A Day Well Spent

Last September I had the opportunity to spend a day at the Huntington Library & Gardens in San Marino California.  I was there all day but still didn't see it all.  It's an amazing place that I will definitely return to one day.  There is so much to see at this wonderful place that I'll limit this post to the two Asian gardens and save the art work and other collections for other posts.  So, I'm starting with The Japanese Garden.  This lush green spot begs you to spend a little time enjoying the beauty that surrounds you.

The Japanese garden is thought to be the most popular spot on the Huntington estate with it's distinctive Moon Bridge sitting in the center of a tranquil koi pond.    This garden has been attracting visitors since 1928 when the institution opened to the public.

When you climb the hill on the other side of the koi pond, you come the zen court and it's collection of bonsai trees.  There is every shape and size of bonsai trees on display and plenty of place to sit and relax and take it all in.

After spending some time in zen court, I moved on, following the trail around to the Chinese Garden and it's unique architecture.

In this area you stroll through doors and past windows that frame the beauty of the lily pond that dominates the area.


The Pavilion of Three Friends is a perfect place to once again stop, relax and take it all in.

Enjoy the various lilies floating on the pond.

Take in the unique beauty of the lotus patches.

I'll have more posts about the Huntington Library and Gardens in future posts.  This post only featured two of the twelve gardens on the property.  And, then there is the fabulous art collection and the wonderful home that is the legacy of Henry & Arabella Huntington.  It's one of those places that you can return to many times and still find something new to see.

It's all in the Details

Last week I posted about my visit to the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires Argentina.  Besides being a historic destination, it also is a place of much beauty.  Anyone who enjoys photographing details will have a fantastic time taking photos in this fascinating place.


You can focus in on all the details atop the various vaults.

You can locate cobwebs that somehow seem appropriate for a cemetery.

You can find little statues that give you a fright.

And you can photograph the angelic and the not so angelic in the same frame.

You can compose a moody scene.  This one became the cover of the photo book I created about this trip.

Or, you can create a simple work of art from a lamp post and the sun.

I've actually sold copies of this shot.

If you find yourself in Buenos Aires, don't miss seeing this spectacular place.

City of the Dead

La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires Argentina is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world.  It is laid out like a city with city blocks, tree-lined streets, lanes and narrow passages.  It spreads out over 14 acres with 4,691 above ground vaults.  94 of these vaults have been declared National Historical Monuments.

The tombs or vaults come in all shapes, sizes and styles and a good number of them are decorated with statues and sculptures.  The cemetery is the last resting place of Presidents, Generals, Actors, Writers and Athletes.  Essentially, the rich and famous of Argentina.  Below I have a sample of some of the vaults you will see when visiting this beautiful place.

Some are very elaborate, constructed with fine marble and beautiful statues.

A few look like they might have been cobbled together.

Some are modern and sleek.

And, some are in disrepair and appear to be neglected.  

Some are heavy-hearted and morose.

While others are celebratory and beautifully maintained.  

This is the tomb of Luis Angle Firpo, an Argentine boxer who was known as "The Wild Bull of the Pampas".  After a successful career in boxing be became a rancher.  

Probably the most popular vault in the cemetery is the one containing the remains of Eva Peron, first lady of Argentina.  It seems everyone in the world has heard of Evita!

Her tomb draws huge crowds that fill up the narrow passage where it is located.  Some paying their respects but, most are there for the photo opportunity.  

I have many, many more photos from this fantastic place.  Next week I'll show you some detail photos from La Recoleta Cemetery.  

Gazing at the Stars

Kitt Peak National Observatory has the largest and most diverse array of optical and radio telescopes in the world and it's located right here in Arizona.  Just 55 miles (88K) south of Tucson and sitting atop a 6,880 foot (2,096 m) mountain it is in a perfect location to avoid the lights of cities and take advantage of clear skies.

I haven't been here for a very long time and it is on my list of places to visit again soon.  These photos were taken years ago  and have been scanned from prints.  The observatory has grown since my last visit.  It now has 24 optical telescopes and 2 radio telescopes.  The radio telescopes were not there when I last visited.

One very impressive telescope is the McMath-Pierce Solar telescope, the largest solar telescope in the world.  It was dedicated in November of 1962.  It is used primarily to study sun spots and sun spot spectra.

Kitt Peak is open to visitors with tours available during day time visits.  There are even live views of the sun (conditions permitting).  Visitors may also take self-guided tours around the facility.  There are even night visits available for small groups of people where visitors can have actual telescope observations.

The observatory was founded in 1958 when the property was leased from the Tohono O'odham Nation, a Native American nation located in southern Arizona.  It is administered by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

Dick Whittington's Cat

When I was just a little kid, my grandfather read a story to me about someone named Dick Whittington and the wonderful cat he owned.  The cat was so good at catching and killing rats that it saved Dick from a life of poverty when people began to hire his cat to rid the vermin from their homes.

I'm not sure why that story stuck with me all those years but it instantly came to mind when I spotted this little monument in the Highgate area of northern London.

I did some research and found that there really was a Dick Whittington but that he came from a wealthy family, was never poor and there is no record that he ever owned a cat.




The story my grandfather read to me states that Dick was about to flee London and standing on a hill heard the bells of a church and they supposedly spoke to him and told him to stay because he would become Lord Mayor of London one day.

The real Richard Whittington (1354-1423) was in fact Lord Mayor of London, four times!

The fictional version of his story comes in many forms.  The earliest version dates back to  1604 when it was presented as a play.  The prose version was published in 1654.  There was even a ballad at one time.  My grandfather's version was in a small, hard-covered book with a drawing of a cat on the cover.

Near the stone monument is this sign.  The stone is supposed to mark the place where Dick heard those bells that told him to stay in London.  That stone (the one the cat is sitting on in the top photo) was placed there in 1821.  The cat was added on top of the stone in 1964.

The whole thing makes me wonder how the story ever came about.  Whatever started this remarkable story about a very poor lad when in fact the real man was a wealthy and successful businessman?

Whatever it was, the story stuck with me for all those years so that the minute I saw the statue and the sign, it all came rushing back.

Farmer's Market

When I was in Italy back in 2012, I strolled through a lot of fantastic markets but, I have to say that the one in Bolzano was one of the most picturesque I saw.  Just look at all those perfectly shaped vegetables so neatly displayed.

And the selection of sausages and cheeses was just as inviting as the vegetables.

We stopped in Bolzano for lunch on our way up into the mountains but we got sidetracked by these wonderful displays of fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses.  If you can't find something delicious to fix for dinner here, you simply aren't looking.

The Home of Polo

Last fall I had a post on my Phoenix Daily Photo site about attending a polo match in Scottsdale.  It was a fun match but, it can't compare to attending a match in the home of polo, Argentina.

A few years ago on a trip to Argentina, I had an opportunity to attend a match at Campo Argentino del Polo, the huge polo grounds located in the heart of Buenos Aires.

This handsome statue greets visitors as they enter.

The polo grounds have been located in this spot since 1918 and they can seat 30,000 people.  

The grounds have been the home since 1928 to the Campeonato Argentino Abrieto de Polo, the most important polo event in the world.  The event is described as the international championship event at the polo club level.  

I'm not sure who won this match I attended.  The fact is, I knew very little about polo at the time I went and have only recently learned a tiny bit more.  What I do know for sure is that it was a fantastic experience to watch this majestic game in the most important polo spot in the world.

Holly Village

I stumbled on to this place quite by accident when I was walking back toward central London after a visit to Highgate Cemetery.  (I posted about Highgate here.) I took this photo and the one below but, I really had no idea what it was.  I wanted to slip through that arch to get a closer look but, a sign reading "private property" kept me out.  When I came across the above photo again, I examined that sign out front that read Chester Road and I went to my trusty London map and found the road and a little mark identified as "Holly Village".  So, off I went to Google and found the following information.

Holly Village was built in 1865 by Baroness Burdett-Coutts a little known Victorian Philanthropist.  She had the architect Henry Darbishire design the property of 12 houses (some detached and some semi-detached) including the above elaborate gatehouse.  It was built in a style that is now called Victorian Gothic.

The above photo was taken from the side as I walked past.  Apparently all the homes are now privately owned and they all surround a park-like green space that is common to all the homes.  One article I read said that the homes here are highly sought after and owners tend to stay in them so there are seldom any for sale.
Be sure to check out the link above, the website has lots of photos from inside  the village that I didn't get because of that "private property" sign.

Just Up the Road a Bit

I have lived in Arizona for many, many years now but I had never eaten at the Rock Springs Cafe just 50 miles north of Phoenix.  I've driven by many times but never have stopped even though its reputation for good food and delicious pies is well known around these parts.  Since my sister lives in Prescott Valley and I live in Phoenix, we decided that this was about half-way for both of us so we decided to meet there this last Friday.

The cafe is full of western charm and despite how open this dining room looks when I snapped the photo, it is one very, very busy place.  By the time we left, there were people waiting in a long line for tables.  My sister warned that we should get there early to beat the crowds, so we did.

Out in back of the cafe, there is quite a lot to see and this sign will help you find your way.

And, there really is a spring and it's full of rocks so it's easy to see where this place got its name.

My sister and her husband were happy to pose for the typical tourist shot for me.  Thank you Judy and Chet.

If you are like me and keep driving by but never stop, I recommend that you pause for a while.  If you don't have time for a meal, take home a delicious pie.

Southern Oregon Coast

Today I'm visiting one of my sister Judy's favorite places to visit, the southern Oregon Coast around Port Orford and Bandon.  There is a state park near there called Cape Blanco State Park and it has to be one of the most beautiful spots in the United States.

The park sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean with many paths that lead to the beach where you can walk for what seems like miles and not run into another person.  The rocky outcroppings along this area make the ocean scenery even more picturesque than usual.

You can study the barnacles attached to some of the rocks.

Or, you might even spot the remains of the Loch Ness monster!

The walk to the Cape Blanco Lighthouse is a must while visiting here.  The lighthouse has been guiding ships along the coastal waters since 1870.

My sister has some spectacular photos of this picturesque lighthouse.  

You can drive into Port Orford and watch the Boat Lift hoisting boats out of the water.

And, you can have lunch at the Dock, Tackle and Nautical Museum.  

After lunch, take a short drive north to the city of Bandon to see the Coquille River Lighthouse, another historic light along the rocky Oregon coast.  This one was first lit on February 29th, 1896.  It will be 120 years old tomorrow!  

It's been well over 10 years since I've last visited here.  I think I should plan another visit sometime soon.  

Gallery of Maps

Clearly, I was so mesmerized by the ceiling in the 120 meter long Gallery of Maps inside the Vatican Museums that I didn't really get any photos of the maps.  That's a shame really, because the maps were very interesting, all painted by Ignazio Danti a friar and geographer.  And, they are all of the Italian peninsula with Rome prominently displayed.  It always amazes me how clearly defined the geography in these ancient maps can be long before air travel or satellites.  Danti was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII to decorate the gallery in 1580 and it took him 3 years to complete the work.

But, lets get back to that ceiling.  The ceiling was the work of a group of artists working in the "Mannerist" style.  That is a style of art that exaggerates proportion and balance.

As you can see in this photo, a lot of sculpted figures adorn the artwork here.

I could have spent a long time in this room just ogling this ceiling.  It's breathtaking.