The Azores: Last Stop before Sailing into the Sunset

June 8, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 6 Comments

Street scene in Ponta Delgado on the Island of San Miguel in the Azores.

We spent a pleasant three hours wandering along the streets of Ponta Delgada. Note the fun pavement.

Nine hundred miles west of Portugal we arrived at Ponta Delgada on the island of San Miguel. The Azores Islands are an autonomous region of Portugal and Delgada is the administrative center. When the Portuguese arrived in the 1400s, they found the islands uninhabited. In the days of sailing ships the islands became an important stop for resupplying with fresh food and water.

We found Delgada quite occupied and very pleasant, almost charming. Surrounded by green mountains that feature pineapple groves and grazing cattle, the city of 45,000 is nestled against the ocean. Instead of scrambling to see sites, we simply wandered through the streets.

The pineapples grown in the Azores are known for their sweetness and considered a gourmet treat.

The pineapples grown in the Azores are known for their sweetness and are considered a gourmet treat.

I even found time to check in on my blog. Normally, I had to use the ship’s Internet, which cost the proverbial arm and a leg. (Cruise ships are dedicated to separating passengers from their cash. We were dedicated to keeping as much of ours as possible.)

The town of Punta Delgado on the Island of San Miguel in the Azores

The town of Pont Delgada is surrounded by green mountains where cattle graze.

Our stroll around Delgada took us past attractive churches.

Church door in Ponta Delgado in the Azores

This door on the church was quite dramatic with its white background.

As always, our traveling companion, Kathi, could be expected to find tasty pastries. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Carriage ride in Ponta Delgado in the Azores

These horses waited patiently to provide tourists with a carriage ride.

Ponta Delgado City Hall and reflection pool

I loved the way the street tile was extended into the reflection pool in front of Ponta Delgada’s city hall.

Peggy, Kathi and Frances take a break at the pool’s edge.

We found interesting murals in Delgada including this chicken?

I found these abstract squid quite attractive.

As in Europe, we found a number of attractive balconies.

Another balcony in Ponta Delgada.

A flower stand provided a beautiful bouquet of roses.

As the shadows lengthened it was time to return to the ship.

NEXT BLOG: Sailing into the sunset. The proper term is probably cruising into the sunset but I find sailing much more romantic. Our next stop would be Florida.

Lisbon’s Rua Augusta: Where Mimes Rule… Quietly

June 5, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 15 Comments

One of several mimes we met along Lisbon’s Rua Augusta. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Leaving Barcelona meant we would soon be leaving the Mediterranean.Our time exploring several of the Western World’s most beautiful and historic areas was drawing to an end. We sailed past the Rock of Gibraltar and watched the sunset over North Africa. Our final stop on the European Continent would be Lisbon, after which we would begin our journey by ship across the Atlantic– a lifetime bucket list item of mine.

As our ship passed by the Rock of Gibraltar, we left the Mediterranean Sea behind. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Later we watched the sunset over the North Coast of Africa.

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most ancient cities. Celts, Phoenicians, Romans, Germanic tribes, and Moors had all called it home at one time or the other. In the 1500s the small country of Portugal was a world power with colonies in South America, Africa and the East Indies. Five years ago Peggy and I had traveled to Albufeira on the south coast of Portugal and then wandered north to the fascinating walled city of Evora before flying out of Lisbon. This time we entered Lisbon by sea, passing the UNESCO Heritage site of Belem Tower and sailing under the 25 of April Bridge, which commemorates the overthrow of Portugal’s dictator Antonio Salazar in 1974.

We passed by Belem Tower. Built in the 1500s, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Ponte 24 de Abril serves as the gateway to Lisbon. It is patterned after the Bay Bridge across the San Francisco Bay.

The Ponte 25 de Abril serves as the gateway to Lisbon. It is patterned after the Bay Bridge across the San Francisco Bay.

A view of the April 25 Bridge in Lisbon from below.

What the April 25 Bridge looks like from below.

Since we only had four hours in Portugal, we decided to focus on the Rua Augusta, Lisbon’s bustling pedestrian street in the heart of the city. We stopped to admire the Rua Augusta Arch, strolled along the street, checked out several mimes, had a great lunch and ended our European experience in Rossio Square where the people of Portugal have been gathering for centuries.

At first, I thought this was a statue honoring Mozart. Then I realized he was another mime. The pigeons offered a special touch…

As everyone knows, pigeons have a fondness for statues. We found these in _____ Square at the end of Rua Augusta.

As everyone knows, pigeons have a fondness for statues. We found these on a statue in Rossio Square at the upper end of Rua Augusta.

The arch at the beginning of Rua Augusta.

This flower stall we found added a touch of color to a side street off of the Rua Augusta.

Lisbon balcony with Christmas decorations.

And scarves added color to these Christmas decorations. Many of the walls in Lisbon were covered with tiles as shown here and in the window reflection.

We stopped for lunch at a small restaurant on the Rua Augusta. Here Peggy offers a toast to Portugal and our trip through the Mediterranean.

This photo shows the unique mosaic-like pattern of the Rua Augusta walkway.

This mosaic pattern on Rossio Square at the top of Rua Augusta could make you seasick.

Ferris wheel on Rossio Square in Lisbon.

The ferris wheel we found on Rossio Square is the most colorful I have ever seen.

The merry-go-round on Rossio Square was equally colorful.

Like so many other squares we had visited in Europe, Rossio Square had a fountain featuring semi-clad statues.

A look up the hill reminded us of all the areas we would have to explore on another visit.

The sun setting behind the April 25 Bridge meant it was time to resume our journey.

A final view of the bridge as we sailed off into the night and the Atlantic Ocean.

NEXT BLOG: We stop off at the Azores Islands.

Things that Go Bump In the Night… Backpacking with Socrates in the Sierra’s

June 1, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 16 Comments

Socrates was not actually built for backpacking but he loved it. His grand daddy, so his papers claimed, had been the the American-Canadian champion for his class.

Socrates was not actually built for backpacking but he loved it. His grand daddy, so his papers claimed, had been the American-Canadian grand champion for his class. Check out his digging paws!

I’ve been following a fun blog called Animal Couriers where these folks travel around Europe delivering pets to people. They were just in Greece and that reminded me of a Basset Hound I once owned named Socrates. Or maybe he owned me. It was hard to tell at times. Anyway, Greece plus dog brought Socrates to mind.

About the time Socrates came into my life, I took up backpacking. Naturally I decided that Soc should go backpacking with me– you know, a guy and his dog. So off we went to my all-time favorite spot in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, a small lake basin that had been carved out by glaciers north of the I–80 Freeway half way between Sacramento and Reno.

The Five Lakes Basin north of Interstate 80 in the northern Sierra's of California.

This is one of five lakes snuggled down in a small glacier carved basin north of Interstate 80 in the northern Sierra-Nevada Mountains of California. This is the first area I ever backpacked and I have returned dozens of times over the years. The Black Buttes, which can be seen from I-80, are in the background.

Sharing the lake with Soc was close to being totally alone. His concept of a quality wilderness experience was disappearing into the woods and seeing how many holes he could dig. He never seemed to catch anything so I am not sure of his motivation. I’d get up in the morning and cover his handiwork. I almost felt like I needed to file an environmental impact report. Socrates would end up limping back to the car with sore feet.

On this particular journey, I packed the Carlos Castaneda book that features things that go bump in the night. Don Juan takes Carlos out into the middle of the Sonoran Desert on a pitch-black night and abandons him. Not long afterwards, the monsters come hunting. It wasn’t the best book for a solo night in the woods. As I read into the evening, I found myself paying more attention than usual to wilderness sounds.

I ingested a little medicinal herb to lighten things up. It was the 70s, after all. Bad idea; instant paranoia set in. Soon I could hear the wind stalking me through the treetops. An old snag turned into a ghoul. Off in the distance something big and ugly was digging and snorting. Socrates, I hoped.

This long dead pine turned into a ghoul in my imagination. The mountains in the background are the Sierra Buttes.

“Here Soc,” I called. “Come here boy.”

The digging continued and grew more desperate.

“Come here!” I yelled. Still no response but now I could hear large claws scratching at granite.

“Does someone want a Milk Bone?” I added in a quiet, conversational voice.

The digging stopped. ‘Someone’ started coming through the brush toward me. Whatever it was, it was apparently interested in Milk Bones. Soc’s head, long body and wagging tail made their way into the firelight. He might love digging, but he loved food more. There was the reason why our low-slung pooch weighed 70 pounds.

“Good boy,” I said while digging out a Milk Bone. I knew I was buying companionship but it seemed like a good idea on this strange, dark night. Meanwhile, Socrates had started to drool in expectation. Soon he was shaking his head and shooting dog slobber off in a dozen directions. I ducked to avoid being slimed.

Unfortunately, my supply of Milk Bones was limited. I tied Soc up to assure his faithfulness. It was time for bed. I put the fire out and was greeted by a moonless, dark night. But hey, who needed the moon when I had my faithful companion and a million stars. I invited Socrates to snuggle up on my sleeping bag and laid my head down on the coat I was using for a pillow.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!

“Gads what’s that!” (A translation of what was actually said.) I sat up straight and grabbed for my flashlight. Socrates joined in by barking at my sleeping bag.

“No, Soc, out there,” I urged and pointed the flashlight off into the woods. Soc glanced up at me with a curious ‘what are you talking about’ look and started barking at my pillow.

“Look Socrates,” I pleaded, “just pretend there is a garbage man out in the woods.” Soc had never met a garbage man he could resist barking at and I wanted his teeth pointed in the right direction. What Soc did with my advice was make three dog circles and plop down on my bag. I gave up and reluctantly laid my head back down on my pillow.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH!

I sat straight up again. Soc growled at me for disturbing his rest and started barking at my sleeping bag again.

“Fine watch dog you are,” I growled right back at him while straining my ears for the smallest of sounds. When Soc shut up, I was rewarded with a faint ‘crunch, crunch, crunch.’ It was coming from under the sleeping bag. I had a proverbial monster under my bed! Gradually it dawned on me that what I was hearing was a gopher tunneling his way through the ground, innocently on his way to some succulent root. I put my head down on my pillow. Sure enough, the ‘crunch’ became a ‘CRUNCH.’ The ground and the mystic weed were magnifying the sound. Soc had been right all along. I was lucky that he only barked at my sleeping bag and hadn’t started digging.

Don Juan would have appreciated how I had been tricked. Reality isn’t always what it seems. Following are a few photos I have taken of the Basin over the years. It’s an easy place to love.

Five Lakes Basin north of I-5 between Sacramento and Reno in Northern Sierra's.

The five lakes are small and intimate. This photo is from my campsite.

Five Lakes Basin in Northern Sierra mountains.

I camp out on a small peninsula. This reflection shot is also taken from my camp but looking in the opposite direction.

Juniper snag in Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Junipers thrive in adverse conditions. And they make great snags.

I also liked this snag form what was probably a sugar pine tree. Granite rock forms the base of the Sierra's. Socrates considered the rock as freeways.

I also liked this snag from what was probably a sugar pine tree. Granite rock forms the base of the Sierra’s. Socrates considered the rock as freeways.

Mariposa Lilies are a common flower of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Both Native Americans and early pioneers considered their bulbs as food.

One of the first things I did when I met Peggy was introduce her to backpacking. (I took her on a 60 mile backpack trip.) Here she sits beside a small waterfall in the Five Lakes Basin.

I liked this pine tree silhouette against the fluffy clouds.

Sunset in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

A golden sunset lights up the Black Buttes.

Sunset north of I-80 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California

This dramatic sunset in the Five Lakes Basin was created by sun being filtered through smoke from a forest fire before lighting up the evening clouds.

NEXT BLOG: We return to Europe and Portugal.

The Genius of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926)

May 30, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 4 Comments

Our short stay in Barcelona limited the amount of time we had to view to enjoy Antoni Gaudi’s work to Sagrada Familia. Two of my WordPress friends, Alice and Don, referred me to an earlier blog they did which is more extensive. I always like what Alice and Don present so I am reblogging their post on Gaudi today. Enjoy. Curt

Adventures in Wonderland

It feels as if I’ve known about the work of Antoni Gaudi all my life. Certainly I learned about, and saw pictures of his buildings, in high school art classes when I was a teenager, and have wanted to see the real thing ever since. There is nothing ordinary about his work. It is all inventive, and incredibly creative, and magical; every part of a building was a place for art. There’s nothing like it anywhere else.

As I’ve said earlier, Don and I are not ones for a ton of research or facts, but we learned a few things. He was difficult and ornery. He lived the last years of his life at La Sagrada Familia. His construction method was based on catenary arches – the inverse of holding both ends of a piece of string into a curved position. He converted to Catholicism later in life.

We visited…

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Sagrada Familia… Barcelona’s Masterpiece of Art and Faith Soars Toward the Sky

May 29, 2013March 25, 2018 / Curt Mekemson / 20 Comments

An interior photo of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Spain

Walking into Sagrada Familia and looking up is like entering a totally different world.

Barcelona arrived in the Twentieth Century with its own brand of Art Nouveau, Modernisme. Combining whimsical and practical with a healthy dollop of nature, Barcelona’s Catalan artists and architects did a makeover of their city. Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), the best known among the Modernistas, added strong religious belief to his work and became the architect of Sagrada Familia, the Church of the Holy Family.

Started in 1883, the church continues to be a work in progress today. Like the great cathedrals of the Gothic and Renaissance periods, it is a work of generations, and like the great cathedrals of Europe, is a masterpiece of art and architecture. Peggy, I, and our traveling companions walked inside and could only stare in awe at the beauty. I’ve selected the photos for this blog to provide a sense of why.

The front of Sagrada Familia reflects Antoni Gaudi’s love of nature and is sometimes described as looking like a melting cake. My thoughts are a melting ice cream cake. The church is a work in progress. The four towers are the first of 14.

Sagrada Familia towers representing Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

A close up of the towers. The lower right shows doves that Gaudi included on the church.

Subirachs ' Passion sculpture on Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

This sculpture found on the opposite side of the church is one of many included in Joseph Marin Subirachs’ story of Christ’s death. I found the modern sculptures both powerful and moving.

Subirachs sculptures on Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

More sculptures by Subirachs.

Another view looking up inside of Sagrada Familia. The columns inside the church range from 36 to 72 feet tall. The ceiling vault reaches a height of 200 feet. The final tower, which will rest on the beams and ceiling, will soar 560 feet into the air, making it the tallest church steeple in the world.

The columns in Sagrada Familia come in different colors and follow Gaudi’s nature theme. Designed to symbolize tree trunks, they branch at the top. The clear windows will eventually be replaced with stained glass windows.

Stained glass windows in Sagrada Familia

The majority of beautiful stained glass windows are already in place. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This, and the two photos below, provide more examples of stained glass windows in the church.

Stained glass windows in Sagrada Familia

A rather unique set of stained glass windows.

I thought this interior photo captured the etherial quality of Sagrada Familia.

I love this artistic juxtaposition of the organ pipes and stained glass windows taken by Peggy. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

The Crucifix that hangs above the altar.

A final view of Sagrada Familia. Cranes show work in progress. The church is scheduled to be finished in 2026.

NEXT BLOG: We leave the Mediterranean and head for Lisbon.

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Ghosts, Old Cars, and Chicken Poop Gambling… Buncom Day

May 26, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 11 Comments

Everybody loves a parade, especially ones that feature old cars, marching bands and wild animals.

Everybody loves a parade, especially parades that feature old cars, marching bands and wild animals.

Peggy and I live out in the country. As kids we would have referred to our area as the boonies or sticks. Given that we have a million acres of trees in our backyard, “sticks” seems particularly appropriate. Needless to say, things move more slowly here than they do in the city.

This bumper sticker says it all for country living.

Yesterday we went to one of our areas major annual events, Buncom Day. As one might expect, there was food, old cars, musicians, a parade and ghost hunters. So what if the parade was only a half block long and was repeated four times. As for the ghost hunters, Buncom is an Old West ghost town, so naturally it has ghosts. What else would you expect? I was even privileged to listen to the voice of a ghost that had been recorded in one of the town’s three remaining buildings. He was upset that someone would want to kill him. Peggy went hunting for the ghost.

You are witnessing the beginning and the ending of the Buncom Day Parade. Entrants would reach the stop sign on the right and turn around to begin all over.

The parade featured old cars (6 of them)…

Fiddlers at the Buncom Day Parade in Southern Oregon

A marching band of fiddlers…

A ferocious cougar (mascot for Ruch Elementary School)…

And a friendly mule. Check out the eyelashes!

Ghost hunting has become a popular activity world-wide. It seems like every community has at least one. Since Buncom is a ghost town, we had two separate groups competing to find ghosts. This shot reflects some of the paraphernalia modern ghost hunters with the Oregon Society of the Paranormal use.

Peggy listens carefully for ghosts in the old building that once was a store. Earlier I had listened to a ghost one of the groups had recorded in the store.

Everyone who was anyone was present, including the editor of my upcoming book and the editor of Southern Oregon’s major newspaper, The Tribune. He rode on a tractor in the parade and had a hand painted sign announcing who he was.

I found my editor, Margaret, who teaches graduate English and writing courses at Southern Oregon University, at Buncom Day. "Why aren't you at home editing?" Why aren't you at home writing?"

Margaret, who teaches graduate English and writing courses at Southern Oregon University and is editing my upcoming book on my Peace Corps experience, was also at Buncom Day. “Why aren’t you at home editing?” Why aren’t you at home writing?”

Bob Hunter, Editor of the Medford Triune at the Buncom Day Parade.

Bob Hunter, editor of the Medford Tribune, was also in the parade riding a tractor and carrying his own hand printed sign.

Plus there was gambling, serious gambling. Everybody bet on the numbers, even the kids. You might want to try this in your community. First line a large sheet of paper and put numbers on the squares created. Second, place the paper in the bottom of a chicken pen. Third, have people bet on their favorite numbered square. Fourth, place a well-fed chicken in the pen. Whichever square the chicken poops on is the winner.

Chicken splat gambling at Buncom, Oregon

The rules to Buncom’s world-famous gambling game of Chicken Splat. Watch out Las Vegas!

Our neighbor carefully places his bets.

Chicken participant in Chicken Splat gambling at Buncom, Oregon

The well-fed chicken prepares to do her part…

And leaves her mark on square number 18. Neither our neighbor nor Peggy won.

You might say we are easily entertained out in the sticks. When we returned home, one of our neighbors plopped down at the edge of our back porch to hear all about the day. She was all ears.

One of the 16 or so deer that consider our yard part of our home territory. This young doe plopped down in our back yard about 10 feet away from me and appeared to be listening to what I had to tell her about Buncom.

One of the 16 or so deer that consider our yard part of our home territory. This young doe plopped down in our back yard about 10 feet away from me and listened to what I had to tell her about Buncom Day.

NEXT BLOG: Honoring Memorial Day by returning to the Revolutionary War. After that I will return to Barcelona.

La Boqueria: Barcelona’s World Class Market… Seaports of the Mediterranean

May 24, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 19 Comments

A front view of the busy La Boqueria. The sign and building were done in Barcelona’s famous Modernista art style.

What a place… a kaleidoscope of colors, smells, noises and textures– an imagination gone wild. I walked into the Boqueria Market just off of Barcelona’s Ramblas (most famous street and pedestrian way in Barcelona) and I was captured; enthralled may be a better word. I could have spent a week alone with the fish. There were fruits and vegetables and breads and nuts and meats and drinks… not to mention some 200 square feet of chocolate delights! Who wouldn’t go crazy? Imagine going here to shop instead of your local Safeway or Wal-Mart.

La Boqueria is first mentioned in Barcelona literature in 1217. It may have started as a goat market. The market arrived at its present location in 1835 when St. Josephs Convent burned down. Today it is one of Europe’s best known fresh produce markets, a favorite of both locals and travelers… especially travelers with cameras. One stall owner even yelled at me, “No, no take pictures. Buy.” I could empathize… but I could no more not take photos than refuse to breathe.

Peggy spent what seemed like hours checking out the 200 square feet of chocolate wonders…

… while I was intrigued by the strange fish. This one had a face only its mother could love.

I promptly named this guy Jaws.

Squid, anyone?

I found these shrimp colorful…

… and these, uh, weird.

I found most photos on the web featured fruit stalls like this at La Boqueria rather than my fish. I wonder why? (Photo by Peggy Mekemson… Peggy does not take photos of weird fish)

Being a big fan of spicy food, I found these peppers quite attractive.

Hanging garlic and corn at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona.

I also liked the hanging garlic and corn.

Several types of mushrooms were for sale. I believe these were morels. They grow up behind our house in Oregon. People kill for them.

Delicious fruit drinks at La Boqueria in Barcelona

Fresh fruit drinks were in abundance. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

eating raw oysters at La Boqueria in Barcelona Spain

Peggy’s brother John joyfully downed a raw oyster. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Fruit at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona.

I’ll close with my own obligatory photo of fruit at La Boqueria. Can you taste the strawberries?

NEXT BLOG: We journey to the incredibly beautiful and strange cathedral, Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. You will not want to miss this blog.

Cannes: Where the Rich and Famous Hang Out… Seaports of the Mediterranean

May 22, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 6 Comments

The rich and famous hang out at Cannes and I am sure you will recognize this trio from Charlie’s Angels. Do you think Cameron Diaz minded that I borrowed her body? (Photo by Peggy Mekemson, body by Cameron, head by Curt)

The Cannes Film Festival is going on now. The town has filled with an army of glitterati and paparazzi. The famous and infamous have gathered to be seen, party, hang out, party, watch movies and party. We were there at a quieter time, thankfully. Still, we couldn’t help but note that monstrous yachts filled the harbor and fire engine red Ferraris served as rent-a-cars. We did the tourist thing, checked out the walk of actors’ handprints, and had our photos taken with cutouts, which was a close as we got to anyone famous.

This is what rent-a-cars look like in Cannes. My guess is that you wouldn’t get the economy rate.

Celebrities John, Frances and Peggy enjoy their moment on the Red Carpet at Cannes

Much fine, and I might add expensive, food will be served up in Cannes this week. Here I feature an appetizing duck a l’orange.

Peggy couldn’t resist trying out Meryl Streep’s hand print for size. Meryl’s fingers are longer.

I took this photo of Sly Stone's hand print. Can you sense the testosterone?

I took this photo of Sly Stallone’s hand print. Can you sense the testosterone?

We also enjoyed wandering around Cannes and were particularly taken with this building. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Cannes was in the early stages of preparing for Christmas when we visited. I liked the way these decorations reflected an awning below.

Window shopping in Cannes, as you might imagine, was interesting. Take this form fitted chair, for instance… It seemed to go along with the ape lamp above it.

What would Cannes be without yachts? My house would fit in these guys. Damn, maybe my five acres would.

We ended our day in Cannes, France by returning to our own Yacht.

NEXT BLOG: We visit the wonderful city of Barcelona and the most impressive market I have ever been in.

Snapshots of Florence

May 20, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 13 Comments

This is one of those photos that didn’t fit into my blog themes about Florence but definitely deserved to be included. I liked the door, window with its impressionistic reflection, lamp and even the dark wall, which provided contrast.

When I have finished blogging about an area, I always find I have “leftovers,” i.e. thoughts and photos I liked but didn’t fit the particular themes I was pursuing. For example, what do you do with an extra Lamb of God? They are rather hard to ignore. And then there is always an intriguing door or an interesting historical fact that begs to be told. Anyway, before I rush off to Cannes, here are a few of my “leftovers” from Florence.

Peggy captured this bit of Christian iconography… the Lamb of God, which represents Christ leading his flock, I guess. There was something about the perky, down the nose glance that tickled my funny bone. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

These walls were impossible to ignore.

This close up provides detail. Check out the mythological beasts and cherubs in the paintings. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Arno River flowing through Florence, Italy.

The Arno River, running through the heart of Florence, could occupy a professional photographer for days. I am sure it has.

Florence’s city hall with its beautiful clock tower. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

The Piazza della Repubblica with its dominating arch. The message on it reads “The ancient center of the City restored from age-old squalor to new life.” It’s what we call urban renewal where historical treasures are bulldozed down to make way for the modern. Much was lost.

Who can resist a tower? I Googled the heck out of this one but couldn’t find its name. Maybe one of my readers will help.

Cat and Mouse at Florence Christmas market

On the lighter side of things, Peggy and I visited Florence’s Christmas Market where this cat and mouse amused me. Note the mouse’s tongue.

Since I started my blogs on Florence with a lion, it is only appropriate that I finish with one.

NEXT BLOG: The Cannes Festival is going on now. We were there at a quieter time.

Whales, Beavers and Skunks… Sunset Bay State Park

May 17, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 17 Comments

Pacific Coast at Sunset Bay State Park near Coos Bay, Oregon.

We found two beautiful coves in our hike along the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean south of Sunset Bay State Park.

I’ve never lived on the seashore, but I always considered it a second home– after the mountains. At some point or the other in my life, I’ve even visited all the world’s great oceans. My favorite coastline, however, has always been the Pacific Ocean’s rugged seashore starting at Big Sur in California and working its way north to Alaska through Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

Of all the trips I have made to the ocean over the years, I have never, ever been disappointed. Our trip to Sunset Bay State Park near Coos Bay, Oregon last week was no exception. The campground was beautiful. Oregon does a great job with its state parks. Ours even came with a resident beaver. He stopped by to visit us one night. Unfortunately, he was camera shy. By the time Peggy and I had gotten over our surprise and grabbed our cameras, he had disappeared. We also thought we had skunks until we discovered that the brilliant green foliage with large leaves surrounding us was skunk cabbage.

Sunset Bay Campground near Coos Bay, Oregon

The green, green campground at Sunset Bay State Park on the Oregon Coast. The beaver lived in the small stream to the left of the fence.

Peggy and I were surprised to find out that the skunk we were smelling was actually the large leafy plants that surrounded our campsite.

Peggy and I were surprised to find out that the skunk we were smelling was actually skunk cabbage, the large leafy plants that surrounded our campsite.

Skunk Cabbage flower on the Oregon Coast.

The Skunk Cabbage also had this rather unique flower. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This tree was behind our van in the campground. Peggy loved it. In my last blog I noted you only see tree roots in the tropics. I lied. I could actually walk into the cave created by the roots.

This tree was behind our van in the campground. Peggy loved it. In my last blog I noted that tree roots spend their life underground except in the tropics. I lied. I could actually walk into the cave created by these roots. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

We didn’t see any great sunsets on Sunset Bay due to overcast skies, but we enjoyed the flowers, driftwood, a rock face and a Cormorant island.

Rock face at Sunset Bay State Park in Oregon.

I am always ready to turn rock into a face. This guy had big, bushy eyebrows, a crooked nose, and a gaping mouth. With a little imagination, he also had a tuft of hair on his head. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Cormorants nesting on an offshore island in Oregon.

Off shore islands are always great places for nesting sea birds as well as seals, etc. Cormorants had chosen to turn the trees into their homes on this island off Sunset Bay. I loved the striking cave with its teepee like door.

Kelp on shore at Sunset Bay State Park near Coos Bay, Oregon

Finding treasures are always a reason for beach walks. I considered this kelp a treasure. As children, we found kelp made an excellent bull whip!

To find whales, we headed three miles south of Sunset Bay to Cape Arago and got lucky. The migration period when Gray Whales make their 6000 mile journey from the Baja, Mexico to the Bearing Sea is about over. Although you can’t tell it from our photos*, Gray whales are huge, measuring up to 47 feet long and weighing upwards to 40 tons. A baby can be 15 feet long and weigh 1500 pounds. Imagine giving birth to that! Ouch. * Photos of whales out in the ocean taken with a normal telephoto lens look suspiciously like Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

This was the location where we chose to look for Whales off of Cape Arago on the Oregon Coast. A pod of four showed up on the left.

This was the location where we chose to look for Gray Whales off of Cape Arago on the Oregon Coast. Not bad for a scenic point. A pod of four whales showed up on the left.

For our location and our cameral, this is as good as it got. (grin) Still, we were thrilled, as always.

For our location and our camera, this is as good as it got. (grin) Still, we were thrilled, as always. The one if front was spouting. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

We found these interesting heart-shaped leaves on the way back to our van. I liked the unique pattern.

These lower jawbones of a juvenile Humpback Whale were on display at Sunset Bay Campground. Peggy provides a perspective on their size.

These lower jaw bones of a juvenile Humpback Whale were on display at Sunset Bay Campground. Peggy provides a perspective on the kid’s size.

We finished off our trip with a delightful hike along the bluffs on the southern section of Sunset Bay Park.

Flower covered meadow at Sunset Bay State Park, Oregon

Our hike started across this flower covered meadow.

Hiking trail at Sunset Bay State Park, Oregon

Peggy makes her way along the shaded trail along the bluffs.

Looking down into the first cove we came to at Sunset Bay. Another couple of feet and I would have been tumbling off a sheer cliff. Bye, bye Curt! It was a beautifully calm day on the Pacific.

Cape Arago Lighthouse on the Oregon Coast.

Looking north we could see the Cape Arago Lighthouse. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Cove on Oregon Coast near Coos Bay, Oregon

The trail ended by dropping down into this pretty cove. I climbed the cliff on the right.

Peggy provided wifely advice and suggested this cliff might be more difficult to come down than go up… No problem. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This is what it looked like when I got to the top and looked back down. (grin) My size 14 shoes had no sense of humor about the 2 inch ledge. Was Peggy suggesting I go another way? Dive!