After spending Christmas in NC, my parents and I drove back to the Midwest. Of course we couldn't resist a stop at at least one bourbon distillery.

The vat was getting steam cleaned.

Every drop of whiskey passes through each of these copper contraptions, making it tripled-distilled.

One of the many aging racks in the warehouse. We stood here inhaling the angels' share, the alcohol that evaporates during aging.

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

In November, we worked here for a week on a map of the plant communities. It is about a half hour south of Kona, where we stayed.  This place served as a refuge for Hawaiians.  If they broke any laws or got in trouble, they would come here to be renewed.  The ki'i (wooden totems) were pretty amazing, along with the sheer size of the village and rock work it entailed. 

Hawaiian Thanksgiving: The Employees' Association at HAVO has a pretty successful fundraiser every year around the holiday by building an imu - traditional underground oven. For a small fee, you can bring your roasting pan of goodies and have it cooked for you overnight! 

Here the guys are taking out the last few pans in the morning.

As you can see, quite a few people took advantage of having someone else cook for them for Thanksgiving.

Rainbow Falls

When I got back from Europe, I was healthy (for a week) and the weather was great, so I went on a hike on Kilauea Iki Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The trail went out toward the terrace on the right and then dropped down into the crater.

It was a neat hike because it started in a lush wet-forest with tree ferns and relatively tall trees and then dropped into nothingness. 

Ohelo (Vaccinium reticulatum)

This was one of the few plants down in the crater.  The berries are quite tasty.

This is a pretty popular trail as it only takes a couple hours for most people.  I like the size perspective the hikers offered.

'Ohi'a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)

The main canopy tree in the park though can take on a shrubby life-form in dry, shallow soil, such as in a crater.  One of these has been blooming outside my office window and the native birds visit it pretty regularly.  I hope to catch a photo sometime soon.

At the end of September, I moved into a cute free-standing studio in the village of Volcano.  It's a scant 2.5 miles from my office so the commute is great, especially in my Rav4 which arrived a little over a week ago.  It's in a space carved out from the wet forest so there are tree ferns all over the yard. 

Here's the interior from the front door.  Yes, it really is just one big room, though the bar in the kitchen offers a nice division.  I obviously still need real furniture, but I'm making due in the meantime.  The tiny bathroom is through the middle door where you can see the sink.  The closet is the door on the left.  The one cool feature you can't see is the heating stove/fireplace that would be on the right-hand wall (which is about 4' from where the picture ends.  It throws an amazing amount of heat and creates a nice ambience...as I sit in my camp chair.

 There is one additional finished room that is outside behind the kitchen.  For now it's good storage, but when the time comes, it will make a handy and comfortable guest room (hint, hint).

Wedding Part II: Swiss-Style

After the intermission, everyone made thier way to Sparenmoos, Switzerland, which consists of a hotel on the mid-slopes of the alps that is a center for outdoor activity there. On Friday evening, we were treated to a wonderful meal of 5 different kinds of all-you-could-eat meat and unlimited wine. The usual "rehersal" dinner events occurred (Thanks for the wine glass; the shards made it back just fine) and the night ended whenever one wanted.

On Saturday, with more snow on the ground, the guests hopped on buses down to the church in the village of Zweisimmen. There, Teresa and Christoph were married again in a religious ceremony.

Excited guests and a shot of the decor of the old church.

Kelly walking Teresa up the aisle.

Teresa and Christoph departing the church to a sunnier, warmer day than it started. Very fitting.

After the ceremony, T & C greeted people in an outbuilding on the church grounds, and we all had cake and champagne, a German tradition.  Then the guests and couple boarded busses back up the Sparenmoos where there was more champagne, wine, and appetizers.  Dinner was again a wonderful 4-course meal interrupted by heartfelt stories.  The highlight was the silent film the best-man and his wife made humourously chronicaling how the couple came together. 

Sunday, the guests slowly departed, and the remaining family and I made our way to Zurich, Teresa's and Christoph's home.  After one more night in a beer-hall, I got on a plane the next morning to make the 25 hour journey back to Hawaii.  It was totally worth it!  I wish I could be in Milwaukee for the reception after Thanksgiving.

Congratulations to the truly happy couple and a heartfelt thanks to them and their families for the wonderful hospitality they extended to me.

Teresa and Christoph's Wedding Intermission:
After the ceremony in Munich, Teresa's parents, Teresa's Uncle and family, Teresa and I headed for the Swiss Alps for a few days of relaxation and exploration. Christoph stayed behind to be able to drive his parents up for the weekend, so the bride was single for a few days longer.

On the way we stopped at a neat monastery to stretch our legs.  That's Teresa in the middle foreground.  On the hillside you can get an idea of the drive up the valleys, fall on the bottom and winter on top.

That evening we checked into a lovely chalet in Wengen, and the next morning set off on our day of expedition.  We took a gondola ride up from Wengen to a ski/hiking area for a little jaunt.

While the trail between Mannlichen and Kleine Scheideggitself wasn't very difficult, the snow made footing a bit unsure.  Everyone on the group survived, though a few with a few bruises to show for it.  It was also pretty "foggy" most of the trip, and this was our first real view of the mountains.

Once in Kleine Scheidegg, the clouds lifted a bit more so we got some wonderful views.  After some glum wine, we hopped the train up the the Jungfraujoch, the "Top of Europe".

Ahh...blogspot has so totally jumped the shark as Charlie would say.  For whatever reason I can't get more than 5 photos on a single post.  Lame.  Ok, rant done; resuming Wedding Intermission.

Teresa and I at the top of the Jungfraujoch. 

This is the Aletsch Glacier that starts at the Jungfraujoch.  It is the biggest glacier in the Alps.

A view to the north.  You can see where the snow-line ends.  That's the elevation of Wengen.

(Credit: Mr. Kelly Clark)

After our expeditions, we returned the chalet and feasted on rachlette--a cheese based meal a la fondue--and drank too much wine.  The following morning we cleaned up and made our way to the site of Wedding Part II. Thanks to the extended Clark family for their kindness and inclusion.  I'd travel with you any time, but I must insist on stopping for lunch. 

Two weeks ago, I flew 25 hours to Munich, Germany, (Marienplatz above) to witness and celebrate Teresa's civil and religious wedding ceremonies to Christoph. The flight actually wasn't too bad. I didn't even listen to all the episodes of "This American Life" that I had on my iShuffle, that coincidentally, I won on my last trip to see Teresa in Switzerland. Teresa is an American and a friend from college.  Christoph is a German.  German and possibly Swiss law require that a civil ceremony be performed separately from the optional religious ceremony.

The morning of the civil ceremony, Teresa dressed up in her finest Dirndl, and we all hopped a train into Munich. There we went to one of the Augustiner Beer Halls for a brunch of Weisswurst, pretzels and beer.

After a tasty meal, we drove back to Gunding (Christoph's home town) where they were married in German by the Mayor. After the ceremony, we toasted the happy couple with champagne and headed to a nearby golf course for a gourmet, intimate meal. Most of the guests at this ceremony were Christoph's relatives and most wore traditional Dirndl's and Lederhosen like the happy couple.

For any car buffs out there, this is some fancy BMW Christoph's brother, an engineer for BMW, rented to chauffer them around in on their wedding day. Pictures from Switzerland, site of the religious ceremony, coming soon.