You're Going Where??

I enjoyed a Kwanza celebration at the Universal Unitarian church in Long Beach with Laurie Mutalipassi before heading back to Santa Monica to finally think about getting ready for my next journey.

The Kwanza Table

I am going on a 110 day voyage around the world with University of Virginia sponsored Semester at Sea.  I have wanted to do this since I was in high school and it was attached to Chapman College in Orange.  Breanne, my roommate in Tanzania, had gone and encouraged me to go as a Lifelong Learner.  This category is people over 40 who audit the classes (no tests or grades!) but enjoy the journey along with the regular undergraduates.

I have started packing but now I am supposed to take half the stuff out!  I have been living basically out of one suitcase for the past year and a half while I was in Africa and Panama, but I need a whole other suitcase for cold weather clothes!  I hate being cold!  I leave for San Diego tomorrow and this is where I am:

Yikes!

 To find out more about the voyage see semesteratsea.org.

CHRISTMAS

I had a wonderful visit with Laurie and Lou Mutalipassi in Westminster.  While there I went to my old book club's Christmas party and a party with old work buddies before going to visit my son for a few days.  His girlfriend, Renee, is a sweetheart.  She is a model for Bebe and took us to her proposed photo shoot at a boxing gym in Santa Monica, where I met Rashid, who plans to be the next Welterweight Champion of the World.  She is also best friends with Barry Zito's wife, so we went to their house in the Hollywood Hills.  He is a SF Giants pitcher and recently helped them win the World Series.  Best view in LA.  We also visited the Holocaust Museum.   I had Christmas with my family in Santa Monica, then a Boxing Day party with Wendy Chavis and her family.  Then Anne Grittman and I went to an exhibit on movie costumes at the Bowers Musem.

A Book Club Christmas--Rosemary, Jennifer, Lisa, Tara, Emmy, Karen, Eve.  Front row Laurie, Susan, Cheryl, Sandra, and me

A Pacificare Christmas (forget UNH)--Anne, Kathy, Dellamarie, Anne, Karen, Maryann, Donna, and me

With Cathy Giardina

Matt and Renee at Toast Bakery

Me and Matt at Toast Bakery.  Magic Johnson came in for takeout

Matt at Holocaust Museum

Barry Zito and the best view in LA

With Rashad Holloway in his gym

Boxing Day party with Anne Grittman and Wendy Chavis

SAN FRANCISCO AND MT SHASTA

I flew to San Francisco after Thanksgiving and was met at the airport by cousins Ann and Don,who I had not seen in many years.  I had a wonderful time, mostly eating and drinking and walking the dog.  We went to the Cakebread winery in Calistoga before going to a Christmas party at their friend's house.  Then a harrowing nighttime drive to Mt Shasta, where we relaxed and ate and drank and walked the dog some more.  We went a couple of times to feed some horses they have adopted near Weed.  We went walking near Yreka to collect mistletoe and acorns for holiday decorations.  On the way back to the Bay Area we stopped in Chico, my old home for ten years, and toured the Sierra Nevada brewery before having lunch at Italian Cottage, where I used to love to go for breakfast.  Sorry, Chico friends.  We were only in town a few hours and I wasn't in charge, so I didn't get to see you.  Next time.  I have to say the brewery tour was amazing though.  They just started when we moved to Chico in 1980 and now they are the third largest brewery in the country.  Way to go, Sierra Nevada!

It was cold in Mt Shasta and cold in San Francisco.  I am ready for something above the 40's.

Marin Civic Center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Christmas party in Calistoga

Feeding the horses near Yreka

Mount Shasta

Collecting mistletoe and acorns

Sierra Nevada Brewery tour

Italian Cottage, a favorite Chico hangout

Richmond Bay Bridge

Solene found a new friend

CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA

On November 7 I finally got on a flight to Los Angeles.  I had to leave school a few weeks early in order to get my visas for my next journey, which are impossible to get in Panama. 

Brad Pitt ad infinitum at the Panama City airport

I spent several days in Santa Monica, seeing a dermatologist and a travel doctor.

I then flew to San Jose and was met at the airport by my longtime friend, Cathy Bonner.  We worked together for years, but had not seen each other in a couple of years since she had moved to Santa Cruz.  We had a great week, just catching up and doing a few touristy things like wine tasting, walking near the beach, having lunch on the Santa Cruz pier, and visiting the quilt museum in San Jose.  We also rode through the redwood forests on the Roaring Camp Railroad.

Surfing museum

Seals like to sleep on the pier

Cathy and I

Getting ready to go on the train

The conductor

Looking up through the redwood trees

Cathy's six nephews are very musical

including bagpipes

winery

San Jose Quilt Museum

After a fun time in Santa Cruz, I flew to Phoenix to celebrate Thanksgiving with my in-laws.  It is the one time of year I know I can see everyone.  We had our holiday dinner at Philip's house, so the next generation is taking over!  I also had a nice lunch with Marilyn Colvert.

Kaleb and Thomas take charge

While Patty is the mastermind

Dan and Barbara referee

Mine

Tim's

Really, Tim, who had the better birthday cake?

TO PANAMA CITY

Demonstrations have quieted down so it looks like I will get home.  My Level 7 adult students gave me a going away party during our last class with traditional food--spanish rice, tamales, potato salad.  I also got several going away presents of typical Panamanian handicrafts from them and my Level 5 class.

Getting ready to eat

My youngest adult student, Laura, age 14, and her aunt Karina

Jelani and I got some nice presents

My Level 7 class in our computer room

Osiris is one of my best students

The University staff gave me a nice lunch at Ivos restaurant-, which has a nice buffet for $4.50.  They paid for everyone.  Atttending were my boss, Elizabeth Juarez, and the office staff Janet and Lisset.   They also included the other WorldTeach volunteer, Jelani, and our host moms.  Teachers  Henry and Nellie came by to say goodbye.

Elizabeth and Teacher Henry

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Our office staff

Me and Teacher Nellie

The buffet at Ivos's was excellent

Friday was Independence Day, and there is no drinking of alcohol allowed until midnight, when everyone apparently meets for a big party.  I did not go out, but heard  fireworks about 12:30 a.m., and a parade at 2 a.m.

They finally have some decent movies playing in Daviid.  This week I have more free time and saw Argo and Skyfall.  I don't think they are even out in the US yet, but I know the $1.85 price beats what I would pay if I waited to see them there.

I took a bus to Panama on Sunday instead of Monday, since I was afraid of crowds due to the end of a four day weekend.  It was a very nice air conditioned bus and took  8 hours to get to Panama City.  The taxi ride from the bus station was complicated due to continuing holiday parades, but we finally found a way in to the hotel by having someone remove a barricade. 

The Lemon Inn is in a nice area.  I walked to Multiplaza mall and ate at my favorite restaurant, Crepes and Waffles, a Bolivian chain that has yet to make it to the US.  This  time I had chicken curry in a French bread bowl.  After lunch I went to the mall theater to see Loopers, a science fiction movie.  It is a fabulous theater with stadium seats.  I got to pick my seat on the computer when I purchased the ticket.  There were only about ten people in the theater, but I had my seat!  Of course I had to pay for such a nice theater, about $2.50 instead of the usual $1.85.  Later I went shopping.  This is the expensive mall with all the Rodeo Drive type stores.  I didn't buy anything.  I went to Albrook Mall the next day for more reasonable stores.

Lemon Inn

Dinosaur wing, Albrook Mall