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https://www.facebook.com/LeahTravels is a great Facebook site for travelers. I encourage you to like it and follow her. As well, check out her website. http://leahtravels.com.

My favorite photos

The London Eye as seen from the Thames. - Photo by Mike McLellan

Victoria and Albert Museum

So, I came around a corner at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and there she was...

As an artist, I was so amazed that I did not even find out the title or artist. Wow.

 

 

 

Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

As a member of the Presbyterian clergy, I was interested in the bed and breakfast called The Old Presbytery in Kinsale, Ireland. I tried to get a reservation, but there was a large convention in the town and things were booked so we thought we would just wing our visit there. We began walking along the streets and stopped at various b&b's - nothing. Just as we were heading back to the car a man came out and asked us if we were looking for a place to stay. It seems he had a last minute cancellation at The Old Presbytery! In the the picture above look at the pink building and the top floor. It is a large and well appointed room. The b&b is both buildings. The left side is smaller rooms, the dining area, the parlor and computer area. It is a really nice place with high ratings of TripAdvisor. They were only available one night so the next day we went out to the fort on the bay and then drove on to Kenmare (one of my favorite towns). Upon returning home I learned that one of my friends had stayed in that exact room and a month ahead of us.

The Forum, Rome, Italy

When I feel old I just reflect on the Forum which is old but interesting.

Yosemite Falls

     Living near Yosemite has always been a blessing. It is a "must-do" for many visitors to the West Coast and to the U.S. We often take people there (and to San Francisco) as part of their stay with us. The picture here was taken two years ago in the Spring. (April) and shows the falls beginning to reach their peak. Taken from the meadow, the size of the falls looks smaller than reality.
     As I have written here lately, I hope that we have some rain and snow pack so that these falls and our rivers/lakes will be full. It is very dry and getting worse. Last year was the warmest on record and the fires we had are just a preview.
     Yosemite is one of our favorite places and you can certainly see why.

Notes from our backyard - we need bad weather

     The weather reports are for a huge blizzard to hit the East Coast today. The projection is up to 3 feet of snow. It forced me to look outside into our backyard. The garden thinks it is Spring. The fruit tree is in bud, the daffodils are coming up. We have roses and daisies and along with the lemons and camellias that are already there. The forecast here is a sunny day after the fog burns off. I have been going out without a coat. But, that is not good news for us here in California. We need some"bad" weather: heavy rain and big snowfalls in the mountains. We are going to be in real trouble come the real Spring and Summer without water reserves.

Bolzano, Italy

While we went to see "The Iceman" as described in National Geographic and various Television specials, we looked around Bolzano (German: Bosen) before heading to the museum. It is a lovely town framed by mountains - the beginnings of the Dolomites. I thought this reflection, in just about the only modern building, was interesting.

UK Railroad Stations

     In California, USA we are arguing about high-speed rail. In Europe it is the best way to get around.
     In Italy taking a First Class ride from Rome to Florence means wine and cheese served by a steward and is a great experience.
     In the United Kingdom we have rented cars to travel the back roads, but from city to city nothing beats the train. For one thing, it lets you see the wonderful rail stations. We took a picture of Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross before they put up the sign. St. Pancras is a magical building. The station at Sterling Scotland seems like something out of Disneyland. Waverly in Edinburgh delivers you to the center of the city. Glasgow is plain Jane much like Paddington in London.
     The photo above is one of my favorites. It is the station in Carlisle, England. The man seated on the bench is not looking for the train as the trains come in from the right of this picture. He still is studing something. To get across the tracks (here and other places) you must take stairs and a bridge. Of greatest interest to me were the paintings on the wall. No matter how long the wait these are interesting and lively places.

Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefields Parkway

Named after Bill Peyto, a warden and community leader in the Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The water is colored by glacial silt and is truly "ice blue". The parkway is a mountainous road that goes up to Jasper from Banff and about half way there is a headquarters building from which you can drive to a glacier and walk on it. Notice the tilt of the rock showing how the movement of the plates pushed up and created the Canadian Rockies. Also, notice the hiker in the very bottom right.  When traveling you stop and see the here-and-now as opposed to just glancing at a photo.

The view from Mt. Hamilton, CA, USA

The Canals of Venice

This is a water taxi on one of the canals of Venice. And yes, that is a photo of George Clooney on his way to his wedding. Photo credit: Yahoo

Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland

The King and Queen will see you now.

(Photo by Japanese traveler)

John Knox House, The Royal Mile

One of the best pictures I have ever taken (IMO) ... from John Knox's study window on the 

Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Scotland. 

In the distance you can see St. Giles, the church that Knox served. 

In each glass pane you see some of Edinburgh modern life: a phone booth, a cab,

a delivery van, people on the street. 

Note that the glass is original to the building, most likely bottle glass.  

A bottle is blown and, while still hot, it is cut and laid out on a flat surface. 

Because bottles are small, each pane is small..

Sunday: Church Day - The Tower of London

This is the Chapel of the Tower of London where people were prayed for 

either before or after their executions.

Alpenrose Dairy, Portland Oregon

When is a dairy not a dairy?  When it is a racetrack/village/museum/theater/athletic fields. 

That is Alpenrose in Portland near the Beaverton City limit.

Kayaking in Lake of the Woods, Oregon

This is not us. I took this photo last year of two men in kayaks in Lake of the Woods. We enjoyed kayaking for many years and took ours to various places. The family also did some ocean kayaking off of the San Juan Islands. It is like being part of the water.

The Red Cars of Glacier National Park

Going-To-The-Sun Road crosses Glacier National Park and is well worth taking. It cuts across the park giving the visitor a delightful view of various aspects of this beautiful wilderness. A high pass and visitor's center marks the middle of the trip. But, more fun - especially for the driver - is taking one of the historic Red Cars along the road. A driver will miss a good deal as attention is demanded at every turn. The Red Cars are driven by people who serve a tour guides and share much knowledge. Try to sit toward the middle and next to a door for the best trip. Sitting in the back row means dealing with a lack of legroom due to the tire well. 

Verona Italy - afraid of heights

That tower is really old and doesn't look safe.

The view from the top. There is a small elevator and then steps to the top. There is a very substantial guard rail. I do have some anxiety about heights. I have experienced it only in a few places such as the former Sears Tower (Chicago) and the Hancock Tower (Boston). Then there is Verona in the rain. I not only had some anxiety about the height, but also some excitement about this beautiful city. Sometimes you just have to suck-up your fear and enjoy the view.

Roadside Castles in Austria

So, you are just driving along in Austria and there is a castle...

sort of like Starbucks with one on every corner.

Mike and Marietta McLellan - Conner Pass, Ireland

This was before selfies when you had to ask a perfect stranger (usually French) to take your expensive camera and photograph you.

Cathedral at Cobh (Sunday is Church Day)

Spire of the Cathedral at Cobh (pronounced "cove"), Ireland. Cobh was the last stop of the 

Titanic and the place they brought the 

victims of the sinking of the Lusitania. A lovely church that has seen many

services of prayer for those who go to sea.

Should I cancel my planned trip to Paris?

      The question about cancelling a a trip to France, especially Paris, is being asked around the internet. There has been violence in Paris - is it safe? I'd like to answer it for myself and in the process address travel safety in general.
      I plan on going. I went to New York after 9-11. I went to London after the subway bombings. I went to Ireland after the revolution. I went to San Francisco after the earthquake.
      I tend to think that places are safer after something happens because everyone is on alert. That and the fact that you never know what is going to happen. Living with "if's" is part of every day. You cannot let "if's" or "maybe's" keep you from doing things. You can fall down the stairs at home or you can get hit by a car or a comet could hit your house. There are lots of "if's".
      So, I will get on an Air France flight taking the same very low risk I do every other time. You never have a guarantee of anything. You might ask me if I would be scheduling a trip to Syria, but that would be another matter.

Banff, Alberta, Canada

Looking down at the town of Banff from a view point. It is a nice city that is busy with travelers. The owner of the bed and breakfast in which we stayed several days, Jamie, has written a book on being an owner of a B&B in Banff. He says that it includes a discussion of the interesting characters he has met over the years. I now have to buy the book to make sure that I am not one of the "characters", although, if not there, I will likely be disappointed as I pride myself on the memories I give to others.
Here is the link:  www.amazon.com/Year-B-Banff/dp/0692302727/ref=sr_1_1?
 

The Grand Gallery

Small part of the art gallery of the Grand Theatre for the Performing Arts in

Tracy, California. The center has two theaters for live performance, a dance

studio, ceramics/glass studio, art classes, music studios, conference areas

and two galleries. One gallery shows student/teacher/local art and the other

displays special shows. The picture here is  small corner and just happens

to be my fused glass work (ahem). 

Auguste Rodin

We are big fans of the work of Auguste Rodin. We have "The Thinker" near us in Lincoln Park, San Francisco. This Rodin is in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Our plans include a visit to the newly reopened Rodin Museum in Paris.

Trash near the Vatican

(Sorry I had to post two yesterday as we were traveling and I was not near my computer)

    My grandson has been fascinated by garbage trucks since he was little. Thus, I have collected photos of these trucks in many countries of the world. This one is just outside the wall of the Vatican and allows me to note that Cardinals and Popes have garbage too.

     There is a children's book for toddlers called; "Everybody Poops". It is a reminder that no matter how rich or famous we are all basically human. When it comes to Kings, Queens, Princes and Presidents, we all make trash. Someone has to clean up after us.

     Many great archaeological sites were garbage dumps. We learn a good deal from trash. 

     One question that you might ask is why is the sign on the snack bar in English and not in Italian, That is an excellent question and I do not have the slightest idea why.

An airline takes on the Catholic Church

     Another airline passenger lost his cool while talking to customer service — only this time it was a monk.

      Brother Noah of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in New Mexico says he failed to stay peaceful while dealing with United Airlines on the phone.

“I said to her something like: ‘Thank you for speaking. God bless you. I will pray for you. But you have not been helpful."

     I wonder what a Baptist would have said, or a Unitarian. I am sure this Presbyterian would have been less kind than Brother Noah. United service does stink, but I have had less than rewarding experiences from several carriers. We now stick with brands that we know are good and often pay a little more, but not always.

      After the worst experience on Delta (we were farmed out to partner Alitalia) netted me a $100 voucher for my next flight (within 12 months) to Europe we booked our next trip on Air France, thank you very much.

The Duomo, Florence, Italy - Sunday is Church Day

The Duomo (Cathedral)  in Florence as seen from the Baptistery

Photo by Mike McLellan 

When right is wrong - Athy, Ireland

     I wanted to visit Athy and the White Castle and see the river there. It is on the way from Dublin to Kilkenny. Our first stop in this lovely village was for lunch and I parked our rental car in a city parking area.  Now, look at the picture and see the unique features: Large license plate, driver's position next to curb... Certainly, the wheel is on the right side of the car as in Ireland you drive on the left. It is not difficult to do if you have a co-pilot to correct you. This parking area was actually a circle and one way, so I was not parked on the wrong side of the street, just the right side of the street.

I have driven in three countries that drive on the left with little more than being terrified.

The White Castle on the River Barrow

 

Lake Louise to Jasper - and fresh tomatoes

     The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper, Alberta, Canada is worth the trip. Some people drive it round trip in a day, but Jasper has some nice bed and breakfasts and taking two or three days allows you to see all of the various stops along the road.
     People seem to be in a hurry to check off all of the sights and often miss some great opportunities.
     Because we planned ahead and stayed in Jasper a couple of nights we had time for a leisurely dinner at two very good restaurants.  The first evening we had a great meal overlooking the town from the second floor balcony of a popular place. Our server made it even more special.
      I am allergic to fresh tomatoes and always have to tell servers that. As I told the young man at the restaurant, he suddenly became a new friend. He we was a summer hire and a college student majoring in organic chemistry. He seemed excited to explain how cooking changes the protein in tomatoes so that they no longer cause the same allergic reaction. Nice young man and by now he is a graduate chemist.
     When you are in a hurry you do not always have time to let a college student share his passion.
 

Lake of the Woods, Oregon USA

Favorite photo/great memory