It was hot and filling, and best of all – it wasn’t fish! I slurped up that bowl of Yoshida Udon like there was no tomorrow. I had been in Japan for a couple of days and had been treated to gourmet meals aplenty. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were beautiful works of art, masterpieces of flavor, and were eagerly devoured by my traveling companions. I, alone, appeared to be the one person who couldn’t face fish, often uncooked, for three meals a day. I felt bad as I pushed things around my plate, trying to be polite and look like I was both eating and enjoying this impressive presentation. This was beautiful food; it was expertly prepared and presented, but I just couldn’t face it. In that fleeting moment, I realized that I was more gourmand than gourmet. What I […]
Read MoreCategory Archive: Destinations
Postcard from St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast
The spire of hope, suspended above St . Anne ‘s Cathedral, illuminates the skyline of Belfast. Anne was the mother of Mary (for those unfamiliar with the list of saints).
Read MorePostcard from Belfast City Hall
This impressive stone governmental building is popular with visitors (free tours offered ) as well as the many photo ops.
Read More50 Years Later: Fort Worth Remembers President John F. Kennedy
I’m of that age where I remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news that President Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas. I was at school and it was recess. I didn’t really understand what the word assassinated meant, but I did know that it was very, very bad. Our teacher gathered the class together and then we were all sent home, where, for the next weeks, we bounced between emotions far greater that a grade schooler can navigate on their own. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of President Kennedy and there are commemorations and memorials aplenty. In Fort Worth, just down the road a piece from Dallas, the city will remember the life and legend of President John F. Kennedy with a number of events. In a bit of déjà vu, the […]
Read MorePostcard from City Hall, Philadelphia
Philadelphia’s City Hal is a behemoth of a masonry complex and is an impressive part of the city’s skyline. Look closely, that’s a statue of William Penn on the top. The building is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
Read MoreUNESCO World Heritage Site: Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
Visiting Tongariro National Park is relatively easy, with decent roads providing access, and while some visitors are attracted by the UNESCO designation alone, there is much more to hold the attention of visitors. Here are just a few reasons to visit Tongariro National Park. Tongariro National Park, the oldest national park in New Zealand, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed for its mix of cultural and natural importance. The park, located on the North Island, is home to three active volcanos: Mt. Tongariro (for which the park was named, Mt. Ruapehu, and Mt. Ngauruhoe. Skiing and snow sports – Mt. Ruapehu is home to two ski areas, Whakapapa on the northern side and Turoa on the southwestern side. Whakapapa has 15 ski lifts and also offers accommodations. Turoa has 9 lifts with accommodation offered in nearby Ohakune. Skiing and […]
Read MorePostcard from Wildlife Safari
It’s a road trip weekend and a chance to enjoy the baking hot weather of southern Oregon. These three brown bears at Wildlife Safari (in Winston, Oregon), were trying to beat the heat with a bear-sized popsicle – a large block of ice with berries and other fruit frozen inside.
Read MorePostcard from Mt Fuji
In the pre-dawn glow, Mt Fuji peeks through the clouds. It’s waiting for me.
Read MoreRolling Along in Antwerp Belgium
I rolled into Antwerp by train, like many visitors to the city, arriving at the city’s ornate Central Station. I’d heard that the station was impressive, it makes the most beautiful list often enough, and the stone, iron, and glass architecture didn’t disappoint. I’ll let the architectural community argue over the appropriate style of the station, and I’ll just appreciate the dome and the turrets, the marble and the glass, and the gold. The Central Station was completed in 1905, and although it has been refurbished and expanded a couple different time, the station’s opulence has not been diminished. Today the station has four levels and 14 tracks that connect Antwerp with the rest of the country and the rest of Europe. Does it look somehow familiar? Perhaps you’ve seen the Sound of Music flash mob video Belgium is one […]
Read MoreMother Nature: A Fickle Photo Essay of Spring
Mother Nature can be a fickle friend, teasing us with sun and blooms one day and the next sending showers bordering on snow. As travelers, we learn to make the best of it, ducking into a museum in inclement times and walking in the park in better ones. Despite a Spring with weather all over the map (literally and figuratively), I still marvel at what Mother Nature has wrought. Ah, springtime! While in Dublin you confused me into thinking I was back home in Seattle. Overcast days, a spot of rain now and again, and a peek of blue sky. We layered up to walk around the cemeteries and ruins outside of Dublin. And when we finally got to the gardens at Powerscourt, we were rewarded with a bit of blue sky and a hint of sun. After Dublin it […]
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