castle

I have a cold, so please forgive the uninspired titles of my posts today. Here is a better view of the castle we visited in Ghent, in Flemish Belgium (northern).

This hole dropped directly down in front of the castle wall, so I suppose it was used also to defend against invaders.

sunset

Both Alex and I, trying to be funny for the photo, turn at the same moment to pretend to kiss the other, resulting in a "near-lip-brush-experience". This is the post-near-lip-brush-revulsion-moment.


Goodbye 2008.

Ghent

Another castle...

with a weapons gallery...

and more gremlins...

a guillotine, and a little face-head

...in between...

Traveling by train- look at that guy in the background.

Rose's joke is NOT funny.

Exploring a luxurious Belgian castle/estate.

Firewood is good

After a variety of methods, using such tools as a chainsaw, piece of line, extension cord, hand saw, pry bar, machete, ladder, snippers, an incredible stick, wedges, and cunning ingenuity, the trees all lay on the ground. vrrrr...vrrr.....

Bon Papa's house in background- Alex cuts, Pierre carries, I split.

Alex likes his chainsaw...

and I look like a half gremlin/half knight with chainmail under-armor. Oh, the mystical Belgian forests... And look at all that beautiful firewood.

Cutting trees a.k.a. the comedy show

The men went to cut down some old trees at Bon-Papa's house, to make into firewood and thin the forest. Alex cuts trees as a side job, so with his expertise, nothing could stop us.

Roping the tree

We didn't have a long enough piece of line for pulling on the tree. Solution? An old extension cord.

Oops.

Oops (x2)

Christmas

For Christmas Eve, we went to Rose's Bon Papa (grandpa)'s house, where the entire Paquet family gathered for dinner and cheer. A beautiful tree and candlelight setting.

Eating

The "kids" with Bon Papa and Bon Mama


Christmas morning: Pierre's monster christmas tree, and the sister's passing out presents.

The Belgian-master-chefs, sporting new duds

Arrivals

Here we all are- me, Rose, sister Suzanne and her boyfriend Alex, and Rose's mom, soon after Alex arrives at the airport in Cologne. (Papa Pierre took the photo)

Visiting the Christmas market in Cologne, right in front of the incredible cathedral.

Alex, eyes scanning the crowd for a bratwurst.

Le chateau paquet

Hello friends, I am sitting here on the couch in Rose's parent's house in Belgium (picture it a little more gray and wet). I just added lots of photos, if you like to look at it in order, start with Thanksgiving Feast, all the way back in November. Enjoy.

Waikiki Beach= paradise?

Before flying back to Seattle, we spent our last night on Oahu, checking out the famous Waikiki Beach. Here it is at night.

We stayed at a cheaper hotel in Waikiki city area, and what a shocker this place was! Everything was so crappy and fake- the whole city is created for a tourist to come and spend money like crazy, while never feeling like they are anywhere real. What a weird way to spend a vacation. But we made the most of it- we wandered around gawking at people and oddities, and played our new game, tourist.

Cruising in style!

Do you think she is excited about this ice cream?

(this is what I am excited about)

Rose dreams big...

We got a sweet coupon, went to a fancy seafood restaurant, and again celebrated Rose's birthday. There were six different people that waited on our table, and the one guy filled my water glass after every sip I took. Again, what a weird reality.

Rose's Birthday

For her birthday, Dec. 7th, Rose wanted to do nothing except sit at the beach, swim and sun. First we went to a touristy beach with nice waves.

Then we went to another beach, which involved hitching down a lava road- watching people bang the crap out of poor rental cars- then a hike across a lava field to this lonely and beautiful beach.

I fell asleep and Rose played a trick on me...

I guess I wasn't too upset about it... Oh pervey rosie...

Happy Birthday!



That night, we went to the Kona Brewery, for the best pizza on the island, not to mention a nice macadamia nut ale.

St. Nick's Day

Rose woke up on St. Nick's Day and found Mauna Loa factory second chocolate covered mac nuts in her shoes!

mmm.

Southeast

The campground was very nice at the NP, too nice, in fact, so we put up our tent next to the trash can.

We visited the Volcano Winery, and had a bottle of Volcano Red. It tasted like lava.

I liked it. And the southern most winery in the USA!!!! (black socks with sandals? omg.)

Later, we went to the Mauna Loa factory, cruising for free samples and factory seconds.

The Depositor.

where the red sand arises

We tried to go see a lava flow, but this was as close as they would let us go. The steam is from the lava flowing into the sea, growing the island.


One last sunset...