Travels with Gail

Costa Rica

2012-01-24T15:45:00.003-06:00

I have been kind of slacking about this. I actually forgot the site.

The trip started off amonously. Teri was 1/2 hour late in getting to my hose,so we were pretty late to the airport. We made it to the plane but Toni was in a panic, since we had not arrived when they started boarding. No worries, we got there before they called for our seats to board.
Next, we were all set, so I let Barb know we would be in time to Atlanta. Pretty amazing for a flight out of MSP in January. So we pulled away from the gate, then disaster. A women freaked out and had to get off the plane! We had to go back to the gate, once they found an open one and let her off. After getting her off and deicing, we were finally under way, 1 1/2 hours late. We met Barb in Atlanta, had some lunch and 4 hours later,off to Costa Rica! ThanksBarb for waiting around for us and having lunch. It was great to see you.

We arrived pretty late at the condo where we are staying, so we called it a night.

Saturday dawned bright & early. It was perfect weather so we hit the beach. The beach was beautifal. Wonderful,warm blue green water, with boat docked out a ways. We walked long the beach, checked out some of the shops and headed into town to find groceries.

Time to hit the pool. Of course, because I had tried to get a base tan before I left, I was comfortable outside,big mistake. My shoulder,chest and back didn't tan at the salon, but my stomach which hasn't seen the sun, since I was 14 and will not on this trip, of course is super tan and has no chance of burning! Of course I got burned!!

To be continued.

Heading North

2011-03-30T08:25:00.002-05:00

It was a fun week taking in the sites around the middle section of the country, but it was time to start heading north.
We drove up Hwy 7 out of Hot Spring, through the winding mountain roads. It took 2 hours to drive from Hot Spring up to interstate 40. 70 miles!!! Once on 40, we quickly got to our first stop, Pea Ridge National Battlefield. I had never heard of this place, but it was worth the stop. It also was a stop on the Trail of Tears. We had a very nice picnic in the wonderfully warm afternoon and headed north once more toward Kansas City.
A very nice discovery on our was was a stop off at George Washington Carver site. We didn't arrive with enough time to enjoy it too much, but next time, we will be sure to have more time to explore.

Finally, 9 hours after leaving Hot Spring, we arrived in Kansas City and went straight to Sue (Kochaver) Tyler's house. Sue was waiting for us, along with Jeff, Amanda and Alex, and our friends Chris (Martins) Scott and her husband Terry. We enjoyed a nice dinner and had a great time visiting with everyone. Oh, it was so good to catch up and laugh, a lot!

We spent a nice night at the Holiday Inn Express in Independence, which I can highly recommend. We were off again in the morning, but before we actually left town, a quick stop at the Truman House and Gates BBQ. We had to bring ribs back home. I guess Kansas City BBQ is the best. Who knows for sure, but it is good.

We had a quick stop in Lamoni and Graceland College for a trip down memory lane for me. I was able to show my sister where I went to school, since no one had seen my old school before. We also had a fun stop at the Pizza Shack and had a quick visit with Janelle (Jones) Anders. It was an enjoyable visit. Janelle, remember, you are welcome to visit and go to the Twins game, any time!

It was a long drive, a little snow along the way, but we finally made it home to Minneapolis by 10.
Now recovery!

Ahhhh, Hot Springs

2011-03-24T15:20:00.002-05:00

We took a slight detour to get to Hot Springs from Memphis. We went east to Tupelo, Mississippi and checked out the Natchez Trace Parkway. It was an easy drive to Tupelo and for those who are unaware, it is also the birth place of Elvis Presley. Toni was all too aware of this fact. So, the 1st thing we did, was find his birthplace. It was an amazingly small house, with a museum attached. Not much to see, but Toni was so thrilled with this stop.
We went back to the Natchez Trace, did some exploring, found a battle field and had a wonderful picnic in the park. It is so nice to be outside right now. There are even bugs out, so instead of cleaning dirt off the windshield, we scrape off bugs.

We headed off to Hot Springs after our nice picnic. Many hours later and very little interstate, we arrived in Hot Spring. We had prefect weather for the drive. Who can complain about 76 in March!!!

Our 1st full day in Hot Spring was spent in the National Park, of course. This is a bit different than others. We toured the Bathhouses and we even enjoyed a 'bath' followed by a massage. We had our bath at the Buckstaff Bathhouse, which is in the original condition. It is an amazing place. Flowing our 'bath' we headed up to see the sights at the outdoor portion of the park and enjoyed the view of the area from the mountains. Oh yeah, did I mention it was 83 degrees?

Today, we spent a relaxing morning in the Garvin Woodland Garden. It is a beautiful garden area, that is part of the University of Arkansas. The weather is prefect for this stop. Only 62 and sunny, but perfect none the less. We enjoyed the tulips and azaleas and all the other flowers in the garden that are blooming. It is on Lake Hamilton, which is huge. I won the bet that it was a man made lake, but beautiful anyway.

Our time in Hot Spring is coming to an end. We are going to pamper ourselves just a bit more before we leave and enjoy nice spa pedicures. In the morning it is off to Kansas City and the sights along the drive there.

Tupelo, Natchez Trace and Driving!

2011-03-22T21:59:00.002-05:00

It was a long day of driving today. We started off in Memphis, well actually, Southaven, Mississippi, just across the border from Memphis. We drove to Tupelo to check out the Natchez Trace. What a beautiful parkway. We spent a little time exploring the Trace, and headed over to Tupeolo, and visited Elvis' birth place. Toni is in Elvis heaven!!! She never expected to get to Graceland, but the bonus of his birth place, has made her day.

After a nice picnic in the Trace, we headed off again, for Hot Spring. Having gone east in the morning, we had an additional hour to drive back west to get to Hot Spring. It has been a beautiful day, 78 and sunny for most of the drive. We didn't drive on the interstate, since that would make for a much longer drive. It was nice to be away from all the traffic, especially the semi trucks. We had little traffic until we had to get on the interstate, near Little Rock.

Tomorrow, we have to decide what spa we will enjoy. Massages, pedicures and facials are on the list, along with the mineral baths. aahhh!

Graceland and more

2011-03-21T20:01:00.002-05:00

BUSY day today. First thing this morning, it was off to Graceland. Toni is in 7th heaven for this visit. We started there early in the morning with the house tour. We also took in the planes, cars and '68 special. The house was a gaudy as it was in the 70's, but it was fun to see. I could have done without the rest of the tour, but everyone gets to choose what the really want to do. Mine is coming tomorrow.

After Graceland, we headed over to the Civil Rights Museum, at the Loraine Hotel. This is where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. After viewing all this, not just his history, but everything that lead up to it, I am glad I am not from this area.

Last stop of the day was the Rock & Soul Museum. It was a great tour and I would highly recommend it. It pulled together all the history of this areas music, history and you get to listen to lots of music as well. I would have enjoyed it far more, if I hadn't been so tires.

While feet were very sore and we were all very tired, we swung by Graceland again, to get the last, important photo of the day. The one in front of the music gates.

It was a perfect day, sunny, 80 and a nice breeze! Tomorrow, more of the same!

Road to Memphis

2011-03-20T21:03:00.002-05:00

Last night, we made a return trip to the Arch to get night pics of it all lit up. We were successful in getting the pictures, but unsuccessful in getting the super moon, due to the rain. We were so hopeful on Friday, but Saturday, brought rain.

This morning, we were up again, checked out the Lafayette neighborhood, where there were some beautiful old houses. We also stopped off the Grant's house/farm, where he lived before becoming President.

After Grant's House, it was off to Memphis. We arrive in plenty of time to head down to Beale Street, famous for the Blues. There is a Mardi Gras type atmosphere even on a Sunday night. We checked out a few of the clubs, had some yummy BBQ at Pig and headed home.

Tomorrow we have a big day planned, Graceland in the morning, then back to Beale Street for some of the historical sites.

St. Louis

2011-03-19T17:09:00.002-05:00

After a long drive from Minneapolis, and some wrong turns because there really isn't a good navigator(passenger) on this trip we finally arrived in St. Louis about 9pm (we should have been here at 7pm)

Early morning, we headed down the the Arch and were luckily, an hour early to get in line. We were able to get tickets for the 1st tram of the day and up, up we went. It was a cozy ride to the top, but we enjoyed the view. A few more hours and a movie later, we left the Arch for the Old Court House, just blocks away. It was a great history lesson and a great view of the outside of the Arch.

Tired out, we explored a bit of the historic neighborhood next to the Arch and enjoyed a great lunch. Off we went again and found a fun treat place, Gooey Louie. Haven't tried the cake yet, but after dinner, I will.

Just a rest up and then off to the Union Depot and night pictures of the Arch and hopefully the moon too!

Road Trip

2011-03-18T07:24:00.001-05:00

Just a quick post before we head out. Teri will be here shortly and we will pick up Toni and head out for the road. We should be in St. Louis by 7pm.

Heading Home

2010-02-12T18:31:00.002-06:00

We are winding down here in Cancun. It has been a wonderful time here.

Yesterday, we spent the day at the Royal Hasciands where Terri has her time share. It is a beautiful, new place. I hope Terri will invite me to go again, and stay there next time.

Today was all beach. We had a wonderful day in the sun and visited with some nice people. The rain moved in just as I was tired of the sun, so that was perfect timing. So, Terri and I cleaned up and headed shopping. I didn't buy anything, but it was nice anyway.

Oh, for those who I usually send postcards. Nieces and nephews, my kids and Grandma. I did mail them, but it seems that everyone has a different opinion on what the price is. It is either 10.5 pesoes, 11.5 or 13.5, I never did get a straight answer. So, some of you, may get your card, or not! Just know I did send them.

I am almost out of time and getting ready to pay the bill. I will post this and sign off. I WILL post pictures when I get home. It just takes too much time here. I am working from the internet cafe, not my own computer.

Talk to you soon!

Chichen Itza

2010-02-10T19:49:00.002-06:00

It has been an amazing day today. We took a tour to see Chichen Itza. It is one thing that I really wanted to do and was able to do it today. It was a perfect day today. Just a bit cloudy and not too hot. We were fortunate to have a day like today. We had the best tour guide and they explained a lot of the history of the area. If you ever get a chance to go, you must go see this place. Apparently it is one of the "New" Seven Wonders of the World. I can see why. The only unfortunate thing is that there are peddlers EVERYWHERE!!! They really are annoying and detract from the experience. I got pretty tired of the constant selling. 10 pesoes? Only 1$! It was constant.

Tomorrow, it is down to Playa del Carmen for the day. I hope we have sun and can go either kayaking or snorkeling in the lagoon. It has been perfect weather, sunny and 82 most days.

One bad thing has happened. Yesterday, I was laying out by the pool, listening to my book on the iPod, when it slipped off me and dropped right in my class. I can still listen to the iPod, but I can't see anything on the screen. Today, there have been flashes of light, but still can't see where I am at. I have a book I am listening too, but I keep having to find my place. Very annoying. I sure hope that as it dries out, the screen comes back. Any suggestions???

Cancun

2010-02-09T15:19:00.002-06:00

Ah, sun and heat. It is so nice here in Cancun. I can't believe it is actually February.

Terri & I arrived on Saturday afternoon in Cancun, where it was 82 degrees. Wonderful. It only took 3 hours before I ran into someone I knew. Shocking, I know! 3 whole hours!!!
We spent a few hours walking the beach and enjoying the heat. Walking on the beach, actually wore me out. Sunday, was spent in the sun and I enjoyed this February heat. Wonderful. So different for Minnesota! We also enjoyed the Superbowl party where we met some really nice people. I have instructions to stop in at Tom Sullivan's office next week and say hello from Diane and Terry, from Missouri!

Yesterday we spent the day a Xceret. What a fun place. We snorkeled the underground river. It was fun to snorkel, but the river was kind of lame. Of course, more sun was involved. We checked out the interesting animals from the Mexican jungle. The evening was topped off by an amazing show about the Mayan/Mexican history. All is Spanish of course, but I followed along, even though my Jr. High Spanish isn't doing me any good!

Today, again, sun and pool side. Terri is sad because of my easy tanning. Poor pale girl. We had a sudden shower so I headed in. I am kind of tired of the sun.

Tomorrow, Chitzen Itza. Spelling ???. More sun there too I guess.
That's about it for now.

We are having a fun time and enjoying the weather. Are you???

Update on NY

2009-10-20T15:19:00.002-05:00

At the Top
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Well, I did a quick post from Times Square the other day. There was a line and HOT lights blazing on me, so I did a quick post. After that post, we did a lot more of NY.

OK, so as I said before, our trip started with a nice carriage ride in Central Park. It was a nice time, but I have to say, I am rather disappointed in Central Park. There were things about it that were really pretty, but it is kind of a dump, for such a would famous park. They should take better care of it. We headed to Times Square after that, just one of many stops there. So much to see and do.
Our adventure continued with a trip to the Theodore Roosevelt Home. Yes, part of the National Parks. I wasn't overly interested until we got the tour and boy, what a nice and interesting place it was. Did you know that his gun handles and his belt buckle when he was in the Rough Riders were made by Tiffany??? Ahhh, the rich! His Rough Rider uniform was also made by some designer, but I can't remember his name. Oh well. From there, we headed to the Madame Tussauds, Wax Museum. It was really interesting and I got my picture taken with the President.
We also went to a special Rock & Rock Hall of Fame exhibit in SoHo. It was really interesting to see. I got a senior discount, because the rest of my group got one! I have a few years left before I really qualify! Jesper and Erin would be jealous of the SoHo neighborhood. THAT was the place to do some shopping. I of course, did not! Just remember, SoHo for shopping !!!
We also managed to find the Grimaldi's pizza in Brooklyn. It was pouring rain out, but we got there, and no line. If you go, don't go at regular meal times, instant seating at off hours. Meal times, there is a line. Super good pizza by the way. A couple days later, we also managed to find the Carnegie Deli for yummy cheesecake. That is a must.
Up until Saturday afternoon, and on my previous trips to New York, I felt that the people of New York were so friendly and helpful. Everyone was so eager to help us find our way, give directions and we so nice. THEN, we went to the Metropolitan Museum! I have never before met such rude, unfriendly, impolite people in my life. Students are even that rude. The art was great, the people who work there and are there to help you find your way around and ask questions, are not!

I ditched Teri & Toni, since they wanted to go to Tiffany's and do some window shopping, followed by mass. Since I wasn't interested in either, I went back to the condo and left them to find their way home. Since we had been in NY for 4 days, and to the condo countless times, you would think this would be easy, but no, Teri is directionally challenged! After mass, it took over 2 hours and a phone call to find their way back!!! I guess I can't leave them alone unless they have a GPS!
Sunday, the day I had waited for. We got up early, since we had Crown tour tickets for the Statue of Liberty. I guess they are selling out about 1 year in advance, so it was a good thing, I reserved them, the 1st day they went on sale! We took the ferry out to the Statue and got in line. 20 minutes and 354 steps later, we were at the top! We made it. I thought that the 1st 154 steps to the top of the pedestal were the hard part, the last 201 steps were nothing. How weird is that!
Ah, my trip was complete, but not for Teri. From there, a quick visit, again, to Ellis Island. We went back to Manhattan, found the African Burial grounds where we met the nicest Park Ranger. He recognized our Midwest accent right away, since his mother was from Iowa and we sound just like her. Even though the visitors center wasn't open, he got us our stamp and he also gave us goodies that will be on sale, next year, when the gift store opens. So nice. He also gave us directions to Chinatown, so Teri & Toni could eat Dim Sum for lunch. Not me! Yuk!
Our final adventure was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It is about 1 mile, maybe more, but it was cold, windy and raw, so it wasn't a pleasant walk, but it wasn't raining, well, not really. It is a beautiful bridge, but the area around isn't.

Exhausted, we headed back to the Nilsson's ( Mimmi's family) condo. It has the best view and it was really nice of them to let us use the condo. We had a wonderful time there. I think, if they let us go another time, we will be happy to stay there again! Thank you Karin & Jonas!
Before we left to come home on Monday, the only good weather day, we finally made it to Tiffany's for some window shopping. They have some really pretty stuff there, but well out of my price range! We had fun looking and dreaming though.
Our last stop, before heading to the airport was to find the place my Grandma lived in NY, when she 1st arrived to America. We had the address and new the street, so we went looking. It however was not to be. Seem that those high rises weren't there in 1918 or something like that, so the place that Grandma lived, no longer exists. Sad really, but it was fun to look.
It is now back to quiet, quiet Minneapolis, where there are no honking horns at all hours, nor sirens all night. I don't even hear the traffic outside my office window. It is so quiet here compared to New York. It was fun and I can't wait to go back, but I do enjoy the quiet! (except for all those who are coughing, but fail to cover their cough!)

New York

2009-10-17T08:40:00.000-05:00

It has been a busy few days in New York, running around, seeing the sites. Teri is waiting in line right now for tickets for a play. This time, she gets to wait, and not me!
Anyway, we have finally made it to Central Park, had our carriage ride. We have seen most of the sites before, so we are looking for new things to see. Yesterday, we went to the Wax Museum, and the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Yes, I know, it is in Cleveland, but there is a special exhibit in NY. It was really a good time. Go if you can!

We have worn Toni out with all the walking we have done, so we usually get home to the Condo, very nice by the way, and relax in the evening.

Tomorrow, is the Statue of Liberty Day. We will climb the steps for the 1st time. I should have no problem. 354 here I come.

If I get a chance, I will update again. There is free internet in Times Square.

Amsterdam

2009-08-04T09:17:00.001-05:00

Central Station
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

The last leg of my trip was a quick stop in Amsterdam. I had a long, 6 hour layover there, so I contacted my friend Bill Jorgensen, who was in my Danish class many years ago.
Bill and Ponos met me at the airport at a very early 7:30 am and we went directly to Amsterdam central. After a good 'English' breakfast we were off to see the Van Sough museum. We had a lovely time in the museum and got to see so many really famous paintings. I have been to Amsterdam many times in the past, but I had never been to this museum. It is a must if you go.
There was a problem with the trains, so we couldn't take too much time for touring and I didn't get a lot of pictures. After the museum, it was back to the airport and I picked up some last minute postcards. I have been sending Grandma a postcard about every 4 days, so I had to get it done in Amsterdam as well.

The flight was LONG but uneventful. Thank goodness for the individual movie screens and the choice of many movies and tv shows to keep me from too much boredom! I just wonder why it took about an hour more to fly home from Amsterdam than it did to fly there? Hmm! It was 1 hour extra I had to sit by the very smelly bathroom.

I want to once again thank everyone I visited for their hospitality. I had a wonderful time and really miss you all! Please come and visit me soon! It was wonderful to see everyone and I enjoyed seeing all the kids! That was the best part of my trip. I got to see everyone again. It is too long between visits!

I hope everyone enjoyed following along. I will be back to work on Monday, darn!

Last Days in Denmark

2009-08-02T10:08:00.004-05:00

Vor Frelser Kirke
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

I have been so busy these last days since returning to Copenhagen, I just haven't had time to update. I hope that everyone has been following along and enjoying the trip!

I returned to Copenhagen on Thursday afternoon and just relaxed the day away. Friday, the touring began again!

Camilla and I started the day at the Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed walking through the many exhibits in the conservatory there. I had fun seeing some things similar to the Como Zoo and some things that were different. We did a little shopping afterward and met Amalie, Camilla's younger sister for a bit more shopping in Roskilde. (It was more 'gift' shopping than real shopping!) We then headed out to their dad's place in the country for dinner. Carsten, Camilla's dad, his wife, Anne, Grandmother, Birgit and her friend were all there to meet us. We had a wonderful dinner and evening.

Friday started off early, because I headed back to Sweden for just a few hours. I have a 5 day Eurail pass, but the train conductors haven't been marking it, so I had a few extra days on the pass. I still have only 2 days used on my pass, but I took 7 days of trips! I really got my money's worth on that pass. Anyway, I went back to Malmo for some Skogaholmslimpa. I was very successful in my search. I brought my then empty blue duffel bag with me and came back with a lot of limpa! Customs is going to wonder about me!!! Teri will enjoy it though and my freezer can hold most of it.
Once I got back with my now, 27 pound bag, Camilla and I went in search of Smørrebrød, which we found, after walking about 3 miles. I love Smørrebrød. It is a traditional Danish sandwich. They are as beautiful as they are good.
If the 5 miles I walked between the trainstations in Copenhagen and Malmo weren't enough, I finally got to do a little more. Camilla and I were off after our lunch to the Vor Frelser Kirke to hike up the tower of 400 steps. My sister Teri has wanted to do this for the past 5 trips to Denmark and has always been unsuccessful. I was able to do it. Well, we missed about the last 10 steps, since the stairs were so narrow (about 12 inches wide) and only about 3 feet of head room. ´We made it as far as our size would allow anyway. After this hike, my feet are officially done walking and I was tired of stairs, but Europe doesn't agree. I think that my planned trip to NY and the Statue of Liberty will now be a breeze!!There are stairs EVERYWHERE!!!!
We made it home for a quick dinner and off to see Harry Potter. (Yes, there was more walking, and stairs involved.

Today, Camilla's grandparents picked us up and we did a bit more castle touring. We visited Fredericksborg castle, which was pretty amazing. We also had a walk by of the Fredenborg castle where the Crown Prince lives (He will be the next King).

I am getting all my packing done now. I came with 2 suitcases. One with my clothes and one just with gifts. They each weighed in at 42 & 48 pounds each. I thought I would be back to one suitcase, but no, I have 2. My suitcases is full of limpa and only the bag with the limpa weighs over 40 lbs, which is now in my big suitcase. I put my clothes in the duffel and the clothes only weigh about 25 pounds. Hmm, where did all that weight go? Scrapbooks and red cups, for sure!!!

I will be having a 6 hour lay over in Amsterdam on my way home, so my friend Bill will be picking me up at the airport tomorrow, for a short visit. I will do that last update about that time when I get home.

I hope everyone has enjoyed following along and seeing the pictures. I will see those of you in Minneapolis, soon!

Thank you to all my hosts. It has been great seeing everyone and enjoying their wonderful hospitality. I want everyone to come and see me soon! It is too long between visits.

Trip to the West Coast

2009-07-28T11:40:00.001-05:00

Lighthouse at Blåvand
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Time is starting to run out here in Denmark. Only 5 days remain of my trip. The time has gone by so fast.
On Sunday, Ane Marie, Michael, Kristian and Johan took me to the nature area in Odense where we took a boat to the city center. The Odense Å (a canal really) was a fun little trip into the cit where we strolled and looked around. We enjoyed the afternoon just relaxing and strolling. There of course were the swans in the canal and fun swan boats to be rented as well. I can see why HC Andersen wrote about them in his fairy tales. For those who don't know, Hans Christian Andersen is from Odense. I didn't go see his house this time, since I was there before. Maybe if I get ambitious, I will get the pictures up from the last visit. Preben still has them on the computer.
Monday was a more relaxing day. Michael, Kristian and I walked over to the Rosengard Center and did a little window shopping. Nope, I didn't buy anything there. Scary, I went shopping, I know!
Today was another adventure day. Preben suggested we drive to the West Coast of Denmark, which is on the mainland. It is only about 2 hours from Odense. I have never been there before, so this was a new adventure for me. Preben told me that if you haven't been to the West Coast, you haven't seen Denmark. I don't know about that, but I was glad we went.
It has finally gotten to be a perfect day and we drove west. We arrived in Blåvand, which is a cute little coast town that I can say, you must see! (Barb, this is where you will want to go for several days). It was a bit windy and we climbed to the top of the lighthouse. Only 150 steps, but it is getting me in shape for the Statue of Liberty! From the top, we would see in the far distance the windmills that are in the sea and ships sailing off to England. Below us on the beach, were ruins of WWII German bunkers that were built to keep a watchful eye out for the British. They made a nice viewing spot for the beach. Apparently, this is still a place for Germans to visit. It was a very crowded little town and once again, I found myself pulled into a Pilgram store.
That is about it for now. I will continue for a few more days, before heading home. I hope that you are enjoying my adventures and the pictures.

Egeskov

2009-07-25T15:46:00.001-05:00

Egeskov
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Well, it was back to touring today, with the entire family. My 'cousin' Preben and his wife, son's, daughter-in-law and grandson. We had a great day. The weather was perfect, for a while. We toured the grounds of Egeskov and then had a nice picnic. Afterwards, Micheal, Ane Marie and I took a tour of the inside of the castle. It was very interesting to see and very well preserved. Check out the pictures. The doll house was the most amazing one I have ever seen. It was about 20 feet square and 6 feet tall.

After our tour, we checked out the museums and the other areas, but got caught in the rain and headed home. We are having a relaxing evening now.

Tivoli pictures

2009-07-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

China House
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

I have gotten the Tivoli pictures uploaded now and the Roskilde pictures too.
Did you know, that you can click on either the pictures or the link: Gail's pictures to see the bigger photos?

I am currently in Odense, relaxing with Preben and watching the Tour de France. I don't know anything about the Tour, but it is nice to relax and do laundry. Tomorrow, my touring begins again!

Copenhagen

2009-07-23T11:40:00.001-05:00

Nyhavn
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Well, the trip is starting to wind down. I have arrived in Denmark and have been touring for days. We arrived, late, on Tuesday and settled in at Camilla's apartment, about 15 blocks from the main train station. After a little rest, it was off to walk around Copenhagen. My feet are sore, and I wore the correct shoes this time.
On Wednesday, we were off again for our walk around Copenhagen. We walked up the Round Tower for a view of the city, then it was off to Nyhavn for a canal tour. We toured all around the harbor area and saw of course, the Little Mermaid. This time I saw if from the water side. I think I got a few good shots of it. Yes, it is that small! After our canal tour, we lunched in Nyhavn. I tried to get Barb to have the traditional Danish sandwich, Smørbror, but it was not to be.
In the evening, we went to Tivoli for the evening show and waited for the lights to come on. I will get those pictures on later. I use the computer time too much. I will try to get those on tomorrow.

Today, we headed over to Røskilde for Lykke's birthday (Lykke is Camilla's mom) We managed to get there early, so we stopped by for a tour of the Røskilde church, where all the Kings and Queens get buried. It is a beautiful church. In past trips, we have tried to get in, but have been unsuccessful, Today, we did. Then, we were off to lunch at Lykke's and ate the entire afternoon.

Barb is leaving to go home to Atlanta tomorrow and I will go to Odense for a few days. I will be visiting with Preben and family.

So, that is all for today. I am off to pack again!

Last Days on Öland

2009-07-20T10:52:00.001-05:00

Traditional hat photo
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

My last days in Sweden are coming to an end. Yesterday, we took a quick road trip to Kosta Boda glass works. We saw the glass blowing and did a lot of shopping. Of course, I wanted to find a pitcher that matches my glassware I already have, but I could not find the tulip pattern in a pitcher. Actually, I found only 1 pitcher and I didn't like it, but I sure managed to find other things I find. Since it is heavy and I don't want to carry anything more, I sent it home. I also found something for Donna, who will be 50 in a few short weeks. Donna, keep your eyes open for a package!!! Oh, Happy Birthday, early.

Today, after spending all my money at Kosta Boda, we drove to Eketrop, which is on the south, east side of the island. Eketrop is a medieval fort that was later taken over by the Vikings. As usual, Mimmi and I, along with Alice, took the traditional hat photo. Of course, I do this, mostly with the kids, everywhere I go.

On this same trip, we went off road to a lighthouse. We don't have 4 wheel drive, so it was a big adventure. The lighthouse turned out to be private property, so we never made it there, but stopped by the sea shore and took pictures of the many swans that were there. It is the Baltic Sea. The water smelled real bad and we kind of red in color. I think there was something blooming that made it that way. It was also super windy. I guess it is always like that too.

Tomorrow we hop the train for Copenhagen and Camilla. So, next update will be Denmark. So, this is good-bye from Sweden. We have had a wonderful time with both Laudon-Meyer and Nilsson Families. Thank you all for your hospitality! I can't wait to come again.

Solliden

2009-07-19T02:04:00.001-05:00

Solliden
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

We are still on Öland and enjoying our time here. Saturday was a castle day.We first visited the ruins of the Borgholm Castle. It was so interesting to see how it was now and that it is used for It.We so stopped for a visit at the Solliden Castle, the summer palace on Öland. The Royal family is currently there, to celebrate the birthday of the Crown Princess. No, we didn't see any of them.

It ended up being a rainy day after our castle visit, so we spent the rest of the day, playing cards and surfing the net.

Who can figure out the funny sign I posted in my pictures? We have been having fun laughing at it.

Öland

2009-07-18T03:08:00.001-05:00

Rocks at the beach
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Well, we have arrived in Öland and it is lovely here. We took the train from Stockholm down to Kalmar, on the east coast. From there, Karin & Jonas picked us up and off to Öland we went. We are at a really nice summer house, that Jonas built for his mother, when he was 18 years old.
We spent the day at the beach yesterday. It was a wonderful hot day and we all spent time in the water, which is VERY cold and of course, sunning ourselves and getting sun burned. I haven't had a burn in years! The beach is not one we are used to. There are rocks instead of sand. It was hard on the feet, but beautiful to see. I had a good time hunting rocks and skipping stones on the water. Picked up a nice one for Laura!

Today, we have more adventures planned. Castles everywhere, so we will explore a few of those. In the 'old' castle, there was a concert that everyone was going to. Status Quo was the band. We didn't attend, but heard the music down in the town. I guess I will have another chance, though, they are in Denmark in 2 weeks. Has anyone heard of Status Quo? They seem to be an older rock band. Not me!
Well, we are off to see some castles.

Stockholm from above

2009-07-15T13:47:00.001-05:00

Stockholm from above
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

Today was once again a busy day. My last day in Stockholm before hoping the train in the morning and heading to Öland, an island off the east coast of Sweden, where Mimmi's family has a summer house. That will be my first trip there.

Today, we of course, were running late, but were able to get in a quick stop at the Björn Borg store for a quick purchase. Now I have a great souvenir to bring home. It was then off to the City Hall again, so we could climb the tower and take lots of new pictures of the city. Luckily, there was an elevator half way up and the rest was mostly ramps. I am out of shape!

After City Hall, we hopped on one of the many tour boat and went out into the Archipelagos for an afternoon at sea. It was perfect weather and we enjoyed all the sites. I wish I had a boat!!!

We came back home and are now getting ready for the next leg of the trip. I hope you are enjoying the trip too!

Stockholm walking tour

2009-07-14T22:59:00.003-05:00

My feet are killing me today. Yesterday, after picking up Barb from the airport, we made a short trip back to Mimmi's house to drop off luggage and a quick lunch. We headed to Stockholm for a 4pm tour of the Stockholm City Hall, where the Nobel Prizes, except the Peace Prize, are awarded. It is a really nice building. Not at all like our city halls back home. I will post the pictures, as soon as I can figure out how to do it on a Swedish, Mac! I had down the other computers, now I have to figure out how to do it on a Mac. Might take a while, but Mimmi should be able to help me. Anyway, the building is amazing and we really enjoyed the tour. I hope that my pictures of the gold room turned out. Actually, it is a video.

From City Hall, which I didn't think would be so much, so I wore my Minnetonka moccasins, we walked over to the Palace, and walked all over Old Town. All the rough stones and rocks were not kind to my feet. Note to self, always wear tennis shoes!

All in all, a very good day. Today, we have a busy day as well. 1st, we are going back to City Hall to try and climb the tower. It should be a good start on how it will be climbing the Statue of Liberty this fall. Then, cruise in the Archipeligos, followed up by some quick shopping at the Björn Borg store.

Dalarna- Rättvik

2009-07-12T13:26:00.001-05:00

Dalarna- Rättvik
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

In 1976, I visited Dalarna for the first time. This weekend, I got to go back. It looked exactly the same! There were some great changes, but it looked the same. I was really looking forward to seeing my host parents, Hans Erik and Barbro Forsberg. I was able to spend a lot of time with them and enjoy the company. Unfortunately, it rained the entire weekend, up until we got in the car to leave.
Dalarna is similar to the county, and Rättvik is the town this was near.When I was here before, I was able to enjoy the Midsummer festivities, this time, I was a few weeks late.

Eva suggested that we take in a bit of the local sites, so we visited the Carl Larson house. Carl Larson is one of the most famous Swedish painters. We also stopped in at the Dala Horse factory in Nusnäs. Since I still have my clogs and Dala Horses, I managed to come away without buying anything.

The weekend, while very wet, was a lot of fun and I really was glad to visit with my host parents, and of course, Eva and her family.

Tomorrow, is my last day with Eva, Jesper & Anna. I will be going to stay with Mimmi on Monday night.

Thanks to all who are checking my blog and pictures. Thanks for making comments on the blog. You can also make comments on the pictures if you want to as well.

Another day in Stockholm

2009-07-10T03:25:00.002-05:00

I had a real nice day with Anna, Jesper and Gustaf on Thursday. We went downtown to do a little shopping for earrings, but were unsuccessful. It seems that the Pilgrim brand is very picked over. Oh well, I will try in Denmark. We stopped for lunch at a little cafe called, TGI Fridays and had a nice lunch. Then it was off to the museum for the latest exhibit. The Titanic. While the museum was hot, the exhibit was pretty good. No pictures!

We returned home for a short time, then it was off to dinner at the Nilsson's. I finally got to see Mimmi for the first time in 4 years. Mimmi is doing great and is lovely as always. (see my pictures of all 3 kids together) We had a really nice dinner that Karin made for us. We were supposed to BBQ, but the weather has been raining for several days, so it is not time. We had a very nice time visiting with everyone and I will be going there again on Monday.

Today, we will be visiting Drottingham Castle, after which we will head up to Dlarna. I won't be updating until we return on Sunday.
Have a good weekend all!

Favor of everyone. When you visit IKEA in Bloominton, fill out a slip, asking to have them get Skogaholms limpa. If enough people ask for it, MAYBE, they will carry it! Yum!!!

Greetings from Stockholm

2009-07-09T10:00:00.002-05:00

Hi All,
I am now getting used to the Swedish keyboard, so excuse my typos. They have a few extra letters and I have a tough time, sometimes. ö See! Anyway, I had a nice train ride from Oslo to Stockholm yesterday. It was just 6 hours and beautiful scenary on the way.
Elin and I managed to walk about 5 miles around Oslo on Tuesday night. We walked down to the Norwegian Palace, then headed to the City Hall, where the Nobel Peace prize is awarded. (All others are awarded in Stockholmäs City Hall). We strolled along the harbor and then headed to the Parliment. Really nice places. Then back to the apartment to relax and pack.

On Wednesday, Peter, Jesper and Gustuf met me at the train station ans luckily brought muscles to carry my bags. They are a LOT lighter now that I have disposed of the red cups and scrapbook items. Now, there is room for my Skogaholms limpa!!!

Tomorrow, we will be heading up to Dalarna. I will be out of touch for those days, but will get the pictures on asap.

If you are interested in making comments, please do so here, rather than my e-mail. I can get to this and enjoy them without having to sort through my e-mail! Thanks all.

Be in touch soon!

Oslo

2009-07-07T11:28:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update from Oslo. We have been walking around Oslo for 2 days. I found a cyber cafe, so I thought a quick update, but no pictures. I leave for Sweden in the morning, so I will post pictures then.
We have been seeing the sites. First stop, Vigenland Park. I missed it the last time I was here. It is super interesting to see. We also hit the Viking Museum and went up to the ski jump, which isn't there. They are building a new one, for the World Ski Championships in 2011. The sky line seems very empty without it.
Tonight, the Oslo City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, the Parlament and new Oslo Opera House.

It has been great to see all the Olsen's and I hope that they come to visit me soon! Goodby Norway, hello to Sweden!

Hello from Norway

2009-07-05T08:29:00.001-05:00

Walk on the beach
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

It took a while, but I arrived. Hello to all from Norway. I arrived on Friday afternoon, very tired from the flight. Elin and Madelyn picked me up at the airport an off to Oslo we went for a quick shower and then a drive to Fredrikstad.
We have been pretty busy in Fredrikstad, but I have been pretty jet lagged from the trip. We relaxed and had a nice BBQ with Elin's family. Elin's parents, Solberg and Per Christina, plus Elin's brother, Christian, wife Tina and daughters, Madelyn and Mia.
Saturday, 4th of July was spent at the cabin. It is in Holden, just down the cost from Olso, but up from Sweden, for those looking. It has been pretty warm here, about 82-85 since arriving, and there is no AC here, so the cabin on the water if great. Elin and I took a walk on the beach, picked up a nice rock and headed back for dinner.
Elin's parent were having 12 for dinner. It was a fantastic evening with singing and dinner. Everyone was so nice to me and made me feel very welcome.
Oh, funny, as usual, I ran into someone at the airport. Ole Gram, my former Danish teacher was also on the flight, so while our flight was delayed we visited and caught up. Once arriving in Amsterdam, we changed flights, with gates close by, so we visited again. Yes, I do seem to run into people, everywhere!
Elin's computer died right before I arrived, so I might not be able to update until Sweden, unless we hit a cyber cafe.
Tomorrow, it is back to Olso, for 2 days of touring. Wedneday, if it off to Stockholm.

It is very difficult to type on a keyboard with other languages. There are keys in places that are odd! Å see what

I am headed out soon!

2009-07-02T08:48:00.002-05:00
I can't believe, today has finally arrived. After only a year in planning, I am all packed and ready to leave. I have a couple things left to pick up, but then, I am off.

I will be visiting Elin, in Oslo first. I haven't seen Elin since I was visiting back in 2005. It will be great to see her again.

Next stop, Stockholm with Anna, Jesper, Eva, Peter and Gustaf. I will spend a few days there and I think we are headed to the summer house in Dalarna. I haven't been there since 1976! I will then be switching families in Stockholm and visiting with Mimmi and the Nilsson's. We will spend only a couple days in Stockholm before heading to their summer house, in Oland, an island, just off the east cost of Sweden.

From Oland, I will be headed to Copenhagen and Camilla, where I will spend only about 3 days. I will depart for Odense to see Preben and family. Preben is a cousin in Denmark, who I haven't seen for a few years either. He came to visit here last. I will then head back to Copenhagen and visit a few more days with Camilla, who is the first exchange student I hosted in 2002-03 school year. I saw her last in 2007, but I miss her just as much as the rest of them.

On August 3, I head home, but not before a quick stop in Amsterdam. Well, it is really a 6 hour lay over, so my friend Bill Jorgensen, from my Danish class , way back in the 90's, will be meeting me at the airport and showing me around for a few hours, before I head for home!

I hope to update often and put on a lot of pictures. I hope you enjoy my travels!

Celebrating 95year with Grandma at the Twins

2008-08-17T09:11:00.002-05:00

Showing off for the crowd!
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
It was the "Johnson" clan celebrating the 95th Birthday of Grandma Marie. Every year, I take my Grandma for her birthday, to the Twins game. It is a fun task each year. It started years ago, when my cousin Debbie and I would take Grandma to the game and sing and carry on, and Grandma would pretend to be embarrassed. We all would have a great time.
Years later, my mom would join us at the games, even though mom never really enjoyed sports. She only would enjoy it if one of us kids were playing or WAY back when my dad played for the Gophers. Since Grandma really loves the Twins, mom would go along, just because Grandma enjoyed it.
I have been working part time for the Twins for 11 years now. It has been a great time. Five years ago, I decided that mom, Debbie and I shouldn't have all the fun, so I invited all the family that I could to come to the game with us, and it would be a surprise! Well, what a surprise that was. My aunt and uncle came in from Boise for the party. There were probably about 40 of us that went to the game that day. As always, Grandma claims it will be 'her last game!"
Two years ago, mom died and Grandma fell and broke her hip. No game that year, since it all happened just days before Grandma's birthday, so we thought that Grandma really wouldn't go anymore.
A couple months ago, Susan and I talked her into going to a game. Since we don't know if it will REALLY be her last game, we invited everyone to celebrate her 95th birthday in a big way. We had about 30 people attend and as you can see, we thought we would with our great signs get on national tv, and the rest of our family could join in via tv. Even though we had some pretty impressive signs and we made sure everyone could see us, we didn't make it on tv. There were lots of shots of the roof of the Dome, but few closer up crowd shots.Too bad. Many family members around the country watch the game and tried to see us.

It was a great game and Twins won! Grandma really enjoyed the game. Of course, she did tell us again that this was 'her last game.
We will see!!

Bye Jesper

2008-06-13T13:24:00.001-05:00

Bye Jesper
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Well, our time has come to and end. Jesper has gone home to Sweden and I am home and back to work. The time has gone by so quickly it seem like he just arrived.

I am sure that Jesper is happy to be back at home, but also wishing he could still be here with all his new friends. It is always hard to say goodbye!

Hopefully, he will be back to visit again soon!

Time is flying by

2008-06-02T11:06:00.002-05:00
Where has the time gone. It is now June and Jesper will be leaving in a few short days. It seems like it was just the other day he arrived for his year in the USA.
These last few days will go by in a blur. We have so many things yet to do. Eva and Peter arrive on Tuesday. Graduation is on Wednesday, followed by the All Night Party. Friday begins a new round of graduation parties to attend. Jesper's party is Saturday afternoon. Sunday, Eva and Peter return to Sweden and we have 2 parties that day too. Once that is over, there will be a flurry of goodbyes and packing to go home. Then, it will be time to say goodbye to me.

It is kind of hard when the kids leave, but knowing they always come back and visit, makes it easier. I plan to go visit next summer as well, so that will make it just a bit easier as well.

Nice day for golf

2008-05-15T20:27:00.001-05:00

Nice day for golf
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
We finally have a nice day for golf. I took off work for part of the day, so I could be the "crazy mom" following around the boys at he golf meet. It was a beautiful day, but the breeze was still a bit cold. They golfed 18 holes, but I only followed them around for about 10. I got too tired and I wasn't even carrying a bag, just cameras. I am glad that I finally got to go to a meet, I just wish it would have been at Bunker, instead of Elk River. That was a long drive.

Good news, we all got a bit of a tan, but Jesper's looks like a 'farmer tan'. Mine is just my nose and cheeks.

It's been a while

2008-05-13T08:24:00.003-05:00
Wow, I can't believe it has been a long time since I last updated. So much has been happening, yet there really isn't much going on.

Jesper has been golfing on the golf team this year. It has been terrible weather all spring long. Cold and rain most days. Mondays seem to be the nicest weather, but by Thursday it is going down hill fast and that is the day of most meets. The weekends are the worst. Hopefully, that cycle will break soon, since Jesper has 3 more meets and I haven't been able to get to any of them. I plan to see the meet on Thursday this week and next Tuesday, his last official meet.

It was Mother's Day on Sunday. We had a great time at my house. Some of my family came over for a pot luck brunch. Two of my sisters and their families, 2 aunts and some of their kids and grandchildren as well, and of course, Grandma. We have a really nice time. Grandma was still sad, since she is missing her 3 oldest daughters. It must be really hard for a parent to outlive so many of their children. Anyway, after brunch, Jesper took me to the movie for my Mother's Day gift. We had a really nice time.

The count down is on. Only 1 month left before Jesper returns to Sweden. Time is flying by. With graduation fast approaching and party planning going on, we are really busy. Invitation for Graduation parties are arriving as well. If we are doing our own thing, we will be attending many parties in his last few days. He will have to decide which ones he will be able to attend. Unfortunately, several will be after he leaves.

Check back later for updates on the golf match! I hope I am able to get to the meets and get some pictures.

Prom

2008-04-20T11:29:00.006-05:00

Jesper went all out for Prom and rented a white tux. He had to add the showy top hat, cane and gloves and really hammed it up for the camera. He was the only one that I saw with the hat and cane. All the boys wore sunglasses for some reason. Jesper said something about 'cool without the sun' I don't get it. His date was his friend Michelle and they had a great time. We started out taking pictures at home, went to Michelle's for more pictures and then went to someone else's house for even more pictures and people.
There were about 40 to 50 kids in all, plus parents. The big yellow party bus arrived to whisk them off to the Sculpture Gardens and dinner, then finally the dance. After the dance, an after Prom party was at yet another house where the kids stayed all night. Jesper called about 9am this morning, wanting to come home and sleep.
Click on the PROM title above to see video of Jesper and the girls. He can sure ham things up. The last picture is of Erin and her date, Sean.

Spring Has Arrived

2008-04-16T09:12:00.002-05:00
Spring has finally arrived here in Minnesota. The snow has melted, except for the snow mountains in the store parking lots. The grass is greening up. We had a beautiful day yesterday, although very windy. It brought the warm air though, so we can't complain.

I know it is spring, since I am back working at the Twins and Jesper is out golfing on the team. He has his 1st meet today on the JV. I am sure he will work his way up to Varsity very soon. Monday I hope, since there is a meet at the U and I can go after my class! I can get some golf pictures then, that would be great!

Most things are day to day stuff, although Jesper just got back from Chicago where he met him mother, Eva, for a few days of sight seeing and just having fun. I have posted the pictures, so take a peek.

Prom is this Saturday, so look for those pictures. I will get them on as soon as possible!

A lot of Homework

2008-04-04T09:42:00.002-05:00
It has been a busy week this past week. It is the last week of the quarter and Jesper is catching up on all the homework he missed when he went on this USA discovery trips! That also meant that I got to correct the grammar in a couple papers he wrote. The last of them were done on Wednesday night to turn in on Thursday. Jesper is recooping by sleeping in today, since they have no school. Man, they get a lot of days off!
We started off the week with Jesper playing on his indoor soccer team. The boys did really well. I think they won 8-2. Jesper scored 3 goals, including a very exciting goal where he was just playing footsy with the ball, since no one was guarding him.
Monday brought the Twins Home Opener. We enjoyed the return of Torri Hunter, who now plays for the Angels. Twins won the game and we were all very happy to have a dome stadium since it snowed about 8 inches during the day and the game. It was a little icey leaving the game though!
With the Twins back in action, I am back at work, so that means, Jesper is on his own for dinner a lot. He has discovered Mac and Cheese, yuk! Well, he likes it. Golf is also keeping him busy. They make cuts to the team on Tuesday, so Jesper is going to take a golf lesson to help his slice. Hope all goes well with that! We will find out on Tuesday if he makes the team. (I am sure he will!)

Sunrise

2008-03-22T20:51:00.001-05:00

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
I finally have gotten the last of the photos on.
We got up at 4:30 this morning to return the rental car and catch the plan before 7am. No problems with that. It is just weird to wear short in 80 degree weather yesterday and have to go back to snow and winter today!

Last Few Days

2008-03-21T19:57:00.002-05:00
It has been a few days since I posted and don't have time to put pictures on, but I thought I would update the past few days.

After our Slot Canyon adventures, we packed up and headed south to the Grand Canyon National Park. We didn't have access so, this will be a big post.
The Grand Canyon is my favorite park. It has been about 20 years since I have visited, but it is still wonderful and I love it there. We arrived at the east entrance midday on Tuesday, stopped for views as we made our way to our hotel in the park. I decided to stay in the park since we would be able to commute either by foot or park bus just about everywhere. We saw some pretty spectacular views.
After settling into our room we tried to find the rim to watch the sun set, which is a must in the park. We managed to miss it by the time we arrived at the rim.
Wednesday morning we slept through sunrise and instead went to town for a quick trip and back to the park. We spent the entire day hiking and checking out the views. We did make it to the rim on Wed. night for sun set. It was wonderful to see. I will put pictures on as soon as I get home.
Sunrise on Thursday was yet another must see. We got up at 5:45 to get out to the rim for the view.Jesper and Randy were a little tough to get moving, but we made it. Jesper enjoyed it, and Randy will some day! Teri and I really enjoyed the experience.

We headed for Vegas on Thursday afternoon. We decided to travel via California, since neither Jesper or Randy had ever been to California. We found out today, as we went to see the Hoover Dam, it was a wise decision on our part. It took over an hour to get to the dam, which was only about 30 miles away. The traffic is horrible, but the view was great. Everyone enjoyed the time spent there.

We are headed to the Strip tonight and will be flying home in the very early hours of the morning. I will post pictures when I get home.

Antolope Slot Canyon

2008-03-17T22:44:00.001-05:00

Antolope Slot Canyon
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
It has been a couple of busy days.
Jesper and I went golfing on Sunday morning. It was cold, but hey, when you get the chance, take it. It started snowing on us, but we carried on.
Later in the day, we all drove over to Arizona (that sounds weird!). Anyway, we had hiking permits for the South Coyote Buttes. I didn't get luck enough to get the permits for the Wave, that I had been wanting, so we went for the South Buttes. We drove, during some nasty weather, only to be snowed out completely. This is the way the last few days have gone.

Today, turned out better. We woke to sun shine and warmer weather. Once again, we drove to Arizona, this time Page, AZ. We got a tour of the Antolope Slot Canyon that is on the Navaho reservations. It was an exciting and interesting tour. We are so glad we got to do that. I put on only half of the pictures I took. I think I actually took 60 photos. It was that amazing. The boys really enjoyed it and the 4 wheeling we had to do to get there!
We also stopped by the Glen Canyon Dam. We kind of had to, since we had to drive over it to get to Page. It is a rather inspiring place.

We ended our day with a hike in the Grand Staircase Escalantes. We hiked out to the rock formations named, Toad Stools. It was a short hike and a nice day to do it.

I hope that you are enjoying our pictures.

Challanging Day

2008-03-15T23:03:00.002-05:00
Today we were going to go 4 wheeling, but we were actually unable to find somewhere that not only would take us on a tour, but also, close to where we are staying. We called and checked everywhere, but it was very difficult to find. We were not successful, so we will try again another day. Perhaps on our day in Las Vegas next week.
I also tried and was unsucceful in getting a permit to The Wave. I needed to be at the ranger station, before 9am this morning, but it took longer to get there thanrealized, so I walked in just at 9am, and couldn't get in the lottery. So, we will be hiking the South Coyotee Butte instead. I hope that it is just as beautiful as The Wave!
Instead of 4 wheeling, we went back to Zion and hiked the trail to the Narrows. Since this is spring and the snow is melting, there was too much water in the spring, so we didn't get very far.

Tomorrow, we hope the weatherman is wrong, but snow and cold is what is forecast, so our golf game may be out and it might be a challanging hike at Coyotee Butte.

Bryce Canyon

2008-03-15T11:44:00.001-05:00

Sunrise Trail
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
We finally made it to Bryce Canyon. It was cooler than it had been at Zion, but it was still really sunny and nice. There was still about 8 feet of snow in the park, so we got to see the nice views with snow. It was melting fast though. We took in all the sites and then went for a hike. We thought it was going to be a nice short hike, about 1 mile. Turned out it was over 3 miles and really muddy. We started out on the Sunrise trail and hooked up with Navaho trail. The snow was melting causing the mud and ice to make the trip a little slippery. We waled along the steep paths When we finally was about to finish it became vert muddy, Teri sunk in the mud, up to her knees. I managed to avoid the knne deep much, with Jespers help.
I was pretty happy to finish this hike.
The pictures we took, and there are a lot of them, do not do justice to the realy beauty of this park.

Zion

2008-03-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Zion
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
It has been a busy few days. We arrived safe and sound in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Once we got our rental car, we hit the road and got lost trying for find our hotel. Not completely our fault!!! We were given really bad directions. 1 hour later, we finally manage to get to the hotel.
Today, we took off for the 1st leg of our trip. Utah and Zion National Park. We had to drive through the park, just to get to our new hotel in Kanab Utah.; We managed to see a lot, but I can't seem to upload the photos. I managed to get a few on, but the internet connection is soooooo slow here. I will try again tomorrow.

A Fast Week

2008-03-03T10:27:00.002-06:00
Last week just blew by so quickly. Partially since I was lucky enough to come down with the cold/flu thing going around. I am almost over it, so that is great, since we leave next week for spring break.
Jesper surprised me last week with the request to go to the wrestling tournaments. He has told me all winter long that he thinks wrestling is boring, but Thursday he wanted to go. So, he went to the tournament. Coon Rapids won the team meet to go to the semi finals for State. Friday, during the day was the individual meet. He wasn't interested in that, until Friday during school when he found out that he could get out of school and it would be an excused absence. So, the school called to make sure it was OK, it was as long as it was excused and didn't count against his attendance. Any excuse to get out of school.
Indoor soccer started last week as well. Jesper is pretty good at soccer and has missed playing since the school season had ended back in October. Since basketball is over now and golf doesn't start yet, it gives him something to do, rather than sit on the computer all day!

We leave next week for Spring Break. Check back then for pictures and posts of our adventures!

Space Needle

2008-02-27T13:17:00.001-06:00

Space Needle
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Jesper has returned from Seattle and is settling back into life in Coon Rapids. Mostly he sleeps and plays on the computer if he isn't at school.
He had a really good time in Seattle, especially since the weather was much warmer than it is here. He said is was in the 60's and sunny most of the week. Not at all Seattle like.
Apparently, Seattle reminds him of the west coast of Sweden, so he enjoyed that.
While he was enjoying his adventures in Seattle, I was home relaxing most of the time. I did travel to Iowa to see the Gophers play the Hawkeyes in basketball. It was an unbelievably long trip , 6 hours there, 7 back, to watch a 2 hour basketball game. Most of the time it is only a 4 hour drive, but the weather was not like Seattle. There was a huge snow storm and we saw many cars in the ditch. At least 50 and all of them in Iowa.

A Week of Nothing

2008-02-18T12:55:00.002-06:00
Jesper was off to Seattle on Saturday morning. It looked like the weather was going to be much warmer in Seattle for a few day than in Minneapolis. He had no problems getting off on the plane and I didn't have any problems accompanying him to the gate. Something good has come out of the Larry Craig incident at the MSP airport. No one has any issues with you going with a minor to the gate.
On Sunday, I was off early to go with a group to the Gopher game in Iowa. It is about a 4 hour bus ride from Minneapolis. The weather in Minneapolis was cloudy and gray but that was about it. As soon as we got to Iowa, all that changed. They were having a really nice snow storm. There we cars in the ditch everywhere. It took an extra 2 hours to get to the game. We arrived just in time for tip off. Unfortunately, the Gophers were off to a bad start and the refs were even worse than usual. They didn't bother to call the blatant fouls, such as an Iowas player putting a Gopher in a headlock. They just watched her struggle! Gopher lost by 3 and we had a really long bus ride ahead of us. The storm had increased and I really thought we would be staying in Iowa, but our great bus driver got us back safe and sound. It only took 7 hours! Not bad! I am just glad that Jesper text me that he was enjoying the 60 degree sunshine in Seattle, while I was enjoying the Iowas blizzard!
Hopefully, I can update with pictures when Jesper comes home.

MORP

2008-02-11T08:27:00.001-06:00

IMG_2269
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Friday night was the Morp dance at school. Morp, is backward for Prom. This a new version of the Sadie Hawkins dance where the girls ask the boys. It used to be just a fun casual dance, but it seems to have gone a bit more dressy. Jesper was asked to go to the dance with Katie. They went out to dinner before the dance and then to the dance at school. They all got together for pictures at Evan's house. Everyone looked really nice and had a great time. Jesper even ran into Erin at the dance. Erin looked really nice.

Basketball

2008-02-02T21:58:00.000-06:00
Jesper is playing basketball now that soccer is over. He is enjoying it, but they have yet to win a game.

A new quarter has started at school, so he is keeping pretty busy. Just a few weeks until he is off to tour Seattle.

Keep checking, hopefully we will have some nice adventures to tell you about!

Letterman

2008-01-28T08:45:00.001-06:00

Letterman
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
I finally got a picture of Jesper in his letter jacket. I don't like it so I will have to take another one.
He was off to his basketball game on Saturday. It was a busy day. There were 2 games. One at 9am then again at 4. They have yet to win a game, but each game, they get better. Not bad for never playing together and only 2 practices.
This week has gone by quickly. We had only four days of work and school because of Martin Luther King Day. It was a cold week, so no one wanted to go outside. It was below 0F (-15 to -25C) most of the week. Friday we finally cracked the 0 barrier and actually were above freezing all weekend. That will come to a big end very shortly.

On Friday I met Jesper new girlfriend. I had no idea he had one until Friday. Neither of them drive, so it is her mom or me doing the driving, but they seem to hang out at my house. Hmmm! We will see how that goes.

Nice Week

2008-01-11T07:54:00.000-06:00
Not much has been happening around here. Jesper went back to school on Monday and I have been back to work since Jan. 3.

I have had an injured shoulder from falling back in November and have been suffering with that for 2 months. On Monday, I got a cortisone shot and what a miracle! I can move my arm again. So, since I have been able to move my arm, I have been going with Jesper to the Y to work out. I usually go in the morning, but I have been having a tough time getting up in the morning. So, evenings with Jesper will work just fine.

Next week, CRAA basketball, or as they call it, 'house' ball starts. Jesper was going to go out for the school team, but he didn't enjoy the personalities on the team, so he changed his mind. Oh well, as long as he is busy.

We have a Gopher game on Sunday and that is about it. Hopefully, there will be fun adventures coming soon.

New Year

2008-01-08T11:25:00.000-06:00
Well, we have started our new year. Jesper's family was here for New Year and left us on January 2. It was so great to see everyone. I have miss them all, especially Anna. She is still a wonderful girl, but has changed some. She is more confident and outgoing. Not as shy. It is so wonderful to see. I hope that this was one of the good things she took home with her.

I will post future happenings with Jesper as the year progresses.

Multnomah Falls

2007-06-28T22:47:00.001-05:00

Multnomah Falls
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Today is our last full day of vacation. We are visiting Teri's friend Kandi, who lives just outside Portland Oregon. We spent the day seeing a few sights. We drove up the Columbia River Highway which overlooks the Columbia River, on our way up to Mt. Hood. There were several really pretty waterfalls along the drive. This one at Multnomah Falls, is one of the most scenic and is most photographed. It is really pretty. Camilla, you would love this!
We drove up to Mt. Hood from there. It was really beautiful and sunny on our drive up, which was rather surprising, since it was so cloudy down in town. We saw the mountain the whole drive up, and as soon as we got there, the clouds moved it and I didn't get a picture! Trust me, it is wonderful.

Tomorrow, we head home in the afternoon, so this is my last entry on the travel blog. I hope you have been enjoying it and looking at the pictures.

If you decide to go to Alaska, and I would again in a minute, make sure you have a great camera. The wildlife calls for great patience and a better camera!

Parting View

2007-06-28T12:28:00.001-05:00

Mt. McKinley
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Our last day in Alaska was spent in Denali. We went out to view the Dog Sled demo, which we thought was going to be kind of cheesy, but it turned out to be pretty interesting. We saw the dogs, so a demo of them pulling the sled (but no snow). It was pretty good. We drove in the park 1 last time, before our drive back to Anchorage. As we drove back, we kept seeing the rare peaks of the mountain, so we pulled over for a view in both the North and South view State Parks. It is pretty cool that Alaska has State Parks just to view the mountain. We got a great view from the south view park. We were pretty lucky to get so many views of the mountain on our trip. It is a rare site we have been told.

We got back to Anchorage about 10pm, with plenty of day light left, so we took a walk along the parkway onlong the shore. We then went to the airport to check in for our 1 am flight to Portland. Anchorage is the most inefficient airport I have ever been in. There was only 1 securty check point and 9 people working the 1 line. It took forever to get through security. I discovered though, that they checked both my bags!

We arrived in Portland to visit with Teri's friend, Kandi for a few days. We are headed up to Mt. Hood today, so look for more pictures later.

Fairbanks

2007-06-25T23:32:00.001-05:00

My own Highway
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Today we took a day tour to the North Pole and Fairbanks. It is about 2 hours north of Denali. We drove on up to the North Pole and had a nice visit with Santa and his elves. I think we both made it on the "nice" list for this year!

We cruised on into Fairbanks and stopped by the Alaska Pipeline for a quick visit. Then it was off to the Ice Museum. On our way, we came across the Johansen Expressway. I can't believe it. Our own highway! They spelled it correctly too. We also noticed about a week ago, so one named Johansen is running for the representative here in Alaska. No one has called me Johnson here either!
Fairbanks is a reallly small city, and not much going on here. We toured town and tried to go to the Large Animal Research Center at the University, but it was closed. We wanted to see the Musk Ox. Teri is still bumming about that!

Tomorrow, we will be spending the day in the park and then heading for Anchorage and the airport. We have a 1am flight to Portland. We will be spending the time there until Friday. Watch for updates on Wednesday or Thursday!

Denali

2007-06-24T23:32:00.001-05:00

Denali, aka Mt. McKinley
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Today, we finally made it to Denali National Park. We arrived for our 6:15am shuttle bus to Wonder Lake. An 11 hour trip. Our morning started out pretty exciting. We left our B&B and within about 100 yards of the house, we came across a moose in the road. We enjoyed watching it, but we didn't have our cameras ready!
We took off on the tour and within just a few miles, we spotted more moose. They are everywhere in the park. We also happened across a black wolf, fox pups, playing just outside their den and so much more. I didn't get pictures of everything, since I need a much fancier camera, with a telephoto lens! I did get video of them though, since the video has a great zoom lens! We happened across grizzly bears and caribou, dall sheep and so much more. The best part for me though, we seeing the mountain. This is often not visalbe for visitors. We count ourselves lucky to have seen it. Just a few hours later, it was covered by clouds so we were not able to see it again, at Wonder Lake. For those who can't see my photo too well, it is the whitest part in the pictures. It is hard to see, but it is there. (I really need that great camera.
Next time I come, a really great camera is called for. Don't come without a zoom lens and lots of patience! Wildlife photographers must have the most patience! It is not easy to get that perfect shot!

Teri and I have decided that the best things of all, have been the cheapest to do. Our time in the last 2 National Parks.

Traditional Park Photo

2007-06-24T00:55:00.001-05:00

Traditional Park Photo
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
I thought I better update our Kenai Fjords adventure just a bit more. I am not real sure anyone is looking at this, but just in case, I thought I would explain more of our adventure.

We arrived at Seward and walked, what we thought to be just a few blocks, but actually turned out to be over a mile, pulling our REALLY heavy suitcases. We got to our hotel and dropped off the suitcases, just to run back into town. On our way into town, we scouted out the laundry facilities, luckily, just the next block from our hotel.

we stopped by the visitors center on our way to the harbor for our cruise in the Kenai Fjords. We reserved a boat tour (our last time on a boat this vacation!) where we went out into the fjords for 6 hours. It wasn't an overly crowded tour, which was a nice switch from everything on the cruise up. We saw whales on our way out and several birds. Puffins were the most exciting to see. We also saw what we thought were loons, but turned out to be something called Murres (I think). We worked our way past many glaciers that came right down to the water. Our goal, the Aliaka Glacier. We went right up close, about a 1/2 mile. The boat turned off the engines and we just floated for about a 1/2 hour. The glacier, creaked and growled and made noises like fireworks. It was so amazing. Then, chuncks fell off, called calving. It was spectacular.

From there, we were off to another area of the park, where we once again came across whales feeding. It is an amazing site. They are hump back whales. We saw the mother whale and her baby. We also came across dolphins. I think they are called Dall Dolphins. They look like the killer whales. We were to go our in the front of the boat to make as much noise as we could, so the dolphins would 'play' with us. It was pretty interesting.
Next stop, an island that is inhabited by nothing but birds. It used to be a military outpost, but the birds were so bad, it is no longer used. (The smell!)

Time flew by, the tour was over. Teri and I agree, it was the best thing we had done so far. An because of our Tour Saver coupon, the cheapest too!

Oh, we got our laundry done and visited with many of the other tourist while our wash was going. I think it is the only time I have actually enjoyed doing laundry.

This morning, bright and early, we caught a bus for Anchorage where we rented a car for our drive to Denali. We arrived safe and sound, ready for our next adventure.

Seward/Kenai Fjords

2007-06-23T13:08:00.000-05:00
We have had the best time here. This is definately a great place to visit. We went on a Kenia Fjord boat tour yesterday, which was 6 hours long. We saw whales, birds, dolphins and the glaciers calving! They were so awsome!

I am currently trying to update and load pictures on, quick before we catch the bus to Anchorage. I have no time, so got to run! More later!

Hubbard Glacier

2007-06-22T12:50:00.001-05:00

Hubbard Glacier
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
Our last 2 days of the cruise were stops at Icy Straght and Hubbard Glacier (which wasn't a stop).
We got off the ship for a quick day in Icy Straights. I wish we wouldn't have wasted time there. We choose to go on a bear safari, which turned out to be a huge waste of money. Teri had wanted to go salmon fishing, but they were full up! So, we decided to go and see bear instead. It turns out, all was got to see where bugs and bear pooh! Waste of time and money.

When we got back, it was my turn to not feel good. It turns out that I got really sick. I was lucky enough, even though I am obsessive about washing my hands and not touching door knobs with my bare hands, I got the Norwalk virus. I got to go to visit the ships medical, and was confinded to my room all day on the last day of our cruise. I watched the glacier from the window, while Teri went up on deck to take pictures. (She was supposed to be confined too, but she went out, since she was fine!) I wish I was able to see move than what was out my window. That would have move than made up for the non bear safari!

I am feeling fine today and off on our latest adventure. We have arrived in Seward today and will head out to the Kenai Fjords shortly. We have a big day of tours and laundry planned today! Hopefully, I can post the pictures later today of the Kenai Fjords!

Historic Skagway

2007-06-19T20:46:00.001-05:00

Historic Skagway
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
This is the 3rd stop on our cruise this week. We finally got good weather too! Skagway is about 6 blocks long and since there are 4 cruise ships in town, it is REALLY crowded here. The normal population of the town is only about 800.

We toured town for a couple hours, doing some shopping. Then we hopped on our train ride on the White Pass & Yukon Rail. We took the train up to the White Pass, in BC, Canada. It was a wonderful ride and the beauty is amazing! If you come this way, you should take the trip. I hope that my pictures capture even half of the beauty.

We leave tonight for the Icy Straights, before heading to Seward on Friday, where we get off the ship for a final time. I don't know if Icy Straight will have access for me to put on the pictures, so maybe nothing until Friday!

This has been an amazing trip and we are really enjoying it. Teri is feeling a bit ill today. I think it was the fish she ate for dinner. Other than that, all is going great. I won't use the ship computers anymore, since they cost 50 cents a minute and are really slow! It would cost a fortune to post anything!

Hope you are enjoying our trip. See you soon.

Mendenhall Glacier

2007-06-18T21:02:00.001-05:00

Mendenhall Glacier
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
This morning we pulled into Juneau about 8am. The weather was not that great, but who cares. It is beautiful here. We went on a Photo Safarie to look for whates and bald eagles. We saw plenty of them. I don't know if I got a good shot of the whales, but we sure saw them. Eagles where EVERyWHERE!!! I have never seen some many in my life.
From our boat part of the safarie, we headed to Mendenhall Glacier where we continued on a hiking rour. The glacier is amazing! i don't know if the pictures do justice to the site. If you ever get the chance, you have to see this place.

After returning from our tour, we have been walking around Juneau seeing the sites. We had a tour of the State Capitol Building and the State Muesum.

There has been a mist most of the day, but it hasn't put a damper on the day at all!

We have been having a great time on the cruise. We are meeting lots of fun people and visit with some many new people every day. Our dinner table is very diverse. Each coast and in the middle of th courntry as well.

Next stop, Skagway1 Keep checking for photo updates. The libraries are a great place to work from!

Ketchikan

2007-06-17T16:14:00.001-05:00

100_2258
Originally uploaded by GailJ.
We finally made it to Alaska! This is our 1st port. We are here for several hours. Today we took a tour of the Saxman Totem poles and the Creek street, where the "madams" made all their money. It is a nice little town, very sceanic. We only have a few hours before leaving for our next stop.

We took about a 3 mile walk to find the eagles, but can't see them.
Got to run!

Cruising

2007-06-16T19:05:00.000-05:00
Just a quick note to let you know we made it on board. We are cruising today. We got a late start yesterday. Our ship, was supposed to leave at 5pm yesterday, but there were several bus loads of passangers was late. We finally set sail by 7pm.
We spent most of our time exploring the ship. It is huge!!! Our room of course is super small. I think my bathroom at home is bigger. It is pretty nice though, so that is good.

Today, we are just enjoying the activities on board ship, and of course, the food. There is no shortage of food here. I don't think we will go hungery at all.

Tomorrow, we will be docking in Ketchican, our 1st Alaska port. I hope to find a library to update from, since the ships internet is slow and expensive!

Until tomorrow!

Vancouver, BC

2007-06-15T13:09:00.001-05:00

Steam Clock
Originally uploaded by GailJ.

We arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday late in the afternoon. It took an hour to drive to our hotel, because Vancouver has no freeway system. We drove in rush hour traffic to get only about 25 miles. We quickly checked in our room and we took off to see the sites. Stanley Park with the totem poles was our 1st stop. A wonderful place overlooking the city and surrounded by water. We took a bus back to the hotel and that took about 1 hour too. Our hotel staff was wonderful and very helpful in finding things.
Yesterday, we rented a car and drove to Victoria. We had to get on the ferry to cross the water, since Victoria in on Vancouver Island. We made our way to Butchart Gardens which was lovely. I did not get to meet up with Kathy, since she could not get off work. Darn, next time!

Today we will be heading off to the cruise ship. We are not sure what to expect, but from what everyone tells us, we are in for a super time.

I have posted the pictures from Vancouver. Vancouver is a very beautiful city. I would like to come back and see more of it. They are getting ready for the 2010 Olypics, so there is a lot of construction going on. It is really nice anyway!
Keep watching and following along!

Small World

2007-06-07T18:31:00.000-05:00
It is a really small world. Today, because of a conversation I had with my co-worker Kerry, I got in touch with a college friend, Kathy Nolan. Kathy and I were friends at UW-La Crosse. After graduation, she headed west to Yellowstone National Park, where she met and married Les.
Now, here is the small world. Speaking with Kerry yesterday, he told me he is headed for Yellowstone. A grad student who is in the department, grew up out in the Yellowstone area, and low and behold, she knows Les and Kathy.

Well, Les and Kathy are now at Olympic National Park, right near Victoria, Canada. My 1st stop on the trip! Vancouver/Victoria where we plan to visit The Butchart Gardens. On a whim, I called Kathy and we are planning to meet there, with any luck. It will be so great if we can actually meet up and visit for a while!

This is all because we talked about our up coming vacations. I am very excited to meet up with Kathy., who I haven't seen since 1993!

Erin's Dance

2007-04-19T09:14:00.000-05:00
I thought I would put this out there for those who can't see it on my Youtube site. This works here. Hope you enjoy the dance team. I hope you are able to figure out which one is Erin!