Skip to content

Postcards from the Transition

Postcards from the Transition.

  • Topics
    • Winds of Change
      • Winds of Change, Africa
      • The Fall of the Wall
      • Velvet Revolution
      • Arab Spring
      • Balkan Turmoil
      • 9/11
      • Soviet Union
    • Christmas Markets
    • Lent and Easter
    • Holy Land
    • Pillars of Hercules
    • Architecture
      • Boardwalk Towns
      • Bridges
      • Castles
      • Religious
    • Transportation
      • Trains
      • Ferries
  • Europe
    • Balkans
      • Albania
      • Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Kosovo
      • Macedonia
      • Montenegro
      • Serbia
      • Turkey
    • Central Europe
      • Czech Republic
      • Hungary
      • Poland
      • Slovakia
    • Southern Europe
      • Gibraltar
      • Malta
      • Spain
    • Northern Europe
      • United Kingdom
      • Iceland and Faroes
      • Isle of Man
      • Baltic States
    • Western Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany
      • Netherlands
  • Africa
    • Kenya
    • South Sudan
    • Tanzania
  • Caucasus
    • Armenia
    • Azerbaijan
    • Georgia
  • MENA
    • Ceuta (Spain)
    • Egypt
    • Israel
    • Jordan
    • Morocco
    • Oman
    • Qatar
    • Palestine
    • United Arab Emirates
  • N. America
    • Canada
    • Contiguous US
    • Cuba
    • Greenland
  • S. America
  • Alaska
    • Sitka
    • South Central Alaska
    • South East Alaska
  • Cruises
    • Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017

Category: N. America

McClear Family, Contiguous US, Winds of ChangeLeave a comment

Hardwood Fall

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022 Rich McClear

The fall colors in a hardwood forest take me back decades.  While we were primarily in New Jersey to enjoy being with family I took some time to explore places of memory.  We started our drive on Paramus Road going … Continue reading Hardwood Fall

N. America1 Comment

Highway 61 Revisited

August 13, 2021August 13, 2021 Rich McClear

Highway 61 is one of the most celebrated highways in US music, riveling Route 66.  While Nat Cole sang of Route 66 and Nelson Riddle did the TV theme, Highway 61 was celebrated by Robert Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes and Bob … Continue reading Highway 61 Revisited

Contiguous USLeave a comment

Community Radio in the “Big Swamp”

August 13, 2021August 13, 2021 Rich McClear

Grand Marais was founded by French Canadians.  It means Big Marsh, or swamp.  It was involved in early fur trading, then it became a logging center where huge log booms were assembled and towed to mills in Wisconsin near Duluth.  … Continue reading Community Radio in the “Big Swamp”

Transportation, Contiguous USLeave a comment

Global Trade in the Wilderness

August 13, 2021August 13, 2021 Rich McClear

For one brief moment in time a wilderness outpost on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota was the center of an international commodity trade.  That commodity, Beaver pelts. And it was all done to make silly hats. … Continue reading Global Trade in the Wilderness

Contiguous US, ArchitectureLeave a comment

Psychedelic Deco. Naniboujou Club Lodge

August 13, 2021August 13, 2021 Rich McClear

Psychedelic Deco.  Nanioujou Club Lodge I go out of my way to find quirky old hotels.  I collect them.  In Slovakia there was the Hotel Junior, which was a satellite themed space aged Soviet Era fantasy with extremely hard beds.  … Continue reading Psychedelic Deco. Naniboujou Club Lodge

CanadaLeave a comment

Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2019

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 Rich McClear

John Sebastian sounded old when he started singing and I was beginning to wonder if this would be one of those festival workshops that would make me sad, reminding me of my own diminished abilities.  But his guitar was sure … Continue reading Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2019

Contiguous US, Radio2 Comments

2X2L Calling CQ

October 30, 2018October 31, 2022 Rich McClear

84 years ago Radio came of age.  In one terrible — beautiful hour the third rated program in a three network universe managed to entertain, terrify, and motivate millions of people by stimulating the imagination. If it happened today it … Continue reading 2X2L Calling CQ

Contiguous USLeave a comment

The City by the Bay and a 35 Foot Polar Bear Made From Smashed Car Hoods.

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 Rich McClear

I’ve spent a lot of time in cities from Belgrade to London to New York, but last weekend in San Francisco I noticed things I’ve not seen in other cities.  We were in San Francisco for a memorial service and … Continue reading The City by the Bay and a 35 Foot Polar Bear Made From Smashed Car Hoods.

Contiguous US, TransportationLeave a comment

Ding, Ding, Ding, a Ding, Ding, a Dinga Ding. Cable Cars and Other Delights.

September 26, 2018 Rich McClear

We had a great time riding the cable cars in San Francisco.  The California street cable car climbs Nob Hill, past China Town, the Mark Hopkins and Grace Cathedral.  We rode it at night and the next day at dusk … Continue reading Ding, Ding, Ding, a Ding, Ding, a Dinga Ding. Cable Cars and Other Delights.

Architecture, Contiguous USLeave a comment

Frank Gehry in Minnesota

December 17, 2017 Rich McClear

Frank Gehry’s Frederick Weisman Art Museum on the East Bank of the University of Minnesota is at least as interesting as the art it houses.  From the West Bank, looking across the Mississippi it is a sculpture of stainless steel, … Continue reading Frank Gehry in Minnesota

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

“Become Ocean”

September 7, 2017August 9, 2018 Rich McClear

John Luther Adams, a composer who spent most of his professional life in Alaska, won the Pulitzer prize for his composition “Become Ocean” an orchestral piece performed by the Seattle Symphony.  The peace is about the Greenland Ice sheet becoming … Continue reading “Become Ocean”

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

An Accidental Cruise Port

September 7, 2017August 9, 2018 Rich McClear

Aappilattoq, Greenland,  August 29, 2017: Aappilattoq is a village at the entrance to Prins Christian Sund.  Prinsendam called at a few days ago to deliver pizza.  Today we returned.  The Captain had arranged for a limited shore visit.  He set … Continue reading An Accidental Cruise Port

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

500 Years and Gone.

September 7, 2017August 9, 2018 Rich McClear

Hvalsey, Greenland, August 27, 2008:  For twice as long as the United States has existed, from the tenth to the fifteenth centuries, almost 500 years, the Norse hung on as farmers in southern Greenland.  Then they disappeared.  There is speculation … Continue reading 500 Years and Gone.

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

Stone and Man in Qaqortoq, Greenland,

September 7, 2017August 9, 2018 Rich McClear

Qaqortoq, Greenland, August 28, 2017:  Walking around Qaqortoq is like participating in a scavenger hunt.  In the 1990s Greenlander artist Aka Hoegh commissioned 18 Norse artists to carve reliefs into many of the town’s rocks.  The project is called “Stone … Continue reading Stone and Man in Qaqortoq, Greenland,

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

A Fountain in the Center of South Greenland.

September 7, 2017September 7, 2017 Rich McClear

Qaqortoq, Greenland, August 28, 2017:  Qaqortoq is three times the size of Nanortalik with half its charm.  It’s the administrative center of Southern Greenland.  It has bright painted houses, like Nanortalik but many of them are apartment buildings.  You may … Continue reading A Fountain in the Center of South Greenland.

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

“Nearer My God to Thee” and Icebergs

September 6, 2017September 16, 2017 Rich McClear

August 27, 2017, Nanortalik, Greenland:  Nanortalik is the southernmost town in Greenland, it has about 1,300 people, which makes it a pretty big town for Greenland.  Lonely Planet says it is magnificent with soaring mountains surrounding the town.  This Sunday … Continue reading “Nearer My God to Thee” and Icebergs

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 20171 Comment

Prins Christian Sund Redux

September 5, 2017September 7, 2017 Rich McClear

I would wager that not many of you have been through Prins Christian Sund.  I would also wager that some of you will never go through the Sund.  If you do it will be different, with changing weather, day to … Continue reading Prins Christian Sund Redux

Cruises, Greenland, Iceland, Greenland & Scotland 2017Leave a comment

Pizza Delivery and Old Whalers’ Drawings.

September 5, 2017September 7, 2017 Rich McClear

I may be riding on the most expensive pizza delivery truck in the world.  We were cruising through Prince Christian Sound in southern Greenland, approaching the village of Aappilattoq, a town of around 200 people.  The Captain came on the … Continue reading Pizza Delivery and Old Whalers’ Drawings.

CanadaLeave a comment

A Joyful Noise in Winnipeg

July 22, 2017July 22, 2017 Rich McClear

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is an annual compass point for our family, an annual highlight.   This year was the 44th festival.  We’ve been to 38. We go to connect with friends and introduce our grandkids to the joys of a … Continue reading A Joyful Noise in Winnipeg

Contiguous US1 Comment

Wild and Scenic, 50 years on.

July 21, 2017 Rich McClear

Fifty years ago we weren’t sure.  The Wild and Scenic Rivers act was before Congress and if it passed the St. Criox, the boundary river between Minnesota and Wisconsin, was to be one of the first 8 rivers included in … Continue reading Wild and Scenic, 50 years on.

Contiguous USLeave a comment

“THIS is why we’re American…  baseball.”

July 21, 2017 Rich McClear

Bases loaded, one out, a long shot to center right, fielded on one bounce.  One run Sioux Falls Canary scores but with a great throw to third the St. Paul Saints turn a double play, third to second, inning over.  … Continue reading “THIS is why we’re American…  baseball.”

CanadaLeave a comment

Victoria, BC

April 19, 2017 Rich McClear

We were “stuck” in Seattle and were going to make the best of it.  The planes were full in Southeast Alaska, at least full enough so that the two of us could not get on the same flight, something about … Continue reading Victoria, BC

Contiguous USLeave a comment

Art Deco Hospital

April 18, 2017 Rich McClear

I was born in a magnificent Art Deco hospital in Jersey City, the Margaret Hague Maternity (named after Boss Frank, “I am the law,” Hague’s mother) Hospital.  It was part of the Jersey City Medical Center.   The Art Deco medical … Continue reading Art Deco Hospital

CanadaLeave a comment

Victoria’s Totem Poles

April 14, 2017April 14, 2017 Rich McClear

One of my favorite walks in Sitka is through Sitka National Historical Park, we call it “Totem Park.”  I have been friends with many of the poles in the park since my first walk through in 1973.  In the 44 … Continue reading Victoria’s Totem Poles

Posts navigation

Older posts

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 171 other subscribers
Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Gazette by Automattic.
All original content on these pages is fingerprinted and certified by Digiprove
 

Loading Comments...