Playing For Change: Imagine

Santa Paws at Barkeley K-9 University

Last weekend I took my two Huskies, along with my dad's Great Dane, to get their pictures taken with Santa Paws. Patrick, who co-owns the Dog Squad (dog training in the Bay Area) had a pet-picture day at his doggy daycare, Barkeley K-9 University. Though the picture session began a little rocky, we got some cute pics. Thanks to Patrick and his wife, Julie!

Silly Little Spike

Husky Tongue

Holiday Hounds

Kiva

Chico

Max

Spike

Jack

 This is what happens when I rummage through my friend's Christmas decorations. 

I also learned when when a person dons the Santa beard, the dogs don't always realize you're a person they know, and they may go ballistic.   

Music Thingamajigger

I LOVE this video. I like music, a lot. My dad and I trade songs and artists and CDs. I wish I had the talent to be able to play an instrument, but alas, I don't. But I do think this guy is frickin' amazing.

Santa Spike

The Incredible Flying Horatio!

Holy F*ck, Red Lights

House Full of Style

House's Remedy by Mngojuice featuring a silver necklace

Dogs are not allowed to drive!

Spike, Jack, get in the back seat!

Artsy Fartsy

Last night I spent a lot of time doing crafts. Here is a peek at my art. I am messy.

 

If you like what you see, check out my Etsy store!

Images from Amsterdam, Summer of 2009

 Alley

 Nemo, Science center

 Tree in Vondelpark

 Tree in Vondelpark

 Graffiti

 Homomonument

 Ducks on the canal

 No bikes!

 Mmm, Indian food *drool*

 Canal at night

 Jonas Houseboat

 Duck

 Open for business, but don't expect any sex

Pictures from Werfen, Austria

During the summer of 2009 my boyfriend and I went to Europe. We stopped in Salzburg, Austria, because we had wanted to visit Eiseiesenwelt, the biggest ice cave in the world.

The cave is located in Werfen, a small town a short drive from Salzburg.

During the way up, we saw Berg Werfen, a castle that is over 900 years old, which was commissioned by Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg.

 

To get to Eisriesenwelt you take a bus part way up one of the Tennengebirge, an extension of the northern Alpine chain of mountains. After parking in the lot, you take a 20 minute walk up a large trail.

The View of Werfen from the road is amazing.

While walking on the trail, you can see large flows of ice.

After  the 20 minute walk, you hop aboard a cable car which transports you from 1000m up to 1575m in 3 minutes.

After the cable car ride, you walk for another 20 minutes to reach the cave entrance. This sign was posted on the second portion of the trail.

The cave entrance is quite a sight to behold.

As is the view from the cave entrance.

  

The view of Werfen from the top isn't too bad, either.

 

There is no photography allowed in the caves, and, therefore, I don't have any of my own pictures. However, here are some pictures borrowed from the Eisriesenwelt website.

Also, here is the history of the caves, which is from the Eisriesenwelt website (I did not write the following):

At the end of the nineteenth century the caves were only known to hunters and poachers. Not until 1879 did Anton Posselt, a natural scientist from Salzburg, push 200 metres into the darkness of the caves and officially „discover“ the Eisriesenwelt. One year later he published a detailed report of his discovery in a mountaineering magazine, but the caves then slipped back into obscurity.

 

Alexander von Mörk, pioneer of cave exploration in the Salzburg area, recognised the significance of Posselt’s report. His expeditions were followed by various other discoverers in the 1920’s and the increasing popularity of this wonder of nature soon attracted the first tourists. In 1920 the old cabin - Forscherhütte ( discoverer’s refuge ) - was built and the first primitive climbing routes established up to the cave and onwards into the interior.

 

A year later the increase in the number of visitors led to the construction of a proper path from Werfen and Tenneck. By 1924 the ice-covered sections of the caves were all accessible on foot, and in 1925 a larger cabin was built next to the original Forscher Hütte. This house was named after Friedrich Oedl in recognition of his achievements and all his hard work connected with the Eisriesenwelt. For 25 years the only way to reach the caves was on foot. From 1953 it was possible to drive up the Eisriesenweltstraße, albeit unsurfaced and single-lane! In 1955 the cable-car provided an alternative to the steepest part of the climb (1084 m - 1586 m), reducing the time taken from one and a half hours to a matter of minutes.

 

The Eisriesenwelt is actually owned by the National Austrian Forestry Commission. The Salzburg Association of Cave Exploration took out a lease and in 1928 this was formalised into a contract with the newly formed Eisriesenwelt company. The Forestry Commisssion receives a significant percentage of all entrance fees paid.