Tuesday, June 21, 2016

USA!! USA!!!

We bought tickets for three Copa America games but we didn't know who would be playing in the 3rd since it was a quarter-final.  So fun for us that it turned out to be the USA against Ecuador! 
People were all decked out in red, white and blue to cheer enthusiastically for the USA!
Seattle has lots of soccer fans and they turned out to support the team. It was so much fun to be in such an enthusiastic crowd and to get to watch such a thrilling game!  The US went up 2 goals but Ecuador battled back to score one and then, in the words of one commentary, 'threw everything but the kitchen sink' at the goal but just couldn't get the ball in the net.  The US defense did a lot of frantic scrambling but they were successful at keeping out the goal that would have tied the game.
Players and fans were super excited after the game!
A date with Argentina in the semis looms....#1 team in the world, with the best player in the world.  Soccer is a funny game when anything can happen but if I were a betting person I wouldn't put my money on the US!








Seattle Tourist Days

Our mini-vacation to Seattle wasn't all for soccer!  While George worked from the hotel, I played Seattle tourist!

First Stop - Pike Street market.

Every time I've ever been there it has been full of people and this day was no exception but I did get some fun shots of unusual vegetables and fruits!

Rainbow carrots
Garlic spears
Witches finger grapes
Rambutan
 Thanks to my handy dandy Seattle Tourist Maps app, it was easy to walk along the pier to the Olympic Sculpture Garden where I got my first view of the Space Needle.
The whole garden was interesting to explore as I made my way up the hill to the Seattle Center. 
In 1989 George and I brought our young family to Seattle and took them up to the restaurant on the top of the Space Needle.  I have one vivid memory of that excursion.  As often happens the waiter came and asked us if we wanted something to drink before he brought a menu.  Without thinking or asking for the menu we ordered 6 glasses of orange juice.  Later we learned that each glass cost $8!  We had spent $48 on orange juice!   George and I will never forget that!

Of course now, 27 years later I spent $48 just to go up to the observation deck!  They did include a visit to the Chihuly Glass Garden in the price.  I'd always wanted to see his work and it was even more amazing that I thought it would be. 

From the guide book, "The artworks demonstrate how he pushed the boundaries of glass as an art medium in concept, execution and presentation."  These photographs don't do it justice.  
The vivid colors, the life and movement, the sheer joy in the pieces....
It is just delightful!   These boats are life size with beach-ball size glass.  Heavily influenced by the sea, these blue shapes looks as if they could be something alive under the ocean.
A favorite is the "Persian Ceiling Room".
And the beauty and wonder continue outside into the garden.  I absolutely loved it!
Then it was up the elevator to the viewing platform of the Space Needle where I could see back to Century Link Fields!
I had noticed this rather unusual looking gentlemen and heard him speaking Spanish.  I noticed that people were asking for his autograph and taking selfies with him.  I finally asked someone who he was.  
Turns out he is Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio also known as El Pibe ("The Kid")  a Colombian former football player. His distinctive blond hair, coupled with his flamboyant technique on the ball, made him one of Colombia's most recognizable footballers and arguably, one of the most recognizable footballers around the globe historically.

Here's how he looked when he played.  My boys recognized him instantly when I texted them his photo. Soccer just followed me around all day!
On Thursday before the USA game, George did get to be a tourist too.
We went to a couple of parks and to the locks where we spent a few hours watching boats go through!  It was busy on a Thursday afternoon.  Summer traffic can take hours as the boats line up on both sides of the locks.   To save time multiple boats can go through at once. 
Fun way to pass the time until time to go to the USA game!


 

 

 



Monday, June 20, 2016

Argentina and Messi!

Check another one off the bucket list!  I've seen Leo Messi pay soccer.  I also added one to the list, "See Messi score" so hopefully we get to go to Barcelona again to see a game before I'm too old or Messi retires!
I think the majority of the fans had come to see one man play!  Never have I heard the subs be cheered so much as they walked onto the pitch!
There he is!  Best in the world!  #10 Leo Messi!

But before we would see him play we did have some other world class players to watch. Like Gonzalo Higuaín #9, formerly of Real Madrid (but I'm not holding that against him) and now playing for Napoli where he was the top scorer in the Italian league last year! And Sergio Agüero  #11 who plays for Manchester United.
Argentina played well.  Love that I caught this goal.
And the celebration afterwards!
Three times the roar went up from the crowd, "Messi, Messi, Messi!" At the beginning of the 2nd half to thunderous applause, he came on the field. Unfortunately just as I snapped the perfect photo of his entrance, the woman in front of me decided to stand up.  Oh well!  Here he is on the pitch just about to take a free kick, which almost went in!
And here he is making one of his famous moves!  In this game he managed to nutmeg the keeper but the goal was disallowed for off-sides.  Messi can mesmerize with his speed and dribbling skill....or he can make a perfectly placed pass to a teammate!   I actually felt sorry for #4 who had to man-mark him!  I'm sure the coaches instructions were something like, "Don't let him out of your sight." At least at the end they traded shirts!
Definitely a night I'll always remember!
Oh and one senior moment that could have been a disaster - George came home from work early so that we could make the 3 hour drive to Seattle, get checked into the hotel, and walk to the game.  Portland traffic can be bad so we got over the bridges to Vancouver, Washington and decided to stop at Quiznos for lunch.  As we finished eating George looked at me and asked if I had the tickets!  No I didn't and neither did he!   So back to LO we went, got the tickets and started out again!  I was nervous as the traffic was even worse and this little glitch added about 2 hours to our travel time but we made it just in time to hear the national anthems!  Could have been much worse!




Sunday, June 19, 2016

Grateful Dad

Remember how George has been getting up early to run on the treadmill 3 days a week?  It paid off when we ran a Grateful Dad 5K on Saturday.  His time was faster than his last race.  Way to be dedicated and disciplined!
For some crazy reason I decided to run this one with him with NO TRAINING at all!  And it was no surprise that I was very slow.  In fact the only people slower than I was were either really fat or pregnant!
But I did finish  and I finished a tiny bit faster than I wanted!  Now I think I'll train for another one.  I don't like being so slow!!!  Training will help I know!


Tuesday, June 7, 2016

#27 Puebla

Foster Guide Dog #27 is a young cutie named Puebla.  She was career changed while still in the puppy raising program so she is only 15 months old....a puppy really!

Her medical problems make her a bit quirky but she is a much loved temporary addition to our family.   We call her our 'special needs dog' and are showering her with love! I'm happy to report that the longer she stays with us the more 'normal' she appears. Someone is going to be lucky to adopt her!

Monday, June 6, 2016

Obsessed???

One of my cousins thinks that we are obsessed with soccer!  And I think he may be right!  When I heard that the Copa America was going to be in the USA this year and that there would be games in Seattle, I knew we had to go.  George agreed and we got tickets to the 3 games at Century Link Field!
The first one was last Saturday so we drove up for the day.  I always think that it is a long way to Seattle but it is actually only about 3 hours!  I wasn't super excited about the game - Peru vs. Haiti
Actually it turned out to be really fun.  I loved watching a game without that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get watching Barcelona!  This time I didn't even care who won.  I spent a lot of time playing with my camera and practicing action shots.  

Look at that concentration as he watches the ball come!
 Peru almost gets a goal.
Haiti almost scored near the end of the game.
The game ended with this score.  I do think Peru was the better team.
It's the next match we're really excited about!
I do care who wins this one!  As a Barca fan I have to support Leo Messi and also my Argentine daughter-in-law!
And the cutest Argentina fan in all the world - Isabella!