Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Best of The Mr. Hunter Wall: July - September 2011

We revisit some of The Mr. Hunter Wall's standout posts and photographs from July, August, and September.

Ecuador                                                                              


Last month, Mr. Hunter made his first-ever visit to a South American country: Ecuador.  Very exciting!  On our first day in Quito, we had a private guide take us out to the Mindo cloud forest.  Along the way, about half an hour outside of Quito, we stopped at an overlook to gaze at the lovely Pululahua Crater.

Continue reading ¡Bienvenidos a Ecuador!
Our first stop in the Mindo area was at a mariposeria (butterfly farm).  

 Mr. Hunter put on a little banana "cologne" to see if that might entice a butterfly to say hello.

Continue reading Mariposas of Mindo



On our first day in mainland Ecuador, our tour guide drove us to a restaurant in Los Bancos.  It was pretty late in the day, and we were hungry after our ziplining adventure in Mindo.  We walked into the dim restaurant and realized that it had a deck out in back that overlooked this stunning river valley.


Patricio was the proprietor of Hostal Restaurante Mirador Rio Blanco.






On our second day in Ecuador, our guide took us down to Cotopaxi National Park.  As we drove out of Quito, we pulled over at a kind of rest stop that had a panoramic view of the city.

Continue reading Overlooking Quito
We met Elvita at the first coca tea stop, which was basically a convenience store/gas station. 





We turned off the Pan-American Highway and started driving down a bumpy dirt road that led to Cotopaxi National Park.  One farm we passed was home to some very shaggy donkeys.

Continue reading Shaggy Donkeys and Llamas

Our next stop in preparation for our little Cotopaxi climb was just outside the entrance of Cotopaxi National Park, where there was an indigenous market.  We walked around to get ourselves further acclimated to the altitude, and we also did a bit of shopping.
Continue reading At the Cotopaxi Indigenous Market

Mr. Hunter continues to prepare for the high altitude.  This second serving of coca tea was tea made from actual coca leaves.

Continue reading Mate de Coca

As we made our way up towards our Cotopaxi climb, we'd stop occasionally to spend a little time getting our bodies acclimated to the progressively higher altitude.  At Lake Limiopungo, our guide let us out to take a walk, and to enjoy the scenery.  The most amazing thing about this place: the big sky.  Continue reading Big Sky at Lake Limpiopungo

What's going on here?  Is somebody getting ready to pounce?


After two doses of coca tea and various breaks to get our bodies accustomed to the altitude, we finally made it up to the snow line on Cotopaxi.  From there, we got out of the car and started our climb. 

Continue reading The Cotopaxi Climb
After our exertions on Cotopaxi, we were all hungry and ready for a break.  It took awhile to drive back down all the bumpy dirt roads since we'd been up near the refugio on Cotopaxi, but once we turned back onto the Pan-American Highway, it was a short ride to the place we'd be lunching: Hosteria La Cienega.  

 Continue reading Hosteria La Cienega

Wilson was our guide for the first two days of our Ecuador visit.  We had a great time with him, even if he did try to throw Mr. Hunter into the fire!

Continue reading People I Have Asked: Wilson





On the short road from Hosteria La Cienega back to the Pan-American Highway, we came upon a lovely, wide view of the Cotopaxi volcano.  Throughout the day, Cotopaxi's snow-capped peak had been hidden mostly behind clouds, with occasional quick glimpses of the snow line. 

Continue reading Witness: Cotopaxi

Flat Mr. Hunter at Comic-Con International                    


I suppose no Comic-Con experience would be complete without photos of women dressed up in Slave Princess Leia costumes...

 Continue reading Comic-Con 2011: Star Wars Costumes
Flat Mr. Hunter and his friends have a special connection to the Silver Surfer.

 Continue reading Comic-Con 2011: The Silver Surfer





Flat Mr. Hunter was on hand when Mike ran into a guy dressed as Indiana Jones, and then who should show up but the woman who designed the classic Indy look: costume designer Deborah Nadoolman.  She also designed costumes for Animal House, The Blues Brothers, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.

 Continue reading Comic-Con 2011: Indiana Jones Costume


Flat Mr. Hunter in Oahu, Hawaii                                       
Suzi's Flat Mr. Hunter traveled with her to Oahu.

 Continue reading Hawaiian Views



Flat Mr. Hunter in Haifa, Israel                                         


Lynlea took Flat Mr. Hunter to a sweet shop in Wadi Nisnas.

 Continue reading An Oasis of Sweets in Israel


Flat Mr. Hunter enjoyed some good food in Haifa.  Here he is joining Lynlea and family for some shwarma.
Continue reading Shwarma Shop in Israel



Friends                                                                             


Here's the original Mr. Hunter posing with the fashionable Lynlea.
Continue reading Meet Lynlea

Flat Mr. Hunter in England                                               


Flat Mr. Hunter joined in the rainy-day fun when Dave and his wife toured Shakespeare's birthplace.
Continue reading Travels with Montel: Shakespeare's Birthplace

In what seems like a moment of destiny, Flat Mr. Hunter contemplated the mysteries of Stonehenge with Dave.
Continue reading Travels with Montel: Right at Home at Stonehenge


You didn't realize that Flat Mr. Hunter was a noted performer, did you?  Here he is, onstage at Shakespeare's Globe, under the direction of noted theatre director, Montel.

Continue reading Travels with Montel: Onstage at The Globe

Friends                                                                                

 
You've seen the photos of Flat Mr. Hunter's "travels with Montel." The real Mr. Hunter has posed a number of times with that noted theatre director, Montel Williams (aka Dave).  In this picture he took a peek into Dave's cube. 
 
Continue reading Meet Montel

Mr. Flat in Rome, Italy                                                          


Mr. Hunter was pleased when one of his flat compatriots (Eugenia's "Mr. Flat") visited a favorite spot in Rome: La Bocca della Verita, aka the Mouth of Truth.  Continue reading Mr. Flat Told the Truth!                                                             

Mr. Flat in Venice, Italy                                                          


Flat Hunter cools off with a Caffe Shakerato at the Correr Museum's cafe in Venice with Eugenia and family. 
 
Continue reading Mr. Flat Takes a Break in Venice

Mr. Flat in Paris, France                                                         


Mere months after the original Mr. Hunter paid a quick visit to l'Arc de Triomphe, Eugenia took Mr. Flat to Paris.  Here's the proof.
Continue reading Mr. Flat at l'Arc de Triomphe

Friends                                                                                  


You've seen some of the journeys Eugenia has taken with Mr. Flat.  Here's Eugenia posing with the original Mr. Hunter, along with another notable character: Kermit the Frog. 
Continue reading Meet Eugenia







  

Toys                                                                                      


Continue reading Totoro!











Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts                                          



Mr. Hunter has been concerned to read news of the floods caused by Hurricane Irene, including floods that affected a favorite spot of his: Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, home of the Bridge of Flowers and the glacial potholes. 
 
Continue reading Shelburne Falls 

Disneyland Paris                                                                  


Mr. Hunter and I still find this Magic Broom statue to be utterly pleasing. 
 
Continue reading The Magic Broom
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Star Wars                                                                                
Flat Mr. Hunter encountered a big walking carpet when he went to see Star Wars in Concert.  It was the official Chewbacca costume!
 


York, Maine                                                                            



 
Where was Mr. Hunter when he decided to work as a lighthouse keeper?  Mr. H was in Maine, enjoying the view at the Cape Neddick Lighthouse (aka "Nubble.")  The basket Mr. Hunter has climbed into is--you guessed it!--the way that Nubble lighthouse keepers would cross over to the island.
Continue reading Where in the World Is Mr. Hunter?  (Lighthouse Edition)

London, England                                                                  


Mr. Hunter always thought that he'd have to trek all the way to Easter Island in order to see and pose with those famous stone figures (moai).  But we were in London recently and making a quick visit to the British Museum, and who should we encounter but one of the genuine Easter Island statues!

Continue reading Easter Island via London, England

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