What do you typically like to do at the beach on a hot day in summer?
When it comes to “hanging out” with people in outdoor public gathering places in Florida during August it’s important to consider the weather when you do so. So I might have considered more clearly the oppressive heat and humidity along with the lack of wind movement during our brief stay in St. Petersburg area as an omen to consider as our road trip vacation began. Very simply, it seemed irrational to consider casually conversing with strangers sitting on park benches, sea walls or picnic tables as anticipated at Pass – A- Grill Beach under such torrid conditions. For the most part as well, they simply were not there. Even the local birds seemed to be hiding under trees to avoid the those powerful sun rays that so heated up the day. Thus with some regret then, Ruth and I both reverted to our I – Phones to best manage our minutes of idle beach time today.
“At the end of the day, you can’t control the results; you can only control your effort level and your focus.” (Ben Zobrist)
The day before a road trip can never be described as typical for me. For extraordinary excitement arises for me then in anticipation of being free and easy to go where and when I want. Yet there’s usually a flurry of last minute tasks that must take place before we’re ready to escape. Living in South Florida, contingency measures, for example, must be made to secure hurricane awnings, solidify our emergence contacts, and check for spots where water leaks from floods may occur.
Of course there’s also the need to load the car up in an organized fashion. It’s vitally important in that regard to test storage placement arrangements such that boxes and bags do not shift erratically as we drive. Last minute checks to the vehicle itself must also be undertaken with regard to adequate tire pressure, cord needs for trip navigation, and any fluid fill up needs.
Perhaps the most difficult item that must typically be accomplished before a road trip can best be described as “parting is such sweet sorrow” as the Shakespeare saying goes. For it seems we must provide some reassurance to our family and friends that we will return safely and healthily after twenty five days on the road. That’s not an automatic given!
So the excitement builds throughout this last day as if a new life will be beginning tomorrow. If only I could duplicate that euphoric feeling on a more regular basis. See you down the road. USFMAN
How do you typically handle encounters with “special needs” individuals?
“True happiness is really only to be found in sympathetic sharing.” (Johann Wolfgang Goethe)
In my last blog, I reported that I would begin a “Third Place” experiment whereby I would prioritize spending more “quality time” with people in local gathering places on our next road trip. So let’s begin with my brief interactions involving a troubled adult man I encountered at McDonalds Restaurant recently in my hometown.
FINDING THIRD PLACE #1
I like to eat breakfast at a nearby McDonalds a few times a week. The employees are friendly and some interesting people watching takes place when I’m munching on my meal. Lately, I’d been noticing a formally dressed gentleman of potential “special needs” interest as he slowly limped on each occasion to his seat, ordered nothing and then proceeded with sad eyes to stare obliviously at the windows for extended periods of time.
So I obviously felt shocked a week or so afterward when in fact I saw this odd man now dressed in his casual McDonalds uniform slouched forward behind the order counter and with kind of a slurred lisp, said hello. So I told him I wanted my usual order of an English Muffin with scrambled eggs, one butter, and a senior decaf coffee. Staring at the cash register at my request, he displayed nervous confusion and seemingly did not know what to do. Fortunately his antics caught the attention of the restaurant manager who kindly took over from him and quickly punched out on the register my order request. As I waited a few minutes for my coffee to brew, I observed with interest that the besieged server started pacing around the seating area with a scared look on his face.
With my teacher instincts honing in, now seemed the time to take action. So I yelled out from my seat to get his attention and then engaged in some brief “chit chat” with him to hopefully calm him down. Being under less pressure to fulfill his job duty requests behind the cash register, he gave me surprisingly candid answers about how felt about his job while I commended him for his hard work efforts. With good reason, this troubled man probably will not last much longer at McDonalds but at least I’ve given him a moment to believe in his self worth that day.
“True happiness is really only to be found in sympathetic sharing.” (Johann Wolfgang Goethe)
What places outside of home and work most give you the feeling of belonging now?
I’ve been looking for some thematic inspiration to write about for our upcoming road trip this August. So in timely fashion, I happened to stumble upon a new book titled “Finding Your Third Place” by Rick Kyte. His premise states that there’s an “epidemic of loneliness” going in our country right now for a variety of reasons. He particularly observes that modern conveniences like social media, zooming, texting and other forms of tech – related communication have made it increasingly difficult for people to reach out to others in “face to face” communicative ways. He also notes that fears of human interaction as a result of COVID and the loss of public gathering places from unchecked, urban sprawl construction further exacerbates this social isolation problem.
Know that Mr. Kyte’s proposed solution to this aloneness predicament focuses on the socializing potential of “Third Place localities. For they comprise those informal gathering spots that we can choose from beyond home and work. He furthermore contends that when people “hang out” and feel receptive to acting socially with others in such “Third Place” locales, they tend to build mutual trust and a sense of common interest for all as well. Click on the following website for a more detailed description of ways that the “Third Place” can be a helpful tool in one’s life.
Looking at the how “Third Place” pertains to me in more practical ways, how might this concept enhance the experience of my upcoming road trip travel? Very simply, I recognize a vital need to prioritize the best use of my leisure now. So I must take more time to relax in such informal gathering places to potentially find a greater sense of belonging. But on that note, what good would it do for me to enter a hometown cafe or vintage bookstore, for instance, forgetting the need to just stay awhile and chat? Under such rushed and self centered conditions, I would most likely ignore those around me and just spend my time habitually engrossed in my personal electronic devices.
Indeed, such strategies to partake in “Third Place” encounters would include more active listening, sharing empathetic sharing, “letting go” to laugh at lighthearted humor, or even telling a memorable story. So take a look below of my plan to utilize this Third Place” vision in the following locations scheduled on our road trip. I’ll let you know in future blogs how well this social intended theme goes.
St.Petersburg, Florida – Old Tampa Bay at Vinoy Park
Atlanta, Georgia – Piedmont Park
Cleveland, Ohio – Progressive Field Ballpark
Bethel, New York – Bethel Woods Concert Center
Northern Vermont – Sunset Gatherings In Green Mts.
Quebec, Canada – “Old Montreal” Along – Rue St. Paul
North Conway, New Hampshire – Mt. Washington Cog Railway
“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.
Snippets of a Traveling Mind 
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