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 to check out other photo and story entries on their website!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I don’t know about you but when I arrive at my destination, I hate having to wait for my luggage to arrive on the airport carousel. It always seems like such a waste of time just standing there waiting when all I want to do is hit the ground running. So I take just enough to fit into a suitcase that stows easily into the overhead compartment.
I didn’t always travel like that though I can’t pinpoint now exactly when it happened.
I remember lugging what seemed like all my earthly possessions, including the kitchen sink, from one terminal to another to board a connecting flight at Madrid Barajas International Airport. I swore then that I’d never travel with more than I needed. Of course, I promptly forgot that promise as soon as I returned home.
Then there was a period when most people who flew on Air Jamaica brought a change of clothing in a carry-on bag as they never knew when they’d arrive at their destination before their luggage.
Whether you’re packing for a weekend getaway or a trip around the world, the biggest decision to be made is what we take and what we leave behind. Seems simple, right?
As creatures of habit, we wear the same shoes, carry the same purse over and over, even though we might have other suitable ones in our closets. Why then when we go on vacation, we bring more than we usually use?
My first rule of packing is planning – I make a list just like I do when I shop. I think of what I wear in a normal week and pack those items only. I also keep a small bag in my suitcase with mini toiletries – lotion, moisturizer, deodorant, toothpaste, etc., as well gadgets such as my cell phone charger, adapter, batteries, memory cards, etc. That way I don’t have to search for them when I need them.
The week before I travel, I check the list to make sure there isn’t something I used, something I might need that wasn’t on the list. For example, I might have started taking a new vitamin or prescription.
Since I started getting ready for my trip, I’ve been asking other travel bloggers for their luggage recommendations and researching suitable suitcases. Here are two that been highly recommended:
MEI Voyageur: Measuring 22 x 14 x 9, this backpack converts to a traditional looking luggage, so you don’t have to look like a backpacker (though nothing’s wrong with that) when you check into a fancy hotel. It’s hand made to order in the U.S. and comes with a lifetime warranty. Costs $139.
Kelty Redwing 2650 Backpack: This one was recommended by John at Happypoppeye, an intrepid traveler.
Enjoy!
Last weekend, I decided to go to Washington, DC to see family and friends and also to view the monument to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which was recently unveiled on the Mall.
It was to have been dedicated on August 28th in a ceremony marking the anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech but was postponed because of the arrival of Hurricane Irene.
As with most public art pieces, there has been some controversy. One, that the project did not go to an American and two, that Dr. King’s features look Asian.
I had assumed the sculptor would have been African-American, I had no idea that he was Chinese or that the competition had been open to international artists. But we must accept that we live in a global community. Most importantly, Dr. King’s work was about equality and fairness for everyone, not just black people.
I don’t think, like I’ve heard others say, that the rendering of his image makes him look Asian. I wonder though, if the sculptor’s identity had not revealed, if that idea would even have entered our minds.
Those issues aside, my observation or maybe my preference would have been for a likeness of Dr. King with a smile on his face. So many times, in photos, he’s smiling. Then again, I’m sure there would have been those who would have objected.
The first thing I saw as I entered the grounds were two large slabs of granite flanking the entrance. I couldn’t interpret what they meant until I noticed that the monument itself looked as if it had been cut from the center. Then it made sense. The granite represented the mountain. And as the quote that’s etched into the side of the monument noted, Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.
Dr. King gazes quietly and reflectively over the Tidal Basin towards the Jefferson Memorial. His hands are folded, his legs are slightly apart. It is a peaceful and powerful pose.
Behind the sculpture is a wall that’s been inscribed with quotations from speeches that Dr. King made in the U.S. and around the world.
As I walked around, taking photos, looking at the sculpture, I couldn’t help thinking of the work that went into creating the memorial and the holiday to honor this remarkable man, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I’m not sure which I love more: sunrises or sunsets. Both bathe the earth with amazingly beautiful colors.
For quite sometime now, I’ve nursed a dream to return to Jamaica, the place I was born. It wasn’t one I shared easily as many people, my family included, worried. They questioned how I’d manage, how I’d deal with a place I haven’t lived in for more than 30 years. But I knew it was something I had to do. I knew Jamaica was somewhere in my future. That future is now.
Like me, Jamaica has changed but not always for the better. With a population of nearly 3 million, its rate of economic growth is estimated at only about 2.5%, inflation just under 12% and unemployment stands at nearly 12%. And though it recorded its lowest crime rate since 2003, it is still at worrisome levels.
One doesn’t need an advanced degree in sociology or economics to explain why this is. Whenever the gap between those who have and those who don’t becomes an ever widening chasm, there will be consequences.
The reality is that the Jamaica that a visitor sees is not the one I will live in. But reality becomes secondary to what the soul wants.
What I know is that Jamaica is the only place on earth that grounds me, makes my heart sing and makes me feel whole. It grabs my heart, infuriates me and makes me scream sometimes. But it is where I feel I have a voice. I can’t easily ignore the problems without wanting to do something about it, though I have no idea what.
As I wrote on my About page, I’ve longed to explore this place, touch its heart and find its soul. So for the next few months, I’ll be writing almost exclusively about Jamaica and sharing my experiences with you.
On August 6th next year, Jamaica will celebrate 50 years of Independence from Britain. I mourn what we’ve lost but I’m curious to see how we’ve grown, what we’ve accomplished, what we’re proud of. Most importantly, I want to be there to breathe it, to see and hear it, because Jamaica is more than a country, it’s a clash of contrasts. It’s an experience.
