Some random pictures without comment

This isn't a "comment" really but clarification.  Caleb claimed credit for the sunset photo originally attributed to Bethany in this space.  Apologies, the Editor.

Thats the end...

The last piece of bacon for who knows how long.  Notice Hudson's heartbreak in the background.  To emotional to be photographed.

How About That?

I think Bethany took this shot from our balcony a couple of days ago.  Quite an eye, eh?

Free Time!

We had some free time on Friday and tried to make the most of it.  We hit the pool some and ate some non-hotel food.  Including the aforementioned pizza and for supper--SUBWAY.  

Of course, Craig had the BMT (which has some pork on it we believe).  That same mall also had a Dairy Queen so we went in for some dipped cones and Blizzards, too.  Pretty awesome!

The kids have not suffered for friends as 300+ kids were here this week for Outrigger Island and swimming every day.

The oddest thing is seeing so many white folks.  Not just people at our meetings but when you go to the local stores lots of old white guys with young Asian women.  

Hmmm, something seems a little fishy about a hairy backed, heavy-set man in his late 60s with a young 85 pound girl in her 20s.  But as they say, "Love is blind."  

Or "rich" ... I can never remember which one.

Bacon Update

Today its official.  We have had bacon 11 straight days.

This is our Pork Lover's Pizza we had for lunch.  Its not really called that but that is what I would have called it.

Root for us, we are in the running for a free portable defibrillator if we can keep the bacon streak up!!!

An Audience

Tonight we had dinner with the Pope.  Here we are waiting for our turn to see him (we refused to kiss his ring).

I Love the Nightlife (as long as I am in bed by 9)

We got some free time Sunday evening and hit the streets looking for a rumored "BBQ Place".  Seriously!  BBQ!  And when we found it they not only had BBQ (shredded pork, ribs, and the like) but also Tex Mex food.  

It seems it was opened by a resident of the great nation-state of Texas.  At least that is what the signs said.  Maybe it was a myth.  But maybe not since they actually had a 76 POUND hamburger that cost $500 and required 12 hours of advance notice.  That is approximately a years worth of beef and six months salary for most of the people we know.

We took these great little trucks to and fro.  You haggle out a price and hop in the back.  Craig had a great view of a stopped car when the truck was flying through an intersection.  It was like a virtual reality ride.  So life-like it was kind of scary.

Special thanks to Becky A again for the Glasgow shirt.  Sorry we never get a picture of Angie's shirt but since it is exactly like Craig's she is only allowed to wear hers when he is out of town.

Of course, technically Craig is out of

 town this week but since the whole 

family is in the SAME town, it doesn't count.  No matching shirts for him ... too insecure with himself.

This is a look at the kind of truck we were riding in.  Look over at the right side.  Its SUBWAY!  People all over here have been saying, "I can't wait to get to Subway."  Like its Outback or something.

THAT is no Blandness Girl

Tonight Angie had an appointment for a free haircut and she came back with a brand new do!  As the kids like to say, "You're one hot Momma!"

Too Much of a Good Thing

There is an episode of The Simpson's, I think a Tree House of Horror episode, where Homer is sent "down below" and demons, in an attempt to drive him crazy with stuff he loves, stuff him with donuts and junk food.  He loves it, though, and drives them crazy instead.

I thought of that tonight at dinner.  You see normally we can't get pork.  No bacon, ham, sausage, etc. But since we've been here we have had bacon every day. Ham, too.  And fried pork, dried pork, sliced pork, stir fried pork, pork fried rice, pork that is fried up like hamburger with black olives, and more.

But one put me over the edge at breakfast yesterday.  Boiled pork entrails and blood soup.   I stood there looking at the sign (wanting to photograph it) and thought, "What do they think this is Georgia?"

And this is coming from a guy who has eaten mountain oysters (if you are unfamiliar with those I am sorry to say I cannot elaborate since my momma reads this).  Honestly, some things were NEVER meant to be eaten.  Intestines/entrails are one of them.  

Hearts??  Delicious when fried!  Liver?  Tasty!  But intestines are meant to PASS food; not BE food.  Even Homer couldn't like that.

Meeting Update

It goes like this.  Get up at 6:30 and get everyone ready.  Breakfast at 7:30 begin dropping off kids at 8:15, start meetings at 8:30.  Go all day.  

Feeling very tired pick up kids who are somehow even MORE energetic after a day of fun.  Eat supper at 5:30.  Begin thinking of bed, 6:15pm.  

Here is a sea view from our balcony.  View it from the balcony is all we have done :-)!  Maybe tomorrow!!

The Beach

We are at our meeting!  Woo-Hoo!  There is even a beach.  I know because I have seen it out the window of our room.  Otherwise...we've been inside.  Which is nice because there are lots of snacks inside.  I think I have had 12 cups of coffee today.  Woo-Hoo!!!!

I had read this place was quite the vacation destination for Russian tourists but was still surprised when we got here that they actually have signs around the hotel in Russian and TWO Russian channels on our TV.  How awesome is that?

One other great thing is that our room is right next to the karaoke bar (which is not the great thing).  The great thing is that its closed, I think!!  I did hear some sweet John Denver music drifting up from the lobby a few minutes ago, though.

But you know what?  When you are at the beach its all good, right? Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!

Special for our non-beef friends...

Once I was there and after two weeks I finally had the chance to order a hamburger.  They asked, "Would you like a chicken-hamburger or a mutton-hamburger?"  It was then that I wanted to cry.  You CANNOT have a hamburger made of anything else except dead cow meat. Things are supposed to be what they are supposed to be.  

I have seen SAUSAGE McMUFFIN*  (*chicken sausage--if no pig died its criminal to use the word "sausage" to describe it!)

and...

MEAT LOVERS PIZZA (beef pepperoni, beef sausage, ground beef) that is a BEEF lovers pizza. Also, see note above...

Happy Father's Day, Mate!

We consoled ourselves after the airport drop-off with a little Outback.  The first time in memory.  Man, it was GOOD!  Free refills of Coke (I had 14) and steak and all the fixings.

Only one sad note, the baked potatoes came with sour cream on them with NO WARNING.  I have decided sour cream is to condiments what macaroni and cheese is to side dishes.  A blight.  

Oh yeah, I said it.  Sour cream is GROSS. Maybe you like it and that is just fine ... you can have it!  Other than that it was pretty awesome.  Hope yours is just as great, mate!

Heading to the airport

Hearts are a bit sad this morning as we take on the business of packing and loading to head for the airport.  everyone is heading out over the next hours.   Mom and Bob back to America in 30+ hours.  Then the rest of us fly out on Monday morning for a couple of weeks of training and fun.  We'll get some more pictures up later.  BTW, Caleb made it back from camp and it right back in the swing of things!!

Ummm....What?!?

I think they mean that there is no way a Mister Burger will fill you up. But that is just a guess..

Why Do They Hate Us?

I used to hear that question on TV talk shows all the time.  "Why do they hate us?"  I wonder who is "they" and who is "us"?  The "us" is easiest.  It was always Americans.  Us=Americans.  So who are "they"?  Foreigners, maybe?  People who have different dress codes or different spiritual beliefs?  

The interesting thing about it all is that once you get rid of the broad generalizations about "us" and "them" you find out that people are pretty similar all over.  Once you aren't thinking in terms of millions of people but instead approaching individuals, you find "they" don't hate "us" any more than "we" hate "them".   

When we get down to "me" and "you" its a whole different thing!  Its really fun to get to know different kinds of people!

Welcome to the Temple

One thing that is great about traveling is how you get a different perspective on your own culture.  Seeing this massive thing rise out of the jungle and knowing it was built 1200 years ago makes me wonder what was happening in KY back then.  

Built by Buddhists, this contains hundreds of carvings about how one should live in order to do good.  I am not sure if this is a good carving or a bad one, though.

Here is the man himself.  Here is in meditation mode.  Lots of these guys lost there heads during an earthquake a long time ago.  For "safekeeping" the statues were housed in local villages and so many of the heads ended up in the hands of collectors.

The place has hundreds of "stupas"  and inside each is a Buddha hiding from the HOT sun.

Here is a peek inside a stupa and one of the Buddhas it holds.
The trip did give us one incredible culture shock moment.  There were so many peddlers who follow and hassle you that eventually you want to buy a wooden puppet, start screaming and beating people with it.  Now THAT is love, right?

What is in your toaster?

Can you see that?  Its a lizard tail sticking out of our toaster.  He must like the crumbs. Or just like scaring the crap out of Craig in the morning.  Believe it or not when you put in bread and push the thing down, the lizard comes out like a rocket.  Then Craig screams like a girl and jumps 6 feet back.  All in all its pretty entertaining.

Volcano? Yeah We Got Those, Too

On Friday afternoon we made a quick drive up to a nearby (active) volcano. Its the kind of thing most people do their first day here but when have been here all this time and hadn't seen it. This is a view down into the crater.  You can see air coming out of the ground down there.  It smelled like Sulphur Well for all you Hiseville/Metcalfe County/Lighthouse Restaurant fans.

The zoomed in view...
The "through a crack" view. One of the great things about living in a place where there is no liability is that you get right up to (or over) the edge.  Through this little crack you could follow a path downward right into the crater if you are so inclined.  There is no one to tell you no.
We saw these whiteys while we were there.  Very rare to spot so many in one place.  They were drawing quite a bit of attention.
A big thank you to Becky A who was willing to go to such great lengths to get us some Glasgow shirts.  Notice how happy Hudson was to be doing so much touring...

Who is that LADY?!?

What woman is that?  She is so normal.  So wallpaper. So background.  Why, of course, it's BLANDNESS GIRL!!!  That Superhero girl who is so good at blending in.  You can look but you'll never spot her!!  Every girl's dream--BLAND!!

Pix from Safari

Some more beach pix