Friday, May 7, 2010

St John US Virgin Islands

Pine Mountain News

May is here and that is the busy time of the
year here at the ranch. It is the time when
we fill the barn with spring hay so the animals
have food for the winter





Poem of the Week

How Small it Feels



I step from cooling tile to concrete slabs
as they are heating up, the sun is hot
so i soak in its rays & watch crabs
scurry into the grass in shade that dots
the green & blue landscape (sweetie the gray
concrete will barely register) it's bright
like saturated neon lights that play
and dance and move with the island night

and sweetie, do you know how small it feels
to stand on the shore and look at the sky
and realize those colors bring you real
or closer to it than you see with your eyes

under those sunglasses, and I will paint
you a picture on your palm, but don't cry
sweetie when it washes away with the rain.



Story of the Week

St John US Virgin Islands



If you want to experience the natural beauty
of the Caribbean and still stay in United
States territory, One of the best places to
go is St John in the US Virgin islands.

St John is one of three islands that make up
the U S Virgin island. the other 2 are St Thomas
and St Croix.

The original inhabitants were Arawak Indians.
Columbus was the first European to see the islands.
The United States purchased the islands in 1917
from Denmark for 25 million.





ST John is a little east of Puerto Rico. In 1956
Laurance Rockefeller donated his holdings or
about 3/4 of the island to the National Park Service
on condition the park would stay in it's natural state.
Today it is known as Virgin Islands National Park.
Walking through the park you get a glimpse of how the
eco system of a sub tropic island functions.

Walking the park is a great way to relax and enjoy the
leisurely pace of the islands. To take a nice video
journey through the park click on the following link
http://bit.ly/9Cc0vj
and journey with the travel show
Travelista, The Map.

Once you have relaxed and become used to island time
it is very difficult to pull yourself away and rejoin
the hectic pace real world.


Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more a the Pine Mountain ranch.
We have just finished dinner and are gathered by the
warm fire in the fireplace in our family room. Laurel
and Grace are watching a movie and I am reading my
Discover magazine. Tonight my after dinner coffee from
http://www.coffeefool.com is Puerto Rican Yauco. This
Americzn roast coffee has a coffee and rich cocoa taste
that goes well with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

Well the movie is over and so is my coffee and cookies.
It is time for bed.Good night everyone see you in 2 weeks.

Resources

http://www.travelistic.com/video/show/2177/The-Map-in-St.-John:-Salomon-Beach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_John,_U.S._Virgin_Islands



googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Lighthouses of Marin County


Pine Mountain News

It is mid April already but that did not stop old
man winter from trying one last attempt at
bringing a winter storm to the area. At least the
lower elevation rains helped fill the reservoirs
with much needed water.

The hay in the field is growing fast and as soon as
the weather dries out, it will be time to cut and
bale hay. This cutting is the most nutritious and
we mix it with the rest of the cuttings to have a
nutritious mix.

Area News

The five year old girl from Frazier Park,
Missty Gamblin that was severely bitten in the
face by her neighbors dog is now home after
$35,000 in surgery costs. Her mother is a single
mother with 2 kids and no medical insurance.
A fund has been set up to help with the costs.
Donations can be taken to the Mountain Communities
Family Resource Center (above the library at
3015 Mt. Pinos Way, Ste. 201 in Frazier Park,
8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m.) or checks can
be made to the MCFRC, P.O. Box 1902,
Frazier Park, CA, 93225, with the note
“Missty Gamblin Medical Fund.”





Poem of the Week

Mimosas in Marin County

by emily d stine




I'll play pretend for a day
late brunch, organic omelets
orange juice champagne
a lifestyle whimsy,
I can't complain.

Stroll through the boutiques,
jump on my bike, head up
to the view for picture & hike.

Water cerulean, & sun-splashed
cheeks, the walk is lovely,
water opening between peaks.

Stop for a moment, toes in the sand,
force my mind to remember
this beautiful marine land.


Story of the Week

The Lighthouses of Marin County

by G Smith



Marin county is north of San Francisco
on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.
It is an area of scenic beauty and
waterfalls.

Marin county is one of the 27 original
California counties and was a county even
before California became a state.
The county has a long coastline and even
it's own bay called Drakes Bay after
Sir Francis Drake who sailed their in his
ship the Golden Hind in 1579

To protect ships from crashing on the shore
Marin county built several lighthouses. Today the
time of the lighthouse keeper is past and
automated means are used to keep the
remaining lighthouses operating.


Point Reyes and Point Bonita are the 2 most famous
ones.

Point Reyes



This lighthouse was built in 1870 and served as
a lighthouse for over a hundred years.Built below
the edge of the cliff to keep the light out of
almost constant fog, the lighthouse is 308 steps

down the cliff. you need to be in top physical
shape if you want to try the tour on this one.
Between the high
winds and the fog visiting
this lighthouse is an adventure. The
walkway
to the lighthouse is shut down when the winds
hit
40 miles per hour.
The light tower is a 37 ft high 16 sided structure
built in 1870.
It housed a 6000 pound first order Fresnel lens
that magnified the light and split it into 24
individual light beams. This powerful light
could be seen up to 24 miles out to sea.

In 1975 a small building was built below the
station . This building houses the modern light,
fog horn and radio automated signal equipment.

Point Bonita




The lighthouse was built a half mile down a trail. In the middle
there is a tunnel. The lens is a second order Fresnel able to be seen
18 miles away.To save money the back side against the cliff was
not lens ed.

Lime Point

Lime point existed as a fog horn station from 1833 to 1900 when lights
were also added. This station was on a small spur of land just east of the
north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. It had a 3 story keepers station and
two 12 inch steam powered fog horns. The station was automated in 1961
and the 3 story station keepers building was torn down. All that is left of
the station today is the automated fog horn building.




Besides light houses another point of interest in Marin County is Muir Woods
a stand of old grove coastal redwoods from 500 to 1200 years old. Well
maintained trails add to the enjoyment.

Marin County is a wealthy county with the medium income around 92,000 a year.
Lukas films of Star Wars fame used to be in San Rafael the Marin county
government seat but they have now moved to the Presidio.


Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more at the Pine Mountain Ranch. we have gathered
in the family room to enjoy a movie on TV. We have just finished dinner
and I am relaxing in my easy chair with fresh apple pie and a cup of the
sample coffee of the day from http://www.coffeefool.com Tonight I am
having Panama Boquete. This American roast coffee is filled with fruity
sensations and just a hint of chocolate taste. It goes well with apple pie.

Well my pie, coffee,and movie are over and it is time for bed. Hope
everyone has a great couple of weeks. we will see you in 2 weeks.
Good night everyone.


resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_County,_California


googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, April 9, 2010

Wyoming


Pine Mountain News

We are now well into spring at the ranch.
This years beef cattle are out in the pasture
munching away and already gaining weight.

The aquaponic garden in the greenhouse has
just switched beds. One bed produces while
the other bed is replanted. That way there
is always a crop ready to produce when an
old bed finishes.

In local news

Last year we had too many bears wandering
around raiding garbage cans etc. Now this
year we have reports of bear poaching by the
chairman of the PMC board no less.

On Easter a hiker found a dead body in Hungry
Valley. No one is saying if it is a homicide or
natural causes yet.



Poem of the Week




Desolation and Charm

by emily d stine

And I'll miss you
Wyoming, as I careen
out of tumbleweed
scenes, grass wishing
to be green, lone
strips of asphalt inter-
rupting vacant views.

I'll miss the wind
that whistles through
your ghost towns
like a memory unfound.

And I'll miss you Wyoming,
but mostly I'll miss your
desolation and your charm.

Story of the Week

Wyoming

The state of Wyoming is the 10th largest in land
mass but the population at 544,270 is the least
amount of any state. Almost half of the state,
48 % is owned by the US government through
the bureau of land management and the US forest
service.



Wyoming is a place of big sky and large mountains.
It is where the high plains meet the rocky mountains.
Wyoming is a place of unique natural beauty and a
place to get away from everyone and contemplate
nature. Just do it in the summertime because
Wyoming winters are harsh and bitter cold with lots of
snow.
Wyoming is bordered by Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska,
Colorado, Utah, and Idaho.

Wyoming has 10 different mountain ranges and the state
elevation ranges from 13804 ft to 3125 ft. More than 40
mountain peaks in the state are over 13,000 ft.

Wyoming has 3 interstates I-80 and I - 90 which run east
and west and I - 25 that runs north and south.

The continental divide runs north and south through the
center of the state.The rivers on the east side, North Platte,
Wind, Big Horn, and Yellowstone end up in the Mississippi
and the rivers on the west side the Snake and the Green end
up in the Pacific Ocean.

French trappers in the late 1700's and Lewis and Clark in 1807
were the first Europeans to enter the area. One of the members
of the expedition, John Colter described the wonders of
Yellowstone but people thought he was making up tall tales.

Wyoming was the first state to let women vote and in 1924
became the first state to have a woman governor.

Wyoming has 98 towns but all but 9 have populations under
10,000. The largest town in Wyoming is the state capital,
Cheyenne at 57,000. There is one university, the University
of Wyoming and seven community colleges.

Mining , ranching and tourism are the main income producers
for the state and Yellowstone national park is one of the
main attractions.


Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more at the Pine Mountain ranch. We have
just finished dinner and are in the family room watching a movie.
We are having cherry pie for desert and my sample coffee of the
week from http://coffeefool.com. Tonight we are having
Chocolate Covered Cherry. This American roast coffee with the
taste of cherry and chocolate go just great with fresh cherry pie.

Well the movie is over and my pie and coffee are finished too. It
is time for bed. Good night everyone see you in 2 weeks.

resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming


googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, March 26, 2010

The Columbia River


Pine Mountain News

Spring has sprung with full force on Pine Mountain.
Everything is green and the wildflowers are beginning
to bloom. It is a time to mend the fences and prepare
the ranch for spring and summer.

The greenhouse and the fish in the aquaponic tank
survived the winter and are doing well.


Poem of the Week




Friday Night in the City of Roses

by emily d stine

and the locals are listless under-
neath their tortoise shell eyes.

Inside, in gray low lights
and cigarette clouds
new age music wafts
lazy-like over to the crowds.

In studio lofts, art galleries and bars,
put on emphatic facade
'cause we're all gonna be stars.

Clutching pints, the perfect accent
for those black fingernailed hands
of the hipster rockstar tattooed fans.

It's Friday night in the city of roses,
the river's eerie outside, it's bubbling,
for the sea, but tonight the babble's
inaudible
over the band and the Friday night scene.


Story of the Week

The Columbia River

by G Smith

The Columbia river at 1243 miles is the longest river in

the Pacific Northwest. It drains an area roughly the size

of France. The Columbia forms much of the border

between Oregon and Washington and drains 7 states.

It is the 4th largest river in the United States.


The Columbia begins at 2690 feet ( 820 meters) above

sea level in the Rocky Mountain trench that forms the

border between British Columbia and Alberta in Canada

. The river flows northwest for the first 200 miles then turns

sharply south at the north end of the Selkirk mountains.

The Columbia turns west at the Spokane river then South

at the Okanagan river then southeast at the Wenatchee

river forming a big C. The river then heads west at the

Washington- Oregon border. The River then becomes

the Washington -Oregon border for the final 309 miles

to the coast.

During the last ice age about 15,000 to 10,000 years ago,

the Columbia took a more direct course through the

big c area when the ice dams on ancient Lake Missoula

would break sending the entire lake down the Columbia river.

When the flood was over the direct route formed a dry river

bed. This dry river bed was called a Coulee. Grand Coulee

dam was built during the depression forming lake Roosevelt

opened in 1942. It is the largest dam on the Columbia at

5223 feet (1586 meters) wide and 550 feet ( 168 meters high).

Normal water height is 380 feet ( 115 meters). In 1951

with the addition of Dry Falls dam and North dam, Banks

lake was formed in the dry coulee valley above lake Roosevelt.

Twelve 14 inch pipes and pumps lift water 280 feet from

lake Roosevelt into lake Banks forming a 27 mile long lake

for irrigation of the surrounding area. Six of the pumps can

be reversed and turned into turbines during peak electric

demand times. Total power output of the Grand Coulee

dam with 33 Turbines is 6809 megawatts. The biggest

problem with the Grand Coulee dam is that salmon can

not get by the dam. This keeps the salmon in the last 243

miles of the river instead of 1243 miles like they once roamed.

The Columbia continues through Gorge Amphitheatre,

Priest Rapids dam, then the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

The Hanford Reservation is the only untamed part of the

Columbia that is left.

The Snake river and the Yakima river join the Columbia

and the river turns sharply west at the Washington Oregon

border. The Columbia becomes the border for the two states

for the final 309 miles of its journey. The Columbia reaches

the Dalles. Between The Dalles and Portland, the Columbia

cuts through the Cascade mountains forming the breath taking

Columbia River gorge.


The gorge is 4000 feet at the deepest part and 77 streams

flow into the gorge before the Columbia reaches the ocean.

Many of these 77 streams form spectacular water falls as

they deposit their water load into the gorge.


The last dam of the 14 dams on the Columbia before the

Pacific is the Bonneville dam. This dam has an island in the

middle and 2 hydroelectric dams one on each side of the island.

The Bonneville dam also has a lock for river traffic and fish

ladders to help the salmon navigate the river.



At Portland a few miles from the Pacific, the Columbia

turns to the north and slows dropping a load of silt. It then

turns west again and joins the Pacific. The last turn keeps

the Columbia from forming a delta at the ocean.



Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more at the Pine Mountain
Ranch. We have just finished dinner and are
gathered in the family room to watch a nature
movie on TV.

I am seated in my favorite reclining chair and
have fresh baked sugar cookies with this week's
sample coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com
Tonight my flavor is Dutch Chocolate. This American
roast coffee is a chocolate lover's dream with just a hint of
coffee flavor to round it out.

My coffee and cookies are finished now and the movie is over.
It is time for bed. Good night all, see you in 2 weeks.

resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River



googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, March 12, 2010

Malta


Pine Mountain News

It is nearly the middle of March already.
Winter has been strange this year. One
minute we have a winter storm and the
next the snow has all melted.

This year we have a full eco system in
our greenhouse called aquaponics. All
we have to do is keep the water
chemistry right and keep the water
flowing from the fish tank to the grow
beds and back again. The plants love
the constant nutrients and grow like
crazy.

Our little wood shop is doing well.
when everything crashed in 2008
no one was buying anything. The
smaller pieces are now selling.
People are downsizing.





Poem of the Week




Mediterranean Momentos

by emily d stine

Midday sun sways soft in the sky
deciding to be blue or to dip
into blue--an aquamarine sun-
bathe for Mediterranean rays.
The boat's carving aqua ripples,
churning blue to white in its wake.

We cruise over Grotto Azura,
adjust eyes to turquoise hues
and exquisite views
as if the gods had bathed there.

And with a turn, we're sliding
back to Sorento. Dip our feet,
a final reprieve from the sun
and a sip of
lemoncello--
sun-filled imprint
for my tongue.



Story of the Week

Malta


Malta is an island in the Mediterranean.
It is 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km
north of Tunisia. The island has had a
rich and varied history.

History

Malta was first settled around 5200 BC
by people from Sicily. They built megalithic
stone temples that still stand to this day.
Disease or famine or both wiped them out
about 2500 BC.

Next came the Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthage,
and finally Rome. Next came the Arabs,
Germans,The Spanish from Aragon, then the
Knights Hospitalier who turned the island
into a fortress. The French under Napolean
occupied the island for 16 years then the
British took over in 1814 and kept the island
until it became independent in 1964.
Malta became a republic in 1974.

Today Malta is made up of 3 main islands.
Gozo, Malta, and Comino and numerous
small uninhabited islands. More than 404,000
people call the islands home.

We landed at Malta International in Valetta,
then rented a car and drove to the Baystreet
Hotel in St Julian. The hotel was a 4 star that
rented for $97 a night.

Malta is a people place. There are more things
to do than there is time to do them.

On Gozo there is Dwejra inland sea. In Valleta
St John Cathedral of John the baptist fame.

The restored 5000 year old temple at Hypogeum.

Ggantija temple. Impressive slabs and pillars
from 5000 BC.


Ggantija

Some of the best diving in the world in the blue
green waters of Malta. if you prefer not to get wet,
There is the MV Sea Below. You can look through
38 windows to see the ocean below.

There are museums and fortresses.There are so many
restaurants you hardly know where to start to sample
the local cuisine.


Marsaxlokk

There are rocky beaches and sandy beaches but there
are always people. No seclusion here.

Malta does not have enough natural water to supply
everyone so desalinization plants provide over half
the water on the island.

Many British retirees call the island home.

The official languages of the island are English and
Maltese. Driving is on the left since it was a former
British colony.

Time went by so fast and finally we had to leave
and return home.


Pine Mountain Evening

We are gathered once more in the family room of
the Pine Mountain ranch. Dinner is over and we are
watching a movie and eating fresh baked cookies.
tonight's coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com
is Raspberry Squared. This American roast coffee
is mixed with the finest black and red raspberries
to give it a distinctive taste. It goes great with
fresh sugar cookies.

The movie is over and so is my coffee and cookies.
It is time for bed. Good night all see you in 2 weeks.

resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta


googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, February 26, 2010

Sidney Australia



Pine Mountain News

It has been another week of Winter at the
Pine Mountain ranch. ther4 have been col temperatures and on and off rain and snow. It has been windy but our wind turbines make the most of it.

The fish and plants are doing well in the heated greenhouse.
The roads and highways have been treacherous at times but you get used to it.

Rocket and Starburst have been staying close to the barn for shelter from the winter winds.

We have been making furniture in our wood shop so the economy is improving slightly.Last year this time our little shop was mostly idle.


Poem of the Week


The Other Side of the Bay


by emily d stine

It's February and sunny
and we're sliding across the bay
away from Frisco and onto Berkeley
explore the college town.




The sun's setting and we fly
like bandits, ribbon-roading up the
ridge, racing the sun.

We pull off at the top to see
sun slipping under the three
bridges that cross-stitch the bay.



Sounds of silence whistle under
our feet and the sky grows pink with haze.
And we left that place days ago
but I can't shift my gaze.


Story of the Week


Sydney Australia





by Justin Jordan


In virtually all of my trips to Australia,

I end up doing something fairly outdoorsy,

being it doing a walkabout or seeing the

Great Barrier Reef. Which is great, and I

love it, but there’s only so much outside

a man can take, or at least only so much

that this man can take.


So this time, I decided to go urban and

visit Sydney. Situated

on the southeast corner of the continent,

nestled around the

appropriately named Sydney Harbor,

it’s Australia’s largest

city, and in many respects its cultural center.


It’s very urban and very large, with about

five million people living there (out of about

twenty two million in the whole country)

and getting something like ten million visitors

a year. It’s a popular place to visit, and with

good reason.


Probably the most iconic image of Sydney

is the Opera House, the clamshell like

construction that can be seen in dozens of

movies. This was, quite frankly, why I

decided on a Sydney trip.


Almost as soon as construction was finished

in 1973,the Opera house was hailed as one

of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Frankly, seeing it in person and getting a

sense of the scale and beauty of it,

I agree. It’s really something

worth seeing in person.


Of course, Sydney has more to offer than

just a funky beautiful opera house. There

are, for instance, the Royal Botanic

Gardens, which are open year round and

home to hundreds of different kinds of

plants, including some of the most beautiful

flowers in the world.

It also has glass pyramid,

which is the sort of thing that I always

appreciate.


If your tastes run towards the more

people oriented side of culture, then

I recommend you see The Rocks which

is not, you know, just a bunch of rocks.

The Rocks is one of the oldest

neighborhoods in Sydney, with a

spectacular view of another of Sydney’s

landmarks, the Sydney Harbor Bridge.


These days, The Rocks is home to any

number of craft and souvenir shops, as

well as a healthy number of pubs. If

you’re there on the weekend, you can

see The Rocks market where more than

a hundred stalls open up to sell, well,

just about everything. If you want to

get something that’s not junk to take

home with you, this is the place.




For those of a more historical bent,

Sydney is not short on museums either.

My particular favorite was the Powerhouse

Museum, which focuses on steam powered

machines. You can (and should) visit the

Australian National Maritime Museum, if for

no other reason than they have a ship named

Vampire.


Sydney Wildlife World was also a lot of fun.

This is a sort of massive zoo, where you can

walk in tunnels through animals in enclosures

that mimic their natural habitats. This is the

place to go if you’re in Sydney and hankering

to see koalas and kangaroos without leaving

the cool crispness of air conditioning.



Pine Mountain Evening


It is evening once more at the Pine Mountain

ranch. We have just finished dinner and are

relaxing in the family room by a warm fire in

the fireplace. Tonight my after dinner coffee

from

http://www.coffeefool.com is Chocolate Mint.

This American roast coffee is just the ticket

on a cold winter night.

The minty taste wakes up the senses. It

goes just right with a plate of

fresh baked sugar cookies.


Well my coffee and cookies are history.

The adventure movie we were all watching

is over and it is time for bed. Good night all.

See you in 2 weeks.

                           








googlef90539838d7357c8.html

Friday, February 12, 2010

India



Pine Mountain News


We have had several snow storms in the last 2 weeks.

We get some snow and then in a few days it melts.

The fish and vegetables in the green house are doing

well even though it is mid winter.


We are still making a few pieces of furniture in the

wood shop. This week we take a travel visit to India

with Roxana


Poem of the Week


Indian Dreams






by emily d stine


Shiver through the sheets as my mind

wanders back to the place and I see

saris blowing through the wind, soft

reds, pinks, blues spinning in my head.


Casting clay pots and spitting fat camels

Indian children laughing through streets

where we walked, Western in our wear

the colors so vivid I feel that I'm there.


There's a cow in the road but nobody

honks. A foggy view of the Taj Mahal

invades my thoughts. Varanasi,

the world's oldest city, laundry and

funerals flounder in the ghat.


My Indian dreams, the saris bring

me back, a gentle breeze, how the

wind makes the colors sing.



Story of the week

India



by Roxana Arzamazova
 
   My big travel across India the Route:
 Delhi, Agra (Fatehpur Sikri), Gwalior, Dzhansi, 
Orcha, Kadzhuraho, Varanasi, Calcutta, Puri 
(lake Chilika), Konark, Bhubaneswar, 
Vishakhapatnam, Chennai, Madurai, 
Kanijakumari, Kovalam, Karkalla, Kollam, 
Alaputsa, Kochin, Udipi, Karvar, Goa 
(in transit), Vengurla, Malvan, Devgarh, Alibag, 
Mumbai.
 
I decided to take a trip to India. I had a six week
 vacation so I started in  Delhi, Tadj-Mahal, 
Kadzhuraho Varanasis places everyone knows.  
  I developed a route by means of guidebooks 
to India "Dorling Kindersley" And " lonely planet". 
 
India is very cheap country. With a TV and a bathroom
 I paid for hotels on the average 5 dollars. 
The cheapest-$3 (Kadzhu - ÒÁÈÏ), $7 Delhi on Mejn ,
 and a maximum of $ 14 Mumbai. Without conveniences 
in the room. my expenses would have been less. 
 
 
 
 Many people are afraid to go to India because of the dirt.
 Really, Hindus like to throw dust under feet. But in 
good hotels and the tourist centers it is very clean. I never
suffered digestion frustration. For this purpose it is enough 
to wash your hands before a meal, to drink 
bottled water and not to eat in doubtful places. In a couple 
of days you cease to notice the dirt. In India there are a lot 
of beggars. Do not give them money or they will follow you 
forever.
 
 
 Transport in India is cheap. In the city it is possible to move
 by tuk-tuk. They cost less than a city bus. Twice I used night
 buses with berths and twice I slept on trains. I stayed at 
25 hotels. Certainly, that is a lot, but I saw so much! 
 
 
  Why do people go to India? It is a country not similar to others.
 It has a special charm. There it is not accepted to steal. 
The Indian women dressed in sari’s, and look like 
queens.





In the south is it eternal summer. There are the high
mountains, deserts, jungles, and seas.






Many people go there in
ashrams to do yoga, medical experts, surprising 
philosophy. Pursuit of money and success can lead to depression
and you loose the meaning of life. Hindus can explain to you that
all is not necessary. Consumer society philosophy it is not the 
cleverest. 
 
  "Exclusive dynamism, continuous activism tear to pieces the 
person, or transform a person into a machine. In India no one
hastens anywhere. Be ready for it! 
 
 
In Delhi the most interesting sites are the 800-year-old 
Kutb-Minar (height of 70 meters), the Lotus temple,
 the Red fort, the Gate of India, Radzhput.




 
 I headed south. Two hours and you in Agra where there is
 the most beautiful building in the world. The Taj-Mahal,






and also the big fort. Nearby there is Fatehpur-Sikri the
capital of emperor Akbara. 
 
In the city of Gwalior at top of a 100-metre hill the beautiful
 fort is located. In Orchhe there is an interesting palace. 
Further on my way there was a world famous village 
Kadzhuraho with it’s 25 temples and erotic sculptures. 
 
Varanasi. the most sacred city of India, (from which Shiva 
has risen to the sky). On the bank of Ganges are 90 Ghats
 (ladders) and 2 places of cremation. Hindus dream to die in 
Varanasi. Normal cemeteries are not present, Bodies burn 
down to ashes and ashes are swept away by the Ganges.
10 kilometers from Varanasi in 500 years B.C. Buddha
 gave his first sermon.
 
 Calcutta. One of the greatest cities of India. Victoria's
 memorial the most beautiful building of the city. On the
 bank of Bay of Bengal in Konarke there is a temple of 
the Sun a XIII century building with erotic couples on 
all the facade.
 Nearby, in the open air a scene where 
the festival of India is annually held. For 20 rupees you
receive weight of pleasure. 
 
In the city of Chennaj (Madras) of veins Foma the 
non-believer also is buried. In a Catholic church on 
seacoast it is possible to see his tomb. Tourists like to 
visit a temple complex in honour of Shiva in the city 
of Madurai. Twelve 50-meter gates are entirely covered 
by figures of people, demons, gods, and animals. 
 
In the south of India the city of Kannijakumari is located.
 The most interesting here its 2 islets on which it is possible
 to get, having stood the big turn, after  all Hindus 
wish to visit on "The end" of India and to visit the island 
where philosopher Vivikenanda and others meditated. There 
is a 40-meter monument to the local poet 
who lived 2000 years ago.





 Here there is the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea. Further on 
my way is Kerala. One of the 
most beautiful beaches- khovalam. Here always there are a 
lot of tourists. Tourists love Varkalu. Nearby are Silent creeks 
a system of fresh-water channels and lakes. Travel by 
 tourist ship from Kollama in Alaputsu (70 km) occupies a 
whole day and leaves unforgetable impressions. 
 
 
Narrow small streets in the city of Kochin with the Portuguese, 
Dutch and English constructions are charming. In earlier times
 there were warehouses with spices.
 
 State of Karnataka was next on my way. Near the city of Udipi 
is the fine and deserted  beach of Malpi. And such beaches are
in considerable quantity!



 
 Most tourists visit Goa. Tourist possibilities in India are huge! 
To the south of Goa in the city of Karvar there is a good beach,
 but instead of tourists a herd of cows there sunbathe! 
 
I have passed through Goa by trip bus and arrive in fishing village
 Vengurla. The beach there is multi-kilometer, and tourists appear 
seldom. 
 
In the city of Malvan it is possible to look at the big island, and in 
The village Devgarh There is a big peninsular fort.






in Alibage there is an island fort. During low tide outflow 
(during the lunchtime) it is possible to pass on foot. From 
Alibaga to Mumbai it is possible to get there by 
sea. 
30 minutes by bus and an hour by a ship and you are in 
12-million Mumbai. The city looks fine from the sea. There
 are many high-rise buildings, and many beautiful English 
constructions. 
 
India is a country which you will desire to come back to again
and again!



Pine Mountain Evening

It is evening once more at the Pine Mountain ranch. We are in the family room by a warm fire in the fireplace.

Laurel and Grace are playing a game of scrabble.

We have just finished dinner and I am enjoying my after dinner coffee with a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Tonight my coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com is Celebes Kalossi. This American roast coffee has a spicy syrupy taste with just a hint of oak.

Well my coffee and cookies are finished now and Grace won the game of scrabble. Now it is time to get some sleep. Good night see everyone in 2 weeks.








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