Traveler's Dilemma-the Familiar or the Unfamiliar?

                                              Apollo Beach, Florida

                                              Dublin, Ireland

                                                       Gulf Coast, Florida

                                             Ireland crab cakes

                                                            London

                                                  Morocco

                                                         Scotland

                                                                   Southern Spain

                                                 Tucson, Arizona


Where should I travel next?  To someone who enjoys travel, that question is always rolling around in the back of your mind. There are places that you have been and would like to revisit.  There are others that you have dreamed about going to someday. Finally, there are places that you've never even considered but hear about one way or another.  Unless you are a person of unlimited wealth and time, there are choices that have to be made.  One of the most difficult initial choices for me is to decide whether to go with the familiar or the unfamiliar.  The photos in this post were chosen to illustrate some of the different aspects of travel.  They are an eclectic set, as there are many reasons why I find travel both interesting and enjoyable.

There are places that I have been (southern Spain, Paris, Ireland, coastal Kenya, Florida, Montreal,southern France, Santa Fe) that I really enjoyed and would like spend more time exploring. On the other hand, there are so many other places that sound interesting to me that I haven't experienced. As I am NOT a person with unlimited wealth and time, I am going to need to be selective in my travel decisions. 

There was a time in my life, a few decades or so ago, when I would throw on a backpack and just travel.  I was never a trekker who explored the extremes, but I did manage to end up in some off the beaten path places.  My travel style has changed a bit, or more than a bit actually.  Still, I am interested in the new as well as the familiar.  I do set limits on the risks that I take in terms of personal danger in a place, although I must admit that my own country has become a place where a cautious traveler may be a hesitant visitor. In the best of possible worlds, people should be able to move freely from place to place and gain a better understanding of one another.  We're far from that at present, as must deal with the reality with the hope of improving it for the future.

Back to the initial focus after a brief interlude on travel philosophy.  Sorry! Given the personal constraints of time and wealth, there are still many choices just beyond my present horizon and I am sure that there are for you as well.  For 2013, I'm concentrating on my own country. To date, I've explored unfamiliar parts of Florida's Gulf Coast and spent time in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson). In June there will be a week in New Orleans, a place rich in history and culture that I have never visited.  The summer has potential travels in my Mid-Western region with exploration in a new camper (caravan).  This Fall may bring a revisit to Philadelphia and a possible reconnection of the state of Maine where I was born.  The familiar and the unfamiliar for 2013 with a local (North American) focus.

My last statement just stuck me with an interesting question that may be discussed at another time in another post: "How do you as a traveler define "local?"

Thank you for stopping by the Tavern, feel free to come back again when you have time. In the meantime, may your own travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry

This is Culture Too............

                        Attacking wolf of Cardiff Castle wall

When most of us travel, we pay attention to the land, its people, buildings, food, museums, and various other aspects of the place. As we do this, we try not to stand out as TOURISTS and blend into the community as best we can. Whether or not we successfully blend in, the people we are visiting know that we're out there somewhere and make different forms of attempts to capture our attention.  While some of those situations may be a bit tacky, the ways that they do so often says something about their culture and also how they perceive the various cultures of those that visit them.   The photos in this post are included with this aspect of culture in mind.

The above photo is a typical example of the way that one group of people perceived what the tourist was looking for. I had spent the morning in the midst of heavy rain exploring the unsheltered remains of a partially restored castle outside Cardiff, Wales.  That was followed by a quick lunch, a short tour of a cathedral, then a walk through football crowds as we made our way towards Cardiff Castle.  As we approached the "restored" castle I looked up and found myself face to face with this attacking wolf.  Yes, this was a sign of things to come in terms of  the authenticity of the castle.  It was, however, amusing.

                   Conch Republic "Embassy" in Key West, Florida

 At one time the citizens of Key West "broke off" from both Florida and the USA to start their own "laid back republic".  The Conch Republic's Embassy still remains as a tourist icon.  I resisted applying for a passport.

             Sign at Dublin restaurant in the land of former famine

My Irish ancestors left their homeland in the 1840's because of the Famine during which the potato crop was devastated by disease.  Given that, I found this Dublin restaurant sign more than a bit incongruous.

                   Casual Victorian gentleman next to Dublin-based Viking

Speaking of incongruity in Ireland, the  well-dressed gentleman calmly sitting next to a Viking holding a severed head was unsettling.  On the other hand, I went upstairs and found a fantastic corned beef sandwich.

                    Florida Gulf Coast "animal crossing"

 Florida does have very legitimate animal crossing signs that are unusual to the non-native visitor. Two that are frequently seen are "alligator crossing" and "panther crossing". There are times when you certainly will run across either and need to drive cautiously. On the other hand, jellyfish are aquatic beasties.....

                     Phoenix Botanical Gardens "Autumn Man"

 I wasn't quite sure why this, along with three other statues, was found in the midst of natural desert plants.  Most of the botanical garden was tastefully done. Phoenix rules, I guess.  Strange.

                               Santa Fe "Silver Rhino"

 The rhino is NOT native to New Mexico. I've lived in Kenya and I know that for certain. On the other hand, Santa Fe is known for its free spirit and quirkiness.

                                   Tarpon Springs "Sponge Moose"

 I was born in the state of Maine and have seen moose in their natural habitat.  Moose do NOT live in Tarpon Springs, nor are they made of sponges that have been harvested from the sea by the descendents of Greek settlers.  The spongemoose did give me a chuckle.

                         Bath's "Winnie the Pooh's Evil Brother"

When I think of Bath, England I usually think of the Roman Baths, the Jane Eyre Museum, and the Victorian houses that housed the wealthy vacationers in the late 1800's.  I did NOT expect to come across an angry Winnie the Pooh-like creature wielding a chain saw. Yes, tourist material for those with a slightly bent sense of humor.

                            Ybor City, Florida "Giant Chicken"

 Two comments related to the Bone Yard.  First of all, bars don't usually go out of their way to call themselves "dives".  A "dive" is considered to be a low-life establishment where food and drink is questionable at best and you need to guard your wallet.  Secondly, I do think that a bit of exaggeration as been applied to the size of the wings.  (BTW-Florida did have its version of cowboys, so that part is not misrepresented.)


I hope that you have enjoyed your visit to the Tavern and will stop by again. In the meantime, may your travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry

Arizona: Thoughts on Preserving the Past

I have always be interested in cultures and histories.  The land, cultures, and histories are intertwined and it is sometimes a challenge to sort out the influences they  have upon one another.  This challenge is one of the factors that makes any travel interesting.  One of the universal traits that peoples seem to have is a need to find some outlet to display cultural and historical aspects so that they will not be forgotten by present and future generations. What a  group of people  wants remembered and how it is represented tells the viewer/listener something as well.  Wouldn't it be boring  if it was all done the same?  That would take some of the joy out of travel.

Last month, while in Arizona, a few hours were spent at Phoenix's Heard Museum of American Indian Art and History (http://www.heard.org/).  The photos in this post were taken there. To be honest, there were so many exhibits that the few hours were not really enough to do them justice.  Still, I did come away with some strong impressions and a little better understanding of the original peoples of Arizona.

I am a visual learner-statues, weavings, murals, and photographs leave strong impressions. I was struck by intensity of the colors and subjects of some of the murals....tales of the past and interpretations of the present- all in striking hues.  The weavers' room with its scenes of weavers, pow wows, sheep herders, and rodeos all designed through skillful planning were truly amazing.  Carved figures dressed in traditional or ceremonial clothing found in other exhibits gave cultural insights.  The display of the Code Talkers who used their language as a battle code during the World Wars reminded the viewer of the importance of the warrior in American Indian societies. 

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know that museums are not usually on the top of my "list of things to do" when I travel.  As a rule, I feel that I can gain a better understanding of a place by wandering around out of doors, interacting with people, or reading up on a place.  The Heard Museum does something that many others don't necessarily do-it shows the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Yes, it does show beautiful aspects of craftsmanship. It also has murals that depict concerns about American Indians shedding their cultural values to seek the hamburger and the world of mainstream television.  Nor is there avoidance of showing how the original peoples were treated by outsiders with very different cultural values who came and settled on native lands.  There is also a pointed reminder that , in spite of the treatment they received by the American government and many of the European settlers,  American  Indians willingly contributed  to the United States' efforts during the World Wars and placed their lives in danger doing so.  All in all, the visit to the Heard  was a good historical and cultural experience for me.

Thank you for visiting the Tavern.   I hope that you enjoyed your stay and will stop by again.  Until then, may your travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry

Tucson Street Rambles

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I hadn't been to Arizona for 13 years,and my strongest memories of it were of the Grand Canyon.  This time there were different reasons for travel: reconnection with old friends, a hope of seeing the desert in bloom, and finding a place to explore and soak up its flavors.  Phoenix Botanical Gardens gave us the desert in bloom, and there was a reconnection with a friend in one of Phoenix's suburbs.  Sprawling, metropolitan Phoenix meant that exploration was done by car, however, not on foot. Even when exploring under brilliant blue skies in a Ford Mustang convertible with its top down, the flavors passed us by at high speed.  A side trip to Tucson solved that lack of flavorful experience.

One of the joys of finding a walkable city or town is the chance to truly experience its history and culture.  If it is safe and walkable, that means that you can wander practically anywhere, then relax at an outdoor cafe or bar and people-watch.  As I've said in other posts, this to me is just as relevant as taking a guided tour through a museum. (Not that I am against visiting museum, I'm just saying that rambles are also a valid way fo getting to know a place. I enjoyed the hours spent in Phoenix's Heard Museum.)

The photos in this post try to capture some of the impressions that Tucson made.  The funky Congress Hotel as a base of stay, with a St.Patrick's Day early celebration that would begin at midnight.  The farmers' market across the street from the hotel with its high octane coffee beans sold by Cowboy Joe.  The streets and plazas with their colorful blend of new and old architecture.  The outdoor restaurant where the evening was spent enjoying the sound of The Wayback Machine (our friend was a guitarist/vocalist in it).  The Sunday morning quiche flavored with jalapenos and served on the hotel patio.  The nearby Tucson train station where a Silver Spike celebration was in progress.  These experiences, in my mind, are what travel is all about. Flavor!

Thank you for visiting.  I hope that you enjoyed your stay and will stop by again.  In the meantime, may your travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry

Tucson: Wandering Through De Grazia's Gallery In the Sun

At the edge of Tucson, Arizona is an excellent spot to visit and gain a feeling of its land and culture. Wandering along the arid pathways lined with cacti and hardy small trees of the Gallery in the Sun gives a sense of the environment that helped shape aspects of Tucson's culture.  Mingled with these landscapes are works of art by De Grazia, tributes to Arizona's past and present.  All of this is bordered by mountainous views and infused by heat that creeps up on you as the day grows longer.  This was a place off of the beaten path  well worth the effort.

The images in this post are examples of the reason that it's good to travel beyond your present horizon.  While I would not want to spend an extended time in this harsh, dry land I can gain an appreciation of its natural beauty and formative forces.  I can also gain a better understanding of the feeling of dislocation that a person raised in such a land feels when visiting the watery, tree-crowded environment that my own Wisconsin offers.  That, in my mind, is what travel is all about.

Thank you for visiting, feel free to stop by the tavern again..  Until then, may your own travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry