ma voisine

My neighbor is an amazing architect -

and super intimidating.

she redesigns her abode every evening.

during the day she sleeps with her legs all tucked in

at the top of the web - with one leg resting against

the central thread, monitoring any movement.

I don't have a good enough camera/skills/bravery

to get a closer, better picture. I forgot to mention -

she's missing one of her right legs, 2nd from the front.

this arachniphobe has learned to endure oh so much

over the past few years... but it's worth it for

la vista:

mi cama mexicana!

gracias a mis hermanos ahora mexicanos!

¡uno!

¡dos!

¡tres!

now this frijole can ¡jump! in the sack.

Abu Dhabi Pit Stop

changing planes in abu dhabs.

also purchased a lipstick from the duty free.

welcome to MosqueWow!

we're Russian to get a post up, so welcome to Mosque-Wow!

nyet another cool series of Mosque pics from my tourist day in istanbul back in november.

shazaam! spiritual splendor in the blue mosque

all the tourists in hagia sofia are beamed in

after passing security

mosque with a view

lulu: how can there be 2 GIGANTIC mosques right next to each other?

local host: 15 million people live here.

sunlight matching the gold detail.

marblous.

SWE wish you a merry christmas...

And a happy new year!

And now for some more "blog" which I am continually pushing its redefinition to "e-speak for back-log".

Once upon a time not long ago little Lulu was in the land of socialism, suicide and fermented fish guts bought and sold in a tube... I was there late September 2010 visiting a fellow velacita that I had met back in April at the Hyères Semaine Olympique Française. She was the one who, bikini clad, stormed into the Race Committee office and demanded en français that we could rig up and launch my 29erXX. And after a week of tanning in the no-wind event, how could she be denied? So we splashed "foXXy" and sailed over to the 49er race course, cheering the boys as they rounded the windward mark. (Which did wonders for our popularity at the regatta party later that night.) Back on land after the very sunny and briefly windy afternoon we were mobbed by sailor girls in the boatpark who wanted a closer look at the boat - and more importantly, when can they go sail one, and if it will be in the Olympics some day...

I met Hanna after flying from Barcelona to Copenhagen and then taking the train up to Goteborg. We whisked straight to the bar for a friend's birthday drinks, sitting outside under heatlamps and fleece blankets (a swedish standard for such establishments to provide cold temperature accoutrements so you can continue your chain smoking in the winter months ). The next morning for breakfast we ate herring caviar on rye flatbread with boiled eggs on top.

Some sights from Goteborg, Sweden:

fun fact!

swedish seahorse act of 1836 declared all civic lamp posts must display mythical interpretations of the sea creature famed for "stay-at-home fatherhood"

dedicated to dalns le royce h. "dyew" and his r&r career.

honest to cleanliness, not a paint by number, just a point and shoot

at the train stop next to the factory outlet mall where my friend worked!

gettin some civic on, long shadows in an early autumn afternoon.

this autumn leaf creature chased me down the street for 3 blocks yelling in robotronics:

CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP GRRRR I WANT TO EAT YOU YOU LOOK DELICIOUS!

thank goodness i'm a *STAR* athlete or I would not be here to tell you this tale.

the end.

feliz navidad!

clockwise from top left:

me, me discussing important issues with locals in front of hagia sofia, me and my mate gracie zipping around sydney harbour, a gorgeous poppy blossom in northern england's hard-earned spring - and did wonders for my daily allotment of joy.

mosquerading in istanbul

two of my very lovely hosts, ismail the laser coach and tugkan the opti coach with myself on our way to hagia sofia (after a very yummy lunch of spicy kafta, salty yogurt milk drinks, and honey saturated sponge cake).

the blue mosque: minaret in g

gum drop bushes and hagia sofia