TOTEM POLES AND MORE: Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC, Vancouver, BC:

Great Hall, Museum of Anthropology, UBC, Vancouver, Canada.

A “must see” when you are visiting Vancouver, BC, Canada’s gateway to the Pacific, is the Museum of Anthropology on the campus of the University of British Columbia. Nowhere are there more totem poles and other artifacts of the Northern Pacific Coast indigenous cultures in one place.

There are 35 languages and many dialects in the Pacific Northwest. This exhibit shows the word for "paddle" in eleven different languages.

After walking down the center ramp of the museum to the Great Hall you find yourself in a large light-filled space filled with totem poles more than two stories high, giant carved figures, ceremonial objects and much more. 

Animal images carved and painted on a totem pole.

The enormous scale of the totem poles becomes obvious as you crane your neck to see the top. Only at eye level can you see the details of the paint and carving up close.

Totem poles and carved figures.

Through the tall windows the objects inside the museum appear to merge with the outdoor scenery.

Mask and ceremonial bowls.

In one exhibit, which at first glance seems to be a riding toy for children, is actually a series of ceremonial feast dishes. Such dishes were passed down from father to son.  Panels describe the tradition of the potlach, at which such vessels would be used. At a potlach, hereditary chiefs and their families displayed claims of certain rights and privileges in front of invited guests. They are feasted and paid gifts for accepting the host’s claims and remembering all that has happened at the event. It is an ancient ceremonial tradition. The potlach ceremony was outlawed in Canada from 1889 to 1951.

While the totem poles and other objects inside the museum are protected from the weather, other totem poles and examples of traditional log houses are exhibited outside. Informational panels explain how indigenous communities were decimated by diseases introduced by Europeans, causing them to abandon their villages. A drawing of one of these villages, made from information found in the village ruins, shows what it would have looked like when it was inhabited.

Drawing of reconstruction of abandoned village.

Painted figure.

Figures made of broken ceramic tiles and mirrors, by Sally Michener, 1994. in the Koerner European Ceramics Gallery.

Although most of the museum focuses on the cultures of the Northwest Coast indigenous people, there is more. In the Koerner European Ceramics Gallery, there is a surprising focus on the art of ceramic tile stoves--both artistic and useful! They are believed to have had their origin in the Alps in the 16th century..

Tiled  stove from Germany or Slovakia, ca 1560..

On the lower level of the museum are galleries filled with display cases crammed with smaller objects—baskets, masks, tools, clothing—both from Northwest Coast indigenous people, and from cultures around the world.

Traditional Northwest Coast masks are among the thousands of items displayed in the lower galleries.

Stick puppets from Asia.

But the main draw of the museum is the wealth of native American material, accompanied by excellent informational panels.

A visit to the Anthropology Museum is an opportunity to appreciate the richness of the indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest, which continue many of the traditions that have been practiced for centuries, as well as to see cultural objects from around the world. 

An excellent gift shop is on the entrance level of the museum, as well as a coffee shop with drinks and snacks. 

Pond, walking path, and totem pole behind the museum.

DINOSAURS, ROCKS, MINERALS AND MORE: Hands-On Science at the Pacific Museum of Earth at UBC, Vancouver, Canada

Amethyst crystals and Lambeosurus skeleton, Pacific Museum of Earth, UBC, Vancouver, Canada.

How do dinosaur fossils, rocks and minerals, petrified wood, climate and weather help us learn about the history of the Earth? The place to go to find out is the Pacific Museum of Earth in the Earth and Oceanic Science building at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

This small museum is filled with kid-friendly (and adult-friendly too) interactive exhibits—from touchable dinosaur bones and giant crystals, a 3-D “map” you can manipulate to change its contours, a machine that spins a tiny tornado, to a green screen that allows you to be your own weather forecaster and more. In an adjacent building you can find more fossils and a history of human evolution.

Dromaeosaurus albertensus

I visited the Pacific Museum of Earth in July when I spent several days in Vancouver. I discovered it by accident on a  walk across the UBC campus. When I spotted the dinosaur skeletons displayed in the main lobby of the Earth Sciences building, I couldn't resist going inside to find out more. 

A touch screen provided an introduction and questions to ask: From there signs pointed me to the next building (EOS) and the Pacific Museum of Earth.

Petrified redwood, 40-50 million years old. Collected and donated by Dr. P. B. Read.

Throughout the museum signs invite visitors to touch or to explore.

Kids recreating the landscape in this 3-D map display.

I saw kids intrigued by an exhibit about mapping and how contour lines indicate elevation. A large tray (similar to a sandbox) filled with granules could be rearranged to make a 3-D landscape. As the elevations changed, colored lights projected from above change to correspond with the new contours.

Solar system display in the gem room.

Gems.

In another room a variety of gems are displayed in lighted boxes, almost as if in a jewelry shop. Below each window a pull-out drawer contains information about the gems. In the center of the room hangs a large orb representing the solar system. Using the screen below, you can change its appearance--making it into the planet of your choice.

The Lytton Jelly Roll.

An amazing example of how rocks can "fold" fills one wall.

Femur (leg bone) of a hypacrosaur.

The museum is clearly designed to appeal to school age kids, showing them how cool earth science can be. Who knows, perhaps some of them will grow up to be earth scientists themselves one day.

A green screen a computer camera has turned me into a weather reporter.

CRUISING THE RHINE, Part 2: Castles, Churches, Cuckoo Clocks and More, Guest Post by Monique McLay Shore

Strausberg, Germany.

My friend and fellow Grinnellian, Monique McLay Shore, went on a one-week cruise of the Rhine River last May with her mother and sister Deidre. I thank her for sharing her report and excellent photos with The Intrepid Tourist. This post is adapted from Monique’s day by day reports she wrote on Facebook during the trip. It is in two parts—Days 1-4, followed by Days 5-7 a week later.

Speyer.

Day 5:  May 19

Today had a relaxed start as we didn't reach our excursion point until after lunch. But once we arrived in Speyer I had one of my trip highlights - a reunion with one of my dear college friends, Nadia! Meanwhile, Mom and Deidre were touring the town, doing a bit of shopping, and working on their selfie skills. 

Romanesque Cathedral in Speyer.

Speyer is a delightful town with a lovely Romanesque Cathedral. It has a markedly simpler design aesthetic and quite lovely. As with most towns here, there are remnants of ancient city walls and layers of centuries of history.

Day 6:  May 20

Tram in Strausberg, Germany.

Today we explored a few corners of Strausberg, Germany. Because of its location it has actually changed from being French to German and back again many times over the centuries, giving it a solid footing in both cultures. This also makes it a great seat of power for the EU. 

Cathedral, Strausberg.

It has a beautiful cathedral that is also home to a mindboggling astronomical clock. And the area known as La Petite France is right out of a medieval sketchbook. Mom and Deidre went on a more limited tour in the morning and mainly saw the cathedral while I explored Petite France with another group.

Strausberg.

After lunch back on the ship Deidre and I went back to explore some more. I logged more than 20,000 steps as here was no easy transport between the various places. But it was totally worth it.

We were rewarded with a festive German feast for dinner onboard, the most spectacular sunset of the week, some festive cocktails, and then the excitement of moving through the first of several locks that will take us upstream.

Tomorrow looks to be a rainy day visit to the Black Forest region before we disembark for good in the predawn hours on Thursday.

Day 7:  May 21

Breisach.

Today was our last full day on the ship. In addition to beautiful scenery, we also had rain, an exciting bus ride to the mountains that included a detour on the autobahn, and delays at the locks to start and end our days. We had been looking forward to today being restful, with nothing scheduled but the bus ride up the mountain. But then Deidre and I opted to take a quick peak around the quaint village of Breisach,

View of Breisach from the Cathedral.

Deidre thought we should give the cathedral a quick peak.... Of course the cathedral is at the top of this early walled city. So up, up, up we went! The view from the top was fabulous and the cathedral was great. Of course, then we had to come down, down, down. Needless to say, it was not the restful day I had been hoping for! As we ate lunch we could all see the storm clouds rolling in. Just after we boarded the buses the skies opened up.

Rainy day in the Black Forest.

We had a very rainy drive to the Black Forest but you could still see the beauty of the area. Once at the top there was a wonderful cuckoo clock store and a shop filled with beautiful hand-blown glass from area artists. There was also a massive cuckoo clock in the square that we watched strike four. On the ride back, we took a more direct route, only to be stopped by a traffic jam caused by a crash in one of the tunnels on the Autobahn. We then hit a backlog of ships at the locks. We just went through one and we think we have two more before we dock in Basel. I guess we shall see in a few hours if we will really get off at 4:15am as planned.

Sunset in Strausberg.

Home again: My Mom and sister and I had a great time on our Viking River cruise on the Rhine River! 

CRUISING THE RHINE, Part 1: Castles, Churches, Cuckoo Clocks and More, Guest Post by Monique McLay Shore

Windmills of Kinderduik

My friend and fellow Grinnellian, Monique McLay Shore, went on a one-week cruise of the Rhine River last May with her mother and sister Deidre. I thank her for sharing her report and excellent photos with The Intrepid Tourist. This post is adapted from Monique’s day by day reports she wrote on Facebook during the trip. It is in two parts—Days 1-4 this week, followed by Days 5-7 next week.

Viking River Cruise on the Rhine

Day 1: May 15

We arrived in Amsterdam around 8am so had the full day to explore the ship and a bit of the city. Then after an amazing dinner on board, Deidre and I did a sunset canal tour that offered beautiful views as we nibbled on wine and cheese. 

Amsterdam

This morning we awoke to a new view - the windmills if Kinderdijk. Looking forward to exploring them up close today before we cruise further up river.

Day 2: May 16

Day 2 of our mother daughters Viking cruise started with the classic visit to the windmills in Kinderdijk. The boat tour offered stunning views of the UNESCO World Heritage site. We got a tour of the oldest of the mills, including the miller climbing up the blade to demonstrate how they open the sails (wooden shoes and all). 

Climbing the sails of the windmill.

The rest of the day was spent on the ship as we cruised up river to Germany, where we officially entered the Rhine River. We enjoyed some time on the sundeck, then some nice Danish treats and coffee. We have been especially tickled by the variety of animals you see along the sandy shores of the river - cows, sheep, horses and even camels(there's a camel farm!) lying on the beach and wading in the water.

Day 3: May 17

We arrived in Cologne midmorning today. It's a big city with a big cathedral and big crowds. Saturday is peak tourist day and the area around the cathedral was so crowded it made it hard to enjoy the sightseeing. We did, however, enjoy the "only available in Cologne" kolsch beer and some very good schnitzel and sausage. After lunch Deidre headed back to the cathedral and did a tour climbing all the stairs to the top! 

Mom and I opted for a rickshaw ride and lucked out with the most delightful young woman as our driver/guide. When we told her we were absolutely done with the crowds and wanted to see some quiet corners of Cologne, she took us through some side streets to a lovely church with a courtyard garden filled with beautiful roses. She'd stop along the way to share tidbits and stories. She succeeded in transforming our memories of Cologne from bad to delightful.

After dinner there were a couple of incredibly talented local musicians playing classical guitar and violin in the ship lounge.

Day 4: May 18

Today we awoke in the shadow of a castle, wandered the quiet streets of Braubach (extra quiet as all the shops are closed on Sundays), then spent the afternoon sailing through the narrow stretch of the middle Rhine where there is nearly always a castle in sight. It was overcast and cool for much of the time, which made the afternoon sharing of Rudesheim Coffee (with brandy and chocolate) all the more welcome.

The sun finally came out for the last few castles and it was glorious! I loved seeing the quaint and picturesque towns that line the shores and reveled in the thought of camping beneath the walls of a castle (there are tons of campgrounds all along the river with adorable small campers, often with giant "tent" porches).

The other notable thing in this area are the vineyards that cover the steep inclines. This is where the majority of the grapes used for Riesling wine come from, harvested by hand by workers who often have a rope around their waist to keep them from falling! We ended the day with a walk into the small town of Rudesheim, with a giant Ferris Wheel and a river walk lined with some very unique trees.

Tomorrow we'll cruise through the most scenic section of the river with something like 30 castles or castle ruins. The weather looks good for another great day. 

Look for Part 2, Days 5-7, next week.

BRIAN CZAJA’S MINIATURE DREAM HOUSES Guest Post by Caroline Hatton

Mini-house by Brian Czaja (31" long, 10 1/2" high)

My friend Caroline Hatton, a children’s writer and frequent contributor to this blog, met architect Brian Czaja at the 2025 Seattle Miniature Show, where she kept coming back to his display to see the mini houses he had made. All the photos in this post are courtesy of Brian Czaja.

As a lifelong fan of miniatures, I was in heaven last March at the 2025 Seattle Miniature Show. Dozens of exhibitors displayed and sold minis: finished houses, kits, building materials, tools... real-life tools (such as scissors) and mini tools (such as scissors only half an inch or 1.5 cm long), mini furniture, appliances, pots and pans, potted plants, pies and pudding, mini grab-and-go sushi deli boxes with a plastic-wrapped fortune cookie smaller than my smallest fingernail clipping...

House 1 living room.

House 1 bedroom.

My absolute favorites were the miniature contemporary homes designed, built, and furnished by Brian Czaja. Alas, visitors were not allowed to take photos in the exhibitors hall. Fortunately, Brian agreed to help me put together this blog post, so that you too can enjoy seeing his works of art.  

The three photos above show his House number 1. it is 31" (roughly 79 cm) long and 10 1/2 (roughtly 27 cm) high. The size of House 1 is 1:24 scale (one twenty-fourth of real-life size, which minieatureists also call 1/2" scale because 1 foot in real life becomes 1/2" in miniature.)  

At the show, my guess that he is a retired architect was correct! He went to Syracuse University School of Architecture in New York state, then studied and taught at the University of Bristol in England. He had his own practice in Buffalo, New York, for almost 30 years, worked for other firms in Phoenix, Arizona, for almost 20 years, then in northern California, and now lives in Salem, Oregon.

I asked him why he makes mini houses. “To keep active thinking and doing what I’ve done for a very long time,” he said. “It’s fun to design and build.” His mini houses reflect the way he has always designed, especially as a believer in simplicity.

House 2 design.

Brian begins the process with an idea and imaginary site—on a hill, by the ocean, in a meadow. He develops the idea in his sketch books until he is satisfied with what he has designed. His requirements are simple for all his designs—a house for two artists. Once the idea and design are set, he starts developing “construction drawings.” These can be quite detailed depending on the design. “Just like in the real world, you have to know how it’s going to be built.”

House 2 construction.

Once the construction drawings are finished, Brian orders materials and begins building, using his preferred woods: basswood, cherry, and red oak—only three kinds, to keep the inventory under control in his mini lumber yard. He makes all his houses from scratch, using no laser cutters or purchased windows and doors.

House 2.

When the house is done, he starts on the interior. He designs it (furniture, planters, etc.) at the same time as the house, but doesn’t make it until the last step.

House 3.

The above photo is a view of House 3 from across the pond, with the living and dining areas on the right end. The size of Houses 2-5 is 1:48 scale (one forty-eighth of real-life size, which miniaturists also call 1/4" scale because 1 foot in real life is represented by 1/4" in miniature.) 

House 3 living and dining areas.

The height of a real chair is 18" (or roughly 46 cm) to the top of the cushion. The chair height in Houses 2-5 is 3/8" (or 9.5 mm) on the 1:48 scale.

The mini paintings are scale reproductions of real-life paintings… by Brian! The man needs more than one outlet for his endless creativity.

House 4 living, dining and bedroom levels.

House 4 living room.

For House 4, Brian didn’t have to imagine on what plot of land he would build it. In his travels, he happened to spot a hillside home with ocean view and couldn’t help but dream up what house he would build there instead.

House 5 main entry.

House 5 back deck.

A big difference between Brian’s mini work and his past, real-life work is that now, he is both the architect and the client, so if he has any complaints, all he has to do is talk to himself! Seriously, this dual role allows him to take liberties, such as adding or deleting rooms as he wishes. Other pleasing differences are that things like site and weather are no problem. He can make the imaginary site fit the house and he can build in his workshop even if it’s raining or snowing outside.

I decided to write about this because many of the miniatures I have seen, including some of the finest museum pieces with plenty of character, don’t feel unique or even distinctive, so I don’t tend to remember them specifically. In contrast, Brian’s houses struck me as memorable.

To see Brian’s houses with your own eyes, consider visiting him at the upcoming Seattle Miniature Show on March 5-9, 2026.

I can’t wait to see his new creations!