We get up late on Saturdays, Paul makes breakfast, I do laundry, we grocery shop, and then we usually go out for the day, taking the camera and a picnic of sorts.
This Saturday we went to Whitbey Island, an actual island in Puget Sound, taking a 20 minute ferry ride across, drive on and drive off.
It was interesting to see that before any car was allowed to board, the dog squad had to check it out for signs of explosives. So Fido was sniffing all over every car, underneath and on top and sticking his great furry arsehole in my face, by the passenger side door as he nosed under the wheel well. Thankfully he declared us not terrorists and we could drive on.
We saw a bald eagle. Paul got really excited over this because he's never been so close to one before. (They are the American National Symbol, you know). I stalked it in a riveting series of shots from the road, across marshy frozen swampland, to the extent that it ceased looking like a pole and started to look like a bird. A BIG bird with a nasty sharp beak and talons, who didn't seem very appreciative of my presence. Just after this shot was taken it turned around and squawked aggressively at me and I felt judged as to my suitability for dinner. Really, I think Australia has the better idea, being not unduly respectful of our National Animal, thus not giving it delusions of grandeur. Being turned into dog food makes most creatures pretty humble.
The beach actually looks like the photos above, believe it or not. There are subtle differences from our Australian ones. Such as no sand, heaps of driftwood, huge popping seaweed. Oh, and icicles and snow. I'm not swimming.
This Saturday we went to Whitbey Island, an actual island in Puget Sound, taking a 20 minute ferry ride across, drive on and drive off.
It was interesting to see that before any car was allowed to board, the dog squad had to check it out for signs of explosives. So Fido was sniffing all over every car, underneath and on top and sticking his great furry arsehole in my face, by the passenger side door as he nosed under the wheel well. Thankfully he declared us not terrorists and we could drive on.
We saw a bald eagle. Paul got really excited over this because he's never been so close to one before. (They are the American National Symbol, you know). I stalked it in a riveting series of shots from the road, across marshy frozen swampland, to the extent that it ceased looking like a pole and started to look like a bird. A BIG bird with a nasty sharp beak and talons, who didn't seem very appreciative of my presence. Just after this shot was taken it turned around and squawked aggressively at me and I felt judged as to my suitability for dinner. Really, I think Australia has the better idea, being not unduly respectful of our National Animal, thus not giving it delusions of grandeur. Being turned into dog food makes most creatures pretty humble.
The beach actually looks like the photos above, believe it or not. There are subtle differences from our Australian ones. Such as no sand, heaps of driftwood, huge popping seaweed. Oh, and icicles and snow. I'm not swimming.
A beautiful day, walking around and driving.
The way home was via the highway and the odd comfort stop.
They have amazing rest stops here in America. They are manned by volunteers and offer free coffee and donuts for all comers. Plus they have toilets, rather than bushes for the necessary.
American toilets are very weird though. They look more like bidets, with wide very shallow bowls, no variable flush and everything is porcelain. Very clean though, and available almost anywhere you go, regardless of whether you are actually patronizing the particular establishment wherein the facilities lie.
People think I'm strange for taking flash pictures of toilets. Hell, they think I'm strange anyway.
They have amazing rest stops here in America. They are manned by volunteers and offer free coffee and donuts for all comers. Plus they have toilets, rather than bushes for the necessary.
American toilets are very weird though. They look more like bidets, with wide very shallow bowls, no variable flush and everything is porcelain. Very clean though, and available almost anywhere you go, regardless of whether you are actually patronizing the particular establishment wherein the facilities lie.
People think I'm strange for taking flash pictures of toilets. Hell, they think I'm strange anyway.
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