Happy New Year! I decided to make a collage of picture highlights from 2007. I tried to choose a picture per month.
I am a bit addicted to looking at the search terms that bring people to this blog. The other day I found that someone typed kissing shadows into a search engine and was directed to my Ecuador Post. Seems like someone should write a song called Kissing Shadows. If only I had some musical talent.
Originally uploaded by jjzach
We took a voyage on the 9th Wave out of Newburyport, MA recently. It was great to get out on the ocean during a heat wave. The boat has daily sails from June through September and totally beats the traditional whale watch choice. You can order a drink and relax in the nets at the front of the Catamaran. Speaking of drinks, I was happy to hear that they only use biodegradable plastic corn cups for their bar.
Warning: If you roll around on the net don’t leave any valuables in your pocket. A few years ago I was lounging on the net and watched $10 float out of my pocket and sink in the Atlantic.
Here are some more pics from our outing.
Back in June we took a day trip to Nantucket to visit the Whaling Museum. It was a great day trip and the Museum and lecture were amazing. Since we were only going for the day we spent the extra money on the high speed Fast Ferry which takes 50 minutes as opposed to 2.5 hours. More pics at Nantucket 07.
We joined the Better World Club for roadside assistance, which is an environmentally friendly alternative to AAA. They donate 1% of annual revenues toward environmental cleanup and advocacy. I’m really excited about all the green perks including hybrid car rentals, discount eco-travel and $40 off of gasoline this year. They even have an auto advice hotline for car problems.
Otavalo was our favorite stop in mainland Ecuador. One highlight was a one day tour we did with a company called Runa Tupari to tour some indigenous communities and see people making handicrafts to sell at markets. One woman was weaving mats from totora plants.
At another stop a couple made scarves and shawls from Alpaca wool.
We also were very intrigued by the food market. It was filled with locals, very colorful and fragrant.
We took a trip to Ecuador in March. I finally had a chance to sort through all the photos and upload them to my photo gallery. There are a ton of pictures so I made an Ecuador Highlights Folder for those with limited time. I also have some travel notes here.
One highlight of the trip was visiting the equator at noon on the Vernal Equinox, March 21. There were no shadows and eggs stood on their ends. Many have told me that the egg part is a myth, but I saw it with my own eyes. Were the eggs standing because it was on the equator or because it was the Equinox?
We of course had to take the obligatory kissing across the equator pic.
The Great Turtle Race is a fun site that shows the progress of some tagged Leatherback Sea Turtles travelling from Costa Rica to the Galapagos Islands. Right now they are 7 days into their 14 day journey. After the race ends on April 30 you can follow the turtles at TOPP (tagging of Pacific Predators).
. . . but I love this picture of a Hummer golf cart from our recent trip to Florida. Here are some Take Action tips to reduce your impact on the earth while on the move. Using Hummer golf carts wasn’t on the list.
We went to Arkansas for Labor Day weekend to visit Jay’s family. I was delighted that we flew to Memphis because it meant that we had time for a stop at Graceland before our flight home.
If only I had noticed this Graceland cross-stitch kit when I was in the gift shop.
They also had some super tacky Elvis fabric.
