Geology

Flying over the Caribbean, I caught sight of this. It is so cool how you can see the mountain under water rising up to beach. 

Carnavel 2015 Cozumel

To get Jen and Nora out of freezing New York City, we met up for a week in Cozumel, Mexico.  This week happened to be Carnival Week, so we were there for the Fat Tuesday parade.  It was a good time.

Nora with the largest pina colada ever sold.

Cotton candy, anyone?

the spectacle of Carnaval.

it's blurry, but one person was supporting most of those feathers.

A float full of men dressed as Miss Piggy.  We don't know why or how, but I loved it.

sweet glitter. 

Estrellas de Bailar

posing for group photos

 In Cozumel, we ran across this group of dancers twice.  Estrellas de bailar is a dance school in Cozumel with dancers ages 7-17.  Two groups put on ten minute performances, which were quite a spectacle.  But first, their parents had to take pictures of them for 15 minutes.

 younger dancers performing

The older group, who incorporated some cool Bollywood moves into their performance

I love this picture- two of the girls snuck away from the group to gossip with each other during picture time

Holland 2015

Every year, ISP sends a delegation to a Model UN conference in the Hague.  As the director, that means I get to go with them. The conference is so-so, but we always have a great week in Holland.

The Escher Museum allows visitors to take pictures, which is awesome.

Could this picture be any more Dutch?  Maybe if there were tulips in the basket.

Best meal of my visit.  Brie toastie and mouthwatering frites.

The huge skating rink across from the I AMsterdam sign.

Christmas Eve dinner with the O'Mara clan

Our little family has been adopted by this clan for many joyful Christmas pasts. This year was no exception- lots of laughs, great food, and time with good friends.

Carolyn and Laura, Christmas Eve 2014

A table full of laughs above and dogs running around below 

So much good food...

Cutest Pottery Barn Christmas table setting EVER

Carolyn is blown away by the worlds' smallest Christmas present

Bolivia VI- Chuletas

Throughout Bolivia, the indigenous Andean peoples have retained a lot of their culture.  Many speak Quechua or another Andean language, and have continued their clothing, food, and religious ethnicity.  Probably because the Spaniards were too lazy to climb the Andes and discover these groups, which allowed them to protect their culture for a few hundred years.

In Bolivia, the indigenous men dress in jeans.  But the indigenous ladies, called Chuletas, wear a very specific uniform: a plain blouse covered by a knit shawl (for warmth), a multi-layered knee-length skirt (which mimics colonial Spanish wear for women, and is warm), knee-high woolen socks, long braids,  and a bowler cap (brought by the British during the silver rush of the mid 19th century).

Diving in Coiba

Coiba is a protected national park on the Pacific coast of Panama.  The marine life is amazing.  And as the dive shop says, "Sharks Guaranteed."  Here are some of the best pictures.

A seahorse.  An honest to goodness seahorse, about 2" long.

White tipped reef sharks. Don't worry, they are vegetarians.  

White tipped reef sharks travel in herds, called a frenzy of sharks.  

Schools of fish everywhere, just like in  Finding Nemo.

Spotted Eel, 

Laura en La Mar

Sea turtle, the first I've seen.  I imagine him talking in a surfer voice.