Ren-fest 2012

We went again this year to the Renaissance Festival in Deerfield Beach. I got the scout program to add to the educational aspect, although this is our middle ages year also. This year she dressed up as a fairy.

Playing human chess

A Fairy and Mermaid

Tug of war

Lunch with the King

Ocmulgee National Monument

Ocmulgee National Monument: I didn't do any prior research on this park and was very pleasantly surprised to see something totally different from all the other parks we've been to on the east coast. This is a prehistorical site with artifacts from 9000BC... And the main building is pretty cool architecturally too. It was another hot day in GA though. 

There is an entrance to the mound on the left.

One of the old type signs in the NPS system

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Castillo de San Marcos: I love this place. It's so old, compared to the rest of Florida. This trip included another family, and the menfolk went to Daytona for a car show, so we took the kids to St. Augustine. I managed to get Cowgirl to finish her Junior Ranger book, but the two boys thought it was too much like school and kind of quit. Although once they saw the cool little badge she got, they wanted to do the program, but we only just finished by closing time so they were out of luck. It also happened to be Girl Scout day, there were local Girl Scouts that were in period costumes doing period things. I thought it sounded like a very cool program.

Loud noises coming up next!

Meditating in the chapel

History activity

Another picture of our school table. We're doing an activity from the Mosaic Curriculum,

from the Ancient Civilizations History Pockets on Mesopotamia. You can also see the Half Magic and Gilgamesh the King books.

The Champa kingdom is gone but not forgotten!

Pet bird at at restaurant

We are on a road trip to Nha Trang, after our stop at Mui Ne. This whole area was once controlled by the Champa, and was taken over by the Vietnamese slowly over centuries. Their culture was much more heavily influenced by India, and you can see that in their statues and stele. Sometimes I wonder about my own heritage, how much Indic heritage I could have.

Roadside Champa ruins

How they keep their chickens from running around.

Kid powered devices! No padded surfaces for these kids.

Kids love to play under the mosquito net.

Putting up holiday decorations.

Sitting in the park in front of our hotel in Nha Trang.

Monkey in the park

More Champa ruins in Nha Trang

Tháp Bà Po Nagar - Temple to Lady Po Nagar


This is still actively used as a place of worship, for Buddhists now, but it was a Hindu temple. The Hindus seem to have a fondness for phallic objects, which I did take pictures of. Also there are plenty of breast sculptures too, and I brought home a souvenir for hubby that is both phallic and mammary.

Unknown fuzzy critter