Archive for the ‘Travels’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Scenic Sunday 26

January 11, 2009
Dunes on Sunset Beach, North Carolina. June, 2001.

Dunes on Sunset Beach, North Carolina. June, 2001.

I came upon this meme fairly late in the day, but I thought I would try to make a contribution anyway.

The picture above was taken on Sunset Beach, North Carolina, in June, 2001.  Betsy and I were on our honeymoon and we spent the day on Sunset Beach.  The picture, which can be enlarged by clicking on it, shows the dunes behind the beach proper.

Sunset Beach is the smallest and quietest of the three barrier islands which make up the South Brunswick Islands.  Sunset Beach, which is about three miles long,  has a white sand backed by sand dunes.  One reason Sunset Beach is so quiet is that the only road access to the island is across a one-lane pontoon swing bridge.  All traffic had to stop when the bridge swung open to allow boats to pass along the Intracoastal Waterway.  A new bridge is being built, so it will be interesting to see if the island remains fairly quiet.

I had been to Sunset Beach several times, but this was Betsy’s first visit.  When this picture was taken I still had a home in Little River, South Carolina, which is about twelve miles south of Sunset Beach.

To see more scenes from around the world click HERE or on the logo below.

scenicsunday

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 21 Comments »

A Visit to Black Mountain

January 10, 2009
Betsy at the North Overlook on Black Mountainnn. January 9, 2008.

Betsy at the North Overlook on Black Mountainnn. January 9, 2008.

Yesterday, since we had gone out for the previous two days, Betsy and I decided we would stay home.  It was laundry day for Betsy and I had wood to bring up to the garage and Christmas decorations to put away in the attic.

We did quite well until the early afternoon, but the day was entirely too nice to stay in.  So we drove to Black Mountain Recreation Area near the town of Crab Orchard, which is only about seven miles from the house.  The recreation area is atop Black Mountain (I guess that makes sense) and features a 1.7 mile loop trail that connects two overlooks.  There is also a connection with the Cumberland Trail, which, when completed, will be a north-south hiking trail across Tennessee.

We’ve been to Black Mountain several times.  Betsy especially wanted to go back in the winter to see if it was possible to spot Fairfield Glade from the North Overlook when there were no leaves on the trees.  The North Overlook provides a view of Crab Orchard Valley which lies between Black Mountain and the Glade.  The picture above shows Betsy at the North Overlook, but we still couldn’t see much because of all the tree branches in the way.

We continued on around the loop to the South Overlook, which probably has the best view of the Cumberland Plateau and the Tennessee Ridge and Valley beyond.  The South Overlook is our favorite place on Black Mountain, but we couldn’t stay long yesterday.  It was getting late and I definitely did not want to drive down the narrow, one-lane road after dark!

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 26 Comments »

Watery Wednesday 17

January 6, 2009
Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. July 5, 2002.

Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. July 5, 2002.

We’ve had several days of rain and gray clouds here on the Plateau.  I’m not complaining — we need the rain — but I do need to see some blue skies and sunshine.  So I did what I often do — looked through some old pictures.

This picture was taken in July, 2002, at the Indiana Dunes State Park.  I had taken Betsy to northern Indiana to see my brother and his wife and to see my hometown of Crown Point, Indiana.  One day while we were up there I took her to the Dunes on Lake Michigan.

When I was a kid my parents would sometimes take us up to the Dunes in the summer to enjoy a day at the beach.  We really enjoyed playing in the water, but the most interesting part of the park were the dunes themselves.

The state park is now surrounded on three sides by the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, but the state park is much as I remembered it.  The park contains hiking trails, which Betsy and I enjoyed.  This particular picture was taken as Betsy and I were hiking down from the top of Mt. Tom, the tallest dune in the park at 195 feet.  It was a hot July day and the lake sure looked inviting at the foot of that dune!

To see more of our watery world click HERE or on the logo below.
waterywed2c

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 22 Comments »

A Caribbean Sunrise

January 4, 2009
Sunrise off Antigua. September 12, 2001.

Sunrise off Antigua. September 12, 2001.

I was going through some old pictures when I found the picture above.  It was taken on our Caribbean cruise back in 2001.

We flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where we boarded the ship.  The ship left San Juan on a Sunday night and we slept fairly late on Monday.  But we got up early enough every other morning to see the sunrise.  Of course, we usually went back to bed after the sun was up, but after all it was a vacation!

This particular picture was taken on Wednesday morning as we approached Antigua.  I like it because the light reflected on the sea seems to be beckoning us to follow it into the sun.  Unfortunately the ship was headed in a slightly different direction.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 20 Comments »

Bali Ha’i

December 27, 2008
Sunset on Bali, June, 1987.

Sunset on Bali, June, 1987.

I was a junior member on the faculty of Heidelberg College in 1987 when I was selected to be part of an exchange program with a Chinese university in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China.  A team from Heidelberg would go to Tianjin to teach English as a Second Language and a Chinese professor would come to Heidelberg for the academic year to teach Chinese.

Part of our arrangement with the Chinese included a tour of parts of China, but because of differing calendars the tour was to be held before our teaching session rather than afterward.  The Chinese also invited spouses to come along for this part of the trip.

Although we had two children getting close to college age, I really wanted Elizabeth (my late wife) to go.  So we counted our pennies and signed Elizabeth up for the trip.

It was at this point that two of the senior faculty members decided it would be nice to leave the States a week early so we could visit Bali.  That really stretched our finances since the Chinese weren’t covering that part of the trip, but we scrapped up the money for the extra week and went.

The picture above was taken on Bali at sunset on an evening late in June.  It was like living a scene from a movie.

To see more sunrise and sunset pictures from around the world click HERE or on the logo below.

ssslogo1

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 20 Comments »

Christmas in a Far-off Land

December 22, 2008

The manger scene in the picture below may seem a little unusual.  (You can click on it for a larger version if you like.)  It’s obviously a manger scene — the three men on the right are paying homage to the baby held aloft by the woman in the center.  On the left is a shepherd with one of his animals.

chinachristmas01

But the scene does look unusual.  The animal on the left looks more like a long-necked rabbit than a sheep, and the three men on the right are unlike any wise men I had seen before.

The most unusual thing about this manger however, is its location.  The picture was taken in December, 1994, on the shopping floor of a hotel in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China.

I spent the academic year 1994 – 95 teaching in Tianjin, and I was frankly quite surprised to see this manger on public display.  The hotel catered to Chinese visitiors, not foreigners.  I was the only westerner in the place when this picture was taken!  At a time when public displays of Christmas symbols is under attack in some places here at home, I find it more than interesting that this public display could be found in communist China over ten years ago.

There were more secular displays of Christmas as well.  The picture below was taken in front of a store front restaurant in Tianjin.  It looks as if the reindeer have left Santa stranded, but that is definitely Santa in his sleigh.

chinachristmas02

I find it amazing and comforting that Christmas has spread to even the most likely parts of the globe.  I had a wonderful Christmas in 1994, and I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas this year and for many years to come.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 7 Comments »

Watery Wednesday

December 16, 2008

waterywed2c

This is my first entry for Watery Wednesday, but you can check out other photos on this theme by clicking on the logo above or at http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/.

The picture below was taken on Antigua, in September, 2001.  Betsy and I were on a belated honeymoon cruise in the southern Caribbean.  We visited six different islands on that cruise, but I think Antigua was definitely one of my favorites.
antiguacoast0201
I especially liked the coast near Shirley’s Height, where this picture was taken.  The coast line, except for a few cactus, was mostly barren and dropped sharply down to the ocean, which was an incredible blue.  I’m not sure how high the cliffs are, but while we were there we looked down on a helicopter flying along the coastline!

The  contrast between the red-brown cliffs, the deep blue water, the bright white surf and the lighter blue of the sky is one reason I like this part of Antigua so much.  I hope you like it too!

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 21 Comments »

Another Sunset Photo

December 13, 2008

ssslogo1

I enjoy taking pictures of sunrises and sunsets and will take almost any opportunity to show them.  Sunday’s Sunrise/Sunset Photo Meme gives me such an opportunity.  To see other sunrise/sunset pictures from all over the world click on the logo or name above.

The picture below was taken in May, 2008, at Sunset Beach, North Carolina.  Betsy and I were spending a few days at the beach and had driven to Sunset Beach after an early dinner.  Sunset Beach is an island and we were on our way back to the mainland as the sun was going down.  There was no other traffic on the causeway at this moment, so I stopped to get this picture.  The Intracoastal Waterway is in the foreground.
sunset01
You can click on the picture to see a larger version.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 8 Comments »

A Sunrise Photo

December 6, 2008

ssslogo

Last week I posted a sunset picture.  This week I’ll prove that I can get up to see a sunrise by posting a sunrise picture.  To see more sunrise/sunset pictures click on the logo above to go to the Sunday Sunrise/Sunset website.
sunrisemtnebo081204012
This picture was also taken on Mount Nebo in Arkansas.  I got this picture by going to Sunrise Point on the mountain.  Although we got there just as it was beginning to get light, we had to wait some time to get this picture.  The sun has popped up above a layer of clouds.  The mountains on the other side of the valley can be seen below the sun and clouds.

I’ll have to admit that it takes a little more effort to get a sunrise picture,  especially on a cold, windy morning.  But I think the effort was worth it.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 10 Comments »

A Sunset Photo

November 29, 2008

ssslogo

This is the first time I’ve tried something like this, so I guess it is an experiment on my part.  Carla is the person that brought this meme to my attention, so I thought I would give it a try.  You can go directly to Sunday Sunrise/Sunset by clicking on the logo above or by clicking HERE.  At the website you can find links to other sunrise/sunset photos.

This picture is one that I took last November from Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas.

Sunset from Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. November, 2007.

Sunset from Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. November, 2007.

I chose this picture because I like it and because Betsy and I are going back there this week.

Betsy has been going to Mt. Nebo for longer than she has known me, but she took me there for the first time in November, 2006.  This trip will be our fourth.  We always stay in a beautiful cabin on top of the mountain where we can enjoy the mountain views and the sunsets.  Up there on that mountaintop it is almost always quiet and it is easy to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation.

We’ll be gone for almost a week, but we should get home sometime Friday evening.  In the meantime I hope you all have a very good week.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Travels | 11 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »