Arizona, USA - Art

     We have traveled all over the United States and it was not until recently that we made it down to Sedona and Phoenix. The surprise for me was the number of artists, art galleries and dealers in fine arts there. It certainly is a place to find great work and do great work.

The Dolomites, Italy

      When I was going back over some photos from Northern Italy I came upon one of a large outcropping in the Dolomites between La Villa and Cortina. I did not think much of it until I zoomed in. AHA! There was something I had not seen before: a house looking out over the valley. What a view they must have!

Irish Pubs

     A great thing about foreign travel is discovering new customs that you can bring home. As a kid in Mid-America I knew about the tavern culture that was an important anchor for a neighborhood, especially in the winter. In Ireland, the pub  serves the same function. It is a gathering spot, cafe, bar and entertainment. It is much the same in Scotland and England.  In Spain the tapas bar serves a similar function in the mid-afternoon. People stop what they are doing for a time of regrouping. Even the kids get into the swim of it. In the United States it seems like lunch is an interruption.  I currently work at a California hospital where we have a half hour lunch break and most of us resent having to stop for any more time than to eat. We need to bring back the pub attitude. There is something very healthy about it - and it is not the alcohol and the food (although that is not bad either).

A port in a storm in Liechtenstein

          We had driven across Austria from Innsbruck and ran into some foul weather along about Liechtenstein. I must admit that I try to visit all the small countries, but had done little homework about this nation. I knew that the capital was Vaduz and a few more facts, but I got lost because I did not realize that there is more than one city. After roaming around in the rain and wondering where we were, I pulled into a parking space near a lovely church. The church was not far from the main government buildings. We went into the church as much to get in out of the storm as to see it. It was worth the visit. As a member of the clergy I like seeing churches anyway. Look at the grand door and the pretty nave of this church. I'm not sure what the name of the place is, but it obviously was a sanctuary for us.

Paris is like Disneyland ... or is it?

     Here are a couple of random photos of Paris. One is of the carnival area just outside the Louvre grounds and the other is inside the Louvre. 

     I have been to Disneyland a good many times and I do not need to go back soon. The rides are fine and the experiences that copy real life adventures are interesting. I like to people watch, but I do not like long lines and cranky people in large numbers.

     If I have to put up with the liabilities, I would rather be in Paris or London or Venice. There are crowds and gawking and people discovering new things, but what they are encountering is real. Certainly not everyone is there to learn something rather than to be entertained, but most have to come away with a deeper understanding of history. 

     Sure, there are Ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds - none bigger than the London Eye - but there are also first class museums and cafes. 

     Disneyland has its place and its fans. Yet, the most exciting rides I have been on are a gondola tram in the Alps and a boat down the Seine.

...The Places You Will Go...

On Dr. Seuss's Birthday here is, besides my home, one of the favorite places I have been.

The Dolomites, Sud Tyrol, Northern Italy

Cathedral in Madrid

Two photos of the cathedral by the palace in Madrid: top is outside (actually taken from the palace) and bottom is the ceiling of the nave.