Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 6, Clinic at the Dump

What an adventure! Pouring floors one day, medical clinic the next. We continue with...

Day 6

Wednesday, November 12 – 5:40 p.m.

We went out to the dump to set up a one-day, walk-up medical clinic. The folks were already eagerly waiting when we got there. We had a waiting area where the kids could color, get their faces painted, etc. They loved it. There were three exam rooms set up, and even free haircuts (compliments of Renee from Reno...she's an amazing human dynamo!).

Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

Unfortunately, I got to feeling so poorly that I had to lie down. Well, actually, one of the nurses insisted that I stop my assigned task, lie down, and put my feet up. I protested, but not very energetically. No, it wasn't the food or water (well, maybe just not enough water)! My ankles ballooned up, and I had a fever. The medicos started me on some wicked antibiotics and tylenol, and I was quickly on the road to recovery. Yes!

The kids were so cute with their balloon “hats” and “swords” and so on. Many people received prayer, and some made decisions to follow Christ. So awesome!

Photo by Chris. All Rights reserved

It's a great frustration to me that my Spanish is so limited. Note to self: Learn some more Spanish! The folks find my efforts amusing (hey, anything for a laugh, and happy to provide it...), and I find that I am beginning to understand better than I thought I would be able to, which is a wonderful and miraculous thing.

We stopped at the mall (I know. That sounds so normal, doesn't it?) to pick up some more supplies on the way home, so I grabbed a coconut ice cream bar...yum! Delicious and refreshing, with the added benefit of being creamy and...coconutty. Come on. Those are so, so good. [I understand that some folks don't like coconut at all. Go figure!]

I'm supposed to do tear-down after dinner tonight (clear and wash tables, scrape dishes, sweep/mop the dining room and kitchen, take out the trash, etc.). I hope I can do it, as I feel as though the illness let the team down today. There's a separate team that does dishes (wash in detergent and bleach, rinse off suds, rinse in bleach water, dry, put away) and a team that does set-up (set the table for the next meal). This, I know how to do! We're all encouraged to take turns, and there's a sign-up sheet on the wall in the dining room. There's a small amount of grumbling about the chores, but I find that they help with our bonding as teammates. I don't mind pitching in. It actually helps me to feel more useful.

Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

One of the docs is on IV antibiotics, very ill. I hope he will get well soon!

By the way, Lolita (You'll remember that she's our chef) outdid herself tonight. We had an authentic Oaxacan feast with “tlayudas,” these giant tortillas filled with cheese and onions and black beans, then folded over and toasted over coals. Really good, and with the traditional Christmas drink, “ponche,” which is like hot apple cider but with lots of different fruits. It's very yummy. There were also half-moon shaped pies with chorizo and some with cheese. And barbecued flank steak to put in the clayudas. I don't think anybody will need a midnight snack!

And, yeah! I was able to do my assigned tear-down work, no problem. Woohoo! Tomorrow's going to be a fun day.

Next: Monte Alban

Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 5, Pisos and Tostadas

It's “missions month” in a lot of churches, so I'm recapping my mission to Oaxaca, Mexico. An amazing experience! The adventure continues with...

Day 5 -

Tuesday, November 11 – 11:35 p.m. (What am I doing up so late?!)

Woohoo! We finished all the pisos today! The work went so smoothly, well organized. And I'll tell you what: Pastor Marcelino and his guys work hard and fast. I don't know how they can lift those 5-gallon buckets of water and sand and gravel up onto their shoulders to dump in the mixer all day long. Amazing.

Working hard!
Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

And having fun!
Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

The folks we encountered today at the village were very open and friendly. We're getting more comfortable with them, they're getting more comfortable with us. One of the families even went to the store to get some purified water to make Tang for all of us (around 30 people). They bought disposable plastic glasses and everything. I'm sure that was difficult for them to afford. Then, when we were finished with the work and were resting a bit at the church site, here they came with home-made tostadas for us! I was very moved by that. Such generosity and hospitality! They could have eaten for a week on what they fed us, I'm sure.

Fresh tostadas. They were delicious!
Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

Mindful of the cultural need to accept what's offered (per last night's talk), we partook of everything -- fresh cabbage, ungloved hands, and all (Had it been treated for bacteria? At the YWAM base and at the restaurants, everything fresh is treated for bacteria. But, in the villages, not so much. We understood that we were taking a risk, but we went with it). The tostadas were very delicious. [None of us who chose to honor this sacrificial gift became ill from it. There was one person who didn't partake. That person became ill. Isn't that interesting? Do bring your hand sanitizer, though. You don't want to spread anything you might have brought with you to the rest of the team.]

We did coloring, face painting, fingernails, balloons, etc., with the kids at the village in the

afternoon today. They had a great time, and their parents also came. It was a festival atmosphere.

Crayons. An amazing treat for these kids! Bring some with you.
Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

So beautiful, and just as precious.
Photo by Chris. All Rights Reserved.

Later in the evening, back at YWAM, we packaged and labeled medications for the medical clinic tomorrow at the dump site.

Note: There is no way I could drive down here – they are crazy! Never mind the lanes; split the difference! Cut everybody off, pass on the right...reminds me of our days in Puerto Rico. I love it. Seriously. I'm beginning to love Oaxaca. The weather is perfect, but it's very dusty. If you have respiratory issues, that and the altitude are things to consider. Just sayin'. Forewarned is forearmed, right?

Next up: Medical clinic at the dump.

Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 4, Pisos in Manantial

Day 4 – Monday. The work begins!

Monday, November 10 – 6:40 p.m.

Can't believe I forgot to mention the fried grasshoppers yesterday at the restaurant...spicy,

crunchy, a tiny bit soft in the middle, and actually quite good. Also can't believe I ate those! But, really, they were quite tasty. Really!

Today, we got up with the roosters – it was still a bit dark – to get ready to pour pisos (cement floors) at Manantial.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs, country fries with chilis (everything is with chilis), toast and/or tortillas, cereal – lots of good food.

Before heading out to the village, we had to go unload a truck of materials for the Luis Palau festival (tracts, handouts, Book of Hope materials) that's coming up this weekend, so we were late arriving at Manantial – just in time for a sandwich, and then we started hauling gravel and shoveling sand for the cement. Here, we are talking about hauling by hand, in five-gallon buckets, assembly-line style. It is hard work, in the sun, dusty.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

It's hard to stay properly hydrated at this altitude, too, even though I'm drinking lots of water. We are on a hillside, up above Oaxaca City somewhere. We are especially grateful that Jose Manuel has obtained a gas-powered cement mixer. It means we will not have to mix all the cement by hand, which will make the job go much faster (also easier, I would imagine).

RJ took charge of the actual pouring and spreading, since he is a contractor and knows what to do. Because we got started so late, we only got one piso done today, but the other two homes have been prepped and are ready for pouring. That should make tomorrow's work go faster.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Peggy says that the houses they work on in Nicaragua are much poorer, but that's kind of hard to wrap my head around. She says they are lean-to's with corrugated metal walls. There are lots of those here, too, but the homes whose floors we are pouring are cinder block. Window openings but no windows. Door openings but no doors. Walls and a corrugated metal roof, a couple of rooms for multiple generations, dirt floor, “kitchen” outside, etc. No electricity, no running water. Deeply rutted, dirt lane. Looks as though it must wash out consistently during the rainy season. Stateside, you'd be thinking this was the most abject poverty, that's for sure. As I say, hard to imagine that it's more spartan in Nicaragua.

The main drag.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The families are very excited and grateful to be getting rid of their dirt floors! Pastor Marcelino, from the church where we went on Sunday, has established an outreach church to the indigenous inhabitants of Manantial. The church building consists of a cement pad with no walls and a corrugated roof. Marcelino says there is a strong spirit of witchcraft in the area that brings division and strife. Not all the neighbors get along, and some even refused a piso. We hope that the help we are providing to a handful of families will not cause them to be ostracized.

Back at YWAM, there was meatball/vegetable broth with rice for dinner. As always, very good.

Never has a shower felt so good!

Answer to prayer: The rest of the team arrived today – Suzie S. (Suzie is RJ's wife. She

is a flight nurse.) and the docs (Dr. N. and Dr. B., both from Redding, CA) – with bins and bins of medications. Potential trouble bringing those in. At customs, they opened all the bins, but it was as though the meds were absolutely invisible – just as we had asked Papa. So, thank you, Papa.

I am missing my husband and family today. Very much. Wendy says that loneliness hangs over this area in a very heavy way. Yep.

Note: Regarding time/punctuality here – forget about it. I'm assuming that school and work start on time, but it seems as though everything is always behind schedule (Schedules appear to be more like suggestions)...way behind schedule. I'm not talking about a few minutes. Relationship is what it's all about, not getting there “on time.” The key to dealing with this, for a Type 1 such as myself, is to remember to be flexible. It's very difficult, but I think I'm coping relatively well. I wonder if the others agree...

We had a special speaker tonight, Bob Sundberg. It was a very good talk about the more than 150 separate indigenous peoples in the area, do's and don'ts, and so on. It would have been wonderful to have this information right away, before going out there, but I appreciate these hints as to how not to behave! We don't want to be arrogant gringos. This is their land, and we are their guests.

Observation: It's hard to come on a trip like this as a “hanger on” with someone else's team. All the planning was done in Redding for our sub-set, so there isn't a job that “belongs” to me – not that I'm having any trouble staying busy, pitching in here and there, that's for sure! Heather from Colorado is in the same situation, only she didn't even know a single person at all. Very brave of her. She is a unique young woman.

I heard today that only those who are fluent in Spanish will be allowed to do prayer ministry at the Palau (www.palau.org) festival. That makes total sense, on one hand, but who knows? Perhaps I'll be able to team up with someone like I did with Susie at the church on Sunday. That was awesome – the Holy Spirit is not restricted by language barriers. And we will see what He has in mind, eh?

We have to get up even earlier tomorrow, as we have to get out to the work site and pour at least three pisos – turns out we have four more to do, as five were promised (rather than three). And if you say you are going to do something, you have to get it done in order to not destroy the relationship-building that's happening.

Gifts are being prepared for tomorrow's families. Clothing, socks, toys, coloring books, hair

gizmos, etc.

By the way, we drove through a retail-type area today on our way to the job site. There was a Sam's Club and McDonald's and Burger King and a mall and theater multi-plex. Weird disconnect there. Quite a stark contrast to the job site! I'm thinking we ought to be doing more ministry in the inner cities back home. Just a thought.

Next up: What a team!

Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 3, An Obsession with Food

My adventure in Oaxaca continues with Day 3 of my diary:

Sunday, November 9 – 6:55 p.m.

Whew! What a day! First things first. Remember what I said about no gardens and lawns?

Darling, we were just not in the right neighborhood! We drove by some incredibly beautiful

villas today, with gorgeous doors and painted stucco walls and huge wooden gates. Just like

in the other movies...the ones with folks who have a little more money.

Back to last night. Excellent dinner! Homemade taquitos with guacamole and salsa verde

and mole negro and fresh sour cream, with a dessert of chopped apples and pineapple and

raisins and nuts and cream and a little sugar – yummy. [Please pardon all the talk about

food...I was just getting used to Oaxacan food, and I was clearly enjoying it. You would, too.] Lolita is a genius. She is also cooking for a lot of people. Four teams, about 35 people.

Ours is the largest team at 13 people. This is the first group hosted by Tom and Wendy

Hogan, our Forward Edge International (FEI henceforth – www.forwardedge.org)

coordinators. They have just started at this new post, and it's a bit much for a starter. So

far, so good, though.

Richard Twiss's group [www.wiconi.com] arrived last night, so it's a bit more crowded in the

girls' bedroom. (I'm in the top double, by the door, which was unfortunate last night, as the

door was open for ventilation, the light was on in the next room, then the streetlight was

shining in my eyes, and, of course, there were the folks loudly playing cards...cards! On a

missions trip! I am in mock shock!...in the adjoining sitting room – but I digress.) Richard's is

a ministry of reconciliation to indigenous peoples all over the world. His presence seems to

bring peace to a room.

Breakfast this morning was tamales and fruit and chicken mole negro in banana

leaves...and hot chocolate! Yea! Lolita said that this is a traditional Sunday morning meal.

As usual, outstanding.

Breakfast
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We went to church in a small town nearby [“Nearby” is a relative term in Oaxaca, as it

seems to take an hour to get anywhere you go. The traffic is terrible, and let's not even discuss the driving! The speed bumps are gargantuan. If you don't slow down enough, you will leave your axle behind and flip your vehicle. I'm sure the bumps are for the public safety.] What a wonderful experience church was! The worship team was very much like our own setup, very good worship time. Ronny preached in English for our sakes, even though he is fluent in Spanish [Ronny and Susie G. are old hats at this missions thing, and what nice people], and Tom translated.

There was prayer time after the message, and I was invited to help with that. It was an honor to pray alongside my Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters. Susie and I ministered together – she is fluent in Spanish and very sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We prayed for Saul, a little boy with severe scoliosis, a deformed hip, and a leg that isn't growing – the sweetest child, and he needs a miracle. His parents can't afford the $35K (in Mexico) surgery he needs to keep his spine from totally collapsing. His organs are already being impacted. We also prayed with a young wife who just became a believer in Jesus today. Hooray! Forgiveness prayers are so powerful, and she wept as she experienced the freedom that can only be found through inner healing. It was wonderful. It was impactful. There was no hesitation or request for deep explanation for intellectual understanding; there was only openness and willingness to go wherever the Holy Spirit wanted to go. How can you stop the tears from flowing at such an enormous moment? God is so good.

After church, we drove to Santa Maria del Tule. Very picturesque, quaint, with a street

market and an impressive civic building and an even more impressive church on the plaza.

There is a huge tree that is reputed to be 2,000 years old there, and it is next to the church

(http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/rbarnett/rbtuletree.html). We all went to a

quite nice restaurant for lunch. I had horchada and chicken estofado (with plantain mole).

And then Mexican coffee, which was delicious (boiled in a clay pot with cinnamon). We did

a little shopping at the market, but nobody would barter. Hmph.

Dinner was soft tacos (chicken) covered with salsa verde and lettuce and sour cream – light

and scrumptious, but I'd better not eat at all tomorrow. I've probably gained five pounds

already!

Tomorrow, we pour pisos to replace dirt floors in homes. It will be hard work. The pisos are

very important for sanitation purposes, and for comfort, too.

Next up: The work begins.

Oaxaca, Mexico - Day 2, The Fun Begins!

If you've never been on a foreign mission, you ought to give it a try. You'll see the world through different eyes. And so, we continue with Day 2 of my adventure in Oaxaca, Mexico:


Saturday, November 8 – 4:25 p.m.


When we arrived at YWAM (Youth With a Mission – www.ywamoaxaca.org) headquarters last night at about 11 p.m., there was a hot meal waiting for us. Is that nice, or what? Chicken rolls and pasta and carrots and fresh tortilla chips with salsa verde. And cantaloupe water. We've all been drilled not to drink the water! But we were assured that it's purified, so I tried the cantaloupe water. Yummy. Delicious, even. Very refreshing.


Then, it was time for bed. Peggy [a classmate of Harry's who has been going on mission trips for years to Nicaragua and invited me along on this one. She runs the pharmacy on the medical missions] and I are bunk mates. She's in the lower, and I'm in the upper. I feel a little closed-in in lowers, so this works for me. Ours is the only double bunk in the room. The other four are triples. Yikes! Nosebleeds!


Also, add up all those ladies...in one room...with one bathroom. On the plus side, there is an actual bath-room. Huzzah! (Don't forget to put the toilet paper in the little trash can instead of down the toilet...sewer system leaves much to be desired, I'm told. And take very short showers.)


Anyhow, comfy mattress, no apparent bed bug problems this morning [We had been warned about possible bed bug issues.]...a bit stiff, though. Probably a combination of carrying luggage from gate to gate [The mission bins were the checked luggage. Other than that, we were allowed one piece of carry-on weighing no more than 20 lbs., plus a small backpack.] and not moving all night. Anyhoo...


After breakfast this morning (huevos, tortillas, coffee, black beans, papaya, peaches), we went to the dumps to work with the kids. Skits, songs, coloring – frankly, I felt very superfluous until the face painting started. The kids loved it, and, somehow, it didn't seem to loom so large that my espanol es por nada. I can paint rainbows and flowers and stars and hearts in any language. I thought I was going to be stampeded by little girls wanting face paints. It was tons of fun. 


We had lunch with the kids – how can you say "No, thanks?" You just can't. So, we'll see if there are any “repercussions!” Guava water is outstanding, and the sandwiches were like french rolls cut in half, “buttered” with black bean puree, with fresh queso on top. Very good. [We had also been warned not to eat anything not prepared either by Lolita, our wonderful cook, or in a reputable eating establishment. There were no repercussions that I know of. Thank you, Lord!] 


The kids are terminally cute...I want to take half a dozen of them home with me. We've supported Compassion International kids at the church, but to meet them in person touches my heart. They are so open, so sweet, so loving, so eager.

Adorable!
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

On the way back to the base, we stopped at a Oaxacan pottery “factory” – a family operation where the traditional black pottery is made. We got a demonstration, which was very interesting. The process is basically done by hand, with a potter's wheel made of two discs, one inverted on the other, turned manually. The process takes days, and the technique is passed from generation to generation. I hope that we'll also be able to see how the brightly-colored animals are made. I understand those are very popular, too, but are
not something made “only here” from “time immemorial.”

Made by hand.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

After it's fired, it's black.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We stopped at a chocolateria on the way back, as well as a place to exchange dollars into pesos (12 pesos to one American dollar). We had some traditional Mexican hot chocolate – very creamy and delicious and cinnamon-y and not-too-sweet. [Bear with me here, all you sophisticated travelers. Pretend you don't already know all this stuff.] Note to self:  Pick up a molinillo [tool for mixing and frothing hot chocolate] to take home.


We're a bit tired, not surprising, having just arrived late last night and hitting the ground running early in the morning. But it's been a good day so far. A very good day. A word about the storefronts and architecture and walls and so forth – just like in the movies, and lots of graffiti...some looks like “tags,” but there's also a lot that qualifies as art (in my opinion, anyway, but what do I know?). I hope to be able to go for a walk with some folks so I can take pictures. 


We are not allowed to go out at night unless it's in a group, and even in the daylight we mustn't walk the neighborhood by ourselves. But the neighborhood seems – and feels – nice enough. Again, what do I know? Anyway, the houses are mainly cinder-block based, 2-story, wrought iron over the windows (and you get the impression it isn't strictly decorative), with tall walls (brick or cinder block) surrounding the property. Courtyards, not much in the way of gardens or lawns. I'm sure it isn't like that everywhere, but that's what I've seen so far. Lots of dust, even though the rainy season just ended. [Later learned that the rainwater is collected in cisterns. From there, it is pumped up to the roof into a sort of filtration tank, and from there it runs through the house by gravity. Assuming the house has running water and electricity, of course, which isn't the case in the villages. When the cistern runs dry, the water truck is summoned to fill it up. Must be expensive. Our particular house had hot water from “on demand” little heaters that heat the water as it goes through the pipes...don't take the first shower in the morning!]


Next up:  A day of rest and sightseeing!

Oaxaca - Day 1, Travel to Mexico

Because lots of folks go on missions trips in October and November, I thought you might enjoy reading about my mission to Oaxaca, Mexico...and maybe learning from some of my mistakes! Here's my diary entry for Day 1:

Friday, November 7 – 6:45 p.m. PST

Our Mexicana flight from Mexico City to Oaxaca City (Oaxaca de Juarez) is just pulling out of the gate...an hour to go!

It's been a long day. Harry dropped me off at the Sacramento airport at about 5:30 a.m. and helped the team with the missions supply tubs [These were the large, heavy-duty plastic tubs that folks get for storage containers, and they contained miscellaneous supplies that had been collected to help us with the various ministries we would be performing on the trip...construction, coloring supplies and clowning supplies and face paints and so forth for the kids' ministries, and so on].

Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We just took off! Mexico City is a sea of multi-colored lights – gold, silver, green, red, blue – it's like jewels spread out in all directions, as far as the eye can see. Very pretty.

When we got to the immigration area upon arrival in Mexico City, we discovered that there was no way we would make it through the huge crowd (moving very slowly) in time to make our connecting flight to Oaxaca. Ali [ pharmacist] and RJ [contractor] were able to talk one of the officials into letting our group cut the line, which we did, much to the displeasure of those behind us (and in front of us, for that matter). If we don't get to Oaxaca with the tubs, who knows what will happen to them? Still, it doesn't seem like the best way to start a missions trip. Ah, well.

Unfortunately, the official they spoke with neglected to mention what was going on to the immigration official at the desk, with predictably humiliating results! Nothing quite like being yelled at and berated when you don't understand the language – but the message was very clear indeed. Anyway, we were finally allowed through, and here we are on our connecting flight. Yes! [This is the type of incident that confirms my presence on a trip...see the bit about the mysterious incident at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in "Adventures in DC" .]

By the way, the Mexicana flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City included an actual meal, and a good one. And, once in Mexican airspace, all the tequila or whiskey or whatever you could drink...how about that? (Naturally, none of us on the team had any. Alcohol strictly forbidden on the trip. Sigh?)

The flight attendants are extra gracious, and we're having lots of opportunities to answer questions about the mission, since the t-shirt we are all wearing [a brown t-shirt with the word “ordinary” in small print on the front and the “Forward Edge International” logo on the back] is a great conversation starter. Everyone we talk to is very encouraging and excited for us. I've shown the family photos I brought to a bunch of people already, so I'm really glad I brought a “brag book.” I have a wonderful family.

Zow! We're landing already (well, starting the descent, anyway) – more later. I understand we will be working with some Compassion International children tomorrow. That'll be awesome!

Next up:  We go to the dumps.

Adventures in DC - Day 7

Just a couple of weeks before 9/11/01, I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Washington, D. C. Obviously, the days before 9/11 were innocent and carefree. I'm sure my observations would be much different now. This has been my 10th anniversary tribute. Our nation's capital is beautiful and worth seeing. The memorials either make your heart soar or break it, depending on which memorial it is. It's important for a nation's people to remember. So, the Adventure in DC concludes with...

Day 7

Saturday, our last day, we drove to Annapolis, another absolutely captivating place dripping in history...and overrun with beautiful people taking a break from their yachts. It’s a tough life, folks, but someone has to live it. A person can dream. The midshipmen are kind of cute, too, and helpful and polite. Fresh-faced, yet serious. (And about to get much more serious, but we didn't know that at the time. Thank you for your service to our country, men.) 

Then, we drove to Fort McHenry to take a look at the place that inspired “The Star Spangled Banner.” The Baltimore waterfront is very reminiscent of the Port of Oakland, with lots of heavy industry and cargo ships. Not at all the same upper-crust atmosphere as Annapolis! With a modern eye, it’s hard to imagine that tiny Fort McHenry could have withstood such an assault and protected the city. It’s so quaint and small and surrounded by ramparts. And a replica of Old Glory yet waves over those ramparts, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It still stirs the hearts of patriots.

And then, friends, it was off to the airport (and not a moment too soon, I can almost hear you saying!). I had a wonderful time.

Random observations:  There is a lot of great food to be eaten in and around the District of Columbia. Sightseeing on your own is not such a bad thing, especially when you're trying to see the maximum amount of stuff in the minimum amount of time. How fast can you walk, and how long can you go between refuelings? Washington drivers are insane (but not as insane as Boston drivers, I was soon to discover). Two showers a day are absolutely essential in that hot, humid climate (no wonder they used to have Yellow Fever epidemics back in the day!). At least, that's how it is in August. Washington pedestrians are insane (again, not as insane as Boston pedestrians, though). A person would have to look long and hard and with extreme luck to find a body in the thick, green, lush vegetation lining the waterways and highways of Maryland and Virginia (Oh, boy! How prescient was THAT comment?). Women who work in Washington offices have no natural thermostats. Those sweet young things were wearing long sleeves, suit jackets, cute little form-fitting skirts, heels, and STOCKINGS. I can’t figure out why they didn’t melt. Speaking of those sweet young things…they are everywhere, following obviously very powerful men around at a dead run and trying to hand them things or remind them of appointments or whatever. Goodness. Such importance. And the men, of course, are all wearing suits and ties. They must have to change their shirts three or four times a day!

I hope I didn’t bore you to tears, but I have so enjoyed reliving (almost) every moment of this marvelous trip. I’m very grateful that I was able to accompany my husband on this one!

If this is your first trip to my blog, continue on down to read about the whole Adventure...or just click on the individual entries in the archives on the right. And, please click the "follow" button up above to join my blog community! Should I go chronologically down the list of my Adventures for the next entry, or should I just pick an Adventure at random? Let me know!