August 2000 (Aug travelogue)

• Preparation (and More Preparation) - Fixing the House, Packing the House, and Packing and Packing and Packing the House.
• Getting Closer - Boxes, more boxes, and good-byes.
• Nearing the End and Approaching the Beginning - Vaccinations, good-byes, and cleaning.
• Ready, Set, Go! - Pack, Say Good-bye, Get In The Car!

September 2000 (Sept travelogue) (back to top)

• Family, Friends, and Barbed Wire - (not to mention the great Corn Maze).
• DeKalb County Fair (Sandwich, Illinois) - A swell day of homemade pie, chickens, huge vegetables, horses, and pigs.
• Leaving DeKalb - The first plane flight and good-bye to Grandma & Grandpa Hughes.
• Maggie's First Communion - Maggie wears a dress!.
• Communion Party and Slideshow - Heard at the traditional Avis Family slideshow: "What was Becca doing in the beer cooler?","Mom, who was that man who is hugging you?","Timmy, what's that on your lip?", "Is that Drew Carey?".
• A Day At The Jersey Shore - with Grandpa, Aunt Jo, Ellie, Baby Mary Jo, Great Aunt Alida, and Uncle Greg.
• Friends and Family - Visiting with Peace Corps friends and family.
• We're Off! - From Newark to London (and platform 9 3/4 Kings Cross Station).
• Edinburgh, Scotland - The Castle, our hostel, the Royal Mile, and a hike.

October 2000 (Oct travelogue) (back to top)

• West Highland Way - Balmaha to Rowardennan to Inversnaid to Inverarnan to Crainlarich.
• Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy and Achallader - A rest day then thirteen miles to a tiny town with a wonderful pub and a B&B with its own castle.
• The Last Segments of the West Highland Way from Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven and on to Fort William - The Devil's Staircase, beautiful Kinlochleven, and the finish in Fort William.
• From Ft. William to Killarney, Ireland - Trains, buses, and boats land us with Grandma and Granpa Avis, Uncle Danny, and Uncle Dave in a house in Beaufort, Ireland.
• Beaufort Ireland - Meeting the family and hiking over the big hill to Katie Kearney's Pub.
• Beaufort, Carrauntuohill, and Dave's Dinner - A scary hike, a very good dinner, and a very, very windy day.
• Dunquin, Ireland - An incredibly beautiful place at the very end of Europe.
• Dublin, Ireland - Wonderful place to hang out and think about things (maybe next time).
• London - British Museum, London Sights, and a Visit with Kevin Hawken.
• More London - Sightseeing and dinner with Kevin Hawken.

November 2000 (November travelogue) (back to top)

• London and on to Calais - London bus, Tower Bridge, Globe, Tate Modern, and a rough crossing.
• First Day in Paris - The Rue Cler Market, Champs du Mar, the Eiffel Tower, and games in the hotel.
• Paris and Notre Dame - Moving into our apartment, dejeuner at home, Notre Dame, and painting along the Seine.
• Paris: The Market, Les Invalides, and Rodin - Incredible variety at the market and incredible sculpture at the Rodin Museum.
• Paris: Cluny and Musee D'Orsay - Deciphering tapestries and what may be the very best museum on the planet.
• Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, and the Seine - A tour, a trip, and a traipse.
• An Arch, Sparrows, & Fleas - The Arc de Triumph and the world's biggest flea market.
• Paris: The Louvre - The sublime and the silly (that's a good description of us and the Louvre).
• Paris: Musee d'Orsay and The Eiffel Tower - Cool museum, cool buskers, cool tower.
• Versailles & St. Chapelle - Incredible gardens and fountains (as if we needed more water), Marie Antoinette's hamlet, and Louis IX's home for the crown of thorns and couple other bits.
• Parc des Buttes Chaumont - A very fun (and strange) park in Paris.
• Paris to Madrid - Last trip to the Eiffel Tower, dinner at Bistro de Papa, train to Madrid, and the Prado.
• Madrid to Tangiers - early morning train, afternoon ferry, late "Thanksgiving" dinner.
• Tangiers to Chefchauen - Taking a bus (and its replacement) to a town in the Rif Mountains.
• Chefchaouen, Morocco - Town, market, and the kasbah.
• Mainly Chefchaouen - Shopping for robes, pictures of the town, and on to Fes.

December 2000 (December travelogue) (back to top)

• Fes - The medina and a rainy day for elegant studying.
• Fes to Asilah - Train to Morocco's Atlantic coast and playing on the beach.
• Asilah - At a seaside town during Ramadan.
• Asilah to Sevilla - Back on the ferry, orange trees, the cathedral, the bull ring, and strolling.
• Sevilla - Maria Louisa Park, Plaza Del Salvador, the Cathedral, Place De Espana.
• More Sevilla - Around town, the Alcazar, and flamenco.
• Hiking in Cazorla - Hike up to a monastery and the ruins of a Moorish tower.
• More Cazorla - Hanging out and hiking.
• Cazorla Sketching - Drawing from a hill above town.
• To Piles (By Way of Benidorm) - It took four bus rides, and a night at an undeclared British colony, to get us to a beautiful beach and a great hostel.
• Valencia and Barcelona - A walk around Valencia and an introduction to Gaudi.
• Around Barcelona - The bird market and more Spanish wackiness.
• Gaudi's Sagrada Familia In Barcelona - Under construction, modernist cathedral (following an essentially gothic pattern) was the coolest and most thought-provoking church we've seen. .
• Barcelona to Monaco - More Gaudi and a warm welcome to Monte Carlo.
• Monaco - Visiting the palace and the Oceanographic Museum.
• More Monaco - Japanese garden, party at Uncle Marc's, and haircut.

January 2001 (January travelogue) (back to top)

• Monaco to Venice - A good train ride and then . . wow! . . we're on another planet.
• Venice! - San Marco and some of what we have seen wandering about the place.
• We Love Venice! - We find a great apartment, visit the Doge's Palace, take a run in the rain to Piazza San Marco, and then get lost.
• Venice - The regatta of the witches, a walk around town, and a flood.
• A Flood In Venice - Seeing St. Mark's with no pigeons.
• Venice in the Rain - Down the Grand Canal by vaporetto.
• Venice Flood and Saxophone - During the second flood we waded around and listened to a saxophone player playing amidst the rising water.
• Venice and the Fish Market - Walking around Venice and buying seafood.
• Trip to Murano - St. Donato, who slew a dragon, and a long vaporetto ride.
• Venice Drawing, Eating, and Visiting - Drawing at the piazzetta, eating eel, the top and bottom of St. Mark's, and eating fish and ray.
• Florence - Youth Hostel and Piazza della Signoria.
• Doing the Tourist Thing in Florence - Piazza del Duomo and Santa Maria del Fiore.
• Wandering around Florence - We really like "the dome" and the statues.
• The Kids Visit the Great Dome - And take pictures to tell about it.
• Perugia to Casacastalda - Heading for a stay at a house in a small town in Umbria.
• Hiking around Casacastalda - Out for a long stroll on the little roads around town.
• Art Picnic - Short stroll out of town for a picnic.
• Hiking Around Casacastalda - Heading over to Castello di Giomici and the big town of Collemincio.

February 2001 (February travelogue) (back to top)

• Snowy Days in Casacastalda - A hike on a grey day turns into a white hike (to the delight of the kids!).
• Gubbio - Traipsing around a very old city.
• Grandma Hughes is Here! - Picking her up at the airport, a tour of Florence, and then fun in Casacastalda.
• Assisi, Cards, and Heading for Rome - The Assisi cathedrals were fascinating, Grandma taught us a few things about cards, and then we headed to Perugia to catch the early train, return our car, and catch the early train to Rome.
• Rome - We caught the early train from Perugia and, when we arrived in Rome, it was sunny!.
• Palatine Hill Ruins - The ruins of the palaces of Roman emperors and a great place for a picnic.
• St. Peter's - Visiting the basilica and the Pope.
• The Forum - Touring and picnicking in the Roman Forum.
• Walking About Rome - Imperial Forum, Vitorio Emmanuel Monument, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo De Firori, and Home Again.
• Pompeii: Part I - The kids go to Naples and Pompeii.
• Pompeii Part 2 - The kids visit Pompeii.
• Papal Blessing and More Walking Around - The Pope, Mouth of Truth, a pretty church, and the Tiber.
• The Vatican (again) - The Vatican Museum and a climb up St. Peter's Dome.
• The Colosseo - Maggie's favorite place.
• Rome to Athens - Good-byes, a subway ride, a train, a ferry, a bus, a city bus, and then Athens.
• The Acropolis - A beautiful place (and a beautiful place for a picnic).
• Athens - Changing of the guard and folk dancing.
• Athens to Siphnos - Ferry to a little island in the Cyclades.
• Siphnos - Climbing to St. Andreas (and a Mycenaean town) and around our "house.".

March 2001 (March travelogue) (back to top)

• Hike To Profit Elias Monastery - The place is now deserted but clean and curiously homey. (Profit Elias is Prophet Elijah, we think.).
• Hiking to Kamares - A short hike to the island's port.
• Our "Worst" Day On Siphnos - The coldest and windiest day we spent on Siphnos, a day on which people apologized for the weather, was a spectacular day for hiking along one of the coasts.
• Around Siphnos - We have yet to find a place that wasn't fun to get to and wonderful to be at.
• Swimming at the Chrisopigi Monastery and Farewells - We had fun jumping in the water (and racing out); we were sorry to say good-bye to our friends.
• Acropolis and Athens Museums - War Museum, Music Museum, and National Archeological Museum.
• First Day in Cairo - Walking and sailing around.
• Egyptian Museum - Even the museum is ancient (and cool).
• The Pyramids at Giza - Pyramids and Pizza Hut.
• The Market, Mosque, and Mataba - Visiting Cairo places, including the world's oldest surviving university.
• Karnak Temple, Part 1 - The enormous temple of the state god, Amon-Re.
• Karnak Temple, Part 2
• Valley of the Kings - The Theban necropolis on the west bank of the Nile in a wonderful, hot, parched desert.
• Luxor and Luxor Temple - Walking around Luxor Temple at night.
• El Koom - A marvelous day at a West Bank village with a friend, Rageb Ahmed Sallam.
• The Luxor Museum - Beautiful things dramatically displayed.
• Back in Cairo; Back at the Museum - Egyptian takeout food; the mummies and the museum; the market (and Fishawi's) at night.

April 2001 (April travelogue) (back to top)

• Coptic Cairo - Several churches and a synagogue tucked away behind walls in an area called Babylon.
• City of the Dead - The living have took up residence in the mausolems and now there's utilities, shops, and apartments.
• Sufi Dancing - A boat ride and then the dervishes. - On our last day in Cairo we visited part of the necropolis of the ancient city of Memphis and to our delight found a place reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• Bombay, now known officially as Mumbai - A much more interesting and easy city than we expected.
• Kochi - Boating around a lake and the "backwaters" in Kerala, a state in southwestern India. (The backwaters are a network of lagoons, lakes, rivers, and canals fringing the coast of Kerala.).
• Kathakali Dancing - A form of classical Indian dance-drama indigenous to Kerala.
• Munnar - A "hill station" surrounded by tea plantations and spectacular views.
• Bus Ride to Thekkady - Another great bus ride. This time from Munnar to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary By Boat - A boat from which we watched wildlife and a swimming pool from which we watched monkeys.
• Devi Temple Festival - Each year there's a festival for each temple, and this was one for a small temple just inside the gate of Periyar.
• Hiking in Periyar - More wild boars, monkeys, elephant poop, and, our favorite, leeches.
• Madurai and Its Sri Meenakshi Temple - A town filled with pilgrims and rickshaws .
• Kodaikanal (Kodai) - A pretty little hill station town awash in Indian tourists.
• Chennai (Madras) - The Government Museum and a festival to commemorate the birthday of Thiagaraja (a venerated composer, but you knew that!).
• Tirumala - A most extraodinary day, walking with the pilgrims to view Lord Ventkateshwara.

May 2001 (May travelogue) (back to top)

• Tirupathi to New Delhi - We end up in the suburbs of New Delhi but manage to catch an incredible dance concert.
• The Red Fort and Old Delhi - We are back in a real city after three days in sterile New Delhi .
• Jama Masjid - Old Delhi's great mosque is India's largest and Shah Jahan's last great building project.
• Walking Around Old Delhi - The living, breathing, full-blooded part of Delhi.
• Touring New Delhi - Around Delhi and India Gate and Humayun's Tomb.
• Visiting More of New Delhi - The Bah'i Temple and President's House.
• The Taj Mahal Part 1 - Dreamlike.
• Taj Mahal 2 - Unbelievable. .
• Around Khajuraho - On the bus and around this tiny town famous for its temples.
• Khajuraho's Jain Temples - The Jain Temples (and the Southern Temples) are free and very peaceful. We wandered around, discussed temple architecture and sculpture styles, and watched kids swim in the river.
• Khajuraho's West Temples - Now surrounded by a park, these temples were lovely - probably more peaceful today than when they were being used. .
• Khajuraho's West Temple Group Continued - Though known for some sexually explicit sculptures that have shocked and titillated generations of tourists, the setting and other sculptures are wonderful.
• On the Train to Varanasi - One of the things we enjoy most is just looking out the windows of the bus or train. No monuments or temples or historic sites but perhaps a more representative view of India.
• Varanasi, Holy City on a Sacred River - Rest, math, journals, and a walk to the sacred Ganges River.
• On The Banks Of The Ganges - Shrines, fiery worship, laundry, cremations, tea stands, ritual bathing, death, and swimming all in the same spot.
• The Old City - Disposable dishes, cremation accessories, and dentures.

June 2001 (June travelogue) (back to top)

• Good-bye Varanasi; Hello Nepal - A walk around Old Varanasi and a car trip into Nepal.
• Starting Our Trek - Five interesting hours by bus from Pokhara to Beni and then a short walk to Galeswor.
• Galeshor to Tatopani - Mule trains, bridges, and green hills.
• Hanging Out In Tatopani - We spent a day in Tatopani goofing around by the river, sleeping, and celebrating a birthday.
• Tatopani to Ghasa - Up the Kali Gandaki gorge on a path barely hanging (and occasionally falling off) the cliff face.
• Ghasa to Lete - Some photos of what a nice guest house looks like. Ghasa is the first Thakali village we come to - prayer wheels and Buddhism - and we stop for lunch in Lete.
• Lete to Kalopani - A tiny inn surrounded by huge mountains.
• Kalopani to Marpha - We wade the river, stop for lunch in Tukuche, and watch as the landscape becomes harsher. We also see many more Buddhist shrines.
• Marpha - A cool Buddhist village.
• More Marpha - Up the hill behind the town and back to the monastery.
• Marpha to Kagbeni - Up the river to a medieval-looking oasis.
• Rest Day in Kagbeni - Playing in the river, walking around town, watching the wheat harvest, and a visit to the monastery.
• Kagbeni to Multinath - Up the pilgrimage route to a sacred place for Buddhists and Hindus.
• Muktinath - Muktinath is a pilgrimage center for Buddhists and Hindus. We've seen sadhus headed here for the last few days. Beautiful views and lots of prayer wheels.
• Mulktinath to Jomson to Pokhara - A quick walk down to Jomson and then a flight to Pokhara.
• Pokhara to Kathmandu - Nice ride through green hills, past the site of a fatal accident, and into the city.
• Kathmandu - Tourist shops, wood carvings, temples, and toothache cures.
• Walking to Swayambhunath - Monks, monkeys, and monuments.
• Swayambhunath 2 - More monks, monkeys, and monuments, this time with music.
• Durbar Square - A walk around Kathmandu's main square.
• Bhaktapur Part 1 - Founded in 865, the town that was for 200 years the most important settlement in the Kathmandu valley.
• Bhaktapur Part 2 -  .
• Overland To Tibet - Waiting at the Friendship Bridge and then an incredible truck ride to Nyalaam.
• Nyalam to Tingri - Through Nyalam Pass (3800 m) and Lalung-La Pass (5050 m) to our first taste of tsampa.
• Tingri to Lhatse - Tibetan lunch and a barren landscape.
• Lhatsa to Shigatse - Beautiful stark landscapes, barren places, and yaks.
• Tashilumpo Monastery - The Panchen Lama's monastery and full of chanting monks.
• To Gyantse and Pelkor Chode Monastery - Founded in 1418, Pelkor Chode has an amazing number of books and is home to the Gyantse Kumbum.
• Gyantse Kumbum - A grand chorten at Pelkor Chode Monastery.
• Gyantse to Lhasa - Glaciers and swimming in Turquoise Lake with the Himalayas as a backdrop.
• Potala Palace - The White Palace once served as the seat of the Tibetan government and the main residence of the Dalai Lama; the Red Palace houses several chapels, sacred statues, and the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas..
• The Jokhang Temple - In the center of old Lhasa, considered the holiest temple in Tibet, the Jokhang was temporarily converted into a guesthouse by the Chinese after 1951..
• Drepung Monastery - Once the largest monastery in the world, it's now home to abou 600 cheerful monks.
• The Norbulingka - Summer palace of Dalai Lamas.

July 2001 (July travelogue) (back to top)

• Linghor Kora - A traditional sacred circumambulation of Lhasa. Tote helps paint Buddhas.
• Around Lhasa and a Visit to Sera Monastery - Prayer wheel repairmen and debating monks.
• Chengdu - Interesting, comfortable, modern city that reminds some of us of Denver -- it has about the same population.
• Emei Shan Part 1 - A bus ride that was an act of faith and then, in the words of one of our party "the stairway to hell.".
• Emei Shan Part 2 - From the lovely (and, shall we say, "rustic") Elephant Washing Pool Monastery to the Golden Summit.
• Chengdu to Xian to Beijing - After we failed to get train tickets, we flew to Xian where we resumed the quest for train tickets. While tracking down tickets, we went to a water park (we were so surprised to find one in China that we had to try it, though we've never been to one in the U.S.!) and paid a visit to the famous terra-cotta warriors.
• Temple of Heaven Park - A pretty but relatively incomprehensible set of buildings used by the emperors to propitiate or worship or get favors from heaven.
• Beijing's Yonghe Gong, Kong Miao, and Guozijian - (Or, in other words, Lama Temple, Confucian Temple, & Imperial College).
• Beijing Nights - Dinners (one of Peking Duck) and a night at the Opera.
• Forbidden City - Where emperors once roamed, and as the less than interesting signs repeatedly informed us, "attended to state business and received officials," or sometimes vice versa.
• The Summer Palace - We were smuggled into one of the most beautiful places we have visited. Unfortunately, by the time we struck had negotiated the metro, the bus, and the smugglers' van, it was evening..
• The Great Wall - One of the most fantastic places we have ever seen and one of the most frightening hikes we have ever taken.
• Beijing to Hong Kong - Twenty eight hours on a wonderful train.
• Hong Kong - Big, expensive, and it comes with dried lizards.
• Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur - We spend a day walking and busing around Hong Kong. We have no problem with the typhoon and our flight to Malaysia was marvelous - so is Kuala Lumpur!.
• Kuala Lumpur to Manila - A relaxed, easy city and another great plane ride.
• Manila - A nice hotel and wonderful "jeepneys".

August 2001 (August travelogue) (back to top)

• Back in the USA - Grandma's, dirt track racing, the Ten Acres, and a county fair. - Greetings, reunions, and life slips back to normal