Bob is Traveling

Chicago Area Trip

2008-10-07T17:09:00.004-04:00

Chicago's Calling
Blowing into Chicago for the jazz festival and architecture with a side trip to Wisconsin and Iowa.

Wisconsin

A stop in Milwaukee! to the Museum of Art and then a visit cranes and Frank Lloyd Wright summer home.

Iowa

A quick trip over the Mississippi to see Little Bear and some of the other mounds in Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Chicago

A food tour to look for the mythical Chicago sytle pizza. A visit to Millennium Park. Architecture tours of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, historical skyscrapers, and modern skyscrapers. And a four day free jazz festival.

Chicago

2008-10-07T17:08:00.003-04:00

The El in the Loop
Took CTA from Ohare and it rose into the El at the Loop. I came to Chicago for Architecture, Jazz, and pizza not necessarily in that order. I wasn't disappointed with any of them.

Oak Park
Frank Lloyd Wright's first home was in Oak Park you can tour the house and see the beginning of his ideas. It's also the place where he built many of the houses. I walked the streets with a rented ipod nano and listened to an audio about the neighborhood.

Millennium Park and Grant Park
Plensa's Crown Fountain is two towers showing images of typical Chicagoans staring and smiling and then letting loose a spray for everyone to cool everyone off. Kids of all ages love it.

It's a perfect match with Chicago previous landmark the Buckingham Fountain that opened the MTM show.

The Bean is really a Cloud Gate but Kapoor's name didn't stick. But the crowds stick as everyone wanders around watching themselves, the city, and the crowds reflected in a metal fun house mirror.

The amphitheater was designed by Gheary and holds many free concerts. Great sound.

Food Tour

The Chicago food tour takes you on a walking, culture learning, neighborhood viewing, eating, smelling, and tasting tour of North Chicago. Along the way you visit some local ethnic places and some exotics like the Spice House where Tom of the food network talked to us about pepper and cinnamon. Tasty.

A lot of stops were just Chocolate. Choose one.

But what can I say the highlight was still Bella Bacino's Chicago stuffed pizza.

Jazz Fest
Three days of free jazz on three stages after an kickoff show by Sonny Rollins in Gheary's amphitheater.

With Sonny Rollins, Vjay Iver, and Ornette Coleman, this was the most adventurous selection of groups I've seen in a major festival and the shows were packed. Well it helped that they were free and the weather was perfect.

Robie House
The Robie house in South Chicago near the University can be reached by taking the CTA and walking (quickly) out of the ghetto and across Washington Park hoping that you don't run into the bicyclist who complained about me being on his path. Surprising because everyone else in Chicago was amazingly friendly. A father and son stopped in Oak Park to ask if I needed directions. A woman on the CTA to South Chicago asked if I needed directions. Overall the friendliest city experience I've had in the US. At any rate, for the return trip I took the bus from the museum to get back to the loop.

But before that I visited the Robie house. The house is considered Frank Lloyd Wright's premiere Prairie House design. The exterior has been renovated but only a room or two inside. Still an interesting place.

Architecture Tours
Chicago has many of the early Skyscrapers in America and now many of the modern ones. The Chicago Architecture Museum has many tours and cruises that highlight the culture, history, and architecture of Chicago led by well trained guides. The tours are interesting because you are joined by people from around the world and the US but no one from Chicago.

v=0"border="0" alt="" /> The Historical Skyscrapers covers Burham from White City and Louis Sullivan and the Art Deco era. Fascinating stories about the building the city from scratch after the fire.

Chicago is the closest US city to Shanghai in terms of new skyscrapers. The modern skyscraper tour takes you past the tallest building in this hemisphere the Sears Tower and explains several other modern and post modern buildings. Great tour

The Night train leaving the loop heading back to Ohare.

Chicago, yeah it's my kind of town (groan)

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Next stop Home

Iowa

2008-10-07T17:07:00.003-04:00

Mississippi River, Marquette, Iowa

A short trip to Iowa to see a mound of dirt. Well mostly an excuse to take a hike and see the Mississippi again.

Effigy Mounds National Monument
Native Americans built numerous mounds throughout the country which mystified Europeans. Only some contain burial remains. Many were plowed under or built over. These are among the best remaining. Some are in the shapes of animals. This one shows the outline of Little Bear. It would be easy to pass them by without the outlines marked. But it's a nice walk with great overlooks of the Mississippi.

Done with the Mighty Mississippi and Wisconsin's corn and soy fields. It's time to leave the dirt behind and head to Chicago for architecture and jazz. Chicago

Wisconsin

2008-10-07T17:05:00.004-04:00

Milwaukee

Milwaukee Museum of Art

Flew into Chicago but drove immediately to Milwaukee. Milwaukee? Yes to see the Museum of Art which is one of the most highly rated American buildings this century. It's as much a piece of art as anything in the museum. Built like a ship the sails on top open and close twice a day.

The great hall opens up to the sky and out onto Lake Michigan.

Nice town even with the giant flying octopus. Really. Must be a frequent visitor because the people didn't seem frightened. But then there had been a Mexican culture festival that day and it is a brewery town so maybe they were thinking calamari fajitas and (more) beer for everyone. I wonder if Squiggy was there?

International Crane Organization

A home for all species of Cranes founded by the group that helped preserved the Whooping Cranes. In the twenties they were down to two herds of 22 and 7 when a hurricane in Louisiana wiped out the seven. Now there are thousands. Unfortunately most of the cranes here were kept in either small enclosures or in Crane City. I couldn't go into Crane city but wandering on the native prairie trails I found it by the sound a sorta of “Whoop there it is” moment.

Don't get them mad! Being a bird and unable to fly is enough to make them rake you with their claws and take a few snaps with their beaks.

Mirror Lake State Park

A state park that is known for the reflections in its abnormally calm water. I heard the same line about the bay near Strahan Tasmania but it seems wherever I go there are no still waters.

Taliesin

Frank Lloyd Wright's summer home and school. Lots of long lines and views both internally and externally. It's very similar to his winter home in Scottsdale. He used them as test subjects for his ideas.

After Taliesin I didn't have the stomach for House on the Rock so I took a quick trip across the Mississippi to Iowato look at some piles of dirt.

UK

2007-12-10T20:11:00.000-05:00

London's Calling

Exploring Scotland and Northern England before visiting London.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Flag of Scotland 4505" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2116/1912728368_618cb3f218_m.jpg" border="0" /> Flag of Scotland

Glasgow

Lomond

Isle of Skye

Isle of Lewis

Standing Stones of Callanish

Nessie

Rosslyn Chapel

Edinburgh

Melrose Abbey

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Hadrians Wall

York

Fountain Abbey

London

The Higlight reel would include Isle of Skye, Standing Stones, the castles, Rosslyn Chapel, the abbeys, and York.

glasgow

2007-12-10T20:10:00.000-05:00

I arrived in Glasgow 4 hours late due to a flight delay arriving to grey skies. I asked for directions from the rental car
station to Glasgow and it must be a test for tourists driving in the UK they said turn left and go through the next three
roundabouts if you make it you'll be on the M8 heading into Glasgow.
I made it through the roundabouts without anyone cursing at me (that I could see). There was plenty of traffic and one way streets but
I found my hotel a narrow boutique one on a street that had just been
converted into a pedestrian walk except for one single lane.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="Flag of Scotland 4505" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2116/1912728368_618cb3f218_m.jpg" border="0" /> Flag of Scotland

The late flight had left me little time to explore Glasgow. I opted out of going into a museum and instead wandered through
town. I walked from the east side up to Queen Street Station and through the shopping areas and some of the back streets.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Georges S 3928" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2317/1911463371_9c8d1c5893_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Georges S

One of a rotating group of pipers on the main streets.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow piper 3932" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2267/1912328742_7525681d23_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow piper

Can you imagine Scottish Idol with competing bagpipe players? Check out the other contestant from Edinburgh

More pipes fer you from Glasgow players if yer wantin more.
Glasgow Piper

But it's not all bagpipes there buskers also play guitars and this talented sax player
Glasgow Sax

Sauchielhall Street is the main shopping street and was crowded on Saturday afternoon.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Sauchielhall St Shopping in Glasgow 3933" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2401/1911503605_e2c7874ba4_m.jpg" border="0" /> Sauchielhall St Shopping in Glasgow

It was not so crowded behind the scene on the side streets.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow back street 3934" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2125/1911476247_6a2395ad04_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow back street

Row houses were common these are being remodeled near the University

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow row houses 3947" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/1912330632_184588c632_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow row houses

I came upon a croquet field near Glasgow university and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. I've seen croquet players in
Guilan China but wasn't expecting them this far north - I was expecting to see scots throwing a caber (partial tree trunk) or
playing golf (plenty of courses). Imagine my surprise to find out croquet was invented by their ancestors in Ireland.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow crouet court 3957" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/1911486609_0c31adda71_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow crouet court

Anyone for Croquette.mpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAiyjdCkFVo

The Kelvingrove is an interesting building.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow art gallery 3958" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2021/1912304144_05e995a369_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow art gallery

Across the street is the transport museum with a similar architecture style

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Musteum of Transport Steeples 3962" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/1911464925_3a43374ea4_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Musteum of Transport Steeples

Lots of churches throughout the city.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow church 3969" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/1911481053_2ecbae13cb_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow church

The River Clyde runs through the center of Glasgow. I crossed over the bridge past the large Mosque to the Citizens Theater
to see Hamlet - nice sets, good Hamlet (Andrew Clark), great Ophelia (Samantha Young).

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Night over the River Clyde 3970" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2162/1912299960_6dc48e7ef4_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Night over the River Clyde

I didn't have much luck finding local music. The only live music I found was a local band playing Pink Floyd's Money. I kept
my money and kept walking. But lots of nightlife with people dressed up.
In fact the nightlife spilled out from a restaurant below the hotel and into the pedestrian mall forcing me to keep the
windows closed. - No A/C so it was either noise or stuffy air.

My room had a super tiny bathroom which was surprising as Scots are the second most obese people - next to Americans.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral 3985" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2036/1911448409_3108a1c11b_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Cathedral

Sunday morning was cold but with clear blue skies so I walked to the cathedral.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral 3986" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/1911450841_7745c06151_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Cathedral

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral doors 3988" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2065/1912294490_465bd44c67_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Cathedral doors

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral Stone 3994" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/1911446577_8ecb85118e_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Cathedral Stone

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral 4004" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/1912276738_b3ecb59e70_m.jpg" border="0" /> Glasgow Cathedral

Only place I've ever found a cathedral hotel (right across from the catherdral and down the hill from the graveyard) in a
building of the same time and style as the Cathedrals surrounding offices. Even better was that it had the Cathedral Bar
and a Chatedral Beer Garden. It was cold and a Sunday so the beer garden was empty.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Glasgow Cathedral Bar and Beer Garden 4010" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2217/1912289588_c9e6522edf_m.jpg" border="0" /> Road to Ft Williams

Next stop Loch Lomond and Fort Williams

Or return to UK

lomond

2007-12-10T20:09:00.000-05:00

Loch Lomond, Fort William, and the Road to Skye

Headed out West from Glasgow along the River Clyde through the suburbs of Clydebank and Dumbarton and then alongside Loch Lomond. A beautiful blue lake surrounded by mountains. It's fabled for its "bonnie bonnie banks" but Bonnie wasn't around.

Loch Lomand

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Stopped at Luss a cute village of stone cottages for lunch and picture taking.

Fort Williams

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I drove northwest to Fort Williams a small city on Loch Linnhe that refers to itself as the outdoors capital of Scotland. There's even an indoor aquatic diving school - not what you would expect from Scotland.
Great scenery coming into town.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Ben Nevis 4084" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/1911606903_6e38608909_m.jpg" border="0" /> Ben Nevis

Just north of town is Ben Nevis the tallest mountain in the UK at 4406 feet. An estimated 100,000 climb it every year.

Neptune's Steps

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Just west of Ben a canal connects Loch Lochy north of Fort Williams to Loch Linnhe. The locks connecting them are called Neptune's steps. I was fortunate to catch a pair of boats stepping down. It's a slow process waiting for the locks to drain but very interesting. It's a manned lock unlike the canals I found in London which must be operated by the boat travelers.

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This is a ladder of eight locks that raises vessels to a height of 70 feet above sea level over a distance of 500 yards

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Check out the old guy on the right taking pictures of the boats going through the locks he must be retired with nothing better to do - what a loser. :)

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That night I walked along the river and found this stunning view of the harbor along Loch Linnhe.

In a computer center they will store your baggage as you hike but as one young woman found out the tour provider may arrange for the storage but they don't include the cost in their tour. The proprietor of the shop is a former head chief in London so I think he's used to complaints. He couldn't recommend a place in town for dinner because he always eats at home. I had a decent lasagna at a modern style pub called The Tavern.

I stayed in new but very basic motel a Premier Travel Inn that is connected with a restaurant and pub. This is a popular budget chain for truck drivers and pensioners. It was quieter than many higher classed hotels. The next morning, I had the standard Scottish breakfast - 2 eggs, "Canadian" ham, mushrooms, cooked tomatoes, beans, bread, croissant, 2 sausages, and coffee. Coffee is not a surprise in this land of tea as they often start the day with it.

On the road to Skye

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Continued north turning west at Invergarry and uncovering some great scenery on the road to Skye.

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The castle at Eilean Donan.

Next stop Isle of Skye

Or return to UK

skye

2007-12-10T20:07:00.000-05:00

Isle of Skye

I Crossed onto the Isle of Skye (the Misty Isle) at Kyle of Lochalsh. You used to have take a ferry but then they built a bridge to bring more tourists. At first they charged a toll but people complained the toll was keeping the tourists away and now no toll and more tourists.

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Skye's Black Cuillin form the most challenging range of mountains in Scotland. Black barren and made of jagged rocks. They rise above the smaller red hills which are eroded granite.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Highland ground cover 4157" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/1911616167_257f7f5e14_m.jpg" border="0" />This is the typical ground cover.

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Isle of Skye bog 4170" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2041/1911634273_e6eb870e87_m.jpg" border="0" />

Often the heath turns into a bog - bring your wellies.

I drove north on a single lane road that followed the coast. The single lane roads are a single lane road with traffic in both directions with many pull offs to allow traffic to past. I had to pull over to let others by but everyone was friendly.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Curious Sheep 4187" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/1911610755_de83d82fa0_m.jpg" border="0" /> Curious Sheep

The scenery was shared with sheep all over the hills and fields.

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The Old Man of Storr is like the Old Man of the Mountain in New Hampshire that collapsed in 2003 but this old man still stands

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Isle of Skye looking across the Bay of Raasay 4192" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/1911637029_34394e4a2d_m.jpg" border="0" /> Isle of Skye looking across the Bay of Raasay

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River gorge waterfall

At one point on the road I stopped and walked past this river gorge to walk along the top of the cliffs on the coast.

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An Cailc is a ruin at the bottom of the cliff. They used to dig out Diatomite (clay like substance), run it to the coast on a special railway and then cart it down the hill for drying before it shipped out. It was used insulation, filtration for beer, and dynamite. That beer must had a kick.

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At Kilt Rock I found the waterfall I was looking for. I had seen photos but none specified where it was. It's right at the Kilt Rock overview.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Kilt Rock 4234" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2057/1911649869_e2356d1162_m.jpg" border="0" /> Kilt Rock

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Isle of Skye 4243" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2068/1911623587_3c995b82fb_m.jpg" border="0" />

I continued around the northern end of island past craggy peaks, sheep, and heath. There were some cattle and lots of white houses.

I stayed the night in a Skaebost Country Inn an old country inn with an elegant wood paneled library, snookers room, stylized whiskey bar, golf course, and a great restaurant. I dined on pigeon breast in tomato salsa, mushroom risotto with asparagus, Macleods ale, and a smooth but indistinct red wine. They had two common areas one classic sitting room with leather chairs and a new one with free wireless and a plasma TV.

Next stop Isle of Lewis

Or return to UK

lewis

2007-12-10T20:06:00.000-05:00

Isle of Lewis

I left early in the morning driving across the Misty Isle through a morning mist from Skaebost to Uig for the ferry to Lewis.

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The ferry crossed over to Tarbert on isle of Harris which is really the Isle of Lewis. Lewis has two major sections connected by a small Isthmus somewhere in time the received separate names Harris to the South and Lewis to the North.

Beware of the day of the week, Lewis is essentially closed Sunday for religious devotions - no gas or ferry service.

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Tarbert harbor Isle of Lewis (Harris) 4291" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2087/1912585758_df9205ade6_m.jpg" border="0" /> Tarbert harbor Isle of Lewis (Harris)

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Tarbert harbor 4292" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/1912585228_05a3096a9b_m.jpg" border="0" />

I was in a hurry and couldn't find an open restaurant in Tarbert but then I found a fish and chips take out run by a stereotyped old salt. The chips were tasty.

On the road to Hushinish

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I headed north out of town leaving Harris behind and turned onto the single lane road to Hushinish. I heard that it had some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland and they weren't wrong. Rocky hills to the east and the bay on the right the road wandered up the coast. There were several small ponds along the road with the mountains of Harris across the bay in the background.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Traffic On the road to Hushinish 4302" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/1912593096_065b879ddb_m.jpg" border="0" />

At one point cattle blocked the road but I s-l-o-w-l-y worked my way through them.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" A private home 4319" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2083/1911739807_12688fae1e_m.jpg" border="0" /> A private home. The road goes through his front yard.

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And Sheep! Everywhere on the hills, along the road, and on the road. They seemed to like to sit on and next to the road some gave me looks when I was rude enough to interrupt the repose - these were British sheep after all.

Others were skittish jumping up out of the way while a few fell victim to heard mentality and stampeded away. I might have laughed at them but I kept thinking about the preview to the movie Black Sheep where genetically altered sheep strike out at humans and quickly excused myself.

Cry of the Scottish Sheep audio

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End of the road to Hushinish.

The reward at the end of the road is the Beach. A surprise after driving over rocky hills and heath to discover a perfect sandy cove. Crossing over the hill to the east you can see the next island with abandoned buildings and castle.

The water was cold but not bad - definitely okay for toes. The weather was surprisingly warm I was in short sleeves in the Western Hebrides in October - wow.

My main goal in coming to Lewis was to see the Standing Stones but I'll save that for the next page.

I had dinner in my hotel (Royal) in Stornoway. A small but busy town. I had my second helping of black pudding and hagis - delicious.

Black Houses

The next morning I drove out to west coast to Arnold to see the black house. These houses were in use until the sixties they are made with earth walls and thatched roof held down by a net and stones. Humans lived in left side and animals on the right to keep the place warm.

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There was a peat moss fire in living room with no fireplace. The smoke stayed in insulating the thatch roof and preserving the lumber. The thatch was recycled each
year becomings fertilizer.

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They were called black houses not because of smoke but because new houses were white.
The new style houses aka White Houses were white with fireplaces chimneys, no animals, and white walls - and yes I asked they liked lavender trim.

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After a hard morning crossing the heath I head back to Stornoway for a donut and chicken sandwich on a very nice soft roll.
A good visit to Lewis, I didn't get to the Butt of Lewis but otherwise it was great. The Butt is the northern tip of Lewis know for its lighthouse, birds, and wind.

It was a long ferry ride across The Minch back to Ullapool on the Isle of Britain. It was a even larger ferry than the one to Tarbert. I drove off and quickly passed through Ullapool. A nice looking place I was sorry I missed the guitar festival (weekend was full of great solo guitar players in an annual festival).

Next stop The Standing Stones of Callanish

Or return to UK

callanish

2007-12-10T20:05:00.000-05:00

The Standing Stone of Callanish

On the western coast of the Isle of Lewis in Callanish are three sites of standing stones. Similar to Stonehenge but uncovered and not fenced off so you can walk up to and among the stones. The stand on top of a small hilltop with a small village nearby. They are very dramatic up close at the end of day.

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Four thousand years old, one other visitor leaving said it was beautiful and another adult family complained and laughed at them - you make the call.

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The story is that before the stones there were fields with circular crops then 5000 years ago a stone circle later more were added to form a cross.

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Bones were buried in the middle later then it was ransacked. The long tail of the cross points south to where the mid summer eve moon sets behind the highest mountain on the isles, legend has it when the sun rose on the midsummer morn, the Shining One walked the stone avenue heralded by the call of the cuckoo. Fortunately I was there in October. Some of the stones were used for local buildings but most remain.

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The stones are ancient different heights some over 15.5 feet

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The third site is closer to the water's edge. It's a beautiful site with water on two sides. 5000 years ago the sites were closer to water and the current fields were forest before climate change. Now peat moss has taken over.

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Next stop Loch Ness

Or return to UK

ness

2007-12-10T19:54:00.000-05:00

Loch Ness, Stirling, and Falkirk

It was a busy road out of Ullapool with very impatient drivers pushing me to ignore the scenery. It didn't work I drove between the river and barren mountains and was reminded of the Tibet river outside Lhasa but this was even more barren.

I stayed in Inverness at nice friendly B&B (Bannerman) and walked downtown for dinner at Riva, a sleek modern restaurant. Here as in several restaurants for salad had a small bowl of mixed veggies with lots of flavor instead of being mostly lettuce. I had another great mushroom risotto with asparagus and a desert tort and ice cream was only very good. Rissotta was much more common throughout the UK than it is in the US.

Loch Ness

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Loch Ness is just south of Inverness I drove down to visit the Uruhart castle at Drumnadrochit. It was destroyed by Scottish Jacobites to keep English from regaining control.

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View of Loch Ness.

Nessie!

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Best shot of Nessie.

I watch all day and finally caught Nessie in the act.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Reindeer IMG_4529" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/1911920071_b16e04460a_m.jpg" border="0" />In the Cairgorns near Aviemore there is a reindeer herd brought over in 1952 I only had time to see couple they have in a padlock but the rest run wild in the mountains. If you have time you can visit them and hand feed them. There is also a little museum on reindeer both real and fanciful. The next day I heard the herd was quarantined with blue tongue disease - a common disease in Europe.

Heading south I stopped at Killkrackie Pass a nice peaceful place at a bend in the river when a fighter jet flew down blasting the air waves.

This is the site of the first battle of the 1689 Jacobite rebellion. The fourteen foot wide soldier's leap across the river here was allegedly jumped by a government soldier fleeing from the highlanders.

Stirling

Next stop was Stirling, I stayed in town (The Golden Lion) near some pedestrian streets. It was another case of too much noise from streets as boys shouted out to girls who were sitting in the window on the second floor across the street at a party. Those Scots love to party.

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King Robert

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The highlight of Stirling is the castle. King Robert the Bruce ruled from here and Mary Queen of Scots lived here as an infant. It's an interesting historical place and well preserved but still undergoing renovations.

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Stirling Castle pages in training

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Falkirk Wheel

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Falkirk is a busy and confusing city but I finally found the wheel which connects the Union Canal with the Forth & Clyde Canal.

Instead of a regular lock system they built a eight story high wheel that lifts the boat from the bottom to the top.

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Next stop Rosslyn Chapel

Or return to UK

rosslyn chapel

2007-12-10T19:53:00.002-05:00

Before heading to Edinburgh I drove to the small village of Roslin just south of the city to see the Rosslyn Chapel, a featured setting of the DaVinci Code and an very elaborate chapel. The building was in 1481 and was covered in 1997 to protect it from the elements.

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Both inside and out it's covered with very detailed designs. The main ceiling has 4 different motifs. Green men statues are scattered throughout and along a band of sculptured vines that go around the inside of the chapel.

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Lady's Chapel

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In the back of the main church is the Lady's Chapel with another elaborate ceiling and carvings of thirteen musicians and stain glass windows.

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Next stop Edinburgh

Or return to UK

edinburgh

2007-12-10T19:53:00.001-05:00

I stayed at nice modern hotel (Ten Hill Place)only one block from Nicolson St and not far from High Street. That evening I walked up to High Street and the Royal Mile, lots of shops, people, and bagpipers. You can get a complete highland outfit custom fitted or off the rack kilt jacket socks and everything. After dinner I dropped in at the Royal Oak Pub which is know for its occasional folk music (just missed some pickers) and for being a favorite haunt of Rebus. I brought a Rebus with me to Scotland read on the plane and get in the mood.

In Question of Blood Ian Rankin's story takes you the high and lows classes of Edinburgh and political and personal cross issues.

I returned to the Royal Oak the next day to take a Rebus tour that started from their after you had your pint. A fascinating walk with a great guide through the highs and lows of Edinburgh and Rebus's stories including the city morgue, Fleshmarket Close, and an ancient cemetery and discourses on poets, history, Jekyll and Hyde and that damned new parliament building which isn't really a parliament it more... well don't get your tour guide started - or maybe you should :)
Well worth the time.

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Edinburgh's Nicolson St

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Edinburgh Piper

More Edinburgh Pipes

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Edinburgh church

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Edinburgh Red Telephone

Edinburgh Castle

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The Edinburgh castle castle is large and well maintained a big tourist stop and bit more warlike than the more statesmen like Stirling castle.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Edinburgh Castle King Robert 4684" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/1912949926_76495d213a_m.jpg" border="0" /> King Robert

This is the place where the Kings were crowned and I saw the Scottish Honors (crown jewels) - the crown, the royal scepter, and the sword of state.

A good visit to history.

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St Giles

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St. Giles Cathedral is a very large space and impressive but the interior is ornate than others but but it has very nice and large stained glass windows.

It's been said that for the better part of a thousand years St Giles' has been at the physical and spiritual heart of Scotland's capital city. It still stands out on the Royal Mile.

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Calton Hill

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The Royal Mile is part of the old city I went down hill to new city and then climbed up Calton Hill for an excellent views of the Firth of Forth, old city, new city, Arthur's seat, and you can just barely see one of the famous Forth bridges.

On top of the hill is Nelson's Tower built like a telescope, a couple of observatories, and the forever unfinished copy of the acropolis

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I went underground on a tour beneath High Street and St Mary's close, it was disappointing but I did learn about plaque and the close (alley) was a sewer that drained down the hill to a cesspool until they cleaned it up and changed it to the Princes Street Gardens.

Edinburgh has cleaned up a lot since then (and since Rebus started) I wish I had more time.

Next stop Melrose Abbey

Or return to UK

melrose abbey

2007-12-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

The skies were mostly clear as I stopped in nice village of Melrose for coffee and cakes. A perfect British day in a perfect British village. The abbey has some very dramatic views with its ravaged Gothic architecture opened to the sky.

The abbey first opened in 1146 was one destroyed by the English three times. The last time it was one of many destroyed by Henry VIII when they rebelled against his power over the church and sided with Rome - he wanted the infant Mary to marry his son?

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Next stop Hadrians Wall

Or return to UK

hadrians wall

2007-12-10T19:50:00.000-05:00

Hadrians Wall and the Lake District

All Along the Watchtower

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I crossed the border entering England and drove B6318 West following the wall through Northumberland National Park between Newcastle and Carlisle. I stopped at Vindolanda an old Roman fort that has been excavated and partially rebuilt with a small museum

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Vindolanda is an ancient Roman fort now partly restored with a museum of Roman artifacts and history.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Hadrians Wall 4851" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/1912246827_2ade6c1e1e_m.jpg" border="0" /> Hadrians Wall

I then went to the Steel Rigg parking area to walk along part of the wall. The wall of stone (sometimes topped with grass) wanders across the top of a hill in a ragged march across the countryside.

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There are several places to park as well as public transportation and great walking trails.

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HG Wells War of the World and the movies had the Martians in tripods but these wind turbines still bring those back to mind - seemingly striding across the British countryside.

Carlisle disappointing from my brief stop - one pub stopped serving food before I arrived and another was out of what I ordered - maybe it was a long summer of ugly Americans. :(

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The Lake District was a different story even in the rain. Lake Wasdale is one of the more remote but beautiful places in the lake district. You travel down a single lane dead end road to the Wasdale head. At the inn at the end of the road I had
a nice couppa and cake before braving the rain. Beautiful unspoiled lake with mountains dropping dramatically into the water.

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Wasdale Head

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Lake Wasdale

Next stop York

Or return to UK

york

2007-12-10T19:49:00.001-05:00

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I had the misfortune to stay at the Hilton with the worst beds ever in a Hilton. Otherwise a nice hotel right across from the Clifford Tower and the Castle museum. However York itself was a different story with lots to see and enjoy.

York also has the national railway museum with several royal trains maintained for viewing. You get to see how the rich and famous traveled before private jets.

To get in the mood of York and especially the surrounding countryside I brought a Peter Robinson novel. Detective Banks who long moved up from London to suburban Yorkshire has no shortage of cases to challenge him. Piece of My Heart combines insights into life in the 'shires with a train trip from York to London as he investigates a case that leads back to a sixties rock festival with Pink Floyd and a Syd Barrett type character from a local band. A fun read revisiting the sixties rock history.

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But the highlight is the huge Minster cathedral - the largest in northern england and co-opted by Henry VIII to be his northern england church and so spared his wrath of destruction.

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Inside are various chapels based upon earlier buildings surrounded by huge stained glass windows some predating the technology to create red stains on glass.

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They practice the Minster bells every Tuesday and you can hear them from outside or at some local restaurants (including the Cafe Concerto) during dinner.

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Its also fun to take the tower tour to climb to the top of the cathedral and view the city. There is also a tour of the crypt so you can tour the Minster from top to bottom.

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The Minster is famous for its Rose window.

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The clock has two knights below it that ring the chimes with their swords every quarter hour.

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One of the rare places where the city walls are still mostly intact. It's great to work around the city.

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York's center is a maze of shopping, restaurants (check out funky El Piano and the neighborhood French La Rustique), and history. Including this famous landmark overlooking a store front York Red Devil.

Next stop Fountain Abbey

Or return to UK

Fountains Abbey

2007-12-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

Fountains Abbey

This abbey northwest of York was founded in 1132 and destroyed by Henry Viii in 1539 - there he goes again.
It's a natural heritage site including the water gardens that were added in the 1700s and a deer park.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Fountains Abbey 4964" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2199/1913453800_6164a68bc6_m.jpg" border="0" /> Fountains Abbey Wiki

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Monk for a day

They have a special program "It's a Monks Life" where dressed in robes kids are initiated in the life of a monk.

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Fountains Abbey Green Man 4987" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2118/1913472480_482de7e6d7_m.jpg" border="0" /> Fountains Abbey Green Man
A close up of the Abbey's famous green man. The green men are creatures still entwined with nature surrounded by leaves with vines growing out of faces.
They are considered to be figures of rebirth wiki

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Next stop London

Or return to UK

london

2007-12-10T19:46:00.000-05:00

London is a great international and all too British city but the crowds!

I stayed in Kensington (Park International) a good hotel in a convenient but not overly crowded area. A couple of interesting places to eat a nice polish place La Daqoise for potato pancakes and The Muffin Man for breakfast and tea(coffee). You're only a quick tube trip away from most parts of London.

There are too many books about London life but I ended up with a newer book by Nick Hornby who wrote High Fidelity. A Long Way Down is about 4 people in London who meet while planning to jump off a building. Not nearly as depressing as it sounds these four characters show different parts of life in London. And Hornby who wrote "About a Boy" manages to bring comic relief in along the way.

The center of London's tourist, theater, and other night life Piccadilly Circus wiki is lovingly lorded over by Eros and surrounded by neon signs ala Times Square. Why called a circle because it's a circular open space at a road junction, better than calling it the Piccadilly roundabout.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Eros over Piccadilly 5007" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/1913532930_f49b9fee11_m.jpg" border="0" /> Eros over Piccadilly

What is Eros aka Cupid doing in staid old London - he's not. It's a statue of his twin brother Anteros the god of selfless love - it was statue dedicated to charity.
However that's a fact that clearly the crowds of young locals and tourists are blissfully unaware of and are looking up to Eros for guidance for the night in swinging London.

Speaking of night life, I saw the comedy "49 Steps" a light spoof of the early Hitchcock film. They play around with intentionally cheap props such as running in place on top of boxes to simulate a train top chase. It's jolly good fun.

On the darker side, I saw Patrick Stewart as Macbeth. A dark dingy WW II bunker is the stage and this time the captain of the enterprise and the x-men goes down into the darkness. The London press which has seen more versions of Macbeth than I have raved about it. I loved the witches rapping. Also did a nighttime London Walk on Jack the Ripper but the group was so big it was split into three groups all of which were too big. And skip Pompidou for desert too much cost too little flavor.

I didn't get to any hot new London clubs because I was too busy seeing the Richard Thompson band at the roundhouse. A newly redone stage from the sixties with one of longest lasting singer songwriter guitarist from that era. He played several songs from his new album and had the crowd going crazy.

I also John Hiatt solo at the Barbicon a modern fancy theater in a rougher area. The audience so polite. I saw three concerts in England and the crowds only got excited when they were forced to stand at the Roundhouse. On the the bright side they were not as obnoxious as some American audiences but also not as much fun.

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Portobello is the famous street market selling antiques and tourist items. There are several markets throughout London. Camden Market for one aims for a hipper but still touristy ambiance.

The British museum has a great exhibit on the Enlightenment in a extra long library styled room they traced the development of enlightenment from the classification of knowledge through the change that made us base our awareness on what could be found and tested. There were also tons of cool artifacts and weird stuff (technical terms).

Also check out Ciao Bella a very popular family run Italian restaurant.

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St James Park stretching from Buckingham Palace towards Trafalgar Square, just one of the great parks in town.

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Watching the crowds watching the guard 5019" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2054/1912741939_6f79dff7ec_m.jpg" border="0" /> Watching the crowds watching the guard

I was on tourist duty watching the crowds watching the guards watching the crowds, it looks like stressful duty standing and having your picture taken with all manner of tourists.

I watched a part of the 202nd anniversary celebration of the Battle of Trafalgar and watched cadets parade in front of dignitaries while the band played.

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Westminster Abbey

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London's Canals

I didn't know that London had a canal system but it has been cleaned up and renovated. People fish in it, live on it, live near it boat shaped buildings, walk, jog, and bike along it. A great escape from the crowds and traffic.

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If you're lucky you'll get to watch a boat cross through because the locks are unmanned. When your boat reaches the lock,
you must enter the lock, close the gates and change the water level, and then open the lock yourself.

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London Tours had a special tour walking past the London Canal museum, along the Regents Canal, and ending up at Camden Locks. wiki

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Big Ben 5042" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2360/1913527070_44af839b3b_m.jpg" border="0" /> Big Ben

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Crack in the Tate 5044" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2026/1913529376_de877836b8_m.jpg" border="0" />Crack in the Tate

First it was London Bridge falling down and now the new Tate Modern Museum has a crack in its floor. Well actually this one was designed by the artist Louise Bourgeois. It's great fun, you can stick your foot in the crack, just stare at in wonder, or watch everyone's reaction to it.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Another tourist 5045" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/1913525152_bae0114f63_m.jpg" border="0" /> Another tourist

London is a very international city welcoming people from all parts of the world and now it seems from parts unknown.

As I said the crack in the Tate was very popular - everyone wanted to see it.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Walking Millennium Bridge at Night 5047" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2189/1913572586_3a9cc80e2f_m.jpg" border="0" /> Walking Millennium Bridge at Night

London spruced up for the Millenium with a new walking bridge and the eye.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" The Eye 5048" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/1913566662_58e03280f6_m.jpg" border="0" /> The Eye

The eye is nice but not worth the long wait. The best part of the visit was eating at Wagamama a very popular chain of Japenese ramen noodles restaurants - served quickly on communal tables with attitude. The food was great. The Strada Italian chain next door isn't bad either.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Inside the Eye 5050" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/1913534184_881ecc74c6_m.jpg" border="0" /> Inside the Eye

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Top of the Eye

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One of the most famous roads in the world and an obligatory stop - Abbey Road.

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320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Sunset on Londons Alberts Monument 5002" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/1912731173_5d8f78cffd_m.jpg" border="0" /> Sunset on Londons Alberts Monument

Even though the sun has set on Victoria and Albert's England world power it's still chasing the moon with a mixture of classic British culture, British kitsch, and an international flair.

320px; CURSOR: hand" alt=" Chasing the Moon 5003" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2376/1913528098_8cd7c3d07b_m.jpg" border="0" /> Chasing the Moon

Return to UK

Canada

2007-07-19T20:09:00.000-04:00

I took a summertime journey to cool down in old Montreal during the world largest Jazz festival and took a side trip to Quebec.

Montreal

Quebec

Or return to the start of the Blog
Can't wait to get back.

Montreal

2007-07-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

I Flew to Burlington VT and drove up I-89 to the border. It was cheaper than flying international and gave me an opportunity to see the northern end of Lake Champlain.

There was only a 5 minute wait to cross the border, much easy than an airport. The road on the Canadian side was not a limited access highway and went through a couple of small towns. Closer to Montreal I entered a set of highways that flowed into the isle of Montreal and then onto to an underground highway that took me to the end of the Old Montreal for my first hotel. The drive took 2 hours.

This was a small old European style hotel with great charm but the walls were porous, giving me the opportunity to hear through the walls the girls next door talking about their hot night out when they returned at 3 AM and the snoring from the man who took their place. And at time of the day and night, I could hear people sounding like they were stomping on the floors. Quaint doesn’t mean quiet. When I returned from a day in Quebec I stayed at the Ritz Carleton - much nicer.

But the location was ideal. Old Montreal is centered around three main landmarks; Place Jacques-Cartier, Notre Dame Basilque, and the St Lawrence Seaway

Place Jacques-Cartier square with it’s outdoor restaurants, sketch artists, street musicians, and general fun atmosphere.

Listen to some Street Music

At night they threw light sticks out of a 3rd story window for the crowd to gather. But unlike New Orleans the crowd didn’t have to "work" to earn the prize. I’m surprised I don’t think Mardi Gras in February in Quebec would have a big tradition for undressing outdoors. The street singer you hear in the background is doing his classic rendition of purple rain. It’s impossible to describe the full version and fortunately I don’t have audio of it but feel free to listen to part of Nights in White Satin if you dare.

The square is also a popular place for post formal parties, wedding receptions and just dancing.

The square is also surrounded by a great selection of restaurants in old stone buildings along cobble stone streets. A very scenic area.

The other major landmark is the Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal. A beautiful gothic church completed in 1829 that is in operation both as a church and tourist center. You can tour the church during the week and they have a video show on the history of the church at night but they still have an open Mass on Sundays where you can hear the Mass in French and listen to the organ and choir.

Listen to the Church Bells

Behind the main church is a more modern chapel but still striking in its own way.

Candles

Listen to the organ and choir during Sunday Mass.
Mass Audio 1
Mass Audio 2
Mass Audio 3

During Mass protestors outside were carrying signs deploring sexual abuse. Everytime the church door open during Mass they would play some French song through a bull horn. I don’t know what the song was about but they were very angry. This was the week before the Los Angles case settlement came out. It looks the Montreal has a longer way to go.

Listen to their Protest Song

There is another Notre Dame in town, the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel on the other side of Place Jacques Cartier .

The third highlight of Old Montreal is the St Lawrence Seaway. The river walk is lined with several piers, parks, and museums. This is where they held the July 1st Canada Day celebration and fireworks. During the day there were festivals in the street. At night what do Canadians do? They go watch the fireworks over the St Lawrence.

North East of Old Montreal is the Latin Quarter the gay and hip centers of town. Further east about 3 KM is the old Olympic Stadium that still looks like a spaceship that has landed and held up by cables from the towers while it is being retrofitted for another voyage. The truth is that retractable roof never worked well so it’s not flying anywhere. But it does look cool.

Also on the site is the Biodome where you can see wildlife from Northern forests, St Lawrence, Polar climates, and tropical forest.

Hyacinth Macaws

Canadian Crab

Bat Cave

Across the Rue Sherbrooke is a large park containing the Jardin Botanique gardens created in the 1830s. Besides the usual flower gardens there are a Chinese garden, a Japanese Tea Garden, and the Insectarium. Two unique area are the Alpine garden showing mountain flora and a Prime nation forest showing the plants used by the aboriginals and a unique open building showing the story of the forest and its inhabitants. The Insectarium is a collection live and dead insects from around the world from scorpion, tarantulas, and beautiful butterflys.

In the Insectarium a train of ants carries their colorful cargo across the room

A block away are the iconic apartments setup for the Olympic participants.

Montreal has a wide range of architecture from the old stone building of Old Montreal, the gothic Gare Montreal train station, the spiraling outdoor staircases of the Latin Quarter. There are several unique neighbors of town homes and apartment buildings with their own style. Interspersed among all this history are many modern buildings such as the stadium, Biodome, Biosphere on the site of Expo 67, and more buildings throughout the town.

The center for the architecture is the CCA (not shown) one of the top 3 architecture libraries and research centers in the world. This is a modern building built around one of the few remaining stone homes on the old Golden Square Mile. The golden square mile was once the home of the wealthiest Canadians but many homes were cleared for modernization. The museum has weekly talks each Thursday and a strange sculpture garden with abstract architecture shapes and a pair of chairs hanging overt the highway.

A connection to North Carolina is the 23 story Aldred building an art deco skyscraper built in the same manner as the Suntrust nee CCB tower in Durham and the Empire State Building in New York.

During the short time I was there I found festivals all over town. Streets were closed off for vendors and music. There was a long one along St Dennis showcase exciting and high quality art work. Another was near Pointe-a-Calliere, the museum about the birthplace of Montreal, showcased different cultures. Others were focused on a particular beer or other drink

The big festival was the annual jazz festival is centered around Place de Arts which contains the Contemporary Art Museum, the large concert hall Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier and the smaller Theatre Maisonneuve. Both are excellent halls for performances. The jazz festival was also spread over several local clubs and halls as well as at a half dozen temporary stages ranging a from small tent for acoustic guitar shows to the large stage where a 100,000 people would gather for the big festival shows. This year featured Brazilian and African nights.

The crowd gathers while an Italian band plays.

Montreal streets are often crowded but the city always felt safe to walk. They also have a very good Metro system. They say you can travel using the metro and underground walkways throughout the underground city and find all the shopping you need without dealing with the weather.

Montreal has several large parks but the most distinctive is Mount Royal which literally stand above the town. Many people walk the trails and enjoy the view of the city from the top.

Next stop Quebec

Or return to Canada

Quebec

2007-07-19T20:01:00.000-04:00

It’s a 3 hour drive from Montreal to Quebec. I went up the east side of the river where Hwy 20 is a smooth trip on the return trip I used Hwy 40 on the west side which was a little more scenic but required a few turns to switch roads even though the highway remained the same name – very strange.

I stopped for gas in a busy town off Hwy 20. I had a choice between a Petro Canada or Shell, I opted to go Canadian. I swiped my card and was rejected. I kept trying to no avail. I went inside and asked the sales girl but she didn’t really speak English and my French is useless. We struggled with it but she finally said I needed to use another card. So I cross the street to the Shell. My card was taken but then a voice came out from the gas pump. I asked it, Parlez vous anglais? She said come on in. I went in and the sales clerk asked if it was an American card because they didn’t work at the pump. Problem solved, I pumped first and paid inside.

The tourist highlight of Quebec is it’s old city. It sits both on top of the hill overlooking the St Lawrence River and along the river’s banks. Some of the old cities walls remain – I think that may be a unique view in North America.

360 view of Quebec

Quebec River View

The two landmarks on the top are the Citidal, an underground fortress that once controlled the river and the Chateau Frontenac hotel which towers above the city in its Victorian beauty. It’s known as the most photographed hotel in the world.

They are currently excavating around the hotel as part of a historical site. The pulley was used to lift dirt out of the dig.

There is a long boardwalk going from behind the hotel to the Citidal with great views of the river and old city.
A funicular (small tram that rides down the hill on a track) will take you down to the lower village near the river with the Musee de la Civilization that has a very interesting exhibit on the history of Canada and Quebec which shows a different view of history than the familiar American one but still similar in many ways.

The village inside the walls was a high quality tourist stop with many excellent restaurants, street performers, musicians., and shops. It looks like a typical French city. Some streets reminded me of old Lyon. The food in Quebec was also excellent. Even though Montreal has more restaurants per capita than any city besides NYC I had better dinning experience here. I had a chicken and asparagus crepe followed by a better crepe of strawberries and ice cream at Au Petit Coin Breton in the lower village. A nice duck in light orange sauce at Restaurante La Caravelle in the upper village. And surprisingly, a magnificent omelet at the Hilton.

Listen to a sample of different Street Musicians including a Beatles song played on wine glasses. How French can you get.

All in all, too short a stay as I headed back to Montreal to see Van Morrison.

Return to Canada

Kentucky

2007-07-19T19:06:00.000-04:00

A short trip I took to Louisville and the Mammoth Caverns.

Louisville

Mammouth Cave

Or return to the start of the Blog

Louisville

2007-07-19T18:53:00.000-04:00

Louisville KY situated on the Ohio River and famous for a horse race.

I didn’t make it to the Races but did get stop at the Speed Museum which surprisingly had nothing to do with Horse Racing or NASCAR but did have a hauntingly beautiful statue of a Blind Woman Listening.

And while I didn’t go to see the horses run for the roses I did run into a couple of Painted Ponies on Main Street.

Eternal childhood survives at the Louisville Slugger Factory tour in downtown Louisville. You get to see and smell the bats being made. Ahh

Around the block is Glassworks with several glass design firms and open viewing of artists at work.

The Jazz Factory next door is a very nice club.

I couldn’t take pictures of the Muhammad Ali Museum but if you have the time and interest you can watch videos of his major bouts. It's certainly the greatest boxing museum I have seen but the clips and stories from rest of his life were even more interesting. Float like a butterfly sting like a bee was more about him then just his boxing.

The Ohio River looks better in the old frontier movies than it did on this cloudy day.

Next stop Mammoth Cave

Or return to Kentucky

Mammoth Cave

2007-07-19T18:04:00.000-04:00

Mammoth Cave, halfway between Louisville and Nashville, is the world longest cave. The National Park has extensive forests with camping, a river ferry, and wild life like this turkeys.

Unlike many caves, most of these passageways don’t have the stalagmites. A Sandstone cap above the caves prevents the water from dripping into the caverns leaving them rough stone but they are hauntingly long. This tour was a 4 mile hike 200-300 feet below ground.

This is one of the oldest tourist attractions in America with the first tours offered in the early 1800s but it doesn’t have the flash to grab the worlds attention any longer.

Halfway through the tour you stop for lunch in an underground cafeteria. The food is ported in. Once a company tried growing mushrooms for export but the Mammoth Mushroom turned out not be so mammoth.

After lunch the trip becomes more interesting with the trail leading down where in ancient times the passageway collapsed and then back up. Part of the latter part of tour takes you through a narrow winding passageway where you can see boulders precariously wedged into place above you.

The Mammoth Tour passed through safely to a last lecture rest stop.

This tour was the longest of the upright tours and ended up at the Niagara entrance where the water flows off the sandstone cap and through the limestone layer and drips into the passageway creating the more familiar cave formations including their most famous the Niagara Falls.

Return to Kentucky

China

2006-11-30T09:59:00.000-05:00

Going to China

Why China?
Because of

- Pictures of the Li River

- Dreams of the Himalayas

- China's ancient history and its amazing turmoil and changes

- Because it's the biggest fastest growing place in the world

Why now? Because a respectable tour offer arrived in my mail complete with a China expert, Tibet and all the other major highlights of China except the Great Gorges. It was too good to pass up.

A Chinese proverb says A thousand-li journey should start from the earth beneath your feet.

So dig your toes in deep before you click on...

Beijing Capital city of 13 Million and home of Tian'an Menen Square, the Forbidden City, and the gruesome Night Market.

Xian Historic capital and home of the amazing Terracotta Warriors

Lhasa Fantastic views of the Mountains and Cultures - Yak Yak Yak

Chengdu Spicy smoky city hiding the Pandas

Guilin Tourist town a great stop for the lights, Caves, traffic, waterfall, and the Li River

Yangshuo River Life, beautifull scenery, and a nice compact tourist town.

Shanghai Big City life 17M people and building. Up up and away.

Conclusion A trip of two and a half weeks that could barely scrape at the six thousand years of civilized history, the 1.3 billion people, and the future.