Also at Donner lake stands this sign with some good advise.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Donner Lake
Right outside our cabin in Truckee lies Donner Lake and it was partially frozen over this past weekend, thanks to weeks of frigid weather. (It was 17 below zero centigrade at night.) We even walked on part of the lake. And, yes, this is where Donner Pass is and where the Donner group of settlers had their horrible winter experience when moving west a long time ago.
Truckee Diner
We enjoyed an original American breakfast at the Truckee Diner on Sunday morning before heading to Reno for some time in the casinos. The food was abundant, but the quality so-so. However, the price was reasonable. So, if you want an all-American diner experience, don't want to wait long for your food and don't care about the tast so much, I recommend the Truckee Diner.
Sunset from Squaw's High Camp
Gorgeous skies while we were going down the mountain in the high camp cable car at Squaw Valley ski resort on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007.
USPS truck with chains
We wished the postal trucks really needed those tire chains because the Tahoe area can use some more of the white stuff this winter. However, skiing wasn't bad this year, it was worse in December, when only one run was open. Resorts are likely shutting their doors early though this season, sad enough.
On the slopes again.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Happy New Year with Ecuador's new president!
As in previous years, I spent the holidays in Ecuador with my brother and his family. This year the New Year's celebration was something special. We celebrated on the street with the neighbors, including Ecuador's president-elect Rafael Correa.
The tradition in Ecuador is to burn an "Ano Viejo" (Old Year), a doll with mask to represent something that was bad in the year past. Mr. Correa said he'd burn himself, perhaps to beat others to the punch. He's also a fan of fireworks. So, when the clock neared midnight, the president-elect and his family were out on the street. So were we.
Mr. Correa is a very charming, charismatic man, very chatty and always smiling, at least that's what he was like on New Year's eve. He's very open and will come up to you and ask questions, for example how much the bundle of fireworks that we were shooting after midnight cost. But he's also happy to answer questions about the challenges he faces. Ecuador has had several presidents in the past decade that were ousted before finishing their term.
Our family chatted with his and we presented him with a bottle of champagne. After midnight, we shared several glasses of Champagne, lit fireworks together and some of us walked away with a Cohiba cigar from a box that Mr. Correa had been given by Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba.
(In the picture, Mr. Correa is the man in the blue sweatshirt, third person from the left. My brother has his arm around him, I am standing in the back. The rest of the group are neighbors and family.)
The tradition in Ecuador is to burn an "Ano Viejo" (Old Year), a doll with mask to represent something that was bad in the year past. Mr. Correa said he'd burn himself, perhaps to beat others to the punch. He's also a fan of fireworks. So, when the clock neared midnight, the president-elect and his family were out on the street. So were we.
Mr. Correa is a very charming, charismatic man, very chatty and always smiling, at least that's what he was like on New Year's eve. He's very open and will come up to you and ask questions, for example how much the bundle of fireworks that we were shooting after midnight cost. But he's also happy to answer questions about the challenges he faces. Ecuador has had several presidents in the past decade that were ousted before finishing their term.
Our family chatted with his and we presented him with a bottle of champagne. After midnight, we shared several glasses of Champagne, lit fireworks together and some of us walked away with a Cohiba cigar from a box that Mr. Correa had been given by Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba.
(In the picture, Mr. Correa is the man in the blue sweatshirt, third person from the left. My brother has his arm around him, I am standing in the back. The rest of the group are neighbors and family.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)