Jonathan's Amazing Adventure

Minneapolis Continued - 6 Aug 2009

2009-10-24T08:58:21Z

The next day, Steven took me to the Botanical garden. Two main points of interest were the indoor and Japanese gardens.

The indoor garden featured trees and plants from around the world.

Neem Tree - India

"Often called the 'village pharmacy,' this tree is used in hundreds of products, including toothpaste and shampoo. Neem oil is an environmentally safe insecticide."

Arabian (Arabica) Coffee - Ethiopia and Sudan

Black Pepper - India and Malaysia

"Spices could be used to pay fines and mortgages and to buy land or pay taxes."

Brush Cherry - Australia

Blood Banana - Southeast Asia and North Queensland

Cacao - Central and South America

"Food of the Gods - Seeds from the cacao pod are used to make chocolate. The seeds were so valuable to Aztecs that they were used as money."

Allspice - Tropical Americas

"Allspice has the taste and aroma of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg in one plant!"

Tamarind - "The Tree of Life" - India

"Flowers: honey and salads. Leaves: browse for animals, slikworm fodder, soup. Fruit Pulp: juice, Lemur and Bat food, sauces and candy. Wood: furniture, charcoal, tools. Medicine: cardiac, fever reducer, indigestion. Seeds: fabric sizing, varnish, flour."

Sugar Cane - Tropical Southeast Asia and South America

"Some of this plant's useful byproducts include molasses and bagasse - a source of alternative fuel."

Manila Hemp, Fiberous Banana - Philippines

"The leaf from the Manila hemp is used to make rope"

The Japanese Garden is a design of diligent detail, each stone precisely placed, each tree and shrub meticulously manicured, creating balanced energy and making it esthetically pleasing.

There was a profusion of banzai trees.

Left to right: Hinoki Cypress, 55 yrs; Japanese Garden Juniper, 27 yrs; Chinese Juniper, 20 yrs.

Near the garden, in the park, there was a zoo.

There were gorillas: "Zoo Visitors: Be aware of flying objects! We throw grass and dirt to let you know this is our territory. -The Gorillas"

Seals:

American Bison:

African Lions: "Lions are the only truly social cats. They live in families called prides."

Leopards:

Reindeer:

Giraffe:

and Zebra:

After the gardens and the zoo, Steven took me to the quaint river village of Stillwater. It was a quintessential Midwest town with old brick buildings housing cafes, bars, antique galleries, junk shops and even a candy shop that had more flavors of saltwater taffy than I have seen anywhere in all my travels.

Downtown Stillwater:

The Waterfront:

The Thrift Store - Something for everyone: row after row, shelf after shelf and multiple levels of needless junk.

Everything from creepy lady heads to a deer head:

An old "Snoopy and Woodstock" phone for me, which I didn't buy - not like I have anywhere to plug it in!

A crucifix for the preacher:

Being a Unitarian minister, Steven left Christ on the cross back at the junk shop.

Unitarian Universalist Joke - "On the east coast, Jesus is optional. In the midwest, God is optional. On the west coast, clothing is optional."

Upon our return to from Stillwater, Steven took me to the Walker, Minneapolis' Modern and contemporary art museum. The structure itself is a work of architectural art.

This is the view from the top floor:

Before I was informed that photography was not allowed, I captured images of two paintings by Mark Rothko who is one of my most-loved artists. Although his style has often been imitated, it is never reproduced. His use of color is simultaneously brilliant and muted, captivating the eye without being officious. His delicately precise brush strokes create a soft, yet bold canvas that is never harsh or clumsy, drawing the viewer in, giving a sense of warmth you would expect from a cashmere blanket. His sense of balance between color, hue and texture induce subtle nuances that only exist in a Rothko.

Later that evening, Steven treated me to dinner at French Meadow, the most wonderful bakery and restaurant.

Steven, thanks for inviting me to be your guest in Minneapolis. You helped me see your city in a truly special way.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

2009-10-24T06:23:59Z

Here are some pics from the sculpture garden that Bill and I went to:

This is the famous Spoonbridge and Cherry:

There was a section of the garden with granite benches in a square. Each bench has an unusual quote on it:

Quotes such as:

"After dark it is a relief to see a girl walking toward or behind you. Then you much less likely to be assaulted."

"Even with your eyes closed you can see someone approaching. His shadow shows on the inside of your eyelids."

"More people will be building hiding places in their homes - small places that are undetectable except by sophisticated devices."

"If things were a little different, you would digest yourself through a cut in your mouth. It's good to know there are provisions against this."

"There are places that are sacred and the skin is pulled around, like the navel or the head of the penis, that leave you thinking that the body is fragile."

"What a shock when they tell you that it won't hurt and you almost turn inside out when they begin."

"the smallest thing can make somebody sexually unappealing. A misplaced mole or a particular hair pattern can do it. There's no reason for this, but it's just as well."

To see all of them, go to this Photo Gallery ----> Sculpture Garden Benches

Minneapolis Institute of Arts - 5 Aug 2009

2009-10-21T07:41:32Z

As I said, this museum really amazed me - for two reasons: the size and the content. I walked in, checked my backpack and got a map of the museum. As I studied my location on the map, trying to find my orientation in the huge entry atrium, I realized the room I was standing in was only a small square on the map and the museum was actually much larger than I thought - about 6 times larger! I had an adventure ahead of me, an exploration of art, history and culture.

The collections include everything from ancient to contemporary art - African, Oceanic, Native American, Asian, European, American - painting, sculpture, textiles, prints, drawings, photos - you name it they have it. And not just just any old art work - pieces by masters such as John Singer Sargent, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali and Frank Lloyd Wright. And not just one or two, but multiple pieces by each artist. I was impressed and amazed. I was in art heaven.

Bill, who I mentioned before - the man who went to the sculpture garden and mall with me - told me the reason Minneapolis has such a wealth of art is that, in the late 1800's and early 1900's, in order to be accepted in high society, it was obligatory for persons of wealth to support the arts. While the mill barons made their fortunes, the wives would go off to Europe and acquire works of art, many of which were donated to the city.

Here are some of the things that caught my eye:

There was an exhibit called Unspoken Messages: The Art of Necklace.

"A well-chosen piece of jewelry says a great deal about the wearer. Usually intended as ornament, jewelry is made of materials considered appealing or precious, a judgment that may vary widely from on time period and culture to another. Artistry in both design and workmanship contributes to the intrinsic value of beautiful objects of wearable wealth. For thousands of years, fine jewelry has been a marker of prosperity and status, demonstrating that the owner has the social position and resources required to possess such items. Jewelry also serves to communicate spiritual beliefs - as a symbol for personal use or a gift of a deity.

Necklaces are often the largest, richest and most complex forms of personal adornment. Worn prominently around the neck and over the heart, they allow the artist broad scope for creative expression. Beyond their visual appeal, necklaces convey messages about taste, spirituality, power and value. Fashions change, but a well-made necklace of the best materials is always an object of admiration. The works selected for this exhibition illustrate the beauty, artistry and significance of necklaces." - MIA

The incomparable May West adorned in diamond and platinum jewelry:

Moroccan Necklace, Ida ou Semlal, 20th Century
Silver, amber, glass, stone, fiber
"The nomadic Ida ou Semlal people of Morocco, part of the larger Berber cultural group, wore their wealth on their bodies. Jewelry is portable, an advantage when life is spent on the move, and various component can be used in place of cash as needed. The many coin-like silver beads adorning this necklace would have been valuable either on their own or melted down. The large round amber beads are also precious. Traded from as far away as the Baltic and believed to have medicinal properties in addition to material worth, amber was highly prized and often worn with other beads."

Lorgnette and Chain, Tiffany & Co., 19th Century
Platinum, diamonds and glass
"A masterpiece of restraint, this lorgnette and chain made by Tiffany & Co. conveys the owner's wealth and status through subtle details and delicate workmanship. The small stones gracefully distributed along the chain and on the stem of the glasses are diamond. the metal is platinum - even rarer and more valuable in the 19th century than it is now."

Photograph of Cosette Vogel, Edward Steichen, 20th Century
Gelatin silver print
"Cosette Vogel was the first editor of French Vogue and very much part of the fashion scene in the early 20th century. Steichen's portrait shows a woman confident in her appearance, who selected each element of her outfit to create a studied effect. The necklace, with its large pendant, ties the entire look together."

Ceramic Pillows, Chinese, circa 960-1368 AD
These were pretty amazing to me because I had never seen anything like them. In fact, I had never even heard of ceramic pillows. Did they not know about feathers?
"Of the many ceramic products of the Tz'u-chou kilns, pillows are among the most varied and intriguing. Created in a variety of shapes and decorative techniques, some ceramic pillows were made exclusively for use in the tomb while others were produced for the living. All Tz'u-chou-type wares use a white slip (a mixture of clay and water) to cover the course clay body providing it a smooth, white surface suitable for a variety of decorative techniques. Painted decor was achieved with the application of iron-rich brown and black slip against this white ground. Sgraffito, the incising and carving of the outer slip to reveal the ground of different color, was used alone or with various inlay techniques and a limited number of colored glazes to create polychrome effects. Made for popular consumption throughout the Sung, Chin and Yuan dynasties, most Tz'u-chou pillows make use of some type of black and white decoration."

The Wu Family Reception Hall, China, late Ming Dynasty, Early 17th Century
Wood, Ceramic, Tile, Plaster, Lacquer, Stone
"This three-bay reception hall was originally part of a traditional Suchou style courtyard house located in the east Tung-t'ing district near the present town of Tung-shan. Built in the early 17th century by the Wu Family, it served as the main ceremonial hall (ta chung tang) of a traditional upper-class home. It was a public space where elders carried out rituals, honoring their ancestors, received guests, entertained family and friends and celebrated family events like birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. As the most important room in a confucian household, it was set with grand examples of furniture, hung with calligraphic panels declaring Confucian values and decorated with fine art objects to express the social status and wealth of the family as ell as its cultural refinement and artistic taste. The first original hall to enter an American collection, the room serves as an exhibition gallery for classical furniture featuring alternating installations for receptions and ancestor worship."

Cheat's Handkerchief, Chinese
"Written in remarkably tiny script on both sides, this silk kerchief contains nearly 10,000 characters comprising verse from classical Chinese literature. It was hidden in the sleeve and used as a crib=sheet by an unscrupulous scholar while taking his all-important government exams."

Yamantaka Mandala, Tibetan, Monks of the Gyuto Tantric University, 1991
Colored silicate and adhesive on wood
" A mandala, or circle, is a representation of the Buddhist universe. These cosmograms represent in symbolic color, line and geometric forms, all realms of existence and are used in Tantric meditation and initiation rites. The creation of a Mandala, considered a consecrated area, is believed to benefit all beings."

Snuff Bottles, Chinese,

Tatra T87 Sedan, Manufactured 1948, Czechoslovakia
Designed in 1936 by Hans Ledwinka, Austrian 1878 - 1967

The Poet with the Birds, Marc Chagall, 1911
Oil on Canvas

Head of a Woman, Joan Miro, 1938
Oil on Canvas

The Promenades of Euclid, Rene Magritte, 1955
Oil on Canvas

Hunan Soldier, Zhang Huan, 2007
Ash on Linen
This piece was captivating, not solely for the content, but rather the content combined with the medium, ashes on Linen. Huan's use of varying shades of ash make this portrait feel almost photographic while giving it a thick, deep texture.
"Once famous for his acts of physical endurance under extreme conditions, Zhang Huan has recently returned to making more conventional art objects. His portrait of a young recruit in Mao's Red Army exemplifies this return to tradition art forms and genres. Resonant in both Asian and Western cultures of cremation, the ash in the painting infuses his portrait with a haunting sense of devotional and spiritual power."

Frank, Chuck Close, 1969
Acrylic on Canvas
"The model for this painting was not Frank himself but rather an 8 x 10 inch photograph of him. In the 1960's, Chuck Close photographed his subjects and then meticulously copied the photographic images, in paint, onto large canvases. With this painstaking technique, he preserved the objectivity of photography. Close also simulated the way the camera, like the human eye, focuses on one area at a time, leaving other areas blurred. By these means, he directed our attention to some intriguing aspects of visual perception.
A work of such grand scale - typical of American painting after 1950 - in unsettling, particularly when it features a colossal human head. 'The large scale,' Close explained, 'forces the viewer to read the surface of the painting differently... to look at it piece by piece." The details, then, can be perceived either as facial pores and hairs or as an abstract pattern of black, gray and white."

Veiled Lady, Raffaelo Monti, 1860
Marble

Beside the Sea, Edgar Degas, 1869
Pastel on tan paper
"In 1869, Degas made a series of pastel drawings near Houlgate, a small seaside resort town in Normandy. Though extremely spare in conception, many of the drawings included detail sufficient to determine the precise locations where Degas worked. In the regard, Beside the Sea is particularly challenging for it is apparently devoid of specifically identifiable landmarks. Instead of trees, rocks and other usual vocabulary of landscape, Degas offers a scattering of barely indicated beach walkers to suggest scale and perspective."

Model of the Francis W. Little House, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1912 - 1914
Maple, Maple Veneer, Plexiglas, Nylon Screen
"This model illustrates in three dimensions both the complexity of Wrights' design and it's complete engagement with the site. (Wright always favored a building into a hill rather than on top of it.) The Main approach to the Francis W. Little house was on the inland side. The hallway on view in the gallery was situated on the Lake Minnetonka side. An adjoining hallway with small square windows connected in to the master bedroom on the far right end of the house. At the opposite end was the large living and music pavilion (now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York)

I hope you have enjoyed this brief glimpse of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts as much as I enjoyed being there!

Note: All quotes in this posting are from MIA info cards.

Minneapolis, MN - 4 - 7 Aug 2009

2009-10-07T03:47:08Z

While I was in Oshkosh, a man named Steven contacted me on Bear411 and invited to to spend a few days at his house if I wanted to visit Minneapolis. So, I did! I arrived at his house in the evening, parking the Beast and the camper across the street out front. He welcomed me and showed me to the guest room. I changed my clothes and we went out for the evening. Steven treated me to sushi! I had a spicy tuna roll, unagi (freshwater ell, usually served seared with a japanese barbeque sauce) and hamachi (young yellowtail, a type of amberjack, similar to tuna). Steven isn't a sushi eater, so he had teriyaki steak.

On Wednesday morning, Steven dropped me off at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which was a big surprise for me. It rivaled collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. More on that later in a separate post.

After the Museum, I walked through Morris Park to a Starbuck's to check my messages and have a coffee and whole grain bagel. While I was on Bear411, I chatted with a man named Bill who also lost his weimaraner. I had planned to walk down to Loring Park for the rest of the afternoon. Bill lives close and decided to meet me there. Loring Park is just across the street from The Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. We traversed the pedestrian bridge to the sculpture garden, which I will write about in it's own journal entry.

From the garden, Bill drove me to the infamous Mall of America. Yeah, I know... tourist trap. But I had heard about it my entire life and wasn't about to miss it! I'm usually a hippie nomadic mountain man, but I like being a tourist in the city from time to time. Bill and I were on a mission to ride a roller coaster! But, finding out how to get a ticket to ride just one ride was harder than you'd think. We went to the automated kiosk and the only options were for multi-ride or all-day passes. After wondering around for about 15 minutes and asking several employees, we finally found a ticket office and were able to buy tickets for the two coasters we wanted to ride. WOW. I hadn't been on a roller coaster in years. It was fun. The first one was very tame and went around the entire parka nice relaxing ride with a few ups and downs, like most of my journey. The second one was crazy. The first drop went straight down and into two loops and a cork-screw! Whew! It was over in about 30 seconds. I preferred the first one, and I know Bill did. I think the second one gave him a concussion!

This is what the park looks like:

After riding the coasters we called Steven to see if he wanted to join us for dinner, then we headed back to the car... in the west parking garage... or was it the west? Hmmmmm... After finding the car we headed back downtown to meet Steven for dinner. We went to an awesome place called The Birchwood Cafe that serves mainly vegetarian cuisine. We had sangria with dinner and sat outside on the patio. The weather was perfect and it was a lovely evening.

To be continued...

EAA AirVenture Fly-In with Sam in Oshkosh, WI - 28 Jul - 3 Aug 2009

2009-10-06T19:45:04Z

I picked up my camper early and headed south through Chicago on my way to Oshkosh. If that damned Lake Michigan hadn't been in the way, I could have driven straight west!

When I got to Oshkosk, Sam gave me instructions on where to go and met me outside the gate with a parking pass, a big smile and a kiss. We drove to a concrete pad and parked my Jeep and camper where it would stay for the duration. It was just down a little hill from his coach. The airport grounds had been turned into a giant campground! It was incredible to see! There were about 500,000 people camping out in tents, multi-million dollar motor coaches and everything imaginable in between. What is the EAA AirVenture Fly-in? The EAA is the Experimental Aircraft Association - or a club for people, like Sam, who build and fly their own planes, or at least have a love for home-built aircraft. AirVenture is the annual gathering of these aircraft lovers and it's called a "fly-in" because many of them actually fly in from other places to attend the event. Obviously, many more drive in than actually fly, but it would sounds pretty silly if they called it a "drive-in." So, you get the idea - a convention of sorts geared towards aircraft for aircraft lovers. It's kind of a mix of a campout, a fair, a craft & trade expo and an air show. In addition to the 500,000 or so people who were camping out on the grounds, another 500,000 plus came throughout the week, making this the world's largest aircraft event with over a million visitors!

The original and new entry pavilions:

All of the aircraft on display were not home-built or experimental. Many of them were military, commercial and private executive jets. The Airbus 380, the world's largest commercial airliner was on display along with Virgin's new Spaceship Two (Click for more info) and several military transports.

Airbus 380: Massive people mover with huge Rolls-Royce jet engines:

Virgin Atlantic's Spaceship Two:

Military Aircraft:

Ironically, Under the Airbus 380, the world's SMALLEST aircraft was displayed:

And if that wasn't ironic enough for you, how about this - this generator has a warning: "CAUTION! Hazardous Noise Area. May Cause Hearing Loss. Hearing Protection Required." This generator was 10 feet from the line to tour the Airbus 380...

As we entered the Airbus 380, every 10th person had to wear a tag so they could keep track of how many people visited. I was lucky number 10.

This is inside one of the main trade expo buildings:

Sam and I, and his daughter Kim visited the Sea Plane Base. It was one of the best parts of the week.

As cool as all the aircraft stuff is, I think the real reason all the hundreds of thousands of people show is... for the PARTY!
The campfires, the beer tent, the "swine-fest," the costume party, the karaoke, the camaraderie... the FUN!

The AirVenture was definitely an adventure and lots of fun - the best part, of course, was spending time with Sam and getting to visit with Kim for a few days. I love you, Sam. Thanks for inviting me and making me feel welcome at the fly-in.

Picking Up My Camper and Saying Goodbye to Campit - 28 July 2009

2009-09-10T22:54:50Z

I got to Campit early morning before the office was open. No one was awake, except one lone camper. I hitched up my trailer and then took one last walk around the grounds, saying goodbye.

This is sites 49 & 50 where Sam and I were parked for so long. Doesn't look right without us, but it's time for change.

Goodbye Campit! Thanks for all the memories!

US Border Crossing - 26 July 2009

2009-09-10T22:11:14Z

I left Toronto around 3:00 Sunday afternoon and headed toward Detroit. It was about 7:00 when I got to the bridge, where I meshed with tons of traffic crossing the border. As I was waiting my turn, I was singled out by the border guards. Maybe it was the maps of the US and Canada on the side windows. Maybe it was my Bear Pride sticker. Maybe it was my thick beard and dark tan. They walked up to my Jeep and started asking me all kinds of questions, like "How long were you in Canada? Where have you been? Who did you stay with? Where do you live? What do you do for work?" - to which I gave honest answers - that they didn't like. Because I don't have a "normal" address or job, they said I would have to pull aside for "further questioning" - which was more like an interrogation! They treated me as if I was a criminal - no respect at all. They told me to go inside and leave everything, including my phone and my hoodie, in the Jeep. As I was walking inside, one guard yelled at me, "Use the other door!" Then they searched my Jeep, tearing apart all of my personal items, unpacking my bags, spilling Beth's ashes all over the back seat of the Jeep - they even broke the bug deflector on the hood when they searched the engine compartment - for what? drugs, I suppose... do I look like a pot-smoking hippie? So, this is the state of our society: If you don't conform to the norms, you will be singled out and treated like a criminal.

I say FUCK THE NORM, FUCK BEING PART OF THE HERD, FUCK THE RULES, FUCK THE NSA, FUCK THE PATRIOT ACT... As an American citizen, I have the right to live my life as a nomadic camper, working odd jobs across the country... and I have the right to do it without being treated like shit by my own government.... but I was told, "I don't care what you think, you're gonna stay inside while we search your vehicle," by a border agent. What kind of bullshit is that? I was detained for two hours and had my personal belongings violated and disrespected... all in the name of national security. Fuckin "mall cop" bastards! Just a bunch of red-neck bubbas with badges harassing good honest people! Yet, as a society, we just lay down and let them take our rights from us every day... NOT ME! I'm sure I could have played along, giving the "right" answers and I would have been released sooner and with less trauma, but that's not me. I don't play. I'm don't lie. I'm just me and I'd rather BE ME than be told what I have to be.

I'm not saying that national security isn't important or that we should have open borders or that there aren't crazy mother fuckers out there that need to be detained... but come on... seriously... random detainment based on some kind of social profiling? Why am I treated with utmost respect and courtesy by the Canadians, yet treated like prison scum by my own country. THAT'S FUCKED UP!

When they finally let me go about 9:00 PM, I was emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted. No water, no food, no warmth - it was fuckin COLD in that building and they denied me even wearing my hoodie! I called my friend Mark who lives in Detroit to explain why I was nearly 3 hours late and why he hadn't heard from me. By the time I arrived at his home, I was so drained all I wanted to do was go to bed. He made me a snack and I went to sleep. Thanks for the hospitality, Mark!

Bear Beads

2009-09-10T21:13:58Z

Aubrey gave me these cool beads made by a local Toronto designer. I hung them in my Jeep.
They are the colors of the Bear Flag.

You know what they say about those swimmers...

2009-09-10T21:08:41Z

Cruising

2009-09-10T21:05:25Z

When Aubrey and I were in the park, we noticed several men sitting on benches... we realized they were cruising the loo across the street... No, we did not partake... the men were UGLY....

If you look closely, you will see then sitting on the benches:

This is the loo across from the benches:

Three Nights with Aubrey in Toronto - 23-26 July

2009-09-10T20:57:52Z

I finally made it to Toronto and was so ready to just lay back and relax with Aubrey. We had planned to do a lot of outdoors stuff, but it rained almost every day I was there - which was OK - I needed to just relax and that's what we did. We cooked, baked, drank coffee and beer, watched movies - it was an awesome time with an awesome friend - so much fun, love and laughter!

Here are some highlights:

Aubrey made blueberry pancakes for breakfast Friday morning:

Friday was the only day it didn't rain all day. We went on a nice hike through one of the city parks and saw some nature:

Aubrey made an incredible fruit salad on Saturday morning:

Then we discovered that Aubrey was truly Canadian:

Then we did my laundry. This is us in the laundry room:

We stayed up late Saturday night watching scary movies!

Before I hit the road on Sunday, Aubrey made a beautiful Roasted Portabello and green salad for lunch:

And one last pic together before I had to go:

Montrel - 22-23 July 2009

2009-09-10T20:13:54Z

I spent the night in Montrel with a nice guy named Marc. I had hoped to stay with my other friend Mark, but he couldn't host me due to roommate issues. So, I was lucky enough that Marc invited me to stay. Marc is a true Montreal lover and showed me his city with pride. We walked around the gay area and the famous St. Catherine Street, then he took me on a driving tour of Montreal at night.

In the morning, Marc made fresh OJ for me...

Marc left for work and I got my shit together and locked up after myself. Then, I went to meet my other Mark (with a K) for breakfast at a bagel shop... I had a florentine omelette and an everything bagel.

After breakfast, I headed to Toronto... what a LONG BORING DRIVE... OMG!!!!

Some Great T-Shirts at a Store in Quebec

2009-08-27T20:20:12Z

Quebec City with Bruno - 21 July 2009

2009-08-27T20:13:32Z

I was invited to Quebec City by Bruno, a nice guy from Bear411. Bruno is a Quebecois native and a history teacher, so he was the perfect host and tour guide. We hung out at his place for a little while and I had a shower and dressed for the evening. He took me to the old-town, the original walled city - the only walled city in North America. It was as if I was in Brugge, Paris and Amsterdam all at once. I was in photo heaven, which Bruno was more than happy to oblige, stopping often to let me indulge my trigger happy shutter finger.

These pics are from my iPhone, but still, you can see what an amazingly beautiful and fun city Quebec is - great architecture, sidewalk cafes and friendly people!



For dinner, we had the Quebecois specialty, Poutines - French Fries with soft cheese and a spicy sauce on top.

Then we continued the walking tour of the city culminating at "Le Moulin a Images" - the world's largest light and projection show.
"The Image Mill is an architectural projection produced and performed, in Quebec City, by Robert Lepage and Ex Machina. Representing the largest projection ever done, it requires the use of fine technology to project a huge quantity of images and films on the grain silos of the Quebec Harbour, an oversized screen, 600 feet wide by 30 meters high! In the hands of the creators, this huge mass of concrete is in constant transformation, which gives us the strange impression of it being alive and talking to us. Leaving the usual clichés behind, we discover the fascinating history of Quebec City with its upheavals, its controversies, and its great political and popular moments." - ExMachina Website

You can read more about it and see video clips here: http://lacaserne.net/index2.php/other_projects/

These are some of my pics:




After the show, it was time to go home and get some rest. We walked back to the car and drove home.



Thanks for a great tour of your beautiful city, Bruno!

Border Crossing - Into Canada - 21 July 2009

2009-08-27T18:51:53Z

I got to the Canadian border around 12:15. there was a long line of vehicles and it took about 20 minutes to get to the booth. The Canadians were very nice. They politely asked me to pull aside and asked my permission to search the Jeep. I pulled through the large garage door into a building that resembled a Jiffy-Lube inside. There was a bay under the Jeep similar to an oil-change pit. They inspected my belongings and asked me some questions. They had an x-ray machine like the ones you would see at an airport, which they ran my bags through. I was on my way in less than 30 minutes!

My Drive to Canada - 21 July 2009

2009-08-27T18:26:59Z

I left Ron's early Tuesday morning and drove north to Canada. The drive up the 201 past Wood Pond and Sandy Stream was beautiful.

New England Photo Albums!

2009-08-15T00:39:41Z

I just added 3 new photo abums!

Bear Week in Provincetown, MA
Acadia National Park
and
Thuya and Asticou Gardens

Acadia National Park and Thuya and Asticou Gardens with Ron - 20 July 2009

2009-08-14T22:37:23Z

Ron and I drove to Acadia Monday morning. Our first stop was the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard.



We journeyed down into the valley to see the Wild Gardens of Acadia - "On less than one acre, the Wild Gardens of Acadia offer a microcosm of Mount Desert Island's natural habitats. Twelve of Acadia's plant communities are represented here: mixed woods, roadside, meadow, mountain, heath, seaside, brookside, bird thicket, coniferous woods, bog, marsh, and pond." - Acadia National Park Website.



We went on a nice 4 mile hike down the Great Head Trail and across Sand Beach.



There were a lot of sand sculptures on the beach:



Fred (from Providence and P-town) told me about the Thuya and Asticou Gardens and that they should not be missed.

This is the Asticou Garden:



And this is the Thuya Garden:



What an amazing day of natural beauty!

A Visit to "Down East" Main - 19 - 21 July 2009 - Part 1

2009-08-13T21:29:13Z

Down East Maine is the area surrounding Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It's called Down East, because it is south east of Maine's major cities, except for Portland. A very nice man named Ron invited me to stay a couple of days at his house in Amherst, ME. When I arrived, he took me on a driving tour of the area he grew up in. We stopped at his local church and he played the piano for me. When we returned to the house, he showed me his garden, which has flowers, several varieties of evergreen and an apple tree. He made an incredible biryani (Pakistani/Indian food dish) for dinner.





To be continued....

Overnight with Steven in Jackson, NH - 18 July 2009

2009-08-13T20:47:44Z

I woke up in the arms of Fred Saturday morning. I didn't want to get out of bed, but I had to get on the road. I walked across town back to the B&B and began to pack my things. I said goodbye to Park (thanks again for sharing your room with me!!!), drove by the Bear Booth to pick up a jacket that I had left hanging in John and Chris' closet back in November and then over to Fred's for one last kiss goodbye. I was ready to leave P-town and head north. The drive off the cape was easy, with little traffic. Boston was a breeze. I stopped in Concord, NH to see my friend Rich for about 30 minutes since I was driving about 2 miles from his house - would have been rude not to stop! I continued north through Franconia Notch and then east past Bretton Woods, where I broke my arm in January.

Passing Crawford Notch, I knew I was getting close to Jackson. I got to Steven's just before sunset...

It was a lovely evening. Steven is a true lover of food and wine. And I am blessed to be his guest as many times as I have. He seared a beautiful tuna steak and made an amazing salad of sauteed broccoli, yellow peppers and pears over fresh romaine from his garden. He opened a very special bottle of red wine - the kind you only share with a very special friend. We had a great night.



We slept in and snuggled in the morning. I wanted my usual coffee fix, so Steven suggested we walk into the village. It was about a 30 minute walk on the country road, past alternating wooded areas and open fields with mountain views.

We went to the J-town Country Store, which is more like a coffee house and deli. Steven ran into some friends who had recently become parents. They are also in the "Inn" business (Steven works at one of the nicest Inns in Jackson), so there was much talk of the biz and the new baby.

We continued our walk back to Steven's along a slightly different route past Jackson Falls.

Here are some pics of Steven's little piece of heaven - someday I'll have my own - until then, I'm grateful for my friends who share theirs with me!




Thanks for another wonderful visit, Steven. You are a good man and I'm happy to call you my friend! Love you!

Date Day with Fred - My Last Day in P-town

2009-07-31T19:52:18Z

As the week progressed, Fred and I kind of became an item, and I have to say, I liked it a lot. Fred's a good man and very handsome, so it was nice to be seen out and about with him. I spent my last day and night of Bear Week with him. We had planned to go kayaking a couple of days before, but Fred hurt his head and ended up spending a day in the hospital and having to get 8 staples in his head! OUCH! The scar kinda looked like Frankenstein, but it didn't detract from his handsomeness one bit! In an odd way, it kinda turned me on. I find scars to be very sexy, having a few myself! He'll certainly have a good story to go with it! So, we delayed our kayaking until Friday just to make sure his head had time to heal before we got in the water.

I got up Friday morning and went to the Art House to write in my journal. Fred joined me there, having reserved kayaks for the afternoon. We went back to my room so I could change into my swim trunks, and Fred rubbed sunscreen on my back. Then we walked across town to the kayak rental place which is on the west end of the harbor, but still a good distance from the point where the beaches are. We kayaked across to a sand bar. On the way, we saw some interesting sea life, including a Horseshoe Crab, which looks kind of like a sting ray - Fred says it's one of the oldest creatures on the planet, the species dates back to prehistoric times! We also saw a seal just hanging out on his back with his head poking out of the water. When I made eye contact, he ducked under, swam under Fred's kayak and came up on the other side. We pulled our kayaks up on the sand bar and walked around, looking for shells. I liked the blue clam shells, but they were usually broken into tiny pieces by the sea gulls. Fred found one that wasn't broken and gave it to me!



The tide was coming in and the sand bar was slowly disappearing, so before our kayaks were washed away, we continued across to the beach. We pulled the kayaks far up on the shore to ensure they didn't get caught in the tide and embarked on a nice long walk. Fred wanted to show me the other side where the sandy beach is, but there was one problem - POISON IVY - everywhere! I have never seen so much in my life. It covered the entire point. We had to walk all the way down to the breakwater and walk along the top of the huge granite stones. We managed to get to the crest of the dunes, but there was too much ivy to risk going to the beach. We carefully made our way back, and thankfully, I did not contact any poison ivy and never broke out, even though I am so allergic I have sometimes gotten a rash just from the oils in the air, which I was very worried about since there was so much on the dunes.

After returning the kayaks, Fred took me to a very special place - RELISH - a bakery, famous for it's cupcakes. I'm not a cupcake kinda guy, but, OMG, these are the most amazing cupcakes I have ever encountered. The icing, which comprises 50% of the delectable delight, was mind-blowingly delicious! I've never enjoyed icing so much, not even cream cheese icing could be as good. So, if you go to P-town, be sure to get a cupcake from Relish - it's a must!



After the cupcake, we each went to our own places to get cleaned up and then continued our date day by meeting up at the tea dance at the Boat Slip. For dinner, we had sushi at Saki, a new restaurant that's well on it's way to becoming a P-town favorite. Fred said it was the best sushi he's had in about 2 years! I would have to agree, it was amazing! We left happy and walked down to Lewis Brother's Homemade Ice Cream to get some ginger ice cream for dessert! On the way, we stopped in at a fun card shop that is owned by a friend of Fred, where we saw lots of fun and funny cards, toys and gags!



The Fireman's Ball is the biggest event of Bear Week and is on the last Friday. They guys wear all kinds of uniforms and gear, mostly Fireman gear, but some other leather and uniforms. Fred wore uniform pants with a red stripe down the side. He looked so fuckin hot! Woof! The party was crowded and the dance floors were packed and sweaty. We made our way through to the outside bar for a beer. We hung out for about an hour and then headed back to Fred's for the night! It was a perfect date day with a beautiful man!

An afternoon with Fred

2009-07-17T17:08:09Z

Fred and I spend the Thursday afternoon visiting art galleries in the West End of P-town, then we stopped at Angel Food, which looks like an old general store from the outside, to get sandwiches. Fred had chicken curry with mint green tea and I had eggplant, red pepper, goat cheese and balsamic with ginger ale!

These are Fred's boxers hanging on the outdoor shower at his rental house:

Later in the evening we went to a couple of private parties. we had both been invited to separate parties and we took each other as our dates! Fred is super sweet and handsome and lots of fun to be with. Thanks for spending time with me, Fred! Grrrr- WOOF!

Dinner at Pepe's with Park

2009-07-17T16:58:47Z

Park took me to dinner at Pepe's on the Wharf. We sat at the bar which overlooks the harbor. Park had the Crab Flatbread and I had a pizza with eggplant, spinach and feta! YUMMM!

The bartender, Danielle, is a crazy lesbian from New Orleans! She was full of witty comments and advice!

"Feel it, poke it, smell it... just do something to it!"
  "Bitch, I paid for your fish, now give me my fish!"

   "OK, if I don't go to the ladies' room, I won't be able to put any more booze in my system!"

  "I smoke weed for my glaucoma, my asthma and my vision."

   "Oh hell no! Don't touch my ass! Oh, I was just scared. There's too much dick and pizza out there!"

  "When you get drunk enough that you get the same tattoo 12 other people have... When you actually sit at a bar and WAIT for your tattoo... it's not that good!"

As always, Park knows how to attract the fun people and we had a good time! Thanks, Park! Love you!

Bear Week in P-town, Part 2

2009-07-17T16:38:25Z

Bear Week continues to be fun!

The Tea Dance is always popular:

And this is Honey Bare:

Another shot of the harbor:

This is Ronny who is staying in the room upstairs from us at the B&B:

and this is the amazingly accidental shoe art - his roommate threw off his shoes the night before and this is how they landed!

The breakfast at the B&B is from 8:30 to 11:30 every morning, and is quite tasty!

A night walk with Kent aka Mr. Popularity:

And the "Nellies" were out again promoting their show:

Even Sarah Palin came to Bear Week!

If you are especially MACHO, you can go upstairs:

There's a store on Commercial Street that sales all the basic essentials, including pride. It is no longer necessary to have pride within your own heart, you can simply purchase pride at this store. I'm not sure what form this pride comes in, whether it's a cream that you apply to your skin, or something that you eat, but my guess would be that it's ingested since it's listed along with milk, coffee, snacks and ice cream:

One Family

2009-07-17T16:00:45Z

This wonderful quote by Chief Seattle is stenciled on the wall in the bathroom in our room at the B&B:

It says: "The deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers, the earth is our mother... all things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Whatever befalls earth, befalls the sons and daughters of the earth."