Slow Train to Amsterdam

So much of my travels are hurry up and wait that once in a while it is nice to just take my time. To indulge in this I took the slow train from Brussels to Amsterdam. The ride took about 4 hours and stopped in about 15 places. The train was full of young backpackers going to places like the Rotterdam, Antwerp and Amsterdam for what ever reason it is that young people go to these places. The Dutch allow smoking on the platform between the cars. The moment we crossed the boarder from Belgium to the Netherlands the young people started going onto the platform to smoke tobacco. At least it smelled like they were smoking tobacco. We were not across the square in front of the train station in Amsterdam when someone within sniffing distance lit up something that DG had not smelled in 25 years, oh yeah, on the side walk, in clear view at midday on a Sunday. The rules are different there (though I think this is still illegal.) Ah, yes, a nice relaxing slow moving visit (even if we were doing the forced march through western Europe.)

TR

I am not in this picture, because I was hiding from the smell. Yes, the ancients burned, composted and recycled. From the smell of things at Fountains Abbey they also used composting toilets. It is amazing that the smell persists after all these years. I would not want to go back to living like that. No way!

TR

Fountain’s Abbey

Our adventure at Fountain’s Abbey began with an endless stroll through the woods. The trail was pretty and winding and ended with a climb up a steep hill and lunch (Woodchuck received an email with a picture of the ale of the day.) Boy was I ready for an ale after that climb. After lunch we went back down the hill to the ruins of the Abbey. Wow! And this is a few hundred years after Henry the VIII had the roof torn off and the place left to collapse. This shows what happens when you build to last.

TR

Revisiting the past, to see the present

There are certain second trips that have to be made. No logical explanation, someone just has to go. A second visit to an exotic location is generally going back to a revisit a place that someone really enjoyed visiting the first time. But, what about going back to visit someplace that was ok but held no special memories? DG used the explanation for returning to Amsterdam that he needed find out if it was the city or the company on his first visit that left him feeling ambivalent about the city. He felt compelled to return. WH coined the phrase, psychically redeeming the city. And so we were off for a quick overnight stay in Amsterdam.

In the vein of trying to decipher if was the city or the traveling companion that was a pit in 1991, there were a couple of things we had to do. We stayed in the same hotel, under new ownership, but as wonderful as ever right on the square across from the main train station. The hotel was not the issue with Amsterdam; it was and is very nice, very comfortable and very accommodating. Next, we had to take a boat tour of the canals. DG even bought a picture of us boarding the boat, to go next to the one taken 16 years ago (he has aged and picked up a couple of pounds; but his hair is about the same.) The boat tour was nice, probably nicer in the winter, the greenhouse windows made it a bit warm for we Antarctic types.

These things being accomplished we looked for differences. The first trip DG flew in landing in the fog with near zero visibility and out with a quick taxi ride to and from the airport. This time we arrived by slow train. Between Brussels and Amsterdam the train made about 15 stops in about four hours. We slowly cruised through Dutch countryside passing idyllic villages, modern and traditional windmills. On the first trip DG failed to see a windmill, because you have to leave town to see one. Fear and insecurity kept DG and his traveling partner 16 years ago from straying from the very well beaten tourist path. Then we explored the city. Now Amsterdam has a colorful side, some would say seedy side. For many this is part of Amsterdam’s appeal, for others it is the source of great concern. The first time DG visited there was great concern about turning down many of the narrow shadowy side streets. This time the attitude was different. Not careless, or reckless, but willing to stop, look, listen and proceed. Other then being solicited by a couple of working girls (boy were they barking up the wrong tree) things went very well. The journey to rediscover Amsterdam was also a journey of self discovery for DG.

Bottom line, Amsterdam is still a strange town. Not on the list of places we want to return to over and over again (we do need to go back and see a museum or two that we lacked time for on this trip.) At the same time Amsterdam is an interesting city that will help you see and understand yourself just a little better.

TR

Peachtree MARTA Station

There is a raging debate going on in Atlanta over a proposed local ordinance that would make it a crime (punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to 6 months in jail) to wear pants hanging so low that the wearers' “private parts or but cleavage” would be exposed. As one commentator pointed out, thank god most of them wear underwear. Another person pointed out that she had seen too many pairs of boxers and one thong (on a man) was more then enough THANK YOU! Now it is important to point out that the style trend of very, very low rise jeans does not appear to have reached Atlanta as yet (when the world comes to an end you want to be living in the south, it takes a couple of years longer for things to catch on there.) The controversy is about young men wearing oversized pants that hang low (in many cases falling off) exposing generous amounts of underwear. I know this style is passé in modern parts of the world, but still very common in Atlanta.

One burning question, if this ordinance becomes law, what about penguins? Will I be free from arrest in the subway stations when I return to Atlanta?

TR

Squirrel is right, it is humid a squirrel shit in Atlanta.

Now where was that Tea Room?

When we finished touring the cathederal in York with Bert and Someone, it was tea time. We consulted the maps, and searched the memories for a great place for tea. Here I am taking an up close and personal look at a bronze model of the city in front of the Cathederal. Finally it was decided to try the National Trust tea room. We arrived and were told that tea and coffee were available, but no cake. We were mere minutes to late for them to serve cake. Strange rules in England, I had heard about odd pub rules about serving hours (that appear to all have been reformed) and have apparetently been replaced by cake rules in the National Trust tea rooms. No problem, we went next door where Someone was met by the most freightening tea lady in York. She said yes, tea, coffee, cake, but you have to finished in 20 minutes (or what?) She was so scarey that Someone was afraid to ask her, or what? He ordered quickly, service was fast, and afternoon tea was completed precisely on schedule. At that point the staff was someplace in the back room, no where to be found, no one to take back the tray of empties. We slipped away before the dragon lady came back to life.

DG and I are off to Atlanta for a confernce. The next update will be Sunday or Monday.

TR

2nd Anniversary

It has been two years and roughly 165 postings since I started sharing my adventures with my friends here on The Adventures of Travel Penguin. I have done my best to take you along on my memorable, if somewhat unconventional adventures. I hope that we have kept you entertained and made you laugh once in a while. I hope we have not made anyone cry. DG tells me that he has enough pictures stored up to post a couple of times a week for the next 3-4 months. In that time we will be in the air to Atlanta, Washington DC twice, and San Diego gathering new material to keep us going.

We really love reading your comments. Even when you hijack my blog, it is fun to read. (Hint, post more comments, PLEASE!)

When you have a minutes join me in a toast to celebrate 2 wonderful years and many more to come.

TR

Grounded Again

This week the feds announced that they have started letting contracts for modernizing the air traffic control system, the first major upgrade since the 1960’s, but it will be 5 years or so before we start to move air traffic control into the satellite age.

The US is not alone in having air travel snafus. Here I am waiting for my train to leave the airport in Paris. Now we had not planned on taking the train. DG got the bright idea that flying would be faster, so he booked airline tickets from Amsterdam to Paris and Paris to Rennes down on the Normandy Britney coast of France. The flight from Amsterdam to Paris was delayed about 40 minutes, leaving a 30 minute mad dash to change terminals and planes in Paris. We made it to the gate in record time just as the line was forming to board. Very good. We stood for about 15 minutes and they announced a slight delay. About 30 minutes later they announced that the flight crew had boarded the aircraft and we would be ready to board momentarily. About 15 minutes later they put us on the bus that would take us all out to the plane. Then they made an announcement entirely in French that I could not hear over the screaming 2 year old and everyone started getting off the bus. Now it was about 65 degrees and raining outside, so the terminal was shut up like a thermos bottle with the heat turned up to about 85. After an hour or so the apparent need for improved marketing of deodorant in Europe appeared. Another half an hour or so and they cancelled the flight for technical reasons.

At this point it was fun to watch the French mob scene. Several people argued with the gate attendants that they couldn’t cancel the flight. Then they argued that the airline had to find us another airline. Then the mob finally won an argument that if they were going to keep us there they had to bring us food and drink (20 minutes later a cart arrived laden with sandwiches and soft drinks; god bless the French.) About an hour later they announced that they had figured out how to accommodate all of us and that we needed to go to baggage claim 12 and pick up our luggage and meet them at check-in 14.

The mob stood around and stared in disbelief. I verified 12 and 14 and stared for the door, just then a woman in a wheelchair stood-up (she can stand?) and bellowed in French that even I could understand that this was just a plot to get rid of us, and the moment we were out of sight the gate crew would disappear and leave us stranded (I still am surprised that I was able to understand that much French, an hour earlier a 2 year old had left me in the dust with his reply to me syaing to him in French, my name is TR and what is your name? That is the last time I tangle with French 2 year old.)

After a minute, I and about half of the mob headed for the baggage claim through a back door that bypassed the security check-point (held open by one of the friendly airline employees.) We went back and forth several times and I finally abandoned the mob, found the baggage claim and 30 seconds later had my bag and was on my way to check-in 14.

I am headed down the way and there is check-in 10, 11 and 12 and a wall. Oh god, maybe she was right! Where is check-in 14? I fumble around for a couple of minutes and finally ask the guy manning the metal detector and x-ray machine at a security check point. It took a minute to explain what I needed in my limited French and his even more limited English. While we are doing this a woman walked up the check point, held up her ticket and passport for no one to see, walked through setting off the metal detector and went on to catch her flight. He looked up, shrugged and ignored her; he was trying to help me (who says the French are rude.) When he finally figured out where I needed to go (down one floor) he unlocked a back door so that I could take the short-cut down (think I bypassed another security check point.)

I was first in line and yes Air France had a solution, they would put me on a train that left 6 ½ hours after the plane was scheduled to leave and get me close to my destination at 9:25 at night, instead of 2:30 in the afternoon. Away we go, the train was on time and it was only a $24 taxi ride from the train station to the aiport to pick up my rental car. I called and naturally the rental car desk in the train station closed 25 minutes before the train arrived.

Fun little car to drive. It reminded me of a French Plumbers van.

Next time I’ll take the train. Penguins just aren’t meant to fly.

TR

Alternative Nest In Case of Siege By Fuzzy Rodents

Everyone needs a little place to hide out, in the event of siege by fuzzy rodents. I think this place might work. It had a great library and study, and a whole room filled with a collection of chamber pots. Penguins have never used chamber pots . . . I really don’t see the point.

TR

A little place in the English Countryside

Millions of people dream about owning a little place in the English countryside. A weekend get-away. Here is a fine example. Nothing fancy or flashey, just a few dozen rooms and plenty of space for friends to park when they come to visit. I could see myself feathering this as a nice little weekend nest. DG needs to win the power-ball lottery . . . and SOON!

TR

The crenulated tower would come in handy when old "You Know Who" decides to invade with his band of merry rodents.

Congratulations To Mr and Mrs Squirrel

Now how long will this take to hatch?

TR

Free Range

Here I am out to pasture with the sheep in Yorkshire. DG is actually getting closer to being put out to pasture, but I won't comment on his aging.

I was surprised by the open range in Yorkshire. The sheep have such fluffy feathers and are so at ease on the range.

TR

TR Joins the Chorus

Here I am practicing with the York Minster Cathedral chorus. A flightless fowl really adds depth to the sound.

TR

Great Picture Isn't it?

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway

One of the few things on my must see list for Yorkshire was to ride a steam train. There are several lines that actively run live steam locomotives. To make these even more special they are coal fired (increasingly around the world you find steam trains run on oil fired boilers. Oil is cleaner and easier.) This line had two different locomotives running this day, we had the rare pleasure of watching two steam trains pass one another. Just like when DG's great grandmother lived in England and Wales 100 years ago.

All aboard!

TR

In defense of Bert's Driving

Here is a trypical Yorkshire street (Woodchuck, note the neat little sports car.) This is actually just down the street from Imperial Headquarters.













Here is what kept careening down the road straight at Bert.

The RABBITS, they are another matter.

TR

Kings Cross

On my way Hogwarts, this shows how short I really am.

TR

Thanks Meritt, I owe you one.

Sometimes it is all done with smoke and mirrors

When people meet me for the first time they are frequently surprised by my diminutive stature, I am just a feather over 3.25 inches tall. Most of my pictures are close-ups, making me appear larger then I really am. Remember from school, that you can block out the sun with a penny if you hold it close enough to your eye, well the same is true of a penguin. Hold a penguin close enough to your eye and you see nothing else.

Sometimes I am also aided by the creative use of mirrors. In this case the mirror is installed to allow people to view the ceiling in the tower at York Minster. People kept falling over from looking up, so the mirror was installed to allow them to see up by looking down. In this instant it looks like I am standing on the ceiling that is a couple hundred feet above my head.

TR

Trains

One of the great joys of European travel can be train service. Imagine traveling from city to city and country to country while sitting in a comfortable seat, not packed in like sardines. Being able to walk up and down the isle, even being able to walk to the bar and order a refreshment or two and return to your seat. You buy a ticket, show up and get on. No one questions your motives, forces you to take off all metalic objects and pass through X-ray and metal detectors, no one threatens to strip search you, you just show up, step on board and find a seat. What a civilized way to travel. Here I am in the train termial in York, waiting for Bert and Someone to join us.

TR

Home Improvement Ideas

WH and DG have been thinking about re-doing their home office for years. They ran across this little work space in London and though that it would be just ideal. Now all they need to do is tear out the closet, cut through the wall, demolish the neighbors house, build a bridge over the street . . . this will take a while . . . let me get back to you on the final plans . . . I think I can work a four car garage into this one.

TR

Tough Old Bird

While on tour in England I decided to stop by and visit an old friend. He is a noble bird as only a flightless bird can be. Being on in years he does not get out much and really enjoyed hearing about my travels. He spends his days in the British Museum, just around the corner from the Rosetta Stone. We had a nice visit, but he had other company that day so I moved along; after all there were TRACTORS and RABBITS to be seen.

TR

We went, we saw, we conquered!

And now we are home. We have weeks worth of things to post about, DG took over 1400 photos; those will take a few days to sort through. Great Brittan was fun and easy as ever. The expansion campaign onto the continent was a drive in the country. Normandy hasn’t been this easy since 1066.

Bert and Someone and Bert’s parents were so much fun, we couldn’t have accomplished it all without Bert’s brave driving in the face of RABITS! and TRACTORS!

More, much more to come, at this point we have been up and going for about 20 hours and sleep is a necessity; but we wanted to let you know that the campaign was a smashing success and the victors have returned with the spoils.

TR

On the road again

This has been a busy year, lots of business trips and a quick weekend or two thrown in for fun. These are kind of like the previews before the feature film. It is time for the major adventure of the year. We will be visiting Bert and Someone for the first week, then I am taking DG to Brussels, Amsterdam and Normandy, then back to London for a long weekend and home. I promise lots of interesting pictures and probably a story or two from along the way. I should be back posting August 14th. Sorry about the long break, you all talk amongst yourselves and you'll be fine while I am off gathering blogg fodder.

TR

Squirt!

I ran across this very nice fountain in the airport in Detroit. It was nice to get my feet wet again.

TR

Airline and airport ramble

Special congratulations are due to Northwest Airlines, for the first time ever they got me to my destination and back home on time and with my luggage. Bankruptcy has been good for them.

This was taken in the Northwest Terminal in Detroit. The terminal is so long that they run a monorail from one end to the other, inside the building. Of course when you are flying to and from Hooterville, you have to go down into a mood lit tunnel and pass over to the comuter termial.

All in all, not a bad trip. On time, nothing lost, the plane didn't back into anything.

TR

Case Studies

Breaking the class into small groups to work on case studies allows the trainees to apply the knowledge and reinforce their learning, it also allows me to rest my wings for a few minutes.

I have returned from Detroit. The training was a smashing success. One of our local experts was a local judge. She is legendary. She started out by telling me about her plans to go bear hunting in Alaska in September and finished with a story about riding a Jet-Ski across the bay to perform an emergency wedding (the priest had a car accident and was headed to the hospital) with her judicial robes flowing in the breeze. If all judges were like her, I'd go back to trial law.

TR

Leaving Las Vegas $3 ahead

I like airports. I always have. There is something about all of the flying, and people coming and going that I get a kick out of. I find it fascinating to walk down the concourse and look at all of the places that planes are leaving for and think of the places I would love to go to, and of the places I hope to never be forced to go to again, ever! For those who must know the places I hope to never see again include Fayetteville, North Carolina, Detroit (damn, someone has bribed me into going there next week,) Bismarck, North Dakota (once was enough), and JFK (the worst major airport in North America.) Even in the worst airport, it is fun to watch the people and the planes and the slot machines.

Like there are not enough games of chance in an airport today! Will the plane arrive on time? Will it leave on time? Will it back into another airplane? Will the flight crew expire before takeoff? Will the airline go bankrupt again before we land? And now slot Machines, just what airports need another sucker bet in the world of modern air transport.

Slot machines sing the sirens’ song for me. There is something magical about the bells and clinks and clanks of the wondrous games of chance. Now I know my limits, and I am a cheap little bird so about $20 is my limit. But I do like playing. So two weeks ago when I was passing through Vegas I had my chance. Real live slot machines in the center of a nice 1970’s vintage round terminal end surrounded by gates (JFK needs to go see what can be done with these classic terminals besides letting pigeons fly around in them.) Now the machines have changed over the years. You can no longer saunter up and drop a coin in and pull the handle, you now slide a bill in and push the buttons. I slipped in a fiver and in about 2 minutes it was gone. I slid in a $10 and in about 5 minutes I was about $10 ahead. I stayed long enough to cash out with $18 leaving me $3 ahead. And yes I cashed out while I was ahead. Then my flight was delayed, and delayed, and the bells kept calling me back and I resisted. I left Las Vegas $3 ahead.

TR

How can it only be Wednesday?

It has been a long hot week. It is bringing out the crazies. Today DG had a nice conversation with an old client who is currently recouperating in a rubber room, and three or four more cleints that need to visit the nice person in the rubber room. A few more days like this and DG will be ready to go visit the nice person in the nice secure hospital (ah, but they are letting her out in a couple of days.)

Detroit early next week (only because someone is paying us to go) and two weeks till we fly off to see Bert and Someone. TR

Bears

A well fed bear, is a happy bear. And a happy bear won't eat you!

TR

Visiting the Bears

While I was in Anchorage I dropped in to see a few bears. They are so warm and fuzzy and fun to be around. They like to play with their visitors. You never know who you are going to run into, Woodchuck is that you? I bet you told Mrs Chuck you were out demontrating horizontal stabilizing dampers to some camping dealer in Utah, or scouting for a new nest site. Oh well, I'll never tell.

TR

Great view out the front of the plane as we flew up the gorge of the Ruth Glacier. I was able to sit in the front. I hadn't been in a single engine airplane in years (more then I care to admit.) It was great fun, especially sitting up front in the co-pilot seat with the incredible view. Yes we did turn on time.

We landed on a lake on the back side of the Ruth Glacier. The pilot said that this is one of very few times that he has ever landed on this lake. The weather was perfect and the water level was up several feet in the past week giving the pilot confidence that there were not an submerged bolders to hit. The landing was incredibly smoth, I had to look down to tell that we were on the water. We spent a few mintes wandering around, taking pictures, picking up rocks and stretching our wings. Then it was back in to the air and back to Anchorage. I want to go bear viewing the next trip.

TR

Don't Forget to Turn

Several times I had to restrain myself from reminding the pilot to turn. The first time was just after take off. Without turning we would have flown right across the main runway of the Anchorage International airport not a mile away. The flight pattern was filled with huge 747 cargo planes, I think we could have flown right into the engine of one of them. Fortuneately the pilot turned without prompting. Later on in the shadow of the valley of the Ruth glacier (how close can I get) I was hoping that he would remember to turn before we left an oil stain on the towering granite canyon walls. He turned.
TR

Early Morning on Lake Hood

You know it is a good thing that I didn't hear the statistic that 5 bush planes a year crash in Danali National park until after we returned home. Time was tight on our recent trip, and the way to see the most in the least amount of time was to take a flightseeing tour departing from Lake Hood in Anchorage. http://www.flyrusts.com/index.html

So here I am early in the morning try to remember how the old saying goes, there are old pilots and bold pilots but there are very few old bold pilots. I was wondering what our pilot would be like.
TR

When Penguins Fly

The fun began changing planes in Vegas at about midnight on Friday night. Just before the door to the plane closed Ma Mullet went wailing down the aisle “we’re going to have to leave Bobby-Dale behind in Sin-City, they won’t let him on the plane." There were about a dozen members of the Mullet clan on board returning home from one of them renewing their wedding vows before the King (Elvis) in Las Vegas. It never was entirely clear why Bobby-Dale was being denied boarding, something about a fee that had to be paid for him to fly at that time on that flight (with the rest of the clan) and no one in the Mullet clan having a credit card to pay it (and the airline refusing to take cash at the boarding gate.) Members of the clan ran down the aisle to comfort Ma, who wailed even more about how terrible the airline was. The door was closed, she wailed some more and the Senior flight attendant stormed up the aisle, ordered the jet-way back and the door reopened. She talked with the Mullet family, with airline staff and even had Bobby-Dale brought to the door to say (with a grin on his face) “it’s ok, I’ll fly home tomorrow.” Finally after about 20 minutes they gave Bobby-Dale the keys to one of the pick-up-trucks parked at the airport and it was agreed that the rest of the family would fly peacefully without him (they offered to let any or all of them off if they couldn’t fly away and leave him behind in Sin-City.) The result of all of this commotion is that we were about 45 minutes late leaving Las Vegas making my 45 minute connection in Charlotte terribly tight.

Now airline schedules are as well padded as a thin starlet's bust, so when we landed I had 17 minutes to change concourses in Charlotte to catch my connecting flight. I don’t think we knocked anyone over as we flew through the airport, arrived at the gate about 11 minutes before departure (they close the little commuter flights 10 minutes before flight time so we were barely on time) only to be told that the flight had been delayed and in fact just that moment cancelled. I asked the nice lady what she could do and she said nothing and sent me to stand in line at customer service (I grumped at her, but it did no good.) The line at the service desk was not long, but everyone ahead of me was furious. When I got to the desk I looked at the nice young man and said, “I know if you could fix the weather, the plane, the crew or what ever is wrong you would have, but you can’t, what are my options for getting home to day I have been traveling since yesterday afternoon?” After suggesting a 7:45 PM flight (at 7:45 AM after I had been flying since 4:00 PM the day before) he said that they would fly into another city 90 miles from home and provide ground transportation to my home airport. I said that sounds ok, let’s give it a try. He said it would be faster if I went back to the gate and had them fix the ticket (back to the lady who 10 minutes before said she couldn’t help me, but he called her and now she could help me.) There were two flights leaving in the next couple of hours, I was placed as a standby on the first flight and confirmed on the second flight.

There were enough no shows that all of the standbys boarded the first flight. Then we all got off the plane, because the co-pilot was stuck in traffic on his way to the airport (lucky him.) About 45 minutes later a co-pilot was pulled from another flight, we re-boarded and the door was closed.

Believe it or not, this is then things get weird, and funny. The plane started to push back and there was this clatter and bit of a bump, I turned to the guy next to me and quipped “I hope the dog we just backed over will be ok.” The plane was pulled forward, stopped and started back again and this time it was more of a scraping and crunching sound. The plane came to a stop, the door to the cockpit flew open and the captain shouted at the flight attendant open the door and stormed off the plane. He went to inspect the carnage. We had backed into another plane, pulled forward and backed into it again. Parts were hanging loose from the splintered wing tips. He made a slashing gesture across his throat (never a good sign!) My best guess is that it will take six months for them to finish up the paperwork with the FAA. After about 10 minutes the co-pilot (undoubtedly wishing he was stuck in traffic or still on the plane he had been pulled off of) announced that we had experienced a little problem on the push back and we would need to deplane while they figured out what to do.

Suits and real workers descended on the scene. Accusations ensued including the literal pointing of fingers. After about 30 minutes the ground crew started unloading the baggage (not a good sign.) A few minutes later it was announced that they had cancelled someone else’s flight and that we would take their plane while they all went to stand in line at customer service. While we milled around the co-pilot started to walk away and I told him “you can’t leave us,” he said “I’ve just been transferred to another flight” (with a relieved look on his face.) Half an hour later another co-pilot was suited up and ready to go. I was back on my way to another city to eventually take a bus to my home airport. Oh yes, my luggage arrived about 30 minutes after the bus (on a different plane that I was never scheduled on.)

Four more airline flights this year, I wonder what will happen the next time the little penguin tries to fly.

Back Home Again

I am barely able to stay awake and have many exciting things to report. The long and arduous journey home was made even more so by certain little incidents at least one of which will result a reams of FAA paperwork (I promise a full report soon.) Off to nest and rest for now.

TR

And Great Food Too

We were in Louisville for a few days late last week for a Bar convention, no not that kind of bar, a gathering of lawyers from across the state. The lawyers were so thick you couldn't slip and fall without landing on one. What would a Bar convention be without a visit to a bar or two. Marker's Mark has their own with an incredible selection of really good things to drink and really great food. You may go in for the Bourbon, but you will stay for the food.

We are off to Alaska on Tuesday, returning over the weekend with new pictures. (I am going to start a waiting list of people who want to be me, but believe me it is not all fun and glamour!)

TR

Good News!

Bert said...
I’ve finished! I’m back in the Blog world (at least until September and my first job….)

Penguin Dreams

This is what happens when you fall asleep and dream about penguins in the night, they come to check on you.

TR

Old Goats

Goats, who would have ever looked at a goat and said, "there is a fine dairy animal." It must take a herd of hundreds of goats to produce enough milk to make a tiny quantity of stinky cheese. I think the first farmer to think of goats as a good farm animal must have been producing the illegal kind of hay. Now if only he had fed that hay to the goats, the milk might be popular and sold for even more than the stinky little cheeses. Somehow I doubt that I have a real future as an agricultural futureist.

TR

Why Chickens?

Why are chickens so popular? Have you ever seen one try to fly? Let me put it this way, it would be more graceful for them to take diving lessons. There are alot of other worthy flighted and semi-flighted birds in the world and yet Chickens seem to get all the staring roles. Why don't we have Kentucky Fried Duck restaurants? Have you ever found goose eggs in your local market? Either chickens have a very good PR agent, or they have very bad luck, but either way they are obviously the most popular bird in the USA (and most of Europe.) Personally I think it is a good thing that the fetish is for flighted and semi-flighted birds, we flightless fowl are very happy with this situation. TR

Visiting the Past

We spent a few hours wandering around Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill last weekend. The village contains classic stone and brick buildings. historic farming, and traditional animals. Turkeys, but no penguins, the Shakers were not that progressive.

TR

Not A Turkey

Travel Goes to Class

In honor of Uncle Bert's suffering I decided to try a few hours in the classroom. I really enjoyed literacy and numeracy. Neat old classroom.

TR

Day Out In the Country

We decided to take a day out in the country. This was taken in "Shaker Village" near Harodsburg, Kentucky. It was a wonderful afternoon. More pictures will follow over the next few days.

TR

New Store in Town

New and exciting options!

TR

Recapping my travels year to date

During this little lull in the action I stopped to look back over the highlights of my travels so far this year. I have been to a dozen states. We started with a quick trip to South Carolina, flying into North Carolina and driving from there in January; DG worked with some really wonderful people in South Carolina. In February we were in wild and wonderful West Virginia. In March we flew through Chicago to Denver for a few days in a very fluffy hotel. In April we changed planes in Atlanta coming and going to an intense training in Daytona Beach, Florida (were we had a room with a view of Walgreens.) In May we went to Montana changing planes in Salt Lake City (first visit to Utah.) And later in the month we went to Indianapolis.

Before the end of the year we will visit at least 6 more states, the District of Columbia, and four foreign countries. I better rest it is going to be a wild summer.

TR