Views from the Manx Steam Railway
Here are pictures taken from the Manx Steam Railway. I love the puffs of steam and smoke that look like miniature and very low cumulus clouds. Continue reading Views from the Manx Steam Railway
Manx Steam Railway
These are pictures from the Manx Steam Railway. The Next post will be pictures taken from the trains. Continue reading Manx Steam Railway
Isle of Man
This is the first post from the Isle of Man. It has several shots from around the island, including the route of the TT motorcycle race. Other posts will deal with the Manx Steam Railroad, Douglas, Peel, Castletown and Port Erin. There‘s a sign when you leave the arrivals area of the Isle of Man Airport that reads “Travelers who are not citizens of the EU or the EEA and are arriving from the Republic of Ireland are required to register with the Isle of Man immigration and passport office.” It gives an address in Douglas, the … Continue reading Isle of Man
Sometimes flying becomes the theatre of the absurd.
The taxi driver from Clontarf to the airport offered to take me a different route, around Dublin Bay, along the coast pass the fishing village of Howth and then into the airport. “It’s more miles but with school getting out it now may be less time. At Howth he said “You’ll be flying right over that when you take off.” (We did.) I think he wanted the longer ride so he could ask me what I “really” felt about Sarah Palin. He rather likes the idea of a governor named Sean Parnell. Aer Lingus charges bags by weight. 15 kg … Continue reading Sometimes flying becomes the theatre of the absurd.
Radio Days Europe, Dublin, 2014
How could it have been better? Radio Days Europe are over. These three days are working themselves into being one of those annual celebrations that mark my calendar, in a way like the Winnipeg Folk Festival or the Sitka Festival. It’s a celebration of many things I hold close; radio, free press, good journalism, storytelling, meeting friends and, this year, Ireland. A celebration it was, but with a sober start. We all stood for a minute to honor the 200 journalists killed in the line of work since the last Radio Days. Twenty seven of them have died in the … Continue reading Radio Days Europe, Dublin, 2014
A Colorful and Happy St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin
St. Patrick’s Day Dublin, Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In a way it reminds me of the May Day Parade in Minneapolis presented by the Heart of the Beast Puppet Theater. Continue reading A Colorful and Happy St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Battle of Clontarf, or Here Come the Vikings!
“In 1014 Brian Boru defeated the Danes at Clontarf near Dublin.” That is what my Grandfather learned in school and it is what he taught me. This year the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin looked back into history as … Continue reading St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Battle of Clontarf, or Here Come the Vikings!
Faces of St. Patrick (Reflections on my Grandfather.)
The hats were the same ones I saw at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York 9 years ago but instead of obnoxiously drunk teenagers these were mostly well mannered young people enjoying the Sunday of Dublin’s St. Patrick’s … Continue reading Faces of St. Patrick (Reflections on my Grandfather.)
Dublin Goes Green (It’s the eve of St. Patrick’s Day.)
Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day. My Irish grandfather always told me it was no use going to Ireland on St. Pat’s. All the good bands were in New York, Boston or Chicago. The Dubliners had their own annual gig in … Continue reading Dublin Goes Green (It’s the eve of St. Patrick’s Day.)
Belgrade, Easter 2001 (continued from post before)
This is continuation, from the same letter I posted from yesterday. It is early for Easter but I thought the two posts should go together. Easter, 2001 In front of St. Marko’s church are stalls selling Easter candies and beautifully … Continue reading Belgrade, Easter 2001 (continued from post before)
Lent and Easter in Belgrade
April 15, 2001(Easter Sunday) Belgrade, Yugoslavia Dear Friends, Religion in Serbia is struggling to find itself after 45 years of official atheism followed by 10 years in which being a Serb, Croat or Bosniak was defined by religion since appearance … Continue reading Lent and Easter in Belgrade
Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday
The idea of an Easter Market seems counterintuitive. Lent is the time of penance between Carnival and Easter. The idea of a market selling food and flowers during Lent seems odd. But then there is Palm Sunday, a time to … Continue reading Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday
Carnival Lisbon, Apres Carnival, Belgrade
Carnival is over. In some places it continues into Lent with the funeral of Vaal (Carnival) which starts penitently enough but becomes a second bacchanal. We experienced something different in Belgrade. As an excerpt from this letter from May 2009 … Continue reading Carnival Lisbon, Apres Carnival, Belgrade
Carnival in Dubrovnik
This is Fat Tuesday: Carnival. I went back through my files for stories about Carnival and came on this letter from Dubrovnik written in March 2000. Dear Friends, Polka, not samba, not calypso, not second line, not even “Carnival in … Continue reading Carnival in Dubrovnik
Sitka Wearable Art Show
The Sitka Wearable Art show was a fantastic community event. Artists designed clothing made from discarded or unused stuff found around the house. Some of the costumes were made from empty beer and pop cans, there was a chain mail suit made of pop can pop tops, a suite made of old Kodachrome slides, plastic packing material, magnetic recording tape, spare napkins, cloth remnants, kids’ art taken from the fridge, old movie tickets, orange bait bags, old tire tubes, plastic cutlery, beer bottle tops, tire inner tubes, taco shells, money, unused neckties, and clothes pins. Some of the costumes were … Continue reading Sitka Wearable Art Show
A Letter to the Editor
Letter to the editor, To the Editor, Fifteen years ago I led a project to train Roma journalists in Slovakia. My students were honest and hardworking, but a stereotype followed them, limiting their opportunities. The Roma are an ethnic group commonly called Gypsies. My students were constantly confronted with discrimination based on the stereotype “thieving Gypsy.” At the end of a day’s training, we wanted to have a dinner at a local restaurant, but my students were refused entrance. After the training, I had trouble placing my qualified students as interns because of the fear that they would steal. It … Continue reading A Letter to the Editor
Winter Anchorage
Anchorage is surrounded by mountains and Cook Inlet. Denali, the highest peak in North America is visible from many places in Anchorage. Continue reading Winter Anchorage
Iditarod ! Can Spring be far off?
When Alaska sled dog racers boot up they are not starting up a computer. They are putting protective booties on their dogs to protect their feet. This week is the start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The actual race starts in Willow, but on the first Saturday of March the ceremonial start of the race takes over Anchorage’s 4th Avenue amid ceremony and celebration. IditaRiders win auction bids to ride in the basket of a sled for the first 11 miles of the trail with a musher. The auction helps support the race. The first 11 miles don’t count … Continue reading Iditarod ! Can Spring be far off?
Rondy Snow Sculptures, 2014
In January it is ice carving, February it’s snow sculptures. The Fur Rondy snow carving competition starts with huge blocks of concrete colored snow. As the sculptors work the snow seems to become whiter, although the emerging sunlight may help. My favorite was “Arctic Bowling” although I rather like the homey cabin. Minions seemed a favorite among some of the folks. KNBA has a radio, when you go around back you see tubes. More than one kid asked his parent “what are those things?” They all knew what the London Police Call Box meant. Continue reading Rondy Snow Sculptures, 2014
They Put the Fur into Fur Rondy.
The Anchorage Fur Rendezvous (Rondy) is a festival designed to drive PETA mad. There is the running of the reindeer, safer than running with the bulls. There are horse drawn carriages. They’re bad, just ask New York’s new mayor. There is a fur auction, “Where it all began” according to the banner over the auction stage. Trappers, many of them kids, have their caches auctioned off. A red tagged fur was trapped by someone under 15 earning pocket money or funds for school. Along the street you can buy fur items, hats, coats, stoles, or pelts. The streets are lined … Continue reading They Put the Fur into Fur Rondy.
Anchorage Fur Rondy Sled Dog Races.
Suzi and I started going to sled dog races in the early ‘70s when we covered the All American Champion Sled Dog Race in Ely, MN for NPR. Alaska’s George Attla, the Husila Hustler, finished second. Other sprint race greats like Dr. Roland Lombard from Massachusetts met in Ely for that race. In the late ‘70s we covered the Northern Minnesota sled dog circuit for KAXE and I actually got to run George Hewitt’s team in a short race. But everyone in Minnesota tipped their hats to the granddaddy of all sprint races, the North American Championship Race, at the … Continue reading Anchorage Fur Rondy Sled Dog Races.
Anchorage Aurora, 2014
There is a new program offered by NOAA which predicts the aurora. It has a global projection and shows, based on colors, where the Aurora will be in 20 minutes. I sat in my hotel room watching the map … Continue reading Anchorage Aurora, 2014
Two Mornings On Jamestown Bay
Saturday night we had a power failure. Snow brought down a tree onto a power line between Blue Lake and Green Lake. Suzi had just pulled dinner out of the over so we had a candle light dinner. And just in case the power didn’t come back we ate all the ice cream. The view of the snow along Jamestown on Sunday Morning made the power outage worth it. (Although I am sure the Sitka Electrical Department may disagree.) This morning we had a beautiful moon set over Jamestown Bay and Mt. Edgecumbe after another night of fresh snow. By … Continue reading Two Mornings On Jamestown Bay
Elizabeth Peratrovich Day
Today is Elizabeth Peratrovich Day in Alaska. In 1945, during the debate in the Alaska Territorial Legislature on a bill mandating equal accommodation for people of all races, a senator asked “who are these people, barely out of savagery, to … Continue reading Elizabeth Peratrovich Day