Ms. Noordam

13 days in Europe with Jaime, Jake, and Mom. Where do we even begin? Since we've been back, the thing we keep bringing up in fond remembrance repeatedly is the FOOD! Plentiful, artistic, sensational culinary expression can't get any better anywhere else; if there is a better place to obtain scrumptious unlimited food than on a cruise ship, do tell--we want to be there! We're taking in votes starting now. :)

Turkish dancers entertaining us during lunch. This was just one teensy bit of our experience in 4 different countries. For a comprehensive travel log, it would be best to direct you elsewhere (see below).

Well, what did you think of those 800 pictures?! Oh, you haven't looked yet? Ok, I'll be patient...

LinkClick to see more pictures in web album. Look for Ms. Noordam folder 1 and 2.

Bird Call

We were with a group of people touring Chichen Itza. The crowd stopped in front of the Pyramid of Kukulcan and the guide talked for a while. Suddenly everyone started clapping. Then they paused, gasped, oohed and ahhhed and looked at each other. Jaime and I thought they looked pretty silly and started discretely laughing at them. It wasn't until later I asked one of the tourists, "What was that back there?" She replied that the ancients would clap and hear the echo off the pyramid. They believed it was the Gods speaking to them through the sounds of a bird. OH! That's what intrigued everyone.

"Say 'Hello' to Grandma for us!"

Our friends, Josh and Lisa had already been to the pyramids the year before. They told us to keep an eye out for a cute little lady with gray hair selling handkerchiefs. "If you see her, buy a hanky and get a picture!" OK.

Well, it turns out there were a couple dozen of these cute little ladies running around the base of the pyramid--all looked alike. We scouted the area a bit and then--forgive me--bought a hanky from the one that looked the oldest.

Josh and Lisa, is this "Grandma"?

Isla Mujeres, Mexico!

December 14-22:

An offer of a break from the gray, drizzling rain out on an island broaching the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Caribbean on the other! Now doesn't that sound nice?! It was much needed for two Olympia newbies from Miami! Although preparing to leave for vacation is rather stressful, it was great being on vacation once we were there.

We met up with Josh and Lisa Knapton, who invited us along in the first place. We hadn't seen them since we left Utah; at that time, we had NO idea that the next time we would be seeing them would be out of the country on an island that can only be reached by ferry leaving Puerto Juarez Port. It was so good to visit with familiar friends after being in a new area with new people! We were able to "let our hair down" and enjoy camaraderie.

Some of the highlights:

1. Tacos de Beisbol--a local food secret.
2. A vacation home next to the water with our own little patio and hammocks
3. Scuba diving
4. Seeing how the islanders' concept of time is different from ours
5. Isla Contoy (Island of the Birds Wildlife Refuge--yet another island)
6. Picnicking on Isla Contoy with a friendly stingray
7. Tour of Chichen Itza and the bus ride there through the jungles of Mexico
8. Watching the sunsets
9. Playing Sequence and Phase 10 with Josh and Lisa with the breeze from the ocean blowing through the kitchen
10. Buying things with pesos
11. Watching children dressed up in red clothing and Santa hats parading down the streets singing Christmas songs in Spanish
12. The swinging bed in one of the bedrooms
13. Another local secret of the couple around the corner that bakes bread and sells loaves each evening
    

Link Click here to see more pictures on web album
Link Click here to see even more pictures on web album

Trip to Islamorada

Between the end of internship and the beginning of our move to Washington, this is what we felt like doing.

While we were snorkeling, we found a lobster and a crab in an old abandoned trap. Feeling sorry for them and with encouragement from Jaime, we opened the trap and set them free. (A little sentimental moment for me.)
Jaime, Huck, and I stayed at Jaime's uncle's place in the Florida Keys. We took our sleeping bags, a bunch of food, and camped out in the office space he had. We used the hammock on his houseboat and used the roof for some serene reading. We ate three meals a day and did little else between-a RARE schedule for us! That's what made this such a treat!


The lagoon was right across the street from his place. We visited Jaime's uncle on a previous trip and we arrived to see his uncle windsurfing out in the horizon. We waded out and waved to him to let him know we've arrived. He cruised in on his board and greeted us. Then he drilled holes in some coconuts and gave them to us to drink. It was a scenario straight out of a James Bond movie!
Huck was a little trepidant about going out into the water because he knows he can't swim. Hating to be separated from us, Huck waded out to water barely to the top of his back before he panicked, turned around, and went crashing through the water all the way back to shore. He spent the rest of the time pacing back and forth, terror in his eyes for Jaime and me to return to land as well.

Just chillin' in the heat

Jaime, Huck, and I went to visit Uncle Victor and Torill in Islamorada. The dogs were wet and happy! Lots of good food and Torill makes a mean breakfast with bleu cheese and eggs!

Anniversary Dive

For our 5th wedding anniversary, Brady and Allyssa Cluff and we drove to San Pedro, California for a dive trip with a group of people from the dive shop that we knew. This was a four day trip and we ate and slept on the boat (Sand Dollar) and had a GREAT getaway! Having Brady and Allyssa with us helped to entertain us between dives, especially since they sign and we didn't have our hearing aids on most of the time.

Diving among the kelp was a surreal experience! Sometimes the divers would come face to face with an otter, surprising each other because they'd come around the corner of a kelp bed without warning. The four of us saw an otter resting on a rock, but didn't see any underwater. Jaime and Brady went on a night dive to catch lobsters with their gloved hands and a mesh bag. Jaime caught a lobster, but it was too small to legally keep, so we threw it back in the water. Allyssa and I were already too cold so we just waited on the boat for the boys to come back. The kelp in the dark made me half expect the creature from the black lagoon to come up and grab Allyssa and me!(Jack Arnold, 1954 film)

The cook made sure our meals were on time and were consistently delicious and hot! We were really impressed with him and it was such a relief to have someone else be responsible for that! So NICE! He also had snacks between dives and lots and lots of hot chocolate. An A+ for food security!

Link Click here for Sand Dollar web site
Link Click here for more pictures on web album

Hucky and Mikey

Jaime and I visited Fred and Liz in Washington when we went to Shi Shi Beach. Their dog is Mikey, sitting on the right of Huck. Notice the speckled pattern on his chest? Everyone loves that when they ask if he's part dalmation! (He's cute with that on him.) These two got along very well and shared toys nicely.