400.

This is my four hundredth blog post.
Which sounds like a lot,
until I realized I've been writing since early 2007.
And then I just felt lazy.
Ha.

Casey had the big wedding this weekend,
and all the family came out from everywhere for it.
It was on a riverboat on the Mississippi,
and everything was really nice.
I found out that there's a kind of pretend lighthouse
hanging out on the shore of the river in MPLS.
I mean, it's real, and has a light,
but if you need it for navigational purposes,
you should probably not be driving. anything. (ever)

Here's Meryl looking all matron-of-honory,
and timed just right for the lighthouse.



Also, the next guest spot at Off the Map has been set!
January 2nd-7th, 2011
I'll be starting to take appointments this week,
but I'm booking it slightly differently this time.

If you want to get tattooed,
email me your idea with all relevant info:
size, black and grey or color, body area, etc.
Preference will be given to tattoos that best fit my style,
and I'd like to work in 4-6 hour blocks of time.
Once we set a date,
you'll have to call OTM and give them a deposit.

I just realized I didn't book my stay at Maynard House yet,

so I'm off to do that.

email me if you want in.

shawnhebrank@gmail.com

Solemente tres dias

I didn't have too many expectations for my 3 day visit to Peru.
I figured as long as I got to see some lighthouses and dead birds,
(and didn't completely starve)
it'd be a successful trip.
It was such a strange and short adventure.
Lima is a city dealing only in extremes.
A coastal city that's also a desert.
It is always grey and foggy,
but never rains.
Old building next to new ones,
with Incan ruins right in the middle of the city.
A business hub surrounded by excessive poverty.

Here's the Faro de la Marina Lighthouse in Miraflores,
only blocks from our hotel.

Lighthouse - check.

Miraflores (part of Lima) from the "beach".

We found dead everything down there,

including some birds.

Dead Peruvian birds - check

Adam and I aren't very proficient in Spanish,
but we got by.
And I found a fully vegetarian restaurant that catered to vegans,
so of course I went every day.
Not starving - check

The rest of it was just icing on the cake.

Lots of sexy old government buildings, churches,

museums and ruins.

We did a lot of tours,

by bicycle, van, taxi, walking, etc.

The best, by far, though,

was inside the Church of San Francisco.

There's catacombs under the church,

with the remains of over 25,000 people.

They didn't allow photos,

but here's a link to exactly what we saw.

So dope.

Most of the world resides in the Northern Hemisphere,

so it was exciting to cross the equator.

Thanks to Adam for figuring out the trip,

and inviting me to join him.

Now it's back to work tomorrow.

Back East

Meryl and I made it to the East Coast,
and are hanging out with the Hebranks.
(it's a loud time here, for sure)
Today we did some forest trail hiking,
then went to Baltimore's Inner Harbor for dinner
and a lighthouse-turned-museum visit.
This is a screw-pile lighthouse built in 1856,
and was relocated to Pier 5 in 1988.
That's my mom and I, photo by Meryl.



This is the second lighthouse trip in a week,
but the Wisconsin ones were fresh water.
And this, my friends, is the Atlantic Ocean.

We're headed up to Brooklyn tomorrow,
and then Long Island
(where I hope to see at least one more).
Then north to Northampton, MA.
We're staying at the Maynard House, of course,
while I do my Off the Map Tattoo guest spot.
I have 6 super packed tattooing days lined up,
with some of the most fun tattoo ideas I could ask for.
Then to CT for a few days before heading back to MD.
Two weeks, kids.
We don't mess around.

(if you ALSO think lighthouses are sexy,
you can visit this site for a comprehensive listing of them.
and if you go visit some, let me know.)