
<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18351208981_ab96042a4d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Saturday morning with Daddy">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18351208981_d4c2db8c9a_t.jpg" alt="Saturday morning with Daddy"/>
</a>

The highlight of this month was an eleven day visit from my parents. As always, they got along splendidly with their two grandchildren. Just as expected, Ian's English improved considerably. A skeptic would still consider a lot of what he says to be little more than parroting back the last few syllables he's heard, but he does an increasingly better job of pronouncing those syllables. At dinner with my parents, he concocted sentence constructions as long as "More tomato please, Grandpa!" The boy can't get enough tomatoes. 

### Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17378247136_af7f168895_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dominoes with Grandma">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17378247136_1d45ef85fa.jpg" alt="Dominoes with Grandma"/>
</a>

The most fun way to use dominoes, with Grandma.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17216440188_45d0b4d354_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="iPhoning with Grandpa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17216440188_ea645dc502.jpg" alt="iPhoning with Grandpa"/>
</a>

Reading Grandpa's email.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17205591838_a1ba453964_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Four Grandparents">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17205591838_f058e0241f.jpg" alt="Four Grandparents"/>
</a>

During the brief handoff of grandparents, all four of them were together, which required a portrait: Juan, Betsy, Ian, Nora, Marce, and Paul.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17366831436_da83824908_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Betsy reading to Ian">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17366831436_2c6a9e6a81.jpg" alt="Betsy reading to Ian"/>
</a>

Reading [_Angus and the Ducks_](http://amzn.to/1d9e1WB), a childhood favorite of mine. Ian's not that much into _plot_, per se, when it comes to reading book; he's much more likely to drown out the lector with animal sounds matching the animals drawn in the book.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18343486572_70a199de33_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Dining with Grandpa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18343486572_4f5172c9f6.jpg" alt="Dining with Grandpa"/>
</a>

Eating Italian food with Grandpa.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18349215321_cffe64b3d2_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Silly Grandpa">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18349215321_f8981cfe4f.jpg" alt="Silly Grandpa"/>
</a>

Grandpa and Ian, fresh back from the barber, showing off their new haircuts.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18158660440_fbebf3ae6d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Laundry with Grandma">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18158660440_b2c12d6902.jpg" alt="Laundry with Grandma"/>
</a>

Even the laundry going around and around is interesting when you're two!

No one noticed aside from my wife, but I did a selective desaturation trick on this photo. All the dark surfaces are really red.

### May Camp

Every year in May, Nora has gone away with her preschool class to camp for three days and two nights to [Paradiso Albergue](http://www.albergue-paradiso.com/), an adventure camp for kids about 45 minutes west. Every year she has a great time, but the actual transitions between regular life and camp life have been tough.

[The first year](/2013/05/31/state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2013/), I learned the lesson that I should not do what all the other parents do and follow the kids as they leave school in the morning and parade 100 meters to the bus stop and all load up on the bus to leave for camp. When I did that the first year, it was just too much for Nora to be inside the bus looking out at me, at what she was leaving behind, and she cried. The second year, I dropped her off at school and walked away, which was much less painful for all of us.

This year, Ian and I walked her to school, and both of them, while sharing the burden of the roller suitcase, were rather sullen. Ian, of course, has no sense of what "tomorrow" means, but he sensed, with all the packing, that something was changing and he also sense Nora's unease.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17725222594_919ef07e75_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Unsure about Big Sister going to camp">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17725222594_c3d873e5d9.jpg" alt="Unsure about Big Sister going to camp"/>
</a>

"Pretty unsure about this..." -joint thought bubble

Once she was actually _at_ camp, she had a great time. She told even more stories about her time at camp than in previous years. But, thanks to modern technology, we, the parents, received regular photo and video updates from throughout the 2.5 days. Contrast that to only a few years ago when you were lucky if your kid wrote you a letter at all during camp.

Her return was also disastrous. Her mother went to pick her up from the bus and watched as child after child bounded out of the bus and into their parents' arms with smiles and love. When Nora came out of the bus, she took one look at her mother and said, "Where's my sandwich?" No hello, no hug, nothing but haughty privilege with which a Duchess might treat a nameless servant. Needless to say this was quite hurtful, and probably the low point of the month.

### Baking Cookies with Grandma

So this cute thing happened in the kitchen...

<iframe width="505" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KUBuXKD-dv0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

### Counting Sheep That Say Moo

One of Ian's favorite pastimes is to have "read" a book to him – i.e. point to each farm animal and say the name so that he can make the sound. He is _really_ good at animal sounds. However there's one that he refuses to say. Whenever there's a sheep, I say, "Sheep", and he repeats "_Seep_", and I say "Baa!", and he says, "No. Moo!!" I correct him and he insists almost to the point where I begin to question my own knowledge of ovine and bovine vocalizations. It's gone from funny to frustrating and back to funny again.

One day, during a car ride, Nora decided to teach Ian how to count. She has this trick where she can say, "Ian, la la la!", to which he responds, "La la la!", and from that point on, his parroting engine is engaged, and he will repeat whatever words are next said to him. Whenever I am trying to get him to pronounce a complicated word, like "sixth", and he refuses, Nora will step in and say something to the effect of, "Stand back old man, I've got this," do her "La la la!" trick, and immediately get him to say the word. So Nora began to say, "One, two, three", and Ian would repeat back, "One, two, ONE!!", shouting the last word. They did this about twenty times, so it got so ingrained that now you can just ask him to count to three, and he'll say, "One, two, ONE!!" It's interesting that he understands how many numbers he needs to say, so he groks the concept of three, but then just goes back to the previous number for the final word. Toddler brains...

### Five day old burrito

We've been up a few times now to see our friend [Agustín's donkeys](/2014/12/03/donkey-sunday/). But this month one of his donkeys gave birth, so we went up to see the little five day old donkey foal. It was a [jenny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_(donkey)), so a _burrita_ rather than a _burrito_. The mother wouldn't let us anywhere near her, though, for good evolutionary reasons. But the kids had fun feeding and riding (Ian, at least) the other donkeys.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18322851096_2453b636f4_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18322851096_575a79d32a.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

D'awwww!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18161558540_efc4511edb_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18161558540_a71d01f87f.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

Gimme the bread, kid!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17726700864_a26a2eb5ca_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17726700864_f1782c6000.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

He looked a bit concerned that he might slide down the neck.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18163139699_28cedf412f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18163139699_abb9576182.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

Nora wouldn't stop saying, "Okay, get me back down, now!" the whole time she was on the beast.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17726712454_e660c709f1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/17726712454_51335dbfea.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

Later that day, in a completely separate place, we happened upon five more donkeys and a foal. Ah, springtime!

### Bullfighting

As a young boy in Spain, the time finally arrived for Ian to fight his first bull.

<iframe width="505" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hBWbhoehqw8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It was very cool to find the Santoña bullring open to the public. I'd personally never been down in the sand.

### Sibling Cuteness

I'll leave you with some adorable photos and videos of the kids.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18322884516_ff98cd65c0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18322884516_9b14b6affe.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

Sharing a milkshake.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18350815411_c394c589ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Donkey Fun">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18350815411_a90ecfd6b6.jpg" alt="Donkey Fun"/>
</a>

Roaming county roads.

<iframe width="505" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P7_QF0-o1aM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ian's got a mean left foot!

<iframe width="505" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CtVL2z34Dh0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What a great big sister!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18351208981_ab96042a4d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Saturday morning with Daddy">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18351208981_d4c2db8c9a.jpg" alt="Saturday morning with Daddy"/>
</a>

Saturday morning shopping with Daddy.

The state of the offspring is strong! ...and clean!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18158793178_4f24b29c86_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Clean Children">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-31-state-of-the-offspring-address-may-2015/18158793178_70ce2093b7.jpg" alt="Clean Children"/>
</a>


State of the Offspring Address - May 2015


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/17468071784_95f0d7760a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="White Port">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/17468071784_84e96b928a_t.jpg" alt="White Port"/>
</a>

For some years my wife has, often as a Christmas present from her employer, received wooden boxes or cylindrical containers with port wine in them. We have never been very keen on this type of wine; on the rare occasions that we have opened a bottle it has been forgotten, and then used for special recipes that call for port, usually to make rich red sauces.

Port, as you may know is a kind of sweet, fortified wine from Portugal. Much like how alcohol snobs will tell you that you can only call a sparkling white wine “champagne” if it came from the _Champagne_ region of France – and the same for whiskey from Bourbon County, Kentucky – a fortified wine can only be “port” if it was produced in the Douro Valley in Portugal. [![Douro valley](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/15859925951_dbd93c9835.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/129432285@N07/15859925951 "Douro valley by Luis Mota, on Flickr")

Douro Valley, Portugal

![White Port](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/17902738918_f2c334406c.jpg "White Port")

Recently, I discovered a bottle of port at the local grocer that caught my eye. In my experience, port has always been a very dark red color, but there, on the shelf, I saw a bottle of _Oporto Blanco_ – white port!

We discovered that we like white port considerably more than regular (red) port. Red port has always seemed too sweet and heavy, but, while the white port was also sweet, it felt considerably lighter in the mouth. It has a touch of a sour, fruity aroma that makes it very easy to drink. The first sensation in your mouth is the soft sour taste, followed quickly by the sweetness. Where before we never had the inclination to have a glass of port, now we find it very easy to have a little glass any time, before or after a meal. We drink it cool from the fridge in little family heirloom glasses. We have been enjoying the experience.

Since discovering its existence, I have been on the lookout, and it is not available in every supermarket in Spain, but if you're in the UK, it's definitely one of the [wines from Tesco](http://www.tesco.com/wine/product/details/default.aspx?N=8135+4294967128&id=255247248), which you can even order online now.

Port wine originally comes from the production in the Douro Valley in the north of Portugal, and it is named after the city of Porto, where most of this wine was taken to be delivered by ship to different places. The white port is made from white grapes, and it is a fortified wine, this means it has some spirit added, _aguardente_, which literally translates to "fiery water", that stops the fermentation of the wine and therefore there is quite high level of residual sugar in the wine, resulting in the sweetness. Also the alcohol content of this wine is higher than of other wines. The one we bought is 19% alcohol.

The color of white port is a little yellower than typical white wines that I see in this region of Spain. The white ports get darker the longer they are aged in oak barrels; some white ports end up so dark that it can be hard to distinguish what color the original grapes were.

So, I would recommend you give it a try. Even if you are not so fond of regular port, do not rule white port out!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/17929973609_6d04a614a0_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="White port">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-26-porto-branco-white-port/17929973609_93fb816e5d_c.jpg" alt="White port"/>
</a>

_Salud_, _saúde_ and cheers!


Porto Branco – White Port


<img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17980103382_e17f51636f_t.jpg" alt="Relatos Salvajes Title" class="post-thumb"/>Almost fortnight ago, my friend, [@bnanno](https://twitter.com/bnanno) and her husband, recommended a movie to me. I know very little of Argentine cinema, but it was sold to me as "a series of situations in which every step the character takes makes some sense at the time, but that spirals into catastrophe". Personally, I adore fiction, books or movies, in which the protagonist slowly goes mad. I first realized this whilst reading, as a school assignment, Doris Lessing's _To Room Nineteen_, the plot of which I have since forgotten. But movies like [_The Others_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600/?ref_=nv_sr_1), [_Moon_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/), and [_1408_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450385/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_29) are similarly interesting, and the only kind of "horror" movie I can stand.  It was interesting to me that, upon hearing our discussion of _Wild Tales_ as a story of people in tough situations making seemingly rational decisions and ending up as monsters, my father, who had not heard the start of the conversation, mentioned _Breaking Bad_, which is exactly the topic that sparked the recommendation in the first place. We had been talking about _Breaking Bad_, and @bnanno and her husband had said, "You know, you really should check out _Wild Tales_."

![Relatos Salvajes 1](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17983743581_de649e31b3.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 1")

I enjoyed this movie very much. It was divided into six separate short stories. The first of which takes place on a plane.

I could tell from the opening credit sequence that followed that this would be a _very_ well made movie. Normally I fast forward through the opening sequence, but this one held me spellbound. The cinematography, directing, and acting were absolutely superb.

![Relatos Salvajes 2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17362495053_f01c73a108.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 2")

The second story takes place in a little diner.

![Relatos Salvajes 3](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17795381950_e902944cdc.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 3")

The third story involves road rage.

![Relatos Salvajes 4](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17795152568_332f953dac.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 4")

The fourth story features a man frustrated that his car keeps getting towed. This might have been my favorite.

![Relatos Salvajes 5](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17956572126_860775af68.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 5")

The fifth story is about how a rich family handles a situation where the young son hits a pedestrian. This reminded me of why I loved [_Reasonable Doubt_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_Doubt_(2014_film)) so much, because hitting a pedestrian is something that could happen to any of us.

![Relatos Salvajes 6](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-22-wild-tales-relatos-salvajes/17362496733_79e5ffda8e.jpg "Relatos Salvajes 6")

The sixth, and final story, tells of a wedding going all to hell. The first five stories involved prideful men letting their egos ruin them, and I was glad to see the final vignette feature a woman snapping, too.

I highly recommend this film. It is in Spanish, and by "Spanish", I mean Argentinian Spanish. I watched it with English subtitles on, which helped a lot in the times when they used some slang that is not in my Castilian vocabulary. And all the [voseo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voseo). _Vos sos argentino, ¿no?_

Great flick. Check it out. Well done, Damián Szifron.


Wild Tales – Relatos Salvajes


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799146976_330ea1702a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799146976_b4846aa98c_t.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

After we finished our [champagne pumpkin risotto](/2012/11/06/autumn-recipe-pumpkin-almond-risotto/) on Sunday, the cloudy sky opened up and it was looking like we'd have a nice sunny afternoon, so we decided to return to the [_Cueva del Valle_ park](/2014/10/27/cueva-del-valle-rasines-cantabria/), about a fifteen minute drive from home. Just like last time, we were struck by how good it feels to have the kids out running around in the nature and the dirt. Caves were explored, many, many pebbles got thrown, and some of us even petted a slug. Stick around to see some photos...  <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637630098_0dcb334dc6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637630098_ff79122920.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

The wooly mammoth statue was a hit again. I can't decide if the through-the-trees lighting ruined or really made this photograph.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825442625_75bceba86c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825442625_f08cf6effb.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

Sitting on a tusk.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17639202599_0e434fe3fa_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17639202599_2c3827320b_z.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

A creek, as seen from some stepping stones. The creek came in very handy to help wash our hands and my knife after I peeled and distributed slices of a pear and an apple.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825447735_84f4171d11_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825447735_d7ae7aba18.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

My cave family.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17202944504_011e183ed9_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17202944504_e092b5b10f.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

See that dark sliver in the middle there? This visit we were brave enough to venture in there. It's so nice that modern smart phones double as flashlights!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825926591_da79d096ef_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825926591_543be5bf41.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

It was pretty drippy in there, and I taught Nora about stalactites and stalagmites.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799146976_330ea1702a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799146976_b4846aa98c.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

The view looking back out of the cave.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637916400_a3e4a49ea1_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637916400_4ab1599360_z.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

This is Ian opting out of being in a photo.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17822658692_28c5723710_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17822658692_7c7bf55693_z.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

This poor slug got manhandled – not by me! I ain't touchin' that! – in the name of science education.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825939091_f6fe6d2251_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17825939091_54f1e07f22_z.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

Some pretty lichen I saw.

Towards the end of the day, when it was time to turn back to the car, Nora and I went just a little further up a hill to explore. We found two old metallurgical furnaces and the ruins of two stone structures.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799163876_4cb8de5c58_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17799163876_015a2b4f76.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

A second after I took this, Nora called me over and pointed to a foot-long snake she had discovered. To my surprise, she didn't seem at all concerned with her proximity to the serpent.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637927600_ecb5c16f56_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cave Park">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-18-cave-children/17637927600_e4d4b5bfdd.jpg" alt="Cave Park"/>
</a>

A little girl behind bars.

We hope to continue to go back to this place and explore some more. Thanks for sticking with us through the photos. Until next time...


Cave Children


[![Ibiza and Formentera August and September 2011](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-17-ibiza-party-island-of-the-med/6116273096_053c120064_t.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/6116273096 "Ibiza and Formentera August and September 2011 by David Sim, on Flickr")Lately, I have had different groups of friends talking to me about Ibiza. A married couple with a 5 year old girl that choose Ibiza every year for their holidays, a woman from our salsa group that went there for her bachelorette party and other women that have gone there twice for their holidays, and I have grown interested in the little island.

Ibiza has tourism as its main economical activity, and from November to March there is not much activity. From April to October is when all the tourism happens with good weather in general, even though there can be storms which can leave a couple of inches of water running down the streets. [![Ibiza 2010_9211](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-17-ibiza-party-island-of-the-med/12973769984_47666d86c5.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_3/12973769984 "Ibiza 2010_9211 by Franz-Josef Molitor, on Flickr")

There are five different areas in Ibiza. _Santa Eulalia_ is the one that families choose for lodging, where you can easily recognize a gorgeous [Thomson Scene](http://www.thomson.co.uk/holidays/scene). In San Antonio, you only have to be there for one evening to see an amazing sunset over the water. After strolling around, the port area is a nice place to relax and enjoy a drink on one of the terraces. But what Ibiza is really oriented towards is clubbing holidays, vacations where you sleep during the day and party all night.

[![Ibiza, Spain](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-17-ibiza-party-island-of-the-med/2662885217_504642d632.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/philiplarson/2662885217 "Ibiza, Spain by Philip Larson, on Flickr")

During the day there are endless _calas_, small beach coves, that are beautiful to visit and explore.

All night long, the biggest parties happen in all the different discotheques of the island. During the day several times you can be approached by people who give you vouchers, and other discounts trying to make you interested in going to their disco for the night party. You normally have to pay for the entrance and there might be included a drink or not, depending on the chosen place. People of all ages from many countries go to a Ibiza, but especially youngsters attracted by the beach, the music, and the parties that are available day and night. Ibiza is famous all around Europe for techno-dance music. Search YouTube for "ibiza music" if you want an example. There is also a pretty lively transvestite scene in Ibiza, with parades and dedicated bars.

[![IBIZA DISCO](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-17-ibiza-party-island-of-the-med/3766255131_519098f971.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/fefe_studio/3766255131 "IBIZA DISCO by José Luis Zapata Ruiz, on Flickr")

In October, all the discotheques have a Closing Party, marking the end of the party season. So remember, if you choose to go to Ibiza, don't forget it has to be from April to October! What are you waiting for?

[![Ibiza and Formentera August and September 2011](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-17-ibiza-party-island-of-the-med/6116273096_053c120064.jpg)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/6116273096 "Ibiza and Formentera August and September 2011 by David Sim, on Flickr")

Photos by [Frans-Josef Molitor](https://www.flickr.com/photos/molly_3/12973769984/), [Philip Larson](https://www.flickr.com/photos/philiplarson/2662885217/), [José Luis Zapata Ruiz](https://www.flickr.com/photos/fefe_studio/3766255131/), and [David Sim](https://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/6116273096/), respectively.


Ibiza – Party Island of the Med

Boating In The Bay – A Daunting Tale of a Family Marooned


<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408025592_a85f51b068_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image post-thumb" title="Crystal Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408025592_f46bc2159b_t.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden"/>
</a>

My parents are currently visiting us. One of the gifts that they brought for six-year-old Nora was a little crystal garden. It came in a little box, containing a plastic tray, some colored paper, four packets of clear liquid, and some instructions. Nora and her grandmother followed the instructions and placed the paper in the grooves of the plastic, and then Nora and I poured the packets of "water" into the grooves to irrigate the garden, and we watched as capillary action sucked the water all the way up to the top of the little paper trees and mountain. By then it was about time for Nora to head to school, but the packet said that in the two hours she'd be gone, crystals should begin to grow.  I think I saw the first crystal within five minutes. I was amazed at how fast they formed. I swear that I saw one literally pop into existence while I was staring at it. I thought it would be more like watching an hour hand move, where you can't really see any change happen before your eyes, but it was faster than that.

One of the liquid packets got mixed up, and the grass/flower liquid got used on the mountain. We thought that we might get a grass-covered mountain, but we didn't, so, from our mistake, we gained the knowledge that the chemicals specifying the colors of the crystals were in the paper, not the liquid. I also think it's reasonable to assume that, since they included the liquid, it was more than just water.

I set up my tripod and camera to take photos of the crystals. I thought it would be slower than it was, so I set the interval to one minute per frame. So the entire 6.5 hours that I recorded ended up being only 13 seconds worth of video.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408041762_cfbc8f3e91_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crystal Garden Timelapse">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408041762_8773926c0f.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden Timelapse"/>
</a>

We didn't take much care to reduce flicker or movement, as we just barely kept Little Mister Two-Year-Old from destroying the entire garden. It was left under a window, so it had bright light during the day, and then artificial light when the sun went down. Even so, with such little effort, I'm pleased with the result.

<iframe width="505" height="284" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WWt6-8jmcNk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's 1080p, so fullscreen that bad boy.

Here are some stills...

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/16787460884_d0f964d577_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crystal Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/16787460884_2df34b9742.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden"/>
</a>

The tree blossoms were impressive. So many grew that some of them fell down.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408025592_a85f51b068_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crystal Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17408025592_f46bc2159b.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden"/>
</a>

Some of the "grass" bits sprouted green grass, and others flowers.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17222422190_2e92f7dbe5_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crystal Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17222422190_f711cb9648.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden"/>
</a>

There was more snow on the back of the mountain than the front. Isn't it just like snow to disappoint?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17222427560_4dbf9c6812_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Crystal Garden">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2015-05-07-growing-crystals/17222427560_ba51c026c2.jpg" alt="Crystal Garden"/>
</a>

What a cool little project!


7 posts from May, 2015