True!

I'd like to dedicate this to fellow travelers and PCVs/RPCVs around the world.  Any toilet (or tree) will do, but if it's a Western style flush toilet in a clean, private bathroom, there is no better feeling.

Photos of My Life In Mandalay

I love holidays.  The other teachers are off gallivanting so I'm taking advantage of the faster (although still slow) internet to post some recent photos.  Here are some scenes from my daily life...

When five thrifty teachers need a taxi to go out to dinner on a Friday night, do they spring for two cars?  No, they put Sherri in the luggage area.  As she said "Please, I was in the Peace Corps.  This is nothing."  She's RPCV Thailand.  Also teaching at AIS, RPCVs from Ukraine, Romania, El Salvador, Ecuador, Vanuatu, Philippines and, of course, Samoa.

One of the herd of water buffalo next to my apartment.

I was sitting in a taxi a block from my apartment.  This was my view of the cows strolling by.

Another beautiful sunrise - my view from my classroom.  That's not fog, though, it's dust hanging in the air.

Cows on the move.  This is the road in front of my apartment.

We made dragons yesterday for Chinese New Year.  Yes, I realize it's the Year of the Horse, but dragons are more fun.

This is my buddy Jack.  Please note he's wearing two sweaters.  It was over 90 degrees outside.

We took our dragons down to wish the school Director and admin staff Happy New Year.  The kids are wearing their PE uniforms.

The red envelope that held my "lucky" money.  Happy New Year!

The Return Photos, Continued - Tucson

As I was saying...

Before leaving for Tucson, we hit the mall in FL to get some new glasses for me. Mine gave up the ghost my last week in Samoa.  On the way to Lenscrafters we tried on hats.  I missed my friends.

Nothing says home for me like a taco truck that's open for breakfast. This one was next to the hotel where I stayed near the Tucson airport.

Breakfast - tacos made with carne asada.  Muy bueno!  All this food cost me $5.00. I saved half for breakfast the next day.

San Xavier del Bac is one of the oldeset mission churches still actively serving the community. It is beautiful. I spent a lot of time here with my family when I was a kid.

The church had this creche set up for Christmas.  There's one animal in the display that I don't think they planned on. Can you spot which animal is out of place?  Answer at end of post.

My friend Paula flew in from Las Vegas so we could catch up. She, my high school buddy Aletha, and I hit an  art fair.  I had to take a time out to just sit with my eyes closed a couple of times.  The number of people, the volume, the sights were a bit too much sensory overload.  But it was so fun!

My favorite meal.  From El Molinito in Tucson (22nd St. and Craycroft) - cheese enchilada and green corn tamale (made with fresh sweet corn, green chiles and cheese).  Beans on the side.  Heaven.  I've been enjoying this meal, at this restaurant for about 40 years.  When my brother was terminally ill in FL, I went to visit my dad in Tucson.  He was also terminally ill.  It was a tough year.  My brother asked me to bring back some of these tamales, from this restaurant.  When I said goodbye to my dad to come back to FL, he said "I love you - don't forget the tamales!"  Those were his last words to me.

Our appetizer at El Molinito was another of my favorites - a cheese crisp with green chiles. Imagine a deep-fried, very thin flour tortilla which is covered with cheese and green chiles and then broiled.  So unhealthy.  So good.

Aletha is a realtor in Tucson.  She and I have been friends since 1966. Good heavens I'm old. That's a salad in front of her with a decorative green onion sticking up.

What's in the creche which doesn't belong?  Check out the cat on the right who had crawled in for a snooze.