Straddling the hemispheres, Ecuador (2006)

I have one foot in the northern hemisphere (the left foot) and one foot in the southern hemisphere (the right foot) since I am facing east. Unless I'm facing west, in which case my left foot would be in the southern hemispehere and my right in the northern.

Playing the Saxophone

Will says that the definition of a gentleman is a man who knows how to play the saxophone but doesn't. By that definition I guess that I'm a gentleman. But I did go through a period where I was pretty into the sax. I used to practice almost every night down in the den with the door shut so I wouldn't bother sleepers.

With my brother jammin' on the old alto, before I got the bari.



A year or so later, again with my brother. He has the same expression on his face.



I even went so far as to play in the second-string big band.





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Puerto Angel, Mexico (Summer 1999)

Puerto Angel is on the Pacific Coast, directly south from Oaxaca city. There I met a photographer from San Francisco by the name of Alan Dejecacion. Somehow the two of us arranged to go fishing with this guy.



We got up at the crack of dawn and went out on the ocean. The limit was one pez espada per fisherman per day. First he caught the fish he was to use for bait, and then he caught his swordfish.



My photos were pretty the same as Alan's, just not as good, so I'm posting his.



Alan is in front on the right. Where's Mark?




•••

Iraxti et moi (17 July, 2004)

Gaillac, France. Iraxti was a Basque from Spain, and it was the end of our week-long French immersion program. I'm preparing to set off on a six-day bike ride. Maybe that explains the look on my face. It was the day I learned of the remarkable power of chocolate, and coincidentally, Jim Dandy's birthday. It was hot and sunny. After my goodbyes, I passed through Castelnau Montmirail, a beautiful place, but strangely empty. I thought I would sleep in a town called Caussade, but there were no rooms available when I arrived. It was the Fête du Chapeau! The Hat Festival (tres French). So I pushed on to Montpezat de Quercy ... But there were no rooms to be had there either. A lady who ran a bar called the one rooming house in town, but nothing. Onward I rode ... Sort of bummed and thinking about putting on a few extra tee-shirts and crawling up under a tree, in the woods, just out of sight of the road. I ate some fine dark chocolates that my teacher, Michelle, had given me. Suddenly, my outlook on life changed. I didn't care if I found a room or not, the woods would be fine this time of year. Eventually, as dusk was falling, I made it to a town called Montcuq, where I found a room. I took a bath and had some wine. I had ridden about 94 kilometers and had drunk four and a half liters of water. If I hadn't eaten that chocolate, I would have never found a room.

Biking in Bretagne, Summer 2004

Bretagne. I love a picnic, this is a spot that I found during a bike ride at the end of my adventure.



Later I visited this church. The door was open. I went in and looked around.

La hora latina (programa de radio)

I could dance with you ....

until the cows come home ...
(or I could dance with the cows until you come home)