Blogging is for the Birds

We are headed for the cloud forest outside of Quito for Labor Day weekend, to a resort that has hundreds of species of birds. To warm up for the photography there, I thought I would take a look at some of the bird pictures we've taken over the last couple years---to get some ideas of what makes a quality shot.  Here is a collection from Australia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Seychelles, Nicaragua, Peru, and Ecuador.  Seems that Mother Nature has done all the beautiful work here, the photographer just has to push the button!

Starfishing and Turtle Trailing in the Pacific

Our first scuba diving in the Pacific Ocean!  Several miles off the coast of Ecuador, and we had hopes of seeing giant manta rays.  Alas, it was not to be, but we were very fortunate to swim with some beautiful hawksbill turtles, octopus, lobster, and thousands of beautiful fish against a backdrop of starfish and fan corals.  During all of the second dive, we heard the far-away sounds of whales frolicking in the sea, then when we surfaced, we watched them breach, slash, and smack the ocean's surface with their tails.

Click to check out this cool turtle video we took!

A great day!

Fabulous colors of blue and gold

Hawksbill turtle taking a nap

Swam through thousands of these guys

Fan coral fantastic

A blue starfish

So many starfish varieties

Graceful, effortless glide of these hawksbill turtles

A camouflaged stingray lying in wait

Delicate starfish

Happy Shelly

Our First 100 Days: Learning a New Game

We have been here just over 100 days, and one of the highlights so far has been learning the new game of golf and our membership at the La Costa Country Club with its lovely 18 hole golf course and pool facilities.  We have an excellent golf pro teaching us this game, and we are getting to where we can actually hit the ball!

Papa's got a brand new bag!!!!  Notice the palm wedge clubs.  

Shelly putting

Shelly driving ---- Fore!!!

Peruvian Arts & Artists

We were enchanted by the extraordinary work of Peru's artists, particularly in the fabric arts . . . llama, alpaca and wool weavings, clothing, and jewelry. Simply beautiful work, some of which we will treasure for years.  Here are some examples:

We now have this beautiful weaving
on our living room wall!

Decisions, Decisions

Shelly and I are headed for Ecuador's west coast on Saturday to go scuba diving. This is a shake-down dive trip before our weekend of diving in the Galapagos in October.   Plans for this weekend were to go 15 minutes off-shore to see a variety of tropical fish, and perhaps some breaching whales.  Just got an email from our dive master who asked IF WE WOULD MIND boating about 45 minutes further with a good possibility that we will dive with the giant oceanic manta rays and hawksbill sea turtles. Here is a photo and a video of their trip from a week ago to the same location, the Baja Cope (Lower Cape).  Decisions, decisions.  What should we do?

Giant oceanic manta rays mature when
they are 13 feet from tip to tip

High on Cusco, Peru

Cusco, Peru is one of the highest cities in the world  . . . and we felt it!  After a few hours there, both of us had headaches and slight stomach uneasiness, signs of altitude sickness. The best medicine was strolling through the narrow quaint streets of this delightful city. It is charming and very touristic. The people were gentle and very friendly, along with their lambs and llamas.  Pretty soon, we were feeling fine!!  Here are some shots:

Ornately carved balconies all over town

Spotted (a) llama grazing on the hillside

Dress up fun for Shelly