Blog du Wren

Snow Day

Wasn't it just a week ago that I was diving into the waters of the Pacific to go for a nice swim? Well, this morning I woke up to a couple inches of snow covering the ground. For those of you in Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio, you probably don't fully appreciate the way snow affects places that don't get snow very often. It is looked on as a novelty rather than a hassle. And since around here it usually doesn't last through the day, you gotta get out and take advantage of it when you can.

First thing this morning, I put on some gloves and went outside to scope the quality of the snow: decent for packing and enough to embark on a modest-sized project. After mulling it over for a bit, I came up with the idea of building an arch. It felt very Andy Goldsworthy-esque. As I worked, the snow got even better for packing which I knew meant it was melting fast. Well, I'm proud of my little arch – so proud, in fact, that I went a little crazy with the camera. is an attempt to make it bigger than it is and is Tussieroo enjoying it*.

After my snow architecture session, I went up to the local with the neighbors. (Sled technology is vastly improved since my days.) Good times in the snow. They say more snow for tomorrow. Maybe I will attempt something more ambitious like an *.

Monday January 28 2008

File under: misc, pics

Toggle Comments (2)

comment?

Mexico Pictures for All

I tried to take pictures on this trip. I wasn't always where the action was and my camera accidentally got switched to macro mode for a while rendering those pictures not so great, but overall I got a few good ones. Other people got a lot of good ones too. (Many of the pics I've used on the blog have come from other people's cameras.) Anyway, one of the great things about group trips is that afterwards, everyone can share their pictures with everyone else.

For all those interested, I've posted my photos on Photoworks.com (disclaimer: I used to work for them and might very well do the same in the future*). To see them, click here. Or if that interface doesn't suit you, you can try this one. (I don't really understand why there are two different shares and what the difference is. Maybe one you have to have an account to view and the other you don't. I dunno. That all came about after my stint.)

If any other fellow veggie bussers have their pictures somewhere shareable, I'd be stoked to get copies. Who knows when I will get the urge to scrapbook*, do a slide show, or relive that crazy month of January of aught 8.

Sunday January 27 2008

File under: pics, Mexico

Toggle Comments (3)

comment?

Mexican Food

Yeah, not a great picture I know, but I kept holding out for an awesome picture of the lady that makes fresh tortillas at her stand, but I never got around to getting it :-(

River and I at one of the many taco stands. (The cook was nice enough to offer to take the picture)

I love Mexican food. More specifically, I guess, I love American*-style Mexican food, as that was pretty much all I knew...until recently. Mexican-style Mexican food is awesome! Granted they don't have some of the staples of their northern cousins (burritos and chimichangas all seem to be imports to Mexico rather than exports), but the street tacos can't be beat.

Even after eating mostly Mexican food for a month straight (I'll admit I had a hamburger every now and again), I am not even close to tired of anything wrapped in a torilla. Aside from the great gobs tacos and quesadillas I ate, I also got to try a few new things: ceviche tostadas, fruit flavored tamales, and avocado pie. Oh man, the avocado pie at Tacos y Mas in Yelapa really hits the spot. (Add that to your list, Sunset Magazine.)

So unlike Italian food in Italy and Chinese food in China, I rate Mexican food in Mexico as as good as or better than the interpretations I grew up knowing. The food alone is a good enough reason to head south.

Saturday January 26 2008

File under: food, Mexico

Toggle Comments (8)

comment?

FC 16 - Alliday

This week's comic is a collaborative effort by a bunch of us bus people while we were sitting around waiting*. Well okay, most of us just sat around and said "wouldn't it be funny if you made him wear..." and then we all laughed but then realized it wouldn't really be that funny. Kelsey waded through what we all said and turned it into this brilliant comic. I like it so much, in fact, that I've posted the original, unaltered version here. (I did go ahead and colorize a version just to see how it would turn out. *.

(Oh, and while many of the previous comics* have been based in personal experience or represent my personal views, this one is/does neither. Any similarity to actual people or situations is purely coincidental.)

To add a bit of interactivity to this one, let me ask this: how many holidays/special occasions can you see represented in the picture?

Thursday January 24 2008

File under: comic

Toggle Comments (3)

comment?

Little Reminders

One of the many reasons I travel* is to remind myself of the freedom we all have. I know it sounds kind of silly, but for me it works. Too often, I get caught up in my routines at home and forget that on any given day, I can do anything*: go out to eat without a reason, call a friend I haven't talked to in years, or leave town on a whim to some exotic place. Because they aren't part of my routine, I often miss the opportunity. Travel has a way of getting me out of my routines, out of my comfort zone and forces me to think about my decisions. That fresh perspective on decisions reminds me of all the freedoms that were there to begin with.

While traveling, however, I also get into routines (granted they are different from the ones at home*). So sometimes, even when traveling, I find it necessary to shake things up and act on an impulse. Two days ago, I did just that and bought a plane ticket back to Seattle. Not to worry: the bus is still functioning and everything is still going to plan. No knock-down drag-out scuffles that led to the decision; just a whim. Now I am back in Anacortes, wading through the waiting mail*, catching up on computer stuff, trying to remember my little lesson on freedom, and contemplating my next adventure.

To those of you who have been reading my blog to follow your friends on the circus bus, I will have a post of pictures from the trip up soon. And if I hear anything more of their adventures, I will pass that along as well.

Thursday January 24 2008

File under: travel, Mexico

Toggle Comments (2)

comment?

Sharp Turn Ahead

What happens when you combine narrow,cobbled, windy*, potholed, Mexican roads with a 35-foot greyhound style bus driven by idealistic youngsters* to places 35-foot greyound style buses aren't meant to be taken? Well, up til this point, the only result has been some white knuckle drives through towns, lots of 9 point turn abouts, one near-death adventure with a peligroso shoulder on the highway, and a huge appreciation for bus drivers, esp. in foriegn countries.

Well, while leaving Puerto Vallarta yesterday, we encountered a new little adventure. I'm happy to report that we the situation like champs, just like those industrious Mexicans, using the tools at hand and our wits. Now we are in Mazatlan where we have an undetermined length stopover before making the final run north back to cold, rain, and hot chocolate.

Monday January 21 2008

File under: travel, Mexico

Toggle Comments (3)

comment?

FC 15 - Those Hippies

I know. I know. These Friday comics are kind of a non-sequitor when I'm travelling; everyone expects tales of palm trees, beaches, and other wonderfulness and instead I post some goofy drawing. Well, this week's comic combines both the goofy drawing and tales of my adventures, with perhaps a slightly comical twist.

Again, my gracious hostess is the featured artist of the week and again she provided much of the inspiration. I am afraid I have to apologize for the quality of the image: MS Paint strikes again*.

Thursday January 17 2008

File under: comic

Toggle Comments (5)

comment?

Skillz (To Pay the Billz)

I don't consider myself an unskilled person*. I can swing a hammer, carry a rock, or redesign a website with the best of them. But when it comes to skills that really come in handy while travelling, I don't really have any that lend themselves to making money on the road.

Enter the circus people. Here in Mexico, they have found themselves gigs working at clubs, teaching juggling lessons to local kids, entertaining at birthday parties, and of course working the streets*. They recently came out to Yelapa to take a break from the big city life of Puerto Vallarta and within hours, they lined up a work trade for that evening: juggling for food.

Well, the juggling went over so well that after the music, they called for more. A few of the Jollies had already gone home by that time, so they called on me, circus roadie and juggle understudy extrodenaire*, to help out. I've been on stage a few times here and there and never felt very comfortable*, but never in a situation as both low key and supportive as the Oasis. I really enjoyed myself and people said I did pretty well. I didn't get any free food, however. Oh well, maybe next time I will have enough gumption to arrange something fancy for myself.

Wednesday January 16 2008

File under: travel, Mexico

Toggle Comments (5)

comment?

Detatched Living

"Isolated", "cut-off", "remote", "simple", "primitive", "detached"... For the past couple days, while composing this post, these words have been going through my head. None of them quite captures what I want to say, but there is a part of all of them. Hopefully I can convey what I want to you even if I don't have the right word.

I've always had an affinity for places that are somewhat removed from what I consider modern society (interstates, big box stores, electricity, access to all sorts of entertainment, services, and products). In my travels, I've had the good fortune to visit quite a few: Cinque Terra, Italy; Fanning Atoll, Kiribati; Lasqueti Island, B.C. Canada; nameless jungle village, Ecuador. I've now got another place to add to that list: Yelapa, Mexico.

Yelapa is situated around a small bay about an hour's boat ride south of Puerto Vallarta. There is no way to access it by car which means there are no cars (or roads) in town. People get around by walking, riding donkeys or horses, or, more recently, motorized quads*. Electricity came a couple years ago along with phone service, which allows for the dial up internet that I am currently using. There are a few little tiendas that sell various groceries, all of which keep their own hours. Almost all the residents recognize each other and always have gossip to share. The time spent walking to town is usually equally divided between walking and stopping to chat*. Wednesday and Saturday nights, one restaurant turns into a disco that all the young folks attend (and many of the old folks). It is a little gem of a community hidden between the and the .

I've been here for over a week now. My original plan was to only stay one night, a chance to get a break from the bus and let the circus folk do their circus thing on the streets of PV*. In my time here, I've found a couple geocaches*, hiked to a great water fall, jumped some into the river, swam in the ocean, played about 673 games of ping pong*, gotten to be recognized enough around town to elicit a smile and nod from the locals, listened to live music by the around a fire under a palm tree almost every night, and totally relaxed.

Yeah, Yelapa definitely goes on my list.

Monday January 14 2008

File under: travel, mexico

Toggle Comments (2)

comment?

FC 14 - An Unfortunate Discovery

This week's comic get the prize for the most difficult to get posted. On a dial-up connection, trying to scan an image on a computer with Windows ME*, with the punch line being changed up to the last minute. Even with all that, I'm stoked on it. I hope you are too.

My gracious host here in Yelapa has stepped up to lend her artistic hand this week as well as provide collaboration on phrasing. We literally went through dozens of phrasings before we got tired of trying and went and ate some quesadillas*.

Anyway, without further ado (and before my dial-up connection drops out on me), here we go...

Thursday January 10 2008

File under: comic

Toggle Comments (4)

comment?

< Previous Page Next Page >

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 .............25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace

Name:
URL: (optional)
Comment:
speak yer peace