A poor catch at the TEFAF

The European Fine Art Fair is usually good for a couple of nice new discoveries - not this time though: Sure there were some great Cees van Dongen, interesting Egyptian archeological artifacts, medieval swords and some fine sculptures - but nothing that we hadn't seen before it seemed. But anyway: the TEFAF is like a sort of favorite museum you visit every year to marvel at the wonderful artworks.
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Joyce Maynard reading stuff




While in Ventana we got these (dutch translated) novels from Joyce Maynard. It was fun to see that she isn't just great company & fun, an accomplished writer but a very skilled drawer as well. (Did I mention: Pie maker?)
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Thanks Getty

Thanks to Getty Images I now can use their entire image database in my daily posts - for free!
That's a very nice new development.
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hmmm...

Maybe next year we have to go to Brazil?
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Add ons for Google docs: like them already

The day that Microsoft announced that they will release a new version of Office for Mac Google introduced add ons for Google docs (or should I say Google Drive?). This makes the whole office suite even more redundant. You have add ons for mailing lists, translation, additation - well whatever. This makes Google Docs ever so much interesting. If only Google Slides would a little more be advanced like Keynote or Powerpoint...
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Back to normal (food)

After weeks of Mexican food (and some really good californian stuff) finally we can eat "proper" food again and non of that Taco and Burrito nonsense...
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Not so Strong after all...

KLM or who ever messed up my Rimowa while flying back from Houston to Amsterdam :-( This doesn't look that good and it needs some serious repair. Luckily KLM has admitted to their mishandling and have promised to reimburse all the costs. That makes everything so much better.
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Dinner with Adam and Micky

What better way to end this amazing trip of the last 3 weeks then to have dinner with Adam and Micky at the underbelly restaurant in Houston. We are now a bit longing to get back home - "normal" live is great too! :-)
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Mission Control

space - under water

rehearsing

strange machines ready for mars

apollo eddie

Our Cadillac XTS
Today we visited Houston Space Center: the mission center of all the space operations of NASA. We had the behind the scene tour (level 9) so we could see everything. From the actual mission center, the old mission center (of Apollo fame), the astronauts practice and simulator areas and much more.
It is really impressive to see how much rehearsals and practicing actually occurs before and during each space trip. And even then: all the fatal mistakes during the space programs were human.
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Houston - we don't have any problems!

Now we are back in Houston for the last couple of days of this trip. Time to show our Giraffe which we got as a present in St Christobal de las Casas.
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Getty and his Villa

Solvang: Danmark in California

The famous Hercules

Garden

Doesn't look that happy does he?
Now we reached our final California destination: The Getty villa and Santa Monica. It was awesome to see and enjoy it with sunny weather and without the crowds. This is a very interesting collection - beautiful presented and no budget limits apparently... Santa Monica was nice to revisit as well - we were right in the downtown shopping area on the beach - so what more do you want?
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Some left overs

I don't see a thing...- you? 
with Meg and Mason
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Hearst Castle, some elephant seals and a big rock

Elephant Seals

Indoor swimming pool

The Hearst Castle

Outdoor swimmingpool

Sleeping guy

Morro Rock (bay)
After we had to say goodbye to Karen and Tom (which wasn't all that easy) we continued on our own further south on the Big Sur. We came along Elephant seals before we reached Hearst Castle. This is a strange mix of all kinds of styles and was W.R. Hearst play castle were he invited his guests. As usual with these kinds of projects - it wasn't finished when he died and he didn't had a lot of pleasure out of it.
We ended up in Morro Bay - which has a huge rock in the middle of it. It still is a real fisherman's village so we had a great meal with Sea Bass with a wonderful view.
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Ventana

We had dinner in Ventana with Karen, Tom, Joyce and Jim (whom me met in Paris last year).
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Big Sur

deer everywhere 
Strange rocks

smile!

this is actually a pic from yesterday

strike a pose

You want me to stand where?

Oh! here - if you can spot me: I am right in the middle on the bridge...
The Big Sur road is surely one of the prettiest roads of the world. Winding along the mountains and the pacific ocean you can see the waves pounding of the rocks below and watch sealions, pelicans, deer and some waterfalls.
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Sun set with kelp



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Mission Post in Carmel


The Mission is one of the most important Roman Catholic destinations of the USA and it is really special.
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Lunch at Cindy's


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In a Carmel shop window

Looks rather sad doesn't she...?
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Monterey Aquarium and the 17-mile drive

Grumpy Sea Bass

At the Jelly fish Experience

Deathly stings

A lonesome Cypress along the coast

Tom and Karen

Me testing the waters

The Monterey Aquarium is one of the best in the world with huge tanks and great displays. Especially the jelly fish experience is a most see - so many species, very well displayed. After our visited we drove back along the coast on the famous 17-mile drive, which is always nice. Unfortunately no seals this time - but that can come later on our trip south.
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Carmel

After a smooth flight we arrived in San Francisco, had a world record speedy immigration, bagage pick up, customs, rental car pick up (Hurry for Alamo!) and were on our way to Carmel. Our hotel is right on the pacific so when we are in our room you can hear/feel the ocean. We met Karen, Tom, Meg and Mason and had a wonderful evening & dinner. And although it has been almost a year since we last met up face-2-face it felt just like yesterday :-)
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