Artistic Moments

I have said that I can remember taking many of the photos I have even years after the actual capture. I suppose I'm pretty focused when I do that. (Bad pun, I know) But I also take photos that are forgotten. This one would be an example. I was spending a little time going through my travel photos and came across this scene from the Louvre in Paris.These children and their teacher/mother/???? have set up shop by the easel of an artist who has permission to paint a copy of one of the paintings in this gallery, though when I look at the copy and the wall I can't see which one. The copyist is gone but the observers remain. Why, I don't know. And which gallery this is, I couldn't say. There are many unanswered questions. Maybe someone reading this has answers. . . ?

Another World (But Not So Different)

Sailboats live in a different world when they are moored on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, which is where this photo was taken. The water is clearer and colder in summer than Lake Oahe. And, of course, boats at the Spring Creek Marina don't have snow capped mountains looking down on them. Otherwise, this is a familiar scene to me: beautiful boats waiting dutifully for their skippers to take them out for a sail.

Room For All the Gods

This is the Pantheon in Rome and was built about 2000 years ago. The name means "to all the gods" and the structure was built by people who worshipped a multitude of gods and spirits. Much later in its history, the Pantheon became a Christian church but today it is a tourist attraction and a burial place.* And, if you ask me, it is an architectural marvel - even after 2000 years.If it looks amazing today, imagine walking into this space when it was decorated with statues of Roman deities and with the coffered dome covered in brilliant gold leaf. There is no doubt that this is my favorite ancient building. And, in case you are wanting to see more, I have a previous post in this blog extolling the Pantheon. Finally, if you like to make comparisons, check out this spectacular Chicago structure and discuss.*Italian Kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I; the Great Renaissance artist Raphael (also a Ninja Turtle)

Toilet Twitter

Today's social tools, like facebook and Twitter, help keep people in touch with each other in ways that are sometimes astounding. But people of our time might be equally astounded to learn how ancients kept in touch. Of course they chatted along the streets, in the bars and in the public meeting places, just as we do.But they also chatted in the public rest rooms. Talk about the weather and politics would have gone hand in hand with performing basic body functions. Men and women, rich and poor and old and young would have sat cheek to cheek (sorry, but I had to use that expression) in bathrooms much like this.Where are we in this photo? This is the well-preserved Roman city of Ephesus, where the apostle Paul lived and worked. Ephesus is in modern day Turkey and was a stop on our 10 day cruise of the Greek islands. My students are good natured about posing on the ancient toilets. But they were a bit embarrassed. I hope that making this moment public doesn't further embarass them.Incidentally, this blog post goes out to my first block world history class, whom I am teaching about blogging and RSS feeds. The first person in that class to post a response to this blog gets to take the iPad home for a day or two!

It's Not a Ferris Wheel

The London Eye may well be one of those metal things that are built for special occasions and then end up being iconic - such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Space Needle in Seattle. The good thing about the London Eye is that if you take a ride in it, you get a great view of all of the other London icons, though if I had it to do over again, I think I'd like to go up around sunset.

He Lost His Head!

Yesterday we were inside of the Notre Dame cathedral and today we have stepped outside and are looking at the west facade. More specifically we are looking at carvings next to one of the three sets of doors into the cathedral.The man holding his head is St. Denis. He became a saint in part because the miracle he performed was to be martyred by being beheaded, then to reach down and pick up his head and walk 6 miles north of Paris, preaching the whole way. He finally died. And they built a basillica to honor him. Not bad for a day's work.In researching this post I learned a new word: cephalophore. A cephalophore is someone who carries his/her own head. Try working that into your casual conversation today!

Three Tourists and One Local

He has a gun, a big hat, a red uniform and isn't smiling. The three girls have cameras and casual clothes. So guest who the tourists are.Incidentally, I'm not sure if the soldier is a Beefeater or not. I also don't know what he's guarding. Perhaps an important door? Or maybe he's just a tourist attraction. Kind of like the giant tortoises at Reptile Gardens?

The Little Tourist

More than once in the US when I have pointed my cameras at a child to get a candid photo, I've gotten dirty looks. For that reason, I don't take many photos of kids when I am wandering around.But in this case, I couldn't resist. Plus, I was in Lisbon, Portugal, and his parents smiled when they saw me taking his photo. It's a different culture, I guess. The location is the Jeronimos Monastery and what I like about this picture is the child's casual stance. I also like how he is looking at me in a way that isn't fearful or suspicious.

Garlic Soup With Bread & Egg

I never used to be an adventurous gourmand. And I don't eat bugs and smelly fruit like that guy on the Food Network. But I am more willing to order mysterious things from menus when traveling in Europe these days.In this case, I ordered what the menu said was "garlic soup with bread and eggs." I assumed the eggs would be stirred in like they are in egg drop soup. I thought the bread would be served on the side. Imagine my surprise when what you see here was served. It was marvelous. I would like a bowl right now. Anyone know where I can get something like this?

Something Old and Something New

This is a shot from the south (?) side of the River Thames. The structure spanning the river is a pedestrian bridge known as the Millennium Bridge, build to help commemorate the new Millennium a few years ago. In the distance is St. Paul's Cathedral, which was built in 1697 and was designed by the famous British architect Christopher Wren.When the Millennium Bridge opened, they found that it wobbled excessively and millions of dollars were spent on modifications in order for people to safely walk on it. St. Paul's does not wobble and never has.See this on Panoramio and Google Earth

Still Life

Deb and I were in Lisbon on the last day of our visit to Portugal when I noticed these two people pondering something off in the distance. I was immediately reminded of a famous work of art by Duane Hanson called "Tourists." And so I snapped the photo. I'll have to admit that my wife and I come closer to looking like Hanson's tourists than this Lisbon couple does, though I think my wife is much more stylish.You might be interested in knowing that Duane Hanson casts his fiberglass and resin figures from real people. Most of the people in my photos are real, too.

Look Right!

To someone from the US (and much of the rest of the world), one of the many endearing idiosyncrasies of England is that they drive on the "wrong" side of the road. One would think that this would have little impact on the pedestrian but that would be wrong. For example, which side of the sidewalk do you walk on? How about people movers at airports? Escalators? Etc.As a pedestrian in London for the first time, I appreciated the courtesy of the warnings painted at many crosswalk because more than once, I looked left as I would at home, stepped into the crosswalk and then was aware that traffic was bearing down on me on the "wrong" side of the road.Incidentally, without trying to sound pedantic, 34% of the world's population drives on the left. The French used to drive on the left but Napoleon changed it. I don't know why.