meetusinstlouis

2012-01-16T16:50:00.001-06:00

Hi I'm Darren Harbaugh. I still exist.

June

2011-06-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

It's June. We now have a baby. That's her name.

hi

2011-02-13T16:49:00.002-06:00

What's up, folks? We're still alive. We like San Francisco. Our child is in transit, due to arrive mid-April.

Party on, dudes.

harbaugh family

2010-10-03T16:10:00.001-05:00

Coming April 16...

2010-10-02T15:03:00.002-05:00

http://harbaughbaby.blogspot.com/

New Digs

2010-08-28T17:37:00.002-05:00

Here are a few shots of Luther House, our home for the next year. It's pretty sweet and actually awesome for the city.

Come and visit we have a room for you!

Kitchen

2010-08-23T23:17:00.002-05:00

We are busy. WE ate mexican food and pizza and have been visited by Matt Maust, Mike and Kelly, and my cousin Colin and Jordana, and Sarah and Johnny, and it is neat.

I am writing a sermon and learning about Jonah and Truth/Gospel of John and things.

I like San Francisco.

It is very good times and salad years a plenty.

2010-08-20T16:39:00.000-05:00

We are keeping busy. We like it here. We like when friends visit.

Whale

2010-08-18T01:22:00.001-05:00

I am teaching bible study on book of Jonah. It will be neat. Wee!

SF

2010-08-17T16:04:00.001-05:00

I am a vicar. Becca is a PE teacher. I have lots to do. College group at SFSU. High School group. Adult Bible Study. Sermons. Liturgy. School Chapel. Cool!

Karalovy Vary

2010-07-30T22:00:00.001-05:00

We drank the sweet elixirs of the magic mineral spa waters. Then had sauna massage time. delightful pig knuckle and goulash. so tasty and delightful.

Munich

2010-07-30T21:54:00.002-05:00

Munchen is beer heaven forever.
big mugs. mighty mugs of valor. Litro, compadre.
biergartens and pretzels and wurst.
Augustiner!
HofBrau!
HOORRAY!
ride bikes through the park and chinese tower fun fun.
Holy Ghost Pub.
Germany defeated England and many were happy.
Hooray for Bavaria.

swiss

2010-07-30T21:48:00.003-05:00

we took a train to switzerland then up a mountain then a cable car up and up and up.
We hiked through fields and up mountains and visited cows and ate their cheese and drank thier beer next to the snow and the ogre and monk and jungfrau. then we snuck up on a waterfall.

then we rode the cable car more ups and ate breakfast at James Bond's rotating house. Down the snow and a lake and Rockschuthup. I drank much apple cider and it haunted my body functions when I was in the woods.

The world cup followed us around europe as we exited cable cars and buses. Hooray Slovakia!

Good friendly peoples at Walter's mountain hotel and good foods and wines.

Beautiful buena vista in our Swiss adventure. calm. A vacation from our vacation.

paris i

2010-07-12T23:47:00.002-05:00

Paris has a big tower, arch and museum. Who cares. We were there for the music. THE music festival that packs the streets, gill to gill with the sweating populous. every corner was claimed by a different act.

80's cover band. 7 nation army. old timey jazz. a pixies song. heavy metal. smooth jazz. a horn and a banjo a drum. Lots of drums all being played by people and other people.

and there were wines in my pocket. little plastic bottles filled with red red wine .175 liters each to be exact. front front back back pocket filled.

on the stairs near the church before Descartes was the marching band. not marching but sitting then standing on the steps to somewhere or nowhere, but now i remember them.

before, in the too high nave of the notre dame, singing. the sun was still out so late at night and made the round window shine like the very eye of God.

the next church on the path was fronted by a tent and leaping horn playing wizards of french teenage funk.

later, a man sold us beers out of his backpack en route to the marching band dance off. tuba and odd shaped horns swaying in the early AM. We could all listen. There was no pain.

we were then led to our market neighbourhood, the music shutting down, closing up shop like the fruit stand we passed. One more crape for the road. or a pommes frites filled waffle cone off falafal doner kabab gyro love.

Brugge

2010-07-12T19:58:00.004-05:00

We were in London near Portobello Road, like in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", ya know. We ate various cream-filled pastries the night after sampling cocktails served up by Rose - Hemingways, and other concoctions.

This and that. We saw the handwritten lyrics to Day Tripper and also Codex Sinaticus from AD 4c.-ish.

We found a train and rode it under the sea with fishes and then popped back up in France then Belgium. We comendered a choo choo to Brugge. It is still in Belgium. They have swans and love water, chocolate made from Cuban cigars and Buddha/ginger.

We rented bikes and rode up and down windmills with our friends St Bernardus, Rochfort and Westmalle.

Dubbel, triple and 5 times up windmills to the restaurant, where a belgian/floridian could not control his bow wow and the waitress was terrified and threw my lasanga into the air and it broke into 5 billion pieces to the moon.

I wanted to lick it up, but the doggie did and i drank a beers.

Later we slept, but not until we crossed a bridge and a nunnary and got lost in the woods. (scary)

sleep

then a beer/church/pommes frites/waffle tour through town and the world cup didn't stop for us or our bikes the first or second day.

back

2010-07-12T09:34:00.001-05:00

I wake up at 5am because it feels like 1pm.

Just went to American grocery store for first time in 10 months. Wonderful. Beers! Wines! What a wonder of cans, jars and bottles!

back to the US

2010-07-09T05:07:00.002-05:00

After studies from sept to june, and a french/swiss/czech/german tour, we are now going back to the States. San Francisco will be our home for a year. Good bye England and tea and beans and bikes and flowers and trains and real ale and old things. Hello California and the sunshine and the ocean and mexican food and driving a car and using a cell phone.

Pinch Me

2010-04-27T13:04:00.000-05:00

We got a call to San Francisco.

In a way ... home

2010-04-21T08:23:00.003-05:00

Well back to Cambridge that is. The nasty volcano did not harm us, it only canceled our flight to Dublin this weekend and also gave way to speculative alternate route plans across the atlantic if things did not clear up come July (but alas the skies are opened once again, no cargo ship necessary). We are thinking instead about a short trip to the Norfolk coast this friday.
Anywhoooo, our month long journey throughout the Mediterranean was epic in that it was very long and very fun.. I hope to post pictures and stories soon. Grandparents on there way next week, the remainder of May will be spent working on papers, for me just a few small papers but for Darren 7 large and complicated ones.

Spring is gorgeous here.. pictures are in order for that as well. The sun comes out longer then 20 minutes a day and it makes us happy. England is pretty again and we are drinking tea and eating scones again.

We are a week away from finding out our Vicarage assignment which will determine where we will live in the coming months. OMG.. LOL.

Trip march/april 10

2010-03-11T17:47:00.003-06:00

M12 Naples
Pompeii
Sorento
15 Rome
19 Ferry to Montenegro
Sveti Stevan
Monastary
Kotor
Dubrovnik
Mijet
Hvar
Split
28 Ferry to Italy
29 Venice
A1 Florence
Tuscany - Siena
3 Cinque Terre
Provence
Barcelona
A12 return to England

Day 14

2010-03-11T17:44:00.001-06:00

1/11/10 Sevilla
We went to the garden and the tower and the spanish plaza and teh big cathedral and we went back to la carbonara for flamenco and we had fun much.

Day 13 - Arcos, Sevilla

2010-03-11T17:37:00.003-06:00

1/10/10

Slept in. Bought cupcakes (magdelenas) from a nun in her convent though a sliding window. It was cool and scary because we didn't understand what she was saying or what was going on. It was like a holy speakeasy in Spanish. She revolved her door with 4 different types of cookies. and we bought the cheapest of course.

then we had tea and cafe and apple tarts and a pasteleria and chatted with a Brit from Bedfordshire. Then we walked in the rain and peaked into the (usually closed) St Peters church as the town was flooding with parishioners headed to mass.

Later we stoped into Don Fernando's for a cerveza and foods. It is hard to figure out eating times in Spain. We are hungry a lot when they are not.

Then we went to Sevilla, I think

Day 12 - Ronda, Arcos

2010-03-11T17:31:00.002-06:00

Ronda, Arcos 1/9/10
Tour bull ring. ate pastries that B hated. Drank Micky D's coffee. looked at old town, cool bridge.
bus to Arcos 1.30 - arrive 3.30.
hike up hill to hotel los olivos. walked around in cold rain. drank cruz camp
tourist offices in southern spain = not helpful.
everything closed after 2 on Saturday. no market anywhere.
ate more Cheetos, aqua and cerveza.
wandered. ate tapa - fish sausage, Roquefort, ham, mushrooms, potatoes meatballs. We had Cava from the in room bar on the top of the hotel and watch the sun set over the Spain plain (where I hear the rain mainly falls)

Day 11 - Chef- Tangier - Ronda

2010-03-11T17:20:00.003-06:00

1/8/10
Long day. wake @ 7. eat 7:30. Bus 8:30. ride to tangier. long. Pretty. Arrive 11:30ish. taxi to Port. Buy ticket. Need to get more $ out. lady says 1:30 boat. We leave on the 12:30. Rough seas. Becca feels barfy. I drink beer. Arrive in tarifa. Bus to Algrecias. Passed by Gibraltar. Taxi to train station. No train to Ronda. Took bus. 3.45-5. Amazingly beautiful drive up to Ronda. Rivals hwy 1. seriously. Arrive in ronda. Freezing! find hotel polo. walk around town. It is on a cliff over looking a valley. we watch the backs of birds. walk down Orson wells st. and Ernest Hemingway rd. walk. no food until 9pm in Spain! Buy Cheetos and 40s and eat in room while watching flamenco dancing on TV. walk. freeze. eat at some place. yummy sangria, and bulls tail stew. B had Iberian pork. head home. stopped at cafe maestro where Hemingway and well went after bullfights. We hat hot chocolates. There was a guy in there drinking Bailey's after Baileys. When we were about to leave, a guy with Downs Syndrome walks in, lights up a cigarette and orders a drink.

Day 10 - Chefchaouan

2010-03-11T17:08:00.003-06:00

1/7/10
We had a great bread and goat cheese b-fast. Then hiked in the rain and over the flooded bridge to a ruined mosque. Two dogs followed us/lead the way. We called them Matt O'Brien and Matt Miller. Matt Miller liked to wander off and pee on things.
Then we hiked down the big hill to the bus station and bought tix for the bus the next day. We had lunch at some guys' place. Chez Romec. It took forever to get our food, because at we later found out, the cook/owner was camped in front of the TV watching soap operas.

In the Afternoon, we went to the Hammam. The bath. We were told that it was the thing to do. Here's the deal. I went into a room and laid on the warm floor and a naked guy threw scalding hot water on me and it hurt. Then he sat on me and twisted me like pretzel and it hurt. Then he slapped me very hard repeatedly and it hurt. Then he twisted me more and cracked my back, putting me in some wrestling move I remember from teh WWF in the 80's. Cool.

For Din we went back to Casa Hassan. More tajine with yummy soup.

2010-03-11T17:02:00.001-06:00

Day 9?
1/6/10 Fez Chefchaouan

Day 10
1/710 - Chafchaouan

Day 11
1/8/10 Chef-Tangier- Ronda

Day 12
1/9/10
ronda – Arcos de la Frontera

Day 13
1/10
Arcos- Sevilla

Day 14
1/11
Sevilla- Cambridge

Day 9 - Fez - Chefchaouen

2010-03-11T08:44:00.002-06:00

1/6/10

Breaky, took a jacuzzi bath, taxi and 11Am bus to Chefchaouen. Chef was cool. Everything is blue. Like the song. do debble da debble do. It was blue. We got there and had a long walk up a hill to Bab Souk gate and Casa Perlata. Nice place. We had some mint tea with the friendly and talkative Spanish hostess and her dog Lucy, who was neither friendly, no talkative. We had the most delish Chicken Tajine at Casa Hassan. It was some legit tajine in effect in the da house. Lots of people tried to sell us weeds.

Day 8 - Fez

2010-03-11T08:43:00.002-06:00

1/5/10

Fes
We woke up and had a fantastic, tasty breaky with bread and with little tortilla/pancakeys. There were 4, I repeat 4 different sauces in which we dipped our bread. There were figs, dates, goats cheese, OJ, omlettes, mint tea, and coffee.

Then we walked up to these old royal tombs that overlooked the claustropobic buildings and tangled, winding streets of the city. Fes is really like stepping back to the 14th century. On our way to the tombs we had to cross a freeway, wander through a trashy goat valley, and go up a billion steps. We passed a guy and a woman decked out in athletic gear running up and down the steps. There was an older guy with a stopwatch yelling at them. I imagined that they are part of the Morrocan Olympic talk and field team – 10 meter Tomb stair climb.
It was crazy windy at the top of the tomb hill. I could have jumped off the hill and glided around in circles like a flying squirrel if I wanted to. Serious.
We went back down and wandered around the medina. We saw they tannery. It was dozens of pools filled with dye to color leather products. It was a spectacle and smelled like poop. We watched all the workers for a while.
We ate at the super cool Clock Café – falafel, mint teas. Good super yums. Clock is in an old house and has cool things hanging on the walls and stuff.
We took a nap back at the palace then wandered some more. Saw trinkets and horses and poo and men in robes that look like star wars guys, and chickens and mosques and calculators and wheel barrows and pepsi. and we got lost. The sun was going down and Becca got skured. But then I found my trail of bread crumbs and we went home.
Later we went to the Medina Café andI ate pigeon pastilla and soup. Then we went back to Clock for tasty hot chocolates.

Day 7 Asilah - Fez

2010-02-06T09:20:00.002-06:00

1/4/10
We woke up and walked around Asilah a bit in the morning, then stopped into a café and had a pastry, a crape, and café. Across the street there was some guy sitting in a doorway selling what looked to be greasy bags of donuts. My biggest regret about Morocco is not buying one.

We had some misadventures walking around town with our packs trying to find a taxi to take us to the train station. We stood in the mud in front of a sign that said “Taxis” for about 15-20 minutes and watched non-stopping taxis drive by. We finally found a taxi and arrived to the station in time. The station was very nice, new and was playing some delightful classical music. We bought our tickets to Fez and as we waited, I tried deciphering the signs around the platform, armed with a French phrasebook from the early 80’s, half of which talked of Paris and 3-star Michelin worthy cuisine. Brilliant.

The 11:45 arrived. It had originated in Tangier and was fairly packed. The cars were laid out in blocks of 4 seats - with a row of two seats facing another row of two seats. The idea is to occupy the 4block so that you don’t have to sit next to a stranger. The only 4block of seats available had one row of the seats inhabited by two very large suitcases. We sat facing them. Across the aisle sat the owners of the suitcases. Before we had actually sat down, in my quick assessment of situation I thought we might be making a long, exhausting mistake. I was right, Our neighbors for the 4-hour ride to Fez were British students (two guys, two girls, non-couples). Highlights included one of the girls loudly reading pages of a guidebook she had photocopied, followed by a conversation about her take on relationships and her boyfriend. The grand finale was when the girl decided to do her nails and filled the entire car with lovely wafts of nail polish. I could barely turn up my music loud enough to drown out the sheer poetry that flowed from her lips. Pearls, I tell you. I fear I may have suffered permanent hearing damage due my proximity to her.

Outside the window things were more interesting. Shepherds and hills and a pleasant countryside.

It was raining when we arrived in Fez. Our goal was to avoid the disaster of the previous day. We disembarked from the train and had to go through a tunnel under the tracks to get into the station. There were no lights in the tunnel. It was pitch dark. But no worries, once we got to the main part of the station, there was a guy holding up a sign with my name. We had booked Riad Lune et Soleil ahead of time and a driver was waiting to take us there. No hassle. Hooray.

The driver dropped us off and pointed down an alley. We wandered down a ways and found the door. A lady answered and showed us to our room.

Wow. The Riad (guesthouse? /Bed and Breakfast? /mansion) was a 3 level palatial joint surrounded by an open courtyard. Our suite was on the top floor. For less then you would pay for a lame room in Europe, We stayed in the nicest room I have ever had the pleasure of inhabiting. There was a little patio with couches and chairs outside overlooking the courtyard. Inside, the room was huge and had cool things hanging all over the walls like farm equipment and swords and dishes and postcards and stuff. And, it had a hot tub. Woo woo.

The Riad lady brought up some tasty mint tea and Becca and I relaxed on our patio. It would be hard to leave the room. The room ended being a pretty fantastic oasis from the awesomely incredible, medieval cluster maze of Fez.

After testing out the hot tub, we wandered around Fez after dark. There is nothing like Fez. It is a cartographer’s nightmare. Making an accurate map of its medina would be like solving Rubik’s cube with your feet and at the same time deciphering the Rosetta stone in a zero gravity environment while blindfolded and pregnant with twins.
It is the world’s largest car-free urban environment – i.e. a tangled mass of narrow winding alleyways flanked by buildings/shops/restaurants/workshops/mosques on each side. It was sensory overload. Soaps and spices and table makers and rug makers and coke and ice cream and donkeys and cds and shoes. Lots of noises and smells and sights for delight and mindspins. We ate at Kasbah café, the top floor overlooking the Bab Boujalud gate and the Medina. More beef Tajine and chicken Cous Cous and hot chocolate (not beer).

After dinner, we wandered around some more. It is easy to get lost in Fes (stay tuned). We went down some street with no lights and some shady peeps tried selling us some merchandise that I am sure would not do wonders for my health. So we decided to head back to our room.

I see so many pictures.. I don't know what to do

2010-02-04T08:39:00.003-06:00

Darren will continue to update about our trip.. he is only on day 6 (we have been busy with homework/work/life). Sorry (mom) about the delay, I have had a hard time uploading all our photos. Not only is there 700 of them but our internet connection is weak at best. Alas they are up but they are all over the place chronologically (blah).. click here to see them in all their chaotic glory : 700 Slideshow

If you don't have a billion minutes to kill and you are not our parents/grandparents/sister/us in 10 years then scroll down the next few posts and take a look at a few random 'highlights'. It will be so worth it I promise.
Well I suck at the internet. I need to go back to 1985. We leave for Naples in just over a month. We will be traveling all over the Mediterranean. Yess!!! to cheese and wine and sun. Big high five to the sun, I miss it. More to come soon... NOW PHOTOLAND

Selema, Portugal

Hamon in Arcos Spain

A walk in Seville

P. dance in the courtyard of the Seville Cathedral

Churro y Chocolate!!!

Photo photo photo

2010-02-04T08:29:00.003-06:00

Cafe Clock in Fez

Chefchaouen and the Riff Mountains

Arcos De La Frontera and some nun muffins

Ronda Spain Muy Bueno

All Trip Photos can be found here: 700

More more more photos

2010-02-04T08:13:00.003-06:00

The tannery in Fez

Our Dar in Fez (this is just the balcony)

Flamenco in Seville Spain

Ronda's Bull Ring

Darren's favorite way to get around Lisbon

All trip photos can be found here: 700

MORE TRIP PHOTOS

2010-02-04T08:00:00.006-06:00

Moroccan Breakfast in Fez

Fez

'The Beatles' on New Years

Lisbon Story Guest House

Pastile de Bellem in Lisbon Portugal

All trip photos can be found here: 700

Day 6 - Sevilla-Tarifa-Tangier-Asilah

2010-01-31T08:52:00.005-06:00

1/3 Sevilla-Tarifa-Tangier-Asilah

We woke up early and caught a city bus. Once we got to the bus station, we had a bit of trouble finding an ATM to pay for our tickets but we got it sorted. We went to the little café in the station - “La Hosteria del Prado” and ordered café con leche and a napolitanate (chocolate pastry thing). Tasty.

Rode the bus a couple hours to Tarifa, a small town on the southern coast of Spain. It is allegedly a kite/wind surfing haven in the summer, but things were pretty sleepy around there in December, but I noticed lots of closed surf schools. You could see Africa awaiting across the Strait of Gibraltar.

We caught a quick 30 minute ferry to Tangier. It should have been cheaper for the amount of time we actually spent on board. It was pretty exciting pulling into the dock in Tangier. I really had no idea what to expect on the continent.

When we disembarked, I asked a police officer where I could find a money exchange place, he directed me to an “official guide,” I think. Morocco is in no short supply of people wanting to “help you out.” The guide told me some story about how the bus station in Tangier didn’t open until 5PM. So I said thanks and we went it alone. We found an exchange, and then looked for a taxi. Some guy came up and was like, “I’m a taxi driver,” so we followed him. I asked him how much to go to the bus station. He said 5 euro. I said, “Yeah, right” and immediately we walked in the other direction.

First, you don’t pay in Euro. Second, it should be 5-10 dirham (1-1.50 US) for the ride. The Taxi driver started following us, but I ignored him. We walked to the entrance of the port. The taxi driver followed us in his car, trying to get us to get in. I was not persuaded. We caught a different taxi. I asked him how much to get to the station. I think he said “25 dirham” in French. I liked that price better even though I knew it was a rip off, but figured it was time to make some progress toward our destination. I also began to sense that Becca was not in happy land so we got in. Half way to the station, a policeman stopped the taxi and helped a hijab (headscarf) -clad woman into the back seat with Becca. It was a bit odd seeing most of the women wearing the hijab. It was like Amish/Mennonite land. A lot of the men wore full-length robes, some of which had pointy hoods and made them look like those desert creatures with the glowing eyes from Star Wars.

I don’t know why the woman got in out taxi, but it worked out to our advantage. We got to the station and I asked the driver, “was it 25?” The driver looked in a back at the woman, then growled to me, “5 dirham.” Sweet. He gave me the not rip-off price because she was present.

The bus station was pretty chaotic. Between trying to decipher the signs and time tables which were in French, being confounded by Arabic script, being overwhelmed by the sea of people and noises, making sure my bag or wife has not been stolen; it was a bit confusing. Another “guide” came up to us. He looked like Borat in his sport coat and all.

“Where are you from,” he asked.
“California,” I said.
“Ah, California. Arnold Swartzenegger. Hollywood.”
Excellent. He showed us the bus to Asilah, only 20 dirham. However, there was an “extra” 10 dirham fee “for our bags” though. Right. He was nice enough though.
“Don’t worry. Relax,” he said. Apparently we didn’t look too relaxed. “What do Americans think of Morocco?”
“Most people in America probably don’t know that it exists.” I said. “Americans are not good at geography. Most probably wouldn’t know that Morocco is a country, let alone in Africa. But if they do have a vague notion of what Morocco is they probably would think of Aladdin or the movie Casablanca.” I don’t think he liked that answer, but hey, just being real, man. It’s true. The guy chatted with us for about 5 or 10 minutes. He said he had a friend in Asilah with a guesthouse on the beach.

I said, “That sounds cool.” He said that he could phone him if we wanted. I said, “That’s ok. Thanks, but we’ll just look around and we might run into him.”
He showed us to our seats. The bus to Asilah was packed and hot and smelly. We sat in the very back. It was a pretty beat up old bus. It wasn’t the main bus company. Probably owned by somebody's crazy rich uncle. Right before the bus took off, a lady and her daughter got on. The daughter was griping the handles of a large plastic bag, holding it up to her mouth. She then proceeded to vomit into said bag for most of the hour-long journey to Asilah. It smelled fantastic. I loved that smell. I wish I could perpetually have that fragrance in my nostrils. Especially at breakfast.

We got to Asilah none to soon. Some guy met us as we got off the bus. “Darren! California!” Oh, great. It was Borat’s buddy. He had a folder with him, stuffed with papers and photos, showing us info about his "beach guesthouse." He said he could show us traditional Moroccan life. Many Americans and Europeans aparrently loved his place. Only 100 dirham. I told him that we had a room waiting for us at Hotel Sahara, which I think was true. I had called earlier. But the guy at the hotel didn’t speak English. However, he did speak Spanish. I almost can speak broken Spanish on a good day, and I think he said that there were rooms available.

The guesthouse guy said that he would take us to Hotel Sahara, and then we can compare and see what we like better. Ok. Whatever. We went to Hotel Sahara and the guy behind the counter cracked me up. He was the opposite of most every Moroccan we had encountered (or had encountered us) thus far. He seemed to be in a constant state of almost failing asleep. We checked out a room and it was basic and clean. 130 dirham (16ish US) a night. Nice. I figured we’d check out the "beach guesthouse" since it sounded interesting. Asilah was a smallish town, so it couldn’t be that far away, right?

Guesthouse guy showed us a few things around town as we walked to his place. We passed a church. “Catholic church, huh?” I said. I thought it was odd, out of place for a church to be there. Guesthouse guy said something about how Christianity and Islam are the same. And something about how there are no problems between the religions. Interesting. I disagree.

He showed us the Kasbah and the medina and the old Portuguese walls in the center of town. It was a cool place. His guesthouse was much farther away then I thought. Eventually we got there and he had us put down our packs and showed us a large family room/entry hall on the bottom floor. He said that he rented it out to guests, as if offering it as an option. We were confused.

Then he took us upstairs and showed us the level his family lived on. His wife and two little kids and in the corner, his mother lying on a mat. Odd scene.
Then he took us up another level and showed us a dirty bathroom, kitchen and dirty bedroom. “The Italians are in this room, but you can have it if you want,” he said. Then he took us to the top floor. “We have musicians are staying here. The door was open and the "musicians" looked stoned out of their gourds on many various chemicals and herbs and spices. From the top, there was a view of the ocean, which the guesthouse was on, but the beach was covered in trash and I think some guy was taking a dump on it.

He took us back down stairs and went into some spiel about how you have to flip this switch for hot water then take this hose from the toilet then you get water for the shower, then put the hose back on the toilet. I looked at Becca and she was shaking her head back and forth and crying.

Guesthouse guy said that it was 400 dirham a night (50+ US) a night if we stay one night, 300 if 2 nights, 200, if 3; and 100, if 4. That was a nice price increase.
“No, thank you, we’ll go to Hotel Sahara,” I said
“How much is a room there?” he asked.
“130”
“Ok, 130 a night.”
“That’s ok. Thank you for showing us around, but we are going to go there.”
“You don’t like my house?” he said.
“No, Your house is nice. But we prefer Hotel Sahara.”
“Ok, fine,” he said curtly. Then he turned the lights off, went into a room and slammed the door. Housing fail.

We walked down the stairs in the dark, grabbed out packs and left. Becca was crying. As we walked back to Sahara, two different guys came up to us offering accommodation at a “really great place.” Too much street hassle for one night. Sahara was fine. We debriefed our experience and I convinced Becca not flee back to Spain. Then we went out in search of food. Much less hassle without the packs. Asilah was actually a really beautiful town. We found a nice café on a plaza and had the first of many cups of Mint tea that we would consume in Morocco. We strolled the white-walled medina and looked out at the ocean. We walked the sea wall and got sprayed by the waves. We watched some little kids playing football (soccer). We had a dinner of chicken couscous and steak tajine and an apple soft drink. Good luck finding alcohol in this country though. Christian fundamentalists should travel in Muslim countries. They would be happy. They have a lot more in common with Muslims than they think.

Day 5 - Lisbon, Sevilla

2010-01-19T16:42:00.004-06:00

1/2/10
It was a long hellbus ride from Lisbon to Sevilla (not that bad I guess. Certainly nothing like Tangier to Asliah. Stay tuned) Once we got into the bus station, it was a bit of a walk to Hostel One with our packs. Like 500 miles or maybe 1/4 mile or some where in between.
The guy running the hostel was nice. He pointed out on a map some good places to check out. I like map. I am a mapaholic. I drink them up. I like looking at maps just for fun on my front porch with a mint julep and a corncob pipe.
We wandered around town a bit. We are expert wanders with Merril shoes. The streets were crowded! Absolutely packed. It was a wonder to behold. I was simultaneously utterly befuddled and entranced by the spectacle. It was Saturday afternoon/evening, I guess that's just how it is. Everyone out for a Spanish stroll. That's how they roll. That's how we rolled (with the added air of social anxiety and claustrophobia. I guess we're not Spanish quite yet.) It was pretty incredible, the entire city centre was sardine central.
We were much hungry so we stopped into a bar/cafe and ordered a couple Cruzcampo cervezas. After a couple minutos we looked around and noticed that everyone around us was eating churros and drinking hot chocolate and also dipping churros in the chocolate and also eating them and also being generally happy. "This," I thought, "is a blessed place and I also shall partake in this glorious sweet feast for my lips and my heart."
I said to the barman, "chocolates and churros por favor." Then he asked how many and I said, "un chocolate y dos churros." Or something like that. I am quite fluent the the espanyol language, you know.
Then we shared a small glass of hot chocolate and a massive plate of churros (8). Oops. Something happened there. The Barman, must not have understood Spanish very well.
I think I had some problem trying to find a place to use the restroom that night. That was a reoccurring theme. I broke my bladder in Prague once and have never been them same. I hope my bladder doesn't fail me in the pulpit some day. That would be muy unbueno.
Later, after the toilet situation was squared away we ate yummy tapas: puerros al gatin, queso de cabra gratinado, solomillo a la mostoza, y daitiles con beicon. Yumtown espanoles. muy delicioso. tambien.
Later still, we went to a place called la carbonera. it was an old coal factory, but was turned into a flamenco bar. We listened to some music and watched a dancer do her thing. It was great. da dada da da dada da da dada da. clapclapclapclap. yougettheidea.
then we drank sangaria. then we looked at an old church that used to be an old mosque. then we went to bed.

Day 4 - Lisbon

2010-01-16T17:18:00.001-06:00

01/01/10
Ones and Zeros. Today is a binary code.
A bit of a sleep in and a late start today. It was quite a relaxing afternoon once we got going though. We rode rickety yellow tram 28 to the Castle on the hill. I really liked the tram and got quite excited when we rode it and when I heard it and when I saw it. I was bit like Rube Waddell while we were in Lisbon. We walked around the Castello. It was supercool. Then We ate some pastels (not as good as in Belem, but still yum) and I drank some bica. We looked at cats and peacocks. We took in the view from mirador puerta del sol. Then wandered around the Alfama. We rode a funicular. Then watched the sunset from Mirador solar. I ate some cod and B had some Portuguese pork and we drank wine and went to bed.

Trip - Day Three - Lisbon - Belem,

2010-01-16T16:32:00.004-06:00

12/31/09
We rode the tram out to Belem, 6km from Lisbon city centre. We ate incredibly tasty Pastel de Belem. Custard with a flaky crust. They are one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. I ate a million and 7 of them. And I drank a café con leche and a bica (espresso). It was a bit rainy. We looked around the contemporary art museum. They had a Cessna with the bottom painted like the sky and the top like city streets. It was called google plane. I also like a music video they had there for larytta by souvenir de chine, directed by körner union. It had ducks and mice.

We looked at this old tower and monument and it rained and we rode the tram back and moved on over to Lisbon Story Guesthouse since Poets was booked for New Years Eve. Story was nice. We had a room with a great view of the plaza. We took rickety yellow tram 28 to the Alfama neighborhood and ate sandwiches and café pois and read magazines. Then were rode the tram again and walked around. We dropped into Pavilhao Chines and had a drink. It was a crazy museum-like bar which all kinds of stuff hanging all over the place. We met a guy named Bo from San Diego at the guesthouse and he cruised with us back out to Belem for New Years festivities. We drank much Superbock (local brew) and listened to a Portuguese Beatles cover band. Then there were fireworks. Then Becca had to go to the bathroom real bad, but there was a long line. Bo tried bribing a security guard to get her to the front to no avail. She survived. I just peed on a fence. All the buses and taxis were full so we began to walk the 6km back to the city center, but then we finally caught a taxi. Bo told the guy to take us somewhere that had food. The driver dropped us off in front of this shady non-script building. He told us to go in the door. We wandered down a dark hallway. We stood in a room. Some guy came out and gave us cheesy bread rolls. We went home and sat on the floor in the room at Lisbon Story Guesthouse that is completely covered with cushions and ate.

Trip - Day 2 - Salema, Lagos, Lisbon

2010-01-15T12:21:00.004-06:00

12/30/09
During the wee hours of the night/early morning, Becca woke up and said, “What?! What? Who is it? It could have been the Christmas men paying for sweets with Euros. You don’t get it. They could have been using pounds.” Then she went back to sleep.

Breakfast at our Villa in Salema was good and German – Museli and yogurt. Salami and cheese. Bread and jam. Nescafe.
Heiwi’s girlfriend drove us to the train station in Lagos. We bought our tickets to Lisbon. We had a couple hours to burn so we started to walk into the city centre to check out Lagos and it began to rain. I rebuked it and it was mildly better after that I think. We looked at a cathedrael and a blind lady begging in the doorway and a nativity scene and rain and a slave market and rain. I dragged Becca to a Lonely planet recommended restaurant, Casinsa do Petisco, and ordered the prato do dia and a coke. It ended up being squid stuffed with chorizo and more squid. It was tasty and I was full town USA (and Portugal) afterwards. We had to run to catch our train, but we did. There was an Indian boy in front of us wrapping his head in the window curtain and crying, “I can’t see!” He made friends with a boy with an eyepatch that was sitting next to him. Then, when the eyepatch boy got off the train, he cried “My friend!”
And my shuffle played Tom Waits, Getz/Gilberto, the Books, Fleetfoxes, Monk chants, Radiohead, Wilco, Sufjan, Buddy Guy, Richard Swift, the Beatles and Belle and Sebastian.

Trains are like moving bars with a 20 Euro cover charge.

We arrived in Lisbon and took the subway to Chiado and the Lisbon Poets Hostel. Nice set up. We wandered around Barrio Alto and stopped into the Solar something Port Institute. The port was the right price (just over a euro) but the service was not awesome. My hair grew a few inches in the time it took them to serve us. So I punched our waiter in the face and stole his wallet and insulted his mother in my mind. Then we wandered around some more and argued about where to eat and about what street we had already walked down. But we went to a place with checkered tablecloths and I ate rabbit (including testicles) and it was good. tasty wine.

We wandered around town some more. There were amazing Christmas lights, a different set on each street. There was a big arch in one of the main plazas in town and they had 30 foot tall Beatles. John, Paul, George and Ringo. We laughed at them. We walked by a cathedrael and a fado club. We are super walkers. We walked the fig newton out of that city. I had a drink at café do Brazilia then we went to bed. Or at least tried to.

Ah, hostels. We stayed in the Poets Hostel. It was nice, but sometimes people are funny.

“it’s 12:30AM and there’s a girl with the entire contents of her backback strewn on her bunk, with the light on…packing? Or just rusting the plastic” So I listened to Bon Iver, Dirty Projectors and the Beatles.

later

“First, I don’t get this girl packing at 1am. Really? Plastic? Plastic! Crinkle crinkle. What the world? Throw your schizle in your bag and be done with it. Is it really such an operation? Crinkle, crinkle, zip, crinkle. It’s like when someone unwraps one of those pinwheel peppermint candies at church, except if it were 5 foot in diameter."

Lisbon was:
Red liquid in little plastic cups. A native American (?) playing the flute in the headdress. Custard pastries, bica, caffine, Sagres, and Superbock, and port.
Winding streets, laundry and bedsheets hanging in the breeze.
Dodging rickety yellow trams.
Rain and sun.
Back alley bakeries supplying snacks at 3 AM.
Christmas lights, fireworks, streetlamps, white stone sidewalks.
Churches for quiet contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation.
Nativity scenes that wordlessly spoke 100 languages.

Trip - Day One - Faro, Lagos, Salema Portugal

2010-01-13T12:31:00.001-06:00

12/29/09
I couldn’t sleep last night. We woke at 2:30 AM to catch a 4AM coach to Stansted Airport. As we walked to the airport, we passed all the people coming out of the clubs, stumbling over each other, lying on the ground, shouting at cars, without coats in the cold.

We had a 7:05 AM flight to Faro, Portugal, which is in the south of the country in an area called the Algarve. George Michael cut in front of us in at the airport and I had a nasty tasting Starbucks coffee. Ryan air, blue and gold, is more like a bus than a plane. Becca took drugs. The sun rose at the beginning of our flight. They sold smokeless cigarettes onboard. No high hopes for nice weather on this trip.

We arrived in Faro a little later than scheduled. We missed the bus to town and had to wait an hour and a half for the next one. We sat on the patio of the airport café and it began to rain. A lot. Like a sheet of aqua, senor. It began pouring in the café, in the airport terminal. The door into the terminal looked like a waterfall, hombre. We caught the bus to the train station, bought funny postcards and road the rainy day train to Lagos.

A funny day sat next to Becca, leaned over her and squeegeed the foggy window with her finger. We barely caught the bus to Salema.

The rain cleared up once we reached Salema, amigo. Heiwi, the German proprietor of our villa, picked us up in his coche which he was driving with an oven mitt on because his steering wheel was sticky,

Villa M6 was nicey town. All the TV channels we German. I watched an episode of the German version of The Office. Becca had tea. I had Nescafe then we went down to the willage centre.

It was a great little fishing willage. Most things were closed for the winter and that was fine. It was about 18 degrees (68F) and we had the town and the beach largely to ourselves.

There was supercool seafoam and Becca liked the black rocks. I think we liked it mostly because it reminded us of California and Mexico, but there were also cool boats and cats.

They had these cool Dr Seuss trees like the have in Baja (which reminds me, I want to go back down to Bahia de Los Angeles if anybody is interested), and rocks like the ones at Vasquez Rocks in CA

We ate a delicious sea bass at Boia Bar on the ocean with the sunset. With potatoes, salad, carrots, and vino verde (green wine, esse). Then we went to Adventura Bar and drank Sagres, the local brew and talked with some Brit ex-pats. Then to bed.

Selema

2009-12-29T13:14:00.001-06:00

We made it to Portugal and we are drinking a beer by the ocean. We ate a delicious FRESH sea bass
Life is good

Merry Christmas! Now we go to Spain.

2009-12-27T14:51:00.010-06:00

We had a relaxing Christmas at Westfield. Although it goes without saying that we missed our families and friends a ton, it was nice to have a simple celebration with a church in the backyard. The word made flesh has come to dwell among us. Amen.
Thank you all for the nifty gifts and cards!!
We leave for our second of four trips in less then two days. We are downloading essential music for our trip and packing two weeks into two small backpacks. Very excited about it all and very glad to have finished working for a bit. Sweets are not so sweet during the holidays... nuf said.
I leave you with a few pictures of the festivities:

Darren made an Advent tree

The Completed Tree

Westfield Christmas Eve

Darren and Moleskins

Yess!!! Thank You!

Merry Christmas

London and Cambridge in the snow

2009-12-18T12:10:00.002-06:00

Becca looks out at Trafalgar Square (and Big Ben) from the National Gallery

Becca contempates her beer

Darren contemplates his beer

The Cam and punts in the snow

Cambridge market in the snow

little dmh in Cambridge

2009-12-18T11:58:00.001-06:00

flake

2009-12-17T16:22:00.001-06:00

Lots of snow tonight.

London Again

2009-12-17T04:07:00.003-06:00

We went to London again.
We rode our bikes to the station and rode the train to the city. It was snowing today. We rode the tube to The National Gallery and did an audio tour of paintings on the life of Christ. Things by Botticelli, Titian, Raphael, El Greco and Rembrandt.
We then went to Leicester Square to see if there were any plays that tickled our fancy, but eventually decided not to attend the theater that particular evening.
We ate Belgian food and drank Belgian beers at Belgo Centraal. Tasty and yummy.
Then we went to http://www.harrods.com/harrodsstore/experience. It was overwhelming.
Then we went to the Lamb Pub. It was nice. We had Young's Winter Warmer.
Then we went home.

London by Day

2009-12-14T08:48:00.003-06:00

London at night

2009-12-14T08:27:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving

2009-12-14T08:08:00.003-06:00

Candy Shop

2009-12-14T07:53:00.002-06:00

Ely

2009-12-14T07:43:00.002-06:00

Guy Fawkes Day

2009-12-14T07:38:00.001-06:00

London town

2009-12-10T12:51:00.002-06:00

We rode the train to London/Liverpool St Station. We walked through the City banking district to the Millenium Bridge. We looked at St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and went to the Tate Modern art museum. We ate roasted sugar peanuts then we drank a pint of Sam Smith at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn. We walked to Covent Garden and Leicester Square and Soho and had some sushi. Then we went to the National Portrait Gallery and Trafalgar Square. We looked at 10 Downing St. and Westminster Abbey and Big Ben and the buildings of Parliment. We rode the tube to Temple and had a pint at the Old Bank. Then we ate McDonalds fries and rode the tube to the train station and rode the train to cambridge and rode our bikes home and watched TV and ate cheese and crackers.

Trip

2009-12-07T03:18:00.003-06:00

It is not Christmas yet, but we are eagerly anticipating our upcoming trip (Dec 28-Jan 12). The agenda is Portugal: Faro, Salema, Lisbon. Spain: Sevilla, Tarifa, Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, Cadiz. and Morocco: Tangier, Chefchaouen, Asilah, and Fes.

Good fun times.

Advent concert

2009-11-28T17:15:00.002-06:00

We just went to an Advent concert at St John's College. It was great. They sang great hymns and read good words.
Here's one of the songs that was sung:

2009-11-24T11:10:00.000-06:00

The British are not thankful.

Oh Just So You Know...

2009-11-22T16:38:00.002-06:00

We saw the Queen Mother herself in front of Kings. She was wearing a peach suit. Just Peachy.

yum

2009-11-15T15:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas lights were turned on tonight. We ate Indian food. Yum. Tasty, tasty, non-bland food was consumed in England. Suprise!

We are planing on going to Portugal, Spain, and Morocco soon. Hooray!

Ely

2009-11-11T03:36:00.003-06:00

We rode our bikes to the train station in the rain. We rode the train to Ely, that great cathedral town. We walked along the river and were followed by ducks. We wandered through a vast antique warehouse. We had tea in the shade of the cathedrael then went to evensong which featured a boys' choir. The 900 year old church was massive and inspired punch-you-in-the-gut awe. Superman would get lost flying around in there. The whole bible was told in pictures on the ceiling and carvings in the choir stalls. Hopefully its message impacts those who visit.
We wandered the town in the evening drizzle, had a pint, then a fantastic meal at the Old Fire Engine House. Ham for Becca. Seabass for me. It surpassed the routinely bland British cuisine have been accoustomed to expecting.
Train home, bike home, sleep.

2009-11-08T15:46:00.002-06:00

Went to Kettle Yard. Saw art.
Went to St Peter's. Saw church
Went to Fitzwilliam Museum. Saw old things.
Went to Jesus College. Looked.
Went to Gonville and Caius College. Went to Evensong. Listened to a bad sermon.
Went to La Tasca. Ate much tapas.
Went back to Westfield House. Typing.

Rolling Along

2009-10-31T11:07:00.001-05:00

I’m having one of those slightly magical days that you have every once in awhile and as I sit here in the courtyard at Westfield House studying my list of words that occur more than 50 times in the gospel of Mark (actually as I stare up at the passing clouds), I’ve decided to write about my day rather than let it slip into the recesses of my increasingly cluttered mind.

This day revolves around music, as do so many of these neo-mystical days. This morning Becca left early for the Grand Opening of Becca's candy shop, where she exists as the assistant manager. I was hoping to go down there to see her and also my friend Robbie who was planning to don a giant Jelly Bean suit and dance around, delighting young lads and deliberately frightening slightly older lasses.

Though it be a Saturday, I had set my alarm, so as to not sleep the entire day away. However, my “alarm” was in fact was the radio, tuned to a classical radio station which not only prolonged my slumber but instigated deep REM sleep and a dream in which I insulted Robert Deniro because of my comments regarding of the high quality of Sean Penn’s acting ability.

Eventually I woke, read a little, had some tea and headed down to the city center. My plan was to stop at the candy shoppe then find somewhere to study. I loaded up my backpack and headed down, accompanied with the inspirational sounds of Arcade Fire’s first album Funeral. I always used to walk around with my ipod; back in ye olde days when the device was still a novelty to me. I have forgotten how much a soundtrack added to my life. This walk, which I had made dozens of times before, brought many more smiles to my face this time.

I arrived at the busy sweet shop and visited with Becca, unfortunately the Jelly Bean costume was malfunctioning that day.

I continued on my ramble through town down the cobblestones with Arcade Fire. I had been foolhardy in my idea of finding somewhere to study. On Saturday, Cambridge city center swells with tourists. The streets are absolutely jammed with people, no cars are allowed, and they become pedestrian only zone. I was heading toward St Michaels, an old church, half of which doubles as café on non-Sundays. I was walking down the middle of the street, daydreaming, looking at old statues, being annoyed at the congestion, when the sea of people parts and a man in a motorized wheel chair emerges, rolling toward me.

I stop. Regard the situation.

It is Steven Hawking.

There has been much news around town about how he is stepping down (figuratively) in his position at the University. I have not real affinity for Steven Hawking. I don’t know that I have an opinion about with one way or the other. But at that moment, he made me very happy. If that sea of people had parted and I had my choice of any person to step (or roll) though the multitudes, I don’t know that anyone else would have engender the same reaction. I mean if it had been one of my friends from back home, I would be really excited. But, with Steven Hawking, I don’t know, it was downright magical. It was like seeing an elf. Only a mythical or legendary creature could have produced the same sensation. Snuggle bear, an okapi, Aslan, to name a few. I felt like I had discovered Noah Ark.

Then I stepped to the left and he rolled by.

I continued on to eat a pizza, drink a beer, buy cookies, teas and wine, and walk home. And now I study, but I can take comfort in knowing that somewhere out there Steven Hawking in out there rolling around on the streets of Cambridge for the rest of us sinners.

Happy Reformation Day, Halloween and All Saints Day

2009-10-28T10:15:00.006-05:00

We have been busy, life has kicked into full swing here leaving us little time to post and a little bit less to sleep.
The good news is that part of this busyness is due to me, Becca, finally starting to work.
I'm the assistant manager at Ye Olde Candy Shoppe. I have been working for about a week now. The manager and I have been hiring staff and sorting the massive stock for the store, the grand opening is this Saturday. It's been sweet. It feels like we are putting on a production of sorts, it reminds me of working at the gallery before a big show (only candy will be the only exhibit). I have never seen so much candy in my life. We have everything, I'm sure we even have everlasting gobstoppers and geese that lay golden chocolate eggs.

Darren has been hard at work trying to read at least 100 books at a time. He is doing a fine job. Last saturday he went to the sea with Ben from the house and saw a creepy British carnival.

We have both been enjoying the Cambridge festival of Ideas which consists of several free lectures around the city pertaining to all kinds of cool things. We also got to hang out with Melissa and Ted (California Friends) a few weekends ago. They are on an adventure of their own (see blog) and it was great to just hang out, punt the Cam, eat with clowns, and learn how to make macaroni salad. Good times guys.

I leave you with pictures from recent days gone by. I hope to update soon with pictures of the GRAND OPENING OF THE CANDY SHOP! (watch out)

Front of the Shop

Tea with M&T

Clown Cafe (this one is for Miss Katie J)

Darren schooled us all in the art of punting

Ted and Melissa

The House

2009-10-19T11:58:00.000-05:00

via westfield homepage

2009-10-14T11:45:00.002-05:00

I ride a bike to class. The gears don't shift all that well.
It is getting cold.
We are going to Evensong at St. John's tonight.
Lots of tea.

I am trying to hit every pub in Cambridge. So far:
The Mitre
The Castle
The Carpenter Arms
The Carlton Arms
The Boathouse
The Eagle
St. Radegunds
The Pickerel
The Rupert Brooke

and many more

tea time

2009-10-12T16:54:00.003-05:00

We hosted House Tea this afternoon. We had PG tips (tea) w/milk, baked brie w/rasberry jam, milk and dark chocolate digestives, cream sherry and dark chocolate.

Mondays are good. We have pericope seminar at 2 in which we study the gospel lesson appointed for Sunday after next. At 3:30 we have Evening Prayer (a time of scripture and song). Afterward, we have house tea.

My lecture schedule this term includes:
Belief and Practice in the Early Church, Medieval Church (900-1200), Themes in Genesis 1-11, Church and Empire in Late Antiquity, Johannine Literature, Judaism and Hellenism, Mark's Gospel, The Letters of Paul, New Testament Textual Criticism.

I like the things I am learning.

Cambridge is a good town. I do feel old though with thousands of teenage undergrads running around. Its good fun though, Freshers week just finished up where all the new students dressed like pirates and stuff.

We have been fortunate to be able to attend Evensong at Kings College and St. Johns. Great and awesome.

I have cut my coffee intake (down from 2 pots a day) and have assummed tea consumption and my new hot bev of choice.

We are bike riding much.

Around Cambridge and Westfield

2009-10-11T08:22:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to more pictures around Cambridge and Westfield.

We have been enjoying life at Westfield. It comes with its challenges (see no private bathroom or showers) but also it’s rewards (see built in community of friends and awesome surroundings).
I have a potential assistant manager position at a candy shop across the street from the Round Church. My possible future boss described it as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-esque type of thing where we need a few Americans as employees to be ‘smiley’ and all that”. The actual store opens in another three weeks but if I do get it I will get to train in London. Nothing I thought I would actually be doing that’s for sure but the economy here is as bad as it is in the States and I would be grateful for anything at the moment. I’ll keep you all posted.. in a post that is, ok moving on then!

When Darren has a free moment we try to get out and explore. This Friday night we went to St. Johns College for evensong. Though not as prominent as Kings College Choir the St. John’s Choir is still top notch and the service was wonderful. I’m a sucker for boy’s choirs they sound like they are made for beautiful cathedrals like St. John’s (which is technically not a cathedral but a chapel but it seriously looks like one so there!)

Last weekend the whole house made a day trip to the Orchard in Grantchester. Check out the link.
It’s about a four mile walk or bike ride through beautiful countryside. The Orchard is a great place for tea and scones, which we partook in and Grantchester the town is a really cute village of thatched roofed pubs and houses. Darren and I went back yesterday to read at one of the pubs and watch the cows go by, good times. Tonight we have house dinner (every week someone makes a dinner and we all chip in a few pounds, we made chili last week) and this afternoon we are going to Kings for a chapel service.

Love and miss you all

Becca (y Darren)

School days

2009-10-09T08:23:00.003-05:00

I started Cambridge classes officially on Thursday. The Lectures are great. After two days I am noticing how my American education has failed me. In America, we tend to coddle. In Britain, there is no condesending, at least at university level. You do as much of the work as you want. No busy work. The standard is always (impossibly) high. It's like they dare you to reach it. Some do, then they go an teach at Cambridge.

Baseball

2009-10-06T21:18:00.003-05:00

Tigers lost. No playoffs for them. Sad.

I guess it's time to do school work.

After I put up my sackcloth and ashes.

2009-10-05T12:05:00.002-05:00

In England there is/are:

Lots of tea, with milk
Lots of air-dry handdryer things in bathrooms
2 faucets, hot and cold
Not many good radio stations
Not good Chinese Food
No mexican food
Lots of old things
Many churches.
Much Football on TV
Mild weather
Many pubs
Many breweries
Good walking and bike riding trails

Sept 18-24

2009-10-01T04:27:00.002-05:00

Fri, Sept 18
Becca and I spent the morning in Dublin. We ate a big Irish Breakfast at the B and B, then waddled around Dublin with our backpacks. We took a bus to Galway. On the way, we stopped at the oldest pub in Europe in Athlone, Ireland, 900 AD, authenticated by Guinness. There was a fire fueled by peat. In Galway, we went to Christopher Columbus' Church where the Knights Templar buried Jesus' manger, saw a Spanish Arch, met San Diego, Italy, France People. A crazy horse-racing aficionado accosted us in a pub and gave us a boxing quiz: "NAM THA FIFE PEEPL HA BET MUHAMMED ALI!" We ate some fish and chips then had some nice drinks at The Quays (Keys), the hugest pub in the universe.

Sat, Sept 19
We rambled around Galway with a morning walk. Pleasant. Saw some sights, walked around the open air market near Columbus' manger church and ate a falafel next to a hippie caravan, then bused to Dingle Peninsula via Limerick and Tralee. In Limerick, we ate an unsavory kebab. Met Ben and Christine in Dingle. We went to Dick Mack's, a great little pub that used to sell shoes a few decades ago with boxes of dusty shoe boxes everywhere. There was a Stag (bachelor) party in the pub and about a dozen guys of all ages were standing in a circle singing song after song of traditional Irish tunes.

Sun, Sept 20
Dingle is a great town. We did a monster 30 mile bike ride around the peninsula. Amazing views of hills and the ocean and islands and little towns and old failed potato crops. We stopped at an old fort and old stone houses and a super old church called Gallaurus Oratory. It looked like and upside down boat. Dingle is in County Kerry and everyone was excited about All-Ireland Gallic football final. Gallic football is like soccer, but with your hands instead of your feet. I mean, you can kick it through these uprights and bounce the ball and stuff though. It's kind of confusing but it was interesting and it's the most popular sport in Ireland. Every house and car and store was flying the green and gold Kerry flags. Kerry won. I didn't understand the score to well. It was like 1-11 to 0-9. OK, sounds good.
The bike ride was fun, but the last 1/4 of the trip was mostly uphill. That part was a bit difficult. When we got back into town, we went to a pub and listened to traditional Irish music.

The Guinness does taste better in Ireland by the way. I think it is a combination of the freshness, the quality of the pour, and the magic of the leprechaun.

Mon, Sept 21
We stayed another day in Dingle because we were tired of moving all the time. We had a great walk to a castle and lighthouse with dog that Becca named Matt Maust. Dingle is famous for this dolphin they named Fungi. About 30 years ago, the fishermen noticed that a dolphin was following them into Dingle Bay from the sea. Fungi just stuck around and still hangs out in the bay. Some of the fishermen gave up their craft and turned their boats into viewing ships. We sat next to the castle and watched this boat going in circles and Fungi would pop up near it every minute or so. It was all pretty amusing.
To celebrate Fungi, we ate some fish and chips we bought from some guy who moved to Ireland from Santa Monica. That night we went to a concert. Some guy played an Irish version of the bagpipes. There were accordions and fiddles and guitars. It was the cat's meow.

Tues, Sept 22
We journeyed by bus to Cork and got a good deal on a nice hotel, with spa and sauna, albeit up a steep hill. I was sick but we hoofed it around Cork for a bit. Great town. Must less of a tourist crowd than other mid to large cities in Ireland. We went to a cool park and I used a cool public toilet that made funny noices like a robot. We walked through a college near the toliet and saw some old church. There was a good micro brew place (Abbey something) near an old Abbey with some tasty beers. We ate at this vegetarian place (Co-op), but the food was actually good. Had a pint, went back to the hotel, steam room, spa, sauna, and watched funny TV shows.

Wed, Sept 23
We went to the old Market that Rick Steves and Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern told us to go to. We rode the bus to Dublin and checked into the Avalon Hostel. Ben and Christine met us there. We took a fantastic tour of some of Dublin's finest pubs. The Long Hall, the Porterhouse, Brogans, and O'Neill. O'Neills was this amazing place; Huge and grandly decorated. Our first time in Dublin we hit Palace Bar and the Stag's Head, also fantastic spots. I have been in awe of all the beautiful drinking establishments in Ireland. And other old things too.

Thurs, Sept 24
Today was Arthur Guinness Day. 250 years of Guinness. St James Gate Brewery was closed though so that was not cool. There was an old man outside the gate though with a horse and cart who yelled at Becca, so that made up for it. We went to an old jail where a bunch of political prisoners had been held. Becca read about one of her Meagher ancestors. We met a guy dressed like Arthur Guinness at the Davy Burnes and he bought me a pint. Ireland was fun, but we had to bid a fond farewell. We flew to London, bused to Cambridge, then walked back to Westfield House. Time for school.

NEW and IMPROVED PHOTO LINK

2009-09-29T10:21:00.005-05:00

I think we finally figured out this photobucket thing. Go to this link. Or to save you the time if you are not really into sitting through 300 photos here are five of my favorites:

Cork Ireland

Highlands of Scotland

Dingle Peninsula Ireland

Eastern Coast of England

Hadrian's Wall England

More to come about our new home and the rest of our trip

Sept 11-17

2009-09-27T09:12:00.002-05:00

Fri, Sept 11
We went to a few castles, Warworth, Dunthorpe, Bambaugh, and Narnia Supreme. Yummed some tasty ice cream straight from the cow’s utter at Morwick Dairy. Had a little walk and a picnic on the beach, cheese and ocean and seahouses. We went to Holy Island, where Christianity was first brought to England by Saint Something Or Other. They was a really old ruined church and a really old, but not quite as old church that wasn’t ruined. Holy Island can only be reached at low tide. Water flooded the causeway at high tide. We had an hour until the tide was supposed to come in and Becca was getting nervous. We were in a shop and the storekeeper called her “Miss Panic Knickers.” I thought it was a funny name and I laughed heartily and repeatedly. I bought mead and sipped it next to castle that was old. We rolled on up to Edinburgh and stayed in a hostel outside of town. We took a tram into the city centre and sampled some Caldonian 80 and McEwans. I ate a brick of fried haggis from a dodgy looking takeaway place. In the Scotsman Lounge an inebriated gentleman kept pestering me to hit on my wife. So I did. Took a Beatles taxi back to the hostel

Sat, Sept 12
Edinburgh day. We went to the writers museum (burns, scott, Stevenson and all that) I ate an ice cream and we sat in the park. We ate a pig sandwich at this place that had a whole cooked pig lying in its front window. Walking out of this store we ran into Nate Dumas and Nate Rose. Small world. It was quite a pleasant surprise. We decided to drink ale and whisky together, Deuchar IPA, Suffolk Pride, Blackbox, etc. Good times. Ate some Indian food. Hung out at Domino’s. Almost ordered an anchovy pizza for the bus ride back to the hostel.

Sun, Sept 13
Wakey and drove to Pitlochory and toured the Edradour distillery, which was an independent distillery and the smallest in Scotland. Excellent whiskey. We then drove up to the Isle of Skye in north western Scotland, stopping at the Highlander castle for a smoke. We stayed at Saucy Mary’s hostel in Kyleakyn on the Isle.

Mon, Sept 14
We had a tour around Skye and went on a long hike up in the clouds, scrambling up and down rocky cliffs and peaks with sheep and their poo. Lots of poo.

Tues, Sept 15
Rolled from Skye to the Lake District. Did some laundry and ate some Goulash in Keswick at the Dog and Gun. Played a little Texas Hold ‘em.

Wed, Sept 16
Played a little pitch and putt golf. Had a little hike around Buttermere lake. We went to a play in Keswick, A Midsummers Night Dream.

Thurs, Sept 17
Drove from Keswick in the Lake District to Holyhead in Wales. A little lunch of Leek soup and jack potatoes, then Becca and I departed from Adam and Kayla and had a splendid ferry ride to Dublin. I had a pint of Guinness along the way and it was delightful. It was a bit of a walk to out B and B in Dublin. We walked around Dublin city center – Temple Bar, Grafton, Trinity, St Stephen’s Green, etc. Ate pizza and pasta, then visited Palace Bar and The Stag’s Head.

Sept 9, 10

2009-09-26T09:21:00.003-05:00

Wed, Sept 9
Woke up in York. Breakfast British-style – beans, tomato, mushroom, egg, toast, sausage, tea. Yum town, UK. We went to the York Castle museum and saw things, fun times, then had a tasty cucumber and cheese sandwich for lunch and walking tour of the city. Then a delectable steak and Stilton pasty. Headed to the York Minster Cathedral for evening prayer.

Aside:
This cathedral is the largest “north of the alps” according to the literature. There were about 40 people in attendance at evening prayer. I didn’t really expect too many, but it's been striking how secular England is considering the huge and rich religious history. Hundreds (thousands?) of churches shut down, the rest functioning largely at museums. The future of America? (Minus the beautiful buildings, I suppose)

After Evening prayer, we walked the old city walls back to the B and B. Stopped in at the Swan for pints of Tetleys and Moorhouse Black Cat.

Thurs, Sept 10
Drove to Durham and checked out the wonderful cathedral and chilled out with St Cuthbert’s bones. Gave NT Wright a high five. Ate a sandwich. Exchanged some bills and bought a phone. Cruised up to Hadrian’s wall and had some great hikes along those old Roman stones. Saw some tree that Robin hood lived in and a cow eating grass in a very humorous manner. We stayed in a hostel that was near the ruins of some old Roman fort from 3000 BC or something. We went to a pub on the side of the road and had diaper tasting fish and chips, but some un-diaper tasting pints of Samson Ale (Maxim Brewery) and Black Sheep Ale

Sept 6, 7, 8

2009-09-26T08:06:00.002-05:00

Sunday, Sept 6
We woke up this fine morning in Santa Rosa, California and went to St Luke’s Lutheran. Went home and packed our stuff for our mythical and fantastic journey to the great beyond. We took the Airporter to SFO - 6:50 flight to London on British Airways. What wonderful entertainment! I watched 3 episodes of The Wire and some Alec Guinness movie, the Lavender St Mob, I think. Becca watch some girl movie. Nice free wines, I must say twice. Nice free wines.

Monday, Sept 7
We landed in "The Great United Kingdom of Her Royal Highness, her Majesty the Queen of England and Sovereign protector of the crown of Richard the Lionhearted" around 1pm. We stumbled upon Adam and Kayla Burke from Concordia St Louis in the baggage claim. The smelled of bubble gum. The four of us caught the 2:05 Nation Express coach to Cambridge from Heathrow and arrived at 5ish then taxied to Westfield House. After a moment or 5 of getting settled in our new abode and meeting Tutor Humann, we went to the Mitre for some fish and chips and pints. After, we wandered Cambridge city centre and drained pints of Old Speckled Hen and Magners at the Eagle where Watson and Crick announced the discovery of DNA. Great place.

Tues, Sept 8
Early wake @ 7.30. Adam and I rode bikes to National car hire. UK bike, mind you. They are wily creatures they are. We got lost, passed a Dominos pizza a few times, got buzzed by a bus but ended up with a Peugeot hatchback manual drive. I drove to the market across the street. Wah wah wee wa! Crazy times on the left side. Thankfully I ending up eating bacon, egg, English muffins, oj. Later we met Wanja and Hilary, who work at Westfield. Eventually we drove to Lincoln. it was a delightful town. There was quite a Steep hill with a road called "Steep Hill Road," which I found quite descriptive and helpful. Immediately following Steep Hill, Pints were required at the Wig and Mitre. Then Bangers and Mash were called upon at the Magna Carta in the shade of the Cathedral and castle. There was the Lincoln University graduation going on during our visit. We we fortunaely to catch some evensong choral practice at the cathedral. Then we drove to York. Roundabouts are fun. It stared raining. So i pulled over on the curb, drove on the sidewalk for a while and saw a guesthouse for a good rate. Instead of driving through the living quarters we decided to stayed there. Indian food was eaten and enjoyed and was satisfying. Kingfisher was consumed by my gullet and savored. Becca and Adam raced up a hill. Becca lost. We wandered around York city centre. We turned a corner and heard some scrumptdillyumpious tunes emanating from an inviting establishment called the Last Drop Inn. We entered and demanded ale immediately. I rather enjoyed the Ghost Ale Stout (York Brewery) and Becca partook of some Rick Steves approved Scrumpy.

ireland

2009-09-19T04:03:00.003-05:00

There are lots of Darrens in Ireland. Also, The preference seems to be for air blowing hand dryers over paper towels. Things are green. I swear I saw the offspring of a leprauchan in Dublin. Galway is an amazing town.

2009-09-06T21:20:00.001-05:00

On plane

2009-09-06T19:30:00.001-05:00

I just ate garlic fries given to me by a strange woman. Becca thinks i am going to die.

2009-09-06T12:54:00.001-05:00

I think i will go live in england today.

2009-09-05T14:46:00.001-05:00

We leave tomorrow for england.

2 more days till UK

2009-09-04T20:00:00.002-05:00

Got visa today. Much Stress prefaced receipt of the goods: car crash, incompenant bank tellers, loan officers, visa advocates. Give me a Fullers.
We are in Santa Rosa now. Good wine, good brews, good family.
Muy excited for Uk life. beer, beer, whisky, whisky, highlands, castles, ocean, leprauchans, churches, beer, knights and such.
Thanks to all for the prayers and support.
We'll say hi to the queen for you.

2009-09-04T12:09:00.001-05:00

The visa is in my hand.

2009-09-03T15:56:00.001-05:00

At russian river brewery with pliny and temptation

2009-09-03T11:17:00.001-05:00

This morning we find out if our visa is approved.

2009-09-01T14:00:00.001-05:00

Five days until the uk, visa pending

2009-08-31T15:48:00.001-05:00

Car crash!

no cal

2009-08-29T22:43:00.002-05:00

Hey, what's up? We're in Redding. We just ate Mac and cheese. Yummy town!

We should be in England soon. Come on, visa! Fingers crossed.

mattnmatt visit the Lou

2009-08-05T12:41:00.002-05:00

Fun times in the Bible belt

2009-08-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

SUNDAY

Precious Moments Park and Chapel - http://www.preciousmoments.com/content.cfm/park_chapel
FREE Chapel Tours hourly from 9:00am - 4:00pm 7 days a week
4321 S Chapel Road
Carthage, MO 64836
1 800 445 2220

--

Oral Roberts Prayer Tower, Tulsa, OK
I-44 exit 227, then south on Lewis Ave. to 81st St.

--

The Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial
620 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City
405.235.3313
--

2nd Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere
I-40, Groom, TX
40 miles east of Amarillo, just west of Groom, I-40 Exit 112.

MONDAY
Cadillac Ranch
I-40, Amarillo, TX, In a cow pasture along eastbound I-40 between exits 60 and 62. Exit onto the frontage road, then enter the pasture through an unlocked gate. Visitors are encouraged.

Progressive Dinner Across America

2009-08-04T16:47:00.000-05:00

YUM itinerary:

Amarillo:
The Big Texan Steak House - http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/50/big-texan-steak-ranch - STEAK!
!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Texan_Steak_Ranch

Stockyard cafe - http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/264/stockyard-cafe - cowboy Breakfast

Oklahoma City:
!!! Cattlemen's cafe - http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/160-160/cattlemen
-

SUNDAY

LUNCH
Clanton's - Vinita, OK
Must Eats: Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken & Dressing, Coconut Pie
sun 11-2, others 5:30-8
319 E. Illinois
Vinita, OK 74301
918-256-9053

SNACK?
White River Fish Market - Tulsa, OK
Must Eats: Catfish Filets, Red Beans & Rice, Whole Fried Flounder, Cole Slaw, Broiled Tilapia, Pinto Beans, Mahi-Mahi, Hush Puppies
1708 N Sheridan Rd
Tulsa, OK 74115-4624
(918) 835-1910

LUNCH/SNACK
*Cattlemen's - Oklahoma City, OK
Must Eats: Steak Soup , Lamb Fries, Presidential Cut Steak, Steak Burger
Hours: Open 6 am daily, Sunday - Thursday till 10 pm, Friday & Saturday till 12 midnight
1309 S. Agnew .. Oklahoma City, OK .. 73108
405.236.0416

LUNCH (Back up)
Classen Grill - Oklahoma City, OK
Must Eats: Biscuits & Gravy, Migas
5124 Classen Cir
Oklahoma City, OK 73118-4494
(405) 842-0428‎

DINNER!
Big Texan Steak Ranch - Amarillo, TX
Must Eats: Chicken Fried Steak, Strawberry Shortcake, Baked Potato, steak!, Catfish Platter
7-10:30
7701 E I-40
Amarillo, TX 79118
(806) 372-6000

--
MONDAY
B-FAST
Stockyard Cafe - Amarillo, TX
Must Eats: steak 'n' eggs, huevos rancheros
6:30-2:30, close sunday
101 S Manhattan St
Amarillo, TX 79104-1007
(806) 342-9411

LUNCH
Frontier - Albuquerque, NM
Must Eats: Huevos Rancheros, Tortillas, Hamburger, green chili, cinnamon roll
The Frontier is open every day from 5:00 am to 1:00 am
2400 Central Ave SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106-3507
(505) 266-0550

LUNCH (Backup)
Powdrell's Bar-B-Que - Albuquerque, NM
Must Eats: barbecued brisket
hours?
5209 Fourth St Nw
albuquerque
(505) 345-8086

Dinner
Joe & Aggie's Cafe - Holbrook, AZ
Must Eats: green chili enchilada, burro
Monday – Saturday, 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
120 W Hopi Drive
Holbrook, AZ 86025-2946

Backup snack?
Old Smoky's Restaurant - Williams, AZ
Must Eats: homemade bread, Billy Hatcher omelet
Open from 6am until 1:30 in the afternoon
624 West Route 66
Williams, AZ 86046
(928) 635-1915

--
TUESDAY
Dinner?
M & M Soul Food Cafe - Las Vegas, NV
Must Eats: Sweet Potato Pie, Corn Bread, Fried Pork Chops, Dark Meat Fried Chicken, Cornbread Dressing, Cabbage, Banana Pudding, Collard Greens, Red Beans and Rice with Hot Links, Fried Okra, Yams, Muddy Water, Fried Chicken , Pork Chops
BFAST?
Hash House - Las Vegas, NV
Must Eats: Super Hash, Homemade Jams and Jellies, Hashbrowns, Corned Beef Hash, Homemade Sausage Patty

happy 2nd Anniversary

2009-07-28T11:19:00.002-05:00

To us!

Here's our plan:

2009-07-27T11:19:00.002-05:00

We leave STL (Aug 9). Drive West. Stop somewhere around Amarillo. Sleep.
Drive to Grand Canyon. Camp (10th).
Play, hike, fun. Camp (11th).
Drive to LA. tacos, yum. Friends! (12th)

Then it will be Thursday. Then I maybe drive north that day or the next to Montana del Oro for camping weekend. Yay, friends, baseball, beer!

Then B Boo drives south to see her sister in San Diego. Yay, sistertime!

Then we have fun party week in LA. Hooray! Cha cha! BBQ! pizza! Baseball! Beerbeer!

Then Mike gets married (22). More fun and friends and all the above.

Then (23rd) I preach at Canoga Park Lutheran in the early morning for Jen a Damion's confirmation, then in the late morning at Mt Olive.

Then we drive north to see B Boo's family in Santa Rosa and Reddin' (23-6).

Then we fly East in a scary plane over the whole world and the 7 seas to England where the Wicked Witch of the East lives and we will land on her flying house and bicycle and her little dog too.

Then we zoom all over Scotland and Ireland and dance jigs and play fiddle and drive on the wrong side of the road and eat mayonaise.

Then I start school (sept 24). Then we are there until july 2010. Then we go somewhere for a year on vicarage. Then we go back to St Louis for a year. Then we go somewhere to a church to live. And we will have a house and babies and doggies and nintendo and soup and a tire swing and beer and an old car in driveway that doesn't work and gets in the way when I want to shoot hoops.

2009-07-26T16:08:00.001-05:00

we are going to cambridge.

We are back

2009-04-27T21:54:00.003-05:00

Branson itself was a real "cultural experience" The time spent with Grandma Mary and Papa Gary was wonderful.
Pictures will follow soon. But I must share a few things I learned in Southern Missouri:

one- I don't want to live there
two- chicken fried steak and buffets offer little to know nutritional value
three- I'm so very very proud of my Grandfather and his service to this country (Korea and Vietnam).

Thank you Papa Gary and thanks to all the Little Bears that Darren and I had the privilege of spending time with this last weekend. Thank you for your selfless sacrifices to our country. We esteem and love you much!

Branson and Call Day Musings

2009-04-23T21:22:00.004-05:00

We leave for Branson Mo tomorrow. We are going to meet up with Grandma Mary and Papa Gary. I'm looking forward to spending time with them. I'm also excited about seeing more of Missouri. We have lived here for two years and all I have seen outside of the St. Louis Metro area is what I saw out the passenger seat on our drive from California. Oh Missouri, your green, flat and unpredictably predictable.
It was call day yesterday. If we were not going to Cambridge this fall we would have gotten a vicarage call somewhere in the US. Many are going to Illinois, Iowa, or staying in good Ole Missouri (Oh Missouri).
However many of our friends are going to either coasts, or at the very least they are going to be outside of the midwest which I can say gives me hope (though unwarranted).
I watched the call service on my computer at work. It seemed to me that those Seminary students with military buzz cuts were placed in the Midwest whereas those with a more "hip" or "ragged" coif of hair got to go to the West or East. Darren must start growing out his hair, then maybe we would get Hawaii or something. In truth it does not matter where we go next year. For one we get to spend a year in EUROPE and secondly the point of vicarage is good pastoral and practical instruction for Darren and myself. If that can happen in (ug) MISSOURI, well then so be it and well I'll worry about it next year!
Call day is always emotional, more so for the those being actually called to a full time pastor position. It still boggles my mind that we are here at times and that in three years we too will get our fate handed to us by the powers at be. Ah, I suppose that's life really for anyone.. its just a bit more defined for us. I also must note that in the last two years I have grown to respect and trust the "powers at be" at the Seminary. They are far from perfect but they know that and that is a comforting thing.

Well enough ramble. I need to pack for Branson. Pictures and detailed descriptions to follow.

I googled "Missouri" and I got this:

2009-04-17T14:34:00.002-05:00

St Louis is nice today. The sunshine is out.

We would like to be in England right now.

We want to go to Scotland and tasty Whiskeys and to all the isles. And to Ireland.
and to Spain and to southern France and to Italy and to Croatia and to Greece and to the Baltics and to Switzerland and to everywhere in Europe and the planet.

We will have a road trip to LA in August. I think we will go to the Grand Canyon. We will probably leave for England in early September-ish. I will be hard for me to be outside of the United State when the Tigers win the World Series. I will need to find a place to watch the games.

Opening Day and Chicago (not in that order)

2009-04-06T19:59:00.005-05:00

Tonight is not opening day.. BUT the flood gates of the 2009 season doth burst forth and we celebrate the awesome power which is the great American pastime, that is why I made brats and we drank beer. Darren is simultaneously watching a game on ESPN, listening to the Tigers game online and reading baseball prospectus.

This last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Lindsay in Chicago. The Portlander was there for a book conference and I got to crash at her fancy hotel and we got to hang out like old times; sharing clothes, talking about how we rule, eating and drinking fine things and pretty much ruling. It was great fun. I like Chicago, if only the lake were an actual ocean and the climate remained temperate I would say it's the best city ever- but it's not. Although it is very very very awesome.

We leave for Branson next weekend for a fun filled adventure with Grandma Mary and Papa Gary (YESSS!!). We are very excited and can't wait to spend some time with them and see that part of Missouri.

Pray for the Tigers. Thank you.

UK OK

2009-03-21T21:11:00.003-05:00

As many of you few and faithful (sorry) readers of this blog may know.. We are going to Cambridge! We move this September. Darren will be studying and we will be living at Westfield House for about a year. This has always been a dream of ours; not only to live abroad but also to go to Westfield (Darren applied there for seminary but we decided on the sem in St. Louis as it fit our situation better). In the last two years not a week went by with out us speculating or scheming in regards to the exchange program.. I'm an Anglophile and an obsessive CS Lewis fan in my heart of hearts and the desire to travel runs rapid in Darren's blood (it's been over two years since he left the America's and he is getting restless). We wanted to go and thank you God for granting that wish.
We are so very excited and anticipation runs high. We found out about a month ago, the same day our dear friends (Lindsay, Nich, Mike and Kelly) came to visit. We spent the whole weekend celebrating. Since finding out I have had the privilege of talking to two gracious women (sem wives) that lived at Westfield in the recent past- I took a lot of notes about living and working abroad and their wisdom has been both a comfort and a springboard of more anticipation (so much to do before we leave and when we get there).
Darren and I have bought a map of Europe that hangs above our bed and we have also spent some time mapping out travels (as we will have two months to travel while over there during Darren's breaks from school). Our families and friends have vowed to visit which if they are able to keep their promises will be so exciting! .. Really we can't wait! But first we must finish out our respective school semesters, work work work, find storage, buy good rain coats and luggage, apply for visas, be in two wonderful weddings on the west coast, go to Chicago, go to Michigan, go to Branson Mo w/ Grandma Mary and Papa Gary, plan for spring fest, buy plane tickets, save money, drive cross country to drop off our car and say good bye to our good friends in the Lou. Phew.. but hey most of that stuff will be fun. So there you have it. We hope to be more active on this blog when we are over there, for the sake of convenience we will keep the same blog (though you can't meet us in St. Louis.. but you get the idea).

And now I leave you with a few pictures of our Visit from Friends mentioned above. We did Mardi Grass on an awfully cold day but we had fun and drinking beer the size of your face always warms one up a bit. Viva la Beer!

Snow Daze

2009-01-28T16:27:00.005-06:00

It snowed a bunch, like a foot. I went out last night in it because I had free tickets to see the Broadway rendition of Legally Blond- because you know risking your neck to see the blond show is well worth it. It was pretty fun though, better then I expected and the seats were awesome. Box seats with our own 'drink waiter'. For those wondering, no I did not drag Darren with me. I saw it with lady friends. Today was a snow day from work. I'm trying to get some homework done. My class this semester (well actually for the next few semesters) consists of 10 people working on my Professor's 2nd edition of the Media Literacy Dictionary. I'm working on the phrase- 'willing suspension of disbelief' and right now I'm willingly suspending my disbelief that I will be able to get it done in time. I'm enjoying the fantasy that Procrastination will actually write the thing for me.

I'm also really missing LA. Funny it's kind of a crap city but when you leave it, it beckons to you "COME HOME AND EAT AND BE WARM WITH YOUR FRIENDS" Ahh LA. Also compared to the Midwest anything looks shiny and exciting. I got no love for the flat part.

We will try to keep you updated on the whole England vs US thing. We have turned in the application and now we just wait and watch the snow melt and let the powers at be determine our location for the next two years. It's kind of fun- but only kind of.

LET THERE BE LIGHT (and Photos)

2009-01-06T20:33:00.003-06:00

So we never post here anymore and never put pictures up.. I know how much you all miss that. So here you go.. Your Welcome Grandma! We have not used our camera in a while so I will need to get some pics from my mom(s) from Turkey Day and Christmas. Happy New Years!!
love
becca (and darren)

Fall 2008 PICTURE TIME WITH THE HARBAUGHS

2009-01-06T20:11:00.003-06:00

Apple Picking in IL

Concordia Oktoberfest 2008, me and our buddy Hutch.. pouring the best beer ever

Darren Von H. @ Concordia Oktoberfest

Darren's gourmet mac n' cheese, Test 1

My very own black velvet beauty a gift from Miss Kristen Dennis (Thank you K dawg)

Summer 2008 PICTURE TIME WITH THE HARBAUGHS

2009-01-06T19:59:00.002-06:00

Beeman/Dennis and Harbaugh at the Fest of International Foods STL

Chicago!

Darren and Jack

B&D at Disneyland

D-land Crew 08