THE SHUNPIKE EXPERIMENT
A 15,000 Mile Trip from New Orleans to Alaska & Back
Motivation…
That’ll get you up and going!!!
He he he…
West by Northwest
We left the family and friends in NOLA yesterday.
It’s always tough leaving Mamma Jill and Mr. V
We got into San Francisco last night and took the Airporter to Marin.
I had a doctors appointment today. Just your average everyday experimental clinical trial check up…
…We made the traditional stop at In & Out Burger.
Afterwards, we were able to spend the day with Kyle, Kath and Finn.
The Mamma Lammas get some Vitamin D for the next gen.
The boys did as well.
Kyle grilled burgers for lunch…
…and we (luckily) caught the US v Panama CONCACAF semi finals at the Mayflower. US WINS!! We’ll be watching the final Saturday might @ Swingin Doors…
Finn Guzzie:
Quick a Bruzzie moment before we go:
And just like that we’re on another plane.
Heading North
This is a final post from my trip South to Latin America. Michel and I are actually on our way to Spokane right now. From NOLA, we made a pit stop in San Francisco to meet with Dr. Miller.
From last week:
I am taking the early flight out of San Jose this morning.
A little reflection on my past couple weeks.
Kyle and I decided to come into San Jose from Tabacon late last night.
The ‘Tico Crew’ had a few excellent days in Costa Rica to end a fine trip.
Our last couple days in Tabacon were spent relaxing in the resort hot springs. I had a couple massages which were a happy ending to a great trip. As is often the case, our days at Tabcon were highlighted by our meals.
The morning buffet was spent reading the New York Times with the Tico crew enjoying fresh fruit and omelettes.
Our discussions covered Latin economics, the presence of China on the global economy, elite military forces and a review of our time in Buenos Aries.
On our final night we had an epic dinner…
…at a restaurant called Los Tucanes.
We had a unofficial wine tasting where we compared a $60 bottle to a $12 bottle. I learned a few things about color gradation.
I also learned that not often is it worth spending $60 instead of $12.
We had the piano man play some U2 and Coldplay. Costa Rica has some great people. A fortunate country that has been a good steward of these resources.
How about the “roommates”? Amor.
A bit about my Tulane experience:
A few nights ago we played “top 5” MBA professors. I’ll keep the results quiet but the conversation got me thinking about my Tulane experience.
After 18 months in the EMBA program I am fully satisfied with my choice to attend. The curriculum was strong and our time was spent in a first class facility.
Mostly, I am overwhelmed by the talent and character of my classmates. I have a strong group of friends from my youth. Friends that I went to elementary school and high-school with. Friends that stood in my wedding. This Tulane class rivals those friendships.
Over the past 18 months I spent more time with Crewlane than anyone other than Michel. We have “shed blood together” as Lynn Gilette would say.
An impressive group. Good people who understand the importance of teamwork and helping others achieve their goals. From SVPs of “million billion” dollar companies, to Iraq war veterans turned ‘nice’, to entrepreneurial merchants saving New Orleans one sandwich at a time… a group of doers.
As we wrap up our time together, I have a feeling that these moments will not be reduced to faded snapshots on the periphery of my memory banks. This group has been front row as Michel and I have endured some life changing circumstances. There are many incredible moments to come and I am happy to have this class in my corner…
Ay, Jarlath? Don’t you have a class picture somewhere? If ya coold send that me way laddy, a thoosand blessings.
…Thanks K-Bass for tracking this down
Thanks nice mike for the jacket.
Pura Vida
I didn’t take many pictures of the Tabacon Resort. It doesnt seem like the place for pictures. It’s stuck right in the middle of the Arenal Volcano region and covered with tropical foliage.
The hot springs form a river that wanders by the resort. Some work has been done to direct the river into various pools and waterfalls for guests to relax in. A full spa is available and the property has a few restaurants. The Costa Rican cuisine was fresh, delicious and plentiful.
Monday morning we drove to the Sky Trek zip line.
Overlooking Lago Arenal, the facility is well planned and made us feel like we had our own private playground overlooking the valley.
The Costa Ricans use the phrase Pura Vida (The Pure Life).
I’m still enjoying the pure life…
Check out this vid. I’ve done a few zip lines in my day. This one was by far the most awesome… some of the cables were 2000 meters long and we were pushing 50 mphs, 1000 feet above the jungle floor. Better now than never…
Travel Weary
Kyle, Alison, Thad and I decided to make a stop in Costa Rica after our Tulane Buenos Aires week.
Then Thadded us.
So… Just me, Alison and Kyle.
I am flying on a buddy pass with Uncle Brian… So my connection went through Atlanta. After a week in BA and many hours on an airplane I am feeling pretty tired.
Like this sign; blurry, faded and worn out
I nearly cut the trip short but the prospect of sittting at the Arenal Hotsprings and Brians encouragment got me on the flight to San Jose.
On the flight I read a great quote in my favorite magazine, “Outside”. Something like… “Question what you are capable of and trade in your fears seeking an answer.” I am not able to adventure like I used to but this seemed appropriate.
It’s a 3 hour shuttlevan from the San Jose airport to Tabacon Hotel near Arenal. I lucked out and ran into a couple who already had a van reserved. They were were willing to let me pitch in for the ride. Our driver taught us all about the Costa Rican economy and history of government. Tourism, coffee, democracy, education. He also showed us a few toucans, a sloth and a few monkeys along the way.
Allegedly, all of Costa Ricas power comes from renewable sources: Hydro 70%, Wind 15%, Geo Thermal 12%, and Solar 3%. Not much solar this time of year, as the rain season begins.
I also caught a nap in the
“way back” seat of the van.
After a lunch in San Ramon, we made it to Tabacon this afternoon.
After meeting up with Kyle, Alison and Alison’s “roomate”, Neil, I felt like I made the right decision to come to Costa Rica.
Thanks Brian.
Bean & Rice
So most of our posts have been simply about “where we are”. Michel and I have deliberately kept these posts pretty simple just letting people know our location.
Today I am in Costa Rica but heading home to Michel tomorrow. This post is about how I feel.
I havent seen Michel for a couple weeks and I really miss her.
We have had some extraordinary circumstances arise in the past 12 months.
This has been a real test for us. I am happy to say that we have grown even closer than before. Considering that we spent 2008 travelling around the world and were with eachother, literally 24/7 for 6 months, thats pretty close.
We have been married for 3 years (may 16) and we have experienced a lifetime of adventures and emotions. Michel is 21 weeks pregnant and to be a mother soon.
Michel, I feel the need to tell you how much I love and miss you. I am always proud to talk about you with friends or strangers. You are so honest and transparent. You live life by simple rules. Work hard, share openly, fear not, love endlessly. I am a lucky boy to have met you 8 years ago at the Jazz Fest. We are like peas and carrots. Or, more appropriately, beans and rice. Or, as we say, bean & rice.
I am tired of being away from you. I am lucky to have you by my side as we follow eachother around this world and the next.
We’ve come along way… I have had a lot of great things happen in my life but… You are without a doubt the best thing that has happened to me. Ever.
One more sleep…
Leaving Buenos Aires
We had most of Saturday free to relax a our bus didn’t leave to the airport until 5:15. I slept in and then spent most the day in the Recoleta neighborhood.
After a breakfast, Dale, Thad, Nice Mike and I wandered through the local Saturday market near the Church and the Cemetary.
I have really started to love visiting churches on my travels.
This church was built in the early 1700s.
I probably should have the name. Not my strong suit.
The God/man:
There was a museum with a bunch of relics. My favorite was a Skull with Music. Very cool in that it represents the beauty and the burden of life side by side.
A celebration really.
So Nice Mike, Thad and I found an Artist (Vasyl) that we all really liked. His art and his person. This guy should not have been in a local market he should have a gallery.
We all got a piece from him. Well I got a piece from his wife… She does watercolors.
One last trip on the bus:
Puerto Madero
The crew spent the Buquebus ferry ride playing the ‘name game’. I gave everyone three baby names. Two fake and one real. They chose their favorite, their least favorite and the name they thought we actually were considering. I tried to categorize them somehow into a theme.
Example: Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana
Anyway… It was some fun hangout time.
After taking the BuqueBus ferry back to Buenos Aires we spent the later part of Friday in Puerto Madira (sp) which is very near the ferry terminal. This was a warehouse district that had undergone renovation and now seemed like the hip, modern place to be. For me, it lacked the culture of the old parts of the city. A bunch of business people running around in suits drinking martinis.
There was some pretty sweet architechture. The “Womens Bridge”:
One of my favorite shots from the trip:
Not wanting to quit Buenos Aires just yet we chose to go to a sushi restsurant on the water. Sushi Club. Of note: dont eat sushi at this restaurant. We ordered edemame. They didnt have it. We ordered miso soup. Didn’t have it. Sake. No F$&@ing sake. I tried to order a martini and they had to bring out the GM to take the order. Then they tried to sell us a bunch of appetizers. We just wanted a few rolls which they thought was weird. Strangely, the place was packed. Silly. The rolls were tiny and had some kind of breading on them and they brought only enough wasabi for one piece of sushi.
We decided the best thing to redeem the moment was play credit card roulette.
I ended up losing a three stage version of the game to Nice Mike. Thad’s commentary best describes the moment. “You just lost roulette, then failed a negotiation and THEN lost a coin flip”. It was super fun. Really.
I am thinking this should keep me out of the loss column come Xmas eve.
Escuela ha Terminado
Just finished my last class at Tulane.
We have a day and a half to ourselves before we leave on Saturday evening.
Its been a long windy staircase to navigate
and we have a great set of classmates helping eachother along the way.
Alison and I had “food poisoning” and spent the morning at a sweet little tea shop.
The world needs more of these.
This entire trip has been something of a celebration but we had a finale tonight after class.
Tango show at Esqina Carlos Dargel:
(I am working with Thad to get some bootleg video posted here)
Its hard to describe the Tango. It’s tango right… Big deal… Some dance they used in the old days. I actually went to a Tango class in New Orleans with Michel when we first met. We thought it was a salsa lesson. Not sexy. Simple. Right?
The show was amazing and filled me with wonder. I feel like a person who has never heard music trying to describe the philharmonic orcestra. The precision and motion and agility. Smooth, sweet, sensual motion. Passion. A beautiful celebration of life and it’s gracefulness. Amor.
Viva Uruguay
Having a free day, I was intent on visiting Uruguay. Michel has a family friend who said I could not miss Colonia del Sacramento if visiting Buenos Aires. Only an hour ferry ride across the river delta. I think the rivers name is Rio De La Plata. Rivers and more rivers, I love rivers.
Best part of the trip for me.
From wikipedia:
Colonia del Sacramento, in Uruguay’s province of Colonia, is steeped in history.
It was the only Portuguese settlement along the Rio de la Plata. Founded as Nova Colonia do Sacramento in 1680 by Manuel de Lobo,and as such was the focus of struggle between the Spanish, who founded the settlement at Montevideo in response, and the Portuguese over control of the area.
For years it operated as a contraband port, evading the strictures imposed on trade by the Spanish crown. Today it is a resort city, a port, and the trade center for a rich agricultural region.
The Buquebus ferry:
The town is sweet. You just walk off the ferry and follow the river into the old town.
The place is cobblestoned and a literal time warp. Ancient churches and tiny restaurants. The town center has several little markets selling, antiques, yerba mate and local art.
The team spent most of the day wandering from corner to corner…
and cafe to cafe.
And laughing about Thad ripping his pants in two different countries in two days.
There is an old lighthouse that serves as the primary attraction.
Several restaurants to choose from. We went inside and, as usual, the inside of the restaurant was en fuego.
Yet, another great dinner.
All in all Colonia was a perfect capstone course for the Buenos Aires trip. From tiny hats to, barber shops, ripped pants and firstclass/buquebus name games.
The boys:
THE SHUNPIKE EXPERIMENT 