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.

Paris

Surfer Bob has always wanted to go to Paris, with or without marrow. Last week he went without.

He had to have an iconic picture taken in front of the Eiffel Tower, a la the Travelocity gnome or the yard gnome in "Amelie". He hit all the hot spots, the Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe. Pretty much saw as much as he could in 4 days. Of course, he ate his way through Paris. The boulangeries were amazing. What happen to the cheese course in the restaurants? They don't exist any more. Paris is getting so modern. There are too many museums to see them all in a short time so a rainy Sunday found Bob at the Musee D'orsay, a veritable who's who of Impressionist artist. The collection makes the Art Institute of Chicago or the Met look second tier. And everyone in Paris was there to enjoy free museum day. A trip to Paris would not be complete without some evening culture. The ballet was performing at the Opera Garnier. The opera house was built in the mid 19th century and is a rococo wonder. Here Surfer Bob does his best impression of the phantom.

There's no telling where Bob will turn up next.