Winnipeg Folk Festival 2014
When we first started going to the Winnipeg Folk Festival it was a way to get away from everything and spend several days in Birds’ Hill Provincial Park 40 KM north of the city. There were no phones. Even when I started carrying laptops and mobile phones the Winnipeg Folk Festival remained a black hole for communications, for a while. I liked it that way. There was no internet and no cell service. After a few years cell service came to the site and a year or so ago there was wi-fi in the media area. This year the festival … Continue reading Winnipeg Folk Festival 2014
St. Croix River Soo Line High Bridge
I love the iron and steel constructs built between the American Civil War and the First World War. Many were built by the railroads, the wonder train sheds of Europe. But the US has its share of railway architecture. The St. Croix River Soo Line High Bridge is a magical construct of steel latticework. I never tire of taking a boat down to the bridge just to marvel at how, more than a century ago (in 1909) folks made such a wonderful and beautiful structure. I love how delicate the lacework pattern of iron and steel can look. Make sure … Continue reading St. Croix River Soo Line High Bridge
St. Olaf College
The family recently visited St. Olaf College. (See two earlier posts, “Remembering WCAL” and “A Professor, an Art Barn and a Lifetime of Enjoyment.”) I had not been on campus for a while. We went, specifically, to see what St. Olaf did to Boe Memorial Chapel to improve its acoustics and to look at the new Regent’s Hall Science building and find out what happened to the Flaten Art Barn and the old science center. We liked what we saw. The center of the campus is automobile free and the open lawn now has lots of shade trees and a … Continue reading St. Olaf College
A Professor, An Art Barn and A Lifetime of Enjoyment
Liberal Arts educations are often derided in the popular press today. Today the reason for a college education seems to be to find a job not to find a life or a vocation. I’ve never regretted the broad liberal arts education I got at St. Olaf College. Sure, it gave me skills to function in the workplace but more than that it gave me insight in how to live an enjoyable life, in finding a vocation. When I look back at my college time from the perspective of 50 years the one course that stands out, providing me more lifetime … Continue reading A Professor, An Art Barn and A Lifetime of Enjoyment
A Prairie Home Companion 40th Anniversary Celebration
On Saturday Suzi and I were fortunate enough to to sit on the Macalaster College lawn surrounded by family — kids, grandkid, in-laws, nieces and nephews celebrating A Prairie Home Companion’s 40th anniversary. The whole weekend was kind of a PHC festival with outdoor stages and indoor concerts in the Macalaster Fine Arts Center and the chapel. There were food booths, including great corn on the cob, and radio booths. At one the PHC sound effects man recreated the sounds we all hear on the show and had kids help him create the effect of a creaking ship, a crackling … Continue reading A Prairie Home Companion 40th Anniversary Celebration
Target Field, July 4th weekend and Tanaka Pitches, what could be better?
A great way to spend part of the July 4th weekend is at a ball game. For the second year we enjoyed watching the Twins loose to the Yankees at Target Field. Our tickets were tagged “Skyline View” because we could see the Minneapolis Skyline probably better than the action on the field. But it was a great day, nice crowd, a lot of fun and fireworks at the end. The one disturbing thing was the cost. –our people, upper deck “Slyline View” Seats, 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks, 4 Cracker Jack and parking came to close to $275. When … Continue reading Target Field, July 4th weekend and Tanaka Pitches, what could be better?
After 238 Years, Jefferson Still Lives
238 years ago in Philadelphia John Adams moved a resolution written by Thomas Jefferson. It read, in part: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The 4th of July is a civic holiday, where people of all sorts gather to celebrate a common belief. I tell the same story every Fourth of … Continue reading After 238 Years, Jefferson Still Lives
Remembering WCAL
The St. Olaf College radio station WCAL was a pioneer in broadcasting. It went on the air as an experimental licensee 9YAJ in November 1918, as soon as the ban on radio transmission was lifted after World War I. In … Continue reading Remembering WCAL
The Sitka Summer Music Festival Ends Today.
The last regular season concert of the Sitka Summer Music Festival is this evening. It has been a glorious month of music. The Festival has concerts or events 6 days a week, evening concerts, brown bag lunches, cafe concerts, music based movie nights, a kid’s concert, a garden party concert and a concert on a boat floating in Krestof Sound. About half the events are free. The concerts are a delight, with four centuries of chamber music performed on instruments that span five centuries. June is a month where I know I am exactly where I should be. Thanks to … Continue reading The Sitka Summer Music Festival Ends Today.
An Early Summer in Sitka
When the rain came back earlier this week I had the feeling of fall coming on. It has been beautiful the last two months, with our long northern days and lots of good weather. We have been so blessed with weather that I can’t let myself believe that it isn’t autumn already. But, of course, we are just beginning summer. A friend told me we are fortunate to live in Sitka because when something normal happens, that is normal for other people, a blue sky, it is a cause of celebration in Sitka. We have had two months of celebration. … Continue reading An Early Summer in Sitka
European Football Tournaments.
Yesterday I posted about the World Cup. Today I am posting excerpts of two letters on European tournaments. I watched Euro 98 games Austria and Egypt. During Euro 96 we lived in Tirana. I’ll start with Euro 2008. A cartoon in one of the local Cairo papers shows two Egyptians looking at the European football tournament, Euro 2008, on TV. One says to the other “The difference is, with us, football is just a game.” It is a madness that takes over Europe every fourth June. The roof of the Cairo Marriott is turned into a big screen outdoor football … Continue reading European Football Tournaments.
Remembering World Cups Past.
I enjoy the World Cup, watching games at various venues in Sitka. (Football is better watched in community. Besides, I don’t own a Television. The picture at the top is at the Pizza Express, a Mexican Restaurant in Sitka, the … Continue reading Remembering World Cups Past.
The Carnival Comes to Sitka
After a 31 year absence, the Carnival came to Sitka over the weekend – not the cruise ship Carnival, but the cover-your-kids-in-cotton-candy carnival. Golden Wheel amusements brought 14 rides, games, funnel cake, and corn dogs. Sitka was ready. KCAW’s Rich McClear sent this audio postcard from the midway. Awesome – This is fun, do it again next year – cool –I haven’t seen a lot of people gathering like this for a long time, very active, good for the community – my kids were born and raised here so they have never been to a carnival before, They’re super excited, … Continue reading The Carnival Comes to Sitka
A Day in the Life of a Semi-Retired Sitkan (June 5, 2014).
I started the day telecommuting with places like Tbilisi, Georgia and Washington, DC. (I am, after all, only semi-retired.) Mid-morning there was time for a workout on my recumbent bike while listening to Grace play classic rock on Raven Radio. Suzi, our friend Nan and I, were downtown in time to hear the glorious noontime change bell ringing at St. Michael’s cathedral. Just after noon we took the few steps into the Centennial Building to enjoy a brown bag concert by artists from the Sitka Summer Music Festival — Bach, Chopin and Dohnanyi. The glass wall behind the musicians framed … Continue reading A Day in the Life of a Semi-Retired Sitkan (June 5, 2014).
Casablanca
One last post from Morocco. These pictures are from Casablanca — 2005 and 2009. I posted pictures of the grand mosque and art deco Casablanca earlier. This doesn’t complete the picture but gives a different side of the fabled city. Continue reading Casablanca
Moroccan Leather (in Marrakesh)
It’s kind of like sausage. I am not sure you really want to see how Moroccan leather is made. But in case you are interested, these are pictures from a tannery in Marrakesh. Continue reading Moroccan Leather (in Marrakesh)
Marrakesh (Charming Cobras in the Square.)
Marrakesh is a trading center, a vast walled city at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. For many coming on the caravan trails it was the grandest city they would ever see. The main attraction of Marrakech, for me, is watching the walls and minaret of the main mosque glow pink in the light just before sunset. We’ve walked to the gate closest to the hotel to watch the transformation for two nights and can also see it from our hotel window. The main square, the Djemma el Fna makes Marrakesh different from anyplace else. There really are “charming cobras … Continue reading Marrakesh (Charming Cobras in the Square.)
Take the Train from Casablanca going south. (The Marrakesh Express)
I’ve never heard a train song I didn’t want to ride. I’ve ridden the Rock Island Line and the City of New Orleans. Some songs I can never ride. The Super Chief and Phoebe Snow are 30 years gone. But you can still “take the train from Casablanca going south.” We rode the Marrakesh Express. The song is more about anticipation than the ride, but the ride, while crowded, is worth it. You clickety clack from the coastal flats through rolling hills and dessert. There are settlements of brown adobe brick, circled by a wall, looking like they grew out … Continue reading Take the Train from Casablanca going south. (The Marrakesh Express)
Rabat Medina
A final tranche from our 2007 trip to Rabat. Continue reading Rabat Medina
Rabat Deco
In the last post I mentioned the art deco quarter of Rabat. Here are some pictures. Continue reading Rabat Deco
Rabat Morocco
From an October 2007 letter: We’re in Rabat for a Pan-African Community Radio meeting. In the evenings Suzi and I are free and wander Rabat. Suzi says “we could live here.” Rabat is a walkable city, relatively clean, French art deco, relaxed without the hassle (or excitement) of Casablanca. A teenager grabs Suzi’s hand and starts doing henna artwork before she can protest. I, of course, have to pay for it, a temporary souvenir of Rabat. She is the only really aggressive tout we’ve encountered. It is so unlike Cairo, Casablanca or Marrakech. On Friday we had only morning meetings … Continue reading Rabat Morocco
Mitteleuropa Cafes in Vienna and Bratislava
When we lived in Bratislava we often went for a show, concert or meal in Vienna. After the show we sat on the Schwartzenberg Café (also called the Opera Café) along the D tram line, enjoying a coffee until it … Continue reading Mitteleuropa Cafes in Vienna and Bratislava
He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed.
Across the back of a row of the booths of the Altwiener Ostermarkt, Freyung (Old Vienna Easter market at Freyung Square) is a 40 meter (130 foot) long mural of the Passion of Christ painted for this 25th anniversary of the … Continue reading He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed.
Bratislava Easter Fair or a Spanking for Easter.
The Bratislava Easter markets are basically extra booths added onto the open air booths that are in two of the squares all season (Hviezdoslavovo námestie and Františkánske námestie.) The Bratislava market had almost no emphasis on food (except for a … Continue reading Bratislava Easter Fair or a Spanking for Easter.