Since this is really a blog about our adventures in India, I won't spend much time on our summer break, except to give our friends and family a brief overview. We did manage to connect with many of you, and it was great to see you all! 
Our friends Pam & Larry were gracious enough to put us up for a week in our home town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Here is Char catching up with some of her fellow teachers.
Following that we were able to spend a week doing nothing but playing music and dancing our feet off with our good friends Mo & Melody at the Lady of the Lake dance camp on the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene.
Here's Mo showing off his TGIF (Thank Ganesh it's Friday) T-shirt we brought for him.
Since traditional Irish and American folk music is a rare thing in India, I took advantage of every opportunity to play. Here I am with Arvid at a local Coeur d'Alene Irish pub.
More music with brother Billy at his unique handmade home in St. Maries, Idaho.
From there we were able to spend a mostly relaxing three weeks visiting with Char's family at their beautiful property in the lower Hudson Valley in New York.
Char and I on the Riverwalk on the Hudson River.
It is a short hop on a commuter train into the city, where we met up with my niece Jessica, who is now living in Brooklyn, and working in the city. We spent a day walking around Manhattan, and were very impressed at how clean and alive the city has become. The waterfront that was once a place where you would not want to wander has become a vibrant center for cultural activities.
The next day we were able to show Jessica some of the sights on the Hudson, including Philipsburg Manor, which is a historic restoration where Char had once worked (in full period costume).
Our next stop was a week stopover in Ireland, which I'll catch up with in the next blog.
Our friends Pam & Larry were gracious enough to put us up for a week in our home town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Here is Char catching up with some of her fellow teachers.
Following that we were able to spend a week doing nothing but playing music and dancing our feet off with our good friends Mo & Melody at the Lady of the Lake dance camp on the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene.
Here's Mo showing off his TGIF (Thank Ganesh it's Friday) T-shirt we brought for him.
Since traditional Irish and American folk music is a rare thing in India, I took advantage of every opportunity to play. Here I am with Arvid at a local Coeur d'Alene Irish pub.
More music with brother Billy at his unique handmade home in St. Maries, Idaho.
From there we were able to spend a mostly relaxing three weeks visiting with Char's family at their beautiful property in the lower Hudson Valley in New York.
Char and I on the Riverwalk on the Hudson River.
It is a short hop on a commuter train into the city, where we met up with my niece Jessica, who is now living in Brooklyn, and working in the city. We spent a day walking around Manhattan, and were very impressed at how clean and alive the city has become. The waterfront that was once a place where you would not want to wander has become a vibrant center for cultural activities.
The next day we were able to show Jessica some of the sights on the Hudson, including Philipsburg Manor, which is a historic restoration where Char had once worked (in full period costume).
Our next stop was a week stopover in Ireland, which I'll catch up with in the next blog.
