the T-shirt

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Paris, in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, a large group of people (all ages) were doing some sort of crazy dance and humming some sort of crazy tune. I watched for a few minutes, trying to figure out what the commotion was all about. Was it a political rally? Was it a war protest? Was it Greenpeace in action? Then all of sudden a man danced by and his t-shirt seemed to provide the answer to my questions.

The Scribe

Since viewing the King Tutankhamin (King Tut) exhibition in Chicago many years back I've been fascinated by the art and history of early Egyptians. In the Louvre in Paris sits this stunning statue of an Egyptian scibe. At over 4,500 years old its reddish color remain remarkably bright, and the face and eyes so haunting (and lifelike), that I stood in front of it, astonished and literally transfixed for the longest time.

Paris Opera

In an opulent building in central Paris designed by Charles Garnier in 1862, some of the most memorable moments in opera have taken place behind the curtain shown above. Today the "Opera de Paris Garnier" is used mainly for ballet performances, as operas in Paris are staged in the newer "Opera de Paris Bastille" building. However, any visit to Paris should include a tour of this truely remarkable place.

Venus De Milo

The Louvre Museum in Paris contains three of the planet's most photographed pieces of art; the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory (or Goddess Victory), and of course the Venus De Milo. Taking a picture of any of them is quite difficult in the Louvre due to lighting conditions, but mostly due to the very aggressive photographic competition, all pushing and shoving at the same time for the best view. On a recent Sunday afternoon I spent my time there taking photos of people taking photos on their cell phones. As for Venus (shown above) I counted over 90 people taking photos of her at the same time, and it was rather amusing watching all of them at work.

Joe DiMaggio

While walking through the small fishing village of Isola Delle Femmine, just west of Palermo, on the island of Sicily, I literally stopped dead in my tracks, as there above an old wooden door was the plaque shown above. It honors a gifted Italian, Joe DiMaggio, one of the greatest players ever in the American game of baseball. His father, Giuseppe Paolo Di Maggio, lived right here before emigrating to America in 1915, and today this place (this small museum) is an honored spot. What made the moment even more special was I watched the "Yankee Clipper" play the game in Chicago, and I think it was 1948. I was quite young, but I still remember my Dad saying that DiMaggio was his favorite player. During that game - while watching the Yankee's play - my life-long love of baseball was born.

Easter Rising, Dublin, Ireland, 1916

After the events of Easter Sunday, 1916, the nationalist leaders that supported an independent Irish Republic were all quickly court-martialed, then brutally shot (executed) at Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol (prison) by the British.

Within that prison (marked by a cross) stood the Irish heros, Eamonn Ceannt, Tom Clarke, Cornelius Colbert, James Connolly, Edward Daly, Sean Mac Diarmada, Sean J. Heuston, Michael Mallin, Major John McBride, Thomas McDonough, Michael O'Hanrahan, Patrick Pearse, William Pearse and Joseph Plunkett. All were marched (blindfolded) into this prison courtyard, then executed at point-blank range by British solders. James Connolly was so badly injured in previous fighting that he could not stand, so he was placed in a chair, and then shot. Thomas Kent was later shot in Cork, Ireland, and Roger Casemen was hanged in London, England.

Despite its military failure - mainly because of the overpowering force of British troops in Dublin - this event, this 'Easter Rising" is rightfully judged as the most significant inspiration in the eventual creation of the Irish Republic. If you ever travel to Dublin, Ireland, don't miss touring Kilmainham Gaol. And when you stand in the central courtyard and see this cross (there are two) you can't help but feel proud of the men that died here, and it's a moment that will stay in your mind for a very long time.

Street Sweeper

A few days back I took some friends visiting from Texas to see the Pantheon in central Rome. It is the best-preserved of all Roman buildings, and been in continuous use throughout its 2,000 year history. Regardless, standing in front of this incredible building was a female street sweeper in her "Uniform of the Day." From local police to street sweepers, all public employees have designer duds, and for the most part, all public employees spend much of their day checking their cellphone messages, and this one was no exception.

Positano, Amalfi Coast

Unless you've traveled on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, it's hard to describe the rugged beauty of the place. The city in view is called Positano, and the picture speaks for itself. Have you ever seen water so blue? Those houses are built into the cliffs, and let me tell you...the price of real estate here is off the charts.

Old Jewish Cemetery

In the city of Prague, Czech Republic, stands the old "Jewish Cemetery" in Josefov, the former Jewish ghetto. This cemetery was used from the mid-15th century till the end of the 18th century. Historical records indicate that about 100,000 Jews are buried in this small plot of land, with their graves layered 12 deep in some places. Reportedly, even though the Nazis made it a policy to destroy Jewish cemeteries during World War II, Hitler (himself) ordered that this cemetery be left intact, since he was planning to build a Jewish museum in Prague after all the Jews in Europe had been exterminated. Standing here is quite disturbing when one considers the madness of Hitler, and the terrible sufferings he instigated.

Nuns in Rome

In Rome, birds of a feather seem to flock together!

Mr. Etna, Sicily

Standing on one of Mt. Etna's recent lava domes is quite an experience, as the mountain is still quite active, and in fact it erupts on a regular basis. The day our mapping team was there we experienced two minor explosions. To me, any explosion is one too many, but I must say that the bus trip to the top is quite a thrill.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

This is a view of a small harbor in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This ancient town was bombed into submission by Serbia in the early 90's, but it's now almost completely restored. Many idyllic homes dot the hillsides along it's lengthy waterfront, and this is a wonderful destination to add to any European travel plans.