Monday, December 4, 2000

Dec 4, 2000 - Santo Domingo


Just a little more than two weeks until we leave for Canada!

Things have been quiet of late.  We have both been working and getting home after 7:00 most nights so after we have had supper and gone to the gym there isn't much time left.  We have been spending most weekends at home relaxing, catching up on the internet, and basically just enjoying the comforts of having a permanent apartment!

We are having a Christmas pool party here next weekend which should be a good laugh.  Most of Ana's staff is coming as well as some of the people from Shell.  The landlord is "sharing" the party with us by inviting the rest of the tenants here so it should be a good crowd.

The weather has been beautiful up until a few days ago when it got rainy and overcast.  Don't mind the rain for a few days but hopefully the sun will shine the next couple weekends so we can work on our tans before returning to Canada for Christmas!

That's it for now, take care!

Kris

Sunday, October 29, 2000

October 29, 2000 - Santo Domingo


After six weeks in Santo Domingo I would now say that we have completely settled in.  Our apartment is looking great and feels very much like home.  And the best part is that ANA FOUND A JOB!!!  Yep, that's right, her carefree days of sleeping in and killing time are over.  She is the production manager for a local web design company.  She has a department of ten web designers and has been enjoying the job very much.  The first week was a little tough as she has been away from the office environment for a while.  As well, her co-workers speak only Spanish so she has been learning plenty of new words!

The most recent news to report is that we have already had our first visitor.  My friend Earl made a surprise appearance on Friday afternoon then left Saturday.  He had to make an emergency "US visa" run out of the country so he came to Santo Domingo.  But we will be seeing him again very soon as he plans to return next weekend with his girlfriend for a two week stay which we are really looking forward to.

The area where we are living is superb.  Within three blocks we have a bakery, gym, movie cinema, park, grocery store, pharmacy, movie rentals, shopping mall, Jaguar dealership (just in case...), and at least a dozen restaurants.

So things are going well, but hectic.  We have finally booked our flights for Christmas.  We arrive in Toronto on Dec. 20 and depart for the New Years bash in Saskatoon on Dec. 29.  We then return to Santo Domingo on Jan. 6.  It will be nice to be with family and friends this Christmas.  They can fill the streets with lights and trees here, but without cold, snow and family, it just doesn't seem like Christmas!!


More soon....


Ana and Kris

Tuesday, September 26, 2000

September 26, 2000 - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic


After a long summer break we are finally back online and back to updating Kris and Ana's Great Adventures.  This summer was a great opportunity to catch up with good friends and family.  We spent some time in Europe visiting our friends Marianne and Martin and attended their wedding.  We also made a pit stop in Portugal to sort my EU citizenship (which I now have.....YEAHHH).  And of course we couldn't leave Europe without a trip to Kris' old stomping grounds in London.  We had a short but sweet visit with Toddy and John, and of course the Bahamas boys, James and Steve.

Our next stop was a visit with Kris' family in Saskatoon.  It was great to be able to see the folks again and start making some plans for the Wedding Bash in the WEST!  It was also great to finally meet a few new additions to the crew... Kris' new cousin Janessa, Darren's little boy Aidan and also Curtis and Marty's girlfriends, Carrie and Jenn.  It was also my first visit to the "Lake".  Kris' grandparents have left a wonderful legacy for many generations to come.  I look forward to someday bringing my kids to this wonderful place.

We returned to Ontario mid-August and spent lots of quality time with mom and pop Borges.  Kris was fed hoards of good old Portuguese cuisine.  We also spent some time in Kingston with Mark and Linda and in Font Hill with Michael and Anna. A big congratulations are in order to Michael and Anna on their new cookbook!!!   Our last visit was to our friends Tom and Linda from Detroit. We hope to see them again for a visit in Dominican Republic. 

It was also a busy time getting ready for the big event next September.  The Olson/Borges wedding will be held on September 22, 2001 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Book your calendars and prepare your livers, it's going to be a WILD one!!! 

We are now in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  After a week of adjusting we are back on track.  Kris' project is going well and my job search is underway.  The interviews have been steady but nothing yet.

We have managed to find a place to live.  It is a two bedroom apartment in the heart of the city.  It is close to a park and is fully equipped with a swimming pool and generator (for the daily electricity outages).  So the extra bedroom is available for vacation bookings anytime!!

The weather has been a little weird for this time of the year.  Some tropical storms in the area have caused much rain.  But it is a nice break from the hot, humid sun.

This weekend we plan to take our first trip out of the city to a beach about an hour away.  We will report back next week on how it went.

Well, we are glad to be back and we look forward to hearing from you all!


Ana

Wednesday, June 28, 2000

June 28, 2000 - Barbados, Denmark, England, Canada


As this project nears an end we prepare for new adventures in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  Kris' new project has finally been set and we are moving there for at least 6 months in the beginning of September.  This summer will be a very busy one.   I leave for Brantford this coming Saturday and Kris follows a few weeks later.   Wedding planning and visiting friends and family will definitely be the focal point of this trip. 

We also have a wedding in Denmark on July 29 where Kris will be best man for his Danish friend Martin.   I've never been to Denmark so I am excited to go and also to meet Martin and his soon to be bride Marianne.  After a week in Denmark we are also going to England to visit a few of Kris' friends and have a reunion with a few of the boys from Bahamas.   Then back to Canada to visit Kris' family in Saskatoon.  As they say no rest for the wicked!!! 


We hope that we will still be able provide some updates on the website at some point this summer, but with this crazy schedule we can't make any promises.  We do  promise to continue documenting the summer adventures in September when we have settled in Santo Domingo. 

We are hoping to have many of you visit us in Santo Domingo, so plan your holiday's and let us know.   For now, have a great summer and take care....til September.


Ana

Wednesday, June 14, 2000

June 14, 2000 - St. Vincent and We Got Engaged!


Yes it is true, we are getting married!!  The last few days have been a dream come true!  This past weekend was a long weekend so we decided to go away to one of the islands close to Barbados.  Our friends Karen and Sara who are also on Kris’ project came as well.  We got tickets to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  We knew nothing about the place, other than it had beaches.  It was truly a paradise.  Green and lush and because of its volcanic origin there were many mountains, a nice change from Barbados’ flat environment.  So we arrived late Friday and had a nice dinner at our hotel.

The next day Kris and I got up early and went for a walk on the beach and that is when he popped the question.  Of course the answer was an overwhelming…YES!!!


The rest of the weekend was like being in heaven, talking about the wedding, staring at my beautiful engagement ring and making calls to the moms and pops.

The island was the perfect setting, beautiful beaches, cliffs and waterfalls.  An unforgettable weekend!!


The have decided to have the wedding in fall of next year, likely the beginning of September.  But we will keep you posted on details.   More news to follow…AHHH... isn’t life grand!!!


 Ana

Tuesday, May 30, 2000

May 30, 2000 - Barbados


We have arrived in Barbados safe and sound.  It is beautiful here but very hot. We have finally managed to settle in at our apartment. 

So far we have found it very expensive, meals are on average $15 - $20 US per person for dinner.  The only place where it is cheaper is at KFC!!  But the beaches are beautiful, the beer is good and the seaside bars are plentiful.  Kris and I have actually been amazed at the quantity of restaurants here.  There is a new place to go every night.  Our weekends have mostly been going for drives, and going to the beach.   Quite a notch down from hiking and climbing throughout the rainforests of Suriname.   Hopefully in the coming weekends we will be able to also do some scuba diving.  

Our friend Karen (who is also working on this project) is arriving from Guadeloupe this weekend for a while, so we are looking forward to catching up with her.

Unfortunately I won't be able to work here (strict immigration), so I foresee boredom setting in soon. This is my plea to all of our amigos....come visit me!!!  We have a nice couch that can sleep one very comfortably.

That's all for now....more soon.


Ana

Monday, May 8, 2000

May 8, 2000 - Galibi, Raleigh Falls, Voltsberg, Jaw Jaw, plus French Guyana


For those of you who are looking for a wonderful place to go on holiday, Suriname is it.  We are still in love with this country and for the last few weekends, have been able to see much more of it. 

In the last journal I commented about our trip to Galibi.  It is beautiful!! On the eastern coast of Suriname, Galibi is a peninsula full of nice beaches and small villages accessible only by boat.  For the first day we just hung out and settled into our camp. We were with a group of friends and families that work for Shell.  They had all traveled together before, so there were no strangers in the group and they made us feel right at home.  Luckily for us there was a strong wind blowing which kept the mosquitoes away. 


Because this was Easter weekend the two local villages, Christiankondre and Longamankondre were having traditional celebrations.  This was gearing up to be a weekend to remember.  The second day we spent walking around the villages, and playing a Dutch game called Jewel.  Kris also created a game of horseshoes with coconuts.  The sun was hot and the water cool.  We couldn’t ask for a nicer and more relaxing day.  The evening plans were to go and see the turtles lay their eggs.  We left at 9:00 pm and after going up the river on the boat for an hour, the guide finally stopped.  After checking in with the Galibi Nature Reserve “police” we went on foot to look for the huge turtles.  I didn’t think it would be too hard to spot one as they are quite large and kick sand high in the air when digging their nests.  After 5 minutes of walking there she was.  Apparently after turtles start to lay their eggs, they don’t move until they are finished.  This mama turtle had just begun.  She was about 500-700 lbs.  She was very still except for the dropping eggs and the nod of her head every few seconds.  It was an unforgettable experience!  Not just watching her lay, but simply being this close to such a beautiful animal.  After the eggs were laid she started covering them up with sand, a process that normally takes about 15 minutes.  But she took her time.  We could all sense that she was scared.  Every time someone would speak she would stop and look around.  She was extra careful making sure her eggs were protected.  We watched her return to the ocean and we happily got on the boat.  It was a bitter sweet experience I won’t soon forget. Sweet because it was special to see one of these creatures and be part of nature’s wonderful miracles, but also bitter because I felt like we were almost intruding on something that maybe humans shouldn’t be allowed to participate in.  The debate continues in my own mind.  But I am grateful I was able to experience it. 


The following weekend was another fun filled adventure.  My friend Wendy arrived from Seattle and we planned to go to a place called Raleigh Falls.  It is accessible by car and boat, but only after a 5 hour journey.  We decided to cheat a little and fly.  We arrived at the airport and got our gear and bodies weighed for flight 001 on GUM Air.   Believe it or not, the “GUM” part of the name does not refer to the stuff that holds the wings on.  The six seater Cessna carrying Kris, Wendy, Rute (our guide) and I took off and after a scenic 45 minute flight landed on a grass airstrip in Raleigh Falls.   The guides were there to welcome us.  There are no villages in this area, only one research station and a few tourist cabins.  We met Marcel who was the manager of the research station and Steven and Natasha.  All had done research about the primates in the area.  There are eight types of monkeys on the nature reserve, which happens to be one of the world’s largest.  During our first day we traveled by boat to visit another tourist cabin and to go for a  walk in the jungle.  The jungle was full of life everywhere you turned.  There were spiders, frogs and lizards.  The lushness of the trees provided a blanket from the rain and the sun.  After our walk they took us for a swim under a small waterfall.   It was great after a few hours of walking in the humidity.  That afternoon we relaxed at camp and Kris went fishing.  After lots of bites (mosquitoes, that is..) he finally caught two piranhas!  It was cool seeing one up close and personal.   It is the fish of choice in this area.


The next day we took a hike to a granite mountain called Voltsberg.  It was a two hour walk through thick jungle to get to the base of the mountain.  The two researchers Steven and Natasha came with up to see if they could spot some monkeys.  After 5 minutes of walking one of the researchers, Natasha, called us over to look at a male Howler Monkey sitting in a tree above us.  None of us had a clue how she spotted him.  It is no wonder she is a monkey researcher!  It wasn’t long before we spotted another group of monkeys.  Then another.  Both of different varieties.  We also saw a small animal that looked like a big rat.  We finally reached the base of the granite mountain and before too long had made it to the top.  After a few moments I heard a strange echo in the distance.  I realized it was a Howler monkey!  Marcel confirmed it was and we all sat and listened to the strange, eerie howl. We began our descent just as it was beginning to rain, which made going down steep granite a little tricky.   We then made our way back along the same trail to our boat and returned to camp.  The rest of the weekend we relaxed!


This past weekend was our final trip into the interior of the country.  We decided to go to Jaw Jaw village on the Upper Suriname River.  Jaw Jaw is a traditional Maroon tribal village again only accessible by boat.   We went with my friend Nesta and some friends as well as our guides from Raleigh Falls, Rute and Marcel.  It was a full bus!  We left early on Saturday morning and arrived at Jaw Jaw four hours later, the last hour by boat.   We were immediately welcomed by about 20 village kids, mostly naked.  We first settled in then took  a tour of the village.  Most of the men were not there.  There is an election in Suriname in a few weeks and the political parties were busy spreading their propaganda throughout the villages.  The villages take full advantage of the election and also of the bribes for votes that many of the parties give out.  As were swimming a boat came into the village full of food, beer, whiskey and a brand new outboard motor.   All were “gifts” from one of the parties.


In the village, which consisted of 2000 people and almost as many huts, we visited some of the older ladies making cassava bread and were offered samples.   The men and women sleep in separate huts but have communal kitchens.  Men are allowed to have more than one wife, but no more than 6, and of course at least a dozen kids.  The women still wear the traditional dress, and some not much at all.  It was unbelievable to see that so many people still live this way and seem very happy doing it.  Everyone was very friendly to us and very welcoming.  They mostly communicate in their native language but also speak Dutch.  After dinner, we had the local band come to our camp and play the traditional African drum music for us.   As there is not much to do after dark, most of the village showed up for the party.  And can they dance!!  All the kids were on the floor before you knew it.  It was quite a site and an unforgettable evening.  The next day we took a trip upstream to visit more villages.  All of them seem to have their own traditions, but still live very primitively.  The women cook, clean, grow crops and have children.  The men hunt and build huts.  They have few luxuries and seem to do quite well without them.  They have all the essentials of life and most have never been to the city.  It was a peaceful and eye-opening experience that will be long remembered by us.


Until Barbados, where I’m sure there will be more adventures,


Ana


P.S. Wendy and I went to French Guyana, France for the day.   It was so cool!!  We ate croissants, sipped cappuccino and spoke French to the locals (ok that’s not true).  We also hit the only bank machine for miles around, and the closest one to Suriname.  Ahhh, la vie en rose!!

Wednesday, April 19, 2000

April 19, 2000 - Blakawatre, Suriname


Suriname is as beautiful as ever and things are good.   Since our last journal we have found both a Spanish teacher and a Dutch teacher, so much of our time has been spent learning.  Our Spanish teacher is a 20 year old  missionary from Columbia.  He is quite interesting and for 20 years old has many stories to tell.   He is also a good teacher.  Our Dutch teacher is an older lady who is Surinamese and is a school administrator.  She's also a good teacher, but I'm afraid that the Dutch is taking a bit longer to learn.

This past weekend we went on our first trip to the interior.  We went to a few places which were all very tranquil and beautiful.  Our tour guide and our cook were quite knowledgeable about the places we visited and also knew many of the Amerindian people that we met along the way.  It is amazing that in year 2000 so many people still live in huts and hunt and fish for food.  Their only income is selling handmade pottery to the few tourists. We also found it amazing that most of them speak 3 languages; Dutch, Taki-Taki (the local street language) and also their own tribal language.   They put us to shame in the language category.  The place we finally spent the night was called Blakawatre, which means "black water".  They call it this because there is a large creek there which flows black water.  It actually has the exact colour of coca cola!  It was very peaceful there.  We swam, made a fire and did all the wilderness stuff, including getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.  Better precautions will be taken next time.

This weekend we go to Galibi to watch the leatherback turtles lay their eggs.  I'm excited!   It is right on the border of French Guyana, so are hoping to spend one of the days there eating French food!!  Also my friend Wendy arrives next Tuesday for a 2 week visit and we have many things planned for us to do with her.  Never a dull moment.  More soon.


Ana

Tuesday, April 4, 2000

April 4, 2000 - Paramaribo, Suriname


Things here in Suriname are going very well.   This past weekend was wonderful!

Saturday we spent going around town getting food at the butcher and the baker.  It was fun.  We took a stroll downtown and it was pretty interesting.  Kris says it reminds him of Pakistan but cleaner.  Lots of shops selling everything you can imagine.  And lots of fake stuff, purses, perfume etc.   You name it, they re-make it.  One thing I found really interesting is that you see all these people walking around with these bird cages with small little birds in them.   Kris thought maybe it was a good luck charm for one of these backwards religions.   But as it turns out, they have these "bird chirping contests" and they carry these winning birds around like a status symbol!

We found out on Sunday that you don't have to travel too far in Suriname to lose touch with civilization (not that Paramaribo has much anyway). This weekend, Angelique, a co-worker of Kris', took us to this creek for a swim. It is about a 40 minute drive from our place. The creek water is clean, but is the darkest blackest water you'll ever see.  It was really spookyl.


After that we went for a drive down one of the roads which leads to the interior. After about 5 minutes on a semi-paved road, there was a dirt road. But not your regular dirt, it was RED, really, really red. Apparently this place is full of bauxite, that they make aluminum with and that is why the soil is red. We drive another 5 minutes and there in the middle of a field is a Bush Negro (apparently that is the proper name) village. No electricity, no cars, nothing. It was quite extraordinary.  All this is about 40 minutes away from our apartment, I can't imagine what it is like farther in.

I have finally found website work.  My first job is for a tour operator.  The owner was telling me yesterday that  there is one place called Galibi and that is where these huge turtles lay their eggs on the beach. We have decided to go there for Easter weekend with a group from work.  I'm really looking forward to it.


As far as weather goes....it's hot and humid. This time of year is suppose to be rainy season, but like in all other parts of the world, the climate is screwed up here too. So it has been sunny and hot most days.   Today it is raining but you still sweat from the heat....I love it!

Hope all of you are well.  Still waiting for info for our Amigos page from many of you!


Ana

Tuesday, March 28, 2000

March 28, 2000 - Curacao and Paramaribo, Suriname


Well it took a while, but we finally arrived in Suriname.  Our shopping days in Miami went extremely well and we managed to spend my website earnings in one day!!  But it was well worth it.  Kris even seemed to enjoy it!!  I also got my driving fix. I hadn't drove since we left Canada and I really missed it, so we rented a great little automatic car and I zipped around Miami like a pro!! 

We got to the Miami airport well ahead of schedule and had some last minute sushi.    Moments later we find out that our flight from Miami to Curacao was on time but our connection from Curacao to Suriname was cancelled and we would have to endure the sun and beautiful beaches of Curacao for two days.  The Olson/Borges horseshoe strikes again as many would say.  We knew nothing about Curacao, except that it had beaches, so we picked up some brochures at the airport and did a quick overview of the place.  We ended up staying in the Sheraton hotel, on the beach, and with a few of my Sheraton points were able to upgrade to a suite!!  We actually needed the room just for our luggage.

We spent the first day in the downtown checking out the local brew and some of the Dutch style shops. It was quite nice and the most interesting part was this moving bridge, that would sound an alarm and start floating sideways when a boat needed to get into the harbour.  In the evening we went on a spectacular night dive and saw some amazing underwater fish and a big turtle.


Our short stay in Curacao was a much needed break from Costa Rica and prepared us for the new location....Suriname.  We are now here and so far it is wonderful.  Our apartment is huge and beautiful.  We have a great deck that looks onto the Suriname river only a few feet away.  We also have a pool which is very appropriate for the hot humid weather.  The town itself is a lot more developed then we expected.  There are lots of shops and restaurants.  There is one resort in the city and it is in a great little area with a bunch of nice restaurants, all with patios....even a great cafe with cappuccinos!!  The mix of people here is unbelievable.    There are the native Surinamese, Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Brazilians and even a few Dutchmen.  They speak Dutch and English and their own native language as well which is called Takki-Takki.  The surprising thing is, everyone seems to get along!!  In fact downtown there is a mosque right beside a synagogue!!


This weekend we plan to go into the interior with Kris' new kickass half-ton Shell truck to see some of the jungle.  We are also planning at some point in the next few weeks to go on a tour to see these huge leatherback turtles lay their eggs at a beach on an island near the French Guyana border.  Oh and of course I'm looking for website work!!

That's all for now,  more news from sunny Suriname to follow.


Ana


Here is Kris' part:


Yip, we have finally arrived in Paramaribo, the capital (and only) city of Suriname.  On my first day of work they gave me this cool half-ton truck that kicks ass!  It is big enough to drive right through the potholes and through the ditches.  I can't wait to drive that beast into the jungle and run over some monkeys.

Since our apartment is right next to the Suriname River we can see all the little fishing boats going by in the morning.  As well, there are a thousand little crabs which live in holes along the muddy banks.  This place made us decide we definitely want to live beside water.  On the way home I stopped at a local Indian shop and picked up a couple of Rotis which were delicious and cost a grand total of $3.

We are starting Dutch lessons this week so by the end of our stay we should be able to say "Two Beers Please" I hope.  I have not done a beer review on the local brew Parbo yet as I have only had one.  I will do a more thorough sampling this weekend then write a full review.

Over and out.


Kris

Tuesday, March 21, 2000

March 21, 2000 - San Jose, Costa Rica


Our stay in Costa Rica has come to an end.  Our flight is tomorrow and to be honest I've had enough of this place.  I'm looking forward to our new location in Suriname.  From what we've heard there is lots of jungle and not a lot of tourists....it should be very interesting.  We do have a stop in Miami before we arrive in Paramaribo Suriname and we are taking advantage and doing some shopping!!!  I can't wait!!! I'm also looking forward to having my adventurous friend Wendy come to visit us with her boyfriend Bob.  You'll get all the details and some pix on the site soon.  Don't worry Wendy...no bikini shots, I promise!

I've been spending a lot of the last week or two collecting money for my website work.  Of course debt collecting is never a pleasant experience, but it is nice to see some money after all this work.  Kris is wrapping up last minute things at Shell and is happy that the project has gone very well here.

Hopefully when we get to Suriname, setting up internet will be fast and easy.  We'll keep you updated.  As well, I have updated the "Reach Us" page, so if any one need to reach us the information is there.

Looking forward to hearing from more of you on the Chatboard. 


Ana

Friday, March 10, 2000

March 10, 2000 - San Jose, Costa Rica


We finally have our domain name ready and the site buffed up.   Welcome!!  I know a few of you have seen the site already via the IP address, but now you will be able to simply type in www.lifeisgrand.org.

We only have a week and a half left here so are getting quite excited about another move.  My boss Rafael, his wife Cynthia, and another one of the people on this project, Claudia, are all here for the duration.  I am afraid we haven't had time to show them much other than the insides of shopping malls and a few restaurants.

We received an announcement yesterday about the hottest website on the net.  You can find it at  www.internettrash.com/users/houseofillrepute and it has some great shots of the Olson boys and friends getting drunk.

In other news, after more than thirty years of smoking my mother has quit!  So all the years of giving her a bad time has finally paid off.  Way to go Mom!

Guess that is all for now.  I am still waiting for ideas/pictures from all of you who were once part of the crew of the Lost Shaker.   Also, we are working on a very special page for all of our friends and family so you can keep in touch with each other as well as us.

See you soon!


Kris

Thursday, February 24, 2000

February 24, 2000 - San Jose, Costa Rica


We apologize for our lapse in communication via our website.   Unfortunately we had experienced some technical difficulties and were unable to edit the site.  But here we are again, back bigger, bolder and hopefully better than ever. 


For those of you who have lost track of us, we are still in Costa Rica.  We will be here for another month and then we are off to Suriname on March 23.   I'm really looking forward to it. We really haven't enjoyed Costa Rica as much as we had expected.  The city is quite dangerous so we are quite limited to what we can do here.  The weekends have been lots of fun. We have seen both the Caribbean and Pacific side and its beaches and spent much time in Costa Rica's rain forests.  It is truly a beautiful place except for the thieves.  We have done one extraordinary thing...we've learned Spanish.  We took 4 weeks at Christmas and went to an intensive Spanish school.  It was great.  Kris has done wonderfully, I'm really proud of him.  Unfortunately in Suriname they speak English and Dutch so the Spanish won't come in handy.   

Work for both Kris and I has been going really well.  Kris likes his job here and thankfully no long hours yet.  I've been really busy.  I have a few websites that I am working on right now.  Mostly English speaking clients thankfully. 


We have had houseguests quite steadily here in Costa Rica.  My parents visited for two weeks in January and my two friends Jennifer and Angela were just here last week. My parents did all the touristy volcano tours and the beach.  They had the time of their lives.  The girls and Kris and I  spent a good part of the week they were here on a beach on the Pacific coast called Jaco.  It was nice and really great weather, so they went home with the necessary tans. 

This weekend Kris' boss and his wife arrive from El Salvador for three weeks here on the project.  We are looking forward to having some familiar faces around.  As well, we are off to Belize next weekend for a quick 4 day diving trip.  We are meeting a few friends from Bahamas....Mike, Nola and Karen.  It should be a blast!!!.  We'll keep you posted.

If you haven't noticed we have a new Chatboard, so please let us know what you think of our new site.  Be careful, the whole world can see your comments.  Welcome back friends....more soon.

Ana and Kris