A few pics from Petra, Jordan A peek at the Treasury as you come through the canyon
A full picture of the Treasury
Petra is mostly a collection of tombs. There is evidence of a Roman style marketplace and even a water transport and storage system. Petra didn't have a spring, so they built a small aqueduct channel along the walls of the canyon. We hiked all the way to the far end of the site, up about 900 steps carved into rock and saw the Monastery. It was too hazy to see the desert very clearly or we could have waved at places that Lawrence of Arabia visited. Now that I know more about the country and its history, I feel the need to watch that movie again.
From my trip to DC
Me standing on the 7th floor veranda at the State Department
This is the same level that the Secretary's suite of offices is located. I got to look down the hall toward them. I also saw the Secretary's dining room, the rooms where the foreign delegations wait and the blue room where treaties get signed. In the doorway to the blue room, Jennie (my gracious host and tour guide) and I noted the marks in the wooden floor on the right side of the doorway. The marks on the floor are from the Secretary's heels. We have had sufficient numbers of female Secretaries of State that they have made a lasting impression on the floor in the spot they stand for announcements/briefings at that location. Speaking of briefings, I didn't get to have my picture taken in the State Department briefing room because there was a real briefing going on. We did poke our heads in the door and watch for a bit though. Pretty cool. And I got to have lunch at the State Dept cafeteria. They have a killer salad bar!!!
The chandelier in the lobby of my hotel. It is larger than my car.
Needless to say this is a rather posh hotel. They have a lovely Remington bronze on the landing to the 2nd floor restaurant, a pair of Fu dogs that are easily 3'x3'x3' and some gorgeous wool rugs throughout the lobby.
From Florida
The launch of shuttle Discovery on her last flight, STS-133
We stood on a bridge to Merritt Island, about 15 miles from the launch pad. It was pretty cool! I'm very glad I had a chance to see a launch in person, even if the view wasn't quite as clear as on NASA TV. Boy provided some play-by-play for us as nobody near us on the bridge had a radio so we had no clue if the launch was still a go or scrubbed. Fortunately it ended up a go, despite a close call with a stubborn computer.
Sis and me before the race at 5am
The bling bling finisher's medal from the Princess Half Marathon
Yes, it is shaped like a tiara and studded with "jewels".
My sacrificed toenails today
The view of the Gulf of Mexico from 32,000 feet on the flight home. I just love this color blue.
So that's a brief roundup of trip pics. Now I just need for the bruise on the top of my foot to heel, for my hip to stop being cranky and figure out what my next trip might be.
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