It's DONE...she survived...we survived

There she is!  I was doing the video, and there were audible gasps when she walked in...and I was crying the whole time...fortunately, my sniffles are only minor on the recording.  Amigos, I was verklempt...I was a mess!  She was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful...Tristan was SOOOOOOOO handsome...the half Asian Ken and Barbie!

...and of course the mother of the wife...

...Maria, the beautiful Maid of Honour...

...some of you may know Chelsea...the photographer extraordinaire doing her thing in the foreground!  Then it was the friends turn...

...after dinner, the party started...nobody seemed to be having fun though...

Nope...no fun being had at that party!!!!  Here is Tristan dancing with his beautiful Mother, Maureen!

What a magical day!

It's showtime!!!

The big day is finally here...Cassandra is freaking out about her speech...I'm thinking I haven't thrown up since last night!  Life is GOOD!

The Lone DeRanger is going to be responsible today...ok, ok...I will be sitting next to someone that will hurt me if I act out.  I haven't had a drink in over an hour, so I'm serious...........course it is only 9am. The weather appears to be cooperating...wait....the blinds are still closed...............oh, the lights are on in the room!  Anyone could make that mistake.

So the internet finally seems to be working...that means I can post pictures of the wedding and stuff.  Maybe I should eat...............I'll get back to you.

Part 2...

...burp.....;;an pqojnvwskjn dfwdkijhatznm nwq wsdpkjw ewnj w   qwebj qan bjnqew nhewj hn!

Mexican internet...

...I know....with that title I should be really funny!  Well I am REALLY funny, but I think Montezuma is responsible.  And on top of that,  the Internet in our room is intermittent...and I'm not sure how I got here!  I know I'm not in jail...I'd say that's a good thing.  Cassandra says we are playing golf this afternoon...I think this portable dialysis machine I'm hooked up to will affect my swing...better have a drink before I go...is your computer moving?...mine is...oh wait, the whole room is!  Am I on a boat?  There will be a part 2 today if I can still stand after the pre-wedding dinner...you're right...don't expect anything more.  But hey, the dialysis went fine...I'm ready to drink again!!!

So we went on a cruise today...big catamaran with an even bigger bar!  Heaven you say....ahhhh YES!!!  Here is a pic of Tristan at the bar...but not on the catamaran...hey, shut up...this is my blog!

...some of their friends...yes, smartass, they ARE on the ship!

...and we had this incredible sunset...

...and that's when I fell overboard, and when they found out I was gone...well, it was like the next day, but by that time I'd already dogpaddled home...so everyone was saying what an athlete I am...and I said ya.

WHAT?

It's a wedding..............................or something.

YAHOO ... P A R T Y   T I M E !!!!!!!!!  As I write this I believe I'm on an airplane, and THE BAR IS OPEN!!!  Not to be confused with free...nope, just open.  I don't know how we are getting there, but the wedding is in Cancun!  Someone said that was in Mexico, and as you know, the dear departed Mr. Corona spent some time there...actually got his name there...wherever that is...hey!...dos cervases!
AAAAHHHHHHHHH...cold ones!  HOLY SHIT...I think we're up in the air!!!  I'd better pay attention...or something.

So, where was I?...where AM I?  Did you hear that Alexa and Tristan are getting married?  Ya, me too...anyone know where?

THE MOUNTAINS OF SASKATCHEWAN!!!

First of all, I want to tell you how difficult it is to be without the internet.  I'm in Saskatoon, and if that isn't bad enough, where I'm staying has no internet!  I know you don't believe me, but it's true!  By the time you see this, I will already be on my way back.  I'm writing this on Tuesday evening...I've taken lots of pictures, and I want to start you off with the mountains of Saskatchewan.  There they are:

 What do you mean "where are the mountains?"...they're right there...see'em?  Ok, here's a different one of the rugged north ridge...steep huh?

 Saskatchewan is beautiful!  Everywhere you look is soooo different!

 ...you would never suspect that I took this shot on the same continent, much less the same province!

The difficulty with Saskatchewan is that it's soooo  hilly that you can't see traffic until it's right up on you.

Oh, and look at that...boy, that's interesting!

...nope...nothing there.  Anyway, enough of the beautiful scenery...the reason I came out here was to see my childhood friend and his family.  His mother Anne is 94, and beautiful!!!

She was my mother's best friend...Anne said they NEVER fought.  She got kind of sad when she thought about my mother...

...I've known Anne since I was 4 years old...she IS my second mother.  I've known this guy as long...Anne's son Terry...

More later.

Practice...practice...practice...

When you exist at as high a level as The Lone DeRanger, you have to practice!  Gotta stay sharp!  That means time on the bowl practice range...

...I think the toilets are the same all over...those outhouses are the best though!  I really hope the grass hasn't changed in Saskatchewan...if I remember right, you could really get a grip on it!

I'M EXHAUSTED!!!  Better have a nap...where's that gutter?

On the road again...I can't wait to get on the road again...drinking beer with my friends (none).........

It's been a while since I "roadtripped"..headed south I think...which direction is that?  Cassandra tells me I'm goin' east this time...to a place called Saskatoon...in a former lifetime I used to live there.  I'm going to visit my second mother, who just turned 94!  That's damned near as old as my liver!!!  Ann Boyenko was my mother's best friend...we lived in her house for 8 years...when I was the Little DeRanger!  Her son is 6 months older than I am...and he still lives  2 doors down from his mother...my oldest friend!  Memory Lane...Saskatoon....here I come!

The final...and I mean FINAL...post...

Yes amigos, this brings to an end the Mr. Corona saga.  We overnight in Hanoi tonight, then first thing tomorrow we are back to Vancouver.  Thanks for reading, and looking...and commenting!  Like Richard Nixon, I'm not a crook, and you won't have Mr. Corona to kick around anymore!!!

Maybe it's Vientiane pronounced JanWiang...

...or Wiang Jan, or Albino Laotian...or DANG WANGI!!!  Whatever they call it, we went out to investigate...this was the first temple I saw...

 ...so, I got my own temple!  After a temple or two, we saw another temple...a Presidential temple...

...then another old one...I liked this one almost as much as my temple!

 

 

 

...a couple of flowers on the grounds...

...check out the thorns on this one!

...Vientiane pronounced JanWiang...or Wiang Jan, or Albino Laotian...or DANG WANGI...they have their version of the Arc de Triomphe...

...and here is Cassandra doing a little drawing in a coffee shop...

...good dessert!!!

Laos...very poor...sort of hell on earth...but friendly!

How 'bout that...4 countries this trip!  We got on the BBBL several mornings ago...it was already an hour late.  For those of you that don't recognize BBBL...it's the Bucking Bronco Bus Line!  Our trip was roughly 300 miles to a place in Laos called Pakse...like taxi with a "P".  I had a book on my computer, Stan Getz on my mp3...a 7-8 hour trip we were told.  Nope...12...count 'em...12 hours later, we roll into Pakse.  It was not so bad...every cut by Stan (4-4.5 minutes) meant a good 75-100 yards more down the road.  Did I mention that BBBL and PAL are partners?  If you don't remember, PAL stands for Woodstock Airways...they never leave the 60's!  Like I said, it wasn't so bad...they only broke down twice...and they carry a mechanic.  Mr. Corona went a 12 hours without a beer...or a pee break!  I don't think we will last here too long...as short as possible for me.  I've been uploading pics for the better part of 2 hours, got 3 of 11 so far...we may be back in Vancouver before the 11th one loads.  This is the third world ladies and germs...and there isn't enough beer in the land to make it any better...but the people are friendly...really friendly!  Geez, I'm glad I don't live here.  I think Mr. Corona has had it with the third world...if I want the third world I'll go to Saskatchewan!  The pics never did load...that was 2 days ago...we left Champusak, back to Pakse on a songthaew (Diahatsuu pickup/taxi/bus/live chicken and goose transporter today), to the airport to fly to Vientiane pronounced Wiang Jan...oh get a life...I don't make this up ya know!  On our way to Champusak, I took these...ya ya...old pics...

 

...we stopped to let someone off, and it was the attack of the turnip people...or something.  And here is something you won't see anywhere else...this is a Mr. Corona exclusive...say "Albino Laotian" three times fast!

 Then we met crazy Derrick from Ireland...

 

...had been banished to Laos because he doesn't drink...well, enough for Irish standards anyway...and probably for wearing these on a daily basis...

 This is the Laos official flower...

...and this is an official Laos kid...

...and this is the government sanctioned sunset...

On our second day in Champusak, we went to the Laos version of Angkor Wat...hmmm...Angkor Dot maybe...there wasn't much left...but Belgium seems to be rebuilding it for Laos.

 Tomorrow, it's Vientiane pronounced Wiang Jan...go figure.