Day Seven - Friday, May 8, 2009

Ode to Durango

Well actually I'm not going to write an "Ode" but we do want to remember how much we liked Durango as we prepare to spend our last night here. The town is Old West in its physical appearance - at least in the Old Town part where we have stayed and walked - but it offers an amazing assortment of "New Town" resources. In addition to those that we already have written about, there is apparently a vibrant arts community here. The galleries have exquisite art and great variety. The local theater group has lots of performances and outside guests. The restaurants offer extremely high quality food. This evening we dined at the Cyprus Cafe which featured Mediterranean food. Harold's combo mese plate was tasty - or so he said - and my stuffed pepper featured wild rice, Colorado asparagus, figs, and other things that were very tasty but unidentifiable. Plus we sat outside in the patio area and enjoyed the fresh air and the full moon rising in the east.

Ode to Jennifer

OK, the truth is that I have no idea how to write an "Ode," but I do know how to write that Harold and I are the very proud parents of a daughter named Jennifer who as of today has all five advisers' signatures on her dissertation and who on Tuesday of next week will file said dissertation with the University of California, Berkeley, and who on May 18 will become Dr. Jennifer Bussell, Ph.D. Seven years of learning and labor are to be celebrated! And in fact when we blog about our days together in the Bay area during the week of May 16, there will be lots of celebrating to report. Congratulations, Jennifer. We love you!

Ode to the Seventh Day

On the seventh day, we, too, rested. We slept late, had a leisurely breakfast, tended to email, and then did what all good travelers do after a week - laundry! Then of course it was time for lunch and the neighborhood sandwich shop (Poppy's) filled the bill. We had great hand made sandwiches in the side yard of the cafe and enjoyed the sun and warm weather and good food.

And then we blogged Day Four. And then we napped. And then we blogged some more (Day Five). And then we blogged some more (Day Six) - this time with the help of some bourbon and water. And then we went to dinner (see above) and then we blogged some more (Day Seven - TODAY! - this entry!).

Tonight we will get packed and be ready to leave for Kingman, Arizona for Saturday night's accommodations. On the way we'll visit the Four Corners of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah and do whatever else is relatively on the way in the time we are willing to give it.

Ode to 1,000 Places

For our final note about Durango, we want to let you know that we have added THREE new places to our list of places that we have seen from the list of the 1,000 Places "We" Should See before "We" Die. Mesa Verde, the Durango-Silverton Train and Million Dollar Highway, and Telluride all are covered now. We welcome the opportunity to do it all over again!