Cleveland: A Blast Of Rock & Roll Past

“It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled,
It’s been a long time since I did the Stroll.”
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back,
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
It’s been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time. Yes it has.” (Led Zeppelin, Rock and Roll)

In spite of my inevitable emergence into the dreaded senior years of life, a steady dose of “rock and roll” fuels a renewed sense of youthful vigor these days. My friendships, it seems, share a similar anti- aging disposition. I think of my sports buddy in Santa Cruz California, for example, whose fanaticism for buying/selling oldies albums grows into a productive source of extra income after retiring as a teacher. Or I contemplate my spirited lunchtime chats about rock &roll legends with a former professor colleague in Fort Lauderdale who delivers popular lectures at a local Jewish Community Center about famed rock icons of the past. Social media interactions with my baby boomer Facebook friends daily also reveal a heavy bias toward classic rock postings of upcoming concerts, You Tube video clips, and nostalgic slang/paraphernalia.

As for me, a travel heavy lifestyle keeps rock music most relevant as I strive to search online ( eg.Stub Hub and Bandsintown…)for live concerts to book in conjunction with road trip itineraries, weekend “getaways”, cruise shows, and European festivals. Fittingly then, my short visit to Cleveland Ohio, last week, would provide plenty of magical musical moments in my latest visit downtown to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I urge you now to this settle into the musical vibes of “Cleveland Rocks” in the following photographs.

The intense Southern croons of Elvis Presley, the “King”, evoke timeless memories of his musical greatness at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Cousin Brucie rolled the AM radio waves with rock&roll madness on date night Saturday’s as simulated on this music box.

Historic galleries here revealed that dressing for the part of rock and roll stardom in the past required creative imagination.

With teenagers buying 45 rpm records like this Beatles song in mass, early rock & roll appeal spread widely throughout America via record players and jukeboxes

So did “boombox” blasts from cassette tape cartridges later.

If you were cool to rock & roll music you often read Rolling Stone Magazines like the ones displayed in this exhibition.

Vivid memories of “The Who” presence in this gallery reminded me that a guitar never seemed safe from physical destruction at the end of their “gigs.”

An eye catching poster such as the the one shown here would often promote an upcoming live performance before the advent of the Internet.

In today’s times at the Rock Hall “Garage”, you might even create your own musical “riffs” of classic rock & roll tunes.

Or visit downtown Cleveland and re-embrace in an open arena setting the “retro” aliveness surrounding a classic rock & roll concert.

September 28, 2019 5

Quebec City: A Charming Embodiment

Quebec City is the most European of any city in North America, they speak French all the time. There is a part of town called Old Quebec which is really like being in France. The architecture is just gorgeous, food, shopping. I’d say Quebec city is the most beautiful city in North America I’ve seen.” (Sebastian Bach”)

We’d reached the end of our sixteen day cruise in late summer and eagerly awaited a relaxing, four day conclusion to our latest vacation in historic Quebec City. Seeing again the majestic towers of the Chateau Frontenac Hotel, as we sailed in along the St. Lawrence Seaway, I quickly re-imagined our youthful frolicking in a winter holiday wonderland during our first trip to Quebec City in the late 1970s. Vivid memories of those exhilarating moments for us remain. In walled section of medieval Vieux-Québec, I recall wandering aimlessly with playful naïveté at the time as we felt true romance in sharing a dripping cheese fondue over a warm fireplace then. I also flashback to admiring images of stately carriages hauled by horse and buggy in bitter cold air. Strong memories also survive of us getting lost in the narrow cobblestone streets with limited direction/distance tools to follow as steep hills provided little challenge to our youthful vigor.

Being now seasoned travelers in our early retirement years, we realized with optimism that our enduring resolve to settle into the present moment of travel would provide a similarly satisfying visit to Quebec City in late summer 2019. In particular, I would thus feel free to set out on my own to seriously photograph historic landmarks around Quebec while my wife could embrace the social company of her Canadian friends. You might then say that our 2019 Quebec visit provided a successful test of the enduring strength of our 40+ years marriage as we mutually respected each others differing sightseeing interests in a non- possessive way Enjoy the uplifting spirit of Quebec City “now” in the following photographs.

On this cruise visit to Quebec City, we cut short our first city walk on a cold and drizzly summer morning.

Yet in spite of such foul weather, spectacular artistry designs captured my photographic attention there.

Facing a steep climb in North America’s oldest walled city, I gazed with wonder at the unfolding panorama of Vieux-Québec.

Booking a four night stay just outside the old city walls at the Hilton Quebec, our 12th floor suite offered gorgeous views of the Quebec City regional skyline.

Taking strenuous walks from the Hilton to and from the old city each day offered us plenty of cardio activity.

Our Canadian friends, Fabienne and Claire accompanied us on a long walking tour along the St. Lawrence River via the historic heights of the Plains Of Abraham.

Descending by steep steps to a shaded board walk below the Hotel Chateau Frontenac came impressively into view.

I’m not known for window shopping in our city travels, but this display caught my interest for sure.

So did the colorful sidewalk displays of late summer flowers.

Admiring the impressive medieval facade of the Chateau Frontenac, we took a curious peak at its lavish interior.

Reentering Old Quebec, we passed through the old city wall. A sentimental saunter amidst the lively cobblestone streets of Vieux Quebec then provided a romantic twist to our latest visit.

At the Plains Of Abraham Museum, l experienced the sounds/sights of colonial era warfare associated with the British invasion of Quebec City during the French and Indian War.

Outside the museum, a short path led to the restored ramparts of “ The Citadel”, marking a key site for French defense of the city from British control in 1759.

I noticed how an imaginative redesign of a historic church could now function as a modern library.

As an esteemed center of wellness provision in Quebec City, Le Monastery des Augustines provided a celebratory setting of healthy food options for our last meal in Quebec City.

September 18, 2019 20

Magnificent Maritime Motion

When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like.” (Jane Fonda)

Sometimes a wandering mind can render direction or distance guidance virtually useless. For in restraining oneself from scheduling a designated path to a destination, interesting sidetrack discoveries surprisingly appear. So as Ruth and I observed cool, sunny weather, as we reached the most northerly portions of our recent cruise along the Atlantic seaboard, we opted to ignore guided tour temptations and simply walk on our own ashore.

Spontaneous sightings quickly arose then along our itinerary of one day stopovers in maritime Canada. Along the shoreline, a festive, local flavor took place as we ambled short distances from our cruise ship. Further inland, our steep climbs uphill would find immediate rewards of spectacular panoramas of downtown skylines. Wandering around through “Old Town” districts, we savored authentic treasures along narrow streets reminiscent of past British rule. To slow down our pace in the rising heat of summer afternoon, a shaded park bench to rest inspired captivating glimpses of nature’s glory. Heading back to our ship with some time to shop, we feasted our eyes on inexpensive buys at outdoor markets filled with eager local merchants.

In the spirit of these serendipitous cruise memories, then, I thus offer the following photographs for your enjoyment.

SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK

As we exited our cruise ship in Saint John Harbor, I immediately noticed the fresh summer profusion of summer flowers lining streets into downtown on this quiet summer morning.

Taking a short but challenging hike uphill, Trinity Church remains as an impressive landmark of past British Loyalism in St. John.

Nearby the church, we took a short rest surrounded by the eerie sight of the Old Loyalist Burial Ground.

Touring City Market, we noticed an old industrial warehouse now functioned as a bustling shopping corridor for local wares.

We also admired the authentic mercantile artifacts exhibited at historic Barbour’s Country Store.

Returning downhill to our ship, trendy Market Square Convention Center returned our mindset to the gentrified world of modern 21st century design. Why then would I forego my cellphone for a British phone booth in making a call ?

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA

Offering a distinctive multicultural “feel”, our walking tour in midweek began with a curious stroll along the the Halifax Harbor “Green” for a taste of the town’ festive summer spirit.

On this cool, sunny morning, an aspiring teenage trombonist played a song for us to accentuate the “electric” Canadian vibes we were feeling then.

Occupying the strategic high ground of the city, Halifax Citadel remains as a symbolic landmark, marking over two hundred years of Canadian military history. The sentry shown in the photo below put on quite a “tourist friendly” show.

Still functioning as a thriving gathering point in Halifax, we ducked into the Public Gardens in midday to escape the busy downtown crowds. A lazy walk through the park revealed an intricately designed ground pleasantly dotted with manicured gardens, Victorian era sculptures, and a slow moving stream.

Returning to our ship along a quiet side street, I attentively noted the pleasing sight of these colorful matching sets in row houses and doors.

SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA

Sailing into remote Glace Bay on Cape Breton Island to Sydney, we did not anticipate such a spirited community welcome for the arrival of cruise passengers.

As we hiked inland along Ferry Street to a Provincial Park on a cool afternoon, we soon realized that this pleasant spot along an inland river had once been the unsightly industrial scene of a iron and steel production yard/facility..

At the Old Town Hall Heritage Museum, historic memorabilia vividly displayed the struggles and triumphs of Sydney’s proud citizens to remain an independent municipality amidst political upheaval resulting from an unfolding environmental crisis.

Through the eyes of a local child, Sydney today, remains a beautifully inviting place to live.

September 12, 2019 5

Freedom Flourishes In Boston

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.” (John F. Kennedy)

“Citizens of Boston! Consider your blessings; consider your duties. ….. Let New England continue to be an example to the world of the blessings of free government, and of the means and capacity of man to maintain it. ….. (Josiah Quincy)

From a tourist perspective, Boston always presents itself to me as a historically interesting town. There certainly lies authentic proof here of free will served through independence from Great Britain control in the latter years of the 18th century. On past occasions, for instance, we’ve visited iconic downtown landmarks along the Freedom Trail, gazed at the hallowed battlefields of Bunker Hill, Lexington, Concord, and relaxed along the colonial “green-space” of Boston Common. We thus found good reason to book a half day, bus excursion on our most recent Atlantic cruise with the hope of re-living this spirit of liberty at John Adams National Historic Park and John F. Kennedy Presidential Library/Museum.

As my primary interest of this tour would thus be historical, I hoped to photograph for my readers a Bostonian showcase of freedom’s reign at these two sites on our scheduled itinerary. Departing from the waterfront in late morning , however, our vehicle slowed frequently amidst heavy commuter traffic. How satisfying it felt then to discover that the lighthearted scripts of our elderly tour guide could be a useful mind diversion from such time delays and unsightly gridlock.

Several of his humorous tidbits, spiced with Bostonian drawl/ culture, come to mind. He first spoke of a past prison incident where inmates rioted because they no longer received an adequate supply of lobster (“lobsta”) at their daily meals. He then noted that angry city drivers never chose to honk their horns at other drivers but would eagerly “flip them off” with a finger. He would further demonstrate his showy talents by boasting a fantasized scenario where every professional team in Boston would respectively win their finals championship this year. As he concluded this amusing narration, we arrived at the small hamlet of Quincy, where our historic adventure would pleasantly begin.

In Quincy, Mass., Presidents John Adams followed by his son John Quincy Adams resided year around in this country homestead now part of Adams National Historical Park. Amazingly intact for almost three centuries, it remains as a living memory of America’s first “Founding Fathers.”

Passed on to four generations of Adams families, the lush landscaped grounds of this estate inspire public interest in environmental preservation. In time, these manicured grounds attained the nickname, “Peace Field.”

John Adams traveled to Europe extensively as an American diplomat in support of American liberty ideals. Interior decorations of this estate include prized mementos collected overseas from friends/allies during this period of his life.

As a patriot, skilled in the professions of law, science, and politics, John Adams filled his time with challenging daily learnings. Yet he also made time for informal gatherings.

Many notable figures in American history line the interior walls As many of them visited the Adams estate over the years, one can imagine the “buzz” of freedom’s diplomacy engaged here.

John Quincy Adams spearheaded the addition of a Stone Annex (the first Presidential Library) at the rear of the Adams estate. The extensive collection of books here remain as a living testament to the intellectual foundations in colonial times of America’s democracy.

The John F. Kennedy Center at Columbia Point, Mass. stands as America’s official memorial to his life and Presidency. Its unique contemporary design overlooking a serene bay inspires visitors to view the Kennedy legacy as one of American innovation/imagination.

Kennedy’s legendary leadership qualities as President are vividly depicted in this museum. Yet in other ways, he might be portrayed as a mere humble man.

Great political leaders inspire high ideals. The writings of John Kennedy displayed a keen awareness of freedom’s call that lies at the heart of our American Democracy.

Free spread of communication in American politics provided a vital link to Kennedy’s election as President. What measures to directly impact voters occurred in Kennedy’s time? Are they as relevant today?

A President must provide a positive role model for our country and the global community in time of crisis. In my brief tour of this museum, John F. Kennedy clearly meets that standard.

How might the Presidency of John Kennedy as depicted in this blog impact your voting decision for the election in 2020?

September 5, 2019 5

Tampa Tourist Temptation Therapy

“It’s very refreshing to go away and take a break, to clear your head, and just get into something else.” (Francois Noirs)

On most occasions, Ruth and do not need an excuse to travel and do not hesitate to pack up and go. Yet we recognize that dealing with life’s harsh realities do impact our travel decisions as we get older and hopefully wiser. Some basic question thus can arise quickly. Would it be right to isolate ourselves from an ailing loved one for an extended European vacation stay? How easily could we arrange travel home in a family emergency? Can pending financial decisions regarding my loved ones be best handled abroad? Such concerns would thus weigh heavily on our mind in our decision to cancel our monthlong stay in Paris this fall.

Reflecting about my blog theme that one can enjoy the present moment of travel at anytime/place thus enlightened me to consider some new travel alternatives for Fall 2019. Feel the youthful energy again of a new semester on a revered college campus. Follow your favorite football teams this fall by visiting more games on the road. Celebrate the music of one of your favorite rock stars out of town in a magical theater setting. Settle into the pleasing nostalgia of a quiet walk in a historic city of your youth.

We thus foresee such quick “getaways” as a new travel therapy for us in adapting to upcoming times of life crisis. Thus acting boldly to test our new lifestyle alterations for the first time in late August , a brief sojourn to Tampa, Florida would surprisingly fulfill several of such desired, short travel options. I thus present the following photographic snippets from this most satisfying, fall inaugural weekend.

My favorite football team, the Cleveland Browns, just happened to be playing a preseason game in Tampa last Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium, I purchased an inexpensive ticket to the game and enjoyed the collective feel of other Browns fans similarly showing their faith in the new winning version of this team.

“Go Bulls” chants came alive for me as I enjoyed a morning walk around the campus of our undergraduate alumnus, the University of South Florida. The welcoming presence of new students at the USF Student Center also provided vivid memories for me of the campus “buzz” surrounding the first week of college classes.

So few rockstars from the late 1960s remain active today as relevant role models for the aging “baby boomer” population. Thus, a Saturday film documentary of singer David Crosby at the historic Florida Theatre became a “must see” event for me. For his past/present life path depicted on screen, provided a brutally honest look at the youthful naïveté combined with magical music that inspired “live together in peace” ideals during my college days.

This grandiose theatre attraction opened on October 15, 1926 as a “Roaring Twenties” spectacle in downtown Tampa. As I curiously entered the theater lobby, I immediately noticed its ornately sculptured lobby punctuated by the melodious sounds of a genuine Wurlitzer organ in the distance.

Ascending my way along a narrow staircase to the balcony, I obtained a spectacular panorama of this unique stage/seating venue.

During my four year tenure at USF as a student and frequent visits to Greater Tampa later, I rarely ventured downtown. Taking a short walk to the river from the Florida Theater, I now witnessed for the first time a visually pleasing blend of both old and new.

In spring 1974, I received my undergraduate college diploma at Curtis Hixon Hall in downtown Tampa. Rekindling my memories of this milestone along my riverside walk, a fountain lined park now stands nearby the site of this demolished facility amidst the mystical Turkish dome backdrop of the University of Tampa.

Choosing a slower route of the Interstate to to exit downtown, I noticed shades of Bourbon Street New Orleans along the historic Franklin Street corridor. What was the Reverend Billy Graham thinking when he started his fervent religious crusade in this seemingly raucous area?

August 28, 2019 9

N.Y.C. From The Ground On Up

“New York City, city of exaggerations. Place of Herculean ascensions and perilous falls.” (Kurt Wenzel)

A first glance at the iconic New York City skyline certainly heightened our interest in touring Manhattan Island on our recent cruise along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. With so much to see in only a short, one day stopover, however, our excursion options seemed noticeably limited. In addition, a Brooklyn landing point for the Caribbean Princess several miles from Manhattan Island precluded any thoughts of making our way on foot this day. We thus logically realized that a morning scheduled tour offering of a convenient “hop-on hop-off” bus service to/from NYC seemed the most feasible self traveling option this day.

Finding our way to the top of our double deck bus, we would soon cross over the Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn into NYC downtown. I noticed then how the abrupt transition from our sheltered lifestyle on a cruise boat to the frenzied urban chaos of Lower Manhattan radiated both sadly depressing and positively energizing thoughts. It also seemed clear that the more I listened to our bus tour guide describe our surroundings, the more intense my mixed feelings about NYC curiosities became. Seeing good reason then to stay on the bus the entire time, I would thus photograph this tour, gauging my “see saw” like ambivalence for over thirty stops throughout our circle route uptown from Battery Park to Times Square and return.

As we departed Brooklyn Harbor on our “hop-hop-off” bus north to Manhattan, the magnificent panorama of Manhattan skyscrapers and the Brooklyn drew closer. However, an unsightly field of industrial clutter/roof graffiti obstructed our attention to dampen our sightseeing enthusiasm.

Along our route through downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, we observed many historically interesting buildings. Yet the dense traffic gridlock and horn honks combined with the continuous noise coming from urban construction sites made it difficult to concentrate on the tour narrations of our driver.

Towering High Rise housing complexes at the southern tip of Manhattan provided stunning visual evidence of NYC’s current wave of luxury residential living. Yet I could also reason how few could afford typical buying prices averaging over $1,000,000 per unit there.

Sturdy structural designs from the early 20th century remain in Lower Manhattan as amazing fixtures of historic preservation. Yet poor infrastructure and unsightly urban decay increasingly damage their functional capacities.

The rebuilt steel tower of One World Trade Center again stands as a modern symbol of American will to heal from the 9/11 disaster. Seeing the tallest building in New York City again from a distance, I admired the modern grandeur of this structure. Yet as I drew closer to the monument, I felt the profound sadness emanating from its surrounding open space memorials in honoring so many who died there on that fateful day.

The public parks in Manhattan offered us plentiful opportunities for walking pleasure. However, Bryant Park, in particular, seemed overcrowded and thus lacking in privacy.

We exited our “Hop – On Hop Off” to the sensory mesmerizing sights of Times Square. Yet we got lost in the mass throngs of people looking for a specific restaurant due to GPS service interference there as well as poor address number signage on buildings. So much for the modern look of gentrification here if it makes tourism more difficult.

Passing street scenes often revealed interesting people watching opportunities in Manhattan While I often enjoyed this immersion into cultural diversity, New Yorkers at times seemed stressfully overwhelmed about the fast pace life there.

The subways of NYC create a subterranean world of urban survivors who are whisked daily below to their destinations in an efficient fashion. Yet in their failure to see the light of day, this cemetery overlooking a subway station suggested to me that such tunnel living each day evokes a dark and eerie kind of coffin.

The skies over Manhattan turned black and high winds whistled strongly in late afternoon at the end of our tour. Quickly entering a shuttle at Battery Park, we felt fortunate that we would soon be back in the safe confines of our cruise ship.

As or cruise departed New York City in evening, I admired the enduring presence of two landmark symbols of American immigrant freedom: The Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Bridge. In the face of political times today fomented by our divisive American President, however, my fears mounted then about U.S. future commitments to such “open door” policies.

August 22, 2019 18

Charleston’s Southern Charms

Ruth and I recently completed a relaxing, sixteen day cruise on Princess Lines’ Caribbean Princess from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Quebec Canada. Enjoying calm seas and warm (but not overly hot) temperatures consistently throughout this adventure meant greater opportunities to lounge quietly along open air sections typically at the rear the ship. This outdoor strategy proved effective as well in allowing us to find easy refuge from the crowded interior corridors during sailing times. Amidst life’ slowdown on this cruise, I would also note that we made healthy lifestyle choices throughout this cruise to avoid over- indulging in “all you can eat” temptations while maintaining our daily gym workout/yoga regimen.

Being curious to explore, we were also pleased that our northerly itinerary along the Atlantic seaboard enabled us to disembark conveniently at nine, excursion destinations. Capitalizing on a booking incentive of $200.00 extra per person for this cruise, we would allot such bonuses to three, bus excursions of specialized interest. Our remaining land outings ashore, in contrast, would take place on our own, averaging between 3-5 miles walking distance per day. Adding a Hilton Hotel stay onto this vacation at the end of our cruise, we would then spend four, leisurely days touring “0ld Quebec City” in the company of close Canadian friends.

In my first blog installment of this memorable journey, I thus hope you enjoy my photographic recollections of cruise destination #1 – Charleston, South Carolina.

Our cruise dock debarkation point in the heart of “Old Town” Charleston proved ideal for beginning our self guided walking tour in the morning.

The Old City Market dates back to the founding of colonial Charleston in the 18th century. Bustling with tourists, our brief walk along the narrow corridors of this “National Historic Place” revealed a fascinating glimpse at enduring “Deep South”entrepreneurial traditions.

On a quiet side street, the Powder Magazine remains as the oldest public building in Charleston. In the restored museum interior, I enjoyed a “ touch and feel” perspective concerning the authentic weaponry of the Revolutionary War period.

Several early American flags displayed at The Powder Magazine served as a historic reminder that American unity stands as a fundamental principle of our country’s being.

On the site of the privately restored, Old Slave Mart Museum, a bustling center of African slave trade in Charleston took place here in the early/mid 19th century. As photographs were strictly prohibited on our interior tour of the museum, I include the following reference list photo for those readers who wish to learn more about the human tragedy of slavery’s presence in this time period.

Sauntering slowly south along historic Meeting Street, we stepped into a time warp presence of narrow, horse-drawn, streets and luxurious Georgian style homes during 18th century colonial times. Along the way, several, historic inns/mansions from that era caught our attention as well.

As the summer heat intensified on our tour, we stopped for a leisurely lunch at the historic Blind Tiger Pub.

Our walking tour of Charleston ended at the southern tip of the old city: Battery Park. Finding cool shade for a rest under giant Magnolia trees, several landmarks surrounding us stood prominently as testaments to Charleston’s turbulent wartime past.

Aboard ship again at sailing time, we soon savored a lavish Southern barbecue feast/chocolate dessert fantasy amidst an intimate dinner setting.

Spotting the historic remnants of Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter on our route to the open seas proved to be an equally exciting moment in this departure.

August 18, 2019 8

Blogging Hiatus

My wife and I will commence our 2019 summer vacation on Saturday July 27 with a thirteen day cruise from our home base in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Quebec City, Canada. USFMAN looks forward to resuming his blog postings and accompanying photos of our nine ports of call after we return on August 12. Thank you for continuing to find interest in “Snippets of the Traveling Mind.

July 26, 2019 1

A Welcoming Travel Decorum

“A spirit of thankfulness attracts others to your cause, ideas, and goals.(Skip Prichard)

It’s cruising vacation time for us again as we embark this weekend on a thirteen day sea adventure north along the Atlantic Eastern seaboard. How exciting it will be to enjoy the welcoming spirit of nine, day trip stopovers from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec City along the way. Hoping to sustain interest with an organized group at times, three relatively inexpensive, tour excursions bookings for the U.S. portion of this journey seem immediately essential. (1) In New York City, a “hop-on, hop off” bus option should provide maximum freedom of choice to cover main Manhattan sights for our full day ashore there. (2) While docked in Boston, a half day excursion to nearby John F.Kennedy / John Adams National Historic sites seem similarly enticing. (3) Exhibiting a taste for seashore seclusion, a morning walking tour of Maine’s Acadia National Park cannot be missed as well.

For our remaining six, shore destinations, we will either simply walk off the boat for a bit of spontaneous sightseeing near downtown or in the case of Quebec City, hook up with our resident Canadian friends there. We thus look forward to a welcoming presence whenever we can in managing our limited free time ashore. Yet I now realize that any expected hospitality in travel contains only half the story. For in fully enjoying these present moments of “hello” travel pleasantries, it seems equally satisfying to openly practice purposeful acts of thankfulness in return. Thus in thinking back to past vacation situations of welcoming potential, the following photographs do inspire me to express thoughts/actions of sincere gratitude.

1. Las Vegas Sign – “The American Dream”

Entering the neon studded strip past this glittering welcoming sign, I suddenly realized that money must be used wisely within restraint according to my budgetary limitations. Thank you.

2. Puget Sound Sign- Wild Nature

The beautiful depiction of Puget Sound in this poster engaged my political interest in preserving the natural beauty of our western U.S. wilderness lands. Thank you.

3. Reggae Beach Bar Billboard – Lifestyle Change

Spotting this sign as I sat lazily on a beach chair in Cozumel, I realized that I could feel free to travel at a much slower pace. Thank you.

4. Dodger Stadium Road Sign – Baseball’s History

As I entered this picturesque hillside venue, this obscure road sign inspired my personal connection to famed legends of L.A. Dodger baseball. Thank you.

5. Route 66 Ad- U.S. Era Flashbacks

Cruising along “Mainstreet USA” in Kingman, Arizona, this sign introduced an authentic, road trip glimpse of small town” America reminiscent of my happy childhood past. Thank you.

6. Kansas City Vegetable Art Piece – Nutrition

Upon entering the front steps of Kansas City’s Nelson – Atkins Museum Of Art, this creative sculpture aroused my interest in following healthy nutritional practices by eating freshly grown vegetables. Thank you.

7. Freddie Mercury Statue – Power Of Music

As I paused to gaze at this amazing Freddie monument during a boardwalk stroll along Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland, I regained a surge of youthful energy in recalling his magnetic rock musical presence as leader of Queen. Thank you.

8. Pensacola Airfield Statue – Companionship

At the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, this statue demonstrated to me that difficult tasks in life can often be accomplished best by embracing teamwork strategies. Thank you.

9. India Cemetery Statue – Inner Spirit

On a guided tour of New Delhi, India, this friendly sculpture design aroused my curiosity to explore “East Asian ” modes of inner spiritual worship. Thank you.

10. Morro Bay Mural – Diversity

During a monthlong stay at this Central California, beach- town hideaway, a colorful wall mural covering up the divisive presence of a surrounding wall reminded me of the critical need today to embrace cultural differences at home and travel. Thank you

11. Curaçao Welcome Sign – Travel Mindset

As we disembarked from our cruise ship for an self guided, walking tour of this Dutch Caribbean island, I recall how the cordial appearance of this welcome sign relaxed my mind from burdensome past/future thoughts at home to thus enjoy the present moments at this destination. Thank you.

12. Golden Gate Statue – Patriotism

At the south entrance to this famed bridge along San Francisco Bay, the heroic sailer depicted in this monument impressed me to honor the great sacrifices that our U.S. military has endured to protect our country. Thank you.

July 23, 2019 4

Baseball Healing Power 101

“I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.” (Lou Gehrig Farewell Speech, July 4 , 1939)

As I watch the news each day as an informed American, I struggle to handle the emotional trauma of the latest “meltdowns” of our President against Democrats, woman, minorities, and immigrants… Searching deeply for alternate mind diversions from such daily politicized crises in my country on a lazy Sunday afternoon, last week, I suddenly envisioned a “ray of hope” as I absorbed anew the healing powers of a Major League Baseball game. With my mind typically filled with in – game progress outcomes accompanied by a deep longing for heroic player deeds, I realized that I had found the ideal antidote to the destructive “I win, you lose” mentality of this President. For there are no actual defeats in baseball if you consider that this historic game inspires fairness of play, furtherance of diversity, and love of country.

Thinking more deeply about the positive impact of “America’s legendary “pastime”, to counteract such present concerns for our country’s direction, inspiring MLB baseball stories in recent days come immediately to mind. When raging Donald stokes fears of immigrant border invasions, I settle into the infectious smile of great Puerto Rican shortstop Francisco Lindor radiating throughout each game. When he targets people of “color” with disgusting tweets of racism to fire up his “White American base” ”, I counterpunch with the heartwarming fan tribute to Venezuelan pitcher Carlos Carrasco at the MLB All Star Game in his battle to overcome leukemia in the prime of his career. Noting our President’s recent “divide and conquer” demagoguery to circumvent bilateral congressional agreements about health care and many other vital issues, I am reminded by the unified outpouring of player/fan support in the aftermath of pitcher Tyler Skagg’s untimely death that it takes concern for EVERYONE to comprise a winning American team for Election 2020.

I conclude this blog with the following photographic display from our road trip travels, thus revealing how therapeutic thinking magic of live baseball exists in the eyes of this enthusiastic fan.

1. Settle in for a closer view of the action and feel the exhilaration of bat meets ball.

2. Admire the element of teamwork required for game success.

3. Don’t bother multitasking at a game. Let go of such mind clutter by focusing on the ball, not your latest I Phone distraction.

4. It’s wonderful to be a kid again.

5. Relax knowing a weather delay provides an opportunity to slow down your schedule in life.

6. Feel the welcoming spirit inside a comforting home field presence. Then show similar warmth toward others.

7. Stay focused on each game in quiet calmness by tracking player statistics on a scorecard inning by inning by inning.

8. A baseball game might not be the best place to worry about a diet. So eat enjoyably there.

9. Pay more attention to the positive human dynamics BEFORE a game begins.

10. Past baseball heroes can help one cope with the inevitable passing of life into death. Thus, it’s ok to cry in baseball.

11. Improve your critical thinking skills by watching the outcome of each play without premeditated judgment of all bad or good.

12. Absorb the sensory healing power of green grass nature comprising the field surface

13 Honor historic legends of the game that provide positive role model lessons for the present.

14. Sit in the cheaper upper deck seats and admire the panoramic surroundings beyond the stadium. Bring a pair of binoculars along.

15. Dress up in your favorite team gear to celebrate your local team spirit.

July 17, 2019 12