The Reason I Fish

I take lots of pictures and usually there are only a couple that are any good, maybe none. My definition of a poor picture is one that doesn't tell a story that I really connect with. On some occasions, I end up with more than a couple that I like and there is a tendancy to want to post all of them. But I think if you can condense a story down to one, or sometimes two pictures, that is best.

This last week Jack, David, Cody, Stuart, and I took another fishing trip - this time to South Louisiana. You can't go any further South. Now, I like to fish. If you have fished with me you know that I usually try to be the first one with a hook in the water, to keep the hook in the water when it is not in a fish's mouth, and be the last one to reel in. But that isn't the real reason to go fishing.

The two pictures I am posting here sum it up best for me. First of all, it is fun to get together with people you enjoy and go fishing. Stuart and David arranged a hardhead catfish tournament one night and you can tell we enjoyed it in this picture. The second reason is that it is just good therapy to be outdoors. It is hard not to relax viewing nature, a sunset, or wildlife. I enjoyed seeing the two pelicans below after visiting with a couple of them in Australia a few weeks ago.

Now you may be thinking that I am just writing all this about nature and good company because we didn't catch any fish. But we did! The first day we caught more than enough trout for the freezer and the second day we were fortunate to catch some large redfish and release them. Stuart caught the biggest hardhead, Cody caught the most hardheads, Jack caught the biggest redfish, and David was one of several claiming to have caught the biggest trout. I got the most pictures (there are a few more behind Yebisu). And we all enjoyed just getting out...

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Pelicans - This time near Cocodrie Louisiana

The brown pelican has made a good comeback after almost going extinct from DDT in the 1950s. These two fine fellows were sitting on piles near a small wellhead platform in an open bay enjoying the sunshine and people watching.

Good Luck

It's nice to be appreciated and get recognition from admirers.

Nachos

In a restaurant called El Cholo in Los Angeles that is supposed to be famous – the claim to fame comes from serving stars such as Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Michele Phillips, Nolan Ryan, Marlon Brando, Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, George Hamilton, Tom Hanks, etc. - they have information on the birth of the nacho. Namely, it is stated that one Carmen Rocha from San Antonio, who joined El Cholo in 1959, started making something called a nacho and that the restaurant brought said appetizer to fame

Based on my own exhaustive research, taken from the Texas Journal published May / June 2007, I can report the true story. In the early 1940s, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya worked at the Victory Club in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras across border from Eagle Pass, Texas. He was the only employee on duty when some women came in for a snack. In the blink of an eye, he tore corn tortillas into triangles, fried them, topped them with cheese, and placed a slice of jalapeno on top.

The women called it Nacho’s Especiales. It was soon shortened to Nacho and the new snack was born. Of course there was nothing wrong with Carmen taking it to Los Angeles in 1959 but it should be known that El Cholo didn’t have much to do with the regional delicacy that has swept the country.

Anyway, the food was pretty good there. And the weather was nice. And David graduated from college!

Buddha's Birthday

It was Buddha's Birthday here in Brisbane (and elsewhere) and we had a celebration. There are a lot of Chinese people here and there was a festival on the South Bank just down from the apartment. Here is a picture shot from our balcony of the fireworks.

Winter is supposed to be coming but it is still a good 30 degrees C during the day (86 F). Tomorrow is labor day here in Queensland (vs. the first of May everywhere). Anyway, I have the day off. The thing to do on long weekends around here is to get outside (I played golf) and go barbeque. The city has put barbeque in lots of nice places, including along the river, so everybody barbeques. Hope you are getting outside too...

View from the Terrace

Brisbane is such a beautiful city and there really is a lot to write about. I just don't seem to have the time - what a poor excuse. Anyway, we have managed to find a place to live and this is the view off of our balcony. Amazing isn't it? The only downside is that there is a fair amount of road noise from that bridge if you are outside. But with the door closed - hardly anything. And with this view, who is complaining? Not me.

The bridge is Captain Cook bridge and the land mass across the river is called the CBD - Central Business District. The river snakes throughout the city and divides it into smaller communities. The lighted cliffs at the far right are on Kangaroo Point. Just across the river from us, the green area is the Botanical Gardens. I work in one of the high rises on the right side of the CBD. It is visible in the picture but not prominent. The lighted bridge in the background on the right is the Story Bridge. The large bridge on the left in the background is Victoria Bridge and the small pedestrian bridge in the foreground on the left is the Friendship Bridge. That is how I walk to work. It is a nice place to live...