Here we would like to give you a short overview of our big US journey: it was so important to us, to meet and revive the contact with you and we are very happy that this could happen.

After the very hot days in Washington and Boston we had a few days of sight-seeing in San Francisco: we took aw very impressive tour beneath the Golden Gate Bridge

and enjoyed the seelions and roundabouts on Pier 49:

Then we visited the SF Museum of Modern Art impressive not only by its collection but also from the architecture:

and continued to the Wild West best felt in the museum town of Columbia where Cosima was panning gold and I was able to escape from jail to meet some old friends in the saloon.

while Homa tried to find remedies for her stomach-ache

Next day we were heading towards Yosemite National Park and were impressed by the huge man-made lakes that provide the water for thirsty California.

One would have to stay for at least a week and do some serious hiking in order to grasp the beauty of this truly unforgettable landscape!

Passing the 9900 ft. Tioga pass and the Mono Lake we arrived in the Sierra Nevada and had relaxing camp days with fire

and enough water to clean the refrigerator from the Coca Cola explosion:

The Hot springs resort was very relaxing:

The hot water is sprayed from fine nozzles to cool it down and the pool thus contains only fresh mineral water.

Yes, there are dinosaurs in the Sierra Nevada!

Enormous highways and mega-trucks

led us via the Red Creek Canyon

towards flatter territories before we had our last State Park campsite at the Silver lake:

We met Clarissa and Michael at the Huntington Beach = Surf City USA:

We spent the last night in the RV on the driveway of Denise and here the huge size of this vehicle could be felt better than in the State Parks.

Does the Disneyland-experience convey important aspects of the American culture? I a way yes: certainly Walt Disney had a vision, that had and still has an enormous impact. We totally agree, that Disneyland is one of the present Wonders of the World and was worth while experiencing! The next time however we will bring earplugs: the constant high volume music and noise made us feel uncomfortable.

Cosima was totally happy however she was missing Buzz Lightyear and we had to explain that his space ship was delayed.

We were thrilled about the abundant Disneyland fauna

as well as its flora:

Next day we embarked for another Californian adventure: Universal Studios:

A macabre scenario depicts an airplane stuck into a building – not very witty after 9/11!

The Flintstones welcomed us

however the highlight of this day was the phantastic stunt-show of Water World that inspired pyromanic Uli:

While Cosima would have stayed half a day in the Bubble World:

Our Los Angeles brought the reunion with Esalen friends:

and after a visit to the famous Venice Beach in Santa Monica

we had a very memorable dinner with Dianne:

The following day we travelled north to Esalen (see www.esalen.org; many photos from Esalen can be seen at phoenix.tuwien.ac.at/esalen ) to spend 9 days full with seminars, mostly vegetarian kitchen and a Gazebo well suited for Cosima.

The new baths were almost finished and should be open by now: