Summer 2010 so far...

A fantastic trip to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument



Waterfall below Rachel Lake trail-near Cle Elem, WA.

Lake Kachees and North Bend, WA

Our very own Super Car.


Lake Kachees

The Martins Visit the West Coast

http://photobucket.com/kristifowlerfamily2010

Lots of great photos!

Puerto Escondido

"Puerto" is a famous surfing spot about 200 miles south of Acapulco. I spent the remainder of my trip here, swimming and hanging out in the sun.



The most gorgeous sunset I've ever witnessed. The pictures don't capture the half of it.

Playa Zicatela, the Mexican "Pipeline"

VW bugs are amazingly popular in Mexico. This one was not the only one we saw tricked out, but it was the coolest.

Puerto Angel and Playa Zipolite

We are now on the Pacific Coast, west of Oaxaca city in small beach community called Playa Zipolite. We´re headed to Puerto Escondido tomorrow for some more beach time.


The view from our balcony on the beach.


Matt fishing in the surf.

Oaxaca City

Oaxaca City is a colonial city, the first place Cortez began a Spanish civilization. It reminded us in many ways of Antigua, Guatemala. We spent the majority of the day in the zocalo, or plaza taking in the sites and people.



This plant is everywhere in Mexico and Guatemala. It´s called bugambilia.

There are hundreds of vendors in the zocalo, selling everything from balloons to apples to handicrafts to ice cream.


We also walked around the mercado, which is always a fascinating place. Chocolate is a big deal here-it´s used to make mole, a sauce. People here also drink chocolate-it´s very delicious.

The carneceria in the mercado.

Teotihuacan-a pre Aztec civilization

These ruins are about 40 miles outside of Mexico City. The people here disappeared with no explanation, although experts now think it was starvation that destroyed their civilization. The Aztecs moved into the area after they were already gone and named it Teotihuacan, which means ¨place where the gods were born¨ and they believe it is where the universe was created.

The Temple of the Sun (now actually believed to be a place where the water god was worshiped, not the Sun God.)

View from the Temple of the Moon

Temple of the Moon

Mexico City

The Basilica of Guadalupe, the most important Catholic place in the world after the vatican.


It´s important because of this miracle-the Virgin appeared to an Indian named Juan Diego and told him to build a church here. When people didn´t believe him, she gave him his cape full of flowers, which then turned to an image of the Virgin when he showed it to the people. There were 10 million people at this church during Holy Week last year.

Overlooking the city skyline (what you can see through the smog anyway!)

Taxis that are everywhere

Chinese New Year in Mexico

Images from the National Palace, where the muralist Diego Rivera painted a history of Mexcio on the walls.

Hernan Cortez, conquistador, with his Aztec wife and son.

Frida Kahlo, famous painter.

National Cathedral, in the Historic part of Mexico City

Plaza of the National Palace

Christmas in Idaho

Fish on the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene


Bald Eagle on Lake Coeur d'Alene

Bayview on Lake Pend Oreille

Trying to convince Keely to drive to Idaho

The little cabin in the woods :)