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Showing posts from June 23, 2013

100 and Done! (Countries that is...)

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We are back! This last trip brought the total countries visited to 100! It is a crazy milestone. It is difficult, time-consuming and can be (IS) expensive. After I got back from Antarctica in 2007, I started thinking about it. After 2010 I was thinking about it more (as I moved from NY to Georgia) and in 2014 it had become a real goal. Between Angie and I we have been to 109 Countries. We are tied at 100 countries each. We have 9 countries different in our lists. For example, I have been to San Marino. She has not. She has been to Israel. I have not, yet. There has been some fun competition in this area. That's why we had to establish rules. 1.) Must be listed (as a country) with the US State Department 2.) Being in an airport doesn't count. You have to get through immigration somehow and not in a DMZ or a no-mans-land 3.) A passport stamp is not required. I have been to Canada, Paraguay, and Uruguay without getting my passport stamped. There are friendly borders in many places...
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Some pics from Normandy/Brittany and Paris. Great time. In Order: Angie in Mont St Michel, Bayeux Cathederal, Rouen France, Rouen France where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, Exploring tunnels in Etretat France, Etretat France, Etretat France, Mont St Michel, Mont St Michel, Omaha Beach, American Cemetery, Halleys Comet on tapestry from 1066, Eiffel tower (duh), Arc de triumphe, Etretat France.
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While in France I happened on the Paris Airshow. It was totally unplanned. It was a bit freaky that Angie and I were able to get there and be part of the world's largest commercial airshow that happens every two years. Where else can we see the latest Mig 29 Fighter demonstrated a few minutes after the Eurofighter Typhoon? I swear those jets are so loud you might think they run on sound power! The whole show is (of course) very impressive; the low-slow demo of the Airbus 380 was particularly impressive.
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Here is a picture of my sister trying on a stylish bicycle helmet when she was in Atlanta.