Sullivan Adventures

More Wedding Photos

2009-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

The official wedding photos are here! If you'd like to check out the good work of our photographer Jonathan Ley, click the link below.

http://www.leyphotography.com/order/jenny_jason_080809/

Family friend Ken Bunn also took some beautiful shots. Check them out:

Castles in Spain

2009-09-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Alahambra in Granada

A gorgeous palace built by the Moors and taken over by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand when the Christians defeated the final Moor stronghold. We stood in the room where Queen Isabella agreed to finance Columbus' journeys.

The Castle in Denia

This beautiful fortress had spectacular views of the coastline to watch for invaders.

Fortress in ? (I can't remember the name of this town.)
We climbed all the way to the top of the hill to see this castle on a hot hot day. By the time we got there, we saw it was closed, so we sat on the steps and took a nap.

Random Castle

We saw this castle on our drive back toward Seville in the mountains. We decided to stop and check it out. Castles are so common place that there wasn't an entry fee, museum, opening times...we just wandered in. It was so fun to climb the turrets and feel like you were getting a sneak peak into another dimension.

Olives and Ham

2009-09-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

Spain is obsessed with HAM! They eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and then for snack and dessert too. This was a typical scene...

I thought that this advertisement was hilarious. As if they weren't already intamately familiar with this meat product....

In addition to ham, Spaniards pop olives like they are candy. Case in point:

Olives in a vending machine conveniently located between the KitKats and the HoHos.

Olive orchards are everywhere in Spain (sandwiched between the almond orchards) and as self-proclaimed olive oil addicts, we decided to go on an olive oil tasting. It was so interesting to learn how it is made.

A 300 year old olive tree.

In the orchard we visited, the families were still using a 700 year old Moor irrigation system which fed the trees through a system of collecting spring water on the mountain, running it through small aquaducts and directing to the trees using gravity.

To harvest the olives, you must wait until the olives are very dark, then you place a net underneath the tree and hit the branches to make the olives fall.

Then the olives with their pits and stems are placed in the center of this mill. A mule was used to push the mill around and grind the olives into a thick paste.

The the paste was layered into mats and placed under this press. It looks like a seesaw with the mats on one side...

And the operator on the other who would turn the screw thus putting more pressure on the mats and pressing the paste until liquid would drain from the paste into a vat underneath. The liquid would separate into olive oil on top and water on the bottom. This created the first cold press and is considered the highest quality of oil. This process was used until the early 20th century!

The Honeymoon in Spain

2009-09-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

Seville
After 3 days of travel/rest, we finally made it to southern Spain. We began our honeymoon in Seville, famous for tapas, Moorish influence, and this beautiful old church (Third largest in Europe after St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London).

Seville had several of the narrow alleys with cobblestone streets that are famous throughout Europe.

We enjoyed an espresso daily often at the counter because it costs less at the counter standing up than it does sitting down at a table.

Our first hotel had this huge balcony which we liked to sit on and listen to the bells of the cathedral.

On the Road
We rented a car and headed East from Seville toward the coastal town Denia.

View from the road. It was a beautiful drive through the Sierra Nevada mountains.

We stopped for a picnic.

Denia
Denia has a beautiful castle pearched on a hill overlooking the ocean. It just so happened that we arrived when the town was celebrating a festival to honor the battles between the Moors and the Christians. All weekend long there were parades, bands, and people in costume reenacting the battles.

Granada
Our next major stop was Granada which means Pomegranate in Spanish. Granada has a fun artsy vibe and lots of young people. It also has a huge Moroccan quarter which was fun to explore.

This is a statue of Queen Isabella agreeing to sponsor Columbus' expidition.

Pueblos Blancos
On our drive back to Seville we explored some of the white rural hill towns. This one is called Ronda and it's deep gorge was breathtaking.

More Wedding Pictures

2009-09-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has been sharing their photos with me. Here are some more that captured the big day...

Behind the Scenes

2009-08-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures of the craziness leading up to the big day and the relief of the day after...

Kelly and I preparing picture perfect pores the night before.

Going to the chapel...Jay and Teri on the way to the rehearsal.

Typing in the information for the marriage certificate!

Us at the Multnomah County courthouse applying for the marriage certficate.

Makenzie and Bodie...the most adorable niece and nephew in the world.

Oh how I loved those flowers and shoes. Do you see the brooches on the flowers? They were my grandmother Betty's.

Mom finally free of her personal slave duties...and looking ravishing I might add.

The Vows

2009-08-29T17:33:00.001-07:00

Jay and I wrote our own vows to each other and to our families. We loved the thoughtful and personal touch they added to our ceremony. To each other we vowed:

As I stand before you, our family, and our Lord on this blessed day,
I vow to give unto you
my whole heart and soul as your husband/wife.

I swear to accept and love you unconditionally;
to be by your side to support you in your darkest moments
and celebrate you in your brightest.

I vow to nurture your passions and your spirit;
to work not only for happiness,
but for understanding and grace in us.

I vow to indiscriminately open myself to you;
to constantly seek to understand both you
and our place together in this ever-changing world.

I vow to accept you as the person you are
and the person you will become.

I promise to fight for you and the family we create,
to build everthing else around that,
placing nothing, including myself at times,
above these precious gifts.

And when my time in this life ends,
I vow to wait ever so patiently for you in the Mystery around us.

To you I give everything I have,
everything I know,
everything I hope for,
and everything I am.

To our new in-laws we wrote and recited:

To you I vow to be the unconditionally loving,
supportive and selfless partner you always wished for your son/daughter
and I vow to be a loyal and contributing member to my new family.

To our own families we wrote and recited:

To you I vow in my marriage
to live out the values of patience, love and understanding
that you have instilled in me and pass on this legacy to your grandchildren.

My Compass

2009-08-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Some of you asked for the poem that I recited in dedication to my mom at the wedding. I wrote the poem a few years ago and here it is...

The Compass

Winds that lie awake
March and overtake
Hearts that hearts can break
Win for winnings sake

But north is always north
And south is always south
Knowing your direction
Is Grace's kisses on your mouth

Thoughts that warp and wind
Habit a timid mind
Paths you're meant to find
Are overgrown and ivy lined

But east is always east
And west is always west
On your paramount journey
Know that you are blessed

Just In: The First Pictures!

2009-08-29T17:14:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures I've gathered so far. If any of you have pictures or video of the ceremony or the reception, could you please email them to me at jennylrhodes@hotmail.com? Thank you!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

2009-08-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

We have returned from Spain (more later) and are still in shock over the generosity and kindness of our friends and family. We are so blessed. Thank you SO much for all your love and support.

If any of you are planning an event in the near future, I would like recommend the wonderful people I worked with. Planning a wedding from across the country was not easy; I didn't have the luxury of comparison shopping so I relied on recommendations. I could not have been more pleased with how it all turned out. Everything I imagined in my head, these people were able to create.

Linette True and her daughter Heather created our delicious 5 course Italian dinner. It was difficult to find a caterer who was willing to put all that work into a sit-down, family style meal but Linette and Heather took on the challenge. Linette handled all the logistics such as equipment rentals (and there were a lot...not to mention our almost weekly adjustments!) and even acted like my personal event planner. Heather, the chef, was even open to my recipe suggestions. Their company is called Delilah's Catering and you can reach them at www.delilahscatering.com and 503-243-3324.

As soon as I saw Jonathan's (of Jonathan Ley Photography) website, I loved his journalistic style...and it came at such a deal. Jonathan was so laid back and easy to talk to about how I wanted to remember the day. He took full advantage of some of the "props" I had prepared and he made us feel very comfortable. From what I've seen so far, I know the pictures will be beautiful. www.leyphotography.com 971-222-6426

Sharon Roberts of Baskets and Bouquets by Sharon was able to take my vision and make it a reality. She searched high and low for peonies and cabbage roses to make everything just right. The flowers were perfect, I wish I could have preserved them forever. 503-252-5908

And to the rest of you that SHOULD start businesses because you are so good at what you do...

Our Wedding

2009-06-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Story of Us
We met in 2005 while studying at Oregon State University. Jay was one year ahead of me in our graduate program. All of the first year students were assigned to a second year mentor; Jenny was assigned to be my mentee because we had similar interests in travel and cars. What began as a friendship grew. After Jenny’s graduation from the program in 2007, she moved to Ecuador so that we could explore the world together. One night on the beach in Canoa, Ecuador I proposed to Jay and we decided to spend the rest of our lives together. We would be honored if you attended our wedding to celebrate our relationship and our commitment to each other.

Address and Directions
The Ceremony and Reception will take place at the Bell Tower Chapel in Boring, Oregon.
http://www.belltowerchapel.com/

13360 SE Richey Rd., Boring, OR

For a map and directions from Portland click here:

http://www.mapquest.com/mq/6-jatAKcqBs2JQx4pBXmmY

The reception will take place outside so bring a jacket in case it gets cold.

Parking
Parking is limited. Additional parking is available on side streets.

RSVP
RSVP by returning the postcard enclosed in your invitation or leave a comment here on our blog with your name and the number of guests in your party.

Gift Registries
If you are giving a gift, we are registered at Target and Macy’s. Because the wedding is in Oregon and we live in Rochester, money or gift cards would be most convenient or you can order online and have your gift shipped to:

Attn: Jason and Jenny Sullivan
5 Olde Erie Trail
Rochester, NY 14626

** If you are traveling to Oregon for the wedding, please let your presence at the ceremony be your gift.

Knight Family Picture
We will be taking a Knight Family Picture immediately following the ceremony.

Out of Town Guests
We have reserved a few rooms under the name Jason Sullivan at the Best Western-Pony Soldier Inn in Gresham, OR for August 6th, 7th & 8th . You are welcome to stay for any, all or more of those dates. 1060 NE Cleveland Ave. Gresham, OR 97030 (503) 665-1591 When you call, you can change the room reservation to your name.

Gresham is about 10 miles east of downtown Portland and 20 miles northwest of Boring. You will need transportation which we could coordinate as a group or you can arrange on your own through a rental car company.

Thursday if you are in town and would like, we would like to take everyone on a wine tasting tour in the Willamette Valley or a driving tour of the Columbia River Gorge with scenic waterfalls and a dinner at a local brewery. We will post more information in the coming weeks.

My little Sprite

2009-06-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Five or six years ago my dad and I got this car as a stripped frame and literaly thousands of pieces in crates. We've labored and practiced and learned and it's hard to believe the beauty it has become....

It's licensed, registered and on the road. It's being test driven now and it's official maiden voyage will be departing from the wedding with a bride and groom in it!

Dad, this has been one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity, the coaching and all the time and money you put into it. You are truly my Rainmaker. Love, Kyd

The Bachelorette Party

2009-06-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

In May after my bridal shower, my friends Kelly and Lisa planned an anything-but-tame girls night. I tormented everyone at the Gypsy downtown with my karaoke warblings and consumed a few tasty beverages.

(Okay, this needs explaining...we played a game where everytime I said Jay's name, I got a punishment, each time getting progressively more embarrassing. For this punishment I was told to go to the bathroom and make a veil out of toilet paper. I got a bit creative.)

Can't resist this man in uniform

2009-06-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

After 3 grueling months, Jay finally graduated from the New York State Fire Academy! He is a full fledged probationary firefighter (or probie as he is called when he is hazed.) (After a full year on duty you are no longer on probabtion.) We are so proud of all his hard work and boy does he look handsome in his dress uniform.

Jay and his friend/groomsman Nick, a fellow firefighter who was instrumental in helping Jay get the job at Gates.

Oregon Bridal Shower

2009-06-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my sister, my mom, my best friend from college Andrea, and her mom Glenna hosted my Mediterranean/Middle Eastern themed bridal shower. It was AMAZING. They hired a henna tattoo artist to come in and give everyone a sparkly henna design that I got comments on for days. (I want to do another one for the wedding now too!) We sipped hot tea and feasted on greek salad, fruit and baklava. It was very "me." I couldn't have asked for a more special shower. We missed those of you who weren't able to make it but here are some pictures.

Andrea and I show off our tattoos.

Junior Bridesmaid and cousin Marissa and cousin Elizabeth flash their beautiful smiles.

So sweet, my step-mom Kassie.

Bear hugs for Mom.

Flower girl, Clara.

Me and Grandma. Jay says we look identical in this picture. If only I were that lucky!

The gorgeous invites Allie and my mom made. The favors were adorable little packets of mint tea that Andrea made. She made all the packages and added the individual tea infusers. She even grew the mint in her garden! She's my idol.

Mom getting a henna tattoo.

2009-03-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Getting a Christmas Tree

2008-12-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we headed out to the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols. Our Christmas Tree. Ain't she a beaut.

Honorary Italian

2008-12-23T14:58:00.000-08:00

One big difference I notice between New York and Oregon is that New Yorkers are very in tune to their ethnic backgrounds. Many New Yorkers are just a generation or two removed from their home country and still practice honored traditions. Maybe Oregon is just too far west and all the traditions got lost on the trail or maybe I just don't personally feel an ethnic connection because of my mutt status. (I'm Finnish and Scottish on my mother's side but my dad's side is a mystery. Even if I were to celebrate my heritage, what do people in Finland do anyway?) In Rochester, neighborhoods are clustered around heritage (the German Swillburg), certain businesses are owned and frequented by transplants (Italian Martuchiello's Bakery) and several festivals honor homeland traditions (Greek Fest).

Jay's father, Richard, was first generation Irish. Jay's mother, Teri, is first generation Italian. This last year I've been introduced to a lot of Catholic and Italian traditions. Rubino's, our favorite Italian Deli, features tasty Italian fare such as pizzelle's (an anise flavored wafer cookie), soppersada (salami), canolli (a delicious cheese filled dessert), an intense olive bar and of course plenty of espresso. Any given day you are likely to meet several older Italians converging over a provolone and tomato sandwich and speaking Italian.

I've also been exploring Catholic traditions and asking myself, what does it mean to be protestant? (We rock out and don't do the sign of the cross) Tomorrow for Christmas Eve we'll be eating 7 fishes (and I'm not a big fish person). The contrasts are interesting and make me redifine and rediscover myself.

But on the whole, I think I'm being accepted. I can down a cannolli in seconds flat, I say "mingya" to add emphasis, and on a recent quiz identifying types of pasta, I got a 9 out of 10. Plus, I've found my missing brethren, out here, everyone has big noses! Though I'll never lose my roots, I'm becoming an honorary Italian.

Jay's 30th Birthday

2008-11-18T19:30:00.000-08:00

On November 7th we celebrated Jay's 30th birthday. We rented a cottage on one of the Finger lakes about an hour south of here. We had a nice relaxing time cooking family meals, sitting by the fire and wine tasting.

Jay received some gifts to help him ease into his old man status...
A walker:

A package of Depends which conveniently pointed out that they are not to be used with boxer shorts:

A magnifying glass:

Whoa, put that thing down. It's dangerous.

Teri and Jay showing off his new set of cookware.

Our cottage:

The view of Seneca Lake:

Here's to 30 more years of great views like this one!

Happy Birthday Jay!

First Snow

2008-11-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

This was the view outside our window this morning. The first snow has arrived! In fact, it's not going away...

I'm a little excited right now to see all the fuss. Part of me really doesn't believe them when they say we'll get blizzards and several feet of snow. Though by April, I'll be cursing it.

University of Rochester

2008-10-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Next week will mark my 2 month anniversary as a Career Counselor in the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester. I work with about 60 Master of Science in Business students. The program is a year long and allows students to focus on one of several topics including Accounting, Finance and Marketing. A majority of the students are international, mainly from China and India. These students face a lot of challenges such as, gaining visa status to work in the U.S., competing against students with MBAs and the economy. I love working here though because the students are very focused and motivated. I also love learning about other cultures and interacting with diverse people. My coworkers are also very welcoming and have gone out of their way to help me get acclimated. I've attached some pictures so you can see the beautiful campus (and for my family...my office). University of Rochester is a small private school like my undergrad institution, University of Evansville in Indiana which makes it feel very familiar and cozy.

The library. The dome is iconic, you can see it from downtown Rochester.

The student union.

The Gleason building, home of the Career Management Center for the Simon Graduate School of Business.

The lobby of Gleason.

Come in!

What you see when you walk in the CMC.

Our waiting room.

My office from the hallway.

My office!

Halloween 2008

2008-10-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well, do we have a lot to talk about! Jay and I are finally getting settled in Rochester and hopefully I'll have more time to keep my fellow Oregonians (and other friends) updated on my new Northeast adventures. I'm going to start more recent and then play catch up with other happenings.

Last weekend Jay and I went to a Halloween party hosted by some Rochester friends. I dressed as a Geisha and was lucky to have Cousin Eddie from Christmas vacation as my date. Richard Simmons (aka Jay's brother Justin), a fierce female gangster (aka Justin's girlfriend Deanne) and a cowboy riding on Frankenstein's shoulders (aka Jay's brother Scott) all joined us. Enjoy..

My Students

2008-04-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

The majority of the time my students act like the devil’s personal minions of torture but once in a while they do something that makes me chuckle. A few weeks ago I was lecturing to my freshmen about the Mughal Empire in India. One of the greatest Mughal Empire leaders was Akbar. He was known for his religious tolerance. In fact, he invented his own religion, a combination of Hindu, Islam and Christianity. I gave the students an assignment to create their own personal religions based on some values and ideals that were really important to them. What would your religion be called? What are some of your beliefs and rituals? This is what they came up with…word for word.

“My religion would be called Marlianism because we would worship Bob Marley. Instead of Father we would call him Uncle Bob. Smoking marijuana would be optional.”

“God would be called ‘The Great.’ The followers are called ‘The Greaters.’ The book of this religion would be called ‘The Holy Book of the Great.’ This book would have some rules that must be followed in order to be a good Greater.”

“In my religion there would exist at least two or three holy books. The first I would call ‘The Book of Life,’ the second would be ‘How to Survive with Big Mistakes’ and the third, ‘How to Die in Peace.’

I know you’re thinking: “Where do I get my hands on those holy books, especially, ‘How to Survive with Big Mistakes.’” I asked my student and it turns out that publication is indefinitely delayed due to a hold up in the editing department and apparently there’s a disclaimer on the front page of ‘How to Die in Peace’ that says if you have kids, if you rely on the U.S. dollar or if you are a Republican…too bad, you’re SOL. (he he he...just kidding!)

Below are some pictures of my freshmen at the Renaissance Fair. For my class they had to choose one famous Renaissance person to study and then create an information booth with activities meant to teach others about the impact their person made.

Despite the rotten students, some days this job can be very rewarding.

-Jen

Doesn´t Jay make a handsome Copernicus?

Does Anyone Else Hear Wedding Bells?

2008-04-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Last week we enjoyed a romantic and relaxing weekend in Canoa, a small beach town about 12 hours south of Quito. This small town has only a few main streets which are made of sand...perfect for exploring the town barefoot (except at high noon when you were likely to burn your feet!) Every day we went swimming or body boarding twice because the waves were so perfect. Our favorite activities including watching the ocean while we swung in the hammocks on our porch at the hostel and eating delicious selections of frech seafood. Every night we watched the sunset reflected in the waves. On Wednesday, while we were enjoying the last rays of twilight and the first stars hovering above, Jenny proposed to Jay... and he said yes. It´s official! Jenny gave Jay a silver ring engraved on the inside with "Mi vida, mi amor, para siempre" which means "My life, my love, forever." We are planning on getting married in August 2009 in Oregon. We´re so happy and excited to share this special news with you, our family and friends.

Our official engagement photo:

Hugs and Kisses to all. xoxoxoxoxoox

-JBird and JRo

Woo Hoo No School!

2008-04-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Apparently the rainy season this year has been worse than normal. Landslides abound especially in our neighborhood which rests on a steep hill. Despite a 2 week vacation we just finished, school is cancelled today and tomorrow because of this monstrosity:

This sink hole is 20 meters wide, 50 meters deep and strategically placed on a main road which prevents our students from arriving at school. Darn.

Warning!

2008-02-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Unfortunately we´ve recently had some comments posted on our blog from unknown sources that potentially contain viruses. Please do not open these comments. We are looking into ways to remove and prevent these comments. Thanks!

Otavalo Trip 2

2008-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

We spent last weekend in a small town called Otavalo where we engaged in activities that ranged from lounging around in the luxurious home of a nice woman that Jenny met on the plane trip home in December (and who let us stay there for free) to watching 3 foot indigenous women drag 500 pound pigs across a busy street to a large animal market. The town was cool, traditional, but small enough to see in a morning. The main draw was this woman´s vacation home, where we just chilled out, cooked, and enjoyed the roof-top balcony view pictured below. The bonus was the early morning animal trading- also pictured below. Many things were seen on this fine day, some welcomed, some a little shocking.

After eating many a cuy, we were curious to see what these greasy, chicken like tasting animals looked like alive. We have seen the charcoaled version stretched over a spit, but never the live version. It turns out that they are just really just chubby hamsters which are handled and sold like apples- grabbed, waven, and thrown into bags by the dozen. Apparently, there is a reason why they uphold the mystery standard in ¨mystery meat.¨

Fiestas in Ecuador

2008-02-13T08:57:00.001-08:00

Ecuadorians love their fiestas. Despite harsh economic conditions and an unstable political system, it seems like around here, there is always something to celebrate. In December the city shuts down for the Fiestas de Quito. It is a celebration of independence. Cultural events such as bull fights, plays and concerts abound. The cultural event we couldn´t pass up was the traditional Chiva.Once a year these infamous party buses emerge from their hiding places to spread holiday cheer. The buses are open air vehicles equipped with benches that cruise around the city with no particular destination (unless you run out of booze and then it´s "to the liquor store for a fill up!") The cool people however hang out on the rooftop terrace where they dance the night away to a brass band. The most important chiva crew member is the man who yells "Duck!" when a low hanging cable or bridge is in danger of injuring someone. Despite his warnings, chiva accidents are inevitable. Last year, Jay was concentrating so hard on his slick salsa moves that he didn´t hear the duck warning. He was biffed by a cable but thought no one noticed so he continued dancing. A few minutes later a pal said, "Jay, you have a huge black mark on your forehead." This year Jenny was following Jay from one chiva to another. When Jay started to climb up the back of the bus he biffed Jenny in the nose. She thought no one noticed and continued to party until Jay asked her why she was bleeding. Party wounds are more priceless than battle wounds. Below are some pictures to document our intense cultural investigations.

Another fiesta we celebrated this past weekend was Carnival. Carnival in Ecuador is basically one big water balloon fight. Even your allies are enemies. Parades and dancing are common but if you dare step outside your house be prepared for a full attack of water and spray foam like these poor people. We don´t know them but all´s fair in Carnival war.

- Jay and Jen

Feliz Año Amigos!

2008-01-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

Happy New Year! We hope that 2008 has gotten off to a great start for our friends and family. We had a wonderful vacation visiting our loved ones and taking a break from the intensity that is living in Latin America. We will continue to update our blog regularly so stay tuned for more stories, pictures and videos.

xoxoxo

Jay and Jen

Bull Fights

2007-12-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

The main event of the Fiestas de Quito (more to come soon) is the bull fights. For almost two weeks, famous bull fighters from around the globe come to Quito to strut their stuff in the Plaza de Torros. This massive arena was built and is used only once a year for this event.

Wealthy Ecuadorians dressed to the nines (and several of our students with cups filled with suspicious looking liquids) pack into the stadium to cheer on or boo the Matadors. To start the fight, the matadors parade around the stadium waving and mesmerizing the crowd with their bejewelled costumes.

Before each round a man carries a chalkboard around the ring which lists the name of the Matador and facts about the bull such as size and weight, much like in a boxing ring. Then the first bull is released. During this time several assistants or junior matadors, also dressed in blinding sequins, take turns distracting the bull with yellow cloths and then running like crazy to hide behind wooden gates.

During this time the Matador is observing the bull´s behavior, strength and speed. At the Matador´s signal a trumpet is sounded (the typical da da da dant de da...CHARGE that we hear at most baseball games) and 2 Picadores on horseback enter the ring. The horses are protected by mattress like material and their eyes are completely covered. Good thing because once the bull sees the horses they attack attempting to lodge their horns underneath the horse. When the bull does this, the Picador stabs the bull will a long spear between the shoulder blades to weaken him. Then another trumpet sounds and 2 other men called banderillos come out carrying short spears with colored streamers hanging from the ends. These men call the bull´s attention and as the bull rushes straight for them, the banderillos stab the bull with the spears-for the rest of the fight the bull has 4-6 of these short spears hanging from his shoulder blades and obvious wounds with blood cascading down his back. At this point the main Matador finally fully enters the ring. He throws his black winged hat onto the floor of the plaza dedicating the bull to the crowd. Then he begins his intimate dance with the bull. For 15 minutes he leads the bull through a serious of close and dangerous charges with his red cloth called the Muleta. Finally the Matador looks the bull in the eyes, commands him to charge and runs a sword through his shoulder blades killing the bull. If the crowd deems it a good fight, they wave white handkerchiefs and the Matador is awarded either one or two of the bull´s ears. He then parades around the ring while the spectators throw their hats and roses into the ring.

Three Matadors fight in 2 bulls each for a total of 6 rounds. The day we attended the atmosphere was dripping with excitement. One older and well respected bull fighter earned one ear and another young up-and-comer crowd pleaser won two ears and was carried out of the stadium on the shoulders of adoring fans. One poor banderilla was trampled (but he walked away okay) and another Matador was shamed for grossly missing the bull and causing unnecessary suffering. It is REALLY difficult to watch the animals die and be dragged out of the ring by their necks however, it is also interesting to witness such a traditional cultural event. Check out some of our videos on youtube. Search under JRo and/or JBird.

Fiestas in Quito

2007-12-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ecuadorians love their fiestas. Despite harsh economic conditions and an unstable political system, it seems like around here, there is always something to celebrate.

In December the city shuts down for the Fiestas de Quito. It is a celebration of independence. Cultural events such as bull fights, plays and concerts abound. The cultural event we couldn´t pass up was the traditional Chiva. Once a year these infamous party buses emerge from their hiding places to spread holiday cheer. The buses are open air vehicles equipped with benches that cruise around the city with no particular destination (unless you run out of booze and then it´s "to the liquor store for a fill up!") The cool people however hang out on the rooftop terrace where they dance the night away to a brass band. The most important chiva crew member is the man who yells "Duck!" when a low hanging cable or bridge is in danger of injuring someone. Despite his warnings, chiva accidents are inevitable. Last year, Jay was concentrating so hard on his slick salsa moves that he didn´t hear the duck warning. He was biffed by a cable but thought no one noticed so he continued dancing. A few minutes later a pal said, "Jay, you have a huge black mark on your forehead." This year Jenny was following Jay from one chiva to another. When Jay started to climb up the back of the bus he biffed Jenny in the nose. She thought no one noticed and continued to party until Jay asked her why she was bleeding. Party wounds are more priceless than battle wounds. Below are some pictures to document our intense cultural investigations.

- Jay and Jen

Riobamba and Cuenca

2007-11-27T16:34:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we took a train trip through Riobamba. The train runs through the Andes on what has been commonly called the most treacherous route in the world especially down the Nariz de Diablo (Devil´s nose) which features steep drops and multiple switchbacks. The antique train runs weekly through the remaining tracks and is famous for it´s roof top ride (which we weren´t able to do on our trip). At one point the train was derailed but it seemed like a common issue since it was quickly fixed as we piled out to take pictures. Probably the most impressive part of the trip was the amazing views of Chimborazo, Ecuador´s highest peak at 20,946 and because it is on the Equator, the closest point on earth to the sun. Following the train ride it was on to the quaint colonial town, Cuenca. We timed our visit for the annual fiestas which meant mucho bebidas in celebration. The clear lack of safety rules and regulations was obvious by the giant homemade firework contraptions that were abundant at the festival. When we weren´t laughing at other people getting biffed by out-of-control fireworks, we were running from them ourselves. Enjoy the pictures and new videos on You Tube!

Chimborazo

The derailed train

Don´t look down.

Standing on top of the train in front of the Nariz de Diablo.

The cathedral in Cuenca.

Banos

2007-11-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

For a place named Bathroom, Banos is a beautiful, clean and good smelling place. (However sewer rats were abundant...) Tucked away under the shadow of Tungurahua, a massive active volcano that last erupted in August 2006, Banos provides a surprisingly serene getaway. (There was even a warning of a potential eruption from the Embassy the weekend we visited) Banos is famous for its natural hot baths, hand pulled taffy made from fresh cut sugar cane, several beautiful waterfalls in the adjoining valley and of course cuy. We left on a Friday afternoon and took a bus 4 hours to this mini haven. First things first, Jenny had to taste the local delicacy. She was told that officially cuy is guinea pig but she felt slightly misled. As Jenny gripped the rat claw and took a bite she determined that it tasted like really greasy dark meat chicken.

Although it wasn't revolting, she decided to let Jay finish the rest which he did gladly. Saturday we rented bikes and rode through the gorgeous valley looking at all the waterfalls. To view some waterfalls we had to cross rickety foot bridges (some of which had limits on the number of people that could cross at once...yikes) and ride a very high ancient teleferico. We found a quaint hostel hidden almost exactly under one such waterfall. For $20 total we had a private cabin, hammocks to lounge in, an evening bonfire and a homemade meal with the owner.

Our hostel at the base of a waterfall.

We've posted three videos of our Banos trip at You Tube. Go to youtube.com and search for JRo, JBird or BanosEcuador and you will find three new videos called "Waterfall," "Banos Teleferico" and "Waterfall Up Close" Enjoy!!!

Happy Birthday Jay!!

2007-11-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

Jay´s 29th birthday is on Wednesday (Nov. 7)!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE! Tell me how it feels...I´ll meet you there in a few months.

Blog: Halloween Edition

2007-11-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

Ecuador does not officially celebrate Halloween but Jenny had been looking forward to the holiday for months. When the day finally arrived, we prepared for school like any other day...we ate breakfast, packed our school bags and ran to catch the bus. While on the bus we passed a girl waiting at a bus stop wearing a fluffy pink skirt, sparkly wings and a tiara. We looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Jen asked, "What was she wearing?!?!" and Jay said, "I have no idea. Is she a stripper?!?" It wasn´t until we arrived at school and some of the kids were in costume that we remembered it was Halloween. Only a few months away from home and it´s so easy to forget! Then we heard on the news that President Correa outlawed Halloween celebrations. In defiance we bought a zapallo (large squash...no pumpkins in Ecuador) on the way home with the intention of carving it but we fell asleep early. The zapallo didn´t get carved until we returned from our trip Sunday morning.

In this picture, the model for the jack-o-lantern poses with his life-like replica.

Instead of Halloween, Ecuador celebrates a holiday called the Day of the Dead. Officially it is a time to honor those who have passed. They visit cemeteries, clean the gravesites, light candles and eat meals at the tomb. They also eat a special meal that includes Guaguas de Pan and Colado Morado. Guaguas de Pan are mini bread pastries shaped like babies, sometimes filled with sweet cream and decorated with frosting. Colado Morado is a warm cordial like drink made of several fruit juices and chunks that you drink with your baby bread. Jenny liked to pretend that her guagua was a voodoo bread representing her most spoiled and unruly student, Belen. She took a bite out of her head with great satisfaction.

"What´s wrong Belen? Not feeling well? Fancy that."

A vat of Colado Morado

In other news, we recently purchased a beautiful hammock for our newly inaugurated "hammock room."

Jay hogging the bowl of popcorn.

Jenny demonstrating the cocoon move.

Stay tuned for new videos and pictures of our recent trips to Banos and Riobamba!

A little off the top...

2007-10-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Urgent Alert

We are sending out this all points bulletin to inform you that a crazy Bolivian haristylist is on the loose. She is most definitely armed (with scissors and perhaps a razor) and dangerous. She was last seen in La Paz giving a trim to this innocent and unsuspecting man.

Her true malicious intent was revealed when she handed this man the following magazine and cruelly asked him to choose the method of torture she would bestow upon him. (See Evidence) Her victims are easily identified by their mullets and odd coifed do´s. She has left a trail of destruction and hair clippings. If you see her you are strongly advised to run away.

Evidence 1

Evidence 2

Evidence 3

Evidence 4

Videos!

2007-10-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!
We have uploaded some videos of our adventures to You Tube. So far there are two of amazing Iguazu and one featuring a freezing bus station at 6am, but we will add more soon. To check them out, go to youtube.com and search for JBird and JRo.
Happy Viewing and Happy Monday!

Mitad del Mundo

2007-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

It has been WAY too long since we´ve posted....our apologies. The last few weeks have been filled with teaching, interviewing, working off all those exotic meals at the gym and generally settling in. Not much to say about all that....our students are mostly hellions, Jen still doesn´t have a full time job and we look adorable in our matching swim caps. We did spend one weekend exploring the Spanish equator (they mismarked it when they arrived), not to be confused with the actual equator which was "calculated using GPS" as we were constantly reminded. At the mini museum on the GPS equator you can do all sorts of fun experiments like balance an egg on a nail point, watch water flow down a sink clockwise and counter clockwise and walk through an invisible door into a third dimension where the people have arms where their legs should be and legs where their arms should be. The equator is cool. We will work on updating more soon...maybe even some videos!

Hugs,

Jen and Jay

No Soup for You

2007-09-17T10:05:00.001-07:00

Back to the Andean indigenous culture that offers us such delicious, surprise treats….look what Jay found in his bowl of soup:

Hmmmmm, chicken feet.

The End

2007-09-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

So, after 2 months, 50 days, 2 seasons, 2 oceans, 5 countries, 5 currencies, 3 languages, from beaches to mountains to jungle to desert, from major capital cities to tiny villages, and with transportation that included airplanes, buses, rickshaws, taxis, ferries, and trains we traversed a distance of oh, maybe, 6000 miles. We experienced things that fell from terrifying to joyous on the emotional spectrum. We observed sights and people and felt a love that changed us forever. Keep traveling.

*Keep checking the blog for regular updates, funny stories and pictures!

Salvador

2007-09-17T10:01:00.001-07:00

The coolest city in Brazil is easily Salvador. Salvador D’Bahia absorbed 1.2 million African slaves, more than any other place in the world. Therefore the African influence gives the old town an electric color and flavor. Especially charming were the pastel colored colonial buildings which lined cobblestone streets that lit up at night with drumming, dancing and Capoeira (a Brazilian martial art disguised as a dance created by the slaves).

Got Bananas?

2007-09-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

In between our city stops of Rio and Salvador, we spent five days relaxing on a gorgeous beach where the only picture we took was of one small crazy-haired monkey….no not Jay….a real monkey…

Rio

2007-09-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

With its wild tales of Carnival and a reputation as a Mecca for beach bums, we were interested to see if Rio would live up to the hype. Compared to some of the other stops on our trip, Rio wasn’t that big of a deal. Overall it felt like one big apartment building and the nightlife earned a C-. The beach however, was beautiful. It had massive waves that Jay was brave enough to let slap him around like a red headed step-child. The multitude of thonged should-have-been-censored bikini butts made it a great venue for people watching. Christ the Redeemer was also a spectacular sight, especially ethereal covered in misty clouds and haloed by the sun’s rays.

Home Sweet Home

2007-09-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hey! We´re back! We made it home safe. Jay is getting ready for work tomorrow and Jenny is preparing for an interview. We´ll post more about the rest of our trip once we get settled in this week. Hugs and Kisses!

- JBird and JRo

Random Pics

2007-08-31T10:44:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Buenos Aires

Che Mural in Buenos

Tango Dancing in the streets of Buenos

A fine drinking establishment

Iguazu Falls

2007-08-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Despite the magnificent things we have seen and done on this trip, only a handful stand out above the rest. These few precious moments are the closest thing we have felt to heaven on earth: being together with the person you love, a glorious chocolate banana crepe, and Iguazu Falls.

Immigration Museum

2007-08-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of our visit to Buenos Aires was visiting the intimate immigration museum and learning about how the mass immigration of Europeans shaped the city. From 1870 to 1920 1.6 million Spaniards and 2.3 million Italians chose to relocate to Buenos Aires and start a new life...amazing when you consider that in 1870 Buenos Aires started with a population of only 700,000. The museum itself was located in an old complex built to accommodate the immigrants as they exited the ships. It was a massive building with kitchens, cafeterias and dorms where new citizens learned Spanish and got acclimated to their new environment. The aged building was especially beautiful at sunset.

- Hansel and Gretel

I´m an Aunt!

2007-08-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

On August 18th, my sister, Allie, and her husband, Scott, had Makenzie Ava McNeil, a healthy baby girl weighing 8 pounds 14 ounces. Even thousands of miles away, I am a proud and gushing aunt. I can´t wait to shower my niece with baby sized South American treasures such as llama fetuses and Panama hats. All cuteness in the following pictures can be attributed soley to me:

Buenos Aires

2007-08-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

Any suspicions we had about wanting to spend an extended amount of time in Buenos Aires were confirmed upon our arrival. We immediately felt at home in this charming city with it´s colonial architecture, cafe culture, wide streets, and cosmoplitan feel. We spent several days wandering the city streets sitting in plazas and passing time in cafes while watching the world outside go by. We timed our trip to concide with the weekend so that we could ge a taste of the Portenian nightlife.

On Saturday night, we were wandering near one of the main plazas searching for a cafe to chill out in after being out kinda late on Friday night. We decided to peak into an interesting restaurant and stumbled upon a marble, pillared ballroom that immediately transported us to 1950´s Buenos Aires. We arrived just in time to join the beginner´s Tango class. A short, tight jean-wearing Frenchy took teaching us the 4 step slide VERY seriously. We may not have gotten all the steps right, but we thoroughly enjoyed holding each other tight, looking into each other´s eyes and slamming into the other couples. Following the lesson, which ended at 11pm, was an open dance where Argentinians of all ages showed off their short skirts, Tango scarves and sensual moves to the live accordian music that filled the hall. It was nice to witness people taking the time to dress up, close their eyes, lose themselves in music, and relish in the romance of a time long forgotten. By 2 am, the party was in full swing and Argentinains twice our age were still arriving when we decided to call it a night.

We spent Sunday afternoon wandering around the quaint neighborhood of San Telma which transforms itself into a market featuring antique vendors, street performers and pastry dealing spinsters. It was here that Jenny fell in love with the most gorgeous vintage crystal bead necklace on display at a booth run by two fur-coat clad older women (pictured below). For some reason they took a liking to the cute American couple and abandoned the typical sales pitch. Because the necklace was so beautiful and the ladies were so endearing, we bought the necklace for Jenny to wear at a special occasion. Trust us, Tom, it´s worth the blog entry.

- JRo and JBird

And......More Wine Tasting

2007-08-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Mendoza and Wine Tasting

2007-08-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

Argentina at its Best

2007-08-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

After leaving Cordoba, we headed to Mendoza, the heart of Argentinian wine country. Mendoza was a quaint beautiful town with spacious plazas and cobblestone pedestrian walkways; definitely one of our favorite cities so far. We thought that the best (and cheapest) way to visit the many bodegas (wineries) that stretched along the 5 kilometer tree-lined street was by bicycle which we rented from a local character. These vineyards produced 70% of Argentina´s wine which means that after a day´s tasting, we were functioning at 30% capacity. It started to rain on the way back so we decided to stop and warm up at a little cottage that acted as a chocolate factory. We took a 15 minute tour of the factory which consisted of a young employee, who couldn´t speak English, reading all the labels of their products. The free samples of chocolate liquors, fudge and homemade jams were the highlight.

The next day it snowed in Mendoza for the first time in 20 years. We were content to sit by the fireplace at our hostel eating churros dipped into hot chocolate and snuggling. There are worse ways to spend a winter day in the Andes.

- JRo and JBird

Argentina

2007-08-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Despite our fondness for La Paz, we were ready to leave the drama behind us and make our way to romantic Argentina. To get to Argentina, however, we had to endure a 33 hour bus ride/border crossing, the vast majority of which was spent on bumpy dirt roads. A stop at the peak of the Bolivian Andean passage at about 2am made it all worth while. We couldn´t continue any further because of the ice and snow that blanketed the ground during the night. We got off the bus to stretch our legs and were met with a full moon reflecting on the snow and a clear sky full of stars that seemed to hover just above the Andean peaks that surrounded us. A few hours later, when the sun began to rise and the temperature warmed to the point that the surface ice began to melt, we continued to the Argentinian border.

We arrived in Salta, Argentina at 3am after traveling for a day and a half and were surprised by the frigid, arctic temperatures of South America´s southern most country. It was interesting to traverse opposing seasons within a week, from the warm summer sun of the Peruvian coast to the arctic Argentinian winter. Salta was cold; a day stop-over was enough.

Our first destination in Argentina was the medium sized, college-city of Cordoba. In the spirit of college indulgence, we digressed into graduate school form by sampling the numerous spirits and ales that this lovely city had to offer; the taste and quality of these beverages was blurred by the quantity of consumption. We spent an unusually sunny, warm Sunday wandering around plazas and antique markets watching these Argentinian addicts suck down gourd after gourd of a tea like beverage called `mate´. These people carry around specially carved, hollowed out wooden mugs that throughout the day get filled with a large bag of leaves. They then add several large thermoses of hot water which they store in their `mate suitcases´. It seems as if the national pastime is lounging around, sipping non-stop, getting hopped up and talking about how much they wish they were European.

- JRo and JBird

Comments on Comments

2007-08-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Despite the instinct to suit up in iron clad armour and grab every weapon in the house, be it a sharpened cleaver or sharpened pencil, there is no need to square off against our tormentors (I mean commentors). The anonymous Tom is a good friend (and former co-worker) of Jay and I's from OSU (not the dreaded TF from IN thank goodness) Tom from OSU lives in Michigan now and faithfully reads our blog and leaves what we think are hilarious diatribes that we thoroughly enjoy. There were two comments, one by Tom which we thought was very funny and a response by us in an attempt to be witty which we also thought was very amusing. It's not quite Rhodes humor but it makes us laugh. But THANK YOU for your protection even thousands of miles away. Don't I have the best dad in the world?

Comments

2007-08-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

The other day we received a tremondously insightful comment which we feel deserves not only to be recognized, but to be responded to. The comment begins with the following paragraph and our response begins with the paragraph after that.

Can't wait to read the post from Argentina. As I passed through the airport in Boston this weekend... (Boston is a quaint little town and a study in contrasts; filled with history but focused on the future. Home to some of the countries best most intelligent students and yet worst, most impatient drivers) I came across a publication called Vanity Fair that featured a photo spread of models from Argentina. In many of the photos nude, androgenous models were frolicking by the pools and drinking with women in large boots and cocktail dresses. I thought to myself...I hope Jay and Jenny experience this cultural phenomenon as they trek through S. America.T
August 5, 2007 5:45 AM

Argentina´s storied past and turbulent present exhibit a culture steeped in rich interpersonal, political, artistic, and culinary traditions, all of which were completely overshadowed by the stunning models we encountered in the park yesterday. Before stripping down and joining the frolick entravaganza, I was struck not by the androgenaity of these neutral young lads, but by their hairstyles: the strange combination of rat tails and mullets which seem to permeate Argentinan culture. Now you may be asking yourself, ¨When you are carelessly dancing through a public park fountain, surrounded by the queens of the fashion industry, wearing nothing but the fur on your backside, how is it that something as frivolous as a hair style can distract you?¨ But friend, Thomas, if you will, you have no idea how powerfully hideous these pervavise mullet/rat tail combinations can be.
August 9, 2007 10:05 AM

We Estimate Your Compression

2007-08-07T16:53:00.001-07:00

Dyed llama wool about to be woven in the small mountain village of Chinchero, Peru.

Dyed llama wool being woven in the small mountain village of Chinchero, Peru.

View from train to Macchu Pichu.

Street scene in Cuzco, Peru.

Jenny in front of one of the fountains in Cuzco.

We estimate your compression* as we update our site with pictures.

*There is a sign in the kitchen of our hostel politely asking patrons to clean up after themselves. It says "Apreciamos tu comprension" which literally means "We Appreciate your Understanding" but when they translate it on the sign into English they wrote, "We estimate your compression." It´s funny.

- Chandler and Monica

Hostel Story

2007-08-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

After her travels in Ireland Jenny vowed never again to stay in a hostel and against her better judgement we did anyway. So............ last week we were in La Paz, Bolivia staying at a $5 a night hotel. (Just to give you a visual- although the $5 a night price tag probably already aided in that- each room has two very thin doors, one to the outside hall and one to a very decrept ¨balcony¨ two stories above the street where we decided to hang our clothes to dry. Each door also had four small windows on it and the door on the balcony has wooden shutters on the inside.) About 3 am this screaming starts in the room next to ours which lasts all night. It sounds like this little kid throwing a tempor tantrum with a parent trying to calm him down. We fell back asleep and didn´t think too much of it until we were awakened a few more times by the yelling during the night. At about 630am the screaming began to escalate so Jay pounded on the wall a few times in an attempt to quiet the riffraff down; this had no effect whatsoever. The screaming continued to escalate over the next half hour until finally we heard glass shattering. Then, the next thing we know, someone begins smashing out the windows on OUR BALCONY door and kicking and smashing it in an attempt to get in to our room. Jen, who is a vocalist with a very powerful voice, begins screaming (justifiably) at the top of her lungs because we think some lunatic is trying to get into our room to do to us whatever he was doing to the person in the room next to ours. Jay runs over to the balcony door and opens the shuttters to reveal a deshelved, drunk, hysterical woman bleeding all over the place and screaming at us to let her in. The door was locked, we didn´t know what the hell was going on and this lady was screaming like a lunatic, so Jay starts screaming back, asking her what she wants and tell her to get the hell out of here. Then there is a knock on the door. Jay screams at whoever is on the otherside of the door and a response comes from the ¨hotel¨ employee that checked us in and wants to help. We let him in and our attention is redirected to the balcony. By this time (15 seconds has elapsed) the girl on the balcony realizes that we are not going to let her in and begins climbing from our balcony to the next one. The problem, however, is that the distance from our balcony to the next one is much further than the distance from her balcony to ours (the distance she traversed to reach our balcony). We watch as she gets over the rail and puts one hand on the wall before falling face first into the concrete- a distance of two stories.

We go outside with the hotel employee and check the crazy woman´s room which is now empty, albeit trashed and bloody. Jen and I go downstairs to check on her and realize that she is, obviously, not moving and bleeding severely from the head. Her body was in this really awkward poisition and it didn´t look good. The cops show up and don´t do shit but watch her body get tossed into what looked something like an ambulance. Then, everyone leaves. No one knew how the girl was doing or if she lived. The hotel employee goes to the hospital with her and we are there with the owners of the hotel, who are as confused as we are. We showered up and got the hell out of that place. As we had previously planned, we left La Paz that night, but not before the craziest hotel experience we have ever had. Cause and result of incident: unknown................and, once again, Jenny has vowed never again to stay in a hostel. Oh yeah, we are fine; no worries.

- Bonnie and Clyde

Bolivia

2007-08-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Driving through the desert of Bolivia seeing cactuses, mud huts, dried up river beds and roaming donkeys gives you a sense of how difficult life is for the majority of Bolivians. La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, is complex and diverse in its make up. The city maintains a mystery that is visible in its variety, offering everything from a vibrant street life- with crowded markets on every corner-, serene valley views surrounded by snow capped mountains and cosmopolitan cafes to seedy hostals (story to come later) and indigneous peoples living in abject poverty. For us this odd mix made for excellent exploring. In the markets especially, we found two unique treasures of Bolivian culture, llama fetuses and coca leaves. The llama fetuses (with or without wool) were sold by large, toothless, brightly dressed, coca leaf chewing indigenous women for use in health remedies. (And are also excellent souvenirs for friends and family...) Being the granola eating, soul searching, cultural immersion seeking travelers that we are, we had to munch on some coca leaves to see what the hype was all about. We´re here to report that these strange tasting, small, paper-like leaves do nothing but turn your spit green and make your tongue numb. (Oh and don´t get caught taking them over the Argentinian border...a mildly relevant fact we learned after crossing the border.)

- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Cuzco pictures

2007-07-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

Here´s a teaser...more to come soon.

Machu Picchu

2007-07-31T17:45:00.000-07:00

Although we haven´t had hot water for 3 weeks in sink or shower form and have been B-lining for a warming session under the blankets after cold showers (today I actually found myself able to see my breath while naked, showering in cold water with no indoor heat at 12,000 feet here in La Paz), we are lucky enough to be able to see and experience things like this:

Machu Picchu was more breathtaking and striking than anything we could have expected; one of those experiences that exceeds the hype preceeding it.

And Jen likes to play with the llamas:

Jen and Jay´s Travel Guide

2007-07-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

After traveling together now for a little over a week we have found that we are very compatible travelers and that our individual genious is significantly enhanced by working together, making us indestructable in our godlike state. These amateur LonelyPlanet guidebooks have nothing on ¨Jay and Jenny´s Step by Step Guide to the Entire Universe on $3 a Day.¨ The Times touts this travel bible as the ¨ultimate traveling tool for today´s granola eating, windpant wearing, idealogical, soul-searching, cultural immersion seeking- but standing out like a sore thumb- backpacker.¨ Uncle Eddy´s Pack Up the Camper and Go guide calls this indispensible manual ¨sacred.¨ The scripture features such tips as: (1) save money by eating (packaged) food off the bus floor, (2) when using the toilet simply root through the waste bin for the cleanest wad of used paper instead of blowing your wad on a roll of fancy, overpriced new TP, (3) if you truly wish to get a taste of the local flavor, rather than hiring a tour guide, simply follow around one of the many available stray dogs and get an authentic perspective on the city. All the tips mentioned above have been tried and tested and have been met with favorable results say Jen and Jay............ of course we have been sick with a mild case of diarrhaea for the last two days. (the above named guide, as outlined in the book jacket, does not take responsibility for traveler health: use at your own risk.) ´

- JRo and JBird

Week in Peru

2007-07-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Crossing the Ecuadorian/Peruvian border at 3 am was in-and-of itself an adventure, entertaining albeit thoroughly confusing. Due to the un-fortuitous location of the border crossing stations (it just so happens that our guidebook excessively and incorrectly uses the word "fortuitous") we were required to take 2 rickshaws and a taxi cab back and forth just to get our passports stamped. Each driver attempted to take advantage of two tourists in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night. After sifting through the bullshit we finally settled on a taxi driver that told us to throw our packs in the trunk which he was kind enough to open with the button inside the car. As we lifted the lid the trunk appeared completely empty except for one small unusual object. In the dim moonlight we were able to identify a tiny head with a beak, feathers and two thin legs. Neither of us were willing to move the chicken carcas to insert our packs so instead we elected to hold them on our laps.

So far one of the gems we have discovered in Peru has been the small fishing village, Zorritos. We were the only tourists on miles of endless beaches. We spent several days body surfing on and attempting to jump over the waves, laughing at the multitude of miniature crabs running sideways and ducking into their holes and sunbathing. For dinners we´d feast on the catch of the day. One night we found ourselves surrounded by a group of curious kids who wanted to know more about us white intruders.

It´s interesting how certain childhood games like tag and cops and robbers transcend cultural boundaries.

Jenny didn´t need to know spanish to understand that she was "It." The kids loved to pose and model and have their picture taken.

These sweet kids sharply contrast with the other kids we´ve met who accost us with shoe shine boxes, taffy candy or other types of useless junk. We´ve determined that these kids must be recent graduates of some sort of Tourist Training camp where they are required to carry small trays of useless crap while sprinting, running and hopping through obstacle courses. They are also forced to stand at attention to practice their whining and shout things like "Gringo would you like a...." and "Un caramelito..." while their drill sergeants are screaming "BE CUTER! YOU ARE NOT CUTE ENOUGH!"

Don´t be fooled by these cute, seemingly innocent faces. Immediately upon taking this picture, we were accosted by these two recent honor graduates from one of Peru´s finest tourist traning camps; only the best are sent to Cuzco. They were as ruthless as they were relentless.

- JRo and JBird

2007-07-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

Does that supposed "volcano" bare a striking resemblence to Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge to anyone else? Jay has yet to produce any evidence of this beautiful volcano.

Hola amigos

2007-07-12T15:59:00.000-07:00

Well, then, let me just say that I swear there is a volcano that is easily visible from our apartment window and terrace. Some of our residents (and I can think of one in particular) may believe otherwise, but let me tell you, they are wrong, dead wrong!

One of the things I was most excited about when picking our apartment and moving in was the view. From the time I moved into our apartment (about 5 days before Jenny´s arrival) until the day before she arrived (4 days ago) the volcano that lies just beyond the valley and mountains to the east was visible from sunrise until sunset. Upon Jen´s arrival, however, things turned ugly, for us and the volcano. Although the weather has been beautiful here in Quito, there seems to be a group of unruly clouds which has been surrounding the volcano for the last 4 days, thus damaging my report with our guest of honor, who is still skeptical that the above named volcano (Cayambe) actually exists. I have consequently attached a photo below as proof of Cayambe´s existence:

After living here for a while I find that I am now more amused by the simple things. Although I never take for granted the mountains, plazas, churches, and street life, I must say that I now pass those things up for a trip to the supermarket, where immediately upon entering into the store, a rum and coke is placed into my hand by the sample giver in the third aisle to the left----- please ignore the use of ¨immediate¨ and ¨third aisle to the left¨ as the discrepancy is made up for by my jaguar like sprint to this magical third aisle.

As I head to the Fruit Loop section, I promptly begin to consume the beverage that this magic maker was so thoughtful to provide me with and wonder ¨how could this magnificant experience ever be topped¨.......... and then my favorite person in the world jumps into my head. Now this affair is thoroughly enjoyed by two.

- Jay

Going, going, gone...

2007-07-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

It is midnight and I am frantically preparing last minute things for my trip. I have to leave for the airport in four hours. I'm not sure I could sleep if I tried. Wish me luck...I love and miss you all and will start updating regularly once I reach the other side. xoxoxo

Apartment in Quito

2007-05-19T13:08:00.000-07:00