Warming up

We're meeting Nicola, Chris, Randi, and Ed on the big island of Hawaii on Saturday night. We'll be staying at Puako at Turtle Reef on the Kona coast. Since this will be a leisurely trip, we'll post regularly if there is a good wifi connection. Otherwise, will be back to the 45th parallel on the 16th!

Greece: Athens, Islands, Pelopennese

At the end of August we departed for three weeks in Greece. I have bunches of photos and even had my laptop with me. However, while in Greece, the blog instructions were in GREEK which made it practically impossible for me to do the blog. I will try to do a retrospective update over the next few weeks. The posts will be dated to reflect our days in the Pelopennese and in Athens. The posts start on August 26. Thanks for being patient!

Time to return already!

Ksusha, Jane, and Polina with all their luggage at the beginning of the first part of their journey home.



Ksusha, Polina, and Jane being checked in at the Minneapolis/St Paul Airport at 5:50 AM

Nearly four months ago, Polina and Jane arrived in Minneapolis. Ksusha joined them on July 31. They have had many adventures. We have enjoyed their visit enormously!

To Athens

Bob, Rich, Colleen, and Peggy in Amsterdam for a short layover between Minneapolis and Athens.







Ellen in Athens. Ellen and Jan greeted us when we arrived at the hotel. We gathered on the roof of the hotel to plan our evening's foray.










This is the view of the acropolis from our roof-top vantage point.

In America from Siberia

Jane is checking in with home using Skype before getting some much needed sleep.


Polina is catching a few winks before using Skype to check in at home.

Polina and Jane arrived in Minneapolis just after midnight on Monday, June 4. After 5 flights from Novosibirsk to Minneapolis, they were very tired but very happy to have landed at last!

Posts from Russia, Korea, China, Japan, and Hawaii

Chronological list of posts:
Calendar in a nutshell as of Aug 28
Minneapolis to Amsterdam for Sep 4
St Petersburg--first day for Sep 5
St Petersburg--second day for Sep 6
St Petersburg--third day for Sep 7
St Petersburg to Moscow for Sep 8
The Kremlin in Moscow for Sep 9
Sunday in Moscow for Sep 10
Last day in Moscow for Sep 11
Trans Siberian Train for Sep 12
Novosibirsk for Sep 14
Novosibirsk State University for Sep 14
Getting settled for Sep 15
Testing technologies for Sep 16
All's well! for Sep 18
First day of class for Sep 21
In Novosibirsk to meet Olga for Sep 22
Laundry and a walk for Sep 23
How we got to Central Asia for Sep 24
Equinox sunrises and sunsets for Sep 25
House of Scientists for Sep 26
Gymnasium #9 for Sep 27
Our Piragova Street apartment for Sep 28
Central Siberian Botanical Garden for Sep 29
Meeting friends of friends for Sep 29
An interesting bird for Oct 1
New route through the woods for Oct 2
Ob Sea and English books for Oct 3
First snow for Oct 4
Teacher's Day at Gymnasium #9 for Oct 5
Russian art in Minneapolis for Oct 6
Jitneys and banya hats for Oct 7
A Russian banya for Oct 8
Gymnasium #9 Eighth graders for Oct 9
Post office for Oct 10
Hat weather for Oct 11
Gymnasium #9 Tenth graders for Oct 12
Tennis and bliny for Oct 13
Bob's observations for Oct 14
Chinese food for Oct 15
Dreary weather for Oct 16
8th graders and the zoo, too for Oct 17
Bob's new shirt for Oct 18
The Cyrillic Alphabet for Oct 19
The ballet, Giselle for Oct 20
Seasonal changes for Oct 21
To the dentists office for Oct 26
Packing for Oct 28
Travel day: 4 hour trip in 13 for Oct 29
Gyeongbokgung for Nov 3
Hong Kong delights for Nov 6
Tuesday in Asia for Nov 7 in Asia
Tuesday in Hawaii for Nov 7 in Hawaii
An island drive for Nov 8
Dinner with friends in Honolulu for Nov 9
Seen on Waimanalo beach for Nov 10
More friends in Honolulu for Nov 11
Aloha, Waimanalo! for Nov 12
The 72nd Day for Nov 13

The 72nd day

Downtown St Paul, Minnesota.

Flowing diagonally, in the lower right corner, is the mighty Mississippi River.


On the left side, near the middle, is the Minnesota State Capitol building.




We are not too far from home now. This is a view of downtown Minneapolis.













We're home in Minneapolis. What a great trip we've had! We are so grateful to have been able to do it. We have met new friends; travelled with good friends; connected with old friends. We have seen wonderful new places; revisited favorite places. We have enjoyed sharing our journey with you. Your questions have helped shape our little blog and we have appreciated all your encouraging notes.

May all your journeys be as happy and as sweet and as enriching as this one has been for us!