In Front of Buckingham Palace. Isn't this where Harrison Ford did something heroic?
Even with the afro-hats, they do manage to look more imposing when they're not skipping.
Everyone owns cellphones, but the city of London decided these were important cultural icons. I just wish they'd finish the conversion and add real urinals.
My enormous head is destroying trafalgar square.
Hard to see, but this is a portrait of the three Bronte sisters. spooky smart women.
Duff! despite the color, I will assure you that's not a Manchester United jersey. We watched the favorite Chelsea get crushed on that same couch.
Oh Little Brothers, how they grow up. I'm now smaller (and less fit) than both my bros, but thank god I got the slight edge in the facial hair department. That's the only "manliness" advantage I have left.
Duff and Larissa in the park. not sure if I caught them at an awkward time, or if Duff's just hamming it up as usual.
re-enacting a famous Giant-assisted bridge lift... or the Londoners version of the Macarena.
one of the oldest pubs in London (Cheshire Cheese, not my enormous face). Met up for a very good cider with Libby-Dub.
weber hist greece. Notice how the mediterranean sun is already hitting back.
Smart cars. Popular in London, obsessively common in Greece. Two in a row is still a little strange, but soon they'll be multiplying like rabbits.
I'm on the Acropolis! It's really hot! I'm really thirsty! Sunburn? what sunburn?
(wonderful) View of the Acropolis from the ruins of the Temple of Olympic Zeus.
Temple of Hephaistos and some jerk tourist (me) who got in the way of the shot.
Get Your Riot Gear... student protest in Athens.
Interesting to note: the most dangerous place to be is between the students and the police. Second most dangerous, is behidn the police. So what, really, are they protecting?
A slightly more than intellectual debate near the end of the student protest. The man in the suit actually approached the mob to argue his point of view, and the protesters were so worried about violence, they kept backing off.
hey sexy! A night on the town begins at the ancient Roman stadium.
It's gettin' hot in here... Picture from the summit after ascending the tallest hill in the middle of Athens (looking East (toward my hostel) if you care.
little church on top of the hill.
it's even hot on the way down! By the way, yes, I am listening to Jason Segel's "Dracula Lament" right now. I know because it was on repeat most of the way down the mountain.
apparently, this is Byzantine architecture? I don't believe that, but the plaque wasn't very clear either. Thessaloniki, Greece.
Those Thessalonikians. This is a big scultural display of various symbolic paper mache trees. Some were just unusual like these, others were made to look like Nukes, factories, etc.
Now that's a (fat albert) Rotunda! Thessaloniki.
I hate bed bugs. And don't even try to assume this is an isolated case. All 4 limbs (and a good bit of the in-between) looked like this for almost 2 weeks.
Hoppin' night market in Istanbul's Sultanhamet (old town/tourist ville)
Blue Mosque! I took so many photos of this structure, but none look as good as the postcards....
they actually have the audacity to refer to this as a "water fountain." The structure houses a large fountain structure, which then feeds small water spigets along the exterior for washing, etc.
Jordan!
shot from one of the many courtyards inside the Topakapi palace.
"water fountain" interior, Topakapi palace
Hagia Sophia interior. another structure that is a little too impressive to capture in any one shot. I kept trying, though.
More Hagia Sophia, with roof and massive scaffolding.
Icon from Hagia Sophia, this one showing a beatified king and queen who donated to the buildings expansion and upkeep. At one point, most of the Hagia interior looked like this, but now it's just one of a few remaining/uncovered examples.
Hagia Sophia exterior at night. Not as pretty as the Blue Mosque.
stained glass from inside Hagia.
another (random) mosque from around Istanbul.
Jordan: "hey Ryan, look the dogs are hugging." Ryan: "Uh, Jordan, I don't think so." statue of a lion killing a deer. Istanbul.
Byzantine Aqueducts leading into the Sultanhamet district of Istanbul, once Constantinople.
one of many crazy-awesome sarcophagi in the Topakapi museums. This one shows two Sirens and the Centaurmachy (war between Centaurs and men).
Ryan in the aptly-titled "tiled kiosk." not sure what defines a Kiosk, but it certainly had lots of awesome tiles.
one sample tile from the Kiosk
Nuclear War does need instructions. read your pamphlets, listen to the radio, pack supplies, put out fires, bandage children, wash thoroughly, raise cattle, point at maps, and of course, repopulate the mutant human race.
Istanbul Cistern. Good tip to check this out, a little pricey, but fun to see. The cistern was built under what is currently the main tourist area. So all week its under you, and you have no idea until you go down for a peek.
Medusa head column base. Archaeologist argue if this has significance (it's upside down) or if it was just repurposed and fit best in this way (it has a twin on its side nearby).
Blue (Sultanhamet) Mosque from its own courtyard.
Not sure what I like more: the color, the style, or the hood ornament.
Church of San Antonio, a catholic church just off a main shopping thoroughfare in more-modern Istanbull.
Icon from San Antonio church showing Antonian friars and the Madonna.
an odd theme on my travels has been the presence of the Other Boleyngirl at various movie theaters.
Another cool (but otherwise unknown) mosque in modern Istanbul.
Fertility god statue from Ephesus. Ridiculously Eastern for a greek statue, this particular design shows up repeatedly as it's main temple was the reason for Ephesus's economic strength.
what's up Caesar. I may be in better shape, but remember he's got a few thousand years on me.
Gladiator grave stone. Very good display in Ephesus comparing gladiatorial purpose and methods with modern sport, etc. Also, lots of gladiator skeletons with their (obvious) causes of expiration. ouch.
Efes - more than a city, it's now a light and refreshing Pilsner. Actually a pretty tasty brew, and that pint bottle is huge.
A look down the main market street in modern Selcuk (near Ephesus)
A look at the ruins of the Ephesian meeting place (business, politics, etc). The stadium/theatre is much larger.
Looking down the road at the ruins of Ephesus (and Jordan's Left back side).
Ephesus ruins with Jordan artfully framed.
Ephesus ruins
Ephesus library facade. mighty big, and with several very clever architectual tricks to make it look bigger.
How's That for a dramatic angle!
Another Ephesian statue of the fertility god, Artemis. Very stylized and non-Greek in its origins.
now That's the Ephesus stadium/Theatre
hooka bar, Backgammon, Beer, and Eurocup football. Yes, it was a good night.
Cathedral ruins from the hill above Selcuk.
Aren't I so artsy! cathedral ruins at Selcuk.
yo, I'm standing in a destroyed cathedral.
Cathedral's Baptistry. Interestingly, I saw a very similiar design at a modern convern in Ormylia, Greece a few weeks earlier.
Castle/Citadel atop the hill at Selcuk. unfortunately, it hasn't been restored enough to allow visitors, which was really a drag. looks good to me!
Photos inside the Blue Mosque from a short trip back to Istanbul while waiting for a flight.
Finally! a good show of the Blue Mosque in all it's squat splendor. I only got 4 of the distinctive 6 minarets, but hey, perfection is too much to ask.
Another fountain, this in the old Hippodrome just Northwest of the Blue Mosque.
Egyptian obelisk (not recreation) captured by a Byzantine emperor and moved to this location over a thousand years ago. The Obelisk is almost 3 thousand years old.
relic. not sure who, but at some point that was actually a saint's hand. If you aren't familiar with the vivid history of relics in orthodox (and catholic) practice, this will seem even odder.
5 and 1/2 minarets in this shot.
Riga, where every corner building has a walk-around tower and a unique weather vane.
More pictures of buildings in Riga, a very pretty city to visit, even if briefly.
restored orthodox church in Riga.
full view of the restored (and painted) Riga cathedral. crazy architectural things happening here.
church tower in Riga unlike anything else I've seen. The dome-and-steeple was new at the time, but I saw more of it in Tallinn. but the gaps between the domes I still haven't seen elsewhere.
very charicteristic scene in Tallinn, Estonia. The old town walls are like 80% intact, including the towers, so you see these things with their distinctive red roofs everywhere.
My team of volunteers from the Tallinn School getting a tour of the town (and getting accustomed to each other) on our second day.
Riga airport - very hip. Like Tallinn, this place is very newly-constructed, with a nice pine-steel-black motif.
pole! Actually, in Estonia. team surveying various parks to keep the kiddos busy.
Champs! volunteers surviving the first round of swing lessons. Sunshine, Kajsa, Marta, Maria
full group shot of swing lessosn with a very sweaty Weber in the middle.
Watching football, prepping lessons for the next day, and drinking beer. Isn't this every teacher's life? Sunshine, Maria, Sojin, Kajsa, Feli.
Marta on the phone (while the rest of us loudly watch Sweden get crushed by Russia).
kids at play in the park outside the walls.
Kids playing the spider web game. Good idea Feli.
more play outside the walls.
the Gothebourg, a reconstructed 17th century sailing vessel. Built using period technology and techniques, it sails around the world, from Stockholm to Beijing, and stopped off in Tallinn for a few days.
despite the whig and knickers, the Gothebourg tour guide did a great job of keeping the students in line.
Nothing like sheparding 40 kids onto a sailing ship.
oh look, hemp rope everywhere!
Sunshine looking more than a little tired on the gothebourg.
A casual shot from our standard post-school planning session. As soon as the kids went home, we went to work planning the next day. Some days were more productive than others.
team leader Feli trying to keep us in line. Yes, her shirt does read, "A Bikini is a terrible thing to waste." I didn't get it either, and I didn't ask.
Happy Birthday Marta! passing out snacks to the kids with her Marieke flower hat.
Sunshine (france) and Kajsa (sweden)
Sojin (Korea) and Maria (Russia)
Marta (poland) and Marieke (Netherlands)
Marta wearing her birthday hat home on the bus.
Marta's birthday cake back at the flat.
Look kids, I'm a Texan. definately the most patriotic I've ever been in my life. cool reflective shoes though, right?
"...So as you can see, Texas is a big place, but just one part of this enormous heterogenous country..." I was born to be a cartographer.
"...now in Texan, we use a very special word for the second person plural pronoun. Can you say, ya'll?"
Admit it, these two even look like trouble. Ksaveri and Maxsim, just one part of the dreaded "Eastern Pirates" student group. They wanted to call themselves the "Undead Money," so I'm happy with the compromise.
blah blah blah Texas.
at this point, I've lost them. Time to break out the "Texas Style" popcorn I found at a local grocery store.
Sunshine teaching a french card game to some kids in the "Blue Penguins" team.
The Dot Game, which I managed to teach to several teams when I needed a teacher break. note the "branding." as part of the Texas day, I explained how brandings like Arrow-C or Lazy-S were used to show property, then we made our own.
View from my (private) window. Estonian flag on yet another wet Tallinn day.
"holland" pepper, onion, eggs. mmmm, tasty.
happy weber with a pepper and some tunes.
Something smells like home.
Eggs-a-la-Mexicana, some e-mail, and a vodka-based drink in my favorite blue-face mug. A good night.
Less studious as the weeks wore on. Here at rest are Sojin, Kajsa, Sunshine, and Marieke.
Good contrast with the Tallinn city wall tower (red and stone) in front of the controversial Alexander Nevsky russian orthodox cathedral. This is actually the view we had every day on the way to work.
We are not morning people. Kajsa is contemplating destroying my camera.
Stromi "beach." It's actually a very well protected bay, the number of whitecamps is due to the crazy winds on this particular day, driving the shore back some 50 meters.
Happy at the beach where the kids can play by themselves.
Kids in a park, Tallinn.
Marta and Marieke trying to keep track of their students. Good luck.
Hey everybody, let's go on a field trip with public transportation. Awesome!
excavated town ruins on the way to lunch.
Waiting to go home after work and planning are over. Give us another 30 minutes, and we'll start looking happier.
Depeche Mode bar, Tallinn. Casual shot #1 (with black light in full effect).
official Depeche Mode group shot. For the record, I took this by balancing my camera on top of a full pint of beer and setting the time. I was proud of myself. Ryan, Kajsa, Marta, Sojin, Maria, Marieke
Marta being silly after the DM excursion.
Me being equally silly (and less focused).
"How do we introduce the concept of African-Americans to the people of Estonia?" Hey, I've got an idea....
Dinner on our last night together at a African restaurant. Marta, Maria, Feli, Sojin, Kajsa.
other side of the table at African restuarant. Sunshine, Marieke, Anastasia
random cool building in Tallinn, similiar phenomenon as Riga.
church near the "quickie" park in Tallinn.
what happens when the tram lines fall apart? now I know.
Oh, and when the tram lines go down, everything stops.
One missing utensil (fork) and suddenly I'm 4000 years back in human social evolution.
No, this isn't a dumb bet. I'm not trying to put my whole hand in my mouth. Just eating some yummy, cold pilaf.
not the most efficient eating method, but I got the job done. Gotta love that Eesti Juust.
soviet-era car. Super-compact.
Lenin statue from the Tallinn Museum of the Oppression.
Oh Lenin, would you have even wanted yourself this ridiculously displayed?
awesome cellar bar in Tallinn. I went here my first week, loved it, and couldn't find it again until the day I was leaving. If you ever go to Tallinn, Please, go to Juuksur for me!
Hell Hunt, the pub we went to most often for the pretty good food, rather good local brews, and ever-so-tasteful logo. the "oldest" pub in Tallinn, dating the ye olde year of 1993.
Almond vendors. I never bought any nuts, but even I'll admit they smelled pretty good. And those cute girls in the get up weren't driving away tourists either.
If I needed another shirt in Tallinn... McLenin is a favorite, but the Bender in Cyrlic would be hard to pass up as well.
Why? because it's Tallinn. This is another school (not the one I worked at) built like a tree house... sort of. Across the street from our much more drab academy.
In Down Town school (the peach verticle in the middle), where we worked for 2 weeks.
church in Warsaw's old town. They really love Pope John Paul II. No, really, it's a little scary.
Warsaw's old Town square.
Another old chuch along Warsaw's Nowy Swiat.
now that's just hilariously obvious. I never did find the Estrogen Cafe, but it's bound to be around somewhere.
Gloop (or Gleep) from the Herculoids! Still lost you? Think Space Ghost. Taken in Warsaw, Poland.
Tallinn team photo waiting for pancakes at Kompressor. Ominously missing is Marta, holding the camera. Ryan, Feli, Sojin, Maria, Sunshine, Kajsa, Marieke.
Weber and the Palm tree. This is a big item of pride in Warsaw. They transplanted it from tropical origins, put it in the middle of Charles de Gaulle circle, and somehow kept it alive for many years so far.
Palace of culture and Science, seen from afar.
Just one of the 4 "temples" jutting out from the base of the Palace of Culture and Science. Here, a theatre.
Palace of Culture and Science - up closer.
yeah, did I mention they like JP-two?
Another mischevious tourist?
Nope, I'm undercover-Polish. Actually, the hat/patch probably makes me stand out, but the red shirt is a dead give away - Polish.
those Boleyns, they just don't give up. Taken in Warsaw.
Palace of Culture and Science - with Kinoteka (movie theatre) sign visible.
This is the kind of thing that practically covers the walls along the base of the Palace of Culture and Science.
beauty shot of the PCS at sundown.
Another nice dusk shot of the new modern downtown Warsaw.
Welcome to Krakow!
Sundown along the Wisla river in Krakow, poland.
My timing sucks. I missed Pat Metheny and Return to Forever in Warsaw by 3 days, and now I miss Branford in Krakow by 2 days. Ah well....
Mexican food in Krakow. Actually, pretty good enchiladas, and the purple cabbage (spiced with sesame seeds) was a great bean substitute. Believe it.
view from my hostel. Not too shabby.
Auschwitz II - Birkenau camp from the central rail line. As a visual image, it's almost boring, but in context it's totally horrifying. Hard for me to balance those two impressions.
In front of Krakow Cathedral (notice the Polska birdie). Crazy place, but very cool mix of architecture, history, and religion.
Auschwitz II - Birkenau entrance gate. Over 1 million people died here, most of them within one hour of passing this gate.
Sunset at Serbian work camp. Pictured is a bird viewing station, not my accomodation, thanks.
Me in Birkenau. Trying to be reverent, but mostly just dehydrated.
Who doesn't love the Spiderweb game? I played this in Estonia with 12 year olds, and now in Serbia with 20+. Good times.
more like it. Nightlife in Krakow near the galleria.
Did I mention that right next to my Serbian work camp is the 'Mosquito Inn." This is a picture of a 6' iron mosquito statue out front. Sadly, it's no misnomer.
Lake Ludas, Serbia
We call this place "Billiards Discotheque" because it's the only bar in town (almost) and the only one with a billiards table and ridiculously loud Serbia techno-pop.
room for everyone at the Billiards Discotheque
Hanging out in Subotica, the "big City" on an afternoon off. pictured are Janko, Anya, Tanya, Rafa, Lam, Marina, Quentin and Franko
Cafe in Subotica
the only church in Hajdukovo, the villiage of Lake Ludas. This one church is a 50/50 Catholic/Orthodox split - literally. the right side is setup with Catholic pews, the left side open for Orthodox prayer.
Marina (spain) learning to skin a log with a machete. Fun.
Day at the beach with some of our AMPLE watermelon horde.
Bridge #2 - completed. I don't have many pictured of us working because I was... Working. You know how it is.
Me at a particularly cool blue fountain in Subotica.
clean up from Bridge 2
"Um, I think that pile needs to be about 2 meters to the left..."
Return to Billiards Discotheque. We had to restore our honor after getting smoked in pool by the locals. That didn't go so well.
"Abandoned" Jewish Synagogue in Subotica. It is one of the only synagogues to be built in this highly-controversial Hungarian style, and is being renovated and restored after its congregation disappeared or left during WWII.
No Delilah (Jovanna), Dont do it! Getting a haircut at a Serbia work camp. It could have been worse.
Now thats Brisk, Baby!
Just guess what kind of building this is.
Central point of the Dohany Synagogue sanctuary in Budapest.
More shots from Dohany. Notice the Moorish tile patterns and Gothic carved pews.
thanks, dont mind if I do.... Statue of Liberty, Budapest
My friend Marta surveying Pest (and\or avoiding the camera)
Looking into Pest. Same view the German commanders had when retreating upon the Soviet advance... except they blew up all the bridges.
A Tree of Sorrow, sculpture at the Dohany Synagogue. Modeled on a Weeping Willow, each individual metal leaf has the name of a known Hungarian Holocaust victim. Of everyone who died in Auschwitz, 1\4 came from Hungary.
Marta ready to lay waste to the peoples of Pest. Russian artillery on display at Buda s Citadella.
Now thats an impressive touristic site!
Keleti Train station, Budapest. I spent much more time here than you might imagine, and still somehow managed to come out with fond memories.
Keleti Exterior, Budapest
Berlin Dom (Cathedral). Resting place of German Kaiser, and also the Soviet TV Tower in the background.
Closer view of the TV Tower. Notice anything? Soviets built this to demonstrate their intellectual and technological superiority, but geometric spheres when hit by sunlight will make geometric patters. Nice cross, Comrade.
Pergamon temple, now in Berlin. Ah Imperialism, isnt it nifty!
Old Museum, part of Museum Island, Berlin.
Look Ma, I can still read! A few selections that have been keeping me busy. Fight Club - OK, but not so awesome without the cinematography. High Fidelity, great read, but again hard to imagine without John Cusack. Imperium - I need to read more Kapuscinski. Good stuff.
Oh, arent I a dashing fellow!
Less dashing, about to embark on a free walking tour at the Bradenburg Gate
Berlin Hauptbahnhof, perhaps the most awesome train station in the world. We re talking 5 stories, each with multiple tracks, stores, cool artwork, crazy and efficient architecture. If I was a German and wanted to point to something, this would be it.
Lego Einstein! And look, he has his own pit crew to keep his gums feeling fresh. Sony Center, Berlin
in my dorm with... A NEW SHIRT! Yay!
Reichstagg wtih glass dome. Notice anything odd? Its the middle of the day, and no one is walking in the dome. Why? Military ceremony this afternoon, so they pre-emptively shut down everything to avoid protests.
Memorial to the Murder of Jews in Europe.
More shots of the nicknamed Holocaust Memorial. Its a series of coffin-shaped edifices at... well, its hard to describe. ask me about it later if you want.
another great shot of the Berlin Holocaust Memorial.
Anti-Government\Military\Capitalism protest. Shown here the German Communist Party banner, with Che Guevara portrait.
Bradenburg Gate glory shot.
Giant Church in Prague's Old Town Square. Notice how even the most distinct places start getting less.. detailed? 2 months...
Me and the Vltava. Not the kind of name that rolls off the tongue.
angels guard the bridges. Good plan, but some day won't somebody think to put statues of engineers on the banks? I mean, that way, if it does fall over, we all know who to blame. I think that would decrease the odds of stress fractures more than divine intervention.
another city, another synagogue I cannot put into any category.
Another synagogue... actually, this is a jewish school (specifically not a synagogue for reasons I didn't quite catch).
just another priceless moment in Prague. Actually, in all of my travels I occasionally saw old US jeeps or other cars painted up like this. Don't understand the phenomenon, but maybe someone can explain?
Now that's a classy metro stop.
I have a Shelley! In Prague! Who Doesn't Like Getting Her Picture Taken!
Shel at Charles Bridge.
Shel with the Prague Castle (and mucho tourists) in the background.
The "Bridge Band"
Awesome building near Prague castle. these stones are actually painted to Look like they are 3-D when in fact they are flat. Also a location used for filming several movie, including Mission Impossible, Casino Royale, etc.
My sweaty head (and receding hairline) ready to conquer Prague.
St. George and the Demon. Apparently the most important, most popular single theme in all of European Christendom. He didn't raise people from the dead, he wasn't martyred. he killed a big lizard. What the heck.
oh yeah, just some stuff on the side of St. Vitus cathedral. Kids these days....
National Museum in Prague. The exhibits on Mineraology aren't so hot, but there's tons of stuffed animals from around the globe. During an anti-communist uprising it was hit with a bomb, sending taxidermy specimens flying into the street. Cool, huh?
St. Vitus Cathedral facade. Be very afraid.
St. Vitus insides
Rose window from St. Vitus
Shelley standing in the Technicolor Rainbow caused by the stained glass. A Purple shirt doesn't hurt the illusion either.
Who said Cardinals can't kick some ass? Woe be he that fears not the masters of Christ-Fu.
Kinghts of Malta! Thanks Willy, this cellar restaurant was awesome. Taken the next day. Notice Duff awkwardly trying to back up out of the shot. Good try, little bro.
Larissa and Duff Weber in Prague's Old Town Square
Prague looking North West from the top of the Powder Tower
How to make a powerful statue. Torch, check. Crown, check. Lion, Gotcha. Scantily clad male, we are go for launch.
Looking down from Powder Tower.
Communist-Era TV Tower? Not sure, but if you zoom in, yes, those are statues of people climbing all over it. Really not sure what's going on here, but pretty cool.
Shelley in Amberg, Germany.
in front of St. Martin's Cathedral, Amberg.
Shelley on a playground. Ride the Tiger (lizard).
I had to climb a ways up to get this shot, but nevermind. I'm hanging on, not doing anything lewd.
Alien-Eye view, post-awareness but pre-abduction.
And the fashion police bag me again.
Shelley at Chez Reader, our abode in Amberg, Germany. Thanks again Aubrey
cutie couple photo #273351
oh this? just a little cathedral we found on the hillside overlooking Amberg...
one of several gates leading into Amberg. We lived inside them.
another shot of the especially ornate Amberg catholic cathedral
Notre Dame! from the back as we approached up the Seine
Have you ever played the video game Rampage? Well, I think I've earned my place in its Wii re-vamp. Weber destroys Paris. Raaarrrrr.
shelley is either bench-pressing the most famous cathedral in Europe, or possibly hiding under the popes to avoid being destroyed by invading Martians. Your call.
Inside Notre Dame. Don't get too goofy, that's super-thick incense, not the holy spirit, making it look ghosty.
Another beauty shot of the Notre Dame interior
If the Eiffel Tower had an "orifice" I would be standing under it.
shelley under the tower, looking very fine and French with her scarf
Eiffel Tower at night - Blue like the (aptly-titled) Eiffel 65 discotheque song.
Paris West from the Tower at sunset. "Mini-Manhattan" in the background.
I'm trapped in the chunnel! Not really. This is me hiding in a back cabinet of the Louvre castle's old dungeon. shortly after this shot, I emerged from my near-pitch-black corner and accidentally scarred the pants of another tourist. Sorry about that.
God and Traveler. Guess which is which.
this started as another fun photo perspective game, but the result is perhaps funniest for how miserablly it failed. Is shelley petting her cute pet-Assyrian gods, or is she doing the ancient Babylonian Chicken Dance? I vote for the latter.
ok, so I'm squinting more than Eastwood playing a samurai, but it's me, it's a glass pyramid, you put it together.
Champs Elysee. We walked that, and liked it!
Eye candy for my brother Brad. I know, Renault isn't exactly the most hardcore brand on the racing planet, but shelley only let me do one car shop on the Champs, and the AC sucked me in before I could wait for BMW, etc.
does this not look like I just took a photo of myself in like... Detroit, then just photo-shopped the Eiffel Tower in the background? Next version will also include.. I don't know, Elvis instead of the random couple to my right.
L'Arc de Triumph. Behold it's... archness.
Cathedral of Sacre Coeur. Now that is a large interior space, much more like Hagia Sophia than anything else I've seen in Europe.
don't be sad little gargoyle, Shelley's going to give you a kiss.
On the plus side, when he wakes up in New York in another hundred years, he's going to discover that he really likes Pizza and modern humor.
Shelley doesn't think she takes good photos. I think she's adorable, and the cleavage doesn't hurt. You totally looked, didn't you. It's ok, she's a cutie.
Frozen right when he was about to finally get a snack! So cruel. Don't worry gargoyle, that chicken will taste all the better for waiting a millenium to bite its head off.
the grave of Marie Curie, who I was repeatedly reminded was in fact Polish. note it for yourself.
the Pantheon, or burial chambers of notable French people. Started as a church, wound up a secular tomb. Revolutions (and politics) do strange things.
yes, that is a Greco-Arab mosaic. It doesn't need to impress you so long as you can send me a photo of another one.
hardcore parisian pedestrians.
that's more like it! Wine, Baguette and girlfriend, ready for a Paris Pic nic.
Paris Catacombs entry way, part of an old Limestone quarry 60 meters beneath the surface.
Creepy, right? It should be. The Catacombs contain the remains of 6 million people relocated there and re-arranged into walls and designs. People react in a lot of different ways, I found it very distrubing, but had to take a photo to convey to you what I saw, otherwise I would have kept the lens on.
This is what a train station looks like during a Bomb scare.
this is what a train station looks like when you're the first person allowed back on the platform. Guess how much everyone else loved us right now?
Relief! Finally on the train and headed to London. Hard to see, but this is taken After we already downed the initial champaign offered to us.
such a cutie from close range!
shelley on the Euro star
London's St. Pancrea's train station
brother Duff and sister(in law) Larissa at Big Ben. Not sure why Duff insisted on wearing the Indy-goes-to-Church hat, but it did make him easy to find in a crowd.
another staged photo. Would have been better if the little boy's vomit had more chunks in it. Plus, he's totally getting shown up by a Dolphin, who I very much doubt had more Tequila shots than he did.
Weber & Weber. Hey, I don't look so short here... must have been on tip-toes. Gotta do that once in awhile to keep the younger Webers guessing.
cool pavilion structure we found in London. Part of a university design competition.
Happy Birthday Shelley (caught in motion)
So it is with the Tate Modern. Even the public notices nearby need to be all hip and witty.
Weber at the Globe (theatre) again.
set change at intermission in the Globe. We saw Timon of Athens, which is an odd Shakespeare for many reasons.
I'm actually the impressionist blur in the center square. If this was Celebrity Tic-Tac-Toe, I would be the money-maker.
Delayed at the London airport. Further delays kept me overnight in Cincinnati, and just for good measure, another 45 mins late departing there the next day. The Lamb abhors a slow-down, so just keeps me traveling as long as possible.
