Scotland - Day 5: There's Something In The Air

I mentioned fairly early on that there is a certain smell to this place.  Since that initial olfactory observation, I've been able to fine-tune things a bit.  Specifically:

• There is a distinct Edinburgh smell.
• I also got a whiff of it in a smaller town we visited (see below).
• It reminds me of when I used to live in York, PA, and was downwind of a paper plant.
• Said smell goes away when you leave the city; in fact, the countryside here smells wonderful.

I'm reasonably sure I'm smelling some Scottish version of sewer gases.  Now that this mystery is solved, it's time to move on to bigger and better things.

How about a few random facts?

Sheep outnumber humans in Scotland by over a million.  Reference HERE.  That's easy to see, literally.  Some of today's sheep...

(Those white things towards the left horizon?  Sheep.)

There's a lot of smoking here.  Interestingly enough though, according to Scottish government statistics, it's the tourists, not the locals.  In fact, the smoking rate in Scotland as a whole is 11% as of 2021.  Reference HERE.  In Pennsylvania, the most current rate I could find was 17.9% (reference HERE).  Why bring this up?  Well, today's trip was the Hadrian's Wall, which I'll get into in a moment.  The tie to smoking is that Ms. Rivers and I sat at the back of our tour bus today, behind a group of folks speaking Italian (Ms. Rivers seems to think they said they were from Switzerland, but I'm not so sure...).  These folks were lighting up constantly every time they left the bus, leaving us to deal with the smell when they returned.  I know, first-world problems, for sure, but it does remind me of how much things have changed for the better in this area since I was a kid.  For the record, if you smoke, please try to stop...it's simply a horrible thing to do to your body, and you deserve better.

What we haven't smelled much of is marijuana.  That could be because it's illegal in Scotland (reference HERE).  I'm not complaining.

On to the business end of today.  As noted above, we visited Hadrian's Wall*, and it was wonderful.  Well worth a day in Scotland.  Prior to arriving at the wall, we stopped at a town named Jedburgh, where there can be found the ruins of a large abbey.  It was actually really interesting.  

This is also a place where Mary, Queen of Scotts stayed at one point.  From here, we visited 4 different sites related to Hadrian's Wall.  Here are some of the better pictures:

None of this, by the way, does the wall...and its related ruins...justice.  This is just something you need to experience.  It felt kind of unique to sit on a section of the wall, knowing that over 1900 years ago soldiers from the Roman Empire were doing the exact same thing.  It's also rather marvelous to experience something so old yet created by humans, particularly in an age where it seems like everything is disposable.

I'll post more pictures on the Facebooks.

Finally, I saw this stone at the border between Scotland and England (Hadrian's Wall is in England).  It tells its own story.

I (obviously) have skin in the Scottish Independence game, but it seems to me that this is a culturally distinct place.  

(*) You can learn more about Hadrian's Wall by linking to:  https://hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/

More to come.

Scotland - Day 3: Authenticity

I don't try to explain, after the fact, what these bordering-on-ridiculous blog postings mean.  There are a couple reasons for that, none of which are entertaining enough (for me...) to write about.  This noted, what I do find fascinating is how easy it is to read intent into written words.  That's both a curse and a blessing for folks that write things, even hacks such as myself.  Anyway, I'm going to make an exception to the blog posting interpretation rule.

For example, in my Day 1 posting, I compared how Edinburgh is, well, gritty, dirty, and kind of smells like the Scranton I knew as a kid.  I get that this certainly sounds bad...unless you are me, and you grew up in Scranton in the '70s.  Granted that other folks, outside of fans of the U.S. version of The Office, probably have a negative impression of Scranton, but I don't.  In fact, that gritty/dirty/smells description is, in a word, authentic.  While there are tons of tourists here in Edinburgh, as I noted in the Day 2 posting, this is a lived-in kind of place.  The tourists just seem to be here for the ride.  

Another way to think about this is to consider Edinburgh as a kind of anti-Disney.  This isn't a magic kingdom; this is a place where people work, sieges have been had, and more than a few people hung and/or otherwise dispatched.  In the words of our tour guide on Sunday, Edinburgh had for the longest time a reputation for being one of the most disgusting cities in Europe.  The magic in this kingdom is that people have called this home and fought for it over centuries.  

The above noted, my quota for actually explaining blog postings has been met.  Since this is about the first time since 2008 that I've done this sort of thing (explaining...), if I do the math then I won't have to do it again until sometime in 2038.

On to the day's festivities.

******

Today we did the quasi-common bus tour of the countryside thing.  It was fun, based partially on the fact that my knees appreciated that they weren't responsible for all of the day's locomotion.  To be a bit more specific, the big stops today were Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle.  See the links for more (likely & possibly) factual information.  

As we were headed to Loch Lomond, we stopped to see an attraction known as the Kelpies.  For purposes of picture set-up, know that this is a very large metal sculpture. 

As I alluded to in the first paragraph or so of this posting, Scotland pretty much does what Scotland wants.  Giant horse heads?  Sure, why not.  There actually is some mythology about the Kelpies, which you can get from the horse's mouth HERE.  

From the Kelpies we headed to the Loch, for an all too brief visit.  Photographs don't do it justice, but here's one anyway.

This is an old place, well-used, yet still incredibly beautiful.  Something else to mention?  It smelled wonderful.  Actually, the Kelpies smelled wonderful too.  Just the right combination of flowers were in bloom I suppose, creating a scent that would rival a stand of honeysuckle.  

By the way, I am reasonably sure that there are more sheep in Scotland than there are people.  Without any exaggeration whatsoever.  The sheep we saw driving around the countryside were legion, for they were many.

Granted, I don't want to think too hard about Scotland's sheep, as that results in thoughts about what becomes of the cute little guys (re:  Haggis).

After the Loch and countless sheep-spotting opportunities, we stopped for lunch.  That was something of an adventure (for mundane reasons I will not get into), but what was really cool was the fact that we stopped at a town that was literally at the border between the Scottish lowlands and highlands.  

Foreground = Lowlands.  Background = Highlands.

Our final stop was Castle Stirling, complete with a larger-than-life statue of Robert the Bruce.  Yes, that was a character in the movie Braveheart, and yes, the locals are keenly aware of how inaccurate Mel Gibson's movie really was.  Regardless, it's an impressive statue.

I didn't do the castle tour (Ms. Rivers did), but instead went wandering around the castle grounds, which were beautiful.  The history of this place literally permeates the air.

Finally, I can't let the opportunity pass to take a few critter shots, and today was no exception.  

With apologies for the off-center shot, but in all fairness, 1) He was moving a lot and 2) I was using a cellphone camera.

All of the above noted, it was a long but interesting day.  Now to get some rest.  I think I slept for something like four hours last night, due to a variety of reasons.  I need to do better,.  Tomorrow will be more castle touring and maybe a ghost* bus tour.

More to come.

(*) Ghosts don't exist, but for the purposes of this vacation, I'll play along.

 

October in the Rear-View (and other non-related thoughts)

Here's to a month that has passed.  There was a funeral to attend, but it comes on the heels of the deceased, a truly good person, having truly earned an eternal rest.  It seems that October will always exact its toll on life, one way or another.

As for me, well, this is a long weekend in Hagerstown, Maryland.  It was supposed to be a long weekend in St. Augustine, Florida, but circumstances changed those plans.  Based on flooding in that part of Florida, and an airline system that can best be described as being "in distress", I'd say that those plans were changed for the better.  Whether it was Florida or Maryland, both Ms. Rivers and I have earned some time away.  

Why Hagerstown, Maryland?  I guess the better question is probably "why not?".  After deciding to 86 our Florida plans about a week or so ago, we bandied about a few other options for travel, and figured that Hagerstown was close enough, we hadn't been there, and we probably wouldn't encounter any snow.  Not that the snow part was likely to be anywhere we could have gone, but there's (s)no(w) sense taking any chances.  For the record, there isn't all that much to actually do in Hagerstown, which is mostly okay with us, as the destination is actually less important than just the notion of just getting away.  

How are you doing?

I've never asked that question before in a blog posting,  For the record, as of October 27th, this blog is now 13 years old.  I'd like to add "...and going strong" to that date, but that wouldn't be very honest of me.  It's been difficult to write consistently for a while now.  I think that's mostly been because of the career turmoil I've experienced for years now, virtually all of which was not my making.  Whether any of us like to admit it or not, the fact is that what we do with our time in order to earn a living is important.  In this western, American culture of ours, the notion of career has an outsized level of importance for certain.  Part of that is what has driven the United States for over two hundred years.  Sadly though, I could rightfully argue that the cost for many has been far, far too high.

It's the oversized importance of a career that I've been thinking a lot about over the past few months.  The fact is this:  It is the struggle (at home or at work) that helps us grow.  It's in facing adversity that we gain the ability to be resilient.  There just aren't too many shortcuts around that avenue in life.  Playing it too safe results in a certain degree of comfort that ultimately, I think, leaves us empty.  Granted, there can be too much struggle in our lives, especially when it comes to what we do for a living.  In my case, while I am grateful for all of the adversity that I have had to face in my professional life, in some instances I think the lessons could have been learned with just a bit less pain.  I suppose that's the case for many of us...or at least those who have taken a few chances.

The above mental wandering comes courtesy of the fact that I think I am in a good place now career-wise.  I couldn't have arrived here though without some roto-stripping of ego and my own preconceived notions of what constitutes success.  Nowadays my definition of success is decidedly simple:  I don't hate going to work & the people I work with seem to appreciate what I bring to the table.  Helping matters is the fact that I have settled in my head the fact that I have no ladder left to climb.  Simply put, I'm just going to do my thing for the next few years to the best of my ability, and whatever happens, be it good, bad, or indifferent, well, it will be okay.  I have a light at the end of the tunnel, if you will, in form of eventual retirement. 

It's difficult to write the above.  Why?  Well my mind, "when it's good it's bad".  That's a kind of short-hand way of noting that, as a pretty intense and observant child, I grew to become suspicious of any good times, as it probably meant something bad would be happening soon.  On one hand, that's a hell of a way to keep oneself on his/her toes.  On the other hand, well, it creates a kind of negative feedback loop where every bit of adversity comes with an "I told you so" mental tag line attached to it.  Nowhere was that more on display than my "retirement" in 2016.  It's taken me this long since then to really unpack some of these feelings and experiences and to arrive at this place where, to be blunt, I simply now choose to (mostly) not really care about negative people and experiences.  In fact, I have the following statement stuck to the bottom of my laptop screen:

"Give no f#$ks about those who give no f#$ks about you."

Crude?  For sure it is, but it has the benefit of being true.  In the simplest possible terms, it seems that, in life, we have a limited supply of things to care about ("f#$ks"), so it's best to use these things where they can matter the most.  Or so I am trying to learn. 

As is the case for many of the important things in life, some of this weighty career-in-perspective stuff is much less about reaching a kind enlightenment goal and more about just engaging in a deliberate practice where I work on keeping things in perspective.  In essence, there is no goal to achieve...that very notion is just more competitive business culture nonsense...and instead there is just a dedication to just trying my best to be a decent person to myself and to others.

As Jackson Browne once wrote:  "And when the morning light comes streaming in, we'll get up and do it again."

 

On that note, I think I've said enough.  

Tomorrow will likely be a trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  If believed in such things I would say that I'd like to encounter the spirit of John Brown.  Since I don't (believe in such things), I'm going to instead settle for a nice drive, some wonderful Fall photographs, and maybe learning a thing or three.

50 Shades of Elvis

Well, actually more like 8.

File this one under the category of "For no reason other than to just entertain me".

I'm convinced that, when you talk about the late Elvis Presley, it's simply not right to describe him in the singular.  In point of fact, I think there are actually 8 Elvises(1).  Allow me to explain.

Elvis #1:  Growing Up Elvis

This is the Elvis before there was an Elvis.  The blonde Elvis.  The Elvis with the burgeoning and almost un-natural attachment to his momma.  This the Elvis up until he made that initial recording at Sun Records (for, you guessed it, his momma).

Elvis #2:  Initial Fame Elvis

This is the "shaking his hips on national television and causing a commotion" Elvis.  The Elvis when most people think about Elvis.  The "Love me tender..." Elvis.  This is the epitome of all Elvis.

Elvis #3:  Army Elvis

This is Elvis when he joined the United States Army, stationed in Germany.  The Elvis who, while old enough to be in the Army, developed an almost un-natural attachment for a 14-year-old named Priscilla, who would later go on to be his wife " 'cilla".  This is the "your career is over" Elvis.  

Yet, life could not keep an Elvis down.    

Elvis #4:  Movie Elvis

This is the Elvis that made countless crappy movies, where Elvis always played a quasi-heroic outsider type who manages to save the day through elaborately staged 50's-era rock and roll songs.  Having seen a few Elvis movies myself, I defy anyone to binge-watch all of the Elvis movies and come out of the experience with most of their sanity in-tact.

Elvis #5:  '68 Comeback Special Elvis

This is the black leather-clad Elvis who, tired of repeating the same movie over and over again like some endless run of Home Improvement episodes, decided(2) to get back to his roots.

Want more '68 Comeback Special Elvis?  Click HERE. 

Elvis#6:  Vegas Act Elvis (a.k.a. In The Ghetto Elvis)

This is the "okay, I am a singer again, so now what?" Elvis.  The Elvis who wasn't capable of being a contemporary of artists such as The Beatles.  The Elvis who apparently discovered plus-sized rhinestone jumpsuits and had a flair for belts only slightly smaller than your average World Wrestling Federation champtionship belt.  The Elvis who fancied himself a gun-tot'n real G-man and developed an unnatural affinity for, of all people, Richard Nixon.

("Nilvis" from Wikipedia)

This is also the "In the Ghetto" Elvis.  Seriously, listen to the song.  This song should be an auditory aid when teaching the concept of insincerity to junior high school students.

Elvis#7:  Dead on the Throne Elvis

This is the Elvis who died on the toilet at age 42.  The Elvis who technically suffered from cardiac arrest as a cause of death, but given the circumstances, including his insatiable appetite for certain drugs, it's not much of a stretch to come to the conclusion that Elvis actually died from chronic constipation(3).  That's a crappy way to die(4). 

More on the death of Elvis, all be it a sanitized version, can be found HERE.

Elvis#8:  Revisionist History Elvis

This is the Elvis of Graceland.  The Elvis of countless impersonators.  The Elvis of legend and lore.  The Elvis that didn't have an unnatural affinity for his momma, didn't date a minor, didn't have Col. Tom Parker strong-arm songwriting credits away from actual song-wrinters(5) and wasn't the demanding customer of proto-Dr.Feelgood drug-dealer Doctor Nicky(6). 

A final note of sorts:  

I don't dislike Elvis.  I really don't.  I grew up listening to some of his music, and as noted above, I've seen far too many Elvis movies (a.k.a. Elvis#4) in my life.  I'll also note that, when you look at what this guy packed into a life of 42 years, well, it's nothing short of truly amazing.  

However (and you knew there was a "however" coming), the notion of what Elvis represents does bother me.  This includes what's already been mentioned in this posting plus his cultural appropriation (and sanitization) of The Blues and the willful ignorance of those who admire him.  Yes, I know we are all flawed as human beings, but if you are going to stake your livelihood on being such a public person, you had better be prepared for the accompanying scrutiny.  When you look at the life of Elvis, well, it's actually not always such a pretty picture.

Thank You.  

Thank You Very Much.

* * * * * *

(1) The correct plural of "Elvis" is "Elvises", not "Elvii, although I will note that "Elvii" would sound much better.  Citation HERE.

(2) When using a phrase like "Elvis decided..." it's important to remember that, outside of say dating a 14-year-old while an adult, Elvis didn't make a ton of actual decisions himself.  The man behind the curtain was his manager/svengali, "Colonel" Tom Parker.  More on "The Colonel" can be found HERE.

(3) Modern medicine is a great thing.  While many medications provide a tremendous service to us, some work, in part, by disrupting the connections between nerves and your brain.  A side effect though is that they also disrupt some of the nerve signals in your digestive system, resulting in, among other things, chronic and debilitating constipation.

(4) With apologies for the bad pun, but come on, this is a posting about Elvis Presley for Pete's sake. Potty humor is to be expected.  Sh*t, I did it again.

(5) Basicly, Elivs' manager would force songwriters to give Elvis partial songwriting credit in exchange for recording their music.  Citation HERE.

(6) Dr. Nicky refers to the real-life doctor George C. Nichopoulos, who effectively was the Official Elvis Dope-Dealer.  "DrFeelgood" refers to a terrific song by Motley Crue (see hyperlink).

The Civil War, Slavery & a Rag

(graphic by me, from an original posting about 10 years ago)

Submitted for the common good, if you go to this link...

LINK

...you will find the text of The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States, which is basically a kind of "declaration of independence" for 5 of the southern states that left the Union before the Civil War.  Now I've written posts in the past about my disdain for the filthy rag, also known as the Confederate battle flag, and one of the common retorts I've gotten is that the Civil War was not about slavery, but instead it was really about __________________ (pick'm...economics, states rights, etc.) and the flag is a part of southern heritage.  This document though is a great example of just how flawed that logic actually is in practice.

38 is the number of times that "slavery" is mentioned in the above document.

To quote the section authored by leaders of the state of Mississippi:
"Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world." 

"It has grown until it denies the right of property in slaves, and refuses protection to that right on the high seas, in the Territories, and wherever the government of the United States had jurisdiction."
("It" is the Federal Union)

And Georgia:
"That reason was her fixed purpose to limit, restrain, and finally abolish slavery in the States where it exists. The South with great unanimity declared her purpose to resist the principle of prohibition to the last extremity."
("Her" is the Federal Union; "principle of prohibition" is the abolishing of slavery) 

And South Carolina:
"The right of property in slaves was recognized by giving to free persons distinct political rights..."

And Texas:
"She was received as a commonwealth holding, maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery-- the servitude of the African to the white race within her limits-- a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist in all future time."
("She" is Texas)

"...to perpetuate the amity between the members of the confederacy and to secure the rights of the slave-holding States in their domestic institutions..."
(the "domestic institutions" in question include the right to own other humans)

As an added bonus, you can find the original text of Florida's reasons for seceding HERE.  The term "slave" or "slavery" is mentioned 14 times in the 1388 word document.  From the document:
"Their natural tendency every where shown where the race has existed to idleness vagrancy and crime increased by an inability to procure subsistence. Can any thing be more impudently false than the pretense that this state of things is to be brought about from considerations of humanity to the slaves."
("Their" references slaves themselves)

So yes, the Civil War was about southern rights and economics, most especially the "right" to own other human beings for economic purposes, as noted by Texas "in all future time".

I know people who believe that there is nothing wrong with the Confederate battle flag.  I want to believe that these folks sincerely just don't realize how horrible a symbol that flag is, so I'm hoping that they take some time to ask themselves if they truly support what this flag stood for...including racism, the grave sin of slavery, and treason.  It's not a secret or a coincidence that racist organizations continue to fly this repugnant piece of fabric trash.

(from THIS source)

By the way, some change is finally coming with regard to this symbol of slavery (see HERE).

To the Deniers:
It's your prerogative, I suppose, to disagree with this posting.  There was a point in my life when I believed in some of this nonsense as well.  I got over it though...growing up and experiencing a bit of the world will help do that...and I hope that one day you do too.  Ask yourself why you still support this racist symbol:  Is it out of pride at not wanting to admit you are wrong?  Is it out of some sense of rebellion, a kind of "sticking it to the man", that you must resist what others tell you (even when what they tell you is that slavery and racism are evil)?  At this stage it certainly can't be about your ignorance of history and the facts surrounding the flag.  In the end, life is too short for the intellectual tap dancing (or flat-out denial) required to defend this putrid symbol of systemic evil.

A Weekend Pause

On the road in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Ms. Rivers and I usually go away for a weekend in the Fall.  Nowhere fancy mind you...the basic rules are that it's for a weekend and it has to be within driving distance.  The allure of air travel has long expired for both of us, and there are simply too many other things going on, making anything longer than a weekend impractical at best.  That latter point is one of the many things Ms. Rivers and I have in common:  Am almost ceaseless list of things we want to accomplish.

This weekend's trip was decided in theory a few months ago and decided in practice last Monday.  That's how this stuff rolls sometimes.  We choose Lancaster because, well, because it's Lancaster.  I've also only been to Lancaster once before.  That trip was in 1987, and I drove with my fellow Maxwell's buyers to get a train to New York City in Lancaster.  Suffice to say, I didn't see all that much.  For the record, at the time I lived in York, which is something of a slightly smaller sister city to Lancaster, but without some of the charm the Red Rose City enjoys.

Timing is everything.

I really needed this trip.  Really and truly.  This should be one of the best times of my life, yet I've been fairly unsettled for a while now.  In life perspective is everything, so what better way to gain perspective than a temporary change in scenery?  While Lancaster has had its share of problems over the years, beautiful scenery isn't among its challenges.  This is a beautiful place, and the thought of living somewhere that afforded the ability to walk to a farmer's market for fresh food is alluring.  Ms. Rivers and I have spent more than a few minutes over the past months and years thinking about where we'd like to live our retirement years.  Decisions are still pending.

Glassworks.

We spent late morning and most of the afternoon on Saturday wandering about downtown Lancaster.  The city has a wonderful farmer's market and tons of small shops that remind you of Philadelphia, all be it on a smaller scale.  One such place we stopped was Art & Glassworks.

Walking into the shop, the first thing Ms. Rivers noticed was all of the beautiful glass the shop had on display.  The first thing I noticed?  That would be Nicky.  You see, Nicky is a 19-year-old male cat that keeps watch over the shop.  Nicky and I spent about 5 minutes getting acquainted as Ms. Rivers attended to more serious shopping business.  Any business that has a cat is worth patronizing in my book, so if you are ever in Lancaster (either at their stand in the Farmer's Market or at their store) please visit Art & Glassworks.  And pet Nicky for me.  He's a good cat.  I'll also note that, in addition to petting a cat, we did get some shopping done, so it was a win for both Nicky and the shop owner.

Jesus was not live on stage.

We picked this pamphlet up at the hotel(*), and I thought it was almost bizarrely funny.  Now I know from a Facebook posting that others have actually seen this show and enjoyed it.  However, I just think it's a bit odd to claim that Jesus is "live, on stage".  If, in fact, Jesus was live, I would hope that it wouldn't be on a sage in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  There's a lot of bad stuff happening in this country at the moment, and if there is such a thing as divine intervention, well, we could use a little bit of it right here and now.  We are truly an un-tended flock at the moment.

The Last Sears?

On the slow road back home, we stopped at a mall in Lancaster, and low and behold there was a functional Sears.

I'm not sure how many of these are actually left but suffice to say the answer is somewhere between "few" and "not many".  As a sign of just how dismal the whole situation is, we could have waited about 14 minutes for the store to open, but we thought "Meh, why bother?".  That pretty much sums up Sears.

The Final Stop.

The final stop on the drive home was the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg.  The stop itself was figured out this morning, mostly based on the intricate science of "well, why not?".  Nice place. 

Walking through the museum I was reminded of what this country has been through, and likely what it still has to go through.  In spite of a bloody war and over a hundred years of time passages, some of those old wounds have yet to heal.  Let's hope it doesn't take another war for us to find our "better angels".

* * * * * *

(*) We stayed at the Cork Factory Hotel on New Holland Avenue in Lancaster.  Overall it was a nice place, but apparently, it does a very robust wedding business.  That's good for the hotel, but not necessarily good for the other guests who can't find parking or a table for dinner.  Speaking of dinner, we needed reservations to eat at the hotel's restaurant.  Now I've stayed at some fancy hotels over 30 or so years, but I can't recall a lone hotel restaurant that required reservations.  If you want to get married in Lancaster you should check the hotel out.  If you just want a weekend getaway?  Well, better not make that in June.

Filling the Bucket, Day 12 - Russia

Port of St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Preface
I normally write these screeds from our stateroom balcony, but since we've had a refueling ship alongside us and as a result, the air is thick with the smell of diesel fuel, I'm opting for the indoor version.  I think that's something of a Russian metaphor.  More on that tomorrow...maybe.

* * * * * *

We actually have two days in St. Petersburg, so I'm going to save the commentary part of what I usually post until tomorrow (and we're in route to Finland).  Speaking of today, we opted for a canal and church tour of St. Petersburg, although our original plan was something a bit more comprehensive.  Given our experiences today, I think we made a good call.

First up, a few photographs that were taken from our wonderful canal tour of the city.

Next, we visited the Resurrection Church, also known as the "Church on the Spilled Blood").  Two things about the church stand out:

• The word "crowded" doesn't begin to describe the interior of this place.
• Every single inch of the building's interior was covered in something.

(Looking up)

(The main altar; the church is still used for services)

(Exterior view; no photograph does this place justice)

Finally, we stopped at the St. Isaac's Cathedral.  Another church that had an incredibly artistic interior (like the Church on the Spilled Blood), but with a design that's more reminiscent of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.

(Exterior)

(View up to the main dome)

(Door, showing the relative size)

(Damage from the Siege of Leningrad during World War 2)

До свидания!

Filling the Bucket, Day 10 - Viking Star Sea Day

On the Baltic Sea

Today is a day at sea, as we travel from Poland to Estonia.  This may seem boring to some, but not to me when I think back to my childhood in the Midtown Apartments, as this is truly a world apart.  Make that an incredible world apart, as in I never dreamed as a kid that I would be making this kind of journey.  There are a few lessons in that thought, none the least of which is a hearty reminder that where we are is never the same as where we will one day be.  By the way, for the benefit of the curious, here is that last phrase ("where we are...") in Polish:

"...gdzie jesteśmy nigdy nie jest taki sam, jak kiedyś będziemy..."

Try saying that fast three times.

On second thought, try saying that at all.

Speaking Poland, as we were entering the harbor at Gdansk, one of our ship's identical sisters was leaving port.  Here she is, the Viking Sun:

Also, as I reflect back on Poland, it's somewhat disappointing that we didn't get to experience more of the city's recent history (i.e. the Solidarity movement).  Apparently, there is a museum dedicated to Solidarity, but it was not on our itinerary.  What's more, we actually drove by the shipyards where the famous strike(s) took place and, well, they basically just look like a run-down industrial complex (as opposed to a place where Communism was punched in the gut by a bunch of brave shipbuilders).

(Where Lech Walesa worked; with apologies for the "bus shot")

Getting back to today, well, it was nice to have something of a break.  I actually took about a 30-minute nap (something of a rarity for me) and we spent some time at the pool.  Dinner was at the fancy Italian restaurant onboard, which I have to admit was pretty nice.

(Fancy dinner; I started eating mine before realizing that I should take a picture)

In terms of actual photos to share, well, the offerings are somewhat limited to clouds and then more clouds.

(View 1:  Port)

(View 2:  Starboard)

Views 1 & 2 were taken at the same time.  That's one of the wonderful things about being a sea:  You have this wide expanse to view, and each direction could hold something completely different.  

(View 3:  Sunset, Starboard)

The first two views were taken with my cell phone (a Samsung Galaxy Note 8), and the third with my Sony Alpha A58.

I had to Google the whole port vs. starboard thing.  Normally I am pretty good at knowing my surroundings and just generally finding things.  You might think that's a good thing, and perhaps it is in some respects, but it's roots are far less kind:  I've always had an intense need to be in control, mostly born out of an upbringing where that's how I was able to cope with reality (unpredictable parenting created a need/monster for predictability in other areas of life).  Anyway, being on a ship has been somewhat disorienting from a directional perspective.  Fortunately for me, Ms. Rivers seems to not suffer from this kind of impairment.

Tomorrow, as noted above, we are back in a port, this time Tallinn, Estonia.  It looks like a beautiful place.  

As far deep thoughts, snarky comments or insightful ponderings go, I don't really have all that much to offer.  The trip now seems as much to be as much a marathon as it is a bucket-list fulfilled.  I know this ends next Saturday but until then I'm going to continue to thoroughly enjoy the run.

On a final note, we head to Stockholm by the end of the week, where we will visit the ABBA museum.  Couple that with the Napoleon documentary we are watching before bed and you get the perfect segue:

Filling the Bucket, Day 8 - Rostock/Warnemunde, Germany

On the Baltic Sea, Heading to Poland

"You need to bring your passport with you" was the instruction today as we headed out to Rostock, Germany.  After having visited two other countries without needing to bring a passport my mind got to work.  Now given the fact that I am both a student of history and known to be somewhat snarky, I almost immediately went to something along the lines of...

What you don't want to happen in Germany: Have someone come up to you & say "Papers...can I see your papers?"
(Said with a thick German accent)

...if you don't get that last point, well, don't worry about it.  Attribute this to the fact that I have a vivid imagination and I've simply seen too many World War II (WW2) movies in my lifetime.

In any event, today was a great day.  The morning was spent on a guided tour of Rostock, a former East German city, and a major port.  We had a terrific tour guide, a native of Rostock, who was old enough to remember life before the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Learning about the city, especially during World War II and afterward, was fascinating.  Rostock was heavily bombed by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the war, mostly because of the Heinkel and Arado aircraft factories found in the vicinity.

(Center City, Rostock; all of this was basically destroyed during WW2)

(The fountain; see directly below)

The fountain shown above was constructed by the East German government, and officially named the "Fountain of Joy".  According to our tour guide, that's not what it's called by locals.  Because of the several naked bodies, it's unofficially called the "Porn Fountain" (as in "Meet me by the Porn Fountain at 4pm Klaus!").  And who said that German's don't have a sense of humor?

(Saint Mary's Church, one of the few buildings not destroyed during WW2)

We spent the afternoon in the resort town on Warnemunde, which kind of reminds you of a classy version of a higher-end Maryland beach community.  Except of course for all the Germans.  The architecture is very similar to that of Rostock.

(A row of shops in Warnemunde)

Still no pickup trucks, by the way.  What I have noticed is that some passenger cars have this weird (by U.S. standards) rear hitch that seems to be something of a Northern European standard.

(No comment)

While I can normally only get about six photos in an average posting, I'm going to see if the Blogger gods will smile upon me and allow one more.

(One of two harbor lighthouses; its companion was red)

A few observations:

• Language.  Warnemunde was the first town we've been to where we countered a significant number of people that did not speak English.  In fact, Ms. Rivers bought a gift at a shop where the owner didn't speak a word of it; fortunately, Visa seems to do a lot of talking on its own, in both German and English.
• Euro.  Just for the heck of it, I got twenty Euros out of a local ATM.  That probably cost me a small fortune, but it was worth it when we needed local currency to buy a few snacks and pay to use a public toilet in Warnemunde.  As an American, it feels odd having larger denomination coins.  
• Post Wall Architecture.  Our guide mentioned that something like 95% of the area had been rebuilt/modernized since the unification of Germany.  It was neat though seeing the rows on squared off apartment buildings and nearly identical cottage houses constructed during the days of communism.  To the latter, our guide mentioned that there were something like three officially sanctioned cottage designs in East Germany.
• Time.  I'm a pretty time conscious guy.  That happens, by the way, when you are raised in something like a junior version of the Marine Corps.  Anyway, I've genuinely lost track of time and dates while I'm here.  That probably speaks more to the power that routine has in our brains than anything else, and this trip has definitely been a different kind of experience.

On a final note, I try not to take too many photos with my cell phone, mostly because I have a lot of money tied up in expensive photography stuff.  What's the sense in having an expensive camera if you don't use it?  Anyway, after dinner, Ms. Rivers and I were strolling on the second-floor deck of the ship and we spied a wonderful sunset, which I just had to capture.  The sun is actually setting over Germany and/or Denmark.  

The next port of call is in Poland.

A special note to the anonymous individual who keeps leaving comments...

...on my post about that rag known as the "Stars and Bars":


Dear Sir/Madame,

I very well might debate you as to the "real" causes of the Civil War.  I just have one requirement though:  please comment under your own name.  Why?  Well while I do allow* anonymous comments, I can't say that I actually respect people who write things anonymously on the Internet, with very few exceptions.  How can I respect someone who says "I have this conviction" while at the same time also saying "but I don't want to be identified with this conviction"?  It's a silly contradiction in terms, and I'm being kind by using the word "silly" as a descriptive.

So either continue to comment anonymously and not expect any kind of response from me OR comment under your own name and I might actually respond in kind.  My $10/year, my rules.

Oh and remember...

Available for sale HERE in case you want one for your very own.

Have a Nice Day!

Steve Albert
Scranton, Pennsylvania






(*) This sounds so haughty, namely that I "allow" anonymous comments.  In point of fact, when it comes to run-o-the-mill comments I could care less:

a) who comments

and/or

b) whether the comments are anonymous or not.

Remember, I don't do this to entertain anyone other than myself.  Other than deleting comments that are just thinly disguised spam (for example, I've deleted countless comments from law firms every time I would blog about my own divorce) & blatantly offensive hate speech, I pretty much don't give a rat's posterior what anyone writes.  Just don't expect me to react like Pavlov's dog just because your decided to grace me with your wisdom.

The Declaration of Independence

A full transcript.  You can find this also via the National Archives.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.