Category: Place

In Pursuit of Fire Stations

Cycled with a friend past eight former St. Paul fire stations, and a monument in Oakland Cemetery to firefighters who lost their lives while on duty. This fire station, built in 1872, was St. Paul’s first.

Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel

Estimated numbers of hotel rooms in places we stayed: Granada, Antequera, Marbella and Nerja, Spain. May 2019 data from Instituto Nacional de Estadistica. If you’re planning to visit Spain’s Costa del Sol, you’ll probably be staying in a busy place. It can be hard to avoid over-loved places, but I prefer to seek out B-List…… Continue reading Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel

Lamplighter

Cycled through St. Paul with a friend looking for vestiges of the past. Spotted this lamplighter, frozen in time, on a residential street.

Using a Smartphone to Bypass Lines in Spain

April 2018. Hundreds of people were lined up in heavy rain to buy tickets for Spain’s national art museum, the Prado. Some fiddled with their smartphones to alleviate their boredom as they shuffled slowly towards the entrance. They seemed unaware they could use their expensive devices to simplify their lives. I found a sheltered spot…… Continue reading Using a Smartphone to Bypass Lines in Spain

Up Next: Fireworks

Watched the riverfront Red, White and Boom fireworks display from our balcony. Over several hours, thousands gathered below.

Ramen During a Storm

The video screen showed stunning rainfall on the island of Kyushu, southern Japan, a place I love, while I quietly slurped ramen.

East Side Freedom Library

Cycled over to St. Paul’s East Side with a friend to visit another Carnegie Library: East Side Freedom Library. Formerly a public library, this institution is a nonprofit with a mission to “inspire solidarity, advocate for justice and work toward equity for all.”