Sheryl's Visit

I was fortunate this year to have one of my best friends from Montana come visit me in Scotland.  Although it was only for 5 days we did a lot, caught up and laughed tons.  I'm always grateful when people can come visit me.  Sheryl and I have had a few international adventures together and I know we will have many more in the future.  I'm glad she could come see where I've been living and to dip her toes in the COLD North Sea.

Kady and I at the beach in Stonehaven

One of many hats tried during our stop at the hat shop

Puffins!!!

To see the rest of the album: Sheryl's Visit

Geology of Turkey

This years field course was to Turkey to see the channel architecture of marine turbidite deposits.  I look forward every year to going into the field to continue learning about geology and this years topic of depositional environments.  This particular course has allowed me to do a better job visualizing what my reservoir would look like in a 3 dimensional view but 13000 ft below the surface of the ocean floor.

The group of geoscientists

One of many in field lectures

The group on the last day

Outcrop viewing by boat

One lecture about the surrounding geology on 0ur little boats

Full field kit 

Not a bad "office" for the day

Fossilized sponge

Ripple marks!

For the complete album: Turkey Geology Course

Istanbul

Every year I get to take a geological training field course somewhere in the world.. this year I was going to Turkey.  Since airfare was already covered and I had a few vacation days not claimed I decided to go early and see Istanbul.  I was telling Julia of my plans and she decided to go with me.  We've quickly discovered that we make great travel buddies and have many adventures planned this year.  Here are some images of Istanbul.

The ceiling of the resturant in our hotel 

The view from the roof top balcony of the hotel resturant

Inside Hagia Sophia

Chandeliers inside Hagia Sophia

The columns inside the Basilica Cistern 

Amazing selection at the markets in the Grand Bazar

Hagia Sophia at dusk

The Blue Mosque at dusk

The Blue Mosque at all illuminated

Ta-da I'm in Istanbul!

Dinner on our last night in Istanbul on the roof top viewing Hagia Sophia with Mackenzie (friend from Aberdeen who was also in Istanbul the same weekend)

To see the rest of this album: Istanbul

Marathon Field trip to the Jurassic Coast, England

Every year the UK and Norway subsurface staff gets together for a team building/geology trip.  This year we went to the Jurassic Coast of England.  There is some great geology exposed along the coast.  It's rather impressive to trek down the coast through the Cretaceous to the Jurassic.  We even found some excellent fossils... just couldn't take the ones found in the national park.

For more information on the Jurassic Coast

Some great fossil preservation.. if only you could remove these from a national park.

Cross bedding in Jurassic red sandstone

Natural arch

Kimmeridge Clay with interbedded sand units, great fossils in the clay layers

It was a bit cold and windy!

Concretions

As a structural geologist I can't not take pictures of really great examples of folding!

The Jurassic coast

UK and Norway subsurface employees

To see the rest of this album: Jurassic Coast

Amsterdam

Spring was on it's way to Aberdeen and a group of us decided to cross the channel and visit Amsterdam.  Jon wanted to see Andrew Bird in concert so Zack, Julia and I decided to join him and make a weekend out of it.  Jon, Julia and I flew over on a Friday morning which allowed us to site see around Amsterdam and it's canals.  Zack had to work but had previously been there so we made sure to get the items check off our list that Zack had already seen. 

On the Heineken Tour

Jumping for Joy infront of the I AMsterdam sign

The "twins" posing 

How many people can you fit onto one chair?

Canal ride

Visiting my brother-in-laws brother Brian who lives in Amsterdam

To see the rest of the pictures: Amsterdam