Yosemite - Great Place to Visit

I was doing some photo organizing the other day and ran across some shots from a business trip years ago to Yosemite. Yeah, yeah, I know - tough gig. =)

There was a conference there (actually not the best place for a conference, but that's another topic) and we had a long break one afternoon - that was when location really mattered! Off we went to explore the valley a bit.

I thought I'd share some of the photos I took because it really is a beautiful place. If you haven't been, you should go for sure. It has changed a lot of the years since my wife and her family backpacked there every year, but the views and the nature are just fantastic.

So take a peek at my photos. I hope you like them. More to come. =)

My "Nature" photo group on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-ranch/sets/72157622537088000/

More Pyramids in Egypt? Yes - 17 More, Underground! Plus 1,000 Tombs

Ran across this news article (thanks Facebook Friend & 2nd Cousin Austen for posting the article from Yahoo! News) that caught my eye since we were visiting the Pyramids of Giza just last November.

Currently at this site there are 3 full size pyramids and 3 smaller ones. I'm sorry to say that as I sit here now I can't remember the stories behind the smaller ones. I want to say they are for the children of one of the Pharaohs, but I can't recall.

What an interesting use of remote sensing technology. Using what we know about the way the pyramids and tombs were built, they were able to classify the infrared imagery to look for density changes. These structures were built with mud bricks which are much more dense than the soil around them.

Amazing - 17 pyramids, 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements.

There will be a documentary on the BBC which follows Egyptologist Dr. Sarah Parcak as she begins to unearth this new find. Keep an eye out for "Egypt's Lost Cities" if you find this topic interesting. I love the title they give the Dr - "Satellite Archaeologist". Cool.

Weird six degrees of separation moment? Dr Parcak was born in Bangor, Maine, as was my mom.

Here's the link to the full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20110525/tc_digitaltrends/infraredsatelliteimagryunveils17lostegyptianpyramids

Here's a BBC article that goes into more detail about the work leading up to the find: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13522957

Baha'i Gardens Haifa (mobile)

Another cell phone pic from Nov 2010 cruise.

Wow these terraced gardens were something to see! They weren't open to walk down the day we were there, but they are still very impressive.

Worth a visit if you are in Haifa for sure.

The Wailing Wall (mobile)

Very interesting stop at the Wailing Wall. Just sitting and people watching at this location is fascinating. So many people from all over the world & from all walks of life.

Rod has been wanting to come to the Wailing Wall for many, many years. It was great to see him be able to place his prayers in the wall and say a short prayer.

Interesting to see the men's and women's sections. And the size differences.

Pyramids of Giza (mobile)

Another cell phone pic from Nov 2010 trip. The pyramids of Giza were nice to see. Wish we had more time there - but the camel ride was something we just had to do! =)

I would rather of had more time at the pyramids and less at the sphinx. Oh well. One of the downsides of being on a group excursion - have to follow their time line. But lots of benefits too!

A must see if you get to Egypt.

Temple of Luxor (mobile)

Cell phone pic at the Temple of Luxor (Nov 2010).

What a fantastic structure. Amazing to wander around marveling at the scale of the pieces. How did they build all this?

Has held up amazingly well considering the age and flooding and everything else it has been through.

Italian Pizza in Sorrento (mobile)

Another cell phone pic. From November 2010.

Pizza & beer in Sorrento with Jen & dad. This was actually the best pizza we had in Italy. A little neighborhood restaurant with all outdoor seating.

Jen loved the fresh squeezed OJ!