Christie and Luke

We boarded the ship (Norwegian Cruise Lines Gem ship) around 2:30 on Sunday the 23rd and that was an experience in itself. We splurged for a suite on the ship so we were treated really well during during the on-boarding process. We were met by a concierge named Ryan that walked us to our room from the boarding area and as we walked on ship we were greeted with a glass of champagne. When we got to our room he pointed out the bottle of champagne chilling in the bucket and said to have a great time.

We had spent the morning walking around Barcelona and in true form we were sweating profusely (well, at least I was) so Christie and I decided to clean up in our 8 headed shower. The shower was amazing and would start my tradition of two-a-days for the duration of the trip. For those of you that have never been on a cruise you don’t actually board with your luggage; you check it then they bring it to your room. After we showered we were hanging out in our terry cloth robes waiting for our luggage to arrive when they cruise director came over the loud speaker announcing that there would be mandatory emergency training in 30 minutes. Oh no. Christie’s bag came right around this time so she got ready and I was trying to decide if I put on my sweaty clothes for the training or head down commando in my robe. Deciding the later option would not be family friendly I checked outside my room one more time before putting on my wet clothes and to my pleasure my bag had arrived. The emergency training was what you would expect it to be with kids blowing in the dirty whistles and general commotion.

After the training they announced a bon voyage party at 5:30 in the pool area so Christie and I decided to check it out. As we walked outside they had a tray full of drinks and offered them to us which we promptly accepted. Then they asked for my room key and provided me with a slip to sign to pay for the drinks which had $9.00 on it. Not too bad, we got two drinks for $9 on a cruise so I was okay with that. No we didn’t. After looking at the slip a little closer I saw the 2x at the beginning of the line so 5 minutes into the party we were down $20.70 since they automatically add 15% for all alcohol purchases. I’m actually glad they did that as it saved me money since I normally tip around $1 a drink and also to save me from doing unnecessary math.

So, back to the room and how awesome it was. Every suite also comes with a butler and a steward (I guess that is the PC term for maid). They offer turn down service at night and when they did that they surprised us with towel animals such as a walrus, elephant, swan, duck and a monkey hanging from the drapes. The room also had an espresso machine to make coffee before leaving the room. Probably my favorite part of the room was the bed. We had a king sized bed that was truly meant for a king. I think it had some memory foam action going on because it sure did remember who I was and what I liked. There was some serious sleeping being done on that thing. We got lucky and actually had a balcony on the front of the ship so we could see what was going on. It was so one of the few balconies that got sun the majority of the time so we could lay out and soak up the sun.

One of the primary things that Christie and I wanted to bring home was some wine that we could use to celebrate special occasions. The main reason for bringing them back from Italy is at they don’t contain sulfites which cause headaches and worse hangovers. After examining the bottles a little closer it appears that all bottles you buy at liquor or grocery stores now do contain sulfites therefore killing one of the main reasons for getting them there. This was especially painful because we drank a bottle while in Cinqueterra and that bottle did not contain sulfites but the bottle of the exact same wine at the store did.

The funny thing about buying wine on this trip was when we brought it back on board. Cruise ships have a policy that you can not bring alcohol on the ship to drink so you have to check it and pick it up before you leave. Whenever we boarded the ship you had to put your bags through an x-ray machine. I assumed this was or our safety to ensure nobody was bringing on a smuggled AK-47 but really it was to catch people smuggling on booze. I’m sure they were looking for weapons too but they made a big deal about finding alcohol in your bag like they caught you stealing a Picasso or something. The real kicker was the fact that Christie and I would put all of wine in a separate bag and send it through on it’s own and when it came out of the other side of the machine they would smile and shout “You have something in there that you need to check, nice try…” as if they deserved a cookie or something. The next time we went through I even told them the grocery bag that I was putting through had wine in it and they did the same thing. Either they weren’t paying attention to me or they were playing a game amongst themselves.

On the second night of the cruise we were invited to a VIP cocktail hour to meet the ships captain. We understand that we are big shots and need to make appearances to make the people happy so we made our way up fashionably late. After taking a picture with Captain Frank we made our way over and grabbed some wine. While mingling amongst ourselves another couple asked if we were from the states which was a great ice breaker. As it turned out that majority of our cruise were non-English speakers despite the fact that it was an American operated English speaking cruise. They actually brought in Spanish speakers just for the cruise as well. Anyway, introductions were quite easy as their names were Chris and Christy so I was the odd-man-out since I didn’t have Chris in my name. We talked with them and learned they were on their honeymoon as well. We really hit it off and grabbed dinner together. We ran into the m numerous other times on the ship and in port and on the last night we had dinner together again and shared a bottle of sparkling wine that Christie and I bought for $1.67 in Cannes, France (they didn’t confiscate on the last day since you were getting it back that night) and it turned out to be quite tasty. We exchanged information so we will be Facebook friends shortly and hopefully will meetup with them in Colorado when they come out next spring.

I think I can speak for Christie when say I wasn’t ready to get off the ship yet. We had such a great time on the cruise, the accommodations were top notch and we also didn’t have to work. I really didn’t want to leave. Christie kind of wanted to leave because she missed Gunner but I was okay letting him enjoy his time in the mountains with her parents as long as we were on the ship. Once we got off the ship and I realized I was no longer a VIP I was okay with going home.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

On our second to last day in Barcelona we decided to go to the Olympic stadium to check it out. We had these ambitious plans to get going and have a full day but we failed to set an alarm to wake up so we rolled out of bed at 11:30. After getting our “morning” coffee we found the metro that got us fairly close to the area we needed to go. This popped us up at the Placa de Espana which is a beautiful lane that goes up to a hill that leads to a huge art museum. Of course this will make more sense once we add pictures.

It was a hot day so I was making us take the side with more shade and much to my pleasure there were also escalators going up the hill. This very much helped my “try to not sweat” effort. When we got to the top of the hill we paused in a heavily shaded area that was receiving a very nice breeze then made our way to the stadium.

We walked through the main entrance that was close to the Olympic torch where they had a couple shops, the story of the stadium and a Aramark cafe (apparently they have a monopoly on all stadiums). We grabbed a couple sandwiches and a giant bottle of water and sat down for lunch (yes, in the shade) and enjoyed a pretty decent meal while overlooking the stadium. For some reason there were 3 cats in the stadium eating leftovers so we called them gatos to blend in with the locals but we did not feed them.

After lunch we went over to the museum they had set-up for pretty much all sports but mainly the Olympics. On this short walk they also had footprints from some of the stars of the Olympics (Michael Jordan actually has pretty small feet) so it was cool to play around with those. Inside they had exhibits on all types of sports including motor sports so we read through them. The coolest part of the exhibits for me was the paraphernalia related to the Olympics like costumes used in the opening ceremony, the torch, medals and pictures of famous events.

The museum also had a special exhibit dedicated to the Special Olympics and Para-Olympics. Christie has a cousin that participates quite heavily (shoutout for our guy Michael!) so it was cool to read about the history and purpose. They also talked about how the Para-Olympics started after World War II for veterans that lost limbs during the war so they had a way to exercise and compete. The first Para-Olympics was in the 60’s but that is how they got started.

After leaving the well air-conditioned museum we made our way down the Olympic mall where they had the basketball stadium and pool. Since they were all closed we couldn’t do much but it was cool to stroll through it and take it such a historic place. After we soaked it all in we headed back to our hotel for another siesta. Can’t go wrong there.

Our next stop was at the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona to take in some history. While inside we noticed they had two translations for most things and they looked like Spanish but one had a lot of x’s and t’s instead of d’s. They had a short video going over the history and this is when we learned that Barcelona is actually the descendant culture of Catalunya which speaks Catalan. This starts to make a lot of sense to me since my 3 years of Spanish weren’t doing me a lot of good here. The museum was decent but the coolest part was under it.

The museum resides on top of an excavated ruin of the ancient Roman city Barcino that was there around 400 B.C. The tour takes you through sections of the ruins showing the fortified wall, the sewage system, the laundry, clothes dying area and Christie’s favorite, the wine making system which was substantially larger than the other areas. They went into detail of things they used to clean clothes such as ash and urine. I tend to think that urine makes my clothes dirty but maybe I am wrong! I think the key was that when the ingredients were combined they created ammonia which of course cleans thing.

After leaving the museum  we wandered around the Old Town area of Barcelona (my favorite part) we wandered into some square and decided to eat some Italian food in Spain. Kind of ironic I know but we didn’t want to have paella for a third night in a row. We also got some sangria made from Spanish sparkling wine (Cava) and it went down way too easy. For the first time in Europe we were in and out of a restaurant in 45 minutes. This was a shock because normally we are flagging down our waiter to order, get more sangria or for the check but this place was efficient. Since we only got one pitcher of sangria (which was small) we stopped at an outside cafe and got another sangria and people watched to cap off the night.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Everything we heard about Barcelona before leaving for our honeymoon was positive so we were really excited to visit.  The first night we got in around 7 so we took a stroll from our hotel up the main avenue heading west from the Placa de Catalunya.  We headed up to the diagonal and then turned around and grabbed our first Paella and Sangria of the trip.  Well it wasn’t until the next day that we realized we were only a mere block away during that stroll from two of Gaudi’s most impressive residences, the Casa Batillo and the La Padrera Apartamentos. 

After our morning coffee we strolled up the streets that we now realized Gaudi’s apartments were on.  After a good walk we saw a signature Gaudi building.  Luke thought that they were the apartments.  I could have sworn they were on the other side of the street, but we thought they looked amazing no matter what they were.  The line in front was impressive, but as we were determined to visit Gaudi’s best works this trip so we waited.  The line moved quickly and soon we were in the Casa Batillo listening to two narrators on our free audio guides.  The rooms were stunning (pics to follow once stateside).   Gaudi had an impressive way of incorporating themes he saw in nature into architectural design, both structural and aesthetic.  We were able to tour the first floor apartments and then make our way to the roof which was as well thought out as everything else in the apartments and atriums. 

After leaving Casa Batillo we strolled up another block or two to La Padrera Apartamentos.  There was a nice long line in front and unfortunately this one was not moving as fast.  We tried to hug the shade, but we still were hot and dripping.  (Luke has a new appreciation for dry-fit technology).  The apartments were just as impressive and we had a lot of fun taking in views of the city from that roof as well. 

To finally round out our first day of Gaudi we hopped the metro for the first time and headed to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s cathedral which is still a work in progress.  An aside to all the Gaudi stuff, the metro was immaculately clean and insanely on time (every 5 minutes).  Back to the Sagrada Familia, I’ve toured through tons of cathedrals all over Europe and this one is the most unique I’ve ever seen.  The sculptures in front were beautiful, the stained glass was impressive and what was complete of the interior was beautiful.  Gaudi managed to make the columns look like trees and the ceiling to look like rays of light coming through the trees.  After one exhausting day of Gaudi, we took in our first Seista.  I love a good nap. 

Our last day in Barcelona was also a quest to another Gaudi place.  This time we made the long haul up hill to Park Guiell.  The Park came about when a project that was supposed to be another cathedral was haulted in the 1920’s due to lack of funding.  The first floor with rows of columns were preserved.  The surrounding area is a beautiful park on a hill with twists and turns and structures that are from Gaudi as well.  As we strolled through the park and again looked for shade, we were treated to musicians on a wide variety of instruments, from harp and harpsichord to a guy on a guitar singing a Bob Dylan tune.  The atmosphere was great and it was worth the hike and the sweat.  After a few hours we headed down the hill and to a waiting cruise. 

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12345►

Literally. Most times people say “we were robbed” talking about how they were not given the full extent of something they believe should have been delivered or the referee made a bad call against their team, but we were literally robbed from right under our noses. Here is my side of the story as it happened and I will fill in the details afterwards.

Christie and I wanted to get a good start to our day so we went to Starbucks for some morning coffee while we went over what we wanted to do for the day. We found a nice table outside where we could enjoy the beautiful weather and spread out our maps and guides so we could plan the best day possible.

Here is a little setup for the story. In the outside cafe there was another couple, probably from the Netherlands, sitting at the table next to us. Shortly after we sat down a “local” looking couple came and sat at the table behind Christie.

After maybe 5 minutes a random lady came up and asked the couple from the Netherlands some question very loudly and was also very animated. The gentlemen said “I don’t know” and the lady kept rambling. The “local” guy jumped up to help out the random lady and Christie jumped up and said “You took my wallet” and as you may guess I was utterly confused. After her statement registered in my brain I stood up and looked at the guy that was trying to walk away still trying to figure out what was going on. Christie then said the guy stole her wallet and cell phone and the guy very quickly returned both of them. I looked at the guy and said “mas?” which means “more” in Spanish trying to see if he had anything else of ours and he appeared dumbfounded. Christie didn’t notice anything else missing and in the confusion the guy his lady  friends walked away. As soon as they were out of sight Christie noticed that her camera was also missing. We decided to try and go after them but they blended into the crowd and were never seen again.

That was my take as it happened. Here are some interesting points that Christie mentioned. When the “local” couple sat behind her she noticed her purse moved so she pulled it closer under her seat thinking the lady must have brushed it with her foot while sitting down. As the local guy jumped up to help the random lady, the woman from the Netherlands said to Christie “I think she messed with your purse” and the connection was made in Christie’s mind about the purse moving when the lady sat down and the guy trying to flea. After she realized what happened she looked very quickly for the things she thought were important (wallet and cell phone) but overlooked other things that were in her bag.

After reflecting back on it with Christie here are some of the important details that were only noticed in hindsight:

• The local couple came and sat with the only other two tables when there were probably 20 others available without anyone around.
• The local couple did not have coffee or anything from Starbucks.
• Christie shouldn’t have had her bag under the seat and should have had it in her lap.
• I did nothing to help. I didn’t grab the guy and keep him there until Christie went through her bag, I didn’t scare anybody, I was about as helpful as a Sham-Wow with no spills to clean up.
• The bathroom door had a notice on it saying “Professional bag thieves operate in this area, keep watch on all of your personal items.” This would have been more beneficial on the front door.

They did get away with her camera so hopefully they felt terrible when they saw the photos of her getting ready for our wedding. Luckily we only had a few photos on there from London so we didn’t lose an entire trip and I also brought my camera as backup. So far we have some good pictures from Barcelona but I didn’t bring my cable so you will have to wait to see them until we get back. Of course this is based on the precipice that my camera does not get stolen as well.

We are safe and recovered the items that were of the most importance to us so we are thankful of that. We learned from the experience and have a story to tell so all things given this wasn’t that bad of a situation.

From somewhere in the Mediterranean, Luke and Christie

Hello Everyone,

We made it to London after a slight delay at DIA for weather but it wasn’t that big of a deal. We had a great flight with no problems and landed on time and we managed to get some sleep on the flight. When we arrived at our hotel we checked in a got settled into our 10×10 room with just enough room around the bed to walk.

We ventured out and got some coffee to try an stay awake and made our way to Russell Square to catch some sun. Our next stop was the British Museum that has many different exhibits from Egypt, Mesopotamia, different types of currency with history on each, and much more. I’m not going to lie, I don’t remember much of it because I was focusing on not falling over due to exhaustion. I was trying to be a trooper so Christie could enjoy it but I literally almost fell over a couple times. Christie was gracious enough to take me back to the hotel for a nap.

We woke up an hour and 3 snoozes later and went back out. We walked through the West End and found out that Londoner’s do Happy Hour like nobody else. People we hanging out just outside of every pub around and the streets were lined for quite a ways. We made our way over to Piccadilly Circus (a really busy and crazy intersection) then walked towards our hotel going through China Town.

We stopped at a nice Chinese restaurant and got a table outside so we could people watch and had a great dinner. Around 9PM local time we went back to the hotel and crashed like it was our job. Not a bad first day.

Wednesday we hopped on the tube (subway) and went to Green Park and walked towards Buckingham Palace and there was a giant crowd gathered. We actually timed it perfectly to see the changing of the guard and it was fun to see minus the musky Europeans in the crowd. We walked along the palace fence and ended up at the Wellington Arch and went up top for a view of the city then toured the Apsley House which was adjacent to it. This is where the Duke of Wellington lives like a governors mansion. There was a lot of cool old stuff in there like swords, china, paintings and statues and it got the museum theme for the day started.

It was now around lunch time so we went to Hyde Park and grabbed a table on the small lake (in the shade for my pasty skin) and enjoyed a fantastic brie and tomato sandwich. We made our way back over to the palace for tea with the queen but wouldn’t you know it, she booked her vacation for this very same time! Her people called my people and we setup a tour without her. We toured the State Rooms at the palace and got to see a lot more really cool old stuff. We then walked through the garden and out the back door so people wouldn’t get jealous of our special tour. About 20,000 other people snuck out the same way too.

Christie wanted to show me the London Tower and the bridge so we started walking down that way. After about an hour and a half she said “Maybe it’s a little farther than I remembered” so we jumped in a tube and made our way there. I think I failed to mention that I wore jeans this day so I was a sweaty mess.

By the time we got to the tower the tours closed so Christie grabbed a book from the gift shop and we flipped through it and called it even. We jumped back on the tube up to Covent Square and found an outside table in the square to grab some Magner’s Irish Cider. A couple of those and an appetizer of mozzarella and tomato tortellini we went back towards our hotel again.

We found this nice looking Indian restaurant and stopped in for dinner. Holy cow, the food was amazing. Far better than any Indian food I have had at home and Christie said the same thing. We had Sag, naan, samosa’s and two chicken dishes that I can’s remember but they were marsala and garlic.

That pretty much sums up our time in London (until the way home) and it was a great time. I really enjoyed London and would go back again but will wait until the Dollar regains some strength.

P.S. We don’t have any pictures from London. More on that here.

**UPDATE**
I am adding pictures that we took on our last day of our honeymoon as we stayed 1 last night in London before flying home.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

We are officially seven six days away from the end/beginning I think I can speak for Christie when I say, whoa. We aren’t scared but will definitely be a major change in our lives and we are both ready for it. We have a lot going on right now and the next 7 6 days will be crazy. We still have some loose ends to wrap up for the wedding and out honeymoon but on top of that we are trying to put Christie’s townhouse on the market (if you are looking for a townhouse in Boulder let us know; we’ll cut you a great deal ).

After we get past the never ending tasks that inevitably pop during the last week we are off on a fantastic honeymoon. For those of you that are interested here is the basic itinerary without dates and times so nobody shows up

• Fly direct to London (Thank you Luke’s job for the frequent flier miles)
• Stay in London for two nights and have tea with the Queen
• Fly to Barcelona (not so free flight)
• Stay in Barcelona for 3 nights and run with the bulls and get in a tomato fight. Well, neither of those events but have a great time in Barcelona non the less
• Embark on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise that stops in
  • Malta (It’s a small country south of Sicily, Italy)
  • Naples, Italy
  • Rome, Italy
  • Florence, Italy
  • Cannes, France
• Fly from Barcelona back to London
• Stay in London one last night in a super fancy hotel that I found super cheap on TravelZoo

Than we go back to work to try to pay for a house.

Thanks for checking in on us,

Luke

Boulder has a wide variety of attractions, especially if you enjoy the outdoors.  We like hiking at Chataqua, biking on trails, and just hanging out at restaurants on Pearl street.  Thanks to the St. Julien – Here’s a list of things you might enjoy in Boulder:

City of Boulder Open Space

(303) 441-3440

Web Site with all hiking info:  http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/openspace/

Looking for a hike with a view of the back range? Boulder’s open space trails will reveal flower-filled meadows in the summer and snow-capped vistas in the winter. Local favorites include the Bobolink Trail and the Marshall Mesa Trail. For the cyclist, there are many trails with varying levels of difficulty. All trails are well marked for hikers and cyclists alike.

Boulder Falls

A short distance up Boulder Canyon from Canyon Boulevard and the St Julien Hotel & Spa
Fed by mountain snow melt from North Boulder Creek this 70 feet drop into Middle Boulder Creek is a true spectacle. Just minutes west of Boulder, the shaded canyon provides a nice haven from the heat during the height of summer. From the  St Julien follow Canyon west for 7.2 miles. The falls are on the right. The site is heavily marked, and there is plenty of parking on the left.

Boulder Creek Path

Take a walk, bike or in-line skate along this 16-mile trail through Boulder. The path is great for both recreation and people-watching. The west end of the path winds out of the city and up through Boulder Canyon for four miles.

Bike Rentals: University Bicycles

303.444.4196

Corner of 9^th and Pearl

Rental prices: Mountain bikes up to 4 hours $15, All day $20, Overnight $25

Road bikes up to 4 hours $12, All day $15 Overnight $20

All prices include helmet and lock

Gateway Fun Center

303.442.4FUN

www.gatewayfunpark.com

Boulder County’s only complete indoor/outdoor fun center. Go Kart track, mini Go Kart track, human maze, miniature golf, batting cages, driving range, arcade, kids train, and in-line hockey.

Rocky Mountain National Park/ Estes Park

1.800.443.7837

www.estesparkresort.com

Just 45 minutes from Boulder nestled in a high mountain valley at 7500 feet elevation Estes Park is a delightful mountain village welcoming visitors year round for festivals, cultural experiences, downtown gardens, shopping, playgrounds, river walks, bike trails and grassy parks featuring sculptures and mountain wildlife. Estes Park is located at the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park which contains 415 square miles of some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in America. With granite summits towering over broad, forested valleys the landscape inspires a visitor with its immense size and beauty.

Mile high gliding and hot air ballooning

303.527.1122

www.milehighgliding.com

Air adventures by Biplane, glider or hot air balloon will show you unrivaled views of the mountains for an adventure you will never forget.

Fly fishing

Front Range Anglers/ Boulder Fly Fishing Guides

303.494.1375

Rocky Mountain Anglers

303.447.2400

Boating & Water sports

Boulder Reservoir, lessons, rentals

303.441.3468 –or – 303.441.3456

Celestial Seasonings Tour of Tea

Monday- Saturday: 10am until 3pm on the hour

Sunday 11am- 3pm on the hour

Open year round, closed on major holidays

Groups of 8 or more, please call for reservations

For more information call: 303.581.1202

Experience the world of Celestial Seasonings teas. Walk through the art gallery, entertain your taste buds in the tea sampling room, stroll through the Celestial Herb Garden, venture into the factory and experience the Mint Room.

Pearl Street Mall

(303) 449-3774

Stroll along Boulder’s world famous pedestrian mall and enjoy a great selection of restaurants, bookstores, boutiques and sidewalk cafés. Also popular are the seasonal art shows, craft fairs, musical presentations and street performers who entertain enthusiastic crowds with their antics. Let Bongo the Balloon Man make an animal creation out of his colorful supply of balloons, challenge the Zip Code Man to guess your hometown just by telling him your zip code, or watch the unusually flexible contortionist fold his body into a small box.

The Hill District

13th Street
(303) 541-1030

Located slightly off campus of the University of Colorado, this eclectic, intimate business district boasts a fascinating mix of personalities – gentle yet exuberant…. intellectual yet hip… edgy yet welcoming.
A variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues are virtually an extension of the University campus.  The area has a rich history of famous bands that played here, famous people who worked here, and tens of thousands of memories that were made here by students attending the University of Colorado.

Farmer’s Market

April 2 2005- October 29, 2005

Saturdays 8-2pm; Wednesdays 4-8pm beginning May 11

Offering locally grown fresh fruits and veggies, naturally raised meat, artisan cheeses, breads and pastries, fresh flowers and delicious edibles, the Farmer’s market provides a place for locals to sell their products in a friendly, fun environment.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

1750 13th Street
(303) 443-2122

Enjoy contemporary art exhibits featuring local and visiting artists. During the summer months take advantage of the Outdoor Cinema program, and don’t forget to bring along a chair! Open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Closed on Sunday. Admission is $2 for non-members.

Chautauqua Park
900 Baseline Road
(303) 442-3282

www.chataqua.com

Box Office and ticket purchase: 303.440.7666

Cultural programs and concerts: 303.442.3282 ext. 15

Dining Hall reservations: 303.440.3776

Chautauqua Association’s historic (founded in 1898) and cozy community hosts numerous events ranging from talks by internationally known experts to a lecture series during the winter months. Chautauqua is also home to the Chautauqua Summer Festival and the esteemed Colorado Music Festival.
Chautauqua Meadow offers some of the best hiking in the area.

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

1850 Table Mesa Dr
(303) 497-1174

www.ucar.edu

In a setting dedicated as a natural preserve, visit a national laboratory where scientists study weather and climate issues affecting the earth. Free, guided tours are offered year-round at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Attractions include interactive exhibits of lightning, a tornado, and fluid dynamics, as well as a solar eclipse telescope, models of three NCAR aircraft, a self-guided audio tour, an art gallery, and more. Admission is free.  For group reservations, call 303-497-1173. The world famous architect I.M. Pei who designed the pyramids at the Louvre in Paris, France also designed the building that houses NCAR. Parts of Woody Allen’s movie “Sleeper” was also filmed at this site.

Fiske Planetarium

University of Colorado

Open 9am-5pm Monday- Fri.

www.colorado.edu/fiske/

303.492.5002

303.492.5001

Observatory and Planetarium with laser shows, star shows, and family matinees. The Fiske Planitarium also offers workshops and labs for children K-12.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

303-497-4091 for reservations

www.noaa.gov

Boulder is proud to be the home of America’s oldest science agency. NOAA, home of the National Weather Service where you can find the answers to any question regarding weather and the environment for the entire globe. Every Tuesday at 1 pm NOAA offers 1 hour tours of the facility which stops at major research stations, libraries and national weather control booth. You must have photo identification and make reservations. For special groups call the same number and request a group tour.

In February, Luke and I decided on a photographer for our wedding: RJ Kern of Kern-Photo.   RJ’s photos amazed us and his energetic and friendly attitude put us right at ease.  As part of our wedding package, we had an engagement photo session.  The night before our session, Luke and I madly rushed through Flatirons Mall trying to find new outfits to wear and of course I had to buy make-up… something I really haven’t done in a while.  The mall closes and I still have no idea what to wear so an hour or so of madly going through my closet ensues once I get home.  Luke has an idea to wear our respective jerseys and between that and a couple shirts to go with our jeans, we are good to go.

The photo session day is here.  I meet Luke a little before 3 and we rush to The Cup in Boulder to meet up with RJ. I was a little nervous and felt a little stupid at first, but RJ helped us to relax and have fun with it all.  We started with some individual portraits and I was up first.  It’s really hard for me not to laugh the whole time and even harder once I was watching Luke try to pose with a straight face.  RJ, Luke, and I wandered around Pearl Street.  We took shots in front of the Boulder Courthouse where Luke and I got engaged.  We sat on a pig – yeah, I couldn’t help but throw my Iowa heritage in there.  We wandered alleys and then we headed to a parking garage for some great TX vs. CU pictures.  Texas wins!  Oh, wait that was last October.  Anyway, after wandering through Pearl Street, we then head to Chautauqua and then for the final rays of sun over to the lookout between Superior and Boulder.

I can’t say enough about how much fun we had that day.  RJ is absolutely great to work with and we were so excited that we found such an awesome photographer.  This just built the excitement for us for our upcoming wedding day.  The excitement only continued as we got home that night and RJ had already sent us some initial shots.  Before we knew it RJ had posted his own blog and had even created a slideshow from some of the best pictures of day.  Not to brag, but I couldn’t believe how good we looked.  RJ captured our love and of course the great fun we have together beautifully.  His sense of light, shadows and textures added extra pop to all of our pictures.  If you are looking for a photographer, I can recommend none better than Kern-Photo.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

The last day we were at the Jungle River Lodge we went for a hike in the Pico Bonita rain forest. We had to catch a bus in a couple hours so we wanted to hurry so we could see as much as we could. The entrance to the jungle was about a half mile from the lodge so we made our way there.

As we were coming up to the entrance we say three boys around 12 years old walking towards us. One of them had a wheel barrow and another had a machete. Yes, I said a machete.  We went to the office where there is supposed to be someone to collect park fees and let us in the part. Joann and Christie go to the office door to try and find someone and Jay and I went to the bridge we would need to cross to get inside.  Two of the boys approached Jay and I and just stood there. Neither Jay or I speak spanish very well but I still said ‘hola’ trying to be friendly. They didn’t say anything. Christie and Joann came down to meet back up with us and Joann began to speak with them since she is fluent.

Apparently the kids were offering to guide us through the jungle saying that the terrain was very difficult and could not be navigated without a guide. After a few minutes of going back and forth we turned around and started walking back towards the lodge. Christie and I were walking in front of Joann and Jay and after we turned a corner we couldn’t see them anymore. Here I am thinking they the kids held them up or killed them but it turns out they just slowed down to look around. After speaking with people from the lodge we headed back up to the entrance and there was someone manning the post. Inside the gate house there was a museum filled with bugs and stuff I didn’t want to see before going into the jungle. We had some fun in there then set out into the jungle.

Crossing the bridge was hysterical, for me, since it was a cable bridge and Christie is scared of heights. I bounced a little bit but mostly laughed and how slow and focused Christie was walking across the bridge. Once we got in the jungle we were amazed by the beauty. Our goal was to make it to a waterfall that was about 45 minutes in. Along the way we saw some amazing plants and some butterflies but mostly I saw my sweat. I promise it was about 200% humidity in there and if there was a wet t-shirt contest I would have won. We did make it to the waterfall and it was worth it.

This was probably the most relaxing hike I has ever taken in my life and it was awesome. The trees there were like I had never seen before and the air was so fresh and smelled, well, like a rain forest.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

1234►

We left Copán we were heading to an Eco Lodge just outside of Le Ceiba called the Jungle River Lodge. We had to take two buses that took about 2 hours each with an hour and a half layover in  San Pedro Sula so long story short, we had a long day of traveling.

We got to the bus terminal in Le Ceiba just after the sun set so we had no idea where we were, what was around us or where we needed to go. We gathered our things and got a cab. He told us the cab ride would be $25 and that’s what the other cabbies were quoting as well so we didn’t have any other options. The ride there was scary (at least to me) since we were driving on a dirt rode riddled with potholes and the middle of nowhere with no light and no civilization to be found. I had visions of the cabbie just pulling over and telling us to get out then pulling a gun and asking for money. That didn’t happen, at least not exactly the same.

After about 20 minutes of driving through roads, dodging fallen trees and going through “puddles” hoping we wouldn’t get stuck we finally arrived at the Jungle River Lodge. As we were paying the cabbie he counted the money and said “I said thirty” and we all just stared at him. We all heard him quote us $25 and I also heard him quote another couple $25 so we knew he was full of it. After arguing and calling him dishonest Jay gave him $2 and we walked away.

Walking down the steps to the main area I felt like I was walking into a movie set for a coming of age thriller where a group of young people go into a foreign land and visit a remote location and stumble on a group of people living some crazy lifestyle (think The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio). The area had loud music and was lit only with candles. People were sitting around tables just minding their own business. A young guy introduced himself and started to get us “checked-in” at the lodge.

We were trying to keep things cheap so we stayed in the hostel type accommodations they had available. He showed us the room where we would be staying and there were 7 single beds in a room with a bathroom and refrigerator in the corner. Each bed had a fitted sheet on it with a top sheet folded at the bottom of the bed to act as your blanket. He then explained to us that the bathroom was broken and we would have to use the bathrooms by the bar instead which wasn’t really a big deal since that was about 20 feet away.

We were hungry and it was dinner time so w went to the bar area and got some seats. The lodge handled meals differently and they didn’t have a menu for you to choose from, they make food and you eat it. The food was quite delicious and we were all happy with that. Another interesting thing they did was keep a sheet of paper with your name on it and as you got drinks, dinner or did activities you put a check mark by your name and they would add it up and you would pay at the end. This was very convenient and made the stay very relaxing.

Rather than tell all of the stories about the oddities of the lodge here is a quick rundown:

• The sink in our room drained on to the floor instead of going outside or in a drain
• The shower was a PVC pipe coming out of the wall with water from the river (it was pretty cold)
• Both of the working toilets had a 50/50 shot of actually flushing
• I’m pretty sure the sheets hadn’t been washed in months

The really cool thing about the Lodge is that they have activities that you can do directly from there such as hiking, rafting and zip lining. The next day the four of us went zip lining through the jungle and it was amazing. We were flying high above the ground going under branches on routes where you sometimes couldn’t see where you were going to end up. For the most part the trip was uneventful but very fun and exciting. Christie was the only person that had an unexpected adventure and apparently she lost her grip on the last line and spun around a couple times while about 100 feet over the river. Luckily she was able to get a grip on the line again and slow herself down before slamming into the tree. 

The rest of the stay there was really relaxed. We met a couple from Canada and had a great time hanging out and talking with them. On the second day Jay and Joann went rafting (I couldn’t go since I tore my ACL) and Christie and I went for a walk and relaxed. All in all we had a great time there and really glad that we stayed there but I would compare it to staying in the dorms in college; glad I did it but don’t want to do it again.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12345►