The other project -- the renovations continue

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Just to let you see the progress being made with our renos, here is what we returned to find. The new space is framed in and roofed. As June 2nd, our kitchen was torn out, and we are hiding in the basement.

The place is coming along nicely, and we are starting to see our paper plans become reality, which is really very exciting for us.

Finally, some more photos....

Well, we are starting to get into our new routine. Our return to Vancouver was punctuated by an immediate return to Baseball, school, and a move to our basement for the renovations to proceed upstairs. Throw into that my turn to have Iain's illness (flat on my back for 48 hours), and my having missed 1 1/2 days of work (the first time since I was a first year resident) it has been eventful.

The first photo here is the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. Basically when the rock was quarried for the Aya-Sofia in 500 AD, there was a big hole left. So, they covered it over and directed the waters from the 21 kilometers around Constantinopole to this area to provide for the fountains. This is a lovely cool area in an otherwise very warm city. And yes, for the Bond fans, this was the cistern in "From Russia with love."


Next, to Milano the Il Duomo. Both Tami and I have been in many a cathedral, but neither of us have been in anything so grand as this. It was, in the true sense of the word, stunning. We were both speechless as we entered. The cathedral is enormous, apparently able to hold up to 40,000 at a time for mass!



The third photo was taken below the altar area in a locked but otherwise unassuming room. We looked, and said 'Hmmm. Interesting. I wonder what it is.' Fortunately, as we were walking away we overheard someone being told that the box in the center of this room contained one of the nails from the crucifixion of Jesus! Needless to say, with that in mind we returned for a second look! Wow!


Finally we arrived in London. Our hotel was right next to the Tower of London, so we had a good look around on one of the days we were there. Having just been reading about the history of the Tudors, and Henry VIII in particular, I was quite interested in this place. They have done an amazing job with the tower tour, and Lauren in particular enjoyed seeing the crown jewels (as did I, truth be told).


All in all, the trip was a great success. I feel abit tired as I think about the amazing sights and sites we saw. Vancouver is a beautiful city, but it is very NEW compared with where we have been.