“At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.” (Robin Lee Graham)
What do you like most about cruising travel?
One of the most beneficial aspects of cruise travel happens for me as I settle into the slow moving passage from port to port. For my hyperactive mind concentrates more clearly amid such sea life solitude when there’s less opportunity to follow my habitual home routines of being on my I Phone/ I- Pad or watching TV excessively at home.
Know then that this “monkey mind” of self burden felt somewhat tamed as we reached day fourteen at the end of our recent, Canada bound cruise. Consequently, I logically predicted that two days spent in the busy metropolis of Quebec City would provide a legitimate test of my resolve to avoid overthinking how, with whom, and where we should visit.
Keep in mind that we originally thought to meet up with two Canadian companions and spend a busy day walking around with them the entire day to cover the main sights of “Old Quebec.” But how could we do this tour conveniently given our cruise docking location upriver was much further away than expected from where they planned to meet us? With no offense to both of these caring friends, I also did not desire at this latter point of our cruise to undertake such an arduous travel agenda with the added pressure of engaging in continuous socializing chatter for who knows how long.
So with that ambitious sightseeing option ruled out, we decided instead on a much simpler plan to hop on a nearby shuttle bus, exit at a convenient drop off point, and finally make our way uphill on steps to the steep heights of this “Old Town” vicinity. At the top, we envisioned taking no more than two- three hours to accomplish our sightseeing agenda. Such expectations of a less challenging nature included eating a light breakfast at a French cafe, doing some curious “people watching” on a shaded park bench, taking good photos of the famed Chateau De Frontenac and strolling along the promenade lining the St.Lawrence River below.
I think you will get a good idea of how Ruth and I chose to ease up a bit and prioritize simple pleasures during our visit to Quebec City in the photo set I compiled then below. Know that our next U.S. road trip begins soon this August. My blogs over that three week period will focus on our passionate interests in live sports/music as well as summertime mountainous scenery in the eastern portion of our country.
“The public has a right to art. Art is for everybody.(Keith Haring)
I’ve been typically curious about public art in my travels as a way of finding personal connections to any place I visit. Such sites of a visually appealing nature might offer more deep- seated selling points for me as a tourist to guide my travels around a town. Such facts on public art displays I might look for include the representation of people from different cultural backgrounds, key events in a town’s history, or any oases of deep personal reflection.
So with respect to our recent cruise stop at Sydney, Nova Scotia, there seemed much to see from an artistic perspective as I walked uphill from the port, then along Charlotte Street through downtown. Such aesthetic sensations welcoming me to Sydney ranged from traditional artifacts found in “Olden English” times to more eclectic icons of the town’s more diversely aware present.Take a look for yourself in the following photo set.
What memorable cruise excursions have you taken in your travels?
“The fiord had a way of becoming part of the soul of those who lived in those parts and of the travelers who came to witness its everlasting beauty.” (Angela Abraham)
One of the more memorable destinations of our recent Canadian cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec City took place as we slowly sailed along the St.Lawrence River into the narrowing straits of the Saguenay fiords. A followup daytime stopover in the quaintly appealing village of this name enabled us to stretch our legs on our own a bit in town away from the congested cruise crowd. If you decide to visit Saguenay in your travels, keep in mind it’s only a short drive of about two hours north from Quebec City. Enjoy my original poem inspired by this visit as well as some photos I took that day.
Do you try enough to include the study of history in your travels? Why or why not?
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.“ (George Santayana)
A sudden rush of genuine emotion “hit me” as Ruth and I settled into our cruise excursion walk in Boston. Keep in mind we were allotted only three hours to tour the city on our own from our bus drop off point at the wharf near the New England Aquarium. So the main challenge presented this Thursday afternoon dictated limited sightseeing in order to make our bus pickup by 3:30 pm. It thus became a formidable time challenge for us to reach the closest point of the Boston Common, our primary destination, which would lie at least one mile away from the wharf.
Crossing over a heavily traveled traffic belt to begin this brief self-guided tour, I noticed our gradual uphill climb as we meandered along increasingly narrowing streets in mostly a diagonal or zig zag pattern. In colonial times for certain, these very street corridors filled with horse driven vehicles traffic and local Bostonians afoot in slow cobblestone fashion.
Around thirty minutes into our walk, I made a satisfying discovery that made our intended route much easier to follow. For we’d reached the red brick lines designating the appearance of the “Freedom Trail” that led to the northern tip of the Boston Common a vast, pastoral forestland across Tremont Street.Yet time limitations would limit our walk to a few blocks on this historic pathway followed by a short rest on a park bench within the Common grounds before making our way back to the bus.
So as a Boston traveler, I would invite you to feel as I did the strong spirit of independence that settled over this “Early America” town in the late 18th century. Imagine for instance how concerned citizens gathered at the Old South Meeting House in which massive public protests took place from 1768-1765 against British imposition of burdensome taxation and Redcoat militia cruelties at the time. Or honor those famous Founding Freedom Founders who now lie silent now in the Old Granary Burial Ground such as Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams.
I also urge you to obtain much needed knowledge about our country’s early history in your Boston explorations. Learn some facts about what took place at the Old Stone Clock Tower for example, take time to read historic colonial markers or observe why there’s so much much Celtic pride pervading this city.
Challenge yourself as well to be your own tour guide. Walk the entire 2.5 mile loop of the Freedom Trail and just choose your own historic sites to visit along the way. Rest when and where you want along a tree shaped spot on the Boston Common.
As Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin once belted out at concerts, “Does anyone out there remember laughter? Know there’s plenty of lighthearted levity you should also embrace in Boston. Find an amusing tour guide like the retired teacher we met who told amusing stories like the one where prisoners in Boston once receiving up to two meals of lobsters each day. Or when you’re tired of walking, hop on a local ferry or charter boat and take amusing notice of the distinctive Bostonian drawl – ie. pawk the cah at Hahvahd Yahd.”
How would you make best use of waterfront property to restore downtown in a large city?
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” (Marcel Proust)
Sometimes in the process of creative travel discovery, we need to change our perception and observe what we’ve seen in a much different way. Take our cruise stopover on a quiet Sunday morning in Norfolk , Virginia as a good example of this idea. Foras Naval Station Norfolk comprises the world’s largest naval station, the cruise visitor might expect to concentrate their visit on its huge military legacy over the years.
But why mass together with the bulk of the cruise boat visitors on this ship waiting to take a guided tour of the famed Nauticus Museum and adjoining Battleship Wisconsin? Instead we’d take advantage of the surprisingly cool summer morning and stroll around pedestrian friendly corridors created along the Waterfront District. For to me, it seemed better use of our short ashore time to witness firsthand this amazing urban planning transformation of this landscape from its formerly industrially blighted condition.
So in the photo section that follows, take a walk with us along the serene oasis of this redeveloped Waterfront area. You’ll see the serene landscape of the Pagoda and Oriental Garden, take in some picturesque vistas offered at the adjoining boat marina and gaze as well at some interesting historic markers, thought provoking sculptures and child friendly fountains.
What places would you choose to visit if you could only spend twenty four hours in New York City?
“One can’t paint New York as it is , but rather as it is felt.” (Georgia O’ Keefe)
Whenever I visit New York City, there seems to be a battle between high and low. In particular, there’s so much going on around me along very busy streets, that there’s little chance to look up at the glorious expanse of skyscrapers overhead. So let’s imagine New York City as a gigantic National Park where I could just take my time as if on an hiking trail and gaze around moment to moment randomly at whatever landscape high or low catches my interest at the time.
With this idea in mind as well as the high heat factor, it thus made sense for us to book a “Hop On-Hop Off” bus excursion for an open deck viewpoint of major sights in Lower and Mid Manhattan on Tuesday. For from that vantage point, I noticed how much the city seems to have changed for me in recent years as I gazed skyward into new layers of skyscrapers now hovering high above the city below. Another point of transformation that I observed looking downward from the upper deck demonstrated how prominently the spread of glitzy electronic communication impacts NYC life today.
But a major question remains about whether a short “go around” the “Big Apple” as we decided on today best fits one’s touristic needs. For don’t expect any in depth concentration on individual sights as you move briskly around the pre planned, street route corridor.Just bring along your camera as I did and shoot away as desired. Perhaps, there will be a better place/time to feel more deeply what you’ve photographed as I will do today in the comfort of my air conditioned cruise cabin.
What places you’ve visited best capture history as it happened?
“In Charleston, you can feel the echos of the past around every corner.” (Pat Conroy)
It didn’t take long for me to absorb Charleston’s importance in American History as I exited the cruise ship on Friday at 10:00 am. For upon reaching the end of the gangplank, I sensed the city’s longstanding maritime importance gazing. at the back side of the U.S. Customs House building where so many ship arrivals/departures in this important Atlantic seaport have been processed since the mid 19th century. Next joining with cruise passengers moving slowly inland, we obtained another look at buying and selling of Charleston’s wares from a more local perspective in a taking brief walk through the crowded corridors of the famed Charleston City Market.
After making our way to historic Meeting Street, we made a quick decision to skip our tour of the Charleston History Museum as planned and instead hopped on a free bus shuttle to the “heart” of the colonial district more southwardly bound. Before conducting our next afternoon walk again on Meeting Street, we followed a previous recommendation to have lunch at Hyman’s Seafood House where I indulged in a delectable fish and grits dish called the “Carolina Delight.”
Now entering the hotter part of the day, we’d been granted a second spurt of energy to saunter on foot south to the waterfront point of Battery Park. During this one mile walk, I took the liberty to photograph landmarks representing various eras of Charleston history such as tall steepled churches, immense antebellum mansions, and secluded, tree shaded gardens.
Taking a a short rest then at Battery Park, we entertained ourselves watching hungry pelicans fly overhead and egrets scrounge for food on the shaded grass. But most importantly this brief rest provided welcome breeze relief energizing us to resume our footpath at a nearby boardwalk to regain sight of the sea. With over a mile back to the ship from the boardwalk, we next meandered more inland along smaller street corridors, as plenty more important photo opportunities caught my eye to enjoy. Such scenes most notably included the pastel pleasing look of contiguous housing along famed “Rainbow Row” and several slavery information signs protruding from narrow cobblestone streets running down to the sea.
Experiencing good luck today, Ruth and I made it back to the ship just in time as at 3:00 pm as it suddenly began to rain. To conclude today’s sightseeing after dinner, we climbed to the top deck of our cruise ship to enjoy excellent harbor views in the distance of Fort Sumter, a naval battleship, and the Arthur Ravenal Jr. Bridge.
I hope you enjoyed reading about our most recent tour of Charleston, S.C. Here’s some photos below from this day to further engage your traveling mind.
What kinds of sights most appeal to you when taking a cruise?
“We are the land of liberty but only in theory. It’s time to walk the talk and embody the glory.” (Abhijit Naska)
I am very excited about our upcoming cruise that follows the eastern seaboard from Fort Lauderdale up into Quebec, Canada through the St Lawrence Seaway. This will be our eighth cruise on “Princess” for good reason as we like the wide array of destinations they offer at an affordable price when we desire to travel. But this particular cruise itinerary over fourteen days length interests me for a special reason. For I’ve been granted a rare opportunity on this adventure to explore historic landmarks at seven scheduled destinations that seem relevant to important trends happening in the American news now.
Of particular interest, I’m curious to notice the degree to which Thomas Jefferson’s time honored quote from the Declaration of Independence concerning “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” remains alive and well during those excursions off the boat that we choose. You can preview a brief description of each of these stopovers followed by one accompanying photo in the paragraphs below.
NEW YORK CITY
Glancing seaward beyond Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, I yearn to feel the excitement that new immigrants experienced in obtaining long sought freedoms in America as they arrived at Ellis Island in the early 20th century. Next boarding a “Hop On Hop Off” bus, they’ll be plenty more American patriotism to capture my interest with such iconic historic route stops at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza, Old Federal Hall, Fraunces Tavern, and The New York Stock Exchange.
QUEBEC CITY
In Old Quebec City, there’s an opportunity for me to time travel so to speak back to French and Indian War times in 1759 and imagine the great courage undertaken by British troops to climb up steep walls along the St. Lawrence River to reach the Plains of Abraham at that famous battlefield. Might I furthermore observe on this visit that this pivotal battle of heroic foreign conquest logically contributed to the American will decades later to fight for their independence from English “mother nation” rule during the Revolutionary War. One might consider as well that both of these wars fought in colonial times foretold the divisive manner in which MAGA Republican extremists are threatening our Constitution today.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
During our Charleston, South Carolina cruise free day, I foresee taking a slow amble on historic King Street or Meeting Street. Along the way we’ll view artifacts and documents displayed in national historic monuments like the Nathaniel Russell House, and Charleston Museum. How reassuring I would feel as a principle minded voter to notice strong evidence of our country’s Democracy principles in full display at one of America’s largest yet firmly Southern minded cities.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
I possess a similar desire to explore on foot this historically rich city. So I will prioritize taking notice of how the rebellious political spirit of America’s “Founding Fathers” in Boston provides worthwhile political guidance today as I observe sixteen designated historic sites along the downtown “Freedom Trail” including the so called Boston Common.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
The long-existing military significance of Norfolk, Virginia stands out as America’s largest naval base current operation. For a variety of destroyers, cruisers, submarines and aircraft craft carriers stay ready for combat use in the area. Boat tours offered adjacent to the cruise terminal will thus enable me to assess my understanding of such strategic weaponry that vitally protects our country from foreign attack.
SAGUENAY, QUEBEC
An exciting opportunity to observe North America’s historic past from a French Canadian perspective awaits as I tour the Saguenay fiords. Of course there will be gorgeous lake views along the way, but I will be also interested to examine the current cultural imprint in small villages we visit. For with potentially authoritative statements from our ex- President so prominent in the news today, it would be refreshing to find that common working people observed on our tour continue to freely pursue their traditional livelihoods north of American borders without government interference in wool processing, stained glassblowing and fresh market preparation of French cuisine
SYDNEY ( CAPE BRETON ISLAND)
A pivotal event in Canadian history happened when British forces captured the French occupied fort of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island in 1758 during the French and Indian War. Subsequently, a significant number of English loyalists would migrate to this part of Nova Scotia, Canada in opposition to the independence ideals of the American Revolution. So from such a free will perspective, I wish to observe how successfully the English monarchy system maintains citizen allegiance to the crown as our “Best of Cape Breton” tour takes us to a picturesque harbor, rooftop garden, and a wealthy residential estate. Significantly as well, could America similarly satisfy this “consent of the people” principle if the election of 2024 elects such a “King” to rule with unlimited term power.
“Friendship is a contract between two hearts.” (Lisa See)
How do you best handle the rejection of a lifelong friendship?
When you’ve reached the holiday card only stage in communicating with a friend, you might sense that this longstanding bond between the two of you no longer exists. As you likewise observe so many people prejudging others and arguing incessantly on social media, you realize how damaging such high degree of political and moral unrest happening can be quite detrimental to your own social circle. But in overlooking such revealing life trends, Jason remained naively adamant that his longtime friend of over fifty years, Jackson, would remain his trusting companion for life.
Being thus determined to bolster such firm beliefs about the strength of his bond with Jackson, Jason could thus easily flashback to their shared common interests in sports, music, and hard work pursuit of excellence throughout middle/high school, college years, and in their respective career professions. In particular, he could feel genuine joy now in recollecting about those close friendship moments of performing together in marching/concert band, exchanging timely resume and interview tips or engaging in lighthearted banter at a live, Major League baseball game.
But then two events happened a few years ago to change the direction of their friendship. For one, a girl appeared in Jackson’s life to redirect his attention to get married. Following their wedlock, the desire to advance in his current position dictated that Jackson also accept reluctantly an out of state position at a higher pay. Keep in mind in this regard that Jackson loved where he lived now. So in spite of the move, he would retain a residence from his deceased parents back home and frequently fly back to stay there on many weekends. But on such return occasions, Jason noticed that Jackson seemed uninterested in allotting some quality time to spend with him. For any emails and text messages Jason received from him resonated excuses about being too busy to see him. Eventually, their electronic communication exchanges grew totally silent.
So as Jason settled into the less hectic routine of his retirement years, he often pondered the reasons for this sudden cessation of their friendship. Had he said something that “pissed Jackson off”? Was his friend’s new wife jealous of him spending time with Jason? Was he suffering from some taxing physical or mental illness? Or might he had just wanted to find more privacy in the absence of a steady job?
But then reality struck Jason as he took into his family a small child who’d lost his mother and father during the violent gang war in Haiti. Thereupon reassessing the gift of life itself, Jason now felt that whatever the reasons for Jackson’s loss, he decided it best to “move on” from such friendship nostalgia with him. He definitely would still miss dearly his friend but now accepted the realization that he no longer wished to waste his precious time living on earth with such worrying.
Excluding any religious overtones, here’s a song I can always play to mark such feelings. Click the link below.
What memories stand out for you concerning the past spread of COVID?
“Emerging infections are a perpetual challenge.The only way you address a perpetual challenge is by perpetual preparedness.” (Dr.Anthony Fauci)
Yesterday I watched a report on PBS that stated Dr. Anthony Fauci’s being investigated by Congress for possible wrongdoing and criminal activity during the COVID crisis. How shocking this seems as I vividly recall him as America’s foremost media spokesperson for stopping the spread of the COVID epidemic in recent years.
So for the sake of defense against such accusations, let me first turn to his track record as a major medical advisor for seven Presidential administrations. For Dr. Fauci not only spearheaded over his long tenure a definitive medical response to COVID, but he played a vital role as well in helping to deter the incidence of other contagious viral diseases like HIV/AIDS, SARS, the SWINE FLU,MERS, and EBOLA. He also had been widely praised for his timely leadership as an expert to develop drugs and vaccines for military and civilian use following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
But beyond these impeccable credentials, it’s pretty clear in my memory, that in the absence of Dr. Fauci’s straightforward directives in favor of masking, social distancing, and vaccine inoculations from 2020 onward, I would have become a saddened victim of COVID for sure. Consider in this regard as this contagious virus began to spread wildly across the country during that era, Ruth and I remained determined to continue our month to month, cross country travels and global journeys. So in fact we risked taking six road trips during those peak infectious years along with an intense tour of Southern India.
To prepare for such health challenges, we thus depended on staying diligently current with the latest Fauci recommendations. For road trips, that meant taking the vaccines required, limiting our social visits, eating most our meals in secluded private places and stocking up in our vehicle with plentiful supplies of masks and anti germ moisturizers. As for India, we made frequent contacts with our tour operator as to whether in fact our trip would go on. As a result, we felt quite self assured when the journey did proceed on the intended date schedule with all members of our group fully complying with Dr. Fauci’s COVID restrictions.
In spite of our enhanced COVID awareness, nevertheless, we experienced undesired stress during scheduled road trip stopovers at several touristic places such as Smoky Mountain National National Park, Bourbon Street, New Orleans and Las Vegas “Casino Land”. For we noticed on those occasions that many people along crowded corridors there simply ignored masking and distancing guidelines. Meanwhile, we’d already “caught on”to the COVID danger message quite clearly with restaurants offering only “takeout”, motels eliminating breakfast ,and COVID testing sites popping up seemingly everywhere at random.
So whether such misguided public behavior against COVID preparedness happening around us resulted from ignorance or just plain rebellion, either way you could not blame Dr. Fauci’s spreading scientific based recommendations to the public at the time. On the other hand, one might in retrospect consider to what extent Donald’s Trump’s several misleading statements about the COVID virus during his Presidency (ie. injecting bleach as a treatment for one ) contributed to such widespread COVID confusion.
Know then to this day, I have never been diagnosed with COVID. But was it just good luck? No I doubt it. For I can only thank that little voice in my head of Dr. Fauci’s habitual reminders to take the COVID epidemic seriously and proceed forward with the right action when it vitally mattered.
Snippets of a Traveling Mind 
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