National Museum of the American Indian

Meetings at Blackboard went so well yesterday that I got the opportunity to squeeze in a couple hours at the National Museum of the American Indian. This amazing building houses much more than an interactive history of American Indians. The stories of tribal challenges to preserve culture and heritage through oppression, competition and the melting pot of society are riveting and equally heart wrenching. May we learn the most from our biggest mistakes.

Thanksgiving dinner 2

Our guest of honor was Wonki Lee. Claire volunteers at the Mizzou Asian Center. Wonki is a university exchange student from Korea, and Claire's conversation partner. He has a delightful sense of humor and a misunderstood and under appreciated passion for both kimchi and green bean casserole.

Claire and Pat spent the entire day planning, shopping for and cooking Thanksgiving dinner number 2. The menu:

• Roasted chicken
• Leek and mushroom stuffing
• Cardamom and pecan sweet mashed potatoes
• Chicken and mushroom gravy
• Green bean casserole
• Cranberry and ginger chutney
• Pumpkin pie
• Apple cider
• Green tea

It was a fabulous gourmet traditional feast. Oooh, I am stuffed again.

Thanksgiving dinner 1

Pat, Claire and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving dinner of the season at Sycamore this evening. We decided to open the feast season with a core family unit dinner. The menu?

• Sweetbreads
• Barbeque Pork Belly
• Beet Salad
• Warm Autumn Salad
• Spinach and Bacon Salad
• Crumb Encrusted Walleye
• Duck three ways is what I counted
• Beef Tenderloin Filet
• Mash Potatoes and Pork Gravy
• Potato Frittata kind of thing sans custard
• Caramelized Pears
• Bread Pudding
• Icebox Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Chardonnay Girasole
• Shiraz
• Coffee

Oooh, I'm stuffed.

Austin

I spent the last four days at a K-12 online learning conference in Austin, Texas. But mostly I ate barbeque. Below is a Stubbs Bar-B- Que Major, which is your choice of three meats and two sides. I gorged on pork ribs, beef brisket, smoked sausage, spud salad and pinto beans. I enjoyed this meal with Donna, Chris, Cheryl and Mike from IDLA, Jay from MIVHS, and Liz from VHS. We dined in the midst of a rock and roll fundraising event. The meal, conversation and ambiance were awesome.

This is the dessert served during the roundtable discussion luncheon. I'm gonna call it an apple pie round with blue berry buttons.

This is a picture of Marilyn and Rex, the master minds of Laurel Springs School, ordering a feast in Iron Works BBQ. Actually, I did not eat dinner with them. I interrupted their meal. I ate with Brian and Annie from Wimba, and happened into Marilyn and Rex. It was a fun surprise. I hope your wing heals soon, Rex. Brian and Annie, thanks for introducing me to the world's best brisket.

Istanbul 8--Gulhane Park

At the end of August and beginning of September, Pat and I spent eight days in Istanbul. Previously called Byzantium, Augusta Antonina, New Rome, Constantinople, The City, Stamboul, Islambol, Asitane and many other names, Istanbul has almost continuously been one of the world's largest and greatest cities for over 2600 years, and it is the only metropolis in two continents. Founded on the Golden Horn and divided by the Bosphorous Strait, Istanbul served as the capital for the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Latin Empire and Ottoman Empire. The city is a rich mixture of Roman Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Christians. Today, Istanbul boasts almost 3000 mosques and over 300 Catholic churches. Istanbul is among the most friendly and welcoming places on Earth, while also being one of the most densely populated, commerce-bustling cities. If Istanbul is not on your must visit or must return to list, then stop reading this and go revise your list.

Below is a statue of a famous sitar player, situated in the heart of Gulhane Park, which is just down the hill from Topkapi Palace in the Old City.

Gulhane Park is a remarkably peaceful juxtaposition to the frenetic tourism and local trade just outside the park's walls.

Istanbul 7--Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum, situated on the outer grounds of Topkapi Palace, was built in the 1800's to house and display the spoils of the Ottoman Empire's pilfering and plundering throughout the greater Mediterranean region. The treasures include Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Islamic tomb stones, sarcophagi, statues and sculptures. Many of the heads of sculptures were whopped off when the Turkish nationalists took control in 1922.

Guess what infamous ruler's grave site was marked with this statue, and you just might win a free trip to Istanbul.

Istanbul 6--the streets

With a city population over 12 million, metropolis population over 17 million, 3 million cars, trams, busses, hand carts, and tiny roads that are thousands of years old, the streets are packed with people all day every day. The entrance below will take you into a large indoor bazaar that connects with the spice market.

People, people, people.

Thousands of men make their living by pushing and pulling hand carts loaded with commercial goods on narrow streets where they compete with cars, busses and pedestrians for space.

No right turn. I wonder why.

This sign post is located in the heart of the Old City, near Suleymaniye Mosque. I don't know why I took the picture, and I have no clue why I am including it here, but there you go.