Galleries and Portfolios:
Scroll Down to Find
-New York, New York: December 29-30, 2015
-Journey into Fall, 2015
-Researching the Outer Banks and a Family Visit to Georgia, September, 2014
-My Trip to Madison, Wisconsin in 2014 (Complete)
-A Southern Trip, April, 2014 (See note)
-Charleston, February, 2014 (Gallery)
-Italy, May 2013 (Portfolio)
Scroll Down to Find
-New York, New York: December 29-30, 2015
-Journey into Fall, 2015
-Researching the Outer Banks and a Family Visit to Georgia, September, 2014
-My Trip to Madison, Wisconsin in 2014 (Complete)
-A Southern Trip, April, 2014 (See note)
-Charleston, February, 2014 (Gallery)
-Italy, May 2013 (Portfolio)
New York, New York: December 29-30, 2015
Slow down, you're moving too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.
59th St. Bridge Song, Simon and Garfunkel
59th Street Bridge: Taken without a Tripod and with Shaky Hands
Slow down, you're moving too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.
59th St. Bridge Song, Simon and Garfunkel
59th Street Bridge: Taken without a Tripod and with Shaky Hands
Early on Monday, January 27th, I booked a room at the Bentley Hotel on hotels.com for a one night stay on the 29th. My primary goal at the time was to go to the Mad River Grill on the upper east side of Manhattan to watch along side of fellow Badger alumnae the Holiday Bowl featuring Wisconsin against USC. The game was scheduled to start at 10:30 PM on the 29th because the bowl game was in San Diego. I thought that I had a good 24 hours to cancel the room without penalty should I have second thoughts about going. I was not sure at the time whether I would take the train into NYC or drive. My travel plans included driving up to Bedford, MA to see my son Scott and his family on December 30 where I was invited to a New Year's party with soccer parents. I told Scott my plans and for a few moments he considered taking the train down to meet me in NYC on the 29th, so that we could watch the game together. He wisely changed his mind about that quick idea to join me, after, I am sure a discussion with his beautiful wife Carolina. In any event, I also had a change of heart and decided to cancel my reservation at the Bentley. Alas, I did not have a 24 hour window, but free cancellation time ran out at 1:00 AM on the 28th, about 7 hours before I decided to cancel. So the fates ruled. I was not about to sacrifice $185.00 plus tax. I also discovered that the parking garage right next door to the Bentley had a deal with the hotel to charge $25 for 24 hours. I knew the traffic into NY would be lighter on this day before New Years Eve, so I decided to drive.
I arrived at the hotel around noon on the 29th, checked into the hotel where they let me know that my room would not be ready until 3 PM. I checked my luggage and began my walking and subway tour toward Times Square. Although it was 12:30 PM, I thought there might some tickets left at the half price TKTS Box Office on 47th and Broadway. Although I had benefitted from lighter traffic driving into NY, I was not prepared for the fact that many tourists were already in NY to celebrate New Years Eve. The lines were too long. I found a nice Irish Pub for a beer and a sandwich before walking to B&H Photo shop on 33rd St and 7th Ave. I deposited my back pack and wandered the store for at least an hour, but did not buy a thing. It is just fun to actually find a full fledge camera store, because the old fashioned camera store no longer exists in my area of Western CT. We do have Best Buy, Costco, and PC Richard; but they cannot hold a candle to the vast inventory at B&H.
I returned to the Bentley about 3 PM and proceeded to my room on the 7th Floor. For $50 more I could get a room on a higher floor, but I resisted the temptation, remained frugal, and took Rm. 705. Other than price, why did I choose the Bentley? I had stayed there before when my late wife, Terry, was having an operation at Sloan Kettering just up the way on York Ave. It is an old hotel, but has been remodeled and the rooms are small, but clean. You have to pay extra for WiFi, which I find annoying, but Starbucks was nearby for a quick coffee and WiFi fix. I took a short nap in hopes that I would eventually be awake later in the evening to see the football game at the Mad River Bar and Grill up on 82nd Street and Madison Ave. I dozed for about an hour.
The hotel is located just to the north of the 59th St. Bridge and the East River walkway provides ample opportunities for jogging, walking, and photo opportunities. I was looking forward to the lighted bridge in the evening. There is also a Tram that carries residents of Roosevelt Island to and from work. I took a few photos that evening, which have a blurry composition due the lack of the use of a tripod to take the photos. Nevertheless, the photos capture the ambiance of the area surrounding my hotel and reinforces for me why I chose the Bentley.
Gallery of the 59th Street Bridge
I arrived at the hotel around noon on the 29th, checked into the hotel where they let me know that my room would not be ready until 3 PM. I checked my luggage and began my walking and subway tour toward Times Square. Although it was 12:30 PM, I thought there might some tickets left at the half price TKTS Box Office on 47th and Broadway. Although I had benefitted from lighter traffic driving into NY, I was not prepared for the fact that many tourists were already in NY to celebrate New Years Eve. The lines were too long. I found a nice Irish Pub for a beer and a sandwich before walking to B&H Photo shop on 33rd St and 7th Ave. I deposited my back pack and wandered the store for at least an hour, but did not buy a thing. It is just fun to actually find a full fledge camera store, because the old fashioned camera store no longer exists in my area of Western CT. We do have Best Buy, Costco, and PC Richard; but they cannot hold a candle to the vast inventory at B&H.
I returned to the Bentley about 3 PM and proceeded to my room on the 7th Floor. For $50 more I could get a room on a higher floor, but I resisted the temptation, remained frugal, and took Rm. 705. Other than price, why did I choose the Bentley? I had stayed there before when my late wife, Terry, was having an operation at Sloan Kettering just up the way on York Ave. It is an old hotel, but has been remodeled and the rooms are small, but clean. You have to pay extra for WiFi, which I find annoying, but Starbucks was nearby for a quick coffee and WiFi fix. I took a short nap in hopes that I would eventually be awake later in the evening to see the football game at the Mad River Bar and Grill up on 82nd Street and Madison Ave. I dozed for about an hour.
The hotel is located just to the north of the 59th St. Bridge and the East River walkway provides ample opportunities for jogging, walking, and photo opportunities. I was looking forward to the lighted bridge in the evening. There is also a Tram that carries residents of Roosevelt Island to and from work. I took a few photos that evening, which have a blurry composition due the lack of the use of a tripod to take the photos. Nevertheless, the photos capture the ambiance of the area surrounding my hotel and reinforces for me why I chose the Bentley.
Gallery of the 59th Street Bridge
My next dilemma was where to eat. I checked Yelp on my iPhone, trying to find an Italian Restaurant nearby. I found one, but it was super expensive. I then went the traditional route and checked out the list the hotel gave me. I found a reasonably priced Italian Restaurant, called Il Vagabondo (who knew what to expect with name like that) located about a block from my hotel. After taking some time to shoot photos of the bridge, the East River walk, and the FDR drive, I dropped off my camera at the hotel and went in search of Il Vagabondo. I was thankful for having the exact address, because the restaurant signage is limited to a small name panel over the entry door. I walked down the steps and through the door into a touch of Italy with a side of New Jersey. For those of you who have read my meanderings from my recent summer excursion through the upper Midwest, this was one of those serendipitous choices that would turn out to be fun and an unplanned highlight of my visit to NY.
When I entered it looked like it was tiny little restaurant with just a bar. No tables were visible. I walked beyond the bar and saw an impressive kitchen to the right, but still no tables. It turns out that the tables are located in various nooks and crannies of this building that was opened in 1913. There is even an unused Bocci Court that borders about 7 tables in one of the back rooms. Not knowing of this at the time, I approached the bar and asked if I could order dinner while sitting at the bar. George, the Italian bartender, introduced himself and welcomed me to take a seat. To my right were two happy couples from New Jersey who also invited me to sit. For the next ninety minutes, I sipped the house red, ate a salad of mixed greens with a great dressing, and consumed my favorite dish of cheese ravioli with meat sauce. George was friendly and forthcoming with the history of the restaurant. The bar was established in the thirties, I am assuming post prohibition. The restaurant was opened in 1965 and here I was in the last days of 2015 enjoying it's cuisine and ambiance. During my meal, an attractive woman sat down next to me. For awhile, we did not talk to each other, but eventually we did. It turns out she lives part of the year in Puerto Rico and the other part on the upper east side of Manhattan. She talked about her job with the government in Puerto Rico. It had something to do with real estate and government lands. She has a son, 27 years old and so I guess, she was in her early 50s and from the sound of it unattached. Too young for me, but the conversation added to my memory of the visit to this restaurant.
Somewhere toward the end of the second hour, I said goodbye to George and a new set of folks at the end of the bar and rambled back to the hotel to prepare for my trip to Mad River. In retrospect, I wish that I had pulled out my iPhone camera and took a few photos of the people and the layout of the restaurant. I missed that opportunity; but without question, it was the best 90 plus minutes of my trip.
I like riding the subways in NY, so I had purchased a Metro Card. I walked to 59th and Lexington and took the subway north to 86th St. It was beginning to drizzle and of course I had forgotten my umbrella in the parked car. I found the Mad River Bar and Grill about 9:45. A very loud band was sending out the hardest of rock. I walked in and quickly saw that I was the oldest guy in the place where almost everyone was in their 20s and 30s. They were mostly Wisconsin alumnae or supporters, but there was no room at the bar and the tables were already filled with people waiting to see the game. I revisited my primary goal for visiting the city and decided to revise to the lower expectation of watching the game back in my room. It was a wise, if very cautious, decision that found me asleep shortly after beginning to watch the game. Wisconsin scored a field goal and I turned off the TV. The next morning I was happy to read that they had won the game by 3 points.
Entrance to Il Vagabondo
When I entered it looked like it was tiny little restaurant with just a bar. No tables were visible. I walked beyond the bar and saw an impressive kitchen to the right, but still no tables. It turns out that the tables are located in various nooks and crannies of this building that was opened in 1913. There is even an unused Bocci Court that borders about 7 tables in one of the back rooms. Not knowing of this at the time, I approached the bar and asked if I could order dinner while sitting at the bar. George, the Italian bartender, introduced himself and welcomed me to take a seat. To my right were two happy couples from New Jersey who also invited me to sit. For the next ninety minutes, I sipped the house red, ate a salad of mixed greens with a great dressing, and consumed my favorite dish of cheese ravioli with meat sauce. George was friendly and forthcoming with the history of the restaurant. The bar was established in the thirties, I am assuming post prohibition. The restaurant was opened in 1965 and here I was in the last days of 2015 enjoying it's cuisine and ambiance. During my meal, an attractive woman sat down next to me. For awhile, we did not talk to each other, but eventually we did. It turns out she lives part of the year in Puerto Rico and the other part on the upper east side of Manhattan. She talked about her job with the government in Puerto Rico. It had something to do with real estate and government lands. She has a son, 27 years old and so I guess, she was in her early 50s and from the sound of it unattached. Too young for me, but the conversation added to my memory of the visit to this restaurant.
Somewhere toward the end of the second hour, I said goodbye to George and a new set of folks at the end of the bar and rambled back to the hotel to prepare for my trip to Mad River. In retrospect, I wish that I had pulled out my iPhone camera and took a few photos of the people and the layout of the restaurant. I missed that opportunity; but without question, it was the best 90 plus minutes of my trip.
I like riding the subways in NY, so I had purchased a Metro Card. I walked to 59th and Lexington and took the subway north to 86th St. It was beginning to drizzle and of course I had forgotten my umbrella in the parked car. I found the Mad River Bar and Grill about 9:45. A very loud band was sending out the hardest of rock. I walked in and quickly saw that I was the oldest guy in the place where almost everyone was in their 20s and 30s. They were mostly Wisconsin alumnae or supporters, but there was no room at the bar and the tables were already filled with people waiting to see the game. I revisited my primary goal for visiting the city and decided to revise to the lower expectation of watching the game back in my room. It was a wise, if very cautious, decision that found me asleep shortly after beginning to watch the game. Wisconsin scored a field goal and I turned off the TV. The next morning I was happy to read that they had won the game by 3 points.
Entrance to Il Vagabondo
For those of you who know me, you are aware that I am somewhat of a slave to the rules of the Catholic Church. Oh, I have stretched the rules quite often along the way, but I still feel compelled to make the effort to attend Mass on Holy Days of Obligation and Sundays. January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation and I suspected that I would not be able to get to church in Bedford, MA while visiting my son and his family. As a compromise, I decided to go to church in New York on New Years Eve morning. I found a beautiful church not too far from my hotel, named St. Vincent Ferrer. It was a classically structured gothic church with high ceilings, striking stained glass, and lit candles in remembrance of others in nooks and crannies throughout the church. I love visiting churches on my travels and St. Vincent's was a wonderful addition to the houses of worship that I have seen. The church is staffed by priests and, I assume, brothers of the Dominican Order of Friars. When I entered the church the clergy were off to the side reciting morning prayers. Although the main altar was majestic, there was a smaller altar closer to the congregation that provided a spiritually intimate connection between the congregation and the priest saying Mass. I do not know the celebrant's name but he gave a fascinating homily entitled the "Logic of the Incarnation." It caused me to question why the word logic was used to describe a principle of faith. I did some research afterward, and found this to be a phrase that engendered several hits on a Google Search. The basic concept is that Jesus had two natures, God and Man, a mystery that for me is an item of faith. I still do not understand the use of the word "logic," which is a reasoning process. Oh well, best I leave all of that alone.
After Mass, I wandered into the small room dedicated to the Holy Family where the crèche was still on display. I lit a candle for Terry and was pleased that the candle was real wax. I used the flame of another candle to light Terry's. I have lit candles for Terry in Greece, Italy, Ireland and many churches here in the U.S. It is consoling for me to leave a bit of light in her remembrance on my journeys.
Gallery of St. Vincent Ferrer
For a brief description of the history of St. Vincent's, see: legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/mchale.html
After Mass, I wandered into the small room dedicated to the Holy Family where the crèche was still on display. I lit a candle for Terry and was pleased that the candle was real wax. I used the flame of another candle to light Terry's. I have lit candles for Terry in Greece, Italy, Ireland and many churches here in the U.S. It is consoling for me to leave a bit of light in her remembrance on my journeys.
Gallery of St. Vincent Ferrer
For a brief description of the history of St. Vincent's, see: legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/mchale.html
On my way back to the Bentley, I stopped at the Ritz Diner for an omelet that was passable, but not exceptional. A little after 10 AM, I checked out of my hotel, retrieved my car and headed north on the FDR toward a New Year's family visit in Bedford, MA.
Upon reflection, I have found a nice combination of upper east side NY with interesting places to eat and drink, with bike riding and walking along the East River, with a spiritual connection to a church and with Times Square, the theater district, and Central Park, all within walking distance. If not walking, the subways will do fine. I must and will go again. Perhaps, I will try an Airbnb experience next time, or if my safer self kicks in, I will return to the Bentley.
Upon reflection, I have found a nice combination of upper east side NY with interesting places to eat and drink, with bike riding and walking along the East River, with a spiritual connection to a church and with Times Square, the theater district, and Central Park, all within walking distance. If not walking, the subways will do fine. I must and will go again. Perhaps, I will try an Airbnb experience next time, or if my safer self kicks in, I will return to the Bentley.
Journey into Fall, 2015
Central Park, New York City
It all started on a Saturday morning in mid-October, when I thought, without the benefit of research, that I would travel on the train to NYC, saunter up to Central Park and shoot a few photos of the fall colors. Little did I know that I was about two weeks early. The trees still held the deep greens of summer. However, all was not lost. I have been to the park many times just to randomly shoot the landscapes and the people who ride, walk, and run in the park. Riding takes many forms: the bike driven rickshaw, the horse driven carriage, the multiple number of bikes with single riders, and the runners of all ages, shapes, and sizes who benefit from the pathways in the park. This particular day was no different than past excursion into the park.
Prior to the park, I performed another habitual act of mine when I travel to the city, I stood in like at the "Tkts" Booth on 47th St. and spent my time in line trying to decide on a Broadway matinee. My first choice was "American in Paris." I remembered the movie and the great old fashioned music and thought it would be fun to see it on the stage. When I arrived at the window, the gentleman in the booth informed me that the tickets available were not great. My second choice, for no apparent reason, was "Matilda." My ticket selling friend said that the seats were five rows from the stage and a little to the left of center and that the seats were excellent. I slipped my debit card through the window and $85.00 later, I held a ticket in my hand, ready for my walk to Central Park.
I always think the park is closer than it really is. After all, the distance between the crossing streets of Manhattan are quite close together. By that measure, it s a twelve block walk to Columbus Circle, the Trump Building, the Time Warner Building and the southeast entrance to the park. It was around 11:00 AM when I noticed that the trees were still very green and that there were only a few promises of color around the park. However, it was a beautiful day with sun and shadows everywhere. I knew that I could climb a few rocks, take in the surrounding landscapes, catch a few photos of people in random poses, actively enjoying the many opportunities for subtle pleasures and silent moments in the busy park. The photos of the people you see below were shot from two positions, the first on huge flat shaped rock and the second from a quite bench bordering the busy thoroughfare on the westside of the park. It was a non stop parade of unmotorized vehicles and the countless runners and walkers seeking exercise and losing themselves with earbud driven music. I truly enjoyed my hour in the park. Although many of the photos I took that day are reminiscent of passed photos, I looked for the unusual characteristics that define Central Park as the unique place that it is.
Around noon, I started to look forward to my next stop at the bar at the Porter House Restaurant on third floor of the Time Warner building. This was my third visit to this comfortable bar with the early Saturday college football games already in progress. My first visit was just before last Christmas when I met my sister, Lynn, and my cousins for lunch at the restaurant. I ordered a couple of Narragansett draft beers, added a delicious crab cake that satisfied my lunchtime food requirements, and had a nice chat with the bartender about items I cannot recall. I left about 1:00 to take the fourteen block walk back to the Shubert Theater and "Matilda."
I knew this musical was based on a children's story, rather dark in its portrayal of a home for orphans with a horrible teacher. It had the flavor of "Oliver" or "Annie." My seats were the best. I was four rows from the stage with perfect views. It took me awhile into the first act to get into the story, but I was amazed at the incredible talent of the young people who were singing, dancing, and acting up a storm in front of me. I know that there is a tradition of children in the theater, but it never ceases to astound me that children in transition between the first and second decade of their lives are so talented and so unassuming in performing for all of us watching. The lead, this Saturday afternoon, was played by MiMi Ryder, who just lit up the stage with her energy and her nuanced ability to create the character of Matilda. I left the theater with a good feeling that added to the joy of Central Park and the ambiance of my new favorite tavern. The train ride home was relaxing with the added expectation that parking on the weekends meant a short walk from the train and no cost for the privilege. During the week you are privileged to walk a mile for the nominal charge of $4.00. I stopped at Applebees near the station and ended my day with a brew and some more football.
Below is a photo montage of my day in NYC.
Note: I have changed my Watermark symbol from previous photos on this Website. I have never liked placing the logo in the center of the photo. You will usually find a new logo, sometimes varying in color, in the lower left corner of the photos.
Central Park, New York City
It all started on a Saturday morning in mid-October, when I thought, without the benefit of research, that I would travel on the train to NYC, saunter up to Central Park and shoot a few photos of the fall colors. Little did I know that I was about two weeks early. The trees still held the deep greens of summer. However, all was not lost. I have been to the park many times just to randomly shoot the landscapes and the people who ride, walk, and run in the park. Riding takes many forms: the bike driven rickshaw, the horse driven carriage, the multiple number of bikes with single riders, and the runners of all ages, shapes, and sizes who benefit from the pathways in the park. This particular day was no different than past excursion into the park.
Prior to the park, I performed another habitual act of mine when I travel to the city, I stood in like at the "Tkts" Booth on 47th St. and spent my time in line trying to decide on a Broadway matinee. My first choice was "American in Paris." I remembered the movie and the great old fashioned music and thought it would be fun to see it on the stage. When I arrived at the window, the gentleman in the booth informed me that the tickets available were not great. My second choice, for no apparent reason, was "Matilda." My ticket selling friend said that the seats were five rows from the stage and a little to the left of center and that the seats were excellent. I slipped my debit card through the window and $85.00 later, I held a ticket in my hand, ready for my walk to Central Park.
I always think the park is closer than it really is. After all, the distance between the crossing streets of Manhattan are quite close together. By that measure, it s a twelve block walk to Columbus Circle, the Trump Building, the Time Warner Building and the southeast entrance to the park. It was around 11:00 AM when I noticed that the trees were still very green and that there were only a few promises of color around the park. However, it was a beautiful day with sun and shadows everywhere. I knew that I could climb a few rocks, take in the surrounding landscapes, catch a few photos of people in random poses, actively enjoying the many opportunities for subtle pleasures and silent moments in the busy park. The photos of the people you see below were shot from two positions, the first on huge flat shaped rock and the second from a quite bench bordering the busy thoroughfare on the westside of the park. It was a non stop parade of unmotorized vehicles and the countless runners and walkers seeking exercise and losing themselves with earbud driven music. I truly enjoyed my hour in the park. Although many of the photos I took that day are reminiscent of passed photos, I looked for the unusual characteristics that define Central Park as the unique place that it is.
Around noon, I started to look forward to my next stop at the bar at the Porter House Restaurant on third floor of the Time Warner building. This was my third visit to this comfortable bar with the early Saturday college football games already in progress. My first visit was just before last Christmas when I met my sister, Lynn, and my cousins for lunch at the restaurant. I ordered a couple of Narragansett draft beers, added a delicious crab cake that satisfied my lunchtime food requirements, and had a nice chat with the bartender about items I cannot recall. I left about 1:00 to take the fourteen block walk back to the Shubert Theater and "Matilda."
I knew this musical was based on a children's story, rather dark in its portrayal of a home for orphans with a horrible teacher. It had the flavor of "Oliver" or "Annie." My seats were the best. I was four rows from the stage with perfect views. It took me awhile into the first act to get into the story, but I was amazed at the incredible talent of the young people who were singing, dancing, and acting up a storm in front of me. I know that there is a tradition of children in the theater, but it never ceases to astound me that children in transition between the first and second decade of their lives are so talented and so unassuming in performing for all of us watching. The lead, this Saturday afternoon, was played by MiMi Ryder, who just lit up the stage with her energy and her nuanced ability to create the character of Matilda. I left the theater with a good feeling that added to the joy of Central Park and the ambiance of my new favorite tavern. The train ride home was relaxing with the added expectation that parking on the weekends meant a short walk from the train and no cost for the privilege. During the week you are privileged to walk a mile for the nominal charge of $4.00. I stopped at Applebees near the station and ended my day with a brew and some more football.
Below is a photo montage of my day in NYC.
Note: I have changed my Watermark symbol from previous photos on this Website. I have never liked placing the logo in the center of the photo. You will usually find a new logo, sometimes varying in color, in the lower left corner of the photos.
An Alternative Fall Site: Kent Falls, CT
When I got up on Saturday morning, October 11, and decided to take the train into the city, I was hoping to see brilliant colors in Central Park. I did not. My initial thought was to post this day long adventure to the park online. I had second thoughts and a week later, I was in my car riding north to Kent Falls, about 20 miles north of where I live. Surely, I would find brilliant fall colors bordering and accenting the relentless flow of water streaming much more gently down the rocky drop off known as Kent Falls. I have taken photos at the falls in all seasons and so I expected that the waters flowing downward would be much less dramatic than in early spring. Such was the case with the flow of water; but alas, the leaves for the most part were off the trees, just 20 miles north of where I live. There are always new shapes and sounds reflective of the season, and my camera and I were ready to capture the essence of a beautiful fall day. The following photos capture a variety of shapes, including a few human ones. In any case, my fall journey has expanded beyond the city to the countryside. It is ironic that I was one week too early with first trip and one week too late on this second adventure.
Overtime that I visit Kent Falls, I try to find new perspectives to shoot, unlike those taken on earlier visits. I am not always successful. I have presented some of the photos below in black and white, because the color renditions were flat. You will see some interesting fall colors, but it took some searching. I am fascinated by the random colors on the leaves hanging for dear life on a leaf shedding tree or those that have fallen to the ground to begin transformation back into the earthy forest floor.
When I got up on Saturday morning, October 11, and decided to take the train into the city, I was hoping to see brilliant colors in Central Park. I did not. My initial thought was to post this day long adventure to the park online. I had second thoughts and a week later, I was in my car riding north to Kent Falls, about 20 miles north of where I live. Surely, I would find brilliant fall colors bordering and accenting the relentless flow of water streaming much more gently down the rocky drop off known as Kent Falls. I have taken photos at the falls in all seasons and so I expected that the waters flowing downward would be much less dramatic than in early spring. Such was the case with the flow of water; but alas, the leaves for the most part were off the trees, just 20 miles north of where I live. There are always new shapes and sounds reflective of the season, and my camera and I were ready to capture the essence of a beautiful fall day. The following photos capture a variety of shapes, including a few human ones. In any case, my fall journey has expanded beyond the city to the countryside. It is ironic that I was one week too early with first trip and one week too late on this second adventure.
Overtime that I visit Kent Falls, I try to find new perspectives to shoot, unlike those taken on earlier visits. I am not always successful. I have presented some of the photos below in black and white, because the color renditions were flat. You will see some interesting fall colors, but it took some searching. I am fascinated by the random colors on the leaves hanging for dear life on a leaf shedding tree or those that have fallen to the ground to begin transformation back into the earthy forest floor.
Fall Colors in the Neighborhood
My story is not complete, however. The following weekend of October 25th, I noticed that the brilliant colors of fall were all around me in my neighborhood. This final set of photos leaves me with the following conclusions:
So, I conclude my fall journey with several of these shots taken at the end of a fourteen day stretch of time.
If this series of photos within an 80 mile range conveys nothing else, it demonstrates that the season of fall has many stages in its headlong pursuit toward winter, and that one needs to travel only a little bit to experience its changing beauty on this borderline between New England and the Mid-Atlantic States.
My story is not complete, however. The following weekend of October 25th, I noticed that the brilliant colors of fall were all around me in my neighborhood. This final set of photos leaves me with the following conclusions:
- You do not have to travel far to find beauty
- Satisfaction often comes to one who waits patiently
So, I conclude my fall journey with several of these shots taken at the end of a fourteen day stretch of time.
If this series of photos within an 80 mile range conveys nothing else, it demonstrates that the season of fall has many stages in its headlong pursuit toward winter, and that one needs to travel only a little bit to experience its changing beauty on this borderline between New England and the Mid-Atlantic States.
The Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Voss Twins in Georgia
This is a one week excursion by car to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to rent a large house for a family beach vacation in late June of 2016. This effort at bringing the family together has not been easy, but I am trying to plan a happening where my children's families can come together for a little shared time. Following my two day visit to the Outer Banks, I will continue the journey to Cumming, Georgia to spend a few days with my twin granddaughters, Chloe and Skylar. I plan to take many photos along the way and I intend to combine both text and photography to tell the story of this brief trip with two very specific objectives: to rent a large house for a week and see two of my grandchildren. This last time I visited them was in April of 2014.
Day 1: On the Road
I left around 11:40 AM on Tuesday and arrived at 5:10 PM in Salisbury, MD with a couple of pit stops along the way for gas, water, and a bit of walking around to work these tired old legs. I booked a room at a Sleep Inn about an hour before I arrived. The room was fine, but far away from pub like places of interest. So I settled for a fairly good hamburger with hash browns at Denny's (ugh) and settled in for the night. I slept poorly, which is not unusual for me in the early part of a new journey. I am traveling down the Virginia coastline today and hope to stop for a few photos on my way to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I have about 4 hours in front of me traveling along non-interstate highways. With that in mind, I hope to arrive around noon and start my search for a rental property and check out the island. I arrived at noon, but did not stop for photos anywhere. There were some opportunities, but I opted for the safe decision to keep the car moving south.
Day 1: On the Road
I left around 11:40 AM on Tuesday and arrived at 5:10 PM in Salisbury, MD with a couple of pit stops along the way for gas, water, and a bit of walking around to work these tired old legs. I booked a room at a Sleep Inn about an hour before I arrived. The room was fine, but far away from pub like places of interest. So I settled for a fairly good hamburger with hash browns at Denny's (ugh) and settled in for the night. I slept poorly, which is not unusual for me in the early part of a new journey. I am traveling down the Virginia coastline today and hope to stop for a few photos on my way to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I have about 4 hours in front of me traveling along non-interstate highways. With that in mind, I hope to arrive around noon and start my search for a rental property and check out the island. I arrived at noon, but did not stop for photos anywhere. There were some opportunities, but I opted for the safe decision to keep the car moving south.
Day 2-3: Discovering the OBX
I am writing this entry about five days after returning from my trip. I failed miserably at trying to make timely entries during my travels. It was hard for some reason to develop the motivation for daily entries. I was taking photos and began the processing of them, but just could not generate the enthusiasm for making these entries. From this point on, you are reading a reflection of what I discovered rather than a daily journal.
If you live in the Southeastern or Mid-Atlantic States, you know that this last week was overwhelming with flooding rains from the Carolinas north to New York. My trip occurred at the beginning of this weather phenomenon. I did not see much of the sun on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, except for the afternoon of my second day staying in Corolla. However, I was able to book a large rental home for next June, early on the Wednesday afternoon I arrived. I was able to check in early to the Corolla Light Inn located on the Currituck Sound, about five blocks from the beaches on the Atlantic. About two hours later, I had reserved a 7 BR, 7 Bath home just across the street from the OBX beaches. I will provide a photo of the house below. I could not see the inside, but I rode by it several times in my car and on one of my bike rides. It looks like it should serve us very well. With heavy surf and the rainfall from the past week, I am wondering as I write this how that area on the OBX stood up to the wind and the high surf? According to the Web, the major damage was near Kitty Hawk, about 20 miles south of where we will be.
I spent the majority of my time exploring this northern section of the OBX. I had already driven through the southern towns, which are heavily consumed with commercial development. Highway 12, North of Kitty Hawk is almost completely residential with some commercial outlets in Duck and Corolla. I found some good places to shop for food, several restaurants that are not too far away, and a couple of small shopping centers with gift shops, eateries, and pubs. I met a few people on my visit. The person who registered me at the Corolla Light Inn was very nice and a good introduction to the outer banks. I met a very nice couple at the Inn and we had a delightful conversation by the pool on the second and last night of my stay. Bob W. and I have a common interest in developing our own personal Websites and we exchanged cards. I also met a delightful bar tender/waitress at the Ocean Front Grill on the second night. She comes from England, but she and her husband have settled on the OBX. The bottom line, is that I found my two days of research validating this choice for a family vacation next June. I just hope the damage from the recent wind and rain was minimal. We dodged the Joachim hurricane threat, which could have been devastating if it had headed west instead of east, out to sea.
Photos:
I am sharing photos below where I did a lot of post processing. I am a bit unhappy with the lighting that resulted in these final images. I have taken many beach shots over the years and I wanted to experiment with transposing RAW photos into black and white images in order to get more feeling into the beach shots. When I was processing the photos, I thought the light balance was OK, but something was lost in processing and transferring the files, particularly on a couple of them. Although I have these photos up, I may come back to edit them later.
I am writing this entry about five days after returning from my trip. I failed miserably at trying to make timely entries during my travels. It was hard for some reason to develop the motivation for daily entries. I was taking photos and began the processing of them, but just could not generate the enthusiasm for making these entries. From this point on, you are reading a reflection of what I discovered rather than a daily journal.
If you live in the Southeastern or Mid-Atlantic States, you know that this last week was overwhelming with flooding rains from the Carolinas north to New York. My trip occurred at the beginning of this weather phenomenon. I did not see much of the sun on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, except for the afternoon of my second day staying in Corolla. However, I was able to book a large rental home for next June, early on the Wednesday afternoon I arrived. I was able to check in early to the Corolla Light Inn located on the Currituck Sound, about five blocks from the beaches on the Atlantic. About two hours later, I had reserved a 7 BR, 7 Bath home just across the street from the OBX beaches. I will provide a photo of the house below. I could not see the inside, but I rode by it several times in my car and on one of my bike rides. It looks like it should serve us very well. With heavy surf and the rainfall from the past week, I am wondering as I write this how that area on the OBX stood up to the wind and the high surf? According to the Web, the major damage was near Kitty Hawk, about 20 miles south of where we will be.
I spent the majority of my time exploring this northern section of the OBX. I had already driven through the southern towns, which are heavily consumed with commercial development. Highway 12, North of Kitty Hawk is almost completely residential with some commercial outlets in Duck and Corolla. I found some good places to shop for food, several restaurants that are not too far away, and a couple of small shopping centers with gift shops, eateries, and pubs. I met a few people on my visit. The person who registered me at the Corolla Light Inn was very nice and a good introduction to the outer banks. I met a very nice couple at the Inn and we had a delightful conversation by the pool on the second and last night of my stay. Bob W. and I have a common interest in developing our own personal Websites and we exchanged cards. I also met a delightful bar tender/waitress at the Ocean Front Grill on the second night. She comes from England, but she and her husband have settled on the OBX. The bottom line, is that I found my two days of research validating this choice for a family vacation next June. I just hope the damage from the recent wind and rain was minimal. We dodged the Joachim hurricane threat, which could have been devastating if it had headed west instead of east, out to sea.
Photos:
I am sharing photos below where I did a lot of post processing. I am a bit unhappy with the lighting that resulted in these final images. I have taken many beach shots over the years and I wanted to experiment with transposing RAW photos into black and white images in order to get more feeling into the beach shots. When I was processing the photos, I thought the light balance was OK, but something was lost in processing and transferring the files, particularly on a couple of them. Although I have these photos up, I may come back to edit them later.
Days 4--7: Cumming, Georgia
I left the OBX on Friday to see my son's family in Cumming, GA. The GPS said it would take me 9 hours. I knew that I would have to stop several times, so I started out in the dark at 4 AM. The first part of the ride was very dark with little or no town lights to give me a reference. There was an occasional car with its headlights breaking the darkness, but that was about it for the first 50 miles or so. Whether it was the case or not, I felt like I was driving on a road through a massive marsh on my way toward inhabited areas down the road. A review of Apple Maps does show a single highway 264 stretching across obvious marshland. I am not sure why I was not aware of that fact in real time, but I was not; and it was a bit eerie.
The drive to Cumming was long, but I arrived around 4 PM, a twelve hour adventure with frequent stops along the way. I was only slowed down for a short time near Charlotte, NC, but the rest of the way had normal traffic with an emphasis on trucks heading toward Atlanta. My visit to Brant, Karen, Chloe and Skylar was great. It gave me an opportunity to establish myself with the girls as their other grandfather. I played games on the floor, joined in on numerous puppet shows, and found some time to talk with Brant and Karen. We went to a wonderful Pumpkin Patch on Sunday, followed on Monday with a visit to an indoor recreational center with all kinds of entertaining challenges for kids. The photos below say more about the visit than I can write here. I had a good time. The girls are a lot of fun, but have the non-stop energy that left me tired at the end of the day. Brant and Karen have done a good job of establishing a bedtime around 8 PM. I was able to retire to nice accommodations in the lower floor of the house where I could work on my photos and watch a little television. Although the weather was not very good, we did have moments without rain where we could be outside. I took a nice walk with the girls in a misty rainfall shortly after I arrived and I was able to capture them with their colorful umbrellas and delightful smiling faces. At one point, I may have started a verse of "Singing in the Rain," but that was a bit weird for them, so I curbed my enthusiasm for singing. I was able to purchase their costumes for Halloween and just enjoy nice little talks together. It was fun.
I left the OBX on Friday to see my son's family in Cumming, GA. The GPS said it would take me 9 hours. I knew that I would have to stop several times, so I started out in the dark at 4 AM. The first part of the ride was very dark with little or no town lights to give me a reference. There was an occasional car with its headlights breaking the darkness, but that was about it for the first 50 miles or so. Whether it was the case or not, I felt like I was driving on a road through a massive marsh on my way toward inhabited areas down the road. A review of Apple Maps does show a single highway 264 stretching across obvious marshland. I am not sure why I was not aware of that fact in real time, but I was not; and it was a bit eerie.
The drive to Cumming was long, but I arrived around 4 PM, a twelve hour adventure with frequent stops along the way. I was only slowed down for a short time near Charlotte, NC, but the rest of the way had normal traffic with an emphasis on trucks heading toward Atlanta. My visit to Brant, Karen, Chloe and Skylar was great. It gave me an opportunity to establish myself with the girls as their other grandfather. I played games on the floor, joined in on numerous puppet shows, and found some time to talk with Brant and Karen. We went to a wonderful Pumpkin Patch on Sunday, followed on Monday with a visit to an indoor recreational center with all kinds of entertaining challenges for kids. The photos below say more about the visit than I can write here. I had a good time. The girls are a lot of fun, but have the non-stop energy that left me tired at the end of the day. Brant and Karen have done a good job of establishing a bedtime around 8 PM. I was able to retire to nice accommodations in the lower floor of the house where I could work on my photos and watch a little television. Although the weather was not very good, we did have moments without rain where we could be outside. I took a nice walk with the girls in a misty rainfall shortly after I arrived and I was able to capture them with their colorful umbrellas and delightful smiling faces. At one point, I may have started a verse of "Singing in the Rain," but that was a bit weird for them, so I curbed my enthusiasm for singing. I was able to purchase their costumes for Halloween and just enjoy nice little talks together. It was fun.
Days 8-9: Homeword Bound
Rain was a major theme during this trip. I was following the progress of Joachim and the other weather fronts converging on the east coast, so I left for home at 4 AM on Tuesday morning. As I drove through Georgia and most of South Carolina, I only had to confront the numerous trucks heading north on Hwy 85 and 81. Somewhere in the late morning as I was traversing North Carolina on my way to Virginia, I encountered torrential rains, unlike few I had ever seen before; and the skies dumped on us driving maniacs non-stop for two hours. I have driven in very heavy rains before, but never as sustained as these. I was hoping to get close to the Virginia, West Virginia border on this first day of driving. However, there were inevitable accidents and at one point, I lost an hour trying to get by an accident at MP 167 in Virginia. Once I got past the accident, I ran into more torrential rains and I finally gave up and pulled off at a major truck stop exit in rural western Virginia. I found a Comfort Inn and was checked in for the night at 1:30 PM. I was 100 miles south of my first day goal, but at least I was off the road. I did take a ride in the countryside later in the afternoon and found an abundance of working horse and cattle farms in the famous Shenandoah Vally. I also found that there were lots of churches, mostly Baptist, but very view places to shop for food. I soon found that all of the eateries were located just a quarter mile form the Comfort Inn in the several truck stops located at the exit. I chose the Steel Skillet, which turned out to be a food haven for any truck driver who stopped at this exit. I decided to forgo the huge buffet, but rather ordered beef stroganoff with ziti off of the menu. It came with the salad bar. There was no beer or wine at this trucker's paradise for obvious reasons, so the unsweetened ice tea served me well with the satisfying meal, which ran me about $13.00 plus tip. I retired early to my cozy Comfort Inn bed and awoke at 4 AM to start the last leg of my drive home. The heavy rains had ceased. The weather had moved far to the north overnight, so I did not confront it again until I hit NY State and entered into CT. Although there were flood warnings along the way, I did not encounter any standing water on the interstates. Except for the never ending line of trucks on Hwy 81, I made good progress. My first stop was near Harrisburg, PA. I picked up Hwy 78 headed toward Allentown, PA and eventually to the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. I did my final stop before noon at the last oasis on the Parkway. From there, it was an hour jaunt across the Tappan Zee Bridge, up the Saw Mill to I-684 and home.
It turns out that despite the torrential rains I experienced in Virginia, I was ahead of the rains to come that have caused the tremendous flooding throughout the Carolinas and Virginia in the past week. If I was a day or two later, I might still be trying to get home. I can probably say that this was the rainiest vacation that I have ever taken, but I enjoyed the OBX and seeing Chloe and Skylar and having the chance to re-establish myself as one of their grand parents. I need to see them more often. FaceTime or Skype are options, but the participants need to establish a common time for consistent contacts. I have not done that.
So now, it is back to my usual routines of walking at the Mall, enjoying my Starbuck's coffee (black with nothing in it) in the morning, struggling with this Website, singing for relaxation and pleasure with two local groups, seeing Jacob a couple of times a week, doing my little volunteer work at the Danbury Music Centre, having dinner with friends, resuming my consumption of meaningless novels from the library, attending Board of Education meetings, where the tension around certain issues has intensified, and contemplating the trip to the OBX next June and my cruise on the Danube next August. Oh, I am sure there will be one or two other short excursions with my trusty Ford Escape, but none come to mind at the moment. Although the routine may sound mundane, I am enjoying my retirement.
Rain was a major theme during this trip. I was following the progress of Joachim and the other weather fronts converging on the east coast, so I left for home at 4 AM on Tuesday morning. As I drove through Georgia and most of South Carolina, I only had to confront the numerous trucks heading north on Hwy 85 and 81. Somewhere in the late morning as I was traversing North Carolina on my way to Virginia, I encountered torrential rains, unlike few I had ever seen before; and the skies dumped on us driving maniacs non-stop for two hours. I have driven in very heavy rains before, but never as sustained as these. I was hoping to get close to the Virginia, West Virginia border on this first day of driving. However, there were inevitable accidents and at one point, I lost an hour trying to get by an accident at MP 167 in Virginia. Once I got past the accident, I ran into more torrential rains and I finally gave up and pulled off at a major truck stop exit in rural western Virginia. I found a Comfort Inn and was checked in for the night at 1:30 PM. I was 100 miles south of my first day goal, but at least I was off the road. I did take a ride in the countryside later in the afternoon and found an abundance of working horse and cattle farms in the famous Shenandoah Vally. I also found that there were lots of churches, mostly Baptist, but very view places to shop for food. I soon found that all of the eateries were located just a quarter mile form the Comfort Inn in the several truck stops located at the exit. I chose the Steel Skillet, which turned out to be a food haven for any truck driver who stopped at this exit. I decided to forgo the huge buffet, but rather ordered beef stroganoff with ziti off of the menu. It came with the salad bar. There was no beer or wine at this trucker's paradise for obvious reasons, so the unsweetened ice tea served me well with the satisfying meal, which ran me about $13.00 plus tip. I retired early to my cozy Comfort Inn bed and awoke at 4 AM to start the last leg of my drive home. The heavy rains had ceased. The weather had moved far to the north overnight, so I did not confront it again until I hit NY State and entered into CT. Although there were flood warnings along the way, I did not encounter any standing water on the interstates. Except for the never ending line of trucks on Hwy 81, I made good progress. My first stop was near Harrisburg, PA. I picked up Hwy 78 headed toward Allentown, PA and eventually to the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. I did my final stop before noon at the last oasis on the Parkway. From there, it was an hour jaunt across the Tappan Zee Bridge, up the Saw Mill to I-684 and home.
It turns out that despite the torrential rains I experienced in Virginia, I was ahead of the rains to come that have caused the tremendous flooding throughout the Carolinas and Virginia in the past week. If I was a day or two later, I might still be trying to get home. I can probably say that this was the rainiest vacation that I have ever taken, but I enjoyed the OBX and seeing Chloe and Skylar and having the chance to re-establish myself as one of their grand parents. I need to see them more often. FaceTime or Skype are options, but the participants need to establish a common time for consistent contacts. I have not done that.
So now, it is back to my usual routines of walking at the Mall, enjoying my Starbuck's coffee (black with nothing in it) in the morning, struggling with this Website, singing for relaxation and pleasure with two local groups, seeing Jacob a couple of times a week, doing my little volunteer work at the Danbury Music Centre, having dinner with friends, resuming my consumption of meaningless novels from the library, attending Board of Education meetings, where the tension around certain issues has intensified, and contemplating the trip to the OBX next June and my cruise on the Danube next August. Oh, I am sure there will be one or two other short excursions with my trusty Ford Escape, but none come to mind at the moment. Although the routine may sound mundane, I am enjoying my retirement.
Madison, Wisconsin Trip, October, 2014:
The Continued Exploration of my Roots and Branches
When I started my Five Year Travel Plan back in May of 2011 I included many international excursions on my "bucket list." However, during that first summer of travel I came back to my 50th High School Reunion in Madison, Wisconsin and renewed my connection with this wonderful town where I spent the first 24 years of my life. When my Mom passed away back in 2002, my reasons for visiting came to a halt. Needless to say, my return visit in 2011 resurrected all kinds of fond memories of what I can truthfully describe as a very happy childhood, including my teenage years at Edgewood High School, and a marvelous educational experience at the University of Wisconsin where I earned my BA and MA degrees, finishing in 1967. I was so pleased with my high school reunion visit, that I knew I had to return here, hopefully once a year for as long as this dynamic community could draw me and that I was physically able to travel. Well, I missed the summer of 2012, but I did book almost a four week trip to Madison in the summer of 2013. In May of that year, I went on a UW Alumni sponsored trip to Italy and met some new friends who live in Madison. Having already booked my trip for July, I now had some new friends to hang out with during my visit, plus some old friends from my early years with who I could reconnect. That lengthy trip which included an excursion to beautiful Door County is documented on another Blog that I was doing at the time. This is the current chapter of my visits to Madison.
What I intend to to do in this current travelogue is provide some brief narrative descriptions of experiences, but I will integrate a large number of photos that I will take along the way. When I arrived on Friday, the 17th, I checked onto my great, short term leased, 2 bedroom apartment located on the southwest beltline of Madison. I called my friend Sally, one of my friends from my trips to Italy and Ireland. She had invited me to a concert of Russian composers at the beautiful Overture Music Hall just off historic State Street in Madison. Somewhere enclosed in this very modern structure is the old Capitol Theater where I attended movies back in the fifties for just a $.25 a flick. As you will see from the photos below, the upgrade puts the old theater to shame. However, it is of great value that there is a bit of the old integrated into this 21st Century delight of acoustical majesty. I was tired from traveling on Friday, but I truly enjoyed experiencing the mastery of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the music of Tchailovsky (Suite from Swan Lake), Rachmaninoff (Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra featuring Olga Kern who resides in New York City), and Shostakovich (Symphony No. 6). Just before I left for Madison, I attended a concert of Russian music with my friend Carolyn at the new Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western CT State University in Danbury. So much culture emanating from two 21st Century state of the art music venues could profoundly affect my music sense and appreciation in this later phase of my life. I include a portfolio of photos shot on Friday night, but with additional photos that I took the following Monday morning of this majestic tribute to the arts that has added to the character of Downtown Madison. The theaters and the concert hall were locked on Monday, so my access was limited. The full complement of photos tell a broader story of Madison's commitment to the arts.
The Continued Exploration of my Roots and Branches
When I started my Five Year Travel Plan back in May of 2011 I included many international excursions on my "bucket list." However, during that first summer of travel I came back to my 50th High School Reunion in Madison, Wisconsin and renewed my connection with this wonderful town where I spent the first 24 years of my life. When my Mom passed away back in 2002, my reasons for visiting came to a halt. Needless to say, my return visit in 2011 resurrected all kinds of fond memories of what I can truthfully describe as a very happy childhood, including my teenage years at Edgewood High School, and a marvelous educational experience at the University of Wisconsin where I earned my BA and MA degrees, finishing in 1967. I was so pleased with my high school reunion visit, that I knew I had to return here, hopefully once a year for as long as this dynamic community could draw me and that I was physically able to travel. Well, I missed the summer of 2012, but I did book almost a four week trip to Madison in the summer of 2013. In May of that year, I went on a UW Alumni sponsored trip to Italy and met some new friends who live in Madison. Having already booked my trip for July, I now had some new friends to hang out with during my visit, plus some old friends from my early years with who I could reconnect. That lengthy trip which included an excursion to beautiful Door County is documented on another Blog that I was doing at the time. This is the current chapter of my visits to Madison.
What I intend to to do in this current travelogue is provide some brief narrative descriptions of experiences, but I will integrate a large number of photos that I will take along the way. When I arrived on Friday, the 17th, I checked onto my great, short term leased, 2 bedroom apartment located on the southwest beltline of Madison. I called my friend Sally, one of my friends from my trips to Italy and Ireland. She had invited me to a concert of Russian composers at the beautiful Overture Music Hall just off historic State Street in Madison. Somewhere enclosed in this very modern structure is the old Capitol Theater where I attended movies back in the fifties for just a $.25 a flick. As you will see from the photos below, the upgrade puts the old theater to shame. However, it is of great value that there is a bit of the old integrated into this 21st Century delight of acoustical majesty. I was tired from traveling on Friday, but I truly enjoyed experiencing the mastery of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the music of Tchailovsky (Suite from Swan Lake), Rachmaninoff (Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra featuring Olga Kern who resides in New York City), and Shostakovich (Symphony No. 6). Just before I left for Madison, I attended a concert of Russian music with my friend Carolyn at the new Visual and Performing Arts Center at Western CT State University in Danbury. So much culture emanating from two 21st Century state of the art music venues could profoundly affect my music sense and appreciation in this later phase of my life. I include a portfolio of photos shot on Friday night, but with additional photos that I took the following Monday morning of this majestic tribute to the arts that has added to the character of Downtown Madison. The theaters and the concert hall were locked on Monday, so my access was limited. The full complement of photos tell a broader story of Madison's commitment to the arts.
The UW Arboretum in Fall
The University of Wisconsin Arboretum is just across the highway from where I am staying in Madison. It consists of 230 acres of largely undeveloped landscapes that include traditional prairies grasses, a wide variety of woody plants, and wildlife. It is nestled within well developed neighborhoods on the southwestside of Madison. It was there when I was just a toddler in the 1940's and is still flourishing today. Saturday morning was cold and dreary, but the weather improved on Saturday afternoon and continued into Sunday. I have documented three locations in the photos below. The first photos were shot on a cold, very cloudy morning that permitted about a 20 minute shoot at Wingra Park. The park serves as a boat landing for the smallest of the five lakes in the Madison area. It is also the shallowest lake and it lends itself to marshy and grassy vegetation that form the circumference of much of the lake. On this cold morning, I witnessed a group of people learning the skills of rowing skulls used in the sport of crew. There were also a couple of boats on the lake with fisherman seeking a catch and viewing the rowers in training. There are just a few photos from this morning shoot, but this is part of the UW Aboretum complex and worth a look.
Later in the afternoon, the sun came out in all of its glory and encouraged me to take a hike in the main section of the Aboretum with its entrance less than a mile from my apartment. There were many others like me enjoying the fall colors and a stroll through the various forms of landscapes unique to this pocket of nature in the city. There was the couple reading and sitting in the grass and another newly married couple trekking toward the place where some wedding photos were on tap. There were wild turkeys staking their claims to the land without much attention paid to all of the humans disturbing the countryside. Most of all, there were the brilliant colors of fall gracing the trees in both vivid and subtle shades. The map below gives you a visual of the layout of the Arboretum. The entrance is at the very lower left quadrant of the the map. You drive into the Visitor Parking Center and walk from there. Wingra Park, the location of the crew practice is on the upper part of the map near the dark green spot. Vilas Park is at the very top of the map where it is white and there are roads running along the edge of the lake. The map is courtesy of the UW Aboretum Foundation.
Late on Sunday afternoon, October 26, I wandered back to the Arboretum and took some additional photos. I have integrated them into the slide show portfolio below in the appropriate places. The UW Arboretum is clearly a special gift to the people who live in Madison. Many people were taking advantage of that gift on the days of my visits.
The University of Wisconsin Arboretum is just across the highway from where I am staying in Madison. It consists of 230 acres of largely undeveloped landscapes that include traditional prairies grasses, a wide variety of woody plants, and wildlife. It is nestled within well developed neighborhoods on the southwestside of Madison. It was there when I was just a toddler in the 1940's and is still flourishing today. Saturday morning was cold and dreary, but the weather improved on Saturday afternoon and continued into Sunday. I have documented three locations in the photos below. The first photos were shot on a cold, very cloudy morning that permitted about a 20 minute shoot at Wingra Park. The park serves as a boat landing for the smallest of the five lakes in the Madison area. It is also the shallowest lake and it lends itself to marshy and grassy vegetation that form the circumference of much of the lake. On this cold morning, I witnessed a group of people learning the skills of rowing skulls used in the sport of crew. There were also a couple of boats on the lake with fisherman seeking a catch and viewing the rowers in training. There are just a few photos from this morning shoot, but this is part of the UW Aboretum complex and worth a look.
Later in the afternoon, the sun came out in all of its glory and encouraged me to take a hike in the main section of the Aboretum with its entrance less than a mile from my apartment. There were many others like me enjoying the fall colors and a stroll through the various forms of landscapes unique to this pocket of nature in the city. There was the couple reading and sitting in the grass and another newly married couple trekking toward the place where some wedding photos were on tap. There were wild turkeys staking their claims to the land without much attention paid to all of the humans disturbing the countryside. Most of all, there were the brilliant colors of fall gracing the trees in both vivid and subtle shades. The map below gives you a visual of the layout of the Arboretum. The entrance is at the very lower left quadrant of the the map. You drive into the Visitor Parking Center and walk from there. Wingra Park, the location of the crew practice is on the upper part of the map near the dark green spot. Vilas Park is at the very top of the map where it is white and there are roads running along the edge of the lake. The map is courtesy of the UW Aboretum Foundation.
Late on Sunday afternoon, October 26, I wandered back to the Arboretum and took some additional photos. I have integrated them into the slide show portfolio below in the appropriate places. The UW Arboretum is clearly a special gift to the people who live in Madison. Many people were taking advantage of that gift on the days of my visits.
Vilas Park on Lake Wingra
On Sunday, the morning was cold and the windshield on the car had to be deiced before I traveled in my warmest clothes to Vilas Park to capture the colors and sites of the fall in this section of Lake Wingra. A portion of the lake borders Edgewood College where the Science building is nestled in the woods and marshland of the lake. The college has constructed wooden paths through the marsh to observation points at various spots. The photos that I took below were taken both in the park and on the grounds of the college. Yes, there are colors similar to the UW Arboretum, but there are also other natural and manmade landscape forms that provide a visual richness to this photo shoot.
On Sunday, the morning was cold and the windshield on the car had to be deiced before I traveled in my warmest clothes to Vilas Park to capture the colors and sites of the fall in this section of Lake Wingra. A portion of the lake borders Edgewood College where the Science building is nestled in the woods and marshland of the lake. The college has constructed wooden paths through the marsh to observation points at various spots. The photos that I took below were taken both in the park and on the grounds of the college. Yes, there are colors similar to the UW Arboretum, but there are also other natural and manmade landscape forms that provide a visual richness to this photo shoot.
Jay's Walks in Downtown Madison and the UW Campus, including a Sunrise Walk on Picnic Point
I will not provide a long narrative here. However, I love to walk State Street, visit my alma mater, meander around and through the State Capitol building, and find just one more sunrise, often in places where I have found them before. I earned my BA and MA degrees at the University of Wisconsin and most of the classes were taken on Bascom Hill.
The photos below document those walks taken in the first week of my stay here in Madison. It often occurs to me that the photos I shoot have been shot by many others and often published in much more finished form in books and related publications. I do shoot some of the "cliche" shots, because they interest me. Hopefully, in the process, I find some unique perspectives that give my own interpretation to time warn views. I have added captions both to explain and to limit this narrative.
I will not provide a long narrative here. However, I love to walk State Street, visit my alma mater, meander around and through the State Capitol building, and find just one more sunrise, often in places where I have found them before. I earned my BA and MA degrees at the University of Wisconsin and most of the classes were taken on Bascom Hill.
The photos below document those walks taken in the first week of my stay here in Madison. It often occurs to me that the photos I shoot have been shot by many others and often published in much more finished form in books and related publications. I do shoot some of the "cliche" shots, because they interest me. Hopefully, in the process, I find some unique perspectives that give my own interpretation to time warn views. I have added captions both to explain and to limit this narrative.
A Visit with my Sister, Lynn
For those of you who have followed my earlier adventures, you know that my sister, Lynn, lives in Highland Park, IL. She visited me in Madison for a couple of days in the early part of my first week here. We spent time dining with my friends Jerry, Marsha, Sally, and Ann; eating breakfast at Lazy Jane's on the near east side of town, visiting the cemetery where our parents are buried, eating Brats and walking on State Street, wandering the Capitol Square, and taking a tour at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The photos below document our visit to the Wright facility. It was completed in 1997, but know that it was a topic of discussion in Madison for over 50 years before its completion. I am convinced that its construction brought a new status to Lake Monona, which had always been a much less desirable lake, in my opinion, than its sister Lake Mendota on the other side of the Isthmus. I try emphasize the contemporary and organic style of Wright in the photos. The lines have a futuristic aspect that creates for me a calming and harmonious integration with the older more traditional structures of Madison.
Lynn and I talked a lot about family and life in general. It was a good visit for the two of us. I will see her again at the end of this trip when I spend a couple of nights with her and her husband Paul in Highland Park. My sister is both a delight and a bit of a nudge. She is funny and fun to be with. However, she rarely fails to use her position as my sister to provide "advice" for how to live my life. However, I love her dearly and always enjoy the time we spend together.
For those of you who have followed my earlier adventures, you know that my sister, Lynn, lives in Highland Park, IL. She visited me in Madison for a couple of days in the early part of my first week here. We spent time dining with my friends Jerry, Marsha, Sally, and Ann; eating breakfast at Lazy Jane's on the near east side of town, visiting the cemetery where our parents are buried, eating Brats and walking on State Street, wandering the Capitol Square, and taking a tour at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, originally designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The photos below document our visit to the Wright facility. It was completed in 1997, but know that it was a topic of discussion in Madison for over 50 years before its completion. I am convinced that its construction brought a new status to Lake Monona, which had always been a much less desirable lake, in my opinion, than its sister Lake Mendota on the other side of the Isthmus. I try emphasize the contemporary and organic style of Wright in the photos. The lines have a futuristic aspect that creates for me a calming and harmonious integration with the older more traditional structures of Madison.
Lynn and I talked a lot about family and life in general. It was a good visit for the two of us. I will see her again at the end of this trip when I spend a couple of nights with her and her husband Paul in Highland Park. My sister is both a delight and a bit of a nudge. She is funny and fun to be with. However, she rarely fails to use her position as my sister to provide "advice" for how to live my life. However, I love her dearly and always enjoy the time we spend together.
A Tour of Devil's Lake and a Wisconsin Winery
On Friday, October 24th, my friend Ann offered to be my tour guide to places just north of Madison. I have spent many times at Devil's Lake State Park, but I had not been to Parfrey's Glen, nor to the Wollersheim Winery near Sauk City Wisconsin. The day began a bit overcast, but turned into a mostly sunny day with lots of time for some careful walking in the rocky Glen, eating lunch at the Park, and doing a bit of wine tasting in the mid afternoon. The day ended with us meeting Sally and Ann's husband Brad at the Dorf Haus Restaurant in the very small village of Roxbury, Wisconsin. It was a very pleasant day filled with a little exercise, good friends, and a good old fashioned Wisconsin fish fry, including an appropriate serving of German potato salad as a substitute for the so called "chips."
On Friday, October 24th, my friend Ann offered to be my tour guide to places just north of Madison. I have spent many times at Devil's Lake State Park, but I had not been to Parfrey's Glen, nor to the Wollersheim Winery near Sauk City Wisconsin. The day began a bit overcast, but turned into a mostly sunny day with lots of time for some careful walking in the rocky Glen, eating lunch at the Park, and doing a bit of wine tasting in the mid afternoon. The day ended with us meeting Sally and Ann's husband Brad at the Dorf Haus Restaurant in the very small village of Roxbury, Wisconsin. It was a very pleasant day filled with a little exercise, good friends, and a good old fashioned Wisconsin fish fry, including an appropriate serving of German potato salad as a substitute for the so called "chips."
Homecoming Day, October 25, 2014
This was the big day, the main reason for my trip to Madison this year. Wisconsin played Maryland, and they won big time, 52-7. I was surprised, because I had seen Maryland on TV this year, and they looked like they might give Wisconsin a hard time. The day started early at 8:45 AM when we met at the designated parking place on Brooks Street near the UW campus. Jerry and Marsha Rather were our hosts and they did a tremendous job of managing the eats for both the pre and the post game tailgating parties. The Bloody Marys were plentiful, the egg dishes delicious, and the conversations were anticipatory in the morning and celebratory in the PM. Jerry cooked a wonderful steak on the grill for all of us to enjoy after the game.
One of the tailgaters was a childhood friend that I grew up with in Westmorland. We did not go to the same schools, but we did go to the same University and ended up spending our lives in education: Cal in Madison, I in Connecticut. It was fun to recall some of the old days in Madison and several of the professors we had at the UW. We also spent some time discussing other common acquaintances. It was good to see Cal. I sat with Ann and Sally at the game in Section GG just below the press boxes. We were along way from the playing field, but our 40 yard line seats provided great views of the game, the band, and the crowd. I mention the distance from the field because I was able to get some very sharp closeup photos of band members and players on the field in action. My Canon Powershot SX50 HS continues to amaze me with the sharp photos that I can take from a long distance. It was just a great day to be alive in Madison. The weather was sunny and in the sixties. The friends were terrific and thanks to Jerry and Marsha, the food was quite special. I trust that the photos below will tell some of the story of the glorious time we had.
This was the big day, the main reason for my trip to Madison this year. Wisconsin played Maryland, and they won big time, 52-7. I was surprised, because I had seen Maryland on TV this year, and they looked like they might give Wisconsin a hard time. The day started early at 8:45 AM when we met at the designated parking place on Brooks Street near the UW campus. Jerry and Marsha Rather were our hosts and they did a tremendous job of managing the eats for both the pre and the post game tailgating parties. The Bloody Marys were plentiful, the egg dishes delicious, and the conversations were anticipatory in the morning and celebratory in the PM. Jerry cooked a wonderful steak on the grill for all of us to enjoy after the game.
One of the tailgaters was a childhood friend that I grew up with in Westmorland. We did not go to the same schools, but we did go to the same University and ended up spending our lives in education: Cal in Madison, I in Connecticut. It was fun to recall some of the old days in Madison and several of the professors we had at the UW. We also spent some time discussing other common acquaintances. It was good to see Cal. I sat with Ann and Sally at the game in Section GG just below the press boxes. We were along way from the playing field, but our 40 yard line seats provided great views of the game, the band, and the crowd. I mention the distance from the field because I was able to get some very sharp closeup photos of band members and players on the field in action. My Canon Powershot SX50 HS continues to amaze me with the sharp photos that I can take from a long distance. It was just a great day to be alive in Madison. The weather was sunny and in the sixties. The friends were terrific and thanks to Jerry and Marsha, the food was quite special. I trust that the photos below will tell some of the story of the glorious time we had.
The Final Entry on Madison, 2014
If you have looked this far into the Madison entries, you are probably ready for it to conclude. After all, how many photos can you look at, particularly when it comes to capturing the fading fall season in Madison? My intention here is to organize this final entry into three separate portfolio slide presentations with occasional captions where necessary. I will give a brief introduction to each of the three portfolio sets in order to provide some context for the story told by the photos.
The photos here for the most part were taken during my second week in Madison. They may appear a bit random, but each set basically came from the same geographic area in Madison. What was interesting in the second week was that the Fall colors had passed their peak and were beginning to fall heavily from the many trees that bless the Madison landscape. What you will generally see is the transition from the memory of summer to the presence of fall with a foreshadowing of winter not too far ahead. After a beautiful football weekend depicted above, the temperatures turned colder, the winds picked up, and there was clearly at times a wintery chill in the air.
The first set of photos were taken on daytime walks in the vicinity of my lodgings on the Beltline in Madison. Although there are corporate buildings in this area, there are also well developed residential areas just to the south of the Beltline. The homes in this area are pleasant and the neighborhoods are quiet, the perfect setting for easily accomplished early morning or midday walks. Not too far away is one of the many scenic bike trails Madison has to offer. I did not ride on this visit, but I did enjoy my walk on the pathways.
If you have looked this far into the Madison entries, you are probably ready for it to conclude. After all, how many photos can you look at, particularly when it comes to capturing the fading fall season in Madison? My intention here is to organize this final entry into three separate portfolio slide presentations with occasional captions where necessary. I will give a brief introduction to each of the three portfolio sets in order to provide some context for the story told by the photos.
The photos here for the most part were taken during my second week in Madison. They may appear a bit random, but each set basically came from the same geographic area in Madison. What was interesting in the second week was that the Fall colors had passed their peak and were beginning to fall heavily from the many trees that bless the Madison landscape. What you will generally see is the transition from the memory of summer to the presence of fall with a foreshadowing of winter not too far ahead. After a beautiful football weekend depicted above, the temperatures turned colder, the winds picked up, and there was clearly at times a wintery chill in the air.
The first set of photos were taken on daytime walks in the vicinity of my lodgings on the Beltline in Madison. Although there are corporate buildings in this area, there are also well developed residential areas just to the south of the Beltline. The homes in this area are pleasant and the neighborhoods are quiet, the perfect setting for easily accomplished early morning or midday walks. Not too far away is one of the many scenic bike trails Madison has to offer. I did not ride on this visit, but I did enjoy my walk on the pathways.
Madison Parks near Lake Mendota: A Windy and Cold Day
I believe it was Thursday of the second week in Madison when I started off the morning at the quirky Lazy Jane's Restaurant on the near east side of Madison. This was my third visit, but the first one by myself. I enjoyed a rather traditional breakfast of ham and eggs; but the atmosphere is very busy and it is fun to watch the many different types of people who frequent the place. After breakfast, I drove across the Isthmus to Tenny Park where the wind was howling and it was difficult to walk. I walked the park itself, but also experienced the cold winds off the shores of Lake Mendota. From Tenny Park, I traveled a short distance back toward downtown Madison to James Madison Park. The wide open shoreline provided some shots of breaking waves on what I remind you is just a lake. It was very windy and cold here, but I thought it interesting that the Mums in several photos were holding their own as the promise of winter presented itself.
I believe it was Thursday of the second week in Madison when I started off the morning at the quirky Lazy Jane's Restaurant on the near east side of Madison. This was my third visit, but the first one by myself. I enjoyed a rather traditional breakfast of ham and eggs; but the atmosphere is very busy and it is fun to watch the many different types of people who frequent the place. After breakfast, I drove across the Isthmus to Tenny Park where the wind was howling and it was difficult to walk. I walked the park itself, but also experienced the cold winds off the shores of Lake Mendota. From Tenny Park, I traveled a short distance back toward downtown Madison to James Madison Park. The wide open shoreline provided some shots of breaking waves on what I remind you is just a lake. It was very windy and cold here, but I thought it interesting that the Mums in several photos were holding their own as the promise of winter presented itself.
There Has to be an End and Here It Is
So here is my dilemma. How do I end this travelogue? Well as lame as it sounds, I am going to end it with the last photos that I took in Madison before I left to visit my sister and her husband in Chicago. When I was a student at the University of Wisconsin, there was only the Main Union at the bottom of Langdon Street situated on beautiful Lake Mendota. You have seen some photos of that first Union in this presentation, but I have taken many more in previous visits to the UW campus in Madison. However, there is another gathering spot for food, drink, study, and philosophizing and that is at Union South over on Dayton Street near the entry to Camp Randall Stadium. I passed it walking to the game on the previous Saturday, but in the times I had been back to Madison, I had never ventured into it. I never did see the first iteration. This was the newly restored Union South and so I made an effort to stop in and see it at the end of my visit. I am not sure how dramatic the photos are below, but they do show a place where students gather for all kinds of reasons in a pleasing and more contemporary setting than the original Union and Rathskeller that I knew and loved so well during my years as a student.
So here is my dilemma. How do I end this travelogue? Well as lame as it sounds, I am going to end it with the last photos that I took in Madison before I left to visit my sister and her husband in Chicago. When I was a student at the University of Wisconsin, there was only the Main Union at the bottom of Langdon Street situated on beautiful Lake Mendota. You have seen some photos of that first Union in this presentation, but I have taken many more in previous visits to the UW campus in Madison. However, there is another gathering spot for food, drink, study, and philosophizing and that is at Union South over on Dayton Street near the entry to Camp Randall Stadium. I passed it walking to the game on the previous Saturday, but in the times I had been back to Madison, I had never ventured into it. I never did see the first iteration. This was the newly restored Union South and so I made an effort to stop in and see it at the end of my visit. I am not sure how dramatic the photos are below, but they do show a place where students gather for all kinds of reasons in a pleasing and more contemporary setting than the original Union and Rathskeller that I knew and loved so well during my years as a student.
An Addition and an Experiment
One of the places I did not see when I visited Madison this year was the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I was going to go and check it out, but never made it. I presumed that I would not see much in the outside gardens. As an experiment, I decided to add a page from the Blog that I did last year, an earlier effort prior to using iPage and the Weebly Web builder. I am not sure if I will keep this document on the site, but it does suggest an easy option for loading previous cyber efforts of mine when in context with a current effort on this Website. I did not edit or change anything on this document prior to uploading it. There is some written material not relevant to my visit to the Gardens, but only a the beginning and the end of the narrative. You should be able to scroll through the 14 pages of this document with your mouse or touch pad. It worked for me, but I am not sure it will work for you. The functionality of this Website continues to amaze me with its possibilities for a guy like me who needs user friendly Web building tools. If that sounds like a commercial, it is. This may not work on phones or iPad type devices.
One of the places I did not see when I visited Madison this year was the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I was going to go and check it out, but never made it. I presumed that I would not see much in the outside gardens. As an experiment, I decided to add a page from the Blog that I did last year, an earlier effort prior to using iPage and the Weebly Web builder. I am not sure if I will keep this document on the site, but it does suggest an easy option for loading previous cyber efforts of mine when in context with a current effort on this Website. I did not edit or change anything on this document prior to uploading it. There is some written material not relevant to my visit to the Gardens, but only a the beginning and the end of the narrative. You should be able to scroll through the 14 pages of this document with your mouse or touch pad. It worked for me, but I am not sure it will work for you. The functionality of this Website continues to amaze me with its possibilities for a guy like me who needs user friendly Web building tools. If that sounds like a commercial, it is. This may not work on phones or iPad type devices.
Thanks for Looking
I loved my visit to Madison and I care for the people who are my friends in that lovely city. I hope to go back next year and in the years to come for short visits. Two weeks worked well for me and so did the place where I stayed. The food is good, the people are great, and the town is alive and well. For example, I cannot believe how much live music there is on a nightly basis. This old guy cannot stay up too late, but some of the venues offer earlier start times. Next time, I will make it one of my goals to listen to more live music in Madison. My goals this time were to reconnect with my friends, attend the Homecoming Game, and shoot lots of photos. It went well.
I loved my visit to Madison and I care for the people who are my friends in that lovely city. I hope to go back next year and in the years to come for short visits. Two weeks worked well for me and so did the place where I stayed. The food is good, the people are great, and the town is alive and well. For example, I cannot believe how much live music there is on a nightly basis. This old guy cannot stay up too late, but some of the venues offer earlier start times. Next time, I will make it one of my goals to listen to more live music in Madison. My goals this time were to reconnect with my friends, attend the Homecoming Game, and shoot lots of photos. It went well.
Asheville, NC, Cumming Georgia, and St. Simons Island, GA:
April 7-April 20, 2014
I am using an alternative approach for this trip. Instead of placing photos on the Travel page, I have distributed photos of the trip across the other pages on this site. I may come back and do a brief slide show (portfolio) of favorite photos from the trip on this page, but in the meantime I have labeled the photos in the various pages to the 3 locations I visited on the trip.
April 7-April 20, 2014
I am using an alternative approach for this trip. Instead of placing photos on the Travel page, I have distributed photos of the trip across the other pages on this site. I may come back and do a brief slide show (portfolio) of favorite photos from the trip on this page, but in the meantime I have labeled the photos in the various pages to the 3 locations I visited on the trip.
Isle of Palms and Charleston, SC: February-March, 2014
This is a photo gallery. Please click on the photo to see the enlarged image. In the larger format, you can go to the next photo using the arrow that appears on the right side of the photo.
This is a photo gallery. Please click on the photo to see the enlarged image. In the larger format, you can go to the next photo using the arrow that appears on the right side of the photo.
Italy: May, 2013
Southern Tuscany
This effort will use a Portfolio Format (Slideshow) to display Travel Photos from Italy, a trip that I took in May, 2013. I will be adding photos to this Portfolio over the next several days and weeks. In addition to photos taken near Cortona, Italy, I have added photos from Florence and Lucca.
Southern Tuscany
This effort will use a Portfolio Format (Slideshow) to display Travel Photos from Italy, a trip that I took in May, 2013. I will be adding photos to this Portfolio over the next several days and weeks. In addition to photos taken near Cortona, Italy, I have added photos from Florence and Lucca.
Florence
We spent a Saturday visiting Florence. I had visited there earlier on a cruise so the guided tour was familiar. I chose to wander off by myself in the afternoon to see the Boboli Gardens.
We spent a Saturday visiting Florence. I had visited there earlier on a cruise so the guided tour was familiar. I chose to wander off by myself in the afternoon to see the Boboli Gardens.
Lucca and Pisa
We arrived in Lucca in the late afternoon on Saturday. The center of old Lucca is the Walled City. Our hotel was inside the wall and provided for walks along narrow streets and alleys. Only residents of the walled city could have cars. We were free to wander Old Lucca that evening and find our own place to eat. The next day we had a tour of the city and visited an estate and village in the surrounding area.
We arrived in Lucca in the late afternoon on Saturday. The center of old Lucca is the Walled City. Our hotel was inside the wall and provided for walks along narrow streets and alleys. Only residents of the walled city could have cars. We were free to wander Old Lucca that evening and find our own place to eat. The next day we had a tour of the city and visited an estate and village in the surrounding area.
While in Lucca, we took a day trip to Pisa and some local villages along the way. The following photos depict scenes from the beautiful, sunlit Monday.
The Cinque Terra (Manarola) and Italian Riviera
This was a single day in our trip, but in my judgment was one of the most inspiring parts of our trip next to the three days we spent in Southern Tuscany. I begin this this section with a personal note and small photo gallery concerning a practice I often perform on my trips to new places. It is followed by a numerous selection of photos from Manarola, one of the five exquisite villages in the area called the Cinque Terra. We also stopped for lunch in an area known as the Italian Riviera and I include a few photos from that experience.
This was a single day in our trip, but in my judgment was one of the most inspiring parts of our trip next to the three days we spent in Southern Tuscany. I begin this this section with a personal note and small photo gallery concerning a practice I often perform on my trips to new places. It is followed by a numerous selection of photos from Manarola, one of the five exquisite villages in the area called the Cinque Terra. We also stopped for lunch in an area known as the Italian Riviera and I include a few photos from that experience.
A Personal Note: I have seen many churches on my travels over the past three years. When I can, I try to light a candle in memory of my late wife Terry. The three photos below demonstrate my presence in Manarola and the small village church I visited (Click on the photo to see the full formatted photo).
Manarola
I loved Manarola, one of the five villages of the Cinque Terra. It sits as the second village in the chain from south to north and demonstrates a seaside culture that reveals beautiful planted terraces, fantastical architecture built into the terraced hillsides, and some of the most beautiful views on our trip. At the end of our visit in Manarola, we boarded a train that took us through the mountain tunnels and seaside landscapes that define the three villages to the north.
I loved Manarola, one of the five villages of the Cinque Terra. It sits as the second village in the chain from south to north and demonstrates a seaside culture that reveals beautiful planted terraces, fantastical architecture built into the terraced hillsides, and some of the most beautiful views on our trip. At the end of our visit in Manarola, we boarded a train that took us through the mountain tunnels and seaside landscapes that define the three villages to the north.
The Italian Riviera at Camogli, Italy
We stopped for lunch at this beautiful resort site north of the Cinque Terra.
We stopped for lunch at this beautiful resort site north of the Cinque Terra.
Pollenzo and Turin (Torino), Italy
This is the final section of the Italian trip. For me, it was the least satisfying. This area of Italy southwest of Milan is known for its Barolo wine. It is also known for its emphasis on Slow Cooking, which is an effort to understand all aspects of food preparation, including how the food is grown and finds its way to the table. The hotel we stayed at in Pollenzo was on the grounds of one of the cooking schools in the area. The grounds were beautiful, and the surrounding village of Pollenzo was quaint and also very quiet. We took a trip to Turin on our first day in this area. It rained very hard and I must have eaten something quite raw at lunch (I think it was the beef), because I did not feel well that night nor the next day. I stayed in Pollenzo while the others went to visit a Barolo wine vineyard and wine museum. I was able to partake at the final meal at our hotel on the last night of the trip. My lack of enthusiasm for this section of the trip is evident in both the content and the quality of my photos, but I did fine the accommodations quite pleasant. Sorry to end on a down note, but I was deeply impressed with the area of Tuscany near Cortona and the Cinque Terra. If I return to Italy for a relaxing respite, I could stay for an extended period in either place, but if forced to make a choice, it would be southeastern Tuscany. It is just downright beautiful.
This is the final section of the Italian trip. For me, it was the least satisfying. This area of Italy southwest of Milan is known for its Barolo wine. It is also known for its emphasis on Slow Cooking, which is an effort to understand all aspects of food preparation, including how the food is grown and finds its way to the table. The hotel we stayed at in Pollenzo was on the grounds of one of the cooking schools in the area. The grounds were beautiful, and the surrounding village of Pollenzo was quaint and also very quiet. We took a trip to Turin on our first day in this area. It rained very hard and I must have eaten something quite raw at lunch (I think it was the beef), because I did not feel well that night nor the next day. I stayed in Pollenzo while the others went to visit a Barolo wine vineyard and wine museum. I was able to partake at the final meal at our hotel on the last night of the trip. My lack of enthusiasm for this section of the trip is evident in both the content and the quality of my photos, but I did fine the accommodations quite pleasant. Sorry to end on a down note, but I was deeply impressed with the area of Tuscany near Cortona and the Cinque Terra. If I return to Italy for a relaxing respite, I could stay for an extended period in either place, but if forced to make a choice, it would be southeastern Tuscany. It is just downright beautiful.