Photo or painting

This is a photo of Venice near the Jewish Ghetto taken in the evening on our way to dinner. Some of the photos appear almost like paintings.

Politics in the UK

We were at a small cafe across Prince's Street, looking up toward Edinburgh Castle. A young man heard me order in my Yankee dialect and began questioning me on the politics of George W. Bush and the United States. It was obvious from the beginning that he really knew more than I did. The people in Europe, and especially in the UK, read newspapers and keep current. The BBC gives them information in depth. I was impressed, not by his opinions, but by his knowledge of the relationships of the United States to the rest of the world.

I do not think most of us in the U.S. know much about how the actions in the UK or Italy or India effect the world. We are ethnocentric.

Flags in the European Union

The Irish flag over the famous Dublin Post Office

Union flag and the Italian Flag

City flag of Kilkenny IE

Yes, that's Old Glory and it was flying at the Cliffs of Moher in the Irish Republic. (Never figured out the empty one in the middle which was a great place for a crow to watch the tourists.)

Along the path in Kensington Garden

Rauch Cafe Bar Restaurant, Feldkirsch, Austria

 

We have not eaten everywhere, but we rank this place one of the best meals we have ever had. It certainly was not the tiny glass of wine (Austria uses a measured glass small and large. The small is very small.) But, the service was great and the chef sent out a complementary starter as our beef dishes would take some time. There was an apple-horseradish dip that was wonderful. They do not speak English and our German is limited, but their food shouts "great". We loved it, and it is a great pedestrian mall where you will find Rauch Cafe in this don't miss town on the boundary of Liechtenstein. 

Bird Watching in Italy

Irish Hardware Store

 

 



What can I say?...

Major sites/sights

When I see photos taken by travelers they are often of major churches, public buildings, or sunsets. Other popular pictures of Ireland include pubs, street scenes and castles. The photo below is one of my favorites. It is a single family home in Kilkenny. I was attracted to the two colors of ivy and the welcoming red door. The Irish like bright colored doors. I think it is a pretty house, but more importantly it is a home.

 

Boston

A number of years ago, I went to Boston and invested a week at the Westin Hotel which is located at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It was one of several conferences on spirituality and healing in medicine put on by the Harvard Medical School that I attended. HMS is really centered in the various major hospitals in downtown Boston. It was about the healing power of ministry. It was about the necessity for chaplains in medical facilities. It was about how chaplains and physicians can and should work together to prolong quality, human life.
Chaplains are first responders and are there until the last person - patient or medical professional - needs them. They are working right now in Boston to help people get through the crisis there.

The Irish Whitehouse, Dublin

A young traveler in Ireland

We were sitting on the dock at Dingle Harbor when a young man walked up and and asked us to take his picture. He was from the States and had come to Dingletown to run in their annual marathon. We talked about his run and why he traveled alone. It is interesting to me how many people do go as singles. They say it gives them more freedom and they do not have to compromise with someone else. I find it just the opposite. I need someone to share in the adventure. It does take compromise and sometimes I have to miss something in order to accommodate the other person(s) but they often show me things that I have missed. This is much like life itself.

Instant friends

I am a Rotarian. I have been part of this worldwide organization beginning in 1977, although I took three years off during a move.
I wear a Rotary pin and do so when traveling. People will see it and, especially if they are Rotarians, will comment. 
The picture above is of Trinity College in Dublin. As we walked in a young man - serving as greeter - saw my pin and started off on a conversation regarding Rotary's International Ambassadorial Scholarships. This is a program where we send postgraduate students overseas to share their experiences in another country.  The young man was hoping to travel to the U.S. to study at Georgetown.
He had been visiting the local Dublin Rotary Club in preparation for his application.
This is one way, one group, is working to make the world a smaller place; one of understanding and peace.

Advice: Always travel with someone you like

SFO

Buckingham Palace, London

ROME

Dolomite Alps

VENICE

CDG, Paris, France

Hill of TARA, Ireland

 

BOATS

On The Thames

On the Shannon

Venice Canal (garbage boat(

The Arno (Florence)

Bellagio (Lake Como)

 

Reflections on flying

As we like to go places that are often from 3,000 to 8,000 miles from home, we take airplanes. Planes have come a long way since I used to fly back and forth from SFO to LAX on Pacific Southwest Airlines (although I liked them).
In my opinion the good airlnes have gotten better and the bad ones worse. Now we see two not-so-good airlines merging so as to make a larger not-so-good airline. A couple of examples are Continental/United and USAir/American.
Most recently we have flown Aer Lingus both long haul and short and they were predictably fair. The best thing is that they fly air buses and I prefer their configurations. Their service is not great.
We also flew Alitalia (booked through Delta - it was supposed to be a Delta flight although Delta refused to honor mileage) and it was probably the worst flight we have had. It was not the food or service or inconveniences - it was all of that.
On the other hand, we flew Air France both long haul and short haul from Verona to CDG and then to SFO. It was good even in Economy although they fly 767's which I don't like as much.
Hands down - by the way - we fly`Alaska Airlines on shorter trips along the West Coast.
While I'll stick to Premium or Business, even Economy beats the train, car or walking. There is nothing like seeing the Rockies or Greenland from 40,000 feet.

Greenland - green?



Window Boxes - Photos: Mike McLellan

London

Venice

La Villa, Alta Badia, Italy

Dublin, Ireland

Saturday at the Portobello Street Market - Nottinghill, London

Great Sculptures of Italy

Ancient Roman Bronze

 

In Church Courtyard

At the Bargello

Donatello's Mary Magdeline

Michaelangelo's second Pieta (done at age 70+)

Michaelangelo's David

Michaelangelo's Moses