Work as normal, another fun weekend...

Wow, another week...just a flyin'! Seven weeks ago today is when I left San Diego to go up to LAX, amazing how quickly this trip has flipped in the other direction. I feel like it took so long to get to the half way point, then once that hit it has been just another week, not three.

This past week was just straight to working and staying busy, now working on schematics for some housing clusters in Villa Rosa. In the evenings I have listened or watched some baseball games, some unreal game 5's in the division series. It has been great being able to catch a lot of the content online, don't really feel like I am missing much. The way all the series ended were all one run games, exciting stuff. And to add to that, some crazy Chargers games. They almost let the Broncos squeak it out Sunday, got to fix that. At least they have a bye this week, and hey, tied for the best record in the AFC aint so bad!

Ireland gave up an early try, then kicked a goal, and gave up a goal themselves, so at half it was 10-3 Wales. Right after the start of the second half, Ireland got a great try, pulling even 10-10, but Wales was able to strike two tries next, taking an insurmountable lead, eventually winning 25-13. Everyone was bummed, but it was worth taking in on and now I know how to follow a new sport. Oh, and the game ended after 2am, so considering Saturdays we get up just as early as the weekdays, I was a but sleep deprived that day at work, but it was only a half day.This weekend was a fun one. After work on Friday, I was introduced (truly) to the sport of rugby. As you may know, there are a few Irish architects living and working with me and all of them are into their nation's rugby team.

The world cup of rugby is happening this month, and Ireland had made it to the quarterfinals against Wales. There was a big group of about a dozen others who showed up for the game here at the house close to midnight. We were able to find a live stream online and project it onto the wall and take in on the fun. Football and rugby aren't all that different, outside of the downs and clock stopping. A touchdown is a 'try' and is worth 5 instead of 6. The extra point is a conversion, worth 2 and not 1, so that evens out. A field goal and a 'goal' are both worth 3, so not all different. It is just football we throw it forward and rugby the ball needs to constantly be lateraled unless it is kicked. Pretty interesting...and there are two 40 minute halves, but there is constant movement, not stupid commercials and breaks that we all hate.After work, we went as a group and got lunch in town, then headed into downtown Port-au-Prince to got to the Haiti National Museum. It is this really unique shaped building, circular, built into the ground with a workable landscape (see pics). Not too much content, but us being a bunch of architectural geeks, loved the building itself, right across the street from the dilapidated Palace. After we got home, I put on "Coming to America" and followed with "Big Lebowski", potentially my two favorite movies and about eight of us gathered and enjoyed them both.

Sunday, I had planned to go to the metal market, this place outside of town with dozens of talented artists that sell and display their work, but there was not enough space in the car for everyone, so I volunteered to stay back. To take advantage of the day, nice one...overcast and cool, both Ben and I got dropped off in Petionville near the office and we had lunch, then leisurely walked back to the house (about 1.5 hrs). During the walk, something I have been wanting to do for a few weeks now, I took photos of things I have noticed these past few weeks while driving past, too quickly to snap shots in most cases. A lot of wall art, interesting structures, and fun views. We got back just in time to catch the start of the Chargers game and I was a happy camper. For those of you who don't know, every NFL game is streamed each week on thertv.eu for free. Check it out, kept me on top of my games the whole time I have been here, thank goodness! Once it got dark, the house put on the first two "Bourne" movies and then went to bed. Fun weekend.

The coolest part is yet to come, though. A group of six of us are going to hike to Jacmel, a beautiful southern

beach town about 95 km from Petionville. We are going to get dropped off at the end of this road that goes that direction early Friday morning. We will then hike about 12 miles or so to the La Visite National Park, then camp there for the night. Then on Saturday we will get up to hike southwest along the coast to Jacmel, getting there come afternoon. Half of us will stay (Nancy, Mari and Mike) at a hotel, and the other three (myself, Ben and Sven) are staying at this tiny shack right on the beach attached to the Dignite school we are working on down there. Supposed to be gorgeous, plus it is free. Sunday we will all hang down at the beach, then get picked up in the afternoon and brought back to Petionville (about 2.5 hr drive). The last pic is the road we live up and go down everyday...so strange to see it without bumper to bumper traffic like every morning and evening throughout the work week.

I am SO EXCITED for this, something that has been talked about for a long time here at the house. The trail is well established and is a common thing to do on the weekends, so we won't be the only ones. It is going to be my last weekend here, so I wanted to make the best of it.

So, don't expect too much from me until after I get back from the hike. Hope, as always, everyone back home is doing well. Wanted to congratulate my good friends Lisa and Alex who found out they are having a baby early next year. So awesome!! Proud of you both.
Love you all, see some of you next week when I get back. Crazy...