We took Marketa to Disneyland and California Adventure two days ago. She loved all of the rides, especially the Tower of Terror in California Adventure. We also had lunch at Club 33 and feasted on all of the great chocolate desserts. Another favorite was Thunder Mountain. Marketa can't wait to go to Magic Mountain to go on all of the roller coasters.
After our trip to Northern California, we drove to Utah (via the roller coaster at New York, New York in Las Vegas - Marketa had never been on a roller coaster - she's going to love it when we go to Magic Mountain next week). Marketa really wanted to see a desert so we thought we would show her the best. ...the Mojave, complete with many Joshua trees. We stayed at our neighbor's cabin (the Marino's) above Cedar City in the mountains for several days. We went to Zion National Park one day and hiked the Narrows and then went to Bryce the following day. This terrain is way different from anything that she has in the Czech Republic. 
The Middle Fork of the American River was conquered on August 15 by the Finlay/Warnick clan; the Crump family; our cousins, Chris and Dodie Lynds; and friends, Lisa and Allen Cress from Salinas. It was a full day raft trip, floating about 18 miles on the river. Beautiful scenery and some VERY SCARY RAPIDS! Tunnel Chute, a class 5 rapid, was the most thrilling. This rapid was formed many years ago, when the early gold miners blasted a whole through the hill, diverting the American River and creating a tunnel with some very challenging falls. It was definitely a wild and wet day!
We all went camping at Loon Lake this past weekend. The water was clear, cool and uncrowded which made for great kayaking. Marketa had never slept out under the stars before and it was a first for her to eat s'mores. The cliff jumping was good as can be seen by Erin, Jeannie and Allison doing it simultaneously. We had 17 people there with Helen's family, Margaret's family, Grammie and Grampie and Lisa and Allen Cress. No rain and dutch-oven cooking made for a great time.
| Megan and I rode our bikes up there before catching the ferry back to the mainland. All of the houses on the bluff are on leased land from the state park since they were there before the park was established. There is no new development allowed now. These houses are huge! Most of them with more than a dozen bedrooms. It was a beautiful place to ride to and were are jealous of the people that have that view. | |
August 6th, 2006 was a special day indeed for two reasons. Marketa, our Czech Youth Exchange Student, arrived today from the Czech Republic. We are so happy to have her with us for a month. . .Evan stayed with her family over in the Czech Republic and he will be returning on Tuesday of this week from Prague. Also, Brad and Margaret celebrated their 30th Wedding Anniversary by having dinner, prepared by Megan and Grammie, up at Grammie and Grampie's house in the backyard. 
The National Opera House in Prague. It is on the street where the USSR tanks came to put a stop to the Revolution there.
This is Charles Bridge and it stretches over the Vltava River
This is Antygl in Sumava. Samuel, Jane, and I hiked along the river Vydra, which means riveotter. Unfortunately there are no otters here.
St. Vitus's Cathedral lies in the area of the Presidential Palace. It has a magnificent rose window and a primarily gold mosaic. 
Yesterday, we all had dinner together and said our farewells to the Johnson Surfer, the boat that 3 generations learned to ski and wakeboard on. A nice family from Mariposa will use this boat and create memories for their children with it. This was the Cadillac of boats when Mom and Dad bought it in 1967 and we've had so many great vacations with it (Trinity Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Kentucky Lake, Lake Nippissing, and Lake Erie to name a few). Our families are closer because of it.
