Camping Corsica

World famous charcuterie in Ajaccio

Scandola Nature Reserve

On the road to the mountains in the center of the island and the town of Corte

Driving up the Restonica valley there were about 50 of these unmarked guys hanging out on the side of the road.

Too early in the tourist season so I had the entire campground to myself. Nice spot next to the stream.

Only a 50 minute scooter ride away from here, I was on white sand beaches with warm water. Drastic change in landscape in such a small island.

Bullet holes in a lot of street signs. Corsicans are a little different.

Sunrise from the ferry 

Around the office

Hyères France

Paté and Guinness... Happy St. Patty's day

LV Jaques Florent ladies and gentlemen

Dinner at Rhune's house

Skiing Meribel France

After many heated debates aboard the Charles de Gaulle (including one where after, I needed to call
a beer summit in order to cool off some heads), the rental Chalet was agreed upon.

Myself with Dan Griffin (Navy '03)

Half of team America

Strasbourg

The King of Beers

Matt Riggs is a former Marine Corps officer who is a friend of a fellow American exchange officer stationed in northern France who told me to knock on Matt's door if I was in the area.  Matt moved to Miltenberg, Germany to pursue his passion for beer. He can talk to you about the evolution of the open air distillation process for a week.  

 If you think he is a college guy who loves beer too much to grow up, you are dead wrong. He is 10 times more scientist than he is beer guzzler. I have met very few people so passionate and dedicated to something as he is to brewing and enjoying beer, beer history, sharing his enjoyment of beer with others and everything beer related.
Here he is, the mad scientist in his element.

After dinner I was treated to the very exclusive 1am private tour of the Faust brewery.
Good times were, beers were drank.

Miltenberg, Germany on the Main River in Bavaria.

In return for the bacon bits he requested from the base commissary in Ramstein,
Matt loaded me up with a case of Faust's finest beers on my way out of town. After one and a half years in France, the warm German/American hospitality was almost too nice. Thanks go to the true King of Beers, Matt Riggs.  

Deployment

Taken from the cockpit while dropping off a MEDEVAC in Ajaccio, Corsica.

"The Big Ditch"
Suez Canal

My neighbor on the Charles de Gaulle, Jaques Florent, proudly displaying his cigar collection.

Picture of a whale shark taken from my waterproof camera in Dijibouti.

French guys plus the two Brits, AJ and James, taking a nap after our swim with the whale sharks.

Downtown Dijibouti.

Fish 'n chips à l'Afrique

Dijibouti.

Christmas at sea and Santa still made a delivery.

It's a "war" "ship" they kept telling me.

Taken from the Dauphin on Spot 6 aboard the Harry S. Truman during their 9 month deployment. 

Greg my most motivated English student.

The view from the condo.

Nevermind the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world behind me,
That's the first glass of fresh milk I've had in 2 months. Also featured: Joey sundae from Outback.

left to right: LT Joshua Stehr USN, LT Adam Weelington Royal Navy, LCDR AJ Hill Royal Navy,
LT John Reuland USN,  CAPT Aaron Croft USAF, LCDR Justin Griffin USN,
LT John Lester USN, LT Graham Scarborough USN

Our condo on the 95th floor.

We are no longer fifteen years old and it's not Cape Cod but we still surf together.
Alex Corcoran and I at a wave pool in the middle of the Emirate desert.

Lac Assal Dijibouti. Twenty feet below sea level.

Our maintenance officer, Gauthier "Wawa" Wartel.
No, it is not supposed to look like that.

Western Dijibouti. 

35F Carrier detachment