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| Summer Adventures 2009 |
| My summer began with summer school and the Great Hikes class. Here we are standing on Devil's Bridge up in Sedona. The two weeks of hiking took us out of the heat and up to the water and cool views! I also got to do a lot of geocaching. Geocaching is my new hobby, and I enjoy using my GPS to look for hidden treasures. |
| My next great adventure was a trip to Italy. I started in Rome, then went on to Florence, and from there I travelled to the coast and visited Cinque Terra. This protected area is made up of five cities connected by a hiking trail that overlooks the sea on one side and vineyards on the other. I hiked between all five cities, ate local food, swam in the ocean and just enjoyed the Italian lifestyle. Here I am on one of the ancient trails between two of the cities. |
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| The city of Venice was an absolute delight. I enjoyed the water taxis, watching glass being blown on the island of Murano, and exploring the plazas and crossing the many bridges. The city is also filled with art and beautiful nooks and crannies. My favorite part of the time in Venice was having a sunset seranade while on a gondola ride. It was so corny that it was fun! |
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| This summer I was able to travel to Europe. My first stop was Sweden for a family reunion. There were over 125 people who attended the reunion, including my parents, aunt, and my cousins. I am standing in front of the boyhood home of my great-great Grandfather Charles Fredrick Berlin. He came to the United States in the 1880s. |
| Finally, one of the most exciting parts of my summer was the new addition of Cache (white) and Canella (brown) two minature poodles to my home. These two minature poodles are sisters and their funny antics make me smile every day. They are great dogs! |