Author: Diana

Kayaking the Green River – Green River Trailhead to Fort Dent

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We left one car at Star Fire Sports Complex (Fort Dent) then parked the second car here. The put in is across the bike path. Total distance was about 10 miles.
The log jam was no problem early April but might be rough with lower water levels.
Beautiful scenery!
Lots of picturesque foot bridges.
A nice beach for lunch.
This is the bridge right next to Star Fire. It’s steep but doable.

Duwamish River Paddle

Seattle

We put the Oru kayak together and paddled down the Duwamish from the Star Fire Sports Complex to Diagonal Park; about ten miles.

We zipped right along with a good current for the first third then the river widened and the incoming tide slowed the flow.

There were submerged trees and a few areas with strong eddies but we had no mishaps and enjoyed the day.

A pair of bald eagles next to their nest.
Footbridge
We saw seagulls, blue herons, eagles and many different ducks.
Passing under I-5
Bridge at South Park

Corps of Discovery-ish

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With one week to explore the lands around the mouth of the Columbia we listened to stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition, tried to learn the verses to “Roll on Columbia”, hiked, paddled and had a great time.

Mt St Helens, Johnston Ridge
Silver Lake near Seaquest State Park
Mt Hood
Sacajawea Park, Longview
Blackberries
Julia Butler Hansen Columbia Refuge for the White Tailed Deer
Astoria
Dr Forsstrom’s parrot at the Flavel House
North Head lighthouse, Cape Disappointment State Park
Fort Canby at the mouth of the Columbia
Lewis and Clark River near Fort Clatsop
Tallow candle demo at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. The crew spent the winter of 1805 – 1806 here.
Cannon Beach, we didn’t find a whale carcass like Lewis and Clark but we did see this!
Tualatin River

A Visit to Italy

Europe

4-12-17

Visit with Anna and Claudio. Urbino is in the background.

Urbino church paintings.

San Vitale, Ravenna

Garibaldi biking in Ravenna.

Latin palindrome graffiti.

Madonna and child

Prayer wheels in Pennabilli honoring a visit from the Dalai Lama.

Theodric, King of the Ostrogoths, enjoys biking in Ravenna.

Urbino

Pennabilli countryside, the backdrop to the Mona Lisa painting.

Dante’s tomb

Urbino church painting.

Ornate door in Urbino.

Floor mosaic Ravenna.

Mosaics in Ravenna.

Sweet salt from Cervian seawater pans. This salt is reputed to have medicinal properties.

Historic salt storage building in Cervia.

Seafood pasta

Emilia-Romagna countryside

Beach at Cervia.

A Tonino Guerra poem; the first time he recognized being happy after release from a German internment camp was when he saw a butterfly and didn’t want to eat it.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Capital of Spanish Basque Country

Spain

4-2-17

In Vitoria-Gasteiz since yesterday.​ The city was founded over 900 years ago and the old town has an ancient feel.

Here’s a video of traditional dancing:

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Open the door and build gardens (per Google translate).

Countryside

Art museum

There was a fair recreating the time of the Peninsular War against the French.

More great graffiti.

Writer Ignacio Aldecoa. Bookstores and monuments to writers and poets are all over Spain. People read!

Adorable tiny dogs in jackets abound; “los mascotas”.

Old city wall

Traditional bread

Wall art

Window display

Spring

Traditional dancers

We took a tour of the under-renovation cathedral.

More!

Old town


Garden at the base of the Cathedral.

The Basque freedom organization, ETA, has disbanded but political prisoners are still held all over Spain. There is an effort to have them moved to prisons closer to families and to get proper medical care.

Main square