Category Archives: Travel

The Land Where The Palm Trees Grow *

Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida

I suppose if I had thought about it I would have realized that somewhere on this planet had to be a place that had palm tree nurseries.  Today we found them!

Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida
Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida
Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida

Kathy & I are in south Florida and decided to head out to Biscayne National Park near Homestead.  On our way there and back we passed dozens of palm tree nurseries, covering thousands of acres or more.  I shot a few examples of them on the way, but it was amazing to see the sheer number of palm trees – of all sizes and types – being grown all in one place!

Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida
Palm tree nurseries near Homestead, Florida

* Some sources suggest that the original song lyrics are “the land where the bong tree grows,” but this is the version I remember – from “The Owl & The Pussycat”

Itchy Feet

Blackbeards Castle, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

We’ve been home long enough.  It’s getting cold here (by NC standards – sorry Monte and Jeff!) so we’re preparing to depart for warmer climes for a few weeks of “cruise ship hopping” and exploring the Everglades.  I hope to post periodic “postcards” from our travels.  Stay warm!

Views of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

El Cuartel de Ballaja (The Ballaja Infantry Barracks Building)

I never get tired of walking around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Kathy & I spent two days there prior to our recent cruise on Celebrity Summit.  Every time we go I photograph things I have seen before, plus there is always something new to find.  For this visit, we concentrated on the two forts, Castillo San Cristobal and Castillo San Felipe del Morro, both part of the San Juan National Historic Site and managed by the U.S. National Park Service.  So we were able to use our newly-acquired lifetime pass for admission and gather the appropriate stamps in Kathy’s Passport book.  And of course we managed to wander around town a bit.

Castillo San Cristobal

As I have been doing, I have posted a more complete collection of my photos from Old San Juan on my Adobe Portfolio site, with just a sample of some of the more “artsy” photos here.  Take a look and tell me what you think!

San Juan Puerto Rico
Castillo San Cristobal
Castillo San Cristobal
Castillo San Cristobal
San Juan Puerto Rico
San Juan Puerto Rico
San Juan Puerto Rico
Hotel El Convento

Been A While

Castillo San Cristobal, part of the San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Kathy & I recently returned from our most recent adventure, 14 days on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship out of San Juan, Puerto Rico.  One of the downsides of cruising close to or during the holidays is that it compresses the holiday “to-do” list just a little.  I added another 3500 photos to my inventory and am working my way through them.  But I see the light at the end of the tunnel! 😉

Going Nowhere

“The Road to Nowhere” in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City, NC

Kathy & I paid a visit today to  the so-called “Road to Nowhere” in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City, NC.  I wrote about this place in a previous post from last October (just a year ago?  Wow!).  We caught just a little bit of the end of fall color, before the bottom falls out of the thermometer in a few days.  We’ll be back home to our toasty house and our gas fireplace by then! 😉

Umbrellas

Old Town, Fort Collins, Colorado. The black stones are part of a public art installation titled “Confluence” by Lawrence Argent

One day when passing through the Oak Street Plaza Park in Fort Collins, I spotted the reflections that these umbrellas were making in the black stone and stopped to take a few photos.  I didn’t spend enough time on this idea, but otherwise think I captured what I saw.

The black stones are part of a public art installation titled “Confluence” by Lawrence Argent.  More public art!

Old Town, Fort Collins, Colorado. The black stones are part of a public art installation titled “Confluence” by Lawrence Argent

Art On The Line

Old Town, Fort Collins, Colorado

One of the things that has impressed me about Fort Collins, CO is the amount of public art, especially in Old Town.  They even publish maps and have a walking tour telling people where to find it.  Sometimes the art is sculpture, pavers on the sidewalk, plaques or other displays.  Two of the most prevalent forms seem to be painted pianos placed around town that anyone can play, and painted utility box covers.  A very clever way to disguise what is usually seen as big, green, ugly boxes.

Old Town, Fort Collins, Colorado

It’s evidently brand new, as it isn’t shown in Google Street View and I couldn’t find out anything about it in the published information.  But this structure is almost certainly art.  If not, I have no idea what its purpose would be!  I had a little fun with it while walking around on a beautiful, sunshiny day!

Old Town, Fort Collins, Colorado

If anyone wants to check it out, it is located in an alleyway in an area bordered by Oak Street, Mason Street, Mountain Ave. and College Ave.  Right behind Walrus Ice Cream! 🙂

Twist and Shout

Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina

When I made these photos I wasn’t thinking about hurricanes, but they do have a bit of a cyclonic look to them.  I have all of my friends along the coast on my mind as I post this, and hope they all remain out of harm’s way.

These are a little cliche-y but I think serve the purpose quite well.

Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Amusement rides on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, North Carolina