tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15975399756004252272024-03-18T15:44:06.756-07:00The Intrepid TouristAuthor CAROLINE ARNOLD's travel blog--a writer's journeys around the worldfive nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.comBlogger685125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-24554576881570446802024-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T08:00:00.139-07:00MEETING CELEBRITIES IN AUSTRALIA – KANGAROOS AND KOALAS, Guest Post by Caroline Hatton at The Intrepid Tourist<p><i><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7-5K1kWXRRS2g2H3utV-HSDS6ZddGol6Rd8FMv251VzmGset3FMoJvaAiTTgglEWbi_SlDtTVg6oxyFCe2pEzmQ3Y2qheud1-x8L0n-4nk3x60uhQx7qiOcMKf5zCNgjY4Y71ZVqBH4R1uQ8wauEG3eAoFbtw8Pyvr4g983qRMgZaM0DqwSUzOEjF3V6/s1000/HattonOzCelebs01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="1000" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7-5K1kWXRRS2g2H3utV-HSDS6ZddGol6Rd8FMv251VzmGset3FMoJvaAiTTgglEWbi_SlDtTVg6oxyFCe2pEzmQ3Y2qheud1-x8L0n-4nk3x60uhQx7qiOcMKf5zCNgjY4Y71ZVqBH4R1uQ8wauEG3eAoFbtw8Pyvr4g983qRMgZaM0DqwSUzOEjF3V6/w400-h373/HattonOzCelebs01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild kangaroos: joey sipping milk, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><i style="text-align: left;">My
friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s book writer and frequent contributor to this
blog, captured these images in Australia</i><i style="text-align: left;"> in November 2023, springtime Down Under.</i></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Why Australia?
Because it was on my husband’s bucket list well before the phrase was coined. A
long-time dream of his was to see exotic Australian animals in the wild,
including koalas and kangaroos, the top celebrities.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">We thought that seeing
them in a wildlife sanctuary first would give us a better idea of what to look
for in the wild. And that calibrating our eyeballs to the size of target
species at various distances would increase our chances of spotting them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0ooDBv-AtEmKxNPp7gN4iYKFwi2tfYcTGvRjoEBc8mooA6q1OWl8FuewF3WDrZR1XdziAbSGL8bXB1RdeFSg38TRL_-0VgODRSOOzLflcVkCizUAqDUEJjK1QQ_Isn0pTQWbJXbM1EPoDNlZTpqVj4M2SFlvbMwlwIHpNk5ogSzm43fj_RoUYZtgOqg2/s1000/HattonOzCelebs02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="1000" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq0ooDBv-AtEmKxNPp7gN4iYKFwi2tfYcTGvRjoEBc8mooA6q1OWl8FuewF3WDrZR1XdziAbSGL8bXB1RdeFSg38TRL_-0VgODRSOOzLflcVkCizUAqDUEJjK1QQ_Isn0pTQWbJXbM1EPoDNlZTpqVj4M2SFlvbMwlwIHpNk5ogSzm43fj_RoUYZtgOqg2/w400-h226/HattonOzCelebs02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Relaxed kangaroo, Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To pick where to
seek such guaranteed sightings upon arrival, we ranked the species we most
wanted to see, and cross-referenced them with urban zoos, non-zoos and closer-to-natural
sanctuaries near Sydney (New South Wales) and Melbourne (Victoria), two
destinations for many choices of flights from the U.S.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The <b><a href="https://www.zoo.org.au/healesville/" target="_blank">Healesville Sanctuary</a></b>, a two-hour drive from Melbourne, won hands down. There, napping
kangaroos and koalas presented front, back, and side views, and one kangaroo even
scratched an ear with a back toe. Starting our tour of Australia in the state
of Victoria turned out to be optimal because that’s where we found all the wild
kangaroos and koalas we saw on our entire trip.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span>KANGAROO MOBS</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span>A kangaroo mob is
a group of kangaroos, a fun word that seems to suggest that they’re up to no
good.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The first place
where we went looking for wild kangaroos was the Anglesea Golf Course, named on
many web pages about driving the scenic Great Ocean Road. Without paying for a
guided tour, only one side of the golf course perimeter fence was approachable.
Our itinerary brought us there at noon, nap time for the animals, so our
chances of success were dim. All we saw was one pair of sleepy kangaroo ears
above the grass in the shade of distant trees.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTTJTDiNcRFFB6-ljHAIrOEgagpNZepdqLnvCyeuVRy6wulwZQL_SDLLMr3tF5sBvqeaEJMvUXreLOZW_aC4NELUoj78qB3DkFywQHyEwAKq-4ulp1VjXXmiVaArhO0z7L50uOVsQPssnHzARn5b0iifLhY_cCYfu0jNJQadvtTgwguy1pplzE2fXSGWw/s1000/HattonOZCelebs03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTTJTDiNcRFFB6-ljHAIrOEgagpNZepdqLnvCyeuVRy6wulwZQL_SDLLMr3tF5sBvqeaEJMvUXreLOZW_aC4NELUoj78qB3DkFywQHyEwAKq-4ulp1VjXXmiVaArhO0z7L50uOVsQPssnHzARn5b0iifLhY_cCYfu0jNJQadvtTgwguy1pplzE2fXSGWw/w400-h266/HattonOZCelebs03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild kangaroo family outside our rental cabin, Halls Gap, Victoria, Australia.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisASeWNNCaa0vPiGj2NY2rMo9BE8J8RKyT0EPDAMGPkhO6GAr5XFmqPb_WFLWQhPOIPJUajq83fmImFjzwF9NRP1wptKpMAW117fI9Fj9mjozZkFfj2zSF7KUzNr0h60BGLWXzHVFEY_ggkOjWgXwG1YNiw-GQrqeqAnaUHI1XyP7v3io3KYCDzvN2XGnR/s1000/HattonOzCelebs04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="802" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisASeWNNCaa0vPiGj2NY2rMo9BE8J8RKyT0EPDAMGPkhO6GAr5XFmqPb_WFLWQhPOIPJUajq83fmImFjzwF9NRP1wptKpMAW117fI9Fj9mjozZkFfj2zSF7KUzNr0h60BGLWXzHVFEY_ggkOjWgXwG1YNiw-GQrqeqAnaUHI1XyP7v3io3KYCDzvN2XGnR/w321-h400/HattonOzCelebs04.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Doe and joey outside our cabin. Doe licking forearms to cool down.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Two days later,
after reaching the western end of the Great Ocean Road in Warrnambool, we drove
inland for two hours to the town of Halls Gap, a vacation destination in low
mountains, the Grampians. Tons of wild kangaroos live there! Good places to
look for them include the town park and any other open grass, such as any
meadow and the golf course.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Fate spoiled us
with the wild kangaroo stampede in this <b><a href="https://youtu.be/j2Qor8lPf2M " target="_blank">video</a></b>. During a torrential downpour,
at first, all the kangaroos in the meadow outside our rental cabin sat still as
statues… until they suddenly all hopped away for reasons unknown to us.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp3lmgQ2aRPq8tQecPd__aB1_u6CtVdBVlqC2Sn_7yL2oUl6jzSWXFUCmicf4BcMlFCPmB7D5C0lyLRaCxBUDv_kyAn8tN5FWpMy5OprITykrsJQozh9dkAXNBVFJssHMaYmA-B9Bg8IXT3UcNza7M-5WbYCdNDFycPqQXvH4ecQHUjrpUc7v-zG02OSJ/s1000/HattonOzCelebs05.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp3lmgQ2aRPq8tQecPd__aB1_u6CtVdBVlqC2Sn_7yL2oUl6jzSWXFUCmicf4BcMlFCPmB7D5C0lyLRaCxBUDv_kyAn8tN5FWpMy5OprITykrsJQozh9dkAXNBVFJssHMaYmA-B9Bg8IXT3UcNza7M-5WbYCdNDFycPqQXvH4ecQHUjrpUc7v-zG02OSJ/w400-h266/HattonOzCelebs05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild doe and joey, Halls Gap.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The town park was
all theirs, its lawns littered with generations of kangaroos. Like tourists,
they lounged, dozed, and snacked (on grass). Moms brought their offspring to
the park to play and enjoy quality mommy-and-me time. The “roos” generously
left paved paths and benches to us humans. After work hours, this <b><a href="https://youtu.be/VRKgYzQtY4M" target="_blank">video</a></b> shows locals exercising at the
park, the kangaroos kickboxing, oblivious of the human jogging past.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>LONE KOALAS</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">What surprised me
about koala sightings was how un-subtle they were. The glaring contrast in size
and shape between slim eucalyptus (“gum”) leaves and obese fur balls made
detection unavoidable.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAxNTtOAqqVF5cQMuOMu40vXse7rJ3OFPMsR2951SyPu-GXnQRocphvNC3cdklH83ut98YdC83evmQyLZJTaltJLZfgQRKVaTyN9ZjpicEnheHE8K63q0xU3oZLehNYtaEUQ5x4Jc-siHMHhC0ua4dq3FUbTzAa600XpR_4YgHLzcPFUdKfoILd05n6k8/s1000/HattonOzCelebs06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="792" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAxNTtOAqqVF5cQMuOMu40vXse7rJ3OFPMsR2951SyPu-GXnQRocphvNC3cdklH83ut98YdC83evmQyLZJTaltJLZfgQRKVaTyN9ZjpicEnheHE8K63q0xU3oZLehNYtaEUQ5x4Jc-siHMHhC0ua4dq3FUbTzAa600XpR_4YgHLzcPFUdKfoILd05n6k8/w316-h400/HattonOzCelebs06.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild koala near Kafe Koala, Australia.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To look for wild
koalas on the Great Ocean Road, an obligatory stop is at Kafe Koala on the
Kennett River. Parking lot attendants (“wild” parrots) watch for food crumbs, like pigeons in Paris or Venice. There, tour buses let passengers out, perhaps as
much for souvenirs and snacks as for walks up the dirt road looking for giant pompoms
perched high in the gum trees.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">When we arrived
mid-afternoon, we were the only ones there. Gums are so tall that before
looking up at those near me, tipping my head back as far as my neck would bend,
I made sure my feet were securely planted on even ground, so I wouldn’t fall
over.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXYZQ4B92KAHfxfnQY2_v3itN5nM5r0RACTOhkMKz9VXzZ_-RPIijNk7q126pV_23cI87KEkQrT6YJHODueVNm-gTEYzuVmQ2PDnklHe8wGQ7YsCaM1sDsUg61udv3iSoHxxhO22Y-u2iuj9mquU1wLOxMGGE27FkoNxon1XGdXUPP_aV0vx0DIMhugqW/s1000/HattonOzCelebs07.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXYZQ4B92KAHfxfnQY2_v3itN5nM5r0RACTOhkMKz9VXzZ_-RPIijNk7q126pV_23cI87KEkQrT6YJHODueVNm-gTEYzuVmQ2PDnklHe8wGQ7YsCaM1sDsUg61udv3iSoHxxhO22Y-u2iuj9mquU1wLOxMGGE27FkoNxon1XGdXUPP_aV0vx0DIMhugqW/w399-h400/HattonOzCelebs07.jpg" width="399" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wild koala scratching--a high action shot!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />My first wild
koala was awake! Scratching! Changing venue in this <b><a href="https://youtu.be/gkdeAqbN6TI?si=P1RM44F8M-g7XfGp" target="_blank">video</a></b>. Then I noticed the drops,
falling one at a time, seconds apart, drawing a graceful arc against the tender
blue sky in the steady breeze. <i>My</i> koala was <i>urinating!</i> How many lucky
tourists can say they witnessed such a rare event?<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">We saw four more
koalas on that hour-long walk. One reached for leaves and munched on them. One male
bellowed, part of his job description during the mating season.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Another koala
destination off the Great Ocean Road is a few miles inland of Cape Otway, along
the dirt road to Bimbi Park, a campground. While my husband drove as slowly as
possible, we both scanned treetops ahead and on the sides, but not too far in
the forest, only as far as we might be able to detect our targets.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwgPsHhlKSybJ4DylpEqlxzpMLX8x42oIgMCiE7e8870_BrkR9TN0mAusX2qWwxetpt8xZUf8J2-vk0y0Swh8fAkYZCKPhzTo2lF_xTd648hCEfDfybOY2bvqD_ZJAGcvyAuF0-uV9BqiDvnt6ONQoeguFf8npThTAmgCpq-IDMQgr_XE_ru2wxEnU_hG/s1000/HattonOzCelebs08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwgPsHhlKSybJ4DylpEqlxzpMLX8x42oIgMCiE7e8870_BrkR9TN0mAusX2qWwxetpt8xZUf8J2-vk0y0Swh8fAkYZCKPhzTo2lF_xTd648hCEfDfybOY2bvqD_ZJAGcvyAuF0-uV9BqiDvnt6ONQoeguFf8npThTAmgCpq-IDMQgr_XE_ru2wxEnU_hG/w300-h400/HattonOzCelebs08.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>See the wild koala, spotted from inside the car?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />“STOP! KOALA!!!” I
shouted a second before taking the above photo through the windshield. We saw two
more koalas on this 15-minute drive, enough to make us happy.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Other wildlife we
saw in 25 days spent in three states (Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania) included
many wallabies, pademelons, wombats, possums, echidnas, bats, water dragons, and
oh, so many colors and species of birds! But that’s another story.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>All text and photos, copyright
Caroline Arnold. </b><a href="http://www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/"><b>www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com</b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-56897385419178457272024-03-11T08:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T08:00:00.247-07:00THE EXPLORATORIUM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Pi Day and Hands-On STEM Heaven<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbo3p5EM_6FPrcD41ecebO4JbkJSlavmlVyexUAxLG-4idF6rphoyv2eva_zTpP1DJxKBjj-RsFw9cPwk4uGpubGX-Bc56Bgr_Yw4fH0_r6XITQ6grUEbvgMBQDcdaSkDcdxsjfde43S_RR7o5KiGQPbNBZ7TF_lA72aGy1dX2Dnovgqg61LtZhd33opY0/s720/1sm%2020231003_154334.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbo3p5EM_6FPrcD41ecebO4JbkJSlavmlVyexUAxLG-4idF6rphoyv2eva_zTpP1DJxKBjj-RsFw9cPwk4uGpubGX-Bc56Bgr_Yw4fH0_r6XITQ6grUEbvgMBQDcdaSkDcdxsjfde43S_RR7o5KiGQPbNBZ7TF_lA72aGy1dX2Dnovgqg61LtZhd33opY0/w300-h400/1sm%2020231003_154334.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Entrance to the Exploratorium, Pier 15/17, San Francisco, CA.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The <b><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/about-us" target="_blank">Exploratorium</a></b> on the Embarcadero in San Francisco
is a museum for science nerds young and old and everyone else who is
curious about the world we live in. Almost all the exhibits invite you to
participate, revealing science principals in amazing and fun ways. On a recent visit to the Bay Area, I spent an afternoon there.<div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8fWSUW2Ie0SfC90syWgPJAuBrgUckjHRVcgAHvfL1qEZEaSa91V94xT_5v-Sjljm9gdCWXgVkGa-lMGenPt_Bv4jaHikMmytpUdanQ3EiePiwxhNHBwpzaXK6egcZhXHXwJKgDSdaTqrl-i8SKL74PoDY7jUPDMlB2hg_NzCkXafwHLBAkqv3YdXGweG/s720/1%2020231003_151450sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8fWSUW2Ie0SfC90syWgPJAuBrgUckjHRVcgAHvfL1qEZEaSa91V94xT_5v-Sjljm9gdCWXgVkGa-lMGenPt_Bv4jaHikMmytpUdanQ3EiePiwxhNHBwpzaXK6egcZhXHXwJKgDSdaTqrl-i8SKL74PoDY7jUPDMlB2hg_NzCkXafwHLBAkqv3YdXGweG/w300-h400/1%2020231003_151450sm.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Native oyster colony exhibit on roof of museum.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The museum is organized in six sections: Human Phenomena (math and illusions); Tinkering (making and building); Seeing and Reflections (light, mirrors and sound); Living Systems (life from DNA and cells to organisms and ecosystems); Outdoor Exhibits (winds, tides and natural phenomena); and Observing Landscapes (history, geography and ecology of the Bay Area.) <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Fggr20DmmeUUiUPyOjRcfgGV1xE4B-d2aVs_AVl4Ny90z171Lp_Ja6Ni83QdS0DPomF73OUkG6WmVdhgf2gAovQtiN-j2tJfGR7P9xS0H0uEiK_5ncF4bow3ipJpiT_1gZDKcEc9KiKz842schUKJ3mzhFyyHsTmi9oJnT3cYZK08nqE1wsR4dlRQ1o/s720/1%2020231003_134336sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="593" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Fggr20DmmeUUiUPyOjRcfgGV1xE4B-d2aVs_AVl4Ny90z171Lp_Ja6Ni83QdS0DPomF73OUkG6WmVdhgf2gAovQtiN-j2tJfGR7P9xS0H0uEiK_5ncF4bow3ipJpiT_1gZDKcEc9KiKz842schUKJ3mzhFyyHsTmi9oJnT3cYZK08nqE1wsR4dlRQ1o/w330-h400/1%2020231003_134336sm.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pi Toss</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />After purchasing our tickets at the entrance, we headed toward the math section. I have always loved math and was motivated to visit the Exploratorium because I wanted to see their exhibits about the number Pi. (Pi is the ratio of
the diameter of a circle and its circumference.) Calculating Pi is a complicated
mathematical problem, but there are some simple demonstrations that come close.
At the Pi Toss, circular disks with a line drawn across the middle (marking the diameter) are tossed onto a surface marked with parallel
lines double the length of the diameter. When the number of disks whose diameters do not cross the lines are
divided into the total number of disks, the result is surprisingly close to Pi--3.1416. Knowing the value of Pi is important for any calculation involving circles. The celebration of Pi Day, March 14, originated at the Exploratorium.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwJurYV0pXkU3CKmOM-Ci_b9CENSegrM2i5tEO6RzqAu8GkLbEeSJsoBAWxroCIn0XEfRlpbYXdAXOnzpSr_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>In another part of the museum you can learn about wave motion by manipulating a giant, slinky-like spring.<br /><br /></div><div><o:p></o:p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTfl6AOdhM2_onIUFpoPgb_p2aJibTkPSDaydGH9KKgcHbURn0_MKnC-NxdXhPg2m0MDYZ1XE0jkGpC7DOw11VpIjIwY9ctk0ZISSS8dUkKdCZhCKAE6vcjjijSUvHdhY3Si8kkkV50xNAqUopWZ3CGn_EsbBr4K4Knh1DUOy3-NYVnF25_U4wyh35Lmh/s720/1%2020231003_133724sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTfl6AOdhM2_onIUFpoPgb_p2aJibTkPSDaydGH9KKgcHbURn0_MKnC-NxdXhPg2m0MDYZ1XE0jkGpC7DOw11VpIjIwY9ctk0ZISSS8dUkKdCZhCKAE6vcjjijSUvHdhY3Si8kkkV50xNAqUopWZ3CGn_EsbBr4K4Knh1DUOy3-NYVnF25_U4wyh35Lmh/w300-h400/1%2020231003_133724sm.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bell Curve.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Tiny balls rolling through a pinball-like grid demonstrate the bell curve, with the majority of the balls falling to the center and fewer and fewer toward the outer edges.</div><div><br /></div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD5cOEW1RfKZzxwK3F9NPbVNdLj6u_PKEiFdtzlRwX-YZ2qdH-WmUAPxjIxCO7exB0iIJqsa3-mu1UooWpz7hPkqvcdCKMqf7IJqf6y85TmKFplN8rh6N-YySImqJ811w6kS4V0Na_RHFmxHfG0dL0wjg5pNFtODLQQscYHSThyphenhyphenuPG-f6c1I2nSjS4n_2/s720/1%2020231003_134900sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD5cOEW1RfKZzxwK3F9NPbVNdLj6u_PKEiFdtzlRwX-YZ2qdH-WmUAPxjIxCO7exB0iIJqsa3-mu1UooWpz7hPkqvcdCKMqf7IJqf6y85TmKFplN8rh6N-YySImqJ811w6kS4V0Na_RHFmxHfG0dL0wjg5pNFtODLQQscYHSThyphenhyphenuPG-f6c1I2nSjS4n_2/w300-h400/1%2020231003_134900sm.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Revolving disks.</i></div></div><div>As the painted disks of this giant spinning top turn, the images are reflected on the mirrors and appear to move--the same effect that is created by a movie projector as film passes the lens and the image is projected onto a screen. Here the horses appear to run and the figure appear to dance.</div><div><br /></div><div>On the second floor of the museum is a door to the roof deck, with more exhibits and a magnificent view of San Francisco Bay.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_l-6QvOO62ERC1vsFQE2Y1qVYXwYhy5McB6u4Wk0iA5CxEJqI__xdpoQXVo5bXvH-DXJgnNntmTqk2Q8HJhSPWHkDKOLm1NLbjHlwt4gJWTwHfuEbffwMf82PP2zlnq7Oq0f2sxao_Chs4e_f1ogID5RbhFAxUGrR1nGjI-BqdG7TrHa0LdT3XrEO99a5/s720/1%20sm%2020231003_150623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_l-6QvOO62ERC1vsFQE2Y1qVYXwYhy5McB6u4Wk0iA5CxEJqI__xdpoQXVo5bXvH-DXJgnNntmTqk2Q8HJhSPWHkDKOLm1NLbjHlwt4gJWTwHfuEbffwMf82PP2zlnq7Oq0f2sxao_Chs4e_f1ogID5RbhFAxUGrR1nGjI-BqdG7TrHa0LdT3XrEO99a5/w300-h400/1%20sm%2020231003_150623.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Entrance to Camera Obscura</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>A small tent on the roof deck houses a camera obscura--in which a pinhole lens and a mirror project the outside image onto a surface inside the tent.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxtHy5FnktrSOVlilBAn185_bPaZ8YI4HxtHP0A9oIbfvyVq6oVJ5BY8wEPh9Cy1jD5rc2bSkHGksf-7tlJA6LMfenc8UUdmHISKf2evjCdvTsxrFHVHvdocESrzGgj7yBwFt04bvv1N5fhPnEMcSXNdh1lTJkN75BSfG9YMDjQnmlGewFOwjhlNdSWN-/s720/1%20sm%2020231003_150945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxtHy5FnktrSOVlilBAn185_bPaZ8YI4HxtHP0A9oIbfvyVq6oVJ5BY8wEPh9Cy1jD5rc2bSkHGksf-7tlJA6LMfenc8UUdmHISKf2evjCdvTsxrFHVHvdocESrzGgj7yBwFt04bvv1N5fhPnEMcSXNdh1lTJkN75BSfG9YMDjQnmlGewFOwjhlNdSWN-/w300-h400/1%20sm%2020231003_150945.jpg" width="300" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image of Bay Bridge projected on a table inside the tent. In real time, one can watch tiny boats sailing on the bay and cars driving across the bridge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>At the far end of the museum, in the biological section, there are exhibits of plants and animals, including a view of carnivorous plants growing inside a greenhouse, a demonstration of the process of decomposition in nature, an example of water-resistant plant leaves and more.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJviQx9rNXaKRmkFKnHXQEatIKpqFxYJLRf5FdFB9eBOw4YlIQtLHP5BXS1kZsVHfbVuuv2Kg8PziA3SIeRnWZqJbVv3qa03Lx7RsrV5crGuMaw7mGbHc9Ux3H1LCYF-f-A7e7SF2bdzjqk9qcyxjC8a9r75JhAlBAeLEuCJDWSSxTQBdI3tR7PoUQ-1nL/s720/1sm%2020231003_152627.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJviQx9rNXaKRmkFKnHXQEatIKpqFxYJLRf5FdFB9eBOw4YlIQtLHP5BXS1kZsVHfbVuuv2Kg8PziA3SIeRnWZqJbVv3qa03Lx7RsrV5crGuMaw7mGbHc9Ux3H1LCYF-f-A7e7SF2bdzjqk9qcyxjC8a9r75JhAlBAeLEuCJDWSSxTQBdI3tR7PoUQ-1nL/w300-h400/1sm%2020231003_152627.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>With a digital magnifying glass you can project images of dried flowers onto a large screen.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVjD0Tw0AlC0jcMGSd0v7z_e7gN7xTJ7FSVHRnoGHQFDTCOyObQo_PTiM7bGBVlU3EztdlqerdK96mbNDZLjmsz-qM9Hh_MLPnx1iDyBzZmGUXuxMYalI8jTJNKZHqxLdJIb2Vnqajnf0tM0ACzsU3vLirAsR8vdBHyZ54mHXg43WVRx77oVVk7EU5HnR/s720/1sm%2020231003_144529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVjD0Tw0AlC0jcMGSd0v7z_e7gN7xTJ7FSVHRnoGHQFDTCOyObQo_PTiM7bGBVlU3EztdlqerdK96mbNDZLjmsz-qM9Hh_MLPnx1iDyBzZmGUXuxMYalI8jTJNKZHqxLdJIb2Vnqajnf0tM0ACzsU3vLirAsR8vdBHyZ54mHXg43WVRx77oVVk7EU5HnR/w400-h300/1sm%2020231003_144529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fish swim inside a large aquarium.<br /><br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_r6vQasv3NZBEhiQryQr8dhuOqgDTV2Dh0ryNLHR5l0mcqpkac794ElnSm2QkSlsYyr67zsE5kLZIC2wyMtt89B7vAZadetsnZ4Pnu40pFNUqe4LZAu9iHVC5rhqkAR5PKx0epWA3MvJEfbYCB6CBtqXX29qZUG8nUqdYXv_nrdCDjttTw-7hJjr19tF/s720/1%2020231003_145029sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="720" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_r6vQasv3NZBEhiQryQr8dhuOqgDTV2Dh0ryNLHR5l0mcqpkac794ElnSm2QkSlsYyr67zsE5kLZIC2wyMtt89B7vAZadetsnZ4Pnu40pFNUqe4LZAu9iHVC5rhqkAR5PKx0epWA3MvJEfbYCB6CBtqXX29qZUG8nUqdYXv_nrdCDjttTw-7hJjr19tF/w400-h315/1%2020231003_145029sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here I am standing beside a 310 year old Douglas fir tree slice.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />About 1691 a pine cone fell from a Douglas fir near Olema, California, in Marina County. About six months later the pinecone sprouted and this tree began its life. When the tree fell down 310 years later, a slice was cut and brought to the museum. The rings tell the story of its life--wet seasons, dry seasons, invasion by insects.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGUw20c752GrXDtoiPtq47S8tHWOAKRxp6T4IDvjkYPZXUgugBE4Wxinr5X0ooZjJ-kJ3yWHILh1NkE7FiJVQihAZ19BsfG9DgcjysxjvOdTZkSFmhT8NAF7z4iZPlxyRpTba8fcblyMQKgESDKQnU-Ly3PQUeQtLYEG5TYbhga0Kjwe57x9e3pTpWFEi/s720/1sm%2020231003_153337.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGUw20c752GrXDtoiPtq47S8tHWOAKRxp6T4IDvjkYPZXUgugBE4Wxinr5X0ooZjJ-kJ3yWHILh1NkE7FiJVQihAZ19BsfG9DgcjysxjvOdTZkSFmhT8NAF7z4iZPlxyRpTba8fcblyMQKgESDKQnU-Ly3PQUeQtLYEG5TYbhga0Kjwe57x9e3pTpWFEi/w400-h300/1sm%2020231003_153337.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fantastic structure built of toothpicks--and still under construction!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />An ongoing exhibit is an amazing structure built with toothpicks, depicting iconic sights of San Francisco. It is one of just a small sampling of the many exhibits we saw. Another day we'll have to go back to see more.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>We visited the Exploratorium on a weekday afternoon, after the large school groups had left for the day. While the museum was still busy, it didn't feel crowded. At the end of our visit we stopped for a snack at the Seaglass Restaurant before driving back across the bridge to Oakland. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Exploratorium is located at Pier 15, between the Ferry Building and Pier 39, along the Embarcadero in San Francisco.</div><div>For tickets, hours, and more information about visiting the Exploratorium, go to their <b><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit" target="_blank">website</a></b>.<br /><br /></div>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-39919773625108730322024-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T09:00:38.598-08:00THE NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS, Washington, D.C.: More Than Just a Museum<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUI8ZqtI4fqjDmoi1hi-_bWmVQf7MQpH-ON62_6uxTVkQMF_a5cXqhUycOC2fd4cZlk9xTDqlUT1Rj9W9L8RRmPAxXkSkhr6qaEwuv9jGxfEG0zGyPLMS0DyMufgya72IJnL9tkYJDRmV1CxnrEeWnRq61c5awAAzbKHMtDiuC3aNoYuzsadZPFlLQ95q/s700/1%20DSC04125adjsm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUI8ZqtI4fqjDmoi1hi-_bWmVQf7MQpH-ON62_6uxTVkQMF_a5cXqhUycOC2fd4cZlk9xTDqlUT1Rj9W9L8RRmPAxXkSkhr6qaEwuv9jGxfEG0zGyPLMS0DyMufgya72IJnL9tkYJDRmV1CxnrEeWnRq61c5awAAzbKHMtDiuC3aNoYuzsadZPFlLQ95q/w300-h400/1%20DSC04125adjsm.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oil painting by Amy Sherald at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />In early February I went
on a short trip to Washington DC with my husband, and while he was at his
meetings, I went with a friend to museums, including the newly renovated
<b><a href="https://nmwa.org/" target="_blank">National Museum of Women in the Arts</a></b>. The artwork there, all by women, is historical/political/educational/thought provoking/fun.
It ranges from pieces produced in the 16th century up to the present day--in all
kinds of styles, from traditional to abstract to conceptual. The collection includes paintings, prints,
ceramics, sculpture, photographs, and more, some created by recognizable names like
Judy Chicago, Faith Ringgold, Berthe Morisot, Frida Kahlo, plus many more by artists
I didn't know. The painting above by Amy Sherald, done in 2009, is titled "They Call Me Redbone But I'd Rather Be Strawberry Shortcake." <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj454XW5RW8E0pFHX8ya7TE74i4xyhtvIZlzOFDcmWyP9PGwxEWLP4-Ow-l7K7b9shCkpYc7a-_XhbaWW7i9FMamrkI9jw7hYQlpe2WPy9EAFnVEE5Np8n-MQLXJ8l52PTLymolNMQIuwfi62dyfvzol1L5oKRVEDSPifSjpIQMs-MZBna6aBEBdJqBdQew/s5472/1%20DSC04165.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj454XW5RW8E0pFHX8ya7TE74i4xyhtvIZlzOFDcmWyP9PGwxEWLP4-Ow-l7K7b9shCkpYc7a-_XhbaWW7i9FMamrkI9jw7hYQlpe2WPy9EAFnVEE5Np8n-MQLXJ8l52PTLymolNMQIuwfi62dyfvzol1L5oKRVEDSPifSjpIQMs-MZBna6aBEBdJqBdQew/w266-h400/1%20DSC04165.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Scorch Song by Alison Saar, 2022</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ngIAduDDkNz9ovcVVvMUX1_olTrckBwDYn4JzLLZzZwd-863v3BZo-mmP1KvZYmHm3YAbzlJHFfxLM4pr-QvOOrWCg6qXrphFzVF3EpdAj4wIVq2wCRxUz1wBTew7pWGsqrSr1UR5SkXqRBckZUDRT6OfzEio4CS9XCbmp5X6k1vxAA46QqCoiZ7P3Wc/s700/1%20DSC04169sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="518" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ngIAduDDkNz9ovcVVvMUX1_olTrckBwDYn4JzLLZzZwd-863v3BZo-mmP1KvZYmHm3YAbzlJHFfxLM4pr-QvOOrWCg6qXrphFzVF3EpdAj4wIVq2wCRxUz1wBTew7pWGsqrSr1UR5SkXqRBckZUDRT6OfzEio4CS9XCbmp5X6k1vxAA46QqCoiZ7P3Wc/w296-h400/1%20DSC04169sm.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Marriage portrait of a Bolognese noblewoman by Lavinia Fontana, 1589.<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>The National Museum of
Women in the Arts, located in the heart of the city not far from the White
House, opened in 1987. In 2021, it began major renovations and has recently
reopened. As the visitor’s brochure proclaims: “NMWA is more than an art
museum. We aim to create gender equity in the arts.” <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY83nORNkMsC_cT6JOU9kRvQFDBb2uYBX1TxnspRV3ubPxCBhB4qcryMfp9VL2fsdjuWOXQzOz1iIojIOiBKpXhH4dLIeBmwSHG043P6bJhs0Y7i_HuqlSvHCjuNvu1vYc4g9zWtfuPExnLYI3Zw3w36yUoQWfETpiTGTnTvceRRbHJWs-txe-UKTe4AEs/s700/1%20DSC04100adjsm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="700" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY83nORNkMsC_cT6JOU9kRvQFDBb2uYBX1TxnspRV3ubPxCBhB4qcryMfp9VL2fsdjuWOXQzOz1iIojIOiBKpXhH4dLIeBmwSHG043P6bJhs0Y7i_HuqlSvHCjuNvu1vYc4g9zWtfuPExnLYI3Zw3w36yUoQWfETpiTGTnTvceRRbHJWs-txe-UKTe4AEs/w400-h333/1%20DSC04100adjsm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of four posters by the Guerrilla Girls on exhibit at the museum.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The museum collections
include more than 8000 pieces of art. Galleries on the third and fourth floor,
mezzanine, and ground floor display pieces from the permanent collection. </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPtfbKXTs5YDKLZJStPnsqOfmbENwZm0HbEU-rlqjNN5ES4wbxv8SN6QOUS5HZe7TDJrpkTD1Emfrew8HJuBtM6zzN_8DyJdp9c7TqSwpo6gfsm03et6gzu5SAeifujLDmIxGJfr7bd3y-0y-3aCRpi7J3u_BKTTZO6u9yWuwywG_lbMaHe0fOetXmX2P/s700/1%20DSC04173sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPtfbKXTs5YDKLZJStPnsqOfmbENwZm0HbEU-rlqjNN5ES4wbxv8SN6QOUS5HZe7TDJrpkTD1Emfrew8HJuBtM6zzN_8DyJdp9c7TqSwpo6gfsm03et6gzu5SAeifujLDmIxGJfr7bd3y-0y-3aCRpi7J3u_BKTTZO6u9yWuwywG_lbMaHe0fOetXmX2P/w400-h266/1%20DSC04173sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Entrance to The Sky's the Limit exhibit on the second floor of the museum.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The second
floor is for special exhibitions, which at the time of our visit was “The Sky’s
the Limit”. (This exhibit closed February 25, 2024, shortly after my visit.) At the suggestion of the woman at the front desk where we got our tickets,
we started by taking the elevator to the top, and then worked our way down.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rC1ntDOpQE_UKDErdtW6ICEWQ-v0KyOJfG11o3t2aEL_LxwtGgamopfQ-i50XvgiocQ2_XrgcpnCLOe56weQHOPk_pWMNiGBQSVKP9yyEUXvpyAtBuwhFLaGe7MLh4dRhxenZCAZmkvXJyrwmgtPUnzGkeD1s4bhnCa1xfq7IeWPWrp-uzQZ8cEH1OcU/s5472/1%20DSC04111.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rC1ntDOpQE_UKDErdtW6ICEWQ-v0KyOJfG11o3t2aEL_LxwtGgamopfQ-i50XvgiocQ2_XrgcpnCLOe56weQHOPk_pWMNiGBQSVKP9yyEUXvpyAtBuwhFLaGe7MLh4dRhxenZCAZmkvXJyrwmgtPUnzGkeD1s4bhnCa1xfq7IeWPWrp-uzQZ8cEH1OcU/w400-h266/1%20DSC04111.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pregnant Nana by Niki de Saint Phalle, 1995.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The gallery exhibits are
organized by theme, although it was a little hard to figure out how the themes
related to some of the pieces. As usual, I took my camera and photographed many
of the pieces. There's never enough time to see everything at a museum and
read every label. This way, when I get home I can look at my pictures and enjoy
the museum again. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cb49Gcu0soUBu87Xw4TgPg011IOomKBvz6ndw1Tgi2jdJ0ja-WDBnIiRDV1scuusDPljFSFDfYc8JGbSg5MF-KXUHyUcJFQqwbT7GqjlTrRftL8I14qQfUaoVYcvj_-y4skl1oGJctFzItYspyMjjlnAS0oVHNDAPy98RQsJodi_xBHkxsoOqVelvk7-/s700/1%20DSC04116sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cb49Gcu0soUBu87Xw4TgPg011IOomKBvz6ndw1Tgi2jdJ0ja-WDBnIiRDV1scuusDPljFSFDfYc8JGbSg5MF-KXUHyUcJFQqwbT7GqjlTrRftL8I14qQfUaoVYcvj_-y4skl1oGJctFzItYspyMjjlnAS0oVHNDAPy98RQsJodi_xBHkxsoOqVelvk7-/w266-h400/1%20DSC04116sm.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Faience Dog covered in crochet by Joana Vasconcelos, 2005.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; line-height: 107%;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49hLuCrJW50VGDtRk-hEW219XMgNLk001mqXw1hkbY8vf3KRIoWmHdtc2URI3Fr-8Lx0hn6hNqeu6Jo4mpcVrUWi1I80ti0VKDBXQwU7JnA1T7vLfaCO-6tuYaXnhq_1dGht8jNPw_e0cENb5xWqEdlYUihHAbjFDgTJ8gbjotHSMmjbsrMW1seswMBxM/s700/1%20DSC04139sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49hLuCrJW50VGDtRk-hEW219XMgNLk001mqXw1hkbY8vf3KRIoWmHdtc2URI3Fr-8Lx0hn6hNqeu6Jo4mpcVrUWi1I80ti0VKDBXQwU7JnA1T7vLfaCO-6tuYaXnhq_1dGht8jNPw_e0cENb5xWqEdlYUihHAbjFDgTJ8gbjotHSMmjbsrMW1seswMBxM/w400-h266/1%20DSC04139sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yam Story, painting by Australian artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN86sYOaupnZ7XapMJbqORN9yGfziQ2UGacpfeCpKpMNMP7FLs0q73gkPKFyEo2ZATsVFlG4oSOWOA6IDOdQCUyf2nDeFHJ_RYCtInPaNZGZxuxF2wLXvqU5LWzoNVh8ZDcsKYuyub_gIf18fV72T1o8Rqr568Ykw9nY-QZDg-xHN7W-82nxIwhb289x7/s3072/1%20DSC04160adj2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="3072" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN86sYOaupnZ7XapMJbqORN9yGfziQ2UGacpfeCpKpMNMP7FLs0q73gkPKFyEo2ZATsVFlG4oSOWOA6IDOdQCUyf2nDeFHJ_RYCtInPaNZGZxuxF2wLXvqU5LWzoNVh8ZDcsKYuyub_gIf18fV72T1o8Rqr568Ykw9nY-QZDg-xHN7W-82nxIwhb289x7/w400-h299/1%20DSC04160adj2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Suspended Sky by April Gornik, etching and aquatint, 2005.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi165jXL8vGvOlehJNBUuXRQj39sriwYOkVkPekAYsyz8pwGuHF1mYdYLHAa3GQKZ6OGvOtjAvUA2SpXwRnJfsyM8vjTnckX8UjQoq_gCAe3lKNeOt-vdn2AgBVdeiJuUJas3PTOmoj1-vJIeyP4Spyl0oPq8U8eG77knZhnrqkfd2DEKquHbc1eLLe6Mn8/s700/1%20DSC04161sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="700" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi165jXL8vGvOlehJNBUuXRQj39sriwYOkVkPekAYsyz8pwGuHF1mYdYLHAa3GQKZ6OGvOtjAvUA2SpXwRnJfsyM8vjTnckX8UjQoq_gCAe3lKNeOt-vdn2AgBVdeiJuUJas3PTOmoj1-vJIeyP4Spyl0oPq8U8eG77knZhnrqkfd2DEKquHbc1eLLe6Mn8/w400-h271/1%20DSC04161sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Young Woman in Mauve by Berthe Morisot, 1880.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNzzGS0I14OtDOEGPjhT6Abed1lOafXE0gFBpqVGfMXI8M_flRLuNTp9u4dS7X-Ys3WyORbXCNYe_LzzIvfQgd2SFy5JpogJjpACzRad7ew5o8D8qSm7K15Y42XnvgwSPqHkAyWULGhvGSblT6h7xC5IFFVbuzErs-3Hcuzn8NQkNqdeVAkcL-KymJSTj/s5472/1%20DSC04167adj.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNzzGS0I14OtDOEGPjhT6Abed1lOafXE0gFBpqVGfMXI8M_flRLuNTp9u4dS7X-Ys3WyORbXCNYe_LzzIvfQgd2SFy5JpogJjpACzRad7ew5o8D8qSm7K15Y42XnvgwSPqHkAyWULGhvGSblT6h7xC5IFFVbuzErs-3Hcuzn8NQkNqdeVAkcL-KymJSTj/w400-h266/1%20DSC04167adj.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Orion, acrylic painting by Alma Woodsey Thomas, 1973.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH77isPReo6RGxZHL3_Ik9py4-0iaYVfKL-gGr48LBR_nysNgbv4ShEZDtOTquMG5DHkzvDm8Y0GO9LEHhqSdysi6lF6XHU6hOQXqlqahrZfTmkq3l7rsNCxecgY0l4VVJUYdWCvDp2LOqB1MxJbwNbgYfV0VPSkQ_42R2KunLfLNtrC_tJ43uToDKmh_6/s698/1%20DSC04174adjsm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="698" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH77isPReo6RGxZHL3_Ik9py4-0iaYVfKL-gGr48LBR_nysNgbv4ShEZDtOTquMG5DHkzvDm8Y0GO9LEHhqSdysi6lF6XHU6hOQXqlqahrZfTmkq3l7rsNCxecgY0l4VVJUYdWCvDp2LOqB1MxJbwNbgYfV0VPSkQ_42R2KunLfLNtrC_tJ43uToDKmh_6/w400-h270/1%20DSC04174adjsm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Woman in white dress seen through screen of black combs. (The Sky's the Limit)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2F2AgIXCn0FLAo_gBuJ2YtwhA0SupLxDdqBjyET22oiv6X40eAUpzNmBUdESKukSmJkpfHTQlgCL00wpiT4o9GWuwFVazPGGLHXb7m6OwqV53aixTbY83lR0U0gMaw2-gmNljV_kF7Td-GedQyaY3NmT_R0XVJTTMR17E-Yquuo7dgcNwdJoKCGTUtKb/s700/1%20DSC04183sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje2F2AgIXCn0FLAo_gBuJ2YtwhA0SupLxDdqBjyET22oiv6X40eAUpzNmBUdESKukSmJkpfHTQlgCL00wpiT4o9GWuwFVazPGGLHXb7m6OwqV53aixTbY83lR0U0gMaw2-gmNljV_kF7Td-GedQyaY3NmT_R0XVJTTMR17E-Yquuo7dgcNwdJoKCGTUtKb/w400-h266/1%20DSC04183sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thirty Pieces of Silver, sculpture by Cornelia Parker (The Sky's the Limit.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ0X_vbmQp4WKuDydTJSMupkIRFo1gTCNPv6rpteZ0BSMOYcM4QuS-xkesbdD-2yHDQuFflBYrHHyQmbOFMJzpfDI14svtQBmq44O9zl5lIw-gNH9GS5UdCmaWIn1w4mbrXZF_4_j_gomF1PVHJ08qqQvcwB4uytl09NE13IRphqERexZqkRcsabMriqu/s700/1%20DSC04188sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJ0X_vbmQp4WKuDydTJSMupkIRFo1gTCNPv6rpteZ0BSMOYcM4QuS-xkesbdD-2yHDQuFflBYrHHyQmbOFMJzpfDI14svtQBmq44O9zl5lIw-gNH9GS5UdCmaWIn1w4mbrXZF_4_j_gomF1PVHJ08qqQvcwB4uytl09NE13IRphqERexZqkRcsabMriqu/w400-h266/1%20DSC04188sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My silhouette reflected in color photo print on metallic paper by Mariah Robertson (The Sky's the Limit).</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Museum of Women in
the Arts is housed in a historical building that was originally a
Masonic Temple. </span>On one wall of the elegant main hall/ballroom are
black and white photos of prom couples through the years. When I asked at the
information desk if the room had ever been used for a prom, they didn’t know,
but they said that it is often rented out for weddings. The National Museum of Women
in the Arts is well worth a visit the next time you are in Washington, D.C. It
puts a new perspective on the role of women artists and will make you rethink
your understanding of art history.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjRJmvomVesxhWW3pEZayamKXUXZseXEO7oT4ZuBXH3xlihREQ4c3gTg3o3zExQn-57PKe5bDTl6Az2RWNYdLhp1wC41qH6eSdXbllMKMfSo_H3bLFJZiNOTP4A-RqchvQF-v73uA0pydSFIgZRNc2Ml3OR1OVPOiuvkHK-NLWgLlMDjeptAsAOnh_cx-/s700/1%20DSC04110sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjRJmvomVesxhWW3pEZayamKXUXZseXEO7oT4ZuBXH3xlihREQ4c3gTg3o3zExQn-57PKe5bDTl6Az2RWNYdLhp1wC41qH6eSdXbllMKMfSo_H3bLFJZiNOTP4A-RqchvQF-v73uA0pydSFIgZRNc2Ml3OR1OVPOiuvkHK-NLWgLlMDjeptAsAOnh_cx-/w266-h400/1%20DSC04110sm.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What if women ruled the world? Neon sculpture by Yael Bartana, 2016.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to
5pm. Admission is $16 for adults, $13 for D.C. residents and seniors. It is
free if you are under 21. For more information and directions go to the museum’s
website <a href="http://www.nmwa.org/">www.nmwa.org</a> .</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the time of our visit, NMWA did not have an onsite café.
(They plan to have one in the future.) We walked two blocks down the street to
a restaurant called <a href="https://tattebakery.com/" target="_blank">Tatte Bakery and Cafe</a>, and had a delicious lunch. </span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXfSpzbjwd8rL8KhL1XJx2t8etgCOBPuXg2g2tGJp3D3vAgbuisFZuJty5kUDjidPrpIizfCNLCYrE_vHOyM2Vyc2oZdobqXusXqQ1laDR3AC9-UDxasggNl5zJciIthuE-2U6_SLfsEal-5ZEqugKvNsmdVL9UATpNU1FCTq6H8ejeM3sryeLwep_zOV/s5472/1%20DSC04133.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXfSpzbjwd8rL8KhL1XJx2t8etgCOBPuXg2g2tGJp3D3vAgbuisFZuJty5kUDjidPrpIizfCNLCYrE_vHOyM2Vyc2oZdobqXusXqQ1laDR3AC9-UDxasggNl5zJciIthuE-2U6_SLfsEal-5ZEqugKvNsmdVL9UATpNU1FCTq6H8ejeM3sryeLwep_zOV/w400-h266/1%20DSC04133.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Still Life of Fish and Cat by Clara Peeters, after 1620.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-49497611473780201062024-02-26T08:00:00.001-08:002024-02-26T12:00:16.780-08:00TWO WEEKS IN KENYA: Nairobi Foods and Crafts, Guest Post by Jennifer E. Arnold<p><i><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><i style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqXNZZrpoF-1KYfk3tQDxYUxWRIbPjZ82wFJbhzPwnfX4eQru93gCCrRbzNWWXGJhY-cYYdWwhjM6bFWxNdTNe0j1s6lqhSUPS9oo7SQwAqhRdqjLd89bA4sI9ajlpNNB73xu-YTtSTdcjotsXPOnhzdn5a-wCvLghju04sxTkiu_iNLu4d66-_9xSVgL/s281/Untitled-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="281" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqXNZZrpoF-1KYfk3tQDxYUxWRIbPjZ82wFJbhzPwnfX4eQru93gCCrRbzNWWXGJhY-cYYdWwhjM6bFWxNdTNe0j1s6lqhSUPS9oo7SQwAqhRdqjLd89bA4sI9ajlpNNB73xu-YTtSTdcjotsXPOnhzdn5a-wCvLghju04sxTkiu_iNLu4d66-_9xSVgL/w400-h266/Untitled-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roadside basket shop, Nairobi, Kenya.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Many thanks to my
daughter Jennifer for her report on her family’s recent trip to Kenya. As Art
and I followed their adventures, we were reminded of our trip to Africa in
1971, when Jennifer was a baby. Here is her report on the foods and crafts in
Nairobi today.</i></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We stepped out of the Jomo Kenyatta airport in
Nairobi on January 2, 2024, and were immediately hit by the warm humid air. The
capital of Kenya, Nairobi sits just south of the equator, and has roughly equal
days and nights year round. We were visiting our friends Lisa and Ashu, who
assured us that January is supposed to be the dry season – and mostly it was,
but with perhaps unsurprising climate chaos, January 2024 was unusually rainy.
Lisa picked us up at the airport and drove us to their house on the new toll
expressway. The toll booths had signs for different kinds of payment, including
cash, Mpesa, and some other types I didn’t recognize.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1dLTTGhBqYTHWqm5bFPgEWUiu81bqEGO9m_nOXtAsqQiSxYgWa8u1RCws5zASOHeOI_LimtzF5mbSV7bO1xXv3BMR_rZU6hpi9mEvQYqD5-FO2D8JVLSUsnjuF-XEGTch9xkWUvf0nCA3MbzjEuWXSKV7xJ7heo8ApzsfoPaRsjk6o2mQWqV8H5Ot0C3/s264/Untitled-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="264" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1dLTTGhBqYTHWqm5bFPgEWUiu81bqEGO9m_nOXtAsqQiSxYgWa8u1RCws5zASOHeOI_LimtzF5mbSV7bO1xXv3BMR_rZU6hpi9mEvQYqD5-FO2D8JVLSUsnjuF-XEGTch9xkWUvf0nCA3MbzjEuWXSKV7xJ7heo8ApzsfoPaRsjk6o2mQWqV8H5Ot0C3/w400-h268/Untitled-3.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ingenious umbrella used by the boda (motorcycle) drivers.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black;"><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif">One of the biggest adjustments was learning how
to use the Kenyan mpesa system. Mpesa is an electronic payment system, similar
to Venmo or PayPal, but much more widespread – everyone has it, and it’s the
default method of payment. Ashu loaned us a Kenyan phone that was already set
up to use Mpesa, and we used it for everything from grocery store purchases to
buying crafts from a street vendor to paying tips to our waiters. Some larger
stores also accepted credit cards. </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Grocery stores were more or less like what we
see in the US, but we were excited to see the range of new foods. They had many
fruits not widely available here (mango, papaya, passion fruit, custard apple –
which is similar to the Chilean cherimoya), and there was a wide range of
Indian foods. In the produce section there was an assistant who weighed and
tagged the produce before you went up to the counter. Our friends introduced us
to “Crackies”, a spiced sweet potato chip (delicious! And unfortunately not
sold in the US).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxhDoKQJc5xjTalTCcaOSaq0VtRxsesWdk6Lm3igV_fO-o8osguPezRqwGfZfS9WEkxpuzF9sbwFk9-ktNBD1romEsI1BmiYpI3TewBecGxKh-JebqwCsAyNF46sYrSV2e9yti-_JwjZvTaF_z4uBM9Gh95gkteKHrM-Vfi0OlDwNsqXekHVcrZkixVQO/s290/Untitled-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="290" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxhDoKQJc5xjTalTCcaOSaq0VtRxsesWdk6Lm3igV_fO-o8osguPezRqwGfZfS9WEkxpuzF9sbwFk9-ktNBD1romEsI1BmiYpI3TewBecGxKh-JebqwCsAyNF46sYrSV2e9yti-_JwjZvTaF_z4uBM9Gh95gkteKHrM-Vfi0OlDwNsqXekHVcrZkixVQO/w400-h266/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roadside metal sculpture shop.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />One of the first things we noticed is that some
commercial activity takes place in extensive roadside shops. I can’t call them
“stands”, because they sometimes go on for blocks. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N58m5hrFpoAKhYsnEPGT_zrThcOKIQRCEgL3PxPH-7qgeNUDd2RwuXgWI-tfXowsFvAN6b13LRDwowiLdB99fr2N3gBaxXI-k3qFyEmM3Fx-m9-9T0CWszT2WO3iRjT42jZud5EfoMadq2EUmPLEsipInbDdBn02iIiwCL0YqTXIkMa6rEBOUAQZ8OUK/s298/Untitled-1.%20plants.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="298" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N58m5hrFpoAKhYsnEPGT_zrThcOKIQRCEgL3PxPH-7qgeNUDd2RwuXgWI-tfXowsFvAN6b13LRDwowiLdB99fr2N3gBaxXI-k3qFyEmM3Fx-m9-9T0CWszT2WO3iRjT42jZud5EfoMadq2EUmPLEsipInbDdBn02iIiwCL0YqTXIkMa6rEBOUAQZ8OUK/w400-h267/Untitled-1.%20plants.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roadside plant shop.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />We saw both crafts and also
the sale of regular household goods like beds or building materials. We learned
from our friends that almost anything can be purchased for delivery by boda
(motorcycle). Nairobi also has a thriving Uber industry, which we used several
times.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0ZTczN6sUHwo9-hKG2xxejRM8plBJ3F_i3ZaThL6UjsNUFz-GaLFF_kyDoI790_OWrItTxONt5oKYXf8da6vakdyaSpXJzeYOJ8dcsVJTU2p0xwIDSl1IFSqsAxLBxkt1VB6OEN3ErKMdvfarEtFn573w0PlDn0dvQjWteK-0IPnZxxoKKuttc6nb0jT/s266/Untitled-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="199" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0ZTczN6sUHwo9-hKG2xxejRM8plBJ3F_i3ZaThL6UjsNUFz-GaLFF_kyDoI790_OWrItTxONt5oKYXf8da6vakdyaSpXJzeYOJ8dcsVJTU2p0xwIDSl1IFSqsAxLBxkt1VB6OEN3ErKMdvfarEtFn573w0PlDn0dvQjWteK-0IPnZxxoKKuttc6nb0jT/w299-h400/Untitled-4.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Street-side hand washing station outside a restaurant.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />We saw consistent public
messaging about hand washing, and one restaurant provided a station outside for
you to use even before entering the building! We ate at numerous excellent
restaurants, including Indian food, Swahili food, pizza, and salads, meats, and
juices. My mom remembered that about 50 years ago in Nairobi [see<a href=" https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-africa-trip-50th-anniversary.html" target="_blank"> </a></span><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="text-decoration-skip-ink: none; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href=" https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-africa-trip-50th-anniversary.html" target="_blank">https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-africa-trip-50th-anniversary.html</a></span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt;">] it wasn’t considered safe for travelers to eat raw vegetables in </span></span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">restaurants, but nowadays it is perfectly fine.</span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nQ2PKTR0rSDL6z38NfCufMLWSnKtft0nDLD-_CROAdTK3pYWIzhTSW2hqUbc72iaMEe-ItVFDyUD6UEPXZtfaND9NcCjEjGTxeoYz4SfOa_hwvhQuC72d45leGspzGRXpQXdOs7U5wuZJbNkmHLzPs9QrCzuU1UMCfFaDAuROEaZ7YxsxA6aePvMoiOn/s273/Untitled-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="204" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nQ2PKTR0rSDL6z38NfCufMLWSnKtft0nDLD-_CROAdTK3pYWIzhTSW2hqUbc72iaMEe-ItVFDyUD6UEPXZtfaND9NcCjEjGTxeoYz4SfOa_hwvhQuC72d45leGspzGRXpQXdOs7U5wuZJbNkmHLzPs9QrCzuU1UMCfFaDAuROEaZ7YxsxA6aePvMoiOn/w299-h400/Untitled-5.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Crafts sold at the Masai Market.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""><br />Kenya has a strong craft and art
industry, a few examples of which are shown below. In addition we visited the
Masai Market where people sell a wide variety of souvenirs and local goods, as
well as a fabric shop where they sold traditional Kikoi, Kitenge, and Khanga
fabrics.</span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;">One thing you won’t find in Kenyan stores is grocery bags. We were thrilled to learn that Kenya banned single-use plastic bags in 2017. This is one of the strictest bans
worldwide, which means you can’t even enter the country with such bags. This
forced us to examine our suitcases before leaving home to make sure we weren’t
wrapping our shoes in old grocery bags. Instead you can bring your own shopping
bags, or purchase a reusable shopping bag in grocery stores. In smaller stands
they sometimes offer small paper-fabric shopping bags.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""><b>Kitengela Glass Shop</b></span></u></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ1VofHoZo7jR3efwTd17H4jjbGfCVVAjPYKkl9NC6LcYUcyqvWizNIp04faBaozfuLnXosW8pjgtGpQiagr0vbuKDjywOb3V1YKg7QhOhyKZUIHeY66xhS7QdgFTxTn7DtvjLY2SPvke1VQbo5j0Z-it6EZY5gdqo4NSBK2Y17l3_lWaG69C0vCmDqrc/s298/Untitled-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="298" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ1VofHoZo7jR3efwTd17H4jjbGfCVVAjPYKkl9NC6LcYUcyqvWizNIp04faBaozfuLnXosW8pjgtGpQiagr0vbuKDjywOb3V1YKg7QhOhyKZUIHeY66xhS7QdgFTxTn7DtvjLY2SPvke1VQbo5j0Z-it6EZY5gdqo4NSBK2Y17l3_lWaG69C0vCmDqrc/w400-h267/Untitled-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXbG5-UiHdkRKgiCJGpLfuge4UpAKIh8Ubx_2NZMG2xmqh6_jEJDItk8o_4mON5EVd43mz42DyVceUprcYsMsWAVSpcM3aXxizl4cZu8OTGqsvsi4KmWo7Elfh0GkTB3YEQEZ6Fwdf8rhtkH2U7zZrv307yFpoiuXFwvqmBOd1rt0BTfC-jGeaYrzmMbe/s296/Untitled-7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="296" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXbG5-UiHdkRKgiCJGpLfuge4UpAKIh8Ubx_2NZMG2xmqh6_jEJDItk8o_4mON5EVd43mz42DyVceUprcYsMsWAVSpcM3aXxizl4cZu8OTGqsvsi4KmWo7Elfh0GkTB3YEQEZ6Fwdf8rhtkH2U7zZrv307yFpoiuXFwvqmBOd1rt0BTfC-jGeaYrzmMbe/w400-h268/Untitled-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kitengela glass shop.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The <a href="https://www.kitengela.glass" target="_blank">Kitengela factory</a> is located about 50 minutes from the city of Nairobi<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;">, but you can visit their shop in the city at the Westgate shopping center.</span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span face="Arial, "sans-serif""><b>Rugs and Weaving</b></span></u></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjBQ__38SaEB0tyO3OpA_Mx87lZAqhYQjWP2yHFmU2QTi94QCpIeRHzK7Hq310UsLBaSR5w6cQJ0URiF0z50jyC0a7Sdwevz8QdnE-3QpsbOJPHaqrcFaYkXHRwEEZQ22-k-cmC1RUpekkHkP2bmC40TixXr81g-TgMWESi2Buqp37mkrzLDyWkitEyi9/s298/Untitled-8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="298" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjBQ__38SaEB0tyO3OpA_Mx87lZAqhYQjWP2yHFmU2QTi94QCpIeRHzK7Hq310UsLBaSR5w6cQJ0URiF0z50jyC0a7Sdwevz8QdnE-3QpsbOJPHaqrcFaYkXHRwEEZQ22-k-cmC1RUpekkHkP2bmC40TixXr81g-TgMWESi2Buqp37mkrzLDyWkitEyi9/w400-h301/Untitled-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Marathon Weaver rug shop</i>. (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarathonWeavers">https://www.facebook.com/MarathonWeavers</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><br />We visited two rug shops on Ngong road in the neighborhood of Karen (named after
Karen Blixen who wrote “Out of Africa”). These shops were in the same area as
multiple furniture stores, which were displaying their goods on the side of the
busy road. The street was busy with many workers and shoppers (plus goats
wandering around), not put off by the fact that it was raining on the day we
were there. </span></span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU4bkkUVPFr6ZzwUr7VRjXbxvbRyB08fDrhCYBcbuA3otyPbHnp14fuG1ldoqT5_YCanitaLcv2BDJylyalFhKeETERoBCfGBy3oW77TGtH6hZOrnYPgOKqb5FK4YrCqyD-TgteNT_XWxejIO6qWoSBzjsO2XHWztITywuyH7sfeM0xVvhtdCEjSnstNx/s298/Untitled-9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="298" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXU4bkkUVPFr6ZzwUr7VRjXbxvbRyB08fDrhCYBcbuA3otyPbHnp14fuG1ldoqT5_YCanitaLcv2BDJylyalFhKeETERoBCfGBy3oW77TGtH6hZOrnYPgOKqb5FK4YrCqyD-TgteNT_XWxejIO6qWoSBzjsO2XHWztITywuyH7sfeM0xVvhtdCEjSnstNx/w400-h301/Untitled-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Loom and rug in progress in the Jireh workshop.</i> (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Jirehhandwovencraft/">https://www.facebook.com/Jirehhandwovencraft/</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><br />At the Jireh business we got to see their workshop and the amazing process of creating a large rug, which involves climbing the loom like Spiderman. The entire
business is run by a family - a mother and her grown children. Getting to the
workshop was an adventure that was solved in what seems to be a uniquely Kenyan
way. We couldn’t find the shop, so we called them. One worker came out to the
main road to meet us, got in our car with us and directed us to the workshop!</span></span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><u><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"">Kazuri beads</span></u></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVRfGOZb71UEZD7_-upNTVM-n-SbIfwqtJCA8k1MY5qzkH_t-5S8h876QNEyDFnL4p8canbUARX83XBFHgEFeMvVmDPwG4kxNLk19K8JVRx7iqD09U8kHPBOfSLwl0dn_WJh4hhkncXzsNaoxDEx2ICTJrzVs0rY0y-nqQT4XABCNgdcEJzMw-ngsShY6/s274/Untitled-10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="274" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVRfGOZb71UEZD7_-upNTVM-n-SbIfwqtJCA8k1MY5qzkH_t-5S8h876QNEyDFnL4p8canbUARX83XBFHgEFeMvVmDPwG4kxNLk19K8JVRx7iqD09U8kHPBOfSLwl0dn_WJh4hhkncXzsNaoxDEx2ICTJrzVs0rY0y-nqQT4XABCNgdcEJzMw-ngsShY6/w400-h301/Untitled-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beads in the making.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;"><br />This business (</span></span><a href="https://kazuri.com/"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: #1155cc;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://kazuri.com/</span></span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="color: black;">) was founded in 1975 with the goal of employing single mothers in need of employment. We got a tour and saw how they make the beads, bake them in a kiln, glaze them, and again bake the glaze all on site.</span></span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnQUwPgpiMqSMv1ma_0T6EzcLjCjJJ2QeUTvFJe7L7xsIHx7vJJcby0b4xubNXj83B30CEU_WZN0URnDSmzmNauKlTDzdL-iYbbUVSBEDcekVHLl4K9yCpra9MVgR-ZJQlUTavbNUHSIaI65UKMjGzatzABhhuMuhreOAd8qwfoeRMmfNJ348ud66X5nS/s293/Untitled-11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="293" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnQUwPgpiMqSMv1ma_0T6EzcLjCjJJ2QeUTvFJe7L7xsIHx7vJJcby0b4xubNXj83B30CEU_WZN0URnDSmzmNauKlTDzdL-iYbbUVSBEDcekVHLl4K9yCpra9MVgR-ZJQlUTavbNUHSIaI65UKMjGzatzABhhuMuhreOAd8qwfoeRMmfNJ348ud66X5nS/w400-h300/Untitled-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beads in the making.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-71545960929980018472024-02-19T08:00:00.002-08:002024-02-19T08:00:00.246-08:00ELEPHANT SANCTUARY AT KOH SAMUI ISLAND, THAILAND, Guest Post by Tom Scheaffer<p><i><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uPGYtUMlc7DeeZhdOj-sokt6ytj8fXswNCsE4I_NSyN-wWZYhi6eYknO3t1xfpgwjTEvNIdduzSSZ9nMvcC0q-bkmdItYT5LcKk6Lt8NMbEFT2bKkIBFW60UzHgaMM6F-X2e9gC_MvActkp-aRV_PTheG_4a10SJWjviHuYkqvjEcPBW6crQs0lpfLOy/s759/ae84ab6e-c8ba-45d3-bcec-b800d700e497cr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="759" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uPGYtUMlc7DeeZhdOj-sokt6ytj8fXswNCsE4I_NSyN-wWZYhi6eYknO3t1xfpgwjTEvNIdduzSSZ9nMvcC0q-bkmdItYT5LcKk6Lt8NMbEFT2bKkIBFW60UzHgaMM6F-X2e9gC_MvActkp-aRV_PTheG_4a10SJWjviHuYkqvjEcPBW6crQs0lpfLOy/w400-h319/ae84ab6e-c8ba-45d3-bcec-b800d700e497cr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Samui Elephant Kingdom, Thailand</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />My brother Tom
Scheaffer loves to travel and has previously written about his trips for The
Intrepid Tourist. In early February he went to Thailand. Here is his report.</span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB56MrbqlAA81057viEv5n7IIw4XXV4JgDPtngMplNXG3G6IhQvMs5Dt83T7mXTlJAITxnZnb9KDEuw0h3DLGtCI-Yc41Wab0fSlouGksT7qrQRNWRMs-I9TKqqIaZYdH2McdgQGHmqRbpg_KlzIeq8xmzIdzJLnffwmIhEkWiOr-YzgAD8RsNCFKU3fJ/s640/IMG_4658.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB56MrbqlAA81057viEv5n7IIw4XXV4JgDPtngMplNXG3G6IhQvMs5Dt83T7mXTlJAITxnZnb9KDEuw0h3DLGtCI-Yc41Wab0fSlouGksT7qrQRNWRMs-I9TKqqIaZYdH2McdgQGHmqRbpg_KlzIeq8xmzIdzJLnffwmIhEkWiOr-YzgAD8RsNCFKU3fJ/w400-h300/IMG_4658.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Koh Samui Island, Thailand</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />I
recently took a two week trip to <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Samui" target="_blank">Koh Samui Island</a></b> in Thailand. After a long,
transpacific flight, I was rewarded with a very peaceful and restful hotel
right on the water. Swimming in the sea twice a day was a real highlight. The
ocean is calm and the water is the perfect temperature. I was there with many friends
from the <a href="https://www.srichinmoycentre.org/" target="_blank">Sri Chinmoy meditation center</a>. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Ow8Pxzo6LdFZzSrquoPJ0pPRe6CArDhmxsAJNbCIfgkOMdhMRDfQcroQGuzK7XDNyI2tbMdDb1tXqpFVqaGcV0xPhtWrcLd3UL6emFe5xYC-hZO0bTR12y16AwOAnjeEadIZrLH9zh7tl2bgiPtqivGkiQcOl0dyKMGbmPTtVfyZrbIV7nch3ncq8O2/s640/IMG_4668.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Ow8Pxzo6LdFZzSrquoPJ0pPRe6CArDhmxsAJNbCIfgkOMdhMRDfQcroQGuzK7XDNyI2tbMdDb1tXqpFVqaGcV0xPhtWrcLd3UL6emFe5xYC-hZO0bTR12y16AwOAnjeEadIZrLH9zh7tl2bgiPtqivGkiQcOl0dyKMGbmPTtVfyZrbIV7nch3ncq8O2/w400-h300/IMG_4668.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset at the Celes Samui Resort and Spa</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />This is
the view from where we ate in the hotel, the <b><a href="https://www.celessamui.com/" target="_blank">Celes Samui Resort and Spa</a></b>. It was perfect weather--warm, but not too hot and no rain.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvSirrSZnZlpkzW_l1deeThBgseVv-l-kxBiYOpYiaMcn3DY7NiOVM9Eyl4FWhyphenhyphen8qO1MpoGDeLjKX_dbtPZ4qcBENBhgWkZgnmtTKB14P8LccUCKRKyDXVOf60zfLvrtc1rBKwy5DI7Cvp8gGvLHt9qkRAjghJ1TQxe856xgrGq4NnxjqaqIKmv8gLg3R/s1024/bca1d32b-d648-4a54-b9c3-d8c7e38773aa.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvSirrSZnZlpkzW_l1deeThBgseVv-l-kxBiYOpYiaMcn3DY7NiOVM9Eyl4FWhyphenhyphen8qO1MpoGDeLjKX_dbtPZ4qcBENBhgWkZgnmtTKB14P8LccUCKRKyDXVOf60zfLvrtc1rBKwy5DI7Cvp8gGvLHt9qkRAjghJ1TQxe856xgrGq4NnxjqaqIKmv8gLg3R/w300-h400/bca1d32b-d648-4a54-b9c3-d8c7e38773aa.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Elephant at Samui Elephant Kingdom</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />We
visited the <b><a href="https://www.elephantkingdomsanctuary.com/" target="_blank">Samui Elephant Kingdom</a></b>, which is a sanctuary for elephants that have
been mistreated or needed a home. They come from all parts of Thailand. It was really fun
and the elephants are so gentle and nice.</span> The founder, Chokchai
Rueangsri, has developed a beautiful and very extensive natural area where
elephants can roam freely and be treated in the most humane way possible. <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyZAc23kn30W272QuQX2IE78z2vIGXv4y2NT0R3IXinmPs13g_tEv-cfqF0np3vnHTedLlFGbDw6Aey61M0uyfJUXWVvDV-lXEpPnQMEKlfDpUQYPx_25HdhWdOOAVptRrlhwqsyNJR-zBsEYdMxZJHZxqYxqAWKYBzyAZjDM2xcjHj3qHh_AbzJ19f30/s1280/3c5a8476-a15d-44e1-a4a0-597d132bf02d.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyZAc23kn30W272QuQX2IE78z2vIGXv4y2NT0R3IXinmPs13g_tEv-cfqF0np3vnHTedLlFGbDw6Aey61M0uyfJUXWVvDV-lXEpPnQMEKlfDpUQYPx_25HdhWdOOAVptRrlhwqsyNJR-zBsEYdMxZJHZxqYxqAWKYBzyAZjDM2xcjHj3qHh_AbzJ19f30/w300-h400/3c5a8476-a15d-44e1-a4a0-597d132bf02d.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Feeding the elephants.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxGutNMr2g3PyPprrzcIMkQLG1_M6cvpki6F3UPsjM-uOUxhBoLxS2mEv5p6oRZb4REzLTDzRwd-ERfJvD2gw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />The
most exciting thing was feeding them! We made large cookies, the size of a
tennis ball, using bananas and other protein powders, and then held them out,
and they would gently take them with their trunks, and then place them in their
mouths. The elephants were amazingly gentle and we had a chance to even
approach them and pet them. <div><br /></div><div>For a complete report on Tom's group's visit to the Samui Elephant Kingdom, with dozens of wonderful photos, go to <b><a href="https://www.peacerun.org/th/news/2024/0207/4858/" target="_blank">Live From the Road</a></b>, on the Sri Chimnoy Peace Run site.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Note that Koh Samui is sometimes spelled Ko Samui. It is the same place.)<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWVgBmHC11myTzDDEPu4sqIvPUmpmfG-n2hJzhYY8vZYZwUy0lAQ0SKpQlBgvVbPQU4XtzYwXa9sDMF7-ZK4ptPJLbBHg-aa1DJS0MYrUgKS-6f4kiiiiCfUfvt8k14_JQDEmZQQjveEqjuo0aNsK3MrGOsIYq83GgAvNLCwyei-KdZpw6YOFk-Vpo7Zg/s640/IMG_4662.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="640" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWVgBmHC11myTzDDEPu4sqIvPUmpmfG-n2hJzhYY8vZYZwUy0lAQ0SKpQlBgvVbPQU4XtzYwXa9sDMF7-ZK4ptPJLbBHg-aa1DJS0MYrUgKS-6f4kiiiiCfUfvt8k14_JQDEmZQQjveEqjuo0aNsK3MrGOsIYq83GgAvNLCwyei-KdZpw6YOFk-Vpo7Zg/w400-h289/IMG_4662.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIzLLIz_gx3MMIQUlhxu3siGdVtj4Z2bZ1po1uXhUeJyH5Cb09Yz3DFtZJJPvOF0J8Ikhqgezwm6QXErA2_IdRMcEgmSSpllt24U2f049_XUCgg5Q423dlcbkhVOpbQBw3zeXw2KyNqmiGgN7tSUVNviXjMyy7ckAICO50z2KvKCGaGsMNNpMY4MvmYsw/s640/d3ac05a0-b1eb-4b36-b862-7de8dee05db1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIzLLIz_gx3MMIQUlhxu3siGdVtj4Z2bZ1po1uXhUeJyH5Cb09Yz3DFtZJJPvOF0J8Ikhqgezwm6QXErA2_IdRMcEgmSSpllt24U2f049_XUCgg5Q423dlcbkhVOpbQBw3zeXw2KyNqmiGgN7tSUVNviXjMyy7ckAICO50z2KvKCGaGsMNNpMY4MvmYsw/w400-h300/d3ac05a0-b1eb-4b36-b862-7de8dee05db1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tom Scheaffer</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span><p></p></div>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-40395821933248452372024-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-15T08:50:25.630-08:00BIRDS OF UMUSAMBI VILLAGE, KIGALI, RWANDA: Guest Post by Karen Minkowski <p><span style="background-color: white; color: #747474; font-size: 14pt;"><i></i></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPnWK62pHUtyjiUnB8U4PBIlx6xOLSAuxtUWebGMbA4LT6rsypGVAjjZivsWHqK66TA8ksTzQjPZZH56CbpOFmKyqlCs5SgW9Iqjic9Ld9GauP7_D_7zCmFh9l14HlJXAjOSRGKqWUUuTa3H9EKhyphenhyphen-gaxPO5wbhmcI6NRQMPdA-zuBGoNc9V_XGryQPS0/s313/Untitled-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="313" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPnWK62pHUtyjiUnB8U4PBIlx6xOLSAuxtUWebGMbA4LT6rsypGVAjjZivsWHqK66TA8ksTzQjPZZH56CbpOFmKyqlCs5SgW9Iqjic9Ld9GauP7_D_7zCmFh9l14HlJXAjOSRGKqWUUuTa3H9EKhyphenhyphen-gaxPO5wbhmcI6NRQMPdA-zuBGoNc9V_XGryQPS0/w400-h321/Untitled-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pair of Grey Crowned Cranes, Rwanda</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #747474;"><i><br />My friend
Karen Minkowski, a frequent contributor to The Intrepid Tourist and definitely
an intrepid traveler, has just returned from Africa, where she spend two and a
half months photographing birds in Umusambi Village, in Rwanda. I thank her for
sharing her spectacular photos and insights into the birds' behavior with The
Intrepid Tourist.</i></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #747474; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18.6667px;">On the eastern edge of Kigali, Rwanda's capital, lies Umusambi Village, a beautiful wetland park that is a sanctuary for Gray Crowned Cranes rescued from the illegal pet trade. The park's 21 hectares (52 acres), once-degraded wetlands that were restored by the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, provide a safe environment for these birds whose wings and flight feathers had been clipped in captivity. Now they live much like wild cranes--except they cannot fly.</span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt;"><span style="color: #747474; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqIBvrJJOkiLts9zol7oGdcoKt5TaKvHoqI_QP-jqRdhG8k730BMn5Xx51zvjuk6VULwotayXMawhEdUfshi3kDkajc9dgqyGtA_LuupAMGegdpLMAZZW-QqiqUhBxO81pw0sjSj5hK6HN9_Dj00eV7CSjX626FjpnaGll2f9l-I3plhHaBo13rQrvpVY/s601/Untitled-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="601" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqIBvrJJOkiLts9zol7oGdcoKt5TaKvHoqI_QP-jqRdhG8k730BMn5Xx51zvjuk6VULwotayXMawhEdUfshi3kDkajc9dgqyGtA_LuupAMGegdpLMAZZW-QqiqUhBxO81pw0sjSj5hK6HN9_Dj00eV7CSjX626FjpnaGll2f9l-I3plhHaBo13rQrvpVY/w400-h268/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Path in Umusambi Village</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #747474; font-size: 14pt;"><br />I spent many
happy hours walking Umusambi’s well-maintained pathways and boardwalks that give
visitors access to marshes, grasslands, dense thickets and woodlands. The park
attracts well over 100 native bird species (including wild Grey-crowned
Cranes), as well as a few mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and other
invertebrates. As I did with my account of Kigali’s other wetland park,
Nyandungu, a few months ago on Intrepid Tourist, my photos are annotated with a
few details about the birds’ behaviors that I found fascinating.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaBZ-3Cf3fmmv5C3VlSVp0EaQ5Dox8gIEPVE3HvN7OoK9OKM5fRDzFpMfFtqAQuLNu7H8rh2LjVhewFS-AKfZhvFzKfslXadX4Q4enmgvZN5hVvQZCr6_lErQWzW_-eN0seVXjBYLk2H6YkK716WLFF1SZAuLyBUunQ22Ownhyw3ObFa0_8eiOrYwHnjI/s258/Untitled-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="258" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaBZ-3Cf3fmmv5C3VlSVp0EaQ5Dox8gIEPVE3HvN7OoK9OKM5fRDzFpMfFtqAQuLNu7H8rh2LjVhewFS-AKfZhvFzKfslXadX4Q4enmgvZN5hVvQZCr6_lErQWzW_-eN0seVXjBYLk2H6YkK716WLFF1SZAuLyBUunQ22Ownhyw3ObFa0_8eiOrYwHnjI/w400-h400/Untitled-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grey crowned crane</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />Courtship and bonding
rituals seem to be part of daily life for grey crowned cranes, who mate for
life. At the top of this post, a wild pair perched atop a tree appear to be
“kissing” with the tips of their bills. Above, a rescued crane jumps as
part of a typical display for his/her partner. <span style="color: #747474;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUP-bck9wZr3jnln143TZZciagPDidzpbA4T7F7zdvbn83lxx2kV9yKMfRK-oQFbNG9XPIraP2cDru_WV3DrN5HOIYUQRvP4wenGrW7BFk9HRKhfhqw3Wg2Slebd9JEclqKtLQWhoYRcLoQsftDc7efrlk7rFASWBuCb3qcOh583u3hZjjZW8A_14blBNf/s584/Untitled-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="584" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUP-bck9wZr3jnln143TZZciagPDidzpbA4T7F7zdvbn83lxx2kV9yKMfRK-oQFbNG9XPIraP2cDru_WV3DrN5HOIYUQRvP4wenGrW7BFk9HRKhfhqw3Wg2Slebd9JEclqKtLQWhoYRcLoQsftDc7efrlk7rFASWBuCb3qcOh583u3hZjjZW8A_14blBNf/w400-h266/Untitled-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-headed Gonolek</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Black-headed
Gonoleks occupy the narrow strips of woodland that border Umusambi’s wet
grasslands. The Gonoleks are frequently heard duetting with
their mate. The male’s clear-toned call is usually answered by a harsh, grating
response from the female. Duetting may help in pair-bonding, maintaining
contact in dense foliage and with territorial defense (two birds calling sound
more formidable than one?)</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BykDUbViRqbXLVxKm4iINOnXgILBaN0eWwhaMpiO8WnDto3qN6JwrTMOzUJ7r_w2UbEKxxVkl553NQS66xqH3NSiJk4UXzRgG-QVCM4VxBKni6aibOedobY3qn5CIfqM6xBrSdqVBa3fKfuj6-sUd9FtpL8JwMFPO_Q_8baGjr9nacnoJjq39e7-NB9P/s495/Untitled-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BykDUbViRqbXLVxKm4iINOnXgILBaN0eWwhaMpiO8WnDto3qN6JwrTMOzUJ7r_w2UbEKxxVkl553NQS66xqH3NSiJk4UXzRgG-QVCM4VxBKni6aibOedobY3qn5CIfqM6xBrSdqVBa3fKfuj6-sUd9FtpL8JwMFPO_Q_8baGjr9nacnoJjq39e7-NB9P/w400-h400/Untitled-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Speckled Mousebird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />When
nutrient-dense fruits are in low supply, the Speckled Mousebird turns to leaves,
a rare food item among birds, but generally abundant in most areas. The
species’ GI tract has evolved the ability to digest and extract sustenance from
leaves. While they don’t provide the same amount of energy that fruits do, eating
leaves allows the Speckled Mousebirds to maintain smaller territories. They
have also evolved ways to conserve energy in their daily lives. Rather than
flapping their wings in flight, they often glide. Huddling together at night and
even during the day helps preserve body temperature. And by perching vertically,
as the Mousebird in the photo is doing, they expose their bellies to sunlight, which
aids in digestion.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-hbZ1swnkwrceenYpt7VM_scEdwSpRHVav4C4BKXr8k-nD29p9ogc7yH0qx2Iv21JEyirjHAC33dhAunhlas407SoNPH2a5sUffoBp39fX8QkQt7w3L0j555taW-oIg0NXI6QHAfOgV_zXq7UmPBoOU3SMjqIrvvjC_Bp7YhvRHAirZQAfNFB8nYIO8j/s601/Untitled-6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="601" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-hbZ1swnkwrceenYpt7VM_scEdwSpRHVav4C4BKXr8k-nD29p9ogc7yH0qx2Iv21JEyirjHAC33dhAunhlas407SoNPH2a5sUffoBp39fX8QkQt7w3L0j555taW-oIg0NXI6QHAfOgV_zXq7UmPBoOU3SMjqIrvvjC_Bp7YhvRHAirZQAfNFB8nYIO8j/w400-h268/Untitled-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View of acacia wetlands.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: times;">A
boardwalk and platform seen in the background allow access into the acacia
wetlands.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uCxVzX0we3bmZAFO186pxPtX3r-GcBCuRm7q2d2RRvTfSnhgLiP1NwFsjiOoh1qvSZfsqq1aNaL2SmlSfxpFTVbQSeMebBI36aGxzTnzhL4hXJtvyT4dmHQHqgtAByKWtkLc4bRCU3zwdsqZyJvX7ogMfYzJ0nSF_wZmdBaVQNlIcFWv-zG0uv2R_1Md/s405/Untitled-7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="405" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uCxVzX0we3bmZAFO186pxPtX3r-GcBCuRm7q2d2RRvTfSnhgLiP1NwFsjiOoh1qvSZfsqq1aNaL2SmlSfxpFTVbQSeMebBI36aGxzTnzhL4hXJtvyT4dmHQHqgtAByKWtkLc4bRCU3zwdsqZyJvX7ogMfYzJ0nSF_wZmdBaVQNlIcFWv-zG0uv2R_1Md/w400-h268/Untitled-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pied Kingfisher</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />Pied
Kingfishers engage in cooperative breeding, a system in which non-breeders,
often juveniles, assist a breeding pair in rearing their chicks. It is often
undertaken where breeding sites and potential mates are in short supply. With
Pied Kingfishers, the helpers are males, usually a juvenile helping its
parents, but some helpers are not related to the breeding pair. Like most
social systems, this one involves both cooperation and conflict, primarily
between the breeding male and unrelated helpers. (The breeding female is much
more tolerant - she will accept fish from any male who offers it). Helpers
related to the breeding pair have a genetic stake in the chicks’ survival and
can also be aggressive towards an unrelated helper.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBT0Lja78Qhd5pqGHEg3oOX2hVQDHw2OiPpjqHbf8sJzJIvpdP4RcqrdKEQOKUxAgWcQ4Ikt-wBXofFWvLpmBKWsmBlngRbpwMc4goyoopnhTSlQOhS9sDXNdR0D7irX4ASMCE4n0_TegzToqyMy7JcOaGdUfpzlA-fqPNzHxlDd_1oJ4AzMIqkQBWIt/s464/Untitled-8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="464" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBT0Lja78Qhd5pqGHEg3oOX2hVQDHw2OiPpjqHbf8sJzJIvpdP4RcqrdKEQOKUxAgWcQ4Ikt-wBXofFWvLpmBKWsmBlngRbpwMc4goyoopnhTSlQOhS9sDXNdR0D7irX4ASMCE4n0_TegzToqyMy7JcOaGdUfpzlA-fqPNzHxlDd_1oJ4AzMIqkQBWIt/w400-h400/Untitled-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-backed Shrike</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
elegant Red-backed Shrike impales its captured prey on thorns, barbed wire or anything
spiky. This behavior probably evolved to compensate for not having feet strong
enough to hold captured lizards, frogs, and other birds in place while the shrike
tries to tear off bite-sized pieces. Some Red-backed Shrikes store food items
on spikes, creating “larders”, especially during the breeding season when there
are more mouths to feed.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8NYG5JsTJfi-7Zl_cuNTIVZTeuBFsPL0tx37kR6Qcmr6obP3dgU-0u961bttCkX5G_THo342dFCi97iyL0o1Z70-xRlE-ZA4nRY6Nt7KeKaFx8C4Na0ymghMLy57EtQdi6laISeV0v_fXxALp_kfxby4hK9rc99KxUIpoM2g4G9O2JblYKm_xklH35Ce/s377/Untitled-9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="377" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8NYG5JsTJfi-7Zl_cuNTIVZTeuBFsPL0tx37kR6Qcmr6obP3dgU-0u961bttCkX5G_THo342dFCi97iyL0o1Z70-xRlE-ZA4nRY6Nt7KeKaFx8C4Na0ymghMLy57EtQdi6laISeV0v_fXxALp_kfxby4hK9rc99KxUIpoM2g4G9O2JblYKm_xklH35Ce/w400-h400/Untitled-9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Army ants.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Birding
involves a lot of looking up, but I also watched my feet to avoid tripping on
the uneven ground or stepping on Army ants. These little creatures sneak up
one’s pant legs undetected until they reach soft flesh and suddenly start biting.
The intense pain and itching can last a couple of days.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Army
ants live in huge colonies of up to 50 million individuals! They form highly disciplined
military-like columns that devour just about anything they encounter – mostly
other insects – and do a good job of cleaning up the forest floor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihj0IUyc6cnEcXPEiQd-SroWzXIe8_g6xVFuCxtZD7KZM3xAuKhwIeBhFmnlho3ERp4x4PSHT9uXY1_akFgJbOvDxg9DvWvFzMA_7gjnzmTBW_Ec0zn0KJ0svk0XiJl8lG7cUaFUq6YZ50sYHhXQsM3UybB_ttYjrdS7r4UARNJH9jpOdeJ7jHDbiZxlQB/s573/Untitled-10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihj0IUyc6cnEcXPEiQd-SroWzXIe8_g6xVFuCxtZD7KZM3xAuKhwIeBhFmnlho3ERp4x4PSHT9uXY1_akFgJbOvDxg9DvWvFzMA_7gjnzmTBW_Ec0zn0KJ0svk0XiJl8lG7cUaFUq6YZ50sYHhXQsM3UybB_ttYjrdS7r4UARNJH9jpOdeJ7jHDbiZxlQB/w400-h400/Untitled-10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Goshawk</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
Black Goshawk (aka Great Sparrowhawk) is reportedly a skillful hunter of guinea
fowl, hawks and owls. They also prey upon rodents and snakes. Females are
significantly larger than males. These goshawks build their nests from large
sticks and reuse the nests annually, repairing them as necessary.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-4929156505678736092024-02-05T08:00:00.002-08:002024-02-05T08:00:00.134-08:00MEETING A GIANT OF THE DINOSAUR AGE (Via Its Fossil Remains)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl2iAP2pUHLelXFRiPAYOOW9ktMMoUgd8_XXLDBLQZJfjO7U-13W4WVhkeIn3UEq9lSL95sqo23aSkCdFpxuamBARuePq72BapOINopgfj8m5E5GhPDKTx2JLF9PojS3A2Dv8s9E6oR7YnUFld88V1_iT5wfx82qSpfR3F8JWAbuFXhqeK4oijumQqg/s700/1%20DSC01226sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAl2iAP2pUHLelXFRiPAYOOW9ktMMoUgd8_XXLDBLQZJfjO7U-13W4WVhkeIn3UEq9lSL95sqo23aSkCdFpxuamBARuePq72BapOINopgfj8m5E5GhPDKTx2JLF9PojS3A2Dv8s9E6oR7YnUFld88V1_iT5wfx82qSpfR3F8JWAbuFXhqeK4oijumQqg/w400-h266/1%20DSC01226sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age.</b> At the Royal Tyrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta<br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>In May 2023 I visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Canada, the most amazing display of dinosaur fossils I have ever seen. (See my blogpost, <a href="https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-royal-tyrell-museum-drumheller.html" target="_blank">June 19, 2023</a>, for more about the exhibits.) I was especially interested in the room containing the remains of Shonisaurus, the giant sea reptile that is the on the cover of my book Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age</i> <i>(Clarion Books, 2007.)</i></span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I love learning about dinosaurs and what the world was like when they were alive. My book, <i>Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age,</i><b>
</b>looks at the diversity of large reptiles that once
inhabited the world’s oceans. Like the dinosaurs, they all became extinct 65
million years ago. We know about them today from their fossil remains.</span><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47tklLgeVp0IM7us16mA2e8rhkVqS4awtodkgTPjMKOLwSoDzcb6mCIroLt3NI9_2jPH0vg94rlpKy4J_DT6vDqHwp__OsZa396ATfW4dE589G6kCxkv-LANlMxWntNodKeMwTr4u7OTd3fdFGxWVrFNgDLKAtq1mV8soF4Gnu6L5hVUjkK2LV047NA/s900/1_DSC7708.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47tklLgeVp0IM7us16mA2e8rhkVqS4awtodkgTPjMKOLwSoDzcb6mCIroLt3NI9_2jPH0vg94rlpKy4J_DT6vDqHwp__OsZa396ATfW4dE589G6kCxkv-LANlMxWntNodKeMwTr4u7OTd3fdFGxWVrFNgDLKAtq1mV8soF4Gnu6L5hVUjkK2LV047NA/w400-h266/1_DSC7708.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening pages of <b>Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age</b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />On my recent trip to the <a href="https://tyrrellmuseum.com/" target="_blank">Royal Tyrell Museum</a> in Drumheller,
Alberta, Canada I was thrilled to see up close the remains of<i> Shonisaurus
sikanniensis,</i> the huge ichthyosaur that I wrote about in the opening
pages of the book. It fills an entire room at the museum.
Here's what I wrote:</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><i></i></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A3FdOOtfdRROr5FmRlSXxADdMUfdoLylmf-3TkXbAPHWE4eVbLkxrIp5pEU7VGjLd63rxhIERUOCbkJHnC_S7740bkUQzpByRdr-gFSjkMamLpatEMoUyULHi1wCWoc_q21naJkstwMzGbAUv4lG308P1Ce6EsL79wELZdFNViXZND9T38HfejPicg/s900/1_DSC7710sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A3FdOOtfdRROr5FmRlSXxADdMUfdoLylmf-3TkXbAPHWE4eVbLkxrIp5pEU7VGjLd63rxhIERUOCbkJHnC_S7740bkUQzpByRdr-gFSjkMamLpatEMoUyULHi1wCWoc_q21naJkstwMzGbAUv4lG308P1Ce6EsL79wELZdFNViXZND9T38HfejPicg/w400-h266/1_DSC7710sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fossil skeleton of <i>Shonisaurus sikanniensis.<br /></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Two hundred and twenty million years ago, in waters
that covered what is now western Canada, a huge marine reptile cruised the
shallow seas. Propelling itself with flat, flipper-like limbs, the 70-foot long
animal hunted for shellfish and other small ocean animals, which it sucked into
its long, toothless snout and swallowed. This fearsome creature was Shonisaurus
sikanniensis, a species of ichthyosaur, one of several types of large sea
reptiles that inhabited the world’s oceans in the Dinosaur Age.</i></span></span><p></p><i>
</i><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The fossil remains of Shonisaurus sikanniensis were
first discovered in 1991 when a hiker in northern British Columbia spotted some
big fossil bones eroding out of the banks of the Sikanni Chief River. He
reported his find to the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology, in Drumheller,
Alberta, where one of the curators, Dr. Elizabeth Nicholls, was an expert on
prehistoric sea reptiles. She visited the site and was amazed by what she saw.
The bones were bigger than those of any known marine reptile, and, incredibly,
most of the skeleton was intact. The only missing parts were the hind limbs.
Over the course of three summers, the fossil skeleton was dug out of the ground
and transported to the museum, where it was studied and prepared for exhibit.
Every part of the animal proved to be huge. The massive skull weighed more than
one and a half tons, and the largest vertebrae, which measured nearly 11 inches
across, were the size of dinner plates. In 2006, the giant skull of Shonisaurus
sikanniensis went on display at the museum. Along with the rest of the
skeleton, it will help answer questions about the appearance and lifestyle of
this giant prehistoric predator and why it grew so big.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As
Elizabeth Nicholls is quoted in the museum display: "The world we live
in right now is just a blink in the history of life on our planet. 220
million years ago there was a tremendous diversity of life that we know
so little about." <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><a href="https://www.carolinearnoldbooks.com/giantseareptiles.htm" target="_blank">Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age</a></b>
is illustrated with beautiful detailed watercolor paintings by Laurie
Caple. The book is no longer available in print, but you can look for it
in your local library. It will introduce you to some of the most
amazing creatures that ever swam in the oceans the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-tndDicTCBNNYJiLGEF4847QFJgurXXpRUK7Pd5JTGfT1V3Ul-TSQzWjZYB-gbCsamlqRQn7yF6YLnK_dCd1yapkWnhXEjWHjov3sCE_kQQsTJ19livPpapbGHSvvHGfrIPeCcuK9EomeGrnSm0F6ZAxo7pJsDZq1zg432znCg7HIZtYqd4HKAEzcw/s900/1_DSC7625sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-tndDicTCBNNYJiLGEF4847QFJgurXXpRUK7Pd5JTGfT1V3Ul-TSQzWjZYB-gbCsamlqRQn7yF6YLnK_dCd1yapkWnhXEjWHjov3sCE_kQQsTJ19livPpapbGHSvvHGfrIPeCcuK9EomeGrnSm0F6ZAxo7pJsDZq1zg432znCg7HIZtYqd4HKAEzcw/w400-h266/1_DSC7625sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>At the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p></div></div>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-52491119586972623802024-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T08:00:00.240-08:00RIVER WALK, HILLSBOROUGH, NC: Reliving History at Occaneechi Village<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOifNia_BSmHFMhGA0Ner4nT4HD41hlIEUjgnIUbjDgtwohaMqcWuQrInpdXV68LB1HRGcA5fahK9770_8ES5eoeJ2HMaePDC2PgtfVxsq6tONQrEcG-vpmnSInPnjK_MFbxOEJmImgXoTULo4wMVGZdtEQzlE4MtmcEK9ytb5U_j1p6u5073SRWb2BaC/s720/1%2020231125_141835.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOifNia_BSmHFMhGA0Ner4nT4HD41hlIEUjgnIUbjDgtwohaMqcWuQrInpdXV68LB1HRGcA5fahK9770_8ES5eoeJ2HMaePDC2PgtfVxsq6tONQrEcG-vpmnSInPnjK_MFbxOEJmImgXoTULo4wMVGZdtEQzlE4MtmcEK9ytb5U_j1p6u5073SRWb2BaC/w400-h300/1%2020231125_141835.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Historic replica of Occaneechi Village, Hillsborough, NC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />In late November, on a
cool but bright fall day, we took a walk along the Eno River in Hillsborough,
North Carolina, with our family. The <a href="https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/community/recreation-facilities/riverwalk/" target="_blank">Riverwalk</a> path follows the river bank through the
town park and links with other hiking trails. Not far from where we joined the
trail near the Weaver Street Market we came upon Occaneechi Village, a historic
replica of a native American village as it would have been in 1701.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW2UXhVxTHTeHzXzCz5oOJMsLmomHaRHKmgkAmGMwj-25vJhfMqy-bQdOQisauTvFBi8uTffayrNJjYO_G4Efv1v-wYKOVU_SfkM1lHMCqS9EAv9FqoFhZlLSOWm6h7rdNcS_nkvyoD86UyLAp1jbBGrDSBo9n74V78qcRhYNYI9KHsFA6MYXg885zXTA/s720/1%2020231125_141549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW2UXhVxTHTeHzXzCz5oOJMsLmomHaRHKmgkAmGMwj-25vJhfMqy-bQdOQisauTvFBi8uTffayrNJjYO_G4Efv1v-wYKOVU_SfkM1lHMCqS9EAv9FqoFhZlLSOWm6h7rdNcS_nkvyoD86UyLAp1jbBGrDSBo9n74V78qcRhYNYI9KHsFA6MYXg885zXTA/w400-h300/1%2020231125_141549.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thatched dwelling.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />At that time the Occaneechi Band of
the Saponi Nation lived on the land, growing food and hunting in the
surrounding forest. The village was an important trade location where the
Occaneechi people traded with Europeans as well as nearby tribes such as
the Tuscarora. Many descendants of the Occaneechi tribe continue to live in Hillsborough.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHhzSLoSDnN3QYiVhC7MJ8JxTbW86lfc5wah2c6Hv6saZ6Mql-EbtdmVOPEhrjn3RpwitCtD2kp23Il53OuIx9bx6i-BHfHt9VS7JZQ3DHRmMX_6KQWVDg2-9So_H3_7MyyTXHFoaFmHVVsyKdgBKjSJce0W_pb9fSEh7AuPjkWWJ9fXPKEswE0WNMMb7/s2936/1%2020231125_142025.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="2936" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHhzSLoSDnN3QYiVhC7MJ8JxTbW86lfc5wah2c6Hv6saZ6Mql-EbtdmVOPEhrjn3RpwitCtD2kp23Il53OuIx9bx6i-BHfHt9VS7JZQ3DHRmMX_6KQWVDg2-9So_H3_7MyyTXHFoaFmHVVsyKdgBKjSJce0W_pb9fSEh7AuPjkWWJ9fXPKEswE0WNMMb7/w400-h241/1%2020231125_142025.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Village surrounded by stockade of wooden posts.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />Inside a stockade of
wooden stakes are several thatched dwellings, open air shelters, places to build fires and prepare food, and other work areas. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EBQs8MZVMEBwHIw0l-r5PA9Ykgk32zaB7e7vX1xMLCLwWB8HFPwI8rckGPXOpWAFkHGIcmWmd0ylFzGs626zYsWrYEMOMPS7xMB2_bWPqEMD0CaQajYt4Wcs1L7NZc29a3gvb4QS2i_ZiRlL_Na61heUDOYksxByLgVqgt3G68W2kp3659C9aGH8DwXJ/s720/1%2020231125_141937.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EBQs8MZVMEBwHIw0l-r5PA9Ykgk32zaB7e7vX1xMLCLwWB8HFPwI8rckGPXOpWAFkHGIcmWmd0ylFzGs626zYsWrYEMOMPS7xMB2_bWPqEMD0CaQajYt4Wcs1L7NZc29a3gvb4QS2i_ZiRlL_Na61heUDOYksxByLgVqgt3G68W2kp3659C9aGH8DwXJ/w400-h300/1%2020231125_141937.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sample of caulking along the lower part of the stockade.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />Openings between the wooden stakes could be filled with a lattice of sticks caulked with mud.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwfJk1nKsog_vvBB_WuvA6rXd8-bRnYwvdcr9IMJsmfptaQRuSsKceYeaaI4R8qEYV9u9U-MjmU7WplAew3njypu7mWylYHbHQUcPMFBj0NRjfHPcDfpQ1qTzTqY0WlYhqC8hwb8DYYIMi0yXBdzY6vJQ-pZox-gNv1YRhgvI87HMSs-1DihyQDhs_EU_/s720/1%2020231125_142152.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwfJk1nKsog_vvBB_WuvA6rXd8-bRnYwvdcr9IMJsmfptaQRuSsKceYeaaI4R8qEYV9u9U-MjmU7WplAew3njypu7mWylYHbHQUcPMFBj0NRjfHPcDfpQ1qTzTqY0WlYhqC8hwb8DYYIMi0yXBdzY6vJQ-pZox-gNv1YRhgvI87HMSs-1DihyQDhs_EU_/w400-h300/1%2020231125_142152.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>River Park path.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />After exploring <b><a href="https://historichillsborough.org/occaneechi-indian-village/" target="_blank">Occaneechi Village</a></b> we continued walking along the paved path through River Park. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiZjVcBLRJ3Piyn05fWL-Q4e38PCYqw56WPtVjQKHjxggIuXAGUZmMa5pf5UcKLAE15M3aXH9XpgiWj7MTKW7rXUlWXEEwPMPpzMSvL2rBlZ5YCYiET93iDLHqenhO8iQMj9uRaYlG2bX5s2vnVi0CmfzZ4Rx5f6vENNhQHWTwTrjy1OGciejPhuEWZ4N/s720/1%2020231125_143654.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiZjVcBLRJ3Piyn05fWL-Q4e38PCYqw56WPtVjQKHjxggIuXAGUZmMa5pf5UcKLAE15M3aXH9XpgiWj7MTKW7rXUlWXEEwPMPpzMSvL2rBlZ5YCYiET93iDLHqenhO8iQMj9uRaYlG2bX5s2vnVi0CmfzZ4Rx5f6vENNhQHWTwTrjy1OGciejPhuEWZ4N/w400-h300/1%2020231125_143654.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Map of the Oxbow archeological site.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />Signs further along
the trail explained the historic significance of this location. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Toward the end of
our two mile walk we learned that archeological research
of the ten-acre site within the oxbow bend of the Eno River has revealed that it was
home to Occaneechi villages going back to 1000 A.D.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fh-aozgUlH1AOo4-pQLG3jf1UEKTW6cqmxMkGvJ5lbONFBIz5KD3_G3YW_b38HxJPM4bm4wQdygeGrKwfjw4cfH9QsWI3OP0p0DkFjNUK5E8BBEdnMxaK7XC7lyqYbd1DVPcw_FtRRmpy21UzcrYCznAEP1ngukWi3GXucaNUwYjDIDWaVOJXSsEMU8p/s720/1%2020231125_143748.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="596" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fh-aozgUlH1AOo4-pQLG3jf1UEKTW6cqmxMkGvJ5lbONFBIz5KD3_G3YW_b38HxJPM4bm4wQdygeGrKwfjw4cfH9QsWI3OP0p0DkFjNUK5E8BBEdnMxaK7XC7lyqYbd1DVPcw_FtRRmpy21UzcrYCznAEP1ngukWi3GXucaNUwYjDIDWaVOJXSsEMU8p/w331-h400/1%2020231125_143748.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Footbridge across Eno River at Oxbow.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the bridge near the oxbow, the trail veers away from the river bank and heads into the forest. We turned around here and headed back to our car. (A large parking garage is located near the trail head.) On our way back we passed a deer busy browsing, who paid little attention to us or other walkers.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh8_qaP4OwrVK3_6RAk_ymCh9LCa0ON74JchXGoFCk2JWEqTxtrDVTO3AEoQ1dX73sMI4-u3a8FguTnG3rp29uLbKt-g4krpO-frQr4hFDHE-dQI24pmCpgrmgAGUZiMFCfJEJUicfGGKz3wuFycuSzY9cRGN0mopRlerFWVD4tJctgkZrS17pbsSPa9b/s1440/1%2020231125_150433.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh8_qaP4OwrVK3_6RAk_ymCh9LCa0ON74JchXGoFCk2JWEqTxtrDVTO3AEoQ1dX73sMI4-u3a8FguTnG3rp29uLbKt-g4krpO-frQr4hFDHE-dQI24pmCpgrmgAGUZiMFCfJEJUicfGGKz3wuFycuSzY9cRGN0mopRlerFWVD4tJctgkZrS17pbsSPa9b/w400-h300/1%2020231125_150433.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Deer.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><b><a href="https://historichillsborough.org/occaneechi-indian-village/" target="_blank">Occaneechi Village</a></b> is
located along the <a href="https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/community/recreation-facilities/riverwalk/" target="_blank">Riverwalk,</a> within River Park, behind the Farmer’s Market
Pavilion in Hillsborough. It is open 8am to 7pm. Hillsborough is about a half-hour drive from Chapel Hill, where our daughter and her family live.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-21006054590878012392024-01-22T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T13:00:56.799-08:00A SUCCULENT TREASURE TROVE: The Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery, Walnut Creek, CA<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgRlOOjwMac9dtf5s_VQXQe8VYylX1TYcOvgyGDbk3ebx0wl2ET-T8QB3D4X7AnfD9634shd6d9RxXaWPnnKJ7w9M4hnzdZ8yx7K4_nUVFBpEHF75ZTK2_s6yy5bC_brNJWLSXopz_QhbsQzU-I-CU4_u644399o7UNezjYrUh_ERHUaz244syTC05_h5/s720/1%2020231221_134511.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="582" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgRlOOjwMac9dtf5s_VQXQe8VYylX1TYcOvgyGDbk3ebx0wl2ET-T8QB3D4X7AnfD9634shd6d9RxXaWPnnKJ7w9M4hnzdZ8yx7K4_nUVFBpEHF75ZTK2_s6yy5bC_brNJWLSXopz_QhbsQzU-I-CU4_u644399o7UNezjYrUh_ERHUaz244syTC05_h5/w324-h400/1%2020231221_134511.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Grove, CA</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Tucked inside a residential neighborhood, not far from a busy
shopping mall, is a wonderful garden specializing in succulents, cacti, and
other drought adapted plants. From tiny cacti with mini flowers to a giant
Chilean wine palm, there are a host of plants from all over the world. <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOHIQhqWiJmd8B5YG-TrYnJiAxAwozM18cIEDz8VtlWcZiqZ4JGnYlTMhCglJisAd4uqhHEB3LWwcPo1J8IBnCOr0821S9jD0dgkZXwNY-LPd4ckhG5tc8X7namNHQLxwphJgCp8OV9Ws79JuecH1BNeaJCo23cFgabhDSo61Th0kRUEjXGYm5gbctktv/s720/1%2020231221_140024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOHIQhqWiJmd8B5YG-TrYnJiAxAwozM18cIEDz8VtlWcZiqZ4JGnYlTMhCglJisAd4uqhHEB3LWwcPo1J8IBnCOr0821S9jD0dgkZXwNY-LPd4ckhG5tc8X7namNHQLxwphJgCp8OV9Ws79JuecH1BNeaJCo23cFgabhDSo61Th0kRUEjXGYm5gbctktv/w400-h300/1%2020231221_140024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The unique shapes and colors of the plants make them living sculptures.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Ruth
Bancroft Garden and Nursery in Walnut Creek, California, was created as a
private garden by Ruth Bancroft in the 1960s to house her large collection of
potted plants. The 3.5 acre property, including a pond and structures for shade
loving plants, had once been part of the much larger family walnut farm. The
garden is now open to the public and a project of the Garden Conservancy, a
nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving exceptional American gardens. Mrs.
Bancroft passed away in 2017 at the age of 109, leaving her garden as
a testament to her vision.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYni1YCndXEbXgMnjLTSt0LdzO1xwuusTNLQ61p8BGgaG_R5DkeYypOBQYflDIX5H514i3C3vuok-l_1OD6axy5wuyNOZOnHL6Va4ody71sgAKu1HAdd-VotazoNuqyaA2oKxQBZrgUSCWSuSW_0q3zlaAon6BZRb-YTJ3LTctCRPlSqLqpvHPtw1N1S3/s720/1%2020231221_133911.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYni1YCndXEbXgMnjLTSt0LdzO1xwuusTNLQ61p8BGgaG_R5DkeYypOBQYflDIX5H514i3C3vuok-l_1OD6axy5wuyNOZOnHL6Va4ody71sgAKu1HAdd-VotazoNuqyaA2oKxQBZrgUSCWSuSW_0q3zlaAon6BZRb-YTJ3LTctCRPlSqLqpvHPtw1N1S3/w400-h300/1%2020231221_133911.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This tree had its own living Christmas decorations, appropriate for the season.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A few weeks ago in Mid-December (actually, on the day of the winter solstice)
I visited the garden with my husband and daughter. After paying the fee at the
entrance kiosk, we followed the network of flat gravel paths through the plantings,
marveling all along the way at the variety of plants, colors, sizes and
shapes, and the skillful way the plants complemented one another. We had picked up a
guide at the kiosk which included a map and a key to the names of the major types
of specimens. We also had the monthly guide to "What's in bloom" to help us identify the flowers of the season.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR-7QReshGwCLjjfKMdUkb6ACP5fJPrZ95FsQiciLuTERAKPE08uqqzA6u4Q8_K4-t3f8LOwQf528MKxNzRi9KzQ6RTARVgrp7XLRp6htAhWfROMIYHpM0ae6_aTjBBJa0nWJGZ96V4vBfrJKCGG7cvqBdOSnhdS3GiTlYrDxDdamtANiwXVKe3bbvXpx/s720/1%2020231221_134112.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIR-7QReshGwCLjjfKMdUkb6ACP5fJPrZ95FsQiciLuTERAKPE08uqqzA6u4Q8_K4-t3f8LOwQf528MKxNzRi9KzQ6RTARVgrp7XLRp6htAhWfROMIYHpM0ae6_aTjBBJa0nWJGZ96V4vBfrJKCGG7cvqBdOSnhdS3GiTlYrDxDdamtANiwXVKe3bbvXpx/w300-h400/1%2020231221_134112.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This tiny specimen was tucked between two boulders and several larger plants.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It was a bright but overcast day perfect for photography-- no
harsh shadows and soft light to bring out the variety of colors and textures. Here are some
of my favorites.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCNabvP3xvXeNlM2KU60g2jWJ9O00wDwIGZIg4kCbG2f7BZcRY7iTlzWJV14xQwzy9bljfBhQJ0WHK9eWuXw3UAponWnoF9SJOCCwT7uLgMoXQ42IBFTJO93H8GZASCaAXIo_e07ouQ4eyCAlq_WGPD2f9zwpuVdldO7_RB8sXXF_HkNbZF-ZPUml_U_D/s720/1%2020231221_140519.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCNabvP3xvXeNlM2KU60g2jWJ9O00wDwIGZIg4kCbG2f7BZcRY7iTlzWJV14xQwzy9bljfBhQJ0WHK9eWuXw3UAponWnoF9SJOCCwT7uLgMoXQ42IBFTJO93H8GZASCaAXIo_e07ouQ4eyCAlq_WGPD2f9zwpuVdldO7_RB8sXXF_HkNbZF-ZPUml_U_D/w400-h300/1%2020231221_140519.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Agave. Like many agaves the leaves have embedded impressions on their surface. This is a result of the leaves unfurling from a central cone, and leaving behind toothy indentations on the adjacent leaves.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Agaves are succulents, like the majority of plants in the garden. Succulents survive drought by storing water in their
thickened leaves, stems, trunks, or roots.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDN3jZxp46DCXc1PUNqtv68wlZMqAFi_JWPB6Hj4ibW32GAmYTXQjColBVAnWF8QfEsPHNlcP_izjri7hGRWWRSxfXJNSH5kSiSwmJ0EAE-6FdYomdS6BbRCPuE-aZw5omLKmFxicwiqfhoIJT2ZvcHRlve2irBvDPHNZVJPe-SE9U1in61WE8fJ4bTIy/s720/1%2020231221_134600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDN3jZxp46DCXc1PUNqtv68wlZMqAFi_JWPB6Hj4ibW32GAmYTXQjColBVAnWF8QfEsPHNlcP_izjri7hGRWWRSxfXJNSH5kSiSwmJ0EAE-6FdYomdS6BbRCPuE-aZw5omLKmFxicwiqfhoIJT2ZvcHRlve2irBvDPHNZVJPe-SE9U1in61WE8fJ4bTIy/w400-h300/1%2020231221_134600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aloe. Note the bee gathering nectar.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We saw many species of aloe--sprouting large spiky flowers of yellow and orange. Examples of Aloes native to Mexico, South Africa, Kenya and elsewhere around the world are found in the garden.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWPnbFBi-rut4-I4gC8mq6HZOOWAvwazDaLZplY9wEtCC974XQX9ff2o-2vVJOMFS2Z8pJ2p2h1MVwPWuL2Hi3CyogysVqElHTsnCKY76HvFHgR5vpR73GI9AubdcJhmOYW4sWV8h8pDb9H5Mr88XDQLWczTy0i2FvYgK0eelC-bmc8Hlx-q-eFA00zo7/s720/1%2020231221_135638.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWPnbFBi-rut4-I4gC8mq6HZOOWAvwazDaLZplY9wEtCC974XQX9ff2o-2vVJOMFS2Z8pJ2p2h1MVwPWuL2Hi3CyogysVqElHTsnCKY76HvFHgR5vpR73GI9AubdcJhmOYW4sWV8h8pDb9H5Mr88XDQLWczTy0i2FvYgK0eelC-bmc8Hlx-q-eFA00zo7/w400-h300/1%2020231221_135638.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Koi pond.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />At the center of the garden is a small koi pond and a bench for resting in the shade.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSjTabE24qz9Au1B3MEf80-3ekFDWnCzYnymH4pnOa-hjGxmqvB1RzEmvfBCWVOtRqa8tQiGvuB3AjZ3Rzxi2Y6hwwbkmvyijxZMwnZyy_ZabjJXtW7-u1CpkTJeHMgbl9pK70sxTAZU6j7c5vtAeoJYY6u8dCMNdgsQDWakeRHwRF_2wI96nio-1PuNo/s720/1%2020231221_140839.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSjTabE24qz9Au1B3MEf80-3ekFDWnCzYnymH4pnOa-hjGxmqvB1RzEmvfBCWVOtRqa8tQiGvuB3AjZ3Rzxi2Y6hwwbkmvyijxZMwnZyy_ZabjJXtW7-u1CpkTJeHMgbl9pK70sxTAZU6j7c5vtAeoJYY6u8dCMNdgsQDWakeRHwRF_2wI96nio-1PuNo/w400-h300/1%2020231221_140839.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A mix of succulents and cacti form a living wall.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Along a wall at the end of the garden a mosaic of succulents filled cells in a vertical planter box, creating a living wall.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9rAfO6_CEaHZ-G7DcCQRZ2tTsvsDkCWxl96TqB65LkwlfODKVE40RvQ2hOJdfTKOumMCIbgbbzd0MtiY19Ho9VmEnPrL-I6rSNh4SYDI9wWTrcWmVaBlGBg4wEuHCk2_zrXPPAT3PFNxYeXa45vodJj1TNRd1UGG9vpXgvDHLs8ugb7R5qGiKjJuSLGD/s720/1%2020231221_140323.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9rAfO6_CEaHZ-G7DcCQRZ2tTsvsDkCWxl96TqB65LkwlfODKVE40RvQ2hOJdfTKOumMCIbgbbzd0MtiY19Ho9VmEnPrL-I6rSNh4SYDI9wWTrcWmVaBlGBg4wEuHCk2_zrXPPAT3PFNxYeXa45vodJj1TNRd1UGG9vpXgvDHLs8ugb7R5qGiKjJuSLGD/w400-h300/1%2020231221_140323.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Planting inside shade house.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Inside the shade structure a close-up view makes it seem that the plants are at the bottom of an aquarium. There were no fish, but we did catch sight of a hummingbird sipping nectar from one of the flowers.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirB8E-gNVMU0onM5kxu-Dw1KJywoua-wulvJo5ITvlIsjrO-byMoE9PuIHCmT_qJo8RSZGOCYu4K5r2spfA6cfn7gA_KiIptDcV4t4sNproOsPALOMl8UWhgsdVAkZG9AOwdSDfiX_8KkGL6pcJMqFhRrM22HmVy794flpBjSQ-LMRo8zK1qbVo5ritSYM/s1050/Hummingbirdsm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1050" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirB8E-gNVMU0onM5kxu-Dw1KJywoua-wulvJo5ITvlIsjrO-byMoE9PuIHCmT_qJo8RSZGOCYu4K5r2spfA6cfn7gA_KiIptDcV4t4sNproOsPALOMl8UWhgsdVAkZG9AOwdSDfiX_8KkGL6pcJMqFhRrM22HmVy794flpBjSQ-LMRo8zK1qbVo5ritSYM/w400-h266/Hummingbirdsm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hummingbird inside shade structure.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgo2HRYoxrcJvMBkSv5Gqdc9CXyBPdo1n3Z9m4hrlk_v-yRbtoBLNgrTd4KEtf9kulyxrP8DfWF2oFwJqolgJBGEYoPT18D11W6Jkxs86yyjoLUSkCX6ApAX1L4peEIJ50HxspGiIrcobGXhDu-2OxZ5ekYC8MKXUdkmyEtQPFIuj5sk631_w-uRA8OIvH/s720/1%2020231221_135930.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgo2HRYoxrcJvMBkSv5Gqdc9CXyBPdo1n3Z9m4hrlk_v-yRbtoBLNgrTd4KEtf9kulyxrP8DfWF2oFwJqolgJBGEYoPT18D11W6Jkxs86yyjoLUSkCX6ApAX1L4peEIJ50HxspGiIrcobGXhDu-2OxZ5ekYC8MKXUdkmyEtQPFIuj5sk631_w-uRA8OIvH/w300-h400/1%2020231221_135930.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cactus spikes are an adaptation that help deflect sunlight and reduce surface temperature in hot summer months. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />At the end of our visit to the garden, we exited through the
nursery, filled with potted plants ready to purchase and take home for your own
succulent garden. We bought a tiny cactus which will take its place on my patio
at home.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8t21eZo2YxQyXd4x65rc0ZIzsEGilVe-i_Us5atfExNjokME4oBBi_jP1lG_eMeyv1BGL8REgPqo-H1ngXXHCtDWzsY1KoVpItMMyvCv09D2d-pIEHNBz6_OQI-zHB4JT_EgC8FEfzQJADzciTpntnwNHrbtF1J82wZ-ezr2mG8cyVnbQDxI6vuZE-NI/s720/1%2020231221_142143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8t21eZo2YxQyXd4x65rc0ZIzsEGilVe-i_Us5atfExNjokME4oBBi_jP1lG_eMeyv1BGL8REgPqo-H1ngXXHCtDWzsY1KoVpItMMyvCv09D2d-pIEHNBz6_OQI-zHB4JT_EgC8FEfzQJADzciTpntnwNHrbtF1J82wZ-ezr2mG8cyVnbQDxI6vuZE-NI/w400-h300/1%2020231221_142143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mosaic wall at garden entrance; nursery on the right.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>1552 Bancroft Road<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Walnut Creek, CA 94598</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phone: 925-944-9352<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The garden is open most days of the year except for major
holidays. On the day of our visit almost no one else was there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information check the garden website: <a href="http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org">www.ruthbancroftgarden.org </a><o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ybVyQCWfo2XmmH1wveK3xKnSO545Hc8HcWnIQoJI-eRNOF6HJ-0lJUFRd8jhNaPbuYNuiqk0V68z5lGMuu4ODWN4BNUHh_iiZdFE8klPsusLALl8ym08TV_q2QAVMq5cqYSn0zCs3G2dlJ6koV2MZijGptdmF2WACZvqC4rB7bQ8jfivQYM8OAfLji3o/s720/1%2020231221_135904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ybVyQCWfo2XmmH1wveK3xKnSO545Hc8HcWnIQoJI-eRNOF6HJ-0lJUFRd8jhNaPbuYNuiqk0V68z5lGMuu4ODWN4BNUHh_iiZdFE8klPsusLALl8ym08TV_q2QAVMq5cqYSn0zCs3G2dlJ6koV2MZijGptdmF2WACZvqC4rB7bQ8jfivQYM8OAfLji3o/w400-h300/1%2020231221_135904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winter rains turn these barrel cactus into plump spiky balls.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-57331018797153913452024-01-15T08:00:00.001-08:002024-01-16T08:48:34.458-08:00THREE HOURS IN OREGON CITY, OREGON: Guest Post by Caroline Hatton at The Intrepid Tourist<p><i><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkdxuTA4XErui-3mGtZIlV0jLwVLK16xLYzpDCTZyQY5YtbgPGfbxbbAOT8YW4a-JgTfAMKRzkfttpZnuqIsK93WGhE4RFfDc7BDegCc0zo3-dbzITqYNGWBBI-3tyDPu-lqqoAl1sOyVk5gSpDBqkeGHuNv_bRGtnoFKKBCvBtsPL65xRW0d_dirOf9G/s1000/HattonOrCity00.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="804" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkdxuTA4XErui-3mGtZIlV0jLwVLK16xLYzpDCTZyQY5YtbgPGfbxbbAOT8YW4a-JgTfAMKRzkfttpZnuqIsK93WGhE4RFfDc7BDegCc0zo3-dbzITqYNGWBBI-3tyDPu-lqqoAl1sOyVk5gSpDBqkeGHuNv_bRGtnoFKKBCvBtsPL65xRW0d_dirOf9G/w321-h400/HattonOrCity00.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Willamette Falls in Oregon City, Oregon.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />My
friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this
blog, took these photos in Oregon City, Oregon,</span></i><i> in November 2023.</i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLS7bVhLmtBrLhiUnxQI4ngfd5BePWFvAXeVhed2ns5qOJ-YHLSW7QYFvlqbKXuN_00uzmKICDLBr9eLwBEJk-pEQzpVu98Dr_ABuEEF3pkrHAAiFyPuMMFhi5mby1KxmBjSi9LXrbap9VickEJ4XTzS8yxAGT4MQjY2yHXkY5jRzwokxcjxL-S-gbIa-C/s474/HattonOrCity01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="474" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLS7bVhLmtBrLhiUnxQI4ngfd5BePWFvAXeVhed2ns5qOJ-YHLSW7QYFvlqbKXuN_00uzmKICDLBr9eLwBEJk-pEQzpVu98Dr_ABuEEF3pkrHAAiFyPuMMFhi5mby1KxmBjSi9LXrbap9VickEJ4XTzS8yxAGT4MQjY2yHXkY5jRzwokxcjxL-S-gbIa-C/w400-h313/HattonOrCity01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oregon City (red dot) and Portland (black dot), Oregon.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />My husband’s
French horn sounded stuffy and one of four valves clacked. So we took it to a
respected French horn doctor, Kevin Blodget at Wally’s Music Shop in Oregon
City. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As a spot on the
land, Oregon City is where the Willamette and Clackamas Rivers merge. As a spot
in history, it was the end of the Oregon Trail, along which emigrants came in
covered wagons from the Missouri River during the second half of the 1800s. On a map, Oregon City looks like an integral part of the urban amoeba stretching out from Portland.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Once the French
horn was in Kevin’s expert hands for diagnosis, we went for a stroll along the
nearby, paved, McLoughlin Promenade, on top of the volcanic basalt cliff that
parallels the Willamette River. Soon we started seeing the horseshoe-shaped
Willamette Falls (photo at the top of this post). They have long been a
culturally important place for many Native American tribes. Today, both river
banks downstream of the falls are crowded with huge, ugly, decrepit industrial
buildings like I had only seen before in post-apocalyptic movies. This results
from a history of hydroelectric power and paper production.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Back at the shop,
Kevin reassured us that the horn’s rotors were aligned correctly and demonstrated
how to use two different types of oil to lubricate the instrument’s plumbing. The
horn sounded sufficiently decongested.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zvZqqWEnp4qsJvdaCAG1czm18b9nLSIvD3zp75vVGW9aMUgUonvqQ99v_pMOzOTLA-fTwYR6rAD8PhrdGQcAJm46rv3C0E1_KXZjn6iEPzMsh91HGUP_PKHrfh0w4vhlU7l3CtTNBOiwTpnbguEOBfcUDsPUnSJUpIx233Gc_hxNUr-sfHkcL0tMoKWw/s1000/HattonOrCity02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1000" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zvZqqWEnp4qsJvdaCAG1czm18b9nLSIvD3zp75vVGW9aMUgUonvqQ99v_pMOzOTLA-fTwYR6rAD8PhrdGQcAJm46rv3C0E1_KXZjn6iEPzMsh91HGUP_PKHrfh0w4vhlU7l3CtTNBOiwTpnbguEOBfcUDsPUnSJUpIx233Gc_hxNUr-sfHkcL0tMoKWw/w400-h228/HattonOrCity02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mike's Drive-In, Oregon City, Oregon.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Before the
afternoon drive home, I voted in favor of a quick, local-color lunch at Mike’s
Drive-In, a couple of blocks away. Waiters no longer come to parked cars to
take orders or serve food. Instead, scanning a QR code leads to ordering online
and customers must go inside to pick up their food.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwlcDJNV3HhChn9LLU8Azd1HuD3vDTz__okTeHOpgszMsO-OhhwLTWcEaUqAnGVKsJckh08oYcHSx7nGdkPlfztiH8FPzucy2S-wEvDzEPlBoTG9hDMJeVb2Yt6ozeUAsOskwkFpiXOK95PoQY6L5-CChvhCdd4eMSBOWcFaA9fq2vzDYHzHNFpok45lH/s1000/HattonOrCity03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwlcDJNV3HhChn9LLU8Azd1HuD3vDTz__okTeHOpgszMsO-OhhwLTWcEaUqAnGVKsJckh08oYcHSx7nGdkPlfztiH8FPzucy2S-wEvDzEPlBoTG9hDMJeVb2Yt6ozeUAsOskwkFpiXOK95PoQY6L5-CChvhCdd4eMSBOWcFaA9fq2vzDYHzHNFpok45lH/w400-h300/HattonOrCity03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mike's Drive-In, Oregon City, Oregon.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It was early for
lunch and the restaurant was almost empty, so we decided to eat inside. No
crowd meant no waiting for a table or food, no noise to interfere with quiet
conversation, and a lower risk of assorted seasonal contagions. The menu
included hamburgers and fried seafoods served in red plastic baskets,
ice-cream, and 23 shake flavors. We asked what the most popular item was—fried
pickles!—but couldn’t psych ourselves up to taste them. We had perfectly
acceptable hamburgers and onion rings.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTil_j-U6FTehqWrON5Tg85Kke3fOpuat1V-ilZpS7IpB5-f8EWkYIZbl7Gu6-rEAie3gspmsKy2nw5lQiNMBz9ODktI7Ij8xrhluB7nJ56vKu-vYWoPmwPz_ES2O9H7kxalDiPD2VVyzkMnckVV5j7fde3ud75TUscgot36HW3RksSCARHEdNr-RA2hD_/s1000/HattonOrCity04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1000" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTil_j-U6FTehqWrON5Tg85Kke3fOpuat1V-ilZpS7IpB5-f8EWkYIZbl7Gu6-rEAie3gspmsKy2nw5lQiNMBz9ODktI7Ij8xrhluB7nJ56vKu-vYWoPmwPz_ES2O9H7kxalDiPD2VVyzkMnckVV5j7fde3ud75TUscgot36HW3RksSCARHEdNr-RA2hD_/w400-h285/HattonOrCity04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Kaegi Pharmacy display at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />After lunch, I
wanted to see one more thing. It had to be the <b><a href="http://clackamashistory.org/" target="_blank">Museum of the OregonTerritory</a></b> because it contains a historic pharmacy
exhibit, something I can’t seem to pass up, due to some inexplicable fondness
for old pharmacies. The display presents antiques from the Kaegi Pharmacy,
founded in 1927 in nearby Wilsonville.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VyzX4a6Qmlvl_0MimQGNSEFxdvwZKYwwrzhlatmICutwhltkPu8TdOZ3y1l8qYae8PV2FFYmolQOzc5e1zKyQd8TuNMzTsjtkICftTKKyw3c72GCoUvNIf5Lxajgp0CpKQ6oCNLMyiE1o2Npgxo6BW4BYkPBIA3d93Fzv5kU9S8-VC0wthP6AVJWGZ-l/s1000/HattonOrCity05.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1000" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VyzX4a6Qmlvl_0MimQGNSEFxdvwZKYwwrzhlatmICutwhltkPu8TdOZ3y1l8qYae8PV2FFYmolQOzc5e1zKyQd8TuNMzTsjtkICftTKKyw3c72GCoUvNIf5Lxajgp0CpKQ6oCNLMyiE1o2Npgxo6BW4BYkPBIA3d93Fzv5kU9S8-VC0wthP6AVJWGZ-l/w400-h381/HattonOrCity05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In the pharmacy display.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYaC86MNaVgPE0BEQung5ChWNC1mOtwHk-6M7ysHfYc06XsfwnLgZbuuM7yXmSFCOcu-WNbv6DfgW9jG7aPofhQ8ysNLCfPgyW9HcnfnDDnZjrpQHGBidx1lvmAXQ83SPnhLfoZEL2b_GE3qxWqCqHF7AToIAgoCxSIMTsJ5Pdw0IX6PMurtlEfB2E6Zb/s1000/HattonOrCity06.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="519" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYaC86MNaVgPE0BEQung5ChWNC1mOtwHk-6M7ysHfYc06XsfwnLgZbuuM7yXmSFCOcu-WNbv6DfgW9jG7aPofhQ8ysNLCfPgyW9HcnfnDDnZjrpQHGBidx1lvmAXQ83SPnhLfoZEL2b_GE3qxWqCqHF7AToIAgoCxSIMTsJ5Pdw0IX6PMurtlEfB2E6Zb/w208-h400/HattonOrCity06.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXtOqriCs4KbCCcD9I7xWSxDJSHBIYad5kapvOFW3moHqOuqJ5Nj_iQos4ynrPe5BTLLSaLbzO31NdCGM4nNI9ybEMoiTCXq6PGB73t9SqcmFw4_g2uFlsMDnqTL90D7z3yavYkbvyx83VqBtzrrJ8vL4dyM-Rrd8tJtkVXMFA_JxY7VKcK772fVJTCwT/s1000/HattonOrCity07.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="955" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXtOqriCs4KbCCcD9I7xWSxDJSHBIYad5kapvOFW3moHqOuqJ5Nj_iQos4ynrPe5BTLLSaLbzO31NdCGM4nNI9ybEMoiTCXq6PGB73t9SqcmFw4_g2uFlsMDnqTL90D7z3yavYkbvyx83VqBtzrrJ8vL4dyM-Rrd8tJtkVXMFA_JxY7VKcK772fVJTCwT/w383-h400/HattonOrCity07.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><br />Of the hundreds of
pharmaceutical jars, bottles, and vials, I took pictures of those that made me
chuckle.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3o-9ohbYUhpwYyhQr2eargZFx1Ph3jRjXzkgOe1WK6UjcnDgXxQYzWwtLM1NJcDLeZFmXphXfE65V0BCoabGXJ0Myi2janqya1o23_voeaig5KD_NbPeQDtGWVgCeoeYU1MwQilEujGj2oASK6R991Y0xTrwWVysIc9g72L1_bho1LoqDHGYjhoPUK2ao/s1000/HattonOrCity08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="636" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3o-9ohbYUhpwYyhQr2eargZFx1Ph3jRjXzkgOe1WK6UjcnDgXxQYzWwtLM1NJcDLeZFmXphXfE65V0BCoabGXJ0Myi2janqya1o23_voeaig5KD_NbPeQDtGWVgCeoeYU1MwQilEujGj2oASK6R991Y0xTrwWVysIc9g72L1_bho1LoqDHGYjhoPUK2ao/w255-h400/HattonOrCity08.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In the pharmacy display at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghsFeY4-3olxYH9fxCBfPJwChRkZ4jY-XBBWWHGVPea9xHJwDnT7_ZOxSAHAvMR5rnNS0h6Ya_BcKSFXYkz9P5OTEac1v5H6edX6qhC2od-1L9Fj8e7OqIFQ2fvjj_TMLoUPebfEfzqsrJYspi4DUFdeBoZiZkpaaRNdxy_JAF_azeJOJHm4dbUy-6ycA/s1000/HattonOrCity09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1000" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghsFeY4-3olxYH9fxCBfPJwChRkZ4jY-XBBWWHGVPea9xHJwDnT7_ZOxSAHAvMR5rnNS0h6Ya_BcKSFXYkz9P5OTEac1v5H6edX6qhC2od-1L9Fj8e7OqIFQ2fvjj_TMLoUPebfEfzqsrJYspi4DUFdeBoZiZkpaaRNdxy_JAF_azeJOJHm4dbUy-6ycA/w400-h236/HattonOrCity09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />One bottle label
identified the Kaegi Pharmacies, and a drawer was full of antique labels,
similar to those in my parents’ 1960s pharmacy in Paris. Long before I was twelve,
my mother had taught me how to apply the right amount of glue on the back of a
label, how to center it between the two side seams of the glass bottles
containing ethyl ether, or 70% ethyl alcohol, or glycerine, and how to make sure
it was straight… if I didn’t want to have to soak it off and start over. She
reluctantly approved my first batch despite the fact that no two labels were at
the exact same height—but only after I argued that no customer would buy more
than one bottle at a time, so why waste glue and labels? Later on, she showed
me the preceding step: how to fill bottles, up to the (exact same) level (in
all the bottles in every batch or else…).<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiA_KR1Led8VSnUDxs-IuAZ1DLrjAFWEaD-eIZ1DQyHPxRtkj24Yoku3HADHUOSDyhAIAKbh6bD32n8F345n00TFVD_Sp5WHr5PXcyAMzffShITbP7LruPiB0Q90Misq5OJ-6Fs2rnY22DAodCbSZVlemb6fEze0l-Mhe3Welhv00R_dAnbEmTBbgExDA/s821/HattonOrCity10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiA_KR1Led8VSnUDxs-IuAZ1DLrjAFWEaD-eIZ1DQyHPxRtkj24Yoku3HADHUOSDyhAIAKbh6bD32n8F345n00TFVD_Sp5WHr5PXcyAMzffShITbP7LruPiB0Q90Misq5OJ-6Fs2rnY22DAodCbSZVlemb6fEze0l-Mhe3Welhv00R_dAnbEmTBbgExDA/w324-h400/HattonOrCity10.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In the pharmacy display at the Museum of the Oregon Territory.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />My mother did know
that nobody’s perfect and that it’s O.K. After all, when she was in Pharmacy
School in 1940s French Indochina (now Vietnam), she famously could not detect
the distinctive stench of Asafetida (also known as Devil’s Dung), the stinky
gum from a plant’s roots and an herbal medicine used to treat asthma, cough,
and, um… flatulence (farting). Yet my father fell in love with her anyway.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>All text and photos, copyright
Caroline Arnold. </b><a href="http://www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/"><b>www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com</b></a></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-470600017861764422024-01-08T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-08T08:00:00.138-08:00VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, PA: Honoring a Critical Moment in American History<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcurq62tjNwI-9ZwmdMJFuMdMWUP1hSX2urvEfTy0k5KXUtxi7E23E3Iv0KOzy2VJ8053doMXZxc86hckSdOWVkne32o1OZJTwf0pLAxBZp9rCuKeQmwnMB3TJmakEj3e2ESNvwM38HeR2K6zD405fJQBN6EgVZUJXwJSNiP1uPZ3J34oat7cB47mPXjZM/s700/1%20DSC03718sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcurq62tjNwI-9ZwmdMJFuMdMWUP1hSX2urvEfTy0k5KXUtxi7E23E3Iv0KOzy2VJ8053doMXZxc86hckSdOWVkne32o1OZJTwf0pLAxBZp9rCuKeQmwnMB3TJmakEj3e2ESNvwM38HeR2K6zD405fJQBN6EgVZUJXwJSNiP1uPZ3J34oat7cB47mPXjZM/w400-h266/1%20DSC03718sm.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Visitor Center, Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA. George Washington on his horse.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i>“On December 19, 1777, more than 12,000 soldiers and
hundreds of civilians marched in Valley Forge. They began to build what would
become the fourth largest city in America, with 1,500 log huts and two miles of
fortifications. Lasting six months, the encampment was as diverse as any city.
Residents were free and enslaved, wealthy and impoverished, speakers of several
languages, and followers of several religions.”</i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Valley Forge, in the wooded hills and open fields a
few miles west of the city of Philadelphia, is now a National Historical Park.
On a beautiful fall day in October, I visited Valley Forge with my husband and
daughter. I was reminded of what I had learned in school about the American War
of Independence but discovered a lot more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyW9cTpk8qaLmAZm6sYHhgUTu7-40HqaIVDWFOgzxqP-ws9CZI_Vcs7AnpoXNLtaGXzBlMSZzEiqGIw27RQfyEt5MSlqD3g10xMSHakNvl4c4TxHTmhwB185iwVO_D42YXch8fMnALUTfNo1Mqkxmp8bnFNe9ODFdXFmCP-Y5EsYpx0K72zhZHE2wU2E8T/s700/1%20DSC03711sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyW9cTpk8qaLmAZm6sYHhgUTu7-40HqaIVDWFOgzxqP-ws9CZI_Vcs7AnpoXNLtaGXzBlMSZzEiqGIw27RQfyEt5MSlqD3g10xMSHakNvl4c4TxHTmhwB185iwVO_D42YXch8fMnALUTfNo1Mqkxmp8bnFNe9ODFdXFmCP-Y5EsYpx0K72zhZHE2wU2E8T/w400-h266/1%20DSC03711sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Map posted along trail.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We started at the Visitor Center where we got maps for our self-guided tour. The
park comprises more than 400 acres and is crisscrossed by 35 miles of hiking
and biking trails. One can also do an auto tour on the10-mile road through the park,
with 9 stops along the way. Stop #5, on the opposite side of the park from the
Visitor Center, is the house that was used as George Washington’s headquarters.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvEmnU5ROCAfvjLUtlNz3KWW40zoDcTTeYB6TQz7bj3LCsHv80ag2kDFI1kDqjlzs3szY2-PiAuPbcPx7Z9fOV3zpopsVYmtj2q5DF8kERqzWBvbabpzqvF_-_scaviAVSxYCzJFNJyvgB3cOW4Z1mOeM9zaUpfLu47u4RoTJDkwVsOLgkfTLNFGiOpyi/s700/1%20DSC03719sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="700" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvEmnU5ROCAfvjLUtlNz3KWW40zoDcTTeYB6TQz7bj3LCsHv80ag2kDFI1kDqjlzs3szY2-PiAuPbcPx7Z9fOV3zpopsVYmtj2q5DF8kERqzWBvbabpzqvF_-_scaviAVSxYCzJFNJyvgB3cOW4Z1mOeM9zaUpfLu47u4RoTJDkwVsOLgkfTLNFGiOpyi/w400-h256/1%20DSC03719sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />After looking at the displays in the Visitor Center,
we climbed the stairs to the theater level where we watched an introductory
film about the history of Valley Forge. In the film we saw re-enactors
dramatizing the events of that cold, wet winter of 1777-1778 when the results
of the war hung in the balance, as well as commentary about the events of that
winter.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH0lyOLJd3V3eFNJzHoH_O56TD0K_2yHipS6ur2ALg0xsDslVc9TGPRh4QcvX_0O_NB0y7gTAhjcWxjepQNuvY224cJSHk5jafNajHieRE_azKqNOV2bhjOVPWFfakDqTo9MAnU0IKvtgOggwj3hZuwLlPLO2ziqhQ-KhbTfP8BVAbqRt88HvMT_0gEpA/s700/1%20DSC03737sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEH0lyOLJd3V3eFNJzHoH_O56TD0K_2yHipS6ur2ALg0xsDslVc9TGPRh4QcvX_0O_NB0y7gTAhjcWxjepQNuvY224cJSHk5jafNajHieRE_azKqNOV2bhjOVPWFfakDqTo9MAnU0IKvtgOggwj3hZuwLlPLO2ziqhQ-KhbTfP8BVAbqRt88HvMT_0gEpA/w400-h266/1%20DSC03737sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Replicas of log housing used by soldiers at Valley Forge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Outside the theater we followed the Joseph Plumb
Martin trail into the park to the site of Muhlenberg’s Brigade (Stop #2), where
a series of log huts reproduced the living conditions the soldiers experienced
that winter. Inside each hut were informational displays. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFCHMtRXFrYuFbrFAZkdMsgt5-zPrUZxi4HFfAYBueJV0yQBOT0FmhwDR4Sfa7jkmb_MRA8_I13NYNdxZNPVhMgqWgdkvGMYnYHXAv-fUPt0ySkqn5P0jVX0KuYiw-CJN7w8znkFwfxZBFAM0DQRRHLpNvCC8AMKjmyx6bAE5nl6gnqAwh6qRZUr4RVjz/s700/1%20DSC03738sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRFCHMtRXFrYuFbrFAZkdMsgt5-zPrUZxi4HFfAYBueJV0yQBOT0FmhwDR4Sfa7jkmb_MRA8_I13NYNdxZNPVhMgqWgdkvGMYnYHXAv-fUPt0ySkqn5P0jVX0KuYiw-CJN7w8znkFwfxZBFAM0DQRRHLpNvCC8AMKjmyx6bAE5nl6gnqAwh6qRZUr4RVjz/w266-h400/1%20DSC03738sm.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A small fireplace was the only source of warmth inside the log shelters.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Our visit was on a pleasant
fall day, but it is hard to imagine that the small huts would provide much comfort
in the midst of winter.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMDJeFqzSIIXCmV2pyDd5gW7AV9dUnEvhDeG1ybRlLVibT41KAbqHhkIOXsFJtkUFEVGIQXMksmgGIKHRYdtLt_2Kn42MokLXrvr4LYbYX9M-LCLw3e8tJW5sPGClis0IFSKU1D7cu5uX77P_eZYAZjIRQ0mS0Ew1WMKJC99fzZvXL51MHFjhSADtbmPD/s700/1%20DSC03753sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMDJeFqzSIIXCmV2pyDd5gW7AV9dUnEvhDeG1ybRlLVibT41KAbqHhkIOXsFJtkUFEVGIQXMksmgGIKHRYdtLt_2Kn42MokLXrvr4LYbYX9M-LCLw3e8tJW5sPGClis0IFSKU1D7cu5uX77P_eZYAZjIRQ0mS0Ew1WMKJC99fzZvXL51MHFjhSADtbmPD/w400-h266/1%20DSC03753sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cannon mounted in redoubt, facing east toward Philadelphia.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Nearby a fortified defense called a redoubt was
embedded at the top of a hill. Gaps in the earthen wall were provided for cannons.
Sharp sticks protruding outward to deter attack. (Several other reconstructed redoubts are
located throughout the park.)<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOQm7_nrYQNDG6fvs3Y8LDkkeICYk8iEouGjxJKkS3SXL9-Nw7YcygoLxYYXjamAlCzdvRc8W1O_5Y4-TcR48gH_UhRxr1IpdIX5dtB25D26T0kUSsJR7pT1F0ICSkV1aKN_Wab6UbF8dI9e1TsvkRJkYuOkDsO4-3wKhHzQtPbkQLoCIy5ErErJIgsFE/s700/1%20DSC03749sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOQm7_nrYQNDG6fvs3Y8LDkkeICYk8iEouGjxJKkS3SXL9-Nw7YcygoLxYYXjamAlCzdvRc8W1O_5Y4-TcR48gH_UhRxr1IpdIX5dtB25D26T0kUSsJR7pT1F0ICSkV1aKN_Wab6UbF8dI9e1TsvkRJkYuOkDsO4-3wKhHzQtPbkQLoCIy5ErErJIgsFE/w400-h266/1%20DSC03749sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Exterior of redoubt.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />From the redoubt we followed a path back to our car
parked near the Visitor Center and did the rest of our visit by road. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6pGGjSX4KOPQYkLdaoMvYZYuEvdoAsBX76uvChhOiCs3CJZzAapcYmkteI0WVKmc4qT9jaROcyFKwttQb-TSuBlpXL40uOw9zazPjBqHum6YQ0K3SKspjueO54k9brkytIxeeb0Ka_s_ma9CfjRQQN-i9zNZZggVkqMcjEvwOZi3v39mcbQ-8a2gktKC/s700/1%20DSC03807sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6pGGjSX4KOPQYkLdaoMvYZYuEvdoAsBX76uvChhOiCs3CJZzAapcYmkteI0WVKmc4qT9jaROcyFKwttQb-TSuBlpXL40uOw9zazPjBqHum6YQ0K3SKspjueO54k9brkytIxeeb0Ka_s_ma9CfjRQQN-i9zNZZggVkqMcjEvwOZi3v39mcbQ-8a2gktKC/w266-h400/1%20DSC03807sm.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Numerous
markers along the road honored various military leaders and participants in the
Revolutionary War.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmt3EdrGbMXHFkw4TaSAtLB3Rl322FWzmR63LBMC8Ye-n-83Otksov9UW8zLKxBL9Qu4g4v1B5oCRuFqDgmeCxN7mjqixKR0Pw5aufPNC9IVeDFHPfDajJrGj9x3kqfkvlFivU-tqUR9SE41xgEzc-ppKuyNw8F_kUXCT8Syd_he_LLivHXq0qiAIvSejF/s700/1%20DSC03787sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmt3EdrGbMXHFkw4TaSAtLB3Rl322FWzmR63LBMC8Ye-n-83Otksov9UW8zLKxBL9Qu4g4v1B5oCRuFqDgmeCxN7mjqixKR0Pw5aufPNC9IVeDFHPfDajJrGj9x3kqfkvlFivU-tqUR9SE41xgEzc-ppKuyNw8F_kUXCT8Syd_he_LLivHXq0qiAIvSejF/w400-h266/1%20DSC03787sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>National Historical Monument.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The largest monument in the park is the National
Memorial Arch.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRSAflSQOPoPw3DRzRsUESGYfZzEjtcoszAuM3V0x9TE6bOw3W_HwVdrisdEylYatzU1ByAqKOkd4WP-APwtg6kiTnQ0rmnsK-64IvP4QXF-rv5RM7fMF5dzzxzEezEd_MzoXkJsKplS0_DdhNs7a1VbDd95PVn8cx6dMugALx1XyzphuAgo9CJVQfRD/s700/1%20DSC03805sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRSAflSQOPoPw3DRzRsUESGYfZzEjtcoszAuM3V0x9TE6bOw3W_HwVdrisdEylYatzU1ByAqKOkd4WP-APwtg6kiTnQ0rmnsK-64IvP4QXF-rv5RM7fMF5dzzxzEezEd_MzoXkJsKplS0_DdhNs7a1VbDd95PVn8cx6dMugALx1XyzphuAgo9CJVQfRD/w400-h266/1%20DSC03805sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fall leaves at Valley Forge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In our morning’s visit to Valley Forge we did not have
time to visit every monument or explore all the trails, but we got a good taste
of the landscape that is the background for one of the most critical times in
American history. <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Valley Forge National Historical Park is located at
1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406.</b> There is no entrance
fee to visit the park.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">For more information go to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/vafo">www.nps.gov/vafo</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-6744449120506117402024-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T09:59:09.500-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR from THE INTREPID TOURIST <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hnL7fz72yGc2xBZgJq7BxJKkEtqL5Aq_87qtLTkb3bJszUJCU8bMoAxykvyeVSsMZ_FWyDEkAZzy63dNxeqwNaRHYHTevt16wk5VzjPIb_W30texmvS7I1O_4wuICZaH7qrqKFq5O8tbcgjnH4zzD685aF58W9sMYNcSwUu0KZEPK4unrFXvkeUuYLvy/s448/Dublin,%20Georgian%20house%20cr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="448" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hnL7fz72yGc2xBZgJq7BxJKkEtqL5Aq_87qtLTkb3bJszUJCU8bMoAxykvyeVSsMZ_FWyDEkAZzy63dNxeqwNaRHYHTevt16wk5VzjPIb_W30texmvS7I1O_4wuICZaH7qrqKFq5O8tbcgjnH4zzD685aF58W9sMYNcSwUu0KZEPK4unrFXvkeUuYLvy/w400-h290/Dublin,%20Georgian%20house%20cr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Doorway, Dublin, Ireland</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />January is named after Janus, the Roman god of doorways and symbol of the dualities of life--beginnings and endings, life and death, old and new. As we close the door of 2023 and open the door of 2024, I wish you all a very<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">HAPPY NEW YEAR</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">from THE INTREPID TOURIST </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">And a healthy and productive year ahead!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">Happy traveling in 2024!</span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-82937100919308647802023-12-25T11:54:00.000-08:002024-01-02T09:27:03.555-08:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS from THE INTREPID TOURIST<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgE5WDMDkE6vJcCPzaparoRL6b6hnbJRzvci1m9QdEOaqkPjPcuiaa7FMDa8kApHeGMehbGcIi2ONmE9_Ir4EsmAWvAyc-lMXaYQ6a-QI2ZiyJcphC1MV8RXjvcexT1VnaeaF9tZxAmDNuuAY6huHH96tNszOgjvJDwQinqrd5Zk69c1XFRsNH7ro-kgB/s720/1%2020231126_144059sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgE5WDMDkE6vJcCPzaparoRL6b6hnbJRzvci1m9QdEOaqkPjPcuiaa7FMDa8kApHeGMehbGcIi2ONmE9_Ir4EsmAWvAyc-lMXaYQ6a-QI2ZiyJcphC1MV8RXjvcexT1VnaeaF9tZxAmDNuuAY6huHH96tNszOgjvJDwQinqrd5Zk69c1XFRsNH7ro-kgB/w400-h300/1%2020231126_144059sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Holidays are a time for get-togethers with family and friends and for passing on family traditions. Every year when we get out the decorations for our tree we are reminded of the time that each one was added to the collection. The glass ornament above hung on Art's family tree when he was growing up and has now been passed on to our daughter Jennifer and her family. It is still being enjoyed three generations later!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;">With best wishes for a</p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Happy Holiday</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"> from The Intrepid Tourist!</p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-71512518853017812412023-12-18T08:00:00.001-08:002023-12-18T08:41:05.012-08:00FOWLER MUSEUM, UCLA: Intersections<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhEjoww6V5exhU6xOWPKDOyYt-jOQCJRkJYYmqjCBJ33mIo8iDyRGgXfC9ANwBU0SUIcWLPSGhOqM5Q6csl2sSjxWKm4iftzkiRSuMfaaUqjFh0Cc6UqGLDZVXPy1aOxjyWXY-WCxrAHdLP1HO8sN8zYg_eiNBt8imL1_QQmyfURg-a9ECD6zQwd-zsqR/s720/20230923_183338sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhEjoww6V5exhU6xOWPKDOyYt-jOQCJRkJYYmqjCBJ33mIo8iDyRGgXfC9ANwBU0SUIcWLPSGhOqM5Q6csl2sSjxWKm4iftzkiRSuMfaaUqjFh0Cc6UqGLDZVXPy1aOxjyWXY-WCxrAHdLP1HO8sN8zYg_eiNBt8imL1_QQmyfURg-a9ECD6zQwd-zsqR/w400-h300/20230923_183338sm.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Intersections: World Arts/Local Lives. Fowler Museum of Cultural Arts.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />One of my favorite museums in Los Angeles is the
<b><a href="https://fowler.ucla.edu/" target="_blank">Fowler Museum of Cultural Arts</a></b>, located on the UCLA campus just north of the
Janss Steps. Housing more then 120,000 art and ethnographic objects and 600,000
archaeological objects it is a treasure house of ancient, traditional, and
contemporary cultures of Africa, Native and Latin America, and Asia and the
Pacific. It is also a space for a wide variety of wonderful temporary exhibits.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVnzc-Gf3ningxH-0qVoLgcfVM3_oWdIuSvgXcbHl6nvTobh4Dlxj4dRZC65mY_Y5s5hVyWqbK3ihNKMlRKE4ybX1GqLThHCk3VeYEFzYvVdlY5D9A2W7tIS3KKtzUSYMEDV54ojKJmcrWDTam_eIZ7yckkA0Xr2x3J0N_SrgFfAniE2r9Z95yMQmOFy_/s720/20230616_150210sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVnzc-Gf3ningxH-0qVoLgcfVM3_oWdIuSvgXcbHl6nvTobh4Dlxj4dRZC65mY_Y5s5hVyWqbK3ihNKMlRKE4ybX1GqLThHCk3VeYEFzYvVdlY5D9A2W7tIS3KKtzUSYMEDV54ojKJmcrWDTam_eIZ7yckkA0Xr2x3J0N_SrgFfAniE2r9Z95yMQmOFy_/w400-h300/20230616_150210sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cloth constructed from recycled metal tabs, from Africa. Intersections exhibit.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Inside the museum, surrounding a garden/atrium, are
four galleries. Two are for temporary exhibits. In one of the other galleries is the permanent installation of the silver collection of the Fowler
Family (after whom the museum is named.) Among my favorites in this room is the
set of Apostle spoons and a painting depicting a royal banquet at which silver dishes
like those in the collection were used. This blog post is devoted to a brief overview of some of the exhibits in the main gallery, <i>Intersection</i>s, a sampling of objects from the Fowler collection..<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvVn89BmvncvEZrPLqDxFhi5fMnasV3huq41k2q0IjKX0MHvLeARbjdsgr8-laKjlyuZ7YqcolG3-1SlSJBhyphenhyphenxs1k8JLX5IWe8kOhv6xMMrpBo-nAQ-c_yWH_wgZQQE8M995PVHgWUC38icjClZ9X9N1O11uC8KE0nxAbMHsTTE_bhffhlcdAfplrYVX_/s720/20230923_183355sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="720" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvVn89BmvncvEZrPLqDxFhi5fMnasV3huq41k2q0IjKX0MHvLeARbjdsgr8-laKjlyuZ7YqcolG3-1SlSJBhyphenhyphenxs1k8JLX5IWe8kOhv6xMMrpBo-nAQ-c_yWH_wgZQQE8M995PVHgWUC38icjClZ9X9N1O11uC8KE0nxAbMHsTTE_bhffhlcdAfplrYVX_/w400-h340/20230923_183355sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Masks.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><a href="https://fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/intersections/" target="_blank">Intersections: World Arts/Local Lives</a></b>,
first opened to the public in 2006 and since then has showcased objects that
inspire conversation and reflection. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMYeACBdw0b2JZ9pCPD02qmcZfjAwvD4cOKhGnyqDwsUx4BPIBv0RbkmqWwWe46JRCejrJqNLcrwyMx-cj6yacUzNBS4LDtYixNeL4itzsCqV7QtmNeooQflOvwV3TksVyZl9OHRXmCxz3nR_GWGjPAI_L6QO6xfIUrJtt0HIPrRpswroqytf7R_qDRco/s720/20230923_183452sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMYeACBdw0b2JZ9pCPD02qmcZfjAwvD4cOKhGnyqDwsUx4BPIBv0RbkmqWwWe46JRCejrJqNLcrwyMx-cj6yacUzNBS4LDtYixNeL4itzsCqV7QtmNeooQflOvwV3TksVyZl9OHRXmCxz3nR_GWGjPAI_L6QO6xfIUrJtt0HIPrRpswroqytf7R_qDRco/w400-h300/20230923_183452sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wooden carvings.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The exhibits in the gallery explore how arts from Africa,
Asia and the Pacific and the Americas conceptually intersect with each other.
Major sections of the exhibition consider how these arts served as vehicles of
action, knowledge, power and transformation.
<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #4c4c51; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXoctDPMZ-UIvy-0-LBO1TVzP3h5r-wdBCEXtZQOdaYVGexkmX25uwXWQRyLd5cFwNpJiqbDPfExS5ECq7Q-KHOsDtPup7dpuGJw3xkAVWq0ClpTFB7anf7AQs4VYWGJaFFOU7iKJNH2qPq9B4tPqeUS2xUzIss8rDZ97IbqREzfUd3LC1QAtxSwmz1yQ/s720/20230923_183516sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXoctDPMZ-UIvy-0-LBO1TVzP3h5r-wdBCEXtZQOdaYVGexkmX25uwXWQRyLd5cFwNpJiqbDPfExS5ECq7Q-KHOsDtPup7dpuGJw3xkAVWq0ClpTFB7anf7AQs4VYWGJaFFOU7iKJNH2qPq9B4tPqeUS2xUzIss8rDZ97IbqREzfUd3LC1QAtxSwmz1yQ/w400-h300/20230923_183516sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Memories and Transcendence: Tree of Life and other objects.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />An exceptional collection of
more than 900 Mexican works was donated in 1997 by the Daniel Family and
includes a magnificent ceramic Trees of Life, Day of the Dead figurines, and
masks from Metepec, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Jalisco, Puebla, and Guanajuato.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPE2TeX_dpZa9RkW9os1r-4HzTpJPJl37uHnYYHfwMxRnYmrQurQgAb7MLoyNNImcD0CgGYVkMIa8gr0GWnUDT0wFhiOqWGOPUokuce6KfseO39tw3IUtKrrSBBUtCLks_7boGuRb1AeLrckmzmeJ4dbPmtDHnwEeLf4VYUBsjliwwoMvn2EajtewWsZTg/s720/20230923_183423sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="516" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPE2TeX_dpZa9RkW9os1r-4HzTpJPJl37uHnYYHfwMxRnYmrQurQgAb7MLoyNNImcD0CgGYVkMIa8gr0GWnUDT0wFhiOqWGOPUokuce6KfseO39tw3IUtKrrSBBUtCLks_7boGuRb1AeLrckmzmeJ4dbPmtDHnwEeLf4VYUBsjliwwoMvn2EajtewWsZTg/w286-h400/20230923_183423sm.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spirit's Walk, painting on bark from East Arnhem Land, Australia</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoozlxXjuZohnSNXsEbvzR0jqpvdVlK_W0KFIGYUugSt2xbTz-q9ytFQ-Piqw9Av1obnmHr3IxncVJYdJsbsHlVT7bibfzDnIvcB2DpNW6PSwL2whICX1D83JNYVAXwaIXqd_bmijlwzJVzJERbBlbg4QHBOQRhSiww5drYkVM40W37w1zhVS7pSPPGhm/s720/20230923_183556%20sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoozlxXjuZohnSNXsEbvzR0jqpvdVlK_W0KFIGYUugSt2xbTz-q9ytFQ-Piqw9Av1obnmHr3IxncVJYdJsbsHlVT7bibfzDnIvcB2DpNW6PSwL2whICX1D83JNYVAXwaIXqd_bmijlwzJVzJERbBlbg4QHBOQRhSiww5drYkVM40W37w1zhVS7pSPPGhm/w400-h300/20230923_183556%20sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mexican Day of the Dead figures.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A small room within Intersections is for temporary
exhibits. (See my earlier post on <b><a href="https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-language-of-lace-armenian-lace.html" target="_blank">Armenian Lace</a></b>.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In addition to the two galleries for temporary exhibits, an exhibition space for photographs is on the walls of the hallway surrounding the atrium of the museum. (The most recent exhibit there was <i>Remain in Light: Visions of Home and the Diaspora </i>, striking black and
white photos, often with dramatic skies, depicting contemporary life in
Armenia.)</span> I make regular trips to the Fowler as new exhibits are mounted, but I always return to the Intersections gallery. It is the heart of the museum.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vsrd1r7ugBJl1zI6e8tI8nY8k8cg-GFqxlaxliCysXGlwKPkKw0XXal-IywbsIjaP5Pjzr6dnwneN9vtUjBR90_ZOwESwWQ0mPUQj9t026OF4JL9wq05lGqh1EHmSUQO-CefsJJJG8p5fW01tyJjiH56f3vwR5cUviPWbJTDdLwgeJgfNEoKD3zjvdNB/s720/20230616_151410sm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vsrd1r7ugBJl1zI6e8tI8nY8k8cg-GFqxlaxliCysXGlwKPkKw0XXal-IywbsIjaP5Pjzr6dnwneN9vtUjBR90_ZOwESwWQ0mPUQj9t026OF4JL9wq05lGqh1EHmSUQO-CefsJJJG8p5fW01tyJjiH56f3vwR5cUviPWbJTDdLwgeJgfNEoKD3zjvdNB/w400-h300/20230616_151410sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>PS</b> And the Fowler Museum <b>gift shop</b> is a perfect place to find gifts for the holidays--or any other time of year!</p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-83972397062781189682023-12-11T08:00:00.009-08:002023-12-11T08:00:00.140-08:00ROAD TRIP: Alcantra, Spain, Guest Post by Susan Kean<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp-w_aq_VuGevJXp0seHqjcPPpk9iylAgfS2S6yJGoNRVJcvh6IyOLyv0garyRFhx5Y5DrGhBRVqD9-JoFA86zbIfp40MDhFzasWsE_r3ws1Z6afQYYi3vjzAX_d_8Y1woiny0UUNCxyh0WJw75zDdHjb5jn7TE3rBktsvj6ItATz3mvVyk4xkl-6K4ca/s2048/404079251_10231302087284228_5653980930040950786_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp-w_aq_VuGevJXp0seHqjcPPpk9iylAgfS2S6yJGoNRVJcvh6IyOLyv0garyRFhx5Y5DrGhBRVqD9-JoFA86zbIfp40MDhFzasWsE_r3ws1Z6afQYYi3vjzAX_d_8Y1woiny0UUNCxyh0WJw75zDdHjb5jn7TE3rBktsvj6ItATz3mvVyk4xkl-6K4ca/w400-h300/404079251_10231302087284228_5653980930040950786_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i><br />My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently went on a
driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne region in
the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside,
including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has
graciously agreed to share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. The first
three posts appeared several weeks ago. Here is a final post with Susan’s
account of their visit to Alcantra, Spain. Susan writes:<o:p></o:p></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb381hC7ncZOGC_6bcOLLTYbUcv43P7llx73teess99IRk1vlaAU8tFygtfs9JcTjQR5uvxT8_Wr9ePR5KR3301x5A7dwZw7O8KrZKvSa0g2NXh3deTcbEew-d5IXhERPge-1w9GXUHaqA8TlrPppm7o3MLGp48MBovuK0l3nHbvDvmLz-putaEqyLv1bA/s2048/403916244_10231302088084248_1747923798919947994_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb381hC7ncZOGC_6bcOLLTYbUcv43P7llx73teess99IRk1vlaAU8tFygtfs9JcTjQR5uvxT8_Wr9ePR5KR3301x5A7dwZw7O8KrZKvSa0g2NXh3deTcbEew-d5IXhERPge-1w9GXUHaqA8TlrPppm7o3MLGp48MBovuK0l3nHbvDvmLz-putaEqyLv1bA/w300-h400/403916244_10231302088084248_1747923798919947994_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Inside the beautiful Conventual de San Benito in Alcantra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdsmXhpwcmbgtyJQtWrFN7KaatLCi0VME375FZ6ev09qPv3yDsjeIrSlARv8j3czL4u0kPwsk6VTcY0P7veSwjiRDZC_oazrNzQM5iTTF8EmlzZo5MXI-bYQWQR3azpz0-Jjw78EPYbEZZAnk9avCgGpElFgP7ZQ3CJysJI43UykWbkx7joenh6xoWAbi/s2048/31%2062224029_10230556766611677_5496279526961970148_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdsmXhpwcmbgtyJQtWrFN7KaatLCi0VME375FZ6ev09qPv3yDsjeIrSlARv8j3czL4u0kPwsk6VTcY0P7veSwjiRDZC_oazrNzQM5iTTF8EmlzZo5MXI-bYQWQR3azpz0-Jjw78EPYbEZZAnk9avCgGpElFgP7ZQ3CJysJI43UykWbkx7joenh6xoWAbi/w300-h400/31%2062224029_10230556766611677_5496279526961970148_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Conventual de San Benito, Alcantara</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Here is one more post
from our adventures last month. We took a two night trip to Alcantara, Spain… a
short distance east of the Portuguese border. Our primary purpose was to see the
beautiful Roman bridge that is built across the Tagus River, but as with much
of Spain and Portugal, there is a lot more going on.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4nUtuE_V0ztjNGXcYWZRSorHVZ33phd52CAxzflFl0pmU781yxOvADRlLUiU-nSPYnHCrtSJzlrS5CJQNSpK_Z7k-WgGzh6FG-CagL3y09rYioH7CqQpgTs3JB7V09epC5AqZX4myFgjzO_2y87GdJXkegldu8vQL0ovDd-L9yt-y7ti8PT8GjJK61as/s2048/402897207_10231302088204251_4604485989808356873_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4nUtuE_V0ztjNGXcYWZRSorHVZ33phd52CAxzflFl0pmU781yxOvADRlLUiU-nSPYnHCrtSJzlrS5CJQNSpK_Z7k-WgGzh6FG-CagL3y09rYioH7CqQpgTs3JB7V09epC5AqZX4myFgjzO_2y87GdJXkegldu8vQL0ovDd-L9yt-y7ti8PT8GjJK61as/w300-h400/402897207_10231302088204251_4604485989808356873_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.hospederiasdeextremadura.es/en/hotel/hospederia-conventual-de-alcantara" target="_blank">Hospederia Conventual de Alcantara</a>. </i><i>Hotel dining room with flour mills.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />We stayed in a hotel
that was a converted convent, with some time being a flour mill!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCSYwpCmuaOr1cjO-DqzF70abD0s7Qm88rohxSSAYOKan4WsjyrO8QImXmWdRFEQc1-rG48g2iM8UEDr4fMnkFBo8dhW4ZdlhSl3PKFhzayhMDejntMb3yv3FFln3amG5Fph1rS1WR0UI6e0ZUB2dMSRJu-DhNaUBBXWASPmXLSfLyIkWHFexHTfhuXrl/s2048/404178812_10231302088684263_4133420648255527455_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCSYwpCmuaOr1cjO-DqzF70abD0s7Qm88rohxSSAYOKan4WsjyrO8QImXmWdRFEQc1-rG48g2iM8UEDr4fMnkFBo8dhW4ZdlhSl3PKFhzayhMDejntMb3yv3FFln3amG5Fph1rS1WR0UI6e0ZUB2dMSRJu-DhNaUBBXWASPmXLSfLyIkWHFexHTfhuXrl/w400-h300/404178812_10231302088684263_4133420648255527455_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Four of the main Crusade groups.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This area was very
involved with the Crusades and Order of the Alcantara still exists today.</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoOB4D4uQrjh-xOnrr6KHRk6PGodt1ibxqvQPngF8tBAbE3zVKswrYFvu4wFnDQwPe70pLR-RlUXLa9jFyTw_w2_9I6TYsTZM4ydA-27PgtB8RdsamSV3yYybNI9wEH-JtSDTpJTJplbyWw4eHwUi9Pi7TXRaq24tbwf858U27WpfE7cGKhuqZbi2KZvz/s2048/403984775_10231302088564260_1842938379294233465_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoOB4D4uQrjh-xOnrr6KHRk6PGodt1ibxqvQPngF8tBAbE3zVKswrYFvu4wFnDQwPe70pLR-RlUXLa9jFyTw_w2_9I6TYsTZM4ydA-27PgtB8RdsamSV3yYybNI9wEH-JtSDTpJTJplbyWw4eHwUi9Pi7TXRaq24tbwf858U27WpfE7cGKhuqZbi2KZvz/w400-h300/403984775_10231302088564260_1842938379294233465_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rainy day view of Tagus Bridge</i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #4d5156; font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>The Alcántara Bridge is a
Roman bridge at Alcántara, in Extremadura, Spain. Alcántara is from the Arabic
word al-Qantarah meaning "the arch". The stone arch bridge was built
over the Tagus River between 104 and 106 AD by an order of the Roman emperor
Trajan in 98.</i></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Tagus Bridge has had challenges during war times when armies would blow up an
arch to prevent the enemy from crossing.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02oqiwg-hbkXgqND8EC8fxDW_7HduCtlocyL67RrnZGYnPLzj5Ncp4Z385ybtDdpWPzYz0h1pBc59dtZhyiUZVI3-RGfYT6c8ki5KsFS9jNBLf4VqgYWnrXIQw3u2mZTxc2aXXoWgRrQeBsZs4o9FfbVrZAJAFi1IBi2VkeQ5mjMaxNFVk_cRcg0AT3ea/s2048/404139519_10231302088004246_5023140284756064363_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02oqiwg-hbkXgqND8EC8fxDW_7HduCtlocyL67RrnZGYnPLzj5Ncp4Z385ybtDdpWPzYz0h1pBc59dtZhyiUZVI3-RGfYT6c8ki5KsFS9jNBLf4VqgYWnrXIQw3u2mZTxc2aXXoWgRrQeBsZs4o9FfbVrZAJAFi1IBi2VkeQ5mjMaxNFVk_cRcg0AT3ea/w300-h400/404139519_10231302088004246_5023140284756064363_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Alcantara Bridge</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Road surface
as it’s been for 2000 years. Maybe the Romans could teach us something. They
are finally building another bridge nearby as heavy traffic is taking its toll.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLKWWFoxjfd3PbFYjKMlricdLHOPZYNT3cKovEL90jamP-9FBwMXA1JOtn58MNTdzNgF-C7jJNlhM6N3O2nYOLxEZLQebxpW6KouxQ2Wf4W1A8iIH28mdoM9reSP5R9nQ4qUQirUSkmEXn0T_q76kMvrquChy2WYkLojSyFhSsHRn9HgC1jBnRz-QKsVW/s2048/404017237_10231302087924244_2297242142113299906_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLKWWFoxjfd3PbFYjKMlricdLHOPZYNT3cKovEL90jamP-9FBwMXA1JOtn58MNTdzNgF-C7jJNlhM6N3O2nYOLxEZLQebxpW6KouxQ2Wf4W1A8iIH28mdoM9reSP5R9nQ4qUQirUSkmEXn0T_q76kMvrquChy2WYkLojSyFhSsHRn9HgC1jBnRz-QKsVW/w300-h400/404017237_10231302087924244_2297242142113299906_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View up the Tagus River, away from the bridge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbElPj_uoOv3CYJaeWI6n5gu441lx_WyHs2nLChHOVCLyeUkdrICbwAPyEz5CaLx_Qm98zMkDyp4dO4I6YisZT2bIuagkZ4KMfkvETFSNFC21lmSRdmBdWGzoPqPAkikQtkGWn2qbwUqrgKNusQBmb3Xox_k3NnzaTNJqTsdPT04jSk8zjS7MYU11nUfF-/s2048/403973178_10231302088924269_7378241212157179890_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbElPj_uoOv3CYJaeWI6n5gu441lx_WyHs2nLChHOVCLyeUkdrICbwAPyEz5CaLx_Qm98zMkDyp4dO4I6YisZT2bIuagkZ4KMfkvETFSNFC21lmSRdmBdWGzoPqPAkikQtkGWn2qbwUqrgKNusQBmb3Xox_k3NnzaTNJqTsdPT04jSk8zjS7MYU11nUfF-/w400-h300/403973178_10231302088924269_7378241212157179890_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hydro-electric plant near the bridge.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><span style="background-color: transparent;"></span><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-54591666011293712552023-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:002023-12-04T08:00:00.146-08:00MEDITATION GARDEN, Encinitas, California: A Place to Immerse Yourself in the Beauty of Nature <p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKLpQJ42EAnpEHSS9_SGVlncAhErrC_7w516MDrCtMbQQMJp8kkQv5cC9HfuPoQZ88zNFLXcVufOACxXRlTvLBOtSqEHjteok_hYjsFtzdh_6xdbGWO8E7k_EdMi7xmZV1mDqZJcvWddSYxSW87Px7HD9pzOhYCJ0zXRyERGw8Nszj_uUmHnT86dkNEs0/s700/1%20DSC03906.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKLpQJ42EAnpEHSS9_SGVlncAhErrC_7w516MDrCtMbQQMJp8kkQv5cC9HfuPoQZ88zNFLXcVufOACxXRlTvLBOtSqEHjteok_hYjsFtzdh_6xdbGWO8E7k_EdMi7xmZV1mDqZJcvWddSYxSW87Px7HD9pzOhYCJ0zXRyERGw8Nszj_uUmHnT86dkNEs0/w400-h266/1%20DSC03906.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Meditation Garden, Encinitas, CA</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />On a recent Sunday
Art and I did a day trip from Los Angeles to visit the beautiful Meditation
Garden in Encinitas, CA, at the top of a bluff overlooking the Pacific. As we
walked up the steps from the entrance we found a network of paths—some through
shaded bowers, one to the koi pond and waterfall, some to nooks with benches,
another along the clifftop which leads past the former site of the Golden Lotus Temple and
then on to a cactus lined walkway ending in an artistically arranged bed of
cactus and succulents surrounded with black lava rocks.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88SvGbOPURs-rzjL9-RYkfayRqMuZZV-n6AY6DfqoBygTMT5O595AW0xRREtT5Ateg70botiq0E7vMbpfUFlo6aXnp3evXramr03VuZDYTYLo9QEdK9YlLb811dGZLJfJ5BrRor0Oe7ua_ZukDAzRUDGrFmA47-YPSOK4PAwFYZoz4PkmYPlrlr42eB6D/s700/1%20DSC03917.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88SvGbOPURs-rzjL9-RYkfayRqMuZZV-n6AY6DfqoBygTMT5O595AW0xRREtT5Ateg70botiq0E7vMbpfUFlo6aXnp3evXramr03VuZDYTYLo9QEdK9YlLb811dGZLJfJ5BrRor0Oe7ua_ZukDAzRUDGrFmA47-YPSOK4PAwFYZoz4PkmYPlrlr42eB6D/w400-h266/1%20DSC03917.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Variety of cactus and succulents.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />The garden is part of the Self-Realization
Fellowship Encinitas Temple, located in Encinitas, California, a coastal community just
north of San Diego. In 1938 the Golden Lotus Temple was built by Paramahansa
Yogananda on a point of land at the top of the cliffs that is now part of the
garden. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OwW2ge-gEQogLzsvault4LsPBHlAGOR5d2NMXhBULj3kHCLWMIgNaQyF4jTfPuzulOHOf6YFXr6GBBR1_hhJl3QDd8xkHOXikq6xnTzHYUZNopPQ-mzM8ZACXQtttAQ3-EdjFuSbcH0eJaWU5O95FQ55hdNgImpfvxJD60lh11KRmo3naHHH4_N5vqpX/s743/1%20DSC03896.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7OwW2ge-gEQogLzsvault4LsPBHlAGOR5d2NMXhBULj3kHCLWMIgNaQyF4jTfPuzulOHOf6YFXr6GBBR1_hhJl3QDd8xkHOXikq6xnTzHYUZNopPQ-mzM8ZACXQtttAQ3-EdjFuSbcH0eJaWU5O95FQ55hdNgImpfvxJD60lh11KRmo3naHHH4_N5vqpX/w376-h400/1%20DSC03896.jpg" width="376" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Former site of the Golden Lotus Temple.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />During the next four years, thousands attended the Thursday and Sunday
services conducted by the Guru at this site. However, in 1942 the instability
of the cliff required that the Temple be removed. A plaque now documents its
location.</span><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1MWu8kW0Ojt-7slolmhn_CtZZeK5duid-vQhiDKibjY9eWCSDlLtkUOZVaArZhxIXfNHLWxn_5pZqsz46gkTA2i_qxE4pG_mAN7G6gBIHGjo5mFpnchueENMOw-lFvOdFq3pjPIeifrlD-X7V0dDI1wHBWx-xpjf_2dM3d2iBhS0oCDiG73wwWbBFeb2/s700/1%20DSC03900.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1MWu8kW0Ojt-7slolmhn_CtZZeK5duid-vQhiDKibjY9eWCSDlLtkUOZVaArZhxIXfNHLWxn_5pZqsz46gkTA2i_qxE4pG_mAN7G6gBIHGjo5mFpnchueENMOw-lFvOdFq3pjPIeifrlD-X7V0dDI1wHBWx-xpjf_2dM3d2iBhS0oCDiG73wwWbBFeb2/w400-h266/1%20DSC03900.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bromeliads in a planter box, with variety of other plants.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />The plants in the
garden are all perfectly tended and vary from cactus and succulents to shade
loving plants by the koi pond. For home gardeners, walking the garden paths is
a place to get inspiration for new things to plant. For everyone, the garden is a place to appreciate the beauty of nature.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSg1H-qzH6KjGdoPFz9swx82ckdr5V-C8T0WEGzz1039x3x9k64FEgqbZxv9U-D4BycGzL04Al0fyxHktu8tjNGOKwCfZHvc9-LqOur4I-qsK0yFLF05isM1nzZNexI7UvAEYR4Wa-wxiYs6o80bTS9CIG3BMSWUqIe8dLs7jhw4QOrN606H4lJsiTxNR/s700/1%20DSC03908.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSg1H-qzH6KjGdoPFz9swx82ckdr5V-C8T0WEGzz1039x3x9k64FEgqbZxv9U-D4BycGzL04Al0fyxHktu8tjNGOKwCfZHvc9-LqOur4I-qsK0yFLF05isM1nzZNexI7UvAEYR4Wa-wxiYs6o80bTS9CIG3BMSWUqIe8dLs7jhw4QOrN606H4lJsiTxNR/w400-h266/1%20DSC03908.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunny path through the garden, seen through agave plants.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />It was a perfect California November day—sunny but not
too hot and not a cloud in the sky. (Later in the week, rain was predicted.) <o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;">In the ocean below, we watched surfers waiting for the next big wave.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"> Although quite a few other people were also visiting the garden, it still felt peaceful and not too crowded.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWwX1PvgzATIl1KSgKEftvPs8oVO5c_c6yBm3abhSm_n5fdOShdCjG7U-xpCQfqdrRcwJvtSFKm7wV9RbFKBRzVEp3tnkbXRQEilWE77hyYleAdVDMaT3tzaYMwYsV4wiUHPbojiWbLlGeuD61v0_kAgUKbviymQobPWCZ_3i1OeHpYKInThn0J1exLeJ/s700/1%20DSC03877.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWwX1PvgzATIl1KSgKEftvPs8oVO5c_c6yBm3abhSm_n5fdOShdCjG7U-xpCQfqdrRcwJvtSFKm7wV9RbFKBRzVEp3tnkbXRQEilWE77hyYleAdVDMaT3tzaYMwYsV4wiUHPbojiWbLlGeuD61v0_kAgUKbviymQobPWCZ_3i1OeHpYKInThn0J1exLeJ/w400-h266/1%20DSC03877.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stairway to J Street viewpoint.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />We had a picnic lunch
afterward at J Street Viewpoint park nearby, climbing stairs from the street
level to an overlook with several picnic tables and a spectacular view of the
ocean.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mOnAKPdnZT1RXfOnfCH2bpno6rZXkf2Iy4GxoVRqnoMt43qR9crB7GN6IjHnvq68yvPe07gA3hCqYUjIrAXJ9-zFf795Q7NZAOUSveLQJwg-o2oWCAFm_29THPC7rq08UC7Fq7qOo-gz6QHzATeVHNkF6ETHLGrB29v8wHiRvXfpb1bHwdqLilkrlqTs/s700/1%20DSC03912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="700" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mOnAKPdnZT1RXfOnfCH2bpno6rZXkf2Iy4GxoVRqnoMt43qR9crB7GN6IjHnvq68yvPe07gA3hCqYUjIrAXJ9-zFf795Q7NZAOUSveLQJwg-o2oWCAFm_29THPC7rq08UC7Fq7qOo-gz6QHzATeVHNkF6ETHLGrB29v8wHiRvXfpb1bHwdqLilkrlqTs/w400-h285/1%20DSC03912.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Surfers on beach below the garden.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />Entry to the Meditation Garden is free
and near the entrance are restrooms and information about the Self-Realization
Fellowship.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">For more about the Self-Realization Fellowship and
Paramahansa Yogananda, often referred to as the “Father of Yoga in the West”,
go to the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.encinitastemple.org/visiting/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>SRF website</b></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Meditation Gardens are located at 215 W. K Street (between 2nd and 3rd
Streets)<br />
Open Tuesday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.<br />
Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.<br />
Closed Monday</i></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><i>Closure dates: 11/23, 12/16, 12/23, 12/25, 1/1, 1/5, 1/13</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>
The Meditation Gardens are also closed when it rains.</i></span><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJEmehCWPWeDao8WuRenfzRWutVkY1-KiStdqJmsBBdHelYtc9aZLEsi4odlZlZ_-VMbx3gzDg3AWX9cyGxNYvV-XdUIc9GeTLW26Rue6c6moihLPRdf8i9yd_SL3-2wGLipQVs2LEUuPWpfxcZxb-ATOAoHD9Xmr0UxeSlIgitQgZiXUOQ2axC0S-Nhh/s700/1%20DSC03915.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJEmehCWPWeDao8WuRenfzRWutVkY1-KiStdqJmsBBdHelYtc9aZLEsi4odlZlZ_-VMbx3gzDg3AWX9cyGxNYvV-XdUIc9GeTLW26Rue6c6moihLPRdf8i9yd_SL3-2wGLipQVs2LEUuPWpfxcZxb-ATOAoHD9Xmr0UxeSlIgitQgZiXUOQ2axC0S-Nhh/w400-h266/1%20DSC03915.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Flowering Aloe, a succulent, overlooking the ocean.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />For more information about visiting the Self-Realization
Fellowship Encinitas Hermitage and Meditation Gardens:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="background: white; color: #4d5156;"><a href="https://www.encinitastemple.org/visiting/">https://www.encinitastemple.org/visiting/</a><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvSEX0Hms2PcGEQoNQttw7vabwNLZQnGjONICbgYXKsi_mGASEskapkm9hPA-s7Bul35MWu1JJ472_dldaCiUA6igpSCWya93-ZMdZ-inH9vVBz6X7oqu2010h43KwkNFZsvKmtkSHKp0NPAIrOBF80s7Wq7QSuilnA6LKp4P0uflz6Q1cCtBKmn7dF-h/s700/1%20DSC03894.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvSEX0Hms2PcGEQoNQttw7vabwNLZQnGjONICbgYXKsi_mGASEskapkm9hPA-s7Bul35MWu1JJ472_dldaCiUA6igpSCWya93-ZMdZ-inH9vVBz6X7oqu2010h43KwkNFZsvKmtkSHKp0NPAIrOBF80s7Wq7QSuilnA6LKp4P0uflz6Q1cCtBKmn7dF-h/w400-h266/1%20DSC03894.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Quiet nook with seating, honoring St. Francis of Assisi.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />For more photos of the Meditation <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>garden, taken on a previous visit, see my post from <b><a href="https://theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/2017/03/srf-meditation-garden-encinitas-ca.html" target="_blank">March 13, 2017</a></b>, a
report my first time in the garden.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><br /><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-60252499139784778732023-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:002023-11-27T06:40:10.715-08:00“SO SMALL” MINIATURE ART AUCTION IN EUGENE, OREGON Guest Post by Caroline Hatton at The Intrepid Tourist<p><i><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PuiVvqshw5eyyAuCe0QUIwYKCC4g2-LHNvpjLaLdobYthtHlUU0YUVoVq2JGgh_0IE6lqnpqetiKAjhmAol9doVcHedYTKL2NC6rG-ZsPIx6reaG_jo_NAtKyNeaeA-9nG1Fhs7cxlYensD-hD-KTBMfX2Cl2_1f07leM82zRHYOhjsxVEisrVjiwJg7/s1000/HattonSoSmall01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="722" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PuiVvqshw5eyyAuCe0QUIwYKCC4g2-LHNvpjLaLdobYthtHlUU0YUVoVq2JGgh_0IE6lqnpqetiKAjhmAol9doVcHedYTKL2NC6rG-ZsPIx6reaG_jo_NAtKyNeaeA-9nG1Fhs7cxlYensD-hD-KTBMfX2Cl2_1f07leM82zRHYOhjsxVEisrVjiwJg7/w289-h400/HattonSoSmall01.jpg" width="289" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stone and driftwood picture by Julie Walsh (2" x 3") </i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><span style="color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />My
friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this
blog, showed miniatures she had handcrafted and took these photos at this event</span></i><i> in September 2023.</i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As a lover of
miniatures, I was thrilled to learn about <i>So Small</i>, the annual miniature art
show, silent auction and fundraiser in Eugene, Oregon. Even better, the
organizer (the <b><a href="https://www.artsandcultureeugene.org/" target="_blank">OSLP Arts & Culture Center</a>*</b>) solicits donations of mini art
and craft items from any and all artists, offering a welcome outlet for my
creations! Item dimensions must not exceed 3” x 3” x 3”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">What could I make?
Something quick and easy and likely to “sell” in September: a seasonal
decoration or gift for the Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN4HepFooYCftgeSedDPCLGvaog0TPFA6sWcnK5Ef6ht1b_yEY6MDVmRtNp-7vH_ME9fwqo9ncMI13BDeeF1goVCaDoR5wIUxm6Ocmt2dmeTEby7NGNF1PJ2PzGrHrleQJ-25VyL7-OvEzmmsUDKwggznyNpC6wz4l59WyLiEscVyDv9IPzfC6X3fGvij/s1000/HattonSoSmall02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1000" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN4HepFooYCftgeSedDPCLGvaog0TPFA6sWcnK5Ef6ht1b_yEY6MDVmRtNp-7vH_ME9fwqo9ncMI13BDeeF1goVCaDoR5wIUxm6Ocmt2dmeTEby7NGNF1PJ2PzGrHrleQJ-25VyL7-OvEzmmsUDKwggznyNpC6wz4l59WyLiEscVyDv9IPzfC6X3fGvij/w400-h383/HattonSoSmall02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas gift by Caroline Hatton </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl9IAyZTuyRZm7G94d1RBs2OJRe3tZC1UCaRqyd9mX9kOqhyphenhyphenLCd2J2IrV5VZ55jABCL8_PJbxKdmpyKhTRuxGfYGXiJhrB6jNhDqX9S71XbQQ93muciVB3X9sit1u6WSYK7YgnpQ7nvpWXDmxhHuPu2N-yDFiPhiroz31aNyJqdolo5XbUEo4Z8y6XajC/s1000/HattonSoSmall03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="935" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl9IAyZTuyRZm7G94d1RBs2OJRe3tZC1UCaRqyd9mX9kOqhyphenhyphenLCd2J2IrV5VZ55jABCL8_PJbxKdmpyKhTRuxGfYGXiJhrB6jNhDqX9S71XbQQ93muciVB3X9sit1u6WSYK7YgnpQ7nvpWXDmxhHuPu2N-yDFiPhiroz31aNyJqdolo5XbUEo4Z8y6XajC/w374-h400/HattonSoSmall03.jpg" width="374" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Christmas gift by Caroline Hatton</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To craft mini,
fake Christmas gifts, I split a Post-It-Note-pad in two halves and wrapped them
in salvaged holiday-card-envelope paper. On the green gift, I glued rescued
ribbon, holly leaves previously cut from a fabric remnant, alder cones
previously collected on nature walks and sterilized by baking, fake berries
previously cannibalized from a damaged decoration, and used acrylic paint for snow.
For the red gift’s ribbon, I cut strips from envelopes. After I dropped my
contribution one hour before the submission deadline, I couldn’t wait for the
show, to see what other people made.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxCanDay2FhpQB4Zvx7JzyKzga0nYjaWTG6iT2aJ4Q3_qKG8Mr3jXPCyrDJnhUVGkE6bbBUhG38n5AcR0OUStAva6SiZSyDJHI-zuTq6OK4xI6sfLM55G7AiZK2yjsieOXfzM821Ogn7IZB0QBzqPN5ZAlGskidzD6DppaZliPBlR0hcyAz-Y_ARp4lWF/s1000/HattonSoSmall04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="1000" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxCanDay2FhpQB4Zvx7JzyKzga0nYjaWTG6iT2aJ4Q3_qKG8Mr3jXPCyrDJnhUVGkE6bbBUhG38n5AcR0OUStAva6SiZSyDJHI-zuTq6OK4xI6sfLM55G7AiZK2yjsieOXfzM821Ogn7IZB0QBzqPN5ZAlGskidzD6DppaZliPBlR0hcyAz-Y_ARp4lWF/w400-h195/HattonSoSmall04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"So Small" art auction and fundraiser in Eugene, Oregon</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />On the
late-September Saturday evening when the 8<sup>th</sup> annual show was
scheduled, parking in downtown Eugene was easy and free. At the event entrance,
I provided my contact info and was assigned an anonymous bidder number, such as, for example, 177. Then I was ready to bid simply by writing down 177 and my bid
($2 or more in $1 increments) on the form next to any wee wonder I wanted. <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua4BQoZkUaMoRMJWIMalyJN-fUIqQzj5qeIXRSjB1S7E1zJ_Xm54eo_TzsLh1Y_KUGzA4dYEiP3T_5lhvg12vq5_DlInNDXtIJyYlqbttZ12k9uvL7StbYeOubhNp4tSXzOuYKNtxm7y4482rVBX6bWqZa4CRaj3dNzwske1Bj4SZS17qL4FfFX54QrKz/s1000/HattonSoSmall05.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="722" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua4BQoZkUaMoRMJWIMalyJN-fUIqQzj5qeIXRSjB1S7E1zJ_Xm54eo_TzsLh1Y_KUGzA4dYEiP3T_5lhvg12vq5_DlInNDXtIJyYlqbttZ12k9uvL7StbYeOubhNp4tSXzOuYKNtxm7y4482rVBX6bWqZa4CRaj3dNzwske1Bj4SZS17qL4FfFX54QrKz/w289-h400/HattonSoSmall05.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mini Halloween decoration by Charlotte Pearce (1" cubic box)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5owNNDgSqn7dgv__2kacvEqfGAvjZ-JQXT19GwXxf6PQO-FnSoKX_eyIxpTsThRwpcWTN_0kSJTXutlb8XI_tZwyYUmVU9U-W_dH8Co7Ffhney9nUEaIu1EYiWqkC1TtQsX1HPyQ-ynzY5kY_GZiuInH1aVE_Ff6-mFABMMcQAw0hM177HVVRJXmoexVy/s1000/HattonSoSmall06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1000" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5owNNDgSqn7dgv__2kacvEqfGAvjZ-JQXT19GwXxf6PQO-FnSoKX_eyIxpTsThRwpcWTN_0kSJTXutlb8XI_tZwyYUmVU9U-W_dH8Co7Ffhney9nUEaIu1EYiWqkC1TtQsX1HPyQ-ynzY5kY_GZiuInH1aVE_Ff6-mFABMMcQAw0hM177HVVRJXmoexVy/w400-h311/HattonSoSmall06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mini adobe abode by Ms. Hirsch (about 1" tall)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips-qpXuaL-N8Kf1MBlCcvl7qKg-vY5FDUF3-x0XKCuSR39aGwTZbuJ59jPBNkmy7uz7cT9Doxcv6gFsYIa2B9nhy6IA0MZH0OyW-uNXruchVZCz3QEhqN7_vWWcL_vkXxAqMpu8eMPHGrvJX_HvnMdghM1DWHuhG-AwXWcgY1fO324ga5jB9Ggg_ymTUe/s1000/HattonSoSmall07.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1000" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips-qpXuaL-N8Kf1MBlCcvl7qKg-vY5FDUF3-x0XKCuSR39aGwTZbuJ59jPBNkmy7uz7cT9Doxcv6gFsYIa2B9nhy6IA0MZH0OyW-uNXruchVZCz3QEhqN7_vWWcL_vkXxAqMpu8eMPHGrvJX_HvnMdghM1DWHuhG-AwXWcgY1fO324ga5jB9Ggg_ymTUe/w400-h258/HattonSoSmall07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Artworks donated by miniature making students</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrry7qvNyt-gcl0fCsx5ZXy69pLUPLYOeWlBkJSZVrVucja5Mu2x5oXzJr0PQqewAgNUPSjxciNkF6jmcQ4QzMMfGCdX7cvFpCdV9y_20qIxMegRzer1H9BXqKj1ESl5K64HqHxUQ7cI9i347A0PLLNQOQTg93Sr445JsbIlIvC0VS-rHGlUBOQ_TCPhvi/s1000/HattonSoSmall08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="1000" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrry7qvNyt-gcl0fCsx5ZXy69pLUPLYOeWlBkJSZVrVucja5Mu2x5oXzJr0PQqewAgNUPSjxciNkF6jmcQ4QzMMfGCdX7cvFpCdV9y_20qIxMegRzer1H9BXqKj1ESl5K64HqHxUQ7cI9i347A0PLLNQOQTg93Sr445JsbIlIvC0VS-rHGlUBOQ_TCPhvi/w400-h145/HattonSoSmall08.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mini ceramics by Carolyn Craig (about 2" diameter)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtiEJ3gyEujLreeWn6IWGpeBDFL3b6cDXySYZDN0-aPYyteTcInnZ2BLsRbp-J9-zkYmX6vmwE7EtpOJQCUePYsjUXNXpzT6WNKTMHn1_JA22Ch3Q1nlv1jVlXIocgQE5PMPHyCYYp5v9PIVSOfvxetxFsT7GBCVszUEvD-3PqQbT05UafsribdC8VGJY/s1000/HattonSoSmall09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1000" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtiEJ3gyEujLreeWn6IWGpeBDFL3b6cDXySYZDN0-aPYyteTcInnZ2BLsRbp-J9-zkYmX6vmwE7EtpOJQCUePYsjUXNXpzT6WNKTMHn1_JA22Ch3Q1nlv1jVlXIocgQE5PMPHyCYYp5v9PIVSOfvxetxFsT7GBCVszUEvD-3PqQbT05UafsribdC8VGJY/w400-h321/HattonSoSmall09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Needle-felted mini pumpkins</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Over 600 tiny
treasures were up for auction! Paintings, drawings, mixed media sculptures,
jewelry, dioramas, 1:12 and smaller-scale miniatures, hand-painted gift
enclosure cards, laminated bookmarks, painted rocks…<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDXvw5cKEkjxBT2V_JjYKP0SC1XWa_fjpMqOXnX_-mS_QMCM1ljjLv15YdLVKMmC_mkqk6LEp-LHSyEqrbKLXfJqmg9Gl5zZdM-Wp7fgSJMJvzjkhTJXlCNdXStsBMqa9OEwBHaKbrtV9iye0h2NNzsjCA3isp0XBYxvZbU7_wCD8YkWpRR6ba_SJxwlR/s1000/HattonSoSmall10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="1000" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDXvw5cKEkjxBT2V_JjYKP0SC1XWa_fjpMqOXnX_-mS_QMCM1ljjLv15YdLVKMmC_mkqk6LEp-LHSyEqrbKLXfJqmg9Gl5zZdM-Wp7fgSJMJvzjkhTJXlCNdXStsBMqa9OEwBHaKbrtV9iye0h2NNzsjCA3isp0XBYxvZbU7_wCD8YkWpRR6ba_SJxwlR/w400-h258/HattonSoSmall10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mini snacks from event sponsors Killer Burger and Community Cup Coffee</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A mere 20 minutes
into the two-hour event, the line at the check-in table stretched out the door
and down the sidewalk, and the interior space no longer had elbow room.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzqH_70qWGZLZvAhV5vUKfU4eoPnVyVTdRuujBfGrLqB39FdoNCY7NNNaqnB0xEAjs5jTZH7VbEEQas8mhI_ZKOfpTwmExGtjNpo1SQAvyw3ittme2u3ToVLh2K1DI-fKspCH3BFuVP56RnCHncbE0k_Hst5TX5xMK7ZVR2jYWQa0dd9wvSgwwtL8vw6j/s1000/HattonSoSmall11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="702" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzqH_70qWGZLZvAhV5vUKfU4eoPnVyVTdRuujBfGrLqB39FdoNCY7NNNaqnB0xEAjs5jTZH7VbEEQas8mhI_ZKOfpTwmExGtjNpo1SQAvyw3ittme2u3ToVLh2K1DI-fKspCH3BFuVP56RnCHncbE0k_Hst5TX5xMK7ZVR2jYWQa0dd9wvSgwwtL8vw6j/w281-h400/HattonSoSmall11.jpg" width="281" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Black Red & Gold" handmade blank book by Deb Ingebretsen</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I won a beautiful
blank book, “Black Red & Gold,”<i> </i>handmade by Deb Ingebretsen. My little
Christmas gifts were sold. The event raised some $4,000 for the Scholarship
Fund, a huge success, given that an 8-week class including instruction and materials
costs about $100 per person. To nurture an inclusive creative community, the
Center offers some classes that facilitate participation in local events. For
example, students who took a lantern-making class walked in the parade that is
a highlight of BEAM, an annual celebration of illumination arts in downtown
Eugene.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>So Small</i> was
sponsored or supported by a number of local businesses and non-profits,
including MECCA (the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts), a thrift
shop for arts and crafts supplies, where teachers never have to pay and mere
mortals pay what they can. It’s next on my list of places to visit, to donate
salvaged and surplus craft supplies, and to browse and dream up what to make
for… next year’s <i>So Small</i>!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*“OSLP (the
Oregon Supported Living Program) was founded in 1978 under the auspices of the
University of Oregon to serve adults with mild developmental disabilities who
lived independently. In 2012, in response to the limited and segregated
artistic opportunities available to people with disabilities, OSLP created its
Arts & Culture Center. Through classes, workshops, and exhibitions, the
Center is inclusive, open to adults with and without disabilities, one of only
a few programs of its kind in the United States.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><b>All text and photos, copyright
Caroline Arnold. </b><a href="http://www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com/"><b>www.theintrepidtourist.blogspot.com</b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-63772767647867080332023-11-20T08:00:00.069-08:002023-11-20T08:55:34.504-08:00THE BIRDS OF NYANDUNGU, RWANDA, AFRICA, Guest Post by Karen Minkowski<p><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvM4dbv0uvMvnmcvauXIODvnCYVDvmBFC3E9-j4YfOuMFzN8gPMy7qohmrKZq5yVTbf1Yd0L4Srv26qZQpjRKY1Wm8kFUOb6MwqmAPR1dyrZyPHIZwIAAMw4hdgO6dUyj23lUf4a5Pb-9a8gHZ6AJqNCMmVlJXm5FGe6kk-MUKSi29oGILDHwXePYCVOs/s601/Untitled-8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="601" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvM4dbv0uvMvnmcvauXIODvnCYVDvmBFC3E9-j4YfOuMFzN8gPMy7qohmrKZq5yVTbf1Yd0L4Srv26qZQpjRKY1Wm8kFUOb6MwqmAPR1dyrZyPHIZwIAAMw4hdgO6dUyj23lUf4a5Pb-9a8gHZ6AJqNCMmVlJXm5FGe6kk-MUKSi29oGILDHwXePYCVOs/w400-h234/Untitled-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-headed Heron, Nyandungu Urban Wetlands Eco-Tourism Park, Kigala, Rwanda</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />My friend Karen Minkowski, a frequent contributor to The Intrepid Tourist and definitely an intrepid traveler, is currently in Africa, a place that she has visited often. Karen is a keen birdwatcher and I thank her for sharing her wonderful photos of the birds of Nyandungu with The Intrepid Tourist.</i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">While
visiting Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city, in early 2023, I took my camera to <b><a href="https://rdb.rw/nyandungu-eco-park-opens-to-the-public/" target="_blank">NyandunguUrban Wetlands Eco-Tourism Park</a></b>, in one of Kigali’s many valleys. The Park
comprises 120 hectares (297 acres) of a restored wetland complex -grasslands,
ponds and a small fig forest. It was created to reestablish some of
Kigali’s lost biodiversity and to provide the community with social and
economic benefits (lots of jobs!). Somewhere between one and two hundred
species of birds reside in or use the Park’s habitats. The Park is buffered
from the surrounding suburbs by agricultural fields. In the photo above a Black-headed Heron flies
across the grassy wetland. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I’ve
recently returned to Rwanda for a longer stay, and I visit Nyandungu frequently.
My photos are annotated with a few facts I gleaned from Google and Google
Scholar. Cornell University’s online <i>Birds of the World</i> is a favorite source.
Here are some of the birds I’ve seen:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rXMWnsjFrSDBAFwNnc7RrzS5fKE4uCyxns8T3pH73vOaj8sBjFszTnL9PxiPfc7_jc0_F4u9zTzEmlYqR0-LVVDUsZCLpdYVp4ij04UrJTOVyiLGk_AOaJCegXWu7IBDf0p7If1_fbqWz3vSXIGN5Z7pRWftBlp-AciPm7FS5tDiGaxZ64X1lAPaJSqE/s519/Untitled-7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rXMWnsjFrSDBAFwNnc7RrzS5fKE4uCyxns8T3pH73vOaj8sBjFszTnL9PxiPfc7_jc0_F4u9zTzEmlYqR0-LVVDUsZCLpdYVp4ij04UrJTOVyiLGk_AOaJCegXWu7IBDf0p7If1_fbqWz3vSXIGN5Z7pRWftBlp-AciPm7FS5tDiGaxZ64X1lAPaJSqE/w400-h320/Untitled-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>African Openbill</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
African Openbill is a stork that feeds primarily on mollusks. Within seconds, it
can pry open and extract a snail from its shell, using the tip of its lower
mandible. It cuts the muscle that keeps the shell closed, rather than crunching it. Greater effort is needed to open
mussel shells, so Openbills may deposit captured mussels on the shore, leaving
the sun to kill them. As the mussels
die, they release their hold on their shells. In this photo the Openbill is
likely probing for insects in the dead wood.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsDSXvpbyGonc-xAMMAaSilifN0R1SUv5TUjxISNoD4eNLhyphenhyphen9AkhonAEd0dyACe5Mb61d8X2_N0OO-iJSlhA2D8MKhJl877yQJt80-XqZmFo06jXekV0JKC5937QReZrVho9tD_rxx6hsvrNC7GHgeaWqJT3c9EEJuEamHM0UrEnND-Uog8m2EjCigyv7/s601/Untitled-6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="601" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsDSXvpbyGonc-xAMMAaSilifN0R1SUv5TUjxISNoD4eNLhyphenhyphen9AkhonAEd0dyACe5Mb61d8X2_N0OO-iJSlhA2D8MKhJl877yQJt80-XqZmFo06jXekV0JKC5937QReZrVho9tD_rxx6hsvrNC7GHgeaWqJT3c9EEJuEamHM0UrEnND-Uog8m2EjCigyv7/w400-h266/Untitled-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spur-winged Goose</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
Spur-winged Goose derives its name from a small spur, or spike, at the bending
point of each wing and is used in fighting during the breeding season.
Spur-winged geese that eat the poisonous Blister Beetle store the toxin in their
tissues, which may kill whatever subsequently eats the geese.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxlHQ6DxdES73k6KG94tCT_a0l4ntMNCZVcaDgVogxOi6TgqDu8wYDRQVtIJj31DHfU-uD_VJO39SkhE2VR5O67S9FU31scgK2Ma5mxXH71FIBSI_-vOphTufDXbFURCVMGXIKBU-klQt5rseQ1zbUnUVK8dUBr7Nta4HT9aNup59Z9O6hHTngnOFVj_F/s584/Untitled-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxlHQ6DxdES73k6KG94tCT_a0l4ntMNCZVcaDgVogxOi6TgqDu8wYDRQVtIJj31DHfU-uD_VJO39SkhE2VR5O67S9FU31scgK2Ma5mxXH71FIBSI_-vOphTufDXbFURCVMGXIKBU-klQt5rseQ1zbUnUVK8dUBr7Nta4HT9aNup59Z9O6hHTngnOFVj_F/w400-h400/Untitled-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>African Stonechat</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
African Stonechat is an Old-World flycatcher that feeds almost exclusively on
insects, their larvae, and other invertebrates. It occupies a wide range of
habitats on the continent.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoyoqF1168db_fJ2hrENDzLr3XqAmLiNsf41uw-EKL5t9Q-7sgUwl5TbzrbEoOya_cVBL5coSbH4Qj_lioFgweRPqZ_BsMrgCffthLBZpEC8W-Zfalwi5AcYAuBn3GuZcDi3QAkOATldiQk5-bRP5SnxAEsRGYZ-cT2EcdmeQ5tg1NqX4-xNmlcBY5gGC/s601/Untitled-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="601" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoyoqF1168db_fJ2hrENDzLr3XqAmLiNsf41uw-EKL5t9Q-7sgUwl5TbzrbEoOya_cVBL5coSbH4Qj_lioFgweRPqZ_BsMrgCffthLBZpEC8W-Zfalwi5AcYAuBn3GuZcDi3QAkOATldiQk5-bRP5SnxAEsRGYZ-cT2EcdmeQ5tg1NqX4-xNmlcBY5gGC/w400-h400/Untitled-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Common Bulbul</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />A
very common bird throughout much of Africa south of the Sahel, the Common
Bulbul is primarily a fruit-eater, but also takes a few insects and small
vertebrates.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSYFVZLj1ZufdpoOXZCE0t3vGlTCwDQef6AlXCLzvgWG-JJqYDZtKrPj7qu2ulFFUIFpO39JxqfS49O9nuXDeDtAEvsRbSqyiZ_RiGwlkYrFKP9pvkjeHU8p8sTfnmItta3oNmUfj8mWLIECCAlbPPi0JuiowagWuxNNHJyegUG_-v-JPzn-8MWs3p7FP/s601/Untitled-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSYFVZLj1ZufdpoOXZCE0t3vGlTCwDQef6AlXCLzvgWG-JJqYDZtKrPj7qu2ulFFUIFpO39JxqfS49O9nuXDeDtAEvsRbSqyiZ_RiGwlkYrFKP9pvkjeHU8p8sTfnmItta3oNmUfj8mWLIECCAlbPPi0JuiowagWuxNNHJyegUG_-v-JPzn-8MWs3p7FP/w400-h320/Untitled-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White-browed Coucal</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />The
elegant White-browed Coucal has a lovely call, a kind of soft, warbling sound.
Its body pulses to the rhythm of the call, a bit like bellows. Male White-browed
Coucals spend more time than females incubating the eggs, but both sexes share
the task of feeding their young. They eat mostly insects, spiders, and small
invertebrates.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWplEGUHp5SwVZrqdmlNmmJWo-4mOegYWc_AAocCwil9xsoLSqu6re-fudy80KtZQ97t8lwuygRllelfCbFvLWDdPkYJ2damAlmeph6D6lERqXM5Vh0xotrUW3oEsIiZAdsgSCDmOLz_HfWfxKl5RsIx-AeODaucN_C3SRWWt9IvR513-oziEFxb4V6QrW/s601/Untitled-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWplEGUHp5SwVZrqdmlNmmJWo-4mOegYWc_AAocCwil9xsoLSqu6re-fudy80KtZQ97t8lwuygRllelfCbFvLWDdPkYJ2damAlmeph6D6lERqXM5Vh0xotrUW3oEsIiZAdsgSCDmOLz_HfWfxKl5RsIx-AeODaucN_C3SRWWt9IvR513-oziEFxb4V6QrW/w400-h320/Untitled-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fork-tailed Drongo</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br />Fork-tailed
Drongos are known to give false alarm calls to scare other bird species into abandoning
their food to a thieving drongo. They also mimic the alarm calls of other
species for the same purpose. Why hunt when there are easier ways to get a good
meal? <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdTaItRz4XFsJBFbGxnAP8DjKQb4eIxh0cg0_k7_GDkRm-4rGGY4jbrCsHszQrVN6ZTSQC4cHod2zCI6gugdT-kZRmWUN4FdPIL1tOYraAF7nFF7Znd1n8b1Cf7ech7NrjP9O1baDhEm68g-cXl-Wy04tGZ3k09f046d57wFRupxufIcCYuhLY7RqoYFM/s615/Untitled-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="615" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdTaItRz4XFsJBFbGxnAP8DjKQb4eIxh0cg0_k7_GDkRm-4rGGY4jbrCsHszQrVN6ZTSQC4cHod2zCI6gugdT-kZRmWUN4FdPIL1tOYraAF7nFF7Znd1n8b1Cf7ech7NrjP9O1baDhEm68g-cXl-Wy04tGZ3k09f046d57wFRupxufIcCYuhLY7RqoYFM/w400-h266/Untitled-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black-lored Babblers</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />Black-lored Babblers are highly sociable birds. The one
on the left had been grooming the bird in in the middle, then moved a short
distance away and returned a few seconds later. It is tempting – if hopeless -
to imagine what they are communicating with these postures and expressions! These
birds literally babble when grouped together, as if they cannot contain their
excitement. The authors of a bird guide describe the sound as having a
“slightly insane and hilarious laughing quality”.</span><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-47828062407986133002023-11-13T08:00:00.000-08:002023-11-13T08:25:29.083-08:00LASCAUX CAVES, DORDOGNE, FRANCE: A Treasure House of Prehistoric Art, Guest Post by Susan Kean<p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftt2zzywgAIU1outRHVsoOo6Cf8u92G3qmDl1lg1l4Ua3EreUfd0GqUuQxvjL2uHv18fPLOzmRF3RZmSgA2Yp3Yi3M3qOaxJd4zg12Ka3_2KCdQr7amvK7uDbVKL3l6HSZLlVPioWu8mVlKPpS4UuJ0REkZc0hlyfkwqe-dQ3P2iQAV58ZeaCw5m03g7W/s2048/393750051_10231174629017851_5147613772112016421_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftt2zzywgAIU1outRHVsoOo6Cf8u92G3qmDl1lg1l4Ua3EreUfd0GqUuQxvjL2uHv18fPLOzmRF3RZmSgA2Yp3Yi3M3qOaxJd4zg12Ka3_2KCdQr7amvK7uDbVKL3l6HSZLlVPioWu8mVlKPpS4UuJ0REkZc0hlyfkwqe-dQ3P2iQAV58ZeaCw5m03g7W/w400-h300/393750051_10231174629017851_5147613772112016421_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lascaux Caves, Dordogne, France.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><br />My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently went on a driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne region in the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside, including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has graciously agreed to share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. I have divided them into three sections, starting with the first leg of the trip, Lisbon to the Pyrenees; the second, sightseeing in the Dordogne; the third, a visit to the Lascaux Caves. Susan writes:</i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-style: italic; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygM8N6Ua-6DUDfoh0T6mlzxN6CdR3bj9x39ypGAhV3-dfoq4G0LN73RTbvr_WFMni4_iJte5puoN9yNOF9daKUmSvSjzo2je_nir3-ZA0253LcR8OVjT8s0MP8-r1Q5mYc4NYvu1_IquoGIssLXa7jUQTA9YWSK0tdYBudCROk0e4KZDaAWv_nVgqICMf/s2048/393626171_10231174628937849_6377897702854593316_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygM8N6Ua-6DUDfoh0T6mlzxN6CdR3bj9x39ypGAhV3-dfoq4G0LN73RTbvr_WFMni4_iJte5puoN9yNOF9daKUmSvSjzo2je_nir3-ZA0253LcR8OVjT8s0MP8-r1Q5mYc4NYvu1_IquoGIssLXa7jUQTA9YWSK0tdYBudCROk0e4KZDaAWv_nVgqICMf/w300-h400/393626171_10231174628937849_6377897702854593316_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Area of the original cave.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />We visited the Lascaux
caves on the 3rd day of our visit to Dordogne. </span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;">We were early for the English language tour so
walked around the area of the original cave</span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYp6q-L8YTCNf-_Wx_wEC8FjpO8oV-iVGkYsEKPwh7Jro-bJJsT1mQMaXTh_adVus3-jFc-pkZgBScaYxIOxwGo4tJxskdv390IZ0qB7mm6n9FebH5EAHsPvMUwU1bc9lqOVrZzRjoez4la2khltv_V7RA7OdpP9_DVrun4FZj4N3Gd2G4mRaO4B6rP6u/s2048/391685611_10231174633817971_8425592339244210745_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYp6q-L8YTCNf-_Wx_wEC8FjpO8oV-iVGkYsEKPwh7Jro-bJJsT1mQMaXTh_adVus3-jFc-pkZgBScaYxIOxwGo4tJxskdv390IZ0qB7mm6n9FebH5EAHsPvMUwU1bc9lqOVrZzRjoez4la2khltv_V7RA7OdpP9_DVrun4FZj4N3Gd2G4mRaO4B6rP6u/w400-h300/391685611_10231174633817971_8425592339244210745_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using candlelight to see the paintings on the ceiling.</td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /><i>Four teenagers discovered the caves in 1940. They are full of ancient wall paintings (600 or more) that are
over 20,000 years old. </i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-style: italic; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv4k-UBHQPWWuyzHJvqjxnYV1-fi5wcIk425CXffVuXzclfGCH7ZieP6KTom0WVbz77qnQxoDxMCwZO2c1w4QbkMq-MPPeUSA_R14sBB2HUM7m3AG5sVn6MQB9ix6R1yxahe8J1XxAv1bXEb6560z5Z7M1msCXq_0Nmrb6qwBsKntbSFDOLuRFIwNNV_j/s1563/393808036_10231174633297958_6091267980568803719_ncr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1563" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv4k-UBHQPWWuyzHJvqjxnYV1-fi5wcIk425CXffVuXzclfGCH7ZieP6KTom0WVbz77qnQxoDxMCwZO2c1w4QbkMq-MPPeUSA_R14sBB2HUM7m3AG5sVn6MQB9ix6R1yxahe8J1XxAv1bXEb6560z5Z7M1msCXq_0Nmrb6qwBsKntbSFDOLuRFIwNNV_j/w400-h308/393808036_10231174633297958_6091267980568803719_ncr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Diagram of Lascaux Caves.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The paintings are primarily of horses, aurochs (an
extinct type of large ox) and various other animals. As there are virtually no
pictures of humans (except one horse with a human head) it is thought that the
paintings were of religious significance. They are are also thought to be the
combined painting efforts of several generations. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-style: italic; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz79W1Ri_f3cRGgnyXhDKJSXGT4r_L6ZtqyefCw7BbU59eOh8iY19oOwoyJ1CAHeFXzdl5gvP86dM_jqeUSvmxF7nDLSrK3gsHh6v0HoTB1kLPjbJ3CMJdKMo-jZijKULdBHL1qzVewzC66dIsSeT_0auLzI8LTUJM5755XSKsxllMJ0nUImM6iirF-S8q/s2048/393828488_10231174633137954_4021845960347420114_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1310" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz79W1Ri_f3cRGgnyXhDKJSXGT4r_L6ZtqyefCw7BbU59eOh8iY19oOwoyJ1CAHeFXzdl5gvP86dM_jqeUSvmxF7nDLSrK3gsHh6v0HoTB1kLPjbJ3CMJdKMo-jZijKULdBHL1qzVewzC66dIsSeT_0auLzI8LTUJM5755XSKsxllMJ0nUImM6iirF-S8q/w256-h400/393828488_10231174633137954_4021845960347420114_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Exiting the reconstructed cave.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />The original cave was
closed in 1963 because the visitor traffic caused enormous deterioration of the
bright colors of the paintings. Two amazing replicas have been built and are
well worth a visit. Lascaux 2 is on the original site. Lascaux 4 is very recent
recreation with a large museum, large gift shop and restaurant. I’m glad we saw
both. However, I liked Lascaux 2 best as it is the location of the original cave. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6rwvbqd9FTwHan3f-eH9jZf0bduWuYatL9JonGhudqnHDhu9ci9pP_8UtYXoU-ccQAgqkwcIFxsDx0jDrKcv0dXawOmBzu_GenoSERDkCwOnzYJ9Oq0Br1nekWvntWMC5vWXPGViaE7iiOegBg67-IArsGfSEGCRZqLTjZGdOCwC07nfzTIbKa2IXert/s2048/393752812_10231174632897948_8946824655341061757_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6rwvbqd9FTwHan3f-eH9jZf0bduWuYatL9JonGhudqnHDhu9ci9pP_8UtYXoU-ccQAgqkwcIFxsDx0jDrKcv0dXawOmBzu_GenoSERDkCwOnzYJ9Oq0Br1nekWvntWMC5vWXPGViaE7iiOegBg67-IArsGfSEGCRZqLTjZGdOCwC07nfzTIbKa2IXert/w300-h400/393752812_10231174632897948_8946824655341061757_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painted auroch.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;">The tour guide explained how they got the primitive
colors. They used Magnesium for black which is different than the usual
charcoal. If they had used charcoal the paintings would be have been easier to
date. </span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;">Apparently the diet of
the people was primarily reindeer. No reindeer appear in the paintings. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-style: italic; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 15.3333px; font-style: normal;">Lastly we visited Thot park where more recent versions of the animals from the area can be seen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; font-style: italic; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J5OCk9NZleJw0ccC7UkgX56Hv6aSe11vfynKvlQyy0K4Vn6fC4ygwk_P3J62deaOREC7mQAZ1D1UNlEr0z7E0-c_ZkUXAsmivrI4RS_txAYMSEwnZYrtRObkv3wkJ5k9HJMlOofrbwAMkwHDLslnZX5LkLW4TaYgivPI2mJkggWEsEgOxFas9SIb3-ZG/s1612/393747389_10231174633377960_6311348374007727002_ncr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J5OCk9NZleJw0ccC7UkgX56Hv6aSe11vfynKvlQyy0K4Vn6fC4ygwk_P3J62deaOREC7mQAZ1D1UNlEr0z7E0-c_ZkUXAsmivrI4RS_txAYMSEwnZYrtRObkv3wkJ5k9HJMlOofrbwAMkwHDLslnZX5LkLW4TaYgivPI2mJkggWEsEgOxFas9SIb3-ZG/w311-h400/393747389_10231174633377960_6311348374007727002_ncr.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thot Park reindeer.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;">The Thot park recent ox are much smaller than the
extinct wild ox (auroch) as displayed in the cave paintings.</span><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4376t_fV-F0qNrP6aqJxnrl6WeIqUHoYKvi3FTj3auBu18q0UL6qTzqXJmpTtCfw6v6Bg79I6GFTFREahbfloC3VW64W6-KFPaSucVjNrtRczUnIKishLwdjlYPKFY9XEPH-xzhb_DcBHWqveMMr4TX8gkSN5_o4v_U9mxHW0H4W-5s4OwFkjBplXwiZ/s1422/393788358_10231174629457862_371143341120414619_ncr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1422" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4376t_fV-F0qNrP6aqJxnrl6WeIqUHoYKvi3FTj3auBu18q0UL6qTzqXJmpTtCfw6v6Bg79I6GFTFREahbfloC3VW64W6-KFPaSucVjNrtRczUnIKishLwdjlYPKFY9XEPH-xzhb_DcBHWqveMMr4TX8gkSN5_o4v_U9mxHW0H4W-5s4OwFkjBplXwiZ/w400-h299/393788358_10231174629457862_371143341120414619_ncr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thot Park ox.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; font-style: italic;">Previous posts about Susan's trip:</span><p></p><p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span> ROAD TRIP: LISBON TO THE PYRENNEES, October 30, 2023</span><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span><span> ROAD TRIP: THE BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE REGION OF FRANCE, November 6, 2023</span><br /></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></i></p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></i><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-9980774785125642322023-11-06T08:00:00.003-08:002023-11-06T08:06:52.923-08:00ROAD TRIP: THE BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE REGION OF FRANCE, Guest Post by Susan Kean<p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqtVuYPMcTURRuy518sbqsJAZNtczCIpDwT18UNmW3HG4nqaRvHkXjowU2uU3NQLwIX994t29obF_M1oFY7T9frxCZF6Tjc4n0YQ6AzKpmb8ogg-t6vipXYUuWQahtI_bmstJIJIQf6EYfcK9N-BlBq2UN1efzs7CHooFWzBEw9FIthKy4kbgybMPmi3U/s2048/387841842_10231122019862655_7814925278835067009_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqtVuYPMcTURRuy518sbqsJAZNtczCIpDwT18UNmW3HG4nqaRvHkXjowU2uU3NQLwIX994t29obF_M1oFY7T9frxCZF6Tjc4n0YQ6AzKpmb8ogg-t6vipXYUuWQahtI_bmstJIJIQf6EYfcK9N-BlBq2UN1efzs7CHooFWzBEw9FIthKy4kbgybMPmi3U/w300-h400/387841842_10231122019862655_7814925278835067009_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Market in Sarlat, town in the Dordogne region of France.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"><br />My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently went on a driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne region in the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside, including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has graciously agreed to share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. I have divided them into three sections, starting with the first leg of the trip, Lisbon to the Pyrenees; the second part, sightseeing in the Dordogne; the third, a visit to the Lascaux Caves. This is part 2. Susan writes:</i><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFFLdu0xtha7lEQ_DLeNTWypHKGNhMyB3kms0B_JSZAi5ttdt0DKZhBA3JRjpE_Fpjwsitn8LcnWWQI-jZ_pT-mRsobGSLHVUUbpfZx99UamlQ2zbG_P3gBsIcX_V74LPOE5kZJ9xgyiYR8Iovqu4hfGMT6LVhTZmZTzTHsgqzAQv4O9hU1wnFcrowcd_/s2048/387838644_10231122026822829_2737009646994855721_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFFLdu0xtha7lEQ_DLeNTWypHKGNhMyB3kms0B_JSZAi5ttdt0DKZhBA3JRjpE_Fpjwsitn8LcnWWQI-jZ_pT-mRsobGSLHVUUbpfZx99UamlQ2zbG_P3gBsIcX_V74LPOE5kZJ9xgyiYR8Iovqu4hfGMT6LVhTZmZTzTHsgqzAQv4O9hU1wnFcrowcd_/w300-h400/387838644_10231122026822829_2737009646994855721_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunrise in Dordogne.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />After a 3 day
1000 mile drive from Lisbon through Portugal, Spain, and South of France, we
were thrilled to arrive in the Dordogne area of France to the Air B&B home
of our friends. The</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> next day we enjoyed breakfast in Sarlat and experienced the ‘old’ town. We shopped at the local market for dinner ingredients. By the time we got to the meat stall everything was gone except a shoulder </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">of lamb, so that is what we cooked (it turned out great!) </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL_qcBawjaonhzkuH8cJGT7oyjZTZYU-MowBEWBFQbKI_O1w9nUfEEJkuW6iX-Is4L6DYvRIOVAuI8rjlpCJA0t0oTmU22ZyaJuh78_qxk7c2CM5gUOFWWOfQylqN6bnohtjeJbMXfkGdwpM-JBkv_SL5vC2I3t2K2EXNaANKlkYy4WFir6GH1rXFl81J/s2048/387852495_10231122028182863_5627512243328383071_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL_qcBawjaonhzkuH8cJGT7oyjZTZYU-MowBEWBFQbKI_O1w9nUfEEJkuW6iX-Is4L6DYvRIOVAuI8rjlpCJA0t0oTmU22ZyaJuh78_qxk7c2CM5gUOFWWOfQylqN6bnohtjeJbMXfkGdwpM-JBkv_SL5vC2I3t2K2EXNaANKlkYy4WFir6GH1rXFl81J/w300-h400/387852495_10231122028182863_5627512243328383071_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wonderful streets of Sarlat.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br />This is a glorious part of France. In fact, I’d forgotten what a beautiful country France is. Everything we have seen so far is spotless and well kept.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ss_msMPQHuI-j1bjyYfd3VecB1YnmhSIqXDCQKuq1OG2ek8bwE0ppqzbso8XI589K8v8DOp__7lvSLoESLm2sku-FCpuTexBsbneYdj9aoq_pFWgX5eN82Ao7dCHpmP0Khd5WtQtcUcZ71ObuShd0pnHynOMO0ipYELNq1w6XsdKNKIKRhl0LQgHTCRE/s1259/387837273_10231122027622849_4164247495965831771_n%20cr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1259" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ss_msMPQHuI-j1bjyYfd3VecB1YnmhSIqXDCQKuq1OG2ek8bwE0ppqzbso8XI589K8v8DOp__7lvSLoESLm2sku-FCpuTexBsbneYdj9aoq_pFWgX5eN82Ao7dCHpmP0Khd5WtQtcUcZ71ObuShd0pnHynOMO0ipYELNq1w6XsdKNKIKRhl0LQgHTCRE/w400-h349/387837273_10231122027622849_4164247495965831771_n%20cr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Author signing his book.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />We decided to
buy a children’s book and one of the authors sketched the inside cover before
signing.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-NQgByBhVsfZJoTdMYX5DgQTIs6XTetJ1tYDP2RKS6GRpGu6n_zz6Lo2huPYHmuUACdFBLB74mDyj4s5JO-RKnxc0MBwkPNdGtinACpiPIYcWjuSYM0vFBiBbdiFoU3Dv31OCsoaYy93PvJMi2cyr4XvVLvunYiIY609aKc8p6bfycIIyF5B4sYNIm3s/s2048/387855911_10231122030302916_2852411438407057035_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-NQgByBhVsfZJoTdMYX5DgQTIs6XTetJ1tYDP2RKS6GRpGu6n_zz6Lo2huPYHmuUACdFBLB74mDyj4s5JO-RKnxc0MBwkPNdGtinACpiPIYcWjuSYM0vFBiBbdiFoU3Dv31OCsoaYy93PvJMi2cyr4XvVLvunYiIY609aKc8p6bfycIIyF5B4sYNIm3s/w314-h400/387855911_10231122030302916_2852411438407057035_n.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sarlat Cathedral.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDY5a_ROOsJSNZpxzqpB-7MXLEOUGRZNxXjsum0MEPXsGZPdtbxa10RUChHmFsV6Bz0UgXFMnMGqy88rPQ_ATiugudtJz3XOGr8gjCoYcMkTfl2zWBwjlbxRzOwZRVjlJCqDVK4JMEFItc-PslBm8-J5swPFupmXGrlqERThCVKf6WgRXKKrkIPfWK8HQl/s2048/387841152_10231122031782953_8768607191475443251_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDY5a_ROOsJSNZpxzqpB-7MXLEOUGRZNxXjsum0MEPXsGZPdtbxa10RUChHmFsV6Bz0UgXFMnMGqy88rPQ_ATiugudtJz3XOGr8gjCoYcMkTfl2zWBwjlbxRzOwZRVjlJCqDVK4JMEFItc-PslBm8-J5swPFupmXGrlqERThCVKf6WgRXKKrkIPfWK8HQl/w300-h400/387841152_10231122031782953_8768607191475443251_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A gaggle of geese.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />This is Fois Gras
country. The goose is revered<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tglitD1BjcVW1m4L2oHwJB3oU5k9xVJLfjwktpqKVeudkPg7VfRqVf39HgYTvVlJ3psu2383Eg7JRan6BNAil6jxUzWOw5ZegYXJSHIvoTV1Cn2b8mf-9tKElRrCcpSHf2dhrf6HoJQuw_vvDR4EZ4YyB7xLTVoeiu3bPtgI_QT8g-EzHGrTVoWpcHBj/s2048/387841178_10231122018262615_7028441930042633521_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tglitD1BjcVW1m4L2oHwJB3oU5k9xVJLfjwktpqKVeudkPg7VfRqVf39HgYTvVlJ3psu2383Eg7JRan6BNAil6jxUzWOw5ZegYXJSHIvoTV1Cn2b8mf-9tKElRrCcpSHf2dhrf6HoJQuw_vvDR4EZ4YyB7xLTVoeiu3bPtgI_QT8g-EzHGrTVoWpcHBj/w300-h400/387841178_10231122018262615_7028441930042633521_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Truffle Museum in Sarlat.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />Also Truffle country.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi870S7YklHKAP3ke5ZmIK-VLpP3P3-w7WrmgVIX7Rg6i5wcZPxs5mA18HlODP72fB7jITBEuN-3NBp3aAAj1dWkc4i0HjH3cyQ-8h_cTjplcL7p9-frK4Hi70N1e9y-fVth41WaRD4GN3ZG00H0RQisqP3N_QXgYRxLMHPMaiF0GLsAwmf5crhVUTTyX/s2048/393655065_10231166710139884_2795182801359521197_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1658" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxi870S7YklHKAP3ke5ZmIK-VLpP3P3-w7WrmgVIX7Rg6i5wcZPxs5mA18HlODP72fB7jITBEuN-3NBp3aAAj1dWkc4i0HjH3cyQ-8h_cTjplcL7p9-frK4Hi70N1e9y-fVth41WaRD4GN3ZG00H0RQisqP3N_QXgYRxLMHPMaiF0GLsAwmf5crhVUTTyX/w324-h400/393655065_10231166710139884_2795182801359521197_n.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View of Bynac Castle from our canoe.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br />Canoeing down the Dordogne river is amazing. I was
concerned I’d find it a bit challenging getting in and out but our captain </span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">made it easy!</span><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipna87WMVgL77m3R6uZMLZmabRhxiVgERGpcWrekhEmMtZMF6UChhyphenhyphenfNPngJApq6E149Bu0h-F0Jn8a07Kb9F7479jCy5XLMuGq2BkYDhlAyDQnrIx1t1UEsvH0x269h7o-Ja6fFyLm6jeqJNsFF21h-NTVEElRM9SI7mqBsoEcZoIvbdtuEwIzZGHloid/s2048/393663534_10231166712139934_5656268090730502387_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipna87WMVgL77m3R6uZMLZmabRhxiVgERGpcWrekhEmMtZMF6UChhyphenhyphenfNPngJApq6E149Bu0h-F0Jn8a07Kb9F7479jCy5XLMuGq2BkYDhlAyDQnrIx1t1UEsvH0x269h7o-Ja6fFyLm6jeqJNsFF21h-NTVEElRM9SI7mqBsoEcZoIvbdtuEwIzZGHloid/w400-h300/393663534_10231166712139934_5656268090730502387_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Canoeing on the Dordogne River.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><br />Susan's next post:</b> LASCAUX CAVES, DORDOGNE, FRANCE<i>. November 13, 2023</i></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"></i><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-73205407998562489222023-10-30T08:00:00.004-07:002023-10-30T16:05:45.640-07:00ROAD TRIP: LISBON TO THE PYRENEES, Guest Post by Susan Kean<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i></i></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOT_dSIF2XSrBfy99on0Bh8zK1k8Eg7G7QfLlG7f1KiNOqCpp8P1e2kZXJYccLPKTar_Xk81WSGQXwCMCnOP0zHREtw9zIg_wHx-ZFqWe9PnjKzfC3TdN-4DIaET7smw48dPWWl0aHORtMlzaXh8AdyeuKgcRvpIuCrnu9yx9J2mlOFSMxtmZaDi0TPL0/s2048/387846990_10231122029262890_5589375017881732178_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOT_dSIF2XSrBfy99on0Bh8zK1k8Eg7G7QfLlG7f1KiNOqCpp8P1e2kZXJYccLPKTar_Xk81WSGQXwCMCnOP0zHREtw9zIg_wHx-ZFqWe9PnjKzfC3TdN-4DIaET7smw48dPWWl0aHORtMlzaXh8AdyeuKgcRvpIuCrnu9yx9J2mlOFSMxtmZaDi0TPL0/w400-h300/387846990_10231122029262890_5589375017881732178_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Pyrenees, on the border between Spain and France.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br />My friend Susan Kean and her partner George recently
went on a driving trip from Lisbon in Portugal, through Spain, to the Dordogne
region in the South of France, where they visited friends and toured the countryside,
including a visit to the famous painted caves of Lascaux (a replica). Susan has graciously agreed to
share her photos with The Intrepid Tourist. I have divided them into three
sections, starting with the first leg of the trip, Lisbon to the Pyrenees. The next sections will appear in the following weeks. Susan writes:</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Our first stop was just beyond Madrid in a town called <a href="https://www.iberian-escapes.com/things-to-do-in-guadalajara.html" target="_blank">Guadalajara</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxgkIRoN04FGrAb4Ipt68XLTzyBkv_M9FrgLyTjbOI7d416EOmrE47ILdkCQAW9hi4HB0GkqoAqk0SjS8Rshc4ZWENILNhR3DA3Z8ekFAhSrQ0KVbrnumbMsf1iaECruvmYYm5UCO_P0bMT8eO4fizTYHTz0JlUEAg7dEEGt9u-te2wgzm5ZKT1tMvqJx/s2048/387842695_10231122016822579_6985249293275376835_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxgkIRoN04FGrAb4Ipt68XLTzyBkv_M9FrgLyTjbOI7d416EOmrE47ILdkCQAW9hi4HB0GkqoAqk0SjS8Rshc4ZWENILNhR3DA3Z8ekFAhSrQ0KVbrnumbMsf1iaECruvmYYm5UCO_P0bMT8eO4fizTYHTz0JlUEAg7dEEGt9u-te2wgzm5ZKT1tMvqJx/w300-h400/387842695_10231122016822579_6985249293275376835_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Infantado Palace in Guadalajara, Spain</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LTGy1q4mmpk97w2nXrgP6w7tq2muJAqpXX4oX7kSdhxEAJNYDeC59Iwn2fgI4USW6Ndi6WKQK5SrDwzL6y-bOZrUSDjF6wBO2seDyrYCkCljsiB3JguJ95CDn46abj9J_L8KwpskTTmMOQbU7R9lLKtmuqWwva-L0o2XbM69g8Uelk-Qbds3Vv5bxzDv/s2048/387841194_10231122020382668_2231890872316633092_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LTGy1q4mmpk97w2nXrgP6w7tq2muJAqpXX4oX7kSdhxEAJNYDeC59Iwn2fgI4USW6Ndi6WKQK5SrDwzL6y-bOZrUSDjF6wBO2seDyrYCkCljsiB3JguJ95CDn46abj9J_L8KwpskTTmMOQbU7R9lLKtmuqWwva-L0o2XbM69g8Uelk-Qbds3Vv5bxzDv/w400-h300/387841194_10231122020382668_2231890872316633092_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lunch of "baby eels"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />My lunch at a
‘Rest’ stop in Spain was a local delicacy…baby eels… I thought we asked for
shrimp! It took us awhile to work out what they were. Happily, they were not
real baby eels but made from fish like our mock crab meat. Eating real baby
eels is controversial and they are a delicacy and very expensive.</span><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "sans-serif"; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PdVPupHFr1ET5vaNyTBoaqE1e6HLYjHHGekJSFlgcd60PLfTCgT-Jo8YHhbhTB6L5GHZyLYQ3BkUeWX_HxF2O6-nItf_Y6rj2xfXr2hGuOt-Nz6r1-ur8R5ccsehhcjLaZRJTB8L6Qbzl7m1I_3AnetCVX5SF-v3Jg5wdp0gNM-LMM8mze7rg_Bp0mmQ/s2048/387851910_10231122028742877_3458005499870304087_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PdVPupHFr1ET5vaNyTBoaqE1e6HLYjHHGekJSFlgcd60PLfTCgT-Jo8YHhbhTB6L5GHZyLYQ3BkUeWX_HxF2O6-nItf_Y6rj2xfXr2hGuOt-Nz6r1-ur8R5ccsehhcjLaZRJTB8L6Qbzl7m1I_3AnetCVX5SF-v3Jg5wdp0gNM-LMM8mze7rg_Bp0mmQ/w400-h300/387851910_10231122028742877_3458005499870304087_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bull (toro) silhouette along side of the road in Spain.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This was
originally an ad for Toro Brandy but has now become a symbol of Spain and they
are all over the country.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLGs6eWLCJWHokNmUsf_GKgDr6QHubHxKCuowIwWaASDUlnFMIME9D_iJ25H79oTVwW9z-EQ0p5PuX6dpusOW45EiAx6NiALItei16XmybixfmIBmelGGWciXsl0sj3evT0Pe-iwQn5gkJzt5whPyES2JD6KEdmYxB6haoLHKvr-qV4dTNMhBwE-Ocgnb/s2048/387854118_10231122018342617_3782749731660743350_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLGs6eWLCJWHokNmUsf_GKgDr6QHubHxKCuowIwWaASDUlnFMIME9D_iJ25H79oTVwW9z-EQ0p5PuX6dpusOW45EiAx6NiALItei16XmybixfmIBmelGGWciXsl0sj3evT0Pe-iwQn5gkJzt5whPyES2JD6KEdmYxB6haoLHKvr-qV4dTNMhBwE-Ocgnb/w400-h300/387854118_10231122018342617_3782749731660743350_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>CanFranc Estacion</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />Spanish roads
were very good.</span> We arrived in the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/canfranc-station-hotel-opens/index.html" target="_blank">CanFranc Estacion</a>, an incredible hotel
which one once a railway station high up in the Pyrenees. George had read about
it in the Financial Times.</span><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cIchw854t8kJSDVufP6SI6Xthln_bfKbOnIxe_rAMc6B7pzZOSn7KnzaU8nDIlP2tf0r2acq5slpxPsrpqr2eKRmANiatUf10K7Q1FYgwYUCjfHSR4bc8MHUVAnI5vQ-1G0yZiq5AhYMQPbG4d6BfjEwqfnoKqAyT-TaMILkyLOH1KmIDW-FfqRXf8O9/s2048/387848268_10231122020622674_4151730627998264069_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cIchw854t8kJSDVufP6SI6Xthln_bfKbOnIxe_rAMc6B7pzZOSn7KnzaU8nDIlP2tf0r2acq5slpxPsrpqr2eKRmANiatUf10K7Q1FYgwYUCjfHSR4bc8MHUVAnI5vQ-1G0yZiq5AhYMQPbG4d6BfjEwqfnoKqAyT-TaMILkyLOH1KmIDW-FfqRXf8O9/w295-h400/387848268_10231122020622674_4151730627998264069_n.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Check-in at the CanFranc Estacion Hotel.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7u65Vkl7xAQw2VXqDaEd7yN7vouCwU4AefKMCGjH3j33MRX6WkkAix9RPRKKzwMvgY07-qk2pwXM4BidwBIpOnMFUib2wXlCzhHfUYOEAJmDvSj6uwjq8b0bxIvpUTjT6sH-l5QedJGCo-N0PvBK4hvxCNgibLC-_CYDusp7bZoy6bBO2SyltRX95vwN/s2048/387843084_10231122026742827_4025291094453947696_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7u65Vkl7xAQw2VXqDaEd7yN7vouCwU4AefKMCGjH3j33MRX6WkkAix9RPRKKzwMvgY07-qk2pwXM4BidwBIpOnMFUib2wXlCzhHfUYOEAJmDvSj6uwjq8b0bxIvpUTjT6sH-l5QedJGCo-N0PvBK4hvxCNgibLC-_CYDusp7bZoy6bBO2SyltRX95vwN/w300-h400/387843084_10231122026742827_4025291094453947696_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Crocuses.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />We drove up
the mountains a bit and George spotted these wonderful Autumn Crocuses growing
wild.</span><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Susan's next posts:</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>ROAD TRIP: THE BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE REGION OF FRANCE</i>. November 6, 2023</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.3333px;"><i>THE LASCAUX CAVES, TREASURE HOUSE OF PREHISTORIC ART. </i>November 13, 2023</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic","sans-serif"" style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i><br /></i></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-79519228871510846142023-10-23T08:00:00.002-07:002024-01-12T17:00:46.520-08:00CRETE: HOME OF THE ANCIENT MINOANS, Guest Post by Steve Scheaffer and Karen Neely<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_i5-Bgd_ufvxU_FfVOxIQOXiORyG7czU0S4WULI5OFUar5fbrduYyF8suuBGiyRnwgtfj_fBwjaDOIaio02DeaWdYg86nDxzch9-Rj5M2GbmQlPkrmNc2cW9es00574ZgCRvU97hsNH_JhUHC2XyrJWFwhZwlN_BFt9FKKbusdrMQ2cIBkmmkeSYcXD4/s720/1%20IMG_20230926_121927600_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_i5-Bgd_ufvxU_FfVOxIQOXiORyG7czU0S4WULI5OFUar5fbrduYyF8suuBGiyRnwgtfj_fBwjaDOIaio02DeaWdYg86nDxzch9-Rj5M2GbmQlPkrmNc2cW9es00574ZgCRvU97hsNH_JhUHC2XyrJWFwhZwlN_BFt9FKKbusdrMQ2cIBkmmkeSYcXD4/w400-h300/1%20IMG_20230926_121927600_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View of seaside village</i> <i>at Lygria, on the north coast of Crete, just west of Iraklio.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />My brother Steve and his wife Karen traveled to the Greek island of Crete in September, staying in hotels in Elounda, Heraklion and Chania. Crete, with a history going back thousands of years, was an opportunity to visit museums and ancient sites, as well as to enjoy the Mediterranean climate and fruits (and wine and olives) grown by today's inhabitants. Steve and Karen have graciously agreed to share a few of their photos with The Intrepid Tourist. <p></p><p>Their first night in Greece was spent at the Cypria Hotel in Athens, and from there they flew to Heraklion on Crete. Here's the view from their room at the <a href="https://www.elounda-ilion.com/" target="_blank">Elounda Ilion Hotel</a> on Main Street.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYK33-yz7nEM7u6bLdnG0xWOvMDmn3GEbX6K37vOL-9ZCL59vsKMtRjszf3NLYe_thX1731HQ5yE7phH66ONgycB0ZToO3XeoDS7ca-iWJiVEdeGXfzi41nfuszkJV_f25J0k3K4-bPgtacq_aW4GIkfeyk3Ss9AlQ6PMTY_UWIuGc5yPM1vhX6X_qCLZ/s720/1%20IMG_20230923_132511157_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYK33-yz7nEM7u6bLdnG0xWOvMDmn3GEbX6K37vOL-9ZCL59vsKMtRjszf3NLYe_thX1731HQ5yE7phH66ONgycB0ZToO3XeoDS7ca-iWJiVEdeGXfzi41nfuszkJV_f25J0k3K4-bPgtacq_aW4GIkfeyk3Ss9AlQ6PMTY_UWIuGc5yPM1vhX6X_qCLZ/w400-h300/1%20IMG_20230923_132511157_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ships and ferries in port as seen from the Elounda Ilion Hotel.</i> </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Near Heraklion is the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Knossos" target="_blank">Palace of Knossos</a>, center of the ancient Minoan civilization (1600 - 1400 BC.) Steve and Karen did a tour of the palace as well as visiting the Archeological Museum.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWez3sT4LNk2nJTnKbOwAh0bIl2GTS7aef8Ruy2cKFeVXFYrAxBKdBAsgkqGZMTDzU9eUBKaK6b5f4Glgx_AOlfSq3T20593FLs9acnxqHKEhe0aJ-kjFxiOne2RzWKrb4ErwPyEIfM5IrWenODabi3AeJNBVYugolW2OuhltcW59nM4XmTcM_XoEUKtr/s720/1%20IMG_20230923_093854868_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWez3sT4LNk2nJTnKbOwAh0bIl2GTS7aef8Ruy2cKFeVXFYrAxBKdBAsgkqGZMTDzU9eUBKaK6b5f4Glgx_AOlfSq3T20593FLs9acnxqHKEhe0aJ-kjFxiOne2RzWKrb4ErwPyEIfM5IrWenODabi3AeJNBVYugolW2OuhltcW59nM4XmTcM_XoEUKtr/w300-h400/1%20IMG_20230923_093854868_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Palace at Knossos, Crete (rebuilt from archeological remains.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvNfUaMRW0j7PF0CrjsVBjAglwhAT5qOwSeeTVCk_tCg4yJyMxrFzCOvpi4Oz9-wiUqS21qvVQib3S4LRS50izX0Xe1PgnbIbc7GbJZFG86RKT0e0HkFt8hSVRz3gSpFog5_P5ghmbPq_dWPyBfQvsFQj5GZTxqQJ2J825WNVicL2rZOkUumONMZxBNQr/s720/1%20IMG_20230923_094042485_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvNfUaMRW0j7PF0CrjsVBjAglwhAT5qOwSeeTVCk_tCg4yJyMxrFzCOvpi4Oz9-wiUqS21qvVQib3S4LRS50izX0Xe1PgnbIbc7GbJZFG86RKT0e0HkFt8hSVRz3gSpFog5_P5ghmbPq_dWPyBfQvsFQj5GZTxqQJ2J825WNVicL2rZOkUumONMZxBNQr/w300-h400/1%20IMG_20230923_094042485_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Replicas of paintings discovered at Knossus. The original paintings are on view at the museum.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXmtbDnEn_HYWS-iN-zaID8-j3KXAlxh3ibJT30QvDFoPFBotHVkzDnlsAp-FVj9TxLQPnSKJdSXmYi1HnRiM854CFNazfTlUSYvSz1mtT6iYZwDKIcyspMLJYi9YZERWnT36DVi-nCD-Mgen_DLWlmnA6_iUbLeoWJCD48QFcDMbFgVR5fkUItS1tZeW/s720/1%20IMG_20230924_114205506_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXmtbDnEn_HYWS-iN-zaID8-j3KXAlxh3ibJT30QvDFoPFBotHVkzDnlsAp-FVj9TxLQPnSKJdSXmYi1HnRiM854CFNazfTlUSYvSz1mtT6iYZwDKIcyspMLJYi9YZERWnT36DVi-nCD-Mgen_DLWlmnA6_iUbLeoWJCD48QFcDMbFgVR5fkUItS1tZeW/w300-h400/1%20IMG_20230924_114205506_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Typical street in Epano Archanes, a small village south of Iraklio up in the mountains. Although the narrow streets are used by cars, they are pedestrian friendly. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvW2y7IGrwUSNS7gFgD6U5qlNMrANkhROjg7ovL3KRNK_mBnIMEmQV_Sq4cdBZRf4fbCdHpVVFVV018eg3DoxLMfX1omWFr4eSCekyOnJ5j-5sssp8e9S0nEZiFJNw8EzJw92qkk2G4L5RaKA_z5QUOCxSzDSbGql8qUbkwTYR8v4MtQX7UFAzLf19LsU/s720/1%20IMG_20230924_114658683.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvW2y7IGrwUSNS7gFgD6U5qlNMrANkhROjg7ovL3KRNK_mBnIMEmQV_Sq4cdBZRf4fbCdHpVVFVV018eg3DoxLMfX1omWFr4eSCekyOnJ5j-5sssp8e9S0nEZiFJNw8EzJw92qkk2G4L5RaKA_z5QUOCxSzDSbGql8qUbkwTYR8v4MtQX7UFAzLf19LsU/w300-h400/1%20IMG_20230924_114658683.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Doorway to home in Epano Archanes. Note bowl to feed local cats--which are found everywhere in Crete.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKItEJAfFupl3LgXjW7SsNvbe7MJQCh2HDKBBTPABaJVG6-mpfuduWZmgDuDa5HqldX5cuK86TMvyPvn7yaUUHVCYcRnf0UiHfZMyhCJ1BdUbtqyU31VTvTo07mxrciMFaG8e1Xum9J_N-5YVimGcKVbevbrmJTlYrLhVT4P0JVISc7iEGm2_MpUrpONYR/s720/1%20IMG_20230924_152543304_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKItEJAfFupl3LgXjW7SsNvbe7MJQCh2HDKBBTPABaJVG6-mpfuduWZmgDuDa5HqldX5cuK86TMvyPvn7yaUUHVCYcRnf0UiHfZMyhCJ1BdUbtqyU31VTvTo07mxrciMFaG8e1Xum9J_N-5YVimGcKVbevbrmJTlYrLhVT4P0JVISc7iEGm2_MpUrpONYR/w400-h300/1%20IMG_20230924_152543304_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Blue glass container for olive oil tasting. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd97DC5ZCWoXgMCZpXe4OliUHSHFRS8w2tuersbuivNkyhwZ-wsvBtV2q2rLHmXo1S7BHM6UO4jc_0s6DxMWS0bef_dyGwhhpLAOjGnk2BjQjhebUCCECJE_1xDfzqKZ3EwnoQFUiLhc32NAhzb1tsHOYyFRe6he_ziC74lST2o1xo6rWIJ4eATLMQzqu/s720/1%20IMG_20230924_154354054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHd97DC5ZCWoXgMCZpXe4OliUHSHFRS8w2tuersbuivNkyhwZ-wsvBtV2q2rLHmXo1S7BHM6UO4jc_0s6DxMWS0bef_dyGwhhpLAOjGnk2BjQjhebUCCECJE_1xDfzqKZ3EwnoQFUiLhc32NAhzb1tsHOYyFRe6he_ziC74lST2o1xo6rWIJ4eATLMQzqu/w314-h400/1%20IMG_20230924_154354054.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Purchasing olive oil directly from the maker. </i><i>Olive oil is a major export of Crete.<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0rj2un9waPbHOYvyxNKPOD1yxjmpLlHCWwu6Zuhh_mNW2NSOgYUCXfMXFtlgkrD3sNHA-Xp-KdlomfpgcOhg5LdO6uRy9oHFfrjc2LV86jNrkoJPBKFi_x9lUI4VmRMLWT30889jirjdacB8pA_Y6Dd2Xqun3XMJIXnNRULoQwA63oc4bX44mcRNirQE/s720/1%20IMG_20230927_124745784_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0rj2un9waPbHOYvyxNKPOD1yxjmpLlHCWwu6Zuhh_mNW2NSOgYUCXfMXFtlgkrD3sNHA-Xp-KdlomfpgcOhg5LdO6uRy9oHFfrjc2LV86jNrkoJPBKFi_x9lUI4VmRMLWT30889jirjdacB8pA_Y6Dd2Xqun3XMJIXnNRULoQwA63oc4bX44mcRNirQE/w300-h400/1%20IMG_20230927_124745784_HDR.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wagon with ancient olive tree behind. Olive groves were all over the island.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The olive tree of Vouves, on Crete. This tree, which has a trunk 15 feet in diameter, is at least 2,000 years old, and likely 2,900 years old, based on the graveyard found nearby. This tree likely lived through the writing of the Iliad, the golden age of Athens, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the birth of Christ and then lived for 2,000 years after that. It still produces olives, as well.</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY6kjVoCe5h8co7VOe56I18EksaONi7dK2KrHQKSqDmVAIRj67LkqK-8M8JrB882pGfy3LJBY3oS08JC-ghQnpC12uhyphenhyphenT69ubrwgibiBTogbu-PBYN8jZlZ3EJZHvTsF9sn8RpG0WwKHsXEjCTp1d9gU-Lx3IwnJ34YPJgd1okK8ZDULOwpmCMATOu064/s720/1%20IMG_20230929_205621941_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVY6kjVoCe5h8co7VOe56I18EksaONi7dK2KrHQKSqDmVAIRj67LkqK-8M8JrB882pGfy3LJBY3oS08JC-ghQnpC12uhyphenhyphenT69ubrwgibiBTogbu-PBYN8jZlZ3EJZHvTsF9sn8RpG0WwKHsXEjCTp1d9gU-Lx3IwnJ34YPJgd1okK8ZDULOwpmCMATOu064/w400-h300/1%20IMG_20230929_205621941_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Results of day spent at a cooking lesson at a country villa with a group of 10 other people. Using local ingredients they prepared stuffed tomatoes and peppers, filled pastries, made toasted bread with tomatoes and goat cheese, along with a bowl of tzatziki, a classic Greek side dish made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and olive oil.</i></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW3ibYAyMeGw_Xb0DbMtDEtOinEOfgWDNH67QEE5cTdy_zbBL310HF0vfBnB4Xl14el4VNan1i0FDas1I8sjzrDSXDf0u1G4zuJpmbE-io4fJ4bv6ap7n26_CS6DN6O_BXo4bcUJA56YvKF79xkxxFD8AJD6AJ6M6pWmQaU40xRoXjXe8NUe7tahnMl6q/s720/1%20IMG_20230930_170956940_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW3ibYAyMeGw_Xb0DbMtDEtOinEOfgWDNH67QEE5cTdy_zbBL310HF0vfBnB4Xl14el4VNan1i0FDas1I8sjzrDSXDf0u1G4zuJpmbE-io4fJ4bv6ap7n26_CS6DN6O_BXo4bcUJA56YvKF79xkxxFD8AJD6AJ6M6pWmQaU40xRoXjXe8NUe7tahnMl6q/w400-h300/1%20IMG_20230930_170956940_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from their room on the top floor of the <a href="https://www.portodelcolombo.gr/" target="_blank">Porto del Columbo Boutique hotel </a>in Chania. The Lighthouse of Chania is visible at the entrance to the harbor. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(184, 152, 91, 0.42); color: #333333; font-size: 15.75px; text-align: center;">Housed in an imposing, tall, 650 year old building, the Porto del Columbo Boutique Hotel has gathered a rich history over the centuries. During the Ottoman days, inhabited by senior members of the Turkish military who made many changes in the architecture of the building – still retained the metal rings nailed to the walls. In the early 19th century, the building was used as a French embassy and later inhabited by the great Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos, who used it as a political office until moving to Athens when he took power as prime minister of Greece. </span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(184, 152, 91, 0.42); color: #333333; font-size: 15.75px; text-align: center;">With many thanks to Steve and Karen for providing us with a vicarious trip to Crete!</span></p><p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(184, 152, 91, 0.42); color: #333333; font-size: 15.75px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-46465324064929473402023-10-16T08:00:00.015-07:002023-10-16T08:00:00.155-07:00SPAIN PHOTO ALBUM, Part 2: Granada, Cordoba, Toledo <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1HjPhX7JJQmMFrmBbujh82OLT95n0mElRl4z8kCKulZUGwWOkpyV5DdJlZxWDpUMj9qlFnEZvAA83LbmMTGBR7iyZXEhWYeRlxhZmOQ7rHaAfU_JHaxJ2liC0srMNmmazsRprCuwRxsWd-WWvbWt-zWs-gk7pUXw0w62c6UJgmFu1VFVUC8j5yjPIrTJ/s3504/1%2020230905_164157.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2368" data-original-width="3504" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1HjPhX7JJQmMFrmBbujh82OLT95n0mElRl4z8kCKulZUGwWOkpyV5DdJlZxWDpUMj9qlFnEZvAA83LbmMTGBR7iyZXEhWYeRlxhZmOQ7rHaAfU_JHaxJ2liC0srMNmmazsRprCuwRxsWd-WWvbWt-zWs-gk7pUXw0w62c6UJgmFu1VFVUC8j5yjPIrTJ/w400-h270/1%2020230905_164157.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Courtyard in the Alhambra, Granada, Spain.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In the spring of1991, I met my daughter for a ten day driving trip through central and southern Spain.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jennifer, doing a semester abroad in France, had a week’s vacation and met me in Madrid. Jennifer is fluent in Spanish, which was a big help since my Spanish is limited. After a visit to the medieval walled town of Avila, we did a circle trip to the south, returning to Madrid. The April weather was sunny and cool and the roadsides abloom with red poppies. It was my first trip to Spain and exposure to its historic past--from an ancient Roman outpost, to its Moorish occupation, to the kings and queens of the Age of Exploration, to the present. Here is Part 2 of some highlights from my photo album of the trip.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><b>Granada and the Alhambra<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAEk84QE5fvIWbb-LTdsTYRNDi5_pKegEh8JEx3Cdxt1gXie0Cy6RN88A8DYLRYnkQkIbY3hqWmZilJPl-SFJD68bZeCF8ZVm_jsdg17nOyF_XcU3Pa7bnoeGpvuJxrD1464N0NkA15rIiIQVME2Sgc5AtQHTyMua-npRYZeMMDZQec-O7u4jrp-3SJwd/s3296/1%2020230905_164026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2084" data-original-width="3296" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAEk84QE5fvIWbb-LTdsTYRNDi5_pKegEh8JEx3Cdxt1gXie0Cy6RN88A8DYLRYnkQkIbY3hqWmZilJPl-SFJD68bZeCF8ZVm_jsdg17nOyF_XcU3Pa7bnoeGpvuJxrD1464N0NkA15rIiIQVME2Sgc5AtQHTyMua-npRYZeMMDZQec-O7u4jrp-3SJwd/w400-h253/1%2020230905_164026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset. View from our hotel in Granada.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaW2Oi_CvcxRItwDJh_9DeG_jG8Kcc403SykajNIBC_BdY2s8Ufoy1O7aYqo15QJ9LNplxksxKTShFf4-0wKA59Nv8yEUxtO0Y9cT4MoNejL8JWqoSewrNrSDwV2zJDeLRKwGTlCx3snN-9kN3MiSU38Bag634V7xu1EhQIR42AsYPSW190EwySWF4h-3/s3292/1%2020230905_164121.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3292" data-original-width="2272" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaW2Oi_CvcxRItwDJh_9DeG_jG8Kcc403SykajNIBC_BdY2s8Ufoy1O7aYqo15QJ9LNplxksxKTShFf4-0wKA59Nv8yEUxtO0Y9cT4MoNejL8JWqoSewrNrSDwV2zJDeLRKwGTlCx3snN-9kN3MiSU38Bag634V7xu1EhQIR42AsYPSW190EwySWF4h-3/w276-h400/1%2020230905_164121.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Passageway at the Alhambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We found that the best time to wander among all the buildings and gardens of the Alhambra was during lunchtime, when all the tour groups had left.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c6td8NbjwSqpaB4eqhXJ6_U5OY2PgI8F12jX4940FddlQeWhvgoxd5oxfZkgkWplFN9MX3bVqAbG9M6WJgehuPCIA2ZQ55TkF9QOvNzpoIezrpPDS81A5F5MEFK9-6Ar6UvbphsBif5DNpI8WB-G_eMFGSsA1C-i8n1CMlQG2fDIrdAf0QWi5R6PG1Cs/s2984/1%2020230905_164359.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2984" data-original-width="2328" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6c6td8NbjwSqpaB4eqhXJ6_U5OY2PgI8F12jX4940FddlQeWhvgoxd5oxfZkgkWplFN9MX3bVqAbG9M6WJgehuPCIA2ZQ55TkF9QOvNzpoIezrpPDS81A5F5MEFK9-6Ar6UvbphsBif5DNpI8WB-G_eMFGSsA1C-i8n1CMlQG2fDIrdAf0QWi5R6PG1Cs/w313-h400/1%2020230905_164359.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Circular courtyard at Alhambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO3D-hoMQRYzorGN_5Vfb7poOKJD9dV1xyKGSWJwU__CKJtyymIsDNkE_EtVSfjfUtVACeGw2uBEe1qBWHWlx7NUVUS-qLDTIzjISg4jHsNKzL6cmrkYlqZ5zMbZYvd8tNr8O3zNd5NA51vhmPU2ZwLYs6PCZr5AtxqIOpZNwU8xj_MXaeKuMX1jMUhjx/s3132/1%2020230905_164241.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3132" data-original-width="2180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO3D-hoMQRYzorGN_5Vfb7poOKJD9dV1xyKGSWJwU__CKJtyymIsDNkE_EtVSfjfUtVACeGw2uBEe1qBWHWlx7NUVUS-qLDTIzjISg4jHsNKzL6cmrkYlqZ5zMbZYvd8tNr8O3zNd5NA51vhmPU2ZwLYs6PCZr5AtxqIOpZNwU8xj_MXaeKuMX1jMUhjx/w279-h400/1%2020230905_164241.jpg" width="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lion fountain at Alhambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxy6Ha56T_vlRCs2poO6i8nG2ePl7_fPLl4Cfp1fdkHSoUx7LtbDxJBzewE6o9aMhNHUAHWg8npDBJJn-ZGae7utANTbo1-W6qvtapvRyDfZzDk6WlS2hRfkW3-222VWweY4PsrrYFu7f_lfKkaK_umaMsHH5JEwmUZR0xj97rQlB_GreiLxHbLa6QuGc/s3296/1%2020230905_164330.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3296" data-original-width="2288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxy6Ha56T_vlRCs2poO6i8nG2ePl7_fPLl4Cfp1fdkHSoUx7LtbDxJBzewE6o9aMhNHUAHWg8npDBJJn-ZGae7utANTbo1-W6qvtapvRyDfZzDk6WlS2hRfkW3-222VWweY4PsrrYFu7f_lfKkaK_umaMsHH5JEwmUZR0xj97rQlB_GreiLxHbLa6QuGc/w278-h400/1%2020230905_164330.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Column top at Alrambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-DPuGEaqqnAz3Jc70OBtizjPoRspeY24r5REQpYGDQq-NTenHzjFY9VGJbSR4-eL7JGDLFpbQXz2smaJBvIcpKhz-S1SDvmuGAbx7mPn6jooFs6eDGIhUYfsdn28UGAdSzUVcak93a9ZY-xsImqJMbWhk-Bg_AhNlIRtdeqqtwuOg9TiZzZP7g0e_Psm/s3508/1%2020230905_164149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2388" data-original-width="3508" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-DPuGEaqqnAz3Jc70OBtizjPoRspeY24r5REQpYGDQq-NTenHzjFY9VGJbSR4-eL7JGDLFpbQXz2smaJBvIcpKhz-S1SDvmuGAbx7mPn6jooFs6eDGIhUYfsdn28UGAdSzUVcak93a9ZY-xsImqJMbWhk-Bg_AhNlIRtdeqqtwuOg9TiZzZP7g0e_Psm/w400-h272/1%2020230905_164149.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arabic inscription carved into wall of Alhambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nearly every surface inside the Alhambra is richly decorated.<br /></span><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxry_4rNeW0em83S5b2uXmt5mes2AMjJMTWI1BVw83f9ede2W6L0rqvSO8RU2P70QCZ7KGw31SHY2TcXgOT3ypqtlDZmIQcQbWvNENS-FYlHicbFWxBOVmzRcHKyWS3DN09KD2Hbcto0suNzaeNFXHGdzvTD-YyW4s3RCxZkLjuwK43NTERIQrdznJgoP/s3700/1%2020230905_164445.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2452" data-original-width="3700" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxry_4rNeW0em83S5b2uXmt5mes2AMjJMTWI1BVw83f9ede2W6L0rqvSO8RU2P70QCZ7KGw31SHY2TcXgOT3ypqtlDZmIQcQbWvNENS-FYlHicbFWxBOVmzRcHKyWS3DN09KD2Hbcto0suNzaeNFXHGdzvTD-YyW4s3RCxZkLjuwK43NTERIQrdznJgoP/w400-h265/1%2020230905_164445.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gardens and fountains provided relief from the hot sun at the Alhambra.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><b>Cordoba and the Mosque<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tbBi_JWV372yrIUougK9lFs6TMF8lzHZxa8hvXVLv6bc5948KDBjxvZYSEhMUL5cL0oq3fNJ8bVcNxeLmc8BnhE8aHY_X-CPjp3a6t7jpikdbcQwC5BZrDr115c_e5NSyY9aUU8vWUQDQzVoyb-qAKQ1DgjUYkGVUWcyVtwQ45WyVsx5lpEh6Bhj64BT/s3496/1%2020230905_164603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="2356" data-original-width="3496" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tbBi_JWV372yrIUougK9lFs6TMF8lzHZxa8hvXVLv6bc5948KDBjxvZYSEhMUL5cL0oq3fNJ8bVcNxeLmc8BnhE8aHY_X-CPjp3a6t7jpikdbcQwC5BZrDr115c_e5NSyY9aUU8vWUQDQzVoyb-qAKQ1DgjUYkGVUWcyVtwQ45WyVsx5lpEh6Bhj64BT/w400-h270/1%2020230905_164603.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red and white striped arches are a distinguishing feature of the mosque at Cordoba.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq14nFu-THDaO2oZIA21O2bLxtI9gtN8RM73FG4DNqExSEoJiVX8qQiRwB-G_NO2vRhmDiiUfO-VXaA5kgDTl6oXWFBONGIq-vdIUMaWaE-NnpR7FcJQiX2rIRf8-nemNB-X3tAfS6gBF9dLnMLiX3a1PLX8Cc06ZQPDm7jhvVxkR4DZMnvFZLZdlIy5bv/s3500/1%2020230905_164535.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2408" data-original-width="3500" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq14nFu-THDaO2oZIA21O2bLxtI9gtN8RM73FG4DNqExSEoJiVX8qQiRwB-G_NO2vRhmDiiUfO-VXaA5kgDTl6oXWFBONGIq-vdIUMaWaE-NnpR7FcJQiX2rIRf8-nemNB-X3tAfS6gBF9dLnMLiX3a1PLX8Cc06ZQPDm7jhvVxkR4DZMnvFZLZdlIy5bv/w400-h275/1%2020230905_164535.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from our hotel at Cordoba.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAK2oyzGd_xEwZIuOrQzysp90lv6wfNnQ_k63mta7zFnDvoZqCZ1yXU8j3alEKo9GxRUpSRRt13qs4mlqDJdn1BqhsW6c1Tt_7QtOTvSFzr4z4mKJUhzBxJKBR1S1JnADPmjqE1VEowWq-aikN7sOWWxlxLCie7PdExFoi0nVCAm4XhhzNXhW-DEt6_B_/s3212/1%2020230905_164543adj.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3212" data-original-width="2404" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAK2oyzGd_xEwZIuOrQzysp90lv6wfNnQ_k63mta7zFnDvoZqCZ1yXU8j3alEKo9GxRUpSRRt13qs4mlqDJdn1BqhsW6c1Tt_7QtOTvSFzr4z4mKJUhzBxJKBR1S1JnADPmjqE1VEowWq-aikN7sOWWxlxLCie7PdExFoi0nVCAm4XhhzNXhW-DEt6_B_/w300-h400/1%2020230905_164543adj.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Charming courtyards with baskets of red geraniums are a typical sight in Cordoba.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W-HZhewAbuyybHrsAoW8ElL1j5L8SuDDlO6qFJRQFggtEuvB-tXLkSmzSyYNeRyiYdFUq2jPSDCO7otAbdH1zl89Lh-k6B-EvAzWrHtuxcIJkbG_s1oQ4AJd4gY7c4rdbVUzUQ1rQqLTkgYIpJkP0ggKrjXY0gxmC8nOIc8Ef1YfDmVvIvUz1whCI-fC/s3516/1%2020230905_164637.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3516" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8W-HZhewAbuyybHrsAoW8ElL1j5L8SuDDlO6qFJRQFggtEuvB-tXLkSmzSyYNeRyiYdFUq2jPSDCO7otAbdH1zl89Lh-k6B-EvAzWrHtuxcIJkbG_s1oQ4AJd4gY7c4rdbVUzUQ1rQqLTkgYIpJkP0ggKrjXY0gxmC8nOIc8Ef1YfDmVvIvUz1whCI-fC/w400-h264/1%2020230905_164637.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Corinthian columns from Spain's Roman era outside of Cordoba.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzGaR64ycLYTrkUWNSuy4EoZpgSVrzE4cl-Zekb-W_k3N3dKOPy7aJCH_4yRoPyIBW8FTUpjxjCLgu-E7Ut8qHJNXDFTjelNYmCJLk24wDWu2PZy9zjXbBtj_gJW51FZjWUv-Tc8GdItfhv5mgruEU8FYwKfQtn63k0Wkh2BMw-3cBWwsRwNKNwjWsf2t/s3372/1%2020230905_164656.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3372" data-original-width="2172" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzGaR64ycLYTrkUWNSuy4EoZpgSVrzE4cl-Zekb-W_k3N3dKOPy7aJCH_4yRoPyIBW8FTUpjxjCLgu-E7Ut8qHJNXDFTjelNYmCJLk24wDWu2PZy9zjXbBtj_gJW51FZjWUv-Tc8GdItfhv5mgruEU8FYwKfQtn63k0Wkh2BMw-3cBWwsRwNKNwjWsf2t/w258-h400/1%2020230905_164656.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We attended a flamenco concert while in Cordoba.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><b>Toledo, City of El Greco</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6x5NngY-NC3i4GeI3xkRr5oa1frAqYZsnpz_lXQFJRENjgiPkPO2LxA07AvYn4xhlrzfDEDncb2QKJTmZ80burTUfwdOmCllfSnyEXKS6_xeb0FstgrdAbHG_WRop2qH4nTg_XoErL261P5WeOZA47quvUIgRGIiEmXyj1BzfZ0pd1Bmn8ba4AcMPK6t/s3492/1%2020230905_164710.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2376" data-original-width="3492" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6x5NngY-NC3i4GeI3xkRr5oa1frAqYZsnpz_lXQFJRENjgiPkPO2LxA07AvYn4xhlrzfDEDncb2QKJTmZ80burTUfwdOmCllfSnyEXKS6_xeb0FstgrdAbHG_WRop2qH4nTg_XoErL261P5WeOZA47quvUIgRGIiEmXyj1BzfZ0pd1Bmn8ba4AcMPK6t/w400-h272/1%2020230905_164710.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View of Toledo, 1991.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJa1bq_7MIExHA5Jo4Ue0r9bPdO_Fu-7t_mhgwl44rPd7MquRR3273LjWHjwjfdhA1qjb4FBUGfTi3Bk9DWI4-vi4b7UXqGd64TWOvMuuOVGxOUos3rPTsJx5AV7jDqwJzwNrgXkKdgqGerh8j7gxnV7Qmok-zXFZPQsE7yleutg-7k0y5nGGVbIbx1xV/s3540/1%2020230905_164715.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="3540" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJa1bq_7MIExHA5Jo4Ue0r9bPdO_Fu-7t_mhgwl44rPd7MquRR3273LjWHjwjfdhA1qjb4FBUGfTi3Bk9DWI4-vi4b7UXqGd64TWOvMuuOVGxOUos3rPTsJx5AV7jDqwJzwNrgXkKdgqGerh8j7gxnV7Qmok-zXFZPQsE7yleutg-7k0y5nGGVbIbx1xV/w400-h271/1%2020230905_164715.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Artist's view of Toledo.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkrLdItW_oOpFi8ZJZffF-3LfL6FAN3hMymxT0G2FnrEjTGjxSBVgX6uQcRv466p2eSr7gtbcwMYmrZSQcUz50IZjKmCbdoOUnebOTGYOO0cqTUOGuxm-xkdrrgxIOuKGwtWDkGCBitRGzv5QrMdlDWjpPrPRK9HBm06FxsOTmZ9M-7D92mAGf8gfkO4n/s3652/1%2020230905_164800.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2452" data-original-width="3652" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkrLdItW_oOpFi8ZJZffF-3LfL6FAN3hMymxT0G2FnrEjTGjxSBVgX6uQcRv466p2eSr7gtbcwMYmrZSQcUz50IZjKmCbdoOUnebOTGYOO0cqTUOGuxm-xkdrrgxIOuKGwtWDkGCBitRGzv5QrMdlDWjpPrPRK9HBm06FxsOTmZ9M-7D92mAGf8gfkO4n/w400-h269/1%2020230905_164800.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our hotel in Toledo was located not far from a bull fighting stadium.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNifJjmFtcnLfCNUbv-NhtPami9USvPumCyVrzqqvhYOQRJrf0lMRO0xjsvMVDVMpFhpbXN-Lr1RxE2JrK-Y6OvxLnNSjrYLPEzmnf15diqrMWfVDFjb7rLDOOh3QFnvWIlpgInUysmejqcneUY7NBYAxysRCWjo6el9Nik8NGSQqRcADwUHJ_EoNUV4pj/s3520/1%2020230905_164806.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="2332" data-original-width="3520" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNifJjmFtcnLfCNUbv-NhtPami9USvPumCyVrzqqvhYOQRJrf0lMRO0xjsvMVDVMpFhpbXN-Lr1RxE2JrK-Y6OvxLnNSjrYLPEzmnf15diqrMWfVDFjb7rLDOOh3QFnvWIlpgInUysmejqcneUY7NBYAxysRCWjo6el9Nik8NGSQqRcADwUHJ_EoNUV4pj/w400-h265/1%2020230905_164806.jpg" width="400" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Large bull "bill board" along the highway from Toledo to Madrid.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><div><br /></div>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-39114428290751464482023-10-09T08:00:00.109-07:002023-10-09T08:00:00.140-07:00SPAIN PHOTO ALBUM, Part 1: Madrid, Avila, <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZRQVjHkX0OMOEVRasGlU2e49ps3PJm1NSMkHBCU_HLY2c4eRRhghHJpe58rFThMqj8XeWQ9babtlPmBaSzbSsyweO-Sdkl6fcqT_JaowTNxMZVFz_1TC6QKCVPIEuoTqJlbsKj6VEnxzxshHmM5gj2hOLNJcFoGvAk33ITPcYXMRa2HuPX-gc7sUez2Z/s3632/1%2020230905_163725.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2472" data-original-width="3632" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZRQVjHkX0OMOEVRasGlU2e49ps3PJm1NSMkHBCU_HLY2c4eRRhghHJpe58rFThMqj8XeWQ9babtlPmBaSzbSsyweO-Sdkl6fcqT_JaowTNxMZVFz_1TC6QKCVPIEuoTqJlbsKj6VEnxzxshHmM5gj2hOLNJcFoGvAk33ITPcYXMRa2HuPX-gc7sUez2Z/w400-h272/1%2020230905_163725.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Walled town of Avila, Spain</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In the spring of1991, I met my daughter for a ten
day driving trip through central and southern Spain.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jennifer, doing a semester abroad in France,
had a week’s vacation and met me in Madrid. Jennifer is fluent in Spanish,
which was a big help since my Spanish is limited. After a visit to the medieval
walled town of Avila, we did a circle trip to the south, returning to Madrid. The
April weather was sunny and cool and the roadsides abloom with red poppies. It
was my first trip to Spain and exposure to its historic past--from an ancient
Roman outpost, to its Moorish occupation, to the kings and queens of the Age of
Exploration, to the present. Here is Part 1 of some highlights from my photo album of
the trip.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhWVhr5cBU4SClsQlqAeF2ZuM1MFcb3067eP-xo_2u6LIiVjbdEvqaSYLVufnp0sByVAjBoV2s7A2A30YwYvyfZTk7X7RwmSpbQkLhJB_r74TV-sAUypQrKaeJc46L35juLqJXiok08a4mAYZ0T8501uyd1hI04G1uhsGmGpIQEEWFy_aMqVZ8g0_gM2q/s3588/1%2020230905_163917.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="3588" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhWVhr5cBU4SClsQlqAeF2ZuM1MFcb3067eP-xo_2u6LIiVjbdEvqaSYLVufnp0sByVAjBoV2s7A2A30YwYvyfZTk7X7RwmSpbQkLhJB_r74TV-sAUypQrKaeJc46L35juLqJXiok08a4mAYZ0T8501uyd1hI04G1uhsGmGpIQEEWFy_aMqVZ8g0_gM2q/w400-h261/1%2020230905_163917.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Poppies.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Madrid, the Center <o:p></o:p></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjl8bnuNqq2iqyNCuOqbEwcLg8z3VCG-NrGFifst7ini2IC-s_uVV3zBxESbwJUxO9FbdLAQxkXanUX__Q-NpzS01vgocTQVP0DqkMZJRTSYsUa9Y0pFXenaqGAxJIMqp18rDJHRRpBkh-E-aKY2QM9bSYZAN0BxLdHUL43jiZO9ku0848gV39RgLjNlG/s2820/1%2020230905_163647.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="2280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjl8bnuNqq2iqyNCuOqbEwcLg8z3VCG-NrGFifst7ini2IC-s_uVV3zBxESbwJUxO9FbdLAQxkXanUX__Q-NpzS01vgocTQVP0DqkMZJRTSYsUa9Y0pFXenaqGAxJIMqp18rDJHRRpBkh-E-aKY2QM9bSYZAN0BxLdHUL43jiZO9ku0848gV39RgLjNlG/w324-h400/1%2020230905_163647.jpg" width="324" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Trinity by El Greco, Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCPwkMi5_5wXqbRFJrCTk7kjluqIs8s9jWzWgKTrkF-pTfW_R2ynQWw3VBFu8hYBXie90z5jQr1LeL-orQWFPSO6Y-MzWoCfVdPt9YclXU4nDQXHN52QgsAEXnQhjRLzzlQz84bmbnZPLCp-70BOo1iX22NwLPl0ykcEDQGGJCFAIIFshLLnctXi5EcYj/s3696/1%2020230905_163549.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2544" data-original-width="3696" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCPwkMi5_5wXqbRFJrCTk7kjluqIs8s9jWzWgKTrkF-pTfW_R2ynQWw3VBFu8hYBXie90z5jQr1LeL-orQWFPSO6Y-MzWoCfVdPt9YclXU4nDQXHN52QgsAEXnQhjRLzzlQz84bmbnZPLCp-70BOo1iX22NwLPl0ykcEDQGGJCFAIIFshLLnctXi5EcYj/w400-h275/1%2020230905_163549.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sabatini Gardens, Madrid.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHN6jJyEgevjQBWuxZfR8JQYPlM09rpeW14e2ePlwbH3QamthkeroXsCOEQ7dH011kEJBgUUiTVp01V1yriXuwtou9obSW_6g0QwZwPYZDnCxtiT2Frc1u4CVq9CPdBuoJgaCLtqNxwRosYvWRabZoCgGwWeB93TO66q6UFJ_VWNubopyaG0JEYs0W7uaa/s3660/1%2020230905_163624.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2528" data-original-width="3660" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHN6jJyEgevjQBWuxZfR8JQYPlM09rpeW14e2ePlwbH3QamthkeroXsCOEQ7dH011kEJBgUUiTVp01V1yriXuwtou9obSW_6g0QwZwPYZDnCxtiT2Frc1u4CVq9CPdBuoJgaCLtqNxwRosYvWRabZoCgGwWeB93TO66q6UFJ_VWNubopyaG0JEYs0W7uaa/w400-h276/1%2020230905_163624.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Baroque architecture, Madrid.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX97QEvYPymHwGX3TezqWGF7dasoAVRQU3ubsBbsshbvAPq7nAbmrVmWlrt5dRX4XrXzYLoTPIgMdkzbs9gBTZZ7r-97Eh_ru5RTncpsFWJ4PiVnDB1v--2HpIDHBdv-KLLClEAVT5zT2hwwoI8B6uqrMGtrl1nPkhUe_-FaMzzy9dcPS__5-JMRkqD41G/s3664/1%2020230905_163641.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="3664" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX97QEvYPymHwGX3TezqWGF7dasoAVRQU3ubsBbsshbvAPq7nAbmrVmWlrt5dRX4XrXzYLoTPIgMdkzbs9gBTZZ7r-97Eh_ru5RTncpsFWJ4PiVnDB1v--2HpIDHBdv-KLLClEAVT5zT2hwwoI8B6uqrMGtrl1nPkhUe_-FaMzzy9dcPS__5-JMRkqD41G/w400-h271/1%2020230905_163641.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carved wooden door, Madrid.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Avila, home of St. Teresa<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0dgQEXZC_DLoiLxJlgpECNP1QXCb3iV1KNy6uW8n5YRHT1_K2v13RpPLxZ4Jogfi4K1Q6B1EdlnUe03YS2oiCFEhhE0BAGjw39hXkfWsPK59XuHANOypVv5MxPkFKDCmj2QAmdVKYJYH8czCC-pgl6KKBHcieyHwZu_WirfxYo0CtL9UakgBT-32-U6J/s3080/1%2020230905_163733.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="3080" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0dgQEXZC_DLoiLxJlgpECNP1QXCb3iV1KNy6uW8n5YRHT1_K2v13RpPLxZ4Jogfi4K1Q6B1EdlnUe03YS2oiCFEhhE0BAGjw39hXkfWsPK59XuHANOypVv5MxPkFKDCmj2QAmdVKYJYH8czCC-pgl6KKBHcieyHwZu_WirfxYo0CtL9UakgBT-32-U6J/w400-h314/1%2020230905_163733.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Entrance to the walled city of Avila. Avila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFrvTxX1TVodcUvowGZXAOQgUThRohPxkPX_ivqxVjBsaEICPIL3aAzindF06UAyc0BKCN3xXH_d5O6ZAC-p1IUu70g0BgN1885T2EEqrEXmR1vjcNdQ4upS7a0ea8XWavZkJdLttSaNZpcLhIMp1cpOnwT_COI8aZz6wksdlYm4ncJVrAnOQcPI6h4pr/s3652/1%2020230905_163754.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2528" data-original-width="3652" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFrvTxX1TVodcUvowGZXAOQgUThRohPxkPX_ivqxVjBsaEICPIL3aAzindF06UAyc0BKCN3xXH_d5O6ZAC-p1IUu70g0BgN1885T2EEqrEXmR1vjcNdQ4upS7a0ea8XWavZkJdLttSaNZpcLhIMp1cpOnwT_COI8aZz6wksdlYm4ncJVrAnOQcPI6h4pr/s320/1%2020230905_163754.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Saints on Church in Avila</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We couldn't leave Avila without purchasing the traditional confection known at <a href="https://www.thespruceeats.com/yemas-de-santa-teresa-recipe-yemas-de-avila-3082986" target="_blank">Ymas de Avila,</a> basically a sweet made from egg yolks and sugar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHviBdkz62tWe-Jp_evr1ddS4TUrLxZZI1dWfkNtb1Fh4Gkegj-wx4peFeEz0mRjWtQsUw1OoZTxIvTPdNv3O0qXxj79KijSLzDNG_3CyqY7ag975d5oLDO6bM0UJzYVF9Bc4NlFaXiHnACtq5SPcRWI9yZJEl4ZUb4ZpnBlfeVy569nOtE8WiP4ID_Au/s3592/1%2020230905_163825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2368" data-original-width="3592" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHviBdkz62tWe-Jp_evr1ddS4TUrLxZZI1dWfkNtb1Fh4Gkegj-wx4peFeEz0mRjWtQsUw1OoZTxIvTPdNv3O0qXxj79KijSLzDNG_3CyqY7ag975d5oLDO6bM0UJzYVF9Bc4NlFaXiHnACtq5SPcRWI9yZJEl4ZUb4ZpnBlfeVy569nOtE8WiP4ID_Au/w400-h264/1%2020230905_163825.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In many places in Avila you can walk on the walls.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nYL2HXNf-lTNH8RZE8AkZ2SaFZJmMribGZ-ux-oasCMRecMbMC8qiaIZCxyFiMkQcPvPHJcRvvPiOEjoTMx8vbmYT6ZJRR5bFn24byNuQNneyI7exrqFEARCfbtjwtXBXrcOfYut0PAy0D2u9OiaRAiONHtTZ_NRE7g9l-LQicg8NEYHfVxUK7EoVXfy/s3684/1%2020230905_163858.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2528" data-original-width="3684" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nYL2HXNf-lTNH8RZE8AkZ2SaFZJmMribGZ-ux-oasCMRecMbMC8qiaIZCxyFiMkQcPvPHJcRvvPiOEjoTMx8vbmYT6ZJRR5bFn24byNuQNneyI7exrqFEARCfbtjwtXBXrcOfYut0PAy0D2u9OiaRAiONHtTZ_NRE7g9l-LQicg8NEYHfVxUK7EoVXfy/w400-h275/1%2020230905_163858.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View from the wall of bell tower topped with a stork nest.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6AJFOg85kV2iMpQrzEpYJR7exlFA85lj7L_IcJUh285v-FGohoQi_tV62y2H4uVT0-A8hW4-i225hUtCfUAFEz3lG_lmMUgnathuv28f6NOI8CyRdVsen5HzvqS15WynJCIS3LmAz54tTB7aCAnbpgEi5Yr8X7Qau_MrgtfDYQFblvSOJiQ8TyT091qz/s3588/1%2020230905_163712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2440" data-original-width="3588" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6AJFOg85kV2iMpQrzEpYJR7exlFA85lj7L_IcJUh285v-FGohoQi_tV62y2H4uVT0-A8hW4-i225hUtCfUAFEz3lG_lmMUgnathuv28f6NOI8CyRdVsen5HzvqS15WynJCIS3LmAz54tTB7aCAnbpgEi5Yr8X7Qau_MrgtfDYQFblvSOJiQ8TyT091qz/w400-h272/1%2020230905_163712.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The four posts. Roman ruin outside the city walls of Avila.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Look for Part 2 next week, as we visit Granada (the Alhambra), Cordoba, and Toledo.<br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1597539975600425227.post-2601894051092979562023-10-02T08:00:00.251-07:002023-10-02T08:00:00.192-07:00THE BROAD: Exciting Contemporary Art in Downtown Los Angeles<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw5tXU4rc5BjD_38dC6Cdd9Z2a0a0S734AMRyU6R5Rium8qgxVyFvfa2ZQ85vU2iSPh8m9O68TYdNoD3t9_RxEQbiXB__fc6Ohv15XHGDqa1_GoFpgm5unzm2hHrv5fE2GJYc_tkHjfjkMuDVaNXGvpUW9_he4uKrm-6lnshWsVA72J6nf4BlTZX9nVd2/s720/1%2020230909_115235.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw5tXU4rc5BjD_38dC6Cdd9Z2a0a0S734AMRyU6R5Rium8qgxVyFvfa2ZQ85vU2iSPh8m9O68TYdNoD3t9_RxEQbiXB__fc6Ohv15XHGDqa1_GoFpgm5unzm2hHrv5fE2GJYc_tkHjfjkMuDVaNXGvpUW9_he4uKrm-6lnshWsVA72J6nf4BlTZX9nVd2/w400-h300/1%2020230909_115235.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tulips by Jeff Koons</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />It was my first visit to <b><a href="https://www.thebroad.org/visit" target="_blank">The Broad</a></b> museum of
contemporary art in downtown Los Angeles and I was unprepared for the power of
the art, much of it very large and very colorful. Spacious walls in brightly
lit rooms allow each piece to shine on its own and at the same time to relate
to the other pieces on display. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI2pizIfjyt5ggtIf9EdlOYmLSGCZ4v8ylz34SLHAKtipvemmxlvVD5XLOKz-AXWWXKAFdOoOZEyq16Xj3O9QKgao0ggrNHLQe8VEOWkgzSepz41b-rtN6s35fBcP7XPch0Nl1BVc8UQA7gA-Byt_HomlFPPN41QUpVbbqw7AfV66hhADUv50VyCsFsO0/s720/1%2020230909_115113.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI2pizIfjyt5ggtIf9EdlOYmLSGCZ4v8ylz34SLHAKtipvemmxlvVD5XLOKz-AXWWXKAFdOoOZEyq16Xj3O9QKgao0ggrNHLQe8VEOWkgzSepz41b-rtN6s35fBcP7XPch0Nl1BVc8UQA7gA-Byt_HomlFPPN41QUpVbbqw7AfV66hhADUv50VyCsFsO0/w400-h300/1%2020230909_115113.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Goldfish Bowl, 1977 by Roy Lichtenstein. Painted and patinated bronze.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />Familiar names such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy
Warhol, Basquiat, Jeff Koons, as well as artists that were new to me, are
represented in the galleries of the museum.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3iHtl_HnRzn4Umfx-kSLJp49Vv0z131lVD29TOOQxWCl2TZ8vC2h6YoVSctCOLCW7UFKutP2HeCT2LOsyDoGDKZ8bFfBay3YawRiZsUoqkIbPxEESsd3anypNUMT_-K_1sSm-nQVBETxoRMU8tzR2abKH4fOUYjUsIkDYGCGznmZaJ0HZ2nRLhNepAbT/s720/1%2020230909_105644.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3iHtl_HnRzn4Umfx-kSLJp49Vv0z131lVD29TOOQxWCl2TZ8vC2h6YoVSctCOLCW7UFKutP2HeCT2LOsyDoGDKZ8bFfBay3YawRiZsUoqkIbPxEESsd3anypNUMT_-K_1sSm-nQVBETxoRMU8tzR2abKH4fOUYjUsIkDYGCGznmZaJ0HZ2nRLhNepAbT/w400-h300/1%2020230909_105644.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paintings by Keith Haring.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />The motivation for my visit to the Broad was to see
the temporary exhibit, <i><b>Keith Haring, Art for Everyone</b></i>, an amazing collection of
paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, t-shirts and more. (See last week's post about the Keith Haring exhibit.) The museum’s
permanent collection is on the third floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ycTrT4tpUm2mwPE9lo7tii934lwZSmycLR2xbU9N7aDq-XoWLn2jZUqiENy4rwjWNznrfabMOY1N44cLHmKy9sNlh7iQnocGZvl0C31XkpkWAKGBt5e9EGSd9c6N7aGMe-FkllLuOnIKYH3rb_iZWRi5UXb21NhAAT0dFuJSPCxqyYN-Xc3Z1R_zXbnT/s720/1%2020230909_103557.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="720" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ycTrT4tpUm2mwPE9lo7tii934lwZSmycLR2xbU9N7aDq-XoWLn2jZUqiENy4rwjWNznrfabMOY1N44cLHmKy9sNlh7iQnocGZvl0C31XkpkWAKGBt5e9EGSd9c6N7aGMe-FkllLuOnIKYH3rb_iZWRi5UXb21NhAAT0dFuJSPCxqyYN-Xc3Z1R_zXbnT/w400-h311/1%2020230909_103557.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Painting: Party Hat; Sculptures: Rabbit and Blue Dog. By Jeff Koons.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />Art and I arrived early, so while we waited for our timed entry to the
Keith Haring show, we headed upstairs to get a start on viewing the permanent
collection. (Timed tickets are required for the Keith Haring exhibit, and must
be purchased. The rest of the museum is free to the public.)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cZli6bajMlfJFMTt9o_1oSObNu7IJG6TMzqIg51R3ooqhp-ZyfhxJ062aoumAWvkHjp_bJkbuEasQKqNVZXOeEWj001htfFvrLiTtLqaakyNOecnlxlk1yYB1MeXHTqxCCpWf-ANzSKEuWJ749-ONFPrxRSpTbpCOO_Rrz-4Rsrh9bfhpaGTaLUDMC4F/s720/1%2020230909_114333.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cZli6bajMlfJFMTt9o_1oSObNu7IJG6TMzqIg51R3ooqhp-ZyfhxJ062aoumAWvkHjp_bJkbuEasQKqNVZXOeEWj001htfFvrLiTtLqaakyNOecnlxlk1yYB1MeXHTqxCCpWf-ANzSKEuWJ749-ONFPrxRSpTbpCOO_Rrz-4Rsrh9bfhpaGTaLUDMC4F/w400-h300/1%2020230909_114333.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Escalator to the third floor of The Broad.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />We followed signs to a long escalator that ascends two
stories through a tubular passageway that bursts into a large lighted room at
the top. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;">Various galleries branch off from the main room. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The perforated “skin” of the building allows in light through rows of
semicircular slits. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdaoHcJkwL9LIn05otuvGt67W2jcZm4S0iT20xDGLxC5RSShaaISS83x_AkiYZeRqdLk-2nAOeX4C7tW6UoPmALLepKVMZtAR5t6ZWUwUL56dtSvy44IO1u86zW5RkV84WiPyZf4LbQi5gjhFUf0UDfFXf0cU7_RPCfjyRNy4SZPZBY6TgYgGh_ukbTUA/s720/1%2020230909_114442.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdaoHcJkwL9LIn05otuvGt67W2jcZm4S0iT20xDGLxC5RSShaaISS83x_AkiYZeRqdLk-2nAOeX4C7tW6UoPmALLepKVMZtAR5t6ZWUwUL56dtSvy44IO1u86zW5RkV84WiPyZf4LbQi5gjhFUf0UDfFXf0cU7_RPCfjyRNy4SZPZBY6TgYgGh_ukbTUA/w400-h300/1%2020230909_114442.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Reflections on "Interior with Girl Drawing", Roy Lichtenstein, 1990</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />Our trip back down to the first floor was in the
glass elevator. We shared the elevator with one family
with young children who seemed to be enjoying it just for the ride! <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;">(There are also stairs.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16px;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ll8rLg4fw-r70w8Sw9ShHg8dVNL5gmO38zRz2t2uFvDT0vJrGMO7ma5ZnIxZf-3ZdAoWGIYIIDDjdAzFrbC0z9lctX3ko9i0JSDV72zwzNw5qn21WEBaOgcAEJ4L5A18SdXeZ5fe_N2gdp0Xb4dl2gjuBIxdBOWYEscsvM3K1NgQx8QubQpGZvqnNqSy/s720/1%2020230909_103735.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ll8rLg4fw-r70w8Sw9ShHg8dVNL5gmO38zRz2t2uFvDT0vJrGMO7ma5ZnIxZf-3ZdAoWGIYIIDDjdAzFrbC0z9lctX3ko9i0JSDV72zwzNw5qn21WEBaOgcAEJ4L5A18SdXeZ5fe_N2gdp0Xb4dl2gjuBIxdBOWYEscsvM3K1NgQx8QubQpGZvqnNqSy/w300-h400/1%2020230909_103735.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Buster Keaton by Jeff Koons, 1988.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />The Broad museum displays paintings and other
art collected by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. The focus of their collection is art from the
1950s to the present. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIY8OvPagSeT6KfYlI0J6UFbz1fx0luyQqb76jfqDFZNNvEosW-qTGKN8_SSOtdYncCD2fmGOFrCMRAoSgdKRkINqwTuCyyKGz-yR_44O3X_3-jnIRRNskmj93JLTgk1UWvNUx08hqaki34_Cv7Fpn9vwO1K90P1s4amYQoYBnXJRZUTKuWLUEmaBNFcp/s720/1%2020230909_103214.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIY8OvPagSeT6KfYlI0J6UFbz1fx0luyQqb76jfqDFZNNvEosW-qTGKN8_SSOtdYncCD2fmGOFrCMRAoSgdKRkINqwTuCyyKGz-yR_44O3X_3-jnIRRNskmj93JLTgk1UWvNUx08hqaki34_Cv7Fpn9vwO1K90P1s4amYQoYBnXJRZUTKuWLUEmaBNFcp/w400-h300/1%2020230909_103214.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Under the Table by Robert Therrien. Museum visitors are invited to walk under this giant wooden table (but not to sit on the chairs.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />One of our favorite pieces was <i>Rabbit</i> by Jeff Koons, whose metal body is polished to perfection, catching our reflections like a Fun House mirror..<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JTZwxlx9idd6iuPgg48TzjLizWmfauOiTS5mgfGg9PjHluIet1v__TuyEk5DKXQlsfI98jXSVeKjsoZ5Hd6gUmLSemEGWwx_-_FRHfUPCg7iaV4qmH3rywTt7iwKriBTVh_YePpneBP7VjNS4UUR59i_WQ7mo_0HWmFYvL31p5K_Tb9c5cYNo-v3qxJ4/s720/1%2020230909_103854.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JTZwxlx9idd6iuPgg48TzjLizWmfauOiTS5mgfGg9PjHluIet1v__TuyEk5DKXQlsfI98jXSVeKjsoZ5Hd6gUmLSemEGWwx_-_FRHfUPCg7iaV4qmH3rywTt7iwKriBTVh_YePpneBP7VjNS4UUR59i_WQ7mo_0HWmFYvL31p5K_Tb9c5cYNo-v3qxJ4/w283-h400/1%2020230909_103854.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rabbit, sculpture by Jeff Koons</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />These are only a small sample of artwork on display. Before we left the museum, we stood in line on the main floor to see
the Yayoi Kusama <a href="https://www.thebroad.org/visit/mirror-rooms" target="_blank"><b>Infinity Mirrored Room</b></a>. (Timed tickets, which are
free, are required and available online, but if the line isn’t too long, you are
allowed to join—which is what we did.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We waited for about 15 minutes for our turn to
go into the darkened room. At first, before our eyes adjusted, it seemed as if
we were stepping into outer space—a bit unnerving, especially if you don’t like
heights. But then we realized that the standing platform was actually part of the larger floor, covered with mirrors, as were the
walls and ceiling. Suspended lights twinkled in the darkness and were endlessly
reflected all around us. It truly felt like we had entered infinity. After one
minute, our turn was up and it was time for the next group to go in.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc03fnN_zmrq5jk6zXig-LEh40gy6G693amedX5d1rd0CpLS4MkrKsrg_4TdnOmysMdhllSW7ecBI6Qjw2FFbjqMFShk9RAyaB1yCIp3oKlHTl1LQH8GcpTpRws7i7GVymax2KJRtuZeuYNGsvhmrrkyB-NDErTUZ690trQzeb5w0W8e69J4diT5CPWqX/s720/1%2020230909_123147.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXc03fnN_zmrq5jk6zXig-LEh40gy6G693amedX5d1rd0CpLS4MkrKsrg_4TdnOmysMdhllSW7ecBI6Qjw2FFbjqMFShk9RAyaB1yCIp3oKlHTl1LQH8GcpTpRws7i7GVymax2KJRtuZeuYNGsvhmrrkyB-NDErTUZ690trQzeb5w0W8e69J4diT5CPWqX/w400-h300/1%2020230909_123147.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Infinity Room by Yayoi Kusama.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />After this spectacular finale, we exited through the gift shop--where we saw many tempting items, although
we didn’t buy anything,. It was lunchtime and we were hungry. We saw families picnicking in the small park next to the museum, having bought lunch from one
of the food trucks parked along the curb. We ate, instead, at Vespaio, an Italian restaurant just on the other side of the park, enjoying our meal next to the window. We then returned to our
car, parked conveniently in the garage under the museum, and headed home. Altogether, a stimulating and fun Saturday outing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>five nestshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18291274724653706754noreply@blogger.com0