Lanzarote video

So this is what it feels like. I've heard the stories of flight cancellations, delays, and endless waiting, and now we've experienced each one of them. When it's time to go home, there's no fun in stalling. Currently I'm writing this update from a generic Paris airport hotel. We've been in the "process" of coming home for the last 36 hours, and by this time tomorrow we'll almost be there, one day longer than we had originally planned. Personally, I'd rather wait than rush. I do have one minor complaint. One of you put keepsake shells, pretty stones, and some lava rocks in our bags. That's just not fair when I'm doing all the hauling! Was it you?

Genoa, ItalyThe older part of Genoa, Italy was fun to walk around. There were networks of narrow cobbled pedestrian streets that I'm sure were ancient. The buildings were ornate, which is probably typical of this country. There was a distinctive Romanesque architecture (I hope that's the right word) with pillars, Greek Gods holding up sections of buildings, and great big doors with giant knobs in the middle. We had a nice long walk and found a typical city, with it's restaurants and stores, fused with a foregone age. It's kind of strange to see graffiti in such a setting.

The city is lengthy as it hugs the Mediterranean. The buildings find purchase on an undulating, hilly terrain for a bit, but are unable to extend further inland due to the mountainous terrain that rises up within about a mile of the sea. It's interesting to view mountains that have snow-capped summits in the same panorama with palm trees and the perfect turquoise of the seawater. By the way, the Mediterranean Sea surpasses expectations; it's spectacular.

Turning back the pages of our story, I can now share the small movie I made of our first Canary Island, Lanzarote. I'm sure you'll enjoy this one: