Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, here am I; send me. (Isaiah 6:8)

Posted on November 11, 2015 by captainjack66

Today is a special day, a day of remembrance; one’s whose genesis; meaning and importance are at times unfortunately forgotten.

Some of us spent the day at work, others enjoyed the holiday to sleep in or run errands. Others were lucky enough to spend time with their kids and or with their spouse. There is nothing wrong with this, it’s a holiday after all; however, many of us do not realize what this holiday actually means. It’s the recognition of the sacrifices of what it entails to serve one’s country.

Some were drafted, while others more recently volunteered, all are equally deserving of our respect, admiration, and thanks for serving in foreign lands fraught with danger.

Nearly a century ago a great war was fought, with formal hostilities ending on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month (of 1918) when the armistice with Germany went into effect. President Woodrow Wilson’s words ring true to this day:

“A year ago today our enemies laid down their arms in accordance with an armistice which rendered them impotent to renew hostilities, and gave to the world an assured opportunity to reconstruct its shattered order and to work out in peace a new and juster set of international relations. The soldiers and people of the European Allies had fought and endured for more than four years to uphold the barrier of civilization against the aggressions of armed force. We ourselves had been in the conflict something more than a year and a half. – With splendid forgetfulness of mere personal concerns, we re modeled our industries, concentrated our financial resources, increased our agricultural output, and assembled a great army, so that at the last our power was a decisive factor in the victory. We were able to bring the vast resources, material and moral, of a great and free people to the assistance of our associates in Europe who had suffered and sacrificed without limit in the cause for which we fought. Out of this victory there arose new possibilities of political freedom and economic concert. The war showed us the strength of great nations acting together for high purposes, and the victory of arms foretells the enduring conquests which can be made in peace when nations act justly and in furtherance of the common interests of men. To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with – solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”

Today be thankful of all veterans, they merit it.

Home Again, Off Again…

Posted on March 22, 2015 by captainjack66

Okay so the hours are long, the workload heavy, the time spent away from family painful; fortunately the work remains rewarding and wifie has not (yet) changed the locks on the front door.

Rice field and shack outside of Babahoyo, Ecuador.

As a Foreign Service Officer, I must explore the countryside, engage with people, and report on new things. These are requirements that appeal however to Diplomonkey’s inner Viking’s wunder lust.

In recent travel to Ecuador alone, I have seen the snow-capped Cotopaxi volcano towering over the cloud line to shrimp and tilapia farms along the Guayas River to even Arabian pure breed horses in lush mountain pastures 3,000 meters above sea level (far removed from the burning sands of their origin in the Arabian peninsula).

Cotopaxi Volcano and Quito.

Arabian Horses at Altitude.

Bulls on up High.

At the same time, I have walked along the route that Francisco de Orellana took in the sixteenth century when he set out to explore and conquer the Amazon. Pretty cool, but surreal nonetheless (can you say Indiana Jones).

Statute of Francisco de Orellana, Spanish Explorer and Conquistador.

Walking in the Footsteps of Orellana along the Camino de los Conquistadores.

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guapulo and Convent – or simply the Guapulo Church.

Anyhow, it’s off to Texas and Florida again in a couple of weeks to look at cattle for export to South America. In the meantime, to make amends while still in Lima I will make wifie a Chilcano with ginger syrup tonight. For the more adventurous, the recipe follows. Cheers from Lima.

Ingredients:

One jigger Peruvian Pisco (use the Mosto Verde – Torontel variety if possible)
Half a jigger of Ginger syrup
A dash of Angostura Bitters
Juice of half a Peruvian lime (somewhat similar to a large key lime), leave the seeds that fall in for effect
Top off with Ginger Ale (about three jigger’s worth)
Add an ice-cube or two and gently stir.

Top Banana

Posted on March 15, 2015 by captainjack66

Okay it has been a while since the last post; and as usual it is late in the evening so Diplomonkey needs to get out a quickie post before he falls asleep. Otherwise I guess folks will wonder if Diplomonkey has survived yet another trip to Ecuador. Type bad monkey, type…

Babahoyo rice field shack.

This time around old Captain Jack went to Guayaquil and out into the wilds of Babahoyo. Nothing quite like speeding down dusty back roads in a black, unmarked armored car. Swish go rice and cane fields in a blur.

Babahoyo field.

Eventually Diplomonkey arrives at the banana plantation. Thousands upon thousands of hectares of the green not so little things being picked, processed, and shipped to the four corners of the globe.

Banana cultivation.

Bananas coming off the field; the hose down.

One banana for me and one for you.

Packing bananas for shipment.

Cheers and enjoy so picture of life in the foreign service.

Diplomonkey

The Adventure Has Only Begun

Posted on February 2, 2015 by captainjack66

A couple of months ago while contemplating our Florida R&R travel, I came upon the brilliant idea of working with the dudes on a father and son project. A rocket project nonetheless.

Designing a Rocket

The months went by, but true to my word I ordered a scale model V-2 rocket from Estes and had it shipped to my in-laws. Despite the threat of another government shutdown just prior to our travel date, (the last one for us occurred while we were on evacuation status from Embassy Cairo) we make it home for Christmas, the first time in four years.

Channeling the spirit of Wernher von Braun, one of the “fathers of rocket science,” the Diplomonkey crew dives into the construction of its mighty rocket. Even Jack Jack Smack Attack helps with the build, accompanying the senior Diplo to the model shop and Home Depot for primer, glue, paints and the ever so sharp Exacto knife. Boy, that knife sure is sharp.

V-2 Rocket Ready to Go

With the build, the black and yellow test pattern paint job, and final detailing complete, the Diplomonkey rocket scientists head to the model shop to purchase a set of powerful “D” engines, a launch pad, and controller. With all the accouterments demanded of modern American rocketry in tow, and with a narrowing launch window since we have to return to Peru, we schedule the launch for a crisp but spectacular south Florida winter afternoon.

Launch Controller

Dream Big, Greatness Lies Ahead

Five, four, three, two, one, oops a misfire. With the problem assessed, yep Captain Jack had inverted the blasted connectors to the engine igniter – let’s try it again with a fresh igniter. Five, four, three, two, one, blast-off in the best NASA style!

Thanks to Captain Ivan and aunt Jillian, the Diplomonkeys have great memories to share. With two successful launches under their belts, the Diplomonkeys are now part of the space age. Which, I guess makes us Diplonauts.

Always dream big and reach for the unreachable!

The Adventure Has Only Begun (Michael Mitchell, Space Shuttle Engineer).

Cheers from Lima!

Diplomonkey’s Quito Adventures

Posted on November 11, 2014 by captainjack66

Just back from stateside travel, Diplomonkey is required once again to travel, this time north to Ecuador. Yippee! The adage goes that there is no rest for the wicked; and old Diplomonkey is such a wicked little monkey – no bananas for you today, buddy boy.

So despite being home for less than a week, and that after nearly three weeks on the road, Diplomonkey heads out to Lima’s airport at dawn on a fine Sunday morning to catch a flight to white country map-land as eldest son Samtser refers to Peru’s northern neighbor. Why does Carmina Burana: O Fortuna roll around Diplomonkey’s noggin?

An unexpectedly quick, but still hour-long drive to the airport is followed by an hour-long wait to check in his bag. It seems that the traffic absent on Lima’s streets decided that Sunday morning to congregate in the Lima airport terminal. Oh well.

Fortunately there’s just enough time left before boarding to make a quick stop at Starbucks; ah the siren song of mocha coffee tempts Diplomonkey.

Starbucks Mocha Coffee and Alfajor

Fortified however by great coffee and an alfajor, Diplomonkey like an elephant in a china shop bursts through the ranks of massed well-wishers anxiously waving kinsfolk, friends, and significant others off to clear the security picket. At immigrations he is greeted by a somber official and given the de rigueur bureaucratic stare down. Not deterred, Diplomonkey pleasantly smiles and bids the straight-laced Ms. Bureaucrat a fond Starbucks mocha coffee-laden farewell. Ah the joys of another travel day.

Airborne, Diplomonkey sees Lima quickly fade away as his plane heads out over the Pacific and then northwards along the coast.

Peru’s Northern Coast

He stares out his window and beholds a tawny-colored arid coastal plain sandwiched between a deep blue-colored ocean and the white snow-capped peaks of the Andes in the distance.

The rarefied air at 35,000 feet always makes Diplomonkey wonder at how fortunate he is to have such a great career.

By late afternoon Diplomonkey makes it out to Quito and his home-away-from-home favorite hotel with its view of the snow-capped Cotopaxi volcano.

Quito City in the Shadow of Cotopaxi Volcano

Picking up a city map at the front desk and grabbing his trusty iPhone and well-traveled Nikon D-70, Diplomonkey heads out in search of Quito’s famed native handicrafts market – a leisurely twenty-minute walk down the road.

Quito Craft Market Woman

Quito Craft Market Women

Quito Craft Market – Buyers and Sellers

Quito Craft Market – Pan Flute Player and Wares

At the market, on Calle Jorge Washington (i.e., George Washington street), Diplomonkey sees cool handicrafts. Limited funds, and even less free bag space, will limit purchases on this trip. Diplomonkey realizes that retail therapy must be kept at a bare minimum, with photographinating compensating for the purchasing shortfall. Ah the joys of Chimping in one of Diplomonkey’s favorite Andean cities!

Quito Craft Market – Local Cloth

Quito Craft Market – Cotopaxi Volcano Painting

Quito Craft Market – Local Animal Spirit Masks

Cheers!

Robotic T-Rex – Terror of Lima’s La Molina District!

Posted on November 3, 2014 by captainjack66

Diplomonkey, in a moment of fatherly magnanimity, acquires for Sam-the-man-Sam a build-it-yourself solar-powered T-Rex robot while awaiting his Houston-to-Lima flight. The senior chimp could not pass up the opportunity to get the Samster a robot that we could build as father-and-son project, combining little big man’s fascination of dinosaurs with automatons.

Solar Robot T-Rex – Terror of Lima’s La Molina District!

So with much fanfare out comes the robot kit, and of course the “toolbox,” itself a hodgepodge of bits-and-pieces that escaped going into storage in Virginia and tools purchased in Egypt and afterwards while on evacuation in Washington. All-in-all assembly progress quickly until the Diplomonkey father-and-son team encounters a technical setback. Oh no!

Super Secret Robot Assembly Tools

Robot T-Rex Parts & Instructions

In Virginia a missing screw and washer would mean a trip back to the store for an exchange or a refund. In our case, the store being a few thousand miles away kind of rules out that option. So the father-and-son team does the next best thing; improvising by channeling the skills of its tool building hominid forebears, fashioning a new washer out of cardboard and repurposing a second-hand screw from an old laptop. Heck, we didn’t need to cannibalize parts from other toys – certainly the Toy Story characters are proud of us.

With assembly complete, followed of course by a congratulatory high-five, the Diplomonkey team proceeds to charge up its robotic T-Rex on a sunny Lima Sunday afternoon. Although the robot is not as fast as we would have hoped for, it works and beats the bolts off another robot.

Robotic T-Rex Running – Plastic Forks Optional

With the sun driving the robot, the Samster discovers that his shadow will fossilize the terrifying robotic T-Rex dead in its tracks. Lessons in robotics and solar energy make for a great a father-and-son project. Not too bad for a lazy Sunday afternoon in Lima.

Cheers!

Exploring Lima’s Craft Market with the Dudes

Posted on November 2, 2014 by captainjack66

Just back in time from stateside travel to enjoy the Columbus Day holiday, Diplomonkey is off with the family to Lima’s mercado artesanal (i.e., native crafts market) in Miraflores. In the Foreign Service there is nothing better than a U.S. holiday overseas with the family; it feels…just like playing hooky from school, but in this case it’s federally sanctioned. Yippee, Uncle Sam really must love me!

Lima Craft Market Sculpture – A Mounted Picador

So the Diplos pile into the Jeep. Up over the mountain and across Lima’s concrete and asphalted coastal plain we are off towards the coast eight miles and an hour away on a good day. The dudes of course fall asleep, which gives wifie and Diplomonkey a chance for some adult conversation time. Should have stopped for Starbucks, darn it.

GPS-less, but with a Google map on the iPhone we arrive in the general vicinity and find covered, secure parking in a wonky department store lot for 5 Soles per hour – not a bad deal.

So the intrepid Diplo explorers begin their search for handicrafts and especially for Chullos, the classic Peruvian wool hat with ear flaps – Diplomonkey is getting flashbacks of Nirvana and the age of grunge.

Okay, I guess I’m once again digressing. The handicrafts are Christmas presents for family stateside, the Chullos for the dudes’ Christmas photos. Little cousin Sophie scores a Chullo and an Alpaca wool dress – very fashionable I dare say so for an eight month-old.

Peruvian Good Luck Bulls

Okay so it’s not Cairo’s Khan el Khalili, but cool nonetheless. Need to go back for chess sets, local rugs, silver, and maybe some mounted creepy crawlies for the guys.

Lima Craft Market

Craft Market – Creepy Crawlies

Lima Craft Market – Peruvian Country Scene

Mission accomplished, partly, but now running on empty we search out local eateries for sustenance. The Diplos by happens chance come across a hole in the wall café, a true “Rincón de los Famosos” that brings back teary eye memories of a somewhat similar one from a Miami now a lifetime away. Get some spectacular mocha coffee, sorry Starbucks for my transgression, some alfajores, and exquisite little cheese sandwiches, crepes, and freshly made lemonade.

Craft Market Mocha Coffee

Ah life is good in Lima’s Miraflores, even the sun appears.

Cheers from a Chullo wearing, mocha coffee drinking Diplomonkey.

USS Texas (BB-35), Flagship of the Texas Navy

Posted on November 2, 2014 by captainjack66

With meetings over and the first free time in two weeks, Diplomonkey uses his downtime to visit a gran dame of Texas. So he heads out to La Porte (on the Houston Ship Channel) with his Nikon D-70 in hand to visit the USS Texas State Historic Site, home to the last of the great dreadnoughts still afloat.

USS Texas BB-35

Houston Ship Channel: Tug Eloy Rivera and the Maritime Prosperity (Bulk Carrier)

A bygone era’s impressive centenarian (the USS Texas’ keel was laid down in 1911 and commissioned in 1914), this gray behemoth of steel saw action in Mexican waters in the wake of the Tampico Incident. The USS Texas, fondly nicknamed “Old T,” also made numerous sorties into the North Sea during the Great War (that’s World War I).

USS Texas Forward Gun Turrets

During World War II, she escorted war convoys across the Atlantic and shelled Axis-held beaches during the North African campaign and the Normandy Landings. In the Pacific theater, Old T provided naval gunfire support during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Anti-Aircraft Gun

Anti-Aircraft Gun Foot Rest

With the war won and the Axis threat eliminated, the USS Texas despite decommissioning (1948) avoids the scrap yard. The Navy opts instead to transfer Old T to Texas on April 21, date of the decisive 1836 Battle of San Jacinto that ended the War for Texas independence; leading to the Republic of Texas’ creation.

The USS Texas serves today as the first battleship memorial in the United States, as well as is the commissioned flagship of the Texas Navy.

USS Texas Dual 14″/45 Caliber Gun Turrets

So next time you are in Houston take a drive out to the San Jacinto battlegrounds, there you will find the USS Texas. Most of Old T is readily accessible, they even have special hard hat and flashlight tours for the off limit areas. A truly unique vessel, a great place to take the kids to get them interested in all things navy. Consider also making a donation for her upkeep.

Anti-Aircraft Guns Under Restoration

Restoration Work

Naval Jack – 48 State Stars

Cheers!

Of Bulls, Heifers and Cold Beer

Posted on October 18, 2014 by captainjack66

With negotiations and consultations now behind him, Diplomonkey hits the road to Florida by dawn’s early light. Thanks to United Airline’s really nice counter person at Reagan (DCA), who went out of her way to help, Diplomonkey catches his Orlando via Newark flight. The logistics of going north to go south are just astounding.

USDA Prime Beef Slab

In Newark, Diplomonkey gets to double dip; he gets both his Starbucks fix and salivates over Gallaghers’ meaty, 21-day old dry aged USDA prime beef slabs on display. Although torturous, this is nothing less than a favorable omen for such a nomadic, unrepentant carnivore.

Cheerfully boarding his southbound flight, Diplomonkey catches up on Top Gear episodes, orders a Tapas box and red wine; ah life is good. But Diplomonkey knows all to well that the respite at 35,000 feet is short-lived, for it marks the start of ten straight days of twelve-hour plus workdays.

Reaching Mickey Mouse country, Orlando for the uninitiated in all things Disney, Diplomonkey heads off to one of Florida’s largest cattle ranches. Here he meets astoundingly gentle giants which act more like pampered farm dogs than thousand pound plus medium-frame young bulls. They also crap prolifically, much like their extinct Aurochs forebears, so mind your step, and theirs when around them.

Little Big Bulls – Florida Brahmans

Avoiding being crushed by these beasties, as well as not stepping in their poop, is no small matter. It builds up a hearty appetite for, do I dare say…beef. But lo and behold, there is no beef for Diplomonkey that night since he dillydallies at the ranch immersed in the talk of cattle.

Florida Cattle at Sunset

Red Brangus at Sunset

So poor Diplomonkey eases his hunger that evening with something other than beef. He ambles à la John Wayne into the first late night open eatery available and orders the special – all you can eat pork ribs, as well as quench his thirst with well-chilled Yuengling beer (from America’s oldest brewery, of course).

Diplomonkey volunteers to his traveling companions that he is courageously taking one for the team; to prove that there is no trichinae in the U.S. pork. The sacrifices we make. Thank you, please I will have some more Porky Pig.

Service Animal/ Pet Relief Area

Travel to Madison, Wisconsin via Detroit (DTW), the latter of which has a great, animal friendly airport, follow visits to Orlando and Gainesville. For those that have served in the Middle East and traveled with four-legged hairy buddies, this sort of attention is always a big deal. But old Diplomonkey, who misses family and dog, digresses.

Holstein Cows

Early morning meetings follow a midnight arrival in Madison, as well a visit to the Wisconsin World Dairy Expo. Again Diplomonkey sees spectacular animals and meets wonderful people. But the hunger for beef grows by the minute; bananas are just not quite doing it for him any longer.

So with his erstwhile companions in tow, Diplomonkey heads out that evening in search of animal protein matter, preferably bovine. Across from the state capitol, at Madison’s Old Fashion restaurant, Diplomonkey comes across one of the best burgers and fries that he has ever had and to top it off great local IPA.

Capitol Building – Madison, Wisconsin

In the course of the evening not only does Diplomonkey convert his South American pilsner drinking traveling companions to the wonders of American IPA, but also exposes them to that great American spirit known as bourbon – yes, culinary diplomacy at its finest.

Departing Madison for Texas fortified by beef, excellent IPA, and outfitted in a new green John Deere cap, as well as with some great hometown Landjäger sausage in his pack, Diplomonkey is oh so happy.

Houston’s Moonwalker

Greeted in the late evening by Houston’s Moonwaker, Diplomonkey’s travel through the great state of Texas is a blur; one day in Houston followed by another in Madisonville and then two nights in College Station before returning once again to Houston.

But the hunger for beef remains, one that cannot be satiated by salmon or pork chops no matter how delicious. Where is my sirloin, my rib-eye steak, how about my Texas brisket?

Diplomonkey discovers that just outside of College Station, stands the town of Snook, home of Sodolak’s Original Country Inn and its Texas size steaks and burgers. One of the companions, Andy, in all honestly went to Texas A&M and recommended that we stop here to partake of excellent, bountiful, and affordable steaks. Coming off the farm from late evening meetings, we barely beat the closing time clock and place our orders.

19 Ounces Texas Lucy

From Andy’s build up, Diplomonkey realized that this would not be a ramen noodle sort of night, but rather an orgy of beef. The small sirloin steak (let’s call her Texas Lucy, heifer flesh always taste better if it has a name) weighs in alone at nineteen ounces. And for good measure, a can of ice-cold Lone Star beer makes Lucy’s taste all that better.

Steak, two sides, Texas toast and local beer plus tip, came out to less than twenty-five bucks. Proof positive that life on per diem is possible if you know how to look. They advertise orders to go; dreamily Diplomonkey wonders if the delivery area could include Peru.

At the Brahman Bull Wash

Texas A&M Summer Sausage

Texas A&M, like the state of Texas, is a huge but friendly place. Diplomonkey sees state of the art teaching and processing facilities, meets wonderful, capable professionals and academics. The Rosenthal Meat Center’s beef, pork, and lamb offerings, especially the summer football sausage sorely tempts Diplomonkey with its fleshy bounty. Unfortunately Diplomonkey has no way to transport any frozen or chilled meat back to Lima – next time he will come better prepared.

So pleased is Diplomonkey with his Texas A&M visit, that despite being a Hoya, he caves in and buys Aggies memorabilia for the little dudes. Sorry wifie and other fellow Hoyas, just in case the kiddies one day decide to go study agricultural economics and eat beef out there.

In any, case, that evening Texas brisket Bambi follows her rib-eye steak little sister (that’s Ms. Betsy) devoured earlier by Diplomonkey at lunchtime. A truly memorable occasion scouting out animals for export.

Cheers.

Diplomonkey, Naughty Monkey

Posted on October 12, 2014 by captainjack66

Having received special dispensation from the powers that be to travel to Washington at the last moment for negotiations, Diplomonkey hit the road running on a fine Lima Saturday evening.

After a plus two-hour drive to Jorge Chavez International Airport, Diplomonkey finally arrives and proceeds to check in for his United Airlines flight to Washington via Newark. Thanks to his foresight he had checked in earlier that day, opting to use some of his hard-earned dollars to buy an Economy Plus upgrade. Unfortunately, United does not currently accept bananas as form of payment.

Running short on time thanks to Lima’s ridiculously heavy traffic, Diplomonkey forewent his usual pre-flight Starbucks coffee mocha with whipped cream and alfajor fix – Diplomonkey sad, so sad. However with security quickly cleared, on board United’s really nice Boeing 757-200, and settled into his plush Economy plus seat, Diplomonkey is enjoying life.

But it gets better. United’s in flight on demand video is great (got to watch 300: Rise of an Empire, Ancient Aliens, and even a Tom Cruise movie – which is always fun to ding) and had a spectacular meal. The food, even in economy, was not just palatable but really awesome this time. The wine was not too shabby either.

So Diplomonkey stays up late, watches movies, gets some work reading done, and gets to see the sun rise over the USA and is so happy. Diplomonkey had until then not seen the sun in nearly two months. Bright blue skies even make Newark look spectacular.

Turkish Folk Festival Dancers

Okay, Diplomonkey clears immigration and customs, collects his bag and catches his connecting flight to Washington.

Upon arrival in our nation’s capital, Diplomonkey drops off his bag at the hotel and proceeds to go exploring. Happens across the Turkish folk festival and gets great pictures with the now well-travelled Nikon D70.

Turkish Folk Festival Ladies

Turkish Festival Dude

Food Dude

Turkish Folk Festival Dancer

After an afternoon of photographinating, Diplomonkey in urgent need of sustenance hops on the subway and makes his way to his old haunt of Georgetown – yeah, go Hoyas – and hits Pizza Paradisso, mecca of great pizza and home to a spectacular collection of craft beers.

My other love, a Duchesse de Bourgogne

Diplomonkey, being the naughty monkey that he is, decides to get immediately re-acquainted with an old Belgian girlfriend of his, and none other than a Duchesse of Bourgogne that is.

With his Duchesse in hand, Diplomonkey compounds his naughtiness and orders wifie’s favorite pizza, an Atomica.

Pizza Paradisso’s Atomica

Trappistes Rochefort #10

Guilt ridden by his peccadillos, Diplomonkey tries to repent by hooking up with a Trappistes monk, ale that is, and orders himself a Trappistes Rochefort #10 (a quadruple ale).

Ah, life is good.

diplomonkey

Chimping around the world!

Category Archives: Sin categoría

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, here am I; send me. (Isaiah 6:8)

Home Again, Off Again…

Top Banana

The Adventure Has Only Begun

Diplomonkey’s Quito Adventures

Robotic T-Rex – Terror of Lima’s La Molina District!

Exploring Lima’s Craft Market with the Dudes

USS Texas (BB-35), Flagship of the Texas Navy

Of Bulls, Heifers and Cold Beer

Diplomonkey, Naughty Monkey