Already hungry

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Recommendations we've received:

In Kyoto, for katsudon, try Katsukura on Shinkyogoku-dori or Teramachi-dori. Those are two covered pedestrian-only streets parallel to each other, but not sure which one. The restaurant is near the end of it (Sanjo-dori) and if memory serves, just across from a record store.

In Himeji, try Fukutei (between the castle and the station; ask for a plan at the station). They serve kaiseki between 11 and 2pm.

Try okonomiyaki, takoyaki (octopus ball), and my favorite, unagi (eel).

Okonomiyaki - yum. But I'd rather not think about eat creatures I've met on dives. Think I'm getting ready to take the vegetarian plunge.

Guess what's next?

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

A big welcome home

.Who said he could be on the sofa?

NYC, part 1, 2007

.A good recipe for community. Pretty simple, really. Wonder what Part 1 was. Also, Mud is some very gooooood coffee, per the spouse. Bonus: It's right across from Veselka, where the lentil soup is yummy. Veselka's inside tables were full, so we were stuck outside at a sidewalk table in the freezing cold. I ordered their coffee just to keep my hands warm. (This was before we knew about Mud. Rats.)

Ohio State

.Mountain pass. Emphasis on "mountain" and "pass." Ye gods, what a drive. Swirling snow at times, but mostly just a whole lot of wind. Drove the purple wagon for hours and hours, with my father gritting his teeth and tightening his seatbelt and my mother pretending to read a book in the back as we braved the 70 mph speed limit with truckers and much nimbler drivers on all sides. We arrived in one piece. One quaking, numb in the seat, high-strung piece.

Tyler graduates. And there was much rejoicing.

Santa Fe

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Ah, love!

Brothers at Bandelier.

Santa Fe Canyon Preserve.

Red-winged blackbird.

Washington, DC

Archive, 2006.Near the Castle.

Familial humor.... watching a few dozen pigeons looping like mad around a fountain, alarmingly close to our heads.

Father: Look at all these pigeons. Somebody give me a tennis racket.
Daughter: No, badminton.
Father: Badminton?
Daughter: Yeah, them's birdies.
Father: Heh heh.

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Peru

Archive, 2006.

Tulum

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Archive, 2005. Relative heaven.

NYC, fall 2005

Archive, November 2005.

Hooray for Pale Male and Lola! Both were off in the park, hunting for dinner. The link will take you to spectacular photos of the park and its many denizens.

A lot of energy behind door #161. Or at least a lot of energy on the front of it.

It took me a while to realize that the bag at the next table wasn't just a bag. For a moment, I thought I'd been zapped back to a cafe in France.

Santa Fe

Archive, 2005.Hiking above Ghost Ranch.The Pink Adobe.

NYC, 2005

Archive, June 2005.Grand and lovely. There used to be a webcam that showed her day and night. Last time I checked, it was defunct. Rats.

Young monk (samanera?) on the ferry from Ellis Island back to Manhattan.

Elementary school students in Hiroshima made origami cranes to honor those who perished on 9/11. These were placed near the crumbled sphere that used to stand in the WTC plaza.

No matter what time of day or night, you can get fresh flowers in the city. Love that.

RIP.

Archive, March 2005. Out of order. Oops.

John Butler of the John Butler Trio, debut release in the US, Sunrise Over Sea. Beautiful music, with a message.

Everglades...

...and Pompano Beach. Archive, 2005.Low vis, so what. A bad day diving is better than a good day (insert blah activity here). Biggest green moray I have ever seen - I swear he was as big as me - was just a few fin kicks ahead. After all the film was used up. Of course.

Wood storks are extremely cool. As were the great blue, little blue, tri-color and green herons, anhingas, egrets, gallinules, coots, pelicans, ospreys, parakeets, red-shouldered hawks, cormorants, ibis, and all the things we saw and heard but couldn't identify.


Which is to say nothing of the Mayan Cichlid, but that's a whole 'nother story. As is the red-white-and-blue budwee.


Mmm. Dinner. As we were maybe six feet away from this guy (gal?), I didn't want to use the flash despite the low light at dusk. You still get the general idea, no?