A Walking Tour of Saint Germain En Laye, France

The shuttle from the airport dropped us off at the entrance ramp for our ship. We are cruising on the Viking Kadlin. It is docked in Le Pecq, a few miles west of Paris. As we exited the shuttle we were greeted by Lionel (our cruise director for this trip) just at the beginning of the ramp to the ship. He gave us some basic information while porters took our bags on board. When he completed his talk we went to the registration desk and signed in. Our room wasn't quite ready but they had a buffet set up in the restaurant where we could wait and get a bite to eat. We met our friends, Deanne and Dave in the lobby and they sat with us while we ate (they had arrived earlier and had already eaten, but their room was ready yet as well). By the time we finished eating our room was ready so we got our key and went to the room to settle in. Deanne and Dave are next door to us and they went to their room to rest up a bit. Thomas and I unpacked and got the room arranged the way we wanted and then washed up and got ready to go on a walking tour or a small town near where the boat was docked.

At 2:00pm Deanne, Thomas and myself headed to the dock to meet the bus for the tour. Our tour guide (Florence) greeted us and got us settled on the bus. The ride to Saint Germain En Laye was only about five minutes. But we took the bus because it is a total uphill climb to the city. The bus driver dropped us off at an entrance gate for a park/garden and that is where our walking tour began. The ship provides a QuietVox system for tours. This allows our tour guide to just talk normally into a microphone and it transmits to a earbud, allowing you to be in a big group and in the back and you can still hear everything.

Chateau Saint Germain En Laye

Our walking tour involved The area of Saint Germain En Laye where there was a castle (Chateau Neuf) and still existing castle (Chateau Saint Germain En Laye) and the gardens surrounding them. Chateau Neuf had fallen into disrepair and for safety reasons had to be demolished, but there is one part of it still there. The building still standing is now a restaurant but it was the birthplace and home of King Louis XIV. From this area in the gardens we had a great view looking toward Paris and we could even see the top of the Eiffel Tower peeking over the top of a hill. She explained the history of the area - it being a castle for the King.

The Gardens of Chateau Neuf

But it didn't get used much because the eventually built Versailles and Chateau Neuf wasn't anywhere near as opulent as Versailles. The garden is surround with a walkway and a low wall where you can sit and take in the view of the Seine below. There are manicured hedges and bushes., trees lined up in neat rows and a few statues and monuments. On the opposite end of the garden from Chateau Neuf there is Chateau Saint Germain En Laye and The Church of Saint Germain En Laye. After walking around the gardens for a bit we entered the courtyard for Chateau Saint Germain En Laye. Here she pointed out some carvings and stain glass windows and told us their meanings. Then we entered the Chapel at the chateau (which is now a museum) and got a little more history.

The Church of Saint Germain En Laye

From the Chateau we crossed the road and entered The Church of Saint Germain en Laye. Here she pointed out the memorial chapel of King James II and VII, the elaborate pulpit and a couple of statues.

This brought us to the end of our tour and we had the option of taking the bus back to the ship or walking. We decided to walk as it was all downhill. It turned out to be a nice walk and only took us ten minutes. Back at the ship we went to our room and got cleaned up and changed for dinner. We had some time so we read the daily newsletter that they leave in the room so that you know what is going on for the day. We had the one for today but we were told that from now on we would get the one for the next day put in our room while we were at dinner.

There were a few things planned for this afternoon and evening. First we had to participate in a safety drill which was awkward and confusing. I have to say that if there was an emergency I think a lot of people wouldn't make it. Some people showed up to the wrong muster station and others took a long as 20 minutes to show up. Finally after 25 minutes we were dismissed.

Cocktail Hour - Tom Collins

We took our life jackets back to the room and then went to the lounge for a cocktail hour an orientation to the ship and cruise. We got to meet some of the staff and visit with other guests. By the time that was completed it was time for dinner. So we all made our way to the restaurant (which has open seating) and Deanne, Dave, Thomas and I sat at a table for six. There wasn't a table for four available. Not long after we sat down a couple showed up and asked if they could join us. There were introductions and we met Martha and Matt. They live in Tyler, TX but are originally from Shreveport. LA so we hit it off immediately. We had a great time visiting with them and dinner turned out to be a blast. And the food was amazing. We had choices for each course and they cruise has free wine, beer and soda during lunch and dinner. Our table had a few different starters and desserts but we all had the same main course - Coq au Vin. Everybody enjoyed their meal immensely. After dinner and some great conversation we all called it a night. After all the traveling we were all too tired to do anything else. Tomorrow we have a full day in Paris so I guess it is time to get some sleep.

Paris & the Heart of Normandy

Last year Thomas and I were contacted by some friends to join them on a Viking River Cruise from Paris to Normandy along the Seine River. We jumped at the chance - we have been wanting to take a river cruise for a while now. So this morning we left Santa Fe for our Paris & the Heart of Normandy adventure.

Map of the River Cruise

Our flight from Albuquerque was at 12:10pm so we didn't have to get up early and rush. But as usual for both of us we were up at 6:30am. Which worked out well. It gave us a chance to bring the dogs bowls and food over to Bruce, empty the garbage cans, close the blinds and turn off the air conditioning. It was 7:45 when we decided to leave for the Albuquerque International Sunport. That was a good time for us to head out since it meant we wouldn't hit morning work traffic as we drove through Albuquerque. We arrived at Airport Parking where we left the car and took the shuttle to the airport. When we got to the Delta counter there was no one there so we used the kiosk and checked ourselves in, but there was no one to take our bags (not at the counter and not outside at the drop-off). So we found a place to sit and wait for someone. We only had to wait about five minutes when a gentleman showed up and checked in our bags. Then we made our way over to security. The line was short and the TSA agents were friendly and cordial. In only a few minutes we had passed through security and gotten our shoes back on and we were ready for our trip to begin. We had about two and a half hours to wait for our flight so we just sat and read. Before we knew it they were calling us to board our flight.

We are flying Delta all the way to Paris and the first leg of our trip took us from Albuquerque to Salt Lake City. The boarding process was surprisingly fast and efficient. We were on a smaller plane than usual - only four seats across (two on each side of the aisle). the flight was mostly good except for a man and woman behind us who talked incessantly and at a volume better used when talking to someone across a crowded room. Also, the guy, who worked or has a hobby in alternative medicine, kept opening different scents that he was explaining to the woman he used in aromatherapy. Unfortunately in that closed space the scents sent my allergies into orbit. I ended up having to take one of my prescription allergy pills to counteract it. Other than that we just read for the duration of the flight. We arrived in Salt Lake City in under an hour and a half.

We were in row 8 so we were out of the plane quickly and made a beeline for the restrooms. After that we needed to get something for lunch. We landed at the 'B' gate area and we needed to make our way to the 'D' gate area for our next flight. So we started walking keeping our eyes peeled for somewhere to eat. We ended up at our gate and hadn't found anything we wanted. So we decided to go to a place just that we passed just before getting to our gate. We had burgers and fries at a place called smashburger. Pretty good for airport food. Once we were done eating we found a place to sit and relax for the next three hours until our flight to Paris (which is 10 1/2 hours). We read, played on the computer and relaxed. Time passed quickly and before we knew it we were boarding our flight for Paris.

They started boarding at 4:30pm and we took off at 5:15pm. We ended up reading from the time we got into our seats until the Captain turned off the seat belt sign when we reached cruising altitude. Then we watched movies - I watched Lincoln and Thomas watched The Jungle Book. During that time they came around with drinks and pretzels and then an hour later we had dinner. I had ravioli and Thomas had chicken. With that we had a salad, cheese & crackers, bread, shrimp cocktail and a brownie. When the movies finished Thomas tried to sleep and I went back to reading. Thomas had a hard time relaxing - he felt antsy and fidgeted for a while, took a stroll around the cabin and tried reading. Eventually he was able to fall asleep for a while. Sometime after 10:00pm (Santa Fe time) they brought us a ham sandwich and cookies. I kept reading (my book is really good - I am reading The Monuments Men) and Thomas watched another movie. Then about two hours before we landed (which was 9:00am  Paris time) we got some breakfast. It seemed that all we did was eat on this flight. I have to admit that I eventually became restless. Being on a plane for ten hours is trying. But with a lot of self control we endured. We landed a little bit early (by that we had wheels on the ground) but it took us almost 30 minutes to taxi to the gate.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

It seemed to take forever. Finally we arrived at the gate and made it into the terminal. I think we landed at Terminal 2 Gate B or C but I am not sure. Anyway, we started following signs for baggage claim. We walked and then walked some more and eventually arrived at a train. We took this train from Gate B or C to K. We walked a short distance and then had to go through customs. This was so quick and easy. When we arrived at customs there were two people in front of us. When it was our turn the woman looked at our passports, stamped them and sent us on our way. From this point we found a Baggage Claim board and located the baggage claim we needed to get to for our flight number. So we walked some more. Finally we arrived at Baggage Claim 31. We had to wait about 15 minutes for our bags. I was wearing my FitBit and from the gate we landed at to the baggage claim was .68 miles. I do believe that this is the largest airport we have ever visited. Once we had our bags we exited the terminal and found the Viking River Cruises kiosk and checked in. The man there greeted us and then walked us to a waiting area. He told us he needed four more people and then we could get on the shuttle for the ship. Thankfully we only had to wait ten minutes and we were off. The drive from the airport to the ship dock took us 50 minutes. I tell you I am glad we made it to the ship - it has been a long journey but now we can relax and enjoy our cruise.

A Win for Equality

Today the Supreme Court announced their decision on same-sex marriage. This is something that we have been waiting to hear about for a while now. I am over joyed that they have ruled that same-sex marriage is now legal nationwide. Thomas and I were legally married back in October 2004 in Massachusetts. Then in June 2013 the Supreme Court struck down DOMA making our marriage legal through the federal government. Later that same year (December 2013) New Mexico legalized same-sex marriage which made our marriage now legal in the state where we live and in the United States. We were extremely happy when these happened but we also realized that other same sex couples in the U.S. still didn't have that right and if we decided to move to another state we may lose the legality of our marriage. But as of today we no longer have to worry. I can honestly say that when growing up I never imagined that some of the rights and benefits we have gained would have ever come to fruition in my lifetime. I have so much hope now that the citizens of this country can begin to open their hearts and minds to accept diversity in all of its forms. I am thankful for all the people who have fought for this new right and put themselves out there so that my voice could be heard and I am thankful to the five Supreme Court Justices that voted in favor of same-sex marriage. You can read the decision at Obergefell v. Hodges. Here is the last paragraph of the decision . . .

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law.

The Constitution grants them that right. The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed.

It is so ordered."

The Anniversary of Our Wedding

Thomas and I met back in October of 1989. I moved to Santa Fe in December of 1989 which is when we began our lives together. Then in May of 2004 the State of Massachusetts legalized same sex marriage. Not long after Thomas asked me if I wanted to get married. Of course I said yes and the planning began.

October 11, 2004 - Provincetown, MA

We talked to a few friends and family and made arrangements for a ceremony in Provincetown, Massachusetts. It was an incredible day - even though the marriage was only legal in Massachusetts it was still a moving and emotional time for both of us. And to have our friends and family with us, supporting us made it that much more special. Today we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, a very special day as our marriage is now legal in both New Mexico and the United States. At the end of this year we will be celebrating our 25th anniversary as a couple. It amazes me that things have changed as much as they have with rights and protections for the gay community. I never really believed that I would see all of this in my lifetime. The rants of the moral majority about the sanctitiy of marriage has become laughable to me. There are so many marriages that end in divorce and it angers me that they believe that a commited gay couple getting married will wreck the sanctity of marriage. An opposite sex marriage has all the support and blessing of society - so why can't these straight people make it work. Thomas and I have had to overcome being beaten up, called names and told we are abominations and yet we have been in a loving, commited relationship for almost 25 years and now legally married for 10. And I don't think our marriage has in any way lessened anyone else's marriage. I am very proud of the life Thomas and I have built together and I look forward to the day that our marriage is legal in all 50 states. Thomas, I love you with all my heart - thank you for everything.

Goodbye, Mork!

Robin Williams

July 21, 1951 - August 11, 2014

 I was shocked and saddened when I heard today that Robin Williams was dead. He is one of my all time favorite actors. A few of the shows and movies of his that I love are . . .

Mork & Mindy

Aladdin

Mrs. Doubtfire

Hook

Dead Poets Society

Jumanji

The Birdcage

Robots

He always made me laugh. It is sad that a man that brought such joy to tons of people succumbed to depression. I love what President Obama had to say about Mr. Williams . . .

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien -- but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most -- from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets."

Robin, thanks for all the laughs! You will be missed.

From Arizona to Santa Fe

Well today we drive back to Santa Fe and Regina's birthday trip comes to an end. So far we have had a great time. We decided we weren't in a great hurry to get started so we took our time getting ready and then loaded the car before heading into Williams. I wanted to get a couple of stamps that they have at the Visitor Center. After getting the stamps we headed to the Grand Depot Café for a quick breakfast before heading out. We arrived sometime around 9:30am because as we were being seated the train left for the Grand Canyon. Once we were done with breakfast we went to the gift shop so that I could pick up a book and then we made our way to the car and started our journey home.

We took I40 east and drove until we got to Holbrook. We took this exit and made a stop at Jim Gray's Petrified Wood Company. We had a coupon for a free ½ pound piece of petrified wood. We also did a little shopping and the continued to the south entrance of Petrified Forest National Park. After paying the entrance fee we made a stop at the Visitor Center to get Passport Stamps and walk the Giant Logs Trail. Then we began our 28 mile drive through the park. During the drive we made stops at different points and took pictures and did some short walks. The places we stopped at were Agate House, Crystal Forest, Jasper Forest, Agate Bridge, The Teepees, Newspaper Rock and Puerco Pueblo. By this time we were getting pretty tired so we didn't stop again until we reached the Visitor Center at the north end of the park. I got some more Passport Stamps and then we headed out - both of us were ready to be in Santa Fe. We only made two stops along the way - one to put gas in the car and go to the restroom and then one in Albuquerque to get something to eat. We finally arrived in Santa Fe sometime around 8:00am and I was tired. We visited with Thomas for a little bit and then I took a shower. Now that I have gotten this done I can get some sleep. I take Regina to the airport tomorrow and I really hope she had a great birthday and trip. I know I had a great time and I am glad I got a chance to visit with my friend.

Here is a slideshow with a few more photos of the trip. I hope you enjoy it.

More at the Canyon and then Train Ride Back to Williams

We spent last night at the Maswik Lodge at the Grand Canyon and today we had until 3:00pm to do things. Since we had a good part of the day we decided to not set an alarm and just wake up whenever. That ended up being around 8:00am. So we got our bags packed and put them in the little hallway leading to the door so that they could be picked up and brought to the train for our return trip to Williams. Now we were ready to see more of the canyon.

We caught the free shuttle in the front of the main building of the hotel and rode to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. We went into the Visitor Center and I got my National Park Passport Stamps and then we went to the Café at Mather Point and had a little breakfast. Next we walked over to the Bookstore. Here I got more Passport Stamps and a few other things and then we headed out for our walk along the rim back to the train depot. We filled our water bottles at a water filling station and then we were off. Not far in our walk we stopped at Mather Point and took lots of pictures then we headed out on the trail to Yavapai Point. Here they have great observation areas and a geology museum and I also got more Passport Stamps. After a few more pictures we continued on our walk. This trail is known as the Rim Trail but they have given it another name - Trail of Time. The trail is marked along the way showing different geologic features at different periods of time - you can even find your age along the way and see how things have changed. Here are a few links about the Trail of Time . . .

The New Trail of Time at Grand Canyon National Park - A Review
Grand Canyon's Trail of Time Receives National Recognition
Grand Canyon National Park to Dedicate the Trail of Time
Trail of Time is a Must-see at Grand Canyon National Park
The New Trail of Time at Grand Canyon National Park

Along the way we took pictures and enjoyed the views, we even found a great place to sit and look at the canyon and have a little snack. I am not sure how long it took us to walk the trail, but it was easy (paved and flat) the entire way. But before we knew it we had arrived at the El Tovar Lodge. It was sometime around 1:00pm and we decided it would be a good time to have a little lunch. And since we were at the El Tovar we decided to eat there - El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge. We had a nice relaxing and delicious lunch and visited for a while. When we were done we headed over to the Bright Angel Lodge to get some ice cream at the Bright Angel Fountain. After that we walked to the train depot, but we were early. So we found a picnic table outside and sat and relaxed until they were ready for us to board the train. We ended up visiting with a nice couple from Estes Park. They had ridden with us on the train yesterday in the same car.

It wasn't long before they called for boarding and we were back on the train headed back to Williams. One thing I forgot to mention was that by this time my allergies were full blown and I was feeling like crap. But no worries all I had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride. During the trip back they had snacks (sodas, cheese, crackers and fruit), we had another entertainer play guitar and sing and we had a champagne toast to celebrate the trip. Oh, and train robbers took over the train - yes, we were robbed - just as a stunt. In no time at all we were back in Williams and the first thing I did was buy some Claritin and then we went over to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel to check in. Back in the room I took my allergy medicine and then we got settled and waited for our luggage to arrive. When we got our luggage we freshened up and then headed into Williams. On Friday night when we walked around Williams we saw a place with pie and stopped in - but we weren't hungry for it then so we didn't get any. But we had been thinking about it so we stopped in and each got a piece of pie to bring back to the room. From the pie place we went to the Grand Depot Café for dinner - but I don't think either one of us was very hungry and I wasn't feeling all that great, but we ate a little and then returned to the room. I decided I wanted to get my things packed and organized for our drive home tomorrow, so I got that done and then I took a shower. Now I need to get some rest so that I am feeling better and I can enjoy the trip home.

Riding the Train and Seeing the South Rim

Today was our train ride from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We were up at 7:00am so that we could get ready and bring our luggage down to the lobby so that they could load it on the train. After dropping off the luggage we headed to the Grand Depot Cafe for some breakfast and then we made our way to the depot to wait to board the train. There was a wild west shootout show but we didn't go and watch it, instead we walked around and took a few pictures. Then we lined up to board our car - we rode in the Kokopelli Observation Dome Car. You sit a little higher and have great views. Once on board we got settled and in no time the train left the depot headed for the Grand Canyon. While on board they had snacks and drinks available for us and we had a singer come and entertain us. His name was Calvin Kristoffersen and I really enjoyed listening to him. I even ended up buying one of his CD's. The train ride was a little over two hours and when we arrived at the Grand Canyon we immediately boarded a bus for an hour and a half tour along Hermit Road. We didn't actually get very far down the road but we did make two stops - one at Hopi Point and one at Mohave Point. There are great views of the canyon at both of these areas. We had about 30 minutes at each stop. As we were heading out on the road we encountered a few elk - they are huge. The tour bus then dropped us off at Bright Angel Lodge. Here we did a little shopping and then went into the lounge and had a little light snack while we thought about what we wanted to do next. After eating we decided to walk along the Rim Trail for a short distance. We left Bright Angel Lodge and walked west. Our first stop was at Lookout Studio - here we walked out to the terrace for an absolutely great view of the canyon. We didn't stay out there long because it was a bit windy and cold, but we definitely loved the views. From here we went to Kolb Studio. At the Studio I got my National Park Passport Stamps first thing and then we looked around a bit before heading out again. Next we took a short walk down the Bright Angel Trail. We didn't go very far, just a little ways past the first tunnel and then turned around and went back to the Rim Trail. This time we walked east along the trail stopping at any view point we encountered. Then we went into El Tovar Lodge just to look around and see what it was all about. Next we crossed over to Verkamp's Visitor Center where I got more Passport Stamps and we looked around the gift shop.

By this time we were ready to call it a day and decided to head to the hotel. We followed the Rim Trail back to the newly renovated Bright Angel Trailhead (here are pictures of the trailhead renovation and here is an article about the renovation) and then walked down Village Loop Drive to the Maswik Lodge. We got checked in and walked to find our room which was in a separate building from the registration desk. Thankfully it was still light outside because we had a little trouble finding the building and I am not sure we could have found it if it was dark. After getting settled in and relaxing for a few minutes we headed back to the main building to get something to eat. The eating area is like a food court. They have different sections with different types of food and they have a separate pizza pub. After eating we returned to the room to get some rest.

We had a great day on the train and walking the rim around the Grand Canyon Village. Now it is time to sleep as we have another full day tomorrow.

Driving to Williams, AZ

Yesterday my friend Regina (we went to Physical Therapy School together) flew to New Mexico to spend a long weekend with me and celebrate her birthday. The actual plan was for her to fly to New Mexico and then the two of us would drive together to Williams, AZ to take the train to the Grand Canyon. And that is what we are doing.

Today we left Santa Fe at 8:15am headed for Arizona. The drive was pretty uneventful - I25 south to Albuquerque then I40 west to Williams. We stopped along the way to fill the car with gas and at a couple of rest areas for the bathroom and to take a few pictures. We did lots of talking and planning on what we would do at the Grand Canyon. We arrived in Williams around 3:30pm and made our way to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel to check in. We got things settled in our room and then decided to go walking in town. First we went to the Train Depot and picked up our tickets for weekend. We also looked around the gift shop and then headed up the street to the Williams Visitor Center to get some maps and brochures. Then we walked a little ways up and down Route 66 in downtown. Around 6:00pm we made our way to the Grand Depot Cafe for dinner. After dinner we settled in our room and relaxed. It was a good day and we have lots more things to do this weekend.

Driving US 54 . . .

. . . from Tucumcari, New Mexico to Wichita, Kansas.

US 54 runs northeast-southwest for 1,197 miles from El Paso, Texas to Griggsville, Illinois. The highway is mostly two lane but has areas with passing lanes and some areas with four lanes. It runs through lots of small towns that have interesting things to see and do. Now don't get me wrong it probably isn't the best or fastest way to travel across the Southwest and Central United States but it is a good way to see some out of the way places.

Thomas and I have traveled US 54 in New Mexico from Tucumcari down to Alamogordo quite a few times but that was the only part we knew. When Thomas was invited to attend the S.P.I.R.I.T. conference in Pratt, Kansas we decided to drive US 54 from Tucumcari to Pratt to see what the highway was like and what there was to see and do along the way.

In New Mexico the road from Tucumcari to Nara Visa and to the Texas border is actually pretty good. The speed limit is around 65mph except through the towns where it can go as low as 35mph. We really didn't encounter much traffic and what we did was going the speed limit or it was easy to pass them. There really isn't much along the way except for Ute Lake State Park and the town of Logan.

We crossed into Texas and noticed very little change in the road. It was still two lanes with some passing lanes and very little traffic. There really wasn't much to see or do from the NM/TX border until we got into Dalhart. In Dalhart, I loved the brick streets in the downtown area and I was looking forward to seeing the Mission Twin Theater until we got there and found it to be some sort of evangelical center. Other things to do in Dalhart are The XIT Museum, The Empty Saddle Monument, the James R. Fox, Jr. Memorial and the Veterans Memorial. Other things in the area are Lake Rita Blanca Park and Rita Blanca National Grasslands. We continued from Dalhart and made our way to Stratford. Along the way we encountered the Scary Giant Cowboy Statue (aka Big Tex) in Conlen. In Stratford there is an old Phillips Gas Station and the Sherman County Museum which is housed in the old train depot. From Stratford we continued northeast to Texhoma and the Oklahoma border. US 54 in Texas wasn't bad and we didn't encounter any traffic. It was a pleasant drive through the panhandle of Texas.

Now we were in Oklahoma and we realized we were in the area of the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl covered the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma and also adjacent areas of Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. From Texhoma which is a divided city with sections being in Texas and Oklahoma we continued our drive along US 54. The road was still good and the traffic was minimal. In a short while we arrived in Goodwell. Here we made a stop at the No Man's Land Museum. We were hoping to get a little information and see some pictures related to the Dust Bowl. We parked in the front of the museum and at the door we were greeted with a sign that the entrance was now on the side. So we walked around the building and entered. We met the nicest woman as we walked in and she explained that they had just added on a large addition and the place was in disarray. But she kindly showed us around and we got to see a lot ot the exhibits (just not set up) and she found a stack of Dust Bowl photos and took the time to go through them with us and even answer a lot of questions we had. We spent about 30 minutes here and then we were on our way again. I think when they have everything up again the place will be really nice. Goodwell is also home to Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Not far up the road we arrived in Guymon. There are a few nice parks in town and a drive-in theater but the highlight of the area seems to be the Playa Lakes Loop. We didn't have time to do the drive but it seems worthwhile - maybe on another trip. So we continued on and drove through the small town of Optima and then shortly after arrived in Hooker. I had read somethings about Hooker at Roadside America and thought it would be fun to stop and look around. Roadside America stated there were signs when you entered town with pictures of 19th century prostitutes but we didn't see any. Apparently you can find t-shirts with different sayings such as "Why don't you come back and see us sometime?" and "Not your typical hooker.". From hooker we drove throught Tyrone and in no time we crossed over into Kansas.

Not far into Kansas we arrived in Liberal. Liberal is home to Dorothy's House and the Land of Oz. We made a stop here just for the fun of it. There is a bronze statue of Dorothy and a big statue of the Tinman and a yellow brick road. They also have a farmhouse as a replica of Dorothy's house and a walk through exhibit of the "Land of Oz". The exhibit was closed so we didn't see that but we walked around the outside area and took pictures. It was fun! Liberal is also home to the International Pancake Day of Liberal and the Mid-America Air Museum. Continuing on US 54 we drove through Kismet, Plains, Meade, Minneola, Bloom, Kingsdown, Bucklin and Greensburg. Greensburg suffered a massive tornado strike back in 2007 which devasted the community. They are now rebuilding and the town looks great. They have the Big Well Museum, Greensburg GreenTown and the Kiowa County Historical Museum and Soda Fountain. Here are a few links about the tornado that hit Greensburg.

Facts about the May 4, 2007 Greensburg Tornado
Greensburg, Kansas: Rebuilding after the May 4, 2007 Tornado
After Devastating Tornado, Town is Reborn 'Green'

From Greensburg we drove through Haviland and Cullison before arriving in Pratt. Pratt is home to the Hot and Cold Water Towers, Lemon Park Nature Trail and the Pratt County Historical Museum. The highway in Kansas was very good. Smooth, wide with enough shoulder room to pull off if necessary and again there wasn't much traffic. We really enjoyed the drive and had no problems with finding gas for the car or food for us.

The drive to Wichita was a little different as they are working on four laning the road between Pratt and Wichita and there was some construction. This is the only time we encountered construction on US 54. Driving from Pratt to Wichita we skirted Cunningham, and drove through Kingman, Garden Plain and Goddard. In Wichita there is a lot to see and do. You can find information at Roadside America, Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau and at Wichita Attractions. Driving this section of US 54 was really nice, even with the construction.

Overall we really enjoyed our drive on US 54 - the road is in pretty good condition for most of the drive and the speed limit is 65mph except in small towns. Usually you can pass a car if they are going too slow or there are passing lanes at different intervals along the way. But to be honest there wasn't much traffic. Now maybe at different times of the year it would be worse but during our drive we really thought it was very low traffic. I really enjoyed our time on US 54 - it gave us a different view of part of our country.

Nine Years Ago Today . . .

. . . Thomas and I were legally wed in Massachusetts. That makes nine years of marriage (only in Massachusetts), although I think with the recent Supreme Court decisions we are considered legally married in the United States but not in New Mexico. I think we are getting closer to being married in New Mexico since some county clerks have been issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. I think either the Legislature or the New Mexico Supreme Court will make a decision for marriage equality within the next year. So we have been married for nine years but we have been together almost 24 years. That number amazes me - with the divorce rate among heterosexuals hovering around 50% it is a triumph that a homosexual couple can make a relationship last that long with all the negative societal pressures we have to endure. Someone at work once said I was lucky to have found the right person. I both agree and disagree. I don't think that making a relationship work is all about finding the right person. That is part of it, but I feel that it takes some work as well. There is compromise in different situations, acceptance of each others quirks and faults, talking through problems and figuring out solutions and most of all finding the best in each other and supporting that. Don't get me wrong, I do consider my self lucky to have Thomas in my life and I know that we have an incredible and very special relationship. I also know that both of us have worked hard to keep it going. On December 30, 2014 Thomas and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary. We have already begun talking about what we want to do to celebrate that auspicious occasion. It will probably be a trip to somewhere we have never been - places mentioned are Costa Rica, Hawaii or South America (Peru and the Galapagos Islands). Even though this isn't the anniversary we used to celebrate our relationship we still think it is special and we do acknowledge it. It is also special since October 11th is National Coming Out Day. I feel that by living our lives openly and freely it will make things easier for young gays to come out and believe in themselves and know they are not alone. Hopefully this country will eventually remove all discrimination and religious beliefs from the law when considering the rights of individuals. So anyway - Happy Anniversary to Thomas and I and Happy Coming Out Day to all the brave and wonderful gays that have accepted themselves and have talked to family and friends about who they really are.

Carnival Caribbean Cruise: Day 9 – Debarkation and the Trip Home

We docked this morning in Galveston at around 8:00am. But we couldn’t leave the ship until our Zone was called. We were Zone 6. So we all decided to meet for breakfast at 7:30am and then find a place to sit until they called our number. We ended up on some couches on Deck 4. We just visited and waited. Finally around 9:20am we were called. We made our way to Deck 3 and the gangway. When we got into the terminal all the bags were laid out in the zones. We made it to zone 6 and found all our bags. Then we had to get into a very long line to get through customs.

Joe's Crab Shack

The line moved really slow and at 11:30am we were through customs and we exited the terminal. We found a shuttle to take us to the cars in the parking areas.

Once we were all loaded in the cars we headed north on I45 toward Houston. We decided to stop at Joe’s Crab Shack for lunch. After a nice lunch my family drove Thomas and I to the airport. We said our goodbyes and they headed home to Louisiana. We entered the airport, checked in and then made our way through security. We spent the next hour at our gate waiting for our flight. We spent the time reading until we boarded. On the plane we both slept a little and luckily the two hour flight seemed shorter and in no time we were landing in Albuquerque. We grabbed our bags, caught the shuttle to our car and eventually made our way to Santa Fe. We were in our home and loving our dogs by 8:20pm. I called my sister to find out if they made it home okay and to let them know we were home. After that we unpacked but that is all we had energy for. We showered and fell into bed – it is always nice to travel but we love it when we are home in our own bed.

We had a great trip and enjoyed our time with my family. All in all the trip was very relaxing and we got to see some great areas that we had never seen before. We are both glad we have this next week off to continue to relax. Thanks to Brent for getting this trip organized and thanks for including us.

Homeward Bound

Carnival Caribbean Cruise: Day 8 – Third Whole Day on the Ship

This morning we slept in since we weren’t docking anywhere and we had the whole day on the ship. When we did get up we headed down to the Southern Lights Restaurant for breakfast. We took our time eating and just relaxing then we returned to the cabin to get our clothes organized. We needed to pack our bags and have them ready for pick up by 11:00pm. So we packed what we didn’t need for the day and tomorrow. Then I headed to the gym for a little work out. After 45 minutes on the elliptical and some leg work on the nautilus machines I went back to the cabin and changed into my swim suit. I decided to spend a little time getting some sun. I spent about an hour in the sun and then I got too hot and changed to a hammock that had some shade. I read on the hammock for about an hour and then I went back to the cabin to get Thomas so we could get some lunch.

Chocolate Extravaganza

We headed to the buffet on the Lido Deck and bumped into my family. They had gone to the Chocolate Extravaganza. We talked for a while and then they went off to do their thing and we found something to eat. We both had a build your own burrito and then some dessert from the Chocolate Extravaganza. After eating we returned to the cabin and took a nap which lasted about two hours.

When we woke up we took showers and got dressed for dinner and then finished packing our bags. As we left the cabin to do a little walking around the ship we put our bags outside the cabin so the porters could pick them up. We walked for a while then found a spot to sit on Deck 4 near the lobby. We listened to some music and then my brother and his wife showed up. So we visited with them until it was time for dinner. We all made our way to the restaurant for our last dinner on the ship. We really lucked up on this cruise because our dinner companions were a great family and we always had a wonderful time visiting with them. For dinner tonight Thomas had a salad and then roasted prime rib and for dessert he had a tropical fruit plate. I had a crab cake and frog legs for an appetizer, then panko crusted shrimp for an entrée and ended with cappuccino pie for dessert. Dinner tonight ended up lasting about two and a half hours. Then we said goodbye to our waiters and dinner companions before returning to the cabin for the night. Tomorrow we dock in Galveston and our trip comes to an end.

Towel Heart

Carnival Caribbean Cruise: Day 7 – Cozumel

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Thomas and I woke at about 7:00am and got dressed and ready for our day in Cozumel. We decided to have breakfast in the Southern Lights Restaurant first and then head into port. After eating we headed down to Deck 0 to debark.

Cozumel Port

We walked down the dock and to get into Cozumel we had to walk through a shopping area. We were bombarded with sales people trying to get us to buy everything from liquor to jewelry to clothes to purses to candy to cigars. It was a long walk. Then we get into another shopping area with different stores and restaurants. We walked around a bit and ended up bumping into Donna, Mark, Brent and Heather. They were waiting to go for their excursion – a day at the beach. They went to Playa Mia Beach Park for some relaxation in the sun.

Sailboats on the Caribbean

So we left them in their line and we continued navigating our way through the shopping area so that we could exit the port and walk around Cozumel. So we headed down the main street outside the port and headed toward the downtown area. We walked along the sidewalk where we always had a view of the water. We stopped not too far from the port to find a letterbox and then we continued on our way. Along the way we say lots of flowers, sailboats in the blue water, iguanas and lots of taxi drivers. We were stopped at least 25 times by drivers to ask if we wanted a tour of the island. We said no each time as we just wanted to wander. After a three mile walk we arrived at the downtown area and here we were constantly being asked to come in to the shops – everything from diamonds to cigars. We walked around the area and took pictures and we did go into a few shops. It was a pretty hot day and the humidity was high so at one point we stopped for gelato and some water and sat in a shady spot with a nice breeze to keep us cool.

Seahorse on Fountain

We spent about an hour in the area and then decided to head back. We started walking back again on the sidewalk along the water. We passed a beautiful arched fountain and some other statues along the way. The walk back to the port seemed faster than the walk from the port. Again I took pictures and enjoyed the view of the Caribbean. Since Thomas and I are not really shoppers we made our way back to the ship. After checking back in we headed to the cabin – Thomas decided to take a nap but I headed to the spa. I wanted to spend some time in the Thermal Suites. So I changed into my bathing suit and grabbed some other things and headed up to the spa.

I had the place to myself. Since most people were still out in Cozumel the ship was pretty quiet. I spent about 45 minutes there going from room to room. Then I decided to head to the Serenity Deck to get some sun. I was probably up there around two hours and then I took a walk around the ship before heading back to the cabin. Thomas had showered and dressed for dinner already and so I jumped in the shower and got dressed. We decided to go for a walk and have a drink before dinner. We stopped at the FunShops and I ended up buying a watch that was on sale for 50% off. Then we went to the RedFrog Pub for a drink and snack. I tried the Thirsty Frog beer (which I loved) and some grouper fingers. Thomas had a rum and coke. After our drinks and snack we went to the Play It Again Piano Bar to listen to some music until dinner time. Then we headed to the Northern Lights Restaurant for dinner.  I had chicken tenders marinated in Thai spices, shrimp and fries and chocolate, raspberry & vanilla cream cake. Thomas had a salad, lasagna and old fashion apple pie. By the time we finished dinner we were both really tired and decided to call it a night. Tomorrow is a day on the ship.

Towel Snail

Carnival Caribbean Cruise: Day 6 – Belize

This morning we stopped near Belize. I say ‘near’ because we anchored about 5 miles out from the port.

Belize Map

This meant that we had to Tender into the port. Thomas and I had signed up for a shore excursion with Brent, Heather, Donna and Mark. We were going zip lining and cave tubing. Our tour wasn’t until 9:00am and we ended up being ready by 7:00am. So we headed to the Southern Lights Restaurant for some breakfast. After eating we headed to the Showtime Theater (which was the meeting point for our excursion). It was about 8:15am when we descended the stairs and we encountered some staff members that directed us to join a line. This line went around a corner, through the lobby, into the Northern Lights Restaurant and around the entire perimeter, out the restaurant back into the lobby and then down the hall to some tables at the entrance to the theater. Here we showed our excursion tickets and then we were given small, round tags that were colored and had a number on them. We were then directed into the theater (which was packed with people) where we found seats. After we sat Thomas noticed Brent, Heather, Donna and Mark. We met with them and went to sit upstairs in the theater where there were more seats. Then it was a waiting game. You had to wait until your color tag and number were called and then you could make your way to the Tender. It was around 11:00am before we were called. Talk about a huge waste of time – just sitting in the theater waiting – my idea of a great vacation.Finally we were on the tender and we took the 15 minute boat ride from the ship to the dock. Then we were directed into a building into another line and then onto a bus for our excursion. We were told when we left the ship that the last Tender back to the ship was at 4:15pm and our excursion was suppose to last 6 hours. Luckily we booked the excursion through Carnival because the ship would have to wait for us to return.

Crystal Cave

Now for the excursion. We were on a bus that was supposed to be air conditioned but was pretty warm and it had a rough ride. We drove for an hour and a half on the Western Highway and reached our destination. We arrived at the Nohoch Cheen Entrance for the park. The bus parked and then we got off that bus and took another bus over a hill and then stopped again. Here we got a key for a locker to store our things during the excursions. First we did the cave tubing. We met our guide and he gave us life vests and hard hats with lights. Then we grabbed our tubes and our guide helped us get settled in the tubes in the water. We were hooked together two people side by side in a line of four. Our guide pulled us through the water around the caves. Here and there we had some sunlight poking in but mostly we used our head lamps. We also got out at one point and walked around the caves and saw some pottery shards from the Mayas. We also had a chance to swim in a part of the river before getting out of the water and turning in our tubes, life vests and head lamps.

Zip Lining

Next we went to get set up for the zip lining. We got our harnesses put on then got a hard hat and gloves. Next we walked up some steps to a demonstration area and got some instructions and safety warnings. Then we climbed more stairs to get to the first zip line. We went in this order Brent, Heather, Donna, Mark, Me and then Thomas. Donna and Heather seemed to be a pretty nervous. And I know Thomas and I were a little nervous but I was ready to give this a try. I couldn’t really see anyone else except for Mark in front of me and Thomas behind me. The first two lines we just sat back and held on to our strap as we traversed the line – we did not brake on the first two lines. I did pretty good on both of these except on the second one I started turning but ended up landing just fine. Well, landing isn’t really the right word. I was going pretty fast and they told us not to brake so I ended up hitting the guy on the platform that was catching us. I felt bad because with my weight and speed I hit him and we rammed into the pole that was in the center of the platform. I felt bad about that but then learned that everyone was doing that to him. I bet he is really sore after a day of this. After the second one I was feeling really good and was really enjoying myself. We had three more lines to go and on these we had to brake at the end. I was a little nervous because I didn’t want to brake too soon and end up not making it to the platform. But I worried for nothing I ended up doing just fine and was really wanting to do more. I loved the feeling of flying through the air. This was really one of my favorite things I have ever done and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Now that we were done with the zip line we returned our harnesses, hats and gloves and then picked up our things out of the lockers. We then went to an area where you could buy some food. They had rice and beans with chicken cooked in coconut milk at one station and they also had nachos at another station. It seemed the nachos were more popular than the rice and beans. They also had some wine you could taste. I think there was pineapple and cashew wine and I was told that they tasted horrible – I didn’t try any – I took a break from any alcohol today. There was also Belikan beer that some people were drinking and there were mixed reviews about it. We had about an hour to kill while we waited for some of the other people on our bus to finish their zip lining. There really wasn’t much to do so we sat and ate while waiting. We then loaded the bus and went back over the hill and then got on the bus that would take us back to the dock. It was another hour and a half ride to the dock and then it was straight on to the Tender and back to the ship. We were back on the ship at about 5:30pm. I had a terrific time with the cave tubing and zip lining but was really aggravated with Carnival for the way they handle the debarkation. I would have loved to have that two hours we sat in the theater to explore Belize City a little.

This had been a long day and Thomas and I were really tired. We returned to our cabin and put our things down then decided to go to the buffet for dinner instead of waiting for dinner in the restaurant at 8:15pm. So as we ate and relaxed we realized we were more tired that we thought. So we finished our meal and returned to the cabin and take showers. We watched the movie Hop on tv and then read a little before calling it a night at around 9:00pm. Tomorrow we are in Cozumel and after the fiasco of debarkation today Thomas and I decided to just do our own thing. We don’t dock until 8:00am and we have until 3:30pm to explore Cozumel.

Towel Stingray