Settling into Cartagena

Cartagena's old city, El Centro.




The city center is all lit up at night. Great to stroll though with vendors and people out walking. There are great restaurants and salsa bars. The whole place is ringed with a colonial wall to keep out pirates. Walking along the ramparts is beautiful. Behind me is iglesia San Pedro.




The Iglesia Catedral



In the streets there are these big double doors made of wood fortified with metal studs and bands sometimes. They're big enough to pull a carriage into the open courtyards inside that are part of most all of the old colonial buildings.



Long hallway of arches inside Iglesia San Pedro.



One of the entrances to the old city that breaks into a cobblestone plaza.



The beautiful streets of El Centro are a labrynth. Great to get lost wandering though. Pretty safe, even at night. Reminds me of New Orelans Old French Quarter with the balconies and hanging plans.








The Iglesia Catedral lit up at night.



Horse draw carriages are always around in the center.



Back in Boca Grande, in my apartment you can see El Centro in the distance.

It's hard to have a bad day when they end with this...

Colombia: The Adventure Begins...

Location: Cartagena, Colombia

Well, I made it to Colombia! I'm teaching 7th and 8th grade math at the Colegio Jorge Washington in BocaGrande, Cartagena. I'll be updating this blog as often as possible! Let the fun begin!




The view from my room out the back of the apartment. We're on the 9th floor, with great breezes! La Popa is a monastary on top of the hill in the picture. The green area is a Colombian Navy base, so we get the Colombian national anthem at 8:00 every day, provided that we're home! You can see the submarines from here!

A quick VIDEO of my place!




Los Quatros Amigos: Nick, Pete, Austin, and William



The old colonial city, El Centro, lit up at night. Cobble stones, horses and carts, etc... An awesome place to meander through the narrow old streets.

Our Colombian friend William, helping Austin and I make some killer dinner. The sunsets out our front window are always spectacular! Great colors! We're often in the water at that time though. The sun sets around 6:30, which throws me off!



Out our front window as well. Fireworks over the Caribbean are hard to beat.



Austin and Willam having a little lunch at a restaurant near El Parque Botanical, a park out of town. The busses to get there we an adventure in themselves!


An old church buried in the foliage of El Parque Botanical de Cartagena.


Awesome plants, birds, and even a couple monkeys (not shown in picture...)


La Popa, a monastary on the hilltop in Cartagena.


Busloads of kids going here and there on school trips! Big fun!


On the boat to Baru, an island off of Cartagena.


Fortresses guard the harbor on the way to Baru.





Las Islas Rosarias




So there you have it. The first installation of the Colombian excursion! More to come later.

From Russia With Love

Location:
Khabarovsk, Russia (RU)
Moscow, RU
Vladivostok, RU

Although a bit belated, here are some shots from my student teaching bout in Khabarovsk Russia, from August to November 2007. Stayed with a host family and taught Physics, English, and English Litterature (yea, weird, I know...) to English speaking Russian high school students. Nasdarovia!


Ploshad Slava, Rivia Amurskaya
(Victory Square, Amur River)
Khabarovsk, Russia


Vladivostok, Russia


Staying with Sasha's relatives on a RUSSIAN ARMY BASE while visiting Vladivostok. I was instructed to 'not say a word' as we drove through checkpoints with AK-47 toting guards. Amazing people though...


Train station
Vladivostok, Ru


Architecture
Khabarovks, Ru


My Russian Family!
Sasha, Sergei, Sasha Nikishina, Valentina Alexandrovna, Julia, Pete, Anna.
Khabarovsk, Ru


My Russian students of Gymnasium No.5


Sweet Soviet transportation


St. Basil's Cathedral
Moscow, Ru


Domed cathedral of the Russian Ortodox
Kremlin, Moscow, Ru


Apartment buildings
Khabarovsk, Ru





Teaching in Gymnasium No.5

So, although not a comprehensive overview of my Russian excursion, there's a little taste. More to come in Colombia.

A Taste of the Madness

Just a few shots from around home...



The 'Rho House' boys on a fine day at the beach.


My favorite sisters!


Shredding wave in the summer! Nothing better.


My 'Rho House' boys! Best guys ever.


Approach to diving the Mesquite in the Keweenaw.

Ice diving in Superior with Big John!

Pete-sickles...

Camping in Marquette with Doc Brown!


Camping knows no season!

Sleeping in is easy with no light in the morning!

My buddy McGurn on the



Flying. My favorite past time.






The prolonged sort of flying. Paragliding off of dunes at Charlevoix.


President's Ball shot. Photography by Richer Image of Marquette MI.


Kayaking at Upper Harbor. Marquette, MI


Lower Falls at Dead River. Marquette, MI

Climbing (and wielding machetes) with my buddies.


The 'Rho House' crew. My favorite people ever. The lovely Stephanie Peck, Man of many talents Ian McGurn, Nick 'Doc' Brown, the charismatic Jessi Hamill, the uber-smart Tony Schindler, the talented Breanna McGurn, and Pete.


Hard summer work on Lake Charlevoix, MI.