Back Stateside from Bolivia (and ode to Mindy)

El Salar de Uyuni

Wow! I am finally back home, after 3 weeks on the road in South America. What an amazing trip! It seems odd to be back stateside, and this is the longest period of time (3 weeks) since residency started that I have been away from Sacramento. While I go back to "work" tomorrow, starting Sports Medicine 2, I figured I should post some of the remainder of trip pictures and relive what has been an unbelievably memorable vacation.

I wanted to recount how wonderful this trip was because of the people I was with. I cannot say enough wonderful things about how great a travel partner Mindy was, and so bear with me as I recount some "highlights" of Mindy amidst the highlights of our trip.

Mindy is ...
Positive
We had a bit of a disappointing day on Lake Titicaca, whereas, despite paying for a half-day tour to Isla Del Sol (which is supposed to be the birthplace of Incan religion), we ended up being dropped off on the North side of the island for a full day, which did not fit in to our travel plans to head to La Paz later in the day. After a 2 hour boat ride there (to the wrong port), we (due to the boat captain's decision that our plans were just "not mainstream") basically just had to turn right around and book it back on a return boat in order to catch our bus. While both disappointed at not being able to visit the island, Mindy and I had to look on the bright side of things (and she certainly helped me do so) in that we enjoyed a beautiful boat ride on the lake in lovely sunny weather.

Me, demonstrating disappointment


Mindy, uplifting as always


The sun at Lake Titicaca had this perpetual rainbow ring around it!!!

Bolivian flag

In better moods...

Mindy is fun!!!!
Oh my word. I cannot tell you how much fun we had on this trip.

From Lake Titicaca, we headed through La Paz to Uyuni, a town in southwestern Bolivia, in order to visit the Salar, which is the world's largest salt flat. It used to be a huge lake, but now is 12,000 square kilometers of awe-inspiring and explorable desert. Enjoy these pictures, which were really fun to take!

Jumping for joy

Lines in the sand made from changes in temperature

Train cemetary

Salt house (we learned that, in rainy season from Jan-March, these houses are just covered so that they do not "melt").

Badge, a Brit we met along the way, "tasting" the blocks of the Salt Hotel!

Trick photos

"On me"

Badge, "eating" the girls

Us, jumping out of Mindy's daypack



Natalie, "in" my shoe


"Hangman"

Flamingoes!

With our friends Badge and Natalie, who shared our trip jeep

Salar sunset

Mindy is... Athletic

The second day of our Salar tour started with hiking volcan Tunupa, which is over 5400 meters. As I mentioned before, Mindy is a serious hiker, having climbed over 30 of Colorado's 14000 ft peaks. She will climb anything that is nearby! After several hours of hiking, we had to turn back in order to be back "on time" for lunch and so were about 20 minutes short of the "Crater" view, but we had great views of both the colorful volcanic peak and the vast expanse of the Salar while doing so. It was so awesome to be able to do so much serious hiking on this trip with someone as interested is staying "active" as I am! And, with us having to do quite a lot of running to catch buses at altitude, Mindy led the way!

Volcan Tunupa

Isla del Pescado (day 2), or island of cactuses amidst the desert

Tasting salt of the salt flat...

Mindy is ... Adventurous
I think that I am a fairly adventurous person overall and game for most anything as far as experiences go; however, my dear friend Mindy definitely has me beat. Despite hiking the Andes, climbing another volcano at the Uyuni salt flat, braving the streets of Lima and La Paz, and paragliding off a cliff in Miraflores in Lima, Mindy wanted to go mountain biking on the "most dangerous road in the world" or "Death Road" outside of La Paz, which boasts (due to steep declines and hairpin turns) the most fatalities per year.


Unfortunately (for her--- I, on the other hand, felt a bit fortunate that my life may have been spared), the all-day trip down this death road did not fit into our plans due to our bus arrival times and cost; however, I gained new awe of my formerly sane and tame college roomie due to her ambition to travel this street!!!

Instead, we played in La Paz's city park, wandered the streets, visited the outskirts, and saw the music museum.

Park Mirador, with Mt. Illamani in the distance

City park slide

Alligator!

We played a big game of chess, my first!

Valle de la Luna, a series of canyons outside the city of La Paz

Beer is very fizzy at high altitude!

Plaza Murillo

An adorable child, feeding pigeons in the plaza


Mindy is... patient

While we were trying to figure out which tour company we'd go with for our Salar tour, I was getting stressed at all the attention we were getting from competing representatives. I'm not a good bargainer, and I kind of like to just get things set rather than spend a lot of time comparing and dealing with choices. Mindy, however, was always calm, collected, rational, and a perfect complement to careful decision-making.

Here is Mindy, calmly calling phone numbers from a public phone in Lima, which I could also not figure out and which caused me a lot of frustration!!

Mindy is thrifty
I thought I loved a good bargain! Mindy travels just as frugally as I do! I love it! She would, without fail, halve any cost a taxi driver tried to charge us. She bargains like no other. She has no problem eating crackers and fruit from grocery stores to have more money for better meals and better adventures later. She, like I, did not want to pay more than $7 for a hotel room in Bolivia, even though it had the best hot showers we had all trip. And she was game to spend a half an hour to try to flag down a microbus to get to La Paz airport rather than spending $4 on a taxi. We spent more money ($135) on the visa to enter Bolivia than we did the whole week!

View from our plane departing La Paz

Mindy is flexible

I know very few people would not complain once about 12-hour 0vernight bus rides to get to/from Uyuni for 2 days. Mindy did so without blinking an eye. Despite not sleeping anywhere for more than one consecutive night of this trip and not always knowing if we'd get a room, shower, or food, she never worried that things wouldn't work out; I loved her flexibility and adaptability.

Mindy is prepared

I am a terrible packer. Although I did a pretty good job of coming with what I needed for the trip, Mindy put me to shame! She came with all kinds of awesome travel gadgets which I now feel the need to purchase, including clothing compression sacs, an inflatable travel pillow, water filter, and non-nerdy headlamp, among others.... all of which fit into her neat backpack. She truly is a packing and organization-inspiration!

Mindy is considerate

I cannot believe how accommodating and considerate Mindy is. I think I recounted the story before about, despite her 0% interest in going sand dune hiking, her "110%" commitment to going with me. She is also incredibly generous!!! She never failed to share with me her seemingly-endless supply of candy corn and starburst snacks. I couldn't have asked for a more kind travel partner. I only hope that I was as considerate in return!

Mindy is musical

There are very few people who would put up with my random breakings into soundracks for Lion King, Sound of Music, or the fact that I think that Christmas music is fair game at any time of the year. Mindy (who was my college junior music recital partner) is the same way!!!!! Bring on the tunes!

The Museo de Instrumentos in Lima

Tocando the chimes

We (including Kelvin and Chamreun, who had a blast in Buenos Aires, Argentina) returned to Lima on the 30th and had one more day to relax before flying back home. I mentioned before that we paraglided in Miraflores (sorry no pics, as my camera shutter stopped working on the last day of the trip!); we also got to catch up with a friend of Mindy's from highschool who lives in Lima, as well as Juan Carlos, a Peruvian doctor I met while working on a medical trip in Iquitos in 2005. We had ceviche one last time, wandered through a beautiful park of fountains in Lima, and were taken straight to the airport by our city hosts. It was a fantastic end to a fantastic trip.

Despite a long day of travel, I am home. And I already miss Mindy, who made it safely back to her home in Colorado Springs! I wonder when our next travel adventure will be. New Zealand 2010???! :)

The (salty) taste of Bolivia

Hello from La Paz!

I am trying to upload just ONE picture from Mindy and my spectacular trip through the Salar of Uyuni (the world´s largest salt flat) to give you a taste of our latest Bolivian adventure, but I (quite technologically-challenged at times) cannot seem to get my memory card reader to work from our hostel in La Paz. Bummer! There was some more serious hiking, we met some hilarious people along the way, the sights were surreal, and I can´t wait to share pictures. However, it will have to wait until either from Lima (where we return tomorrow), or Sacramento, where I will return on Sunday. Can´t believe it´s back to the grind on Monday.

It has been an unbelievable trip, with too many laughs and memories to count.
Besos y abrazos!!!

Andean Adventures: Peru, Part 2

Hello from Bolivia! I have a rather slow internet connection, but am doing my best to upload some photos from the past week.


It has been a phenomenal vacation so far!



After my week in Pampas-Huaraz, Mindy (college roommate), Kelvin (residency friend), and Chamreun (Kelvin´s friend from jr high), met me in Lima for the next part of our adventure in Peru.



Quick pics from my wandering around Lima, where I visited the San Francisco Monastery, Inquisition Museum, and China town!



I love how everything in Peru has the -ito suffix!





We headed south on a bus to Nazca, which is famous for the Nazca Lines, mysterious sand art drawings made in the desert sand, which are quite impressive when viewed from the overflight. They were likely made between 900 BC and 600 AD, but no one knows the significance!


Mindy and me before the flight


"The astronaut" (looks like ET!)

Unfortunately, the overflight, complete with "now left, now right," left most of us very nauseated and some of us (i.e. me) with the experience of losing breakfast....

here is me with my barf bag...

Despite vomiting, we had great food in Nazca, including ceviche, which I could easliy eat, and love, for every meal...




We spent the afternoon in Nazca being quite adventurous and hiking up to the Cerro Blanco, supposedly the world´s highest sand dune. Although we got started late in the day, making our guide, David, nervous we (girls) wouldn´t hike fast enough, we made it in time to do-try some sandboarding, which quickly became sand-sledding. Although our hike back was entirely in the dark, and our shoes, clothes, ears, and mouths were filled with sand, it was an awesome experience! Even Mindy, who was not super thrilled about the idea to start with (her quote was, and which shows how good a friend she is, was "I am 0% interested in that, but I will 110% go with you!") had a good time :)


Kelvin-Chamreun

stone towers at the top

We then overnight-bussed it to Cusco for time to start our 4d trek in the Lares Valley. We were with a company called Chaska, and I cannot say enough great things about them. We four were paired with two Australians, Daniela and Lily, who were so fun, and the whole staff, including Susana and Huber, our guide, were outstanding. The food was amazing, the scenery spectacular, and the company just as great. Although Chamreun got pretty altitude sick, and the hiking (combined with rainy-haily-cold weather) was certainly not easy, we all made it up and down the mountains, which included 2 passes of 4450 and 4900 meters (just over 16,000 feet, which is the highest I´ve ever been!) . Although she totally schooled us, even Mindy, who has summited 34 of Colorado´s "fourteeners" (14,000 ft peaks) and Mt. Kilimanjaro, was challenged at times.



Our group (Daniela, Mindy, me, Kelvin, Chamreun, Lily)



with Kelvin

Huber and me



Llamas!

Clothing discrepancy!

Al fin

The Valley (Daniela likes taking diagonal pics!)

After the three days of hiking, we spent the fourth day visiting Machu Picchu, the Lost Incan city.


Enjoying mojitos in Aguas Calientes





Although I had been there in 2005, Machu Picchu is one of the most spectacular sights I have seen in the world, and certainly not overrated. We hiked Wayna Picchu and got great info from our wonderful guide, Huber.











Sudoko on the train back to Poroy.




Today, Mindy and I made our way to Puno and then to Copacaobana, Bolivia, where we will visit la Isla del Sol tomorrow and then continue on southbound (the boys are headed to Argentina).


Lake Titicaca sunset



Back to the states on 11-1-09. We are getting kicked out of internet!
Miss you all!
Love from Bolivia!!

Peru: Parte uno

Wow! It´s hard to believe that one week (of my three weeks) in Peru has passed. It feels like ages since I´ve been in the states! I am blogging from the guesthouse in Lima, with a foreign keyboard, so I apologize in advance for all the crazy punctuation typos which I will probably let slide :)

It has been a fantastic trip so far! I left Sacramento last Saturday and made it to Lima late, late in the evening after basically sleeping away all 12hrs of flights or so :) Although I certainly was sleep deprived, coming off OB nights with subsequent clinic, packing, and Friday night partying at Rocky´s, I keep my not-being-able-to-stay-awake-on-a-plane streak alive :) Dr. Mayes and the group of 15 Univ. of Richmond sophomores (part of this SSIR, or sophomore scholars in residence program) participating in his Global Health seminar, arrived and met me about 5 hours later in the Lima airport. After a sendoff breakfast at the home of the Espinozas (who started the nonprofit organization Pan Peru which serves the town, Pampas Grande, where we stayed), we drove the 8 hrs to the mountain town of Huaraz.

Huaraz

(I could live with waking up with this view every day! I think itçs the peak Huascaran, but I am not totally sure)

Students in el mercado

The next day, we drove another 5 hrs or so to the tiny pueblito of Pampas Grande, which lies at around 12,500 feet or so amidst the breathtaking Cordillera Blanca mountains of the Andes.

Pampas Grande, or "Pampas" as we called it

We were welcomed with a (much appreciated) meal of traditional cuy (roasted guinea pig) which I´m proud that the students tried! I´m glad the head was left off (when I was in Peru in 2005, I definitely got some cuy con cabeza!)

Here is Becky (another UR alum, and fellow adulto on the trip whose company I much enjoyed!) with her cuy!

We tried to acclimatize to both the weather (cold, cloudy) and altitude by going on a walk with the kids. Some photos of la gente

Leni and me

Las niñas loved playing with Kaitlin´s hair!

Ovejas

Welcome dinner, con mucho bailando

We spent the next 2 days participating in various activities regarding health promotion in the town. The Richmond students led workshops on toothbrushing, sex education, talks on first aid, child abuse, and domestic violence prevention.

Here is a picture of Becky and me in our Pan Peru vests, ready to start the day. 7 am was about the peak of warmth in Pampas when the sun was out



Me with "joven Jack," as he came to be known

I spent the days in the medical clinic just seeing patients who walked in for free services. They do have this small clinic there all the time, with an "intern" doctor doing his year of service in Pampas ¿all Peruvian medical grads spend one year serving a rural or underserved area before starting residency?... Unfortunately, I didn÷t take that many pictures. I also didnçt see as outrageous things that I did my last time in Peru, in 2005 with Amazon Promise in the jungles around Iquitos, but lots of abdominal pain, gastritis, parasites, and arthritis from hard work in the fields. Somehow, after disclosing the nature of my residency training program, I got labeled a "gynecologist" and ended up seeing lots of people in "consultation" for female problems... interesting. We brought lots of basic medicine to give out including antibiotics, acid blockers, pain medications, cough syrups, etc., along with vitamins, which were appreciated. While I felt that what I was doing did make a small difference, I still felt somewhat empty in thinking that, after weçre gone, I donçt know what would happen to patients that need continued care. There was really no place for things like antihypertensives for chronic high blood pressure, and I only wonder how many undiagnosed diabetics I saw. The work felt a bit limited, and very temporary, without a larger system in place to continue to deliver health care there. However, Pan Peru plans to continue to work to encourage trips like this one which gives us hope.

Here is a posted price list for regular clinic business. To give you an idea, one US dollar equals about 3 soles

Una paciente con su bebe

Las dentistas, who really were hard at work


Pampas at sunset

We spent two more days traveling back to Lima, where the Mayes group left me yesterday.

I have so many thoughts in my head, and while I have tried to convey some of it here, I feel like this blog entry has ended up too objective.

Not apparent in this post is the warmth of the people of Pampas, who welcomed us "gringitos" with such open arms. We were greeted by the schoolchildren of the town, with bouquets of flowers, and who shed tears on our departure, not knowing when they might again see a group of outsiders return to their isolated town. We were served 3 hot meals a day by Lucia and Pedro, which, for 19 people, was no small feat. We were given beds to sleep in and transportation and were cared for immensely. As we were there so briefly, I do wonder whether what we brought to the citizens of Pampas was any more valuable than what we received, in love, education, and experience, which I am certain none of us will forget.

Memories which I am noting for the sake of my own journaling...

= the children of Pampas playing futbol with such passion, and watching them light up at their first sight of a frisbee

= watching "Joven Jack" and his dance moves with the teenage ladies of the town

= how everything in Peru seems to get labeled =ito, which is a sign of affection

= the vast quantity of sopa and te we consumed in the course of the week

= what a tasty lifesaver Sublime chocolate is

= the bitter cold of Pampas and altitude headaches

= how a 50 foot hike up a hill at that elevation made me feel as if I had never worked out in my life

= how 3 days without a shower doesnçt seem that bad...

= the bucket seat and perhaps the most uncomfortable van ride of my life

= a van of college students singing Replay, over and over and over again

There are so many more things to say but not enough words to say them. The trip made me extremely nostalgic for college, as I remembered those days without worries about future jobs or responsibilities. I did kind of feel old ¿Becky and I, with Diana, joked about being the "adultos" that had to go to bed early, as a lot has changed at UR since I graduated in 2003. While, when I was there, there was a Girls" side and Boys" side to Westhampton lake, now the dorms are even co=edª Gottwald ¿the science building? is totally redone. I am wondering when I can next go back to visit.

I am so thankful to Dr. Mayes for inviting me on this trip. What a great and motivating start to another 2 weeks in South America. While I was a bit lonely today, riding public buses and braving the streets of central Lima, which Lonely Planet, on every page, notes is quite "dangerous," I have company joining me later. Mindy, Kelvin, and his friend arrive tonight and we set off for Nazca tomorrow. The plan is to visit the Nazca Lines, then make our way to Cusco, hiking, visiting Machu Picchu, and then Lake Titicaca and Bolivia.

Espero un buen viaje. Hasta luego for now...

Counting down...

So I apologize for my lack-of-blogging recently. Usually that means one thing: a busy schedule with not much (other than work) to discuss. I've been back on OB for the past 2.5 weeks.

I have no cool pictures to post, despite recent outings to the Lodi Grape Fest (beats the Pear fest! :)), Apple Hill (a collection of many orchards about 40 minutes east of here, which was gorgeous and where we got awesome donuts!), and the Dixon (world's largest!) Corn Maze. Last week was my last frisbee outing for a while.

Despite long hours on L and D, it's actually been a good time. Despite a week of antepartum, which is quite painful, I was the "day" resident for one week and got a lot of c-sections. I've had some calls busy with deliveries, which has been fun, and I also got to deliver one of my continuity OB patients last week. I've worked with fun residents and attendings. Now I am on nights, and it hasn't been too bad because I haven't had to spend much time in the ER. The quality of nights/call on OB (for me) is based almost entirely on whether or not I have to go to the ER for a consult on vaginal bleeder, rule out ectopic, or pelvic pain patient. I hate, hate, hate it. I just want to hang out upstairs watching and helping babies be born :) I even got to sleep last night! As an intern, I don't think I even knew there was an OB call room. And I think I only got to sleep once as a 2nd year.

I had a scheduled Saturday 24h call into nights this past weekend which would have been pretty horrible, but Joe kindly came in to relieve me, which gave me a few more hours to sleep and catch up on some "life" stuff, including getting to see Aline (last year's FP/OB grad, now working in Colorado and potentially saving me a spot to practice ;)) who was in town for the ALSO (Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics) course, and getting to celebrate Kyla's birthday (with amazing desserts from Rick's Dessert Diner). We celebrated Jeremy's birthday with Karaoke and Italian food on Friday.

Currently, in my "time off" between around 8:30 am and 6:30 pm, I am working on finalizing/organizing details for PERU!!! I end my week of nights on Friday morning, with post-nights Friday AM "torture" clinic and a circumcision to follow, and leave Saturday morning for Lima. I am excited, although I'm not sure it has hit me yet that I will be out of the country for three weeks! This is, by far (and sadly), my longest (and farthest) trip in residency!

The first week will be spent with Dr. Mayes and a group of University of Richmond sophomores working with a Peruvian organization Pan Peru in Pampas Grande, working in the Andean village's clinic and schools doing health care and health education. Then Mindy, Kelvin, and his friend meet me in Lima to travel around for the remaining 2 weeks. We're planning to visit Nazca and see the lines (mystical sand art), then hike a 4-day trek around and visit Macchu Picchu. Mindy and I will head to Bolivia while I think Kelvin and his friend are going to visit Argentina before meeting back up in Lima at the end to fly back to the states on November 1st. While I will miss many local "fall" activities, including more trips to Apple Hill, Oktoberfests, Halloween parties (I actually don't really like Halloween), and weather which is just perfect (I LOVE fall; and, Hans and Rachel, I bet my "fall" is appreciably warmer than your "fall" :)), I am looking forward to some much needed R and R (my last vacation was in March). It should be a great time!

And while I am not sure I will be a better blogger from South America, I may drop an update once in a while. I will make up for my current lack-of-pictures with pictures on my return. Adios for now...

Lassen

So despite visiting San Diego last weekend (and just an update: the delivery I was so awaiting happened on Tuesday [and went very smoothly, I must and very happily say!]), I still had the travel itch. I have wanted for ages to go visit Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is approximately 180 miles Northeast of Sacramento by Redding. Although the park is open year-round, the main road closes in winter (as early as October, reopening sometimes as late as July) to through-traffic. Due to my current rotation, derm-a-holiday, soon being over (being replaced in a week labor and delivery), this was probably my last chance to visit most of Lassen this season and so, a bit impulsively (and aided by some early morning insomnia), I decided to drive up for a day trip yesterday.

Lassen Peak, which erupted last in 1915, is still considered an active volcano and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The park had beautiful mountain (volcanic) views from the road, as well as cool thermal features (which reminded me a lot of Yellowstone!), pretty lakes, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails. Although my time there was limited, I felt like I got a good taste of a park I'll certainly have to revisit another time! Thanks to Sarah for suggesting the highlights!

Views from the road










Thermal area of Bumpass Hell (kind of a an interesting name... but less offensive when I learned it was named after Kendall Bumpass, a guide who dropped into a boiling pit and lost his leg)

Sulphur Works (and you could definitely smell it!)

Although I got a bit lost, I did go on a moderate-length hike up towards Echo Lake

Nice views of Mt. Lassen

Summit Lake

Guesses... tourist- or self-timer- taken? :)

(Echo Lake)

The drive back from Lassen was just as beautiful as the park! I drove back (a different way than I'd driven there), along Lake Almanor, past little mountain towns like Chester and Greenville, through a deep canyon, and enjoyed watching the sun set over the pine forests.

Railroad, still in use

... which brings me to a random thought.

Although I got great gas mileage on the roads back, I did have to stop once to fuel up. Much like my weakness with gumball machines (I have an absolute inability to walk by one without dropping a quarter to watch a ball roll down the spiral-y chute), I have certain indulgences that I love from gas stations but which, honestly, I never get anywhere else or at other times:

1. Gas station coffee (the stuff like vanilla-mocha-cappucino that comes out of the machine-where-you-push-a-button)

2. Slim jims, or the long-stick-of-meat equivalent

These items made the trip back (a bit longer, closer to 3.5 hours since it was the "scenic route") much more enjoyable!

I'd be curious what strange things other people must have from gas stations!

Counting down:

- 1 week until (as I mentioned above) I head back to L and D

- 4 weeks until my next trip: Peru!

Labor day weekend in San Diego!

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore California?

I am so excited by seeing/visiting new places and despite all the cool places I have gotten to visit in 2 years, there is still so much left of this great state to explore! This weekend's getaway was to San Diego.

The only and last time I was in SD was circa 1992 or so with my family, where my (albeit fuzzy and random) memories included visiting the zoo and seeing two-headed snake named Thelma and Louise, and experiencing a 6.5 earthquake after-shock (after sleeping through the 7.4 initial shake [mom, can you verify?]). It was fun to go back to the city as an "adult!"

Molly's friend Laura from Salt Lake is from San Diego and we were fortunate enough to have free lodging at her beautiful house in La Mesa.

Saturday included a run around Mission Beach (mine just a few miles out and back, while Molly [who has done a 50-mile run] and Laura [training for a marathon]'s jog was a mere half-marathon to La Jolla and back!). We then had some quality beach time, including napping in the sunshine, reading, as well as body surfing in the glorious 73-degree water. I could not get over that I (someone who hates being cold and is generally very hesitant to get into ocean water) was voluntarily swimming in the ocean.... in September. I really can't remember the last time I swam in the ocean!

The girls: Laura, Molly [a.k.a the non-sunscreen-wearer... can you see her sweet "horseshoe" sunburn? :)] and me


Sweet San Diego sand (and recent pedicure)

We finished the already near-perfect day with a night of delicious sushi at Mr. Sushi in Pacific Beach.

Me and Molly (acquiescing to a picture after she wouldn't let me photograph her tree-climbing)


On Sunday, we headed out to walk the beach at another gorgeous stretch of coastline on Coronado Island.

Molly and Scott (Laura's brother), beachcombing


Frank, Jed, and Laura




"Dog Beach" which was surprisingly clean!



Large sand turtle!

The historic Hotel Del Coronado

Scott and Molly just behind the "Hotel Del" (don't you hate this view?? :) We were also commenting on how much we would hate to live in one of the many mansions flanking the isle's streets)

Scott (sporting brand new shades) and me

Unfortunately, all of us but Laura had to head back home Sunday night (Mols to work today and me b/c my Capital Ones miles only covered my trip for free if I flew back on 9/6); however, I had a late flight and was able to do a bit more exploring. I walked around La Jolla ("The Jewel"), a kind of posh community up on cliffs overlooking the ocean, before driving around downtown a bit (surprisingly, San Diego is quite easily navigable) and wandering around Balboa Park, which houses tons of museums and gardens and includes the famous Zoo.

I have a thing for rose gardens, and this was a nice one!

Lily Pond

Frothy fountain by the Science Museum (I loved watching the suds- soaked kiddos splash around!)

And .... for the icing on the cake that was this glorious past weekend... (ok, well, the second icing, as the first icing was NOT having to work today on labor day and having a day to recover from having so much fun in SD!)

.... Just prior to leaving southern California, I was, nerdily, checking EMR via San Diego Airport's free wireless network. Although the weekend would have still definitely been worth it if labor day weekend had included labor that I missed, to my great pleasure, I discovered that I had not missed my patient's delivery. I was blessed with a marvelous gift of a weekend.

As Voltaire wrote, "God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well." Thank you all for your previous comments which made me feel justified in the decision to "seize the weekend." May we all continue to live well.