Hus av Turtle

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Vince and Janet's Wedding

It's spring and I look for flowers coming up every day now...crocus.

-Hyacinths.

-As I went downstate I passed the big trout in Kalkaska, and this was National Trout Festival weekend so I had to take a picture. It was from my car (not recommended).

-First on to downtown where Bruce and Jill met up with us.

-Michelle and Peggy.

-The illustrious Heather.

-The man of the evening - Nidal.

-How Bruce really felt about the drink they call "Washington Apples."

-Then on to the wedding the next day. This is the family gathering after the ceremony. Although not everyone, we still have got quite the crowd.

-Janet and Vince in the first dance.

-Mom and Claire in matching colors.

-Billy and Beth.

-Michelle, Jean and me.

-EVERYONE is on the dance floor for the polka in our family.

-Bringing the night in, Beth and Michelle.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Spring in Northern Michigan

Spring seemed to come when I came home...

-Grandma, always, sends Easter treats that she makes homemade for the holiday.

-Moon over Cheboygan.

-A beautiful cresent (waning).

-And a sign of spring...my first crocus bloom!

-A built up streambed that goes under US23.

-The big lakes were even thawing out. These are the pile ups (about 7-8 foot tall) on the shore by the bridge.

-And the boats were running...

-Then the true sign of spring...the last (maybe?) snowfall, over 1/2 foot, on Saturday morning.

-But those snows never last long. Sandy and I went for a walk in the high 40s (downright balmy...) and saw this immature bald eagle!

-Just on the other side was this guy...a bald eagle!

-And nice sunset scene at Gordon Turner park.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Odds and The End

The last post of the trip. Some odds and ends...

-Old City from the Citadel.

-Old City from the Mount of Olives.

-Beit She'an

-Beit She'an from the Tel.

-The Galilee.

-Caeserea (hippodrome).

-Jericho.

-Tel Aviv.

Some impressions:

-Lots of machine guns. Never felt like I was going to get hurt. Maybe it was because I was American.

-Much hillier than I ever imagine. Especially in Jerusalem.

-Israelis really like their clogs (crocs).

-Drivers use their bumpers and horns to drive.

-Checkpoints all over.

-Tension near Jerusalem. The coast feels like California.

-High heels, even at ruins!

-Dressing warmly, even when it's warm.

-Giant bottles of water.

-Drying up bodies of water.

-Ruins everywhere and everything is built on everything else.

-Fields of the kibbutzs, falafels on every corner, great citrus.

-After making it to Petra after an adventure getting there (actually Wadi Musa - Valley of Moses - the city at the entrance of Petra), I happened to be there on a night where they do a program - Petra at Night. So I got my tickets at the VC.

-Not too many pictures with the luminary lined Siq down to the Treasury. I did get this picture...

-...only to find that it was because they had a impromptu fire. No one was hurt. The tea, music and song continued (see you tube).

-It was pretty cool to walk the 1.5 miles down by the candles. Not much of a program, but the atmosphere was cool.

-The next day I got up early to get down as soon as possible. I walked through the Siq, lined by the gulley used for water in the past.

-Me in the Siq.

-And the first glimpse of the Treasury. One of the best views in Petra.

-Looking back at the Siq from the Treasury.

-The Treasury in the best light. Not really used for a treasury originally. The urn on top was supposed to be where the Egyptian pharaoh hid his treasure.

-People, of course, recognize this from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. There's really only empty rooms on the inside. Amazing outside.

-On to the Outer Siq with the theatre tombs and the streets of facades.

-The freestanding tomb.

-On of the openings to the tombs.

-The theatre.

-The colors of Petra.

-The largest tomb - the Corinthian Tomb.

-I found a path going up the side - so I started. It was long, but once started... I met a lizard along the way.

-The Theater from the top.

-A Beadouin was at the top and showed me another path to see the Treasury from the top of the East Cliff.

-You can also see Wadi Musa and the Beadouin village.

-My first of three long walks up to the top of something.

-More colors.

-The Urn Tomb.

-The East Cliff with the Royal Tombs.

-The City of Petra- during Roman times. The Grand Temple.

-The elephant topped columns.

-It was on to the Monestary. I decided to try riding a donkey up. Here he is, with his master, who really likes Bob Marley.

-The huge Monestary. Very impressive. Massive really.

-There were gasps from the crowd and I believe the guide up was with a kid and jumping from top to top. Then he played the flute.

-A little further up you could overlook the wadis...Little Petra and all.

-I finally got to the top, had to have a picture.

-The way up.

-With beautiful views.

-And camels below.

-The fortress and other buildings above the City.

-I saved my energy for the back way (wadi fusa) to the High Place of Sacrifice.

-Another long way up, but scenic vistas all along the way. Steps are my friend...I think I drank a gallon of water by this point.

-The High Place of Sacrifice. Not an impressive ruin, but a high place with great views. I got a bit turned around at this point. They said not to be high up after the sun goes down because of trying to get back in the dark. I found another gal from Ireland and we got down eventually. I could have stayed longer, but I was wiped out.

-The Royal Tombs.

-A great show of Petra colors.

-The Treasury after the light goes off it.

-Coming back through the Siq. Light is everything here.

-Leaving Petra and the Siq after over 10 hours of hiking. I didn't do much that night. Tons more pictures, but I will only subject you to a choice selection.