BREAKFAST AT...

One of my favorite things when I'm traveling is to find a really great breakfast spot. 

This little meal is at the Ludlow Cafe in Ludlow, California. On Route 66, 

roughly halfway between Needles and Barstow.

I love breakfast, particularly when I'm on the road. It doesn't have to be American style...I've had fantastic morning meals consisting of no more than coffee and croissants.

Mostly it's having a well-done meal in interesting surroundings.

Oh, coffee's ready...

CABBIE!!!

The cold streets of Manhattan during the winter. 

Lots of energy to keep the body warm.

Heck, just flagging a cab at rush hour can get the blood boiling....

BOATSPOTTING?

Okay, a subtle reference to the classic British film TRAINSPOTTING.

Only in this case it's four young men wandering the banks of the Thames in London. 

Late afternoon on a spring day.

THE WEEKEND QUOTE - JOHN STEINBECK

(ALMOST) GONE TO MAUI

In two days I will be headed to Maui for a week's adventures including sunrise on Haleakala, a tour of an island distillery, whale watching and other adventures.

Looking forward to going and sharing.

Stay tuned.

COLORFUL STREETS OF SAN JUAN

The colorful streets of Viejo San Juan, Old San Juan, are a wonderful area to wander and gather wool. It's a slightly hilly area, and the sidewalks are uneven, but it's a pleasant stroll with a lot of things to grab the casual observer's attention. The buildings are decorated in muted and pastel colors, giving an ambiance to this very beautiful destination.

San Juan, like all areas of Puerto Rico, was devastated by hurricane Maria last Summer.

If so moved, you can help with the rebuilding of this most wonderful of American destinations.

A MATTER OF BALANCE

When you have a full tray of drink it's often a challenge to get them back to a table of thirsty customers. Unless you're this industrious lady. Then it's simply a matter of balance.

Huatulco, Mexico.

WEEKEND QUOTE

DOLCI

Dessert menu at the Caffe Domiciano, Rome.

One of my favorite travel things to do is late-night dining under the stars 

in an historic part of a wonderful city. 

Oftentimes these are among the most memorable of moments.

I think we ordered gelato...and cappuccino, of course.

BURIAL AT ARLINGTON

A very personal page today. Click on any image to enlarge.

As promised, here are a handful of shots from my 

father's burial in Arlington National Cemetery.

He was laid to rest on January 5, 2018

This page is a tribute to him and to his memory.

The Navy Chaplain talking to my sister and brother-in-law.

Delivering the first part of the sermon indoors

The honor guard awaits

Navy seamen gather the casket

Carrying to the grave site

The flag folding

Lone soldier waiting to play taps

21 gun salute

taps

Folding the flag

Presentation to the Commanding Officer

Presentation to my sisters

The honor guard retreats

The serenity of the cemetery

ORCAS ON THE LOOSE

One of dozens of Orca sculptures decorating the Victoria, BC waterfront a few years ago. 

Decorating the downtown area of Victoria with orca sculptures has been a tradition for years. A newer installation has attracted some controversy.

This version dates from roughly 2005.

WALT DISNEY WORLD

A restful moment at Epcot Enter, Walt Disney World, circa 2005

FREMANTLE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Just a slight M.I.S. Perception.

Part of the fishing fleet, based in Fremantle Harbour, just down the coast from Perth.

Weekly Quote

(Apologies to anyone who read the last post and wondered why I thought the "Reine" river - a misspelling of the German river - ran through Paris. Obviously a typo, it should've been Seine. Corrected.)

This week's quote is from actor/explorer Brian Blessed

MORNING IN PARIS

A tranquil morning over the Seine River as it carves its way through Paris. This wall on the left is the edge of the Ile de la Cite'. Astride it is the spectacular Cathedral of Notre Dame.

COUNTENANCE

Perhaps it's a reflection of the times, but I cannot help but be struck with the scurry of tourists as they shoot their selfies at the foot of one of America's greatest leaders, ignoring the countenance in his face and grandeur of his pose. 

Have they paused, in reverence for the import of his existence and guidance?

Have they read the words above his head? Have they understood the man, and the lessons he still teaches us 150 years after his passing?

At least they got the selfie, which is pretty much their point of view. 

They were here.

NOTHING BUT AIR

I love air travel. Yeah, I know, in this modern day of the (literal!) "airbus" it has a lot of challenges. Seating room. Line queues. Security (which I have come to label "domestic customs"). 

Other passengers. Definitely other passengers.

Just this last Sunday, on a flight from DC to LAX we had three, count 'em, three aggressively entitled  passengers who really didn't care how much they took advantage and undercut other passengers, they paid their ticket and felt entitled to rule the roost.

The first was a women in her fifties who arrived at the gate in a wheelchair. Then, after the attendant had gone off to handle a truly deserving passenger, the woman stood up, grabbed her suitcase and trundled very capably off to shop or find dinner. Coming back later she betrayed no signs of an inabiity or discomfort in her walk. Just laziness.

Upon arrival, a wheelchair greeted her at the aircraft door.

The second was a man who slipped not two. Not three. Not four. But FIVE items into the overhead, taking up full suitcase room with each of them. Watching this I'd had enough and told the guy he needed to put some of that under my seat - he was seated behind me - and save some room for other passengers. He unloaded an invective which cannot be repeated here, but it had to do with minding my own business, he'd paid his fare and was entitled to the slots, etc. Finally another passenger just looked at me and said I should forget it. The man's wife was thoroughly embarrassed by his tirade, and we watched as several other passengers uselessly searched for a spot for their own luggage.

Nasty customer

 The third and final asshat was a passenger (not the one pictured above) who needed something from the overhead bin while the aircraft was parked on the tarmac waiting for our gate to open after touchdown. In complete violation of crewmember instructions, and several federal laws, she stood up and opened the overhead. The flight attendant came on the PA and said, in a generic fashion, that we were on an active taxiway and "passengers" had to sit down. The woman ignored the request,  retaking her seat only once she was done with finding what she needed - two announcements, each more specific, later. Then, apparently having gotten the wrong thing, stood up again to get into her luggage. On an open taxiway, in violation of several Federal laws. She didn't sit down again until the flight attendant, on the overhead, threatened to have her arrested.

But I continue to love air travel. It's a gateway to adventure

that can sometimes be an adventure, in and of itself.

THE IN-BETWEEN

We call them the "in-between" places. They are the ground between Here and There. Between This Place, and That One. They are what exists between where you are, and where you're planning to go.

The In-Between.

These are the dots on the map which line the highways and roads along the route you are taking to get somewhere else. And often the In-Between, despite not being the actual destination, is worthy of a good chunk of your time.

(For the moment, kids, let's forget air travel. Every connection is technically an In-Between, but it's taken for a given that you'd just as soon make it through and out of virtually any airport you encounter. Nature of the beast. So, for now, let's stick to other modes of travel.)