On Virgina roads

We've been driving around the middle of Virginia, along smaller roads. It's really nice. The area is also between winter and spring, good time for Easter no? 

Virgina

We're in Lynchburg Va. Driving around I notice a lot of plastic bags stuck in trees. Is this our future, where plastic bags are going to be stuck to all trees?

Chicago

The bean (Cloud Gate) is really cool. Its one of those things where pictures don't do it justice. It's a magical thing. It feels like a living photoshop filter.
If ever in Chicago go there.

Chicago

Back in Chicago on our way to Virginia for a Family wedding. Compared to Seattle, it's still in the grips of winter, there are piles of snow every where, and of course the town is preparing itself for St Patrick's day:
yes the water is green. I just don't really get it, this is something that got more serious after we left.

After this we went to the art institute to check out the Edward Hopper exhibit. It was really great. The show was paired with Winslow Homer an artist from the turn of the 20th century. For some reason there was more of a crowd for Homer than for Hopper, I'd say it's typical.

This is the crowd around these small pictures. We couldn't see squat of ole Homer. Luckily, the Hopper exhibit was more deserted, and better art.

lake washington - morning commute.

This a shot from the bus to the lake. The bridge floats on top of the lake, when it's windy the lake washes over the bridge. It's impressive, the roiling green water throwing itself in front of vehicles.

Crazy Cherry Tree

I took this picture on December 13. This tree blooms at the weirdest times of year, we usually notice it in the winter months. I don't quite understand what the survival advantage of this is, since there aren't that many bugs around to fertilize it and greedy squirrels eat the buds.

Thus Leigh and I make fun of it as we pass by. We say "Stupid tree!" "hey moron, it's january!" We are cruel that way. The tree is stoic and unresponsive, typical for the Nordic character of the city.

Snow!

We were really cozy at home, after getting starch overload at a great Salvadorean place in White Center. We ate too much. Snow started to fall in thick, sopping clumps. We mastered the weather easily and braved the snowy, slippery hills to slide down to the YMCA to work off at least one of those tasty Salvadorean pupusas.
-Leigh

Yakima Haul.

[click on images to get close up of fancy labels!]

We went to Yakima this weekend for a wine tour. We forgot our camera. If we had brought it you would have seen pictures that contrasted the green valley with the surrounding brown hills. The hills are like brown velvet cloth draped over squat furniture.

You would also see pictures of our travel companions, Ryan & Darlene, (seen in these pages in the Turkey section) in various environments holding up glasses of wine.

We got lucky, the tour wasn't filled, so we had the limo to ourselves. We drove to about 6 wineries and tried several wines at each place. We ended in our favorite winery that we discovered recently: Sagelands. Their cab is better than its price. We tried their older stuff. Being driven around in the limo was great, we had lunch at Silverlake winery, they had a great view of the valley.

Anyway during the tour we drank a lot, we'd try about four or more wines per winery. We never go drunk, just a little fuzzy towards the end. We started just near Zillah and then wound our way back towards Yakima. Some of the places were a little sad, some were super pro. Our favorite besides Sagelands was Two Mountains. They had great wine that we tasted in their warehouse. Unlike other places, the bar didn't smell like ferment, the dogs were sweet and there were no fruit flies. One of the places had fruit flies crawling over everything. That and their wine wasn't that great. One "Bone Dry Chardonnay" was anything and the person behind the counter didn't know much. berk, we left with alacrity.

We ended up buying 23 bottles of wine! Splurgy for a cheapo me. Here's a picture of our purchases (repeats have been removed we bought several of the same bottles).

-tf

Istanbul

June 1 to June 19 2007

Istanbul

View from our hotel window


Carpet! Bought it.

Terry after purchasing said rug; a little nervous, with a wee touch of buyers remorse.

Terry, mouthing off in front of the Egyptian Obelisk in the Hippodrome








It seems I was trying to imitate the Virgin Mary in the Blue Mosque. What sacrilege.

Me, tearing off my oppressive headgear

Terry with a glass of Turkish Raki, acting the pasha on the rooftop deck of our hotel. Just about every structure in Istanbul has a rooftop deck.

Ryan snapped a shot of Terry and I in the Spice Market. The guy on the right had just said, "I have Fish and Chips for you!"

In the Mosaic Museum. Another fine pic from Ryan.


Near the Galata bridge- looking at the Bosphorus


Lunch!

"Meatballs" through the glass.

Medusa head. Don't know why the Medusa in the background is making such a face.

Ryan and Darlene, our travel companions in Istanbul.

Fishing on the Bosphorus.






Ryan and Leigh at the Archeological Museum





In the Cisterns under Istanbul. Great place to go on an extremely hot day


Upside down Medusa head

"Pillar of Tears"

Beyoglu




Beyoglu honey dripping tower of pastry



Darlene at the Cafe in the Arasta Bazaar.