alma

I just finished a book called The History of Love. It featured an eccentric and impulsive little girl, who was quite likable. My favorite thing she thought was this, when with a boy she liked.

"An average of seventy-four species become extinct every day, which was one good reason but not the only one to hold someones hand."

Athens.

warning: following subject matter may be too beautiful for those with heart problems

I was awoken a few mornings ago by a pink glow coming in the window, as I never draw my shades at night hoping to enjoy the palatial lake view even in my slumber. It was 7:00am and normally not much can get me out of bed in a hurry. I did a sleepy double take before leaping off the end of the big bed and tumbling over to the window. The most wonderful sunrise I have ever seen was in the process of turning from a reddish orange to pink. From Kirkland to Renton, the sky was ablaze! I starting taking photos interspersed with wow!s and geez!es. What a great show. As the colors faded back to an ordinary blue I got back into bed and slept for another hour and a half.






Today I went up to get a closer view of the pass and snowshoe with some friends. It was lovely, lovely, lovely. I ran around, tried to sled on my bum and had grilled cheese and tomato soup from a thermos. I think I want some snowshoes. Next time I am taking my snow saucer. There were so many kids on sleds and dogs playing in the snow. I went up with Whitney, Nathan, Liz, Chris and Emily. Between that and snowboarding lessons starting next week, I may spend every day until work starts up with my new love, snowy mountains.

Maybe winter in Seattle isn't so terrible after all.

this is the end, my only friend, the end

They tell you not to take your first job offer, but I have done it anyway for the second time. I am no longer a free-flying, dreaming, blissful, drifter on funemployment. Well, not after the 26th of January anyway. I am the newest support staff member of Hough Beck and Baird. I negotiated, deliberated and ended up not being able to think of a reason not to take this offer. HBB is a 10 person firm doing a big variety of public and commercial work. I think it will be a good place. I think I will be busy, valued and learn a lot.

I had a difficult time picking up that phone and making the acceptance call. Commitment is more difficult the less you already have of it. It came down to me remembering something my brother said about marriage. That you could go on asking 'what if', forever. At some point you just make a decision to love a person, and do it. I wonder about those other firms. If their offers in January would have been better. No matter now, I am moving forward with the best I have. I have made a decision to be at HBB and will be there. At least for a few years. This is less serious than marriage. Thankfully.














Things will never be as easy as they were, right then, in Vietnam.

storm!

The state of emergency placed on my home can now be lifted. The situation has stabilized and I have returned from my refugee status. This photo is of what I have been seeing a lot of lately.

The night of the big wind storm '06, Claire and I had just returned from an evening of tooling around Fremont and being caught in the strongest rain shower I have ever seen. The streets were flooded, ravenous, class V rivers and sheets of water were blowing parallel to the sky. We parked the car and screamed with delight as we leapt across multiple bodies of water and got half soaked before we fell into the door of Cafe Ladro. We couldn't believe our eyes and stuck our faces up against the glass windows to watch the spectacle. We gasped and gaped and looked around the cafe for some wild-weather camaraderie. The shop was full of people, working away on their laptops. No one even looked up. You would have thought it was a perfect summer day the way people were non-responsive. Even the Barista looked uninterested and failed to comment on what was surely the most interesting thing of the day, happening at that very moment. Claire and I decided these people were obviously stiff or had lost their imaginations. The only response was a group Ctrl-S when the lights flickered.

After we returned home the wind was already blowing hard and shaking the house. We stayed up and sat in the massage chairs in my room, watching the tree tops blow. After a couple hours of sleep I was jolted awake in my bed as the house swayed under the pressure of gusts of wind. I got up and looked out the window to see the trees bending over and shingles flying off of roofs like confetti. I jumped back in bed and covered my head, trying to fall back asleep. I peeked out and stared over my covers at Bellevue, while the bed shook. The electricity surged and the clock radio turned itself on. Before I could get over to turn it off, everything went black. I looked out and saw the whole of the Eastside, black. I got so scared as the winds grew worse, that I ran to Claire's bedroom and jumped in bed with her. I thought maybe the roof would come clear off. We were both awake for the next 4 hours hearing trees fall, garbage cans fly and our window screens popping off. I wasn't sure we would make it through the night.

We did. The wind stopped and before it did I got so tired even the shaking house couldn't keep me awake. The last three days have been spent seeking out fallen trees, smashed cars, and general disaster, while calling around to evaluate electricity status. Claire and I both awoke with frozen brains the second morning, so we abandon ship and stayed at her parents' place. The electricity was finally restored after 72 hours, and we returned. It was all very exciting. Between the snow and the wind, I expect a small migration of those less tolerant from the city. Only the strong survive.

winter

This past weekend I traveled to Yakima in my own car. Over the pass and through the plains with 4 doors, 3 wipers, 2 side mirrors, and 1 functioning heater. Luxury. I visited Kristen, DJ and Melissa and we all went cross-country skiing. The mountains looked and felt great under the weight of snow and cold. Skiing was fun in spite of my ungraceful movements and lack of experience. Check out the road that my car navigated like it was dry asphalt!

My car needs a name. I can't find anything that fits, so feel free to offer suggestions under the comments. It's blue. A Loyale. Tough yet comfy. 4WD. Refined yet ugly and old...

Catering continues to surprise me. I had a house party last night in Medina. I forgot how rich people can be. So wealthy. The home looked like a catalog and a pristine BMW sat in the garage. The guests were fancy and snooty. Even the 10 year old girl who was helping the hostess bragged about her dress purchased in NYC and smiled at me in a way that I swear was condescending. All the women greeted each other by complimenting how one another looked. It was a real eye roller. It is tempting to covet seeing how pleasant the house looked, how yummy the expensive food was and how couture the shoes looked. Being rich would be easier. But if it meant being shallow and devoid of character, then I'll leave it. I think I prefer people with a little scruff and edge lining their depth. And that isn't even considering the 1/3 of the world living on less than $2 a day.

Today's trip photo is from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. This is the main plaza in this artsy desert town on the border with Bolivia. We sat and ate ice cream and watched the kids play soccer.

urban family thanksgiving

Last weekend was a smashing success. Many members of my urban family came over and we shared a most delicious meal. A few girls came over Friday night and we celebrated nothing at all with wine and a fire. Saturday, we visited the Urban Craft Uprising fair and celebrated Amanda's baby to be. Saturday evening, we all steamed, whisked, blended and baked one of my best thanksgiving meals yet. My turkey was nothing short of delicious, I am proud to report. Everything was so good and we had much to be thankful for. I'm so glad there are still enough of us around to make this event happen.

smooth move

My life as a catering employee continues with last night's party for Children's Hospital in a tall building in North downtown. I was wandering around as usual swooping in for dirty dishes and passing appetizers to people who felt uncomfortable taking food from a live person. About 300 people had showed up to drink and dine and celebrate the Hospital's 100th anniversary. Quiet filled the room and a short program began as we all gathered, ready to pass champagne for the big toast. I grabbed a tray with about 12 glasses on it and moved through the crowd, people no longer shy to take something from a live person. I returned to the galley to refill my tray and reach a few more people before the toasts were over.

I left the passageway from the kitchen as people raised their glasses for a second toast, this time for the newly introduced Mayor. I was moving fast when a large, sports coat clad back began to move towards me. I slowed and recoiled and sucked in air when I realized that the glasses were going down. In slow motion, my wrist fighting the crossfire of inertia, the first three glasses tipped forwards, all over the sports coat. Three of them fell off the tray while four others spilled onto me and made their way off my little round tray as well. CRASH! POP! SMASH! 7 of my 10 flutes blew into shards and mocked me as their pieces all floated in mid air before resting in a 12 foot radius.

The quiet of the room changed into a giant gasp that made my hair flutter and my tie shift. 'Ooh'...died out into an eerie silence while 600 eyes shifted to me. Maintaining my ever-fluid motions I whispered 'I'm sorry' as I moved from the curled recovery position into a spin back into the kitchen. I fled. I set down my tray and went to look for the dustpan, soaked in alcohol. The stunned silence of the room slowly melted away as the speaker cracked a joke and continued with their toasting. My colleagues swooped in and swept up and the party went on. Later a work friend told me that while I looked for the broom, the man came to the back for a towel, removed his jacket and revealed a 9mm gun strapped to his torso.

Nice one.

snow falling on subarus

This post-Thanksgiving weekend I traveled to Bellingham to attend a cousin's wedding and visit my Grandpa. It snowed a lot. Stephen and I went out into the woods to throw snowballs and clip cedar branches for a wreath and came back quite wet and cold.

Luckily the wedding reception was before the 1 foot dump of snow, so we made it. I think my well wishes for my cousin was maybe the third time I have spoken to him, ever. With 37 biological cousins, you can't be super close to all of them, regrettably.

Even though I hoped that we would get stuck in Bellingham, we didn't and I had to leave all of that lovely snow behind. Now it's snowing and raining, hailing and freezing in Seattle all at the same time. It's also totally dark at 5:12pm.

My spirits, however are very high. I have a new car! After a painfully long wait of 1.5 months, my little Subaru wagon is rebuilt and running strong. I picked her up today and we went to pass our emissions test and get some tabs. Then I took her right over to REI to hang out with the other wagons while I picked up a few gifts. I am pleased to have spent well less than half the money that I made from my Volkswagen, which means I can pay the bills a little longer in case this job hunt doesn't work out. I'm so excited to begin our new life together. 2006 Major Life Change #215, complete.

Mmmmmm

Thanksgiving was a success. I wasn't entirely sure it would be because this was the first time my family spent the holiday without dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins. This meant that the cooking was all up to us. I bossily picked out all the recipes, making me feel even more responsible for the quality of dinner.

It all turned out great. Everything was wildly delicious and we were all pleased. It tasted even better after around 4 hours on our feet in the kitchen and the knowledge that it was a fresh, preservative-free, all-natural meal. I couldn't believe how much work it was without the benefit of potluck distribution. Even as we sat down and looked at our turkey all ready to go, I thought about the next steps of making stock with the carcass and what I could do with the leftovers. I enjoyed all the work. It gave me a real sense of purpose for the day.

The company was great too. Just five of us, and we had fun. After I cut myself twice, burned myself once, closed the car door on my shoulder and dropped a just-filled salt shaker, I enjoyed the generous sympathy that only family is willing to give.

By 10:30pm, I finally got around to thinking about what I was thankful for. There were all the standard, yet no less important things like food, shelter, friends, health, adventure, nature and God's love. Beyond a healthy admiration for the world's design and the place of human beings in it, I thought of three personal things for this year.

1. I feel thankful for the freedom and fulfilment I had with my trip. It was all I really wanted to do, and I did it. It feels great.
2. Seattle and the Northwest. I am so excited to be living here again and renewing my vows with the region. I love the mountains, the water and the people here. Especially all of my people and my history.
3. I am thankful for feeling good about where I am in life. I am older, wiser and know what I want, more than ever. You may look at my lack of job, permanent housing, car or boyfriend and suggest otherwise, but you would be wrong.

Today's photo is of a church in Greece on the Island of Naxos. It was Easter time. Dreamy sunset!

happy birthday mark!

Birthday number two this week goes to Mark, my older brother. He has always been a great friend to me and I want to celebrate him today. Well, he's been a great friend recently. Now that I think about it, for the first half of our lives, he was pretty terrible to me. I know it takes two to tango, but we used to fight like cats and dogs and I have to hold him responsible for taking advantage of a younger sister with a short temper. We would fight over toys, games or for no reason at all. Every day our play would culminate into a chasing fiasco followed by a tangled wrestling match. I would scream for mercy, and that would be it. My mother mostly ignored us unless blood was drawn.

There were good times playing grocery store, engineer or dairy farmer before we started school. After years of fighting, one day when I started high school, we suddenly became friends. That was it, the fighting ended and we spent the next 7 years as good buddies. He would let me hang around his college roommates and I would download songs off of Napster and burn CDs for him.

Now he is happily married and provides comic relief and emotional support to the whole family. If it wasn't for Mark, we would all be more emotionally reclusive and too serious. He lightens up the mood and brings a fine dose of laughter and smiles to any situation. He loves to bike and works on making green energy a reality for all of us here in Seattle. He's a great guy and I'm so glad to have such a nice brother. Well, at least he turned out to be a nice brother. Happy Birthday Mark!

distractions

There are many distractions in a life where self-motivation is the only motivation to accomplish anything. Lately, I have struggled the most with:

1. Massaging recliners with views of Mt Rainier.








2. Library books with titles like : Love in Idleness

3. Yoga videos here at the house with weirdo instructors














Melissa was here this past Friday. You remember Melissa, don't you? She came over for an interview and we had a day to catch up a little, scour the goodwill outlet and commiserate on the end of the trip. Claire and I also tried to make the house as appealing as possible so that she will come back and move in one day.














Here's the trip photo for today. Thailand is a nice place. Don't you want to take a swim?

happy birthday mom!

Today is my mother's birthday. She's a really nice mom. She's also a really nice wife. And a nice sister. Pretty great aunt and daughter too. I'm going to guess she's a good cousin and niece. I don't know anyone who doesn't like her. Pretty soon she'll be the perfect grandma. I am not sure how she can do all those things so well.

Ann is smart and creative. She's a great photographer and writer. She makes great cinnamon rolls and cookies. She enjoys adventure and the steady life. She is so capable and efficient, but never overbearing. You should meet her, you'll like her too. Probably not as much as I do though because I think she's the greatest. Happy Birthday mom! I hope you like the chocolate cake I made you. I love you!

housewifery

Did I mention lately that I am living the dream? THE dream. I am a stay-at-home, work-from-home housewife with no husband, children or mortgage. I chit chat with neighbors, take brisk afternoon walks or jogs and am immersed in craft projects and Christmas gift creation. I think a lot about what to fix for dinner. It's really nice to be able to "rush" through a novel, 3 hours a day for 4 days in a row so that I can return it on time to the library.

I do try and get up early. I work on my writing daily. I work on my portfolio for job applications. My social calendar is filling out. Claire and I have people over.

All defenses aside, I love my life right now. It's a lot of fun. If only these days could go on forever. Maybe I could marry well...

I don't have any photos of me at home being lazy or productive. I will instead share a trip photo. Maybe I will post one here and there to help us all remember the glory days before the glory days. These are Kenyan kids in the village I stayed in Way Out There.

run heidi

-“When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go, you know, I went.”
-“And so, you just ran?”
-“Yeah.”

Now you would probably believe me if I told you, but my sister can run like the wind blows. She ran 26.2 miles through the streets of New York last Sunday. She woke up at 4:30 and I took her picture before she went to Staten Island to await the start of the race in a freezing cold field. I took the morning to walk out on the Brooklyn Bridge and marvel at its beauty and then began to subway it around the city in hopes of catching Heidi and cheering her on. I never did see her for my hours of neck craning and tiptoes, but I saw her in spirit. There are so many people running, you would have to arrange meeting points along the way. The race is really about running though, and not hanging out with spectators.

She finished the race in good time, she barely walked and got a cool medal. The grumpy new yorkers would light up when they saw her wearing it for the rest of the day. People offered her cuts in line, seats and congratulations at every turn. I’m so proud of her for running. She said it was the most painful, difficult thing she’s ever done. Lance Armstrong said the same thing after he finished the race.

Our pre and post race time in the city was a blast. We stayed with my great friend Liz, an International Affairs graduate student at Columbia. We went all out each day, packing in almost every neighborhood in Manhattan, the Empire State Building, museums, Rockefeller Center, specialty stores, parks and probably around 30 subway trips.

My favorite things were Central Park, Paley Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and Francesco’s Pizzeria. The weather was clear and chilly, with fall color and blue skies. I was thoroughly exhausted on the way home, we had been so busy. Seeing Liz was just like the old times before I left for my trip in January. I liked New York in a lot of ways. It was so great to see the buildings, the bustling and the old feel of an East Coast city. In the end, it was too crowded for me. At home, I like to shop at 11pm so that I have the grocery to myself. Being in Manhattan is a constant effort to weave through crowds, wait in lines, find places to sit and stay out of everyone’s way. Seattle seems so peaceful in comparison and I relax just thinking about it.

the lake house

I've made my first flight out of the nest all over again. I spent my first night back in Seattle. A housesitting job has started up in Madrona that will last until March. The house is great. A big lake view, a big king size bed, and a big screen TV. It's going to be luxury. While the decor is slightly...different than what I would do with a fine old craftsman on a colorful dead-end street above Lake Wa Blvd, it's just a detail that I can live with. I have party planning underway, and hope that everyone can visit me here. Upon arrival this afternoon, I found a beer in the fridge and celebrated 2006 Major Life Change #214.

I have also begun catering again for the outfit that I worked for in college. It's a little weird because I feel like I am back in college again, but that's not all bad. It fits with my alternative lifestyle right now. I pretty much live like I am in college, minus all those pesky classes and exams. I get to wear a men's black tie, white shirt, and long apron. I have never worn a tie before. They are horrible and I am sorry for men the world over. However, they are not as uncomfortable as nylons, so I don't want to hear too much complaining. The leftover food is great and the money can be better than my old design job on a good day.

lactic acid trip

This past Sunday I went hiking with my friend Chris. We went up to Melakwa Lake, on the Denny Creek trail. I was pleasantly surprised with sunny blue skies and fall leaves not yet fallen. My legs are hurting quite badly now. It was steep and I could barely keep up with Chris. He reasoned it was his vegan diet that gave him massive energy and I claimed chocolate chip cookies for my wheezing. We made it up fast and enjoyed an icy cold lunch by the lake.

I was overjoyed to be back in the woods and didn't want to come back down. I kept stopping to admire the plants and make Chris look out at the fiery slopes and blue-green vistas. We enjoyed good conversation and expressed our sadness at my friend (Chris's girlfriend) Liz's recent move to NYC. Its been strange not having her around.

There has been a wee exodus of my friends from Seattle to New York this year. I don't know what the deal is. I'm going to find out next week though. I will accompany my sister to the city while she runs the marathon and I give her a piggy-back afterwards to our hotel. I vowed not to get on an airplane again until at least summer, but this is an exciting exception. I haven't been there except for a crazed 6-hour layover run from New Jersey to Times Square. It'll be so cool to see my sister run, to lay my feet on Central Park soil and to see Liz.

rubber and the road

I just submitted my very first article for publication. I sent it to an online women's travel magazine. They pay $35 if they use it. Not exactly a living wage, but a beginning. Wish me luck.

i will

High heels, shivering girls, cake and dancing. Last Saturday was the wedding of my dear friend Kerri. She was a roommate at my last house, for the first year. We got along great from the beginning. She appreciates my humor and I appreciate her ever-positive and loving outlook on life. I feel lucky that I got to live with her and get to know her, because judging by her 8 bridesmaids, she has a lot of friends. She is so caring, so kind, and so genuine. I think everyone that meets her wants to be her best friend. She's just that comforting and fun. I am happy for her.

My fellow guests spanned the range of that year we spent together. Kerri's friends and family, and people that we all met during that time. 2004 was really good for me. My job had only sucked for one year at that point instead of two. I was getting along with all my friends. We made the best of living together, for example, kicking off the first annual Urban Family Thanksgiving. We watched Bridget Jones 100 times and the whole Felicity series in one month flat. I felt very nostalgic and a bit sad that so much has changed. Not that much has changed for me personally, but two of those roommates are married, several close friends have moved away, our beloved old house was sold and we were kicked out and forced to travel the world.

Change comes as sure as the rain, and here we are. Scattered and older and full of good memories. Melissa and I will carry on the torch (and the original coffee maker purchased in 1999) from here, eventually settling back into our Seattle lifestyle. I hope that the coming years are as great as those past. I don't see why they can't be. For me life has only gotten better every year since about age 16.

fall in the suburbs

Here it is! This is what I drive now. Its great, I'm so high up I can see two blocks down the road. I can pull in front of anybody and the 4 wheel drive lets me spin wild doughnuts in the fields and meadows. I can fit my bike in standing up behind the driver's seat or 4 friends and all of their stuff. Now when I travel I can bring every piece of sporting equipment that I own, just in case. I finally see what so many Americans love about SUVs!

Two days ago I went for a bike ride. I rode on the Burke Gilman to Redmond. Mid-week at 11am, there aren't too many other people on the trail. It was warm and beautiful and I loved the feeling of the asphalt whirring under my tires. Riding alongside the farms in the Sammamish Valley is great. I am jealous of those urban farmers. Best of both worlds (except maybe for developers trying to buy your land all the time. that would be horrible).

I enjoyed the ride and the exercise so much, I got my sister to come along and ride with me again the next day. We decided that next time she would bring her ID and we would stop into the Red Hook Brewery before heading home. As long as I am free from work, I think I will ride my bike everyday until it gets nasty and cold.

P.S. That is not my car. I am just borrowing it from my brother who borrows it for tailgating at Husky games. I think it's a terrible car that costs 50 cents to drive a mile, and thats only for gas. It is quite entertaining to drive, except that I feel like I may run over a Karmann Ghia without knowing it.

it's too late, baby

Today I broke up with my car. She was driven away and won't be coming back. I feel defeated. I once thought that I would keep that car forever. I would fix and restore and love on it until the end of my days. I did fix and restore and love on it for the last two years. It was a symbol of my idealism and I poured my efforts into it. My old car made me feel good about myself in the same distorted way a rich man feels about his new BMW.

Perhaps my priorities have shifted since then. I want to be mobile. I have never had a car that I could trust to get me over a mountain pass, or across the country. I want to be warm and dry inside it in the winter. I want to fit my friends in and have them be comfortable and not afraid. I don't want to see rain in the forecast and think first about my car flooding and second about the trees that need water. All of these things have eclipsed my desire to restore a fabulous old thing to its glory. I didn't have it in me to put up with it anymore.

My conflict of interest is confusing. I am not sure why I decided to sell it now or even why I bought it. No matter my emotions, it's on its way now to a new life. A life with a 17 year old high school boy who is too tall to even fit inside it. He must have powder blue stars in his eyes like I did. I will not miss the lack of defrost, the puddles which formed after a few rainy days and the suspension that always made me wish I was wearing a sports bra. I will miss and always remember how little kids would shake their mom's hands, smile and point to me as I drove by. I suppose that will always be my reaction too when I see a Ghia drive by. A toast to my car: the best looking thing I will ever drive.















It used to be so easy drivin round with you
You were light and breezy
And I knew just what to do
Now you look so rusty
And I feel like a tool

And it's too late baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and
I can't find it
And I just can't fix it

There'll be good times again for me and you
But we just can't stay together
Don't you feel it too
Still I'm glad for what we had
And how I once loved you

rocky mountain arsenal

I am currently working on one of many side jobs that are keeping me afloat financially. This one is inputting addresses of military bases for a marketing list. It's super boring, just like it sounds.

I was looking at a place called the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado. This is the base history: "Land purchased for production of chemical weapons during WWII, site used for reconditioning and demilitarization of mustard shells. Korean War production of white phosphorous-filled munitions and incendiary cluster bombs. Production of GB nerve gas here. Disposal of chemical warfare material here. Current mission, contamination cleanup. FUTURE CLOSURE: will become National Wildlife Refuge upon completion of remediation."

Yikes! So are we talking around year 2700 when the land will be remediated enough for wildlife? Or maybe 3000?
I won't even list the current visitor attractions. Note to self and others: stay away from Commerce City, Colorado, 10 miles NE of downtown Denver.

the westside

My brother and sister-in-law have taken a mini break to California. This leaves me to the dutiful task of housitting. Staying here is like a fun hotel retreat for me. The house is cozy and nice, the computer is fast and I have my own space. I am working on my stories, relaxing and getting some exercise. Just today, I put on my $40 jeans, an old yellow t-shirt I got for free and my REI techie jacket and paced the length of Alki beach. I wanted some fresh air and time to clear my head. I was glad that the beach was deserted except for a few couples, some older people and a mom or two.

After my walk I decided that Seattle is a strange place. Despite my unwashed appearance, two dudes whistled and waved to me from their banged up, white contractor vans and another numbskull honked and pumped his fist at me from the driver's seat of his grandma's white pontiac. Maybe they had their summertime bikini volleyball glasses on and didn't realize what they were seeing. The other blunder happened when some guy walked in front of me with a cardboard tray of fries and a swarm of seagulls around his head. I hate it when people feed seagulls, especially when it makes them come closer to me and threaten pooping on my head. Luckily, I ducked out of the flock unharmed.

Someone is coming to look at my car tomorrow. It still hasn't sold. The market for ancient cars is smaller than I anticipated, but patience is key. Some jerk keeps offering me way too little cash, on the spot, if I sell it to him. He would probably make a lousy owner anyway. He can keep his trite sum and I will wait. For a while longer anyway.

top ten list

Here are my top ten most ridiculous trip photos. The world is a funny place and it's rarely captured on film. It's a lot funnier than these pictures, but this is the best I could do with my, now broken, digital point-and-shoot.













Hello Spain! The last time I wore white pumps was dressing up at my friend's house in her sister's homecoming gowns in 1992. And the last time I wore my hair feathered and permed was...well that never happened, thank the Lord.



















Anyone feeling threatened? Mess with Greece and find these fellas across the front lines. I'm not sure if the white cotton tights, the skirts, the red clogs or the long fringe tassel on the hat that is most remarkable. This changing of the guards is by far more interesting than that in London. And after these guys get into place, a helper soldier comes over and straightens their fringe!















The ugly truth about tourism. For everytime I patiently waited for people to exit my view finder frame, I should have taken a photo just like this. Angkor Wat was one of the most difficult places to take photos as it is more overrun with plodding tourists than wild jungle vines.















Who says colonialism is dead? This is what happens when Western tourism brings it's own culture and customs and forces them on unsuspecting nations of squatters. I'd like to see some holes in the ground with instructional signs in Yellowstone. It only seems fair.




















Bling! I wonder if some of this flair can be ordered from Lowrider Magazine? Indian truck drivers seem to know a thing or two about customizing.




















I wasn't quite sure of the risk here. Either there was some general danger of cars platform diving or else some fan of Harold and Maude lived nearby this cliff in Ireland. Your guess is as good as mine.



















Gotta love the Italians! If they don't have it going on, who does? Freedom of expression takes on a whole new light.















Here's an Austrian guy about to ride an ostrich. Ha. Go easy on the tail feathers!




















The only thing better than a tricked out Indian semi truck is a masterfully airbrushed Bolivian bus. Melissa is waving from behind the blue guy's head, but you can't see her. I think the Greyhound could learn a bit about creative marketing from this outfit.


















Meditation and lasers, together at last. I think the Brahma Kumaris new age-cult, based in India, is really on to something special. Come to think, I'm not sure if the mega-churches in the Southern U.S. are that much different, actually.