Eyjafjallajökull - Before and After

The photo at the top was taken by the farmer who lives in the farmhouse 14 April, 2010.  The volcano, named Eyjafjallajökull in order to trip up foreign television announcers, disrupted airline traffic and got the attention of the world.  The day we were there, that's my picture on the bottom, everything was clear.

Reykjavik Graffiti

I am pleased to report that Reykjavik has some good street artists.  The best is at the skate park - more of which can be seen here.

May Day Green Parade

Today being May Day, it was a day off and there were parades.  There are about 300,000 people in Iceland of which about 200,000 live in Reykjavik.  When we first got down to the main drag where the parades were the motorcycles were going by.  I am pretty sure every motorcycle in Iceland was in the parade.  The rest of the people were watching them.  We went and had lunch after that.  When we got back, thousands of people were marching with green flags including I imagine some of the motorcyclists.  The rest of the people were watching them.  Anyway, the story is that a conservative coalition that was pro-business (afterall, Iceland is still recoverying from the bankrupty in 2008 when the entire country turned themselves into one big hedge fund) got elected into parliament (Iceland has the oldest parliament in the world) and the green flag people are concerned about the potential impact of bringing in what I believe is an aluminum smelter based on cheap power from hydro-electric.  These people would make good citizens in Seattle.

Reykjavik Sun Voyager

There is a large statue in somewhat the shape of a viking long boat on the waterfront in Reykjavik that is prominent and famous.  I took this photo from directly behind so it is a bit more abstract.  The little island (Videy Island) on the right side of the frame is where Yoko Ono put the Imagine Peace Tower.

Hallgrimskirkja Church Organ

We were back in the church today and were fortunate enough to walk in when an organist was playing.  For a good while it was just us and the organist in the church.  Amazingly deep and beautiful sound.  We were quiet and I took my photo during a loud passage when it wouldn't bother him.  Normally that is frowned on (and something I wouldn't do) but I'm sure he didn't hear me nor did he seem to mind a tourist in the church behind him with a camera.  So unlike most concert halls and their fussy ushers even when the orchestra hasn't started playing.  Anyway, I hope he sees this - we really enjoyed his playing.

Skogafoss

There are LOTS of waterfalls in Iceland, this one is Skogafoss on the southern coast.  The waterfalls we saw today were easy to photograph with the sun behind and illuminating everything nicely.  This one was even kind enough to show a double rainbow.  The white spider web like material on the walls is ice

Geyser

Did you know that geyser is an Icelandic word?  This one is just starting it's eruption and is right next to the original (spelled geysir) that gave the world this word.

Gullfoss

The lower part of the Gullfoss (Golden Falls) as seen down the valley cut.  Geologists believe it was cut in one catastrophic event when a glacial lake burst.

The new symphony hall as seen from the harbor.

Minke Whale

Not a very good picture, but still a picture.  As seems to be almost always the case, I didn't have the right lens with me but the conditions weren't great anyway.

Another Reykjavik Church

This is the Catholic Church....  Iceland went through a forced and violent change to Lutheranism during the reformation at the decree of the King of Denmark.

Hallgrimskirkja

The largest church in Iceland has has a facade that resembles basalt columns.  It is plain on the inside and lacks stained glass or adornment.  There is a famous organ that is used frequently in services and for concerts.  According to our guide, the Icelandic people are not particularly religous and I didn't see as many churches there as in other parts of Europe.  There are more in the countryside, but again according to our guide, they were built because the builder could levy fees from them.

The statue out front is Leifur Eriksson, first European to land in the Americas.  He beat Columbus by almost 500 years.

Dragon Cafe, Reykjavik

Two cool dudes enjoying a cigarette (cough, cough...)

The Tulips are Blooming

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival was last weekend.  This is the home of the largest tulip grower in the United States, family owned and descendants of immigrants from Holland.

Spring at Last

Today it is cool and rainy but last week on the UW campus it was all about the Cherry Trees. Note "The Mountain" in the background.

 

In West Seattle the Cherry, Camelia, and Magnolia are blooming

Coal Creek Waterfall

It's not that large, but it is pretty and close to Seattle.  A nice pleasant walk on very good trails.

Lake Union Gasworks and Wooden Boats

It was a beautiful day to take a boat ride on Lake Union in Seattle.  Don't tell anyone we have days like this in winter.  Everyone will want to move here.

If you do get to Seattle, it may be worthwhile taking a trip to South Lake Union and visiting the Center for Wooden Boats.  It's educational and there are free boat rides on Sunday.  We took a ride in an old electric powered boat that lasted about 45 minutes.  Their website is at www.cwb.org.

The photograph is of the old gasworks in Seattle which has been turned into a city park.  Originally barges of coal were brought to a dock just off the picture to the right.  The plant then gasified the coal which was sold for fuel and light.

Sheraton, Abu Dhabi

It's been a number of years since I've been to Abu Dhabi, the last time was in the late 70's.  I didn't recognize anything from that visit.  For the most part I just worked and didn't really have an opportunity for pictures.  But here is a picture of the hotel I stayed in, just to prove I was there.

BTW, the weather was wonderful and as usual when in the Middle East I ate too much.

Boulder River Trail, North Cascades

It was a beautiful day to walk in the North Cascades.  This tree fell across the trail and from the looks of things had been there quite a while.  The trail follows an old logging track and is gentle and easy.  There was a bit of snow that made things slick in places but still a nice day to be out.

The Most Important Thing that Happened this Month

Margot happened.

A trip down the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge will give you plenty of waterfalls to view like these two - Mulnomah on the left, Latourell on the right.  I climbed Beacon Rock on the Washington side but foolishly didn't charge my camera battery the night before so no pictures except the pretty pitiful ones from my iPhone.  Note to self...  Always charge battery every day and bring and extra.

Jackson at the Park Part 2

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superbaby!!!

Aberdeen

It has been about 27 years since I was last in Aberdeen.  I used to spend a lot of time here, mostly work.  Today I walked around the city centre and tried to remember but mostly I just got familiar feelings instead of recall.  A couple of things struck me - it is still a grey city of granite, there are still lots of smokers, there are lots of church steeples but many are no longer churches.  Anyway, it was a very nice day for a walk.

Jackson at the Park

Little things are a lot of fun at this age.

North Oregon Coast

A trip along the northern coast of Oregon - it is spectacular...

Westport, the Columbia River

Cannon Beach

Tillamook Light

Starfish at the Haystack

Haystack

Three Arches

The Ballard Locks

People always ask "don't you get tired of the rain in Seattle?" - they have never been here in the Summer.  It is g-l-o-r-i-o-u-s here in the summer.  Don't tell anyone.  It's a secret.

The Ballard locks have an attractive garden beside them and are interesting for engineers as well.  Yesterday was really nice and the boats were lined up to go in and out of Lake Union.  The silver salmon are running now and you can see them from the observation window at the fish ladder that runs beside the locks.  They are catching them below my house also.  Kings are running too.

La Push

Indian nets at the river mouth

David C., fish on in the Hoh River near La Push

David M., steelhead

Traverse City, Michigan

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore is on Lake Michigan north of Traverse City.  These are TALL dunes, about 450 feet if I remember right.  You would have to be nuts to go to the bottom of this and climb back up.  The sand is steep and soft.  These people are nuts.

Old Mission Lighthouse

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

As Di says, these aren't really lighthouses.  They are just houses with lights on them.

The Traverse City Film Festival which was started by my favorite director, Michael Moore, was going on.  Unfortunately we didn't bump into Susan Sarandon.  Michael Moore invited us to his apartment for brownies but we were busy and couldn't make it.

The Sheraton Doha

I usually stay at the Doha Sheraton when in Qatar.  It's the pyramid shaped building to the right of the coffee pot.

Here we are in the Sheraton looking down from the walkway outside my room on the restaurant and lobby.

And here is a view from the Sheraton towards new buildings along the Corniche.

Discovery Green

Discovery Green is a small park in Downtown Houston with places for children to play (including a wading fountain), a dog park, regular exercise classes in the evening, and even a small reading room.  Nice.