Surfing in Serangan for my birthday….AWESOME!

Everyone looking fancyish for dinner

My cake at the Amandari

If you don’t know already, each member of the family writes a haiku to the person having the birthday, so here they are for my birthday:

MOM
Yo, O-T-T-O,
Magnetic smile & big toe,
Otto means AWESOME!

YVE
Today is your day,
So let me give you a hug,
Your are my best bud.

WESCOTT
We’re more than just bros,
Take one long look and you know,
¡Mejor amigos!

DAD
His mischievous smile,
Surfing on a beat through life,
Something ’bout Otto!

the ester bunny came and gave us 7 eggs and lots of candy and we had fun and then it stardid ranig and we went out hiking the grete wall. then we came back and we wer all slugs and went to bed.

That was fun I hope we can do it agin.

These are the sins Jonsie and I made and put on the windo for the ester bunny

This is me and by basket…we got Skittles nunchuks! (see above)

Jonsie and his basket

Today is your day,
Although we are far away,
We party as one!
– Wescott

Don’t get too gloomy,
I miss you as my roomie,
Happy birthday dad!
– Yve

Tomatoes are good,
But I don’t know if I should,
Eat the tomatoes.
– Otto

Mermaids are pretty,
Princesses are beautiful,
But I like you best!
– Jones

Dad is super fun,
I hope you enjoy the sun,
Say “hi” to the gang!
– Tuck

Fifty is not old,
Unless you are sunblock or mold,
Party it up…yo!
-Lisa

We love and miss you so much!!!  We have had an epic time on this trip so far and can’t wait to keep it going in Bali!

Tet decorations look like Christmas and New Years combined! This is a view of Turtle Tower in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of the city.

5 years ago when we moved to Vietnam for 5 months to adopt the twins, we missed the Tet celebration by 2 weeks  So, this time around, we were determined to be in the city to experience all the different traditions and Tet celebrations first-hand. We definitely accomplished this goal!!! During our taxi ride from the airport to downtown Hanoi, we saw over 50 people with miniature orange trees strapped to the back of their motorbikes racing home to begin decorating for the Tet holiday.

Gigantic orange trees decorated with red ribbons are in front of every home in the city.

In addition to the trees, we witnessed the burning of fake money in the streets, the giving of real money to kids in shiny red envelopes, and an epic number of visitors to all the local pagodas. But, by far, my favorite tradition was the gathering of families in record numbers to eat and celebrate together. Local shopkeepers closed their shop, move all their merchandise to the back of their store and moved in a table and chairs so their family could gather in the storefront and enjoy meals together….it was awesome!!! The decorations were also over the top!!! I tried to take pics of as many as I could but the only way to really experience Tet is to visit yourself

Person burning fake money in the middle of the street in Hoi An

Even random street food vendors put up over the top decorations!

After experiencing Tet in Hanoi, I have decided we are TOTALLY LAME to have never have a big celebration at home. I am making a commitment to have a blow out next year in Seattle for Tet/ Chinese New Year…. and you are ALL invited!

—- Chuc Mung Nam Moi! (or Happy New Year!)

All 7 of us in front of a gigantic Happy New Year sign made of flowers in the middle of the city.

The Gang on the last day of 2013

We are so fortunate to be ringing in the African New Year with Lisa’s parents Terry and Tucker, and our great friends Erin and Nayay, their two children Sam and Kai, and Erin’s best buddy Marcus. At 14, we are truly a party by ourselves. Though, more than any other location, we have met so many great people from all over the world who we are also sharing the party at the sublime Upendo bar.

Marcus was swimming for the group pic, but really, he deserves his own spotlight!

Terry has reached a state of zen on the beach

We hope all of our family and friends from around the world are celebrating their triumphs and special moments from 2013, and looking forward to a wonderful, happy and connected 2014!

Coolest beach bar ever!!

See everyone in 2014!!

Peace and Love from Zanzibar

PS – Carrot and Broccoli also are with us, and wish everyone well too

It is good to have your own Maasai warrior as your new BFF when walking around Zanzibar.  The robes and tinkling bracelets and necklaces are one thing. The humongous double-edged 18 inch knife and the black club with one end the size of a tennis ball gives one a second thought if larceny is on your mind. The knife does not come out for just anything. We are talking about lions, tigers and a serious human situation. The club is for “little things.” I did not push the conversation further.

Nayay and Wescott

His name is Nayai and he now lives in Austin TX and is a friend of Lisa and Cliff, of course. He is here now and in full dress and I for one will try to be no more than a swing away from his side.   Actually, everyone is really friendly but, hey, his proximity is well appreciated.

Just to put it into perspective, all the Maasai we have seen so far carry cell phones as well.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the beach bar, several creatures were stirring from lands far and near… With technical descriptions of sleigh landing on powder white sand, twins Tuck and Jones drifted to sleep, while the rest of us dined on a wonderful Swahili Buffet of local curries, fresh mango salad and local nan bread. Our good friend and Maasai from Austin Nayay joined us with new friends from Germany, Switzerland, South Africa, Norway, Denmark and of course, Tanzania, Project Equator’s Christmas Eve was as special as we could have hoped.

Wescott, Yve, Otto and PopPop holding their Zanzibarian Stockings

Christmas Day was a magical blend of exotic settings, handmade gifts, pure white beaches, kite surfers in Santa hats, wonderful food and spirits, and precious family time.  Santa, clever as ever, decided it would be best to climb down Terry and Tucker’s beach banda air vent, thus keeping the venerable twins from ripping apart creatively wrapped treasures acquired in several countries at 5:30 am. After a beachside breakfast in our dining room featuring a silk-soft sand floor, we enjoyed a most creative gift giving morning that took us back to some of our favorite moments on the trip so far.

Yve, Terry and Lisa sporting their hand-knit scarves with artist Tuck

Otto devised a great scavenger hunt for all to reach their personally crafted gifts. With just the right amount of difficulty, while still being achievable, we each had to discover 3 clues that had us going all around Crazy M’s and the beach… under palm trees, inside the graffiti bug, over gates, under whale bones, Otto hosted a great hunt… a good time being had by all!

We made it through the Scavenger Hunt!!

Podage made it in from Morocco (who we met and adopted in Sintra, Portugal), serving as one of the prizes at the end of the scavenger hunt!

Wescott commandeered Nayay to aid in the harvesting of 9 coconuts, which he used as containers for a personally written haiku for each of us. In a unique, tropical interpretation of a Cracker Jacks box, we had to figure out how to split the nut open to retrieve a sticky, wet bag containing the treasured prose!

Wescott with his coconut creations

The gang with their Haikus

Later in the day, we visited our new Dutch kite buddies Scott, Jeffrey, Michelle and Company at Zanzibar Kite Center, where Wescott, Otto, Yve, Tucker and I have been hanging out and getting lots of kite boarding lessons all week. Our adopted hotel, Paje by Night, that features a most excellent pool, bar and restaurant, served as Christmas dinner. Entertained by a mesmerizing Swahili Capuera dance troop, featuring choreographed fight-dancing and acrobatic maneuvers while dipping in the pool, we had a very merry dinner and perfect end to a wonderful day.

Otto hanging out with Otto at Paje by Night

Entertainment for Christmas Dinner

Tuck hanging in Paje

Jones likes to hang too…

While we miss family, friends and home as the holiday season unfolds, we all agreed it was one of our most special, enchanting Christmases in recent memory.

PopPop on maracas made by Tuck using shells from Greece and euros; Otto on his Moroccan drum he got for Christmas

Otto’s favorite gift… he is VERY specific about toothpaste brand

From Zanzibar with Love and Hope for a Wonderful 2014, we wish everyone a wonderful Holiday!

Turkey, rice stuffing, pumpkin and grape casserole, potato croquettes, beets, turkey stuffed with something amazing… total feast!!

Our new home away from home is a spectacular Riad in the Medina of Marrakech. As a welcoming surprise, the cook and house manager prepared a sumptuous meal of roast turkey with all the trimmings and sides; all with a unique Moroccan flare! Thank you SO MUCH Siham and Raja for such a special dinner and welcome!

One of the most flavorful turkeys ever, done with Moroccan spices, olives, pomegranate, and other unidentified delicacies!

We’re a bit behind in blog posts, so stay tuned for more excitement from Seville, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal!

All The Best,

The Sharples Family

Hard to capture the whole building!

Growing up catholic, a great deal of home life centered on our local parish of St. Clair in our hometown of Braintree, and our second parish of St. Joseph at our weekend home in Bridgton, Maine.  Countless hours of sitting in pews, attending catechism class, serving as alter boy, kneeling in confessionals, day dreaming through stained glass, suppressing uncontrollable laughter, contemplating all the rout rituals, imagining the life of the guy gored and nailed to the cross… the collective experience has undoubtedly left an imprint, if not religiously, certainly as a version or facet of home. Walking into the third largest cathedral in the world, located just steps from the door to our building in Seville, I instantly experienced both the familiar and the utter discrepancy from my version of “church” as a child.

The interior is massive, making you feel very small…

This cathedral is absolutely massive in scale, sprawling out so widely that it is difficult to get a sense for it’s whole form. While it is considered the largest Gothic building in the world, you can see the mark of former civilizations, including Muslim and Roman influences. The grand edifice was built on the site of an ancient mosque, taking just over 100 years (1402 – 1506) to complete. The interior is absolutely massive, with the ceiling reaching dizzying heights.  While it is the third largest cathedral in Europe, in sheer volume is outstrips even St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican. Gold is everywhere, especially in the “treasury” rooms, encrusted with jewels brought back from the vast Spanish explorations around the globe.

One of the smaller domes in the church

Indeed, Cristobal Colon, whose monumental tomb is a focal point in the massive cathedral space may well have brought some of that colonial booty back to Sevilla. You know him as Christopher Columbus, and you can read all about the country’s curious fascination with this man and his tomb in Otto’s well-crafted post here!

The tomb of Christopher 

ColumbusLike the church of my childhood home, the community is embraced and permeates beyond the anointed walls. During our stay in Seville, we are watching the massive preparations for Christmas, which centers on the Cathedral. Holiday lights of grand scale and design are being assembled everywhere, though sadly not turned on until December.  The most unique element, however, which brings so many memories of home flooding back, is the 20^th anniversary of a 1-month marketplace of manger and nativity artisans from all over Spain! At least 30 different vendors lined a neatly constructed bazaar in front to the Cathedral, featuring thousands upon thousands of mangers, crèches, wise men, barn animals, the Holy family, Baby Jesus, scale models of Bethlehem… some are animated, lighted, have water features, clothing jewels… It’s just CRAZY! The Nativity scene my family had held a special place in all of our hearts, having been painted by hand by Memere, my maternal grandmother. As a little boy, I played with the cherished figures for hours, especially the 3 Wise Men on camels encrusted in faux jewels. As I wandered the stalls in Seville, cold, snowy Christmases, with an inviting fire smoldering and the Nativity manger glowing warmly in the pale yellow Christmas bulbs washed my soul with nurturing memories of home.

Crazy Nativity market erected every year for Christmas!

The cathedral holds the world’s largest Catholic alter, and while it has been closed for the past couple of years for extensive renovations, just sitting in the pews contemplating mass brought warm feelings of childhood and home. While on an incredibly grand scale, the smells, the confessionals, the tabernacle, the echoes, the stained glass, the carved biblical scenes and omniscient cross all coalesced in a similar manner as the church of my youth. The sheer magnitude of architectural feat and the at times vulgar display of vast wealth were not elements of my boyhood version of Catholic church, but I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the triumph of man and his love of art and God while walking around this holy place.  While I no longer practice an organized religion, Seville Cathedral reminds me that I can always feel at home in many places around the globe.

There were supposed to be flamingo dancers and a group of Japanese tourists that say “Happy Birthday Michael.” But I spaced out and forgot to put them in the video. Just imagine it.