I am doing heavy catch-up on my blog this week -- in an all-out attempt to post seven months of activity, from February through August 2016. These posts will be less descriptive than usual, due to the elapsed time and the sheer volume of material in front of me today, not because any of the following activities are unremarkable. The events to be covered in this post are nothing short of amazing, We feel very blessed this year, as it's been a whirlwind of jaw-dropping opportunity!!
UTAH VISIT TO HELP EMPEYS MOVE: February 6 - 20, 2016
Rhonda spends several weeks in February helping Erin box up for her family's move from Vernal, Utah to Salt Lake City. Spencer is already at work as the new manager of the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Downtown Salt Lake, but returns to Vernal on weekends to take apart electronics, furniture and larger items.
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| This Cute Welcoming Committee Never Disappoints! |
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| Wow! Marshall Has Changed in Five Months -- So Cute and Fun! |
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| Couldn't Resist Inserting this Photo of Sweet Hannah :-) |
Erin, Rhonda and kids join Spencer at the Fairfield in Salt Lake for Valentine's Day weekend. This long weekend is made even more special, as we attend the Provo City Center Temple Open House on Friday morning, February 12th. Once the Provo Tabernacle, Rhonda attended stake conference here during her childhood and teenage years. This site holds many wonderful memories.
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| Yes, It Snowed over Valentine's Weekend...Fun Travel Weather! |
Once the furniture and boxes are moved into the Empey's new home (and Erin is feeling especially overwhelmed), Rhonda bids goodbye until family reunion time in July. It's especially sad to leave Marshall, as he'll change so much in four months. Love you guys!
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FUN BIRTHDAY WEEKEND IN FRISCO: February 26 - 28, 2016
Lots of birthday secrets afoot when Rhonda returns from Utah. As it turns out, we drive to Frisco on Rhonda's birthday, arriving in time for a late lunch with Kristen and Aaron at Cheesecake Factory. Kristen and Rhonda each take home a slice of Key Lime. Yum!! That evening, we attend the Dallas Mavericks basketball game with the Denver Nuggets. The Mavs do their best to lose every lead throughout. Dallas is behind with just minutes left, sending many fair-weather fans packing. However, Dallas mounts a last-minute comeback, sending the game into overtime. Final score: 122-116, with the victory going to Dallas. Yay, Dirk!!
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| Happy Maverick Fans outside American Airlines Arena |
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| It's Gonna Be a Wild and Wooly Overtime Game, Guys! |
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| With Parker following Independence HS Baseball Game |
Saturdays with the Buhlers are always jam packed with activities. Kyle and Justin have band competition in the morning; Parker has a baseball game midday. We always look forward to opportunities to see these talented young men in action. We are very proud grandparents, indeed! Thanks, Kristen, for always making our birthdays extra special. We love you so much!
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SPRING BREAK IN KAUAI: March 12 - 19, 2016
Gary and Rhonda spent a few days in Kauai in December 1989, following research meetings in Oahu. Now, over 26 years later, we decide to revisit the Garden Isle. Surprisingly, Kauai is much the same as we remember. In our opinion, Kauai is the most beautiful of the Hawaiian islands. It is also the most natural, least developed. We follow much of the itinerary from our previous visit, but add many new things to this list. We have a really wonderful time.
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| Beach at Marriott's Kauai Beach Club |
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| Lovely Grounds at Marriott's Kauai Beach Club |
Sunday, March 13:
We get out early Sunday morning to explore the elegant property of Marriott's Kauai Beach Club before checking out. We eat a big breakfast at a local restaurant, then attend the Kauai Hawaii Stake Conference in Lihue. Then it's time to check into and explore the Marriott Coconut Beach Courtyard in Kapaa. It's a relaxing, enjoyable Sabbath.
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| Grounds of Marriott Courtyard at Coconut Beach |
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| Getting Good-luck Vibes from Courtyard's Tiki Greeter |
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| Coconut Beach along Kauai's Eastern Shore ... Paradise!! |
Monday, March 14:
From the weather forecast, it looks like Monday will be a good day to visit Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. First thing on this morning, we drive up and up along Highway 550 to the end of the road, the Pu'u O Kila Lookout. Only a light vapor hangs along one ridge, otherwise this majestic view is breathtaking. From Pu'u O Kila, we backtrack to the Kalalau Lookout, with gorgeous views of the remote Kalalau Valley. Then we're off to stop at several lookouts with great views into Kauai's beautiful Grand Canyon.
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| Pu'u O Kila Lookout |
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| Kalalau Lookout |
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| Grand Canyon of the Pacific |
As we drive down the canyon, the weather remains clear and beautiful. Hooray! Our plan to spend the afternoon at Polihale Beach is a go! This will be a first for us, as we did not visit Polihale in 1989. We pick up sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks in Waimea for a lunch at the beach. The infamous drive up Kauai's western coast to remote Polihale Beach is over a washboard-rough dirt road, filled with potholes. It's a slow go, but well worth the effort. This is the longest beach in Hawaii -- over twelve miles of uninterrupted, beautiful white-sand beach. The extreme northern end of the Polihale recedes into the rugged cliffs of Na Pali. As our guidebook says, "Polihale is a rare gem!"
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| Lunch at Polihale Beach |
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| Polihale Beach Ends at the Rugged Cliffs of Na Pali |
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| Longest Beach in Hawaii -- Over Twelve Miles of Uninterrupted Beach |
Tuesday, March 15:
We keep an eye on the weather forecast each night. We learn that Tuesday morning should be clear along the Na Pali coast, so we load up our backpacks with water and snacks for a hike along the most traveled hiking trail in the U.S., the Kalalau Trail. In 1989, we hiked Kalalau to the first beach. We hope to do this again... Unfortunately, it has rained overnight and the rocks along the trail are still wet and slippery. Rhonda's right foot is nerve-damaged and numb, so we hike as far as the first overlook...1/2 mile in...1/2 mile out. We spend the rest of the day beach hopping along the northern shore. It is a beautiful day along what is known as Kauai's rainiest coast.
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| Gary and Rhonda along the Kalalau Trail |
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| Ke'e Beach -- At the Foot of the Kalalau Trail |
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| Lumaha'i Beach (used in the movie South Pacific) |
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| Hanalei Bay |
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| Kilauea Lighthouse |
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| Larsen's Beach |
Wednesday, March 16:
We rise early on Wednesday to hike the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail, a two-mile coastal walk from the Poipu Hyatt around Keoniloa Bay, including Punahoa Point, Makauwali, Cave Reserve, Shipwreck Bay and Makawehi Lithifield Cliffs. Trip Advisor ranks this trail as the #1 thing to do in Poipu. We agree! It's a great walk through absolutely gorgeous scenery, far from any highway.
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| Poipu Overlook along Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail |
After lunch in Poipu, we visit Spouting Horn, one of the most photographed spots on Kauai. Then we tour a landscape masterpiece, gorgeous Allerton Garden, filled with exotic plants, sculptures, fountains, waterfalls and anything else Allerton's imagination could devise and his inheritance could afford. Allerton locations have been used in the filming of many epic films, including Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean. Allerton Garden has been named on National Geographic Traveler's bucket list as one of '50 Places of a Lifetime.'
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| Spouting Horn |
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| Allerton Homestead, Allerton Garden |
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| A Location Used in Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean |
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| Jurassic Trees? |
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| Moreton Bay Fig Trees Featured in Jurassic Park |
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| Evening Stroll along Beautiful Poipu Beach |
Thursday, March 17:
We go local on Thursday, spending the day hiking up Sleeping Giant and exploring waterfalls on the eastern side of Kauai. These pictures speak for themselves. Obviously, it's a very good day!
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| Opaekaa Falls |
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| Wailua River |
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| Wailua Falls |
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| Hiking Sleeping Giant |
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| Also Hiking Sleeping Giant |
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| Hoopi'i Falls (we missed the trail to Hoop'i Falls, so ended up at Hoopi'i first) |
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| Yay! We Finally Found Hoop'i Falls! |
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| We're Definitely Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Right?!! |
How could this possibly be our last full day in Kauai? Time sure flies when you're in paradise. This is our designated day for another first -- biking Kauai's eastern shore from Lydgate Park to Ahihi Point (and back again) along the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Trail. Luckily, it's another practically perfect day in paradise, with plenty of sunshine and just-right temps. While it's mostly an uphill ride going north along the shore, what a great pay-off coasting back down!! This Trip Advisor recommendation is certainly a favorite with us!
We spend the afternoon walking from our hotel up the beach as far as we can go without intruding on private property, taking more photos, then packing for the long trip home. Farewell to thee, beautiful Kauai! It's been an wonderful reunion with the Garden Isle after all these years!
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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR GRANDMA WILLIAMS: June 3 - 4, 2016
Grandma Williams turns 90 years old on May 26, 2016. Over the weekend of June 3-5, her five children, their spouses and many grandchildren gather to celebrate the nine decades of her life.
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| Family Dinner on Saturday, June 4th |
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| A Beautiful Birthday Wristwatch |
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| Way to Go, Grandma! Every Candle Gets Blown Out!! |
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| Five of Grandma's Greatest Accomplishments -- Righteous, Upstanding Children |
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FUN TRIP TO ITALY...BOTH BUSINESS AND PLEASURE: June 5-16, 2016
Gary and Rhonda fly from Lubbock to Houston early on June 5th, to catch a flight to Newark. From Newark, we are scheduled to fly the red-eye to Milan. After dashing through Newark Liberty, we arrive at our gate just in time to board ... Then boarding is put on hold for three hours due to mechanical issues ... Then, three hours later, the flight to Milan is cancelled. There isn't room or time enough here to describe the series of unnecessary problems caused by this cancellation. The whole booking process at Newark is ridiculously labored and difficult. Despite waiting for hours in long lines at customer service that night, then in long lines for hotel shuttles, the night is far from over. At the hotel business center, while attempting to print boarding passes, Gary quickly realizes that he has been booked on two separate flights to Milan. He then spends considerable time on the phone with United customer service. Still no solutions. We return to the airport early the next morning, knowing it may require serious time to address multiple issues. Nevertheless, we are still astounded by the incompetence (or pure laziness) of Newark's baggage team. We end up waiting for three hours before this truly could-not-care-less, highly-unionized group of baggage handlers locates our luggage. The moral of this story: Avoid Newark Liberty at all cost!
The good news? We make it to Italy and have a fabulous time -- in Milan, Pisa, Florence, Cinque Terre and Bologna!
MILAN, ITALY: Tuesday, June 7
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| Milan Cathedral - Milan's Top Attraction |
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| Leonardo da Vinci (lived in Milan much of his life) |
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| "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci |
PISA, ITALY: Wednesday, June 8
Our train arrives in Pisa at 10:30 am. After checking into the AC Hotel (Marriott's European-inspired design hotel) and grabbing some lunch, we head for the Field of Miracles. This square is the most popular attraction in Pisa and is one of the most famous places in the world. It consists of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Camposanto, the Duomo and the Baptistery. We'll return here tomorrow for a tour. including a climb to the top of the Leaning Tower. On this afternoon, we just shoot photos. :-)
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| The Baptistery (dedicated to John the Baptist; largest baptistery in Italy) |
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| The Duomo (medieval cathedral built between 1063 and 1400) |
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| Help me, please! This little tower seems to be falling... |
PISA, ITALY: Thursday, June 9
We enjoy a self-guided, morning stroll from the train station, through the streets of central Pisa. Following lunch, we meet our guide for a cultural walking tour. The highlight is a climb to the top of the Leaning Tower.
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| Produce Market in Central Pisa |
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| We tour the Field of Miracles, the Duomo and the Baptistery, then climb the Leaning Tower. |
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| Close-up View from Our Place in Line |
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| Define Imbalance: Climbing 300 Spiral Steps in a Tilting Tower! |
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| Amazing Views of Beautiful Pisa |
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| Duomo from Above |
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| Leaning Tower Has Bells! |
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| Italian Piazzas with Cafes -- Full of Atmosphere |
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| Arno River Mirrors Pisa's Evening Serenity |
FLORENCE, ITALY: Friday, June 10
This is a much-anticipated day! We enjoyed a brief stop in Florence during a cruise tour in 2008, but there is still so much to see in this Renaissance city. We follow a simple plan -- first, tour the famous Uffizi Gallery; second, climb Brunelleschi's Duomo (over Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, the largest masonry dome ever built); fourth, revisit Ponte Vecchio; fifth, tour Medici Chapel and Medici Palace. Lots to do in a day, but the proof's in the pictures!
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| The Baptistery of Saint John (constructed between 1059 and 1128) |
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| East Doors of Baptistery (or Gates of Paradise) by Lorenzo Ghiberti |
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| Piazza della Signoria - Florence Italy |
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| "Searching for Utopia" by Jan Fabre - Piazza della Signoria |
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| Courtyard from Uffizi Gallery |
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| One of 45 Museum Halls in Uffizi Gallery |
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| "Adoration of the Magi" by Filippino Lippi, c. 1496 |
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| "The Holy Family" (with infant John the Baptist) by Michelangelo, c. 1507 |
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| "Madonna of the Magnificat" by Botticelli, c. 1483 |
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| "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli, c. 1486 |
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| "The Baptism of Christ" by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1470 |
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| "Annunciation" by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1472 |
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| "Adoration of Christ Child"-modeled by Donatello & Bellano; painted by Neri di Bicci, c. 1455-60 |
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| "Testa di Medusa" - Parade shield painted by Caravaggio, c. 1597 |
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| "Pieta Bandini" by Michelangelo (located in Duomo Museum) |
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| Entrance for Brunelleschi's Dome Climb |
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| Giotto's Bell Tower from Duomo |
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| Top of Florence (with great views in all directions) |
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| Waiting in Line to Go Down |
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| Ponte Vecchio Bridge over Arno River (high-end vendors like Tiffany's span the bridge) |
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| Looking up the Arno from Ponte Vecchio |
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| Medici Chapel of the Princes |
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| Gorgeous Rotunda of Medici Chapel (frescoes painted by Pietro Benvenuti |
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| Tomb of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, with statues "Day and Night" by Michelangelo |
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| Tomb of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, with statues "Dawn and Dusk" by Michelangelo |
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| Middle sculpture on sepulchre of Lorenzo the Magnificent (d. 1492) is "Madonna and Child" by Michelangelo |
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| The Courtyard - Medici Palace |
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| The Garden - Medici Palace |
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| Tapestry Hall - Medici Palace |
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| The Galleria - Medici Palace |
CINQUE TERRE TOUR: Saturday, June 11
It's another big day! We tour four colorful villages of the Cinque Terre coastal region of Italy, each suspended on steep cliffs overlooking the sea, framed by breathtaking scenery--crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches, lush vegetation, vineyards... We take the ferry from village to village, beginning in beautiful Riomaggiore and ending the day in the sparkling gem of this area, Portovenere.
RIOMAGGIORE!
MANAROLA!
VERNAZZA!
MONTEROSSO!
CORNIGLIA!
LAST STOP - PORTOVENERE!
TIME FOR BUSINESS IN BOLOGNA: June 12 - 15, 2016
All this fun has been a lead-in to the main event, Gary's professional meetings in Bologna. Of course we find time to see the sights in this surprisingly beautiful city, including San Petronia, the sixth largest church in Europe; the renowned Two Towers; Piazza Maggiore, home to Bologna's traditional fish market. A fun hop-on, hop-off tour bus takes us to parts of the city we cannot reach on foot.
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| Palazzo dei Podesta - Piazza Maggiore |
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| Palazzo dei Banchi - Piazza Maggiore |
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| Basilica di San Petronio - Piazza Maggiore |
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| San Petronio - Sixth largest church in Europe |
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| The Nave (with Vignola's ciborium over the altar) |
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| Two Towers - Landmark of Bologna |
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| Climbed wooden stairs to top of Asinelli Tower (320 feet tall) |
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| Incredible Views of Bologna from Asinelli Tower |
