Thailand Post #4-Wrapping it Up

Drinking cashew juice

On our last day in Thailand we had a very relaxed, easy day.  Although we had seen a lot of the area around Phuket, we hadn't actually been to Phuket yet and decided to take a tour. We were driven around downtown Phuket and saw the historic Chinese section of town. We actually saw the herb store the Amazing Race had visited when they went to Phuket (only fans of the show would care, but we were excited!)

They took us to a cashew nut factory which was pretty interesting-who knew that you could drink cashew juice and that's it's pretty sweet and tasty! They had cashews with every flavor imaginable that we were able to try-chocolate, honey, wasabi, and even durian. Now if you've never heard of or tried durian it is a fruit that is extremely pungent and common in Asia. In fact, there are even signs in taxi cabs and at the airport that you can't bring durian because the smell is so offensive.  Unfortunately the taste of the durian among the cashews was too much for me, and I thankful was able to get something else in my mouth quickly!

Chalong Temple

We visited the huge complex of Chalong Temple next. There were five buildings we could see, all of which were ornate and had huge Buddha statues inside. As the temperature outside was in the 90s I was in shorts and a tee shirt, and I was asked to put on a shawl not only to cover my legs but also my arms.  One of the temples was three stories tall, and at the top many people were worshipping because Buddhists believe part of Buddha's bones are behind the glass case inside the temple.  Throughout the complex you would hear fireworks going off in a large outdoor oven every few minutes after worshippers bought them to give thanks to Buddha. In each room we saw lots of people bowing and kneeling to Buddha statues, and to be honest it became a little overwhelming to me at some points.  Buddha never said he was a God, yet people are treating him as such. I just felt very overcome with emotion visiting here.

Big Buddha-hard to tell from here how big it was!

Next we went to "Big Buddha," the largest sitting Buddha in the world. It was just recently finished and is on a huge hill overlooking Phuket, so you can see if from almost any point. You don't realize how big it is until you actually are underneath it and staring up at it. There were many, many tourists, but there were also lots of people there worshipping.  Again I was asked to cover up out of respect, and once again it was very sad for me to see all these people worshipping a man instead of God.

That night/early morning we left Phuket and headed to Seoul to visit Eastern, our adoption agency in Korea. Jon wrote an AMAZING post on the entire experience which I can't even begin to replicate, but suffice to say it was wonderful to be there but also very hard.

Thailand Post #3-Cheese and James Bond

Goofy Golfing! 

Thanks for sticking with me as I chronicle our journey to Thailand. I didn't think one day on our trip would take up an entire post, but I wanted to be thorough so I could completely explain the craziness of the sea canoe trip.

After a very exhilarating and long day, the next day we decided to take it easy. We slept in and hung out at the hotel before going down to Karon Beach to partake in some good old fashioned goofy golf. This place would end up fitting nicely with the theme of the day, "Nothin' But Cheese." The place was dinosaur themed, and the facility didn't let you forget it. There were fake dinosaurs at every turn, as well as some gnarly looking stalagmites and lagoons. Although we both started off strongly, the afternoon heat began to affect our game. Jon beat me by a solid three strokes, but we had lots of fun.

FantaSea Theater of the Elephants

That night we went to the largest show in Thailand, the Las Vegas style "Phuket FantaSea." We purchased the dinner package and ate in this HUGE buffet room. I think there were probably 1000 seats inside the room. Although it was billed as being an international buffet, the food was definitely heavy on the Asian side. I think the lone American offering was french fries.  After dinner we walked around the theme park.  They were trying so hard to be like DownTown Disney, but it turned out more cheesy than anything else.  Inside one building they had animals on display, but it was pretty sad to see the conditions of these animals. There were three separate rooms that were completely in the dark and illuminated by black light only, meaning these poor animals never saw daylight.  Plus, the rooms were much too small for the size of the animals inside of them.  The types of animals really varied from monkeys to birds and...wait for it....hamsters?!?!  (See, I told you it was weird!) The main spectacle of the animal exhibit was three white tigers. Two of them were very active, but once again the space was totally inside and too small for the animals.

The big show was in this ostentatious theater.  Although at times there seemed like a storyline we were supposed to be following about a young boy trying to rescue his love, some of the acts seemed to be included just because they were entertaining, such as the magic show.  The highlight was probably the trapeze artists (see, I told you it was random!) and seeing the elephants do circus like stunts.

Suwankuha Temple

On Saturday we left Phuket for another all day tour. This time we would actually be heading to mainland Thailand in order to see some sights around Phang Nga. After being picked up from the hotel and a long drive later we arrived at one of the first highlights of the tour, Suwankuha Temple inside Monkey Cave.  Inside the complex were several large caves where many, many monkeys lived, one of which featured a gigantic golden Buddha. Several people were there not as tourists but as worshippers, but they mostly stayed to themselves in one of the smaller prayer rooms on the sides of the cave.

Koh Pan-yi Floating Village

We then hopped onto a long boat to enjoy lunch on Koh Pan-yi, a floating village in Phang Nga Bay. The lunch was in one of the tourist friendly restaurants at the village, and it was completely Thai. We had a lot of food-soups, chicken, stir fry, omelet, but I was most excited about getting out of the heat of the day and getting a cold drink! After lunch we were given time to walk through the village.  There were of course no roads as it was in the middle of the sea, and the walkways between buildings were all lined with people trying to see tourist trinkets. We passed by the village school and in so doing into the main part of the village and saw lots of people's homes.  Here you realized how shabby the living conditions were and it was a difficult thing to see.

James Bond Island

This tour also included some cave tours, this time of Tum Talu. After experiencing the caves from a few days ago these were so mild in comparison, but we saw more mangrove forests and went past more limestone formations by canoe. All of these caves were very high and we never were in the dark like the previous cave journey, but it was still beautiful and a great experience.

The highlight of the tour was the visit to James Bond Island. This natural formation was made famous because in the 60's one of the James Bond films was shot around this location. We arrived at the very end of the day so we practically had the place to ourselves.  We got so many beautiful shots and it seemed like at every turn there was another beautiful scene to capture.  We weren't sure if this spot would live up to the high expectations, but we were so thankful we got to experience this place.

We were riding back to shore around sunset, and we were treated to a beautiful sunset in Thailand. It was a perfect way to end one of our last days in Thailand.

Sunset at Phang Nga Bay

Thailand Post #2-Elephant Ride and Scary Experience

It's so hard to condense the 600+ pictures we took on this trip to my little blog posts, but hopefully the ones I selected gave you an idea of what we saw and experienced.  However, I know that the pictures won't even begin to do justice to the scary, overwhelming tour we took on our next day in Thailand!

Riding our elephant whom I named "Slow but Steady."

Jon had researched every little thing about this trip, and he knew before we left that he wanted to do an Elephant Jungle trek.  (No, this isn't the scary thing, but it happened first in that day). We were picked up at our hotel and whisked about 15 minutes away to the elephant camp. We arrived and saw about four huge elephants eating, and we were promptly escorted to one and placed on its back. Before we knew it, we were off. The elephant's trainer sat on its neck, but to be honest the phrase about an elephant having a wonderful memory held true because he didn't need any assistance knowing which trail to take for our hour long adventure through the Thailand jungle. He occasionally stopped to eat, and we were impressed how he kept on chugging as he climbed higher and higher up the mountain.

Kata Bay and Kata Noi Bay in the background

At about the 45 minute mark the elephant trainer asked if I wanted to ride on the elephant's neck, so being the adventurous woman I am (no laughing!) I agreed. I climbed down from his back without much fanfare and straddled this huge creature like no one's business. There was nothing for me to hold onto except the elephant, so I was using all of my leg muscles to stay on board as we made our way down the mountain. By this point the guide was about 20 steps away from us, taking pictures with the cameras, as Jon, me, and the elephant slowly approached the main camp again.  The ride was a bit bumpier and I felt less secure than from my original perch, but I'm glad I had this experience. When we got off I told Jon I didn't think I'd have to exfoliate my legs for a long time...that elephant had very rough skin, and I was thankful I wasn't wearing shorts that day.  :)

Limestone formations around Phuket area

Entering the first cave

We had about an hour to get ready at our hotel before the next tour was coming to pick us up-John Gray's Sea Canoe. The reviews on Trip Advisor were amazing, and people said the price was worth it because it was the best thing they did on their trip. I already knew from our ferry ride between Phi Phi and Phuket that Thailand had beautiful scenery, and this trip would take us to a new area we hadn't explored yet. We were both very excited about our journey!  I should also explain that in the middle of the ocean around Thailand there are huge limestone rocks that jut straight up from the ocean 100s of feet.  From the boat they look like solid pieces of rock, but flying over the area you can see there are actually holes in the center of some full of mangrove trees and shallow water. After many years, the water has formed caves inside of these limestone rock formations, and that is what we would be exploring today in order to get to the mangrove forest "inside" the rock formation.

Inside the cave...before it got bad!

We arrived to the dock after a harrowing 45 minute taxi drive. I could probably write an entire post about the driving in Thailand, but suffice to say that people make their own lanes, they don't obey speed limits, and using your horn is a mandatory part of the driving experience.  On our way out to the caves we were treated to a delicious Thai lunch and were told a little bit about how the caves were formed and you can only enter during low tide.  We were matched with a "friend for the day" who would be paddling through the caves for us.  When we arrived I was surprised how hidden the mouth of the cave was to the ocean. If you weren't looking for it, you'd never know there was a cave there.  As we approached in the canoe I was given a small light to wear in order to illuminate the caves.  We entered the mouth of the cave, and I quickly discovered I'd have to use the light to see anything because we very quickly were in the dark. I was propping myself up on my elbows, taking in the experience. Soon, however, the area around me began to get smaller and smaller. I was having to lie completely down in the canoe because the walls of the cave were coming closer and closer.

View looking up from the interior of the mangrove forest

Our canoe after passing through the caves into the middle of the limestone rocks

The interior of the limestone-mangrove forests!

With all this being said, the last two caves weren't nearly as bad. In fact, the last one was probably the best. Called "The Bat Cave," we entered it at dusk and it was a huge cave.  There were bats hanging from the top, so they told us to keep our mouths closed (see, I told you this tour was fun!). Once we got into the interior of the rock formation we lit an offering Jon and I had made, with help from our guide, and released it into the water. For us it was a way to thank God for the beauty of the area, and it was neat to see so many of them lit up around us as others in our tour did the same. When we went back into the cave we were told to flick the water so the bioluminescent plankton would sparkle.  The glow was subtle, but it was a neat experience.

We got back to the dock around 8:30 at night, so this was really an all day trip. Jon felt like this experience was the highlight of his trip because of the unique experiences we had the chance to take part in. Although knowing I survived I can now say I'm glad I did it, but I wish I would have been more prepared going into this so I knew exactly what to expect.

Entering the last cave at sunset

Our "offering"

Mystery Vacation Location Revealed and Trip Post #1

So, are you wanting to know where the Mystery Vacation location was? Maybe I should just prolong it a bit more, just to keep you hanging onto my every word! Here's some hints:

• We crossed the International Date Line
• The country is mostly Buddhist
• The country borders the Indian Ocean
• There are long tail boats everywhere

Any guesses?

Greeted with a pina colada when we arrived at the Phi Phi Island Village

Okay, okay....I"ll tell you!  We were in Phuket, Thailand!  As soon as we got on light rail and were on the way I said, "Is it time yet?" Jon didn't make me wait long, and he had me open the backpack to find a manila envelope that said "Top Secret" on it in a red ink stamp. I felt like such a spy on Alias. :)  Inside there were packets of currency (US, Thai, and South Korean), our itinerary, and a travel book on Phuket. The entire rest of the way I pestered him with questions, and I spent a fair amount of time on the flight over scouring the travel booklet Jon got me (when not sleeping or watching movies, of course!). 

Sign says "Watch out for falling coconuts." Taken from our hotel on Phi Phi

Phuket is in the southern part of Thailand and is actually an island connected to mainland Thailand by a bridge.  Our first few days would be spent on a different island off the coast of Phuket called Phi Phi Island at the Phi Phi Island Village.  This would end up being my favorite part of the trip. The resort was in this little cove with crystal clear blue-green water. The sand was a fine white powder, and the room and restaurant was wonderful. The entire place was just simply beautiful, and we had so much fun here. One day we took a tour from the hotel and snorkeled around Phi Phi Island as well as headed south to Phi Phi Leh Island. The water was so warm (think bathtub warm!) and it was so clear. At times we were surrounded by schools of fish, and some of the fish were fantastically bright and colorful.  On this tour we visited Monkey Island, which you can imagine contains...wild monkeys, as well as Maya Beach where the film "The Beach" with Leo was filmed about 10 years ago.  The entire time here was wonderful. 

Monkey Island (look at that clear water!)

Crystal clear water at Kata Beach

After I reluctantly left Phi Phi Island and headed back to Phuket, we found ourselves at our home for the next six nights, the Boomerang Village hotel on a hill with views of Kata Beach.  Our first day in the Phuket area we became beach bums. We started on Kata Beach and were blessed with more warm, clear water. Kata Beach is busy, but not as busy as some of the local beaches like Karon or the mega beach, Patong. After hanging out in the water we walked a bit through the town area by the beach and decided to walk south to Kata Noi, a smaller beach which was, again, just as lovely.

Our Thai lunch

After more fun in the water, we stopped for lunch and ate Thai food (Jon had Thai curry with a Thai beer, and I had a fried noodles dish with a Thai iced tea) on our way to Karon Beach.  Although these three beaches are right next to each other geographically, the distance became more obvious when we were walking the entire way. Plus, the heat was a bit of a factor at 90F plus humidity. When we finally got to Karon Beach I was exhausted and a bit sun burnt.  However, we knew the water would cool us off, but unfortunately the water at Karon Beach wasn't as clear and it got deep pretty quickly.  Also, Jon and I both felt like something was stinging us under the water the entire time, so we didn't end up staying as long as we had hoped.

We returned to the hotel to discover I had developed a heat rash on my foot. Ugh! And the cure is to stay in cool, air conditioned places, which is hard to do in Thailand where nothing is air conditioned but our hotel room. In addition, my foot was swelling up due to the rash, so we called it a night and ordered room service at our room.

Drinking from a coconut at the beach side bar at our hotel on Phi Phi Island

Check back soon for part two.  Highlights will include:
*One of the scariest experiences of my life (and Jon's favorite part of the trip)
*Riding on a huge beast

Can you say relaxed? At the private beach on Phi Phi Island

Spa Week

This week is Spa Week on the West Coast which means great deals for you and me on places that normally cost a ton of money. You can check out the deals here, but I decided to go to the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. I've always wanted to check out this place and found the perfect opportunity with this deal. Plus, I needed the stress relief because things have been crazy around here.

Upon entering the spa you are taken to the relaxation room as well as the dressing room to put on your robe. Then, in the relaxation room you can enjoy treats, hot tea, and coffee. Because my technician was extremely prompt even though I was early I didn't really get to enjoy the relaxation room at the beginning of my treatment (but went back at the end!), but I was happy that I was seen right away.

Once inside the room was decorated with candles and soft music. A massage table was in the center covered by some very think foil. I was going to have a "Stress Melter" which consisted of an exfoliation, warm oil wrap, and neck massage. When I got into the room I had to derobe and put on disposable G-string underwear (no room for modesty here!) You are always discretely covered, just like with a massage, but it was a little different.

For the exfoliation she put on rough gloves, so it wasn't the most relaxing part of the experience. Then she began putting the oil over all of my body and proceeded to take the foil and blanket and wrap it over me. Soon the oil started getting warm which felt great. As the oil was heating up around me it became a cocoon of warmth. Then she proceeded to massage my neck and upper back. I felt very relaxed afterwards, so the treatment was a success!

Summer Reading: Part Deux

I think the title of this post speaks for itself, so I'll dive right in:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

This was one of those books that will stay with me. Not because it was one of my favorites, but because the dystopia that was created was so alarming and disgusting to me. Women are treated like farm animals, and unless they can breed they are nothing in society. The author picks on Christians as those responsible for such atrocities, and I think that is an "easy out" for many authors. I will say this book, written in the early 80s, was a bit ahead of its time in the portrayal of certain American attitudes/events today. The author describes the destruction of the government, putting aside the constitution for the sake of the greater good, and stereotyping of Middle Easterners. I found these tidbits interesting. So would I recommend this book? There are definitely hard passages to read, and it wasn't my favorite novel because of some of the nature of the book, but it was definitely interesting. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger as well, and I found myself wishing for some resolution which made me realize I was emotionally invested in the characters.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Super easy read, but I didn't "get it" nor do I understand why my library considers it a classic. I suppose I was looking for a book with a beginning middle, and end (I ask for so much!), but that wasn't present here. The short chapters were like vignettes of the character's life that didn't usually relate to each other. It was almost like putting together a quilt with fabrics that someone picked out because they were the same color palette but entirely different in every other way (pattern, fabric, material, etc). There are definitely a lack of novels that focus on people of races other than Caucasian, but I have a hard time believing this is the best of Latino literature available.

Adopting After Infertility by Patricia Irwin Johnston

This novel was written from a perspective that I can obviously relate to. I though the author was sincere, candid, and the book was well written. My only dislike was it was written almost 20 years ago, and some of the ideas she discusses, mainly open/closed adoption, have drastically changed in that time period. I would recommend this book for someone in my situation.

Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff

This book was extremely interesting because it covered so many of the questions I have in my head about becoming an adoptive parent. What is the homestudy like? How will I deal with the stupid comments from other people about our adoption? How does it feel to be sized up by my social worker? birth mother? others? about being fit to parent when millions of people never have to face these types of inquiries. How can I best meet the needs of a child that isn't of my ethnic background? The list goes on and on. This was a very easy read for me, and the author really "got" where I am at.

Children's books:

Alone in an Untamed Land: THe Filles du Roi Diary of Helene St. Onge by Maxine Trottier

This is a historical fiction series for young adults, and albeit not very popular at either Copper Ridge or Gatewood, I finally got a chance to read a book in this series this summer. The main character was 13 years old, and I think she would be relatable to a lot of girls that age even though she lived in the 1600's. The book was an easy read and although predictable it was well done. There was a bit of an ick factor for me (and I know a teenager would feel the same!). The main character got married at 16 to a man who was 30! Now I realize that was probably common then, but it really bothered me that Helene married her best friend's father. Just a little too close for comfort to me. Nevertheless, I would recommend the Dear America/Canada series to girls who enjoyed historical fiction.

Hayley the Rain Fairy by Daisy Meadows

I would have loved this series as a little girl, but I had to try very hard to appreciate it as an adult. The story took about 15 minutes to read, and plot conflict was minor and easy to solve (like most 80's family sitcoms). However, the little girls at my school are going crazy for this book series, and I understand the appeal because of the girly nature of this book. Fairies, adventure, and intelligent young female heroines...this is book candy for little ones in all its glory.

Summer Reading So Far

Every summer I get a chance to relax and catch up on some reading. Likewise, for the past several years I have included reviews of books I read. Here is the first batch of books of the summer since school got out 2 ½ weeks ago. Happy reading!

Darcy’s Story by Daisy Meadows 3.5/5 stars

I recently reread Pride and Prejudice, and I thought the idea of telling the famous love story from Darcy’s perspective might be interesting. At first I was put off by this book. It felt like the author had a checklist of things she needed to cover (remember, Darcy’s sister was engaged prior to her meeting Wickham, so we need to toss in some details about that about….now), but as I kept reading I noticed this less and less. The story was interesting and stayed true to the original characters. It was appealing getting to know Darcy better as well, since I have always felt it was difficult to “buy” in the original why he suddenly likes Lizzy, seemingly out of nowhere. If you like Pride and Prejudice, you probably would enjoy this book.

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway 2 ½ / 5 stars

Surprisingly enough, nowhere in my educational career was I ever assigned to read Hemingway. I have always heard about this classic, and I decided to pick it up even though war stories really aren’t my cup of tea. All I can say is I have no idea why this is a classic. The first part was very challenging to get through and even put me to sleep (which is quite an accomplishment!) . The dialogue was difficult to follow because it would last for several pages at a time and never mention who was talking (Kinda similar to Song of Solomon). Many of the sentences were also very simple. I taught my sixth graders about the importance of fluency, but this book lacked it! By the end of the story it had finally picked up, but by that time I was pretty disinterested in the characters. Now I know why none of my teachers in school never chose to study this book in more depth!

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell 4/5 stars

I am happy to report this is probably the best book I have read in several years. It is historical fiction, my personal favorite genre, and the characters were easy to cheer on and the writing was engrossing. I actually finished this book in one day (although I had to stay up to nearly midnight to do it). Unlike so many historical fiction novels I read last summer, this book was totally clean and featured no lurid scenes about the character’s sex lives. (I recently read Time Traveler’s Wife, and that author couldn’t help including those types of details, too!) I will note that there were no plot twists and the story was fairly predictable, but the story itself was one I found myself happy to be in. I would definitely read more books by this author, and I plan on requesting more from my local library this summer.

Distant Dreams by Judith Pella 3 ½ / 5 stars

This is another historical fiction novel written by a Christian author. However, unlike the previous story this wasn’t nearly as good. The main character, Carolina Adams, has a fascination with trains which is seen as a male preoccupation and not something her little mind should worry about. Now I am all about strong female characters fighting the world because women should be allowed to pursue anything they want (even if it is the 1800s), so in theory I should love this book. I just felt most of the minor characters were pretty one dimensional, and the details about the technical side of the railroad were, in all honesty, completely boring to me. I can overlook this issues, but one thing I can’t stand is when you invest 400+ pages into learning about these characters only to have a non-ending. In order to complete the journey you embarked upon, you must read the sequel. I hate buying into this money making technique, and for that reason coupled with the rest I would not recommend this book.

Vision in White by Nora Roberts 3.5/5 stars

I have never read Nora Roberts before, but this book looked as good as any to try out. Who doesn’t love weddings, right? The main character works closely with three best friends as wedding coordinators for the rich in their small town. During the course of the story the main character falls in love with the plaid jacket English teacher at the local high school. Although the story was predictable it was an easy read. One of my major faults is the unnecessary details about the character’s sex lives. One nice thing is the novel does wrap up by the end, and if you fell in love with the supporting girlfriends then you are in luck! Each will be given their own novel where they find love within the next few years. Now I don’t think we could wrap it up in a bow and package this up any nicer, but unfortunately this package wasn’t good enough for me to keep reading.

Adoption Nation by Adam Pertman 4/5 stars

This is a non-fiction book in all of its glory, so if you aren’t terribly interested in learning more about adoption I wouldn’t necessary recommended reading this book. It did, however, give lots of interesting facts about the history of adoption in the US, revelations in the process, things to consider, and stories about adoption (both good and bad). Unfortunately the book is 10 years old, so I know some of the information was out of date at this time. I found out some really interesting things about adoption perceptions from reading that I think I will actually devote these to another post in the near future.

Kids’ Books:

Stanley, Flat Again by Marc Brown

This is one book in a series about Stanley, who keeps going flat. Since it is written for kids, he has simple adventures that help those around him when he is flat (such as rescuing a girl from a collapsed building because he’s the only one that fits into small spaces). There is also some kid humor interjected throughout. I was recommend this book for students.

Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo

DiCamillo is most famous for her award winning books for young adults. Her Mercy Watson series is written for younger readers and are short stories about a pig and his adventures. The pig in this story ends up, due to his naivety, catching a burglar. Kids of all ages would like the cute, simple plot and funny details with colorful, glossy illustrations.

Surf’s Up, Geronimo Stilton by Geronimio Stilton

Boys love these books, so I had to take some time to read one this summer. Geronimo Stilton is a "type A" mouse who decides to take a vacation in this book of the series. Of course, nothing goes right during his vacation where his room is infested with roaches, he is unwittingly signed up to do dangerous sporting activities, and his hotel isn’t exactly upfront about the accommodations. These books would definitely amuse children, and it is good, clean fun.

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day weekend Jon and I decided to get out of Seattle and head south...to Portland! Only a 3 hour drive away, we wanted to get our of the city and take a mini vacation. Jon had never been to Oregon before either, and it seemed like a good time to do it.We stayed in the Nob Hill district of Portland, a cute neighborhood area in the Alphabet District close to downtown. It is famous for their shops and restaurants. We ate both nights in Nob Hill, and we actually had some of the best Mexican food we have found in the Pacific Northwest here. Now I know my Phoenicians friends may not agree if they tried it, but I have learned I have to be more flexible while living up here or else I'll never eat Mexican food! Jon and I explored downtown Portland and walked through Powell's books, reported to be the largest bookstore west of the Mississippi. I tried to figure out what system they used to arrange their books (because it certainly wasn't Dewey), but I couldn't figure it out.

We also made a stop at Voodoo Donuts, a Portland hot spot made famous for their unique take on the breakfast staple. Need an example? They are famous for their maple glazed doughnut with bacon on top! Jon was excited to order this unique combination. Although I usually like plain glazed donughts I thought I needed to be adventurous and purchased their voodoo donut. It is shaped like a doll with chocolate frosting and red filling (to simulate blood) with a pretzel stick through the heart. Classy. Their other flavors are even weirder than this...cereal on top, oreos crumbed as a topping, and there are some very "unique" doughnuts shaped and named in a risque fashion (you can click here to see the full menu). Plus, the line was 40 minutes long. At least it wasn't raining!

Jon and I also visited the International Rose Test Garden (see picture of Jon). Although all of the roses weren't in full bloom (that would be a sight to see), it was a relaxing, pretty place. The Japanese Garden was in this same general park, and we stayed here for about 30 minutes. Some of the spots inside were lovely, and we got some good pictures. (See top picture).

We also took a trip to OMNI, Portland's Science Museum. We heard it was fantastic and was very highly ranked on Trip Advisor, my #1 source for finding hotels and top attractions. Although they had some neat exhibits, we were glad we paid extra to see the IMAX movie on the Hubbel Telescope and go inside a Navy submarine.

The submarine itself was used for active duty between the 1950s to 1980s, but it was amazing to hear about the living conditions for the officers on board. I don't think I could be confined to such a small space and have no personal area. The air still smelled musty, and I couldn't imagine what it would have been like with 80 big, sweaty crew members who got showers every 5 days and were allowed to smoke on board!

The highlight of the trip was Multnomah Falls. It is not far from Portland, and it is very impressive. We decided to climb to the very top of the mountain, with Jon pushing me to keep going with each step. I always feel good when I accomplish something like that, but the actual going up part is never fun. Knowing I'd get a cold glass of water on the way down was a good motivator to keep going! (Can you see this by the expression on my face in the picture on the left?)

Overall we really liked Portland. Although much smaller than Seattle, it still seemed like a big enough town with lots to do. The neighborhoods, in general, seemed clean, safe, and well kept up. We were also surprised how quickly you could leave Portland (a la 15 minutes in one direction) and be in farm land. Seattle is definitely more built up than this (as is Phoenix, t00).

It was such a great time to get away!

Summer Reads

I haven't read quite as much as I thought I would this summer due to my recent interest in exploring my genealogy. (9 books, about 3500 pages). However, below is my list of book recommendations and reviews so far this summer. The reviews go in order from first read to most recent, and thus are longer as my memory is fresher.

Written on Silk by L.L. Chaikin

***.5/*****

This is a Christian historical romance novel which I read way back in the beginning of June. I remember thinking the book moved quickly and I learned a good deal about the Huguenots, but I wasn't inspired enough to continue reading in the series. However, after reading some of the recent trash I have been subjected to I might consider giving this author another go around.

Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson ***/*****

I ordered this book for my school library and never got around to reading it last year. It takes place in Philadelphia during the late summer of 1793 when yellow fever hits the town. Like typical fare of this type written for young adults, it is entertaining but nothing that will leave a lasting impression on the reader. I felt like most students would probably enjoy this book, but I much prefer Ann Rinalidi as a historical fiction writer for young adults.

In the Stars by Stacia Deutsch ***/*****

A lighthearted "beach read" about a high school girl who is convinced by her best friend

she will find the love of her life based on astrology. Sure enough on the day predicted a gorgeous, intelligent new student ends up sitting right next to her in biology. They begin dating and she is convinced that he is truly a prince charming. However, could it really be that easy? I won't spoil the ending but suffice to say the conclusion isn't rocket science and pretty easy to predict. It was a fun, easy read though.

Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury ***/*****

Sunrise is the first in a series of books by this Christian author. Even so, the story is a continuation of the trials and tribulations of the Baxter family which are a part of other series. Even though I have never read another Kingsbury novel, it was easy to pick up and begin reading without background information. The novel is pleasant enough and there is some drama, and the author emphasizes the character's faith in dealing with the challenges that arise. I thought the book ended very abruptly, and I didn't like the fact that some of the minor plot elements were left hanging in order to get the reader to continue reading the series. (I think every book should stand independently of each other).

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson **/*****

I can't even explain what exactly about this book didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the writing style which seemed as quirky as the characters and cover. Perhaps it was the undeveloped nature of the minor characters. Maybe it was a plot I could care less about. Whatever the case, this book did nothing for me.

The Warrier by Francine Rivers ***/*****

This author was recommended to me by Marie, but unfortunately the only title available at the library was based on the story of Caleb found in the Old Testament. It was a quick, interesting read to see how Caleb viewed the events that transpired during his lifetime. He has remarkable faith and that was encouraging to read about. I think I would probably enjoy one of this authors fiction novels more because this genre isn't typically my favorite.

The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley ***.5/*****

The plot sounded great, witty, and entertaining: a young twenty something tells a lie to an elderly friend that she got married to her hunka hunka magazine editor. However, it turns into a huge issue when her friend dies and she inherits her life savings of several million dollars written out to Mrs. Hunka Hunka burning love. Now she has to convince her boss to fall in love with her before the will is forfeited and she doesn't get any of the money. The ending did leave a bit of a shocker, but ultimately it was pretty obvious where the story was heading within the first few chapters. Also, the characters fall in and out of "love" very quickly, and sex is treated as very acceptable outside of marriage. There is also some degree of foul language. If not for these last two points, I probably would have rated the book 4 stars.

Dwelling Places: A Novel by Vinita Hampton Wright ***/*****

I have no idea why this was on my "must read" list. Somebody must have recommended it to me, and I finally picked it up this year. It is not a book I would typically read as it takes place in a small Iowa town set in the modern times. This whole book is pretty depressing and reminded me in some parts of The Bridges of Madison County-a lonely older woman that is overwhelmed by life and decides to sleep with the first man that makes her feel like a woman again. I know these things happen in real life, but I guess I just don't like reading about them. The novel opens as the husband is recovering from a case of depression and his two kids are trying to figure out life on their own since both parents are either trying to get healthy or escape from reality. This book is a starred review from both Booklist and Publisher's Weekly, but I guess it just wasn't my style.

World Without End by Ken Follett **/*****

I picked up this huge novel, over 1000 pages, because Follett's work "Pillars of the Earth" is supposed to be an American classic and was on Oprah's book list. That book, however, was not in the library so I got this "sequel" instead. I love historical fiction and with the press of the first book I was pretty exciting to dive in and forget the fact that this book is so huge I could use it to develop some muscle mass in my arms.

I almost put this book down several different times within the first 100 pages, and that probably would have been a good idea. I realize I am pretty prudish, but this novel was so graphic in its details about sex it reminded me of what a Playboy article must read like. (Do we need to know how often a character likes to orgasm and by what means?) And that isn't even the worst of it. Several characters are brutally raped in graphic detail, and many are killed in alarming visual clarity. The church is viewed as nothing but corrupt, full of lesbian nuns and homosexual priests bent on getting elevated within the church no matter what the cost. The female heroin, Caris, is a strong willed character, but I was left disgusted by her after she got pregnant and drank some poison to kill her baby within the first 200 pages. Why? Because she didn't feel like getting married and having to take care of a baby. She eventually becomes the prioress in the town and is the regarded as a saint by everyone. Ugh.

There is so much brutality, grief, and horror which the characters go through I was unable to sleep on three different nights during the week it took me to read this book. One might argue the book obviously "got" to me, and thus is a powerful work. I would counter with the argument that creating graphic scenes does not constitute good writing. If I really cared about the characters I would have been moved to tears during some point in the excessively long book, which I never was. I would not recommend this book at all.

Happy week!

This past week has been a wonderful, relaxing spring break. I got to sleep in (does 7:30 count as sleeping in?), go shopping, go to the movies, and get my hair done. Very fun. Plus, spring break is a fabulous time because the weather is gorgeous and there are only nine weeks left of school.

My spring break started off with a bang when I heard back from the graduate college at ASU that another class was approved, and I'm now set to graduate in May as expected all along. When I got the e-mail I screamed, hugged Jon, and basically knew that this kick-my-butt-in-gear class I'm in right now was going to be worth it come May 8th.

Today we have 111 days until we leave for Europe. I am ready and have been researching all of our sites to see in the travel books we bought, and I rented some Rick Steeves' videos from the library. Whenever the aforementioned class is sucking away all my energy, I just think of how soon it will be over. When I'm eating fondue in Switzerland overlooking the Matterhorn, I will laugh at all the nervous energy that went wasted on this class.

One of the movies I saw this break was Penelope. If you are looking for a warm-hearted, easy to enjoy movie, I would definitely recommend it. It is safe for the whole family (PG-do they even make these movies anymore), has a wonderful message, and is just plain cute. I also saw Vantage Point (kept me on the edge of my seat, but Jon and I noticed several plot holes) and The Other Boleyn Girl. Since reading so many Henry VIII novels last summer I have been intrigued by this topic, and although the movie wasn't always true to life it was interesting. Bottom line: Life in the 1500's pretty much stunk-unless you were King Henry VIII. Although the dresses would be fun to wear for a little bit I think.

Eating Out

Jon and I have made it somewhat of a tradition to go out and eat on Friday nights. There's just something about knowing the weekend is ahead, and starting that off with someone else cooking just feels right. Lately, however, we have been trying some new places that sounded good but we hadn't been in a looonggg time or ever.

Two weeks ago we went to Native New Yorker. Neither of us had been before, but the menu online seemed decent enough and a had a selection that both of us could live with. We were unfortunately disappointed and just didn't think the food really stood out or made an impression. We agreed we probably won't go back on our own again.

We tried Outback. Now I know a lot of people like this place, and Jon didn't mind his meal, but I was unimpressed with mine. I ordered the pecan salad, and the menu said it had both iceburg and romaine lettuce. When it arrived, however, it was about 95% iceburg lettuce...and I'm being generous with that figure. It was another disappointment. It's really too bad because we ordered their spinach and artichoke dip (something we both love and try at any restaurant that offers it) and thought it was very good. In fact, it was some of the best we have had out (Jon's homemade version is hard to beat). But it's not good enough to send us back there.

Tonight we went to Rumbi. I hadn't been there before, but Jon had. It was different than normal, but again nothing that made me want to "put it on the list" to return to.

It got me thinking. Jon and I only have a few restaurants we routintely go to and can count on for great food (Canton Dragon and Grimaldi's top the list). Maybe we are the picky eaters. Maybe we expect too much. After all, as we were driving from Rumbi to Harkins Theatres, we passed by a ton of restaurants, all of which we tried (some many times) and decided that we didn't like enough to go back and officially have "crossed it off our list."

But maybe, just maybe, it's not such a bad thing since both Grimaldi's and Canton Dragon rock.

Last summer book post

This will be my final book review of the summer and wraps up the past several weeks of reading. I made my goal: 20 books! I would like to continue reading once the school year starts, but it looks like it’s going to be a busy year between work and grad school. If anyone reads a book they think is interesting, I’d love to hear about it.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy ***.5/*****

I read this book because it was on Oprah’s book club list as well as a best seller. The plot is very simple: a boy and his dad after some post-apocalyptic event struggling to survive. The book doesn’t have much excitement, and is a very depressing read, but it kept my interest. McCarthy’s writing style is very original as the book is told entirely in 3rd person. We don’t ever find out the character’s names, and it is mostly a descriptive narrative and could have been told in a short story format very effectively as well.


The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan ***.5/*****
This was such a popular book several years back, but I never read it before. The story centers around eight main characters-four elderly Chinese women and their daughters. Their different life stories and perspectives are interwoven together. I have seen this done a lot in books, but perhaps this type of storytelling was more original in the early 90’s when the book was written. It was an interesting book, but it didn’t convince me to read any other Tan novels.

Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver **/*****
I was really looking forward to reading this book as I thoroughly enjoyed “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.” This book I found to be a huge let down. For one, the title seems to be chosen to remind readers of the first novel as the book had very little to do with Mary (mother of Jesus, Magdalene, or sister of Martha) as a biblical reference point as to how we should model our behavior. The book was filled with spiritual truths, but they were ones I have heard for years and I didn’t find them very challenging. I would recommend this book more for new Christians, whereas I would recommend Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World to any Christian woman who feels she fits the “Type A” persona.

The next set of books I read right before leaving for vacation and they seemed to have melted together now (very similar time periods can do that). Instead, I am only giving a brief review. (Plus, I'm really tired right now from being two hours ahead in time zones.) :)

The Spanish Bride by Laurien Gardner ***.5/*****
I have read all 3 books this summer and I enjoyed this one as well. The writing is very different from the other two because the time periods keep switching back and forth, but it is a very well done novel.

Emilie’s Voice by Susanne Dunlap **/*****
Easy read, but the character development was weak and the writing style wasn’t my favorite.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig ***.5/*****
This had the potential to be a great series and a book I’d really enjoy: historical romance is my favorite genre. But the romance in this novel quickly took a turn into what I’d call nearly soft porn or a cheesy Fabio romance novel. Too bad.

The First Princess of Wales by Karen Harper ***/*****
This book is a long one but was very engrossing. However, some of the romance scenes in this book were also very graphic and what should have been romantic but they felt more like lustful moments. The characters, however, were very interesting and the writing was good. I’d give this author one more chance to see what another novel would be like.

Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado ***/*****
This book is about how to find a job that you are truly passionate about. I thought some of the stories were very good (think sermon illustrations). However, I felt the quiz to help you get to know yourself better wasn’t clear enough and one would need more guidance to get anything concrete from this book.

Summer Book List #2

Here is my 2nd installment on books I have read this summer. A few were misses, most were middle of the line, and some were superb.

A City Not Forsaken by Lynn and Gilbert Morris ***/*****
I read a similar series by Gilbert Morris in high school and fell in love with it then because they were historical fiction and always had a love story thrown in. Although the plots were similar (will he follow God or man, and which lady would the main character choose-always the more modest and God-fearing lady. This is, after all, a Christian book series.) I read the 2nd book in this series, and you don’t have to read the first to know what’s going on. This book is different from the others in that there is no love story. Also, the book didn’t seem to read as quickly as the former series. Either my tastes have changed since high school (very likely) or the author has changed his style now writing with his wife. Either way, this book didn’t entice me enough to pick up the third. One nice thing, however, was the book didn’t leave any loose ends unlike the series by Beverely I posed on in June.

Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene ***/*****
I promise that I am not obsessed with Holocaust literature as this is already the 2nd of the summer (with one more later on in this review), but since I teach about it I am constantly looking for novels my kids could pick up. This one would fit the bill nicely. It is an easy read and forces the students to look at the Nazi’s in a different light because our main character falls in love with a Nazi POW who is transferred to her hometown in small town, USA. The characters sometimes aren’t as developed as I’d like, and some never change or learn from their mistakes, but this book is more than appropriate for young teens.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini ****/*****
I have heard so many amazing reviews about this novel from everyone I had to pick it up to see what the fuss was about. This is a powerful and moving story that left me crying at points so it is evident the author has you caring about the characters. The brutal horrors that occurred in our narrator’s life helped shape the man he became, and the novel takes you on his self discovery to see if he can relive his past and grow stronger or run from it again. Although this book is frustrating at times-you very much can grow to dislike our main character because of his choices-it makes the reader think how they would respond in similar situations or in a different time. This book was so moving I couldn’t help but tell my family about what was occurring as I read more and more each day. This would be a great book to pick up, but definitely not a summer beach read. This book is one I will not soon forget.

The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner **/*****
Ugh. I was expecting so much from this book maybe I set myself up to be disappointed. After seeing the movie I thought it would be neat to find out the real story. Some things are better left with the Hollywood version. After reading this I no longer can have the same esteem as I once did for Mr. Gardner. He cheated on his wife, took drugs while they were struggling to survive financially, and came across as pompous and arrogant as he unabashedly told us exactly how great the sex was while cheating. Is he a success story because of his rags to riches fame? Absolutely. But don’t believe the fluff Hollywood threw at us in the movie by believing this man is the victim in his later years. Because of his affair he had Chris Jr. out of wedlock and only then did his wife leave him. It was only then he was struggling financially. Anyway, I don’t want to keep ranting, but I would not recommend this book.

Plain Jane: A Novel of Jane Seymour by Laurien Gardner ****/*****
Another good read about the craziness surrounding King Henry VIII’s court. This book was told from the perspective of Henry’s future queen this time, and because not much is known about her the author had to infer or make up much of the information. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to reading the other book that is out in this series so far.


The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Carson Ellis ***.5/*****
One of my students gave me this book as an end of school gift because it was one of her all time favorites. The main characters are all gifted students who are trying to stop an evil mad man from manipulating the whole world through the use of subliminal signals in the tv. The book is a pretty good read and definitely has some clever parts, but I don't think I would read any more books if a sequel were to occur (which seems likely given the setup of the story).

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom ****/*****
This is a beautiful novel about one woman and her family's journey as they smuggled Jews in their home and other “safe houses” in war torn Holland during the 1940's. Corrie and her family ended up in jail and finally a concentration camp because of her willingness to protect God's children during the Holocaust. Her faith and God's truth ring out clearly in her writing and remarkable story. It really pushed me to think of a more Godly perspective instead of one of this world. This is an excellent novel.