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Seattle Skyline

2010-10-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

I took this picture in 2005 although Seattle looks the same. I use this picture as the desktop background on my computer.

Seattle 2005

Plumeria and Purple Loosestrife flowers 2010

2010-10-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

Plumeria 2010

Purple Loosestrife in the wild 2010

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, CA

2010-10-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, CA

Trip to the Redwood Forest (Crescent City, CA)

2010-10-26T23:54:00.000-07:00

Redwood trees near Crescent City, CA

Redwood tree near Crescent City, CA

Boeing 787 Dreamliner - today's test flight (3/24/2010)

2010-03-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

Boeing 787.

Today I was driving past Boeing Field and saw the Dreamliner 787 taxiing for takeoff (9:42 AM). I quickly pulled in behind the Museum of Flight and parked just in time to see it take off. It's impressive looking although it sounds strange.

Fly low, Go fast, Turn left !

2008-09-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the quality - although once you understand these were taken with my point and shoot digital camera (no tripod), I could not see the airplanes through the screen half the time, and that the airplanes were traveling 220 - 500 mph you will agree the quality is pretty amazing considering the equipment I was using.

More Air Race Pics

2008-09-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Reno Air Races 2008

WOW - The Air Races!!!

2008-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

The air races are INCREDIBLE!!! The airplanes race over 1.7 to 3 mile courses (depending on the class of airplane) and fly 50 - 200 feet off the ground - even the 500mph jets!

I'm hooked and plan on hopefully attending every year

Reno Air Races 2008

In-And-Out Burger

2008-09-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

I was told I had to get one during my trip - they are FANTASTIC! I had dinner at the Sparks, NV In-And-Out Burger Restaurant tonight :)

In -and Out Burger Sparks, Nevada

Lake Tahoe - WOW!!!

2008-09-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

Lake Tahoe (September 2008)

I did not realize Lake Tahoe was so big or so beautiful!

I-5 Over Shasta Lake

2008-09-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

Lake Shasta (September 2008)

Shasta Lake

2008-09-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

For those who do not know, I-5 crosses over Shasta Lake in Northern California. Picture as taken on the way to Reno

Shasta Lake (September 2008)

In Reno!

2008-09-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

Checked into a motel in Reno (with wi-fi) Original plan was to camp in Medford or Redding and drive the rest of the way tuesday. I decided to get into Reno tonight so I can go to Lake Tahoe tomorrow!

I stopped to take pictures of Mt. Shasta which was pretty cool - other than that all I did was drive all day (after oil change for the car) It was a very smooth trip - Left Des Moines at 9AM and got to Reno at 11:30PM - a little late for camping so I will camp on the return trip.

I'll post more tomorrow - maybe some pics of Mt. Shasta and Lake Tahoe if I have time.

Reno Air Races

2008-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow - going to take two days to get to Reno and attend opening day of the air races on wed.

It's going to be a fun trip! Don't know when I'll get back - may decide to go somewhere else too.

I'll try and blog while gone.

Camel Graphics

2007-11-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

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Dromedary Camel

Bactrian Camel

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The Galilee (Israel)

2007-09-14T18:39:00.001-07:00

Sea of Galilee. Hills on the other side are the Golan Heights

Sea of Galilee (Tiberias Israel August 2007)

Druize Village - near Mt. Hermon (Northern Golan Heights)

Druize Village Golan Heights Israel (August 2007)

Nimrod's Castle - near Mt. Hermon (Northern Golan Heights)
This is just a small portion of the castle complex

Nimrod's Castle Golan Heights Israel (August 2007)

Click on the pics!

2007-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

If you click on the picture, you will see it in a larger size with more detail. Some of the pics are not clear unless you look at them in the larger size.

More Poland Pics

2007-09-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Wawel Castle

Wawel Castle Krakow Poland (September 2007)

Dragon's Den
(Every castle has a dragon!)

Staircase leading to the Dragon's Den and one of the pics from the den

Wawel Castle Down to the dragon's den Krakow Poland (September 2007)

Wawel castle Krakow Poland dragon's den (September 2007)

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Near Krakow Poland. Salt was carved by the miners into statues.
Tours go down to 135 meters where there is a cathedral, wellness cventer, and meeting room (wi-fi equipped)

The floor tiles and chandeliers are also made out of (compressed) salt by the miners who carved the rooms and figures. The stairs are also made from salt

Wieliczka Salt Mine salt carvings

Salt floor Wieliczka Salt Mine

Wieliczka Salt Mine cathedral

Wieliczka Salt Mine wall carving

Wieliczka Salt Mine cathedral alter

Wieliczka Salt Mine wall carving

Wieliczka Salt Mine cathedral

Wieliczka Salt Mine carving

Wieliczka Salt Mine meeting room (with wi-fi)

More Vienna Pics

2007-09-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hofburg Castle (Ring / Where the Spanish Riding School is) - Many more pics if you want to see them

Hofburg castle Vienna, Austria (August / September 2007)

Danube (Danau) Tower from the Danube River (U station at the center of the river)

Danube (Danau) Tower (August / September 2007)

Giant Ferris Wheel / Unique View :D

Giant Ferris Wheel Vienna, Austria Prater (August / September 2007)

A couple of buildings in Vienna
ALL the buildings are GREAT - I have many pics if you want to see more

Vienna, Austria building (August / September 2007)

Vienna, Austria (August / September 2007)

Two Vienna Businesses
Do you recognize the coffee shop? This one is across from the Spanish Riding School and is across from the Lipizzan Museum

Starbucks Vienna Austria next to the Hofburg Castle (August / September 2007)

Radio shop Vienna, Austria (August / September 2007)

More pics from Northern Israel and Jerusalem

2007-09-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sea of Galilee
The heat / steam did not make for great pictures :( --- (remember, this is below Sea Level!) The drums on top of the roofs are the solar water heaters for each apartment in the building.

Tiberias Israel early morning looking towards the Sea of Galilee (August 2007)

Capernaum

Capernaum Synagogue Golan Heights Israel (August 2007)

Mt. of Beatitudes
Taken from the Mt. of Beatitudes looking towards the Sea of Galilee (away from the Golan Heights - looking west and a little towards the south)

Mt. of Beatitudes Israel (August 2007) Sea of Galilee in the distance

Nazareth

Nazareth Israel (August 2007)

Megiddo / Tel Megiddo
Megiddo - where the Battle Of Armageddon will be fought
(Tel Megiddo is the ruins of the city / town of Megiddo and this pic of the valley is taken from the site of the ruins of the city)

Valley of Armageddon from Tel Megiddo Israel (August 2007)

Mediterranean Sea
Ships going into the Port of Haifa

Mediterranean Sea ships arriving at Port of Haifa Israel (August 2007)

Ben Yehuda Street
Famous Pedestrian / Shopping Mall in Jerusalem (New City)

Ben Yehuda Street Jerusalem, Israel (August 2007)

Shop in the Jewish Quarter - Old City Jerusalem

Jewish Quarter Old City Jerusalem (August 2007)

Western Wall

Western Wall (Wailing Wall) Jerusalem Israel (August 2007)

arab quarter Old City

arab quarter Old City Jerusalem Israel (August 2007)

Damascus Gate

Damascus Gate Old City Jerusalem Israel (August 2007)

Golden Gate
The arabs blocked the Golden Gate trying to stop Messiah Yeshua from entering it when He returns

Golden gate Old City Jerusalem Israel (August 2007)

Valley Of Gehenna
where baby sacrifices were made to the pagan "god" moloch (Gehenna is where the word hell originated from)

Valley of Gehenna Jerusalem Israel walking towards Mt. Zion (August 2007)

Israel Museum / Shrine of The Book
Where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept (I saw them! - although no photos allowed inside)

Israel Museum home of Dead Sea Scrolls Jerusalem, Israel (August 2007)

More Israel pics

2007-09-11T12:49:00.001-07:00

Eilat Israel at the beach. The lights to the left are Aqaba, Jordan and the lights to the far right are in Saudi Arabia (the middle ones are close to the Jordan / Saudi Arabia border and I do not know which country they are in) The Egypt border is just a few miles to the south and spreads along the western border of Israel.

The airport in Eilat would NEVER be FAA approved. Because of the close proximity of the borders and because the airport and end of the runway is situated just a few yards (literally) from this beach, the airplanes are actually beginning their flare just to the west of this beach (and over the shopping centers and some of the hotels) I tried to get pics but at that low altitude, they are landing before you realize they were even there.

Eilat Israel looking towards Aqaba, Jordan (August 2007)

More tropical fish at the Red Sea - the first pic is near the shoreline and the other two is from the underwater marine observatory (a staircase takes you below the sea so you can see the reef and the fish)

Tropical fish in the Red Sea Israel (August 2007)

The Ramon Crater in the Negev (desert) on the way from Eilat (after the Timna mine) and before Be'er Sheva

Ramon Crater Israel (August 2007)

Just past the Ramon Crater (next to the gas station) Gas was over $6.00 a gallon throughout Israel :(

Ibex near the Ramon Crater Israel (August 2007)

I drove within a couple of miles of the Gaza Strip border - between the border and Sderot (where the missiles fired by the arabs from from Gaza land almost every day)

Looking towards the Gaza Strip near Sderot Israel (August 2007)

Sign to the Gaza Strip near Sderot Israel (August 2007)

Motorola in Tel Aviv (picture especially for my dad)

Motorola in Tel Aviv Israel (August 2007)

Return to Vienna from Krakow

2007-09-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

I chose to return to Vienna while planning my trip because it was $1,000. cheaper to fly home from Vienna than from Krakow (even taking into consideration of the round trip flight from Vienna to Krakow)

I had thought against going to the Shonbrunn castle because I was tired, mind overloaded, although I am SO glad I did. What made up my mind is because they had giant pandas at the Royal Zoo (at the Shonbrunn castle) and I wanted to see one in real life (only one can be viewed now - the mother and baby are not available to public yet) Even though I only got a couple of glimpses of one of the pandas, it was worth the trip (besides viewing the lovely castle and grounds)

Front of the castle

Shonbrunn castle Vienna, Austria (September 2007)

View from the castle (closer to the fountain - there are gardens between)

Fountain behind the Shonbrunn castle Vienna, Austria (September 2007)

Back of the castle (viewed from the fountain)

Behind the Shonbrunn castle Vienna, Austria (September 2007)

The Panda (the Royal Zoo entrance is near the fountain)

Giant Panda Royal Zoo Shonbrunn castle Vienna, Austria (September 2007)

Leaving Vienna at the end of my trip :(

Leaving Vienna back to Seattle via Dulles (September 2007)

Aushwitz-Birkenau, Wawel Castle, Wieliczka Salt Mine

2007-09-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

Places near Krakow, Poland I visited

Auschwitz - Birkenau are 3 km apart in Oswiecim, Poland (The german name is Auschwitz) which is about 40 km (?) from Krakow, Poland

Oswiecim - Former Polish army base turned into a nazi death camp (renamed the german name Auschwitz)

Auschwitz concentration camp near Oswiecim, Poland (September 2007)

Birkenau - where most of the murders near Auschwitz took place. more than one million people (upwords of two million or more possible) were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau --- mostly Jews, although many Pols, gypsies, Russian prisoners, and protesters as well

Birkenau concentration / death camp near Oswiecim, Poland (September 2007)

Wawel Castle- along the Visla river in Krakow, Poland. The dragon actually breathes fire every five minutes (or you can text message it - for a charge - and have it breathe fire just for you)

Wawel Castle Visla River Krakow Poland (September 2007)

Fire Breathing dragon Wawel Castle Krakow Poland (September 2007)

Wieliczka Salt Mine (I have to check the pics again - I know I had better ones) in Wieliczka, Poland (10km from Krakow) EVERYTHING (except the lighting) is carved from the salt naturally found in the mine. The large chambers were carved into chapels.

Wieliczka Salt Mine salt carving (September 2007)

Wieliczka Salt Mine cathedral (September 2007)

Spanish Riding School, Prater, Danau Tower, Danau (Danube)

2007-09-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Spanish Riding School

Spanish Riding School Lipizzan Stallions (September 2007)

Prater - the HUGE Ferris Wheel

Giant Ferris wheel Vienna Austria Prater (September 2007)

You can actually walk around in the cars of the ferris wheel:

Giant Ferris wheel Vienna Austria Prater (September 2007)

Danau Tower (NO, I did NOT bungy jump from it- even though you can)

Danau Tower Vienna Austria (September 2007)

Danube (Danau) River

Danube / Danau River Vienna Austria (September 2007)

Petra, Ocean Observatory, Timna Mines, Desert Warning

2007-09-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Petra (Jordan)

Petra Jordan (August 2007)

Petra Jordan the Treasury / Al Khazneh (August 2007)

Ocean Observatory (Eilat, Israel)

Tropical fish Red Sea Israel (August 2007)

Timna Mine (Israel) - Solomon's Pillars

Timna Mine Israel Solomon's Pillars (August 2007)

Camel Warning in the desert (Negev in Israel)

Negev Desert Israel camel warning sign (August 2007)