VACATION 2007

Anabel at the National Park Serra da Capivara









Several years ago we decided that our kids were growing up too fast and before we knew it they were going to be gone. If we wait for the "right time" when everyone can appreciate a family trip, that time may never come. Right then and there it became official...family vacation during our school break in July. Come what may, our plans were to stick to it no matter what.

Since then we have visited many, many friends, gone to 5 national parks, met many new people and have had some surprising and fantastic experiences that were never planned or imagined.

This year we put on another 3000k on our car just to make it to 2 national parks in the state of Piauí. It took us three days to get there. Each night we stayed at friend's homes along the way. Once we got to the park, we stayed in a hotel. After seeing everything we wanted to see (and our time was up!) we made the trip back to Fortaleza in two days, but, boy, were they two really long days! It was all timed so we could pick up Ron and Ranelle and family at the airport on their way back from furlough. After 10 days we walked into our dusty, but very familiar home...the best part of the trip!!! Here are some of our highlights.



The Ribeiro Theater was built in 1860 by a Frenchman living in the area. The doors were closed, so Anabel suggested that we each stand in a doorway for a picture.

The girls enjoyed riding horses at a friend's house in Ceará (something we never expected doing on our trip).


We celebrated turning 140,000 K the 2nd day of vacation.

Translated, the sign says "hell"...where in the world is this leading us?!?!?


This is where we ended up...go figure!



Jessica got to try her hand at the potter's wheel at a small factory just outside the national park. The factory's purpose is to employ the locals and teach them a trade. We bought a few of the pieces at the end of the tour.

Right before my eyes should appear? A playground!!! Anabel couldn't appreciate any more of God's Creation till she had a chance to climb over everything. :)

Some of the thousands of Indian paintings we saw on the rocks.

And finally...the "monkeys" that were observed wandering all over the park!