Saturday, April 4, 2009

Viewing our companion balloon through the evening sky.
Overlooking west coast once taking off from Del Mar. So, quiet and calm once into the atmosphere. View over much of the real-estate and Rancho Santa Fe area.



Increasing the altitude - our guide was interesting and explained much of the maneuvering capabilities of the balloon (all dependent on directional wind/ground speed, of course).



Before taking off.





Deb, Sheena and myself hangin' out in San Diego.
At Hotel Del Coronado.



Sunset in SD.



Catching a biker on the way down while hiking the Torrey Pines trails...



View from Torrey Pines highest point (overlooks Del Mar).







PRAGUE

The national museum in Prague. We couldn't get in the one day as the set of cameras/production eqpt. were all on site for filming. We later found out it was for the 'Casino Royale' movie...which used the bldg. as one of their many backdrops.














Laura w/ the castle guard (he could've gotten into trouble) as he checked to make sure no one else was around for the picture...
Near the Church of 'Our Lady before Tyn' in the city-center.
Looking to the St. Nicholas cathedral...
The medieval town of Kutná Hora is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site which gained huge wealth thanks to its prosperous silver mines, and became the second most important town in the Kingdom of Bohemia, after Prague. A uniquely amazing sight is the baroque ossuary in nearby Sedlec, decorated with the bones of some 40,000 people. The decorations even include a human bone chandelier.


Charles Bridge by night..rare sight to capture hardly any tourists (mid-Jan.)



Steps towards the Hradcany castle area.





View looking towards Old Town and Charles bridge which crosses the river Vltava.














City-center; Prague.
Hradcany castle.
Charles Bridge to Old Town.


Astronomical clock.



Ornate building / architecture.