Dublin

Here are two more collages of Dublin. One shows scenes from Trinity College; the other is of random images around Dublin.

Firth of Clyde

Definitions are enlightening. Firth is Gaelic for fjord. Clyde is derived from the name of the old river goddess that is said to have inhabited the river. Her name sounded something like "cistern" which means cleanser or cloaca. So now you can figure out what the Firth of Clyde means.

The Salmon, ring, bell and trees

As you wander around St.Mungo's Square you see that the light standards are quite decorated with a salmon holding a ring, a bell and some trees. I asked what the symbols meant and was told the following story.

Way back when the queen was having an affair with her guard and she gave him her gold ring as a symbol of her love. The guard lost the ring. And about that same time the king noticed his queen was not wearing her gold ring. The king wanted to know where it was. The queen now had to produce the ring so she went to St.Mungo and asked him if he could find the ring. He told her to take one of her servants to the river Clyde and net a salmon. So as soon as she could she ordered her gilley boy to net a salmon which he did. The salmon was then cut open and her gold ring was found! I was not told what happened next, but I'm guessing she was "safe" for awhile.

The bell stands for St. Mungo himself as all holy men of the day could be identified by their specific bell. As for the trees...legend says St. Mungo brought many trees to the area.

St. Mungo's Church

Today we visited St. Mungo's High Church in Glasgow. For Harry Potter Fans you know that St.Mungo is the name of the hospital for magical maladies. Who knew that St. Mungo really existed? Apparently St. Mungo was an Irish holy man from the 6th century (or so) who helped convert the Scottish Picts to Catholicism.

The church is now Presbyterian and rather dour and dark, except for one small chapel that has been maintained in the old tradition. It is whitewashed and has painted escutcheons. It's called the Black Adder Chapel (and we thought that Black Adder was just a horrible Brit-Com). Travel is broadening!

Copenhagen Day 2

We made a loop, Copenhagen to Copenhagen, on the first leg of our voyage. It took 12 days. During that time we visited Oslo, Aarhus, Warnemunde, and Stockholm. Today we started leg 2 which will eventually take us to New York, The Big Apple! Tomorrow we make another stop in Oslo then we head for Kristiansand a resort village in southern Norway.

Twelve days ago when we landed in Copenhagen we were so jet lagged we hardly remember anything. Today we actually remember what we saw. Other than the Little Mermaid, we saw a couple of old palaces, the new Opera House and the new Theatre, and some pretty "Danish Modern" buildings along the way We cruised the main canal and saw the old "new town" (circa 1600) as well as some neat houseboats (circa 2000) all working together to make Copenhagen a vibrant city.

All of the Baltic countries we have visited are all based along the water--have lots of boats, big and small, and rely on the bounty of the sea in more ways than you can imagine from fish to oil. They have little arable land and cool to cold temperatures. The people are hearty and have learned how to eke a living from their homelands. I have a whole new appreciation for these northern climes.

Sea daze

To me, cruising means visiting strange and exotic places and relaxing. Sea days are perfect for relaxing. There's no reason to get up early to go to shore. There's no need to go bed early either. When you have a sea day you just get to do what you want to do.

Today I walked 2 miles on deck 7, then took a long shower and headed for the coffee bar for a yummy white chocolate latte before the morning Trivia game. Sadly my team did not win, but that's all right. Next on the agenda was to find a quiet place to read and look at the ocean. Deck 18 is always a good hideaway -- followed by lunch at the grill -- followed by a bit of shopping -- see what I mean? Sea days are cool. Tomorrow we are in Copenhagen again before we start the next leg of the cruise which is an Atlantic crossing. Keep watching this spot.

100th Country

Today we stepped foot in Sweden, making it our 100th country! This has been a personal goal for over 25 years and one I did not think we would accomplish when I set it! So, the DrCs have been to all 50 US states, all 7 continents and now 100 countries. We are using the list of countries provided by "Century Travel" who list 321 counties on the planet. So we have only covered 1/3 of the world!

We had a short visit to Stockholm which is a beautiful city made up of islands in the largest archipelago in the world. Right now we are sailing thru that archipelago of over 3000 islands as we depart the city and head for Copenhagen. it's a cool day and it's hailing right now! Our guide said that summertime hail was quite rare.

The pictures show the American Embassy in Stockholm and the other shows some of the neat old buildings that line the waterways of the city. Who knew that Stockholm is a "Venice of the North."

Aarhus, Denmark

It might be the second largest city in Denmark, but I had never heard of it before. It's famous for its university (started in the 1930s), it's culture (named European Culture City--2017), ship building and maybe a recreated "town" of old houses from the 1500s to the present (Den Gamle By).

We drove through the university, walked through an old Lutheran Church, and we walked the grounds of Den Gamle By.

The church was great. It started out as a Catholic Church in the 1100s but was converted to a Lutheran Church by the mid-1500s. Over the years the church was added onto and painted so by the 1960s it was in need of a renovation. That's when they found a wealth of frescos under the whitewash dating from the late 1400s. While they are Catholic in nature they show pre-renaissance logic and form. Fascinating to look at--I took some pictures but I truly needed more time to study them.

The restored town of Den Gamle By was the dream of a teacher, Peter Holm, at the turn of the last century. He noticed that the old houses were being replaced by new ones so he decided that he would save a few from the wrecker's ball. During his lifetime he managed to recreate a village of 25 old homes in a back lot of the Aarhus Botanical Garden--now there are 75 homes and shops on display in a village setting. The houses are pretty authentic with stone streets and of course no sewage or water system. There are several streets each representing a different era from the 1500s, 1700s, 1850s, 1927 and 1974. As the houses become more modern so do the facilities. In the 1500s the streets are rocky--but by the 1700s the streets are paved with larger stones -- and by 1927 the streets are cobblestones with sidewalks. In 1927 a BP fuel pump and electric lights are included. Not quite like Williamsburg or Old Sturbridge Village, but of a similar ilk. Very interesting to see some grand half timbered homes.

The Queen of Denmark was in Aarhus today. We saw her boat and guard, and the back of her coat but we missed her smiling face as she walked up the gangplank. She was opening the annual culture festival of Aarhus.

Oslo

Today we took a tour of a couple of Museums that showed off the proud maritime history of Norway. Getting to the museums we rolled through a very clean and tidy Oslo. I did not see any graffiti. Way to go Norway!

Next we took a scenic cruise along the Oslofjord and it was wonderful! We had the perfect day to sail down the waterway. We passed old fishing huts turned into modern day homes; large refineries for North Sea crude; the New Opera House; and all sorts of sailing vessels.

Nice day in our 99th country.

Seagulls in Oslo

The seagulls thought it was a good day too. They were floating on the water enjoying the calm.

Copenhagen

We took a short city tour of Copenhagen. We saw a couple of castles, the outside of Tivoli Gardens, the changing if the guard and of course the Little Mermaid. It was a good introduction to his part of the world.

Showers, etc.

Showers are different all over the world. Our shower in the Kong Arthur Hotel is free standing in the bathroom. It is just a shower curtain and a faucet. It works but it looks strange.

Here are pictures with the curtain closed and with it open.

Odds and Ends

We are in Copenhagen.

The long flight over the puddle was ok but could have better. Delta BizClass was in a old plane with "dead" cushions. After 5 minutes my seat was like a rock. Don't believe the Delta website where they BRAG about their NEW seats that fully recline into a bed found on their 767-300 fleet. That was NOT the case. The service was very good but it was not posh as we were told it would be at the Sky Lounge in SLC.

We experienced gridlock while on the ground at Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris. We had never needed a connecting flight from Paris before so we did not know what expect. Now we know. The lines are long. The signage is scarce. The people are not helpful. The distances are far. We had 1 hour and 20 minutes to maneuver those obstacles and complete passport control. It would have been easier to do if we had more time.

Upon landing in Copenhagen we followed the signs thru the world's largest shopping mall in an airport. At least it felt like that. Finally we found baggage claim where our bags were waiting. We walked out of the airport and found our Princess liaison who put us on a taxi to our hotel.

On The Road Again

Guess what? We're on the road again...or should I say up in the air again? Right now we are in Salt Lake City sitting in Delta's Sky Lounge. We normally fly United to Denver and you all know how much I do NOT like United's Red Carpet Club there...so I'm happy to report that the Delta Sky Lounge is a huge improvement. They have real food at the snack bar (instead of leftover packets of pretzels) the bar service is fast (club soda with lime ma'am) the chairs are soft and they smell good and the lighting is dimmed to perfection. So far so good.

In case you are wondering we are on the way to Copenhagen where we will board the Emerald Princess. Watch this spot to find out more.

Billy’s Part 4

The never ending search for a good hamburger brought us to a restaurant/bar called The Bird in Jackson. Like Billy’s it’s loud! That’s part of the atmosphere. Unlike Billy’s it serves other things than burgers. Take a look at the menu here. (When you click the link, read the “manifesto” the owner writes about credit cards and his philosophy of life, liberty and the pursuit of good food...it’s a kick.) Then scroll down a bit more to see all the burgers listed on the menu as well as their price. This is not your “cheap burger joint.” (If you continue to scroll down the menu, you will see the owner’s philosophy about unruly kids in a restaurant. It’s a different kind of place!)

We ordered our typical burger. It’s not fast food, so about 20 minutes later our waiter set before two huge burgers. Each weighed about 9 ounces. They were thick, juicy and medium rare. Just the way I like them. The bun was gluten free, and was not “beefy” enough for the huge burger. The burger was enormous...but it was not perfect. The “outside” of the burger was great...but as I neared the center of that huge pile of meat, it was too raw even for me...and it tasted watery. Drat! The fries were good. The restaurant does not serve diet beverages as the owner does not like them...they do serve Club Soda and Iced Tea.

They serve a smaller 1/4 pound burger which might be tastier in the middle. We need to go back and try that one out before we give our verdict...but right now the jury is still out.

The Bourne Legacy

We saw the fourth installment of the Bourne Series. It was a trilogy, now it’s a quartet I guess...but there’s room for more and more if the franchise makes enough money on The Bourne Legacy!

If you are fan of the Matt Damon Bourne adventures, you will be disappointed that he does not show up (except in still photos). However, if you are a fan of the action of a Bourne movie, you will not be disappointed. Once the movie starts, the action starts and never ends until the movie is over.

So, what you have a non-stop action movie that takes you all over the world. The chase scene through the streets of Manila is reminiscent of all the chase scenes in previous Bourne movies. It’s choreographed well with the expected outcome. In fact, it’s such an expected outcome, it’s almost too formulaic!

There are holes in the story. I have no idea how our hero moved from Alaska to Virginia in the blink of an eye, but that’s Hollywood for you...they don’t have to tell the whole story...just the exciting parts.

Since I’ve seen all the Bourne movies, I do not know if this is a “stand alone” movie or not. You do not need a lot of background about Jason Bourne and what he did or did not do, but for continuity you need to know a little bit about the previous movies. If you want to get in the mood, see the Bourne Trilogy and then dive into #4.

The best actor is Rachel Weisz. I don’t even remember who played the Bourne character...nor do I remember the other actors.

If you want an escape from reality that is action packed yet low on the story line...see the movie. If you wait a bit, it will be an even better rental!

Horses, Part 2

My great idea of taking pictures of horses in the valley has turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. If I have a camera with me, the horses are in the back forty or beyond. If I forget my camera, the horses are up close and personal! Why is that?

Then there’s the problem of the horses not doing anything interesting. I can get a lot of pictures of horses chewing on the grass. They are so intent on eating dry nubbins of grass that they don’t even look up when I call. Or worse, right when I think I’m going to get a good picture, they start to do something that I don’t think is very photographic.

There’s no problem in finding the back end of the horse...

but getting a good head shot seems to be more illusive. One of these two was at least looking in my direction, but the other fellow was browsing (which seems to be a favorite past-time).

This fellow was in the back of the field. I used a super zoom lens to snap him up. He was standing still, looking in my direction and not eating! A minor victory for me. While I was not successful in finding horses running with the wind or frolicking in the field, I did see some pretty animals.

In Search of a Billy Burger--Part 3

We are still searching for the perfect hamburger. For years it was Billy’s in Jackson, but this summer, Billy’s went out of business. The building was scraped clean of decades of grease and has been replaced by a “high price” restaurant!

We tried another Jackson restaurant, Bubba’s, known for barbecue, and tested out their burger. It’s ok...not great. First and foremost, the burger does taste good. It is not as juicy, nor as big, as a Billy Burger but the fries are very good.

The atmosphere is altogether different than Billy’s too. There are booths and tables, no sitting at the counter here. The tables are clean with napkins and personal towelettes to keep you tidy (they serve barbecue--remember?) There’s a well decked out salad bar (far too trendy for Billy’s which had about 6 items on the menu) and a much bigger menu. We’re interested in the burger which has become our traditional meal when we are in Jackson. We will return until we find something better.

Seeing Red

We went to the Tetons today. These mountains are great gray craggy rocks usually covered with snow. It's getting late in the season, and the snow has melted, showing even more gray.

Instead of taking the usual road to the mountains, we took the lesser traveled road to Kelly and Gros Ventre. A mere 20 mile diversion, but the change in scenery is dramatic. Instead of the great gray mountains there are rounded red mountains. Not nearly as tall or dramatic as the Tetons, but just as lovely.

As we continued down the road, we arrived at a crystal blue lake, Gros Ventre Lake, created after a quake dammed up the river of the same name.

Abandoned

On our way to Gros Ventre outside of Jackson I discovered an abandoned cabin right inside the boundary on Grand Teton Park.

Even though it's in the Park, there are no interpretive signs telling the history of the house or the two other out buildings. I don't know when it was built nor when the last family left. I don't know why they left. What I do know is the house has a unobstructed billion dollar view of the Tetons.

Of Buckles and Ribbons

There are few places to win ribbons and buckles and medals. This time of year, the obvious medal-granting event is the Olympics. I’m afraid the county fair is not up to the same standards as the Olympics, yet when one of the youngsters wins a ribbon or belt buckle, it means just the same. That youngster is the best of his class!

Robert is the proud wearer of this buckle. He will be one of 23 Grand Champions at the State Fair! That’s a big buckle for a 10 year old!

Cheering the kids along are the County 4H Rodeo Queens...all dressed in their best jeans, hats and fancy shirts. Here they are playing on the fence waiting for their official picture to be snapped.

Artographo Part 2

Now take a look at the sketch view. (I have not played with cartoon view yet but I will.)
Before and after:

Artographo

I love taking pictures and then playing with them. Today's issue of Apps Gone Free has a cool photo enhancing app for iPhone and iPad called "Artographo." With Artographo you can change a photo into a sketch, a cartoon or a watercolor.

Posted below are two photos -- the original and the watercolor version. Too cool!

Divine Swine part 2

We have good news to report! Our 4H pig raiser just won GRAND CHAMPION for Showmanship with his pig Gunpowder! Gunpowder and Robert are representing our county at the state fair in 2 weeks! We are mighty proud of him!!

Good job Robert!

PS: in addition, Gunpowder will not be auctioned on Saturday as she needs to go to the State Fair too!

A Personal Challenge

For the next few weeks, I’ve set up a personal challenge. I want to take pictures of some of the pretty horses that are found in our valley. Here are my first two.

Divine Swine

Today we got up early in order to see the piggies being shown at the county fair. We put on our best “fair” clothes, albeit no boots, hats or western shirts, and arrived on time, only to find out that the judge was not there. In fact, the judge called and said “he forgot!” Another judge was found and he was being flown in, but he would not arrive until 11:00 and it was anyone’s guess as to when the judging would begin. Sad news for the kids who have worked so hard. Sad news for the pigs who do not like the heat.

In the meantime, the 2 “divine swine" we were interested in, Gunpowder (270 lbs) and Bullet (240 lbs), were sleeping in their stall completely oblivious to the problem. That’s probably good, as they will be auctioned on Saturday!