Last updated by Marcia Mayne at July 16, 2011.

Eye Over London

Posted on May 4, 2011July 10, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

My sister kept saying that she’d wait for me to arrive so we could take our 84 year old aunt on the London Eye. But by the time I got to London, our aunt was beginning to have difficulty getting around.

Maybe it was a good thing as it took more than 45 minutes from the time I picked up my ticket to the time I climbed aboard the ‘pod.’

But it was worth it. This is what I saw:

One of the 32 oval pods that take passengers high above London.

Houses of Parliament seen from the London Eye

Haven't been able to identify this building

I think our aunt would have loved this.

The ride on the London Eye was smooth, the view breathtaking. Just before each pod returned to home base, it discharged passengers and took on new ones. Each ride took about 30 minutes.

Some facts about the London Eye:

Designed by husband wife team of David Marks and Julia Barfield
It was opened in March, 2000
Hosts 3.5 million visitors annually
At 443 feet (135 meters), it is the 4th tallest structure in London
It is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel

If you’re not afraid of heights, next time you’re in London, make sure you check out the London Eye.

Enjoy the view!

If you like what you’ve read why not Share, Tweet, Digg, Like, etc. You never know who might be interested.

What do you want to accomplish with your blog?

Posted on April 18, 2011July 16, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

What do I want to accomplish with my blog?

This is a pretty simple and straightforward question but one to which I’m finding the answer to be a bit more difficult to pin down than I thought.

When I first started, the idea was to write about Jamaica, the place where I was born, the place I’m discovering with adult eyes and after several years of not living there.

I wanted to share the Jamaica I yearn for when I’m homesick, the Jamaica beyond the well-known stereotypes – reggae, jerk, ganja (marijuana). I wanted to show readers who have never been (and even some who have) that Jamaica, the one that’s rarely seen by those who don’t venture beyond the carefully circumscribed environment of the all-inclusive resorts.

While that is the main purpose of this blog, my travel interests are much broader. And I realized quickly that I couldn’t write about Jamaica and not include all the other fabulous places I visit.

But the thrust is the same: to go beyond the usual tourist traps and get an appreciation for what a country is about.

If I’m able to do that, then I’ll consider that a major accomplishment of this blog.

Let me know what you think.

If you like what you’ve read, why not Share, Tweet, Digg, Like, etc. You never know who might be interested.

Blue Mountain Peak (wondersofjamaica.com)

Above a Cloudy Canopy

Posted on March 15, 2011July 16, 2011 by Marcia Mayne

Whenever I travel, I always opt for the window seat so I can enjoy the scenery. But for most of this flight over the U.S., thick clouds prevented me from seeing the terrain below.