JPs Web

Check out these amazing flowers from our garden

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Also, I put a video online for grandma and the folks.  Springtime in PNW is awesome

Saturday, March 1, 2008

The White City

The name of the city is Popayan and for about 8 square blocks in the center of the city, all the buildings are painted white. Not only that, by law, they have to repaint them white every year, just before Easter time. So needless to say there is much activity in the center of town with scaffolding everywhere. It is really very beautfiul and come Easter time there will be flowers hanging from all the balconies. We don't plan to be here at Easter time but it might be interesting as during the week previous Easter, Popayan has the second biggest Samana Santa celebrations in the world, the largest being in Seville in Spain. People come from all over the world to celebrate in Popayan and prices escalate. Our hotel that we are paying about $27 for right now costs about $200 a night for that week. It is good value at $27 but not so at the inflated price of $200.
Our hotel really is not as spiffy as this picture makes it out to be, but we have a huge room with comfortable beds and a hot water shower most of the days.
This fine gentleman from England had been riding this motor cycle for 20 months in various parts of the world and here in the lobby of our hotel, it is time for an oil change. Amazing things that happen in Latin America. Can you imagine asking a hotel in North America if you could bring your motor cycle in the lobby so as to be out of the rain to change the oil? We most enjoyed his company but he had to be on his way after day one for us.

Our second day in Popayan, there was quite a large and peaceful Indigenous protest

Day1
So, we all got into the massive surburban at around 9am on Dec 12th.  Nice driver -- scott I think.  We flew to Hamsterdam and we wer eall falling ssleep as we landed becausew uit was around that time.  Jane, on the other hand, flew busines class because her hub is SO great :)  Winds were not with us.  Flight time was some craxy 10+ hours there.

Got into the dam town around 8am and went to the club where we laid out blankets for the girls and they fell asleep immediately.  Ate lots of meat and cheese.  I stayed awake the whole time to be functional while we were getting ready for Dubai

Ready for plane -- wow , different crowd from the cull du sac.  People literally from all around the world just on this flight.  We did, however, have to be scanned and check 5 (FIVE) times to finally get through.

Landed at 11pm in DXB.  Serena thinks it looks like Redmond.  Interesting.  We get bags, and get in the airport line to get out.  We walk out and see there is a waiting line for girls and guys. Walked intot he cab line and asked someone if they take Visa - nope.  So I went to get cash.  First one said NAH, so I went to the next one and finally got 1,000 Dhiram.  Wahoo!!  

Next, cab -- we got the ONLY PINK CAB in the region.  Plus a lady driver.  What are the chances.  We pointed her to the towers and 20 mins later we were there.  The kind man took out 450 LBS of bags up.   I tipped him 15 Dr (cheap?)

The apartment is AMAZING.  Kids love it, and great technology for mom and dad (read wifi).  Dad slept like a champ because he had no actual sleep in 30 hours or so.  Ugh.  Sleep AT 2.30 ... up AT 8AM

Day 2
JP up at 8am;   Lucy next at 10am, Jsne at 2pm and Serena at 3.30.  Wow, that's a mess

JP had t major doses of caffine.  Waited for family to get up ... to no avail. 

When they finally all got up we hung in the marina.  Shopped, and played.  we went swimming, and tried to work out but was thwarted by the guards on this one. 

Ate GREAT Indian from the Rupe room.  However Lucy fell asleep, so live in that regard was not great.  Groceries from the local market are awesome!  All the stuff we could need/want/desire.

Getting ready for Day 3 ...

On Sunday Dave and I woke up at the crack of dawn and headed up HW2 to mile marker 36 - Index - and parked.  With only 3 other cars in the parking lot we were not sure what was ahead of us, however it was a crisp morning and threatening rain.  We began at a rapid pace and my legs were TIRED, however I kept up.  I imagine  my heart rate was around 180 at times :)   

About a mile into the hike you have an option to head off to Bridal Vail Falls (yeah, there's a lot of them), and it was amazing.  After 100 or so steps, we arrived to the crashing falls.  Just enough water to make great water shots.  Then, back down to the trail. 

Then it gets real steep.  At first the path was smooth, and nice, however nearer the top trees were over the trail, rocks twisted ankles and it seemed as if you could make it that far you should be able to manage a little difficulty. 

Time to top was 4 hours -- wow

It was worth the hike, as noted above.  Gorgeous panoramic view and amazing clouds that acted as the world's biggest softbox. 

Funny Note:  At the top, as we were discussing the sheer difficulty of the hike, we saw a teenage girl arrive with her tennis shoes carrying a small fashionable purse.  Yeah ....

Took Lucy out to Flathead lake for the long weekend -- what a blast.  Stayed at Jim's cabin and generally relaxed on the lake (while trying to configure their router and showing jim's 9 year old daughter how to do photo stories). 

We had a blast last Friday -- Lucy and Serena and I walked down to the local park and played for 2 hours on the monkey rings, and playground.  There's also an awesome tree -- they also learned what the "sneaky spy-guy route" is.