Happy Holidays to friends near and far! From my home to yours may you have a peaceful season and may your New Year be happy, healthy and filled with many cups of tea in the sun.
Love,
Petunia
For all the running around I do back and forth from various countries, until recently I have done a fairly poor job of traveling within my own country – the US of A. This summer my Mom and I took a road trip to the southwest and let me tell you, there are some pretty spectacular things to see out there. And those spectacular things become even cooler when seen from a Mustang convertible. Ahem.
Grand Canyon? Check. Monument Valley? Check. Taos Pueblo? Check. Santa Fe? Check. White Sands Park? Check. Locked keys in the trunk of the rental car? Check. Come on people, no road trip is complete without some car-related incident! I just took one for the team. Sheesh.
Enjoy the pics!
pig pig piggies! Omena, MI
Southeastern rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset
Helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon
Monument Valley, UT at sunrise
Target practice?
Between Taos and Santa Fe, NM. Homes built into the ground.
Johnny, who helpfully broke into our car to get the keys out. In the rain. He's a rockstar.
White Sands National Monument, NM. Also the site of a US Military missile range. White sand dunes as far as the eye can see!
What's this, a toll booth that all the highway traffic is being diverted into?
Oh, silly me, it's the US Immigration and Border Patrol searching every vehicle on the highway (!!!)
The proprietor at the hotel we stayed at in Las Cruces, NM was very concerned about bee attacks
The best BBQ EVER!
Saguaros are so funky looking
Chilies and Adobe says Southwest to me
…official words written. Unofficial words written?
14,741.
Thesis?
Done.
MSc?
Done.
Whew! Time to enjoy vacation 🙂
What do all of these places have in common?
I will be gracing them all with my presence over the next month!
Tomorrow I leave London for about 6 weeks in the US in a somewhat whirlwind tour for weddings, reunions (family and school), and some quality time with friends and family. It’s going to be fantastic. Plus, I figured since I spend so much time traipsing around the world I should pay attention to all the things there are to see and do in my own country.
Extra special prize* to anyone** who correctly guesses all 8 locations.
*Prize may or may not materialize
**Mom and Dad, you are excluded since you already know where I’m going
Sometimes there are just no words…
Wau will be shaped like a giraffe with the sewage treatment plant conveniently placed under its tail and Yambio will be shaped like a pineapple. How welcoming. I want to live in whatever city ends up being shaped like a goat!
There’s really nothing else to say except @%&(*^$#%**&%^???????
Sorry about that, the link to video in my post earlier today is fixed now!
Tomorrow, August 19th, is World Humanitarian Day, established to give special recognition to all humanitarian and UN personnel who work to further the humanitarian cause and to remember those who have lost their lives in the line of their work.
This is especially poignant given the recent ambush of the group of 10 doctors, medical staff and drivers from America, the UK, Germany, and Afghanistan who died bringing much needed medical services to people in rural Afghanistan. As I have written about before this is not the first time something like this has happened, and unfortunately it would be naive to think it will be the last. May their souls rest in peace and may their families be comforted in the fact that they died doing something they loved and believed it.
Yes, I know I have a bit in my About section about being labeled a humanitarian/aid/charity worker, and don’t even get me started on the UN, but lots of deserving credit is due to the folks who work day in and day out, often putting their lives on the line (or at least their health and sanity) for working towards what they believe in.
Dealing with mind-numbing number crunching, bureaucracy, disease, terrorism, war, low pay, accidents on bad roads, and isolation from time away from family and friends is not an easy thing to do, and while we can rail on against the inefficiency and hypocrisy in the aid industry I at least am still grateful that there are people out there who are still willing to give it a go.
In Southern Sudan I never had to deal with wearing flak jackets, armed bodyguards or fear being shot at or in any way targeted because of my status as a foreigner. In fact, it was the opposite, we basically had a “get out of jail free” card in most situations. Yet there are thousands of people who go to places knowing this is what they will face, and go willingly. I have several friends based in Afghanistan at the moment, in addition to the one that just left a few days ago and another set to arrive next week. I think about them all the time and pray that they stay safe.
So here’s to all of you! Thank you for doing what you do.
P.S. check out a friend of mine formerly of Juba now based in Afghanistan at minute 0:54 – 0:59 and 3:40 – 3:43!
Happy Friday!
In honor of the British Beer Festival in London last week, I am going to treat you all to a run-down of the greatest Pub Crawl, otherwise know as Ale Trail around here, of all time. Besides the Monopoly one. Note to self: add this to bucket list.
It’s time to retrace the footsteps of the epic end of term Ale Trail that left me singing Mariah Carey at a karaoke bar at 1 am. In case there was ever any doubt: this is never, I repeat, never a good idea under any circumstances. But the Ale Trail itself? Great idea.
First stop: The Banker, EC4R 3TE.
This is a great post-work-pint pub on the banks of the Thames River with views from London Bridge to Southwark (pronounced Suth-ark) Bridge. There’s a patio and balcony outside, and the inside is industrial in its design- old brick railway arches and exposed steel – but warmed up with comfy brown leather sofas and worn wood tables.
Beverage of choice: it’s a part of the Fuller’s chain and therefore nothing too inventive is on offer, so you might as well have a Fuller’s ESB Ale to get it out of the way.
The Banker -----> http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=243&itemid=14&task=View
Segundo stop: Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, EC4A 2BU.
“Ye Olde” is right; the pub has been operating since the 17th century and there was another pub operating at the same location since the mid-16th century. And trust me there is enough dark old wood and low ceilings to make you believe it. The pub itself is a maze of connecting rooms, corridors and staircases but the bar in the front room with its booth is the coziest. Bonus: Polly the Parrot, who used to live in the pub about a hundred years ago, still occupies her perch. Stuffed, of course.
Beverage of choice: Cider. Definitely cider.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese -----> http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/15/1513/Ye_ Olde_Cheshire_Cheese/Fleet_Street
Troisième stop: The Seven Stars, WC2A 2JB.
Yet another extremely old pub founded at the turn of the 17th century, this might be my favorite of the route. It’s right behind the Court of Justice and is so tiny that when there are more than 10 people there people spill out on the sidewalk and across the street to line the side of the court building. They take the court theme seriously with lots of wigs and other court memorabilia inside. There’s also a black cat (a real live one) that roams around behind the bar. Awful service. I don’t mind being pushy when it comes to ordering so it generally doesn’t bother me :).
Beverage of choice: if you’re outside and it’s sunny, try a Pimms! If inside, grab an Adnams Bitter.
Seven Stars -----> http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/33/3395/Seven_Stars/ Chancery_Lane
Fin: The Jerusalem Tavern, EC1M 5UQ.
Just kidding, this one’s my favorite! The pub is owned by St. Peter’s Brewery, and while the atmosphere is fairly standard, the range of beer they have here is incredible. There are always 4 or 5 types of St. Peter’s cask ales available which rotate depending on the season. I tried a Grapefruit-flavored beer which was amazing. They even offer a Gluten-free beer!
Beverage of choice: Ruby Red Ale in the summer, Christmas Ale in the winter.
The Jerusalem Tavern -----> http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london/default.htm
Just be sure to NOT go to the karaoke bar down the street when you leave…
In case you would like to recreate this journey for yourself here’s the map:
Happy Ale Trails!
This journey has been brought to you through the superior planning skills of KM. No, not you KM, a different KM.
Do any readers out there have any must-visit pubs in London that I should go find?
As I mention in the About Me section of this blog, I am mildly to moderately obsessed with reading. I love it. Can’t get enough of it. This is a love affair that started early in life and old habits are hard to break:
Baby Petunia being read "Economics for Babies" by her Dad (hi Dad!). See how excited I am about the trickle down theory? *snort*
I was the kid staying up until midnight reading under the blankets with a flashlight when I was supposed to be sleeping. People gave me books for Christmas and I would sit there reading them the same day, ignoring my other toys, until I was forcibly removed from the couch to come have dinner.
Today I never carry a purse or bag that is too small to hold a book and take one with me virtually wherever I go. It is as essential for me to have a book in my bag as it is to bring my wallet with me when I go out! I have an hour commute each way on the train/tube which translates into lots of reading time. Plus, you never know when you’ll be stuck somewhere, and more to the point, you never know when the National Rail services will decide to delay your train for an hour (grumble grumble).
So, what have I been reading so far in 2010? I am going to try to hit 56 books this year, an average of one per week (the focus here is on average!). Let’s see how far I’ve gotten (*= especially recommended):
-The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche
-*La Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver (A half-Mexican, half-American writer spends time with Diego Rivera, his wife Frida Khalo, and Leo Trotsky. Couldn’t put it down.)
-*Made in America, Bill Bryson (Informal history of the English language in the USA. Fascinating.)
-Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
-When a Crocodile Eats the Sun, Peter Godwin (The death of a father played out against the backdrop of the collapse of Zimbabwe)
-Modern Irish Short Stories, ed. Ben Forkner
-Le Mort D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory
-*In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan (Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.)
-*Say You’re One of Them, Uwem Akpan (A collection of stories in Kenya and West Africa. Really, really intense and not for the faint at heart.)
-*The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, José Saramago (so God, Satan and Jesus were sitting in a boat…and their roles are not what you would think!)
-5 trashy romance/crime novels whose authors and titles I have long forgotten
-Eat, Love, Pray, Elizabeth Gilbert
-*The Last Report of the Miracles at Little No Horse, Louise Erdich (Bittersweet humor and mystery of Reservation life)
There might be a couple I’ve missed in there, I haven’t been keeping track as I go along. From a very generous Barnes & Noble gift certificate from my parents I have the following waiting for me to read when I get home in September (love B&N’s used book bookseller network btw, which makes the gift certificates stretch quite far – I still haven’t used it all up!):
-The Singing Creek Where the Willows Grow, Opal Whitley
-Gai Jin, James Clavell
-Tai Pan, James Clavell
-The Religion, Tim Willocks
-A Palpable Elysium, Jonathan Williams
-Inner and Outer Peace Through Meditation, Rajinder Singh
-Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
-The Professor and the Madman, Simon Winchester
-Maus (both of them), Art Spiegelman
Can you tell I like historical fiction just a wee bit? I absolutely cannot wait to dive into these books. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do if I want to make a book a week…I love reading suggestions, so feel free to send them my way!
Because everyone needs a little Elvis sometimes 🙂
 | Petunia on Come to DC and I can make you… |
 | M.Lane on Come to DC and I can make you… |
| M.Lane on Countries #49 and #50 |
| M.Lane on Run, Petunia, Run! |
| M.Lane on How much is enough? |
Petunia in Paradise 