Monhegan Island

Finally got around to posting our Monhegan Island pics from our trip back in July.  Highlights included high cliffs, fairy houses in the cathedral like woods, Artist’s at work, Poets and stunning hikes.  You can visit for the day, but we found it was worth a longer stay.  For more details of the island visit the Monhegan Maine wikipedia page.  A highlight for me was viewing minky whales from the shore. We were lucky to have beautiful sunny weather most of the time, but found it was great when foggy as well.  Below is a picture of the amazing rock pilings that can be found near an old shipwreck:

If you go you may even have the opportunity to purchase a handmade buck toothed clam from local kids.  I think it is the only souvernir that we purchased as there are very few stores.

The Paper House

The Paper House in Rockport, MA has walls that are made of paper as well as many of the furnishings.  This quick and bizarre side trip on our way to the beach was worth a stop. For more pics click here.

2007 In Pictures

Happy New Year! I decided to make a collage of picture highlights from 2007. I tried to choose a picture per month.

1. Our new kitchen
2. A trip to Asheville, NC
3. Our first view of the Galapagos Islands
4. A Galapagos Tortoise
5. Charles Darwin the EasterKiwi
6. Happy 80th Birthday Poppy!
7. Sailing in the Summer
8. Tony Bennett Concert in Hyannis, MA
9. Kitty Kelly’s Halloween Costume
10. Digging for Diamonds in Murfreesboro, Arkansas
11. Thanksgiving in NYC
12. Burritos on New Year’s Eve

Kissing Shadows

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.

The 9th Wave

The 9th Wave

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.

Nantucket

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.

Better World Club

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

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.

Ecuador

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

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).