- All foreign tourists receiving a permit for the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) through SnowLion Tours and our Lhasa partners must read and agree to the clauses provided in this agreement before applying for a permit.We cannot process permits for diplomats, press agents, Tibetan expatriates, or individuals involved in Free Tibet organizations or activities.
- Travelers to Tibet cannot apply for the Travel Permit or other necessary documents by themselves. Only Travel Agencies in Tibet (TAR) can apply for and handle these permits and documents.
- Individual travel outside of Lhasa is an illegal activity. All travelers outside of Lhasa must be part of a guided tour from a government approved agency.
- The TAR is NOT a fully open area. There are some places that are closed to travelers. Check with the travel agency in Lhasa for the current policies in the areas to which you wish to travel. They will help you to legally enter the areas you desire, if possible.
- Train tickets in the summer are very difficult to get and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to get your tickets. We will do everything we can, but sometimes we are unable to get the tickets for your preferred date of departure.
- All foreign tourists in Tibet (TAR) must follow all local laws and regulations. Do not participate in any activity that would disrupt the peace and prosperity of Tibet or do anything that would destroy the Tibetan way of life or their cultural heritage. You will take full responsibility in accordance with Chinese law for any illegal actions you participate in.
- Understand that any illegal activities will also bring repercussions on the local agencies through which you have obtained your permits. Please consider how your actions affect not just yourself, but also the local Tibetan community!
- We are not responsible for policy changes. We do everything possible to operate the trip as planned, but policies regarding foreign travel to Tibet may change at any time. We are not responsible for the cost of cancellation, change, or delay due to policy changes.
- By booking with SnowLion Tours, the purchaser acknowledges that travel in Tibetan regions is remote and unpredictable. Given that these conditions are inherent to travel in the region, SnowLion Tours is not responsible for travel disruption, safety, injury incurred during transportation, or healthcare emergencies. We recommend that you apply for travel insurance in your home country before traveling in Tibet.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Travel Permit for the Tibet Autonomous Region
We're planning a trip to Tibet in June. Here's an excerpt from the travel permit we must sign to keep the Chinese government happy. My favorite part is that I'm not allowed to "disrupt the peace and prosperity of Tibet."
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
An Interesting Taxi Ride in Cairo
My family went to the sound & light show at the Giza pyramids, which was a rather cheesy but somewhat interesting tourist trap – but that’s not the subject of this post. After the show, we exited through the gate and were immediately approached by a man who asked “Taxi?” We had indeed planned on taking a taxi back to the hotel, and we knew how much the taxi ride should cost, so Amy replied by telling him where we wanted to go and that we would pay 40 Egyptian pounds (about $8). He agreed to the price, which Amy confirmed the price once again, adding “No baksheesh!” (baksheesh is the tips and small “bribes” that are all too common.) “Ok, no baksheesh.”
He now led us past the parking lot packed with huge tour buses to a dark side street where we found an ancient Fiat waiting for us. It looked almost as old as the pyramids, and in much worse condition. He opened the back door first, then reached forward to open the front passenger door from the inside – presumably the outside handle was broken. Turning the key in the ignition resulted only in silence. “No problem!” he exclaimed, and then he push started the car. He pulsed his headlights on but then turned them off again. Inexplicably, many people here drive at night without headlights.
A few minutes later, we found ourselves wandering down narrow, dark, dirt alleyways, barely wide enough for the ancient fiat and a passing horse cart. At this point I noticed that the odor of exhaust, one that I thought might pass shortly after the car started, still persists. To my relief we reached the main road, and shortly afterward, the elevated expressway. Cars and buses were flying by us as the little car struggled to accelerate – still with no headlights on. We reached the Fiat’s terminal velocity – approximately 60 km/hr (38 MPH) – 5 minutes later, about the same time we reach our exit. After several more miles on city streets, we safely reached our hotel. Miraculous! I felt like I had done my good deed for the day; this guy needed the $8 much more than I did.
He now led us past the parking lot packed with huge tour buses to a dark side street where we found an ancient Fiat waiting for us. It looked almost as old as the pyramids, and in much worse condition. He opened the back door first, then reached forward to open the front passenger door from the inside – presumably the outside handle was broken. Turning the key in the ignition resulted only in silence. “No problem!” he exclaimed, and then he push started the car. He pulsed his headlights on but then turned them off again. Inexplicably, many people here drive at night without headlights.
A few minutes later, we found ourselves wandering down narrow, dark, dirt alleyways, barely wide enough for the ancient fiat and a passing horse cart. At this point I noticed that the odor of exhaust, one that I thought might pass shortly after the car started, still persists. To my relief we reached the main road, and shortly afterward, the elevated expressway. Cars and buses were flying by us as the little car struggled to accelerate – still with no headlights on. We reached the Fiat’s terminal velocity – approximately 60 km/hr (38 MPH) – 5 minutes later, about the same time we reach our exit. After several more miles on city streets, we safely reached our hotel. Miraculous! I felt like I had done my good deed for the day; this guy needed the $8 much more than I did.
Egyptian hustlers and touts
As a tourist in Egypt, be prepared: anytime you leave the pampered confines of your five-star hotel, five-star cruise ship, or air-conditioned tour bus, you will be hassled and hustled by anyone and everyone who has any kind of product or service to sell. My friend David Schutt warned me that any time any Egyptian talks to you for any reason, they're trying to get your money. I thought he was exaggerating but now I realize my naive optimism. On our first full day in Cairo, while walking with the family toward the Egyptian museum, we were approached by a seemingly friendly and harmless looking local. I don't know his name, but I'll call him "Ahmed". The conversation went something like this.
Ahmed: "Where are you from?"
Me: "America."
Ahmed: "Ahh, I was just in Hawaii. My son lives there."
Could be true, I think to myself. He speaks English well.
Ahmed: "Are you going to the museum? Well, it's not open til noon, but let me show you how to get there. Here, come with me. Don't worry, I'm not trying to sell you anything, I'm a doctor."
Now my BS detector is flashing red. "It's ok, we know how to get there, but thanks anyway."
Ahmed: "Since the museum is closed, I know a place where you can see how papyrus is made."
After I said no about eight times and three different ways, he finally gave up.
Here's an example that shows just how hard the touts will work. My family was sitting in a taxi driving down a busy street toward Giza and the Sphinx, when a man runs up to the moving taxi and starts a conversation with the driver in Arabic - all while the taxi is still moving. He then runs ahead and around the corner, while the taxi follows and eventually slows. "Excuse me madam," the running man says to Amy who is in the front passenger seat.
"No!" is Amy's immediate response. At this point, we're battle scarred from more than a week of fighting off husslers.
"But," he starts again.
"No!" Amy insists yet again.
"Please, just let me say a few words. Then you can tell me yes or no."
This time Amy graciously lets him speak. "Would you like to ride horses or camels past the pyramids at sunset? I can give you a very good price."
Amy replies, "No, no thank you."
With a dejected look, the man responds, "Ok, thank you madam," and our driver resumed the ride toward the fabled Sphinx.
Another friend of mine, Ian Jones, who is a seasoned world traveler, told us that while in India and Morocco, he dealt with the touts by yelling angrily at them before they even had a chance to speak. You may find this tactic bit extreme, but after you’ve been here for a few weeks, I bet you’d change your opinion.
With 80 million people, most of them poor, and a terrible economy with high inflation, I sympathize with Egyptian and respect how hard they have to work to make a living. Terrorist attacks in years past have been devastating to the economy and even more so to the millions here who directly depend on tourism for income. The constant hassling can be a huge frustration and emotional drain. To keep your sanity, you have to prepare yourself mentally before each excursion from the hotel – and plan a sufficient number of respites from the hassle back in your overpriced tourist accommodations.
Ahmed: "Where are you from?"
Me: "America."
Ahmed: "Ahh, I was just in Hawaii. My son lives there."
Could be true, I think to myself. He speaks English well.
Ahmed: "Are you going to the museum? Well, it's not open til noon, but let me show you how to get there. Here, come with me. Don't worry, I'm not trying to sell you anything, I'm a doctor."
Now my BS detector is flashing red. "It's ok, we know how to get there, but thanks anyway."
Ahmed: "Since the museum is closed, I know a place where you can see how papyrus is made."
After I said no about eight times and three different ways, he finally gave up.
Here's an example that shows just how hard the touts will work. My family was sitting in a taxi driving down a busy street toward Giza and the Sphinx, when a man runs up to the moving taxi and starts a conversation with the driver in Arabic - all while the taxi is still moving. He then runs ahead and around the corner, while the taxi follows and eventually slows. "Excuse me madam," the running man says to Amy who is in the front passenger seat.
"No!" is Amy's immediate response. At this point, we're battle scarred from more than a week of fighting off husslers.
"But," he starts again.
"No!" Amy insists yet again.
"Please, just let me say a few words. Then you can tell me yes or no."
This time Amy graciously lets him speak. "Would you like to ride horses or camels past the pyramids at sunset? I can give you a very good price."
Amy replies, "No, no thank you."
With a dejected look, the man responds, "Ok, thank you madam," and our driver resumed the ride toward the fabled Sphinx.
Another friend of mine, Ian Jones, who is a seasoned world traveler, told us that while in India and Morocco, he dealt with the touts by yelling angrily at them before they even had a chance to speak. You may find this tactic bit extreme, but after you’ve been here for a few weeks, I bet you’d change your opinion.
With 80 million people, most of them poor, and a terrible economy with high inflation, I sympathize with Egyptian and respect how hard they have to work to make a living. Terrorist attacks in years past have been devastating to the economy and even more so to the millions here who directly depend on tourism for income. The constant hassling can be a huge frustration and emotional drain. To keep your sanity, you have to prepare yourself mentally before each excursion from the hotel – and plan a sufficient number of respites from the hassle back in your overpriced tourist accommodations.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Carnival in Patra, Greece
Last weekend Patra hosted it's famous Carnival celebration which, after Rio's Carnival and Mardi Gras in New Orleans is supposedly the world's third largest Carnival. It's a chance to indulge before the sacrifices of Lent take hold. They do throw a big party! Thankfully we had a break in the rain Saturday night so we didn't get soaked. We've had rain almost every day since I arrived three weeks earlier.
The manager of my client's Patra office, Dionyssis Kantas, arranged for us to join one of the groups that marches through the streets of Patra in costume for Saturday night's parade. This involves wearing custom-made costume; our was called "Every Which Way". Hundreds of groups, some with over a thousand people and each with it's own distinct and elaborate costume, marches through the city with music blaring and revelers watching, blowing whistles, drinking wine, and throwing confetti.
After the parade Dionyssis invited us to his flat in Patra where we sampled his homemade wine while waiting for after-parade party to begin at a bar called the Beer Society. Apparently it's called by it's English name even by the Greeks. It started at 11:30 pm. That's right - it started - at 11:30. It was fun, and several of my colleagues joined us there. Amy and I ducked out around 2:30 am to avoid turning into pumpkins, but Dionyssis partied til 5 am. I'm too old for that, I'm afraid.
On another parade on Sunday afternoon includes floats, many of them overtly political satires, although the political humor was lost on us. We brought the kids for this parade and joined our friend Dawn Lawrence and her three boys to watch. On Sunday the adults skipped the costumes but Dionyssis generously loaned the kids costumes for the day, which made it much more fun for them.
Sunday's parade lasts all afternoon and past dark, and the Carnival festivities end with fireworks and the burning of the "king of the carnival" on a barge in the bay. The King is a large paper mache' bust of a king figure. The rain was steady most of the evening -- so much that the King refused to burn properly, and kind of fizzled out. We watched the rainy climax from the comfort of our apartment rather than joining the thousands of drunk revelers under their umbrellas.
Fortunately Monday is a National Holiday - Ash Monday - so everyone can sleep off their hangovers. It's a tradition to fly kites and eat salt bread and a special kind of cake.
The manager of my client's Patra office, Dionyssis Kantas, arranged for us to join one of the groups that marches through the streets of Patra in costume for Saturday night's parade. This involves wearing custom-made costume; our was called "Every Which Way". Hundreds of groups, some with over a thousand people and each with it's own distinct and elaborate costume, marches through the city with music blaring and revelers watching, blowing whistles, drinking wine, and throwing confetti.
After the parade Dionyssis invited us to his flat in Patra where we sampled his homemade wine while waiting for after-parade party to begin at a bar called the Beer Society. Apparently it's called by it's English name even by the Greeks. It started at 11:30 pm. That's right - it started - at 11:30. It was fun, and several of my colleagues joined us there. Amy and I ducked out around 2:30 am to avoid turning into pumpkins, but Dionyssis partied til 5 am. I'm too old for that, I'm afraid.
On another parade on Sunday afternoon includes floats, many of them overtly political satires, although the political humor was lost on us. We brought the kids for this parade and joined our friend Dawn Lawrence and her three boys to watch. On Sunday the adults skipped the costumes but Dionyssis generously loaned the kids costumes for the day, which made it much more fun for them.
Sunday's parade lasts all afternoon and past dark, and the Carnival festivities end with fireworks and the burning of the "king of the carnival" on a barge in the bay. The King is a large paper mache' bust of a king figure. The rain was steady most of the evening -- so much that the King refused to burn properly, and kind of fizzled out. We watched the rainy climax from the comfort of our apartment rather than joining the thousands of drunk revelers under their umbrellas.
Fortunately Monday is a National Holiday - Ash Monday - so everyone can sleep off their hangovers. It's a tradition to fly kites and eat salt bread and a special kind of cake.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Monastery of Mega Spileou
Last weekend I visited the Monastery of Mega Spileou (Great Cave) in the mountains southeast of Patras with my colleague Bob Sarni and his wife Kari. The whole place is being remodeled but a very old chapel is intact with faded frescoes on the ceiling and an icon of the Virgin Mary supposedly created by St. Luke. The setting is spectacular, and the drive into the mountains is scenic, passing olive orchards, vineyards and small hillside villages.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Egio, Greece
Along with Bob and Kari Sarni and the Lawrence family, I spent some time on Saturday morning in the small port city of Egio, Greece (sometimes spelled Aigio) while waiting for a ferry to take us across the Gulf of Corinth en route to Delphi.
The Greeks seem to be fond of building churches into cliff faces, and I took some photos of one such church in Egio.
The Greeks seem to be fond of building churches into cliff faces, and I took some photos of one such church in Egio.
Greece - Chapter One
I landed at the Athens airport on January 24 along with five of my colleagues and some of their family members, and proceeded to drive our convoy of three rented Ford Focus cars westward for two and half hours to the seaside village of Longos (sometimes spelled Logos or Loggos). Thankfully, National rent-a-car upgraded us all to a larger class of car, or the eleven of us and our luggage wouldn't have fit. In Greece, a Ford Focus is pretty spacious.
Longos is a sleepy village, especially in winter. It consists of an orthodox church, two tavernas, a few mini markets, and a bar, plus a smattering of nearby vacation homes (all vacant this time of year) and mostly shuttered hotels. We're staying at the Harmony Hotel Apartments, a nice place - recently constructed - about 150 meters from the beach. They filled the pool for us, but water temperature is still shockingly cold.
The village looks a bit run down, with many half-built and shabby buildings, plenty of graffiti and litter - I would say it's nice from far, but far from nice. The place does manage to retain a bit of charm, though. Kari Sarni and Dawn Lawrence, who are wives of my colleagues, have made friends with the local baker and butcher (but no candlestick maker that we've found yet), demostrating the Greek's well-founded reputation for hospitality.
Greece is suprisingly mountainous, and the mountain ranges rise up straight from the Mediterranean coast, so their elevation is quite impressive. Mt. Hermos, about 30 km away and home of Kalavrita ski area, rises to 2340 meters (7800 feet). Yes, there is snow in Greece. A fair amount of it recently. We've had rain on the coast all but two of the twelve days I've been here so far, which translates to snow above about 1000 meters. At our apartment on the coast, I've had to scrape ice off the windshield twice this week.
Our first night our hotel host introduced us all to the best of the villages' two tavernas, a tongue-twisting place called Metexetasteoi (using the closest Latin equivalent of the Greek letters). The taverna's chef (and I presume owner) is a flamboyant fellow named Evangelis. We asked him to bring us an assortment of appetizers and main courses. We quickly learned that Greek tavernas are very generous with their servings, and we stuffed ourselves silly with food and wine, but not before starting the evening with a round of honey-sweetened warm Ouzo, which is surprisingly tasty.
Driving in Greece is a contact sport, and the pesky traffic laws are merely mild suggestions. The shoulder on the main highway - two lanes only - has been adapted to serve as an extra lane in each direction. Passing on blind curves is expected. If you're driving any less than double the speed limit you'll likely find someone riding your bumper - until they pass you on a blind curve and play chicken with oncoming traffic.
This week a bunch of Greek farmers decided to protest government plans to reduce or eliminate farm subsidies by blocking the main freeway out of Patras, where we work, which bumped our evening commute from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. It seems the Greek police couldn't control the situation so it went on for three days. Thankfully all is back to normal now. It seems the Greeks may have fudged the numbers a bit to join the EU and it turns out their public debt exceeds EU limits so now the government is proposing a variety of austerity measures. The silver lining for American visitors is that the turmoil is strengthening the dollar against the Euro - even if only slightly.
I have just six weeks to go in my temporary Greek home. I'll try to make the most of it.
Longos is a sleepy village, especially in winter. It consists of an orthodox church, two tavernas, a few mini markets, and a bar, plus a smattering of nearby vacation homes (all vacant this time of year) and mostly shuttered hotels. We're staying at the Harmony Hotel Apartments, a nice place - recently constructed - about 150 meters from the beach. They filled the pool for us, but water temperature is still shockingly cold.
Brad with Kieran (my colleague's son)
The village looks a bit run down, with many half-built and shabby buildings, plenty of graffiti and litter - I would say it's nice from far, but far from nice. The place does manage to retain a bit of charm, though. Kari Sarni and Dawn Lawrence, who are wives of my colleagues, have made friends with the local baker and butcher (but no candlestick maker that we've found yet), demostrating the Greek's well-founded reputation for hospitality.
An odd fisherman's cottage with a tree growing through the roof
Greece is suprisingly mountainous, and the mountain ranges rise up straight from the Mediterranean coast, so their elevation is quite impressive. Mt. Hermos, about 30 km away and home of Kalavrita ski area, rises to 2340 meters (7800 feet). Yes, there is snow in Greece. A fair amount of it recently. We've had rain on the coast all but two of the twelve days I've been here so far, which translates to snow above about 1000 meters. At our apartment on the coast, I've had to scrape ice off the windshield twice this week.
Our first night our hotel host introduced us all to the best of the villages' two tavernas, a tongue-twisting place called Metexetasteoi (using the closest Latin equivalent of the Greek letters). The taverna's chef (and I presume owner) is a flamboyant fellow named Evangelis. We asked him to bring us an assortment of appetizers and main courses. We quickly learned that Greek tavernas are very generous with their servings, and we stuffed ourselves silly with food and wine, but not before starting the evening with a round of honey-sweetened warm Ouzo, which is surprisingly tasty.
The Metexetasteoi taverna in Longos
Driving in Greece is a contact sport, and the pesky traffic laws are merely mild suggestions. The shoulder on the main highway - two lanes only - has been adapted to serve as an extra lane in each direction. Passing on blind curves is expected. If you're driving any less than double the speed limit you'll likely find someone riding your bumper - until they pass you on a blind curve and play chicken with oncoming traffic.
This week a bunch of Greek farmers decided to protest government plans to reduce or eliminate farm subsidies by blocking the main freeway out of Patras, where we work, which bumped our evening commute from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. It seems the Greek police couldn't control the situation so it went on for three days. Thankfully all is back to normal now. It seems the Greeks may have fudged the numbers a bit to join the EU and it turns out their public debt exceeds EU limits so now the government is proposing a variety of austerity measures. The silver lining for American visitors is that the turmoil is strengthening the dollar against the Euro - even if only slightly.
I have just six weeks to go in my temporary Greek home. I'll try to make the most of it.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Four freezing days in Berlin
I'm startgin a contract with the German company Agile42, who is consulting with a telecommunications company to help them transition to agile software development methods. Agile42 has recruited a fantastic team of nine consultants to coach the client over a four-month period. The nine of us met for the first time in Berlin last week to prepare.
I arrived on Wednesday afternoon in a cold and snow-blanketed Berlin. Everyone tells us it's been unusally cold here for the past weeks - maybe the coldest in decades. Our gracious hosts, Marion Eickmann and Andrea Tomasini, invited us for Prosecco (which I had to look up - it's the Italian version of Champagne) at their flat, just a few blocks from the hotel. The 'Prosecco' turned into quite an ample feast, starting with Prosecco, of course, plus a delicious sampling of appetizers. Soon the wine and beer was flowing and a variety of hot pizzas arrived from nearby Al Vecchio Trattoria - also delicious. Marion, who is a generous as she is gregarious, soon brought out bottles of Scotch and Grappa, which I unwisely decided to sample on top of the wine and prosecco I'd had.
Hungover and jet-lagged is not a good combination. I learned this lesson first thing Thursday morning, when our team got down to business, but I made it through day. The sun made a brief appearance in the morning, but the mercury never climbed above 20 F, and we collected a dusting of snow on our jackets walking back from lunch. Per our request, Marion arranged a German meal for us all on Thursday evening - Wienerschnitzel with potato salad. Sehr gut!
Friday was another work day and another day below freezing, with the typical depressing overcast skies. The festivities continued Friday evening with an Italian feast for the whole team, spouses and families. Our camped out at the Al Vecchio Trattoria for almost five hours of food, drink, and great company.
Saturday was a brutally cold sightseeing day, with daytime temperatures around -11 C (about 15 F). Our first stop was Potsdammer Platz, a former checkpoint on the wall which has been completely razed and rebuilt, now home of the Sony center - shops, cinema, restaurants. We didn't linger outside long due to the cold so we soon enjoyed a great German meal - and of course beer - at a local Hofbrauhaus (brewery). As the sun was setting we took the subway to the Brandenburg gate, and walked along one of the few sections of the wall that is still standing. After the wall fell in 1989, the east side was completely covered in artwork -- first rough graffiti and later much finer paintings -- which have since been restored and made into a sort of outdoor museum.
We also passed by an anarchists march - about 100 anarchists marching to protest police repression. Ironically, they were being escorted by probably 300 German police in dozens of police vans. Just as frostbite began to set in, we arrived back at Marion's flat in east Berlin where she prepared us a home-cooked German meal - this time a tasty potato dish called 'green sauce'.
I must say 'vielen dank' to Marion and Andrea for their exceptional hospitality toward us all!
I arrived on Wednesday afternoon in a cold and snow-blanketed Berlin. Everyone tells us it's been unusally cold here for the past weeks - maybe the coldest in decades. Our gracious hosts, Marion Eickmann and Andrea Tomasini, invited us for Prosecco (which I had to look up - it's the Italian version of Champagne) at their flat, just a few blocks from the hotel. The 'Prosecco' turned into quite an ample feast, starting with Prosecco, of course, plus a delicious sampling of appetizers. Soon the wine and beer was flowing and a variety of hot pizzas arrived from nearby Al Vecchio Trattoria - also delicious. Marion, who is a generous as she is gregarious, soon brought out bottles of Scotch and Grappa, which I unwisely decided to sample on top of the wine and prosecco I'd had.
Hungover and jet-lagged is not a good combination. I learned this lesson first thing Thursday morning, when our team got down to business, but I made it through day. The sun made a brief appearance in the morning, but the mercury never climbed above 20 F, and we collected a dusting of snow on our jackets walking back from lunch. Per our request, Marion arranged a German meal for us all on Thursday evening - Wienerschnitzel with potato salad. Sehr gut!
Friday was another work day and another day below freezing, with the typical depressing overcast skies. The festivities continued Friday evening with an Italian feast for the whole team, spouses and families. Our camped out at the Al Vecchio Trattoria for almost five hours of food, drink, and great company.
Saturday was a brutally cold sightseeing day, with daytime temperatures around -11 C (about 15 F). Our first stop was Potsdammer Platz, a former checkpoint on the wall which has been completely razed and rebuilt, now home of the Sony center - shops, cinema, restaurants. We didn't linger outside long due to the cold so we soon enjoyed a great German meal - and of course beer - at a local Hofbrauhaus (brewery). As the sun was setting we took the subway to the Brandenburg gate, and walked along one of the few sections of the wall that is still standing. After the wall fell in 1989, the east side was completely covered in artwork -- first rough graffiti and later much finer paintings -- which have since been restored and made into a sort of outdoor museum.
We also passed by an anarchists march - about 100 anarchists marching to protest police repression. Ironically, they were being escorted by probably 300 German police in dozens of police vans. Just as frostbite began to set in, we arrived back at Marion's flat in east Berlin where she prepared us a home-cooked German meal - this time a tasty potato dish called 'green sauce'.
I must say 'vielen dank' to Marion and Andrea for their exceptional hospitality toward us all!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Off to Greece via Berlin
I'm at Denver International Airport right now waiting to board a flight to Berlin. About a month ago I signed up for a contract to work with a European telecom company, training and coaching them on agile software development. The company Agile42, based in Berlin, is leading the project and they subcontracted much of the work to independent consultants such as myself. Besides getting over the jet lag, I'll spend Thursday and Friday preparing with the team of consultants at Agile42's office in Berlin. On Sunday, we all fly to Athens, and then from there it's a few hours' ride West to the city of Patra, on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. On Monday, the two-month first phase starts. Yep, I'll be living in Patra for 2 months. Amy and the kids will be joining me on February 10, but not until they've enjoyed a week-long vacation in Cozumel - a vacation that I had to cancel when I snagged this gig.
But wait, there's more! After two months in Greece, we have two weeks off. We're planning to do some traveling, and we're leaning toward Egypt since it's a short flight from Greece. I'd also like to see some of the Greek islands if we have time. Anyone have suggestions on sights to see in the region?
After our two-week tour, we all fly to Shanghai, where I'll start phase 2 of the contract - another two months. I'm looking forward to the adventure!
But wait, there's more! After two months in Greece, we have two weeks off. We're planning to do some traveling, and we're leaning toward Egypt since it's a short flight from Greece. I'd also like to see some of the Greek islands if we have time. Anyone have suggestions on sights to see in the region?
After our two-week tour, we all fly to Shanghai, where I'll start phase 2 of the contract - another two months. I'm looking forward to the adventure!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Andrew's first double diamond
Amy and I went skiing with the kids on Sunday at Beaver Creek where we met my college buddy Michael Acosta and his kids for a great day of skiing. Michael and I took Andrew and Michael's son Alex on Golden Eagle - a double black run that was the course for the 1999 World Championship downhill race. It's steep. Really steep. But the boys did awesome! Andrew made great turns - without poles - to control his speed.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Not quite 'Rain Man', but impressive
At dinner tonight, I was explaining how I did some code complexity analysis today and found a class with a complexity number of 39 versus the project average of 1.8. Serious nerd talk, sure, but that's not the point of this here post. Somehow this nerd talk led to the question "what is 39 divided by 6?" I asked Andrew, age 6, if he could figure it out. Here's a play-by-play.
Brad: So what is 39 divided by 6? can you figure it out?
Andrew: Hmmm. (pause...some mumbling) "36...What's 39 divided by 3" (a brief pause) "13...so what is half of 13...there is no half of 13!"
Brad: "There is a half of 13, it's just a number and a half."
Andrew: "Hmm... (brief pause) 6....six and a half."
Brad: "So what is 39 divided by 6?"
Andrew: "Six and a half."
Brad: "Awesome, buddy! How did you learn how to do that? Did someone teach you?"
Andrew: "No, I just figured it out by myself."
Brad: So what is 39 divided by 6? can you figure it out?
Andrew: Hmmm. (pause...some mumbling) "36...What's 39 divided by 3" (a brief pause) "13...so what is half of 13...there is no half of 13!"
Brad: "There is a half of 13, it's just a number and a half."
Andrew: "Hmm... (brief pause) 6....six and a half."
Brad: "So what is 39 divided by 6?"
Andrew: "Six and a half."
Brad: "Awesome, buddy! How did you learn how to do that? Did someone teach you?"
Andrew: "No, I just figured it out by myself."
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Fancy jack-o-lanterns for little tykes
We got some fancy-schmancy patterns for jack-o-lanterns and put the kids (and ourselves) to work for a few hours last weekend carving. The pumpkins were courtesy of my dad, Dean; his pumpkin plant was thrashed to shreds in a July hailstorm the broke windows and destroyed the roof, but somehow it make a comeback and produced two huge pumpkins by October. One of them weighed about 45 pounds! Unfortunately they were still green, but they worked! Andrew carved the spider, mostly by himself, and Elizabeth worked on the skeleton with daddy. Mommy gutted the pumpkins.
Halloween snowman
Andrew and I took advantage of an absolutely gorgeous Saturday with warm weather and lots of packable snow on the ground to build a big ol' snowman in the backyard. I feel like a little kid again when I'm playing in the snow!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
5:04:25 on Pikes Peak
Today was the big day. My goal was to finish the Pikes Peak Marathon in 5 hours, 10 minutes, and I beat my goal by about 4 and a half minutes. The weather was great, in contrast with last year's cold, rain, snow and lightning.
By the numbers:
The injury report:
How does one sprain a thumb in a marathon you might ask? Well, the race goes up the single-track Barr trail, not the road as many people assume. The trail averages 11% grade with rocks, roots and steps, so running downhill on this terrain can be treacherous, especially when you're severely fatigued. I tripped going down some steps and landed on my left hand, spraining my thumb. I stumbled several other times on the downhill run.
My pre-race routine consisted of eating half a banana, one energy quark (fantastic energy food from Nutropolis), one Clif shot, and one Power gel, plus getting a 3-minute warm-up run just prior to race start.
It was a great experience and a proud accomplishment, but now I'm looking forward to a few days of R & R!
By the numbers:
- Finish time: 5 hours, 4 minutes, 25 seconds
- Overall place: 42nd out of 711 people
- Place in age group (M 35-39): 8th out of 97
- Ascent time: 3:12:17
- Average pace: 11:37 per mile
- Elevation gain: 7,815 ft
- Elevation change: 15,630 ft
- Elevation at the summit: 14,115 ft
The injury report:
- sprained left thumb
- scraped hand, knee and ankle
- stubbed toe
How does one sprain a thumb in a marathon you might ask? Well, the race goes up the single-track Barr trail, not the road as many people assume. The trail averages 11% grade with rocks, roots and steps, so running downhill on this terrain can be treacherous, especially when you're severely fatigued. I tripped going down some steps and landed on my left hand, spraining my thumb. I stumbled several other times on the downhill run.
My pre-race routine consisted of eating half a banana, one energy quark (fantastic energy food from Nutropolis), one Clif shot, and one Power gel, plus getting a 3-minute warm-up run just prior to race start.
It was a great experience and a proud accomplishment, but now I'm looking forward to a few days of R & R!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Training for the Pikes Peak Marathon
For the past two years I ran in the Pikes Peak Ascent, and this year I decided to up the ante and race twice as far in the full Pikes Peak Marathon, which is 26.2 miles from Manitou Springs to the 14,115 foot summit of Pikes and back down again, with an elevation change of 7,815 vertical feet each direction. I've been logging about 40 miles of running per week plus a few hours of biking, and I think I'm ready. This weekend will be my last long training run before the race on August 16. I've turned the race into a fundraiser again this year. I'm raising money to help treat kids around the world with club foot deformity. I hope to raise $1000 for the Ponseti International Association for the Advancement of Clubfoot Treatment. Dr. Ponseti is an amazing 94-year-old doctor who pioneered the non-surgical technique and is still practicing medicine today. You can donate to the case at this link.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Torrey's Peak: Kelso ridge route
My college friend Chris Alonso called me a few days ago, said he is in town for a few days and invited me to climb the Kelso ridge on Torrey's Peak (14,236 ft) today. Kelso is the northeast ridge and it's a class 3 scramble. Chris' friend and climbing buddy, whose name is also Brad, joined us and we hit the road at 4:45 am this morning. On the dirt road approaching the trailhead, we encountered a Chevy Suburan with Texas plates, stopped in the road, its occupants out scratching their heads. "End of the road," they said to us when we rolled down our window, and pointed ahead to a washed out, rutted section of the road. "It's not that bad," Chris said, as he drove forward in his Subaru. Though it took some manuvering, we got past the ruts and up to the trailhead.
This is the first class 3 summit climb I've done, and it was fun. We got off route at one point and chose steep but short class 4 way to get back on track. That got the adrenaline going a bit. The crux of the route is just a few hundred feet below the summit, a knife edge with a fair amount of exposure on either side. Not enough exposure that a slip would mean certain death, but enough to get the adrenaline going again. We reached the summit in less than 3 hours. Not bad.
For the descent, I jogged down the standard route to get some downhill training in. We didn't see the Chevy Suburban in the trailhead lot, so I suspect they never made it. Too bad!
This is the first class 3 summit climb I've done, and it was fun. We got off route at one point and chose steep but short class 4 way to get back on track. That got the adrenaline going a bit. The crux of the route is just a few hundred feet below the summit, a knife edge with a fair amount of exposure on either side. Not enough exposure that a slip would mean certain death, but enough to get the adrenaline going again. We reached the summit in less than 3 hours. Not bad.
For the descent, I jogged down the standard route to get some downhill training in. We didn't see the Chevy Suburban in the trailhead lot, so I suspect they never made it. Too bad!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Peak bagging
I bagged my sixteenth Colorado fourteener (14,000+ foot mountain) today with my brother Erik, speed-hiking La Plata peak (14,336 ft). We made it up 4100 vertical feet and about 5 miles in just under 2 hours (1:54 to be precise). We also did a fast hike up Mt. Massive on June 26.
Erik and Brad on La Plata Peak
An arm's length cell phone photo from the summit of Mt. Massive
here's the complete list of 14'ers I've bagged.
Erik and Brad on La Plata Peak
An arm's length cell phone photo from the summit of Mt. Massivehere's the complete list of 14'ers I've bagged.
- La Plata
- Massive
- Mt. Evans (3 years of the Mt. Evans Ascent race)
- Pikes Peak (2 years in the Pikes Peak Ascent race)
- Bierstadt (in December)
- Longs Peak
- Torrey's
- Grey's
- Sherman
- Huron
- Elbert (tallest in Colorado)
- Quandry
- Harvard
- Princeton
- Sneffels
- Mt. Holy Cross
The perils of running downhill
You might think running downhill would be the easy part of trail running. You'd be half right. Easier for your heart & lungs, but harder on everything else. And there's always the risk of twisted ankles and trail rash. Two weeks ago I was running downhill on Dakota Ridge, tripped on a rock and instantly hit the ground. My right hand and shoulder bore the brunt of the fall. As painful as the initial scrapes were, scrubbing the dirt out was even worse.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Yellowstone vacation
Our big "summer" vacation for 2009 was a trip to Yellowstone from June 5-12. I write "summer" in quotes for reasons that we become apparent when see some of our photos below. Amy's parents Ron and Dena joined us and brought their pop-up camper, which was a nice ammenity, especially with the kids. We broke up the long drive north with a Friday night stay at Sinks Canyon State Park near Lander, Wyoming. The "sink" refers to a spot where the Popo Agie (pronounced popo zhia), a substantial river, disappears underground and comes up again a quarter mile downstread after meandering through caverns for 2 hours.
Amy and Elizabeth at the sink
The family on a hanging bridge over the Popo Agie river
Andrew with sparklers at our Sinks Canyon camp site
Summer in Yellowstone! We arrived in the park on Saturday and set up camp at the muddy, treeless Bridge Bay campground. We had a white surprise on Sunday morning and spent the day seeing the sights in the Yellowstone valley.
Snowy Sunday morning at the Bridge Bay campground.
Snow covered bison
Brad & Elizabeth watching the bison
Elizabeth hiking with an umbrella in the snow
Steaming mud pot
Bison shedding winter coat
Bison close up
Andrew overlooking the upper falls of the Yellowstone river
Family at the lower falls of the Yellowstone
Lower falls vista
Brad at the brink of the lower falls
Bison Calving season
Ron, Dena, Amy & Andrew at the Firehole falls
Paint Pot at the lower geyser basin
Amy & the kids at a steaming pool in the middle geyser basin
Andrew watches the White Mound geyser
Elizabeth and the steam of Steady Geyser
Andrew & Elizabeth in Granddad's camper
Andrew & the Madison river valley near our 2nd camp site
Andrew watching Old Faithful
Brad and the kids watching the Sawmill geyser
A colorful hot spring
Amy & the kids at the Daisy geyser
Bowl shapedcauldron
Andrew roasting marshmallows at the Madison campground
On Wednesday Ron and I went fishing on the Gibbon river, Obsidian creek, and the Gardner river. We caught fish on each, and kept some Rainbow trout which we ate for breakfast the next day. Amy, Dena and the kids split off and went to see Mammoth hot springs, stopping to watch a bear (a grizzly?) along the way.
Dena & the kids at the upper terrace of Mammoth hot springs
The bear. A grizzly?
Ghostly trees at Mammoth's upper terrace
Mammoth hot springs wasteland
Andrew at the Mammoth terraces
Andrew, Liz, Brad and Ron on the canoe in Lake Hebgen
Elizabeth's first fish
Andrew's third fish
Elizabeth & Granddad fishing
Thursday evening after a restaurant meal in West Yellowstone, Ron and Dena took the kids and Amy and I took advantage of the northern latitudes' late sunlight, and the lack of kids, to go for a 6-mile hike to Fairy Falls and the Imperial Geyser. One advantage of the late day hike is that we had both sites all to ourselves. Priceless!
Amy at Fairy Falls
Brad hikes past a bison hiking near fairy falls
Amy hikes past the steaming creek flowing from the Imperial geyser
The Imperial Geyser
The Grand Prismatic Spring
Middle geyser basin at sunset
Andrew and Grandma Dena at Sinks canyon near Lander, Wyoming
Amy and Elizabeth at the sink
The family on a hanging bridge over the Popo Agie riverAndrew with sparklers at our Sinks Canyon camp siteOn Saturday we drove the rest of the way with a fuel stop in beautiful Dubois, Wyoming - home of the giant jackalope! Pure Americana kitsch.
Summer in Yellowstone! We arrived in the park on Saturday and set up camp at the muddy, treeless Bridge Bay campground. We had a white surprise on Sunday morning and spent the day seeing the sights in the Yellowstone valley.
Snowy Sunday morning at the Bridge Bay campground.
Snow covered bison
Brad & Elizabeth watching the bison
Elizabeth hiking with an umbrella in the snow
Steaming mud pot
Bison shedding winter coat
Bison close up
Andrew overlooking the upper falls of the Yellowstone river
Family at the lower falls of the Yellowstone
Lower falls vista
Brad at the brink of the lower falls
Bison Calving seasonBy Monday morning we'd had enough of the sloppy conditions at Bridge Bay and moved to the lower elevations and slightly warmer conditions at Madison, and saw the sights along the Firehole river.
Ron, Dena, Amy & Andrew at the Firehole falls
Paint Pot at the lower geyser basin
Amy & the kids at a steaming pool in the middle geyser basin
Andrew watches the White Mound geyser
Elizabeth and the steam of Steady GeyserOn Tuesday we enjoyed the nicer weather by watching Old Faithful and hiking a few miles to see a bunch of other geysers nearby.
Andrew & Elizabeth in Granddad's camper
Andrew & the Madison river valley near our 2nd camp site
Andrew watching Old Faithful
Brad and the kids watching the Sawmill geyser
A colorful hot spring
Amy & the kids at the Daisy geyser
Bowl shapedcauldron
Andrew roasting marshmallows at the Madison campgroundOn Wednesday Ron and I went fishing on the Gibbon river, Obsidian creek, and the Gardner river. We caught fish on each, and kept some Rainbow trout which we ate for breakfast the next day. Amy, Dena and the kids split off and went to see Mammoth hot springs, stopping to watch a bear (a grizzly?) along the way.
Dena & the kids at the upper terrace of Mammoth hot springs
The bear. A grizzly?
Ghostly trees at Mammoth's upper terrace
Mammoth hot springs wasteland
Andrew at the Mammoth terracesOn Thursday we left the park for some canoeing and fishing on Hebgen lake in Montana near West Yellowstone. Andrew and Elizabeth both caught their first fish (Whitefish), and Andrew got full credit for casting, reeling, hooking and landing the fish!
Andrew, Liz, Brad and Ron on the canoe in Lake Hebgen
Elizabeth's first fish
Andrew's third fish
Elizabeth & Granddad fishingThursday evening after a restaurant meal in West Yellowstone, Ron and Dena took the kids and Amy and I took advantage of the northern latitudes' late sunlight, and the lack of kids, to go for a 6-mile hike to Fairy Falls and the Imperial Geyser. One advantage of the late day hike is that we had both sites all to ourselves. Priceless!
Amy at Fairy Falls
Brad hikes past a bison hiking near fairy falls
Amy hikes past the steaming creek flowing from the Imperial geyser
The Imperial Geyser
The Grand Prismatic Spring
Middle geyser basin at sunset
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
