Summer 2013. Where are you heading for vacation?

[Glenn66]

It would have to be a pretty goat!

[Woolgar]

I can beat that how about 5 camels and a goat, Shipping on me!!!!

Too late! Mrs Woolgar is now in a Bedouin tent with her new owner!

Nick

[Jerry B]

Some pics from Skye and Rasaay, typically Scottish, though we had some sunny days.

[Adrian]

Although summer is now over I have just returned from an Autumn holiday, or I should say 'Fall vacation'. My planned road trip cancelled by the shut down of National parks.

It started here near Egg Harbour on the shores of Lake Michigan in the beautiful state of Wisconsin.....

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Where I realised that looking serious when you are asked to is actually very difficult.

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But not as difficult as removing a garter with your teeth apparently, so offered my services.....

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I saw a beautiful car with possibly the best number plate ever.....

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I enjoyed the autumn colours.....

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Then travelled south to visit Madison, Wisconsin's state capital. There is a building here that you will notice looks very similar to the Capitol Building in Washington. This is no accident. During the Cold War, the Capitol Building in Madison was to be used to seat the U.S. Government should the Washington building be destroyed. The figure on the top is the 'Wisconsin Statue' bearing symbols of the state, a badger atop her helmet and her arm pointing 'Forward' which is the motto of Wisconsin. Her arm is also pointing towards Washington.

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I then travelled on some incredibly straight and empty roads.....

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To a place called - unsurprisingly - 'Mirror Lake' where I had a few hours hiking in the woods......

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And then on to 'Devil's Lake' for some more hiking. The trees were a riot of colour.....

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I went across the state to see the Mississippi.....

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Found a tank.....

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Back onto some more very long and straight roads.....

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Realised that turkeys taste better than they look.....

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And that when a bull Elk looks at you like this, he doesn't want to give you a kiss.....

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Stopped to photograph Holy Hill Basilica.....

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Realised I was going to miss my Chevy.....

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I discovered heaven is a place on earth!

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Any shop that has an aeroplane, a mountain, an elephant and a polar bear in it is one that I don't mind going in.....

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And then it was three hours down the road to downtown Chicago.
Seriously, what was I thinking?
I was following another vehicle in a two car convoy and we went through the suburbs to avoid paying tolls and when the other occupants of the car started making sure the doors were locked and all valuables were out of sight (hence no photos from this part of the journey) I wondered if the ten dollars or so we saved was going to be worth getting car-jacked for.
I learnt very quickly that stop signs were irrelevant and and indicating was secondary to using that hand for the horn.
When in Rome (or in this case Chicago).....

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Anyway, everyone survived the journey and we saw Snow White's old clothes.....

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Mary Poppins' carpet bag.....

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The Moderator's Uniform.....

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Big Ned's weekend frock.....

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And Ade's everyday attire.....

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We got dive bombed by a Stuka.....

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Survived a tornado.....

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Bumped into a U-Boat.....

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Before heading into town.....

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The next morning was my final day so it was up to the top of the Willis (Sears) Tower.....

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For superb views of the city and beyond.....

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103 floors up is a bloody long way when there's nothing beneath you.....

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And that pretty much wraps my holiday up!

[Larry C]

Some great pics Adrian...looks like you had a great time. The Tree pics are always nice this time of year,,,which always trancends a sense of peace. The museum pics are great. Interesting to see a tank in that type of surrounding...looks wide open out there. The wedding pic is a blast...looks like someone searching for treasure Im not much for glass elevators being that high up. Glass coffee tables can be fun though...LOL Good to have you back and glad you had a good time despite the pettiness with the Government closing some of the parks. Regards Larry

[Adrian]

Cheers Larry, the tank is part of a war memorial of which I will post more photos in the next few days along with the Stuka and U-Boat. The glass 'elevators' are not actually elevators but glass pods that extend over the side of the building so you can stand in them and be 103 floors up, directly above the street below.

[sandgroper]

Great photos, Adrian, sounds like you had a good time mate!

[Jerry B]

Indeed mate.

Here is where I was digging last week trying to find a missing abbey wall buried for 100's of years, I found 4 walls and thankfully one was the one I was looking for. It is the more deeply buried wall. I also found parts of a skull, rather sad really as it is a long forgotten burial.

I have recently returned to this site and completed the excavation to uncover the missing abbey walls. Also found a section of the original tiled flooring, and some more burials from the 19th century. The walls and the tiled floor had been buried for at least 2 hundred years. The walls had been truncated by a number of burials and had been reduced in height, but are to be rebuilt to something nearer their original state. The tiled flooring is to be preserved as across the rest of the site it is in a poor condition. The tiles in the foreground are modern replacements.

[sandgroper]

How interesting, you must love your job Jerry, you're a lucky man mate.

[Jerry B]

How interesting, you must love your job Jerry, you're a lucky man mate.

Not always as much fun as you might imagine. The weather can make a big difference as can the archaeology or lack of it.