are still in the CZ and having a wonderful time. We are currently staying with my Uncle's brother, Petr, and his wife Dana. We will be back on the 5th, my mom's birthday. I hope to post a description of our adventure along with photos soon. However, because I have taken 700 pictures, this could prove to be a difficult task. Along with visiting the Prague Castle and walking it's gardens, we made it to the Mucha Musuem, where I decided to name my first born son, Alphonse. The exhibit was quite small as Prague has yet to acquire his life's greatest project, the Slav Epic. Luckily, my aunt took us to see this exhibit in Moravske Krumlov, about 250 km. from Prague. There are 20 works of art in the Slav Epic, each about 18 feet high. I feel really lucky to have seen them and photographed them without being fined the 500 korunas for doing so. Although Prague will finally have the Slav Epic, as they are building a home to accomodate them, it was wonderful to see this exhibit on the outskirts of Mucha's hometown, Ivancice. No offense to Moravske Krumlov or Ivancice, there is no other reason to come to these towns, other than to view these enormous works of art dedicated to the Czech Republic and all Slavic people. Although Mucha is most famous for starting the Art Nouveau movement and the beautiful posters of women and flowers, these paintings were his greatest dream to create.

I cannot wait to show you these and other photos I have collected on our journey.

A Birthday, A Dinner, A Class, An Award, and a Date

2007-07-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Ben and I headed out to my mom's to celebrate Babs' birthday. She's 31 now. My mom reminded me that she was only 32 when they made the long voyage to America, which is crazy to think about. We had my favorite, fried cauliflower and boiled potatoes with salt and butter. Delicious!

On Monday night, Lia and I went to an Italian restaurant in the Valley. It was really great to see her and hear about her adventures as a film buyer and new bride. She goes to film festivals like Sundance and Cannes to shop for films and gets to stay at the nicest hotels and mingle with celebrities and such who kiss her ass so she'll buy their movies. Her husband Mat is currently working in Montreal as a writer for T.V. It's all so very exciting.

At Fabrocini, the bus boy, or man I should say, kept looking at me and Lia was convinced that he was in love with me. He finally decided to talk to me. He told me that I look just like his cousin who lives in Mexico. That despite her Latina status, she is blond and blue-eyed. "And beautiful, obviously," I added. We laughed. He went on to ask me if I was Lia's mom. Uh, Lia is actually older than me by a month and a half. We were both stunned and insulted. Lia does look younger than me, but come on, her mother??? I tried to explain that he probably thought I was a teenage mother and that I was with my 15 year old daughter, which didn't really help Lia's cause and didn't convince me that I look my actual age. But it was good for a few laughs.

This week I have also been taking a "Teacher As Writer" class that is paid for by my school district. I've been doing a lot of creative writing, using techniques that would suit an upper grade, middle school, or even high school classroom. It has been a real treat. Because it was paid for by the district, I didn't know what to expect. I tried to prepare myself for the worst: response to literature essays, summary writing, persuasive, and other forms of writing that kill the idea of writing for pleasure in a classroom. But the class was far from that. Aside from having to share our work in this nine person class, I enjoyed myself very much and didn't mind driving out to Ventura every morning. I really noticed how my process is so much different than other people's. I write, and then add descriptive language in my first revision. Some people have a gift for doing that as they write, playing with the language as they go. It's easier for me to get to the point first and then adjust later. This varying process is really something to think about in class of 30+ students.

One of the assignments today was to read an excerpt from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, where setting is established. You could either use the first line of the excerpt, a variation of it, or begin anyway that set you into the motion of writing. Here is Lee's:

Maycomb was an old town. but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer's day, bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'-clock naps, and by sweet nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.

Here's my version...

Grandma's Westlake townhouse was a tired old house, but it is older and more tired than when I first knew it. In hot weather, the fans buzz as the "girls" sit around a square table playing Pan and Mah Jong, talking about their sons and missed colonoscopy appointments. The rooms are cluttered with an array of mismatched furniture, framed needlepoint made by a relative who is no longer with us, and fuzzy squirrel figurines and glass owls from trips to God knows where and God knows when. Grandma's carefree days are long gone. Her vision is fading fast, mistaking a pile of newspapers to be recycled for her purse. Grandma is older and much more tired now that she's "90 and slowing down".

You should try it, too. Think about a place you have been, a town you have loved or hated, or a house with many memories. The images are in your mind, but hardly ever spoken or written.

Today I had to leave my class early because the Teacher of the Year luncheon that I told you about earlier. Ben met me at the Country Club where we had lunch and I was a bit confused by the variety of forks that made me wish I had gone to cotillion as a kid. Then it was time to announce the awards. My boss, Dave Becker, and my classroom volunteer, Mark Jaffe, who also happens to be the Rotary Club's new president, said a lot of nice things about me as I stood there with them. Of course I was embarrassed. They presented me with a certificate and a check for $250. I'm still trying to figure out if I need to use the money in my classroom, or if I can buy the out-of-stock Missoni Acqua perfume that I've been thinking about. (Kari, maybe you can clarify, since you are the reigning Teacher of the Year). I had to say a few words as I accepted my award. Then I sat back down, thinking I could relax a little bit. BUT NOOOOOOO! They went on to present me with the Paul Harris Fellow Award which is the highest honor received by non-Rotarians! This award is given to people who are "advocate[s] of ... world peace and international understanding." The audience oooohed and ahhhhed when they called my name and I remember Ben saying, "Good job, Doll!" My boss whispered, "This is a big one, Romy." I was absolutely shocked. I received a certificate, a medal, and a pin. In addition, the Rotary Club donated $1,000 in my name (along with $23,000 donated by the club itself) to the building of a community center in Zambia (that's Africa). This community center will focus on AIDS education and prevention. Isn't that awesome? When the luncheon ended, members of the group congratulated me and said to Ben, "You must be so proud." It was great.

And finally to add to an already delightful day, I received word today that my awesome cousin Tomas and his lovely fiancee, Amy, have set a date for their wedding. June 28, 2008 in Negril, Jamaica. They have a cute website with pictures and an explanation of how they met and where they are from. Check it out.

Hmmm...

2007-07-10T01:27:00.001-07:00

On Ben's lunch break we were skimming today's Daily News, when we came across this article...

Monday July 9, 2007

Wookiee sought in Marilyn sex incident

Police were searching Sunday for a Chewbacca impersonator who had reportedly sexually assaulted a Marilyn Monroe look-alike in front of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood a month ago.

The Chewbacca impersonator was wanted on suspicion of grabbing the Monroe impersonator's hand and placing it on his groin about four weeks ago, said Sgt. David Torres, spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division.

The Monroe look-alike called police on Sunday after complaining of a separate incident that day between the two impersonators, Torres said.

The brown, hairy Wookiee fled just as police arrived at about 12:30 p.m. on Hollywood and Highland boulevards.

"The area is very active with summer tourists, traffic, the premiere of Harry Potter and the impersonators," Torres said. "This is not a typical incident, but the impersonators do compete for tourists, and there have been other conflicts."

The investigation is ongoing.

The Chewbacca impersonator was arrested in February in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre after allegedly head-butting a tour guide operator who said the outfitted Wookiee was upsetting tourists.

-Daily News

Etc. Etc.

2007-07-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

If you read my sister's blog, then you know that on June 30th, we attended the Sound of Music Sing-Along at the Hollywood Bowl. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed and because we parked at the L.A. Zoo and took the shuttle over, I didn't want to risk not having a place to store it and being forced to leave it in a bush like the chain on my wallet at a No Doubt concert at the Pond 10 years ago (BTW, Gwen Stefani had on her chain wallet, but I have since retired mine, thank you very much), so I did not bring my camera with me. However, my sister put her camera in her bra and because the Sound of Music doesn't have a great appeal to terrorists and drug mongers, she got in without a hitch. I have learned my lesson and will take the risk next time a camera is in question.

Aside from the 2 hour costume parade that forced my sister, Gina and I into alcoholism, we had a great time. Did I mention that every "singer" who dressed in movie garb was welcomed on to the stage and talked to by the host, Barbara Jean from the WB's Reba? Yeah, that blew after the 14th Maria, 36th Gretel, and 50th nun. Besides that, I liked booing Rolf and hissing at the Baroness. She wasn't all bad, people. She did eventually see the love for Maria in the Captain's eyes and dismiss herself from the von Trapp home. (Sorry, if you've never seen the movie. And if you haven't, where have you been?)

On the 4th of July, well actually it was the 3rd, we went to our old haunt, Moorpark (kraproom backwards) to see the fireworks. We visited our old neighbor and friend Jerry who is recently single again and just trying to be a dad to his two little girls, Paige and Brooke.

On the 4th, we went to see Keith and Danny for grilled burgers. We brought Bula so he could play with his best friend, Co Co. I think they are strictly platonic as I have not seen any action to indicate otherwise.

Afterwards we went to the cemetery. From Marilyn's grave, we watched a pink sunset.

On Thursday the 5th, we celebrated some friends' 30th birthdays with sushi. I swear we had more than Saki, Asahi and Sapporo.

The following Friday, I went to work apparently for the sole purpose of becoming overwhelmed, but at least I saw Kari.

This upcoming week, I was scheduled to take a Teacher as Writer course paid for by the district, but it was cancelled and rescheduled for the following week. That week doesn't work as well for me. However, I need the professional development hours that I'd otherwise have to make up during the year. And I have a hard time teaching all day and going to two hour classes here and there to make that time up. I'm going to make a few calls and try to make this work to my advantage. Wish me luck.

Part IV: Inside Passage, Juneau, Alaska

2007-07-08T00:45:00.000-07:00

From left to right: me, Sasha, Rick, Ryan, Jason K. and Jason B.

Sasha and I were soon on our own again. We explored the downtown shops.

Sasha polished silver.

We photographed the glacier.

We returned to Auke Bay.

I slept with a bear that wanted to eat me. Seriously, this is what I looked at when my head hit the pillow.

Our last night, Sasha and I had drinks with the Jasons at the Alaskan Bar. The next morning, we ate waffles and got matching tattoos at the same time. "The Alaskan I.P.A. was so good.."

I took in the Juneau sky for what may have been the last time.

Then Sasha and I went our separate ways. She to Anchorage, her new home in the very near future, and I to my sweet doll.

Part III: Inside Passage, Shelter Island off the coast of Juneau, Alaska

2007-07-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

When we boarded the ferry to leave Sitka, we met up with the Jasons, friends of Sasha's friend, Ryan. They taught me to play rummy and we played a match for 4 hours. This ferry was super fancy, and it even had a wood inlay design of a compass on what could have been a dance floor. This was a fast ferry with no rooms.

When we arrived in Juneau, Ryan was there to meet us. His boyfriend Rick has some property off the coast of Juneau in a magical place called Shelter Island. So the boys had already arranged to go there. Sasha and I decided to tag-along. So before we dropped off our things at the B&B, we headed to Safeway to stock up on provisions, such as food for dinner and beer. Then we headed to the Bed and Breakfast in suburban Juneau, dropped off our bags, packed a few belongings and headed off to the unexpected.

We drove to the sea and waited for Ryan to row the raft to get the boat that would take us to Shelter Island. Below is a picture of me with the adorable Jasons from San Francisco.

As we waited, what I thought was a grizzly bear approached. But, luckily for us, it was just an enormous and friendly dog.

So we boarded the boat for a thirty minute ride to the cabin on Shelter Island. I had heard descriptions of the place. Our night was described as a luxury camping experience, but this does not say much. One man's luxury camping, is another man's night as a P.O.W. I had known these things: There was bedding, some sort of an organic garden and a hot tub heated by a wood burning stove. I also knew that I didn't need to worry about breakfast and that we would be back in the afternoon the following day because Ryan was preparing for his job at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp for children. So I thought even if it wasn't a good experience, it would be an adventure and it would be a short one.

Below is a picture of Sasha and Ryan with a "captain's expression" and another with Sasha and Jason as they talked in one end of the boat.

When we arrived at the beach on Shelter Island, it was beginning to get dark. We had to walk about half a mile or so to the property along a path paved in planks over muskeg, which is like a swamp or bog. The word "swamp" however sounds unappealing. Really, it's a clearing in the forest where water is found below a moss and plant covered ground. We arrived in time to eat sandwiches and enjoy some music and a campfire.

When everyone was getting ready for bed, Sasha and I decided to take advantage of the hot tub. Sasha got in her suit and I in my underwear and Sasha's long t-shirt. I was surprised at how hot it was (112 degrees!) and could only get into it up to my butt. I have never been in water so hot. Once we got our legs in, we couldn't move them because the burning hot sting would begin. It was so strange because the chilly air made me want to jump in, but the boiling water kept me from doing it. We hung out for an hour or so, hoping the Jasons would join us. They never did, but the hot tub experience was still a perfect end to a lovely evening.

We prepared to go to bed in the gnome home, where Ryan set up our beds. He was such a wonderful host and it was such a cute and cozy little space just for us.

As we laid down to go to sleep, we took some pictures that really demonstrate our joy and delight in the experience thus far on Shelter Island.

Because we arrived at dusk, I had no idea what this place even really looked like. It was amazing! The first photo is a sample of the wood plank path that started at the beach and continued beyond the cabin up to the tent on the hill where the boys slept.

The next photo shows you the gnome home where Sasha and I slept.

This is the hot tub during the day. There are snow capped mountains in the distance. Directly behind the tub, Rick is digging a pool for cold dips before or after the hot tub. The bench in the background is in the next picture. There is a gorgeous view.

Here are the boys enjoying the tub in the early afternoon at 94 degrees.

Here is a photo of the cabin that Ryan and Rick sleep in and live in during the summer. It is the newest and largest structure on the property. It is one room with a wood burning stove and, as you can see, is a work in progress. Because all of the structures are made from trees and lumber that come from the island, it must take quite a while to carry materials and supplies from place to place and prepare the raw materials for building.

The view from inside their cabin.

Rick is also proud of his organic garden. The vegetables they eat come from here.

Here is Rick in the green house in the garden.

Below are photos of the muskeg's beautiful plants and flowers.

The more common blue forget-me-nots along with the pink.

More muskeg-try not say the word. Muskeg, muskeg, muskeg...

Here is the bathroom they built. Rick encourages guests to go in the woods, but for those who feel comforted by a toilet seat, the bathroom is available.

Here is breakfast with delicious french toast. You can see the kitchen in the background. It even has running water for rinsing dishes via pipes connected to the ponds.

The Jasons slept in a large tent that was the first sleeping area at Shelter Island. When I walked up their in the morning I had no idea how they managed it at night. It was a steep climb. The path was cut down trees that lay against the mountainside with carefully cut notches to resemble a staircase. The view was unbelievable. You could see the ocean and the snowy mountains. The boys even saw a cruise ship go by in the dark.

Here is a picture of Jason taking the path down toward the kitchen area. It is much steeper than it looks.

Here is the view from their tent.

In the afternoon, we headed back to Juneau. Sasha and Ryan kayaked back and left much earlier, so we were lucky to get to stay on Shelter a bit longer. Below are pictures from the beach prior to our departure on a sunny, sparkling day.

We ended up on Auke Bay and it was so gorgeous that we returned there later on in the journey.

Shelter Island was one of my favorite parts of the trip!

If you would like to visit Shelter Island, Rick provides opportunities for people to stay on his property, providing food and shelter in exchange for 5 hours a day in labor of some kind. If the Alaskan muskeg is not your thing, other organic farmers around the world provide similar opportunities. For U.S. organic farms, go to http://www.wwoofusa.org/directory.html. For chances to do similar work around the world, go to http://www.wwoof.org/.