Vikings are popular. Everybody wants to know more about them. Though you may think of Vikings only as seafaring warriors, they were mainly farmers. They conquered many a-town but were first-rate explorers and traders as well (i.e., discoveries in the West; glassware and rope.) Although the Viking Age only lasted from the 8th through the […]
Flying to America from Europe, I spent a few days and nights in Iceland. Only 390,000 people inhabit the country, and a third live in the main city of Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital of a sovereign state. Landing on a cloudy day, it felt like I arrived on a world covered in fog and […]
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all! Since today everybody is from Ireland, I would like to wish all of us a safe and happy celebration. Today’s post concludes a series about my 2024 visit to Ireland. I hope you enjoyed these videos of the past few months, and had as much fun viewing them as […]
Over 2,000 years ago, a fortress was built on the tiny island of Inishmore (Inis Mor) located off of Ireland in the tiny Aran Islands chain in the Atlantic Ocean. Who, why, how, and what for? That is the mystery of Dun Aengus, as great a legend as the lost city of Atlantis itself. Archeologists […]
Though I would never attempt to dissuade fairy tale imaginations, my real-life travel encounters to castles around the world have solidified thoughts about the times and places in which they were built. Those days were rough! How else could a place that was an equivalent to Fort Knox/seat of government/standing armed fortress survive without a […]
When I travel to a new place, I like to hunt for the old. Not literally, but of a sort, I “dig” for human development and achievement in a country’s museums of archaeology, painting, photography, and history. “Main Street” museums in small towns also give us glimpses of past lives in these places. Of course, […]
Happy Inauguration Day America! Enjoy this video of the biggest Irish cities, Belfast and Dublin, and get a streetside perspective of the business, architecture, and daily lives of the people there. You will want to tour the capitol buildings and the Titanic Museum in Belfast, take your picture with the statue of Molly Malone and […]
Ireland is an island, of course. There is close proximity to food, commerce, and transportation via the sea. Unfortunately, the waters around Ireland are not expansive enough to forego invaders such as Vikings, played out time and again in the ancient past. Fortunately, and with luck, those days of besiegement forever are in the past. […]
Outside of the biggest cities, Ireland is a place of neighboring town and country regions. Each has its own charms, breathtaking scenery, architecture, decoration, and soul. Farms and fields provide food. Lovely town streets are lined with boutique shops, small hotels, and historic pubs and cafes. Irish Gaelic is spoken often in everyday life. These […]
Ireland has the nickname “Emerald Isle,” which is fitting for its landscapes of green. Frequent, but not long, rains water plants as they grow happily and heavenward in a chlorophyll-filled blaze across the island. Some say there are 50 shades of green in an acre of Irish soil. I say there must be at least […]
Ireland is called the Land or Island of Saints and Scholars. It is land of saints because of the rapid foundation of Christianity after its arrival in 400 A.D. As a result, monasteries and clerical institutions rose from the local stone throughout the late 5th through 9th Centuries. Pictured in the accompanying video, some of […]
In Ireland, the Rock of Cashel stands as the most complete complex of historical structures from the Medieval Ages. In a self-guided tour of the site, you view excellent examples of: 1. early Christian architecture, (the Round Tower;) 2. Romanesque (newly-restored Cormac’s Chapel, frescoes;) and, 3. Gothic, (ruins of the main cathedral, built between A.D. […]
This summer, a trip to British Columbia in Canada included a visit to the Okanagan. A series of lakes, valleys, and mountains – the result of glaciation – greeted me as I crossed the northcentral border with Washington state. The pace felt slower, more relaxed, and agricultural; just what I needed for a vacation-break. Today, […]
From quiet and tranquil to wild and daring, this video looks at the four-season landscapes of British Columbia — Nitobe Memorial Gardens at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, a Japanese-style public garden; and, Whistler resort, with its art museums, activities, and accommodations, the home of the Winter Olympics of 2010.
Reopening this summer after a two-year seismic retrofit, The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Colombia should be on your list of places to visit in the greater Vancouver, Canada area. No pun intended, but I could have been one of the first people to visit this homage to First Nations culture after […]
As part of my adventures, I like grand national parks, horizon-filling national monuments, and beautiful open spaces of all kinds. These places highlight nature in all of its wide-open magnificence. Yet, I also love the smaller scale, more detailed, intimate gardens I visit. In that sense, the Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, Canada, surprised me […]
In this last of four posts about the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we see a video of another of its treasures. There are colorful, natural cliffs in the otherwise desert flatlands of America’s Southwest known as Vermilion Cliffs. They were designated a National Monument in 2000, one of our most recent and undeveloped frontiers. […]
The Rainbow Bridge was designated a National Monument in 1910. Located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, you get to this giant arch two ways: by a backcountry trek of 50 miles, or by a National Park Service boat from Lake Powell’s Wahweap boat launch. I chose the latter. The Monument connects us with […]
Again visiting Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we will be looking at the picturesque area known as Horseshoe Bend in today’s short three-minute video. Located just five miles downstream from Lake Powell, and minutes from the city of Page, Arizona, it is worth the side trip when you visit this area. When I went in […]
It’s looking and feeling like summer again. There’s no better way to beat the heat than to cool off by jumping into a giant body of water! The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a 1.25 million acre United States National Parks Service site on the border of Utah and Arizona, has Lake Powell. This reservoir […]
This is a quick song and video about Japan’s quick trains, the “Shinkansen.” At first, train service in Japan, (subway, local commuter routes, high-speed bullet trains,) can be daunting and confusing. I was aware of some of the humorous looks I got while pondering over the signs and directions in the station. Once I got […]
From big city hustle to forested ryokans (traditional Japanese inns,) Japan has it all. Japan is a mix of the old and the new. Though wars and earthquakes have been destructive, Japan has rebuilt itself in the styles of the past and the modern. Here, you find people living in modern housing and traveling on […]
During my recent trip to Japan, I photographed a number of castles and museums. Of the former, there were pictures of: (1) Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, (originally built in 1333) – the white “Egret” Castle, one of the top three castles in Japan; (2) Tokyo’s Imperial Palace – formally the site of […]
Japan is an island, (I should say “islands” much the same as the state of Hawaii is made up of several islands.) Japan is a language and a culture, (again much the same as Hawaii.) Thus, Japan has its own unique designs and architecture. In this video, I have selected a few design/architecture statements that […]
Japanese gardens can be found all over the world. They are a well-known and respected form of landscape architecture that shuns the man-made, borrows from the surrounding scenery, and features the natural materials of rock, sand, water, ocean, fish, flower, and more. Many of the gardens I visited in Japan have existed for centuries. In […]
There are numerous shrines and temples in Japan. Some date back centuries and dynasties. In Kyoto, the Fushimi Inari Shrine is a must see! Hiking the mountainside trails behind the shrine feels like a pilgrimage. Thousands upon thousands of red-orange-vermilion torii gates (paid for by local businesses,) line the trail, and fill camera lens with […]
Traveling to Japan during this time of year puts you into the heart of Cherry Blossom Season, an annual occurrence throughout the islands. Recently, I traveled from East to West Japan and back again and saw some beautiful samples of the flowering cherry trees, aka Sakura, throughout Japan. Their significance is threefold: (1) they signal […]
Legends from the old Wild West of America — outlaws, marshals, wooden wagons, Tombstone, Boot Hill — still are evident in the Southwestern United States. Many museums, roadside attractions, and small town businesses play with this enduring fascination. Links with the old west and Gold Rush days are still strong. In today’s video, you will […]
As tomorrow is the first day of Spring, (March 19, 2024,) it is a good time to relish some of the flowering joys of this season. There once was a hamlet, a small California Gold Country town in the Sierra Nevada foothills, called Volcano, where a beautiful flower show sprang every spring in a place […]
One of the U.S.A.’s newest National Monuments is Gold Butte, close to the city of Mesquite in southeast Nevada, alongside the Utah/Arizona border. As one of President Obama’s last actions in office, 300,000 acres of the Mojave Desert were declared a National Monument under the Antiquities Act in 2016. (National Monuments are similar to National […]
For a final destination in Australia, (this time,) I travelled to the Great Barrier Reef. The easiest way to see the Reef, and dive or snorkel there, is by boat from Cairns and Port Douglas. Or, as I did, you can hop aboard a fast, rubber Zodiac boat from the beach off the coast of […]
In Australia, most of the land developments are on the coastlines. Well, that is true anywhere in the world – the biggest population centers are on or near a coastline. Perhaps it is the human affinity with water. the more temperate climate near a coast, or just that they like the look and sound of […]
The title of this post plays on the pronunciation of the city name “Cairns” in the tropical northeast part of Australia. It sounds like “can,” and if you enjoy this post, someday you Cairns go there! My favorite site in Cairns is the display of beautifully stained-glass windows at St. Monicas War Memorial Cathedral. Also, […]
During my trip last year, one of the museums I visited in Sydney, Australia, was the Hyde Park Barracks. It is located conveniently downtown, and it is free. This type of museum, in which a historical place has been converted into a museum with items of its era, can be just as intriguing as a […]
As we continued on in our travels in Melbourne, Australia, modern architecture became one of the most striking sights encountered. Of course, we discovered historical cottages and public buildings in Melbourne as well. But, the juxtaposition of these different styles brings forth the vitality of this country in a good way. Although you may prefer […]
Wherever I travel, I like to view the local art scene. If it be at a museum, an art gallery, or even on a wall, (sometimes,) I take in as much art as I can as part of my travel “sightseeing.” As an enlightening experience, I better understand a culture, a history, and what makes […]
Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere, springtime is from September through November. Is there a better way to enjoy a spring day other than to go for a walk in the park? The city of Melbourne, Australia, has wonderful gardens to visit, and thankfully, a great, public, modern, trolley-like, light rail system to get […]
In the south of the Northern Australia region lies Uluru. Titled Ayers Rock, yet time indeterminate, this area is the Outback which Australia is famed. I was fortunate enough to make this trek via jet airliner from Sydney. Flying over acres and acres of brushland, it can be easy to overlook how the flora, fauna, […]
Recently, I visited Australia and swam, drove, biked, and walked around some of its best-known places. Today’s video presents photographs of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. In future posts, we visit the Outback, southern coast, and Great Barrier Reef. I started my tour at the […]
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a subalpine forest and meadow national monument. At 10,000 feet in elevation, the air is crisp, wildflowers sprout and grow even through the hottest months of summer, (the photographs in the video were taken in early August, 2023,) and night skies dazzle. A natural amphitheater, with walls over 2,000 feet […]
As explained in the last post, the Dinosaur Diamond is a National Scenic Byway in the states of Utah and Colorado, U.S.A. This post will show you that this area is important, not only nationally, (by the way, it is also a dynamic drive through the desert,) but is a world-leading dinosaur fossil feast-the biggest […]
The Dinosaur Diamond is a 486 mile National Scenic Byway in Utah and Colorado, U.S.A. The name comes from the shape of the route, which appoximates a diamond, and because it is the preeminent dinosaur boneyard in the world. To be one of America’s Scenic Byways, a route must have scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archeological, […]
Colorado National Monument is situated between the towns of Fruita and Grand Junction, Colorado. It is managed by the U. S. National Park Service. There is a campground, many trails, and a very scenic drive in the Monument. Nearly within a stone’s-throw of U.S. Interstate 70, it makes a neat addition to a trip to […]
View this video, and get to know the only USA National Park south of the equator.
There are ways to travel, and then there are ways to travel. England has them all. Wherever I go, I like to use public transportation. You may see places that you have not noticed before, you might strike up a conversation with a local with broad knowledge of the area, and you will probably pay […]
In the heart of tourism season, a video of the Tower of London, England has been requested. The Tower of London is not a cliche, but the actual place and things you read about in stories and history. On display are fine artifacts such as shiny, metal armor, horse armor, cannons, bows and arrows, and […]
In these next two posts, I will be annotating two of the more familiar travel sites in Great Britain — Stonehenge and the Tower of London. By themselves, they are architecturally and historically important. Combined with their cultural and anthropological significance, you get a national park/monument type of experience as good as any in the […]
You can spend hours, if not days, in each of London’s museums. Their collections are vast and intriguing. Although I enjoy small town museums in numerous American towns and cities, the museums in London are very special. It’s not only the beauty or history of their displays, but also how they are arranged. A good […]
York, a city in northeastern Great Britain, brings to mind ghosts of past centuries. When you travel to York, you will uncover Viking and Roman-era ruins, ruins of an Abbey, cobblestoned streets (or gates as they are called,) and remnants of palatial life by earlier English monarchs. York is a walled city, and reminds me […]
Some know Bath, a city in South West England, as the home of Jane Austen in the early 1800s. She used it as a setting in her novels Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Others may recall the Wife of Bath, one of Chaucer’s spicier characters, in his 14th Century Middle English classic The Canterbury Tales. From […]
With all there is to see and do in London, England, I still find time to explore its neighborhoods. Some look newer, some look older, but all have unique qualities to them. London is very walkable, or you can take the Underground, taxi, or a double-decker red bus to get around. In the next few […]
Much like the places seen in the National Parks series, diving and snorkeling locations can be great areas to vacation. Wherever it may be around the world, there is usually quite a lot of both flora and fauna to observe and admire beneath the water’s surface. These places can look like gardens, mountainsides, or sandy […]
It’s time to explore two of the Tuamotu Islands in the South Pacific – Rangiroa and Fakarava. If you choose to visit one of these islands or others in the Tuamotu Archipelago, chances are you will find some places all to yourself. The largest, Rangiroa, has less than 3,000 residents. To your delight, marine life […]
As part two of three in a series of French Polynesian islands, this post highlights more of the Society Island archipelago. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, the Society Islands consist of 14 islands stretching in a relatively straight line, much like the Hawaiian Islands. In the last post, we viewed Tahiti Island, the capital […]
I took these photographs of Tahiti on my first ever cruise ship trip. Because I home-ported in Hawaii, I figured I should take a ship somewhere close, so I took the Paul Gauguin through the Society Islands and Tuamotus. I flew from Honolulu to Papeete, stayed a few days, played some golf, then boarded my […]
If you travel what is left of the historic US Route 66, through eight states by bike or auto, you will see what a good part of America looked like before jet airplanes and interstates. There still are towns with diners, gas stations, “roadside attractions,” and the like. Officially decommissioned in 1985, much of its […]
Everyone got the day off of work, and Tuesday’s Mardi Gras means the start of abstinence of some kind until Easter Sunday. The dates of these holidays this year appear to be a yin and yang situation, or a life in balance. At least we can try, and hope for the best. Speaking of hope, […]
Bandelier National Monument is close to Los Alamos, New Mexico. Yet, it belongs with the national parks that trail through the corridor of New Mexico and Colorado. This corridor was populated ages ago by the Ancients. Mysteriously, they disappeared and left no record of why. But, you can still see their construction work at places […]
Enjoy this video of San Francisco’s Chinatown in its annual Lunar New Year’s celebratory spirit. Calendar year 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. Have a fun and fortunate new year!
Happy New Year, and happy new landscape. The volcano Kilauea is busy creating new land from molten earth-core. As the lava lake within Kilauea’s caldera rises safely without spilling outside the rim, it is truly a good time for volcanists of all ages to visit. If you like to let off a little steam while […]
Happy Boxing Day, Happy Holidays, and happy end-of-calendar year 2022 to you! If you are planning any visits to the National Parks in 2023, put this park on your short list. It has epic, historic buildings and trails (the Appalachian Trail,) green landscapes, streams, rivers, fall color, and, of course, “smoky” mountains. Check it out!
Water is here. Water is there. Water is everywhere! Water is Everglades National Park. Celebrating it’s 75th birthday in 2022, Everglades remains one of the most vital and unique of the National Park Service of the United States, and a UNESCO site.. Receiving 60 inches of rainfall a year, (or twice the amount of the […]
Someone once said “It’s the journey, not the destination.” Getting to Great Basin National Park in Nevada, USA, is half the fun. It is likely you will travel there on U.S. Highway 50, the “Lincoln Highway,” also known as the “Loneliest Road in America.” You will see small-town museums at their finest, centuries-old courthouses, and […]
Happy Halloween everybody!
Imagine, if you will, how the plains and prairies of Midwest America used to appear before the eyes of the beholders, had they been farmers, traders, or frontiers people of any ilk who came upon these lands. This diverse ecosystem, both flora and fauna, stretched out in all directions and covered nearly one-third of North […]
October 21, 2022, marks the 23rd birthday of this National Park in Colorado. That means Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the youngest American National Park landmarks, but geologically, its appearance is one of the oldest. Rock formations in the steep cliff walls at this Park go back billions of years. Similar to […]
In keeping with the “spirit” of the past couple of posts, I bring you Part Three of the series “Small Town Museums of the USA.” Today’s video is “Bodie Ghost Town,” and it shows you the remnants of a long-abandoned town in California. It remains a ghost town, one of many still existent in America. […]
Part Two of this series of small town museum collections contains pictures from Southwest Utah. As part of the American Southwest, locals take pride in their remembrance of bye-gone days — culture and history of simpler times — and have restored and preserved this life of the past. The video shows two Utah state park […]
Indoors and outdoors, small towns across America love to show off their history. Whether it be old farm equipment, mining tools, cars, planes, trains, and other transportation, or parlor, kitchen, and office furniture, (to name just a few,) buildings and open spaces are set aside for museum-like displays. Last post, I showed the Miracle of […]
The Miracle of America Museum, located just off highway 93 in Polson,Montana, displays a collection of Americana artifacts. You may saysome pieces in the museum are rusting relic-art, (farm equipment, metalart, automobiles, locomotives, etc.,) but each item holds a history andremembrance for someone you know, (perhaps even yourself!) Every room in the museum is chock-full […]
In 1869, the continental United States was joined together by a railroad that spanned the entire country from coast to coast. In the East, the Union Pacific Railroad headed west from Omaha through wild and sparsely-settled prairies. And from the West, the Central Pacific Railroad climbed through mountain passes and ranges to reach its destination. […]
There’s more pictures of Glacier National Park in today’s video set to a little, jazzy, groovin’ number called “Coastin’ Time.”
Hello again, and welcome to summer! I’m going to talk a little about this park today and show you a video of what you might expect at this place. It’s a big place, so give yourself plenty of time to hike, camp, fish, golf, explore, and enjoy. Glacier was established as a national park in […]
Next week marks the beginning of my favorite holiday-time of the year, at least when I was a kid — the end of the school year and the start of summer! It is a time to celebrate another year of learning, a time to appreciate the past year, but also a time to look forward […]
Today is Memorial Day, and it is the unofficial kickoff to summer. To all, have a fun, safe, and beautiful summer this year. This one is dedicated to Uvalde. God bless.
What more can I say about Yellowstone that hasn’t already been said -“the best,” “the first,” “waterfalls,” “geothermal geysers, mud pots, hot springs,” “colorful,” “Grand Canyon of the north,” “wildlife,” “Old Faithful,” on and on. The landscapes around the park also are memorable – Grand Tetons, Snake River, Beartooth Mountains, et cetera, et cetera, et […]
You may notice, as you view my latest video, that the park entrance and Visitor Center has the name “White Sands National Monument” written on it (established January 18, 1933.) Well, yes, that was true when I visited in late 2019. Since then, however, this area has become a full-fledged National Park (December 20, 2019.) […]
The Lyndon B. Johnson Historical Park (LBJ Ranch,) 50 miles outside of Austin, Texas, protects the birthplace, home, ranch, and final resting place of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president of the United States. Close by, his wife Lady Bird Johnson and actress Helen Hayes created a wildflower conservation center that most now call the best […]
Previously, we saw missions and artifacts of the National Park Service’s “San Antonio Missions National Historic Park,” a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today, we view the best-known mission in San Antonio — Mission San Antonio de Valero, “The Alamo.” Although not technically part of the NPS, (it is run by the Texas General Land Office,) […]
In 2015, San Antonio Missions National Historic Park received the designation “UNESCO World Heritage Site.” It is the only place in Texas to receive the honor, and one of only 24 in the entire United States. It nearly goes without saying that this is a very special National Park. These missions were built in the […]
In another of the U.S.A. National Parks, Memorials and Monuments series, today’s park is located in the desert southwest. In fact, some say the plant that gives this park its’ name epitomizes the American Southwest. It not only epitomizes the land, it personifies the people who have lived on the land. See the silhouette of […]
Did you know that the “Rockies” – the Rocky Mountains – are the longest mountain range in North America, and the second longest on Earth? At 3,000 miles (4,800 km) long, the mountains range through seven States (New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Washington,) and two Canadian Provinces (British Columbia, Alberta.) Within this area […]
Petrified Forest is an American National Park located in the southernmost Colorado Plateau desert region. Yes, you read that right — a forest in the desert, because it’s a forest like no other. Here, the petrified wood trees look like stones, granite, marble, or gems. You’ll see remnants of fossilized trees some 224 million years […]
Today’s offering in the National Parks, Memorials, and Monuments series is slightly different. Redwood National Parks in the north coastal California/Oregon border area actually are a combination of numerous state and federal parks, such as Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Redwoods National Park. There is no Visitors Center that […]
Happy New Year 2022!
From where we were last, “Point Reyes National Seashore” in Northern California, USA, it is an easy, yet exciting, drive north up the coast to Fort Ross. From Point Reyes, you head north on the Pacific Coast Highway, (PCH-1,) following the coastline in a most memorable fashion. Along the way, you will see coastal towns […]
We are going coast to coast from the previous post to today’s post, from the Gulf Coast to the Californian Bay Area-Bodega Bay Pacific Ocean Coast, on our tour of America’s National Parks, Memorials, and Monuments. Point Reyes National Seashore is a special place. Of course, there is the sand and waves of the seashore, […]
Today you can watch the Olympics. No, not the Olympic Games – Olympic National Park in Washington, U.S.A.! I call them the Olympics because there are so many different types of nature to see there. The park rises from ocean to mountaintop, rain forest to glacier, lakes to subalpine meadows. There is something for everybody […]
First of all, have a happy All Saints Day today, November 1st. Today I present my video of Acadia National Park in Maine, U.S.A., another park in the video series of national parks, memorials, and monuments compositions of the last few years. If you want to see it in person, as I recommend, now is […]
Mt. Rainier doesn’t get the glory it deserves. It may not be the grandest nor the tallest mountain in the U.S. National Park Service. In its Pacific Northwest home, often it is overlooked by Mt. Saint Helens, (a volcano like Mt. Rainier,) Olympic National Park, (sub-alpine like Rainier, but also Pacific Ocean coastline, plus tropical […]
In the continuing series of National Park, Memorial, and Monument videos, we return to California to view one of its national parks. Joshua Tree National Park is located close to the Palm Springs area, where you can see uber-cool mid-century modern architecture by the likes of Richard Neutra, Cliff May, etc. One can argue that […]
This post presents a musical video of photographs from the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, USA. There are some big-a** dunes there – the largest in North America. You can board down them (boards for rent,) or hike to the peaks of the tallest. This is an amazing, unique place in the national parks, preserves, […]
I took a trip to Alaska and Denali National Park three years ago, and kept some photos for today’s video. One can really see and feel the undeveloped, beautiful, wilderness there. If you enjoy getting away from it all – there’s your place. As a bonus, it is the only national park that I know […]
As the largest known limestone cave in the Western Hemisphere, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, is truly a site to see. When you visit, may I make a suggestion? Take the trail down to the cave entrance, and descend into the Caverns via the pathway. This way, you will see more of the […]
Nature lovers have found solace not only in America’s national parks and monuments, but also in it’s national wildlife refuges, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Today’s video shows some of the natural beauty of these habitats. Overall, most people who travel on Interstate 5 in California notice the vast agricultural lands in […]
Places I can recommend you visit during the long, hot, days of summer, are the lighthouses of the United States of America. The original buildings, (those that have not been transplanted,) are in cooler locations next to water bodies. They offer refreshing and relaxing environments. The lighthouse in today’s video is in California’s Mendocino County […]
As we travel into the month of July, one of the hottest months of the year and a time of family vacations, try and take in this beauty of a national park in the wild Southwest of Texas. Luckily, the Rio Grande River runs through the park to keep things cooler, as the weather can […]
Happy Flag Day America! Today’s video is the Grand Canyon, one of America’s treasures. And, if I might add, one of the world’s natural wonders. You will find pictures from the top rim down, from the trail looking up, and of the beautiful lodge and cabins.
This park has the famous hoodoos — nature-created, rock towers and sculptures. It is always an interesting site. I find myself returning year after year. Even during the summer, the temperatures are not too hot because of the park’s elevation. Winters are cozy, too, when you book a cabin at the Bryce Canyon Lodge. I’ve […]
Today we see Zion National Park in Utah, USA. Although perhaps not as ecologically diverse as Yellowstone and the Tetons, (i.e., geysers, wildlife, snow, lakes, rivers, mountaintops,) Zion has nearly as many natural landscapes to explore. There are trails along the Virgin River (in the Narrows) and up to the tops of mountains (at Angel’s […]
Continuing our exploration of Utah’s National Parks, (there are five of them ((!)),) today’s video captures Capitol Reef. This park may not get as many visitors as other parks in Utah, but it is worthwhile to visit. As I have said before, it seems to me that most of Utah is one big, beautiful, red […]
I love the name of this park – “Canyonlands.” It is located very close to Arches, so you could see both during a single vacation. Before you go hiking, though, make sure you have plenty of bottled water and a good map or sense of direction. As you will see in the following video, the […]
Just up the road from the Four Corners of the Southwest area, in prior posts, is the landscape known as Utah. Every time I go there, I cannot help but think that the whole state is one gigantic park. Whether it is winter, (skiing and snowboarding,) spring, summer or fall, (red rock hiking, climbing, fishing, […]
Naturally, this is the fourth, and last, of the Four Corners videos. It is about the Monument Valley, a Navajo Nation landscape. Since Hollywood shot many a Western film here, you could be familiar with the area. It is a land unbounded by perimeters, but with “monument” landmarks that make it quintessentially southwest United States. […]
Let’s continue on in the Four Corners region of the USA’s Southwest Region and explore the beauty of Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
For the next few weeks, as part of the National Parks, Memorials and Monuments series, we explore the Four Corners region of the United States, (southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado.) In the Four Corners, many cultural and historical sites exist today. For a start, in the last post, we visited […]
On a dark and rainy day, I drift into imaginations of how life was lived a hundred years ago. The machines people used were different from today, but I’d bet the people were similar to us in that they needed trade with other people for goods, money, and services. In recognition, today I post about […]
Mono Lake in California, U.S.A., is truly a unique site. In order to protect this fragile environment, an act of Congress was passed in 1984 that designated the Mono Basin as the first ever National Scenic Area. Limestone tuft columns, or “towers,” rise from the highly saline,(greater than most oceans,) and alkaline lake water (there […]
I call today’s song “Warp Speed” to honor those who created a vaccine to fight the 2020 pandemic. Since this is the last post for the year 2020, let us ring out the old, troubled year, with a concerto-style song, photographs of beautiful mountain lands, and hopes for something more normal and natural next year. […]
Today’s video is a travelogue of my visit to Yellowstone National Park. Although I knew that Yellowstone is the oldest and grandest national park in the United States*, I didn’t expect to be swept away by the natural beauty outside of the park as well. These surprises of travel are some of the best reasons […]
Some of the USA’s best parks are located in the northern great plains states. As part of my “National Parks, Memorials, and Monuments Series” of videos, the following video documents only a few of the best in South and North Dakota. Because of their northern latitudes, you might find snow there now. But, if you […]
You’re in for a special treat, people. Santa and his Happy Big Boi Elves Band are dropping you a gift video titled “Reggae Christmas” direct to you to start off the holidays. Enjoy da tropical sunshine of dis song for the holidays.
Inspired by Death Valley National Park, I offer today’s video called “Cry Again, Try Again.” Death Valley NP is the largest park in the continental United States, where a world high temperature of 130.6 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded in 1913. It is the largest, driest, and hottest park in the National Park System. Looking at […]
Today, I add to the National Parks and Monuments series of videos with a lesser known gem, the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. In making the video, I used photographs taken a year ago, and a new song I wrote titled “All of Us.” Thank you for watching.
We walk tentatively through Pandemic Alley, not knowing what it is or where it leads. It is not well marked. It could be a dead end. Or, it could be a shortcut to the place we want to be. That place will be so open, clean, and sanitary. There will be fresh air, water, and […]
I post today, because yesterday was Labor Day in the USA and everybody, myself included, gets that day off. This week, I challenged myself to write a happy song in the key of E minor. Songs in minor keys usually are sorrowful, bluesy-types of songs. However, I wanted to sing a story about an old […]
This song is a jazzy trio number called “A Long Summer’s Day.” It is like those days you wish could go on forever.
This video is about the summer holiday trips we have gone on – for real, or in our imaginations. I hope you enjoy it. This one is for the children, (and for the child in each one of us.)
This is the fourth mystery video in my Gumshoe Opera series. The music, basically a rock song with unsettling, chaotic strings at the end, provides the mood for a mystery sub-genre “suspense” or “thriller” picture show. Suspense/thrillers center around epic, psychological or supernatural occurrences, unlike other mysteries such as crime dramas (think film noir,) or […]
As we continue the battle of the pandemic, we must all remember that nobody is immune, yet. Still the best ways to prevent spread are good personal hygiene, social distancing, and masks. Please show your love for your common man and practice the safety guidelines. With those words, here is another video about the times. […]
Happy 4th of July, U.S.A.! I’m bringing the parade, festival, and fireworks to you, instead of you going to them, as it may not be happening in your locale this year. And, I composed a little musical anthem to go with sights. It’s been a full year since I began this blog of new videos […]
Continuing with the “Gumshoe” series, I am setting the mood with today’s video “Falling Sand/Hide ‘N Seek.” It is a two-part instrumental piece that captures the viewer in the crime drama: first, in an extremely suspenseful moment; then, in a light-heated comic chase scene. It is suitable for all ages.
The following video is the second in my “Gumshoe Opera” series. It is the theme song from the science fiction detective novel “The Hydration War.” Although set sometime in the future, I took inspiration from the Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi) societies, last known to be alive in 1500 Southwest United States. No one knows what became […]
“it was a dark and stormy night…” Fiction, horror, and mystery writers often use the setting of a “dark and stormy night” as a metaphor for troubled, uncertain, and sinister happenings. Today’s video comes complete with lots of rain and an unsettled-sounding Hollywood soundtrack. It is inspired by Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting “The Nighthawks.” A […]
Some things, like Yosemite National Park, never change, and that is good. From what I can see, it still looks the same as when Ansel Adams photographed it in all of its black-and-white glory. However, some other things do change; some even change quite frequently. Take, for example, modern musical styles. In this video, I […]
It’s been raining here a lot recently, and I have been listening to the sounds of rainfall. In this song, I evoke the music of a passing rainstorm. This Memorial Day, it is dedicated to those who stood and sacrificed for this country.
Hooray! An article I read over the weekend gave me the news that our national parks and monuments have begun to reopen in many parts of the country. Also, our free public beaches and shorelines have begun to allow people back to exercise and just have fun in the sunshine. These places are great for […]
Today’s post is about vintage automobiles and today’s racers. They have announced that the first NASCAR race will be next week, but no crowds will be in the stands. Well, it’s all about the speed on television; they put viewers in the driver’s seat and the fans in the stands are a blur to the […]
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. I’d like to wish all you ladies and moms and grandmothers out there “Happy Mother’s Day 2020!” People like you make my world rock!
One day, in a town where I used to live, I read a newspaper column about random snippets of conversation overheard in a restaurant, a theater, and on a bus. In the article, the journalist comprised a few of these overheard conversations: some funny, some inane, and some that didn’t make any sense at all. […]
As you know by now, people have been talking about “flattening the curve” in combating the coronavirus pandemic. In this case, we agree a lower “u” shape curve is better than a higher “v” shape curve, or worse yet, a linear line straight off the chart representing deaths over time. Through prescribed social mitigation, we […]
Because a good old Western is what you need sometimes, I’ve produced a video set in the Old West. Most of the footage comes from Bodie State Historic Park in California. It is a mining town turned ghost town, still intact and weathered after all these years. Unlike the ghost-town-like feeling in today’s city streets, […]
As we stay at home, sometimes we begin to feel stir-crazy. If you are bored, I have an idea for you. Learn a song! It doesn’t have to be an original song of yours. It can be a copy, a “cover” as they say in the biz, of your favorite tune. How I made my […]
Today, we live in an uncertain time. People ask questions from big to small, from “Will I have a job in the future?” to “Do I have enough toilet paper today?” My belief is that we shall prevail through this pandemic; we will come out of it better than before and more prepared. Life, love, […]
“It was a dark and stormy night…” In the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles Schultz, the character Snoopy always began his novels with this phrase. People use it as a beginning to their campfire ghost stories too. Today, I use it to launch the blog for this week’s video, “The Life and Death of a […]
Today’s video is kind of an experiment. Using low-bit sounds and sparse instrumentation, with an almost-drone-like singing style, the video’s intent is to create a space where one feels safe, calm, and meditative. Also, it’s a love song to those closest to us, let that be family, parents, or anybody that you love so much […]
Daylight Saving Time began yesterday. Today, we went about our day a bit sleepily. As daylight expands and temperatures rise, we will adjust our inner rhythms. However, to get you started, I’ve produced a video song here that should get you going.
Roundelays can be songs, poems, or dances. In a song, they revolve around fundamental phrases and musical statements that are repeated throughout a piece. One can say that even in a highly-experimental jazz genre, roundelays are crucial, because they provide a basic theme and framework for musicians to improvise around and return to over and […]
The video shown below is the third and final outtake from “The Inferno” series of musical videos. And, today’s post title is a play on the final Led Zeppelin studio album, (when they were all living.) In the future, there may be more songs from this series, like Led Zep did in “Coda.” I will […]
After completion of The Inferno video series last week, thoughts came to mind about the importance of edits. As most in the arts agree, it is usually better to remove items than to pile them onto a work of art, whether it be a written story, a movie, or a song. In the process known […]
Today marks the end of The Inferno series of videos. I’m not sure where next week’s musical journey takes me, but it will be someplace different, I’m sure. Also, with the turn of the calendar month, it marks the beginning of a new gardening season. It is time to start those seedlings and prepare for […]
Greetings, You can fill out your 2019 tax returns and begin filing today. The IRS says it will pay out refunds within three weeks of filing. Here’s hoping you get a nice big refund check for that vacation on the beach, or for adding to your savings account. Doing taxes reminds me of hell. So, […]
Happy MLK Jr. Day! I hope you were able to explore something new and unique today. Today’s video is called “Two Guitars” and it is about Dante and Virgil’s relationship during the final leg of their journey through The Inferno (Cantos XXVIII — XXXIII.) Although they see the most horrible of the horror, they still […]
Returning to “The Inferno” series of videos, (and there are only a few left,) this week’s posting is “That Bull is Brass.” The title refers to Canto 27, where Dante describes a “Sicilian” brazen, or brass, bull torture device. I won’t describe details here, but it seems to me a particularly awful way to go. […]
Hey people, it’s 2020. Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions? I see, I see…Yet, it will not be too hard to make at least one resolution that you can maintain all year. You can make goals to eat healthier, or lose weight. You can become a member of a book club, like Oprah’s or […]
We take a break from “The Inferno” series this week to present a holiday video titled “Christmas Eve to Epiphany.” I want to share this before the holidays end because the song has all I associate with this time of year: church bells and choirs, New Year’s Eve dances, waltz orchestral music, and… family chatter! […]
Hi, and Aloha, Only eight shopping days are left until the big, gift-opening day. I hope you are finding everything you are looking to give. Remember, you can always give your love. If the holiday rush isn’t “entertainment” enough, perhaps you will get a kick out of the following video.
Originally, I conceived “The Inferno” series of videos as a Broadway-type musical. If you viewed these videos from the past two months, you watched my interpretation of Dante’s “Inferno” Cantos 1 through 18. Most of the lead vocals either represented a group of sinners and their plight, or Dante himself. Because I perform all of […]
Today’s Cyber Monday was predicted to be the biggest yet. If you participated, will participate, or are somewhere in the middle, then this video is for you. Take a break from shopping and enjoy!
Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful and thankful for the things we have in life. When we gathered around the Thanksgiving table, my Dad said a prayer of thanks for the food on the table, for the blessings of family and friends, and for us living our lives in peace, harmony, and a certain […]
This week’s video features the first song I ever registered for a copyright. Realistically, one owns the copyright to art one creates and places on media (such as video, CD, or painting.) However, it becomes a lot easier to prove you indeed created the original artwork when you register it with the U. S. Copyright […]
Happy Veteran’s Day – a national holiday! I awoke this morning to a 4.8 Richter scale magnitude earthquake on the island. But it was no big deal. It used to happen all the time where I grew up in California’s Bay Area, in the Navy port town of Alameda. It seems fitting, on Veteran’s Day, […]
Its November again, and time to adjust to standard time once more for some of you. Give thanks, take it slower during these shorter days, and enjoy this week’s video.
Hi folks, It’s Sunday, and I’m going for a drive again in the Wander. This time, it is to Arizona and the wonderful Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This park contains the only region in the United States with this type of cactus. It likes the environment frost-free as it grows hedge-high, multi-stemmed, and nearly […]
Howdy again! I’m still on a country western kick, and this week share a video of a Texas rodeo I filmed some years ago. Literally, these little rodeos are a “kick,” and a great way to spend a Fall or Summer evening with friends and family. Note that nothing and nobody got hurt or killed […]
Howdy, folks! It’s fall again, and time to enjoy some of that “purdy” pretty colorful tree, grass and shrub autumn foliage. Wherever you may live in the Northern Hemisphere, the shorter days and cooler temperatures bring changes to our landscapes. These changes include ripening nuts, grass seeds and berries, changing leaf colors, and bustling wildlife […]
As last week I posted about train trips, you might have guessed the next post would be about road journeys. You are right. Except this was not just any old road trip. It was an epic road journey that covered 48 of 50 states, lasted nearly a year, and covered 50,000 miles of city streets, […]
It’s the first day of Fall, 2019, and I’m thinkin’ of ramblin’ n’ travelin’… In the past, I’ve taken some exceptional rides on long-distance trains. The first was when I was three years old. I went with my family on a Santa Fe train trip from California to Missouri, and it was an experience I […]
As the days get shorter and nights get longer, I believe it’s time to literally “lighten up!” For this post, I have a video called “Neonpolitan,” which features The Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. Disney’s Electrical Parade inspired the original music, which seemed appropriate for these playgrounds: Disney theme parks and the Las […]
This week’s events in the news showed the destructive power of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. I would like to dedicate this week’s song and video to the past, present and future rebuilders. I hope they love their land strong enough to rebuild it, in just the same way (or better) as the world has […]
Traditionally, Labor Day meant the end of the summer holidays, back-to-school and work, with not another long weekend until November. Well, don’t despair. I have a little dance number on line this week to cheer you up. Before showing you this week’s video, I need to say there was a technical error with last week’s […]
There is musical progression within a song, and progression of a song over time. I offer to you today a mash-up of a song written many years ago. At first, we hear the original, demo version, played only by bass and guitar. Next, we hear a later version performed by the whole band, Then, we […]
This week, on a lighter note, we escape gravity and explore “Steam Punk” style. Steam punk, and punk culture in general, started as a style in the mid to late 1970s. At first, steam punk was a literary genre in the mode of H.G. Wells, and could be classified as science fiction or science fantasy. […]
This week’s video is a somber, ominous tale of recent, evening news stories. I started this song and video after the Sandy Hook school killings, and just completed it. It is an attempt to remember those who lost their lives, and the friends and family who suffer. My song references the writer of the song […]
On summer vacation, many people shop for items that, when they contemplate them again in the future, bring back memories of the time and place. I take pictures. I’ve assembled some together in this week’s video. It’s about my favorite spot on a beach — a place I could return to time and time again, […]
I’ve noticed more commercials on TV about pets, more delicacy food items in pet stores, and more built spaces for pets to play in our big cities. Our pets have become more a part of the family. No self-respecting video site should go without its own pet video, so I’m adding one of my own. […]
The 50th anniversary of mankind’s first visit to the Moon, on July 20, 1969, inspired this week’s video. About 9 years ago, I submitted the music to an on-line music forum thread called the “Great Orchestral Sampler Shootout.” All entries used the theme song from “Star Trek the Motion Picture” in MIDI format. The beauty […]
My move to a new home inspired this week’s post. The video is called “Before the Big Move,” and it is intended to portray the “before” pictures of a home renovation/remodel/furnishment. It features the original music of Harry Carson and performances by Harry (bass, guitar, keyboards,) and Wayne Carson (drums.). They provided the music for […]
The nation’s birthday this past week brought to mind how far the United States of America have come as a country, a people, and a culture in the past 243 years. Events transpired, industry progressed, even the way we talk with one another changed. Researching our common language, I was surprised to hear how “English” […]
As the song goes, “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas.” But, I’ve adjusted them to say, “White Sands Christmas” because I landed in desert lands again this holiday season. The quest for dry and warm led me from California to Arizona, New Mexico, and the greater Southwest (Utah and Nevada next.) The sand dunes cover […]
Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian, and that is what I wish for you and your loved ones. I made it back to Oahu after a short absence of two and a half months. After seeing the family for Thanksgiving, I drove the Wander back to California, (via Las Vegas,) and hopped on a […]
Hello friends and family, I traveled in my RV from coast to coast, Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean, twice these past half-a-dozen months, and to Alaska and Hawaii too. Although still in some disbelief that I drove two huge circles around the continental United States, after having never owned an RV before, without accident or […]
The map in the current title page, (which also may be found in the accompanying page “The Oregon Trail” if you happen upon this post at a later time,) depicts the route of the Oregon Trail. This wagon trail brought settlers from the midwest to the fertile fields westward through the late 1800s. Like a […]
Since my last post, I traveled through much of Florida, and started up the Dixie Highway. The Dixie Highway route pretty much follows the interstate highways from north to south, Detroit to Miami, although there are eastern, western, and central variations of the route. This differs from Route 66, which is an actual roadway from […]
Hi y’all! As I wrote in my last post, (Sept. 22, 2018,) I planned to travel to the Great Smokey Mountains for some autumn leaf-peeping action. As things turned out, so did my plans. Thus, I named the title of this post the proverbial “A Fork In the Road” because there are always fortunes and […]
I write a quick post today, before I hop on a plane and return to mainland U.S.A. this afternoon. The past week, I stayed on the island of Oahu. As an experiment, I went without a rental car for the entire week. It was a test of how easy it would be to get around […]
Howdy folks! Over the past couple of weeks, I made my way to the Hawaiian islands; otherwise, known as paradise here on Earth. I wanted to see all of the major islands of Hawaii this year. In combination with my trip six months ago, I visited them all except Lanai. (One day, I will have […]
The return to the United States from Canada at International Falls, Minnesota, brought me through the Lake of the Woods, a very scenic drive close to the Great Lakes. I camped a few nights at Voyageurs National Park, a park dedicated to the life of French and Indian fur traders of two hundred years ago. […]
In last week’s post, I chronicled my trip on the Alaskan Marine Highway System, a “highway” on the waters of the Inside Passage. This week, I write about my experiences on the Alaskan Highway. The “Alaskan Highway,” like Route 66, today comprises a series of numbered land roads–British Columbia 97, Yukon 1, and Alaska 2– […]
This post is titled “The Road to Alaska…on the Alaska Marine Highway System.” However bizarre this may appear, the name of the ferry service reflects the course through the Inside Passage and its use, for all intents and purposes, as a Marine Highway. And all along, I thought it was just a poor man’s cruise! […]
After three months on the road, I took the Wander to the repair shop for “shakedown (warranty)” adjustments. Fortunately, this led me to another one of my favorite travel options. I took a vacation from the Drive and rode the Amtrak train system! After I dropped the RV off at the repair shop, I hopped […]
On my way back to the west coast, I stopped at national parks in Colorado that were quite impressive. I was able to grab a campsite at Pinon Flats campground in Great Sand Dunes National Park. There, I hiked and climbed the highest sand dunes on the North American continent. At Rocky Mountain National Park, […]
It’s amazing what people can do when they try. Here, at the Mt. Rushmore National and Crazy Horse Memorials, artists and craftsmen carved enormous sculptures of four U.S.A. presidents and a leader of indigenous people. Starting next year, there are plans to upgrade Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. The plaza and Hall of Flags will be […]
To those in sports, “ppgs” mean “points per game.” On the road, ppgs mean the scenes you will see in the plains, mountains and upper prairie states of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. I visited the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone, as well as Grand Teton and Theodore Roosevelt this week. (See the accompanying […]
As many may note, I use a simple theme for my reports from the highway. In order to load pages quicker, I put most of my photographs on separate, attached, clickable pages in the Menu. I don’t know if that helps with load speed, but if there are a few precious moments saved, I will […]
There are several National Parks you can easily reach off of I-10, which runs coast to coast to coast — Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific. This trip, I visited three of these parks that I had never seen before. They were Saguaro, Guadalupe Mountain, and Carlsbad Caverns. Saguaro is a desert environment with the prototypical cactus. […]
Having just experienced the eastern portion of the United States, from the nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C., to the rocky coast of Maine, to the tropical Florida marshland, I now head west. I will visit with Dad on Father’s Day before traveling onward to Arches, Mesa Verde, the Rocky Mountains and Yellowstone. From my casual […]
As a note, I try to add a new post every week to 10 days. Much of the timing depends on access to wi-fi networks on my laptop. I find these mostly at hotels and RV campgrounds. Because I tend to like parks and remote out-of-the-way places, which usually do not have any reliable wi-fi, […]
Hi folks! Last weekend, I visited Washington D. C. and saw the National Mall, its museums and monuments. Now, I hardly know where to begin with its description. So, I will show you a quick rundown of the museums and monuments I enjoyed. However, I believe everyone should see these sites in person. I came […]
After two weeks and eight states, I completed my trip on Route 66. I saw more than a few things, learned more than a few things, and met more than a few characters on this Rte 66 stage. Because a picture says a thousand words, let me show you a million-word composition, (as the good […]
Hello, I write from my RV “The Wander” as I travel through America’s desert Southwest on The Road. “The Road,” as I call it: Route 66 — America’s Main Street — The Mother Road; many name it. Although most notably used as a westbound migration trail from the cold climes of the Midwest to the […]
Hi! I am back on the road “Wander”ing after a week in the greater Bay Area in Northern California. I spent a week at Doran Beach campground in Bodega Bay, (a favorite beachside haunt the past six years,) and at my school’s 40th class reunion in Oakland. I will write more on these topics below; […]
As I made my way back to California, and my high school class’s 40th reunion, the constellations in the desert night sky led me to Joshua Tree National Park this past week. I am a big fan of the national parks. Always, they offer well-marked trails to hike, well-maintained roads to drive, and bargain rate […]
Here today, gone to Maui Kawika retired in blissful solitude, hit the road, and wanted to share his travels with friends and family. I landed on Maui, one of the beautiful islands in the state of Hawaii, on 2018-03-18. I lodged at the Maui Kai mini-resort (pool/bbq area, jr. suites on the water, kitchens, washer-dryer down […]