Scottish beer is predictable while Scottish weather is not. I start with these facts because weather and beer figured so prominently in our travels in Scotland. About the weather: We knew, for example, with a fair degree of certainty that each day would contain some rain and some sun. What we couldn’t know were their frequency and proportions. Some days it would rain ten times, not hard nor long, just frequently. These bouts of rain would sometimes be interrupted by periods of sunlight so clear and intense that everything in sight would be transfigured. ‘Changeable’ is how the Scots understate their weather. ‘Dramatic’ is a better word because when one is out of doors for hours at a time, the Scottish countryside becomes a theater where the weather assumes the featured role.
Our First Look at Istanbul
February 2004
Dear Friends,
If you’re thinking of going to Istanbul in January, beware! No, we’re not referring to terrorist bombs or earthquakes; our threat is much more mundane. We’re talking about the WEATHER. Gloves, scarf and a warm hat may become your most prized possessions. And boots ― yes, those things that take up so much room in your suitcase ― don’t leave them behind as we did or, like us, you’ll be shopping for new ones in Istanbul.
Report From Prague
August, 2003
After our retirement in 2001 Kay and I thought it would be fun to live as expatriates for a few years. To prepare to live in other countries we enrolled at New York City’s New School to earn TESOL certificates. Our idea of teaching English to speakers of other languages was not in order to earn our living but rather to give ourselves a focus abroad and to better integrate ourselves into whichever country or countries we chose to live in. The culmination of our program was to do a three-week practicum in which we would teach a class under the supervision of an experienced TESOL instructor in order to show we had learned our lessons. Along with seven of our classmates, we had the opportunity to do our praticum in Prague. Following is an account of our experience.
Learning Italian in Lecce
In July of 2003, Kay and I spent two weeks at the Domus Aurea language school at Lecce, in the Italian province of Apulia. I regret that I wasn’t keeping my journal at the time, so I don’t have the kind of day-today record of what happened that I keep nowadays.
Looking over my photos of the trip, I see that most are of sites we visited on weekend excursions sponsored by the school. It’s a shame that neither Kay nor I can remember the names of the classmates that appear in some of the photos.
Anyway, before I lose any more of my memories of our stay, I want to put them down here in no particular order.
Bella Italia
In March of 2002, Kay and I along with friend Kathy took a trip to Italy. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep a journal of this trip, so what I’m writing here years later are a few things that I remember. Looking at the photos of the things we saw, memories of the trip have been on my mind.
New York City After 9/11
It’s been almost two weeks since the obscene incident we New Yorkers now refer to as the World Trade Center Explosions changed the life of our city so grotesquely. Since that morning of September 11th – a date that like December 7th, 1941 will live in infamy – I, along with most other New Yorkers, have been trying to come to terms with what has happened to us. Here are some of my thoughts and recollections.
Cycle Montana
Adventure Cycling Bike Tour with Judy Stoner – July 21-28, 2001
Friday & Saturday, July 21 & 22, 2001
Missoula, Montana
Bad start. Arrived 7 pm, grey skies, no bikes. Northwest Airlines’ employees not reassuring. All turned out well, however, Bikes were delivered the next morning at Big Sky High School. Judy and I assembled ours in the parking lot, and then rode into downtown Missoula.
Town has a special atmosphere, sense of liberal tolerance. Young people on the street dressed like hippies from the 60s.
Florence 2001
Istanbul 2017
Kay and I have been to Florence only once and it was more than fifteen years ago. Unfortunately, I made no notes about the trip, but we both have our memories. I must confess that we were often uncomfortable during our week-long visit.
From Italy with Love
Saturday, May 5, 2001
Milan
Wacked out from the flight. Eating gelato in the shadow of the cathedral, an immense construction of pinkish marble that took five centuries to build. I wonder what was the original form. It was finished under Napoleon who knew how to get things done.
RAGBRAI 28
RAGBRAI is an acronym. It stands for Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. The Des Moines Register is a newspaper that claims to be the number one source for news and information in Des Moines and across Iowa.
The history: “In the beginning, when a few friends got together for a casual bike ride across Iowa in 1973, no one imagined that a tradition would be born, let alone that it would become the longest, largest and oldest recreational bicycle touring event in the world.”