http://gnomar.com Follow Gnomar and gnome and his gnome friends as they travel around the world! http://gnomar.com/extras/newlogo.jpg http://gnomar.com Headed up to Seattle for the weekend, so of course we had to check out Pike Place Market. Saw the fish throwing/catching...very entertaining. Unfortunately the photos didn't come out. So instead, please enjoy this shot of me and some salmon swimming upstream very, very slowly. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080301 John had a business trip that took him to Salt Lake City, Utah, and he allowed me to tag along. I did some poking around while he was in class Saturday, but Sunday we headed downtown to see the Mormon Temple. It's crazy big! But not as crazy big as the office building right next door. It's HUGE!!! From what I saw, I'd say this church is a well oiled money making machine. But then John reminded me that this is the 'Vatican' of the Mormon faith, so of course it's going to be the biggest. Well that makes sense. Color me impressed! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080224 It's frickin' freezing out here, Mr. Bigglesworth! I like seeing the sun rise as much as the next gnome, but this is ridiculous. I think it's about time to pop inside for a wee dram to warm up. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080124 Greetings from India! Specifically, the Amber Fort, in Amber, Rajasthan. I was kinda spacing off and missed the tour guide's words about this structure, but I decided to take a breather and leaned against this pillar. That's when my mind was opened and filled with the most amazing images! I had an adventure of epic proportions in the blink of an eye. Did I doze off, or was some mystical power at work? I can't say for certain. However, I decided to name this pole the Pillar of Imagination, in honor of my magical mind trip. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080121 Well, we're almost on our way! We're all checked in to room 1057 on the Celebrity Century cruise ship and just waiting to set sail on our four night Caribbean cruise! Unfortunately, this is the last photo of me that you're going to see from our trip! Somewhere in Cozumel, Mexico one of our cameras got misplaced and we lost all the photos of my handsome mug. It's too bad; I did some pretty neat things on this trip.... I went parasailing in Key West... I stood on the southern-most point in the continental United States ... I visited the Mayan ruins in Tulum, and had a blast on our ship while traveling around the Caribbean. At least I'll always have my memories! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080110 Before we departed for our next leg of the trip, we strolled down to the beach to dip our toes in the ocean. Ahhhhhh, bliss. So much better than the snow and ice back home!!! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080109 We grabbed a plate from the free breakfast buffet at the Essex House before we checked out. I do love me some fresh squeezed orange juice! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080108 We spent the night in the Art Deco area of Miami, at the award winning Essex House. It was a wonderful visit there, but way too short. We'll have to come back again soon. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080107 You know what time it is? Time to get out of cold and snowy Chicago! I'm on flight 1904, headed to warm and sunny Miami, Florida. I hope I remembered to pack plenty of sunscreen! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20080104 Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a very blessed day with your very special loved ones. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071225 Thinking about doing some holiday traveling. Should I use the US Postal Service as my transportation provider? I have a feeling I'd better find myself a pretty well padded travel pod if I decide to do that - they're not known for their gentle handling of parcels. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071220 We were on our way out of the Edfu Temple when I decided to stop to pose for a picture. Just as SoG stepped back and got ready to take the picture, this guy appeared from nowhere and insisted on 'muscling in' on my photo. He also insisted on showing me a few wall carvings and at the end, inevitably, held out his hand for a tip. I didn't really have any change, so I ended up giving him a much bigger tip than I'd given the much more helpful guy inside the temple. Life's so unfair at times, isn't it? http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071219 Mr Gnome investigates the new must-see installation at Tate Modern: Shibboleth by Doris Salcedo. It's a fissure in the concrete floor of the vast Turbine Hall, zig-zagging from one end of the vast space to the other. That's good crack! http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071218 A pause at Charlecote House, where, reputedly, William Shakespeare was once in trouble for poaching deer in the park. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071213 What better way to spend a winter morning than by taking a brisk walk across the sensational Brooklyn Bridge? I do love New York - the locals have seen everything, so a backpacking gnome is just every day ice cream to them. Sometimes it's nice to not be the center of attention. I'm just sayin'. http://www.gnomar.com/album.php?d=20071211