GOLDEN GATE PARK SAN FRANCISCO

I have lived near San Francisco most of my life. We call it "The City".

I have worked there, volunteered there, seen shows there, ran races there, sat out in the sun there.

We have been to 25 countries and no place any more interesting than "The City".

 

Sistine Chapel: "Man's Reach For God".

Central painting of the Sistine Chapel, The Vatican

            Some fifty years ago, I was asked to chair a major event in the city of Long Beach, California. The theme was art as it reflects the artist's attempt to transcend the material and reach toward the eternal. We contacted artists around the basin and even reached out to schools for children's art. 

              It was not just what would be called religious works, but pieces of significance to the artist. We struggled with a title for the show. A member of the committee who was the curator of the county gallery suggested "Man's Reach for God". It was difficult, but we got a local commercial photographer to create a piece where just the hands of Adam and God from the Sistine Chapel were shown. The photo above is a larger photo of the same hands. The show drew  large crown of visitors. 

            It was years later that we visited the Vatican ... and could not enter the chapel.

 

Looking across Lake Como toward Bellagio and Lucca

We found a lovely old hotel/bed and breakfast on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Como.

We had a large veranda and a short drive to both Bellagio and Lucca.

Lake Como Italy is often noted as one of the most beautiful places on earth.

It is home to the wealthy and famous.

We were not on the lookout for anyone famous. We were there to see this wonderful lake and backdrop.

What we did discover in addition to the beauty of the place was a family who welcomed us,

fed us well, gave us information and went way out of their way to help.

It is these sort of folks that make good memories.

 

Ronald Reagan Bratislava Slovakia

Interesting to see a statue of Ronald Reagan in Slovakia.

They idolize him as he was instrumental in the tearing down of the German wall

and opening up Europe. 

 

There is no monkeying around on the Rock of Gibraltar. They are apes.

                As I have posted photos of the tunnels and caves inside the Rock of Gibraltar and also posted photos from it and of it.  Here's to the residents.

                Gibraltar is British Colony and city at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is very much worth a visit. The city itself is charming and the Rock mystifying. I love to drive and we were circling Spain. It is easy to drop  down on the way to Seville to get to the colony.

              Even though I love to drive I am not allowed to go to the top of the Rock plus I actually wanted to see something. So we did what we often do and that is we hired a car and driver for the day. Our driver spoke both English and Spanish and took tours regularly. Our all day visit included  more than the Rock, but still we stayed up most of the day. Our driver had a brand new Mercedes van and carried a huge rubber snake. You see, when we would stop, he would put the snake in the top or the hood and it kept the apes away. These apes are both an attraction and a nuisance. We did not have any food so that help us be less bothered. The rangers use birth control to limit the ape population. 

             They reminded us of the monkeys in Zambia  who would sneak in and "borrow" our food. And, one of my favorite stories is how I was tackled by a baboon in Zimbabwe. 

 

 

Hints on visiting a different country

            Using Spain as an example, the first thing to do is to read every guidebook possible. I like to start with Lonely Planet. There are certainly others. Make a limited list of things you wish to see. We have the luxury of more time so we often will take a ten day commercial tour and then rent a car for a week or so. It may be just as easy for you to check railroad schedules as the trains in Spain are comfortable and leave the driving to someone else. Using taxis is often less expensive than parking.

            Taking your list give each a priority and how much time you wish to spent. Say your tour was of Madrid and Barcelona and you now wish to see Andalusia from Granada to Seville. That is realistic in a week including a day long trip from Seville to Madrid to catch a flight.  Draw a map and put down distances and times. I live in California and it takes a very long day to go from one end to the other and still not see anything at highway speed. Spain is much smaller and places are closer.

            Check the schedules and plan the trip. Be sure to figure in surprises and last minute ideas. I usually will reserve the first and last days in a hotel or bed and breakfast and make lists of likely places to stay the other days.  No need to cancel that way. Now, find someone who has been there and asked for their ideas. They may be helpful and remember you don't need to follow their suggestions. 

            Some people will not be comfortable with planning their  own trip. Then, take a tour and plan to take your own adventure next time. Warning: your High School Spanish will not work well in Spain but English is spoken most everywhere. 

 

Manneken Pis Brussels

        There is a statue that visitors to Brussels want to see. Like want to see the Trevi Fountain in Rome. In Las Vegas people wait in the evening for the Bellagio Fountain. In Barcelona it is the Magic Fountain of Monjuic. Wow. Then there is a figure of a little boy accredited with urinating on the bomb fuse and saved a large group. The Manneken Pis celebrates that little boy. Traveling around a lovely city to see this little guy is actually odd behavior. The statue is maybe 24 inches high, I did it.

 

In South Africa

On  our visit to South Africa we saw a herd of elephants and a pack of wild dogs and learned that a group of Giraffes is a tower. This guy looked like a tower by himself.

Rhododendron Time in Portland Oregon USA

This time of year our garden blooms to herald the Spring.

The Rhododendron are everywhere.

 

David by Donatello, Completed in ca. 1440

I mentioned Donatello's David earlier.

It now resides in the Bargello Museum in Florence Italy.

The Uffizi Galleries are huge and you will wish to visit them, but there are smaller museums with

works you will never forget.

The adolescent David stands on Goliath's severed head. 

Interestingly, you can walk up to David and touch the work -- but you better not 

--the guard can see you across the room.

 

Grieving Mary by Donatello - Florence Italy

    We went to the Duomo Museum (hidden behind the Duomo or Cathedral) to see the real Golden Doors to the Baptistry in Florence Italy. People gather around the reproductions on the Baptistry across the street. (Side note - a tour of the Baptistry is well worth your time especially if you take the stairs to the top.) We were walking around in a nearly empty museum when we came across this wood carving by Donatello. I like his David better than Michelangelo's in the Academia. 

      I was awestruck. This is absolutely marvelous.  It shows the pain and emptiness of Mary Magdalene after the crucifixion of Jesus. 

    Donatello has other wood and bronze pieces in Florence including a crucifix in a church near the Plaza of the Republic.

 

OHSU Tram, Portland, Oregon

Oregon Health and Science University has a tram from its waterfront offices to

the main hospitals atop a vista on the west side of the Willamette River.

I have been hospitalized there twice and my wife has had surgery there.

It is a remarkable place staffed with outstanding professionals.

A teaching hospital, it is recognized around the world.

 

Along the Icefields Parkway just outside of Banff Alberta

Water: that is the main feature of this trip through lower Alberta Canada and northern Montana.

We drove a large circular route beginning and ending in Calgary. There is ice, hot springs and plenty

waterfalls to admire. It is a place of surprises too. The animals may come out to see you.

 

Musical chimes: clock in Munich

Years before Disney.

 

Figure on building Prague CZ

In the main plaza of old town in Prague this figure (I assume religious) watches over things.

Just one of the small but interesting objects that can be missed if you are in a hurry.

 

Bavarian Vista

Germany brings up some good and no-so-good images.

Those who lived through World War II think of one thing.

Those of us who have visited there think of a beautiful place.

 

Jewish Memorial in the Dachau Prison Camp, Germany

            If racism or Fascism does not bother you, I suggest you visit Dachau and see for yourself the destruction cause by hatred. This is true whether you go to the War Memorial in Normandy or the Apartheid Museum in South Africa. There is no reason to hate another person because of race, color or nationality.  

 

Freeloader on the Danube

I went up to the observation deck on the long boat we took down and back on the Danube from Passu to Budapest. The sights were beautiful along both shores.  Looking down I saw a Ladybug on the railing. He/she sseemed to enjoying the trip too.

 

Safari in South Africa

            We visited four countries in Africa and enjoyed our safaris. It is a long trip there but worth it. This photo was taken in South Africa at a reserve using a long lens--I am not stupid.

 

Pidgeon Point California

                 There are many "favorite places" on my list. While many of them are overseas, one that is close to home is Pidgeon Point Light House along the California coast south of San Francisco. We go there to watch for whales and feel the ocean spray. The sea birds dive here and there and sea lions relax on the rocks. While Oregon's coast is very rocky, there are many spots along the California coast where people swim and surf.  After watching the whales there are several good places for lunch near by. Pescadero is home for artichoke soup.

Guards - various places

This is a guard at Edinburgh Castle. He stand sat the entrance. The guards at the Tower of London are sometimes in police uniforms and often in Beefeater garb. Not sure how they keep their heads up. In France they do not wear costumes just military uniforms and carry machine guns. At the Vatican the Swiss Guards were bright uniforms that make them look like court jesters, but beware that the real guards are all around. I think of these as I volunteer locally and our "guards" wear T-shirts and may or may not carry some personal protection.
 

Newgrange. Ireland

Newgrange is a short way north of Dublin and various tour buses go there.

It is an ancient calendar set to mark the Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year,

or in their thinking the rebirth of the sun.

It is amazing and just looking at it makes you realize why Ireland's color is green.

Dark dot near the center is the opening for going inside.

 

Flamingo in Madrid

Nothing like going to a bar and watching a man and woman put on a

Flamingo demonstration.  This is Madrid.

 

Windmills of Spain -on the road to Madrid

Driving back to Madrid from Seville we saw some old fashioned windmills in the distance.

We took an off ramp (Spain has motorways) and headed west.

We stopped for lunch at a cafe, but no one there spoke English.

We pointed at food and it was good.

We drove through the town and up a hill that overlooked everything.

It had several windmills and having just read Don Quixote they were fascinating.

They were grist mills. It was worth the time to go see them.

 

Roman ruins in Vienna Austria

Just outside a lovely public building in Vienna is a dig dating to the occupation of the Romans.

 

When do we hear an apology?

For the millions of devoted Catholics  - and us who are Christian by another domination, 

we want to hear an apology from a known adulterer.

His post or that of one of his underlings is simply outrageous. 

Pope Francis represents all that he  is not.

 

The Rock of Gibraltar and seen from Spain

People in Gibraltar speak both Spanish and English

of as some locals say "Spanlish".

 

The Calgary Stampede

Photo from the the Stampede Grounds

            This is a political post so you are warned. Canada is wonderful because it is Canada. It is refreshingly different.  In the main they don't want to be California or New York.  As a separate nation they have fought for freedom along side the U.S. but they don't long to be part of it.

             They seem to be more relaxed than we do. Then again, their leadership is not as anxiety producing. It is a great nation where the people cannot pronounce "about" correctly.

            Not sure how welcome we would be right now (although they have forgiven much of our lunacy) but it is worth a try. They are many different areas, all of which make fore a great visit.        

 

Lismore Ireland revisited

        This is one of my favorite photos and I have posted it on this blog before. In addition I made an 8 x 10 and have it hung on the wall at our second home. The walls there are filled with pictures of favorite places. No one looks at albums any more and only guys like me force them on people  over the internet.

        Lismore is a pretty city that we simply found in  our travel through the heart of Ireland. This photo is of what may be called a "close".  In the cities in Great Britain (and Lismore is not there as it is in the Irish Republic) small areas off the main street that lead back to more homes or businesses are called a "close" likely because they are narrow. There are many worth viewing on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

            I was taken by this one as it seems so peaceful and charming. It is off the main street and shows where life is really lived. I could be wrong with all of this, but it is nice to celebrate the average.