Williamsburg: History in Action I

After a music filled First Night, we spent the next day exploring some of the more traditional attractions at Williamsburg. The town was still decked in its finest Christmas decorations. Wreaths hung from every door, and garland edged the windows, the doorways, and the edge where the roof meets the wall. The decorations were are creatively designed from natural items. Pomegranates and horse apples, orange slices, peach pits, artichokes and more graced the wreathes. There were even garlands of strung sycamore seeds. We made our way through town, coming by foot from the visitor's center complex, passing in front of the governor's guarded and decorated palace, and made our way down the palace green to the Duke of Gloucester Street.

We headed to the Kimball Theatre, where we were scheduled to see Dean Shostak’s Crystal Carols Concert. Dean started off with the eerie and beautiful glass armonica, moved on to glass bells, played a bit of a glass violin, and ended with the Cristal baschet. This display and demonstration of unusual instruments is not to be missed. The sounds are unlike anything you have ever heard, and the delicacy of the instruments involved is stunning.

We made our way back to the Governor's Palace, and took a tour of its interior. Though rather small for a building with such a large name as palace, the rooms are beautifully decorated. From the sword and gun covered foyer to the spacious rooms for dancing and gathering at the back. After our tour, we headed down through the gardens behind the palace to the hedge maze there. While it was enough to entertain me running through it for a bit, it's not much of a maze, and the hedges are thin and sparse, making cut throughs all too easy.

We returned to Gloucester, and stopped in to visit the explore the magazine, and to learn a little about the colonial judiciary system at the courthouse across the street. We made our way to the Raleigh tavern, where we waited to get into to see some actors discuss the issues of the revolution. While we waited, Jake headed over to the Raleigh Tavern Bakery and got us some brownies and hot chocolate that was wonderful. We continued up the street to the Capitol building and took a tour of its interior, and learned about the colonial era government system. The green cloth gives many of the rooms the air of a poker joint, rather than the halls of government, but the rich wood decorations and historical narratives are not to be missed. We headed up the street, stopping in many of the shops, explored the wig maker's and some of the smiths. The smell of wood smoke from the fireplaces filled the air as we finally made our way to a bus station that carried us around to our car at the visitor's center.

We headed over to eat at Sal's Ristorante Italiano. The food was decent home style Italian, but certainly not fantastic, and the service was slow. It did make for a more relaxing meal than the hustle and bustle around historic Williamsburg. It was a pleasant end to a busy day.

Ferries in Italy: Sicily and Sardinia

Our trip to Italy included two overnight ferry trips. The first from Sicily to Sardenia, and the second from Sardenia back to mainland Italy, just north of Rome. We booked deck passage instead of an airline type chair or a cabin, since we figured we would be able to sleep somehow, or they would not offer that option. We thought we might be sleeping outside on the benches, but after trying for some time, we gave up. The wind made it too cold and uncomfortable. When we re-entered the ship's carpeted hotel type hallways, we saw that there were people sleeping in every corner. Some even in rolled out sleeping bags with sleeping masks on. So we found our own little corner, curled up, and went to sleep.

For our second trip, we knew what to expect. This boat turned out to be much nicer, having a large lounge where a man was playing some music, and a bar. We chose the lounge because the seating looked much more comfortable. We settled in to listen to the music for a bit, until a group of spring breaker types accosted the DJ to let them sing to a song. Well, one song turned into several, and they were video taping themselves and generally annoying everyone on the boat. Finally, they called it quits, and another girl was pushed up onto the stage by her friends. She was convinced to sing, which she did. I do not remember the song, but her voice was soothing after the terrible karaoke style singing we'd all been subjected to. She sang only the one song and then hurried off stage as we all applauded loudly, something we had not done at all for the earlier group. After this I quickly fell asleep.

So if you are a little adventurous, you really do not need to pay higher rates for a place to sleep on these ships. While the comfort levels of the deck passage accommodations may vary, It will certainly save you some cash.

Williamsburg First Night

We were looking for something fun to do to welcome in 2009. We had an extra long weekend, and initially thought of going somewhere warm. Instead, we wound up heading north to Eastern Virginia and Williams burg. As a child, I lived for a year near Roanoke, and had the opportunity to visit as a school trip, by my parents were unwilling to shell out the cash. I have been brooding ever since.

All was made well when we arrived on New Year's Eve. Through the magic of the Internet I had discovered Williams burg's First Night celebration. This comprised of a large array of activities taking place in various buildings on the campus of William and Mary, as well as Eastward into Williams burg. We had a schedule of what we wanted to do in hand, and set off, walking all over
the place to see what we could. Our very first stop was Bagels and Fraylox, a very good klezmer band. Klezmer is wonderful mostly upbeat Jewish music. I fell in love and bought a CD. We then went to the Matthew Whaley School, where we watched a juggling act, before heading over to the Williamsburg Library Auditorium to watch Suwabi African Dance. I love African dance because it is so energetically different from modern dance. Somewhere in there was also stopped by briefly to see Schnicklefritz and the Oompahs, where I learned I don't like that type of German music. Unfortunately, I still have the chicken dance stuck in my head, which they had also decided to play.
Here we paused for some food, pizza from some small corner shop I do not remember the name off. It was neat because it had dollar bills lacquered into the floor here and there, but the food was mediocre and left me hungry.

We continued out musical exploration by visiting the phenomenal Bobby Black Hat Blues Band, playing in the Kimball Theatre. I have never seen a man run about and be so energetic while playing the harmonica. And he did get down off the stage and run around the aisles. Accompanied by some swing dance students on stage, it was a high energy show and a lot of fun. From there we went on to see the far more subdued Rebbecca Davy, who performed on the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church's organ. Which was quit and interesting show. To top off our evening, before the Grand Finale, we headed over to see Williamsburg's Classic Swing Orchestra play, and to watch the dancers dance. I love watching people swing dance. I am especially fond of watching the older people do it, because they know just what they are doing, and can lead and improvise so well, even if they don't have the energy of their younger counterparts.

Finally, we headed to the Zable Stadium for the Grand Finale. It was very very cold, and after trying to stick it out, we left before midnight, but had a change of heart and returned in time to ring in the new year and watch the fireworks show.

It was a wonderful evening. What I find most amazing is that we didn't see half of the shows available. This is a great way to explore all the varieties of music of the world, and ring in the New Year in a family friendly way. I highly recommend it.

Charleston: a weekender's paradise

Charleston, like Savannah, is a charming southern coastal city. The historic downtown is picture perfect, with charming homes faced, not toward the roads, but rather towards their very own private side gardens. The porches, which face onto the gardens, are often blocked from view by a door and the end facing the street. Indeed, the most of the landscaping is hidden behind fences and gates. Beyond the cobbled streets lies the bay and the battery park. The seaward side of the battery is lined with cannon and palm trees. Behind these are well spaced live oaks, centered around gazebo like band stand. When we visited early one morning in April, the live oaks were saturated with robins. They fed on the berries of the palms and swarmed among the trees.

Away from the coast is the market building, long and low, it's purpose fairly obvious, even when it is closed. The most popular item for purchase here is the sweetgrass basket, or the cheaper palm leaf flowers. Beyond that, the flea market carries a wide variety of items from local made candies to cheap sunglasses. There are many shops in the area, which lean towards the artsy and eclectic.

Of the shore lies historic fort Sumter. This fort is where the first shots of the civil war were fired by the confederacy who overtook the fort from the North. Today, a ferry leaves from patriots point and escorted by seagulls takes you to the fort. .The ride provides good views of the Ravenel bridge and the Charleston bay Once within the fort's walls, you have the choice of personally exploring the fort, are following a guide as he points out interesting features, and answers questions. .One of the interesting features are the mortar shells wedged here and there in the walls of the fort. Why are they on the inside of the fort? They were fired from over the opposite wall, and dropped within the fort just in

time to blast into the base of the exterior wall from the inside Within the walls of the fort is a war memorial, flying flags of the state and the nation. Also within the walls is a later built artillery housing, painted a severe black. The interior has a small museum, and an original flag.

Patriots Point harbors, in addition to the tours of fort Sumter which leave from there, a world war II air craft carrier, submarine, and battleship, as well as housing a coast guard vessel, and a reconstructed Vietnam camp. The aircraft carrier, while still much smaller than the ones used today, was large. the ship makes good use of all its space though, with unique designs for everything from stairwells to sleeping areas. One of the most puzzling features of the ship were the many broken clam shells scattered across the deck. That was until 'splat' out of the sky dropped a fresh live clam, its shell breaking open to reveal the fleshy insides. The seagull responsible circled patiently, waiting for the tourist to clear the was so it could enjoy its meal. The submarine made even better use of the space, with Jake barely fitting through the small doorways that led from one area to the next.

Cathedral Cove

The town of Hahei, on the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island, has some spectacular beaches. From a parking lot near the sea, a trail leads down to several bays and coves. Along the way, the trail passes through flax and fern, and even a small corner of pasture. The ferns were so thick that some children were using them as very effective camouflage. We skipped a stop at Stingray Bay in favor of reaching Mare's Leg cove, and the Cathedral Cove beyond it. The two are connected by a cave, which was very prominently featured in the early part of the Narnia movie Prince Caspian. Both Beaches are absolutely beautiful. White sand, surrounded by high cliffs, and fronted by some of the bluest water I have seen, and this even on a somewhat overcast day. We stayed briefly to explore, then made our way back, this time taking a slightly different route that led us through some unexpectedly mossy and dark forest.

Blue waters from the trail


Fern tree forest


Children in the Ferns


A Spot of Sunshine


Cave connecting mare's leg and cathedral cove


A Mossy Route Through the Forest

High Museum

For Valentine's day, I finally visited the High Museum in Atlanta. We were fortunate enough to visit when they were hosting both a collection from the Louvre, and Terracotta soldiers from the famous site in Shaanxi Province of China.

The current Louvre exhibit that was being show was en exercise in learning what makes a masterpiece. There were several fine pieces, and in some instances, interesting comparisons. It wasn't quite as interesting, surprisingly, as a similarly themed exhibit of Tiffany stained glass that I once saw at the Frist in Nashville. Still, I enjoy art of all but a some of the modern kind, and found it very interesting. The exhibit continues through September of 2009.

The Terracotta army was fascinating to me. Not only are these life sized soldiers part of one of the most impressive archaeological finds ever made, not only are they ancient pieces of art from one of the world's great civilizations, but they are part of an army of individuals. Through the interpretive displays, this exhibit explains both the different roles represented by the statues, and the way in which they were each built, much like cabbage patch dolls, such that, from a limited set of faces, hairstyles, etc, each piece was a different combination, and in the final details, are unique. Visiting displays like this are always a Catch-22 of sorts. Everyone wants to see them, but they want to see them alone. The site these soldiers originated from now has a solid place on my list of places to see, and I can only hope that in the most populous country in the world, the exhibit won't be as crowded. But despite the crowds, don't miss this. The exhibit closes April 19th.

Valli Dei Templi: How the Greeks know God

After leaving Syracusa, we headed west across Sicily towards Agrigento, and the Valle Dei Templi. As we headed across Sicily's newly improved highway's tunnels and bridges, the stone shifted from limestone to sandstone, and the land turned from green to golden.

When we arrived, it was late afternoon, and the sun was casting a golden glow over an already golden earth; the sky was a clear blue. Despite the name, the temples actually line the crests of small ridges That run almost in a line, rather than being in a valley. Across the road from the parking area lie 3 temples. The first, is the Temple of Herakles, later called Hercules by the Romans. This ruin is mostly toppled with only a few towers left amongst the rubble, and there are no barricades preventing us from exploring the climbing over the ancient carved rock. This temple is oldest of the 3 here, having been built around 510 BC, while the other two temples below were built during the 400's.

Further up the slope is the temple of Concordia, a Goddess of agreement whose name shares the same roots as concur and discord. Today, this temple is largely intact, though several columns are missing their capitals. However, still more complete is the temple of Hera, wife of Zeus. This Temple sits imposingly upon the hill and is the most noticeable temple from the road.

On the other side of the road, just beyond the car park, lay the remains of a very impressive temple. Compared to its neighbors, and many other Greek temples built, this temple of Zeus was massive. Its base was nearly the size of a soccer field, and it's height can best be understood by viewing the telamons, which formed partial columns set into the temples walls. There is one example of these laying on the top of the temples base, but don't miss the museum on the hill of the city, which houses, among other artifacts, a reconstructed erect telamon, made even more impressive by two things. A grand piano that sits near its feet, and models showing how it is believe the temple looked when whole, which reveals that these massive humanoid columns were mere decorations on the temple.

Syracusa: Paolo Orsi and the Ruins

After our night on Mt Etna, we took a route south to the town of Syracusa. Syracusa is both a modern and an ancient city. The modern city houses the Paolo Orsi Museum, full of Sicilian artifacts. We spent the morning visiting the museum and its extensive collections of Greek and roman artifacts. Statuary and pottery predominated the nonetheless varied collections. After the museum in the modern city, we were ready to visit the ancient city nearby.

As we approached the entrance, we saw the Altar of Hieron, a long raised platform, which was used in the ritual sacrifice of large numbers of animals.

After entering, we made our way to the Greek amphitheatre. The amphitheatre, rather than being built up from cut stone, was carved into the hill itself. In parts it has quite eroded, but in others is in surprisingly good shape.

Behind and above the amphitheatre runs a portion of ancient road, and niches in the rock, which were sepulchers, and possibly some also food vendors for audiences attending the plays below. One little niche even had water routed through it by the Greeks to form a beautiful grotto, and that water continues to flow today. As the road winds away form the amphitheater into restricted areas, it is rutted with ancient wagon wheels.

In addition to the ruins of structures, there is also an ancient quarry here known as the Quarry of Paradise, because withing this large pit's walls grows an abundance of tropical plants today. A path leads down into the quarry, which once served to trap Greek prisoners who mined the rock.

Towards the back of the quarry lies the curiously carved ear of Ear of Dionysus referring not to the god but to a ruler who was said to have put his ear to the trumpet-like cave to hear the plotting of the prisoners below.

Home of BigFoot

A trip to New Orleans lives up to all expectations. As we headed down south towards the city, we stopped first for a visit to Honey Island Swamp near Slidell, Louisiana. The tour took us up the river in search of alligators, of which we saw several. Some came close to our boat for the treat that the boats were offering: marshmallows. along the edges of the water and flying overhead we saw herons and egrets. We turned down a narrow oxbow of the main river, and eventually arrived within sight of some housing for the natives. Small, shanty like homes whose only access was by boat, accompanied by a house boat that had been overwhelmed by the Katrina flood waters, and lay half submerged, which was nothing compared to the entire home that lay out in a marsh, having been carried there by the storm surge from its foundations further upstream. After that, our boat turned up into a narrow channel, where the water was covered with duckweed, and Spanish moss hung down in streams from the trees. While there had been ample wildlife out on the open river, it was strangely silent among the knob kneed cypress trees. We finally returned to dock, and we were on our was south to the Big Easy.

A little train ride in New Zealand

We walked out of the airport, into the cool morning air, and over to our car, which was very near the entrance. The rental was with Thrifty, but since there was not a Thrifty branch at the airport, and we were arriving outside their hours, they had delivered the car to the parking lot, and left the keys with the airport's information desk. As Jake went to the machine to pay the parking, I settled us in the car. Then I got into the passenger seat, where our driver's seat usually is, and Jake got into the driver's where the passenger's seat usually is. Without further ado, we were on our way to our first destination. Now because we it took us an hour and a half to get out of the airport, we did have to rearrange our overly optimistic schedule. This was anticipated, and I even had alternate directions printed.

We had a reservation for the 10:15 AM train ride on the Driving Creek Railway. Driving Creek started out as a pottery. The owner gradually build a rather extensive narrow gauge rail system for his collection of clay from the hillsides. The rail finally developed to such a point, that it was opened as a tourist attraction, as a fun and unique way to explore the semi-tropical rain forest.

Our first stop when we arrived on the main street in Coromandel was at a little cafe for breakfast. Here we were first impressed with the Euro/American juxtaposition of this corner of the world. The main street was lined with low flat fronted buildings, most with steel awnings over the wide sidewalks, a setting that would fit in many small American towns. but the wide windows at the front of the store were flung open to the cool morning air, which is not so common here at home. Inside were a smattering of cheap tables and cheap chairs, like you'd find in your average ma and pa place, but the meat pies in the serve yourself case were not like anything you find here at home. And while the man at the table looked like the average American farmer, the voices coming over the radio, a call-in want-ad show, had a tenor to them that was decidedly not a southern drawl.

We picked out some meat pies and settled down to eat. While I have to say I loved the meat pies, Jake was not so impressed. After eating, we headed up the road just a little way to the parking lot for Driving Creek. We took out time wandering about a bit, as it was only just time to open, and still an hour before our scheduled departure. We saw out first Tui on some flax flowers, and our first Silver Ferns up close. We found that there is a short trail into the forest, and as we explored we learned the names of trees we would see throughout out trip. Recently planted Kauri trees, with their tiny leaves, the Rimu which resemble weeping fir trees, Nikau palms, and the impressive fern trees, all of which combined with damp air and quit to give the forest a Jurassic air.

After exploring the short trail, and the somewhat dilapidated sculpture garden, we settled in to watch a video on the owner and creator of the track system. Finally, the time came to board the little train, and make our way up the hill. The train winds past more than just the green forest however.

There was sculpture along the way, and retaining walls built from wine and beer bottles. There was a tunnel decorated with terra cotta, and even a double decker bridge.

There were also several switchbacks, there the train literally drove into a dead end, switched the tracks, then continued in reverse to the switch. After a brief stop at an older overlook, we continued the last leg of the journey to the ultimate lookout point, the eye-full tower. As we were to discern from the witty names of many shops and restaurants we would see throughout our trip, New Zealaner's love a good pun. The views from the top were impressive, showing the rolling hills covered in rain forest and the blue sea to the north. After returning to the train, we retraced our steps and returned to the base of the hill and our car, to head for our next destination, also on the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula, the Cathedral Cove at Hahei

Yellowstone: worth staying inn

After our long day of hiking, we were very glad to arrive at the Old Faithful Inn. Originally constructed in 1904, with wings later added in 1915 and 1927, the Old Faithful in is an enormous log cabin, with a touch of early 20Th century charm. Starving, we hurriedly checked in, put our things in our small room, and, having hardly looked around us, we headed straight for some food as we hadn't eaten anything since our meager breakfast outside pictograph cave early that morning.

Foregoing the hotel restaurant in favor of quicker eats, we headed to the cafeteria. Here, we were disappointed by the quality of the food, the cost, and the service, but food is food, and we were starved (how do you mess up chili cheese fries and a burger?) Full, we headed back to the hotel.

The hotel is nothing short of incredible. Old Faithful Inn, made of log, was built in a time when National Parks were still new, and enjoyed immensely by the wealthy elite, and it shows. The 65 ft ceiling of the lobby is beautiful and impressive, nothing but gleaming natural wood. High at the top lies a small booth for the band that once entertained, though it is no longer safe, due to earthquakes in the area, Yellowstone is the caldera of a massive volcano after all. There is a massive fireplace in the center, and everything is lit with glowing yellow lamp light. Our room was small, and, as the cheapest one available, was equipped only with a sink. Well, there was also a bear in our room... He was made of soap, and lives in my bathroom now. There was a bathroom with chrome, and black and white checked tiles down the hall, and showers were located upstairs in a room done in brown tile and wood. Though we needed the shower, we decided to sit for a while on a bench, on a balcony facing over the lobby, and enjoy the piano being played on another level. I can't tell you what was played, but it made me feel like it was a century earlier.

Eventually we had to admit we were exhausted, and had an early day again tomorrow, so we donned the fluffy white robes provided in our rooms, and headed to the showers. Walking back to the room through the now empty halls, I couldn't help but feel I owned the place. I can't wait to go back. When I am semi retired, I'll be working over the summer here, perhaps, and spend long lazy evenings listening to piano by the light of the fire.

Montgomery Bell and Foggy Bottom

In early spring of last year, we headed out with a couple of friends for a weekend at Montgomery Bell State Park, east of Nashville, and canoeing on the Harpeth river. We arrived at Montgomery Bell Saturday morning, secured our campsite, and set up our tents. Then after lunch, we headed out a trail which connects to the back edge of the iron ore pits and ultimately leads to small and picturesque lake. The trail winds though a typical Tennessee hardwood forest of Maple and Oak, and a forest floor covered with a thicket of last falls leaves and this years new growth, including some blooming may apples, and some unidentified purple flowers as well.

After returning to our campsite, we started up a fire and cooked up dinner. We shared a bit in each others food, making a feast of pulled pork sandwiches, campfire grilled corn on the cob, and smoked turkey legs which led to some complications with utensils that were mostly resolved. And what campfire would be complete without s'mores? When the fire had died down, we all turned in to sleep.

In the morning we broke camp after cold breakfasts, and headed for the Foggy Bottom Canoe Rentals. Despite the fact that the sky threatened rain, we opted to rent a couple canoes and do the 13 mile trip. We enjoyed the start of the trip a great deal, and were having a pretty good time periodically stopping at rock bars along the green river's banks to fish and explore. Then the rain came, and at first it didn't seem too bad. We stopped under some trees to eat, but inevitably, it came time to continue on, and it was still raining. Canoeing in the rain is not so bad if you have a poncho or rain coat, but none of us did. But even being soaked to the bone, as I know I eventually was, might even be welcome if it had been summer, but in early spring, I know I at least was a little miserable.

Which is a shame, because it really is a beautiful river, and I was only dimly aware of it, much more focused on paddling in a steady rhythm to get us back as quickly as possible. Still, there is much to be said about the overhanging trees, and many birds, the deep green water, and red clay cut banks which surrounded us. Maybe this year I will give the Harpeth a second chance, a little later in the year.

A really long flight into the future

On Halloween of 2008 we woke and prepared for a day more nerve wracking than any haunted house. We were going to the airport and heading for New Zealand. After moving through the check in lines and security scans, we visited the food court for some breakfast Stromboli, then we were ready to settle in and wait for our flight. As 9:38 am central time rolled around, our plane to Chicago had still not arrived. The flight was delayed. If we had layovers in Chicago that were an hour or shorter, please approach the desk. Well, our layover was an hour and 17 minutes. After others had approached the desk, we ventured to ask about the situation. The woman at the desk gave us vouchers we could use for the next flight to San Francisco from Chicago, if we arrived too late to take the one we were scheduled for. Eventually, we boarded the plane, but landed with only minutes to catch our originally booked flights. Fortunately, there were seats on the next flight to San Francisco, and the lady at the desk in Chicago gave us tickets to that, then we were waiting again. We took the opportunity to have lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern. Then it was on to San Francisco. Fortunately, our actual flight to New Zealand did not leave until 7pm, and while our original layover of 3 hours and 45 minutes had been seriously reduced, we still had enough time to catch our flight, though they were already boarding when we arrived. It's lucky we had the long layovers that we did, because missing that plane would have delayed us an additional day. Due to the delays, we were particularly paranoid about being separated from our luggage, but Yoda at the desk for our New Zealand flight was able to confirm that our luggage had been scanned and put on the plane before we took off, this was Halloween after all.

Finally, we were on the main stretch of flight. The flight over, while a code share with United was actually operated by Air New Zealand, and was very nice. The massive double decker plane was fully equipped with personal screens to watch a selection of movies or television, play games, or listen to music, as well as watch all the info about the plane and its location. We were served snacks, dinner and breakfast, as well as beverages, which included the standards of coke, but also had wine and beer options at no cost. This wasn't first class, just a really long flight. We were fortunate enough also, to have front row seats, so Jake had plenty of leg room. The flight was so long, we had time to watch 3 entire movies, eat, and catch several hours of sleep. We watched Dark Knight, Wall-e, and Wanted. I highly recommend Air New Zealand. Our experience with United was far less impressive. Fortunately, because this was an international flight, the new fees for luggage did not apply.

Finally, we landed, but our ordeal wasn't quite over yet. First we had to collect our baggage, then we had to wait in a line at customs to get our passports stamped. Then, because New Zealand is a smallish island country, dedicated to protecting its unique ecology from the fungus and bacteria of the rest of the world, we had to go through a few more lines. We had to let them inspect our boots, and hand over our tent for inspection, then go through another line to have our luggage x-rayed for prohibited items (wood, dirt, bone, etc) then we had to wait for our tent to be inspected so we could get it back. Meanwhile, Jake acquired the keys to our rental car. Finally our tent was ready, and we were set to go. It was 6 AM. We had spent roughly 27 hours traveling from Nashville to Auckland. But Auckland was 17 hours ahead of Nashville. So, while we left San Francisco at 7 PM of a Friday night, we didn't land until 6 AM Sunday Morning in Auckland, while it was still only 1 PM Saturday back home.

The rest of this story takes place in the future....

Eh Boo Boo?

After leaving Pictograph Cave, we finally arrived at the North Entrance to Yellowstone, located at the edge of a small town called Gardiner.A large stone gate guards the entrance. Once inside the park, we drove to the first major stop, Mammoth Springs. As we turned into the area, we noticed a nice green median between the lanes with two lifelike statues of elk, except they weren't statues at all, they were just very, very still real elk. Immediately to the right was the rest of the small herd. resting on the green grass in the shade of some trees, and in the company of picnic tables. There was a male with a rack larger than I've seen on elk elsewhere, and a calf ambling about.

Beyond the elk stood Mammoth Springs. It is essentially a large mass of calcite deposits from the water which seeps continually over them. It creates complex patterns of travertine ridges holding shallow pools of steaming water. There are no real geysers in this area, just this massive rock created by the spring. We explored the face of the springs by a short trail, then returned to the car for a drive around a loop to explore the upper terraces area. Having become thoroughly familiar with a landscape that is echoed throughout the park, of dead standing trees, yellow and pure white stone, and steaming water, we continued south into the park.

As we continued south we passed several lesser geological features, including the Roaring Mountain, a belching and gurgling hole in a hillside, our fist acquaintance with a fumarole. Swinging right towards Madison, we came to the Artist's Paint Pots. Paint pots are my favorite thing about active areas like Yellowstone. Acidic vats of liquid rock that plop and gurgle, I could watch them for hours, but we didn't have that kind of time. Back in the car we headed to the Fountain Paint pot Trail. It also features a fumarole that opened during a not too long ago earthquake, and several geysers. The land is alive here. All along the roads are small geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles. The smell isn't pleasant, but it's not as bad as you might think.

After the paint pots, we took the Fire hole Lake drive, and stopped to view Fire hole Falls. As we passed Great Fountain Geyser, one of the somewhat predictable, and large geysers, we saw that it might erupt soon, so we decided to stop and wait for it. This geyser erupts only twice a day (on average) and we were lucky to only have to wait 20 minutes for it. Old Faithful is by far NOT the largest geyser in the park, and this one far outstrips it. It sends up huge amounts of water, spreads massive clouds of sulfur smelling steam into the crowd. It died down somewhat after about 20 minutes, and we took that as our cue to move on. It was late afternoon at this point, but we still had a lot on our plate.

Our next stop was the Midway Geyser Basin. This consists primarily of two large features. The first is Excelsior Geyser. Though now it is mostly a hot spring, there was a time when it erupted hugely. It is the size of maybe a fishing pond, and is a rocky Mediterranean coastline in miniature. The edges are steep, dark and craggy, the water a perfect blue. The other feature is the more famous Grand Prismatic Spring, the perfect example of a hot spring, clear blue at the center, surrounded by rings of vivid color, ending with a broad red outer ring. The colors define regions where different bacteria thrive in the range of water temperatures, and lend their color to the rocks.

As we were heading back to the car, from the Grand Prismatic Spring, we approached the wooden bridge that crosses the trout filled stream between the springs and the parking lot. As we neared the bridge we noticed, a bird of prey flying towards the stream. It's distinctive black and white markings gave it away as an Osprey, the first we had ever seen. Suddenly the bird bent his wings, and was momentarily motionless over the water, almost beyond believability. Then, the spell was broken and he dived down to the stream, shearing the top of the water with his talons, but he came up empty handed. He then circled a little farther down stream, and repeated the show, this time disappearing behind the trees as he dropped. When he rose, he gripped a trout, its head in one claw, it's tail in the other, the body of the fish making a bright shining U in the afternoon sun. I was hoping he would land nearby to eat, but he instead flew far away, out of sight over a nearby hill.

At this point, we were loosing light fast, but we still wanted to see one more thing: Mystic Falls, off the Upper Geyser Basin Loop. This loop has several smaller geysers, though we didn't have the time to pause and look at them, as we headed towards the back of the loop, and the spur that led to the falls. The area was beautiful. a stream to our left, and across the stream, an area of high canopy forest, with grassy undergrowth, then a steep wall. to our right was another steep rise, forming a narrow valley. We were at this point power hiking. I was totally out of breath due to the altitude, but we pushed on, anxious to get to the falls, and back out before dark, in this, prime grizzly country. Fortunately, the trail was not too long, perhaps a mile, or less, and we finally reached the falls. a broad rush of water dropping probably 30 or 40 feet, from one level of the valley floor to another. We went only far enough to overlook the falls, then headed quickly back to the car. Finally, done with our activities for the day, we were ready to head for the Old Faithful Inn

Pictograph Cave

After spending the night comfortably in our car, north of Billings, Montana, we woke up with the sun and headed south into town. We stopped to get gas and breakfast at a little gas station. We then headed to the entrance of Pictograph Cave, but found we were a few minutes early, so we sat and waited for the ranger to arrive and open the gate. Meanwhile, coyotes could be heard yipping in the distance. Finally the ranger arrived, and we drove up to the parking lot. After the ranger settle himself in his trailer, he came out to take our entry fee and talk to us. I think he was a little curious why we would be there so early in the morning. When we mentioned we'd be heading to Yellowstone in the afternoon, he seemed skeptical that such a thing was possible.

The park is small, having just a simple loop trail, that leads up and past 3 shallow caves in the face of a cliff. There is a little guide book that describes what you see at various markers, as you make your way around. At this early hour, there was a herd of bunnies in the one flat area adorned with picnic tables. They were everywhere. You have never seen so many bunnies in your life. Despite the surrounding grasslands, this sloping area is still mostly scrub. There were also a lot of birds nearby, including cliff swallows, in their little mud homes, and circling hawks. The primary attraction here is the pictographs left on the wall by the former residents of the cave. After taking a leisurely walk in the early morning light, and just as other visitors were starting to arrive, we headed off for Yellowstone.

Botanical Gardens Plus

On the south western edge of Nashville lies a wonderful and varied botanical garden. With gardens showcasings herbs, dogwoods, and native Tennessee wildflowers, as well as more formal japanese, perenial, and terrace gardens. Easter is a fabulous time to visit with some of the best flowers in bloom, and bees buzzing. The landscape also features some tranquil ponds, and enough room to spread out a picnic blanket, let the little ones roam, or toss a frisbee. There is also a visitors center facility, with room for botanical showcases.

But Cheekwood is not just a botanical garden, it also has a very beautiful mansion, which is actually the Cheekwood Museum of Art, which houses not just some interesting permanent collections, but also has space for traveling exhibitions. Since March of 2007 it has housed a beautiful and petit collection of faberge, including 3 of the famous eggs as well as other delicacies. That exhibit is currenlty ongoing.

In addition to all this is the woodland sculpture trail, a combination of the two different aspects of Cheekwood. This gentle trail wanders through a periwinkle carpeted forest leading to several interesting, unique, and modern sculptures, which were captivating even to my more classical and traditional art oriented mind.

Cheekwood is a real gem, and not to be missed on a beautiful spring day. Admission is perhaps a little steep at $10 per adult, but for the right art exhibit, the price is more than fair. for more information, check out Cheekwood's Website

My Days Down Under

For the first 3 weeks of November in 2008, we were fortunate enough to visit New Zealand and Sydney, Australia.

New Zealander's must be very proud of themselves for keeping this place such a secret. Perhaps it is protected by it's distance from the U.S. but it definitely isn't the first place that would come to most Americans' minds if I were to start talking about fantastic mountains, long hikes, glaciers, very impressive rain forests, and incredible fjords. Jake has always put a priority on going here, and I have always put a priority on seeing glow worms. I never knew that this is where they are. That's why we chose New Zealand, over Australia to accompany our visit to the Sydney area to see friends.

As we read about New Zealand, about the many outdoor activities, the wildlife, and the natural landscape, we both became pretty excited. But nothing really prepared us for just how awesome this place is. And what's really fabulous is that, while the location, flora, and fauna my be far flung and exotic, thanks to colonialism, the culture mostly isn't. Don't get me wrong, the Maori add a distinctive island flare, but the culture is British, with a frontier attitude. In fact, New Zealand is reminiscent of the U.S. in some ways, strongly British, or European in others.

Take for instance the small towns, with most businesses set up along a single main street. Comfortably American, with little of the European architectural flair, or confused backstreets and alley ways. However, on that street sits a Cafe, where you can get precooked items ready to go, especially deserts, and meat pies. Yet there at the counter sits an older farmer, indistinguishable in his worn overalls and muddy boots with a bit of middle aged paunch, from his American Counterpart. If nations like England and Germany are our ancestors, New Zealand feels much like a cousin, or perhaps a long lost sibling.

I also visited Sydney. And, while I visit much of New Zealand in the two short weeks I was there, and do feel I got a fair representation of the entire country, my visit to Australia falls far short. My visit was more or less limited to the Sydney area, and it would be no more fair for me to make judgement on the concept of what the country is like, than is would be for an Australian to do having visited only New York City. We are both large countries, and varied. Still having seen Sydney, and spent a good deal of time at various wildlife centers, whale watching, clubs, a dog race, and a fair amount of time riding trains, I will say this: It compares well with other cities of its size. It is fairly clean, and has a safe feeling. It has a few entertaining street performers in the touristy spots, and quit a few people. It has a new and shiny feel to it, perhaps thanks to the recent Olympic games, and ironically, the next closest city I can think of is Atlanta, GA. Perhaps because I have also spent a fair amount of time in aquariums and on trains in that city as well.

Stick around and I'll update you on what makes both New Zealand and Sydney worth visiting.

The Hermitage, Jackson's Home

The Hermitage, once the home of General and President Andrew Jackson, is now a well maintained historical site, museum, and interpretive center. We chose to visit for nostalgia's sake when the we found out the Hermitage was participating in the Smithsonian Museum Day. We were each given a audio tour device, and made our way to the colonnaded home. We arrived in the afternoon, and didn't have time to visit the museum in the visitor's center. The audio guide informed us about the grounds as we made our way to the house, and once inside, we were led by guides dressed in period clothes.

After the indoor tour, we wandered the grounds, explored the slave cabins, which had once been the family home, and enjoyed the opportunity to pick a little cotton. Cotton is a bizarre and fabulous plant that I can't quite believe is real. Having grown up in the area, I had of course spent a few field trips here, and it was interesting to see how it has grown since my childhood, with a more modern visitors center, and more recent excavation work.

Overall, this was an entertaining activity (especially for the price) and I think that the Hermitage does merit at least a half day's visit for those touring the area. As a former President's home, it's an important part of history. It is also informative about the style of life at the time, and walking the grounds about the home provides a perspective on the scale of an operational farming household at the time.

Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession

On September 29, 2008, we visited the Frist because it was participating in the Smithsonian Museum Day, and, like the Smithsonian, was offering free admission. The most interesting display was an exhibit on Rodin. The museum's information on the exhibit, which unfortunately closed earlier this month is located here. The works were very interesting, as was a video and display helping to explain the process of casting bronze. I think what I like most about the artist is his recapturing some of the greatness of sculptors from the Italian Renaissance, right down to the more commercial aspects. Wikipedia has a very good entry located here, which discusses many of the works, examples of which are included in this very nice collection.

For those who may be interested in seeing the collection, and I do recommend it, it has moved to the LSU Museum of Art.