tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2799828763362336692024-02-19T05:20:13.135-05:00Sail A-HueThere and Back AgainJeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-44644912928181174962009-05-03T11:45:00.007-04:002009-05-03T12:27:48.569-04:00Sorry, But I Just Couldn't Resist (No Offense Intended)Having opened the door yesterday with my comment that Oslo seems like a giant sculpture garden, I really have to show you a few shots of a park we stumbled on quite by accident today on our way back from the Folk Museum. On the map, it's called the Vigeland Sculpture Park. And it's, well, let's just call it "different" for lack of a better word. Here's the first sculpture we saw, from a distance, though this photo was obviously taken from closer up. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PkD-IjYv-XDrLiTo8WNWVSMerLFlj8H43VCGCDAh-gVA41BJ2-O1SAWi7CDNHo4sJz-3i4A_dz2WJOexXl3afU0xWCzVdL1GEjsr9sX6M_4odeP5ovPzmuZq-QkZLGxaT3sA6feZZ0w/s1600-h/_MG_3303.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PkD-IjYv-XDrLiTo8WNWVSMerLFlj8H43VCGCDAh-gVA41BJ2-O1SAWi7CDNHo4sJz-3i4A_dz2WJOexXl3afU0xWCzVdL1GEjsr9sX6M_4odeP5ovPzmuZq-QkZLGxaT3sA6feZZ0w/s320/_MG_3303.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331626802601993378" /></a> Yes, that's an anatomically correct statue of a naked man and a naked woman. We first noticed the statue because a young girl was standing on the platform massaging, well, you can guess what she was massaging. After she walked away, we went down and took some photos. As we were walking away, another young girl, this one dressed all in pink, ran up, hopped on to the platform, and started massaging the same part of the statue. <br /><br />Next, we encountered this, as seen from a distance. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1JytBS7NMtF80YT-gUQmLA8AOE15mVL9hLjxUB-_qTtPvK4wKRmXWjXAUJW9lMEVZjds6rGSiZyfhnn3TsiI0rs3dxVn04Wfmlimct3w5oi5W_jb1KsBemzrvPwNEiH5mEGKpoMnFRE/s1600-h/_MG_3291.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1JytBS7NMtF80YT-gUQmLA8AOE15mVL9hLjxUB-_qTtPvK4wKRmXWjXAUJW9lMEVZjds6rGSiZyfhnn3TsiI0rs3dxVn04Wfmlimct3w5oi5W_jb1KsBemzrvPwNEiH5mEGKpoMnFRE/s320/_MG_3291.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331628005139628370" /></a> It's an obelisk, right? Well, yeah, but it's a bit more graphic when seen from up close. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7OwnWM9Y6Le33mEnSGJwF-_qTQZk6QvbiItAChfH1Vx7w9aVBvGKWaBJL-q1Gq-JMYEu3oBizPlJBNb7gRHyrX9_vjNS1p1en8Tvm5P1Ii_t_d-l-aKT87ITXNIZwTQBKPKb5TWIpKY/s1600-h/_MG_3312.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7OwnWM9Y6Le33mEnSGJwF-_qTQZk6QvbiItAChfH1Vx7w9aVBvGKWaBJL-q1Gq-JMYEu3oBizPlJBNb7gRHyrX9_vjNS1p1en8Tvm5P1Ii_t_d-l-aKT87ITXNIZwTQBKPKb5TWIpKY/s320/_MG_3312.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331628588192253906" /></a> Here are a few more shots, of one of the gates to the sculpture platform and of some of the smaller sculptures around the obelisk. I particularly like the honesty in the statue of the two older women. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsqHvthwd9SLIeugMPfcHKWJiQPvaQrRUUwEGkPYElPqANTIGEKvygZ938s4A2-QW5FZ8kwPTV_PoGzkKcUkMv3dcbg1VMW27dPOjnDVpd5AR5l43mxTqYgQZzYKuKNxNudGNkR-djQY/s1600-h/_MG_3304.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsqHvthwd9SLIeugMPfcHKWJiQPvaQrRUUwEGkPYElPqANTIGEKvygZ938s4A2-QW5FZ8kwPTV_PoGzkKcUkMv3dcbg1VMW27dPOjnDVpd5AR5l43mxTqYgQZzYKuKNxNudGNkR-djQY/s320/_MG_3304.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331633235289652786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbbqwQdzZ2OtfQX0yKJOBAm7VDN3ZS3wlS3gYiyJFE1O2f8KU9QMGlhp3LptzE8g2X4uYUcyw8O_un8H5vRw1wtao1eL3pfqdzu7YXTSxfkLlUnex3gHxnyic6CshIT8keqwqDaNhdwE/s1600-h/_MG_3311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbbqwQdzZ2OtfQX0yKJOBAm7VDN3ZS3wlS3gYiyJFE1O2f8KU9QMGlhp3LptzE8g2X4uYUcyw8O_un8H5vRw1wtao1eL3pfqdzu7YXTSxfkLlUnex3gHxnyic6CshIT8keqwqDaNhdwE/s320/_MG_3311.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331633230381059410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xU03d6-5HZej3WTAAQm-BZaH6YTYNPQRFAJhHhPN2Sw8q18hTmShA3WhEmHh1E142YqnsYliFLFMHE5oWjl57Dmq3jCbs1sxNzsIHf-xHVRwlm6GkWyCXrkQR16n4kHIwxcACFBslJA/s1600-h/_MG_3314.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xU03d6-5HZej3WTAAQm-BZaH6YTYNPQRFAJhHhPN2Sw8q18hTmShA3WhEmHh1E142YqnsYliFLFMHE5oWjl57Dmq3jCbs1sxNzsIHf-xHVRwlm6GkWyCXrkQR16n4kHIwxcACFBslJA/s320/_MG_3314.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331633225460542834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyypZg7BuzGCrFdjU-Ixr_Brlwin8-VY9gH0sWmAD5K-5cqZGLWkDPX3XMbip1u0N_FiPz1WTR5T0w9D6Bc3CFzojj1g_3gih_ly21EHLKD3t5B4_u1wFpuP0ZJqBysfK7BDQzKyXoNk/s1600-h/_MG_3317.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyypZg7BuzGCrFdjU-Ixr_Brlwin8-VY9gH0sWmAD5K-5cqZGLWkDPX3XMbip1u0N_FiPz1WTR5T0w9D6Bc3CFzojj1g_3gih_ly21EHLKD3t5B4_u1wFpuP0ZJqBysfK7BDQzKyXoNk/s320/_MG_3317.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331633219065123282" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfVWxnCt17-IsSnYOOu-J3zn7v651ZVDN5fiYmZ0hlvj3ptIRDXTggMYrb7kNGm01Nft8LTHpcsktvR0Fus1Ef-dsvNDs6_hLUhFSj8GiBzAbScg1x3g3hPOMOV0eAt8VK_LX_HGIank/s1600-h/_MG_3325.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfVWxnCt17-IsSnYOOu-J3zn7v651ZVDN5fiYmZ0hlvj3ptIRDXTggMYrb7kNGm01Nft8LTHpcsktvR0Fus1Ef-dsvNDs6_hLUhFSj8GiBzAbScg1x3g3hPOMOV0eAt8VK_LX_HGIank/s320/_MG_3325.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331633214372036562" /></a> As the title of the post suggests, I don't mean for this post to offend anyone. The obelisk actually seemed like a very popular gathering place. There were parents taking photos of their children playing around the statues that had children in them. People were sitting in the sun, talking or watching other people. It seemed a nice, relaxed place to gather on a sunny spring afternoon. Can I imagine this in Charlottesville? Not on your life!Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-70300769537979926952009-05-02T13:17:00.011-04:002009-05-02T15:54:20.860-04:00Random Shots from OsloIt's the penultimate full day of the trip, and it was very slow and mellow here in Oslo today. The husband and sons did some laundry while I re-packed the bags that the husband and I will take home with us on Monday. I didn't really have the energy to write a full post, but here are more than a few shots from the 15 miles we walked and the two museums we visited in Oslo yesterday. The first shot is a larger-than-life-sized fabric flower in the cemetery across the street from where we're staying in Oslo. We have a two-room suite in the Catalina Bed & Breakfast, an older home converted into flats.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa8FLVD5DAU-kqun8EVhUBCpWUr64n_xc65a_I2v9004GaUCjdNcEoV3TgL1MCg_GNCT08Q43lwpLT4TV5re0DiZ-dvXLNW8GdWA7JS5Q1kJK-SC_6PWZIJW4NKPXTgtxwi7tSD4-O7g/s1600-h/_MG_2769.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa8FLVD5DAU-kqun8EVhUBCpWUr64n_xc65a_I2v9004GaUCjdNcEoV3TgL1MCg_GNCT08Q43lwpLT4TV5re0DiZ-dvXLNW8GdWA7JS5Q1kJK-SC_6PWZIJW4NKPXTgtxwi7tSD4-O7g/s320/_MG_2769.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331277901457319698" /></a> The images below are all from the Viking Ship Museum. Some are of the ships themselves; others are of things found with the ships. I particularly like what appears to be an Eastern Buddha-like figure. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGEVArvLphZDpS61kHklpDIF7OP1J0qQ-OLhiMrW3aVuK0YW4Bguhvql7AXsg019tdmpnnmZ0pV4-v9r_2qJHvLPuHnIxe3kz7jVsJJEF82Qlzg5GxGUVo029Yn84ygA6D5xsJPbShgU/s1600-h/_MG_2787.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGEVArvLphZDpS61kHklpDIF7OP1J0qQ-OLhiMrW3aVuK0YW4Bguhvql7AXsg019tdmpnnmZ0pV4-v9r_2qJHvLPuHnIxe3kz7jVsJJEF82Qlzg5GxGUVo029Yn84ygA6D5xsJPbShgU/s320/_MG_2787.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331281106172454354" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16NOgldH5ewpuyUuQiVJHv_tcDOb6xXottkHGm_z4dxAnw0GYkDlDqxpxXlJm_HkE7XBbjJdbQjJPOzjEmt6dC2ndxZ-tm3K9qvuUYFZyDT8NLhjjzk93ZHWlJytMjWRNxXjLevwFUG8/s1600-h/_MG_2792.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16NOgldH5ewpuyUuQiVJHv_tcDOb6xXottkHGm_z4dxAnw0GYkDlDqxpxXlJm_HkE7XBbjJdbQjJPOzjEmt6dC2ndxZ-tm3K9qvuUYFZyDT8NLhjjzk93ZHWlJytMjWRNxXjLevwFUG8/s320/_MG_2792.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331286508708496706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mjPEXp1lWXRtwuTvf-jSvO9NDYayS2DdVuJs7ocptrDxa4fH-OciViIFf25rwNldjTlK7gx8r8CFo0_NyiZ6KsmRWeq73n5uYrRAiVYMGu-Auo9yGfT01HRCD7bimS0o-YYIigXVMHE/s1600-h/_MG_2919.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mjPEXp1lWXRtwuTvf-jSvO9NDYayS2DdVuJs7ocptrDxa4fH-OciViIFf25rwNldjTlK7gx8r8CFo0_NyiZ6KsmRWeq73n5uYrRAiVYMGu-Auo9yGfT01HRCD7bimS0o-YYIigXVMHE/s320/_MG_2919.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331286505716438626" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ75ljp8pzIuin7X5hgDGfTeo4YJzrxTeC8_lzcGbuw5TvvXjc9BwyoHF-ZDznABEWgn8DEbl8tb0S3_uyuIAEaJ4vAKBGVdIvD-rEu-7Ay_8zU989IoiVHtDIJHZgRLzbRX24DcV26Po/s1600-h/_MG_2797.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ75ljp8pzIuin7X5hgDGfTeo4YJzrxTeC8_lzcGbuw5TvvXjc9BwyoHF-ZDznABEWgn8DEbl8tb0S3_uyuIAEaJ4vAKBGVdIvD-rEu-7Ay_8zU989IoiVHtDIJHZgRLzbRX24DcV26Po/s320/_MG_2797.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331286498733436370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho35h1GOTygofI4w-htHsvuDis8Pi5Ww2bnZiAAHi_nQhEpfDYwR_qUjmguAWD-z2HLGAdNnt65XD01FrHjJ2SqGgCDBEspRhoUQVs_dVrgD2bX2efbFGT1ZPgxKZQ924cPko7hWAUvZo/s1600-h/_MG_2801.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho35h1GOTygofI4w-htHsvuDis8Pi5Ww2bnZiAAHi_nQhEpfDYwR_qUjmguAWD-z2HLGAdNnt65XD01FrHjJ2SqGgCDBEspRhoUQVs_dVrgD2bX2efbFGT1ZPgxKZQ924cPko7hWAUvZo/s320/_MG_2801.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331286496066764786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYBTGYoZi5L5gdx06YwM6KAgd-DZFxm8NtVdIv5N46Gk37L3fXbC6u3kmULu_SGFRzWwKPEfysNkdjdkc8z9qtSuaQhjs9iMvuTv-6c8jyloJ_SWABAmVWk0pvjWaLz7XvjTPSA_E18U/s1600-h/_MG_2815.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYBTGYoZi5L5gdx06YwM6KAgd-DZFxm8NtVdIv5N46Gk37L3fXbC6u3kmULu_SGFRzWwKPEfysNkdjdkc8z9qtSuaQhjs9iMvuTv-6c8jyloJ_SWABAmVWk0pvjWaLz7XvjTPSA_E18U/s320/_MG_2815.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331286491615790962" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm-EItomZQig00SFYNFCA1PE8OiZdv1Rt6QObymb2fqdBryLoAtUyShzA6HaTgemt0LMmBUkF5GmiaR5CKso3QaAKrokXlKs3GfrydyyLJ5JEKm_NwaIxbQ1QKZGe5uLFo_nPQmg1toY/s1600-h/_MG_2817.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm-EItomZQig00SFYNFCA1PE8OiZdv1Rt6QObymb2fqdBryLoAtUyShzA6HaTgemt0LMmBUkF5GmiaR5CKso3QaAKrokXlKs3GfrydyyLJ5JEKm_NwaIxbQ1QKZGe5uLFo_nPQmg1toY/s320/_MG_2817.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331297049912187746" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWBzXJeAPLifFDNxQb_Iub1oJS6biES6Z-3VfNWgi-Ay-ffiki-xWPkll6ipxSVQOjwdQaMoxCeaQhO30g1sZIdptFfsoXfsODTqlKYxFCasAZ8ScgbOpbcqhODuW7W9wjiiO4jl6cAQ/s1600-h/_MG_2835.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWBzXJeAPLifFDNxQb_Iub1oJS6biES6Z-3VfNWgi-Ay-ffiki-xWPkll6ipxSVQOjwdQaMoxCeaQhO30g1sZIdptFfsoXfsODTqlKYxFCasAZ8ScgbOpbcqhODuW7W9wjiiO4jl6cAQ/s320/_MG_2835.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331298582748357154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmsBWxp2PbPeaXqcKRSVevDcRn_NhY02R7LDIgkFEh8_PuCf5MiYwWsY1poW6KiEeIvyg8eajRuc7WUKeHt2rrCSDd_3M1J67cr2I7jAN3pRXEsx-BSm3KjVBynk1Oa7rm08u9i6cJA0/s1600-h/_MG_2823.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmsBWxp2PbPeaXqcKRSVevDcRn_NhY02R7LDIgkFEh8_PuCf5MiYwWsY1poW6KiEeIvyg8eajRuc7WUKeHt2rrCSDd_3M1J67cr2I7jAN3pRXEsx-BSm3KjVBynk1Oa7rm08u9i6cJA0/s320/_MG_2823.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331298578889458482" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4OqeIOnLEvXYqK68m0payS-SMKatmBqRTw2ycZ0G-NekVszftmHvaxxhLA0aRHv2U3cHtTVxE-R_3F6jToQIKy2UqcaeiEFRcNfOI_hOPn45fW6yJXpSKSSC3qQc7KgibwS8LHit3f8/s1600-h/_MG_2896.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4OqeIOnLEvXYqK68m0payS-SMKatmBqRTw2ycZ0G-NekVszftmHvaxxhLA0aRHv2U3cHtTVxE-R_3F6jToQIKy2UqcaeiEFRcNfOI_hOPn45fW6yJXpSKSSC3qQc7KgibwS8LHit3f8/s320/_MG_2896.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331302395125353186" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMZEo0rbX3d3oIe1Xaof6EtM4TJyei-hw9qZAKJzipPP8nQXNI3Bg6UsbX3MmLB2euybmYM_guUszy4ZZ0UQN1VpPEC4gU9xvN7jBdb8dtBlMCw5FX_hY9y7SBnBMk3_T0TsKtpFzAQ/s1600-h/_MG_2893.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArMZEo0rbX3d3oIe1Xaof6EtM4TJyei-hw9qZAKJzipPP8nQXNI3Bg6UsbX3MmLB2euybmYM_guUszy4ZZ0UQN1VpPEC4gU9xvN7jBdb8dtBlMCw5FX_hY9y7SBnBMk3_T0TsKtpFzAQ/s320/_MG_2893.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331302390257555250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyHAHcO2pO5f6QCayOd5Yro-vRGa8dQYEemanr80MRNIwU1XWlB9Dr-VSInoUnk94A-3Q3MM8P57JoMhLN4WlfhgxdZXkscJvcjLPDZy4NZmj-voFPcMtKOBHJlX4u3d89FafDar4ufU/s1600-h/_MG_2855.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyHAHcO2pO5f6QCayOd5Yro-vRGa8dQYEemanr80MRNIwU1XWlB9Dr-VSInoUnk94A-3Q3MM8P57JoMhLN4WlfhgxdZXkscJvcjLPDZy4NZmj-voFPcMtKOBHJlX4u3d89FafDar4ufU/s320/_MG_2855.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331302389355555938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXmS9FDUJnUJUwQcU_K20-96ZJa5EgCczGIBY4Q3kXJVJUCwwwXolhc-dhE81onoXzK6gJZU99HMnik71Knd6EilMFgLUishnSrDWLvGFDIpMfmE9aPcxNDLm6Fuu-Yv7H38zPz_Q_jE/s1600-h/_MG_2858.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXmS9FDUJnUJUwQcU_K20-96ZJa5EgCczGIBY4Q3kXJVJUCwwwXolhc-dhE81onoXzK6gJZU99HMnik71Knd6EilMFgLUishnSrDWLvGFDIpMfmE9aPcxNDLm6Fuu-Yv7H38zPz_Q_jE/s320/_MG_2858.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331302383958953778" /></a> The photos below are from the Kon-Tiki Museum, a museum devoted to Thor Heyerdahl's expeditions. I remember reading <span style="font-style:italic;">Kon-Tiki</span> in elementary school and being fascinated by it. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofowz-6m8m_4-wNkWvRI2MJAZKIk8MKlNurAkmRs6MOpJHg42FD2mTvbAQA4Mz3OTiNqDcouoYUNTaDJryYN1sgrVoQDXuMbyWbjc2smqcrnewUxxeHep1Llrp4iCQGT-xfON575XOlo/s1600-h/_MG_2943.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofowz-6m8m_4-wNkWvRI2MJAZKIk8MKlNurAkmRs6MOpJHg42FD2mTvbAQA4Mz3OTiNqDcouoYUNTaDJryYN1sgrVoQDXuMbyWbjc2smqcrnewUxxeHep1Llrp4iCQGT-xfON575XOlo/s320/_MG_2943.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331307197035028018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ml5_616MGo-3fQ0DTgdqoNF713-oqgQTI7VJGXnz2T2H7qgLnCQIM4FZtZzqnhnyT35vjt9n1UXdc_n7IFv6SiCiDE2ZT9CEN06jGVrBcXX0drh-tCQDIT3aZwa05orPBDXDuUYfKu4/s1600-h/_MG_2946.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ml5_616MGo-3fQ0DTgdqoNF713-oqgQTI7VJGXnz2T2H7qgLnCQIM4FZtZzqnhnyT35vjt9n1UXdc_n7IFv6SiCiDE2ZT9CEN06jGVrBcXX0drh-tCQDIT3aZwa05orPBDXDuUYfKu4/s320/_MG_2946.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331307193351617090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyMVjfSGyfKNBa99UKNDiUxxCaaIVxZ9Ossaldi70F0XgE17U6aT7giNuAkJNqdQrmcUBdkYjJYE6f4qg8J-3Ja2NdBv8TVzXYhBS-XV9uT2LtRzDt5XBGZ1HobaRRYvehM5bIl8G5BI/s1600-h/_MG_2960.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgyMVjfSGyfKNBa99UKNDiUxxCaaIVxZ9Ossaldi70F0XgE17U6aT7giNuAkJNqdQrmcUBdkYjJYE6f4qg8J-3Ja2NdBv8TVzXYhBS-XV9uT2LtRzDt5XBGZ1HobaRRYvehM5bIl8G5BI/s320/_MG_2960.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331307186076875010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyKBBFUlaSx-bB4mVQMPlSWgz359HY-AxUdN_y6H9zgSQkjLM39-zXwB_nHfLRr-FHzjdjWAwhI5d20B-FFCszXxiJd1UJDv87nzjcsC2BCZ_CvJzDWyGQL5Ipb_STsJVDzASATL1MZo/s1600-h/_MG_2963.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyKBBFUlaSx-bB4mVQMPlSWgz359HY-AxUdN_y6H9zgSQkjLM39-zXwB_nHfLRr-FHzjdjWAwhI5d20B-FFCszXxiJd1UJDv87nzjcsC2BCZ_CvJzDWyGQL5Ipb_STsJVDzASATL1MZo/s320/_MG_2963.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331307181187127522" /></a> Below are a manhole cover and some sculptures we saw on the walk from the museums to dinner (at Peppe's Pizza, a chain we discovered in Trondheim) and from there back to the hotel. The Norwegians do love sculpture; it's like one big sculpture garden here. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgz3ZU4ew71pnOzZVBcQkOO97cBHswMaaSSPm5cZ4AeBOnXGgFsGi2HOijQUI2_0tKaNRwLBdI6gWK5fbfhQfiRlwxKw2g2QRxON12QMM9W-T6TudOwtMmvxw2Gu8dNUl04tfCKSLbPXg/s1600-h/_MG_2980.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgz3ZU4ew71pnOzZVBcQkOO97cBHswMaaSSPm5cZ4AeBOnXGgFsGi2HOijQUI2_0tKaNRwLBdI6gWK5fbfhQfiRlwxKw2g2QRxON12QMM9W-T6TudOwtMmvxw2Gu8dNUl04tfCKSLbPXg/s320/_MG_2980.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331310998225665986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP10SJd_-aScQX6NK3crZ8KvHFQVXIxBO1441czIJmMvGWt76gQ6FTrwl921PAuTylhFCckrxXcP5IW28PDNUvi2yAiKNwsvtUsXI-t0p6D8uQlZojYaMrPLpB5IMwXPfB_H86zMq0dBA/s1600-h/_MG_2983.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP10SJd_-aScQX6NK3crZ8KvHFQVXIxBO1441czIJmMvGWt76gQ6FTrwl921PAuTylhFCckrxXcP5IW28PDNUvi2yAiKNwsvtUsXI-t0p6D8uQlZojYaMrPLpB5IMwXPfB_H86zMq0dBA/s320/_MG_2983.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331310994233190818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxP5JLwBej3V9aREdrqOmT-74ubOUl24k2no5KhjBPbzwgZw5QXyQJwAImcxvvUeakSb6k1DXtcVv9g5-BwL5oCXKYSyseJmN8tNxyn52EJ7HUZ5PZ0CsIQ_LMNG4vgM84JUULsVpzfTs/s1600-h/_MG_2993.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxP5JLwBej3V9aREdrqOmT-74ubOUl24k2no5KhjBPbzwgZw5QXyQJwAImcxvvUeakSb6k1DXtcVv9g5-BwL5oCXKYSyseJmN8tNxyn52EJ7HUZ5PZ0CsIQ_LMNG4vgM84JUULsVpzfTs/s320/_MG_2993.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331310990311692722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHfQDTBQ37rHlsoJG4chgCUii6iOLUTV76PzMcaEI0_LszZTvowzQnaNyOHByBMtJZdsJptxDZRCf0tPMNi2MusZ2IWkz3EDh038uH4c8bEUvHlxYaylOZuHRGWJ-1eGweuQN2FRBvvQ/s1600-h/_MG_2995.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHfQDTBQ37rHlsoJG4chgCUii6iOLUTV76PzMcaEI0_LszZTvowzQnaNyOHByBMtJZdsJptxDZRCf0tPMNi2MusZ2IWkz3EDh038uH4c8bEUvHlxYaylOZuHRGWJ-1eGweuQN2FRBvvQ/s320/_MG_2995.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331310985805299442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBcMZd4829kba2s_g1XxNQIxntCpHEfg-Ov2Pv280NgsZqT9k9Cbcf8E8zNJjr6ZpnwT3aMYTvRw__KsidPi2ANo7NLt0aJS7waabCxxDPL3iOWEO91KM5jAF0YgfHmRus3lARzoa5hQ/s1600-h/_MG_3010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBcMZd4829kba2s_g1XxNQIxntCpHEfg-Ov2Pv280NgsZqT9k9Cbcf8E8zNJjr6ZpnwT3aMYTvRw__KsidPi2ANo7NLt0aJS7waabCxxDPL3iOWEO91KM5jAF0YgfHmRus3lARzoa5hQ/s320/_MG_3010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331310987985102290" /></a> Finally, here are a shot of a store window, signs for two streets just made to be together, and a playground something that the sons say they really wish they had in the States. For all I know, they might have it there, but it has an air of "danger" about it that suggests they don't. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jzykYcTjlNFQ1sPwxUEtwuJ9-MQWpQCtirzhwCdxJsgVRQEKkZE_hxmM8Bw-XqmXhnFBCLVqPUWI_ip_aBRI_PlCSX9vEMmrGvNgIguePgV-KsCIxSisRLBmIXqSCnDwM3FLI69mKmQ/s1600-h/_MG_3016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jzykYcTjlNFQ1sPwxUEtwuJ9-MQWpQCtirzhwCdxJsgVRQEKkZE_hxmM8Bw-XqmXhnFBCLVqPUWI_ip_aBRI_PlCSX9vEMmrGvNgIguePgV-KsCIxSisRLBmIXqSCnDwM3FLI69mKmQ/s320/_MG_3016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331315027957236898" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0GCglEW04Ut4-8iwlQLGqp5T8TU1Y3ukACcjxGg_10UG11LzCsNZzSTyhHyfnnIG3n2JVyQMF7I5tYfrhZNdoV8Yke9rjVZiAAKf1DzBxw8o_HImiOPqJq-G6lqjNRaT8vss6bfvHnM/s1600-h/_MG_3019.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0GCglEW04Ut4-8iwlQLGqp5T8TU1Y3ukACcjxGg_10UG11LzCsNZzSTyhHyfnnIG3n2JVyQMF7I5tYfrhZNdoV8Yke9rjVZiAAKf1DzBxw8o_HImiOPqJq-G6lqjNRaT8vss6bfvHnM/s320/_MG_3019.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331315025600651474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jjibW4P8wEsO9LD8NG6Rjbty51m00PpAn6r0SQyKddrDsFOab1FeYeAksHel171JsLn_nhm9LCRSVSHe4iSy5ZUIcfdWdnHtOQ0XqFdx5skc1VLqHcvjemhuXlVBFLm9lw17Cmq7K-k/s1600-h/_MG_3028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jjibW4P8wEsO9LD8NG6Rjbty51m00PpAn6r0SQyKddrDsFOab1FeYeAksHel171JsLn_nhm9LCRSVSHe4iSy5ZUIcfdWdnHtOQ0XqFdx5skc1VLqHcvjemhuXlVBFLm9lw17Cmq7K-k/s320/_MG_3028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331315017933629858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SNxTKH8QyIMEdNnuLb8TahjDadC3Y_DLXBtJaGCbtdCNHgZPFdbuBfXjD_PnlWFeMaDrZZwJpAN5yqQXonC6H1Rz_B73nbAhft6Nz4yqhschXfg3prA17hrSara3iKq-14MEUyyw3wM/s1600-h/_MG_3030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SNxTKH8QyIMEdNnuLb8TahjDadC3Y_DLXBtJaGCbtdCNHgZPFdbuBfXjD_PnlWFeMaDrZZwJpAN5yqQXonC6H1Rz_B73nbAhft6Nz4yqhschXfg3prA17hrSara3iKq-14MEUyyw3wM/s320/_MG_3030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331315016105772178" /></a> We're going to the Norwegian Folk Museum tomorrow and, time permitting, the Fram Museum and/or the Norwegian Maritime Museum before dinner at an Indian restaurant we found on the way back to the hotel last night. Interestingly enough, Norway has actually been the hardest country in which to feed a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, so happening across this restaurant was nice; we wanted to do a nice dinner with which to send the sons off on their own adventure and the husband and me off to home. I was a bit concerned about finding a place in which we could each eat happily, and I think this one will work nicely.<br /><br />If I don't get a post up tomorrow, let me say that I've appreciated that you've traveled with me via this blog. It's been a wonderful way for me to keep a journal of the trip, much easier than writing on paper or even "to myself" on the computer would have been. I may post some follow-ups such as one about waste disposal around the world, but those will probably to to <a href="http://runswithsword.blogspot.com">my more everyday blog</a> since I have to bring this trip to a definite end sometime. If your feet still itch, I imagine that younger son will keep posting photos to <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com">his blog</a>, so check in there from time to time over the next three weeks. Happy trails!Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-29707475782699325832009-05-02T03:02:00.004-04:002009-05-02T08:00:53.340-04:00The Rabies Tour 2009 (Health Care Around the World)My previous experience with health care outside the US was in 1990, when I had younger son in the Netherlands. The quickie comparison, younger son in 1990 in the Netherlands versus older son in 1987 in the US, was comparable pre-natal care (caveat to come), comparable delivery experience, better post-natal care in Europe. The caveat on the pre-natal care was that my doctor for the older son experience in the US was a family medicine resident while my doctor for the younger son experience in the Netherlands was an obstetrician. If I'd been a Dutch woman, I would have used a midwife, but my US health insurance only covered midwife deliveries under special circumstances, so I had to use an obstetrician. The cost comparison? About a thousand dollars less in the Netherlands. I had worried about whether there would be problems with insurance covering everything or at a minimum asking all sorts of questions and making me justify every little thing. A friend who was working for a health insurance company in Ohio at the time assured me that her company typically paid routine foreign medical claims without questions because they knew the cost would be less than a comparable claim in the US.<br /><br />Getting treatment in so many locations for my possible exposure to rabies has been similarly fascinating. My first stop after getting bitten was the Royal Angkor International Hospital in Siem Reap. The "International" means that they're the first stop for foreigners needing treatment which means that their prices are out of the reach of most Cambodians. When I checked in at the Emergency Room desk, I was told there was a $100 cost just to be seen. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem. The total cost for treatment there was about three times the initial $100, but included a physician's fee as well as the cost of the rabies vaccine, pain medicines (two different kinds, Tylenol and something stronger), and antibiotics (again, two kinds, pills to ingest plus salve for the wound itself).<br /><br />Since Royal Agnkor was out of the immunoglobulin I also needed (I was the fifth dog bite of the day), they told me to get that in Ho Chi Minh City the next day. I finally found it at the SOS Clinic, which somewhat caters to the health care needs of expatriates. I had to see a physician in order to get the shot, so my bill from SOS lists a physician charge about equal to that on the Royal Angkor bill, and a rather sizable (about five times the charge for the doc) charge for the immunoglobulin. This bill plus the first one put the total cost to almost four digits; fortunately, we had that much cash on hand as well as a good credit card. Fortunately again, we know that insurance should reimburse us for everything when we get home and file the claims.<br /><br />I got the second and third shots of the rabies vaccine in the Netherlands. To get them, I went to the local hospital in Apeldoorn (yes, that's the place where someone tried to drive a car into the royal family), explained the situation, and asked if they could help me. They did not have the vaccine on hand but were able to get two doses of it the same day. I paid for the two vials of vaccine at the pharmacy then carried them down to the emergency room where a nurse used one of the vials for the dose I needed that day. Can you imagine a hospital in the States handing you vials of drugs and telling you to carry them down the hall? I can't. After the shot, I was told to take the second vial back to the hotel and keep it in the refrigerator for the four days until I needed the next shot, something else that would probably never happen in the States. And when I asked the emergency room nurse what I owed for the shot itself as opposed to the vaccine, I was told there was no charge. For the second shot in the Netherlands, I returned to the hospital, vaccine in hand, went to the ER, and got the shot. Again, there was no charge.<br /><br />For the next shot, in Trondheim, Norway, I had the advantage of a local contact. The husband e-mailed his cousin and asked him to see what he could arrange in advance so that I didn't have to appear, unannounced, at the local hospital as I had done in the Netherlands. I ended up with an appointment at the local health department. I arrived at the designated time, filled out a medical history, spoke with a nurse, and received the shot. I asked her what I owed, and she replied that I owed nothing. Surprised, I asked whether I needed to pay for the vaccine itself as I had done in the Netherlands. No, she said, assuring me that this had been approved by the director. She said that they would be reimbursed by the national health department for the cost of the vaccine so there was nothing I needed to pay for. If a foreigner needs emergency medical care in Norway (as for an accident), care is provided free of charge. My dog bite may have happened two weeks earlier and in Cambodia, but the fact that I needed the vaccine injections on very specific days, one of which happened to be while I was in Norway, made it fall under the heading of "emergency" care following an accident. Needless to say, I was quite happy about this, though I fully expect to have to explain to my insurance company why I am asking for reimbursement for charges in Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Netherlands, but not Norway.<br /><br />Why do we make it so difficult and, by extension, expensive in the US? I think a good deal of the problem is not with health care in general as much as it is with the legal system and the possibility of a malpractice claim any time health care is delivered. I could take the rabies vaccine home and put it in the freezer instead of the refrigerator, bring it back for the second injection, have some adverse reaction, and sue the hospital. Or I could lose or tamper with the vial as I carry it down the hall to the ER. It's safer for the hospital to do it all themselves. And to the hospital, time is money so if a nurse spends time giving me the injection, they want to be paid for that time. As you might imagine, I prefer the Dutch model of paying for the vaccine and the shot comes for free or even the Norwegian model that distinguishes between non-elective or emergency care and elective care. I know the issue is much more complex than that, but that's sort of what I've been thinking of in mindless moments on the train, based on the Rabies Tour 2009 (we've actually played around with a t-shirt design).<br /><br />Final thought at least for now: A friend asked whether I get to wear a rabies tag after I finish the course of vaccines. I think that's an absolutely wonderful idea. Since I have all sorts of rabies tags that have been given to the cats over the years (my cats don't wear collars), I plan to come up with some rabies tag jewelry after we get home. As with many things, laughter may not be the best medicine, but it certainly doesn't hurt.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-25611331060124329092009-04-30T11:12:00.030-04:002009-04-30T13:15:15.069-04:00To Hell and BeyondFirst off, let me be very upfront here. If you could live in Norway on what you can live on in Vietnam or Cambodia, I’d be looking to relocate as soon as we get home. If you love the mountains and/or the water, Norway is about as good as it gets. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you saw some of that in the photos from our weekend at the mountain cabin with Blaine’s cousins. And we saw more of that in our brief journey to the Inderoy peninsula north of Trondheim. Older son wondered at one point if one could overdose on Norway’s beautiful scenery just as one seems to overdose on Cambodia’s temples or Hue’s pagodas and tombs. We were assured by someone who has lived overlooking the Trondheim fjord since 1974 that her heart still quickens each morning when she opens the curtains. She figures that when it doesn’t, it will either be time to move or she will be dead.<br /><br />As for the title of this post, To Hell and Beyond, our first stop after leaving Trondheim was, yes, Hell, as in the train station in Hell, Norway. We stopped there 19 years ago and have a photo of the sons and me on the platform to show for it. The train station is a bit more modern today, but still as photogenic. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhs8Oa27MpNOtHX34chGLwDhjeLxh0zzKkRDUlx59V3f-fD6UFDQYxjvMtwok9QRdS1GqvqgEe9ATvnN4OZ2F-F9b9VHwU2uB8YJQWcENZYr8kOMOdSlCCvZDp6nxcqmT5NCFSJdWtHfQ/s1600-h/_MG_2285.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhs8Oa27MpNOtHX34chGLwDhjeLxh0zzKkRDUlx59V3f-fD6UFDQYxjvMtwok9QRdS1GqvqgEe9ATvnN4OZ2F-F9b9VHwU2uB8YJQWcENZYr8kOMOdSlCCvZDp6nxcqmT5NCFSJdWtHfQ/s320/_MG_2285.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330502984548836994" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zTUEWHfXo8k_kXUWzYHaCVRTpceUQNVhzIl0XWwjY13xM5H9rybBR_tzGFdhKcwEAsr7aTBkxNSe1zenLN-WNfgAQca5VaTRvLVtLxvBXhROsPaX7dK9HQzNn9IgRUbEhHSjzq5bMyQ/s1600-h/_MG_2289.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zTUEWHfXo8k_kXUWzYHaCVRTpceUQNVhzIl0XWwjY13xM5H9rybBR_tzGFdhKcwEAsr7aTBkxNSe1zenLN-WNfgAQca5VaTRvLVtLxvBXhROsPaX7dK9HQzNn9IgRUbEhHSjzq5bMyQ/s320/_MG_2289.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330503555100267634" /></a> Here’s one of my other photos from Hell. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyj_E_o2IICeZtiAKyIHjs32yzt-PSl2ed8hJOh_iCNVGodl-CTtoPQjh-EuhTkQfDUaqueK9m7OhDa7EOelqeEWeD7K707j7UbY7V-P02x2EpBF_FTNPRhSDJZ5SEiSEmygA8x4UZF0E/s1600-h/_MG_2292.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyj_E_o2IICeZtiAKyIHjs32yzt-PSl2ed8hJOh_iCNVGodl-CTtoPQjh-EuhTkQfDUaqueK9m7OhDa7EOelqeEWeD7K707j7UbY7V-P02x2EpBF_FTNPRhSDJZ5SEiSEmygA8x4UZF0E/s320/_MG_2292.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330504009934617666" /></a> I really need to do a post, perhaps on <a href="http://runswithsword.blogspot.com">my everyday blog</a> when we get home, on just how far ahead the rest of the world is in the waste disposal business. I have not posted all the photos I’ve taken of the various bins we’ve encountered in our travels. In my informal rankings, Sweden is probably the most ahead, but Norway isn’t too far behind. <br /><br />After Hell, we stopped at Stiklestad, where King Olav Haraldsson fell in battle against peasants and petty kings in 1030. Olav’s death is considered to be the breakpoint in Norway’s transition from paganism to Christianity. Olav had outlawed all religions but Christianity, and shortly after his death was canonized as a saint, thereby cementing Christianity as the Norwegian religion. Stiklestad and, by extension, Trondheim to the south became prime destinations for Christian pilgrims. At Stiklestad today, there is an outdoor drama in the summer, and a cultural center with exhibits on Olav’s life and death. The cathedral model in the cultural center was pretty impressive. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxfGf3MOLGZeHzqmbhbDDlRZ3NFKkr-KHoQ_4t6rKWibFQzFpR1LqILDZVj9JqNQ5UpqpZbR39h905nOmZoNJyqN7fd7D98bm4ShuEWhNyhxMmPrEvKnwDfw3YMvrg8My8H4QgoGCA2o/s1600-h/_MG_2306.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxfGf3MOLGZeHzqmbhbDDlRZ3NFKkr-KHoQ_4t6rKWibFQzFpR1LqILDZVj9JqNQ5UpqpZbR39h905nOmZoNJyqN7fd7D98bm4ShuEWhNyhxMmPrEvKnwDfw3YMvrg8My8H4QgoGCA2o/s320/_MG_2306.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330504867376599666" /></a> The real church at Stiklestad was pretty impressive, too. There’s supposed to be a rock under the altar inside that figured in one of Olav’s miracles, but we weren’t able to get inside the church to see it. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TSjC5N1K7Hul-Cl2AI2Z1mkyNk_AwqszjxgF6oqfGJ2gp1K0YyJpRB_yKjjhdZG9P7ij_rrYQZGv4a0Ze-sTwBtj0qtAZJTn3Z_YCbxRU9WUNse3jws68UJPXDc1_O6ITRf0UyRyjDc/s1600-h/_MG_2320.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TSjC5N1K7Hul-Cl2AI2Z1mkyNk_AwqszjxgF6oqfGJ2gp1K0YyJpRB_yKjjhdZG9P7ij_rrYQZGv4a0Ze-sTwBtj0qtAZJTn3Z_YCbxRU9WUNse3jws68UJPXDc1_O6ITRf0UyRyjDc/s320/_MG_2320.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330506058920417986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOG94itSfcGmAIOjURSiGCc28hhLAL0coLtpU4BAQDfKlM_SbwZyeMmbbbRtbC1feGeHBMOoi_-Ev07Hc33EuEhtNPIOh1Errsf6u8xut95gmYEANMP-KrVNOIvRPAGavqhkz-cKpDoA/s1600-h/_MG_2315.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOG94itSfcGmAIOjURSiGCc28hhLAL0coLtpU4BAQDfKlM_SbwZyeMmbbbRtbC1feGeHBMOoi_-Ev07Hc33EuEhtNPIOh1Errsf6u8xut95gmYEANMP-KrVNOIvRPAGavqhkz-cKpDoA/s320/_MG_2315.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330506052904710162" /></a> <br />Our destination in Inderoy was the home of yet another of the husband’s cousins. We’d never met her before, but we bonded almost immediately. She and another cousin were wonderful tour guides for our time in Inderoy. (Totally extraneous but fascinating fact: These two people were both first and second cousins. They are first cousins through one parent and second cousins through the other. I told them they must be first-and-a-half cousins.) The first evening, we walked through a wonderful sculpture garden containing works by a sculptor named Nils Aas. Inderoy sits on an arm of the Trondheim Fjord, and this sculpture represents the fish in the fjord. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8USrwzmRdgqmUQekWSho3ExNSzbB9wxhrgtVnbALrKIorUQjGqAD4KLZgKbVAinDUioJi8uHeTZzwYnqR3q_StPO_Ywso-IlE6wN5-vqmuR18h_lnWWiAmnQDeLt0H4979EmzhnwgNo/s1600-h/_MG_2323.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8USrwzmRdgqmUQekWSho3ExNSzbB9wxhrgtVnbALrKIorUQjGqAD4KLZgKbVAinDUioJi8uHeTZzwYnqR3q_StPO_Ywso-IlE6wN5-vqmuR18h_lnWWiAmnQDeLt0H4979EmzhnwgNo/s320/_MG_2323.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330506759688352018" /></a> The scales twist gently in the wind but even more interestingly, the wires are rigged to produce musical tones, so that you hear as well as see the sculpture. Aas was a very versatile sculptor based on the variety of works presented in the garden. This one represents working women. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p-MSjhntuIQCNm5hBUbEPisq4GX6mhKa0XuxmaCXpw6w1GqVE5XqQ4le8bdPAEUBGNHb7PBBNXsQLHVXlxaW4lu_b_SnE6TWxQtJrz1ryJ7BCbX7y9jq99vYqwnSxbkPxiJiztOwB6k/s1600-h/_MG_2334.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3p-MSjhntuIQCNm5hBUbEPisq4GX6mhKa0XuxmaCXpw6w1GqVE5XqQ4le8bdPAEUBGNHb7PBBNXsQLHVXlxaW4lu_b_SnE6TWxQtJrz1ryJ7BCbX7y9jq99vYqwnSxbkPxiJiztOwB6k/s320/_MG_2334.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330507435197863122" /></a> Any cat owner can relate to this one. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmP72irqmSNkw3ryaVCeQoJxKwzi5q57uJIhSHorAmBxGElS7C_aJuPAlQcWppgxnsMFvLsNTNsgMT50XgYnK3rATCJZoOE-XoTumHLZI26vdghLhYylYZiNP2Qtwbl9mKTcHOgR3Dgc/s1600-h/_MG_2335.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmP72irqmSNkw3ryaVCeQoJxKwzi5q57uJIhSHorAmBxGElS7C_aJuPAlQcWppgxnsMFvLsNTNsgMT50XgYnK3rATCJZoOE-XoTumHLZI26vdghLhYylYZiNP2Qtwbl9mKTcHOgR3Dgc/s320/_MG_2335.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330509258682681346" /></a> There’s also a wooden moose and a metal pole vaulter. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmD1wvhK_UV_JfLu2wDBcZ16TghQWvwShAt55AqY_rcEqSc9xk1UP5sANoRgCImJPwt76iw2kAj6oYd-BoYFvkBYpfcLALYyd0FG5gf4MkWJDzId0AXUocejnPNn2ysjjSNTIWubk7rg/s1600-h/_MG_2338.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwmD1wvhK_UV_JfLu2wDBcZ16TghQWvwShAt55AqY_rcEqSc9xk1UP5sANoRgCImJPwt76iw2kAj6oYd-BoYFvkBYpfcLALYyd0FG5gf4MkWJDzId0AXUocejnPNn2ysjjSNTIWubk7rg/s320/_MG_2338.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330510757600776306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1JXiJ2-Gcz1AagqBCTQtswe7ZUkeWPqhH3cVZ6XppMUpYlDD1lGacW8S-0z56WGxz-hD4bzeM0x1UqJi-KoNpkcWo2D_qE63lRi22V1SMndjKjsxQMmvsMaAfozAe1OpBwEa-5W6aWw/s1600-h/_MG_2339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1JXiJ2-Gcz1AagqBCTQtswe7ZUkeWPqhH3cVZ6XppMUpYlDD1lGacW8S-0z56WGxz-hD4bzeM0x1UqJi-KoNpkcWo2D_qE63lRi22V1SMndjKjsxQMmvsMaAfozAe1OpBwEa-5W6aWw/s320/_MG_2339.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330510752783945858" /></a> Finally, this one fascinated me because the Norwegian word for “squirrel” is so close to the English word “acorn,” which squirrels are noted for collecting. I need to remember to ask my friend the linguist (say hi to Gilbert for me, please, Virginia) about this. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipncUwn2q6Z66I18yYPw_t_YW50tOhlHZFHA2z_bvp1K5jzVc81cxy462-L9FFYqu7dRxvbhD1BUbtyPrH4LmhfjIfg_tnCRoege1m0TFbnqnymgf9mpcvgLMZJNHffmQB5mwTmxx_Fn8/s1600-h/_MG_2343.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipncUwn2q6Z66I18yYPw_t_YW50tOhlHZFHA2z_bvp1K5jzVc81cxy462-L9FFYqu7dRxvbhD1BUbtyPrH4LmhfjIfg_tnCRoege1m0TFbnqnymgf9mpcvgLMZJNHffmQB5mwTmxx_Fn8/s320/_MG_2343.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330511352563459010" /></a> As for natural beauty, here’s a shot I took on the same walk, after the sculpture garden and while just walking through the town. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JG2H72BCzQmQujWsMx6N9Qr5yKrr25qODBbaFCnvPJw4u-lhwdOUxZsRNo5uxMi21Jj56Sl59nb4G0y8FBnkp59uhgIyD56Gt8Hc2xbRTSOx9Dd4-Cf04wt8-MMeYLU-ZQYsyJPMEnA/s1600-h/_MG_2348.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JG2H72BCzQmQujWsMx6N9Qr5yKrr25qODBbaFCnvPJw4u-lhwdOUxZsRNo5uxMi21Jj56Sl59nb4G0y8FBnkp59uhgIyD56Gt8Hc2xbRTSOx9Dd4-Cf04wt8-MMeYLU-ZQYsyJPMEnA/s320/_MG_2348.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330511842530410578" /></a> <br />If you’re wondering what we were doing in Inderoy, besides getting out in nature, try this. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WQpnRIcR4CcGFpvuYNhUCiGx0RobvGGbsUejjyderTbcUKCTCsn4eM2JKUkFpdIMvNOM1jzKYljgHHY6Hk-gA1U_2gfwfv1VbPOHptWQ-e1aB7vSuA4yqldsNUzgBlSGjzb7GjrW9lc/s1600-h/_MG_2545.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WQpnRIcR4CcGFpvuYNhUCiGx0RobvGGbsUejjyderTbcUKCTCsn4eM2JKUkFpdIMvNOM1jzKYljgHHY6Hk-gA1U_2gfwfv1VbPOHptWQ-e1aB7vSuA4yqldsNUzgBlSGjzb7GjrW9lc/s320/_MG_2545.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330512368099816834" /></a> Yes, that’s the husband’s family name on that lower road sign. The family farm in Inderoy, on which the husband’s grandfather was born and from which he and six of his siblings emigrated to Canada and the US, is still in the family, and it’s something of a pilgrimage destination in its own right for all the North American descendants. On the way there, we stopped to visit what’s known as “the new church” and “the old church.” The new one is from the late 1800s. I just realized that I really didn’t take a photo of the whole outside of the church, so this will have to do. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuJYg3xg_SJVEVqnm_kTprOekyropEB3NR5DvS8hJhZ-g0nIAgw0uV2XM4aPu7_7kLHDkBs0qzlRvbo94gwqAkYgoQE6_rpx9QO_4bbOONWlrMmKMBeUnseZ1IjV-AqRnk1guUBaXZjg/s1600-h/_MG_2389.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuJYg3xg_SJVEVqnm_kTprOekyropEB3NR5DvS8hJhZ-g0nIAgw0uV2XM4aPu7_7kLHDkBs0qzlRvbo94gwqAkYgoQE6_rpx9QO_4bbOONWlrMmKMBeUnseZ1IjV-AqRnk1guUBaXZjg/s320/_MG_2389.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330513503831934850" /></a> I took quite a few photos inside the church, though. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaB_sFk06pT39gzEgR3Xam5D62W0L_lZF6JU86iDyC-6E4r1CEPuzCqc8cKjEsxS6XryA9a_6qWlVK2EbreTp8bHAEvSJJUjJlMwEXtIf4n3u_oGrI5lO9SDbsnT_g0qybW5cB-TUOhw/s1600-h/_MG_2371.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaB_sFk06pT39gzEgR3Xam5D62W0L_lZF6JU86iDyC-6E4r1CEPuzCqc8cKjEsxS6XryA9a_6qWlVK2EbreTp8bHAEvSJJUjJlMwEXtIf4n3u_oGrI5lO9SDbsnT_g0qybW5cB-TUOhw/s320/_MG_2371.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330513970084110898" /></a> The cross in the above photo sits atop a spherical candle holder. When a death occurs, anyone who wants to remember the deceased lights a candle and puts it in one of the 30 holders around what would be the equator of the sphere. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilnCpN5Ua7wYgPTetJJEBPCtdwa47i8RKP9l7hCPU1TrFN-fRLv9SO08b8M_KOJrD2gqsOWsqLUQAL8Ari_DReHE8Hhk2ujy4C8aUjtYucV1blinKy734bYIVANIS7ajGQQCe5m_z2gE/s1600-h/_MG_2369.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilnCpN5Ua7wYgPTetJJEBPCtdwa47i8RKP9l7hCPU1TrFN-fRLv9SO08b8M_KOJrD2gqsOWsqLUQAL8Ari_DReHE8Hhk2ujy4C8aUjtYucV1blinKy734bYIVANIS7ajGQQCe5m_z2gE/s320/_MG_2369.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330514436651991650" /></a> Above the main aisle of the church hang two large light fixtures and this. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSF-Jb23ZQBBGsYNFtdr9k0nuNdbM05rKyOIvT6AT837lkqd5EX8M69zYfu7QGEMf6GaECLI9kx9m66RlTJVHyc2dxjK-7YfqhjlZwaCXF2EBOIKGjsxgO7W8g2pEZjvL-8Z4TPE5Tvkg/s1600-h/_MG_2363.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSF-Jb23ZQBBGsYNFtdr9k0nuNdbM05rKyOIvT6AT837lkqd5EX8M69zYfu7QGEMf6GaECLI9kx9m66RlTJVHyc2dxjK-7YfqhjlZwaCXF2EBOIKGjsxgO7W8g2pEZjvL-8Z4TPE5Tvkg/s320/_MG_2363.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330514886415030962" /></a> When I asked, I was told that there’s a ship hanging in most Norwegian churches. It symbolizes one’s journey through life. Another thing I found interesting about the church was that the only stained glass windows were at the front, around the altar. The side windows were all plain glass, which gave wonderful, natural lighting to the inside. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Z0d4K7Pg7y2agPyDGwFA7ogys9MJiS07QaAWt3Me74oJVeBZY27SOYmAJlrChyphenhyphenq4sEx3GVh2Sv_VzEkwHuggzWkpVUzt4MCJLNeNRboE3qpGv1Yvc0drmYk299CClI3dISrAXgSx9bA/s1600-h/_MG_2382.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Z0d4K7Pg7y2agPyDGwFA7ogys9MJiS07QaAWt3Me74oJVeBZY27SOYmAJlrChyphenhyphenq4sEx3GVh2Sv_VzEkwHuggzWkpVUzt4MCJLNeNRboE3qpGv1Yvc0drmYk299CClI3dISrAXgSx9bA/s320/_MG_2382.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330516393828170178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYDyDQjQYYW_Psb3Va4YwDsIbUczuaVQtCqVzCwfZwRTJwQcOAD40tTV4-sMh7EKrq2yAyt8QoCrL0zwFJbsjctwvJioAPTHJx5VrIpJApN5bzmW4ZdueIS3fplJaQKq5uGRpDW4Djac/s1600-h/_MG_2383.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYDyDQjQYYW_Psb3Va4YwDsIbUczuaVQtCqVzCwfZwRTJwQcOAD40tTV4-sMh7EKrq2yAyt8QoCrL0zwFJbsjctwvJioAPTHJx5VrIpJApN5bzmW4ZdueIS3fplJaQKq5uGRpDW4Djac/s320/_MG_2383.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330516389668469522" /></a> The old church dates from 1150 and was consecrated in the 1180s. They still worship there on occasion, but not regularly since there is no electricity and, by extension, no heat. Unfortunately, we were unable to get inside, but as you can see from the outside, there aren’t many windows. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS701XsdXSDOHqqyYnI6BuvkXIAN0b_kfuGFLTooFqsKJvaCUEmPMF6rUljQdIerUSub9PMleqtYVZjDS7TIVzJd14mJ5GW22JTc0kdudulZvVyfD7Hs-E3fMS1_eqz_4JJO8EhpmQuho/s1600-h/_MG_2411.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS701XsdXSDOHqqyYnI6BuvkXIAN0b_kfuGFLTooFqsKJvaCUEmPMF6rUljQdIerUSub9PMleqtYVZjDS7TIVzJd14mJ5GW22JTc0kdudulZvVyfD7Hs-E3fMS1_eqz_4JJO8EhpmQuho/s320/_MG_2411.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330519938463723618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96UcM8TRFOkAK-xUPV_ZiKqp8jW_0vXCd4ZsuZIPwztPnVChvN4LOkzn0yufOjaKtGsMkyqGEcSwkTd_3hOXBsR0gd7lFCnXcVEHxbN092QzqerTNQpVWR6yxyk-W8yEBeQ_JAWIBgqg/s1600-h/_MG_2437.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96UcM8TRFOkAK-xUPV_ZiKqp8jW_0vXCd4ZsuZIPwztPnVChvN4LOkzn0yufOjaKtGsMkyqGEcSwkTd_3hOXBsR0gd7lFCnXcVEHxbN092QzqerTNQpVWR6yxyk-W8yEBeQ_JAWIBgqg/s320/_MG_2437.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330519940844054258" /></a> Perhaps because of my interest in quilting designs, I was fascinated by the metalwork on the doors. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNng8pWah5wMB8MKaldRGzJkDY2sXjMyagCsADaidSb36OIxV0jmYC_FceELLtLq1u5dH1m-ZTMNam_zavxZO-ORrvM8aETVhpEZHM4Nx-CSSWmBvxRI6jPcx8GLxzukqmCCcNQNYkvw/s1600-h/_MG_2424.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihNng8pWah5wMB8MKaldRGzJkDY2sXjMyagCsADaidSb36OIxV0jmYC_FceELLtLq1u5dH1m-ZTMNam_zavxZO-ORrvM8aETVhpEZHM4Nx-CSSWmBvxRI6jPcx8GLxzukqmCCcNQNYkvw/s320/_MG_2424.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330522236968664674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOLTUa06x02RnUOsH7UrT6OjmXNVuXUbs4wS3dqvrG-nm-qXa5qkZxFAzu3ps91GFEdUNacW00Ogj0H-XDhsKVSKgkGsPlH67BigJ3VRZuTCwKA9wtUoUXCYLCxDPnb2hCFdEufH_kDo/s1600-h/_MG_2425.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOLTUa06x02RnUOsH7UrT6OjmXNVuXUbs4wS3dqvrG-nm-qXa5qkZxFAzu3ps91GFEdUNacW00Ogj0H-XDhsKVSKgkGsPlH67BigJ3VRZuTCwKA9wtUoUXCYLCxDPnb2hCFdEufH_kDo/s320/_MG_2425.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330522234749623250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHl1EcE9pQKoEBVrnomNEyweGmFV5iJ2bph3p9xP-CZ6EvaAaBwfnV5Y_etbdrUevAY9ClMTcVj0MYrKWUlWsAAqxj2B5jtoQq8dsR8MQasoPn4Ro63dLvOtB4ciA3AD8DGIJWtc7jA8/s1600-h/_MG_2430.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHl1EcE9pQKoEBVrnomNEyweGmFV5iJ2bph3p9xP-CZ6EvaAaBwfnV5Y_etbdrUevAY9ClMTcVj0MYrKWUlWsAAqxj2B5jtoQq8dsR8MQasoPn4Ro63dLvOtB4ciA3AD8DGIJWtc7jA8/s320/_MG_2430.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330522227622471042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqm-GTN5ZhoMlMtBW40dgrrbUgu9y_4-WZhAbcM3F36WeL9V6w7cIScB_V6_RNYY6AJiyzO3lJNP9tnw4SotsFu8w7UIcKHx2VQMQlPkwRnUnesjo2lZSSwxwd3veUUQsAbzTXWJb1-I/s1600-h/_MG_2448.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqm-GTN5ZhoMlMtBW40dgrrbUgu9y_4-WZhAbcM3F36WeL9V6w7cIScB_V6_RNYY6AJiyzO3lJNP9tnw4SotsFu8w7UIcKHx2VQMQlPkwRnUnesjo2lZSSwxwd3veUUQsAbzTXWJb1-I/s320/_MG_2448.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330522227164048098" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5z3pwqzMGW8C4VespYEJ4Q4TlGctp8xIIJLUEvnrLVzMRPdQXAxp4vVdO4jej6ixWnJ83jfLhE_moURVLmRfi0M-LlMpEPU8juv1ARH-Iu-sADVty8HY8f4hscbqfNEeq8OSQ-7eYNU4/s1600-h/_MG_2455.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5z3pwqzMGW8C4VespYEJ4Q4TlGctp8xIIJLUEvnrLVzMRPdQXAxp4vVdO4jej6ixWnJ83jfLhE_moURVLmRfi0M-LlMpEPU8juv1ARH-Iu-sADVty8HY8f4hscbqfNEeq8OSQ-7eYNU4/s320/_MG_2455.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330522220247490354" /></a> I also strolled around the graveyard. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk18blpdn8yx1KnIpHr-WoqtDFYGboPh_odVhX5unfEjmydBCCE2W9A_0bAF_rzuXJ1tnA5bRnaxMmCqggEdo6KN9X2biGZ9INMNvdzFb4FwWXOXKr6b35qXSMvZ1k2UZBf2Gisit55nM/s1600-h/_MG_2445.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk18blpdn8yx1KnIpHr-WoqtDFYGboPh_odVhX5unfEjmydBCCE2W9A_0bAF_rzuXJ1tnA5bRnaxMmCqggEdo6KN9X2biGZ9INMNvdzFb4FwWXOXKr6b35qXSMvZ1k2UZBf2Gisit55nM/s320/_MG_2445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330523090046667074" /></a> From the hillside above, you can see both the old church (the red roof to the lower right) and the new church (the white steeple) along with the fjord. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFLTnoCAoKyz3gHv6qc8oK5obJx4Nj8vcvsE0jnpa7XVHHxtrDEiJIWGAXKnUbjvrrW55aarcgGunfNVV4jBVxzNmPLrSno38wZVpY-LYudkbaV6Aufc6BBLJg00mKhdvOK-fLaUtksk/s1600-h/_MG_2466.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFLTnoCAoKyz3gHv6qc8oK5obJx4Nj8vcvsE0jnpa7XVHHxtrDEiJIWGAXKnUbjvrrW55aarcgGunfNVV4jBVxzNmPLrSno38wZVpY-LYudkbaV6Aufc6BBLJg00mKhdvOK-fLaUtksk/s320/_MG_2466.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330524148962119378" /></a> From there, we headed to Norum. We were enjoying lunch in one of the houses on the family farm when the sons got their own nature moment after a bird flew into one of the large windows. It was only stunned, so the sons held it and stroked it gently as it came to. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguh6ei9M85-fpMSDV7cnMAhHeMcZ0XP47HmlvkFqs2Mm71zBVyIRRIB0YTDRdn8xfUVDiwr8cIPmPMWJqQhy9dqyyf6P-8BMGVLvS790KMT5Ne9ki6SfYXRhollpgzxoEF4zpIa1DsZ4U/s1600-h/_MG_2476.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguh6ei9M85-fpMSDV7cnMAhHeMcZ0XP47HmlvkFqs2Mm71zBVyIRRIB0YTDRdn8xfUVDiwr8cIPmPMWJqQhy9dqyyf6P-8BMGVLvS790KMT5Ne9ki6SfYXRhollpgzxoEF4zpIa1DsZ4U/s320/_MG_2476.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330525013781058578" /></a> When it seemed to have awakened sufficiently to get by on its own, they left it on the deck railing from which it flew away a few moments later. After lunch, we toured the original farmhouse which is undergoing yet another interior renovation. About all that is left of the original house is the foundation, but it’s still somewhat awesome to know that six or so generations of the same family have lived on this spot. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWO1JmverH-bAiI7kYrwfbgzYSPly7TKP6qsJhqe78SRA-s_9cq6qkilh9afzCVWyGM_oAjRgnzkXQ_7rzIopH5iDx2_tUfKNQlPpnKBX_cWH1RgQlw3YHMIhX9kOIJpgROjCDevlr4Y/s1600-h/_MG_2483.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWO1JmverH-bAiI7kYrwfbgzYSPly7TKP6qsJhqe78SRA-s_9cq6qkilh9afzCVWyGM_oAjRgnzkXQ_7rzIopH5iDx2_tUfKNQlPpnKBX_cWH1RgQlw3YHMIhX9kOIJpgROjCDevlr4Y/s320/_MG_2483.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330525953917122914" /></a> It’s also somewhat awesome that the fifth or sixth generation of babies is using the family cradle. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU4ZcW6n8F5iO7nVr-3bsgj6G_Bu20c0LM4Np1Y_eoUSCTbopSeL2i6a58p1FFSRamdDRyZMtybzLlD0-fqpUS76_bKNcNCLVcCMtwVyPD6W_PP6Q-SGTkaSGZl5z5AV3OtT___JpMQ4/s1600-h/_MG_2494.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU4ZcW6n8F5iO7nVr-3bsgj6G_Bu20c0LM4Np1Y_eoUSCTbopSeL2i6a58p1FFSRamdDRyZMtybzLlD0-fqpUS76_bKNcNCLVcCMtwVyPD6W_PP6Q-SGTkaSGZl5z5AV3OtT___JpMQ4/s320/_MG_2494.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330526426692108066" /></a> We have photos from 19 years ago that show the then-four-month-old younger son lying in the cradle and the then-two-year-old older son sitting in it. The latest Norum to use the cradle is three months old; his grandfather is one of the cousins who gave us the grand tour of Inderoy. We also hiked through the woods to see the view of the fjord that the husband and I remembered from our visit 19 years ago. What wasn’t there 19 years ago were two <span style="font-weight:bold;">very</span> impressive anthills, so impressive that, like the fish sculpture we saw the first evening, you could hear them as well as see them. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQhow7ELpmtqBlXRTjSfL13RFdyJlbDjC03ezYa6MJsBAwgPTPT7AsmKtDNVnePwDJ1RiavDAe0RkGAgRKDtb_Wi40YnNQwFEQ7aFSeAK1dTZHbowxs8OjnEWsEoFj-BZTPCtWxnJoIg/s1600-h/_MG_2502.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQhow7ELpmtqBlXRTjSfL13RFdyJlbDjC03ezYa6MJsBAwgPTPT7AsmKtDNVnePwDJ1RiavDAe0RkGAgRKDtb_Wi40YnNQwFEQ7aFSeAK1dTZHbowxs8OjnEWsEoFj-BZTPCtWxnJoIg/s320/_MG_2502.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330528509720550530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGIniKZIav0v1knVXIgPr1JvVzNxpX2KGmeIcfytaUzbT6lc-4XvxFWGgNGE4f7vJq4cva9a1tpQS5nPe7Hnr-3LafMEGjN_B0uDVSKH9kH81u93UTzJGjriR2_U8a8v6SNJH51eqPfU/s1600-h/_MG_2503.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGIniKZIav0v1knVXIgPr1JvVzNxpX2KGmeIcfytaUzbT6lc-4XvxFWGgNGE4f7vJq4cva9a1tpQS5nPe7Hnr-3LafMEGjN_B0uDVSKH9kH81u93UTzJGjriR2_U8a8v6SNJH51eqPfU/s320/_MG_2503.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330528501190203234" /></a> Older son’s taking a photo of the second anthill provides a scale as to just how big the anthills were. And here’s the view from the point that was just as stunning as we remembered. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHL7Q-uKo7_RI3HCdzEDwGpfZdnctytWLG8s-dNNhEQ6pVHZwvMm9NYg-NP2YrfNg0J5Kg7NFBGUX1z5jFI7-44GIHKrpvnnKyMx5_isv1-QQ5bYgknYvRfkMnkDay4E4y5kiOEMGiII/s1600-h/_MG_2506.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHL7Q-uKo7_RI3HCdzEDwGpfZdnctytWLG8s-dNNhEQ6pVHZwvMm9NYg-NP2YrfNg0J5Kg7NFBGUX1z5jFI7-44GIHKrpvnnKyMx5_isv1-QQ5bYgknYvRfkMnkDay4E4y5kiOEMGiII/s320/_MG_2506.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330530300241212402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBdiq4MZlZX658NUh_NYapH5WO6LwSkWrhqQ1fcUPuJdoDhe3oMvTkFU7cdDDaQ_HDSKg4MZSaOpM8tJNFgUSKvdFHHRY6oPXYE2jjzjU6gyirs9a3Rvm_5AZrZzfD_G4P2__PAqKiW4/s1600-h/_MG_2530.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBdiq4MZlZX658NUh_NYapH5WO6LwSkWrhqQ1fcUPuJdoDhe3oMvTkFU7cdDDaQ_HDSKg4MZSaOpM8tJNFgUSKvdFHHRY6oPXYE2jjzjU6gyirs9a3Rvm_5AZrZzfD_G4P2__PAqKiW4/s320/_MG_2530.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330530294386343538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQge-NZi90iJwVZOkUcBMoFXw1U_LXQwEiKByZpeKtDGqPZCpqIPCd7eJ4A132eB1Pu90Q4nc1tiKAxdn4LsucN_mff02p9w2iHJqIMv-b6afbpGwnt2Np4qdY4ETCN8z6-R6m8qxj5ao/s1600-h/_MG_2520.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQge-NZi90iJwVZOkUcBMoFXw1U_LXQwEiKByZpeKtDGqPZCpqIPCd7eJ4A132eB1Pu90Q4nc1tiKAxdn4LsucN_mff02p9w2iHJqIMv-b6afbpGwnt2Np4qdY4ETCN8z6-R6m8qxj5ao/s320/_MG_2520.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330530289319336546" /></a> The ground cover on the point overlooking the fjord was pretty cool, too. I’m betting someone out there will recognize what it is, but I really don’t know. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20HqngOmZiXXHrd_4lecWXx7stv4e6qE3CiL1GEChJg9p2JsSHcXLzGtKZh3WFhZ-70zF4eiv6MgAurUcX8KXZwVoPOFhSLby2YXy4e_YdR01o6VtZ8YQaGVEeP80rNXMua4nla43IQk/s1600-h/_MG_2517.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20HqngOmZiXXHrd_4lecWXx7stv4e6qE3CiL1GEChJg9p2JsSHcXLzGtKZh3WFhZ-70zF4eiv6MgAurUcX8KXZwVoPOFhSLby2YXy4e_YdR01o6VtZ8YQaGVEeP80rNXMua4nla43IQk/s320/_MG_2517.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330531269094604914" /></a> Finally, we drove by one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world, the one connecting Inderoy to Mosvik at Fosen-peninsula. The cables don’t show up too well in this, unfortunately. They’re nominally red in color, but looked to me to be much more pink than red. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0XMIDEGqw9nSXMrQfw7i7LCvlhBxN0Cbe3DGX0S2OO3EYUdD_iKU8_CPKfRqP_PJKnyoP1QGxYW5kxbm8X_POfkee-NLvj6lB30oEYGg6U-AicvF9dLx4gmfQpylFJO0BxjezxPzOH8/s1600-h/_MG_2552.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0XMIDEGqw9nSXMrQfw7i7LCvlhBxN0Cbe3DGX0S2OO3EYUdD_iKU8_CPKfRqP_PJKnyoP1QGxYW5kxbm8X_POfkee-NLvj6lB30oEYGg6U-AicvF9dLx4gmfQpylFJO0BxjezxPzOH8/s320/_MG_2552.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330532072897502786" /></a> We also drove over this bridge on our way back to Trondheim. We took a longer way back than the one we came on in order to see a bit more scenery and get a 35-minute ferry ride in the process.<br /><br />Our final adventure in Trondheim was front row (as in about four feet away from the stage, on chairs in what normally would be the orchestra pit) center (as in the space in between me and one of the husband’s cousins was the middle of the row) tickets to the opening concert of Trondheim’s annual Nidaros Blues Festival. The concert paired the Grand Mothers, the Frank-Zappa-less Mothers of Invention, with the Trondheim Symphony. The symphony opened the concert by playing some Stravinsky, since Stravinsky was one of Zappa’s favorite composers. The Mothers then joined the symphony for some joint pieces before performing two long sets on their own. The symphony then rejoined them for the finale. While the acoustics might have been better further back in the auditorium, I really enjoyed being able to see the faces of the band and symphony members, and the eye contact back and forth. They were clearly enjoying immensely playing together. Sometimes it sounded very much like jazz, with one side playing off the other somewhat improvisationally. And the audience definitely got their money’s worth since the concert started on time at 7:30 and finished at 11:00 with only one 15-minute break.<br /><br />I’m writing this on the train south from Trondheim; I’ll add the photos and upload it tonight in Oslo. If I get adventurous along the way, I can go roam the train wearing my Blues Festival t-shirt (an advance edition since they didn’t go on sale until today; we got ours early courtesy of the husband’s cousins who are on the festival’s board of directors). The Grand Mothers are supposedly on the train with us to Oslo, and I could use the t-shirt as an introduction. It might be fun to tell them how much we enjoyed last night’s show. <br /><br />Here’s an interesting aside that I just decided to add since I decided against wandering the train in search of celebrities. In this post, I’ve mentioned a new church and an old church as well as how multiple generations of the husband’s family have lived on the same farm. Every time I have visited Europe, I have come away marveling at the history a European can mark relative to the average American. While we certainly have things in the continental United States that date from the days of Inderoy’s old church, they are not generally celebrated or appreciated. I think the county in which I live, Albemarle County, Virginia, had its 250th (I think) anniversary not too many years ago. The fact that I don’t remember exactly which anniversary tells you how big the celebration was. By way of comparison, in 1997, Trondheim, Norway celebrated its (pausing for effect here) 1,000th anniversary. Now, that’s history!<br /><br />I will try to post something from Oslo over the weekend since we plan to see some interesting things there including the Viking Ship Museum and the Folk Museum, an open-air museum of Norse buildings and culture. At the same time, though, we need to repack the luggage so that the sons aren’t carrying anything they don’t need during the next three weeks and so that the bags the husband and I will take home are under the British Air weight limit. The sons also want to see about doing some laundry so that they at least start their journey in clean clothes. It probably should embarrass me to say that we haven’t done laundry since Cambodia almost three weeks ago, but it’s really not that hard to lower your standards in the interest of saving money and/or having more time to do neat things and see beautiful places. In fact, if I were packing for this trip now, I’d be packing even fewer clothes since I now know just how many times I will wear the same clothes without washing, and it’s many more than I would have thought two months ago.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-67871479961403680812009-04-26T03:10:00.006-04:002009-04-26T03:37:10.818-04:00A Few Random ShotsWe head back to Trondheim today from a very wonderful weekend at the mountain cabin belonging to the husband's cousins. Here are a few random shots from our time here. This is older son getting to the cabin Friday evening. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4Sd-5Qy-lx5ZcMESPvDlrMI6XleVKhUBKc9wgFDrF4nEWFf1v8LVBLQD8uHP33LousufZgHEUGAbVxuFQ1UFB644wP5DeqGT5GSWEUcA8CF-sCFTiKXcZaAtpfN160UbmUPzs1l5Kb4/s1600-h/_MG_2122.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4Sd-5Qy-lx5ZcMESPvDlrMI6XleVKhUBKc9wgFDrF4nEWFf1v8LVBLQD8uHP33LousufZgHEUGAbVxuFQ1UFB644wP5DeqGT5GSWEUcA8CF-sCFTiKXcZaAtpfN160UbmUPzs1l5Kb4/s320/_MG_2122.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328894909814040386" /></a> Here's the view down the driveway. I took this shot yesterday morning as the sons were heading out for a cross-country skiing lesson. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEr9Pt7Au0RW4Uc89XIsmsXdPCj-BHTcqGBv9ZcyqwidtnOTDQdLWuPhVAMfy7zEgwiPcn9HpeXC7L5GnfI3DqdwNG8Mgk3cF4qnhHjc143tjTo0IR6YXmiZxQ4K2prpDe9Tg6QVN3XY/s1600-h/_MG_2128.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEr9Pt7Au0RW4Uc89XIsmsXdPCj-BHTcqGBv9ZcyqwidtnOTDQdLWuPhVAMfy7zEgwiPcn9HpeXC7L5GnfI3DqdwNG8Mgk3cF4qnhHjc143tjTo0IR6YXmiZxQ4K2prpDe9Tg6QVN3XY/s320/_MG_2128.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328895693007806146" /></a> They both did extremely well given that they've never been on skis before or on anything similar like a skateboard. It must be their Viking heritage. Here are a couple of shots taken on our afternoon walk down the road. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-g-NKP8lo3IPiGMmxdBDMqJPg6q5TULPtZQyDsvQK7z3WU2Ys2iCyPu7srKjTudePBjBBLiAiEDBs1l5XU7VPCd_bGsxgVCI9GFN2XQWHcjDiMETGv9tQWfAdP7ZbLFN2J28sEMeCNw/s1600-h/_MG_2172.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-g-NKP8lo3IPiGMmxdBDMqJPg6q5TULPtZQyDsvQK7z3WU2Ys2iCyPu7srKjTudePBjBBLiAiEDBs1l5XU7VPCd_bGsxgVCI9GFN2XQWHcjDiMETGv9tQWfAdP7ZbLFN2J28sEMeCNw/s320/_MG_2172.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328897399045198130" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OjBTO5WrvNI9Idw9TQ4nUpPgb9vvUvDH3rYHKA4W_TRhtH5iy-7IPikKtl4xx5TGLOrAbXn6qm6OwMpP1IAwkUw7ojr7LrPAtvQtPTIaw_mPOyv4Uqc8Fcan9i15s3uhhHbWV050Pvk/s1600-h/_MG_2168.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OjBTO5WrvNI9Idw9TQ4nUpPgb9vvUvDH3rYHKA4W_TRhtH5iy-7IPikKtl4xx5TGLOrAbXn6qm6OwMpP1IAwkUw7ojr7LrPAtvQtPTIaw_mPOyv4Uqc8Fcan9i15s3uhhHbWV050Pvk/s320/_MG_2168.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328897396815187170" /></a> Here's the sauna and the snowbank into which we each jumped, naked, after getting nice and hot. It's actually not as unpleasant as you think it might be. "Refreshing" probably describes it much better than "unpleasant" would. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGpfC2we1H3QGRRmgjPsvgYmtE5nZQeZzc2nrS9MGFInstgzyREFFv2Pqpj6YFGwWHDJTbCZICFy_tS3vVcDyUzicA1v7nCGuOBCrotzG9mABLvFE0weNRJKvMwW-HP6KrEvXzgNfdV8/s1600-h/_MG_2201.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGpfC2we1H3QGRRmgjPsvgYmtE5nZQeZzc2nrS9MGFInstgzyREFFv2Pqpj6YFGwWHDJTbCZICFy_tS3vVcDyUzicA1v7nCGuOBCrotzG9mABLvFE0weNRJKvMwW-HP6KrEvXzgNfdV8/s320/_MG_2201.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328899545339697874" /></a> Finally, here's the tree growing out of the sod roof on the sauna. The sod provides excellent insulation. I imagine it also looks very pretty against the red siding in the summer when the grass is green. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAY8NWz4JRNk5vJf5l08ytDi40l1mNgDVOEuBVLW66iitsJ6Nlzv1tZHLf7FWfsFdBrbkZ8rs92tgRO6nKVqsacTSV9ZGmO6nGRJ1ghlPIJxDA49WEWZcYBvZVp_yE_AzIwV9dbxAsLg/s1600-h/_MG_2125.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAY8NWz4JRNk5vJf5l08ytDi40l1mNgDVOEuBVLW66iitsJ6Nlzv1tZHLf7FWfsFdBrbkZ8rs92tgRO6nKVqsacTSV9ZGmO6nGRJ1ghlPIJxDA49WEWZcYBvZVp_yE_AzIwV9dbxAsLg/s320/_MG_2125.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328899552057091746" /></a> There are more shots of Norway on younger son's <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com">photo blog</a>, so if what I have here only whetted your appetite, head over there for another taste.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-28426876237473640332009-04-25T02:56:00.003-04:002009-04-25T03:01:47.422-04:00Saturday Morning QuickieI'm sitting in a cozy, warm cabin in the mountains somewhere south of Trondheim, Norway, drining my second cup of coffee. Yes, there's wireless here. It's an in-between season of not being winter enough to do "real" cross-country skiing, but not spring enough to do "real" hiking. We'll find something to do today, though. One thing is to take some photos; this is a very beautiful place. I'll try to post a couple before we head back to Trondheim tomorrow because our Scandinavianly expensive hotel there doesn't have the free wireless that our Southeast Asianly inexpensive hotels in Vietnam and Cambodia did. Even with that fact, life is good.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-62055435363719666182009-04-23T10:15:00.001-04:002009-04-23T10:21:53.821-04:00A Post Without PicturesI’m in Aare, Sweden, with hang gliders filling the sky above me. The hillside over which they’re soaring is covered in snow, though the air temperature down here on the train platform is remarkably warm. Here’s what I wrote on the train this morning; I figured I should go ahead and post it now just in case our hotel in Trondheim has no Internet.<br /><br />It’s Thursday morning here, and I’m on a train in Sweden heading for Norway. We have been transported from the summer weather of Southeast Asia to the spring weather of the Netherlands to the late winter of Scandinavia. You know it’s cold when you see a Swede wearing a hat, a scarf, a coat, and mittens, as I did Tuesday in Lund. As I look into the woods on either side of the tracks now, there are more than traces of snow. There’s also snow on some of the flat roofs of buildings we can see in the towns. Some of the lakes beside the train tracks appear to be frozen solid judging from the tire tracks on them. The husband has been warned that I may be shopping in Trondheim tomorrow for another Norwegian sweater to add to my collection. We are supposed to spend the weekend at a cabin in the mountains outside Trondheim, and while I assume the inside will be heated, I know that the outside won’t.<br /><br />The sons and I amused ourselves yesterday in Lund, Sweden, while the husband did physics things at the University of Lund. We were staying at the Djingis Khan Hotel. The cab drivers pronounced the first name with a “j” sound as in “Jingis Khan,” but as I told the husband I preferred to think of it as “Dingis Khan,” Genghis’s nerdy little brother. The sons and I chilled at the hotel until the noon checkout time was almost upon us, then stashed the luggage in the luggage room and headed into the Centrum (downtown) area with no plan other than meeting the husband at the train station at 5:15. We started out thinking that we would be walking through a park; however, it quickly became apparent that we were, in fact, walking through a graveyard. More specifically, we were walking through the area of the graveyard in which were buried babies who had been stillborn or who had died on the day they were born. My stomach jumped into my throat, and I almost cried as I read the tombstones, most with just a name and a single date. One had the same date twice, and one had two dates about a month apart. Almost all had some small toys or stuffed animals; some had fresh flowers; none looked untended.<br /><br />After lolling a bit and taking some photos around a fountain in what looked to be a courtyard at an older part of the university, we lunched on falafel (younger son and I) and meat (older son) from a Middle Eastern eatery. We then wound our way circuitously to the Botanical Gardens, though we again found ourselves in a graveyard on the way. We enjoyed the Botanical Gardens until it started to sprinkle rain, after which we found our way to the sort of coffee shop in which you can linger for some time over a lavishly decorated latte and an exotic pastry. We left with plenty of time for another circuitous walk to the planned meeting at the train station.<br /><br />Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, we ended up walking down the street on which sat a store with the English name “Coins and Arms.” Sitting in the window amidst books, medals, some German World War I helmets (I already have one of these, that my paternal grandfather brought back from the war), and an engraved walking stick, was what appeared to be a vintage katana. We went into the store, and older son politely asked if he could look at the sword. The shopkeeper nodded. Older son removed the sword partway from the sheath, examined it, returned it to the sheath, and almost immediately excused himself. Younger son followed. I stayed and purchased some small coins for souvenirs, I also purchased an English two-shilling coin from 1951 as a gift for the husband (who was born in that year). For myself, I bought an English half-crown coin from 1956, my own birth-year. When I went outside, the sons were almost vibrating over the sword. Knowing the price of new swords not nearly as custom made as the one in the window was, they desperately wanted to split the cost and buy it. They knew, though, that if they asked my opinion, I’d say, “Sure!” and possibly even contribute to the cost. Their father, they knew, might look at it more rationally.<br /><br />Off we went to the train station to wait for the husband and father. Coins and Arms closed at 5:30, so there was a general sense of disappointment when the husband failed to show at the appointed 5:15. At 5:20, I suggested that younger son return to the shop and ask the shopkeeper if he could stay open a bit late so that they could show the sword to their father. Not too many minutes later, the husband arrived, so I hustled him off with older son and a quick explanation, saying that I would wait at the station for them. The shopkeeper did keep the shop open, though he told younger son that he couldn’t stay for long since he had to go home and walk his dog before his bridge game later in the evening. When the men re-appeared, they were sword-less, though the plan is in place for the sons to investigate options for getting the sword back to the US either with them or shipped. If it appears do-able and if they still want the sword in a week and a half, their first stop on the way south from Oslo will be Lund to see if the sword is still available. There was also a knife in the window that they might be interested in instead of or in addition to the sword.<br /><br />The excitement of the sword over, we had more excitement when older son realized we were walking by an outdoor store. He had meant to bring his handheld GPS unit with him but forgot it in the packing rush. We asked my mom to look in his room for it so that she could mail it to us in Hue. Older son’s room being a bit on the crowded side, she was unable to find It, so older son has been looking for one since then. The store in Lund did have the model he wanted, so he bought it. The first set of coordinates stored were those of Coins and Arms. There was no way they were going to not find that shop if they do come back for the sword.<br /><br />We left Malmo, Sweden at 11:00 last night, arriving in Stockholm at 6:00 this morning. We waved farewell to Stockholm all of 30 minutes later on a train west. We had a ten-minute connection to another train an hour later, which turned out to be easier than expected since we got off the train from Stockholm, watched it leave, and then stepped on board the next train to pull up to the same platform. In about four hours, we’ll pull into Aare, Sweden, where we’ll get off and chill for a couple of hours before getting on the train for Trondheim. Train and weather gods willing, we’ll be there at a bit after 8:00 tonight. Assuming that the hotel has Internet access, I’ll post this. If there are any must-see photos from Lund or this train ride, I may post them separately. I don’t expect there to be Internet access at the mountain cabin where we’ll spend Saturday and Sunday. We’ll be back in Trondheim on Sunday night so that I can get my next rabies vaccine shot on Monday before we head to the Induroy area from which the husband’s grandfather emigrated to Canada.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-75828870768595013002009-04-21T07:18:00.050-04:002009-04-21T11:17:32.152-04:00Tripping down Memory Lane: Netherlands NostalgiaI’m sitting on platform 6 at the train station in Arnhem, Netherlands. Our train leaves in about an hour. Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be at a hotel in Lund, Sweden which hopefully will have the Internet access lacking at our hotel in Beekbergen, Netherlands. We went out this morning and took photos of the various places we sat, using whatever unsecured wireless network we could find. Saturday night, driving back from dinner, I detected an unsecured network. There was a spot to pull off the road, so we did. Younger son left the car in search of a stronger signal, but the rest of us sat in the car, netbooks on laps, doing e-mail. That’s why I haven’t posted anything here about what we’ve been doing. The night I uploaded most of the photos for <a href="http://goingtohue.blogspot.com/2009/04/last-of-temples.html">The Last of the Temples</a>, my butt got mighty cold sitting on the pavement in front of a store that had closed for the evening.<br /><br />It was an interesting five days in the Netherlands. As one might expect, some things have changed while others have stayed the same despite the passing of 19 years since we lived here for a year. The house we rented for that year, in the small town of Soest, looks much the same. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZNVuulibFAI_5L01HYYIY4wd0VMei3QCftYfTa_O9som-dW9jSafiSVwXqRjb-skT6nUSqwCbHmPl_Hdra8zYJU5h4YgAeBLjMK_Aq3VIERVxE4yDgiosyOTgTxeHx2I1upfPW_6cENt/s1600-h/Canon+113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZNVuulibFAI_5L01HYYIY4wd0VMei3QCftYfTa_O9som-dW9jSafiSVwXqRjb-skT6nUSqwCbHmPl_Hdra8zYJU5h4YgAeBLjMK_Aq3VIERVxE4yDgiosyOTgTxeHx2I1upfPW_6cENt/s320/Canon+113.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327103422488706066" /></a> The main street of town had expanded a bit. There were some new businesses, but some of the stores I used to frequent were still there. The toy store where we bought a couple of things that we still have, including one stuffed animal that older son wrote about in one of his college essays, looked much the same. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xY9v1lyCJPX3_9hG3-vY5JaaetqSjQyDJhTKowa8qGFaRk3q-WWN48FhsJBRyW6b0MMc7TFn72daQ0UP2DIhnEa90MvUeXx1FJVr3BrosrZe6Stp1avr2JVTa6Iaja4kRxm9sGVAC_j9/s1600-h/Canon+119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xY9v1lyCJPX3_9hG3-vY5JaaetqSjQyDJhTKowa8qGFaRk3q-WWN48FhsJBRyW6b0MMc7TFn72daQ0UP2DIhnEa90MvUeXx1FJVr3BrosrZe6Stp1avr2JVTa6Iaja4kRxm9sGVAC_j9/s320/Canon+119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327106563550547650" /></a> The McDonalds we used to frequent was still there and still had an aviation theme to match its proximity to a museum of military aircraft. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcopqcYO5B6tjd3DUumqW8pZOhEBOITtfEE-4dmh5pa_gciqL6zkbWKQyXx3_6EZWSEEcdogdGBGu6EpHxutAuPXHfuLjdRgIKMITAf11ZD70WcqdE4HiiktRVmfoN-X9HO1bR0lzs8Sl/s1600-h/Canon+154.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcopqcYO5B6tjd3DUumqW8pZOhEBOITtfEE-4dmh5pa_gciqL6zkbWKQyXx3_6EZWSEEcdogdGBGu6EpHxutAuPXHfuLjdRgIKMITAf11ZD70WcqdE4HiiktRVmfoN-X9HO1bR0lzs8Sl/s320/Canon+154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327107029943044818" /></a> In terms of changes, the big one was that the hospital in which younger son was born was torn down in 2000. Here’s what it looked like when we used it; I took this photograph off the information board that now stands on the site of the hospital. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl732YKyAZDRaANDrmc_TcAgi5jMiWH4jC8zAtUGcHclerrGK1zZXdsBUygtbJ4iDXRIfHubwgarT3SzB9Wcw1J_4gUmV3o3are2aidGfXntNqvWXfWlp30MxRNhRodb_bAoXYt8_8dC9/s1600-h/Canon+142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUl732YKyAZDRaANDrmc_TcAgi5jMiWH4jC8zAtUGcHclerrGK1zZXdsBUygtbJ4iDXRIfHubwgarT3SzB9Wcw1J_4gUmV3o3are2aidGfXntNqvWXfWlp30MxRNhRodb_bAoXYt8_8dC9/s320/Canon+142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327112319989308146" /></a> Here’s what it looks like today. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGiE_kYasDPUWz3q0S1rf7k1AXXCzYzVU1Ur_FRiY1ttlIhImdZpeq95YtYboiGJ7viMFcwcO8jqm837YRhGd1Pkq-oisODn9fe95hIi787ctV5039iM3YXp5gIzeXW4RkEjAISqPVLyS/s1600-h/Canon+132.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGiE_kYasDPUWz3q0S1rf7k1AXXCzYzVU1Ur_FRiY1ttlIhImdZpeq95YtYboiGJ7viMFcwcO8jqm837YRhGd1Pkq-oisODn9fe95hIi787ctV5039iM3YXp5gIzeXW4RkEjAISqPVLyS/s320/Canon+132.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327112772951525378" /></a> In the US, we probably would have (a) renovated the hospital to use it for some other purpose (this is a topic of discussion at home right now as one of the two hospitals in Charlottesville prepares to move into a new facility outside of town) or (b) torn it down and replaced it with another large building. Ziekenhuis Zonnegloren (Sunrise Hospital, if I remember the translation correctly) now shows up on maps as Zonnegloren, a nature preserve. We hiked partway around one of the trails, and the place is truly amazing. They are even working on restoring a large area of sand dunes. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy4jLdvRxk74rSTidtvhllTbcPK5mrLvX4he4kMqPeAHUvF7OOELGW1iXn5tcO91Z9eKitdX_YTvvgKwdfMeSf2J6ZWQsaJYOFB1FgXCPYb_ARoKwa7OGACM4NEiscDggqNuwsI7Ll0_G/s1600-h/_MG_1715.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy4jLdvRxk74rSTidtvhllTbcPK5mrLvX4he4kMqPeAHUvF7OOELGW1iXn5tcO91Z9eKitdX_YTvvgKwdfMeSf2J6ZWQsaJYOFB1FgXCPYb_ARoKwa7OGACM4NEiscDggqNuwsI7Ll0_G/s320/_MG_1715.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327113377194895474" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WCQINmB5j1zvWlqnGhdnlvlgzgIWgOmUeEx_uQ9TIpJ8R7t4vguYnpy20qwNk3L9fPpOUzslPl947H4Qf1d2KfifHh40y0B3i-EvfQ0YG1ou7BmTtnFAVpzqkFMJwgGYCW6EI71N6QqA/s1600-h/_MG_1745.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WCQINmB5j1zvWlqnGhdnlvlgzgIWgOmUeEx_uQ9TIpJ8R7t4vguYnpy20qwNk3L9fPpOUzslPl947H4Qf1d2KfifHh40y0B3i-EvfQ0YG1ou7BmTtnFAVpzqkFMJwgGYCW6EI71N6QqA/s320/_MG_1745.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327113899070839330" /></a> <br />Besides exploring the old hometown, we went to two places that older son remembered or remembered having been told about. The first was <a href="http://www.apenheul.com/">Apenheul</a>, an open-air primate zoo. The first time we went there in 1989, I was pregnant with younger son and exuding some sort of pheromones that the spider monkeys found irresistible. People were taking pictures of me with all sorts of monkeys attached to my head, my backpack, my arms, my legs, all over. When we went back after younger son had been born, they ignored me totally. In the 19 years since then, they have had various problems with the small monkeys stealing items from visitors’ bags. Today, they use squirt guns filled with water to train the small monkeys not to get on visitors. They still come pretty close to you, though. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCfOIzBMSMBswC5-rxyNuVnkDo4dvZYB93JfbLA3xxDeNBTPHomY9rnPhyYi0vP-EoWOEnREbfrQtY-w9e5is2srnBYBM777TGbFg79Nwm7pME9y7tEgbwBhNNXBYTQQLFk5nyn6TMlmE/s1600-h/_MG_0933.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCfOIzBMSMBswC5-rxyNuVnkDo4dvZYB93JfbLA3xxDeNBTPHomY9rnPhyYi0vP-EoWOEnREbfrQtY-w9e5is2srnBYBM777TGbFg79Nwm7pME9y7tEgbwBhNNXBYTQQLFk5nyn6TMlmE/s320/_MG_0933.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327115616420073186" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKIjJ2V27lMeRtmR-aY0K-fC0kUvhlTfCZwg9h23WlFsGohQ3bw_LE46989YXvDDDOlLeaZnRz0nJlI8wG-bArbEdWEPkCa3_U6Oc4fizbFust54ISLtrpNDBBOeJDJhIcNUcKaPQgsDw/s1600-h/_MG_0958.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKIjJ2V27lMeRtmR-aY0K-fC0kUvhlTfCZwg9h23WlFsGohQ3bw_LE46989YXvDDDOlLeaZnRz0nJlI8wG-bArbEdWEPkCa3_U6Oc4fizbFust54ISLtrpNDBBOeJDJhIcNUcKaPQgsDw/s320/_MG_0958.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327116658768287922" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRixN9qZK7n4PGm_6zAxwJwWTYzFclqXmoYtAnA86Q5SCMIAdrF1dwcoo60rFW33oYwXDqjsYjDO0qBuO4lcXawfH2osVIYwXV7dRTDZJ5BVI4G8LO1l62yqAZqa6fTJ3wVlkTBRs1Jle2/s1600-h/_MG_1260.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRixN9qZK7n4PGm_6zAxwJwWTYzFclqXmoYtAnA86Q5SCMIAdrF1dwcoo60rFW33oYwXDqjsYjDO0qBuO4lcXawfH2osVIYwXV7dRTDZJ5BVI4G8LO1l62yqAZqa6fTJ3wVlkTBRs1Jle2/s320/_MG_1260.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327117036884598434" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy516KIEkG8Rt4JTIIPrCulldYxb5g3KtJkKy0y5LhH_9DYoX_hPbeFnj9Df5t1a8dK5FTd84GWsKI4Fb8WjhuQ08LT2-5D1ULEVXbWMWeu7lrvcIyQYsquCBG7lsdWfuFopphX7OkMFyC/s1600-h/_MG_1299.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy516KIEkG8Rt4JTIIPrCulldYxb5g3KtJkKy0y5LhH_9DYoX_hPbeFnj9Df5t1a8dK5FTd84GWsKI4Fb8WjhuQ08LT2-5D1ULEVXbWMWeu7lrvcIyQYsquCBG7lsdWfuFopphX7OkMFyC/s320/_MG_1299.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327117386830519698" /></a> All of the above were basically right there with visitors. And despite the fact that they are trained not to interact with visitors, they sometimes do. One of the type shown in the last photo above jumped into and then out of my lap while playing with another monkey. It happened very quickly, but it gave me the distinction of being the family member with up close and personal interaction with monkeys on two of our three visits to Apenheul.<br /><br />The larger apes and gorillas are kept on islands, very visible to visitors while at the same time at a safe distance. There were orangutans. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01JengP3inHa3QrUBHDFUieXutQ2FDWwrQT06oHzmF3xYoZu04ljqauTBPuxF1xrQqB5YSZ6ZI3pOt7QzC7HhYvkxt_0GNhPEM2Bs2m-INmLhxvPeUR_qJOEwoVyMWEpz5bAdAq6FxvMr/s1600-h/_MG_1102.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01JengP3inHa3QrUBHDFUieXutQ2FDWwrQT06oHzmF3xYoZu04ljqauTBPuxF1xrQqB5YSZ6ZI3pOt7QzC7HhYvkxt_0GNhPEM2Bs2m-INmLhxvPeUR_qJOEwoVyMWEpz5bAdAq6FxvMr/s320/_MG_1102.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327117929246039954" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEf7yGH_olQ4SPXb6EdaFk-a6GFk0L781Q3d7sbRvIuQkYtGO1HdCY44bbUaMrDzKnkILkRIvqtQgH3cvIrg9mAiin4pvuNgYITZKrR1PpdfjddS0tBo0sMn5QIjU5KJiPAvowJwGXlmF/s1600-h/_MG_1098.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEf7yGH_olQ4SPXb6EdaFk-a6GFk0L781Q3d7sbRvIuQkYtGO1HdCY44bbUaMrDzKnkILkRIvqtQgH3cvIrg9mAiin4pvuNgYITZKrR1PpdfjddS0tBo0sMn5QIjU5KJiPAvowJwGXlmF/s320/_MG_1098.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327118267765354610" /></a> There were gorillas, several with babies. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBg5JbR2d_Oyvr_TEgwxFQVSKM0upOIADUK1UIoX7jjAz5e7r2YLJ4Tl4Z3pqi6DzDCLagxdCkrfXjqobL3nRxvC6MwLEBmDqcjsBkyqNcfzhgf5oClNeAPmE9QHrPcyH0epCApzKODUk0/s1600-h/_MG_1147.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBg5JbR2d_Oyvr_TEgwxFQVSKM0upOIADUK1UIoX7jjAz5e7r2YLJ4Tl4Z3pqi6DzDCLagxdCkrfXjqobL3nRxvC6MwLEBmDqcjsBkyqNcfzhgf5oClNeAPmE9QHrPcyH0epCApzKODUk0/s320/_MG_1147.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327118566769198450" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AagZUSiTYEZm8F8UwDIeQ5VBD4PGPYzXxDeoRl5Ysrm3QTCl6ATZ0R3Zd9XfuV-0k3qp24evYsXsjmqJL00cVmQoPix2wc91U4Oe-stlnX9GNaRoseKt1CBQejRNQ-KRSKUeRP4xcwm2/s1600-h/_MG_1153.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AagZUSiTYEZm8F8UwDIeQ5VBD4PGPYzXxDeoRl5Ysrm3QTCl6ATZ0R3Zd9XfuV-0k3qp24evYsXsjmqJL00cVmQoPix2wc91U4Oe-stlnX9GNaRoseKt1CBQejRNQ-KRSKUeRP4xcwm2/s320/_MG_1153.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327118895195491362" /></a> There was also the alpha male gorilla. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IdFM81EUS8qcQUAjYqlv0GeDgqD5V5VYf_VqSotdc6x7cRRLsBsMr4iRSfp4TuhXdaRcMfLf5AjDAj9lXL4AV-DhmDuWMUXdC1Y8mzonG2pvEnx8DSmY-gx9xkFYN4P3LnTLYTThZCaF/s1600-h/_MG_1170.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IdFM81EUS8qcQUAjYqlv0GeDgqD5V5VYf_VqSotdc6x7cRRLsBsMr4iRSfp4TuhXdaRcMfLf5AjDAj9lXL4AV-DhmDuWMUXdC1Y8mzonG2pvEnx8DSmY-gx9xkFYN4P3LnTLYTThZCaF/s320/_MG_1170.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327119240601860690" /></a> The young human primates also found some of the children’s attractions quite enjoyable. It’s good to know that your kids are still young at heart. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD_8hAkO1VuByamO-9Z91uuI7PPHsDF0E9NJRkGuGoq6YGzxXNZ-ff1IxvlamQ9578KL4pcjnpDS4sqTDsY8IbqsICqtVh_fHnHVFeGe6PNMc5vwxyPev2FGy9JKTR7vQJikChc3Qj-YJ/s1600-h/_MG_1006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikD_8hAkO1VuByamO-9Z91uuI7PPHsDF0E9NJRkGuGoq6YGzxXNZ-ff1IxvlamQ9578KL4pcjnpDS4sqTDsY8IbqsICqtVh_fHnHVFeGe6PNMc5vwxyPev2FGy9JKTR7vQJikChc3Qj-YJ/s320/_MG_1006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327119536109490050" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlLt7Ql167tCP5zkyM6hw68o84JjtZJJqpDV59wXVB3Tx1wqXqv0SOgfycVQqcqx_OPjvN3YTs5NcueKPhPqpK7vrZfJV14aBDEYrKOqeNgpC3tJZo4HcLRvhpCTgZufPbjMP7xFTpXqH/s1600-h/_MG_1136.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlLt7Ql167tCP5zkyM6hw68o84JjtZJJqpDV59wXVB3Tx1wqXqv0SOgfycVQqcqx_OPjvN3YTs5NcueKPhPqpK7vrZfJV14aBDEYrKOqeNgpC3tJZo4HcLRvhpCTgZufPbjMP7xFTpXqH/s320/_MG_1136.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327119831645638898" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VC2b0me3pAQrFMP09rss5K0LXQhD2nuleZCQu24nEs42ntaOltufTbb-945CcAaQiGrwNnmpXqrSFwrOl3j9HwRY5GRBh6X3h3Jp2Z2WmdVgHUx7AkPOMiQGRXnUNV1NPnXaemqn8XnL/s1600-h/_MG_1140.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VC2b0me3pAQrFMP09rss5K0LXQhD2nuleZCQu24nEs42ntaOltufTbb-945CcAaQiGrwNnmpXqrSFwrOl3j9HwRY5GRBh6X3h3Jp2Z2WmdVgHUx7AkPOMiQGRXnUNV1NPnXaemqn8XnL/s320/_MG_1140.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327120158463141970" /></a> <br />The other place that older son claimed to remember was <a href="http://www.madurodam.nl/templates/mad/global/index.php">Madurodam</a>, a replica Dutch “town” built on a precise 1/25 scale, and located in the suburbs of The Hague. Older son remembered “feeling like a giant” at some place we visited during our year in the Netherlands, and this had to be it. Here’s an example. Looks like a large office building, right? <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfUw4E4rim_TCB-8B1u5YGZTsJL1_ZCBOaH8EwrzjcPmtyq2Y2BWkKuiRyi60ZzDNO9rL9oaZq4fPA2E0SjWyx2cu5EVkV4M3-hd4HpsMqFuDAzoyOOGgUDKHQNK8KROQVw-OCHYdFQTu/s1600-h/_MG_1380.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfUw4E4rim_TCB-8B1u5YGZTsJL1_ZCBOaH8EwrzjcPmtyq2Y2BWkKuiRyi60ZzDNO9rL9oaZq4fPA2E0SjWyx2cu5EVkV4M3-hd4HpsMqFuDAzoyOOGgUDKHQNK8KROQVw-OCHYdFQTu/s320/_MG_1380.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327121032641868242" /></a> Wrong! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOqyhgvl-I9F6dMts-J1IOj1CkdFbMYcojD09QWYEIw4vxZyn9P9b8ggadMcDTjtxK0DiwpHtDL-7bDYOQhhmgZ514CMEPAR99soskRr5Vhv8QXSkwxd0lpShNXrg35On6XqWM4XRfMe8/s1600-h/_MG_1377.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOqyhgvl-I9F6dMts-J1IOj1CkdFbMYcojD09QWYEIw4vxZyn9P9b8ggadMcDTjtxK0DiwpHtDL-7bDYOQhhmgZ514CMEPAR99soskRr5Vhv8QXSkwxd0lpShNXrg35On6XqWM4XRfMe8/s320/_MG_1377.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327121465322740994" /></a> Madurodam is constructed to convey information about Dutch history and architecture. For example, this is a “body farm.” <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPIQxeok6MQ7A4_5pfxvIrX91I2xVKr9oJJW4YGBGJYFLYemQxowrNgUkSvj6bMqFeG-eS4Gepsx6BcZYCPBmlrlwafqc-GB-z_XGElO8eK7xItmOovvuzu9vdYyCvrU1yCwpXFf07Qf_/s1600-h/_MG_1403.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPIQxeok6MQ7A4_5pfxvIrX91I2xVKr9oJJW4YGBGJYFLYemQxowrNgUkSvj6bMqFeG-eS4Gepsx6BcZYCPBmlrlwafqc-GB-z_XGElO8eK7xItmOovvuzu9vdYyCvrU1yCwpXFf07Qf_/s320/_MG_1403.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327144181588589602" /></a> The smaller building is the head, the narrow hallway is the neck, and the larger barn is the body. It’s not exactly the type of “body farm” we think of in the States. Here are some other shots, some of which show that everything is small and some of which don’t. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxj785Nf12rpB7LyFL_TI765bKY6GeWIMwTuqMIqUbbQJ6-QLsl_Uy9Z_qNDG0nzNwVXmXLWplHOFRf6R5UK9o2w4wk9-G_JohyFneqW50qEYS-Bj63pSBqHoWLy1M0zEVnmPLqK0qyVyy/s1600-h/_MG_1413.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxj785Nf12rpB7LyFL_TI765bKY6GeWIMwTuqMIqUbbQJ6-QLsl_Uy9Z_qNDG0nzNwVXmXLWplHOFRf6R5UK9o2w4wk9-G_JohyFneqW50qEYS-Bj63pSBqHoWLy1M0zEVnmPLqK0qyVyy/s320/_MG_1413.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327144523825698642" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3qpkOL0090Sr93XjsXZeCu2pCTHOj4MuwSj0w-rmTRLgETfLBkS925mkDijUGUchdGvHP1m7SredS9C1expAgTmsHSVjhNA26m39892A5RHjY6-Lb2Tqk2m20F9I-l_Coo3YEucU-4lY/s1600-h/_MG_1434.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3qpkOL0090Sr93XjsXZeCu2pCTHOj4MuwSj0w-rmTRLgETfLBkS925mkDijUGUchdGvHP1m7SredS9C1expAgTmsHSVjhNA26m39892A5RHjY6-Lb2Tqk2m20F9I-l_Coo3YEucU-4lY/s320/_MG_1434.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327144890528039426" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHdJ-SPhCZ5TayB2g9BD3xc5nYZi6WKLzYVXxUR20Y0X9pqU_qROmVzlkRoz5qT6_OLVB1fx4dSH35LCup_VRjY9PXg92gDI5v2adduG87Y-eQWaEbx9xDLP1UV78J19qTkU8Q-F7yfNq/s1600-h/_MG_1462.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHdJ-SPhCZ5TayB2g9BD3xc5nYZi6WKLzYVXxUR20Y0X9pqU_qROmVzlkRoz5qT6_OLVB1fx4dSH35LCup_VRjY9PXg92gDI5v2adduG87Y-eQWaEbx9xDLP1UV78J19qTkU8Q-F7yfNq/s320/_MG_1462.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327145238301303442" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X4t2ad-VK-YNozVvNfVSnrqcZUNB_UDMY1PaEqPA9M_WWkftbR-27hP_FITIOT8JRfAOpg6RHPPxhfIx4xc98dg_KxRakykrURzlaxkZp94M_FtNskbrDLgfvKJroMJ-SgrYxgLpHI4/s1600-h/_MG_1467.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X4t2ad-VK-YNozVvNfVSnrqcZUNB_UDMY1PaEqPA9M_WWkftbR-27hP_FITIOT8JRfAOpg6RHPPxhfIx4xc98dg_KxRakykrURzlaxkZp94M_FtNskbrDLgfvKJroMJ-SgrYxgLpHI4/s320/_MG_1467.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327145607267446722" /></a> Here’s the Alkmaar cheese market. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJLeYVy3oyfqqi9XcKujTce9wFzkC0QqV_QY2H6uX5FcG5zSqFVaIWWRFLjNlalHUiKQ2sKZ1-o4NEYl4tBt94NL1OSlJuDV9fIwNeQsWKcnmoB0JDukOPFqXJo2Rqh7eFMzLNTAkzW4/s1600-h/_MG_1457.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJLeYVy3oyfqqi9XcKujTce9wFzkC0QqV_QY2H6uX5FcG5zSqFVaIWWRFLjNlalHUiKQ2sKZ1-o4NEYl4tBt94NL1OSlJuDV9fIwNeQsWKcnmoB0JDukOPFqXJo2Rqh7eFMzLNTAkzW4/s320/_MG_1457.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327145997533833282" /></a> Probably the simplest way to describe this next shot is to say that it’s Amsterdam’s monument to the Gay Pride movement, though in Dutch its name is the Homo-monument. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfNK_DFJieysu5rGy1w8Lu-U7ny79Bz-780J5QNmSrhfX_yhKE_jhisnbv5ItA3qZjxH5mRO7p1K4JX8ZWtfrKunRpBtKoFC-BsOHkvij43LtfC8xp-YL42j0Vrss542J_LBxx4BqI18/s1600-h/_MG_1471.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfNK_DFJieysu5rGy1w8Lu-U7ny79Bz-780J5QNmSrhfX_yhKE_jhisnbv5ItA3qZjxH5mRO7p1K4JX8ZWtfrKunRpBtKoFC-BsOHkvij43LtfC8xp-YL42j0Vrss542J_LBxx4BqI18/s320/_MG_1471.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327146468762172818" /></a> There’s the <a href="http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/">Rijksmuseum</a> complete with Rembrandt’s “Night Watch.” <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8wS1OTOmCZhYS6QEyzD7QdXSgFKAOJQUJOBMYOeoxbkFHMWZnrblBKg8_xq69UPYzdTOG0G4jiLPaisb5Q56-DTyKfTa5N19bE5GBzZvb63CRqbgTCADk2cpOX5DyLfjN8JZzREd8jU/s1600-h/_MG_1477.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8wS1OTOmCZhYS6QEyzD7QdXSgFKAOJQUJOBMYOeoxbkFHMWZnrblBKg8_xq69UPYzdTOG0G4jiLPaisb5Q56-DTyKfTa5N19bE5GBzZvb63CRqbgTCADk2cpOX5DyLfjN8JZzREd8jU/s320/_MG_1477.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327147518978704338" /></a> Below, the building to the right of the one with the red shutters is the Anne Frank House. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_q1QapUj93RgdOZONfyHWIRtuVenpx6EWw3A36AJWothwRahEG1Pgx52EhNKwQZ-zuHy1IkD1Qw9SdrWN5fwJ6jeCcXxrUPZ7Tk9sleh6wvA_XMjKyInVg1e3OCIZD3CHKPV56Cd0ac/s1600-h/_MG_1481.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_q1QapUj93RgdOZONfyHWIRtuVenpx6EWw3A36AJWothwRahEG1Pgx52EhNKwQZ-zuHy1IkD1Qw9SdrWN5fwJ6jeCcXxrUPZ7Tk9sleh6wvA_XMjKyInVg1e3OCIZD3CHKPV56Cd0ac/s320/_MG_1481.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327147869961192946" /></a> The only thing they forgot to include is the line of visitors which often stretches down the street and around the block. This is one of Amsterdam’s most popular tourist attractions, as well it should be. We went through it on my first day in the Netherlands in 1989, and it is a very sobering experience.<br /><br />Finally, there’s even the Red Light District, though I have no idea why there’s a Star of David on the door here. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5Lcvcy-JPXQjw34mJK62ZOKVHjZM7epr7WKTiIN-rzaVjF1owGcCy1QY88TtB0-0vAB2MF9O01UEWyiyfAzd8GoJ31xQh5moAg5WXDUCwowzbQweh8sd1LgceWUtcyG9G4ayOOjxqew/s1600-h/_MG_1490.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5Lcvcy-JPXQjw34mJK62ZOKVHjZM7epr7WKTiIN-rzaVjF1owGcCy1QY88TtB0-0vAB2MF9O01UEWyiyfAzd8GoJ31xQh5moAg5WXDUCwowzbQweh8sd1LgceWUtcyG9G4ayOOjxqew/s320/_MG_1490.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327148282057755394" /></a> <br />Driving around the Netherlands, the first thing that comes to mind (well, my mind anyway) is the reliance here on alternative energy sources. There’s a very large wind farm on the coast of the country, but even in the interior you can’t drive or ride on a train for long without seeing a windmill of the power rather than traditional Dutch variety. These three were right along the interstate-equivalent road that we took to get the The Hague. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX400VX0HLT-3l9t2UgiWAd5ZTH5VPID9x9rPWTdtKmczke5lcA3ffY1c7l97iDQ1H8KJaEa3ArwGTGmKcfxIemj7cY4Nr8v-JW5EkSp4-K2wI8dQdEA7pIgFYhisiN1_sAqtElPFWHp4/s1600-h/_MG_1563.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX400VX0HLT-3l9t2UgiWAd5ZTH5VPID9x9rPWTdtKmczke5lcA3ffY1c7l97iDQ1H8KJaEa3ArwGTGmKcfxIemj7cY4Nr8v-JW5EkSp4-K2wI8dQdEA7pIgFYhisiN1_sAqtElPFWHp4/s320/_MG_1563.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327148633221931122" /></a> <br />The other thing we did in the Netherlands was spend half a day in Amsterdam. We went on the obligatory canal cruise. Among the attractions you see is the world’s largest floating Chinese-Indonesian restaurant. It can seat over 900 patrons at a time. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMthLTgZddGPObV1VZdtNY5JUn3Mq1BRlRhNRzFF4xup6ttfVFG-kAMZtZqPzyoHy0mNZ0p9vgRtWDT6vPwJEvKOf0aKGv4335o9pPt7C11WosPh_4F-hRdJ74mdsCtV1YSeVeAebKPQ/s1600-h/Canon+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMthLTgZddGPObV1VZdtNY5JUn3Mq1BRlRhNRzFF4xup6ttfVFG-kAMZtZqPzyoHy0mNZ0p9vgRtWDT6vPwJEvKOf0aKGv4335o9pPt7C11WosPh_4F-hRdJ74mdsCtV1YSeVeAebKPQ/s320/Canon+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327149073020183042" /></a> You see houseboats. This is not the most elaborate one we saw by any means. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNfv-6EJhQ1CslOaFsNAYUOLclVcY5kmV4jbdndhAtO6peqJGg2Q2_ugf5g6OXCSGoiz6iNABxljU442713g5zwqR20Kn7picIUl1JBhyphenhyphenehygGK0T94QlYO69OeF-2ZsvbM3gW7WQWDM/s1600-h/Canon+016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNfv-6EJhQ1CslOaFsNAYUOLclVcY5kmV4jbdndhAtO6peqJGg2Q2_ugf5g6OXCSGoiz6iNABxljU442713g5zwqR20Kn7picIUl1JBhyphenhyphenehygGK0T94QlYO69OeF-2ZsvbM3gW7WQWDM/s320/Canon+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327149386640242082" /></a> You see the narrow canal houses; they’re narrow because properties were taxed according to the width of the building along the street. Interestingly, the other place we saw this was in Hanoi. The “stick” you see jutting out from the top of each house is there to raise large objects that don’t fit up the narrow, back-and-forth staircases inside. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mZ-zOsHEQ-vQ66oWMMNlW8crti9rcjQ9ZfeRlQJrVQjfclSjgg8o_HFT-miuMHoJGiU-yWg0ocHu8ooa_zaPUm4lEgfmKS-Yp9bzuswLnfMgmkIo8tFyyd1_igSu6E2T356Rw111ziI/s1600-h/Canon+021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mZ-zOsHEQ-vQ66oWMMNlW8crti9rcjQ9ZfeRlQJrVQjfclSjgg8o_HFT-miuMHoJGiU-yWg0ocHu8ooa_zaPUm4lEgfmKS-Yp9bzuswLnfMgmkIo8tFyyd1_igSu6E2T356Rw111ziI/s320/Canon+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327149790309072978" /></a> Parking along the canals can be tricky. This photo, for example, fails to convey that the rear wheels of the middle car are almost perfectly aligned with the edge of the canal wall. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LhYk95sDd_gjyWyKnndIhZjNh3N_UQzaDIz91qKu6v1LHGPU7-IGrH9YgtCVa-pSxH79TwtUYTfuz9vf8L2jomaMIhzFbfP_Kxjc8ZEWpvfVKDivGUkVxd0fsjXmEEHVGr1AZ708_vg/s1600-h/Canon+031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LhYk95sDd_gjyWyKnndIhZjNh3N_UQzaDIz91qKu6v1LHGPU7-IGrH9YgtCVa-pSxH79TwtUYTfuz9vf8L2jomaMIhzFbfP_Kxjc8ZEWpvfVKDivGUkVxd0fsjXmEEHVGr1AZ708_vg/s320/Canon+031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327150114131361586" /></a> Finally in terms of the canal cruise, I took this shot solely because the reds caught my eye. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP60p8BVWpsVzqerO8tTAyedkSLrT-YcdDDV-B6Pi-Ly0SS8t_itdeVTFGTTqCXxoWBMWMZwbJTHkQcDjg4jvuP8jlOHDBQucrjXatfzFj3ZLVumAXSaZlVyst7JIyFbuXJoxEtL4Mxe4/s1600-h/Canon+041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP60p8BVWpsVzqerO8tTAyedkSLrT-YcdDDV-B6Pi-Ly0SS8t_itdeVTFGTTqCXxoWBMWMZwbJTHkQcDjg4jvuP8jlOHDBQucrjXatfzFj3ZLVumAXSaZlVyst7JIyFbuXJoxEtL4Mxe4/s320/Canon+041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327150438498969698" /></a> <br />We also visited two museums, the Hemp and Marijuana Museum and the Torture Museum. The Torture Museum was so dark inside that I took only one photo, that of a sign on top of the platform beneath the guillotine. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRynil0U5nYpWsm98sf-LR7Vc5_eI4qBMyRaC3Kv7HjPgVexrV73s8v3URcBkA9_78oPOKXRu2M31XCaLTJwSbKwitE55xIGVCf3RL7nyTVcbscAGVr43XiKQYpm2y3yYhHNTyPnpOOmw/s1600-h/Canon+078.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRynil0U5nYpWsm98sf-LR7Vc5_eI4qBMyRaC3Kv7HjPgVexrV73s8v3URcBkA9_78oPOKXRu2M31XCaLTJwSbKwitE55xIGVCf3RL7nyTVcbscAGVr43XiKQYpm2y3yYhHNTyPnpOOmw/s320/Canon+078.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327150761666223426" /></a> <br />The lighting in one part of the Hemp Museum, while not entirely conducive to photography, was conducive to growing weed. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bFoY6oP4_X-oFsORVEpt2gVyd9QKc8a5bvthZnYeefEtf4PKO7lsCMaCfjPfGNlYFeb9O8BPkdhifH4WwOx3281PsHGI1Ku1MkhFOd2XcDpEup8djZoVoYncJjr6u0OjGTIBArWHLa0/s1600-h/Canon+055.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bFoY6oP4_X-oFsORVEpt2gVyd9QKc8a5bvthZnYeefEtf4PKO7lsCMaCfjPfGNlYFeb9O8BPkdhifH4WwOx3281PsHGI1Ku1MkhFOd2XcDpEup8djZoVoYncJjr6u0OjGTIBArWHLa0/s320/Canon+055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327151092036913042" /></a> In case you don’t already know, pot is legal in the Netherlands under certain conditions, but the folks who run the museum know that it’s not legal most other places and have the legal disclaimer posted throughout the museum. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc3fAuTtbA1peN6iTsfp4d99L-aH52qVjUvY_wjEvFQUwpBaZmdqXBVGrlvGHM6fQZK2TP4WThibAE50gcTAackehs-TEfbJ-Ud1vogrZDVHAoyG3DRnVxYbHz2_wt8YFqKPU564CvcQ/s1600-h/Canon+059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc3fAuTtbA1peN6iTsfp4d99L-aH52qVjUvY_wjEvFQUwpBaZmdqXBVGrlvGHM6fQZK2TP4WThibAE50gcTAackehs-TEfbJ-Ud1vogrZDVHAoyG3DRnVxYbHz2_wt8YFqKPU564CvcQ/s320/Canon+059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327151430321649810" /></a> They also offer samples, which are free though tips are accepted. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oTvJ0JBxSZmdYmp-ucKtLhhlklZzCsQOtRHxC-Zd-7lPyMZ3s8RzkQomH9kxl_Z_rFYeU0ZyH8MMMf0WleUBaW5BEYiftmZwUixFbvSae3lbGooONrPZ_nvjtoKVOKOH8rtO29eoYyk/s1600-h/Canon+064.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oTvJ0JBxSZmdYmp-ucKtLhhlklZzCsQOtRHxC-Zd-7lPyMZ3s8RzkQomH9kxl_Z_rFYeU0ZyH8MMMf0WleUBaW5BEYiftmZwUixFbvSae3lbGooONrPZ_nvjtoKVOKOH8rtO29eoYyk/s320/Canon+064.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327151720369305906" /></a> If you ask me off the blog which family member(s) chose to partake of the free samples, I’ll probably tell you. I just won’t post it here. Since pot is legal here, there are stores selling seeds. This one is run by the same folks who run the museum. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIK62NhCkc-wPCLFR8PevWpHiKatLd4lgGkPXGJqXdcL1F2ikwXEvOxoQaPTqyC4raH_wkFakAqEnCzja7_hHhIH6D24wqJSu5QyHnZs_n1l1MqdA0oM7y8-FCErOt9Hb-PxKGglp83M/s1600-h/Canon+047.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIK62NhCkc-wPCLFR8PevWpHiKatLd4lgGkPXGJqXdcL1F2ikwXEvOxoQaPTqyC4raH_wkFakAqEnCzja7_hHhIH6D24wqJSu5QyHnZs_n1l1MqdA0oM7y8-FCErOt9Hb-PxKGglp83M/s320/Canon+047.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327152026804248130" /></a> This is one of the coffeeshops at which you can request the menu they keep under the counter that lists the types of marijuana they offer. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hzsD0up_WC_np8-P2Bdh4nta8PNN3MEajPz-hYFmak92bq_jBhuHdKYmrAZrZyVAqMKegZYMQndpJvODs63SeCiLFxVSqHH10XuPMvwnkTz66TykgQ7vgJL0lT5janBxyvUvpCVgStE/s1600-h/Canon+051.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hzsD0up_WC_np8-P2Bdh4nta8PNN3MEajPz-hYFmak92bq_jBhuHdKYmrAZrZyVAqMKegZYMQndpJvODs63SeCiLFxVSqHH10XuPMvwnkTz66TykgQ7vgJL0lT5janBxyvUvpCVgStE/s320/Canon+051.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327152331953779394" /></a> <br />And speaking of businesses, can you imagine a condom store in your town? <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH01BEShxAd6GlgCBEMy9scSFNdlEFY1YrrktC3om3deNi4qcLlKkHsJdzQlCAwFEn0CJEnousrfKjWx4CNIWRLKzXEUfQE0yJy8SjbZV5UrRdw-IWSstqA5_xhO1jFBtAWsI5006aJy4/s1600-h/Canon+091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH01BEShxAd6GlgCBEMy9scSFNdlEFY1YrrktC3om3deNi4qcLlKkHsJdzQlCAwFEn0CJEnousrfKjWx4CNIWRLKzXEUfQE0yJy8SjbZV5UrRdw-IWSstqA5_xhO1jFBtAWsI5006aJy4/s320/Canon+091.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327152642979232626" /></a> We saw the condom shop as we were walking through the Red Light District. Photos of the non-shop sort of business are strongly discouraged there, so this is all you’ll see of our walk through there.<br /><br />Amsterdam's Dam Square always offers something unusual. On the day we were there, it was costumed figures with whom you could pose for a photo. Darth Vader and Batman were there along with a gorilla and some sort of robot. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizobureNTHpXui5UL3QG03MXNKhPF4UVVB7YrgtLwx3ZzUE2yomkylqL3PSvZk9VK4gqIbkbsAXUsBUkNTpHHannP9x2cbPbvRTrGfm3A0hIf3amrp6NtH6V6vKYaybGGOjB0IwIfsRa8/s1600-h/Canon+088.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizobureNTHpXui5UL3QG03MXNKhPF4UVVB7YrgtLwx3ZzUE2yomkylqL3PSvZk9VK4gqIbkbsAXUsBUkNTpHHannP9x2cbPbvRTrGfm3A0hIf3amrp6NtH6V6vKYaybGGOjB0IwIfsRa8/s320/Canon+088.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327153335648927090" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxCKMnYtw1cXDS8fSrw_sLvqjHqmiWvd_p_dI-DjFo3VwobXWFDlwvVmKPBUDKw2GgzLiESbYlGXxZMh6-OKnSEkcQwTCHaO6AOBxSeTY80hK3Gn9HLUewIBU359JOck0Nuk_vbrzbto/s1600-h/Canon+087.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxCKMnYtw1cXDS8fSrw_sLvqjHqmiWvd_p_dI-DjFo3VwobXWFDlwvVmKPBUDKw2GgzLiESbYlGXxZMh6-OKnSEkcQwTCHaO6AOBxSeTY80hK3Gn9HLUewIBU359JOck0Nuk_vbrzbto/s320/Canon+087.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327153328896592562" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf3YeDvUPhHZrhwa-aGuzo3RxayRrIXS_mBywAFVUzj-5MSgIRoYRE74wlJUQLZPDO72QKrPSBe6aldV1u1adRnRQ8ilcZEomyd1hHl3ZmIUC_NC4HZuni3u9PDRFm1xzso0f4WGeNzQ/s1600-h/Canon+082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf3YeDvUPhHZrhwa-aGuzo3RxayRrIXS_mBywAFVUzj-5MSgIRoYRE74wlJUQLZPDO72QKrPSBe6aldV1u1adRnRQ8ilcZEomyd1hHl3ZmIUC_NC4HZuni3u9PDRFm1xzso0f4WGeNzQ/s320/Canon+082.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327153779269906290" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsUMXEKhtb-z4z3C6Tr-Be4rJNbW1X0U9ibsrJoqIbrvo0r49vlsQMe7c0svo8PKG93oiuHDuOomzLEwRflcrM9W3sj-lbf_Uc8SJOpeGNqaGrq0TYJtPGhO7DKvbG81aZT5Tmh_cr5Q/s1600-h/Canon+084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsUMXEKhtb-z4z3C6Tr-Be4rJNbW1X0U9ibsrJoqIbrvo0r49vlsQMe7c0svo8PKG93oiuHDuOomzLEwRflcrM9W3sj-lbf_Uc8SJOpeGNqaGrq0TYJtPGhO7DKvbG81aZT5Tmh_cr5Q/s320/Canon+084.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327153775135351506" /></a> <br />Finally, UVa and UvA are not the same. UVa is the University of Virginia, while UvA is the <a href="http://www.uva.nl/start.cfm/la=en">Universitiet van Amsterdam</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitadaL7EG4RnJ8QuKMbotNTuluLayj3XHYItfr9a7fuOWaK1QtObNKgyfAxwhmzU6eiw_xv3wn0rwcicflg57WUD9gOZDVjt8khk4UqXIyt-RsUlR7sT3dG2NxeWLh16o_DUf9geHI3q8/s1600-h/Canon+074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitadaL7EG4RnJ8QuKMbotNTuluLayj3XHYItfr9a7fuOWaK1QtObNKgyfAxwhmzU6eiw_xv3wn0rwcicflg57WUD9gOZDVjt8khk4UqXIyt-RsUlR7sT3dG2NxeWLh16o_DUf9geHI3q8/s320/Canon+074.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327154327018278722" /></a> It was more crowded than I expected in Amsterdam given the season, though we were there on a Sunday afternoon. The sons were not that impressed with Amsterdam saying that “it was just a city, though it did have whores and weed.” I’m not sure that Amsterdam would want to adopt that as a city motto, but it is pretty descriptive. <br /><br />Other things that hadn’t changed much in the Netherlands included the Dutch reliance on schedules. If you want to eat a late lunch, say at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, good luck finding a café that is open. Lunch extends to about 1:30, but that’s it. “Convenience stores” are those open seven days a week, though they may close at 7:00 at night. The bicycle parking lot at a Dutch train station still rivals the bicycle parking lot at a Hue University dorm. The Dutch people still downplay their skill at English, responding, “a bit” or “a little” if you ask fi they speak English, after which they carry on a perfectly understandable, near-fluent conversation with you in English.<br /><br />It’s now morning, and the train is chugging through Denmark. We’ll be in Copenhagen in a bit more than an hour. We decided to bypass doing anything in Copenhagen and will head directly on to Sweden. The husband is giving a talk at the University of Lund tomorrow and needs some time to prepare. The sons and I are hoping for wireless so that we can check e-mail and update blogs. If you read this, you’ll know we were successful. The next step will be 22 hours on four different trains, going from Malmo, Sweden, to Trondheim, Norway. There, we expect to visit the mountain house of Blaine’s second cousins as well as the “home place” that gave the Norum family its surname. Thanks to Blaine’s cousin, I have an appointment for my next shot of rabies vaccine, meaning that I won’t have to walk into a new hospital and start explaining about having been bitten by a dog in Cambodia. Our final event in Trondheim will be the joint concert by the Frank-Zappa-less Mothers of Invention and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra. The day after that, it will be Oslo and the Viking Ship Museum (among others). In less than two weeks, the husband and I will be home. It’s been a great trip. As one of the sons said at lunch the other day, “You’ve got a lot for the Christmas letter this year, Mom,” to which the other son added, “And it’s only April.” I’ll be honest and admit that I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.<br /><br />And don’t think the above is a farewell in terms of this blog. The Internet gods willing, I’ll continue to post a bit about where we go and what we do in Norway, so check back from time to time over the next two weeks to see what you might see here. In the meantime, as the Dutch say, tot ziens!Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-51229715576437899162009-04-16T11:05:00.007-04:002009-04-17T14:35:21.534-04:00The Last of the TemplesFrom Europe, here’s a quickie report on the last three temples we visited at Angkor. The first was Banteay Srey, which translates as “The Citadel of the Women.” There’s some disagreement, though, as to the source of the name. One of the guidebooks said that it came from the belief that the very ornate and intricate carvings there had to have been done by a woman. Our guide, however, said that the name came from two armies having been sent out to fight an enemy. One army was made up of men; the other was made up of women. The women came back victorious, hence the name. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionsYe2rKwSFgmZUOje01TLo3EyeMggBEplDGiKR2eXIhpr9K-PtgV_JzBmwo9EZk7HnTtiY2duD0z6EBDaPd6fFQU8MgC2mh64O9EOhCp8SzPc8FFEGGemDa1JkkbKd3_sURsgXX3s_at/s1600-h/_MG_0290.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionsYe2rKwSFgmZUOje01TLo3EyeMggBEplDGiKR2eXIhpr9K-PtgV_JzBmwo9EZk7HnTtiY2duD0z6EBDaPd6fFQU8MgC2mh64O9EOhCp8SzPc8FFEGGemDa1JkkbKd3_sURsgXX3s_at/s320/_MG_0290.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325311371787571970" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBM8iot7sT_FJj6dKyJ8cvoDuR1Vh_qPTZn0Y7_wrMD8-XcChsVYTrWotS3qo5Gu-QqxYhkc-JU4M8kfZAaH6HIlmL7ANceGpzje2djF9ETRFoDiBGfh5n1Pv_LZIiRMuMxInIKuG92P2/s1600-h/_MG_0300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBM8iot7sT_FJj6dKyJ8cvoDuR1Vh_qPTZn0Y7_wrMD8-XcChsVYTrWotS3qo5Gu-QqxYhkc-JU4M8kfZAaH6HIlmL7ANceGpzje2djF9ETRFoDiBGfh5n1Pv_LZIiRMuMxInIKuG92P2/s320/_MG_0300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325724455959936642" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2JHvwBNsRv68EXujVVR8UaR__4heVsR7h6j3Ui9SoQnGvv_7pO8DCJaIQ_rY_kzwLhKMOc_TfIGP3l7K3eJuFXvncmNvPcRE2yYqsugjt1GqV3VDXB3EhyphenhyphenH7sTJQCcOt41aPcgQQQX4_/s1600-h/_MG_0317.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2JHvwBNsRv68EXujVVR8UaR__4heVsR7h6j3Ui9SoQnGvv_7pO8DCJaIQ_rY_kzwLhKMOc_TfIGP3l7K3eJuFXvncmNvPcRE2yYqsugjt1GqV3VDXB3EhyphenhyphenH7sTJQCcOt41aPcgQQQX4_/s320/_MG_0317.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325726159048184562" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ8_O_I3yYdsqrF7d0Ul7wpxiVRIQ-5YQvQvzxhtBp7CvmPxqLP2SWHhMlV27YMRNUgEf9QZBkglpEBwlYRP4fWuSq4KZuAtOqig4NOrooVeC9007M8v1vntTCSlzi0lGD9jsGnHbrjH0/s1600-h/_MG_0321.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZ8_O_I3yYdsqrF7d0Ul7wpxiVRIQ-5YQvQvzxhtBp7CvmPxqLP2SWHhMlV27YMRNUgEf9QZBkglpEBwlYRP4fWuSq4KZuAtOqig4NOrooVeC9007M8v1vntTCSlzi0lGD9jsGnHbrjH0/s320/_MG_0321.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325727452760154098" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaGuTGnGRHRm1L43EID9ItPXpS80ZOos4D37EOx8XMfTl3yUbDV8wmlIfJXpuzlZ7E9IZjoZ8ZZkR3bqPesNHsrk1rCs-vnJFO2MaumhgvzC67Bjh7dqFGlyddMAuivDP2fwzwQ9vP3w4/s1600-h/_MG_0330.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaGuTGnGRHRm1L43EID9ItPXpS80ZOos4D37EOx8XMfTl3yUbDV8wmlIfJXpuzlZ7E9IZjoZ8ZZkR3bqPesNHsrk1rCs-vnJFO2MaumhgvzC67Bjh7dqFGlyddMAuivDP2fwzwQ9vP3w4/s320/_MG_0330.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325728115840146770" /></a> <br />Banteay Samre translates as “The Citadel of the Poor Farmer.” According to our guide, the story being this is that the emperor liked the melons grown by one particular farmer. One night, the emperor was desperately craving a melon, so he sneaked into the farmer’s field. The farmer killed the thief, not realizing it was the emperor. Since the emperor had no heir, the royal elephant was sent out to identify the man who should become emperor. The elephant chose the poor farmer. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMigrKGYNGxd9iSYkPYeOHZo6DXTfqYYNSD3vtDqz2kyfLONLnUNQO7AvX5yEUv0RwFgCGkF0D3HC9AuJIqaFkgoIg6_tvQbFr1mrnYG9mxCKCyNiftAxGXQOTpgIySe-RRAbJJJC-Sbk8/s1600-h/_MG_0370.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMigrKGYNGxd9iSYkPYeOHZo6DXTfqYYNSD3vtDqz2kyfLONLnUNQO7AvX5yEUv0RwFgCGkF0D3HC9AuJIqaFkgoIg6_tvQbFr1mrnYG9mxCKCyNiftAxGXQOTpgIySe-RRAbJJJC-Sbk8/s320/_MG_0370.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325313348349377394" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF8ZCNcdsm7WizdLnEwfIJaVV7BBE-Xld3DDC8r2ScA2neB4I5L0xpcBWZg-wUMXgboE5jq0BQRGrUzwAZt1Uvc1A35l2lsy2Yb6C7w0xT0ynHhcLAjYc3yA5skrfF94vJ7aGoUu3LzwW/s1600-h/_MG_0378.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF8ZCNcdsm7WizdLnEwfIJaVV7BBE-Xld3DDC8r2ScA2neB4I5L0xpcBWZg-wUMXgboE5jq0BQRGrUzwAZt1Uvc1A35l2lsy2Yb6C7w0xT0ynHhcLAjYc3yA5skrfF94vJ7aGoUu3LzwW/s320/_MG_0378.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325725146768581250" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f9hhG4FdLw6NknBV29G-VEA86jSocKe2eVL4dP_DNNrAdS7-AKKXR4JOGTGIvs0bgA6yzYYDOVFI6TbNngrj-4BL003YFQz5SSLaCw4yU5ghfroVMS7FJmCJzcruvt2pIH31NcUZBSjR/s1600-h/_MG_0387.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7f9hhG4FdLw6NknBV29G-VEA86jSocKe2eVL4dP_DNNrAdS7-AKKXR4JOGTGIvs0bgA6yzYYDOVFI6TbNngrj-4BL003YFQz5SSLaCw4yU5ghfroVMS7FJmCJzcruvt2pIH31NcUZBSjR/s320/_MG_0387.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325726601910967906" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhuBozgldOYdCEfE2xTM52ZmGRLxGPWNCLM0X_azCkVzfpaH7MpxH5tgt5YUWMhKsDvDBV-_zp4SRZJzhwB38tudErPWiA9KY-_XGmiiJjar37oIq3GOSnppGzB0BY_zgxEuc0qcHX-cI/s1600-h/_MG_0402.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhuBozgldOYdCEfE2xTM52ZmGRLxGPWNCLM0X_azCkVzfpaH7MpxH5tgt5YUWMhKsDvDBV-_zp4SRZJzhwB38tudErPWiA9KY-_XGmiiJjar37oIq3GOSnppGzB0BY_zgxEuc0qcHX-cI/s320/_MG_0402.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325728559287589362" /></a> Remember how I said that most of the temples had two libraries, one for the priests and one for the common people? This is one of the libraries at Banteay Samre. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCLKCHSEViAUeTVHeTCEdFJQR34TNKx_QrzrRSuIzoKLt1JwUXLv9jzaUi1eT4xrJ4bkAS2ItaIsfdlOFeEBbMuwaVeHxvnMNzZyt11zaqSKfBySxdtQeRcaOsho1FL7RPYMRPgR9RYyy/s1600-h/_MG_0392.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCLKCHSEViAUeTVHeTCEdFJQR34TNKx_QrzrRSuIzoKLt1JwUXLv9jzaUi1eT4xrJ4bkAS2ItaIsfdlOFeEBbMuwaVeHxvnMNzZyt11zaqSKfBySxdtQeRcaOsho1FL7RPYMRPgR9RYyy/s320/_MG_0392.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325729164144305106" /></a><br />The final temple we visited was Preah Neak Pean or “Coiled Serpent.” This was a temple of healing with each side representing a holy animal and one of the four elements: the lion for fire, the horse for wind, the elephant for water, and the human for earth. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE8whwxU1k2MvGmzwkhyphenhyphenqBro6K2loI1FrcKNAoaDsELf9XUq3UF0b0s4_ynko1b5WsZfPMj7B1uxZeipeq0lhC7j-ip2EgN72_mdiQehhFTWVFNXUYBQt_vBxq5ezkSuX0aTWZ8l2Dx9g/s1600-h/_MG_0436.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE8whwxU1k2MvGmzwkhyphenhyphenqBro6K2loI1FrcKNAoaDsELf9XUq3UF0b0s4_ynko1b5WsZfPMj7B1uxZeipeq0lhC7j-ip2EgN72_mdiQehhFTWVFNXUYBQt_vBxq5ezkSuX0aTWZ8l2Dx9g/s320/_MG_0436.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325316877913038242" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfoScAVQv-RH_dkOygAzQOscJvpSMKFBbZAGG0b2S2D6c49kZ8DQ3FWj4BIud4CUx71fCbLr38n2mPWrAGY5sLuUb6BhTaEKQzU2ksBwr8ATFo59k_J1cuWPMC8mSeRyuqTiiPUvcOvHB/s1600-h/_MG_0438.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfoScAVQv-RH_dkOygAzQOscJvpSMKFBbZAGG0b2S2D6c49kZ8DQ3FWj4BIud4CUx71fCbLr38n2mPWrAGY5sLuUb6BhTaEKQzU2ksBwr8ATFo59k_J1cuWPMC8mSeRyuqTiiPUvcOvHB/s320/_MG_0438.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325725585088491794" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHElL6KNgZK9vMf1qQsKNwn5jl4-41pZpnFDkEr-a79vF58IkWynV6KX3tOltcnFNRYqqcfdrCeRqdkkMIAPX0k0GWhdQDL_MJ934qYsf_1wc3sieKuubHgJ_ISibCBetSbwq46BOap3we/s1600-h/_MG_0440.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHElL6KNgZK9vMf1qQsKNwn5jl4-41pZpnFDkEr-a79vF58IkWynV6KX3tOltcnFNRYqqcfdrCeRqdkkMIAPX0k0GWhdQDL_MJ934qYsf_1wc3sieKuubHgJ_ISibCBetSbwq46BOap3we/s320/_MG_0440.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325727002463652978" /></a><br />We’re in the Netherlands for the next few days. I've had my second dose of rabies vaccine. We also drove around where we lived in 1989-90, to show younger son where he was born. Turns out that the hospital was torn down in 2000 and the land turned into a hiking park. We all liked that very much.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-10287895019517573452009-04-14T03:24:00.002-04:002009-04-14T03:51:20.153-04:00Murphy's Law of TravelIf you were waiting for the last of the temples, you'll be waiting a while longer. It's been a very trying two days, and I may or may not get around to the other temples before there's something new to post. As for Murphy's Law of Travel, it's that shit happens, and when it does, you've just got to deal with it.<br /><br />We checked out of our B&B in Siem Reap yesterday at noon, but didn't have the taxi to the airport until 3:00. We walked into the market area for lunch and ice cream. On the way back, walking down a side street, younger son and I taking photos of flowers, four small dogs ran out of a yard through a gate that was ajar. One of them bit me in the calf. Being a bit afraid of dogs to begin with due to an incident years ago, I was pretty shaken. I got back to the B&B, and the husband looked at my calf. There was no puncture in my cargo pants (I haven't worn shorts on this trip yet and am so very, very glad I wasn't wearing them yesterday), and he didn't think the skin had been punctured. At least his many squeezes and presses did not elicit any blood. The owner of the B&B was very concerned and, after having the husband and older son take him to where it had happened so that he could know which dog was involved, pointed out that the international hospital was very close to the airport and perhaps I should stop there on our way just to be safe. So younger son headed off in a tuk-tuk with most of our luggage, while the rest of us headed to the hospital in a taxi.<br /><br />I need to e-mail the owner and thank him, because at the hospital they determined that the skin had, in fact, been punctured. They gave me the first of five doses of rabies vaccine that I'll need over the next month. Unfortunately, I was the fourth or fifth dog bite they'd seen yesterday, so they were all out of the immunoglobulin I needed one massive injection of. They gave me written instructions on getting it here in Ho Chi Minh City today, antibiotics, heavy duty pain pills, lesser pain pills, and salve, and I managed to make it to the airport, where younger son had managed to talk his way into the airport despite not having e-ticket documentation with him. Good thing we allowed plenty of time, because this Vietnam Airlines flight took off so early that we landed in Ho Chi Minh City about the time we were scheduled to take off from Siem Reap.<br /><br />This morning, the husband and I headed off in a cab to the clinic that the hotel said was the place most foreigners go. Got there, but the clinic said that the immunoglobulin was at the hospital and we needed to go there. Another cab ride, to the far end of a very large city. Got checked in, had vitals taken, and sat and waited. And waited. The doctor finally came in and said that she was concerned about my having an allergic reaction. I told her I wasn't and I wanted the injection. When she came back, she said that the hospital only had one vial of immunoglobulin, and that wasn't enough to treat me based on my weight. She did have the pharmacy call around, and they finally came up with a clinic for expatriates that did have enough. The hospital made an appointment for me there, and off we went in another cab. I ended up getting two very massive injections, one in the bite site and one in my hip, from a French Canadain doc who was a delight to talk with. The punchline is that after getting the shots and paying the bill, the husband and I walked back to the hotel from which we'd set out some four hours earlier.<br /><br />I will get the next two injections of rabies vaccine in the Netherlands, then one in Norway, and then the last one at home in mid-May. I've checked with the family docs to confirm the course of treatment they laid out in Siem Reap. I've been in touch with our insurance company and know what paperwork to get from each site (the total for the first two visits is nearing four significant digits). I have a contact in the health department at home and am keeping her posted on what vaccines I'm given along the way so that the one I get there is compatible. Shit happened, but we're dealing with it.<br /><br />Moral of the story: When you're going to a developing or Third World country and the travel doc says you don't need a rabies vaccine because you won't be out in the bush, just say no and insist on it anyway. I wish I had. The irony is that older son at home pets any dog he sees, and I made him promise more than once not to do that here. In fact, the only five dogs he's petted were ones at houses or businesses that we visited. So who gets bitten and how? Me, walking down the street taking pictures of flowers. Murphy's Law of Travel at work.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-11822811046001868412009-04-12T23:13:00.003-04:002009-04-12T23:18:31.328-04:00Another Sobering Thought About CambodiaThe recent history of Cambodia is one of genocide by the Khmer Rouge. Our temple guide related how his grandfather had been tortured and killed by the Khmer Rouge, and how even the knowledge of a foreign language was enough to sentence someone to death. What really drives these stories home is the relative absence of elderly people here. In Vietnam, there were as many or more elderly people as there seemed to be children. Here, though, elderly Cambodians are very much the exception rather than the rule. The only elderly people we've really seen are tourists. While the U.S. has its Greatest Generation, Cambodia appears to have a Lost Generation.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-80392740530563238152009-04-12T22:43:00.003-04:002009-04-12T23:12:55.271-04:00Public Service AnnouncementThe Angkor complex reminded me somewhat of a state park. You drive along a nice road through the woods stopping every now and again to see a temple, get a snack, or whatnot. The thing is that while state park guidebooks may advise you to stay on the trails because (a) they want to preserve the ecosystem or (b) they don't want visitors to get lost, the Angkor guides advise staying on the trails because they don't want tourists stepping on land mines, and the land around here is very much still mined. We took a break in between temples to visit the <a href="http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org">Cambodia Landmine Museum</a>, a truly sobering place. Other than a couple of shots that I took of signs (written Cambodian looks, to put it bluntly, beautiful), this is the only photo I took there. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA13GCgwX_lUAEOzc1psebGluXwlMIU2EazQyyrdp9IxjBOfxeQNfbodxY-v-rT06treZ6czRRyo6KwPcMKN8B9AQkDVbyJULF-xeN63KjTIBz9CUtppZ3c7_ctykPv8h6C9rgM0g29Ize/s1600-h/_MG_0365.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA13GCgwX_lUAEOzc1psebGluXwlMIU2EazQyyrdp9IxjBOfxeQNfbodxY-v-rT06treZ6czRRyo6KwPcMKN8B9AQkDVbyJULF-xeN63KjTIBz9CUtppZ3c7_ctykPv8h6C9rgM0g29Ize/s320/_MG_0365.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324003589072490642" /></a> That's just a small fraction of the mines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) that have been removed from the fields and roads around here.<br /><br />The museum was started by Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge child soldier who first helped plant mines and booby traps. After leaving the Khmer Rouge, he trained as a deminer under the auspices of the United Nations. He eventually started the Landmine Museum as a way to publicize the dangers mines continued to pose to the Cambodian people. The museum also administers a fund to help pay for demining efforts, chartered as an official Nongovernmental Organization by the Canadian government. <br /><br />I left the museum feeling somewhat embarrassed, possibly even ashamed, to be an American since the U.S. is one of 37 countries that have yet to ratify the Ottawa Treaty, formally the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. In this regard we are among such countries as Russia, India, China, and North Korea. The official U.S. position is that landmines are vital in protecting the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Were the U.S. to ratify the Ottawa treaty, it would be required to remove all the mines it has planted there within a defined period of time. The mines may well play a vital role in protecting South Korea, but the cynic in me has to wonder if the U.S. may not want to sign because it may not have the locations of all those mines neatly filed away somewhere. South Korea might have much in common with Cambodia one day.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-75235673988766358672009-04-12T21:50:00.003-04:002009-04-12T21:57:48.542-04:00It's a Small World After All ... It's a Small WorldI was wondering when we would have one of those small world experiences where you run into someone from home halfway around the world. It happened this morning. We were sitting at breakfast here at the Golden Banana in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The husband was wearing his Hue Advanced Program in Physics t-shirt that has the University of Virginia V and crossed sabers on the back. That caught the eye of a woman and her adult daughter who came over to say that younger son looked very familiar to them. Turns out that the woman is a special ed teacher at Albemarle High School. The daughter now works in Thailand but when in Charlottesville works at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports which is owned by her father. We decided that was where she'd seen younger son since he's a frequent shopper there. The mom's name was familiar to me, which is not surprising since I used to work in the assessment office of the county school system. Interestingly, as we sat at a cafe having dessert last night, I wondered when we were going to run into someone we knew or when I would see someone we knew walking down a street. Mission accomplished. Now all I have to do is get the Disney song out of my head.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-39985115357663978872009-04-12T07:52:00.010-04:002009-04-12T22:43:20.682-04:00Ta ProhmWe saw three very different temples on our first day out: Angkor Wat, Bayon (Angkor Thom), and Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm means "Ascension of Buddha," and the temple originally served as a Buddhist monastery. While the faces at Bayon gave me an unnerving feeling, Ta Prohm was downright mystical though that likely wasn't the intent of the builder, Jayavarman VII. What makes Ta Prohm mystical is the way in which Angkor's restorers chose not to disturb some of the jungle's reclamation efforts. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWurscBI4cQoW3phRBj0d-gSGb0lctpGb40Wy4IdldvYivDngl2nYW8SMlv01A4HdHsRyrSKA9ECbgdkYYmDzHGvzmZzrUVWzUYLtpj2a4aXiGrlqHx3ny3rn7k4pEQdQhW0xo47YIAVJl/s1600-h/Canon+377.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWurscBI4cQoW3phRBj0d-gSGb0lctpGb40Wy4IdldvYivDngl2nYW8SMlv01A4HdHsRyrSKA9ECbgdkYYmDzHGvzmZzrUVWzUYLtpj2a4aXiGrlqHx3ny3rn7k4pEQdQhW0xo47YIAVJl/s320/Canon+377.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323774743160478482" /></a> No, that's not a giant's foot, nor is it the foot of an ent, though that's certainly the image it gave me since I just finished re-reading <span style="font-style:italic;">The Lord of the Rings</span> trilogy. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57Hi1memcErHA1Nv8ipzg9IN0HNwTn9DU3sdSAkE9oBDyyBMr1We2U0kMq7D0Aeopy1G2_B-kXBhTWSSK1XdOWJyZk5n2q08LzCWzMVRaR5zDcevyfAh44gEdh9A9m8k0BWvh37sg7jMl/s1600-h/Canon+386.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57Hi1memcErHA1Nv8ipzg9IN0HNwTn9DU3sdSAkE9oBDyyBMr1We2U0kMq7D0Aeopy1G2_B-kXBhTWSSK1XdOWJyZk5n2q08LzCWzMVRaR5zDcevyfAh44gEdh9A9m8k0BWvh37sg7jMl/s320/Canon+386.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323776367783581810" /></a> The spot shown below appeared to be <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">the</span></span> backdrop for the "we were there" shots. We had our guide take one of us, but since it's on younger son's camera, I can't share it here. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SEWo9tq3TxZ8rsiIFYUEr19kyrr13TpvAztF1f_PMb-LPFdlJz2UisiepFyjZu9Ao29tAfFWbObRGz_LVXmmPCn3_ZlA-hnTv2UUZs3sywb92__XbVEdknAX5fBiSIt07CKGHkc3JwV0/s1600-h/Canon+446.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SEWo9tq3TxZ8rsiIFYUEr19kyrr13TpvAztF1f_PMb-LPFdlJz2UisiepFyjZu9Ao29tAfFWbObRGz_LVXmmPCn3_ZlA-hnTv2UUZs3sywb92__XbVEdknAX5fBiSIt07CKGHkc3JwV0/s320/Canon+446.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323993391456385010" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kv7CW2UXSTcRGQkAi4HdbnS-5Ti1hyphenhyphenUPyxg3kSnKLPMAxBQf8kHLlFdvXRji6aCZ3HzhZc_8cRgGNT-T9OQzCoG53ou-BFQcfd72012qd_2-pEMqWBGCrqnoXalEeMdQSAYNjvPmwyNi/s1600-h/Canon+447.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kv7CW2UXSTcRGQkAi4HdbnS-5Ti1hyphenhyphenUPyxg3kSnKLPMAxBQf8kHLlFdvXRji6aCZ3HzhZc_8cRgGNT-T9OQzCoG53ou-BFQcfd72012qd_2-pEMqWBGCrqnoXalEeMdQSAYNjvPmwyNi/s320/Canon+447.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323995238555281170" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl5wJ40LZm0J1-fNYIjOn_PAxO2lCnkPfO1FNVxrUHxbsBGZNmzUpWL1PU4pG7gZ7n_09RTaXf7X1OQWXS7TFSLs-d-wcNfM-HGavmdeHUQdbXGdD2ncWZlmoE8ApOjn3vShkPHEPYAcH/s1600-h/Canon+450.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl5wJ40LZm0J1-fNYIjOn_PAxO2lCnkPfO1FNVxrUHxbsBGZNmzUpWL1PU4pG7gZ7n_09RTaXf7X1OQWXS7TFSLs-d-wcNfM-HGavmdeHUQdbXGdD2ncWZlmoE8ApOjn3vShkPHEPYAcH/s320/Canon+450.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323997569453522434" /></a> Finally, the guide said that the scene below had been used in the movie <span style="font-style:italic;">Lara Croft: Tomb Raider</span>. Since I never saw that one (but may Netflix it when I get home), I can't vouch for the veracity of that statement. Either way, it's an incredible scene that reminded me all too much of snakes. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijovuZuPnczk6QhL07WU4X5Z3WFOWVad2J8WdrMOZ3OakF_utgSVHba432s2hih6rMtzfN9Olg5QJSFWSK-Fcg6arPqUEp8mgTn830yVMb5LNnKtKBSq-Ce-m4IxKaoWIoSAW0GVZKX8ok/s1600-h/Canon+421.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijovuZuPnczk6QhL07WU4X5Z3WFOWVad2J8WdrMOZ3OakF_utgSVHba432s2hih6rMtzfN9Olg5QJSFWSK-Fcg6arPqUEp8mgTn830yVMb5LNnKtKBSq-Ce-m4IxKaoWIoSAW0GVZKX8ok/s320/Canon+421.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323999375915124290" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJyJ3QfucfvcAlBU_PRbag7vsydUIx3dfIIqwSSU9PjjjcTP0uiIzKM9wDkAW7tMLcCQl9Ob9RsDPn8-prn0npxaMIiGBrvDeQhvg0rrMVaQQKc3oR3dNn1dYcBSXa-Zx1tahKJh5yRmK/s1600-h/Canon+422.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJyJ3QfucfvcAlBU_PRbag7vsydUIx3dfIIqwSSU9PjjjcTP0uiIzKM9wDkAW7tMLcCQl9Ob9RsDPn8-prn0npxaMIiGBrvDeQhvg0rrMVaQQKc3oR3dNn1dYcBSXa-Zx1tahKJh5yRmK/s320/Canon+422.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324000697211221906" /></a> And that's Ta Prohm. Because it's now the morning of the day on which we leave Cambodia, and the upload speed for photos is anything but speedy, I may not get the other temples covered even by combining them into one post. We'll see how things go with the next post, one I want to do before the temples because if you've seen my current Facebook status, you'll know that I don't want to overlook this one.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-32439052338303623572009-04-12T06:57:00.003-04:002009-04-12T07:07:31.126-04:00IntermissionWhat you wear when seeing temples is up to you, though shirts are required. Here, though, are a couple of things I wouldn't wear when visiting temples that are in varying states of decay. First, in the footwear category... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF_UYVvp1IGIkgrgOfGKwlfKdxeh0M_idxbpGbVwiRZhUV2miMxbGXvANj4m_ui5yI5wW5EfEViOs4j4WXLtQVcvWaKefpaxBRMu4coj38BLVRFiGTIBYgDVE1GJ0J8QgmU76ZmXfMWS9/s1600-h/_MG_0347.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF_UYVvp1IGIkgrgOfGKwlfKdxeh0M_idxbpGbVwiRZhUV2miMxbGXvANj4m_ui5yI5wW5EfEViOs4j4WXLtQVcvWaKefpaxBRMu4coj38BLVRFiGTIBYgDVE1GJ0J8QgmU76ZmXfMWS9/s320/_MG_0347.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323758590528001138" /></a> ... and in the general fashion category, the next one is just my personal taste, though I'm betting that the fashion police would have backed me had they not obviously taken the day off. Yes, that's a man wearing the outfit in question. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1j2BmqwPUHqHrJah8oTVfWFJUnuiaWT2nLf34q5uB3_-EGGFQXdT9tsIUbPwTY4dLVMatpUc9VZCG5NtTzIeiQhTmbv2geBlpx2FEJWM_B76lLENgURijnRNVRilr2OY6VGHgwELI3er/s1600-h/_MG_0316.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1j2BmqwPUHqHrJah8oTVfWFJUnuiaWT2nLf34q5uB3_-EGGFQXdT9tsIUbPwTY4dLVMatpUc9VZCG5NtTzIeiQhTmbv2geBlpx2FEJWM_B76lLENgURijnRNVRilr2OY6VGHgwELI3er/s320/_MG_0316.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323759651595503522" /></a> We now return to our regularly scheduled temple programming.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-47325186097275885542009-04-12T06:17:00.011-04:002009-04-14T03:24:18.008-04:00Angkor ThomAs much as I wanted to see Angkor Wat, probably from the pictures I saw of it when I was a child, the Angkor site that I would most like to have seen intact, as it was back in the day, was Bayon at Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom is a fortified city, centered on Bayon. It was built by Angkor's most celebrated king, Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. There are five gates to the city. Four face the cardinal directions, with an extra one on the east side. Each gate bears four giant stone faces. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvVsxeaLjV2LqZtPbmlpWlLMUHNag1OokVxwl8xckQRl0KKFp73T7NKkolFCI2nHF8qzH_zXP7JDDXcPgC88VboQy65MJ8MF9lfXq_r_CyqUeJ6aaSUs3BjLN_wplfjW9rrC5tycDfAxr/s1600-h/Canon+274.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvVsxeaLjV2LqZtPbmlpWlLMUHNag1OokVxwl8xckQRl0KKFp73T7NKkolFCI2nHF8qzH_zXP7JDDXcPgC88VboQy65MJ8MF9lfXq_r_CyqUeJ6aaSUs3BjLN_wplfjW9rrC5tycDfAxr/s320/Canon+274.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323749831881632578" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2YLd-acM4lTcLYj86REkXa7FBlKKKe7ExHRDrofvkcLDJvZ-g6KrVxsG_UIwWR1KrwJatF-UFlbkjRBfPF3Hqub3hjyUZ2GjjiBZSgV8pw6m_am9ceoT8XRhkYQRzomniZxUrmqZGfNS/s1600-h/Canon+286.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2YLd-acM4lTcLYj86REkXa7FBlKKKe7ExHRDrofvkcLDJvZ-g6KrVxsG_UIwWR1KrwJatF-UFlbkjRBfPF3Hqub3hjyUZ2GjjiBZSgV8pw6m_am9ceoT8XRhkYQRzomniZxUrmqZGfNS/s320/Canon+286.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323750932221695682" /></a> All told, there are 37 of the original 54 towers still intact; each tower had four faces, one at each cardinal point. I'm not sure you could ever have been out of sight of one of the faces. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocMdnLp1mh7CkpWD9zW4rNPS6zlp97_vBEwUTagworMFP9_2qxCAs7RKkRWWrUo0D2mz2V6xiffUGfUOFB2m2m8K5rmaqs4nFfxHWkf_t7TRa9TIBBX_5SUS67u4OcZ2Q87RdScksGzkK/s1600-h/Canon+309.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocMdnLp1mh7CkpWD9zW4rNPS6zlp97_vBEwUTagworMFP9_2qxCAs7RKkRWWrUo0D2mz2V6xiffUGfUOFB2m2m8K5rmaqs4nFfxHWkf_t7TRa9TIBBX_5SUS67u4OcZ2Q87RdScksGzkK/s320/Canon+309.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323755809838432562" /></a> Like Angkor Wat, Bayon has some exquisite bas-reliefs. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_gottKaIGXQ6RVAUoNyHKRcaYnRl7TNty8bSIv7l2zwzdwNN0Go2MHdwk-9GWY_lj7msrKoxqQFxl8WsELSSO7fyXfVQ8WcOABGOaYwiczUyjUk_6nRwqaFfT0_zok8kBYebKHIKOhlN/s1600-h/Canon+299.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_gottKaIGXQ6RVAUoNyHKRcaYnRl7TNty8bSIv7l2zwzdwNN0Go2MHdwk-9GWY_lj7msrKoxqQFxl8WsELSSO7fyXfVQ8WcOABGOaYwiczUyjUk_6nRwqaFfT0_zok8kBYebKHIKOhlN/s320/Canon+299.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323752723542073554" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfVuxtPyJTCSD-1s0az-bJkM5Ifu6-I-0opMJ_XO7ljVb_xHyVh00P9u8qFH9oMw8CFXHjl7eGHEcG3FDMQc6sMmtf0k_54SxtbvYulK-Rx1hUl8kleczJ0fZv0onPniIS6jO_hQFkXhj/s1600-h/Canon+303.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfVuxtPyJTCSD-1s0az-bJkM5Ifu6-I-0opMJ_XO7ljVb_xHyVh00P9u8qFH9oMw8CFXHjl7eGHEcG3FDMQc6sMmtf0k_54SxtbvYulK-Rx1hUl8kleczJ0fZv0onPniIS6jO_hQFkXhj/s320/Canon+303.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323753828706751362" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmoa3QE0oqx21qmAbUXBHahJjpcXQFo_hE9NfvjeTDSgmzPHgVeQ2E8qIUbYpjgVX1nMcLWMjBO2dLXgkA_OWm8SIrjzCdA1QIxCeuT8338inbM_4GYc_48or1PZIq0S4lHftjUjwMGSb/s1600-h/Canon+307.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmoa3QE0oqx21qmAbUXBHahJjpcXQFo_hE9NfvjeTDSgmzPHgVeQ2E8qIUbYpjgVX1nMcLWMjBO2dLXgkA_OWm8SIrjzCdA1QIxCeuT8338inbM_4GYc_48or1PZIq0S4lHftjUjwMGSb/s320/Canon+307.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323754915977790338" /></a> Finally, our guide showed us one of those spots guides know about, in which forced perspective can bring you face-to-face with one of the enigmatic faces of Bayon. The photo below was taken by younger son. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsLfZPlZkQW0nM6RV32aXgD8as43K4J0YKtnptq8vW3AVbXsepgxOWjKtsaCFUZlhtB1HREGnxm-FIwVKQUGKaa5fp-buxrcryOZE9bXQXyQN2V2Zp1ksau5pXxL2zw7_N5TjDJxDtywl/s1600-h/Canon+324.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsLfZPlZkQW0nM6RV32aXgD8as43K4J0YKtnptq8vW3AVbXsepgxOWjKtsaCFUZlhtB1HREGnxm-FIwVKQUGKaa5fp-buxrcryOZE9bXQXyQN2V2Zp1ksau5pXxL2zw7_N5TjDJxDtywl/s320/Canon+324.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323756693958001170" /></a> Several of the guidebooks advise that if you only have time for two sites at Angkor, they be Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, specifically Bayon. The guidebooks are right. Angkor Wat is the defining site, but Bayon is also not to be missed.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-76817481508869514552009-04-11T22:33:00.008-04:002009-04-11T23:28:23.520-04:00So There, Monkey Island!Remember how monkeys on Monkey Island would have made the Halong Bay trip just perfect? Well, the trip to the temples around Angkor Wat was just as impressive as the sail through Halong Bay, only here there be monkeys! We saw them running at the edge of the woods as we went between temples on our first day, and on our second day we had a monkey encounter of the elephant kind, a close one.<br /><br />We got up at 4:00 a.m. (even the sons who usually only see 4:00 a.m. from the still-up as opposed to getting-up side of things) and left the hotel at 5:00 to be at Angkor Wat for the sunrise. Since we were continuing on with a day of temples, we ate breakfast at one of the several open-air cafes on the outer grounds of Angkor Wat. Dinner and a floor show? Try breakfast and a tree show, because after we ordered, up strolled three monkeys to a nearby tree. Up they went, and on went a rollicking show of chasing each other, play fighting, and generally scurrying back and forth and up and down. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0vdit_-rGDwHN0epNiKJxFaU5AlVKY_cIVkzwqEAGUEnKhyphenhyphen171iub2NzbSezL7b6J1VYt_yRSMdoKiPxEPM3ZGcOarn4YYq5YuR035AzunlG6zfmsBPW_QDHHu-BRT_CA4LTmsE402Pl/s1600-h/IMG_0265.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0vdit_-rGDwHN0epNiKJxFaU5AlVKY_cIVkzwqEAGUEnKhyphenhyphen171iub2NzbSezL7b6J1VYt_yRSMdoKiPxEPM3ZGcOarn4YYq5YuR035AzunlG6zfmsBPW_QDHHu-BRT_CA4LTmsE402Pl/s320/IMG_0265.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323631544890410914" /></a> This is the tree from which the monkey encounter began. See the monkey at the base of the tree? They ended up in lots of other trees, some pretty close to where we sat at the entrance to the cafe. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQozhY5Wgt9suZ4flPzpNJpEee6hjuZ9T8-v-ygkxY5QgxfeCPBZnyuOWWAeth7DFfE8ajqlqTMTel_k1Gl7ERuzvBj-OktZRZLZFfQvFPd1TVxN8hDC2GT4Cb-PMASO63puy2HU8-VOa/s1600-h/IMG_0268.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQozhY5Wgt9suZ4flPzpNJpEee6hjuZ9T8-v-ygkxY5QgxfeCPBZnyuOWWAeth7DFfE8ajqlqTMTel_k1Gl7ERuzvBj-OktZRZLZFfQvFPd1TVxN8hDC2GT4Cb-PMASO63puy2HU8-VOa/s320/IMG_0268.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323632924156553970" /></a> They liked the beach style umbrellas around the entrance. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgRKFoJTa1-iy0Z61s-ezQod7yQmr2Qd7Q91U56Sk8_OkCCVTGnJVsyxc1ozQnirNcq2xNWz6BpNMlUaXHnov10wVHKJRKja3LJRmwMga4k0cqpjXYWT5lMpuk_EK-gg20wsFJ3lQtJNI/s1600-h/IMG_0277.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgRKFoJTa1-iy0Z61s-ezQod7yQmr2Qd7Q91U56Sk8_OkCCVTGnJVsyxc1ozQnirNcq2xNWz6BpNMlUaXHnov10wVHKJRKja3LJRmwMga4k0cqpjXYWT5lMpuk_EK-gg20wsFJ3lQtJNI/s320/IMG_0277.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323633980561578674" /></a> There were times when it even seemed that they were posing for us. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGjurzH1hzmPzICzbbHI3FZA_1S-p54VlKigljtejpvyJXTuxRSjwLu12fdZOAR44sCHK6rEi5JsYY9ZHPw8aClJpzSrOtQ68ESqheINkqkAcJ1t6edJBgIkds97T51NphwdGD2JoV2jT/s1600-h/IMG_0276.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGjurzH1hzmPzICzbbHI3FZA_1S-p54VlKigljtejpvyJXTuxRSjwLu12fdZOAR44sCHK6rEi5JsYY9ZHPw8aClJpzSrOtQ68ESqheINkqkAcJ1t6edJBgIkds97T51NphwdGD2JoV2jT/s320/IMG_0276.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323640219127159362" /></a> Eventually, they jumped to the tin roof over our heads, scurried back and forth there for a bit, and then took the show on the road, down to the next open-air cafe. They never begged for food, though at one point two squabbled a bit over a flower; the winner took it higher into a tree and appeared to munch a bit on it. I imagine they play around the cafes because of the potential for food even if it's scraps. It was a fun start to what turned out to be a very full (over 11 hours) day of temple-ing.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-32894806650344312202009-04-11T22:27:00.023-04:002009-04-12T06:16:52.128-04:00Angkor WatI've decided to do one post per temple that we visited, since that means multiple shorter posts for you to read at your leisure rather than an ultra-long post in which to lose your train of thought or otherwise get interrupted. Since this will be the first post to go up, I'll include some background information on how we got to and from the temple complex as well as from temple to temple. I can't find a figure on how big the temple complex is, but the "small" circuit trip is 11 miles or 18 kilometers, and the "great" circuit trip is 17 miles or 27 kilometers. We went a bit farther afield than the great circuit on the second day because we wanted to take in the Cambodia Land Mine Museum. Since we got off the plane, the only travel we have done besides walking is by tuk-tuk, a small cart pulled by a motorcycle. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_p-VFZN3Lxm-Ky-tLwE30LKgum0lnvLjRvRFWVtcIl8qTouAQALbmyJhClPkboFoP0BHkKVvgYcGeEnf515wC_ovSOOnC7jbIiK0oq_l1y0SQlaUz1nJjrmA1CjUA-QPLb_rAC9mY1ig/s1600-h/Canon+470.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_p-VFZN3Lxm-Ky-tLwE30LKgum0lnvLjRvRFWVtcIl8qTouAQALbmyJhClPkboFoP0BHkKVvgYcGeEnf515wC_ovSOOnC7jbIiK0oq_l1y0SQlaUz1nJjrmA1CjUA-QPLb_rAC9mY1ig/s320/Canon+470.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323644140423601826" border="0" /></a> Two met us at the airport, and we've used two whenever we've wanted to go anywhere that's beyond walking distance. It's like a convertible only slower. The sides have curtains that keep riders (though not drivers) dry even in the rain, a fact I can attest to since our second day out was one on which it rained on and off. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyc5tOErqTQduXlzG0qJJKgUwlDjfGwvYwFyG_EVuqwysjRLA9GDhGcEucGbj5ZKga4TZQsgpZzysZjMfy6QXl0SEJ1ZgY7lJdPRZ5C4zYxdodKq2Y00VswkTrSwlpw4PT0-O5eQdIcuF/s1600-h/Canon+468.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyc5tOErqTQduXlzG0qJJKgUwlDjfGwvYwFyG_EVuqwysjRLA9GDhGcEucGbj5ZKga4TZQsgpZzysZjMfy6QXl0SEJ1ZgY7lJdPRZ5C4zYxdodKq2Y00VswkTrSwlpw4PT0-O5eQdIcuF/s320/Canon+468.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323646882077991394" border="0" /></a><br />And now, to Angkor Wat, the centerpiece of any temple visit here. Angkor Wat translates as "the City which is a Temple," and may well be the largest religious monument in the world. It was built during the 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It has served as a Buddhist temple since the 14th century, though, when Buddhism became the state religion of Cambodia. Because of the temple's uncommon westward orientation, some scholars believe it was designed as a funerary temple. Angkor Wat is basically a three-tiered pyramid topped by five lotus-like towers, though from the front and some other angles it looks as if there are only three towers. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuSlhy1SF8OC5c0wl0TAinZlunJ-TVleiBMtX7WchfPdqJX7_if0H6ukEkMl-N3HLyjAx3ibPl0wc1GTEPsXDSIQY82OHd3bk9sJeq7oofal2ssCpcHJR_NfPGwMaE7ykYVqqg-Y-atf7/s1600-h/Canon+071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuSlhy1SF8OC5c0wl0TAinZlunJ-TVleiBMtX7WchfPdqJX7_if0H6ukEkMl-N3HLyjAx3ibPl0wc1GTEPsXDSIQY82OHd3bk9sJeq7oofal2ssCpcHJR_NfPGwMaE7ykYVqqg-Y-atf7/s320/Canon+071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323651087123942370" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDkETdotIitEeO_gGLVYayXYxFdEFJImmz8g5D6_DUZtw7aqabyFp34aDo3LHeRW3_ul5NJV43MsDGlAbDWDFcrJrnY2_AzaMbqK-VRQudwZHc5IVFSucw-Rp6-RZQEyCVlhDYLKZGlgg/s1600-h/Canon+251.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDkETdotIitEeO_gGLVYayXYxFdEFJImmz8g5D6_DUZtw7aqabyFp34aDo3LHeRW3_ul5NJV43MsDGlAbDWDFcrJrnY2_AzaMbqK-VRQudwZHc5IVFSucw-Rp6-RZQEyCVlhDYLKZGlgg/s320/Canon+251.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323652232694180194" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTY5oOBmiJdWhWKRDGMskQmOdgqxY9oXTIuFo4U9AaN2uKn8sZba8ii8VCDNEDbyO-yHhhT3km5_PJuoxKWiqQ08pwwTe0XNclWFXkf_uqxJR8XOLRKBBizGZyTWaTQM6HVNMeqPuXGlF/s1600-h/Canon+145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTY5oOBmiJdWhWKRDGMskQmOdgqxY9oXTIuFo4U9AaN2uKn8sZba8ii8VCDNEDbyO-yHhhT3km5_PJuoxKWiqQ08pwwTe0XNclWFXkf_uqxJR8XOLRKBBizGZyTWaTQM6HVNMeqPuXGlF/s320/Canon+145.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323654465761742850" border="0" /></a> Angkor Wat is the best-preserved temple at Angkor since it was never really abandoned to the elements. Still, there is restoration going on, which is why there is scaffolding beside some of the towers. Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall that measures 1300 meters by 1500 meters; the temple itself is about 1 kilometer square. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfAmn3ZIYMM-TcETaFM4DK1cR7sJE6k8wj85773khaBlpaZAmZyU0U1fPhjVOPSHyJ6pzQZh3qQCcGjMLg1qrxgI-tYaJfY9qqqs5eQjDLDWrYqmj2b_-hq7HkkqWHBy8zsqNOJBLl0Br/s1600-h/Canon+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfAmn3ZIYMM-TcETaFM4DK1cR7sJE6k8wj85773khaBlpaZAmZyU0U1fPhjVOPSHyJ6pzQZh3qQCcGjMLg1qrxgI-tYaJfY9qqqs5eQjDLDWrYqmj2b_-hq7HkkqWHBy8zsqNOJBLl0Br/s320/Canon+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323656168586485346" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWocScbrQHPFL3OgGTLS_4FdRn_NTw5d7sVkZXRYw4X0A0uwndifz1eaTQfuRVterNxXIYxbZEGOTxKbeCLo6HKiXhL_IRXnWxBpiC9TGPrD669OiHUCWD49GWM8ohqU8o_hiQ1xxTNzE/s1600-h/Canon+027.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWocScbrQHPFL3OgGTLS_4FdRn_NTw5d7sVkZXRYw4X0A0uwndifz1eaTQfuRVterNxXIYxbZEGOTxKbeCLo6HKiXhL_IRXnWxBpiC9TGPrD669OiHUCWD49GWM8ohqU8o_hiQ1xxTNzE/s320/Canon+027.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323662302620004242" /></a> Between the outer walls and the walls of Angkor Wat itself lie two libraries, one for the priests and one for the common people. Considering that in 12th century Europe common people did not read, this was pretty surprising. In fact, most of the temples we visited at Angkor had two libraries. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FZIIfLsIIIkcsUm4rVw1aMxqqc8mfhVYthDX_49-tXOWcO4FiFjSZa0dQZH3mrzsYkZ8Vbsce9Z1qAVzhGX_A2drveonAFN1yTIczOhBRXq2VxSFlMwJ3AbDYl2a_2K6JffH4ElwC6cV/s1600-h/Canon+057.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FZIIfLsIIIkcsUm4rVw1aMxqqc8mfhVYthDX_49-tXOWcO4FiFjSZa0dQZH3mrzsYkZ8Vbsce9Z1qAVzhGX_A2drveonAFN1yTIczOhBRXq2VxSFlMwJ3AbDYl2a_2K6JffH4ElwC6cV/s320/Canon+057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323660477663589554" border="0" /></a> The walls of Angkor Wat are covered in very intricate bas-reliefs that could well count as the world's longest piece of art, wrapping around each other for 1,970 feet or 600 meters. The stories told by the bas-reliefs are almost as intricate as the carvings themselves. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8YnUK6CNaPijmKOu0-uhoSFrQEHjs4ddrxVdBfZdNvA9hvE9KJxc_KX0Lxkl8Z-U5CxEv7_mHQFIkr0wiWq2VgBDL6tc0xv4g_PKNxKs9p8R3o-BcBqrQj_BPxbVzWAycAaUIqCH52Fu/s1600-h/Canon+084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8YnUK6CNaPijmKOu0-uhoSFrQEHjs4ddrxVdBfZdNvA9hvE9KJxc_KX0Lxkl8Z-U5CxEv7_mHQFIkr0wiWq2VgBDL6tc0xv4g_PKNxKs9p8R3o-BcBqrQj_BPxbVzWAycAaUIqCH52Fu/s320/Canon+084.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323730986158622930" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2BarglEKvHMqWzPUPo8Y5PpHj0YiKtC5B9Fj6q6AdP8ATZfpcHYh4MkGcVQa3RX9hNQG1gAo4GNhmBoKT6vhgIuUPI-KhwBFCLOyN4GavM2HcxbP3XvtrOiYRgytXc2yE5mfOTBTmaBs/s1600-h/Canon+097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2BarglEKvHMqWzPUPo8Y5PpHj0YiKtC5B9Fj6q6AdP8ATZfpcHYh4MkGcVQa3RX9hNQG1gAo4GNhmBoKT6vhgIuUPI-KhwBFCLOyN4GavM2HcxbP3XvtrOiYRgytXc2yE5mfOTBTmaBs/s320/Canon+097.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323731844984163250" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GN9d3AJtuItSBN56evtlBnR9lhilt4DyD9Qqf32Ld-_5AOEzsZ8Y8vdQ4JFCVGfqueT9ZODioL7BkjYn9iKHY-xf07dHiujQGGkGE-41OVfKx1gbIYUMbINWFg6iFRf9HzfpEoLAi3vS/s1600-h/Canon+101.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GN9d3AJtuItSBN56evtlBnR9lhilt4DyD9Qqf32Ld-_5AOEzsZ8Y8vdQ4JFCVGfqueT9ZODioL7BkjYn9iKHY-xf07dHiujQGGkGE-41OVfKx1gbIYUMbINWFg6iFRf9HzfpEoLAi3vS/s320/Canon+101.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323732703140554930" /></a> The walls also include more than 3,000 carvings of <span style="font-style:italic;">apsaras</span>, or celestial dancing girls, each carving unique. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgvrRYRdgvSz-YGZNmeG8bJFxiZHDq2BHmdc6xz4cjENGAh4hf81tdx3a-27MAsvYvbFhkQPBxQdjg2kuPNyrV2fll6tY07RmSmBQ1Wr_nPNNVC4bQj-l3SkvVCINRY5kaZhP7Fq6Ne6L/s1600-h/Canon+095.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgvrRYRdgvSz-YGZNmeG8bJFxiZHDq2BHmdc6xz4cjENGAh4hf81tdx3a-27MAsvYvbFhkQPBxQdjg2kuPNyrV2fll6tY07RmSmBQ1Wr_nPNNVC4bQj-l3SkvVCINRY5kaZhP7Fq6Ne6L/s320/Canon+095.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323734338582456450" /></a> Sunrise at Angkor Wat is supposed to be one of those must-have experiences,so we did it not once but twice. The first morning, there were a lot of clouds. The second morning just happened to be Easter morning, and then we really did see the sun. Younger son will have some photos up on <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com/">his blog</a> soon, I imagine, but in the meantime here are a couple of mine. Younger son was using the tripod, so all of these shots were hand-held. I haven't done any touching up of the colors; these are the straight out of the camera images. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu1ENQyBnlfxceTfv_S__528c_ByY7kW7YqCv4Niv2RNq7ZxhGUnqO5gZsCNgSbuhYwEabcnLyJMhd6lUmL7Bt9QO62dWqHHv3LbZxu0gt8yD7TqQB6mp3ys3GHpf6rgYq1gpZGdwQ7yu/s1600-h/_MG_0541.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu1ENQyBnlfxceTfv_S__528c_ByY7kW7YqCv4Niv2RNq7ZxhGUnqO5gZsCNgSbuhYwEabcnLyJMhd6lUmL7Bt9QO62dWqHHv3LbZxu0gt8yD7TqQB6mp3ys3GHpf6rgYq1gpZGdwQ7yu/s320/_MG_0541.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323738764776908242" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq8vQX0PXOM3y2-dFevnaq6KJm5hSGVXRtLM485uDi13xDtRYYsFrIjpv0702E76M1cuhwTdYjrYdXrtdnCLrsOooouczlcDNYzdXmZpopudoK2pj94qcJ_kw2qXtGRriIY9wHvQl1rTx/s1600-h/_MG_0547.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq8vQX0PXOM3y2-dFevnaq6KJm5hSGVXRtLM485uDi13xDtRYYsFrIjpv0702E76M1cuhwTdYjrYdXrtdnCLrsOooouczlcDNYzdXmZpopudoK2pj94qcJ_kw2qXtGRriIY9wHvQl1rTx/s320/_MG_0547.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323740484607580770" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKg2cr0kJXFaNU_sHQK1HNr153RKRqOy3v1XScs3odbcQid3EoSEt3JdPTLdyxPY_LjGVMHCGJLwyiXaaxVQEPb0vdpC5hMHfEdwIlemzW2aKCHOlN_MYqzkRc-8-m68Cfk8_Oz3gvYdZ/s1600-h/_MG_0612.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKg2cr0kJXFaNU_sHQK1HNr153RKRqOy3v1XScs3odbcQid3EoSEt3JdPTLdyxPY_LjGVMHCGJLwyiXaaxVQEPb0vdpC5hMHfEdwIlemzW2aKCHOlN_MYqzkRc-8-m68Cfk8_Oz3gvYdZ/s320/_MG_0612.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323741658715658306" /></a> I have a couple hundred more shots just of Angkor Wat, so if you want to see more when I get home, let me know. There is just so much there to look at and admire there that it's really hard to do it justice.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-47531594986077291802009-04-11T22:16:00.002-04:002009-04-11T22:27:30.716-04:00Travel TimeThe husband and I have radically different perspectives on some of the basics of traveling. If the ticket says to be at the airport two hours before flight time, I don't mind being there three hours before. That's what books are for, right? And the other people are there for me to watch, right? The husband believes he's timed it right if he walks from the car to the check-in counter, through security to the gate, and never has the time to sit down until he's on the plane. After 24 years of marriage, we try to compromise when traveling together. On the way to Cambodia, though, the husband had to admit that my way has its advantages, one of them being catching the intended flight.<br /><br />Our Vietnam Airlines flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap, Cambodia was scheduled to leave at 4:55 p.m. Because the cab ride from the downtown hotel went faster than the usual, we ended up at the airport with more time than even I prefer. We were comfortably reading or otherwise killing time when they made the first boarding call at 4:25. We got into line. As we were standing there, about six or eight people back from giving up our boarding passes, they made the second ... and final ... boarding call, saying that people with tickets on that flight should get to the gate "immediately." We boarded the plane, sat down, and realized that the plane was pulling back from the gate a full 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time. At 4:55, we were in the air en route to Siem Reap, where we landed over 30 minutes before our scheduled time. Fortunately, our drivers were there to greet us, and all was right with the world. I would like to think that they knew that everyone with a reservation on that flight had checked in, but I don't know that for a fact. I just know that for one day anyway, my way was definitely the right way.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-77462603382666303732009-04-11T21:25:00.005-04:002009-04-11T22:15:54.640-04:00A Bit about GlobalismStrategic Goal #1 of the Albemarle County Public Schools is to "prepare all students to succeed as members of a global community and in a global economy." Do you want to know who will be prepared to succeed in the global community and economy? Elliott will. He's a three-year-old we met on our Halong Bay tour. His grandfather, Roland, was one of the 1975 Vietnamese boat people; he's a doctor in France but returns to Vietnam each year to, as he put it, practice his English (and his Vietnamese). With Roland on the Halong Bay tour were his wife (who is French), one of his two daughters, and her son, Elliott. Elliott, like most three-year-olds I know, goes to preschool. The difference is that Elliott goes to a French-language preschool in the morning and an English-language preschool in the afternoon. He's also learning Vietnamese from his grandfather and Spanish. I'm not sure where he's getting the Spanish from, though it might be from his father since Roland said that Elliott was born in Barcelona. In other words, by the time the students in Albemarle County Public Schools start studying a foreign language, Elliott could be fluent in four languages and learning others in school.<br /><br />There is another reason why I think Elliott or someone like him will be successful while the able students in Albemarle County may not be is that he will likely grow up with a global perspective, knowing that the way he lives is not the only way a person can live and that the things in which he believes are not the only things worth believing in. The other UVa professor teaching in Hue was talking about people's names with the students in his class and mentioned that his son, Joseph, had a "Biblical name." He was surprised at the blank looks on their faces. He explained that the word "Biblical" was an adjective form of "Bible." They still had blank looks on their faces, because none of them had heard of the Bible. [Please do not leave comments that these people are therefore condemned to fire and brimstone because of their ignorance regarding Christianity. I really don't need my blood pressure raised so early in the day.] Somehow, I expect that Elliott will get to young adulthood and recognize that besides speaking differently, people live differently, work differently, and believe differently. Without that foundation, I'm not sure one can "succeed as a member of a global community and in a global economy," and I just don't see our local schools giving kids that foundation. Yes, there are some kids that do "get it," but more don't, and that will hurt their chances as all our lives become more global in nature.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-8137463221966091272009-04-11T21:08:00.004-04:002009-04-11T21:25:52.515-04:00On Board with Us in Halong BayWe've been finding that fellow tourists often want to chat with us Americans about our new president. We've had quite long conversations with an Aussie teacher and a doctor who was one of the 1975 Vietnamese boat people and has lived since then in France. We even discussed the primary and general election at length with the Aussie teacher which was more than a little interesting because of his wife's resemblance to one of the major players in the 2008 general election. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9QR6DUCrSd0lFgGMMzW2_LKa5IqAr3N55Stw65Z-KdYkigvSOj4Dizm5zCV4VrNW6kGJQw9dD-2GVWM-42ATr0Wb7DCT8bkN98c7IB8nURP1EReAR955wpGwM2NGy05XtoIhDSpHKMQi/s1600-h/Kodak+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9QR6DUCrSd0lFgGMMzW2_LKa5IqAr3N55Stw65Z-KdYkigvSOj4Dizm5zCV4VrNW6kGJQw9dD-2GVWM-42ATr0Wb7DCT8bkN98c7IB8nURP1EReAR955wpGwM2NGy05XtoIhDSpHKMQi/s320/Kodak+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323607129167611090" /></a> Below is the reference shot. Younger son figures that in about 10 years (or after the stress of a campaign), our Aussie acquaintance will even more closely resemble Sarah Palin. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PHNUC2oOGdHXRYDae7tqII_sh7j0BePmjme0yoc2Rs0hxOyRLWCYsjo-xa3CxNM2fHa0nKFEb2bXsBOlXikBkexedT6gi0yjR8rcE_6f5YCitDY1T4ae4iYnHL6N7sMmin_n_7sxkL1O/s1600-h/large_palin_sarah.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PHNUC2oOGdHXRYDae7tqII_sh7j0BePmjme0yoc2Rs0hxOyRLWCYsjo-xa3CxNM2fHa0nKFEb2bXsBOlXikBkexedT6gi0yjR8rcE_6f5YCitDY1T4ae4iYnHL6N7sMmin_n_7sxkL1O/s320/large_palin_sarah.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323608827182319538" /></a> We were going to point out the resemblance to the teacher or his wife, but on the last day of our Halong Bay tour, their younger son was ill with a fever, and we didn't want to upset them further.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-84829450337189220462009-04-11T06:33:00.002-04:002009-04-11T06:39:44.450-04:00A is for Angkor / B is for BehindTwo days of temple-ing and more temple-ing have left little time for blogging. I shot 471 photos yesterday and almost as many today. We have declared tomorrow a free day after one more sunrise over Angkor Wat. I am thinking about how to organize some Angkor posts, though I still have some items from Halong Bay and Hanoi that I'd like to post. First, though, there is the pool and then dinner at what appears to be the only vegetarian Khmer restaurant in Siem Reap. There's also the night market to experience. Siem Reap is serving as a transition back to the real world, with prices hovering between the unbelievably low prices of Vietnam and what we expect to be unbelievably high prices when we hit Scandinavia. It's been great here, and will be for a couple more days, but I think we're all ready to get back to where we don't stand out as much as we do here.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-35733997052114071542009-04-08T06:17:00.016-04:002009-04-11T23:12:23.326-04:00Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh!We're in the late afternoon of our one full day in Hanoi. At coffee this morning, after visiting Ho Chi Minh as he lies in state, we discussed that we're all in various stages of being ready to leave Vietnam (the husband) or Asia (younger son). More than anything else, I'm ready to get out of Hanoi. It's a big city, and there are few big cities I feel an affinity for. Boston and Chicago are two that I have felt comfortable in. Hue, although much larger than hometown Charlottesville, did not feel like Hanoi does. My tension level has risen just from being here. I am looking forward to getting to Siem Reap, Cambodia, tomorrow evening, and trading Hanoi for Angkor Wat.<br /><br />We agreed earlier that the one thing we all wanted to do in Hanoi was visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and see his embalmed body. We did that this morning. Unfortunately, you must check your camera (and any luggage other than a purse) at the door, so we were unable to take photos anywhere in the mausoleum complex. The Vietnamese take Ho Chi Minh's remains very seriously. All cars or buses coming into the complex get the complete once-over, including the mirror to look at the vehicle's undercarriage. From the time you check your bags until the time you are out of the mausoleum, you are regimented. You stand in single file here, and then over there you line up by twos. Similar to airport security, the purses go through the x-ray while you walk through the metal detector. There are guards at every twist and turn of the carpeted path. <br /><br />The one thing that we all thought was very clever we may not have noticed had the people in front of us not had a child, maybe five years old, with them. When we entered the room in which Ho Chi Minh lies, the guard at the door showed them that there was an elevated path, right next to the railing, on which small children could walk and see Ho Chi Minh without an adult's having to lift and carry them. Having lifted one or two kids myself so that they could see something, I thought this was a very, very nice touch. Of course, the punchline was delivered after we exited the mausoleum building and heard the little boy ask his mother and father if Ho Chi Minh were a zombie. Needless to say, this led to spitfire talk of zombie-this and zombie-that, and I now have quite the outline for <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org">National Novel Writing Month</a> in November.<br /><br />Once you leave the mausoleum building, you can get out of the regimented line and stroll through the rest of the grounds as you wish, as long as you're back at the baggage claim area by the time they tell you when you enter. We saw the stilt house in which Ho Chi Minh lived and worked for many years, and were disappointed to learn that the garage in which his used cars were kept was closed. We walked through several souvenir shops, coming out with a Ho Chi Minh pin that I plan to turn into a refrigerator magnet, a keychain with Halong Bay on one side and Ho Chi Minh on the other, and a CD, the contents of which we don't really know. Here's part of the CD cover. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhYSPFhaV4BC_hFt2cORRGuFjnd-PeL48Cgv5xe3kfBYKVAzjOeOYtjFqASQSx0hPqnlastZMBptnFHYnDHLY9oCwy5KkNflLIKHIVKarVmQW2jvb02EmZR-v0x9Spf9ZI8hmB7Cn5Aob/s1600-h/Canon+240.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhYSPFhaV4BC_hFt2cORRGuFjnd-PeL48Cgv5xe3kfBYKVAzjOeOYtjFqASQSx0hPqnlastZMBptnFHYnDHLY9oCwy5KkNflLIKHIVKarVmQW2jvb02EmZR-v0x9Spf9ZI8hmB7Cn5Aob/s320/Canon+240.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322274004663861986" /></a> How could I pass up "Uncle Ho's Farewell Message" and Karaoke something on the same CD? This may become a party favorite back in the 'Ville.<br /><br />After the mausoleum, we walked back toward the hotel, stopping to check out the Canadian embassy, admire wiring to rival what we saw in Ho Chi Minh City, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRrnVwIlWFBSUUZQC0dd2HWtreFKe2kvE5PaVh_Chq7btPgDPc9BIH9gOs3E4JPbqF53tNHUhUU_QoC0Ke99Cb6LRbX7EPoTuUOaQ33s62PsHUFxDPfh3vXNm_lfVX98vl-MAc-jCJnDO/s1600-h/Canon+072.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRrnVwIlWFBSUUZQC0dd2HWtreFKe2kvE5PaVh_Chq7btPgDPc9BIH9gOs3E4JPbqF53tNHUhUU_QoC0Ke99Cb6LRbX7EPoTuUOaQ33s62PsHUFxDPfh3vXNm_lfVX98vl-MAc-jCJnDO/s320/Canon+072.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322276439808055730" /></a> admire Vlad Tepes (Dracula) on a poster outside the Romanian embassy, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ti03a-7DAcRN5s789OTQ8i4Qk9desoSC-RmM6Ff4FFKXExwAITOQUWxt8PHNo0NAI4UvKygQYiS4jMgK420e2v1I34BsosGEGKvz3zTs4s5MuIl7tA1pigKw89M3bmDta8FBp8fY80-a/s1600-h/Canon+076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ti03a-7DAcRN5s789OTQ8i4Qk9desoSC-RmM6Ff4FFKXExwAITOQUWxt8PHNo0NAI4UvKygQYiS4jMgK420e2v1I34BsosGEGKvz3zTs4s5MuIl7tA1pigKw89M3bmDta8FBp8fY80-a/s320/Canon+076.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322277544362066930" /></a> and commune a bit with Lenin in a park. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg088jE7upkF_CbMDor0Yev2d5rUaFnkTfvnTf-7d4grD_4vkkXRm4IzzA2OP77sUqzSdvrfcUnZv9e-SVCcxzy14Ej8Uz65vAM6IEyjLD0SdMN8037X135LMQeX8l8jO64YXhBO_SAaAbl/s1600-h/Canon+080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg088jE7upkF_CbMDor0Yev2d5rUaFnkTfvnTf-7d4grD_4vkkXRm4IzzA2OP77sUqzSdvrfcUnZv9e-SVCcxzy14Ej8Uz65vAM6IEyjLD0SdMN8037X135LMQeX8l8jO64YXhBO_SAaAbl/s320/Canon+080.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322275167467413378" /></a> Younger son has some nice shots on his blog of <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com/2009/04/fun-times-at-lenins-plaza.html">some people who shared Lenin with us.</a><br /><br />After we stopped for coffee, we walked around Hoan Kiem Lake. Younger son played around with <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com/2009/04/reflection.html">some reflection photos</a>. I did, too, but in a slightly different way, concentrating more on the reflection itself and not what was being reflected. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLY4Ng1w3Vl_Wogl5Ji6fvUsQu4ynm3yKhN1PrgmRYWPtTrJMM1WuTWgKJrFLcU0xFm0CxqFrsBiwK0K26GpsNzARDrlU2ECFO-hEAzd-uNE4gULX3QGeutIc1v5J-srmJJWXK6rDpEdI/s1600-h/Canon+131.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLY4Ng1w3Vl_Wogl5Ji6fvUsQu4ynm3yKhN1PrgmRYWPtTrJMM1WuTWgKJrFLcU0xFm0CxqFrsBiwK0K26GpsNzARDrlU2ECFO-hEAzd-uNE4gULX3QGeutIc1v5J-srmJJWXK6rDpEdI/s320/Canon+131.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322280791762514466" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomrp0_U7d_qW9B6e_2qTJ_upM3Fq0bEGhN8rFJMfQ4nqXfV2ZmQZ4FiUmgfYMLUTkoLCNOVEdtiQQJf99bpIRJ2_Is0DWxtVgVROzaZ6rDuWTVQo-Sy5gIdMOyH10baqovdQetcPjAMJy/s1600-h/Canon+142.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomrp0_U7d_qW9B6e_2qTJ_upM3Fq0bEGhN8rFJMfQ4nqXfV2ZmQZ4FiUmgfYMLUTkoLCNOVEdtiQQJf99bpIRJ2_Is0DWxtVgVROzaZ6rDuWTVQo-Sy5gIdMOyH10baqovdQetcPjAMJy/s320/Canon+142.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322281545905873538" /></a> We found some more trash cans that our friend the environmental science teacher would love to see around home. One side is for compostable garbage; the other side is for the other stuff. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlP-gEgiYpx3tjZlvOqhuT6UjZ8gq1Hne-GnAmWK6Pt7AqAOEARHcZkWPvvEi2wuuMgdWJpTDuOZFNL7okgvQi861bijyt6jY2SUgytHmOvaGaG3Z7_vjZf5tQQnbmWTH38SpF3aXemsX/s1600-h/Canon+158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlP-gEgiYpx3tjZlvOqhuT6UjZ8gq1Hne-GnAmWK6Pt7AqAOEARHcZkWPvvEi2wuuMgdWJpTDuOZFNL7okgvQi861bijyt6jY2SUgytHmOvaGaG3Z7_vjZf5tQQnbmWTH38SpF3aXemsX/s320/Canon+158.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322283001607660802" /></a> We also went through the Ngoc Son temple, which sits on an island in the lake. My shots from there aren't as good <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com/2009/04/which-do-you-folks-think-is-best.html">as some of younger son's</a>, but this is my blog, so you take what you can get. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17CkmUr-jxGs-dk0LMQ3nR54QGEWwCgVA1uCRUH-o-C3-FviskVL9kiphVc8IE0RxdPESZCRiBTKEUWPhWJ09xbf9tTFociz2JKsJOIW4rt0FO5rvnDJ7mJp6cKeVms4FdgNARHtnjMdb/s1600-h/Canon+177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17CkmUr-jxGs-dk0LMQ3nR54QGEWwCgVA1uCRUH-o-C3-FviskVL9kiphVc8IE0RxdPESZCRiBTKEUWPhWJ09xbf9tTFociz2JKsJOIW4rt0FO5rvnDJ7mJp6cKeVms4FdgNARHtnjMdb/s320/Canon+177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322284670440999458" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JM7fm_oWC7ItoN1cZ-FO8ZNREjA63uh_MGm9VeQ9HQxdQA8EGxF9CIuU1OpHuzvQIxuygL1ICEML9-UF4XeCEq5UwniJ1joB-wjSHtYAEF1WKp9sWdImFK761s5bF_Y9mAe1h7WMNyt9/s1600-h/Canon+185.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JM7fm_oWC7ItoN1cZ-FO8ZNREjA63uh_MGm9VeQ9HQxdQA8EGxF9CIuU1OpHuzvQIxuygL1ICEML9-UF4XeCEq5UwniJ1joB-wjSHtYAEF1WKp9sWdImFK761s5bF_Y9mAe1h7WMNyt9/s320/Canon+185.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322285248684346306" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXb-orADdSwTX78jysJboXFJvFVkAOkUI1dQaNfsRo6DEAMqwsj13a5V8sGu78o96G7V3YVxVER2Ni67tamsvBp7LlttdwNTVeh_paXC3kkqrlhMXpN4yT0nRT_FFQGTDvST6PUILRkZx/s1600-h/Canon+213.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXb-orADdSwTX78jysJboXFJvFVkAOkUI1dQaNfsRo6DEAMqwsj13a5V8sGu78o96G7V3YVxVER2Ni67tamsvBp7LlttdwNTVeh_paXC3kkqrlhMXpN4yT0nRT_FFQGTDvST6PUILRkZx/s320/Canon+213.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322285864456333090" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwML1SlYWH7fAqy6oWsG3-DwV8kUNPo4GWavC8UZu1u5lHxlberEX8TjAwZJMGRv32VyTkNSlreayGAhdMe1kmwzwYxxAYXeQw6_06X7LLEaJu3ugVRETYT74-YIX1utSYfjidcLkCbou7/s1600-h/Canon+229.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwML1SlYWH7fAqy6oWsG3-DwV8kUNPo4GWavC8UZu1u5lHxlberEX8TjAwZJMGRv32VyTkNSlreayGAhdMe1kmwzwYxxAYXeQw6_06X7LLEaJu3ugVRETYT74-YIX1utSYfjidcLkCbou7/s320/Canon+229.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322286569148073218" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0hV-MZtTlbhVWP_IeezTkuGWWR02m7uSv0-PJjJmk8mwk1N9R297MZPWpAraXOeLrFEKt8mpQNWuUy6A2VoxDtRBNE4oTvONvg4njwReJ7Qftn4IJvL63ZVo2EtCf052mBEEoC4ftLj2/s1600-h/Canon+230.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0hV-MZtTlbhVWP_IeezTkuGWWR02m7uSv0-PJjJmk8mwk1N9R297MZPWpAraXOeLrFEKt8mpQNWuUy6A2VoxDtRBNE4oTvONvg4njwReJ7Qftn4IJvL63ZVo2EtCf052mBEEoC4ftLj2/s320/Canon+230.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322287081201257714" /></a> And now I have no excuse for not doing the repacking. We decided that we'd like to visit the Hanoi Hilton (the site of the real one, not the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel) tomorrow morning. We leave the hotel for the airport at 1:30, and will be in Cambodia tomorrow night. Check out <a href="http://www.golden-banana.com/index.html">where we'll be staying</a> if you like; we have rooms at the bed and breakfast side of the operation.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-62011147070744324942009-04-07T10:36:00.004-04:002009-04-07T10:46:41.549-04:00Myo Sim on the Road (Crane IN a Rock)There wasn't really a good space for him to do the Am Hak kata in the Halong Bay caves, but older son couldn't resist striking a few poses from the kata so as to be the crane <span style="font-weight:bold;">in</span> rather than on a rock. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHPwRTdlXw7HXYm7HZR-xJxw3zbZQDHGs_W2uA59lxhWzmies-vtxJjwq0t85sj6g16d-tyVNIHmREgD1n2djRlGGpIaQgLTZ47JsX-blED_LO1OoznVPweRQXjeSl3N69D2F3TbHWDdo/s1600-h/Canon+234.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHPwRTdlXw7HXYm7HZR-xJxw3zbZQDHGs_W2uA59lxhWzmies-vtxJjwq0t85sj6g16d-tyVNIHmREgD1n2djRlGGpIaQgLTZ47JsX-blED_LO1OoznVPweRQXjeSl3N69D2F3TbHWDdo/s320/Canon+234.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321959241334869170" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN57tTwXFn3n9nMeastSjz7xKPsH4qGJXJhjas4Py06XgtaHX8LouqlSlXBvizkX4ceVOSU0suHULFvyhjbJzPaWkn6vrdak6T4lP2UeNIoZ79Sp3IcznKFi8qrZrTYCh1ICTp0Yqw3Xr/s1600-h/Kodak+042.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN57tTwXFn3n9nMeastSjz7xKPsH4qGJXJhjas4Py06XgtaHX8LouqlSlXBvizkX4ceVOSU0suHULFvyhjbJzPaWkn6vrdak6T4lP2UeNIoZ79Sp3IcznKFi8qrZrTYCh1ICTp0Yqw3Xr/s320/Kodak+042.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321959503763306082" /></a> We've all been remiss about practicing our Myo Sim kata while on the trip. None of the excuses are very good. Yes, it's been hotter than hell most days. No, women do not generally exercise in public in Vietnam, and a sweaty woman is not generally viewed as a good thing. When I'm sweaty just from walking, I get more attention than I am comfortable with, and most of that is well-intentioned. "Would you like to sit?" "Here ... for you." This latter is said as someone hands me a kleenex with which to wipe the sweat off my face. We are hoping that Europe will be more amenable to going to a park and practicing. It will certainly be cooler.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279982876336233669.post-46223411324290177962009-04-07T07:39:00.041-04:002009-04-07T10:36:45.514-04:00Almost Heaven ... Halong BayHow do you improve on a trip that offers sailing, sea kayaking, swimming, cycling, and caving in some of the most beautiful scenery on earth without adding martial arts? Add monkeys, or at least the possibility of monkeys. That's a short summary of our three days (well, two days, since travel there took a half day each way) in Halong Bay. We stepped off the information superhighway and followed Mother Nature's lure instead.<br /><br />That's the intro I drafted for this post. I started to try to write something on the bus ride back to Hanoi, but the road was just too bumpy. After going through all the photos, I think I'll try to keep words to a minimum here and instead show you just how amazing it was. But first, a little background. "Halong" translates as "descending dragons." Legend has it that a family of divine dragons came from heaven to help Vietnam against an invading navy. The dragons were so taken with the natural beauty of the bay that rather than return to heaven, they stayed. Indeed, the 366 islands that jut up out of the bay could easily be the backs or tails of dragons. If you saw <span style="font-style:italic;">Tomorrow Never Dies</span>, that's Halong Bay in the movie's climactic scenes.<br /><br />First step was taking a bus from Hanoi to Halong City. The scenery in northern Vietnam is similar to that in the central part where Hue is, with the exception of a few industrial touches. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDGf9OxeoPRe1B_pdkFk747HKMYGgwgeM8StfZsmANpEJ2xIIpZHTvMW9nZCx_EM51UaN9uhbwSJj28-nSeofZjgW3FRjDxC2_gt4F1j59dDl6i0CW4aCNRQR6zwCcb6RbB7NCqkm9xAK/s1600-h/Kodak+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDGf9OxeoPRe1B_pdkFk747HKMYGgwgeM8StfZsmANpEJ2xIIpZHTvMW9nZCx_EM51UaN9uhbwSJj28-nSeofZjgW3FRjDxC2_gt4F1j59dDl6i0CW4aCNRQR6zwCcb6RbB7NCqkm9xAK/s320/Kodak+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321915290629979250" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4TAWtLbBdNb-Q_RhoF-bL-koiYWA_WvcMFcZnmR6PsX14Era5biveQ9USoULWQEK8h-QAyCkrjxpNJd3LdiZ65UlvshxK97klJDavyMA_HviDvTuwgJCfVAJl-_4eD76plXcSv-fCmib/s1600-h/Kodak+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4TAWtLbBdNb-Q_RhoF-bL-koiYWA_WvcMFcZnmR6PsX14Era5biveQ9USoULWQEK8h-QAyCkrjxpNJd3LdiZ65UlvshxK97klJDavyMA_HviDvTuwgJCfVAJl-_4eD76plXcSv-fCmib/s320/Kodak+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321915472625032418" /></a> We sailed the bay on a replica Chinese junk. This one is smaller than the one on which we spent the first day and night, and closer in size to the one on which we spent the second day. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPBOdPqwIfaQCBZOBalQ6nfsdMtftJAgOphWcEKY0qMKVxJN0tpPtAx6HfeDyWR84qLzbxdekevSuQUKYfpfNPqu_60zOJsFyxs8EHw1TD9B1UNdZxSd6E9VBFGhfon6fhw2PDLyfNmM8/s1600-h/Canon+076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPBOdPqwIfaQCBZOBalQ6nfsdMtftJAgOphWcEKY0qMKVxJN0tpPtAx6HfeDyWR84qLzbxdekevSuQUKYfpfNPqu_60zOJsFyxs8EHw1TD9B1UNdZxSd6E9VBFGhfon6fhw2PDLyfNmM8/s320/Canon+076.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321916208508615650" /></a> We were on a newly refurbished junk, the Marguerite. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqlPBuOSOiwYkVeifWjkncWmNW4H7v1G7t5VsRfrea5gW1KAy3CmlnAqCQoBzgY1AwrUlibsGjOyCG-HS5FjKAeAS6yJOPoUn7zSDVc_YLRpFifTYHeZ9CJgqANFh09_ReH5FDejHuynP/s1600-h/Canon+158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqlPBuOSOiwYkVeifWjkncWmNW4H7v1G7t5VsRfrea5gW1KAy3CmlnAqCQoBzgY1AwrUlibsGjOyCG-HS5FjKAeAS6yJOPoUn7zSDVc_YLRpFifTYHeZ9CJgqANFh09_ReH5FDejHuynP/s320/Canon+158.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321916874449846914" /></a> She had some nice touches inside as well as out. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_G9hOqs8o9lyoS-st39NlQ6cc8zCA8gBeMNrAynMtWoX38hXWXK0mB9pOVzmWwHbMsSfvioqnsFmEQwy2FaI9T5ItAN45MgVKSi-JM47l2PS-aWgiaCgXsun_TIb98kp8v86fyxtblDP/s1600-h/Canon+103.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_G9hOqs8o9lyoS-st39NlQ6cc8zCA8gBeMNrAynMtWoX38hXWXK0mB9pOVzmWwHbMsSfvioqnsFmEQwy2FaI9T5ItAN45MgVKSi-JM47l2PS-aWgiaCgXsun_TIb98kp8v86fyxtblDP/s320/Canon+103.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321917272182952642" /></a> <br />The scenery in Halong Bay is absolutely stunning. My photos do not do it credit. Here are a few that may come close in some way. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oM9VA5TJhbLvq9mNY2cCrMnhRzeCiG_dcT6G-PHlg98wC8Wb6yBCdafaIVbizOle7qn5bEBz61KUm7OdvI1VL9yfqa0X6V1pqd5qZaWViiTmNqu7tnOIPSIQDWux3omjp6ZbQEHPwZ1Q/s1600-h/Canon+119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oM9VA5TJhbLvq9mNY2cCrMnhRzeCiG_dcT6G-PHlg98wC8Wb6yBCdafaIVbizOle7qn5bEBz61KUm7OdvI1VL9yfqa0X6V1pqd5qZaWViiTmNqu7tnOIPSIQDWux3omjp6ZbQEHPwZ1Q/s320/Canon+119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321918056115929202" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2D6NkFzUd0K-24QVXgEZvaAc_efpOMY7iFpAw4glzh8lxxMGQ1dHKtOxMd8TUC-j6Wsgv_aSH_mon5VBBBMOXDds1YttuLbxFM57h7PTyVdPxTPpwRxF-YljIxn2bEzgYsRn4Av2uXYL/s1600-h/Canon+130.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2D6NkFzUd0K-24QVXgEZvaAc_efpOMY7iFpAw4glzh8lxxMGQ1dHKtOxMd8TUC-j6Wsgv_aSH_mon5VBBBMOXDds1YttuLbxFM57h7PTyVdPxTPpwRxF-YljIxn2bEzgYsRn4Av2uXYL/s320/Canon+130.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321918427993373602" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga00tLO0_UL0H6T23XyvKJtONDRDewEe3AVRShyD1Bjz47GGPoeUFVj-l5NIu3Btg30aZWbJ64GVKok1woylwxySLjbu3obYYJyIQBsci8WtzdA1zTWoGiDwzAgLhg6FYtEvGiDASwB51b/s1600-h/Canon+182.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga00tLO0_UL0H6T23XyvKJtONDRDewEe3AVRShyD1Bjz47GGPoeUFVj-l5NIu3Btg30aZWbJ64GVKok1woylwxySLjbu3obYYJyIQBsci8WtzdA1zTWoGiDwzAgLhg6FYtEvGiDASwB51b/s320/Canon+182.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321918813400645106" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId3fD1g-Q9QGXLHZeZ78Ox0wxguycJanlI9VBCit9dWGicHqgoPvtDQ1aQg_YV2g_s0_jw6QcbQYwW_dVei6eWLLYfe-bz0S3OjKEJSAR6u8KC1yLCI1zI5fzjt9bIS2bdGOqqOjMYEr5/s1600-h/Kodak+036.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId3fD1g-Q9QGXLHZeZ78Ox0wxguycJanlI9VBCit9dWGicHqgoPvtDQ1aQg_YV2g_s0_jw6QcbQYwW_dVei6eWLLYfe-bz0S3OjKEJSAR6u8KC1yLCI1zI5fzjt9bIS2bdGOqqOjMYEr5/s320/Kodak+036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321919043333474354" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOOQCU8j3sOOmbXj6WX7G5ra99O-RHRdMB8MDCaZkl4tq7CBexew4m3RUEpTdkCHtm41-_nYP3_2wo9Q97mM_Es_c10WUdeqMoVyrKaPljCIqb_kzGRbh1DW7UFv6YOaYe4oX4OITgxxI/s1600-h/Kodak+014.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOOQCU8j3sOOmbXj6WX7G5ra99O-RHRdMB8MDCaZkl4tq7CBexew4m3RUEpTdkCHtm41-_nYP3_2wo9Q97mM_Es_c10WUdeqMoVyrKaPljCIqb_kzGRbh1DW7UFv6YOaYe4oX4OITgxxI/s320/Kodak+014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321919259441553554" /></a> Our junk's first stop was at a fish farm in the middle of the bay. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTA1M5BSBHGDQCpwGAkcFETfU-dw8VnANFxrb6WgZzKAiK4LZnY6U-QXTLcYLrymlxF1IVGV2B3bRkwhMmITsht2hw-CX9BzT7PiuZ1yv9wq3yFJ7pyXqbdYSFnCO5REv9pPJzCb6XDFa/s1600-h/Canon+139.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTA1M5BSBHGDQCpwGAkcFETfU-dw8VnANFxrb6WgZzKAiK4LZnY6U-QXTLcYLrymlxF1IVGV2B3bRkwhMmITsht2hw-CX9BzT7PiuZ1yv9wq3yFJ7pyXqbdYSFnCO5REv9pPJzCb6XDFa/s320/Canon+139.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321920013893328770" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qEYRhl-QZqcYwOrWZdFrcoLqUF-EKhVsL_v8hRcpmQi6_N3hh4DCRMaPoQlipjg2yW65CTgk3Ytyj3mVujYTWK2C_KK6QT_ddBWHXIcuBHmNfW3J4y_KtGgJ4RUISaBnBV7eUDuMHjZY/s1600-h/Canon+143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qEYRhl-QZqcYwOrWZdFrcoLqUF-EKhVsL_v8hRcpmQi6_N3hh4DCRMaPoQlipjg2yW65CTgk3Ytyj3mVujYTWK2C_KK6QT_ddBWHXIcuBHmNfW3J4y_KtGgJ4RUISaBnBV7eUDuMHjZY/s320/Canon+143.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321920375534051730" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnDU7OPxVW7Xz0idkx39aQMXPu9VMBelQlkbQDCVjAwxysAMTHnGpCrBPjbz8he1zAtoJG8-3FzYPzxx4yGCPEFXWy9ax6m9d16N6EsKpDkx7-6Ly6M_p8seRVA6lZcvpRte2pelLg8HL/s1600-h/Kodak+031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnDU7OPxVW7Xz0idkx39aQMXPu9VMBelQlkbQDCVjAwxysAMTHnGpCrBPjbz8he1zAtoJG8-3FzYPzxx4yGCPEFXWy9ax6m9d16N6EsKpDkx7-6Ly6M_p8seRVA6lZcvpRte2pelLg8HL/s320/Kodak+031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321920677722865762" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakNwJZtrJH5RwkYdhlcbNiLH8vlfvT-qFpqgoPARo-gA65-TrcIcNRkEATVQvsSEQSHx9gqhHX041xaZx7DkzQvwUnecxmsD01GEgp5O0i_DY0U9HBnEw2UcimEa-D-wVEKqKVS9_BuY0/s1600-h/Canon+154.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakNwJZtrJH5RwkYdhlcbNiLH8vlfvT-qFpqgoPARo-gA65-TrcIcNRkEATVQvsSEQSHx9gqhHX041xaZx7DkzQvwUnecxmsD01GEgp5O0i_DY0U9HBnEw2UcimEa-D-wVEKqKVS9_BuY0/s320/Canon+154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321921153587787346" /></a> We also stopped at some caves. This is the view from the top of the hillside we climbed in order to enter the caves. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOHll_q6hudGqJNa9vjSGAbCpNjeB5_ifU1PQhLfi5pW9wL3Y6GOmXuF_8vBZ9c7kHTMBGsdaFzguxc5Rj4lkWFPuHnVXU6hok2fMhY2NzCzFSPZ-IcrVnBUGE2ngETJ0DUDt2uxoOP8B/s1600-h/Canon+216.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOHll_q6hudGqJNa9vjSGAbCpNjeB5_ifU1PQhLfi5pW9wL3Y6GOmXuF_8vBZ9c7kHTMBGsdaFzguxc5Rj4lkWFPuHnVXU6hok2fMhY2NzCzFSPZ-IcrVnBUGE2ngETJ0DUDt2uxoOP8B/s320/Canon+216.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321921653006058194" /></a> And you had to love the warning sign that appeared throughout the path through the caves. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbVpYmY6EeJAw81shoJ2S9PeoRl_tDok9DjTnFPaAQQ5GHF8YovEPqNqGd2zQLdhaKuAITwiuZUZ5ct0eNDWnxFFLIuIWasSN85x05IV_EAAWBcv4pZzoTejclQvPI1yDbjnWqTodl-4_/s1600-h/Canon+225.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbVpYmY6EeJAw81shoJ2S9PeoRl_tDok9DjTnFPaAQQ5GHF8YovEPqNqGd2zQLdhaKuAITwiuZUZ5ct0eNDWnxFFLIuIWasSN85x05IV_EAAWBcv4pZzoTejclQvPI1yDbjnWqTodl-4_/s320/Canon+225.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321922205883435746" /></a> Our tour guide pointed out one formation that was particularly interesting. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQx2YoMSC8Jl2ZmZXjl343ugnA5kBdAwDFz9sA8VoOKflUi9rfgCta9sslY2zpLgeXV0L7cFWxSlbl4L1vBV8dnrF4HP6BrA2F5SioUfJrKHSQixf7qbdNhOVLEdta7ienGtzNtKr-RZ-/s1600-h/Kodak+045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQx2YoMSC8Jl2ZmZXjl343ugnA5kBdAwDFz9sA8VoOKflUi9rfgCta9sslY2zpLgeXV0L7cFWxSlbl4L1vBV8dnrF4HP6BrA2F5SioUfJrKHSQixf7qbdNhOVLEdta7ienGtzNtKr-RZ-/s320/Kodak+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321922599971500562" /></a> There were others that were much more mundane. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuiLf_IGN2l9QBJKkkGsd8vjE1h9ysQPvdhA3bgDPRpMwinTg6DkmD6iJWsrvGJXrxIJs1sUf5SelaRtxoiSKXCAR1lfosWePV76bYTdUqOqTEdx5OMNh8IWYoBPwRabHghmz6MMXVcTh/s1600-h/Canon+220.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuiLf_IGN2l9QBJKkkGsd8vjE1h9ysQPvdhA3bgDPRpMwinTg6DkmD6iJWsrvGJXrxIJs1sUf5SelaRtxoiSKXCAR1lfosWePV76bYTdUqOqTEdx5OMNh8IWYoBPwRabHghmz6MMXVcTh/s320/Canon+220.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321923315088508258" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W8h8BYd-g7-qWfauoXM925G6TJjrJnSRG6Ykd2ddz4_jLeZjiHAOhdEulD2jv-YkuiKOIKew48hZqFrOW-x87je6Wweh6qOxIlaQOcWjgN26nyCQOT-4sqOum3Nbk2zZ9zXH4MMsWpGN/s1600-h/Canon+263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1W8h8BYd-g7-qWfauoXM925G6TJjrJnSRG6Ykd2ddz4_jLeZjiHAOhdEulD2jv-YkuiKOIKew48hZqFrOW-x87je6Wweh6qOxIlaQOcWjgN26nyCQOT-4sqOum3Nbk2zZ9zXH4MMsWpGN/s320/Canon+263.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321923893250097170" /></a> The sails on the junks are purely ornamental, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqC4OQ89e8FbrqCrMJrEkWI2SWopIJKEn1WchBpkcc8ZWj4qxTSp3oG2-mDTQbAlnKfaT2rhRTo3i_D6C6ipFwfis7UOPbsYLhPDZhtiMvYmhmHVKx-5XRKLsKsWn-G3DJF7aEDs-jhYD/s1600-h/Canon+197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqC4OQ89e8FbrqCrMJrEkWI2SWopIJKEn1WchBpkcc8ZWj4qxTSp3oG2-mDTQbAlnKfaT2rhRTo3i_D6C6ipFwfis7UOPbsYLhPDZhtiMvYmhmHVKx-5XRKLsKsWn-G3DJF7aEDs-jhYD/s320/Canon+197.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321924757574271778" /></a> especially on the high-rent boats. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH21ofmZ6XGOP4-la5iXueqJy4MyLiJVrElroDC_OeV9Ua8jzRvM8KJ5HsaU-JSi_ljYI7lqWmyikH0VdCCd6mq-HajVsuVb0KQZjsaLyTZs2pj32AzgwS1ExOFh7OzgyPdVnliWyO4le/s1600-h/Canon+030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH21ofmZ6XGOP4-la5iXueqJy4MyLiJVrElroDC_OeV9Ua8jzRvM8KJ5HsaU-JSi_ljYI7lqWmyikH0VdCCd6mq-HajVsuVb0KQZjsaLyTZs2pj32AzgwS1ExOFh7OzgyPdVnliWyO4le/s320/Canon+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321925209501351666" /></a> Then there are some junks with other ornaments. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EMPaqzjLX8aLcRfRsnfXla78YCrwb_XzK5JO-aeahLlYXmGPJX-xkB0Wfvjj7ojc0A3ZF97oET8wwklnFa08t2z1Dg6uQb5v9_mX_u17tovgCYKiiIxCHeqx83FQEFB6oCNiXVtEl3Hk/s1600-h/Canon+029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EMPaqzjLX8aLcRfRsnfXla78YCrwb_XzK5JO-aeahLlYXmGPJX-xkB0Wfvjj7ojc0A3ZF97oET8wwklnFa08t2z1Dg6uQb5v9_mX_u17tovgCYKiiIxCHeqx83FQEFB6oCNiXVtEl3Hk/s320/Canon+029.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321925833362027234" /></a> We spent the first night on the junk, and it was the best night's sleep I have had since January 2005. I don't know if it was the slight movement of the boat rocking or the white noise of the water lapping at the sides of the boat, but I slept so much more soundly than I usually do. The next morning we noticed that the boat was listing a bit to starboard. We wondered whether we should be concerned when one of the crew members came to the upper deck and asked us all to shift to the port side and to move some of the furniture there as well. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtzK2Qh5demB2_PIAy9lQMso4KzctKT16JRd_dPrEQyRvHZCzcmFiP45xSfNZnxO7i9pbgSduBH0Ce_3tfPC8NvE0Lmtig3pBneRwvEkjNAkJv3HZRg-USBAT-cleUco3x7a1mW-aRnkR/s1600-h/Kodak+017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxtzK2Qh5demB2_PIAy9lQMso4KzctKT16JRd_dPrEQyRvHZCzcmFiP45xSfNZnxO7i9pbgSduBH0Ce_3tfPC8NvE0Lmtig3pBneRwvEkjNAkJv3HZRg-USBAT-cleUco3x7a1mW-aRnkR/s320/Kodak+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321926838163498050" /></a> One of the sons wondered whether we were essentially re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. We stopped wondering about it when those of us staying on the bay for a second day transferred to a smaller junk. As the Marguerite sailed away, we noticed that only one engine was working, which the physicists explained would make a boat list to one side.<br /><br />The second day was spent on or around Cat Ba Island, the largest island in Halong Bay and home to Cat Ba National Park. In the morning, we stopped at a very small port in order to cycle into a valley in the island's interior. This gave us our fist close-up view of rice paddies. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSpkCxA2CSbaeBOvlH-OlnLTwuSVkzxQFV91xK1B16zfkn8ToZq_lHgwGrecVnBCE6OvrFWWrsSGMatNQc0GRcMuZqBG9XFsdDViArJ7A_P7iHjYOt-YaLVfuXX83YtcXHLgTq4L3hdym/s1600-h/Canon+144.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSSpkCxA2CSbaeBOvlH-OlnLTwuSVkzxQFV91xK1B16zfkn8ToZq_lHgwGrecVnBCE6OvrFWWrsSGMatNQc0GRcMuZqBG9XFsdDViArJ7A_P7iHjYOt-YaLVfuXX83YtcXHLgTq4L3hdym/s320/Canon+144.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321928408834730978" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPayK9Vv7rJBjOa-L1CC1S7iR4iEN9oXJ3mRQH3jWi0UPNVefICKmFx8qnRkJVYMrBWaXGztWWZhJtzHYFSbqLSB-DuzmoNmrnF7UgkfdvhC8M-ymK3qqrfL-qZ-krua2CF_lthS8Z5VSs/s1600-h/Canon+147.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPayK9Vv7rJBjOa-L1CC1S7iR4iEN9oXJ3mRQH3jWi0UPNVefICKmFx8qnRkJVYMrBWaXGztWWZhJtzHYFSbqLSB-DuzmoNmrnF7UgkfdvhC8M-ymK3qqrfL-qZ-krua2CF_lthS8Z5VSs/s320/Canon+147.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321929670617268882" /></a> We also got our closest look yet at a water buffalo. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2OMBWbeQ5hnY1B0vUQmzCWqx1C-QXRunmP_kGhEuYpy9i5O3LnlpKHJy9rf0F66R3RQUBGqTK3v_KCr6gImsaiCsDW_l1AmNWQi6BQu-Eoc2MEWmEmnFPYSAcu5SPVo-RQVYO056IIAP/s1600-h/Kodak+030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2OMBWbeQ5hnY1B0vUQmzCWqx1C-QXRunmP_kGhEuYpy9i5O3LnlpKHJy9rf0F66R3RQUBGqTK3v_KCr6gImsaiCsDW_l1AmNWQi6BQu-Eoc2MEWmEmnFPYSAcu5SPVo-RQVYO056IIAP/s320/Kodak+030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321928754425350370" /></a> There were some mundane views <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfFxWkaxn0VHNyTm_RCTjZJ-WphOdHsuJOSlli4nkZHV1CqPEbwOcNp7QgPiN2d82PfkjMIOqsea0T8ieByGw9BU5o7eHlVecK6tObD4Q-y2K_IYS5eLladgnOd68DN1dcb_lZD5cgBe0/s1600-h/Canon+156.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfFxWkaxn0VHNyTm_RCTjZJ-WphOdHsuJOSlli4nkZHV1CqPEbwOcNp7QgPiN2d82PfkjMIOqsea0T8ieByGw9BU5o7eHlVecK6tObD4Q-y2K_IYS5eLladgnOd68DN1dcb_lZD5cgBe0/s320/Canon+156.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321930235553525122" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs-m46NPL3PTLRBi6BeKF6qavCr1Rw6n1IG0SyH0YPGDdscWtL078KGyJbF6QIBkNPHpep2BQyviu92CAPMh7tdTkgnAkrsbjPH_j-P5bSIjaJnOR8nBpF2kkNGkzvzGEqfDdiDrf7VCF/s1600-h/Canon+173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs-m46NPL3PTLRBi6BeKF6qavCr1Rw6n1IG0SyH0YPGDdscWtL078KGyJbF6QIBkNPHpep2BQyviu92CAPMh7tdTkgnAkrsbjPH_j-P5bSIjaJnOR8nBpF2kkNGkzvzGEqfDdiDrf7VCF/s320/Canon+173.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321930776552874018" /></a> as well as some more breathtaking ones. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y__FwvZAfOg7I_XBYVMsCV1YqBIyFlRZFnoLdSAHkmH7E0rUpglmHZgxs-rNjcyFiZYFyNyWNOBAJIy5BzZy0HGlAdswNjhpvBDru097RrvH29bp3jj41_m1Iq_U-3ebv65Y1nO8uMB_/s1600-h/Canon+178.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y__FwvZAfOg7I_XBYVMsCV1YqBIyFlRZFnoLdSAHkmH7E0rUpglmHZgxs-rNjcyFiZYFyNyWNOBAJIy5BzZy0HGlAdswNjhpvBDru097RrvH29bp3jj41_m1Iq_U-3ebv65Y1nO8uMB_/s320/Canon+178.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321931122509212082" /></a> <br />After lunch back on the boat, we spent the afternoon sea kayaking. We had passed an opening in one of the islands and asked the guide whether it would be possible to kayak through it and see what was inside. He said he thought the tides would be favorable, so off we went. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIkBiQsrNstjM6fUmISW0Bxx5tR50bwGwube6Xxsxj_rZjNcjNDGur9TiGIqzCoVENP4iDtVnmon_RAuzPzaqXs1Ns97lDzZ_wmFeyhyMd7L_D5VgtagWlzGnuBv8TB_MraexdqmZCXBO/s1600-h/Kodak+035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIkBiQsrNstjM6fUmISW0Bxx5tR50bwGwube6Xxsxj_rZjNcjNDGur9TiGIqzCoVENP4iDtVnmon_RAuzPzaqXs1Ns97lDzZ_wmFeyhyMd7L_D5VgtagWlzGnuBv8TB_MraexdqmZCXBO/s320/Kodak+035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321932543159889874" /></a> That's me in the front of the two-person kayak. The husband was in the back, with our point-and-shoot digital cameras double ziplocked for protection. We couldn't leave the boat without them since the second stop of the kayaking was to be at Monkey Island. Inside the opening was a very pleasant cove. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI0N8nb_EKhoTwnqLuVlSsltLupzCCeQYB0it_nBD0DBW5-vZH1Nsn6bGnBZEIFPYsyMDyOL952o4q82xAyN2tcca0ZNeRoWdqPmPtTMt1VlfOmYPMeExemHqO4Il-aDFUn-U2D_xfSYu/s1600-h/P1080595.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI0N8nb_EKhoTwnqLuVlSsltLupzCCeQYB0it_nBD0DBW5-vZH1Nsn6bGnBZEIFPYsyMDyOL952o4q82xAyN2tcca0ZNeRoWdqPmPtTMt1VlfOmYPMeExemHqO4Il-aDFUn-U2D_xfSYu/s320/P1080595.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321933370974136802" /></a> <br />Unfortunately, Monkey Island was, when we visited, without monkeys, though we heard from some other people that evening that the monkeys had been out when they visited earlier in the day. We heard what sounded like monkeys screeching in the vegetation, but none appeared to offer greetings. We did do some beachcombing, and found some pretty amazing shells. The husband also found some starfish <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGfATt8zYK_yTPMFmSE78hfmk19Xpc-edzDnfnkUPTpwP7GZkVhZZDP_2hV0ex04z4ZyP3hNBuSEwPe5fwlozpU-B_n45OP7Dv15G_CcZzgZskTNRw9EJmpWbOjuZ2NSF86MM-7HfTMRo/s1600-h/Kodak+046.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGfATt8zYK_yTPMFmSE78hfmk19Xpc-edzDnfnkUPTpwP7GZkVhZZDP_2hV0ex04z4ZyP3hNBuSEwPe5fwlozpU-B_n45OP7Dv15G_CcZzgZskTNRw9EJmpWbOjuZ2NSF86MM-7HfTMRo/s320/Kodak+046.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321934285744173858" /></a> and some trails of unknown origin. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Knywwpy2jCFXQwWRFSFnd1-a3993J6WYt3gxOFdLbGLJvmU66UCZmVqRg0uWFrPAgdIL63jFzGjcipXgfWm9pNakJH8P5qz38zlzmMnpaaX9w_TUz43RWCcxqE9TGzoFncupjAxP4hoT/s1600-h/Kodak+044.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Knywwpy2jCFXQwWRFSFnd1-a3993J6WYt3gxOFdLbGLJvmU66UCZmVqRg0uWFrPAgdIL63jFzGjcipXgfWm9pNakJH8P5qz38zlzmMnpaaX9w_TUz43RWCcxqE9TGzoFncupjAxP4hoT/s320/Kodak+044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321934891917460370" /></a> Monkeys would have made it better, but we weren't going to complain.<br /><br />More than one scene reminded us of the movie <span style="font-style:italic;">Waterworld</span>. Here are just a few. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYsFdCU8zwv0MhVfBWtbIIrDK48ZAsxOEvajhM-fY3Zkg2nG3KYALxYc20Se_JwAZ9WxdfHvJINuyTZ2uu2se1VeLvkCbR4DcCsj5vP8L6SiOZLn1ZYLubRkUT3VrkeiQFyC5ZvLB46jd/s1600-h/Canon+247.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIYsFdCU8zwv0MhVfBWtbIIrDK48ZAsxOEvajhM-fY3Zkg2nG3KYALxYc20Se_JwAZ9WxdfHvJINuyTZ2uu2se1VeLvkCbR4DcCsj5vP8L6SiOZLn1ZYLubRkUT3VrkeiQFyC5ZvLB46jd/s320/Canon+247.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321955751244717602" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq1sR0PUdzMRQyCh4QpOYjiNF93NovsJSwqAvBenTmhJlvNFxCg-MzP78LgPin2RMQYb32SRgdwSvLZgpmeMT2TScfrLBP9mykCv-KmaPD8tOiwq5iUkSh6Vva7t26zZrJXlA9AMY6dOo/s1600-h/Canon+248.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq1sR0PUdzMRQyCh4QpOYjiNF93NovsJSwqAvBenTmhJlvNFxCg-MzP78LgPin2RMQYb32SRgdwSvLZgpmeMT2TScfrLBP9mykCv-KmaPD8tOiwq5iUkSh6Vva7t26zZrJXlA9AMY6dOo/s320/Canon+248.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321956148618934194" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZPNpGjYuB6NogZDaGAJJLkOY7T7YXkS2ABYv_u_zb1Wg-S7QrbdPC-FMFvnY2Aagg24PM53KLVVK_TU0ltpMZo1OrXN3vu2QN0qi87Lq3kC1rtIluGqAE774DrrZEeOzhyxqYQyGO1kc/s1600-h/Canon+255.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZPNpGjYuB6NogZDaGAJJLkOY7T7YXkS2ABYv_u_zb1Wg-S7QrbdPC-FMFvnY2Aagg24PM53KLVVK_TU0ltpMZo1OrXN3vu2QN0qi87Lq3kC1rtIluGqAE774DrrZEeOzhyxqYQyGO1kc/s320/Canon+255.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321956511183548354" /></a><br /><br />After kayaking on the second day, we sailed to Cat Ba town, where we spent the night in a three-star hotel. After dinner, we walked to the darkened beach and had some fun with photography. You can see the results <a href="http://collegetheoretically.blogspot.com/2009/04/ghosts-of-vietnam.html">here</a>, on younger son's photo blog. This morning, we sailed back to Halong City before spending the afternoon on a bus back to Hanoi. We've already talked about whether it might be possible to come back and spend several days in the bay camping, traveling between islands by kayak. It might take some doing to arrange such a trip, but it would certainly be worth it.Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00551547836073871713noreply@blogger.com3