We received these e-mails from our friends in various places. We decided it would be nice to share with the rest of the world. If anyone else wants to send in a resume of their travels etc. send it on in to me: shirley@sanfelipe.com.mx and we will put it on our very own web page.

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 05:19:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ellis McConnohie <ellisrita@yahoo.com>
Subject: Out of the desert
To: ellisrita@yahoo.com

Dear Friends. Flew back this a.m. to Zagreb from North Africa (Tunisia). We're catching a 4:00 p.m. bus down to Istria (the peninsula just below Trieste, Italy on the coast of Northern Croatia). We expect to be there for the next 10 days or so before we go back to Rome to pick up the cruise ship. Thought I'd take this opportunity to let you all know that we're out of the desert.

I'm happy to report that neither Ellis nor I fell off our camels. My camel was sweet tempered, didn't spit or growl at me and in fact, she fell in love with Ellis, tried to nuzzle his leg every chance she got. As Ellis said "if only she weren't so ugly!" Seriously, a great experience, the sahara desert, riding the camels, the beautiful oasis areas, the hot sirocco wind and the fantastic Atlas mountains that run between Algeria and Tunisia. I don't know about Ellis but I went to North Africa not expecting too much and had a good time, we enjoyed all we saw and found the people to be very pleasant, with the odd exception of course. Amazingly, the Roman ruins are exceptionally intact from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The well preserved mosaics and tiles are among the best I've seen, quite impressive. In the eleven days we were there we traveled six to seven hundred miles and we saw a lot, from the Northern capital of Tunis down to the edge of the Sahara desert in the south. We went to the old city of Carthage and were able to wander around the ancient Roman baths to our hearts' content. Of course, that's more my thing than Ellis'. We also had plenty of pool and beach time, and got to haggle in the Medina (old city market). That was a lot of fun. As Ellis said, if we still had our store, we'd hire six of those guys - they are the ultimate salesmen.

That's the old Tunisia. The new is modern hotels, good roads and a good growing economy, not only based on tourism, although that's an industry that's growing every year.

All for now. Rita and Ellis (Red)

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From: jamsbrowne@pocketmail.com
Subject: Howdy!
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004

I am now at Mosquito Creek campground in Banff NP for one more week of two at this site. It is 17 miles N. of Lake Louise on the fabulous Icefield Parkway and 20 miles South of Waterfowl Lakes C.G. where I spent 3 of the first 4 weeks of camphosting for CDN Nat'l Parks when I came to Canada in mid-June. Sorry for the impersonal letter, but it seems I just don't have time for individual worded letters, and it is a lengthy trip from the wilderness to use a phone to do e-mail. All phones do not take my pocketmail either, but I have a contact in L.L. where I can use a private phone. I will be moving next Monday to Kootenay N.P. to volunteer camphost at McLeod Meadows C.G. where I started doing this for the CDN Parks some 10 years ago. That C.G. is some 12 miles from a special place...Radium Hot Springs, B.C. and about 75 miles from Mosquito Cr. Then one more move for 2 weeks to Yoho N.P. at Kicking Horse C.G., one of my all time favorite places in the Parks.....likely because of it's close proximity to both Takkakaw Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in all of Canada, and the famous Spiral Tunnels where the trains rumble through day and night. They are special to me dating back to early childhood when we travelled by train to the coast in the days of steam . The Canadian Pacific Railway then had transcontinental passenger service with open air observation cars, and it was necessary then to get indoors when entering these tunnels. The soot from the engines was heavy. And later, I was a porter on that railroad as a post - high school summer job, then in the days of diesel power. .....I will be leaving Canada about the 18th Sept. for OR to C.G. host for the OR State Parks the month of Oct.... at South Beach, on the coast. By then I will be back on a more regular e-mail schedule!!......... And back to being on my cell phone, where here, there is no service! However, I will have spent 3 months again in some of the finest country a camper could ask for worldwide. I picked up a few "hitch-hikers" somewhere along the way, .....and just recently. Now I am having somewhat of a time getting these varmints out! They are house mice, and have taken up residence in my A\C ducts in the "attic space" between the roof and the ceiling! They love chewing on the styrofoam insulation up there, and the bits and pieces blow everywhere when I have the A\C on!! I am hoping that I will "freeze" them out however, as was suggested by a staff member here! Stay tuned...... Our weather has been beautiful for the most part. Unlike last year, we have had more rain, and no forest fires. Yet, interior and coastal B.C. is getting what we had here last year. Camping is much more fun with campfires that we couldn't have all of last summer in the Parks. I am off to Lake Louise to mail you this message. ie. from the wilderness to the "zoo", where ALL the animals have but 2 legs!! .....a very busy place, where one does not want to be when you are used to peace and quietness, listening to the constant flow of Mosquito Creek, and awakening to the most picturesque scenes imaginable.....Bow Mtn. and Little Hector Mtn and the surrounding "rest of the majestic CDN Rockies..... ". Cheers . Jim

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Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 14:08:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ellis McConnohie <ellisrita@yahoo.com>

Dear friends: The islands off the coast of Croatia are supposed to be some of the most beautiful in the world and they certainly live up this this statement. We have traveled up the Croatian coast by ferry from Dubrovnik, stayed there for three days, and stayed on the island of Korcula (Kor chu la) for seven days. So far that is my favorite. Now we are on the island of Hvar ( a very close second )and will be here until the end of the month. These islands and the towns on them are ancient, first Greek and then Roman settlements dating back to the fourth and fifth centuries. The walled cities are similar today as they were then and the paving stones on the narrow streets are worn shiny from thousands of feet over many centuries. Today those feet belong to mainly German, French, Italian, British, Irish and South African tourists. Hardly any Americans. The
islands are full of beautiful foliage, palms and flowering plants, very mountainous in the interiors,
surrounded by blue blue waters. Stand in five feet of water and one can see every pebble on the bottom. Everywhere is clean and I have yet to see a dirty bathroom or a dirty restaurant kitchen. Today we have arranged an apartment until the end of the month. Its high up with a view of the water, the islands, the boats. It has a bedroom, bathroom, living room and balcony located right near to everything for the stupendous price of $39.00 per night. We had to discuss this very carefully in case we blew our budget on this!

I am so impressed with Croatia. Its not only clean but its safe (as compared to Italy where the
pickpockets are brazen). We are spending our time visiting the neighboring islands, water taxis and ferries are good transportation options, swimming and exploring these wonderful small towns. We also watch the boats coming in, eating good food, and drinking cappacinos at waterfront cafes. This is a sailing paradise and the boats range from small rowboats, fishing boats to 150 foot luxury yachts. The harbors at night are so beautiful

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Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 05:52:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ellis McConnohie <ellisrita@yahoo.com>

Dear everyone: Here we are in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Arrived this morning after traveling the ferry all night. Actually quite comfortable and we had some great trav'ling companions, Brits (although Ellis said he couldn't understand them!). We kind of rushed through Rome, only a few days because we'll be going back to Rome but it was enough that we know we like the city, so much to see. We took the ferry from Naples (where the pizza is the BEST in the world, thin and crisp). Went over to the beautiful Isle of Capri for the day by ferry (traveling here is quite easy) and we were really impressed with the island. What a beautiful place, set in the blue, blue Mediterranean.

We'll be staying in Croatia for a while. We have a nice place to stay, not big but very clean and
comfortable with a nice balcony overlooking the old town and the water. Just had lunch of fried
sardines (a ton of them) and 3 dozen mussels cooked in oil, garlic, etc. Lots of green salad and great bread, topped off with two large beers, all for the stupendous sum of $15.00, including tip!

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Local News at Campo Ocotillo

7/18/04 Sunday morning: We are again looking forward at Campo Ocotillo.

There is a compound set up at the highway which is being used by a local contractor who is bringing in building materials from out of town and storing it here for his own use in the contracting business. No structure will be built here, that we know of.

On the waterfront, Don and Judy Maurice have started their lovely home, hoping to be finished by Christmas. Of course, this is a shock to those of us who have enjoyed a clear view of the water, but it is to be expected. Soon we will have buildings on all the waterfront properties.

Moving up Calle de la Luna, Breslins have their foundation in, and are quite excited about their plans to build a little each time they come down. They hope to be retired early next year.

Further up Joanie Kahn is living in her beautiful home, although she found she had to make many changes and repairs to the utility systems which were faulty. Hopefully she will be finished and start to just enjoy her beautiful setting soon.

And we see activity around Carsens property (formerly Salvador's compound). They have moved in an expando trailer and are setting up around this. Maybe we'll have a report here next time.

Over on Calle del Mar, Cuttings are now settled comfortably in their new home. We're so sorry that Wendell is unable to share this joy. After all the good works he has done around the world, he is now ailing with cancer in the United States. Our hearts go out to you Wendell.

Judy has a comfortable front patio to enjoy, and is in the process of building a back patio. Her place now has character too.

Miguel has gone to Ensenada for a vacation, and Salvador and family occupy that home daily. Of course there is much activity wherever you find Salvador.

The Carpenters are progressing with their beautiful new building. It's still in the construction stage though. A long way to go.

There you have it. Summer is not the quiet, dormant atmosphere most people expect here.

Reported by Shirley Thompson

PHOTOS

Properties updated:

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More houses here:

Sept 24, 2004: Page 1

Sept 24, 2004: Page 2

Sept 24, 2004: Page 3

Sept 24, 2004: Page 4

Sept 24, 2004: Page 5

May 31, 2005

Last year we started a "paint your garbage can" contest. Check it out. These are new entry photos taken by Lory last winter. Shortly thereafter we put on the new website. Now we are just catching up. In the fall we will pick up any straggler entries and choose a winner.

Maybe we should have a contest for beautiful glass windows or exterior art. I no longer know who these windows belong to, but we wanted to share.

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES:

January 2004

February 2004

March 2004