Experience Albania: Travel, Pictures, History, Culture

Ben heads out to San Francisco this afternoon and I follow early tomorrow morning.
Regina Haglund (high school friend) will pick me up and we’ll spend all of tomorrow and some of Wednesday morning together.
After that, I get to explore the city and then meet up with Ben when he’s done with work on Thursday.
Happy travels!

Ah, the French Press. It makes coffee taste really, really great. It doesn’t require filters or electricity.
I wonder how I’ll feel about ditching this mode of coffee making for the Turkish style. Albanians drink Turkish coffee, which is made with a Turkish coffee maker.

I’ve had a cup of Greek coffee before, but [...]

Today, K^2 (Katie Ploeger and I) did a great thing. We made a trip that was well in order and long past due.
It was a trip just 1.5 hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul.
A trip to see Tasha in her hometown of Nelson, WI.
We bundled up and headed outside to walk around their huge spawl of [...]

I’ve been extremely lucky to babysit for a handfull of great families throughout my “after-graduation-until-my-PeaceCorps-departure” limbo time.
I can count on a fun projects like this one whenever I go into the Schmidt household, which happens to be just two doors down the street. Katie, age 8, is a fun and creative, an over all [...]

Babysitting Gracy last week was so great - she has the cuteness and personality to go with it in every way possible. Ben took over the bedtime routine shortly after snapping this photo, which included a group “lay down” and walking around with Gracy in-arm until she fell asleep.
She’s one-of-a-kind and I’ll say it [...]

It’s only happened a few times … but when you’re driving through the lanes of Linden Hills and Ben’s alter ego comes out of left field, you feel blessed to have your camera handy.
Lesson: keep a digital camera in your pocket at all times and put it to use, especially when your subject shouts “Ain’t [...]

P2120555

Originally uploaded by nicollet.

On the road again …
After the flames and fireworks at the Big Burn, some much needed peace.

Katie and Ben

Originally uploaded by nicollet.

The Big Burn revisited!

Pre Matt Pond photos:

Katie and Ben

Patty, Lori, and Adam - Congratulations, Patty, on passing your Nursing Boards!

Yesterday, I headed up to CSB/SJU to visit four excellent people from my St. Joe/Collegeville past and one favorite cousin in St. Cloud.
The day started and ended with caffeine in various forms and was set up as a progressive schedule of seeing and saying goodbye to Norma in the library, Patty Allen at Meeting Grounds, [...]