Soulful Sundays: Nana Mouskouri
A few weeks ago, when I featured Shirley Bassey on Soulful Sundays, my blog buddy, Narelle mentioned Nana Mouskouri. I hadn't thought of her in quite a while but I promised Narelle that I'd feature her soon. I was introduced to Mouskouri when I lived in Ottawa -- feels like decades now. I remember the media referring to her as the woman who made wearing glasses 'sexy.' One story that made the rounds then was that when she toured with Harry…
Read more »
Random Travel Images: New York City
As I've written previously, one of the things I love about New York is the variety of foods to be had. [caption id="attachment_8702" align="aligncenter" width="714"] Mexican paella[/caption] Mama Mexico is a restaurant near work that I go to frequently for lunch, especially when we have a large group or colleagues visiting. A few weeks ago, I had dinner there with a group of friends. I wouldn't normally have ordered the paella but one of them insisted. The presentation alone was…
Read more »
Random Travel Images: Stellenbosch
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="709" caption="Vineyard, Stellenbosch, South Africa"] [/caption] Vineyard, Stellenbosch, South Africa Whether or not you like or drink wine, you shouldn't go to Cape Town without visiting Stellenbosch, which, along with Paarl and Franschhoek, make up the wine growing region of South Africa. Only about 35 miles outside of Cape Town, it is well worth the drive to see the landscape, visit some of its many vineyards and sample its wines and brandys.
Read more »
Travel Photo Thursday: Buckingham Palace Gate
[caption id="attachment_7178" align="aligncenter" width="577" caption="Buckingham Palace Gate, London"][/caption] I love to see places I recognize in my favorite films or movies. In Die Another Day, I was tickled when I saw the press conference Gustave Grave, the villain in this film, held in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace. The Palace Press Office handles all requests for permission to film on the grounds. This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure…
Read more »
Random Travel Images: The Eiffel Tower
[caption id="attachment_7193" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Eiffel Tower"][/caption] I could spend hours looking at the lattice work of the Eiffel Tower. I amazed by what was accomplished with steel. Reminds me of the crocheting my mom used to do, so delicate, so intricate. [caption id="attachment_7194" align="aligncenter" width="571" caption="Eiffel Tower latticework"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_7195" align="aligncenter" width="399" caption="Eiffel Tower lattice work"][/caption]
Read more »
Random Travel Images: Boulders Beach
[caption id="attachment_7188" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Boulders Beach, South Africa"][/caption] It isn't difficult to understand why this is called Boulders Beach. Rocks like these are everywhere. But it is the colony of jackass penguins that seem to hold everyone's fascination. [caption id="attachment_7189" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Penguins at Boulders Beach, South Africa"][/caption] The colony has grown from two breeding pairs in 1982 to nearly 3,000. What's most interesting and surprising is the braying sound they make. You'd swear there were some jackasses around.
Read more »
Random Images: Bath Abbey
[caption id="attachment_7185" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Bath Abbey window"][/caption] Stained glass is made by adding metallic salts its manufacture. Small pieces of glass are arranged to patterns that are held together by strips of lead.
Read more »
Soulful Sundays: Monty Alexander
I grew up hearing Monty Alexander on the radio in Jamaica but had no idea who he was until years later when I saw him perform some of the music I was familiar with. Monty Alexander was born in Kingston in 1944. He took his first piano lessons when he was six years old but he’s largely self-taught. [caption id="attachment_7127" align="aligncenter" width="521" caption="Monty Alexander, photo montyalexander.com"][/caption] Over the years, Alexander, a jazz pianist who mixes jazz and reggae, has recorded…
Read more »
Random Images: London House
[caption id="attachment_7181" align="aligncenter" width="405" caption="London House aka City Hall"][/caption] Designed by Norman Foster, London House also known as London City Hall, was opened in 2002. Because of its unusual shape, it has been referred to by the former mayor as "The Glass Testicle" and as "The Glass Gonad" by the current mayor, Boris Johnson. It's popularly called The Onion.
Read more »
