Yep, that is rain gear from head to toe. We're hiking along the coast of Ardmalin, at the northern tip of Ireland.
The Giant's Causeway
This is the Giant's Causeway, on the NW coast of Ireland. I've seen similar hexagonal blocks in Iceland and Tasmania.
Liquid Sunshine
This is the coastline of the Bushmills area, in northern Ireland. We were getting rained on about every 45 minutes - this was a rare moment of sunshine.
Rosetta Stone, Sort of
This is a directions sign at Trinity College. Gaelic goes first, then English. In Ireland, it’s best to focus on the second row.
Death Star?
This looks like the Death Star Jr., but is actually just a street sculpture in Dublin.
Good Old Molly Malone
Just back from Ireland. This is a statue of Molly Malone, representing Dublin street workers. If you notice a somewhat lighter colored part of the statue, that is where tourists place their hands for pictures.
Fabulous Galapagos Photos
Here are several great contributions from Jeff Moulton, who was our semi-official photographer in the Galapagos. At least he had the biggest camera.
A Clear View
The water in the Galapagos tends to be a little soupy. This was a rare case of good light and fairly clear water.
Return of the Fish
One more shot of our Galapagos guide disappearing into a massive school of fish.
Birds that Dive
Here we have a flightless cormorant that was busy fishing in the Galapagos.
Penguins? Seriously?
Yep, that's a penguin. At the equator, in the Galapagos. We even saw some in a mangrove swamp. A bit far from Antarctica.
More Swimming Iguanas!
To stick with the marine iguana theme, here is a short clip showing their swimming action in the Galapagos (or lack thereof).
Too Much to See
This video shows the incredible diversity of marine life in the Galapagos. In the space of about 10 feet, there's a marine iguana, a sea turtle, and then another marine iguana.
Time with the Turtles
I had some quality time with many sea turtles in the Galapagos, including this relaxed fellow.
...And He was Never Seen Again
This is our Galapagos guide free diving into a massive school of fish.
Lively Sea Lions
Just took this video in the Galapagos Islands. Actually got dizzy trying to keep up with the sea lions!
Another Reason to Live in Colorado
We got three inches of snow in the foothills last night, and all of it melted off the trails right away. Here is the view first thing in the morning.
A New Record
This was Melissa’s 30th ski day of the season. She’s come close before, but never quite reached it. On the downside, the snow was not great, so that was probably it for the season.
The Airport That's Really a Mall
The New Chitose Airport is 90% shopping mall and 10% airport, and probably employs half the population of Sapporo in its retail shops. Here is Melissa posing with our favorite polar bear (we actually prefer Pepsi). Notice the sign.
Stuffed Silly in Japan
This was our final group dinner in Japan, and we could not do it - the budget was $28 each for food, and we just could not spend it all. Food is incredibly cheap there - and beer, and wine…
