To follow up a bit about the penguins and pickles: Lauren and Cody specialize in finding interesting things for us to do while we are in Berlin. The day after we got to Berlin we went to a water park in Spreewald, about an hour from Berlin by train. It was a lot of fun. From the wave pool to the whirlpool/lazy river to the 3-story water slide -- with lighting effects that left me unable to stand for a few seconds after I hit the pool at the bottom - there was something for everyone, including little Theo. And there were penguins. They were not in the same pool as we were, but they were in an enclosure adjacent to the pool and there was a swim channel for the penguins that was separated from our pool by glass. So, it was kind of like swimming with the penguins.
The next day we went to the town of Lubbenau, right next to Spreewald and ate pickles, which I have always thought I did not like. The plate of various pickles was uniformly wonderful. I now eat pickles. So much for penguins and pickles.
Plate of delicious Lubbenau pickles. A revelation!
After a week in Berlin with Lauren's family, we headed for home - Washington, D.C. We stayed with Ben & Steph and their two guys (Vincent and Kenneth) for 5 days and then two weeks at a friend's home in Washington Grove, a little residential paradise in Gaithersburg, just past an industrial park. We spent our time getting vaccinations, TSA pre-check numbers (worth it!), and seeing friends. A nice time.
The Berlin Family
So on 10/19 we flew to Denver to drop off my ski gear with our friends. They also have a beautiful home in Leadville, near the Copper ski resort. February will be for skiing.
The next day, 10/20, we headed for Seattle where Lee Stephenson and Susan Hester offered to host us at their mountain house. We had heard about this house from the search for land to the construction and had a feeling it would be quite wonderful. And it is. Deep in the Cascades in the small town of Mazama, the setting is absolutely beautiful.
Hiking in the Cascades:
Looking at home in the mountains:
Lee and I have known each other since 1973 when we both showed up for the first game of a volleyball game that went on for 25 years and formed a group of friends through many phases of our lives. Lee moved to Seattle with his wife, Susan Hester
about 12 years ago to be closer to Susan's daughter and her wife and children. After years of beer and pizza at Millie & Al's, Lee has basked in grandfatherhood and marriage. There are some happy endings....or at least happy middles.
Their home in the Cascades is warm and spectacular in an understated way. Amazing views of the aspens and meadow as the leaves are turning.
So, next Saturday we head to Bellingham, from where we fly to Hawaii. Then on to Australia (2 weeks), New Zealand (two weeks), Vietnam (3 weeks), Thailand (1 month), and 4 days in Tokyo before we head back to the States at the end of January to start my month of sliding down hills and trying not to break anything. The posts will probably come more frequently and be a bit less wordy.
Hang in there with us.....it should be fun.
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