tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29186709192690764122024-03-14T10:58:05.393-05:00Knapp Adventure BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-25864269653836722182020-03-22T11:24:00.001-05:002020-03-22T11:24:55.390-05:00Quarantine and Chill?<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3Xe_yx73qDXJxR3jfW3tZoAuSQKTZJyptvqIDrmLnEiyj3xFn7wCGTOFOFOl9uqBe6Sb0jY9D_2fa07LzXg8xDC3JZUGw1YMVR-Zgx3ayLc5PhSPntHzno1lIKhPT-YEKRcct_uPbx0/s1600/IMG_1724-795440.jpeg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3Xe_yx73qDXJxR3jfW3tZoAuSQKTZJyptvqIDrmLnEiyj3xFn7wCGTOFOFOl9uqBe6Sb0jY9D_2fa07LzXg8xDC3JZUGw1YMVR-Zgx3ayLc5PhSPntHzno1lIKhPT-YEKRcct_uPbx0/s320/IMG_1724-795440.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6807069172276817266" /></a></p>Live action shot from the house project.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-44290008002986206972020-03-20T09:49:00.000-05:002020-03-20T09:49:42.089-05:00I'm not panicking. I'm not panicking. You're panicking. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZrjFXKAszjP8Tr2AGXtdZALKq9op1W2I3vENVNfBvvsFX0iAFhpfIMsPx5gCUWuPrJJl4KNGBxMOlvSPlt8bDASUhI1Ph228sbYq1UeVxLrUxM3mgbO3VJi-APQuOStaT_B0rhY_s38/s1600/IMG_1610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZrjFXKAszjP8Tr2AGXtdZALKq9op1W2I3vENVNfBvvsFX0iAFhpfIMsPx5gCUWuPrJJl4KNGBxMOlvSPlt8bDASUhI1Ph228sbYq1UeVxLrUxM3mgbO3VJi-APQuOStaT_B0rhY_s38/s400/IMG_1610.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I'm totally panicking. Since my last post the entire world has changed dramatically. Courthouses are closed with most hearings kicked or moving telephonic, which has resulted in a frenzy of conference calls and other logistical scrambling. Megan is a public health researcher and an ABD PhD student, so we have WAY too much knowledge and information to feel very confident right now. On top of all that, we commenced a second job as school teachers (and, by the way, actual teachers are heroes and deserve all the love / respect / funding on the planet). Day-to-day life is very INTENSE these days.<br />
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Meanwhile, we continue our efforts to resuscitate a 120-year old house we are desperate to inhabit while watching a daily shifting landscape of closures and restrictions. We have a looming fear that a "shelter in place" order will come down bringing the project to a halt. <a href="http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/">Given COVID-19 trends in New Orleans</a>, we anticipate it's not an "if" but a "when" situation. Being generously receptive to our anxiety, <a href="https://www.dalipaintingandrenovations.com/">our painting contractor</a> is putting forth a Herculean effort to see this project completed. We've been putting in whatever efforts we can to facilitate progress, most recently spending hours in the painstaking removal of thousands of carpet staples from the staircase:<br />
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I realized my panic had grown a bit out of control yesterday after I lost my mind on a call with Lowe's. For context, the master bedroom closets are carpeted. Pretty small space. Naturally we're interested in replacing and refreshing the carpet, which had been a minor punchlist item for who-knows-when. But now in the face of imminent potential SHUT DOWN OF EVERYTHING, I commenced a carpet panic buying process. On Monday, while at Lowe's for supplies, I requested immediate carpet replacement. They informed me that measuring the space should come first. Fair enough. We arranged for measuring the next morning. I was told I'd get a call back to finalize the order, but no call came. So yesterday I began haunting the phones. I finally reached someone who helpfully explained I could get any carpet I would want in one to two weeks. <br />
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Then an eye witness (ok, Megan) tells me I near-shouted the following line: "WE DON'T HAVE ONE OR TWO WEEKS. IT'S ALL GETTING SHUT DOWN. I NEED CARPET TOMORROW."<br />
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The guy at Lowe's was remarkably gracious in the face of my insanity. He invited me into the store to pick from what they had in stock. I raced down Jefferson Highway and moments later selected a carpet called--and I kid you not--NOTORIOUS GAUCHO. If I ever make it in the Latin American hip hop scene, you will find me by that pseudonym. <br />
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So carpet install is slated for Monday. I'm hoping we are getting the top layer on the upstairs floors shortly thereafter, which would put us living in the house NEXT WEEK. Time will tell. <br />
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Stay safe, folks. These are serious times, and we all benefit if folks stay at home. High hopes we'll be staying at home from the new home very, very soon. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-71461369520690178472020-03-09T21:38:00.002-05:002020-03-09T21:40:51.375-05:00Order and ProgessThe distractions of carnival season coupled with the house project left me little time to tend to the blog. However, we now have some real signs of progress. The house has functioning electricity, no more holes in the walls, AC (although not quite heat), and even internet service! We don't exactly have running water right now, but that's a story for another day.<br />
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For now, let's document the progress. Megan has focused on restoring some of the historic hardware, such as these plates on some 120 year old pocket doors, which polished up nicely:</div>
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The more dramatic progress appears upstairs. We removed some purple carpet to reveal viable hardwoods. As of today, those are repaired, sanded, and awaiting stain: </div>
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However, the part of the house where I feel the change the most is in Hattie's future room. The room has been hard work by all. Electricians struggled to remove some particular pesky wiring, resulting in more holes than in most other rooms. The paint and patch crew then had to deal with the aftermath. Meanwhile, we took the laboring oar in removing window treatments and an old window air conditioning unit (which was then followed by Megan dangling precariously out of the second floor window to hack apart caulk in order to close the window for the first time in probably 40 years). The room is really coming along.</div>
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More to come . . . </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-41466203090541950532020-02-12T13:49:00.002-06:002020-02-13T09:43:46.630-06:00Area Codes (I've Got Holes)The first stage of our project requires a certain degree of destruction. This process has been somewhat painful. We've taken something functional and made it temporarily not functional at all. But the most destructive project--removal of knob-and-tube wiring--was unavoidable. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob-and-tube_wiring">Knob-and-tube</a> debuted around 1880 and became obsolete by the late 1940s. As best we can tell, no insurance company wants any association with the stuff anymore because of its tendency to catch fire should even the tiniest rat find the need to gnaw a wire. And let me tell you--<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWWKyKBfd78">this city's rats are anything but tiny</a>.<br />
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Fortunately, only about two-thirds of the house had knob-and-tube. The back of the house includes additions from the 1990s, so we had some viable wiring. The original part of the house actively used knob-and-tube until the day of our closing. However, with a high interest in keeping the home insured, we had to commence re-wiring immediately.<br />
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There are a couple of different approaches to K-and-T removal. Some contractors will recommend a to-studs remodel. While that process makes the rewiring itself faster and easier, it creates much more destruction and risks damaging some of the historical character of the house. <a href="https://www.billschellelectric.com/">We found a contractor who works extensively in older homes and takes a less invasive approach</a>. They've been sparing in their cuts, preserved material, identified risks, and, even better, worked very quickly. Still . . . I've got holes . . . I've got holes . . .<br />
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The process has provided some discoveries. On a personal level, I've discovered that having holes in most of my walls makes me uneasy. I will never take an unperforated section of sheetrock for granted again. Aside from anxiety, the discoveries have been interesting. Many of the cuts reveal lath and plaster work, often with sheetrock right on top. The plaster walls the intensity of the care and labor involved in their construction. It's unsurprising to see them holding up well after 120 years. We found at least one case of a knob-and-tube light fixture suspended from an old gas line that would have once supplied a gas fixture that likely pre-dated the knob-and-tube. Fortunately the gas line was defunct, but apparently it is not uncommon in the older houses to find electricity running right on those old lines.<br />
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But I'm not done talking about holes . . . the other substantial hole in our lives rests under the house. The K-and-T removal is our biggest project, but the second biggest project is HVAC replacement. The old units in the house included components manufactured by Chrysler (and if you are curious, <a href="https://www.allpar.com/corporate/airtemp.php">I found an interesting history of Chrysler's journey in and out of climate control products</a>, which oddly enough includes a role in uranium enrichment for the first nuclear bomb). Amazingly the units still functioned but with enough deterioration that replacement proved essential. While the one in the attic presented no access issues, another unit lived under the house . . . in a narrow crawl space . . . made less accessible by decades of silt and plant growth. Hence, the need for another big hole (and occasional swimming pool depending on the rain).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs7XAt6r51BIA1aTA4njDtxf9DHRScPPJS5jlo9GgXz90DPAG00KUUKuab2cCsi_6mTZXdE19DQFrNPR2a0zoqCsy4HpDacojyHa-TYHrH0OSbFFBcaEEYEJkbktrZiwkSEuC3aRpXWg/s1600/Kids+under+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrs7XAt6r51BIA1aTA4njDtxf9DHRScPPJS5jlo9GgXz90DPAG00KUUKuab2cCsi_6mTZXdE19DQFrNPR2a0zoqCsy4HpDacojyHa-TYHrH0OSbFFBcaEEYEJkbktrZiwkSEuC3aRpXWg/s320/Kids+under+house.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The underground tunnel is the kids' favorite feature of the house, and they have begged me to keep it in place as the ultimate cranny for hide-and-seek. Much to their disappointment, the HVAC work is nearly finished, and this hole will be vanishing soon. I have high hopes the rest of the holes in the house will be gone by Mardi Gras. We will see . . .<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-76024566614629736972020-02-11T13:29:00.000-06:002020-02-11T13:29:40.104-06:00A Domestic Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXRHpQCwdVys1b36FELruPgmSgqIHZoNMSB9TssTt2Y2-S1y_osY4Qv4InzymbL3BUgxFgaBZ8jshz3-vMKCFjHNqMKEQQFf0iW7xm0dhcmWWxhxka7AXBoKlkzAwO3BW5Dkmoc3zOe8/s1600/IMG_1532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXRHpQCwdVys1b36FELruPgmSgqIHZoNMSB9TssTt2Y2-S1y_osY4Qv4InzymbL3BUgxFgaBZ8jshz3-vMKCFjHNqMKEQQFf0iW7xm0dhcmWWxhxka7AXBoKlkzAwO3BW5Dkmoc3zOe8/s320/IMG_1532.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This poor blog has withered in the whirlwind of work commitments, kid commitments, and the continuous revelry of New Orleans. But now we find ourselves in the middle of a serious project, and I have fielded enough interested questions from friends and family to realize that others are closely following along. So, I've dusted off the old Blogger login and decided to bring this space back to life.<br />
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We recently sold our beloved 1914 double shotgun on Laurel St. with an aim to having a little more room for our growing kids, a need that seemed suddenly urgent as we hosted a hurricane party (Barry) and found ourselves quickly out of space. The house we found was built in 1900, a sturdy Victorian sitting a bit over a block from St. Charles Avenue on Arabella. The melodious rumble of the streetcars reaches the front porch. It's classic, and it's quintessentially New Orleans. We're in love.<br />
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All that said, if we've learned anything in our time in this city, it's that maintenance needs exceed those of many other places. Structures are older and quirkier with layers of historical changes, half-hearted repairs, necessities mothering strange invention. A house inspection borders on archaeology. The heat, humidity, and creepy crawlies ravage wood. The city is called the Big Easy for so many reasons, but this aspect of the city is not easy at all.<br />
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But we wanted it this way. We spent months wandering open houses and evaluating options. Many places have been beautifully restored, but such care comes at a premium. Other places proved hastily restored, which leaves the specter of hidden trouble down the road. Our ideal scenario was an old house in need of some work that we could really make our own. We finally found it.<br />
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So here we are with the great adventure ahead. We're deep into the work already, and I aim to chronicle some aspects of the transformation--the discovery of the massive attic cistern, the coat closet that may have housed a WWII-era kitchen, ancient wallpapers, and knob and tube wiring. In the meantime, here's a picture of the house from around 1907. I can only hope that by the end of this we will be entertaining our friends in such style.<br />
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<img src="http://nutrias.org/~nopl/photos/recent/morerecent20/recent1076.jpg" height="310" width="400" /><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-15818383839763091052016-07-28T07:08:00.001-05:002016-07-28T07:08:43.675-05:00Lourmarin, Provence<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFk1MwfQv95oZE3-3qjr0bRsw8lC9vIChtIb3pKgHBfT0fbWGNhoNF3ESSE2-NA4D3W5jwIsGwQev6lpLNZ0OnGwhwELKDPwvJfONLmfLizVQIQw7l3CGLqm9tW6DJCkU5M5p34Ohyphenhyphen9tc/s1600/IMG_3077-723676.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFk1MwfQv95oZE3-3qjr0bRsw8lC9vIChtIb3pKgHBfT0fbWGNhoNF3ESSE2-NA4D3W5jwIsGwQev6lpLNZ0OnGwhwELKDPwvJfONLmfLizVQIQw7l3CGLqm9tW6DJCkU5M5p34Ohyphenhyphen9tc/s320/IMG_3077-723676.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6312346609846968530" /></a></p>I'm going to light our guidebook on fire. It led us on a hunt for a silly little fountain in Aix. Now it told us that Lourmarin, the charming town in the distance, was basically an ok place for a car to breakdown and while stuck there go see some chateau.
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<br>So we rolled into town thinking we'd see a chateau and move onto the next town. Au contraire. This town is awesome. It's really got everything. Great little cafes. Excellent art galleries. Charming, narrow lanes. The grave of Albert Camus. Really everything.
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<br>We wandered. We saw the chateau. I paid respects to Camus, recalling a study abroad summer where I read his entire works over espresso and angst. We dined at a great little patio on garden fresh tomatoes while watching the world scurry by. We nearly bought some extremely dark modern art (but passed upon reflection and with full stomachs).
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<br>Anyway, Lourmarin is wonderful. Tonight we dine at Cucuron and then onward tomorrow to cooking class.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-27497557460912175322016-07-28T01:25:00.001-05:002016-07-28T01:25:38.000-05:00Truffle Hunt at Las Pastras<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad46UOn-huw3QdDD64y7XJN5ZHl5bsOLTYjQru5qmEpowUjSMyNbzrSspdfU9idNiVC7dYHuxeu6yQhGaakC6fbD80AQb_Eu2656-UkcsSxMqyR5SwJXo-ZQgAMxyzJl5MhdTW0FV_DA/s1600/IMG_3058-738001.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad46UOn-huw3QdDD64y7XJN5ZHl5bsOLTYjQru5qmEpowUjSMyNbzrSspdfU9idNiVC7dYHuxeu6yQhGaakC6fbD80AQb_Eu2656-UkcsSxMqyR5SwJXo-ZQgAMxyzJl5MhdTW0FV_DA/s320/IMG_3058-738001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6312258196289951058" /></a></p>A weigh in of the day's haul. We discovered that the highest and best use of the truffle is truffle ice cream drizzled with truffle honey.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-68791701172447409502016-07-28T01:23:00.001-05:002016-07-28T01:23:03.541-05:00ProvenceWe have made it to Provence. We spent yesterday wandering Aix-en-Provence. Lunch of steak frites at an outdoor cafe once frequented by Cezanne, Zola, and Picasso. Wandered by an assortment of fountains, some mossy, some not. Then drove down smaller and smaller country roads until arriving at a beautifully restored 17th century farmhouse. The designer who brought the place back to life managed a perfect balance of preserving the integrity of the structure while tying in modern art and furnishings. The place is captivating.
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<br>Last night we traveled to Las Pastras in Cadenet for a truffle hunt. The tour was fascinating, and I have a renewed appreciation for this remarkable food. At the end of the tour we gorged on truffle as the sun set over the olive fields and vineyards. We will savor the memory of this experience for some time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-4605595736151166022016-07-25T00:53:00.000-05:002016-07-25T00:57:05.623-05:00Eze<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGb4d1mkMqV9yxQF36HnUUOno7mymHZr3L_prRoWOmy4aRtpOoluBFm7s_GcyoqKa1X7k8i8CZ4XbNlpTsOR_j1F4L-zeS2t94prDyQMpWrIqZfkaowBUBjfOagQdCLA8Kx5jgMxMPUc/s1600/IMG_2936-725624.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGb4d1mkMqV9yxQF36HnUUOno7mymHZr3L_prRoWOmy4aRtpOoluBFm7s_GcyoqKa1X7k8i8CZ4XbNlpTsOR_j1F4L-zeS2t94prDyQMpWrIqZfkaowBUBjfOagQdCLA8Kx5jgMxMPUc/s320/IMG_2936-725624.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6311137587487419282" /></a></p>Eze is stunning. The view below is from our balcony where we sit this morning with the smell of croissants coming from the kitchen below. Strong smells of lavender and olive otherwise dominate the air here. Yesterday we managed to pull ourselves from just staring at this scene to take a long walk down to the village. The meandering brick paths give the place a storybook feel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-6429041115526364772016-07-24T02:23:00.001-05:002016-07-24T02:23:53.331-05:00London<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGL36CB3joeX5HxHD0HHspK075Mi0lrXXT_oJRAJNRWbyBHhHNQs66WqS-REQkr9fL7pVCx9WM9X5zqcoBZLgSc3HgPyIzD32JaDvbET9FCqCi_aeUqM6xpnQ9LqaVoqkU7RHqjciwG98/s1600/IMG_2907-733332.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGL36CB3joeX5HxHD0HHspK075Mi0lrXXT_oJRAJNRWbyBHhHNQs66WqS-REQkr9fL7pVCx9WM9X5zqcoBZLgSc3HgPyIzD32JaDvbET9FCqCi_aeUqM6xpnQ9LqaVoqkU7RHqjciwG98/s320/IMG_2907-733332.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6310788867017650050" /></a></p>We have arrived in London where we have a short layover before pushing on to Nice. As Heathrow air traffic control sent us on circles around the city, I spotted some familiar spots from study abroad 14 (!) years ago. But this trip is about new adventures, so I have high hopes for a nap on the next leg. The coast awaits.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-87778620354715914612016-07-21T16:35:00.002-05:002016-07-21T16:35:31.234-05:00Bon Voyage: Eze, Provence, Rhone ValleyI'm long overdue to try to resurrect this thing. I think somewhere in the whirlwind of two children, relocation to a new city, the availability of other social media, and an intense workload the dear old blog has collected dust, another dormant page in a vast sea of content. <br />
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Megan and I are soon off to France for a kid-free trip in honor of our tenth anniversary. It seems fitting to bring the blog back to life, as we founded it as the main way to keep our family updated while on our honeymoon to Africa. We are actually a bit out of our element taking a trip like this. Instead of limiting my packing to three shirts I can wash in a sink and hang dry, I packed actual grown up clothing made of actual cotton. Instead of limiting myself to my trusty Chacos--whose legacy still tattoos my feet--I have shoes with tops on them. Instead of extensive health clinic trips for vaccinations and preventative medication, I think I get to just show up and drink wine. Anyway, it's confusing.<br />
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Our plans take us to Nice, where we will rent a car and head up the coast to Eze. After a few days on the coast, we plan to work our way back through Provence and into the Rhone Valley. There will be cooking classes. There will be wine. There will be relaxation. I will stretch the limits of the one year of French I took at Amarillo High School to impossible and hopefully not insulting bounds. Adieu, adieu, adieu--<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-52914854294054128012014-07-25T17:14:00.001-05:002014-07-25T17:14:40.610-05:00New OrleansIn the past month, I have: moved from Dallas to New Orleans, started work at my firm's New Orleans office, (partially) remodeled a house built in 1914, and studied for and taken the Louisiana bar exam. On a side note, Megan is due to give birth in about 8 weeks with our second child, of the daughter variety this time. Further updates are in order, but this will have to do for now. Until next time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-36080076057925419892014-01-06T12:26:00.001-06:002014-01-06T12:26:11.774-06:00Home<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>And we’re back. We haven’t been in a bed in about 45 hours now, and a certain delirium is settling in. But it was an excellent time, capped off with a great day of skiing in Dubai. We have over 2,000 photos. Once we sort through that batch, we’ll try to post the good ones. <o:p></o:p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-90885984700467406752014-01-03T05:25:00.001-06:002014-01-03T05:25:51.855-06:00Luang Prabang: farewell and khop chaiIt is our last day in Luang Prabang. We are reluctant to say farewell to this quiet and beautiful place.
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<br>The last few days have been fascinating. We crossed the Mehkong with five monks and hiked past remote forest monasteries to a quiet clearing where we studied meditation. We visited the Pak Ou caves, caves emerging from sheer cliffs and filled with thousands of Buddha images. We rode an elephant (which was terrifying and, at times, foul-smelling). We learned to cook Laotian food: chicken curry, steamed mushrooms and eggplant, lemongrass chicken, and a steamed rice paper stuffed with various goodness (Nahm Sao). We raided the nightmarket and honed expert bargaining tactics. We participated in the monks' alms procession three times. We learned fascinating new methods for brewing coffee. We visited a street market where folks buy tasty treats like bats, rodents, catfish heads, and massive cockroaches.
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<br>Beyond the activities we have just soaked it all in. Megan enjoyed spa time. I read books on cool patios. It has been truly wonderful.
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<br>Tomorrow the whirlwind resumes. We fly to Bangkok and reunite with Mark Everett and Lauren who have been in Chang Mai and on a Thai beach. Sunday we return to Dubai where we plan to go skiing and visit the tallest building on the planet. Then home to a certain little guy we miss a hell of a lot.
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<br>Once we sort through pictures and video we will be sure to post them. For now we are drinking cocktails on a patio before getting wine on another patio before eating dinner at the best spot on town. Not a bad send off.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-12725803870394868922013-12-31T03:27:00.000-06:002013-12-31T03:29:42.357-06:00Luang Prabang, Laos<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9H9P2bcC5c5eentoNEV34bHAoYpliezLX__6IuzN-is9kZFpWcztD8LejZX5LZ0_xzP_BO5nuH4E0RehAhsWPks9ZZ4Ufw4Dj11nnEuILOcaghZyGNf0Vbma_6YwB8-F-ihCY8NfGoo/s1600/photo+1-782357.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9H9P2bcC5c5eentoNEV34bHAoYpliezLX__6IuzN-is9kZFpWcztD8LejZX5LZ0_xzP_BO5nuH4E0RehAhsWPks9ZZ4Ufw4Dj11nnEuILOcaghZyGNf0Vbma_6YwB8-F-ihCY8NfGoo/s320/photo+1-782357.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963485568702008802" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gkiJ_SN4fhHER7wE8FLd4B0qHPE_vuHpkk5_EHhsc_CZH5URpLJ9Zgs7scJJZ5_TdyUEgwMQ6NEmeeL_qYO39tdHw1NmQdw0GL1ceIkMaC9da5YbuF7ZKe4mZwWWofCJveegWUhJQTE/s1600/photo+2-785224.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gkiJ_SN4fhHER7wE8FLd4B0qHPE_vuHpkk5_EHhsc_CZH5URpLJ9Zgs7scJJZ5_TdyUEgwMQ6NEmeeL_qYO39tdHw1NmQdw0GL1ceIkMaC9da5YbuF7ZKe4mZwWWofCJveegWUhJQTE/s320/photo+2-785224.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963485578449708274" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGzUAsiS-JYBD1nl1nnpzO92hzbrbqeDhI1RoEFMVllfkRtFsnxBHswAkboIgiDwSYwCqncO8HRHtiErCbX0I8Il_UPFm5p7FotKIuIXQTsV5RzEJG586e9Nempbuol-WGZp9jd_SM4/s1600/photo+3-788845.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGzUAsiS-JYBD1nl1nnpzO92hzbrbqeDhI1RoEFMVllfkRtFsnxBHswAkboIgiDwSYwCqncO8HRHtiErCbX0I8Il_UPFm5p7FotKIuIXQTsV5RzEJG586e9Nempbuol-WGZp9jd_SM4/s320/photo+3-788845.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963485594180932306" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEFhysVinhCX7iWRlpa8Amx7rmxher8iD_TJE9KZ0mkGXT2BQBXuBJLKZCstbwCoxPDmjX5jE-l9GCHTMjz-NYrIz4DDZRmhKwVoj1_O39qVS2aBeRlsqmw0r0D9i2ki3rF1NG5Mrykw/s1600/photo+4-792319.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEFhysVinhCX7iWRlpa8Amx7rmxher8iD_TJE9KZ0mkGXT2BQBXuBJLKZCstbwCoxPDmjX5jE-l9GCHTMjz-NYrIz4DDZRmhKwVoj1_O39qVS2aBeRlsqmw0r0D9i2ki3rF1NG5Mrykw/s320/photo+4-792319.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963485608599150594" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUxSNpSWOm3BoeALAj-pMgsneEfRWObeyiwW2zDiEZsbZLYMwFe3e540OQnq6yKJrTKcalb_INHD8PPb7qYORKwhTrzaEnDL4dfXCNN7eg7sLP5KqsgGQe1Sl5L8UCQqdyRHoMfC8Ilo/s1600/photo+5-796636.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsUxSNpSWOm3BoeALAj-pMgsneEfRWObeyiwW2zDiEZsbZLYMwFe3e540OQnq6yKJrTKcalb_INHD8PPb7qYORKwhTrzaEnDL4dfXCNN7eg7sLP5KqsgGQe1Sl5L8UCQqdyRHoMfC8Ilo/s320/photo+5-796636.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963485628896075074" /></a></p>Sabaidee from Laos. Luang Prabang is a fascinating little town. A collision between the Europeans who colonized the area and the local traditions reverberates today as we walk by bakeries with golden mountains of French pastries after eating sticky rice, dried buffalo meat, and chiles. Mekong catfish. Pain au chocolate. Lao lao (rice whiskey). Chateauneuf du Pape. Buffalo sausage. Rosti. Curry noodles. Venison au poivre.
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<br>We have explored the town the last day or so. The nightmarket features gorgeous textiles, piles of scarfs and blankets with prices one hundredth of their US counterparts. We explored temples, from caves to mountaintops to a footprint of Buddha.
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<br>Tomorrow we greet the new year by taking a boat up the Mekong to a forest monastery for a meditation lesson with a monk. Thursday we will explore a village where they make lao lao, followed by a visit to a cave with over 4,000 Buddha figures. Friday we attend a cooking school. Then the long journey back toward home.
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<br>We wish a happy and prosperous new year to one and all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-87683436193645568552013-12-30T03:15:00.000-06:002013-12-30T03:16:11.332-06:00Bangkok: Moon Bar and Issaya Siamese Club<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5ALOpxvV6LWU2npl1kYtOSPSRp-HNvqJqiKEPLEZxqiR_o4McZCOhNI6K1NDajrmHhTsoj9Muxt-pY2tIqxvvg0ElDl1uu1-rG6x7Nz6K_ot_IpN4k8h434NNIyUucnKTFn0RBkscl8/s1600/photo+1-771333.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5ALOpxvV6LWU2npl1kYtOSPSRp-HNvqJqiKEPLEZxqiR_o4McZCOhNI6K1NDajrmHhTsoj9Muxt-pY2tIqxvvg0ElDl1uu1-rG6x7Nz6K_ot_IpN4k8h434NNIyUucnKTFn0RBkscl8/s320/photo+1-771333.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963111002482665922" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4-Ykb8aON8_FncZN7cAwoMce3rsam_tHO3iu3OmD5H-zlgU17G_41YeynkHl90t7DgveUi9t2ulJiL6pAYczy5iv55SCpcnpVBpClCHaMoF561eV-5dquMGOrCQM5xaAFml1-9pc2oY/s1600/photo+2-774487.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4-Ykb8aON8_FncZN7cAwoMce3rsam_tHO3iu3OmD5H-zlgU17G_41YeynkHl90t7DgveUi9t2ulJiL6pAYczy5iv55SCpcnpVBpClCHaMoF561eV-5dquMGOrCQM5xaAFml1-9pc2oY/s320/photo+2-774487.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963111013385237858" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9W_XnEvpOYR_Kdb4EJrqHZFIfXGOwQmLNFhkqHOmybIid91to_PEa-KBK0A14j6dLm0jadNAGxcPIq9_GWseFY32Q7NukET9arteJLjsThJvlIIlUPHd3XkZ5urlHacB5JIjPQo8Wx4o/s1600/photo+3-777881.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9W_XnEvpOYR_Kdb4EJrqHZFIfXGOwQmLNFhkqHOmybIid91to_PEa-KBK0A14j6dLm0jadNAGxcPIq9_GWseFY32Q7NukET9arteJLjsThJvlIIlUPHd3XkZ5urlHacB5JIjPQo8Wx4o/s320/photo+3-777881.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963111027929385858" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYxbjYAoENPJC8eeJEBYSyFNFrr9TJLssyH5x2QJm66SwlwQDiWlPBRZsQFslFd2olEmOonUx9XWn5pafCSJZR_mM-wDveQVLWG0cpxTN_bELxt24ldLIDnHu__jAu9LDVNVmaq88AFQ/s1600/photo+4-780170.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYxbjYAoENPJC8eeJEBYSyFNFrr9TJLssyH5x2QJm66SwlwQDiWlPBRZsQFslFd2olEmOonUx9XWn5pafCSJZR_mM-wDveQVLWG0cpxTN_bELxt24ldLIDnHu__jAu9LDVNVmaq88AFQ/s320/photo+4-780170.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5963111033863225042" /></a></p>Last night in Bangkok was amazing. After a brief sojourn to the fertility shrine (I have some amazing, graphic photos of the strangeness at the shrine but can't post here because my grandmother is probably reading this), we headed to Moon Bar to watch the sunset from a 61st floor terrace. The Bangkok skyline is overwhelming, as one might expect from a city of 10 million. Amazing cocktails with local fruits. Intriguing and very international crowd.
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<br>As the sun set and the city lit up, we headed to Issaya Siamese Club for what turned out to be a 12-course menu in a beautiful restaurant located in an old colonial house. Highlights included curried pork ribs, prawn sausage, delicate veal cheek, crispy duck leg with foie gras, and a monster serving of Thai-spiced lobster. Couple that with a nice French wine, and we were quite satisfied.
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<br>But then dessert started. Five of them to be exact. The winners were the jasmine panna cotta and the broken bowl--a sweet pastry stuffed with cream and encased in a chocolate shell, which was hardened by liquid nitrogen. Then the shell was flung onto the table where it shattered across banana leafs. The banana leaves were anointed with mulberry and passion fruit foams, coconut cream, and toasted coconut and macadamia nuts. Fascinating presentation, poorly captured in the dark photo in this post.
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<br>We are now in Luang Prabang and loving the quieter pace. More updates to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-38901380508668908512013-12-29T00:58:00.000-06:002013-12-29T00:59:18.055-06:00Bangkok: Floating Markets<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufWtlkn5g6_Gfq9q02jzOPhJTYcMPnvPQFxxVgobY1iVHaAPCGKD_lTEguzG-9i9zD2-PlCDbysy9aUNOCqDsxg8B1JTSRZjEaByN4X4A154BHVoFgw7dnX0EkoGiGUWgvrnubVl2lYE/s1600/photo+1-758056.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufWtlkn5g6_Gfq9q02jzOPhJTYcMPnvPQFxxVgobY1iVHaAPCGKD_lTEguzG-9i9zD2-PlCDbysy9aUNOCqDsxg8B1JTSRZjEaByN4X4A154BHVoFgw7dnX0EkoGiGUWgvrnubVl2lYE/s320/photo+1-758056.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962704638595138370" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cuF6WdtypkweK76zlZ_t3Exfvng105w0yVeYHLtfj1s0t8F4lPkl2w7GYnvR7uEkQfu4KQyW6YBMqIuGoynUKkWdKlpnV4s9DqrkzHU8ZkXGJOlfdG-SVlrXrCA1DJslSpLMZMEmvJ0/s1600/photo+2-760711.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cuF6WdtypkweK76zlZ_t3Exfvng105w0yVeYHLtfj1s0t8F4lPkl2w7GYnvR7uEkQfu4KQyW6YBMqIuGoynUKkWdKlpnV4s9DqrkzHU8ZkXGJOlfdG-SVlrXrCA1DJslSpLMZMEmvJ0/s320/photo+2-760711.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962704651753356802" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhc0TMz3MkenM-TQYDrozKH7jq1deT4s5m2CAeMVGNnmjlE7J2WUG8foTea8OdpFG-4yUZ-s0yGEeK6-zW1QPMDMVmwBIORaj-lSRGtyAeoOWTkGAT57-ue7sx2Mu1OHu_Rj-nk7ke64/s1600/photo+3-763035.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhc0TMz3MkenM-TQYDrozKH7jq1deT4s5m2CAeMVGNnmjlE7J2WUG8foTea8OdpFG-4yUZ-s0yGEeK6-zW1QPMDMVmwBIORaj-lSRGtyAeoOWTkGAT57-ue7sx2Mu1OHu_Rj-nk7ke64/s320/photo+3-763035.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962704656523965890" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRtEaxjUeuEFKGfFvnDI6zfsfVhMLDKMfFN9-mmYFoVUAA-qGIE9h3eObZcHjMQK05pbS3ss2G7Ry1MPAhGhwLM4iFhGZFdCJeaOYfEOe1O903Eb-UutU7qF0NAjBQDt9uDTpNNL0i3w/s1600/photo+4-765486.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRtEaxjUeuEFKGfFvnDI6zfsfVhMLDKMfFN9-mmYFoVUAA-qGIE9h3eObZcHjMQK05pbS3ss2G7Ry1MPAhGhwLM4iFhGZFdCJeaOYfEOe1O903Eb-UutU7qF0NAjBQDt9uDTpNNL0i3w/s320/photo+4-765486.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962704672502352338" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpAse8nR0wBO1fyFt-otRAp_uFKxod29hyd196XbmetNIpNSSXPH6GJIsEhT78It7vM7QkTCUsZLhZQSx039h3gWvdJOVeFJsiloMQ1QvDNJ1qWIoAdgwL1Sw_z4zhyphenhyphenY8SqJ_l8TXtj0/s1600/photo+5-768923.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpAse8nR0wBO1fyFt-otRAp_uFKxod29hyd196XbmetNIpNSSXPH6GJIsEhT78It7vM7QkTCUsZLhZQSx039h3gWvdJOVeFJsiloMQ1QvDNJ1qWIoAdgwL1Sw_z4zhyphenhyphenY8SqJ_l8TXtj0/s320/photo+5-768923.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962704684438721938" /></a></p>Amazing morning at the floating market outside Bangkok. Now off to a rooftop bar followed by a Michelin starred meal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-62177724928912301252013-12-28T03:59:00.001-06:002013-12-28T03:59:39.500-06:00Bagan highlights<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkBIoqHs338Suu30cyU46R3TB48_AN2gnSZUUbBwy2f4ERtIoe8tZuh6Z9A25uNwGzR8RxN6YsFEcPRLPazMpJUUkr0RZKW0VeB9CE4B8Kc0euj3lq9gniVo-yC08Ykqk0DtvH4o1aZ4/s1600/photo+1-779500.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkBIoqHs338Suu30cyU46R3TB48_AN2gnSZUUbBwy2f4ERtIoe8tZuh6Z9A25uNwGzR8RxN6YsFEcPRLPazMpJUUkr0RZKW0VeB9CE4B8Kc0euj3lq9gniVo-yC08Ykqk0DtvH4o1aZ4/s320/photo+1-779500.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962380029731033330" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGsoFZ2Rf2j1iP7b-SSTN8lsKJQUmtWots_3OVRqmkvh4vXTh5ivCMYViM5Kma5osi3x8Kk4Dtk2Hjwt5p0RDn_ydiGf1XjyujGQENgXY9qC6MAVP0hl4jhffWBnukVtpdXUB1C3prH0/s1600/photo+2-783398.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGsoFZ2Rf2j1iP7b-SSTN8lsKJQUmtWots_3OVRqmkvh4vXTh5ivCMYViM5Kma5osi3x8Kk4Dtk2Hjwt5p0RDn_ydiGf1XjyujGQENgXY9qC6MAVP0hl4jhffWBnukVtpdXUB1C3prH0/s320/photo+2-783398.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962380050166644402" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVG_tHzU6teh6iQGkA0jPmUY8yMFWAQk7JZo0WntTP0lQcBqS-oftMfsiOmEi7rr8G-_agBGeaXA-4kRvlMAR1bkgtVHxaMi7vG_1vhGJDqh9B1CbrAc4x02eiTb_0WCztWNh2NORKak/s1600/photo+3-787655.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVG_tHzU6teh6iQGkA0jPmUY8yMFWAQk7JZo0WntTP0lQcBqS-oftMfsiOmEi7rr8G-_agBGeaXA-4kRvlMAR1bkgtVHxaMi7vG_1vhGJDqh9B1CbrAc4x02eiTb_0WCztWNh2NORKak/s320/photo+3-787655.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962380067838228866" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiviLOy-L6s7gAbFCK2Qw8KKeoNaing7tCesy3Bj3cb7doCco0OBAKaDQ3JFGnPG37_-0OS4hD4QLorJF1Bqf3wSPvu1dJrJRd1_RAF6O8R144OtfurZr7ZHSBC-rB_tV8NCC6Z3GpU8/s1600/photo+4-791893.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiviLOy-L6s7gAbFCK2Qw8KKeoNaing7tCesy3Bj3cb7doCco0OBAKaDQ3JFGnPG37_-0OS4hD4QLorJF1Bqf3wSPvu1dJrJRd1_RAF6O8R144OtfurZr7ZHSBC-rB_tV8NCC6Z3GpU8/s320/photo+4-791893.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962380087847705346" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIYoVF4YakX_RaP4aR4re3oggsC6AVztHfg9Xq9Ub6Of7DMnPUfoBv37uHGlvXLP37of-xg2ibNTEiXD77NZjcsNmeQ2RX_7oEFDzyV0IZtJ4ZHICHe6mwGN4x9DolLXYgwPSdz9bNgg/s1600/photo+5-795896.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIYoVF4YakX_RaP4aR4re3oggsC6AVztHfg9Xq9Ub6Of7DMnPUfoBv37uHGlvXLP37of-xg2ibNTEiXD77NZjcsNmeQ2RX_7oEFDzyV0IZtJ4ZHICHe6mwGN4x9DolLXYgwPSdz9bNgg/s320/photo+5-795896.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962380100278024082" /></a></p>Bagan is magical. Every corner has a piece of history. A plain dotted with thousands of temples. Sunsets over the Irawaddy River. Delicious meals at Be Kind To Animals The Moon, which may be my new favorite restaurant on earth. Back in Bangkok now for a brief stop. Then on to Laos.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-69887535815838314192013-12-27T18:19:00.000-06:002013-12-27T18:20:51.481-06:00Balloons over Bagan<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwoyfSs_fAxnLHwXuK8Zkec7jCZPCLu9dJcWiFqYWpITxs2QtEr-ujyUmOjy8C0Ptdmyw_OXuQfMAdC-d48dy6nZzl1Gbpg2lUp7JC9koEiVjSmIcF0fVArm6JJt9IaE3GVEQnv3aqN0/s1600/photo-751481.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwoyfSs_fAxnLHwXuK8Zkec7jCZPCLu9dJcWiFqYWpITxs2QtEr-ujyUmOjy8C0Ptdmyw_OXuQfMAdC-d48dy6nZzl1Gbpg2lUp7JC9koEiVjSmIcF0fVArm6JJt9IaE3GVEQnv3aqN0/s320/photo-751481.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5962230881493508322" /></a></p>We leave Bagan this morning and are very sad to move on from this gorgeous place. More pictures when the connection improves, but for now a shot of our balloon flight.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-85926544191281256092013-12-24T15:24:00.000-06:002013-12-24T15:26:43.690-06:00Yangon<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouKWCd8ok21arWM0H9OmFMuEFvTu1dacGjHBxgegxLMN6XtlLfR11PiodqJgiX3kluMQ396KlZ29-N1lF7G2rhP3B1pnqcdMgwKU_21GDMfDH2vatwepNObz1wGzjEYj6obtbefRPebs/s1600/photo+1-703691.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouKWCd8ok21arWM0H9OmFMuEFvTu1dacGjHBxgegxLMN6XtlLfR11PiodqJgiX3kluMQ396KlZ29-N1lF7G2rhP3B1pnqcdMgwKU_21GDMfDH2vatwepNObz1wGzjEYj6obtbefRPebs/s320/photo+1-703691.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5961072745628562274" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXA0WvGMYLBtp6GTS_aa_I6EKsIpfT2iHoKkE3Nu_QjI97VTsgBYCDY4T0rH6ZXwYY52Y4FYLil95l5iW4rRdBBW4p1MRExTAQRO9LhEo2p_Fwb1PyRtOMobY5CMDk4gYL7PQbLQr_TrU/s1600/photo+2-707218.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXA0WvGMYLBtp6GTS_aa_I6EKsIpfT2iHoKkE3Nu_QjI97VTsgBYCDY4T0rH6ZXwYY52Y4FYLil95l5iW4rRdBBW4p1MRExTAQRO9LhEo2p_Fwb1PyRtOMobY5CMDk4gYL7PQbLQr_TrU/s320/photo+2-707218.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5961072761327003906" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2-rPvIqjNlAntMYXCWuNANcECsqjSYgUXGRm_JeVkvXp8a6z254pyiM11l-pnkvO6ApdLy4HtinrZBbgz6BQTj75rqmoJv0GcFRt7xr0JQNA2t2N3bE5KHLZm4uAIgGtz3CosUr5S3M/s1600/photo+3-709850.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2-rPvIqjNlAntMYXCWuNANcECsqjSYgUXGRm_JeVkvXp8a6z254pyiM11l-pnkvO6ApdLy4HtinrZBbgz6BQTj75rqmoJv0GcFRt7xr0JQNA2t2N3bE5KHLZm4uAIgGtz3CosUr5S3M/s320/photo+3-709850.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5961072774155612962" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxqfKWmK-0ODi_rZYd07YQ-cjYvcoDHw9NoJNR87MpQ_HP-zUaTlZsUYF7qzbHKgvCRpKK4_8VFcUf_PLFWBzJSjgLo9kaW1HmviKwoda9qEtXjKoUPyMVsRIoYL9zt7bOUqmtJubtUE/s1600/photo+4-712786.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxqfKWmK-0ODi_rZYd07YQ-cjYvcoDHw9NoJNR87MpQ_HP-zUaTlZsUYF7qzbHKgvCRpKK4_8VFcUf_PLFWBzJSjgLo9kaW1HmviKwoda9qEtXjKoUPyMVsRIoYL9zt7bOUqmtJubtUE/s320/photo+4-712786.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5961072784804673314" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNY8tYlsq-IvRH_AvGnC463ZOfA2cB4J_ZC8fVRot1aoFCJ8x2JEv_NC1Hxz7ANANx3thxIS-ROdsEVv4c_0w8h4sLqdrXIYqgYw0f5o5VvQnTe9mBZn1UisQ7DiekhJ-cpHjaip1vWc/s1600/photo+5-716165.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNY8tYlsq-IvRH_AvGnC463ZOfA2cB4J_ZC8fVRot1aoFCJ8x2JEv_NC1Hxz7ANANx3thxIS-ROdsEVv4c_0w8h4sLqdrXIYqgYw0f5o5VvQnTe9mBZn1UisQ7DiekhJ-cpHjaip1vWc/s320/photo+5-716165.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5961072797844466066" /></a></p>We had a great day in Yangon. Now up early to head to Bagan. Merry Christmas!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-17375988502920771462013-12-24T03:28:00.001-06:002013-12-24T03:28:54.102-06:00Bangkok: Old CityI experienced Bangkok chiefly through my nose. An amazing city of contrasts. Delicious whiffs of garlic and lemongrass battle a sour stench of fish stock boiling in cauldrons as it like has for centuries. The whiffs from food stands would overwhelm us with appetite only to vanish into nausea at the next turn.
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<br>The city itself has the feel of those boiling cauldrons as thousands and thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Old City. An endless stream of marching and speech making. Lost, we ended up in the mix twice. It was tough to tell what direction the movement is heading, but I doubt such dedicated individuals will fail to leave their mark. Just don't ask them directions to Jay Fai's noodle shop because that will just get you lost.
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<br>We survived the crushing throngs of Chinatown shoppers and then found ourselves in the shocking stillness of monastery walls. The effect was disorienting. Pure chaos followed by pure peace.
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<br>When we return we will see a different city away from the protests where business happens. Street food and temples will swap with restaurants and expat bars. Likely another stark contrast to all we experienced.
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<br>Still trying to form my impressions of the place, and I may save judgment until my next pass through. For now we are in Myanmar for Christmas and loving the place and it's people.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-89541830718749612522013-12-23T20:32:00.000-06:002013-12-23T20:33:27.436-06:00Mingalabar<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXddQiuF6beyBWHaMNccI3nfbyDsLOKhMX5q0LrVVt97OMGpM-YRV0pa7ioVlCItjUa0wHUc2vtgKXqPhtFcdogBdECpuo40YgfjyUtJsJGnprMNcpRDO5odSpD6u7n_aIG030Vd5aV2E/s1600/photo-707436.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXddQiuF6beyBWHaMNccI3nfbyDsLOKhMX5q0LrVVt97OMGpM-YRV0pa7ioVlCItjUa0wHUc2vtgKXqPhtFcdogBdECpuo40YgfjyUtJsJGnprMNcpRDO5odSpD6u7n_aIG030Vd5aV2E/s320/photo-707436.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960780705568435906" /></a></p>Merry Christmas from Yangon, Myanmar.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-8586294846368253312013-12-23T14:37:00.000-06:002013-12-23T14:38:48.956-06:00Off to Myanmar<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM24N4DCgtVPafik0mRgIOwyxS6Jb31BtDsx8PEQrDLL781R7SeMsUgwSXh1hELug9AZmWIAdRVbXF-pOkER0WzL2Rtk88qxoSpLo4kof3A3kmFtpqMVxci9FrDoKYvnBrlpNXJCRJNk/s1600/photo+1-728957.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTM24N4DCgtVPafik0mRgIOwyxS6Jb31BtDsx8PEQrDLL781R7SeMsUgwSXh1hELug9AZmWIAdRVbXF-pOkER0WzL2Rtk88qxoSpLo4kof3A3kmFtpqMVxci9FrDoKYvnBrlpNXJCRJNk/s320/photo+1-728957.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960689312428403682" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrmCiYZt6kbAWOYKFECBBihHVWcKCwrg7jA4ClqZfAaUNxh0o-m_-yfmD4MM6LavAw2s9ULUgLMLlFLTjmDyn9L3j3Hh4xuowI-nUgs9pKoDNb2UEbfhcl-tPQtwLn1kB0Nyq9vcBohU/s1600/photo+2-731953.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrmCiYZt6kbAWOYKFECBBihHVWcKCwrg7jA4ClqZfAaUNxh0o-m_-yfmD4MM6LavAw2s9ULUgLMLlFLTjmDyn9L3j3Hh4xuowI-nUgs9pKoDNb2UEbfhcl-tPQtwLn1kB0Nyq9vcBohU/s320/photo+2-731953.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960689324739381410" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CNwiUJYcUgIHy1oX5Ren6kt_cf5V5AAudYZMHGBnZLcIW3sN0LR2AzwZ9RzMnNG4Nb5OjmSgO4JufYIqls29edP-6bXk6420BHQlKJmQgPhShf3ZantYXfHJMlM7OX-C7A43LXAfIKA/s1600/photo+3-735219.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CNwiUJYcUgIHy1oX5Ren6kt_cf5V5AAudYZMHGBnZLcIW3sN0LR2AzwZ9RzMnNG4Nb5OjmSgO4JufYIqls29edP-6bXk6420BHQlKJmQgPhShf3ZantYXfHJMlM7OX-C7A43LXAfIKA/s320/photo+3-735219.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960689338160175698" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlMj_12EKIhINzw00X-syDCpFv6OLMjDg3qmq8-SdqSvDoayoGz-6337OskbXaYLN_La4leGdpbNUMpu2yLTDoCefmmAFcj1CIaAsx2PfKsUdnEwNNv800ndlOLLGD0nLY7vol1YV4xw/s1600/photo+4-738398.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlMj_12EKIhINzw00X-syDCpFv6OLMjDg3qmq8-SdqSvDoayoGz-6337OskbXaYLN_La4leGdpbNUMpu2yLTDoCefmmAFcj1CIaAsx2PfKsUdnEwNNv800ndlOLLGD0nLY7vol1YV4xw/s320/photo+4-738398.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960689358375899762" /></a></p>The first of our three stays in Bangkok has now concluded. Off to Myanmar for Christmas and guessing you won't hear from us until we return to Thailand. Merry Christmas, all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-1570698028874513202013-12-22T03:13:00.000-06:002013-12-22T03:14:24.559-06:00Street food, giant Buddha<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3hAvDAkkfqIoLd0fGfmazctiTLhCOt2vNiPF2VaOtpctsP06oTf6JDvjR7CjLDQkCiC4hRdNDiU-poo7UKxsmIEiruqhF-Ew0dDgit9byh1OE52HhGyG5TPYb4Ejee5dCrpiiFFnrS0/s1600/photo+1-764559.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3hAvDAkkfqIoLd0fGfmazctiTLhCOt2vNiPF2VaOtpctsP06oTf6JDvjR7CjLDQkCiC4hRdNDiU-poo7UKxsmIEiruqhF-Ew0dDgit9byh1OE52HhGyG5TPYb4Ejee5dCrpiiFFnrS0/s320/photo+1-764559.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960141859093576978" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDw1SEqoUGrRxhu20vq324BDR76GmDVxdh8NUNN8p2rYFhm_dSycYhP8DM8fLJtDERgWSiXw3VjGQuZ2SjQboy6HvsKNc_xz_x1TkPXuHJkv4svdL2S8_DTeo5H6d8HbREMH9NYhusuA/s1600/photo+2-768400.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDw1SEqoUGrRxhu20vq324BDR76GmDVxdh8NUNN8p2rYFhm_dSycYhP8DM8fLJtDERgWSiXw3VjGQuZ2SjQboy6HvsKNc_xz_x1TkPXuHJkv4svdL2S8_DTeo5H6d8HbREMH9NYhusuA/s320/photo+2-768400.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960141872296389794" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbxme9TpsCRny3c0yoFaOo47isdpHsF1vXQi6_3h2MF1KGwQ0iTcj9hVfDhCJS4aVYuAKoUVX1UNpI4BER2e3fmAaQ0RtBa0NxRbt6k2Zg9iNnPcWxAds43FooKl_0LSgb3JVueA0es8/s1600/photo+3-772028.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbxme9TpsCRny3c0yoFaOo47isdpHsF1vXQi6_3h2MF1KGwQ0iTcj9hVfDhCJS4aVYuAKoUVX1UNpI4BER2e3fmAaQ0RtBa0NxRbt6k2Zg9iNnPcWxAds43FooKl_0LSgb3JVueA0es8/s320/photo+3-772028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960141891957087138" /></a></p>Bangkok has been fascinating. Megan and I stumbled upon the best meal one dollar can buy. Then a stunning reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. Now off to find some noodles and then finally, finally sleep in an actual bed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918670919269076412.post-32883318831214473552013-12-21T21:20:00.001-06:002013-12-21T21:20:19.445-06:00Bangkok<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2doh3_7pn3YK9iEQLWpk5kD8S-hRFWc32pm3M2u-W3ipbzX4mUFpq1tH9G6bhjqfqoEe2NBdSfDgMVF_JaG7frDpeoWBYP4nHjOwICVzCuIMRCdqD-jez0vCjVoPRnphP5jrq99zEwME/s1600/photo-719446.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2doh3_7pn3YK9iEQLWpk5kD8S-hRFWc32pm3M2u-W3ipbzX4mUFpq1tH9G6bhjqfqoEe2NBdSfDgMVF_JaG7frDpeoWBYP4nHjOwICVzCuIMRCdqD-jez0vCjVoPRnphP5jrq99zEwME/s320/photo-719446.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5960050617368680610" /></a></p>We have arrived. Having a coffee before setting out. What day is it? Where are we? Who are we? Jet lag is fierce.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0