Wander Life

The baby always wins

My good friend since 8th grade, E, had a baby.  Huzzah!  I got to see this little Sadie character while I was back in the Portland area after returning from my trip to the Middle East.  We didn't really know what to make of each other, but I didn't drop her and she didn't barf on me, so...I feel like we had some sort of an understanding.  : )

In other news, I've been back in SoCal, in my apartment and at work for a week now.  Getting into the groove again, and all is going well.  I was wishing I had my camera on Friday night 'cause there could have been some good mini golf pictures happening, but, alas, I guess for now you'll have to be satisfied with this baby shot.  : )  Hopefully, though, I'll get the photos from my latest trip up in an album before too long - it might take a little while (as there are hundreds!), but...I'm working on it.  (And by the way, if you haven't noticed, the albums are listed over here on the left sidebar.  Thailand is the most recent one.)

So, that's kind of it for now.  My sister says that I ought to do more writing on this here blog, and she's probably right (since it is kinda what I like to do and I can feel my writing muscles atrophying as we speak), but, really...how you can compete with a baby picture?  I think I'll just have to concede this one to Sadie and go work on my trip picts.  Stay tuned for an album maybe/hopefully soon....

Have a great week, all!

         

He is risen! (And I am tired)

Back from the Middle East; had a birthday (aided in the candle-blowing-out by nieces); flying back to LA this evening.... 

That's the skinny.  Happy Easter!  : )

Day 12: Israel Continued

Well, just a couple more days left over here.  In customary group-tour fashion, down times continue to be few and far between, so once again, I'll have to save the descriptions for later.  Until then, here are a few more pictures....  Hope all is well with all of you.  : )

1) Roman ruins in Jordan.  Called Jerash.

2) Sea of Galilee.

3) Caesarea on the Mediterranean.  Herod was crazy but had some incredible places built.

4) View of the Dead Sea from Masada...which was another one of Herod's crazy (but amazing) palaces.  It's like a small city built in the sky.

5) Looking out over Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

6) An alley near where King David's tomb could have been (but probably really isn't).  : )   

7) And last but not least: a Palestinian police officer in Bethlehem.

Quite an interesting place....  Ok, that's it for now.  Have a great weekend! 

Egypt, Jordan, Israel: Day 7

Maybe it's a good sign that I haven't posted until now: proof that we've not been sitting around over here, twiddling our thumbs.  : )

But instead of trying to write about everything thus far in detail, I'll just give a quick summary and then toss up a few select photos to give you the general idea:

Monday - flying, flying and more flying.  Time difference is 14 hours, so we got into Cairo late Tuesday night.  Wednesday in Cairo, then overnight train to Luxor.  Thursday in Luxor (this Karnak temple thing down there was preeeetty  sweet...and old).  Friday - back up to Cairo.  Saturday flew to Jordan.  And that brings us to today, which was spent walking around Petra which ranks right up there in top 10 most amazing sights I've ever seen.  (And the good news is that you can see it, too - a lot of the third Indiana Jones movie was filmed there; the place that he has to go into towards the end to find the goblet and all that - that's Petra.  So now I have two movies that this trip makes me want to watch again: that one and also the first Mummy movie.  'Cause mummies coming alive is just plain freaky.)

Obviously, I hope to be able to give better descriptions than this later, but for now...well, I think there's probably something I should be seeing.  : )  One more night here in Jordan and then driving over to Israel tomorrow.  I tell ya, this group tour stuff keeps you on your toes!  (Oh, and by the way, grandma and the fam are doing great.  I almost don't know which is more amazing: the pyramids or a 93-year  old seeing them on a camel.  Crazy.)  : ) 

 

Alrighty, if I get a chance, I'll try to post again from Israel.  If not, rest assured that I'll take a few more pictures and will let you know what I find.   

Until then, stay amazed by big things or small...or just watch Indiana Jones.  : )

Portland/Seattle/Chicago/Amman/Cairo: Day 1

Well, Day 1 has nearly arrived.  We begin by flying out of Portland in the morning, and after four airplanes and three layovers, we arrive in Cairo sometime Tuesday night (their time).  Three cheers for iPods, ay?  : )

So, yeah, I think I'm ready.  I peaced out of SoCal on Friday and have been up here in the Portland area enjoying family time for the last couple of days.  The newest development with niece Toby is that she says, "Nuk nuk" (ala Curly of the Three Stooges).  Pretty awesome.  And Clover informed me that my hair is most definitely brown, not red.  Good to know.  : ) 

And I guess that's it for now.  Might be a while before I post again (you just never know when you're traveling), but I suspect that next time I do, it'll be from somewhere many hours by air away from here.  Here's to hoping for an aisle seat....  : )