NYC @ Christmas time

So BMB was on a mission but it happened at an auspicious time, John and Leslie's 30th anniversary, so he brought them along. It was frigid in the city but that didn't stop Bob from joining the masses at Rockefeller Center's Christmas tree.Bob is always one for an iconic pic. Oh look! Where am I? Remember Surfer Bob's penchant for art. Dinner was at Picholine, a fine French restaurant with fine waiters.The fromager* has a peculiar odor. Surfer Bob never fails to make friends with the wait staff anywhere he goes. Reoccurring themes in Bob's travels are food, art, friends, and surf(see previous post). Life is good for a little man in a red suit!

*stinky cheese man

R and R

Bob went surfing with the fishes. He must have scared them all away when this picture was shot.

Surfin' in the BVIs 'nuf said.

I'm going to Graceland

So BoneMarrowBob checked a couple of places off his bucket list. First off was a delivery to St Judes, founded by Danny Thomas and if you didn't know that its all over the place. Bob has been to many of the elite research centers but this is his first drop at the famous St Judes. Ohhh... watch out for the radiation machine, Bob!!

Next day was reserved for sight seeing. Stax Museum was amazing! I didn't have time to see the Sun, but maybe next time.

Bucket list No. 2

Graceland! I don't know why. I guess its one icon meets another. It was everything and more Surfer Bob had dreamed of. He had chills running up his spine( put a wet suit on) How about that jungle room? I love the gold suit. I'm walking in Memphis.

San Antone

Bone Marrow Bob had a spur of the moment delivery to San Antonio last week. He likes those down and back trips especially when he can see his able bodied assistant, Callie. Photos are often a challenge for BMB. He could have chosen an iconic shot in front of the Alamo(not sure if Surfer Bob has not done that before, I'll have to check the archives). Oh no, it was much more fun seeing the winning pushcart from the pushcart derby.Too bad he couldn't take a spin in the cart.

Chicago

Bob's a ramblin' man. Before he could recover fully from jet lag, Bone Marrow Bob was in the air again. This time, back to Chicago. Always a good time but no pictures because he was travelin' light.He enjoyed the evening with old friends and art openings and the food film fest.The next day was spent trying to navigate around the slower runners in the race for the cure that had all the streets(important ones, anyway) closed. How is a Surfer dude supposed to get to the Art Institute? Fall is in the air from Chicago to Ft Worth and it happened over night.

The Hills are Alive

Surfer Bob took some time off from marrow runs to enjoy a hiking trip in Bavaria and Tyrol. I would like to say it was for R and R but hiking 6 hours a day does not constitute as rest. Fun never the less and he did not have to exert himself if he didn't want to. Some days he took easier hikes than climbing straight up 3000 feet. After such climbs, Bob was rewarded at Das Kransbach with its many saunas and heated pools. The breakfast buffet was one of the all time greats! The views were straight out of "The Sound Of Music" and it was hard to keep from bursting into song while twirling around the hidden valleys and meadows. Use your imagination.

M-I-A-M-i

I will take the Miami marrow any day. Life is a day at the beach. Catch a wave and you're sittin on top of the world. Me and Julio down by Ocean Drive. Ok enough with the cliches and word play on song lyrics. What better way to spend the last days of summer. The marrow was delivered time for a mojito and the beach. My new best friend, Julio, mixes a nice mint libation. Surfer Bob was a happy camper.

Salamanca Spain

Bone Marrow Bob was thrilled to go back to Spain and its so much fun to say" SalaMANca". Salamanca is a beautiful old city a little northeast of Madrid. It's a UNESCO site which means its well preserved. This incredible Gothic and Romanesque cathedral was the view from the hotel. ASCOL is not where the product was delivered but was right across the Roman foot bridge and in front of the cathedral. Basically, I liked the sign. After seeing the sights in Salamanca, Bob stopped in Avila on the way to Madrid. Avila is also a UNESCO site. It is a walled city with most of the wall still standing. It is possible to walk on the wall and imagine what it was like to guard the city 500 or so years ago.
Onto Madrid. What's a surfer dude to do but head to the closest guitar shop. Ramirez guitars are some of the finest guitars in the world and Bob was gaurenteed a fabulous guitar to tickle his fingers. Top that off with tapas and sangria and you have a near perfect few hours in the Spanish capital.

Cincinnati,Sin-cinnati

Ever wonder what marrow looks like? This is the lab right before i almost got locked in the stairwell. Long story but better getting locked in after I delivered the product than after.

Any questions?

What can I say about Sin-cinnati. I've been there twice for a total of 8 hours. No reason to hang around. It is a beautiful old city and has industry that keeps it going. Proctor and Gamble come to mind. They can rule Wall Street and the Gulf. Dawn, my friends, is the safest, bestest cleanser of pelicans and dishes and everything in between.

Finally!

Bone Marrow Bob got his first courier trip of the year. He was antsy to get on the road again. Destination - Portland, Oregon Portland is not one of Bob's favorite cities but he found a few things to like. First, its all about the food. Only in Portland would they come up with Hillbilly Bento. There is some exceptional food in this city. The oysters are fresh as they come and slide down easy with home brewed Dead Guy Lager. Other things to like about Portland - free metro, no sales tax and great shopping. You don't even have to leave the airport to find beautiful art that Portland is known for. Did I mention no sales tax? Austin's airport has got nothing on PDX. They have live music and pretty good food.

It was a quick trip as usual. As Bob was headed toward his car to go home he spied the 4:20 to Frankfurt(a flight he often takes). He was glad he was not on it since the Iceland volcano had erupted. That plane might still be flying around somewhere.

Italy in February

Its been a long dry spell for Bone Marrow Bob. There have been no courier trips since August. That's the nature of the beast. You never know when the next trip might be. There were a few last fall but most of them got postponed or cancelled. Don't ask. There are some on the horizon, however, so stay tuned. In the meantime Surfer Bob was tired of sitting on the shelf so he up and went to Italy again. This time, Rome and Venice and places in between. Three coins in a fountain and check out all the people having their picture taken in St Peter's Square. A photo op Bob could not resist. Surfer Bob paid homage to Alaina in Siena. Here he is in front of Il Duomo where Alaina took one of her most beautiful photos. There were many churches and art museums to see and as much as Bob is a fan of the Renaissance, a trip to Venice would not be complete without a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim with its fabulous collection of 20th century art.

Oh the grande canal, the gondolas, the bridges, sigh.