Villages, ruins & good food

Backpacking September 2006

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The team: Bob, Jonathan, and Jonathan's classmate Chris_2

We took the classic South Lake to North Lake semiloop. We had contemplated going over the Glacier Divide by one of the three cross-country routes (The Keyhole, Alpine Col, or the dreaded Snow-Tongue Pass), but a merited concern about exceptional snow on the shady north side of the divide made us go the long way around, by the Muir trail and the Piute Creek trail.

The itinerary:

Day 1: Early departure from South Lake, easy ascent of Bishop Pass, down the Dusy branch of the Middle Fork of the Kings River to camp above Le Conte Canyon.

Day2: Up Le Conte Canyon to camp below Helen Lake. We quit early because of rain, which did not last long.

Day 3: Over Muir Pass, down Evolution Basin, to a beautiful camp at the far end of Evolution Lake. Climbed a nearby knob for a breathtaking view down Evolution Valley after making camp. Had some rain in the afternoon on the trail.

Day 4: Down Evolution Canyon to camp at the confluence of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River and Piute Creek, a crowded location more like a campground than backpacking.

Day 5: Up Piute Creek to a splended camp above the point where the Piute Pass trail crosses the outlet creek from Cony Lake. This camp is worth searching out--it's not visible from the trail. It's at about 11,200 feet and seriously cold in September--water bottles left outside tents froze totally solid.

Day 6. Chris_2 left early, raced out to the North Lake trailhead, picked up the bicycle we had cached there, rode down to the South Lake road, tried pedaling up some of the 2000 vertical feet, thought better, and got a ride from some friendly fishermen. He drove the truck back to the North Lake trailhead and was waiting with cold drinks as Bob and Jonathan emerged around noon. Drove straight to much appreciated fast food and then home in time for dinner.

Portugal, June 2006

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Bob attended a fine conference run by the central bank of Portugal and Sooz joined at the end of the conference. We made a circle through the midsection of the country, starting in Evora, the site of the conference, spending three days in Lisbon, two days along the coast northwest of Lisbon, then traveling east to the Spanish border at Marvao, then west again to Lisbon. We avoided the beaches of the Algarve and the mountains and wine region of the north. We concentrated on villages, ruins, and good food. Got plenty of all of them.

The major stops were in churches with affiliated monestaries and convents:

Convent of Espinheiro, Evora, now a hotel, where the conference was held

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos with Santa Maria de Belem, Lisbon

Mosteiro da Batalha

Mosteiro de Santa Maria, Alcobaca

Convento de Christo, Tomar

We also visited nifty hill towns, including Estremoz, Sintra, Obidos, and Marvao, the Roman ruins at Conimbriga (the best in Iberia, but not to be compared to Tunisia), and Elvas, sister city to Graceland. The hill towns all have well-preserved medieval castles, which are so common in Portugal as to merit little comment.

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The Roman and the medieval, Evora

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Evora, the Capela dos Ossos, with walls made of bones

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On the winery tour

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Evora

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Azuletos at Espinheiro (the convent converted to hotel where the conference was held), the temptation of Saint Anthony

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Megaliths at Cromeleque, 6000 years old. Why?

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Doigts de mer, a delicacy not enjoyed since our 1995 trip to Barcelona

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This is really a picture, not a travel poster! Lisbon, from the castelo

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Interior of Santa Maria de Belem

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Ceiling of Santa Maria de Belem

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Elephants holding up a tomb in Santa Maria de Belem, reflecting Portugal's colonial role in India

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Lion guarding the fountain in Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

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The ice cream cone esthetic at Jeronimos

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Jeronimos

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The cloister at Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Belem, Lisbon

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Figures at Santa Maria

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Mary teaching Jesus to swim, Santa Maria de Belem

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Obidos, quintessential picturesque hill village

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Obidos

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Batalha

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The sanctuary at Alcobaca

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Figure at Batalha

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Monk-dog chimera patiently supports a tomb at Santa Maria de Vittoria, Batalha

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Fountain in the cloister at Alcabaca

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Sooz across the cloister at Tomar

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Spiral staircase at Tomar

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Detail from the exterior of the church at Tomar

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In the sanctuary at Tomar

Sunday June 4 in Buenos Aires

2006-06-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

Dr. Bob is on the first of his 4 days in BA for a central bank conference. He reports,

After settling at the hotel and carrying out the badly needed cleanup, I took a long walk covering most of the sights of downtown, generally following the walking tour in the Lonely Planet. But I had a terrible time navigating, as I always do in the antipodes. The first objective was the plaza of San Martin, with Big Statue (see below). I got there all right, but then my northern hemisphere misunderstanding of the sun kept bringing me back.

BA is basically a prosperous European city. It reminds me the most of Barcelona, though the numbers say it is nowhere near as rich. Lots of European brands on offer. Relatively little fast food. I was lucky to be touring on Sunday, when it is calm. Tomorrow it will be a madhouse, according to the experts.

San Martin. The sun kept brining me back here.

Architectural juxtaposition all over the city
19th century building reflected
No hesitation in blending architecture here. This is all brand new, a swank gallery near San Martin.

A bit of fall coloring in one of many inviting parks.

Lots of fanciful facades here.

This for Annie: The Teatro Colon, playing Cosi tonight. But I can't stay up that late.
Conquistadors everywhere.

The hotel gave me a plate of perfect seasonal fruit. I et up the apples and pear before I thought of taking a picture. The persimmons were left.
My digs at the Alvear Palace hotel. Looking from the dining room to the living room. All this and free internet too...

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Architectural juxtaposition all over the city

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San Martin. The sun kept brining me back here.

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19th century building reflected

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No hesitation in blending architecture here. This is all brand new, a swank gallery near San Martin.

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A bit of fall coloring in one of many inviting parks.

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Lots of fanciful facades here.

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This for Annie: The Teatro Colon, playing Cosi tonight. But I can't stay up that late.

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Conquistadors everywhere.

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The hotel gave me a plate of perfect seasonal fruit. I et up the apples and pear before I thought of taking a picture. The persimmons were left.

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My digs at the Alvear Palace hotel. Looking from the dining room to the living room. All this and free internet too...

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, March 2006

2006-04-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

Bob and Jonathan, along with Jonathan's classmate Gui and his father Joe, camped in Capitol Reef National Park for 5 nights. The itinerary:

Day 1. Arrived in early afternoon, hiked the Chimney Rock loop. Cold and windy.

Day 2. Hiked the Cohab-Grand Wash trails. Cloudy, cold, windy.

Day 3. Hiked the Navajo Knobs trail in wind and light rain. Intermittent heavy rain at night.

Day 4. Breakfast in the mud. Drove down the Notom-Bullfrog road intending to hike the upper Muley Twist loop. Encountered impassable (even in 4WD) mud just south of the Cedar Mesa campground. Started the hike there up into the Waterpocket Fold. Turned back by heavy rain becoming mixed with and changing to snow. Found the road north out of Cedar Mesa apparently impassable. The 4Runner slid backward sideways. Eventually found minimal traction and inched our way up the incline to safety. Back to headquarters and down the Scenic Road to hike the Golden Throne trail. More rain and some interesting hail.

Day 5. Storm passed; excellent weather. Took our best and longest (14 miles) hike, up Spring Canyon.

Day 6. Gloomy cold weather. Hiked to Hickman Bridge on the trail and then ascended the side of the bridge, class III+. Short hikes at the Goosenecks. Drove home at lunchtime.

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The team: Gui, Jonathan, Bob, and Joe

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Backpacking 2005

2005-09-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

Andy, Jonathan, and Bob spent 5 days in the Sierras along the Ritter Range. We had planned to follow the High Route over North Glacier Pass, north of Banner Peak, but were turned back at Cecile Lake by dangerous snowbanks leading directly into freezing water. Our revised itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Devils Postpile, camp at Superior Lake (not to be compared to Lake Superior)

Day 2: Cross country over Nancy Pass, following the High Route to Cecile Lake, via Minaret Lake, one of the most beautiful spots in the Sierras, especially this year, when it was unusually green from double the usual snowfall last winter.

Day 3: North on the John Muir Trail

Day 4: On to Thousand Island Lake, another candidate for most beautiful spot

Day 5: Out to Agnew Meadows

The weather was windy and cold, but we did not see a single cloud on the entire trip.

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Unusual snowbanks in September, following a snowy winter

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The team--Andy (red hat), Bob, Jonathan

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The Minarets from Minaret Lake

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Minaret Lake from the trail down from Cecile Lake

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Minaret Lake in the morning

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The last Minaret from Minaret Lake

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One of the 1000 islands...

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View from Nancy Pass

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The Ritter Range

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The Minarets from Cecile Lake

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Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak from 1000 Island Lake

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Looking north over the east end of 1000 Island Lake

Jordan and Syria, August 2005

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Bob and Sooz traveled to Jordan and Syria to see some of the best ruins in the world and eat excellent food. We traveled with Imaginative Traveler, the same company who took us around Tunisia in 2004.

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Pigeons in a row, Amman Museum

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Sponge Bob Square Pants, 4000 years ago

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The Indian Chief, Wadi Rum

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6000-year old sculpture

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A hand surviving from a 30-foot Roman statue in the Citidel above Amman

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Buying fruit in Amman

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Frescoe in palace east of Amman

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Datsun became Nissan in 1974...

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Our guide, Mahmoud, ready for the desert

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Wadi Rum

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Wadi Rum

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Wadi Rum

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Dusk at Wadi Rum

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Camels and tenders relax, Petra

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The Hermitage in Petra, after a long hot hike

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Aaron's mountain, near Petra

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In Jarash, Jordanian bagpipe band co-opts one of our company

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Waterwheel pump at Hana, on the road from Damascus to Aleppo

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6,000-year old statue at the museum in Aleppo

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What's left of Saint Simeon's pillar

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The Syria crew at Saint Simeon's Basilica

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Visiting a mosque in the prescribed costume

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The women in the giant urn at Ugarit

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The Theatre at Palmyra

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Sunrise at Palmyra

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Just before sunrise, the camel crew is already on duty

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Doorframe through doorframe

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Roman columns with the Citidel in the background

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Roman construction, Palmyra

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The Citidel overlooking Palmyra, built only 800 years ago

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Syria keeps exceptional care of its cars. Here in Palmyra, the taxis formed a museum of Mercedes products from the 1960s.

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Decorated 3-wheelers are common in Syria, as in Thailand.