On the Bay in Annapolis

Today we were in Annapolis, Maryland, at the entrance to the Cheaspeake Bay. (Can you find me at google earth?) At one time, at the beginning of our country's history, during the colonial times, it was the capital of our nation. It is also the home of the Naval Academy. If you want to become a sailor, this is the place to go to college. I loved it there! Boats were everywhere. I was right in the middle of the harbor in the center of the town.

Save the Bay

This boat is called a skipjack. It was used for harvesting oysters and crabs in Cheaspeake Bay long ago.
The Bay was getting polluted so many people worked hard to make it cleaner. This is one of the boats that was used to promote the cause of keeping the Bay healthy.

National Geographic Society Building

Oh my gosh, here I am in the Explorer's Hall on the first floor of the National Geographic Society Building in Washington, D.C. There is always a great display of something interesting for kids, and dogs. This time it was about maps. Perfect for my trip across the United States. Don't I look cute in this photo?

Another New Friend

Duncan Kay was in the Explorer's Hall, too. We had a good chat. He liked being there as much as I did!! And one of the best things about the exhibit-------it was free!!

Ready for the Moon

Okay, count with me!! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Blast off. I'm ready to rocket to the moon in this Mars Rover!! What a great way to head into Outer Space!!

Just for Kids

Samantha and Jordan were having fun in this cool tent in a rain forest. They talked with me for a little bit and let me take their picture. So......if you ever get a chance to visit Washington, D.C., make sure you include a stop at the National Geographic Society Building!! You can always google the site to see what's new and interesting and waiting for youl

French Food in Washington, D.C.

We had lunch at a fabulous restaurant in Washington, D.C., at Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue. It's called Bistro Du Coin. Our waitress was Zeynep. She liked to smile. She thought I was funny. If you are ever in our nation's capital, make sure you visit this place-----it's just like being in France!! Yummy!! Yummy!! There are many great restaurants in the city because so many people from all over the world live here and have established eateries showcasing their country's favorite foods.

The Fisherman on Lake Michigan

Here I am with Jay, the fisherman, and Mom. We met Jay as he was leaving after an afternoon of fishing on Lake Michigan. He just fished for fun. He caught bass and then threw them back in the water. He walked dogs for a job. He said it was a good job for him because he had lots of time to go fishing!

Chicago's Finest

Here I am with Officer Cook. He liked me! He policed the city on a Segway. Wow, that would be fun!!

Lake Michigan, Illinois

From the train station, we walked down to the water. It was busy on the way there; lots and lots of people were jogging in the parks nearby and there were bicycles all over the place. I had to be careful not to get run over! We saw a policeman on a horse, too!

Sears Tower, Chicago

Oh my gosh, this skyscraper is the tallest building in the United States. Bobby wanted to go up to the top, but I was happy just looking up at it!!

Skyscrapers!!

Here I am in Chicago, Illinois, the Windy City. It was a beautiful summer day. The train arrived about dinnertime. Because we were traveling in a sleeper, we were able to store our luggage in the Metropolitan Lounge and take a quick walk around the city and down to Lake Michigan. There were lots of people on the streets who were just leaving their jobs and going home. Most of the people I saw had their offices in those big buildings behind me. Wow, they were really tall compared to the buildings back home in Honolulu!

Corn, Corn, Corn

Now that we are closer to the Great Lakes (Can you find Lake Michigan?), there are more small farms. Almost everyone had a few fields of corn. Did you know corn kernels were found in ruins hundreds of years old in North America, and they still popped!! Read POPCORN by Tomie DePaola and find out more.

Beautiful Scenery

As we got closer to Chicago, we started seeing more rivers, ponds, and streams. We began going over more bridges and the landscape was a lot greener. Taking the train is exciting! I am getting to see so much more than being on the highways, and I don't have to see lots of truckstops, gas stations, and fast food joints.

La Junta, Colorado

I met this couple, the Yergerts, when the train stopped for about 15 minutes in La Junta. Mr. Yergert worked on the railroad for many, many years. He and his wife come down to the station in the evenings to watch the train come in. They were so friendly.

Freight Trains

Now the trouble with being on a passenger train is this---the freight trains have the right-of-way which means they go first. So if a freight train is on the tracks coming your way, you have to move aside and let it pass. Well, as you can imagine, this causes delays so the train arrives late sometimes.

Out the Window

The countryside through the Midwest was pretty level. It's an area of the United States called The Great Plains. It was flat for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Every now and then we'd see some farm buildings.

Bobby and Me

Here is my dad, Bobby. He likes to stay in the background and take the photos of me, but I wanted you to see what he looks like. He's very kind and patient with all our stopping and starting. Mom and I are lucky. We're sitting in the club car. It's a place for everybody on the train to sit and play games or cards or read or write letters. It's really fun to watch the country go by.

Where are the Tickets?

Luckily Mom had everything in order and we got on our sleeper (a train car with beds and bathrooms, and even a shower!) Each sleeper car has an attendent who watches out for you and supplies you with towels and bed linens. He also checks to make sure you are on the right train and in the right car!! Now it's overnight to Chicago, Illinois!

On Time!!

Hooray, the Amtrak was on schedule! Now we are ready to board.

Lamy, New Mexico

We took a shuttle from the Hilton in Santa Fe to Lamy, a town about 30 minutes away. The train station was very rustic in a southwestern sort of way. Our shuttle driver, Jon, whose father was the famous author of SHANE, agreed to pose with Mom and me. It was soooo hot sitting up on that metal wagon edge. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Oh My Gosh!!

This man was sitting on the main street of Santa Fe with his pets. Can you see the cat on the dog and, then, can you see the mouse on the cat!! I sure am making a lot of new friends on this trip!

Yippee!!!!!!

My very first pony ride!!

Ernesto, the Artist

Ernesto was sitting outside the front door of the La Fonda Hotel. He had a great selection of paintings for sale. He said he had the best location in the town. I think he did too. He liked me a lot. I wish I could have stayed longer, and maybe he could have painted me!!

Hey, Surf Bunny

This guy was in another picture window in a shop in the La Fonda Hotel. I took it just for you!!

Wow!!!

In the La Fonda Hotel there are many wonderful shops!! We found these beautiful turquoise bead necklaces there.

Sitting Pretty

It sure is fun being in my own little, comfy backpack. I can really see the sites!
I'm just entering the La Fonda, a famous hotel in downtown Santa Fe.

Tour Guide, Pat

I ran into Pat as we were walking around Santa Fe. She's an independent tour guide. She gave us lots of info. Notice how beautiful she looks in turquoise!! Pat told us about the "Harvey Girls" who worked in the Harvey Hotels out West. See if you can find anything out about them!! Did you find Santa Fe, New Mexico, yet?

Zoe from Santa Fe

Zoe entertained me with her guitar playin'! She was making money between "gigs" before she goes to Berklee School of Music in Boston at the end of the summer. Bravo, Zoe!!

??????????

This is a new friend who made a big impression on me, but I forgot his name. (Notice the green wall to the right.)
Friend, if you see this picture of yourself, email me your name and I'll be glad to post it.

Jesse

Jesse, the cashier at the Children's Museum, sold Mom some postcards.

Children's Museum

Here I am entering my own special door of the Santa Fe Children's Museum. It was fun inside and lots was happening. I made huge bubbles with a wire hoop. I explored the "Green House" and met several fledgling canaries. All the people there were so nice to me. A lot of the time when strangers see me in the backpack, Rex, my Mom, made for me, they smile and have a very curious expression on their faces. I'm glad I have a big smile-------I think it must be contagious because everybody, or well, almost everybody, smiles back when they look at me!

Building Materials

On the way back down the mountain into Santa Fe, we passed an adobe house being built. I thought you might like to see some of the natural resources used to construct a desert home.

Can You Find Me?

Whew!! I had to take a break. Mom was tiring me out-----all that talkin' and walkin'!! I'm relaxing in front of the caretaker's quarters at the Randall Davey Audubon Center.

Randall Davey House

This is Randall Davey's home, which along with his land, was donated to the Audubon Society. Randall Davey was a famous artist and an accomplished (good) cello player from New York. In 1919, about 100 years ago, he drove his wife and another couple to Santa Fe all the way from New York City in a Model T. Yikes!! He had to change the tires four times!!

My New Friend, Tom

Tom was the volunteer at the Randal Davey Audubon Center. He told us lots of interesting facts about the site. He made me laugh a few times. He's traveled to a lot of places and he likes Santa Fe the best!! The climate is called "high desert."

I Love Flowers!

There were so many beautiful flowers at the Audubon Center; roses, peonies, lavender and so many more. Look what my Mom did to me. Don't I look cute?

Audubon Center, Santa Fe

It's Sunday, June 17, and it's pretty nice in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dodi took us up a long, windy, dusty road to the Randall Davey Audubon Center. The gardens were pretty. We walked around and I talked to a lot of people.

Dodi, Mom, and Me

Dodi lives in Santa Fe, in a little adobe house. Adobe is clay. There aren't many trees for building houses there. The natural resource most available, instead, is adobe. Look up the word, adobe, and let me know what it says!
A JOKE FOR YOU: WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE PLAYGROUND?
(To get to the other slide!) Tell it with lots of expression and make many people laugh!

Inside the Bus

We rode the bus all day long-----from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. I saw lots of cowboy hats, turquoise necklaces, and mesas.

Greyhound---the Bus

Well, because I would have had to return to Los Angeles to go to Santa Fe, New Mexico, by train, that was not an option. So........Bobby, Rex, and I took the Greyhound bus for about 600 miles. It was pretty fun. The bus was full all of the time and most of the riders were men. We stopped every hour and a half or so. There was a bathroom at the back of the bus. Whew! The truckstops were interesting and so was the scenery. We arrived on time which was much better than the train. I had to drink lots and lots of water because I kept getting dehydrated. Remember, I'm traveling in a desert climate. See if you can google Santa Fe and find me out West.

Little Bear

My sweet, new friend, Dr. Katie's terrier, Little Bear. He liked me a lot. Look at his friendly paw on my shoulder. I liked him too!

Dr. Katie and Me

This is Rex's sister-in-law, Dr. Katie. She lives in Phoenix. She took all of us to a fabulous Mexican restaurant. There is a lot of Mexican food here in the West because it is next to Mexico. Bobby shared his black beans with me. Yum!

The Breakfast Club

This is a great restaurant in Scottsdale which is a city next to Phoenix.
The town is so hot that businesses put misting nozzles over their dining patios so people can eat outside. That's hot!! My new friend, Marissa, was our waitress. She sure was friendly!!

30 Miles South of Phoenix

It's six in the morning as our train pulled into Maricopa, Arizona. It was was pretty cool, but in only a couple of hours, the temperature began to rise. While we were in Phoenix, it was usually about 107F to 110F most of the time. It cooled down to 97F in the night. Can you imagine? Luckily, I have a short fur coat!

The Sunset Limited arrives at Sunrise

Oh, boy, what a night. The train car got hot and the air conditioning couldn't be fixed. Bobby, my other owner, was putting wet paper towels on his head to cool down. He looked pretty funny! The conductor felt sorry for us so he moved us up to the front and then we cooled down. Whew. It was a long ride from Los Angeles to Phoenix---it was supposed to take eight hours, but it took sixteen!

Catchin' zzzz's

Well, the train was running behind schedule because there were so many freight trains that made us wait as they passed us by. Also a signal light switch, which tells the trains when to come and go so everything's safe, broke. So our train which was due to arrive in Maricopa, a town south of Phoenix, at ten in the evening, didn't come in on time. It was eight hours late!!!! I let my owner, Rex, used me for a pillow and she got a little shut eye.

All Aboard

Here are some new friends I made on the train to Phoenix, Arizona. They were going to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Can you find those cities at www.google earth?

Outward Bound

Here I am in a big, plushy chair in the Los Angeles train station. It is beautiful. Long ago most people traveled by train to go long distances. Now most people are transported by airplanes.

Our First Farmer's Market!! Yippee!!

This was our first visit to a farmer's market. It was right across the street from Anita's art school in Westchester. Wow!! I had a tall, fresh, strawberry lemonade. Oh, boy, did that cool me down. We walked around and saw lots of yummy fruit and good healthy foods to eat. Best of all we met Augustino Zapata who played romantic Spanish guitar for us. He also sold me some freshly pressed pomegranate juice from an orchard where he works. Look for a video clip on my blog later.