Tuesday . . .

. . . Rachael was back to work, sadly, so I was left to my own devices. I got my lazy vacation ass out of bed and went for a walk along 4th. More or less I was checking out little stores along the way and well as the houses.

The housing market is absolutely insane here. It boggles the mind. What I would like to know is, how DO people afford to live out here?! Houses start at $350 yes, thousand, and go upward from there. And I'm talking townhouses people. Condos as well. I understand that it is the coast, but how exactly do people afford this? There are many houses that have apartments in them and I'm sure that would help significantly, but really how do you get approved for a mortage when you make 40,000 a year? Or is that what the poverty level is out here?!

Did I mention that gas has been priced over a $1 a liter since I've been here? It's currently priced at $1.15 or so and I think it's going up. I think you either need to have a decenty paying job out here, or work several of them just to get by - I honestly couldn't imagine it. London's wages already suck & the housing isn't anywhere near what it is like out here!!!

Oh, Tuesday, after wandering for the day, Rachael and I went to the museum of Archeology. I've been told that they are under renovation so a large part of their exhibits and 'open storage' were unavailable, but there were Tibetan monks creating a sand painting. Very intricate and amazing!!




I am not usually big on museums and galleries, I find them a little on the boring side. But this place was very nice. The native art, the displays, the fact that they archives were actually open, albeit behind glass, meant that you could see things that you would not normally see at other places. I really liked all the canoe paddles they had. It was too dimly lit for pictures, but they too were lovely. Hand carved and painted, I'm sure they held great meaning and usefulness in their time - now they are a beauty and wonder to behold.