Mike and I went to the Winchester Mystery House yesterday (henceforth called the Winchester House because calling it mysterious is stupid) and had a great time sneaking what photos we could! We tried not to go in with too many expectations, and since neither of us were expecting to tour a house filled with ghosts and spooky noises, I think we enjoyed it a lot more than the yelp reviewers. The house itself was actually smaller than I had imagined, most of the rooms are really quite small, and while it’s not as “mysterious” as hyped, it’s still a great old building with some very cool architectural details. Worth visiting if you’re into Victorian architecture or kitschy tourist activities (which I SO am!).
The most epic advertisement ever: A resolute man, armed with one of these Rifles, particularly if on horseback, CANNOT BE CAPTURED.
The Winchester House
Unused Tiffany Glass Windows
Spiderweb Glass Window with 13 Jewels
Way back in October, Rigel, Spencer and I took Akasha to a Pumpkin Patch to pick out our Halloween pumpkins. Being a whole year older than our last visit, Akasha was much more involved in the choosing of pumpkins.
Rigel and Akasha
Akasha Found her Pumpkin!
This recreation of a traditional tomb was surrounded by fertility statues. Taken at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi.
This is my one of my current computer wallpapers [full size is here if anyone wants it]. Taken at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.
These are the kids from the Literature Temple in Hanoi. As you can see, there are a great many of them. Now picture me, pressed into a corner surrounded by the whole giggling group, and you will get a better picture of my Literature Temply Experience.
In all honestly, they were super cute and funny, but it was pretty overwhelming to be unexpectedly surrounded by a whole group of children and interrogated about my name, home town, and career. I’m still a little puzzled about why I was so much more interesting than Miles & Leanne seemed to be, but I doubt I will ever know.
Also pictured is one of the kids rubbing the head of one of the Tortoise statues at the temple. Tortoises are one of four sacred creatures in Vietnam, and they symbolize longevity. I was told that it is very good luck to rub their heads, as it is something of a prayer/wish for long life.
Recent flickr photos
