Tagged With "city"
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Re: Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- the City at Large
Thanks for your comments, Garry and Rbcia! Garry, you mentioned twins!? Are you a grandpa again? Rbciao, if you can postpone your trip to spring, when everything is blooming, I think you'll have an even better time in Toronto. But there's lots to see and do, even in the winter.
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Re: Gallery: Lilac Garden, Spokane, Washington
Beautiful, and a wonderful story to go with it. We have a lilac in our back yard . . . waiting for it to bloom.
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Re: Gallery: Lilac Garden, Spokane, Washington
Thanks for the kind comment! And welcome to TravelGumbo. Needlessly said, I also have lilacs in my yard and enjoy watching them come to life each spring. Their perfume is, perhaps second only to jasmine, my favorite floral scent.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 29, 2014: Berlin's Fernsehturm
Very nice. My only time visiting Berlin was for the Christmas Markets and I was too focused on mulled wine! I need to go back during the year and actually explore these monuments.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 29, 2014: Berlin's Fernsehturm
Originally Posted by MAD Travel Diaries: Very nice. My only time visiting Berlin was for the Christmas Markets and I was too focused on mulled wine! I need to go back during the year and actually explore these monuments. I also know the impact of mulled wine on a cool day
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 29, 2014: Berlin's Fernsehturm
I guess I'll need to explore the mulled wine when I get back...we were focused on beer and currywurst!
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
I did, indeed, go to the two exhibits at the Met...and they actually have a relation to the SF show that PortMoresby has described. Marville, in particular, was working at the beginning of photography, without all the digital devices, or even a light meter, and with media so slow that a photograph of a relatively busy street appears to be empty of traffic—because during the 30 seconds needed to expose that plate no one stayed in front of the camera long enough to register an image! The Paris...
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Maybe "monochrome" is a better word for what we think of as black & white photography. An extreme example would be cyanotypes, in shades of blue. Many thanks, PHeymont, for your descriptions of the Met shows, and for reminding me that everything old is new again. The addition of Man Ray's fantastic picture above is perfect. Joyeux Anniversaire, Tour Eiffel.
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Speaking again of black&white, the monthly events newsletter from Mrs. Dalloway's Literary & Garden Arts store in Berkeley just arrived. Down at the very bottom was this intiguing notice which I mean to check out in person in 11 days. Mrs. Dalloways is at 2904 College Avenue in Berkeley. mrsdalloways.com "The Watchmaker Series." Beautiful black and white silver gelatin prints on archival quality paper. Ready for 8 x 10 frame. $65. When Craig was asked to fix a case that contained a...
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Among my greatest photography influences were Matthew Brady, whose grainy and gritty images of the Civil War made it so very "real" to future generations just learning about it in history books. And of course the great work of Ansel Adams. Far from gritty and grainy. Truly a visionary.
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Did you know that the visionary faked 'Moonrise, Hernandez'? Yep. I guess you could say "enhanced". There was no moon. Information courtesy of a friend who worked with AA. Said he was the nicest guy ever.
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
I enjoy photos of local history. Places that you can visit today with buildings that remain mostly unchanged. This is Lord Street Liverpool around 1890. ....and present day Lord Street - (from a different angle)
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
Another addition to the list of current shows of great photography, this one in Paris. Ten years after his death, Henri Cartier-Bresson at the Pompidou, until June 9th.
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Re: Photography at the Edges, New York & San Francisco
One more for the list of wonderful things to see, the world's largest pinhole photograph at Washington D.C.'s National Air & Space Museum. So many things, so little time.
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Re: San Juan's El Morro: Layers of Stone, Layers of History (Where Gumbo Was, #84)
Fascinating history. Stunning photos. Thanks.
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Re: San Juan's El Morro: Layers of Stone, Layers of History (Where Gumbo Was, #84)
A missing bit: El Morro and the historic site as a whole is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but while I included that in the Tags and Collections for the blog, I forgot to mention it in the text! My apologies...
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Re: The newest, biggest, bestest airport: Aren't they all?
I often find that better facilities and more relaxing just mean they've added a shopping mall and an entertainment area to extract more money between gates. So I now have further to walk - and drag my carry-on to get to the gate. Maybe developers see us customers as "Lambs to the slaughter" Squeeze us - until our pockets run dry. I'd be happy if all those moving walkways worked. The cartoon Jetsons never had a problem with them in the 60s. Before they were even invented I think ! Vey...
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Re: The newest, biggest, bestest airport: Aren't they all?
I confess to a preference for developing world airports - small, simple, friendly places, like the towns they get us to when we choose to fly at all. I realize that I'll likely need to go through one or 2 of these urban behemoths to get to them, and then I'm reminded I'm on the right track again when baggage claim is a few steps into the building and it's a couple of guys who just pushed a cart to an opening in the wall and I can still see the plane.
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Re: The newest, biggest, bestest airport: Aren't they all?
It's a nicely researched and well-written piece, PHeymont. Thanks. I'm with PortMoresby, though. Given a choice, I'd rather travel to a smaller airport, and avoid these mega-hubs if at all possible. I know at some level you agree with this (based on some of your past comments on Heathrow for example).
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Re: The newest, biggest, bestest airport: Aren't they all?
Far from Third World except In the minds of Gov. Cuomo and Joe Biden, but Laguardia is my favorite NY airport precisely because it's so much smaller.
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Re: January 21, 2019: Saint John City Market, New Brunswick, Canada
Terrific photos of color and texture. The fresh produce is appetizingly displayed.
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Re: May 29, 2016 - Grants Tomb
Those are great photos Jonathan! Another place I want to get to!
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
It is good that a people face up to and learn from the past. We must learn from the lessons of history, but I do hope this will not become a "self-flagellation" exercise. At the end of the 18th century, everyone had slaves. Every people, every race, every culture, every country participated in the buying, selling and owning of other people. It was the norm. Fortunately, with a few rare exceptions, modern society has become enlightened and the rights of individuals is now a central focus of...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
'Presentism' is always a danger for historians, but in this case, there's a real issue of interest based on the late-in-the-day entry into slave-owning by the later Catalan grandees; they went into it when all European countries had already abolished it, and when it had been abolished in many colonial areas. Sadly, not Cuba, Brazil, or, at the beginning of that period, the United States. One of the reasons it's important to consider these past things is because they do enter into the...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history
Slavery is just part of a long cruel history. Wherever there is chance to make money, people of any race or creed will gladly join in. Even the African warlords who sold the "prisoners" to the slave ships played their parts in this piece of history. Even today fortunes are made by sending young men to die in the name of "Defence". Money has no morals.
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Re: March 6, 2016: CCNY Grotesques
"The terra cotta gargoyles (animal-like) and grotesques (humanlike) have chipped and flaked. Some fell from their parapets and smashed into a thousand pieces." - NYTimes. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09...ed-city-college.html
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Re: March 6, 2016: CCNY Grotesques
Thanks for the article Garry. I am planning a longer piece on CCNY and will use the info.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 6, 2015: Winchester Cathedral
Wow, a GREAT cathedral. And the quirky video at the end was a nice touch. I always was curiously fascinating by that song, especially the 'bringing me down' line you referred to. Some day I'd like to hear the story of your journey across the Atlantic on the QM2
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Re: The Forbidden City - Beijing China
Interesting your comparison to Versailles, on size (which omits the gardens, of course). The comparison that came to my mind was Topkapi, in Istanbul, where a series of courtyards encloses a huge space, with increasingly restricted access to each. In the first courtyard there were troops, palace services and more; the second was restricted to government officials and prominent visitors, in the third only the highest officials of the Sultan and in the last, only the family and its servants.
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Re: The Forbidden City - Beijing China
That's a fascinating visit, Jonathan, thanks for sharing it. I can easily see where you'd have wanted a full day to explore the amazing architecture of the place -- and everything else!
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Glad you grabbed one of my favorites! Even though it's sometimes had embarrassingly badly-dressed stores in the base, it's always had a real dignity to it. Incidentally, it was New York's first building with a steel skeleton instead of masonry, which allowed it to be built very rapidly. In a way, it was an advertisement for its owner, the Fuller company (still a major builder). Daniel Burnham was the architect—which doesn't mean the building was popular when new!
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Incidentally, as you can see, it IS more or less the shape of a flatiron, and not a right triangle...
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Hmmmmm...looking at the picture you posted of the roof of the Flatiron Building Paul, it looks like a right angle triangle to me. There's only one way to settle this...my wife and I would love to visit New York again. So, one day (hopefully sooner than later) we'll have to meet on the Flatiron roof...I'll bring a carpenter square. If I'm right, you owe me a Guinness. If you're right, I'll buy you a delicious beverage of your choosing. Either way, visiting Manhattan again and meeting you is a...
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Love to meet you there (or anywhere, since I don't think there's public access to the roof!)...and I'll be glad to buy the Guinness, since it turns out I was wrong about the triangle...the corner of 22nd St. and 5th Avenue is the right angle. You might find this article about it interesting: The Museum of Math did what might be called a performance piece, with 500 mathematicians measuring it in lightsticks and applying the Pythagorean theorem...
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
HI there, Great post. We were in NYC last October and this was definitely something my husband really wanted to see. Have to admit it is pretty cool to see in person. Thanks for all the info and happy memories.
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Re: Feb. 11, 2016: Flatiron Building, New York City
Hello Paul and Samantha : ) Paul, I do hope that one day we will have the opportunity to meet. Thank you for your insight of the Flatiron Building. You indeed are a good sport. Samantha, I am glad you enjoyed my post of the Flatiron Building. You sum it very nicely by saying that seeing this building in person is pretty cool.
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Re: Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
This is spectacular. A good example of one of those places that is just sitting there, not really getting a lot of attention from US travelers.
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Re: Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
Thanks for the note, Chatterbot2. Yes, Quebec is relatively under-touristed, especially when compared to Europe. If you want to visit a 400 year old European stype fortress, don't want to fly across the Atlantic, want to go to place where French is the dominant language, want great food and friendly folks, then Quebec City should be at the top of your travel list.
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Re: Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
The Quebecois were very amused at my attempts to speak French. It is always great to see people laugh.
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Re: Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
They may laugh, Chatterbot2, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that your fumbling attempts to speak their language melted their hearts. You were a valued guest, if not one of them, after trying.
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Re: Quebec — A Walled European Fortress In America
Monsieur, vous êtes très gentil de le dire. I do try to make a stab at the local language wherever I travel. Around the world, people are amazingly patient with my mangling of their language. It does create good entertainment. Almost always, my puzzled efforts put people at ease. They are instantly willing to help "the poor confused thing".
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 7, 2014: The "Big Edge", Las Vegas, Nevada
Some "modern art" leaves me cold but that image is thought provoking and lets the mind wander - as it has yours ! Nice piece DrF !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 7, 2014: The "Big Edge", Las Vegas, Nevada
Stunning...and hard to imagine a better place for it. Curious: how big is it? In the close-up I get the impression they could be full-size boats?
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 7, 2014: The "Big Edge", Las Vegas, Nevada
Yes, they are all full size boats. Say an average of 4 meters (13 ft) each? Vegas is becoming a great place to see modern art.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 7, 2014: The "Big Edge", Las Vegas, Nevada
The word "audacious" comes to mind and, I think, appropriately. I think it's always been one of Art's jobs to make the viewer's say "What the hell?", and public art of this scale especially. It makes one want to meet the person whose mind conceived it. Good work, Nancy Rubins. ("crafted" indeed, DrF.)
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Re: Bratislava: An overlooked travel destination
Thanks for the great pics! I've only ever seen Bratislava from the river while on a Budapest to Vienna ferry...but now you've put it on the menu for our next time in Vienna. Worth noting: since Ryanair flights to "Vienna" actually land at Bratislava, it's a good opportunity for budget flyers to pay a visit before or after their time in Vienna.
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Re: Bratislava: An overlooked travel destination
Thanks, Ready2Go! I didn't know about Ryanair landing there. Bratislava has the benefit of being much cheaper than Vienna, so if you want to spend time in the region, your budget will go much further here than in Austria. Also, it's much less heavily touristed, and in some of the side streets you'll feel like you've got the place to yourself.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, August 25, 2014: Nail Art, Toronto, Canada
The nail sculpture, and especially the last picture, remind me a bit of El Anatsui's work, a visual fabric composed of commonplace elements. Fabulous! I did a little looking, and was able to find the artist, David Partridge. The work is called Metropolis, and uses more than 100,000 nails. If you drop a coin into it at the top, apparently, the coin will find a path to the bottom, making random music as it goes! Here's some more about it
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Re: Berlin's Rotes Rathaus: Brick Majesty and Whimsy
This has been one of my favorites too, but I never knew that a traveler could go inside. Thanks for the details on its history. Every time I've passed it, the doors have been closed. I will try to visit it next month after I sit at Zum Nussbaum—Reiner's favorite Berlin spot—and toast to #travel and #history.