tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60562125292826351562024-03-05T03:18:53.892-08:00pc+ivyPChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-89586796545225548752009-01-16T09:45:00.000-08:002009-01-16T09:52:48.388-08:00Updated map<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQToJ-6cqEx_OZyaV2zQKxNAxCqcL6qrOXop5EiSYyJy4-i611TBtkB25y8zyKnH743NQ8m5z1V-inbE6na4F8rSKcX1sDCaiey5PPe4QJsEMLBcSrAxmIVhyphenhyphenkVF8H4GTtNwJoBVuM-aXA/s1600-h/travels.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291950643703210002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 182px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQToJ-6cqEx_OZyaV2zQKxNAxCqcL6qrOXop5EiSYyJy4-i611TBtkB25y8zyKnH743NQ8m5z1V-inbE6na4F8rSKcX1sDCaiey5PPe4QJsEMLBcSrAxmIVhyphenhyphenkVF8H4GTtNwJoBVuM-aXA/s200/travels.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is the actual route of our travels; it differed a little from our planned route by going further south into Morocco and to a few other places in Spain on the way back to Madrid. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Again, thanks to my techno-savvy brother. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://andrewcore.googlepages.com/pcivy">Click here for larger, interactive map.</a></span></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-89465897699862568742009-01-16T05:08:00.000-08:002009-01-16T05:26:04.574-08:00The 225 word summary<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My goal was 200 words, but this is pretty close.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our trip was more like living overseas for 3 1/2 months (107 days). We were able to experience cultures and languages much more deeply because of the length of time and being in people' s homes. We started to forget English! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Often we were hungry, tired, lost, lonely, in need of money or couldn't speak the language(s), but God provided over and and over and over. At home we wouldn't have had nearly as many difficulties, but we wouldn't have seen God's creative ways of meeting our needs. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So often we were strangers, and the smallest kindness or help from someone would mean so much. I thank God for the kindness we received. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We discovered that we could live in another culture, even if it was very different than ours. Some myths were dispelled too. Are all Moroccans fundamentalists? Are all Spaniards stubborn regionalists? Are all French intellectual cynics? No, certainly not, for we have met people who are exceptions to all these stereotypes. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">These were eye-opening experiences, and I am so grateful to have them, to remember them. I'd encourage you to go as well, maybe not to Europe and North Africa specifically, but somewhere a little uncomfortable and different where God can show you great things.</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-55660421677354814162008-12-06T07:33:00.000-08:002008-12-06T07:44:32.752-08:00Merry Christmas from all of us<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36cDI5M0eqrBKwHRnmZQFplMF1n2OHOLlv7luwdimmVLwRo7na8sEtriw1tIsE-SX-YKGtWjx9wnb9oF5428WHQA1qXq0_C1LH9Y4HUyNVe77TYy2EqSThFuPSIMtRwn3wB8G9Se8Yqmu/s1600-h/christmas+card+08a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276701151069523298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36cDI5M0eqrBKwHRnmZQFplMF1n2OHOLlv7luwdimmVLwRo7na8sEtriw1tIsE-SX-YKGtWjx9wnb9oF5428WHQA1qXq0_C1LH9Y4HUyNVe77TYy2EqSThFuPSIMtRwn3wB8G9Se8Yqmu/s200/christmas+card+08a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We, Patrick and Ivy that is, are back home. I assume Don and Sancho are still in Spain. We arrived back Tuesday night and are very glad to be back, 107 days later.</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-65112210967775104482008-12-01T23:44:00.000-08:002008-12-01T23:59:43.968-08:00A Lot to Be Thankful For<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZKE_mreHN4jD9PdPQKIjBVzuzbASm_-vQl7Lu32omZKHTK6a9C9X6sVIgGT9uVNHCw6Qwn5oP0ak8kiChiL8tNGlokrWeeOJFN31kwz8XWzsJ3lQjTT8xeLItwCCFeh5LAW_BBP4rXIY/s1600-h/Picture+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275099192357523314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZKE_mreHN4jD9PdPQKIjBVzuzbASm_-vQl7Lu32omZKHTK6a9C9X6sVIgGT9uVNHCw6Qwn5oP0ak8kiChiL8tNGlokrWeeOJFN31kwz8XWzsJ3lQjTT8xeLItwCCFeh5LAW_BBP4rXIY/s200/Picture+038.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTGa5rtYbR5R46Sn0zoUSuJp1wrd31yUpjp2hfKPKHLCcncTrOux9aDSFQcQrkzGpUAPKZ3oRnFjb-iORI_rbVqr0gdi3Ood0q2HCk3VKVsBrLfxJ7KEWQEvYQ2EEpKWGbm2CqYsTE3Vf/s1600-h/Picture+039.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275099190683588850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTGa5rtYbR5R46Sn0zoUSuJp1wrd31yUpjp2hfKPKHLCcncTrOux9aDSFQcQrkzGpUAPKZ3oRnFjb-iORI_rbVqr0gdi3Ood0q2HCk3VKVsBrLfxJ7KEWQEvYQ2EEpKWGbm2CqYsTE3Vf/s200/Picture+039.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We picked olives on Thanksgiving, at El Buen Samaritano, a drug rehabilitation center in Cordoba province. It was a beautiful day, a little cool, but very clear. We gathered a lot of olives and it was a lot of work, but I think harvesting is a good thing to do on Thanksgiving. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The center (<a href="http://www.buensam.org/">click here for a link to their website</a>) is self-sufficient, with a well, solar panels for electricity and hot water, a large brick oven/building for baking bread, and a greenhouse. There are about 1000 olive trees, and the olives are for oil. The approach is <em>ecologico</em>, or organic. The center is part of a co-op that processes the olives into oil.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We were at the center for four days; there were 8 Spanish residents (there for a year each) and a Dutch short term group (there for a week). And us, the two Americanos along for the ride, trying to interpret for the other two groups (!!). It was an interesting mix, but a very good experience. I felt that there had been a lot of pain and shame in the lives of these men, but that God was doing a healing and restoring work.</span></div></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-42806116450881901832008-11-20T06:44:00.000-08:002008-11-20T07:19:03.325-08:00Cinema de Maroc<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqje-8lrqdjkTazUuh077igc0E_hVx51DnhraWG6s5aSh_zedMoLY23B-2cWINhl3__XqedLCk4FaJqXROGhXy3LAHMfzjTXSrhZYEvDth24D92SUDiUMYvlc0ACQImHezB7MywpOxWL8F/s1600-h/345px-Casablanca433.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqje-8lrqdjkTazUuh077igc0E_hVx51DnhraWG6s5aSh_zedMoLY23B-2cWINhl3__XqedLCk4FaJqXROGhXy3LAHMfzjTXSrhZYEvDth24D92SUDiUMYvlc0ACQImHezB7MywpOxWL8F/s200/345px-Casablanca433.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270757277880696258" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Several films have been made in Morocco. We saw two large film studios in Ouarzazate (Oz for short)</span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">A short list of films:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Gladiator</span> - in Oz</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Kingdom of Heaven</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> -</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> in Oz</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Lawrence of Arabia </span>- in Oz</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Black Hawk Down</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> - in Rabat, (it didn't look that rough to me, but I guess I didn't go to where they filmed the movie, thank goodness)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Star Wars</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> - in Tunisia, but it looks like it could have been filmed and inspired here. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Strangely enough, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Casablanca</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, arguably the most famous of all films involving Morocco, was filmed in Hollywood.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">For more, check </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreign_films_shot_in_Morocco"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">this wikipedia article</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-42574725832395512482008-11-16T12:37:00.000-08:002008-11-16T13:06:23.562-08:00The Road to Ouarzazate<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47MY9jm5TZsWOlvJnd21tV-4GXIjmSOthuJIm2SVpAF8wr1aw_Wcc37fm0y45MmEb7_IZNzCsAZcJ93iEE6nsSEGFA2OP05Ik4hXH97cD1WgBnRXKLonIrdm2KoRBN42v5SycnYfUohLX/s1600-h/IMG_4282.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269362284630139746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47MY9jm5TZsWOlvJnd21tV-4GXIjmSOthuJIm2SVpAF8wr1aw_Wcc37fm0y45MmEb7_IZNzCsAZcJ93iEE6nsSEGFA2OP05Ik4hXH97cD1WgBnRXKLonIrdm2KoRBN42v5SycnYfUohLX/s200/IMG_4282.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That is pronounced "whar's it at" and this town, although pretty remote is in a beautiful place. The road from Marrakech was amazing, a tiny little 1 1/2 lane road with busses and donkey carts, deadly dropoffs, etc. It can be closed if it rains or snows too much. I think our bus stopped here, <a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ouarzazate&sll=31.299088,-7.943115&sspn=0.268128,0.615234&ie=UTF8&ll=31.36038,-7.388864&spn=0.007934,0.019226&t=h&z=16">at this wide spot in the road</a>. I bought some peanuts from two young guys named Essam and Ibrahim. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've posted some pictures of Marrakech and Ouarzazate in the webalbums (link to the right). I liked this part of Morocco a lot. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's where it at!</span></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-75941744815133653532008-11-10T14:38:00.000-08:002008-11-10T14:43:11.929-08:00Exchange Rate<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You pay attention to </span><a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=EUR&to=USD&amt=1&t=1y"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">this sort of thing</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> when you travel.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?amt=1&from=USD&to=MAD&submit=Convert">This as well.</a></span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-32684931259510480462008-11-10T14:12:00.000-08:002008-11-10T14:25:47.221-08:00Fes and Casa<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbSKRCoSO_zB-8X_qBMZbTS4k9We8QqManj7L9uS_0LPiLWM7lQAa2RAdnYK8myzYEmaA2nsjrpEcTs3oP6Ya6IpMBcSpt4Ylz8HrQH0x0nq2OE6AzMJOqZbdDnovOoM7V0_5VjjGssKz/s1600-h/IMG_4027.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267157083296098274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDbSKRCoSO_zB-8X_qBMZbTS4k9We8QqManj7L9uS_0LPiLWM7lQAa2RAdnYK8myzYEmaA2nsjrpEcTs3oP6Ya6IpMBcSpt4Ylz8HrQH0x0nq2OE6AzMJOqZbdDnovOoM7V0_5VjjGssKz/s200/IMG_4027.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A medina taxi in Fes</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFS5yM0akNZpPjIYj9FMcSlzduBAhs2Jlt6F87IK7C2u39eSRnjV9XR30ErFUgX9aEgRGNn1rEzmdjfHRF_wCvmkmkAP1TwlajZjCx5ZrOsVDYZlrm9A7rXUap_VgkEOId3r5GovTfwSs/s1600-h/IMG_4053.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267157039942986802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFS5yM0akNZpPjIYj9FMcSlzduBAhs2Jlt6F87IK7C2u39eSRnjV9XR30ErFUgX9aEgRGNn1rEzmdjfHRF_wCvmkmkAP1TwlajZjCx5ZrOsVDYZlrm9A7rXUap_VgkEOId3r5GovTfwSs/s200/IMG_4053.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Fabric spun on the loom<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've uploaded some pictures of Fes and Casablanca to the Picasa Webalbums. It rained for a week in Fes, but now it is hot in Casa. Tomorrow we will go to Marakech. </span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We're trying to remember some French, but we're lost when it comes to Moroccan Arabic! But, its just another language, it might not be as hard as Basque!</span></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">New colors for the blog. What do you all think?</span></div></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-87148175419109755132008-11-04T09:57:00.000-08:002008-11-04T10:02:06.844-08:00Need some elbow room...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">We have spent some time in Fes el Bali, or Old Fes, the most dense, largest, car free area in the world. Check it out </span><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bab+Boujloud&sll=34.059646,-4.984853&sspn=0.006177,0.013915&ie=UTF8&ll=34.063672,-4.978598&spn=0.006177,0.013915&t=k&z=17"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> if you get a chance. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Its a fascinating, albeit cramped place!</span></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-62110054485538467912008-11-01T07:51:00.000-07:002008-11-01T12:24:22.208-07:00Vite, Vite!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xQVVwumUzbP_fROADBSfSG-Dg7mhjYHecQfapqt-TV7nJqs4D6wZ8MsjYBUXLrE8Ymwy4HATxp0yYSSV1UgX6rUUG7SqS4SP-Gm2lhmFBUCd6CjdttnnMekTbjYwv6NOGUeA-t3TRqfq/s1600-h/pic+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xQVVwumUzbP_fROADBSfSG-Dg7mhjYHecQfapqt-TV7nJqs4D6wZ8MsjYBUXLrE8Ymwy4HATxp0yYSSV1UgX6rUUG7SqS4SP-Gm2lhmFBUCd6CjdttnnMekTbjYwv6NOGUeA-t3TRqfq/s200/pic+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263771361070053810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1EmXi0VSbDD5_bofP3h-Kd0ZACkeMDxTazOu91v_Xc3zXrbczt76NXKLar8cBNRdRUG9oTghOtblVYp28gLGLeNUv4DHunS0fkclYuPWvI2qtv6NgrV1Xf7RvrA94Y1GkFqcXE7SzMVt/s1600-h/pic+019.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1EmXi0VSbDD5_bofP3h-Kd0ZACkeMDxTazOu91v_Xc3zXrbczt76NXKLar8cBNRdRUG9oTghOtblVYp28gLGLeNUv4DHunS0fkclYuPWvI2qtv6NgrV1Xf7RvrA94Y1GkFqcXE7SzMVt/s200/pic+019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263770504320165698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Quick, quick! But that is hard to do, as I have become less and less efficient the more time I spend in Spain. I can´t imagine it getting any better in Morocco. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Since finishing the Camino, we have been traveling south, staying with friends of friends. In Madrid we stayed with the Nordgrens and Karin Harper (they are with an organization called SEND). They knew Phil Jolley (with an orginazation called ECM) who needed some help at a retreat in the province of Ciudad Real. So we looked after several English and German kids. We didn´t plan on this before, but it was a neat opportunity that just popped up.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At the retreat, a place called Sol Verde (</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.sol-verde.com">www.sol-verde.com</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">), we met the director of ECM who suggested we visit his sister in Granada. We said ¨Sure!¨and in a few minutes, he said, ¨She will be expecting you tonight.¨ Its amazing how God brings these things together. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We were very blessed to stay with Rowena (British) and Paco (Spanish) in Granada. We have been learning a lot about hospitality these last few weeks and they are great examples. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From there we traveled to La Linea, the town right at the foot of Gibraltar to visit Melissa McKeehan, from our home church. She is a language assistant in a public school there. We visited Gibraltar, part of the UK, and saw a cool British supermarket. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Currently, we are in Algeciras with Mark and Robin, friends of a friend in Knoxville. Tomorrow, we leave Spain after almost 2 months here. We can see Morocco from here and tomorrow will be a travel day to Tangier and then (as quickly as we can - I´m not a big fan of port cities) to Fés. Mark and Robin have been giving us suggestions and orientation about Morocco today. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We have met a lot of amazing, bi-lingual (or tri- and quadralingual), generous, and hospitable people that we have really been blessed by in the past few weeks. I´ll never be able to pay them back, but I can be changed by my time with them, to learn from them!<br /><br />I´ve added lots of new pictures in the picasa albums. Some new ones of the middle of the Camino too (that I forgot to put in there!)<br /></span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-75667469365236454092008-10-15T07:06:00.000-07:002008-10-15T07:19:59.070-07:00Back in the Saddle Again<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpGKOt0iKVGE3js33ohCejagBJyYeNkc4qVwVRqM0TjMQC5JGwrr0ml_sF0PRI992yPI7Je7tNc2uTFhJY_USxl357eG2GtxKQMnfIcS6anxyRpHcdLPPsvm7HecT-j6I1q__kEonQgp5/s1600-h/IMG_3732%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257383829364974290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpGKOt0iKVGE3js33ohCejagBJyYeNkc4qVwVRqM0TjMQC5JGwrr0ml_sF0PRI992yPI7Je7tNc2uTFhJY_USxl357eG2GtxKQMnfIcS6anxyRpHcdLPPsvm7HecT-j6I1q__kEonQgp5/s200/IMG_3732%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_eGf08B4lFPAlGQTNjfiIEvZ8MuPdKYxM1at4kSK7rc_G-Vqvdahpp3vC2xXO4jScfzm05xIVMk6YNb-zORPqirSNn9EyiKvcj5cS_JVJiWgRSFPV7eM6EsAwVBhqrcGeNmeICSpJ15H/s1600-h/IMG_3731%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257383571556919330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_eGf08B4lFPAlGQTNjfiIEvZ8MuPdKYxM1at4kSK7rc_G-Vqvdahpp3vC2xXO4jScfzm05xIVMk6YNb-zORPqirSNn9EyiKvcj5cS_JVJiWgRSFPV7eM6EsAwVBhqrcGeNmeICSpJ15H/s200/IMG_3731%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We made it to Santiago, and after two days of rest (and eating and showering), we got up and set out for Finisterre, 90k past Santiago. This is the westernmost point of Europe, and the furthest a pilgrim could therefore go. This is a little debateable, but the yellow arrows pointed that way, so 3 days of walking later, we watched the sunset over the ocean. It felt like a good end to our trip. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We hadn´t planned on this added leg, but we are glad that we did it. It feels more complete now. </span></div></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-41412946946720518032008-10-11T04:10:00.000-07:002008-10-11T04:19:50.906-07:00Made It!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm0RhxlUcNNUPgoXloiRU3bXW7XcVIHp0kaaR5hDTw1cy_w81c9wrsVNGVdw3qCHXz36iAcBiqh2v7iX4DL7qJ9AJCY3iUYxM5Q9ewt7ttuzhXqewkTWq1tTY-7jNeXBx2CM83E69RhgB/s1600-h/IMG_3636%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255854459422461570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm0RhxlUcNNUPgoXloiRU3bXW7XcVIHp0kaaR5hDTw1cy_w81c9wrsVNGVdw3qCHXz36iAcBiqh2v7iX4DL7qJ9AJCY3iUYxM5Q9ewt7ttuzhXqewkTWq1tTY-7jNeXBx2CM83E69RhgB/s200/IMG_3636%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...and every step was by God´s grace. We are in santiago, arrived yesterday morning after a short walk (5k). It has been good to catch up and reunite with a few other pilgrims, sleep in, and not be so hungry! We have had a chance to reflect on the camino, but it will be a while before it all starts to sink in and take root. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I think that we apprecaite the simple things more now: food, rest, privacy, band aids, companionship, each other, home. We talk a lot about how we miss Berean, our home church, and the people there. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have put some new pictures of Galicia on the webalbum. It is much greener here for two reasons, number one is rain (it poured on us for 4 hrs two days ago) and reason number two is.... number two. this can be a smelly place. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We miss you all and hope to see you soon.</span> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-83911283461882485642008-09-30T11:04:00.000-07:002008-09-30T11:09:52.676-07:00Hand to Mouth...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A thought has been coming to my (Ivy) mind a lot as we walk each day. This has been the time in my life when I have been most aware of God´s provision. I can see the daily hand-to-mouth relationship so clearly. It is always there. He provides daily, but somehow the simplicity of this walking lifestyle allows the pilgrim to SEE God provide. Amazing. When I feel as though I cannot go on, an old man comes out and gives each of us an apple and a plum that he picked from the trees in his backyard. Provision. Encouragement. When we walk and walk, and run out of water, a fountain with drinkable water comes at the moment when we are so tired that we can´t stand it. Grace. I see it so clearly. What a blessing. All of the pain in the journey is worth it to see this Love in action.</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-72159433137695097262008-09-30T10:51:00.000-07:002008-09-30T11:04:26.114-07:00Day 21 on the Camino<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are in Astorga, around 275 km to go to Sanitago. Hard to believe. We are leaving the meseta ("little table") and entering the foothills of the mountains of León. The next few days are up and over the mountain, the highest point on the Camino Francés. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are doing well, my (PC) ankle and knee hurt in the morning most and it warms up after about an hour or walking. Ivy has some pain from blisters, but she is learning all sorts of great taping techinques. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Aldo, our friend, who in three stages, walked from Mt. St. Michel in France to Santiago (and Finisterre) told us what he learned about the Camino. "Eight hours of pain, 15 min. of pleasure with a shower, and joy with a beer." So far, so good. ;-p Sometimes it is 20 mins. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But also, he said that we would experience everything in life in a very short time span. He has been right. There have been excitement of a new day, a new place to go, the routine of packing up and taking care of our feet. Hunger, sadness, happiness, thirst, companionship, and so much more. Also, he said that we could learn about living modestly, and when you are a stranger in town carrying all you have on your back, you learn to appreciate the smallest things. A smile, a welcome, a fountain to drink from, a place to sit in the shade.</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-12931942893554285012008-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:002008-09-29T10:50:05.895-07:00Some Highlights<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ventosa: An amazing albergue...the nicest building in the whole town. A plaque in the town square described Ventosa as a town that reached its height in 1367. he he he!We think that they were right.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hontanas: Small town in a valley on the meseta. you walk all day until you step down into a hole...Hontanas. No store, but a meat van comes daily. Honks as it enters town, and the people come a runnin´for blood sausage and chorizo. (yes, blood sausage is made of pig´s blood and rice...yuk!) When the church bells ring, a donkey near the refuge brays with the ring of the bell. We´re not sure if it was a bray of annoyance or if he was competing. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Leon: Walked into town and into a festival with cattle carts, bagpipes, and lots of chorizo. The poor cows had large rounds of bread hung on their horns...hmmmm. Took some contraband pictures of the cathedral...very pretty! Ate at 2 kebab restaurants in the same night (for variety...and because we were starving!). Stayed in a hotel...it was amazing. We did not have to see anyone in their underwear at 6:30 in the morning like all other mornings while staying in refuges. A BIG plus!</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-80582448269364572122008-09-27T12:34:00.000-07:002008-09-27T12:41:38.962-07:00Half way there<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hard to believe, but if you put one foot in front of the other long enough, you´ll go a long way. We are 25km from Leon. The previous few days have been over the meseta, a mostly flat, hot, arid yet beautiful part of the country. It is so much different than the first week. Check out the pictures on picasa.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our feet hurt, but its not terrible. We are learning our limits and to not push them. Still headed west. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Internet connections in rural Spain are as hard to find as fresh spinach (man, I miss that stuff). But I´ll try to keep you all as up to date</span> as possible.PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-26819628647765835422008-09-16T11:09:00.000-07:002008-09-16T11:27:52.763-07:00Hola a Todos!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCm_gFpRguTUgEfJZ8GW6znjGFmZV3t2y1WS-fGgkQSNdJlicWXgryVQtlSqx0uOF_QfJUjM4fLfCRK0IYR6MOnD22rDQaQ5Fdmn3oHRuHMgx8QxqZUJ5wHChPRBF0j1qaCqj_LXkOJdC/s1600-h/picture+674.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246687319428171794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCm_gFpRguTUgEfJZ8GW6znjGFmZV3t2y1WS-fGgkQSNdJlicWXgryVQtlSqx0uOF_QfJUjM4fLfCRK0IYR6MOnD22rDQaQ5Fdmn3oHRuHMgx8QxqZUJ5wHChPRBF0j1qaCqj_LXkOJdC/s200/picture+674.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are in Logroño, and this is the first place that I have been able to post some pictures, see them in the picasa link to the right. Things are going well. It is hard but rewarding. Here´s a typical day:</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Up at 6am, groan some and then tape up feet</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">7am, get packed and out of the refuge (a dormitory type place with bunkbeds)</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Breakfast of some fruit or muffins while walking</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Walk</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Walk</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Walk</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sit in the shade</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Walk</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Get a drink of water from a fountain</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Eat lunch of a baguette and salami and chocolate</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Arrive at another refuge around 2 or 3 pm</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Shower and wash clothes (sometimes at the same time)</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Find dinner, either at a restaurant or cook in the refuge´s kitchen</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes talk to other pilgrims, play cards, massage feet</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Earplugs in (for snorers), facemask on (for lights), and sleep like a rock!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are really enjoying this, we have never done anything like this before, so it´s all new. We have walked out of our first province, Navarra, and into La Rioja today. It was a cool feeling. I really wouldn´t trade any of this first 8 days, from the mountains to the valleys, the people from around the world to the solitude and time with my wife, from the cities to the small towns and countryside, from the physical pain to the excitement of what is down the road and what I have just seen. God continues to provide and has been very gracious to us, and we try to commend Him to others when we can. We think about you all often. I hope to stay in touch!</span> </div><div> </div><div>And if you are wondering, yes, that is a wine fountain in the picture.</div><div> </div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-80632870716255592532008-09-08T00:24:00.000-07:002008-09-08T00:28:11.631-07:00Towards Santiago<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We are headed to St Jean Pied de Port, a traditional starting point for pilgims into Spain; we have already begun to see signs of the routes here in Toulouse (in the churches, museums, etc.). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My feet hurt, my pack feels kinda heavy, and some of my clothes stink. I think that I am ready!!</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-52376600766455581672008-08-29T13:55:00.000-07:002008-08-29T14:06:08.404-07:00Pics from the Combe de Savoy<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9F2OfVjYzK4Dxz5NthGcB6azz241FCa_3akItqpEWpVMPzmcS9ble5nJv-Zrz6qH5y9eigSj0ydavFDDLEKdm-7uA2pUjg1rf1uiqLiXG1AdJsD41GpBL7beBmWiFwnEkRV9GpB-ao32/s1600-h/IMG_2887.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9F2OfVjYzK4Dxz5NthGcB6azz241FCa_3akItqpEWpVMPzmcS9ble5nJv-Zrz6qH5y9eigSj0ydavFDDLEKdm-7uA2pUjg1rf1uiqLiXG1AdJsD41GpBL7beBmWiFwnEkRV9GpB-ao32/s200/IMG_2887.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240046881029514002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've added some pictures from our time in this valley (combe). This area is very beautiful, pictures can't really capture it, but I'll keep trying. Sometimes I mistake mountains in the distance for clouds. Mountains can't be that high up there can they? But there they are. The larger cites (Albertville, Chambery, Grenoble) are in the valleys, by the rivers, and the villages inch their way up to the mountain passes. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've posted some pictures in the Picasa web albums to the right. </span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-70811897244423799912008-08-29T07:15:00.000-07:002008-08-29T07:41:05.270-07:00Remembering Paris...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialfxCIg1L-ZPgBdpiEcL9-WqrX0I3-H2FB9q_LuSTkVX_chbfCDxjK3P2x7-euHFaXJgvVJ8v_3rhENavylDRwCunWjE5PJU_fPmFqANuSlCUJviStEeLuUaSxdidTXrwVki40jpsbJGH/s1600-h/IMG_2552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialfxCIg1L-ZPgBdpiEcL9-WqrX0I3-H2FB9q_LuSTkVX_chbfCDxjK3P2x7-euHFaXJgvVJ8v_3rhENavylDRwCunWjE5PJU_fPmFqANuSlCUJviStEeLuUaSxdidTXrwVki40jpsbJGH/s200/IMG_2552.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239943633814637762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Paris...I don't think you can really compare it to anything else. It seems to be a city where history is around every corner, where they pay attention to detail even when designing the stairways down to the metro stops, and where you will see great wealth and poverty. When we first arrived at the Paris airport, we were excited about the day ahead. We got off of the plane and immediately knew we were in a different country. It just feels different. The way they design hallways and bathrooms is different. The people dress differently. We got our bags (a miracle of sorts!) and headed out to hop a train to the city. Before we went we needed money. One problem. After double checking with our bank TWICE and making sure that our bank card would work, they were both rejected. Luckily, we had a credit card. We did end up getting our cards working about 2 days later, but we were so thankful that we had another emergency plan! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">We stayed in the artist's district in Paris. Montmartre is a beautiful part of town with cobble stone streets, old men carrying bagettes and groceries while walking their dog, and a slower pace than much of Paris. We ended up staying at what our guide book described as a low-end budget hotel. We didn't mind. It was clean (for the most part) and had a bathroom in the room for the bargain price of 35 euros a night. That is a steal in Paris. Mohammad, the man who runs the hotel ended up being a huge blessing and was always running out to ask us how we slept or if we needed something. There are pictures of him in the Paris album of our picassa picture link. check it out!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">While in Paris, we saw the usual. Look at the pictures, they are wonderful! we stayed out late one night to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower at night (Ivy's mom's request). At about 10 pm the whole tower sparkles and shimmers with lights. It looks like a sparkler at the fourth of July. I knew it lit up, but this was amazing! It must be a gift to those who stay out late. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Paris did prove to be extremely expensive. We, on the other hand, are extremely thrifty so we ended up eating mass amounts of bread and cheese. Not that we're complaining. If you must eat that all day....France is the place to do it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One last reflection. On the way over, we had the amazing blessing of being able to sit next to a French woman about our age named Solene. We must have talked for 2 or more hours about French culture and American culture. We also even had the opportunity to talk about our faith and our Hope! Solene had just spent a month in California with a friend, and her English was great (much better than our French). She was a joy. It felt as if the magic of the trip was starting even as we were on the flight over. </span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-83630323676253519802008-08-22T13:55:00.000-07:002008-08-22T14:22:00.567-07:00Voila!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqywctPks6RRV-sOtUPJZWZR9rIxHZeuYj89CpLWjlDyqCxjsH-EE0mkR7Nx1D6unxxMoqdAPOn6qWb0Z1K7R50rd9tXwfJn9wwyn2UDrKqUB8Zo90lBMonDBlNaWxtn4Kpw3bVwQBoldw/s1600-h/IMG_2667.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237455344671069938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqywctPks6RRV-sOtUPJZWZR9rIxHZeuYj89CpLWjlDyqCxjsH-EE0mkR7Nx1D6unxxMoqdAPOn6qWb0Z1K7R50rd9tXwfJn9wwyn2UDrKqUB8Zo90lBMonDBlNaWxtn4Kpw3bVwQBoldw/s200/IMG_2667.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After a few days in Paris, we have traveled to Albertville, in the southeast of France. We spent 4 nights and more euros than we expected in Paris. <em>C'est tre cher!</em> We stayed in a dive of a place, but the management (Mohammed, from Algeria and Eric from Poland) was very nice and helpful. It was a good time, but we were ready to leave the crowds and very high prices. Now we are in Albertville, where the prices are high instead. ;-p </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">See pictures from Paris on the Picasa link to the right.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Being with the Newports is like a breath of fresh air, when we've had a lot of 2nd hand smoke. Don't get me wrong, Paris was great, but a familiar face (or 8) has done a lot to encourage us. It has been good to "live it out" and to understand what it feels like here and then come to see them.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">They send greetings and love back to those at Berean.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div></div>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-57418875593008582552008-08-13T06:33:00.000-07:002008-08-13T06:43:09.548-07:00Hello All...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As we are packing up, and will leave on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Saturday</span>, I wanted to squeeze this last post in. This is mostly a re-post of stuff you may already know, but here's an overview of the blog:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">to stay in touch and share some pictures</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">to introduce you (sort of) to the people we meet</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">to share the history, culture, language and quirks of the places we visit</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">to boast only in how good God is</span> </li></ul><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hope you enjoy it!</span></p>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-4314766627676232402008-08-07T15:17:00.000-07:002008-08-07T15:43:06.612-07:00Los Caminos se Diferencian<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eV4u55diKojbpKunFXSR-4_Sq6OKtFXrpf46iBuVGIXBYf0Oj7G-nNfce0GQK-bfNSH0CEeld-Ipw3-1oHZTAmKyHSJYJj5V6CYjmLdXk8gMMxrnk01TrwrllS1SM0obWplteI61YC08/s1600-h/sjc.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231903574452997762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8eV4u55diKojbpKunFXSR-4_Sq6OKtFXrpf46iBuVGIXBYf0Oj7G-nNfce0GQK-bfNSH0CEeld-Ipw3-1oHZTAmKyHSJYJj5V6CYjmLdXk8gMMxrnk01TrwrllS1SM0obWplteI61YC08/s200/sjc.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For more information on El Camino de Santiago, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Camino_de_Santiago"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">here's a link to wikipedia</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">For more information on another type of El Camino, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevy_El_Camino">here's another link</a>.</span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-45321908623582334522008-08-06T17:32:00.000-07:002008-08-07T15:39:58.285-07:00Musica Gallega<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From Milladoiro, a Galician folk band. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ5NtUSQX4E"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ5NtUSQX4E</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sounds like Celtic music, doesn't it? Looks Irish too. Yet Spanish, as well.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EmoVmHoFnM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EmoVmHoFnM</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Bagpipes? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">I think I get it, its not Celtic or Spanish, but its a little of both. It's Galician. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just when I think I've got something figured out, it turns out to be richer than it first appeared. </span>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6056212529282635156.post-12589096269741227222008-08-04T09:04:00.000-07:002008-08-04T09:29:25.905-07:00Test Hike<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-JbqbxDe584JVDBK3HHM8wRIt9j9u37FZDUkUQgHdBb6y3vtnP9KoI_-uJMFizbXwXhDq-lNIV2XVYV1mVIJnU7EZ-6TbA__KgCFIlbmKDu0kjEXdEalJ9yQpk3gMPOdmsWsWxR57tWa/s1600-h/mollies+ridge.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230697208645499858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-JbqbxDe584JVDBK3HHM8wRIt9j9u37FZDUkUQgHdBb6y3vtnP9KoI_-uJMFizbXwXhDq-lNIV2XVYV1mVIJnU7EZ-6TbA__KgCFIlbmKDu0kjEXdEalJ9yQpk3gMPOdmsWsWxR57tWa/s200/mollies+ridge.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On July 26-27 we went on a "test hike" to see how our gear and joints would perform on El Camino. From Cades Cove, we went up Gregory Ridge trail to the AT and stayed at a shelter at Mollies Ridge. We did 10.5 miles out and then back for a total of 21 miles. We averaged about 2 miles per hour. </span><a href="http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/Trail%20map%2008.pdf"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Click here for a map of the park.</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (Cades Cove is to the west.)<br /></span></div><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Some highlights:<br /></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lots of quiet and peace, time to think</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Good time together</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Many wild blueberries and blackberries</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No rain, some breeze</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Giving ourselves trailnames (Bean Burger and Tofu -- BB&T)<br /></span></li></ul><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And some lowlights:<br /></span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Being really sore</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sleeping on a cutting board (shoulda brought a pad)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The shelter's water supply having dried up (we had enough to make it back; more inconvenient than dangerous)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Forgetting to tell anyone our trailnames!<br /></span></li></ul><p><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It was a good learning experience. Next time, we'll take less stuff, more food and water.</span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p>PChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00569311050048276253noreply@blogger.com4