Special Valentine's Day Episode
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Note: The Idiots have been in South America for about 3 weeks and there will be lots of episodes when they have time to write and sort the photos. In the meantime... it is Valentine's Day!
Idiot Expectations for Valentine's Day gifts started out pretty low. When the Idiots celebrated their first Valentine's Day together... 52 years ago... Idiot He was limited to the meager contents of his wallet and the meager options available in their small hometown. His cousin Larry helped him choose the best item available in Waconia's second best pharmacy - a plush stuffed animal that had unaccountably evaded purchase until the last minute... a four foot white snake with red hearts for eyes and a red ribbon where one might expect its throat to be.
Valentine's Day was easily managed in the ensuing years with a romantic note and sometimes a few flowers.
Idiot He made a major blunder about 10 years ago. On a visit to Puerto Rico, he surprised Idiot She with an amazing romantic Valentine's surprise – a catamaran trip to Vieques in the Spanish Virgin Islands where there is a “bioluminescent bay” - a lagoon where microorganaisms glow blue-green when they are disturbed. At that time it was still possible to swim in the bay in the dark, with thousands of shimmering pinpoints of light appearing with every movement, coating one's body like fairy dust. It was better than Disneyland - truly magical!
Great! - but what does one do the next year when the bar is set so high? Expectations were raised.
There have been some memorable attempts... two years ago Anghor Wat and the Khymer Mansion Hotel was a pretty strong entry.
But what to do for Valentine's Day 2019?
How about a trip to the end of the world?!
Americans love to sing about Route 66... but “The Mother Road”, at 2,448 miles from Chicago to LA, pales in comparison to the Pan American Highway. This network of highways stretches from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to the southernmost part of Tierra del Fuego... estimates vary but the Guinness Book says it is the world's longest highway about 30,000 miles long.
Many years ago, the Idiots got within about 450 miles of the northern terminus in Alaska. They are now in Ushuaia, Argentina – the southernmost city in the world. Today they drove to the Fin de Mundo – the End of the World – in Tierra del Fuego National Park
Not fairy dust – but still a pretty good entry in the “Most Romantic Valentine's Day” competition!
How long will I love you?
'Til the end of time!
How far will I love you?
To the end of the world!
A Frank-inspired selfie with snow-clad mountains... and the classic “We made it!” picture at Fin de Mundo...
Not exactly “lovebirds” - but this pair of hawks kept the Idiots company at lunch and even at a distance and through a dirty window... such a joy to observe!
