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Showing posts from August, 2015

Birmingham-Jewellery Quarter

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Everyone travels to London, Rome, NYC and Paris…. but how many people get to travel to Santorini, Aruba or Piraeus? These are like curated vacations, Sailing the seven seas on a cruise ship and getting paid for it! I miss the newly wed, the nearly dead and the overfed----Now I am a Land Sailor, on break from the most amazing two months at sea onboard Holland America's Prinsendam: Videos  of The Arctic Circle, The Norwegian Fjords capture the AWE in  this awesomeness... I drive  "the wrong side" of the road, in Britian and  ended up HERE, in the Midlands... What could be better- er....Chicken Tikka Masala with Garlic Naan. The flagship dish of Britain's acclaimed 'national cuisine'was invented in Birmingham in the 1970's. Neon Blue Paraiba! with Mint Nail Polish-Delicious. Birmingham, which is under construction-Three projects going on simultaneously.  Managed to shut the GPS off, and just use a plain old paper map to  find and visit The J...

Liverpool-San Francisco, With Grayer Weather

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“If you want a Cathedral, we’ve got one to spare… ” so goes the old Liverpool folk song The  beat poet Allen Ginsberg said "at the present moment (1965), the center of consciousness of the human universe is here". The Cavern Club, proud to be the birthplace of the best  band in the world--- The Beatles. In 2 years they played almost 300x) Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane,  the Hard Days Night Hotel. it's all there on the Magical Mystery Tour.  The Who and The Kinks played here too.   Paul McCartney, John Lennon Club Owner Ray McFall, Cynthia Liverpool does   have a west coast vibe. Yet the tenure of Europe's capital of  culture is overstated. There are still bands arrogant enough to believe that  they can  overthrow the legacy of the Beatles practicing in abandoned warehouses and lofts. There are the museums, Alfred Dock, this  huge  Gothic cathedral that appears out of nowhere ...

Edinburg, Scotland-Plaid Is A Color

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Got Kilt? The population of this city doubles in the month of August- there are festivals like the Ed Fringe and The Military Royal Tattoo. It has been a great time so far in Scotland. Kilts, Scotch Whiskey and Plaid-it's all on tap. Bespoke-  Or one of a kind hand-made Jewellery is something I never considered, until now. Check out this video I shot: Jared, a Silversmith From the famous Military Mile Street, is taking the ECG from a Mothers womb of her unborn baby-and commemorating the birth of her child with this Bespoke Bracelet-Fascinating

York-York Minister Cathedral

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A beautiful and imposing Gothic cathedral  appeared with extra-ordinary bell ringers York Minister is . the largest  cathedral in northern Europe. 

Winchester-UK-Good Knight

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Coat Of Arms From the knights of medieval legends to Indiana Jones, the holy grail has been the most sought-after Christian relic in popular culture: the cup that is part of an important theme of Arthurian literature. Here Is the Arthurian Round Table- Edward the 1st  built it  Henry the 8th  had  painted the House of Tudor Rose in the Middle . According to legend, it has special powers, and is designed to provide happiness, eternal youth and food in infinite abundance. Today, in Winchester,  England's ancient capital and former seat of King Alfred the Great. Today I didn't find The Grail, Instead, I spotted  the  Legendary Round Table. Sir Thomas Malory  wrote that this area  was Camelot. The Pun is Mighter than The Sword-Having a good knight dressing in midevial  battle gear as Edward The 1st. 

London-The Underground

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What's Up? I mean-WatsON Oye Como Va  With its circle logo, distinctive trains and user friendly map, few landmarks of  England  are as iconic as  The London Underground. Below Mother Nature is Mother London herself-the electrified spaghetti of  the cities entire multi-layered infrastructure.  Until I can navigate the highs and lows,quirks and anomalies of this system , I couldn’t possibly call myself a Londoner. I have my favorite already: The Victoria Line.  It is used by  200 million passengers each year, And today I was one of them. I changed there for the Bakerloo Line and Piccadilly Lines . Today I was at Baker Street and it seemed so much smaller- because the growth of the subway was just piecemeal and sprawling. The major tube upgrades, face lifts and new stations are simply spliced on to  the  old existing system. This week there was a strike- there was some overcrowding, delays and cancellations o...

London-Westminster Abbey

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Everything I knew about this monument is wrong: Big Ben is actually the bell that chimes the hour, the tower is St Elizabeth Tower. The London Underground is not a political movement-its a subway also known as- The Tube. 1980 Climate is what I am used to getting in Florida and Santa Monica, but here there is Weather- so far so good- no rain today! Summer IS a nice DAY in England. The first time I visited London, I was 20 years old. I flew over from new York on British Airways. These last few years I have sailed to Dover and around the British Isles. Tehre is nothing as spectacular as T he White Cliffs of Dover or Beachy Head. "English why do I need to study that, I joked, I'm never going to live in England!" June 2015 at Sea in The English Channel Today:Notes From The Underground - trapped in a tube but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel!

Alaska Summer

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Being There ‘Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.’ Alaska is the perfect setting for those poetic reflections to come out and those bitter sweet moments of seemingly endless waitings---But delay is not denial! I remember... Wow What a Summer in The U.K.. I passed up the chance to sail in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for greener pastures here! BUT I remember 2011 , 2012   Alaska seasons - The Great Land is a lot like pizza. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's still pretty good; and like the Pizza Guy, Alaska always delivers. From Float Plane Riding to Salmon Fishing, surrounded by waterfalls and glaciers-this is The Wild Life. I knew there would be days like this,  I just wish someone would have told me how many! Not  everybody trusts paintings but people believe videos.  Nature's living mirror,  however is water---whether still or i...