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Archive for July, 2009

Hay-on-Wye

July 31, 2009

I should probably start with a brief explanation of why we are in Hay-on-Wye. The shortest explanation is that there are 30 bookstores in this small town. The longer story is that I heard about it about 20 years ago and have dreamed of coming here ever since.

Hay-on-Wye is very photogenic and I have lots of pictures. I’ll give them to you a few at a time, so as not to overwhelm.
Castle Street is one of the main streets.
This structure used to be the butter market. There is a weekly street market held each Thursday and this and other areas of the town are used. We bought some lovely green olives stuffed with garlic cloves which is a combination we haven’t found in Dubai, yet.
Here is the Castle. Of course, there is a bookstore in it.

The Catholic Church.

We are enjoying our stay here. It is very peaceful and lovely. My only complaint is that the entire town is on a slope, so it is hard on my ankles to be walking on uneven ground. Daddybird says we can retire here, but I would need one of those motorized chairs that old people use to get around. Works for me!

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Godot

July 31, 2009

God bless British public transportation! We were able to take a train and the underground from our hotel (out near Heathrow Airport) to the theatre in the heart of the city. It wasn’t necessarily cheap (29 pounds, approximately $47 for the two of us), but it was easy. Actually, cheap is a relative term, based on our previous taxi experience, it probably would have been around 80 pounds ($130) one way by taxi.
We walked through Trafalgar Square on the way to the theatre. I just love people who see that I am taking a picture and stare vacantly into the lens. GET OUT OF MY PICTURE!

Trafalgar Square

Here it is. The theatre where the magic happened. Taking pictures inside was forbidden, although I saw several others do it anyway. I behaved myself, so this picture will have to serve.

Theatre Royal, Haymarket, Waiting on Godot, July 2009

The play was marvelous. We both had trouble staying awake due to sleep deprivation and the stuffiness of the theatre. McKellen and Stewart were charming, funny and as excellent as one would expect. I was very sad when it came to an end. It was a once in a lifetime experience.

Posted in England, Theatre, travel adventures | 1 Comment »

TransAtlantic

July 29, 2009

Trust me, people in coach don't want to know that they could be laying down if only they were in business class.

I don't think I want to sit on them.

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San Diego Zoo

July 29, 2009

Here’s a little wrap up on our time in San Diego. We went to the zoo. There were several baby flamingos.

We were impressed by this Hibiscus type flower. It was quite large and very colorful.

And I had to take a picture of the sleeping bearcat because he just looked so peaceful. I envy him.

We enjoyed seeing our friends and family while in the states, but the long road trip was exhausting. We also didn’t care much for the heat and lack of air conditioning. Next summer, we will head for the far north or the southern hemisphere. Somewhere where I might have to wear a jacket instead of having to fan myself.

We also enjoyed sharing pictures and stories with anyone who would listen. We love Dubai and are glad to share it with others.

Posted in USA | 1 Comment »

Traveling

July 27, 2009

We are at the Portland, Oregon airport about to leave for London. Hopefully, we will have better luck with Internet access this time and I will be able to keep you posted. We will be seeing Waiting for Godot starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart our first night in London. We are very excited.

Stay tuned.

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Wil Wheaton

July 23, 2009

Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher, USS Enterprise for those who don’t recognize the name) read some of his writings at the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens. We went and did what fans do. Very enjoyable. Babybird was brave and went up to buy a book and have him sign it. She got the last one. Whew! He is very gracious and friendly. Like he says on his twitter profile “I’m just this guy, you know?”

Posted in Us | 2 Comments »

Sunset

July 23, 2009

We are mostly just kicking back and enjoying family. It is in the 80’s (fahrenheit) and air conditioning isn’t as prevalent here, as it is in the UAE. I do miss the land of air conditioning.

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San Diego

July 22, 2009

We are in San Diego with Daddybird’s parents. We started with a Padres versus Marlins game.

Beards tend to run in the family, as you can see.

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Castle boys

July 22, 2009

This is Daddybird and his youngest brother Matt. Unfortunately, we didn’t have all three brothers together at the same time.
We had a good time in the Bay Area, but it was way too short and rushed. Not much more than time to say “hello” and “goodbye.”

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Astonishing

July 22, 2009

So, this is an oddity that we picked up a couple of years ago in a thrift store. It defies explanation. We came across it again in going through the last of our belongings in storage, so we’ve kept it in the family by passing it on to Daddybird’s brother.