I recently made two videos for the Bay Area Youth Sports Foundation (BAYS). BAYS supports programs that create opportunities and increase access for low-income children in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in organized sports and education programs. Proceeds from its annual fundraiser, the San Francisco Fall Lacrosse Classic, benefit the Foundation and the programs it supports. This was a fun project and I am proud to help support such a great organization.

I shot this video (the other one will be posted soon) on the Canon HG21, a consumer level HD camera. This little guy is my secret weapon. Its tiny (fits in your palm), weighs about 1.5 pounds, shoots to a 120 GB internal hard drive and most importantly shoots great looking HD video. We are all aware that the lines separating consumer and professional video are quickly getting blurred and in my opinion the HG21 is much to blame (along with DSLR’s, of course).

Some lakes are formed by rivers or streams flowing into a lower land area. Bays are formed when the ocean washes into a cove. Some creeks are formed by water springing up from an underground source. Puddles are formed by rain falling down. The point is, bodies of water have sources.

As the angel in Ezekiel 47 brought the prophet to the place where the waters of God’s grace were deep enough to swim in, he paused.

Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

Ezekiel 47:5

At that point, the angel turned Ezekiel around, and they returned to the brink of the river.

And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

Ezekiel 47:6

The river of God’s grace which flows steadily into the lives of Christians is a wonderful thing. It brings such blessings, in fact, that there is a temptation to bask in these blessings, and to forget the Source of the river. In other words, we sometimes enjoy the blessings and ignore the “Blessor.” When you find yourself saturated in the grace of God, and you are splashing, soaking, and swimming in His blessings, do not forget to seek the Source of the river of life. The sweetest, coolest, and best waters are found in the presence of the Source Himself.

Took my first spin in the new car over Halloween weekend.

Many things in NZ are backwards compared to the way we view them in the states. However, even in NZ, it is still not cool to drive a minivan. Doing my part to promote transpacific harmony.

Driving from the passenger seat on the wrong side of the road was terrifying for the first couple of days.  I made it a point to remind myself to “keep left” when I put the car in gear.  After a few trips, it became easier to drive.

I made a short trip around the various bays in Wellington on my first trip: Houghton Bay, Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Scorcher Bay, Breaker Bay, Oriental Bay.  Lots of bays.

The picture of the car (above) was taken near Breaker Bay.  This is about 15 minutes away from the townhouse.  The sun was out.  Everything is great here when the sun is out.

If the car windshield looks clean, it is because they put the wiper switch where the turn indicator should be.

The combination of rains and flyover constructions all over my journey from home to office means that my commute time is closing in on 2 hours (one way) this week. While I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the bunch of flyovers/underpasses will actually help ease traffic congestion and reduce commute time, I still have my own doubts.

I feel there are many simpler, obvious steps that can be taken which will significantly reduce congestion in Bangalore. Somehow, the authorities seem unwilling to implement these. One such step would be to eliminate bus stops close to traffic signals and junctions. It is a no-brainer that a bus standing right after a signal forces the traffic into a smaller section of the road, significantly impeding traffic clearance. Just as important it is to ensure traffic is regulated at a junction (by introducing traffic signals), it is equally important to ensure that the side which is allowed to move (due to a green signal) is provided a clear road ahead. Naturally, junctions would be the worst place to have bus stops!

My guess is that at least 90% of junctions in Bangalore with reasonable traffic have bus stops. Buses not only stop suddenly and haphazardly at these junctions, the lack of a “first-in-first-out” system at these stops means that many a times, the bus behind suddenly swirls to the right and attempts to overtake the one in front, only to realize there is not enough space. And murphy’s laws ensures that the bus in front has several passengers to pick up. Meanwhile the green signal turns to red and you are right where you were…

I was observing my route from home to office and there is a bus stop at almost every single junction! Here is a partial list..

1. Hulimavu junction – this one is special, the bus stop is right in the middle of the T junction, not at the end.
2. Arakere junction – bus stop just before the signal, ensuring only a 10ft wide road to the right for traffic to move once signal turns green
3. IIMB junction – bus stop right after junction
4. BG Road – Outer Ring Road junction – bus stop immediately after the junction
5. Ring Road – bus stop right after Jayadeva flyover ends. This one is special too as it completely blocks the road one takes if approaching from Dairy circle and turning left at Jayadeva flyover
6. Ring Road – Advaith Petrol Bunk junction – bus stop at junction, before signal
7. Priya Bakery junction – bus stop at junction, immediately after signal
8. Silk Board – bus stop immediately after junction. Though there is a bus bay here, at least half the buses park on the main road itself
9. Agara junction – bus stop right in the middle of the junction, in spite of the flyover construction
10. Outer ring road junction – bus stop as soon as you turn left at the junction
11. Bellandur junction – bus stop at junction, immediately after signal
12. Devarabisanahalli junction – stop after signal
13. PTP junction – bus stop right after signal

When our BBMP folks want to build flyovers, they seem to acquire land without any trouble. But can’t they do the same in order to build bus bays at these junctions. I guess bus bay construction is not very profitable when compared with flyover projects.

Alcatraz

Originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl

We didn’t venture out to it this time around, but it’s impressive just looking out at it.

Bays are very much an unknown to me, and this is the real beauty of the Sainsbury’s beer competition. Without, it would probably have taken a trip to Devon for me to have stumbled across this beer.

The brewery is a new one, set up in 2007 on the south Devon coast and has three flagship ales: Bays Best, Gold and Breaker. It’s the latter that made the cut in the Sainsbury’s Beer Competition this year and therefore found its way into my trolley a few weeks ago.

Bays Breaker: beer from Devon

I should point out I drank this a little colder than it’s probably meant to be, a result of not very good fridge planning and me been very indecisive about which beers I wanted that night.

Bays Breaker is an interesting beer, it’s almost peppery, sweet and bitter all at the same time, an array of contradictory flavours that sit together better than you’d expect. The peppery aftertaste demands another sip, a sip that will start fruity and soft, and ends with a carbonised bitterness.

In big gulps the malt and fruit shines through and if you sip slower it the bitter flavours linger.

Without becoming a favourite Bays Breaker certainly makes for an interesting tipple and that could well have a couple of food partnerships out there waiting to be found (I reckon this to wash down fish and chips might just work!)

to see where we are now, click here

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The BAYS Chelsea won the #2 tournament in the country starting out the first day having two ties 0-0 to FC Delco and PDA Keane. There were three teams in each bracket and Delco tied PDA 0-0 so the next day at 7 am in the morning, there was to be a round-robin penalty kick shootout. The order of the numbers for our first PK shootout was: 16, 2, 10, 11, 12. Everybody made their shot on the BAYS but on the fourth shot for Delco, the keeper saved a top-corner shot and tipped it over the crossbar. BAYS won that shootout 5-4. Then, for the other shootout against PDA, the order was: 16, 15, 14, 2, 11 and then 10 had to take one because the shootout was tied at the moment. BAYS scored all 5 of their PKs and so did PDA. So it went into OTPKs and #10 scored and the PDA played did not.

                       This moved us on to the semi-finals to face rival Lehigh Valley. Last year in this tournament when we were still Casa Mia, we lost to them 2-1. But thanks to the new reform of our team, we were able to win 3-1. Then, ew played an inter-state rival, MSC Magic.  within a few minutes,#16 really kicked off the game with  a 30 yard chip over the goalkeeper’s head and then doing “The Hunter Dance” as a celebration. Later in the game, #3 was running up to pressure a under-hit passback. He was near the end line and once he stole had nowhere to touch the ball but towards the end line. He was about a foot away from the end line and 20 feet from the goal and decides to bend the ball in with his toe. The ball goes over the oncoming defender and into the right side netting. We won the game 3-1 and took our trophies back to Maryland (except for me of course) for a Natonal Ranking jump from 31 to 5.

There’s a defining moment which signals that it might be time to call it a day, that the party is almost over.

At the Dia de la Trilla in El Tanque on Saturday the obvious signal may have been when the fire fighting helicopter with the big orange bag full of water passed yards above our heads on its way to tackle a forest fire which was burning on the other side of a hill near the fiesta. It wasn’t.

My defining moment came when I was squeezed shoulder to shoulder with a crowd of hot, sweaty and slightly glazed looking caballeros at the beer kiosk and the barman informed me:

“No hay cervezas.”

By the look of his seriously bloodshot eyes, he’d probably accounted for a good percentage of the drained amber nectar himself.

The lack of beer wouldn’t normally have been a deal breaker, but in 40+ degree heat when your water has run out, downing a cool beer was paramount to drinking the water of life.

Andy pretends that she knows what she's doing...someone should have told her farmworkers don't usually take their handbags into the field with them

We’d spent a couple of hours at this wonderfully laid back and unique little fiesta up in the hills above El Tanque where local farmers gather to have a drink and watch prancing horses and lumbering oxen turn a waist high circle of wheat into a threadbare carpet. There’s clearly some agricultural purpose to it, but it looked more like an excuse to have a frolic in the hay to us than the most efficient way for threshing wheat.

The first thing Andy did when we arrived was to purchase of a couple of straw cowboy hats. That might sound a bit kitsch, but:

• Everyone, but everyone wears them at these fiestas.
• We wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes without sombreros of some sort and…
• I thought they made us look really cool.

I felt my voice taking on a Clint Eastwood/Snake Plissken quality on a number of occasions – in reality it sounded more as though I had a sore throat and a lisp, but hey, I had a cowboy hat and a piece of straw between my teeth and was feeling too cool for school.

El Tanque's version of a beer tent

As many of the older women huddled in the meagre shade under bushes and trees we braved the hairdryer hot breeze and stood at the edge of the era watching the threshing whilst the caballeros drained the beer kiosk of all alcoholic liquids.

In summer at this level, the heat can become not only unbearable, it also turns the countryside into a powder keg and sure enough a fire must have started in the pines on the other side of a hillock from the fiesta. The Island’s fire fighting helicopter flew over and back above our heads dropping huge bag loads of water on the blaze.

This sight was enough to have us wondering whether we should leg it to the car and evacuate the area pronto – but the fact that the locals hardly even acknowledged the copter’s existence was reassurance of sorts and drove home that in summer months the sight of a helicopter dowsing forest fires must happen with monotonous regularity.

They breed ‘em hard up there. The fact that the hot wind could bring a fire racing in their direction in no time was clearly no cause for concern. The idea that the beer tent was about to run out of alcohol on the other hand…

These guys are getting dangerously close...

See More Photos of the Dia de la Trilla here

Planning The Trip To Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

This coastal town is well known among tourists for its numerous pocket beaches and many snorkeling and Scuba diving spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO in 1973 and has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia. The marine environment has benefited in recent years from the influx of tourist dollars. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists.

Puerto Galera is a listed by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays In The World, and is the only bay in the Philippines to be listed there.

White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

Among the famous beaches in Puerto Galera, I have always liked going to White Beach.  Many say that this is the alternative to Boracay because of its white sands but of course incomparable to that of Boracay. Aside from having an active nightlife with numerous bars and restaurants, White Beach boasts of also having an array of first-class and economy-class accommodations. One can find an air conditioned accommodation during off season for as low as Php700 per room per night and can house a maximum of 8 persons. Very cheap indeed! But brace yourselves when it’s peak season. The same room rates to about Php3000 to 5000 per room per night! The other beaches that you can go though are as follows:

• Alibatan Island. This island beach is not far off from Puerto Galera, and it will definitely be worth the trip. The first time that you step on the beach among the first things you will notice are its fine sands, which are among the whitest and purest you will see. Another added highlight for visitors are the assorted wildlife; at various times you’ll be able to see sea turtles and lots of seagulls. A dive into the waters will offer you a view of an array of corals and shells.
• Sabang Beach. This is definitely one of the most popular and widely visited beaches in the island province, and for all the other resorts in the area, Sabang Beach Puerto Galera is still a top draw.Aside from the sands, clear blue skies and the soothing waters,another thing that you can look out are the various bancas idling by. Not only are they a pleasant sight, but they also provide you with a chance to view and experience a little of Puerto Galera culture.With plenty of resorts, restaurants and bars nearby, Sabang Beach will also appeal to those people who would like to party the night away.
• Big La Laguna Beach. The Big La Laguna bay provides a breezy experience of enjoying the cool crystal waters along the Puerto Galera beach at La Laguna where the sands are white and its marine life are full of corals and reef. If one wants to explore a diving holiday along the Puerto Galera beach the La Laguna beach has a beach club that provides a holiday or vacation diving adventure.One gets a perfect diving point along the Big La Laguna beach where one gets to enjoy different water activities such as diving, snorkeling, kayaking, jet skiing and many other fantastic water sports to enjoy in this Puerto Galera beach.
• Small La Laguna Beach. This part of Puerto Galera beach is a tropical paradise with fringing palm trees lining the beach shores. One can find quite a few diving centers and beach resorts and restaurants operating at the Small La Laguna beach which is not far from the Big La Laguna beach (5 minute walk) where both Puerto Galera beaches are separated by the Sabang beach at midpoint.The Small La Laguna beach offers a tranquil place to stay owing to its being a small beach but is ideally located for tourists who want to enjoy a relaxed vacation far from the bustling beaches in Sabang and Big La Laguna yet fairly close enough to enjoy sun bathing and enjoying the night life at Sabang and La Laguna beaches.Sto. Nino Beach. Although there are major Puerto Galera beaches there are smaller beaches which remain to be underdeveloped and not commercialized owing to its less ideal location. One of these Puerto Galera beaches is the Sto. Nino beach situated at Barangay Sto. Nino in Puerto Galera. Only the locals there enjoy the cool waters of the Sto. Nino beach which remains to be less populated and underdeveloped to date.

• Tabinay. Tabinay is a part of Puerto Galera Island which is near to many resorts, restaurants and clubs that bring visiting tourists closer both to sea and the mountains. One gets the chance to enjoy a relaxing recuperation from a stressful environment by enjoying the beauty and sparkling beach waters of Puerto Galera beach. Just located about 3 kilometers away southeast from Puerto Galera, the Tabinay beach lacks developed infrastructures to make it a more commercialized Puerto Galera beach but it does provide a tranquility and relaxed beach environment that many tourists love to sun bathing in this remote beach in Puerto Galera.

• Aninuan Beach Resort. The Aninuan beach resort is known for the beautiful view of sunset along the tropical island of Oriental Mindoro. The resort is located fronting the South China Sea and is considered to be one of the finest resort in Puerto Galera beach overlooking the beautiful sunset known to be popular among honeymooners, tourists and nature lovers.The Aninuan beach resort is one among the Puerto Galera’a beaches where sunset weddings are held. The captivating combination of the lush palms and studded dwellings with unique décor of native origins makes Aninuan beach resort as one of the best among all the resorts in Puerto Galera beaches.
• Balatero Beach. The Balatero beach is one among the favorite place to visit among the Puerto Galera beaches. It is lined with different resorts with pool facilities and near diving centers where one can enjoy visiting the world renowned diving sites in Puerto Galera.Along the breathtaking views to enjoy one can indulge with the remarkable tranquility of walking along the beach with the views of crystal clear waters that Puerto Galera beaches are known of.
• Dalaruan. One can find from Dalaruan beach the different luxury villas which are located along the pristine coastal area of Puerto Galera beach with plunging pools overlooking the exceptional views of the Unesco that are voted as man and biosphere protected area located in Puerto Galera bay.Found at Dalaruan beach is the only resort that offers a spa along the breathtaking views of the mountain making Dalaruan beach as one of the most famous Puerto Galera beaches.
• Dulangan. If one is seeking a tranquil place to stay to spend a relaxing vacation along the Puerto Galera’s beach, one can find several beautiful resorts along Dulangan beach that offer a serene place to stay. The ambience is also romantic and suitable for tourists looking to spend time bonding with nature.
• Minolo. A Puerto Galera beach located just five minutes walk from the White Beach is a quieter place to enjoy a glimpse of the Minolo Bay of Puerto Galera Island just along the coasts of Minolo Beach. The Minolo beach offers a more relaxing place to visit if one prefers a more subtle ambience of a beach relaxation. Minolo beach is near the Tourist Center and the National Road.
• Palangan. Along the Puerto Galera beach is Palangan beach where one can indulge with the natural beauty of Puerto Galera Island. There are numerous elegant and luxury hotels that give visitors a haven vacation in tropical paradise.
• Poblacion. Poblacion is Puerto Galera beach tagged as Mindoro’s tourist center. The Poblacion used to be the Puerto Galera beach known to be a fishing village and has become a starting point in going to all interesting places in Puerto Galera Island. The pier is located at Poblacion and numerous shopping centers are found in this Puerto Galera beach and all shopping in this place can excitingly be done on foot.
• Sinandigan. A Puerto Galera beach which is considered to a place where one can find the most diverse and abundant beautiful slug species is the Sinandigan beach. It is in this area where the Sinandigan Wall is located, a famous dive site to get a glimpse of the beautiful nudibranches, corals and abundant marine life and different kinds of fishes. Sinandigan Wall is famous for being the richest dive site in Puerto Galera.

Behind the beaches are the huge and generally unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro. A particular local attraction is the nine hole golf course perched on the hillside above White Beach which commands spectacular views over Puerto Galera’s natural harbor and the Verde Island Passage. Mangyan tribes are scattered over the mountains sides – some of the more remote tribes have no contact with the outside world. Of the eight tribes on Mindoro, the Iraya are the largest. They are based in the Puerto Galera area.

Ship the World (173/365 06-22-09)

Originally uploaded by CarusoPhoto

The Replogle Globe Company is in Broadview, IL. It’s so odd to think that a globe company is so easily accessible. Globes seem as if they should come from some mystery factory, whereabouts unknown.

———-

To read more about my on-going quest to make a photo-a-day, every day, in 2009–my Project 365–please take a moment to check out my post from December 30, 2008 appropriately titled, “Project 365” as well as my 50 day update, similarly appropriately titled, “50 Days? Already?” and my more cryptically titled 100 day update, “Day 100…or The Last-Call, Whiskey-Soaked Plan That Didn’t Die.”

You what????????? yes!!!!!!!! there are many virgin places in Central America that have not been adultered!!!!!! Natural places with vivid culture like Los Cobanos in El Salvador….located in the heart of Central America!…..Volcanoes…..adventure……friendly people….Pacific beaches…..small coves and bays with beige sand!!!!!! beautiful water!!!!!! intrepid travelers……locals…….It is specially interesting as not many people know about this place and therefore we can say it is pure!!!!!! I remember when my father first traveled to Cancun, Mexico…..there was not one hotel….it was virgin Cancun……he enjoyed it soo much!!!!!! SO…lets enjoy Los Cobanos too!!!!!

Three Bays and a Stairway (109/365 04-19-09)

Originally uploaded by CarusoPhoto

I was stopped on the street, waiting for a train to pass. To my left, out the window, I saw this warehouse, just sitting there begging me to make an exposure or two…so I did.

Journal: African Journal of Ecology
Location: Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia

Of 612 Mediterranean Killifish caught in the Gulf of Gabès, Tunisia, 54 (8.8%) had deformed spines, and were 8 times more likely to be deformed when from polluted areas. Deformities occurred less frequently as size increased, more often in fish under 25mm long.

Mediterranean Killifish: Aphanius fasciatus

Messaoudi I, Kessabi K, Kacem A, Saïd K, 2009. “Incidence of spinal deformities in natural populations of Aphanius fasciatus Nardo, 1827 from the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia.” Africal Journal of Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2008.00972.x
Affiliations: ISBM (Institut Superieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir)

Although at one time was inhabited today Espíritu Santo Island  ( like Holly Spirit Island) now, it is only a place of recreation. It’s only visited by divers, fishermen and tourists who would  like to spend the day in its  beautiful bays: San Gabriel, the Whale, the chicken, the limelight. It is separated to another island by a narrow canal that during low tide, allows communication between them.

You can get there by driving to La paz which is around 2 hours from Los Cabos and then, please rent a yacht, that’s a good way to spend money, it is an incredible journey!!

A guy I was traveling with, Nick, decided it would be a good idea to rent some kayaks and head on over to Shark Bay on the island for some snorkel action. Nick and Marcus (his friend) and a double kayak, while I had a single. On the way, I was struggling immensely to catch up and had no idea why. I would find out later why ( and not it wasn’t because I am lame and weak).

After what seemed like eternity (which was more like 1 hour) we stopped near a bay that Katherine and Greg were honeymooning at. Nick decided it would be smart to swim through some big rocks. Which resulted in bruising and a massive and disgusting cut on Nick’s leg. After heading into the bay for some first aid, we were back on the kayaks and on our way.

Again I struggled. My boat seemed to hate me. Every wave that hit me was like a rollercoaster and I kept thinking I would tip over. Which I did once.

After finally getting to shark bay and snorkeling with the sharks with a man bleeding to death (smart idea), we headed into shore.

We were exhausted and couldn’t comprehend kayaking the 7 kilometers back to our bay (7 kilometers is a lot when you don’t kayak ever). We decided to tie the kayaks together and get there before the sun set.

Nick also struggled immensley. Then he realized he was sinking. Turns out my kayak was filled with WATER.
So we had to go into shore again and drain out the kayak. If I could punch Kayaks in the face, I would have.

We did finally make it home.
It felt like my arms were on fire.
My leg was burnt beyond redness and into a Satan kiss color.
But it was one of the funniest days ever and I am glad I did it.
Pina Coladas and sunset watching also helped immensely.